Rujuta Diwekar's new book highlights the uniqueness of seasonal cooking in India

With a foreword by actor Varun Dhawan one might expect celebrity nutritionist and author Rujuta Diwekarrsquos latest book her first with recipes to be about what her famous clients including Kareena Kapoor Khan eat Instead the recipe book with personal anecdotes and notes from her kitchen steers clear of celebrity endorsement clicheacutes offering a grounded approach to savour local produce and let the simple dishes nourish youThe test of good homeset dahi is that the spoon placed on it should not sink PICS COURTESYRUJUTA DIWEKAR Dorling Kindersley limitedWith Mitahara Food Wisdom From My Indian Kitchen Dorling Kindersley Diwekar invites readers to recalibrate their relationship with food mdash not through fad diets but via timeless eating principles rooted in ancient Indian kitchen wisdom Building on the concept of mitahara mdash the balanced consumption of food as a cornerstone of mental and physical wellbeing mdash Diwekar offers a practical roadmap for eating in sync with seasonal rhythmsNarali BhaatThese recipes involve no elaborate culinary techniques Diwekar herself picked up cooking only during the pandemic The book includes flavouraccessible culturally anchored recipes spanning a yearrsquos harvest cycles and yogaderived principles The 47yearold discusses her book and how following traditional Indian cooking is an easy way to eat mindfully without counting every calorie and micronutrient Excerpts from a Zoom interviewThe book includes recipes many Indians have grown up eating who is it forThese are recipes that remind people of important flavours and familiar tastes of using their own local native ingredients The book really is for me laughs and if a few people read it theyrsquore just partaking in the joy that I have felt while cooking and writing It is for everyone who would explore their kitchen and their creativity It is also for the working woman who likes to back herself with good taste and good nutritionLauki ki Sabzi bottle gourd curry with sorghum chapati and a side of chutney mdash a complete satisfying meal that takes very little time to prepareFrom a nutritionistrsquos perspective how does Indian cooking make eating in balance easyItrsquos genius in design it is highly localised to the region that you live in and is further customised to your genetics and to the different people who live with you It has an inherent aspect of sharing with everyone around you itrsquos not just a culture of nurture and nourishment but also love Had it been a flyover or some coastal road or some railway pass people would have sung praises But because the upholders of this system are women it doesnrsquot get the accolades that it deserves It has the versatility to let you mix and match and customise as per what you do how you feel for an occasion or even for lastminute guestsRujuta Diwekar at her ancestral farm in SonaveOne of the many highlights is the inclusion of wild and uncultivated foods in our regular cooking Dishes like Ambadi bhaji which you now eat in the monsoon or shevla are uncultivated vegetables that you donrsquot need to sow And vegetarians fish and meat eaters consume them in India I think getting them in these times is a sign of our soil health still being good We are looking after the planet just by not meddling with it too much I also like how the culture regulates what you eat in which season and how many times and you are not worrying about sugar and carbs all the time modaks during Ganpati for example or bhajiyas in the rains And itrsquos not just about celebratory food routine meals too For example curd rice or khichdi can be made different for everyone with an addition of different side dishes too like achar papad or wadas routine meals are celebrated tooHow does the modern Indian approach traditional Indian cookingMumbai is the city of Dabbawalas Mumbai inherently has acceptance for homecooked meals so I hope that continues Mumbai is able to keep up with its cosmopolitan culture also because we have so many cuisines and we should continue to eat and learn from the variety we have lesser lafdas and lochas in general which comes with the food We also need to bring back the chanasingwala We no longer snack on chana singdana or sukha bhel in the evening we prefer biscotti and coffee And then we overeat at night Every Mumbaikar must learn to cook irrespective of gender men already have too many local coaches dedicated to them We feel that we can afford deliveries but our health canrsquotThe minute we have people we live with to contribute in the kitchen Indian cooking becomes easy and is not time consuming Cooking is important and nonnegotiable for staying healthy you shouldnrsquot pick it up only after you develop diabetes or heart disease I come from a family of working women and have chosen recipes that are a joy to cook and donrsquot involve a lot of work which is often assumed for Indian cookingLauki sabzi jowar roti with ghee and peanut chutneyIngredientsFor peanut chutneymiddot 2 tsp oilmiddot 150g 51frasl4oz peanutsmiddot 5ndash6 garlic cloves peeledmiddot 12 tsp jeera cumin seedsmiddot 1 tsp Kashmiri lal mirch Kashmiri red chilli powdermiddot Salt to tasteFor lauki sabzimiddot 1 tbsp gheemiddot 1 tsp jeera cumin seedsmiddot 14 tsp hing asafoetidamiddot 3 green chillies choppedmiddot 12 lauki bottle gourd peeled and cut into square piecesmiddot 1 tbsp peanuts powderedmiddot 1 tbsp grated fresh coconutmiddot 12 tsp sugarmiddot Salt to tastemiddot Fresh coriander leaves for garnishFor jowar roti1 tbsp oil140g 5oz jowar flour of which 1 tbsp is for sprinkling1 tbsp gheeMethodMake the peanut chutney first as it can be stored for a few days Then make the lauki sabzi Save the jowar roti for last as it tastes best when hot For the peanut chutney heat oil in a pan on medium heat for a few seconds Add peanuts and sauteacute them stirring constantly until they turn a light goldenbrown Be sure to keep stirring as peanuts can burn very quickly Once roasted remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completelyIn a mortar combine the roasted peanuts peeled garlic cloves jeera Kashmiri lal mirch and salt Kashmiri lal mirch gives the chutney a vibrant colour without making it too spicy Grind the mixture with the pestle Since this is a dry chutney it is important to use the mortar and pestle for the right texture ndash the ingredients should be pressed together not just broken up as they would be in a mixerOnce the mixture is ground transfer it to a bowl Sometimes I eat this chutney with just a millet or rice bhakri for lunchTo make the lauki sabzi in a pan heat ghee on medium heat for a few seconds Once the ghee is hot add jeera and let the seeds splutter Then add hing and chopped green chillies Sauteacute for a minute until fragrantNext add the chopped lauki and give a good stir so that the lauki pieces are well coated with ghee and spices Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the lauki is tender stirring occasionally to prevent sticking Once the lauki is cooked add the peanut powder grated fresh coconut sugar and salt Stir everything together until well combined Garnish with fresh coriander leavesTo make jowar roti boil 120ml 4fl oz of water in a saucepan Once the water comes to the boil add oil stir it well and remove the saucepan from the heat Add the jowar flour to the hot water cover the saucepan with a lid and allow it to cool Once the mixture has cooled enough to handle transfer it to a plate and knead it into a smooth pliable doughDivide the dough into small balls by rolling them between your palms On a clean flat surface sprinkle jowar flour and gently flatten each dough ball into thin circles using your hands It is fine if they are not perfectly roundHeat a tawa on medium heat Once it is hot place the rolled dough onto the tawa and lightly sprinkle water on the top side Cook until the water has completely evaporated then flip the roti and cook for another minuteNext remove the roti from the tawa and place the unwatered side directly on heat Cook it until it is golden brown Repeat this with all the rolled out rotis Brush them with ghee for eating You can enjoy this meal with a side of homeset dahi curdRELEASE DATE July 16AVAILABLE Leading bookstores and estoresCOST Rs 1199