"Mamama's Nishey with Salt- Ghee and dash of Pepper ... Nishey/ Rice Stock served with a dash of salt- crushed pepper powder-homemade ghee" ... Dedicating this post to my Mamama (my maternal grandmother) ... I always saw her relishing this at mid morning whenever she came over to stay in my parents home ... She always insisted we have it with ghee, if we are unwell as it provides energy ... somehow over the years people have stopped having them reasoning that it is full of starch and calories ... But, sometimes when there is chill in the air I love adding on coarsely powdered pepper powder to it and having it steaming hot ... I have Nostalgic Memories with this drink ... Mamama I love you, I know you are watching from up there and eyeing that jar full of your fav. drink ... Thank you for teaching me this best out of waste healthy drink ... as the world is going through a very rough phase, and India being over populated, there is bound to be little bit of scarcity or difficulty in access to food grains, veggies etc. so don't waste that starch, you can even add it to soup, rasams, saars etc. and consume it safely ... and to all my friends out there ... save food for all so that no one goes hungry, Remember Food Saved Is Food Produced ... Stay Safe, Stay at Home, Stay Blessed ...
** Everyone knows about Nishey ie Rice Starch and it is always available in plenty in southern parts of India. South Indians staple food being rice, the same is always cooked in plenty every day and unlike in the northern parts we prepare the rice by straining off the stock ie the water in which it is cooked once it is done. This stock is called nishey in konkani, kanji or ganji in kannada and I am sure every regional language has its own word for it. Our ancestors were very wise and never wasted the stock as it is full of starch and if the rice is red boiled rice ie ukda rice it is much more in nutrients and minerals. Eating rice porridge/ peja ie rice with the starch has been in vogue for a long time now and during olden days people had it before they left for work, they never carried a lunch box as this kept them full through the day and came back home directly to have tiffin. During our vacation or any other public holidays we children were given to relish the same during mid morning.
** I still remember Mom preparing it for us when we were young and had our vacations during the month of April-May. Being summer that was the time when sun dried items were prepared and my siblings helped mom in spreading them in our compound premises way ahead of sunrise. Mom always gave us breakfast early in the morning after which all were busy in the preparation of these items like papad, happolu, vodi, shevai etc. which were then put to sun dry. This consumed a lot of time and it would be almost mid morning before everything was wrapped and cleared. After all this mom had to cook and I really wonder how she could work so much and yet think about the welfare of each individual in home. Lunch would be late, so in order to avoid all going famished she served us hot rice porridge/ pejja with a dollop of fresh home made ghee and salt. She even gave us some fried papad roasted or prepared into kismuri with addition of finely chopped onion or some fried vodi/ fryums to relish along with it and yes, pickle which was a must for the elders, though during childhood I hardly ate pickle.
** My Mamama ie my maternal grandmother whom I call the steel women of mom’s family used to come home to stay with us for sometime during holidays or festivals. Being widowed at a very young age and with 8 young children to feed with almost nothing as asset left for her, she has always fought with courage, worked hard to bring up her children and I am very proud of her. She was way ahead of her times and never ever looked down upon anybody. Was always interested in learning new things with interest but her heart was set on old traditions. Having her own troubles she never bothered much with rituals as she was more concerned about feeding the mouths that relied on her. Those days there were great relatives and neighbors out there who always lend a helping hand unlike nowadays who make fun and stab on issues. After my Father and Mother who built a successful life from zero if I admire anybody it is my mamama/ grandmother who has also done the very same thing. It is only after her son, my uncle started earning that she relaxed and learn to enjoy a bit of life too.
** But all those of us who have come up the hard way in life, which includes me too in the same bracket, do not fear lack of luxury if it comes down to hard days in life again. Mamama whenever she came to stay over detested if the nishey/ rice starch was thrown, though we never knew about drinking it I keenly watched her doing so. Being the youngest in the house and the most pampered I really grew up without doing much of household work, and it was much later that mom made me do it, which I am very thankful to her for doing so. I always rallied round my Mom, and not once did she spank me or sent me out of her way unless she was cooking near fire, so when mamama poured the nishey in a large tumbler, added salt and ghee, stirred it and drank it hot, I kept starring at her. She took another small glass and poured a little bit in it and asked me to drink it and I was skeptical, being used to drinking Bajal, the drink that was then replaced by Fanta and then now Mirinda. But she made me drink it, oh, she really is a stubborn granny, always has her own way round all of us.
** I did not like it much the first time and made a long face, but I was at her mercy the 2nd day too, this time she added a pinch of pepper powder and made me drink the same. Ahhhaaa this I liked and then it was a routine to drink a small sip from her glass too. These childhood memories have stayed with me along with many more that I would love to share when time permits. Mom also used this strained starch for cotton clothes and they really starched the clothes better than the starch we get from outside. She even added them to starch the bed sheets before she ironed and kept them neatly folded in cupboards. I will never ever be able to do the amount of work that my mom or my granny did, but being a keen observer throughout my life I have learned a lot from these women on how to run home and how to live happily under any given circumstances. There was a time when hubby and me were struck with the same, we stood by each other strongly and I used all the tricks I had learned from mamama and amma to stay fit and healthy and above all happy.
** Difficult times are like the waves on the sea shore coming back to back with resounding noise, sometimes when they come roaring higher than necessary, they wash away so many things causing unnecessary destruction, but they also pacify with time and go back to just to washing the sands closest to the shore. At present all of us round the world are going through a very difficult phase and need to stand by each other. As I mentioned above, things are definitely not going to be easy in the near future as when everything like production, distribution etc. come to a standstill for months together it is not only going to effect the economy but also with every living individual. So, it is best that we learn now in time to use our resources carefully and avoid panic or storing and causing imbalance in food distribution. Please do not cook more than necessary and avoid complete wastage of food. We really do not know how long it will take for things to settle down and restore normalcy. Do not throw food if in excessive, the situation now is such that we cannot even pass it off to those who are in need of it as we are home bound.
** So it is best to for all of us to take this as a challenge and learn to cook pleasing meals in whatever is available, there are plenty of dishes that can be churned out of almost nothing and relished with leftovers too, I will try including whatever I know of. You can also recycle dals, roti, left over rice into a new dish by seasoning it or making something new out of it too like tikkis, bhakri etc. and they really turn out good. Coming to the main post picture of starch, please do not throw away rice starch, add a pinch of salt, pepper powder, ghee and make all members at home drink it at mid morning. This is a very healthy and energetic drink and if still reluctant to have it, you can add them to soups, saars etc. while cooking and you will get a thicker textured soup, try it, who know you may fall in love with the starch and discover new ways of using it too. The onus of saving for coming days and making best out of what is available is always a challenge and lies on each individual, God helps them those who help themselves and is kind to everybody’s need. So, let us stand united and fight this battle and bring out our beautiful world as a winner.
** Note : Nishey is Rice Starch, is that water which is strained when the rice is almost done by sieving it into another vessel. Every Konkani/ Saraswat or an South Indian knows the method of the same, however if you are not aware, I have already written an article of cooking rice the konkani way ie by removing starch to which I will be sharing the link below, do read through that and you will find it very easy and useful. You can use any nishey be it of normal polished white rice or of red boiled rice ie ukda rice, both methods are already given before and trust me even if you find the taste a bit not so much to your liking it does wonders in the long run. The red boiled rice starch off course is more nutrient than the polished rice ones. Again you can use ghee sparingly if you need to watch out on it and also salt if you have other health ailments. And if for any reason you are advised against eating of starch then please do not do so or at least take a Doctors advice before doing so. These are all written keeping in mind all people at large and those with ailments should always be careful in following without consultation.
** Do try this out the next time before you chuck out the rice starch/ nishey. Hot food is the necessity of the time, so go for it. A word of CAUTION : Nishey/ Rice Stock should be consumed immediately as it ferments on keeping. Do not try keeping it fridge too for later use that is not healthy to drink.
** Requesting all to stay at home if possible, do not travel or let children play outside, please maintain distance, stay safe, take care of your hygiene and be very careful, don’t play with yours, your family’s and your neighbors lives. "Swast Raho~ Swach Rakho~ Ghar meyhi Raho~ Tabhi Toh Bachega Humara Bharat, Humara World” … //Siyavara Ramachandra Ki Jai//
** Requesting all to stay at home if possible, do not travel or let children play outside, please maintain distance, stay safe, take care of your hygiene and be very careful, don’t play with yours, your family’s and your neighbors lives. "Swast Raho~ Swach Rakho~ Ghar meyhi Raho~ Tabhi Toh Bachega Humara Bharat, Humara World” … //Siyavara Ramachandra Ki Jai//
** For “Red Boiled Rice/Tambde Ukde Tandla sheetha/Urpel Ari /LaL Mota Chawal” … Cooking of Red Boiled Rice using Pressure Cooker. My easy way out. Cooking red boiled rice / ukde sheetha is considered laborious and time consuming, but I use a faster method and get perfectly cooked rice using pressure cooker. Anybody can follow this simple method, cook and enjoy hot red ukada boiled rice with a spicy Veg / Non. Veg Curry …. Please follow the link given below for the method of cooking .....
** For the Recipe of "Cooking Rice Starch Free/Vanu ghalnu SheetHa", where the Rice is cooked and the water is drained off to remove excess starch, Please follow the link given below ….
** Disclaimer : The above article written is just my thoughts and not meant to impose any restrictions or advice or accuse anybody of any thing whatsoever. My sole intention has always been to help out people via my kitchen tips and not discourage anybody in any way. I strongly believe in Live and Let Live, there is ample place in this beautiful world for all. Do excuse if in the process anybody's sentiments have been hurt, it was definitely not my intention. God Bless all.
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Thanks.