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food
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Glorious greens
Pushpesh Pant
 There
is something about colour
green — the hue lowers the temperature several degrees the moment it
strikes the eye. And the first refreshing spoonful that touches the
palate reassures the diner that this indeed is the nourishment body
requires in debilitating summer. Mint and coriander are literally
lifesavers when mercury climbs upwards in a threatening manner. Raita
fortified with bathua was a part of the traditional repertoire. What
we tend to overlook is how the leafy greens can come to our rescue
when the sun is scorching. We were reminded of this when a celebrity
chef we were eating out with ordered just a bowlful of stir-fried
Chinese greens with steamed rice and radiated sheer beatitude as he
devoured what he described as a sublime meal. Light, refreshing and
deeply satisfying. We couldn’t resist the temptation to steal more
than a mouthful with our slippery pair of chopsticks. We must confess
the ‘sweet ’n’ sour’ mush on our own plate appeared and tasted
quite revolting after that. We learnt from the ‘pro’ that it’s
not difficult to replicate the recipe at home with Indian ‘emeralds’.
Pak Choi or Morning Glory are not indispensible — any spinach or
cabbage you fancy can make do. The important thing is not to overcook
the vegetable and go slow with the spices cellar. Let us reassure you
— the glorious greens make a great light lunch paired with steamed
rice or a phulka. What a joy it is to rediscover the flavour of garlic
and the tang of lime juice not to forget the green chilli!
Ingredients
 Spinach/Pak
Choi/ Morning Glory 300 g
Garlic cloves (chopped) 3-4
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Green chillies (deseeded) two
Oil 1 tsp
Soy sauce 1 tsp
Method
Clean and wash well the vegetables. Plunge in boiling water for a
minute and refresh immediately in very cold water. Heat oil in a flat
karahi/wok and stir-fry garlic for 30 seconds. Drain excess water from
the greens and put these in the karahi/ wok. Add chillies, soy sauce
and lemon juice. Stir-fry on high flame for a minute and you are done!
We mean the greens. Enjoy.
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