Tuesday Trial

Woke up at 6.00 am this morning after a fierce debate between brain and body if I could afford another 15 min of shut eye…

My fridge is a sorry state of affairs during week-days, I just make do. Today, one tomato peeped through the chill refrigerator mist and wished me good morning. I had no clue what to do with it. Bleary eyed, I quickly prepared whole wheat dough, and kept it aside. I chopped an onion, real fine, and with it went the finely chopped tomato. I grated two cubes of flavored cheese, and mixed it up with the chopped onion and tomato. Tossed in oregano, salt and pepper powder and mixed well.

I rolled out the dough into thin chapathis, and spread one half with this veggie-cheese mix. I folded the other half over, so it formed a semi circle, with the filling inside. I patted it well, and sealed the edges with a bit of water. I patted these semi circles some more so they were nice and flattened—made about four of these.

I heated some oil on a tava and cooked the semicircle parathas till they were done well on both sides. Cut this into strips for Sam’s snack box, and left three of them for Shinu.
I sampled it hot in the morning, and thought they were decent. And they don’t take long too. Maybe next time grated carrots and beets too can go in. Maybe grated apple too, for an interesting twist. Shredded palak will go well with the cheese; I’m thinking…….and Shinu says shredded egg- so yeah, possibly that too.

Must shop for lots of veggies this evening…

There’s more to milky desserts Nigella!

It seems Nigella Lawson’s mother tore up crusty bread into bowls, sprinkled a heap of sugar onto the bread shreds, and finally poured boiling milk over it as a comforting bedtime treat. And Nigella on Chew (the show on Travel and Living) recreated the recipe before tucking her two kids and herself into bed (for Mamma Bear and Baby Bears she said).

Unfortunately for me, milk and bread reminds me of fever, of a tongue that can’t tell between chalk and cheese and the breath of painkillers.

Milk, however, is a sassy complement to a few South Indian desserts. Immediately, two of my favorites come to mind: Bele Obattu and Haal Obattu. There are others like Peni and Chiroti, but the former two get my vote!

The hot milk seeps into the soft sweetness of the Bele Obattu, and blends beautifully with the dal-jaggery-coconut-cardamom powder innards of this pancake. You don’t eat it, you savor it….mesmerized.

And the Haal Obattu is apparently a Mysore specialty. Here the milk is boiled with sugar, saffron and ground almond into a beverage called baadami haalu (almond milk) and poured boiling hot over freshly made puris. My grandma would make a hot, watery payasam made of almond, jaggery, coconut and poppy seeds (gasagase payasam) instead of the badaami haalu and it works as an absolutely super alternative! This is topped with toasted almonds for a stunning looking dessert, and devoured instantly. The soft-crunchy texture is so unique.

If Haal Obattu were a guy, I would have said ‘I do’.

Manage to catch hold of a Kannada Brahmin friend and sample this dessert in his/her home—it’s a foodie milestone.