BENGALI STYLE SHINGARA

I did these BENGALI STYLE SHINGARA that is samosa / stuffed savoury snack earlier this month.... well this is not that regular at this home.... may be once in 2-3 months.... if Cristine goes off... it will become rare.... I would prefer to serve my men a potato curry and "luchi / porota" often rather than spending half a day in the preparation of "samosa / shingara".... the former takes hardly half an hour because I am used to it and people at home are happy too! I am a lazy cook indeed... I have to admit it! I think my guests would catch me red handed any day.... If you have noticed my food platter  pictures when my guests are due, you will notice I do not go for a "dimer chop or mochar chop or a chingri ba murgir keema bhora potoler dorma"..... I cook simpler dishes to greet them instead... some fish bakes, grilled meats or "keema matar / potol chingri".... I keep few things in mind.... I still did not achieve that level of mastery where I am able to fry "chop" and entertain the guests at the same time. I will not fry before hand and "chop" becomes soggy once reheated.... Guests do not visit only for food.... "chit chaat" is the main attraction. I arrange meets for the husband to relax! If you enjoy few pegs, better is to provide more number of appetisers with it instead of showing off how skilled a cook one is. I mean this may be an excuse for not been a skilled cook.... Yet, you may hire this idea of sweating less and serving the guests more number of plates. I got a lot of complains from my dear ones that I do not cook for them what I blog about..... specially from the Kolkata part! I really lack skills of attending twenty people without a help and a weakened infrastructure..... I strongly feel these days that there should not be any special treatments where many there deserve more or less equal attention.... Some understand, some do not and I cannot help but to say that you are all cordially invited to our island... I will do my utmost! So, I will share the credit of this time consuming BENGALI STYLE SHINGARA with our Cristine.... You can see my fingers at work but the "pocket making" part was done mainly by her.... the Filipino eats and enjoys everything Bengali or Indian.... thats my credit! She cannot have our too sweet stuffs!

I was waiting to share this savoury snack on this special occasion of Rakhi Poornima / Rakshabandhan.... it brings back a lot of fond memories with the sibling / siblings / friends too! Each year I do not wish to repeat the same stories but did you know I married one of my "rakhi brothers?".... hahaha.... When I first broke the news at home, our mother's first reaction was "mamoni tui na okey rakhi poriyechish.... kichutei shombhob na!".... I had to refreshen her memory giving the instance of Robi Thakur.... Rabindranath Tagore.... who used this day as building bridges between two warring communities.... Where are you sensible people? We need more of you.... the entire Third World needs food... clothing.... shelter more than anything else! Anyway, me or the parents could not be this liberal when it came to the little brother! The brother got new pictures every six months.... the mother ran to the daughter crying.... urging ... "do something mamoni to stop him".... The big sister looked once at those pictures and told in just one sentence.... "where is the grace and decency? Get her and prepare to leave me for ever!".... Those girls may have got better husbands than my brother..... they should not curse me! 

People should know I also had to face rejection .... reasons can be multifarious ... my height, skin colour, flat nose, not having street smartness, belonging to a non-pedigreed background whose relatives lived / lives in interiors of Bengal and Assam and not settled abroad, me living in a notorious locality and not in South Calcutta, not knowing to play table tennis and lot more! We must respect other's choice! I do not hold any grudge against anyone "apparently".... I do not know my "sub-conscious self" though! My intentions are not clear even to me ..... haha! Coming to my brother, he is obedient, he deserves something he loves today.... if not a mutton or hilsa! A sweet share would have been more appropriate but I thought of a BENGALI STYLE SHINGARA.... a salted snack. I am soon to prepare another batch for a girl and her friend. I met this sweet 18 last Friday and we clicked. I was really too tensed before the meet.... if I do not like something in people, repulsion occurs inside.... I get withdrawn.... in this case it was not possible as its a duty call! All my tension went off once we met.... pretty well behaved.... down to the earth.... no show offs at all. Did I see the self at 16 in her? Yes but sans the intellect and persona... her strong motivation towards career building.... In the two long hours they did not talk about lipstick, face powder but education.... I have to set the menu cautiously and with love before calling home haha... it seems they love food a lot too!

This home is "shorbobhuk".... we enjoy a BENGALI STYLE SHINGARA .... that is samosa and enjoyed a tom yum fish soup yesterday night. I skipped the rice part as I wished to have the full of that dessert! The men folks at home do not eat desserts at the restaurants as they prefer mumma / wifey made ones more!

The shingara / samosa / savoury snack you see are truly "desi".... very similar to a vegetarian version of curry puff or empanadas may be.... Ours is a spicy filling as is the curry puff version of our island's neighbouring country! As I am writing this post, I am craving for some hot shingara / samosa and.... well a Twinkle Khanna read.... I call myself a fan but I have not read any of her's.... soon to order her earlier two through amazon.com, for her latest "Pajamas Are Forgiving".... it will take some time! She does not pay me for this neither she requires me to speak on her behalf ... but I do it on my free will if only your ways satisfy me.... I am not in the habit of accommodating what I dislike.... that off course is one of my vices! Before reading a new author, I read reviews.... I came to learn that she has a skill with the flow of writing and telling a story wonderfully.... highlighting a relevant issue! No, I am not the one who loves to read a Kafka or listen to Mozart at all times. I will read her for I am biased about people I am fond of.... for I am not comfortable with ornate language! I like her for she is different amidst her peer group.... carries herself gracefully almost in every dress she wears.... Think 101 times before you buy a dress.... does it suit you? can you carry it with grace? 

More important is why am I calling a samosa.... a BENGALI STYLE SHINGARA? It is because a Bengali shingara / samosa will have a slightly different potato filling from the rest of India. The filling is little sweet and spicy and has peanuts in it unlike the northern Indian states which do not use sugar and peanuts may be but green peas. We get both varieties and few other with minced meat filling in Kolkata! Towards the interior, in smaller towns where Haldiram did not reach.... where people need fish and rice almost all days of the week.... you will find not so pedigreed sweet shops selling "shingara" starting from 4pm every evening! My filling was / is exactly the same with more roasted peanuts in them. I was not happy with the skin cover of mine this time.... they did remain crisp all through but in looks they are not like the shop ones... flaky! Because I guarantee you taste and hygiene.... you will do it with me for your siblings... a sister or a brother! You can see, it goes well with mayo!

Just thinking of trying out Madhur Jaffrey's samosa recipe next time... I am keen on learning more about her beyond the wiki!

In my initial days of blogging, I did this post fish balls in a rich creamy sauce.... wondering why I did not name it shahi  macchi kofta.... whatever... if you are not so much of a fish lover... try it this way... the pictures got updated... just click the link below!

FISH BALLS IN RICH CREAMY SAUCE

INGREDIENTS : [for the filling]

Boiled Potato : 2 large sized 
Bengali Five Spices : 1/2 tsp [panchphoron]

Minced Green Chilli : 2

Minced Ginger : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp

Chaat Masala : 1 tsp
Sugar : 2tsp
Salt : As Required
Oil : 1 tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the dough]

Refined Flour : 250-300gm or 2coffee mug
Salt : As Required
Nigella Seed : 1/2tsp
Oil : 2-3tbsp
Baking Soda : 1-2pinch

INGREDIENTS : [for the final step]

The cooked filling
The prepared dough
Oil to deep fry : 200ml... the left over can be used later


PROCEDURE :

I just used regular spice mixes from my kitchen! You would never know exactly what spice mix they use in the shops! If I have used peanuts & sugar, it is good enough Bengali!

Cut the potatoes into small cubes skin on! Wash & marinate with salt & turmeric! Keep aside for 5 minutes!

Wash, peel, mince the ginger & green chillies. Take them on a plate & some roasted peanut! 

Heat the oil in a wok and temper with 1/2 tsp of Bengali five spices, and the minced ginger. Add the marinated potatoes, stir & cover cook for 5 minutes at minimal heat! 

Add all the dry spice powders except the chaat masala! Fold in well & add the peanuts and green chillies, mix well & cook for another 6-7 minutes.

With the back of your ladle mash some potatoes; sorry, I mashed all of them! Add the dry mango powder, sugar, adjust the salt! Stir cook for a minute & take down!

Let us prepare the dough and keep it covered for at least 10-15 minutes.

Take the flour, salt, nigella seeds in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil. Mix well and rub for 2-3 minutes.

Add water little by little to form a soft dough. Keep kneading for 7-10 minutes. Keep covered for 10-15 minutes!

Now remove the cover of the dough. Knead the dough well again for 2-3 minutes.

Prepare balls tearing portions from the dough.

Roll out each into round luchi / poori shapes. Cut half with a bread knife else you damage your rolling base.

Now take each half, fold from the sides and stick the lining with little of water.

A pocket is formed. Fill the pastries with the potato-peanut filling. Fold and seal well... use water!

Repeat the same for the rest of the shingaras / samosa. I am not an expert as those in the sweet shops. I shaped only one & Cristine the rest. 

Now heat the oil in a wok, take them out and fry them in batches at low heat. The trick is to add them to the oil when it is just warm & not hot! I did all of the frying!

Serve them with your choice of sauces and chutneys.