It’s such a shame that I cannot post my blogs regularly.When I started out, I thought I would. It all seemed so easy.Think I need more discipline!
Breakfasts at home are so rushed.Iced coffee in summer.Maybe a sweetened or salty lassi.Or maybe a fruity lassi or a fruity milkshake. Maybe a toast .Some fruit.Luscious and cooling melons and canteloupes at this time of summer. I saw the first peaches of the season today. Golden ripe mangoes-we have an infinite variety of mangoes in India.Each with a distinctive taste and flavor.And each one making it’s appearance at different periods of summer.
Lunch is sparse-sandwiches or a salad, or a stir fry .Accompanied with a soup in winter and a cooling drink in summer.By the time we’re done with our day, we’re ravenous!
A typical Indian meal is known to be a balanced meal-it has all the ingredients required for a healthful meal-a grain (wheat or rice), a green vegetable, yogurt, a lentil, some salad.
Menu Tonight:
Soup
Mixed Salad (cachumber)
Steamed Rice
Chick pea Curry
Shrimp Curry
No dessert!We make do with a little sweetened roasted fennel….or a very small piece of chocolate!
Steamed Rice
Cachumber
¼ green cucumber, diced
½ a red onion chopped very fine
½ cup mung sprouts
½ 
cup chopped tomatoes
½ cup crushed roasted peanuts
Dressing:Juice of 1 lime, ½ tsp honey, salt and pepper
Mix ingredients. Dress. Chill. Enjoy!
Chicken and Veggie Soup
4 cups chicken stock
1 carrot , peeled and diced
4 string beans cut into 1” pieces
¼ cup coarsely shredded cabbage
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, sliced lengthwise
½ a red onion, vertically sliced 
¼ cup shredded chicken
4 tablespoons hot, skimmed milk
A pinch of black pepper powder.
Salt-to taste
Chopped green coriander leaves for garnish.
Bring the stock to boil.Add the vegetables-(carrots and beans first, cabbage last),the chicken and the seasoning.Add milk just before serving.Garnish.Serve hot.
Curried Chick peas (Chole)
1 cup boiled chick peas (We hydrate dried chick peas by soaking them overnight in water.They are cooked the following morning, usually in a pressure cooker)It’s convenient to use pre-boiled canned chick peas, where ever available.
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tbsp. ginger – garlic paste 
1 tsp. cumin powder
½ tsp. red chilli powder
½ tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. coriander powder
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander for garnish.
Blend together the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic in a blender. Sauté mixture in hot oil, till you get the distinctive flavor of the onions and spices.Add dry seasoning.
Add chickpeas* and cook for 3-5 mins.Garnish.
*Chick peas, though pre-cooked before canning, are best pressure cooked before use.
Shrimp Curry …in a hurry!
2 cups peeled , washed and deveined shrimp, rubbed over with lemon juice
1 onion finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 
1 medium tomato, diced
½ cup grated coconut, blended to paste with a little skimmed milk
½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 green chillies , slit lengthwise and de-seeded
½ cup skim milk
Salt to taste
2 table spoons oil
Heat oil. Sauté garlic till light brown.Add ginger and onions, sauté, before adding tomatoes. Stir till onions are cooked and light brown in color. Add and stir fry the shrimps, for about 2 minutes. Add coconut sauce and milk. Simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander.
Food makes the flavor of life.Mealtimes speak of relationships.Of love in every morsel I cook.Now when the kids are far away in distant lands, I remember each one with warmth and affection and an abundance of love, through each favorite dish of theirs.
Traditionally we eat our food in a "Thali" -a large round plate, with raise edges, made of stainless steel or silver.Ofcourse, these days Corelle and Bone China are favored....
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