Vegetables are plenty available in
winter. This is the reason women love to try out some recipe out of vegetables
when in kitchen. Even in Orissa people prefer weddings and parties keeping
availability of vegetables in this cold season. It is also the time when women
prefer to sprout a kitchen garden of their own to get fresh and pure foods. Himanshu
Guru asked some women to know about their preparation to feed their families
with fresh green vegetables.
“This is the time in the year when we
get the small size potatoes; we call it ‘new potatoes’. I try out recipes with
a range of green vegetables where methi, carrot, palak, and greens play vital
roles. I love the potato fry with peas and masala. It is a dry preparation to
make your mouth wet with saliva. Besides, the small size onion also is
available only in this time. Importantly, we get every vegetable fresh and
green in winter. Cauliflower and cabbage are my favourite when cooked along
with tomato, potato and masalas. Ah, I can’t miss the idea of having these
recipes in a picnic party. You know, enjoying something green in a green
environment doubles the taste. Even I have also managed to erect a kitchen
garden of my own,” said Sakina Banoo, a spinster from the capital city.
Alisha Mishra may be an IT
professional but her hubby is cooking. Among other reasons she loves winter
because of vegetables. “I satisfy my hunger of the whole year only in winter,
since in this season vegetables are plenty available. I love to have mudhi with
new onions, zinger, dhania leaves, mustard oil along with some masala powder
and salt,” said the girl from Bolangir who lives in Bangalore these days for
her jobs. “This is the best time in the year as this is the only season that I
recall when we were having a lot of fun during my childhood. We were sitting in
the open-air in the school and were sunning in the early morning” she also
said.
“Out of professional engagements I
don’t get time to enter the kitchen. But I always wish to try out something in this
season only for the vegetables. Even when roaming in the market, I get
attracted with the colour of the vegetables. Even, you can find more numbers of
vendors on the road side, because more vegetables are available in this
season,” said Arati Mishra, a homemaker from Jeypore. “Among the recipes I love
Brinjal, broccoli, cauliflower and the new peanuts. My kids don’t usually beg
for broccoli, but I love it a lot. Especially roasted broccoli is my
favourite,” she added.
“Usually like in other seasons we focus
on non- vegetarian foods, in winter we get a chance for a variety of recipes
with the vegetables. Amongst them, I love peas. Here is my favourite -- You
take fresh peas, toss them with olive oil and salt, and then grill them until
they are lightly charred on the outside and steamy soft on the inside. Then
when you eat them, you scrape up some of that smokey, charred, salty flavor,
while the peas pop into your mouth. If you want to add to this symphony of
flavors, you can sprinkle chopped mint on the peas before eating,” said Sunita
Babu from Bhubaneswar.
