potatoes – SKR Web

Not one to Mince Words!

November 11, 2021
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

I heard two simultaneous grumbles in my drawing room. I recognised one to be coming from me and when I looked up for the second sound, I saw that familiar sheepish grin from my 8-year-old! I told you he is always hungry, with or without me. Our eyes met and he giggled his sweet smile guiltily and I knew it was time to go for my everyday pilgrimage. My lovely kitchen, here I come! As my hunger pangs were pounding hard all the way from my stomach to my brain. I decided to listen to them for once. I was raking my brain toward how to quickly go in and come out of the kitchen and yet be able to satisfy both me and my hungry bird. Today like any other day I wanted something that is quick, healthy yet yummy for my son’s tummy for if he ends up eating it all, I knew I was my safest bet. I went towards my fridge with fingers crossed. I was hoping to see that one raw material that can help me churn out a mouth-watering quickie. Saw that small box of minced chicken in the freezer. The bulb suddenly lit up and my eyes darted towards lazily lying potatoes in my pantry. I picked 2 small ones and quickly peeled and cut them into small cubes. They were ready to be soaked in cold water. While I was warning my son away from playing his hand-hopscotch with them, I finely diced one small onion and kept aside two chopped ones as well. I added quick dash of sunflower oil and let it burn till smoke and aroma filled my nostrils awake.

In went diced onions and stirred away till golden-brown. Off went the potatoes along with them, red chilli powder, salt to taste, earthy turmeric and some coriander powder. I further added curd, and ginger-garlic paste to bring out that age old aroma that never fail to remind me on home. I added some water and stirred till all flavours became one. While my mum’s age-old spatula was doing its magic, in went that mince-meat along with chopped onions, some coriander and to green chillies roughly broken into two. On came the lid with gas on simmer for 10 mins or so. After 15 minutes as my safe side, I then opened the lid approximately and put the flame on high and dried the remaining water.

With his unique pitter-patter, the small excited feet below the growing legs of my son came running towards the kitchen. I knew I had picked up his curiosity. Seeing that toothy smile I knew I have won my case. The moment he picked up that sour bread at the far corner of kitchen counter, it was confirmed that he was ready to dive in my small effort to lure his experimental taste buds.That expression of pure glee and imaginative drool lines along his smiling lips is a strong give-away of his happiness and acceptance. He sniffed the air and unlike his obedient self very timidly brought his plate up the counter-top to peek into the simmering delight. Potato mince meat was ready for my baby potato! That is all that a mum needs…Sigh (my contentment breathed for myself)!

Pantry Full of Love

The Tomatina Overloads!

November 9, 2021
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

After years of moping away my heart, I feel I am ready to break my mental block. This morning I felt like rummaging through the deep corners of my refrigerator, as my creative juices were ready to burst out of their cell. I saw a bag full of overripe tomatoes. As I accidently banged my head against the door, my pained, watery eyes rested at a box full of green chillies, that have seen their days! my mouth started watering and my tastebuds literally did their summersault. I needed that adreline rush due to all Indian spices to jolt me out of my rusted and depressed soul-searching moments. my son screeched his lungs out for I was not giving him my undivided attention for once! While he decided to drown me in the pool of mommy guilt, I was way past that guilt trip now. He sulked away his wounded ego and submerges his irritated self in the Peppa pig and Masha and the bear for the next hour.

All I could see was my gas burner, chillies, and tomatoes…Oh how I needed that heat! Thank God to my lazy self for kicking butt and dragging my mind off my dull thoughts far enough to reach that handle. My hands just grabbed the chopping board and like an old addict who just cannot stay away from her daily dosage, the tomatoes were diced away and so were the chillies…In a trance I put that familiar half ruined pan on the burner and put some peanut oil in it. Next came pinch of Nigella seeds (no wonder I love her)! In went tomatoes, green chillies, salt, red chilli powder, along with a hint of garlic paste. I could literally smell the taste, in fact taste that smell. it simmered on slow heat to release all its juices. After 10 long minutes, I eagerly removed the lid and added a pinch of sugar to create that age old balance of life! With flame on high, the oil got separated like mother from child who despite their differencesstill stayed connected with the soul! What was left was that gooey, tender, pulp(ish) mixture of sweet and sour heaven that I could simply gobble! The nachos in my pantry lifted their arms for me to pick and choose as its companion. I grabbed them and off I dragged my son towards the familiar comfort of my age-old couch to snuggle and buggle away together in the fantasy land of fairies and bears! It is well worthy baby and momma time enjoying theie own spice of life!

Guys!! I am back! And what a spicy comeback it is! I feel so refreshed and ready to go. So hold your horses and let your mouth drool as we are in my Kitchen again, my heaven for cooking and shooting away the taste in our lives. It is all about what is left in the kitchen…let us shake it away to make something yummy that satisfies the cravings of mouth and tummy!

Pantry Full of Love

Peeling away their Jackets!

November 2, 2021
by Sameera Khan Rehmani

As I woke up with my chronic toothache, I glared at the clock as if it was all its fault. Poor soul was only telling the truth of life, the time that I have missed while being in my dreamland. It was already way later for breakfast, and it was Saturday, our weekend! Craving for my iced coffee and angry with the world for having one, I realized it was only who must make it for myself. I dragged myself into my sanctity of sanity…my kitchen. While picking my beloved coffee jar, I realised I have an 8-year-old whose mission in life is to make me make something ‘delicious’ for him, every single hour of the day! Scratching the itch of my mental inability to comprehend anything before I have that caffeine shot, I saw them! Those irregular-sized potatoes were ready to roll towards their grave if I don’t happen to save them. All three of them seemed to be staring at me as if begging. They literally wanted me to drag them out of this trauma of shrivelling away in dark corner of that bucket! I decided to oblige them, simply because I was according to many I know and to most I don’t, a lazy mum trying to complete my humble duty to satisfy those universal maternal instincts.

Without any guilt on hand i grabbed them and pulled them out of their misery! With my iced coffee in one hand and them in another I tried to balance them just like I try to balance my ever-wavering life every day, I soaked their shrivelled skin in salt water for 10 mins. This was my last CPR to bring them back to life. As I closed my eyes in mental bliss after the first sip of my delicious cold-lame concoction of coffee, milk, and ice, I used my one hand to quickly pour 2 teaspoons full of olive oil in my deep pan (that was the health conscious me)! In went cumin seeds with curry leaves, along with pinch of asafoetida. With crackling sound in my ears humming like therapeutic rhythm, I put salt to taste, one green chilli (broken into two) and tip-full of turmeric. In went chopped and peeled potatoes. Then it was time for 3/4 cup of H2O and on came the lid. I put heat at its lowest, slowly building in warmth and comfort from this feeling of soon feeding the hungry mouth of my little birdie chirping with his mouth open in the background of my kitchen. He was being his usual impatient hungry self, but I am not complaining about I had the comfort of my iced coffee nestled in between my palms. W both are on our way to mutual truce after soon satisfying our individual cravings! I just let the dish simmer to its own dreams for around 10-12 minutes. Then like I do to myself every morning, I jolted it out of its trance by removing lid and putting the flame on high! It groaned, thickened, and sizzled to its full golden glory and today’s meditation reached its catharsis!

Since it was already past breakfast time as I let myself go on weekends. It’s all right to not be that every day early morning riser each day of our lives. We can forgive ourselves and each other occasionally and smile for just being able to be alive! Well, my version of potato worship reached its peak! With sonny boy calling and my tooth crying, it was time to do belly worship with simple steamed rice and home-made chilli pickle in toe…Happy brunching!

Tag: <span>potatoes</span>

Not one to Mince Words!

The Tomatina Overloads!

Peeling away their Jackets!