CURRY AND SPICE: TOFU ALOOR PUR BHORA CURRY PUFF

SNACKING & INDIANS ARE INTERTWINED!

I have not done a complete study of Indian Culture and Food; although an Indian myself; but generally speaking, India is a SNACK loving nation. When the West or the Far East sits for dinner, we may sit with our CHAI PAKORA. It can be COFFEE instead of TEA; but we have to have a "TA" with our evening time TEA / COFFEE. For a Bengali, "TA" is essentially SNACKERS; if not alone biscuits! I am that Indian; who epitomises snacking with happiness. I am not happy if I am served tea alone. I at least need some "modon kotkoti" to consider the earth eligible to live further. I have always maintained, "what is life without food?" I am forced to put a little check on my food intake; I cannot think of a life with soups & salads on the table; not even for the sake of longevity. I mean, I do not wish to live and eat salad day and night. I think what an average Indian thinks. A Rujuta Diwekar cannot prescribe you steamed cabbage roll with salt & pepper marinated tofu; she is going to lose few lakhs of her followers overnight. She has to say "patta gobi pakore khaiye chai ke saath aur khub yoga karein", to keep me in her circle. Who am I? I am that Indian who wishes to remain Indian whichever corner of the world she is in. If this evening, I am at a famous "telebhajar dokan" at Bagbazaar er More; tomorrow, I may be at Parathewale Gali in Delhi eating a variety of it with lassi; the next day, I may be tasting kebab from Bare Mia near Mumbai Taj or their authentic Pao Bhaji with a tall glass of sugar cane juice; furthermore, next week, I will be somewhere in Chennai to have Chicken65 with Jigar Thanda; catch a bus to Kanchipuram to have hot idli made in a bowl! The list can be never ending! But with whom?

ANY DAY IS A GOOD DAY TO START A FOOD TOUR; EVEN THOUGH CURRY PUFF TO SAMOSA IS NOT A TOUGH GEOMETRY IN YOUR KITCHEN!

With whom do I go? For the past 22-23 years; the guy I live with did not demand or made a request for a dish to me. He is a delicate food connoisseur; not really a FOODIE like an average Indian; not at all a STREET FOOD LOVER like me. How I want him to place some demands to me; "S, can you cook this tonight?" Ever since the son had left home; I may be just forcefully cooking; it seems no one at home wants me to cook. How can I expect these people to accompany me for food tours throughout India, if not the world? Within India, I alone can travel to fulfil this wish of mine. But, I fear; the mind set of the society has to change for a woman to fearlessly travel; stay in cheaper motels, wander aimless as late as 10 pm and beyond, eat without the fear of anything been mixed in the food to trap you. On this point, this vulnerability of my clan is what I constantly try to make my beloved, my son to understand and feel. I always try to convey him the message not to be a man or manly for all the wrong reasons; that his mother had been a victim at a tender age; that been my son he should be able to disown anyone who violates the very basic right of a body. Any kind of body is entitled to respect and it's right to not be touched without the wish; of male or female. Because, the man is not entitled to leave all the time, I wish to travel alone but I am a darpok; else I see myself in the remote Himalayas; eating rajma rice with peyaz lanka from a road side stall; writing details of the day tour at night after a meal with bajra roti & light country chicken curry. There will be few calls made to the family, to the son about the day; and I will go to sleep humming "mann kyon behka re behka adhi raat ko" or "yaara sili raat ka jalna", write endless letters with no address to be sent to. I know this never would happen; where I can be me without duty calls, at least for a few days a year. You want me to go with the brother? The mother would make you take shower five times a day and visit only temples, the sister-in-law & brother would sleep until 12 pm; and within a crowd; I just cannot be that honest romantic hiding within me! You want me to go with my man's sister and her man? They will put me under tremendous discipline; make me trek heights when I may be just wanting to sit on a rock and sing "Kasme vade nibhayenge hum". We were again watching "3 Idiots" last Sunday, so that wish of visiting Leh, Ladakh alone is haunting me hard; I can freely confront the me I hide usually, in such an atmosphere. Now, my readers would understand how much I enjoy my own company; if there are two, you cannot get lost in your thoughts; mine are absurd, utopian. If that is not possible in a coward's life, COOKING can happen any time of the day. My love for TEATIME SNACK or STARTERS, APPETISERS is well known, our son's too; the man used to, now fears. I do not spare him; he cannot rob me of all the pleasures of eating; he has to eat. He asks me to eat without him. I do that outside of home; but the HOME COOKED FOOD, he has to have a share.

WHAT IS THIS SPICY TOFU & POTATO STUFFED VEGETARIAN CURRY PUFF?

What did I write all this while; again those rubbish secret tales of a stupid self? Actually, I almost broke into a deep sleep an hour back. After a 6.4 km of walk locally, I had a bun; back home a mix of rice & millet and then! I got out the hidden self from the box, a bit. I ferociously safeguard the romantic in me and believe in what Amit & Labonyo believed in; not to make romance a mundane, daily affair; keep it exclusive! We can still love our own around, do or die for them. I think, after sending off the son and his newly wed girl for their honeymoon; I would still have the mind to sing "kahi na ja, aaj kahi mat ja, fir mile na mile, yeh pal yeh sama" sitting amidst my greens; whilst the man would then be watching a Fox Crime Series, which I dislike. May be after an hour or two, we will be having this VEGETARIAN; TOFU ALOOR PUR BHORA CURRY PUFF; then both get tensed, call the son if they have reached their destination safely. Every feeling of your life is true to your best; you are different pieces sewn into one. I am just an extra bit which the husband has tolerated, so nice of him. I am not so nice about him getting all sorts of Whisky brands online, his new hobby. This is life, if you deny, you are lying to yourself. One thing, most of the spice loving South Asians should agree with me and cook tofu scramble just like me to be able to love it. I will make a separate post about it later. Below is how Cristine cooked Tofu for her friends; marinating only with pepper & salt and slow fried. She ate mine too.

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 11/2 COFFEE MUG

TOFU / TAU KWA : 200 GM

BOILED & MASHED POTATO : A BOWL FUL [OF TWO MEDIUM SIZED]

CHOPPED ONION : 3-4 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 3-4 TBSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/2 TSP

ASAFOETIDA : 2 PINCH

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP + 150 ML

CURRY PUFF MOULD [REDUCES YOUR WORK LOAD]

PROCEDURE :

Let us prepare the dough at first. We will take the refined flour, a little of salt, 2 tbsp oil in a wide mouthed bowl, mix and rub for 2-3 minutes.

Thereafter, we should add water little by little and prepare a soft, smooth dough.

We will cover it for 15-20 minutes. Most of the time, I use a plate and not a moist piece of cloth.

Meanwhile, we will prepare the spicy, tofu scramble & potato stuffing. I had washed and mashed the tofu and boiled potatoes with hand.

Cristine had chopped and washed the onion, green chillies, fresh coriander for the purpose.

I kept near hand all the spices to be used.

I had heated 2 tbsp oil in a wok and tempered with the cumin seeds!

I had added the asafoetida & chopped onions, fried till golden brown. Then, I had added the green chillies and stir fried for half a minute.

I had added the tofu and the cumin+coriander+red chilli powders and mixed well.

Thereafter, I had added the potato mash and mixed the entire thing well. Then, we must add some salt, the crushed black pepper, the dry mango powder, chopped coriander and stir cook for 2-3 minutes.

We had transferred the filling to a bowl.

While the stuffing is cooling, we will uncover the refined flour dough. We will knead it for 2-3 minutes; tear off small portions; smoothen between the palms.

We will use the rolling pin and base to roll out poori / luchi sized roundels; one at a time; use a cap bigger than the mould base to cut and shape!

We will place the roundel atop the mould base and fill with the tofu-potato stuffing!

We will press from both ends and tight, then gently open, to get stuffed puffs!

I did everything, but Cristine did the best part of stuffing and shaping with help of the mould.

I did the frying part because it needs to adjust the heat level of the oil. We have to add the puffs when the oil is just warm and not hot. Then cook in slow fire for longer time; both sides until golden brown.