Besan chila ki dahiwali sabzi ..... part of a vegetarian meal plate

I spent most part of the last week relaxing and catching up with my reading, knitting and some bingeing on some light series on Netflix. They are mostly light romances or just simple stories with a backdrop of a small town and the people there. I had loved Virgin River and am right now on Good Witch.
Somewhere in between, I binged on the K drama Heaven's Garden. And was totally smitten by it. I will start on Crash landing on you soon.

The other day I was reading an article about this current craze for kdramas / Korean tv serials .
If you ask me the reason, I will happily give mine.
For starters, they are extremely well made.
The actors are fine, the stories clean and realistic, beautiful locations and above all, you can watch them forever without having a cringe inducing scene jumping right at you or a burst of foul language that will push you to seek for the fast forward ⏩ button.

Honestly I am totally over our desi series.
They are unnecessarily gory, filled with foul language and over the top crime and extremely distasteful scenes of physical intimacy.
I actually check out the ratings first and then decide if they are 'safe' for me to watch 😄

However I am very much a desi when it comes to home cooked food .
This lunch plate has  -  

Besan cheela ki sabzi : 

Make a thin batter with besan /  gram flour, salt, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and water. 

Make cheela / crepes on a flat pan or tawa like so. 

Cut into thick strips. 

Beat curd with a little besan and water in a bowl. 
Add turmeric powder, salt. 
Heat a little ghee. 
Add cumin seeds and hing. 
 
Add the curd and cook on low heat till it starts to simmer. 

Let in the chila strips and cook till they soak up enough liquid. 

Serve hot. 

Kale chane ki sabzi : 

Soak and boil black chickpeas. 
Cut potatoes into cubes. 
Chop onions and green chillies. 
Heat ghee. 
Add jeera and the onion. 
Stri fry till pink and add the potatoes. 

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. 
Cover and cook till just done. 

Add the boiled chickpeas, red chilli powder and the green chillies. 

Cover and cook till everything comes together. 

Sprinkle a little garam masala powder and serve hot. 

My oil free Hing ka achar : 

Mooli ki bhuji 

Cut radish / Mooli into strips. 
Heat oil .... I use 1 tsp of ghee. 
Add jeera / cumin seeds and hing. 
Add in the radish strips and turmeric powder + salt. 

Stir and cover. Cook till done. 

Another look of the full plate. 

 You can see the post here too.  

And here too. 

Enjoy!! 

Narkel Kanchalonka Doi diye Chicken / Chicken cooked with coconut, green chillies and curd

 There are days when you make a recipe.
And then there are days when a recipe makes you.

I was running short of time today as I rushed through my daily chores while something kept nagging at the back of my head.
That something was important ... very important to me ... it had been almost a week since I had eaten a proper non vegetarian meal last.
Barring the one quick stir fried chilli chicken and a boiled egg one day with my soft, phyana bhaat ( if you are with me on instragram or facebook, you will know. )
So as I did the laundry and kept away the dishes, visions of a steaming hot mutton curry and some hot rice danced before my eyes.
By the time it was early noon, I could not take it any more.
More so because B's favourite summer combo meal was almost done.
And there was nothing to tempt me to sit down for lunch.
I had to have some mangshor jhol .... urgently.

The day had not started on a good note.
A sad news regarding a childhood friend's loss had already set a morbid spell and I desperately needed something to break it.
So dropped everything and went out to get mutton.
As luck would have it, there was no mutton ... "You will get it by 2:00 o'clock, Ma'am" was what I got.
I had no intention of waiting till two, so grabbed a half kilo pack of chicken and came home.
And then realised that I have run out of my homemade ginger garlic paste ... not a cube in the freezer.
Thankfully I had some already peeled garlic in the fridge.
And found the chutney jar of my mixer in the fridge .... with a good amount of coconut paste in it!!

I knew immediately what to do. No standing and frying and koshaoing for long.
All I would do was mix everything and set it to cook.
And that is how this beautiful recipe came by to brighten up my day .... or whatever was left of it.

 I had curd in the fridge ... it was a few days old as well as store bought ... which made it slightly sour and was perfect to cook meat with.
I decided to cook all the chicken at once and freeze batches ... that will save me a few hours of cooking for the next few days , when I can concentrate on my sewing.
So mixed the chicken with curd and masalas and let it sit for around 15 minutes while I made the Aamras ( pureed the mango ) for B's meal.
And then sat it on the stove to cook while I went back to my chores.
In less than half an hour, it was done ... slow cooked to perfection.
No frying, no stirring, no checking on, no hassles at all.


I am tempted to call this a no oil preparation but that one spoonful of mustard oil in the marination is holding me back.
Whatever oil you see in the picture is from the curd and the chicken's fat (there was not much ... I am just assuming. )

This curry turned out so darned good that I decided to make a post pronto .... almost as if the flavours will die away if I don't.
While clicking the photos, I had to adjust the gravy and wipe the sides and once I licked my fingers, I just could not get over with clicking and start eating.
It was just so, so good ... if I may say so.

Do give it a try ... I am sure you will love it.

Need :

To make the paste -

Grated coconut - around 8 tbsp
Garlic - 12 cloves of medium size
Ginger - half an inch piece
Green chillies - 2 (depending on the heat )

Run everything with a little water , in a grinder, to make a coarse paste.

For the curry -

Chicken - ½ kilo
Curd - 5 tbsp
Roasted jeera/cumin powder - 2 tsp
Dhania / Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp ( I used a little biryani masala as I did not have garam masala )
Mustard oil - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste


How to :

Mix all the ingredients and the coconut paste and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Pour in a heavy bottomed kadahi / pan and cover tightly.

Set it on low heat and let it cook till chicken is done and desired consistency of the gravy is reached.

Remove cover and check for salt and sweetness.
If needed, add and cover and simmer for a couple of minutes more.

Or else, remove from heat.

Serve hot.

Goes great with rice, rotis or parathas.
And while it looks rich and heavy, it is one of the lightest of dishes that I have ever cooked. 

Enjoy!!

Narkel Doi Jhinge / Ridge gourd cooked with curd and coconut milk

 Winter sure is in love with us this year. Just a day after I mentioned how hot the days already are, the weather took a turn and it was cold again.
I lived in denial for a couple of days, refusing to wear anything warm, especially in the mornings, but gave up soon. The mornings are all misty and cold, the evenings are chilly and the nights ... boy! are the nights cold!
I do not like cold weather and so reluctantly pulled out my comforters again ... all washed and prepped  to be packed away for the year .... and also the blankets.
And now I am shuffling around in my warm slippers.
So much for the warm weather.

 The long weekend passed by in a blur.
After catching the Republic day parade on the telly ... a ritual I never miss unless there is an emergency ... , we set off to paint the town red, after a lunch of leftovers.
All I had in mind for the three days was shopping .... for myself, for B and for the house.
Pune is all out enjoying winter and the weather ... there are lots of exhibitions, flea markets and sales on.
So shopping I did.
Refurbished my kitchen shelves with modular boxes ... something I have been planning to for a longish while.
Am very happy the way kitchen shelves look now. No more space wasting with round bottles.
And my glass bottles are now free for my spices.

Just before the weekend started, I cooked this light, flavourful curry after seeing it on thegutlessfoodie's post on Instagram.
I am a fan of her food, photography and recipes.
And along with a lot of other recipes that I intend to try out, this particular curry had caught my eyes long back.
All that I was waiting for was some good ridge gourd / turai.
And as soon as B got some when shopping for vegetables, I immediately made this curry.
I followed Natasha's recipe fully except for the coconut part ... I did not have coconut at home but there was a pack of coconut cream in the fridge.
I used that.

This is such a beautifully light and flavorsome curry that you will love to have on any season.
But I think this has 'summer' written all over it.
Do give it a try and let me know.
Not a big fan of the ridge gourd / jhinge / turai, I am a convert now, after tasting this curry.

Need :

Turai / Ridge gourd / Jhinge - 2, medium, chopped
Thick curd - 1 tea cup
Coconut cream - 6 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Green chillies - 2 big
Curry leaves - 5 to 6
Whole dry red chillies - 1, broken
Roasted jeera/cumin powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp or a little less
Salt - to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tsp
Water - enough to cook in

How to :

Make a paste with the curd + green chillies + roasted cumin powder.

Heat oil.

Add the mustard seeds + cumin seeds + curry leaves + dry red chillies.

Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the chopped turai / ridge gourd + turmeric + salt.

Add a little water, cover and cook till done.

Switch off gas, remove cover and let in the paste + coconut cream .... stirring constantly .... or it will curdle.

Serve hot.
This goes best with steaming hot rice but you try it with other things too.

While had it with roti and other sides, I had made my quick Chicken Pulao with some leftover chicken curry that I had ( you will find it in my Instagram stories. )
And it went very well with it ... almost like a cooling raita ... the perfect complement to the spicy pulao.



Enjoy!!

Dahibara Aloodom - Cuttack's favourite and much loved street food

 Right now, at this moment, the state of Odisha is celebrating the monsoons with a festival that is very unique to it.
It is celebrating Raja, the festival of Mother Earth turning fertile and ready for the sowing season.
Primarily an agricultural state, Odisha has this festival celebrated with much enthusiasm at homes where every unmarried girl and married woman is celebrated during this festival.
It is believed that Mother Earth goes through the ritual of menstruation during this time and hence Raja is celebrated as a festival of fertility. There is a festive air all over and the four days of the Raja festival sees a lot of home cooked delicacies too.

The festival of Rajo ( pronounced as Rawjaw ), starts with one day before the actual festival. That day is called Sajabaja ... or decking up with new clothes, flowers, etc. or preparing for decking up by getting together new clothes and ornaments.
All agricultural work is stopped from the first day of Rajaw or Pahili rajaw till the fourth day.
Women dress up, cook, eat and share numerous delicacies like Podo pitha and other kinds of pitha, rich curries of mutton and chicken, and all kinds of sweets and payesh too.
Swings are a must ... every home and backyard will have a swing set up, either on the branch of a strong tree ... usually the mango or jamun or a neem ... and girls swing on it for fun.
This resembles the Teej festival of Rajasthan, that celebrates monsoon too.

 While my heart yearns for those beautiful days of summer vacation spent at my maternal Dadu's house in Cuttack, I set to create as many Odiya dishes as possible in my kitchen ... in celebration of those days and their memories.
Since my mother and her siblings were a big lot in number, the huge house would fall short when it came to accomodating all of them when they visited with their families.
So many would spill over to Boro Masi's place .
But would get together as soon as the day started and we kids, more than 15 in numbers, would spend the days with numerous adventures and mishaps, that would later stay on in the family as anecdotes to be recalled during get togethers.

I remember choto Mama would set up a swing for us in one of the branches of the huge ... and when I say huge it means HUGE ... Neem trees on the bank of our pond.
The pond had a cemented border and steps on four sides, complete with cement chairs for people to sit on and enjoy the cool breeze in the summer evenings when there would be no electricity power.
It was surrounded with other strong trees like the mango and the jamun too, but this particular neem stood a little behind the steps of the pond .... which gave the elders the assurance that no child will drop into the water, while swinging.

The swing itself was a broad, wooden plank with four holes drilled into it at the corners.
Thick jute ropes would then be knotted into them and tied in the most unique way ... nobody could undo them ... they were so secure.
And the swing would be set up in the highest possible, strongest branch ... which means it was a long swing. When we gained momentum and swing way high up, we would be directly above the waters of the pond. While I have never tried it, my elder cousin brothers have often jumped from that high right into the water, with a huge splash ... that would send us young ones shrieking into the water too ... but from the steps.
Dadu had made sure there was a gradual slope and the it was cemented too, from the banks, so that the littlest of grandchild could step into the waters and enjoy.

 The other beautiful memory that comes back to me from during those vacations is the gorging on street food. By the elder cousins to be precise .... we kids would merely be around but share the excitement, nonetheless.
Street food was a no no, as usual. But the older ones got to bribe the househelps to get us some anyway.
Secret messages would be passed along, avoiding the nosy elders, and we would all get together on the terrace of the third floor of the house .... where most elders avoided going due to the arduous climb ... and get one of the house helps to get us the forbidden street snacks.

One day it would be the singara + aloo chop, the Ghugni on the other. Or the much loved phuchka / gup chup ( as it called in Odiya) on other days.
But it was that one thing that everyone kept their ears perked up for .... that long tone of the man on the cycle, slowly pedaling through the quiet, lonely neighbourhoods on hot summer afternoons, two huge handis of aluminium hanging on both sides of his cycle, calling out "Alooooooo dummm dahi baraaaaa!".
And then two long rings of his cycle bell.

N didi would be up in a flash .... tip toe out of the room, and jostle and bully any one of the house helps to wake up and send the sleepy eyed fellow to buy the lip smacking Aloo dum dahi bara.
The man would make a small bowl by folding a fresh, green shaal leaf, quickly throw in some aloo dum and some break a bara / vada from the dahi vada, add some chopped onions and green chillies. a handful of spicy mixture, some more dahi and some spicy powdered masalas. A final dash of red chillies and rock salt and he hands over the leaf.
Sometimes he would add the ghugni to it too ... but not always.

By the time it would reach us, the leaf would be leaking and the precious droplets of the spicy water would be disappearing fast (which is why we sent the boy with small boxes much later ... helped by our Didima/grandmother). We would all jump in and try to get at least a couple of spoons each.
It was heaven.
And stuff that childhood memories are made of. 😃

I made a plate for myself when I had made the Aloo dom.
And sent a thought to dear N didi , who is no longer around to enjoy these sinful things that she so loved.

To make this plate of Dahi bara Aloo dom, you will have to make the Dahi bara first.
Preferably a day before.

Then you make the Aloo domm.

Then you will have to chop up some onions + green chillies + fresh coriander leaves.
Then take a plate, arrange the aloo dom and the vadas from the dahi vada.

Now add a good amount of the sour and lip smacking dahi all over it.

Then add the chopped onions + green chillies + coriander leaves.

Then add a good dose of rock salt + red chilli powder + amchur powder / lemon juice.

Now add a final spoon of the dahi and throw in some spicy mixture.

Perfect for a monsoon day or evening.
Since it is so filling, I usually have it for lunch or dinner .... especially with friends and family.
Yep ... you have to have company to enjoy this .... those close to you, those who will sniffle with you when the spice is a tad too much and those who will laugh with you thinking of long gone days.


Enjoy!!

Kaddu ka Raita / Kumror Raita

Raita is a good way to get some vegetables as well as curd into your system. Especially in these dry, hot days of summer.
The heat has been much too torturous this year. Keeping us listless.
I cannot bear being in the kitchen for long, neither in the mornings nor in the evenings.
Inspite it being my favourite place in my house.
Yes, not even my den can keep me in for more than a few minutes. Even if I am working on a project ... be it a knitting, or sewing or plain reading, I get restless and turn to my kitchen for respite. I love looking up the shelves, picking legumes to be soaked, dals to be boiled ... or just make lists of stuff that need to be picked up on my next grocery trip.
But not anymore.
The a/c beckons and I rush back.
I have even shifted my laptop from the kitchen to my den ... and that is where you will find me holed up these days ... most of the time that is.

When it comes to cooking at all, I am sticking to a lot of salads. And if not salads, I turn to boiled vegetables. Just pick your favourite vegetable or chicken or fish, steam or roast in the oven, toss with a dressing of your choice and you are ready to face lunch or dinner.
Easy and light.
And if at all I am eating rice, I turn to our good old makha or bhate. A dash of mustard oil, some chopped green chillies and onions and some fried bori ... all mashed up together and eaten cool, with panta bhaat / pokhala / or rice in water.
Or just curd and rice.
Pure bliss on a hot summer noon.

And I make sure I eat curd on the side too.
Fresh, homemade.
Throughout the year, we have the chaas / taak / ghol on the side with our lunch. But in summer, the curd comes in the form of cool raitas on our table.
I have already posted the very healthy Lauki ka raita long back. Today I share this quick, almost no oil except for the tempering, raita made with the kaddu / kumro / pumpkin.
Many people grate the pumpkin ... I do not. My hands cannot take that much of pressure ... so I cut them into cubes and steam or boil them first.

Need :

Ripe pumpkin - cut into medium cubes ( I kept the skin on )
Fresh curd
Mustard seeds - for tempering
Whole red chillies - for tempering
Roasted jeera powder
Roasted red chilli powder
Rock salt or plain salt
1 tsp oil or ghee
Fresh coriander leaves - chopped
Water to cook the pumpkin in

How to :

In a pan, take just enough water to submerge the pumpkin pieces.
Add a little plain salt.
Cover and cook till the pumpkin is soft and mushy.

Remove from heat and cool.
Do not throw away the remaining water, if any.

Beat curd with a little salt.
Add the cooled pumpkin and lightly mash it ... just to break it up.

Heat the oil or ghee.
Add the mustard seeds.  When they start to crackle, add the whole red chillies and remove from immediately.

Pour on the curd and pumpkin mixture carefully. It will splutter a lot.

Sprinkle jeera powder + red chilli powder + coriander leaves + a little rock salt.

Serve cool.

I make a big batch and keep it in the fridge.
Stays well for a week, but you will finish it off much before the week is over. .

Here is a look at my lunch plate from one of these days.

Enjoy!
Have a lovely summer .... stay away from the sun , drink loads of water and eat cooling food.
Stay well all!

Dahi wali Lauki / Bottle gourd in a light curd based gravy

 Summer is on us with full force. And quite suddenly too.
Just as we were gearing up for spring, the days started to get hotter. It is just a phase, we said. Will be gone in a couple of days. Others agreed. A few looked up at the sky and mentioned it has been cloudy for a while. It will cool down as soon as the clouds cleared, they said.
Only, there were no clouds.
The sun only became angrier with days. Holi saw a scorching day ... the little children had to call it quits much before afternoon had set in.
The heat spread out in a haze and worsened as the day went by.
By ten o'clock in the morning, it is so hot these days that I fear to step out into the balcony to hang out clothes to dry.
Our little luxury of eating breakfast in the little balcony has been mercilessly taken away from us. Now all I can do is sip my cup of tea in the morning cool, water the plants, fill the brid bowls and bath and get inside as soon as I can.
I miss watching the trees all around in the morning sun .... shining in their  new leaves. It is still spring for them and they will have to go through their normal changes as nature has directed them to. They cannot hurry and keep up with global warming.

This morning, as I sat in my swing with my cup of tea, I looked out as usual, the vision skimming the top of the hugest trees ans settled on the eucalyptus afar. There was an eagle sitting at the top, calling out in its high pitched whistle, that started from a low note and ended on a shrill high.
Two crows came by for a drink of water, but seeing me flew away.
I know they will wait on a nearby branch and be back as soon as I leave ... so I don't feel guilty.
And as I sat there, in the cool early morning breeze, I saw a rush of yellow pass by from my right, and fly on in my line of vision.

And I was back in Dadu's house, in an instant. 

A little girl of around eight or nine, standing on the low sill of the welded wrought iron window frame of the huge French windows of the drawing room on the upper floor, clutching on to a few other to stop from falling, looking earnestly out, as if searching for something.
Her eyes scanned the scene outside .... the dark, deep pond ... with its chairs of red cement on the ghaat,  gleaming in the strong sun, the Bok phool tree that bent over into the waters instead of standing up straight, the bamboo grove beyond it, the coconut grove on the left  and the mango orchard on the right.

"Ora shob shomoye aam gaache thake. Ora khub shy tai lukiye thaake. Oder ke dekhte pawa khub lucky!"
That is what Didi had said once.
So she keeps her eyes on the mango trees, where they stay hidden as they are very shy ... as Didi had said. But could not sight even one.
It has been a long while and she could feel the heat from outside on her face. Soon the house helps would come by to shut all the windows before noon set in. She desparately wanted a glimpse of the bird before they came. Or she will have to wait for evening or the next day again.
And then, just as she was about to give up, she saw a splash of yellow dart by and disappear into the nearest mango tree.
It might come out again to fly to the other trees.
Her eyes lit up, she broke into a smile and turned around and ran through the door to the top of the stairs.
"Didi! Diidiiiii!!!", she shouted from there.  "I saw it!! I saw the Holud Bosonto pakhi!! Come.  quick!!"
She had to show it to Didi too.
She could not think of enjoying anything without sharing it with her only Didi, even if it meant the rest of the brood of cousins rushing in too.
If she were to be lucky by sighting the shy, evasive bird, Didi had to see it too. Didi had to be lucky too. After all her exams were around.
"Diiiidiiiiii", she cried desperately.
And Didi came.
Just as she always did whenever that little girl called.

But not now.
Not anymore.
Not even when her favourite cousin, 'the not so little anymore' girl looks up at the sky and calls out "Didi!"

Do the people who turn into stars hear us call out to them?
Do they come down to us?
Do they give us a little pat of assurance and we still don't get to know it?

 Today's recipe is a light dish that will keep you cool as well as full.
And healthy too.
Perfect for this scorching summer.

Need :

Lauki / Lau / Bottle gourd - 1 big sized, cut into small cubes
Curd - 2 cups
Besan / Bengal gram flour - 1 tsp
Haldi / Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli [powder - 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dhaniya / Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Hing / Asafoetida - 1 pinch (use crushed compound form )
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
Water - around 4 cups
Salt - to taste

How To :

Make a mix of the curd + besan + a little haldi powder + red chilli powder + salt + water.
It should be of runny consistency but not too diluted. 

Heat the oil in a kadahi / deep wok.
Add hing + jeera.

Add the chopped lauki and stir fry on low heat for a while.

Add haldi + salt + red chilli powder.

Fry well, cover and cook till lauki is done.


Remove cover and add the dhaniya powder.
Mix well.

Now add the curd mix, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add chopped coriander leaves, switch off heat, cover and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Serve warm or cool.

This goes very well with both rice as well as rotis.

Stay cool with light, healthy food.
And enjoy summer!!

Ps: Here are a few more dishes made with the Lauki or Lau to keep you cool this summer.

Bhindi ki Kadhi ... and a small appeal

On our visit to Kolkata this time, we stayed at and explored around old Kolkata .... the Park circus area.
The narrow lanes are crowded with old dilapidated buildings, dingy old shops, open gutters, street dogs, taxis making way through and jostling with the hand drawn rickshaws, people going about with their lives like washing on the roadside, hanging clothes on a precarious make shift balcony, while the world moves past.
There is an old world charm all over.

And among all these, the thing that catches your eye is the line of eateries on the foot paths.
Either holes in the walls or just a small stand to hold their wares on, the lanes are filled with street food shops to their gills ... or limits.
Every second shop or even a few shops in a line sell eatables. Either the Phuchka, ghugni, jhal muri or frying hot tele bhajas like begunis, vegetable chops and shingara (samosa).
We spotted quite a few hand carts selling the moong dal pakode too.
There are roll shops at every corner as are the chai shops too.

We loved walking on the Russel street the most. B had discovered a gem of a dhaba ... right there in the heart of the city. A small, non descript shop with a Sadarji sitting at the counter near the entrance. At first I was a little hesitant to try it. But the food made me fall in love with the place. And slowly I noticed that very few people went inside to eat ... the area in front of the dhaba was filled with big sized cars all the way towards Park street. And people ordered their food and ate it inside the cars.
The place is famous for its singaras too. And the chai. The tea, served in earthen cups, is to die for.
We went to this dhaba for the singara and tea, almost every evening, if we were around that place.

But this post is about something else. Or someone else.

Just beside this dhaba, with a small stand of aloo chaat, is an old man.
He is so old, bone thin and frail that he cannot stand up, so he sits down on the pavement beside his stand. Near him sits his equally aged and frail wife. The man raises and folds his hands at every passerby ... offering some aloo chaat.
Nobody stops.
Both of them sit quietly and watch as people throng the dhaba and the other food stalls all around.
I was watching them as we sipped on the tea from the dhaba one evening. Their plight slowly seeped into me. While one part of my mind wanted to walk up to them and offer some tea and samosa, another part held me back for fear of offending him.
Finally, I gathered the courage and walked up to them. The old lady sat immobile, but the man hurried to stand up.

There was a burst of all the energy he could gather, on seeing a customer, finally.
I  asked for two plates of aloo chaat. His wares were not in the best of conditions but at least that gave me a chance to talk to him.
He appeared busy, trying to cut the boiled potatoes with shaking hands. But hearing my voice, he looked up.
Those eyes! Shining with pain on his bony face, they bore the reflection of a hard life.
 I chatted with him without being intrusive and came to know that he is 80 years old, comes all the way from Khidirpore every evening to set up his chaat stall here.
On asking about his family or children, he justs waved his hand away and muttered "Sab chale gaye, sab chale gaye, sab kha kar chale gaye."
He obviuosly did not want to bad mouth them, but could not hold back the pain of abandonment in his words.

I chatted with him for some more time, took the plates of chaats and paid him.
While we were talking, a gentleman, who had come to the dhaba, walked up to him and offered him two cups tea. He took with a look of gratefulness. We were about to leave.
And then I saw what he did .... he slowly walked and got another earthen cup, poured half of the tea into it and then walked up to the jhal muri wala sitting a few feet away .... and gave it to him.
That did it for me. I was just short of crying.

So much of pain, so much hunger and yet the man shares his precious cup of tea with his competitor!

I asked him if they would like to eat something. He very politely refused, saying that they were vegetarians and could not eat anything from that dhaba.
On asking, he said they will buy some milk on their way home and have it with some muri / puffed rice. Since both of them did not have any teeth, they found it difficult to eat any food.

We said goodbye and walked on.
But I could not eat anything after that. All I wanted was to give whatever money we were to spend on our food to that man so that he could rest and eat for a few days.
On our walk back, we packed some vegetarian cheela and some sweets for them. And slipped in some money too.
We stopped and chatted with them again and handed him the bag. I was fearful of offending him. But he took the food with gratefulness and grace. His eyes showed much surprise but he was composed.
Blessed us and asked us to come back again.
Said he will make sure that we did not pay for the aloo chaat the next day.

I did not have the courage to tell him that we were leaving the next day.

If you have read so far, then allow me place a request ... an appeal.
If you are in Kolkata, (or if you know anyone in Kolkata willing to help) , if you are near Park street or Little Russel street area, please do look up this old couple.
And do buy a plate of chaat ... not to eat or enjoy ... but to help them.
Please do something so that they do have to go sleep hungry that night.
And please, please do let me know if you see them and tell me how they are doing.
I will be eternally grateful to you.

They stand just beside Russel Dhaba or on the pavement bang opposite it, in front of Handloom Cottage and beside the Roll shop.
That is Russel dhaba, on Russel street, ... clicked from the other side of the road.

I had made this Bhindi ki kadhi for lunch one busy week day.
Quick to make, this one is a life saver. All you have to do is to make sure you have some rice to go with it.
I had left over rice in the fridge. Set this to cook and went about my rest of the chores.
I do not add any garlic to this, so it is different from my Lahsooni kadhi.
This kadhi has the temperings that I use when I make Kadhi pakoda ( I know I have to make a post on that one too).
I fry the Bhindi / Okra and make the kadhi together. You can fry and keep them aside and add later too.

Need :

Bhindi / Okra / Ladies finger - 250 gms, chopped
Whole Dhaniya / Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Red chillies (or you can use fresh green chillies too ) - 2, broken
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curd - 1 cup
Besan / Gram flour - 1 tbsp
Haldi /  Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Water - to make kadhi
Cooking oil - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

How to :

Mix the besan + curd + haldi + red chilli powder + salt + water.

Heat oil in a heavy kadahi.
Add hing, red chillies and whole dhaniya.

Next add the chopped okra.
Add a pinch of salt. Cover and cook till the bhindi is done.

Now remove cover and add the kadhi mix.
Add enough water.
Set it to boil on low flame.

Cook till you get the desired consistency.

Serve hot with steaming hot rice.

Enjoy!!

Doi Shorshe Ilish / Hilsa in yoghurt and mustard sauce - the stove top way

The monsoons and the Hilsa come to us together. Hand in hand.
Both make their way into our hearts with ease.
One drenches us with sweet, life giving rain ... washing away the dust and the heat and all things painful ... leaving behind a cleaner, fresher new time.
The other makes its way to our plates and satiates us after months of waiting for its arrival.
Both, in their own ways soothes a Bengali's soul.

I have been away from the blog and my routine daily life for a while now. There are times when family takes precedence and you have to give it its due.
There have been mornings, of late,  when instead of thinking of my morning tea, I have had to think of breakfast that will suit every palate.
And then lunches and dinners.
And guests and relatives.
At times it is overwhelming.
At others, boisterous and happy.
Seeing everybody stick around at times of crisis can be a hugely heart warming experience.

I do not think I will have much Ilish this time ... both to cook as well as eat.
After returning, I went through my drafts to see if there was anything that I could make a quick post on, before rushing off for another trip.
And found these photographs languishing from last year.

I usually always bake whenever I make the shorshe Ilish.
But this time, I had made it on the open stove top.
And found there was a definite change in the flavours.
For example, the Kalo jeere / Nigella seeds do not lend that strong flavour when used in the baking version as they do here .... when released into the hot mustard oil.
Even there is a difference in the flavour of the green chillies.
Also the gravy here misses that distinct smoky flavour that we get when cooking it in the oven.
The baked version is here.

Need :

Ilish / Hilsa  - 4 pieces, marinated with salt + turmeric powder and lightly fried in mustard oil
White mustard seeds  - 6 tbsp
Black mustard seeds - 4 tbsp 
Kalo jeere / Nigella seeds - ½ tsp
Halsi / Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Curd - 8 tbsp
Mustard oil - 4 tbsp
Green chillies - 3 pieces
Salt - to taste 

How to :

Soak  the mustard seeds in water for 3 hours.
Add enough water to grind  into a smooth paste. I never add salt or green chillies when grinding mustard seeds.
Do remember that the grinder should not turn hot while grinding the mustard. Else your mustard paste will turn bitter. Use short pulses when grinding.
I keep the soaked seeds in the fridge for around 15 minutes before grinding.
Strain it through a sieve.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadahi / wok.

Make a smooth paste of 6 tbsp mustard seeds paste and  the curd.

Add the nigella seeds and green chillies.

Add the paste and stir well for a minute.

Add water, salt and turmeric powder.

Cover and cook till it starts to simmer.

Add the fish pieces and cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove cover, pour in the rest of the mustard oil all over it.

Switch off heat and cover and let it stand for a while.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Enjoy!!



Check out my other Ilish recipes here. 

Ilish recipes on Kichu Khonn 

Dahi Aloo / Potatoes in yoghurt gravy

 Hello! Happy New year!
I know, I know. It's been a long time since my last post.
But I have been waylaid by a lot many things. And that left me with little time for Kichu Khonn.
But I came as soon as I realised that I hadn't made a single post this new year ... and it is already past a week.
Easier said than done.
I cook much less these days. I click even lesser.
So went back to my folders loaded with snaps that I had clicked once upon a good time and picked up these ... a quick scan confirmed I had not posted them .. yes, it has come to that .. I do not even remember things I've posted.
So here's a brand new recipe on the start of a brand new year.
Yesterday, a RJ on a station I was listening to, said that she has decided that she'll keep wishing everyone "Happy New Year" all through January ... till the 31st.
So, on that line, I guess I am not too late to wish you all a very happy new year ahead!

I had made this dish with yoghurt/curd ... yes. But I had also added a good dose of Tandoori masala to it.
Was undecided on a name ... so stuck to Dahi aloo.
You can call it the gravy version of Tandoori aloo ... sans the colour and the roasting.

Need :

Small potatoes - boiled in salt water and peeled
Ginger paste
Garlic paste
Curd - beaten with some water  till smooth
Haldi / Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder - a pinch
Tandoori masala
Kasuri methi - powdered
Salt - to taste
Cooking oil

How to :

Pick the potatoes with a fork.
Heat oil in a kadahi /wok.
Add the ginger and the garlic paste and fry well.
Add a little haldi powder and the potatoes. Fry well till the masala coats the potatoes.
Add some water and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and add the tandoori masala and the kasuri methi. Simmer for a while.
Then slowly add the beaten curd and do a taste check for salt.
If needed add some more.
Simmer for some more time, covered.
Remove from heat and let it stand covered for a while.

Serve hot with rotis or naan.
Enjoy!!

Ok ... I have lost Feedly too ... so am totally lost. I cannot hop over to your blogs as regularly.
So I apologize for being out of touch.
Will hop over to your spaces as soon as I get a good reader.
Till then do keep coming over and stay in touch friends.

Wish you all a very happy and healthy new year ahead!

Doi Maach / Rohu Fish in Yoghurt Gravy

( Vegetarians ... do stay tuned. The next post will be on the veggie version of this wonderful dish. )

It has been a while since I made a post on fish last.

Not that I've not been eating my staple diet ... just that I make something quickly, 

seem very pleased with the results

and serve myself a hot hot meal.

Just do not feel like picking up the camera, arranging and clicking.

Doi Maach is very common to Bengalis ... a very common dish on a Bengali lunch table.

And there are many ways of making this.

You can make it with a lot of masalas. You can make it spicy.

Or you can make it simple ... like I do.

This dish is supposed to be creamy, very light coloured.

But there are no hard and fast rules here.

Add more turmeric if you like the colour ... add more chilli powder if you like it spicy 

( and it gives colour too ) ... etc. etc.

I keep my recipe straight and simple. 

One very common problem while making the Doi maach is the curdling of the curd.

One of the reasons I hated eating Doi maach at home or at a relative's place was due to the curdled doi/dahi.

I abhorred the watery liquid that separated the solidified curd
... with the woebegone fish lying in
 somewhere

in the joke called Doi maach.

The reason is ... most people use sour curd ...

i.e. curd set at home and is older than 2/3 days.

Later when I started my affair with the kitchen, I learnt a lot.

Like when you add sour curd, no matter how well you beat it, 

to a dish cooking on  high heat, it will curdle.

What to do?

Nobody had the  right answer to this query of mine.

And then I learnt how to make the kadhi !!

SIL, on her description of the recipe, had mentioned the addition of a very little besan/gram flour 

to the curd mixture so that it does not curdle.

And bingo!!

I had my answer!

While my very pure vegetarian SIL patiently explained to me how to make the Kadhi,

 I was busy with visions of the perfect Doi Maach that I can finally relish 

swimming before my very eyes!

No ... I did not let the gentle soul know about my visions ... 

 ... of the most unthinkable non veg food ... the fish! 

And ever since I've always been able to make the Doi maach sans a curdled gravy of doi/dahi!

I keep the gravy of my Doi Maach very mild flavoured and light coloured.

I do use a little onion paste here ...

( if you are a regular on Kichu Khon you will know how little I use onion,ginger,garlic pastes).

And I love the flavour of the cardamom that infuses with the paste while cooking

and gives a beautiful flavour to the gravy.

Need :

4 Pieces of the Rohu fish

( washed, marinated with salt and turmeric and lightly fried in Mustard oil )

1 cup of Fresh curd / dahi / yoghurt

1 tbsp of  Besan / Gram flour

A Pinch of Haldi / Turmeric

2 Green Cardamoms

2 small pieces of  Dalchini / Cinnamon

2/3 Whole dry Red Chillies

4 tbsp of Onion paste

1 tsp cooking oil

Salt and sugar to taste

How to :

Beat the curd and the besan well and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadahi / wok.

Add the cardamom, dalchini and whole red chillies.

Add the onion paste and keep stirring on low heat till the oil leaves sides and 

the onions lose their raw smell.

Now add the curd and besan mixture, turmeric and a little water.

Keep the heat on low all the while.

When it starts to boil slowly, add the salt and sugar.

Cook for a while.

When it reaches the desired consistency, add the fried fish pieces.

Let them simmer for some more time.

( Do not cook for a  long while after adding the fish ... the pieces will soak up the gravy and 

turn very soft  ... might break when serving).

Remove.

Serve hot.

Goes great with steamed plain rice.

Enjoy !!

Other Dishes with Dahi / Curd on Kichu Khon

Doi Begun / Dahi Baingan

Dahi Karela

Dahi Vada