IS that a change in the air I feel, or is it merely wishful thinking? Maybe, just maybe, spring is imminent.
This has by far felt like one of the longest winters I have spent in Scotland. The weekly veg box has been looking sad over the past few months, but this week saw the first of something green and fresh. I have been pining for something bright, a glimmer of grassiness that might liven up both my palate and kitchen.
It feels like a year has passed by and the need to comfort myself in slow-cooked meals has been gradually losing its appeal. I no longer want to reach for the store cupboard filled with assorted beans, lentils and rice – I need and crave earthy goodness from a field that speaks of sunlight and soil.
But I will be able to venture out into the garden in a few short weeks. The dream of raised beds, the berry bushes and the fruit trees no longer feels like a fantasy, as the cloud of thick snow dissipates.
As warmer climes tempt me, I am taken back to spring in Karachi and reminded of how momentary it was – it merely lasted a day, when the weather turned from pleasant to hot.
Probably the only change I ever saw was the change in the many seasonal vegetables and fruits that graced the rickety wooden carts along the roadside at this time of year. Piled high with okra, tomatoes and dark oranges, I looked forward to summer berries like falsa and jamun (local sub-continental berries) and mangoes as we moved deeper into the warmer days.
In my mother’s kitchen, I would watch her making mango pickle, squeezing orange juice and making falsa squash. As I gathered the okra in my grandmother’s garden, I would look forward to my favourite spring treat.
Unlike most children I rarely craved a sweet treat. Instead, I always hoped that someone would make me crispy fried okra with chaat masala, a piquant spice blend with dried mango powder, black salt, pepper, cumin and many other spices – these would tingle my tastebuds and enliven my senses.
So now, as the Scottish winter hopefully starts to change into spring with the blossom blooming, bringing with it wonderful wild garlic, spinach and chives, I will be thinking of new ways to savour these seasonal gifts for their momentary presence.
But thinking back to the soul-satisfying flavours of my home’s spring seasonal wonders, I share a recipe that is simple, yet close to my heart – to welcome much-needed warmth and, with it, hope.
Crispy Bhindi (okra)
Serves 6
A moreish fried okra recipe: you just can’t make enough! It’s wonderful with a simple daal and basmati rice for a light lunch.
250g/9oz gram flour
50g/1¾oz rice flour or cornflour (cornstarch), optional
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry-roasted cumin seeds
50ml/2 fl oz/scant ¼ cup water
50g/1¾oz okra, washed and dried completely before cutting, top, tailed and cut lengthways into
4 thin strips
250ml/9 fl oz/1 cup vegetable oil,
for frying
To garnish
1 tsp chaat masala (can be found in most Asian shops)
½ lemon
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Method
Mix all the dry ingredients (except the okra) together in a large bowl and add the measured water or enough to make a very thick batter.
Dip all the okra into the batter and turn until it is coated. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the okra a piece at a time into the oil and cook until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Serve hot with a sprinkling of chaat masala and a gentle squeeze of lemon juice.
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