AAM SANDESH

I see many have blogged about an Aam Sandesh at par their excellence, and then there is this self who all of a sudden planned last night, three back to back recipes with ripe mango. The mango season in this part of the world is already over or going to be over. We though get a year wide supply of few varieties from Australia which are quite pricey. This miser lady will not buy one mango for five dollars, there are other variety of fruits to have. On my way back from the walk, I usually enter the mall or the wet market shops to sit and eat something, do some window shopping, buy this and that. I got some mangoes at a good price a day before. The son too expects that the mumma will get something for him which he never expects from his father. The mumma does it ever since her boy was this small and the duo lived together happily waiting six to eight months for the father to come back from sailing. Every Friday and Saturday evening was the duo's outing day to either 22, Camac Street or Forum Mall or at the Park Street. Ten - Twelve years back there were no malls or eateries within a kilometre from home as of now.

A Bengali's love for mango is by default I think.... in most cases. I feel lucky to be in a country where we get a number of varieties, even few Indian ones like Alphonso, Dassera, Chausa[Pakistani?], Baganpalli and wow Lyangra too! I am wondering what actually triggered my weight gain .... I think my inability  to resist Mango and Sweets. I prepare a variety of sweets, ice-creams at home. I look at my latest picture and see my cheeks got chubbier, waist line out of control. Even our Cristine says I have put on a considerable amount after clicking me yesterday.... "ma'am I think you need to watch your diet", she would say. I never get angry when she says so... she is a genuine girl. I always see the intentions of people and react accordingly, some I have decided to ignore totally. I know I need to do something immediately but feels so lethargic.... age is catching up fast and I am back to that lazy teen whom her parents never could force to go out and play in the neighbourhood. Back from school she would love to immerse in the world of books of her choice. The other day I and our friend Joy was frantically looking for the prose version of Odyssey.... I read a Bengali translation while at school.... so was really interested this time. Dear readers if you find it please do write the source in the comments section.

By the way Girls, please stop taking pride in being obese.... being fat is not a good thing to be. People I am addressing might be much younger than me... start now before you become another me.... weak and lazy. My mom says my nature has always been lazy.... who loved her food and books .... not academics... by no means.... and mind it few of you guys and dolls.... I do not have a pokey nose... I am showing concern for you means I keep you near me.... for the rest my friends Ipsita Bhattacharya and Indirra Sengupta [formerly Bhattacharya] can help you with some valuable tips... I have talked about Ipsita in a couple of posts.... Indirra is a friend from school.... dearer to my husband... In the mid 80's, she was quite a fashion Icon when this primitive lady was more callous than now and looked at her in awe with her oil infused plaited braids. That does not mean she strayed.... she had been teaching in one of the leading schools in Delhi.... came back to Kolkata.... married and now teaching in one of the Birla run schools of Kolkata. Both of them worship their body and health and I love it. I am fond of Indira because she is carefree and much above and far from petty / cheap meanness.... she parties hard, very particular about her dresses and shoes but managed to admit her sons to the top in hierarchy school... St. Xaviers... Kolkata..... I never stop my man to love the right people.

Then there was one unique.... My Fair Lady who told straight on my face, "you know why you are rejected because you are ugly and someone worships beauty"..... look at me S .... every other boy in the class.... outside wants to marry me..... and God! The same words were repeated after 25 years, imagine readers what level of nonsense can it be! Oh my Sweetheart... I love you so much.... more than the handsome guys around, a kiss from me love.... muah..... hahaha. Life is not Bollywood.... that I will change myself after the well orchestrated insult showered on me and turn on to be a Priyanka Chopra or Katrina. Why should I change for someone either? I am still that dumbo after 30 long years but do not allow myself to be used anymore. I earn love and respect almost everywhere I go and learned to dump / ignore unwanted people from life.... who are very few in number though.

Coming to my nature and the decision to go up with a mango infused sweet....wow! My actual nature has revived... I had always been a loner... I cannot stand a crowd for long. I love my couch, to lie down there with a book, go to sleep wearing my glasses with the book lying on the chest. I am actually halfway of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's "Before We Visit the Goddess" and I am loving it. I can so much relate with Savitri ..... her teenage upheavals, coming to terms with it or may be never... whatever, fighting for the right cause on behalf of the husband, and wow she started a sweet shop in the name of her mother Durga who prepared excellent sweets living in extreme poverty in a village. 

Didn't I start this blog to carry forward the legacy of my mom and grand mom? Then I broke my promise... 80% of my readers will not even understand what "kechki macher bora" is.... and I love  traffic on my blog... haha... I have already seen Savitri's death because the author is alternatively taking us back through flashbacks and then bringing us to the present. Savitri is all set to introduce a new sweet with mango puree, saffron, sugar and paneer in the 80's Kolkata and name it Durga Sandesh. I think the author herself takes interest in cooking too, I remember her sharing with us pictures of Chocolate Sandesh last year on "Bijoya Dashami."I felt much for Savitri and cannot think of anything else than Aam Sandesh / Mango Sweet to be shared today. Few ingredients like fresh mango puree, little sugar, cardamom powder, homemade paneer are what we require to go ahead with this simple recipe. Come let us do it!

INGREDIENTS :

Fresh Milk : 2litre [I used Meiji's fresh milk]
Ripe Mango : 2
Sugar : 1/2 small tea cup

Rice Flour : 2 tbsp
Cardamom Powder : 1/2 tsp
Yellow Food Colour : A Pinch [optional]
Chopped Pistachio : 1tbsp
Lemon Juice : 1/2small tea cup
Rose Water : 1tbsp

METHOD :

Pour the milk in a deep bottomed vessel and put on gas. Once it comes to boil, add the lemon juice while stirring continuously. Switch of gas as the milk curdles. Let cool.

Once cool strain it through a soft cloth and keep tied for 1/2 an hour. Unless I am making roshogolla, I am not so particular about straining or kneading part of paneer / chena. I do not wash it under running water either because I love the smell of fresh lemon always.

After half an hour or so take down the paneer and transfer it to a plate.

Keep on kneading the chena / paneer for about 10-12 minutes.

Wash, Peel and get the pulp of the mango. Transfer to a blender and pulse it for a minute or so. We get a smooth puree.

Heat the wok placing it on gas stove. Add the paneer & sugar. Stir continuously. You will see all the water has evaporated after 10-12 minutes. Add the mango puree.

Fold in well and keep stirring till the whole thing is incorporated well.

When the mixture starts coming off the pan, add the rice flour, cardamom powder and rose water. Fold in well and stir for another minute or two. 

Transfer to a plate and let cool. Knead for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a square shaped container thats surface has been greased with some ghee.

Refrigerate it for half an hour. Take out and turn over onto a plate. Garnish with chopped pistachios. I have an allergy from raw nuts, I always roast them before using! Cut & serve!