I past week hasn’t been very difficult for me to cook as I’ve been having severe hand pain. I think it is carpal tunnel, but until I get a confirmation with the doctor it’s just a cramped hand. Chopping and making rotis has become very tough and is making my hand more swollen, so tonight I told VJ that I cannot make roti’s for tonight and settled for making rice. I wanted to quit eating rice for a few days but it’s not being easy. My little sister came around and took her share of the mom’s care package that arrived during the weekend. Mom’s fresh aavakaya was so mouthwatering that she wanted to eat rice. And since she didn’t have time to make anything, I made extra for her too. I was supposed to make beetroot with roti, but switched to rice in the evening. I spent some time outdoors with Arlo clicking his pictures. He loved playing the grass and pulling it out. Pranay loves pulusu and more than that he loves beetroot. He loves both so much that he wants to eat it again.

So I chopped some veggies while Arlo was taking his nap. His naps are becoming shorter and shorter and I’m looking for more OPOS (one pot one shot) recipes that are easier to make, but some days we just like to have a typical Andhra meal, or like the one mom used to make at home. I miss our Sunday afternoon lunches at home. Some weekends Dad would be at home the entire day on a Sunday, so we would get up late, have a late lunch of dal, some fry, pulusu or sambar, pachadi, and yogurt. And then all four of us would sit and watch a movie that is probably a stupid one or a one that would give us a terrible migraine. I miss those days with my parents. Now, all Sunday afternoon I spend doing the dishes and cleaning up. I realize how mom feels now. I never realized that before my marriage of course. I feel bad for mom and miss her cooking. This is one thing that connects me more to her and makes me miss her food less.

Ingredients 

 

Sorakaya or Bottle Gourd (Lauki) – A small one or about 2 cups

Carrot – 2

Onion – 1 medium sized

Tomato – 2 small ones

Oil – 1 tablespoon

Mustard Seeds – 1 tablespoon

Asafoetida – 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds – 1 teaspoon

Curry Leaves – 4 or 5 (Optional)

Turmeric – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – As required

Tamarind paste – 2 tablespoons

Red Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon

Rice flour – 4 tablespoons

Coriander leaves – For garnish (optional)

How to Make

 

Step 1: Chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces, put them in enough water and boil them till vegetable pieces are soft. I used the Instapot (16 minutes – Pressure Cooker – High Pressure) because I like the vegetables mushy. You can use the pressure cooker for 2 whistles or 4 if you like them mushy like me.

Step 2: In a nice big pot once hot, add some oil, and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering then add some asafoetida and the cumin seeds. As the cumin seeds start spluttering, add the vegetables (with all the water that was used for boiling) and some turmeric.

Step 3: Take the rice flour in a cup, add water make it into a slurry and add it to the vegetables.

Step 4: Add the turmeric, salt, tamarind paste and red chili powder and stir it a little. Let it boil for a few minutes until it becomes think.

Step 5: Garnish it with Cilantro and serve it with rice, idli or dosa with a spoonful of ghee.

 

Tips:

1. You can use more vegetables like radish, drumstick, cauliflower, zucchini, beans or pearl onions.
2. You can use sambar powder to make it like sambar.
3. If you don’t like it think, you can add more water to make it watery.

Po