LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE

 I AM TOO TIRED!

I must visit a Durga Puja venue each day of the occasion but don't like the idea of wearing sari, ornaments, travel to different venues. I mess with the attire, I sweat a lot. It irritates, more when I see the beauties around well kept. If RKM did it the traditional way as in Belur Math, I would have been there all four days, it is near to home. But I want to be with my family on such occasions. The man would not go inside a temple, neither the son. Since yesterday evening, I was thinking of sharing an old recipe from the blog with my readers. I was far from my much loved blog the past four days. How we managed home, attended our biggest festival we do not know. When we assist each other nothing seems a challenge. This would not be the case on Lakshmi Puja, he would not help with rituals, cooking. Today I was extremely busy cleaning my home, yet wished to share a new recipe.

YESTERDAY EVENING I COOKED AFTER FIVE DAYS!

We still have some food left that we would eat tonight. We cannot eat too many things in bigger quantity these days. I cooked"Luchi o Shada Aloor Chocchori"for our dinner last night, Priya's Mixed Vegetable Achar was there on the side. We love such meals. The son enjoys still I know, may be other Western Food are in the same league like Luchi for him now.

There was a little of dough left, not enough for the lunch box. I made four luchi made with it for my first meal. 

I cannot have roasted papad which I want deep fried, only sago papad I like oven roasted.  

Without the son around, without Cristine's assistance, we are managing our home well but as long as we are here, we would need Cristine.

WHAT IS LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE?

My strong will to share a new recipe won over my tiredness. I thought of Oats Kachori, even Oats Balushahi. Those require effort to make, I am not high on energy at this time. I am not stocking much of food at this time, not required. I wished to share something related to Lakshmi Puja. I had some left over rice in the refrigerator, cooked a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free rice dish; LIGHTLY SPICED PEAS RICE. I am to cook a traditional khichuri / hotchpotch platter on the occasion of Kojagori Lakshmi Puja. But an expat can be excused from cooking a traditional platter in a foreign land. What if few guests are non-Bengali speaking? I am trying to be liberal these days. 

Few other rice based recipes from my blog are these; MATAR DAL O BASMATIR KHICHURI, CHICKEN RICE IN MEMONI SPICE MIX, GHOROYA BANGALI POLAO

INGREDIENTS :

LONG GRAINED RICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

GREEN PEA : 4 TBSP

POMEGRANATE KERNEL : 1 TBSP

CASHEW NUT : 8-9 [HALVED]

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

CHILLI FLAKES : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP [OPTIONAL]

OIL : 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Wash the rice few times, cook in enough water until 70% done. Drain the water fully.

I have thrown away the skin of the green peas, you do not need to. 

Heat the oil in the wok, temper with cumin seeds. Add the cashew nuts, fry for half a minute, add the green peas.

Season with salt, crushed black pepper, red chilli flakes, stir.

Add the rice, gently fold in. Add more salt if only required.

We should be done. Pair it with a choice of side.