Get all the dals; I’m planning to make some black dal tonight; some whole wheat pasta; is there besan at home?” Sorry about the interruption. This is my wife’s turn to make a run to the store and we are quickly listing down what to buy. And now to tell you what I’m cooking during the lockdown…
Being a restaurant chef, I hardly get a chance to cook at home. And so, I’ve been making use of this time to cook some nice home-style food with a twist. I’m making use of everything in the freezer, the spices I gathered during my travels, black and pink salt, as well as the simple ones at home, such as turmeric and red chilli powder.
This morning, I made channa masala; it’s my wife’s recipe and we plan to eat it as a late lunch. We will be having it with some whole wheat pav that we bought. The pav will be toasted on the tawa and served with some channa on top, along with chopped onions, tomatoes, some bhujia, and curd that I whipped with some tamarind and green chutney.
- Ingredients: 1 corn on the cob; 2 medium sized onions; 2 to 3 medium sized carrots; 2 unpeeled potatoes; salt to taste; 1 bay leaf; turmeric powder; red chilli powder; chaat masala; lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves
- Method: Cut the corn on the cob into two to three pieces. Peel and cut the carrots into two halves. Peel the onions. Cut the unpeeled potatoes into two. Put all these in a pressure cooker and add water just enough to cover all vegetables. Add salt, a bay leaf and turmeric powder. Close the pressure cooker. Cook for two whistles. Let the pressure subside and open the cooker. Remove the vegetables and season with red chilli powder, chaat masala, lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves before serving.
- Recipe by chef Vicky Ratnani
I am at home in Mumbai now and am doing easy cooking, using ingredients that we have stocked up on. There was a packet of mushrooms in the fridge with was beginning to turn brown. I put it to use by adding it to a pasta with a spicy tomato base. I also make lunch and dinner at the same time. For instance, when I made rice the other day, I made a little extra so I could make fried rice with it for later. I’m playing with my masala dabba, coming up with various permutations and combinations.
We are also cooking with all kinds of vegetables; getting creative with Indian food using ingredients at hand. There are dishes that I wouldn’t otherwise make, that I’m making now. I tried my hand at a pumpkin bhaji that I made with potatoes and fresh spinach and methi a few days ago. I whipped up my version of moong dal pesarattu to go with it. It can also be used as a filling inside dosa. I also cook quite fast. My wife is amazed at how I’m done making a bhaji by the time she wakes up in the morning. Tonight, we are going to have chilla – I’ve already soaked toor and moong dal in preparation. It’s is full of protein and does not need anything to go with it.
I’m also using this time to catch up on some reading and exercising, and decluttering my shelves. It’s nice to be cooking at home – cooking makes one happy.
In this series, India’s popular chefs and restauteurs share their lockdown cooking habits and recipes with us.