SAGO MANGO KHEER

It was 18th December... 2018... morning time that I prepared this vegetarian dessert. It was that morning when I decided to blog on it as a CNY special dish.... Why not? Its an island favourite dessert. The thing is that when it is done in an Indian or Bengali kitchen, it does not remain that light textured, it gets creamier, richer in taste... I love it both ways. In fact, the family enjoyed it! Did I ever think that I will again allow "dudh shabu" in my life.... I never fed it to my toddler either. I do not remember my ordeal but of the siblings around having it while I was a school goer. It was 2010, October .... I landed here ... tasted SAGO MANGO KHEER in an official party with a skeptical mind.... lets see! I never thought I will love it so much. Bengali Grandmothers are / were a failure in this area.... had they have known how to prepare this particular dessert properly.... "jhinuk-bati" would not have been accused as an abettor to crime in a kids' court. Come to the present, what about the crimes I keep on committing when it comes to maintaining personal health. Below is the scenario this morning. The son's CNY Holidays start from today... he gets some 'koraishutir kochuri' for lunch. That is okay, why I had to ask Cristine, "dear make one single luchi for me, goes so perfect with my tea".... Yesterday night, I went out in a look out for green coffee beans, did not get locally and got home these buttery biscuits.... I cannot have the same kind every morning... I cannot let food be tagged boring at this home. BTW, some of my friends say that our Cristine has become a prized catch in this island... Isn't that true?

"Milind Soman does not eat biscuits".... remains a statement for me! We are not made for each other. I follow him in social media though! I have leaned more towards the protagonist in "The Labyrinth" who resembles yours truly S.... I was wondering whether the author Udayan Majumder got to know about me before sketching the main character of his novel or not.... haha! I softly scold the protagonist ... "stop being silly, face life... live it!".... just as Mrinalini's dadu says!... I have to read till the end to know why Mrinalini behaved so awkwardly with him.... reasons can be manifold but why? I got to be a slow reader, last week did no reading .... yesterday however was not willing to sleep without finishing but sleep did disturb me.... The husband scolds me always... "S why could not you differentiate between real & fantasy throughout your life? Why do you get deeply involved in something you need not.... learn to ignore, accept!"..... I stare at him with a blank eye for I do not know how to be otherwise! As Chandrayee always says " love yourself a bit, do not let anyone have too much control on you unless one has something to give you, bother about you".... Loving myself, I keep eating, wander alone, do a bit of cardio which is not enough, do get clicked.... waiting for the right moment to share few photographs.... do not feel like these days however....

Until few years back we used to go for a short holiday during this time to the neighbouring countries. Now, everything revolves around the son's schedule. On the two main days of CNY, he has volunteering duty at the most popular fire works show near the Marina Bay Sands. We got two free tickets for today as his parents... may not be going.... I wished to go when the son has duty. I think the organisers got this mother's pulse... haha! Had it been in Kolkata or India... I would have imagined of a chaos in the venue... and the son being caught in a stampede... etc. etc. As I have mentioned several times that I suffer from a condition somewhat similar to Thanatophobia... At a very young age, I felt that there is no point talking about your anguish... people do not have time... so I have hid many a thing deep inside... and smiled at life... I found a support system in the vast fraternity of Scottish Church College and thereafter in that school at Barasat where I worked for five long years... 

Now that I am gradually reconnecting with some of my former colleagues and few members of the management... all of a sudden, I find myself at Champadalir More walking towards the school and knowing the greens... "chalta gaach, mete aloo, arhar daler jhar".... Wasn't it Jharna di who cooked the best "oler data shorshe diye?"... When a Jharna Sarkar sends a message.... "S tokey dekhtey icchey korey".... My eyes get wet... I answer "amaro".... I do not interact much with them as it will cause me an emotional drain .... a Krishna Majumder... the mother of two girls whose home we hunted almost everyday... if you are going towards Bongaon in a train .... look at your left... just when the train passes "dui number[?] level crossing... the Guard House"... the first home with a big pond you see is of KM's as we called her... "S bhaat khabi... eei maach ta aaj bhorei pukur theke tola holo".... a Sen di... the veteran Bengali teacher was a look alike of that elderly lady in a Kerala Onam saree! My heart revolves around everything I came across... our picnic at Taki... with the erstwhile colleagues, sailing on a boat until we could see homes at the Jessore district, having our full Bengali lunch at the Government's guest house... naughty KM pointing at few couples and commenting they come for a day to such places... I even miss those family & friends' picnic from Sonarpur to Duttapukur, Habra everywhere... a lot more of the "misses" I do not have the liberty to disclose in details ... the reason is same... no one bothers.... 

So different is my vision of life, so silly is my soul that no one can be my soulmate... so I find a friend in that protagonist of "The Labyrinth" and we sing together "amar shokol rosher dhara tomatey aaj hok na hara".... or go to watch the very graceful "Shobhana's" performance... her eyes, long hair, saree... I die for..... then totally dive into Shirshendu's "love-dom".... my life saving drugs! All of you do have the right to live life your way, so do I .... I create my own preferred ambience! I am not a working woman, so I have ample time to cook besides indulging into and pampering my silliness! 

As I recreate the easy dish of SAGO MANGO KHEER in my kitchen, I indulge in another virtual conversation with a visiting guest family.... "what does your husband eat actually? Baked Salmon with a drizzle of English Mustard, Grilled Gobi or Beet Root & Mixed Nut Salad, or a Stuffed Pita Bread with Hummus, Multigrain Bread or an Eggfree Caramel Custard topped with Badam... Khubani?... I need to go through my friends' recipes for that!".... I feed their favourites, then sit with my meal... "oler dalna choto chingri diya, kurmurey aloo bhaja, dal, koromchar tok, kumro sheddo"... The food was not going so fast down the food pipe, but you know you are to maintain a decorum in public... Hey lady... what happens does happen for the good.... two aliens from two different planets hardly meet at any point in life!" A week of stay had to come to an end in seven minutes as the boiling milk may burn at the bottom. The boss of this house who promised to carry this burden as a dearest friend ..... was asked.... "Can I place my head on your lap and talk nonsense for a while?.... but you cannot ask me why.... in return I would serve you a chilled bowl of a vegetarian dessert SAGO MANGO KHEER ... too yum to say no!"

INGREDIENTS :

MILK : 1LITRE [I USE MARIGOLD]
SAGO : 1SMALL TEA CUP
SUGAR : 6-7 TBSP
GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3 [LIGHTLY CRUSHED]
BAYLEAF : 1 [OPTIONAL]
FRESH MANGO PASTE : 1SMALL TEA CUP
MANGO CUBES TO GARNISH

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the sago pearls with just enough water. Do not add too much of water. Soak it for an hour or so and drain the water.

We have already prepared a paste with the mango pulp of 2 standard sized mangoes.

We have put the milk for boil.

Once it comes to boil, we will keep stirring keeping the heat at medium to low. I fear  of burning at the bottom.

After 12-14 minutes the milk gets creamier, we will add the soaked & drained sago. Stir constantly for 5-7 minutes until the sago gets 80% cooked.

Add the sugar and crushed cardamoms, stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Add some milk if the kheer / pudding gets too thick.

Switch off gas and let cool. Add the mango paste and gently mix only when the kheer / pudding is completely cold.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving it chilled garnished with mango pulps.