LAU CHINGRI

After a wonderful lunch date yesterday with some yummy North Indian Food, I felt strongly to go Authentic Bengali today! This LAU CHINGRI was long due, I mean a Bengali Blogger adding this recipe with bottle gourd and prawns after over four years of her blog's inception is a sin.... not excusable! These days, I have stopped thinking too much about what I blog about... this is a Northern Indian Group .... that Southern Indian.... again a pure Bengali Group... or the guilt.... "should I share a  porota recipe in a purely Oriental Group of this island?"...."if more traffic comes from the vegetarian groups, should I blog about fish or meat?".... Now that the "kumrar mishtanno utsab" is over, I can feel thankful .... oh! I could get out of all these, my home will not be in a mess henceforth! 

Cristine returns tomorrow.... I am happy, she may not be.... her father is unwell. The husband called me a self-centric because I got angry when Cristine asked for the extension of leave till today... he spent extra amount of dollars to get her tickets changed. What he does not see is that I cleaned Cristine's room so that she does not have to! I have cleaned every corner of this home so that she does not feel over burdened all of a sudden. Look what I got in her room.... It feels good to see that she reads whatever it is even after or in between her busy schedule.... I felt happy.... will definitely ask her... does she want me to buy any specific genre for her or she may select from ours' too!

I remember, few years back I gifted a story book to a little girl of this island, looking at her mother's facial expression I decided I will never ever take a book to that home.... better I gift dresses and make-up boxes.... Everyone need not be a book lover but reading is a habit which is to be respected! It is always up to the respective parents what they want their kids to be! Then the husband says "do not force your likes on others S"...... I listen to that these days so much so that I mingle only with those who satisfy my tastebud.... and strictly so.... a vice-versa is welcome! Yesterday's lunch date was extremely satisfying with whom I could discuss socio-politico-religious issues on a lighter tone .... who was it I cannot say but the "makki di roti, sarson wali saag, malai chicken tikka" were awesome.... the masala chai & phirni is not in the picture. If anyone of this island is reading this, I would always recommend the eatery "Mustard" near Tekka Centre... I love their kebabs... never undercooked!

I do love Northern Indian saag preparations, I did get fresh bunch of "shorshe shaak" yesterday... Instead of "pata bata", I am thinking of doing it with some "cream-shim"..... Leave that, after that lunch.... I had to have a "jilipi" in the evening .... my secret gateway to happiness....

Since I went to the Indian wet market, I bought "sheem, desher fulkopi, rui maach, ilish"..... "uff jompesh Bangali ranna hobey aaj o kaal".... From next week, I will start my shopping for the family in India.... as long the little brother gets them, he does not have a problem with didibhai cooking prawns, crab whatever! As I always say that CURRY AND SPICE is not solely a family affair.... though it is largely meant to be a space for sharing family recipes.... LAU CHINGRI is one such. Question is how can the husband, Old Dr.Chang or his son tolerate me after looking at my food intake. The husband has a reason may be.... the wife packed his lunch box with "luchi o dhoney phoron diye aloo chocchori".... do not expect anything more.... for that you have to go to my friends.... my life is miserable without Cristine!

I do not hesitate to applause the qualities people possess in public.... if only I think it is so.... I do not fear loosing followers... I do not have decent body parts to flaunt and get some either, man... jealousy?... you can say! "maago jilipi... tui porer jonmey amar dharey kachey jodi ashish".... What they say is true.... "being tactful" is not my cuppa... Like, I will not hesitate a bit to say that in a group, I like the smile of that guy with a bulging out stomach... haha... keep it going.... your types really maintain the balance of this world. On my next birth if I can avoid "jilipi & patha"..... I will definitely try to "attract" happening guys be it at 15 or at 50.... Till then let me live my life... Old Dr. Chang's son Dr.Vincent would always think I am in depression.... How much I say I am that way, smile does not come naturally to me unless it is an "ilish, patha" or these giant mangoes & tangerines... he has to ask me in each visit. These mangoes supplied from Australia really taste near to our Himsagar... During this time of the year, I wait for this super sweet tangerine... that comes either from China or ... or... or... forgot... haha.... I wish to forget many a things.... A dementia patient becomes too dependant, else I would not mind to be one ... absolute peace that is!

In our home, LAU CHINGRI is done without using any spice paste. If the bottle gourd / lau is young and fresh, the prawns too.... you do not need to.... the chopped fresh coriander does the work. Earlier, I used to love "maacher matha diye lau ghonto".... these days I cannot have big fish heads of rui-katla unless the mother cooks it in Kolkata.... I am also waiting to visit the husband's maternal uncles' family.... my favourite "boro mami" stays there... love her "bhanga chora shukto" and "aloo diye murgir patla jhol".... Daughter of a fish seller, she did not even complete her schooling but stays with her daughter-in-law under one roof.... happily! I love spending a day there.... so much of warmth I can feel. If you can touch my soul, I am readily at your feet..... I do not wish to be protocol bound! 

Anyway, the morons at this home eat vegetables which has meat and prawns thrown in to in good amount.... So, the not at all tactful woman learnt to play tricks in her kitchen.... meat stews, tahiri with vegetables and chicken or gajar-beans-motorshuti-maach polao keep happening! How much of "shorshe shaak" I use for "cream da saag".... I did feel happy when the son wasted rice with palak dal yesterday.... ask me why? Half of the rice mumma served with "deboned ilish bhaja o tel".... that he ate all.... haha! "jee chota maat karo"... you bet they will eat that "creamy sarson saag" when served with "porota".... If you want Southern India on my boys' plates... ok when they visit you serve them spicy, baked batang steaks, meat stuffed dosa or idli, egg stew with appam, deep fried pomfret... haha.... but this blog is not entirely for my boys either.... so there will be "chalkumror pur bhaja" soon! This "love for Bong" have cost me likes, followers or readers... do I care? This blog is a space for me to unwind.... I am stubborn... and only kiss what I can respect or at times do not do that either!

INGREDIENTS :

LAU / BOTTLEGOURD : 1STANDARD SIZED
PRAWN : 250-300GM MEDIUM SIZED [FRESH]
CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER : 3-4TBSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
CUMIN SEEDS OR NIGELLA SEED : 1/4TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2HALVED
BAYLEAF : 1
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP + 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 5-6TBSP [I USE MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

De vein the prawns, wash them thoroughly. I always recommend to keep the head of them unless your kid is a moron as mine.

Apply some salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder to them and rub well. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Remove the skin of the bottle gourd, discard the two ends.

Cut into 4 halves, wash thoroughly.

Now shred each piece in a grater. Try to buy young bottle gourds always.

Apply little salt and 1/4tsp of turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok, discard the marinade and lightly fry the prawns. Take them out to be used later.

Temper the oil with the cumin or nigella seeds, bayleaf and halved dry red chillies.

Add the shredded bottle gourd along with marinade. Fold in well and cover cook at  lowest heat for 12-14 minutes. Check in between.

A lot of water will release. Once the water is almost dry, add the fried prawns and slitted green chillies, 1/3rd of the washed & chopped fresh coriander.

Fold in well and gently stir for a while till the water dries up and the content turns a little brown.

Add the rest of the chopped fresh coriander now and gently mix.

We enjoyed it with "bhaat, patla murgir jhol, mulo shaak bhaja, mulo diye bhaja moong er dal."