THE CRACKED POT

THE CRACKED POT

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do a lot of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral:
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

RUMALI ROTI (ROOMALI ROTI) handkerchief like bread

Rumali Roti (Roomali Roti)

Roomal or Rumal means handkerchief. Since this bread is as thin as a handkerchief.
it has got its name as 'Rumali Roti' (Bread as thin as a handkerchief)

Ingredients:
1/2cup Whole Wheat Flour (Atta)
50 gms Maida
1/2 tsp Baking powder
2-3 tbsp oil or melted ghee
Water to knead
A pinch of salt

Method:
•Sieve wheat flour, maida, salt and baking powder together.
•Pour oil or Ghee in the flour and add water bit by bit and make a soft & elastic dough and keep it covered with moist muslin cloth or a damp cloth used to cover roti dough for 1/2 an hour.
• Knead well again and make small balls of the dough. Roll like a normal roti, ofcourse try to make it a little thin and not very thick like u make for parathas.

Here comes the trick that u see chefs do in hotels where there is courtyard cooking done. Now place the roti on the back side of your palms (palms facing down), circle your wrist slowly in an anti-clockwise motion. Try to swing the roti in the air, again let it land on your palms, make a large very thin circle 12" diameter. It should be as thin as tissue and expanded well.
If you can’t do the chef’s trick never mind, just roll each ball into a thin roti using little dry flour (it should be thin as a tissue)
•Heat an inverted griddle(tawa).
•Place the rumali roti carefully over it and cook till done. This roti takes harldy 1 minute to cook, once it is done, fold it like a handkerchief.
•Serve rumali roti hot. It should be eaten whilst hot. Once cold it becomes very elastic
and difficult to chew.
**Some people add eggs for softness or to stretch the dough further, but it isn’t necessary.

GRILLED BRINJALS

GRILLED BRINJALS(Aubergines)
Ingredients
2-3 Brinjals (also known as Aubergines or Eggplants)
Olive oil as required
Salt as required
Chilly powder as required

Method
Slice the Brinjals into thick slices, the slices shouldn’t be very thin as brinjals tend to cook very fast and will literally start to melt on the grill. Take a zip lock bag and put the slices brinjals, salt and chilly powder and 1 tbsp olive oil and toss well and allow to marinate for a while, then just place the slices on the grill. Cook until roasted and crust is formed. You will get the grill marks on it. It tastes absolutely divine.

VEGETARIAN KEBABS ON THE GRILL

VEGETARIAN KEBABS
Ingredients
2 onions peeled and quartered
2 large aubergines cut into cubes
2 tomatoes, hollowed and quartered, you can also use the cherry tomatoes, so no need to hollow them, u can just directly insert into the skewers.
2 capsicums, deseeded and quartered
2 potatoes boiled, peeled and quartered
10-12 large cubes firm Paneer(mind you the Paneer should be big blocks, not the small ones, Tofu can be used instead of Paneer, as a healthy alternative.
Basic Marinade (Refer to the recipe of the basic marinade in the Vegetarian Barbecue recipes section of my Blog)

Method
In a glass bowl, make the basic marinade and marinate all the vegetables and the paneer overnight. If you are keeping it overnight, keep it in the refrigerator. Before transferring to the refrigerator let it marinate in room temperature for at least 1 hour. Remember the Paneer should be big blocks and not the small pieces that you get in the market as the small pieces will literally get dissolved in the marinade and will break while inserted into the skewer. If Paneer is not available you can use Tofu (which is actually Soya Paneer or Paneer made out of Soya bean milk), but don’t use silken tofu or the soft tofu available in the market. When you are grilling. Wait until the coals are burning well. Insert each vegetable and the paneer into the skewer in turns. Start with tomato and end with paneer. Keep hard veggies like potato, onion, in the centre. Inserting the different colors makes it look so delicious. Place on the barbecue and keep turning while roasting. When the marinade dries and veggies sizzle, they are done. You can see a golden or reddish crust formed.

Sprinkle chat masala on top and serve hot.

PANEER DELIGHT (COTTAGE CHEESE DELIGHT)

PANEER DELIGHT
Ingredients
Paneer (Cottage Cheese) – 500 gms
Hung Yogurt – 1 cup
Ginger – Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chillies paste – 1tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Cumin (Jeera) powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
Dry Roast and grind cumin seeds. Freshly grounded spices always add that extra punch to your marinade. In a bowl, Take your hung yogurt, ginger garlic paste, green chili paste, freshly ground cumin powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt as required. Mix well. Now add the Paneer(Cottage cheese) cubes and mix it and allow it to marinate in the refrigerator overnight. While grilling you can insert the paneer into bamboo skewers and grill until it is red or done well.

MASALA(SPICY) POTATOES ON THE GRILL

MASALA POTATOES
Ingredients
Baby Potatoes – ½ kilo
Butter as required to apply for the potatoes
Green chillies - 3-4 / Green chilly paste – 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder – 1 tbsp (Refer to recipe in the Masala Powders section of my blog)
Salt as required

Method
Take ½ a kilo of baby potatoes and peel it. Wash it well and Half boil it (it shouldn’t be too soft, just a little done or half done. If it is fully boiled it will break while you insert it into the skewer).

Now in a bowl put in the potatoes, butter, minced green chilies (or green chilly paste), garam masala powder and salt as required and mix well and let it get marinated. This should marinate overnight, So if you mix it in the evening , you can keep it in the fridge overnight , until the next evening when you have the barbecue, the poatoes get marinated well and all the spices are stuck to it. Put the potatoes in a skewer and grill it till it gets roasted, because of the butter, the potatoes will get golden and then slightly reddish, u can remove from the skewer at that time and serve hot with any choice dips or as a side dish.

Hope you enjoy the masala potatoes.

Tip: You can use Red chilly powder instead of green chillies, but since garam masala has a spicy flavor to it already, Green chilly gives it a real good flavor. I am sure you guys will enjoy this recipe of mine.

TANDOORI GOBI (BARBECUED CAULIFLOWER FLORETS)

STARTERS

Here are some starters which will tantalize your taste buds.

TANDOORI GOBI
Cauliflower is usually very fast to cook and the Tandoori Gobi is one dish which will make u come back for more.
Ingredients
Cauliflowers – 2 large Cauliflowers
Hung Yogurt – 1 cup
Besan (Gram Flour) – 1 cup
Ginger – Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Red Chilly powder – 1 tbsp (Preferably use Kashmiri Chilly powder for that dark red colour)
Ajwain (Carom seeds or Bishop’s weed) – 1 tsp
Cumin (Jeera) powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method
Cut out the Cauliflowers into florets and keep them soaked in warm water some turmeric and salt for about half an hour, so if there are any small creepies and crawlies in there they will come out. Wash and pat dry.

Now prepare the marinade. In a bowl, Take the Hung yogurt, Besan, Ginger-garlic paste, Ajwain, Red chilly powder, Jeera powder, Coriander Powder and Salt as per your taste, mix all this well till it forms a uniform batter. Throw in the Cauliflower florets and mix well. If the marinade is not enough double the measurements. You can keep this in the marinade overnight or even if you marinate for about an hour before cooking should do. The longer anything stays in a marinade the tastier it gets as the spices enter the vegetable well. Insert the cauliflower florets onto bamboo skewers or place them individually on the grill rack. Grill for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked, brushing with marinade several times and lastly with oil. During grilling, turn the pieces occasionally.

For, that extra tangy taste, sprinkle chaat masala over the grilled cauliflower florets.

BASIC MARINADE FOR VEGETARIAN BBQ

This can be considered as a Basic Marinade for Vegetarian Barbecue Recipes, almost all the vegetables can be dipped in this marinade before they go to the grill.

BASIC MARINADE
Ingredients
Thick Yogurt – 1 kg
Cream - 50 ml
Ginger paste – 1tsp
Garlic paste – 1tsp (optional)
Red Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Cumin (Jeera Powder) – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Corn flour - 1-2 tbsps
Refined oil - 1 -2 tbsps to toss the vegetables and also while grilling you need to brush this on to the vegatebles.
Salt - to taste

Method
Hang the thick yogurt overnight in a soft muslin cloth so in the morning all the water would be drained.
Then turn out the yogurt mixture in a glass bowl and keep aside. Add 50 ml of cream this allows easy cooking and gives a rich texture to the vegetables. Now Add all the other ingredients and mix well. The lemon juice when combined with the salt and spices tenderizes the vegetables and allows the spice to enter the vegetables easily. The corn flour thickens the marinade and also enables to coat the vegetables well.

Heat some oil in a wok and toss the washed and cut vegetables into it and sir fry for 2 minutes before u add them to the marinade, this not only helps the vegetables to absorb the marinade well but also tenderizes it slightly allowing it to cook faster on the grill.

This can be considered as a Basic Marinade which works well with almost all vegetables. Marinade changes for every vegetable cooked in the tandoor / grill. No tenderizers are required, only spices, oils and pastes will do. So you can see it is very healthy.

AL FRESCO EATING - VEGETARIAN BARBECUE & HISTORY OF BBQ IN INDIA

BARBECUE - A Fashion Statement and a means of Socializing

Al Fresco Eating is the fashion statement of today for young Indians who migrated abroad in the recent years. The fever hasn’t caught on in India yet.

Staying Abroad changes the way of socializing and celebrating as we tend to adopt a lot of practices of the western people and Barbecue is very popular in the West.

Getting together for a barbecue party is something relatively new for the younger generation of Indians who migrated abroad in the recent past

VEGETARIAN BARBECUE

Barbecue has always been associated with non-vegetarian items and hence attending a Barbecue party for a vegetarian is simply not very happening.

But you will be surprised that such a lot of vegetarian recipes can be cooked on the barbecue with much of it being similar to that at a traditional barbecue and they taste very good, with the added benefit of being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. You can easily say that it is cheap, fun and healthy. And your neighbours wont get annoyed with the smell of burning fat.

Living in Singapore and having regular barbecue events kind of left me in the lurch because here Non vegetarian barbecue is very popular and there are a lot of frozen ready stuff available to go on the grill for the meat eaters. But for people like me, we have to be limited to the tomatoes and onions and maybe the salads. Since we had a huge Indian presence in our group and all were open to vegetarian barbecue, it led me to think what we could add to our menu so that even the vegetarians can enjoy. I am very lucky as we have 2 grills, one for the vegetarians and one for the non-vegetarians, so we don’t have to mix up and usually the vegetarian stuff is grilled first because non-vegetarian items emanate a strong meat and fat smell.

Peppers, aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes and onions can simply be halved or quartered and cooked directly on the grill, while more robust vegetables such as squashes and potatoes can be wrapped in foil and baked amongst the coals. Spring onions, garlic and many herbs will find a place in marinades and dressings while lettuce, cucumber, peas and beans form key ingredients of tasty side salads.

BARBECUE CULTURE IN INDIA

Barbecue parties are not celebrated commonly in Indian cities, although we do have Tandoori food and Tandoor is a traditional grill used to barbecue food.

But you will be surprised to know that barbecuing was always done in India. In the traditional style, in the fields, a small pit was made and coals were burnt and fresh vegetables from the fields would be roasted on it and people would happily sit around the fire during cold winter nights and eat the grilled vegetables with some salt and lemon and sometimes with masala (spice) powders. Corns, brinjals, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes and many other vegetables would be barbecued and eaten with great relish.

Barbecue Tradition can be seen in a state like Maharashtra, where Bajra and Jowar (sorghum) are grown in abundance. The young jowar or bajra which is at a pre-stage is cut from the plant and roasted over a coal fire. The sorghum has a sweet and succulent taste and is usually eaten with a pungent chillies and green garlic ground to make a tongue-scorching chutney or Maharashtras famous lasoon chutney (dry garlic chutney) or some people like it with just a dash of salt and lemon.

(Refer to the Chutneys and Sauces section of my blog for the recipe of the Lasoon Chutney.)

First timers must go slow on this delicacy as it may not be so gentle on your stomach

In December - January Agriculturists/Farmers usually invite neighboring villagers, families and friends to celebrate the onset of a successful season of the Jowar crop. Sholapur is very famous for its “hurda” parties and it is a social or family event in these areas to go to the fields early in the morning to have the hurda and the associated goodies. “Hurda”. Parties are also becoming an increasingly popular activity with city dwellers who want to get a slice of this rural pleasure, people get together and book a place in the fields on the outskirts of the city and have the hurda party.

Barbecued food is not new to India, as the Moghuls brought in grilled kebabs and breads as an addition to our already rich cuisine. This food is popularly known as Tandoori food and is cooked in a Tandoor (which a traditional grill)

BARBECUE - How to go about it?

Barbecue is usually an outdoors thing and hence when people in the western countries meet outdoors they celebrate by grilling food so they can eat hot and freshly cooked food usually enjoyed with a cool drink.

Nowadays a lot of different grills are available in the market. There are portable grills and all the equipments like fire starters, tongs etc available in one section of the supermarts. Even a beginner can host a fine barbecue party.

Grilling is more art than science. It takes a few go-rounds to get the knack of working with whatever equipment you have, be it a fancy gas-powered unit or a simple barbecue pit in the ground. Remember, though, that expensive equipment is not necessary to create a tasty outdoor meal. It's more a matter of learning about the coals and woods befitting your particular grill, how to light them easily, and how long to let the hot coals die down in your unit before putting on the food. Generally, it takes 30 to 45 minutes for hot coals to reach the right temperature for grilling foods.

Having a barbecue doesn't have to be an expensive or complicated undertaking either. At the simplest end of the scale, an al fresco meal for one or two could be cooked on a grid over a bucket of charcoal. At the other end of the scale you can feed the five thousand on a sophisticated gas or electric barbecue - the choice is yours.

Barbecued or grilled food is fun way of eating vegetables dipped in a marinade and barbecuing them on a grill, you can do it even on the terrace or patio or backyard. Just pour yourself a tall cool drink and select a couple of dressings and dips and you are ready to chill out on a party of your own right there in your backyard.

BARBECUE EQUIPMENT

It is very realistic to want to purchase new and exciting tools to assist in the preparation of your barbecue. A jumbo barbecue turning tool works well for turning food. The ideal model is large enough to flip two burger patties at one time.

Another time saving barbecue tool is the barbecue basting brush and bottle. This unique basting brush is complete with a silicone brush at one end and a bottle with a stand able bottom on the other end. This reasonably priced barbecue tool is very useful in evenly basting grilled foods while they are cooking.

When shopping for barbecue tools, it is very important to remember that barbecue tongs are an important tool that makes grilling foods much easier. These barbecue tongs make rotating items such as corn on the cob, large pieces of food much easier.

The most important barbecue tool is the grill cleaning brush. Without a doubt, each new grilling season demands that a new grill brush replace the previous seasons. While these barbecue tools are sold to last a long time, I have yet to have discovered a grill that could hold up to the heavy demands of a barbecue season in my home. So rather than worry about trying to make the grill brush last more than one season, just buy a quality brush and figure that it has certainly gotten its use out of it by the end of the season.

BARBECUE ON THE BEACH

Ah, what can be better than a great barbecue on the beach? The beach is definitely one of the best locations to have a barbecue. After all, the nature of grilling and barbecuing as a cooking technique is that it's fun, exciting and very rewarding. Similarly, the beach pretty much exudes the same atmosphere. There are a lot of fun and exciting activities to do at the beach. It's a place where people can be themselves in their 'bare essentials' and the relaxation factor is definitely rewarding. Putting these two wonderful concepts together, a barbecue on the beach is pretty much a recipe for a great time!

But before you pack your stuff, gear up your grill and hit the sand for one hell of a barbecue on the beach party, bear in mind that there are various safety procedures and other rules governing beach areas so it would be best to consult authorities and secure the proper permissions before you even think about organizing a beach barbecue party.

SAFETY FIRST

ALWAYS make sure that the barbecue is on a firm heat-proof surface, away from buildings, trees, fences and anything else that might catch fire.

NEVER leave the barbecue unattended

KEEP CHILDREN away from the barbecue area

It is a good idea to rope off the cooking area to prevent accidents.

ONLY use proper barbecue lighters, NEVER use paraffin, petrol, white spirit or lighters to fuel the barbecue.

USE long handles tongs and oven gloves to avoid burning yourself.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BBQ

Prepare as much as you can before you start cooking. Good organization makes for a relaxed barbecue.

Bring your marinated vegetables in a cooler or in airtight boxes and take them out only when you're ready to start barbecuing to avoid spoilage. Further, the last seasoning you would want on your barbecue on the beach is sand right? So keep them covered!

Food keeps fresher and cleaner if kept inside until needed; keep prepared food covered where possible.

It is imperative to practice basic food hygiene.

Incase, you are using a public BBQ pit, then clean the grill well with an antibacterial soap and water. Soak the grill in water if there are stubborn remnants, before scrubbing them well with antibacterial soap and water. Come early and prepare, so that you can have a hygienic BBQ.

LIGHT THE BARBECUE 45 minutes before you start cooking.

Relax. Wait until the flames die down and a layer of ash forms. If you start cooking while the coals are still glowing, the food is likely to burn.

Lightly brush the cooking rack with a little oil to help prevent the food from sticking.

Wooden skewers are great for vegetable kebabs soaking them in water for 30 minutes stops them catching fire.

Vegetables that don't have a strong flavor benefit from a tasty marinade and basting during cooking - barbecues do not lend themselves to subtle cuisine.

To prevent your food from becoming overcooked or burnt on the outside wrap it in foil as a protective barrier.

Throw a handful of herbs on the charcoal and enjoy that delicious aroma.

Spare a thought for the global environment. Use environment friendly charcoals, this automatically reduces the demand for fuel made from tropical hardwoods.

Then at the end of the BBQ hand your guests a trash bag and encourage them to take part in the great clean up. It’s a very good practice to clean the grill and the area that has been used during a BBQ party, which serves people who come after using the place.

Before, you leave just sprinkle some water on the burning coals to extinguish the embers, so that there is no accident, after you leave.

PLANNING THE FOOD

Planning a cookout is not as easy as some very organized people make it appear to be and actually requires BBQ plans be made on different fronts to be a success. Some of the details are obvious such as how many people and in what age groups will be in attendance as well as the type of food wanted for the cookout. The number of people is part of a larger equation, determining the different types of food that will be needed. Keep more of the popular foods which you will learn with experience and limit the other items to one to two pieces a person.

The only part of BBQ plans the organizer will have no control over is the weather and the sponsor of the party will be responsible for making alternate plans in the event of bad weather and decide if the party must go on or reschedule for another time. Most cooks’ at large barbecues can be prepared with appropriate weather protection to keep themselves and the cooked food dry and available. However, the attendees will want someplace dry in which to eat the bounty.

Timing is very crucial for food to be ready at mealtime. If it becomes late, the people won’t eat well leading to the food getting wasted. Part of the BBQ plans will include what time the food should be ready and will help the cooks decide what time they have to start cooking. With good BBQ plans in place, all the different foods should be ready at about the same time, with some coming in later to be hot and fresh as those at the end of the line make their way to the food. Cooking the correct amount of each different food item is not an exact science and making good BBQ plans can help bring it together on the day of the big event. Most organizers plan about 10 to 15 percent more food than they expect to need to feed those who unexpectedly show up and for those who may be a little more hungry than others.

Many BBQ plans will also include the responsibility of supplying condiments and other items such as potato chips, side dishes and salads if needed. The plates and plastic ware should also be planned will ahead of time to insure the supplier will have what is needed on the day it is to be picked up.

CLEAN A GREASY, GRIMY, NASTY CHARCOAL GRILL

I've yet to meet anyone who says, "Boy, I just love to clean my grill." In fact, that ranks right up there with toilet cleaning and washing the deep fryer. But, it's a necessary evil. No one wants food served from a filthy grill—not healthy and not appetizing. So, grill cleaning is one of those deeds that must be done.

CLEANING TIPS FOR CLEANING YOUR BACKYARD CHARCOAL GRILL

Using foil eases your Grill Cleaning Job

One clean up short cut that I would not recommend as far as preparation is to cover the grate with tin foil. Though it's easier to clean a grill that is covered with tin foil, the result is that food is basically fried and not grilled. The food does not taste as good, and it's not as healthy. You're better off cooking inside over the tin foil method. It really defeats the whole idea of grilling out.

Tonight or Tomorrow Morning?

One big problem with charcoal grill cleaning is that the grill stays hot for a good period of time after cooking. There are two theories as far as the best way to handle this hot situation.

One camp leaves the grill running wide open. The thought is that the fire bakes off a lot of the grease. This does greatly extend the time between cooking and cleaning, since the grill stays hot for a long time if left to burn off.

The other approach is to put the lid on the grill and close down all the vents. This caps the fire, and unless it's a late night party, the grill is often cool enough to clean before bedtime.

I generally let the fire burn out. This eliminates the need to dispose of the extra unburned coals. They simply burn up. And, a lot of the grime does cook off the grates and sides of the grill. This does mean, however, that I'm usually grill cleaning the day after. Or, I forget about cleaning the grill and then have a mess to deal with before the next cook out.

Down and Dirty

Once the grill is cool (or not hot enough to be painful), clean out all the old coals and dust. These need to go in a bag and in the garbage. Charcoal mulch is not good for the garden or the yard. The acid level is too high. Throw that in your vegetable bed, and you're not going to have a productive season.

Squirt a good Kitchen Grease Cleaner on the grill and grates. This will save you from the rigorous scrubbing. The basic cleaning gets some but not all the grime. A second cleaning with a scrub brush and/or a scratchy pad (those green 3M rectangles sold in the grocery) is necessary. Brushes are more appealing with the handle, but it's hard to find a good brush and one that will hold up. I find that brushes last only a few cleaning sessions (and I've tried a number of brands), so I often use the less expensive scratch pads. Squirt on Kitchen Grease Cleaning Liquid and rub away. Most of the mess comes off.

For those really stubborn remnants of food particles stuck to the grates, keep them soaked in a soap solution overnight. In the morning, it will be soft and can be easily scrubbed off.

Touch Up and Pack Away

A good cleaning usually takes care of grill grunge. Give the grill a quick look over and touch up any spots still needing attention. Then, cover the grill. There are covers made for various grills, and trash bags or homemade coverlets (old quilts or towels) can also be used. If using plastic, don't seal up tight. Sealing traps moisture and can cause the growth of things better not mentioned. If you do end up with a science project growing in the grill after cleaning, it does clean off pretty easily, but it is not a good pre-meal sight.

Fun? No! But, a Clean Grill is a Happy Grill

If you stay on top of your grill cleaning, it's much easier to take care of the messes and much more likely that your family will be "up" for a barbeque. Grills also last much longer if they are tended to. There are a variety of ways to approach this rather unpleasant task, and some products that make the clean up much easier. There's room for error too. We've really disrespected our grill a few times, but it's always cleaned up and continued to give good service with a little extra loving care.

Worth the Effort? You Bet!

Whether you're new to grilling or dealing with a nasty, messy grill, you can do this. It takes a little time and effort, but when you're eating a big juicy steak hot off the clean grill, you'll be glad you took the time buy and keep up a charcoal grill.

Please check out my tongue tickling Vegetarian BBQ recipes in the Vegetarian BBQ Recipes section of My Blog.

PICKLES – THE ADORNMENT OF A COMPLETE INDIAN MEAL

PICKLES – THE ADORNMENT OF A COMPLETE INDIAN MEAL

Pickles are the life of every Indian meal. Indians are a breed who can’t live without their pickles, so wherever in the world they are traveling to, the pickle jar is always part of their luggage. If the food is not palatable, a good pickle served as an accompaniment will save you from the pangs of hunger. Just plain rice and curd can be had with a good pickle to accompany it. Any dish whether it be a meal or a snack gets enhanced with a good pickle accompaniment.

HISTORY OF PICKLES

The history of pickles is believed to be over 4,000 years old. In 2030 B.C., cucumbers, native to India were brought to the Tigris Valley. There, they were first preserved and eaten as pickles. Pickles are mentioned in the Bible and history records their usage over 3,000 years ago in Western Asia, ancient Egypt and Greece. In 850 B.C., Aristotle praised the healing effects of cured cucumbers.

Cleopatra attributed her beauty to pickles. Pliny's writings mention spiced and preserved cucumbers; in other words, pickles. The enjoyment of pickles spread far and wide through Europe. In the 13th Century, pickles were served as a main dish at the famous feast of King John. In the 16th Century, Dutch fine food fanciers cultivated pickles as one of their prized delicacies. Napoleon valued pickles as a health asset for his army. A fondness for pickles has always been a national characteristic of the American people.

In India as early as the Vedic times, salt, vinegar, jaggery, honey, asafoetida and tamarind were used for preserving and lending taste to foods as the accent was always on the preservation of good health through a well adjusted diet. In the medical treatises of Susruta and Charaka the use of these spices and condiments are widely referred.

THE ART OF PICKLING

Pickles are those tasty morsels of vegetable/fruit drenched in oil and suffused with spices. Pickling to put it simply, is nothing more than preserving fruits, vegetables, meat or fish in salt alone with or without the addition of oil and spices. Spices are the aromatic leaves, buds, fruits, seeds or barks of plants. Pickles, contrary to what people imagine, are not either difficult to prepare or preserve. It is only that one has to observe certain canons regarding cleanliness as for example the use of clean, dry and quality fruits and vegetables, sterile jars and dry ladles, which if disregarded makes the pickle-venture a disaster, with the formation of mold and fungus. Also one has to liberally use salt, oil and chilly powder, if one is averse to the use of preservatives.

The Art of pickling has raised culinary art to such a high level of sophistication that it has acquired an exotic, almost legendary reputation. One aspect of pickling is the great variety and range it offers for all seasons and occasions. This is made possible because of the tremendous variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from, starting from the humble potato to the heavenly lemon, the mild pear to the strong smelling garlic, the bitter gourd to the sweet beet.

PICKLE MAKING IN INDIA

Pickle-making is thoroughly exciting and a continuous process of discovery. One is amazed at the astonishing range of pickles available in India. While there are as many varieties of pickles as there are dialects in this country, there is a certain uniformity in diversity. Most of all Indian pickles are spicy - the quantum and nature of spices varying from region to region.

The Indian subcontinent is a veritable spice shell. The available spices span a spell binding range from aniseeds, asafoetida, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves to fenugreek seeds, flower essence, mace, mango powder and mustard seeds. No less impressive is her range of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

THE NORTH - SOUTH DIVIDE

The taste of pickles made in the South of India differ from the taste of the pickles made in the North of India. I think, Climatic conditions also change the usage of certain spices in the respective regions. Although the same or different vegetables may be pickled, the spices, oils, souring/sweetening agents and treatment may be dissimilar in different parts of the country.

The same mango pickle when prepared in the South tastes different from the one prepared in the North - the difference is the oil base - the south predominantly uses gingelly oil (sesame oil) whereas in the north the preferred oil is mustard oil. Strange as it may seem, spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper although grown in South India are more generously used in the northern parts of the country, attributed perhaps to the Moghul influence.

In the south, chilly powder, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, asafoetida, jaggery are the favoured spices. Although in the north, chilly powder is used, sweet spices like cardamom, cloves, aniseeds etc. are additionally used. Sugar takes the place of jaggery most of the time.

The souring agents used in the south, apart from the pickled vegetable itself, are tamarind or curd or lime juice or a combination of them, as opposed to vinegar in the north.

The real secret of spicing and seasoning pickles is not only which spices you use but also how you use them, whether raw or roasted, whole or ground etc. Remember however, that whole spices retain flavor longer than ground spices.

Although the weights of the ingredients are mentioned, in India most pickle-makers do not use any system of weighing or measuring pickling ingredients. They rely solely upon what they have learned by trial and error, by what they have been taught or by what is passed down from generation to generation. There are no hard and fast rules for the preparation of any particular recipe, because the ingredients remain the same, only the quantities vary. Common sense and your instincts are all you need. In time you will develop a better understanding of the relationship between aromas, flavors and textures. Practice makes the art of pickling perfect.

As interesting and tasty as pickles may be, one should be careful not to overdo or underplay any particular spice. Equally difficult is harmonizing the various flavors to compliment the basic ingredient without swamping it. Though spices enhance the taste, they will not disguise ingredients that taste bad and hence quality fruits and vegetables should be pickled and preserved. It would be better to have less of a fine ingredient than a large quantity of an inferior one.

Pickle making can get a little tricky. Much of the ingredients which go into the making of a pickle, as for instance the chillies that go into the chilly powder, cannot be accurately stated, as the pungency of the chilly powder depends on whether it is made from Andhra red chillies or ordinary red chillies or Kashmiri red chillies. The pickle in general turns out all right but to make a great pickle one requires dedication and commitment - it has to be a passion as with all art forms.

Pickles cover a broad range from fermented pickles, fresh pack pickles, fruit pickles and relishes, which are primarily vinegar based. The vinegar used should be atleast of five per cent acidity so that the vegetables/fruits are properly acidified. White vinegar is preferred where light coloured fruits or vegetables are used. The use of canning salt or pickling salt is advised as iodised salt darkens the pickle.

Pickles taste equally good when prepared in tamarind sauce, lime juice or curd. Use of mango powder or pomegranate seeds imparts an unforgettable flavour. It is the pickle that adds to the allure of tongue-tickling dishes, creating a complete, memorable meal. Most pickles keep for a few months, some like avakkai (Andhra mango pickle) keep for years.

Ginger, asafoetida, turmeric are all considered digestives. They are pickled with beans or split peas to fight off their hard-to-digest stubbornness. Mint does the same thing. It also kills germs. Asafoetida is considered a nerve tonic. Cumin and green cardamom are cooling, clove and cinnamon are warming, ginger is good for colds, while raw garlic is good for circulatory ailments and jangled nerves. Red chillies in small doses have an antiseptic effect. Black pepper livens the appetite and also acts as a tonic for new mothers. Aren't we lucky to have such an extraordinary range of spices and aromatic herbs?

It is evident therefore that no meal is complete without a pickle. There are numerous varieties to choose from -

· The Instant (quick-serve) pickles which are instant no-nonsense recipes turning out to be time-saving, tongue-tickling temptations in a jiffy - mango ginger slices pickled in lime juice, the instant maanga curry of the south etc.

· The Oil-free pickles which open up a staggering variety of fabulous low calorie but tasty delicacies for the health conscious - like pickled cucumbers, vegetable pieces pickled with green chillies

· The Diet pickles, full of the goodness of vitamin and mineral-rich fruits and vegetables, skillfully combined - bittergourd pickled with ginger in lime juice and last but not the least is

· The Anti-waste pickles - unforgettable, tasty, tangy, nutritious morsels combining skins, peels, rinds and seeds with aromatic spices - the orange peel pickle.

The preparation of Indian pickles remains a mystery to most. The purpose of this article is to demystify it. Before embarking upon pickling it will be useful to understand and learn to select vegetables and fruits of good quality, to clean, cut and cook them without much loss of nutrients. It is worth noting that vegetables are in their prime in the season. Buying them out of the season, is not only uneconomical but also less tasteful.

My Blog has a Pickles section which has some of the most tongue-tickling Pickle recipes from all over India.