Bengali

Chit Ruti or Chita pitha

6:00 PM

 

What is your traditional breakfast is a question that I often face. Especially from the foreign guests during our cuisine walks, all curious about Bengali food after a leisurely discussion and walk through the fascinating Gariahaat market.


The first time I heard this question, I got a little startled and could not reply quickly. Honestly, the breakfast that I have most days is toast and egg which in no way is a traditional breakfast. It rather is a hangover from the 200 years of the British Raj and Bengal being its capital for about 139 years (1772-1911). The other popular breakfast items most Bengalis would drool over and get nostalgic about be it luchi, kochuri or Radhaballavi are occasional/ festive breakfasts not to be had daily.

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Bengali

Chitoi Pitha and it's many variations

8:34 PM


 Another year has gone by.

I am another year older, probably another year wiser and if anything to go by my kids- I'm another notch cynical too.

Cynicism has never been my personality trait but I guess ageing slowly is not only giving me salt and pepper hair but also is toning down the tolerance level that I once was so proud of. And if that wasn’t enough,  I do not even shy away from showing my disapproval at times.


One of the things that I probably would never be in terms of, is the idea of fusion cuisine without getting the basics right. Please don’t get me wrong here. I strongly believe that food should evolve and change but at the same time am a big believer in preserving our heritage, our food culture, preserving everything that invariably is ours. So, while I will vehemently agree with you that ‘authenticity’ in food is tricky but at the same time honouring the origin of a dish and knowing the background is of utmost importance too.

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Desserts and Sweets

Shahi Zarda (Biyebarir Zarda)

10:18 PM


Shakespeare once said 'What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose  by any other name would smell as sweet.'

While it comes to food I can relate to the second half of this famous saying but name of dishes often tells a lot about it's origin and evolution.

Zarda, also known as Meethe chawal (Sweetened rice) or Gur ke chawal (Jaggery rice) is a popular dessert in the Indian Subcontinent. The name Zarda comes from the Persian word 'Zard' or yellow colour.  It's the traditional yellow tint of this dessert that gave this name. While Zarda on a Muslim dastarkhwan is rich with pure ghee and heavy-handed use of dry fruits and nuts, the North Indian meetha chawal is comparatively lighter on the palate. and the Gur ke chawal in my experience was quite a peasant dish where aromatic rice is simmered in fresh ganne ka ras (sugarcane juice) or jaggery water.

Tracing back to its roots would make one believe that the dish in India was introduced and popularised by the Mughals. A detailed recipe of Zard Birinj (Yellow rice) is found in Ain-i- Akbari, the record of Akbar's administration written by his court historian Abu'l Fazl in 16th century. It uses around 5 seers of sugar candy, 3.5 seers of ghee, and 1.5 seers of dry fruits and nuts for 10 seers of rice. An opulent dish fit for the royals. 

Bengali

Poda Pitha

10:47 PM


"It is your first visit after your marriage. What can I make for you?" Her voice chimed on the phone.

When Mami asked me this just before our first visit to Mamarbari after our marriage I felt elated. Mine was the first wedding on my mother's side. Everyone was excited to see and greet the new son in law but at the same time, everyone was worried about me. They found it too much for me to handle home and work all alone at a faraway from them in Bangalore. So on that trip home, I found myself being pampered by everyone.

But as I was going there in a big group, I did not want to burden her anymore with my requests.
Yet secretly there was something I was craving for. 
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Meat n Poultry

Egg Biriyani

8:36 AM


“The Indian subcontinent owes a deep debt to the Muslim community, for it is they who introduced the gamut of biryanis and pulaos to us.”- Pratibha Karan

My first taste of Biriyani was when I was 7.
and for that first time, I was lucky enough to taste the real deal- cooked by khansamah from Lucknow and served as a community meal.

bengal

Panta Bhat and accompaniments recipe

8:08 PM


So here are the promised recipes for the panta and few of it's many accompaniments. Guess I have written enough on my previous post about this meager meal so now let me delve into the recipes right away.

Here I have given an idea of how much of what is to be used. Giving an exact quantity is quite difficult. Follow your taste preference and you would be fine.

All the recipes given here are for 4 servings

Panta Bhat

Q. What kind of rice to use? Sundried or Boiled (seddho or atop)?

A: I have seen normal non-hybrid variety, boiled rice (seddho chal) lends itself better to the process of making Panta. They soften and disintegrate naturally and bring in a slightly tangy flavour. You can even use sundried rice (atop) but it has a distinct flavour which I personally do not like in my Panta.
Similarly, short grain rice is better for this recipe.

Bengali

Panta Bhat, Bengli style fermented rice

4:46 AM

In the 80’s when we were growing up summer vacation was a long affair, at least in the university town of Santiniketan that I call home. Those days in that land of red laterite soil, with no ac and frequent power cuts summer, was dry and dreaded. The only respites we had were the drenched khaskhas curtains and big bowlfuls of Panta bhat.
Panta bhat or slightly fermented overnight soaked rice has been a way of life in Rural Bengal. I believe the association goes back to the time when we discovered this grain and started consuming it. As fermentation expert Sandor Ellix Katz puts it, “Fermented foods were not exactly human inventions; they are natural phenomena that people observed and then learned how to cultivate." Following that preparing, Panta bhat was a mere way of saving the leftover rice for another meal.
Which turned out to have amazing properties of cooling down the body in Summer and keeping one hydrated and nourished for long. Something that our forefathers understood long ago and consuming panta bhat was made a part of life through many folktales and customs.

One Pot meals

Curd rice or Thayir Sadam

7:34 AM


Summer is upon us at its full throttle. Too soon I say as I still am confused how come the weather took such a sharp turn. Maybe I was too busy with the kiddo's exams, my first Pop-up (will post about it later), a competition I took part in Mumbai and the painting work at home that I forgot to notice when the weather warmed up and became nasty. Gone are the days to walk long miles early in the morning and looking up to the mellow winter sun to warm up our cheeks and hands. 

Breakfast

Kalabhat-yogurt-mango breakfast parfait

8:08 PM


Though as a grown up I dread summer but when I look back, Summer evokes such fond memories of childhood vacations spent at grandma's. Those were the simplest times with pure joy found in everything.
My Mama bari or maternal home is in a very remote village of Midnapore near the Coast did not even have electricity back then but we never missed it. we had friends and cousins to play with, pure unadulterated nature to explore and loving family and home to come back to. Everything was pure in what they offered. We had the most basic food foraged, caught and collected from our own farms, cooked by Dida. Even the breakfasts were simple affairs.

Bengali food has always been based on the principles of Ayurveda following which we not only include each of the six tastes to our meals for a more nourishing and fulfilling experience we also base our diet on easily digestible rice based products. Apart from various types of rice that contributes as the main carbohydrate to a Bengali diet there are numerous other rice based products like Muri (puffed rice), Chire (beaten rice), Khoi (puffed rice in it's husk), Chalbhaja (Another type of puffed rice but not as puffed and little spicy), khud (broken rice)  etc that makes our breakfast and snacks wholesome and filling.

You will hardly find a Bengali who have grew up in the 80's or before not have had Doi-chire-Aam as summer breakfast. Doi here refers to homemade yogurt and mostly chinipata doi where sugar is added to the milk before adding the culture. This Chinipata Doi often were our desserts during summer days even in our family this was served as a part of wedding meal. 

This Kalabhat parfait is born from that memory of my summer vacations and Doi-chire-aam. IF you know me then you know I do not suggest or recommend anything unless am very sure of it. And this Kalabhat parfait is a delicious thing to start your day. Kalabhat or black rice is naturally high in anti oxidant and contains anthocyanin that fights cancer and helps in reducing inflammations. Naturally gluten free, full of fiber and rich in protein content and so very versatile too. You can use them as steamed rice to pair with your curries, add in stir fries or salads, make desserts and even add them in your soup. Trust me this chewy slightly glutinous grain is a delight to have.

Bengali

Sabur Khichuri the Bengali way

7:27 PM


Shubho Nababarsho to every one. Though Belated but like everyone else's they mean the best for you.

Big changes are taking place at home and with a fragile health am finding it difficult to cope up with the stress. but among all these chaos my recipes got published again on Ananda Bazar Patrika for their Nababarsho special issue on 14th April, 2018. Many have requested for the recipes as they were published in Bengali. Hopefully can update them one by one.

Desserts and Sweets

phirni

12:00 PM


Happy Diwali  everyone. May you all be blessed with a wonderful time with your family..May peace and wisdom Take over all evil through out the World.

Here is one of my favourite dessert, the rich, gritty, indulging Phirni , a must have for all Mughlai cuisine lovers. Being in Kolkata means you get to see a simpler form of Phirni everywhere. This does not have any nuts or other expensive ingredients but just plain unadulterated full fat milk, sugar and rice...thickened down over time, stirred with oodles of patience  and finally flavoured with some green cardamom. But love you must have, to prepare this dish... because it's only love has that immense power to transform some simple pantry staples to such a rich fit for the king dessert. 

Being the firm believer of 'Homemade is Best'...I though prefer to make them at home most times. That way you have complete control over the quality of the dish. 

Bengali

Bangladeshi Mutton Tehari (Spicy aromatic rice and goat meat medley)

3:34 AM



The truth is I had never eaten Mutton Tehari before I watched this video. The Tehari of North India which we were served every Sunday for lunch in our Delhi hostel is quite different. This peasant dish of UP basically is a vegetarian dish made with winter veggies like cauliflower, peas and potatoes but this Tehari from Bangladesh could be the close cousin of a basic Biriyani. It's a cross between an yakhni pulao and a Biriyani and it's uniqueness is the zing that it gets from Mustard oil and green chilies. Quite humble at heart but hearty and satisfying for lazy afternoon.

No wonder I again decided to make it for Eid lunch this year. I was running very bsuy with my cooking Demo and and full fledged meal planning for my clients and had every intention to put my feet up for the long weekend. and thats exactly what I did. Just got out of my lazy cocoon on Minday late morning and whipped up this delicacy under 2 hours.


Bengali

Bengali Style Fried rice

7:46 AM


This is my go to rice recipe for any formal meal. With the dry fruits and ghee this is festive enough to serve to guests as a fancy meal yet with a few pantry staples comes together really really quickly. What differentiate this dish to other fried rice recipe is it's mild sweetness and the restrained use of ghee as an aromat. Unlike the other pilaf or rice recipes this is not steeped in oil and doused with garam masala powder rather a very delicate recipe that pairs really well with rich gravy dishes.

Bengali

Paneer and Veg pulao and Boondi Raita

6:29 AM


Remember just a few months back I was talking about appointing a cook, well the news is she suddenly left the job this month due to shifting to another place. Which leaves me in a queer position not knowing whether to be happy or sad. 

Happy because she bunked most of the days especially on days when you needed her the most she would not be seen anywhere near our place. Also she used too much oil, read more than 7 liters per month for a family of four, and always made sure to cook a huge batch for us to eat leftovers for at least a couple of days. 

Rice

Lemon Rice

11:41 AM


This quick recipe is a lifesaver for me on many nights. Sometimes it's 7 in the evening and I have no clue whats for dinner. I guess it happens to all of us on somedays. when the whole day's work makes you dizzy and all you want is to snuggle up on the bed and doze off. but being a mother means those options are just out of your dictionary. So you still have to cook, you still have persuade your kids to finish their meal and God forbid if you have a toddler then you still have to chase them, cajole them and make them eat whatever is in the plate. Trust me that's a lot of work.

Bengali

Bengali Holud polao (Aromatic rice pulao with turmeric)

10:16 AM



Tomorrow is Nababarsho(Bengli new year) and your posted such everyday curry recipes on the Blog? Chimed the husband in the phone. 

I felt puzzled, is he joking? Tomorrow is what?

And if that was not enough you said you are still in denial that Winter got over when you were busy. how funny is it to say that in middle of April? have you totally lost it? 

I mumbled but dint look for an answer rather tried sorting the order of events in my head. The sonny boy's new session started on 9th and it's exactly a week after that ...Poila Boisakh or the first day of Bengali new year generally falls around 14th of April...which means yes Its almost poila boisakh. 

But is it tomorrow? am still in Denial. Are you sure? I asked the husband almost in disbelief.

Meat n Poultry

Bibimbap: Korean Rice bowl. The ultimate TV Dinner

10:11 AM


"Can I try that?" I asked the tired husband with my finger pointing to a picture of black stone bowl holding some assorted ingredients, that looked like raw vegetables and egg.
"Whatever! Am ordering a thali meal from the indian counter" replied a visibly irritated husband.

He had every reason to get annoyed as it was our second week in Japan and I almost wanted to try out new things every time we went out. More often than not I could not finish the dish because of some ingredient unknown to me and we had to go up and order yet another burger from MacD.

But that day was not the same. The Dolsot Bibimbap that I got afterwards was delicious to boot. While ordering I requested them to poach the egg and while serving they gestured me to handle the blisteringly hot stone bowl carefully. The meal that followed afterwards was like an one pot wonder. It had everything from Crunchy sauteed vegetables, marinated pickle, stir fried sprouts, Little bit of meat, one fried egg with a shiny orange yolk and a big dollop of gochujang, a Korean spicy chili paste that brings all the flavour, texture and taste together. We literally licked the bowl clean and went back the next day for another serving.

One Pot meals

Bhat Bhaja (Bengali left over rice fry with veggies and spices)

10:55 AM


My Maa has plenty of time saving kitchen tricks up her sleeve. Same goes for her ability to use up leftover dishes. Though I can not fathom the crisp chapatis that she fries up every other day for breakfast but pretty much follow her ideas for other things.

This bhat bhaja (bhat means cooked rice, bhaja is frying) is perfect to use up the short grain par boiled rice that most Bengalis eat on regular basis. For the uninitiated Parboiled rice is the result of a process where rice, still in its brown rice grain form is either parboiled or steamed and then dried in its husk. The milling process comes next. The resulting grains are lest brittle, yellow in colour and have more nutrients as the Thiamine moves from its husk to the grain. but this process also causes a gelatinisation of the starch in the grains and therefore par boiled rice are often thicker than regular milled white rice. (info:Wiki)

Meat n Poultry

Easy Chicken Pulao and tips on Microwave cooking

11:59 PM


God Bless the man who invented Microwave. I don't know about others but for me gone are the days when I only used it for re heating my leftover food. Now a days I use it constantly to cook, to steam, to boil, to broil, to bake, to roast and yes to re-heat as well. The bottom line is just cant think of my life without my microwave. If am in the kitchen its constantly in use to make my life super easy, efficient and time saving.

Meat n Poultry

Japanese Chicken Doria (Rice Gratin)

10:04 PM



My first encounter with this dish took place in very famous food joint in Japan called Saizeriya. They have a beautiful restaurant very near to where we lived in Kawasaki. So one fine evening all excited hubby with a promise to feed us good food took us there. The food was amazingly good and unlike other Japanese restaurants were very reasonably priced. The first time we gorged on the mushroom salsa pizza, Insalata Caprese, Paella and what not. The second time we wanted to experiment out of our familiar food comfort zone and ordered this Chicken Doria. The picture on the menu made us believe that it's going to be another type of pizza. But when it came to the table and we dug in, it was completely different. A rice-based baked main-course which tasted devilishly delicious with loads of molten cheese on top. My 4-year-old little boy loved it so much that he almost finished a bowlful and I definitely got my clue from there.

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