OLD Delhi - Lotus fruit, Karaunda, Lime and Chillies

Lotus fruit or Lotus seed pod: I've never eaten or used this in my cooking. According to the vendor, the seeds are removed from these fruits and used. The dried seeds are also used in a variety of ways in Indian cooking both savory and sweet and are quite expensive to buy. 

If you thought that the color pallette here is vibrant, the taste pallette is not to be left behind - Lime, Chillies, Karaunda (Carissa carandas) and Ginger! Sour, citrus, fruity, hot, and well, ginger-y!  

Green Cardamom happily growing without a care!

A clump of green cardamom plants I found growing quite unnoticed at the edge of a garden. 

Flat bean flowers - growing wild!

 

 

Flat beans or what we call 'same' in north India. The beans are from Mrs Goel's garden. The plant I found growing wild on a stone wall while walking my puppies. Isn't the flower beautiful? The pink is beautiful, but I like the white more.. :)

Orache - Mountain Spinach

Is this orache? Tangy when eaten raw... Was interesting as stir fry..

Dill - the fresh flavour of the season

 

Dill is a herb best used fresh and luckily this is a great time to find fresh dill in vegetable shops in India. In north India it's called Sowa.  The photographs are of dill plants at my friend Shruti's organic kitchen garden. 

How I like using dill:

1) Chopped and tossed with boiled baby potatoes sauteed in oil and butter 

2) Chopped and tossed with pasta along with some stir-fried red onion and garlic slivers

3) Chopped and tossed with soba noodles along with white sesame seeds and sesame oil

Kachnar ki Kali - Bauhinia Variegata

From Mrs Goel's garden.. Said to be a delicacy.

Cooking method:

1. Boil gently - releases the most beautiful floral scent that completely engulfs the kitchen - not complaining at all :)
2. Stir fry with spices and/or garlic/ginger etc..

I personally could not handle the outcome..

Ocimum Basilicum - A robust (purple) Basil plant just at the entrance of Anokhi, Khan Market, new delhi

How to cook Flat beans - simple recipe

1) Boil the flat beans in adequate amount of water till color changes from bright green to more of an olive tone. Turn off the heat.

2) At this point, you could leave them in the warm water to soften further or strain them depending on how you'd like them to be.

3)Once strained, slightly older beans may need to be string-ed. Younger beans will not be string-y. Remove the ends.

4)Toss with salt and raw mustard oil. Alternately, toss with lime/lemon juice, olive oil, salt/pepper.