For a couple of years now, changing weather patterns and reducing rainfall in areas that need it the most have led to spiralling cost of basic food items. The negative inflation so loudly touted by our government seems so irrelevant to the citizens because it certainly does not reflect what is going on in their lives at the present time. The composition of the WPI numbers put out weekly is the reason for the index to be so far from reality, since it focuses on industries rather than commodities. The Consumer Price Index, that is the more important number to consumers, is released monthly and with a three-month lag, and thus is not all that helpful either. Our conception of inflation needs a makeover, it appears, when calculating household budgets.
Well, talking of makeovers, when purses tighten, it is food left over in the kitchen that undergoes extra dressing and flavoring to tide over one more meal. A lot can be learnt from our traditional cooking methods. In large families with many mouths to feed, a lot of food is prepared since it is hard to measure to scale the amount each person eats. Leftovers are common and with budgets strained it is hard to throw it all away. I've seen the way absolutely nothing is wasted at my in-law's farm; even vegetable peelings have their place in the scheme of things ... and I mean in the edible sort of way. And it is sometimes surprising, though it shouldn't be really, how the simplest food can be the most satisfying.
One of my favorites in this regard is crumbled idlis. It's a wonderful way to use up leftover idlis that have grown cold and tough and simply refuse to disappear from the kitchen table. Warm it up and season it and somehow it acquires a whole new characteristic of its own.
For this recipe, I use about a dozen or so medium-sized idlis. If possible, one could chill them in the refrigerator for an hour or two; or else leftover idlis can be refrigerated overnight and used up the next morning. Refrigerating them hardens them a bit and makes the crumbling process easier, giving the crumbled idlis a snowy texture.
I chop two medium-sized onions and two medium-sized tomatoes. I also grate an inch of ginger and slit two green chillies.
In a flat-bottomed pan, I heat a spoon of oil. In this I crackle half a teaspoon of mustard seeds. Then I add half a teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal, stirring them in the oil till they turn a golden brown. I put in a fistful of curry leaves next, stirring them.
The ginger and chillies go in next, followed after a minute or so by the chopped onions. Let the onions fry for about ten minutes, stirred constantly, till they brown at the edges. Then add the tomatoes, gently frying them for a few minutes. Tumble in the crumbled idli and mix well. Salt can be adjusted if it seems a bit less.
Turn off the stove and garnish with a sprinkle of grated coconut. Chopped coriander leaves can also be used to vary the taste a bit.
This goes to the WYF: Breakfast event hosted by EC of Simple Indian Food.
Well, talking of makeovers, when purses tighten, it is food left over in the kitchen that undergoes extra dressing and flavoring to tide over one more meal. A lot can be learnt from our traditional cooking methods. In large families with many mouths to feed, a lot of food is prepared since it is hard to measure to scale the amount each person eats. Leftovers are common and with budgets strained it is hard to throw it all away. I've seen the way absolutely nothing is wasted at my in-law's farm; even vegetable peelings have their place in the scheme of things ... and I mean in the edible sort of way. And it is sometimes surprising, though it shouldn't be really, how the simplest food can be the most satisfying.
One of my favorites in this regard is crumbled idlis. It's a wonderful way to use up leftover idlis that have grown cold and tough and simply refuse to disappear from the kitchen table. Warm it up and season it and somehow it acquires a whole new characteristic of its own.
For this recipe, I use about a dozen or so medium-sized idlis. If possible, one could chill them in the refrigerator for an hour or two; or else leftover idlis can be refrigerated overnight and used up the next morning. Refrigerating them hardens them a bit and makes the crumbling process easier, giving the crumbled idlis a snowy texture.
I chop two medium-sized onions and two medium-sized tomatoes. I also grate an inch of ginger and slit two green chillies.
In a flat-bottomed pan, I heat a spoon of oil. In this I crackle half a teaspoon of mustard seeds. Then I add half a teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal, stirring them in the oil till they turn a golden brown. I put in a fistful of curry leaves next, stirring them.
Turn off the stove and garnish with a sprinkle of grated coconut. Chopped coriander leaves can also be used to vary the taste a bit.
This goes to the WYF: Breakfast event hosted by EC of Simple Indian Food.