Karhi and talkarie by Parvatie

EVEN while dressed in the most expensive shalwar one can sit and eat from a leaf. It is the custom at most Hindu weddings. Independent Senator Parvatie Anmolsingh-Mahabir enjoys doing just that. She loves to mix rice and karhi (an East Indian traditional dish) together and eat with her fingers. “Although we go to the stores and choose the fashionable outfits for the weddings and other social function, it does not stop us from rushing to the tables to eat on the soharie leaf as a plate. I find great delight in doing this,” she said. A former educator, Parvatie has been working with young people for many years. She has also been active with the Maha Sabha and with the Indian Women’s Group of TT.

She is known for voicing her strong opinions on some of the toughest Bills in the Parliament, but at home she is eager to get to kitchen to prepare some tasty food for her husband Dr Vinod Mahabir and her children Nandhini and Ravindra. One of her special dishs is karhi. It can be eaten with rice and a side dish known as talkarie (made with vegetables). For karhi she first makes ‘phulorie’ and then throws them into the liquid karhi. The two dishes are mixed together to form one. Here’s how she prepares them.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pk ground dhal
? cup flour
1 tsp saffron powder
salt to taste
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp gound seasoning - chive and celery
1 pk curry powder
1 onion (sliced)
pepper to taste
1 tbsp oil
dash of baking powder
2 cups of water

METHOD
Mix half pack of ground dhal with salt, half teaspoon saffron powder, baking powder, crushed garlic and a touch of seasoning. Throw in little water and mixed into a paste. Leave to rest a while. Place a flat pot on the stove and heat oil. Using a teaspoon throw in a little of the paste to fry. It forms into a ball while frying. Keeping a spoon at a time until all the phulorie has been fried. Set aside to cool. Mixe the rest of dhal in one and a half cups water until dissolved. Now using the same oil, fry the onions, garlic, seasoning. Then throw in the curry and the peppers. Now slowly throw in the mixed dissolved liquid into the curry and keep turning until it forms into a semi-thick liquid. Turn the stove off and throw in the phulorie.

TALKARIE
1  large melongene
1 lb potatoes
1 tsp curry powder
1 sliced onion
2 crushed garlic
pepper and salt to taste
? cup water
1 tsp oil

METHOD
Peel the melongene and cut into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into equally small pieces. Heat oil in an iron pot and throw in onions, garlic, and curry. Mix together until these ingredients are fried properly. Throw in the melongene and potatoes and mix until the curry gets into the vegetables. Cover the pot and leave to fry for five minutes. Now throw in the water and allow to simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Serve with roti or rice.