This Samba Rice is winning over me these days... so small grains compared to a Basmati and unlikely to be a Bengali's favourite, but I am liking it .... I have not tried it with "macher jhol".... yet, I feel it should go well.... If I can have "macher jhol" with basmati.... a samba or ponny variety should work. I do not like a basmati rice and fish curry combination..... why? Because I am fond of "macher jhol" and not "fish curry".... the rest in this house prefers fish curry.... I am simply craving for some "bata macher jhal" these days but I will not buy those frozen ones.... The locals here do eat some "Bengali" fish like Gurjali [Indian Salmon], Bhangor [Grey Mullet], Tilapia... problem is the couple duo did not fancy these fish ever .... The son do not even remember what mumma fed him back in Kolkata! How much I try, he prefers a "fish curry" over "macher jhol".... I did cook that fish recipe of that person who supposedly rules the "fish market" among the food bloggers of a particular region, the morons at this home loved it so much so that they along with Cristine finished a big bowl.... the primitive self enjoyed the "kechki macher peyaj chocchori".... I will blog about it only when some stop irritating me, I will serve this SAMBA RICE .... SABUT MASOOR.... KIDNEY BEAN PULAO on a yellow plate only when "My India" stop smelling communal .... only when the hooligans out on a destructive spree are booked and punished hard!
Only an uneducated mass can destroy a national property.... and when they are backed by an authority... you know the dooms day is very near. Only education can enlighten them to think and re-think that Ram-Sita-Lakshman looks good in a temple .... we will visit the temple and offer prayers, flowers, sweets.... the trio or other Gods & Goddesses have no role to play in the Senate, Parliament! "My India" is "Not Shining".... Religious sentiments of the people need not be hurt, Religion need not be allowed any entry into mainstream politics nor be made prime in one's life... it is just a part of our life! I wonder how the Chief Minister of a state talks of building goushalas where kids die of lack of oxygen in the hospital..... I feel exhausted, irritated and lack of rhythm within me.... Better we talk food! The senior at this home requested .... S, I wish to have only Basmati if having rice, yes he turned an "elitist leftist".... accha ok... will not get sarcastic as much.... I give in.... the thin framed man works hard.... looks very exhausted in the evening.... My wish to switch to unpolished wild or red rice remains a dream.... The son who belongs to this island or say more like people who hated his mumma .... loves red rice to iced lemon tea to white liquid in fish fillets... "fish curry"... you see....
I am not the person who can exert, who can force anything unto anyone... As long as the son fancies a "aloo chingrir patla jhol".... "murgi o pathar jhol".... "shutki macher bhorta".... "chanar dalna".... "luchi-porota".... the mother should be happy with a consolation prize and whispers "boukey bolish roj raatey pasta aar pizza na kortey, ektu pepey aloo diye murgir jhol korey khash dujoney".... The mumma releases a big sigh and cooks a "khichdi" dish as this SAMBA RICE.... SABUT MASOOR.... KIDNEY BEAN PULAO.... If my men enjoy "fulko luchi & murgir kosha".... I will happily serve this wholesome mains with a sides they worship.... crisp chicken strips done in the grill option... I do not have a sharp nose to poke here, there everywhere.... I can only talk about "My India" and show my concern on how to keep this island more green..... you will not see me ever doing a "green curry pork".... no one has any right to cross boundaries.... I only wonder why two neighbouring countries with similar kind of hindrances towards growth could not ever be friends... remained foes! Yes, I will use this space to speak my mind.... I am not an ace food blogger either .... you will never see me hopping around big shots .... be it in virtual or the real world.... that is a mediocre trait!
What is cooking this morning at this home? Not much but a pulao, chicken curry, egg curry and pasta! Weird combination, we have a party today at a friend's place.... food is to be parcelled.... I will take shower in vodka with fresh lime .... I am hating sprite in vodka... too sweet... what else we will do?.... Well, we will talk about the well being of India with heavenly sips on Martini.... as all NRIs do when they get together.... we do not have to commute in overcrowded buses and trains! I do not get angry when people justifiably attack the hypocrite in me! When I say mornings arebeautiful.... it is the failed poet in me saying so, while a friend called Prama Bhattacharjee has to travel for two hours to her college where she teaches English .... in an overcrowded train.... she shares the picture of that ordeal.... how mornings actually are in India... I have no right to get angry with her though she points at how hypocrite I am.... I could not share something to tell her you are right Prama! Why so? .... Because I "target" readers for my blog.... I did not kiss my buddy Indirra Sengupta either who travels to her school in a chauffeur driven car.... I took a midway.... I cannot remain wise as often as I wish to.... the not so versatile cook in me is detrimental to it..... I can never manage a rose fondant.... "nikuchi korechey.... dhonepata diye pabdar jhol namiye debo shudhu kalojeerey foron aar ektu ada lanka bata, holud guro diye, ekta mathao bhangbey na".....
Anyway, I have a Prama, Indirra as friends, some dears of late have started smelling stinkingly communal including the brother! ..... I will not leave them neither kiss when I am hurt! The brother is to be kept closer, he sees a chicken and immediately shares the sister's post without thinking much... haha.... trust me he has a heart of a kid even at 40.... interested only in meat, biryani and sports .... the communal in him is just an odd, temporary phase... by chance! If S can call herself a hypocrite, why cannot the rulers of that country call themselves communal?..... Stay in power, do not use religion to win over the uneducated mass. It is Good Friday today, this SAMBA RICE.... SABUT MASOOR.... KIDNEY BEAN PULAO does not suit the occasion.... if I have posted a chicken stew on Ram Navami, I will not share a cake recipe on Easter either.... I have decided to celebrate only Durga Pooja, Diwali, Eid, Janmashtami, X-mas.... okay Poila Boishak too.... Besides been a hypocrite, I am a "ghar tyara"..... I still remember a six year old who got down from the dance floor sensing a lovelessness in the teacher's attitude, a sixteen year old who vowed "tor mukhta ami sharajiboney dekhtey chaina".... if not in real life scene, but the vow is not broken in actual sense!
Anyway, this rice & dal pulao went down very well with us.... It is a bit on the spicier side... you can always adjust the heat! I used whole skinned red lentil, kidney bean, samba rice, onion, chillies, garam masala, dry mango powder in it... It is cooked in ghee and yes, in pressure cooker! The "elitist leftist" family enjoyed it with some crisp chicken strips.... The son kept aside all of the kidney beans.... ate rest of the rice and most of the chicken... mumma & babai enjoyed both! There has to be some relief before I write the steps of the recipe.... What did that heroine tell Jholmol Khan in that movie "mujhe nafrat se nehi, pyar se darr lagti hai babu"..... till date I cannot stop giggling at it.... I say in same style... "mujhe pela rang se nafrat nehi yaroon, bas woh pela rang ke fetti mathe pe dekhkar... aakhein dukhta hai".... before you faint at my miserable hindi I should stop.... Yellow that looks beautiful in the picture below looks horrible when used as a politically motivated agenda!... My own cousin is a monk at Ramakrishna Mission.... He is the principal of a boy's school run by the mission... his saffron dress does not disturb me... he does eat biryani when he visits home... BTW, we also had 'lebu, lanka, peyaj, chaltar achar' and a salad with lettuce & cherry tomato with the platter!
While I write down the recipe for it, try the below given link for a prawn curry...
INGREDIENTS :
Samba Rice : 1 coffee mug [choose your variety]
Whole Red Lentil with Skin : 1/2 small cup [malka masoor]
Kidney Bean : 1small cup [rajma]
Onion : 2medium [sliced little thick]
Dry Red Chilli : 2-3 [halved]
Green Chilli : 2-3 [slitted]
Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 two inch stick
Green Cardamom : 2-3
Clove : 4
Bayleaf : 2-3
Aamchur Powder : 11/2tsp
Garam Masala Powder : 2tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Salt : As Required
Ghee : 4tbsp + 2tbsp
Water : 11/2 coffee mug
Chopped coriander to garnish
A pressure cooker of 4-5 litres size to cook.... haha
PROCEDURE :
We need to soak the kidney beans / rajma in hot water for about 2 hours and then pressure cook it up to four whistles at low heat adding water and salt.
Soak the samba rice and malka masoor dal for 1hour each. Drain the water from all once they are ready to cook.
Heat 4tbsp ghee in a pressure cooker, temper with bay leaves, halved dry red chillies, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms and cloves... Stir!
Add the onion slices now and stir fry till golden brown. Add the boiled kidney beans, totally discard the water. Stir for 2 minutes.
Add the samba rice and whole, skinned red lentil, Fold in well and stir further for 2 minutes.
Add the turmeric, garam masala and dry mango powders, fold in well and stir for a minute or so.
Add 11/2 coffee mug of water .... fold in well. Add salt. Close lid of the pressure cooker.
Pressure cook at lowest heat up to just one whistle and switch off. That gets you "jhorjhorey pulao in cooker.".... I am happy because I am not comfortable in pressure cooking.
Once it opens normally, transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with 2tbsp ghee and chopped coriander.
For the crisp chicken strips.... marinate the chicken strips with lemon juice, black pepper powder, tandoori masala, oil and salt. Keep aside for 1hr. Take bread crumbs in a bowl... coat each chicken piece well with it.... cook in grill option of microwave 12 minutes one side and 10 minutes the other.
Serve the platter with lemon wedges, pickle, salad, onion and green chilli!
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