posted June 25, 2011 04:57 PM            

Woh it is so good to be able to grow at least some of my own food! no chemicals or pesticides, not come here from halfway round the world & to be out in the sunshine, working at growing seems to be partly how we were meant to live as humans.

posted June 26, 2011 05:34 PM            

I don`t understand what an allotment is...

Yes I have harvested the cold crops already and tomatoes are boomimg. Everything else is a tad slow due to a late & wet spring but high hopes fly.
Strawberries are bursting and the mulberries are turning

posted June 26, 2011 06:40 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by juniperb:
I have taken on an allotment last February,

I don`t understand what an allotment is...

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Oh an allotment is just a plot of land, where you can grow your own food, I share a plot with my sister and her husband, my bit is only about 15 foot by 12 foot. its a cheap way to eat very healthily.

posted June 30, 2011 04:14 PM            

Beets are not my veggie of choice & I really dislike the red stains they leave.

Green beans are on. I love to simmer mine with some bacon in beef broth.. yum!

posted July 01, 2011 08:13 AM            

The allotment land is rented from the local council & its safe from development for the next 25 years.

I discovered that some of my onions have white rot from too much rain so I had to pick most of them before I lost them all.

posted July 01, 2011 08:28 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by abcd efg:
Beetroots are great. We make salad out of it in different ways. And also vegetable. Both taste good. Juice too. And yes mostly they are sweet. If they dont turn out to be so, we can add sugar in the preparation.

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posted July 02, 2011 09:32 AM            

Salad 1

Mustard Seeds-1/4 tsp, Asafoetida-1/4 tsp, fresh curry leaves -7/8, very little ghee (clarrified butter), salt and sugar to taste, curd and 2 medium beetroots.

Pressure Cook the two beetroots (say upto 3 whistles as sometimes they take longer to cook. I do them with rice and in separate vessels to avoid stains). Peel and shred them and add salt and sugar to taste, stir and keep the shred aside.

Take 1 to 1 1/2 spoonful of ghee in a very small pan and heat it. Add mustard seeds. Let them splatter. Add curry leaves stir and turn them to make them crispy. Switch off and add asafoetida immediately. After the asafoetida is done (it burns quickly so got to be careful here) pour the whole 'tadka' i.e. the splattered mixture on the shredded beetroot. Add curd and mix it.

* This can be eaten just like that even without the curd. As one prefers it.

posted July 02, 2011 09:48 AM            

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp, Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp, ghee,curd and 2 medium beetroots.

posted July 02, 2011 10:08 AM            

Mustard Seed - 1/4 tsp,Asafoetida-1/4 tsp (or 7/8 curry leaves, 2 red chillies)

shreded coconut 2 tbsps, 1 red chilli, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds. Roast the three and grind them to a paste. Can add little water while grinding.

Cut the beetroot after peeling the cover to very fine pieces.

Take some oil in a pan, splatter the seed and asafoetida or leaves and chillies as you wish and add the beetroot. Saute it. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Saute. Add the paste, salt to taste and cook it. If you cut the pieces little big it will need some more water to cook. Add as little water as possible.

posted July 03, 2011 05:53 PM            

A few of those ingredients I just do not have, so I suppose I must journey to India and try them!! it is the only obvious answer..

posted July 04, 2011 01:29 AM            

You can try the salad with pieces of beetroot. It doesnt need much Indian stuff. Just add sugar and salt with curd. It can be eaten with any hot rice preparation.

Do you have Indian stores there where you can find some of the Indian spices? Like we have some stores here where we get some of the European stuff.

posted July 07, 2011 07:30 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by starfox:

Beets are ok.. they're very healthy to eat at least.

The allotment land is rented from the local council & its safe from development for the next 25 years.

I discovered that some of my onions have white rot from too much rain so I had to pick most of them before I lost them all.

I gave some of my potatoes away to an elderly neighbour and she loved them

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I will give you the fact they are healthy

We`ve had too much rain & cold too and root crops are suffering .

That is really neat re the allotment. Sounds like the programs the inner cities in MI are doing. Cleaning up vacant lots and letting folks have a portion for a personal garden

posted July 09, 2011 07:23 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by abcd efg:
You are most WELCOME!!

You can try the salad with pieces of beetroot. It doesnt need much Indian stuff. Just add sugar and salt with curd. It can be eaten with any hot rice preparation.

Do you have Indian stores there where you can find some of the Indian spices? Like we have some stores here where we get some of the European stuff.

Btw i have another idea. Make frnds with an Indian lady in the UK. And manage to flatter her. Sure recipe for getting some of the Indian dishes. I hope you have somone staying around there some where.

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posted July 09, 2011 07:24 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by abcd efg:

Btw i have another idea. Make frnds with an Indian lady in the UK. And manage to flatter her. Sure recipe for getting some of the Indian dishes. I hope you have somone staying around there some where.

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