FAMILY STYLE WINTER FISH CURRY

 3:58 pm; Thursday; there ain't any rule to write blogpost every week; I do it to unwind, what else to do? I cannot believe I did not write blog for 8-9 months! I remember once poet Srijato told "I knew I cannot do any job, face an interview board; I only can write; keep writing"! Anindya of Chandrabindu told similar. I feel same, problem is their ability to play with words, vocals is great, I am average. Till date, I couldn't get ready a manuscript to approach a publisher, material is ready, my entire blog, too lazy to format it. This personal space is dear, writing blog perhaps has become obsolete. As long as I am allowed to, let me. 

I am just back from RKM, it's Sarada Maa's birthday! Celebration started early morning, would continue until night. I forgot, my friends notified, I hurriedly went! Last year I couldn't, I was just back from hospital. Again on 1st January you would see me there! I met someone most unexpectedly today after years, tragedy struck this family, they had to shift back to India for time being! I felt such happy, they were on my mind always! Let me see if they allow me to share the pictures taken together. Many people we meet at different junctures in life, some leave strong mark in our hearts, this happens with me! I am getting old, I find it difficult to hold emotions, wish I could be strong & carefree like my men!

The spider webs on face have everything written about me, I hum Bollywood romantics with same emotion as did decades back, time flies! I am romantic genre, can't survive without Tagore, Gulzaar Saab, even Ghalib! Our mother loves academically sound boys & girls too much. I share fondness for Bollywood with her, the man! When a toddler, I had to play Bollywood songs to make son eat, sleep; he did not stick to that later!

There is noise around, the swimming pool is under repair. I cannot tolerate noise, it's 5pm, they are wrapping up work, let me connect headphone, I cannot stay without music. I even listen to Southern Indian & Local Chinese songs when at the marts without understanding lyrics. Trust me, I foot tap enjoying the music. Do not think of the sequence of a song while listening, get lost in melody; else how would you soak in essence of music! Music in heart, Romance to me is like standing in middle of Orchard Road in heavy downpour wearing sari without anyone watching except one! That someone would notice me from the other corner of the road, come, hold my hand tight. That's not the man, neither son; I am sure my man would utter "idiot", go for meeting straight, son would say "lame mumma ekta, token bhenge felbo", go watch television! This is what novels, movies since teen makes out of you at fifty five! I am sure there ever would born a Gulzar, Tagore, Sunil Gangopadhay; Yes, I have not met Nillohit, Sataru o Jolkonya's Sataru, the man at Derbyshire[?] Jane Austen wrote about. If I try to initiate such discussions with Bossy, he would stop me in first sentence, ask me to go shopping next day, say that he wants to watch CNBC, Vir Dass, Fox Crime, Asian Network instead! I told you he no more remains my best friend!

But we enjoy such fish curries together, although this FAMILY STYLE WINTER FISH CURRY recipe is from my side of family! Man, Son, man's mother prefer fleshy big fish, I make my man eat less boney smaller fish! I can't eat fleshy sea fish varieties, Cristine became Bengali under my influence. His father, sister, her man enjoy smaller fish. Our boy eats less boney fish if mumma de-bones. Mumma misses those exercises, mothers who experience empty nest syndrome would understand. Bhai, Bidisha too enjoy, our Mother's man too enjoyed! Let me treat all of you academically supreme guys & dolls with a gluten-free recipe from our mother's, grandma's, family kitchen on behalf of our mother! Earlier fresh coriander, Hyacinth beans were available in winters, these days I cook it round the year but with smelt fish, we do not get fresh smaller freshwater fish here! Let me continue "Chalte Chalte Yuhi Koi Mil Gaya Tha", to stay put with "Nonor Maa"!

                               

INGREDIENTS :

SMELT FISH : A COUPLE OF

HYACINTH BEAN : 6-7

SMALL EGGPLANT : 3-4

FRESH CORIANDER : A BUNCH OF

GREEN CHILLI : 2-3

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

NIGELLA SEED / KALONJEE / KALOJEEREY : 1/4 TSP

BAYLEAF : 1

Oil : 3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Clean stomach, head, scales of each fish properly! Wash thoroughly!

Marinate fish with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, 1 tbsp oil, keep aside for 10-12 minutes.

Discard root ends of coriander, wash taken in a strainer, blend together with green chillies.

Cut eggplants, Hyacinth beans, wash, marinate with salt, turmeric!

Heat oil in wok, temper with nigella seeds, bayleaf!

Add the marinated fish, eggplants, cover cook at minimal heat for 2-3 minutes.

Gently turn over, add eggplants. Cook covered at minimal heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add 2 coffee mugs of water, cover cook at low heat for 8-10 minutes.

Remove cover, add fresh coriander-green chilli paste, gently fold in, simmer at low heat for 2-3 minutes. You may also add slitted green chillies!

Enjoy warm with piping hot steamed rice!