Sunday morning and Idly

When my sister reached that stage in her education, where parents outdo each other in finding a private tutor, who refuses to come home to teach and lives miles away from your house, my parents outscored all their peers and found her a biology teacher a good ten kilometers away. That may not sound much if you didn’t live in Kolkata in the early nineties. Of course the tutor could fit her only in the 7am Sunday class! Some further unsuccessful tutor hunting later, my parents resigned to their collective fate, so every Sunday morning for two years, my sister was escorted by my parents to dissect frogs, rats and whatever else MBBS aspirants are supposed to do.

Why both parents accompanied her was as much a mystery to the accompanied as her little sister and old grandmother, though they all suspected with varying degrees of hurt that it was to escape them. Since they left home early and weren’t back long after breakfast, Mamai, my grandmother and I avenged the betrayal by refusing home cooked breakfast and sending the cook instead to fetch hot idlis and vadas from the local South Indian eatery. All this was done behind my parents’ back since Mamai was a heart patient and I was looking for Secret Sevenish adventure in my nine year old life. Sitting cross legged on her bed, watching Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh shake their ample booties on Rangoli, we would enjoy the feast from an assortment of banana leaf bundles laid out in front of us. Since then, no Sunday has been as exciting or beautiful until few weeks back N decided to give them some competition.

Idly and Kaaram podi

After a hectic week at work I spent a greater part of Saturday being pampered at a Spa with no inkling of all that N was soaking and fermenting in our kitchen. Sunday morning I woke up to a breakfast of piping hot homemade buttery soft idlis served with ghee, fried green plantain, salsa and freshly squeezed orange juice. I devoured and N has been reaping his reward since.

We never make idlis at home though I have an idly maker because N abhors them. We make uttapams or dosas instead. Since I wanted to share N’s culinary skills on this blog, after much coaxing he gave in and shared the recipe, which in fact came right off Indira’s Mahanandi. His advice – “follow the instructions to the tee!”

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Spicy Pumpkin and Legumes

Pumpkin and winter squashes rank quite high in my favored veggie list, particularly in the colder months. Cinnamon flavored pumpkin never fails to ignite holiday happiness in me. On a pleasant fall Sunday, when I was gloomy for no rhyme or reason, N made me some spicy pumpkin and peas. He called my mother for the recipe and gave it some Bihari twist. Then he set the table outside for a quiet, romantic brunch. It was oh so perfect. He even sacrificed some NFL!

Back at my parents', this spicy pumpkin recipe is my mother's take on the traditional Bengali Kumror Chokka. She makes it sans cinnamon and turmeric and uses either coconut flakes or cooked whole bengal gram. N used both coconut and legumes and made it spicier. Since I had soaked some dried field peas or matara the previous night, he used them instead of bengal gram. As Ma never visits my blog, I'll confess I liked his version more.

Since that afternoon, N has made it couple of more times for friends, once with whole bengal gram and then with garbanzo. We both like it best when cooked with whole bengal gram though others were relished too.

Spicy Pumpkin and Legumes

Ingredients:

Pumpkin - 2 cups, peeled and diced to 1/4" cubes

Dried field peas/ your choice of legumes - 1 cup, cooked

Dried red chilies - 3-4, broken

Kalonji/ Black onion seeds - 1 tsp

Cinnamon - 1 small stick

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Cayenne powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut flakes - 1/4 cup, packed

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add onion seeds and let it splutter. Add red chilies and cinnamon stick. Saute for 20 seconds.

Add pumpkin, turmeric and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Pumpkin should start leaving some water.

Add salt and 1 tbsp of water. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Keep checking for water and add more if required.

After 7 minutes, pumpkin should be tender but not mushy. Liquid should have evaporated.

Add the cooked legumes and toss well. Cook covered for another 2 minutes. Be careful not to mash the pumpkin.

Turn off the heat. Add the coconut flakes and toss well. Let it sit covered for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve with pooris, parathas or freshly baked baguette.

Serves - 4

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