Simple Lunches - 6

A friend of mine suggested I read the book In Spite of the Gods written by Edward Luce and while looking for it on Amazon.com noticed in the 'Customer who bought this item also bought' section Planet India, written by Mira Kamdar. On second thoughts before buying either of them thought I'd check the Public Library, they had both the books while for In Spite of the Gods I had to place a Hold, Planet India was readily available. It was a pretty interesting read about the economic fortunes of India and by extenstion the rest of the world. One particular catch phrase caught my attention "As Goes India, So Goes the World".

Well the bitter gourd plant had 3 bitter gourds and the very first purple egg plant from the eggplant plant. It was the weekend and time for a Simple Lunch Menu and something with dal. I have never really cooked bitter gourd with dal. My mother suggested to use Thatta Payar because the sweetness of this dal would balance out the bitterness of the gourd, I was considering Toor Dal so we compromised on Split Thatta Payar. It turned out pretty taste and the bitterness hardly recogonizable.

Split ThattaPayir with Bitter Gourd
Ingrdients
1. 3 Bitter Gourds pits removed and chopped into small pieces
2. 1 Eggplant split in four
3. 3/4 Cup Thattapayir cooked till soft
4. 1/4 Cup Tamarind juice from a cherry tomato sized tamarind ball
5. 2 tbsp chopped onions
6. 4 cloves of garlic chopped
7. 2 tsp jaggery (optional)
8. seasonings: mustard, curry leaves

To Grind
1. 1/2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2. 2-3 Red Chillies
3. 1/2 Tbsp Channa Dal
4. 1/2 tsp asfoetida

Dry roast the red chillies, channa dal and asfoetida and with the coconut blend to a paste with a little bit of water.

Method
1. In a pan heat oil and saute the bitter gourd pieces and saute till they just start to turn black on the edges set aside
2. In a pan heat a little bit of oil, add the curry leaves and mustard and when it starts to splutter add the onions and saute till translucent, add the garlic and saute a few more minutes.
3. Add the eggplant and saute till the skin starts to wrinkle about 2-3 minutes and add the bitter gourd pieces, saute a minute or two
4. Add the tamarind juice and about 1/2 cup water and let the mixture boil till the bitter gourd starts to turn soft.
5. Now add the thattapayir, blended paste,jaggery and salt and cover and cook for about 5-8 minutes till they are mixed together.

Serve with Chapatis or rice with some roasted Taro root fry on the side.

Kambu Saatham (Cooked Bajra)

No summer meal lunch or dinner in my grandparents house was complete without a earthenware pot holding some Kambu saatham balls swimming in water. It was a favorite of my grandfather and the ritual involved breaking one of the balls and mixing with some freshly churned buttermilk and a pickle on the side. I have to confess though, even having watched this countless times I never ventured out to try. It simply did not occur to me to take a taste. The reason perhaps was its plain looking appearance and lack of pretense. Oh the fool that I was.

This is a quintessentially Kongu preparation, especially during the summer moths because of its cooling effects. Kongus being a farming community and long before rice became a staple, Kambu was part of the daily diet, cultivated primarily during the drier months and rich in minerals and fiber, which as we all know is what we need more than carbs. A diet rich in these cereals is essential for a healthy diet and a rice free meal was not uncommon in a lot of Kongu homes. I hear doctors in India are advising increasing the use of these cereals and reducing the rice consumption especially for people who have diabetes or gluten allergy. Our fore fathers were much smarter than we give credit for.

Kambu Saatham is also one of my recent interests. I love the Kambu dosai MIL made once with the Kambu she found lying around my pantry. I have been hooked and try to bring some whenever I visit India. Nothing fancy, cooked just like rice and primarily eaten with yogurt and pickle on the side, I got reintroduced a few summers ago. Especially on hot and humid summer days there is nothing cooling and at the same time comforting. I have seen Kambu sold as bird feed in the US.

Kambu that my mother brought here was already pounded and the outer skin removed.

Kambu Saatham
Ingredients

1. 1 Cup Kambu
2. 3 3/4 cups water

Method
1. Pick out the stones and break the cumbu coarsely in a blender
2. Heat the water in a pressure cooker, mix the cumbu and cook for 5 whistles. When the pressure is gone open the lid and if slightly watery, keep the heat in a low flame and mix it, till it thickens a bit.
3. Make them into balls and drop them in water.

Serve with yogurt or buttermilk with a favorite pickle on the side.