VEGETARIAN RICE BOWL

THE PHOTO FEATURE TAKES ME FEW DECADES BACK!

I do not remember exactly when Neutrela & Mealmaker did flood the Bengal / Kolkata Markets! Was it around the same time  they reached every corner of the rest of India? Was the loose or local, simpler packaged soya chunks already present in our markets by then? I do not remember all these, neither would I sit to research & find out the facts! It was then when I still was in school that I remember! In a Kolkata that lived by the chop-cutlet at the Basanta Cabin & Malancha or Mitra Cafe, it was quite tough for a soya chunk or paneer to fit in the Bengali Homes! But they did, at least on an all vegetarian day! Almost every Bengali Home would have one day in the week fixed as an all vegetarian day! It was on such a day, kids like us would prefer a paneer or soya chunk curry over "tori-torkari"! Today, I enjoy an "ucche-chocchori" or "neem-begun"! It is unbelievable, I sincerely believe the son would have Bengali Food preferences  some day! Well T does eat mostly the Bengali Food cooked at home! He though loves sashimi, steak, grilled salmon, he as much enjoys a "doi mach", "boro aar mach", "mangshor jhol", "bhangachora shukto"! I have always been an ardent lover of Bengali fish & meat preparations made at home; I do not crave for the "mach bhaja" at the Zakaria street! Well, there was a time I wished to eat at a Bengali themed restaurant or in a Pice Hotel; but now I  do not want to! On my visits to Kolkata, I prefer buying only fish & meat cutlets, have a fuchka, sandesh, chaats; things that I know how to make but cannot get that exact perfection in my kitchen! Even Kochuri I detest to buy because I do them good! Only when in the Dakhshineshwar temple ground, I would have more as a ritual that is a must for a Kolkatan! Just as a "kabiraji cutlet" would take me on a nostalgic ride, so would the soya chunk rice bowl picture on a Nutrela or Mealmaker packet! Though it was cooked regular at home, a fried rice was never made with it! Also, our parents were not the kind to buy a chicken or mutton cutlet at that price. When people compare the taste of Allen's with Mitra Cafe's or Kewpie's with the Prince at Free School Street, I am clueless because I have not eaten at any!

WE WERE ANYWAY WELL FED BUT WE LACK THAT KOLKATA FOOD EXPERIENCES!

If you ask me the taste of "Golbarir Kosha Mangsho", I cannot say anything! It was only after I was in high school or may be when I left the school, the father's friends would bring together the families at a place in the Esplanade area and eat at a good place! One such place I remember was the Pink Room & it's Fish Fry, till date could not forget the taste! You can see, the father did not have an issue to pay for the food if his friends arranged a eat out, go for tours within India or to a picnic; he actually hated taking any initiative!He was an active member of the YMCA, met his friends at the Carzon Park every second Saturday, watched Hollywood movies in the theatres, was at the Eden Gardens, later at the Salt Lake Stadium! Then suddenly after the sibling's birth, he started retreating from a cosmopolitan being to a typical middle-class suburban Bengali! He refused to upgrade as per his ability, that I see a repeat in the family after forty years is a hurt! People should always wish to live well, need not be in opulence! If one earns decent, a standard of living is to be maintained! This home needed renovation, I gave an ultimatum; either rent another or renovate this from your pocket! Other women have lots of demands, I do not ask for a lot, but I need a minimum decent area to live given you have the ability! I am not in the habit of comparing with other greater homes in the same financial capability! Every working person would have his or her own financial plans! I have serious irritation about living a life below one's ability! Savings habit is good, but an excess of this habit makes our present look dull! Anyway, whether upset or happy, I must eat & keep eating; in the past 15 days, I have put on weight, not going to the Indian Market, walking less & putting on was inevitable!

WHAT IS THIS VEGETARIAN RICE BOWL?

You can say after over forty years of yearning to have that soya chunk rice in the picture of the Mealmaker or Nutrela packet, I tried to cook something similar last week! I obviously do not remember if the recipe was given in the pack or not, I really do not know if I could get a similar taste or not! It does not matter, so long it is tasty! Tonight, I am going to cook this same VEGETARIAN RICE BOWL, that is gluten-free & nutritious! If you use oil instead of ghee, it would be vegan! In both cases the taste would be same but ghee / clarified butter gets a flavour I love! Simply done with a tempering of whole spices, it can be had as it is with any pickle & salad or be paired with a non-vegetarian or vegetarian dish! You can say, through this dish I recreated a memory I was garnering at the back of my mind for decades; it may not be as dearer to our tastebud as is an Oriental fried rice or a Mishti Polao; but my curiosity had to see an end! And I would do it once in a while, like our today's dinner is this!

INGREDIENTS :

LONG GRAINED BASMATI RICE : 1 COFFEE MUG

GREEN PEA : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

SWEET CORN : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

GREEN CHILLI : 2-3

SOYA CHUNK : 1 COFFEE MUG

GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4

BLACK CARDAMOM : 1

STAR ANISE : 1

CINNAMON STICK : 1/2 INCH SIZED TWO TO THREE

CLOVE : 4-5

BAYLEAF : 2-3

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 2 TSP [OPTIONAL]

GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 3 TBSP

OIL : 1 TBSP 

POMEGRANATE KERNELS TO GARNISH!

PROCEDURE :

Wash & soak the rice in water for an hour. Cook the rice in enough water until 75-80% done & pour in a colander! Let all of the water drain off!

Pour hot water onto the soya chunks & add a little of salt! Keep covered for 12-15 minutes; as they become soft; wash & drain the water! Squeeze out all of the water from them.

Wash the corns & the green peas!

Temper the heated oil+ghee in a wok with the whole spices; cinnamon sticks, green & black cardamom, cloves, bayleaves, star anise!

Give a stir & add the boiled soya chunks & sprinkle a bit of salt! Stir cook them at low heat for 4-5 minutes! 

Add the sweet corns & the green peas! Sprinkle a bit of salt & stir cook them at low heat for 3-4 minutes! 

Add the cooked rice now, fold in well! Add the sugar if using & a little of salt to adjust! Stir cook at medium heat for 4-5 minutes without breaking the rice grains!

Transfer to a serving bowl & garnish with pomegranate kernels! Enjoy it fresh!