Food Talk
Warm up to cold cuts

With the exception of raita and dahi bhalle/vade, Indians seem quite unconcerned about pleasures provided by cold dishes, writes Pushpesh Pant

IN the western gastronomic tradition, there is a vast repertoire of cold dishes. Cold cuts are prepared lovingly and their variety enjoyed by the gourmet appreciatively. It is surprising that with the exception of ‘snacky’ accompaniments like raita and dahi bhalle/vade, Indians seem quite unconcerned about pleasures provided by low temperature.

True, in South India, thairsadam is mostly enjoyed cold, which is an exception. Indians have no inhibitions about cold desserts like rabari, kheer, ras malai, phirni and kulfi and they guzzle down gallons of sharbats — gulab, khas, sandal, bel, thandai, lassi and aam ka panna — but somehow shirk crossing the freezing point where the main course is concerned. There are some very interesting pachadis in the South Indian collection but these are akin to raitas and treated as accompaniments. Kebab and roti, at times, may be relished at room temperature but that is about all.

Chef’s Special

Ingredients

Curds (Neither sweet nor sour, whisked well) 500 ml
Spinach 500 gm
Urad dal (husked) 2 tsp
A pinch of hing
Mustard 1 tsp
Curry leaves one small sprig
Oil (not mustard) 1 tbsp
Green chillies (deseeded and finely chopped) 2-3
Whole red chilly for garnish 1-2

Method

Clean and wash the spinach well, do not cut or shred. Boil with very little water in a pan, cool and remove stems. Then mix with the curd and blend well with a wooden mathani, in a soup sieve. Heat the oil in a pan and put in the hing and wait till it dissolves, then add the mustard seeds, whole red chilli, the Urad dal, green chillies and the curry leaves. When the seeds begin to crackle and the curry leaves and the whole red chilli begin to change colour pour this tempering over the dahi and palak mix. Taste and sprinkle salt according to taste. Remember that palak has a salty taste and it is easy to over salt this dish. Tastes best with rice or roti after the sabza has been chilled for a little while in the fridge. (You may increase the quantity of the dal used if you like more crunch.)

Once and only once have we been served a genuine cold delicacy: this was at Lucknow when master chef Mohammad Faruque treated us to shikore wali dal with khamiri roti – both cold — at the community dinner on the ocassion of the Urs at the Durgah of his patron Sufi saint. This was unhusked kali masoor cooked to a thick porridge consistency and set in a shallow earthen cup like phirni. The flavour of clay was mind-blowing. We have tried hard to crack the recipe but alas so far our efforts have not been blessed by the grace of the revered mystic.

During a recent visit to Amroha, a small town near the brass city Moradabad and home to legendary lyricist Kamal Amrohi, we sampled Dal Moradabadi, an interesting breakfast cereal. Husked moong dal cooked soft to a satin smooth texture and embellished with dozens of garnishes a la Nihari: finely chopped green chillies and coriander, ginger and onions, roasted cumin powder, rock salt and a squeeze of lemon. Did the palate register a hint of mint!

This time there was no mystery, the recipe is easily replicated at home and relished in cold blood when the mercury shoots up. What we share with our readers this time is a natural beauty, emerald hued and most refreshing — a cross between a raita and a pachari — and with the possibility of donning a gazpacho-like soupy garb. We are indebted to our friend Chitra Harshvardhan for this coolant.

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