Until yesterday morning, I knew I will blog about a mutton dish which is long due... I sincerely thought of blogging about some mutton & fish dishes this week.... Then, destiny has never cared for human desires and plans ... it enjoys the ultimate pleasure of free thinking while writing our future. The reason why the senior at this home do not plan much ahead except for doing some good savings for our future. I feel even an atheist like my husband cannot bypass something called destiny. The morning started off well when I expressed my desire to accompany the men to the junior's fencing class... I wished to witness his progress and also drive back home. I think my driving license is getting to be useless... I never can manoeuvre alone... one who sits beside to navigate will definitely find it stressful & boring at one point. I am so averse to technology that I am hating to operate the husband's new muse ....
I hate anything that requires my brain to work. Specially, if you are living in a nation where a bus stop or an MRT station is at your doorstep, a minimart & a food court every 100 metres, you need not take such headaches. With that stress working on me yesterday, I again fell ill when the news of the death of a family member arrived while I was still driving. The death is age related, but when it concerns your own.... any death is considered untimely. The eldest of the husband's maternal uncle died earlier yesterday and I am still gathering enough courage to call my favourite "boromami".... The couple with about 15-20 years of age gap were mentally close to each other.... I know how boromami will miss "aww Kalyani" now onwards. It was this couple who had shown much love to the newly wed bride... that is my self some 21 years back and say in public that I am too soft natured to sustain the temperament of his sister, that I need a separate home for myself. Their youngest sister does not understand or know every human has something called self respect & privacy, that one needs to respect boundaries ... she definitely is broken today! In such a scenario, it is not possible to go ahead with a mutton share.... LEBUPATA DIYE KANCHA BIULI O MUCHMUCHE ALOOBHAJA is the need of the hour.
The bereaved family I am talking of eats 4-5 kinds of fritters with "dal, aloosheddo, shosha-tomato-peyaz kuchi" for their dinner.... I and the husband's sister used to yearn for that kind of dinner & wished to be present at that home every night. You see, in a big joint family depending solely on a not at all flourishing business, it is not possible to have fish & meat at every meal of the day. I keep telling everyone around that my tastebud is turning to that of the family veterans... a "kancha tel diye sheemsheddo, dal" with a "maach bhaja" or omelette can be my most loved dinner these days.... I definitely cannot have a big bowl of mac-n-cheese anymore... however, a chilled salad with pasta is welcome if not always but weekly once. Yes, I have inherited the tastebud of the family veterans although I keep shouting at the mother... "chele-meyeke koley niye dol diley tara konodin social responsibility nitey shekhena, ami shikhechi shoshurbari theke".... she makes an issue out of everything when it concerns her son & daughter... I just told her that I have developed a pain on the left side of my neck to half of the back.... that she had to relay to the entire family tree. The brother was asking me about my health yesterday, I scolded him on his repulsion towards taking any social responsibility.... on his wrong take on life limiting his care & love to his parents, sister-her immediate family, wife obviously.... good that mutton is not going up today.... but how can I deny that we both demanded a platter like this LEBUPATA DIYE KANCHA BIULI O MUCHMUCHE ALOOBHAJA every Thursday... the darkest day of the week for the two youngsters being an all vegetarian day!
I thought of a "dhonepata bata sheem" today .... that also can wait for a week like mutton... someone inside whispered not to go spicy at the moment. The youngsters are my preferred choice.... with age, we start developing complications. Like, I hear there is some buzz doing the rounds that we still do not have our own home in the island while my cousin 10-15 years younger than me... Arushi Sen, got their new, spacious home in Massachusetts may be... I do not take any interest in the geography of that big country.... She is my sister and we will not be jealous of her... just wondering why those living in a "andhakup" do not consider the differential situation in the two countries... one is vast with open lands to offer at decent prices... while this is the world's most expensive island whose recent rules limit the buying power of the foreigners... we are not a big business house! Hopefully, my sister does not have a problem with us living in a 1150sq.ft. of a rented space. Since I am one T's wife of 21 years, I will not be jealous of her, although I do have the wish to own a home here!
What is it like to be T's wife and HKD's daughter? I have never seen my father complaining or taking a dig at anyone or not been able to be happy to see anyone else's happiness or doing negative criticism .... As of T.... that one liner works... "S, I married you because I found you different than the usual".... that this home will not discuss people or poke their nose in other homes! His influence does work on me, more so as I am aging... the wisdom that I have gathered tries to keep my mother in track and tell her straight on face that keep other's kids in your heart too.... I doubt if the rest of my gang of siblings does this exercise or not. Anyway, I will keep myself above all these pettiness and share a Bengali style combo meal for my readers and friends. This may not be authentic... this particular potato fry is made popular by the Bengali "nemontonno baris".... so the credit goes to the caterers...
Urad / Biulir Dal is common among us.... although considered as the "edeshio der dal".... it had been popular in my side of the very "Bangal" family.... I remember a little girl having a soul satisfying meal with "mash kolai er dal & dim bhora koi".... served in a 'kolai or kansharer er thala".... since I do not get my kind of fish here... fresh & jumping jack kinds... I savour them in Instagram streams and cook "kopipata bata" for myself to have instead of an omelette. The "muchmuche aloo bhaja" can be had as an accompaniment with your evening boozes. It can be done in bulk and stored in containers for a week. The combo meal of potato fries and the light urad dal goes well with rice, it is a tribute to the departed soul of the husband's eldest maternal uncle.... our "boromamu".... the elderly ladies of his home cut potatoes into this thin strips with a "boti" while Cristine used a shredder to get it ready for me. We can have it everyday but I love getting clicked, so I should be able to fit within a frame.
The only technique we should follow while deep frying the shredded potato is constantly separating them stirring well. We also must take them off in time without waiting for them to turn brown... better do not call or receive any phone while at work. I made it clear to people about my apathy towards long chats over phone or WhatsApp..... I think it is my dislike to discuss people and the lethargy to hold the phone without a genuine reason that is at work here. I do not even entertain the mother who does try to tell which corner of her steps did 'Shiprer Maa' forget to mop and how her world came crashing down at this error caused by the later.... who is working at my parental home for 18 years... do not know how! Let the mother continue to crib inspite of living a very good life, while I insist that Bengalis have their dal / lentil curry soupy at home and enjoy the thick, creamy, buttery or spicy dal in the restaurant.
I still have some funda to give to some, read it at the end ! In all probability, I can read some of your minds to some extent.
INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE LIGHT URAD DAL]
BIULI / URAD DAL : 1SMALL TEACUP
LEMON LEAF : 3-4
LEMON : 2-3 [ SLICED ROUND]
GREEN CHILLI : 2[SLITTED]
RED CHILLI : 2
CUMIN SEED : 2-3PINCH
FENNEL SEED : 1/2TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1TBSP [I USED MUSTARD OIL]
INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE CRISPY POTATO FRY]
POTATO : 2-3 BIG SIZED
SALT : AS REQUIRED
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
RAW PEANUT : 1TBSP [WITH SKIN ACTUALLY]
CURRY LEAF : 10-12
OIL : TO DEEP FRY [RESERVE THE EXCESS FOR 1 MORE USE BUT]
PROCEDURE :
Let us prepare the Lentil Curry first.
Wash and soak the dal in hot water for an hour. I wished for a a light, soupy texture, so boiled it in a heavy bottomed vessel for 1/2 an hour adding 2-3 coffee mugs of water, salt & little turmeric.
Heat the oil in a wok, temper it with a bayleaf, cumin & fennel seeds, dry red chillies.
Add the boiled urad dal, to it 2 coffee mugs of water.
Increase the heat to medium and let it come to boil.
Once it has boiled for 3-4 minutes, add the washed slitted green chillies and the lemon leaves.
Boil it for 2 minutes more. Take down and pour it on a serving bowl. Garnish with the ghee and lemon slices.
I was off dal for a day and something got amiss... I cannot think of a keto diet which otherwise works.
For the Crispy Potato Fries, this is what we do!
Some in the family cut the potato this thin with a "boti".... I have never learnt to use it. Cristine shredded it for me in a manual shredder. Usually she does it in general. Since I have decided to blog on it... I did it... more so because a single dark brown one will jeopardise my plans, I will lose temper and throw tantrums at the girl, what I blog on should be cooked by me.
Wash the potato after peeling. Shred to thin strips and wash again. Soak for 1/2 an hour dipped in slightly salted water.
Drain the water, add little turmeric & salt.
Heat the oil, switch off gas. Add and fry the washed & dried curry leaves for a nano second?... no 20 seconds may be. Take out.
Switch on gas, once hot do fry the raw peanuts... I did not have the on skin ones. Take out after 1/2 a minute or one.
Squeeze and discard the marinade totally. Take little amount of the shredded potato and add to the oil. It should be able to play around in the oil and we have to facilitate it stirring and separating the strips continuously all through.
Just when they start to get golden brown & crisp, take them out. I cannot give you the time taken.... We will wear progressive glasses and also be able to see when it is to be taken out.
This remains crisp for days even after refrigerating sans the nuts may be. you can do it in bulk and store.
Yes, I wish to prepare and supply "bori, achar, aloo bhaja" islandwide... would have done it if we have relocated back in India... but I enjoy the NRI life... can sacrifice it only in case of Mumbai.... that is when the husband says that you revelled at the Water Kingdom in Borivli when you did not see Sentosa. I cannot get you a home in Bandra, neither can go and live in Virar... same living cost with lesser amount of salary. "apna island is the best ama".... You see I speak my mind... not the kind who regret some decisions and start the slogan "mera gaon mera desh".... if the dollar you have earned does not tally with the rupee you are earning now or the position is not that great to compensate the lack of the green notes .... stay with the dollars until your retirement... I can see your regret and feel sorry about it... have your favourite meal with me... and fly high wherever it is possible... there is no wrong in it, you can still wear a Bengali heart.
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