food talk
Comfort factor
Pushpesh Pant

talk of 'comfort foods' and all of us have special favourites with lingering memories of childhood. It is to this magic realm that phulyude ki subzi belongs for this writer. Phulyuda is the darling child of a flower, a term used in villages of Uttarakhand to describe small, tender, green kaddu. In appearance it is confusingly similar to zucchini, only it is a bit bloated, maybe with pride. Traditionally, it is cooked with minimal spicing, a pinch of haldi and a slightly larger measure of dhaniya. Freshly ground paste was used and phulyuda was tempered with mustard seeds and spiked with a few slit green chillies. Mustard oil used as the cooking medium enhanced its charm and eaten with hot phulka or steaming rice with just a spoonful of daal it was sheer bliss. Baby marrows are hard to come by these days in the city. We tried the recipe, substituting zucchini for pahari phulyuda.

Ingredients

Baby marrow or green zucchini (about 400 gm) 1

Green chillies (wiped clean with moist cloth and slit) 2-3

Dhaniya powder 1 tsp

Haldi powder 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Salt To taste

Mustard oil 3 tbsp

Method

Wash and cut the marrow in small thin pieces. Don't remove the skin. Heat oil in a pan and when it reaches smoking point add the mustard seeds to it. When these begin to crackle, add powdered spices mixed with a little water to avoid burning. Stir briskly and put in the marrow or zucchini with slit chillies and salt. Cover and cook on low heat till done to taste. Uncover and stir once or twice in between. You may sprinkle a few drops of kagazi nimbu if you like before serving. We prefer a teaspoon of ghee! (Who needs daal with rice after this ambrosia?)

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