CHICKEN RICE IN MEMONI SPICE MIX

OUR HUSKY BABY IS HOME; WHAT'S MUMMA COOKING?

This morning we meet our child after a year and half; he is home for few days, we are on cloud9! He remains the same weird; chose to beat mumma instead of kissing, refused to get clicked or call home back in Kolkata! He warns mumma of blocking her permanently if she keeps giving him missed calls! Mumma in turn is bothered about his pimpled face. Look wise, he remains same. In absence of mumma, he forgets or does not bother to buy an anti-pimple face wash; I see black scars all over his face and get sad! Then, a scratched face is not the reason for him to hide away from the camera; he turned like this for a few years now, I think since 2016, onwards! I had to beg for the click, he would not allow  you to click his face! Aha!I remember his father was exactly this, I have few marriage pictures with him!

 Mumma wants to freeze moments, create memories, but how? The most surprising thing that happened this morning was him getting all three of us Husky T-Shirts; Cristine Didi's the priciest; that definitely needs a mention! She has almost looked after him like a mother, took very good care of him!

HAD AMOUNTING PRESSURE ON MIND REGARDS TO THE SON TRAVELLING ALONE, YET COOKED CHICKEN RICE TO MOCHAR PATURI!

When I visit the Mustafa Centre, I am in awe of the variety of the spice mixes, of different brands! I wish I could buy all of them! But I end up spoiling a lot because I cook simple with usual spices the Bengalis use. My favourite brand is Everest. In Singapore, I buy Mumtaz, Baba, Housebrand, Puttu in turns! Shan is a good spice brand, National too! Singapore being a cosmopolitan city is the best place to taste different brands from various countries! Loving to cook meat & rice and also learning their history; I bought this Memoni Mutton Biryani spice mix, Kasba Rice Mix, Mandi Rice Mix! Then I felt, it should be one at a time! We also love our roti meals. Yesterday, a tensed Sunday was spent eating homely food! For our lunch we both had "lau er chokla boti, doi mach, dal"; I forgot to click! At night, I made paratha to go with Raw Jackfruit Kebabs, leftovers from a delivery!

WHAT IS CHICKEN RICE WITH MEMONI SPICE MIX?

I really did not learn about a Memoni mutton biryani until recently; yet I reserve the right to call myself a food blogger! Recently, I have learnt it is a hot spice mix from the Memonis of Gujarat & Sindh region of the Indian Subcontinent! Although, I found the Shan's mix quite mild! I have used chicken, instead of the mutton in this gluten-free, non-vegetarian rice and meat dish;CHICKEN RICE IN MEMONI SPICE MIX!Last Saturday, I did, felt the rice was a bit overdone; not having the time to put in dum to get biryani, I stir fried the rice; it's bound to break!

Last night, the sight of the broken rice irritated me & I decided to remake it today! Why not? The cooked chicken was there, the son arrived in the morning, the man obviously had taken a leave! Lets do it then, in way less time than a biryani takes!

Few similar Recipes from the blog:

A SPICY AFFAIR WITH FISH & VEGETARIAN FRIED RICE

SPICY VEGETARIAN RICE

KHICHURI BEGUN BHAJA O ALOO BHAJA

INGREDIENTS :

BASMATI RICE : 11/2 COFFEE MUG

CHICKEN : 1 KG

POTATO : 2

SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 3-4

CHOPPED TOMATO : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP

BEATEN PLAIN YOGURT : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

ONION PASTE : 3 -4 TBSP

GINGER PASTE : 2 TBSP

GARLIC PASTE : 2-3 TBSP

CUMIN POWDER : 2 TSP

CORIANDER POWDER : 2 TSP

RED CHILLI POWDER : 2 TSP

TURMERIC POWDER : 1 TSP

MEMONI MUTTON SPICE MIX : 2-3 TBSP

CINNAMON STICK : 2-3 ONE INCH SIZE

GREEN CARDAMOM : 3-4

CLOVE : 3-4

BLACK CARDAMOM : 1

STAR ANISE : 1

MACE : 2-3

BAY LEAF : 3-4

SALT : AS REQUIRED

GHEE : 2 TBSP

ROSE WATER : 2 TSP

OIL : 3 TBSP

PROCEDURE :

I washed and marinated the chicken with turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger and garlic pastes, salt! At least for an hour it is required to be marinated!

We will heat the oil in a wok, temper with a bay leaf! Thereafter, we will add the onion paste, salt, little of turmeric!

I added the chicken, stir cooked at low heat for 7-8 minutes! I added the washed, chopped tomatoes, some peeled, washed potato cubes, the Memoni spice mix, slitted green chillies & the beaten yogurt!

I stir cooked for sometime, cover cooked at minimal heat for 20-25 minutes!

I washed the rice with water, boiled in salted water along with bay leaves, both cardamom varieties, cinnamon sticks, cloves, mace & star anise.

After cooking about 70-75% of it, Cristine strained it in a colander!

I took half of the rice in a microwave proof bowl; added the chicken, potatoes, rose water, some ghee!

I topped it with rice again, added some ghee & rose water! I covered it with a microwave proof lid!

I cooked it at 600 power for 10-12 minutes in microwave cooking mode!

Keep at rest for sometime before serving hot with raita & salad on the side!

BISCUIT CAKE

PLAIN BARE CAKES ARE IN MY CAPACITY!

I will prepare them with kitchen staples, I will not buy a couple of ingredients to bake a cake that is not my forte! What are you asking me to learn at 51? I did no learning when it was required the most! I am always like, Oh! God, give me a bed or couch to lie down! I was back home after a long walk around 3:45pm, since then it's only a good sleep that is calling me! I was out of home since the morning; I went to the local market, then to the doctor! Thereafter, I walked to the old neighbourhood. I forgot it is X-mas time; there was a long queue in the parlour. I was passing time having cooler; had lunch, stood behind ten people to get my eyebrows, upper lips & chin clean; then caught a train back home! I took a shower, instead of lying down; made a late start sharing a bake with you whose photo feature was done in 2019, December! Why didn't I share it earlier?

 I am having too much of sugary drinks these days; I always carry a bottle of water from home wherever I go!

BISCUIT IS SPECIAL LOVE I COULD NOT GET OVER AS YET!

Many warned me biscuits are nothing but full of sugar & flours! I cannot be that calculative! I wonder how people are articulate, careful with their words, steps. People high on emotion and nuts like me would never learn. But anyway, I do not mind;I can be a self centric but cannot be selfish! At 51, I need not achieve much in life, lets me be; roam around carefree; eat my chai, coffee with biscuits. I denounced my choice of biscuits; the cream stuffed varieties, ginger biscuits & other sugary ones! Our parents never allowed us cream biscuits. I do not support that too, we can be a bit indulgent given our kids' taste buds. I have allowed my son; one cannot make T indulgent, he is too restrictive about his food intakes. Bhai too does not think twice when he wants to eat something!

WHAT IS BISCUIT CAKE?

I keep trying new varieties of biscuits like my brother does with shampoos and soaps. Our parents were loyal to certain brands; T too is the same. "Do not they feel bored?" Some biscuit varieties do not go with my tastebud. I read about biscuit cakes, learnt those I do not like, if I have a variety of them; I can bake a BISCUIT CAKE! I like shortbreads, cannot remember why I used a full packet in the cake! A vegetarian cake is a welcome in my home; I cannot get along with the smell of egg in bakes & sweets unless done by a professional! Here is how I have baked world's simplest biscuit cake with the kitchen staples! Look what I am eating at 6:15pm after a heavy lunch!

My teatime is ritualistic, forcefully I stopped having breakfast; I do not know where to put a full stop when it involves food!

Few similar recipes from the Blog :

BUTTER CUP CARDAMOM CAKE

AKHROT O PATALI DIYE STEAMED RICE CAKE

SHAMA CHAL ER TAWA PITHA

INGREDIENTS :

BISCUIT PACKET : 250-300 GM

PLAIN YOGURT : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

FRESH CREAM : 100-125 ML

VINEGAR : 1 TBSP

BAKING POWDER : 1 TSP

BAKING SODA : 1/2 TSP

SUGAR : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP [YOU CAN USE MORE]

CINNAMON POWDER : 1/2 TSP

OIL : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP

PROCEDURE :

We will be using few ingredients lying in the kitchen!

We will powder the biscuits in a blender!

We would take yogurt, vinegar, fresh cream, sugar, oil in a bowl, beat to a smooth batter!

We will add the powdered biscuits to it and mix well!

We will mix well and add the cinnamon powder at this stage and mix well. I forgot and added later!

We will grease the cake tin with few drops of oil, dust it with refined flour!

We will add the cake mixture to it. I forgot earlier, added the cinnamon powder at this stage. You will not do this mistake!

We will level the batter. The batter needed more of liquid that I admit!

Mine is a convection mode microwave. I had placed the low height wired stool inside, pre-heated the oven at 180*C for 10 minutes!

I placed the cake tin atop the stool and baked at 180*C for 30-35 minutes I think! You much check the cooking time, please!

The cake turned out to be moist and dense; really good to eat!

APPLE GRAPE JAM

 I HAVE A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH HOMEMADE JAM, JELLY, ACHAR!

My readers know the few Western dishes our mother did regular with seasonal fruits were jelly and jam! After a "kalbaishakhir jhor" in the month of April; within a week; two to three varieties of raw mango pickle were made. Raw mangoes were sold at cheap rate post a storm. Our mother would look for opportunities; middle-class homes did the same! In the present day, I do that! I see what discounts the  Marigold, Amul Gold, Cowhead, Dutch Lady are offering, then buy! I remember someone laughed at my misery, thereafter I stopped going out with people for shopping! I stayed in a city called Kolkata, showing off is no where there in my dictionary, I do not hide my tendencies. I have seen people from smaller towns step into a city with a lot of complex, comprehensions! Unless they are confident and intelligent selves; they would tend to show off, become an  extravagant to get into the league, to get noticed. I think I am a born lethargic; the lazy self is like,"Oh! My couch! Glorious couch; hug me tight!" No doubt, I come from a family where the mother after all the work, shower & lunch; sat with the organic jam, jelly, pickle making sessions!

I MUST GO WITH AN EASY RECIPE SHARE TODAY!

It is the X-mas bells ringing near is true; that I am tired after doing a delivery of food is also true! Then, I would not let go sharing a recipe in the blog, I like it! I enjoyed cooking a varied Bengali platter today! Because it is my hobby, I did not feel tired while cooking; only that I had the tension to finish in time! I was however delayed by half n hour! After having the lunch, I feel sleepy! Since yesterday, I had been arranging for today's delivery; if tensed I eat more! Look at what I ate yesterday, what I served at the man's plate, my GOD Family's plates!

I thought the man's plate would be less, so bought an extra onigiri which he refused as excess. My lunch was almost spoilt given it was a tuna mayo onigiri whose smell I could not tolerate! 2:50$ was wasted! At night, I chose to prepare a humble "paratha-aloo" meal for both of us! Those mini pineapples come from Thailand! The father gets only chocolates & flowers unless its a special day! Before leaving for the airport on January 2017, I clicked him in our flat, did not know within four months he would leave us! Absolutely no one can take his place, it should be true for everyone around! I wish I talked to him a little more, cooked for him often, get him here one more time and take to the places I could not on his first trip!

WHAT IS APPLE GRAPE JAM?

Following the mother, I prepare jam, spread in our home; used to frequently when the son was more in and around the home! I love jam and butter together on the toast, not allowed to given it's sugar content! Then what to do with the excess of the fruits post a special prayer at home? I make jam with different combinations of fruits. Wish I could completely skip using the sugar, I could not take my tastebuds to that level as yet. It is Xmas around; moreover looking at the enthusiasm of my brother & son around the Formula1 races, I felt lets get this vegan, gluten-free, organic condiment; APPLE GRAPE JAM to the blog today! I think its for his nephew, my brother is talking less about cricket these days! It was fun to hear from him how the very reticent nephew shared with him the way he cheered for Max & drank cans of RedBull, got sore throat; mumma cannot even ask why he drank that much of chilled drink on a wintry night! I better wait for the respective meets! It was jam-luchi rolls at first in baby's lunch boxes; it was jam on cream-crackers sitting with bhai, it was jam & butter both on bread with T at the Toshali Sands! That was less of a Honeymoon and more about learning new things I did not require to until age 26! Could I learn to be at par with the world at 51? Not really! Anyway, if you are into vegetarian food, keep some homemade jam on your table! See, I have learnt a bit so I can make some suggestions about food!

Few other Condiment Recipes from the Blog :

STAR ANISE FLAVOURED PLUM PRESERVE

PINEAPPLE JAM WITH CHILLI FLAKES

PEPPERY MANGO JAM

PEYARAR JELLY

INGREDIENTS :

APPLE : 3-4

GRAPE : 500 GM

SUGAR : 1/2 SMALL TEA CUP SIZE

LEMON JUICE : 1/4 SMALL TEA CUP SIZE

CINNAMON STICK : 1 OR 2

PROCEDURE :

The first thing to do is to wash, peel and slice small the apples. Then we are to wash the grapes & half them.

We would take the apple slices in a deep bottomed pot half filled with water and put for boil!

After the apple slices have softened, say after 20 minutes of boiling; we would add the grapes & the cinnamon sticks!

After another 10-12 minutes of boiling, we would add the sugar and keep boiling at medium to low heat further!

Our job is to stir & adjust the heat at frequent intervals.

When both the fruits look softened & have melted 70%, we would add the lemon juice and give a stir!

We would keep boiling & stirring until it reaches a sticky consistency! That takes time!

Once cool, we will transfer it to a dry, sterilised bottle! You can choose to keep or throw off the cinnamon!