Vegetables in winter

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.