MY STYLE PAO BHAJI

THERE IS HEAVY DOWNPOUR AT THIS TIME, I AM TIRED!

This morning, I went to Vincent's chamber only to know he is in the chamber that is near our home, where I used to go for 12 years! Thursday, all day he stays at the Hougang Avenue-1 chamber! If that is 3km from our home, the near one is half a kilometre! But I have to go where they have my insurance coverage! Vincent's mother was there but I am been under Vincent's treatment ever since his father was alive! The assistant sisters there asked me to come in the afternoon between 2pm & 5pm & I had a blogpost to write! It may seem to you I earn from my blog but I do not, I wish I could! I again came back walking to our nearest mall, had my weekly neck-shoulder-back massage done, came back home around 12-30 pm! I told Cristine I must finish off visiting him today itself, may she look for the buses that go there; I cannot walk in the sun again! I went by one bus & came by another and you all know how comfortable Vincent makes his patients feel! By the afternoon, his mother leaves! Every month, I would take little something; a biscuit packet & a tea or coffee or juice packs for the sisters there, they refuse! I ask not to deny, its a small gesture on my part, I do the same for them at the Kushi's too! At Kushi's, some girls are from India staying alone here, I feel for them! Around 4 pm, I was out of the chamber & treated myself with an egg tart whilst waiting for the bus!

And look, how beautiful dosas Cristine made for me! I ate all four with the sesame dip! I served dosa to T this morning which were not this good! Cristine has real interest in cooking!

WHAT WOULD BE MY DINNER?

Yes, I would talk to you in terms of food because food is life for me! Uff! I cannot tolerate the noise the rain is making, it never generates romanticism in me! Thank God, I was back home before it started! Because of my frozen shoulder condition, I do not carry an umbrella always! Vincent asked me not to go for chiropractic treatment at this time, even I am scared of that! Before starting with the expensive physiotherapy, acupuncture, etc. I am trying with massage, cupping & stretches! The pain was almost gone, is it the swimming that revived the pain in the last few days? Just an hour back, I was talking to Maria, the lady at foodaholic.biz, the family is having this ailment and that! We were trying to catch up for few days, was not happening! I do not know why these people almost stopped blogging; they enjoyed much of royal treatment in G+, I get the reason! At times, I feel a mediocre like me has less of expectations; we are happy easily, we keep going! This morning I clicked these clips on my way!

Minton is a condominium I wished to stay whilst working in that school, just a five minutes walk! I thought I would never leave that job; but I cannot do what I do not enjoy! Neither it was high paying nor I have that in me that a woman should be self respecting enough to work! Minton's rent is a bit high, it was under construction in 2015, T did not agree because both Kovan & Serangoon Mrt were about 12-15 minutes walk from it! I must visit soon their cafeteria, tomorrow or later? Next week, I have two sets of guests, tomorrow I may not shop! T would not have dinner tonight! Cristine wants only coffee & cake! I would have a little of "rice, lote mach er jhuri, stale re-heated beguni, lentils, salad"! No wonder, I look like a round barrel & never chiselled!

My bi-yearly medical report is okay, except for the fact that the sugar level has to be lessened a bit!

WHAT IS THIS MY STYLE PAO BHAJI?

Bhaji can be referred to as stir fry vegetables, that in Hindi! Bhaji is not a Bengali word, Bhaja is! I simply detest if on this day anyone break their head over language & region within their own country! Such separatist mentality I cannot tolerate, they definitely have enough time to indulge in all these, that again means they are not much into any fruitful activity! My son has to be an outwardly cosmopolitan being having friends from all over the world who dream big, be in touch with the world of sports, discuss current affairs! What is that sitting idle & talking about regional biases, idiotic mentality! I have a couple of Bengali Food pictures sitting in my photo album; I am unable to blog about them unless people sitting in Bengal mend their ways & stop irritating me! Also irritating are the monotonous pictures of the combos like "Pao & Bhaji" or "Bhature & Chole!" I mean why cannot we mix & match? It was last September, two weeks before the Durga Pooja that there were some renovations going on in our rented space and Cristine was caught with Covid19! That day, they took over the kitchen & I decided on this for the self, Cristine & T as our lunch! Any viral attack numbs your tastebud, I was trying to serve Cristine some quick, tasty food with spice & health stirred in together! I cooked my bhaji with lots of vegetables, healthy ones & had with Pao! I used a store bought Pao Bhaji masala for this gluten-free recipe MY STYLE PAO BHAJI! Butter plays a pivotal role in this dish, you can skip & make it vegan, I would not recommend because I cannot eat it without the butter added!

INGREDIENTS :

BROCCOLI : 1 SMALL

CARROT : 1

POTATO : 2

CHOPPED TOMATO : 2

GREEN PEA : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP

CORN : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP

ONION : 2 MEDIUM SIZED

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 1/2 SMALL TEACUP

PAO BHAJI MASALA : 1 TBSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

GINGER PASTE : 1 TBSP

GARLIC PASTE : 1 TBSP

SUGAR : 1 TSP [OPTIONAL]

SALT : AS REQUIRED

BUTTER : 25 GM TO GARNISH

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I am fond of Everest brand spice mixes! We would cut off the broccoli into small florets, peel & cut the carrot into cubes! We would wash both along with the corn & green peas! We would marinate them with salt & turmeric!

We would peel, wash & slice the onions; wash & chop the tomatoes & green chillies!

In a wok, we would heat the oil & temper it with the cumin seeds! We would add the sliced onion & stir cook until golden brown keeping the flame at low! 

We would add the ginger+garlic pastes+turmeric powder+salt & stir fry for 3-4 minutes at minimal heat! We would add all the powdered spices except the dry mango powder & Pao bhaji masala, the tomato cubes, a small cup of water & stir cook until they melt!

We would add the marinated vegetables mixture & fold in well! We would cover the wok with a lid!

Meanwhile, we would wash, boil, peel, mash the potatoes! We would wash & chop the coriander leaves too!

We would keep checking the vegetables in the wok & mash with a masher! At this point the flame would be at minimal! 

After about 15 minutes of cooking, we would add the mashed potatoes, chopped coriander & chillies, Pao Bhaji masala, dry mango powder, a small cup of water, fold in well! We would cover cook at minimal flame for 7-8 minutes! 

We would remove the cover; add the sugar if using, adjust the salt and stir well! We would transfer it to a bowl & drizzle with the butter! We would mix it well, serve & have with any variety of bread actually!