Bengali

Topa Kuler Achaar (sweet and sour jujube pickle)

6:12 AM


It's that time of the year again when the weather is more whimsical than me during my PMS. Somedays it's warm beyond reason and makes us feel is it summer already in February but come morning the nip in the air makes you cold. As a result the kids are taking turn in bringing home some unwanted bugs.

First it was the daughter who came down with a bacterial infection similar to chicken pox. She had blisters allover her body and scalp without fever or body ache. Now that she is recovering Friday son came home with high fever and headache. On such days I dont feel like doing anything as there's nothing more heart breaking than to see your child suffer. Glad that they are small and are easily cheered on. A batch of cookies here and some drawing sessions there make them happy. and when their smile comes back I am assured that there's everything right with this World.

Having said that one thing that is naggingly worries me these days is this sudden changes in weather. Even five years back there were clear demarcations of weather. Spring came with full glory with a very pleasant weather and colours everywhere. Now not even winter stays for more than a couple of months that too has become so warm. Global Warming definitely is a reality, the quickly we recognize that the better.

The recipe that am sharing today has nothing to do with  it. but the fact that with growing urbanisation these fruits might soon become a distant reality makes me sad. Also this year when I first saw them in the market I had this strange urge to make the pickle. I never had made it before as it was Maa who would make it year after year for us. She would ask her artisans to book trees so that when the fruits ripen she could take them home and make big batches of pickle to give to everyone in the family. 
But not this year. 
With a small bottle of her pickle still on the shelf I knew I had to make it.
I knew I needed to get it right.

So here it is, her simple recipe but without the magic of her hands. I wish I could recreate that...

Bengali

Macher Chop (Fish Croquet)

5:35 AM


Somethings in life do not need any introduction and that fits very well for this recipe. Macher chop or Fish croquet is one of the favourite snacks of Bengalis as it combines their love for fish and deep fries in one dish. These little croquet are made out of spiced fish and is coated in bred crumb for a crisp outer coating. It is said that these mighty chops were invented by some innovative cook serving to the British officials. 

Bengali

Shish palong er chorchori (Spinach shoots mishmash)

7:24 AM


Kolkata, the city of joy is a mystery to many but I have a love hate relationship with this city. As a child I was awestruck with this city's splendour and glamour. Everytime we would visit from our small sleepy university town, the grandeour of the city with it's neon lights and big roads would mesmerise me. I will look at the building with big eyes from our car window and would think for hours about the kind of people who get to live there.


then adulthood happened and I moved cities to realise how dirty, clumsy, chaotic this city is. In Delhi I found solace in its queer quiteness of some areas and throbbing pulse at others. Later I was happy to settle in the modern and urbane Bangalore and when again I had to move back to Kolkata I could not wait to flee...


Now almost 6 years in the city and finally I can see it's hidden beauty, the very heart that beats in all its chaos and noise. It's not about the old houses, it's pompous history or the unique heritage of art and craft...Kolkata is special for its simplicity...the way it invites and absorbs every stranger...the way it is eager to make you a part of its own unique culture...yet the way it lets you be who you are...


Kolkata is pure magic.

and this is where I belong...


Chutney Pickle n Preserves

Gajar Gobi Shalgum Achaar (pickled Cauliflower, Turnip and carrots)

11:27 AM


Before shifting to Delhi I had no idea about the following three things. that parathas could be made with whole wheat flour, pickles could be made with vegetables and Parathas could be eaten on its own. I vividly remember the first time I was served paratha without any sabzi (curry). For me it was unfathomable. How could one eat a dry parathas without some wet curries!!! Back home our triangular paratha breakfast would always always be accompanied with some alur dom and I expected the same when after a hectic day of factory visit ordered some paratha for dinner.

I was residing in a hostel then, a hostel which was built on a facility started by an Ex Army Colonel, who totally wanted the building look like an Army barack with concrete bunk beds and no hot water  even in Delhi's peak colder months. The appointed Ladies hostel warden served his mentality who we used to call Lady Hitler. She would not fumble a bit to fire an MBA student if we even went to our next room after the class. The facility of the ladies hostel, the behavious of the stuff and the food was pathetic to say the least but we tried to cope and devised some tricks to make our life easier. One of them was to get food delivered by the boys living in the adjacent building. There was a twi story hige brick wall that separated the two building. But there was a secret hole in that wall, a lose brick which only the student knew.

Review

Sizzler Festival @Buzz, Taj, Gateway

10:50 AM

Sizzler, the once alien food to many is now a star in almost all good dining facilties. Especially in Winter when the air is redolent with the smell of fresh Komlalebu, comforting Boroline and that quintessential caramely aroma of Nolen gur we crave something sizzling hot. Something that will match the heavy thick  air around us and make us feel comfortable. So what if the temperature never falls below 12C in Kolkata. We need to enjoy our short lived winter with as much winter specials as we can fit in the few days.

So when the invitation from Gateway Kolkata came to KFB, I was more than happy to say yes. Not only because I dint have any sizzler this year but also because I am a sucker of Gateway's Executive Chef Ashis's food. He never ever fails to amaze us with his trade.

 The sizzler festival at Buzz, Taj, Gateway is on till 2nd February'17 as an A la Carte Menu. Available for both Lunch and Dinner.
For booking please call

The menu is as exciting as it could get. Neither I have heard of Southern chicken sizzler or Sheesh Touk sizzler. The platters were as exciting as their amazing taste. We were bowled over by the Kathal ke Gelawat sizzler platter and the Roasted potato with stuffed cottage cheese sizzler that they served in the Vegetarian section. All the sizzler platters came with some Jalapeno rice and their in house multigrain bread which was so very good that you can even finish the meal with that.
Roasted Potato with cottage cheese Sizzler platter

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