BENGALI KHARKOL PATA RECIPES

SATISFACTION IS STARTING TO LOVE YOUR FAMILY'S RUSTIC RECIPES AT A RIPE AGE!

I started to love having the rustic family recipes at a ripe age may be because I relocated abroad. Post marriage when I learnt to cook, I cooked particularly Bengali Food. The son grew up having "shaak to patla macher jhol". The home cooked foreign dishes he ate were fish and chicken stew. In those days, I did not cook fancy stuffs except for chilli chicken and makhani matar paneer. To have party food, we frequented the Kolkata restaurants. Even after relocating here, we would eat out. Gradually, I started cooking from different cuisines, the man not a foodie prefer home cooked food, the only compliment he gives me. Once grown up, the son did not want to go out with us often, he preferred ordering food with his pocket money. Once he left home, I thought the two of us would go out for food ventures every weekend but the man is actually married to the television set and classy bottles, I am secondary. Whatever the situation is, I thoroughly enjoy cooking, it is never a compulsion. 

MY EATING ORDER CHANGED THIS MORNING!

For the last four years, I do intermittent fasting, Monday to Friday. My blood sugar level got controlled but my hanging belly, fat arms and thighs continue to thrive. I cannot control portion after an eighteen hours of fasting, neither can workout in beast mode. I am getting heavily bloated. Today, I took a break and let myself be. I had my morning tea with a slice of bread spread with ghee with a sprinkle of brown sugar.

I detest drinking tea or coffee without anything on the side. Here is my lunch bowl, "samo rice khichuri". 

I need to eat easily digestible food. Whenever there is a special prayer at home, I consume an excess of sugary, deep fried stuffs, specifically post Janmashtami. I want to have dinner together with the man, hence eat around 10 pm, that isn't right. While taking a heavenly bite at the ghee toast, I noticed my Hibiscus plants fetched five flowers today.

I used to enjoy my tea and coffee sessions, I hardly prepare my favourites nimki, malpoa now-a-days. In the midst of such heart burn, the watermelon popsicle gets me some pleasure.

WHAT IS BENGALI KHARKOL PATA RECIPES?

These recipes I cooked and clicked back in 2021-22, blogging about them got delayed. I thought let me share three recipes in a single blogpost. Bringing together all of the pictures was necessary, they lay scattered. Later we can again share them separately. Kharkol Pata is the leaf of a specific variety of yam / Taro, some call it Arum leaves. Seriously, we did not require to know it's English name all this while. I / We love it's Bharta, hence I planted them on my tiny hedge, they grow anywhere. Recently I uprooted them because they spread to other pots. May be later I would plant them again. Three recipes with Kharkol Pata has been compiled under the title BENGALI KHARKOL PATA RECIPES. One recipe is vegan and gluten-free, a bharta made of Nigella Seeds & Arum leaves, one is done with prawns and Arum leaves, the other is done with dried Bombay Duck fish and Arum leaves. The first of the three recipes is vegan, all of them are gluten-free.

Another Kharkol / Ghatkol Pata recipe from the Blog is this; KHARKOL PATA BATA

KHARKOL  PATA O KALOJEEREY BHORTA 

INGREDIENTS :

ARUM LEAF / KHARKOL PATA : A BUNCH

NIGELLA SEED / KALO JEERE : 1 TSP

ONION : 2 

GREEN CHILLI : 2-3

GARLIC CLOVE : 3-4

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4 TSP

BAYLEAF : 1

DRY RED CHILLI : 1

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 1 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Do not pick the plants from the roots, just cut halfway from the stems. The plants regrow. The leaves with stems are sold in the Bengali markets. 

Wash the leaves thoroughly and dry roast them for 3-4 minutes. We would wash and strain the nigella seeds too. 

We would peel and wash the onions, garlic, also the green chillies. We would blend together everything else except the oil, salt, turmeric powder, bayleaf and the dry red chilli.

We would heat the oil in a wok, temper with a pinch or two of nigella seeds, bayleaf and dry red chilli. 

We would add the green paste, turmeric powder, salt, stir-cook for 4-5 minutes at low heat. 

Enjoy it with peeping hot steamed rice.

KHARKOL PATA O LOTEY SHUTKIR BHORTA

INGREDIENTS :

ARUM LEAF : A BUNCH

DRIED BOMBAY DUCK FISH : 2-3

SLICED ONION : 3-4 TBSP

 GARLIC PASTE : 1 TBSP

GREEN CHILLI : 4-5

DRY RED CHILLI : 1

BAYLEAF : 1

NIGELLA SEED : 2 PINCHES

DRY RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

We would chop off the arum leaves midway from the stem leaving the roots, wash them thoroughly and roast taken in a wok for 3-4 minutes.

We would discard the heads and tails of the dried fish, cut into small pieces.

We would wash the fish pieces several times and soak in hot water for sometime, then drain the water.

We would heat the oil in a wok, temper it with the nigella seeds, dry red chilli and the bay leaf. 

We would add the garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.

We would prepare a paste with the yam leaves and green chillies, add to the wok, stir cook for a minute or two.

Thereafter, we would add the dried fish pieces, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder. We would stir and cover it, let cook at low heat. 

After 6-7 minutes, we would remove the cover and stir cook it at low heat until it semi-dries.

Enjoy it with hot steamed rice.

KHARKOL PATA O CHINGRIR BHORTA

INGREDIENTS :

ARUM LEAF : A BUNCH

SMALL PRAWN : 8-10

SLICED ONION : 2-3 TBSP

GARLIC PASTE : 1 TBSP

GREEN CHILLI : 4-5

NIGELLA SEED : A PINCH OR TWO

BAYLEAF : 1

DRY RED CHILLI : 1

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

TAMARIND JUICE : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Clean, de-vein, de-shell totally the prawns. Wash them and marinate with salt and turmeric.

Discard the root end of the Arum leaves, wash them and roast taken in a wok. 

If you do not dry roast but paste directly, also not growing them at home; you have to use tamarind juice to remain safe, yam is known to cause us itching.

Paste together the chopped leaves, green chillies. 

Heat the oil in a wok, temper with the bayleaf, dry red chilli, nigella seeds.

Add sliced onion, garlic paste, salt, turmeric; stir cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the prawns discarding the marinade. Stir cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes, add the green paste and stir cook for 5-6 minutes.

Add the tamarind juice, adjust the salt if required, stir cook for 2 minutes. We are done.

 

I can have plateful of rice with each of these pastes / bhartas. Even my not much of a Bengali men would eat these, Cristine too, only says "such hot". Remember, you are to eat a little of the paste at a time with double the amount of rice.

 

FULKOPIR DATA PATA DIYE SHUTKI

MERA GAON; MERA DESH; BHALOBASHA ASHESH!

I may still hold the wish of wanting to travel to India thrice a year; to be precise to Kolkata; meet everyone, visit the wet markets, do shopping and come back to a safer abode. The problem is at this home, we do not agree at any point. The bread earner at home did not take any initiative to settle in any first world country! I told I am severely unwilling to stay in any third world country even if it is in a better position than India. No, if I cannot settle in a first world country, I will go and settle in Mumbai but not to a country that is cheaper and little better in position than India is in. I would never want to stay in an unknown country that has a declared state religion, I am a fear monger! In every matter, we have differences of opinion.The bread earner thinks once the child completes the college, we can go to any of the war torn nations and serve. I am peace loving, I wish to live; I told better we go and work for the development of the Sundarbans and happily become a meal for the aging tigers someday. Only one wish we jointly had; either to open a guest house in Puri or open a school somewhere in the suburbs of Kolkata where anyone gets a chance to study.Then, these were the plans made decades back when one was sailing and I was still in Kolkata, nurturing a wish to relocate abroad to experience the life there.We have touched fifty and it is unlikely I would allow to invest big amount on something we have no experience about; we may go bankrupt!In this uncertainty with the biggest threat from a virus, I have my feet on the ground enough to know either I go back to Kolkata, live in my own home within an upscaled community with two to three helps or I stay in a rented space without day dreaming of owning a 1600 sq.ft. area. I live with clever, intelligent people who carried me with them to keep me under control with an ease!If I throw tantrum beyond a limit, asap comes a question; big flat in this island or the child's education in a choice of country? I get in track within minutes; my child should get education in that country!I know a salaried person with no financial inheritance, but with huge responsibilities cannot fulfil all my wishes. I am unwilling to go back to Kolkata sooner! But, I keep my family tradition, Kolkata, BENGALI RUSTIC FOOD close to my heart! I cook platters like this FULKOPIR DATA PATA DIYE SHUTKI, Shojne Datar Chocchori, Kancha Pepe Diye Dal, Peyazkoli Bhaja! There definitely would have some egg or meat or fish curry on the side.

IS LIFE JEOPARDISED?

Not really! My problem is I am fast to make plans which are far from reality and less feasible to execute. I know that but people should also care for and understand my feelings. With a weird, reclusive child sitting so far off, things are not easy for me. My mental health is at stake and people at home do not care. Oh Sorry! They perhaps care but cannot do much about it. All this while, I felt I am overdoing until when the day before, the lady at the Chottopadhyay Home echoed me, that she would go where her child will be joining college next year. I felt, mothers need not be sane, specially those with a single child; moreover at a time when Covid-19 is ruling the scene. It is my love for COOKING AND EATING that keeps my spirits up. Restrictions on dining in did not stop me from buying food. Yesterday, the doctor's chamber was closed, again I went today; was happy to see my health parameters. Its almost a week I have started having breakfasts but is skipping rice or millets or breads at night. Let us see how it goes, I cannot survive on smoothies, soups & salads. I had a late brunch today, a choice meal! Having that at 12 pm, I had space to eat a rice meal at 3:30pm. I had it only for that bhorta you know. I will get the recipe, I just love bhorta and can eat a plate full of rice with it. But, habituated to eat a less amount of it and embracing unpolished brown rice, I get full halfway.

That chicken curry was extra, but we had to finish. Until this was still okay, but again having a tweaked stale roti dish with your coffee is too much. At this time, I am having crisp, torn stale roti garnished with ghee and sugar. What you do is microwave the rotis for about two minutes, they get crisp; tear them small. Garnish with ghee and sugar. I am so loving it with the milk & sugar coffee I get for the help. 

Some five to six years back, a former colleague Poonam Singh got a ghee laden Roti Churma for us, I loved it. This girl spoke for me in my absence, I did not forget this kind act by the mother of a boy and a girl. On the day of my blood sugar check; I indulge this much. Rest of the days I have low intake of sugar and carb. But, unless I put a check on what I am eating, I am at risk. If I have to live happily, you cannot rob me of the joy of eating. I would not let my life go jeopardy, it has to be majorly the way I want it to be. Even if I live in a rented space, I enjoy it because home is where love is, if only it was nearer to my kiddo. 

WHAT IS THIS FULKOPIR DATA PATA DIYE SHUTKI MAACH?

WHAT IS FULKOPIR DATA O PATA? Fulkopi is CAULIFLOWER and its data & pata are the STEMS & LEAVES. WHAT IS SHUTKI MAACH? It is SUN DRIED FISH! There can be a variety of it, the one I have used in this is our most favourite DRIED BOMBAY DUCK! In my side of the family, having dried fish is very regular. In this recipe, I have combined the stems & leaves of a cauliflower and a little of dried Bombay Duck fish to get a NON-VEGETARIAN BHARTA. WHAT IS BHARTA? They say PATE, PASTE. I would define it as a paste mix cooked further with onion, garlic, chillies and nigella seeds, at least these are a must in Bengali Homes. I think I can have a meal with vegetable boil and bhartas alone. I mean a boiled & mashed raw banana or yam with a drizzle of mustard oil, salt, burnt dry red chillies and a dried fish or vegetable skin bharta makes my meal, not just but fabulous! I have taken the family route or root, whatever you say! Mumma may not live to see but my child would some day understand what I expected of it. Who ever it's partner be, I would not visit their home regular if I do not like the ways. I believe and say, if our likes and dislikes are strong, we should stay aloof and separate. Staying together and complaining has no point. There is one life and there has to be happiness in it! Come, let us COOK and have this GLUTEN-FREE FISH RECIPE with a bowlful of rice!

You may want to try few other DRIED FISH RECIPES from my Blog! Here they are :

1] LOTEY SHUTKIR BHORTA

2] BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH

3] GATHI KOCHU DIYE LOTEY SHUTKI

INGREDIENTS :

STEMS & LEAVES OF A CAULIFLOWER : A FEW STALKS

DRIED BOMBAY DUCK FISH : 3-4

CRUSHED GARLIC CLOVE : 8-10

SLICED ONION : A MEDIUM CUP FULL OF

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 5-6

HALVED DRY RED CHILLI : 3-4

NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEEREY : 1/4 TSP

BAY LEAF : 1

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 4-5 TBSP [WE USE MUSTARD OIL]

PROCEDURE :

I hail from a family that has a huge repertoire of rustic Bengali dishes, even done from what others consider a waste. So, just before throwing away the cauliflower stalks and leaves on that particular day, I thought of using them, but not on a "fulkopir patabata or data chocchori". The cauliflowers that come from India have some fresh leaves & stalks attached. I did not wish to throw them off! I took out a few dried Bombay Duck fish from my stock and proceeded with the recipe!

We will chop the cauliflower leaves and stems after separating the leaves from them; we will take out thinly the fibres of the stem. We will chop the dried fish discarding the tail end and heads of each!

We will wash them under the running water several times and soak in water for an hour or more.

We will add some salt to the bowl and microwave at high for 10-12 minutes. Once a bit cool; we will drain the water.

We will give a wash again and take the boiled stuffs in a blender. We will blend them to a paste, a little coarse is better.

We will temper the oil heated with the nigella seeds, crushed garlic, halved dry red chillies, bay leaves. 

Once the crushed garlic turn brown, we will add the sliced onion; we will stir cook until brown.

We will add the paste, salt required and the turmeric. We will fold in well and stir cook for 3-4 minutes. Until this step, we will cook at low heat!

We will add half a coffee-mug of water and slitted green chillies. We will stir cook at minimal heat for 8-10 minutes. 

When the thing is well cooked, the water content will dry and it will come out from the sides! Just get your piping hot bowl of steamed rice ready!

 

BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH

I will not say my family has a recipe with broccoli & Dried Bombay Duck for ages now. It is so that on that day few florets of broccoli lay dry in the refrigerator. We are not broccoli lovers at this home. I get at times for some purpose, use may be half or quarter and then forget all about the rest. Not in the habit of wasting any amount of food, I try to use them up if they have not rotten. Cooking broccoli florets with dried fish is the best idea for this family, that is the best broccoli dish for us I think. I mean, we just do not want broccoli in our lives. A non-vegetarian side dish with broad bean, egg plant, broccoli & dried Bombay Duck  BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH just works wonder for us. The broccoli went into our stomachs without a frown. 

I will not go on blabbering much today, I am again having headache or you can say I am experiencing a head block since morning. The homecoming guy's too much involvement with electronic gadgets on reaching home is causing me more of irritation. Until now, he did not get time to sit with me and talk about the son. I must get myself free by the evening and ask about his three weeks time spent with the son. He however managed to have a glance of me, asking me to colour my hairs. I explained why I do not want to go for it all over again and he complied. The reason why I call him more of a friend than a husband is this. It will be way more difficult to convince our mother & brother to accept me with my original hair colour. However, we will all sit together and have this vegetables & dried fish dish BROCCOLI BEGUN SHEEM DIYE SHUTKI MAACH with love.

These days, I see Broccoli became a common vegetable in the suburbs of Kolkata too. Not only in the market but few years back I saw street vendors getting it at the doorstep of my parental home in Barrackpore. I still remember, the guy told he had grown them in his small patch of land. They looked so fresh, yet did not create a stir on my mind as would do a fresh, home grown cauliflower. I remember how every winter season cauliflower was grown in the grandparent's garden or how the mother had grown it in pots. Why she does not do it every season I know, if I have lost the energy or will to colour my hair at 50, how can I expect her to work more. I pity my senior, he has to handle a wife who has a problem with every little thing; she hates crowd, she gets irritated if people around make too much noise and now he has to handle more of my tantrums because every few minutes she cannot stand in front of a closed door, knock and shout "mummar cheleta koi, ki korchey?" Though the answer was always "tokey merey debo", I consider those "love exchange" between us. I will make the man's life miserable because I cannot be jealous of my mother whose son sits with a laptop & television in a room next to her. I am confused enough to make out what I want from life!

INGREDIENTS :

DRIED BOMBAY DUCK : 4-5

BROAD BEAN : 7-8 [CUT INTO SMALLER PIECES]

EGG PLANT : 3-4 SMALL [CUBED]

BROCCOLI : 1 COFFEE MUG [SMALL FLORET]

SLICED ONION : 1 COFFEE MUG

CHOPPED OR CRUSHED GARLIC : 3 TBSP

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 7-8

RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2 TBSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 6-7 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Whichever combination of vegetables our family uses in dried fish; the spices remain the same and less. For dried fish, we depend more on oil, chilli, garlic and onion.

Discard the heads and tail ends of the dried Bombay Duck. Cut each into smaller pieces. Wash them several times and soak in hot water for 2 hours.

All the cut vegetables are to be taken in separate bowls and be washed well.

After 2 hours, discard the water from the dried fish and marinate them with little salt and turmeric.

The three vegetables are to be taken together and marinated with salt & turmeric.

Heat oil in a wok; add the onion slices and fry till golden brown.

Add the crushed garlic and green chillies; cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the dried fish and break with the ladle. Cover cook at minimal heat for 10-12 minutes checking in between. Sprinkle water if required.

Add the rest of the turmeric & the red chilli powder, stir for 2-3 minutes and cover cook for 5 minutes at low heat. Sprinkle water if required.

Add the vegetables and give a stir. Cover cook at minimal heat for 12-14 minutes. The vegetables will release a lot of water which we have to dry slow cooking the entire thing. Yet, check every 3-4 minutes to avoid burning. Adjust the salt if required.

Plain rice and nothing else goes with it.

 

 

CABBAGE WITH DRIED IKAN BILIS

The sky is weeping since the morning and I prefer a start with a sunny morning if not a sunny side up. Rain is a poet's muse; I like it too, for some unknown reason not in the morning. It causes more of depression in me; mornings should be bright. Anyway, news that are pouring in are not comforting. People already are facing pay cuts, losing jobs, what next? In this scenario, my "thoka togors" gave me some relief this morning. I came out of my room very late today. I went to sleep too late, in fact early this morning; then weird dreams always disturb my sleep these days. I was just lying on the bed so unwilling to get up which is rare. Because my men are very flexible and we have a Cristine, I can take such liberties. When Cristine was showing me the flowers, the man was already in his work station.

Food is that miracle which lifts up my spirit always, the reason why I cannot follow strict diet regimes. I am so unable to fit into any discipline; I know my health is at risk but really cannot start a day with smoothie. I do like smoothie, oats with fruits & yogurt; just cannot make those a regular habit. Yesterday, in the morning I had one chapati, omelette and a peanut butter toast.

I was chatting with the man, talking about the banana plant in my parental home in which neither he or his family has any interest. I was very happy given the brother have sent the photograph. All of a sudden I remembered we shifted to that home in Barrackpore on 10th of May, 1995 and it was the 25th year of my family living there. I felt let me blog about this non-vegetarian dried fish recipe with cabbage and dried ikan bilis / anchovy CABBAGE WITH DRIED IKAN BILIS that they may enjoy.

Our father forced us to move there from a crowded, bustled DumDum we never wished to leave. He hated DumDum and always wanted to live away from the city. Today he is no more, his wife plants a banana tree; the fruit he so loved. This lady has a very bad habit of chopping off trees, she has cut off a fruit bearing coconut tree as it's roots were growing wide & deep, one mango & a guava tree as local boys used to throw stones to get them, they broke the window panes. She grows a wide variety of flowers. Both me and the brother are so insisting on growing few vegetables on the terrace, she says they call in insects. The brother or his wife are not at all interested nurturing a single plant. I so love a fruit & vegetable garden. The tenants of few years there bought the adjacent plot which was our father's youngest brother's and they have already grown a couple of vegetables the brother says. I was occupied with this banana plant that I got late for a walk; Sundays I get them outside food and Cristine was out to transfer money to her family's account. I went to the mall opposite, got them nasi lemak meal from an eatery chain called QIJI.

Then again I went for my walk, came back and had home cooked food. I only prefer home ordered pizza; I believe restaurant food should be eaten fresh sitting there, else home cooked is the best. This morning, I had asked Cristine to prepare gram flour pancakes for me. India calls it "cheela;" my families never used to make or have.

I must say they are good. The problem is the men would want chicken / egg stew or curry with "cheela & thalipeeth" if served for lunch or dinner. They will never shout at me but would push off the plate. The man would ask Cristine to serve bread & omelette, the son would straightway get food home delivered. In fact, I suspect our boy has secret social media accounts and he may know about his mother's blog. On the day I wrote here the son has stopped home delivering food, that evening itself he called in home delivered food after two weeks. I asked the man if it can be a coincidence! If I ask our boy he perhaps would bang my head against the wall. Yesterday, when I asked for a hug, he had shut the door for the entire day. His father said "besh hoyeche." This kind of people I live with who never would wish me on special days neither would I have enough material to share with you. Could not the son help me with the technical side of my blog? He did it for his school I know. They off course do not stop me from doing what I like with the condition that they should not be involved. However, they both so loved this dish of cabbage with ikan bilis / anchovy; CABBAGE WITH DRIED IKAN BILIS more than me, I would have loved it more with dried Bombay Duck / lotey shutki. My family back home would enjoy it too except a few who cannot have dried fish.

INGREDIENTS : 

CABBAGE : 1 STANDARD SIZED
DRIED IKAN BILIS / ANCHOVY : 100 GM
SLICED ONION : 2 SMALL TEA CUP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
GARLIC PASTE : 2-3 TBSP [CRUSHED GARLIC WORKS BETTER]
TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 11/2 TBSP
NIGELLA SEED / KALOJEERA / KALONJI : 1/4 TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 1-2 HALVED
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 5-6 TBSP 

PROCEDURE :

Wash and soak the dried anchovies in a bowl of hot water. I only cleaned the head and stomach as much as possible, later felt discarding the heads totally would have been better. You can do that.

Discard the hard root end and the outer coverage of the cabbage. Wash and shred as fine as possible.

We have the washed slitted green chillies & liced onion, garlic paste ready in hand. If possible use 3 tbsp of crushed garlic instead. 

We will heat the oil in a wok and temper it with the nigella seeds & halved dried red chillies.

We will add the onion slices, fry till brown and add the garlic paste then, shall give it a stir.

We will add the turmeric & salt, slitted green chillies and stir for quiet sometime until the oil and the spice paste are separated.

We will add the red chilli powder and stir at low heat for 1/2 a minute. We can sprinkle some water if required to avoid burning of the spices!

We will add the dried anchovy now. I repeat again, it is better to discard their heads. We will stir cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes.

We will add 1 medium tea cup of water and put the heat level to medium. We will cover cook it for 7-8 minutes.

We will open the cover, add the washed and shredded cabbage. We will fold in well.

We will cover cook at the minimal heat for 30-35 minutes. Every 8-10 minutes, we have to uncover and stir. The cabbage will release water and that water has to completely dry.

We should be done and can transfer it to a serving bowl! Enjoy it more with rice and a little less with roti! We also had "dal o peyazkoli bhaja" on the sides.