WHEN WINTER COMES...
It’s
the gastronomic delights of the season that I love the most
Plop an orange into your mouth and
let the flavours explode on your tongue. That’s the taste of winter for me
THE MOST annoying thing about winter
in India is that it ends no sooner than it has begun. Just as you’re beginning
to enjoy the cool winds, the balmy afternoons and the chilly, occasionally
misty nights, the weather turns on you. The sweaters start to feel a bit
scratchy, the feet begin to sweat in those heavyduty boots, and the trench
looks like an overkill rather than a dashing fashion statement.
But it’s not the lack of opportunity
to show off my winter wardrobe that annoys me the most about the transience of
the season. No, it’s the fact that I never get a chance to indulge in winter
gluttony as I would like to, having fantasised about it for the entire year.
Truth be told, what I love most
about the Indian winter is the gastronomic opportunities it presents. So much
so that (and yes, I know it makes me sound pathetic) I often while away hot
summer afternoons, thinking of all the gourmet delights that the cold weather
will bring.
I guess we all have our favourite
seasons when it comes to food. There are some people who live for the summer
and its gift of ripe, golden, juicy mangoes (though I would rather gorge on
lychees instead). And then, there are people like me who count the days down to
the winter, to feast on the goodies it brings.
So, here, in no particular order of
importance, are all the things that exemplify the taste of winter to me.
SARSON DA SAAG
What can I say? I am a Punjabi and
for me winter never truly begins until the first batch of sarson da saag has
been cooked in the kitchen. Needless to say, it is made in industrial
quantities because it always tastes better a day or so later. All you need to
do to refresh it is reheat with a generous blob of white butter added. Spoon it
up with a softly-crisp makki di roti for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bliss!
MAKKI DI ROTI
Yes, if sarson da saag has made an
entry into the kitchen, then makki di roti cannot be far behind. This is a
match made in gastronomic heaven. The golden hue of the roti is a perfect
counterpart to the deep green of the saag, feeding your eyes as well as your
taste buds. I always grate a bit of gobhi into the makki atta while kneading
it. The moisture left by the gobhi makes the roti just a wee bit softer and
sweeter, to balance out the slightly bitter taste of the saag.
METHI
Nothing matches the taste and smell
of the winter’s first methi. The leaves are green and tender, wilting quickly
under heat, and releasing the most heavenly aroma that fills the whole house.
This is a versatile leaf, which can be used as a vegetable, an herb, or even a
condiment. I like it best as a subzi, sauteed quickly with parboiled potatoes
but you can experiment with it as you will. Add it to theplas or parathas and
it adds an extra dimension of freshness to the dish. And if you love it as much
as I do, buy up loads while it is still in season, air-dry and store in jars to
use through the year. It is guaranteed to bring a whiff of winter to the
hottest of summer days.
ORANGES
There is something so meditative
about peeling an orange, isn’t it? Especially when you take care to peel it
slowly and carefully so that it comes off in one long whirl, curling and
curving seductively as it reveals the core of the fruit. Then, you remove the
long fibres still clinging to every segment so that just the quivering sliver
of pulp is left. Plop into your mouth and let the flavours explode on your
tongue. That sweetly acidic attack? That’s the taste of winter for me.
PEANUTS
The first sign of winter in the
north of India is when the rehriwallahs start doing the rounds of the streets,
their carts laden with mounds of unshelled peanuts. When you buy some, they
heat up the moongphali on the spot, on a small fire that stays burning amidst
the piles of nuts, and hand it to you in a paper bag. If you have any sense,
head straight for the nearest spot of sun, settle down with a good book, crack
open the shells and pop the warm peanuts into your mouth, one at a time. It
really doesn’t get better than this.
PARANTHAS
Yes, I know you can have them all
year round. But why would you want to eat them in the sweltering heat of summer
or the cloying humidity of the monsoon? Winter is when parathas really come
into their own. You can stuff them with the winter vegetable of your choice:
mooli or gobhi. Or you can stick to the tried-and-tested aloo version. But
whatever the stuffing, you can’t go wrong with white butter, full-fat dahi and
loads of achaar (try the winter combination of gobhi, shalgam and gajar; it’s
brilliant!).
GAJAR KA HALWA
It must have taken a genius to think
of transforming the boring carrot into a delicious dessert with the judicious
addition of sugar and milk (and many, many hours of cooking). Whoever she was,
God bless her soul. And while the winter lasts, bon appétit to you all!
- Seema Goswami HTBR130120
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