Tonight’s dinner was one I would like to revisit from time to time, with some important changes. We had an Indian-themed dinner that centered on rat-tail radishes, an unusual vegetable that is a pod, like a green bean, that has a distinctly radish flavor and even some of the bite. What I am enjoying about the CSA is the discovery of unusual vegetables and the need to find new recipes to cook them. What i’m not enjoying is how often vegetables or more likely the herbs they send, go bad and I have to throw them out. But tonight I found a recipe that looked good for these radish pods, and it was:

Moongre ki Subzi (from a blog called Mad Tea Party)
(Radish pods)
Serves 4

250 gms fresh radish pods
1-2 potatoes
1 T grated ginger
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1-2 T oil
1 t cumin seeds
pinch of hing
1/2 t turmeric
1 1/2 t coriander powder
1 t red (cayenne) chilli powder
salt
coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish

Rinse the radish pods. Top and tail them. Snap into 1-1 1/2″ lengths. Peel and cube the potatoes.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the cumin seeds followed by hing, then garlic and ginger. Once the garlic is fragrant add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and cook till the tomatoes turn to mush and the oil begins to surface. Add a pinch of salt if the mush starts to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add turmeric, coriander powder, and red chilli powder, in that order. Give a stir and let fry for a few seconds till the spices are cooked, taking care to not let the chillies burn. Add the prepared vegetables. Sprinkle salt and mix. Cover and cook till potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

The only problem with the dish was the rat-tail radishes themselves. I loved the flavor but found the vegetable too chewy for enjoyable eating. Luke just flat-out didn’t like the radish pods much at all. The flavor of the sauce was excellent though so I think we’ll maybe consider making this dish with green beans in the future.

The rest of tonight’s menu was a Jodhpur dal (a snip-and-heat pack from Trader Joe’s), basmati rice, and a tossed salad with our house dressing, which is a balsamic and mustard blend. It doesn’t quite fit with indian food, but it wasn’t clashing either, just a little odd.

I was just sitting and reading the paper online when I heard little Jemma cough in the other room. Could it be that for about an hour I forgot I even had an infant daughter? How different it is to have a second child! I cannot remember ever having a moment to think of myself almost three years ago when I was a new first-time mom.

But what has come back intensely are the feelings that come over me when I hold my baby, and having the emotion of deep love soak into my every cell as I look at my baby’s face. It still happens now, with Chiara, who is growing more and more beautiful and charming every single day. And it happens with Jemma, who is sweetness personified.

So, even though today was a terrible, strained and strenuous day. Even though Chiara overturned her dinner on the floor and then told me she was still hungry. Even though Jemma woke up, at the tender age of six weeks, with congestion and a wracking sneeze that frightened and saddened me (but miraculously seemed fine by the afternoon). Even though I had to fill out form after form today for my maternity leave that began with me stating the nature of my disability was pregnancy. At 10:30 pm tonight, or whenever it is right now, I feel grateful to have these two beautiful babies in my life. I’m so full of curiosity and hope for them and their shiny futures. I wish I had a crystal ball; but I know that it’s better to have life unfold on its own time. I’ll try to savor all of it and not be undone by the small things. Like almost everything that happened today!

Now I think I’ll go check on Chiara maybe even lie down next to her for a minute. She’s grown so big. Time is so elastic.