Aluwadis , or Coloccassia Rolls are widely made in Western India, and called by different names, and look like the picture on the left below; layers of Besan smeared on leaves, layered , rolled up, steamed, cooled, cut into rolls, fried and enjoyed.
Then there is another School of making Aluwadis , similar to Wadis made with Coriander leaves, Methi etc; involving chopping leaves fine, and mixing them in besan, spicing them , steaming , cooling, cutting and frying.
A fine distinction very clear to me, is the predominant role of the leaves in the first recipe, and that of Besan in the second.
We ignore the aesthetic aspects for the moment. The taste is what matters.
Which has a lesson for all of us humans . A philosophy of living, as it were. Read on......
वर्षानुवर्षे चिखलात दाटीदाटीने
आपल्या जांभळ्या देठानवर दिमाखाने मोठाली हिरवी पाने सांभाळत घालवलेले दिवस , आणि मग अचानक गठ्ठ्यात बांधून कुणा एकीच्या घरी येऊन पडणे . मग एखाद्या लहान बाळाला अंघोळ घातल्यासारखे पाण्याने स्वच्छ करणे, अलगद पुसणे. मग इतक्या कोमल त्वचेला साबू कशाला, म्हणून डाळीचं पीठ लावणे; फरक एव्हडाच , कि वयात आलेल्या पानांना जरा चटकदार डाळीचे पीठ बनवून लावणे , आणि मग एकावर एक ठेऊन , गुंडाळी करून , वाफेतला अगदी अंतिम सौंदर्य उपचार. मग वड्या कापणे आणि तळणे. होत काय कि माणसांसारखं वनस्पती जगतात सुद्धा भावना असतात , अहंकार असतात, आणि कुठेतरी डाळीचं पीठ दुखावलं जातं. नेहमी दर्शनी भागात दिसणार्या पिठाला पानात गुंडाळून पडणे सहन होत नाही, आणि मग कर्म धर्म संयोगाने कुणाला तरी अळूची पाने बारीक कापायची कल्पना सुचते ; ती डाळीच्या पिठात घालून, मीठ, मिरच्या व चविष्ट मसाले घालून, त्याचा गोळा बनतो . मागच्या सारखे वाफवण्याचे प्रकार , पण ताटलीत थापून . मग वड्या पाडणे आणि तश्याच किंवा तळून वाढणे. मनुष्यजातीत सुधा हा "मी पणा असतो , अहंकार असतात , मग पुरुष असो वा स्त्री . कुणा एकाला नेहमी उंच्चपदस्थ वाटणे जरूर नसते . प्रत्येकाचा सोनियाचा दिवस येतो आणि त्या त्या दिवशी त्याचे कौतुक होते . कधी अश्या वड्या कधी बेसनाला बरे वाटावे खणून तश्या वड्या . स्वयंपाकातून आपण किती सिद्धांत मांडू शकतो ना ! |
Growing up crowded in wet mudflats, proudly displaying their immense green leaves amazingly balanced on purple stems. One day, only to be plucked, tied in bunches, and taken home. Then a bathing and cleaning in water a la newborn, a delicate wipe-and-dry; soaps being frowned upon for a baby, and then a paste of besan. Collocassia, coming of age, and the besan gets a spicy makeover, slathered on the leaves, piled in layers, rolled up and steamed, then to be cut in pieces and fried, presenting the Aluwadi or Collocasia Rolls. Perhaps, like amidst humans, there is a tussle of egos, in the Plant World as well, and very clearly, Besan, never rolled like this, and used to being at the forefront, is hurt and peeved. Then someone gets an idea, and the leaves undergo a fine chopping. A mixing with Besan, and assorted spicy stuff , and the mixture set in shallow plates and steamed. Once again to be cooled, cut and fried. We humans too , face this one-upmanship, pride and ego problems. Man or woman, it doesn't matter. Each one to have his/her day in the Sun, to be celebrated by all. Aluwadis, once of one type, and then , another type . Kitchen Philosophy to the rescue .... |
Ego, pride, one-upmanship - no species on planet earth can be immune to :-) The two versions work so well :-)
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