Winter Vegetables in Coconut Milk Broth
I realized something today!
I write only when I am melancholy. I can't write when I am happy!
Due to circumstances beyond my control I will be spending this holi away from my husband. Over a span of fifteen years of a blissful married life it has become very common to not be together during anniversaries and birthdays. However those are personal celebrations and somehow I don’t feel the pinch. We celebrate when we are together. But a communal celebration such as festivals make you feel very lonely. And it is true when they say that you are loneliest in a crowd. You are never lonely alone. Contradictory I know..but that is the truth!
I don’t know whether distance makes the heart grow fonder or not but it certainly gives you perspective. It makes you realize that you are not always thankful for that most precious thing in life..time with your loved ones.
Little late in the day (coz it is already March) for a new year resolution but I do promise to be thankful for the time I get to spend with my family.
You might wonder what brought about this bout of melancholy!
It is raining (my absolutely favourite weather) and I am alone, I am down with flu ( damn this time of year in Delhi) and I miss my hubby!! Enough reasons!
The big dilemma was what to cook. It has to be something nutritious because I need my strength. It has to be something non fussy and light because I am still not out of the grips of the bug. And it has to be something tasty enough to make me feel like eating.
The idea for this dish came from a lime shrub in my mom’s garden. In a concrete jungle like Delhi my mom, who is an avid gardener, is struggling to maintain a strip of greenery. Apart from all the flower pots she has a banana plane, a pumpkin patch and a lime shrub. This shrub is now full of little blossoms and baby green leaves.
I wanted to use that flavour in my food. The dish was inspired by the Thai green curry. However I have kept it very simple with easy-to-get ingredients. There were only two points on my agenda. First, add as many winter veggies as possible. And Secondly, infuse the lime flavour.
Ingredients
2 carrots, cut into fingers
100 gm French beans, cut
1 packet mushrooms
1 bell pepper
100 gms baby corn
200 gm paneer, cubed
Handful of lime leaves
some ginger, cut into juliennes
2-3 green chillies
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 ½ tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
Juice of ½ lime
Cut and wash all the vegetables.
Heat some oil. Sauté the French beans, carrots and baby corn because they take longer to cook. Remember you have to keep them crunchy. So sauté for a few minutes only.
Add the mushrooms, bell pepper and paneer. Sauté on high flame for a minute.
Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar, toss for a minute and then add the coconut milk, lime leaves, ginger and green chillies.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for five minutes. Switch off the heat and add the lime juice.
I realized something today!
I write only when I am melancholy. I can't write when I am happy!
Due to circumstances beyond my control I will be spending this holi away from my husband. Over a span of fifteen years of a blissful married life it has become very common to not be together during anniversaries and birthdays. However those are personal celebrations and somehow I don’t feel the pinch. We celebrate when we are together. But a communal celebration such as festivals make you feel very lonely. And it is true when they say that you are loneliest in a crowd. You are never lonely alone. Contradictory I know..but that is the truth!
I don’t know whether distance makes the heart grow fonder or not but it certainly gives you perspective. It makes you realize that you are not always thankful for that most precious thing in life..time with your loved ones.
Little late in the day (coz it is already March) for a new year resolution but I do promise to be thankful for the time I get to spend with my family.
You might wonder what brought about this bout of melancholy!
It is raining (my absolutely favourite weather) and I am alone, I am down with flu ( damn this time of year in Delhi) and I miss my hubby!! Enough reasons!
The big dilemma was what to cook. It has to be something nutritious because I need my strength. It has to be something non fussy and light because I am still not out of the grips of the bug. And it has to be something tasty enough to make me feel like eating.
The idea for this dish came from a lime shrub in my mom’s garden. In a concrete jungle like Delhi my mom, who is an avid gardener, is struggling to maintain a strip of greenery. Apart from all the flower pots she has a banana plane, a pumpkin patch and a lime shrub. This shrub is now full of little blossoms and baby green leaves.
I wanted to use that flavour in my food. The dish was inspired by the Thai green curry. However I have kept it very simple with easy-to-get ingredients. There were only two points on my agenda. First, add as many winter veggies as possible. And Secondly, infuse the lime flavour.
Ingredients
2 carrots, cut into fingers
100 gm French beans, cut
1 packet mushrooms
1 bell pepper
100 gms baby corn
200 gm paneer, cubed
Handful of lime leaves
some ginger, cut into juliennes
2-3 green chillies
100 ml coconut milk
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 ½ tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
Juice of ½ lime
Cut and wash all the vegetables.
Heat some oil. Sauté the French beans, carrots and baby corn because they take longer to cook. Remember you have to keep them crunchy. So sauté for a few minutes only.
Add the mushrooms, bell pepper and paneer. Sauté on high flame for a minute.
Add the cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar, toss for a minute and then add the coconut milk, lime leaves, ginger and green chillies.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for five minutes. Switch off the heat and add the lime juice.
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