KALIJEERA RICE & CHICKEN ECONOMIC MEAL

I remember the date I cooked this family lunch, 30th November, 2019. It doesn't require much of skill or labour. The near cooked rice be taken down, strained at right time. One should not take up such projects on a day when this cook is supposed to go for a running event in evening. The man did shout at me but looking at his & also son's eating pattern that afternoon, I felt what I have done is right; as usual their plates looked squeaky clean after meal & before wash, they were nice enough to eat all of Potato & Peanut Salad served alongside. Tossed in chaat masala, with drizzle of lemon juice, it tasted great. Later in the evening, during entire period of my run I suffered from severe acidity may be because of having rice around 3pm which was cooked in good amount of ghee / clarified butter. Had I have a bowlful of that salad and a piece of chicken, no discomfort would have been caused. Even plain rice would have been fine I am sure. I know too much of ghee causes us Bengalis acidity, I have experienced it. 

Actually, it is all about what one has grown up eating. Kalijeera Rice is a fragrant, short grained rice coming from Bangladesh, I always stock it for pulao & payesh because it resembles Gobindobhog Chal of West Bengal. Here, Bangladeshi eateries use this short grain variety of rice for their Biryanis, I get to know that back in Bangladesh they use it for same. I do eat, get home meat & rice meals from these eateries occasionally but to my dissatisfaction. In Chicken Rice, chicken feels dry; in case of mutton rice, meat smells raw. These days I do any kind of meat and rice with varied combination of spices or even with the readily available spice mixes, better than getting it from eateries. Last 30th of November, I did not have time for elaborate something, I cooked one-pot chicken-rice meal KALIJEERA RICE & CHICKEN ECONOMIC MEAL.

I need finish blogpost sooner. Yesterday, I did not have time to go to market for raw produce. We are going out once done with my post, Cristine with household chores. I ain't willing to go to Indian Market but the local wet market closes by 12pm, I am unwilling to buy packaged meat, fish from local supermarket, their sea-bass is good & fresh however, I have a cauliflower lying in fridge. I am going to the Indian market for "kaikka, magur, maurala", etc. Going on a Saturday morning is good but not always possible, I am getting old man. I have told our boy to wait once back from school if we are late, I will get him sweets, we definitely will have our meal at Ananda Bhavan. No, we will not walk down to the Bangladeshi shop, the sky continues to weep, I am unwell, do not want son to wait in an empty house for long back from school. Their lunch boxes were packed with luchi-torkari. The boy's school is giving up today for winter break, he left his box wanting to have lunch outside with his friends. Mumma allowed, he has earned this allowance, further details shall be shared in public in the right time. I feel restless. The teachers, friends, son, his father are happy, only I cannot rejoice wholeheartedly; the husband has to shout, "you are such negative, stop worrying, take pride in your boy, he will manage those few marks in Mathematic, Spanish in few months." I am unstoppable, "you cannot go wrong at any step during this time boy!" He complains that his mumma is never happy with him, keeps lunch box in kitchen counter, takes snack box with apple, Dharwad Peda leaving mumma to weep alone, "byas ebar ga cherey debey aar July te kharap ekta result korbey, shob jabey amar." 

There is one Bengali couple teachers from Barasat in his school, husband is the physics teacher who definitely repents meeting me four years back. The husband refused to call me his wife post afternoon yesterday not because I almost jumped onto Sir, started complaining about our son but because I did that without valid appointment. Sir is their class teacher, does not take any of his subject, he understands me more than husband. I will pay tribute to each of his teachers in public after few months if given a chance. Now I should share a nutritious, one pot chicken and rice recipe KALIJEERA RICE & CHICKEN ECONOMIC MEAL for you to do over this weekend.

Use fresh chicken for a better taste.

INGREDIENTS :

CHICKEN : 8-10 PIECES [MEDIUM CUT, I USED LEGS & THIGHS]
KALIJEERA RICE : 11/2COFFEE MUG [A SHORT GRAINED, FRAGRANT RICE FROM BANGLADESH]
SLICED ONION : 2 SMALL TEACUP SIZED
GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
GINGER PASTE : 11/2TBSP
GARLIC PASTE : 2TBSP
CUMIN POWDER : 1TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
LEMON JUICE : 5-6TBSP
GREEN CARDAMOM : 7-8
BLACK CARDAMOM : 2
STAR ANISE : 2
CINNAMON STICK : 6-7 TWO INCHED SIZED
CLOVE : 6-7
BAY LEAF : 6-7
MILK : 1SMALL TEA CUP [AT ROOM TEMPERATURE]
GHEE : 6TBSP +2TBSP+2TBSP
YELLOW FOOD COLOUR : 3-4DROPS
SALT : AS REQUIRED

PROCEDURE :

Wash, soak rice in enough water for 1/2 an hour. Wash chicken few times, marinate with half of turmeric+cumin+coriander+red chilli powders+lemon juice+ginger+garlic pastes+salt.

Keep marinated chicken covered for an hour. Let us cook rice.

Take a deep bottomed vessel, fill it with water, bring to boil. Add salt, half of bay leaves+cinnamon sticks+green cardamom+cloves. Let boil for 3-4 minutes.

Strain water from rice, cook until 70% done.

Strain to drain rice completely.

Spread rice on trays or newspaper to soak in last drop of water.

Rub cooked rice with 2tbsp ghee, leave like that for 1/2 an hour.

Place heavy bottomed vessel on gas oven. Pour 6 tbsp of ghee. Temper it with the remaining bay leaves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves, black cardamoms, star anise.

Add washed, sliced onions; fry till golden brown.

Add remaining turmeric+ginger+garlic+salt and fry for 2 minutes. Add marinated chicken, stir at high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Lower heat to minimal, cover cook until chicken is done 80%. We have to check in between, stir to avoid any burn.

When chicken is cooking, we will prepare a mixture of 2tbsp ghee, milk, few drops of yellow food colour.

When chicken is done, take it off on a plate.

Add a layer of rice in the bottom of vessel.

Level, place some cooked chicken. Pour some ghee-milk-yellow food colour mixture+whole green chillies. Repeat process once again. The top layer would be of rice, on it the mixture.

Tie lid with a heavy towel, place close tight.

Place a pan atop gas stove, then container. Cook at low to medium heat for 40-45 minutes.

Once done, shake well before serving it fresh, hot.

Choose a heavier vessel, preferably a non stick or an earthen pot.

Do not forget to get some raita, salad alongside. I served it with a salad of boiled potato, roasted peanut, cucumber, tomato, chaat masala and lemon juice.

RAGI FLOUR BEETROOT ROTI JALA

What you see above is our island's favourite Roti Jala, a spider webbed / laced pancake or crepe with its origin in Malaysia. It is also called Roti Renjis or Roti Kirai. I see similar something made in Bangladesh too, "chitey ruti". WIKI gives some interesting fact about its history. Originally, Malaysians were mostly fishermen who discovered this net like pancakes to have as teatime snack. Roti Renjis refers to "rinsed bread." Can you imagine originally the batter was made, rinsed onto pan with hand? Roti Kirai is it's another name because 'kirai' means circular motion as done making holes in used condensed milk can. Thereafter, what you see below was discovered. These containers are of various shapes and sizes, I bought this one.

I am feeling happy; since yesterday until this morning, I had been having tasty, healthy food. I did long walk in old neighbourhood park, had "yong tao foo", then watched a good movie.  Thereafter preparing a batter with coconut milk, beetroot juice, finger millet / ragi flour was a five minutes job. Cristine did juice while I was still watching movie. What was I eating while watching? I will make a public post about it. Below is what I ate this morning. I have to have breakfast with my morning tea. I loved this healthy vegetarian cob webbed pancake or crepe whatever RAGI FLOUR BEETROOT ROTI JALA; I had them this morning too with my favourite 'peyazkolir chocchori', homemade 'jolpai er achar.'

This is reason why I had started late writing post; I was enjoying my food. What you see at far is son's PTC list, the creature does it all alone, booking date and time for PTC, selecting colleges he applied for admission in two different countries, keeping in touch with them through emails; everything without any help from us. Wish our mother was this strict with us. However, our family had sent a goodie bag for the son. December is a special month for this family.

Who can send an Avengers written t-shirt except for "nono" that is his "mamujaan", B Aunty is fond of all sheds of maroon; hence, Dimma sends black because his favourite colour is black; Piya, the husband's sister had always been aesthetic; hence buys and wraps gifts too, I did not see what is inside, his favourite Hajmola comes from Thamma. What came for me should come in a public post. I have told him that "we be there or not or wherever you are, you will keep in touch with the rest in family always, take care of them; you need not worry; the maximum of our belongings will be co-owned by your spouse if only the later loves our's with all it's being & vice-versa." 

We had vegetarian crepes RAGI FLOUR BEETROOT ROTI JALA for dinner last night with "egg drop curry, garlic pickle, cucumber+tomato+onion salad." I loved it, had it in morning too. The family can have it everyday if only I prepare batter with refined flour, else it would be an occasional affair for them. Had my mother or grandmother be here, they would have cleaned my system with cotton and dettol if not wash it; I had kept the food plate on it. Its for the picture, I was holding it while eating.

In case you do not have the specialised bottles, make holes in cap of plastic bottle, use.

INGREDIENTS :

FINGER MILLET / RAGI FLOUR : 2 COFFEE MUG
BEETROOT JUICE : OF ONE STANDARD SIZED
COCONUT MILK : 200ML
WATER : AS REQUIRED
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2 DROPS FOR GREASING AFTER COMPLETION OF 3-4 CREPES

PROCEDURE :

We will be using these few ingredients.

Take Ragi Flour, Salt in a wide mouthed bowl, mix well.

Discard two ends of standard sized beetroot, peeled, washed, chopped smaller. We used a blender to get the juice.

We will pour beetroot juice, coconut milk to finger millet flour.

We will mix it well before adding water. I prefer half and half water, coconut milk, because smell of healthy coconut milk is strong to me.

We will add water little by little for a thin consistency of batter.

We have used a washed funnel to pour batter to container.

We will close lid tight.

We will switch on gas oven, place pan atop it, heat well, then brush well with few drops of oil.

Shake bottle well, pour content into pan in quick, circular motion.

Don't worry if tip of bottle gets blocked, disturbs free flow. Just tap on kitchen top, shake well; it will work.

Let it cook for about 1/2 a minute. We do not need to turn over, cook again. Just transfer to plate.

After every 3-4 crepes, grease pan with little of oil.

I couldn't fold them; served fresh, hot with "egg drop curry, salad, garlic pickle."

BUTTERCUP CARDAMOM CAKE

This home loves Swiss rolls, butter scotch / strawberry / vanilla cream cakes, my baked plain cakes. They would love to have a swiss roll made by me, this mediocre hardly ventures out of known area. Baking plain cakes & cookies I started in my teens, that too in an electric, round oven meant for basic cakes. That had high possibilities of electrical shortages, yet I used it on weekends until marriage. I think the totally damaged one is kept in storage loft of my parental home. Our mother is not in habit of throwing off stuffs, how much I say. Else that home could be beautifully decorated. 

I believe we need not have money but aesthetic sense to decor home. Like I do not spend at all on home decor, may be because of family I belong to; the other reason is my aversion to spend my husband's hard money. I cannot be spendthrift because no one in my side of the family are, we value money. In such scenario, my urge to blog about simpler, homely recipes using regular ingredients in kitchen is quite natural. This vegetarian cake  BUTTERCUP CARDAMOM CAKE is one. We get here varied kind of fruit mixes, this home has no dearth of mixing them in wine, follow a decent recipe, work on it, who will eat? Some at this home get busy separating fruit mixes from cake; I hate wastage. Nut Cakes are okay for them, pastries I get for them from local bakeries if not always from branded chains. I like small bakeries who sell fresh stuffs. I found a small eatery who bakes butter croissants in store. I will go there regular for chilled soy milk, fresh croissants, chicken pies. 

It's raining since morning. That's worrying me. 

         

After two days of sitting at home, eating non-stop, I have to go out at least down below in pool! I do not like hitting gym, neither yoga. Yoga is best form of exercise you can gift your body; I firmly believe one can't be benefitted from something they don't enjoy. I am not the kind who would want to sit at home, watch television. I am not that level of romantic to whom consistent sound made by raindrops may seem like Yanni's. Let us see how the day shapes, until then, let me finish writing recipe of vegetarian cake, simply done with minimal ingredients BUTTER CUP CARDAMOM CAKE. 

You see, for an Indian, Amul Butter is synonymous to butter; I am no exception. At times, it happens that there has no supply of it for days or even for more than a month; hence, I use substitutes for my bakes like buttercup, oil. I am not comfortable with margarine. Even the mother never got it. We did not believe it, later doctors declared margarine may not be healthy. This cake was made few months back which has used condensed milk. Recently, I stopped getting condensed milk; evaporated creamer works wonder.

INGREDIENTS :

REFINED FLOUR : 1COFFEE MUG

BAKING POWDER : 1/3TSP

BAKING SODA : 1/4TSP

BUTTER CUP : 125GM

CONDENSED MILK : 100ML

FULL CREAM MILK : 2TBSP

PLAIN YOGURT : 1/2MEDIUM TEA CUP

SUGAR : 2-3TBSP

VINEGAR : 2TBSP

GREEN CARDAMOM SEED : 1/2TSP

VANILLA ESSENCE : 1TSP

PROCEDURE :

I arranged ingredients at one place.

     

Sieve together refined flour, baking powder, baking soda, take in a bowl.

         

I used electrical beater I can see. Pour softened 125 gm of buttercup, plain yogurt, full cream milk, sugar, vinegar, cardamom seeds to it.

          

          

          

Beat at moderate speed for 5-6 minutes, pause in between.

          

Add vanilla essence, beat for 1/2 a minute.

I use my convection mode microwave oven for bakes. I placed bake stand inside, preheated oven at 180*C for 10 minutes.

           

Meanwhile in an aluminium cake tin, I poured batter. Tapped it lightly on kitchen counter.

I had then placed cake tin in the middle of the stand.

       

         

I baked it for 30-35mins at 180*C. Thereafter, we will take it out, wait for it to cool down.

                              

                                      

Having fresh slices of it is good but this home refrigerates too. We bring it to normal room temperature before having.

  

  

FYANA BHAAT

Almost all Bengali kids from 70's, 80's ate this plate before heading to school, the quickest nutritious meal our mothers could cook. There had a "Naihatir Mashi or Sonarpur theke asha jethi" whose off days were rampant, "aaj train aborodh, kaal bandh." I can't think of ordeals our mothers faced, handled. After my brother's birth, she couldn't rest enough. There were two office goers, one school going child in her family. Even on supremely busy mornings, no "paurutir packet" came home. Bread used to come only for us kids to have with butter, "dudher shor o chini", "ghee or chini", homemade jam, jelly. The maternal grandmother, my mother developed love for bread, "bun ruti" with their tea. It may be that paternal grandparents died without tasting bread but maternal grandfather would take fruit cakes from Great Eastern Hotel's Arcade to his home 100 km away from Sealdah on some weekends and certainly during X-Mas and New Year. If I am not wrong this hotel had a bakery? He used to stay with us in Dum Dum because for a long time he was posted in State Bank Of India's Jibondeep & Park Street Branches before he retired in 1985. 

My paternal grandparents might not have tasted cake & bread in their entire life, but people have a lot to learn from them about humanity. They absolutely had no complain about my maternal grandfather living in their son's home for years. Coming back to food post of today, FYANA BHAAT still is much loved dish for us, any night my man and son would love to have it with dollops of ghee. I would prefer it with butter, I can skip boiled egg too or will have it without much excitement. I and brother are not fond of eggs, we have egg curry, egg roll; recently I have developed a fondness for egg drop curry which is way better than having those sea fish I cannot take the smell of.

What is FYANA BHAAT? It is Rice Conjee's nearest cousin.... we can also call it rice porridge. What you see is exactly how it is made at Bengali Homes. We use a special variety of fragrant rice grain to prepare this sticky rice with high water content, then have it hot, and fresh with dollops of ghee or butter, green chillies. I have to have onion too by side. The rice is boiled in water together with potato & eggs. I, bhai enjoyed it without boiled egg. These days I eat egg. The rice congee here is also my favourite but I am not allowed to have it on regular basis. I customise it as per my taste; I add fried ikanbilis & peanuts+ chillies dipped in soya sauce + white pepper + sesame oil. I am restricted from having many a things, who listens? Look at my breakfast today; "Moidar Porota o Aloo+Scrambled Dim er Tarkari & Cha."

A mix of maida+atta is good for paratha dough. I told Cristine to serve me for lunch a fruit platter with chia, a grilled chicken katsu from the frozen packet I got earlier this week. I do not wish to miss my dinner with millet and "maach, dal, torkari." Basmati suits only biryani & fried rice.Who will tell senior that Basmati is not meant for "Bangali Rannabanna?"

INGREDIENTS :

GOBINDO BHOG OR KALIJEERA OR CHINIGURA RICE : 1/2 COFFEE MUG [THE TWO OF THE LATTER YOU GET IN SOUTH ASIAN STORES WHILE THE FIRST ONE IN WEST BENGAL]
WATER : DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF RICE GRAIN TAKEN
SALT : AS REQUIRED
POTATO : 2BIG 

LATER ESSENTIAL ADD-ONS : BOILED EGG, BUTTER OR GHEE, GREEN CHILLI, ONION [MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE].

PROCEDURE :

Take rice in heavy bottomed vessel or saucepan, wash thoroughly 2-3 times.

Fill it with water double or triple the amount of rice used. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Peel off skin of potatoes or if it's winter, peeling is not required. Wash them, cut each in to 4 pieces. Wash again, add to vessel.

Place container atop gas oven, switch on gas stove; add salt, stir.

Cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes checking in between. The variety of rice used will tend to soak in the water fast. We have to add more water if required to avoid burning at bottom.

We will take down when rice gets mushy, immediately have with an accompaniment of butter or ghee, boiled egg, green chilli, onion.

It never tastes same once cold, then reheated before having.

The amount you see serves 3 heads, it's pretty heavy in stomach.

SHORSHE NARKOL LOTI

Loti / Taro Stolon is a much loved vegetable in my side of family. There are couple of family recipes with it; not really this one using green chilli+black mustard+coconut paste. This particular dish is done on a hearsay, I really liked it. My men had it too, they eat anything that appeals to their taste bud, not knowing what are they having. You may call it kind of cheating on my part. I feel if this little amount of cheating is beneficiary towards health of my family, I do not mind duping them. I am absolutely against giving in to their demands of having only non-vegetarian food. At this stage in life, I think having only non-vegetarian food isn't right kind of diet we should have. I cannot have meat early morning, neither can go vegetarian totally, that is impossible. Your food preferences are your personal choice; it is however wise to accept the fact that non-vegetarian eaters need vegetables & pulses to complete their diet cycle whilst vegetarians do not need non-vegetarian food to remain healthy. This home cannot turn vegetarian, we love fish, exceptions prove the law. The best way out for people like us is to have one or two portions of vegetables, a pulse variety, a fish or meat or egg. Our home goes by this rule. The vegetables Bengalis prepare mostly uses less spices or less of them, the taste comes from slow cooking, tempering, of course from freshness of vegetables. This one with Loti / Taro Stolon SHORSHE NARKOL LOTI still uses green chilli+black mustard paste. This grows from yam, a vegetarian Bengali dish. They say any part of yam cleans blood.

My family usually cooks Loti with either shutki or with a tempering of crushed garlic, nigella seeds. I love both. Loti is seasonal in Kolkata, not always do I get to eat it there after leaving the city. I do not regret really, here we get freshest of taro stolon / loti stalks on a regular basis; we just need to have patience to dress them which should always be done wearing gloves. Thereafter, we must cook it well for longer period. Our home never cook it with prawns, I did it once on my stay here and liked; never that much as I enjoy it with dried fish or without anything. It is all about what you are used to eating since childhood, rest of them are all developed, acquired taste. 

I personally feel nothing can go wrong with a chilli+mustard paste, some say black mustard may cause acidity; in that case add 1tsp of garlic paste to it or use yellow mustard which I am not fond of. So, get  stalks of taro stolon from Asian Stores if you are willing to stay put with your roots, love eating it, put on your gloves, get on to cook with me this rustic, vegetarian Bengali dish SHORSHE NARKOL LOTI with minimal ingredients.

INGREDIENTS : 

LOTI / TARO STOLON : 1 STALK SOLD USUALLY CONTAIN 15-16 STICKS
SHREDDED COCONUT : 1/2SMALL TEA CUP
BLACK MUSTARD SEED : 2TBSP [YOU CAN USE YELLOW MUSTARD TOO]
GREEN CHILLI : 6-7
TAMARIND PASTE : 1TSP [TO AVOID ANY ITCHINESS]
TURMERIC POWDER : 1TSP
NIGELLA SEED / KALONJI / KALOJEEREY : 1/4TSP
DRY RED CHILLI : 2HALVED
BAY LEAF : 1
ICE CUBE : 2-3 [TO AVOID BITTERNESS]
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2-3TBSP [I USUALLY USE MUSTARD OIL FOR BENGALI DISHES]

PROCEDURE :

This is loti / taro stolon, my side of the family enjoys every part of all varieties of yam.

It is crime not to share stepwise pictures for this recipe. Later should add, I do not prepare it every week.

We must wear our kitchen gloves before starting to dress loti. Cut off two ends. We will use thick, fleshy section in between.

Cut into finger length pieces. Carefully peel off fibre like thread along skin. Actually its peeling off thinly. We will drop them into a water filled wide mouthed bowl, add some salt to it.

Let the pieces remain soaked in salted water for 1/2 an hour.

Soak tamarind pulp in 4-5tbsp water. Soak mustard seeds 1/2 an hour before blending them to a paste.

Drain, wash mustard seeds taking in a sieve. Add to blender with green chillies, shredded coconut, ice cubes, salt.

Drain water, wash again. Rub 1/2tsp turmeric powder, little salt in them. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in wok, temper with a bayleaf, nigella seeds, halved dry red chillies.

Add taro stolon pieces discarding marinade. Fold in well, cover. Cook at minimal heat for 5-6 minutes.

Remove cover, stir, again cover cook at lowest heat for another 5-6 minutes.

Remove cover, check if water released has dried or not. It takes time. We continue to cover cook, remove, stir gently without breaking pieces for sometime until they are soft.

At this stage, add chilli+mustard+coconut paste, fold in gently. Cover cook at lowest heat for 5-6 minutes.

Remove cover, add tamarind water discarding seeds. Fold in well, cook further for 3-4 minutes. Once done, the pieces would be soft.

SAUTÉED BLACK CHICKPEA

I wish to go ahead with a new recipe share today, I am not in a position to sit straight for hours; there's pain all over! These are side effects of going for running event without practice, of not having a competitive mind. If you lack will power to be somewhere towards top, you will end up be me whose motto had been to have a dilli dallied life... "bhalo mondo khabo, ghumobo, prochur golper boier modhya boshe thakbo, gaan shunbo, cinema dekhbo." The parents had to negate this, push me hard. Instead, our mother spoon fed us, still does, openly says," please do not bother my kids", which is wrong! The husband never told me I should be independent There is no pride in sitting idle, it makes us feel useless. I was mid-bencher in every sense; unable to speak properly in public, unable to get rid of that childhood fear of speaking on stage, showing attitude. I enjoy my company, smiling and talking briefly with the unknown I meet if they approach. 

I am truly thankful to husband for being protective of someone who he knows is not fit for a world that is smart. Okay, I and my side of family do consider the husband and son a bit far from been normal but we also know they are trustworthy; I enjoy their company so much so that I cannot think of dumping them at home, go freak around with others for days unless work demands it. I do not think anyone can have the patience to deal a nauseated self like me on travel like my men, it feels I cannot ask for an ice-cream from anyone except for my men... "bossy, ice-cream khabo," I act such more to hear such phrases, "mota-stupid mumma ta sudhu khacchey, kicchu parena, kicchu janena." She loves cooking. A decent, healthy diet daily isn't her cuppa but she has them often if not always. I wish to gift a decent meal / snack idea to all of my readers today; something with kala chana / chola / black chickpea SAUTÉED BLACK CHICKPEA. This had been a favourite since childhood, a common street snack in my city of origin. 

I and my brother, both are homesick. We love the space within four walls of our home. After marriage, I categorically told my husband not to make me stay overnight anywhere. When I wished for my own home, I got one. I need not be homebound after doing half marathon with unfit self. Friday night we attended the husband's office party, Saturday evening I went for run unprepared, finished brisk walking all through. Thereafter, I should have waited for a professional massage they offer for free but it had been my tendency to reach my den earliest whenever I am dog tired; I am never comfortable amidst unknown. I am bearing the burnt now, there is too much of pain in lower portion of body because I went back to track after three years I think. I will finish off with post, cook one dish because I get bored sitting idle, not in a position to go for swim down below. This vegetarian snack SAUTÉED BLACK CHICKPEA was my favourite on some evenings. It is still found in the streets of my city of origin but you know our mother. She didn't let us eat outside food. She used to prepare this sautéed "chola sheddo" with onion, nigella seeds, green chillies. The vendors who sat on ground preparing a variety of customised "muri makha" sold this, they still are found all over the city. This is a nutritious snack you can have on regular basis, get some fruits, make it a meal. 

INGREDIENTS :

BLACK CHICKPEA : 100GM
CHOPPED ONION : 2-3TBSP
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 2TSP
NIGELLA SEED : 1/2TSP
CHOPPED CORIANDER : 2TBSP [OPTIONAL]
DRY RED CHILLI : 1HALVED
CRUSHED GARLIC CLOVE : 2-3
SALT : AS REQUIRED
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
OIL : 2TBSP

PROCEDURE :

Soak black chickpeas either in cold water overnight or in hot water for 3 hours.

Wash well, add it to pressure cooker along with some fresh water, a little of turmeric, salt.

Close lid tight, pressure cook at lowest heat up to one whistle. Let it cool, open normally.

Wash boiled, black chickpeas again, drain water, rub with salt, turmeric.

Heat oil in wok, temper with nigella seeds, washed & halved dry red chilli, washed, crushed garlic cloves.

Add pre-washed chopped onions, green chillies. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until onions turn golden brown.

Add marinated boiled black chickpeas without marinade. Sauté entire thing for 2-3 minutes. We are done.

I so love it with muri / puffed rice.