This is my humble Dahi Handi and I look forward to setting curd every night in it because it makes the mundane,aesthetic in looks and divine in taste..
I love to engage with this terracotta utensil in an endearing way. This maroon red labour of sweat and love crafted by some potter in some remote village finds its place in a plush kitchen is a story in itself!
I love how it feels and looks when its washed wet, fresh to behold the milky white liquid, stirred with the leftover curd,we know as a 'starter'.
In our part of the country, Bihar,we call it 'जोरन' जमाना। Coloquilly speaking!
This part is the crucial part as here, the secret of it holding the 'creamy white' lies. The milk has to be lukewarm, such that as you dip your finger, just a hint of heat perks it up.Right temperature. Neither too hot nor too cold.Understanding this, comes with practice!
It's stirred with great care,swirling till your starter dissolves completely in milk.
'केसर' ।
The name itself is so poetic.
Here, I've added strands of Kesar in my curd while setting it. Intending to add some color and health benefits into it. My sense of aesthetics and a pursuit to balance it with functionality leads me to investigate further.
These threads of crimson are the stigma of the flower, Crocus Sativus.
Kesar or saffron is a great antioxidant.
Widely used in dishes like Biryani, Srikhand, Mango lassi, Meethi Sevayian, zafrani pulav and many other dishes, these slender threads are very potent and have a long shelf life.
They are very laboriously harvested and therefore, have their weight worth in gold, infact, more, quite literally. They are revered for their medicinal qualities in treating a plethora of maladies. They are said to be an anti-depressant and a mood enhancer.Its said to cure Cancer,often reduces PMS in women and works as an aphrodisiac!
Well then. Get set, to set it,and go! ❤
