Revisiting resolves!

Gobhi fry in sarson ka teil

Some weeks ago I wrote a blog post titled “Time for oil change!” about breaking mental barriers and venturing out to use mustard oil with potatoes in a Nepali dish, which happily was a resounding success.

Then the bottle of MO went back to the pantry.

It would have probably gone rancid with disuse, but for a constant subliminal reminder by so many of my new found friends on Facebook culinary groups who wax eloquent about mustard oil in almost every second dish they make!

So I started thinking about more possibilities and latching on to a scrap of a memory (or was it a figment?), posed a question on FB last night whether gobhi with MO would taste good.

I had suggestions and comments- all encouraging and positive.

Emboldened, I went ahead in blind faith- hand-held by all the stalwarts who swear by mustard oil.

The resultant dish was another unqualified success, remarkable for its simplicity and singularity of taste. The spice mix complemented the fried florets and the only excess was the amount of oil!

3 cups gobhi florets, washed and drained

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garam masala

½  tsp ajwain, crushed

½  tsp cumin seeds, crushed

½ tsp pepper corns, crushed

Salt to taste

Mustard oil to fry

Heat about a cup of mustard oil in a kadhai to smoking point and add the gobhi florets batch by batch and deep fry them al dente and remove them onto kitchen paper. After the last batch is fried, remove all the oil except a about a teaspoon and sauté the ginger-garlic pastes and the masalas in it. When done, add back the fried gobhi florets and add salt to taste.

Serve with roti or paratha. I served it with varki parathas- in a meal fit for a king!

Time for oil change!

Nepalese Alu Pyaz Sadeko

We need an oil change from time to time. Just like cars. Not only for maintenance and protection of our parts like vehicles do, but also for opening our minds, exploring new avenues, experimenting with new dishes, embracing novel experiences and tastes! But most importantly, an oil change is an absolute must to get rid of all the rust from prejudices and misconceptions!

After nearly four decades of disparaging mustard oil, I bought a small bottle of it- albeit the smallest in the shop- for the fear of wasting it if I didn’t like it!

New friends, new ideas and a newly revived spirit- I am so enjoying this cooking and blogging and making and sustaining cyber friendships!

My friend Atul Sikand has inspired me to break the barriers and muster up enough courage to cook with mustard oil. I couldn’t resist taking a sniff-whiff of the oil and sneakily unscrewed the cap- the legendary zing hit straight through the nose- up the middle of the skull and reached the top of the head!

Not a fan of heat, I tempered it down- but this rendition Alu Pyaz Sadeko was equally delicious!

Based on the recipe by Atul Sikand…Nepalese Alu Pyaz Sadeko

3 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
1 small onion, diced large
1 teaspoon mustard oil
Salt to taste
Chilli powder to taste
½ tsp Sichuan pepper
A generous pinch of turmeric
¼ pinch of methi seeds
2 tbsp mustard oil
2 green chillies

Smear the boiled potatoes with a teaspoon of mustard oil and salt. Keep aside for some time. Then add the cut onions and mix. Sprinkle the haldi and chilli powder on the potatoes. Heat mustard oil till it smokes and add the methi seeds, sichuan pepper and 2 green chillies. Remove from heat quickly and the methi seeds will continue to brown lightly in the heat. Pour the hot tempering over the turmeric and chilli powder. Mix well and adjust the tastes.

Serve cold or at room temperature like a salad.