Spinach With Dried Lentil Dumplings

I remember very faintly my grandmother and my mom in the courtyard of my house in Jaipur, drying Vadis. 

I remember living in a house in Jaipur, was it 3 or 4 rooms, I am not sure, but all the rooms faced a big courtyard in centre. Kitchen and bathroom were on the other side of the courtyard. There would few cots spread across the open space, and there was a small washing area in one corner. A narrow stairway spiralled up to the terrace. The cots were used for sleeping under stars at night, but during the day, it was covered with thin bed sheets to dry various food stuff made in the kitchen.  The elders of the family would always be busy making Papads, pickles and wadis and would dry them in sun on those cots. After I moved to Mumbai, I never went back, but the memory lingers.

 I loved to help in which ever way I could. Rolling out papads was a fun activity for me although the shape was not perfect. 

My Mom used to love Vadis. Even when we lived in Spain, mom would make it at home, by grinding soaked lentils and adding spices and keeping it for drying but the sun was never too strong, so the vadis were never made to perfection.

I think (in our childhood) because our parents used to pamper us therefore we made lot of fuss during meals and had missed out on so many delicious and healthy food. I didn't care much for Vadis for example and always wrinkled my nose when it appeared on the table.

Was it in its name or was it the look, I am not sure, but I would never taste it (because I had choice, there was always more variety to choose from) 

But now, I love it..its spicy, tasty and so full of flavours

Were my mom alive today, she would be happy that now I share her taste.

I have developed the taste for it..and I love it.. tried my mom's recipe

1. Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan and fry 2 cardamoms, 1 inch finely chopped ginger and 1tsp black pepper powder.

2. Add 100gms Vadis and 2 chopped potatoes. 

3. Mix it well. 

4. Add 1tsp turmeric powder, 1tsp spice powder and 1tsp salt. 

5. Add 2 chopped tomatoes. 

6. Cook for 2 minutes till tomatoes soften, mix it well. 

7. Add 1small bunch of spinach and coriander leaves. 

8. Lower the flames and cook for 20 minutes till the potatoes are tender. 

9. Serve with chappatis.

I had made quite a lot for lunch, there was some left overs, that was used to make pulao and that was for my dinner...

If you are following my You-tube channel, you can see the recipe too of Vadis made in Spinach.

Spinach with Mutton

When my friend asked me about different ways she can cook spinach I was tempted to tell her to ask Popeye.  I am reminded of Popeye effect that I used to read in the comic books where the pipe-smoking sailor man would burst open a a tin of spinach each time he sensed trouble. Once consumed his biceps would bulge and he could overcome all his enemies.

 But jokes aside, Spinach is the most versatile green vegetable one can cook. It blends with almost all vegetables and meat.  It is rich in iron and it is well known for its nutritional qualities. It has ability to restore energy, increase vitality and improve the quality of the blood.

I love spinach and often cook in different ways to suit my moods. there is Palak paneer (spinach with cottage cheese), there is  SaiBhaji (Spinach cooked with vegetables and lentils and makes its regular appearance on sindhi Cuisine) there is AisiBhaji (Spinach cooked with onion and tomatoes), I even use Spinach in stir fried Chinese vegetables and in soups. Have you tried the cream of Spinach soup? try it, you will love it

This week I decided to cook with mutton.

Ingredients

1tbsp ginger

1tsp black pepper

2 pods of cardamom

half kg mutton

2 tomatoes

1tsp turmeric

2tsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin powder

1 bunch clean spinach (wash in three clean water bowls)

2 green chillies

coriander leaves for garnish

Method

In a pan add 1tbsp of oil.

Add 1tbsp crushed ginger and 1 tsp black pepper and 2 pods of cardamom

Add half kg mutton

Stir and mix till it is properly coated with oil and begins to change color

Add 2 chopped tomatoes

Add salt, 1tsp turmeric, 2tsp coriander powder and 1tsp cumin powder

Mix and cook till it oil floats on the top.

Add spinach

Mix and let it cook for a minute

Add half cup water and pressure cook it upto three whistles

Garnish with coriander leaves and green chillies.

Serve with hot parathas.