THREE REGULAR HEALTHY VEGGIES

These recipes are closer to the heart. I have grown up eating these kind of veggies, may be I did not enjoy having them earlier as much as I do now. The Bengali Homes do cook these. In the present day, I indeed cook them with a lot of love, they take me down the memory lane to a big kitchen, brass n steel utensils, a mud oven, wood and coal to keep the fire on, a sweaty face, the tinkling of the bangles. This was the scenario in all of middle class homes. These ladies were less demanding, they believed in giving alone. 

Coming to the present, I see we have much of demands, when I get a microwave I ask for a convection mode, a separate griller, a built in oven, modular kitchen, and the list is on. The good thing is that I cook the simplest of the dishes till date and they shall remain compiled in my blog. Whether there is any taker or not, they will be there for the future generation. If my daughter-in-law stops by some day, I will be too happy. 

Oh, these days how much I dream of a cute girl taking care of my son. She has to shower the son with love and care and vice-verse. When we visit them or they visit us, she has to be cordial and nice towards us. Yes, I would wish to spend few months every year with them. Before I go off the track, I must dive straight into compiling the recipes. Thats what I am here for. Let us do them together.

                                                                   KUMRO BOTI

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE KUMRO BOTI]

Pumpkin : 1/2 of a medium size
Dry Red Chilli : 1
Green Chilli : 2[slitted]
Nigella Seeds : 1/4spoon [kalonji / kalojeerey]

Bayleaf : 1
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Salt : As required
Sugar : 1/4spoon [optional]
Oil : 1tbsp [preferably mustard]

METHOD :

Peel and cut the pumpkin into cubes. Wash thoroughly. Rub with some salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with the bayleaf, kalonji and the halved dry red chilli. Add the pumpkin pieces.

Stir and cover cook at medium to low heat till half done. Sprinkle a little of water every 3-4 minutes until done.

Remove the cover, add the sugar and slitted green chillies.

Stir and cook uncovered until done.

                           BORBOTI ALOOR TARKARI

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE BORBOTI ALOO R TARKARI]

Long Bean : 6-7
Potato : 1
Nigella Seeds [kalonji] : 1/4tsp [alternatively cumin seeds]
Dry Red Chilli : 2-3 [halved]
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/4 tsp
Sugar : 1/4tsp [optional]

Bayleaf : 1
Oil : 1tbsp [preferably mustard]

METHOD :

Cut the long beans length wise discarding the 2 ends. Peel off the potatoes and cut length wise too.

Take both the veggies in a bowl, wash and rub with salt and turmeric. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with the kalonji , bayleaf and halved dry red chillies.

Add the veggies, stir and cover cook at low heat till half done. Sprinkle water little by little every 3-4 minutes. Stir every minute so that it does not burn.

Remove the cover once 80% is done. Add the sugar if you want. Stir and let cook until done stirring every minute gently.

                                       PUISHAK KUMRO

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE PUISHAK KUMRO]

Malabar Spinach : A bunch [puishak/slippery greens]
Pumpkin : 1/4 of a medium sized
Potato : 1
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Dry Red Chilli : 2[halved]
Green Chilli : 2[slitted]
Panchphoron[Bengali] : 1/4tsp[an equal amount of cumin, nigella,fenugreek, fennel and wild celery seeds]
Sugar : 1/2tsp[optional]

Bayleaf : 1
Oil : 2tbsp

METHOD :

Peel and cut the potato and pumpkin into big cubes. Was and rub with some salt and turmeric.

Chop the Malabar spinach big discarding the end of each of the stick. Wash nicely and apply a little of salt.

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with the panchphoron and halved dry red chilli. Add the marinated potato and pumpkin pieces.

Stir and cover cook until 60% done stirring every 3-4 minutes. The vegetables would release water, we need not add water.

Remove the cover and add the Malabar spinach and slitted green chillies. Stir and let cook without covering for 3-4 minutes.

Add the sugar. Stir and let cook for a minute.

Enjoy it with steamed rice or roti.