Monday, 27 February 2023

TOPA KUL DIYE MOTOR ER DAL



I THINK AFTER QUITE SOMETIME I AM BLOGGING ABOUT A FAMILY RECIPE!

And that cannot be otherwise but Bengali! We are a middle class Bengali family, of East Bengal origin to be precise and hence, we cook a variety with perhaps anything edible, may be we cook & make inedible stuffs edible? You can say, from our family kind of kitchens; there started using every part of a vegetable; peel to the seed to cook a recipe may be! There has in my phone's album a couple of such rustic recipes, of them four are with Kharkon pata, a different variety of yam leaves! If you ask my preference, these days I want to eat such meals like "dal, aloo bhaja, shutki mach er bhorta", "shukto, chuno mach er chocchori, dal", "pabda mach er jhal, dal, fulkopir bora", "chicken aloor patla jhol, aloo potoler dalna, ucche chocchori!" I can talk about 25-30 more of such combination of Bengali food! We must have ruti-porota-luchi on a regular basis! BTW, some of your beloved friends out there {or mother? haha} eats desi breads; you can gladly share in your space! They cannot make it is a different issue!

TODAY TOO I STARTED TO WRITE LATE!

It is my fault altogether! Until 2:30 pm, I was re-arranging the existing blogpost's pictures! All of a sudden, I felt I should not keep too much of workload for Cristine! I set the ladder & did the cleaning job! I changed the bed spreads & cleaned Cristine's room & toilet, washed her clothes, door curtain in the washing machine, hanged! Her door curtain holder fell on my head, I did not die! That made me eat a bit late than regular! And I ate uncountable number of those appe starting at 4:30 pm onwards, I was working & eating one! Cristine has to do a lot of ironing once back!


 

T is scolding me as to why I climbed the ladder in an empty home, we ask Cristine to do it in my presence! I am practicing, so I do not have any issue when we visit our son, that I can serve his home during the time of visit! Only that T hates doing any household chore & both my thumbs got injured, in fact both of our's since our visit to that land! My condition aggravated in the past one & half month! I feel good whilst engaged, else weird thoughts get hold of me! I am irritated, feels extremely violated! People who I loved & trusted blindly, actually manipulated me to serve their friendship, put on sell my emotions in an open market! I do not know if henceforth, I should arrange college group meets in our Kolkata Home at all, I think I should attend college meets if only they arrange it in an eatery; not in my place or at anyone's place in groups; individually I can attend! I love my friends but I should love myself too! I cannot let people use me! The day our son would call his college friends home & ask mumma to cook & feed them, allow her to share the pictures in public; mumma would get back to normal! For the childhood friends, and the few of the school friends left in Kolkata, things would remain as it is! Someone has to declare in public I am the best & closest of all friends the person ever had, then I would consider to facilitate the person's other friendships! I do not want to see that gang around, I enjoyed watching until I was a dumb! I am still dumb but my eyes got half opened! Do not get nonsensical testing my loyalty, I am loyal to myself alone! 

WHAT IS THIS TOPA KUL DIYE MOTOR ER DAL?

Motor Dal is Yellow Split Pea, looks similar to Toor Dal / Pigeon Pea, but not the same! Usually, Bengali families cook their sour lentils curry with this variety of pulses! Throughout the entire summer, my side of the family would cook sour curries! The use of Topa Kul / Sour Jujube in a lentil curry was rare, the mother mostly used elephant apple, raw mango, tamarind, dried raw mango  [amshi] slices! Sour Jujube was majorly used to prepare two to three varieties of achar / pickle! My brother, his wife do need sour lentils during the summer, I can have it throughout the summer! The son was brought up feeding dal & rice majorly! Even T, his mother, our deceased father; the non-dal lovers adores / adored a sour lentil curry! Why not share this vegan, gluten-free family, Bengali curry TOPA KUL DIYE MOTOR ER DAL that our mother cooked rarely when sour jujube was in season?


INGREDIENTS :

MOTOR ER DAL / YELLOW SPLIT PEA : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
TOPA KUL / SOUR JUJUBE / BER : 6-8
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2-3 [HALVED]
BLACK MUSTARD SEED : 1/4 TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1 TSP
OIL : 2 TSP [I USE MUSTARD SEED]

PROCEDURE : 

Wash & smash the jujubes a bit, marinate with little salt & turmeric!

Wash the lentils & soak in hot water for an hour. Pressure cook at minimal heat up to 1 whistle adding two coffee mugs of water, 1/2 tsp turmeric & some salt! Let the lid open in it's own time! 

If you boil in a container, the dal / lentil curry would taste better! In that case it has to be soaked in hot water for 2-3 hours & simmered, half covered in minimal heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour!



In a wok, heat the oil & temper it with the black mustard seed, dry red chillies, give a stir! Add the boiled dal & give a stir! Let it boil for 6-8 minutes at medium heat! Do not forget to add 1 1/2 coffee mugs of water to the wok!



Thereafter, add the slitted green chillies & the smashed sour jujubes & let boil for 3-4 minutes! Then add the sugar, let boil for a minute, take down!


I do not remember if those were meat or fish croquettes, the other bowl has onion stalks & potato stir fry!





 

Thursday, 23 February 2023

ALOO PEYAZ BHAJA FUSILLI



WHO CAN STAY AWAKE AFTER EATING A PLATEFUL OF RICE AT 6 PM?

I am struggling to stay awake & am scared now! I should not have eaten that amount of rice! I clicked & then deleted, why should I set wrong examples for you! Today, everything went haphazard! I did not have much work, yet! I am telling you, the re-arrangement of the pictures in the blog is eating up my time! Else, I had little of the household chore! In fact, I planned to go out for a KFC meal today! I eat my first meal post 4:30pm-5pm! I could not manage the time & I had to write a blogpost! I skipped the plan, cooked broken rice-potato-egg together! That is the quickest meal we cook at this home when in a hurry or when my bones get lazier! I did not understand the quantity, ended up eating all of it! I did not wish to make it stale as the broken rice variety I got is too bland with no aroma! We are used to cooking this recipe with the Gobinda Blog variety of rice, aromatic it is! In it's absence, I cook with the Chinigura or Kalijeera rice varieties grown in Bangladesh! I forgot to eat the medicines I was supposed to eat in the morning! Yesterday, I ate a fusilli bowl & the day before a Subway value meal!

                                        



Not that I am a sandwich lover, but the meal made me feel light on my stomach around 6 pm! Some days, I do like a Subway meal; not more than a wrap!

IN BETWEEN ALL THE MESS, I MADE SOME OATS COOKES!

They are tasting perfect to my tastebuds; but why are they chewy & not crisp? This I must ask my friends who bakes often! 


I do not fancy the store bought biscuits & cookies anymore; even the Subway oats cookie seemed too sweet to me, I wish to try them at home on some days! Today I used oats, brown sugar, banana, butter! My cookies never are crisp! Anyway, cookies are never totally crisp! But I am happy they are tasting good! I am happier because my mini toaster oven is put to some use! I am not comfortable using a traditional oven, I do not understand it's functions! I bought this one to learn; even if it spoils I need not regret too much as it costs 39:90$! Also, our tiny flat cannot accommodate two big machines! This does not affect me anymore, I have crossed passed that state of irritation of living in a rented space in the prime of my life! I was never too demanding in life, the word lifestyle was absent in our parent's lives! Now I look forward to my son's life, I wished to take on some people but his IB grades disappointed me! When would our child get the kind of job we wish for him? 

WHAT IS THIS ALOO PEYAZ BHAJA FUSILLI?

This is hilarious, ain't it? To temper a fusilli bowl with nigella seeds? And then cooking it with onion & potato? It can be put as this, when a Bengali household feels lazy to make some "ruti & aloo bhaja", they make ALOO PEYAZ BHAJA FUSSILI! The pasta variety is readymade and the rest of the work takes less time than making "ruti torkari"! Actually, I had to use up this amount of the fusilli variety! The amount would not be enough once Cristine comes back! Just yesterday mid-noon the idea did strike, what about cooking a pure Bengali potato & onion fry & add to the boiled fusilli? What you gain in this recipe is the freshly made spicy tomato sauce! I find the store bought sauces for pasta too bland to my tastebud! Hence, even if you are not keen about adding nigella seeds to a fusilli bowl; you must read the recipe for the sauce! It is a vegan dish you can have at any meal of the day; no I would not add any extra vegetable if I am cooking it with "aloo peyaz"!



INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE]

CHOPPED RIPE TOMATO : 1 COFFEE MUG
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2 TSP
KULAMBU SPICE MIX : 1/2 TSP
SEASONING MIX : AS REQUIRED
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1 TSP
OIL : 1 TSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE FUSILLI BOWL]

BOILED FUSILLI : 2 COFFEE MUG
THE TOMATO SAUCE MADE
POTATO CUT LENGTHWISE : OF 1 BIG POTATO
FAT SLICES OF ONION : OF 1 BIG ONION
SHREDDED CARROT : OF 1/2 A CARROT
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
NIGELLA SEED : 1/4 TSP
ITALIAN HERB MIX : 1/2 TSP
OIL : 1 TBSP

PROCEDURE :


Boil the fusilli in enough water, a bit of salt & few drops of oil! Strain the water!


Dress & wash all of the vegetables!


Heat 1tsp oil in a wok; add the chopped tomatoes, spice powders including the seasoning mix, salt!


Add 2 tbsp of water & give a stir! Cover cook at minimal heat! As it melts, add the sugar & the slitted green chillies! Take down as it thickens enough!



Heat 1tbsp oil in a clean wok & temper the oil with nigella seeds! Marinate the potato & onion with a little of salt & add to the wok! Give a stir and cover cook at minimal heat for 9-10 minutes, stirring in between! 

Wash the shredded carrot and add to the wok & stir fry for 3-4 minutes! 



Mix together the sauce & cooked fusilli & then add the fried vegetables! Add the Italian seasoning mix!



Serve & have it fresh!










Monday, 20 February 2023

METHI KALO JEERA FLAVOURED QUICK NAAN RUTI


I WISH TO COOK EASY, UNCOMPLICATED RECIPES & GIFT MY READERS THE SAME!

People do not have the time to spend hours in the kitchen in the present day. Or they just do not have the energy? Both are true, elaborate cooking is no more considered a quality or a necessity! Moreover, it requires a phone call to order food! Only a few like me are there who enjoy cooking uninterrupted & hop eateries at the same time! I do not know why I am not fond of getting food to the doorstep; eating outside is also about the place, it's decor & environment! I indeed supply food but I tried / would try my best to deliver the food fresh & warm to my clients! During the pandemic, however, the food delivery services fed a number of families & saved many from getting infected! There are people like my sibling who cannot eat home cooked food continuously & also there are young students like our son who heavily depended on such services for sustenance, staying away from home! At one point, he was finding the student canteen's food a bit of boring. He was bound to; the only thing he picked up from his mother is her thing for a variety of food! She tries serving a variety of food on the family's plate! T hardly has any interest in food, the son though not have an oversized stomach like his mother, he does enjoy varied food; both home cooked & ordering from outside! Now that home cooked food is not available, baby depends heavily on the outside food! He is too unwilling to discuss about his daily life with us!

LOVING TO COOK & LOVING TO COOK EASY RECIPES IS A SMART THING!

I do not have the energy to cook complex, the purpose is no more with the food loving son at far! T & Cristine can eat meals with a chicken or egg curry! I need lentils & vegetables! Also, my interest in cooking is not gone! I enjoy this exercise, I have nothing else to do! Also, updating my blog is something I am not ready to quit at this time. They go to work, they study, they publish their work; what do I do? I tremendously enjoy writing & at the same time do not trust my capability & try publish my work! Anybody, who can help me organise my recipes & write ups into a novel? T is least bothered about my wishes, the son is busy building his life! I should have a space to express, given I cannot mingle easily with my brethren! I relax taking ideas of cooking from here & there! I cook or do not cook them all, it is an enriching experience for me! I am planning to eat outside my lunch tomorrow & that is making me happy! I would just stroll, I was to go today but could not manage the time! There are few people in this world with whom I wish to talk uninterrupted!

WHAT IS THIS QUICK MADE METHI NAAN RUTI?

I do not remember where from I learnt to prepare an easier naan bread dough using self rising flour! But I am sure it is not my invention, I am definite I came across a recipe where we are asked to prepare the naan dough with plain yogurt, self-raising flour, a bit of salt & sugar, oil! Then I forgot all about it, few months back the memory revived & I am using the self-rising flour to make both a naan bread & bhature! Is it cheating? Would you call it a cheat recipe? Whatever they say, for a lazy cook like me who prefers cooking & serving fresh on her family's plate, is finding this extremely helpful! I was eager to share this recipe of the vegetarian naan bread for quite sometime that I named METHI KALO JEERA FLAVOURED QUICK NAAN RUTI




INGREDIENTS :

SELF RISING FLOUR : 2 COFFEE MUG
PLAIN YOGURT : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
SUGAR : 1 TSP
SALT : 1/4 TSP
OIL : 2 TBSP
DRIED FENUGREEK LEAF / SHUKNO METHI PATA : 1 TBSP [TO FLAVOUR]
KALOJEEREY / KALONJI / NIGELLA SEED : 1 TSP [TO FLAVOUR]
BUTTER OR GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER TO APPLY ON TOP!

PROCEDURE :


We will take the self-rising refined flour, salt, sugar, nigella seeds, dried fenugreek leaves in a bowl and mix well.

Thereafter, we would add the oil and the plain yogurt, rub well for 2-3 minutes.

We would add a little of water and prepare a smooth dough kneading well for 8-10 minutes! We will keep the dough covered for half an hour. 

We would remove the cover & knead again for 2-3 minutes! We would tear off portions & smoothen each in between our palms!

We would take some water in a bowl!

With help of the rolling pin & base, we would give them any shape, I needed some flour to shape them.

On the back side we would apply some water & place carefully on a hot pan / tawa / griddle! I directly added water to the hot pan.

After half a minute, turn over the pan and roast the top of the naan bread. We should be done.

Apply a little of butter on each of the bread and serve hot with your choice of side. I served them with a dip made of roasted melon seeds & white sesame seeds + coriander leaves + garlic + green chillies + salt + lemon juice + olive oil and a homemade Bengali sweet mango pickle.

















 

Thursday, 16 February 2023

DHONEPATA KANCHALANKA LEBU PATA POMFRET



IT IS 7:30 PM; I HAVE JUST STARTED WITH MY BLOGPOST!

As I have told you earlier I am not irritated having to do the household chores! That I am unable to manage time, organise myself is what is making me furious! Actually, all my old blog pictures are causing me irritation! How could I miss the reflections in the pictures here & there,  with no focus? It is not possible to change all of the pictures, I can at least do some editing! This editing & refurbishing the blogposts in between doing the house chores are jeopardising the time management part! What is making me sad is the fact I am unable to go out for a proper fitness regime! Although, I do only walking & swimming, I do them without any fail from Monday through Friday! That is not happening but my eating spree has not lessened! This morning I did Bread Pulao again & see the amount! I have sent some to a neighbourhood home but do not know if they would enjoy it!




I DID NOT GET TO SIT FOR A WHILE TODAY!

I did a pav bread today & a vegan & gluten-free millet halwa too! I would be going to the Mustafa area tomorrow & won't be getting millets for quite sometime! The rest at home do not enjoy, and the Neogi family gave us big packets of sattu / chatu / roasted gram flour before leaving for Abu Dhabi! Their son is also our responsibility now! He had Dengue last November, he stayed with us for a week! Thereafter, I am unable to feed him for a single day, he is just not visiting us or letting me send Cristine to his nearest MRT with some home cooked Bengali Food! Girls are way easier to handle, specially those like Wisha, she would meet me at intervals, let me talk uninterrupted to her! But she would not give me more than 2-3 hours! Though we plan to meet once every month, it gets delayed! Let Cristine come, I wish to call this boy & girl together, how much of fun it would be! I would have been happy & content had our son got a second family there! But we have support for an emergency, the father's long time friend's daughter Gargi! She works in a bank & too tied up with two daughters! She wished to meet me on our last visit, we just could not! She assured me they would be there for any emergency! My cousin sister left that state, then a friend got me introduced to his cousin sister there! I remain too worried about the son & it is to stay for life! Oh! Let me cook some rice & heat up the food! The pav bread we can have tomorrow, bread at both meals is abnormal for a Bengali! This Mumma's worries lie there, her son mostly survives on cereals, milk, breads! Where is the time for him to cook? He orders online too but he is a student, lives a budgeted life! Mumma can feel everything, he was always served hot, mostly mumma cooked food while here, its about to be three years he left home! 

WHAT IS THIS DHONEPATA KANCHALANKA LEBU PATA POMFRET?

The son, T & Cristine like Pomfret, any variety of, I cannot have! Because it was black pomfret, I had problem cooking it too given it's too smelly! My folks enjoy fleshy, boneless or less boney fish varieties, they do not mind if it is a sea-fish or a fresh water one! I am too rigid & choosy about having fish, I would either have few fillet varieties or those I grew up eating! On some days, I can still have smaller sized silver pomfrets, not always! Sunday, I would show you what fish I would cook tomorrow night! Saturday I have other engagements! In some selective upscale markets in Kolkata, Black Pomfret is sold! We have always stayed in the suburbs of Kolkata, our wet markets are abuzz with fresh water fish, of different sizes & varieties! Okay, silver pomfret is sold in every market! Why would I have any interest in sea fish? In this island, Black Pomfret is way cheaper, 15-16$ per kilogram at this time but each fish are big sized! Those who are unlike me are bound to enjoy it! I have  used coriander leaves paste in this gluten-free fish curry recipe, DHONEPATA KANCHALANKA LEBU PATA POMFRET! You can see the fish is quite fresh, just that such sea fish curries do not generate any interest in me! Then, we are to rise above our selves at times! Mumma wants to wrap up, she had quite bit of workload today!



She cooks or does not cook, there are always piles of utensils to wash!



INGREDIENTS : 

BLACK POMFRET FISH STEAK : 5-6
FRESH CORIANDER LEAF PASTE : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP FULL
GREEN CHILLI PASTE : 1 TBSP
SLICED ONION : 3-4 TBSP
GARLIC PASTE : 2 TBSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
KHAFFIR LIME LEAF : 2-3
SALT : AS REQUIRED
NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY : 1/4 TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
OIL : 4-5 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Get the fish steaks cut by your fish vendor! Wash them well! Marinate with a good amount of salt & keep for an hour! Thereafter wash under running water well!

Again marinate with some salt & turmeric! Heat the oil in a wok & lightly fry the fish steaks, do not deep fry! Take out!

In the remaining oil, add the nigella seeds & a bay leaf! Give a stir & add the washed onion slices & fry until golden brown! Add the garlic paste & stir cook at low heat for 2-3 minutes, add 1 1/2 coffee mug of water!

When the gravy starts boiling, add half of the chilli-coriander leaves paste & the lemon leaves! Let boil for few minutes!

Add the lightly fried fish steaks now & let simmer for 5-6 minutes at low heat! Thereafter add the rest of the coriander paste & salt to adjust! Give a stir & let cook for a minute at low heat! We should be done!







 

Monday, 13 February 2023

KHUDER CHAL DAL SHOBJI KHICHURI



WHY ON EARTH YOU HAD TO BUY KHUD / BROKEN RICE?

No one in the family asked me this question; because they do not know anything about the kitchen, neither bothered! I was asking myself why did I buy it? I do not even remember when exactly did I buy a packet of broken rice! In our families, we got broken rice as a waste while the rice grain bought was cleaned taking in a Kulo, a traditional Bengali item used as a home decor, for household work, in rituals! What is a waste for us was the major means of survival for the needy! Most of the time, our mother would give it away to our helpers! Even the ration shops would buy it from the middle-class households may be to sell it to those who needed! That broken rice can be eaten by the middle class people I knew after coming to this island! The Mustafa Centre proudly sells it, the South Indians uses broken rice in a couple of their recipes! As part of my food blogging journey, the recipes I saw made with it left me with the urge to buy it! I used one day in something and then forgot all about it! Because we are not used to having it, not much of interest did grow inside me surrounding it! Just like Dalda, I may not bring it again! But it cooks really quick!

WHAT WAS I DOING SINCE THE MORNING?

The workload is not too hard, what is annoying me is my inability to manage some time for a swim or walk! I am just stuck in my home, eating a lot and doing normal household works! My weight machine is not showing me any hope that can bring me a smile! How can one if they eat carbs & starch each & everyday? I cooked this hotchpotch, I cooked chirer polao / beaten rice pilaf this morning! The son never used to like the latter, I made it less! Now that he went to the college, I make it for us!



I have to eat everything that a diabetic is supposed to avoid! Then, why should I waste a container full of rice, it's the Goddess of Wealth for us! Also it is not that bad a thing! I am more interested about using it in a pudding! May be I would prepare an island style porridge / congee bowl too topped with fried ikanbilis, scrambled eggs! You can make good use of this broken rice, just that it feels extra at this home! Our helpers in our younger days were happy to get it, fed 
their children! I wish I could send few sacks full of it to the earthquake hit countries! This is why I do not waste food items, what I throw may be a requirement for the other to survive!

WHAT IS THIS KHUDER CHAL DAL SHOBJI  KHICHURI?

Not only Southern India, Bangladesh too uses it extensively I think!  Both the places are among the largest consumers of rice! Bengalis in West Bengal too eat rice, but there a middle class family's buying power is in the first place used buying a better quality, high priced rice! There broken rice / khuder chal remains a means for the poor! They say broken rice have higher amount of potassium that keeps good our cardiac health, also helps in weight loss! I do not buy these theories unless medical experts assures us of! I made a rice, mixed lentils & vegetables hotchpotch on a normal day! I see it is not an uncommon recipe! Below is the way how I cooked the vegan & gluten-free dish KHUDER CHAL ER SHOBJI KHICHURI in the easiest way, not a family recipe though!





INGREDIENTS :

BROKEN RICE / KHUDER CHAL : 1/2 COFFEE MUG
DE-HUSKED MOONG DAL : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP 
DE-HUSKED YELLOW SPLIT PEA DAL : 1/4 MEDIUM TEA CUP
CARROT CUBE : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
POTATO CUBE : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
GREEN PEA : 2 TBSP
CHOPPED TOMATO : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4
CASHEW NUT : 7-8
RAISIN : 10-12
CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1 1/2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2-3 [HALVED]
BAYLEAF : 1-2
CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 ONE INCH PIECE
GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3
CLOVE : 3-4
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 2-3 TSP
OIL : 3-4 TBSP
GHEE OR BUTTER TO GARNISH [OPTIONAL]

PROCEDURE :


I have taken the broken rice, both the lentil varieties together in a deep bottomed vessel, washed few times, added enough water & put for boil! I half-covered it with a lid, kept the heat between low & minimal!



Meanwhile, I cut, washed got all of the required vegetables ready on the kitchen top! I would marinate them with salt & sugar only before starting to fry!


When the rice & lentils would start boiling, I added the tomato pieces, salt & most of the turmeric! I half covered again! If you cover full, water would spill!



In a wok, I heated the oil & fried some cashew nuts & raisins at minimal heat, took them out to use later!



I tempered the same oil with the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms & cloves! 


I marinated the potato & carrot pieces with a bit of salt & turmeric! I gave a stir & added the vegetables, folded in well! I had let them cook well at the minimal heat!


Once the rice & lentils was done, I switched off the burner! The yellow split pea lentil would be half done & thats the way it should be!


Once the potato & carrots are done, I added the green peas, gave a stir! Thereafter, I added the slitted & washed green chillies, dry red chillies[should have added them in the tempering]!



I stir fried for 2-3 minutes & added them to the boiled hotchpotch, folded in well! I added the spice powders & sugar, adjust the salt if only required! 


I switched on the burner, added the fried cashew nuts & raisins, folded in well & cooked for a minute or two in the minimal heat!


Serve & have it hot with your choice of vegetables, fried fish, omelette, the list can be bigger!