Mum’s Matar Kachori/Gujarati Peas Kachori

MOTHER’S DAY

RECIPE: MUM’S MATAR KACHORI/GUJARATI PEAS KACHORI

Mum’s Matar Kachori/Gujarati Peas Kachori  is a deep fried snack with a filling of spicy fresh peas in a flaky and crispy pastry. Mum’s matar kachori is so delicious and she made them perfectly. She didn’t use garam masala. Simply spiced with fresh green chilis and ginger with a bit of sugar and lemon juice.

Mum’s love is never ending

People say that time heals the wound, the pain. But it really doesn’t. One is never too old to need a mum. We all go on with our lives but not a single day goes by when I don’t remember my mum. Missed you tonnes when my children got married, miss you when its Mother’s Day, miss you when its your birthday, I don’t have the heart to call dad when its your wedding anniversary, miss you when I need some advise, basically miss you every moment.

Remember how so proudly you’d bought a whole dinner set for me when I’d moved to my new home. Still use it everyday. I use and treasure your orange scarf that you had bought when you went to Japan with dad. Some your favourite saris I treasure.

My Mum

My mum was not a person who liked to hug and kiss all the time, she was a practical person and really didn’t know how to ‘sugar coat’ what needed to be said. However, that does not mean she didn’t care or love us. My mum, by just listening to my voice could make out when I was sad or if something was bothering me. I would try to be as cheerful as possible but though she was miles away, she knew exactly what was going on in my head and heart.

My mum was a pretty simple woman, very homely, loved watching movies and loved the beach though she didn’t know how to swim. In that respect she was fearless. She would waddle into the sea and enjoy while my dad would be left on the beach barely getting his toes wet!

For her, her world was the family. Looking after us, cooking for us was what she did. Her style of cooking didn’t involve elaborate methods, or too many spices. I don’t remember her ever using clove powder or cinnamon powder in her daily cooking. When she made Indian sweets then all the exotic spices would be used. She mainly used fresh ginger, chillis, garlic and occasionally onions to bring out the flavour of the whatever she prepared.

Mum and Mother’s Day

I remember once I didn’t call her on Mother’s Day (the UK one) and she got upset. I told her that I will wish her in May when we celebrate Mother’s Day here and she just stated ‘but for me its today!’ So I wished her and then wished her again in May. In turn she wanted to know why my siblings (both residing in UK) didn’t wish her in May! So basically there was no winning with her! Having said that, she was pampered with gifts and flowers every Mother’s Day by my siblings and my bhabhis.

Other Special Recipes By My Mum

• Mum’s Buitoni
• Keri Nu Shaak/ Mango Curry
• Vaghareli Rotli
• Mum’s famous Handvo made on a sigri/ jiko
• Dhebra– which she would always make for picnics and drive- in movie outings
• Flaky Farsi Puri– which we all simply loved
• Maida Na Parotha
• And her famous Vegetable Soup

To celebrate Mother’s Day, my blogger friends shared their recipes that reminded them of their mum or is their mum’s favourite. Check out the links below and spread some love ♥

• Mogre Ka Sharbat by Gheza -e- Shiriin
• Mango Cream Cake by Flavor Diary
• Mustard Green Chilli Pickle by Good Food Good Mood
• Malpua by Batter Up With Sujata
• Strawberry and Pomegranate Swiss Roll by The Food Samaritan
• Masala Milk by Simply Food
• Baajri Raabdi by Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey
• Mango and Coconut Mousse Tart by Delish Potpourri
• Crispy Beetroot Cutlet by The Yellow Daal
• Aloo Paratha by Give Me Some Spice
• Cornmeal Lavender Muffins by Global Kitchen Travels
• Paal Poli by Priya’s Versatile Recipes
• Apricot Sweet Rolls by Cook’s hideout
• Pogaca

Mum’s Matar Kachori

My mum loved making and having simple matar kachoris. She’d use only peas with a bit of fresh coriander, ginger and chillis. The end result would be such a satisfying, delicious snack for all of us. I remember she would sit on the kitchen floor in the afternoon, and prepare these for the whole family. Back then we didn’t have modern gadgets, no Kitchen Aid or Moulinex. She would take the hand mincer which had several types of sieves and hand grind the peas. For a family of over 14 members, she must have made so many. I remember I used to help her roll the dough into tiny puris, and then she would ask me to pinch and twist the dough to seal the edges or ‘do the kangri’ as we call it in Gujarati. When she fell sick and couldn’t do much in the kitchen, my visits to her would mean that during my stay at least once we’d have to make her favourite snack. Then the roles were reversed, she’d help to roll the dough and I’d make the filling, stuff the kachoris and fry them.

Dedicating this recipe to my wonderful. beautiful mum…. miss you so much. Its the little things we loved about you.

image from google