VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE KOKI

 I WAS DOING NOTHING SINCE THE MORNING!

Yet I started to write late. I am not in the mood to write a new blogpost today but I have to share this. I am pretty happy with the outcome, not that happy with the photo feature though. To concentrate on something at a stretch you require a calm state of mind. When something bothers me, I cannot stay cool. I do not get vocal at every issue does not mean I lack the concern. Many of us do have grudges against the system, we do want to voice our displeasure but we cannot do that out of fear, for  our safety. I did not teach our son to be fearless, his life is precious to me / us parents. It is pathetic how we are made to live in fear, only the powerful few exercise control on us. If there is danger waiting outside our doors, we have to be cautious about the dangers, there is no point questioning why we do not have the freedom to live our own ways. We just want a decent society to roam free, the women's plight are worser. When I feel pathetic, I usually go out to somewhere or cook something but I decided to write a new blogpost. Although, we live a secured life in this island, we cannot be that selfish not to think about our fellow countrymen, family and friends.

NOT IN THE NORMAL RYTHYM, I FORGOT CLICKING MY SUNDAY MEALS!

I updated the Potato Biryani blogpost yesterday which took me half of the day, Cristine is not around on a Sunday. The man perhaps enjoyed it but for reasons unknown he would never admit I cook good biryani if not with an expertise. I kept a bowlful for Cristine, she had for lunch today, praised it. I had to cook the rice slightly more, I use minimal oil and ghee in a biryani, put it in dum on the gas top, I should not expect the half-cooked rice to fluff and double in amount. The fun is that even some of Kolkata's renowned joint's biryani rice remain slightly under-cooked. Biryani made with over-cooked rice does not work for the Indian Bengalis. Yesterday night, I made cooked semolina parathas, the dough got softer, the parathas were smooth but I did not wish to click them. My food has to taste good and look good too, unfortunately that does not happen always. For my first meal I had air-fried Bengali French Toast and it tasted lame. I would have it rare but I would have it fried in oil.

Watermelon soothes my system. But overeating watermelon and litchi causes severe stomach congestion!

WHAT IS VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE KOKI?

Koki is Sindhi Community's breakfast bread. I learnt that pretty late in life. My food blogging journey has taught me about different cuisines, yet not done. Sindhi Koki can be sweet or savoury. The dough uses a mix of whole-wheat flour and gram flour. I wished to do it but a vegan & gluten-free version, so that I can blog about it and make others try my recipe. I do not buy pricier gluten-free flours. Also millet flours are not for me, I have hypothyroidism. The man and Cristine wants bread made of wheat flour and refined flour only. When the son stayed with us, he liked having sticky brown rice along with me, do not know if he would have liked gluten-free flours or not. At this time, I am using only sattu and besan for my gluten-free breads. I felt the VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE KOKI bread making would not be that difficult as it demands a tight dough for it's making and that it's a thick bread. 

That I did, I used roasted gram flour / sattu and the raw gram flour / besan for the making of the vegetarian Sindhi flat-bread, the rest used remains the same as original.

INGREDIENTS :

ROASTED GRAM FLOUR / SATTU : 1 COFFEE MUG

GRAM FLOUR / BESAN : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

CHOPPED ONION : 3 TBSP

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2 TBSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2 TSP

CAROM SEED / AJWAIN : 1/2 TSP

CUMIN SEED JEERA : 1/4 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : A LITTLE

OIL : 2 TBSP + A LITTLE TO BRUSH EACH SIDE OF A BREAD

PROCEDURE :

I had taken the two flours, salt, carom and cumin seeds, crushed black pepper in a wide-mouthed bowl and mixed well.

Thereafter, I added to it the chopped and washed fresh coriander, green chillies, onions and 2 tbsp of oil. I mixed together everything.

We are required to prepare a tight dough, not knead it. I did wet my right palm 2-3 times and brought together everything.

I kept the dough covered for 10-12 minutes, kneaded for a minute,  tore off portions, pressed flat each between my palms.

I used the sattu flour / roasted gram flour to dust each ball and rolled thick flatbread. Then I made shallow slits with a knife as a Sindhi Koki bread demands.

I heated a griddle, roasted both sides of each paratha until brown, brushed oil on both the sides, roasted again, done.

I enjoyed them with thick, plain yogurt and sweet boondi.

SPICED COCONUT STUFFED FLATBREAD

IT WAS AN EXTREMELY SATISFYING SUNDAY YESTERDAY!

Every Saturday night, I promise myself not to switch on the gas stove on the Sunday except for cooking the rice! I have almost stopped going out to the mall fetching some food for the man, neither he is keen about it! Once Cristine leaves home & the son refuses to take several phone calls we make, I crave to experiment with food! This more happens on days when what's going on in the television is not of our common interest! The kitchen is a place where I am comfortable & happy! The hurt is that it is small & seriously needs renovation! Even I do not wish to leave this flat now & shift to a bigger flat! It is  conveniently located, well lit! Our owner is good but is not keen about spending on renovation! About a year ago we did some renovation work but no one in this world would spend that much to renovate the kitchen of a rented apartment! Thats why I do not argue with the man! I know his responsibilities & we cannot deny those! What angers me is his refusal to go out here & there over the weekends or for 4-5 days of short trips to the 3-4 neighbouring countries! I refuse an eight hours long drive to Penang or a 7-8 hours long air travel! My long flights should take me to the son; I wish to visit the son during his graduation ceremony! We wish he comes home this winter for few days! It's eleven months, we have not seen his face, I do not know if he has put on or have gone thinner! 

THE ENTIRE MORNING WAS SPENT ON TOUCHING UP THE PHOTOS!

Because it was a Sunday yesterday, I might have missed the reflection marks on the bowls. That made me sad this morning! Else, I was happy with the outcome of the dish! I kept looking for free photo editing apps, found none! Then the Filipino had shown me a trick! We can save the photo in WhatsApp, say we can send it to a closer someone, edit it there giving a touch up! I feel better now! Several of my earlier photographs need to be changed only because I dislike reflections here & there! I have not learnt good photography till date, my eyes have got a better understanding of the photography! I would not spend on props, neither learn professional photography! Now that the son went to the college in a different country, I wished to earn from whatever knowledge I have, instead of spending from the husband's hard earned money to gather more of the knowledge! There has to be application! I carried my educational documents on my last visit to Kolkata, wished to talk to the departmental professors at the RBU if enrolling myself for the Mphil course is possible! The moment I saw I have to face an interview, I did not visit there! I know I can study & recapitulate my subject after few decades, I cannot answer questions face to face! RBU did not conduct Mphil in Political Science back in 1995, else I would have gone for it instead of the B.Ed! It was not my university of choice but it's homely atmosphere I did get along with! The psychology behind it was clear, the creams of Kolkata would go to the Calcutta University or the Jadavpur University or at least to the Kalyani University in those days for a master's degree! Then came my category who for 2-3 marks missed a chance in those, yet I remain a mediocre student who wanted a sit in the Calcutta University! RBU actually was a University meant for the performance art! Today, I do not know about the scenario! I believe, many more students aspire to go for a master's degree with lesser sits; hence, RBU gets to have better quality students on this day! I do not see any way to add more degrees to my academic qualifications or get a job of choice, but I enjoy keeping up with such searches in the internet!

WHAT IS THIS SPICED COCONUT STUFFED FLATBREAD?

I think it is a mixture of Karnataka's Akki Roti, Sri Lanka's Pol Roti, Marathi Coconut Garlic Chutney,  Bengal's Chal er Ruti! I had all these recipes on my mind while cooking this vegan, gluten-free, stuffed vegetarian flatbread; SPICED COCONUT STUFFED FLATBREAD! I did not follow any hard & fast rule, even my dough wasn't perfect; yet the out come was good & tasty! Hence, I decided to blog about it! Bengali rice flour bread would require more of practice!

I had three flatbreads for lunch yesterday & for dinner we had Hilsa Curry, Elephant Yam boil with rice! I would eat first & then would have serious anxiety having two carb filled meals in a day!

That however, does not stop me from having the below for my late lunch today, vermicelli upma, puffed rice with half of an Amaretti & tea!

I just cannot have what I do not want to have! Tonight, we would either have mutton or prawn meal with some side dishes! I feel happy when there is enough food in the refrigerator! What else to do? Had I have planned my life in time I would have been a senior level teacher in a mid level school or college at this time! While working in a school in this island, I strongly felt I am not meant for playing, singing, dancing with the kids, I only enjoyed the teaching part! After ten years of absence from the teaching world, I saw schools are more about activities & less of academic studies these days! The same echoes our teacher friends Kakoli & Indirra! We are definitely old school! They are too good friends with the man but can have fight on this matter! Our son is enjoying the studies in the United States, I have no complaints! He is not giving us any scope to ask him to study, I should be happy, just that the fear factor does not let me sleep! Humans got too hyper, they fight & kill over trivial issues! The media highlights these & I am too much of a part of the social media!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING :

SHREDDED COCONUT : A SMALL BOWLFUL

GARLIC CLOVE : 2-3 [IF BIG]

DRY RED CHILLI : 4-5

SALT : A LITTLE

OIL : 1 TBSP

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH :

RICE FLOUR : 1 1/2 COFFEE MUG

WATER : 1 COFFEE MUG

SALT : 2-3 PINCH

THE FINAL DISH :

THE FILLING

THE DOUGH

A LITTLE OF OIL TO BRUSH EACH FLATBREAD

PROCEDURE :

For the flatbread filling, we would heat the oil in a pan & roast the peeled & washed garlic cloves, dry red chillies & the shredded coconut! 

Once cold,  we would blend them together & the salt! I have got what you see! I transferred it to a bowl!

For the rice flour dough, we would boil the water & then add the rice flour to it! We would roughly mix & switch off the gas stove!

We would cover it & keep for rest, yet not let it turn cold!

We would transfer it to a wide mouthed bowl and knead while it's still warm! 

I felt I added more of water than required! Do not worry, we will manage!

Once the dough is kneaded, we would cover it with a wet towel for 15-20 minutes!

After the resting period of the dough, we would remove the cover & knead again! 

We are to make standard sized paratha / porota / flatbread balls! 

You can see, my dough was not perfectly kneaded! Do not worry!

Dust the base with rice flour well! Make hole in each ball & fill with the chutney, close well!

Dip the ball in the rice flour and lightly press with the rolling pin to roll out a round shaped flatbread! 

Heat a pan / tawa / griddle, gently place the flatbread, roast both the sides well! 

Brush the top with some oil, turn over & cook for 2-3 minutes! Turn over again, brush with oil, turn over & cook for 2-3 minutes!

Have it hot & fresh with a variety of sauces or pickles or chutneys! I did serve it with  "chanar dalna" but it is not required! 

The flatbreads remain soft even when cold!

 

SPRING ONION PRATA

 ONE MORE DAY ADDED TO LIFE & THIS MUMMA SITS IDLE!

And the breadwinner does not bother about my mental health, he left home early today at 7:30 am without any lunch box; he does not have breakfasts! No there was no fight, he has meeting & official eating! On such days you get to see him happier and I get more of irritation! The irritation is about him not helping me to become, not earn a little something! Do not blame me if I call him an MC! I am telling you our mother still have this frustration! Although we have been good homemakers, we have this irritation in the back of our minds! J back from office thorough cleans her home & goes to bed post 12 am, we would have been something like that because cleanliness is the way of life! Ever since the son left home for good, the feeling is stronger that I need some serious engagement that may generate some financial gain too! When the MC asks me to go & serve the society for free, I ask him to shut up! I would do charity at that level with my own earnings!  It's peculiar he would not directly do charity but would always ask me to! Not at any point I think he has that amount of wealth to distribute, neither I have any intent to join those women who bask in the man's glory; wake up, wear make up, expensive saris, go to this club & that club; do charity using the husband's hard earned money, then attend kitty parties in the afternoon! I do not belong there, I am not built to play "ku jhik jhik" with other women and indulge in endless talks! I however enjoy watching their activities! My kind of socialising is calling friends home at intervals, cooking & feeding them with all of my possible warmth! It does not happen much these days, the kids went their ways, it hurts me! I wish my food blog could reach that height that would generate some finance! I have another passion besides cooking; that is teaching! Every year, when I visit Kolkata; I feel had I been in Kolkata, I would have been teaching in a school & forced myself to have a workable knowledge about the fearful information technology! But that is not enough reason to go back, I enjoy living abroad! This island has given us an extreme level of safety & security but I believe if we had been living in a bigger country, I would be working! This island's rules for the foreigners are stricter! Then, I have a thing; because I have no professional degree, I would prefer working in a school but not just do any job! 

WITH NOTHING MUCH TO DO, I WOULD HEAD TO HOUGANG FOR THIS & THAT!

Hence, I have started to write the blogpost in the day time! I may start from home around 3-3:30pm, so I can have my lunch there at Hougang around 4:30pm! Then come back home after the necessary buys catching a train! But what to eat? Many things I have lost appetite for; rice items I may want but avoiding more than once, same with roti! Noodles? Let us see, they claim certain dishes as low caloric! What is wrong with me I do not know, I like Indian street style noodles with only a bit of soy sauce added! My tastebud got limited, I enjoy home cooked food! If I am going out, I prefer eating out! I thought let me  write the major part & then finish it off in the evening! I am thinking whilst coming back I should walk back until Kovan & then catch a train or what! Hougang from here makes 5km & that is not enough for me at this time! You see, these days I prefer a "chirer polao or upma, semolina upma or non ta suji, idli, sabudana or dalia hotchpotch" for my lunches, but I do not stay at home in the day time! Cristine handles my home! This is the high time, I did something fruitful that generates money! I wish I could travel to the son and cook such simple, homely food for him, also for his flat mate & the entire friends gang! Mumma just wants to give him some comfort, so he does not need to do anything except for studying & going for classes! I wish to explore that city elaborately! It is not congenial to visit the food markets there for longer period with the man, he just does not understand how a kitchen is run! There I wish to walk a lot and find new markets, not of clothes obviously! But for a visitor like me, it is a challenge there in that country where people drive on their own, where public transport system is not that good! But I wish to find out how to shop like in Kolkata or this island in that country where roads are quiet in the daytime too! Yet, I wish to live there for few years if only the man tried to relocate!

WHAT IS THIS SPRING ONION PRATA?

Let us leave the discussion about what could have possibly happen if we relocated; both of us hardly conclude any discussion; we just do not agree at a point! Let me better show you what goes on inside my kitchen! That is my job for the past few years & I thoroughly enjoy the exercise! Here in this island, scallion or SPRING ONION PRATA is quite popular! I have eaten a few times, priced at 1:50-2$, they obviously would not have enough amount of spring onion! I have seriously not checked any of the recipes; perhaps they use eggs in the dough or batter! Batter because they call it pancake too at times! I really do not know if they prepare it from a batter or dough, I just find their's a bit less salty! Hence, I wished to cook this vegetarian, vegan flatbread, an easy one just our way! Later I felt, if I added some onion & spices, it would have been tastier! But I did not wish too much of modification, also we should keep rooms for more of recipe creations, right? 

Let me take a break at this point, take shower, do the afternoon prayer & head for Hougang; have food, do the necessary buys & head back home; take shower, do the evening prayer and complete the blogpost! And that's mumma, she may not look like a college goer son's mother but she tactfully hides her wrinkles! In fact, yet with a wrinkled forehead sony boy's mumma looks younger than her age!

No, those are not dirt on my eyebrows, the dead skin post the eye embroidery is peeling off! I am neither that level of lazy or dirty that I would not keep myself clean! I cannot be as active as our mother, but I am moderate, try to follow healthy habits! I walked a total of 7.1km today, what I ate & what I did should be shared on Saturday in public! We have left the Hougang area in 2016, I keep going regular, mostly for the girls at Kushi's & other shops!

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG

WHEAT FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

CHOPPED SPRING ONION : A MEDIUM SIZED BOWLFUL

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

SALT : 1/2 TSP

OIL : 2TSP PER PARATHA + 2 TBSP

PROCEDURE : 

We would take both the flour varieties & the salt in a bowl & mix well! We would discard the two ends of the spring onion stalks, chop, wash & add them to the flour mix bowl! Cristine did this for me! Add some chopped green chillies too, I forgot!

We would add 2tbsp of oil to the mix and rub well! We would add little water and prepare a smooth dough kneading it well! Remember, the spring onions would release water, be careful! Keep the dough covered for 15-20 minutes!

We would remove the cover, knead the dough again for about 2-3 minutes, tear off portions to make flatbread with each of them!

We would dust the base & each dough ball well & roll! I did not give any extra effort to make them perfect round, I was cool, a bit unhappy hence!

We would heat a pan / griddle, add each prata, roast well both sides, add 2tsp oil in each case, fry both sides well & we should be done!

Ain't that too easy? I had it with pickle & roasted chillies; the rest had it with chicken curry & pickle! 

VEGAN GLUTENFREE PAKWAN

 IT WAS SUCH A LONELY SUNDAY YESTERDAY!

T left home early morning, thereafter Cristine too! And the entire day seemed fruitless! Our monkey son is not the kind who would make two different calls & ease his parents! I suffer from anxiety attacks when T drives longer distances! Several requests asking him to take a flight does he defy! Had he have the way, he would have driven to Kolkata too! Then, I and my anxiety attack issue; we are inseparable, the latter was born sometime in 1995! Not only T, I too did not wish to continue with the medication, we believe it is a never ending treatment! I know well once we get it, we live with it! Our mother has anxiety but that is different! She is not a pessimist like me, she is a strong woman! It is I who has a problem with the family driving; riding bus, train, airplane! It is a ridiculous situation inside, you have a dream with regards to your son, he goes faraway to fulfil it or his own dream; you keep precipitating in anticipation of the worst! I do not blame anyone, no one can help me out from it! I have tried mingling, regular meet ups is not my thing! I do not enjoy all girls meet too often, I prefer going out with the man & the son or friends' families meeting! I have come across great male friends! Yesterday, I was sitting numb until T messaged me on reaching, he travelled alone this time! Thereafter, what I did I am coming to that later! If such a mentality comes across Faraaz, you know what the heart goes through! Its a true incident! As always, I am researching, going through videos of him talking, his parents, brother, friends! Like his mother & family, this motherly figure also feels proud of his courage, humanity but at what cost? Loss of priceless young lives is uncalled for! Can mumma ask her son not to go out with his friends? You go out with your friends to a cafe never to come back home? From which angle can one talk good about radicals; radicalism should be outrightly uprooted! Yes, I am a believer, our grandparents, mother had been / are so; they never did think of or speak of killing those who do not conform to their belief / faith! Even I am not comfortable with exposing dresses, does it mean I want the otherwise promising, smiling girls to die?

IN LONELINESS; I STILL STOOD UP, COOKED SOMETHING!

Yesterday, once I got the news of T reaching & seen the son has liked this and that in one forum, I cooked noodles & wholewheat halwa! For my dinner, I had some reheated stale rice, begun-dhonepata bata, lote mach er jhuri & tomato as salad! I did the clicks & when I was ready to share them in public, I realised I forgot to take the picture of the noodles! I was upset & deleted the pictures of the halwa & my dinner plate! Instead, I watched a movie named "Dawat-e-Biryani" set in Lucknow & Kolkata! I have a hidden wish to walk the streets of Lucknow since 1997, people did not take me! I do not find a lone girl's travel safe enough, else you would have seen me travelling all over India at T's expenses! At this time, I want to travel & meet the son mostly! Yearly once, a Kolkata tour is fine! Since yesterday, I am having my dinner done by 7pm! Let me see if it helps, thereafter I would decide the next course! I had an Oriental choice lunch today from that stall run by the few young boys, that plate is 3:50$! One who give you food this cheap cannot keep up with the cleanliness standard! Clean your own table with a wet tissue, also keep your empty plates back in the table designated for it! I do it post pandemic!

The problem is I am not enjoying Oriental meals as before except for those in an upscale one! This means I have to have them not often but kabhi kabhi at a good place! If I try thrice a week, there would be aversion! Post lunch, I walked locally, only 5:5km! Unless it causes discomfort, you can walk post meal after a small gap but cannot exert yourself much!

I enjoyed my home cooked dinner, all made by me; "ruti, begun-dhonepata bata, atta halwa"! I skipped having salad today!

You can see I took a dinner break, else I would have finished my blogpost by now! I am not in a hurry, what to do next except for eating up my head worrying? I am a mother whose young child stays alone! Anyway, mumma irritates giving a list of do's & don'ts every other day! He does not even add us in his social media  forums, follows his father in one but not mumma! What harm would it make if the Utopian World I dream of get to be in practice; harmony, humanity should be in full swing; competition be there but fair enough!

WHAT IS THIS VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE PAKWAN?

It's been long I wished to have an authentic Sindhi Dal Pakwan! It did not happen as yet, any day I can cook it! I saw some recipe video, of one of my favourite master chef Sanjot Keer which I wished to follow! Before I could do it, the wish for a vegan, gluten-free version of Pakwan took over me! I kept thinking what possibly can get a crisper luchi basically! Also, I kept thinking about what flour to use! I cannot use refined or whole wheat flour or semolina if I want the bread to be vegan & gluten-free both! I would not buy an expensive flour packet! I have done urad dal / black gram lentils bread earlier! Now the concern was how to get a crisp outcome? Eureka, we are to fry the pooris longer in warm oil & not in super hot oil! Off course, this VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE PAKWAN bread is not healthy, but you can have it once every two weeks! As I say, I wish to do away with monotonous combo meals! I paired today's bread with Bengali "Potol-Peyaz er jhirijhiri" that I remember our father had in his office canteen, came home & requested our mother to cook & pair it with "luchi-porota"! He ate chapati but was not much fond of it; loved the formers; naan bread, tandoori roti, roomali roti! The sandesh sweet I wish to blog about soon! I wanted the platter to arrange Bengali style, I did!

INGREDIENTS :

SPLIT SKINLESS BLACKGRAM LENTIL / URAD DAL : 1 1/2 COFFEE MUG

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

CARROM SEED : 1 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : AS REQUIRED TO DEEP FRY + 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP TO KNEAD

PROCEDURE :

Black Gram Lentils / Urad Dal flour has a raw smell! Later I was thinking if I should have roasted it a bit before using! Anyway, the more amount of oil, red chilli powder, carom seed were used for flavours, to get rid of that raw smell! Else this lentil flour may be high protein & less caloric[?]

I took the lentil flour, salt & red chilli powder in a bowl & mixed well! Thereafter, I added the carom seeds & oil; rubbed for a minute or two!

Then adding a little of water at a time, I kneaded it to a dough! The dough would not want to be smooth! However, we can get through it! I covered the dough for half an hour!

I removed the cover; kneaded the dough again for a minute or two! I tore off portions & rolled into roundels dusting with some lentil flour!

Because I could not get smooth edges, I used a cookie cutter for nice shapes!

I warmed enough oil in the wok for deep fry! We would not let it get too hot! I fried them at really low heat, one at a time, both sides well until crisp!

I forgot to, but you keep them onto a tissue paper before serving & having!

A RUSTIC COOK'S CINNAMON BUN

 WHAT A LAZY MONDAY IT SEEMS!

I actually have decided not to go out for a walk today, swim instead! If I go out I feel like having my first meal outside! I have my first meal post 4-4:30pm & I am not in the mood to hurriedly write & finish my blogpost in the day time, let me stretch it all day long! Also, the baked cinnamon buns & the paneer tikki are to be done away with today! The situation is such, T would have whatever fancy I cook but he wants it one time! That is right in the sense you cannot serve a homemade fresh bake after three or four days or keep reheating & having a kebab! The thing is how much of less amount I cook, it stays; both T & Cristine are small eaters; I am the one who eats the maximum not wanting to waste! It is 1:05 pm right now, would write until 2 pm & go down for a swim, the weather is sunny! Thereafter, I would have a good shower, do the afternoon prayer & again sit to write with chai or coffee, bun, paneer tikki! I wish to visit those Irani Cafes for the milk tea & bun maska! I may get acidity from the milk tea; but have noticed if it is a masala tea or a ginger tea, I do not get ill in all cases! Does Kolkata have a Parsi Cafe? I would be visiting our city end of April, T has just sent my ticket! What I get is Kolkata has Irani food serving places, not exactly the Irani Cafe chain! I see an Irani Chai place at Howrah! I limit myself to few destinations in Kolkata, the Southern fringe is yet unknown to me; Howrah is a far at sight thing! I do not go too far in the city as I am comfortable taking only public transport there when alone! Yes, Singapore is such a secured place that it robs you of your confidence!

WE LOVE OUR HOME & NEVER GET BORED!

May be because we are happy with our gadgets, T with his television; I with my cell phone! The son too has gone after us; he does party with the friends but not frequently! Mumma was smiling watching him washing his clothes in the evening or the utensils in the dishwasher! I do not believe a dishwasher can clean a "kadai", "korai", "wok" as good as the housemaids in Bengal! Our mother kinds of would not use non-stick woks regular! Rujuta Diwekar has her own line of followers! Rujuta is good! Longtime, I did not visit her stream! But I did make a atta-maida-makki flour mix paratha last night for us; in between all the series & movies we had been watching! 

Roti-Prata is a regular thing in our family; we prefer them with less oil & thin! The multigrain litti I cooked last month caused me stomach ailment! T enjoyed it, I am not that fond of Bati or litti; I have a thing for Middle Eastern Breads; love them all! What I had sometime back are these!

I and Cristine finished off the leftovers, I wished for a sunny side up today! I had all those with the Kashmiri Pink tea! I do not have the specific tea the way they have it; gradually I developed the taste for having it milk & sugar free! After having the huge platter above, I saw the sunny weather turning cloudy, it started to rain with thunders! I made some "muri makha"; had with black, sugar-free coffee! I felt like & ate, thereafter I suffer from guilt, more when I see great bodied men & women around!

You cannot just ask me to sacrifice everything I love? Can you? I would have if my looks & body got me lakhs & crores of rupees! It's okay to share with you my sweaty, odd self else!

I do not exercise enough; had I have, then combined with an intermittent fasting, I would have gotten a well sculpted body! I simply dislike my hanging belly & thunderous thighs; but the love for food is stronger than that hate! I make good "murimakha" but once you add cucumber & tomato to it, the puffed rice loses it's crunch! I prefer roasted peanuts over chanachur in muri!

WHAT IS THIS A RUSTIC COOK'S CINNAMON BUN?

Besides loving to cook rustic, homely Bengali recipes; I enjoy doing simple bakes! If you are expecting an expert baker's expression in these cinnamon buns, you won't be happy! I break the steps of bake into simpler forms as much as possible & use ordinary mediums getting them! But I do them with as much love & sincerity! Look at the number of utensils I washed being used to bake those vegetarian cinnamon buns! 

It was a Sunday & Cristine was not at home! Sunday is usually my free day & I just cannot sit idle! I feel better doing something whilst watching a series or movie! For a couple of years now, I had been watching various videos on the making of cinnamon buns, focaccia, soda breads! I cannot even follow the steps, do's & don'ts mentioned in an ace baker's video or written recipe! I get to be the coolest one whilst taking up a baking project; some days I fail! On days I do a pretty good job, I get it to the blog & name the vegetarian bake A RUSTIC COOK'S CINNAMON BUN! If you fear baking, do along with me a cinnamon bun low on sugar & serve your family the freshest of bread & cake, it need not have the perfection of a renowned bakery, it has to cook well!

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 1 1/2 COFFEE MUG

ACTIVE DRY BAKER'S YEAST : 11 GM SACHET

LUKEWARM MILK : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

SUGAR : 1 TSP + 2TSP [YOU CAN USE MORE]

SALT : 1/2-1/3 TSP

CINNAMON POWDER : 1TBSP + 1TSP

MELTED BUTTER : 2-3 TBSP [I USED A BIT OF OLIVE OIL TOO]

PROCEDURE :

Take the refined flour+salt in a bowl & mix well! To the lukewarm milk, add the sugar & mix! Stir in the dry yeast & let it rise to double! 

Add 2 tbsp of melted butter, 1 tbsp of olive oil, the liquid to the flour mix & prepare a sticky dough! I required a little of extra lukewarm water!

Cover the dough & keep in a warm place for an hour or little more!

Remove the cover once the dough has doubled! Take it on a floor dusted kitchen top and knead smooth just enough! 

Roll it & dust with cinnamon & sugar, spread well! Roll it tight!

Cut the roll, keeping each piece moderately thick, tap a bit! Grease a container with some butter or oil! Place the uncooked buns in the container!

Mix together the rest of the melted butter & oil, cinnamon powder, sugar & mix well! Brush with it atop the uncooked buns!

Preheat the oven, I used a mini oven toaster! I baked them for 40 minutes at 180*C!

I was more pleased with the outcome of the second batch! Brush the tops with the cinnamon powder+sugar+butter mixture before serving! They taste the best hot & fresh!

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.