CURRY AND SPICE: ALOO DIYE BHAPA DIMER JHOL

There was homecoming yesterday evening, I prepared steamed egg curry that was hassle free, quick. The senior of the two men loves egg, son was getting what he loves for past few days.... he should be able to share an egg meal with babai, mumma was too full after an overdose of mutton biryani late afternoon. Mumma yet had two tablespoon of rice, egg curry, dal else all that extra amount of ghee will create trouble all night. The Bengalis love "Mughlai" food is true, the reason why their death due to heart diseases is on high. That Hindu Bengalis, Muslims mostly of South Asia in general love rich, unhealthy but tasty dishes is a truth, there need not be hue and cry about it, neither backlashes should be targetted at me.

Just yesterday, I was talking to my childhood buddy Tanushree who is far from maddening social media games, dislikes that I am being part of it. She says if social media robs of my natural self, if I cannot feel free, be myself there, I need not be there. I do treasure such friends who will not try to control my life ever, who will not expect me to be loyal to any one in particular ..... Tanushree is timid, soft spoken, meek more than I used to be, I keep her within warmth of my heart without feeling obligated.... we know we need not do hi-hello often, we still would remain friends forever. If you try to own me, I will get cold; if you ignore me I be hurt; I don't know what I want. Tanushree happens to be husband's classmate too with opposing character traits. Even we are opposing partners.... if you are honest to each other you can carry along an entire life together. There was time when me, Tanushree both were of same character traits.... less interested in studies, timid, quiet, Bollywood buffs.... she however unlike me was beauty of our times.... serene, known as Asha Parekh among us.... I have never seen her being proud of that. What you should know is that she is excellent in sewing, sewed maxi dresses for me when we were young, learnt quilting, now prepares bags.... I asked her to open a page, start her business ..... I think I have to open it for her.... she can always change password later. I am least qualitative among us friends but love cooking! I enjoyed cooking this non vegetarian egg meal ALOO DIYE BHAPA DIM ER JHOL , Dal, Bhindi Sheddo, Potato Fry, Rice for family, specially for husband who is back home after few days.

I think about Life, Death often.... when I cannot bear it anymore I go out for long walks. Like I have soft corner for Ipsita, wonder how she survived death of her both parents by age 11. I do not sit together often with her for few reasons... she is busy with her teaching job. Being neighbours, there can be misunderstandings .... she isn't social media buff ... I would maintain cordial relationship. When our father expired, I felt everything gets bearable with time, it may not be same forever.... my heart does feel for bachelors, widowers, divorcees.

Tanushree seemed too disturbed two-three months back.... she messaged me she lost her mother suddenly. Kakima [who you refer as aunty] was just back from "bahargaon" staying for months with son's family. Her first born, her daughter cleaned the flat where she used to live alone, she entered... next morning she fell sick, daughter saw her sweating profusely, on reaching nursing home she was declared dead. Think of this girl, she lost her father back in 2012, Semtemper, her husband stays in Kazakasthan, the brother in "bahargaon", son studies BBA in Vizag. I would call her strong, oh! unlike me, she is an excellent daughter-in-law who handled not one but three sets of in-laws and their kids since 1993.... they helped. Did they ever think or care Tanushree/Juna could be cloth designer if given chance?

I am a bad girl you know, I dislike her for one reason.... be good daughter-in-law, no issues, don't neglect the self; know one part of your heart remained empty.... you missed friends' gathering, you failed to experience a beauty called "friendship".... I cannot be this sacrificial, I must have my own life. This girl's boy will be going for MBA course next year and she would start living alone most of the time.... When our son was born, she visited us with their son and our another childhood buddy Chandreyee....The was only six, called my husband "mama" instantly without being tutored.... he plays good cricket at Hyderabad circuit I think but he has to be a MBA graduate you know... bye bye cricket.... I am pretty sure my brother would have been playing cricket in Bengal team by now if our parents could take risk. I have not met Tanushree's family except for her, her brother, mother after that accident / incident at the BBQ Nation restaurant, Sector 5, Kolkata.... I fell sick, one of her family member had to be admitted to the hospital, you remember? I remember disapproval in kakima's face watching me wear a three-quartered jeans and shirt. Her brother told, 'I miss the S di I knew".... I immediately said "Diu I am the same, trust me!" So, Tanushree loves wearing salwar suits, saree, never can go against wish of her dead parents, dead paa-in-law or her surviving family, she is timid.... not smart, up-to-date.

Wish our son had cousins! I often express it to T's father mostly because he speaks sense. He cannot be rare species of father-in-law like my father, it is also true that he sweated handling my son for long, I could not entrust the responsibility of our son to my father, if anyone came in between... he would sit to chaat forgetting toddler's meal time.... yet he was our son's "smiling buro"... son was visibly disturbed on his death news..... kids can feel love, good souls, pure hearts.

It is always better to cook, enjoy recipes I always share for you including this non vegetarian egg meal ALOO DIYE BHAPA DIM ER JHOL, egg, that man loves .... a severely underweight fella, who had strength, ability to sacrifice all his academic dreams, shoulder immense responsibilities. He may shout, a political brain unlike me, I may retaliate, fight but those who know him know he is an extremely honest, trusted, responsible person.

This isn't family recipe, I learnt about it from various Bengali Food Groups I had been in earlier, some of Bengali Bloggers may have this recipe but I have not consulted their recipe in recent years. The steaming part definitely can be done on stove top, I just do not have a square steel bowl, feared scratches on my cake tins.

INGREDIENTS :

EGG : 4-6
POTATO : 1BIG
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2TSP
CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2TBSP
SLICED ONION : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
GARLIC PASTE : 1TBSP
GINGER PASTE : 2TBSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
CINNAMON POWDER : 1/4TSP
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 2PINCH

CLOVE POWDER : A PINCH
CHAAT MASALA : 1TSP
CUMIN SEED : 2PINCH
BAY LEAF : 1
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1TSP [OPTIONAL]
OIL : 4TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I did entire cooking at low to minimal heat.

I am in habit of washing egg shells before using, we must.

Thereafter we have to break them, add 2 pinches of salt, turmeric, beat well.

Add chopped, washed green chilli + coriander leaves, beat well.

Add chaat masala, use whisk to beat well.

Pour into greased oven proof bowl.

Then I microwaved it at high for 5-6 minutes.

I gently placed egg mixture filled bowl atop water filled container, cover with microwave proof lid.

Once cool, I made pieces with knife & reserved those in a plate!

We have sliced peeled onion! We have peeled, washed potato; cubed; marinated with salt & turmeric!

We will fry them, take out after heating oil in wok!

We would temper remaining oil with cumin seeds & bay leaf!

We would add sliced onions, fry for 2 minutes. Thereafter, we would add ginger & garlic pastes, stir cook at low heat for 2 minutes, add cumin+coriander+red chilli+turmeric powders, bit of salt!

After stirring it for 2-3 minutes, add lightly fried potatoes.

After a minute, we added a coffee mug of water, waited to bring it to a boil.