Dress makes personality in food?

I have been watching a reality show called Top Chef and it led to a realisation that in the western world Presentation takes the center stage. Whether it comes to one's own dressing or their food's. Whatever the taste maybe first impression wows (pun intended)! I was trying to figure out the same about our Indian food. Do we Indians look for visual appeal in Indian food? When was the last time you took a good look at the Bisibelebath served in a bowl before spooning some on to your plate and gobbling it up? When was the last time you dint toss aside the measly coriander leaf which looked wasted on a bowl of vegetable pulav? In Bangalore where the hotels which make maximum profit are the fast food kinds, who even cares for presentation? Neither the cook nor the customer has the time for it. Somehow the casually put together subway sandwich also looks appealing here! I wonder how many different ways one can present a masala dosa without losing authenticity. Where am I going with this post? Well, for starters I take a look at the wonderful people out there blogging about Indian food. The first thing that strikes me are the photos of the finished product, presented and photographed beautifully. I have gone to many restaurants where the food looks great but tastes average or below whereas in a "Sagar" (I dont know why but it has become a norm in Bangalore to end the name of any hotel with that word if a fast food joint, almost like xerox) there is no time for presentation but the taste is just perfect. Which would we pick if there is no place with an ideal marriage between presentation and taste? Presentation is important but is it more important than the taste? Taste is important but would you eat something if it looks crazy?

Kadlekayi Mithai (Groundnut Sweet)

Kadlekayi Mithai always reminds me of Gokulashtami at home. The smells in my mom's kitchen are fantabulous in those days. Many kinds of sweets and savouries are made to keep as Prasad for Lord Krishna. As kids we used to eye the Prasad plate greedily and hungrily, till my dad finished his elaborate Puja in the evening, making underhand deals about who was going to eat what out of the plate (even though there was much more in the huge boxes). Gokulashtami was always fun and tested our creativity in terms of decorating the Mandap where Krishna Idols would be placed. We have a huge age old Mandap at home and it used to be like a comedy trying to tie fruits and decorating it with flowers. Lot of family time and a lot of teasing, laughter and ofcourse huffs. I am getting nostalgic and before I start dreaming let me give you the recipe to the Mithai.

What you need to make Kadlekayi Mithai

• Kadlekayi (Groundnuts) - 1 cup
• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Dry coconut - 1/2 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Elaichi (Cardamom) - 1/2 tsp

(Please use the same measure, when I say cup, for all the ingredients)

Preparation for making Kadlekayi Mithai

• Dry roast the groundnuts in a heavy bottomed vessel till a little browner.
• Spread it out on a large plate to cool down.
• Once cool, run a roller pin lightly over the groundnuts to separate the skin from the nut and also to slice the nut in half. Alternatively you could just mash them very lightly in your hands.
• Grease a plate with ghee and keep aside.

Method to make Kadlekayi Mithai

• Put water in a heavy bottomed vessel and add the jaggery to it. Keep the flame at medium low.
• Allow the jaggery to dissolve in the water.
• As it boils it reaches the consistency of a syrup (chocolate syrup).
• The way to check if its done is to take a small drop of the syrup and drop it into a cup filled with water. If the syrup doesnt spread and sticks then its done! Further, you should be able to scoop the syrup from the water as a lump.

• Once the right consistency is reached add the dry coconut and groundnuts to it.
• Allow it to boil together on a lower flame for some time.
• You know its done when the syrup becomes frothy.
• Pour the contents into the greased plate and spread it quickly before it thickens.
• After around two minutes of thickening run a knife through it to cut into squares.
• Keep it to cool.
• Once it cools you can just get the pieces of kadlekayi mithai out of the plate (use a little reverse plate banging against a spread out paper)
  

Pudina Pulav (Mint Pulav)

Dinner is ready! This was up for grabs yesterday night and everyone of my folks enjoyed it.

What you need to make Pudina Pulav

Spices to be used

• Refer to the same named section under Vegetable Pulav under the category Rice Dishes on my blog

Rest of the ingredients

• Rice - 250 gms
• Onion - 1 big
• Pudina leaves - 200 gms
• Peas (optional) - a few maybe 25 gms - 50 gms
• Coriander - 5-6 strands
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Water - double the measure of rice

Preparation for making Pudina Pulav

• Wash the rice (I do it 3 times).
• Cut onion into big slices. You want to be able to get the onion in your mouth and experience its taste when you eat the pulav
• Wash and chop the coriander into very small confetti.
• Wash and coarsely chop the pudina leaves (not too small)
• Grind all the spices together.

Method to make Pudina Pulav

• Heat a pressure cooker and put the oil into it.
• Add the onion to the oil and allow it to fry till soft.
• Now add the coriander in and allow it to fry a little. Gives it a nice taste. You could optionally put it in just before closing the lid of the cooker.
• Add the pudina leaves and fry it a little.
• Now drop in the peas.
• Put the rice in and the ground spices and stir everything together and allow it all to shallow fry.
• After around 5 minutes add the water.
• Add salt as much as required (yeah you got to taste if you cant do it just by seeing).
• As soon as it starts boiling close the lid of the cooker and let it all steam up.
• Your Pudina Pulav will be ready :)

My fundas

• Well there are no fundas except I somehow like chips with this Pulav rather than a Raita. Wonder why?