Food

Cluster beans (gawar) cooked with prawns

Cluster beans is a bit of a put off for many because it has a slightly bitterish after taste. Cooked with the right combination of ingredients this humble vegetable can be taken to another level of flavour. Humbly, it marries well with masoor dal and is a great source of protein. Cluster beans are low in calories and is known to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Cooked with prawns the cholesterol levels go out of the window.

Gawar/Cluster beans – 400 grams after cleaning
Prawns – 20 large
Tomatoes – 2 large diced evenly
Onion – one large minced fine
Potato – one large diced evenly to match the size of the tomatoes
Capsicum – one large diced evenly

Garlic – 7 cloves minced
Ginger – one inch minced
Green chillies – 3 minced
Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
Fresh coriander- half a hand full

Chilli powder- 3/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder- 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder- 11/2 teaspoon

Oil as required
Salt to taste

If you want this dish to look presentable as all food should, then I recommend that you cut the cluster beans thumb nail size and maintain the same size cut for all vegetables except the onions.

Clean the prawns removing the central vein. Wash and marinate in a little turmeric and lime juice. Set aside for ten minutes and shallow fry in oil for not more than a minute on each side. Don’t overcook the prawns as we have to introduce it to the dish later.

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Food

Dal Makhni

Rajma – 40 grams
Black urad dal – 120 grams
Kasturi methi – 1/2 teaspoon
Bay leaf- one
Black cardamom- one
Cloves – two
Cumin- one teaspoon
Cinnamon – one inch stick
Chilli powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Green cardamom – two
Ginger garlic paste – one teaspoon
Onion – one large, minced
Green chillies – two
Tomatoes- three, puréed
Butter – one large tablespoon
Fresh Cream as desired
Salt to taste

Soak the rajma and the black urad dal overnight. Rinse this at least twice with fresh water and cook it in a pressure cooker with some salt. The amount of water you need to pressure cook this is double the amount of the soaked pulses. Now pressure cook his for 15 whistles. When done the urad dal will be silky and pulped down while the rajma will continue to hold its shape. Reserve any liquid remaining as you will need this later.

When I worked in the Oberoi hotel the pulses were soaked and then left overnight  after the last order to be slow cooked over the tandoor which had been used the whole evening through. The heat of the dying embers cooked the pulses by morning leaving it with a delicious smoky flavour. 

In a pot heat some oil and half a table spoon of butter and add all the whole spices. If you only add butter it will burn as butter has a low smoking point; with oil it does not begin to burn.

Now add the onions and keep frying till it browns. Make sure the onions have a deep rich and brown colour (dont burn the onions). Add the ginger garlic paste and the chilli powder. Cook this for a minute and stir in the puréed tomatoes and continue cooking for about five minutes. Now add the pre-cooked pulses. At this stage, depending on how thick the dish is add the reserved stock or water of the cooked pulses.

Cover this and cook for about ten minutes checking on it every two minutes to make sure it is not burning at the bottom. When done add the remaining butter and a large dollop of fresh cream. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.

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Food

Bhindi Fry

Bhindi – 400 grams
Curry leaves – two sprigs
Onion powder – one tablespoon
Chilli powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste – one tea spoon
Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Lime – juice of half a lime
Vinegar – one teaspoon
Oil and salt as desired

Cutting vegetables well is what makes your dish truly appealing. Wash the okra in running water and then let it drip dry. Wipe the okra (Bhindi) and slice it in an angular fashion as seen in the picture below.

In a pan heat oil. This dish requires oil and is not for the faint of heart (pun intended). Let the oil heat to a smoking point and make sure it is smoking hot. Now drop the curry leaves making sure it has no water or else it will splutter and you will burn yourself.

While the oil is still smoking hot add the okra. You must choose the burner that gives you the highest heat for this dish or else make this in two batches. If the oil does not sear the bhindi it will begin to get slimy and you don’t want a slimy dish. 

Now that the bhindi is searing add the vinegar. This will prevent it from getting slimy. Once the bhindi is fried add all the other ingredients including the salt and perhaps a bit of oil and stir the ingredients well cooking it for two minutes more. Do not reduce the intensity of the heat. Finally add the lime or aamchur powder and serve.

You can make your own garlic and onion powder at home. I have a similar post on orange peel powder on the blog pottypadre.com in the food section.

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Food

Cabbage and pea bhaji

This dish is meant to be comfort food with lockdown ingredients. However the way you cut and cook your vegetables especially the cabbage will make all the difference to this dish. Most people cook this dish down to a slush making it very unpalatable. You may not have peas with you in which you case you can use par boiled diced potatoes. These guys should be tiny and elegant. Alternatively you could also fry these potatoes and add them to the dish.

Cabbage – medium sized about a kilo
Peas – one large handful
Onion – one large, thinly sliced
Tomato- one large, chopped
Green chillies – two, minced
Mustard seeds – 1 and a 1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt to taste

How to cut cabbage?
This is key to a great cabbage bhaji. Most people just cut the cabbage into half and then continue slicing it finely. This will leave you with uneven slices and you will constantly slice the rib of the cabbage. Technically, there is nothing wrong in this method for home cooking or in eating the rib of the cabbage. However, if you would like it to look nice and even taste better then I recommend you knock off the rib.

How do you knock off the rib of the cabbage ?

Turn the cabbage head down which means that you are faced with the central spine, the hard part of the cabbage. Now using your knife and in a circular motion cut of the Central spine. With, your hands ease out the leaves from the spine area. Do this gently and patiently. You might have to continually keep trimming the spine to ease out the leaves. The leaves in the middle are the hearts of cabbage which I use for the presentation of salads. They make for natural cups.

Having separated all the leaves place them one over the other, about four leaves at a time. With your knife cut off the central rib. Now roll the cabbage leaves and begin to slice the leaves very thinly.

In a LARGE pot allow about 5 tablespoons of oil to heat to smoking point. Drop in the mustard seeds and it will crackle like firecrackers. This is essential, if your oil is not hot the mustard seeds will not crackle, the flavours will not be released and you will end up with the bitterish taste.

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Art/ Heritage

STOM, Matthias_La Cena de Emaus, c.1633-1639_ 375 (1976.66)

 A long day had drawn to an end and it was twilight again. Fading lights scrambled through the dusty paths as they neared the quaint quiet village of Emmaus. Like the moon set against the darkening skies, a fire illuminated their hearts not their eyes. It was the radiant reflection of the ‘Stranger’ who had opened the Scriptures to them. The seven-mile journey had culminated and the temple town of Jerusalem seemed distant on the hills.

Jerusalem, the centre of action, was now the hub of bitter memories. It was here that the hailing Hosannas had crumbled to the cacophonous cries of ‘Crucify Him’. The ‘things’ of the near past had crushed their hearts. Their hopes were dashed against the empty tomb. As faith gave way to fear, crestfallen and confused they walked away from the happenings of the day.

Treading down the road, they attempted to seek sense in the events. Soon a ‘Stranger’ sought them. He slowed his pace to listen to what they had to say and retraced their steps through the Scriptures. Ironically, He who appeared to know nothing, helped the two downcast disciples make sense of the meaningless happenings. Their slow and stony hearts were now burning as the Stranger watered their withered spirits.

The destination drew near, not their wills. The disciples urged the Stranger to stay with them pleading, ‘Abide with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over’ (Luke 24:29). Revealing not His identity to them, He who deigned to walk their path, mile after mile, now agrees to abide for the night. At dinner-time, the tables turn, and He who is the guest now becomes the Host.

Inspired by the Biblical account, Matthias Stom captures this climatic moment with utmost veracity in his fantastic painting titled ‘The Supper at Emmaus’. The narrative seemed dear to the artist’s heart as he worked upon eight other versions of the same subject. Stom deploys still life to unfold a moving, living story. He locates the scene in a tenebrous dark room illuminated by the dancing flame of a stationary candle placed at the centre of a small table.

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