A meal in a stew

(with the locally available ingredients.  Here they are as below:)

1 measure – approximately ½ cup.  It depends on the capacity of the pressure cooker.

Whole-grain rice – 1 measure

Water – 4 measures

Whole split-green-gram dal – 1 measure

Water – 3 measures

Whole split-black-gram-dal – 1 measure

Water – 3 measures

Broken whole-wheat pieces – 1 measure

Water – 3 measures

Put all ingredients in the pressure cooker.  Pour in all the measured water.

Turn on the heat.

Garlic – 1 pod for a measure of a ½ cup

Peel and slice garlic.

Add to the other ingredients in the pressure cooker.

Small sambar onions – peeled and whole – about 5 or 6 or more

Add to the other ingredients in the pressure cooker.

Cabbage – sliced – 1 cup

Brinjal – sliced – ½ cup

Add to the other ingredients in the pressure cooker.

Whole jeera seeds – according to taste

Add to the other ingredients in the pressure cooker.

Rinse the lid and cover the pressure cooker.

When the steam rises, put the weight on.

Let it cook.

In a non-stick deep frying-pan,

Pour in oil

In a bowl, mix

Dry ginger powder

Coriander powder

Jeera powder

Turmeric powder

When the oil is hot

Splutter mustard seeds (amount according to taste)

Add a few fenugreek seeds (be careful, these may be a little bitter, so don’t over-do them, and make sure they’re fried well)

Add jeera seeds

Add saunf seeds

Mix while it fries.

Mix in chopped curry leaves and fry a bit.

Toss in some chopped ladys-finger.  Fry a bit and then put the lid on.  Let it cook a while.  Mix occasionally.

When done, dump in the dry spice powders.

Mix in the oil till fried.

Pour in some water to stop the frying or it might burn.

Pour in some water with tamarind, the amount being to taste.

Add crystal-salt in water, to taste.

Add chopped coriander leaves.

Switch off the pressure cooker.  Hold under tap water to ease the pressure.

When the pressure subsides, place back on the fire, I mean the stove.

Then take off the weight and put it in it’s hold.

Open the lid and pour the stew out

Into the deep frying pan till it is all there.

Mix everything.

Ladle it out into the serving plates, and eat it whole.

Don’t forget to walk it off, or you’ll end up sleeping it off, which ain’t bad.

Both have their advantages, I say.

Serve with beef, chicken or fish.