Ivy Gourd Stir Fry

Ivy Gourd stir fry is normally by cutting it vertically. In this case I have made a slight alteration and cut them into small rounds.

Ingredients:

Ivy Gourd- 1/2 kg

Oil- 2 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Sambar Powder- 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Wash the Ivy Gourds and cut the Ivy Gourd in small rounds.

2. Apply salt according to taste and keep aside.

3. In a non-stick pan add oil followed by mustard seeds, and once they start spluttering add the Ivy Gourd pieces.

3. Add sprinkle the Sambar Powder and cook well.

Batata Humman (Konkani Delicacy)

P for Potato. B for Batata (in Konkani). Coconut gravy almost goes with everything. Be in vegetables, fruits, grains, fish and even leafy vegetables. This is a very easy gravy to prepare.

Ingredients:
Potato- 2 big
Grated Coconut- 1 cup
Red Chiilie- 7-8
Salt to Taste
Tamarind pulp (Gooseberry Size)
Asafoetida a pinch

Procedure:
1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into small cube and boil them in water until its cooked.
2. In a blender grind freshly grated coconut, red chillies and tamarind with some quantity of water
3. Mix the blended paste from the mixer along with the boiled potatoes.
4. Add salt and bring it to boil get it off the flame
5. Make a paste of asafoetida and water and add it to the potato curry.

Batata Humman (Konkani Delicacy)

Mutton Pepper Gravy

After many days I got a chance to cook. And my husband being a mutton freak didn't give me much of a choice. I finally googled for a recipe and I got a good one. There are a lot of food blogs these days but a few give us some of the best recipes.

Ingredients:
Mutton- 1kg
Oil- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
Onion big- 2 finely chopped
Coriander Powder- 2tsp
Garam Masala- 1.5tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1/2tsp
Curry Leaves- 20 leaves
Tomato- 2 small
Coriander Leaves- 1 small bunch
Ginger Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp
Pepper Corn- 2 tsp
Lemon Juice- 2 tsp
Salt to Taste

Mutton Pepper Gravy

Procedure:
1. Wash the mutton pieces. In a mixer grind pepper corns, Ginger Garlic Paste, and coriander leaves with some water and marinate the mutton pieces with the paste and keep aside for 1 hour.
2. In a pressure cooker add oil followed by mutton pieces and fry till it turns brown.
3. Add curry leaves followed by coriander powder, Garam Masala, Fennel Seeds, salt and Turmeric Powder.
4. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook till the oil starts releasing.
5. Add the marinated mutton pieces followed by 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 6-7 whistles.
6. Once cooked heat till the required gravy consistency is achieved
7. Garnish with onion slices and powdered pepper corn.

Journey of a Woman

She was his second daughter out of the five kids. The delivery was at home. He was happy to have a second daughter, yet the heart was yearning for one more son. The eldest one was also a daughter. His mind was just thinking how to organize dowry for second daughter. He thought if he worked day and night for the next 20 years maybe he can marry off both the daughters.

The girl was least concerned about that now. She was nothing but a free spirit who wanted to play around and enjoy her blissful childhood. But she had to help her mother in household chores as well as take care of her two younger brothers. The mother did not want to burden her daughters with a lot of work, but her frail health and five kids to take care of did not give her much choice. Mother always made sure that her daughters were given education.

The girl was bright and very intelligent. She topped her class and had a good aptitude towards mathematics and was creative at arts. Finally she grew up into a fine woman with a degree. Job was hard to come by. She never gave up and kept trying till she succeeded. She wanted to pursue her higher studies. But her dad had other plans. He said why study ahead when you have a job.

She for the first time in her life she drifted away  from her parents. She worked her way hard to keep the job. Finally the job was permanent. Her dad had got her elder sister married and now wanted to get the girl married. Being from a conservative family they had to get the horoscope matched. But unfortunately (or fortunately) it didn't match. Finally her mom went out of the way and her married to a guy who would not bother about trivial matters like jataka (horoscope).

As soon as she entered her in laws home she had to give her agni-pariksha here too. As a newly married couple, he came home early and take for outing and movies. That evening she comes home and sees that food is not prepared and it goes on to continue next morning too.  Somehow she patches up breakfast for everyone in the family. Everyone passes critical judgements but she just carries ahead with other household chores (she was very happy that she could cook something by herself for the first time in her life for the whole family, as the years pass by she becomes the best cook in the house).

Just after two weeks of marriage she has to move out of town as she got posted in another city. He tells her job is important and not to give up on a government job. She struggles in the new city for 6 months till he joins her again.

A year passes in the new city. She manages both work and household work without the help of maid. She goes to work till her date of delivery. The cycle continues with a baby girl. A proud mother. The husband was obviously very happy on seeing his darling daughter.He just hugs her and says she could not have gifted him anything better.

Life moves on, seasons change, cities change.The husband and wife go on to work harder and make their daughter educated. Both father and mother were not thinking about dowry. They only planned to give her the best education and best environment. The young bubbly girl soon got a baby sister. The sisters were inseperable and were enjoying their childhood. The girls had a  huge friend's circle, Going out for movies, excelling in studies and dancing their life away with passion

 Now after 25 years her darling elder daughter is getting married. She made sure that her daughter gets her education as long as the daughter wanted to study. She made sure that her daughter married the love of her life. Now she has a grand-daughter.

The generations change, the perspective changed as the generation passed on. She wished her grand-daughter would get a life where she is not criticized for her modern thinking. Where she can lead her life as a free bird without distinguishing between a guy and a girl.

This was a post written long ago for the particular contest:
http://www.womensweb.in/articles/celebrating-girls-celebrating-women/#comments

Picture is used from internet under creative commons license.

Spicy Egg Masala

After so many days ultimately I got into kitchen and started cooking. I found this recipe from a food blog My Dhaba. I have followed the exact recipe. I did not get the taste same as that of my college cafe.  But this one turned out to be pretty good.

Ingredients:
Egg- 4 boiled, shelled and cut into half
Onions-2
Tomato-
Green Chiilies- 3-4
Ginger- 1 ijnch size
Gram Flour- 2 Tbsp
Ghee+oil- 1+1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
Cumin Powder- 1tsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Mlk- 3/4 cup
Coriander leaves- a small bunch
Salt- 1 tsp

Procedure:
1. Blend the finely chopped onion, green chilly and ginger in a mixer.
2. In a non stick pan take 1 tsp or oil and 1 tsp of ghee and add the blended paste obtained from step 1 and saute till it turns brown.
3. Once the paste is sauted add the gram flour followed by red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala.
4.  Add the chopped tomatoes and once its cooked add the coriander leaves.
5 Add the milk and some water and once it starts to boil add the boiled eggs and garnish with coriander leaves.