TIL TOMATO MURGI

It was like other usual Sundays in our life yesterday except for cooking part. I do not wish to engage in kitchen on Sundays... not because I stopped loving to cook, the cleaning part I am scared of! My men are not kind who will eat leftover prasadam next day, who will make them believe how heavenly can be taste of "bashi khichuri".... Hence, cooked yesterday this non vegetarian meat dish TIL TOMATO MURGI, "Dhonepata Diye Mushurir Dal", "Sheem Aloo Diye Sultan Maacher Jhol"., "Dal".... 

This Sultan fish is good substitute for fresh, smaller or medium sized Rohu of Kolkata! It comes from neighbouring state... caught fresh & delivered! In fact, husband just started off for our neighbour but he is not the kind who will get his wife dozens of "hansher dim, fresh tyangra" from there!.... However, wife will hover around silly, negative thoughts for next four hours until he reaches hotel. He had thrown away my sedatives many springs back, did not allow to have them thereafter. There was a time when he had to take me to university for evening shift BeD classes as strong sedatives would not allow me to get down at right stop... Then he told "you are your best counsellor S".... I am putting through this message to few parents who I know are just spoiling a bright future... I hope they are reading this! 

Anyway, at this home people cause me irritation all the time.... I cannot retaliate in fear of neighbours, who may rush to our home anticipating a "marpit".... severe kind of chaos happening between tiger and deer.... thinking latter might  lay bleeding. Things are not that serious either... look at what I made him eat for dinner yesterday. He did not notify me earlier that he will be going on tour! I simply gave my dictate... you have to eat "patali gurer payesh, nelekata", "gulab jamun" I bought before you leave home. He would not eat khichuri, payesh and sweetmeats together. 

Our fight carries on over all these you see below.... I am totally against offering guests hard drinks during special prayers... neither do our friends want. Since, the nonbeliever accepts me performing rituals at this home, he makes it a point to have them saying if he does not stop me doing what I like, I should not too! I look at my brother to learn more of balancing act! You all should know by now that our mother did not raise "strong personalities".... as long as siblings get everything being done for us, we do not mind it either... haha! The world only belong to those who have a voice.... When this same world speaks against smoking, the man of this house gets new flavours... this one a cigarillo...

What else were you doing S, besides cooking, cleaning? Well, Cristine did tell me to keep cleaning part for her to come back, do. I could not, you cannot imagine how much of a back up she gives me on such days... she deserved that much needed Sunday break. I finally was done around 5 pm yesterday... wasn't willing to get it ordered from outside... the husband has to eat outside for 3 days now! 

Thereafter, I needed kind of coffee break, the way I like... I had it with a Japanese cake Sanak got for us, two ingredient bread I made with ice-cream and self rising flour.... you heard it right... I learnt it from Vijula Girish whose page Vijula's Kitchen has awesome baked recipes. I could have shared Vijula's page in public, before that I have to mention in public the names of at least 10-15 food bloggers for whom my blog is alive. Since, I am not a sincere observant or thinker, I refrain myself from all such activities. 

Where was I? Okay, white chocolate wrapped cake is not for me... son will love.. husband never has anything with tea... He does not run a kilometre but stopped having biscuits saying flavour of tea should be enjoyed alone.... sugar & milk makes tea flavoured milk drinks, not tea..... but that too is one opinion... there can be counter opinions. In between, I had my lunch around 3pm with "dal, shim aloo diye maacher jhol, TIL TOMATO MURGI".... The chicken curry was impromptu, tasted good.... fish curry and dal of course are authentic Bengali... 

Chicken lovers should not mind my dislike for it... I will always have a neck or small, boney piece! The rest Cristine will eat little and to my convenience... son will be immensely happy till tomorrow night to see mumma serving him chicken in almost all meals. The son took egg fried rice in his lunch box, mumma had to taste it early morning. At night yesterday, I should have skipped that paratha, why I had to eat it with "panchmeshali tarkari", nectarine I do not know. For lunch today, I will have "gota sheddo" that Ipsita has sent for me, fruit bowl with nectarine, oranges. How I wish to add some cream atop fruits, but will not! What is stopping me from starting with a decent diet plan? I know the reason... not feeling motivated enough.... I lost focus... but others should not! I find pleasure in food... a variety of... again... others should not!

I tread alone to no where,
You stop me.... despair...
A sudden Cyclone drops me...
... on chair... I rest my head on the T-able!
I eat...  for soul seek pleasure...
I pick myself up and walk ... in utter dismal
.... for I have never learnt to...
fill in, shut it ... forget!

Besides cooking, cleaning, eating.... I had to do some soul cleansing activity too before retiring for the day with loads of unnecessary carbs inside... the reason why I ask people not to follow my footsteps.... neither will I take any kind of lectures from anyone... on do's and don'ts...

Yes, I marinated chicken in tandoori masala, then slow cooked it in roasted sesame seeds and tomato paste.

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 1KG [MEDIUM CUT]
WHITE SESAME SEED : 1-11/2TBSP [ROASTED]
TOMATO : 2BIG
SLICED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
GINGER PASTE : 2TSP
GARLIC PASTE : 11/2TBSP
TANDOORI MASALA : 1TBSP
TURMERIC : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2-3TBSP [ADJUST YOURS]
CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 TWO INCH STICK
GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3
CLOVE : 3-4
STAR ANISE : 1
BAYLEAF : 1
LEMON JUICE : 3-4TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1/3SMALL TEA CUP

PROCEDURE :

Wash chicken pieces under running water. Drain all water, marinate with tandoori masala, turmeric powder, lemon juice, salt. Keep aside for an hour.

Dry roast white sesame seeds at low heat for a minute, take out... keep aside, let cool.

Chop tomatoes, slice peeled onion.... wash them.

Once cool... prepare paste with dry roasted sesame seeds, tomato.

Take ginger-garlic paste, salt as required, red chilli powder in a bowl, add 2tbsp water to it, mix well.

Heat oil in wok, temper with bay leaf, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, clove, star anise, stir.

Add sliced onions, fry until brown in low heat ... but not burnt.

Add ginger-garlic-red chilli powder mixture, fold in well. Stir for 2-3 minutes at low heat to remove raw smell.

Add white sesame seed, tomato paste now, keep stirring. This will take some time to get desired consistency..... say 5-7 minutes.

Add chicken pieces now, leaving marinade.

Fold in well, keep stirring at high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to minimal, add marinade. Fold in well.

Cover cook at minimal heat for 20-25 minutes stirring in between ... it should be done. If required add a cup of water while halfway done... its supposed to release water!

Have it with rice or flat / puffed breads.