PEPPERY PEANUT SPREAD / FILLING

 Look at me! Today too I could not go ahead with a BENGALI RECIPE share. Blogging about HEIRLOOM BENGALI FOOD is always a pleasure; I have in my kitty photos of our kind of FISH RECIPES using "tyangra, pabda, rui, katla, magur, bhola", BENGALI & NON-BENGALI varieties of DAL & VEGETABLE DISHES; which are a pleasure to be had and the recipe shared in the Blog! Then, there is this celebration and that around; these days, I feel I should share occasion friendly recipes. A meat curry or roast or fry would have suited but I want more people  to be able to feast on the food I share. So, this PEPPERY PEANUT SPREAD FILLING may just suit. CHINEBADAM / MUNGPHALI / PEANUT is perhaps a common ingredient of cooking among most of the countries; at least the countries that are in discussion on a regular basis; countries we read about, know about usually. On some occasions; I zero in on a popular & common INGREDIENT worldwide for the RECIPE I am going to cook; you will know I just wished to reach out to more people with my recipe and see them happily having the food I cooked.

After two long weeks working from home, the man went to his office this morning. The home seems empty. Ever since, the son went off to attend college in a far off land, a feel of emptiness has engulfed me. To that is added fear  for his safety; given he refuses to speak in details about his surroundings. In this scenario, if T works from home, I feel better. The son's room became his office in the day time and mumma's sleeping bed at night. T will not even speak a word with me between 8:30 am to 9 pm on a working week day at home; yet, his very presence gives me comfort. I like it that he understands my feelings, my present state of mind and is indulgent about it. He wants the son to be like other kids and talk to us normal. The son has to understand our amounting tension of leaving him alone in a foreign land. But we never force him; we are against been harsh on him; he might be thinking on a different line; he has his own problems. The boy who got his ironed clothes to food on his table before asking; has to manage his life and studies alone. Adjusting to a new environment takes time. We hope him to cope up with all these challenges well! Then, he might act normal. 

Our son had always been different from other kids since his birth, we have let him be until and unless he took to misbehaving. We do miss him but we are not the kind who will sit in a dark corner and brood, we live our life well. The man just refuses to go out for dining or for a long walk by the sea or to any get-together for the time being. He is more particular about social distancing than me and why not? He has thousands of responsibilities to deliver, he cannot be casual or callous. We enjoy been at home. We sit on our couch when he finishes his office job and I am done with cooking; we chat, we watch movies one after another and gorge on food ordered from outside too. Yesterday, we had pizza for dinner; I like Canadian Pizza, besides Domino's & Sarpino's. We have our share of fight too!

After a weekend and with an oncoming celebration in some other country, I felt this VEGETARIAN; GLUTEN-FREE  SPREAD / FILLING WITH PEANUT & BLACK PEPPER; PEPPERY PEANUT SPREAD / FILLING will go well as today's FOOD SHARE / BLOG SHARE.

INGREDIENTS : 

SKINLESS PEANUT : 200-300 GM [I USED SKINLESS, ROASTED]

HONEY : 11/2 TBSP

BLACK PEPPER : 2 TSP [FRESHLY GROUND]

SALT : 1/4 TSP 

OIL : 1/2 MEDIUM TEA CUP

PROCEDURE : 

I used roasted, salty peanuts ready to eat for this purpose. If you have raw peanuts at home, you have to roast them on slow fire for about 7-8 minutes; take down, cool and put off the skin taking and rubbing between two palms. Here we also get raw, de-skinned peanuts; if so your work gets easier. On that particular day, I was craving for a peanut spread on a toast. The earlier batch I made was done with. So here we go! If you wish to have it totally sweet free, skip using the honey! I enjoyed it sweet and salty with a dash of pepper.

I took the roasted peanuts in a grinder and used the grind & pause button alternatively for about 3-4 minutes; switching over from one to the other every 30 seconds.

Then, I added the oil, salt and the honey. With help of a spatula, I mixed together all and again ground well for 2-3 minutes; pausing in between.

I opened the lid; again mixed the content with the spatula. I added the freshly ground, coarse black pepper powder; mixed lightly.

I used the grinder mode again for a minute; pausing after 30 seconds. Now transfer the spread to a bowl or plate and let cool; heat is generated when we grind it.

Once cool, transfer it to a clean, dry, sterilised bottle. Although, we refrigerate it; it is always recommended to bring it into normal temperature before eating.

It can be eaten various ways; on a toast; in a paratha roll or chapati; stuffed in cooked sticky rice, dipped in a batter and deep fried or just make into smooth round ladoo!