Most days, except Sundays, I get a call from The Mboga Man..... that is how I have saved the number of my regular vegetable vendor... as Mboga in Swahili means vegetables. He comes by around noon, with his cart heaped with fresh fruits and veggies. As soon as I get his call I go downstairs and check out what he has and buy whatever I need. At times he also gets me any vegetable I ask for. I just have to request him a day ahead or give him a call early morning. Conversing with The Mboga Man is quite a feat for me as he knows no English or Hindi, the two languages I am familiar with, while I barely know any Swahili. But we manage somehow. I have picked up a smattering of Swahili with which I make do. One thing though that I haven't been able to figure out, and which continues to puzzle me, is why The Mboga Man calls certain veggies by their Swahili names and some by their Indian names, or rather Gujarati names!!
One day last week I was in the middle of an earnest conversation with my daughter when The Mboga Man called. I had already decided that I didn't need any veggies that day as I had plenty stocked in the fridge. Moreover, at that particular moment, I was in no mood to cut short my conversation. I quickly said " Hamna Leo Kaka" ( "not today brother" in Swahili) and disconnected. Not to be deterred he called again and again till I took his call. All he said was "Mama, Kubwa Methi". Anyone else may not have been able to decode the cryptic message, but I did! I excused myself to my daughter and rushed down. I had requested The Mboga Man several times to get me fenugreek leaves.... not the tiny seedling variety, but the one with regular, big leaves. Hence the message ...Kubwa, meaning big, in Swahili, and Methi, meaning fenugreek leaves in Gujarati!
What I find most appealing about this dish, Methi Gajar, is the play of colours and flavours ....the vibrant green contrasting with orange and the slight bitter taste of fenugreek leaves balancing the sweetness of carrots. The recipe itself is very simple and doesn't take much time to rustle up. I am not even going into the combined nutritional value of this dish! Who doesn't know that carrot is a giant among veggies, in terms of nutritive value and that fenugreek leaves too have immense health benefits!!?!!
Ingredients:
250 gm methi (fresh fenugreek leaves), finely chopped
2-3 carrots, cut in mid size pieces
1 tea spoon garlic, crushed
1/2 tea spoon cumin
Salt to taste
1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder
1/4 tea spoon red chilly powder
1/2 tea spoon dried mango powder
2 table spoon oil
Method: Wash fenugreek leaves in plenty of water and place in a colander for water to drain away completely. Finely chop. Wash carrots and peel skin. Cut lengthwise down the centre and then cut in half circles. Crush garlic.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add cumin. When it sputters add chopped carrots. Stir on high heat for few minutes, till carrot is lightly fried and changes colour. Lower flame and add crushed garlic, salt, red chilly powder and turmeric powder. Sprinkle little water (about a table spoon) and cover and let it cook till carrot is tender. Uncover and add fenugreek leaves. Saute for a couple of minutes to allow the moisture released from the leaves to dry up. Add dried mango powder and mix. Cover and close flame.
Do not over cook the fenugreek leaves. Cooking should be kept to a minimum once the leaves are added to retain their nutritive value and distinctive aroma.
Thanks for sharing such informative gujrathi names
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