There’s a haunted looking tree in our backyard. Huge,with strange fruit growing all over it. It looks like an elongated version of a ladyfinger. Yet it looks dry….and creepy. Our Punjabi housekeeping lady told us that it was a vegetable called ‘hewra’, ‘chewra’ or something of the sort. She even took it to her home to cook it for her kids. I have been suspicious of this strange thing for a very long time. And sadly, I still am. Anyway, I’m trying to Google it these days. One day I will come across its name and origin. Cooking ladyfingers today reminded me of this strangely familiar specimen. I wonder if it’s from the ladyfinger family. Anyway, I’m still sniffing around for bits of information. What is it? where does it come from? Does anyone eat it? Is it poisonous? Phew! Loads of questions and no answers.
I’ve been doing some real thinking today about eating healthy. And I’ve decided that from now on greens will be an essential part of my diet. To make the eating a healthy one. Obviously there will be comfort foods( no one touches my comfort food!) but there will be veggies too. I’m a normal weight (quite well under my BMI) thanks to my metabolism but I’ve decided that this will not mean that I will eat unhealthy stuff. I will alternate and do a little bit of detoxification now and then. This is my new year resolution(One I shall stick to InshaAllah!). Therefore today I cooked some delicious ladyfingers in steamed potatoes, tomatoes and onions. Who’d have thought this would be so utterly lovely tasting? Washed it down with my favorite red grape juice.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 kg Ladyfingers chopped into round rings
- 3 potatoes chopped into small even pieces
- 2 tomatoes chopped into small bits
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 pieces garam masala ( Or oregano powder 1 tsp)
- 3 Green Chilies
- 2 tsp Ground red chili
- 2 tsp black cumin seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh yogurt
- vegetable oil to saute
Instructions:
- Add 1/4 tbsp vegetable oil into a pan. Turn on low heat. Add Onions to it. Add potatoes to it. Cover the pan and let these grow a bit tender for 10 minutes . Then add the tomatoes.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let the potatoes, onions and tomatoes simmer for another 5 -7 minutes. Then open the lid and crush only the tomatoes with a spoon. The tomatoes will release juices which will then simmer. Cover the lid and leave it for 10 minutes to simmer on low heat.
- Before the next step check if your potatoes are nearly tender. Do this by taste testing one piece. Add spices and mix. Then add the chopped ladyfingers.
- Cover the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup fresh yogurt. Stir the yogurt into it. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with green chilies. Serve with tortillas or in burritos.
Does Red Grape juice count as a Green? -__-
Ayesha Jamal 