BAKED AAM DOI

I am just back from Kolkata and finding this tropical island cooler than what it is back there. I and our friend Joy were sitting at the Indian Coffee House and was having a detailed discussion about the changing weather pattern and the demography of the city. I was feeling uncomfortable in the environment that happened to be our favourite hotspot once. It has not changed a bit, I have changed perhaps. I strongly felt it needs a thorough renovation keeping the infrastructure same. It is managed by the coffee worker's union? Perhaps and according to my friend they have enough fund to go ahead with the renovation ..... we got a sit after twenty minutes, that too we had to share the table with someone else, they came for the order after fifteen minutes and finally I could gorge on that heavenly Afghani Mutton Cutlet after half an hour since we have made the order ... I was still sweating profusely. 

As we were chatting together, I had a thorough brush up of the surrounding... the table wares needs to be changed, the fans are to be cleaned and serviced, the floors need cleaning. Given that I am too particular about cleanliness, I felt that the old Kolkata needs a thorough brush up keeping it's heritage intact. Though this is not the scenario all over the city, it is developing indeed but only the extended part. Has the main Kolkata really seen much of development except for sudden growth of some malls and condominiums? Before you call me an anti-national, think what actually development means. For people like my part of the family living in the suburbs, we had to wait for the entire day for the specialised ambulance to reach and take our daddy to a decent hospital. Those of my close ones who get wild whenever I blog about a western dish or share similar something should know Kolkata is perfect if you have money going for fine dining in your AC cars or in Ola or Uber cabs. The commoners still commute in over crowded buses and eat fly inflicted aloo poori or mach bhaat if not the wife pack their lunch boxes. 

Besides, us food bloggers have to cater to different kind of readers and my own men are not essentially Bongs .... their taste buds are totally different. I usually cook and share what they love. We do not need to go out of the country to see development always. Back in 1999, I stayed in Mumbai for over a month and has seen the difference. It is high time, we stop accusing the centre for a step motherly attitude and stop quoting Tagore every five minutes. I know there will be an array of protest posts till tomorrow in the social forums and I do not mind it. I will still say that an average Kolkatan and the major part of the city is far from having a quality life. How nice it would have been if the suburbs / outskirts of Kolkata or Bengal at large had some decent health facilities instead of another quest mall. 

Call me an anti-national, I will stick to what I say. I get a decent meal at three dollars here, I and even the labour class ride AC buses. No, I am not trying to impress anyone, we are not aspiring for a PR status or citizenship here. We will go back some day, live in a condo, ride my own car, buy stuffs from Spencer and wow I will have three to four helpers and have an electrician, plumber just a phone call away.... be sure readers I still do not represent the average Kolkatan or represent Bengal at large. I will not mind if my son does not wish to go back, we never force him with his decisions, neither I want him to. Doing that the son will only be echoing someone as far as my memory recalls. Howmuch I try to delete the memory button .... kambaqt jata nehi yaaron ..... it does not go. Idiots like me does have such attributes to their characters.

I sound bitter this morning, I have to give a sweet treat to my readers. Moreover, a singer from Kolkata Rupankar Bagchi is arriving tonight or tomorrow. We are going for his concert off course. I remember attending his concert back in 2013, he is good at singing but is full of attitude. I thank the Bengali Association of the island for keeping us grounded to our roots. Back to the track, Kolkata sweet shops are always a class apart when it comes to innovations .... the baked sandesh, roshogolla, ice-cream sandesh or sandesh with varied flavours. No wonder old Dr. Chang will be unhappy with me. 

However, this Baked Aam Doi is learnt from three ladies and I must mention their names before taking any credit. One is Ujjaini Mazumder..... she hails from Kolkata, now stays in Pennsylvania, an excellent cook and an academician by profession. We met in a group which claims to be the largest food group of India. She is one of the leading ladies there, yet stopped by my posts who was almost a non-entity there. You know I am too lethargic to communicate with people, more so in food groups, unless required. She calls me big sister and I like her, and wow..... we were in the same school once. About a decade younger than me; she is a calm, diligent woman. My friends Ipsita Bhattacharya and Nibedita Chottopadhay prepares this quick dessert wonderfully. You will get all 'quick meal' recipes from Ipsita. Nibedita, the Kathak danseuse is presently touring USA and performed at the NABC held at Sanfrancisco. With these people, we prefer quiet meetings over good food.... with all our differences of opinion we are good friends. Come let us do some relaxed cooking while reading the newspaper or watching television. I am losing out on energy these days.

INGREDIENTS :

Ripe Mango : 2

Plain Yogurt : 200-250gm [I used homemade]

Milk Powder : 3-4 tbsp

Sugar : 1/4small tea cup [alternatively artificial sweetener of same amount]

Yellow Food Colour : A pinch

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/2 tsp

We can garnish with our choice of stuffs, I preferred some fresh mint leaves from my green area.

METHOD :

Wash and peel the mangoes and get the pulp. Add it to the blender and blend it to a smooth paste. Take together the mango puree & plain yogurt, beat well with a hand beater! 

Add the sugar, milk powder, green cardamom powder & beat well again! Add the edible food colour and beat well again!

Take a bake proof tray and fill half with water. Pour the mango-yogurt mixture into ramekins or oven proof small bowls, cover with aluminium foils. Place the bowls on the water filled tray.

Preheat the oven at 180*C placing the low height wired stand inside, that if you are using a convection mode microwave oven! Place the tray gently atop the low tool and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180*C. Time taken in your oven may be a bit different!

Once done, let the bowls rest for 3-4 minutes inside the oven and then take out.

Take out the bowls, let cool completely. Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving & enjoying.