How to grow perfect green gram/ moong beans sprouts

When I was a kid I was a very willful child. I am still one. But I was a total mess when it was about food. I would refuse to eat a lot of things and take hours to finish the food on my plate. Being the eldest grandchild I was pampered and spoilt. It was usually my maasi's duty to feed me.  It was routine torture for her. I hear tales of my greatness till date in family gatherings. And I shamelessly smile about my silliness. Eating healthy was a far off thing. I would stay miles and miles away from milk, green vegetables etc. Anything which fell in the bracket of "healthy eating" was a big NO. None in the family would have ever imagined that I would write a food blog and blog about eating healthy.

I am a total opposite of what I used to be, even few years ago. My pantry would be stocked with junk food ... chips, chocolates and ice-cream was a staple. Not sure how this transformation happened. But I am glad it did. I guess it was hibernating somewhere in the sub conscious mind. I come from a family where eating healthy is the norm. But we do indulge once in a while.

Last week before going for grocery, I was checking my pantry and making a mental list of things I had to buy. I forget half of the necessary things though. I will talk about that some other day. So there was little green gram sitting quietly. These days dinners are more about salads .... so I thought why not !

Today my post is about how to grow the perfect sprout, the base for a good sprout based salad/ dish.

Health Benefit of Green Gram Sprouts

Mung bean sprouts is very common and one of the easiest to do. It is low in calories, have fiber and B vitamins, and deliver a boost of vitamins C and K. (Source - Google) 

How to grow the perfect Green Gram/ Moong beans sprouts

What you need

Whole Moong Beans (Make sure they are not too old) - 1/2 cup

A close box to make the beans sprout. (I used a wide mouth stainless steel one)C

Clean cotton cloth.

 

Method of Preparation

Wash the green gram/ moong beans under running water.

Soak overnight in enough water . (Or for 6-8 hours)

Drain the water. Wash one more time under running water.

Take a clean cotton cloth and wet it. Wring to remove excess water

Tie the moong daal in the cloth and keep it covered in a food container / box for a day.

Next day, you can see tiny sprouts.

Again take them out, and wash under water. Drain the water and repeat process till the sprouts grow little longer.

You can store them in air tight container/ zip lock bag for 2-3 days in the fridge. Best consumed fresh.

Methi Daal - Lentil Soup flavored with fenugreek leaves.

Nothing beats a home cooked meal .... but having the same staple food everyday can get a bit boring. And with the temperature soaring high I just wish I had a magic wand. That I could just wish and food would be served. The other option left is eating out or ordering food. That can surely solve the problem to an extent but that ain't  a permanent solution, especially for a person like me who is paranoid of calculating calories and is very picky about what oil the restaurant uses for cooking, blah blah ..... 
So, these days I am trying to tweak n twist some of my everyday recipes to make it little more interesting. And the best part is without much effort.
Lentils are an integral part of Indian cooking. There are a plethora of lentil or daal recipes in Indian cooking. Every Indian home has their own way of cooking it. In my place we normally have toor daal/ pigeon pea as a staple. The daal is pressure cooked adding salt and turmeric powder and in the end seasoned with tadka of spices. 
So today while cooking, I added a twist by adding some dry fenugreek leaves .... It was not much an effort but it took the otherwise everyday boring daal/ lentil soup to another level. 

Food Facts

• Toor Daal/ Pigeon Peas is a rich source of protein for vegetarians.
• It also has a good amount of iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and B vitamins.
• It is high in dietary fibre.
• Toor dal contains folic acid, an important vitamin for all women especially those planning to become pregnant.
• Studies have shown that the fibers in fenugreek help prevent certain cancers.
• Fenugreek contains saponins that help reduce the body’s absorption of cholesterol from fatty foods. Some studies also indicate saponins to have a role to play in reducing the body’s production of cholesterol, especially the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels.
  
  

Ingredients
(Makes -3) 

Split Toor/ Tuvar/ Arhar Daal / Pigeon peas - 1/2 cup
Garlic Pods - 4 (large ones)
Dry Red Chilies - 1
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry Fenugreek leaves (Kasturi Methi - Available is Indian Grocery stores) - 2 tsp
Oil - 3 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1.5 cups
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation

Take good quality lentils. This is the first step towards making a great dish. Wash and soak the daal for about 30 minutes. This will save the cooking time. Peel the garlic pods and crush them using a small mortal and pestle. Alternately, you can finely chop it. Using a kitchen scissor, cut the red chili into small pieces removing the seeds.

Now take the daal/ lentil in a pressure cooker. Add water to it. Add salt and turmeric powder to it and cook for about 2 whistles on medium flame. You can also cook it in any other vessel with a lid till its soft and cooked. 

After the lentils are cooked. Take oil (You can also use Ghee) in a small wok/ tadka pan and bring it to a smoking point. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Then add garlic, red chilies and asafoetida. In the end add the dry fenugreek leaves (Adding it in the beginning can burn it and it will loose it's delicate flavor) . Remove from heat and add the mixture to the daal. Stir and close the lid of the cooker.  

Serve warm with rice or roti.

Curried Chickpeas aka Chole/ Choley

Yah I am back blogging after an era literally. Hopefully this time for good ..... If you have been a regular on my blog you should be familiar with my style. There is a little story/ narration and a recipe. Since I am back after a very long time, I decided to twist my style and make it more versatile depending on the mood.

Because it is summer time and we all are in the mood to flaunt our beach bodies ...... or you might be in the other category as me, struggling to loose some weight, particularly those love handles:)

While I can vouch that there is no magic that helps shed those extra kilos, healthy eating habits and a little bit of working out won't hurt. Intact if one is consistent, you can see the results in a few months. Yah you heard it right, "months". The goals need to be realistic.

So this series is all about healthy eating ...... You don't have to starve to loose those extra kilos.

Choley or curried chickpeas is a very versatile dish and can be done in several ways. The style of preparation also varies from region to region.

This recipe is a milimalistic one with very little oil and spices and can be prepared under 30 minutes.

Food Fact 

Chickpeas are high in fibre and protein, and they have a low glycemic index. This powerful combination can help control your weight and lower the bad cholesterol levels. They are also rich in protein and packed with vitamins that are easily absorbed by our body

Ingredients
Chickpeas/ Kabuli chana/ Choley - 1.5 cups 
Boiled Potato - 1 small

Garlic pods - 12 (medium size ones)
Onion - 1 medium
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Tomato - 1
Green chili  - 1 (You can use more if you like spicy)
Choley Masala - 2 tsp (You can use any store bought one but I used MDH as I like it better)
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Method of Preparation
1. You can soak the chickpeas for 8-9 hours (overnight). Then pressure cook it adding salt, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and the garlic pods. The chickpeas should be soft when cooked. You can add a small potato to the chickpeas and boil if along with it to save time.
2. Finely chop onion, garlic, tomatoes and green chili and keep aside. Mash the boiled potato. 
3. Now put a kadhai/ wok on the stove and switch on the flame. Add 2 tsp of vegetable/ olive oil. When the oil is hot, add green chilies and ginger first. Sauté for a minute and then add the finely chopped onions to it. Saute till the onions turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook till the masala has no raw smell and starts leaving oil from the sides. 
4. Now add 2 tsp of MDH Chola Masala (or any other masala brand you like) and immediately add the boiled chickpeas/ choley to it. Add mashed potatoes and stir the mixture lightly to blend in. Simmer on low flame for 10 - 15 minutes. You can taste the salt and add more  to the gravy if needed.(Mashed potato helps make the gravy thicker)
5. Switch of the flame and add chopped fresh coriander leaves to it.


Serving Suggestion

Goes well with any flat bread (poori, paratha, phulka / roti etc)

Falafel and a Cookbook Giveaway .....

Birthdays Then ........

The Birthday Boy/Girl is excited and begins the countdown months ahead. The father goes to the nearby grocery store and picks up a packet of hard boiled candy the day before. The packet is opened .... the birthday kid and the siblings gather around with sparking eyes. Father counts the candies and puts them in a plastic bag ...... enough for the classmates and the teachers. Remaining is shared or rather fought over to be shared by the siblings.

On the birthday morning ......... the birthday kid gets special attention, is also pampered by the parents and grandparents. Wears a new dress, goes to temple with his father's riding on their faithful Bajaj Scooter. A special puja is performed by the temple Pujari(priest). Comes back home, distributes the prasad and seeks the blessings of the elderly.

Again the candies are counted one last time before leaving for school. Friends and teachers at school sing the 'Happy Birthday'song. The Birthday kid goes around distributing the candies ....... tries to save some for his special friends.

Mean while ...... a cake is being baked at home. There is a little hustle bustle in the kitchen. The menu for the birthday is decided on the fly. Aunts and women from the neighborhood gather and deep fry Poori's, also a special curry is prepared to go as a side dish .... mostly it's alu, chanaa or chole and not to forget the kheer. The halwai at the street corner caters to the samosa which are served as snacks.

Kids from the neighborhood are invited a day before, may be some friends and cousins from the same city .....

Hanging of balloons and streamers is an optional affair ..... Kids gather during the eve. Birthday fella blows the candle and cuts the home made cake. Friends give gifts to the Birthday boy/ girl ..... They mostly were pencils, Diary Milk/ 5 Star Chocolates/ Amul Chocolates (Yah once upon a time people considered them as gifts), pencil boxes, lunch boxes .... sometimes one or two toys and books.

Mats and bedsheets are spread on the floor. Kids are served on steel plates with Poori and sabji. And in the end kheer is served as dessert.

The kids play and parents chit chat before they call it a day !! Simple isn't it .....

Birthdays Now .........

The Birthday Kid is excited and the parents are tensed. Budget is discussed. Search for restaurant / banquet hall begins months in advance. Parents squabble over choosing the venue and pay a fat cheque to book it. Menu is decided days ahead and it has to be better than the neighbor's or colleagues ..... least at par ! A birthday theme is decided and shopping is in full spree.

Parents buy clothes to complement with the kids ..... may be the color of the balloons too !! An Evite invitation is sent weeks ahead .....

And yes .... I forgot to mention about the cake. This time Mom doesn't spend time in baking one. She is given some concession as she has many more things to bother about .... but yes she does spend a lot more time browsing and gawking photos of expensive cakes .... Cinderella, Winne the Pooh, Spiderman, Dora ... It's an encyclopedia. You tell me.

Well this era is about 'Return Gifts'. Weren't we taught in our childhood about 'Give and Take' .... I am sure this makes the other kids equally excited as the Birthday one. Fair enough !

Gifts are bought and packed in fancy colorful packets to be given away. It has also become a trend to play games at the party .... oh I am not just talking about the kids. The older ones too are roped into it ! Some of them play it even more seriously than what it takes to prepare for the IIT's OR MIT .... the bait - a gift wrapped in a glossy paper.Well I don't deny that it's fun too .....

Food is no more served .... Come on I must be kidding !! You serve it for yourself. Thanks to the buffet system ..... Eat all you want and what you want.

Well time changes and so have we ..... for the better or for the worst !!

So I did celebrate a virtual blog birthday ..... You remember na ? Didn't I treat you all with stuffed bell peppers.

What ?? 'Return Gift' .... Yah Yah I have something.

A book on Mediterranean Cooking.

You will be amazed to know that it has quite a lot in common with Indian Cuisine.

I will be giving away this book as a gesture to thank you all for motivating/ criticizing and helping me come all the way.

The Meditterenean Cook Book for the Give Away .....

Here's the deal ......

You can do anyone or

All of these to participate in this Give Away !!

1) Follow my Blog by clicking the 'Follow' button. You must follow Publicly.

2) 'Like' or 'Follow' 'Food for Thought' on Facebook.

3) Leave a comment on my blog and tell me what you like most about my space. Is it the write up, the photographs or the recipe that draws you to 'Food for Thought'.

4) You can also participate if you are a non blogger. Just leave a comment with your email id and name so that I can hunt you down.

This time the give away is just for US residents. I will be selecting a winner randomly. To increase your chances to get this fabulous Mediterranean cook book you can do all the above.

The Give Away is open till ...... June 14th 2011.

Here is the recipe of Falafel from this book .... I tweaked it a bit though !!

Preparation Time - 40 minutes

Makes - 14 small Falafel

Ingredients

Dry chickpeas - 1/2 cup (soaked overnight or at least 10 hours (will be about 1 cup when soaked through)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp (per taste)
Garlic - 4-5 cloves
Chopped Cilantro/Coriander - 1 cup
Onion - 1/3 cup chopped fine
Freshly squeezed lemon juice - 1-2 tbsp
Bread Crumbs of 1-2 bread

Salt per taste

You may also add chopped green chili to make it more spicy

Oil to deep fry

Method of Preparation

1. Drain the soaked Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans/ Chole in a colander till the water is completely drained.

2. Add the garlic cloves,cumin seeds and chickpeas and grind in a food processor to make a coarse paste. Do not add any water. If at all needed add very little.

3. Remove to a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

4. Pinch out small balls, roll them between your palms and then slightly press them to give it a desired shape.

5. Heat Oil in a Kadhai/ Wok and deep fry them on medium heat on both sides till golden brown.

6. Remove on a paper towel.

Greens with Beans ..... Chole Palak or Spinach cooked with Garbanzo Beans

'Beta bade hoke tum kya banoge' (What do you aspire to become when you grow up) is one of the favorite questions adults ask kids. I am sure each one of you would have answered this question n number of times till you actually figured out what you wanted out of life. And I am in that phase of life where I ask this to kids around me ... and most times I am amused by their innocence.

I remember someone asking this to my little sister when she was a five year old. She promptly replied 'Traffic Pulish'. For a second there was silence in the room ....Maa was shocked. That was the last thing she would have wanted her daughter to become. May be she had expected something like a doctor or a pilot. Guess that is the most favorite and popular thing kids say. But 'Traffic Pulish' was the least expected one. 'Traffic Pulish is so powerful ..... he can stand in the middle of the road and with a wave of hand the entire traffic comes to a halt', she explained to Maa. The entire room broke into laughter. Well she really didn't grow up to be one but that was her first aspiration !!

Ok but I thought I was the smarter one !! So like every kid I wanted to become a doctor. My Aunt had also gifted me a plastic medical kit on my birthday. I would stand in front of the mirror with a pink stethoscope hanging around my neck and pretend like I was talking to a patient. But soon I managed to find a scapegoat ... it was Rani, out domestic help. Playing doctor-doctor was my favorite pass time. I would ask Rani to open her mouth. I would check her temperature using the Pink thermometer. I would scribble on pieces of papers with illegible writings and prescribe her medicines.Little did I know that becoming a doc was no child play. Not until I decided to write the medical entrance ...... and sure I failed miserably !!

But like always I had my plan B ready. Failure was never an option for me.

But that was that !! I had almost forgotten about it till I hanged out with a bunch of kids this weekend. 'Sweetie Pie what is that you want to become when you grow up' I asked a cutie. ' Miss Universe' she said batting her eye lids and running her tiny fingers through her silky hair. And there was another brat who screamed ' Fire Fighter'. Another one wanted to become a truck driver. And yes there was a doctor too !!

Ok, now coming to the recipe ... I make this 'Chole Palak' often.I have discovered that Palak tastes good when cooked with any pulses.

Preparation Time - 20 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

Boiled Chole/ Garbanzo Beans - 1 Cup (You can soak and pressure cook it with a little salt added or use the tinned ones)

Chopped Spinach/ Palak - 2 cups

Chopped Onions - 1/2 cup

Minced Garlic - 1 tbsp

Minced Ginger - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1 pureed

Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp (per taste)

Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch

Butter - 1 tsp

Salt per taste

Oil for cooking

Method of Preparation

1 Heat about 1 tbsp of oil in a wok. When warm add ginger to it and fry for a minute. Add the minced garlic and keep stirring it else the garlic will get burnt. Add the finely chopped onions to it and saute till the onion is mushy and there is no raw smell.

2 Add the tomato puree, turmeric and red chili powder and mix well. Saute for 2 minutes.

3 Add the chopped spinach to it and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes.

4 Mix the boiled garbanzo beans/ chole and stir in. Add 1/2 a cup of water.

5 Add garam masala and let the curry simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

6 Top it with some butter and remove from heat.

Serving Tips

Serve warm with any flat bread or rice

Notes

You may add more spinach if you want.

Inputs Needed - You would have noticed that I have changed my font. I would appreciate if you can tell me if you like the new font or the earlier one better.

Buta Daali Alu Tarkari .. aka ... Chana Daal

One universal truth is ...... nothing can replace 'Ghar ka Khana" (Homemade food ). And no food can be more satisfying than home made ones and especially if it is made by mom. ...... Guess it has the Midas touch !!

But it was not always that I admired food from mom's kitchen as much as I do today, everything was better than her's . I used to be a very willful child when it came to food. The list of food that I didn't eat or didn't like to eat outnumbered the ones I ate. I used to give my mother, grandmother and aunts a tough time everyday ..... my tantrums were unending. And being the first grandchild I was pampered and spoilt. I used to piss my mother so much that she would threaten me about boarding schools and hostels.

And I used to dream of the freedom of staying in a hostel with nobody around to boss, nobody to force feed me with veggies. Little had I imagined about the food and other problems associated with hostel life. I still remember the first day in hostel when I walked up to the dining hall and served myself with cold rice, daal and eggplant curry. With moist eyes I walked to a corner trying to hide my tears as I ate that meal. No one was around to pamper me and none at whom I could throw my tantrums.

Laxmi Amma the cook stared at me as I struggled to finish that bland and disgusting food. "Don't waste food ..... you have to finish all you have on your plate", she told in a stern voice pointing at my plate. I struggled with every morsel as tears rolled down my eyes. I was missing home and more than that I missing the food from mom's kitchen. Slowly I befriended Laxmi Amma. She would fry me an extra pappad or make me an omelet. In return I would buy her jasmine flowers or get medicines for her aching knee. Each meal time I would remember 'ghar ka khana' and finish my food with a sigh. It was a lesson learnt the hard way. I remembered the words wisdom of my grandmother about God punishing children who wasted food.

Soon my semester was getting over ...... which meant that I was going home for vacation. Rather than making a list of lessons that I had to study, I made a long list of things that I wanted to eat. I would read out my wish list each time my mother would call to make sure that she remembers it all.

And the day I was home I ate like there was no tomorrow ..... everything that was on my plate !! As I licked my plate there was a burst of laughter. My mother, aunts and grandmother laughed their hearts out. It was sweet revenge !!

Preparation Time 30 minutes

Serves 3

Ingredients

Chana Daal - 3/4 cup

Potato cubed - 1 medium size

Chopped Onion - 1 tbsp

Chopped Garlic - 1 tsp

Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp

Green Chili - 2

Cinnamon - 2 inches

Cardamon - 2

Bay leaf - 1

Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/3 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/3 tsp

Clarified Butter - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 pinch

Turmeric - 1 big pinch

Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Cilantro for garnishing

Oil for cooking

Salt to taste

Method of Preparation

1 Wash daal and pressure cook till one whistle adding salt and turmeric. Keep aside.

2 Add a little oil in a kadhai. Fry the potato when the oil is hot. Fry till all the sides brown. Remove and keep aside.

3 Add some more oil if required. Add Cumin seeds, bay leaf, Cinnamon, cardamon to it and fry for a minute. Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Sprinkle a little salt and fry till they are soft and there is no raw aroma.

4 Add a little turmeric, cumin powder and coriander powder. Fry for 2 -3 minutes. Add the potato and mix in. Add a little water and cover and cook till the potatoes get cooked.

5 Add the cooked daal and simmer.

6 Add butter and garam masala and stir in.

7 Before removing from heat add the shredded coconut and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serving Tips

Serve warm with rice or roti.

Notes

Do not over cook the daal. You may also opt not to add the coconut.

Let me know what Ghar ka Khana/ home made food means to you. I would love to hear it from you all .....

Vada .... & Chennai Times !!

After running around the entire day collecting my documents and tickets and making it to the airport (just on time) I was finally breathing. I was traveling to Chennai almost after two decades. The last time I had visited, it was with my parents in 1991. Then I was a school going girl. Chennai was not Chennai ..... it was called Madras.As I finally settled down and was sipping the piping hot Kafi (Coffee) that the air hostess served, I remembered the good old days when I had travelled with my parents ...... the memories were still fresh in my mind. The paper masala dosa at 'Das Prakash' , the tender coconut water at Marina Beach, shopping at T Nagar and Pary's Corner. I had just finished my Kafi when the air hostess announced that we were landing in Chennai Airport. I collected my luggage and walked up the pre paid taxi counter 'Akbar Travels', as recommended by my neighbor uncle in Bangalore. "Courtyard Marriot" I said as I handed two hundred rupee notes at the counter.

A dark skinny guy with a bushy mustache asked me to follow him to the taxi stand. He pointed towards an 'Ambassador' as he hurried towards it. I had not travelled in an Ambassador for ages now ...... I thought only the politicians travel by it in this era. 'Thud' ..... he closed the door.

Posters of Rajnikanth adored the interiors of the car. The Chennai Traffic was equally bad as Bangalore's.

To strike a conversation with the taxi driver I began 'Anna, looks like you are a big fan of Rajnikanth'.In the mirror I could see the grin on his face nodding in affirmation to my question, as if it was some kind of recognition for him.

Yah I know he is the most famous of all South Indian Hero's, I said trying to show how up to date I was on the Tamil film Industry. Bang came his reply ' Naaaat Hero Madam ...... he is Suuuuper Hero'. I nodded and preferred to maintain my silence. The next word I had with him was 'Thank you' when I tipped this guy on reaching The Marriot.

"Complementary Breakfast ", the lady told me handing over my room keys. I could not wait to throw myself in the bed after this long tiring day. I woke up only the next day morning when the room service called me to remind me of their complementary Breakfast. I gathered all my documents and laptop and walked to the cafe for breakfast. Gossh, the breakfast tables had everything from Continental to South Indian. I thought sticking to the South Indian menu was a better option ...... I could not think of any place better than Chennai to try the South Indian snacks. I filled my plates with little bit of everything and walked back to the breakfast nook. But the one thing that I fell in love with was the 'Vada'. It was crunchy from out side ans soft inside. Seeing my love for south indian food, the Chef walked up to me. I chatted with him as I sipped the filtered coffee.The chef was generous to share his secret recipe.

I was able to finish my work by afternoon and had little time to catch up with some friends in the evening. For an shopaholic like me, it would be a crime not to go to T Nagar ..... I shopped till dead and rushed back to the airport for my return flight.

Till date I religiously follow the tips given by the Chef of Marriot when it comes to Vada. I had been working hard on getting the perfect shape ...... earlier they looked nothing close to a Vada ( they used to be in all kind of shapes ----- Amoeba/ Paramecium. The first time I tried doing it at my in-laws place, my mother in law almost fainted seeing the shapes of my Vada) !! But with practise I am in much better shape !

And I would recommend Vada with Filter Kaafi. I can vouch for it.

Preparation Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Split Urad Daal - 1 cup

Semolina - 1 tsp

Baking Powder - 1 pinch

Finely Chopped Onion - 1/4 cup

Chopped Green Chili - 1 tsp

Chopped Curry Leaves - 1 tsp

Whole Black Pepper - few

Salt per taste

Method of Preparation

1 Soak the daal for couple of hours. Dry grind it ( only sprinkle a little water if needed).

2 Remove the Urad daal paste to another vessel and beat it using your hand to make it a little fluffy.

3 Add all the remaining Ingredients to it and mix well.

4 Heat oil in a kadhai.

5 Make flat dumplings with your hand and drop into the oil. Fry till golden brown on both sides.

6 Remove to a paper towel.

Serving Tips

Serve warm with coffee/ tea.

Notes

Do not make the Urad Daal batter runny. To adjust the consistency, you may add more semolina.

You may also use whole Urad Daal.

Add salt only towards the end before frying it.

Daal ..... The Common Man's Meat !!

Is a 2 Billion dollar home flamboyant enough ? And that too for a family of four ! To add to that there are 3 helipads and and parking space for 160 cars. Not to forget 600 people working to maintain this much talked about billion dollar home. I am not sure how many Indians are taking pride in this India's first Billion dollar house making it to the Forbes Magazine. But surely not me ! I get grumpy and upset when people discuss about this abode of Mr Mukesh Ambani in which he takes so much self pride. Does one really need all these ? Was the current 22 floor house of Mr Ambani not enough for four people that he had to move to a 27 floor mansion ?

Could Mr Ambani not find a better way to spend this 2 Billion Dollars ? I can think of a hundred more effective ways to spend the money.

A small percentage of this amount would have made a big difference for a lot of people who do not even get a meal a day.A charitable hospital, better education for the poor and needy, vocational school and colleges to make more people self employed. .Or how about funding a world class cancer research institute. These are few things that come to my mind in a blink .... I am sure there are many noble ways to spend this 2 Billion.

I believe making it to the list of 'Richest People of the World' on Forbes is not a measuring tape for your riches. It is about how much you give back to the society. I know many people whom I interact with ....... they are not even 0.0001 % as rich as Mr Ambani. But they have dedicated their time and money (whatever little they have) in the service of mankind. One such organisation is Seva Samarpita Charitable Trust. It is run by few retired doctors and teachers.

To me they are the real heros. One's life is not remembered by how much riches he accumulated or where he lived or what car he drove. It is important to have values in life and believe in serving the less privileged ones.
The world remembers JRD Tata just not for the industrial empire he set up but for his philanthropy and simple living !!

So as a silent protest to this 2 Billion Dollar lavish home, I decided to post the recipe for 'Garlic Daal', Daal being the common man's 'Meat'.

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.

Epictetus

Preparation Time 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Toor Daal - 1 cup

Garlic - 4 cloves

Green Chili -1

Dry Red Chili - 1

Panch Phoran - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Chopped Coriander leaves - little

Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch

Salt per taste

Method of Preparation

1 Wash the daal and soak in in water for 15 minutes.

2 Pressure cook adding salt and turmeric.

3 In a kadhai, add some oil. When hot add minced Garlic and chopped green chilies. Also add the panch phoran and red dry chili to sputter. Pour the cooked daal carefully to this seasoned oil.

4 Simmer for a minute. Garnish with chopped Coriander.

Serving Tips

Serve warm with rice. Add a little ghee or butter on top of it for flavor.

Variation

You may prepare using any other daal, Moong or Masoor Daal.