BARNYARD MILLET FRIED RICE

 BETWEEN LETHARGY AND WILL POWER, WHO WINS?

Lethargy tries to rule my life, I shove it away. I have seen the disastrous effects of letting lethargy take the prime position within. You allow it, you would find out hundreds of excuses to let it take over you. It destroys the purpose of living. I am lazy since birth, hence I have the scare about becoming inactive any day. People like me love to lie down on the couch, read or watch something or just brood. I don't allow myself that. I go out for walks, swim,  visit malls even if my body craves for the couch. I could not become independent, I should not at least give in to lethargy. I doubt if at all I wanted to earn. At least, I regret not working but the family veteran ladies and gentlemen do not even had / have the mindset that women should step out, make an independent life. A mere degree does not make us enlightened, we have to heighten the level of our thinking. Families like mine have to think big for their girl child, then only the society can develop. My daughter-in-law would be a woman of substance.

I COOK AND EAT TO HIDE MY MISTAKES!

May be also to spend quality time, I do engage fruitfully. If I go out everyday to explore this island, I would end up spending beyond the budget. I love to stay indoors, read  or watch. Because I am occupied with updating my blog, my primary hobbies took a backseat. Once I am done with the first round of updating the blog, I would get back to reading and watching. It is true I work on a budget but it is not the reason why I do not go for coffee sessions or restaurant hoping with my friends. I do not go because I do not enjoy, I prefer family meet ups or may go out once in a while with a friend or two, I prefer calling them home or visiting their homes. Kitty Parties I would never join, nor regret; I do not understand what to talk or do in such gatherings, I visit homes to eat the food on display. A plateful of choice food, vodka or Bloody Mary or Martini and a quiet corner I do look for at intervals but that does not happen much. As a couple, we do enjoy each other's company on weekends, watch a thriller, wait for our next trip to the son, wait to talk to him, also look forward to our Kolkata trips. Our lunch yesterday was a rice meal and the dinner was luchi with Masala Okra.

In between, I had Chiku fruit, Mango cake; I do not click everything that I eat these days. Life got less eventful, though not bothered. The moment boredom sets in, I sit in an eatery, go for massage, nail and face treatments. I prepared the luchi dough without semolina, they did not remain fluffy enough. I did not like it that they browned.

WHAT IS BARNYARD MILLET FRIED RICE?

For long I had the plan to prepare something other than   SAMA CHALER KHICHURI / Barnyard Millet HothchPotch. I love Sama Chal-Dal Khichuri the most but you cannot repeat share same recipes. I kept thinking about cooking it in a similar manner like a CHIRER POLAO [BEATEN RICE PILAF]. Today, I prepared this BARNYARD MILLET FRIED RICE to have as first meal of the day. When I discovered millet varieties at the Mustafa Centre, I was awestruck. I never knew about them whilst my stay in Kolkata. My family ate only Barnyard Millet. The mother ate it on the days she fasted. I kept bringing each variety in turns, I was getting wind and constipation, also read somewhere one with thyroid gland anomaly should not have millets regular. I stopped getting them, only stock this Barnyard Millet / Shama Chal / Samo Rice, eat at times. To keep it both vegan & gluten-free, I have not cooked it in ghee, that is a compromise with the flavour. I tried to compensate using good amount of whole garam masalas.

I had a bowlful with coconut-fresh coriander-green chilli chutney.

INGREDIENTS :

BARNYARD MILLET / SHAMA CHAL / SAMO RICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

CHOPPED CARROT : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP

CHOPPED GREEN BEAN : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP

GREEN PEA : 2 TBSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2 TSP

CASHEW NUT : 5-6 [HALVED]

RAISIN : 7-8

CINNAMON STICK : 3-4 ONE INCH LENGTH

GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4

CLOVE : 3-4

BAY LEAF : 2-3

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1 TBSP

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

We would take the seeds in a vessel, wash 2-3 times, add water and put for boil. Do not soak.

Once the water starts boiling, add a teaspoon of oil, this would prevent the samo rice from breaking. Yet we have to stand in front of the gas stove, immediately pass the seeds through a strainer once cooked.

We would wash all of the vegetables, soak the raisins in water for 1/2 an hour.

 We would heat the oil in a wok, temper it with the bayleaves, cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon sticks.

We would stir, add the washed vegetables, cashew nuts, salt.

We would stir fry the vegetables 3-4 minutes at minimal heat, add the raisins discarding the water.

We would add the cooked Barnyard Millets, salt, sugar, fold in well.

We would stir cook at medium heat for 3-4 minutes, take down and serve hot.