Kurma

October is upon us already: this year has raced by so quickly! It seems that as one gets older, time appears to be accelerating. My first 12 years in England were happily spent in childhood pursuits. At the time, that portion of my life appeared endless.

It's birthday season: My grandson Sebastian will be turning 6 in a week, and later my son Chaitanya will be 23; a few weeks after that my other grandson Toby will be 4, my son Nitai will be 12, and at the end of the year I turn 56.

My mother passed away last year. My father is 84. As I wrote the above paragraph, my father, seated at his computer across the room received an email announcing news of the sudden death of his younger cousin.

The great Sanskrit classic Srimad Bhagavatam says:

"As a mass of clouds does not know the powerful influence of the wind, a person engaged in material consciousness does not know the powerful strength of the time factor, by which he is being carried."

Time races by, and before we know it, our life will come to an end. We should not keep our head in the clouds, but remember that we have an alloted time, and when that time is up, we have no choice but to move on.

The great politician-pandit named Canakhya said that not even one moment of time can ever be returned, even if one is prepared to pay millions of dollars. One cannot calculate the amount of loss there is in wasting valuable time. So, either materially or spiritually, we should be very alert in utilizing the time which we have at our disposal.

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In this morning's groaningly full cyber-mailbag were two letters both requiring the same answer.

M.K. from Heidelberg, Germany wrote asking whether I had a recipe for ekadasi (grain-free) pakora batter.

Malati dasi from USA also wrote asking for some grain-free feast ideas for a 100-person spiritual retreat.

I sent this recipe (and some extra ones for Malati) to both enquirees. It's delicious, easy and addictive.

The photo below was of a special non-grain selection prepared by my students and I in Ljubljana, Slovenia a couple of years ago. The crispy pakoras are in the foreground of the plate.

Crisp Grain-free Ekadasi Cauliflower Fritters (Pakoras)

Pakoras are popular spiced, batter-dipped, deep-fried, vegetables that make perfect snacks or hors d'oeuvres. Ghee is the preferred medium for frying pakoras, although you can use nut or vegetable oil.

The tradition of frying things in batter is popular throughout the culinary world. In Italy, there’s the delicious Neapolitan fritters known as pasta cresciuta, comprising of things like sun-dried tomato halves, zucchini flowers, and sage leaves dipped in a yeasted batter and fried in olive oil. The Japanese dip all sorts of things, including zucchini, eggplant and carrot into a light thin batter and serve the tempura with dipping sauce.

In India, pakoras (pronounced pak-OR-as) are almost a national passion. Cooked on bustling street corners, in snack houses, and at home, the fritters are always served piping hot, usually with an accompanying sauce or chutney. The vegetables can be cut into rounds, sticks, fan shapes, or slices. The varieties are endless.

Try batter-frying various types of vegetables. Cauliflower pakoras are probably the most popular, but equally delicious are potato rings, zucchini chunks, spinach leaves, pumpkin slices, eggplant rings, baby tomatoes, sweet potatoes, red or green pepper slices, asparagus tips, and artichoke hearts. Cook pakoras slowly to ensure that the batter and the vegetables cook simultaneously. Makes about 2 dozen pakoras.

1 cup each of buckwheat and arrowroot flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pure asafoetida powder
1½ teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons nigella seeds
2½ cups cold water, or enough to make a smooth batter
1 large cauliflower cut into florets
ghee or oil for deep-frying

Combine the flours, salt, powdered spices, and green chilies in a bowl. Mix well with a wire whisk.

Whisk in sufficient cold water to make a batter the consistency of medium-light cream. When you dip the vegetable in the batter, it should be completely coated but neither thick and heavy nor runny and thin. Have extra flour and water on hand to adjust the consistency as required. Let the batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat the ghee or oil to a depth of 6 – 7 cm in a wok or deep-frying vessel until the temperature reaches about 180°C/355°F.

Dip 5 or 6 pieces of cauliflower in the batter and, one at a time, carefully slip them into the hot oil. Fry until the pakoras are golden brown, turning to cook them evenly on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue cooking until all the pakoras are done. Serve immediately or keep warm, uncovered, in a preheated cool oven for up to ½ hour.

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