MAJHI MOLLAR DER MOTO KOREY ILISH

I am starting late today, have so much work thereafter. Because of Cristine I can sit for 3-4 hours at one place, write recipes each day of week before Durga Pujo every year. I spend maximum from my pocket on this week every year, I changed dish rack yesterday, if only I had kitchen of my choice. I cannot be too coercive though I am asking man to rent home in border area, pay less for bigger space. Commuting is not an issue in this island. What he says is I would feel lonelier in quiet suburb once son leaves home next year. We are not in position to get spendthrift, this is concern I think we would want to share with parents with similar situation; how to manage huge educational expenditure in Bahargaon's dollar per year for quite sometime.... I turn to husband, ask if we are able to shoulder this huge responsibility..... there is no turning back now, universities are chosen, junior most  at home is all set for his second attempt @ SAT to better score a bit, I can see one track determination leading to one particular country, as parents it is our sacred duty to help him fulfil his dream. If a mother of our times could save every coin, denounce luxury in her prime years to bring up her cubs, I have to sacrifice buying sarees in bulk from next year. Today, when this lady says "Soma, I have told my family I will fly only Emirates to see them'; I giggle sitting on her living room couch, say"besh koren, you have right!" Had it been in other homes, you would have seen me lying on couch, ask"aaj ki radhley, chuna maacher chocchori?" With this particular home there never developed strong personal connection, I went back there  after quite few decades in my "sole will" to stay connected without any major self interest.... okay? What if I ask her to do some renovation? "I will help you look it like Kaifi Azmi's home as I saw few decades back in Sananda's page .... shall I ask our Nirmal Halder do required touch ups, ask Asian Paints for paint?  Then my friends can supply hand made props for home decor.... your centre table is not meant for 'elomelo chorano jinish'.... a succulent planter suits there. When everything shall be done, I will gift you a big peace lily in a 'paan er dabor shaped big petoler patro'.... 

I continue,"You will get busy, content growing your own kitchen garden that you will not get time to sit, wait for calls from distant land few times each day, you are gifted with two balconies..... understand that life is more difficult, challenging for us."My son will not even entertain my frequent calls or add me in his social media accounts I know. I wanted just this little amount of active interest from my in-laws, they would not have to stay in a sickening environment with caregivers, nurse, cook, help. Whenever I cook anything desi, specially Bengali style curries, vegetables, I feel bad for my family back in India, I get little chance to cook, feed them often on my stay in Kolkata, neither wish to go back soon.... in that case our son cannot fulfil his dream, husband's parents would die without proper health care. Even in cheapest Kolkata suburbs, 100Rs. has no value. Let us accept truth, share recipe of this light Hilsa / Ilish curry / jhol on occasion of Pujo. I am sorry, I have lost a particular Bangladeshi video that inspired me to try this curry. Later I could not find it, forgot keywords I used. What I can remember it was something like adding spiced water to wok, then switch on gas oven, simmer curry at lowest heat, adding marinated fish pieces, simmer it further. This one is my take on Bengal's queen of all fish hilsa / ilish based on memory of that video..... MAJHI MOLLAR DER MOTO KOREY ILISH.

I wished to go ahead with mutton share today, changed my decision an hour back. The brother is in Thailand, he should get either a chicken or fish share from me. I make it a point to make his life hell with messages like "samudrey shatar katbi na", "du peg er beshi drink korbi na"..... I have similar notes for few other brother likes.... "go back to the place where you get a fairer justice to education you received, you can listen to"apna Manoj Kumar post 65"..... some other should not have gone to "kolkobjer line"..... by now his family could have owned a chain store similar to Cottage Emporium or Fab India, create jobs for the needy like lady at Anjali Jewellers. I love her designs but husband prefers PC Chandra, Mustafa Centre. He asked me yesterday to get something, he would pay. This guy is clever, accompanying me means there is possibility of me crossing upper threshold. I go to child section, buy myself gold lites..... A middle class cannot wear Southern Indian jewelry unless you wish to be called "kaan kata tyapa-tepir maa", have earned good amount of lottery or from "Kaun Banega Karorepati." The husband has no interest in ethnicity. He never utter a word praising beautiful decor of his sister's home, I am like"tor ooi recliner sofa bhenge dutukro korey debo. Bossy ekta empty space de, ami ektu nijer moto korey shajai". Stop saying always in front of my little brother... boutakey feley byaratey chole gelo?" My brother has not grown up, he thinks B over does to be good in public eye, gets fame sidelining him. Leave all that, I have decided to let us have some non-vegetarian fish share like this one MAJHI MOLLAR DER MOTO KOREY ILISH today, we can go for meat shares thereafter. I have in offer a "shukto, dal, bhindi+kumro bhaja" for the non fish lovers.

INGREDIENTS :

HILSA / ILISH : 8-10PIECES [I would always suggest one with over a kilogram of weight]
GREEN CHILLI PASTE : 3-4TBSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP + 1/2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2TBSP [I used mustard oil]

PROCEDURE : 

You see I could not take luxury to fry"lyaza, gharer piece ta, choto koler piece ta" this time.... My family cannot have all pleasures at a time. They cannot have good amount of prawns, mutton, grilled chicken, bigger hilsa all in one week, I had to do some rationing.... bought an ilish little less than a kilogram of weight this time.

Ask your fish vendor not to make too thin pieces, the steaks should be little thicker.

Wash them thoroughly, drain excess water. Marinate nicely with little salt, 1/2tsp of turmeric powder. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Prepare a mixture of a small bowl of water, cumin powder, green chilli paste, 1/2tsp turmeric, salt as required.

Heat "karahi", add spiced water.

Add 11/2 coffee mug of water to wok, cover, simmer curry at lowest heat for 6-8 minutes. Add more water if required, little at a time.

When curry has boiled for more than 8-9 minutes, add fish pieces, slitted green chillies. Cover cook again for 5-6 minutes.

Transfer carefully to serving bowl, garnish with 2tbsp of oil [mustard oil for Bengalis].

Where is "dhoya otha bhaater thala?"

ANAROSHER HALWA

I find Halwa the quickest dessert one can prepare, it can be made in a jiffy. I believe non-Bengali speaking Indians, its immediate neighbours prepare halwa way better than Bengalis. At least I find their's tastier than our's. There is no such trick or expertise in it, that measurement of half-n-half ghee & semolina or flour is what makes difference. What I can say on behalf of Bengalis is that we are not in habit of using gallons of ghee unless we are cooking a pulao..... we usually use ghee as condiment to go with rice or garnish dish. I really wish to prepare ghee at home the way our mother used to do / does. Why not? The daddy had to have milk all day, that unhealthy over boiled creamy, warm milk post dinner. So, storing "shor" that is milk cream was not a problem for our mother. I don't know reason but she used to do it only in winter. Oh my! A week long of stored milk cream gave only 100-150ml of ghee / clarified butter. It was worth because you get pure, unadulterated, flavourful ghee that way. Some of my blogger friends have same recipe in their blog because it is traditional way of doing it. Here we get two varieties, one is priced at 10:90-11:90$ for a litre while the other costs around 21$ for a litre. You all know I am a miser, I go for less priced Britannia, Amul or Govardhan's cow ghee. I do not know why our parents were keen about feeding me "bhaisa dudh" / buffalo milk since birth, that is the main reason of me turning into an obese. Anyway, this vegan, sugar free, quick, easy, healthier dessert / sweet with gluten-free flours, tinned pineapple juice ANAROSHER HALWA  proves to be less guilty.

See, I cannot concentrate on going ahead with blog post on a Sunday, the senior keeps television  set switched on all day in highest volume. He keeps on switching between CNN & NETFLIX. I just got hooked to what this Senegalese Chef had to say.... how the not so affluent him managed a student visa to that "shob peyechir desh" and now serving Senegalese food to the "cheese & potato lovers." Thereafter these girls, I admire such enterprising girls.... nothing can deter them, see how confidently they speak. I like only those beautiful women who are not  bothered "only" of their "beautiful faces"..... they are confident they are way more qualitative than being just a face. Why only blame a girl, there are males whose obsession for a nicely curved face and body is such that they express it in their actions throughout their lives.

Why I watch these shows? Look I am having "muri-badam" makha.... I will hardly try a Senegalese dish leaving "shorshe bata diye data chocchori."

I will be me... cook, eat, share my no frill food pictures, recipes. I will strongly protest if anyone only  comment about my face.... I am not obsessed with that, never tried to woo males with my physicality.... that's something I never can do.... The day I started posting my natural self in public, I lost followers but that was good. The wrong types of messages I hate stopped coming in, while I know some people who enjoy those nonsense.... it's their personal choice.... However hugging-kissing scenes with people with no common interest is not my cuppa.... I don't mingle for personal interests. I do not fear "unfollows" because I know only the right kinds will stay by me.... thats a good feel. People should give me liberty to go ahead with my sarees & dresses at times if not often, people should know I idolise better qualities in people like some special skills, their knowledge about literature, art, architecture, science, photography.... only face irritates me [jealous? nay]. I do make it a point to stand by "some" of those who are still obsessed with a "specially designed face"..... know  that I cannot avoid it .... but I do not wish to be in that league who worship "faces". I have to square up now, it's a Sunday, Cristine already went off. You know I am not the kind who can tolerate crumbled bed spread until late morning, I come from a family to whom "bashi ghar, bashi bichana" cleaning within a particular time period every morning is sacred job. Cristine however cleans beds and go. The husband will not take me to buy a single piece of jewelry on this last Sunday before Pujo, so late afternoon I will stroll in local mall, have "black coffee and Taro Pie"at Burger King, I prefer their's more than Mac's..... I love a Buskin Robbins & "Khogen Das" too, only when Husband treats me with. As of now, let me share this homemade, less guilt dessert garnished with almond, pistachio ANAROSHER HALWA.

INGREDIENTS :

GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR : 1SMALL TEA CUP

CRUSHED RIPE PINEAPPLE : 1OO ML [I used tinned]
SUGAR : 1 TBSP [The tinned fruit has sugar]
GREEN CARDAMOM POD : 2-3
BAY LEAF : 1
OIL : 1 TBSP + 2 TSP
CHOPPED ALMOND, PISTACHIO TO GARNISH

PROCEDURE :

Halwa making is pleasure. We love. The son doesn't enjoy but eats when it's made with fruits. So I do.

Warm oil in  wok. Temper with torn cardamom pods, bay leaf.

Add gluten-free flour, keep roasting for 7-8 minutes. Caramelise sugar, add to wok. Mix well.

Add the tinned pineapple with sugar syrup. Keep stirring for 3-4 minutes.

Add 2 tsp oil, roasted dry fruits & nuts, fold in well! Enjoy having warm!

MOJADER DIM ALOOR PUR BHORA PRATA

That made good dinner for us yesterday. After short outdoor walk, I was cooking all day which would not have been possible without Cristine. While I was on my walk, she had cut vegetables, boiled dal I was to take for an elderly being. I cooked them. The elderly host in that home treated me with variety of snacks which included "Kumror Dhoka Bhaja & Goan Gulgule".... in fact I informed that person it is Goan Gulgule some of my friends have blogged about. A warm hug made me feel good, I repeat, company of elderly beings make me feel good unless they keep talking about "rog, bhog, ashukh, bishukh".... that irritates me because my "funda" is kind of "ignore your pain, live your life till your last day".... People should have at least one area of interest, some do not have any.... on which topic we can talk for sometime. 

One cannot mingle with people who do not have any common interest, say cooking, reading, walking! I will be cooking hilsa curry tomorrow, mutton too.... carry them for someone next week.... that is another company I enjoy.... such meetings do not come with burden of discussing people, their homes or similar non-enrichment talks.... I look forward for them. As of today, let us share recipe of what we ate last night, something with heavenly combination of eggs, potatoes, non-vegetarian main MOJADER DIM ALOOR PUR BHORA PRATA served with sauces, plain yogurt! There are even salad sauces!

I am bit tensed today because after sharing these stuffed flat bread recipe with combination of whole wheat, refined flour, potato, eggs, I have to get on with an experimental sweet.... if I am successful, you get it on Bijoya Doshomi, else I have to think of something else before pujo sets in. I have a busy next week, have to colour my hair, get my nails pedicured, manicured, share few more recipes for my readers than I usually do in a week. I am too poor with time management. I am still a learner while doing stuffed breads but I find out easier ways for them because my family loves them. This stuffing does not require any cooking, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, coarsely ground fresh black pepper, some chopped coriander worked wonderfully. Potato & Egg mash Mixed Flour Breads MOJADER DIM ALOOR PUR BHORA PRATA will not look as good as Meryl Streep.... they look more like me but my kinds are useful in a household.... we are not that "a beautiful piece in showcase material".... but it is for our kinds husbands do not have to think beyond their office.... the only problem is we do not contribute to family's finances! See, this morning, leftovers from yesterday night was made into "kochuri".... Cristine arranged everything, I only fried them!

INGREDIENTS : [FOR STUFFING]

BOILED EGG : 4-5

BOILED POTATO : 2BIG

CHOPPED ONION : 2TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2-3TBSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

LEMON JUICE : 4-5TBSP

OIL : 1TBSP [I USED OLIVE OIL]

INGREDIENTS : [FOR FLAT BREAD DOUGH]

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR : 1 COFFE MUG

REFINED FLOUR : 11/2 COFFEE MUG

OIL : 2TBSP

SALT : 2-3PINCH

THE FINAL STAGE :

THE EGG POTATO MASH

THE FLOUR DOUGH

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER OR OIL : 1TSP FOR EACH STUFFED FLAT BREAD

PROCEDURE :

Let us prepare dough first. Take refined & whole wheat flours, oil, salt in wide mouthed bowl. Mix well. Add water [if possible warm] little by little, knead to get dough. It will be smooth, not soft. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

We will boil eggs, peeled, washed potatoes on stove top adding enough water!

Once done, we will switch off gas stove, let cool. Then, we would peel boiled potatoes, wash, take in bowl. Mash after adding salt, coarsely ground black pepper, pre-washed chopped onion, coriander leaves.

Add de-shelled, washed boiled eggs. To it, add lemon juice, lightly mix together with potato mash.

Tear portions from dough as required for flat breads, smoothen in between palms. Dust base, balls both with flour, roll out round bread shapes.

Fill in with boiled egg + potato mash.

Fold in, press tight edges to avoid spilling while frying. Dry roast in hot tawa / griddle. Cook both sides well.

Add 1tsp ghee to hot tawa / griddle. Cook both sides well. Hold each one with a tongs to cook all sides evenly.

Serve fresh, hot with choice of sauces, pickle, yogurt!

TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRAR ROSHA

Any day Kankra / Crab is more of a favourite to me than prawns, I find it's flesh sweeter, juicier, tastier. Back in Kolkata it is seasonal, it is less priced than prawns. Here in this island city, we get the freshest produce, in a wide  variety of range and it is as pricy as prawns. The bigger it's size, the pricier it is. What I do is I buy medium sized, too small crabs do not taste good... where is the flesh? For the big ones, we go to the sea side restaurants to have that particular, island famous "black pepper crab".... chilli crab seems to me a bit sweeter, do not like the use of cornflour in it. I enjoy crab with "mantou buns".... I love them and wish to kiss those palms who can make it. At home, crab curries like this  non vegetarian seafood TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRER ROSHA always goes with steamed rice. 

Going out has lessened with time. When we were young and the husband used to sail for months, we used to hunt the Kolkata restaurants too often whenever he was in town, we even had yum "missi roti" at Teej during the mourning period after his paternal grandmother's demise, so outgoing we used to be. Just forgetting the name of the Japanese restaurant we used to hunt located between Lindsay Street and Park Street. We do not even know if they are still there or not, Amber used to serve so good kebabs... have these old charms given way to the new? Like, last December we found Magnolia too crowded and worn out, not worthy to spend some time. A bit of the old world charm should stay for people like us who enjoy them. Just as our visiting friend last Saturday was telling they will be travelling to Spain during Diwali and he is not so willing to, he loves nature. I told him he will love Toledo if they are going there. They are avid travellers, was saying they so loved Antarctica, there are some spots there where you feel you are not in this world. I could connect to him because I love nature, absolutely do not like visiting cities! 

I so loved Australia's country side and yes, Amsterdam..... you do not need a boost from a senior Bacchan & Rekha Ganesan to romanticise with the place.... it itself provides you that..... few years back when he got a job offer there, I was all game for it.... the suburb neighbourhoods are etherial. I told him how beautiful it would be to open an "shoraikhana" [inn] there in the countryside, I will cook, you will manage the accounts, we would have a help. His reaction was instant, "wife, those romantic classic reads have spoiled your system since school." I said "do not book stupid holidays for me "4nights, 5days package in starlit Hong Kong".... waste of money. Let us drive to a country side of our neighbouring country for a week. He retaliates, "do you tell your readers that picturesque villages have to have a resort with a personal sauna?" Its never like that, I want a tiled, squeaky clean toilet, there cannot be a single spot on the bed spread, I would just puke.

Okay, we do bond over a simple, Bengali style seafood curry TOMATO ALOO DIYE KAKRER ROSHA. The thing is the son would not eat unless mumma gets rid of the shells and serves him only the flesh. I find it difficult, what will he do in a different land.... would he take the effort to learn cooking all by himself or destroy his system eating outside day and night.... that is my concern. His father left home at age 20, but he never had to think about making his own food, they had a moving pantry with surplus food, his mother had a very active, engaging social life that made her less bothered. I know people here who give big talks in public.... do they have any hidden guilt deep inside so they use hurtful words against others? I know well some who used to leave / still do leave their young kids alone at home to build their own social life, gather news .... sweet and sour. May be so their kids got self sufficient and mine cannot prepare a cup of tea..... but I still cannot think to prioritise my interest over my kid's.... in the first place we should not have given birth then. I excuse this kind of people who unnecessary hurt others in public tactfully leaving some who they will always hug and kiss.....  thinking they might have some major problem in their own lives, their upbringing might had got something amiss, they might not have learnt or being taught compassion? It is very wrong to instigate someone against their spouse for one's self interest, never we should speak about other's household in their absence.... 

I just cannot get along for long with anyone if I get to know that such kinds just gather news and keep spreading it here and there. I feel bad too that one wrong quality kills so many good qualities in people. I have no quality in me but I do not back bite, I never.... What is the point of frequent visits to the temples if you talk behind someone's back? You have not taken the basic lessons from the Gita, Quran or Bible then. So, I find myself safe in the company of either the elderlies or the youngsters.... Help the kids prioritise the need of the hour, stop misleading them.

I was in such a good mood yesterday that I ate sweets liberally, will not do this blunder everyday but could not resist tasting the CARAMEL CUSTARD that I prepared yesterday evening and updated the pictures of the particular blog post.

INGREDIENTS :

MEDIUM SIZED CRAB : 800GM-1KG [GET IT CUT & CLEANED FROM YOUR VENDOR]
POTATO : 1BIG
TOMATO : 1BIG
ONION : 1BIG
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP + 1/2TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
FENUGREEK SEED : 1/4TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
LEMON JUICE : 1TBSP
OIL : 5-6TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I always buy crabs from those vendors who cut and clean for us, else it gets very tough for Cristine and I cannot.

At home, we wash the pieces thoroughly under running water and then soak them in hot water for an hour. I do this exercise because I am scared of seafood.... any wrong on our part can cause severe stomach ailments.

Actually this recipe is of our mother's. She used to cook prawns with it, I have a blog post about it.

Let us drain the water after an hour, marinate the crab pieces with salt and 1/2tsp turmeric. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Peel and wash the potatoes. Cube them and marinate with 1/2tsp of turmeric and little salt. 

Wash and chop the tomatoes. Peel, wash and slice the onions.

Prepare a spice paste mixing 1/2tsp turmeric + 2tsp cumin powder + 1tsp coriander powder + 2tsp red chilli powder + little salt + 2tbsp water.

Heat oil in a wok and fry the potatoes till light brown. Take out. Now fry the crab pieces discarding the marinade. 

Temper the oil with the fenugreek seeds and the bay leaf, once it gives out an aroma, add the sliced onions. Fry them until brown and then add the spice mixture. Stir fry at low heat for 2 minutes. Now add 11/2 coffee mugs of water.

Bring the gravy to boil. Add the fried potatoes and simmer at low for a minute or two. Now let us add the fried crab pieces and some slitted green chillies [I forgot].

Let it simmer at the lowest heat, covered for 3-4 minutes. Add the lemon juice and we are done.

We also had "borboti, aloo, kanchakolar jhol" and "kalojeerey, tezpata, shukno lanka phoron mushurir dal" and a basic salad on that day to go with the steamed rice.

DOI CURRY PATA MURGI

Do you remember I have already blogged about the rice main dish MIXED NUT AND DRIED VEGETABLE TOMATO RICE with which I served this simply made chicken dish DOI CURRY PATA MURGI with? For some reason or the other, blogging about this yummy non vegetarian meat side did not happen or was I waiting for the eve of Durga Puja? Whatever, we do not eat "ghaspus" during our biggest festival. I told you several time that my parental home is kind of peculiar who have vegetarian food all the three main days of the Durga Puja, does a "jatra with puti maach" on the Dashomi morning and then gets home fish. Us siblings rebelled and ate non vegetarian food outside or at the maternal grandparent's home so long we had spent our entire puja vacation there. I have seen the best "Rajbari & Bonedi Barir Pujo" in my life. 

A kind of severe nostalgia is taking me down the memory lane all the time. Our friend from Mumbai who visited us last night was telling that whenever you feel low, just think how wonderful it is to live, to be able to breathe till date. He told there is nothing called meditation as such, it is just spending some time each day with one self in silence, then one day you reach a point where you can set your life free. I was so enjoying his talks. He and my husband are childhood buddies, eventually his wife too became so dear in her own right. All of them three so differ on their take on life but they bond over certain things. Where do I stand in between them, I keep learning and taking ideas  from the better people. Because I lack patience, I so fail to apply them in a real life scenario. None of us siblings are go getter achievers. I had so many dreams surrounding him, he took no initiative to fulfil them. A class would have only one topper, the rest have to sweat to get the coveted bejewelled chair, no point standing at one place and stagnate. When you feel "I am happy with where I am, I need not work anymore to be better," you are dead actually. Hope the son gives me some reason to live, hope the immensely hard working husband get some rest sooner.... though I do not wish to go and stay in Kolkata any sooner... I wish to praise it from at far.

I am not really too keen on going on and on today as I usually do. I am still soaking in the "adda-shadda" fervour of yesterday, the friend's pranks on my husband is what lifts up my spirits, I join in and ask him how to extract the "mejaj" from my husband's body, I ask every wise person about it. I think my father-in-law roams around with the same question, but I lack his wisdom, patience and that "I keep my entire being at your feet my loving spouse" kind of attitude. So, I ignore the worse in him that is by inheritance and live my life my way, God after all has given me a genuine being to live with who also have accepted me with all my flaws. This particular friend keeps on telling me "the person is genuine." I am like "tui chartey iyarki-moja korey beriye jabi, ami to shara jibon dhorey jhelchi".... its tough man, admit it. So, I went to sleep around 12:15 am earlier today not because I was feeling sleepy, then why? If I do not take leave, how will they start with their kind of discussions.... we must respect relationships, their individual spaces..... "who means how much to whom?" to understand this is important. Like which event is more important to a hardcore Bengali like me at this moment? The answer is one shot.... Durga Puja! Durga Puja is equal to good food and for Bengalis festive food cannot be vegetarian unless the fascists around forces it on us sooner. I do not know if a gun is targetted me at a point blank range, what I would sing.... "ulto shur?" Anyway, if you want to avoid outside food during the festive season just for hygiene concerns, you can prepare this wholesome meal platter  with DOI CURRY PATA MURGI & MIXED NUT AND DRIED VEGETABLE TOMATO RICE, a salad on the side completes it. You can see I have used very less amount of ingredients while cooking this chicken curry in only 2-3tbsp of oil. What is more important to me while cooking chicken or mutton is marinating the meat for quite sometime and then slow cooking it over a longer period.

INGREDIENTS : 

CHICKEN : 1KG [MEDIUM CUT]
CURRY LEAF : 20-25, A HANDFUL OF
PLAIN YOGURT : 1SMALL SIZED TEA CUP
ONION : 1BIG
GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
GINGER PASTE : 1TSP
GARLIC PASTE : 11/2TBSP
GARAM MASALA : 1TSP
LEMON JUICE : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1TSP [FRESH & COARSELY GROUND
OIL : 2-3TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash the chicken thoroughly and drain the water. Marinate with little salt and 2tbsp of lemon juice for 1/2 an hour.

In the grinder add the washed curry leaves and green chillies.

Blend it to a smooth paste. Open cover and add the onion pieces that we get from peeling, washing and cutting the large onion. I also added the ginger + garlic paste that I had prepared earlier.

Blend it to a paste and pour it over the chicken.

Add the beaten yogurt, oil, crushed black pepper and the garam masala powder. Mix in very well. Marinate for 45 minutes to 1/2 an hour.

Now heat the wok and add the chicken along with the marinade.

Cover cook at the lowest heat checking in between. Below are  the different stages of it's cooking.

Once it has dried, we will add a coffee mug of warm water. Let it boil uncovered for 5-6 minutes at low heat. 

It takes 35-40 minutes of cooking and we are done. Serve hot with any variety of rice, for my kinds steamed rice is best paired with it.

SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA

This was on my mind for quite sometime now, I am really into planning healthier meals for myself and the family without compromising with our taste buds. Yesterday afternoon, I felt let us do it. It went through some trial and error and finally landed into this. I / we love malpua, the son would love if it is not too brown. The son enjoys soft, fairer malpuas with brown edges. I was wanting a malpua like something without letting in gallons of oil or ghee. I again got home a soyabean oil yesterday. Cristine says, "ma'am... olive oil, ghee & mustard oil" combination is not workable at this home.... we need to get a canola or sunflower or a blend every month, limit olive oil to salad dressings, mustard oil to pure Bengali cooking and ghee exclusively for "luchi, porota and rokomari mishti o pithe." I complied to that and this sugar free, gluten free, vegan pitha [pithe is steamed or fried savoury or sweet dumplings and cakes] happened that too each in few drops of oil. May be few days of practice would have got me and you a perfectly round shape of these snacks but they tasted so perfect that I had to share the recipe with you, the other day I read how diabetes is creeping into our homes at an alarming rate. 

I will not call this power breakfast with Barnyard Millet & Banana SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA a pancake. The word pancake smells so "egg-y" to me. When new to this island, I did get readymade pancake mix home but then the husband and the son refused to have heavy breakfasts before going out. The man used to love Swiss Alpen, that too I stopped getting because I hate to waste. Only a packet of cornflakes comes monthly for our boy. I do not think cornflakes have anything good to do in an Indian body, it is processed after all.... but the son enjoys it back from the school on certain days. I love muesli without adding milk but with plain yogurt, oh no! my sugar level reaches new heights if I have it. Hence, I need umpteen meal ideas less in sugar for me and my family.

Take a look at the pictures. I have packed their lunch boxes with an egg fried rice I had prepared because Cristine tends to add excess of the soy sauce. On the days when they take sandwiches and pasta, I take leave from preparing for their lunch boxes as Cristine makes them pretty well. What went to the snack boxes you can see; self made gluten free, sugar free "pithas"..... samo rice / Barnyard Millet power snacks SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA and fruits of their / our choice pears and grapes.

What I prepare for them has to come to my plate if only I enjoy it. I really enjoyed the "pitha" with coffee and you know that egg fried rice is a regular at this home.... if for dinner then roasted chicken or a baked fish goes with it. The senior's cuppa will never have anything with it. He says a good cup of tea should never have anything with it.... milk, sugar, biscuits, cake... nothing but only the flavour. The tea connoisseur that he is, he wants yet more good quality and variety of them but I stick to Twinings, else I cannot buy that tiny pair of gold "jhumka" I had been eyeing at which he never pays for. The fight continues "boss dena, tor cheler bou er jonyoi to shob, ami kodin aar porbo"..... He to me, "khali dhop, amar cheler bou oshob porbeo na, gold is bad investment." Me to him... "shon shey to shoshurer shamney half pant porey ghurey byarabey, beshi jabona bujhli... bechey thakley oshob dekhteo hobey, meney niteyo hobey.... sareegulo amar kothai jabey ki jani.... jodi Bangali ranna khete dakey kokhono taholey jabo.... chingri diye je sudhu malaikari noy, laupatai moshola aar chingri mekhe, tarpor murey tawai ghonta khanek epith opith korley darun lagey eta ami morley o janbeyo na." 

Come on, I will be a nice maa-in-law too, good enough to admit to her "shono meye, app byaparta ami akhono bujhina.... tomra dujon ki sundor alochona koro..... tomar buro, pyangla, har bojjat shoshur moshai amai meney niyechilo, shob chelera mantey parey na"..... I often indulge into such conversations sitting alone, as some of my friends say that my husband will prove to be a wonderful, indulgent paa-in-law. I totally believe it because I have witnessed my own father's behaviour towards his wife and that towards his daughter-in-law. Perhaps so he died a king. 

I sincerely hope our son's wife would suit herself with the world and will not lag behind like me. Somedays, she may wish to take a look at my blog, say no to store bought pancake mix and prepare this perfectly healthy, gluten free, vegan pitha for "her family." When she wishes for a "maacher jhol, mochar ghonto or even kola patai mora steamed murgir kima", she definitely can invite me.... I will not shy away from asking her.... "app maney ki, balance sheet ki korey banai? mathai dhokena boley chakri korai holona. Shobai ki kobider moto nijer iccher dash hotey parey? naki amar hariye jaoa shei bondhur moto colleger shiritey boshey boltey parey "shon Soma, chakri ami korbona, amar onnyo swapno. To bujhley bouma, ooi shopnalu, dagor chokher bondhur barir letter box e karor ekta prempotro feley eshechilam.... jiboneyo bolbo na patriti ke, manusher bhabke shanman kortey shikhbey bujhecho?" 

In fulfilling your dreams, you may have to bypass and shelve many a things.... certain principles, beliefs, faith, dear people.... no problem, one should not stop them standing midway.... I wonder if someone has remembered his beloved "DSOr didir" address or not, why some  are still scared of my very shadow .... but it is okay man, each one has the right to shape one's life, just as I do not allow anyone to come in between me, my couch, my day dreaming sitting there or at long walks. As long as the writer and singer community have something for me to live, I get through every damn odd feelings.... "monkharap, golai kachtai kichu atkey achey? no problem... money money Shantiniketan choley jao.... onar paaye lutiye poro, bolo apni bolechilen ami harbo na kichutei, else switch on to KennyG"..... they do not know each other but they have similar effect on me..... peace and only peace they have to offer. Readers do you know I am a "dukkhobilashi" since birth?... Do not take me seriously.... follow my blog, cook & eat my recipes, they are good.

Photo Updated on 21.02.2024

INGREDIENTS :

COOKED BARNYARD MILLET / SHAMA CHAL / SAMO RICE : 1 COFFEE MUG

BANANA : 3-4 SMALL SIZED OR 2 STANDARD SIZED

STEVIA POWDER : 1/2 MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP [YOU CAN USE SUGAR OF THE SAME AMOUNT]

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPERCORN : 1/2 TSP

FENNEL SEED : 1TSP

RICE FLOUR : 2 TBSP

OIL : 2-3 DROPS FOR EACH + 1TBSP FOR THE BATTER

USE A BIT OF WATER IN THE BATTER IF ONLY REQUIRED

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the barnyard millets in enough water, then cook for 10 minutes. Let cool and prepare a paste of them.

Wash peel and mash the bananas. Beat together the pasted same rice, rice-flour, cornflour, mashed bananas, stevia or sugar, fennel seeds, crushed black peppercorns, 1tbsp of oil. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.

Place a wok on the gas stove, add the mixture and keep stirring continuously for 10-12 minutes, until it reaches a halwa like consistency. Take down and let it cool.

Heat a tawa / pan / griddle on the gas stove. Grease you palms with a little of oil & prepare pancake shapes from the mixture, brush the pan with just a drop or two of oil and place the cake. Cook both the sides well, covered at the minimal heat until the tops are slightly crisp.

Try to enjoy them fresh & hot with your favourite beverages.