Garden lovers cannot have a dull moment in their workspace. The area could be limited to a balcony or some lucky ones might have farm houses but there have to be flowers, fruits and vegetables growing in every season. Most gardening enthusiasts would agree. Well, two seasons see the maximum blooms. Winters and the transition to spring are the best seasons. So much time and preparation go into keeping the plant alive and kicking. Having got used to its tantrums like a baby you see it coming to flower and fruit during this period. Summers are the worst season for plants. Heat, low humidity, erratic watering takes its toll. Plants go into a shock unless given the requisite shade naturally or artificially. Still, some plants misbehave and the weakest die. A gardener suffers a heart break. Nevertheless, he continues his pursuit to keep the blooming on. A question people keep asking me off an on. What do you do to get flowers in summer? Selection of p...
Most of us are familiar with a weird looking ‘pot-bellied’ fruit/vegetable called ‘Jack Fruit/Kathal’. It grows on tree trunks swelling into large oversized fruits. The light green texture has rough bristles like a hedgehog, if you guys have touched it. If plucked raw, it makes an excellent vegetarian dish. The texture is fibrous and chewy. Also called the poor man’s chicken/mutton. Last week, one of our neighbours brought a casserole full of Biryani. The lady didn’t tell us what it was made of. It was delicious and finger licking! She made “Kathal Biryani”. We were tasting it for the first time. One never knew that biryani could be made out of it. I as a child detested eating vegetables. Once we went to Agra to our relative’s place. They served us something which looked like dry mutton preparation for lunch. Large chunks of meat were visible and I liked the taste. Neither mom nor dad said a word and watched me devouring the dish. It was later revealed, when ...