Bengali New Year celebrations helds on 15th April! India's Bengali neighbour celebrates on 14th! I believe in cordial relationships, what we grew up observing should be followed! Good memories are associated with Bengali New Year, foremost is wearing new clothes. As kids, we got new clothes two times a year; Bengali New Year's Day, occasion of Durga Puja. This was the scene in every middle-class family! Once in college, I started giving tuitions, earned good, started buying.
It wasn't always about affordability, our parents, grandparents did not believe in spending on clothes, considered it luxury! The mother had fascination for clothings, cosmetics, she didn't stop me! The father remained typically village lover from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh! Many decades of city life didn't change him, make him love it, the rest three of us had always been city people. I love visiting quiet places, love greens, for a short while. This concrete jungle, even in Singapore is good enough to keep me happy! Not in Orchard area, I am definitely to find quiet corners for myself.
What's my strength? It's to visit Orchard Road malls without craving to buy 150$ dress, utensil. In neighbourhood shops, a 25-30$ wok makes me happy, so does 2$ worth wooden ladle. I have freedom to buy what I wish, man doesn't interfere. My wishes are different! Stealing some drumstick flowers on my walk is exhilarating!
Which can be better day to share this than Bengali New Year's Day? I came back home two pockets full. Celebrating Bengali new year with drumstick flower fritter, black gram lentil curry, Hilsa fish curry, rice; paratha, pickle, minced mutton-potato curry at another meal works for us. We can't have big platters. This blogpost would be lengthy, yet I made some time to go for walk, frying the fritters would take time. It's fun, if police catches me tomorrow, the man wouldn't go save me, son would say on phone, "besh hoyeche","serves you right lame mamma"! If you guys do not see me in social media, know I am in jail.
This lady finds her own happiness, without being happy, we can't live, if I ain't happy, I can't nurture a happy home. The man won't do things as per my wish, I won't sit idle! Home is love, my security but I must wander, this island gives me environment to explore little pleasures. I do stupid things; not allowing monotony to conquer me. A cheese free pasta bowl, fruits, Bengali style sago medley went inside.
I eat carbs lot, exercise minimal. A bit of exertion makes me fall sick. An entire life is spent without doing anything fruitful! I did give my entirety to son when he needed. Does it count in today's world? This world is full of talents, I look around, never feel jealous, proud instead. Everyone does something or other, I feel bit of useless, that's it! Except cooking, entertainment world, bit of literature, I can't take part in any discussion. That's embarrassing! In fact, in known circle too I can't talk constructive, I talk few minutes, then get lost in my own thoughts. Our friends know it, accepted it; they crack jokes about my ability to sleep amidst everyone in late night parties.
I am aging, I get nostalgic. Drumstick flowers brought back memories, iconic singer Asha Bhosle's royal exit too! She left us with such vast remarkable works, I can't find which ones to listen to.
I need music everyday. Cristine wasn't home; I dressed, washed, made fritters. I cook, we eat simple, specially after son left home! Bengalis are in habit of spending on food; fish, meat, sweets, regular! You may imagine what our platter is like on occasions, festivals, get-togethers! I would prefer to share simplistic vegetarian platter on occasion of noboborsho / poila baishakh / Bengali New Year's Day! Bengalis love what's there in this platter, may want non-vegetarian platter on such an occasion. Business houses pray, make offerings to Lord Ganesha on this day, some offer after a fortnight, on"Akshaytritiya"! I have seen these in family circle! Today's platter is vegan & gluten-free, luchi / puffed bread has gluten, it's A BENGALI THEMED VEGETARIAN PLATTER . The kofta curry & stir-fry have onion!
GATHI KOCHUR BHORTA / SPICED TARO ROOT MASH
Not all Bengalis eat yam, many among us would. They say, even my family says yam cleans blood. I love having all varieties of yam. Let us do this extremely tasty, spiced Taro Root bharta!
INGREDIENTS :
TARO ROOT : 6-7
SLICED ONION : 2 TBSP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 1
TURMERIC : 1/4 TSP
NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY / KALONJI : 1/4 TSP
BAYLEAF : 1
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2 TSP [I USE MUSTARD OIL]
PROCEDURE :
Wear gloves while dressing yam, itching happens while attending raw yam.
Peel skin of Taro Roots, wash well. Put for boil in enough water.
Once soft, switch off gas stove. Discard water, let the Taro Roots cool.
Once cool, mash them. Heat oil in wok, dry red chilli, take down, cool, crush.
Temper oil with nigella seeds, bay leaf! Add washed sliced onion, chopped green chillies. Give a stir.
Add turmeric, salt, stir cook until onions get brown. Add boiled, mashed Taro Roots, crushed red chilli. Stir cook for 7-8 minutes at low heat. We are done. Enjoy with hot rice!
ALOOR BORA / FAMILY STYLE POTATO FRITTER!
INGREDIENTS :
BOILED POTATO : 2-3
RICE FLOUR : 2 TBSP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 & 1/2 TSP
NIGELLA SEED / KALONJI / KALOJEEREY : 1/4 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 2 PINCH
OIL : 4 TBSP [IT DEMANDS DEEP FRYING, MOTHER PREFERRED SLOW COOKING IN LESS OIL]
PROCEDURE :
I used less oil than required to deep fry yet got even finish right? Not only taste, look of food is important to me.
Peel, wash, boil potato, mash well.
Add rest of ingredients except oil. Mix together well. Make balls.
Heat oil in round wok, add potato balls in batches. Cook one side in minimal heat until brown, turnover gently, fry other side at low heat until brown.
Always enjoy hot with piping hot rice, warm dal or as snack!
KULAMBU SPICED CAULIFLOWER STIR FRY :
INGREDIENTS :
CAULIFLOWER FLORET : OF ONE STANDARD SIZED
SLICED ONION : 0F ONE BIG SIZED
CHOPPED SPRING ONION : 2 TBSP
NIGELLA SEED : 1/4 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 1 [HALVED]
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 1 OR 2
BAY LEAF : 1
KULAMBU SPICED MIX : 2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2 TSP
PROCEDURE :
I prefer buying Taiwan Cauliflower, pricier, tastier. It gets me taste of cauliflower we had in childhood. The normal one tastes horrible.
Cut cauliflower florets into strips, we thinly peel off skin of stalks too.
Wash, add hot water, salt , keep soaked half an hour. Drain water, wash again.
Marinate cauliflower with turmeric, salt!
After 10-12 minutes, heat oil in wok.
Temper with nigella seeds, bayleaf, halved dry red chilli. Add marinated cauliflower without marinade. We would sprinkle marinade in due course, time to time.
Cover cook at low heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove cover, add Kulambu spice mix, sliced onion, slitted green chillies, sprinkle marinade. Stir to combine.
Stir every 2-3 minutes, sprinkle marinade. After 7-8 minutes, add chopped spring onions, stir cook for a minute at low heat, we are done.
It goes well with roti, prata, luchi, rice & dal.
MASHKOLAI ER DAL / DRY ROASTED GROUND BLACK GRAM LENTIL CURRY
I am extremely fond of this dal. I faintly remember, grandma used to do this, the mother did urad dal / kolai dal but rarely did this roasted & ground. I watched some reels of bloggers of India's Bengali neighbour. I tried my way using memories of childhood!
INGREDIENTS :
SKIN ON BLACK GRAM LENTIL : 1 SMALL TEA CUP
FENNEL SEED : 1/4 TSP
BAYLEAF : 1
DRY RED CHILLI : 2 [HALVED]
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 1 OR 2
FENNEL SEED POWDER OR PASTE : 1 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1 TSP
OIL : 2 TSP [I USED MUSTARD OIL]
PROCEDURE :
Dry roast lentils for 4-5 minutes at low heat, pulse taken in grinder, do not powder.
Wash dal taken in strainer. Transfer to bowl, add enough water, salt, turmeric, put for boil at low heat. Half cover with plate.
Stir from time to time. It would take 15-20 minutes to boil.
Heat oil in wok, temper with bay leaf, fennel seeds, dry red chillies.
Add boiled dal, stir, add ginger paste, fennel powder; stir, cook for 8-10 minutes.
Thereafter, add slitted green chillies, sugar, adjust salt if required. Stir, cook for another 2-3 minutes. Enjoy with plain rice, fish or meat curry, vegetables, fritters.
BEETROOT KOFTA CURRY
INGREDIENTS :
BEETROOT : 2 SMALL SIZED
POTATO : 1 STANDARD SIZED
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP
GREEN CHILLI : 1
ONION PASTE : 2 TBSP
CASHEW NUT PASTE : 1 TBSP
MELON SEED / CHAR MAGAZ PASTE : 2 TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP
DRY MANGO / AAMCHUR POWDER : 1 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
SUGAR : 1 TSP + 1 TSP [OPTIONAL]
BAYLEAF : 1
CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 HALF INCH LENGTH
GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4
CLOVE : 3-4
CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP
CORNFLOUR : 2 TSP
OIL : 2-3 TSP [I COOKED KOFTAS IN MICROWAVE, IF YOU FRY ON GAS TOP YOU WOULD NEED MORE OIL]
PROCEDURE :
Peel, cut, wash beetroot, potato, pressure cook up to 3-4 whistles, adding enough water.
Once done, let pressure release, strain water, don't discard, you may use in soup or smoothie.
Mash boiled potato, beetroot. Heat a tsp oil in wok, temper with cumin seeds, chopped green chillies.
Add mashed beetroot, potato, salt, turmeric! Keep stir cooking for 10-12 minutes. That's good arm exercise.
Add sugar, dry mango powder, stir cook for 3-4 minutes. Add cornflour, stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Take down on plate.
Once cool, make flattened shapes. Fry on pan or like me grease an oven proof plate, place them. Place inside baking stand, plate with koftas on top. I used microwave+grill combo cooking option for 10 minutes one side, turning over 5 minutes another side.
For curry, blend together onion, cashew nuts, washed melon seeds, a green chilli together adding little water.
Heat oil in the wok. Temper oil with bayleaf, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, cloves, give a stir.
Add the paste, stir cook for 2-3 minutes, add a cup of water, let cook for 4-5 minutes, add 1tsp sugar [optional]. It's done once gravy is thick.
Arrange koftas in serving bowl, pour the gravy atop! Enjoy with handmade breads, pilaff, fried rice!
TOFU PATALI GURER SANDESH / TOFU DATE PALM JAGGERY SWEET
INGREDIENTS :
FIRM TOFU : 250-300 GM
DATE PALM JAGGERY : 100-150 GM
SUGAR : 1 TBSP
GREEN CARDAMOM POWDER : 1 TSP
ROSE WATER : 1 TSP
RICE FLOUR : 1 TBSP
CHOPPED DRY ROASTED PISTACHIO FOR GARNISH IS OPTIONAL
PROCEDURE :
Tofu has a smell we South Asians have an issue with except Southern Indians I guess. I use it when I wish to go vegan.
Cooking tofu paste in little of ghee might have saved the smell, then I feared sandesh dough getting hard, it wouldn't have remain vegan. If a Singapore sweet shop buys patent of it, I may get rich overnight.
Blend together tofu, sugar, date palm jaggery until you get smooth paste.
Transfer to pan that doesn't cook anything using turmeric, spices, meat, fish, egg. Switch on gas stove.
Keep stirring at minimal heat for 12-15 minutes. We can't stop. Add rice flour, keep stirring until sides come out clean.
Transfer to plate, knead sweet dough while it's still warm. Apply oil on both palms for desired shapes. If using moulds like me, grease moulds with oil or ghee before putting portions of dough. Not taking help from Cristine was a satisfaction.
We may or may not garnish with nuts.
I hope you would enjoy this vegan, gluten-free platter, only the luchi / puffed bread isn't gluten-free.
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