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Satvic and substantial
The unpretentious alu mooli ki baant is easy to cook and can be enjoyed with rice as well as
roti
 When
we were children we
were quite amused by the teasing question, "Is it a bird? Is it a
plane? No! its Superman." At times, we feel like teasing our guests
similarly when this dish is cooked and served, "Is it karhi?
Is it tariwali subzi in yoghurt gravy? No! It’s baant."
Literally translated, the
word means something distributed — doled out generously. And this is
what happens when baant is dished out in glasses and katori and
slurped at community feasts. It can be non-vegetarian with goat meat or
the poor man’s version prepared with the all-time favourites and
affordable alu and mooli. It is surprising that how
flavourful this simple recipe can be. It is satvic to boot and is
refreshingly attractive redolent, with the aroma of fresh coriander and
pleasantly astringent with ginger. Easy to cook, it can provide variety
to a dieter’s regime — soupy and substantial, it can be enjoyed
equally with rice or roti. Unpretentious as this recipe is, it reminds
us that we should never underestimate or overlook the Plain Janes around
us.
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Alu-mooli ki baant
 Ingredients
Mooli 300 g
Alu 100 g
Simla mirch or
tori (optional) 50 g
Ginger (scraped,
coarsely crushed) 3-inch piece
Butter milk 400
ml
Haldi powder 1
tsp
Jeera powder 1
tsp
Dhania powder 2
tsp
Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp
Hing A large
pinch
Mustard oil 1/2
cup
Rock salt to
taste
Method
Wash the vegetables. Scrape mooli. Crush coarsely both alu
in skin and mooli with grinding stone. Heat oil in a pan
till smoking point, reduce flame and put in hing. When it
dissolves, add the vegetables. Add powdered spices, salt and
crushed ginger. Stir-fry for three to four minutes. Add
buttermilk and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. If you
like thicker gravy, whisk 200 ml of curd and slowly stir it in
after the dish has been cooked for about five minutes. |
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