December 18, 2006

Declared Pass!

Our first night without each other was a good one. Anush and me both passed with flying colurs. Also Anush's welcome was a warm one but not a hot one ( no fever as soem mothers had warned me). It just felt like an extra long working day. I am now prepared to travel overnight, if required, on work. One uncanny thing, on the day I left, despiet my being really quiet, she woke up really early, around 5am, as if she sensed I was going to be away longer than usual and wailed for me before she went back to sleep . ( This is not her style- she usually gets up only after 6.30am) A couple of phone calls from the Chennai airport reassured me that she was well.

I enjoyed myself without feeling guilty or anxious. I really let my hair down and danced away into the night. Did some shopping in the really impressive Kochi airport. Got Anush a beautiful Paavadai Chattai made from the Kerala Mundu with gold zari.

I strongly recommend the brand "Delinut" for their cashews ( available in 9 flavours including barbecue!) . The honey and pepper ones are really good. If you like garlic, which I avoid usually, their chilli garlic is the fastest selling they mentioned.

As cashew goes, here is a lovely recipe for a yummy dish:

Methi Malai Kaju Mutter ( Fenugreek cream cashew peas)

Fresh Methi( Fenugreek) leaves bunch - 1-2
Fresh Peas- one cup
Roasted/Fried Cashews/ Kaju-15-20

Onion chopped fine- 1
Green Chillies- 3
Cloves, Peppercorns- a few
Vegetable Oil/ Ghee combination ( 2:1 spoons)

Half cup of milk
Malai- milk cream- 2 tbspoons
1 spoon of sugar
Salt to taste

Wash the methi leaves well and place them in a seive with some salt & let is rest for 15 mins. Then squeeze out gently and wash the methi in cold water.

Steam the peas in either your microwave or pressure cook.

Take a kadai/ wok . Fry the peppercorns, green chillies, cloves and onions.
Add in the roughly chopped methi & fry for a while. As it lets off the water and begins to brown, add the cooked peas & milk & steam for few mins.

Add the fried cashews (kaju) & let it simmer a while.
Add salt & sugar.
Cook for a few mins & top it off with the malai/fresh cream

Do not taste , else you will be tempted to finish off the dish yourself! Not kidding.
Serve with rotis or with ghee rice or pulao.

7 comments:

Something to Say said...

congrats to you and Anush on your first solo night!!

Anonymous said...

well done ! Will try this methi-matar-malai recipe soon as I am planning to include lot of methi since I found out that it lowers blood cholestrol. Thanks for your comment on my post - got me confused for a second there - wondered if there was another artnavy writing a food blog !

Artnavy said...

tnx sts and nz

you are welcome nz. hope u love the dish.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

The recipe sounds yummy!

Any outfit made out of traditional mundus turns out gorgeous! Am sure your lil one is looking uber-cool. Post her pic :-)

Anonymous said...

you should start a food blog too - with pictures and all. i am yet to try your akki roti, have it saved!

good job, Anush! i bet she too let her hair down and enjoyed, without feeling guilty ;-)

Artnavy said...

how did rads also become anonymous?