Long back it was decided that I will blog even about a "shabu makha, panta bhaat, etc." They were just not happening. Now that things does not seem normal, people are in shortage of produces may be; it feels let me share all the recipes that can be done with bare minimum. The "panta bhaat" platter would be made today. Until Saturday, I had totally forgotten it is a Neel Shoshti the day next. I had no talk about it with the mother either. Thanks to the Almighty who reminded me at the wake of the dawn before I sipped a drop of water. I do not like breaking a chain I do not wish to; I keep these fasts for the health, happiness, long life of my loved ones. Someone, totally oblivion about all these; did not allow mumma to touch him, let her take the flowers & lamp to his room post puja. You have no idea what kind of impossible beings I live with; I do not even know how to manage the special prayer meets at home when Cristine goes off with practically no help from any family member; I am not my mother. "Ooi tokhon alpo korey khoi, naru, khichuri, tarkari, payesh, luchi korey nibedon korbo." We react according to the situation; yesterday, I had to do the prayer without "belpata o tulshi pata." They are a must for any offering; I have just planted two new, young Tulsi plants and could not tear few leaves from it.
It was a very minuscule affair yesterday. I had fruits & milk at home but had to go out to buy fresh, cannot offer God what stayed with non-vegetarian items in the refrigerator. The Hibiscus did I get from our condo garden, whilst I got some very fresh orchids in the local super store. The shabu / sago pearls too I did not offer to God because it was in store for long, there was no fresh, untouched packet in the storage. I could get one from the local Southern Indian Store but sago pearls have to be soaked for hours to get ready to be able to have a yummy Bengali fast breaking meal like PROSHADI SHABU MAKHA-BENGALI FAST BREAKING MEAL. We prepare this scrumptious fast breaking meal with soaked sago pearls, fruits like banana, mango, cucumber, grapes, dates, sweets, yogurt, milk, sugar.
I follow all the steps my grandmother or mother used to preparing them, still miss their bowls. They had to soak good amount of sago so that I can have a big bowl. "eshob ki aajker katha? eeituni chilam jokhon theke eshob khai."
All of the weekend we were watching Netflix series & movies. We enjoyed "apna markutey bhai's Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai", I mean the second in the series. Its full of masala but we liked. Yesterday's was a series on don culture in two particular notorious states of India. Don Culture exists everywhere but I am firm on the belief that those two particular states are high on it, I cannot accept a culture where an awkward lingo, illegal possession of guns, chamia naach, slangs are very normally a part of culture. I could not take my eyes off, neither could digest. All of a sudden, I started feeling sick, told the husband "its such a raw depiction bossy, I wish to keep my eyes, mind, body off from these truth and keep myself afloat in the world of Aladin, Alice, Nabik Sindbad, Robi Thakur." I perhaps married this guy to keep myself off from the reality, I knew he will protect me, let me live my life. This island has helped me more, else I was fed up living there a life trapped in between. That environment would never have let me write a single line. Before marriage, I did not realise that I am unfit for "shongshar." My revolt started the day the mother-in-law told me that now I am married and my father has to take permission from them for anything concerning me. Within a year of my marriage, my parental family planned for a Nepal trip. My father asked me if I wish to go. My answer was no as my mother could not with our pet Jenny still alive, she had to stay back. My mother-in-law hurled abuses at me, my family; "tomar baba maa kichu janena? meyeke Nepal nitty holey amader kachey eshe permission nitey hobey." My parents who gave me birth has to seek permission from some unknown people? Thereafter, when my father and brother went for the Nepal trip, I went and stayed with my mother who was alone in a two storied house. Once I came back, the mother-in-law to me, " amai aka feley nijer maar sangey thaktey gecho? baap maa shikkha deini kono." She was alone with a whole timer girl, beloved daughter & husband; all at her service all the time. On that day, I decided I will give it back, I will never consider any in their family as my own, I have to go on with my duty as I married the son of that house. In front of my young son, she abused me; yet I never taught my son to dessert them. He is of a different nature for which none of them spare me. What can I do if my son's nature is not like that of the maximum? End of the day, isn't it natural that I love him the most? Off course, I would and clearly told the husband my son's education & life cannot be disturbed until he bags a decent job. I am in no mood of earning name doing social service at the cost of his life. Yes, I use this blog to document my life. Not alone men be blamed, these kind of women are equally responsible for the plight of women. However, when their daughters get married, they change 360*, then "duty towards in-laws" rules get changed. This mentality, this vicious circle has to stop. Anyway, I totally had a good dinner with "kancha moong, shama chal, aloor khichuri" last night and got a bit recovered from the "don culture effect." Okay, I had prepared some coconut sweets and my NARKOL TAKTI recipe got updated with new pictures. I did not offer them to the God family as they were not cooked in utensils meant for my God's family.
Now, I am totally prepared to share with you the recipe of a Bengali fast breaking dish with sago pearls. In fact, I had another round of PROSHADI SHABU MAKHA-BENGALI FAST BREAKING MEAL this morning!
Thereafter, a "panta bhaat" lunch meal will not leave me anywhere I know; yet I do not deprive myself of the simple joys of life.
INGREDIENTS :
SAGO / SHABU PEARL : 50GM
SHREDDED COCONUT : 11/2 MEDIUM TEA CUP
BANANA : 2-3
MANGO : 2
GRAPE : 10-12
YOGURT : 5-6T BSP
MILK : 250ML
SANDESH / ANY SWEET WITH PANEER : 4-5
SUGAR : 2-3 TSP [I SKIPPED]
PROCEDURE :
What is most important is to wash and soak the sago pearls at least for 3-4 hours [if we are buying the larger sized].
Thereafter, we drain the water from the sago pearls. We add the milk and yogurt, mix well.
We will add pieces of mango & banana, halved grapes now and mix well. We will add crushed sweets & the shredded coconut too [jut korey makhbo purota... er ingriji ki?]"
Now you may add the sugar if only you need it. My predecessors really used to make it too sweet which I cannot take anymore.
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