when cooking is musical the food will always be healing...

They say not all those who wander are lost. I would add not all those who are lost are wanderers.

I prefer getting lost in the nature around me, to connect with it and to sing with it. Something happened today morning when I sipped my first cup of hot Darjeeling tea. While leaning back on the couch by the window, I got a glimpse of what the front door lead to. The drumstick branches were swaying with the morning breeze while the curtains inside were still.


It was decided instantly what I was cooking today.

Monsoons are the times when we don't consume many greens as they all carry contamination during this hot and humid season. The greens growing fresh on the trees are exempted as they grow much above the soil. I have posted a recipe of easy egg scramble with drumstick/moringa leaves and have emphasized on how healthy these greens are. And how they are available in organic form. The leaves can be sun dried and powdered to be used later in curries and chutneys, I have seen tribes of Jharkhand doing the same. Actually I learned to eat this unusual green seeing my housemaid plucking the leaves from a neighborhood tree. There is so much to learn if you just watch.

A few clicketty-click later, few hot red chilies were cut, put into hot sesame oil to sizzle and sing. Chirpy arbi was peeled and diced, the mixie made some background music as the morning breeze attuned with the washing machine whirring on the sly.

Yes, even these voices become music when you are attuned to nature and a few green branches are peeping in through your windows. It makes great symphony.


The moringa leaves were rinsed and chopped, added to the sizzling hot frying arbi and garlic, some pasted coconut-curry patta went in and here was a yummy gorgeous dish that was dressed with fresh lime juice. Four of these ingredients were from the garden, the sesame oil came traveling from Chennai with a friend and few more ingredients just got together to give them all good company. You know the food will be healing when it is cooked humming along the tunes of morning breeze., swaying branches, fluttering leaves and a symphony of bird calls.

I always suggest learning cooking, enjoying it and making it a pleasure activity. It goes a long way in ensuring how healthy a life you live.
                                         
If you are anywhere around Delhi and can come and pick up a drumstick sapling from my garden, do write to me, I will plant one for you this monsoon. You would get good supply of these healthy leaves from a pot around 15' high. Spreading love is easy.


Comments

  1. Most greens are awesome for our bodies. Green is a color that should visit our plates often.
    My hat is off to you for your creativity.

    Velva

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  2. Love the way you have combined music and food...and, it is all in our perspective. Nice one Sangeeta.

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  3. totally agree with you on this. the nature spread love and inspiration so selflessly. I have few lemon balm seeds that I broght from Japan. if you want let me know. will courier.

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    1. Would be wonderful to swap some seeds across Sayantani :-) I could send you a few too :-)
      Thank you.

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  4. As soon as my mom makes ghee from butter,I run out to fetch some moringa leaves to be deep fried in that hot ghee, it would be tasty and crunchy. Also it would leave a nice flavour to the ghee.

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    1. This I am hearing for the first time. Must try soon.

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  5. Wow...............and I mean wow! Loved the write up and the pics and the food! Fabulous entry. Good luck!

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  6. You made cooking so melodious. Amazing.
    Dropping by from thattuesdaythingy.

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  7. I wish I was near Delhi to get that precious sapling from such a vivid gardener.

    As they say that cooking done with love does not need a good cook...I am sure you must be a wonderful cook :) Your blog's aroma was coming to me while just reading it :)

    Namaste!

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    1. Thank you and glad the aromas could entice you Ruchira. :-)

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  8. I am in awe of this post. Such a fresh perspective. Kudos to you :)

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    1. Thank you Pooja. So glad you liked it and welcome to my blog :-)

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  9. Food set to music! Awesome! Loved this perspective

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  10. Moringa leaves, I love! I use the flowers too.

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    1. I use the flowers too Shail. A few recipe have been posted in the past.

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  11. such a beautiful write up...yes, sometimes such moments inspire us to cook.... whenever I look at my basil plants growing so well, I have the urge to prepare something with them...there are those moments..and then I think what do I do and in the planning itself, time passes, but now i have got couple of recipes lined up....i wish I stayed at ground floor, would have definitely taken up on ur offer of drumstick saplings!!

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    1. I am so glad to know the basil grew well at your place and keeps making you happy :-)
      You can grow the drumstick too in your balcony. Why not make a bonsai if it which needs constant pruning anyways :-)

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  12. Ohh what a unusual and fantastic take on the prompt ! I am sure food sings to you Sangeeta. And I am sure they are happy songs !

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    1. Yes Ruchira, food sings to me and has calmed me, healed me and nourished my soul whenever I needed.
      The songs keep changing though ;-)

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