11:32 AM - I'm writing this entry intermittently as I cook our Saturday lunch. Bless his heart, Pranav insisted on eating last night's left overs for lunch today, but I wanted to put something fresh on the menu. About 45 minutes ago, I set off downstairs to visit our condo's sabzi wala, a nice gentleman by the name of Satish who graciously brings the freshest fruits and vegetables - among other things - to our building's common area. I find his prices highly competitive plus, its incredibly reassuring to know that if I urgently need another potato, there are bushels just an elevator ride away.
11:35 AM - My potatoes are boiled. Anyway, I went downstairs to compete with the other aunties and housewives for the best of the morning's vegetables. Shopping downstairs at 10:30 AM on the weekend is a death wish. Otherwise normal and courteous individuals lose all sense of civility and decency when it comes to gathering the plumpest tomatoes and perfectly ripened mangoes. I moved through the tiny mob as best as I could without literally stepping on anyone's toes, and selected my veggies. Today, for the first time, I stopped to ponder the bread and noticed a package of 6 fresh pav buns.
11:50 AM - My bhaji is cooking. Rather impulsively, I picked up the buns and decided then and there that I would be making pav bhaji. For anyone who doesn't know, pav bhaji is a famous Mumbai street meal consisting of buns and vegetables. Its quick to serve, and full of spicy goodness. That being said, I should also mention that I don't particularly like it. I've eaten it on many occasions, each time hoping that I would enjoy it more than the last, but I can honestly say that I've only ever loved it once.
12:30 PM - We've been suffering a water shortage here in the Garden City, and the water just made a 25 minute appearance. I was able to do the dishes, and hand-wash three shirts. Moving along, that one time was with the Varade Family Doctors. The VFDs are good friends of mine from my university days, and their mom is an amazing cook. I have them to thank for my introduction to pani puri, sohan papdi and the one time that I actually enjoyed eating pav bhaji.
12:38 PM - Forgot to moisturize my hands. I should probably clarify something. I don't hate pav bhaji, I just don't know what all the hype is about. You take some mixed veg, toss it up in a wok or on the tawa, add a bunch of spices, squish it up, and shove it between the heavily buttered and toasted halves of a tiny bun. Garnish it with fresh coriander, add some chopped onion and squeeze a little lime on the bhaji, but it doesn't ever get more complicated than that. Maybe that's the beauty of it. The pav bhaji page on Facebook presently has 21, 432 members. I am not one of them. Here's a totally unrelated recipe to help you beat the heat and get 2 of your recommended 4 daily servings of fruit.
Low Fat Banana and Strawberry Smoothie
- 1 large very ripe banana
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1/2 cup 1% yoghurt
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- a squeeze of lemon
Simply blend all these ingredients together until the desired texture is achieved. If you prefer a lighter smoothie, then use more milk and adjust the sugar accordingly. If you like chunks of fruit, then don't blend it too smooth, and feel free to use honey if you'd like to avoid sugar altogether - gives a very different twist to this summery drink. Whatever you do, don't leave out the lemon! It enriches the flavours and brings them all together just beautifully. Enjoy!
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