[www.keralites.net] From Arid to Florid!

 

 

From Arid to Florid!   Bapu Deedwania         A dummy's guide to the art of Marwari cuisine for those who don't know their bajra from their besan BARE NECESSITIES The science behind Marwari cooking is the use of besan (gram flour) and curds, both of which are used in a range of permutations to make innumerable dishes, each tasting distinctly different from the other. Gattas, chillraa (chilla), kadi, pitthor, pakodi ki sabzi, all of these have besan and curds as the main ingredient. A few tweaks in the preparation changes the character of these dishes. IT IS SURPRISINGLY HEALTHY Multi-grain flour, the in thing with health faddists these days, has been part of `Maadu' cuisine forever: depending upon the weather, since the state witnesses a variety of seasons, various flours such as bajra, makai, jawari are used in rotis, porridge, dhoklas and even in raitas.Come winter and you see Marwari households gear up for a heartwarming breakfast: bajre ka khichdaa, makai ki ghaat, moong daal khichdi, matar makai ka dhokla are forms of porridge, with baked steamed balls soaked in ghee andor gud (jaggery) and curds. It's enough grease for your joints to keep the winter chill at bay. CLEVER RECYCLING A typical Marwari family will not waste food and the leftovers of any of these are used as the main ingredient for a raita during lunch. It's a delight to watch a Marwari matriarchal head give the left over a makeover you can't believe. The same porridge or baked ball is crushed, mixed well with beaten curds and topped with chilli powder, rock salt, cumin powder and a different dish is ready. For a tea-time snack, the leftover will be tempered with some mustard seeds, asafoetida, fennel seeds, chillies, coriander along with some chopped onions, ginger and some dried mango powder. THE GHEE THING Ghee may have been dubbed as a superfood, but most Marwari cuisine adds ghee to the dishes in the raw form. The dish is prepared and ghee is added on top, which is the best way to consume fat. Oil is hardly used in Marwari cooking; the community in a way looks down upon cooking in oil: it is oddly a way of measuring the wealth in a family, especially at marriages. SAVING IT FOR A RAINY DAY Most Marwari food is based on dried ingredients that is readied and kept.During winters, lentils are soaked and then ground to a fine paste, mixed with spices that pack in the flavour. The women of not only the household but the entire neighbourhood get together in Marwar to create mangodi, pearl-sized nuggets, which are stashed in tins and come handy throughout the year.Similarly, pachkoota is a mixture of five dried ingredients, each one a dry fruit that grows in the desert. It is used in vegetables and pickles throughout the year. Ker Daakh is also a dish that is made using capparis decidua and raisins. BEYOND THE PATENT: HALDI KI SABZEE While the world is still discovering the benefits and properties of turmeric, Jodhpuris have been taking pride in making their Haldi ki Sabzee. A dish packed with flavours and so exotic that it if eaten once the memory will remain with you forever, needless to recount its antiseptic properties and health benefits. It is easy to make and you can make it in Mumbai INGREDIENTS Raw Turmeric Onions Garlic Ginger Green Chillies Green Peas Coriander Curds Cloves Peppercorns bayleaf red chilli powder and coriander powder Take generous amounts of ghee in a pan Add the spices and condiments Add onion, garlic, ginger and green chilli paste to it. Keep cooking till onion changes colour Grate the fresh turmeric and keep adding it to the onion paste as you grate. The turmeric is so rich in iron that it is important to keep adding it as you grate, else it will turn black Mix the coriander powder and red chilli powder in the curds to make a fine paste. Add this to the cooking onion and turmeric. Let it cook till fat separates. Add a little water towards the end. The consistency of this dish is thick. Add salt to taste. Garnish with coriander. Serve with hot chappatis and papad

 

 

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