thecookscottage

Dinkache Ladu-Remembrance of Things Past

Have you noticed how children love sticky, chewy sweets? Things that are loath to let go of their teeth.That have the inherent capacity to hang on...for a long time.Fudge is one, marshmallow another, aam papad,chikki, nougat ; anything, the traces of which can be found long after ingestion, that serve as little reminders of past pleasures.A lick around the chops and , what do you know, I found a bit. Like a camel with it's selective retention of feed particles in different chambers.

Dinkache Ladu

I confess to the same delight in glutinous stuff. Stuff like dinkache ladu.
This famous Maharashtrian sweet is made with 'dink', as it is known in Marathi or 'gaund'as it is known in Rajasthan, which is an edible gum, a resin from the axle-wood tree.

Dink is not to be mixed up with gum arabica which comes from the Acacia nilotica or the Babhul tree . Gum Arabica is used in many confectionaries and foods. It played a starring and notorious role in an urban legend.The one that was put about claiming Osama Bin Laden's wealth originated from mighty stores of gum arabica which he sold from his vast orchards of Acacia Arabica in Sudan. Shipments of the same were promptly cancelled in the US for a while. When it was discovered that this was a myth, gum arabica imports continued.

Anogeissus latifolia or the Dhawda is a very useful tree. Besides producing a resin called ghati gum ,which is also used in dyeing calico, as a binding agent in pharmaceuticals where it is known as Gummi Indicum, and is also supposed to have medicinal qualities, it's leaves provides fodder for animals and Tussore silkworms are fed on them.The leaves and bark are also used for tanning, the wood for firewood, and the flowers for bees, in apiculture.
The tree is also known as tiruman in Andhra Pradesh, vekali in Tamil ,dinduga in Kannada malkanjiram, tellamadi, dhemodo,chirimanu and a host of other names across India.

It is for it's medicinal properties that the resin is used in this ladu /sweetmeat. It is, traditionally, fed to lactating mothers and is supposed to help in increasing nutrients to the new born baby as well as in preventing backache after childbirth.It is also given to children in cold weather as dried fruits are supposed to be 'heating'.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups Copra grated fine
• 1/2 cup Khus Khus/ Poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup finely slivered Almonds
• 1/4 cup broken cashewnuts
• 1/4 cup pista sliced fine
• 1 1/2 cups Ghee
• 3/4 cup atta/ wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups date powder
• 1 1/2 cups 'Dink'/ resin
• 3/4 cup Caster sugar
• 2 1/4 cups Gur /Jaggery, shaved into small bits.
• 3 tsps Zaiphal / Nutmeg powder
• 2 tsps Elaichi/ Cardamom powdered

Roast the copra on a griddle/ tawa till pink in colour and dry.Take off fire.Break into smaller bits with a rolling pin. Roast the poppy seeds on the griddle till slightly coloured, stirring constantly.Take off the heat and grind into a powder.Roast all three dried fruits lightly and break into coarse bits.Roast the wheat flour on a griddle with a tablespoon of the ghee. Roast very lightly to take off the raw smell and give it a pale golden brown colour. Be careful not to burn it. Now roast the date powder on a dry griddle for a few minutes.

Mix the sugar and gur together.

Heat 1/4 cup of ghee and add the 'dink' resin stirring occasionally till it swells and pops.Take off fire and powder.

Mix all the ingredients including the nutmeg and cardamom powder.

Heat up the ghee and pour over the sugar and gur mix.

Now swiftly combine all ingredients with the sugar ,gur and ghee, mix thoroughly and form into balls immediately.It helps to smear some ghee on your hands while forming the ladus.

Though I recall this process as taking ages when I was young it is actually quite easy to make. In childhood, anticipation can really stretch time, from hours into aeons.

Neem Juice

1.Make an infusion of neem leaves by pouring a cup of boiling water on 6 leaves. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Strain the water before drinking.This is supposed to be good for reducing fever.

2.Grind 20 neem leaves in a mortar to make a tablespoon of neem paste. Strain the pulp through a fine seive or cloth. Add some honey to the paste. Taken twice a day this is supposed to be good for high blood pressure. Taken on an empty stomach it is said to reduce blood sugar.

The recipes above are for information only. Please check with your doctor if you suffer from any condition that requires medical attention.

More about Neem

Mung Sprouts Salad with a Honey Dressing

Sprouts Salad

This recipe was sent by dear and old friend Amrita who has always produced inventive food, quite without fuss, while remaining a vocal and significant part of all discussions, arguments and conversations that were carried on in her hospitable living room.She sent it to share, in response to the Gajar Salad I posted a couple of weeks ago. It has the same health giving characteristics but tastes luxuriously different.

Ingredients:
250 gms sprouted mung
100 gms cubed or crumbled paneer /cottage cheese.(You could substitute feta cheese but if you do cut down the salt in the recipe)
1 cup chopped spring onions.( I used 1/2 a plain red onion as I had no spring onions)
2 tbsp whole pudina /mint leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley (or coriander)
1/2 tsp zest of lemon or 2 tsp of orange
1 tsp salt
Dressing:
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients. Add salt and mix well. Combine the honey and lime juice and pour over the salad just before serving.

Taken twice a day this is supposed to be good for high blood pressure. Taken on an empty stomach it is said to reduce blood sugar.

Flattery or Plagiarism

Who would have thought this little blog of mine would have such devout readers. Readers who are journalists, who want to spread my words with such faithfulness as to keep the original untouched, in its exact same form, word for word, comma for comma. And print it in one of the nations English dailies, with (purportedly) the highest circulation.

This should warm the cockles of my beating heart, it should fill me with pride and joy, it should, it should...

Well it doesn't. I am mad.

And after I complain to the person in charge of that section of the paper I receive a phone call from the offending creature. Who calls it 'research'. Who does not admit to charges of copying even though she has scooped up 400 words of a five hundred word post and did a paste job. Who does not identify herself on the phone .Who has the gall to suggest I 'want something", as in money, to keep me quiet.

Now I am madder.

What the silly woman does not know is that the exact same piece was plagiarised in a magazine that was circulated in November 2005. So, now everyone knows it definitely appeared before her piece, whether in my blog or actually lifted from some other 'journalist' .Who is the fool? Plagiariser No 1 or P # 2.
The editor of that particular magazine issued an apology right away, refused to use the "journalist" in question again and circulated my letter to her stringers as a warning, and ...(oh wowee!!) suggested that, perhaps, I would like to write for her illustrious magazine.
Not surprisingly the 'in charge' of the paper today said...."err so why dont you come and meet me and maybe you would like to write for us". Oh surprise surprise! .Very pally like. Familiar. First name basis always. Friendly. Patronising.

No mention of formal apology. No mention of setting it right in print

The odd fact is, 'not so net savvy' journalists do not use the Internet except, like this woman, for "research". They don't know that this great piece of software called Copyscape (please look to the bottom right hand corner of this page) can catch them red-handed in black and white if they have online versions of their papers.
Any editor in this country would do well to use keep it on their desktop. Google is another wonderful tool. Just type in phrases from any article and if it has been written before, at least on the net, you can find out in 2 seconds flat.

And we have copyright and patent laws in this country too. Yes. I know this is not Neem or Basmati and this thief is so local as to make the situation somewhat amusing,( I mean if we meet in the same restaurant -what do I do? Throw curry in her face?) but all the same. There is such a tiny, little thing called creative pride. My words above another persons byline. Ugh. I dont like the look of that name. It ain't mine.

How many other bloggers have experienced the same thing? How many blogs are being reproduced wholesale without permission and with no attribution given to the writers and photographers?
Dear community of Bloggers. Please do let me know.

Mutton Kolhapuri

Mutton Kolhapuri

There is nothing subtle about this dish. Its red, hot and pungent.The taste hits you right away because of the generosity with which garam masalas are added. The chillies are hair raising. Especially if the lavangi, that firecracker of a mirchi ,is part of the ingredients. Its sparks define Kolhapuri food. Almost painful to the palate, once eaten most people are not 'twice shy.' In fact many remain fans forever, addicted , craving that colourful gravy, situated as they are, far away from the rugged terrain that surrounds the place of it's origins.

Kolhapur District

Ingredients:

Roast on a tava or frying pan:

• 6 tbsp. of copra grated till golden brown. Remove from pan.
• 1 tbsp. khus/ poppy seeds. Remove from pan.

Now roast the following together, stirring continuously to prevent burning, till they give off a nice aroma:

• 3 tsp. peppercorn
• 1 tsp. jaipathri / mace
• 3 tsp cloves
• 2 2" pieces cinnamon
• 6 badi elaichi / black cardamom
• 6 green cardamom
• 1/4 jaiphal / nutmeg
• 20 Kashnmiri chillies / or three lavangi chillies and 10 kashmiri chillies
• 4 tsp. khus / poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp. dhania /coriander seeds
• 2 tsps jeera / cumin seeds
• 3 tsp. saunf /fennel seeds
• 2 tsp. shahzeera /caraway /
• 3 tsp. dagad phool / lichen /
• 2 pcs. badal phool / star anise
• 2 tsps sesame seeds

Let the spices cool then grind in a coffee grinder till a fine paste is formed.I add the coconut, poppy seeds and sesame seeds last of all, as they release the oil required to make the powdered ingredients into a paste..

• 1 and 1/2 kg. mutton shoulder with cartilage removed.Cut into cubes.
• 6 - 12 tbsp. oil.(I use the lesser amount but its a question of taste and necessity)
• 6 large onions minced
• 2 onions and 15 cloves garlic pureed into a paste.
• 2 level tsps haldi/ turmeric
• 3 tbsp. ginger garlic paste.
• 1 litre/ 2 pints boiling water
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 3 tsps salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp. fresh coriander

Heat the oil in a large kadhai. Add bay leaves and stir for a second before adding the minced onions. Fry the onions till brown .

Now add the garlic/ onion paste and the turmeric, stirring well so it does not burn. Add the ginger garlic paste,give it a stir and then add the mutton pieces all together. Let the meat change colour and brown a bit before adding the boiling water.Cover and cook for 40 minutes on a medium flame.

Now add the masala paste the lime juice and salt. Stir to cook the paste well., add more water if required. Cover tightly and cook till done for approximately 45 minutes on a low flame.

This meat should not be dry and should have plenty of gravy. Garnish with some coriander and serve hot.Goes great with jowar roti or plain rice.

Survival of the Fittest- Cookbooks from World War II

This afternoon I got a call from an old, old friend . She is 95 and full of beans.She told me of her ideas about changing the national symbol to reflect, not the wheel of Ashoka, but the wheel of the rath of Krishna.Not murderous Ashoka but gentle Krishna.We have forgotten, she said, that Ashoka killed his siblings to become king. Krishna was not murderous. He did his duty. Karma yog was the answer. Work without anticipation of reward.

It was good to hear her . She wanted to share her vision that the wheel at the centre of the flag could mean more to most Indians..

She also talked to me about her husband who died last year. He was interned in a POW camp in Germany, after being caught in Cairo during the Second World War, and suffered greatly, like so many Indian officers and soldiers, who remain, like the Australians, the unsung heroes of the Allied army.

How many people know what Indian regiments did during this war?
8th Indian in action. Italy 1944

With movies and literature glorifying the deeds of other countries few realise that Indian officers were among those who faced Rommel in the desert, who were among the first to enter Rome, in the race for that honour between the British and U.S. army across Europe , and who died in horrifying circumstances in the Battle of  Monte Cassino, in the south of Italy.
Cassino 1944

The few who survived that battle walked into Rome to guard many of Italy's national treasures- singers from the National Opera. For whom the grateful artists gave a concert that left not a dry eye in the room.

How do I know this? My father was there.

Back to my friend. Her husband kept a cookery book in the German camp, which she now wants to publish. In it are jewels of recipes . How to make do without several ingredients and still make a great meal. It occurs to me that he was not the only one to remember, in complete detail, the tastes of his youth and how to reconstruct the best of them even in his mind.And what power this had to make him survive (think of "In Memory's Kitchen", recipes collected by inmates of the concentration camp at Terezin.)

(I am sure that even in this age of globalisation, where regions are defined by availability of ingredients, most of which cross all borders, except perhaps those which require absolute freshness, his book would do well with the adventurous. After all, courage today is also defined in culinary bravado.Witness Bourdain, our modern day culinary warrior.)

Yesterday I saw a snippet on TV about a few living veterans of World War II .

Sikh Troops in Burma 1945

Soldiers, villagers, who had been part of the British Indian Army in Burma , who were told to go home after the war, without a penny to live on and who, even now, receive pathetic pensions of Rs 900 i.e. $20 for their part in the wars of the British army. Wizened yet dignified, they had the courtesy to attend some ceremony organised by the UK high commission, to be at the receiving end of a dozen cameras and a hand out of cheques of $30 apiece, for being some of the bravest of the brave in those bloody battles . They were assured, by some British boffin, that people in his country would "continue to raise money for them as long as they lived!"

How gratifying.

At least the British left in 1947, with, besides much else, our curry. Worth a lot more than 30 quid would you say??

More Health to your Elbow - Carrot and Peanut Salad- Gajar aur Shengdana Salad

This is standard fare on our thali's. Another amazingly interesting combination which works so well. Also 'good for health' as they say here. Peanuts are often added to Maharashtrian dishes. As a result, your protein intake is taken care of and your "good cholesterol" becomes better. Well, years of eating rather too well have ended up with a lot of friends stricken with high LDL / that heart clogger . And I know it is not politically correct to mention lipid profiles and suchlike nasty subjects in a food blog but , one day, and it happens to have been a day in this week for me, we have to face the music for our sins. Mixed metaphors are also a result of high cholesterol I'm afraid.
Now, all is not lost, keep the commiserations to yourself- a little bit of thought and one can come up with good taste and an improved profile both internal and external. Add the following to the file for "Vegetarian Delights with a Difference".

Carrot and Peanut Salad

Ingredients:
4 carrots
1 tablespoon peanuts
1 tsp rai / mustard seeds
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated coconut (optional)
1 tsp chopped green coriander.

Wash and grate carrots. Roast peanuts and grind coarsely.You can do this in a blender. or just go over peanuts once or twice with a rolling pin.Mix the carrots and peanuts. Heat up the teaspoon of oil and fry mustard seeds till they pop.Add them to the carrots and peanuts and mix well. Garnish with coconut and coriander. If you don't have the last two ingredients don't worry. It tastes just fine without.

Khatti Bhaji- Eat your Greens

Apte Road, in the heart of Deccan Gymkhana, has at least one famous restaurant, housed in the Hotel Shreyas,. It has been there for as long as I can remember.A stopover for travellers and tourists it boasts of one of the best vegetarian Maharashtrian thalis in Pune.
I tend to take all our guests for at least one meal there, just to get a taste of the food typical of this state.
Shreyas is always clean, with white tablecloths, scrubbed floors, an inspectable kitchen and shining thalis and vati's (bowls). Plus efficient and friendly service.The price is very reasonable. No Maharashtrian worth his/her salt, will ever be caught in an overpriced place and the place is full of Maharashtrians.I guess that is recommendation enough!
I love going there when they serve pureed mango with a dollop of ghee served with puris in April and May and for their khatti bhajji made of ambad chukka which is every week.

Ambat Chuka bhaji

greens which have a delightfully sour taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of ambat chuka/ greens


• 2 cups water


• 1/3 cup of channa dal, boiled


• 1/3 cup peanuts, boiled


• 1 tbsp vegetable oil


• 2 green chillies slit and deseeded


• 4 cloves


• 2 elaichi/cardomom


• 1" stick of cinnamon


• 10 curry leaves/ kari patta


• 1 bay leaf


• 1/2 tsp garam masala


• 1 tsp goda masala(optional)


• 1 tsp sugar


• 2 tsps lime juice


• Salt


• 2 tbsp besan/ gram flour


• 2 cups water

Khatti -Ambat Bhaji with peanuts

Wash ambat leaves thoroughly and cook in a pressure cooker with two cups of water on high pressure for 2 minutes, reduce heat and cook for another 5 minutes.Put into a blender with some of the water and puree.
Heat oil and fry the chillies, curry leaves and all the whole spices.(bay leaf, cardomoms, cinnamon and cloves.)Add the pureed ambat, the boiled peanuts and channa dal, the sugar, salt and lime juice. Add two cups of water to the puree and bring to the boil and cook for a few minutes.Reduce heat to low.Make a paste of the besan/gram flour and water remaining from cooking the greens.Add the paste to the greens while stirring. Cook on low fire for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps from being formed.Serve.
This is especially delicious with jowar or bajra ki roti

Pitle - Besan/ Gram Flour Curry

Pitle

Pitle is as integral to the Maharashtrian Thali as sambar is to the South Indian.Some call it Bombay Chutney. There are several interpretations of this most common of dishes and all those who make it regularly will vow that their way is the most authentic.I like it best with a garam masala made from one of Madhur Jaffrey's recipes from her book "Indian Cooking" but I am sure any other garam masala would do as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 large onions chopped roughly
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 coconut grated
• 2 green chillies deseeded

Puree the above with 4 tbsp. water in a blender till smooth.

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsps. mustard seeds
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 3/4 cup besan/ gram flour
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup tamarind water, made from soaking a walnut sized piece of tamarind
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 2 tbsp. fresh coriander chopped fine

Prepare the paste first.Heat the oil in a kadhai. or any other heavy pan. When hot put in mustard seeds . When they begin to pop add the coconut and onion paste.Cook till lighlty browned. This can take up to 20 minutes.Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they are incorporated into the paste. Add the besan/ gram flour and mix well. Add the water bit by bit stirring constantly so no lumps are formed.Add tamarind water and garam masala. Cook on a low- medium fire till the mixture thickens, stirring all the time.Add chopped coriander and mix well.Once cooked let the mixture reach the thickness you prefer.Some like it of pouring consistency like a curry and others like it thicker.I like it almost dry as in the picture. Garnish with more coriander and tomato. Serve hot. Pitle tastes nice with roti or rice. Serves 8

Bajra Bread- Millet and Wholewheat Bread

"Double roti" used to be another word for bread other than Indian chapatis,parathas and roti's. I think it was called 'double' because the dough rose to double its size with the addition of yeast or baking powder though K.T. Achaya says in his book  "A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food" that the term was used because the bread was made in jointed sections.(double).

Indian 'flat breads' are not leavened, with the exception of Naans and kulchas. "Flat bread" is really an unsatisfactory term since the texture and taste of rotis are very different from western breads.

The advent of Western style ovens led to types of raised breads particular to India like the Pav or Pao, the broon and many others. .When I order loaf bread from the grocer I have to specify "slice bread" or they will send "pav". There aren't too many types of leavened breads made with other grains so I carry on with my little experiments in breadmaking, admittedly not always successful.

However the following Bajra Bread has turned out rather well.

This is based on Sue Lawrence's recipe for Rye bread in her book On Baking . The dough behaved a little differently but the bread is more than edible.

Ingredients:
2 cups atta / wholewheat flour
1 3/4 cups bajri ka atta / pearl millet flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 heaped tsp. shahzeera / black caraway seeds
20 gms fresh yeast
1/2 tsp. caster sugar
142 ml warm water
85 ml milk
2 tbsp. black treacle / or 3 tbsp raw shakkar caramelised with 2 tbsp water.
28 gms butter.

Combine the flours,salt and caraway seeds.
Make the yeast and sugar into a paste with 2 tbsp warm water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Heat the milk, butter and treacle or caramelized shakkar until better melts and the mixture is warm.
Make a well in the centre of the flours and pour in the liquid, the yeast and warm water.Mix together to form a ball of dough.
Knead on a floured surface for at least 10 minutes or till smooth. The dough is quite sticky because of the bajra flour.Cover with cling film or an oiled plastic bag and leave to rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place till it is about doubleits original size.
Turn out on a floured surface , knock back with fists to its original size. Roll out into a 9 " long roll, a little thicker at the centre than the ends. Place on a greased baking tray cover loosely with cling film or plastic bag and let it rise for another hour or more.
Pre heat the oven top 200 degrees C.
Brush all over with warm water or beaten egg. Then bake for about 50 minutes till well risen and brown. Turn onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slice thin, and serve with butter.Toasting the bread adds to the taste.

Like the jowar / sorghum bread I made earlier, this is a heavy, dense bread,  besides being a bit crumbly, but it tastes just as nice.