I don’t remember exactly how I got this idea of including mashed chickpeas in the idli batter. I guess I was inspired by Red Chillies’ soy bean dosa or my chickpeas poori. I decided to grind one can of chickpeas (15.5oz) into a smooth paste and mix it with the regular idli batter. A can of chickpeas has approximately 23-25 grams protein and fiber each. That’s a lot of nutrition. I do agree that to get the entire benefit one has to consume about 40 idlis which is not possible. But I believe that healthy additions like this even in small quantities if done on a daily basis would help us in achieving overall well being. Another bonus if you have kids who don’t eat their legumes this is a nice trick. My son couldn’t tell any difference and he ate more than usual.

When I first came to know about the Jhiva for Love event, I couldn’t think of anybody other than my mother and grandmother.  Amma I love you very much, but I’m going to write about avva (grandmother) here.  She is my father’s mother.  She passed away last June at the age of 79.  Last year this time, I was happily describing to her about the spring blossoms here, my son’s mischiefs and she was also eagerly listening to me as always.  I still can’t believe that she is no more. It aches to write about her in past tense.

She was not orthodox and she was definitely broad minded and courageous, surprisingly for a person who was born in 1928.  The only difference we had, she was very protective of me and wouldn’t allow me to go out with my friends and do the regular cool stuff.  Her rule was I shouldn’t go out anywhere but all my friends, both girls and boys were welcome to our house anytime.  During the early years of my adoloscence this was really frustrating.  You know how it’s like right?  All your friends would go out for a movie, except you.  The next day they would discuss the previous day’s happenings in detail and you will be left alone without nothing to talk.  But I did have company, one of my friend’s grandparents also wouldn’t allow her anywhere, so we formed a mini group within our big group and we became very close.

When I mention about my grandmother, I should definitely mention about her contemporary fashion sense.  Nobody can imagine how many dresses she used to get me, both sarees and churidhars.  She used to buy 2-4 sets at a time.  95% of the sarees I have now were bought by her.  She had such an excellent taste.  She used to select sarees for my mother too and nobody would believe that it was selected by her.  Recently she had also started giving hair cuts for my mother,  to her colleagues disbelief.  They would ask her which beauty parlor?

How can I forget to mention how skilled she was in handicrafts?  She used to do a lot of embroidery.  That’s how I managed to pass the needle work subject in my school.  I was too lazy to do it and she would do it for me.  She loved working with different kinds of beads and has created masterpieces.  She used to get all worked up one month before Navarathiri (Dassera) and would start planning and creating things to keep a grand golu.  She was so creative. I definitely owe her for the little bit of creativity I have.  Did I mention that she was a very good packer?  It’s no joke, she can pack so efficiently,  whether it was a small suitcase for a two days journey or any other big stuff for that matter.

Although I wish she could have lived for some more time to see my son speak fluently and converse with him, I’m happy that she had a peaceful death.  I’m really fortunate to have had a grandmother like her.  Not only that I’m also proud of my mother for being with my grandmother (her mother-in-law) all these years.  My grandmother was really fortunate to have had a daughter-in-law like her.

When I write about my relationship with my grandmother, I can’t deny the fact that we (my husband and myself), are not giving that chance to my son and his grandmothers (my mother and mother-in-law).  My husband has also had his share of living with his grandparents and he cherishes those memories.  I really feel very bad about not being able to give my son that experience.   

My grandmother was also an excellent cook.  I think I have her cooking DNA in me, to some extent.  I last tasted her cooking back in 2006, when she was 78. It had not changed at all.  Her kootu (dal), sambar and koora (vegetable curry) tasted exactly the same as they tasted 20 years back.  She was especially a master in preparing sweets like lavanga latha, padhir peni and other elaborate Diwali snacks.

Out of all her recipes, 3 of them stand out, because they are simple yet tasty and unique.  It’s the fire roasted tomato chutney, spring onion (scallion) and mung dal side dish for chapathis and spring onion pakoras.  I would like to share the tomato chutney recipe here because it has become my husband’s favorite too.  This chutney is a very good accompaniment for dosas and idlis.

Ingredients:
Tomatoes medium size 2-3 nos./half a can of fire roasted tomatoes.
Urad dal 2 tablespoons
Channa dal 2 tablespoons
Red chilly 1 big
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
Tamarind very little (optional)
Oil 2 teaspoons to roast the dals (preferably sesame oil)

For Tempering:
Oil 1 teaspoon (preferably sesame oil)
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

Procedure:
1. If you have a gas stove, roast the tomatoes over the flame directly until the skin turns black and it starts to peel. It is going to be a little messy only. Then peel off the skin and cut the tomatoes and let it cool down.  If you have an electric range like me or not interested in roasting the tomatoes over flame, you can use the canned fire roasted tomatoes instead.  I got Hunter’s brand Fire roasted tomatoes diced with garlic (14.5 oz/411 gms).  In this case empty the contents of the can in a colander and drain the liquid and reserve the liquid for later use, for making rasam etc. Half a can of tomatoes is enough for the above measurement of dals.  Try to remove as much liquid as possible.

2. Meanwhile in a small saucepan add oil and after it heats add the dals and red chilly and fry until golden brown.  Transfer it to a plate and let it cool. If you use raw tamarind you can fry it with the dals.  I do not use tamarind while preparing the chutney.

3. After the dals cool, put the contents in a small mixer and pulse it a few times to get a coarse powder.  It should not be ground fine.  It should be like Idli Milagai Podi.

4. Now add the tomatoes and blend it 2-3 times until the dals and tomatoes mix together to form a chutney consistency. You can add little water at this stage if required.

5. Add another teaspoon of oil, after it heats add the mustard seeds and pour it over the chutney and mix it well.

6. Serve it with hot idlis or dosas and enjoy!

This is my entry to Pratibha and Pritya’s Jhiva for Love Event.

Even though my original intent for this blog was to create an online diary of eggless baking recipes, I also want to share some of my family favorites now and then. That in mind and with my mother in law visiting us I wanted to record her recipe for a very easy and tasty garlic pickle, before she leaves for India in April. So I was pleasantly surprised to know that this month’s JFI was Garlic. So this has given me a nudge to do it immediately without procrastinating. Thanks Mathy. 

But first a short story about the origin of garlic. I read it in a book by an Ayurveda Doctor.  I wanted to share it with everybody beacause it was very interesting.  Devas and Asuras churned the paarkadal (the Mighty and Heavenly Ocean) to derive Amirtham (Celestial Nectar). Lord Vishnu gave the Nectar to the Devas. But 2 of the Asuras, Rahu and Ketu disguised themselves as Devas and consumed the nectar along with the other Devas. Lord Vishnu came to know about this only after they consumed the nectar, so he used his Chakrayudh and cut off their heads. While doing so, their blood mixed with the nectar, dropped from the Asuras’ bodies to the ground and 2 plants sprouted off that. The plant that sprouted from Rahu’s blood was Garlic and the one that sprouted from Ketu’s blood was Onion. Hence both garlic and onion are considered to have both good and bad qualities, actually 50:50.

Some of the precautions to be taken while cooking with Garlic:
1. It should not be consumed daily. Weekly twice is okay.
2. It should be consumed along with ghee to offset the heat garlic generates.
3. Its consumption should be limited during summer.
4. Women should not consume it during their menstrual cycle and when pregnant.

Some of the medicinal qualities of Garlic:
1. It’s good for heart disease.
2. It helps hair growth.
3. In children it increases memory power and sharpens eyesight.
4. It aids in digestion.
5. Women after giving birth can eat garlic regularly by frying it in ghee to get back their pre-pregnant stomach.

Disclaimer:
The information provided above is from a book I read and its not my finding. 

Recipe:   

1. Take 1 cup of garlic cloves. If the cloves are very big give them a smack using a chef’s knife or rolling pin. If the cloves are very small you can just leave it as they are.
2. In a small frying pan add the garlic cloves, tamarind paste, water, turmeric powder and a pinch of salt.

3. Cook it on medium heat until the cloves are well cooked but not very mushy. It took exactly 20 min on my electric range.

4. Now drain the remaining water and transfer the garlic to another small bowl, so you can use the same frying pan for tempering after wiping it dry.

5. Add 1.5 tbspn of sesame oil and temper mustard seeds.
6. Immediately add the fenugreek powder, hing, chilly powder and the cooked garlic cloves and fry for a minute.
7. Reduce the flame and add 2 tspns of salt and the remaining 2 tbspn of sesame oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and transfer it to a dry container.

My Notes:

1. I have given the measurements for salt and chilly powder according to our taste.  So you may want to change it to suit your palate.
2. For fenugreek powder, dry roast fenugreek and powder it.
3. Try this recipe just to experience the aroma that comes after adding the chilly powder and other powders. It’s very very appetizing.

This is my entry for JFI:Garlic hosted by Mathy of Virundhu.