PAT PATAR JHOL

This is such an age old family recipe; our mother used to cook it throughout the season when paat pata / young jute leaves were available in the DumDum Bazaar; she continues to cook it till date even after shifting to Barrackpore. The deceased maternal grandfather used to love it the most, then the mother. Rest of us in the family preferred more a "shaak bhaja & bora" with young jute leaves. I hope some of you remember my blog post about PAT PATAR BORA O SHAAK last year. I have developed a love for this curry in the recent years. My family is in the habit of eating a wide variety of greens mostly with a tempering of nigella seeds, crushed garlic, dry red chillies. Though I thought of blogging about a dish today too what we loved entirely as a family including the deceased father, I could not keep the promise made to myself. He was not particularly fond of this sticky, slippery, soupy, vegetarian curry with young jute leaves PAT PATAR JHOL, neither the senior or our boy at this home are. But the three of them enjoyed / enjoys fritters made of young jute leaves. Give them some rice, butter / ghee, salt, or dal with fritters; they are game for a plate full of rice. This morning I called my mother again to confirm if he liked it later in life; he did not but his son does, his spouse too. They all eat a bowl full of each.

Yesterday night, I had a good chat with the mother; yes, has to call the husband too if I get into any trouble outdoor. Given the new government rules, I got stranded near a super mart yesterday with a big  number of stuffs, broke a new stroller too. Thirty Sing $ went into ashes. This staying at home is definitely not good if we can look a little beyond ourselves. If we can think about those who are finding it hard to survive. If you ask me to eat "chal-dal er khichuri or panta bhaat" everyday, I will puke. 

I am not too much in the wrong track today, am I? I remember who did what during my period of mourning, I watch if people are happy in my happiness! I have for you today a healthy, vegetarian bowl of PAT PATAR JHOL done with young jute leaves. The Filipino at home says they use it to prepare saluyot; a thickened soup kind of. The wiki says Africa too eats it. Whatever, I know my family eats it a lot and I continue to bring it home whenever it is available. Even if you are not in the habit of eating it, do try once. If you do not like it, do not force yourself. If you like, make it a point to eat it every season. What else? I am doing what the maximum are doing; eating jackfruit whilst reading, drinking soy bandung for a change back from my walks! Life is good because I have buying power.

INGREDIENTS :

PAT PATA / YOUNG JUTE LEAF : A BIG BUNCH OR TWO
NIGELLA SEED / KALO JEEREY : 2 PINCH
CRUSHED GARLIC CLOVE : 1TSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 2-3
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
WATER : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1TSP

PROCEDURE :

Tear the leaves from the stems. Fold each one and discard the mid stem too. This is the most tedious job; I mean it requires patience and Cristine did it for me.

Take the dressed leaves in a colander and wash under running water thoroughly. Keep aside; let the water go off.

There they are; the washed, crushed garlic cloves & slitted green chillies.

Heat oil in a wok and temper with the nigella seeds, crushed garlic and slitted green chillies. Stir fry until the garlic turns light brown and gives a nice aroma.

Add the washed leaves, little salt and turmeric. [I need not have added that much of salt you can see. I have a bad habit of eating more amount of salt.]

Stir at low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 coffee mugs of water. Give a stir and cover cook at low heat for 14-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

What else? We should be done.

We have it with steamed rice. I had to keep some fritters with it and dal alongside for my men.