I am starting so late today and I have so much work thereafter, only because of Cristine I can sit for 3-4 hours at one place and write recipes each day of the week before Pujo every year. I spend maximum from my pocket on this week every year, I changed the dish rack yesterday, if only I had a kitchen of my choice. I cannot be too coercive though I am asking the man to rent a home in the border area and pay less for a bigger and decent space. Commuting is not a problem in this island. What he says is that I would feel lonelier in a quiet suburb once the son leaves home next year. We are not in a position to get spendthrift, this is a concern I think we would want to share with the parents with a similar frame.... how to manage that huge educational expenditure in Bahargaon's dollar per year for quite sometime.... I turn to the husband and ask if we at all are able to shoulder this huge responsibility..... there is no turning back now, universities are chosen, the junior most at home is all set for his second attempt @ SAT to better the score a bit, I can see that 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 any luxury in her prime years to bring up her cubs, I have to sacrifice buying sarees in bulk from the next year. Today, when this lady says "Soma, I have told my family that I will fly only Emirates to see them'; I giggle sitting on her living room couch and say "besh koren, you have the right!" Had it been at other homes, you would have seen me lying on the couch and ask "aaj ki radhley, chuna maacher chocchori?" With this particular home there never developed a strong personal connection, I went back there after quite a 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 to do the required touch ups, ask Asian Paints for a colour? Then my friends can supply the 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 so busy and content growing your own kitchen garden that you will not get time to sit and wait for calls from a distant land few times each day, you are gifted with two balconies..... understand that life is more difficult and 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 nurse, aaya, cook, help today then. Whenever I cook anything desi, specially Bengali style curries and vegetables, I feel bad for my family back in India, I get very little chance to cook and feed them often on my stay in Kolkata, neither wish to go back any soon.... in that case our son cannot fulfil his dream and the husband's parents would die without proper health care. Even in the cheapest Kolkata suburbs, 100Rs. has no value. So, let us accept the truth and share the recipe of this light Hilsa / Ilish curry / jhol on the occasion of Pujo. I am sorry, I have lost that particular Bangladeshi video that inspired me to try this curry. Later I could not find it, forgot the keywords I used. What I can remember only that it was something like adding the spiced water to the wok, then switch on the gas oven and simmer the curry at the lowest heat, at one point adding the marinated fish pieces and simmering it further. This one is my take on a Bengali's queen of all fish hilsa / ilish based on a half lost memory of that video..... MAJHI MOLLAR DER MOTO KOREY ILISH.
I wished to go ahead with a mutton share today, changed my decision an hour back or so. The brother is travelling in Thailand and 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 the education you received, you can listen to "apna Manoj Kumar post 65"..... some other should not have gone to a "kolkobjer line"..... by now the family could have owned a chain store similar to a Cottage Emporium or Fab India and create jobs for some needy like the lady at Anjali Jewellers does. I so love her designs but the husband prefers PC Chandra or our very own M Centre. He asked me yesterday I can get something for myself, he would pay. This guy is very clever, accompanying me means there is a possibility of me crossing the upper threshold. I go to the child section and buy me gold lites..... A middle class cannot wear Southern Indian jewelry unless you wish to be called "kaan kata tyapa-tepir maa" or have earned a good amount in a lottery or "Kaun Banega Karorepati." The husband has no interest in ethnicity. He never utter a word praising the 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 and get more fame sidelining him. Leave all that, I have taken a decision that 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.
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 the luxury to fry the "lyaza, gharer piece ta, choto koler piece ta" this time.... My family cannot have all the pleasures at a time. They cannot have good amount of prawns, mutton, grilled chicken and bigger hilsa all in one week, I had to do some rationing.... bought an ilish a 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 and drain the excess water. Marinate nicely with little salt and 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 and salt as required.
Heat the "karahi" and add the spiced water.
Add 11/2 coffee mug of water to the wok, cover and simmer the curry at the lowest heat for 6-8 minutes. Add more water if required, little at a time.
When the curry has boiled for more that 8-9 minutes, add the fish pieces and slitted green chillies gently. Cover cook again for 5-6 minutes.
Transfer carefully to a serving bowl and garnish with 2tbsp of oil [mustard oil for a Bengali].
Where is the "dhoya otha bhaater thala?"
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