Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Lasuni Bhendi

And the power of nothing.



You may wonder what this is? A paradox? Some philosophy? Or as my special one says blah blah.

It is my experience. Yes and nothing does have power. Sometime ago a family friend visited me here in Blr. She is from the elite class. An author of a few philosophical books and a Phd in literature. She was shell shocked to see my way of life here.

My home here has just the bare necessities. A functional kitchen, probably a little more than functional. Minimum furniture, mostly low level seating. At first it looks like I am still living in bags.

It has been a delibrate decision not to start a new home wherever I travel or stay. I call it the power of nothing. The day I have to leave that place I can donate all the stuff to the needy and move on.

It is quite scary for someone used to comforts in life. I have enjoyed my share of comforts but now I live like this. Instead of me enjoying the power of materialistic things I would rather have the power of giving. I don't need much but I still live a good life may be a little lesser than a middle class Indian.

May be I don't care to collect more and more material things because I don't have to worry for my future generation. May be I have lost more than I have gathered. May be I like to be clutter free. If not emotionally atleast materialistically. When I become as clutter free emotionally as I am materialistically I would say I know the power of nothing in the true sense.

I ask myself what did I give someone today? Try this experiment and enjoy life.

So on this note here is a super simple recipe you will enjoy.

Ingredients

1/4 kg Lady fingers slit and diced

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 green chili finely chopped

1 teaspoon of mashed garlic

1 teaspoon of sesame seeds

2 teaspoon oil

salt to taste

Heat the oil and splutter the sesame seeds. Add the garlic, chili, turmeric powder and fry in the oil for 2 mins in that order. Then add the slit and diced lady fingers and cook till they turn a shade darker green than the fresh ones. The garlic should be mashed and not pureed to make it the distinctly flavored Bhendi stir fry.Now sprinkle the salt and stir fry for another 5 mins. Serve with hot phulkas/ rotis with a dash of lemon on the bhaaji.

5 comments:

  1. wow nice post anjali. thanx for pposting that. also can u add me to ur blog list

    http://nourishingindianfood.blogspot.com/

    thanx ahead

    ReplyDelete
  2. Welcome here Swaroopa. Give some time to add you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Power of nothing.. I like that!! I was in Blr, for a few moths, I too had minimum stuff! the 'costliest' thing we had was our Samsung TV!

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  4. Anjali! What have you dome with that I-pod of yours?! Not given that away, have you? :-D

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  5. Manasi I do see more and more IT guys do it. They give back so much to society and one does get influenced by the leaders. Ours is only a tiny bit.

    Yes Anita :) I gave it back to the friends who gifted it. I had to convince them that I cld not keep such an expensive gift but I would be using it when I want it:). Good to read your comment after a long time.

    ReplyDelete

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