Despite what one might think, morale budgets at Microsoft are pretty limited. A lot of the allocation is reserved by our senior leaders for big team events with 100+ people. I really don't find those to be great bonding experiences. So we kicked off a season of team outings where each person organizes an event around something they are passionate about. And Charlotte kicked it off with Step Aerobic Classes. Charlotte has been doing step since she was a teenager and has been teaching classes for the last year!

She promised a mixed class, but Chris, Ali, Joost and I were the only guys there. And I think the girls had a better knack for the basic step, knees up, step high, mambo, up and over and the string of instructions from Charlotte. Don't know about everyone else, but I died and somehow kept going from sheer embarassment - after all, this was the basic class!

It was a great event, thanks to Charlotte for organizing. Next up is Ali who is going to transform a bunch of skiers into snowboarders next month. Hope the snow lasts :-)

Popular singer in Brazil sings to the tune of Windows Live Spaces ...  
Video: Cool Windows Live Campaign

Cook Your Own Indian™ Team Event

All recipes below serve 4. Served with rice, paratha and roti.

Minha’s Shrimp Curry

1 ¼ inch garlic peeled

4 cloves garlic

¾ tsp. coriander powder

1 medium sized onion, chopped finely

¾ tsp. cumin powder

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

3 dried red chilies

6 tbsp. oil

2 medium red tomatoes chopped

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp. salt

1 ½ lb uncooked shrimp, cleaned and de-veined

1 bunch cilantro leaves chopped

In pan, fry the onion until it is light brown in color and mildly cooked. Place the friend onions, ginger and garlic into a chopper and grind. Add teaspoon water to chopper if required. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric powders and chili into chopper and blend into thick paste.

In pan, heat the remaining oil. Fry the onion and spice mix. When it is cooked, add the chopped tomatoes. Continue cooking until they shrivel and form paste. Add the coconut milk and continue heating. Bring to gentle boil and add salt.

Add shrimp and stir until they turn pink and are cooked (about 3 minutes). Mix in cilantro leaves. Leave a few leaves for garnish.

Keema

½ oz (10g) fresh garlic

1 oz (25g) fresh ginger, peeled

3 green chili

2 fl oz cooking oil

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tsp tomato puree

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp tandoori masala

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp salt

2 bay leaves

12 oz (340g) minced lamb

20 fl oz water

1 cup garden peas

Handful chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Place garlic, ginger and green chili in grinder and chop finely.

Heat oil in pan and add chopped onion. Cook onion until it is golden brown. Now add liquidizer contents, tomato puree and all the powders and salt and bay leaves. Cook for another five minutes stirring continuously.

Add the mince, stirring continuously for another five minutes.

Add water and peas and cover pan, reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in chopped cilantro leaves. Transfer content to serving dish and garnish with coriander sprigs.

Tuna Bhajee

12 oz (340g) canned tuna in oil or water

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped

7 red chilies

5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

4 tbsp cooking oil

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

3 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

Chopped cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chopped garlic and red chilies. Allow garlic to turn light brown and then add the onions. Cook until onions are golden brown.

Add the tuna and cook for further 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the powders and salt and stir vigorously to mix in the spices into the tuna. Add the lemon juice and stir again. Cook for further 2-5 minutes until tuna is light brown in color.

Stir in chopped cilantro and transfer to serving dish.

Dhal

3 cups red Turkish lentils

6 cups water

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp chili powder

1 medium sized onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, crushed

5 red chilies

3 tbsp cooking oil

Chopped cilantro leaves

Wash lentils thoroughly in cold water.

Place lentils and water in pot and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until lentils become soft to touch.

Add the powder mixture. Take a stirrer, and whisk the lentil vigorously until the grains are crushed but not formed into a paste.

In a separate frying pan, heat the garlic, onion and red chili in oil until they are brown in color. Add to the lentil soup and stir.

Add the chopped cilantro and transfer to serving dish.

Sag Bhajee

20 oz (566g) chopped frozen spinach

½ tsp salt

10 cloves garlic, crushed

10 green chilies

1 medium sized onion, chopped

5 tbsp cooking oil

In a frying pan, place the blocks of frozen spinach with salt and chilies sprinkled on top and heat until the blocks have defrosted. Control heat so as not to dry or burn the spinach.

Create a clear area in the middle of the pan by pushing the spinach to the sides. Pour the oil into this center allow to heat.

Add the crushed garlic to the center and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the chopped onion. Do not mix with the spinach yet, but stir the center to ensure oil is mixing with garlic and onions.

After 2-3 minutes, stir the entire mixture of onions, garlic and spinach together. Heat for another 2-3 minutes and transfer to serving dish.