Do not book me for giving a Bengali name to today's post, ain't these puto cakes, yam cakes, chitoi pitha, all be categorised into "bhapa pitha" or "steamed cake" varieties? The more I see these Filipino desserts, I get connected to some childhood memories, ain't their "bilo bilo" resembles our "choshi?" I am totally under the spell of South East Asian desserts these days. Our kinds deserve a lot of sugar or jaggery and over boiled, creamier milk which is detrimental to my health. I cannot take too sweet stuffs anymore but nolen gur / khejur gur is a bliss. I can have "porota o khejur gur" perhaps every day, one who has not eaten such meals would never know the beauty of it. I will keep trying to transport all these nostalgia, tradition to my son so long I am alive. May be when he turns fifty, he would find logic in mumma's wishes. He however enjoys these experimental desserts that I prepare. Call it a snack or dessert, this vegetarian steamed cake BEDANAR ROSH O CHAL ER GURO DIYE BHAPA PITHA was well taken in our family. Few ingredients like rice flour, pomegranate juice, evaporated creamer are required to prepare it. I enjoyed topping it with pumpkin seeds and walnuts, my two favourite variety of seed and nut. I did not wish to but I had to add evaporated creamer to it. Few days prior to making it, I tried something with watermelon juice alone without using any amount of yogurt, milk or egg and it turned out very hard.
It tasted good but was hard and could not avoid the raw smell of the watermelon juice. This morning, I deleted the pictures. I thought of sharing the failed experiment with my readers. Never mind, we learn from our mistakes. This time it was perfect, until when I will not ask my readers to do it in their kitchen.
It is a long weekend in this island. Earlier, when the son was younger we used to go for short trips. Now, there is no question of going. The son will have a series of exams from the next month till the final call in May. However, this is a very relaxed family with loose parents. I am loose by force, the men do not let me set any routine. My readers will not believe that I do not know a single child or parent from the son's class. They both felt I should not be allowed to recreate a Kolkata kind of scenario here, where the parents [read mothers] tear each other apart for a single mark. I cannot counter this allegation. Our son was in class 2, when after school I grilled the hungry and tired him for half an hour on the discourses at school. I have a dirty habit of comparing kids. I mean their performances, not looks. I know people here who in front of me had / have / do / does deliberately compare the physique, skin colour, looks of the kids. I know few of them and I cannot talk with them for more than five minutes. I hope I am sensible & grounded enough to bless and only wish good for her sons, son or say daughter. I believe something majorly got amiss in their upbringing, you should pity such characters instead of getting angry. If you are observant enough, you will get a feel of their crooked selves from their social media shares. Do not you think I am truthful calling myself a happy loner? Only external polish or skin colour do not make you a fair soul, "eder chalcholon guloi nitey parina ami, bondhutto to durer byapar." At this moment, I am too occupied with the son's career graph and only talk to people who have similar interest about their's. I will not stop calling a spade a spade even if anyone is supporting my Blog. But yes, I do not mind sharing some good food like this vegetarian steamed rice cake BEDANAR ROSH O CHAL ER GURO DIYE BHAPA PITHA for everyone around. What I can assure is to behave cool and formal with the above kinds, I deliberately avoid meeting them often is a truth. In the night of 31st December, people told me that I am busy enquiring about the kids' academic performances instead of taking part in the chat. What to chat about? Cars, property, bedroom story? Leave that, let the husband call me unfriendly while I do something for him with pomegranate juice, rice flour, evaporated creamer, sugar, baking powder. Try, its easy and worth it. Enjoy it with your cuppa.
RICE FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG
POMEGRANATE JUICE : OF 1 BIG SIZED
EVAPORATED CREAMER : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
BAKING POWDER : 1/3 TSP
POWDERED SUGAR : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
RED FOOD COLOURING : 2 PINCH [I USE ICING COLOUR]
KEWRA / SCREW PINE WATER : 2 DROPS
CHOPPED WALNUT AND PUMPKIN SEEDS TO TOP
A LITTLE OF OIL AND RICE FLOUR TO GREASE AND DUST THE TIN
PROCEDURE :
We are using these ingredients.
Cristine peeled and juiced the pomegranate kernels. I keep telling you what a big help she is. If only she knew what cleanliness is or may be I am too demanding.
Now, we will add the evaporated creamer to the pomegranate juice and whisk it well.
Now add the powdered sugar and whisk for 1/2 a minute.
Pass the rice flour and baking powder through a strainer. Fold in well with the whisker.
At this stage, I felt let us add a little of red food colouring and the kewra water too. We will keep it aside for 20-25 minutes [it is important].
We have half filled a heavy bottomed vessel with water and put it for boil, covered.
We have poured the batter to it and tapped lightly on the counter. I topped it with pumpkin seeds and chopped walnuts.
After 10-12 minutes, we will see that the water is boiling. We will place a colander kind of thing on it, atop it in the middle the bowl filled with batter.
We will tie the lid with a heavy towel and cover cook at medium heat for 10-12 minutes. We get a fluffy steamed rice cake.
Take it down and cover until cool.
Remove cover, loosen the sides with a knife and turn over gently to a plate.
Have it fresh to get the best taste. If refrigerating, bring it to the normal temperature before heating just for few seconds and serving.
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