K for Keechu - our pet cat with blue eyes

We had a pet cat few years before, we named her 'Keechu'. Why keechu?! She meows in a shrill (keech) voice. She was a white cat with blue eyes. She came to us when she was only few months old (don't know how she roamed & crossed a big group of bully dogs to reach our doorsteps). She was hyperactive and kept biting us but still was very adorable. I sometimes became very jealous of her for stealing the leisure times from my dear Husband.

She hid herself in any small place available and used to scare me by suddenly pouncing out.  She liked the 'hide 7 seek' game very well.  When i used to crochet, she loved playing with the yarn ball of different colours. She was a greedy eater too. As she was small, we fed her only milk. Then the neighbour who was also a pet lover started feeding her with fish pet biscuits. Then she showed no interest for the milk we give. Many a time, she will visit the neighbour for those tit bits.  My dear Husband was a frequent tourer (official) that time and Keechu kept me absolutely busy with her pranks making me forget even my DH! But DH used to enquire first about keechu while calling me, who earlier used to enquire “How are you Darling”!!.  I was little bit envying her catching my Dear Husband’s attention. She used to come & curl herself between us which seemed a very cozy place for her.

After keechu grew little big, she started wandering away but returned home atleast by evening.  If i delay to open the door, whe will meow continously & clawed the door. Slowly the frequency reduced and one day she didn't turn up. Our frequent calling "keechu"  looking at all directions for several days went in vain. We have put words to all known persons there to tell us if they spot Keechu.

Someone might have adopted her seeing her cool blue eyes or she got killed by a passing vehicle or by the bully dogs?  Prayed to god 'not that way'. Had she met her mate? Many questions raised in our mind. Her disapperance is still a mystery. But she is still green in our memories with her lovely gleaming blue eyes. We miss 'keechu' very much. Finding it difficult to tolerate such grief of separation.  That was the first and last pet so far in my life.

Mira's Talent Gallery: Mira's Kitchen

Mira's Talent Gallery: Mira's Kitchen: "In this section, you can see the recipes prepared by me. Indian food has its own flavour of aromatic spices with Indian Touch. Let me share ..."

Green Peas Curry

For this dish, you can either use Fresh Green Peas or the Dried green peas which can be soaked for 6 hours and then pressure cooked. I used only 4 tsp of oil as we use coconut too, to make it little low in calories, hence it has to be stirred continuously to saute it in low flame. I use coconut oil for this recipe as the flavour is liked by everyone in my family.

• Green Peas         - 1 Cup
• Grated Coconut  - 2 tbsp
• Cloves                - 2 Nos.
• Garlic Pods        - 4 Nos
• Cinnamon stick  -  1/2"
• Cardamom        - 1 no.
• Curry leaves      - 1 sprig
• Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
• Bay Leaf           - 1 no.
• Fennel (Saunf)  - 1 tsp
• Onion               - 1 no. (big)
• Oil                   - 4 tsp
• Salt to taste

Procedure :-

• Boil fresh peas, adding little salt & sugar (sugar helps retain its green colour) drain and keep aside.
• Finely chop onions
• To make a fine paste : Grated coconut, chopped Onion, Garlic pods, coriander leaves, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Fennel seeds.
• Heat Oil in a kadai, put Bay leaf.
• Add the ground masala paste & saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add the boiled green peas, curry leaves, required salt
• Cook for 5-10 minutes in low flame
• Green peas curry is ready to serve

PS: It goes well with rice, chapathi, vellai appam and puttu.