Mixed Veg

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Ingredients:

To serve two

• 1 tomato, cut in big chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ cup peas
• 1 baked potatoes, mashed
• 1 tsp each ginger-garlic paste
• 1 green chilly, finely chopped
• 1 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• Oil for cooking

For garnishing

• Shredded cheese
• 1 tsp cream
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:

• Heat the oil.
• Add the cumin seeds, chilly and asafoetida.
• Now add onions and cook till golden brown.
• Add the ginger-garlic paste and mix it up.
• Add all the vegetables, cover and let cook
• When the vegetables turn soft, add all the spices and mix well
• Let them cook for a few more minutes on low flame
• Garnish with the cheese, cream and coriander.

Serve hot as an accompaniment with bread or rice.

The pain of separation

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1040. I dint turn and look behind when I went for the check-in. Dint want to. Call it superstitious, if you'd like to but i'd rather call it sentimental. Got my check-in baggage scanned. The guys there put a security strap around my suitcases. I headed straight ahead to the Jet Airways check-in counters and joined the queue. The lady probably dint care to weigh my 2 suitcases, at least I couldnt see the weight being displayed. The helperboy who put my suitcases from the trolley to the conveyer belt, was so surprised at the weight of my hand baggage that he couldnt stop himself from asking me about it. I smiled and told him that I was carrying food stuff and some chakli. Perhaps he took me for a little girl who couldnt stay away from maa ke haath kaa banaa khaanaa and just ignored me. Collecting my boarding pass and seeing my suitcases being pushed away by the conveyer belt, I directed my trolley towards the immigration check. With some struggle to heave the cabin baggage on my shoulder, I reached the immigration desk in no time. The immigration officer, Mr. Shinde, took interest in my family origins for obvious reasons. The fact that I was from Pune dint probably go down with him so well as my telling him that my Dad is from Gwalior. After telling him why I was heading to the UK, I was through with the immigration check. I remembered the last time that I had crossed the line and not being able to come back to you both.

1100. I reached the lounge and waited there for no more than 5 minutes than we were called for security check for 9W118 at gate 6. My hand baggage invited a manual check for chilli powder. When it was not found, I got the stamp on my boarding pass. But the lady was surprised to see aata, rice and dal. I sat down next to Navaz awaiting the boarding instructions.

1120. I thought to myself that I should hava started at 1100 from you both, had I known that the entire process would get over so soon. While in the queue for the security check, I got talking to Navaz. A smartly dressed 58 year old lady, probably parsi. She was visiting her sister, 3 nephews and 4 grandnephews in Norfolk. Her plant nursery near the airport was eing taken care of by her servants who would also take care of her 93 year old mother and 95 year old aunt. Being single, she likes it her way, spending time with the sister and then travelling to Vancouver to meet some cousin, before returning to Mumbai via Heathrow. She took a liking to me knowing about my family and my profession. She invited me to her sister's home in Norfolk and exchanged contact details.

1245. When the plane actually needed to take off, we began boarding. Thankfully mine was an aisle seat. I had actually forgotten to ask for it while collecting my boarding pass as I was more occupied with the check-in baggage being over the weight limit. I settled down in my seat 44D.