Wedding over, and back to routine. A week of plethora of delicious food... Right from soul food, to exotic Italian. Binging out with family and close friends. Never once stopped to think.. Am I over eating?? No ways!! It was one grand galore of colors, decor and food...
Yesterday, the cooks wound up the temporary exotic kitchen. I finally opened my kitchen door. (which, incidentally creaked in protest) I realized my refrigerator was empty. No left overs, no curds. Only milk packets . (In a hurry burry of the marriage activities, I kept forgetting to tell the milk supplier to cut down the supplies.) And there were a few Lemons, Green Chilies. I look deeper into the fridge...then I see it...... the most important of them all. Lined up in Military fashion. Tins of All-Weather Black Cat Team....who often bail me out of the roughest and the scantiest of the kitchen situations.... My dry Chutney powders! I hunted more around the kitchen....shook some of the steel chapati Dabbas, and then of course, one of them rattled. Yes....I had a stock of Khakharas too! Delighted by the serendipity, I headed to the crockery drawer, fished out a bowl. Crushed in a few Khakharas, sprinkled the chutney powders, and poured the milk. And then I sank into my lounge. Relished the concoction... Crisp Khakharas, tangy chutneys doused in warm milk. After some time I added some Khakharas because I had some left over milk mixture, then I went on to add milk because the mixture became too dry, then added some chutneys again, because the mixture was too bland... It went on and on and on....
Meanwhile in the kitchen Atya and Nischal were in a mad rush to get fresh vegetables from the market, cook food and get the lunch boxes ready to be sent to the menfolk by 12.30. But that was not my liability....., I had cut my hand badly (LA+3 Stitches) and I was not supposed to work.....So, I snuggled further into the couch, and carried on with the linear spree of my favourite comestibles...

Golfing...

Long weekends call for longer Golfing activities. Which mean short stays at home. Which means still shorter time spent in the kitchen. That's when I need to find good, fast and tasty food, and keep the rest of the family happy, and have guilt-free Golfing rounds.
Shuttling between gathering the ingredients for cooking to assembling the Golfing equipment, is one frenzied activity. Pitching wedge is in the lawn where the practicing takes place. Achaari masala is with my neighboring sis-in-law, who wanted to give it a try. My domestic help has to shelve off the regular cleaning activity till I finish mine, and give them a breather.
But things don't end there. Concocting a tasty dish is very important. My family will not settle down for some inane Kaddu fry. It has to have the look that I have enswathed it with laborious mixture of spices, ground pastes. All elbow grease for my loving family. Only then I would earn the visa to the Golf Course.
And of course, knowing the nature of the weekend, a few preparations need to be made the earlier day. I came up with a tasty, yet simple, make-in-a-jiffy dish.....Happy Golfing to me.
AACHARI PANEER.
Marinate Paneer cubes overnight in the following Marination Mixture:
Paste of fried Onion Ginger, and Garlic (browned) in Ghee, plain Curds, some Milk, plain Chillie Powder, Aamchoor powder, Tumeric, Salt, Sugar, Hing, Aachari masala, ( any company) I used Roopaks.
Heat Ghee in a pan, add Jeera, and let splutter. Add tender Peas (optional). Let cook. Add the marinated Paneer, lots of chopped Coriander. Add 1/2 cup water, and cook till water dries out. To serve, heat in Microwave only.

Winter Weddings....

Winter Weddings.
Belgaum has a small, cozy, and a close knit populace, where everybody knows everybody. Many are related to many. Community weddings are always in the limelight, watched by all, discussed enthusiastically in hushed voices. Right from the Boy coming to "see" the girl, to honeymoon or thereafter. If its a love marriage, a-priori deliberations are around the whole town except with the parents. So when you meet a friend at the wedding, the cliche question goes:"Are you from the girls side or the boys side?"
Sometimes, the boy or the girl comes from a different city. Curiosity levels are high. Apprehensions are afloat. How is the family? What does the father do? How does the Bride/Groom look?? Do they suit each other? Nonetheless, the wedding goes off smoothly, and while the initial euphoria of the new comers last, its time for yet another wedding-The one that takes place in my kitchen. The Winter Wedding....
It does not have any curiosity, or apprehension. It's just excitement. More than any weddings of the season. The Bride? Like any nuptial Baraat, she does not come with a Band Baaja. In all placidity, she tip toes like a shy bride- to-be in the city. As you are walking around the market, suddenly you see the lush green heap quietly sitting in a corner. She is there.. The naive verdant... The Pea...Situates a lively smile on every passerby who sights her. Looks fresh, young and delicate, ready to be trussed into a wedlock.
This is a marriage that recurs every winter in my kitchen. Without much pomp, but with a lot of enthusiasm, without the technicolor tastemaker of culinary world, but clad in a humble Green Bridal dress....and with the simplicity in taste....
The Groom?Oh! He is the ever charming, elegant Guy, always sports an off white Coat ..... A culinary Diva himself, who advocates the most exquisite delicacy to anything he espouses. Our local Paneer.
Come together to celebrate the season's most delicious marriage:
Peas Paneer Paratha.

PEAS AND PANEER PARATHA:
250 gms Peas, peeled, washed and wiped, and processed in a food processor, till coarsely done.
Crumbled Paneer made out of 1liter high fat Milk.
Green Chillies, Ginger, Garlic, chopped fine.
4 chopped Onions.
Salt, Sugar, Lemon Juice, to taste. 2 Cupfuls chopped fresh Coriander.
Oil for sautéing.
Heat Oil in a pan, and sauté Onions till golden brown. Add Chillies, Ginger, and Garlic. Add the Peas. Sauté till they are cooked. Add the Paneer, and the Coriander. Sauté for a few more minutes. Then add the Salt, Sugar, An Lemon Juice, and mix well. Spread on a plate and let cool and dry out a bit.
To make Parathas, use Wheat flour and plain flour, H /H. Add Oil, and Salt, and knead into a medium consistency dough. Take 2 lemon sized balls of dough. Roll it to 6 inches Chapatis. Spread the filling on one. Close it with the other. Firmly seal the edges, roll again till the filling evens out, and roast in Ghee till well done. Serve hot with Home made Butter, Sauce, or Pickle of choice. (Makes around 12 Parathas of 8" Dia.)