BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH

I will not say my family has a recipe with broccoli & Dried Bombay Duck for ages now. It is so that on that day few florets of broccoli lay dry in the refrigerator. We are not broccoli lovers at this home. I get at times for some purpose, use may be half or quarter and then forget all about the rest. Not in the habit of wasting any amount of food, I try to use them up if they have not rotten. Cooking broccoli florets with dried fish is the best idea for this family, that is the best broccoli dish for us I think. I mean, we just do not want broccoli in our lives. A non-vegetarian side dish with broad bean, egg plant, broccoli & dried Bombay Duck  BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH just works wonder for us. The broccoli went into our stomachs without a frown. 

I will not go on blabbering much today, I am again having headache or you can say I am experiencing a head block since morning. The homecoming guy's too much involvement with electronic gadgets on reaching home is causing me more of irritation. Until now, he did not get time to sit with me and talk about the son. I must get myself free by the evening and ask about his three weeks time spent with the son. He however managed to have a glance of me, asking me to colour my hairs. I explained why I do not want to go for it all over again and he complied. The reason why I call him more of a friend than a husband is this. It will be way more difficult to convince our mother & brother to accept me with my original hair colour. However, we will all sit together and have this vegetables & dried fish dish BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH with love.

These days, I see Broccoli became a common vegetable in the suburbs of Kolkata too. Not only in the market but few years back I saw street vendors getting it at the doorstep of my parental home in Barrackpore. I still remember, the guy told he had grown them in his small patch of land. They looked so fresh, yet did not create a stir on my mind as would do a fresh, home grown cauliflower. I remember how every winter season cauliflower was grown in the grandparent's garden or how the mother had grown it in pots. Why she does not do it every season I know, if I have lost the energy or will to colour my hair at 50, how can I expect her to work more. I pity my senior, he has to handle a wife who has a problem with every little thing; she hates crowd, she gets irritated if people around make too much noise and now he has to handle more of my tantrums because every few minutes she cannot stand in front of a closed door, knock and shout "mummar cheleta koi, ki korchey?" Though the answer was always "tokey merey debo", I consider those "love exchange" between us. I will make the man's life miserable because I cannot be jealous of my mother whose son sits with a laptop & television in a room next to her. I am confused enough to make out what I want from life!

INGREDIENTS :

DRIED BOMBAY DUCK : 4-5

BROAD BEAN : 7-8 [CUT INTO SMALLER PIECES]

EGG PLANT : 3-4 SMALL [CUBED]

BROCCOLI : 1 COFFEE MUG [SMALL FLORET]

SLICED ONION : 1 COFFEE MUG

CHOPPED OR CRUSHED GARLIC : 3 TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 7-8

RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2 TBSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 6-7 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Whichever combination of vegetables our family uses in dried fish; the spices remain the same and less. For dried fish, we depend more on oil, chilli, garlic and onion.

Discard the heads and tail ends of the dried Bombay Duck. Cut each into smaller pieces. Wash them several times and soak in hot water for 2 hours.

All the cut vegetables are to be taken in separate bowls and be washed well.

After 2 hours, discard the water from the dried fish and marinate them with little salt and turmeric.

The three vegetables are to be taken together and marinated with salt & turmeric.

Heat oil in a wok; add the onion slices and fry till golden brown.

Add the crushed garlic and green chillies; cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the dried fish and break with the ladle. Cover cook at minimal heat for 10-12 minutes checking in between. Sprinkle water if required.

Add the rest of the turmeric & the red chilli powder, stir for 2-3 minutes and cover cook for 5 minutes at low heat. Sprinkle water if required.

Add the vegetables and give a stir. Cover cook at minimal heat for 12-14 minutes. The vegetables will release a lot of water which we have to dry slow cooking the entire thing. Yet, check every 3-4 minutes to avoid burning. Adjust the salt if required.

Plain rice and nothing else goes with it.