Did You Ever Love Me? by Rithvik Singh is a tender contemporary poetry collection about love, heartbreak, longing, self worth and learning to let go. Its greatest strength is emotional accessibility: Singh writes directly to readers who feel intensely and care deeply. The collection offers comfort without pretending heartbreak is simple, though its simplicity may occasionally feel familiar to seasoned poetry readers. Did You Ever Love Me? Have you ever loved someone so completely that, after they left, you were left wondering whether they had ever understood what they had been given? Not merely whether they loved you, but whether they ever noticed how much you loved them, how much patience you offered, how many small things you remembered, or how often you chose to stay when leaving might have been easier. There is a particular loneliness in that question because it rarely arrives at a dramatic moment. More often, it finds you while you are doing something completely ordinary. You mig...
Seafood Spaghetti with Pepper and Almond Sauce
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
1 small red pepper (capsicum)
1 red chilli
50g blanched almonds
2-3 garlic cloves
2tbsp red wine vinegar
350ml handful of flat-leafed parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
300g dried spaghetti
450g mixed prepared, cooked seafood such as prawns, mussels and squid
Put the capsicum and chilli under the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the skin char and blacken. Cool slightly, peel off the skins. Halve, discard seeds, then put the flesh into a food processor.
Toast the almonds under the grill until golden. Chop the garlic. Add the almonds and garlic to the processor with the red wine vinegar, tomato juice and half the parsley, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Blend until almost smooth, then transfer to a large pan.
Cook spaghetti in boiling, salted water accounting to the instructions on the packet.
Meanwhile, heat the sauce gently until it simmers, then add the seafood. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce and seafood have been heated through, stirring frequently. Don’t overcook.
Roughly chop the remaining parsley. Drain the pasta, return to the pan, then add the sauce with the parsley and toss well.
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