From my kitchen to yours

From my kitchen to yours

Monday, September 17, 2012

DAY 85 - LOVE POTION NO.9 ....

They say that a person who is in love, lives on love and fresh air ...
Now is that so ...
I think to a person in love , the morning is just the most beautiful time to wake up to, because it could mean, you wake up to a face you love or then will run as fast as possible to see that one who puts that unstoppable smile on your face ...
And to sleep is just a waste time..

Well in my opinion ..
Which is not open to any kind of discussion, because this is my space ha ha ha (I love it)
I think when you are in love , you kind of LOVE everything about your day and your night...

As for me , I just find that my day has longer hours because they pour into the night and I think sleep is a waste of time...
I find everything beautiful..
Even the rust on my grills..
I find the clouds sending me messages..
I find meanings in various songs that I listen to, that I have heard before, and also find beautiful songs that I have never heard before...
What is most beautiful about love is that though you look at the world through rose coloured glasses..

After some time, you do take it off..
And look at the person in the reality of the day ..
And thats the only way you can separate the chaff from the grain...
Its difficult to do this in candle lite at night , because that is kind of magical and mystical...
So in the reality of the day, when you look at yourself. your eyes will tell you the truth..
If this is really love or just a beautiful tale you have concocted in your head ...
Is there someone really feeling all you do ..
Or you are imagining it all , because you have a beautiful imagination...

Ha ha ha ...
Well you will know your own truth ...

I just know that its wonderful being in love ..
And whats even more beautiful, is finding that same love in the eyes of the one you are looking into...
That feeling is simply irreplaceable... ...

And so today I'm making something that I love making..
Its easy and trouble...like me...
Its pure comfort,, indulgent yet very simple food..
That you can make and sit by a window, or then by a babbling brook or then at your dinning table. with the one you love ...

INGREDIENTS
1/2 Kg Lamb, boneless, cut into medium pieces 
1/2 Kg lamb on the bone, cut into medium pieces
400gm - onions diced
200gm - tomatoes, skin removed by blanching
200gm - Carrots cleaned and diced
200gm - Peas
300gm - Potatoes
500 ml - fresh or tetra pack coconut milk 
1Tablespoon - Garam masala
A small handful of garlic - peeled and smashed or diced
30 gm - ginger, skin removed and finely sliced
4 - medium spiced green chillies 
6 pieces - Cardamon
2 medium sticks - Cinnamon
4 - Cloves
2 - Bay leaves
1 1/2 Tsp - Cinnamon powder
Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat 4 table spoons of vegetable oil in a cooker..
Add the cardamon, cinnamon , bay leaves, cloves and give it a nice stir..
Then add the chili, and the onions..
Cook then till they turn slightly pink ..
Add the garlic and the ginger...
When the aroma of the garlic is released..
Add the mutton and add the garam masala and cook this till the meat turns nice and brown...
add the tomatoes...
Add salt , a tiny pinch 
Lower the flame and cook the meat for about 30-40 minutes till the mutton is about 3/4 done..

Then add the vegetables the carrots, peas and potatoes and 2 cups warm water ..
Shut the pressure cooker and after the first whistle, lower the flame and let two more whistles go by..
Open the cooker when it is cooled...
I normally do not have the patience to wait, so I dunk it under cold water and open the lid..
Then put it back on a medium flame..
Adjust the salt..
Add the coconut milk and bring it to a boil..
Add the cinnamon powder ...
It is now ready to devour...

This is actually a very simple dish ..
But requires a whole lot of prep and effort and patience ...
You must not try and hurry this because you will spoil this lovely aromatic stew..
Do not over do the flavouring ..
Whats lovely about this , is that you can taste each vegetable and the meat like it is , without too much of a masala flavour and just a hint of it...

This is best served with some "Brun pav" or then some "Naan" ..
And if you want it to look like a very up- market gourmet meal , then plate it in beautiful white crockery and serve with some " French bread " and balance some fresh juliennes of carrot on it , with a sprig of curly leafed parsley....ha ha 
Its really that simple ...

So you see , making this stew is exactly like being in love..
If you really want to keep that beautiful feeling .....
You will have to give this love of yours a lot ..
Time, understanding, kindness, acceptance, trust, forgiveness well the list is endless...and supposed to be unconditional ...
I'm not saying this is a piece of cake..
It all depends on how much you value this..

And if you cannot ..
Then I suggest you just stick to making this stew its easier...
And will have no bitter after taste..even if it goes wrong ...

And to the rest who want to have their stew and eat it too...

Well go for it with abandon..
That's the only way you should ever cook and love..
Without holding back..

Don't let your head mess with your heart ....
If you know you have found the one ...

So here's presenting, ''LOVE POTION NO.9""...
Flavoursome, hot , aromatic, filled with comfort and an immense amount of love...
In every bite..

You will over indulge , let me warn you ...
So its an ideal meal for a lovely after noon ..
Where you plan to do nothing , but hang with the "one"(and I dont mean Keanu Reeves ha ha ha ), under a tree , listen to some music and read or whisper sweet nothings...cuddle...kiss....whatever...
Well do what ever you want actually..
I'm not the authority on love YOU KNOW... 
'LOVE POTION NO.9"
But like putting ideas in your head...ha ha ha 

Served steaming hot, from the fire into your plate ,with an unstoppable smile only from ''Maria's Kitchen"....
I promise you this..
It will be well worth it...
The stew and all....

3 comments:

  1. Hello Maria

    Lovely potion. I shall try the veggie version of this. Thanks to you, discovered joy of baking website and have become a cool cupcake baking mom. Kids love the cupcakes that get sent to school. I was not much of a baker until i read your blogs..... thanks. just bought the mini cupcake moulds and a cupcake corer (Never knew these things existed) to make some corn cupcakes and infuse them with some fancy icing that i saw in an episode of cupcake wars. And i never did these things before reading your blogs. SO, i think the man on the moon must be back to pavilion. Must have lost a bit of weight though,I think he was missing all the good food.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Sneha,
      Am so happy that you are baking ..
      Just go for it ..
      It's too much fun ..
      When you are making the veg stew , please use vegetable broth it will be tastier ..😄

      Delete
  2. thanks for the tip on veggie broth. I make mine at home so always have it. And yes the look of delight on my kids faces when a cupcake is in sight is priceless.

    ReplyDelete