at 20:00

Three years, Motherhood & a Comeback: My ma's Chicken Paturi

I am looking at my laptop screen thinking what is it that I really want to write? All that comes out of me is a long breath. Where do I start?

It’s been three long years since I looked at my blog. And what an amazing three year it has been for me. My daughter was born in November 2013. My life, our life changed forever; she brought the joy that nothing can match. She filled every moment of my life. She makes me a better person. Motherhood changed everything - one has less time than usual, you become responsible for another little person who is totally dependent on you. Motherhood means dirty nappy, breastfeeding room lock, sleepless night, messy house, toddler tantrum, potty training, lack of adult company and the list can go on. Very common isn’t it? But trust me for all mothers, motherhood is above all, purest joy, is about that cuddle and mushy hug that only a child can give, about that gooey kiss on your cheek, those small fingers that holds you while she sleeps, that peaceful sleep on your chest while wearing the child, those morning teas that your toddler insists on making every single day and those kisses on your hand when you are hurt and those running towards you calling ‘mummyyyyyyyyyyy’ when you go to pick her up every single evening. Motherhood is magical and all child has a magic wand for their parents.

Yes, that is what I was and am busy with: enjoying being N’s mumma. Nothing else mattered then and nothing matters more now.

In the meantime, my blog grew. Like an organic being it grew on its own. With about 3500 Facebook likes and some thousands and thousanda of page visit it just grew on its own. My first child grew without me.

My partner R has been insisting me to restart writing in the blog again.  I was not really sure. I am still not sure if I am ready. It takes a lot of time and dedication. But here I am giving it a second go.  

I didn’t know what to start with. Most of the recipes that came into my mind was the food that I cook for my daughter. But I decided against it. I want to do a dedicated section on child friendly healthy food that everyone in the family can eat. For now I am sharing a recipe that is my favourite and my daughter loves it too.

Hope you enjoy it

And, hey welcome back to me and to you too. 

Chicken Paturi

Genre: Main course / Starter

Category: Non-vegetarian (Chicken)

Recipe Source:  Family

Serves: 4 good portion 

Time needed:  1 and half hour

Level: Easy  

Ma comes from an aristocracy. She never cooked, never had to. Then she married my father: a teacher and obviously poor, and they moved to North Africa.

Everything changed after that. Ma had to unlearn almost everything that was her life. One of the most important change was the taste of food. My mother’s family hails from Noakhali. Hence coconut, fish/meat and banana leaf were the focal point of her palate. Paturi (food wrapped in banana parcel and grilled on skillet) was an integral part of their regular meal. She missed eating food that she grew up with. Missed fish, coconut, chili, oil and the spices. It is not like now, it was thirty years back - she could not call her mother to ask for recipe. Those days we had to go to the post office to make international calls once in a month. 

For a long time she ate what was available and hated everything. Especially she hated the sea fish. Then she met a couple of Bangladeshi workers from Dauwee Company and got to know that there were some 300 Bangladeshi in the city. Bangladeshi’s take their food even more seriously than us, I feel (I am a bangal you see). Hence they had all the spices that my mother needed and more. Ma got her stock of spices from them and started experimenting with local produce - the so called fusion food. Chicken paturi is the result of such fusion between spices from Bangladesh and local produce of North Africa. She used to make them with cabbage leaf or silic leaf (don’t know the English name), as banana leaf was not available and would use chicken, eggs, in place of fish.

I make paturi with cabbage and any green leaf that can be folded, like leaf of pumpkin. This one I made with banana as it is available in London, but you can try with almost all edible leaf and actually can eat the leaf. You can also use fish, prawn, eggs, fish row, paneer, potatoes to make paturi. Hope you enjoy the recipe and the experience of making it.

Ingredients:

1kg Chicken (mine was mixed of leg and breast. You can use anything it won’t make any difference)

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 onion (large not very big)

4 Kashmiri chili (for colour and aroma)

1 teacup grated fresh coconut

1 table spoon poppy seed (posto)

2 table spoon mustard oil

Green chili as per taste (for hotness I didn’t use any as my daughter will eat it too)

Salt as per taste

Two banana leaves

Aluminium foil (in case you are as bad as me in wrapping the banana leaves)

Method

1. Wash chicken and marinate with ginger and garlic paste
2.     In a mixer make a paste of Kashmiri chili, coconut, poppy seed, green chili, onion
3.     Mix the paste with marinated chicken
4.     Now add salt and oil
5.     Keep aside for 30mins

6.     Take the banana leaf and wash it thoroughly
7.     Now put the washed banana leaf over fire for few seconds at a time. You need to do this process to the full leaf on each side. This is to make the leaf soft and easily foldable.
8.     Once the banana leaf is soft, arrange the marinated chicken on it and fold to cover the full chicken (you should be able to close both sides)
9.     Now my mother can fold in a way and then tie using thread made with banana leaf that not a single drop comes out of the packet. But I am not good with folding. I fold the chicken in the banana leaf tightly and then fold it in an aluminium foil. This way I still get that burned banana leaf smell from my paturi.

10. Smear a tawa with oil and place the banana leaf parcel on it and place on heat
11. Let it cook in low heat for 30mins, by then some water will come out. Let it dry and then turn to other side
12. Continue to keep on low fire for another 30mins and then turn off the fire
13. Serve the paturi with oiled white rice or eat it on its own as starter.

at 21:43

Badam Kala Kand (Cashew Nut Kala Kand)- Bengali Version

Kala Kand is a pan Indian sweet with various versions depending on the state you are eating it. Largely, it is made with milk, cottage cheese, sugar and is usually decorated with Pistachio nuts. Many also make the sweet using milk solid instead of milk. Some use coconut, carrots etc with the milk to give a different flavor to the taste.

I made the Badam Kala Kand on 17^th Feb 2013 for Saraswati Puja celebrated by ‘Adda’ of Slough. The version I am making came about due to shortage of milk while making the sweet for 20 of our friends. So what did I do? I decided to add some broken cashew nuts to increase the quantity with the original recipe. And that how the birth of ‘my’ Badam Kala Kand

Ingredients:

2-Litre full fat milk for chana/paneer/cottage cheese

½ -cups sugar (or even less)

2-litre Milk (or a can of evaporated milk. If using evaporated milk, then do not or use very less sugar)

2-Lemon (juice taken)

1-cup cashew nut broken using a blender

Sliced Pistachio to decorate (use, as much or little you want)

 Method:

1.     Boil 2 litre the milk in a pan and heat well until boiling point

2.     Slowly add lemon juice  to make the chana/paneer/cottage cheese

3.     Drain the chana using a strainer/ Muslin cloth. Wash the chana so that it does not smell of lemon.

4.     Hang the cloth for at least 1hour  so that water drain properly from the chana

5.     Meanwhile in a heavy bottom pan heat the other 2 little milk stirring constantly until it has reduced to half. If using canned evaporated milk, then heat until boiling

6.     Add the broken cashew with the boiled and halved milk or the boiled  evaporated milk (which ever using)

7.     Stir for 5/7 mins

8.     Then add the chana/paneer with the milk and cashew mix and cook until it is almost dry. You will need to stir constantly. it takes time as the flame needs to be on very low heat.

9.     Add sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved

10. Take off the heat

11. Line a tray with parchment paper or rub oil all over the tray and spread the milk and cashew nut mix

12. Sprinkle the Pistachio all over the tray and let it cool

13. Refrigerate  overnight so that kala kand can dry well ( but remain moist )

14. Then cut squares and serve cold or at room temperature

at 12:39

Szechuan Chicken Noodles (Chinese)

I made this one to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which was 10 February 2013. Somehow did not get the time to post the recipe on the blog. Any given day, Chinese food is always a welcome break from Bengali food that I eat at home.  But eating Chinese at a restaurant is not always as healthy and skinny as many like to believe. Just from the use of oil perspective. Yet, when I go out, I like to eat Chinese food over North Indian food. I also like Thai, in fact like it more than Chinese, Mexican, Italian and Greek food. All kind of Mediterranean is also my favorite. But not necessary all these are ‘cook is jiffy’ kind of recipes which is what I need on a week night. Or to be honest, all nights. Hence, Chinese cooked at home is my all time fev. In addition, I can change the ingredients depending on my mood and to suit my Indian palate.

Here is recipe for THE MOST EASY SZECHUAN CHICKEN NOODLE, one can think of. Well, I can think of.  My measurements are for making noodles to serve two for dinner with no sides or starter. My noodle was not very dry, also not in gravy form. I used the measurement depending on my taste. Please feel free to modify

Ingredients for the Szechuan Sauce:

·       1/2-cup tomato puree (or little less if you like)

·       1-teaspoon red chili paste (use hot version or more if you like hot)

·       2-tablespoon light soy sauce

·       2-tablespoon dark soy sauce

·       2-tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry or vinegar

·       1-large shallot or onion chopped

·       1-teaspoon ginger grated

·       1-teaspoon garlic chopped

·       ¼-teaspoon peppercorn roughly ground

·       1-tablespoon sesame oil or any white oil

·       Pinch of sugar

 Method for making Szechuan Sauce:

1.     Heat oil in a wok or karahi

2.     Add shallot/onion , ginger, garlic, chili paste, ground pepper corns  and fry for two minutes

3.     Add tomato puree and fry

4.     Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar

5.     Reduce the heat and simmer to 2/3 mins

6.     Remove from heat. You can store it in a jar and keep in fridge

Ingredients for Noodle:

·       300gm-medium egg noodles

·       1-chicken skinless chicken breast, diced

·       1-red bell pepper diced

·       1-yellow pepper diced (just for the sake of color.. use green, red, orange.. whatever you fancy. Also the quantity was on the idea to have some vegetable with dinner. So you as much or as little you like)

·       2-carrots, cleaned and cut

·       1-big red onion cut in four parts and then each section of the skin separated using hand

·       Salt to taste or use fish sauce or soy sauce to season ( I used fish sauce as I like the smell)

·       1-tablespoon sesame oil or any white oil

Method for Szechuan Chicken Noodles

1.     Boil the noodle as per the instruction on the package

2.     Meanwhile heat oil in a wok or karahi

3.     Add chicken breast and brown them well

4.     Add pepper, onion and carrot  and fry them until brown but still very farm

5.     Add the Szechuan sauce ( add little water in case very dry)

6.     Cook until done

7.     Drain the noodles and immediately pour over the chicken Szechuan sauce mix

8.     Combine well, and in case needed, season with salt/fish sauce/soy sauce and pepper

9.  Serve hot immediately  

at 21:27

Til Kumro (Pumpkin cooked in sesame paste) ( Bengali Dish)

I am going through a phase when cooking seems like a real hard work. Well, I did do some cooking in the weekend but the whole idea of clicking snaps and writing recipe seems too much. I just want to eat and sleep and go to work.  

But.. I realised that I have not posted anything on the blog for a long time. Which I should have, now that I have a blog and that I need to try to make it popular. In fact almost wishing that I did not have a blog!!!!!!! Well too late, I guess.

Posting a recipe of Til Kumro or Pumpkin cooked in sesame paste. It is a very ‘everyday’ dish at my home in kolkata. Most likely originated from Bangladesh…. Well I am not sure. However, it does have the flavor of coconut, mustard and sesame mix, which is very typical of my mother.  She also cooks chicken in the same combination.  So do I. I had some drumsticks at home, drying in the fridge. I used them. but, you do not actually need them.

Try this dish for its simplicity and sweetness. Moreover, it is a healthy dish without any compromise on taste

Ingredients:

400g-Pumpkin, diced

2-stick of drumstick, cut length wise (optional)  

3-tablespoon sesame seeds (increase the quantity if you like)

1 ½- tablespoon grated coconut (increases the quantity if you like but then also increase sesame too)

1-teaspoon mustard seeds (I used black) ((increase the quantity if you like and if you have increased the other ingredients)

1/4-teaspoon Nigella/kalo jeera/kalonji

1-long green chili (add more if you like hot)

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

1-tablespoon oil

 

Method:

1.    In the blender/ grinder  mix coconut, sesame, mustard and green chili and make a paste, add little water in case needed

2.   Keep the paste aside and add little salt to the whole paste, otherwise it might turn bitter due to mustard

3.   Heat oil in wok or karahi

4.   Add Nigella seed and fry a little

5.   Add the diced pumpkin and drumstick ( if using) and fry until the pumpkin is half done

6.   Add the paste  and combine with pumpkin

7.   Fry for a while, add salt and pinch of sugar

8.   Sprinkle little water in case sticking at the bottom or add water to make thick gravy

9.   Cook until pumpkin is well done and gravy thickened

10.                 Serve with roti or boiled white rice

Enjoy the day and hope to you see you next time when I have more energy than today. Take care!

at 22:23

Maushumi r Doi Begun (aubergine with Yoghurt-a recipe by Maushumi)

Maushumi, a friend of mine astounded me with her Doi Begun (aubergine with Yoghurt). She grew up in Orissa and shared with us the amazing recipe that belongs to the state. When I saw the picture of her dish, I knew it was something that I would definitely cook, and rather soon. But the dish over exceeded all my expectation

We Bengalis cook aubergine with mustard, yoghurt and sometime even with Kasundi (fermented or pickled mustard sauce, very traditional mustard sauce from West Bengal). I love aubergine cooked with Doi (yogurt) and Shorshe bata (mustard paste). But this dish…. ohhhhhhhhhh ummaaa.. is the right expression!!! Simple to make, looks beautiful & stunning and taste…. Ohhhhhh… I do not have words to describe it.

I am in love with it. When I eat it for the first time last weekend, the newness of the taste, the minimalism of the ingredients, layered texture and freshness of spices took my breath away. Since then I have cooked the dish three times already, treated friends and would treat to few more.

I am giving almost exact recipe from Maushumi with little changes in the quantity as I made to suit my palate.

Please please, give dish a try.. Otherwise, you would be missing something out of the world.

Ingredients:

1-aubergine/begun/brinjal/eggplant, cut into round slices

1-teaspoon turmeric

½-chili powder

1-cup yoghurt, I used Greek fat free. You can use hang curd or any other you like.

½-musterd seeds

7/8-curry leaves (you can buy them at any Indian/Sri Lankan shop)

½-inch finely chopped ginger

2/3-dried red chili

Pinch of Heeng (Asafoetida, this is the first time ever I used heeng ever in my life)

Salt to taste

Oil to fry the aubergine as well as for later use

 Method:

1.    Soak the aubergine in salt water for 1 hour, so that it takes less oil to fry

2.    Take them off the water and Marinate the aubergine with turmeric, chili and salt

3.    Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergine until both sides are dark brown and aubergine is soft like cotton

4.    Place the fried aubergine in a serving bowl

5.    Beat the yoghurt with salt and keep aside

6.    Heat little more oil in a pan

7.    Add mustard seed and fry until they starts to splatter

8.    Add the dried red chili,  ginger and fry until ginger is almost  golden brown

9.    Add curry leaves and fry so that now ginger is  crispy and curry leafs are fried but yet green

10. Add heeng and take off the fire in 10 secs

11.  Now spread the yoghurt over the fried aubergine so that they are fully covered

12. Spread the fried spices over the yoghurt like in picture

13. Serve with white boiled rice and enjoy the bliss!

Note: after adding the yoghurt, do not cook or warm the dish as it might curdle the yoghurt