Puran Poli, Sprouted Bean Curry and Batata Wada

Lunch from cooking class at Sya's

I've had a busy week thus far. Yesterday R did a playdate in her mountain retreat. I sang on Sing Star, stuffed my face with chips and pop corn, not to forget Thosai and Vegetable Curry made by her helper. There was also Apple Strudel (excellent) and Black Forest Cake made by another helper, in other words, I was stuffed. Came home in the evening and ate rice porridge with marmite.

Today for lunch we had Japanese (buffet - meaning that I would keep serving myself) with the Grade 2 and Kindergarten/Transition mothers. I got to carry LP's cute little baby boy for quite a while (sigh...) but zut, when will I ever get to go on my diet?

The best part : Monday I invited myself and P to Sya's flat for a cooking class. India is gigantic, the road ahead when it comes to Indian cooking is therefore a long one. Since the Indian community is growing here in Modena, I would be foolish not to take up the opportunity to become apprentice to a few masters. OK, plus eat at the same time, but you know, one shouldn't waste food.

Ze Spread (e.g. Ghee, Puran Poli, Gulab Jamun, Sprouted Bean Curry, Flavoured Rice, Batata Wada)

Sya made Puran Poli, a sweet dish from Maharashtra usually eaten on festive occasions like the Gudi Padwa. The Poli looks like a roti but is different in that its preparation begins with the stuffing, in this case boiled Chana Dal and Jaggery (unrefined cane sugar of which Maharashtra is the largest producer and consumer in India - also known as Gula Melaka in Malay). We ate it with Ghee...!

Batata Wada

She also demonstrated the making of Batata Wada which is a battered spicy potato patty deep fried and served as a snack (not unlike the Begedil from where I come from). I love this and ate quite a number of it. Basically you boil a few potatoes and mash them, adding spices like ginger, garlic, fresh chilli, onions, turmeric, salt, garam masala, coriander leaves and curry leaves to be mixed together and then hand-formed into round patties. Then you make a batter with gram flour, chilli, turmeric, salt, pinch of rice flour (for crispiness), hot oil and water (room temperature). Coat the potato patties in the batter and deep fry in hot oil. Yummy...

Banana Raita

She also made Chutneys and Raitas (e.g. with banana, ginger, garlic, chilli, coconut, salt, sugar, coriander leaves, water, yoghurt...), chapatis, flavoured rice (oil, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, peas...), Gulab Jamun and what was quite impressive was the fact that she actually has a special knife that she uses to grate her own coconut. Wow.

Sya grating fresh coconut

Vegetarians out there may be interested in this Sprouted Bean Curry. You sprout your beans by soaking them overnight in water, draining away the water and leaving the beans in a cheesecloth till they sprout. To cook the curry, you grind coconut, chilli, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and garam masala into a paste. Brown ginger-garlic paste, onions, curry leaves, add in the other paste, mustard seeds, asafetida, turmeric, mixed spices, chilli till they turn fragrant, add the sprouts, water, kokum peel (for sourness, the fruit is related to the mangosteen) and simmer the curry till it's ready.

Cooking Sprouted Bean Curry

Sya set out our lunch on big stainless steel plates (makes me want to buy a few of those for myself) with a bit of everything on it. I didn't do justice to her chutney and raita since I don't eat yoghurt but P loved them (right, P?) But I ate loads of everything else and that the bathroom scale can testify.

Sya's Colourful Spice Pot

I had a great time with the chirpy gals (shouldn't say it too loudly lest it should confirm the Hub in his idea that I enjoy myself too much while he's slaving away in the office) and have made another date with them next week. This time, I am (yes me) going to demonstrate how to bake a cake. That ought to make the Hub smirk. He thinks that I'm the worst baker on earth.

PS : Voici ze Appe pan that Sya kindly got me from India. Cool, isn't it?