FRESH & DRY FRUIT PULAO

"Raat Jo Tumne Deep Bujhaye Mere The
Ashk Jo Tariki Ne Chupaye Mere The
.............................................................
Mere The Woh Khwab Jo Tumne Cheen Liye
Geet Jo Hooton Par Murjhaye Woh Mere The"...
..........................................................................

This particular number has been sung by a couple of singers including Farida Khanum, Asha Bhosle and chote Ghulam Ali saab! Whose I loved the most and listened to the entire evening yesterday is not to be mentioned here, not always do I wish to invite controversies, not at all on a beautiful morning as this.... I should try some "daler bori" instead .... but the Sun betrays anytime here! I was in middle school since when I developed love for ghazal.... life was beautiful then and no one really questioned you why ghazal and not Hindustani Classical or Tagore ..... Life was simple and people did not really give a religio-politico angle to everything! For a free willed person like me, life got tough... and truly so! Later in life I developed interest in Hindustani Classical, a Prisley, a KennyG, Elton John, different bands but Ghazal rules! When I am not entangled in "his" novels and poems, I do listen to his songs too! That does not make me a Bengali huh? I have stopped going to my "Guru Maa" too... the music teacher! Hypothyroidism had a bad effect on my voice and you need a strong drive at this age to pick up! "Didi"... my music teacher got upset, she always says I have music within me and she needs two years to prove it! I much liked / like her company, she used to sing for All India Radio back in Kolkata... her husband plays Sitar at the president's programme too here in this island! You see love is something, it is the passion together with it that drives you to pursue what you love. I met two gentlemen at didi's music school who come to her during their office lunch hours .... that is called a perfect concoction of love and passion for something! Be it music, dance or any art form... you will spend hours each day on it to perfect it.... legends do that; hence they reach heights! I lack concentration, drive, self pride.... and that makes me a mediocre in all aspects of life... a happy go lucky who never chases her dreams and does what she loves when! She eats... drinks... clicks and cooks! She had a yummy lunch yesterday after her walk with u-mian and olong tea.... she clicked these orchids growing on a mango tree bark ... may be planted that way... just loved it ! She baked a cake too!

Once the two terrorists are out of home for the office and school, I do what I love and above is what I love... "me-time"..... I am all about I, Me, Myself! I do not know what pisses off a near fifty woman but if anyone expects me to talk over phone while I am humming a "raat jo tumne deep bujhaye mere the".... I get pissed off! I am always angry with the duo at home, but they do not interfere in my life and kitchen.... I cooked this FRESH & DRY FRUIT PULAO for them and serve it with a raw banana kofta curry! 

I understand  being self centric to this extent is not good but I got used to an extreme level of freedom at this home .... so much so that I could not continue with my job .... I could not take orders or spent time and energy in taking reading classes at mid forty.... "ek mummy ne kabhi kuch degree bhi dilwai thi, ABCD parane ke liye nehi".... I wonder these days that at one point of time we could write a paper on a Boroland Movement or do a case study on the difference between liberal democracy and Marxism.... Now look at me.... the entire day is spent on correcting major grammatical errors done in the posts I share! The senior of the two terrorists at home tied up with our mother and much tried to get me admitted in his college.... "some-Sagar".... both saying S.... if you have chosen the Arts stream, take up English as major.... I was not qualifying for it in our college! I loved my college and thought it was right, I am poor in parts of speech, say English grammar & vocabulary both! .... There is something called effort and you can correct your flaws with sincere efforts, that was never in my thoughts! Then I had reservations getting into that "some-sagar" college in the year 1989-90..... 

Why did I say all these?... To strengthen a fact.... one cannot deny that English is the communicative language of the world! I mean people who limit themselves within a region are mentally retarded in a way! Think of a multi-lingual country like India.... Bengalis talking about throwing off others from their state... so other states get the authority to do the same! I feel people who share about 50-100 posts everyday.... do that without thinking much or have a lot of spare time... just like me who has enough time to pen down rubbish in this space! The senior  at this home does not take my calls at office! I am pretty sure he has other interests there, I do not know why at all I have to cook a yum platter as this FRESH & DRY FRUIT PULAO and Raw Banana Kofta Curry for him!

I am actually looking for easy platters these days.... the morons love one pot meals! Like yesterday, I prepared a hotch-potch with samba rice, malka masoor and green moong.... served it with grilled chicken drumlets and aloo bhaja..... Yes, happiness and smiles of your own matters a lot! Did not you notice what an expert I am while describing a woman!.... Why?.... because I try to keep promises made to people who mean... I was categorically told to enjoy only women... beautiful women.... see till date I am doing just that... praising women!.... I fell for a couple of men... the feelings perhaps were not strong enough to approach.... or even before that a happening woman stood before me and refreshened memories.... I immediately fell for that girl.... "yeh ishk bhi yaar bari khatarnaak chheez hai".... You see here too there is a lack of effort! I could have transformed myself watching my diet, doing exercise and knock a door, ask .... how do I look? But there were other points too ..... who will pay for my surgery to get a "tikolo naak, tiya pakhir moto thot, potol chera chokh, mosrin tawk"..... There was something inside that stopped me.... "I love myself the most" feel perhaps. Better I show my commitment in a different way.... praising happening women....... though it gives me immense pleasure to see the balance in someone's taste.... there are classy associations too around! Good move, we definitely mature with time and age! 

I have very little informations about people who are long lost.... what they like, what they eat, assumptions does not help much! I always cook and share what this home prefer, its safe! This FRESH & DRY FRUIT PULAO was done in a pot, I am not good at one pot meals but try these days.... After a hectic Biryani making session, I go very easy for a week.... With a wonderful girl like Cristine to help, kofta is not at all an issue! The recent issue at home is that I am hating the curtains I got home.... We did not wish to spend much on a rented home and did not look for variety either .... paying the price now.... I have a problem with anything that shines except for a diamond nose pin or ear studs.... haha... call me a brutally double standard... I accept! However, I never have a problem with people who love glimmer & glitter.... our taste is our own! I tried to prepare this dish in such a way that it suits everyone's taste buds, more or less... I am poor at bakes should not mean I do not care... The mother inside is same everywhere, why the entire world is not rice eater? Have once in a while.... its heavenly !... For this FRESH & DRY FRUIT PULAO, I used pineapples, ripe mango, orange pieces, pistachios, raisins, cashew nuts, ghee, milk, saffron, sugar and salt! Let us do it, excuse my inability to provide stepwise pictures, it was already 9 pm when I started off!

For the following Recipe, just click the heading :

RAW BANANA KOFTA CURRY / KANCHAKOLAR KOFTA JHOL

INGREDIENTS :

Rice : 1 Coffee Mug [I used small grain fragrant variety]
Ripe Mango : 1medium cup [cubed]
Strawberry : 1small tea cup [cubed]
Dragon Fruit : 1small tea cup [cubed]
Pistachio : 1tbsp [chopped]
Cashew Nuts : 8-10 [halved]
Raisin : 8-10
Cinnamon Stick : 3-4 One inch length
Green Cardamom : 3-4
Clove : 3-4
Bay Leaf : 2-3
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 2tbsp
Ghee : 3-4 tbsp [skip to make it vegan]

 Oil : 2tbsp

METHOD : 

Note : Actually, Pulao means cooking together with water, no draining of water should occur, the rest are fried rices! But I was feeling tired, took an easier path of cooking & draining the water beforehand!

Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Drain the water and cook it in enough water until 70% done, pass through a colander, let all of the water drain!

Heat the ghee & oil in a wok. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins and the pistachios.

Thereafter, add the turmeric, green cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, cloves and bay leaves. Add the cooked rice and stir for 3-4 minutes. 

Add the sugar & salt, gently stir cook for few minutes, take down!

Take the pulao on a plate, wash & peel the mangoes & dragon fruits, chop them; wash & chop the strawberries too! Garnish the pulao rice with them & serve!