AAM PORA PUDINAR SHORBOT

This is exclusively made for myself.... if I start preparing everything considering the tastebuds of my men.... I have to limit the cooking ingredients to meat, prawns, fish fillets and vegetables if any .... then it should be pakoras.... "badhakopir bora, fulkopir bora, dhonepatar bora, aloor bora"..... Milind Soman will never be friends with my men ..... even I do not give in to their demands else both would have conferred me the "Best Mom / Wife" Award by now! Our Filipino Cristine eats Shukto to this AAM PORA PUDINAR SHORBOT..... but the men take a sip and says enough.... now I cannot add one cup of sugar to this healthy cooling drink and turn it into an unhealthy one! So, I am not regular with it.... I made it last week just when Ipsita stepped in with her version of Fish Fry.... she gave a thumbs up to this healthy summer cooler! She is not the kind who would allow fish fries in her kitchen much.... Last month I got a roast pot at a great discount .... that too at Isetan and I immediately got it for her... she would use it wisely.... else you would see me setting "doi, chena, dal for dhoka" on it.... for me only "hata, khunti, korai" works! 

Wise men knew it lo-o-o-o-ong before.... off course it is good to be "calculative" with your life.... you have only one! Anyway, how much of "hashi moshkora" you see me doing, I am not in a great mood! Even the husband says the son will get a mix of A and B grades.... mumma cannot be happy! No, I am not jealous with Piali or her daughter.... the teen who says after each examination in which subject she will get 95 percentile or in which 97! For her I get to know what is going on inside the examination hall.... too focussed & sincere about her career and life! Piali Maitra herself is a Bethunite! I tell her it is a waste of resource that you never went to work! Now, I am also not the kind who many people may like... I give them that liberty just as I reserve "my right of way".... For this friend Piali, I took my favourite Instant Semolina Idli yesterday! I prepare the batter in minutes.... mixing together Eno, Yogurt, Semolina and few vegetables! I have few expert South Indian blogger friends.... I do not even know they would accept it as an idli or not! I packed the men's lunch boxes... they will just "manage".... their idea of healthy food is limited to chicken / mutton stew, light egg and prawn curries! 

My readers are not bound to accept what my men like at all times, I may not be accommodative but I do not lack sensibility totally as some do! See Piyali loved it with my homemade mint-yogurt chutney.... Tinni... her daughter had two.... this morning I had one with my black coffee! Piali aunty got some Kheema Curry for our son.... After the examination was over, I asked him to say thank you to aunty! A robotic voice says so! Aunty asked him how was the paper.... "I do not know!".... "Did you answer all the questions?"..."Everyone writes every thing!".... He is protective about his peers which is good but he does not speak to Tinni... may be because she talks only academics always... haha!

While chatting with her, I told her I have really grown old! Last Thursday, Piali's husband was with me at the school and ahh... we talked only about our kids and this island! Gosh 😀! I am open about my likes and dislikes... I told her... "he is calm and decent Piali".... he is in fact our batch mate.... an alumnus of that Science College under Calcutta University located few stops before Sealdah.... of the Computer Science Department! "Jhinchak" boys scare me always! What would have been the scenario had my husband been there? Well, he would have told 'excuse me' at least five times in one hour and would have gone outside the school gate to smoke.... he would have totally bored the lady talking about world politics.... I will not be surprised if he discusses about the shares of his MISC, Petronas, Exxon Mobil in the world market with the lady... such a bore! He is comfortable only with few known ladies.... an equally boring wife is there to warn.... "do not cross limits".... "ami chyablami pochondo korina janoi to"..... The wife is good too! If it was idli yesterday, it is tuna sandwich today! I can go ahead with AAM PORA PUDINAR SHORBOT now, then I have to rush to pick up the son!

It is really a surprise for our mother to see her daughter having idli, dosa, appam and AAM PORA PUDINAR SHORBOT! Her daughter's eyes were always fixed at "Malonchor Cutlet" on their monthly visit to Shyambazaar or a Chole Bhature worked! But our parents hardly did buy us all those! Unlike a desi girl, I did not like any sour thing like pickle or sambar except for our family recipe of "macher tok" during summers.... which perhaps is a cross breed of Assamese Fish Tenga and Comilla Cuisine.... I noticed Bongs getting surprised to hear of our "macher tok" which is different from some Midnaporean families' "puti macher tok shorshe bata aam kuchi diye".... From there, the daughter now not only eats but loves pickle... the sour ones too and dosa, idli.... loves appam too much. The mother was accommodative when it came to food.... our parents hated non vegetarian food while on a tour... her staple on any tour were dosa, idli, aloo-matar & tandoori roti.... how she loves the last one! The daughter literally cried having vegetarian food for 15 long days.... the little brother would say "get some meat for didibhai"....  

Getting from there to here actually took three decades.... some old loves like "chop, shingara, cutlet" continues, while the new likes include mushrooms and tofu too.... though paneer rules.... "kintu paneer biryani tai boley?".... Kolkata loves Paneer Tikki, Matar Paneer but Paneer Biryani does not get through the Kolkata Airport.... "ek shart hai yaar.... paneer pulao / fried rice bhi chalega.... yaar biryani maat bulao.... Wazid Ali Shah ko maat uthao kabar se!"..... Never is it a dig at anyone but Biryani is an exclusive thing, never a commoner!... I wish to visit Lucknow for this purpose only.... the husband till date did not take me.... There should be no guilt blogging about a AAM PORA PUDINAR SHORBOT you see, neither these guys are bothered... they have pomfret curry for dinner.... bas "shod-bodh".... 

One raw mango and a fistful of fresh mint leaves is just fine for two standard glasses, I like it thick, so I did not add much of water to the summer cooling drink! The sight of it reminds me of the mint cooler sellers in Kolkata.... they were seen roaming in the non-Bengali speaking belt, Burrabazaar and the rest.... "pudiner shorbot Bangali kothai kheto?".... AAM PORA PUDINAR SHORBOT does use fresh mint leaves.... I grow them, so I use often.... I love its fresh flavours, not when it becomes an artificial peppermint... so different is the feel!

INGREDIENTS :

Raw Mango : 2 standard size
Fresh Mint Leaves : A Fistful
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Black Salt : 1/2 tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE :

Wash the mangoes very well and wipe dry. Switch on the gas burner and place it atop a manual roaster. 

We will keep it turning over to roast it evenly.

We will switch off the gas oven and take the mangoes down on a plate once it is roasted very nicely on all sides.... the pulp will get soft. Let it cool.

Peel off the skin thoroughly.

Anyway take the roasted mango pulp in a blender discarding the seed! Add all the other ingredients to it! Blend at medium speed for 3-4 minutes with intervals. 

Add a big cup of water to the blender. Blend for a minute.... we are done! Pour on to glasses, refrigerate and serve chilled!

COASTAL STYLE MUTTON

What did I mean by this "Coastal Style?"..... You see I have little knowledge about Food History! Hence in most cases I avoid talking about it.... Earlier I had blogged about some meat / egg dishes of Malvani / Konkani origin ..... what I see mostly is that they fry a couple of spices along with onion, grated coconut in oil and then blend them to a paste before proceeding with the recipe. Now this may vary from one region to another depending on the most available ingredients there. Isn't it so that the Southern India or this island or the Barishal district of Bangladesh use coconut extensively in their cooking because of it's easy availability? I remember this COASTAL STYLE MUTTON was done on a Saturday.... so neither  stepwise pictures were possible nor an authenticity of any particular region or place could be maintained. You all know that most of the time I prefer taking rough ideas from around and go ahead with a recipe unless it is a heirloom, Bengali family recipe. 

Look at this home.... if someone is at home, the television is on 24/7! That someone who does not take interest in anything except politics, games, good movies or music of his choice is watching the Royal Wedding now! Ahh me too was jotting down certain points.... what makes the Queen accept such a decision of her grandson? Old age or she is trying to keep up with time?.... "shomoyer sangey cholun noyto pichiye porben?".... Her Highness did not allow her daughter to be with the man she wished to and now one from another nation, a cross breed, an actor, a divorcee ...... a commoner steps into her castle.... majority of her people may not be happy.... We are commoners, of another nation which has its own turmoils, we will hardly have any interest in the royal wedding.... but I am happy for Prince Harry and support him .... I am his mother's fan till date and if he could take such a decision and stay firm on it, he off course is his mother's son..... who despite been a royal bride had a compassionate heart towards the needy. As of the old queen, what she is doing or speaking does not represent her.... she is acting under pressure... trying to be with time! Of the similar kinds I see around, I only smile and whisper "I do not believe in what you say, you need not act good to me.... just be normal!" My whispers do not take shape.... I try to be good to the elderlies or a sense of responsibility works inside unless and until they rob me of my self-respect! 

Whether the British Queen accepted it willingly or unwillingly, it is a welcome move. Right now it's showing the wedding vows... that line that will make any Indian / South Asian mother go wild.... "will you forsake all others to remain faithful to your wife / husband?".... Hahaha... do not take me seriously but its a truth.... both the mothers of a son or a daughter do not wish to leave control over their kids even after marriage ..... but they cook yum curries as this COASTAL STYLE MUTTON for their own! Now, I will not be surprised if today and tomorrow in one particular social forum there are shares about how cruel kids are these days to their parents... hihi.... good... at least "some" people do read my rubbish! You know S possesses an idle brain, I was thinking what if Meghan's bridal makeup was in the hands of my teen hood friend from college.... Arundhati Chaudhury? She would have given some fillers to her cheeks... some red touch ups.... Till date I could not understand why do we have to be too skinny with boney cheek lines! My excuse to have more of "luchi, porota, bhaat" 😆! 

Meghan must have that quality in her to rule the television industry there with a freckled face.... so it is not about the face everywhere.... she could not have made it in Bollywood unless she had been too lucky! Anyway, my above mentioned beautiful friend suffers from a condition of extreme obesity who stays alone... her well off parents expired.... she has proved that one can be single and yet happy! .... She is the teacher of a government run beauty institute in Kolkata.... She promised a makeover of my greys on my next visit.... no I will not spend 500 sing dollars on a Jean Yip package! 

Look at the lady down.... I did not see when the television switched to Colours from CNN.... I like the lady... below.... In the show biz world, she is not eager to show off her physical assets... she writes, speaks and acts on social issues! ... We do not expect a VS Naipaul style from a Mrs. Funny Bones... everyone  have their distinctive style.... I love her wit... the way she resurrected her husband's life... haha I meant his choice of films! Guess the song... my favourite!... No, I will not show the hero's face... his fists are not in his control how much of a charitable person he is .... Oh! I adore Bollywood, the day I shared the fish fry and dhoka bhaja recipe, it was one of my heartthrob Madhuri Dixit's birthday.... I did not know and it felt good! A reminder once again... the lady below in black does not pay for my Jean Yip packages... I am that free willed person who decides her own likes and dislikes ...

This COASTAL STYLE MUTTON may not be an authentic one.... I used the available spices in my kitchen and went ahead! I do slow cooking most of the time..... I am a stay-at-home and have enough time.... more so if you store enough energy having "aam / kola doi / dudh chirey / muri"..... puffed rice / flattened rice with milk / yogurt , mango or banana.... we call it "pholar" probably..... the daddy's girl this way.... this kinds were his "evening food".... I have got irregular with my walks and exercise regime.... all of the toning is gone.... I look like a football but do not forget to click or express my delight at the sight of such a small, fruit bearing "jamrul gach".... more so when it seems I cannot grow any fruit or vegetables on my balcony.... a kind of insect or may be caterpillars eat them.... only the "orchids, togor, patabahars" love me! Nothing comes for free in this world.... even the plants seek the love I show towards mutton and hilsa! There had been some kulfi making session too! I loved doing the super quick, no cook coolers..... this island gives you the freshest of fruits and yes, peace...... 

Coming to our mother, she cooks in less oil, loves fruits ... any kind, roshogolla and oh so patient and cool in any dreadful situation. The daughter loves everything unhealthy.... "chop, shingara, pantua, tel rogrogey patha o ilish".... and is impatient. Yesterday, the husband went for an invitation after I gave a nod.... he loves his wife come on.... he knows I will not go anywhere leaving the son alone at home at this moment.... I missed watching Raazi too... oh! its a Meghna Gulzar film and has to be different.... This girl Alia Bhatt will go far.... a young, confident, natural actor who does not dump the face with makeup... like her too! The parents of the boy or the girl who would stand 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the son's class might have seen Raazi by now or partied hard this weekend or may not be.... but I am this way! If I have given birth to him, I should behave responsibly.... I am selfish enough to admit that he is the prime in my life.... the rest of the world comes next.... though I am not eager to prove it in the social media every other day.... The son got Mac meals for him and Cristine didi at night.... I told him to but our mother would not have allowed outside food during any examination. What did this primitive eat? "Ruti, peyaz, lanka" and what you call hash browns... I keep a frozen packet for the men.... I have once in six months.... I liked it.... "ruti-aloobhaja".... what else is required?

I am yet to settle on an Oshi Palav recipe ..... I do not have any friend in Uzbekistan.... I have to depend on big brother Google though  it ignores it's little sister....  it does matter but I do not bother. The way I name my recipes these days.... they are not to be chosen by the search engines it seems! Lets eat... drink.... merry instead! This COASTAL STYLE MUTTON can be done either with lamb or mutton. I used mutton though the senior prefers lamb and the later will take little less time to cook! I lightly fried all the spices used, grated coconut, onion, ginger and garlic in oil and then prepared a paste with all adding little water! The mutton off course had to be marinated for hours. What else is left but cooking it over slow fire?

By the way, if anyone from Kolkata is reading my blog post, do check with our childhood friend Nabendu Saha's food joint "FOODPATH".... the Laketown unit is relocating, the Sinthimore unit is active... just beside the PNB... our friend Swati Bhattacharya's daughter has already visited and gives a thumbs up both to the food and the ambience!

I have just updated the pictures of a previous blog post of PRAWN CURRY WITH RIDGE GOURD AND POTATO.... for us there is nothing like light curries in summer... be it fish, meat or mixed vegetables! Click the heading below for the recipe!

PRAWN CURRY WITH RIDGE GOURD AND POTATO

INGREDIENTS :

Mutton : 1kg [can be lamb too]
Garlic Cloves : 8-10 [peeled and washed]
Onion Slices : 1medium cup [peel, wash, slice the onion]
Ginger Slices : 1tbsp [peel, slice, wash the ginger pieces]
Grated Coconut : 1small cup
Cumin Seed : 1tsp
Coriander Seed : 11/2tsp
Fennel Seed : 1tsp
Black Peppercorn : 1tsp
Dry Red Chilli : 5-6
Cinnamon Stick : 3-4 two inch size
Green Cardamom : 3-4
Cloves : 3-4
Bay Leaf : 1big
Lemon Juice : 1/2small cup
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp +1/2tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Oil : 3tbsp +4tbsp

PROCEDURE :

If I cook mutton for lunch, I usually marinate it the previous night.... you can do it for at least 5 hours.

Wash the mutton pieces thoroughly under running water. Drain all the water.

Apply 1tsp turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, ginger paste and garlic paste to the mutton pieces. Rub very well. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 5-8 hours and take out an hour before starting to cook it.

Heat 3tbsp oil in a wok and add the ginger and onion slices, garlic cloves.... fry till they turn golden brown. 

Add the black peppercorns, dry red chillies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and the grated coconut! Fry at low heat for 2-3 minutes. Switch off gas and let cool.

Transfer the fried spices along with the remaining oil to the blender! Add little water and blend to a paste with regular intervals. Add more water if required.

Heat 4tbsp oil in a wok and temper with cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves and a bayleaf.

As they splutter, add the spice paste and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and little salt. Stir for a minute.

Add the mutton pieces without the marinade. Stir for 5 minutes at high heat. Reduce heat to minimum and add the marinade. Cover with a lid.

It will release a good amount of water and then to dry up it may take 35-40 minutes.... always to keep the heat at minimum. We will open cover and stir every 3-4 minutes to avoid the bottom to burn.

Once all the water dries up, add 11/2 coffee mug of warm water and fold in well. Cover cook for 8-10 minutes at minimal heat. We should be done. 

Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with rice, roti, paratha. You can see a Bengali style climbing perch fish curry with cauliflower and potato "fulkopi aloo diye koi maach" and daal in the platter.

GUR LEBUR SHORBOT

Oh! only an ignorant like me will know the pain of scrolling and scrolling your Google photo album and find out a photo you desire to blog about! Then you edit them and create three photos from two with a brain that always works in slow motion! I prefer to keep three main photos per post these days.... when we will not be there, people will know there had been a family of three who ate, drank, merry and took life as it came! As you know, I suffered, still suffer from a condition or disease that drags me towards negative situations & thoughts.... so besides all the beautiful posts by the parents on their kids' achievements.... my eyes get drawn towards something else.... three IIT students took off their lives before their semester.... the son of a small time worker consumes rat poison not satisfied with his +12 results, the daughter of a mason committed suicide after been raped.... I have learnt to handle stress all by myself.... I remember all those sedatives did not help me... All the anger inside is channelised to the mother "chele-meye dutokey ki tairi korecho acholer tolai rekhe.... ektu chartey hoy.... shokto korey tairi kortey hoy".... Yes, I blame our mother for not making us  strong enough to face life! I remember a college going daughter refusing to have muri / puffed rice or bread for a single day and the mother preparing ruti / porota / luchi almost every day.... I feel guilty very much.... a gift of a tusser sari or a gold ear stud is not enough to get rid of it.... but I got wiser.... I have to scold her when she feeds meat to her son 3-4 days a week or luchi as a breakfast each and everyday.... his cholesterol level is high, percentage of uric acid crossed the danger level.... Who listens to me? 

A majority of the Bengalis will do some exercise only after leaving West Bengal! You may call me anything, but Bengali stomachs are not made to digest meat every other day.... we do not have meat stews..... a lot of oil and spices goes in ..... I do not think I can go for a ketogenic diet ever.... an egg once a week makes my "pet joydhak" for that day! The very calm S speaks this rough at times these days..... courtesy..... the husband.... Yet, I thanked him yesterday for gifting a stress free life to our son.... he never sets targets for the son ..... says let him be.... Yesterday, when I saw the picture of that boy in the hospital bed... who may not survive.... I broke down once the husband was back from office.... He said, "S, such incidents happened back then too.... there were no social media to highlight such news".... He says teens should learn to handle stress, parents should not push them to the edge either! Yesterday, my neighbour and friend in Kolkata.... an Eye Surgeon too.... Dr. Monalisa Pramanik shared a picture of her son's achievement in the ICSE examinations.... she has every right to.... Rochishnu scored 97.2% and I know he got it absolutely stress free.... in his own will and ability..... I know when I and Kana were talking.... we were lying to each other.... Mimo did score good but both I and Kana wished for a 92 % to 94%.... from him.... Neither we are a Rupa Roy.... we are just learning to be wise and we will not put our kids in stress.... About our son, he will not allow any stress... and his father will show me the door if I put him in stress ..... I have the feel that our son will score something between 80-85% in most of the subjects .... in fact IG board confers grades.... well our son may not get an A+ in the nine subjects out of ten.... I may cry behind the closed doors but I will not compare him with others.... I do not want a divorce, I do not earn!.... 

I feel happy for my friend Debopam's daughter who scored a 94% in ICSE, I feel happier when his wife Sarnali says S..... I will always support her wish... whatever stream she pursues I will be happy! I am learning to be like them..... at some point neither I or Kana have to lie to each other.... we will become two wise owls.... At the moment, the face of that boy who consumed rat poison is haunting me.... the parents are not telling the truth .... they might have told him something derogatory.... not all kids are like mine..... "P.... do not play those shark games ok?".... He laughs out loud.... "if I have to die I will jump off the window ..... I will not waste time playing a game and then do it"... I thank the husband again... No, this GUR LEBUR SHORBOT is not for the husband.... packets of cigars have robbed him of his old likes, appetite I believe.... it is for those less fortunate struggling in the hospital bed with a damaged liver... I am a fighter's wife, wish I could preach his philosophy of life to such weak hearts!

Our mother never made this GUR LEBUR SHORBOT.... I remotely remember that I had seen my grandmother doing it when I was this little.... Did the "chatur shorbot" sellers sell this desi cooler in the Kolkata streets? I do not remember really.... I did not call the 90 year old lady either for the recipe of this summer cooler! I make it on my own, not often though because I am a diabetic.... Olong and Ayataka tea work best for me and wow! for the son too.... so much so that I stopped getting Iced Lemon Tea cans for him! He has become one of this island.... though prefers beef than a clam, squid or crab! He was 7-8 years old when his father took him to a Mac joint in Houston and bought him a big Mac.... he was 5-6 years old when the husband noticed that the boy goes and sits beside mumma in the prayer room.... he dogmatised him saying God is a myth! The son goes to the school, says it and gets badly beaten by a senior boy.... I got wild at the husband... why this early you had to? The answer was .... "you too had been calling him at times of prayer"..... Thereafter, I did not fill socks with gifts and chocolates.... once I did and the son said, "I know you did it"... all my pleasure was gone! I am just trying to say.... kids should behave like kids when they are kids.... my son was never a kid. That is when one Dibyendu Banerjee says your boring husband never was a kid, hence.... and that bald headed... yesteryear Sunny Deol for us... calls him a "jethu".... only a romantic like me was left to marry him! 

That bald headed person had been always there for me.... err... for my husband's wife... at midnight in the airport, when our car met with an accident, for my father at the funeral ground... my husband only had to say... "S ke dekhish".... I am leaving for months... look after S! No, you will not see them on my social media friend list... social media photographs do not really prove anything! The husband is protective of his "core group"..... says we had been there for each other without any personal interest! Anyway, whenever I am down... I am frequently so given my mental condition or disease, something is there to divert my attention! See, a beauty with wings graced our window pane.... may be early morning! 

                                 

No, I am not calling names, what if some PETA members read my post? I am keeping my cool thinking he or she might had loose motion.... the heat is such ..... it could not control! I clicked to complain at the office but then realised it is not a human job as does my neighbour above my floor back in Kolkata... That beautiful lady is so insensible that she considers my flat as her dustbin.... even when I stayed there.... Repeated complains to the management office had no solutions.... though the old paa-in-law goes and pays our maintenance bill regularly.... People use our parking lot for free.... and that her highness made a good dustbin of my balcony and AC machines.... Decency could never fight insensibility. Here, the management takes every complain seriously and takes immediate action.... work culture matters! Do not tell me that all women are victims.... that insensible lady's husband and parents are gentle!.... 

I am another worse case.... with a flat but choosy nose I ignore people who I cannot get along with.... I accept that I am not accommodating! Till date I could not complete a can of 100 plus.... after a race, they do give one... I get it for the son... they will not give me a doi er ghol or GUR LEBUR SHORBOT! 100 plus is good, there is no harm in trying heirloom, desi Indian drinks either.... they can be better for Indian stomachs. I am that desi who prepares "Maan Kochu bata" in her kitchen.... a heirloom, no cook Bengali recipe with maan kochu / malanga coco, chilli-mustard paste, grated coconut and mustard oil.... May be I will blog about it after the big event of some of my readers is over.... at the moment they need coolers... lot of hydrating summer drinks.... that need not be expensive "badam shorbot" at all times.... this GUR LEBUR SHORBOT helps too.... not all of them live in big homes.... our Rizia Mashi does not take a single day leave, neither did my Chotu during these months! 

Anyway, I have to go for a simple share today because I have to clean my window panes.... Sir told Cristine will not do because those are open windows... I am not a Divya Bharati that media will go gaga on me.... if you do not see me around tomorrow .... do pray for my own.... Oh yes, you need not wait till tomorrow .... you can see me doing "ghonta pooja" in different groups... all for the blog.... For you who work out in the Sun.... say for a walk or run or play field games, or working indoor... this homemade desi drink works wonder to hydrate your system! Do try!

No, these sky scrappers do not say anything, only that we are a part of those cages of different sizes, in one you get "kochu bata to loti shutki" everything simple .... If you are sensible enough not to cause damage to my property in my absence.... you are most welcome!

INGREDIENTS :

Jaggery : 100gm [We get chemical free jaggery powder here, do you? then use]
Lemon Juice : 1/2small cup
Black Salt : 1/4tsp
Black Pepper Powder : 2-3 pinch
Water : As Required

PROCEDURE :

Take the jaggery in a mortar and pestle and break into smaller pieces, you can do it with a rolling pin too! If you are using  jaggery powder... this step is not required.

Take the smaller jaggery pieces in a container and add enough water. Add the lemon juice too! Stir and keep covered. The jaggery has to dissolve completely.

Strain the jaggery water and pour in to another container. Add the black salt and black pepper powder. Stir well and pour into tall glasses.

Top with some ice cubes and enjoy sipping! If you are not a diabetic, have it everyday... no harm!

BENGALI FISH FRY O MOONG DAL NARKOL DIYE DHOKA BHAJA

Well, yesterday  I was at home.... we are not grounded at the school canteen if the kids are having examinations for the entire day! .... The daddy drops and the mumma goes to collect her weirdo.... chats for half an hour with her beautiful friend and other parents if any! I asked my friend Piyali.... "it cannot be so that all the mothers except you and me are working.... "porikkhar shomoy to ektu ashtey parey.... during exam they can come at least!".... My flat nose is really getting bigger poking in every other matter.... The senior hates it.... says it is absolutely unnecessary... more so in this island that is so safe.... All the kids are calling the cabs by themselves and going home..... Then, I cannot manage with memories you all know.... a lady with 4'9" height stands in front.... who did not watch television during our examinations .... sat under a tree for four long hours during her married daughter's examinations too.... Her son did not agree to go to the examination hall without her where she waited in a tea stall outside dominated by males! Thinking of the wrinkled face, I cannot sit at home! We could not fulfil her wish ..... I can at least follow her footsteps.... She is too tensed just as my paa-in-law is with their grandson's education.... given he is different from others since childhood! 

Take a look at the picture below.... while all the kids are assembled together and discussing the question paper, the tailed creature of ours was walking alone talking to himself.... anyway, he talks to some selective friends ..... if the mother talks to his friends, he gets upset  and says... "stop talking to strangers!".... Mumma tells the weird.... "my baby's friends are my babies too!".... that gets smile on his face.... Once he went to the 10th standard, mumma asked him to call his friends at home.... mumma wishes to treat them .... with her cunning wish to take forward her blog... "would you ask your parents to take a look at my blog"..... haha... come on I am not that selfish either.... my friends had free entry at our home... I would love to! I am preparing all these fries and fritters as a practice.... I want him to behave normal and call his friends home... as I did.... Not all of them did come though.... may be because we did not live in a "posh" neighbourhood or I was not worth to be in touch with.... For the most of the rest, our two roomed rental home was open! I do not usually cross roads with people who avoid me! When some people cash on that and enjoy taking a dig at my weaknesses or pain, I wonder why should I spare them?.... Most of the time I try to ignore thinking they must be unhappy souls in their own lives, so it gives them pleasure to prick others.... No, I am not targeting the food blogging world or the people I know personally or  any celebrity .... There are people who pens silly melodrama every other day, as irrelevant as mine... not every writer writes readable stuffs! Anyway, some of my friends frequented so much so that our entire neighbourhood knew me and T are going to marry at a time when we did not have in our wild dreams that T & S can ever marry! Our society till then did not accept that a boy and a girl can be very good friends sharing many a thoughts and feelings under the Sun! Oh yes, see our school uniform colour and the son's matches.... This is wow...... round and round I see you at each turn.... the earth whispers!

I have become an expert clicking my men from the back.... they hate been clicked and seen in social media.... Only when we go for a trip, I manage some and share to their utmost disgust.... Anyway, do you think I am sharing a BANGALI FISH FRY O MOONG DAL NARKOL DIYE DHOKA BHAJA just to show off my love for my men?.... Nope, yesterday the ICSE board results were out, messages are pouring in from Kolkata... my friends' kids faired well.... percentage ranging from 86% to 97%.... feeling happy for them... boys and the girls both.... I have a problem only with those who have a problem with mine.... I have located those.... No, I do not expect from strangers.... It is a crime to discriminate kids who you know.... and also to those you do not know... be it a boy or a girl.... I definitely cannot keep considerable amount of space in my heart for such people! Anyway, early morning I discovered that my friend Kana Dasgupta did not message me... I called her, woke her up and enquired... My Mimo is a very obedient son.... very much naive unlike mine.... well S aunty was expecting a better percentage from him.... though he has done pretty well! For all these boys and girls who I know will do good in life .... a share from this snacks platter of BANGALI FISH FRY O MOONG DAL NARKOL DIYE DHOKA BHAJA!

Today, the son does not have any examination.... mumma has time to jot down the recipes of the vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks she prepared yesterday.... Getting ahead with a Bengali style fish fry recipe is a five to six hours of prep time for me.... I am myself very much worried about any kind of smell from the fish.... We usually use Bhetki fillet for fish fries! What if I only have some frozen Tilapia fillets at home? I will go ahead for sure.... Fresh Tilapia, specially the smaller, black variety is good to have. Problem is neither I or the husband fancy it. Tilapia first entered our home when the brother was diagnosed with jaundice in the 9th standard! The doctor prescribed tilapia curry for him cooked without oil....  I could not love it... so the mother did not get.... However, the daddy  started loving it and had it in his last years... 

I had big tilapia fillet first at sister like Ujjaini Bhaduri's home in Houston back in 2009... I was a Kolkatan then..... a "tyangra, aar, pabda, kajoli, boyal, bhola, batashi, koi khaoa Bangali"..... I was skeptical giving a nod! The "chuno mach" loving Ujjaini said try S didi.... you will not feel anything, trust me! They were then only three months into that land... she was like me scared of that "gol chakti" and had to wait for the weekend when her husband will drive her to the Indian market! I enjoyed a "Hemanta / Manna" at Amit's car.... got excited to see senior Reagan's palace in their neighbourhood... yet was sad.... "hyarey Robidar mudi dokan nei to rey ektao".... "kancha lanka kintey jetey gari bar korish?"..... Thank God they lived in a duplex which were not located 200 mts away from each other! One palace... then another at "shei konai.... majkhaney ekta paan-birir dokan nei".... call me a jealous or what, I am too scared of ghosts.... haha! This little sister is happy there with her family now.... shares pictures of produce from her garden! No, S didi is not jealous, she lives in a land who loves rice, aam, kathal as she does and it has a "mudi dokan" every 200mt. Only that the rent of a duplex there and that of a 11100 sqft. flat here is same ..... and if you are a foreigner you have to pay an extra stamp duty to buy a flat in a condominium! Foreigners are not allowed to buy Government owned properties ever... Sigh! 

Anyway, a BANGALI FISH FRY O MOONG DAL NARKOL DIYE DHOKA BHAJA today has other reasons too.... done with tilapia got it the Kolkata fish fry feel to me... you can go ahead! If the Principal of the son's school who hails from that "bahargaon" can have a meal with "rice, dal, sabzi, bhaji" from the school canteen, why cannot I have a tilapia?.... He is a wonderful person, seems to me so.... he too caught me last week ..... I was running after my son. He stopped me... "Tell me how can I help you?" "No, nothing as such... the son did not look back at me... I want to see his face before he gets in"... He said "I am a parent too, I can feel you.... but your son is trying to convey you a message... to trust him... he can take care of himself! We are there to take care of them.... Go and sit in the canteen!" What do I see in the canteen? Piali's daughter sitting beside her mother [it could be a father too!] and doing the last minute revision .... she would go only when the final bell rings! I got the message from the Principal Sir... he does not speak with a "shupuri" inside his mouth! The illiterate me is like"itaner ingraji ami bujhina..."..... Coming to the trust factor, I had a fight with the husband day before yesterday.... My request was / is please message me once the son gets into the room on days I am not accompanying. He did not do that and till the afternoon he did not take my phone calls ... a fight was inevitable.... 

Why I cannot trust anyone with regards the son? I have my own defences.... I did not freak around dumping the son at home, did not go for work while he was away at the sea ... I could have managed at a school.... I had a very happy life though.... so do not ask me why?.... Then I prefer a stress free zone at my home... so some snack-tack for the man too.... most of the time he speaks right... he respects the wife's wishes and does not get beef inside this home, the wife does not get pork too.... the son got a big Mac at home last to last week.... mumma was angry.... if she does not stop you from having, please listen to her request! Let us proceed with the recipes! Your family will be happy as mine. The senior was so happy that he opened a new wine bottle at 10pm.... the wife could not shoulder or share financial responsibilities with him.... this is her way of saying.... "Thank You Boss.... for giving me a home which I can call mine!"

INGREDIENTS : [for the steamed lentil fry]

Split Moong Dal : 11/2 medium cup
Grated Coconut : 1 small cup
Cumin Seed : 1/2tsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 11/2tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Asafoetida : 2pinch
Sugar : 2tsp
Salt : As Required
Turmeric : 1tsp
Water : As Required
Oil : 2tbsp + 150ml

INGREDIENTS : [for the Bengali Style Fish Fry]

Fish Fillet : 6-8 [I used Tilapia]
Lemon Juice : 1/2small cup
Ginger Extract : 2tbsp
Garlic Extract : 3tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Black Pepper Powder : 1tsp + 11/2tsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 2tbsp
Bread Crumbs : 200 gm
Refined Flour : 1small tea cup
Water : As Required
Salt : As Required
Oil : As Required to deep fry

PROCEDURE :

Let us do the BENGALI FISH FRY.... the name Bangalir Fish Fry would have suited the most, then I am not big brother Google's much loved sister... step sister perhaps. A small time food blogger like me has to struggle for a place in the search engine thingi.... it hardly helps though and I do not care.... I love to pen down my thoughts however poor my language is and to cook... so I have a blog... thats it!

I used frozen tilapia, so we need to defrost it!

We have to cut the fish fillets into squares or rectangles... The spares can be used for macher chop later.

Wash and marinate the fish fillets with lemon juice, ginger and garlic extract, 1tsp black pepper powder and little salt for 1 hour. I just strain the ginger-garlic paste to extract the juice. My garlic changes to green once made to a paste .....

After an hour, discard the marinade! Marinate the fillets again with black pepper powder, ginger and garlic paste, chopped green chillies and salt.

Fold in well, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Prepare a mixture with refined flour, salt, a cup of water. It would neither be paste like, nor watery1 Take the bread crumb on a plate.

Take the marinated fish fillets, one at a time. Dip into the flour mixture and then coat well with the bread crumb. Repeat. 

Cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate overnight or for few hours before frying. 

Take out before frying. Remove the cling wrap. Heat oil and fry in batches. Mine is a smaller wok, so I fried one at a times.

Once both sides are fried well, place on to a tissue paper before serving to get rid of the excess oil. The frying process requires adjusting the heat as and when required!

Let us prepare the pure vegan, gluten-free MOONG DAL NARKOL DIYE DHOKA BHAJA now. Usually, at Bengali homes, Dhoka... that is cooked and fried lentil is done with chana dal and made into a curry. Trust me and try it as a snack.... you will love!

At first, we will soak the dal in water for 2 hours.

We will take it in a blender discarding the water and blend it to a smooth paste. Out mothers always do a coarse paste in "shilnora"..... I am not my mother, Cristine is not "Shiprer Maa"....

We would heat 2tbsp oil in a pan and temper with asafoetida, cumin seeds, chopped green chillies! 

Then, we are to add the grated coconut and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Once done, we would add the split, skinless yellow moong dal paste, ginger paste, salt, turmeric and sugar. Fold in well and we need to continuously stir it. Add little water if required. We will cook until the sides come out clean.

Let us transfer it to a greased plate and level. Rest for an hour to set in. Cut in your desired shapes.

We are to heat the oil in a wok and deep fry the lentil cakes in batches. Rest them on to a tissue paper before having!

Serve both hot and fresh with salad and "Kasundi".... a Bengali mustard and raw mango sauce.