thecookscottage

Zhunka Bhakar and the House of Your Dreams

My car has a mind of its own. It takes turns whenever it pleases. Suddenly I find myself somewhere...and its not over the rainbow. Its in some strange place. I slow down and readjust the wheels of my mind...they are in a different gear obviously and my clutch is screeching blue murder. I dont blame myself. I dont blame the car. Look, everyday the landscape changes. We have a glass mall with a food court reaching up into the sky where  a jhopad patti (slum) used to be.We have a Barista where  a Cafe Good Luck greeted you, at the corner, with a bun maska and a masala chai. We have a McDonalds in the hinterland of Hinjewadi- bang on the spot , as I recall, where a buffalo shed hung lazily out, its inmates chewing the cud contentedly.
Then we have buildings in all shapes, sizes and colours sprouting up everywhere. On every bit of land, garbage pit, gutter, and soon on every bit of river I'm sure.
Apartment blocks, residential societies, bungalows,villas .
Are the names given to these eruptions indicative of the aspirations of our people or their builders?

Corinthian, Palladium,Coliseum, and other nouns descriptive of a style so quintessentially Maharashtrian wouldn't you say? Or have our builders travelled to Vicenza or Corinth and picked up on the lifestyle of the rich and famous many centuries ago.
Then we have Wellington Mews, Marble Arch,Victoria Garden, Castlemaine,Windsor Avenue, Kensington Court,.....  just short of having amche swathache Buckingham Palace up for sale.
Other wonderfully titled flats are Daffodil Avenue,Tulips, Iris, Magnolia, all, oddly enough, flowers that do not grow in India, let alone Pune.

Grandiose appellations reign: Spacia, Gracia, Eternia,Sophronia, Sicilia,Palacia.
Luminous gems glitter on the horizon; Emerald City, Sun City, Diamond Park, Pearl Towers, City Crown.

Now we are Going Green in a city shorn of its trees. We have Springfield Park ,The Woods, The Meadows, Oakwood Hills, Laburnam Lane, Yellow Blossoms, Ozone Villas, Orchard, Hill Mist and Timberland, to make up for  lack of the real thing.

Last but not least, my favourite of all time, Posh Ville. Kind of says it all. Keeping up with the Jones's or should I say Joshi's, is the developers idea of a major selling point in towns today.

No doubt builders imagine that residents of these elevated homes with marbonite floors, Italian kitchens, and French furniture eat off gold plate and feast on stuffed quail. Closer to reality, however, the average Joeshi  would be happy with a plateful of Zhunka Bhakar to be found, thankfully, in little stalls all over the state. Delicious stuff and so easy to make.

ZHUNKA

400 gm carrots, peeled and chopped medium fine
4 tsp oil.
1/2 tsp hing (asafatoeda)
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seed)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp gur (jaggery)
Salt to taste.
4 tbsp besan (gram flour)
1 tbsp chopped hara dhania (green coriander)

(For variety add drumstick pieces, or a cupful of methi (fenugreek) chopped fine or even methi (fenugreek) seeds)

Heat oil in kadhai. Add mustard seed and let them pop. Add hing now. Add carrots and lower heat.
Add haldi and chilli powder. If carrots are sweet, no gur is needed, otherwise add 1/2 tbsp gur .
Stir a couple of times then add salt. Cover till carrots are cooked...on low heat. Do not add any water. Carrots should have a bit of bite and must not  be mushy when done.
Now take 4 tbsp besan, or a little more, sprinkle on to carrots as you stir gently, till carrots are coated with besan. Cover immediately and cook for 5 minutes or until besan 'smells' cooked. Stir once or twice gently. Remove and add dhania.

You could add a mixture of large chunks of tomato, onion and green chilli instead of carrots, for a change.

Link to Bhakri/ Jowar Roti.

Amtis and Uncles

We had a family get-together some time ago. Actually, our clan is so large now, we were able to connect with just a fraction of them, those who live in Pune. A couple of aunts and uncles, one lot of first cousins, two lots of second cousins - children of the sons of our grand uncles, and already we were  spilling out of the living room into the large patio outside. Many of them I had not seen for years and yet they looked so familiar. We all shared some facial characteristics, such as the nose, or teeth, or smile, but most prominently - the wrinkles. It was exciting to exchange memories with each other, jokes which ran in the family about our not-too-distant ancestors, legendary tales of bravery, high spirits and misdemeanours. One favourite story which had made its way down each branch of our family tree was the one about an uncle (who was not known for his brilliance at studies) and who, with immense faith, arranged his books under the pillow before settling down to sleep, in the hope that the wisdom contained in those tomes would transfer itself to his brain in the course of a couple of nights. Suffice it to say this did not happen. But he was a man of such great good humour that he remained a favourite with all of his nieces and nephews.

It was pot luck for lunch and we had all brought a dish or two for the table, which, considering our number, was fairly groaning with food. We had decided to keep it simple, and so it was. And then we also discovered that we shared yet another thing - a cuisine. Our masalas were so similiar that while swapping  information on ingredients we found we used the same amounts  in the preparation of the godha masala, a standard  used to produce the amti we all ate regularly, and which is famously delicious... I have been sworn to secrecy about its ingredients by the family, so for the following typically Maharashtrian dish I suggest you add a godha masala of your choice. They are available ready made.Of course they taste nothing like our family's......

Ingredients

1 cup toor (yellow split lentils) or masoor dal (red split lentils).
2 tbsp oil
Imli (tamarind), a walnut-sized piece. Soak in water for 10 minutes and then remove the pulp.
A sprig of kari patta (curry leaves)
1/2 onion chopped finely
* Optional: Add 1 medium chopped brinjal (aubergine),or a handful of methi (fenugreek leaves), or  1 chopped mooli (white radish). Note that if you add the methi, then you must add garlic and dry red chilli, crushed to counteract the bitter taste of the methi.
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seed)
1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1 1/2 tsp godha masala
Gur (Jaggery), 2 walnut-sized pieces
1 tbsp chopped dhania (fresh coriander leaves)
Salt

 

Cook the dal (lentils) first. When cooked add the imli (tamarind) pulp to the dal and mix well.  Heat the oil in a kadhai.

Now add the mustard  seeds, curry leaves and onion pieces. Stir well. If you would like to add vegetables like brinjal, etc, add them now too. Let onions get slightly pinkish. Now add the haldi, red chilli powder, and godha masala. Stir well. When the onions are soft, add the dal, thick or thin, as you like it, and bring to a boil. Cut dhania (coriander) while the dal is boiling.

Add salt, gur (jaggery) and dhania. Boil for at least 10 minutes to bring out the best of the flavours.

(Recipe and Cooking by my lovely cousin Mohini )

P.S Mohini makes goda masala to order. You can now contact her to place your order on 26850230.

Varicha Tandul, Bhagar, Jungle Rice- More fasting foods

Several years ago a rather pompous woman from the Ministry of Agriculture said to me, and I quote: "Agriculture is our Big Success Story." At that time, as is the case now, the farmer with less than 2 acres had a hard time surviving, people in rain dry areas had no access to irrigation (and no plans were being made to improve the situation), rural debt was shocking while the government was subsidizing rich farmers in Punjab who had lost (or were presumed to have lost) their crops because of untimely rains, and other injustices of life in the rural areas continued. I guess the lady concerned considered her success in the ministry enough to call the whole business wonderful. I suspect that she never ventured too far from her white Ambassador when on duty in the districts, and probably made her assumptions by toting up statistics in her office in New Delhi - where the really hot issue being debated was the number of chairs allotted to one official's room at the cost of another.

Venturing to put forward another view, based on my own experiences in rural areas - which by then had spanned several states - I said several things to the contrary, but her broad jaw set, and her loud pronouncements made me realise the hopelessness of discussion. I decided to let her keep her fantasy. What was touching was the mutual admiration society she and her husband, another babu, made.They looked so lovingly and admiringly at each other (a la Nancy and Ronald Reagan) whenever either of them took the floor. He must have been living another Success Story in yet another government department.

It seems to me that survival as an agriculturist or a tribal in India is a matter of ingenuity, and this, at least, is not lacking in our rural poor.They have found many edible plants and seeds that grow in adverse conditions, and which form part of their diet. As a result, these plants are now actually cultivated in places where they do not grow wild or in abundance. In several other countries these grasses and plants are mowed down and destroyed as weeds. In India the discovery of their edibility has led, happily, to the preservation of a biodiversity - one that often seems threatened by the vast plans and prophecies of our men and women in the armchairs of power.

One such food is known here in Marathi as Vari Tandul, Bhagar or Kodri. It is the seed of a grass  ( Echinochloa Colonum) which frequently grows amongst the rice paddy as it requires damp, or even waterlogged, soil. Instead of removing it with weedkiller, farmers harvest it. When cooked, it makes a tasty and filling meal. Tandul means rice and though Vari is not a grain it provides the nourishment and energy that rice does. In the west it is called 'Samo' or 'jungle rice'.

Traditionally it is eaten during fasts because grains are taboo during that time. So Rajgira - another type of grass seed - and Bhagar are cooked instead of rice or wheat, as they are just as filling.

I am against fasts on principle as they are so gender-based. Women are the ones who fast and they do so for the good of the family, to ward off bad times and difficulties. So they are blamed for what happens and what could happen too - as long as it is bad. If it's good, then by god, it must be a man's work. I mean, what about events brought on by the stupidity of some men? So, no.... fasting is just not up my street. Especially when it has been scientifically proven that in rural areas around Pune, women have a significantly lower body weight than men. This is to the detriment of their health and usually occurs because they fast, too stringently and too often.

That said, Varicha Tandul is quite delicious, and the following recipe will prove it. Don't fast - just eat it.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

• 1/2 cups Vari Tandul, Bhagar, Samo
• 1 tbsp. ghee or vegetable oil
• 1/2 tbsp. jeera / cumin
• 3 green chillies, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 small potato or sweet potato, grated
• 1 tsp. grated gur / jaggery or 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, broken into fine bits
• 2 tsps. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. grated coconut ( optional)
• 2 tbsp. chopped green coriander.

Heat the ghee in a kadhai. When hot put on the cumin and green chillies. Saute for a few seconds while the cumin splutters. Now add the seeds and saute for a minute stirring frequently. Add boiling water, the grated potato (or sweet potato) sugar and salt. Stir well. Cover tight and cook on low heat till the water has almost been completely absorbed . Add the lime juice and stir. Now add the ground peanuts and stir well. Cook for another minute or two . Garnish with coconut and green coriander and serve. Delicious with dahi / yogurt and any green vegetable.

 

Ukadiche Modak-Sweet Offerings

All around Maharashtra, in the countryside, across the fields, in the sheds of potters and craftsmen, you will catch sight of Ganapati idols, white as rice flour, waiting for the brush of colour and devotion in the joyful days ahead

Meanwhile, inside homes, preparation has begun to host the God and offer prayers and offerings. What better way to start than by making modaks, which are the deity’s favourite food? Sant Jnaneshwar identifies Ganapati with the totality of sacred texts and knowledge and even in the Padma Purana the modak is said to be the symbol of perfect knowledge. It is said that, just by inhaling its aroma, a man can achieve immortality because he would understand the essence of all sacred books and become proficient in the sciences and arts.

Traditionally made on the first day of the festival no other sweetmeat is as associated with Ganesh Chaturthi. Besides the 21 modaks traditionally offered to this most popular and beloved of deities, prepare to make plenty more, because his tastes have spread and most people cannot resist these sweets made, as they are, in perfect bite sized pieces.

Ingredients

Makes approximately 25 modaks

Filling

• 2 coconuts grated fine.
• 1 ½ cups pale yellow jaggery grated
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1 ½ tsps elaichi powder, freshly ground.
• 2 tbsp cashew nuts chopped
• 1 tsp ghee

 

Dough

• 2 cups of rice flour, ready made or make your own in a grinder. I use  two scented rices : Chinor and Ambemohr . This rice should be just harvested, young  rice so that the dough becomes more pliable.
• 2 tbsps flour/ maida
• 2 tbsps ghee
• A pinch of salt
• 2 cups of water
• Pinch of saffron

Fry the chopped cashew nuts in a teaspoon of ghee till golden brown. Grate the coconuts and gur. Put both in a kadhai along with the sugar and raisins and cook stirring continuously till the mixture becomes soft and sticky and fairly dry.. Take off the fire, let it cool and then add the elaichi powder and the cashewnuts . Mix well and set aside while preparing the dough.

Mix the rice flour and maida. Heat two cups of water with the ghee and as it comes to the boil add the salt and the rice and flour mixture. Let it come to the boil twice, mixing all the while to dissolve any lumps and then remove from the fire. Now knead well till the dough becomes soft.

Roll out into circles of 3” diameter. The circles should be not more than 3mm in thickness like a fine chapathi. Grease hand with a drop of oil and place the circle on the centre of the palm. Fill each circle with a teaspoon of the coconut and jaggery mixture. Now gather the outer edges of the circle as if pleating cloth and swivel the modak in the palm as you close the edges. This takes some practice to get right.( You can also get little modak makers in metal or plastic but I cannot vouch for their effectiveness.)

Place the prepared modaks on a muslin swathed plate in a steamer, top with a bit of butter paper to prevent them from getting soggy, then cover tightly with the lid and cook for 10-12 minutes till done. Make in batches according to the size of your steamer. You can use a colander over a trivet in a cooker if you do not own a steamer.

Soak a few strands of saffron in a bit of melted ghee. Put a droplet of saffron infused ghee on top of each modak for colour and essence.

Now you are ready to bring Lord Ganesha home.

 

Maharashtrian Cookbooks

Sometimes it takes a tourist to alert you to the treasures of your own town. In this tale the tourist is a foodie called Uma ( now owner of a tiny restaurant called Tiffin Box) and what she revealed was a trove of cook books and magazines, all in Marathi, in the heart of the  textbook district of the old city, in Budhwar Peth. Budhwar Peth is also the Printers Row of Pune and the place where wedding cards are produced in the millions for Indian couples about to tie the knot all over the world. I go there once in a while to pick up supplies of handmade paper and this time I followed Uma's trail to the Marathi cook books and  magazines. After going through several of them recipe by recipe and after testing some of them out, here is my  list of the best available :

Marathi Cookery Magazines

1. Ruchi Paalat.
     Published by-Anand Mudranalya
     6 Tatya Gharpure Path
     Cross Khadilkar Path
     Mumbai 400 004

2. Chatpateeth:
        Published by-Vasudha Prakashan
        Dwara Prasad Book Stall
        2 Matriprem, Gorancha Dawakanachi Gully
        Ashok Sthambh, Nasik- 2

3. Annapoorna.
     Published by Vinayak Joshi
     12, D.D. D. Sathe Marg
     Girgaon
     Mumbai-400 004

Marathi Cookbookss:

1. Humkhas Paaksiddhi-  Jayshree Deshpande
     Published by:Nitin Gogte
     Nitin Prakashan
     1646, Tilak Road
     Near Tilak Smarak Mandir
      Pune- 411 030

2.Annapoorna- Mangala Barve

3.Ruchira  in 2 Vols- by Kamalabai Ogale
    Published by- Mehta Publishing HOuse
    1216, Sadashiv Peth
    Near Perugate,
     Pune 411 030

Mini Cookbooks

1.Aajicha Vividh Koshimbiri- Premila Patwardhan
    Pub: Rohan Prakashan
     Dhawalgiri Shop 5 &6
     430 Shanivar Peth Near Police Chowky
     Pune 411 030
2.Puri, Polya, Bhakri ani Parathe- Priya Sanjay Naik
    Pub: Sanjay Salvi
    Akshay Prakashan
    180 Shukarwar Peth
     Pune 411002
3.Gawar, Bhendi v Vangyache Padarth- Priya Sanjay Naik
   Pub: Sanjay Salvi
   Address as above.

The most amazing find has been a cookbook for vegetables grown in the wild. About greens and aroids mostly used by tribal folk, this has been written by Srinivas Gadkari, a bank officer from Pen, who credits his mother for his interest in cooking..not for the usual obvious reasons but for "being a working woman", this fact and hunger encouraging him to enter the kitchen without fear and allowing him experiment to his hearts content.

4. Raanbhajya- Shrinivas Gadkari
    Pub: Supriya Sharad Marathe
    Navchetanya Prakashan
    New Gajant Co-op Housing Society Ltd.
    Block No. C/11, Tamajla, Kosambgonagar
    Under the Flyover, S.V Road, Borivli
    Mumbai- 400 072

Some of them are willing to share their recipes with readers far and wide so look out for some more interesting recipes from these brilliant books. Uma thanks a ton!
                        

Sabudana Khichadi-Food to fast on

Fasting is such a part of our religious traditions. Shewanta, a person of whom I am especially fond, is a wonderful, feisty, god fearing woman. She once worked as labour on building sites constructing concrete slabs, in order to earn enough to feed and educate her three children, and she fasts at least four times a week. For one reason or another. I am sure that faith plays a part but I am equally sure that tobacco plays an even bigger role. The main reason being that she likes her tobacco a great deal more than her food. She would hide out on the balcony and stuff a large wad into the side of her jaw and if caught out would giggle shamefacedly into her pallav. Despite my sincere advice she refused to give up either her fasting or her tobacco.Unlike an old grand aunt, who always managed to put away substantial quantities of 'fasting food', Shewanta takes her fasts very seriously.
Yes there are so many fasting foods. Things which are 'allowed'. Tea, milk, yogurt,sugar, fruit , potatoes, sago, peanuts, chillies. I mean, you can actually feast during a fast.
In the north of India, Karva Chauth is a popular festival when women fast the whole day for their husbands. Rather like Rosalind to Phebe in Shakespeare's  'As you Like It' , these women are exhorted by their mothers in law, to go

Down on your knees,
And thank heaven, fasting, for a good man's love.

Here it is taken all very solemnly. They drink no water , have no tea and are pretty ill by the time the moon comes out. After looking at the moon through a seive they are allowed to eat. I have seen friends retching,fainting, snapping at the whole family, being wretched to their husbands,bearing the worst migraines, all in the name of lurve . But they glowed, yes you could almost see a halo, when they spoke of their sacrifice next day.

I'm afraid I was never attracted by the idea of Karva Chauth. I see this as just another effort at controlling a bit more of the universe than we rightfully can.And as Benjamin Franklin said:

He that lives upon hope will die fasting.

Just one thing though. I love Sabudana Khichadi , which, as everyone knows, is traditional fasting fare in Maharashtra. I would go on a fast for it. Anytime.

Ingredients:

1 cup sago/ sabudana washed, drained and left to stand for 1 hour.
2 tbsp oil
1 medium sized potato,cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin
2 green chillies chopped fine
1 tbsp green corainder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup peanuts, roasted peeled and broken into varying sized bits with some of it powdered. A few brief zaps in a coffee ginder will do.

Check the sago by pressing one grain between the thumb and forefinger. It should flatten with a bit of pressure neither becoming buttery nor remaining hard at the core. If the centre is still tough sprinkle a bit of water on top and let stand for a bit longer.
Heat the oil and fry the potatoes till brown and done. Remove from the oil. Now fry the cumin, chillies and add all the sago. Fry for about 7 minutes stirring constantly. Add the sugar and salt and continue to stir till sugar dissolves. Now add the cooked potatoes as well as the peanuts and stir for 3 minutes more till the sago is slightly brown.
Sprinkle the coriander on top and serve hot.

11/09/06

Govaricheshenga, Govarphalli or Cluster Beans Bhaji

An earlier post on ridge gourd drew several reactions mostly of the 'ughh', 'yuck' and 'sheee' (Maharashtrian expression of extreme disgust ) genre. Gustad ( the Ironcheff), in New York went so far as to call it..."bahhji". I never realised so many people didn't like ridge gourd. Perhaps it is like karela / bitter gourd...an acquired taste.

Govariche Bhaji, Govar Phalli Sabzi, Cluster beans veggie

Not many people I know wax eloquent about cluster beans either but once you taste this version you will be a fan for life.The slight bitterness is tempered by the addition of gur and the milk gives it a creamy feel.This is one of my favourite Maharashtrian recipes.

For those who would like to know what Govar is known as in their own language here is a glossary in Indian languages.

Tamil- Kothavaranga
Telegu-Gokarakaya
Malayalam-Kothavara
Kannada-Chavalikai
Konkani- Mitkesaang
Gujerati-Guvar ni sing

Ingredients:
250 gms guvar/ cluster beans chopped into 1/2 " piece
Water
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp rai/ mustard seed
1 potato peeled and cut into small cubes.
Pinch of hing / asafoetida
1/2 tsp haldi / turmeric
A generous pinch of ajwain / thymol seeds
Salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp grated gur /jaggery
1 tbsp chopped green coriander

Clean, chop and cook the beans in two cups of water till done.Drain and keep aside.

Fry Potatoes

Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seed . When they pop add and fry the potatoes. When golden brown add the hing, ajwain, haldi and salt and stir well.

Add cooked beans

Now add the cooked beans and the milk

Add chilli powder and jaggery

Bring to the boil and  add the chilli powder and grated jaggery. Cook till most of the milk has been absorbed. Then add the coriander, stir once and serve.

Cluster Beans

The bean must be picked when young and tender as it becomes woody, fibrous and hairy as it matures and then is not fit for human consumption.They can then be fed to animals ! The beans have always been used as fodder for animals and it is said that it was originally brought to India by Arab traders as horse feed from the Middle east, where it grew profusely in the deserts.Contrary to this version of history it is also said that guar originated in India and since the country has so many arid and semi arid areas it also produces 80% of the world guar crop.

The cluster bean has a large endosperm which is used to produce a guar gum, a highly refined form of which is used as a stabiliser in cheeses and whipped cream substitutes. It is also used as a stiffener in icecream.

It is a good crop for India as it is drought resistant, nor does it deplete the soil; in fact it actually enriches it with nitrogen. After the harvest , if bits of the roots and other "waste" materials are ploughed back into the soil, it improves succeeding crop yields. Rajasthan grows most of the guar produced in India and it is harvested in October-November. However this vegetable can be found throughout the year in most markets here, and it is a pretty popular part of the Maharashtrian Thali.

Ridge Gourd -Toorai, Turia, Dodka Sabzi

Turai, Dodka Bhaji

• 2 ridge gourds about 250 gms, skinned and chopped into slices about 1 inch wide.
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 1 tomato , chopped fine
• 1 green chilli , slit and deseeded
• Pinch of haldi / turmeric
• Salt

Make a fine paste of the following ingredients with a mortar and pestle.

• 1/4 tsp rai / mustard seed
• 1/4 tsp jeera / cumin seed
• 2 tsps til / sesame seeds
• 1 dry red chilli
• 4 cloves garlic

With a potato peeler lightly skin the gourd of all hard veins. Not too much.Slice into fairly thick pieces. Heat the oil and fry the onion till brown and soft. Add the green chilli and fry for another minute or two. Add the tomato and turmeric and cook till tomato becomes a pulp. Add the  paste and fry well till the oil separates from the mixture. Pop in the turai with a sprinkle of water. Cover tightly and cook till soft. If you need to, add a few tablespoons of water and mix well to make a very slight bit of gravy. Finish with a sprinkle of salt to taste.

Ridge Gourd is also known as Angular Luffa or Chinese okra in English. Used more often for crafts in the west than as a vegetable it has actually got a subtle flavour when picked young , a taste which is lacking in the more common and fibrous Luffa aegyptiaca from which scrubbers and sponges are made. Ridge gourd grows all across India in the Gangetic plain, the North East and many other parts, in areas where the average temperature ranges between 28-34 C. It thrives in high temperatures. Many farmers with small holdings plant this vegetable in a three tier system whereby their land yields much more than usual. With a ground crop of green gram or groundnut, a second tier of sesame and a top level crop of gourd which is cultivated on a trellis this inter cropping is also good for the soil. Improved varieties of ridge gourd have been developed in Kerala, which yield many more fruit , and the cultivation of which are likely to benefit the small farmer as they can be grown in the rice fallows in summer.

Ridge gourd is propagated through open pollination. So there is a saying around here that the fruits of the gourd must be picked in the morning since their flowers open in the evening. Meaning any movement in the fields in the evening would be likely to disturb the pollinators, the bees and other insects hovering around the flowers.

Once they are harvested, though, care needs to be taken as ridge gourd are not as hardy as they look. Too much heat makes the plant lose water and weight , making the peel tough while chilling makes it lose acids and sugars, so the fridge is not a good place to store it either. Ideally it should be kept in a cool humid place. The monsoon is, therefore, a good time to buy ridge gourd as they are less likely to be tough.

Some people say that the peeled skin can be made into a chutney after cooking in salted water and thorough washing . The peels are then ground into a paste with the addition of green chillies, salt,tamarind, coriander and a pinch of sugar.I have never tried this myself but do know that the practice of using every bit of what is edible in a vegetable, is slowly disappearing.

Nalinima, my inspiration for this blog, used to make the most amazing tasty dishes from skinned pea pods, from cauliflower leaves and stems, and from what would normally be considered waste from all sorts of vegetables. At the age of 80 she would sit in the kitchen with her mother, aged 98 , peeling and cutting vegetables companionably on the old curved vegetable slicer, a rather lethal looking instrument, while discussing  their friend R.K.Laxman's take on the shenanigans of the latest politicians in his daily cartoons.

Recent scientific studies seem to suggest that cooking the ridge gourds adds to the antioxidants already present to make it a good source of beta carotene and other vitamins. It has always been part of the Indian diet as it is a cucurbit vegetable known since antiquity, though it may not be as popular amongst the younger generation.

Ridge gourds have been found to have many genetic variations and point out the rich bio diversity that exists in India. I am constantly amazed at the range of vegetables available in different markets, many of which are not commonly used in Maharashtrian cuisine but , which form a staple in the diet of people from other Indian cultures.We cannot, however, take bio diversity for granted. By sharing our old traditional recipes we learn to use, popularize and encourage the cultivation of several vegetables which are indigenous, easier to grow, do not require expensive fertilisers and pesticides and do not deplete our soil of valuable nutrients.

Fishy Business- An illustrated glossary of Indian Fish - 1. Bombay Duck

Moving home means major upheaval in India. More so when the move is from one state to another.  Beside the usual challenges one has to face, like packing and unpacking, finding an appropriate place for everything, setting up the kitchen from scratch, finding new schools, and new doctors and dentists and friends, there is one more important, basic necessity: acquiring a quick knowledge of the local language in order to feed one's family.

I mean, try finding the word for nutmeg in Chennai, red snapper in Cochin, lotus seeds in Calcutta, or bottle gourd in Chandigarh. You would have to be a walking Tower of Babel.

Many Indian cookbooks give a cursory nod in the direction of this problem by adding a glossary of ingredients in different languages at the end of the book. Most prove to be vastly inadequate, if not entirely misleading. And let me tell you from experience, a spice by any other name does not taste as sweet. In fact, it can be positively ghastly.

Supermarkets, where one can identify everything by sight, do not exist in many towns and cities. One has to depend on the small, but well stocked, general store, where everything is out of sight and will be produced if asked for by the right name. So this knowledge of the local name for ingredients becomes critical.

My biggest problem has been with fish. In the early days of my cooking years it was easy enough when I walked through the 5.a.m. catch at Sassoon Docks in Bombay, picking up a kilo or more of prawns from a mound here, and a couple of pomfret from another mound there. The fisherwomen selling the fish had no weighing scales, and it was all an approximate amount, with prices negotiated on the spot. They found it quite amusing to sell small quantities to me, being more used to the wholesale buyers who generally came each morning and bid for one fisherman's entire catch.
I did not always know the name of the fish, and learned about the taste and the way it could be cooked through sheer trial and error. Some years later we moved to London and I had no idea what to ask the fishmonger. A fish that tastes like pomfret? The closest thing to surmai (by then, already my favourite fish)? By the time I got to know my fish facts we were in Delhi or some other part of India, where the process began all over again.
A moveable feast is not as easy as it sounds.
For all those who have suffered from life on the move, or even for those who travel for pleasure and would like to know what to ask for, or what sea creature they are about to ingest, here is the first in a 10-part series of an illustrated glossary of some of the commercial fish of India.

Bombay Duck all in a Row

I must begin with Bombay Duck, which, with its overbite, is possibly one of the most determinedly ugly fish ever seen. Commonly known as Bombil in Marathi and Oriya, Bamalohor and Nehare in Bengali, Bumla and Gulchi in Gujerati, Coco-mottah in Telegu,Vanharavasi in Tamil, it is also known by different names in other countries. Bumalo in Spain, Bumblim in Portugal, Bummalo in Germany, Tenaga-mizutengu in Japanese and Bombay Duck in most other European and Scandinavian countries.

This fish constitutes a major part of the total catch in India, and most of it comes from the Konkan Coast of Maharashtra, Gujerat and Saurashtra. Bombay Duck or Harpodon nehereus is also caught in substantial quantities in the Bengal estuaries and on the Andhra and Orissa coastlines in Masulipatnam and Jaffrabad. Some of it is sold fresh, but, as it is a very soft fish, it is susceptible to spoilage, so much of it is sun dried. A common sight in all fishing villages along the Maharashtrian coast are the ropes strung on bamboo poles where they are hung by the teeth. The familiar smell of drying fish follows you when walking on the beaches along the western coast.

Its somewhat misleading name is supposed to have come from the fact that the dried fish was carried, in the days of yore, by the Bombay Mail train and stank its way through the entire journey, gaining the train and its goods some notoriety. Dak being the Hindi word for Mail, Bombay Dak (i.e. Duck) became the name of the fish.

Dried Bombay Duck for Sale

It is such a favourite amongst Maharashtrians that one well known Maharashtrian cricketer was named Bombay Duck for his seven test zeroes against Australia. Bombay duck is very popular among the CKP community. I am grateful to Deepa Chitre for the following recipe, which is a customary way to cook this fish.

Ingredients
8-10 fresh Bombil ( Bombay Duck (), cleaned and cut into 2 inch pieces,
6 medium size potatoes, preferably round in shape,
3 tablespoons garlic paste
1 tablespoons red chili powder,
1/2 tbsp haldi (turmeric)
1 tablespoon salt
5-6 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves,
4-5 chopped green chilies (to taste),
5 tbsp fresh coconut grated,
4-5 tbsp oil

Thoroughly wash the slices of Bombay Duck in running water. Clean and scrub the potatoes(they will be used with the skin).
Dry the fish and coat the slices with a mixture of garlic paste, chili powder, haldi and salt.
Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Coat with haldi, chili powder, salt, coriander leaves, green chilies and grated coconut.
Put together the potatoes and Bombay Duck, and let the mixture marinate for 1 hour.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel , or kadhai. Add the potatoes and fish and let it all cook on a low flame. Initially toss the mixture (instead of stirring), to ensure that the oil spreads through the entire mixture. (The pieces of fish break very easily if stirred.)
Cover and cook till the potatoes are done. Staunchly resist the temptation to open the lid and stir.

While serving take care that the fish pieces do not break.
Serve hot. Do not reheat.

Next fish online:
Pomfret

Ref:Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2006.FishBase.
World Wide Web electronic publication.
www.fishbase.org, version (05/2006).

Patta Gobi Bhaji- Cabbage and Capsicum vegetable

Boiled cabbage is, perhaps, the most unappetising of vegetables. Yet it remains a firm favourite in every Maharastrian home. Perhaps this simple but delicious recipe is the reason cabbage is one of the staples on the menu.

Cabbage 'n' Capsicum / Bund Gobi Bhaji

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage.
4 simla mirch (green peppers/ capsicum).
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 heaped teaspoon rai (mustard seeds)
1 green chilli , chopped fine (optional)
1/2 teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon gur (jaggery) or sugar.

Shred the cabbage as fine as possible. Slice the peppers into long strips.

Heat the oil in a wide pan. When hot put in mustard seeds and as they pop add the green chilli, the salt and the turmeric. As you add the turmeric immediately pour in the cabbage and green peppers.Stir well till all the cabbage becomes a light yellow.Add the gur or sugar and stir again. Cover tightly and cook on medium to low heat for about 7 minutes till cabbage is done.
Serve hot.