Bok phool bhaja or Agasti flower fritters

Growing up, I was used to the Bok phool tree on the bank of our pond. Just behind one of the red cement chairs on either side of the cemented area from where the steps descended into the waters of our huge, deep, dark pond. 

It flowered well but I had never given it much attention except for when I would sometimes sit on the steps on a quiet late winter afternoon and watch the busy black ants hurrying along its branches. 
There was another one too, but it was at the back of the house, just on the border of the kola bagaan or the banana plantation. 
All that interested me was the bok phul bhaja that we got at times on our lunch plate. 
Hot and crisp on the outside, fresh and sweet tasting inside. 

Cut to many years later when I was married for sometime and was wading through the nuances of cooking, juggling between vegetarian north indian cooking for the man and the bengali dishes for me. 
We did not get too many familiar 'Bengali vegetables' at the time and getting Bok phul was beyond my dreams. And I slowly started to forget all about it. 

Until one day I came upon it all of a sudden at a local vegetables shop. 
I was ecstatic and happily bought half a kilo!! Thing who  knows when I will get them again. 
A call to Ma and I knew how to clean and fry them. 
Immediately made some and enjoyed them for lunch, keeping some for B aside. 
They were a lot and I packed half of them and took them to my new friend who had just moved to the city from Kolkata.

And after that, many more years passed and I never got to see the Bok phul in the markets again. 
And along with the Kumro phul, the Bok phul also stayed in my memories and yearnings. 

Until last week. 
We had gone vegetables shopping and as we came near the shop that keeps 'Bengali vegetables', I saw the round cane basket filled with these beautiful white flowers. 
And shouted "Stop, stop!" to a much flustered B.
And was out of the car even before it had come to a complete stop. 
Very irresponsible ... I know.
But I was beyond myself with happiness. 

I did not wait and immediately fried some for lunch. 
I had got some Lau shaak too and the menu formed right there in my mind. 
You have seen the plate in my last post here. 

I decided to make a post too. Just for posteriority. 

Need : 

Bok phool / Agasti phula / Hadgyacha phool - 1 small bowlful
Besan / Gram flour - 5 tbsp 

Rice flour - 1 tbsp 

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp 

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp 

Kalo jeere / Nigella seeds - ½ tsp 

Baking powder - a pinch 

Water to make a paste 

Salt - to taste 
Oil to deep fry 

How to : 

Clean the flowers by first removing the stamen carefully. 
Very gently place the flowers in salted water for around 15 minutes. 
Rinse them in plain water ..... they are very delicate, so you need to be real gentle here ...  and place them on a cotton kitchen towel. 

Make a slightly thin slurry with the rest of the ingredients, except for the oil. 
It should not be too thick. 

Heat oil. 
Dip the flowers in it to coat them completely and let in gently into the hot oil. 
Fry till golden brown on both sides. 
Remove and drain extra oil on paper napkins. 
Serve hot with a meal or as a snack with tea. 

 I still have some of the flowers left and am going to come up with something different the next time. 
Till then, stay tuned. 

Take care and stay safe. 

Laccha paratha and Egg curry ... with Punjabi dhaba like flavours

I had made this meal quite a long time back. Maybe a few months. I did post on Instagram but wanted to make a post here too. 

Given that I do not cook rich food regularly, I had wanted to keep a track of this recipe. 

And more so because I cook as I go .... I never ever follow a recipe. I just can't. 

I cook as my heart guides me.

Whatever it calls out for, I add to the food.

And so, more often than not, I forget my own recipes.

I have trying to increase the protein content of B's food intake. He is a vegetarian but can eat eggs once in a while. That  too only omelettes. 

So I decided , for a change , to cook some Egg curry for him. 

And disguise the flavours of boiled egg in a rich, spicy gravy that would be fragrant with spices too. 

And since I have a decent variety of punjabi flavoured masalas and spices in my kitchen, I decided to make a punjabi styled gravy. 

Having said that, I must mention that dhaba food, for me , has always been the Dimer torka ( another recipe that I have always wanted to make a post on ) and country chicken curry with fresh, handmade rotis . 

On our travels all over Odisha, the highlight would be when Bapi would decide to stop for a meal. 

Once we pulled over at the selected dhaba beside the highway, we would sit on the charpais  / rope cots laid out under a huge, old tree .... sometimes the banyan, neem or at other times the peepal or mango. 

We never needed a menu. 

Bapi would ask for fresh chicken curry. And Dimer torka.

And I would always ask for an omelette. 

I loved tearing off a piece of the super hot roti, loaded with dry flour, dust it off and tear a piece of the omelette, dip it in the torka and eat it. 

There was something about the  heavy, afternoon breeze under the trees, the smoking hot fresh food in front of us and Bapi lying on the charpai, looking up at the sky, that makes it one of my best childhood memories. And it wasn't any wonder I never remembered the rest of our journey ever, after that kind of a meal. I would always fall asleep. ☺☺

Coming back to my meal and recipe, I made Laccha parathas to go with the egg curry. 

I have tried making Laccha parathas earlier too ... but this time the layers were better and so good enough for me to make a post. 

I have recently learnt a new technique and will be posting it soon. 


For the Laccha Parathas : 

Need : 

Maida / APF 
Oil - for kneading and frying 
Salt 
Curd 
Water 

How to : 

Mix everything together, except water. 
Use the water, a little at a time and knead a smooth dough. 
Cover and keep aside for at least an hour. 

Cut medium sized balls out of the  dough. 

Roll out a thin roti. 

Apply oil and some dry flour all over. 

Roll it up like a pipe. 

Roll it up again sideways to make a ball. 

Flatten it and roll out a roti again. Do not apply too much pressure. 

Fry on a hot tawa till brown and crisp on both sides. 

 
For the Egg curry 

I cooked the masala twice ... a technique I do not use much. But the gravy comes out very smooth and is perfect for occasional times.

Need : 

Boiled eggs  - 4, shelled and fried in a little oil with turmeric powder

Onions - sliced - 1 medium

Garlic cloves  -  6 to 8 

Black cardamom - 1 
Green cardamom - 1 

Onions chopped - 1 

Tomatoes - 3 medium 

Mustard oil - 2 tbsp 

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 

Red chillies - 3 , broken 
Everest Kitchen King powder - 1 tsp 

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp 

Kasuri methi - a little 

Salt - to taste 

Sugar - to taste 

Ghee - 1 tbsp

How to : 

Heat mustard oil. 

Add  cumin seeds, red chilli, sliced onions, garlic cloves,  black cardamom and tomatoes with some salt.
Cover and cook till soft and done.

Cool and blend smooth in a mixie.

Heat oil in another kadahi.

Add green cardamom, jeera and chopped onions. 

Fry  till the onions turned soft and pink.

Add the blended paste, kitchen king powder, red chilli powder, a little sugar, salt and kasuri methi and a little water.

Simmer, add the eggs and cover.

Let it cook for some more time and the flavours to get together. 

Top with a spoonful of ghee before removing from heat. 

Done ✅ 

Enjoy!! 

Hope you have taken part in my giveaway of this fabulous book. 

Hurry!!