BHINDI SHORSHE

I do it on a regular basis, I mean this kinds of Bengali vegetarian dishes, this particular photo feature was done last month. If today I do not share a pure Bengali recipe, then when? Two Bengal Kings reached soaring heights in their respective fields. I am too small to talk about them but I can always pay my tribute to the stalwarts here in this space. I find it very difficult to proceed with a blog post if the son is at home, the living room is barred from the beautiful morning sun ray and I am unable to take the noise that a television set imparts. It is not that he does not understand his mumma's needs, causing me irritation is a game he loves playing with me since childhood. My friends would always say he behaves normal in my absence. His indulgent father sees no fault in him ever and keeps on saying this is his way of expressing his love for me. I give in, I was not destined to live with normal humans.... all the trouble started with the husband's mother, then the husband, thereafter his son. However, the husband did change a bit when he came in touch with this girl, else it would have been impossible to spend over two decades with him. So, this husband and son do enjoy certain Bengali vegetarian dishes that I love too much like anything with "mocha, echor, dhyarosh, aloo, palong".... you see my men can have any vegetable if you prepare a "kofta, chop, porota" with them, but my ego, my love for our island or Bengal will not let me do that at least today.... let us have a vegetarian meal with rice, dal and BHINDI SHORSHE, a medley of spicy chilli+mustard paste and okra / dhyarosh / bhindi / lady's finger.... in whichever name you call it.... this home loves even boiled. Have it boiled every night to avoid constipation.

Be it the economist, recent nobel laureate Mr. Banerjee or the Bengal Tiger Cricketer Ganguly da, I feel too proud as a Bengali. Ganguly da hopefully eats BHINDI SHORSHE without adding mixed nuts to it at all times[given he belongs to a business tycoon family]. What is Mr.Banerjee's diet  like? I feel sorry that I do not have anything for "Myam Boudi" today, my friends should get something for her. Equally talented that she is, without her inspiration things may not have fallen in place. About Ganguly.... the Bengal Tiger, I liked him first when he defied his established family to marry Dona .... he was a budding cricketer then, when he shifted his daughter to Loreto House from The Heritage, when he acted a rebel at the gentleman's ground "Lords".... though I do not support shedding clothes in public. He is such a firm persona, worshipped cricket so much so that no one played dirty politics with him in his hay days, if I am not wrong. Like him, I also literally begged at the doors of Don Bosco & St. James for the son's admission after spending 65,000 rupees in a new age school back in 2005. I rever "aaitijyo" or the "dashotto" traits remained inside? Whatever, I enjoy both "pastries & ginger cookies" and "murki o doi" with my tea, the latter way more or say depending on my mood. 

I cannot retire today without paying my tribute to the "writer clan" who at all times will be revered by me for satisfying my literary cravings, the music clan of Bengal or of elsewhere who traverse the world heavily gifted with the blessings of the goddess of art & literature, the man of this house would get upset if I do not applause Mr.A.R. at regular intervals, he is such a gentleman. What else? I have to go out to repair the son's glasses. Life is not a glass walled green house, thought of shampooing my hair and now the son hands over his cracked nose guard .... excuse my horrifying language skills. Let us proceed with the easy, Bengali vegetarian recipe with details of how to keep the colour of the okra in tact even after cooking.

INGREDIENTS :

LADY'S FINGER / DHYAROSH : 250-300GM
BLACK MUSTARD SEED : 25GM [you can use yellow mustard]
GREEN CHILLI : 6-7 [choose yours]
GARLIC : 2CLOVES
BAKING POWDER : 2 PINCH [to retain the colour of the veggie]
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP + 1/2TSP
NIGELLA SEED : 1/4TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2[halved]
SALT : AS REQUIRED
WATER : AS REQUIRED
ICE CUBE : 2
OIL : 2-3TBSP [I use mustard]

PROCEDURE :

Take the okras in a colander and wash thoroughly. Drain the water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Cut the two ends and discard. Further cut into smaller but thick pieces as seen in the picture.

Rub with little salt and 1/2tsp turmeric powder. Keep aside for 20-25 minutes.

We had earlier soaked 25gm of black mustard seeds [yellow if you wish] in a bowl of water for an hour.

We will pass it through a strainer / sieve and wash 2-3 times to get off any dust particles.

Then we will transfer the black mustard seeds to a blender, to it we will add the peeled and washed garlic cloves, washed green chillies, some salt, ice cubes and little water. 

Then we will close the lid and blend at high for a minute, we will pause.... open.... scrape the sides and blend again at high for a minute.

Let us take the paste in a bowl and to it add little salt and 1/2tsp of turmeric powder, thereafter mix it well.

We will heat oil in a wok and temper with nigella seeds / kalojeerey and halved dry red chillies.

Let us add the spice paste and stir at low heat for just 1/2 a minute. 

Let us add the marinated okra pieces, fold in gently. Then we will add the baking powder and fold in well.

Now add 1/4 small tea cup of water and cover cook at a very low heat for 3 minutes. Every 3 minutes we will uncover, sprinkle little water and fold in gently and cover cook again. When it is 80% done, we will cook it uncovered.This way the green colour stays.

We had it with rice and "tomato donepata diye mushurir dal". In addition, we can have some "bhajabhuji, maach ba mangshor jhol."