# 40: Sweet Lassi

There definitely something about North Indian food & beverages.. I love just everything about it. Its so simple to prepare, yet so nutrious, and filling.

Lassi is the best example..(Cooling, refreshing, and filling on a hot summer day! Ummm.. I give it a full 5 star rating..)

Well, South Indians also have their version of it.. its probably called "Butter milk".. but its no fun to have butter milk..and there is surely no comparison between Lassi & Butter Milk.

It was again one of my lazy summer afternoons.. randomly browing through the 100 channels we are offered..only to realise that i stick by some 4 or 5 channels.. rest???? who cares.. ya..so I was watching a show on "TLC" about a globe trotter and her love to explore the food around the places she visits. And this time, she decided to visit Amritsar and the Golden Temple.

She went around the gurudwara and its Kitchen..etc etc... i can just narrate the whole show to the "T".

Cutting it short.. she went on to prepare the lassi, the apparently traditional way..which i did not quiet know. So decided to try it out myself!

Ingredients:

1. Curd - 1 cup
2. Milk - 1/2 glass
3. Sugar - 4 Tsp (or as per taste)
4. A pinch of salt

Preparation:

To the cup of curd, add the milk, sugar, & a pinch of salt. Beat the mix together or you can just use a shaker to get the Lassi all ready and done with.

Sprinkle some pepper/black salt just before serving!

# 39: Gobi Ka Paratha

Hmmmm... Parathas!

I distinctly remember Mom's numerous ways to get my brother to eat vegetables! And one of them was the stuffed paratha way.. I remember her trying out the Brinjal parathas where she mixed it with potatoes to camouflage it.. But bro found out with his very first Morsel... it was one hilarious day.. That's different that he ate it... But still..:D

Well, I don't know about my brother, but it certainly worked for me. Not like i was ever fussy about vegetables..  I don't think i was given the privilege to be fussy actually! :P  You know, the usual dialogues that Mum's can just sell us.. good for eyes, good for skin, good for hair..n all the etc. goods.. Not to forget the vitamin & mineral value, which i dint really care to bother myself with.. But yes...I did buy every product of mum's with this GOOD concept of hers.. ;)

Mum didn't have to rack her brains to get us to eat Gobi parathas for sure.. :)

Coming down to the recipe..

Ingredients:

1. Grated Cauliflower
2. turmeric powder - a pinch
3. Red Chili powder- 1/2 tsp
4. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Finely chopped Coriander leaves 
6. Salt to taste
7. Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp
8. Oil - 2 Tsp
9. Green chilies- 2 chopped into fine circular rings

Procedure:

Preparing the gobi stuffing- 

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the grated ginger, later add in the cauliflower. Let the cauliflower soften up.. Add salt, turmeric , red & green chili, & cumin powder. Mix well. And leave to cook. Leave the mixture to cool.

Add chopped coriander to the mixture and mix well.

Parathas-

The procedure to roll out the parathas is the same as done for Muli parathas..

# 22: Muli (Raddish) Parathas
 
Do be generous while adding ghee on the parathas while pan frying them.. You'll instantly fall in love with the aroma.. and the parathas are yummy!!!

Serve with pickle & curd! :)

 

Njoi!

# 38 : Gaabo Dry

"Banana Stem".. As i had mentioned, its the tender portion of the Banana plant's bark!

I have never quiet found this portion of the vegetable sold in the market. I understand that this stem is very nutritious and high on fibre. It is also believed that eating this vegetable is good to clear the intestinal path! :) I know it sounds weird.. But ya.. my mom, aunts..and their generation constantly narrate the goodness of this vegetable. I would not wanna lock horns on this topic for sure! :P

Anyways, getting to the preparation of this dish..

Firstly wash the stem and cut it into circular disks as shown.. and leave it in a bowl of water for a couple of hours. This is done so that the thread like fibre can easily detach itself from the vegetable.. If not, try scrapping the surface with ur finger and as if to knot threads.. pull the fibre..

Once you have removed this thread like substance from the surface of each disk..wash and cut into small square cubes.

Now we are all set to cook it.. :P

Ingredients:

1. Banana stem cubes (Gabbo in Konkani)
2. Turmeric pwdr - 1 tsp
3. Salt - to taste
4. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
5. Dry Red chillies - 3
6. Curry leaves 
7. Besan  (chickpea flour) - 2 tsp dissolved water
8. Curd - 2 cups
9. Oil - 1 Tbsp

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Prepare for seasoning. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Let them split. Only after the mustard seeds split, should you add the dry red chillies (broken into halves) and followed by curry leaves. 
3. Later add the banana stem/gabbo pcs into the pan with seasoning. Stir and leave it for 5 minutes..
4. Now, add the turmeric powder and mix the well. Add the salt as well. Stir and leave it to cook.
5. When the stem appears to look like its softened, then add the bowl of curd. In order to make sure that the curd does not split... add the besan-water mix. and Stir it well and leave it to cook.
6. Add a glass of water in case the mixture appears too thick. Check if the salt is enough..
7. Leave the dish to cook... You'll get a distinct aroma of the seasoning! (The dish ideally will take 20-25 minutes to cook on slow flame.)

Serve hot with white rice.. :)