Bengali Vegetable Chop

 

 While my last post was a little heavy, this post will be dedicated to all of you who have been such wonderful friends, readers and bloggers. And also to all those who wrote in here and on FB to show solidarity against plagiarism. All of you, who do not raise your voice only when a 'friend' gets struck by plagiarism. All of you for being such wonderful human beings. I am proud to have you all in my life, blogging and real, both.

While I did not have much exposure to deep fried street food when growing up, the vegetable chop and shingara/samosa did make their appearence on the dining table once in a while, especially when we had guests in the evening. The drawing room would suddenly be off limits for us children. But we loved it. Because when we had guests, all the lights in the drawing room would be lit, including the jhaar lantern in the center of the ceiling ... making the huge room turn almost magical.
Dadu and Jethu and Kakus would  sit with the guests and their loud voices and laughter would reach all the way ... crossing the uthon / courtyard  and the long verandah along it , to the kitchen and dining room. There Jethima and other Kakimas, supervised by Thamma,  would be busy preparing tea and arranging plates with the savouries brought in hot and  fresh by one of the helping hands.

We kids would hover around, eyeing the oil soaked packets made of old newspapers, trying to stand steady with their contents bulging out of them.We knew we would get a piece each of our favourite ... either a singara or a chop ... but only after the guests are served. And maybe ... if all the elders left the kitchen together ... bully the cook to allow us a sip of that extra tea in the bottom of the pan. 

I got a request  on my page on FB, by a reader, for the Bengali Vegetable chop. And that was really long back. Numerous reasons kept me from making them, and posting them. While some were as simple as the lack of beet root in the market on the day of my grocery shopping to some good ones like me down with throat infection for more than a month ... and so on.
In between, there were guests. There were weekends, when we are invariably out for the whole day.
And work, which naturally takes up all the weekdays. Even the absence of bread to make bread crumbs came up on my list of excuses.
So, while I did go about cooking regular food everyday, I never got around to even start prepping for this deep fried delicacy.

 But all the while it kept nagging me from the back of my head. I had even tried keeping the beetroot and potatoes boiled and stored in the fridge. But most of the time, I'd be free by late evening. While I could have easily made them then, I wanted good photographs to make a post too ... so a no go there.
The beets shriveled up in disgust. The aloos were more forgiving and  made their way  to the aloo paratha.

But enough of excuses. Let us move on ... now that I have the chops ready and served.
Do not be fooled by these simple looking things ... they do require some planning and prep work. Only then will you be able to sit back and enjoy them hot off the kadahi.
This time, I went about diligently planning the whole thing from the beginning of the week.
One day, I boiled the potatoes and beets and kept them in the fridge.
On another day, I made the bread crumbs. Made sure there was cornflour in the pantry.
One day was dedicated to the peanuts ... dry roasted them, peeled them, halved them. If you keep this part for later, you will be in trouble ... unless you get to buy roasted, peeled and halved peanuts.
Finally, made the pur or the mix yesterday. And fried them today.

I have followed Bong Mom's recipe but some ingredients are different.

Need :

For the bhaja moshla / roasted masala ( I used Bong Mom's recipe, it is awesome )

Cumin seeds -  ½ tsp
Coriander seeds - ½ tsp
Fennel / mouri seeds -  ½  tsp
Cloves - 6 pieces
Green cardamom / choti elaichi - 3
Cinnamon/ dalchini - I used 3 medium sized, thin pieces
Black pepper / kali mirch - around 4 to 5 ( I kept them less as B doesn't like them )
Whole red chillies - 2
Bay leaf/Tej patta - 1 small

Roast everything together on a heavy bottomed flat pan.
Grind coarsely.

For the chops :

Boiled potatoes - 2 medium
Boiled beet root - 1 big sized
Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
Peanuts - 3 tbsp
Bread crumbs - enough for all the chops
(I make them at home by toasting bread in the ove nand then running them in a mixer,
you can use store bought ones too)
Corn flour - around 4 tbsp, and 1 tbsp for the cooked mix
Red chilli powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste
Maida/ APF - 2 tsp
Mustard oil - 2 tbsp ... to cook the the mix
Mustard + white oil - enough to deep fry the chops

How to :

Boil the potatoes and the beetroot ( I boiled them separately ).
Cool, peel and mash them.

Heat oil ( I used mustard oil for that old, familiar taste).

Fry the peanuts. Keep aside.
(I fried the whole peanuts and then had a difficult as well as messy time trying to peel and halve them.
Hence suggest that you dry roast them first, peel and halve them.)

In the same oil add grated ginger.
I added a little red chilli powder too, at this stage.
Fry just for a little while and add the mashed potatoes and beet.
Fry well.
Add salt and sugar ... this chop should stay sweetish ... so add salt accordingly.
Fry well till all moisture is gone.
Add the fried peanuts.
Add the bhaja masala.
Sprinkle the corn flour all over and stir well.
When completely dry and turns into a lump, remove and cool.

You can store this mix in the fridge and use later too.


To fry the chops :

Make a batter of the cornflour + maida + water. It should be be slightly thick ... enough to coat your finger but not too thick ... and not too runny also.

Take some mixture in your hand and press well to fill all the gaps and then give an oblong shape.

Take a chop, dip it in the batter, roll it well on the bread crumbs and keep aside. Repeat with all the chops. 

Heat oil in a deep, heavy bottomed kadahi.
When it is ready, take a chop, dip it in the batter again, roll it on the bread crumbs ... again ... pressing it lightly but firmly to pick up as much crumbs on it as possible.
Now slowly let it into the hot oil.

Fry all the chops this way ... but in small batches ... not more than 3 at a time.

This coating of batter and crumbs twice give a good crisp outside to the chops.

Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on paper napkins.
I love some chopped coconut in the vegetable chop ... but did not have any at home.
You can try if you like it.

A closer look.

Serve hot, with tomato ketchup or kasundi.
I had both, so ... :-)

Great as a snack.

I had woken with a splitting headache today and was not at all in the mood for the same old cereals for b'fast. And since I was looking for a chance to fry these and get some clicks, it was the good old vegetable chop and tea for me this Friday morning.
The sun stayed away ... as usual. But the clouds were friendly and let in some light for my snaps. :-)

So make some ginger tea, quick, and dig in to the Bengali's all time favourite Vegetable chop.
A perfect deep fried indulgence to go with the rains.

Enjoy!!

Tok er dal / Daal cooked with Raw Mangoes

 Summer is long gone. And with it, so have the raw mangoes ...  from the market at least. We hardly get to see any of them any more these days, except for a few Totapuri ones. I had made this dal at the peak of this summer, when raw mangoes were easily available. But neglected posting it. And one of the reasons, among a few more, is I did not like the pictures.

I find clicking dals and gravies very difficult. So, while I do make dals almost everyday, I have diligently avoided trying to click a picture. Next time, I promise myself and get on with the day.
But this time, I decided to finally make a post of it. For two reasons.
One, it is not every day that I make tok er daal. So if I have made it, and have taken pains to click a few photographs too ... why not?
Two and the more important reason is ... who cares?

I mean who cares if a photograph is beautiful or not.
Except me, of course.
I mean, the blog is my own. And every photograph is like my own baby. I'll love it no matter what.
Every single photograph posted here has a history. And at least 6 or 7 siblings.
I have to choose one from all of them ... agonising over every one of them ... rejecting them kills me every time. And finally pick one. Ignoring the rest that I have put equal amount of time and sentiments in.

Why?
So that the reader feels good. Likes what s/he sees here. Does not feel put off by a photo which represents the food I have cooked in my kitchen and am serving here. I try to focus on close shots so that the reader gets to see the actual texture of the dish. And if possible, some of the ingredients too.
Like  a few kalonji+mustard seeds+,methi etc. if seen together will give an idea that paanch phoron has been used. Or say, a fine paste has been used or a coarse one.
If the gravy should be watery thin or dense and thick.
And so on.

But what hurts me is most readers are not interested in such details.
Worse, if the person is a new food blogger.
All they are in search of, these days, is a photograph. That will make their job of making a post on their blog easy.
 And some good text too ... if it is a description of the dish, even better.
One click ... and all your hard work is gone.
Poof! It now bears the name and signature of another.
Even a girl getting married takes more time to change her name and address.

And who better to put the blame on than good old Google.

I have requested, ranted, raved, pleaded ... nothing has come of it.
Instead, I have often been at the receiving  end.
How dare I complain?!
How dare I remind them the photograph is mine?!
How dare I say "Please write your own words, cook your own food and click your own snaps."?!
How?

It was on Google, right?
Wrong.
Google is a search engine. It helps you in finding things you are searching for.
Not read a mind and find out if it is scheming to pick that photo up and use it for selfish purposes.
Believe me, if it could, it would never ever have helped you with your search.

Recently a reader, who proclaimed that she usually never leaves comments any blog but is doing so here, ... I wondered if I should have felt grateful for that ... wanted to 'share' my writings. Now, thanks to FB, a lot of English words have found new meanings and homes. When I requested her not to, she got nasty. And , among other things, declared why did I put things on my blog if I did not mean to 'share' them.
I believe I do not need to answer this.

Plagiarism is rampant all over the food blogging world. And is not restricted to food photographs alone.
People search for things, land on blogs, find lines or paragraphs that suits their purpose and simply copy them and paste them on their pages.  Sometimes in the name of sharing, sometimes in the name of anonymity, sometimes under the guise of ignorance.

From childhood we have been taught never to touch things that do not belong to you, leave alone picking them up and bringing them home for personal use. So, I often wonder what kind of education have these people acquired? These people who blatantly pick up lines, recipes and photographs that are actually other people's work.
If they can run a blog, I am sure they are intelligent enough.
To know good from bad.
To know right from wrong.


The point is etiquette. Social courtsey. Good manners. Goodwill. None of these seem to exist anymore.
Rudeness is now a way of life. You want something ... you get it. Even if it does not belong to you, or you are unworthy of it. Denied, you bare your claws. And show your true side.

Integrity is now an option.

There is, of course, another side of the coin too. Not all coins are flawed. 

I have always encouraged new bloggers by visiting their blogs and leaving lines ... I know how much a comment means to new bloggers. I take time to answer all their queries or mails ... even if it is midnight and I'm dead tired.
And have always got back love and sincerity in return.

When a new blogger, very enthusiastically started a blog a couple of years back, and cooked a huge number of my recipes, but used my photographs, I gently explained to her all about plagiarism. I was so happy to see that the girl took my advice positively and started on her own. Not only did she write down all the credits and links on every post but also kept in touch with me. Today she has a beautiful blog, with numerous recipes of her own .... and with some wonderful photography too.
Am proud of you M.

A little self realisation, a little quiet within .. is all that is needed.
Ethics. Morals.
If you keep these two words on your two sides, never ever will you falter ... be it the food blogging world.
Or life.

Now to my dal ... am posting it no matter how the photographs are.
At least they are mine.

This  dal goes best with plain rice. With some dry side dish like the aloo posto or some plain begun bhaja.

Need :

Paanch phoron - ½ tsp
( Mix  1 tsp kalonji seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds + ½ radhuni/celery seeds + ½ tsp methi/fenugreek seeds + 1 tsp mustard seeds to have your paanch phoron.
Remember ... methi and radhuni should always be of lesser quantity than the others ... else you will end up with bitter tasting food.
If you don't have radhuni, no worries. Use plain jeera / cumin seeds in its place. )

Tuvar dal / Arhar dal - 1 big cup, washed
Raw mango - 5 to 6 slices ( depending on the tartness of the mango )
Whole red chillies - 2, broken
Haldi powder - ½ tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - a pinch ... just to balance the tartness of the mangoes
Cooking oil - 1 tsp ( I use mustard oil )
Water - 3 big cupfuls

How to :

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
Add the paanch phoron and the red chillies.
Add the mango slices and stir for a while.
Add the dal, haldi and stir again.
Add water and then salt and sugar.
Cover and cook on low heat for 3 whistles.
Remove from heat and cool.
Remove cover and put it on heat again ... stirring till the dal has mixed well.

Serve with steamed rice.

PS: I may have ruffled a few feathers with this post. But if you are tempted to write in rude words, I suggest you refrain. Neither will I read your comment nor will it see the light of the day.
This is my blog and I will not entertain any negativity.

Maacher Dimer Bora / Fish Roe Fritters

Rains. Light rains. Heavy rains. Sudden rains. Lightly showering rains.
Wet breeze. Heavy winds. Lightly blowing winds.
Dark, loud clouds. Threatening clouds. Steady clouds. White fluffy clouds. Stable, raining down clouds.
Green countryside. Foggy. Dancing, temporary waterfalls. Thin streams rushing by.
Dark brown and muddy rivers. Places washed away by their forceful rush. Rumbling, heavily flowing by ... unmindful of anything that comes their way.
Washing away everything somewhere.
Soothing parched earth and souls elsewhere.

Monsoons come with different faces. Different places feel the rains differently.
But everywhere, from time immemorial, it has been a time of celebration.
A time for newness. Life. Growth.
Mother earth springs to life ... the fresh, new green everywhere a proof.
People rejoice the break in the summer's heat.
Farmers rejoice the readying of the soil.

No matter where you are ... sitting in your home in one of the tallest buildings on one of the busiest roads in your city, or inside your office, or rushing home in your vehicle ... you can't help stealing a glance outside as soon as you know it is raining.
Neither can you help that small smile flitting across your face.

Yes, the rains do soothe.
And spread some calm, some cheer.
Some good too.

We, all over the country,  tend to celebrate the rains with deep fries or some bhaja bhuji.
Most people will start by making the good old pakoda and move on to other kinds of fries ... both veg and non veg ... as the rains settle down for the two whole months. Or more.
Most evenings teas will have some kind of deep fried things to pair with.

While lunch will be a light khichuri or khichdi, it will have a side of various fried things like the papad, pakode, beguni, etc. Different cultures will have different dishes ... but the essence ... always the same.

A couple of weekends back I had bought a good sized rohu fish ... around 1.8 kgs. And got a big bonus of dim/ roe alongwith it. I love fatty rohu ... especially fried.

So while I made a few different dishes with the fish, I made some boras with the roe.
Crispy, deep fried and spicy ... perfect for a rainy evening snack.
We had some friends who had dropped in suddenly .... this Macher Dimer Bora saved the day ... nay, evening. Went great with hot cups of adraki chai/ginger tea.

Need :

Fresh fish roe / Rui maacher dim - 1 coffee cup full
1 Onion - chopped
2 Green chillies - chopped
Besan - 2 tsp

( I do not use too much of besan ... love the fluffiness inside the crisp fritter and also the sweetness of the soft onions)
Haldi / turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - enough to deep fry ( I use mustard oil)
Fresh coriander leaves / Dhone pata (I did not, but do try to ... adds a great flavour )

How to :

Mix the fish roe + besan + the onions and chilles + haldi powder + salt + the chopped coriander leaves.

Heat enough oil in a deep kadahi or wok.
Pick up scoops of the mix with a spoon and carefully slide into the oil.
Fry the boras on low heat till golden brown.
Remove from oil and keep on a kitchen napkin or paper napkins to drain excess oil.

Serve hot.
I had some kasundi. Went great!
You can have them with tomato ketchup too.
You can have them as a side with khichdi, for a meal.
Or with some tea. As a snack.

So, this evening, gather your friends ... or your family ... brew some spicy, ginger tea and fry some of these crispy maacher dimer boras.
And revel in love, warmth and laughter ... while the pouring rain smiles from outside the window.

Enjoy!!


Some other dishes made with Macher dim / Fish roe

Ilisher dim diye ambol / Hilsa roe in sweet and sour gravy 


Ilisher dim makha / Fried hilsa roe tossed with onions and chillies