Culinary Chronicles
By Yasmin Rahul Bakshi
Anecdote from the past with prior permission to share from Tiger –
A day prior to our wedding, excitement was on the zenith for fighting against all odds to begin a life together. The enthusiasm extinguished the appetite!
The D-Day was indeed exceptional for us and for the small community of my hill town where that kind of wedding was unusual and viewed with skepticism. Perhaps the first of its kind in Mussoorie.
Refused the breakfast as Tiger and I had decided to eat together. Like any good Indians, the “Baraat” of five people from Dehradun was late which made us both skip breakfast and proceed to finish off the “pheras”. Lunch was scheduled after the ceremony. And! Once again the hunger got knocked down in elation.
Was startled at his parents’ home in the evening when my co-sister asked everyone about the quantity of food and number of bread pieces one would eat for dinner before she could order from outside.
I came from a large family where no such questions were asked. Eat as much as you want and when you want! The kitchen burners would get ignited at around 6 a.m. and switched off after 10 p.m. or so. All had different timings and preferences! Hesitantly, I refused to eat.
The next morning a similar question was asked when double layered, plus size “aloo paranthas” were being cooked.
Once again my reply was negative, maybe I was shy in a new environment.
After the family had a scrumptious breakfast, lunch was omitted and the dinner was bridged. The scene was replicated as that of the previous evening.
The following day, too, the food episode was identical. But by now I knew that I needed food yet was reluctant to say. Perhaps I wanted Tiger to ask me again.
In the afternoon, we went out to Sulphur Springs where a vendor was selling “Kala Chana Chat”. Tiger asked me once and I gulped in three portions. Or else I would have starved to death.
Later he asked me why do I treat myself like a camel, either I don’t eat or l overeat to store. Narrated the ordeal to him, and he ensured that I was well fed ever since.
Ingredients:
- Black chickpeas – 1 cup
- Raw mustard oil – 1 Tbsp
- Onion – 1 small
- Tomato – 1 small
- Coriander leaves – 1 Tbsp (chopped)
- Green chili – 1
- Hog plum powder (lapsi) – 1 tsp (can be substituted with dry mango powder)
- Sichuan pepper (timur) – ½ tsp
- Red chili powder – ½ tsp (coarse ground)
- Garlic powder – ½ tsp
- Salt – according to taste
Method:
- Soak the black chickpeas overnight. Drain the water and pressure cook with a little salt and fresh water until tender.
- Finely chop the onion, tomato, green chili and coriander leaves.
- Once the black chickpeas are done, strain the water and cool the chickpeas. (The water can be used for soup.)
- Add the chopped onion, tomato, green chili and coriander leaves to the boiled chickpeas.
- Mix well and add the salt, red chili powder, garlic powder, Sichuan pepper, hog plum powder and mustard oil.
- Mix well and serve.
(Yasmin Rahul Bakshi is an accomplished senior consultant Chef and a food historian. A widely travelled Army wife from the Mussoorie hills with exposure to international cuisines & preserving recipes with the medium of food photography and digital content creation in the form of stories.)
