Metro Plus
Chennai
Hyderabad
Introduction
ONCE ON a school trip to Bhakra Nangal hydro-electric plant, we stopped by at Nangal. Being in Punjab, we decided to go the Punjab-da-puttar way and asked for lassi. We were given these huge glasses of aluminium, filled to the brim with lassi. It was so heavy that I, who prided myself on my appetite, had to force myself to complete it. There was no way we could have lunch after that. Yoghurt, the technically correct term or curd, as we know it better, is part and parcel of our everyday life. Curd is our lifeline when our stomach seems to say enough is enough, you have over eaten. Acidity is best controlled by an alkaline media and curd is normally our best bet. Recently, I learnt a grandma remedy for loose motions. About ten raw methi seeds on a teaspoon of curd are to be swallowed, not chewed. So curd does act at times like that old Mary Poppins song "Just a spoonful of sugar". In most parts of South India no meal is complete without curd and it seems to be so essential mainly because of the amount of spice eaten there. The acidity created by the spice is cut down by the curd.
So apart from eating it as it is with a hint of salt or sugar, what else can we do with this godsend creation? Besides lassis - raitas are a phenomenal creation. I once lived a couple of months with a family from Uttar Pradesh and the lady of the house had this amazing repertoire of raitas. A different raita everyday. Sometimes boondi, alu, dried mint leaves, roasted garlic, jeera, chopped raw mangoes, peeled and chopped snake gourd, it really used to lift the menu even though the meal was only dal and a vegetable.
Curd is also widely used as a marinade. Let us say a good Indian style fried chicken. Mix in the chicken in salt, lemon juice, chilli powder and ginger-garlic paste. Set aside for half an hour, add a little yoghurt and keep for an hour. Without adding any water, mix in a little flour and corn flour till bound together. In medium hot oil fry till reddish-brown. Serve hot with green chutney.
The Iranians make a lovely, chilled soup for summer called mast va kaiar - they use grated cucumber, chopped spring onions, parsley and dill (suva bhaji). This is added to the curd - Mix and beat in a cup of chilled water, garnish with finely chopped almonds. Curd also makes a lovely dip. Hang yoghurt in a muslin cloth and let excess water run. Squeeze gently, most of the water comes out. Remove, mix some salt and pepper and garlic. It makes an excellent dip with almost anything from raw veg fingers to kebabs.
Coming back to India, the curd at my home turned a little sour and so we made a Gujarati kadhi out of it. Beat a little besan into the yoghurt (besan about 1/10th of the yoghurt). Mix it and boil. Make a tadka of jeera, asafoetida (hing), green chillies and curry leaves. Season with salt and sugar, little bit of water for a nice, simple Gujarati kadhi.
One can take hung yoghurt, rub on a hard table and mix in castor sugar, a little bit of elaichi powder, a bit of kewra water and put in a refrigerator to get a nice srikhand or add the flavour of fruits such as mango pulp or orange pulp for a mango or orange srikhand.
So when you are setting the curd, just set that little bit more for more variety in your everyday food.
Vijay Banja
Executive Chef, Taj Krishna
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Chennai
Hyderabad
|
