Sunday 29 March 2015

Dishes which you won't get in finest restaurants: #2 Beet bata

I was inviting my Mom-in-law to our house last week. The conversation went something
like below:
Me: "Hello Ma, try to come as early as possible. Then we will have plenty of time to chat."
Mom in law : "Yes I will try dear, but you know your dad....and don't cook too many thing."
Me: "Please don't worry, Mom....I will manage. By the way, do you like beet ?"
Mom in law : "What ?"
Me: "Beet Ma, beet ?"
Mom in law :  "What ? beef ? no no, I don't eat beef." 
(Mom probably thinking: "What has become of our Hindu daughter's these days, openly asking me if I take beef!!")
Me : "Beef!! oops, no no Ma you did not hear me properly I'm asking about beet , beet root not beef.
Mom in law (with a sigh of relief) :  "Oh beet , yes yes of course I eat beet, dear. "
So I made beet bata...

Ingredients:
2 to 3 Beet roots: shredded  
2 Onions : thinly sliced
6 Garlic cloves : in paste form
2 to 3 green chillies : cut horizontally
Sugar and salt to taste
White vegetable oil

Process:
Add one table spoon oil in kadai and stir fry the sliced Onions till they become golden brown. Then add the shredded beet roots and fry some more. Add garlic paste & green chillies keep stirring.
Add Sugar and salt per taste. This preparation is a bit dry and goes well with warm plain rice.

Friday 20 March 2015

Dishes which you won't get in finest restaurants: #1 Sheem with dhone & tetul

Humans are strange. We wish to dine in five star hotels with fine people but deep inside the we know the satisfaction which a simple warm home-made meal with loved ones can give is incomparable.  We have the desire for everything we don’t have. But may be the things we don’t have are which we don’t need at all !! May be life is not as complex and tough as we think. .....may be we need to go a little bit slow and enjoy every moment & every bit of it....may be...

Now Sheem with dhone & tetul is a perfect tangy dish to elevate any mood and I'm sure you will not get this dish in city’s finest hotels.   


Ingredients:
5 to 6 Sheem / flat Beans : Cut into small square pieces
2 table spoon Tamarind paste  
1 bunch of dhone-pata / coriander leaves
2 to 3 green chillies
Sugar and salt to taste
White vegetable oil

Process:
Soak the Tamarind pods in mild hot water. When they become soft, separate the pulp using a sieve. Make paste of coriander leaves using a blender. Add 2 tea spoon oil in kadai and stir fry the sheem pieces. Add some green chillies.
Next add the coriander & tamarind paste. Add sugar and salt per your taste.  Add little water if required and cover the kadai. Cook till sheem pieces become tender.
This should not be very dry or very watery. This preparation goes well with warm plain rice.