PATALI GUR DIYA CHOSHIR PAYESH

"Sankrantir Pithe-Puli" had been / is a regular affair in both sides of our family.... in fact in a maximum number of Bengali homes! Way later, I got to know that entire India celebrates it as per their tradition. How come the primitive self will not follow the tradition? I am not a pro or energetic like our mother, so decided to prepare one sweetmeat at a time.... Anyway, in a tropical country having "pithe-puli" is not time bound! I am not in a hurry! You will see in the ingredient list, I did this Bengali, winter dessert PATALI GUR DIYA CHOSHIR PAYESH with 11/2 lt. of milk.... The making of choshi / chushi / rice flour strips takes pretty good time and requires patience! I am an impatient being but really enjoy following tradition. Cristine did help me in the making of the "choshi".... else I would have taken some 1/2 an hour to 40 minutes more! It is not that if we relocate to another country... I will not prepare them.... may be will do in lesser quantity & frequency! My senior loves "pithe-puli".... there was a time when he could have a plateful of them.... now he has little at a time. 

I enjoy cooking for my family. I know homes where people carry "roti" in lunch boxes that are inedible.... heard from themselves. I am not in the habit of poking my flat nose in other homes but this irritates me! One may not have any interest in the kitchen and household chores ..... there is no wrong in it ..... at least you should have the interest & ability to train your help to cook proper meals! Anyway, I do not get home 6000-7000 dollars each month... so no big talks. As I always say and believe that one has to set their priorities at a young age... one cannot get everything in one life.... There is only one life but.... what we lose is lost for ever.... One can wet the pillow thinking of the people and time lost forever but not repent over it... no point! Get the maximum happiness out of what you have and consider it a blessing.... My T is a rare breed who told me long long back that he does not have any expectation from life.... I was impressed but it was not told to impress me.... even if I serve him "jhol-bhaat" everyday .... he will not complain! This is a lesson he learnt from his father who I saw preparing his own cup of tea back from the office while his homemaker wife used to be busy partying with friends! 

I do not like thankless women and men who keep telling lies right on my ears that she or say he alone has brought up her kid / kids! I do not support patriarchy, neither a matriarch and such lies are uncalled for when I can see the truth right in front of me.... I am not in the habit of arguing, neither can I oil anyone to remain in their good book .... what I do is just avoid such discussions! I wish to use my spare time engaging in a home delivery business... however I am caught in between very strict rules.... My ultimate wish is to own a "Bengali Eatery... Bhaater Hotel" in an "Office Para" of Kolkata... when? I am 48 already and enjoy my stay in the island! If your husband is not a food lover, your dream remains a dream.... I am not keen about any joint ventures with any of the family members or friends! All said and done, I continue to cook easy, everyday recipes for my loving followers, readers... the food has to be eaten by the family but.

As told, I did serve the PATALI GUR DIYA CHOSHIR PAYESH with "luchi"... poori made with refined flour, frozen French Fries cooked in microwave. I keep a packet for such lazy days. Moreover, the senior & junior will not have a bowlful of dessert in the evening and then a dinner. As anticipated, the junior did not have the dessert at night... he never does! I am not worried as he will have it once back from the school today! The nocturnal senior had it post dinner. I went to sleep in peace.

Choshi / Chushir Payesh is usually done using date palm jaggery, milk, rice flour. The dough for the strips called choshi or chushi is done with rice flour authentically. I added a little of refined flour and semolina to the dough so that they remain soft even after refrigeration. Remember, Bengal eats it in winter.... they do not refrigerate it there. It is never recommended to reheat such kinds, it curdles. We live in a tropical island, the tradition bound me has to make it. You see my priorities in life are clear cut.... being a diabetic I still had to have half a bowl of PATALI GUR DIYA CHOSHIR PAYESH.... I did not mind to sacrifice wearing trousers in the process, haha! What makes me happy is that my not so much of a Bengali son loves the flavour of patali gur / date palm jaggery.... I noticed that he eats payesh / rice kheer made with patali... stopped having the one made with sugar! I am still hopeful that one day he will have everything his mother wants him to ....... haha! Going a little further with my expectations... I think my daughter-in-law too will unless he brings someone from Timbaktu... will she call me Mrs.SSR?..... nooooooooo...

INGREDIENTS : 

Full Cream Milk : 11/2lt.
Rice Flour : 1/2medium tea cup
Semolina : 1tbsp
Refined Flour : 2tsp
Date Palm Jaggery : 150gm [broken into small pieces]
Sugar : 1tbsp
Salt : A pinch
Warm Water : As Required for a soft but firm dough

PROCEDURE :

Take the rice flour in a bowl.

Add a little of warm water first. Rub for a minute.

Now add the semolina and refined flour to it.

Add more of warm water little by little and form a soft & smooth dough.

Now, we will pour the entire amount of milk on a heavy bottomed vessel and put it for boil at the lowest heat.

Before we sit to prepare the rice flour-refined flour-semolina strips, we will break the date palm jaggery into smaller pieces.

Now, take a chair and sit... you need to show up your patience at this step. 

Tear out tiny portion from the dough!

Rub lightly in between your palms. Do not press hard. 

Authentically, the strips are even more finer but I am not a perfectionist, quite impatient too! Mine worked pretty well in the boiling milk.

We did go and stir the boiling milk in the kitchen in between.

Cristine helped me equally at this step, else it would have taken more time.

Keep the strips on a plate dusted with flour.

When the milk reduces from 11/2 kg to about 800ml which may take some 20-25 minutes, add the rice flour-refined flour-semolina strips to the boiling milk.

At this stage and thereafter till the completion we will not move from the kitchen. We have increased the heat a bit and the bottom may burn due to any negligence.

After 2-3 minutes of adding the strips, we will stir the content gently and frequently. 

When they look like above, they are soft and done. Add the sugar now and let boil for another minute.

Switch off the gas oven. Add the broken pieces patali gur / date palm jaggery. Gently stir, they will melt in minutes.

Never boil after adding the jaggery, the kheer may get curdled. 

We should be done.

It is not necessary to add all of the jaggery if not required. You can store it back in the refrigerator.

I never use flavouring agents like cardamoms & rose water when there is date palm jaggery used in the dish!

Have it fresh and warm or stale... having it stale gives you the best taste!

CHAKA TELE POROTA O CREAMY SHORSHE SHAAK

Until the Kolkata hangover goes off, I will have this kind of food at home and Oriental soups outside adding to it the island special chilli-garlic-vinegar mixed chutney.... it supposedly is made of so! I should get back to my swimming & walking sessions as soon as possible ..... a gym is something I dread.... I feel suffocated in that confiner. Just when I was planning to add more of "chirey, muri, doi" on my diet, our good friend Joy told that they are grains too full of carb... I cannot just survive on a soup and oats diet... what will I eat then? Things I fancy are a poison for me. I cannot switch over to a no grain, Keto diet.... eating eggs and high protein stuffs every day is not for me. My knowledge of science is negligible.... but the question arises within... how scientific is a no grain diet? Our body is used to grains... we should have them but in less quantity.... Our friend Chandrayee was on a herbal supplement for the last 3-4 years even after my repeated warnings... now her haemoglobin content went down severely. I absolutely do not believe in artificial, food supplements. Neither should you be supportive of the amount of food I eat. 

However, my food preferences are changing or may be I got stricter about the quality of food! I did not enjoy the Kolkata Biryani this time ..... only the grandson was lucky enough to have home cooked Biryani... ok, ok, I also got to taste "shutkir bhorta, chara ponar tok, chuno maacher chocchori" from the same person. I am really jealous of my friends who prepare Biryani every week, eat outside and manage to remain fit. My brother is not this lucky.... the Swiggy App is destroying him and the majority in Kolkata I feel. Every other day, he orders online a burger, pizza, kebab when there might be  at least 5-6 home cooked dishes lying in the refrigerator. My athletic brother has turned into a hot air balloon... its a major concern now! Both of them husband-wife need a proper diet to follow and yes... a stay in this island or its likes to see how health conscious can people be.... 

90% of Bengal do not value a healthy lifestyle.... The question is do I at all have the right to speak about health & diet? Why did I have to eat that lemon-turmeric rice and a "gola ruti" at 10 pm yesterday night? "Gola Ruti" is nothing but whole wheat pan cake that I saw my maa-in-law eating on Fridays when she used to perform "Santoshi Maa r Pujoo & Fasting".... I added some chopped onion, coriander & green chillies to the batter. If you feel tired & lazy or not keen on learning to make roti / chapati.... try this "gola-ruti".... The son had it with a little of left-over Kheema Curry, I prepared our kind of spicy scrambled egg for the hubby, Cristine really made a wonderful dal... "kumro bhaja".... well my "jolpai er achar" got a lot of sun bath and is ready!

This CHAKA TELE POROTA O CREAMY SHORSHE SHAAK was prepared last month after I had  a plate of Sarson Da Saag & Makki Di Roti at the restaurant Mustard here. The son who mumma had to take out for dining every week some ten years back refuses to go out with me, mumma getting food home is awaited though.... so I go out with the daughter likes. This creamy shorshe shaak is not a Northern Indian Sarson Da Saag, neither Roshun Phoron Diye Shorshe Saak.... I did it just my way as I usually do unless it is an authentic Bengali dish.... Oh! I look at my phone's photo album and see that 90% of them are of typical Bengali food items. You bet I will even blog about a "maar bhaat" to be eaten with butter, boiled egg & green chilli.... Bianca or Liz Harley will not be upset, they know that I still do not know clearly the difference between a jam, jelly and spread! However, I will blog about our mother's "peyarer jelly".... I was so busy fighting with her that I forgot to get the recipe from her... she might have forgotten by now getting busy perfecting a biryani, kheema chole, ilish  for her son!

You see, my food habit and my men's do not match in most cases. If it is not a prawn or meat curry or "bhaja bhuji".... they prefer a fusion Bengali besides their absolute favourite Mughlai & Japanese. I think I cannot have a sushi or salmon for the next one month. I do not mind cooking their likes for them.... for myself I will get an yam, peel and paste it with at least 5-6 green chillies, shredded coconut, black mustard seeds.... take half cup of rice and enjoy or will have "peyazkoli bhaja with a ruti".... omitting half cup of rice and a roti at least 3 days a week helps in weight loss... the courage I am failing to gather! Anyway, the man and I bond over few other things.... like having a drink together over the weekend! I love that "mouri-jol".... the Turkish Local Drink Yeniraki... I may be totally engrossed in Udayan Majumder's The Labyrinth.... you bet he will not bother me! Both of us respect each other's personal spaces.... we have our own lives.

Coming to the combo, vegetarian meal today, CHAKA TELE POROTA O CREAMY SHORSHE SHAAK, I repeat that the side dish is not done following the authentic recipe. The deep fried porota / paratha is no unique or a big thing.... neither our mother does it. I remember, our maternal grandmother used to prepare it for breakfast at least once a week and serve it with "aloor chocchori " and a roshogolla or sandesh! My memory bank is flooded with bits & pieces from the past ... I am treasuring even the bitter ones. This vegetarian meal using wholewheat flour, refined flour, mustard greens, fresh cream is something you will enjoy, so will be "The Labyrinth" for my kinds! Do not ask it from me for they do not come back. However, collecting books by any means is a birth right for the book lovers, better order online!

INGREDIENTS FOR THE "CHAKA TELE POROTA" / DEEP FRIED PARANTHA :

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR : 1/2 COFFEE MUG
REFINED FLOUR : 1 COFFEE MUG
SALT : 2PINCH
OIL : 2TBSP + 100-150ML TO DEEP FRY

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CREAMY SHORSHE SHAAK :

MUSTARD GREENS :  A BUNCH [I USED HOMEGROWN]

FRESH CORIANDER : A SPRIG OR TWO
SLICED ONION : 1MEDIUM CUP [OF 2 MEDIUM SIZED]
GREEN CHILLI : 2
MINCED GARLIC : 1TSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
FENUGREEK SEED : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
FRESH CREAM : 2TBSP + 2TBSP
BUTTER : 1TBSP
OIL : 3-4tbsp


PROCEDURE :

Let us prepare the Creamy Shorshe Shaak at first!

Get the young leafy mustard greens and discard the ends. Roughly chop and wash them thoroughly under running water.

Fill a container with hot water, blanch them for 1/2 an hour.

Strain and blend together the blanched mustard greens and the green chillies, fresh coriander. 

Heat a little of the oil in a wok and temper with the fenugreek seeds. Add the minced garlic and fry until light brown.

Add the washed and sliced onions and stir fry till golden brown.

Add the mustard greens and green chilli paste to the wok now. Add the cumin-coriander-turmeric powders to it and little salt. Fold in well.

Let it cook at low heat for 7-8 minutes. We need to stir at an interval of 1 minute.

We can see the water been dried up, add two table spoon of fresh cream and stir well for 1/2 a minute. 

Transfer to a bowl. Reheat before serving, garnish with 1tbsp of butter and 2tbsp of fresh cream!

Now, let us do the Chaka Tele Porota / Deep Fried Parantha!

The original porota colour is this, why it turned yellow while trying to edit a bit the main pictures I do not know. The husband is suggesting to buy a Google Pixel Colour .... its time to change the phone! The problem is that I do not know to operate most of the features in a phone. 

Anyway, take both the flours, salt and oil on a bowl. Rub for a minute. Add water little by little and prepare a dough. Cover for 15 minutes. I do not do it while in a hurry.

Tear off small portions and smoothen between your palms.

With help of your rolling pin and base, roll out roundels. Now fold them half.... looks like a half moon.

Fold from any one side again. It takes the shape of a triangle. Roll out again a bit to get the "triton porota" shape.

Heat 100-150ml oil on a wok and deep fry both sides. Do one at a time.... we do not have "Alibaba Korai" at our homes.

Above is exactly how the porotas look! 

You will enjoy the platter adding some pickle & salad of choice to it!

MUSHROOM CORN CURRY PATAR PAKORA

With two members in the family, the mumma and her son down with cough & cold, a pakora / fries / fritters is the need of the hour.... specially when the son finishes a container full of bitter gourd chips mumma kept for herself. This family loves fries and fritters is true but it was beyond my imagination he will have bitter gourd chips! He is weird, you can see in the pictures how he watches those early or pre-Christian or Pegan era oriented movies on Netflix. These kinds remind me of Ulysses we had as text in the higher secondary course or may be in graduation. 

However, I strongly feel there should be some kind of censorship imposed on the Netflix series.... it is a necessity for homes with rebel kids and loose fathers who think scolding or disciplining kids is not necessary at all. If people grow up in an environment where there is no discipline..... where the lady of the house comes home at times after midnight chatting in the neighbourhood houses.... discipline is just a word.... The siblings grew up decent but. 

If I freak around the entire night, wake up at mid-afternoon .... there is no one to stop me.... but memory comes in between.... a little girl sees a 4'8" woman cleaning her garden and home since five in the morning.... bringing together the dry leaves and branches of the coconut trees to make "narkel kathir jharu"..... grinding a special variety of rice during this time of the year for "pithey-puli".... I did remember the "hamandista" and a grinder that Southern India still uses to grind rice, in that home! It is so heavy that a normal adult cannot lift. 

I am the bark of a deeply rooted big tree which was cut and attached to another tree. It was a personal choice I had to make to get a genuine partner for life knowing I cannot ever adjust to the rest of the environment! I do not like the unruly traits in my son but blood plays a big role here.... it was inevitable. Whatever, I love him the most in this world.... this superbly yum vegetarian snack MUSHROOM CORN CURRY PATA PAKORA was for him to enjoy .... he is not keeping well and we are visiting India next week... oh! no! Below are his interesting watches.

I am not keeping well either. Yet, I visited my old neighbourhood yesterday to do my nails, a little of shopping and eat a teriyaki chicken and ebi fry Bento Set at the food court where I visited almost everyday few years back.

It was good.... I have become more of an Oriental perhaps... I love sticky rice with some soy sauce and a sprinkle of spice powder atop. The lovely meal made me  almost fall asleep when the girls were doing my nails, this one luxury I indulge in. Back home I felt dizzy.... then gathered the courage to assemble the ingredients and prepare those MUSHROOM CORN CURRY PATA PAKORA. 

Actually there was too much of carb intake yesterday, "porota o aloo chocchori" in the morning, Japanese Bento set for lunch and "ghee rice with pakora and aar maach er jhol bhaat" at the dinner time ..... Like mother like son.... she hated vegetables in her childhood / teen hood.... I am hopeful about the son. The man of the house is travelling, expected to be back home tonight. I am planning for some grilled chicken to be served with garlic bread for dinner. With blocked nasal and forehead tissues / nerves, I am unable to cook a variety. There will be another day of lavish cooking only before we travel to India.

You see mine is the humblest of the kitchen, with cracks here and there on the tiles, such a small space that I cannot think of buying an air frier and a traditional oven I wish to. How I requested the husband to buy a small, three-roomed flat instead of his dream car which is not required here, public transport system is too good. The majority of Indians here with a foreigner status echoes my husband.... "we are ready but will not pay the extra stamp duty imposed on us"..... so big is that amount that you can buy a humble flat in the remotest suburbs of Kolkata with it. 

I always would prefer my own small corner be it in Khatib or at the border line of the neighbouring country.... commuting is not an issue in this island. My research says the best condominiums are those which are far from the MRTs and Malls, they do have a Murugan Store or NTUC or Giant within 1/2 a kilometre. However, I could do a MUSHROOM CORN CURRY PATA PAKORA just as it came to my mind because the super mall is opposite our home. The curry leaves grow without much care. I had to make use of them before the immediate neighbour could complain of encroachment! What goes in this amazing fritter / fry / pakora are mushrooms, sweet corn kernels, curry leaves, onion, green chillies, corn flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder. Let us do it and make your harsh winter a bit colourful.

INGREDIENTS :

MUSHROOM : 200GM [Any variety]
SWEET CORN KERNEL : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP
CURRY LEAF : A HANDFUL
ONION : 1MEDIUM SIZED

GARLIC CLOVE : 2-3
GREEN CHILLI : 2
CORN FLOUR : 1/2SMALL TEA CUP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

PROCEDURE :

I used a tiny mushroom variety, chopped off the ends, washed and soaked in hot water.

I took all of the washed ingredients except for the red chilli powder, cornflour, salt & turmeric in a mincer and minced.

I took them in a big bowl. To it, I added the corn flour, red chilli and turmeric powders, salt.

Then I mixed everything well without adding a bit of water. It is not required as water will be released from the washed and minced vegetables & mushrooms.

I heated enough oil in a wok to deep fry but not to the smoking point. I took smaller portions, flattened between my palms and gently placed on the oil.

Once one side was done, I turned over and cooked in minimal to low heat until both sides were brown.

Once done, I placed them onto tissue papers before serving.

Serve with some salad and pickle and enjoy with your tea and coffee!

PALONG DHONEPATA MURGI [CHICKEN WITH SPINACH & CORIANDER]

Palong Shaak / Spinach / Palak and Donepata / Fresh Coriander / Hara Dhania is a childhood love. I remember, early November the Dum Dum Bazaar looked green with young leaves of coriander and spinach which were too much of a favourite with the daddy and I specially. Palong eating ended early March with "shish palong er chocchori or ghonto".... I feel irritated not being able to blog about half of my favourite dishes due to the unavailability of the right ingredients.... However, I discovered "byne, samudrer kekle o bhola maach" here.... if only my men were as excited as I am having them. However, I force them to eat "choto-majhari sizer tatka rui".... fresh, smaller or medium sized Bengal Carp that comes from our neighbours.... if you can visit the Bangladeshi shops at night or the Indian wet market on Saturday or Sunday mornings, you get them. They make very good light curries.... our families are not used to garlic and onion in the regular fish curries. I told the husband to manage it until we visit Kolkata and if I debone, the son eats. I simply love, though scared to have "khoira or folui".... If I feel lethargic, I get fresh sea-bass and either batter fry or cook it with cauliflower & potato or chilli-mustard paste. I just cannot have salmon, snapper every other day .... when they have it, I get "kechki maach" for myself.... I have not even blogged about "kechki maacher bora" as yet. You need fresh pumpkin or bottle gourd leaves for that.... how do I call myself a Bengali Blogger then? 

The conversation with the mother goes like this .... "Mani, you always say that people of Comilla use coriander paste on curries during winter, but I have seen people blogging about dhone pata bata shim belonging elsewhere".... I will cross over the fence and kiss them at times because they take me on a nostalgic tour, gets me onto the grandmother's lap, because I do not have or care for name, fame, followers! Success obviously tastes good but laid backs like me do not care for it either.... I do what I wish to! Feeding vegetables alluring with chicken pieces like in this PALONG DHONEPATA MURGI [CHICKEN WITH SPINACH & CORIANDER] is one of the few tricks I play on my men. This is not really like the Northern Indian saag meat but as I do most of the time... just use whatever is available in the kitchen.

I love to cook is true, I am a foodie is more than a truth.... the parents perhaps knew from my childhood what disaster I am going to get for my body and health. Last week on the day of the husband's office party I had that big, bad aloo parantha for lunch and then that dinner spread.... imagine! When in vegetarian Indian eateries, Cristine always eats a masala dosa.... I look for variety... appam, chaat, parantha, upma.... I though prefer my drier version of upma which we call nonta suji! On my walks locally, I like getting food from these choice centres...

I loved this sight on way to my doctor's chamber. Those are spinach / palong / palak. There are few variety of other plants and herbs too. These shops and chambers are on the ground floor of the Government Housings and the residents make full use of the small, open area spaces. I like this concept a lot. As of now I am growing flowers and herbs. Fruits and vegetable bearing plants are not my cuppa... that needs knowledge and motherly care.

This may have triggered the urge to blog about this PALONG DHONEPATA MURGI [CHICKEN WITH SPINACH & CORIANDER] or is it something else? I am self centric that is true. When the husband says that I do not leave him either. I retaliate immediately .... who is not? When my father died and my family needed me beside them, your parents called me to come back as early as possible... why? They did not even have to toast a bread for my son.... Cristine was doing it all alone as I instructed.... Ipsita visited almost everyday with food and assistance, Kaushik Neogy and his wife.... a daughter like to them took them out, Sanak Chottopadhay took them to the clinic, paid the bill and never took it back from the husband. Why I was asked to come back? Nah, a married girl's daddy should not hold any importance in her life.... specially if she is not working, she should not. I know my mother has complains about why the brother's wife visits her parents everyday but I never instigate her on this matter. I was hurt when my sister-in-law too told me to go back early... why? I never question her why your mother gets more of your attention & care than your mother-in-law? I digest because they have done good to me too. 

My mother-in-law creates new laws to shun my side of the family. In an average Bengali family... it is the maternal uncle who feeds the first morsel of rice to the kid... my brother was not allowed to. Unfortunately my sister-in-law or my brother do not have a child.... else you would have seen my husband flown in to be present at his sister's home for that occasion. The real world has gifted me so much of hurts that I do not even look around whats happening in the virtual world. I do have the guts to tell my mother that the rules for a daughter and the daughter-in-law should be the same in a house hold.... I remember, on few occasions when I left my school going son at home with my in-laws ... the grandfather used to prepare 'Maggi' noodles for him... while the grandmother was either sleeping or complaining about me to someone over phone, she however did for few months after he was born. Everything counts in a relationship! Some of my friends still get plate full of food right in front of their mouth from their mother-in-law .... I am not jealous but I do not like what I get to hear or heard about me. Following one to one relationship, I will not take the effort to visit their home anymore ... I will either call them at my home for a cuppa or  at the City Centre 2. I however bagged an appointment with the eye surgeon through his wife Paramita.... only to him I can say that I lost the son's last prescription.... Take it from me... only the cool headed doctors can make it in life. 

There is an exception called Swati who made it a point to visit my father each time he was admitted in a hospital.... her recently widowed mother awaits a big hug from me... On my priority list is my deceased friend's wife and kids also. Off course, I am not calculative, I will manage a meet with the others if only "they wish to".... its time to know that part more.... are they at all interested or its me who is trying in vain? Everyone knows by now that I and my friend Chandrayee are like "Tom and Jerry".... I cannot leave Kolkata without meeting her.... her father is still alive.... kaku will be extremely hurt to know if I do so.... I was a mere teen when he used to scold his daughters.... look at S, how she comes and cleans your messy rooms.... well that was a job over the weekend! End of my tour I feel exhausted, tired and irritated specially when the husband asks to limit the visit to 15 days and stay put in the neighbourhood Swissotel. I tell him if he thinks he has that much of wealth to waste, he can get me some platinum jewelry! End of the day he is mine, the son "jigar ka tukra".... I could not ask to extend my ticket to 15 more days for them only. 

I am this way, last year summer, my ticket was only 3 days after my husband's... yet his family had to hurt me... I wished to come back sooner and cook few meals before they go back... but no, they had to hurt me. I could not even fulfil my wish to get my father one more time here. To all those in-laws who treat their daughter-in-law's family in this manner, re-think or feel the lovelessness! I am not trying to impress the brother's wife either.... we have no expectations from each other ... she told me she does not want anything from anyone, that she is choosy... I did not buy a single thread for her... My efforts has to be appreciated ... "didibhai" will give her some cash to buy things of her choice... Its for her that my mother is enjoying a queen like status .... problem is that we want everything within a lifetime.... Let life take its own course and let us enjoy a plateful of PALONG DHONEPATA MURGI [CHICKEN WITH SPINACH & CORIANDER.

INGREDIENTS : 

CHICKEN : 1kg medium cut [I prefer country or the kampong chicken]
FRESH SPINACH : 2 bundle or 250-300gm
FRESH CORIANDER : 2-3 sprigs
GREEN CHILLI : 6-7 [adjust yours]
MINCED GARLIC : 2-3tbsp
MINCED GINGER : 2tsp
SLICED ONION : 1medium tea cup
CORIANDER POWDER : 1tsp
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1tsp
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4tsp
GARAM MASALA POWDER : 1tsp
LEMON JUICE : 2-3tbsp
GREEN CARDAMOM : 2-3
CINNAMON : 3-4 two inch sticks
CLOVES : 2-3
SALT : As Required
OIL : 5-6 tbsp

PROCEDURE :

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly under running water and marinate with salt, lemon juice, 1/2 of the minced ginger and garlic, turmeric & red chilli powder and salt. Keep aside for an hour or little more covered.

Discard the roots of the spinach, roughly chop. Take on a colander and wash thoroughly! Fill a vessel with warm water and blanch the spinach in it.

Discard the roots of the fresh coriander. Chop and wash. Wash the green chillies too.

Take the washed and chopped coriander, washed, chopped and blanched spinach and washed green chillies together in a blender and blend at high for 2-3 minutes with intervals till smooth.

Heat the oil in a wok and temper with a bayleaf, green cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, cloves.

Stir and add the minced garlic and ginger. Stir for a minute.

Add the washed sliced onion and stir fry till it is golden brown.

Add the chicken pieces without the marination and stir at high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Lessen heat to minimum and add the marinade to the chicken.

Cover cook at lowest heat for 15-20 minutes. Uncover and check in between to avoid burning at the bottom.

Remove the cover and add the garam masala powder and a cup of water. Stir and let boil for 5-6 minutes covered.

Remove the  cover and add the green paste, adjust salt and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Take down and serve with any kind of bread or rice variety!