CURRY AND SPICE: KANCHA TOMATO SHORSHE BATA CHICKEN

I DESPERATELY TRY TO HAVE CHICKEN!

It may not be my favourite food but there is no point quitting Chicken! If I cannot have sea fish, the mutton variety available; what to eat staying far off from the hometown of Kolkata? Stale fresh water fish? Thats what I ended up cooking this week! The hilsa & tyangra fish I cooked yesterday are absolutely disgusting!Our families are not used to having such poor quality fish ever! At times I get angry with myself for my inability to get the right quality of fish!This island is the hub for the freshest sea-fish varieties!Because I try to get Bengal's favourite fish varieties sitting in an island city far away, such problem arises. The pinch is felt more because my family is used to having freshest varieties of fish! About the mutton, I find the goat meat coming from the Kangaroo Land dry; and the lamb variety drier! I have noticed when they cut the meat, the "chorbi", fat is totally absent. Yet, we need to have them at intervals! In this scenario, I need to stick to chicken; moreover Cristine needs chicken regular; in fact non-vegetarian food just like our son & her Sir! The mother also says the brother & his spouse love chicken to the core. There was a time the brother disliked chicken like his sister & parents! But a shift from red meat to lean meat is a good move!

SUNDAYS ARE TOO QUIET AT THIS HOME!

Though we watch movies & series continuously over the weekends; Sundays we feel the void created in our lives; our joy, pride & love, the son is in a far off land; this fact I realise again & again very Sunday, Cristine is off home too! I start the prayers about him getting to eat right & end up seeking for his safety, long life with health to the Almighty. God knows I pray for the long life & health of the entire mankind! Melancholy takes a toll on your mind & body, but some are born as melancholic! In my case, the family never contributed to this condition of mine; they are normal people who gave me the love, warmth, care I required when. Because I was never a mingling type, since my teen I enjoy being in the world of books, Bollywood & music without much of crowd around me! I may not be able to but it is necessary to talk enough to people and meet them, if not too often! Not all quiet people would be violent & cruel, caring homes usually do not create one disturbed child. It takes a bit of discipline & sacrifices to bring up the future of any family! I do not think that is too heavy a task. Love has the capability to do anything towards the better & wellbeing! I had been following a couple of incidents around; studying them, doing research & conclude, every child born on this earth should get a decent upbringing; it is the parents who have to be responsible! The world has the right to tag me an "useless brain"!

WHAT IS KANCHA TOMATO SHORSHE BATA CHICKEN?

I believe, chicken is quite favourite with the younger generation, a popular & versatile food ingredient! This recipe may not be ideally kid's friendly, I have an easy chicken-rice bowl to share sooner! I wished for this Bengali styled, gluten-free, non-vegetarian lean meat recipe with chicken, green tomato, chilli-mustard paste; KANCHA TOMATO SHORSHE BATA CHICKEN to be shared today!I had been writing this post since last evening, that was a Sunday! Now, it's a Monday morning & in the afternoon I am to meet someone with homemade naru & nimki, malpoa!

We would sit together for a quick coffee & hence my lunch was a light wanton soup bowl! Yes, I did the mistake of allowing pork inside the home today! I was busy in the morning to cook the three things, went for a swim down & forgot to be careful enough! Back home I am to finish the blogpost & share with you all beautiful people! Last evening, alongside writing, I was watching a series & managed to fry some luchi to go with "cholar dal" for our dinner!

We love our simplest meals if its with hand rolled breads. I do not get how T's mother used to enjoy chana dal with rice, to me it's exclusively to go with breads! Our lunch was with that poor quality of Tyangra Mach, did not wish to click! This morning, it feels rejuvenated, our son called last night & it's like a celebration for us. But does it make me worry less about him? Nope! Now, that the mother is back to Barrackpore, I am at peace & need not talk to her everyday; I am truly thankful to my brother & his spouse for this part!

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 1 KG [MEDIUM CUT]

UNRIPE TOMATO : 2-3

BLACK MUSTARD SEED : 2 TBSP

ONION : 1-2 STANDARD SIZED

GARLIC PASTE : 2 TBSP

GREEN CHILLI : 6-7

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

BAY LEAF : 1-2

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP [I USED MUSTARD]

PROCEDURE :

We would wash the chicken well, drain the water and marinate it with enough salt for an hour, then wash throughly! This helps get rid of the raw smell.

We would now marinate the chicken with the salt, turmeric, garlic paste, keep aside for an hour.

We would peel, slice the onion, wash. We would heat the oil in a wok, temper it with the bayleaf!

We would add the marinated chicken. Thereafter, wash & cut one or two unripe tomatoes & add.

We would cover cook at minimal heat for 12-14 minutes. Meanwhile, we would strain the mustard seeds soaked in water for an water, blend it along with ice cubes, washed green chillies & some salt!