A poem in Brajabuli by Vidhyapati

Sharing a poem in Brajabuli by Vidhyapati .... performed through casual amalgamation of poetry and dance

বসন্ত পঞ্চমী

বসন্ত পঞ্চমী:  বিদ্যা ও সঙ্গীতের দেবী সরস্বতীর আরাধনা। .......অনেকে দিনটিকে বাঙালির দ্বিতীয় ভ্যালেনটাইন ডে বলে থাকেন ...

Nakshi Kanthar Math | নক্সী কাঁথার মাঠ | Bengali Recitation by Urmimala Banerjee

Dum Murgh Kali Mirch

Process: 
Marinate chicken in vinegar for an hour. Then heat oil in a pan or kadhai. Temper the oil with few green cardamoms until they begin to change color. Add minced onion; cook and stir until translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste, cook until the onions become brown. Add chicken and red chili paste or powder to the skillet. Mix well and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked thoroughly. Add yogurt along with black pepper powder and mix properly. Add salt and a pinch of sugar, to taste. Add cashew paste and mix it thoroughly with the gravy. Finally, stir in some fresh cream. Cover and simmer for fw minutes. And your Dum Murgh Kali Mirch is ready!!!

Kumror Chakka / Dry side dish with Pumpkin ,Porwal & Potatoes (3P’s)

Kumror Chakka

If you like any of the two veggies Pumpkin or Parwal , then this is a recipe for you. Although I am not very fond of either of these two veggies, so for me this dish only goes with hot Luchi i.e. maida puri. Luchi with Kumror Chakka is  a must try combination!!

Ingredients

Pumpkin : 1/2 (Cut into big cubes)

Parwal/Patol/Pointed Gourd : 4-5 nos. (Cut into halves)

Potato : 2(medium) (Cut into cubes)

Raisins / Kismis : 1 tb spoon (Soak in luke water)

Roasted peanuts : 1 tb spoon (Grind coarsely into little pieces. )

My Mom normally uses chickpeas instead of peanuts & Kismis.  If you want to try that version then take 1/2 cup of Chola/kala chana/Black chickpeas and soak overnight or 4 hours in hot water. 

White Oil : 2 tblsp.

Salt : as per taste

Sugar: as per taste

Water : As required in the cooking process. 

Spices

Panch phoron : 2 tsp.

Bay leaves : 1

Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp.

Cumin powder : 1 tsp.

Bengali Garam masala powder : 1 tsp.(grounded powder mix of 1" cinnamon stick, 2-3 cardamoms, 3 cloves)  

Panch phoron is a very common spice of Bengali cuisine. This famous blend consists of equal amount of cumin seeds(জিরা), fennel seeds(মৌরি), fenugreek seeds(মেথি), nigella seeds(কালোজিরা) and wild celery seeds(রাধুনি).  As soon as the seeds pop in hot oil, Panch phoron will fill your kitchen with its aroma. Equally common is Bengali Garam masala powder which consists of grounded powder of cinnamon stick, cardamoms & cloves) 

Procedure

Heat oil in a pan. Then temper it with bay leaf and panch phoron. When the seeds start turning light brown, add all the vegetable pieces.  Fry the pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder and and a little salt. When they are brown from all sides add the cumin powder. Next add kala chana or chick peas if you want. Mix everything well adding 2-3 tbl spoon of water into it.  Add sugar now.  When spices blend well, add 1 cup or enough water to cook the veggies. Be careful that water must dry up when the veggies are cooked. Check the seasoning. Lastly add the roasted peanuts & Raisins.  Sprinkle garam masala powder on top and remove from heat.  

The taste will be a blend of sweet and spicy. Goes with roti, parota, rice and luchi. Off course for me only with Luchi / puri J  

Aagomoni | Recitation By Urmimala Banerjee | Poet - Kazi Nazrul Islam

Durga is a symbol of invincible humanity.

Few Handmade ornaments

"আমি লোভী নই, আমি প্রেমিক। সেই জন্যেই আমি তালা-দেওয়া লোহার সিন্দুকের জিনিস চাই নি— আমি তাকেই চেয়েছিলুম আপনি ধরা না দিলে যাকে কোনোমতেই ধরা যায় না।" .....ঘরে বাইরের নিখিলেশের আত্মকথা যেন আমারও মনের কথা ......তাই মার এই হাতে বানানো গয়না গুলো আমার কাছে অমূল্য ............

"I'm not greedy, I'm a lover. Therefore I didn't want things from the safe-lock. I wanted things which can not be taken at all unless it surrender itself" .....Rabindranath Tagore

Classic Muri Ghonto (Fish Pulao)

Classic Muri Ghonto (Fish Pulao) 

When I’m in a mood to go back to my roots I try to cook some classic dishes.  

Muri Ghonto is a side dish cooked with rice and fried fish head of rohu or katla (known as maacher matha or muro in Bengali).

This is one delicacy of Bengal cuisine but comparatively easy among the lot of Bengali traditional dishes. Traditionally it goes with hot rice in lunch.

Ingredients:

One fish head of rohu or katla . Rub turmeric powder & salt on it.

Gobindo bhog rice (Aatop Chaal )  – 4 small spoon. Wash the Rice & keep aside

Two big potatoes – cut into small cubes

1 Onion – cut into thin slices

Garlic paste – 2 tea spoons

Ginger paste – 2 tea spoons

Salt & Sugar to taste

Spice for tempering

Dry Red Chilies - 1

Bay leaves – 1

Cardamom-2

Cinnamon – 1 piece

Cloves – 3

Spice for cooking

Garam masala powder (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves) – 1 tea spoon

Turmeric powder– 1 tea spoon

Jeera (cumin) Powder – 1 tea spoon

Water: as required

Mustard Oil : as required

Servings : 3-4 persons  

Procedure:

First heat oil in a Kadai. Fry the fish head well. Then break it into medium pieces by hand.

Next temper the oil with whole garam masala(cardamom, cinnamon, cloves), Bay leaf  and dry red chilli. 

Then fry the onion till brown. Add the potato pieces and keep frying. Add the Gobindabhog rice, fry some more.

Next add Garlic & Ginger paste and all the spices for cooking. Add salt and sugar per taste.

When everything is mixed and fried add some water (just enough to cover everything in the Kadai).

Cover and cook a in low flame till the rice and potatoes are cooked.

Finally add the fish and mix well.

This dish does not have a gravy and of mushy type. So after the cooking is complete , dry out the excess water content in high flame, if any.

Sprinkle some good ghee & garam masala powder on top. The heavenly aroma takes me to where I belong  :-) 

A very very easy Butter paneer

Ingredients:

250 gm Paneer: Cut into 1" cubes

Onion: 2 medium size

Garlic: 8 to 10 cloves

Tomato : 1 big size : chopped in pieces

Salt & Sugar to taste

Butter : 2 Table spoon 

Tomato sauce / puree : 2 Table spoon

Water : 5 table spoon

Process:

Grind the onion & garlic to a fine paste in a Mixer. Now heat the butter in a shallow non-stick pan. Add the onion- garlic paste and sauté well. When it turned golden brown add the chopped tomato pieces. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Then add the paneer cubes. Add the Tomato sauce / puree and little water. Cover for 3-4 minutes. Then remove the cover and add salt & sugar per taste. Add little water if required and cover for 2-3 minutes more. The Butter paneer is ready to eat. It goes well with roti, paratha or naan. 

Bags made by my Mom

বিশ্বায়ন পণ্যয়ানের কল্যাণে সব জিনিস যত হাতের মুঠোতে চলে আসছে, আপন জনের ছোঁয়া লাগা ধনগুলো ততই যেন নাগালের বাইরে চলে যাচ্ছে .............বন্ধুরা, এই Bag গুলো আমার মার নিজের হাতে তৈরী ......

Mourola Macher Tok (sweet n sour Mourola fish curry)

আজ সকালে গিন্নীর কিছুই আর ভালো লাগছে না, সবই মনে হচ্ছে পুরনো, সব বাসি. ...."এমন কী আছে যেটা কোনো দিন খাইনি ? অনেক দিন করিনি ? বা কখনই করিনি ? বা কেউ কখনো করেনি ?" মন উতাল পাতাল করা অনেক ভাবনা চিন্তা করে টরে , গিন্নী শেষ মেশ স্বপ্ন আর সাধের ভিতর একটা রফা করেন "মৌরলা টক" দিয়ে ...এটাও পুরোনোই বটে তবু রোজ রোজ তো হয় না....মৌরলা টক খেয়ে, খাইয়ে গিন্নীর আর বার ফের ভালো লাগে পৃথিবীর কোনটি ....'everything old is back as new again' 

Mourola Macher Tok (Sweet n sour Mourola fish curry)

Ingredients:

Mourola fish (Mola carplet / Anchovy fish)

One Sweet potato (optional) : make small cut

Mustard oil : quantity as required

Kalunji seeds (kalo jire)

Dried red chilli (shukno lonka)

Turmeric powder: 1 tea spoon

Red chilli powder: Half tea spoon

Tamarind : Soak the tamarind pods  in hot water. When they become soft, crush and extract the pulp (may use sieve if you want a smoother paste)  

Sugar and salt per taste

 

Process:

Fry the Mourola fish well. Heat the mustard oil in a Kadai. Then add kalunji seeds (kalo jire) and dried red chilli (shukno lonka) in oil. Next add the Sweet potato and stir for some time.

Add some water, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, pinch of salt & sugar and cover the Kadai. Once the potato pieces become soft add the fried fish. Then add the tamarind water.

Bring it to boil and adjust salt & sugar per your taste.

Your dish is ready !!!  Serve cold with hot rice. ….. happy eating J

Kosha Machh

Few months back I learned to cook this Kosha machh without any water (fish curry) from my Mashi (Mom's sister).

Ingredients:
Katla Machh : 4 to 6 big pieces (preferably gada’r piece)
Mustard oil as per requirement
4 to 5 Onions : thinly sliced
5 medium sized Tomatoes: thinly sliced
10 to 12 cloves of Garlic : crushed
2” long Ginger : in paste form
6 Green Chillies
Turmeric powder
Salt & Sugar to taste
Coriander Leaves (optional)

Process:
Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt over the fish slices. Spread the spices evenly over the pieces by hand. Marinate for at least 15 minutes. Now heat mustard oil in a Kadai and fry the fish pieces one or two at a time. Fry till both side become golden brown.
Next heat mustard oil in a Kadai and when the oil becomes hot add the thinly sliced onions. Fry till they become golden brown. Add garlic and ginger. Stir some more. Add thinly sliced tomatoes, turmeric powder, Salt & Sugar per taste. Keep stirring. Finally add the splitted green chillies. Add little oil if required but no water.  Then carefully place the fried fish pieces into the Kadai. Adjust sugar/salt according to your taste. Then cover the Kadai and simmer for few minutes.
After 5 minutes or so remove the cover and turn the other side of the fish pieces. Then cover again and leave for another 5 minutes.  Once done garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with plain Rice.

Luchi and Alu-r chorchori : my breakfast in heaven

One morning I shall be sitting in a chair in the garden of paradise. Sun light mixed with morning mist will spread a golden haze all over the place. An angel will arrive and ask me what I would like to eat. My answer will be....... “Luchi and alu-r chorchori”. Straightaway a plateful of cream colored Luchi and potato bhaji will appear in front of me from nowhere. My spectacle glasses will become hazy from the steam coming out from it. Since I am yet to receive an invitation from the life after I decided to build my heaven right where I am in.  So on coming Bengali new year I will pamper myself and my folks at home with my this breakfast of paradise. You are also more than welcome. 

Luchi :

Ingredients:

Refined flour

Vegetable white oil

Water

Pinch of salt

Process:

Knead white flour with little oil, water and pinch of salt. Better if you use warm water. Better if you have some time and cover the dough with a wet cloth.

Then make small balls. Dip each ball a little in the oil and roll thinly on a plate. Deep fry.

Alu-r Chorchori or Alu Bhaji:

Ingredients:

4 to 5 Chillies : slit vertically

4 potatoes : cut in thin square pieces

1 Tomato : chopped

Salt and sugar to taste

Vegetable white oil

Process:

Stir fry chillies, potatoes for 5 minutes. Then add tomatoes. Stir some more till it becomes mushy. Add salt and sugar to taste. Add little water and cover. Cook till to potatoes become tender.

Dishes which you won't get in finest restaurants: #2 Beet bata

I was inviting my Mom-in-law to our house last week. The conversation went something
like below:
Me: "Hello Ma, try to come as early as possible. Then we will have plenty of time to chat."
Mom in law : "Yes I will try dear, but you know your dad....and don't cook too many thing."
Me: "Please don't worry, Mom....I will manage. By the way, do you like beet ?"
Mom in law : "What ?"
Me: "Beet Ma, beet ?"
Mom in law :  "What ? beef ? no no, I don't eat beef." 
(Mom probably thinking: "What has become of our Hindu daughter's these days, openly asking me if I take beef!!")
Me : "Beef!! oops, no no Ma you did not hear me properly I'm asking about beet , beet root not beef.
Mom in law (with a sigh of relief) :  "Oh beet , yes yes of course I eat beet, dear. "
So I made beet bata...

Ingredients:

2 to 3 Beet roots: shredded  

2 Onions : thinly sliced

6 Garlic cloves : in paste form

2 to 3 green chillies : cut horizontally

Sugar and salt to taste

White vegetable oil

Process:

Add one table spoon oil in kadai and stir fry the sliced Onions till they become golden brown. Then add the shredded beet roots and fry some more. Add garlic paste & green chillies keep stirring.

Add Sugar and salt per taste. This preparation is a bit dry and goes well with warm plain rice.

Dishes which you won't get in finest restaurants: #1 Sheem with dhone & tetul

Humans are strange. We wish to dine in five star hotels with fine people but deep inside the we know the satisfaction which a simple warm home-made meal with loved ones can give is incomparable.  We have the desire for everything we don’t have. But may be the things we don’t have are which we don’t need at all !! May be life is not as complex and tough as we think. .....may be we need to go a little bit slow and enjoy every moment & every bit of it....may be...

Now Sheem with dhone & tetul is a perfect tangy dish to elevate any mood and I'm sure you will not get this dish in city’s finest hotels.   

Ingredients:

5 to 6 Sheem / flat Beans : Cut into small square pieces

2 table spoon Tamarind paste  

1 bunch of dhone-pata / coriander leaves

2 to 3 green chillies

Sugar and salt to taste

White vegetable oil

Process:

Soak the Tamarind pods in mild hot water. When they become soft, separate the pulp using a sieve. Make paste of coriander leaves using a blender. Add 2 tea spoon oil in kadai and stir fry the sheem pieces. Add some green chillies.

Next add the coriander & tamarind paste. Add sugar and salt per your taste.  Add little water if required and cover the kadai. Cook till sheem pieces become tender.

This should not be very dry or very watery. This preparation goes well with warm plain rice.  

Traditional Sponge Cake

Just went with the tradition and baked a humble Sponge Cake for the ‘jingle bell’ season. My kiddo has decorated a Christmas tree. Duo made a joyful impression.

Ingredients:

2 cups white flour (maida)

4 eggs

1 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoon baking powder

1&1/2 cup sugar

1 pinch salt

6-8 drops of vannila essence

Process :Grind the sugar into powder. Whip the milk, eggs and vanilla in a mixer. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and oil in a bowl.
Add the eggs mixture. Swirl the mixture well to reach a smooth batter with no lump.  Pre heat the Microwave at 180 degC. Pour mixture into an oven proof bowl greased with a little butter. Then Bake at 150-190 degrees for 20 minutes. Then put the oven in Microwave mode and cook for 3 minutes. Your Cake is ready. Then to make the upper crust a little more brown I again put it in convection mode and bake for 5 more minutes.

I usually keep the plain cakes plain as my family is not fond of dry fruits.

Actually this basic vanilla cake is the perfect beginning different kind of other Cakes. One can add Choco Chips, coffee powder or dry fruits with this cake batter. Or one may decorate the cake with fancy icing.

Spinach & coriander chicken

Winter in West Bengal brings a lot of vegetables with it. With peas to carrot, cauliflower to spring onion, Vegetable seller’s baskets are not less colorful than toy-seller’s. Just strolling in the bazaar has become a soothing experience for eyes and soul. You can almost heard yelling of every vegetable or fruits to be picked up. We began by picking up garden-fresh green bunches of Spinach and Coriander leaves and  welcomed this winter with Spinach & coriander chicken.


Spinach & coriander chicken

 

 

Ingredients to serve two to three persons :  

1 bunch of Spinach (Palang saag)

1 bunch of Coriander leaves (Dhania saag)

600 gm. Chicken

4 Onions (chopped)

2 Garlics (crushed)

2” long Ginger (in paste form)

Salt to taste

200 gm. Sour white Curd

10 Green chillies

2 table spoons Mustard oil

 

Process:

Marinate the chicken with white curd for at least an hour. Boil the Spinach with little water. Then blend it along with 5 whole green chillies. Keep aside. Separately make another paste from Coriander leaves. Heat the mustard oil in a heavy bottom Pot (Kadai). Add onions and fry till they become golden brown. Add 5 slit green chillies, garlic and ginger pastes. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Then add the chicken with the marinade. Cover and cook till the chicken is almost cooked. Now add the spinach paste. Stir and add salt per your taste. Finally add the  Coriander paste. Cover and simmer till the chicken becomes soft. Serve hot with Roti, Paratha or Polao.

 

Trick of this recipe lies in creating the right combination of hot flavours of Mustard oil and chillies and the tangy taste of curd. Paste of Spinach and Coriander leaves will help you to keep balance between these two.  

Note that, above measurements are only approximate. You can freely play with them, adding some more of one, less of other depending on the mood you are in. One may just want to play safe and go per written words.

Other may want to experiment and dare to play some mischief. One may want to trigger the festive spirit. Some may be looking for warmth of a chilly night in chillies and mustard oil. So point is finally it all depends on YOU-n-ME.

Steamed chicken Momo

Not very long ago this steamed chicken Momo has turned out to be my saviour when my Kid was not eating her tiffin in school. Her alibi was “I told you I do not like bread and I do not like noodles. Don’t give paratha Mom, it sucks.” Every day the Domestic help was complaining “Didi did not eat her tiffin today”. Kid’s Grandparents were casting doubt on my motherly skill “You are not paying enough attention. Can’t you see ? She is becoming thinner every day.” So the sole target, this paranoid mom part did a desperate net surfing and started a session of trial and error. Finally one fine day, an empty tiffin box came home. Yippee!!

Yes, yes I know nothing is permanent and specially a kid’s palate. But there is nothing wrong in enjoying the sweet present.  

Steamed chicken Momo

Ingredients:

Minced Chicken 250 gm.

2 big Onions: finely chopped

1 whole Garlic (12-20 garlic cloves) : finely chopped

Coriander leaves: finely chopped (optional)

Salt

White oil (refined vegetable oils like Rice bran oil or Soybean oil or Sunflower oil) 

1 medium bowl of white flour (Maida)

Process: 

Mix a pinch of salt with the flour. Knead the flour into a soft dough with warm water. Keep aside.

Put Minced Chicken, finely chopped Onions, Garlic and Coriander leaves and little salt per taste in a Pressure cooker. Add just enough water to cook the meat. Drain excess water if any. Now make small round balls from the dough and roll thinly on a plate like a roti. Dip the balls slightly in the oil before rolling to avoid sticking. Cut circular pieces from it using a small bowl with sharp edge. Then put a teaspoon of filling in the centre. Finally bring the edges together and pinch. Make pleats and twist them with fingers to ensure a tight seal.   Then you steam the Momos in a steamer for about 10 minutes. With the above measurement I make about 30 to 35 Momos. Serve with sauce of your choice.

Alternatively one can also deep fry the Momos before serving them.

Paneer Akuri

Ever since this Parsi dish set foot in our home it became our favorite. I love its attractive colorful appearance. Since the only time consuming part in  this recipe is cutting the vegetables and grating the Paneer. So I normally do this part in advance and store it in refrigerator. Once the preparation is done, final part is pretty zippy.  

Dear reader, are you a Persian? Or do you know a Parsi?  If yes, please help. I genuinely want a Parsi’s feedback on this recipe.

Paneer akuri

Ingredients:

300 g Paneer (cottage cheese) , finely grated

1 table spoon Butter

2 medium sized Onions

2 medium sized Garlic

2 medium sized Tomato

5 Green Chillies

1 tea spoon Turmeric Powder

Sugar and Salt to taste

Chopped Coriander leaves (optional)

1 tea spoon Garam masala powder (blend of powdered  cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom) (optional)

Process:

Chop all the vegetables in small pieces. Add butter in heated pan. Start with galics. Fry till they become slight brown. Then add onions and continue frying. Next add chillies and tomatoes and fry some more. Then add the grated Paneer. Sprinkle the Turmeric Powder to give some colour. Add Sugar and Salt per your taste. In case the mixture tends to stick to the pan add little water. A small tip: Be cautious and stir gently after adding the paneer or you might land up on a mashed paneer paste!

Cover and simmer for around 2 minutes and switch off the oven. Place it in a serving bowl. You may season it with Garam masala powder and/or garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

This dish goes well with Roti or Chapati.

Bon appetit!  Nusheh jân!

Phirni or Rice pudding

In our family, Payesh (Bengali: পায়েস) is essential for Birthdays. If you are present, no matter you like it or not we will oblige you to eat at least a spoon. This year on my husband’s B’day instead of our long-established "chaler payesh" I prepared Phirni for the first time (clearly a courtesy of my ever rebellion inside). Then obviously I was very apprehensive about its acceptance. Fortunately everything went just well and everyone enjoyed this dessert. And I ? I am still savoring its victory.

Ingredients :

Whole Milk

Sugar 

Rice (I used Gobindo Bhog)

Crushed Cashew nuts

Raisins

Cardamom powder

Process :

Boil whole milk till it become thick. Add sugar per your taste. Break Gobinda bhog rice partially by mixer or by hand grinder (better but tiresome).  Then boil the rice in water till cooked. Mix the cooked rice (along with water) in the milk and boil together. Then add crushed Cashew nuts & raisins. After the milk become really thick switch off the oven. Pour it into small serving bowl and put into refrigerator. Sprinkle Cardamom powder on top before serving.

Variations:

•  I’ve had some Nolen gur (liquid Jaggery) left in my refrigerator for quite some time. So I pour a teaspoon of Nolen gur onto each serving bowl before putting it in the refrigerator
• You may decorate with rose petals
• Add as many dry fruits as you want
• Use Jaggery (or Patali gur in Bengali) instead of sugar

Bengali Bodhu in Quilling

Kono ek gayer bodhur kotha tomay shonai shono …. Hemanta Mukhapadhyay er konthe ei gaan shune amader boro hoye otha ….