Foodbytes: And it’s a Wrap

A filmmaker, fabulous cook, and blogger from the city known as the Oxford of the East - Pune, we meet Jyotsna Shahane. Jyotsna's blog The Cook's Cottage is the space for her eclectic thoughts on food, recipes, opinions, and all things culinary.

An FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) alumni Jyotsna believes that ” life is meant to try one’s hand at creating whatever one can” and for now that means revising and republishing a cookbook written by Narayani Nayak and writing a cookbook for children. Here’s Jyotsna Shahane in conversation with Rajani Mani

What’s the story behind The Cook’s Cottage?
“While they say ‘cooking isn’t rocket science’, it took me awhile to learn how to cook well. I found most recipe books lacked information regarding each stage of the cooking process. Cooking is something that you learn through experience, and without someone experienced to point things out, it is a question of trial and error. I wanted to shorten this process for the beginner cook, without access to a mother or family to guide them.”

Your blog never fails to remind its readers the importance of eating locally and sustainably, tell us about that.
“I cannot over-emphasize how important sustainability is to the everyday table. In a country like India, where much of our population is below the poverty line, farmers have small land holdings, and fertilizers and pesticides are causing much debt in our agricultural sector. With the right policies and incentives, their tables and ours could be filled without having to resort to GM foods or imports.”

What would you advice on how we should choose the food we eat?
“I have the same mantra as most slow food followers around the world. Eat local. Buy what is in season and what is harvested close to home. This will subvert those people who profit by artificially prolonging the shelf life of fresh foods, and those who stand to gain by trucking foods across the country and continents at great detriment to the environment.”

In Pune where do you shop for organically grown local produce?
“Organic food is really not available in larger quantities in Pune. There are some small organisations who stock a few types of organic grains and spices but fresh organic produce is almost impossible to get. There have been initiatives to bring local farm produce to the consumer, but these have been scuttled by vested interests.”

Where do you source your recipe from?
“Friends, my mother’s cook book, Madhur Jaffrey, and Narayani Nayak”

5 ingredients you just can’t do without?
“Green coriander, lemons, spinach, peanuts, and black pepper.”

Other than the knife, name one kitchen tool you can’t do without?
“Mortar and Pestle”

What would you like your last meal to be?
“A pan-Indian Thali with all my favourite preparations, from Koshimbir to Pitle to Prawn Curry and Rice. Here’s the recipe for a delicious prawn curry…”

PRAWN CURRY

Ingredients
250 grams large prawns, cleaned and deveined
1 bulb lemon grass, not the fibrous root, crushed
5-6 lemon leaves, crushed
2 medium sized onions, chopped finely
1 sprig curry leaves
1 slit green chilly, with seeds removed
2 peeled tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chilly powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh coriander

Method
1. Fry the onions, garlic, lemon grass bulb, lime leaves, curry leaves, green chilly and ginger paste till soft and pulpy.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Now add the turmeric, chilly powder, salt and sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cook covered for 8 minutes till all the ingredients have combined.
4. Next add the prawns and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add three tablespoons of prepared coconut milk and fresh coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot with rice.

For more masala magic, visit Jyotsna’s blog The Cook’s Cottage.