Rui Mach'er Kalia- Another Spicy Rui Fish Curry

We do get frozen whole Rui Fish here from Bangladeshi food stores but many times the incidents that were associated with fish buying in India is missing. Actually I do really miss the whole process of buying fish from local fish markets in Kolkata. Even bargaining with them and then checking on various parameters for freshness of the fish body. I mean the whole chaotic process of buying fresh fish from fish vendors in India.

In UP, where I have spent my entire life except after marriage, our grandparents had fixed “machwali”, who would turn up every alternate day in the morning with her fresh supply of fish, which she and her husband would be catching up daily, in early wee morning hours, from river Ganges. Our grandparents were so accustomed of her presence that if she would not turn up any day, they seemed to get worried for her a lot. We even used to pass on our old clothes, books and many other gifts to her kids. Over a period of time, these and many more such people had become part of our more or less, family. Recalling back, her typical fish smelling body, was enticed even more with her betel leaves/ pan-chewing habit or rather the “Gutkas”, but I as a kid , would never liked that and it used to put me off always .

When-ever, she would try to get friendly with me, her betel stained teeth created a long barricade. She would grin occasionally and seeing that I would run away, and she would always burst into laughter. But every holiday time, she would anticipate our presence and would get excited and happy to see us.

I was even skeptical of eating the fish she would be selling to us. After much persuasion by my grandparents, I would eat the fish made that day. 

But my Ma is an excellent cook, so whenever she would be making this Rui -Kalia recipe, which she herself mastered cooking over these years after her marriage to Baba, the entire home would get filled with the smell of “koshano moshla”.That heavenly feeling, aroma coming out from kitchen and cooking with the fresh catch for the day, whether it’s “Rui” or “Katla” was much appreciated, eaten and cherished by our family. 

Trying to re-create that old recipe with frozen Rui fish and with limited means, is like asking for “jeera - unth ke muh mein.” Anyways (I am not camel) and jokes apart, cumin powder is essential, so is coriander powder and if possible freshly churned spices or paste made over sheel-nora is the key to fragrant and scrumptious Rui Mach’er Kalia.

Now to the recipe

Rui Mach'er Kalia-(A Spicy, gravy based preparation of Rui /Rohu Fish) 

Recipe requirements( serves 3-4 )

• 5-6 Rui/Rohu fish pieces
• 2 medium size onions
• 5 large grated garlic
• 4 tsp of grated ginger
• 2 medium size tomatoes
• ¼ cup of peanuts or cashews
• Seasoning and tempering/phoron
• ½ tsp of cumin seeds
• 3-4 tej patta
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• 1 tsp of turmeric powder and little bit more to marinate fish pieces
• 2 tsp of red pepper powder
• 2 green chilies (adjust hotness according to personal taste)
• 2 -3 heaped tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• 1 tsp of salt and little bit more to marinate fish pieces
• 1 tsp of freshly churned garam masala
• ½ cup of mustard oil
• Two pinch of sugar
• 1 cup of finely chopped coriander

Method

• De-scale fish pieces( no need to do if you are based in India, you already do get de-scaled fish pieces from your fish mongers).Wash them very well in water and discard water , pat them dry if possible otherwise not compulsory. Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt, rub all it over the fish pieces, leave aside for half an hour.
• Meanwhile fish is marinating, make a smooth paste of onions and cashews or peanuts (soak them in water for half an hour so that they go soft and easily can be made into paste with onions), then again make smooth puree of tomatoes separately. Peel and grate garlic and ginger.
• Heat up a saucepan or Kadai /wok; add in mustard oil, fry fish pieces each side for 5-6 mints, till they turn nicely brown in color.
• Now in that oil left after frying fish pieces, add in cumin seeds, tej patta, cloves, and crushed cardamom.
• Add in grated garlic and ginger, fry it for 2-3 mints or till the rawness is gone.
• Now add in onion paste, keep on frying for 3-4 mints. Add in all the dry ingredients- turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and sugar. Add in tomato puree to this with ½ cup of water.Add in slit green chilies now.
• Let it all cook and fry for 5-6 mints at medium-high flame or the entire masala becomes somewhat dry. When the oil start to appear at the sides of the fried masala or “rang dhorano koshanor por “ in Bengali  , about after 10-12 mints, then add in 2 cups of water. Let the gravy come to one strong boil.
• Add in fried fish pieces and garam masala.Cover the saucepan and let it simmer for 10 -15 mints at medium-low flame. Add in mustard oil at last when the entire gravy turns somewhat deep in colour and semi-dry, “makha-makha” in Bengali. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.

Note- Salmon, pomfret, bhetki,Carp, sea bass all the firm fish can be replaced with Rui/Rohu fish.Many times I tend to add small cherry tomatoes in place of plum tomatoes. And make this fish curry in mustard oil for that authentic Bengali touch.

Happy Cooking and Have nice weekend Everybody!

M'ete'er Amish Khichuri- Lamb Kaleji/Liver Khichari

We anticipate each weekend so to unwind our self little bit during that period; And who does not, right? So, many plans are chalked out for the outings, get together etc, which we will be perhaps doing during a particular weekend. And then when finally you reach that end, everything goes kaput with severe weather conditions and rain lashing all over,disappointment strikes hard. This weekend it was rainy, cold and gray most of the time and coming to think of it, it doesn't put a nice picture unless one is tuned to the weather, which over a period of time we do have become, but a warm sunny day is far better than gray,cold and rainy day.”Rain –Rain go away, come another day” is all that is now playing in my mind.

Anyhow whenever gray weather retorts to our vicinity, we like to make warm and comforting one pot meals to slightly jazz up our rather mundane day. And this maete’r Amish khichuri- liver khichari  was perfect way to warm up our rather cold,rainy and gray afternoon that day.

Lamb liver or chicken liver or mutton liver is one nice addition in this khichuri recipe and also is a great source of iron . Although we know khichuri ranna is a "niramish" affair, but whenever we tend to add onions and garlic the equation do get changed. And even more change is observed when one tends to make it with meat/mutton or chicken.

Lamb liver or mutton liver ,needs little extra time to cook as compared to chicken liver; whatever is available,it can be used in this recipe.Many a times I do like to add cooked chicken pieces as well. Now over these years I am little skeptical of eating lamb meat here in abroad, but someday will definitely try cooking "Amish khichuri" with lamb meat, for the time being its lamb liver khichuri or M’aete’r Amish khichuri for all of you.

M'eate ‘r Amish khichuri- Lamb Liver Khichuri 

Recipe requirements (Serves 3-4)

• ¾ cup of mong dal
• ¼ cup of rice
• 1 tomato
• 1 cup of frozen green peas
• 2 tsp of grated ginger
• For seasoning and phoron/tempering
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of sugar
• 3 cloves
• Few strands of mace
• 2 cardamoms
• 2 star anise
• 2-3 tej patta or bay leaf
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 2-3 dry red pepper
• 3-4 tbs of mustad oil
• For the preparation of kaleji/m’aete/liver
• About 200 Gms of kaleji/liver/m’aete-mutton or lamb or chicken liver whichever is available
• 1 purple onion chopped finely
• 2-3 garlics finely chopped
• 2 tsp of grated ginger
• 1 tomato
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• ¾ tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp of cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp of garam masala
•  2 -3 tbs of Mustard oil
•  2 tbs of ghee at the time of serving

Method

• Put a saucepan on medium heat, fry mong dal for 5-6 mints or till they turn golden to light brown in colour. Wash them well in water. Wash and soak the rice in water.
• Add about 4-5 large cups of water in a big cooking pot/dekchi/handi/or big flat bottom saucepan. Add in bhaja mong dal. Let it come to a boil; discard the white froth forming now. Let it simmer at medium flame/gas/hob mark 6 or 7.Add in rice half way through. Personally I tend to add just after 5-6 mints mong dal is cooked.
• Now add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, salt and sugar. Let it cook at medium flame for 7- 8 mints.
• Meanwhile we will prepare the lamb/mutton or chicken  kaleji/liver/m'aete.
• Heat up a saucepan, add in mustard oil, and temper/phoron  it with chopped onions, ginger and garlic. Add in chopped tomato- add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, cumin powder and coriander powder,cardamom powder, garam masala and salt.Add in liver pieces.
• Let it cook covered for 7-8 mints or the liver has just turned soft, overcooking liver may turn it out rubbery, so check in between.
• Now to temper/phoron the khichuri/khichdi.
• In a heated saucepan, add in mustard oil, 1 tsp of cumin seeds,dry red pepper, tej patta, cloves, mace, cardamom,star anise and grated ginger. Fry them at medium-high flame for 3-4 mints. Now add in chopped tomato. Cook till tomatoes turn mash able and oil coming out by sides.
• Add this tempering to the simmering pot of khichuri.Add in frozen green peas.
• Cover it and let it cook further for 8-10 mints. Check if the dal-rice can be mashed well by taking few tsp of khichuri in a bowl. Stop the flame and let it remain covered. Adjust the seasoning by tasting, if required salt or sugar then add in now.
• Now if you like little runny khichuri or with gravy,then you may like to add in lukewarm 1 or 2 cups of water also.
• Many a times I do like to add in half cut potatoes in to the pot of simmering khichuri, this way they turn out soft and then take them out and mash it well with ghee and red chilly flakes or green chilies.This way, our side-dish is ready as well.
• Add cooked m'aete/liver to the cooked khichuri and mix well. Keep it covered and let it simmer for 3-4 mints.Serve and enjoy.

.
Note-Vegetarians can use cauliflower and green peas or sweet corn.And many times I do tend to add in cooked chicken pieces as well.If you like lamb meat, then cooked lamb meat can also added in place of lamb liver or chicken liver pieces.

Happy Cooking 

Chicken Chick Pea and Sweet Corn Pulao

The onset of autumn invokes a sudden gush of chill inside, kind of making you awake from your slumber and prepares you for the winter ahead. Couple of weeks ago, I took out our winter clothes. I had seen my parents how earnestly every autumn, they would take out all woolies, blankets and quilts/rajai/lep, from store room or attic and then they would sun-bathed them for the entire day out on the terrace of our home.

We would say that “ro-od poano” in Bengali and in the night we would then snuggle up, with the warmth of that sun-bathed quilt or blanket. Trying to relive those moments, I did put the winter coats and jackets on hangers and placed them on drying lines and put them near the balcony window of our apartment. Now as a small knit society building, we are not allowed to hang clothes outside in our balcony. But thankfully there are couple of windows in our apartment and the one giant balcony door from where sun-rays stream in, striking beautifully against the wooden floor. All this winter season provided if it's sunny and shiny,I have decided whenever I will see the opportunity to do this, will do it again.

Anyhow, and no matter how hard I try layering up myself with warm clothes and clinging on to the old monkey cap I have, whenever I see barren trees and branches, I start to feel the cold even more. Oh it’s the Bengali in side me who is afraid of winter nothing else!! Jokes apart but to be honest winter is the most glamorous season also. You know when you see a lady or a gentleman wearing classic coat with matching scarf and gloves, you know it will fathom a lot of attention. All eyes glued to it, gives you kind of a Casa Blanca moment, blown away. Anyhow glamorize or to de-glamorize yourself is a personal choice and one should always follow ones heart even if the outside world feels the other way, but at the same time maintaining a sense of decency.

Somebody told me couple of years ago “Cooking is also an art” just like dressing up oneself !! The way you choose the freshest of all ingredients, carefully chop and cut it, then stir/fry it at appropriate temperature and then choosing the cutlery to serve it...It all conjour upto the grand finale or the product that you are making or cooking for.”

And sometimes when you want to quickly finish doing your “piece of art” and also do not want to compromise on creating healthy meal, which should also satisfy the artist inside you, then one-pot meals are the best. Don’t know about you, but for an everyday cook like me “pieces of art” means edible food or a normal meal you can cook in comfy of your home with the freshest ingredients available in your panty. I wouldn’t say I don’t like to explore, making exotic cuisine but to me a one pot meal or a dal with warm cooked rice is far better than those exotic ingredients which creates a dish never heard of.

I have always liked one-pot meal , once made then served quickly and ready to be eaten, from saucepan direct to serving bowl or plate. This chicken, chick peas and sweet corn pulao is one such one-pot meal.

Now to the recipe

Chicken Chick peas and Sweet corn pulao

Recipe requirements( Serves 4-5 )

• 1 and half cup of basmati rice/gobindo bhog chal/sona masoori
•  2 cups of Roasted chicken breast or niblets pieces- Recipe here
• 1 can of chick peas or 2 cups of pre-cooked chick peas
• 1 cup of sweet corn
• 1 medium size tomato
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic
• 1 tsp of ginger grated
• For seasonings and tempering
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• ½ tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 2-3 dry red pepper
• 2 tej patta or bay leaf
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 cardamoms whole
• 2 star anise (optional)
• 2-3 tbs of cooking oil/sada tel

Method

• Soak the rice in water for 10 mints then wash it properly with water about two to three times. Drain the excess water.
• Chop tomato, onion, garlic and ginger. Pre- cook chick peas in pressure cooker for two whistles or you may use chick pea from cans. Put the sweet-corn kernels with enough water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at high for 2 mints or till they turn soft.
• Now heat up a saucepan, add in cooking oil, add in dry red pepper and tej patta, cloves and cardamom and star anise.
• Add in chopped onions, garlic and ginger.Fry till the rawness is gone about 4-5 mints at med-high flame.
• Now add in chick peas, chicken roast pieces – (For the recipe of roast chicken, you can find details Heree ) and sweet corn. Add all the seasonings- red pepper powder, cardamom, cinnamon powder, salt and sugar.
• Now add in tomato and keep on frying till tomatoes turn soft and pulpable.If required splash some water over it.
• Now add in rice and coat well this mixture over rice. Do not stir/fry vigorously, use a gentle hand and try to stir just few times otherwise rice grains will tend to break.
• When the rice grains become shiny and all the masala is coated well. Add in about 2 cups of water or put the level of water at least two fingers high above the rice mixture level.
• Let it cook for about 10-12 mints or till the water is absorbed. When the rice has swelled up absorbing the flavor and water, switch off the gas/turn off the hob and transfer the saucepan to cool off. Let it sit there for half an hour and then open the saucepan lid. Sprinkle a tsp of lemon juice now and mix well.
• Transfer this saucepan to the dinning table now. You can even make this pulao beforehand and reserve it to serve later on. Just reheat this in oven at 175 deg for 10 mints, covered or microwave it for 3-4 mints. I would suggest oven reheat method is better than microwave reheat method for pulao.
• Any raita or a gravy based curry like Shahi Korma , makes it even more filling and great meal accompaniments.

Hope you all had a lovely Thanks Giving Day and today hopefully you all in US are gearing up for the "Black Friday".Enjoy this weekend...

And thank you all for being part of my small world and encouraging me to write more with your kind words here.

Happy Cooking 

Pineapple Sandesh - Microwable Recipe

It looks like this week here it’s all about sugary things. First it was Jibe-Goja, then Balushahi and now these scrumptious pineapple sandesh.Anyhow festive season brings many excuses for the cravings that we have for sweet things, to me it adds up to the festive spirit.

Made some Pineapple sandesh on Diwali day and shared with a friend who stood beside me when I was sick. M stood beside me like a rock; I can reckon and hold on. Bless her. Don’t know what I would have done without her. And come to think of it, we were complete strangers couple of months ago.

Couple of days ago it was “Bhai phonta” or “Bhai Duj”.This year and like many years, I am far away from home and from my brother also. This festival or rather custom I would like to say, means nostalgia in sepia tune, no jokes apart but this makes me miss home even more. I start recalling all the wonderful childhood memories that I have grown up experiencing and sharing with him and my sister, kind of sudden chain reaction- one leads to another. Anyhow we brother and sisters caught on where we left last time and chatted lot , a lot on that day after many months. I think it’s the feeling which counts and even if you are separated miles away from each-other, well wishes stays forever. Any relationship needs three basic things- understanding, trust and friendship. You would say even brother-and sister relationship. I would say, yes even this relationship needs these three basic things.

Anyways how I wish I can make these pineapple sandesh for him someday. For the time being I am sure if you try making it for your loved ones, you know you have a keeper recipe and a recipe you can always depend on when everything else seems impossible to make. This recipe is as simple as that.

Pineapple Sandesh-Microwable Recipe

Recipe requirements

( Makes-small 8-12 Sandesh - measurements are approx)

• 2 and half cups of paneer/chana
• ¾ cup of sugar (or as per taste)
• Few strands of kesar/saffron
• 2 pineapple rings from the ready-made pineapple cans

Method

• To make paneer- boil 1 litre of  milk or more to get at least 2 cups of paneer/chena/cottage cheese.Add in lemon juice from one lemon and let it curdle. Drain the whey and put the paneer in a cotton tea towel or if you have muslin cloth. You may use your old but clean chiffon duppatta/chiffon cloth pieces  also (recycle and reuse).Tie it and hang it on a kitchen tap. Let it hang in for 3-4 hrs.After 3-4 hrs squeeze out excess whey if any.
• Soak few strands of saffron in very little milk, just 2-3 tbs.
• Now untie the cloth, take out the paneer crumble.in a big mixing bowl,add in sugar and saffron with milk and start kneading it with your clean hands. This kneading helps in mixing of sugar with paneer evenly.Knead paneer for 5-8 mints.Or you may grind sugar to get powdery sugar in a food processor or grinder for quick mixing with paneer.
• Now put the kneaded paneer – we call this paneer “makha- sondesh” in Bengali in a microwave safe bowl.
• Put this mixture to microwave for 30 sec on full power .Take it out and then stir and mix well. Again put this mixture to microwave for another 30 secs.Take out and stir. Repeat this again for 1 mint breaking it in between 30 secs.
• Now squeeze the juice from the pineapple ring and mash it very well.Add this pineapple to the above mixture and mix well.
• Again put this to microwave for 30 secs and take out, stir and put the last cycle to 30 secs.The paneer crumble will be little dry at this time. When pressed with a spoon, it will be give a nice layered texture.
• (Many microwaves may take more time or may be even less time - Please refer your microwave manual for further assistance)
• Take out and divide into equal portions and then roll into small balls, press gently and put them over muffin cases. Note- muffin cases tends to absorb the extra moisture, and due course of time the Sandesh tends to dry even more.
• Decorate with pistachio  and pineapple pieces.

Those who like the flavor of pina colada or pineapple, you know you have got a keeper recipe.

Note-
This sandesh should be consumed within 2-3 days to retain the freshness. Once made put them in refrigerator. Paneer replacement can be ricotta cheese, not very authentic but if paneer is not available to you and you are leading a busy life-style, then ricotta cheese comes handy in making sandesh a Bengali sweet.

And some flowers to brighten your day ..have a lovely day Everybody....

What Sunshine is to Flowers, Smiles is to humanity.

These are but trifles,to be sure, but scattered along life's pathway,

The Good they do is inconceivable..

              -Joesph Addison ..

Happy Cooking 

Balushahi and Happy Diwali

Deepawali, a festival of light invokes many memories. Rangoli making, fireworks and bursting fire-crackers with siblings and neighborhood friends, and also helping Ma in some of her chores. And then doing the lakshmi puja with family.Although these days I generally do not like to burst crackers but my little one likes sparklers and fountains a lot, well so is every kid I guess.

Yesterday was choto deepawali as we would like to call in Bengali .Lighting 14 diyas is customary to remember 14 generations of one’s family, no I cant even recall the names of my forefathers beyond my dadubhai and his father. And so is eating 14 shak/green leafy vegetables. Now I really cant count 14 shak even , I pity myself sometimes, my count always stops at 9.But these days small ready-made packets of 14 shak is available in Kolkata. Many vegetable vendors do keep them. And also if you happen to tell them beforehand, they do keep them  for you even if you come to collect late in the evening .Life is easier now as we don’t have to go out hunting 14 shak in our para/neighborhood anymore. But hardly these days’ people eat shak so leave alone eating 14 shak all at one go.That's another story, and I leave it for some other day.

This year got some decorated diyas from Indian grocery store .Now, I was wondering to switch off the lights for half an hour so that the candles and diyas glow in dark eradicating all the darkness around us and inside us also. Let’s see how things turn out in the evening.

But since today is festival of light, it calls for another sweet recipe.

I have never imagined myself making balushahi/badusha some day. Ten years ago if anybody would have asked me about balushahi, I would have said go, get it from the sweet shop!! But living here in abroad has taught me many things; one is trying out innumerable times till you can make it perfect.

Although this is my first attempt of making balushahi and even I was pleasantly surprised that I could pull it off well. The first thing S asked me after coming from office, how you managed the shape of balushahi; it looks more or less the store-brought. Now my feeble memory says this does look like balushahi otherwise you know how husband can be, when they come home late from office and are in a maneuvering mood.

Here is how I made it, got the recipe from Here.

Balushahi/Badusha

Recipe requirements (measurements are approx)

Makes 14-15 medium size balushahi

• 250 Gms or roughly 2 and half cups of Maida/all purpose flour
• 60 Gms of butter melted
• 1 cup of yogurt
• ¼ tsp of baking soda
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• For the sugar syrup
• Sugar -2 cups
• Water – 1cup

Method

• Sift the flour; add in baking powder and baking soda.
• Now make a well in the flour mixture, add in melted butter .Rub the butter well with flour.
• Add in yogurt, just mixing through, do not knead. Leave aside for 30 mints. Kneading the dough much results in gluten which we don’t want. Remember we are making pastry not bread.
• After 30 mints, come back to the dough and gently mix in and form dough.
• Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup.
• Add in water to sugar, and add in cardamom powder. Let it simmers.After the syrup is ready , take it off from the flame.Note- I would say prepare the sugar syrup when you are frying the balushahi so that balushahi can soak the sugar syrup when it's still warm, it will help to absorb syrup well.
• Now divide the dough in equal balls. Make a dent in the middle and keep them aside for half an hour.do no worry about cracks, we do need it to absorb the sugar syrup.It would be better if you keep them for 1-2 hr and then deep fry them.
• Now heat up frying pan, add in cooking oil. Deep fry balushahi  for 15 mints at medium –low flame or till they turn nice brown in colour. Do not hurry this frying process, we want to cook the inside portions also.
• Take out and then dunk them in sugar syrup. Let it sit there for 7-8 mints or till the balushahi absorb the sugar syrup.Note- add in 4-5 drops of lemon juice to the sugar syrup.
• Take out from the syrup and decorate as you wish.
• Store them in air tight containers, stays fresh for 1 week in cold climate.
• The Indian donut is ready to be relished.

Leaving with you some of the pictures clicked yesterday.We lighted 14 tealight candles on Choto Deepawali.

Somebody forwarded this message to me ..so sharing here ...

"As the candle light flame,
Your life may always be happiness's claim....

As the mountain high,
You move without sigh...
Like the white linen flair........
Purity is always an affair;

As sunshine creates morning glory ,
Fragrance fills years with flurry..

With the immaculate eternal smile,
attached to you mile after mile;

All the darkness is far away,
as the light is on it's way.............

Wish you all a very very happy and safe Deepawali.... Shubho Deepawali  everybody.........

Jibe Goja

“It’s the shape of this pastry, so the name jibe goja,” That’s what my thamma had once told me making them while I was hovering around with her in her kitchen during one of those festival days .Festival time mean loads of high calorie sugary things for most of us and these jibe gojas were just a part of big and elaborate menu. I don’t know if she really meant it that way or was in a jovial mood then, playing a sort of mischievous prank with me, you know how grand mom and grand dad can be when it comes inter-acting with their grandchildren. Leave aside the logic of shape, these are very addictive and if you can eat one, then you can’t stop eating it even more.

Many north Indians may recognize this with a similar pastry which they say “khaja” in Bihar and UP I guess. My Granddad once told me that it is also part of the prosad menu that is being served to Lord Jagannath in Puri, Orissa. I really intend to visit Puri someday, a magnificent place for spiritual awareness and growth.

Once my mother-in-law told me that jibe goja was part of Durga Puja goodies that were made in her “mamabari”,and also for bijoya that her jethima would make for the entire family. Now I don’t know if S remembers anything concerning his mamabari, but every child has soft corner for her or his “mamabari”.She told me that maida and chal goron are mixed together, kneaded into a dough and then they are rolled, cut and again rolled, deep fried, then lastly coated with sugar syrup.Once made they can lasts for 4-5 days, those 5 days were special in her mamabari also where these were part of elaborate Pujo cooking.

And my mamabari was in Bihar, so once when we were coming back, although it was very rare that we would visit our mamabari, first for the long distance and then it was Bihar! But these days Bihar has witnessed some real changes, all said and done, but it’s a long journey ahead.

Our Dadubhai had sent along with us a wooden basket full of “khajas”, which we relished while traveling back to home by train. Well trains were the only means to cover long distance then and who doesn’t like train journeys.It’s one of those faboulous experiences which makes every childhood memories strong and memorable.

Last time I heard anything related to my “mamabari” from my Ma was not so overwhelming thing for me.My didima is no more with us and she was the only connection that we had with our mamabari, with her sad demise, now it seems irrelevant to go back again there. Hopefully she is now resting in peace somewhere. She left us, leaving behind her legacy of irresistible –lip-smacking ranna/cooking skills. I really wish I can grab those recipe secrets, but it seems nearly impossible now.

But these days as I am far away from Kolkata, sitting here in UK, all I can do is make” jibe goja” in home, something which can help me connect to all those memories, people and places. Now if you know those layers of “khaja” or “jibe goja”, requires whole lot of ghee and dried fruits.I would never have obliged myself of those extra calories but since its festival time, just thought of making and writing it here.

Jibe Goja is obviously is small as compared to khaja, but still it requires generous amount of ghee –coating. I do feel if you can really use ghee or butter it adds up to the flavor. Many add rice flour to make it even crispier. I don’t know if it really makes any difference as the jibe gojas that I made didn’t have rice flour. I purposefully made them roll into thin rounds, so the layers can come along well like a normal pastry that tends to be flaky. Many will prick the jibe gojas before frying them so that they don’t puff up while they are frying, but I didn’t think so and didn’t prick them with fork as well. So many no, and still I was wondering if it really going to be edible or not. But when the end product was served, it was much relished.

There are other recipes in net – here and here, but this IBN live cooking show , caught my attention. My ma told me to make a little thick sugar syrup so that later on sugar crystallizes well which really made it even more crispy and crunchy and oh! Sugary also.

he recipe

Jibe Goja

Recipe requirements (measurements are approx)

• 250 Gms or 2 and half cups of maida/all purpose flour
• Quarter tsp of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp of kalo jeerey/kalunji/Nigella seeds
• For the sugar syrup
• 2 cups of sugar
• ½ cup of water
• 1 and half cup of cooking oil for frying jibe goja and for moyen
• 2 tbs of ghee or butter

Method

• Sift the flour; add in baking soda, salt. Mix well.
• Now add in 2-3 cooking oil this will be our “moyen”.Add in kalo jeerey/kalunji.Many add jowan/Ajwain, but I have skipped adding it.
• Now knead it well with about little bit of water. Add in 1 tbs of oil in the mixing bowl, and place the dough over it. Leave it aside for half an hour. Note- often rice powder is added to make it even more crisp, now since I have added baking soda already, it was not necessary.
• After half an hour come back again and knead the dough very well. This way it’s easier to knead the maida dough. Place it covered and let it sit for 1 hr.
• Meanwhile
• Prepare the sugar syrup
• Heat up a saucepan, add in sugar and water and little bit of cardamom powder for a nice flavor.
• Make sugar syrup, just like you would be making it for gulab jamuns or pantua but the syrup will be little thick.Add in quarter tsp of lemon juice when the syrup is done.
• Now make approx 3-4 big balls out of this mixture.
• Take one and roll into large disc. Spread evenly about a ½ tsp of butter over it. Start rolling from one end working towards the outer end. Now cut into small portions in equal size.
• Roll each portion well to form long something similar like our tongue shape.
• Deep fry them at medium flame each side till they change little Color and do not hurry this process, we want nice golden color and also the pastry should cook in the middle as well.
• Now take it out and drain the excess oil over a kitchen towel or better use old news paper as it absorbs more oil.
• Now dunk these in the sugar syrup, let it sit there for 7-10 mints, coat well the sugar syrup over these jibe goja.The sugar syrup will tend to go solid after some time, those sugar crystals add more crunch to the jibe goja.

Take out and store in air-tight containers, remains fresh for 1 week if stored this way .You can even keep them over kitchen counters or at breakfast table. No need to refrigerate.

These are excellent accompaniment when sudden  sweet cravings happens or pack some while you are traveling by trains.

Happy Cooking Friends

Curly Kale Lao Diye Dal- Dal Cooked with Curly Kale and Bottle Gourd

Sometimes I wonder there are so many recipes hanging out till eternity in this wide world web that if you start counting, it can may easily exceed the count for all the stars and satellites in this Milky Way. And probably in coming years many new recipes will be added and will continue to do so. 

And this dal recipe with curly kale and bottle gourd is just another addition to it.

Imagine yourself in a 3 dimensional zone and recipes floating out all around you, and you picking up a recipe when flashed in front of your eyes.Ok I know that seems gross and a scene straight lifted from a sci-fi movie, well my intention is not something to make you shiver with horror, but to make you realize that these are texts and pictures only and they are hanging till eternity in this place we call “WWW”.So, slow down friends when it requires and take it easy on blogging.

There are many recipes out here on internet, some talks about exotic ingredients, and then their breath-taking pictures, food styling, presentation, props and what not.So everything neatly presented, pictures composed, even photo shopped, and well balanced taken into many technical aspects - white balance, shutter speed, aperture etc , and in between all this the poor food, which becomes cold and the lovely family waiting patiently.

Can’t we blog about simple home-food without getting deep into the technical aspect of a gadget .The kind of real food and home-made ,which we eat regularly, showing our messy kitchen counter-top, kitchen cupboard, messy or grubby stove-top or is this too boring for most of you. I don’t know when the day will come when we will jump to see a picture of dal and roti instead of three-layered chocolate cake or tiramisu or calzone or creme Brule or whatever.

And even we as food bloggers ,don’t want to look back some recipe again and make them again, that’s true in any case but we are sorry I keep on doing it. Once written, seen and read then the chapter is closed.You know kind of recipes which you can tick in the box as show-stopper recipe, or a show-casing recipe, all eyes glued on to it.

And then there are recipes, that requires no rocket science or algorithm, even you don’t have to remind yourself  of any trigonometric functions, or the aperture speed, focal length, white balance, day light or night light, evening time ,morning time etc and still you can do it fine with a picture clicked just on an auto mode.

And this dal recipe is one among those home-made simple foods, and you know the end product will be edible and comforting. It’s just like you can cook it the way you make your morning tea in a microwave and/ or driving a car in an auto mode cruising along a highway.

Give me any day a bowl of hot, piping dal and warm cooked rice, and I will be the happiest person.

Curly Kale Lao’er dal –Dal Cooked with Curly Kale and Bottle gourd

Recipe requirements (measurements are approx)

•  1-2 cups of moong dal
• 2 cups of Bottle gourd /lauki/Lao/ghia chopped in cubes
• 1 bunch Curly kale, leaves and tender stalks chopped
• Seasonings and tempering
• ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• ¾ tsp of turmeric powder
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• ½ inch cinnamon
• 2-3 dry red pepper
• 2-3 tej patta or bay leaves
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• Few methi or fenugreek seeds
• Pinch of hing/asafetida

Method

• Wash the lentils very well. Put the pressure cooker on at medium flame/gas mark-5 or 6.
• Add in lentils and enough water to cover up lentils very well. Discard white foam forming afterwards.
• Now add in chopped bottle gourd/lauki /Lao cubes. Add in chopped curly kale also. Alternately you can blanch the green leaves and add later on while tempering the dal. Note- While I would recommend pressure cooking the curly kale leaves with lentils as this way it will retain the nutritional water coming out from the leaves. Otherwise both ways Curly Kale needs proper cooking as compared to spinach leaves which cooks very fast.
• Now add in salt and turmeric powder.
• Pressure cooks it for one whistle. Open it few mints later; don’t wait for the pressure to subside, as it may turn lentils and lauki/lao to be over-cooked and a mush. Run some cold water over pressure cooker to open it quickly.
• Add in 2 cups of water now and some chopped tomatoes. Adjust with sugar now.
• Now for the tempering/tarka/phoron
• Heat up a small saucepan, add mustard oil, and add in hing, cumin and fenugreek/methi seeds.
• Add in dry red pepper and tej patta.Add in cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.Stir/fry them 1-2 mints.
• Now add in chopped tomatoes. Fry them well till tomatoes become a pulp sort.Add in red pepper powder.
• Now add in this tempering/tarka/phoron into the cooked dal. Let it cook at medium flame for 5-7 mints.
• Take it off when all have mixed well.
• Serve with warm cooked rice of roti.-Note- increase the water content if you wish to make soupy preparation of this dal.

And Happy Cooking Friends