Indian Cooking Classes and ...housecleaning...

I enjoy cooking, it is a quiet hour or so at the end of the day to slow down,
and since being in holy Pushkar, where the food is simple Vegetarian I feel so much healthier.
I have lost nearly 20kg in weight, and don't have PMT like I used to, being away for a few weeks on tour just reinforces how good the food is at home. I think all the spices add to the health benifits of the food as well: it is the oiliness of Restaurant Indian food that is not so good for the digestion.
Here is a simple meal, nutritionally balanced, very simple to make and very yummy.
Masoor Dal
-1 cup red lentils- wash
-Oil
-1 t mustard seed
-Pinch asafoetida/hing
1 t cumin seed
1/2t fenugreek seed
1 t red chilli powder
1 t turmeric
2 onion fine chop
1 fresh green chilli chopped fine
Salt to taste
1. heat oil
2. add seeds, fry till pop
3. add onion sauté till soft
4. add turmeric, salt and lentils and water to cover
5. bring till boil, simmer until soft and thick, add more water as necessary.
6. serve sprinkled with fresh coriander
Cabbage with Peanuts
loosely based on a South Indian dish- very I want more-ish

Cabbage with Peanuts
-loosely based on a South Indian dish with
Coconut
*1
Oil
1/2 t mustard seed
pinch asafoetida/hing
1/2 t nigella seed
Add I onion finely diced
*2
1 or 2 small dried red chilli
1 T urad dal
3 T fresh peanuts
*3
10-15 curry leaves
3 or 4 cups cabbage shredded
· Fry *1 until seeds pop
· Add onion and sauté until golden
· Add*2 and sauté until gently until peanuts well coloured
· Add *3 and steam with lid on until tender
Rice with Yoghurt
*1
1 cup rice
*2
Oil
1 t mustard seeds
Pinch asafoetida/hing
10 curry leaves
2 t fresh green chilli chopped
2 t fresh ginger pounded
*3
1 or 2 cups yoghurt
· Cook rice,
· In small pan heat oil, pop seeds then add rest and sizzle until aromatic
· Stir through rice
· Stir through enough yoghurt to make a porridge like consistency, serve while still hot

Been putting a lot of thought into plans for the 2011 cooking tour...hhhmmm

Today we have a cleaning lady coming- makes me a bit nervous...I feel I should be able to clean up my own mess, but with time limited more often we live in a pile of dust!!
It is time to bite the bullet and get used to it...I am sure I will cope having a clean house. As you can see from my little collection of preserving jars holding travel momentos and other things they are almost unrecognizable with their dusty coating....

Local election time in Pushakr and the town is alive with electioneering and loud speakers blairing through the streets advocating for different candidates..we even have a banner on the front of our house- courtesy of the owner..I was glad to see it was for a lady candidate.
Seems quiet a few ladies are involved in local politics.