Shorshe diye Mangetout/Snow peas - Mangetout with Mustard seed paste

Shorshe diye sheem/mange tout/snow peas , many of you will ask what is that remarkable feature which makes it so important to blog about. Perhaps nothing special. This is not being served in any five star restaurants, for that matter in any Bengali restaurant (whatever little I know about them) nor is it an exotic food. This is a very simple Bengali home meal which can be made in jiffy. It requires no special or exotic ingredients or method or even hi profile new electronic gadgets.

What you need is a basic grinder and some mustard seeds and mustard oil ( don’t worry ,even if you don’t have like in my case , you can substitute it with plain cooking oil ) and some very few basic seasonings and a place which you can call “your home”.
Home is where your heart is, assuming that I must say this is perhaps a very simple niramish ranna you can do in comfort of your home, share and enjoy with loved ones.

Shorshe or mustard seeds are a very important ingredient in every Bengali household. And there have been very delicious dishes made from it also.Shorshe diye chingri, shorshe Ilish –recipe link Here- and many more.

What I do is I have made mustard seeds powder in bulk and have stored in a plastic jar. Whenever I need to prepare shorshe bata jhaal, I generally take that powder, add some seasonings like red pepper powder+turmeric powder and bit of yogurt and make a smooth paste. This paste is then I would generally add at the end of any shorshe’er jhaal that I am preparing at that time.This doesnot match the original taste of shorshe bata made on sheel nora but still it satisfy our cravings for quick shorsh'er jhaal.

Originally people in Bengal, would use sheel nora to make fresh mustard paste or shroshe bata.Over a period of time when joint family started to shrink, and people started to travel in search of bread and butter , families also became nuclear family. Perhaps, that’s how a necessity of having old things likes sheel Nora, hamol disti also started to become a rare acquaintances in a modern Bengali household. So, in place of sheel Nora and hamol disti, people found it convenient to use a mixer and grinder in a small apartment which has even a small kitchen.

Sending this to Back to Basic food event  now being hosted at Sra's place  , an event initiated by Desi Soccer Mom .

If you do think sheel nora works best for shorshe bata, I would highly encourage you to use it if any. However, if you have to juggle a stable career and a demanding family and that too a nuclear family , then perhaps it’s wisely to use your grinder and make a powder in bulk and store in a air tight jar and use as per your requirements.

Shorshe diye Sheem/mangetout/Snow Peas 

Make a smooth powder with the following ingredients
About 10-12 cashews
And about quarter cup of mustard seeds
And about 1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of turmeric powder
Dry grind mustard seeds, cashews together and then again mix in some salt and turmeric powder. If you wish you may add red pepper powder at this time also.
Now store this grounded mixture in an air tight container or plastic jar. Use as per requirement it stays fresh for 1-2 months. Make sure they do not trap moisture.
Make the paste for sheem shroshe/mangetouts
About 2 tsp of above mustard powder, some salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder and about 1-2 tbs of fresh yogurt. If you wish you may add poppy seed powder also. Mix in well this paste and reserve for later use.
Heat up a saucepan, add about 2-3 tbs of cooking oil.
Now add 1 tsp of panch phoron.
Now add 15-18 sheem or mangetouts.
Fry them well for 1 mint.
Add salt, 3-4 tsp red pepper powder, turmeric powder and 2 green chilies slit in between.
Add about half cup of water.
Cover and cook till mangetouts turn soft. You may require cooking little more if you are using sheem/Hyacinth.
Now switch off the gas/hob.
Take the saucepan , off from the hob, and add the mustard seeds paste and gently mix in well.Adding mustard paste at the end won’t turn the gravy bitter.
Serve with warm cooked rice.

Other recipe at Sharmila's Kichu Khon with potato and onions.

Note-
Mangetouts are known as snow peas in US.In India sheem or Hyacinth an be used in place of mangetouts-Here is the recipe link from dupor'er khabar series for Sheem Shorshe.
You may use kalaunji/kalo jeerey/nigella seeds in place of panch phoron for tempering
This mustard powder can be stored for 1-2 months.Just make sure they donot trap moisture.always use clean and dry spoon to take out mustard powder.