End-of-vacation-blues

Coming back from vacation is always difficult. It requires tremendousssss (yes, extra s added to emphasize) mental strength, immense patience, limitless optimism.....and lots of other things to break off from the "vacation mode" and embrace the monotony of routine life (where basically the alarm goes off at EXACTLY 6:15 am and from then on the clock takes over YOUR life).
I am  in that difficult phase of life.

The first think I hate after coming back are the suitcases. They are like these big, mean, smirky monsters, lurking in the corners of the landing, full of stuff (have no clue what)...sneering at you whenever you pass by them or trip over them...a crooked smile saying .."Unnnn pack me!"

I hate them.
The second thing is...okok..I will not bore you with this endless list of what-i-dont-like-after-vacation. So let me proceed with some more details with number one.

So I summon  enough courage and enthusiasm to really open the suitcases. Uff..what a scene..like the Pandoras box..I should have left them untouched...because there can be almost ANYTHING in them. Did I, the practical me, pack all these in?

Clothes, shoes, toiletries..   ok.
Table mats, gift items, wall decorations...  ok.

Sweets, indian snacks, MUSTARD OIL????

Each of these items, at some point of time during the vacation was thought of as a necessity..hence bought and packed! But at that point of time the mood was different. In the current O-my-God-vacation-is-over mood, I do not need any of these things. Hmmm...

Brooding does not help. Regular life needs to go on. The washing machine needs to be loaded umpteen times, then the dryer, dry clothes to be folded and back to their normal places, empty suitcases to be stowed away till the next vacation (which is light years away), kitchen store to be checked, food to be prepared, dishes to be washed,etc etc..

Realization hits...Vacation is over.

Dadu-r scooter e  ki moja.....

Priyankar Bata Macher jhol

One of the best things about Kolkata is its collection of fish and  peoples obsession with buying the "right" fish every morning.My father or father-in-law, (actually their generation) love to go to the fish market early morning, scrutinizing the fish, lifting the gills to check some unknown parameter which reveals the freshness-quotient, chatting with the fish shopkeeper about fish prices and fish produces and the fish slices, coming back home the proud owner of a good buy in a "special" plastic bag which usually (according to my mom or mom-in-laws, actually their generations instructions) goes directly to the sink till the lady of the house has time to clean and cook them.

I hear (from my father-in-law) that times have changed. He complains how "our" generation does not bother to check the fish they buy, nor look at the prices. This makes them "better" customers for the shopkeeper and hence at times the "old careful" ones are totally ignored by him.

Anyway, I love fish. Every inch of every fish.

This time in Kolkata Priyanka cooked lovely fish everyday....slluuurrpppppp!

Priyanka cooking delicious macher jhol

How to cook:

1. Fry the fish with little salt and turmeric. They should look as glamorous as in the picture above.

2. Cut Potatoes and Potol (Pointed gourd) in slices which for some reason look good and taste better in oblique slices. Dice one tomato.

3.Heat 1 table spoon oil . As it heats up add one small spoon of kalojeere and one sliced green chillie.

4. Then add  the potatoes, and the Potol pieces. Fry for a while , add turmeric and salt to taste.

5. Add tomatoes, fry for a while and then add water.

6. Let it simmer for a while (cook covered so that potatoes get cooked).

7. Add the fish one by one into the gravy (carefully so as not to spoil their glamorous fried look).

8. Cover and cook in low heat (without stirring) for 2 mins.

9. Switch off and serve with white rice....

10. Get praised!!!!

355 days left to taste this delicious Bata-macher-jhol again...........