The lemon and green chilli

A young boy named Chatur came under the tutelage of a wise guru.

The boy’s parents had left him under the guidance of the guru for five years, as was the custom during those days.

The first week was quite tough on the young boy, but he quickly learned to manage his work. He befriended the senior students and started learning things.

After a month had passed, the guru called Chatur. He gave him a couple of chillies and lemons tied to a string and asked him to set out of the ashram.

“Come back when the lemons and chillies have been consumed,” said the guru, lovingly sending off his talented student.

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The senior boys were indignant with the guru for sending such a small boy alone, though they did not dare to contest the guru’s orders.

The boy set foot outside the ashram and carefully led himself along, memorizing the route as he walked along. A few days later, as the boy reached a river bed, he fell unconscious. A few villagers who happened to pass by saw the boy and quickly rushed to his aid.

They rummaged through his tiny bag which had a couple of clothes, the lemons and the chillies and a bowl.

While one of the villagers sprinkled water on the boy’s face, another filled the bowl with water. By now the boy had regained his consciousness and was sitting. The villagers quickly squeezed the lemons into the bowl of water and made the boy drink it. After he drank the lemon juice he felt energized and thanked the bystanders.

One of them asked the boy, what made him think of bringing the lemons and chillies along. The boy returned a blank look.

“My guru asked me to return to the ashram once the chillies and lemons were consumed,” he said.

Once he was fit enough, Chatur resumed his journey. A few days later he reached a place that was very cold and Chatur found it difficult to adjust to the change in the climatic condition. He sat on a porch outside a house, shivering in the cold.

An old man opened the door and Chatur stood up instantly. As he stood up, his tiny bag fell to the ground, revealing the contents.

The old man helped Chatur pick the strewn contents. As he saw the chillies and one remaining lemon, he was curious.

“Son, what makes you shiver when you could have consumed the green chilli along with your food to keep you warm?” asked the old man gently.

Chatur spent the night at the old man’s cottage. In the morning Chatur thanked the old man and began walking back towards the ashram!

Even today, when people travel, they always carry lemons and green chillies, though the reason for doing this is not known to many.

With modern living replacing the olden methods there are many other ways that have evolved to protect the travellers against the varying climatic conditions that could prevail in each of these destinations. 

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Adhiyaman's gift to Avaiyaar

Of the seven philanthropists, believed to have reached Tamil Nadu during the Sangam era, Adhiyaman was very popular.

His act of sharing the only rare gooseberry fruit with the wise Avaiyaar has earned him a very respectable place in history.

He was a part of the velir clan and one of the kadai Ezhu vallalkal. 

Adhiyaman Neduman Anji belonged to a prolific Tamil horseman tribe and ruled over modern day Dharmapuri and Salem. His capital was situated at Tagadur.

Adhiyaman was fond of the wise old Tamil poet Avaiyaar and the two became great friends. Their friendship is believed to have begun with Avaiyaar’s anger on the well-meaning king.

Adhiyaman used to delay giving her gifts to prolong her stay in his court. Not knowing the king’s true intentions, Avaiyaar got angry with him. But when he explained his true intent, the two became good friends.

One day Adhiyaman got a rare variety of a gooseberry (Nellikani). The King came to know that the fruit had the power to extend one’s life. He immediately chose to offer it to Avaiyaar.

Adhiyaman gave the rare fruit to his best friend...

“Oh, wise lady! Thousands of Kings come and go, but the wisdom of a poet like you is more precious to earth than the valour of an ordinary king like me,” said the great philanthropist, offering the fruit to the grand old lady of Tamil literature.

Author’s note:

The gooseberry fruit is termed as the healthiest of fruits as it has the highest Vitamin C content. It is an antioxidant and helps in boosting protein metabolism. Here is a recipe that you can try out with Indian gooseberry.

To prepare this you will need:

1 cup rice (cooked)

Urad Dal (2 tablespoon)

Red Chilli (3-4)

Asafoetida power – a pinch

Black Pepper – 5-6

Mustard, Jeera (cumin seeds), Kadipatha, groundnuts – for seasoning

Gooseberry – 3-4

Mint leaves (optional)

The ingredients...

Roast the Urad Dal, red chiilies. Dry grind them with the pepper. In a small wok, add 1 spoon of oil. When the oil is sufficiently hot add the mustard seed. Wait till it splutters. Add Jeera, kadhpatha, asafoetida powder and the groundnut. When the groundnut is roasted well, add the seasoning to the rice. Add the chilli/urad dal powder, salt, mint leaves. Mix well. Grate the gooseberries and add to the rice and mix well again.

This rice can be served with plain curd/raitha or pickle.

The rice can be served with pickle or raitha...

Since the gooseberries are not cooked, the vitamin and other nutrients are preserved.

Recipe courtesy: My aunt, Mrs. Varalakshmi Krishnamurthy who retired from the catering institute in Chennai.

The turmeric plant

In a village called Avantipura, there lived a turmeric plant. He grew green and tall with beautiful leaves. The garden, which was his home, was small, yet cosy and comfortable.

He was an innocent and happy plant until one day a passer-by made a remark. 

He was strong and green...

“Hey, look at this plant! He looks so green and strong, yet he bears no fruit or flowers!”

The remark of the ignorant man left the plant very sad. A lemon plant that took root near the turmeric plant tried to cheer him up, but to no avail!

Soon the turmeric began sulking and brooding...

Day after sad day the turmeric brooded over his useless existence. He had no way of ending his misery. He started becoming pale and weak.

He would look at all the other trees around him that bore fruits or flowers and would continue sulking. One day a small young boy came to the garden looking for a lost ball. He crawled through the plants trying to locate the ball. As he crawled he upset the soil around the turmeric plant, revealing the beautiful yellow stems that grew underground.

Soon the boy called out to his parents and shared his find with them.

His grandmother, on hearing the commotion came out of the house. She gently firmed up the soil around the young plant and explained the various uses of turmeric to the boy.

She told him how turmeric plant serves people selflessly as a medicine, as a dye and as a spice. Even the leaves of turmeric are used to make a sweet dumpling known as patholi.

Both the boy and the plant listened with a deep intent.

“When will you make patholi for me, grandma,” the little boy asked innocently. His grandmother chuckled mildly and told him that she has to take permission from the plant to use his leaves!

By now, a very happy and relieved plant, the turmeric shed one of his leaves for the young boy’s sake!

After they all left, the turmeric turned to the lemon plant and said,

“Is it not so strange that you have all your talents lying right under your feet and yet you are the last one to realise it! The journey to a successful and happy life begins when you are humble enough to bow down and look right under your feet!”

The lemon tree was mighty thrilled for his friend!

The lemon was proud of his friend!

Author’s note:

Patholis are made from rice flour, coconut and jaggery. It is usually made during the Ganesh Chaturthi in the Konkan belt.

Mix rice flour and a pinch of salt in water to make a thick paste.

Grate coconut, powder the jaggery and cardamom and mix them well.

Wash the turmeric leaves well. Smash or scrap the thick central vein of the turmeric leaf, so that it is easy to roll it.

Cover the leaf completely with the rice batter. Add the coconut/jaggery filling along the centre of the leaf, over the rice paste.

Fold the leaf vertically along its vein. Cut the leaves to a comfortable size.

Steam the leaves over an idli plate for about 15 minutes. Once they are steamed, gently remove the cover and spread the leaves over a plate. While still hot, remove the turmeric leaf.

Patholis, the pride of every turmeric leaf!

Patholis taste best with ghee or milk!