RONG BERONG ER BORFI / RANG BIRANGI BARFI

নিভন্ত প্রদীপে রঙের মেলা

রং নেবে গো ??
সুধায় কিশোরী....
উষা যায়, নিশা আসে,
বছর কাটে....
একাকী কিশোরী
রংমিলান্তি খেলে....
কে যেন ছুঁয়ে যায়,

হয়তো শ্বেতশুভ্র দাড়ি.... 

That is my take on life ... play along.....  if you do not have a company, play alone.... create a life of and for yourself and a colourful one. Rest, I do not wish to translate as I am not a poet .... I do not even know the number of errors in those lines ... I just express what I feel. 

It is Holi / Dol Poornima / Boshontotsab for us .... the festival of colour. It is spring too .... nature's own colourful season. Well, playing Holi is not that much of a pleasure for me. Our mother did not allow me to play Holi as the neighbourhood we stayed in was not congenial for it. Much later when things were safe, I lost interest in it. After marriage, I wished to play Dol / Holi with my tiger who had total apathy towards it. I remember his reaction the moment I tried to get romantic with him with laal.... nila.... peela colours. I was in tears and his mother had to intervene. Things are all same till date, yesterday night I asked him define me in a sentence..... the answer is I do not need a sentence, a word or two are enough .... Devilish is perfect. You cannot even retaliate back to your spouse saying "yanna rascala" in Rajnikant style..... haha, no offence meant, my friends down South.The son thing following his father says .... Mamma is so fat. Do you think I wish to play Holi with such people, never. These are showered on me exactly when I was struggling with preparing some momo which is not that much of an ease for me as of a patla macher jhol [light fish curry] or a pathar kosha [mutton dry curry]. 

When the situation is such, a dear couple friend allures me with their romantic photographs, smeared with colour all over .... playing dol at a favourite place ..... Shantiniketan. I am yet to visit Shantiniketan during Dol Purnima / Poush Mela, so you have every reason to question my Bangaliana. The couple I am talking about are Dr. Saubhik Sengupta and his wife Mousumi .... both love theatre more than themselves perhaps. Saubhik is a childhood buddy, scientist..... has published articles on oncology. His recital of "Africa " back in school still gives me goosebumps. He is a poet but the stupid fella is doing everything else except writing. He is using his pen only for signing medical reports these days.... to me it is a waste of talent. You will see me often penning rubbish unless these guys take up the baton. His wife Mousumi is bubbly, ever smiling and promotes positivity. They are theatre practitioners.

What is শ্বেতশুভ্র দাড়ি? .... Well, white beard.... who had ? ... The man I am eternally in love with who perhaps understood women better than the rest of his clan. Shantiniketan is his abode of peace. If you are a wanderer, please do contact West Bengal Travel and Tourism Department .... help us acquaint you with the history of each place from Shantiniketan to Bishnupur TO Baharampur, Murshidabad! Help us promote and save our small scale / cottage industry.

I am a contrast of colours, Dol / Holi for me is as much as of Bollywood as of Shantiniketan. Earlier I used to watch videos on how the Bollywood stars played Holi much to our father's disappointment. I still love to watch people playing with vibgyor ... does not matter whether it is Bollywood, Kollywood or Tollywood style. Boys... do not be silly enough to colour your woman only.... come on be smart ... take a little liberty to think "zara hatke".... otherwise. I will sing for all of you "holi ke din dil khil jatey hai, rango mein rang mil jatey hai." I am a back stage person, favourite colours are black, white and some pastel shades but love the "Basantis" around ..... warm and vibrant. Going for an exhibition today and sure to rob all colours from someone's face with my devilish acts.

Dol Poornima / Holi demands snacks / thandai [coolers] and sweets .... all three. I am going with sweet .... Here is a three layered barfi / sweet made with carrot, green pea and coconut. Flavoured with green cardamom, it is safe to have once or twice a month. No artificial colour is required, just few ingredients and you get to see all smiling faces of your loved ones. Come let us do this super tasty and colourful Rong Berong er Borfi / Rang Birangi Barfi together. I tried a vegan & gluten-free version, hence it got a bit of challenging!

INGREDIENTS : 

Carrot : 2-3 medium sized
Green Pea : 1 coffee mug
Coconut [shredded] : 2 coffee mug
Sugar : 1/4 small tea cup + 4 tbsp + 4 tbsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 1 tsp + 1 tsp  + 1 tsp
Oil : 2 tsp + 2 tsp + 2tsp

METHOD :

Heat a clean wok atop the gas stove. We have already prepared a paste of the shredded coconut in the grinder sprinkling little water. Add the coconut paste, 1/4 tea cup sugar, 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp green cardamom powder and fold in well.

We will stir cook at minimal heat for sometime until the whole thing gets sticky. We would transfer it to a plate!

We will wash the green peas and prepare a paste in the grinder. In a clean wok, we will add the green pea paste, 2 tsp oil, 3-4 tbsp sugar, 1tsp green cardamom powder. We will fold in well and stir cook till the raw smell goes. We will cook further until the mixture gets sticky and then transfer to the plate that has the coconut mixture!

Let us prepare the carrot mixture next. We will peel, wash, discard the two ends of the carrots, shred and transfer to  a blender and blend to a paste. It may take 2-3 minutes.

In a wok, we will add the carrot paste, rest of the sugar, green cardamom powder & oil! We will fold in well & stir cook at low heat till the raw smell goes away. We will stir cook the mixture for another 3-4 minutes and it is done.

We will transfer the carrot mixture to that same plate and let cool a bit! We will loosely mix a bit, bring it together and get a square shape!  We will cut into desired shapes, garnish with chopped almonds and enjoy fresh. I did not garnish with any dry fruits!

PATALI GURER MAKHA SANDESH

Should I have gone with a recipe today or kept my pen down ..... I was in a dilemma, then I thought I must keep up with my friends and express my deepest condolences on the sudden demise of the very young, talented Bengali folklore singer Kalikaprasad Bhattacharjee yesterday in a car accident. I have not heard him much in particular, but I have grown up in a household where Amar Pal, Nirmalendu  Choudhuri, Paul Robeson were regularly heard. "Amai dubaili rey, amai bhashaili rey, akul doriyar buji kul nai rey" ..... is what I am humming at the moment. Hemanta, Lata, Kishore, Rafi, Asha, KennyG, Elton John, Abida Parveen, Farida Khanum live together peacefully at my home and my belief will always be reflected on my work, even if without a single support..... hahaha I can well see a six year old girl leaving the dance floor as a teacher "rebukes" her instead of scolding. I see a girl, who often visits me saying why should someone discuss me with someone else when I should be directly told that I am not worth keeping in touch with. I always comfort her saying do not beg for what you deserve, walk ahead ....  but keep the love flowing for the deserving, a river never stops doing that. Each time she falls, she gets up with vigour and I love her a lot. There is a difference between "looking back" and "going back".... I do tell her.... we can look back but we cannot afford to go back as it disturbs / upsets the "ecology of relationship or society."

Before talking about the woman or the couple for whom I am here today..... on this special day of ours, I wish to pay a special tribute to someone who showered me with immense love and made an abrupt exit.

MY FIRST TRIBUTE .... I was born in a small township of West Bengal which had a big church, a hospital, a school run by the Missionaries of Charity. I started my schooling there. Of all the sisters, there was one Sister Marylyn ...... a Keralite Christian .... from whom I knew there  indeed can be a lot of love outside of the family. She became a family friend and me possessive of her. At age six, I left for Kolkata, at age eight she lost her battle to cancer. So much loved she was that people took a round of the entire township with her deceased self so that everyone could pay their homage before the last rites. I learnt what love for mankind is and how a teacher should be. I still remember her smile and her precious gift .... a pendant with Mary n Jesus... which is still in my bank locker .

MY STRENGTH ..... Well both of my parents, the man, but today I will talk about my mother only as it is our day. This is no space enough to write about her. My daddy had a chronic arthritic condition, he often fell sick and bedridden ... This lady took care of everything... going to the market, feeding us, taking us to the school, looking after the ailing daddy and taking his office files and keys to his office. A cleanliness freak that she was / is, it was indeed an herculean job with a single part-time help. She is nearing 70 and is equally active and energetic in addition of taking care of anything between 50-70 floral tubs in the terrace and a small garden. She inherited it from her mother who at 90 do not allow anyone to enter her prayer room, cleans it herself, a hercules of her time. I have not much to say about myself in such a scenario but to salute.

I AM THANKFUL TO..... Both of my in-laws who love our son, but I will talk of the mother- in- law today. We are not good friends because our temperament do not match or we are not fond of each other's ways. I do not agree that a person can live a decent life only watching soaps and sleeping when I see courageous, more aged people in wheelchairs too. Yet, it is this lady who had shown undaunted love for her only grandson. Back in 2001 December someone arrived, till 2002 March, she came to our home everyday to assist her son to look after her grandson when I was bedridden with a septic on my stitch. They will be visiting next month and the weird grandson will irritate them to core, they will give an indulgent smile but gets sad, Deepro Roy needs to intervene with his wisdom. To both of you... love, responsibility and care need not be synonymous... you will always be taken care of, do not worry.

I MUST MENTION ..... My two sister-in-laws .... my brother's wife who takes good care of my parents, celebrates their birthdays and reminds me to wish them, took them to Chennai for treatment alone without any appointment, ran pillar to post to get everything done while caught in the Chennai flood with three elderly people. Big hugs dear B..... Bidisha, inspite of the differences which we can have.... though we are not 'J' for loving the same person too much, haha. Then comes my husband's sister, know her since she was six. You may not catch us kissing each other often but we had been good to each other. She never triggered her mother against me, but cooled her whenever required. In her family, she is nearer to me in nature.... Stay blessed Jhum.

MY SUPPORT SYSTEM ...... My girl friends, boy friends and some of their wives who are good friends too. I am well aware that some of these boys get 'J' when I show love to their wives... I feel happy to be loved. I cannot talk about many today, but will do from time to time, in different ways.... I may not be there one day, but the blog with their names engraved in it will. Few of my lovely ladies are already up with their beautiful pictures on with lehenga choli and saree since yesterday night, I wish more by tonight.

MY WOMEN'S DAY GIFT .... Someone back from the office last night told I am looking pale.... whats wrong... go and get yourself done..... Once upon a time I told my hairs are greying fast, with such poor eyesight and insight.... are you ok with it? He told if I want him to powder his hair?.... Then we held together tight without paying any attention to what others had to say about a girl of 26 marrying a boy of 25.... the 'equation' is elsewhere. Off course I am going to have some do ups on the 10th of March, at Bazaar to be held at Holiday Inn exhibiting creations of enterprising women .... two of them are sister like Roshni of Gahonaz and Debarathi of Shaukh.... showcasing their jewellery line and saree respectively.... You can keep an eye on their respective Facebook pages for details, they do shipping worldwide.

WHO AM I? ..... An unadulterated raw deal who gives utmost importance to a "life with Dignity."

Someone gifted me a nephew yesterday, who helped me a lot with my blog patiently, will talk about her later. Taking everything into account, I wish to share a quick, easy recipe of sweet using few ingredients..... authentic of Bengal. Each day is our day actually. We will off course not spend much time in the kitchen or our loving partners can even do it for us... sparing mine. Let us prepare this PATALI GURER MAKHA SANDESH together using grated date palm jaggery, homemade paneer and a bit of condensed milk.

INGREDIENTS :

Fresh Milk : 2 lt [ I use Meiji]
Lemon Juice : 4 tbsp
Ice cube : 1 small cup
Date Palm Jaggery : 1 small cup [grated]
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Cardamom Powder : 1/2 tsp [not required if the jaggery is of good quality]
Raisin : 6-8 [to garnish]

METHOD :

Take the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel, put on the gas burner and bring to a boil. Add the lemon juice, as it curdles, immediately add the ice-cubes.

Strain the whey water through a white cloth. What remains is the cottage cheese or paneer. Tie the cloth to your kitchen tap and keep for about 45 minutes.

Grate the date palm jaggery block till you get a small cup full, mash it and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Untie and transfer the paneer to a plate and keep mashing for 10-12 minutes. Add the jaggery, sugar, green cardamom powder and mix together well!

Take the mixture in a pan and cook at minimal heat for 7-8 minutes without letting the moisture to dry up!

Garnish with raisins and enjoy fresh.

TOK DOI ..... MIXED FRUIT & NUT YOGURT DRINK ..... CHAAT WALI DAHI

It is a Sunday afternoon and you are writing a recipe? You have every right to ask me dear readers but I have ample reasons to do so .... after a sweating session, then to a dear couple's home to deliver some food and back, feeding my hungry chopsticks and ladoo Gopal [Lord Krishna], I wished to get little cosy and romantic with the senior of the two atheists at home. Charged up by the downpour, I sing a romantic number ...... "o maine dil diya dil diya ghabrake, o sathiya".... the answer is an obvious "get lost" and not "o hansini mere hansini." I cannot file for a divorce either, it is / was / will be him who nursed his almost dead wife at the mid sea of Phuket or at the Great Barrier Reef, gently caressing her hair, cleaning her sacrificing all the fun of snorkelling, diving or otherwise.

Why going this yogurt-y S? Why not people? The week for  Holi .... Dol Purnima..... Women's Day is approaching..... I wished to go cool and sweet this week. I find Doi / Dahi / Yogurt a binding force where food is concerned given I have many friends from different regions or culture per say. Then there is someone special who uses a lot of yogurt in cooking.... who I love much but cannot or do not wish to go public with the name. People, do not look for any romantic story material please.... I am not talking of any "HE" here ..... it is this person for whom I do own a food blog today, how much of little or of no fame it is; it's mine and I should not bother until I be the reason to defame it. Just wished to say all the wars that happen is a diplomatic, political strategy of a few using religion as a weapon ..... wherein the commoners of both sides die. I am a religious person and there is no harm in practicing one's own .... wrong is when we hurt the sentiments of others with an overdose of it. 

I am supercharged up to see the news of Ustad Ghulam Ali coming to the island next month and I am going definitely... been a diehard fan of the maestro since my teen .... those who will not go may be they do not like ghazals ...... it is as simple as that. I am preparing myself from now ..... "hungama hai kyun barpa, thori si jo pee li hai.... daka to nehi dala.... chori to nehi ki hai." I just wished to say that someone special, dear my blog is a gift to me from you and then it grew with so much of contribution from the other blogger friends, friends, well wishers. There is also a Punjaban tigress sister.... of whose blog I will speak later who will be happy to see this post very much, she needs to be kept happy today. To you and all, please do not take my posts seriously, they are impromptu and not well thought as of you all; given my questionable amount of grey matter.... I listen to my heart only.

Just when I am all set to write the recipes ..... a teen comes to me .... says he hates me. I pamper the self and ask it not to change for anyone, just to live life and stay fit not to please anyone but the self.... I need to do a lot because the old man Dr. Chang refuses to increase my dosage, he asked me to work harder. I ask the teen to leave. Some other day,  the teen comes again and says I am  a disgusting melancholic soul.... Yes, I am! The teen further says I am too short... yes I am... 4'11" to be precise... and then that I am all grey! I say yes, since my teen.... the  person now takes a dig at my flat nose... heavy glasses.... I agree I too have complex about my flat nose, I am almost blind since the time we met.... but how is it bothering you? I asked! I am or was never your mirror..... we are not in each other's way, unlikely to meet or cross ever... you know well I am hyper sensitive and self-respecting. Do not point your finger at me unless I knock at your door for refuge which is unlikely. Rather be a true heart Indian and travel its lanes and by lanes full of history with your family. Hey someone.... our roads had always been different. I am unable to do much of research on you. I do not understand whether to get angry or surprised at you; you abused me but still expect me to facilitate your friendship with your famous friend / friends in public! How strange & what a height of expectation!

Gazing at the empty road quite for sometime, I feel free to write three of my recipes with yogurt for you all to enjoy this Holi / Dol Purnima / International Women's Day. They are a homemade plain yogurt, a mixed-fruit & nut yogurt drink which used to be favourite with my senior and my all time favourite yogurt eaten as a chaat. The fruits I used here are apple & banana. Yes, as of now the son enjoys smoothies! Come let us do all of them together.

                                                TOK DOI

INGREDIENTS : [for the plain yogurt]

Full Cream Milk : 1litre

Fresh Set Yogurt [plain] : 1/4 small cup

METHOD :

Take the milk in a heavy bottomed container and bring to boil, let it boil for 8-10 minutes! Let it cool until gets to be lukewarm! Pour onto a bowl!

Beat that 1/4 small cup of set yogurt and pour in to the milk. Gently stir for a while. Cover with lid or a plate. 

Once you put on the lid, keep it in a warm place & cover with a bigger vessel first and then with a piece of cloth. A heavy towel works good!

Keep it like that for 8-10 hours. Take out & refrigerate to chill! Have it the way you and your family prefer.

 MIXED FRUIT & NUT YOGURT DRINK

INGREDIENTS : [for the mixed fruit & nut yogurt drink]

Plain Yogurt : 1 big cup

Banana : 1

Chopped Apple : 1

Pistachio : 3-4 [chopped] 

Almond : 3-4 [chopped]

Cashew nut : 7-8[chopped]

Dates : 4-5 [deseeded]

Raisin : 1 tsp

METHOD :

Take the halved banana, washed & chopped apple, the washed dry fruits & the yogurt in a blender & blend to get a smoothie! It's that simple & great to taste, filling to!

Pour into glasses and refrigerate. Serve chilled garnished with saffron[I did not use]!

CHAAT WALI DAHI

INGREDIENTS : [for the chaat wali dahi]

Plain Yogurt : 1 big cup

Mumbai Sev : 1 tbsp to garnish [fried lentil noodles that I forgot to add]

Date-Tamarind Chutney : 1-2 tbsp [I used chilli-tomato sauce]

Green Coriander Chutney : 1-2 tbsp

Chaat Masala : 1tsp

Black Salt : 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1/4 tsp

Ginger Juice : 1 tsp

Fresh Coriander : 2tbsp [chopped]

METHOD : 

Take the yogurt, ginger juice, red chilli powder and black salt in a bowl and beat thoroughly. 

Add the chopped & washed green chillies, mix well & refrigerate to chill!

Take out, top with the Mumbai Sev if using, chaat masala and the chopped fresh coriander! Always serve & have it chilled.

Prepare your own yogurt and enjoy these two dishes made with it and many others whenever you wish to.

CHOLA NARKOL DIYE KOCHU SHAAKER GHONTO

It had been a long standing wish to blog about this Chola Narkol Diye Kochu Shaaker Ghonto ..... a heirloom dish from Bengal's kitchen. This is actually Colocasia  leaves with stem cooked along with shredded coconut and boiled black chickpea / chola / kala chana. The amount of pleasure I get cooking such dishes is immense. Staying up with the promise that I will carry forward the family legacy, I keep on cooking such dishes even if my men are not fond of all of them. I just cannot think of doing away with these recipes, which perhaps my daughter-in-law will never do. Does that make me sad?..... Yes, a bit.... but she will also have the ability to do many a thing which I am not capable of.

Am I a cosmopolitan? I think I am to an extent..... I do not limit myself to everything Bengali, I keep watching my men gorging on beef lasagne, I scold mommy dear while she bores me over phone... 'diner por din bhaat khash na'... that I do not eat rice regularly.... so what... you can see me enjoying a plateful of appam or rawa dosa or raj kachori or a big bowl of fish soup while I wander alone or with our Cristine. Wandering alone is a pleasure for me, because I am not in a habit of indulging or digesting in what is a joy for many... who got pregnant with whom, who was seen with whom in a hotel, who is having a fight at home, the worst thing being discussing other's kids. I do not know where people get the energy to gather such news. Somewhat, the cosmopolitan in me vanishes and a true heart Bengali comes forth when on a lazy afternoon Srijato Bandhyopadhay pens ' Akhon dupur aka.... ki labh tomake bhalobeshe... Chithio lekhe na keu, Postman firey geche deshe'... whose literal meaning is perhaps what is the point of loving you lazy afternoons, there is no more wait for letters, the postman went back home... rest what you perceive is unto you. 

This morning I woke up to his another rocking note.... 'ekdin hotath kore je bondhura chere chole jai, tader chokher gondho firey ashe, raater haoai'.... friends who left years back, we can smell them as the sun sets.... you see I am poor in English and it is difficult to translate feelings.... to me these are feelings and not just words. Sunil Gangopadhyay's Nillohit... the travelling, wandering soul who never aged asked it is good to be kid friendly and cook mango mousse but what about the promise you made many springs back that our relationship will not go conventional with marriage... kids... I smile and say but we rocked over 'mahua' .... a local drink, while watching Santal women dancing... will a Kochur Shaaker Ghonto work for you?.... Nillohit told very much .... Chola Narkol Diye Kochu Shaaker Ghonto with rice, onion and a green chilli served in a brass plate sounds absolutely alluring to me on a lazy, cosy afternoon Srijato was talking about.

While I cook kochur shaak, my senior might be enjoying some sashimi discussing strategy at the office lunches. Well, I need that too, I am eyeing on an authentic Madhubani and Kalamkari saree on my next visit to Kolkata and I do not have any secret someone to gift me those. Hence, I have to cook some mutton curry along with chola narkol diye kochu shaaker ghonto to keep my men happy. We are on our way to spend some happy moments together as we are going to watch Rangoon tonight, the Maqbool maker will not let us down I hope. For this yum and authentic Bengali vegetarian side dish we need some boiled kala chana / black gram, shredded coconut, colocasia leaves with stem mainly. Let us do this authentic Bengali, non-spicy vegetarian dish together to go with a piping hot bowl of rice.

INGREDIENTS :

Kochur Shaak [Colocasia Leaves] : 6-8 sticks
Chola / Kala Chana / Black Chickpea : 2-3 tbsp [boiled]
Shredded Coconut : 4-5 tbsp + 2 tbsp to garnish
Cumin Powder : 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1& 1/2tsp
Green Chilli : 2-3 [slitted]
Dried Red Chilli : 2[halved]
Bayleaf : 2 small
Panchphoron : 1/2 tsp [ A mix of nigella, wild celery, cumin, fennel, fenugreek seeds]
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 2 tsp [or as you prefer]
Tamarind Juice : 2-3 tbsp [This prevents itching but is not required if boiled & cooked for longer period]
Oil : 4-5 tbsp [authentically mustard]

METHOD :

Soak the black chana in hot water for 2-3 hours and boil them adding a little salt for 12-15 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.

You MUST wear a pair of KITCHEN GLOVES to start off with this recipe and DO NOT make the mistake of WASHING THE COLOCASIA LEAVES after you cut them. 

Wear your gloves and clean the colocasia leaves with stem thoroughly with a wet / moist cloth. Discard the two ends and cut into smaller pieces, take out & throw away the thin fibre from each!

Now we will take the colocasia pieces in a big wok, fill with water, add salt, put for boil and cover. Let boil for quite sometime till the whole thing gets soft and reduces to 1/4th of the original. 

Once done, switch off the gas stove, let cool, transfer to a colander and strain the excess water. Mash the boiled veggie lightly. We can take off the gloves at this stage. 

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with panchphoron / a whole spice mix, bayleaf and the halved dry red chillies. Add the shredded coconut to it and fry till light brown.

Add the boiled vegetable and fold in well. Add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt, boiled black chana, slitted green chillies and cover cook for 12-14 minutes stirring every 3-4 minutes.

Remove the cover, you can see all of the water has dried up by now. Add the sugar fold in well. Cook for another 7-8 minutes. 

Switch off the gas stove, transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with shredded coconut and serve fresh with piping hot steamed rice.

Do not tell me I limit myself to 2tbsp of rice with such dishes, as my senior says happiness is not being calculative always.

CREAMY MANGO AND YOGURT CUPS TOPPED WITH CHOCOLATE

I wished to go kid's friendly today. This innocent bunch of the sweeties are always my favourite, I find solace in their company because I need not be pretentious  amidst them, neither they need to be. I was teaching Speech & Drama in the last of the three schools I worked in total. The day I wore a saree, they would say I am looking beautiful. Particularly, a smart, little girl would make cards or pluck a flower for me on such days. After leaving that job, I met the same girl elsewhere.... I asked how is your new teacher doing? She said... I think she is slightly better than you... but we loved you. I agreed, smiled and hugged her. I whispered that is the reason I left the job without any notice while I was supposed to serve for three months after notice. I strongly felt I was not delivering the way I should, a Speech n Drama teacher needs to be far more vibrant, vocal and engaging. If a teacher gets lost watching a robin or a cuckoo outside the class door, she has no right to be there for a single day. I never went back and asked for an experience letter either ... at least this amount of wisdom we all have.

Where did I take the lessons of wisdom from?.... I took it from life itself and from a then little boy some ten years back. He is the only son of a neighbourhood, dear couple friend..... Deepro Roy.... whether his parents approve of it or not, I call him my elder son. It was him among the youngsters who approved that S aunty can cook and her fried chicken tasted nearer to the KFC ones. At age 12-13, he did discuss Kafka with me, his aunty is not well read as him, did not understand always what he said. Paying due respect to all my teacher friends.... from the school to the university level .... who are even full bright scholars and visit Edinburg and NYC State Universities as guest speakers, I would say my elder son has excellent command over English. He is a poet and painter, he has published articles to his credit. Do I love him only for this? No.... He was a little boy of 10 perhaps and our son 6... a rebel, throwing tantrums now and then, extremely  apathetic towards the strangers. When every other person told this poor, sobbing, worried mother that your son needs counselling, my elder son told, no he does not require any counselling, he is just different... he need not be like others... 

Deepro... our son's Jishnu dada  was the 'Quora' bank for my son. In the school bus, his work was to answer the son's weird questions. Being a sailor's wife, I had to spent a considerable amount of the time alone without been able to share my worries with my senior. Deepro would say instead of been worried... take pride in your son that he watches Stephen Hawking shows on television at age eight .... whats the point...? Now he plays games on the computer. At present Deepro is doing Liberal Arts in a well known institute of Western India, he wishes to go for film direction. Where did he inherit this love for art and culture?... From his very much culturally inclined parents.... who read, write, paint and recite..... and they did not attempt suicide when Jishnu told he does not wish to pursue Science or Mathematics further.

I know of parents who hit their kids if they score less in mathematics.... our such a good human father used to hit me for not enjoying mathematics! I wish to ask if they scored full marks in mathematics at school? My next question will be did it stop them from being what they wished to be in life?.... They are well placed enough to take pride in themselves. It is good to be well read in mathematics but not scoring high in it does not make one a failure. Follow your passion. Some of my friends' kids do good in mathematics and love to cook for the family as well. Taking all the kids together today, I felt let me prepare something the innocent beings can prepare easily and enjoy eating with family. 

Meanwhile, let my men search Google for the way to the kitchen, perhaps they do not even want to step into the kitchen. I am in a good mood today, a dear friend and cook told my 'tel koi'... a fish preparation was yum that I sent for him yesterday. I will talk about him later, I have to because he prepares the best Kolkata style mutton biryani in this island .... He feeds me biryani and I feed him kochu, ghechu, chocchori. I sent this dessert to his beautiful, dessert loving wife Nibedita ..... who is a former actress and dancer and another friend Ipsita, yet to get a feedback.

Here is a no cook, hearty, chilled dessert that you can prepare within an hour. Done with hung yogurt, ripe mango, cream and topped with chocolate, it's taste is guaranteed. Come let us do it together once we get to see yellow, ripe mangoes in the market.

                     

INGREDIENTS :

Ripe Mango : 2big [I used Thai Honey]
All Purpose Cream : 100ml [I used Nestle]
Plain Yogurt : 1medium tea cup [hung]
Sugar : 3 tbsp

Edible Yellow Colour : 1-2 drops
Green Cardamom Powder : 1tsp
Chocolate : 1/2small tea cup [I used Cadbury Dairy Milk]
Serve with wafers if you wish to

METHOD :

Take the plain yogurt in a piece of white, cotton cloth, tie and hung for an hour or two. Take down, untie and transfer to a bowl.

Peel, wash and paste the mango pulp in a blender, discard the seed! Take in a sauce pan, add the sugar & few drops of edible yellow colour, mix and simmer at minimal heat for 6-7 minutes! Let it cool!

Pour the pulp to the cream and yogurt mixture. Beat well!

Add the cardamom powder and mix the whole thing again with a hand beater. 

Keep the bowl in the refrigerator to chill. We will melt the chocolate and top the dessert with it only before serving. 

Boil some water on the gas stove. Take the chocolate pieces in a bowl and hold just touching the boiling water. Give a stir as it starts to melt.The chocolate will melt in two minutes.

Serve the extremely delicious chilled dessert topped with chocolate to your family and friends and enjoy.

LAALE JHOLE MURGI

"Pakhi Shob Korey Rob Rati Pohailo, Kanone Kusumkoli Shokoli Futilo"..... our mom used to recite this and many more when we were this little. This particular phrase means see the birds are chirping, at the end of a long night, it's the morning.... it is the time for flowers to bloom. We were early risers and I am that till date. I enjoy watching the same rising sun each morning, the chirpy birds say come, sing along. Nature is my first love and I am in a lifelong relationship with it. I keep on telling my senior we will have an one-roomed wooden house deep in the forest. His answer would be... "there is no wifi in the woods, is it ok for you?" I say, "you need not be sarcastic always, a wish is just a wish." We agree to disagree in almost all matters except for one thing. Few years back we agreed on one thing... I told after retirement we will have a small, cosy guest house in Puri ..... he answered it is not a bad idea. I love that place not because it is a pilgrimage for the Hindus, but as a whole.... the prawn farming at Chilka, enjoying the variety of fried fish sitting at the beach, khaja and chanapora and the sarees..... Oh you are spoilt for choices when it comes to sarees there, my most favourite is cotton Bomkai. I do love visiting the age-old temple each morning of my stay there, yet disagree with the temple management about certain rules. My parents visit Puri every year in February and stays there for fifteen long days.

Last evening, I suddenly fell seriously ill and was missing our mom .... how she took care of us when we fell sick .... I cannot be jealous of my brother also as I love him too much. It is this mother who cooks and serve me a plate full of my favourites till date when her daughter is nearing half century. It was this mother who sat for four long hours under a tree in the university campus when her married daughter was appearing for the bachelor of education examination. I literally had to scold her .... mani please do not peep through the window, the invigilator will think you are passing me cheat papers. After all these, if someone expects that you should leave and forget all that your parents have done for you just because you have changed home; problem is yours, not mine. To call a stranger's place your home, we need time and the correct treatment.... been abusive does not help. If the girl is of my nature, she definitely is going to be totally non-cooperative. To mothers of a girl child.... pamper your daughters enough.... they may not get the same later in life. You must also teach them to expect less and be accommodative, which our mom has not taught me. I scold her for that. I will do injustice to my senior if I say he did not take care of me last night, in fact I wish to be sick more often and enjoy all the adulation. Now, I am a son's mother, I do not know how I would be as a mother-in-law; these generation kids would not allow to abuse!

In the bygone days, our Sunday lunch would be light chicken curries, spinach, dal. Mutton would come once a month or twice. I and my brother waited for the Sunday lunch with chicken or mutton. For a middle-class family as ours, things were like this.... if one day was hilsa for us .... next two days would be 'chara pona' .... an inexpensive small variety of fish I crave for till date..... three Sundays would be for chicken and one would be for mutton. I look for offers while in the super market because I am our parent's daughter ..... I will buy a Gucci only when it has a 70% discount offer.... My less accommodative nature gets me find solace in a good read or engage myself in the kitchen to cook for my two chopsticks.... may be a simplistic chicken curry just the way my mother did. Someday, I may get some innovations. Laale Jhole Murgi means a red Chicken Curry we will prepare together now using the red, long chilli peppers! I love it with piping hot steamed rice or plain chapati! What about you?

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken : 1kg [standard cut]

Big Long Chilli Pepper : 4-5
Tomato : 2 [medium]
Onion : 2 [medium, sliced]
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tbsp 
Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Lemon Juice : 2-3 tbsp
Bay leaf : 1

Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 smaller sticks

Green Cardamom : 3-4

Clove : 3-4
Oil : 5-6 tbsp [authentically mustard]

METHOD :

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly, rub with some salt, wash away after an hour. 

Marinate them again with lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli pepper paste, ginger+garlic paste. Rub well, cover and keep aside for an hour.

Heat the oil in a wok and temper with a bayleaf, cinnamon sticks+green cardamon+cloves. Add the sliced onions and fry till crisp brown. 

Add the chicken with the marinade, fold in well and fry at high heat for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to the minimum and cover.

Every few minutes remove the cover & stir! After some 20-25 minutes,  remove the cover!

After 30-35 minutes of cooking, add the pre washed, chopped tomatoes, cumin+coriander+red chilli powders. Fold in well and cover cook for another 10 minutes at low heat stirring in between.

Remove the cover, the water should dry up by now, add 2 big cups of water and let boil for about 10-12 minutes. We should be done!

Transfer to a bowl, serve hot with piping hot rice or with your choice of bread.

MAWA NARKEL SANDESH

Tomorrow is Maha Shivaratri, I definitely will come up with something that can help people on the day to break their fast with. I practice Hinduism but I believe in the religion of tolerance. I did come up with a hearty-cheesy post on a loved filled morning just to say 'I do not care or fear of your sticks' to a group of fanatics. B.... Bhaijans you are much unwelcome. If two lovers walk hand in hand staying within the limit of decency, no one should poke their big nose. Yet, I am not an enlightened soul.... I still couldn't taste beef but do not stop my men to have it either .... I am a bit prejudiced, yet never stop my son loving bacon as a breakfast. Though I should never preach any particular religion in this space but for a greater purpose I wished to say.... by chanting the Buddhist phrase "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo", I could get rid of negativity from within.... prescribed by a dear friend Pampa Choudhury it ingrained a lot of positivity in me. However angry friends do get with me, I smile and whisper if not today, we will understand each other someday.... if we do not irritate each other, we are just robots and not human. Above all, we need to respect other's belief..... I am okay with others not been okay with me.We need not be okay all the time.

Coming to the Mawa-Narkel Sandesh, it was done last  Saturday for some visiting friends due on Sunday..... rest of the main courses were all authentic Bengali. I could not think otherwise as two among them brother like Kaushik Neogi and friend Paramita Ghosal are typically Bengali food connoisseurs. The lady who is a pro in Bengali cooking and an English teacher at the IG Level in an Indian International School gifted me two precious packets of 'Bori'... dried lentil balls, just when the "boris" gifted by Ipsita were about to finish. I must mention, right in the midst of this Island city, she does prepare  bori by herself. Coming to Kaushik I had to mention him, it was him, his brother and few others who played the guinea pigs when I started experimenting in the kitchen after marriage. When I over boiled the rice for pulao, they said, "Boudi [brother's wife].... do not worry the taste is good, next time be a little careful".... They are special always and I do not need to show it off in social media. They started their career together with my senior and I wish to see them flourish. They have always treated me as a mother hen.... whats the point visiting the gym?.... haha....

Jokes apart.... this post is also to remind you about someone from whom I have learnt a lot just as from some of you. She is none other than Piyali Shekhar Muttha of ''My Tryst With Food And Travel'' fame. If you are yet to visit her food boutique, do it quick @ mytrystwithfoodandtravel.blogspot.com .... I am not good at pie and tarts either, but one of my beautiful friends will not understand that and get angry with me often... Why I mentioned Piyali today? That is because we are missing her too much, she is also the one who been a decade younger than me would scold me and ask me to remain positive. I just wanted to say that no news is not always a good news.... we are worried. Anyway.... let us do this Mawa Narkel Sandesh together, offer the Lord and break our fast praying for our loved ones.

INGREDIENTS :

Full Cream Milk : 500ml
Condensed Milk : 50 ml
Shredded Coconut : 2big cups
Sugar : 1/2small cup
Cardamom Powder : 1/2tsp
Ghee : 2tsp
Raisin : To Garnish

METHOD :

Heat a wok and pour the milk in it. Keep stirring till it reaches a creamy consistency. This will take a couple of minutes, we cannot allow it to burn. This time I did not use my instant mawa [reducing the milk to more than half].

Once we get the milk to a creamy consistency, add the condensed milk, sugar and keep stirring till it becomes sticky.

At this point, grind the shredded coconut further in a grinder and add to the wok. Fold in well.

Keep stirring till the mixture comes out from the sides and is sticky. Add the ghee and cardamom powder and fold in well.

Transfer to a plate. Take out small portions and turn onto desired shapes. I used a cookie cutter, we can definitely do with hands or moulds. You see I am doing anything with a cookie cutter except for cookies. I know I need to.

Garnish each with raisins or you may not. Grease the plate before serving.