Yes, this lady is missing "posto"... poppyseed way too much these day! It's been over a year now we are not having it; just waiting for December to come. "We are missing" is wrongly said, my not at all Bengali men do not miss the heirloom, simple Bengali Recipes; the reason why I wish to compile them here in this space. No one in the family is going to cook a TIL NARKOL POTOL after me, the junior has to be fed such dishes being mashed with dal and rice! Even if his wife wishes to, she would not cook something that her man has to be fed forcefully. I sincerely hope she would not sit at home like me! The senior would have this kinds of "neat" vegetarian food but not mixed vegetable medleys!
I just struggle to keep such recipes alive by tricks... like with a mixed vegetable dish, I keep a "choto chingri diye dal" and a "fish curry with boneless fish and not maacher jhol".... they are happy and I am relieved.... Things are not same with all of this generation kids.... Our couple friend Ipsita & Soumya's 8th grader son cooked "bori diye kochur loti" day before yesterday and sent a boxful for me! On way to receive it in a hurry, I slipped off my feet.... something serious could have happened .... the lazy self is sad being unable to go for the walks and eating "naru and chirer murki".... why blame a doctor or the overweight! Rujuta prescribes paratha and jaggery after a proper workout, not to the lazy us. I wonder how severe overweights with smaller kids can be unaware of their future, its irritating...
Also is irritating some people's behaviour.... I do not struggle anymore to be in their good book, I will not, I refuse to go out of the way for people who cannot be nice towards my family.... in this case it refers to my son and husband! I was never a social being.... these days I feel I do not need many people around me.... just a few like minded! I do not blame people who love to create a false aura around them and consider themselves to be a king / queen / the best whatever! I do not really blame them... if us parents keep bragging about our son or daughter as the best since childhood.... that too in front of them, they do not learn to appreciate the qualities in others! If they fail to achieve what they wish for, they get frustrated and start criticising successful people who possess talent far more than them.... they cannot accept it because they were not taught to! I am a failure, I get frustrated but I never seize to appreciate in others what I do not have. However, people should not suffer from low self esteem like me! I continue to pity those who have created a false paradise for themselves surrounded by "pleasers" who do not have the guts to speak the truth about their friend! Look at my friends Nishi & Rupsha.... they did not pursue science, hence were not the "toppers" in school.... I cannot speak or write a single line like them.... the mediocre Indirra or Chandrayee or Bidisha ... made a place for themselves at their workplace.... a 'better than an average Sandip but not a topper or say even a "failed in one or two subjects" Pravin or Goutam indeed did good in life .... a very bright & intelligent student of our time who could not even pursue higher studies due to poverty has recently owned a brand new Audi a4.... I feel extremely proud to hear that.... even broke into tears! Look at my friend Neeti, who herself teaches Biology in an international school.... her husband has reached a position where very few can reach at age 45... she is proud but never brags... I love it! Then there is a Sreyashi Das.... who is about 10 years younger than me and tasted sorrows in its toughest form.... did not cease to live and now is the principal of Delhi Public School, Agartala. I will always remember her not because she got me a job in this island but she gave me a precious compliment.... "I got you the job because I have full faith in you.... I owe to this school and is loyal to it, never will let wrong people in".... I stopped meeting her while at Kolkata.... ask me why? Well, that bothers "some" a lot, those who are always in fear of losing control over people around.... those who can gift you gold, silver, silks to keep you in their pockets!
Your's truly S is that kind who did not even allow her "P".... daddy to buy an expensive Benarasi Saree for her wedding... "P get me a low cost one... do not waste on something I will not wear much... ohh, uggh 'chokchokey, jholmoley laal saree'..... Well, she is fighting with her husband now .... "bochorey ekta goyna kiney dibina boukey?"..... haha.... I place my demands to my sole confidant... a very good friend, my senior! Daughters... build yourselves in such a manner that you get to meet others' demands. By the way, S wishes to make it very clear to the people around that she demarcates very clearly between "a friend and a family friend".... she has few friends in this world! S does not look like a queen or wishes to be a virtual one and poke her nose in areas she should not. She remains that silly, little girl who prefers to leave the stage for silly little things! S however is proud of herself of not being a "mean" and being able to appreciate wholeheartedly those people who possess "quality".... Here to all of you people.... who I dislike or like both.... a humble, not so authentic Bengali recipe with pointed gourds, sesame seeds and coconut.... TIL NARKOL POTOL.
This recipe is authentic when we do it with poppy seed paste.... ahem.... this island will never take care of my sorrows! Poppy Seed is a West Bengal thing but those who migrated from East Bengal got adopted to it quickly.... like we may have it on a regular basis but not in that frequency as does the origins of West Bengal. I love it, actually I eat a variety of food in turns. Unfortunately, I am unable to digest them all. Like the quantity of a Southern Indian dish and that of the Bahargaon are too big for me.... why did I take that veggie with vadai?... Excess food gets me acidity... I am a primitive Bengali... Rice grain is therapeutic to me.... Look below, how less I cooked yesterday... I am actually planning to cook fresh and sleek dishes next week.... if I prepare drumstick leaves and shredded carrot parathas for my men... they will love to have a vegetarian meal.... junior will have it with chilli sauce, I-husband-Cristine with raita and pickle....
Cristine is going home... her father and brother are sick... I have to plan meticulously! Oh! Yes, while the men were served the leftover minced, mutton rice and baby naan with spicy white snapper fillets yesterday for lunch, the primitive S could not think having anything else when there had some "begun aloo shutki".... with her favourite brown rice.... haha! S had to leave the stage long back making way to welcome the "wanted"..... that is fine.... but not the wrong! While you get busy accusing S of being contradictory, of rebuking people with a habit of interference and herself trying to control lives of other people at the same time... that also of people who denies S's existence altogether and what she dislikes.... let me share with you this recipe of TIL NARKOL POTOL.... "til naryal wale parwal sabzi".... because I do not know the psychology deep inside my caged ribs .... why I do not want some in someone's life while very much want few others to surround the same person as a shield ..... I do not know.... I am complicated.... way more than this easy to make but good to eat TIL NARKOL POTOL.... Enough of silly talks, I need to prepare some chapati or luchi and serve with the shahi paneer or do you suggest a lemon rice?
Dal is a constant at this home, how much they say it is too high in protein and contributes to weight gain!
Pointed Gourd : 8-10
White Sesame Seed : 2tbsp
Black Mustard Seed : 1tsp
Shredded Coconut : 1small cup
Green Chilli : 5-6-7
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Nigella Seed / Kalonji / Kalojeera : 1/4tsp
Dry Red Chilli : 2 halved
Salt : As Required
Oil : 5-6tbsp
PROCEDURE :
Wash the potol / parwal / pointed gourds! Cut the two ends of each. Take off the skin thinly keeping a gap of 1-2 inch.
In our family, we do not peel off all of the skin of a potol.... if you wish to prepare a potoler khosha bata then you are welcome.
Wash them thoroughly under running water. Apply little salt & 1/2tsp turmeric and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Dry roast the sesame seeds, take them and the mustard seeds on a strainer and wash.
Blend together the sesame seeds, mustard seeds, green chillies, salt to a smooth paste adding little water.
Heat the oil in a wok, fry the pointed gourds in batches till light brown.
Take them out on a plate.
Temper the oil with with nigella seeds and the halved dry red chillies. Add the shredded coconut and fry till light brown.
Add the spice paste now and fold in well. Stir for not more than 1/2 a minutes.
Add the pointed gourds now and fold in well. Stir at lowest heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add a cup of water, fold in well and cook covered for 5-6 minutes at lowest heat! You can add some slitted green chillies before taking down.
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