The warm mewa pulao is perfect to beat the winter chill. There are pulaos and pulaos. To begin with, there are the non-vegetarian pulaos that can be prepared with mutton or chicken or even fish and prawn. Then there are the vegetarian delicacies that go by many names – zeera, peas or navaratan (that translates as a mixed seasonal vegetable pilaf.) The most exotic and expensive, of course, is the gucchhi pulao prepared with aromatic dried morels from the Vale of Kashmir. There are practitioners of the culinary craft who try to palm off vegetarian pulao as biryani substituting kathal for flesh, fowl or fish. To be honest, one has long been pining for something different. Pulao yes, but the staple fare that has jaded the palate, certainly no. Spare us, the makhana-shakhana, khumbh and kabuli channa and please let us not confuse the tahri or khichdi with the pulao. There are also sweet pulaos like zarda and muzaffars, incorporating saffron and fruits. We were delighted when recently our good friend treated us to mewa pulao.Our other Kashmiri friends dispute that this is an authentic recipe but we are not complaining. The stuff is refreshingly different and tastes good. The warm pulao is perfect for this cold and chilli weather. Dried fruits and nuts, as everyone knows are tonic restoratives, just what the doctor prescribes for the shishir ritu. Ingredients:Basmati rice (soak in water for 30 minutes): 400 gm Raisins: 50 gm Cashew nuts: 50 gm Almonds: 50 gm Sultanas: 50 gm Green cardamom: 4-6 Green cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp Lemon juice: 2 tbsp Ginger piece (juliennes): ½ inch Onions (fried & golden brown): 2 tsp Ghee/clarified butter: 2 tbsp Onion (chopped): 2 tbsp Garlic (paste, strain): ½ tsp Ginger (paste, strain): ½ tsp Kewra jal: one tsp A few strands of saffron Salt to taste Potli Masala: Black cardamom: 4-5 Cloves: 3-4 Cinnamon sticks (1 inch long): two Bay leaves: twoMethod:1. To make the Potli put both the ingredients in a mortar and pound with a pestle to break the spices, fold in a piece of muslin and secure with enough string for it to hang over the rim of the pan. 2. Lightly fry the mewa in hot ghee.3. Remove and drain.4. Boil water in pan, add rice and cook till done nine tenths. 5. Heat ghee in a pan.6. Add onions and stir over medium heat until translucent, [...]
Archive for January 8th, 2008
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THE BOXING DAY
January 8th, 2008 
krishna In most of the countries of the Commonwealth, the day after Christmas is observed as THE BOXING DAY. A public holiday in most of the counties, it originated as day of giving gifts to employees and poor people. The public holiday is recognised in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations. It has sporting traditions; especially fox hunting and the famous Boxing Day round in the English Premier League, and is the day when stores launch the most significant sales period in the retail cycle. In Great Britain there are two interesting traditions of Boxing Day and Christmas Crackers. Boxing Day takes its name from the ancient practice of opening boxes that contained money given to those who had given their service during the year. It was also the day when alms boxes, placed in churches on Christmas Day, were opened. The money was then given to the priest or used to help the poor and needy. Another name for Boxing Day used to be Offering Day. The earliest boxes of all were not box shaped, as you might imagine, nor were they made of wood. They were, in fact, earthenware containers with a slit in the top (rather like piggy banks.) These earthenware ‘boxes’ were used by the Romans for collecting money to help pay for the festivities at the winter Saturnalia celebrations During the seventeenth century it became the custom for apprentices to ask their master’s customers for money at Christmas time. They collected this money in earthenware containers, which could be opened only by being smashed, and on Boxing Day the apprentices would eagerly have a ‘smashing time’, hence the expression, seeing how much they had collected. A later tradition, and the one which has survived to this day, was the distribution of Christmas ‘boxes’, gifts of money to people who had provided services throughout the year – the postman, the lamp-lighter, parish beadles, parish watchmen, dustmen and turn-cocks – which happened on the day after Christmas Day.Boxing Day officially began in England in the middle of the 19 century under the rule of Queen Victoria. However, many adults and children do not know the true meaning of Boxing Day and its reasons for celebrating. It was a day to thank the community for all their effort throughout the years. The maids, drivers and other [...]
