broccoli mung and barley ...making a nice one pot meal...

Barley is the grain for summers as it is supposed to be cooing to the system . In my multigrain khichdi recipes the barley provides nice glutinous texture to chew on . Almost like pasta as i have mentioned many times. I keep experimenting with this favorite grain of mine and a khichdi/tahiri fit for a detox regime is very convenient to rustle up when i have some boiled grain already in the fridge . As i mentioned in the pasta style barley with mushrooms posted earlier , the barley used in the recipe is pre-boiled . I usually boil barley in large quantity and keep it in the fridge to make a quick meal . Here in this recipe i use a mixture of barley and mung daal and that can also be boiled and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for a longer duration . See how it looks...

To boil this mix , soak the pearl barley and mung daal in water for half an hour and then boil in the microwave for 15 minutes ( 3 cups of water for 2 cups of mung barley mix) with salt to taste . This can be done in pressure cooker too , boiling till the first whistle blows up....

Now that we have this pre-boiled mix of mung and barley , the cooking procedure will take just about 10 minutes including chopping and cleaning .

ingredients...
for one large detox serving 
boiled mung barley mix 1 cup
broccoli florets 2 cups ( 250 gm)
chopped tomatoes 1 cup
chopped garlic 1 tsp
chopped green chillies or red chilly powder to taste
turmeric powder 1 tsp
black pepper powder 1 tsp
whole cumin seeds 1 tsp
lemon juice 1 tsp or to taste
ghee or olive oil 1 tsp

preparation....
Heat the ghee in a pan and throw in the cumin seeds , wait till they splutter .

Add the chopped garlic and stir to let them browned a bit .

Add the green chillies or red chilly powder (i like red chilly powder more) , add the turmeric powder , stir and wait for a couple of seconds before adding the chopped tomatoes.

Add salt to taste and let the tomatoes cook to pulp .

Add the broccoli florets mix well and cook covered for 2-3 minutes . The broccoli is supposed to be a bit crunchy and semi cooked . Add black pepper powder . Freshly crushed pepper corns make a lot of difference.

Add the boiled mung barley mixture and stir well to mix everything up together nicely . Let everything soak in for a few seconds , add lemon juice and serve hot.

Served hot or warm this dish makes a nice refreshing yet hearty meal . The best part is , it tastes good at room temperature too as the texture of the barley and broccoli both remain very good at room temperature too . Lemon juice complements the dish so well...garlicky , mildly hot and subtly tangy ...

A tall glass of buttermilk makes a nice accompaniment .Or think about a refreshing raita ...i like some bharta ( mashed vegetables) too to add to the detox functioning of this meal... 

Enjoy...

simple salad for summer...cherry tomatoes and chickpeas , detox recipe..

One more salad for detox . More suited for heavy duty detox . Raw foods always suit best for such occasions and this is not a discovery made by yours truly :)

Salads become all the more exciting when your garden produce finds a way to it . The cherry tomatoes and the mint leaves are from my garden , they are easily available in this season in the markets too ... so this salad can be fun to have during summers. A cooling salad with lots of mint .
Did i tell you that the green chillies are from my garden too ?
I wish i had fresh spring onions right now . The sad thing is , the squirrels are spoiling all the cherry tomatoes as they have developed a sudden liking for them . They are spared till they are green and as soon as they ripe and are filled with the best flavors , the squirrels attack . Many half eaten and bruised cherry tomatoes can be seen scattered around early in the morning....makes me sad for the tomatoes but it's a pleasure to watch those squirrels getting naughty... see the lovely plump green cherry tomatoes...

And some of them survive the squirrels to be used in a gorgeous salad...

Ingredients for the salad...
black chickpeas soaked overnight 1 cup ( sprouted chickpeas will be great)
chopped onions 1/4 cup
chopped fresh mint leaves 1/4 cup
halved cherry tomatoes 1and 1/2 cup
finely chopped green chillies 1/2 tsp ( optional)
mustard oil 1 tsp OR mustard powder 1 tsp
lemon juice 1/2 tsp
salt to taste 

Procedure....
Mix the mustard powder or mustard oil (whichever you are using) with lemon juice , add the chopped green chillies if using . You may like adding pepper powder too if not using green chillies. Add salt to taste . Mix well with a fork.
Add all the chopped mint and onions . Toss well and add the soaked or sprouted chickpeas in the last and toss well . 
Serve immediately. The dressing can be kept ready if the salad has to be served later . Mix everything up just before serving.
This is my plate with mixed grain roti, Parval ka chokha and this salad.

 

You can have it chilled or at room temperature. It makes a nice cooling lunch in summer days . Other sprouts can be added to add texture and nutrient value .

Enjoy...

mushrooms and peas ...pasta style...but no pasta , it's pearl barley...

Mushrooms and peas make one of the most favorite vegetables combo in my household and as i do with all the favorite vegetables , i use them to make the healthier sounding dishes more exciting . Coarse grains sound the most healthy and as it happens many people are driven off by such healthier sounding names . Barley is one of the healthy whole grains i love cooking and luckily the husband has also discovered a liking for it , especially if it is cooked like pasta .... so pearl barley often plays pasta on my table... accompanied by the favorite list of vegetables .....smart camouflage...isn't it?

The recipe isn't a complex thing here so i will just discuss the quick toss and a relaxed eat . You decide the proportions of whatever is being used, as much mushrooms as you like and as much peas you like ans as much seasonings ....i generally take care to keep lesser grains than the vegetables so that there is more nutrient value per calorie consumed ... more fiber too , and that means packed with flavors too as the seasonings and herbs are used liberally too...




So there is extra virgin olive oil , a bit of butter , lots of garlic , sun dried tomatoes chopped in thin strips , red chilly flakes , sliced red onions , sliced mushrooms and boiled peas ...a quick stir frying and tossing ...adding salt n pepper , some oregano  and soaking in all the whiff of aroma ... you would love cooking it believe me...




Did I say boil the pearl barley in advance ?




Okay I do that in pressure cooker adding twice the amount of water to barley . Cook the vegetables just as to retain their color and texture , preserving the best flavors within them and toss in the cooked barley .... like you would be adding some cooked pasta ... you may like to add some of the water left after draining the barley ...there is not much left when you boil in a pressure cooker like this...



Just let everything mix well and serve hot ... ready within 20 minutes if you boil the barley while you chop the vegetables , plus 5 minutes to toss everything up together...

I sometimes add barley to a pasta dish and sometimes skip the pasta altogether , it depends what vegetables i am using ...if the vegetables are something to enjoy more the pasta can be dumped altogether ...have you tried pearl barley playing pasta ?

I have posted some similar things earlier, a pearl barley dinner made with a pasta sauce. ...do tell me if you have tried any of them ...or try this one and see how it becomes a favorite in the first trial :)

bharta to detoxify...bitterguard mashed up ..

I know.. i know many of you must be feeling really uncomfortable at the thought of bitter guard mashed up . To make you more at ease let me tell you that even i was very suspicious of this mash till i actually tasted it . My dear friend Tapati used to talk about this mash (her own version) , about how much she loves having it daily , i used to think she is being overenthusiastic with her skin care regime . I thought of trying it a few times as i had liked another version of bitter guard mash long time back . And that was at the home of a very respected teacher of mine who was a Gandhian and practiced naturopathy .

And when i tasted this bharta at Tapati's place again a couple of years ago , i was hooked to it. I found it very tasty ... ah.. don't get surprised , i like bitter guards otherwise too. Needles to say this heavy duty detox recipe became a regular at my place and a big bowlful of this mash makes my body and my skin happy.

Now let's move to the recipe...

three medium bitter guards , one medium sized potato , and two red ripe tomatoes are cut into chunks and dunked into the pressure cooker with 1/2 cup of water and salt to taste . Boiled till done , till the first whistle blows if using pressure cooker .
Microwave can be used too.

The boiled vegetables look like this...

Now is the time to peel off the tomato skins and mush everything up into a bharta . Some chopped onions and green chillies will be added as per taste . I like the chopped onions providing a nice crunch as well as balancing the flavors of this mash.

Adjust salt and add a tsp of mustard oil . Mustard oil is a north Indian favorite and it you feel uncomfortable with it you can use sesame oil or olive oil too...

If you have been a bitter guard hater , believe my words that even a staunch BG hater that my husband is , even he eats a medium bowlful of this mash , once in a while . It is theek hai ( just okay) kind of dish for him while he says achha hai ( good or great ) if he really loves something . Not exactly lovable for him but just okay things can be had once in a while...

With my chapatis or with daal chaawal , this is the way to my detox plan whenever i decide for it . Even otherwise i keep making it once in a while and many of my other friends have liked the idea of this mash .... you know we click with similar kind minded people as friends :)

Enjoy...

broccoli ,soy nuggets and tomatoes stir fried.....detox recipe..

Broccoli and soy nuggets make a great hot and spicy one pot detox meal .
Too many adjectives for a humble meal but the flavors will make you crave for more and more helpings will all be possible without guilt .
What ?
Works for you?
Oh yes , it works for me too and for everybody i have known .

lets get down to the ingredient list for two meal servings...

soy nuggets soaked , rinsed, drained and squeezed 3 cups
broccoli florets 4 cups
quartered tomatoes 2 cups (i used heirloom/desi tomatoes)
red onions cut into rings 1 cup
ginger garlic minced or coarse paste 1 tbsp
finely chopped green or fresh red chillies 1-2 tsp
black pepper powder 2 tsp
soy sauce 2 tsp
oil (any oil of your choice) 2 tsp
salt to taste (taking care that soy sauce is quite salty)

procedure...

The soy nuggets i used were microwaved with water for 5 minutes , so they are already cooked and need lesser oil to cook in the pan. You can boil them in a pan if not using MW.

Heat oil in a thick base kadai and throw in the minced ginger garlic and finely chopped green chillies . Stir fr a few seconds and then add the sliced onions . Let the onions get a bit softer , taking care not to brown them .

Add the soy sauce and a tbsp of water .

Add the soy nuggets immediately after adding the water and keep stirring till the soy nuggets look dark soaking all the juices .

Add the broccoli florets and salt to taste . Add the black pepper powder too . Mix well and cook covered on low flame for 3-4 minutes . Add the quartered tomatoes , mix well and cook covered for another couple of minutes.

Serve hot . No accompaniments needed if you are opting for a carbohydrate free dinner . Whole wheat chapatis are good with it otherwise . It is a great side dish for a formal meal too...

If i tell you about the flavors ...well, the soy nuggets i love this way ...broccoli gets a boost of heat and i like it semi cooked here . Tomatoes are semi cooked too and follow the recipe exactly if you want to enjoy the way i do....

fruits for breakfast .... detox recipe ...

Almost all the fruits help the body to detox and regular intake of fruits makes your body to flush out toxins easily . A regular inclusion of fruits is good but when you need heavy duty detox regime you have to eat the fruits in a specific manner . No desserts made with fruit using dairy products ( apart from yogurt) or no baked or cooked compotes and jams.

This recipe with papaya and oranges is a good way to start your day for heavy duty detox . I call it heavy duty detox because this kind of food makes your body flush out a lot . And your body and your skin will thank you after such a regime . I will be posting a few detox recipes in future and you can mail me if you want to plan a detox for yourself.

ingredients...
for one detox serving
ripe papaya 250 gm
one large or two small oranges cut in slices
raisins ( i used black and brown raisins) 2 tbsp
honey 2 tsp ( reduced orange juice* if you are allergic to honey)

To assemble the salad ..mix everything together and eat immediately . A few walnuts can be added if you are not planning to have them for your mid morning snack .

* to make reduced orange juice , boil the orange juice in a pan with a bit of sugar and let it reduce to a thin syrup. Use as required . A cup of orange juice needs 1 tsp of sugar if the juice is not too sour , to be boiled for about 8-10 minutes .

It makes a nice refreshing breakfast in summer days if some mint is added too . Walnuts make it more suitable for the winters.

This particular bowl of salad we had for brunch one day and looking at the bright colors i got tempted to click a picture.

Enjoy...

eggs fried rice with bok choy .........

 I have very few Chinese recipes on my blog just because i make them very rarely . I do not use any other Chinese sauce than the ubiquitous soy sauce . The reason is , i want all fresh ingredients and seasonings as well . If you want to steer clear of processed food , you would have to minimize the use of bottled sauces too. Soy sauce is the only Chinese sauce i use occasionally to pep up my Chinese platter .

Egg fried rice is a comfort food . The best thing about egg fried rice is that it can be assembled in just a few minutes , as almost all egg based recipes do . And if you cook extra rice sometimes for convenience later on , nothing like this quick egg fried rice with added benefits of green crunchy bok choy.Green or red cabbage , or even bell peppers can be very good alternatives to bok choy , just be sure to cook them just slightly so they retain the crunch . I make this recipe with spring onions too but the most favorite is the bok choy version .

Also , this is the recipe where you can use the brown rice with confidence , everybody likes brown rice this way . So this egg fried rice will be a nice addition to you repertoire if ou have a few brown rice haters in the family...

ingredients...
 ( for 2 servings)
 4 eggs
cooked brown rice 1.5 cups
bok choy large sized 2 nos.
fresh red chillies 2-3 nos.( thinly sliced)
the red chillies are the fat variety used for stuffed pickles in the north of India
finely chopped garlic 1-2 tsp
finely chopped ginger 1 tbsp (or more if you like)
sliced onion 1/2 cup
dark soy sauce 2-3 tsp
white vinegar 1 tsp
freshly milled black pepper as per taste
oil 1+1 tbsp( i used sunflower oil)

procedure...

I usually cook the rice in the microwave when i make any kind of fried rice , stir frying the vegetables on the gas stove while the rice cooks. Brown rice takes a bit more time that white rice so it is convenient to shove the bowl of rice into the microwave first thing to start with. The chopping and stir frying all can be done while the rice cooks.

Chop the stalks of bok choy in thin slices and the leaves in strips along the midrib.

Heat oil in a pan , break the eggs , add salt and pepper for seasoning , whip lightly and pour into the hot oil . With the help of a spoon , keep pushing the cooking egg to one side of the pan , breaking the coagulated eggs in the process , you want large chunks of loosely scrambled egg. Take them out of the pan and keep aside when cooked.

You may like to make ribbons of fried eggs , for that you need to use a lot of oil in the pan , pour the beaten egg mixture in a stream and keep pushing the cooked strips of egg to the side . This way you get ribbons of deep fried egg , remove the ribbons with the help of slotted spoon draining all the oil. For a low oil recipe you need to do the way i did .

Heat oil in a pan and throw in the chopped garlic , ginger and thinly sliced red chillies , in that order . Let them fry for a while , getting them dehydrated and the flavors extracted in the cooking oil. Add the sliced onions and bok choy stalks and stir fry on high heat till they wilt and get slightly caramelized .Add the bok choy leaves too and fry just for a minute..

Add the soy sauce , vinegar and freshly milled black pepper , mix well and add the cooked brown rice . Mix well before adding the chunks of scrambled eggs.

Mix lightly , take the pan off the heat and serve hot ... adjusting seasoning in the end. Soy sauce is quite salty and there is no need to use additional salt , checking the seasoning once before serving is a good idea.

The dark soy sauce makes the finished egg fried rice look a bit dark in color . I prefer adding a few twists of milled black pepper on top of this rice , a little higher amount of black pepper complements very well with the eggs and bok choy , making the brown rice even more appetizing.

Sunday lunch can be like this , a large plateful of egg fried rice .... husband and wife sitting on the couch watching TV . Watching TV happens rarely on Sundays , usually it is some time spent working and bird watching in the garden and a quick lunch like this....a real comfort food after all the hard work mixing the manure and planting the seedlings ..... or clearing the weeds sometimes...

mung tofu spring rolls : mung ka cheela with a twist ....

Mung ka cheela is a traditional recipe and i transformed it to a nice fusion thing by a hot and happening stuffing . This spring roll is all protein and those who like savory breakfasts can rejoice as this can be a very quick recipe for a hot kick start to a happening day. Carbohydrate free , gluten free and very low on fats.

Preparing the batter and the traditional recipe can be seen here. I shall talk about the stuffing here. Crumbled or finely chopped tofu ( lightly pressed *) soaks up the flavors well and what flavors this stuffing has .... read on.....

ingredients... 
(2-3 breakfast servings)
lightly pressed tofu* 100 gm
celery ribs with leaves 2-3 ( finely chopped 1 cup)
chopped onions 1/2 cup
carrots finely chopped 1 cup
green or red chillies finely chopped 2 tsp or to taste
2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
salt n pepper to taste
tomato ketchup 1 tbsp
oil 1 tsp

You need about 2 cups of the mung daal batter as made here...

*wrap the block of tofu in kitchen towel and press with a heavy plate for 5 minutes* Chop in small bits or crush to crumble.

preparation ...

Keep all the chopped vegetables and herbs ready..Chopped finely.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped chillies and garlic first . Add all the vegetables in the pan .






Saute the vegetables with salt and pepper till the vegetables are soft and wilted , but half cooked. Add the tofu crumbled or finely chopped , add the tomato ketchup and mix well .  The stuffing is ready.







Now make this crepes from the batter on a hot griddle and spread the stuffing over it.







Wrap the crepe like spring rolls and press firmly so that the roll stays in shape . It is a loose roll but it doesn't open up easily.






Cut in desired pieces and serve as appetizers or as breakfast , as we had it.

The cut pieces can be held up together with a toothpick or a cocktail stick if it is being served like an appetizer . Otherwise too the rolls keep up their shape and using your fingers to pick them up is not difficult , as we did .

The celery and garlic flavors get infused into the tofu very well . I have been a reluctant celery user as i didn't quite like the taste when i first started having it . The Celery in my garden is being quite generous and i will be a fool not to device new ways to use this wonderful herb . This blend of flavors worked very well for the mild mung daal crepe . You have to taste it to believe it. just take care of using controlled amount of salt as celery needs very little salt.

Take a closer look at the stuffing... 

Healthy breakfasts are easy ... and savory breakfasts are happening .

Note : some readers have indicated that this mung ka cheela could be similar to Andhra pesarettu . I have posted pesarttu earlier. The only similarity between this cheela (crepe) and pesarettu is the ingredient mung daal , but the similarity ends there . This is an interesting example of how an ingredient behaves differently in it's different forms . In pesarettu , the mung daal used is with skin and the texture and taste of the dosa is very different . Here the husked mung results into a mild flavor and an almost glutinous texture . I have indicated that the roll sticks by itself and stays in shape , that is because if the slightly sticky nature of the mung crepe here. The flavor of the yellow mung is so delicate that another version of mung ka cheela , which includes some seasoning in the batter, tastes very different from this one.

mango mishti doi ...a crazy summer dessert...

This is what happens when you combine the three things you love .
Absolute ambrosia . Mangoes and a rich yogurt made with reduced milk ( called mishti doi ), topped with thin slivers of aam paapad , a mango fruit leather . Got it ?

If you get good quality mishti doi in your part of the world ready on the shelves , nothing like it . In Delhi we get a nice mishti doi at Mother Dairy outlets , but don't worry if that luxury is unknown to you . I have posted a recipe of this rich and creamy yogurt dessert earlier and one of those instant version is being listed here . After setting the yogurt and chilling it , you just have to assemble this gorgeous thing in pretty glasses ...

All you need for 2 - servings  .....

prepared mishti doi* 1 cup
neatly cubed mangoes 1-2 cups 
aam paapd cut into shreds as much you like (mine is home made)

Assemble the dessert like the picture or in layers or mix up everything together as we did while eating it :)

 To cut the aam paapad in shreds , just hold the bar on the chopping board and cut thin slices . Then separate the layers and make noodle like slivers .

Roasted almonds also make a great addition , we like it with mishti doi when there is no mango to indulge .

And start with your mango mania ... we do it in many ways .... This time the mango mania is available at Everyday Gyan too...

There you go.... Enjoy...

mangoes , mint and my sweet n tangy summer noons...

 Mangoes and mint is my summer time staple ... The garden looks parched and scorched no matter how much i water in the morning , but there is one little comfort i am getting . Most of my herbs are behaving like cool angels .
Mint is flourishing and so is celery . I need both of you my darlings , keep smiling at me :) Summers will be so much more difficult without you.

My cooling salads and drinks make the summer noons more tangy with just a hint of sweetness . These ripe mangoes were tangier than my expectation and a sweet n tangy salad is what it called for...as it has been my favorite since long . And it doubles up as a dessert too... sweet raisins and tangy phalsa berries bring the mangoes to life ...with cooling green mint.

Just cube the mangoes , sprinkle some sugar if they are too tangy , some kala namak ( black rock salt ) chopped mint leaves and add a handful of phalsa berries . I can't suggest a substitute to phalsa here as i have tried this salad with strawberries and jamuns but the taste and texture in this combination is just heavenly . So try and find some phalsas if you are intending to get these flavors. Toss everything together and serve cold ... Apart from the tanginess , phalsas provide a nice textural quality to this salad , the use of raisins makes it richer that way... You may like phalse ka sharbat too...

I have never tasted craisins but i have a feeling that they might work fine for this recipe as the juice of cranberries we get here tastes enough tangy for such mingling with mangoes... Try that if you wish and let me know how it worked for you.

I make a mint sugar to flavor my drinks and salads in the summer and that can also be added to this ripe mango salad if you have it ready in your fridge...

This is very easy to make , just take some mint leaves and pack them in the smallest jar of your mixie or food processor . Add  sugar and grind to paste without adding any water . It will be a crumbly paste which can be stored in the fridge for a month . A mint and sugar ratio of 2:1 works fine but you can make it as you like.

I make another sweet and tangy treat fro summer noons . Aam ka panna is a perennial favorite and these days i have a jug of cooked raw mango pulp too ready in the fridge . Peeled and sliced raw mangoes boiled with some water in pressure cooker , blended like thick soup and kept in the fridge . Keeps well for a week . Two tbsp of this pulp with a tsp of mint sugar and a dash of kaala namak ( black rock salt ) for a tall mug or glass of water . A super cooling natural drink is ready instantly .

Other spices like roasted cumin powder can also be added to aam panna . Some people like a lot of chaat masala in it but i like this simple version more . Lightly sweetened with sugar or other sweeteners ( wait for my super cool variants of aam panna ) , a dash of kaala namak and i am sorted....My picture of aam panna posted earlier was lifted by Times Of India once and i felt annoyed at that instance . Now when i clicked these pictures of aam panna , i thought they should have a chance to lift some better pictures this time :)

I like my aam panna with all the pulp floating around like you can see in the picture . If you want a smooth texture it is advisable to strain the pulp before storing it.

Use real ingredients for that rich flavor , preservative free and simple to stir up ...just like any other bottled concentrate .

Make it fresh....and enjoy.

Fennel tea ...cooling and detoxifying ... a nice summer drink..

This is the kind of herb tea you would love to sip without a nose shrink . It is aromatic and feels cool even when you are sipping it and inhaling it . I bet you would feel like inhaling the tea more as you take your sip....

The brown crystalline thing in the picture is a desi palm sugar . Taal mishri as it is called in the bengali markets , this palm sugar candy is a great sweetener for fennel tea . This kind of fennel tea sweetened with taal mishri is considered to cure E. coli infections of the urinary tract ... diuretic it is for sure and you need to take about 4 cups of this tea to see results....a great preventive tea if you are prone to UTIs...

I got reminded of these pictures from last year when a friend asked about cooling drinks for summers ... this is the most loved drink when i feel lethargic in summer days ....
saying that i want to make it right now...

The fennel seeds used for this tea is the ones used for making pickles , not the ones offered after a meal in Indian restaurants ...1 tbsp fennel seeds for a large cup of tea ...pour boiling water over the fennel seeds in a kettle and cover till the tea gets cold ...add palm sugar or table sugar as required , honey will be good too. The tea can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled...

This tea is a good cure for flatulence too...and other minor digestive troubles .

Fennel and palm sugar is known to eradicate E. coli from your system if taken daily like a dose for 6 months . Powdered together in equal quantities , 2 tsp daily first thing in the morning.

In the tea form it is more cooling for the system . Cumin tea can be made as a cooling drink too , same way .

Take care not to boil the seeds as the aromatic oils will evaporate , you need to brew the tea like you do for any other green tea .

If you don't get this palm sugar you can add any other preferred sweetener or have it unsweetened . 

Would you like to make a jug full of this tea every morning for yourself and serve it to a guest in summer days ? Many of my friends already have adopted this tea , it's another thing that they don't come and comment here...I don't mind as i get good feedback anyways... I used to make this tea daily for years for my daughter and myself , it's now somehow i have become a bit lazy about my own self ... but i am working on it . The first step will be to post all the good things i already have photographed :)

Enjoy...

tender drumsticks fruits and flowers stir fried with fennel and pepper...

Apart from raving about the beauty of a handsome drumstick tree in my garden , i keep clicking pictures of the birds who find the tree a nice place to hop on to .... the squirrels keep thronging the tips of the branches for the flowers or the tender drumsticks i guess . The sun birds pick into the flowers for some other things . They instinctively know what is good for them .

I am delighted with the leftovers in this case . A few of the tender drumsticks dangle above my head luring me to pluck them , the flowers have a nice aroma so i can't resist myself... Plucked a bunch today and made a nice subzi . The husband liked it very much ... a rare event when a healthy sounding subzi is liked , and i am happy...this one he liked more than the drumstick flowers curry posted earlier....

You are going to love this tender drumstick subzi . This is something your guests will rave about and ask for a recipe . Tender drumsticks and drumstick flowers are not easy to lay your hands on so the exotic appeal is justified well with this flavorful subzi . Need i say it is quick ....you know all my stir fries confirm to this criterion at least.

ingredients...
tender drumsticks chopped in small pieces 1 cup
drumstick flowers picked clean 1 cup
sliced red onions 1 cup
sliced tomatoes 1 cup
red chilly powder 1/2 tsp
black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
fennel powder 2 tsp 
salt to taste
mustard oil 1 tbsp

procedure...

Heat oil in a pan and throw in the sliced onions . Fry for a few seconds as the onion slices get coated with oil , there is no need to brown them. The sweetness of the onions needs to be preserved this way.

Add the sliced tomatoes and salt , red chilly powder and the fennel powder . Stir fry till the tomatoes start sweating .

Add the chopped tender drumsticks and flowers , mix well and put a lid on the pan There is no need to add water to the subzi as there is enough moisture to cook the tender vegetable . If the drumsticks are not very tender you can add them along with the tomatoes and sprinkle some water to prevent the subzi from sticking to the base of the pan .

After about 3-5 minutes of cooking , the subzi looks like mushy mix . Add the black pepper powder and fry some more , mashing the mixture of you like the way it looks in the picture...

Serve hot with chapatis or as a side . A bowl of raita or plain curds will be great as an accompaniment.

Taste the subzi after finishing cooking , if your drumsticks are on the bitter side you may like to add some amchoor powder , but if your tomatoes are of good quality , they will take care of this problem while cooking itself...