CHALE DALE KUMRO

 THAT FISH & RICE STAPLE OF THE COMMUNITY STILL WORKS!

I think we can have a "sheddo bhaat" / boiled rice with different vegetable mashes at least three to four times a week!But we must have some fish fries, at least a boiled egg alongside with it!We just cannot have it with a chutney & curry base!Neither we would want a meat curry alongside such a sathvik rice plate!Saying so, I do not intent to hurt others' sentiments!We are what we are used to since our birth; at least majorly!It is wrong to mock those who hate to smell non-vegetarian food or those whose morning starts with a meat curry! I have always insisted on this that food is a personal choice!What to eat should not even feature as a national issue!It is wrong to decide for others what should they cook in their kitchen!I never did think that one of the largest democracy in the world would want to decide what people would eat, what they should not!I still do not take it seriously, I do not wish to believe a secular set up can be declared a vegetarian state! 

WHY DID I COOK A DAL / LENTILS VEGETABLES RICE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT?

That is given I cook a good number of dishes on a Saturday day time!Saturday night we usually eat flat or puffed bread with the meat variety I have made; it can be chicken or mutton!Last Saturday, the Kuning fish variety bought two weeks back had to be used up and I was skeptical about cooking a curry with this variety!I cooked the rice-lentil-vegetables medley to go with the deep fried fish!Its a good combo meal for the Bengalis if only the fish variety was of my choice!Last month, I had a Nasi Lemak meal which had a Kuning fish fry, I liked!So, I got it home, but I did not enjoy the first bite. The excess Cristine took for her friends yesterday!I wish they were crispy fried charapona!It's all about how adaptive one is about food; I see I am not a daring food adventurist!I prepared the coconut tempered rice & dal combo a lot and had it for lunch today! Reheated & had with a drizzle of mustard oil; it felt heaven with an omelette on the side! Thereafter, the mango cubes felt like "Amrito"!

Since, yesterday, I am eating rice shamelessly! Though scared, I cannot stop eating!

WHAT IS THIS CHALE DALE KUMRO?

It is not a pumpkin rice, neither a khichuri / rice & dal hotchpotch!You can say the inspiration is drawn from the Chale-Dale of T's home & the Southern Indian Pongal rice!Both varieties are on similar line and I am fond of both!The addition of dal to rice makes me happier! Baby's mumma needs dal every day, baby sustained the vegetables if mashed with dal; until last year!The mother too told last week she needs dal everyday; her dals I found bland, good though!My brother preferred didibhai cooked dal! The mother thinks only she and her mother know how to cook good Bengali Food, and they can't go wrong in any area of life!Yet, it is for the two of them mainly, I am alive, taken to cooking as my hobby!Although, on a Saturday I cook a lot, for dinner again I cooked this lentil-rice-vegetables medley with a tempering of cumin, mustard, chillies, chopped coconut!It is a vegan, gluten-free main meal I named CHALE DALE KUMRO!We enjoy frill-free meals with dollops of ghee or butter on it!

Few other similar recipes from the blog are :

MURGIR MANGSHOR KHICHURI

MATAR DAL O BASMATIR KHICHURI

MUTTON KHICHURI

BHUNA KHICHURI O ALOOR KOSHA DOM

INGREDIENTS :

BASMATI RICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

MOONG DAL / SPLIT MOONG BEAN : 1/4 COFFEE MUG

MUSHURIR DAL / RED LENTIL : 1/4 COFFEE MUG

PUMPKIN CUBE : 1 BOWLFUL

POTATO CUBE : 1 BOWLFUL

CARROT CUBE : 1 BOWLFUL

BAYLEAF : 1 OR 2

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

MUSTARD SEED : 1/4 TSP

DRY RED CHILLI : 2

GREEN CHILLI : 3-4 [SLITTED]

CHOPPED COCONUT : 2 TBSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP 

PROCEDURE :

On a Saturday evening, I do not have the energy to take stepwise pictures of what I am cooking! Its an easy recipe!

I had washed both the dal varieties taken together in a bowl and soaked for sometime. Then I had put them in a deep bottomed vessel with enough water; for boil! I added some salt & the turmeric powder!

Once the lentils were half done, I had washed & added the rice!I gave a stir, half covered with a lid and lowered the heat to minimal!We need not cover it full, the water would spill!

After about 7-8 minutes, I had added the washed vegetables, more of water and some salt! 

I kept  checking every few minutes; also kept adding water whenever it looked dry! It took about 15-18 minutes to cook! Do not ask me to use pressure cooker!

I had heated the oil in a wok and tempered it with the dry red chillies, slitted green chillies, bayleaves, cumin & mustard seeds, curry leaves! I gave a stir and added the chopped coconuts!

I stir cooked until the coconut turned light brown and started smelling heavenly! I had added all of it to the cooked rice & dal mixture and stirred well! We are done! Have it with your choice of sides!

TOFU CARROT TITBIT O AVOCADO DHONEPATA DIP

THE SENSATIONAL AVOCADO I AM NOT FOND OF!

In fact, it is just 4-5 years that I know about this wonder fruit[?] or vegetable[?]. Here in this island, it is sold in fruit shops.It is also a fact that the maximum in my family branch have not heard of or seen an avocado; neither they want to see it ever!Aren't we happy with our kind of greens like shaak-pata, kumro, lau,pepe, chalkumro, kopi-topi, kochu-ghechu, chichinge, jhinge, shojne, echor, mocha and many more of them?Do you want me to believe Baby Avocado alone can pick up a fight with all of the above? Is it that self-sufficient? I have doubts!I have crossed the boundary of my land; the best I can do is some days and rarely I can buy & try an avocado at a discounted price of 4 for 4:95$ instead of 4 or 3 for 10$!I absolutely do not find it necessary to try this expensive fruit in this lifetime!Then, I believe we need to go a little bit with the trend if not in a fast pace!That made me buy a few avocados last week! I felt let me see!I used it in a curry instead of potato; the rest ate, I did not wish to touch!The purpose of me getting it was preparing a chutney with fresh herbs; I did and I really enjoyed it! With rice I had the chutney as a Bharta, so good!I think my friend Piali's daughter Tinni / Ishani made a similar something when we visited them two years back!

I could not eat that pomfret, gave it to Cristine!If there is a bharta, I cannot eat anything else; pomfret I totally dislike!I have decided to get pomfret for the rest alone! Thats what the mother does; gets it for Bidisha & Bhai; she does not eat!On the son's homecoming; I would get his favourites pomfret, salmon & prawn a bit more times!I hope he opens up and chat with me & T, which he does not wish to over phone!

JUST AS AVOCADO; TOFU IS A RARE GUEST IN OUR HOME!

I cannot love tofu as much as paneer ever in my life!I believe, one who has tasted paneer cannot include tofu in their daily diet, even if it is a healthier option!Okay! Had I have earned anywhere near "AKKI" baba, I would have given it a thought; eat a bland thing like tofu! Anyway,Ms.S's life is incomplete without the spice factor; I totally give a desi makeover to a tofu or an avocado; else they would go through the drain!I do not cook for my blog; my blog usually reflects what we enjoy eating as a family!Because I prefer to get a variety of food in our life and to my blog; I add chillies to onion to spice powders to fresh herbs to a tofu or avocado, stuffs we did not grow up eating!My tongue should be able to accept the food I am cooking, the sensory organs should be able to appreciate whats going in!If I have come across different cultures and their people & celebrations; I must get something good on their plate;I must do it for the land our son is stationed in!

WHAT IS THIS TOFU CARROT TITBIT O AVOCADO DHONEPATA CHUTNEY?

I made a rough plan of this combo food a couple of weeks back!We love finger food / snacks / appetisers / titbits as a family! Just that T fears to have too much of deep fried stuffs frequently! Hence, these days I try a couple of the fries & fritters in the oven just brushing a little of oil instead of deep frying!Its a good move except for a little compromise on the crisp texture factor!When T is in his office, what many variety of snacks & fritters I eat, keep eating is another story to tell!I so miss the son in these adventures, we used to have together in the evenings! Okay, once in the 10th standard, he refused having anything in the evening!I can know his present eating schedule when we get to meet him! I am sure he would enjoy this oven cooked, vegan, gluten-free appetiser TOFU CARROT TITBIT O AVOCADO DHONEPATA DIP, the latter a condiment!His student apartment has a microwave, oven, hot plate; mummy needs to go, set up and kick start a functional kitchen! He and his friends can easily prepare the avocado coriander spread and eat on their toast!What else mumma needs to be satisfied? Whilst cooking this platter, the height was when Cristine told her family loves cooking desserts with avocado & milk; I was like shobeda kha, ata kha, paka pepe kha; avocadoi keno rey?

INGREDIENTS FOR THE AVOCADO CORIANDER CHUTNEY :

 AVOCADO : 2 RIPE

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

GREEN CHILLI : 2 [OR AS PER YOUR ACCEPTANCE LEVEL]

CHOPPED GARLIC : 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED [BETTER IS BLACK SALT]

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOFU CARROT TITBIT :

TOFU [TAU KWA] : 250 GM

OATS : 2-3 TBSP

CORN FOUR : 1 TBSP

CARROT : 1 [SHREDDED]

GREEN CHILLI : 2 [CHOPPED]

ONION : 1 [CHOPPED]

GARLIC : 1 TSP [MINCE]

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

DRY MANGO POWDER : 1 TSP

CHAAT MASALA : 1/2 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4 TSP

OIL : 3 TBSP + A LITTLE TO BRUSH

PROCEDURE : 

Let us do the Avocado Coriander Chutney, at first!

Wash & discard the skin of the near ripe avocados; scooping out the flesh throwing off the seeds!

Take it in a blender along with the washed coriander leaves, green chilli, salt, lemon juice, minced garlic!

Blend at high to get a paste like consistency! We are done! I loved it!

I did not find it necessary to add olive oil to it! Its up to you!

Here is how we do the vegan, gluten-free oven cooked appetisers!

We have the washed mince & chopped vegetables, spiced powders, mashed tau kwa / tofu ready on the kitchen counter!

We have heated 2-3 tbsp of oil in the wok & tempered it with the cumin seeds & the garlic mince!

Once the mince garlic turns light brown, we will add the chopped & washed onions & green chillies!

We will cook it for 3-4 minutes and add the washed & shredded carrot!

We will stir cook for 2-3 minutes and add the mashed tofu, salt & cumin+coriander+dry mango+chaat masala+turmeric powders!

We will again stir cook for 3-4 minutes and add the washed & chopped coriander leaves!

We will stir cook it for another 2-3 minutes!

We will add the oats & corn flour at this stage and fold in well!

We will transfer it to a plate!

Once a little cooler, we will tear off smaller portions to shape them and place them on a greased, oven proof plate!

 

I have used the grill+microwave cooking mode of my convection microwave machine!

I have placed the low height wired stool inside the oven first and on top of it the plate!

I have brushed each fritter with some oil!

I have cooked one side for 10-12 minutes at 300 power!

I have turned over, brushed each with oil and cooked the other side for 8-9 minutes!

What else is left but to eat the combo food of fritters & condiment when still hot?

DRY FRUITS STUFFED SNACKS

 

THIS IS A MEAL CUM SNACK; VEGAN & GLUTEN-FREE!

I do have two existing recipes with similar ideas which I think have a tastier stuffing of potatoes. One stuffed bread is with an oats flour! The idea of both was drawn from Litti or Bati, off course; the Indian breads. I study or do so less research that I do not wish to go for an elaborate discussion on the sources of it! Today's recipe I think is nothing unique but is nearer to the earlier two! It can be kept ahead than the earlier ones given it is vegan & gluten-free! There is so much of craze for the word vegan these days which I consider funny! Gluten-free food is a necessity; I have seen closely what a gluten allergy can do to your stomach! I am really thankful to the then paediatricians of our son; who helped me handle the situation to keep the son healthier! You can well understand the mental state of a mother whose child falls sick every month! These days, I wish to prepare chapati / paratha more with gluten-free flours but I am facing failures with the rolling to expand part. This morning, I took no risk and cooked some roasted bread thats within my capacity!

WHY AM I FEELING SO SLEEPY; IS OVER EATING THE CAUSE?

It can be a possible reason; the other reason is us watching too many movies & series over the weekend. We started with one last Friday evening and ended today early morning around 2.25 am! Now it feels every bone of mine is aching & wanting to sleep! I am aging; if I allow myself now, I have to keep awake like an owl tonight! The sleep disorder adds to your weight & hair loss! Yet, watching movies and munching this & that are our greatest pleasure activities these days; neither of us enjoy unlimited chatting sitting in a crowd! T comes from a home where there had been guests all the time; surprisingly he became more like me; "shongo dosh"; I can jokingly say! I am the kind who enjoys doing a stuffed snacker after a three hours sleep at night! I am happy because no one forces or instructs me to do it! What I do in my free will is my pleasure! 

It was mango & the cashew-raisin stuffed snacker for the lunch box today! It hurts to know the son no more requires my service in his present life! I am thinking about his first homecoming; whenever it is; what would the son want me to cook for him? I cannot let myself worry to the hell; I rather concentrate on the eating part! That was my lunch today!

I so enjoy simple rice & chapati meals. That was the last bit of the self made CHALTAR ACHAR  / Elephant Apple sweet Bengali style pickle; I had to finish it. Like the daddy, I want to have a piece each day; I fear of the amount of the jaggery used in it! The man's lunch box was packed with spicy & salty pickle. 

WHAT IS THIS DRY FRUITS STUFFED SNACKS?

Why should you not question my authenticity of being a Bengali? Yesterday was not an usual Sunday, it was significant; hence I got food from outside both for the lunch & dinner! I would share those in public some other day! Know that I got home a London Dry Gin yesterday, did not know there is no tonic at home; later to have it!

This morning, I made these vegan, gluten-free cousins of Litti or Bati whatever; unless we have the shorshe ilish, shaak bhaja or the echorer dalna, dal at night for dinner; we won't be at peace! For me one meal from outside over the weekend is fine; even the man was wanting a home cooked meal at night but I said, "lets order the dinner too from outside!" Although I wanted to go for a drive and dine-in; I felt tired and it was raining! I would not allow the man to drive even if there is a drop of alcohol in his stomach! I think how the son is having his every meal from outside! Okay! According to him, he cooks "bread"! Mumma has to go to set up his kitchen with filled in jars of snacks, lentils & spices; containers with rice; plates & glasses! Everything I have in mind but we need to reach there for that! I keep aside my longing desires and cook a DRY FRUITS STUFFED SNACKS which is a bread done with gluten-free flours like ragi / finger millet, rice & corn flours! I used coriander & green chillies in the dough; cashew nuts & raisin in the stuffing! The idea of roasting them on stovetop placed on the high wired microwave grill stool is hired, forgot whose video it was.

INGREDIENTS :

FINGER MILLET / RAGI FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

RICE FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

CORN FLOUR : 2 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAF : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TBSP

CHOPPED CASHEW NUT : 3-4 TBSP

RAISIN : 2 TBSP

SALT : 1 TSP

OIL TO BRUSH [USE BUTTER OR GHEE IF A VEGAN VERSION IS NOT A NECESSITY]

PROCEDURE :

We will take the three flours and the salt in a bowl and mix well.

We will chop the fresh coriander & green chillies; wash well & drain!

We will add them to the flour mixture & mix well!

We will prepare the dough adding some warm water slowly to it!

We will chop the cashew nuts & add the washed raisins to it!

We will tear off smaller portions from the dough, flatten between our palms; place 1 tsp of the dry fruit mixture in the middle. Close and form a ball or roll shaped!

We will place the high, wired stool atop the gas burner and grease it with oil! 

We will switch on the gas burner and let the griller get hot!

We would place the gluten-free, vegan breads atop it and cook at medium to high heat for 12-13 minutes or until brown!

They require to be browner  than the above! Once done, brush with olive oil or butter & ghee before serving with your choice of condiments, egg plant dips! 

They taste the best when eaten fresh & hot! If we are reheating them; it should not be more than 30 seconds; else they harden!

EASY STEAMED CHICKEN

CHICKEN IS A HEALTHY MEAT!

And its neat, this comes from a person who loves her kitchen, shopping for raw ingredients & cooking!All my loving readers have known by now for a period of 4-5 years, I totally detested chicken!I also felt I did not cook it well enough;  but my family had been fine with it!Gradually, I started trying, testing, also tasting different recipes with it which need not be Indian or South Asian!I discovered I like to cook & eat very light, soupy Chicken Curries that use minimal spices!I have zeroed in on few recipes and cook them in turns!I have always been fond of the Oriental Chicken and Western Fried Chicken!Not only because the son immensely loves chicken, going without chicken in a foreign land for us usually non-veg eaters is difficult! A chicken soup with ruti or bread or a bowl of rice works for us!The man wants chicken soup & bread every night!This irritates me and I retaliate; "I can cook, I enjoy it because Cristine is there 24/7; food cannot be monotonous in this family"!

I PLAN FOOD WITH THE START OF THE DAY!

Yesterday night, I did not plan for the lunch box!This morning, while I was still on the bed, an idea did strike my mind!I got up, brushed my teeth, felt better using the mouth freshener and took out the mutton curry bowl!By that time, Cristine too woke up and I asked her to roast some moong dal, wash it with some rice added, slit green chillies, chop onions, take out a bay leaf & a dry red chilli, cumin seeds! And I prepared a non-vegetarian hotchpotch in the pressure cooker; filled in the lunch box and also had it for our lunch!The moment you use Basmati rice for a khichuri, it ceases to be a Bengali style, we must use the small grain, fragrant rice for it!

I am not in support of cooking food in a pressure cooker, I do not think the final step of a dish should be cooked in it! I actually had to go to my doctor today!I do not know why I wanted to cook a cake in a jiffy!

My cakes are not good if I am using eggs; they get rubbery if I use egg! I perhaps was in a hurry to use the newly bought mould!I think in my case, egg infused cakes are to be bought from the store; fruits, yogurt, vinegar, evaporated milk & creamer work good for my egg free cakes; after all the grandma got sores on her waist cradling me!Anyway, my blood sugar level is under control even after having rice regular and the pressure too, but it fluctuates!I walked too about 6km wearing a hawaii chappal and a bag on my shoulder! Daily cardio I would do!For dinner, I can go without carb but I cannot fast until 2 pm the next day if so!I give utmost love & care to my stomach! Steamed Fish & Chicken, Vegetables cannot be my religion; they can be had some days!I must have "shutkir bhorta diye bhaat" regular! That is the reason why I am giving away at least 10-15 dresses to Cristine's family! I bought them  over a period of time at discount; some I did not even wear once! Now, I cannot wear heavy dresses, I fall sick, puke! I am over weight and prefer light wears, cotton wear to be precise!

Charity begins at home and I might be giving away our daily use Corelle Crockery too, I told bossy eleven years on;I got bored of them, they won't break!

WHAT IS THIS EASY STEAMED CHICKEN?

Cristine has become a part of the family almost and at times I cook Filipino dishes listening from her!The South East Asian palette suits her but she loves our food except our sweets!She is extremely fond of porota, luchi! She & her Sir refuse gluten-free flours!Some days I would cook a minimally marinated fish or chicken this way to give her the taste of home!She has her kind of food every Sunday; I am happy that she does not make a noise when I serve her panchmeshali torkari which my man, son & brother consider as inedible!This EASY STEAMED CHICKEN is a simplistic, non-vegetarian lean meat recipe! It has been marinated with the basic spices & fresh herb coriander & cooked in a manual steamer. I can guarantee there would be no smell of raw chicken!I do not know what else the Orientals use in the marination, they eat a lot of herbs & sauces I am clueless about!To make this chicken dish gluten-free use a specialised soy sauce,I cannot prescribe a vegan version of it! The islanders prepare tofu this way, I like but my men won't touch!Yesterday night, I cooked tofu in a way the islander would term as a murderous attempt at their tofu! We all loved it is what matters!

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : ONE WHOLE, DE-SKINNED & CLEANED

MINCE GARLIC : 2 TBSP

MINCE GINGER : 2 TSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

CHOPPED FRESH CORIANDER : 2-3 TBSP

LEMON JUICE : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

SOY SAUCE : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

ALL PURPOSE SEASONING : 1 TSP

DRIED HERB : 1 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

It goes without saying all the raw spices & herbs used have to be washed. The chicken has to be washed thoroughly inside out under running water!

We will marinate the chicken with everything mentioned in the ingredients list except the chopped & washed coriander!

Be careful, the soy sauce & the all purpose seasoning are salty, so use minimal amount of salt!

We will keep it marinated for 2 to 3 hours covered! Thereafter, we will add the chopped coriander!

We will fill half of the steamer base with water and boil it!We will place the holed plate atop it and the chicken plate on it!

We will close the pot with it's cover and steam cook for about half an hour to 35-40 minutes at low heat!

We will switch off the gas!

We had it with some salad, sweet potato & purple cabbage kebab on the side!