BENGALI STYLE CHICKEN STEW

If anyone is trying to assess me, my likes, dislikes, preferences..... stop it immediately! You are just wasting your time, there are other important issues around the world that needs our attention! I am that kind who does not prefer an egg but loves egg tarts and "hasher dimer kushum".... who started disliking chicken in the recent years but enjoys a BENGALI STYLE CHICKEN STEW! Which age was that when the daughter of a certain house waited eagerly for the Sunday lunch ..... "murgir jhol, laal shak, Sherlock Holmes, Ramayan?"..... Yes, we talk at same length of protecting women's rights and also worship the Lord who could not be at the side of his lady love when she needed him! No, I will not go further with it, I need to go out post lunch with the husband.... not on a romantic drive by the sea.... though I expressed my wish to the husband... bossy would you click me by the sea.... I wish to change my profile picture.... Now the one who took interest in photography many years back hates to click humans, specially photos of his wife.... so I depend heavily on our Cristine .... in a boring location.... the favourite couch corner .... with no other option left within a 1150 sq.ft. space! When I am worried with my clicks so much, many things are happening around the world, and I had to stick to sharing a non spicy chicken curry today.... After I lend my support to something good happening around, I can get back to I, Me, Myself!

I actually have to go out for some practice with that "gol chakti".... Its almost a year now that I managed a license against all wishes of the mother, yet cannot go out alone! Why our mother never wished?.... Because she believes that her daughter will die in a road accident! Let us go back to 1997, December.... I was doing my bachelor of education because the mother wished so.... but any husband would wish for a honeymoon too.... caught in between the husband's wish and a mother's warning.... "you can enjoy with your husband later in life but you have to complete your examination this session".... we zeroed in on near to the home Toshali Sands instead of  the Maldives! The mother made it sure I call her every evening to report what I ate, where I ate, what I should buy, that I should hold T's hands always .... Ok, I will not blame her, the memories of the movie "Adalat O Ekti Meye" was still fresh on our minds! .... I am infact thankful to the husband who did not say... let us get Mani here S, hihihi.... 

So you see... if a husband who wore torn kurti once drives to his office everyday... I would not stop! In this context, I also remember of a little boy who did not turn up to school on a particular Teacher's Day celebration!.... The then best friend, who happens to be my husband now went up to a neighbourhood home to know the reason why and convinced the classmate to attend the programme! Yes, on Teacher's Day we were allowed some freedom but what was the reason?...... That "fashion-o-phobic" felt there was no proper dress to wear .... you must consider that a co-educational school need not have dull girls like me alone, there were fireworks around and a "chamkili" attire was a necessity.... haha! My eyelids did sparkle to see a "mete holud ranger jama".... while the now husband conducted the entire programme wearing the "faded" school uniform .... a husband who told straight on the face of a teacher.... yes, I will change my uniform once my father can afford a new set .... a teacher who used to hit us mercilessly even at 10th standard and eventually fled with lakhs from the school fund!

You know however angry Marx Saheb is with us, I feel proud of these people who made it in future, I do not get angry if the list of one's assets is sent to me.... I am not angry with our mother either whose entire life is dedicated to spoon-fed her two kids.... but I feel connected to people who think beyond their "home" and do not make love with their couch corner all the time like me! A BENGALI STYLE CHICKEN STEW with some butter-toasted paneer and salad as tongue teasers should rock over the weekend! Do not expect me to have a giant piece of chicken, it is not mutton but I love the stew truly....

Why the spice loving S loves a stew? You must consider the fact that it is a Bengali stew which has "ektushkhan ada roshunbata to holud guro".... and not a "gorom joley nun aar golmorich".... I do love soups, but the light oriental ones made with this and that sauces. I do love this island but not when I see a green patch half the size of a football ground under construction.... its a small island which desperately needs more green... I can understand why the government here cannot provide us foreigners home and educational facilities .... it has to take care of its own people within a confined periphery .... but why it has to refute nature and turn the entire island into a seven star hotel?.... At times I feel asphyxiated.... below is the green patch where I first started with my walks.... it hurts to see it occupied!

Why do the natives here cannot sustain heat, rain and you get to see a bee-line at the doctor's chamber throughout the year?..... They are not taught to bear any hardship.... there are sheds everywhere so that a single drop of rain do not touch their hair, you never know the toilets of a school may have an air conditioner tomorrow.... but I do enjoy the hassle free life we are provided here. I even told the husband the ideal situation would be to make this our home and visit Kolkata thrice a year.... The husband immediately checks his wine cellar.... suspecting the wife and says.... wife I cannot work till 75..... I can feel, he started with painting "her" body at age 20, clearing snow clad "her" @ -40*.... The "bad o-men"... keeps aside the memories of a "mete holud ranger jama".... and cooks some BENGALI STYLE CHICKEN STEW for her men, serves with an unusual pairing of butter toasted paneer and coconut rice! 

Before you question me on the "unusual, bad o-men" in me, I would recommend you a movie.... 2010, a Bollywood commercial one "New York".... which touched a chord somewhere deep inside! No, I will not get into politics today, I am trying to get people together with a chicken stew! The master mariner husband of this home had to go through a special security screening at various US airports when he sailed, why? because "Saha" and "Shah" has near similar pronunciation! ... No, I am not trying to play any kind of match game with 'King Khan" of Bollywood who says 'Whenever I get a bit more arrogant, I travel to the US'.... haha... he went through the same ordeal a couple of times!... I am too small... too much ignorant to talk about a country's safety and security issues .... to me even handing over a "cap-bonduk" to kids is not okay... it develops a sense of violence in kids... why then? I actually loved another aspect of the movie.... that friendship angle! What is it? To me it is commitment and trust.... Come to me with commitments, else "physically" quit! We prefer our stews with breads of different kinds....

It is healthy, do it in bulk in few easy steps for a lazier but fitter you! Be sure, I never wished to project myself as something I am not, that is a "good o-men".... neither do I consider those as friends who lack the trust factor and stab you from the back, let us respect the "dislike" for each other!.... To get away with such feelings, I indeed enjoy Bollywood "commitments" in the film "New York".... We are gearing up for one of my heart-stealing lady love Tabu's upcoming thriller "Missing".... join us if you may!

Below are the recipes I wish you to check with....

CASHEW MUTTON

OMELLETE WRAPPED FRIED RICE

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken : 1kg [medium to big cuts]
Carrot : 2 [peeled, washed, cut into bigger cubes]
French Bean : 5-6 [ each cut into 3 pieces, washed]
Potato : 2 big [peeled, washed, each cut into 4 pieces]
Green Pea : 1small cup
Onion : 2medium [sliced]
Lemon Juice : 3tbsp +2tbsp
Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1tsp +1tsp [freshly ground, coarse]
Salt : As Required
Butter : 1tbsp
Green Cardamom : 2-3
Clove : 3-4
Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 two inch sticks
Bayleaf : 1
Milk : 1 small tea cup
Oil : 3tbsp
A tbsp of cornflour diluted in water can be added towards the end, we do not prefer

PROCEDURE :

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly. Marinate with salt, turmeric, 1tsp black pepper powder, 3tbsp lemon juice for an hour!

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and temper with cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves and a bayleaf! I do not cook much in pressure cooker but stews taste very good in it!

Add the garlic paste and stir for a minute or until the raw smell goes away.

Add the sliced onions and fry till golden brown.

Add the marinated chicken and stir fry at high heat for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat, add the carrot, French beans and potato pieces that we have marinated with salt at least 10 minutes prior. Fold in well and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the green peas and ginger paste and stir for another 2 minutes. Add 1tsp of black pepper powder and fold in well.

Add 1 coffee mug of warm water and 1 small tea cup of milk to the pressure cooker, fold in well.

Pressure cook at minimal heat up to 1 whistle! Switch off and let open normally! Add the butter and the remaining lemon juice now and mix well!

Enjoy with toasted bread, chapatis or any bread of your choice!