The World Famous, World- Class Rajmaa from Jammu, from the plains of J&K :
Before my entry into ONGC, Raajmaa Chaawal, was an alien delicacy for me, and being a born Madrasee & Brought Up Bong, I had never heard of this punjabee delicacy before.
Jammu is a place, very well known in the northern part of India, for its high class Raajmaa, and of course, Jammu Baasmathi too. As flavourful as Dehradun Basmathi, Jammu Baasmathi has a class of its own. And Shekhar very fondly used to get whole gunny bags of these two items of Jammu, for his mother dear, when he was posted in this region, in his initial bachelors' days, as a Regimental Medical Officer. I used to wonder, what was the use of a Punjabee lentil like Rajmaa, for a mother, who was a typical Tamil Brahmin, with not even the faintest knowledge of North Indian delicacies.
And I curiously asked her once, as to where was she dumping these world-class Rajmaas, in which trash can, in those olden days. Suprisingly, she told me then & there, that Jammu Rajmaa was unusually tasty, and she used the whole gunny bags, for making Shundal, some even during Navarathri, for distribution among Madraasi population.
All the Madrasi gang, freaked out on Rajmaa Shundal, making it an extraordinarily popular item for our dear Mallika Badrinath's next blockbuster publication. 🤣. And also luring the all time Cookery Queen Tarla Dala, to violate the Copyright Laws, and break into my Maamiyaar's recipe of Raajmaa Shundal.
I was amused crazily, on hearing this. I knew only & only about Rajmaa Chawal of Punjabees, and that was the only use I knew of Rajmaa. And immediately it struck me, that Rajmaa could also be used for making Tamizh Navaraathri Shundal.
My dear mother has 'Total Aversion' for Rajmaa, Chaawal. She used to wonder, what kind of a delicacy is this, and who in the world, eats all this. She used to vomit in public, whenever Rajmaa, Chawaal was offered to her, by some of my dearest Punjabee friends, during dinner invitations, making me feel extremely awkward, gulty & embarassed. 🤣 She didn't know, how
nutritious was this kidney bean Rajmaa, and what all great food she was missing in life.
Amma, My dear Amma !!! You'll never move even an inch, from Pazhoor, Kumbakonam & Thanjaavur, that's for sure, even in the 31st century. 🤣
During our recent sacred 'Theertha Yaatra' to Vaishno Devi, early this month, we had to halt at a hotel in Katra in Jammu, at the foot hills of Trikoota hills of Shivalik Mountain Range, in the plains of Jammu. I didn't want to miss this greatest opportunity, to grab some local Basmathi & Rajmaa, from the nearby provision store, for carrying home to Bangalore.
Today, menu for Amma's lunch is chapaathis, dal & Methi Aaloo, and of course Thayir Saadam. Whereas We, I mean Me, Shekhar & Pappu, are going to freak out on yummy Rajmaa, Chaawal of
Jammu, of international & multinational fame.🤣
Here is a quick snapshot of the World Famous, world class Jammu Rajmaa, we bought in Jammu. This is the last bit left at the extreme bottom of my kitchen Dubbaa, to outrightly discourage everyone from drooling & drooling & drooling. 🤣
Please dont laugh at my mom-in-laws's great innovative idea of Rajmaa & Kaalee Urad Shundal, in the typical "North meets South" style.
When Brand Mcdonalds can innovate Superhit Mc-Aaloo Tikkis, and Brand Pizza Hut can innovate Chatpataa Tandoori Pizza, and Masaaledaar Pataakhaa Pizza, then we Desis of India, from the extreme interiors of this colourful, vibrant country, too could innovate, at least exotic Shundals once in a while, if not anything else, with our own indegneneous Desi items. 🤣
Right or Wrong??? Correct or incorrect??? Agreed or Disagreed???:)
The yummy Rajmaa Chaawal is a Punjabi delicacy, I started loving, after
I joined the Oil Giant ONGC in early 80's. ONGC is an organisation,
with noticeable population of Punjabees. That
doesn't mean, it's a
hub of just Punjabees. There were people from every nook & corner of
India, in the organisation, and being in a Desi Cosmo crowd, it was
wonderful & great fun, developing a taste & liking, for all
kinds of regional foods of every part of this expansive, vibrant,
culturallly rich country.
Before my entry into ONGC, Raajmaa Chaawal, was an alien delicacy for me, and being a born Madrasee & Brought Up Bong, I had never heard of this punjabee delicacy before.
Jammu is a place, very well known in the northern part of India, for its high class Raajmaa, and of course, Jammu Baasmathi too. As flavourful as Dehradun Basmathi, Jammu Baasmathi has a class of its own. And Shekhar very fondly used to get whole gunny bags of these two items of Jammu, for his mother dear, when he was posted in this region, in his initial bachelors' days, as a Regimental Medical Officer. I used to wonder, what was the use of a Punjabee lentil like Rajmaa, for a mother, who was a typical Tamil Brahmin, with not even the faintest knowledge of North Indian delicacies.
And I curiously asked her once, as to where was she dumping these world-class Rajmaas, in which trash can, in those olden days. Suprisingly, she told me then & there, that Jammu Rajmaa was unusually tasty, and she used the whole gunny bags, for making Shundal, some even during Navarathri, for distribution among Madraasi population.
All the Madrasi gang, freaked out on Rajmaa Shundal, making it an extraordinarily popular item for our dear Mallika Badrinath's next blockbuster publication. 🤣. And also luring the all time Cookery Queen Tarla Dala, to violate the Copyright Laws, and break into my Maamiyaar's recipe of Raajmaa Shundal.
I was amused crazily, on hearing this. I knew only & only about Rajmaa Chawal of Punjabees, and that was the only use I knew of Rajmaa. And immediately it struck me, that Rajmaa could also be used for making Tamizh Navaraathri Shundal.
My dear mother has 'Total Aversion' for Rajmaa, Chaawal. She used to wonder, what kind of a delicacy is this, and who in the world, eats all this. She used to vomit in public, whenever Rajmaa, Chawaal was offered to her, by some of my dearest Punjabee friends, during dinner invitations, making me feel extremely awkward, gulty & embarassed. 🤣 She didn't know, how
nutritious was this kidney bean Rajmaa, and what all great food she was missing in life.
Amma, My dear Amma !!! You'll never move even an inch, from Pazhoor, Kumbakonam & Thanjaavur, that's for sure, even in the 31st century. 🤣
During our recent sacred 'Theertha Yaatra' to Vaishno Devi, early this month, we had to halt at a hotel in Katra in Jammu, at the foot hills of Trikoota hills of Shivalik Mountain Range, in the plains of Jammu. I didn't want to miss this greatest opportunity, to grab some local Basmathi & Rajmaa, from the nearby provision store, for carrying home to Bangalore.
Today, menu for Amma's lunch is chapaathis, dal & Methi Aaloo, and of course Thayir Saadam. Whereas We, I mean Me, Shekhar & Pappu, are going to freak out on yummy Rajmaa, Chaawal of
Jammu, of international & multinational fame.🤣
Here is a quick snapshot of the World Famous, world class Jammu Rajmaa, we bought in Jammu. This is the last bit left at the extreme bottom of my kitchen Dubbaa, to outrightly discourage everyone from drooling & drooling & drooling. 🤣
Please dont laugh at my mom-in-laws's great innovative idea of Rajmaa & Kaalee Urad Shundal, in the typical "North meets South" style.
When Brand Mcdonalds can innovate Superhit Mc-Aaloo Tikkis, and Brand Pizza Hut can innovate Chatpataa Tandoori Pizza, and Masaaledaar Pataakhaa Pizza, then we Desis of India, from the extreme interiors of this colourful, vibrant country, too could innovate, at least exotic Shundals once in a while, if not anything else, with our own indegneneous Desi items. 🤣
Right or Wrong??? Correct or incorrect??? Agreed or Disagreed???:)
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