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!