BOYS IN THE KITCHEN WHILE I WAS OUT

By this time, you would have seen the photo with a gent's hand. This is a sweet story. My 2nd son wanted me to make something for his collegemates(hostel boys). Usually, the hostel boys come home bi-monthly and there will be a menu from my son. And mostly this will not be in a proper order of lunch or snack or tiffin. He may tell any combination which his friends like in my cooking. This time he told to make Peas Pulao, Pav Bhaji and Rose milk. I had to go out for a music programme. I made everything,(huge quantity of Bhaji, planning to use it the next day with chappati) and transferred the Pulao and Bhaji to a hot pack, Rose Milk inside the fridge and also spread the butter on pav. The only work left was to toast the Pav. I told them to toast it at the time of eating. I left for the programme, and when I came home, the kitchen was a typical bachelor's kitchen. They had cut onions, and toasted the pav and had also taken photos of their "Cooking MELA", and.... everything was finished including the Bhaji. The hostel boys were craving for food, and it was not enough for them. It took 1/2 an hour to set right the kitchentop, but I did it with great enthusiasm because I was very happy, they liked my food.

PEAS PULAO

This is the easiest of all pulaos, a quick filling meal, very colourful and children love it.

INGREDIENTS:

Basmati rice : 2 cups
Shelled peas - 2 cups
Big Onion - 2
Mint leaves - 2 handfuls
Coriander leaves - 2 handfuls
Green chillies - 4 to 5
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Cloves - 6
Cardamom - 4
Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 ladle
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Salt - as per taste
Water - 4 cups

METHOD:

Wash well and soak basmati rice in water for half-an-hour.

Grind together onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, and cumin seeds to a paste.

In a pressure pan, heat oil and butter. Add cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves. Then add the ground paste and fry till oil leaves the sides. Now add the water, salt and garam masala powder. When water boils, strain the rice thoroughly and add to the water. Mix well. Cover it and cook for 3 whistles. When the pressure is released, take out the rice and mix well carefully without breaking the grains. Transfer it to a bowl or hot-pack and serve hot with roasted masala-papads or any raitha of your choice.

PAV BHAJI

INGREDIENTS:

Pav bun - 2 packets
Onion - 2
Potato- 100 gms
Cauliflower-100 gms
Capsicum-1
Carrot-100ms
Peas(shelled)-1 cup
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp.
Pav bhaji masala- 2 tsp.
Butter -1 ladle
Salt
Lime - 1
Coriander leaves - few

METHOD:

For Bhaji:

Clean and chop all the vegetables into small pieces.

Boil all the vegetables (except capsicum) and keep aside.

Heat butter in a pan, add onions and ginger-garlic paste. Saute till transparent. Then add capsicum and fry for a while till the colour changes. Now add all the boiled vegetables, salt and saute for a while. Add little water and mash this well with a potato-masher while hot. Finally, add pav bhaji masala and bring it to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves.

For Pav:

Slit pav buns into two. Heat a pan, put a spoon of butter in it and quickly toast the pav buns on both sides, so that the butter is coated on all sides.

Cut a lime into four. Chop onions finely and place the cut lime pieces on top.

Serve hot with bhaji and onions.

ROSE MILK

INGREDIENTS:

Rose syrup - 1/4 glass
Chilled milk - 3/4 glass
Ice cubes - 2

METHOD:

Blend rose syrup and chilled milk in a blender. Pour it in a glass. Put ice cubes and serve chilled.