CURRY AND SPICE

Covid-19 may go away from our lives some day, it has to. It is still not the time for extinction of the mankind. What will not go away is the harrowing experience we all went through, the fear that crippled our minds, stopped us leading a normal life. The situation is so grave that our ward's school leaving examination is not postponed but cancelled. We do not know how things are going to be, but to trust the concerned board and the school at this moment. We do not know how the college the creature is planning to go would react to this. For me, it is a total disaster because mine never takes school's examination seriously, it seriously studies the last two months prior to the board held examinations. I have told it repeatedly in these two years to take each & every class test seriously, who listens to me at this home? Now, I leave everything to destiny. I have lost few more strands of hair, some more went totally white, with a wrinkled skin I look like my grandma's sibling. In such a scenario, I can only request people to keep calm, listen to their respective governments, WHO directives and stop giving expert comments in social media. Let the health industry and the respective officials handle it. Why are we giving our expert comments and creating more of fear & anxiety amidst people? Already, the entire world is in total unrest, as the man at home says it is a total 2nd World War like situation.

In this scenario, I felt like making a Blog Post picking up some easy, regular, nutritious recipes from the Blog Archive. This may help you taking ideas and use the recipe steps at this time of crisis or at any time. I hear Indian markets are opening in the morning, are operational till 11am, all emergency services are open. What is causing tension & irritation in the maximum I know. The house helps are not coming, people are stuck at home and there is that fear of death. Bengalis who hate to cook and do household chores, love to eat biryani twice every week are getting frustrated. Up to here I can understand, what I do not accept is their behaviour; bad mouthing cannot be entertained.

Come, let us talk less today and try to respond to the need of the hour. Some of my shares here may not please you at a time when your resources are limited. You need not pounce on me for that. You can always avoid or ignore. You can choose to unfollow or unlike my Business Profiles, I shall try my best to get something useful to you. You must remember that it is a food loving family, I perhaps spend generously on food, I do not even store ten variety of cheese in the refrigerator. "jotodin parbo bhalo khabo" is the mission, so mistakes will be there. Let us be nice to each other. Under each heading, I shall be listing related recipe links. You just have to click the title heads in bold to go to the respective recipes.

1) DHONEYPATAR BORA O CHUTNEY

2) MUSHUR DAL ER BORA

3) KANCHAKOLAR CUTLET IN OVEN

4) SUJI O TIL ER MUCHMUCHEY BORA

5) MICROWAVE BEETROOT DHOKLA

6) BENGALI NIMKI

7) KUCHO MURGIR BORA

8) MUTTON SHINGARA

9) VEGETARIAN CURRY PUFF

10) SUJIR POROTA

11) STUFFED BREAD SNACK

12) EASY VERMICELLI / SHEMAI ER SNACK

13) CHATUR POROTA

14) MICROWAVE SEMOLINA IDLI

15) VEGETARIAN DUMPLING

16) BANANA APPE

17) LUCHI O CHOLAR DAL

18) CHINIR POROTA

19) COCONUT STUFFED PRATA

20) ATTA MOROBBA CAKE

21) COFFEE JAGGERY SEMOLINA CAKE

21) CHIREY BADAM BHAJA

22) LEFT OVER RICE PANCAKE

23) CHANA DAL JAGGERY STEAMED SNACK

1) SHOJNE DATAR CHOCCHORI

2) ALOO POTOL ER DALNA

3) DAL BHAPE

4) DHOKAR DALNA

5) SHEEM MULO DHONEPATA DIYE MOONG ER DAL

6) MUSHUR DAL FRY

7) DAL BHANDHAKOPIR DHOKA

8) PALONGER GHONTO

9) DAL ER BORER JHOL

10) TIL SHORSHE BHINDI

11) ALOOR BHANGA CHORA JHOL

12) TOASTED PANEER ATOP EGG PLANT

13) PANEER STUFFED POATATO KOFTA

14) SOYA KOFTA CURRY

15) SOYA POTATO CURRY

16) ASHGOURD / CHALKUMRO

17) PAKA SHOSHA TIL BATA DIYE

18) CABBAGE KOFTA CURRY

19) TOMATOR TOK

20) DUDH BORI DIYE JHINGE

21) MOCHAR BORA O ADA DIYE MOONGER DAL

22) SHOJNE PATAR BORA O BEULIR DAL

23) RAW JACK FRUIT KOFTA CURRY

1) KHICHURI ALOO BHAJA BEGUN BHAJA

2) MUSHURIR DAL ER KHICHURI

3) MATAR DAL KHICHURI

5) CABBAGE PULAO

6) SOYA SAUCE CABBAGE RICE

7) EASY EGG BIRYANI

8) SHOBJI BHAAT O MURGIR KEEMAR JHURO

9) RICE & CHICKEN MEAL

10) FYANA BHAAT

11) PALAK DHONEPATA RICE

12) CHICKEN KEEMA & KEEMA BALL RICE

13) MICROWAVE MUTTON BIRYANI

14) COCONUT RICE WITH TOFU & MUSHROOM

15) SPICY CHICKEN RICE

16) TURMERIC RICE O CHANAR DALNA

17) SAMA CHAL ER KHICHURI O KUMRO ALOO DIYE LAU SHAAK

1) BORI ALOO DIYE RUI MAACH

2) DOI TOMATO BHETKI

3) MAACH ER ALOO PEYAZ CHOCCHORI

4) SHORSHE NARKOL POMFRET

5) PEYAZ TOMATO DIYE BHOLA MAACH

6) KECHKI MAACH ER PEYAZ CHOCCHORI O BHAJA

7) LAU SHAAK ALOO DIYE KATLA

8) DATA ALOO BEGUN DIYE MAACH

8) KALOJEEREY BATA BEGUN ILISH

9) LOTEY MAACCH ER JHURI O BORA

10) SHEEM ALOO DIYE RUI MAACCH ER JHOL

11) PINEAPPLE PRAWN

12) AJWAINI FISH TIKKA

13) CHINGRI ALOO POTOL

14) SMALL GAR WITH RIDGE GOURD

15) BENGALI STYLE MULLET

16) METHI PHORON ALOO CHINGRI

17) ILISH ER TIL DOI

18) AAR MAACH ER JHOL

19) SHEEM ALOO DIYE RUI

1) EGG DROP JHOL

2) BHAPA DIM ALOO

3) NARKOL KORA DIM

4) DIM PATURI

5) POACHED EGG CURRY

6) MINTY EGG

7) EGG BAHAR

8) SHAHI EGG CURRY

9) QUICK EGG CURRY

10) CHICKEN IN GREEN CHILLI SAUCE

11) LEMON GRASS CORIANDER CHICKEN

12) GHEE GOLMORICH MURGI

13) BENGALI CHICKEN STEW

14) CHICKEN IN PICKLE OIL

15) CAPSICUM CHICKEN

16) CHICKEN IN CHILLI GARLIC SAUCE

17) CHICKEN IN COCONUT MILK

18) ONE POT DUM CHICKEN

19) STIR FRIED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

20) PRESSURE COOKER MUTTON

21) MUTTON WITH BEETROOT CARROT POTATO

22) KOCHI PATHAR DOM

23) NO OIL SUKHA MUTTON

1) BANGALI DER MISHTI SUJI

2) PINEAPPLE HALWA

3) SUGAR FREE ROSHOGOLLA

4) YOGURT WOOD APPLE KULFI

5) SAGOO MANGO KHEER

6) SUGAR FREE MANGO DATES INSTANT KHEER

7) ATTA GUR MALPUA

8) FRESH COCONUT STUFFED PATISHAPTA

9) SOY COCONUT MILK PUDDING

10) NARKOL NARU

11) SEMOLINA DALIA KHEER

12) KHOI ER MURKI

13) CHANA DAL SANDESH

14) INSTANT SANDESH

15) INSTANT BREAD JALEBI

16) PINEAPPLE MANGO MINT KULFI

17) EGG FREE MANGO CAKE

....... THANK YOU FOR VISITING......

The above is what we ate as lunch last Friday. If not in this crisis, I would not have known that one cauliflower can be made into three different uses on three different days. Corona Virus is teaching us few good lessons of life. I would still hold the view that we did not want it in our lives. It's spread rate is so horrifying. Yesterday, I went for a walk in the neighbourhood; the surrounding looked more quiet. I was purposefully using the lanes & bylanes which in general wear a deserted look, now more. At one time I had to come to a locality. Instead of going to the super market and queue amidst crowd, I preferred a Southern Indian Minimart to buy 10kg of rice, 5kg of wheat flour, semolina, Kabuli chana to get prepared for the worst days. It is very tough for a Bengali to live alone on chana & dal curries and roti or sambar & rice. We are not used to simple eating, "amader ekta maach ba mangsho ba dimer jhol, torkari, dal lagei." I still can arrange for two vegetarian and one non-vegetarian meal per day for my family. Back home, I kept the stroller as it is for Cristine to come back and make space for them in the cupboard. Yes, I am a bit disappointed that she went out to meet her aunt and had lunch in a food court. Unless there is a total lockdown, you cannot stop them. She was back home early and told us that the metro rails have less people in them, some exits of the malls & metro rails are closed. I am visiting the mall only once a week to get fish, meat, vegetables from NTUC that has limited the amount we can buy at a time which is good. I trust the government, they shall act according to the need of the hour. As residents, we should step up for our own safety and cook with few ingredients, no fancy meals like this VEGETARIAN NOODLES dish with some left over carrots, cauliflower, French beans. When better days come, we will throw in some prawns or chicken or eggs to it.

Anyway, back home I planted those in all the candle stands I bought way back to light a number of candles each evening. Thinking in such a small flat it may cause fire hazard, I never did. I picked the greens from the road side. I do not even know if they shall survive. They grow medium height and bear a yellow-red flower and my pots are so small. I just want few leaves to grow.

I am just trying to engage myself. Yesterday, after doing the above job, I dusted and mopped the entire flat with dettol water, washed the toilets, took shower and ate lunch at 5pm. I felt why should I go out for two different exercises on a Sunday not mopping my home. Every Sunday, I should take charge of my home though after much pestering Cristine's cleaning sense has turned better. This morning, I had sent the tissue box with a "chokmokey" cover to the dining table, kept the handcrafted box in the living area that my friend from Lahore had sent me. I too like handcrafted stuffs but do not spend on the decor of a rented home, lack ideas too.

Right now, the man is working on the list of evacuated seamen from the different parts of the world. I can hear the conversation. He was telling his friends that he is purposefully skipping breakfast even if he wants at times because he is totally stationed at home. However, when it comes to cigar and tea, he acts devilish. Me and the son have to have breakfast. Today I am having homemade yogurt, banana with oatmeal, shall end up eating two biscuits with tea which is wrong.

About this VEGETARIAN NOODLES, we enjoy noodles as a family although I love more a Bengali style fried with eggs, potato, onion, chillies. I used only soya sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, few cauliflower florets, French Beans, carrot pieces. I served it with some chicken nuggets that needed to be finished. We could do without it. The man & Cristine had two each of the nuggets, I had one and the son got three. I do not like nuggets.

Let us proceed to the easy recipe.

INGREDIENTS :

NOODLE : 400GM [AVOID INSTANT VARIETIES]
CAULIFLOWER FLORET : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLICED FRENCH BEAN : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
SHREDDED CARROT : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CUBED ONION : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1TBSP
MINCED GARLIC : 2TSP
MINCED GINGER : 1TSP
LIGHT SOY SAUCE : 1/4SMALL TEA CUP
VINEGAR : 2-3TBSP
SESAME OIL : 2TBSP
CORN FLOUR : 2TSP
CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2TBSP + 2TBSP + 1TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I do not boil the noodles in water, I immerse the broken noodle in boiled water for 4-5 minutes after adding some salt and 1tbsp oil in the water.

We will put a vessel half filled with water for boil.

We will switch off the gas oven and then add the noodle cakes to it. The packet is near the burner because it is switched off. Remember it.

After 4-5 minutes, we will strain it taken in a colander.

Cristine had minced the garlic & ginger, cut all the vegetables in required shape and washed that helps me immensely. I have used very few seasonings I store at home.

We will heat 2tbsp oil in a wok and add the minced garlic & ginger to it.

We will stir fry it for half a minute and add the chopped green chillies.

We will add the cooked noodles to it, add the sesame oil & vinegar to it. I used two ladles to fold in every thing well at medium heat. You must remember that we soaked the noodles in salt in the beginning. Use it accordingly.

We will arrange the seasoned noodles in a bowl.

We will pour 2tbsp oil in the same wok and stir cook for a minute until they turn translucent.

We will add the cauliflower florets and stir for a minute.

We will add 2tbsp of water and cover cook it for 2-3 minutes at minimal heat.

We will open cover, add the carrots & French beans. We will add the soy sauce & little salt now, stir fry them for 2-3 minutes.

We have prepared a liquid adding 2tsp cornflour to a small tea cup of water. We will add it to the vegetable mixture and let cook for 2 minutes. We will add some crushed black pepper now.

We will pour it over the cooked & seasoned noodles and try to serve it as hot & fresh as possible.

I do not know if it was required to blog about what you see above or not. However, I feel like documenting all the "bhartas & sheddos" my family used to prepare throughout the year, whichever is available when. This bitter gourd is something India gets throughout the year, this is a vegetable our island loves in each of their meals perhaps. The men at home do not like it, the son have it if served crispy batter fried done in the Southern Indian Style. That does not happen always, neither do I get a packet from the stores every month, they feel over fried. At times, I get a packet or two for the son and me. Rest of the time, I get 3-4 Indian bitter gourds or a big local variety for me and Cristine to have. I think I should bring it every week. I enjoy it boiled and mashed with boiled potato and as a fry with dal too. That is what you see above; two separate vegetarian recipes with bitter gourd UCCHE ALOO SHEDDO O UCCHE BHAJA. These are the dishes regular in my side of the family; we will always have it with steamed rice, you can have it with chapati too. I regret of not having it sitting with the elderlies from my side of the family. They repeatedly told me but I always ignored. Since age six, I am robbed of normal eyesight, the doctors prescribed a lot of coloured vegetables, I so hated, I was so stubborn that none in the family could persuade me to eat vegetables. In the recent years, all of a sudden I started loving the kind of vegetables I have grown up watching been made. I have started loving bitter gourd too. Neem leaves are extremely helpful during this spring season, the family veterans in my side eats it, I could not till date but I drink a glass of "Indrajav" soaked water every morning. It is very bitter too, I still do.

The health experts are prescribing to have hot drinks, but I cannot go without my chilled drinks once in a day. We live in a tropical island and we crave coolers often. Most of them have sugar, so I cannot have them. Our refrigerator is not allowing me to store big 2 litre bottles of Olong or Ayatakka chilled tea varieties. Why should I either? I am preparing them at home, rather had shown Cristine to do it for me. Dieting does not happen in my life, I love to eat, so I go out for walks few days a week, back home chilled tea with a dash of lemon is just wow.

My problem is I cannot stick to a diet or exercise regime; I love to cook, I must cook normal Bengali food and cannot think of not having them. I think those who do not enjoy cooking or Indian food in particular does better with controlling their food cravings. These days, I got very clear about what I can and what I cannot. I had always been a very laid back character. Now that I am nearing 50 and known the surroundings, the people I have valued and their ill behaviour in return; I take life as it comes, very casually. Between them and me awaits a death, we do not want but it will happen some day; that day all doors shall be shut in between, thats the right thing to do. Until then, I must do something for the people who I owe to for what I am being today and continue blogging about some rustic, Bengali dishes like this vegetarian fair with bitter gourd UCCHE ALOO SHEDDO O UCCHE BHAJA.

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE BOILED & MASHED BITTER GOURD & POTATO]

BITTER GOURD : 2 SMALL SIZED OR 1/4 OF A BIG WE GET IN THIS ISLAND
POTATO : 1 MEDIUM SIZED
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1TSP
SLICED ONION : 1TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
MUSTARD OIL : 1TBSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE FRIED BITTER GOURD SLICES]

BITTER GOURD : 4 MEDIUM SIZED OR HALF OF A BIG OF THIS ISLAND'S VARIETY
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 25ML TO FRY [REMEMBER WE CANNOT REUSE THIS OIL TO COOK OTHER STUFFS]

PROCEDURE :

For the boiled and mashed potato & bitter gourd, we will discard the two ends of the bitter gourds. We will cut half the bitter gourds and discard the seeds [I do it, you may keep the seeds].

We will peel the potatoes and cut half. We will wash the bitter gourd & potato pieces and take them in a pressure cooker. We will add a coffee mug of water and a pinch or two of salt.

We will close the lid tight, pressure cook at the lowest heat up to 2 whistles and let it open by itself. I do in a pressure cooker to save time and fuel, you can boil in a vessel.

Once cool mash them well. Wash & chop a green chilli; cut half a medium sized onion; peel, wash and slice. Add both to the mash. Add a little of salt and the mustard oil.

Fold in well and have fresh with piping hot steamed rice or hot chapatis.

For the fried bitter gourds, I discard the two ends of the bitter gourds. I cut each half and slice thin. Our mother always cut them into ringlets.

Then, what I do is wash them well; add salt & turmeric, red chilli powder and keep aside marinated for 15 minutes.

Then, we are to heat oil in a wok; fry them in batches at low heat. We will take out when they look brown & crisp.

I so love having fried bitter gourd with dal & rice. Try with chapati too.

My men cannot have bitter gourd, so I prepared some oven cooked potato mini patties for them.

I had no plan to blog about this easy, vegetarian curry with mushrooms, potato & French beans. When I loved it with a small bowl of piping hot rice, I felt let me click! The family too had without a denial mode means it is worthy of featuring in the Blog. Light curries are the love of my life. I enjoy them more as I grew old. Its a gloomy, rainy morning today, the window panes are closed and someone is smoking sitting beside; the brain seems dysfunctional. As it is given the situation worldwide, I am at loss of words. I echo with some; what after the lock down is lifted? India is a densely populated country, we lack hygiene sense, we are habituated to break rules. I also can understand that it is extremely difficult for a daily wage labourer to survive in the scenario. We live in a tiny island where hygiene is prime and a way of life. The government can handle the crisis given the infrastructure is too good and it has started the screening without any delay. We ourselves are practicing social distancing unless we are required to get our produce which is once a week. I do my walks in lonely neighbourhoods; if the authorities ask to stop, I shall. My system does not work otherwise. Yoga, which is supposedly the best form of exercise does not excite me. I cannot do anything which I do not like. Similar is with food, until and unless a dish prepared appeals to my tastebud, I cannot enjoy having it. This vegetarian dish with mushrooms, French beans and potatoes MUSHROOM ALOO BEAN ER JHOL really rocked.

I have used the same old regular Bengali spice mixture for this curry which was not gelling well with the mushrooms. I was never fond of beetroot, French beans, carrots in curries unless it was a fish or meat stew. Last week, few left over French beans had to be done with which actually comes for pasta, noodle, fried rice making. In the ensuing days, we were not to cook them; weekends I cook and we eat normal Bengali. So, I prepared this light, yummy flavour burst vegetarian curry MUSHROOM ALOO BEAN ER JHOL with a dash of aamchoor / dry mango powder towards the end. I am reserving lemons, else you can use it's juice instead of aamchoor. I think the dry mango powder has an unique taste of it's own that nothing else can replace. Typical Bengali families like our's never used chaat masala or aamchoor powder in their cooking ever earlier, I do whenever I wish for a change in a regular Bengali dish. Trust me, it made all the difference to the taste of the curry. Yes, I do taste the food while cooking to adjust whenever the family veterans are not watching.

The amount cooked serves a family of 4-5-6 heads!

INGREDIENTS :

MUSHROOM : 300-350GM
POTATO : 2MEDIUM SIZED
FRENCH BEAN : 50GM
GREEN CHILLI : 2
ASAFOETIDA : A PINCH OR TWO
GINGER PASTE : 2TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
AAMCHOOR / DRY MANGO POWDER : 1TSP
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2-3TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Cut half the mushrooms, wash and soak in hot water adding a bit of salt for 1/2 an hour.

Peel the potatoes, get 6-8 pieces from each. Discard the two ends of the French beans, cut each one into 3 pieces trowing of the fibre that comes out.

Take both in a bowl and wash thoroughly. Marinate with a little of salt & turmeric. We will not fry them, lessen the time of your cooking at this time, eat simple and healthier.

Take together the ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and mix well. Add 2tsp of water if required for a paste like consistency.

Heat oil in a wok, temper with asafoetida, cumin seeds & bay leaf. Add the spice paste and stir at low heat for 2 minutes.

Add the potato & French beans pieces now and stir at minimal heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 11/2 coffee mugs of water and cover cook at minimal to low heat for 7-8 minutes.

Open cover, drain the water from the mushroom and add them to the curry. Cover cook for 5 minutes or so.

Open cover, add the dry mango powder and give a stir. Cook uncovered at minimal heat for 2 minutes.

Enjoy with steamed rice or chapati.

This was in plan for a long time, felt hesitated thinking if I can get that similar charred look of those done in clay ovens. Yesterday, right from the morning I was determined to do it for dinner. In good times, we have to eat two non-vegetarian meals, some days all three main meals get to be non-vegetarian. At this time of crisis, I have taken a break from that. We can afford pricy food given it's uninterrupted supply but the young adult at home who has not known how it feels to be less privileged has to be a little humble. However, the men at home cannot have anything and everything. Any vegetarian meal has to be made adjustable to their tastebud; Bengali blood speaks here. We live to eat. At this time, I urge my community to take a break from what we take pride in. You risk your all life's earnings & savings to buy "ilish, paka rui-katla, patha, chingri, bhalo mishti" is acceptable but do not risk your life at this time to eat what you are habituated to eat. Manage with eggs, dal, bhaja or whatever you are getting near your home. This will help us sustain. If we live to see better days; we can again eat to our heart's content. Considering the present situation, I find it wiser to share recipes which you can prepare with everything available at home. This vegetarian, Indian stuffed bread recipe KAJU KISHMISH ALOO STUFFED ROASTED SNACK can be done with bare minimum. If you consider cashew nut & raisin as an extravagance at this time; I accept your allegation. Then, isn't it so that middle class homes do have a little bit of cashew nuts and raisins in their homes?

I will not call it "Litti" although the primary inspiration is drawn from it. Litti has besan / gram flour stuffing in it which this family is not fond of. Gram Flour cannot be a main ingredient in our food. As an ingredient for batter it works for me in addition to rice flour, corn flour. We enjoy our share of "missi roti" but the next day some problem occurs. A spicy fish or meat never gives me this trouble. We are what we grew up eating. The men at this home are what they have inherited from their mother & paternal grand mother respectively. Each day, I ask the man to have something in the morning, the chain smoker keeps smoking & drinking tea in empty stomach till he has his lunch. How much I ask the son to keep his windows open, come out of his room for a chitchat with us, he simply shoves me off. He lacks vitamin D. Long back, wise people told me not to expect normalcy from my men given the presence of my mother-in-law's specific traits in them. Anyway, this is a perennial concern of mine as concerned I am with my brother. He suffers from usual cough and cold throughout the year. His mother who does outdoor chores all by herself is stationed at home, he is not allowing her and himself going out whenever is required. Anyway, you must know that this vegetarian, roasted Indian bread KAJU KISHMISH ALOO STUFFED ROASTED SNACK is so much loved that I am having one this morning, the son found three of them heavy for dinner as he keeps snacking all day. Of the thirteen of them, I reserved two and the help freshly roasted them for the son's breakfast.

Cristine being a Filipino helped me throughout the process and loved having it too. What was most satisfying is the fact that we required only 2tbsp oil for the entire platter.

THE AMOUNT USED FETCHED 13 OF THE ROASTED INDIAN BREAD

INGREDIENTS :

MULTI GRAIN ATTA FLOUR : 3 COFFEE MUG [YOU CAN USE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR TOO]
POTATO : 3 STANDARD SIZED
FRESH CORIANDER : 3-4SPRIG
GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
ONION : 1MEDIUM SIZED
LEMON JUICE : 2TBSP
CHAAT MASALA : 1 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
CASHEWNUT : 7-8
RAISIN : 10-12
OIL : 2TBSP FOR THE DOUGH

PROCEDURE :

We have washed the potatoes well, pricked each one with a fork. We have taken it on a microwave proof plate.

We have microwaved it at high for 8 minutes to get them boiled.

We will soak them in water to cool down a bit. Meanwhile will peel, discard the two ends of the onion and chop. We will wash and mince the green chillies. We will chop the fresh coriander and wash taking in a strainer. Cristine did this job for me.

We have washed the raisins, we have microwaved the cashews at low for 30 seconds, chopped.

We have taken the flour, some salt, the oil in a bowl and mixed well.

We will now add water little by little and prepare a dough. It will take some 7-8 minutes.

We will cover it with a plate for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, we will mash the potatoes, add the washed and chopped coriander & onions, minced green chillies, broken cashews & raisins, salt, lemon juice, chaat masala and mix very well.

We will remove the cover from the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes.

We will tear off medium sized balls and smoothen between our palms.

We will make a hollow, fill with the aloo stuffing and put a little of dough over it.

We will pull from all sides to cover the stuffing and make ball shapes.

I had shown Cristine and she shaped the maximum.

A stove top manual roaster & tongs is necessary. Do not burn your fingers.

We will grease the roaster with some oil and place it on the burner. We will place a dough ball at the centre of it.

We will turn over with the tongs so that all sides are roasted evenly.

Neither me, nor Cristine are a pro in it, so we did one or two at one time.

Remember, we have to roast them at minimal heat. We will not turnover until well roasted, else it may stick and break. If well roasted, they come out easily.

We enjoyed it with sauces and pickles.

This preparation with dried fish is at least once in a month affair at this home. Purposefully, I do not make it once a week. In our family, any preparation with dried fish requires good amount of oil, garlic and onion and hence I avoid cooking it often. Else, we would want it every week. We cannot have dried fish the way North East Indians have it, we have to cook it for a longer period. My family hardly uses any spices except for red chilli & turmeric powder in it. The amount of garlic, onion, green chilli, oil is what brings in all the difference to a dried fish dish. We love dried fish but not as pro eaters as those in Tripura & North East India or the Sylhetis of Bangladesh. We had neighbours of Sylheti origin in our Dum Dum neighbourhood. They used to say that they require dried fish / shutki maach dish too often, even in dals & chutneys. They spoke a dialect among themselves which is quite different from the usual Bengali we speak. What the rest of Bangladesh speak in we can understand but the language of Sylheti's I find so difficult. At times, I do wish to do some research on such issues. If I come across a particular place or people, I wish to explore more and comb search the net. My problem is I can never pursue anything for long, to it's end. I keep engaged with the issue for few days and then forget all about it. This is a typical trait of insincere beings, they hardly can excel in life. However, this Bengali spicy dish with dried Bombay Duck LOTEY SHUTKIR BHORTA is a life long love. These days it feels dried fish / shutki maach is my ultimate non-vegetarian love, then I fear of my health too. Of all the dishes I cook with dried fish, this particular one is most loved by the family.

Yesterday, I was feeling a bit relieved. Though I knew all the essential services shall remain open, I feared what if I go for my monthly check up and find the doctor's chamber closed? I went, it was open as usual but it doned such a barren look that I started feeling awkward. Usually, I reach around 9:15 am; though it's a 5 minutes walk from our home, the senior drops me there on his way to office. The chamber opens at 8:30 am and starts issuing tickets for the queue, the doctor comes at 9am. So, my number remains anywhere between 17-18-25 and I have to wait for a pretty 11/2 hours for my turn empty stomach. Yesterday, my number was 3 at 9:15 am and I went in straight. Instead of being happy, I was feeling awkward thinking how beautiful is normalcy in our lives. Here people suffer from normal flu throughout the year, so there is crowd in the chamber every day, people are so scared that they are unwilling to step out for a check up. All of a sudden starting to like a bit of chirp around, a little demoralised me requested the doctor to give me two months of the required medicines. He checked with my insurance details and complied. People of this island love dried fish dishes. In fact their sambal ikanbilis dish is similar to this recipe with dried Bombay Duck, onion, garlic, green chillies, red chilli & turmeric powders, oil which we call LOTEY SHUTKIR BHARTA. You see, I had to cheer myself up sharing a recipe we immensely love; even the condo's swimming pool had closed down, so is the gym according to Government directives. I just go out for short walks in the neighbourhood just because I cannot do the best form of exercise "yoga". If you are wise enough, do some stretching & yoga at home; eat in moderation.

The amount you see on the plate is what a nuclear family of 3-4 members can have three times a week. Remember, we need very less amount of it at a time to have with more amount of piping hot steamed rice.

INGREDIENTS :

DRIED BOMBAY DUCK : 5-6 NUMBERS
SLICED ONION : 2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP [OF TWO BIG ONIONS]
CRUSHED GARLIC : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2 - 11/3 TBSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
KALONJI / NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY : 1/4 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 11/2 SMALL TEA CUP

PROCEDURE :

We will discard the head & tail end of each of the dried Bombay Duck fish and cut each in to smaller pieces.

We will wash them several time under running water as they have a lot of dust in them.

Thereafter, we will take them in a bowl and soak in hot water for 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, we will peel, discard the two ends, wash and slice the onions. We will peel the required garlic cloves, wash and crush them. We will wash and slit the green chillies.

We will drain the water from shutki mach / dried fish pieces. We will not marinate with salt as they are marinated with salt and then sun dried.

We will heat oil in a wok and temper with nigella seeds. We will add the crushed garlic and stir at medium heat for a minute.

We will lower the heat and add the sliced onions once the garlic turn brown.

Once the onions turn golden brown, we will add the slitted green chillies. We will stir the entire thing for a minute.

We will now add the dried Bombay Duck pieces, stir and put the heat at minimal. We will cover cook it for 10 minutes, stirring in between.

We will open cover; add the turmeric & red chilli, salt as required. We will stir at the minimal heat for 2 minutes.

We will now add 1 small tea cup of water, give a stir and cover cook until the water dried up. We must uncover and check in between.

At this time, I wish to share such recipes which the majority of the Indians can afford without much effort. It is not okay to show who have how much of wealth during this crisis when the majority in the world is in trouble. The haves always manage to live well, their lives they manage well without needing any support. They definitely are managing good food in every meal but I have a problem showing it off how much I have at this time of distress. I am not comfortable exhibiting what amount of mutton kofta or how big sized prawns we had this week. Off course we are having if we are getting it; instead of serving them at two meals, I serve them once each day. That too I am unwilling to exhibit, I need not share in public what non-vegetarian food we are eating. What extra bit of cooking I am doing is keeping in mind that the men get to eat their vegetarian plate with love. Moreover, I am happy only when I see good food on my plate. Whichever place in the world I go, I can make out from the plate served if it is done with care & love or not. I usually get irritated if anywhere invitees are not served food cooked with care for a longer period of time or are served cold food. Here too, we need not show off how much of wealth we have, how I am treating my guests is very important to me. I have a couple of vegetarian friends, I think I will serve them this vegetarian fried snack METHI ALOO TOMATOR PUR BHORA BATTER FRIED BREAD when I call them for a tea party; along with it some nimki, bora, fresh mango & pineapple. Because of the pandemic, a couple of family & ladies only parties got deferred. I do like arranging them once or twice a year and presently really missing those when we are not okay with entertaining anyone at home. Anyway, about the recipe today, I had grown few tomato plants & methi greens of which yesterday, I got only two tomatoes and a little of methi sprouts. I wished to use them up asap.

There was change of plans one after another. At first, I thought of doing a "methi aloo tomato sobzi" and serve it with hot parathas. Thereafter, I planned to prepare a drier filling and make "stuffed dried kachoris." Finally, I thought of doing something with bread which has a lesser shelf life even inside a refrigerator I feel. Undoubtedly, we had a wonderful meal full of guilt. Look at the suicidal me; the son who snacks all day and eat minimal meals could not eat four of the fried stuffed bread snack yesterday, I am having reheated half of it, "aam muri o shobuz cha."

I walked 7km to get "kalojeerey" yesterday with guidance from a friend in the old neighbourhood, today evening too I shall do so. Yet weight is an issue in my life; the reason is having too much of fried, carb filled food on a regular basis. Last night what we had is actually a tea / coffee time snacks METHI ALOOR PUR BHORA BATTER FRIED BREAD.

The number of the stuffed bread snacks done serves a nuclear family.

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE FILLING]

POTATO : 2 BIG SIZED
FRESH METHI / FENUGREEK: A HANDFUL
TOMATO : 2 MEDIUM SIZED
GREEN CHILLI : 2
ONION : 1MEDIUM
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
AAMCHOOR / DRY MANGO POWDER : 1/2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
LEMON JUICE : 2TBSP
OIL : 11/2TBSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE BATTER]

CORN FLOUR : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
GRAM FLOUR : 1/3 SMALL TEA CUP
REFINED FLOUR : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2 TSP
BAKING POWDER : 1/2 TSP
BAKING SODA : 2 PINCH
CHAAT MASALA : 11/2 TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
WATER : AS REQUIRED

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FINISHED DISH

THE FILLING
THE BATTER
BREAD SLICE : 12-13
OIL : ENOUGH TO FRY BOTH SIDES WELL

PROCEDURE :

We with wash the tomatoes and chop them. We will discard the root end of the fresh methi / fenugreek, wash them thoroughly and chop.

We will cut the two ends of the onion, peel and wash it. We will chop the onion and also the chillies after a wash.

We have boiled, peeled and mashed the potatoes.

I am Uncle Podger's daughter and this pandemic has made me more of it. I heated the oil, tempered it with the cumin seeds and added the tomato, turmeric & little salt already when Cristine notified that I forgot to fry the onions first.

Never mind or get tensed, we will manage.

I gave a stir and collected the tomatoes at one corner. I had added the chopped onion and green chilli in the oil and stirred for a minute before folding in all well.

Do not be me, try to be smart & alert always. I added the methi greens, cumin+coriander and stirred for a minute.

Then, we will add the boiled and mashed potato, more of salt to adjust, the aamchoor powder and lemon juice.

We will fold in well and stir cook for few minutes. We will take it down and let cool.

I had shown Cristine how to stuff the filling discarding the sides. She anyway prepares sandwiches at this home.

While Cristine was doing them, I prepared the batter adding water to a mixture with the said amount of cornflour, refined flour, gram flour, chaat masala, salt, red chilli powder, baking soda & powder.

We had to beat it for a smooth batter. We have heat oil in a pan, I avoided deep fry.

We will coat well both side of the stuffed bread and fry at low heat well both sides turning over a couple of times. Cristine did most of the frying part. Should I take credit?

We must keep them for sometime on the tissue paper before serving with our choice of chutney, sauce & salad.

Long back it was decided that I will blog even about a "shabu makha, panta bhaat, etc." They were just not happening. Now that things does not seem normal, people are in shortage of produces may be; it feels let me share all the recipes that can be done with bare minimum. The "panta bhaat" platter would be made today. Until Saturday, I had totally forgotten it is a Neel Shoshti the day next. I had no talk about it with the mother either. Thanks to the Almighty who reminded me at the wake of the dawn before I sipped a drop of water. I do not like breaking a chain I do not wish to; I keep these fasts for the health, happiness, long life of my loved ones. Someone, totally oblivion about all these; did not allow mumma to touch him, let her take the flowers & lamp to his room post puja. You have no idea what kind of impossible beings I live with; I do not even know how to manage the special prayer meets at home when Cristine goes off with practically no help from any family member; I am not my mother. "Ooi tokhon alpo korey khoi, naru, khichuri, tarkari, payesh, luchi korey nibedon korbo." We react according to the situation; yesterday, I had to do the prayer without "belpata o tulshi pata." They are a must for any offering; I have just planted two new, young Tulsi plants and could not tear few leaves from it.

It was a very minuscule affair yesterday. I had fruits & milk at home but had to go out to buy fresh, cannot offer God what stayed with non-vegetarian items in the refrigerator. The Hibiscus did I get from our condo garden, whilst I got some very fresh orchids in the local super store. The shabu / sago pearls too I did not offer to God because it was in store for long, there was no fresh, untouched packet in the storage. I could get one from the local Southern Indian Store but sago pearls have to be soaked for hours to get ready to be able to have a yummy Bengali fast breaking meal like PROSHADI SHABU MAKHA-BENGALI FAST BREAKING MEAL. We prepare this scrumptious fast breaking meal with soaked sago pearls, fruits like banana, mango, cucumber, grapes, dates, sweets, yogurt, milk, sugar.

I follow all the steps my grandmother or mother used to preparing them, still miss their bowls. They had to soak good amount of sago so that I can have a big bowl. "eshob ki aajker katha? eeituni chilam jokhon theke eshob khai."

All of the weekend we were watching Netflix series & movies. We enjoyed "apna markutey bhai's Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai", I mean the second in the series. Its full of masala but we liked. Yesterday's was a series on don culture in two particular notorious states of India. Don Culture exists everywhere but I am firm on the belief that those two particular states are high on it, I cannot accept a culture where an awkward lingo, illegal possession of guns, chamia naach, slangs are very normally a part of culture. I could not take my eyes off, neither could digest. All of a sudden, I started feeling sick, told the husband "its such a raw depiction bossy, I wish to keep my eyes, mind, body off from these truth and keep myself afloat in the world of Aladin, Alice, Nabik Sindbad, Robi Thakur." I perhaps married this guy to keep myself off from the reality, I knew he will protect me, let me live my life. This island has helped me more, else I was fed up living there a life trapped in between. That environment would never have let me write a single line. Before marriage, I did not realise that I am unfit for "shongshar." My revolt started the day the mother-in-law told me that now I am married and my father has to take permission from them for anything concerning me. Within a year of my marriage, my parental family planned for a Nepal trip. My father asked me if I wish to go. My answer was no as my mother could not with our pet Jenny still alive, she had to stay back. My mother-in-law hurled abuses at me, my family; "tomar baba maa kichu janena? meyeke Nepal nitty holey amader kachey eshe permission nitey hobey." My parents who gave me birth has to seek permission from some unknown people? Thereafter, when my father and brother went for the Nepal trip, I went and stayed with my mother who was alone in a two storied house. Once I came back, the mother-in-law to me, " amai aka feley nijer maar sangey thaktey gecho? baap maa shikkha deini kono." She was alone with a whole timer girl, beloved daughter & husband; all at her service all the time. On that day, I decided I will give it back, I will never consider any in their family as my own, I have to go on with my duty as I married the son of that house. In front of my young son, she abused me; yet I never taught my son to dessert them. He is of a different nature for which none of them spare me. What can I do if my son's nature is not like that of the maximum? End of the day, isn't it natural that I love him the most? Off course, I would and clearly told the husband my son's education & life cannot be disturbed until he bags a decent job. I am in no mood of earning name doing social service at the cost of his life. Yes, I use this blog to document my life. Not alone men be blamed, these kind of women are equally responsible for the plight of women. However, when their daughters get married, they change 360*, then "duty towards in-laws" rules get changed. This mentality, this vicious circle has to stop. Anyway, I totally had a good dinner with "kancha moong, shama chal, aloor khichuri" last night and got a bit recovered from the "don culture effect." Okay, I had prepared some coconut sweets and my NARKOL TAKTI recipe got updated with new pictures. I did not offer them to the God family as they were not cooked in utensils meant for my God's family.

Now, I am totally prepared to share with you the recipe of a Bengali fast breaking dish with sago pearls. In fact, I had another round of PROSHADI SHABU MAKHA-BENGALI FAST BREAKING MEAL this morning!

Thereafter, a "panta bhaat" lunch meal will not leave me anywhere I know; yet I do not deprive myself of the simple joys of life.

INGREDIENTS :

SAGO / SHABU PEARL : 50GM
SHREDDED COCONUT : 11/2 MEDIUM TEA CUP
BANANA : 2-3
MANGO : 2
GRAPE : 10-12
YOGURT : 5-6T BSP
MILK : 250ML
SANDESH / ANY SWEET WITH PANEER : 4-5
SUGAR : 2-3 TSP [I SKIPPED]

PROCEDURE :

What is most important is to wash and soak the sago pearls at least for 3-4 hours [if we are buying the larger sized].

Thereafter, we drain the water from the sago pearls. We add the milk and yogurt, mix well.

We will add pieces of mango & banana, halved grapes now and mix well. We will add crushed sweets & the shredded coconut too [jut korey makhbo purota... er ingriji ki?]"

Now you may add the sugar if only you need it. My predecessors really used to make it too sweet which I cannot take anymore.

Where on earth are the ice-cream parlours open now I do not know, what is more important is do we at all have the mind to go and get some gelato or ice-cream from the parlour? What ever little excess I am doing, I am doing at home. By excess, I mean what is not required for our sustenance at this time. However, desserts are a regular affair at this home. I try different combinations of fruits; dried or fresh in doing them wanting to avoid the use of sugar as much as possible so that I can have it. This frozen dessert with dates, cashew nuts and milk KHEJUR KULFI is sugar free. Dates are naturally sweet. Going by my mother or few others; adding a little of sugar enhances the taste of any dessert even if we are using "patali"; that is date palm jaggery. If you wish, you can add sugar while boiling the milk, it will give a better taste I know. We however enjoyed the sugar free version of the dessert. Yes, I am a diabetic and dates on a regular basis is poison for me. I so love dates, willing to snack on it everyday, I asked the doctor if I can. He outrightly said a big no to it. I have also noticed that consuming dates, mangoes, bananas regularly increases my blood sugar level. If you are not a diabetic, have dates, they are good for your body.

I started late this morning. What was I doing? At times I get too restless; I make useless, failed attempts to solve a long borne, unsolved mystery to shut up for ever and get into my cocoon; be at peace for ever. These are all my failed ventures. I hardly fail when it comes to simple cooking within my limits. I play safe with ingredients never willing to take risk. I am willing to give away my bundt cake tin and happily bake with foiled tins. So long I do not claim myself to be a chef and honestly declare my shortcomings; no one should have a problem. Anyway, the fun of such frozen dessert is that you can store them for a couple of day and eat when you wish to. About this frozen dessert with evaporated creamer, milk, dates & cashew nuts paste, green cardamom powder KHEJUR KULFI; I prepared it last week and we are still having it; at times with a topping of ripe mango, at times with grapes. The problem is with the husband; he is vehemently against having anything beyond two meals a day. I keep shouting in vein, "ooi cigar guli na giley duto pauruti ba ruti diye mamlet kha." The son has no qualms with food, at his age he is just fine with his food intake; he will have what and when he wishes to. What else? I had a good talk with my family yesterday, with few of my teachers. I felt a personal high when Iva Miss messaged me in Whatsapp missing my call. They shaped my life you know. I missed calling a couple of my friends; I responded to messages sent to me in good vibes. Had I have been in my normal self; the world be in it's normal self; I would not have used that evaporated creamer. I would have boiled milk over a longer period of time.

INGREDIENTS :

FULL CREAM MILK : 1/2 LITRE
EVAPORATED CREAMER : 200ML
DATE : 13-14
CASHEW NUT : 6-7
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/2TSP

PROCEDURE :

We will be using the following ingredients and a bit of green cardamom powder. We will wash and soak the dates discarding it's seeds.

Take the full cream milk in a deep bottomed vessel and put for boil.

While the milk is boiling, we will prepare a paste with dates & cashew nuts. For a near smooth paste, we may need 2tbsp of water. Use it, no problem. Okay, we will keep aside 3-4 dates and chop them.

Meanwhile, when 500ml of milk has boiled and reduced to about 300ml, we will add 200ml of evaporated creamer to it. We will stir and boil it for 12-13 minutes at minimal heat.

Thereafter, we will add the green cardamom powder, dates & cashew nuts paste to the milk, stir and let boil for 7-8 minutes.

We will pour the content to a bowl with lid, add the chopped dates & stir. We will wait for it to completely cool down.

Thereafter, we will close the lid tight and place in the freezer overnight.

Now, it is ready to be had topped with your fruit of choice.

My heart & soul was eager to share this recipe with raw jackfruit; MANGSHOR MOSHOLAI ECHOR. I had picked it up from the neighbourhood roadside and prepared it using spices we use for a normal chicken or mutton curry. Thats how many families in West Bengal and one of it's neighbouring states do. Although we call it "gach patha"; that is vegetarian mutton, my family never use onion-garlic in it. I used for the first time and we loved it. During this lockdown crisis, it seemed to me a bliss. I cannot have "matar-gazar sabzi" kind of veggies, I need "thor, mocha, echor, chalkumra, kakrol, potol" on a regular basis in my life. If any northern Indian is reading this, please do not take it to your heart. I equally enjoy "muli, baingan, lauki, bhindi, gobi, palak." My problem lies elsewhere. Out of fear, I am visiting the local wet market very rare. I am totally against buying vegetables, meat, fish from the supermarkets; where is the variety? I do not like packeted vegetables delivered online; what is the point if I cannot handpick each of the produce? I do not sound wise during such a crisis, right? I am not one either. Yesterday, for lunch I prepared an oats bread and baked a whole chicken that the rest in the family so enjoy; I was feeling uncomfortable the entire day until I had my kind of dinner with "kucho chingri diye lau ghonto, squash diye egg drop jhol, tomato-dhonepata diye mushurir dal."

Anyway, the bread did not turn out well yesterday, the amount of yeast was more, the marination for chicken I felt was overpowering. Spices in chicken is absolutely putting me off in the recent years. Before our dinner, back from my walk we had a fight; why? I wanted to watch something together whilst sipping Cristine made kalamansi juice infused iced tea back from a 5.3km walk. He enjoys stand up comedy; I totally dislike, they use slang.

I think we should wipe our cell phones and ear phones back home with disinfectant wipes. Here too I am facing problems. I buy wipes, shampoo, soap, hair colour from stores in the interiors at cheaper rates, they are all closed and we have to buy from the super market at malls at a bit higher price. Yet, it is not okay to refute the authorities, not okay to crowd at a mosque or temple or at "Pati Pukur Maacher Arot", I too do not like fish fillets, frozen or fresh; if I can manage, why cannot you? Divert your minds to fruitful something; say something like trying to germinate kalamansi seeds?

Anyway, below is the jackfruit I had picked up from the roadside and cooked it with lots of love.

Actually, Cristine did the major work. I failed to cut off the hard skin with a knife given I cannot work with "boti." Cristine did it with the cheap star me bought cheap quality knife. I cooked it for a longer period and fried kochuri the day before; served all three of them and myself a lovely dinner.

Tonight, we shall have the rest of the MANGSHOR MOSHOLAI ECHOR with "bhaat, bhindir torkari, dal, data aar gathi kochu diye loitta shutkir torkari." I know how people will lap off the "shutki bhaat" tonight; that gives me some reason to smile; to continue living!

INGREDIENTS :

RAW JACKFRUIT / ECHOR : A MEDIUM SIZED [BEST IF YOU CAN BUY DRESSED, WITHOUT SKIN; PLEASE NOT TINNED]
POTATO : 1 BIG, SKIN OFF, CUT INTO 8 PIECES
CHOPPED TOMATO : 1SMALL TEA CUP
ONION PASTE : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP
GARLIC PASTE : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
GINGER PASTE : 2TBSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
CUMIN POWDER : 1TBSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TBSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP +1/2TSP
CINNAMON POWDER : 1/2TSP
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/4TSP
CLOVE POWDER : A PINCH OR TWO
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
BAYLEAF : 1
CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 SMALL
GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4
CLOVE : 3-4
SUGAR : 2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 11/2TBSP
OIL : 4-5TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I found it too difficult to cut off the hard skin, Cristine did it for me. I usually buy skin off, fresh echor from the Indian wet market or Mustafa Centre. However, these way younger, whole raw fruit makes sense, way tastier.

Once the skin was off, discarding the very hard mid section was not a problem. Okay, in the first place; we will grease our palms, the knife with oil. Fill a bowl with water.

Because this was very young, we did not have to clean the yellow cover of the already grown seeds. So, much time was saved. After cutting off the mid section and skin, we only had to cube them small. Each time I do a little and Cristine does the most part.

Keep them soaked in water for sometime. Transfer the entire thing to a heavy bottomed vessel. Add 1/2tsp turmeric powder and some salt. Put for boil covered keeping little open so that water do not spill with the steam.

Once it has boiled 80%, pass through a colander. Let cool.

We will marinate the washed, peeled, cubed potatoes with little salt & turmeric. I forgot to click it.

Let us heat the oil in a wok and add the cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaf. I avoided frying the potato & boiled raw jackfruit pieces further, managed pretty well you can see.

We will add the onion+garlic+ginger pastes now and stir at low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add the washed & chopped tomatoes now, the turmeric & salt and stir cook until the tomato melts.

Add the washed, peeled, marinated, cubed potatoes and stir cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes.

Thereafter, we will add the strained, boiled raw jackfruit / echor cubes and fold in well. We will reduce the heat to minimal and and cover cook for 5-6 minutes.

Now, we will add the dry spices like cumin+coriander+red chilli powders and stir cook for 2-3 minutes.

We will then add about 3-4 coffee mugs of water and fold in well. We will cover cook at minimal heat for 12-13 minutes.

We will open the cover, add the cinnamon, cardamom & cloves powder. We will adjust the salt and add the sugar too.

We will cover cook at low heat for 5 minutes now. We will open the cover and add the ghee / clarified butter. We will fold in well and take it down.

We are done. We can have it with steamed rice / flat bread / puffed bread.

A homely, Bengali recipe share like this one with a smaller variety of fish and vegetables is inevitable today. It is our father's death anniversary tomorrow who grew up on and loved typical Bengali food throughout his life. It is not an excruciating pain that nulled me at the time of his death or now; just that his still comatose body, the blank screen around 2:40 am, sitting in the hospital waiting room with dry eyes after he became a body, the fear of having to see his a little deformed face later in the evening are all that keeps haunting me. I did not cry after his death; it did not come naturally to me and I cannot fake; I only knew he lived his life. I was happy that he did not have to experience pain before a departure; he left in sleep without knowing he is leaving. Till date, all the sequences keeps rehearsing automatically inside, yet I do not cry; it does not come naturally to me. I know he left us at 74 and he lived a good life. If he was been cheated by a chit fund, it was again his fault. The man at this home or my brother kept wondering why a person with so good financial knowledge could allow himself get duped instead of opening an consultancy post retirement. To everyone who knew him, he was too good hearted a man. Even my in-laws home liked his "shadashib" avatar, their problem is my mother. Let me share this Bengali dish from the in-laws home done with smaller fish and vegetables TARKARI DIYE CHOTO MAACH ER CHOCCHORI. I used few vegetables available locally, radish, egg plant, potato. They use few more like long beans, pointed gourd, etc. My family usually do "maacher chocchori" with cleaned and washed smaller variety of fish marinated with sliced onion, slitted green chillies, salt, turmeric, mustard oil and cooked covered. The man's family does it the way you will see in the recipe.

Yesterday, I was on food and web series all day. I could click only two of the four meals I had. Four meals you have sitting at home, have you gone mad S? My life is dedicated to food you know. See, whilst I got Burger King meals for the threesome's lunch; I had a noodle bowl, mango and chilled tea. I was so engrossed in a web series until late evening that Cristine prepared our dinner. It was leftover mutton keema rice I cooked last Friday, Cristine made porotas, there was store bought and oven cooked French Fries, shorshe dim for them that I cooked on Saturday; I had plain and simple hot millet, butter with salt & green chilli, porota & aloo bhaja. I so loved both my meals.

I liked both the web series; The Family Man & Breathe yesterday; else most of them are unfit to sit in the living room and watch. They definitely need some censor. Whatever variety of food I keep eating, rustic Bengali food is my best pick going by my family. This very Bengali dish with small fish and few vegetables TORKARI DIYE CHOTO MAACH ER CHOCCHORI is one among my favourite Bengali dishes. We had few vegetarian sides in the platter; "mulo diye bhaja moong er dal, note shaak bhaja, tomato, aloo, motorshuti diye badhakopi."

INGREDIENTS :

SMALLER VARIETY OF FISH : 200-250 GM
RADISH : 2 MEDIUM SIZED
EGG PLANT : 1MEDIUM SIZED
POTATO : 1BIG
GREEN CHILI : 3-4 SLITTED
CHOPPED CORIANDER : 1SMALL TEA CUP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2 HALVED
BAY LEAF : 1
NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY : 1/4TSP
OIL :

PROCEDURE :

The small fish varieties we use for this dish are usually without skin, [ektu ghoshe nilei hoy]. We have to clean their stomach and discard the gills from the head. We can do it with our fingers.

Once done, we will wash them under running water thoroughly. We will marinate them with little of salt & turmeric.

We will peel the radish discarding the two ends. We will cut half each widthwise and then again lengthwise. Thereafter we will slice them thin and small, wash!

We will discard two ends of the egg plant, cut half lengthwise, then further into smaller cubes and wash.

Peel off the skin of the potato, cut half and then into thin strips and wash.

Take together the potato, radish, egg plant pieces in a bowl and marinate with salt and turmeric; keep aside for 7-8 minutes.

We have the chopped coriander and slitted green chillies washed and ready on the kitchen top.

Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the fish pieces in batches discarding the marinade.

The fried fishes taken out, we will temper the same oil with a bayleaf, halved red chillies and nigella seeds.

Let us add all the vegetables now, fold in and cover cook at minimal heat for 10 minutes. We will open the cover; add the red chilli powder and the slitted green chillies. Fold in well and cover.

We will cover cook the entire thing at minimal heat for another 10-12 minutes. We will open cover, add the fried fish pieces, chopped fresh coriander and fold in well. We will let is cook for another 3-4 minutes and it is done.

We need not add any amount of water in cooking this; the vegetables releases water in which they get cooked. This is possible only when you slow cook at minimal heat.

This is such an age old family recipe; our mother used to cook it throughout the season when paat pata / young jute leaves were available in the DumDum Bazaar; she continues to cook it till date even after shifting to Barrackpore. The deceased maternal grandfather used to love it the most, then the mother. Rest of us in the family preferred more a "shaak bhaja & bora" with young jute leaves. I hope some of you remember my blog post on PAT PATAR BORA O SHAAK last year. I have developed a love for this curry in the recent years. My family is in the habit of eating a wide variety of greens mostly with a tempering of nigella seeds, crushed garlic, dry red chillies. Though I thought of blogging about a dish today too what we loved entirely as a family including the deceased father, I could not keep the promise made to myself. He was not particularly fond of this sticky, slippery, soupy, vegetarian curry with young jute leaves PAT PATAR JHOL, neither the senior or our boy at this home are. But the three of them enjoyed / enjoys fritters made of young jute leaves. Give them some rice, butter / ghee, salt, or dal with fritters; they are game for a plate full of rice. This morning I called my mother again to confirm if he liked it later in life; he did not but his son does, his spouse too. They all eat a bowl full of each.

Yesterday night, I had a good chat with the mother; yes, has to call the husband too if I get into any trouble outdoor. Given the new government rules, I got stranded near a super mart yesterday with a big number of stuffs, broke a new stroller too. Thirty Sing $ went into ashes. This staying at home is definitely not good if we can look a little beyond ourselves. If we can think about those who are finding it hard to survive. If you ask me to eat "chal-dal er khichuri or panta bhaat" everyday, I will puke.

I am not too much in the wrong track today, am I? I would have done a post with palak / spinach if only people around gave me enough reasons to do so. They did not, they took sides, I will only listen to my whims this week or whenever anyone gets on my nerves. I will applaud your qualities that I do not hone, beyond a point I allow few to come near. Because people were in a hurry to change profile pictures, show "bhaiya cum region hood" during my period of mourning, I have nothing else for you today except a healthy, vegetarian bowl of PAT PATAR JHOL done with young jute leaves. The Filipino at home says they use it to prepare saluyot; a thickened soup kind of. The wiki says Africa too eats it. Whatever, I know my family eats it a lot and I continue to bring it home whenever it is available. Even if you are not in the habit of eating it, do try once. If you do not like it, do not force yourself. If you like, make it a point to eat it every season. What else? I am doing what the maximum are doing; eating jackfruit whilst reading, drinking soy bandung for a change back from my walks! Life is good because I have buying power.

INGREDIENTS :

PAT PATA / YOUNG JUTE LEAF : A BIG BUNCH OR TWO
NIGELLA SEED / KALO JEEREY : 2 PINCH
CRUSHED GARLIC CLOVE : 1TSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 2-3
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
WATER : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1TSP

PROCEDURE :

Tear the leaves from the stems. Fold each one and discard the mid stem too. This is the most tedious job; I mean it requires patience and Cristine did it for me.

Take the dressed leaves in a colander and wash under running water thoroughly. Keep aside; let the water go off.

There they are; the washed, crushed garlic cloves & slitted green chillies.

Heat oil in a wok and temper with the nigella seeds, crushed garlic and slitted green chillies. Stir fry until the garlic turns light brown and gives a nice aroma.

Add the washed leaves, little salt and turmeric. [I need not have added that much of salt you can see. I have a bad habit of eating more amount of salt.]

Stir at low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 coffee mugs of water. Give a stir and cover cook at low heat for 14-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

What else? We should be done.

We have it with steamed rice. I had to keep some fritters with it and dal alongside for my men.

Yesterday was Akshay Tritiya and I missed the date. Many business families there in Bengal perform "Lakshmi-Ganesh" or "Ganesh" puja alone on this day. My memory of the day is of a prayer meet at the maternal grand parent's home worshipping Lord Ganesha and thereafter a grand meal with mutton, few kinds of fish to shukto, shaak, dal, bhaja as a starter. Invitees were mainly those who work in the maternal uncles' business concerns, few other guests. It ended with handing over each invitee a big, fat packet of a variety of sweets always ordered from "Adi Adhar Mishtanna Bhandar". So many memories are associated with that place. I so loved particularly the pantua, chanar jilipi, chanar murki and one unique sweet which was like darbesh but was totally white in colour. I never found that sweet in Kolkata, Raja Krishnachandra's city is definitely known for it's sweets, not alone sharpuria & sharbhaja but a couple of them. Not every year we could make it to that place during this time but few years when we were there, I ate like a monster on this day. Today, I had to do an occasion friendly fish, meat or sweet recipe. However, I am not willing to back out again from sharing this recipe of a non vegetarian side GATHI KOCHU DIYE LOTEY SHUTKI with gathi kochu / taro and loitta shutki / dried Bombay Duck. Both the main ingredients are so frequently eaten in my side of the family! I make my men eat taro. What you should always take care of is adding the tamarind to be sure there is no itching post eating. The taro we get here do not cause itching but still I make it a point to add a bit of tamarind juice towards the end.

Yesterday, I walked few miles and was able to grab few packets of muri & ghee. I ran out of muri, was not getting it locally and felt mad. I had to go to my old neighbourhood which also has two Indian Minimarts to pick these up. What I did not like was catching an MRT back home because it was raining and I already had two packets to carry back home. I am not the kind who is keen on showing buying power often; yet the inability to do a cheap buy when I wish to is depressing. Even more depressing is to watch the salt & pepper look of the eye brows, upper lips & chin growing more prominent. Parlours do not fall under essential services and they are closed. In this scenario, if you ask me to eat less, if you do not allow me to eat my kind of food; I will totally sink in a tank full of despair. I usually eat a fruit platter after having half of a vegetarian curry puff. This little sacrifice I can do for you, I rarely eat a full curry puff. What I bought yesterday shall be shared tomorrow in a public post to tell you that they are really essential for any middle class homes and I am not making unnecessary outings. What is my kind of food? Many of you have known by now, I am so vocal & descriptive about myself. One of such favourites is any dish with dried fish; specially with dried Bombay Duck and I prepare it with any combination of vegetables these days. Each one rocks totally in tune with our taste buds. This one with taro, dried Bombay Duck, onion, garlic, chillies and a good amount of oil GATHI KOCHU DIYE LOTEY SHUTKI is what rocked. In general, shutki maach rocks at this home if only you cook it our family way; for a longer period with a good amount of what are mentioned above.

INGREDIENTS :

TARO / GATHI KOCHU : 300-400GM
DRIED BOMBAY DUCK / LOITTA SHUTKI : 3-4
SLICED ONION : 1/3 COFFEE MUG
CRUSHED GARLIC : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 7-8
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
TAMARIND JUICE : 3-4TBSP [I ALWAYS USE IT WHEN COOKING YAM]
KALOJEEREY / NIGELLA SEED : 1/4TSP
HALVED DRY RED CHILLI : 2
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1/3 SMALL TEA CUP [MY FAMILY ALWAYS USES MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

Below are the pictures of Taro Root / Gathi Kochu & Dried Bombay Duck / Lotey Shutki respectively.

The hairy, brown, round vegetable at the centre is taro / gathi kochu. We will peel of it's skin and cut half. We will wash them.

In some cases, your palms may itch while washing them but not in all cases. You can wear gloves.

Once washed, marinate the taro pieces with some salt & turmeric and keep aside for few minutes.

Discard the head & tail of each of the dried Bombay Duck. Discard also the fins.

Now chop them into smaller pieces, wash several times under running water.

Now soak them in hot water for at least half an hour to soften and get rid of any dirt.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the taro pieces until light brown.

Take out and reserve to use later. Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & dry red chillies.

Add the washed crushed garlic and fry till brown. Add the washed sliced onion and fry till brown.

Now add the washed slitted green chillies and stir fry for half a minute. Add the dried bombay duck pieces discarding the water it was soaked in.

Fold in and cover. The heat level shall remain minimal from the beginning to the end.

After 12-14 minutes, open cover and add the rest of the turmeric, some salt and the red chilli powder.

Stir for half a minute and break further the dried fish pieces with the tip of your ladle.

Add the fried taro pieces now and fold in well. Add 11/2 medium tea cup of water, the tamarind juice and cover cook at minimal heat until all the water dries up.

It's as simple as that. We also had some "aam diye motor dal er tok and roshun phoron bhindi" alongside to go with steamed rice.

You remember I cooked this from an idea that popped on my mind some two months back and took to a neighbourhood home when invited for a tea party? I remember I had prepared some lemon rice to pair with it. Back from the adda session, I hurriedly did a photo session as the men were getting late for their dinner. Later when I took a look at the photographs, I felt something is wrong with the platter; the main dish of eggs cooked in white sesame & coconut paste TIL NARKOL BATA DIYE DIM got sidelined. We are heavily depending on eggs at this time of the lockdown as I cannot have the sea fish varieties we get locally or too much of chicken or that smelly sheep meat or fat free lamb. Really, I have grown fondness for egg curries or omelette. I always liked an omelette but find it hard to digest. Egg curries I do not find difficult to digest. Its more than fifteen days now I did not visit a wet market, tomorrow I must. I am craving for some fresh vegetables and let me see if I can get some "bhola maach ba fresh lotey", "aar je parchina." Where was I? Okay, I deleted those photos, cooked again the same curry with roasted white sesame seeds, shredded coconut, green chillies, garlic, onion and clicked fresh. This photo feature too I do not like. I will again cook it and update the pictures soon. On that day, I also cooked the rest, "chal kumro ghonto, dhonepata diye bhaja moong er dal, aloo diye mutton keema." We had them with steamed rice.

In the home front, we are having a good family life as we have spending power. I was telling the senior if we manage to live for more years together, we may have a good retired life given I have at least 2-3 house helps. I am not my mother's kind who enjoys washing and cleaning all day; I love to relax with food or a book, cook and go for walks or swim. We really enjoy watching together movies and web series and he wakes up early too which is a big relief. Once back in Kolkata, I will again be what I was. One part timer will enter by 8am to wash the utensils, wipe the kitchen and sweep the entire flat. Before that, I have already cleaned all the beds. Then I will change over to fresh clothes and wake up my Gods' family. Then we will have something with tea. Thereafter, I will do some cooking and will not entertain any phone calls. The second help will come now to do the dusting, washing the utensils again, spring clean the gas stove, chimney, mop the entire home with dettol floor cleaner. I will clean the toilets, take shower, do the afternoon prayer and have our lunch. I will lie down with a book and the senior will still be lying in front of the television. Around 6pm, the morning help should come to wash the rest of the utensils and mop the entire space again before I do the evening prayer. Some days, I will visit City Centre 2 in the lazy afternoons, we also have got a West Side in the neighbourhood, so unlikely we will be visiting Manisquare often. The senior wants to buy & live in Bengal Unitec or Rose Dale kind of Condos whilst I told him I will not go to that Action Area 3 which is too far from mainstream Kolkata. In case we do not make it together, I still continue with a disciplined life alone, I fear the man will not have any fixed time to eat or sleep if alone. However, I cannot have my dream home post retirement, the man will not fund any furnitures bought from handicrafts stores, he thinks those are high maintenance and not suitable for elderly people. I hate those stupid furniture shops in Kolkata that houses imported stuffs. Had he given me the freedom, I would have furnished our final home at less price deploying Nirmal's team and buying everything from Dakshinapan & Uttarapan. This guy and the offspring are so impossible but they enjoy what I cook including this TIL NARKOL BATA DIYE DIM.

Neither of my men will ever peep into my area and ask how much of oil or spices I have spent in a fortnight, why I am visiting Uttarapan so often, why I bought two more bed spread from Skipper or Avanti when I already have a few at home. Post marriage whilst he was sailing, he transferred to me the power of Attorney; I had access to all of his accounts, yet he never can say I made any wrong expenditure taking advantage of my power, never. He too is not interested in what I am gifting whom or asks why? I want the son to exactly follow this. He has the trust that I will never compete with others in the game of show off, he knows how I hate kitty parties, he knows I will always enquire about the prices from My d-sign Sarees with Aesthetics or Shaukh or Gahonaz before buying any damn thing. He knows I will not compete with a lady who wears a 50,000 worth saree and destroy his peace, he had seen how his wife had built a 25,000 Sing $ worth savings within two years drawing a mere 1400 Sing$ as salary which is less than that of a labourer. Could I keep the job, I would have bought a two roomed flat at Anupama just beside VIP Haldiram and would have shifted the not at all friends in-laws there. It is a very big housing society with a market which has everything. I so dislike the Kaikhali area they stay, back side of the airport is not my cuppa. I thank my parents for the humble me. Day before yesterday, the man told me with what amount my brother will be retiring with, I felt like dancing in the rain. So unfortunate, they do not have a heir. I am the last one to be greedy, I will ask them to enjoy life, travel often and do charity later in life whoever they can trust. For the mother, they are forced to stay in Barrackpore, she thinks she cannot live in a flat for long and she wants easy journey to her "baap er bari." I am talking so irrelevant, I have a platter to cook for lunch which if successful is to be shared next Monday.

INGREDIENTS :

EGG : 6-8
WHITE SESAME SEED : 1TBSP
SHREDDED COCONUT : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
CRUSHED GARLIC : 11/2TSP
SLICED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
DRY RED CHILLI : 1 HALVED
GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
BAY LEAF : 1
NIGELLA SEED : 1/4 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1/2 TSP
OIL : 4 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash each egg gently and take in a heavy bottomed vessel or sauce pan. Add water at room temperature gently. Add some salt which eases the process of taking off the shell.

Put them for boil and boil at medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Switch off the gas.

Let it cool completely before you start de-shelling them. Once de-shelled, rub some salt & turmeric on the boiled eggs.

Meanwhile, dry roast the white sesame until light brown and prepare a paste of it along with the shredded coconut and the green chillies. Sprinkle little water if required.

We have washed and crushed 4-5 garlic cloves and peeled, washed & sliced one big onion.

We will heat the oil now and lightly fry the marinated eggs.

We will take them out and temper the same oil with a bay leaf, halved dry red chilli and nigella seeds.

We will add the crushed garlic and fry till light brown. We will add the sliced onion and fry till brown.

We will add the spice paste now; to it the rest of the turmeric and salt. We will stir the paste for a minute and add a coffee mug of water.

We will let it boil at low heat for 2-3 minutes and add the boiled & fried eggs. We will let it simmer at minimal heat covered for 5-6 minutes.

We will open the cover, add the sugar and let boil further for half a minute.

We are done. We had it with rice, it can be had with "ruti ba porota."

I think it is my favourite Goalondo Chicken Curry that was hovering around my mind whilst doing this chicken dish. As you all know I enjoy either very light curries with chicken or batter fried, pakoras or oriental preparations with it. I am so unable to have thick, South Asian curries with chicken. It can be so we did so much of restaurant hopping once that I am totally into home cooked comfort food these days. If we are to have restaurant food, Indian restaurants are not in our top list. Okay, I do like solo trips to the eateries for appam, uttapam, chaats, etc. I am severely missing such solo trips of mine. The world situation seemed to have curbed my freedom, that is what irritates me. Else life is going smooth requiring me to spend way less than what actually I do. At this home, the son stays confined to his room; shows his face only when mumma knocks the door to serve him food. Last two weeks he did not call in any home delivers which means he can feel mumma's fear. The man sits at his work station all day, today is May Day and the television set is on. Yesterday, post lunch in the late afternoon I was sitting at the senior's designated space in the couch and was enjoying the view. It is difficult to stay confined to an apartment for long. Because we do not socialise much, we are not facing much trouble. Anyway, I could not take in much of fresh air, it started raining heavily.

I am going out for walks but only in the vicinity. There are this virus clusters in Punggol, there in Mustafa area; I am not even thinking of going for long walks and explore unknown lanes and by-lanes I usually do. The government have banned walking or exercising in the basements of any condominium. I release the stress reading and cooking truly. That is when it feels it had been good if I knew some handicrafts work or stitching, painting; it would have been good for me. In this scenario, what I am cooking is very simple, too simple is the chicken curry you see. I have marinated the washed boneless chicken in crushed garlic, slitted green chillies, chopped tomatoes, ginger extract and cooked in microwave. I named it CHYACHA ROSHUN LANKA ADAR ROSHE MURGI.

I continue with my plan of serving a normal breakfast with or without egg, a vegetarian or non-vegetarian lunch; if the lunch is non-veg, then a veg dinner; if the lunch is a veg platter, then a non-veg dinner is served. I will stick to this plan for quite sometime now. I am only able to get a limited supply of non-vegetarian stuffs at this time, I am unable to cook and eat sea fish varieties. We can eat the simplest of vegetarian meals if they suit our taste buds. Yesterday night, we had a simple dinner with "aatar porota o aloo-french bean-gazor bhaja". The son will not have achar, neither did he have the carrots & French beans. He picked the potatoes and had with porota. He finished his meal before mumma could serve herself. I prepared a total of seven porotas and asked Cristine to prepare for herself and me. Who else but mumma or the wife would have their leftovers?

However, this light curry chicken which I cooked in the microwave CHYACHA ROSHUN LANKA ADAR ROSHE MURGI is what all of us in the family enjoyed / will enjoy any time with bread & rice varieties. Let me share it on a May Day, let it be a tribute to the deceased soul of my favourites Irrfan Khan & Rishi Kapoor and even Chuni Goswami. I am never a football enthusiast, but the family is sports loving, the father and the brother next to him played for lesser known clubs in Kolkata, perhaps in Asansol too. My brother played cricket and me and our mother enjoyed watching the game of cricket and lawn tennis. The father was not a Bollywood Buff but me and the mother are; never mind I enjoy a bowl of "aam chirey muri kola" just like the father.

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 500 GM [I USED BONELESS]
POTATO : 2 MEDIUM
TOMATO : 1 MEDIUM
SLICED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
CRUSHED GARLIC : 2TBSP
GINGER EXTRACT : 3 TBSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 5-6
TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
LEMON JUICE : 4 TBSP
OIL : 3-4 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash the chicken pieces and marinate with the ginger extract, sliced onion, crushed garlic, lemon juice, oil, turmeric and salt for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, peel each potato and cut each in to 4 pieces, soak in water.

Wash and chop the tomato too.

After 2 hours, take the marinated chicken in a microwave proof big bowl. Cover it with a microwave proof lid and place inside the oven.

Microwave the content at 450*C for 10 minutes. Take out the bowl, add the chopped tomatoes and stir.

Microwave again for 450*C for 10 minutes.

While it is cooking, drain the water from the potatoes and marinate with little salt & turmeric.

Take out the bowl, add the marinated potato pieces and fold in well. Put it inside the oven and microwave at high (900*C in our case) for 13-14 minutes. We should be done.

I forgot to click the last two steps. Always remember to put on your gloves while cooking in an oven.

Enjoy with any bread variety or rice. We also had some "lau ghonto, mulo shaak & tetor dal" on the side that day.

This is never the right time for me to do a blog post, I am a morning person. The otherwise non-functional brain feels happy & fresh in the mornings. To feel free most of the days, I cook not in bulk but a variety on a Saturday. During this circuit breaker period, I am just cooking extra breads each day. Yes, our one meal is "ruti-porota-luchi" every day. We prefer a vegetarian puffed or flat bread meal over a vegetarian rice. For the majority of Bengalis, rice is associated with fish or meat. Tonight, we will have a vegetarian, rice meal. I am too tired to prepare "roti-prata", my Sunday after a Saturday has to be relaxing. Cristine shall fry the hyalencha / water cress er bora / fritter at night and we will have it with "mash kolai er dal and til bata diye kancha tomator torkari." On Thursday, I got in hand some green tomatoes which we rarely get here. If you follow my personal profile, you may see I had my lunch with Cristine made "porota in ghee, lau o aloor chokla boti and an omelette." I did get Udon Bowl with Karage for Cristine and Bento Boxes for the men.

Though I cook a lot on a Saturday, the rest feel happy if they get outside food over the weekend. Now that Cristine is not getting a Sunday off, I get for her too. Why not? Be it the dough or shaping all the Garbanzo Bean tikki / bora of this combo, vegetarian meal KABULI CHOLAR BORA O DOI POROTA; she helps me majorly. When she is gone, you will get the simplest of meals from me. After a porota meal, I had a bowl of watermelon which is not a sin given the climate here. That was more than an hour back and I am with "muri badam makha o cha" now. If this is not a suicidal tendency, what is?

The man too is having a "muri-chanachur-badam-peyaz-lanka" bowl today; recently again in fact. I think he is not willing to watch a movie or web series together with me this weekend. Since yesterday, he is watching political series. Now what is going on is concerning CIA & Syria I am not interested in. What more can I expect from a man who after the first proposal took me to watch a Hollywood political thriller in Light House; that too knowing me since age twelve. Yet, he changed a lot in the past two decades to accommodate me. I do not remember when I stopped expecting a bit of romanticism from him. So long he or the monkey happily eats this vegetarian platter of KABULI CHOLAR BORA O DOI POROTA their lady cooked, I am happy. Look, how I turned a plate of falafel & pita to something I am comfortable in. What to do? I cannot ditto follow recipes. I do not plan them much in advance and never spend generously buying ingredients for a particular dish. Falafel uses parsley and I had coriander only. So, be it. I am not so happy with the look of the Garbanzo Beans cutlets / croquettes / bora / tikki but they tasted very good with the plain yogurt & self-raising flour flat bread I made. The salad bowl and the sauces were a must. I learnt about this two main ingredients flat bread from a you-tube video. It used it for pizza base baking it in an oven. Long back, I prepared pizza base with it too, the video is there in the saved files but I am tired enough to find it from a collection I saved two years back. Had I been technically sound, I would have taken the Blog to a better position. It really is a handicapped kind of a feeling.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOI POROTA / YOGURT FLAT BREAD

SELF RAISING FLOUR : 2 COFFEE MUG [YOU CAN USE PLAIN REFINED FLOUR OF SAME AMOUNT WITH 2 TSP BAKING POWDER & 1/3 TSP BAKING SODA]

PLAIN YOGURT : 150 GM OR AS REQUIRED FOR A SMOOTH DOUGH

SALT : 1/2 TSP

OIL : 2-3 TBSP + 1TSP FOR EACH FLAT BREAD

INGREDIENTS FOR THE KABULI CHANAR BORA / GARBANZO BEANS TIKKI

GARBANZO BEAN / KABULI CHANA : 350-400GM
CHOPPED CORIANDER : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
CHOPPED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
GARLIC CLOVE : 4-5 BIG OR 8-10 SMALL SIZED
GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1 TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
LEMON JUICE : 4-5 TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 100-150 ML [I DID NOT DEEP FRY IN A LOT OF OIL]

PROCEDURE :

Let us do the Garbanzo Beans cutlets now!

I had soaked the Kabuli Chana in water for about 8 hours. They expanded really well and I drained the water.

Cristine did all the peeling, cutting, washing job for me, as usual.

We will always do the blending job in batches, else the blender would stop working unable to take the load.

Each time we will blend the content into a coarse paste, trying not to add water.

I had shown Cristine to prepare standard sized, flattened cutlet shapes. She did.

We refrigerated the un-cooked tikkis for at least 6-8 hours, covered. Took out only when the oil was made to get hot in the wok.

I did not deep fry them in a lot of oil, so they not look that good. I am not comfortable using too much of used oil.

I fried both sides at low heat until they were brown. Each batch may take 7-8 minutes to be done.

Cristine looked after the frying part mostly while I was making the flatbreads / doi porotas. They had to be done simultaneously for a good tasting meal.

Reserve the fried tikkis on tissue papers before serving.

For the plain yogurt and self-raising flour porotas / flat breads, I took the flour, salt, 2 tbsp oil and the plain yogurt in a wide mouthed bowl.

We have to mix and rub the content for 2-3 minutes.

Cristine kneaded the dough for some 10-12 minutes to get a smooth dough. We can add more of yogurt if required but not water.

Thereafter, we have to keep it covered with a moist, clean piece of cloth for 15-20 minutes.

We will take it out and knead for 2-3 minutes.

We will tear of portions of a tennis size ball, smoothen between the two palms, roll out round or oval.

We will place it on a hot griddle / tawa, it will by itself form bubbles; we just have to adjust the heat from low to minimal.

After been turned over and cooked each in 1 tsp oil, both sides will look like below respectively.

We prepared an apple, tomato, cucumber, onion salad in a jiffy, used store bought tamarind sauce & coleslaw and had a soul satisfying vegetarian lunch.

Lau / Lauki / Bottle Gourd is an integral part of a Bengali household, in fact of an Indian household. I love every part of it, from the "aga to doga" to it's skin. Our families eat it every week. I have not done any research on it's health benefits, neither can give you a clear idea as health experts would. I grew up hearing "lau pet thanda korey", that bottle gourd is a body coolant. Even when I did not love vegetables, I loved having bottle gourd because it was either prepared with fresh water fish heads, prawns or dal vadi / dal er bori, all of them I so love. For the excitement of getting to have a couple of "bori or chingri or maacher matha", I used to eat the bottle gourd too; now I enjoy having a vegetarian dish too with this wonder vegetable given a star status by that hilarious Yoga Guru of India. There are two-three dishes our families do combining yellow moong and bottle gourd; lau dhonepata diye bhaja moong er dal, ucche bhaja, lau diye kancha moong er dal and this MOONG DAL LAU ER JHALI using shredded, de-skinned bottle gourd, roasted skinless yellow moong, bay leaf & dry red chilli to temper, few slitted green chillies, salt & turmeric, a bit of sugar. There is no complex engineering required to prepare this dish, yet it is a soul satisfying adventure to have with steamed rice or chapati.

I am too tired today. Yesterday, about two hours in the mid-morning I comb searched for baking powder & whole wheat flour locally without any result. I came back home around 12:45 pm and got busy doing those instant jilipi / jalebi. They tasted good but I need lot more learning and practice to perfect them.

I had them fresh which tasted good; juicy & crisp. The rest had them hours later when it already turned soggy; still tasty if you have a sweet tooth. However, I have decided not to buy them anymore but do at home. Then, I had my lunch and within an hour, I had set out on foot to the old neighbourhood for atta which is wrong. I try to avoid taking public transport, moreover my exercise of the day would not have been done. I had to cook noodles at night. With a 5kg packet of atta, I had to take the MRT on the way back. About the husband and his car, the government is allowing only one person in private vehicles if I have not read wrong, I never can drive alone. Baking Powder I did not get; I did not wish to queue near Phoon Huat, neither had access to NTUC as I was not carrying any of my identity cards. Smaller shops are all closed; only 7Eleven, big & minimarts are open. Back home again I had a jilipi. By the time I learn trying to perfect them, let me share with you a Bengali, family recipe with bottle gourd & roasted yellow moong dal; MOONG DAL LAU ER JHALI. Both sides of my family cook it regular during summer; the in-law's side do it at more frequency. My / Our sports & yoga enthusiast parents made bottle gourd mandatory after it was given a star status by that Indian Yoga Guru. I always warned them not to consume his products but only to follow his exercise regime.

INGREDIENTS :

YELLOW MOONG / SKINLESS, HALVED MOONG BEAN : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP [I USE FINE GRAIN SHONA MOONG VARIETY, YOU CAN USE THE NORMAL VARIETY]

BOTTLE GOURD : 1/2 OF A NORMAL SIZED

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

BAY LEAF : 1

GREEN CHILLI : 2-3

DRY RED CHILLI : 2

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Since I have used very small sized yellow moong variety / shona moong er dal I get from Kolkata, I boiled it easily in a normal vessel without soaking the roasted lentil for hours. If you are using the normal lentil variety, you have to pressure cook the roasted dal or soak it in hot water for at least few hours. I presume most of you are like me and do not wish to save on the fuel.

I dry roasted the yellow moong beans, washed them and took in a heavy bottomed vessel. I added about 3 coffee mugs of water, a little of salt & turmeric to it. I had given a stir and put it for boil at the minimal heat. We need to cover it 80% & not full. Remember we have to take it down once 60% -70% done.

While the dal is boiling, we will peel off the portion of the bottle gourd we are using. We will cut it half & further. I always prefer buying gourds as young as possible though here they tend to eat overgrown stuffs. So, discard the seeds too.

Wash the pieces and put them in a vessel full of water. Start shredding each pieces. Cristine does it for me using a manual shredder. Once done, drain the water and marinate with salt and rest of the turmeric.

In between, we need to check with the dal too. If it requires some water, add a bit of hot water. We must remember after it is 60% to 70% done, it should be dry and not watery. We cannot allow the lentil to burn either.

Next, we have to heat the oil and temper it with the cumin seeds, bay leaf, halved dried red chillies. We will give a stir and add the shredded bottle gourd along with the marinade now. We will give a stir and cover cook it at minimal heat for 12-15 minutes.

We will open cover and add the boiled lentil, washed and slitted green chillies; adjust the salt too. We will fold in well, cook it uncovered for at minimal heat for 10 minutes or until half dry. We will add the sugar, stir and cook further for two minutes.

We had it with rice. It will go with chapati too.

This is the kind of platter my family wants at every meal; the senior, our boy, the brother, his wife. I could have fulfilled their wish if only they had good amount of salad alongside; had fruit juices in the morning, do some exercise. They are far from any kind of exercise, at least the brother and his wife eat salads. They eat "phuchka, roll, biryani" more than salad however. Day before yesterday, the brother had sent me photographs of their "phuchka" eating session along with the blooms in their terrace. I told him I hardly miss not getting to have "phuchka" as much as I am missing "ilish, pabda, kechki, aar, rui-katla, gondhoraj lebu." The Bangladeshi shops are closed I hear but I can travel to the Indian wet market. I am not going because virus affected clusters have been found there. Even after the restrictions are lifted, I may take time to travel places. Each one of us has to be a little wise and take certain precautionary measures to save ourselves. In this context, I am so liking some posts I am coming across the social media; the rest are all crap. The senior has given me a link to know about the real scenario and stop going by social media news.

What is the time now? It is about 04:25 pm. It so feels like taking a nap but I will not. To avoid these afternoon naps, I think I have started writing the blog post now. It is not a good habit to sleep post lunch though our families always had it in their rule book. I remember, the son post 4 1/2 years old enjoyed sipping juice from the feeding bottle once back from the school and eventually went to sleep. That was my spare time; I read, I wrote mails to the husband who was away from the home sailing. That is when I read it is very wrong for children beyond three years to use feeding bottle, there grows heart problem. I immediately stopped; he so cried, yet I did not allow. He stopped the afternoon nap chapter since then and both of us would watch the television; I remember about Dora the Explorer, Thomas & His Tank Engine, Bob the Builder. I mean I was so busy even if that home had two of us only. Now look at me! They do not have time to talk to me, what else to do except cooking? This platter of MIINCED MUTTON RICE O OIL FREE PANEER SNACK was done some two weeks back for lunch. I remember, I was so late finishing my post, it was 1 pm already. God knows how I was able to serve them lunch around 2.30 pm. The photo feature is bound to be poor. Because Cristine helps tremendously in the kitchen, I could do. Would you believe if I say the oil free grilled paneer / cottage cheese mash snack was not the plan, I forgot to add oil.

I may tell you, it feels like sleeping until 8pm at the moment. I did a 6.1km of brisk walking today but what did I eat last night, this morning? "Luchi!" Last night, we added omelettes to the leftover mutton curry and had a "luchi" meal. This morning too, Cristine fried for me and the son from the leftover dough. I may tell you such meals are better than having fish we have never eaten. This week, I will cook mutton, minced mutton, chicken, egg, salmon. Rest of the meals would be vegetarian, hence I am needing 5kg wheat flour and 1-2 kg refined flour in a month. I must prepare instant idli, actually they cannot have idli as main meals, will have dosa if served with chicken stew. Dosa making is complex, lets do rice or breads instead.

I asked Cristine to cook luchi-porota for her father, sister's kids, brother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law when she visits Philippines next. She has lost her mother early and found our mother similar to her's. Our mother has complains against all of my helps in Kolkata but she, my entire family so loved Cristine. She is truly a good soul. Once I finish my post on MINCED MUTTON RICE O OIL FREE PANEER SNACK, I will cook the mutton, one or two vegetables; else Saturday seems to be too occupying. I will only cook, she is arranging everything.

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE MINCED MUTTON RICE]

BASMATI RICE : 1 COFFEE MUG
MINCED MUTTON : 350-400 GM
PLAIN YOGURT : 250 GM
SLICED ONION : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 4-5
GINGER PASTE : 1TBSP
GARLIC PASTE : 1TBSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
GARAM MASALA POWDER : 1TSP
CINNAMON STICK : 5-6 TWO INCH STICK
GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4
CLOVE : 3-4
BLACK CARDAMOM : 2
STAR ANISE : 2
BAY LEAF : 1-2
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1/2 TSP
LEMON JUICE : 4-5TBSP
GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 2 TBSP
OIL : 5 TBSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE OIL FREE PANEER SNACK]

PANEER / INDIAN COTTAGE CHEESE : 200-250 GM [I PREPARED IT AT HOME]
BOILED POTATO : 2
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 2 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP
DRY MANGO POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CHAAT MASALA : 1/2 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
I FORGOT ADDING OIL, IT IS DONE IN MICROWAVE OVEN IN THE GRILL MODE.

Let us do the minced mutton rice first. I had marinated the washed minced mutton with half of the plain yogurt, salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric & red chilli powder and the lemon juice for 4-5 hours covered in the refrigerator.

We will take it out an hour before cooking it. We have cooked the rice in enough water until 70% done. We will store it in a colander, let the water pass away.

We are using the following stuffs below to cook the minced mutton and then the cooked rice with it.

Heat the oil in a wok and temper with the bay leaf, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, star anise, cinnamon sticks. Keep the heat at minimal.

Add the washed onion slices and fry till golden brown. Add the turmeric, ginger and garlic pastes and stir cook for 2-3 minutes.

We will add the sugar to the rest of the yogurt and beat, this will not allow it to curdle. We will add it to the wok along with the dry spice powders, salt.

We will stir it for a minute and add the minced mutton. We will fold in well and cover cook for a pretty 20-25 minutes checking in between.

It will release water, else add little water in between. Once done, add the washed slitted green chillies. Fold in well and stir for a minute.

Add the cooked rice and ghee; fold in well. Increase the heat to medium. Do not break all the clusters formed by the cooked minced mutton while mixing with the rice, that way it will taste better.

For the Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese Oil Free Snacks done in the grill mode of a microwave oven; I mixed together all the ingredients mentioned under OIL FREE PANEER SNACK.

Do make round, flat shapes from the mixture. Refrigerate for an hour if you have time in hand, we did not have.

Grease a grill plate if you are using a convection mode microwave oven or a one with grill option. Place the high wired stool inside the oven; place the plate.

Grill one side for 12-13 minutes. Take out and turn over.

Grill the other side for 8-9 minutes. We should be done!

Serve the combo fresh & hot with a salad & sauce / chutney of your choice.

The sky is weeping since morning and I prefer a start with a sunny morning if not a sunny side up. Rain is a poet's muse; I like it too but for some unknown reason not in the morning. It causes more of depression in me; mornings should be bright. Anyway, news that are pouring in are not comforting. People already are facing pay cuts, losing jobs, what next? In this scenario, my "thoka togors" gave me some relief this morning. I came out of my room very late today. I went to sleep very late, in fact early this morning and then weird dreams always disturb my sleep these days. I was just lying on the bed so unwilling to get up which is rare. Because my men are very flexible and we have a Cristine, I can take these liberties. When Cristine was showing me the flowers, the man was already in his work station.

Food is that miracle which lifts up my spirit always, the reason why I cannot go into any strict diet regimes. I am so unable to fit into any discipline; I know my health is at risk but really cannot start a day with smoothie. I do like smoothie, oats with fruits & yogurt; just cannot make those a regular habit. Yesterday, in the morning I had one chapati, omelette and a peanut butter toast.

I was chatting with the man, talking about the banana plant in my parental home in which neither he or his family has any interest. I was very happy when the brother had sent the photograph. All of a sudden I remembered we shifted to that home in Barrackpore on 10th May, 1995 and it was the 25 th year of my family living there. I felt let me blog about this non-vegetarian dried fish recipe with cabbage and dried ikan bilis / anchovy CABBAGE WITH DRIED IKAN BILIS that they may enjoy.

Our father forced us to move there from a crowded, bustled DumDum we never wished to leave. He hated DumDum and always wanted live away from the city. Today he is no more, his wife plants a banana tree; the fruit he so loved. This lady has a very bad habit of chopping off trees, she has cut off a fruit bearing coconut tree as its roots were growing wide & deep, one mango & a guava tree as local boys used to throw stones to get them, they broke the window panes. She grows a wide variety of flowers. Both me and the brother are so insisting on growing few vegetables on the terrace, she says they call in insects. The brother or his wife are not at all interested to nurture a single plant. I so love a fruit & vegetable garden. The tenants of few years there bought the adjacent plot which was our father's youngest brother's and they have already grown a couple of vegetables the brother says. I was so occupied with this banana plant that I got late for a walk; Sundays I get them outside food and Cristine was out to transfer money to her family's account. I went to the mall opposite, got them nasi lemak meal from an eatery chain called QIJI.

Then again I went for my walk, came back and had home cooked food. I only prefer home ordered pizza; I believe restaurant food should be eaten fresh sitting there, else home cooked is the best. This morning, I had asked Cristine to prepare gram flour pancakes for me. India calls it "cheela;" my families never used to make or have.

I must say they are good. The problem is the men will want chicken / egg stew or curry with "cheela & thalipeeth" if served for lunch or dinner. They will never shout at me but will push off the plate. The man will ask Cristine to serve bread & omelette, the son will straightway get food home delivered. In fact, I suspect he has secret social media accounts and he may know about his mother's blog. On the day I wrote here the son has stopped home delivering food, that evening itself he called in home deliver after two weeks. I asked the man if it can be a coincidence! If I ask our boy he perhaps would bang my head against the wall. Yesterday, when I asked for a hug, he had shut the door for the entire day. His father said "besh hoyeche." This kind of people I live with who never will wish me on special days neither will I have enough material to share with you. Could not the son help me with the technical side of my blog? He did it for his school I know. However, they do not stop me from doing what I like with the condition that they should not be involved. However, they both so loved this dish of cabbage with ikan bilis / anchovy; CABBAGE WITH DRIED IKAN BILIS more than me, I would have loved it more with dried Bombay Duck / lotey shutki. My family back home would enjoy it too except a few who cannot have dried fish.

INGREDIENTS :

CABBAGE : 1 STANDARD SIZED
DRIED IKAN BILIS / ANCHOVY : 100 GM
SLICED ONION : 2 SMALL TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
GARLIC PASTE : 2-3 TBSP [CRUSHED GARLIC WORKS BETTER]
TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2 TBSP
GARAM MASALA POWDER : 1 TBSP
NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEERA / KALONJI : 1/4 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 1-2 HALVED
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 5-6 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the dried anchovy in a bowl of hot water. I only cleaned the head and stomach as much possible, later felt discarding the heads totally would have been better. You can do that.

Discard the hard root end and the outer coverage of the cabbage. Wash and shred as fine as possible.

We have the washed slitted green chillies & liced onion, garlic paste ready in hand. If possible use 3 tbsp of crushed garlic instead.

We will heat the oil in a wok and temper it with the nigella seeds & halved dried red chillies.

We will add the onion slices, fry till brown and add the garlic paste then, shall give it a stir.

We will add the turmeric & salt, slitted green chillies and stir for quiet sometime until the oil and the spice paste are separated.

We will add the red chilli powder and stir at low heat for 1/2 a minute.

We will add the dried anchovy now. I repeat again, it is better to discard their heads. We will stir cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes.

We will add 1 medium tea cup of water and put the heat level to medium. We will cover cook it for 7-8 minutes.

We will open the cover, add the washed and shredded cabbage. We will fold in well.

We will cover cook at the minimal heat for 30-35 minutes. Every 8-10 minutes, we have to uncover and stir. The cabbage will release water and that water has to completely dry.

Once dry, we will add the garam masala and fold in well.

We will stir cook at medium heat for another 3-4 minutes. We should be done.

Enjoy it more with rice and a little less with roti! We also had "mulo diye bhaja moong er dal o ucche-aloo-begun bhaja" on the sides.

This was our dinner last night and we enjoyed it. As I always say, vegetarian meals have to be meticulously planned at this home. Last Saturday, when I prepared the echor chingri / prawns with raw jackfruit, I kept aside a bowlful of the boiled jackfruit to prepare these vegetarian cutlets sometime this week. Yesterday morning, I shaped & dressed the cutlets and refrigerated them to be fried at night. Refrigeration helps them not break whilst frying. Yet, I would say my cutlets taste good but look wise they do not satisfy me. Anyway, because we enjoyed having them, I consider them worthy of getting a space in the blog. Raw Jackfruit is a very common kitchen ingredient in our families; however my family never prepared cutlets with it. Our mother was not into western cooking except for jam & jelly round the year. The snacks she prepared were mainly chicken fritters, fish fry, different kind of stuffed porota o kochuri / Indian bread, fulkopir shingara. Desserts were made at home, even ice-creams rarely but cutlets & sweets, cakes were store bought. When I learnt baking basic cakes, then too cakes continued to come locally from Monginis, now Mio Amore and every two to three months from Nahoums when we used to visit New Market. Our's was a typical middle class family which gave us a happy childhood, youth. Because food was the prime in the family, because food was / is prime in my life; I have learnt a little bit of cooking, take a lot of interest in it. When I look at the culinary skills around, I feel I am not even halfway there; yet you can try my KATHAL CUTLET recipe done with raw jackfruit, potato and regular spices.

Had the government not allowed us to go for a walk outside, I would have weighed 75kg by now, in fact it is not allowing us to walk in the basement. I am never an adventurist, I usually listen. I walk, cook and eat and the weight is stagnant at 58kg with a 4'11" height. Day before yesterday, I cooked some atta kochuri, served it with an egg plant mash dish. I had four kochuris, again two yesterday morning.

Yes, Cristine became a pro luchi / poori maker, the second picture has her's. BTW, can you see what damage tube lights does to a photograph. With her at home, I needed to go to Kolkata; for the family and my home that needs some repair work, spring cleaning. When I can I do not know. People at this home do not chat with me, the senior does not allow me to talk as the living room is his work station. In this scenario, cooking is a good engagement. Weekly once, I work with my greens too. There is nothing much to do there. I so wish to change this condo and rent a bigger elsewhere. Both the showers of one toilet are licking, the kitchen is falling down, yet this guy will not listen to me. This me sits and plan vegetarian meals like this KATHAL CUTLET with shemai / vermicelli polao for their dinner. The brother would really loved those cutlets; the thing is the 70+ woman cooks a lot but hardly shall attempt at a cutlet at this age; she did a lot for us, stopped cooking a wide variety after my marriage because the brother mostly likes mughlai dishes & pizza, burger. His wife cooks but I doubt if it will attempt a cutlet. I have a Cristine who helps me immensely. Yet, sadness is a part of my being, it was so depressing to see my potato plant destroyed by the wind yesterday night. They might not have bore potatoes, at least I was trying.

What else to do but to eat one more reheated jackfruit cutlet this morning and half of a walnut bun I got yesterday back from my walk.

You must remember, reheating a cutlet softens it, so cook and eat them fresh. Here is the detailed recipe with stepwise pictures.

INGREDIENTS :

BOILED RAW JACKFRUIT : 2 COFFEE MUG [1/4 OF A STANDARD SIZED]
BOILED POTATO : 1 COFFEE MUG [OF TWO MEDIUM SIZED]
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI :
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
DRY MANGO POWDER : 1TSP
CHAAT MASALA : 1/2TSP
BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1TSP
CRUSHED CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
CRUSHED CORIANDER SEED : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
BREAD CRUMB : 150-200GM
CORNFLOUR : 2TBSP
REFINED FLOUR : 2TBSP
OIL : 2TBSP + 200ML

PROCEDURE :

Two days back I cooked prawns with jackfruit and reserved this amount of boiled jackfruit for these cutlets.

You remember how to clean them after peeling, cutting and discarding the hard mid section? Take out the seeds, took off the yellow cover, that we throw.

I had boiled 2 potatoes in microwave, cooled peeled and mashed both the raw jackfruit & potato using the right palm.

If you wash the potatoes, slit them, take on a plate and microwave at high for 2 minutes; they are boiled.

We will take them together, add salt, turmeric+red chilli+cumin+coriander powders and mash well with our palm.

We will wash & chop the green chillies and crush the cumin & coriander a bit.

We will heat 2tbsp oil in a wok & temper with the crushed cumin+coriander seeds & green chillies.

We will add the boiled potato+raw jackfruit spiced mixture to it and stir cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes.

We will add the black pepper+dry mango+chaat masala powders and stir cook for 2 minutes.

We will transfer the mixture to a plate and let cool. We will let prepare shapes taking portions out of it.

We will prepare a semi liquid batter with the refined flour and corn flour. We will take the bread crumb in another plate.

We will dip the cutlets in the batter and then coat with the bread crumb, we will repeat the steps as shown.