'Certainly' tasty: Bengali Vegetable Chop

Long time no blogging....

No one to blame. No convincing excuse. I am alive and kicking.

...just back from a very short super active India trip.

A beautiful wedding, meeting family (some, after many long years), dressing up, eating like there is no tomorrow, an outing with both sets of parents (in-laws), visits to the doctors, an eye-opening trip to a beautiful school, eating more and more and more......and back!

Saturday morning, back on my sofa, with a cup of tea in my hand, I can ruminate in peace.

If only I knew how to ruminate like a cow, I would bring back and chew the Fish Munia from the wedding, the Pomfret curry from home and the Kochuri-alu from the streets next to the wedding (where I sneaked out to taste some street food while the wedding was ongoing. Being a hardcore foodie is a tough job!).

Ruminating like a human, I am reliving the wedding with its many customs, happiness and laughter, the blushing bride, the gorgeous groom, the short outing with excited parents, the visit to the school where the kids were so innocent and so much more....

......Once again appreciating "The Gift of Life".

So uncertain, yet so very beautiful.

Certainty is boring.

Certainty kills creativity.

Certainty is no fun.

It is actually the 'uncertainty' which makes life worth living!

Amen.

Going back to the topic of food, (which I keep going back to whenever possible), I have to say street food in India ROCKS! It is like having mini Michelin stars all along the streets of Kolkata. They may not have the 'ambience', but they sure have the 'taste'.

The wedding venue had a market nearby which sold fresh fruits and vegetables. In winter, such a market in India is beautiful.  A huge variety of fresh colourful fruits and vegetables glistening in the warm golden lazy winter sun. Men and women with shopping bags in hand carefully picking the vegetables, holding each in hand, examining it from all possible angles before making their choice. Shopkeepers advertising their products with utmost enthusiasm, one shouting over the other claiming their product to be the best. Energy all around. So very different from the cold aisles of the supermarket and the expressionless lady at the cash we see every day.

I just had to go for a walk. To soak in the sun. To smell in the vegetables. To absorb the energy.

Few hundred meters down the market, the second shop in a narrow alley caught my attention.

A very small shop selling Kochuri -- Round puffed Kochuris getting fried in a huge frying pan full of oil. What a sight! What an aroma! What an attraction!

I walked to the shop..'Dekhi dada duto kochuri!" [Can I have 2 kochuris please]

A plate was served. Two hot phulko kochuri with potato curry and green chilli pickle.

As I put the first piece in my mouth, my taste buds danced with happiness, my brain cells shouted in glee, my whole being experienced something close to Nirvana....

The plate was empty in minutes, wiped spotlessly clean with the last bit of the Kochuri.

I have to admit that I went back to the same shop again the next day, even on a full stomach. I have no regrets!

Sadly I have no photos to share, I was too busy eating.

Now let's cook something. I am hungry. Again.

Bengali Vegetable chop

When I started to make this, I was totally 'uncertain' about the final product. I had never made this before. So when A-senior found this recipe for me from You-tube, I was a bit hesitant to try it.

This is a very common winter snack in Bengal. It makes use of the colourful winter vegetables like carrots, beetroot, green peas and makes the dull winter evenings crisp with taste and warmth. Usually, it is served with a salad of thinly sliced red onions and cucumbers.

Ingredients:

3 Beet roots (sliced fine) 

3 Carrots (sliced finel)

2 Potatoes (boiled OR Steamed)

1 cup green peas
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup thinly sliced coconut pieces(fried)

1/4 cup raisins(optional)

2 tsp Coriander

2 tsp Cumin 
1 tsp fennel seeds
2-3 pieces of Cinnamon
5-6 Cardamom
1/2 tsp panch phoron
5-6 cloves
2 bay leaves

1 tsp amchur
2 tsp Ginger paste
salt to taste
Oil for frying
Bread crumbs and egg for coating.

Ready steady cook: 

• Mash the steamed potatoes. Keep aside.
• Grind together the cumin, coriander, fennel, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon,bayleaves, dried red chillies. Mix the amchur powder in this.
• Heat oil in a pan.  Add the panchphoron and let it sizzle. 
• Add the gingerpaste and fry. Add the sliced beetroot, carrot and green peas. Add some salt and cook for a while. Add the ground spices and then the mashed potatoes, mix well and let it cook for some more time.
• When the vegetables are cooked, add the fried coconut, raisins and peanuts.
• Mix well and keep it aside to cool
• Divide in small portions and make them into oval shaped 'chops'.
• Roll in flour, dip in egg and roll on breadcrumbs.
• Keep them in the fridge for an hour to harden a bit.
• Deep fry and serve with kasundi.

It was 'certainly' very tasty!!

The recipe is an adaptation from Bongeats.

A friend took a bite and said, "exactly like in Kolkata".
What a compliment!
Made my day!

Hungry in Hungary

Budapest.

Many years back when I saw Prague, it was love at first sight.

It was the first European city I visited. Till then Europe existed only in my Geography book.

I was mesmerized by its cobbled stone lanes and dim-lit bridges. They made me feel like a James Bond heroine. As I walked on the streets, the romantic aura was so tangible, so real that it felt like he would suddenly appear from behind one of the bridges and take me in his arms (btw, by He, I mean Pierce Brosnan, only he fits the Bond image). 

...and I would introduce myself...

Roy. Dayeeta Roy!

I decided Prague was the most beautiful city on Earth.

Later on, as my travel list grew, I saw many more cities that can offer tough competition to the beauty of Prague. But it still remains the prettiest European city, for me.

First impressions are as etched in memory as first love!

My recent visit to Budapest re-kindled that "first romantic" feel from many years ago.

The cobbled stone lanes, the bridges, the streetlights, the long shadows, the huge statues, the old trams, the markets, the castles, the churches.....

It was like walking inside a book! As each page turned, it felt like stepping into a different story.

As the hop on-hop off bus rattled along the roads, the voice of my electronic guide explained everything...

....and on your right is the famous opera house of Budapest.

.....on your left is the chain bridge of Budapest which joins the old towns of Old Buda, Buda and Pest..

I barely heard anything.

I just happily soaked in the beauty around me...

Without writing a  travelogue, this time I am trying to capture Budapest in a few photos with some captions. 

......trying to find peace, love and hope.......celebrating life every moment.

We saw so much, we did so much, we ate so much.

But it left me hungry for more......

Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting to you, the magical city of Budapest.

Peace has no definition.
It is that one moment of perfect equilibrium that the mind relates to......

Love has no definition.
It is that one moment of realization that you are not alone and there is always someone to listen......

Distance has no definition
It is just a perception which tells you to come closer......

Greatness has no definition.
It is the art of sharing the same frame easily with anyone....irrespective of size, colour, origin....

Faith has no definition.
It is that one moment when you feel protected in His arms.......

Happiness has no definition.
It is that one moment when everything lights up in the dark, for no reason at all....

Hope has no definition.
It is the moment when you feel that even you can light up the sky..

Creation has no definition.
It is the artist's imagination expressed in any  beautiful form...                        

Strength has no definition
It is the confidence with which you face everything that comes your way....

Gratitude has no definition.
It is the moment of thankfulness one feels for having active taste buds ....

While walking on the streets of Budapest, I collected a few lamps.

Lamps that made the city even more magical. 

                                  Lamps that have a story.

                                  Lamps that say, "lets light up the world" ............

While walking on the streets of Budapest, I ate a lot.

Tasted the traditional Goulash.

Munched on the crispy Langosh.

Felt the warmth of the chimney cake.

Loved every bit of it.

Langosh:  deep fried bread. Top it with anything. We had it with garlic sauce. Please forget the word calories!!!

Goulash: Soup with chunks of meat, vegetables and paprika. Tastes awesome specially after a cold winter walk. The "comfort" food of Hungary.....

Hungarian Kolbasz sausage: a spicy smoked sausage, makes your taste buds toss and turn in excitement. You just cannot say no to it!

Chimney Sekler cake: These "steaming" cakes rolled in cinnamon make the open air of the Christmas market even more Christmassy! Walk around in the Christmas market while munching on them--sheer delight!

The vacation came to an end.
........leaving me hungry for more.

Pumpkin cake with a dose of Philosophy

Generation Z knows everything. There is no way one can beat them in speed especially in new technologies. They are the Linkster generation - a generation that is linked into technology from day one. Hence by the time I find the right button to click (and rejoice at my achievement), the 13-yr old clicks a couple of times and reaches the destination screen! In that high speed journey of clicks, reading whatever pops up on each intermediate screen is "not cool" and also "not required".
At times this freaks me out!
I have grown up with the "Thik kore poro (Read everything carefully)" instruction. I have read all manuals whether it was the hotshot camera or the cake oven or the VCR.
(Yes, So Gen X indeed!!...)
I did that not only because of the instruction above but also because I knew, if I break something, I will not get it again. I also did not have the luxury of Google and Youtube! 

The 'Read everything carefully' instruction has no meaning nowadays, totally obsolete.
..makes me think, philosophize....

The second phrase I have grown up with is "Ami bolchi bole....(because I said so)"

When I grew up, age was (thought to be) directly proportional to wisdom.  So there was no way I could challenge what the elders said, who has seen the world more than me and hence by virtue of experience knew more. I also did not have the required information and hence the confidence to challenge anything they said (no Google, no Youtube). 
This generation challenges !!They challenge even before the sentence is complete. They have the world at their fingertips (the Google, the Youtube).
The 'because I said so' phrase had vanished today, totally obsolete.
--makes me think, philosophize...

Parenting was and will be always difficult.....
No 'syllabus', no 'common questions', no 'second chance'!
Only philosophy can save us!

The good news is that Philosophy is not limited to Plato and Socrates and Aristotle and Confucius and....
It is everywhere around us, we just need the ears to listen and interpret.
[A beard definitely helps but is not a necessity]

pc:wikipedia

A few days back, A-junior's phone was not working. Even though the battery showed FULL CHARGE, the screen was frozen. None of the buttons worked. He kept on saying that the battery was really empty but somehow the screenshot of a full battery was frozen in time and was being displayed. 

I kept on saying that it is impossible. I could CLEARLY SEE that the battery was fully charged!

He said, "No mama, this can happen, I know!"

I said, (voice one decibel higher): Tumi beshi jano? (You know more?)

He sulked.

I sulked.
After a while, I confidently asked for his phone and said..."let me have a look.."
With all the expertise I have on smart phones, I used my first trick!

I tried to switch it off and on again...
......and BAM, suddenly it did show battery EMPTY!

A-junior (with an I-told-you-so-look): This happens, Mom. Just like sometimes we smile and show we are fully happy and charged but inside we are empty and sad.....

WHOAAA!! Philosophy!!.......That's big! Had to appreciate it......

Now the recipe, a few days too late but still relevant.
"Halloween" has never impressed me. In general, I am a fun loving person but totally fail to find fun in Halloween! I hate ghosts in all forms, however sweet they might be as a 'person'. I do not like spiders and cobwebs, they are creepy and ugly. Witches in fairy tales are supposed to be killed by the handsome prince dude. Dracula is not handsome, he is just scary! I am totally against face painting and I hate the Pumpkin.

.......you get the message!

But still, I tried this at home this year.....

Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup  flour 
1/2 cup almond powder
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking soda 
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 cup oil 
1 can(or 1- 1/2 cup) pumpkin puree

Ready steady cook: 

Pumpkin puree
Remove the top of the Pumpkin and cut into big slices.
Scrape the seeds out from the pumpkin.
Bake them (skin side down) in a preheated over at 200 degC for 20mins.

Cool and scrape out the flesh from the pumpkin.

Blend into a smooth puree.

Add caption

1. First mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk it properly.
2. Mix the eggs, oil and pumpkin puree in a separate bowl.
3. Add this to the dry mix slowly to avoid any lumps. Mix it in a blender.
4. Preheat the oven to 190 degC. Transfer the cake mix to a nonstick greased baking pan.
5. Bake for 50 mins.
6. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

ps: My son said it is a bit TOO healthy for a cake!!