Quick Indian Cooking

Eid-Ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Holy month of fasting for Muslims.

In India, I’d be celebrating with mounds of Goat Meat Biryani, Seviyan and Shammi Kebabs. Our Hindu family never missed an opportunity to celebrate in style, irrespective of the religion in question.

But 12 years of living in London later I’ve resigned myself to missing out as my family indulge themselves back home.

As fate would have it, I got a chance to do something a bit special myself this year. Asian Woman magazine got in touch, requesting festive Eid recipes. I immediately got thinking about how to simplify a Biryani without compromising method, taste or authenticity.

And Seafood Biryani was born. It uses pricey fresh seafood. And, be warned, the fatty ghee. But this is a festive treat people. Leaving ghee out would be like cooking Christmas turkey in a George Foreman Grill.

Serve this with a simple Raita and Firni for a decadent meal inspired by a real celebration.
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My favourite virtual nutritionist’s “31 ways to a better diet” series has me gripped. If it saves me wrinkles, brittle nails and a muffin top, I’ll eat mud with a side of gravel thanks.

Many years ago, the sight of vegetables made me green. Eating was a mindless chore. I was before my time with that perfect size zero figure. Which relatives took in turns to dismiss callously as “sickly” and “plain wrong”.

Fast forward to this. Lots of cooking, in my kitchen and beyond. I still have a softly, softly approach with vegetables though. I need some prodding to buy a new one and try it out. Kathryn’s series gave me a fresh and bold approach.

Zooming around a supermarket, I now slow down by the veggie counter. Trying to justify buying new and odd looking varieties with:

• Ooooh, that looks rude.
• That so matches the colour of the season.
• I wonder if that will taste better than it looks?

Then I bring it home. Cook it. Tell hubby it’s devastatingly bad for him. Which, in turn, endears him to it for life.

And that’s how I discovered broad beans. Quick research found it has a special affinity with aubergines. And Baingan Broad Bean Sabzi was born. I loved the buttery firm texture of the beans with the soft and sweet aubergines. Next time I’ll ditch the peeling and preparation required in favour of this recipe instead.

Now for another 29 ways to a better diet.

PS = This recipe is dedicated to my namesake Mallika, who nominated me as a Brilliant Weblog and requested an aubergine recipe.
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It’s been a tough week. Two conflicting work deadlines. Too many colleagues on holiday.

I sat at work with double vision, editing draft 25 of a report that was once interesting. Contemplating professional suicide by staging an untimely walk out.

There were two options. I could tell my line manager where to shove her Earth-shatteringly important document. Or I could vent my frustration through a reassuringly fiddly Methi Murgh at home.

I chose the second option. You may wonder why I didn’t choose to order a takeaway. Vegetate in front of the TV. Dream about my next holiday in bright sunshine.

But there is something strangely therapeutic about hacking an onion into little bits, skinning chicken pieces and beating tomatoes into pulp. Violent, moi?

One hour of no thinking about work and the result was a thick and delicious Punjabi Dhaba-style Chicken curry, packed with the wholesome goodness of sweet fresh tomatoes and bitter fenugreek.

Next time you want to tell your boss where to go…

PS = Just as I finished licking my plate clean a terrific recipe for Methi Murgh popped up on Zaika. Great minds think alike. Although her’s was in a more positive frame.
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This post is long overdue. While still in Cambridge, we packed a large number of canvas bags with food and alcohol and made our way to an open air theatre.

We tucked into smoked salmon sandwiches, pasta salad, little cakes and my Hariyali Tikkis – pea, spinach and potato croquettes. And then the play began.

The actors ranted and raved on stage, delivering dialogues like a off-target arrows. A bizarre, masked fairy dance broke up the delirium. A surreal pantomime and tango performance weaved their way into the improvised script. Sending the audience into peals of laughter.

This was Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Funnily enough, I’d lost my sense of humour. It was freezing cold. I was in the middle of nowhere. Dressed ridiculously in my Dorothy-esque red kitten heels and borrowed fleece. Watching a bunch of monkeys butchering Shakespeare. While cows mooed in the fields beyond.

The final straw was when the actors requested picnic leftovers at the end of the performance. The cheek! While Shakespeare was turning in his grave! I grabbed the six leftover Hariyali Tikkis and ran to the car before anyone could say “wherefore art thou”.

Inspired by this recipe, the Tikkis tasted much better than they looked, were super healthy and not too painstaking to make for 17 people. I used frozen spinach and peas but you could just as well use the fresher variety.

They were the true stars of the evening, if you ask me.
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