CURRY AND SPICE: SUJI GURO DUDH KOMOLAR ROSH DIYE HALKA MISHTI

This was again a product of an error and oh! so yum. The initial plan was to prepare some fried semolina balls and simmer them in fresh orange juice & water syrup. At one point my plan jeopardised. I had soaked fine semolina in hot water, hanged it tied in a piece of cloth. When I went to prepare some home style semi-solidified milk with ghee, milk and powdered milk, Cristine told we are running out of full cream milk. It can happen because our boy drinks chilled milk and lemon tea, flavoured yogurt all day long instead of water. I keep telling there is no substitute for water, who listens to me at this home? You cannot blame me for not taking account of the refrigerated stock. If he finishes his flavoured milk, he starts drinking full cream milk too. You cannot ration the appetite of a growing child, teen, tween or even an adult unless it is a case of obesity. In case of an obese child too, it gets difficult for parents to bar them from eating given the child is foodie. My parents could not but it is required. At this moment, it is impossible for me to ask my boy to drink only a litre of milk in two days, I do not even know how his diet will be like after six months. I only told him never to do rationing on food, I intimated this to his father too. He need not go for fine dining every week but should treat himself how his mother has treated him or how he ate in his own home. I get him buns, pastries, cakes from the local bakeries not always from the branded shops. We did not grow up eating from Flury's all the time, Monginis was just fine for us. Our mother did not allow us Bapuji cake much; actually I used to bake simple cakes after leaving school. I still do it my readers know it. So, this sweet with semolina & fresh orange juice SUJI GURO DUDH KOMOLAR ROSH DIYE HALKA MISHTI was the product of an error made. The moment I added powdered milk to the semolina instead of the scheduled mawa, the mixture melted. You shall see later, how difficult it was to form balls from the mixture. Simultaneously, I was setting paneer at home too. I cannot waste food, so went ahead with preparing this yum, lightly sweetened dessert.

It is not that mumma cooks only what the boy eats. He does not touch achar, we do not mind. At his age I hated non-Bengali sour pickles, only had sweet pickles made at home. Now, this home's couple needs pickles and I enjoy doing them, Cristine has too. In our case, we need to cut the mango pieces small because it is not the main accompaniment with breads for us, "ruti / luchi / porota, tarkari, mangsho o ektu achar" is how we eat our bread meals. At times, I enjoy "ruti ba porota ba luchi o achar" alone for my solo breakfasts & lunches.

This morning, I transferred them to the bottles and poured more of mustard oil from the top. They shall take sun bath for more days now. The two plastic bowls shall go to two neighbourhood homes. Pickles are meant to be kept outside; fearing they may spoil, I keep them refrigerated. I am thinking of doing some research on it, cannot rely on internet totally. Then, internet takes you to new avenues too. My journey through youtube took me to one Vivabhavari Apte who sings so well Lata ji's numbers. I simply loved her as a package; calm, sweet, saree clad Marathi self. So liked the voice of her singing partner Ali Hussain too. So many talents go unnoticed; she is not meant to sing in stages alone, so capable of a Bollywood playback. If you are reading this, do listen to her. Yes, you are right! I regret of not taking music lessons in time, of not practicing to write pieces starting at a tender age. These two activities I enjoy; why I had to be so laid back? Why I had to destroy myself for mere ego? Your destruction does not matter to anyone, its your loss entirely. I have got a good family life but what did I achieve for the self? Let us drop this complex matter, it takes me to nowhere but to more of greys and wrinkles, better I share with you the recipe of an error that turned out to be an yum sweet SUJI GURO DUDH KOMOLAR ROSH DIYE HALKA MISHTI while trying to mend. I could have kept it as a halwa but I had to set it and chill, garnish with some pistachio as the son does not prefer anything that looks messy. You can have it as a post dinner dessert.

INGREDIENTS :

SEMOLINA : 1/2 COFFEE MUG
FRESH ORANGE JUICE : 1COFFEE MUG [OF 4-5 ORANGES]
POWDERED MILK : 2 TBSP
SUGAR : 2 TBSP
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/2 TSP
KEWRA WATER : 2-3 DROPS [PANDAN LEAF OR FLOWER EXTRACT?]
TOASTED CHOPPED PISTACHIO TO GARNISH

PROCEDURE :

We will soak the semolina in hot water for 2hours.

Thereafter, we shall strain the water, take the semolina in a clean piece of white cloth and tie for an hour on to the kitchen top.

Meanwhile, we will prepare the orange juice in a juicer. Cristine did this part for me.

Now, we will take down the semolina in a bowl and mash, knead for few minutes.

After this, the initial plan jeopardised. I was to quickly prepare an instant mawa and Cristine told full cream milk is finished. Very poor with common sense, I added powdered milk to the semolina instead and immediately the mixture melted.

Never mind, we shall manage. We will switch on the gas and place a pan atop. We shall add the orange juice and semolina mixture to it.

We will mix the entire thing very well quickly, else dumpling shall form. Cristine did this mixing part, I was busy with paneer making simultaneously.

After it has mixed well, we will add only 2tbsp sugar. I could do without the sugar but the men cannot.