STUFFED BITTER GOURD

There was a time when the mother had a tough time feeding me bitter gourd .... or say any kind of vegetables except for the ones which had some fish, fish heads or small prawns! That the son of this house does not want to eat vegetables might be a trait inherited from his mother .... so I can be still hopeful about the son that in future his taste buds may adapt to having vegetables. The man too has gone after his mother who dislikes vegetables! This mother still mashes the veggies with the dal in such a way that the son is not able to separate them from the dal and rice! Be it deboning a hilsa or turning the veggies to a paste for a sixteen year old is a tedious job referring to the boredom of doing it for many years. Then I cannot stop doing it because I am my mother's daughter.... No, I do not agree to what our mother did for us .... spoon feeding..... however I fail to take lessons from her mistakes .... a comparison comes when I see a boy two years younger than mine  responsible and obedient! Mine till date leaves back his lunch box to water bottle to pencil box at school and never looks for them the next day.... Comparing two kids is not good but it saddens me at times! 

I remember my friend Rupa Roy once told me that one day she noticed that her son Deepro was not willing to share anything with them....  for the next few days she got snacks and shared among other family members without giving anything to him. Deepro got the message and the lesson.... I call this wise parenting!.... This boy had / has that level of maturity that a forty year old may not have! Age and wisdom may not be inter-related, even at forty we may not learn how to behave and speak in public .... some do not even understand being gentle and nice to others is a quality .... it would remain the greatest regret of my life!.... Thinking of this I wish to constantly give vocal tonic to the son..... on how he should learn to behave and how he should treat a girl! I am planning such conversations post his examinations if only he allows me too! He also has to choose his associations wisely.... wrong associations do not help to grow good qualities in one ..... he has to know how to deal with people.... we represent our family after all! We do not have a problem with our son having a girlfriend but he should know how to behave with her even when we are not watching!..... 

With all such speculations deep inside, I deboned hilsa for him even yesterday at 3 pm.... I could not serve them lunch before that.... I am a silly and foodie..... could not wait till Cristine's return and headed to the Indian market on a Thursday evening.... I got hilsa / ilish, alphonso, season's first potol / pointed gourd! From the pictures below you will know how desi I am .... and mind it, those are not "morphed" pictures made and used to spread hatred and tension throughout the country.... some people have eye problem without having high powered glasses as mine! I have really made my circle small.... what does not attract me or make me happy should be kept at a distance.... in public!  

At the moment, I am focussed on the son's future besides this happy blogging.... With a literal high nose.... I do not want a mediocre life for him ..... I have a severe guilt of not been able to make my mother happy academically .... had I have listened to her I may not have reached heights but would have been a daily passenger to that college in Bagula everyday or may have managed a transfer towards Kolkata by now.... that I live in a nation with five star ambience has nothing to do with me.... its all the husband's credit ..... he has got way higher qualities! Even his teen was hurtful .... his courage made him accept all the odds and use them as a weapon to be an achiever.... sitting on his "choupaya" on their asbestos roofed rented home.... he told his friend and confidant "I will achieve everything for which I have been dejected"! That confidant saw the spark in his eyes and did not spare a second to target him as a potential suitor ..... bagged him sooner for she knew he will make it.... haha..... I should not go beyond this.... he will not like it ..... he does not like social media..... he does not even know when his profile pictures get changed! The problem is when the bond of friendship is so strong ..... romanticism takes a backseat ..... it is a problem .... more so when the wife is a Bollywood fan! So you know even if my man or men do not touch bitter gourd in any form .... not even a STUFFED BITTER GOURD..... I do not mind.... they know there will be a meat dish for their parathas.... bitter gourd comes for the wife and Cristine! 

Even Bollywood may not eat bharwa karela .... I keep Bollywood near to me.... it nourishes my dream world.... but it cannot be my friend.... "Tumhare paas gari hai, bungla hai, motor hai.... aur mere paas? Ek motor hai nau saal purana.... aur ek kiraye ka makaan.... 3100 sing dollar bharna parta hai har mahine mein 1150 sqft ke liye...".... Jokes apart, to earn in crores requires hard work.... the ladder to go up was / is never easy! I remember I participated in a television contest back in Kolkata prior to a Durga Puja.... God! it was a total pain... they invaded my home with camera and full set up... took a preliminary interview... then I along with others had to shoot in a non AC studio which was a furnace! So boring was the long make up hours and takes and retakes.... I was losing and suddenly in the final round when we had to light the maximum number of lamps within a minute... I won and got the first prize... oh terrible.... 10,000 rupees was the prize money ..... after six months they gave us about 4-5 thousand deducting the taxes.... "S boudi jitey gyachen 10,000 takar prothom puroshker" had no more a thrill by then .... uff! Perhaps "Aajker Durga" was the title! So, you know you have to work hard to carry a "Harrods" ..... I do not mind and go and make negative comments when Times Of India shares a picture of Karina with a caption that her bag costs more than an average man's car.... she earned it!.... I will neither go and share a cheese cake with a cherry compote for her... I will remember her as a "Chameli" or "Geet" in Jab We Met .... The later is a film I never get bored of.... 

I am happy when I buy stuffs for my home... be it "ilish, alphonso, mutton, katla or potol".... the ilish and katla were not pleasantry big.... but fresh! Look at the brothers of the mutton shop ..... I am happy here.... people do not batter each other in the name of religion! These guys complimented me.... "sister your voice is sweet... as of a nightingale .... that of a school goer'.... I burst into laughter.... and told I loved when people told me this until a certain stage.... now at 47 it embarrasses.... specially when I receive a call from a stranger.... "hand over the phone to an elder".... come on!

Besides this STUFFED BITTER GOURD , I also have a wish to blog about my mother's recipe of "ucche chingrir chocchori" that she learnt from her mother! Be it a "macher tok with radhuni bata" or "ucche chingrir chocchori" .... I had it in our family.... did not see it in the husband's side of the family..... the mother-in-law did not have time for heirloom, time consuming dishes.... the lady with a literal high nose only gave importance to "aar, pabda, ilish, patha".... anyway by 12pm she had to lock her door and go to neighbourhood homes or restaurants! The paa-in-law's life was spent to meet ends till the son went to the sea to support him.... even after that he did not swim in luxury .... he is the one who never complained about his son and always felt his burden and tried to save his money! A father who polished his kid's shoes even when they were in high school..... got cigar packets for the son until a newly wed wife told it is wrong.... and she started getting it for her lazy moron... She was indulgent .... he visited home for four months in a year after hard work.... 

These mariners spend as long as 48 hours without sleeping on board.... money does not come for free.... that a mariner has a wife at very port has 1/4th truth in it.... I have not payed my tribute to "our" community.... the mariner's community as yet.... more on it and how a newly wed got a packet of cornflakes instead of a gold flake should come up later! This Indian vegetarian sides called STUFFED BITTER GOURD will be loved by my paa-in-law, my mother who loves "neem pata bhaja with ghee" and the late father.... I dedicate this dish to them.... No, my mother-in-law may not have it.... she only has... "raner patha, aar er lyaja, ilisher peti, rui-katlar gada o peti".... She told the newly wed me to keep all the boney fish pieces for me and the father-in-law and give the good ones to her and her son.... her daughter did not ever fancy food.... She categorically told  that those who eat "charapona" builds an empire.... I answered that it is a quality to stay within limits and build an empire with one's hard earned money..... 

Anyway, if a reader sees that I am going to blog about a vegetarian side STUFFED BITTER GOURD  and yet goes and hits the like button on an "ilish bhaja and khichuri" blogged about some three months back .... I consider it as an insult.... if you do not like my move .... stay away or you are at the liberty to unlike my page! Its high time that I emphasise that my blog comes first ..... and the profiles at different forums were created to promote the blog leaving the personal Facebook profile .... I strongly felt that a like on a food photograph is not helping my mission.... I am not a photographer with  qualitative photographic skills! Click the recipe link if you may  or stop doing anything that hurts! Unlike the page if you find CURRY AND SPICE unworthy of your likes.... Likes indeed bring joy but that should come from one's heart and for my recipes and not to be conjoined with any other issues.... I do not accept it! 

Anyway.... my beef eater men always have a meat sides on days of veggies like bharwa karela....I got this "rajanigandha".... after many years.... the grand father used to grow.... Tell me what song comes forth with the sight of this flower? "Rajanigandha phool tumhari"!

"Rajanigandhi, kamini, hashnuhana"..... one fine evening... in the dark one snake fell on my mashimoni's head... they come where these flowers grow... they say! I was standing at the back else people would know by now that there was an S who died young! 

This is an easier way of stuffing a bitter gourd with the potato filling... By the way, for the people of this island.... I had stuffed bitter gourd at Jaggi's .... its somewhere in the Little India area and I simply loved it! May be I will ask for their recipe on my next visit!

INGREDIENTS : [for the potato filling]

Potato : 2 standard sized [wash, boiled, peeled, mashed]

Chopped Coriander : 2-3 tbsp [washed]

Green Chilli : 2 [washed, chopped]

Lemon Juice : 2 tbsp

Crushed Black Pepper : 1/2 tsp

Salt : As Required

INGREDIENTS : [final product]

Bitter Gourd : 6-7 [washed]

Onion  Paste : 3-4 tbsp

Tomato Paste : 5-6 tbsp

Ginger Paste : 2 tsp

Garlic Paste : 1 tsp

Cumin Seed : 1/4tsp

Bay Leaf : 1 or 2

Cumin Powder : 1/2tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp

Garam Masala Powder : 1/3tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1tsp

Salt : As Required

Sugar : 2 tsp

Cinnamon Powder : 1/4 tsp

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp

Cloves Powder : 2-3 pinch

The Potato Filling Mixture

Oil : 2-3tbsp

PROCEDURE :

Scoop out the seeds and flesh of the washed bitter gourds and marinate them with salt ! Keep them under the sun for about 2-3 hours!

Meanwhile, mix together all the ingredients mentioned for the potato stuffing!

Bring back the salt marinated bitter hours to the kitchen, wash and again marinate with a little of salt & turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok & fry the bitter gourds! Take them out. Switch off the gas stove.

Once cool, stuff each of the fried bitter gourds with the potato filling!

Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & the bay leaf! Add the ginger & garlic pastes!

Prepare a paste with the washed tomato & onion and add to the wok!

Add the cumin+coriander+red chilli+little turmeric & salt to it and stir fry for 2-3 minutes at minimal heat!

Add two coffee mugs of water and cook at minimal heat for 10-12 minutes! Add the sugar, cinnamon+cardamom+cloves powder and cook for another 2 minutes!

Arrange the fried & stuffed bitter gourds in a bowl & pour the gravy from the top!

GOTA SHEDDO

Tessa... Oh dear Tessa... the girl who is supporting me in our Cristine's absence is nice but giving me a lot of tension... there comes her message ... ma'am coming today evening... after an hour... ok ma'am tomorrow afternoon... and maam's head turns into a hot furnace.... This home has two men... one of whom does not even understand that the mother is in a soup... entirely the mother's fault... this is not a wise mother! An inevitable comparison gets unavoidable.... Ipsita's 14 years old son cleans and cuts banana blossoms too for her... he likes authentic Bengali food so much so that S aunty makes it a point to send him whenever she goes traditional and authentic... and asks for a feedback... he is a good cook in making I may tell you... the monkey at this home will not even take his fork and spoon from the kitchen... the not  that much of a Bengali uses spoon and fork for a hilsa... a severe insult to the silver queen.... but you cannot do anything... here is an indulgent mother who spoilt her monkey... 

Amidst such a mess.... the husband who was on leave yesterday adds fuel to the hot furnace.... in his noble wish to help his loving wife he overloads the washing machine with shirts without opening the buttons, mixed white stuffs with coloured ones and I do not even know how much of detergent he added or how he had set the timer! The wife got on her nerves and screamed ..... you will not walk beyond the kitchen door ... Coming back home after a week, he did not really expect or deserved such a treatment... My readers know I do not like anyone poking in my way of managing home.... either you take my instructions or you stay away... Anyway, we made up everything over two cups of evening tea and some store bought chicken popcorns.... Yes, I can have chicken as small bites, in tikkis and in Oriental preparations... batter fry... toss in some sauce ... add some chopped spring onions and yum... such shares can wait... there are better people for this... Let me go ahead with a healthy, authentic Bengali one today as this GOTA SHEDDO! This recipe calls for a dal and few selective vegetables cooked whole.... 

This is not our family recipe as we are from East Bengal [now Bangladesh] and this dish is authentic of West Bengal... I do not always understand the divide as my mother was born in this side of the border... I love 'posto' and do add a bit of sugar to veggie dishes! This is not the actual time for a GOTA SHEDDO .... it is a part of the Saraswati Puja ritual among the people of West Bengal origin! Though it was never made in our family... it used to come from our neighbours a day after Saraswati Puja perhaps... Of all the dishes of GOTA SHEDDO I had.... I loved the one I had at our couple friends' home in Mumbai... the couple I was too willing to speak about.... my way of paying homage to a couple who did what very few can or will do! Meet Partha Dey & Madhuchanda Dey Ghosh.... a perfect example of how one can stay grounded being at the top! There is a Houston connection to this story which is unavoidable or avoiding which will be wrong! A GOTA SHEDDO is not a perfect share talking about all of them .... then the prime focus is on a Chutu / Madhuchanda Dey Ghosh... who played a mother hen to a group of bachelor guys and my husband.... what was my role?... That of a "dhyarosh".... who could do nothing.... mind it we were all in the same age group....

I am God fearing.... though not the excess of it... I am at the liberty to do this GOTA SHEDDO at anytime and I find it to be  a healthy option that can be had with or without rice.... The way I "masalatised" it.... one can have it with rotis too! I really do not know what these two sets of couples eat at present... Does the Houston part eat cured salmon with grilled asparagus? I have to ask.... so far I believe nothing ... not even a Houston environment & weather can make an Amit Bhaduri leave "pathar mangsho and Foster Beer" ever... this Geologist... ex-Presidency & Mumbai IIT pass out cannot get away with his love for mutton.... the big thing is that the person who did not know how to pour a glass of water from a bottle, grills chicken in his backyard... Do not expect anything more from him.... his wife ..... the sister like Ujjayini Bhaduri... is a spoiler like me.... till date I could not understand why this girl.... a Clinical Psychologist from the Calcutta University never went to work but dedicated her entire being to build a happy home... she does not love her S didi much but she is a better homemaker than her S didi .... The hospitality I received on my 2009 visit to Houston proves it all.... they themselves were new there then ..... that too after a "rajoshik" life in Mumbai, Libya and Balik Papan .... pampered by 4-5 helps.... Now they seem to be happy there with a daughter.... a year older than our monkey and a younger son! 

This Amit Bhaduri and a wonder called Partha Dey had been friends in school, high school and then stayed together for few years in Mumbai... How does T feature here? Well, Partha was in our school for a year and then shifted to another school.... Somehow T and Partha developed an unbreakable bond ..... and later T did his high school with these two guys.... There are many each year who top from the IITs... not all of them can be a Partha Dey... the first in batch both in IIT and IIM Kolkata sits high up in a ladder... but do not look down at anyone... does he lack self pride? Nope.... he told me once... you know S... I am overly qualified for my job.... this guy is born with a natural talent.... he did not have to acquire anything.... He will not brag around saying that Sundar Pichai was his roommate... who did not gel well with him and eventually changed his room in the second year... A Partha Dey who received my unnecessary calls even when he was in a meeting with the likes of KV Kamath or Chanda Kocchar.... no we are not in a relationship... haha... that high profile person is a ferociously go getter and focussed... else one cannot reach there where only about 100 Indians within India reach! He has a wife... Madhuchanda Dey Ghosh ..... how do I introduce her? Well, she is a born mother.... guardian.... she perhaps used a lipstick and eye-kohl only once or twice in her life ..... on her marriage & reception days.... yet she knows which one is how and gifted me my first Revlon pencil lipstick! She does not touch alcohol but knows about all the flavours of spritzers... she is accommodating to some extent.... Immediately after her marriage she played the mother to the bachelor boys like Amit and gang and as and when my husband visited.... without any irritation.... she is a near perfectionist in whatever she does... 

Each year... some one or the other tops the university and goes abroad on National Scholarship but not all of them can be a Madhuchanda! .... The couple hate it if my husband is in Mumbai and stay put in a hotel... The not at all romantic husband T got stationed at home for 21/2 years as soon as his wife got pregnant.... so you know I selected a good host body for myself! So after 21/2 years of homestay... we were in a soup... besides a Sanak Chottopadhay, a Dibyendu Banerjee or our father .... this couple called Partha and Madhuchanda literally gave shelter to my husband for 3 long months saving him from having vada pao everyday... No this high profile couple do not go to the club or play golf ... they cannot digest food... most of them.... They love to travel... Chutu is attached to a couple of charitable organisations and does not wish to speak about it... They are God fearing... donates and gifted us a book on Sri Aurobindo! I could not repay 1/4 of what they have done for us.... They are blessed with a daughter 11/2 years younger than our monkey! 

Where did Partha inherit his down to the earth nature?... I believe from his mother.... Kakima is a short, frail lady who gave birth to three jewels... yet never boasts of it.... she does not know the meaning of the word bragging! Its more than a year now I have not met her... have to! Partha's big brother stays somewhere there in the other side of the river in the East Coast... that green zone I hear... there... haha... his big sister was our neighbour for a couple of years... if Partha says that his didi was the best in mathematics among the siblings.... she is a jewel too... Chutu does not wear a makeup but walks for 10 hours to reach home in the Mumbai flood.... walks down from level 22 to reach office when the lift does not work... changes five autos on way to the office .... although in a high profile job & owning a personal car! Yet T says Chutu sacrificed her career for a Partha Dey.... she worships her home.... care for the people around!

This space is yet small to speak about people with such persona.... On my month long stay at their Mumbai home two times within a year... I saw how well organised Chutu was when I knew nothing.... I learnt gradually but I have a brother who is still spoon fed.... when he craves for phuchka.... the wife has to go and get it while he watches Formula1.... all because of the mother.... Anyway, I loved Chutu's family recipe of GOTA SHEDDO which has a bit of spices too! It perhaps uses skinned urad dal.... but I used green moong... 

No I am not trying to imitate anyone.... two Bengali bloggers will have some similarities... most of the time I even miss who is posting what.... I see after posting mine.... no way do I regret that.... For a person like me who refuses to think... it is impossible to know the pulse of the readers.... I will post what I have decided for the Day.... and not look here and there! Whoever clicks the link and takes a look at the blog post is my potential customer... haha... I do not earn a penny from my blog... Anyway, I used green moong, medium sized potatoes, spinach, eggplants, sweet potatoes and hyacinth beans.... few spices, green chillies, mustard oil to drizzle.... it does not remain a GOTA SHEDDO right? haha... The tongue is worshipped here!

INGREDIENTS :

Green Moong Bean : 1small cup
Spinach : 3-4stalks [palak]
Sweet Potato : 2-3 [mishti aloo]
Hyacinth Bean : 6-7 [sheem]
Potato : 3-4 medium
Egg Plant : 3-4small

Peas in Pods : 5-6 [I used Snow Peas]
Green Chilli : 2-3 [optional]
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Salt : As Required

Sugar : 1 tsp [Optional]
Oil : 2-3tbsp to drizzle on top [mustard oil for us]

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the green moong beans in hot water for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Wash the rest of the vegetables thoroughly... specially the roots of the spinach. Though we are not supposed to cut the vegetables.... we can discard the roots of the spinach stalks. I used Thai or Chinese palak / spinach may be!

Add the green lentil along with the water, sweet potatoes, potatoes in a pressure cooker.... add some salt...turmeric!

Close the lid and pressure cook at low heat up to one whistle! Let the lid open naturally.

Take a deep bottomed vessel.... add the snow peas, hyacinth beans, eggplants, green chillies, turmeric and some salt to it. Add 1 coffee mug of water. 

Cover with a lid... keeping it little crack open. Add the cumin, red chilli & coriander powders after some 10-12 minutes!

Slow cook until done! This may take some 15-20 minutes. Check in between... Keep the heat at the lowest.

Towards the end, add the pressure cooked items & the sugar! Give a stir & cook for 2-3 minutes! Switch off the gas stove!

Once done transfer the entire content to a serving bowl and drizzle with some mustard oil.

Enjoy with or without rice! The two other dishes are Paratha & crisp Okra!

MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA

There is a "big" news for my readers! .... Our "Cristine" is on leave for fifteen long days.... You can well imagine my condition!.... Cristine's ma'am is seeing "shorshe phool in chokh".... What else can you get from me other than a MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA which is done in minutes? I am used to having a luxury called Cristine who happens to be the reason for about 3-4 kilos of weight gain since 2015! From water to the medicines to cups of tea and coffee.... all are "fed" practically... haha! Then it is her big brother's marriage and we had to arrange for her leave.... I cannot spend days with a help with frowns on her face.... especially if she is someone as nice as Cristine! It is because of her gestures that she got a leave on the eve of the son's board examinations! What is the husband's role in such a scenario? No role actually... he fled to the neighbouring country to spend quality time with his only love.... perhaps the fathers of the son's friends have taken leave by now to guide their teens! 

In such a situation, I am still not getting on my nerves.... one need not if one has friends cum sister likes as neighbours offering help! I told come on let me not forget that I do have two hands and two legs.... I did live ten long years with a tiny tot doing "mudi shodai to juto shelai" everything by myself..... but again there was a Saraswati and Dilip as helps! .... I was wondering what I have turned into... a lazy... spoilt... brat! Its a Thursday evening and finally I got a saviour sent by Ipsita... she is Tess and she says she will do pedicure and manicure for me too! Today I got some relief and sat to write a recipe post for my readers.... I do not have to sweep, mop, dust,  the 1150 sqft area and wash utensils..... no I cannot accept once or twice a week sweep and mop.... I am a "desi" .... our mother's daughter .... back in Kolkata our Rizia Mashi mopped my home twice a day.... when the entire world is doing some inventions, teaching a new thing to the kids.... I was busy cleaning every inch and corner of our home .... that too with a small kid... well I had a battalion of helps... Rizia Mashi to Khokon to Chotu! Is the very handsome Dr. Arup Bhaumik's wife... my friend Paramita reading this post? She was my confidant in all these madness, while a wisdom called Rupa or a Kana scolded me hard!.... I bathed my newborn with soap and water in such a  manner that he got severe fever within a week of his birth .... 

That newborn who has his 10th boards final examination in few days is having study leave now! How is he utilising his time?.... Its simple....  watching television! Do you think I will blog about something he loves? I will not! He may not touch a MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA but his mother has grown up on this as an evening snacks... neither her brother had ever fancied it! When did I say I do not love myself? Why am I writing a post on a Thursday evening instead of a Friday morning?... I missed my workout today.... I had to shop... not an Ilish but frozen grouper fillets... not live prawns but frozen ones, not a bottle gourd but a squash... not a raw jackfruit or banana blossom but okra and ridge gourd which are loves too! Many of my loves got a no tag today!.... I am not our mother... I know when to act smart! Moreover, a saviour called Tess is doing up my home now.... the aroma of dettol is making me feel happier.... I can go ahead with an easy and quick share! I am that mother who used to wash her son's clothes with warm water and soap and then soaked in dettol before drying till he was 3-4 years... she did not like anyone touching her son in outside clothes.... then one day the husband came home from the sea and screamed ..... "enough wife! You are destroying the immune system of the son"! When will he come back home? I am missing him... who else can I scream at.... you can do it only at someone who cares, one who will not leave you at any cost.... If you really mean to someone.... that someone is unlikely to leave you ever! This WhatsApp fight is uninteresting... most of the time I am not answered, the moron remains busy with his love! Now that I fixed one Tess for the next few days.... he is expected to be back home this weekend.... Yes, my men are averse to and scared of household chores! 

Above I wished to tell you that it is good to be clean and maintain hygiene but not the excess of it .... though I have not taken any lesson till date. Early morning you may be setting out for various serious ventures.... strategising how fruitfully you can utilise the day.... what is this lady doing? She had no lunch box to prepare this week.... she is going out for her walks as soon as the sun is seen peeping out the eastern sky... and thereafter doing all silly things which she should not! A biscuit, A chee-cheong-fun, A dosa.... all diabetic unfriendly stuffs... huh? So why not a MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA.... I get philosophical each time I fail to control myself.... someday we all have to die!.... See that is teh-o-kosong... sugar free, no milk tea!... and chee-cheong-fun perhaps has plum sugar or jaggery in that sauce... haha! You all know I lack wisdom.... I do not measure or calculate my steps... else would I have ever looked back? .... a major portion of the past that has nothing to give me or to make me feel good.... except some hurtful memories or truths... Feelings cannot be calculative but when truth confronts you... you feel miserable !.... Anyway, when one feels very much left out... one should and must treat oneself with whatever one prefers... like this done within minutes evening snacks with chirey / flattened or beaten rice ..... as long as the son gets his meat curries he is fine! There I am... me and my humble places to sit and relax with myself!

What else am I doing?... I washed Cristine's clothes with ours', I cleaned her toilet... well these are some practical exercises that a hypocrite like me should practice! I never did really romance with the husband as our definition of romanticism differs... he had always been a great teacher to me... a father figure though a year younger! After marriage, when I had been teaching Indian democracy in a high school.... the husband said, "do you believe in what you teach wifey"?.... You maintain separate cups, plates, glasses for your help! Tell me when do I romance? Yet I never seize to romance with food and when I feel low I make it sure to pamper myself with what I love... I will not look at what is happening around... I will only love myself so much so that I force myself to close my eyes at anything or anyone who makes me feel unloved! I do not drag the virtual world in all these.... we do not know each other! I do not feel sorry if I am not sharing what you wish from me.... Time and again I have emphasised the fact and I will always say that the CURRY AND SPICE blog is not a healthy, child friendly, informative space to follow! It is what the lady behind it have grown up eating with an apparent note on her life and surroundings! This MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA is one such.... you cannot imagine how relaxed I feel to blog about an authentic, family recipe! 

Why did not I share an authentic recipe on the Bengali New Year's Day? Day after tomorrow will be just one year that our father left us... last year when I came back after completing all the rituals.... three girls came to meet me and share the pain.... they are not Bengali nor all of them are non-vegetarian.... if I cannot forget people who gifted me nothing but barrels of pain & dejection ... how can I forget people with such nice gestures?... The baked yogurt was a perfect share! However disturbed I am.... do not try to find reason.... I am melancholic in nature and not a sensible person.... Amidst a messed up mind, there is something to cherish too! I do not mingle in groups... I know I cannot maintain it tactfully or wisely... I only respond to those who still tolerate me and stop by my shares.... doing that I suddenly discovered yesterday that the noted food critic, blogger, quite famous in her role stopped by my yogurt share in a group and liked it.... I will not look for any reason.... I will just be overwhelmed with joy! ... Its a She.... PN.... if you are in the food world you need not guess for long... I end it here... you will never see me hog around the famous and known.... unless required for their benefit.... 

I am not an angel... I am just myself ... I do not like limelight and I have a severe stage fear! Then who does not like recognition? I only wish to share what I eat... get some readers to the blog... thats it! The MISHTI CHIREY BHAJA that our mother used to prepare was deep fried and served garnished with roasted peanuts, shredded coconut and sugar! Alternatively you can use cashew nuts and raisins too!  Be it "muri.... chirey.... khoi"... I love having them with grated coconut and sugar... just that I have to skip the sugar part these days!

INGREDIENTS :

Beaten or Flattened Rice : 1 1/2 coffee mug [serves two...the brown variety can be used]
Shredded Coconut : 1small cup
Roasted Peanut : 1tbsp
Sugar : 2tsp [Choose as per your need]
Oil : 150-200 [to deep fry... the left over can be reserved for later use]


PROCEDURE :

Heat the oil in a wok. Once hot, lower the heat to minimum.

Add some flattened rice little at a time. They will fluff up immediately and we need to take out at once and place on tissue papers to get rid of the excess oil.

Serve while its still hot garnished with shredded coconut, sugar and roasted peanuts.

Do not forget to have tea or coffee as an accompaniment!

KECHKI MAACH DIYE ALOO PEYAZKOLI

Authentically, this particular combination of onion stalks and potato if cooked non-vegetarian, is done with "tyangra maach".... a small variety of cat fish? I hardly get fresh tyangra here unless I go to some specific stores on a Wednesday evening, so I do it to my convenience with available ingredients and call it KECHKI MAACH DIYE ALOO PEYAZKOLI. I would have gone to any length to maintain authenticity and happily but my men are not that much of a Bengali... The senior is a Bengali when it is a "hilsa, aar, katla, boyal, chingri, pabdar jhol" or a meat curry .... the son is a Bengali when its "luchi-porota"... meat curries, "bhajabhuji".... and yes this deep fried "kechki maach".... Indian River Sprat! Well.... the not at all a fish called prawn or a salmon is the only acceptable non-vegetarian alternative to meat for the junior of the morons! I am averse to feeding them prawn every other day.... I have seen the prawn loving brother developing allergy from prawns all of a sudden ..... we do love prawns and crabs but I am scared of having them too often. How I loved "golda chingri" which was brought once or twice a month during our growing up period ... its always pricey.... I eat but I do not crave for it anymore.... you know why?.... I feel may be because I  have the ability to have giant sized prawns every weekend now! Few things in life should remain beyond reach .... "shob peley jibon noshto" is rightly said!.... I take a look at the landed homes in this island and, and, and.... oh God! Grapes are truly sour! But we always would prefer staying within a gated community!

Coming to food...... I have remained that same old primitive foodie....... there is someone who told me a year or two back... you Know S..... my kids love "macher teler bora".... I got kind of "akash theke pora".... then the entire period of my way back from South to North Kolkata is spent on equating a "macher teler bora and mushurir dal" with a "high nose".... it was decided, it has been proved over decades that my likes & preferences cannot match with some people in this lifetime.... if so it will be something like watching snowfall in this island!These kind of foods like "macher teler bora o mushurir dal" are essentially for my kinds, we know how to eat them?... techniques matter man!.... sit on the floor .... hold the steel plate with your left hand... break the piping hot rice with your right hand fingers.... take some sliced onion and a green chilli, add some salt and dal to the rice.... then "borai ekta kamor, ek gorash bhaat, tarpor peyaz -lankai chootto kamor".... Yes, I am turning a senile truly.... the way I am taking advantage of some people's "apparent" silence !.... Let us leave it at that as of now and accept the fact that it was really surprising for me to discover that the son loves deep fried Indian River Sprat!

This dish of KECHKI MAACH DIYE ALOO PEYAZKOLI is usually a winter treat because peyazkoli.... i.e. onion stalk is available only during winter in India?.... I know about Kolkata, though not about the rest of India.... which states of India eat it, which does not! I know few family food history and nevertheless the history of Bengali food or otherwise! The only pride I can take and  fight over a fact is that I  do not see much variety in the cooking of my husband's side of the family as compared to mine. All the delicate, heirloom, low cost dishes I have seen is being cooked in my side of the family.... "kechki maach mixed with lots of spices and sliced onion, wrapped in bottle gourd or pumpkin leaves and slow cooked in pan" or "ash gourds cut in half moon shapes, stuffed with mustard-coconut paste and batter fried".... all these are learnt from my family.... 

Unfortunately, my men do not fancy them.... I do not do them often ..... I know I should blog about them ..... but how many will accept it?.... Cook one dish for 1-2 hours? My "chomma"... the Jaya Prada look alike who stays in Assam.... daddy's brother's wife prepares a yam fry.... wherein the yam stretches like a spring after being fried.... the technique is in the cut .... "two hands and a boti".... thats it! Even our mother could not adapt it.... we call it kochur spring bhaja.... I used to lament why the distance between Nowgong and Sealdah / Howrah is this long! This Jaya Prada look alike's husband could eat 35 rasgullas and 1kg of mutton at one go.... haha! There is not a bit of exaggeration saying this, there was a time when "Hiru dakat earned kolshi bhorti mohor after screaming hareyreyrey, while the looted zaminder babu still could eat like a demon the next day"..... 

I belong to a family where some had "demonic diet".... I cannot survive on salad.... I have to have my bowl of rice and "tel gorgorey pathar kosha".... Where was I? Well.... I am a bit late with this recipe.... Do not worry.... even if we do not get onion flower or peyazkoli now.... go ahead with spring onions .... I know we get it in India most of the time, at least in the super markets! This Kechki mach or Indian River Sprat is among the very few frozen fish varieties I buy from the selective Asian stores! This is more or less found in "good condition".... but you will buy if only you or your family fancy it! If you are totally against any kind of frozen fish, use any small variety of fish. This Indian River Sprat has become a regular at this home .... its favourite with all of us.... its easy to cook it.... we only need to wash it... no need to clean the stomach or the scales! For this particular non vegetarian side dish we do not need any spice either .... just a tempering of nigella seeds, cloves of garlic and yes.... chillies... both dry and green.... We also had palonger dal / dal palak and crispy fried Indian River Sprat alongside! The main item KECHKI MAACH DIYE ALOO PEYAZKOLI is to be had with steamed  rice while you can prepare some hot phulkas for the palak dal!

Try this recipe of the basic sandesh, the first share on my blog.... do not look at the picture, the taste is guaranteed!

SANDESH

INGREDIENTS :

Kechki Maach / Indian River Sprat : 200gm
Peyazkoli / Onion Stalk : 12-15 sticks [alternatively spring onion]
Potato : 1big
Green Chilli : 2-3 slitted
Dry Red Chilli : 2 halved
Nigella Seed : 1/4tsp
Garlic : 2 cloves chopped
Turmeric Power : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 1/2tsp [optional]
Oil : 3-4 tbsp


PROCEDURE :

Wash the fish thoroughly about 4-5 times under running water. It is a very soft fish, be careful.

Add little salt and turmeric to the fish and keep aside.

Peel, wash and cube the potatoes. Rub salt and turmeric.

Discard the two ends of the onion stalks. Chop lengthwise .... each should be about 2-3 inch in length. Wash thoroughly and rub with salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok.... preferably mustard oil.

Temper the oil with nigella seeds, chopped garlic and halved dry red chillies.

Add the fish discarding the marinade totally. While they are half fried, add the potato cubes. Stir gently and cover cook till the potatoes are half done.

Add the peyazkoli / onion stalks now, discard any water / marinade.... we need to retain the colour of it. Gently stir and cover for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the cover, add the slitted green chillies, salt if required, sugar and give a gentle stir. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. I garnished with few fried fish.

A dal is a must with this dish. We had crispy fried kechki maach, palong er dal alongside.... Nothing but steamed rice goes with it!

BAKED BEET ER DOI

I prepared this baked beetroot yogurt ...... BAKED BEET ER DOI happily and thought I will blog about it on the occasion of Poila Baishakh.... that is Bengali New Year! I did it, clicked the pictures, found them a little loud; re-deed & these picture seems okay! I still cannot be called a food photographer! I wish to put through a message that I may not like shines and too much of colours but I do not have a problem with people who like it otherwise.... How can I when I come from a family where people cannot think beyond red, yellow, green, blue! On my each visit, I cancel at least ten of the mother's sarees and say you will not wear this kinds.... now she is in track more or less! I have not followed protocol much in my life and that gets  me in to trouble! I have a childhood friend Sukanta Saha, whose mother... our Mira Mashi's choice of saree I loved since our school days. I never hesitated to tell our mom.... "Mani.... I like mashi's choice of saree... off beat, matt finish, ethnic!"..... Till date I do not get what is wrong in that? I find a singer from a different state of Eastern India classic, having depth, I do not go public with it avoiding further controversies! 

I adore two kinds of food photography.... appropriate props and the subject.... wherein the picture itself weaves a story.... there is another kind that is plain and simple focussing on the food! I do have a recipe of baked doi / yogurt blogged about earlier.... The discomfort of going ahead with this dessert today lies elsewhere! For the past two days, two doe eyes on a blue-yellow dress is haunting me, pelting stones at my "glass heaven".... India is fighting for a cause.... a genuine cause! Two Kashmiri Pandits leading a team to get justice for a muslim girl is a ray of hope denoting integrity but we should not focus on this aspect... never! It is humanity that stood up against barbarism ..... in the history of the country the alternative do / did happen.... religion is not important here... but the crime.... the grievous truth that the woman tribe is vulnerable! Then, I am just a food blogger.... not a versatile cook either.... I do not have 25 different dishes to choose from! Here is a small time blogger struggling to get some readers! Had I been able to create a niche for myself in these few years, would You have seen me doing "ghanta pujo" in different groups? Never....

Anyway, we can say that baked doi has become a craze sort of in the entire Kolkata, if not in West Bengal! Correct me if I am wrong, I am not an well informed person... not a part of the Kolkata food scenario for a long time now.... There was a time when it took me one spoonful to differentiate  the quality of food between Grain of Salt at 22, Camac Street and the one that came up in its place after few months! I and the Boss kept wondering for a long time why Grain of Salt could not sustain in the Kolkata food scenario.... See how self centric I have become.... majority there cannot afford even a normal Park Street restaurant on a regular basis, leave alone a boutique restaurant!.... I am feeling lack of love towards myself these days!.... Coming to the point, we truly loved the food served at  the Grain of Salt..... saying so without any prejudice, the master will not train me for free about different cuisines, praising the master will not make me famous overnight!.... Once our mother said.... "mamoni.... watch the fingers at work.... they are too much at ease making cooking easier for you using few ingredients most of the time"! She seemed happy if she did not have to buy creams to mixed nuts for a dish. Each time I use "mutho mutho badam".... the guilt is on.... my middle class values will not set me free... neither should it! 

The point is it is Bengali New Year tomorrow.... I wished for a vegetarian share, global as far as possible considering all my friends around...... trying to remain apolitical. The doe eyed girl along with her likes are not going to leave me sooner, I kept fast yesterday not alone for my son but for them too.... Standing right at the present, I do not find it necessary to share the picture which I like doing.... the daughters are in distress... my prince will remain my prince... The mother of a prince was a girl child too and a victim of #metoo, however protective the mother had been ..... If you have given birth, be a caring parent.... getting boxes of chocolates and dresses for the kids is not good parenting.... a considerable part of our time and life is to be given to them! 

This BAKED BEET ER DOI is a moderately quick and simple recipe done with few ingredients like plain yogurt, green cardamom powder, sugar, fresh beetroot juice....  We can have this superbly yum dessert just like that or you can have it with your choice of toppings!

INGREDIENTS :

Full Cream Milk : 1 litre
Plain Yogurt : 50gm+ a little to line the containers
Beetroot Juice : 11/2medium cup
Green Cardamom Powder : 1/2tsp

Sugar : 2-3 tbsp


PROCEDURE :

           

We have prepared the beet root juice in a juicer using a little of water. Thereafter, we would boil it & reduce it to 1/4th & let it cool!

We would boil the milk until less than 1/2, switch off the gas stove, add the green cardamom powder!

We will whisk & strain the beetroot milk! We will add about 50gm of plain yogurt and beat well when the milk is still warm, not hot!

We will apply some plain yogurt on the walls of the containers we would be using! In fact, this is not required if we are baking the yogurt! Thereafter, we would fill the containers with the semi-liquid!

We will cover them with aluminium foils!

We will fill a bake proof tray with some water so that the containers immerse a bit in the water. 

I used a mini toaster oven for the purpose! I preheated the oven at 200*C for 10 minutes!

I place the containers filled with the yogurt mixture on the baking tray!

I baked for 20 minutes at 200*C..... Exactly the time taken in my machine!

Let the BAKED BEET ER DOI cool down completely before you refrigerate them!

Always enjoy this sinful dessert chilled!