Prologue

One day when I get famous and need fillers for my book, I might give this more thought ..... for now this will do. I claim to be no expert at either travelling or cooking or the random things I write about... But I would like to collate all my good memories (and efforts) into this space for reminiscing on those grey rainy days... What Blog its more of a 'Brag'!!

My Thank You Speech..........

I was introduced to cooking in the early years of my life by my Aayi while I sat at the kitchen dining table while she mixed spices and vegetables to create those sumptuous dishes. My brain took in what I did not intend to learn. My Aayi is a fantastic cook. Each day I woke up to a sit down breakfast of Idlis, Dosas, Upma, Dodak, Usli and the likes. A far cry compared to the ‘eat while you dress’ cereal we make do with these days. Any efforts Aayi made of training me in the kitchen went futile. It is hence ironic that Aayi, ‘my first teacher’ is still to taste anything cooked by my hand. My hard core cooking days started only when I moved to UK with my husband a few years ago. My husband, like a true martyr, suffered through my numerous cooking expeditions. His encouragement, fulsome praise where due and frank critical review drives me to try something new each week. It is to these two people that I owe whatever little cooking I know or strive to know today.

Ragda Pattice

This one is a definite for entertaining. The pattice can be half fried in advance then completed just before serving.

For 2 people

For the Pattice:
  • 3 Huge potatoes- boiled and mashed
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • salt
  • coriander leaves
  • 1/4 finely chopped large onion
  • green chillies finely chopped
  • oil for shallow frying- I used mustard oil
Heat a pan. Add oil in this for shallow frying. Soak the bread slices in the milk and mash. Add the rest of the ingredients. shape little flat 1.25 cm thick and 4.5 to 5 cms wide.
When the oil is sufficiently hot, put the pattice on the pan (there should be a sizzling noise when the oil meets the pattice). Keep an eye on the pan so the pattice doesnt burn. Turn sides using a flat spatula when the bottom is golden and take off the pan when both sides are crisp and golden.
These pattice (Aloo Tikki) are a snack in themselves when eaten hot with ketchup or chutney.

For the Ragda:

  • 1 cup white peas (dry white vatana)- soaked overnight and then pressure cooked
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • turmeric- 1/2 tsp
  • 1 tsp red chilly powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 tsp jaggery
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste
  • salt
  • 1 tsp ginger+ garlic- finely chopped

Heat Oil and saute the onion till pink. Add the ginger+ garlic and the dry spices and salt and fry for a minute. Next add the peas and tamarind+ jaggery and a few cups of water. Mash some of the peas against the side of the pan to thicker the sauce.

Serve the pattice with ragda, sliced onion, tamarind chutney and yogurt.

Bliss.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)