DATA BEGUN DIYE LOTEY SHUTKIR TORKARI

I was for so long wanting to share this recipe on "shutki maach", that is dried fish! It was not happening for some reason or the other. Yesterday, I felt I must blog about one of the few recipes of dried fish I keep doing today before I share with you two Holi friendly recipes. The best would have been if I could skip writing a Blog Post today. The senior member is at home, I am not feeling high mentally, the physical ailments became friends with me. Not that this home houses a couple who would sit and watch a romantic movie in absence of the son or themselves talk romantic. Ughh! I do not remember when I stopped expecting him to behave the way I wish to. In fact, that is a wrong kind of expectation. Let us be happy with the fact that we never get bored sitting together in the same couch and engage in different activities. We so accept that we do not share common interests as such and I do not hide it from the public. Just early morning, I was chatting with a sister like who lives in the Texas region after many months. She was enquiring about our recent future and surprisingly she thinks we would revive or start a new journey as a romantic couple in few months. What she does not know is that I threatened the man with an one liner, "cheleke baad diye kono furti korbona kintu." Why not? At a ripe, young age this mumma had a fulfilling romantic journey with her offspring. Till date, I could not digest the fact how some around dumped their new born in the family's lap and travelled to places as a couple. Why why why? They should have got it when they were ready to be parents. However, those kids do more of "mumma mumma" and kiss and hug their's than the moron does it to me. It would not miss me for a single day in a distant land. Before that, let me have a cherishing meal with rice and shutki maach / dried fish done with egg plant, young amaranth stem, dried Bombay Duck DATA BEGUN DIYE LOTEY SHUTKIR TORKARI with my own. I use less amount of vegetables in a dried fish dish as the men are more fond of it's bharta / pate[?].

Many things around I cannot get along with. The more I am aging, I am getting choosy, smallest of the things are causing me irritation. It can be a pre-menopausal syndrome, it can be so that with age trying to keep everyone around happy is becoming a tough, meaningless exercise. An eternal question arises in front of me each day before I go to sleep; "Is it required to please people or be in touch with those who does not respect my being? Am I at a loss if I do not?" Not really until I stop feeling immensely happy sitting alone in a park tired, after a walk. Here the neighbourhood parks are small, not suitable to walk. They are used as kids' play area or as the elderly's light exercise zone. We have two very near to our home, one is this. I never went in, passed by thinking its not worth. Yesterday, I could not take the heat of the sun, went in and ahh! so cool. Its a 500mt radius, so for 5km one needs 10 rounds or for 6km, its 12 rounds. I cannot go round round in a small, known area, let us see. The burnt skin is a concern.

Thereafter these kinds of meal like a plate of rice and DATA BEGUN DIYE LOTEY SHUTKIR TORKARI does not help in weight loss. Then, food is a pleasure for me. I cannot live without it. We love dried fish and this one done with dried Bombay Duck, Amaranth Stem, Egg Plant was a rock. 

INGREDIENTS :

LOTEY / DRIED BOMBAY DUCK FISH : 4-5NOS.

EGG PLANT : 2MEDIUM SIZED

AMARANTH STEM : 7-8NOS.

SLICED ONION : 11/2MEDIUM SIZED TEA CUP

CRUSHED GARLIC : 2-3TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 6-7

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TBSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

NIGELLA SEED : 1/4TSP

DRY RED CHILLI : 3-4 HALVED

OIL : 5-6TBSP [I USE MUSTARD]

PROCEDURE :

We would discard the head and tail end of each of the dried fish. We would then cut each one of them into smaller pieces. 

Some do dry roast them before soaking in hot water and washing, I do not. I wash them under running water several times because of the dust elements they contain. Thereafter, we shall soak them in a bowl of hot water.

We shall peel 12-15 garlic cloves, wash and crush. We shall peel, discard ends, wash and slice two big onion.

We shall discard the two ends of each amaranth stem, cut lengthwise, carefully discarding the thin fibres. We shall wash them and rub with very little salt and turmeric.

We shall discard the two ends of the eggplants, cut half and then into smaller cubes. We shall wash them and rub with salt & turmeric.

After half an hour of soaking, we shall drain the water and marinate them in little salt and some amount of turmeric powder. We shall keep it aside for 10-12 minutes.

We shall now heat oil in a wok and temper with the nigella seeds and halved dry red chillies.

We shall add the crushed garlic and fry till brown.

We shall add the sliced onion and fry until brown. 

We shall now add the marinated fish pieces.

We shall give a stir and cover cook at minimal heat for 7-8 minutes checking in between to avoid burning.

We shall open cover, add the cut, washed and marinated egg plants and amaranth stems. Fold in well and cook at minimal heat for 12-14 minutes. In between, we shall check every five minutes if the water has dried. In that case, we shall add one medium cup of water.

It is to be had with steamed rice always. On that day, we also had "dal, bori diye shaak bhaja, fulkopi-aloor dalna."