Really how neighbourly should a good neighbour be? How much are they allowed to know or rather how much are they allowed to ask. Should they be just sent the cake after the ceremony or be invited to the singing and clapping also? Should we borrow onions or tomatoes or ice from them or can we also request for one egg or butter or sugar? A peg of vodka? No? Eyebrows shooting up? If I leave my third key with them how many times a month can I request them to oblige to open the door to my helper or forgetful spouse or ridiculously nonchalant teenage son? Is there a guidebook to neighbourly manners listing the dos and the don’ts? Maybe someone could write one.
Childhood of course posed no such quandaries. I am calling my college days my child hood. Two reasons; One, at home with parents, it is always childhood, whether you are two or you are twenty. Second, now the twenties seem like a long distant childhood full of what-ifs!
Ranadive aunty was a neighbor who was scolded if her main door was found shut. She was expected to vacate her living room if the boy friend had called. Her sarees were raid-able and her stories were adorable. A crush-able Ranadive uncle was an attractive added bonus. She was never busy when I was free. I reflect now and wonder how she over managed her role of a mother of two when I grapple with only one and still managed to be my listener about self, friends, new clothes, old clothes, dream clothes, break-ups, class bunks, first drink, first dance, first kiss et al. To top it all, she cooked like magic. Her food was always classical. There was a rich tradition her food spoke of though one could never find the recipes in cook books. Being unique and yet being classical is a virtue you think? I definitely think so. I bring to you one of her recipes. We stay connected even today. Over whatsapps, she still listens and she still sends me recipes.
My food word for this recipe would be offbeat.
When you go out shopping look for:
Four chicken legs
Seven sticks of cinnamon
One and half tsp peppercorns
One tsp red chilli powder
Half tsp turmeric powder
Two red onions
Two medium sized tomatoes
One large potato
One egg
Salt to season
The recipe would be:
Dry grind the cinnamon sticks and make it a coarse powder. Also dry grind the peppercorns. In a bowl mix both powders and add salt, ½ tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp red chilly powder. Gently rub the chicken leg pieces with the whole mix and set to marinate for five hours or so.
In a deep pan fry the pieces on both sides till the skins is red gold and gleaming. Add 5 tbsp water and after 3 minutes take the pieces aside. Keep the pan with its residue masala aside too. Now make an egg wash and season with salt turmeric and chilly powder. By now the chicken legs would have come to room temperature. Dip the legs in the egg wash on all sides and fry so that you get a crisp coating but please use a different pan to do this.
Boil the potato and skin it. Go back to your first deep pan. Into that add 1 and a 1/2 glasses of water. The residual masala will be the broth flavouring, set to simmer. Chop the onions and tomato. Also chop the boiled potato. Add the chopped onions, tomatoes and potatoes to the broth and let it all simmer. Next slow push in the chicken pieces and let all of the gravy mildly thicken.
Season with a pinch of cinnamon powder and pepper powder. The gravy is a thin broth and the chicken is perfectly cooked. This should be the consistency.
