MOCHA CHINGRI

This was what I cooked yesterday night. Of all the unhealthy habits this family practice, one is eating our dinner late. When the people here finish off with their dinner, I have my evening tea session. Yesterday morning I felt I will go ahead with an authentic Bengali recipe with prawns, declared my wish asap in public. I had few pictures ready but looking at them I felt it is incomplete. I am not keeping well, caught with severe cough & cold, sore throat, so I had to go to the doctor, back home I had to take out the mother to get some gifts for the very few friends she has in Barrackpore and all of a sudden I was unwilling to share the previous pictures.

Once declared, I will not step back, we had to prepare our dinner too. Why not do a MOCHA CHINGRI, an authentic Bengali non vegetarian side dish?, the heart whispered. Then how? It was 12:30 pm and we have only two Southern Indian minimarts in the neighbourhood who do not stock mocha / banana blossom all the time. I was hell bound to prepare it. Who came to my rescue? Cristine! She has no problem to go out for shopping as many times she needs to, do not ever take a dig at her intentions... she is different than the usual, perhaps lost interest in human anatomy repeatedly measuring her maam's tummy, arms, thighs. She first went to the local minimarts who did not have banana blossom. She came back home, before going out with the mother, I requested her to finish off with the daily chores and the lunch that dimma prepared for the grandson and Cristine; then take the train to the Indian market to get it. I had to ask her to chop them, boil, the rest to be done by me because I had to be out. She did as per my instructions, clicked with her phone and sent me in WhatsApp too.

I cannot be pretentious ever, I cannot take undue credits, I had to say this, but the rest of the main cooking was done by me 7pm onwards. I cannot let the mother cook, I have to take credit of the final dish is true, then she has come here not to work, she does that in her own home. She is underweight, I am letting her to cook only for the grandson. She watches Bengali tele serials, live shows and cricket, goes out with me, chats with Cristine in broken English, in all praises of Cristine. I need to wrap up soon today, a friend is due to visit in the evening to meet the mother, I wish to prepare "cholar dal, chicken kofta curry, luchi" for her. What I wished to tell you is that both my men love prawn, they eat vegetable dishes that have prawns in it.... the son ate all of the MOCHA CHINGRI, the non vegetarian side dish I served him yesterday night for dinner. There may not be anyone left in the family after me to cook heirloom, Bengali dishes, let me cherish and treasure such moments.

INGREDIENTS :

MOCHA / BANANA BLOSSOM : 1BIG OR 2 SMALLER SIZED
PRAWN / CHINGRI : 500GM SMALLER OR MEDIUM SIZED
CHOPPED COCONUT : 1 OR 2 TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 2-3 
GINGER PASTE : 1TBSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
CINNAMON POWDER : 1/2TSP
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/4TSP
CLOVE POWDER : 2 TO 3 PINCH
DRY RED CHILLI : 2
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
BAYLEAF : 1
SUGAR : 2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
GHEE : 2TBSP
OIL : 2-3TBSP [WE USE MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

The first step is to rub your palms with oil, take off each layer of the cover, tear off the blossoms.

Then from each flower, take off the transparent case and the hardest stigma.

Store them in a water filled bowl.

At one point we cannot take off the cover, we will chop it too along with the flowers after washing them. Our mother used to slice the inner most part and batter fry for us to have with dal.

We will chop and keep them in a water filled bowl, then strain.

Now we will transfer it to a pressure cooker, add 2 coffee mugs of water, some salt and 1/2tsp turmeric powder. We will pressure cook it unto 3-4 whistles at the lowest heat.

On cooling, we will strain it and squeeze, rub for a minute[chotkabo ek du minute]. Remember to rub the palms with oil.

We will clean, wash and marinate the prawns with some salt and turmeric for 5 minutes. We will fry them at low heat and take out.

We will temper the remaining oil with cumin seeds, bayleaf and dry red chillies. We will add the chopped coconut now and stir fry for 2 minutes. 

We have also prepared a paste with the cumin+coriander+red chilli +turmeric powders+salt+ginger paste+2tbsp water!

We will add the ginger paste now and stir for 2 minutes.

We will add the red chilli and cumin powders now and stir for 1/2 a minute.

We will add the boiled mocha / banana blossom, slitted green chillies now and fold in well.

We will add some water, fold in well and cover cook at low heat for 10-12 minutes checking in between.

We will open cover, add the cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves powders, prawns and fold in well. Cover cook again for 6-7 minutes.

Open cover, add the ghee and sugar, fold in well and continuously stir cook for 2-3 minutes at medium heat.

We have it with rice always! You can try with chapati too! What you see alongside are chicken, raw papaya & potato curry, sesame paste-broccoli!

YEAST FREE MILK BREAD O MUTTON FAT GHUGNI

Yeast is no more that unfriendly towards me but I am more comfortable doing cake like breads, a similar batter sans the sugar factor. I am going low on sugar these days, had a jilipi / jalebi last Saturday and counting when again can have it. Anyway, the sweet shops here cannot prepare that jilipi we grew up eating, quality is not a problem but the lack of expertise is. Some of the Indian restaurants here do prepare class jalebi but one needs to buy a kilogram or if you are dining there should order a plate. That is not possible, I get 3-4 from the retail shops... 2-3 goes to the son, I have one.... Cristine is a Filipino after all, she cannot go to that extreme of starting to love a jalebi, the husband does not eat jilipi / amriti, give him bowls of gulab jamun, I prefer a "pantua with elach dana inside". 

If I wish to prepare something that the family would fancy, then this combo bread & meat dish YEAST FREE MILK BREAD O MUTTON FAT GHUGNI can be considered one of the most loved lunch or dinner plate in this family. We get mutton fat here in this island at a minimal price, most of the people unlike me are health conscious. Here the fat comes with bits of meat pieces. The primary idea was to prepare a "pathar chorbi diye ghugni" so popular in Kolkata / Bengal. The KABLI CHOLAR KEEMA GHUGNI is already there in the blog done with garbanzo beans and minced chicken. However, Bengal does it's "ghugni" with dried yellow peas / holud motor in general. This time I used the dried yellow peas, that amount of mutton is not required but I did in bulk to eat for 2-3 days, we love such dishes as a family. 

I remember I cooked the non-vegetarian meat delight on a Saturday. We did not eat it on the day, we had it on Sunday during lunch, thereafter for 2-3 alternative days. Sundays are off days for Cristine, I however enjoy baking on a Sunday morning, not a complicated yeast bread but something easier.... so instead of a "luchi-porota", the main that went with the mutton fat and dried yellow peas sides was a freshly made yeast free bread. I remember I had spread some butter on the bread and served it. The next morning I had to have a piece with my morning tea. The reason is evident in the above pictures, I had the mutton fat & yellow peas curry with brown rice and "lau er chokla boti" on a Sunday afternoon and also on a Tuesday afternoon with "ruti o dhyarosh bhaja".

You know now why I cannot slim down even after a regular swim and an average of 7-8-10 km walks once or twice a week. A proper diet matters, then my life is a mess, an unplanned nuisance, yours' should not be.

That was yesterday evening, I had to have  two Karachi Bakery plain cookies with chilled Olong tea and a rice meal thereafter.... no one can save me. You guys better try my recipe of a combo meal YEAST FREE MILK BREAD O MUTTON FAT GHUGNI on a relaxing weekend.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE YEAST FREE BREAD :

REFINED FLOUR : 1COFFEE MUG
BAKING SODA : 1/4 TSP
BAKING POWDER : 1 TSP
BOILED, COOLED, SLIGHTLY THICKENED MILK : 1COFFEE MUG
VINEGAR : 1 TBSP
VANILLA ESSENCE : 1TSP
SUGAR : 1TBSP
SALT : 1/2TSP
OIL : 1SMALL TEA CUP

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MUTTON FAT & DRIED YELLOW PEAS GHUGNI :

MUTTON FAT : 100-200 GM
DRIED YELLOW PEAS / HOLUD MOTOR : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLICED ONION : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
GARLIC PASTE : 2TBSP
GINGER PASTE : 1TBSP
CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP + 1/2TSP
CORIANDER SEED : 1/2TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 4-5

CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 ONE INCH STICK

GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4

CLOVE : 3-4
BAYLEAF : 1-2

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 3-4 TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 3-4 TBSP


PROCEDURE :

Let us prepare the bread first.

Take the refined flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda in a bowl and mix well. Sieving is a better idea.

In a blender, take the milk, vinegar, oil and blend at high for 2 minutes pausing in between. Pour it onto the flour mix!

I added the vanilla essence too and mix well. 

I poured the batter in a container, brushed the top with milk & oil.

I preheated my mini toaster oven at 180*C for 10 minutes.

I placed the batter filled bowl inside and baked at 180*C for 40-45 minutes. I got this, not a professional bread but a good one.

Now let us prepare the Mutton Fat & Dried Yellow Peas Ghugni.

Wash and marinate the mutton fat with 1/2 of the lemon juice!

We have soaked the yellow peas overnight in water, say for 8-10 hours. We will drain the water, wash them and add to the pressure cooker along with 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt, 2 coffee mugs of water. 

We will pressure cook it at the lowest heat up to 2 whistles. We will let it cool.

We will then heat the oil in a wok and temper it with 1/4tsp cumin seeds, bay leaves and the cinnamon sticks+green cardamoms+cloves.

We will give a stir and add the pre-washed  sliced onions.

We will fry till the onions turn brown and add the ginger & garlic paste, 1/2tsp turmeric and some salt. We will stir it for 2 minutes or so.

Now we will add the mutton fat with the marinade and fold in well, then put the heat at the lowest and cover.

Now in another burner, heat a clean wok and dry roast 1/2tsp of cumin seeds & coriander seeds and 2-3 dry red chillies for 2-3 minutes. Grind them to a coarse powder in a blender.

We will check the meat every 3-4 minutes. After about 25-30 minutes, we will add the boiled dried yellow peas to the meat and the pre-washed slitted green chillies.

We will fold in well, cook at the lowest heat covered for another 12-15 minutes. If required add a cup of hot water.

Add the lemon juice and the coarsely ground spices, take down.

The combo is best enjoyed with some salad!

                     

PUI PATAR BORA

This batter fried Bengali snacker with Malabar spinach was part of a combined post I did in June, 2016, it named PAKORA / TELEBHAJA / FRIES N FRITTERS. I felt let me make a separate post of them all in due course. Fries and Fritters can be made an everyday affair at this home, I get to see my boy's ever smiling face, the husband would love to eat but would not eat more than one or two pieces, I can eat all of the pieces above at one go. Then, there are health issues that all of us are concerned of, aware of or say scared of these days. If I go back to my childhood, our mother too did not allow fries and fritters every day how much we would demand. Pakora / Bhaja Bhuji was an once a week affair. Thursday was / is an all vegetarian day in our parental home and my brother would have his meal at home on this particular day of the week if only he is served fries and fritters with his rice meals. All of us in the family in fact crave for fries and fritters, but I think 90% of the human race has turned a bit of health conscious, the percentage of that consciousness varies. Like my family cannot have vegan or vegetarian food at all times. We are those Indians or South Asians who cannot survive on salads and soups, quinoa and oats alone. One of my very trusted friend of 35 years asked me for some quinoa recipes yesterday. I told her the truth that I have not tasted it yet, not really too keen on. In this regard, I believe in Rujuta Diwekar who says that our bodies are used to food that we grew up eating. I do not follow some famous pages does not mean I do not follow their precious words. I somehow have found that their pages are just a medium of game play, a communicative agent.... what they gift us on print is real. Anyway, my men have not touched oats till date, I usually add a table spoon or two to my smoothies two -three-four times a week. What is not happening in my life is a routined, healthy diet plan. Last week when I prepared this vegetarian pakora / fry / fritter with malabar spinach PUI PATAR BORA , I had 3-4 of them. I could not resist, although I know that resistance power gift you a healthier you.

Pui Shaak / Malabar Spinach is a regular in Bengali households. Unaware of its history of inclusion in Bengali Cuisine, what I can say is that we prepare a couple of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes with it. The yesteryear Bengali households hardly had to buy this perennial vine, it used to grow even in a small patch of soil amidst a concrete home.... just plant it where there is a chance for it to soak in a bit of sunlight. Thereafter what do you get? A fast growing vine which you need to cut from the top and cook.... after few days you would see it shining with growing leaves and red stems again. What I am doing now? Writing a post on this vegetarian light snack / batter fry and pestering the mother to grow some vegetables besides the flowers in her terrace once back home. My paternal family has a "nasty" habit of cutting down trees.... they have cut down fruit bearing papaya, guava, one mango, coconut trees citing a silly reason that people steal them. Come on, even I steal on my walks. I requested her to grow bitter gourd, malabar spinach, cauliflower, pumpkin plant, coriander, papaya, egg plant, green chilli, tomato, okra these few things in their terrace instead of flowers in the coming season. They already have lemon and a few variety of permanent flowering plants from where she gets her regular supply of flowers required for her Gods & Goddesses, for the elderly deceased in the family. Our mother is a very energetic person, her fear of that extra sweat required to grow vegetables seems ridiculous  to me. Last year she did not keep my request, let me see now. 

I have this love for fruit and vegetable gardens may be because my childhood was spent at the maternal grand parents' home, may be because most of my relatives have had big gardens in their homes, may be because we visited acres of occupied area of gardens for our annual family picnics. Unfortunately, we spent 19 precious years in a two roomed rented space in a horrendous locality, so our mother was not allowed to plant even a bitter gourd sapling by the house owner. I never could understand this stand of our father, a bank manager did not require this level of misery.... he had the ability to raise the standard of living a bit, he should have. We still much like DumDum unlike some of my friends, the entire locality is not bad ..... would have shifted by now if only the brother's wife had any interest. She definitely would want to shift near her relatives, I however do not find that entire belt of Beleghata to Park Circus to Sealdah at all praiseworthy. The girls should realise that their parents require a homely, Bengali neighbourhood in the few remaining years of their lives. Our mother says if its a landed property between Chiriamore and Nager Bazaar, even in the by lanes of  Paikpara or Sinthi More, she would agree to sell off her Barrackpore property. Had that been the reality, you would have seen me being stationed there on each of my visit, roaming care free, getting home cooked food without sweating, visiting my property for only cleaning services and a 2-3 days of stay may be. They perhaps do not want my intrusion, hence prefers a Barrackpore. Anyway, what I loved whilst my stay in Nadia, DumDum or Barrackpore, I still love and do, even my not so much of a Bengali men enjoy a batter fried vegetarian fritter with malabar spinach PUI PATAR BORA.  There are a couple of healthy vegetarian recipes with malabar spinach among the Bengalis, today I wished to share this unhealthy but a sweet sin.

INGREDIENTS : 

MALABAR SPINACH LEAF / PUI PATA :15-20 [use the bigger variety with red stem]

Gram Flour : 1/ 2 small tea cup
Rice Flour : 1 small cup
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Green Chilli : 2-3[chopped, optional]
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 1tsp
Nigella Seeds[kalonji / kalo jeera] : 1/2tsp [optional]
Oil : Enough To Deep Fry


PROCEDURE :

Okay, we will wash each leaf under running water thoroughly, worms do no good to our stomach. We will marinate the leaves with little salt and turmeric for about 5-7 minutes! 

Thereafter, we would add all the other ingredients to it except for the oil! We would mix well, add a little of water if required!

Heat the oil in a wok. Take small portions, flatten in the palm and gently place in the oil!

Fry them well in low heat, adjust the heat continuously!

Place it on to tissue papers before serving.

Have it as a snack with your tea, coffee, soft drinks or hard drinks or enjoy with a serving of dal & rice.

MUSHUR DAL ER BORI

I felt I have to share the recipe of this condiment today or never. There may not be any constructive reasons behind this thought, I am just that way.... whimsical... "uthlo bai Katak jai?" Although bori / dal vadi / sun dried lentil dumpling is considered a condiment among us, this particular variety that is done with red lentil / mushurir dal is had as a fritter. We usually have it with a serving of rice and dal. Using it as a condiment will not earn you a penalty either. This was the first time I tried my hands on a "bori with mushurir dal", the grand mother too did not do it ever, she did "BEULIR DAL ER BORI" only. The family says MUSHUR DAL ER BORI is an "edeshio" thing. Oh God! again that divide. I am not really interested but I will always call myself a "Bangal" and prepare any variety of  sun dried lentil dumpling as part of my "Bengali" identity. I may not be doing justice to some sharing this today but then there is a birthday of the people around every other day, I cannot get stuck in that, my wishes has to be fulfilled by me.... no one is going to feel it or respect it. 

Knowing the surrounding, I have learnt to lower my expectation level. It has shrunk to minimal. If I see anything around that does not suit my taste bud, I do not feel frustrated, I know now that the world is not my property but I reserve the right whether to accept it or not and do not miss a chance to prove my point in my own space. I really do not care who thinks what of me. So long I am not using you for a personal gain, I really do not care. In most cases, I give more than I take. If anyone of you have helped me in the journey, I have also shown allegiance to the extreme level without caring of the fact it may not prove beneficial to me. Now that every thing is being given and taken, I should be able to be myself, walk alone in the woods.... T should be there to find me out if I get lost. My men are not fond of bori / dal vadi / sun-dried lentil dumpling, that does not stop me from preparing them catering to my own satisfaction.

I actually had a pandan cake in hand, could be shared today.... may be at a later date? The family told they liked it. The son prefers plain cakes without any nuts or fruits in them, the grandmother says she too prefers a plain cake. I have photographed the cake which is simply done with few ingredients. I will share the recipe when I wish to. Mood Swing is a malice I live with. It feels happy when the family says my simple bakes are good, if not professional.

The lady at this home is fond of "toast biscuit".... in fact all the "lero varieties" of the Kolkata tea stalls, so it has to be in stock. I am frantically looking for the recipe of that particular "cha er dokan er kalojeerey deoa suji biskut".... yet to get in hand.... Google search is not much of a help in this matter, I must ask the Kolkata road side tea stall owners about the current source, oh! God I do not even get the time to visit the factory or bakery where it is made.... may be it is located in Howrah. Who told you my Kolkata visit means roaming around in the Quest Mall? I do not even visit those favourite  saree shops in Park Street fearing heavy investments. I prefer the Government Emporiums these days. There is nothing called "dedicated allegiance" these days, unless you are showing it to me. All fruits should be tasted at a price. Coming to the to be fried condiment MUSHUR DAL ER BORI, it requires two to three ingredients.... red lentil / mushurir dal, water and the required amount of salt..... okay, sunlight too.... a dry weather helps. A humid climate spoils them.... hence Bengal prepares it in winter. The concept of "shitkalin rod jorano chad" vanished from most of our lives does not mean I can be stopped from trying them. I am thankful to our island's "bori-achar" friendly weather. Oh! the mother is appreciative of our island, more of its healthy greens, I am not the one who will allow her to carry a single variety of seedling from here. Yes, the daughter is treating her with whatever she likes.... from taking her to greenery filled parks to a famous "kali" temple to a prawn-noodle soup counter. An average, elderly Bengali loses interest in meat gradually,  they did not grow up eating chicken so not fond of it, the ratio of wanting to have mutton compared to fish is 1: 4 and Bengal is used to having sweet water fish. So, I am preparing more number of vegetarian dishes. Come, let us enjoy doing the condiment together. I am in a good mood, the mother is appreciating my cooking, then we had another round of "pui patar bora" yesterday, I already have the recipe shared in the blog as part of a combined post, can we make a separate post sooner with the pictures I clicked yesterday night?

INGREDIENTS :

MASOOR / MUSHURI / RED LENTIL : 200-250GM [you can increase the amount for a bulk produce]

SALT : AS REQUIRED TO ADD TASTE

WATER : AS MUCH REQUIRED TO SOAK THE DAL

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the mushur / red lentil in enough water for 2 hours.

Drain the water, prepare a paste in the blender in batches. If required, sprinkle water a little doing the step. However, traditionally it is done with a slightly coarse paste.

Now comes the most crucial part of a bori / dal vadi making process. We need to beat it for a longer period, definitely not less than 1/2 an hour. If you have a Cristine, she will take the responsibility without a frown. If I did it for 10 minutes, she did it for double the time.

Add the salt before you start to beat. You will know your batter is ready when you pour a bit of it on a  bowlful of water and it floats, do not sink.

Now take clean trays or plates, preferably of steel. Spread a thin, cotton white cloth on them. I followed no rules and did casually. Usually, mushur daler bori is small in size, I lack artistry in me miserably, went my way. 

Now they require 15-20 days of drying in open. I thank our island not to put me under stress with regards to this.

After 5-6 days, they have just started to dry on the outside.

After 15 days I could manage them in one tray.

After few more days, the mother turned them over.

During the process, each night we will keep the trays on an open table and cover lightly allowing air to get in but not flies.

Once done, I store them in a jar and refrigerate for a safe consumption. In the yesteryears, how they preserved outside I do wonder, I am sure there are no preservatives being used in it ever.

Store bought ones can never give you the right taste, do try my recipe if you may.