Food

The three basic essentials of life are food,clothing and shelter. (roti , kaapda aur makaan)

Our theme for Write Tribe is my favourite and I suppose everybody's as we have been endowed with a hungry stomach and a sense organ called tongue which is a catalyst to release hunger pangs. The nose inhales the aroma of piping hot food to make us run to the kitchen. Our eyes feast on the sumptuous array of  beautifully arranged food.

Food has not only to be cooked well but presented well to appeal to the eyes.


           


Among the 33 crores ,  gods and goddesses of Hindu  pantheon , Annapoorna Mata (Goddess of food) occupies a revered place. 

I remember my maternal grandmother , worshipping the earthern çhulha' or stove everyday and the first spoonful of cooked rice mixed with pure ghee was offered to the earthern chulha as a mark of respect and gratitude for Mata Annapoorna and Fire God. The first roti or Indian bread prepared was fed to the calf or cow and the last roti was reserved for a beggar. Thus all the sections of society were fed.

                                      

My grandmother briefed us about the the different stages of farming and I got to know the efforts taken by the agrarian community to put food on our table. The moral was to encourage to eat and relish food and not to waste a morsel of food. Leftover food was judiciously converted to another tasty dish the next day or given to the household maid.

Our country has a rich tradition of a balanced and tasty diet varying with different seasons. Wheat and rice are the staple grains while jowar or Sorghum , bajra or Pearl_millet and nachani or finger millet too are consumed. Multi-grain rotis and breads are very popular.


                                                     


 Cereals and pulses too are popular. Locally grown vegetables are consumed with Indian rotis and rice. 
                                              

Home made butter and ghee too are consumed in small quantities.

Fruits too occupy an important place in the diet of the Indians.

Some people consume and relish non-vegetarian food like fish, mutton , chicken etc.

With growing obesity , diabetes , blood pressure and cardiac problems , the importance of proper and balanced food is greatly felt along with a change in life-style. 

Some pockets of our country are staring at malnourishment.

The government provides mid-day meals to many municipal school to discourage absenteeism and encourage proper nourishment but the quality of the food is far from satisfactory. 

Some institutions like the Akshayapatra are doing yeomen  service to the society by providing food. Read here.

Desserts are my weakness. I am sharing a sweet dish which me and my son love to finish off ................................
                     

                            CARAMEL BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients : 3 cups milk , 2 eggs ,  2 slices bread (stale) , 10 tbsp + 2 tbsp sugar , 3-4 drops of vanilla essence , 1 tbsp raisins.

FOR THE CARAMEL :

take a pan. put it on the gas stove with 1 tbsp water. Add 2 tbsp sugar. mix well. when it changes colour , remove from fire and pour the hot caramel in the shallow bottom steel vessel. Rotate the vessel so that it sticks to the bottom of the entire vessel. keep aside.

Method :

Boil milk . Add 10 tbsp sugar. Stir till the sugar dissolves. Add raisins. Let it cool completely.

Add the bread pieces and allow  to soak for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl beat the eggs . Add it to the milk-bread mixture. stir well. Transfer this milk mixture to the caramelised vessel . Add vanilla essence. Mix. Seal the surface of the vessel with aluminium foil. Steam it for 10-15 minutes in a pressure cooker without the whistle.

Let it cool . Remove the alu. foil .Take a flat serving plate and put the vessel  upside down. tap on the vessel. The pudding comes off easily on the plate.

                                                     Serve chilled.


Option : Instead of bread slice one may add grated apple to the milk mixture.

Readers , will you try out the caramel bread pudding? Do share with us your food preferences.


                             FOR : WRITE TRIBE FESTIVAL OF WORDS -II DAY 2


                                                     

  

read here. Day 1 -Memories.