MIXED VEGETABLES OATS FISH SNACK

Sometimes blunder leads towards betterment, what seen is example. It was Sunday, Cristine wasn't around. I prefer day light for photography, hence went ahead. Each blogpost is project to me, I am sincere about choosing ingredients, cooking, writing blogpost! Shaping fish cakes, I went haywire, finally managed well. I am satisfied, we enjoyed having them with yogurt-cucumber cold sandwich!

I ain't sandwich fan, loved this one. I avoid having cheese, thankfully my stomach didn't rebel. Certain kind of food I used to dislike earlier, I enjoy nowadays! Southern Indian fried"vadai"I don't eat,"dahi vada / doi bora"I like. I avoid chaats at Southern Indian eateries. Madras cafe beside Mustafa Centre, Entry-1 sells"dahi vada"each for 2$, yesterday felt let me try! I liked, had cooling effect. They sell variety of snacks, sweets! I would go back soon.

I am writing blogposts frequently, each year during this time I do. Not really I like routined life, "I have to do" isn't my favourite phrase! However, curating new recipes, sharing with readers is pleasure. What I am meaning to say is do writers enjoy going too fast paced? I am just food writer! Routines kill pleasure, that I fear! My agenda isn't to talk about recipes alone! Formatting stories I aim for.

I am getting distracted, its 11pm, Tuesday, "Kalia" movie is been played, "tum saath ho jab apne"! We are Big B fans, I loved Parveen Babi, most natural glamour quotient Bollywood ever produced. Her tragic life should be included in psychology textbooks. How could an idol be lonely in real life. I wonder what causes schizophrenia! I had / have mental issues, not as severe as it. Babi had many male suitors, no lover. This is pathetic, princess of Junagadh died of lovelessness. We shouldn't fall prey of praises, accept it, enjoy, stay levelheaded; safest practice. One who genuinely expects your win never leaves, that doesn't require legal bond, just remaining by side works as medicine. 

My kind of "being"can be keeping fresh flowers, hanging door beads outside of main door, let people feel good, let them keep guessing who's it. Making people feel important is game changer, this world has someone somewhere to feel! May be Parveen wanted such companion without legal hassles. Not all relationships have to have name, lifetime promises, reason! Many such ailments occur from loneliness, wanted serving voluntarily without getting ill myself as in "Deep Jele Jai". 

In home, cooking MIXED VEGETABLES OATS FISH SNACK gets happiness. A sense of entitlement prevails at home, we own it, care for; otherwise no point being. Cooking it on Sunday with food packed in refrigerator meant wanting to have unusual lunch with man, I miss son while on such missions! I want him to cook these recipes. 

Before having, taking decent photographs of what I cooked is another kind of responsibility, my blog should look beautiful. Whatever we do, we must do it well, there isn't halfway for me. My initial plan was to wrap fish cubes in mixture of oats, vegetables, shallow fry until crisp. I found it difficult wraping. Time ran out, kitchen sink was full, I had to clean up post photoshoot, lunch. Most importantly, the non-vegetarian, gluten-free fish snack / starter / appetiser had to look good. I did what you see next, took help of oven!

INGREDIENTS :

BONELESS FISH : 500 GM [I USED SUTCHI FILLET]

LETTUCE OR CABBAGE : A HANDFUL

CARROT : 1 SMALL SIZED

GREEN BEAN : 6-7

GREEN CHILLI : 2 [I USED 1 GREEN 1 RED]

BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1/2 TSP

ITALIAN MIX HERBS : 1/2 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2-3 TSP

PROCEDURE : 

Wash, cube fish fillets, using kitchen tissues, discard excess water.

Cut them small. Marinate with salt, lemon juice, Italian herbs mix, 1/4 tsp black pepper powder. Keep covered for an hour.

Wash, mince vegetables, add oats, mix well.

Discard excess marinade from fish pieces. 

My initial plan didn't work out, took everything in blender, just pulsed, don't make fine paste.

Add 1 tsp oil to mixture, shape as you wish.

Grease an ovenproof plate with oil, place uncooked fish snackers.

Place low height stand inside oven, atop plate!

Cook one side at Combination Mode C-2 for 15 minutes. 

Take out, brush oil! Turn over, brush oil again! Cook in the same mode for 8-9 minutes.

Serve fresh, hot with choice of sauces / pickle / chutney! Make some sandwiches / fried rice / handmade breads!

You may also shallow fry them on stovetop, that requires more of oil!

YUMMY CHICKEN DELIGHT

Sunday evening is unusual of me to write blogpost! I can't concentrate just any time! Its festivity for us, can't follow routine. Even in foreign land, there's events going on somewhere, we participate on main days. We aren't comfortable in crowd, also observing one year of death in family. We can't sit at home, would go, seek blessings, meet people! Before that, I must gift recipes to my readers, although people tend to eat outside during occasions. However, we avoid outside food during occasions fearing stomach ailments. I would cook few favourite dishes next Friday, each night would get home late, have late dinner. I insist it since 2020, son enjoyed restaurant food, all kids do, for them we went. Now, theres no point, I hardly want to have our kind of food outside, I try them at home.

Yesterday, I cooked Bengali, mix of vegetarian & non-vegetarian food! On weekends, weekday nights we prefer home cooked food. We did too much of restaurant hopping in our younger days. Not only kids, we loved too!

Jute leaves fritters, prawn curry, Hilsa fish curry, Taro Stolon[loti]]with dried Bombay Duck fish, a mix of carrot-potato fry, winter melon with lentil fritters, Hyacinth Beans with fresh coriander paste are not only traditional Bengali but Family recipes. Rajma / Kidney beans curry our mother started doing, I love it! We have it with either rice or handmade breads! Our Bengali grandmothers didn't know about Rajma curry! Its good world is going global, cultural exchange is also about knowing each other's food habits, accepting it. Our father had no interest in Bollywood but enjoyed Northern Indian food; mostly chicken, mutton, handmade breads! We are quick to define people, not right thing to do! Humans are a bit of everything, difficult to be explained in a sentence!

Look at picture 3! I make great "semolina dhokla" in microwave oven. Man, son, Cristine wouldn't eat, I simply love. I made noodle bowl for myself sans garlic, it tasted great. Food be kept simple! My favourite rice meal is simple "Taro Stolon Dried Fish, Mango Dal, Jute Leaves fritters!" Boiled carrot with butter or mustard oil, salt, green chilli mother fed us entire winter, yet I got glasses in 3rd standard. Hilsa is an emotion for majority Bengalis. Son's generation are those Bengalis who prefer Salmon over Hilsa, he used to love fried Hilsa egg, ate fish if mumma de-boned, I gladly did. He is secretive, wouldn't say what he eats, what he does. We don't have any of his friend's phone number. Thats scary, I have left everything upon God!

Now this chicken starter recipe I want to share with loving readers. It's 6:30 am in morning, Monday, time for meditation! I want to finish post early, before festival we stay busy. I go for self maintenance services, entrusting home cleaning services on Cristine. I clean better, don't do, one day crack on Cristine. Although I prefer Oriental boneless chicken starters most, our kind of it I do for family. Can we call roast, grilled chicken"our Bengali kinds?"We started having chicken meat, egg since 1976, after relocating to Kolkata, parents introduced it. Bengali Hindu homes didn't know taste of chicken, the forbidden. 

Today, I look at Kolkata Food scenario, its chicken all over! Bengalis know little about own food culture! Having Lotus seed pops as healthy snack is fine, what about not knowing that Water Lilly is part of our cuisine? We should visit wet markets in morning! I don't know about important things in world, like basic computer applications. 

I blog less about Bengali Food, I share more student, bachelor, young couple friendly recipes. This soft, juicy, gluten-free chicken appetiser be named YUMMY CHICKEN DELIGHT! Neither grilled, roasted, baked, I cooked them in grill+microwave combination mode. I have used chicken leg & thigh parts, regular kitchen spices for marination, a sauce mix! These activities I call being happily engaged!

INGREDIENTS : [FOR MARINATION]

CHICKEN PARTS : 500-600 GM [I USED 4 LEG CUM THIGH]

GARLIC PASTE : 2 TBSP

GINGER PASTE : 1 TBSP

KULAMBU SPICE POWDER : 1 TBSP [A SOUTHERN INDIAN SPICE MIX]

GARAM MASALA POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OIL : 2 TBSP + AS REQUIRED TO BRUSH WHILE COOKING

INGREDIENTS : [FOR SAUCE MIX]

THAI CHILLI SAUCE : 2 TSP

TOMATO KETCHUP : 2 TSP

DARK SOY SAUCE : 1/4 TSP

LIGHT SOY SAUCE : 1 TSP

ROASTED WHITE SESAME SEED : 1/4 TSP

CHILLI FLAKES : 1/4 TSP

INGREDIENTS : [FOR FINAL COOKING]

THE MARINATED CHICKEN

THE WIRED STAND

THE OVEN

LITTLE OIL TO BRUSH

THE SAUCE MIX TO BRUSH ONCE COOKED

PROCEDURE :

Wash chicken pieces thoroughly, I discard skin, you may keep! 

Pat dry! Marinate with spice powders, salt, lemon juice, oil mentioned in Ingredient List-1!

Keep covered inside refrigerator for 2-3 hours, take out an hour before cooking!

Place low height stand inside oven. Grease an oven-proof plate with oil. Coat chicken parts with marination, place on plate, then on stand!

I cooked one side for 20-22 minutes at C-2, grill+microwave mode, brushed oil, turned over, brushed oil!

Then I cooked other side for 12-13 minutes. 

I turned over chicken, brushed again with oil, cooked for 8-10 minutes.

We should be done. Mix together all ingredients mentioned in List-2.

Brush generously over cooked chicken.

Serve, have immediately! I served with lemon rice, salad! Enjoy!

 

EASY MADE KOFTA CURRY

Weather today is beautiful, so had been taste of vegetarian kofta curry I cooked on 20th September, 2026, at noon. The haze leaves us with an awkward feeling. It occurs regular. In this home, we ain't complaining type but adjusting, happy kinds. Food on table, good health, savings in bank gets peace. Pre 2020, I would complain, tell man had we stayed in Canada, America, Australia; we could have been in bigger homes, buy property, would get permanent stay visa easy if settled in Canada, Australia. Then came 2022, October, we visited son in Boston, I got to understand challenges of living in West, pleasure of"Cristine, get some water, pls"is dream. With few malls, food places around city centre, we got bored revisiting in 2024, April. Singapore is upgraded Kolkata, Mumbai, I mean better version of Indian metro cities. I really don't know about scenario in India's neighbours', they obviously don't have great public transport like India, Singapore's is great. My crazy American dream was always bypassed by man, once we visited got the reason. The quiet neighbourhoods got me depression. 

I am DUMDUM girl, who fits in Singapore. Man, also DUMDUM boy knows it, he would say,"life isn't your fantasy, I know you, regular household chores isn't for you who wants market at door step, neither I can help you with that, I hate doing clothes, utensils, cooking!" End of 2022, I realised Cristine is precious than big home, children don't play outdoors, men do not sit together for tea / coffee, women can't make quick changeover, run to market, as I did in DumDum. Mother would ask to get green chilli from "Bongar chashi" sitting near Lila cinema hall whilst her lentil would boil. The same mother today doesn't want to leave Barrackpore.

Post 2020, I started exploring Singapore, on foot, MRT, bus. Before that I remained busy upbringing son. These days, it feels safe without fearing assault in empty streets, pickpockets! Thats a gift. I don't know if natives dislike us, I rarely would get misbehaves, I chat with many! In present day, I feel close attachment to the place!

I ain't saying West is bad, one needs to go at young age, love driving, being alone, quiet neighbourhoods. How son is managing without car don't know. For him we couldn't hire car, visit Niagara, other places. He refused to go, my point was if we came to spend time with son, my happiness is in cooking, feeding him. I have it in genes, I enjoy doing it, It hurts if my efforts are ignored. We can order everything today, I can't quit what brings pleasure, I must pursue hobbies. I cook, write, sing, click, recite whenever willing, why to break head thinking this & that?

Thats my head, matter inside is less. If I am asked to think & act, I get irritated, confused, upset. I wasn't taking care of skin, in few months it has destroyed. My dark skin isn't an issue. Cristine is fair. Yesterday, we went shopping for raw stuffs, bought my hair colour too!

We had lunch at Saizeriya, my favourite. I don't have an issue if others don't take care of hair, skin. We should do what interests us. I believe in maintenance, don't use range of skin products. Powder, lipstick, eye kohl are must for me. I ain't jealous of Cristine's good skin. I have no time for pettiness, I am occupied with hobbies, I don't want to bother world! Let everyone do their part! A mere Pierre Cardin lip liner I bought yesterday is making me happy!

Since 2020, August, not a single day I bothered man for not buying me property, gold, diamond! He shouldered responsibility many do not in spite of having ability. He knows my mind, so could go ahead with it. Do you think my men admit? To praise me isn't in their plan! I repeat say these, son shouldn't misunderstand mumma. I prefer antique silver, Turkish alloy over gold jewelry. Around this time of year, I buy bit of gold, This year I didn't, I would once son gets us great news. Worry would go into ashes with me. He would get job, I would start fearing he may lose his job. Once he marries, next day fear of their separation would start bothering me. Some are built this way! We have to make peace with our characteristics, else unhappiness would rule us!

My daily happiness starts with choice of first meal. You know I cannot eat what I dislike. I get sick. My digestive system is ever deteriorating, major reason for my skin disorder! I wouldn't stop living, would keep buying clothes, lipsticks, eye kohl; to live is beautiful!

Morning I had tapioca upma, now had chapati, weekday night we have rice meals. All my meals are carb loaded. My readers already know I tried millet varieties to quinoa but I can't digest them if taken regular. Let me eat what we grew up having, but in moderation; control intake of salt, sugar, oil; health would be better! The thought of mushroom-broccoli omelette with four eggs for brunch gets me trauma. 

Paneer had been favourite of me & son, man prefers curry made with freshly curdled milk. I wanted son to take me to desi shop last May, so I could buy for him, cook; he didn't take me. I am not that smart to see map, visit city centre of an unknown city. Else, would I allow him to order online Bob Mill's flour, that too 2kg for 10 days, for two people? What he did with leftovers he knows, I didn't bring back anything except for "laccha shemai". I wish he learns basic cooking, household skills. Our mother spoon fed us. Until an age its required, thereafter parents need to help us learn. Well, my wishes do not commensurate with what is right to do. I am a mother, that too our mother's daughter, I wish we get to stay in this island, son too comes & make life here, he may stay in separate home with partner, so both parties enjoy freedom, respect boundaries; and all of us keep visiting India frequently. Man, I must have home in Kolkata, later son inherits that. But we don't know where life would take us!

Better I share with you one lovely vegetarian kofta dish. We had guest during that time. I use frozen paneer for starter, sandesh sweet making these days. Malai paneer I used to enjoy in restaurants back in India, also how Catering houses do there. But I dislike using cream, dry fruits pastes in food. We are Bengalis, that section who enjoy light curries. With guest at home, I planned quick lunch, not usual weekday Bengali food. I made grilled chicken, a vegetarian, gluten-free EASY MADE KOFTA CURRY. The kofta is made of paneer / kind of cottage cheese, potato, few spices! The gravy has onion, tomato, white sesame seeds, watermelon seeds, ginger extract, cumin, coriander, red chilli, green chilli, turmeric. Use Tofu instead of Paneer to make it gluten-free!

Few kofta recipes from blog are SOYA KOFTA CURRY, MUTTON KOFTA MALAI CURRY, RAW JACKFRUIT KOFTA CURRY

INGREDIENTS : [FOR KOFTA]

PANEER : 150-200 GM

BOILED POTATO : 1

CRUSHED BLACK PEPPER : 1/4 TSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

DRY MANGO POWDER : 1/2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4 TSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1/2 TSP

CUMIN SEED : A PINCH

OIL : 1 TSP + 2 TO FRY IN APPE PAN

INGREDIENTS : [FOR GRAVY]

THE COOKED KOFTA

ONION PASTE : 3 TBSP

TOMATO PASTE : 2 TBSP

GREEN CHILLI PASTE : 1TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/4 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1/2 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4 TSP

GINGER EXTRACT : 2 TSO [JUICE I MEAN]

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1 TSP

WATERMELON SEED : 1 TSP

WHITE SESAME SEED : 1 TSP

CUMIN SEED : A PINCH

BAYLEAF : 1

BUTTER : 1TSP

OIL : 1 TBSP

FRESH CORIANDER TO GARNISH

PROCEDURE :

I mashed together paneer & boiled potato discarding skin with hand.

I heated 1tsp oil in wok, tempered with cumin seeds, chopped, washed green chillies. Stirred for 1/2 a minute.

I added paneer-potato mash, turmeric, salt, dry mango powder, sugar, butter. Stir cooked for 3-4 minutes. 

I transferred mixture to plate, let it cool! Cristine made balls, we fried them in "appe pan" adding few drops of oil in each hole. 

NOTE : You may bake them or fry in wok, may require more oil!

For gravy, I pasted peeled, cut, washed, deseeded tomato, onion, green chilli, watermelon seeds, white sesame seeds together adding little water.

I tempered oil with cumin seeds, bay leaf; added paste, ginger extract! 

I stir cooked for 3-4 minutes, added cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, cooked for 2-3 minutes.

I added coffee mug of water, gave a stir, let it simmer for 6-7 minutes. I added sugar, you may not.

Add kofta in serving bowl, pour gravy over them! Garnish with washed, fresh coriander. Serve & enjoy with handmade bread, plain rice, pilaf, fried rice!

BENGALI STYLE TOFU DHOKA CURRY

The sky seems to play hide & seek; few minutes back a cool breeze swept off my hairs, it was cloudy. Right now, its bright, windy. This is exactly the kind of weather I love, San Francisco weather seemed like this, bright, shiny past evening! Gloomy sky causes me discomfort, physically; what medical science says don't know, depression gets me headache! I have love-hate relationship with rain, its definitely poet's muse! When we romanticise with nature, everything around; we don't think about ordeal of unfortunates, how they cope with fury of nature, with life itself. Though left-leaned, I can't think like hardcore leftists! I never could consider Moon a burnt roti like the Bengali revolutionist poet! Marxism is a justified concept in theory, difficult to put into daily usage! Aim of Humans is to progress, to make use of one's potential, communism doesn't allow one to flourish! If I speak on it's behalf, it would mean I don't want son to achieve heights! Thats not true, I want him to fly higher! Humans have to achieve as per abilities, help those with lesser abilities live decent! May be the utopia I believe in is functionally impossible.

Where was I? Okay, I told earlier, I enjoy walking in daylight, my skin darkened, yet. Another reason for skin darkening is highly chlorinated water of swimming pool. I walk in day time because I have been asked by medical expert, I have vitamin-D, C, Calcium deficiency. Post child birth, I had iron deficiency too. I think these are common among South Asian women; or Asian women?

Vitamin-C supplements are pricey, what about having Gooseberry / Amla regular? At this age, keeping well internally is important! If I had this realisation 15 years back, I need not have to take 4 different tablets each day of year!

I ain't healthy eater, I am an Indian, I can't survive on soups & salads; I have measured carbs, couldn't quit it. Keto diet doesn't suit me, protein causes stomach upset! I am too protective about my kidney, intestine, negative thoughts about them are killing! Then my perennial tendency of constipation makes me feel my bladder to rectum would rot any day! If I am not an unromantic, who is? My fear mongering self made me one! To keep myself in track, I need music, reads! To live life, we have to have certain kind of creative escapades!

Sometime back, Cristine served porota, green moong dal, the garnish of onion & green chilli makes the difference though I didn't add butter. In morning, I made porota / flatbreads for man, Cristine knows well, yet. She gets hurt, I asked her to fry mine. I cooked my brunch too, thatte idli in microwave oven. At night, I would have rice.

Who to blame for not availing coveted belly shape? I can't hit gym I dislike! My low intensity workouts, my food intake mismatch! I have achieved lot, not the goal. Compared to majority of Singaporean girls, I am still over weight.

Yesterday, I enjoyed the sugarcane juice, the kueh varieties felt greasy! But why? All this while, I thought they are steamed. In other shops, they didn't feel this greasy until date. Thats bit of disappointment I carried back home yesterday!

Before travelling to India, I had this meal at 4 Fingers. I don't remember which local flavour fried drumlets had, loved! The milk in matcha drink caused me discomfort, dairy is an issue. Milk, Sugar-free matcha tea suits me better! May be I had it at Don Don Donki! 

A lifetime isn't enough to explore food varieties Singapore has in offer. Then, I work on budget! I eat out at least five days in a week, I don't work! Perhaps, I am not in habit of limitless spending, so don't know the scenario had I been a working woman! Savings is important in life!

I don't know if menopause is cause of my irritative state these days, I get restless easily, loose concentration! It feels pathetic when people consider my concern for son, missing him, meaningless; don't take me seriously! In any mental state, I can cook, I enjoy time in kitchen without any interference. On such a day, last week I was trying vegan Roshogolla using Tofu, failing which I even tried Tofu Lyangcha, gulabjamun, nothing worked! I ended up cooking a curry, BENGALI STYLE TOFU DHOKA CURRY! Dhoka here isn't betrayal but tofu cakes! I kept the curry vegan, gluten-free, addition of cinnamon-green cardamom-cloves powder, garnish of ghee makes curry, a Bengali, vegetarian dalna! I usually don't waste things unless required!

Other similar curry recipes from my blog are EGG CURRY......A COASTAL INDIAN TOUCH, MUSHROOM & SOYA KHEEMA CURRY, ALOO POTOL ER DALNA, MACHER TOK / SOUR FISH CURRY, MUTTON KOFTA MALAI CURRY, DUM KA MURG, CHOLE PANEER

INGREDIENTS :

FIRM TOFU : 100 GM [I USED TAU KWA]

POTATO : 1

CHOPPED CORIANDER : 1 TBSP

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 1 TSP

DRY MANGO / AAMCHUR POWDER : 1/2 TSP

GINGER PASTE : 1 TSP

CUMIN POWDER : 1 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 1 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2 TSP

CUMIN SEED : 1/4 TSP

BAYLEAF : 1

CORN FLOUR : 1 TSP

BAKING POWDER : 1 OR 2 PINCH

SALT : AS REQUIRED

SUGAR : 1 TSP [OPTIONAL]

OIL : 1 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

So, I failed Tofu roshogolla / pantua / lyangcha. I took 360* turn, made

Bengali style tofu-potato curry, plain rice would suit it, even chapati!

Heat 1 tsp oil in wok, temper with 2 pinches of cumin seeds, chopped, washed green chillies, give a stir.

Add washed, crumbled tofu, salt, 1/4 tsp each of turmeric-cumin- coriander powder, 1/2 tsp dry mango powder, salt. Stir cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add cornflour, baking powder, 1/4 tsp sugar, stir cook for 2-3 minutes. Take down, shape into a square. Cut small.

Peel, wash, cut potato into cubes. Marinate with salt, turmeric. 

Heat more oil in wok. Fry potato cubes, tofu squares in batches. Take out.

Prepare a spice paste with ginger paste, remaining turmeric-cumin-coriander & red chilli powders, salt.

Temper remaining oil with remaining cumin seeds, bayleaf. 

Add spice paste. Stir cook for 2-3 minutes adding 1tbsp water. 

Add fried potato pieces, fry for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 & 1/2 coffee mug of water. Bring to boil.

Lower heat, simmer for 4-5 minutes, add sugar, tofu squares, washed, slitted green chillies. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. 

Garnish with washed, chopped coriander leaves. Switch off gas stove, transfer to serving bowl. Have it hot, warm with choice of main!

 

MY HEALTHY DIP

It's 4:55 pm at this time, when to finish writing today? I don't know, I must share new blogpost today, my heart's call. My brain matter is insufficient, doesn't function well. I am led by heart; right or wrong I don't care; not fond of judgemental selves. My son is intelligent, sharp like his father, why good career start isn't yet shaping for him, mumma is tensed thinking son may get stressed in the situation. I don't know how far his friends live, distance is an issue in America, it's not take train, bus, reach destination kind of thing. But house-owners of one he rented are friendly, he can speak to them whenever he feels heavy! I feel bad not a single day I cooked, invited them for meal, thats unlike me! Things would be different if son's father travelled with me. The girl told me, "I told partner it smells such good when Ari's mother cooks", I felt like hugging her tight, cook, serve. I wish I would get chance to meet them again, serve them. They trusted me on first day, gave me house key, offered me to walk in their backyard! This inability to walk to neighbourhood groceries in America irritates me. I hate driving, so?

Cut to Singapore! Today, I was at my doctor's chamber! Just two months back I shared how this food court was gutted down to ashes, I was too surprised to see it open today! Wealth, hardworking people made it possible. 

Whats there not to love about this island? I absolutely do not have any self-interest involved in praising. We have to leave, we didn't apply for permanent residency, son left, at this age we wouldn't be given! I don't live in practical world; post retirement keeping Cristine is tough unless son builds career here. Even in India, we pay for services; the upscaled cities there are as good as this island; our state is still cheapest. I love my place, don't wish to stay there, too unprofessional service industry, except AquaGuard! I must engage professional helpers there once back, won't allow anyone to trouble pestering for money, even after paying enough!

If my GP says my health parameters are fine, I create Kolkata like unhealthy breakfast scenario sitting in Singapore! Okay, Lo Mai Kai is a healthy bowl of non-spicy sticky rice-chicken kind of. Thats not "jilipi-cha" but "amriti-cha"! Not to have more than once a month, okay? I can & love to cook a lot, I can re-create Kolkata food scenario anywhere in first world country!

My lunch bowls are minimal, I enjoy sitting at Hokkie Pau for that. Yesterday, I loved having sugar-free grass-jelly drink, veg-steamed pau there. Miraculously my stomach was cured! Wind formation is perennial issue!

I don't know what my aging skin denotes, it feels good to be able to get rid of obese tag. In an airplane, I don't feel pressure both-ways! Feeling lighter is big leap towards healthier self. Take me as I am, else don't; my tagline!

Homemade pickles need less salt, oil; although requires considerable amount, we prefer pickle / achar of Indian subcontinent!

This is food / shopping arcade beside Potong Pasir mrt., below the Poiz condo I think! They are giving discount on second hand books I guess. You may try, dear readers!

Credit of growing fresh coriander goes to Cristine. I bought the seeds from Fairprice Extra, rushed to India.

Creating this vegan, gluten-free recipe MY HEALTHY DIP from an error is my credit entirely! I was to cook rajma / kidney beans curry with vegetables, tofu puff, serve with soy sauce rice. After long time, I attempted Rajma, I perhaps over-soaked, over-boiled it! You know, I won't share errored recipe! I turned it onto health loaded dip with tofu, white sesame seeds, herbs, raw mango, spices; clicked platter with soy sauce-peanut rice, Doritos, salad! However, I served, had extremely yum vegetarian delight for dinner with naan! I did for Cristine, her Sir, I had with paratha. I wasn't happy with naan's finish, self-raising flour isn't enough; milk, baking soda were required beside plain yogurt!

Today, I finished writing at a record breaking time; 7 pm! 

INGREDIENTS :

RAJMA / KIDNEY BEAN : 1/2 COFFEE MUG

RAW MANGO : 1

TOFU / TAW KWA : 25 GM

GARLIC CLOVE : 2-3

FRESH CORIANDER : A HANDFUL

GREEN CHILLI : 1-2

RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2 TSP

ZAATAR : 1/4 TSP

SUMAC : 1/4 TSP

LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP

SALT : AS REQUIRED

OLIVE OIL : 1 TBSP + MORE TO GARNISH

PROCEDURE :

Wash, soak kidney beans overnight. Wash again, take in pressure cooker with enough water, salt, little of red chilli powder. Pressure cook at minimal heat up to 2 whistles.

Reserve the leftover water, use in curries, dough!

Take boiled kidney beans in blender once cool. Peel, wash raw mango, cut small, add to blender with washed, peeled garlic, green chillies, fresh coriander. Blend to paste.

Add red chilli powder, sumac, zaatar, lemon juice, salt, tofu cut small. Blend to paste. I just loved it.

Serve, have with platter of your choice; no issues!