I opened the newspaper and the Tomatoes were waving the red flag. Rs 300 for a kilo was the prediction… its soaring prices has resulted in heated debates about “tomatonomics’…Why and what of the price rise. I get a red alert every time that I have to ration it in my kitchen. A Kilo hardly lasts for a couple of days. I become nostalgic of the 70s and 80s when my mother would buy sack loads for just a few rupees during the season and marathon preparations would begin at home…Ketchup, Purée & pickles that would last a year. The house would be filled with the aroma of tomatoes in different stages of cooking. Bottling and storing was a team effort and we were trained in the process. We never bothered about price rise crisis and the house would run on its predetermined budget.
Season? Do we even bother about it now? Patterns of availability has changed and so has seasonality of the produce and the paradigm of shopping. Harvest seasons are restricted to a small circumference around the cultivation areas. Farmers markets have disappeared. What we experience is more of a retail buying from supermarkets and doorstep deliveries from cold storage houses. Yearly storage and preservation have been swept aside as redundant activities. Paucity of space and less time in the kitchen are other contributory factors.
Making a mental note of the lost practices and its impact on the kitchen I firmly decided to revive them, alas have to wait a year. What do I do with this Tomato prices looming large and how do I manage my dishes? I shook myself up and decided that these red roundels will not throw me off gear. All I need to do was to delve into recipes without these precious produce. Foodialogues shares with you a no tomato no onion dish …. Gujarati Khatta Mag-the green moong kadhi. A delicious protein load that’s light and pairs beautifully with rice and roti.
GUJARATI KHATTA MAG / SABUT GREEN MOONG KADHI RECIPE
Ingredients for Gujarati Khatta Mag:
- Green moong whole ½ c
- Thick buttermilk 1 c
- Turmeric 1 tsp
- Besan/ Bengal gram flour 2 tbsp
- Chilly powder 1 tsp
- Salt as required
- Oil 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds 1tsp
- Cumin seeds 1 tsp
- Red chilly broken
- Asafoetida 1 .2 tsp
- Curry leaves few
Preparation Method for Gujarati Khatta Mag:
- Wash and pressure moong till soft.
- Whisk the curd with 1/2 c of water along with turmeric, chilly powder, Flour and salt.
- Pour the whisked buttermilk into the cooked dal. Mix gently. Place it on the stove and cook on low flame with constant stirring. When the mixture thickens and comes to a boil remove.
- Temper with mustard, cumin, asafoetida, red chilly and curry leaves.
- Serve with hot rice or roti.
Here’s the “Gujarati Khatta Mag” Preparation Video:
Delicious & Protein Loaded “Gujarati Khatta Mag” is ready 🙂
