THE SAVOURY BENGALI STYLE PANCAKE

 Each year, during this time, in fact, this particular week, I write same; that I visited RG Kar Hospital on Saraswati Pujo day to see my new born brother. This year too his birthday is on Saraswati Pujo day, 23rd, January. After decades, the man's sister, mine too partnered on this day. Two special occasions on same date in family, also the famous Indian / Bengali nationalist leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's birthday! It's indeed a big day for us in family, a notable day for Indians. We still keep speculating about life of Netaji, we never did believe he died in 1945's airplane crash! For a Bengali, Netaji is an undying emotion, so is "Bok Phool" / Agati tree flower! The great leader indeed has a strong Singapore connection!

The flowers were within my reach, I could have picked a few, then they are batter fried, eaten before they bloom. Bengalis are unromantic when it concerns food. Instead of praising beauties hanging, I thought of batter frying them.

Extremely busy I am, must share suitable recipe on this occasion that a mother may cook on son's birthday, a daughter or son's anniversary. This is winter, if not in this tropical island. I would take the liberty to cook, share this fusion Bengali Chitoi Pitha. I wanted to write, share this blogpost tomorrow but it is Saraswati Pujo, I must offer nicely Goddess of Learning, Art, Entertainment, Culture!

Even on my busiest schedule, worst mood; I do not stop eating! Food is my business, eating is my hobby. I cannot have food I don't enjoy. I cannot be in an environment that doesn't suit me. This home is peace, not my men's temperament, yet I feel cosy, else wouldn't have lived for nearly three decades. Your low mood, melancholy isn't related to your environment at home, we venture to taste the world after establishing peace at home. In my case, it is extreme amount of emotional attachment that makes my heart wavy! 

I keep swimming in a pool of tender thoughts I need not have invited at all. Then, we can't do anything about our inherent nature! In spite of wise advices, my would kinds fall into gorge at different turns in life! Since these are not calculative steps, reaching conclusions is far fetched. We cannot tackle sudden emotional excess until the day we tuck it tight in our personal diary. My memory is my diary, my present state of mind would become history next. I am good example of high in emotion, immature people. I rarely meet people who leave lasting impression on me, when I do I can't let go, that becomes an issue. An underlying reason may be there, I don't want dissecting, I let myself flow!

I am not Hog Plum lover, it's the pleasure of discovering something Bengali! They are sweet, grow islandwide!

I ate the boiled egg willingly but feeling sick now! Cristine makes nice soft boiled eggs, her sir loves eggs! I cannot digest, son too isn't an egg lover. Bengali food I didn't like became part of life. That empty plate is Cristine's sir's, he loves Singapore's chicken rice, all of a sudden he came home from office, I didn't wish to serve him packed food from his lunch box. I am particular about serving warm food on table, it hurts when I think about son needing to arrange every meal for himself, it's over a year we haven't met him. The man isn't okay today, shoulder pain revived, his GP is on leave, Monday he is to meet him, visit hospital.

Ruti-Porota / Roti-Prata is easy make; mother, mother-in-law make / made them everyday, I cook on alternate days. Rice & Handmade Breads are our staple.

Life is good, we shouldn't complain. A colleague cum elder sister like visits my thoughts often. We used to go to work every morning as early as 5:30 am from Indian Statistical Institute's bus stop to Belur, changing bus at Bali Khal for two years. She lost her man such early, we can't imagine the trauma. When I heard the news, I left job, relocated, got busy with a rebel toddler, lost all contacts. You know me, who I get fond of, I keep hunting! After 16-17 years of searching, I found her phone number last year. I wished to meet on my last visit to Kolkata, she hesitated. I am sure she would one day, the moment she can feel my warmth, my intent, she would. Life had been unkind to her, her son, the parents who lost their son, the jovial gentleman who chatted a lot. 

"Cancer" is a word I dread, take me in sleep God, please; don't let me suffer, await death. Hats off to the medical fraternity, I place their courage before their degrees, service towards mankind. To a weakling like me, they are moving mountains. 

When I think of Juladi's fate, one young defence officer's demise, I pant. I look at his last status a fortnight back, I can't stop being philosophical. There lives Buddha in all of us, he left home with same quest, how to avoid pain? As I age, everything need be less ornamental, food too. I was never fan of loud, ornamental stuffs, light. Few quiet moments spent with oil-free, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free THE SAVOURY BENGALI STYLE PANCAKE suits me. It didn't get exact shape of chitoi pitha whose mid section has to rise. The reasons can be use of readymade rice flour, minced vegetables, placing cashew nut right in middle.

This oil-free, vegetarian rice-flour snack requires few ingredients to make!

Other chitoi pitha varieties in blog are DUDH CHITOI PITHA, VEGAN DUDH CHITOI, BROCCOLI KAJU KISHMISH DIYE CHITOI PITHA, NARKOL DIYE CHITOI PITHE O KHEJUR GUR!

INGREDIENTS :

RICE FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG [Yields 8-9 Pancakes]

CARROT : 1

BROCCOLI FLORET : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

GREEN CHILLI : 2-3

FRESH CORIANDER : 2-3 SPRIG

CASHEW NUT : 6-7

SALT : 1/4 TSP

BAKING POWDER : 1/2 TSP

BAKING SODA : 1/4 TSP

PROCEDURE :

Add salt to rice-flour, mix well. Add warm water, little at a time. Beat for 10-12 minutes as seen.

Add little warm water, beat again for 5-6 minutes.

Transfer to blender, add more of warm water, blend for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer to bowl.

Keep bowl covered for an hour.

Wash, then mince peeled, cut carrot, broccoli florets, discarded roots fresh coriander sprigs, green chilli.

Add to rice flour batter, mix well. Add baking powder, baking soda, mix well.

My friend got me traditional earthen wok meant for this pancake but I failed!

Hence, I used non-stick wok. You may or may not season with few drops of oil.

Add one spoonful in middle. Cover with lead! After a minute, place half of a cashew nut. Cover again. 

At low to medium heat, each took 2-3 minutes to cook!

Try to have fresh, warm with tea, coffee!

BENGALI SESAME BRITTLES

I am starting to write late. I enjoy writing, just that it feels lethargic today! Mesmerised by beautiful scene outside, I am under the spell of cool weather actually! 

I kept gazing without blinking for sometime having many questions inside, unable to reach conclusions! It feels the entire world has solved a mystery I couldn't yet. May be the Almighty doesn't want me to find solutions! Fifty Five I am, I have faced such situations where Almighty acted saviour! My non-believer man, son don't want listening to stories of miraculous escapes from brush with danger, of my faith in a Supreme power! They don't stop me, I don't bother them. 

I ain't our mother, she pestered her man to become a believer from leftist. Her man himself could have shifted from leftist to left-leaned! He never became right-wing, believed in divine powers without getting that ritualistic! That's not a problem, we have to remain truthful to what we believe in. The father-in-law is hardcore leftist! He is father figure, if my friends act my father, mother, I get off. We needn't complicate relationships, not in social media. Else what complain do I have except for man, son raising their voices? The son doesn't even communicate.

Wish I was able to eat lot like before, that would keep me busy. With Cristine's assistance, my interest in it, cooking is chill-pill. Since 2020, once son left home, time spent in kitchen is minimal. I felt my blog would stop functioning, it's alive! My other food blogger friends shifted interest in other skillsets, I lack other skills, neither master cook. I am vocal about mastering one skill, have entrepreneurship, I lack both! People here earn selling food from home. My language skill doesn't allow to go on print I craved for. 

 I do value health! However, keeping with tradition, I cook "pithe-puli-mishti". We can't have healthy food alone, the thought is worrying. I wouldn't have any purpose of living unless I get to cook!

I must cook what we grew up having. This island gets me multiple joys, be it finding Cuticura powder, Cinthol soap in local stores, fruits of choice! Only one known fruit isn't grown here, "jam"! I feel home without any fear roaming at unearthly hours! We have to leave, sooner or later. I would carry along this island city, memories of few! I like EE Cummings' poem, "I carry your heart with me...", few years back I emailed it to old flame, He would remain my friend forever, childhood buddy after all; I hardly feel any emotional attachment. In relationships, mutual respect is key!

I thought I got liberated from excess emotional baggage, all of a sudden I feel like reading Cummings again, not to Bossy, son. Who knows why they don't make me stand on dock in a courtroom? It may be because they know they are my home, take me for granted! Let me cook, serve, eat and not seek validation! I dislike it when people make fun of my feelings! I tortured old flame for over a decade sending him emails, I shouldn't have! My present day self is composed, hardened!

"Til Takti" is traditional Bengali snack; vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free! It's done using three staple ingredients; white sesame seed, jaggery, green cardamom! Lets name this vegetarian treat BENGALI SESAME BRITTLE!

It took me years to get right the sweet snack! I learn from my mistakes, I don't stop trying until I don't get a recipe right! I wish I had dedication in studies. I would still remain mediocre but might have got productive; sitting idle wasn't my agenda! Anyway, this sweet snack is done in family on special prayer days, I have noticed few other states in India cook it in winter! I jumped out of joy when I first saw it, puffed rice balls here; but wouldn't buy them, you know. If we don't carry a little of pride, we cease to live!

INGREDIENTS :

WHITE SESAME SEED : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

SUGARCANE JAGGERY : 100-125 GM

GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1/2 TSP

The amount yielded 9 bars!

PROCEDURE :

Heat wok on gas oven top, dry roast sesame seeds until light brown, transfer it to bowl!

Add jaggery to hot wok, stir until it gets sticky. Add green cardamom powder.

Add roasted sesame seeds, Fold in well, keep stirring for 6-7 minutes.

Transfer mixture to baking sheet or plate, shape, level top.

Cristine did the shaping part. 

Cut into your choice of shapes, I preferred squares. 

Feel the crunch in every bite, enjoy!