Lesson learnt

Often times we hurt those closest to us in ways that we cannot fathom . Are the stressors in life that important that we have forgotten to smile or give a hug or say a kind word ? I wish I could say that my heart is as pure as that of my canine partner. Every day and every moment he teaches me life lessons that no text book, parent, spouse, friend, family or teacher can or have covered. He's taught me, that it doesn't matter whether you were born to stars or are a product of dust, what matters is how you are as an individual.

What I have learnt from my dog is to grab life by its horns and enjoy every moment and every second of it. Be it while getting those yummy treats or during meal times, play times or during down times. Every moment is a celebration of life , relationships and Nature. There is nothing wrong in running amuck or  rolling in the grass or mud as long as you come back and shake things off.

We humans have weighed ourselves down with  worries, stress, malice, fear, complaints and comparisons which keeps us from enjoying the very essence of life. This is especially true with every passing generation. If we look at nature or even look back in history we like other creatures were meant to 1) be born, 2) eat, 3) when there is abundance of food & water be happy, 4) procreate and 5) die. But somewhere along the line between birth and death we complicated our existance and brought along burdens of everyday life.

We increased longevity as a race but decreased health in the process. We increased creature comforts but brought in comparisons , malice and stress to be one up than the other.. We have forgotten the true meaning of bliss.

In this rat race of life, everybody wants to be the head and hopes and pushes the other to be the tail. We forget the body is as important (if not more ) to sustain the head and to grow the tail. My dog has taught me to be the body , the being that nourishes the mind and body as a whole as we are incomplete without one or the other. He's taught me to cherish every little morsel of food whether it is for thought or for hunger and be thankful for all the people and things in my life. Happiness is not always with big expensive things.. even a stick or a cardboard box can bring so much joy and excitement to a dull moment.

My upbringing had taught me to learn from our mistakes. My dog has taught me to forgive mistakes. Family and friends have taught me to love them, while my dog has taught me to love everyone and every creature. People had taught me to respect those with power, My dog has taught me power lies within each one of us and is worthy of respect no matter what race , color, creed or form it is in.

Pickles

Punjabi Mixed Vegetable Pickle

Ingredients

Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks 1tsp , Fenugreek 1/4 tsp, Big Cardamom 6-7, Oil 3-4 cups , Mustard 1 tsp, Lemon juice from 1 lemon, Red chili powder 2-4 tbs (as per taste) , Turmeric 1 tsp, Mustard 1 tsp,  cloves 1 tsp, salt 1.5 tsp,  Jaggery the size of  small lemon, 1/2- 1 cup each of Crunchy vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, Lotus roots, Horse radish, Garlic

Method

Dry grind Cinnamon sticks, big cardamom,  cloves, Fenugreek, Mustard. Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan and add all the ground spices with grated ginger, red chili powder turmeric and salt. When it starts to smoke add garlic and other vegetables and turn to coat all the vegetables with the masala. And cook for 2 minutes Turn off the gas and let it cool to room temperature. Transfer to a jar and add lemon juice and the rest of the oil to immerse the vegetables completely. Keep the jar in sunlight for 2-3 days. Open the jar and add shaved jaggery and mix well. Keep it in the sunlight for 2 more days before storing it away in a dry cold place.

This pickle can be had as an accompaniment for stuffed paratha or naan.

Garlic Pickle

Ingredients

Ginger (grated), Garlic, 1 tsp Cinnamon sticks,  6-7 Big Cardamom, 2-4 tbs (as per taste) Red chili powder, 1 tsp Turmeric Powder, 3-4 cups Oil , 1 tsp Mustard, Lemon juice from 1 lemon , cloves 1 tsp, 1.5 tsp salt.

Method

Dry grind Cinnamon sticks, big cardamom,  cloves. Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan and Sputter Mustard and add all the ground spices with red chili powder, Turmeric Powder, Grated ginger and salt. Add Garlic pearls and stir for 3-5 minutes . Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. Transfer to a jar and add lemon juice and the rest of the oil to immerse the vegetables completely. Keep the jar in sunlight for 2-3 days.

Curry

Here are a few dry curry varieties that can be used as accompaniment to bread, naan , rotis or rice.

Guar / Cluster Beans and Potato Curry 

Ingredients

Cumin Seeds 1tsp, Carom (ajwain) 1/2 tsp, Turmeric 1/2 tsp, Salt 1tsp,  Red Chili Powder 1 tsp, Curry leaves 2 sprigs,  Coriander leaves 3-4 sprigs, Oil 1 tbs, Garam Masala / Tava Masala 1tsp (optional), 2 Medium  potatoes peeled & cubed,  cluster beans / guar diced 2-3 cups

Method

Boil potatoes until they are soft. Also boil, cluster beans with salt individually. Drain both the vegetables.  In a pan heat oil sputter cumin seeds and carom. Add the vegetables and season them with red chili powder, turmeric, salt (according to taste) , curry leaves , Garam or Tava Masala and 1/4 cup water (to ensure the vegetables absorb the seasonings) . Mix well and let it cook until all the water evaporates or is absorbed by the vegetable.

Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Ivy Gourd / Tindora Fry

Ingredients

Mustard Seeds 1tsp, Black gram (urad) dal 1/2 tsp, Turmeric 1/2 tsp, Salt 1tsp,  Red Chili Powder 1 tsp, Curry leaves 2 sprigs,  Coriander leaves 3-4 sprigs, Oil 1 tbs, Grated coconut 1tbs,  Ivy Gourd (Tindora) 2-3 cups cut into round circles.

Method

In a pan heat oil sputter Mustard seeds and Black gram dal. Add Ivy Gourd (Tindora) and season with turmeric, salt, red chili powder, curry leaves , and 1/2 cup water. Cook until all the seasonings and water are absorbed or evaporated and the curry starts to sick to the pan bottom. Sprinkle a tbs of water and add grated coconut and cook for 2-3 more minutes . Garnish with Coriander leaves while its still hot.

Instead of Grated coconut ground peanuts can be added to render a different nutty and crunchy flavor to this vegetable

Eggplant Curry

There are different varieties of Eggplant available and there is also different ways of preparing Eggplant. In the first recipe here we could use any of the different varieties of eggplant. In the second recipe, we only use the big eggplant 

Quick Everyday Eggplant Curry

Ingredients  

Eggplant (one large or 10-15 small) cut, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp , Cumin Seeds 1tsp, Turmeric 1/2 tsp, Salt 1tsp,  Red Chili Powder 1 tsp, Curry leaves 2 sprigs,  Coriander leaves 3-4 sprigs, Oil 1 tbs, Garam Masala / Tava Masala 1tsp (optional).

Method 

In a pan heat oil, and sputter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add  the eggplant and saute' with  turmeric, salt, red chili powder and Curry leaves until its fully cooked . Garnish with Coriander leaves before serving.

There are different variations to this curry. Adding Tava Masala or Garam Masala would change the taste of this curry for a slight variation of this very same curry. Similarly adding Carom (Ajwain) instead of mustard seeds  give it a different flavor. We can also add 1 large diced onion (and / or tomato) before adding the eggplant to this recipe for a more flavorful curry.

Bharta Baingan 

Ingredients  

Eggplant (one large), Carom 1/2 tsp, Cumin Seeds 1tsp, Turmeric 1/2 tsp, Salt 1tsp, 1-2 medium diced green chili pepper,  Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp, Curry leaves 1 sprig,  Coriander leaves 3-4 sprigs, Oil 1 tbs, Garam Masala 1tsp (optional), Onion 1 large diced, Tomato 1 large Diced.

Method 

Wash the eggplant throughly and smear with a few drops of oil. Grill or roast the eggplant preferably on open flame to get the smoky flavor. Keep turning it frequently to ensure its evenly cooked and tender. It is normal for the vegetable to ooze juice during this process. When its completely grilled  peel off  the burnt skin to  expose the cooked flesh part.

In a pan heat oil and sputter Cumin seeds and carom seeds. Add green chili pepper, onion and saute' until the onion becomes semi translucent . Add tomato, turmeric, salt, curry leaves, red chili powder and saute until the tomatoes are completely cooked . Cut and add the eggplant to it and cook until it is well mashed and blended with the onion & tomato  starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. You can add Garam Masala (optional) at this point. If you are adding Garam masala then you might want to reduce the amount of Green chili or red chili powder as Garam masala renders a more spicy flavor.

Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Baingan Raita

This is a variation of Baingan Bharta recipe.  This recipe calls for adding yogurt to Baingan Bharta  after its cooked. Carom (ajwain) , Garam Masala and tomato are not used in the recipe above if the preparation is for Baingan Raita . Carom is replaced by mustard seeds in this recipe to make it more flavorful.

Garnish it with coriander leaves and Chat Masala (optional) .

South Indian Curry Avviyal Recipe

Avviyal 

Ingredients 

Cumin seeds 2 tsp , yogurt 2 cups , grated coconut 1/2 cup, green chili pepper 4-5 ,  1 tbs rice flour, salt , coconut oil, curry leaves, Vegetables like  carrot 10, tindora (Ivy gourd) 10-15, white pumpkin size of an apple , corn 1/4 cup, peas 1/4 cup, flat beans 15-20, string beans 15-20,  guar/ cluster bean 15-20, Drumstick (moringa oleifera) 10-15, curry leaves 2 sprig, Potato 1 large, Chayote (chow chow) 1 , Plantain 1 large, Elephant yam (suran/ senai kizhangu) 1/2 cup.

Method

Cut all the vegetables length-wise (Julienne) as in the pix above. In a pot  boil all the vegetables with salt and just enough water to immerse the vegetables.  In a processor grind cumin seeds, coconut, green chili pepper, rice flour and curry leaves to a paste . When the vegetables are boiled add the paste, coconut oil and let it  simmer on medium flame for 5 more minutes. Add yogurt and simmer for an additional 2-5 minutes before transferring onto a serving dish.

Avviyal is served with plain white rice. Once cooked, this is typically not reheated. Left overs are had with hot rice instead of heating or warming avviyal.

Ivy Gourd Curry Recipe

Coccinia Grandis/ Ivy Gourd / Tindora Curry

Ingredients

1 medium Onion, 1 inch Ginger, 2 cloves of Garlic, 3-4 Green chili pepper, 1.5 tsp Cumin seeds, 1 tbs Sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds, 2tbs Peanut, 2 tbs coconut, 1 heaped tsp Garam Masala , 10-12 sprigs Cilantro, 1 tsp Coriander seeds, 2 tbs Oil, 1 tbs Tamarind Paste, 1 tsp Red chili Powder, 1 tsp salt, Turmeric powder, Tindora (Ivy Gourd).

Method 

Grind onion, ginger,  garlic, green chili pepper,  1 tsp cumin seeds,  sesame seeds,  peanut,  coconut and  coriander seeds into a paste . In a deep pan , heat oil and sputter 1/2 tsp cumin and mustard seeds and cook the ground paste with salt, turmeric,  garam masala,  chili powder and tamarind paste on medium flame for 5 minutes. Keep turning. 

Simultaneously cook tindora in the microwave on high for 5 mins or on another gas,  boil it in water until it becomes tender.

When the paste starts to dry out and the  raw smell of onions and garlic is replaced by the cooked aroma of the paste , add the cooked tindora and mix well to coat the vegetable with the paste . You can add a tbs of water to ensure the flavor from the paste is absorbed by the vegetable. Let it cook for 5 mins on high flame occasionally turning it to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Remove from flame and garish with fresh cut coriander leaves on a serving platter.

This dish can be served with Pita bread , Naan or rotis.

Masala Eggplant Curry Recipe

Masala Eggplant Curry (Bagara Baingan) 

Ingredients

1 medium Onion, 1 inch Ginger, 2 cloves of Garlic, 3-4 Green chili pepper, 1.5 tsp Cumin seeds, 1 tbs Sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds, 2tbs Peanut, 2 tbs coconut, 8-10 baby Eggplant , 10-12 sprigs Cilantro, 1 tsp Coriander seeds, 2 tbs Oil, 1 tbs Tamarind Paste, 1 tsp Red chili Powder, 1 tsp salt, Turmeric powder.

Method 

Grind onion, ginger,  garlic, green chili pepper,  1 tsp cumin seeds,  sesame seeds,  peanut,  coconut and coriander seeds into a paste . In a deep pan, heat oil and sputter 1/2 tsp cumin and mustard and temper the eggplant with a seasoning of red chili powder, salt, and turmeric powder. 

When the eggplant is sufficiently cooked, add the ground paste to it with a 1/4 cup water . Let it simmer for 10 mins on medium flame. Turn it occasionally to completely coat the eggplant with the ground paste. You know its done, when it starts to dry , sticks to the bottom of the pan and you don't get the smell of raw onion in the paste.  Take it off flame and garnish it with cut coriander leaves in a serving dish.

*If you can still smell raw onion then add a couple of more ladles of water and let it simmer for some more time. 

This dish can be served with Pita bread , Naan or Roti's.

Everyday Currys & Dals

Traditionally  in Indian cuisine, every aspect of ones daily requirement of fruits, vegetables, proteins and carbs are catered to in every meal. In the northern parts of India, the carbs are mainly from one or other form of bread referred to as roti or naan. The proteins are mainly from grams , pulses referred to as dal  & diary in the form of Yogurt  . In case of non-vegetarian diets, the proteins are additionally from some form of meat besides the dal. Fat in the diet is mainly from clarified butter or ghee. Vitamins and Minerals are from fruits and vegetables that are either consumed raw or cooked with different bases or masalas. Every ingredient thats used in cooking not just adds to flavor, color and aroma it also has acts as a healer in some form or the other . One such example is of turmeric that is used extensively in Indian cooking.

If you have followed my postings thus far, you would have noted the number of vegetarian dishes that  can be whipped up for a sumptuous meal . The next few postings are going to be everyday Currys and Dals. These are mostly accompaniments to the bread or Rotis and / or Rice.