Beans gwar phali

                                                            Beans -Gwarfali

This is a longer variation of gwar-fali. And tastes almost similar. In Jaipur, particularly Jodhpur the gwar-gum is used as an industrial resin. The bean like vegetable of the plant has been made with the usual onion-garlic-tomato-adrak paste. Potatoes added to it make the dish a tad more interesting. Guar gum is extracted from the guar bean, where it acts as a food and water store. The guar bean is principally grown in India and Pakistan. The drought-resistant guar bean can be eaten as a green bean, fed to cattle, or used in green manure.

A special Lunch for D2

Dinaer was leaving by the five o’clock flight to Mumbai. So in a feast fit for a king Kyar Singh dished out Vegetable biryani. The recipe had just come in the Rajasthan Patrika’s ‘Parivar’ pullout. It went with aloor dum. My Bengali taste buds taking over. Arhar ki-dal and accompanied by cucumber-tomato-onion raita.

You can see my famous Jaipuri lac-bangles. Nowadays they set it with coloured Swaroski crystals. The more the rows of crystals the more expensive it is.

My dry decorations have survived nearly eight years of transfers and storms (personal and otherwise). They were made by two wonderful gardeners in my lovely paradise of Jallandhar. They were so tiny and thin that one wondered how they were recruited into BSF. Before memory fails me they went by the name Haldar and Nag. Dear husband called them my country cousins. They grew giant sized dahlias and chrysanthemums and I wish I could mummify my garden and carry it with me. So may be this was part of the dream.

I almost forgot the Bhindi one of Dinaer’s favourites was made as well.

So here goes the recipe:

You need Rice -1and a half cup, one medium sized cauliflower, onions three, oil four tablespoons. Kyar Singh added peas as well instead of potato as recommended in the recipe.

For the Masala paste

Cinnamon –one, cloves-3-4, green cardamom, dhania powder, jeera, saunf, lalmirchi and ginger 3 inch.

For the paste add water and grind it into a smooth paste.

In a nonstick pan add oil and fry the onions till they are brown then add the masala paste. Keep gas on sim for 2-3 minutes. Then add 3 cups of water, and let it cook. When it begins to boil add the washed and cleaned rice. Cook for 10-15 minutes with the lid on.

However, Bahadur cooked it in the pressure cooker and waited for 1 and half whistle?

aloo matar in London

Aloo-matar in London tasted wonderful with the Tortillas. Having no alternative but to cook without my loyal fleet of Bahadurs and BhanwarLals, I had carried mix masala packets from home. So along with chopped onions and tomato puree, I managed to make fairly palatable food. Having elder son posted there and the whole family demanding home cooked meals, I managed to even surprise myself.

A Huge Sunday Breakfast

Sundays one inevitably gorges on much more than conscience allows. The aloo-tikkis are stuffed with paneer and matar. And I wanted to have the left-over chhole to remind me of the Bengali market aloo-tikkis. Guddu even made delicious green chutney   using the sil-batta. It definitely tasted better than the one made in the mixie.

The mug with dry decoration is yet another gift I received in the ‘Ladies Club’. The perks and privileges of being a ‘memsaheb’? But more the generosity of the hostess. Normally the rule is that one gives gifts only for having won the games. We have to strictly adhere to this to avoid any show of ostentation. But then who is complaining? Later behind the generous host’s back we will say ‘how-can-we-give-such –expensive-gifts-to’ all members. We have to live on the poor cop’s salary.

Spring Rolls again

Spring Rolls

 This delicious delightful spread was Kyar Singh’s specialty. He volunteered to make it for D2 as part of his farewell dinners. He had worked in a five-star hotel before joining the forces. So he could dish up this wonderful meal without batting an eyelid. We are all connected to each other in this universe. I am probably more connected to my cooks who have made my life so comfortable but this particular one is really special. His cheerful presence and gurgling laughter always made my day. His t-shirts with strange quotes had us always in splits.

This spring-roll has been so well decorated that I would never feel like going to a five-star hotel. He has trained all my other chaps to cook so that we remain cocooned in their loyal services. But its never the same.  Raj Kumar one of the goons had been so well trained that he could make honey-chilly veggies by following the instructions from the book. But they do not have the same loyalty and as soon as he was well settled played hooky by being absent without notice. They are not in private employment there is some sort of discipline in the forces or is it only in my imagination?

The noodles Kyar Singh taught all of them to cook. Even Ramprasad who churns out a fairly delectable noodle soup with all the veggies thrown in.

Samosa cum kachori

What does one do if one loves Samosas well into one's sunset years?
Just let the imagination dwell on pleasures gone by or try to find ways of pandering to the senses without hurting the body?
I chose the latter. And with Guddu's help and the pan meant for 'panirakkals' turned out crisp and crunchy delights.

  G even manages to make a fine aromatic green chutney by grinding on the grinding stone.