FOOD TO MY DOOR...

i have been back in australia 

2 weeks & 3 days

(but who's counting)

i want to post 2 more stories of my time in india,

as they have been a work in progress.

this food was delivered to my door, either by the beautiful women,  or the children in the home where i lived.

sometimes i knew it was coming & other times it appeared about 8.00 pm. 

the time of their dinner. 

i will try and give a description of the food.

a RICE based dessert,

 with flaked pistachios,saffron strands.

served cold.

SWEET RICE.

using a long grain rice, dried fruits,& spices.

served warm or cold.

this bread is 

PURIS

made from plain flour and semolina 

it is deep fried, but ohhh so good.

served hot

another type of bread. 

deep fried.

served warm.

with 

SAAG BHAJI.

serves 4.

200g small turnips,(finely chopped)

1kg english spinach leaves (finely chopped)

1/2 tea chilli powder

1 tab oil

2cm piece of ginger (grated)

1 onion (finely chopped)

1 1/2 tab lemon juice.

bring 125ml of water to the boil in large saucepan over med heat.

add the turnips, cook 1 -2 mns, 

then add the spinach.

stir in the chilli powder and a pinch of salt and cook 2 -3 mns, or till almost all the water is absorbed.

mash the mixture well and remove from the heat.

heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan over low heat and fry the ginger and onion for 2 -3 mns. 

add the mashed vegetables, mix well, and keep tossing till everything is well mixed.

season with salt to taste

serve warm  with a dash of lemon juice.

DOSAS

(the rolled bread)

filling is potato and peas.

the good old 

TOASTED SANDWICH.

filling potato and onion.

CHOW MEIN 

i took the green chilli's out of this one. 

KHEER.

serves 6 

a desert.

150g basmati rice

20 cardamon pods

2.5 lt milk

1/3 cup flaked almonds

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sultans

pomegranate to decorate

wash the rice, then soak for 30mns in cold water.

drain well.

remove the seeds from the cardamon pods and lightly crush them in a spice grinder of pestle and mortar.

bring the milk to the boil in a large heavy based saucepan and add the rice and cardamon.

reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, till the rice has a creamy consistency.

stir occasionally to stop the rice from sticking to the pan.

dry fry the almonds in a frying  pan for a few minutes over med heat. 

add the sugar, almonds and sultans to the rice, reserving some almonds and sultanas.

mix, then serve warm with almonds, sultans and pomegranate for garnish.

this is also a DESSERT.

made with vermicelli 

this is a accompanying dish.

i recall that is was SO SALTY i could not eat it. 

ALOO CHAAT 

(potato )

serves 4.

1 kg potato (peeled and into bit size pieces)

1/3 cup tamarind paste

4 green or red chillies,(seeded & finely chopped)

4 tab chopped coriander

2 tea chaat masala

boil the potatoes till just tender.

put in serving bowl.

mix the tamarind paste with 2 tab water.

mix all the other ingredients with the tamarind, then season with salt.

gently toss the potato and tamarind mix and serve.

these 2 foods, i recall as being SWEET.

the bread was dense, and a very firm ball.

BASIC DAHL.

with a 

CHAPATI.

CHAPATI 

with a dish of chilli and paneer.

STUFFED PARATHAS

with 

MATAR PANEER 

(peas & cheese)

serves 4

225g paneer

2 tab oil

50g onion (chopped)

1 1/3 cup peas

1/2 tea sugar

2 " piece of ginger (grated)

2 - 3 green chilli (finely chopped)

1 spring onion (finely chopped)

1/2 tea garam masala

1 tab chopped coriander

cut the paneer into 3/4" cubes.

heat the oil in heavy based frying pan over med heat and carefully fry the paneer until golden on all sides. remove from the pan.

fry the onion lightly in the same fry pan, till softened and golden.

remove the onion.

 add 5 tab hot water and a pinch of salt to the oil and simmer for 1 minute. 

add the peas and sugar, cover and cook for 5 - 6 mns till the peas are nearly cooked.

add the fried onion, paneer, ginger, chilli and spring onion to the pan and cook 2 -3 mns.

add the garam masala and coriander leaves.

season with salt to taste.

RICE WITH MUSTARD SEEDS.

this is the way to eat this dish,

put small amount of yoghurt, & ????? into the rice and then eat with 

BASIC DAHL.

SPROUTED MOONG DAHL & TOMATO

an accompanying dish, served cold.

sitting on top of my MASALA DABA

STUFFED PARATHAS.

those little firm bread rolls.

served with rice and dahl.

this is what i did with the bread rolls.

BUTTER

HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY JAM.

this was soo good.

MASALA RAJMA.

i hope you are VERY HUNGRY now,

and will be tempted to try indian cooking. 

it is easy.

it is quick.

you can substitute any vegetables.

some food is best eaten that day,

other food is better the next day.

i thoroughly enjoyed the VARIETY of food,

and the 

GRADUAL INCREASE OF CHILLI 

that came to

MY DOOR....

but the 

KINDNESS of the women in this home,

was a overwhelming at times.