GATHI KOCHU DIYE LOTEY SHUTKI

Yesterday was Akshay Tritiya and I missed the date. Many business families there in Bengal perform "Lakshmi-Ganesh" or "Ganesh" puja alone on this day. My memory of the day is of a prayer meet at the maternal grand parent's home worshipping Lord Ganesha and thereafter a grand meal with mutton, few kinds of fish to shukto, shaak, dal, bhaja as a starter. Invitees were mainly those who work in the maternal uncles' business concerns, few other guests. It ended with handing over each invitee a big, fat packet of a variety of sweets always ordered from "Adi Adhar Mishtanna Bhandar". So many memories are associated with that place. I so loved particularly the pantua, chanar jilipi, chanar murki and one unique sweet which was like darbesh but was totally white in colour. I never found that sweet in Kolkata, Raja Krishnachandra's city is definitely known for it's sweets, not alone sharpuria & sharbhaja but a couple of them. Not every year we could make it to that place during this time but few years when we were there, I ate like a monster on this day. Today, I had to do an occasion friendly fish, meat or sweet recipe. However, I am not willing to back out again from sharing this recipe of a non vegetarian side GATHI KOCHU DIYE LOTEY SHUTKI with gathi kochu / taro and loitta shutki / dried Bombay Duck. Both the main ingredients are so frequently eaten in my side of the family! I make my men eat taro. What you should always take care of is adding the tamarind to be sure there is no itching post eating. The taro we get here do not cause itching but still I make it a point to add a bit of tamarind juice towards the end.

Yesterday, I walked few miles and was able to grab few packets of muri & ghee. I ran out of muri, was not getting it locally and felt mad. I had to go to my old neighbourhood which also has two Indian Minimarts to pick these up. What I did not like was catching an MRT back home because it was raining and I already had two packets to carry back home. I am not the kind who is keen on showing buying power often; yet the inability to do a cheap buy when I wish to is depressing. Even more depressing is to watch the salt & pepper look of the eye brows, upper lips & chin growing more prominent. Parlours do not fall under essential services and they are closed. In this scenario, if you ask me to eat less, if you do not allow me to eat my kind of food; I will totally sink in a tank full of despair. I usually eat a fruit platter after having half of a vegetarian curry puff. This little sacrifice I can do for you, I rarely eat a full curry puff. What I bought yesterday shall be shared tomorrow in a public post to tell you that they are really essential for any middle class homes and I am not making unnecessary outings. What is my kind of food? Many of you have known by now, I am so vocal & descriptive about myself. One of such favourites is any dish with dried fish; specially with dried Bombay Duck and I prepare it with any combination of vegetables these days. Each one rocks totally in tune with our taste buds. This one with taro, dried Bombay Duck, onion, garlic, chillies and a good amount of oil GATHI KOCHU DIYE LOTEY SHUTKI is what rocked. In general, shutki maach rocks at this home if only you cook it our family way; for a longer period with a good amount of what are mentioned above.

INGREDIENTS :

TARO / GATHI KOCHU : 300-400GM
DRIED BOMBAY DUCK / LOITTA SHUTKI : 3-4
SLICED ONION : 1/3 COFFEE MUG
CRUSHED GARLIC : 1MEDIUM TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 7-8
RED CHILLI POWDER : 2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
TAMARIND JUICE : 3-4TBSP [I ALWAYS USE IT WHEN COOKING YAM]
KALOJEEREY / NIGELLA SEED : 1/4TSP
HALVED DRY RED CHILLI : 2
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1/3 SMALL TEA CUP [MY FAMILY ALWAYS USES MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

Below are the pictures of Taro Root / Gathi Kochu & Dried Bombay Duck / Lotey Shutki respectively.

The hairy, brown, round vegetable at the centre is taro / gathi kochu. We will peel of it's skin and cut half. We will wash them.

In some cases, your palms may itch while washing them but not in all cases. You can wear gloves.

Once washed, marinate the taro pieces with some salt & turmeric and keep aside for few minutes.

Discard the head & tail of each of the dried Bombay Duck. Discard also the fins.

Now chop them into smaller pieces, wash several times under running water.

Now soak them in hot water for at least half an hour to soften and get rid of any dirt.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the taro pieces until light brown. 

Take out and reserve to use later. Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & dry red chillies.

Add the washed crushed garlic and fry till brown. Add the washed sliced onion and fry till brown.

Now add the washed slitted green chillies and stir fry for half a minute. Add the dried bombay duck pieces discarding the water it was soaked in.

Fold in and cover. The heat level shall remain minimal from the beginning to the end.

After 12-14 minutes, open cover and add the rest of the turmeric, some salt and the red chilli powder.

Stir for half a minute and break further the dried fish pieces with the tip of your ladle.

Add the fried taro pieces now and fold in well. Add 11/2 medium tea cup of water, the tamarind juice and cover cook at minimal heat until all the water dries up.

It's as simple as that. We also had some "aam diye motor dal er tok and roshun phoron bhindi" alongside to go with steamed rice.