The Family has reached another of those troughs that living in lockdown presents. Fortunately, this time we are not experiencing it together. So I tried my best to help out in the kitchen. Since I no longer have the patience to read a recipe and follow it properly, I have to improvise. Fortunately, the pasta was easy. We had a jar of tomato sauce in our makeshift larder. When I opened it, the smell of herbs which floated out told me that it was better than my expectations. That made a twenty minute recipe. It takes ten minutes to boil enough water for the pasta. I chopped up some salami into little bits, and dunked it into the sauce. The Family made a fresh garden salad with a mint and lime dressing. She has started to char the capsicum before adding it to the salad. It brings out the flavour better. After the water boiled I added the fusilli. It takes about four minutes to make it to our taste. The rest is straightforward: drain, add the sauce and serve hot.
The water from boiling the pasta is something we could have reserved for a soup. Since it already has some dissolved wheat solids, it adds body. I must remember to save it the next time around.
The other part of a quick lunch is the fish. We had an absolutely fresh pomfret: firm to the touch, clear eyes, and (lucky us) full of roe. Apollo Bunder and Old Woman’s Island (separate until the early 19th century, when Colaba causeway was built to join then) were supposed to yield the best catch in the 18th century. Both names were anglicized; Apollo Bunder was a distortion of Palva bunder (Palva is the Koli word for the Bengali favourite Ilish) and Old Woman’s Island was a mishearing of Al Omani, after the deep sea Arab boats which docked there to take on fish. Unfortunately, today’s fishermen have to go much further to bring back our catch.
Such a fresh fish required very little preparation. I rubbed it with haldi and rock salt and left it for abput fifteen minutes. Then I heated a tiny bit of oil in a pan, just enough that the fish does not stick, and heated the fish for three minutes on one side, two on the other. The sweet pomfret requires nothing more. The roe was also perfectly done.
Gosh, you two eat like kings! You’d be lucky to get a bowl of home-made soup, some bread and cheese and a peach in our house.
LikeLiked by 3 people
One good meal a day for us in a great change. A lot of effort now goes into a lunch. We never managed that when we were out of the house in the morning and back at 7 in the evening.
LikeLike
I am coming over for lunch. Save some for me.😁
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?
… looking forward to company
LikeLike
Children play in the park. At least I did when I was a kid.😁 The times have changed though. I see a lot of children playing games on the computer or cellphone. (Before corona and this will continue after corona. BC and AC.😁)
I have been baking cheesy garlic bread this past week. I can bring that. And some roasted broccoli soup too. There’s freshly brewed apple cider too if you want.😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apple cider! Too bad you blog only books these days. I wouldn’t mind a sniff of that
LikeLike
It is easy to make.🙂 Chopped apples, cinnamon and clove- boil in water. Mash the apples once they are cooked and boil some more. (Add sugar and more water if needed.)
I am lazy to start a blog dedicated to cooking. 🤪
LikeLike
Thanks. Maybe you could insert an occasional recipe into a book review.
LikeLike
That’s a nice idea.🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good for you for applying some creativity to your cooking I.J. I must admit I’ve become quite bored with our usual fare so will use your post to inspire me to do better :-). At least SOMETHING good is coming out of the pandemic!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Indeed, self improvement may be the only good thing that happens.
LikeLike
The fish looks amazing 🤩😋😋😋
Pasta is so versatile na!! Can be made with 10 variations, very nice post 👌👌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Yes, ifyou don’t have pav, you can make a keema pasta 🙂
LikeLike
Arre!! Great minds think alike 😂🤩🤩😜
I made a keema lasagna today😁😁😁
It was a huge huge hit😋😋😋
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Improving cooking skills sound perfect t me…and the photos tell of juicy fish and pasta…
LikeLiked by 1 person