'Legacy' Biryani and a book

 I wanted to write about this for a while now....
.....and then a book ("Those Delicious Letters' by Sandeepa, aka Bong Mom)  inspired me to really write it.... 

Food can build relations,. Food can rekindle love. Food can make you immortal.💖💖

Nanda Boudi, this is a tribute to you and Indra-da.
We are blessed to have known you..... 💕

Apart from all the memories that we have with you,  this legacy of yours will keep on flavouring our kitchen, delighting our taste buds and filling our hearts for the years to come.....

The story, if I start from the start will be very long. However, it is very important to explain our relation since the post is titled 'legacy'. 

Indrada became my online friend in 1997-98. (days of no whatsapp, no facebook, no mobile phones)
I was in Japan then. Phd stress, lonely days, new computer, digital era starting up -- I got introduced to a 'Yahoo-groups' group where I started posting stories from Japan. It was a small group of 7-8 Bengalis, different age groups from different parts of the world, all sharing their experiences and making the best of a digital forum ...thereby creating beautiful virtual relationships. 

I addressed the members of the group as 'da' and 'di' as most of us Bengalis are used to doing. At some point of time, the virtual relations became very real and close. 
"Dada", "jethu", "mamu", "pishi", "senapati", "indumoti", "bonT"....simple family 'relations' with a virtual flavour.

(Believe me, I ended up marrying one of them!! Will save that story for later)😀

Indrada, even though he was older than my father,  was more a 'dada' than a 'jethu' ! He was a fantastic storyteller who had roamed the world and hence had his 'jhuli' full of all kinds of interesting stories. We had an instant 'click' and he loved me like his daughter. I really miss your phone calls, Indrada.

When I came to Netherlands and met them for the first time (in Germany), it did not feel even for once that this relationship was graduating from a virtual to a real one. Indrada was exactly the way I had imagined he would be, tall, handsome, smart and fun. Nanda boudi, (who was not yahoo-groups savvy) was beautiful and loving and on the first day welcomed us with "Tomra Biryani khao to? ami tomar dadake bollam aj Biryani banai" (do you like Biryani? )

On a dark winter evening in Frankfurt, while Indrada took us through his collection of carpet stories through the streets of Iran and Turkey, the mouthwatering aroma of Nanda-boudi's Biryani wafted into our nostrils and transported us to the royal kitchens of Awadh and Lucknow......

His storytelling, Her Biryani .....me and A-senior sat with our red wines, mesmerized.

Biryani was served. 
The best Biryani I had in my entire life !! 

This Biryani was unlike any other Biryani I had before.... simply super! 
I must have uttered "Boudi eta shikhiye dio  (please teach me how to make it)" with every spoonful that entered my mouth. She promised she will. However boudi's generation was not into 'recipes', so it was very hard for her to capture it in writing. 

I tasked Indrada to get me the recipe when she makes it the next time. Indrada surrendered after a few attempts saying, "tumi nije likhe nio, kono kichui maap e bole na" [you write it yourself, she can never give exact quantities]😀

" EKTU mouri, TIN-CHARTE lobongo, ANDAJ MOTON dhone... dur baba ei bhabe ki lekha jay?". 

I let him off the hook and agreed with Boudi that when they next come to Holland, she will cook infront of us and we will capture the recipe.

......and so we did. 

On their next visit, both me and A-senior stood beside her to capture it. In our excitement, we forgot all the fancy phones and cameras we have and hastily grabbed a book and scribbled the recipe on the back page.
It is called "NandaBoudi-s Biryani" at our place and the good news is that A-senior has almost mastered it. I can just sit and enjoy...

We  treasure this one page and will hold on to this recipe till our love for biryani lasts.

Thank you Boudi.💖

Like I said before,  a book triggered this post.

"Those Delicious Letters' by Sandeepa (aka Bong Mom) is all about letters and food. The book shares legacy recipes which if not passed on to the next generation may just vanish. The skillfully written story around the recipes also bring back faith in relationships and the impact of food on them. Thanks Sandeepa.

While reading the book, I remembered Nanda Boudi and Indrada, who even though not blood relations, had become family. His stories and Her Biryani has become part of our lives.

I want to share it with you all today.....let the legacy recipe reach your kitchen too.
Good things must be shared.

Nanda Boudi's Biryani

The main thing is the Biryani masala. (Follow the rice making and layering as in other Biryani recipes)

For marination masala( 1 kg mutton):

• Coriander seed : 2-3 tbsp
• Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves: 2-3 pieces of each
• Aniseed : 1/2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds < 1/2 tbsp    (this is how it was said and therefore written;-)
• Nutmeg : 1 small piece  (ek tukro)
• Anistar: 1/2
• Jayatri: 1/2
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 tbsp
• Black pepper : 6-7
• Garam masala powder 1/2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder 1/2 tbsp

Make a dry powder of all the above.

Marinate the mutton (2 hrs) with the masala powder, 1 tbsp of garlic paste, 1 tbsp of onion juice (not paste), 2 tbsp of white oil, 2 tbsp of sour cream.

Cook till meat is tender and layer with rice (as in normal Biryani recipes)

pc: Arijeet Sen