Yesterday, I was busy. Early morning I went out with Cristine to local wet market for raw produce, I am against buying fish, meat, vegetables from super marts unless theres an emergency. Wet markets give you best quality raw food at better price, you just have to reach there in time. I dilli-dally, get late. Many practices here are similar to that of Kolkata. I had seen our grandfather, father going to famous DumDum Bazaar by 7-7:30 am to get freshest of vegetables, fish. The father did not have any interest in this job, just forced himself.... my husband does not even force himself. Our mother inherited the skill of shopping raw produce from her father, her youngest brother does it too well, I am a moderate follower of them.
Day before yesterday, something to do with "ranga aloo" aka sweet potato did strike my mind. Initially, I thought of preparing "ranga aloor jilipi", skipped that idea and prepared some "roshbora"instead in the afternoon, the entire evening was spent preparing sweet potato tikki rice tossed in garlic pickle; RANGA ALOOR TIKKI GARLIC PICKLE RICE, pairing it with spicy pomfret dish, lamb shabu shabu stew. It was tiring but never irritating, cooking makes me feel happier. From market, Cristine came back home, I went for walk, did a 8.6 km, ate Yong Tau Foo in Laksa gravy, Sugarcane Juice, bought three packets of soil for 10 Sing$ and a pot, still some of my plants do not seem healthy, they lack their main food which is sunlight..... thats what the expert in family told me. This winter she would be travelling to Bangalore to my cousin's with our father's youngest brother and his spouse, she is happy, worried about her plants. The brother will never peep, his wife is like me who lack knowledge about plant life. We are happy for mother too, she needs to go out of home at regular intervals, I scold brother when he gets choosy about who she would travel with. My father's youngest brother is great support, an ally to her gardening ventures.... if only he stayed near.... Nagaon, Assam is too far.
Back from my walk, I started with the "Roshbora" making and ended up making good use of the sweet potatoes I got, three standard sized at less than 3Sing$.
It was a satisfying Kitchen adventure for me, We had a get-together to attend, most interesting part for me is the food served, I cannot chat much! I miss Madhuchanda Dey Ghosh at times; we met at an important juncture of life, so welcome.... such people never let you stray. We are poles apart when it comes to IQ Level, however we both cried watching "Stepmom" at Eros, Mumbai. I don't run to few homes in Kolkata without a reason, I enjoy the talk and association. I do not know what my school and college friends do in their other circles but when we meet, it is only reminiscing those good old days including which boy or a girl or a lecturer we fell for, I love that! Better is for me to wander alone or sit together with the family to have a Domino's Pizza or this homely dinner spread of Pomfret, Lamb Shabu Shabu stew with a vegetarian rice main with garlic pickle, sweet potato tikki RANGA ALOOR TIKKI GARLIC PICKLE RICE. My next sole adventure is to visit an Iskcon Temple, I am more interested in their "proshad" lunch, thereafter visiting the nature reserves I haven't, I am to visit certain music fests this month .... life is good man. By end of next year, I should be able to get in touch with some literary groups, 9 years into this island, I did not take membership of a library. Its due to call few friends for lunch meet this month over some good music, let us see. Until then let us cook and eat!
SWEET POTATO : 3MEDIUM SIZED
CHOPPED ONION : 1SMALL TEA CUP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1TBSP
CUMIN POWDER : 2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
CHAAT MASALA : 11/2TBSP
CUMIN SEED : 1/2TSP
LEMON JUICE : 2-3TBSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SEMOLINA : 1/2SMALL TEACUP
OIL : 2-3TBSP
INGREDIENTS : [for final Rice dish]
COOKED BASMATI RICE : 11/4 COFFEE MUG serves 4-6members. It should be cooked till 60%-70% done.
THE SWEET POTATO TIKKIS
GARLIC PICKLE : 200ML APPROXIMATELY
CHOPPED CORIANDER
SALT : AS REQUIRED
PROCEDURE :
Wash, cook rice in enough water until 60%-70% done, transfer to colander. Let it be for sometime.
Peel, half, wash sweet potatoes. Pressure cook adding 2 coffee mugs of water at minimal heat up to 2 whistles. Let lid open normally, strain. Let it cool.
Mash boiled sweet potatoes, chop, wash green chillies and onion.
Heat oil in wok, temper with cumin seeds. Add chopped onions, green chillies, stir at low heat.
As onions get translucent, add cumin+coriander+red chilli+turmeric powders. Stir for a minute or two.
Add boiled, mashed sweet potato, chaat masala, little salt, remember chaat masala contains salt in it. Stir to mix well.
Add fresh lemon juice. Fold in well, stir cook for 3-4 minutes. Take down, let cool.
Prepare tikkis / roundels, press between palms. I was enjoying!
Grease an oven proof plate with some oil, take some semolina on a plate and coat the tikkis.
Cook one side for 8-9 minutes, other side for 5 minutes. Spread some garlic pickle on top.
Heat wok on gas top, add about 200ml of garlic pickle, washed, chopped coriander to it.
Add cooked rice, fold in gently. Add little salt if only required.
Transfer to serving bowl, arrange sweet potato tikkis atop.
No comments :
Post a Comment