A big green storm

Reflections

We had some spicy spinach curry for lunch a few days ago. So? You ask. Well, just that, we were having spinach for two days in a row. Of course, I have to admit that the spinach dish was flavoured differently both times. But, the trouble was that we were still left with so much spinach that it would last the whole week even if we used it every day. I love spinach, but not as much as to have themed spinach week .

“Why did you buy so much of this green thingy?” my son screamed angrily at the dinner table. “I hate eating spinach everyday,” he protested. I almost sympathised with him, but if we couldn’t eat all the greenery, then we would have to look for a face in the neighbourhood upon whom we could thrust — I mean, graciously give away the bundles of green.

I need to clarify at this point that I am no impulsive buyer. The culprit was Ma. “They were so fresh,” she sounded almost offended, when we questioned her upon her return from the local market. Of course, I reasoned, she had a point because, mothers always do. According to Ma, bazaar is the best place to buy veggies.

“They are fresher, tastier and cheaper,” she said. She had given in to the act of buying after screening the entire market for a good bargain. After walking miles and jostling through the crowd, she had finally spotted this vendor who was giving away bundles of spinach, mint and coriander for a bargain.

Ma, at that moment, had weighed the pros and cons. “It is a lot more expensive in the supermarket,” she had reasoned. So, there she was with her huge bag full of green leaves.

The green booty was spread on our new oakwood dining table. The different shapes of leaves in thick bundles, all bright and green, waited for their verdict. The first thought that had crossed my mind was — “Oh No! How many days would this last?” But, the look of pride that flashed on Ma’s face was unmistakable.

For my part, I had encouraged her to store them in the refrigerator! After all, I reasoned, when would we put to test our new latest nanotechnology refrigerator that claims to keep vegetables fresh for at least 10 days? But, there was still the challenge. We had already eaten spinach two days in a row, after which, we knew that we couldn’t take in anymore.

But Ma had her ways. She found ways of using up all those leaves smartly. First, she improved our relationship with our neighbour by parting with a whole lot of spinach with them. She also prepared three types of chutneys to keep the coriander going, but the only hitch was that she still had to find a way to use up the mint and fenugreek.

Upon meticulously reading the numerous cook books and celebrity recipe books, the green leaves were finally put to use. We relished two evenings of unusual dinner time dishes. All her shopping left a satisfying and lingering taste in our mouths.

So, when Ma went off to the bazaar with her good friend yesterday, I was worried. I have to admit that the whole process of using up the spinach and its green cousins did add to the much-needed drama in our otherwise dull lives, but I didn’t know if I was ready for another bout of adventure. Ma returned that evening with many bags. Only this time, it was a huge box of red tomatoes. Now, that’s what I call braving the veggie storm!