CURRY AND SPICE: DUDH ALOOR POROTA O DIM ER JHURO

A COMBO PLATTER OF MILK & POTATO FLATBREAD, BENGALI STYLE SCRAMBLED EGG & ROASTED EGGPLANT

For a couple of months I was wanting to share this COMBO MEAL of POROTA, DIMER JHURO & BEGUN PORA MAKHA, I cooked and clicked sometime in April. Thereafter, whenever I looked at the pictures, I did not like the way I clicked them. I felt, I have to cook the same combination of FOOD and click fresh!

I know what you all my readers are thinking on your mind; that this time too I have not clicked anything great. I accept that, what I always say is each day I am learning to click decent; learning to click like a professional is not my thing. Then, CURRY AND SPICE should have my foot prints everywhere, it is mine alone; from photography to the content; everything should have my personal touch. You call me limited, you call me a mediocre, I continue to execute my blog the way I want it to!

MILK POTATO FLATBREAD? WHAT IS THAT?

ALOO SHEDDO O DUDH DIYE MOIDA MAKHA, eshob ki? You see, I am growing old and my memory bag is filling up in great volume and speed. I can recall little details from the past, not formulae. Of which, one is of a neighbourhood family in DumDum who ate potato mash with rice and milk; later we saw our first tenant in our Barrackpore Home having the same; they all are Bengalis of West Bengal origin! That was working inside me and led me to try a POROTA / FLATBREAD using REFINED FLOUR, WHEAT FLOUR, BOILED POTATO, MILK instead of water for the dough! I must tell you that flatbreads made of this dough gives us supremely soft, melt in the mouth ones. The mother and the son at this home can have those porotas with a variety of sauces alone, the mother only with achar but T is not fond of sauces; Cristine can have anything this home cooks except too much of a sweet stuff. But I kept two sides; BENGALI STYLE SCRAMBLED EGG & BENGALI STYLE BEGUN PORA MAKHA.

IS BENGALI STYLE SCRAMBLED EGG ANYTHING DIFFERENT?

I do not think EGG BHURJI / DESI STYLE SCRAMBLED EGG is anything different from how the Bengalis prepare it. KHAGINA may be a slightly softer version and uses tomato. I mean egg bhurji may also use tomato, our family does not. In fact, my side of the family which was not much in favour of egg was not particular about what they are throwing into the egg batter. Whatever was available in the kitchen, they would use in an omelette; eating which I definitely had indigestion, there was a time the brother did not touch eggs. Gradually, we have learnt to eat few dishes with eggs. DESI SCRAMBLED EGG is what I had learnt to prepare post marriage, given the husband and his mother are mad after eggs. Looking at the husband having those bland scrambled eggs besides sausage, bacon in the hotels, on flights; I used to get angry. Then, one day I tried the western way of scrambled egg, just could not after a spoonful. I categorically told the family, my kitchen would never fetch you bacon, bland egg scramble and sausage; the best I can do is serve DUDH ALOOR POROTA O DIMER JHURO often.

ROASTED BRINJAL / EGGPLANT IS A DINNER THING!

Bengal's roasted eggplant bhorta is different from the rest of India's eggplant / brinjal bharta. The Bengali way was so regular in my family and till date, I love it more than the other that uses powdered spices. T loves the latter because he is slightly allergic to eggplant and needs it to be cooked very well with spices. Even I am little allergic to it's seeds but I so love this VEGETABLE that I must have it cooked, in all the ways I know about. The last day, I made the bharta the BENGALI way, T would not mind skipping it if he gets a bowlful of spicy scrambled egg. Without any guilt, I made "begun pora makha" for myself & Cristine; whilst the son watches us sitting in another continent. Yesterday was a Sunday; I usually get lunch from outside but this time we had to finish some leftovers; so we had a lunch with leftovers, the evening teatime was spent with "chirey-muri makha" and our dinner was a cooker made dal-rice with potato! Throughout the day, we had watched three movies.

Let us proceed with the recipe of this BENGALI MEAL PLATTER, DUDH ALOOR POROTA O DIMER JHURO.

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE BENGALI STYLE EGG SCRAMBLE]

EGG : 3-4

SLICED ONION : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAF : 4-5 TBSP

MINCED GARLIC : 1 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE MILK, BOILED POTATO FLATBREAD]

REFINED FLOUR : 11/2 COFFEE MUG

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

BOILED & MASHED POTATO : 1 BIG

BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1 TSP

SALT : 1/4 TSP

MILK : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP

OIL : 3 TBSP

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 1/2 TSP FOR EACH FLATBREAD

PROCEDURE :

Let us do the Bengali style scrambled eggs; DIM ER JHURO at first!

Cristine did all the chopping and mincing work, washed them and got them readied on the kitchen counter. She had broken the eggs, beaten them well adding a little of salt.

I have heated the oil and tempered it with the cumin seeds.

I had added the washed and minced garlic cloves and stir cooked at low heat until brown. I had added the washed sliced onion & chopped green chillies thereafter.

I stir fried them at low heat for 3-4 minutes and added the beaten eggs.

I had stir cooked the mixture for a minute, reduced the heat to minimal and added some salt, turmeric and black pepper to it.

I stir cooked everything for about 2 minutes at low heat and added the washed, chopped fresh coriander.

We should take it down and have it warm.

Let us prepare the porotas / flatbreads; DUDH ALOOR POROTA now.

Let us take the refined flour, whole wheat flour, boiled potato, black pepper powder, 2tbsp oil together in a bowl.

Let us mix together all and rub well for 2-3 minutes. Then we will add the milk little by little and knead well to prepare a smooth dough.

We will add 1 tbsp oil and knead again.

We will cover it for 20-25 minutes.

We will open the cover and knead it well again for 2-3 minutes.

We will tear off portions and smoothen each between our palms.

We will roll out each into a round shape and fold to half and then fold sideways. Then we will stretch the triangle with the rolling pin to a standard size.