TENDER COCONUT DRY-FRUITS ICE-CREAM

How are you doing loving readers? I got irregular about blogging; would be until June. "Until" we can't use, life is unpredictable. We can't predict our future, in fact whats to happen within next few minutes, we still cannot stop hoping for best. I keep praying, at least if we get to live life full circle decently. I am weak hearted, scenes around do not let me live in peace. I have seen happy moments last month, could see live son's convocation, he gifted us good score, travelling long hours was worth it, [sharthok]. Back home, within 5 days, we got news of father-in-law's passing away. He was 81+, ailing, it is acceptable, though we can't let go family, friends. In 2017, our father passed away at 74, I was in dilemma; okay he has lived a long, fulfilling life, then next moment felt, oh! we won't see his smiling face anymore, he won't talk to us ever. I wish, pa-in-law's son, grandson could meet him, talk to him one last time before he left. Even daughter didn't get chance to speak. The kids broke news to their mother way later. The son-in-law seems pretty practical like mother-in-law, her cubs. All in this world know, one day everyone has to face this, the late that day arrives, its better. What happens to singles don't know, hope they have friends, family closer to their hearts. None should leave barren, empty handed. Love, be loved!

For my kinds, food help bridging moods. Indulge in what you enjoy; it may be cooking, reading, performing arts, or just relax with music switched on. If I don't do meditation for few days, it gets chaotic inside. Meditation, chanting Gongyo help me stay mentally fit, so does rituals for my God family! I wouldn't leave one for other. I never forget I am Hindu, just that I dislike talking about it, making it my prime identity, use it as weapon of hatred. We are global citizens. I enjoy vegetarian tiffins, find idea to cook vegan, gluten-free recipes, I can't start a day with mutton, hilsa fish though love. This need not be used as weapons to create hatred, promote violence. I have issue about a system that makes 1001 rules for women, that wouldn't let me roam freely, but have no hatred at personal level. Cristine touches my God Family in Singapore, Rizia Mashi touches them in Kolkata, I give them full freedom. 

I won't discuss about above plates today. I am busy, yet wanted to share this vegan, gluten-free, no-cook frozen dessert TENDER COCONUT DRY-FRUITS ICE-CREAM recipe in blog. I try to make dairy free food, desserts these days, dairy products upset my stomach except paneer & yogurt. I had an issue with dairy since childhood. Rightly said or not, the man says cow milk is for calves, not for humans. I can digest chilled milk based drinks, not hot ones. I had chilled sugar-free matcha-latte at 4Fingers, liked it but got wind, milk-free ones I can digest. How I love masala chai, chilled milk based coffees. Indigestion, diabetes; both made my life mundane.

How do I look? Take closer look, you would see my aging skin! I wonder why they say I look way younger than my age. I walk in day time, swim in highly chlorinated water, I was looking for DIY anti-tan face masks, I know of many remedies, from "Rooplagi" of Anondolok, Sananda days, I fail to do them regular. I have interest in cosmetology, after finishing my BEd, the son wasn't born, in 1999-2000, I wished to travel to Delhi, do year long course at Shehnaz Hussain's, open a beauty studio in Kolkata like Threety Irani's, man refused to sponsor. His clear cut statement was he sacrificed his holidays post marriage to facilate my smooth completion of BEd, I either teach or be a housewife. You know my love for lipstick, beautification, make up. I don't use much of make up but moisturiser, powder, kajal, lipstick are must. Those were days when I didn't realise my love for cooking! I think I have ability, wish to make other women look good. I put mask, did make-up on my brother on his marriage day, man was scolding both of us.

We should maintain ourselves; try look fresh; it is necessary for us to feel good. My / our son doesn't talk to me, I put through messages for him here, there in public. Anyway, this ice-cream is tasting good. I have garnished it with dried mango, apricot gifted by younger friendly family. You may use any dry fruit / fruits of choice. I had with fresh mango, just too good! It used only 2 tsp of sugar, sweetened with dates, both are bad for diabetic, even sugar coated dried fruits, I don't quit anything entirely!

The cap of container is pink on white, appears red! I keep Singapore closer to heart, it doesn't, now says if I steal fruits, vegetables from roadside trees, I would be heavily fined.

Above was my lunch today; vegan, gluten-free paratha with Bengali style roasted eggplant, pickle.

INGREDIENTS :

COCONUT PULP : OF TWO COCONUT

COCONUT CREAM : 150-200 ML

DATE : 10-12

BROWN SUGAR : 2 TSP [ENHANCES TASTE]

VANILLA ESSENCE : 1/2 TSP

CHOPPED DRIED MANGO : 2 TBSP

CHOPPED DRIED APRICOT / KHUBANI : 1 TBSP

OR YOU MAY USE YOUR CHOICE OF DRIED NUTS & FRUITS

PROCEDURE :

I admit I had to use pulp of one more tender coconut. I enjoy young coconut water & pulp, matured pulp more, on some days we can make ice-cream too, healthier one.

Soak seeded, washed dates for half an hour. Get the pulp of tender coconut! There is no dearth of it here, Kolkata sells daab / young coconut in youngest form.

Blend together coconut cream, tender coconut flesh, soaked dates, sugar together to fine paste.

Add vanilla essence, mix well. Pour onto a container. Close tight lid, freeze for an hour. 

I chopped dried ripe mango & apricot pulp, took out container, opened it, garnished top of ice-cream with dried & chopped fruits. 

Freeze it for 5-6 hours, serve as it is or with choice of fresh fruits!

EASY GRILLED PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

I wish sleeping after shower, good meals. Not that I don't wish to write, share recipe, unable to concentrate at this time! I wish lying down on the couch, cover legs with a bedspread, hold a favourite read, fall into deep slumber, while the book rests on chest, the scenario ever since my teens. Few times my spectacles broke. How time flies, I can't believe I have spent over half century on this earth. My aging skin, rough texture of hair bothers a bit, if not much!

I would keep showing up, needn't bother about age. The problem of attention deficit occurs to good looking guys, gals; all their life they get attention, the moment they get wrinkles, admirers fade, they get sad losing stardom. For us, there's no pressure, I maintain, people compliment. I enjoy, level headed not to get swept away. 

I would go slow today, unable to do anything forcefully. I don't earn, I don't understand pressure of performance. I am writing, then looking at social media handles, looking down at swimming pool that reopened after few months, It feels happy being able to meet people, coach Joe, an excellent trainer. I have no speed, I enjoy swimming, my brother used to bring home prizes winning competitions; swimming, flat race, playing cricket. I hail from a family of sports lovers, sports personnel, I wasn't. The man, son ain't in sports; my fear monger self hardly allowed them. Our television set also plays waterpolo is separate issue. I was upset knowing son-shine wasn't good in sports, he had flat-feet issue; an Indian mother, specifically Bengali mothers have this syndrome, "my child has to beat rest"! My level headed men did not allow me to practice that in Singapore, they did not allow me join parents' WhatsApp group, son didn't share phone numbers of his friends. In West Bengal, mothers notch teachers for that one mark her child scored less than rest, I wasn't an exception. This island changed me; today son makes me proud, if only he spoke about his achievements. Not only son, I watch other kids in LinkedIn. Their parents know I enjoy that. 

This food lover had waffles at McDonald's this morning; taste was good, it left me hungry though. 

I equally love rojak. Without sauce, it's pretty healthy. Then, it's not rojak without sauce, crushed peanuts! Singapore's hospitals have great food courts serving food at minimal prices. They are open to all, I feel I shouldn't take advantage! Also, I try stay within boundary! It takes one call, I would run for good cause, no voluntary service organisation called until date.

The greens in midst of desert happens to be "marichika", if I approach near, it would vanish! As kids, we learnt about "aleya" too, my curious mind wished to see, science says it's some released gas. I have always escaped from reality, I live in world of fantasy created by me. I guess I wish to remain entangled! Our minds harbour what we invite, allow to stay, may be I enjoy harbouring varied thoughts, my favourite pastime!

"Srishti"; creation, universe, nature is engaged bringing something into life! It feels beautiful to pause, watch, its my life!

I would keep blabbering, let's share recipe instead! The same question lingers, who are you I cannot get over? Do you survive on grilled meats, veggies, soup? Anyway, our recipe highlight today is pineapple fried rice, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free! Let's name this vegetarian rice; EASY GRILLED PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE! Grilled pineapple recipe is there in blog! I love grilled fruits, even spiced, grilled bell peppers, not a favourite vegetable. Last night, we had fried rice & omelette! Cristine adds spring onion to it. You may add variety of vegetables in this fried rice, I used only carrot, cabbage, spring onion, tossed in simple seasoning!

INGREDIENTS :

COOKED RICE : 3-4 COFFEE MUG

PINEAPPLE CHUNKS : A BOWLFUL

SHREDDED CABBAGE : 1 COFFEE MUG

SHREDDED CARROT : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

CHOPPED SPRING ONION : A HANDFUL

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

CASHEW NUTS : 7-8

CINNAMON STICK : 1-2

BAY LEAF : 1-2

SOY SAUCE : 2 TBSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP +1TSP

PROCEDURE :

You may use refrigerated leftover cooked rice, I used freshly cooked rice!

I washed a coffee mug of rice, cooked in enough water until 70% done, transferred to colander. Let all of water drain.

Peel, wash, shred carrot, wash, shred cabbage. Wash, slit green chillies.

Marinate washed pineapple cubes with red chilli powder, salt, 1tsp oil! I grilled them manually on stovetop! Take down once done.

Heat wok, temper with cinnamon stick, bay leaves. Add cashew nuts, fry at minimal heat until golden brown.

Add the shredded cabbage, carrot. Season with salt, soy sauce, crushed black pepper. Stir fry at medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the cooked rice, grilled pineapple, spring onions leaving some to garnish. Used two ladles to fold in well at medium heat, adjust salt. Transfer to a rice plate, garnish with remaining spring onion. We are done, it's simple!

EASY-MADE STRAWBERRY JAM

                   

ONE WHO LOVES TO EAT CANNOT REAP THE FRUITS OF  INTERMITTENT FASTING?

A frustrated soul's realisation is that. I am doing it for over four years now. I remember I started with a 14 hours of intermittent fasting a few days before the son left home for his higher studies. I have seen others doing it too. When I compare the results, I see I did get some benefits but I continue to remain an overweight. I blame myself. Even after an eighteen hours of intermittent fasting, I should not eat more than just enough. I fail to draw the line most of the days. I end up having three chapatis instead of two, while the weight watchers would eat one. I have to pay the price. Last night, I tried roomali roti following chef Sanjot Kheer's video recipe, there had one extra dough ball. I thought let me have one extra chapati, I did and this morning my weight jumped to an excess of one kilogram. When I eat, I remain happy, I get upset once I stand on the weight machine the next day. The thing is how much I try a roomali roti, it does not get as thin as this variety of bread should be. I got nearer to it whilst making it for the man. While doing mine, I ended up cooking three normal chapatis because I am impatient, making a roomali roti requires a good amount of patience.

A roomali roti also requires practice. I did not follow the chef's instruction, I did not use milk for preparing the dough. The more I was stretching the sides of the roti, it was going back to the square. To roll a bread as thin as a paper / handkerchief is not just anyone's job. Our lunch yesterday was fish and rice.

THOUGH DISAPPOINTED ABOUT AN WEIGHT INCREASE, THERE WAS SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT THIS MORNING!

Our tiny plant rack arrived from the Shein Official. The only problem about online buy is that I lack the idea about the size, measurements though clearly mentioned. I do not wish to buy high end stuffs, will order more of them.

These small buys make me happy, let us see if it can take the weight or not.  My resolution of cutting the amount of food intake for the next few days was forgotten by the afternoon, look at my first meal.

What is the point doing an intermittent fasting if I eat all of that at one meal that we are supposed to have at three meals? But I cannot stop following this, it has controlled my blood sugar level, I am just unable to control my food cravings. I have nothing else to do except for cooking, eating and talking about my food-ventures! The weekend's excess food intakes are causing weight gain and the food stocked at home, else I came back  from the USA with a reduced weight even after eating out once a day and cooking well there. Here, you get food every hundred metres and there is no-one to monitor me.

WHAT IS THIS EASY-MADE STRAWBERRY JAM?

I had the best strawberry jam in a hotel in Shimla back in 2008. The boutique hotel was made of solid wood in the backdrop of a forest, they told the jam is made of the local produce and is organic. We grew up having homemade jam, jelly, pickle though a bottle of Kissan Mixed Fruit Jam was always there at home. We did not have much of bread, both of us siblings ate jams on the biscuits; tons of them we had but only Britannia Marie and Cream Cracker. The parents did not allow any other variety, they compensated with the abundance of Amul Butter, Kissan Mixed Fruit Jam and one day the mother herself started making Jam & Jelly. She would use guava, pineapple, mango. Did we know about strawberry then? I cannot even remember if our textbooks had pictures of strawberry in them or not. Once we re-located to Barrackpore, I saw strawberry at my university's friend Juthika's home. She had immense love for the terrace gardening, their terrace had the rarest of the flowering and fruiting plants she used to get from the Horticulture. Sharing a common interest, Juthika and our mother got closer, she used to visit our home even after my marriage. She had a late marriage and went to stay in the city of my birth. Her husband is a doctor there who my maternal uncles knew as they were wholesale medicine dealers, then I forgot his name, eventually lost all contacts with the quiet girl, she was supposed to meet our youngest maternal aunt, it did not happen I think. I would love to reconnect, our mother too forgot the bylane to Juthika's home, she was the younger of the two sisters. I remember her mother who was too quiet, their well designed big home, her father dying suddenly of diabetes and some of the secrets she shared with me. Now that my brother has renovated the home, I feel like going and staying for 2-3 days. The son too needs to go and stay, the man who also loved to go and stay in Barrackpore for few days doesn't even visit them, good old days. The mother stopped making jam & jelly once in Barrackpore. I keep making them for myself, one of my favourite food is having a toast with a layer of butter and then a layer of jam on it. I have forgotten the thin line of difference a spread, jam and preserve have; let me call this organic, vegan, gluten-free condiment an EASY-MADE STRAWBERRY JAM. One of my blogpost has that difference mentioned in details, I did read about it somewhere. 

Few other similar recipes in the Blog are APPLE GRAPE JAM, PEPPERY MANGO JAM, PEYARAR JELLY

                  

INGREDIENTS : 

FRESH STRAWBERRY : 250-300 GM 

SUGAR : 5-6 TBSP

LEMON JUICE : 3-4 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Trust me, the recipe is as easy & simple as you see, that too using three ingredients.

Discard the green leafy section attached to the fruit, wash well rubbing the body of the fruits.

Chop each of the fruits and wash just once or you may not. I took them in a blender and blended coarsely wanting a jam like texture. If you want a preserve, do not blend the fruits.

I took the blended fruit and the sugar in a bowl and placed on the stove top. 

There is nothing much to do in this recipe but we cannot move from the kitchen, we are to constantly stir the mixture else it would burn from the bottom.

We have to discard the foam formed on the top, Once the mixture starts to turn darker, we would add the lemon juice. This would not let the mixture harden when cold.

We would keep stirring until the watery texture goes away. Any liquid residue may spoil the jam sooner.

I am loving it on my toasts, you would too.

BANANA ORANGE OATS CAKE

AFTER EVERY SPECIAL PRAYER RITUALS AT HOME, I WOULD PREPARE SOMETHING WITH THE LEFTOVER FRUITS!

That too after some 15-16 days post the occasion. I love my choice of fruits but I am not supposed to have too much of them. The man would take a little only in his lunch boxes. The son ate fruits when packed in his snack box. I do not know really if he buys fruits for himself these days. Today, whilst on my morning walk, I saw a 11-12 year old boy in the school uniform having cup noodles. Such scenes make me get  angry at the parents. There isn't any excuse when it comes to parenting. Even if both the parents are working, it is not an ardent task to wake up early, prepare a butter bread toast or boil some noodles, broccoli, carrot, onion; season and feed the child and then send to the school. There is a primary school, a high school, a 7-Eleven outside of our back gate, such scenes are rampant; kids buying packaged food from the stores. I do not think the parents should have any excuse when their kids' health is concerned. I cannot thank the mother enough for teaching us the important lessons about home care through her tremendous dutifulness towards her family. For both of us family & kids are prime; we do not need much of resources to spend partying, chatting with friends. We only have weaknesses for buying saris which are not that pricey, household stuffs. In my case, I enjoy sitting alone in an eatery. I cannot just mingle with people. Most hilarious was a client, she gave me good business a few times and then almost claimed, placed a condition that I have to roam around the island with her. She  might have been a nice girl but I couldn't agree to that. Many a woman in this island made unnecessary calls without any intent to buy food from me. In business, I would seek profit and name, not friendship at all. A person of few words, I had to put an end to this. Although I love watching my friends party, sing and dance; I feel awkward amidst a crowd. There are many in the same food business, unfortunately, the Bengalis too want chole-bhature or idli-dosa on their plate instead of "lau-ghonto, chichinge-boti, dhokar dalna". Bengalis are those Indians who have forgotten their own food; they eat biryani, fish fry, chicken kobiraji, chicken and paneer masala day and night. At least the reels say that. 

WHY DOES OUR SON HAS TO PROVE HE IS DIFFERENT?

It feels he is in constant endeavour to prove he is weird and a rebel. Doesn't his mother pay enough attention to him that he has to behave this weird to get her occupied in his thought 24/7? Some 20 years back, all my friends would say he does all the weird acts to irritate me, that he behaves normal in my absence. Since then, until now; all my attention revolves around him, he doesn't need to do anything for that. May be for few years I became a bit absent minded, I curse myself for that. I should not have missed a single moment of his company. In fact, I need not curse myself, that happened because all of a sudden his father wanted him to be independent; I wasn't allowed to sleep with my child, bathe him, feed him, kiss him, hug him. What emotional upheaval I went through only I know, a void was created. I believe everything has a time, I need not had to be distanced with my playmate after a decade of staying with him alone, he was my only living play dough 24/7 whose childhood I shaped as per my wish. Nope, we are not in a strained relationship, it is our joint decision to keep our son's need our top priority. I do not like people talking about spending lakhs doing the interiors of their home but tell their kid / kids they do not have money to sponsor their kid's education abroad. However, they have money to buy property in two-three cities of India or buy jewellery for the spouse. That way I am proud of the underweight partner, I get angry when both my men ignore my emotional needs. I then keep myself happy cooking and eating. Yesterday, I ate those and gained 500 gm by this morning.

I had more rice than usual because the sides were dried fish, Hilsa fish and veg dal. More of wrong was to have two bowls of puffed rice and coconut. At night, I was to make appam, but the iron wok betrayed, the sides got stuck. The same batter was used in a non-stick pan. Having consumed a big amount of coconut caused me wind this morning, this keeps happening since my childhood. Too much of coconut consumed may cause acidity and wind in many, I am one of them.

WHAT IS BANANA OATS ORANGE CAKE?

I think this is the easiest and simplest of all the cakes I have made until now. Whatever I am unable to do is complex mathematics to me. All those three & four tier designer cakes are as complex as science, mathematics, geography taken together. But I love to bake and keep on doing that. Not only this vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan BANANA ORANGE OATS CAKE is easy make, we found it tasty too. I am  fond of using fruit juices in cakes, not really fond of dairy products, eggs, chocolates. All those chocolate rice & rainbow rice, sugar coated fruit strips atop a cake put me off. Fresh Fruit & Cream atop a cake is a love though the cream would have egg & dairy products in it. That too I avoid after the son relocated. To eat fancy stuffs you have to have an equally enthusiastic partner. He shows no interest, I too do not wish to spend on a choice of pastry only for myself. A Bengali mother would pause and think, "my child might be hesitating to have a 21$ meal in a choice of eatery or he may have skipped two meals to have that over the weekend! Let me wait until he gets a deserving job." However, mumma keeps buying from the Lazada, Shein, saris & kurtis while in Kolkata. This is the time and onwards I / we want the son's concern for us and attention. We are waiting for him to settle. We will see if he gets normal, else what to do, we would keep travelling from the Himalayas to the Kanyakumari. It is not right to complain about your kids unless they cause major harm to you. Anyway, I made myself something between "nonta suji and sujir upma" today, I cannot eat the gooey upma neither I had the patience of sprinkling a bit of water a few times on the roasted semolina to make what I enjoy.

I do not know why the son dislikes upma, poha, dosa. He would love  sausages, bacon, breads on his plate. His father too but he enjoys upma, chirer polao too. It is from him that we have learnt about upma in the early 90's. 

Few similar recipes from the Blog are DRAGON FRUIT CAKE, VEGETARIAN GLASS CAKE, STEAMED TAPIOCA CAKE

INGREDIENTS :

OATS : 1 COFFEE MUG

FRESH ORANGE JUICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

MASHED BANANA : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

SLICED BANANA : 1 SMALL TEA CUP

RICE FLOUR : 1/4 COFFEE MUG

CORN FLOUR : 2 TBSP

SUGAR : 4 TBSP [YOU MAY NEED MORE] [I USED BROWN SUGAR]

BAKING SODA : A PINCH OR TWO

BAKING POWDER : 1/4 TSP

OIL : 2-3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Mix together the orange juice and the mashed banana pulps. 

Take the oats, rice flour, corn flour, baking powder & soda in a bowl and mix well.

Add the wet ingredients, oil and the sugar to the dry ingredients, mix loosely. We do not need to beat vigorously.

Grease an oven proof bowl.  Add the batter, tap on the counter to level well. Arrange the banana slices atop.

Mine is a convection mode microwave oven. I did place the low height wired stool inside the microwave.

I preheated the oven at 160*C. I did place the bowl with batter atop the wired stool, closed the door and baked it for some 20-22 minutes. We were done.

Temperatures may vary in different machines. The cooking time may slightly differ in your's.

The only mistake I did was that I sliced the bananas thicker, I had to slice them thinner. If you are eating it fresh, there would not be any issue. If you refrigerate, the banana slices would darken if you wouldn't slice them thick.

FUSILLI FRUIT BOWL

 SERIOUSLY I DO ENJOY CERTAIN FRUIT SALADS!

I like to create innovative salads once in a while, pasta salad my son would eat! Like, I would make raita with few vegetables in such a manner that T would enjoy having on days I make a handmade bread or biryani. Because we are non vegetarian eaters, such breads and raita moments do not happen on a regular basis! Else a bowl of raita / yogurt & minced vegetables is a good thing to have! To make it edible for us, I do add a bit of sugar to it! Because we are enthusiastic cooks in the family, neither I, nor my people have learnt to have food that is not properly made and tasty! I am too scared thinking of my boy eating semi-processed, packaged food! I / We repeatedly ask him to buy raw noodles & pasta packets, cook from the scratch! He tends to buy semi-cooked ones which he further cooks in the oven! This is turning us mad sitting far off! I feel an urge to cook student & bachelor friendly dishes these days hoping against hope that my child would follow my wise words. He is eating outside food since age 19, what would happen to his stomach? His childhood icon Jishnu Dada cooked his own food in his Symbiosis days, during his masters in Toronto & would do the same on his oncoming days of Phd at the same place. On my visit to Kolkata last time, I saw the young Jishnu who loved KFC Chicken & Porota varieties wanting smoothie bowls for dinner some days! About 12 years in a foreign land did not change me much, I eat rustic Bengali Food, okay having the sides with a mix of broken Brown Rice & Quinoa!

Mumma is not mad that she would expect her boy to cook the Bengali recipes from her blog! But she expects her boy to cook some chicken rice, fish bakes, vegetable stewed rice for himself instead of eating out day & night!

I AM NOT REALLY IN A GREAT MOOD!

My thoughts control my mood, I cannot avoid the happenings around! I would poke my nose deep into the matter and want to find the root cause of a massacre / event! Along with the innocent lives lost, I feel for the murderer too instead of cursing! The murderer was not born as one! My anger travels towards the family members, teachers; the parents mostly! Why they couldn't give enough love & care to a child who gets to become an odd member in the society and leaves untimely! This is also a sad thing to witness if you say so! I feel restless relentlessly thinking about all these! There was a time I was not let to read the newspaper for a period! Things bother me too quickly! Then, I do not cease to follow my daily routine. I am busy since yesterday & until tomorrow, a food delivery is to be done. With all these thoughts on my mind & with a heavy heart I shop, I eat well. Our non-vegetarian trolley had to be exchanged for a new one. We carry too heavy stuffs, they hardly work beyond a year and half! At this time I am doing the prep work for tomorrow, writing this blogpost & having what I am to have! I sincerely pray to God be my / our child have a happy, normal life! Anything unlike is my failure as a parent! Every child is different, parenting should be accordingly!

WHAT IS THIS FUSILLI FRUIT BOWL?

Pasta does come home on a regular basis! The son & Cristine love it way too much! The man's not too favourite but takes in his lunch box, he prefers sandwiches over pasta; roti-paratha are the most preferred! Yesterday, back from the office he asked us to stop getting chicken, there is a price hike. I stopped him and told leave it to me, I would source it at a reasonable price as long as possible. I cannot eat the sea fish varieties, I have to have it! Chicken is not coming from the neighbouring country is true but the problem would be solved sooner is also true! But like in Kolkata, it is not necessary for us to have rice & chapati friendly meals all three times a day! Pasta with fruits, vegan like this one FUSILLI FRUIT BOWL is welcome to me! The fruits have to be of my choice, there should be no amount of overpowering of sauces & melted cheese in my pasta bowl! Of the varieties, I enjoy the Fusilli & Farfalle, Tortellini, Ravioli; Spaghetti too. I hope the students & bachelors living far off from their home finds this useful!

INGREDIENTS :

FUSILLI PASTA : 200-250 GM

FRESHLY CUBED RIPE MANGO : A BOWLFUL

FRESHLY SLICED RIPE BANANA : A BOWLFUL

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP

FRESHLU CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP 

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OLIVE OIL : 2 TBSP + FEW DROPS

PROCEDURE :

Boil the pasta variety in enough water adding a little of salt & few drops of oil! This may take 7-8 minutes!

Drain the water, take in a bowl! Add a pinch of salt, olive oil, crushed black pepper, toss well.

Arrange in a serving bowl, add the freshly cut & washed fruits, lightly mix and put for chill!

Take out after an hour or two, enjoy!

 

BAEL AAM CHILLED NECTAR

 

SHORBOT, ICE-CREAM, KULFI!

The above had been dear to me since childhood! These days, ice-creams get me a heavier feeling in the stomach; I would prefer a chilled drink instead! I would stand in front of a cafeteria and drool at the caramel coffee to Thai TukTuk Tea; then would have something without sugar! At home, we make good, sugar-free chilled drinks; mostly tea & coffee with fresh fruity flavours! At this time, something with orange juice is working on my mind, what you see happened last Sunday! We had a guest, and I thought of this organic, vegan, gluten-free welcome drink! There's lying inside the fruit box of the refrigerator; a week long Bael / Wood Apple and Mango!

WOOD APPLE & MANGO ARE THE SUMMER FRUITS; A MUST HAVE IN THE MAXIMUM OF THE BENGALI HOUSEHOLDS!

At least, during our younger days it was ; I absolutely follow this family or community pattern! Because we stay in a tropical island, it is easier to get all of the tropical fruits we grew up eating! Okay, the local neighbourhood shops do not sell Wood Apple but the Bengali grocery shops here sell too good quality of it; at times it feels they are better in quality and taste than the ones in Kolkata. We would start having it on the day of Shiva Ratri and continue until June, I think. Every summer, almost everyday morning we had to have wood apple drink, made either with milk or yogurt, a little of sugar! Bael / Wood Apple is a must offer to Lord Shiva on the day of Shiva Ratri & Neel Shashi! Without Mango in sight, I cannot think of a summer day & night! I love it so much so that I would bring any cheaper, local sweet variety! The man is a typical Bengali in this matter, he loves only the Bengali and Eastern Indian varieties of Mango! Our son never has known what is the "essence of Bengal", I hold myself responsible for this. He does not know what is Himsagar, neither Chausa, Dasher, Fazli, Lyangra. He loves any sweet mango, enjoys a bowl of ripe mango and roshogolla; that much of Bengal he has within him!I think, the rest would come nearer  naturally to him after a certain age. As a young girl, I did not know I would ever eat drumsticks; I love it now. That was my lunch plate today!

I came back tired after a walk, Cristine cooked my porota with the leftover dough she made their porota with last night!I like Guava but not the ripe ones. My home had it, yet I could not resist picking a raw one from the tree. Some in my family branch used to clean teeth with young Neem branch & Guava leaves! I wish to wrap up soon, I am feeling drowsy, may be because I wake up a couple of time at night, make failed attempt to talk to the son! The distance between us troubles me a lot! I would still be happy if he remains safe and sound!It is the news that pours in that do not allow me to live in peace!

WHAT IS THIS BAEL AAM CHILLED NECTAR?

Two fruits of choice can together make wonder for sure; I felt! We not only love having our choice of fruit; we prefer them fresh too! For some reason or the other, one mango was loitering in the refrigerator and I was forgetting to take out the Bael, crack and use! All of a sudden, the last Saturday evening this idea of preparing fresh fruit medley, BAEL AAM CHILLED NECTAR popped up on my mind, a young guest was due. I gave a new touch to a drink that had been mandatory to have in the mornings throughout the summer. Because I preach for organic juices with fresh fruits, I just loved this vegan, gluten-free chilled drink, as refreshing & naturally sweet as a nectar! 

I used a little of sugar, you can use honey or just skip using both!

INGREDIENTS :

BAEL FRUIT / WOOD APPLE : 1 STANDARD SIZED

RIPE MANGO : 2 STANDARD SIZED

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP

SUGAR : 2 TSP [YOU CAN USE HONEY OR SKIP BOTH]

MINCED FRESH MINT LEAF : 1 TBSP

ICE CUBE : 2-3 FOR EACH GLASS

PROCEDURE :

Dressing the Bael fruit takes some time; there are a lot of fibres & seeds. But the sweat is worth it, they say the fruit is good for our stomach!

It has a hard cover & we would hit it on the ground to break, scoop out the flesh! We would take it in a big bowl and add some drinking water!

We would keep mashing & kneading so the juice gets extracted and the fibres & seeds are left alone!

Thereafter, we would wash and take off the skin of the mango, blend the pulp in a blender!

We would add it to the Bael fruit extract, the lemon juice and sugar too! We would mix the batter like thing together!

We would either chill the drink for 2-3 hours and have or pour it into the glasses, add 2-3 ice-cubes in each before serving and having!