Completing 13 years of Food blogging with Kosha Mangsho and Porota

13 years back, I started a blog.
Named its Kichukhonn.
Wrote poetry in it.
And then, one day,  discovered the word of food blogging.
Was hooked right away ..... complete with line and sinker.
Renamed the blog as Kitchene Kichukhonn.
And started my affair with food.

Rather, journaling my affair with food. 

Just a few years  into marriage, never having cooked or watched anyone cook earlier, staying in a different culture away from home, marrying into yet another different culture and finding nothing in common when it came to food ..... I was desperate to make all efforts to cook a decent meal. 

With the two of us having completely different food habits, I tried to cook to please both our palates and soul.
Was not easy.

B wouldn't eat anything with paanch phoron and I gagged every time I smelled hing.
Rotis for B and rice for me. And so on.
Most importantly, vegetarian food for B and non-vegetarian for me.

I was at my wits end.

Calls to both sides of the family ended in more confusion.
And inputs from both cousins just drove me to tears. 

Until I took things into my hands and started to cook from my heart. 

I would decide how I felt like eating a particular vegetable as or what tempering I would prefer for a particular dal. 
Or how to make Maggi in different ways. 😀

Slowly, the baby steps turned into confident ones. And both of us started to like what we cooked. Then friends validated. And then family. I decided to keep a tab on my recipes, that were often made right there in the kitchen, while cooking.

And that is how my food blog came into being.

Slowly, along the way, came bloggers who encouraged, shared and egged on each other. 

And what a beautiful world and friends I discovered!
Beautiful, warm people with hearts as big as the world.
And some of them are still with me.

Life happened along the way and every moment, good or bad, every turn, got reflected on my blog.

It was my second home and my blogger friends and readers, my family.

Thank you everyone for all your love and for staying with me and Kitchene Kichukhonn for all these years. 

I made a Kosha mangsho, grabbing whatever little chance life gives these days to celebrate or be happy. Slow cooked it on the stove ..... stirring it from time to time, checking for moisture, salt and spice level. Took me a good 2 hours and above. 
But was worth every effort. 
I was especially overjoyed to see that dark colour that every authentic Bengali kosha mangsho has.

B made his special Aloo dopyaza. 
I don't know the recipe. 

And we enjoyed them with parathas made with maida and ghee, since I am off oils now. 

Rounded off with mangoes (later).

Let me know if you want the recipe of the Kosha mangsho ... I will update the post. 
Feeling too lazy right now. 

Take care all. And stay safe. 

Another closer look. 
See how flaky the parathas are?! 😇😇