Destinations wishlist

We all have our wishlist.. wishlist like "Things I want to eat", "Things I want to do", "People I want to meet", and of-course "Places I want to see". What better time than now, when the new year unfolds , to look into my Destination wishlist , add a few and may be subtract a few as well.
I simply love travelling. While I was growing up, my parents made sure we make a trip to any new land every year. Because of my school and studies, Baba's office and Ma's school , it was usually during Diwali holidays we made our trip to far and near places. I just love touring and tripping and don't mind any landscape except for crowdy and congested places. I love sea as well as mountains, I love jungles and rain-forests as well as sand dunes. Palaces and temples allure me and so does vintage cities. My husband is more of a mountain person. He is all gaga about hills and deep forests. Sand dunes and big bustling cities don't attract him that much. Here's my list of 10 places I(or rather WE) would want to visit.

1. Kashmir
The "heaven on earth" this is one place I would just die to go. From mountains and hills, to lakes, rivers, from  flower meadows to snow desserts , from temples to mosques and monasteries Kashmir is a tourist's paradise.
The northernmost of state of India, JnK stands like a crown.  The state has three different climatic regions : Arctic cold deserts of Ladakh, temperate Kashmir valley and sub-tropical Jammu. Rich in flora and fauna not to forget the delectable Kashmiri Cuisine , if we ever visit Kashmir we would make sure it is during the Tulip festival.

2. Alaska
The largest state of US , this land of beauties has attracted me since childhood. Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 and remains the least populated state of US. It is the land of adventure and unspoiled wilderness. The immense geography, wildlife , flora and fauna are a treat. The many national parks and national forests, the icebergs , the long coastlines , the Dalton highway crossing the tundra and the Arctic Circle and of-course Mt McKinley ... Alaska is definitely a lifetime destination.

3. Kailash Mansarovar and Tibet
 I had read a poem about the beautiful Mansarovar lake at the foothills of Mount Kailash. Thanks to the beauty of the expressive poem , my desire to visit this place has bloomed and flourished since then. Mansarovar is the highest freshwater lake in the world. The Hindu religion refers to the Mansarovar as the soul of Brahma. There are four great rivers springing from this lake.
While Mount Kailash , is revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains. For Hindus , this mountain represents the abode of Lord Shiva. For Buddhists, it remains the center of Universe.
Apart from all the religious importance, this place and the Kailash Mansarovar trek has some of the most panoramic scenery and breathtaking beauty.

4. Jaisalmer and Sand dunes
I have been to Jaipur but could not get a peak of the Thar and its sand dunes from there.. so Jaisalmer and also for its forts and temples. Being so arid, I totally love the vibrant colors of Thar and its people. Located in the heart of Thar, this city is quite close to the Indian border. The sand dunes , the fort, the haveli,the Jain temples, the mud houses ,the camel ride and the Rajasthani cuisine provide a rustic and peaceful solitaire from the busy life.

5. New Zealand
This island nation sits on the Pacific Rim of Fire and so is the land to spectacular geothermal areas and volcanoes. It is strewn with glaciers, golden beaches, mountains and plains, forests and fiords. The country was aloof from the rest of the world for 80 million years and this resulted in the immense diversity of flora and fauna found here. The active volcanoes and the hot spring , geysers , hills and mountains may be the hot hot pursuit of Mr Husband, but for me New Zealand holds another secret. This is the land of over 170 exotic birds some of which are native to New Zealand only. Also it is home to the earth's richest flora.

6. Kruger National Park
The first bengali novel which I had read was "Chander Pahar" meaning "Mountain of the mountain"at the age of 10. This was a pre-independence story of a boy who had gone to Africa to find work and for adventure. The story portrayed vividly the wild dangerous and mesmerizing Africa. Since then I have been fascinated by this wild continent.
The Kruger national park is one of Africa's largest wildlife reserves. Home to all the Big Five Game "lion, African elephant, cape buffalo, leopard, rhinocerous" along with numerous other mammals, around 517 bird species including native and migrants,  114 reptile species, and 50 fish species , this is located in the most ecologically heterogeneous regions of Southern Africa.

7. Sunderban Tiger Reserve
How can we miss the Sunderban which is in our backyard. Situated at the confluence of Ganga Brahmaputra, Sunderban is part of the world's largest delta. The largest reserve for Bengal Tiger, Sunderban is densely covered by mangrove forests.
Other than the Bengal Tiger, it is home to 58 mammal species  , 55 reptiles species, 248 bird species many of which are endangered .
This paradise for wildlife lovers is a must in our list.

8. Bhutan
This Himalayan Kingdom, with its mystic beauty and serenity is every trekker's paradise. While its pristine ecology is cradle of rare endangered flora and fauna, spiritually strong only Vajrayana Buddhist nation in the world. The rugged mountains and deep valleys are rich with spectacular biodiversity making Bhutan one of the world's top ten  most important bio-diverse hotspots.

9. Valley of Flowers
Seen on Discovery and National Geography a hundred times, this place beckons me like a fairy land. Nestled in the high in Himalayas of Uttaranchal, protected by the snow capped mountains, its' again a trekker's paradise. The place blooms to its magnificence with the monsoon rains. Just imagine a carpet of around 500 species of flowers surrounded by snow-capped mountains, isn't it nothing less than a dreamland. The valley is home to the celebrated Bhrahmakamal, Blue poppy and Cobra Lily, along with orchids , calendulas , daisies, rhododendron. The fauna consists of tahr, snow leopard, red fox, many varieties of butterfly  and many other.

10. Lakshadweep
I have been to this tiniest UT of India, but cant wait to reach there again. Situated in the Arabian Sea , Lakshadweep's beauty can be attributed to its remoteness. Islands with creamy seashore and strewn by coconut trees, away from the outside world, provides the much needed tranquility, peace and the bewitching panorama. For adventure you have scuba diving, wind surfing, snorkelling, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, water skiing. What else does one need.

This list can never end. There are so so many places which we want to visit that choosing or prioritizing them is almost impossible.
Bon Voyage!!

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Dhaniya aloo

I love aloo or potato like no other vegetable. Potato in any form except for the potato wafers which does not allure me that much. As a small kid while reading stories of other countries I often envied the people and places where potato is a staple food. I think I can survive just on potatoes. During my bachelorhood days away from home at Chandigarh, when my roommate left for Delhi on weekends and I had to stay back for some reason, I always made sure I indulged in various potato recipes(my roommate refrained from potatoes). So you can understand how much I am in love with this veggie.

I had seen this recipe in on of the NDTV food shows. With some slightest concoction , I tried it.
I used:
half a kg baby potatoes,
2-3 cloves of garlic, a small piece of ginger
few green chillies, a bunch of coriander
finely chopped onions
chopped tomato

Boil the baby potatoes. Shallow fry them and drain excess oil in a kitchen towel. Now blend the coriander chilies, garlic , ginger and a little salt in a blender. The mix is more like a chutney. In a kadhai, heat oil. Fry the onions till golden, add the tomatoes, salt to taste and turmeric if you want. Fry till oil separates. Now add the coriander chutney. Fry for few more minutes then add the potatoes. Toss for 2-3 minutes in high flame. Now simmer for a few more minutes. You may sprinkle a little water while simmering. Serve hot with roti or paratha.  

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Sunset by the shore

Sunset by the shore

This is my first Acrylic painting. Little different from water colors, I thoroughly enjoyed painting with the acrylic paints.

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Swan

Birds have always fascinated me. They are one of the most beautiful creations of the Almighty. Beautiful with all the colors from an artist's palette they are epitome of art and perfection. Some like the weaver bird are expert architects while birds like koel are the greatest singer. Some are the greatest fliers like the albatross while some like "Birds of Paradise" should compete in beauty pageant. I can sit for hours  and watch documentaries on birds.
Though mesmerized by their beauty , I never attempted to paint any bird until today. I tried painting the swan today. Swans are definitely  one of the forerunners  in the beauty pageant. Elegant and beautiful they are symbol of devotion and purity. Do you know that Swan are monogamous? Oh yes they are .. partners for a lifetime.

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Radhaballavi aka Daal puri and Kashmiri Aloo dum for Sunday Brunch

Now on a December day when the sun plays hide and seek , and I keep running around for a bit of sunshine, I don't feel like going for a breakfast and then an elaborate lunch. So for such a cloudy and lazy Sunday a good nice Brunch is the keyword.  And here comes Mr Husband's idea of daal poori and Kashmiri Aloo Dum. Of-course the daal was soaked the previous night for a different cause, but no harm done if its used for Kachauri or Daal Poori or as is called in bengali "Radhaballavi". The recipe of Kashmiri Aloo Dum has been taken from a TV show "The Foodie" of Times Now so I wont take the disclaimer. The Brunch I would admit was a joint venture and turned out simply fantabulous.
For the Radhaballavi

Soak a cup of Urad Daal overnight. In the morning make a coarse paste of it with very little or no water. No in a frying pan drizzle a few drops of oil, add a pinch of hing.Then add the daal paste, salt and a little chilly powder. If possible add a teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds powder. Mix well and stir till the mixture is dry. Let it cool.
Kneed flour with salt ,2 tablespoon cooking oil and little water. Make a soft dough. Keep the dough covered for half an hour. Now make small round balls of the dough. Fill spoonful of daal mixture in the puri balls. Roll out the balls into puris. Make sure the stuffing does not come out.
Heat oil in a kadai. Fry the puris till golden brown.

For the Kashmiri Dum aloo
Boil and peel potatoes(I used 500 gms small potatoes). Pierce the potatoes with fork or toothpick. Now deep fry them on medium flame till they are brown(dark brown, such that outer cover becomes little hard). Keep the potatoes aside. Now take oil in a kadhai. Add a pinch of hing, and a bay-leaf. Now the original recipes asks you to add saunth or dry ginger, since I was not having dry ginger, I added ginger chilly paste at this stage. Add turmeric and Kashmiri chilli. Fry for few minutes. Meantime, take a cup of curd, add fennel seed powder and green cardamom powder and salt, whip the curd. Add this to the masala in the kadhai. Keep stirring for few minutes. Now add a cup of water. Add the deep fried potatoes. Add a teaspoon of garam masala. Check the seasoning. Cover the kadai with a tight lid and let it simmer on low flame for 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy your Sunday Brunch..

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Tulip

'Mid the sharp, short emerald wheat, scarce risen three fingers well, The wild tulip at the end of its tube, blows out its great red bell, Like a thin clear bubble of blood, for the children to pick and sell. - Robert Browning,

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Egg soya bean dum biryani

So one fine day I was in no mood of making the same old lunch of rice and veggies and daal or fish and neither was I in the mood of too much labor. I was looking for something interesting and easygoing. And then I thought about "Egg soya dum biryani" I had never tasted this recipe before leave alone trying it. Also two of the key ingredients of biryani : mint and coriander leaves were missing from my fridge but I decided to do away with them. "Lets see how it tastes the nontraditional style" I told myself.
I used :
eggs(hard boiled),
a cup of Basmati rice ,
biryani spices like : large(black) cardamom, cinnamon sticks, a few javitri, bay leaves,
ginger garlic chilly paste
chopped onions,
onion julienne
a small chopped tomato
nutrela soya bean chunks(boiled in water and drained)
4  tablespoon curd,
garam masala powder
few cashews and raisins
Ghee
saffron
Heat water in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the biryani whole spices, half a teaspoon ghee and salt. Boil the water then add the rice. Stir time to time. Once rice is done, drain out the water.
Heat oil in kadai,  free the onion julienne such that they get caramelized , keep aside. Make slits on the eggs and shallow fry them, keep aside. Now add a few green cardomom, cloves, a bay leave and jeera to the oil. Add the cashew and raisins saute them for a min , now add the chopped onions. Saute till brown, then add the chopped tomato and ginger garlic chilly paste. Add salt and turmeric and chilly powder as per taste. Fry till oil separates. Now if you have mint and coriander, chop and add them(I proceeded without them). Add the curd. Fry for few minutes , now add the eggs and the boiled soya chunks. Cook for few more minutes such that the soya chunks are completely cooked.
Now  grease a heavy bottomed pan with ghee. Add half the egg- soya masala . Layer half of the cooked rice. Top it with caramelized onions , sprinkle few drops of saffron milk(soak a few strands of saffron in 2-3 tablespoon milk). Spread the remaining egg-soya masala topping it again with a layer of rice. Top it with caramelized onions and saffron milk. Sprinkle a little ghee. Place the lid. You may keep some heavy utensil on top of the lid, to keep it tight. Lower the heat to minimum for dum , and keep for 20 minutes. Serve with raita.

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Instant microwave dhokla

Am I turning this blog of mine into a food blog? Well I don't intend to that, but I could not resist myself from posting this super duper easy recipe which I tried for the first time. And boom!! it turned out so well. Cutting short my blabbers , here's the quick recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Besan,
1/2 cup curd,
a teaspoon salt, half a teaspoon sugar,
a teaspoon of ginger -green chilly paste
a sachet eno, 1/2 cup of water
a pinch of turmeric, one and a half teaspoon oil
For tempering:
1 teaspoon of rai(mustard seeds)
a pinch of hing,
3-4 green chilies slit into long pieces
a teaspoon of lime juice, a little oil
Chopped coriander for garnishing(i didn't have it)

Method
In the besan , add the salt, sugar, haldi, oil, curd, ginger-chilly paste. Mix well so that no lumps are formed. Slowly add water. The batter should have idly-like consistency. Now grease a microwave flat bowl. Add the eno to the dhokla mixture, mix well and transfer the mixture to the bowl.
Microwave for 6 minutes, do not cover it.
Keep aside, let cool for few moments then transfer to a dish. Cut into desired pieces.
Now for the tempering, heat a teaspoon oil in a kadhai , splutter a teaspoon mustard seeds(rai), add a pinch of hing, add chopped curry leaves(I didn't have this either) and slit green chilies. Now you can pour this on the dhokla, but I transferred the dhokla to this kadhai, poured a teaspoon of lime juice a pinch of sugar and salt and tossed the dhoklas for a minute. This gives a nice crispy texture to the dhoklas.
While i njoy the instant dhokla, hope next I return to my blog with an article or a story..

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Achari bharva baigan(Stuffed baby brinjal)

Phew .. the last few weeks have been quite stupendous on me.. loads and loads of academic work. Finally I am done(hopefully for good). Though there are many priorities assigned in line, I plan to take a short break and indulge myself in whatever i like best.. which is of course cooking blogging and painting..not to forget watching Star Trek with Mr husband. Oh I have become a huge fan of Star Trek recently thanx to the better half. I always despised Sci-fi, but that's past now. It all started with "Star Trek : The next generation". Now Janeway and Chakotay of Star Trek Voyager fascinate me. I always refrain my self from any sorts of addiction but I should admit Star Trek has become a complete addiction.


The other day I tried this recipe. I wanted to improvise on the Bharva baigan recipe but nothing I found on the internet seemed quite interesting. Then I came across this particular video on you-tube. The original recipe on you-tube is very different, and mine as I would say is a collection of stolen ideas blended with some of mine. As long as there is no copyright violation, I think we can very well enjoy the recipe.
So all I used was:
few small brinjals or eggplant or aubergine or guinea squash or baigan or begun.. oh my god this vegetable has so many names
onion, green chillies, grated ginger, salt, turmeric, a small tomato or little puree(this is entirely optional), amchur, dhaniya powder and
..

the secret ingredient(as the sweet lady on youtube said): any pickle(achar) you have at home
For the stuffing , I fried the onions till light brown. Then added green chillies, salt turmeric , grated ginger. Added a small finely chopped tomato to make the stuffing little mushy. You may skip the tomato. Once the stuffing was almost done, added a teaspoon of dhaniya powder and a little amchur. Let the mixture cool. While the mixture was cooling down, I slit the brinjals into quarters (hey do u know the paste tense of slit is slit.. frankly I didn't , I thought the word was slitted but then my PC said "ITS WRONG"), dipping the slit ones into water to prevent blackening. Now before filling the brinjals, I added a spoon of the pickle masala-oil to the stuffing. Believe me this is all needed to make the recipe "Achari". The slit baigans are then stuffed with this spicy tasty mixture. Then in a kadai, I poured little oil. Once hot, I lowered the stuffed brinjals into the oil. Kept the flame on full for a few minutes, tossing the brinjals to other side(to get the outer skin crispy). Then before closing the lid, I sprinkled a little salt on the brinjals. Kept the the brinjal covered for around 10 mins(this time may wary), checking and flipping them time to time. Once soft , removed from flame.. and served.

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Kala Chana Chat.. a Healthy snack

After the hush and rush of the whole week, Sundays are usually for pure gastronomical indulgences from breakfast to dinner. But once in a while, its good to go healthy and simple. This Sunday I opted for a simplest and a nutrient packed breakfast..... A tasty Kala Chana chaat.

 Kala Chana..this small black Mr Lentil is rich in minerals, fiber , proteins. But my better half does not like the chana curry, so I keep it more simple.. 

 

I soaked a cup of Kala chana overnight.In the morning, boiled the chana in the pressure cooker with a little of salt and water. Once the chana boiled, in a skillet ,I heated  little oil. Added a pinch of hing, a dry chili, little cumin seeds. Then drained the water off the chana and added the chana to the skillet. Seasoned with salt , I tossed the chana for a while. Meantime, chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumber, green chillies, coriander. In a bowl , served the chana with the chopped veggies, sprinkled a little of chat powder, a dash of lime juice, and some sev to top it.

And a healthy chat was ready. Goes great with a steamy cuppa. 

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Spicy Chicken.. oven cooked

My studies are keeping me very busy, and even though I feel like blogging at times, time puts the constraints on me.. I was planning to post this recipe for quite a long time but didnt really get into the mood of writing. 

The recipe is originally Mr Husband's. This is one of the easiest and tastiest chicken recipe I have ever tasted.

Ingredients:

Chicken legs(8-10), 

A small onion, few pods garlic, an inch ginger, green chilies.

Bay leaves, kasuri methi, Red Chili Powder, a small cinnamon stick. Salt, turmeric

Vinegar, Curd, oil

Procedure:

Wash and clean the leg pieces. Make slits on the pieces. Now make a paste of onion, garlic ginger chilly. Into this paste add salt to taste, half teaspoon turmeric, red chilly powder(as per your taste), a small spoon of crushed kasuri methi, a tablespoon or two of curd, a tablespoon vinegar, 2-3 tablespoon of oil. Mix the paste thoroughly. Now marinate the chicken pieces with this masala. Keep the marinated chicken for 6-7 hours or overnight. Pre-heat the oven at 380-390 F. Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking dish. Cook or bake for 45 minutes checking time to time. After half an hour turn the pieces.  The chicken would slowly cook in its own juices. Check after 45 minutes. Broil for 5 minutes once the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from oven. Garnish and enjoy.     

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An apple a day

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.” Steve Jobs

Nothing much to say.. 
A visionary , a scientist, an entrepreneur  ,overall a great and complete person in all terms. Ironically I like many millions read the news on his IPAD.. 
He had said .. "I want to put a ding in the universe."  and he really did..
May you Rest In Peace..and a big thanks for all the Is

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Borir Jhaal (Aloo vadi)

The bori or Vadi as we call in Hindi are sun dried lentil dumplings. In the north its mostly spicy but we bengalies prefer the non spicy one. We have bori in small and medium size of massoor, urad , chola daal. During childhood days, come summer and Ma used to make these BORIs , sun drying them and then packing them in air tight jars for the whole year. Now a days Bori/ Vadi are readily available in grocery shops. We like putting these boris in vegg recipes as well as fish recipes. And sometimes its just the borir jhaal which we like to devour with steaming rice.

The "bori aloo r jhaal " is a typical HOT bengali recipe. I used the medium sized urad daal bori(which I had brought from Kolkata and saved a few) and small arhar daal badi (which i had got from Indian Market).

So I used :

The above mentioned boris

diced tomatoes

a small potato cut into wedges

and Ginger Jeera paste..now I usually make the paste of an inch  or 2 or ginger and little soaked Jeera , keep it in an air tight container. This comes handy in many of my cooking. And before closing the lid of the container a drizzle a little of oil on the sorface of the paste.. This keeps it fresh for a longer time.

Now the instructions:

Heat a little oil(preferrably mustard oil ) in a non stick pan. Fry the boris at medium flame. Keep aside, you may drain the excess oil in a kitchen towel

Now in the pan heat little oil again, temper half a spoon of kalaunji.

Add the potatoes. Fry a little. Now add the diced tomatoes. Cook a little. Add the ginger paste. Add haldi, salt and red chilli powder as per taste. Cook till the masala is done. Add water as desired. Now add the boris. You may add the boris first and then the water. I went the former way as my boris were too soft. Simmer this for very few minutes. Garnish with coriander.

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Fall colors

Today's painting

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School Days

Here at Texas , the summer vacations are over and the schools are reopening. Pretty late ha.. yes in India schools reopen by 1-2 July. Yesterday while we were out for a bit of groceries, we saw the huge shopping complex buzzing with children of all ages and their parents, all buying anything and everything remotely associated with school. There were "so-called" sales and discounts on all ACADEMICAL items. The scene made me smile and the memoirs of my school days came rushing into my thoughts.

The long summer vacation was always longed and welcomed. It started with the FINAL EXAMS and then the results. Either there was a month trip to my native or simply idling out. The mornings were cool , with cycling or morning walk listening to cooing of the koel. The afternoons were mainly a heart meal , and the doordarshan afternoon shows and some DIY projects of course. Evenings were either drawing classes or a visit to a friend's place(or vice versa) or games like "Hide and seek", "Land water", "Sithouli or pittuk" or simply "Pinky pinky what color" . Days flew away merrily.

 But soon enough the countdown for July started. The eagerness to meet old friends and make new ones flooded us. With the new class syllabus new books were bought, and with them came sets of new notebooks(or copies as we called them), pen pencils, geometry box and sometimes school bag. The books and notebooks were covered with brown paper and sometime polythene sheets. Oh it was such fun to select pretty name stickers (I loved the ones with Disney characters) , stick them on the notebooks and then write my name in the best calligraphic writing possible. Sometimes there were new uniforms as well. And just before the "school reopen" day, uniform was ironed , shoes polished , all the nail polish from nails removed, the bag was packed. Tomorrow would be a long exciting day, meeting old friends and teachers, finding who our class teacher and other subject teachers would be for this year, getting the time table, looking for the games and SUPW period in the timetable, sharing our lunches and stories of vacation during recess. Another year of studies and fun to embrace.

Oh!!! How much I miss my school days and my alma mater. Will miss you always St. Paul's School Gwalior and Christ Church Girls School Jabalpur.

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A few of the paints..

Latest paintings

poppies

With love

U n me in this beautiful world...

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Soiling my hand with B4,B6,B8..........

During the school days, when there was not much of assignments and home-works, and not much to do in the sleepy afternoon, hours were spent drawing and sketching.Soon Ma and Baba felt that I had a knack for the art, and drawing classes became my playground. Then I was more into sketching. Later I took to painting.

Its a long long time since I have sketched anything. Recently the dear hubby gifted me a set of colors and brushes. It fun again to play with colors. Hope I will sooner pick the pencils and charcoal as well.

Here is a collage of my sketches

Tagore or as we bengali lovingly call "Gurudev". My first portrait sketch was of Gurudev(no not this one, a more easier one). I love to sketch him. 

Cutie Pie

The Ever beautiful MadhuBala

The Gazal maestro

A snowy day

Hullabaloo in the berry orchard

A sunday at the church

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Miles apart

Sitting by the side of the pond , Amu was throwing pebbles in the water. She was in no mood of playing or climbing the trees to get ripe mangoes. Her friends had come to fetch her but she did not like their company right now. Her mind was travelling far far away into the distant unknown land , the land of luxuries , the land of freedom , the land where Priya belonged. Priya was the granddaughter of the erstwhile "Jamindar" (Zamindar) of their village. Although the Zamindari system had long been abolished , Roop Narayan Ray Chowdhuri was revered by all villagers. The Jamindar bari build on many many acres of land was magnificent, surrounded by jamun(gooseberry) and mango plantation. Roop Narayan's son Abhay Narayan Priya's father was working for an MNC(as told by Priya and Amu had no clue of what this was)and he , his family were living in Dilli. Priya had also told Amu that Dilli was the capital of Bharat but what exactly was a capital Amu could not understand. All she knew was the big town had buildings much much bigger than the magnificent Jamindar bari, and all people there were rich.



Every year Priya with her parents paid a visit to her dadu(grandfather) at Rampukur. The one month long vacation was always pure bliss. She loved the carefree , slaphappy village life. There were times when her parents stayed back at Kolkata, but she did not mind staying here. With no studies, just playing and wandering and her Dida's (grandma) recipes , she longed for this trip year long. She also longed for Amu. Amu's mother Sita was a helper(actually a servant) to Dida. Sita did almost all the household chores and helped Dida in the kitchen. Ma had told Priya that Amu was born the same day she was born. May be that was the reason why Priya and Amu had become best pals though they were from completely different societies. Priya had learnt a lot from Amu.. from swimming to climbing trees to making baskets from twigs and dried palm leaves to "how to read and write bengali". They spent their days picking the mangoes and jamun, swimming in the ponds, listening to the songs of koel, swinging on the banyan branch by the riverside. Sometimes Priya would steal some savories or delicacies for Amu, while at times Amu would bring aachar or jhaal muri(puffed rice) for her. They would get drenched in the rains or lie under the star studded sky locating constellations.


For Amu life would be wonderful during the sweaty summer days when Priya came to her Dadu's home. Although they were very rich and affluent, their doors were somehow never closed for Amu. Amu had many times crept into Priya's room .While others took their afternoon nap, she would amazingly peer into Priya's picturesque story books.Priya had taught her english alphabets so she could read the stories, but could not understand the meaning. Priya translated the stories to bengali for her. Priya would also bring gifts for her. Sometimes a story book, sometimes a sketchpen set or sometimes a doll. But what she(Amu) loved the most were the stories of the distant land, the tales of Priya's school, her friends and teachers, the fables of her tutions and dancing and drawing classes. She would be mystified to see the photos which Priya bought for her. The photos and the stories were her eyes to see Priya's wonderland. She wished one day she could see those with her own eyes.
.......
Priya was blankly gazing through the window of the Rajdhani Express. She with her family were heading for NewDelhi. From there they would leave for US in a week. Her father had got posted to the headoffice of his company. Her parents were very happy, but for Priya it was as if she was leaving a part of her at Rampukur. They said life at States was a lot busier with more of competition and more aristocracies. They would be moving to the land of Skyscrapers(as she had read in her GK book). Tears filled her eyes thinking she may never be back to enjoy the leisured life, with no studies and no classes and no competition.Life would be hell with no annual trip to her beloved village, no Dida - Dadu and above all no Amu. Oh how badly she envied Amu now, with all her(Amu's) freedom and a simple life.

Back at Rampukur, Amu was crying her heart out, her face hidden in her shabby cotton frock. Her only eyes to see the world outside Rampukur had left for a far distant land, a land which she would never see nor feel. A life which she enjoyed once a year, was taken away from her, a life full of stories and fairy tales , a life of knowledge and wisdom , a life which she did not have the right to live , that life would never be back. Now she felt jealous of Priya for the first time in her life.

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Frittata...

This is one another recipe which I have never tasted. I was just browsing through one of the recipe sites, when I happened to discover it. Since Mr Husband is a great egg -o -holic , I decided to give it a shot.Now the wiki says: "Frittata is an egg-based dish similar to an omelette or quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta". The original recipe had sausages and bell peppers as ingredients , but since I didnt have either of them , I made my concoction.
Ingredients I used:
2 eggs
A small Tomato, A small onion, Green chilies
a slice of bread
grated cheese
A little oil and may be butter
To do:
Dice the tomatoes, chop the chilies and onion. Dice the slice of bread into very small squares. Heat a pan with a little oil. Add the onions. Saute till translucent. Now add the bread squares. You may add a little butter at this point. The bread soaks the butter which makes it yummy..(the bread was a substitute of sausage and believe me it tasted amazing with the buttered bread popping into your mouth now and then ) Now add the tomatoes and chilies. Season with salt.You can add veggies like pepper , mushroom. I had none with me today so had to keep with just these. Next time definitely. While the veggies get sauteed, beat the eggs vigorously with salt and black pepper, make sure the egg is fluffy . Spread the fried veggies evenly on the pan and now pour the beaten egg. Spread it evenly through out the pan. Cook on low flame. Once done, transfer it to a baking dish. Sprinkle grated cheese generously. Grill for 5 minutes in oven or till the cheese melts. Sprinkle chopped coriander, chilly flakes and oregano if you wish.
Raven with a cup of tea !!!!!!

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Dahi Baigan.. eggplant in curd gravy

During the good old doordarshan days, we had this afternoon children's program... It was a story of a kingdom , the kingdon of veggies and the king was our very own cute , plump "बैगन राजा".. donned in a beautiful green crown, then he ruled over the entire veg kingdom.. and he still does..

बैगन or বেগুন or eggplant or aubergine or melongene or guinea squash or  brinjal as it is lovingly called is many of our favorite. Be it Baigan ka Bharta or Bharwa Baigan or simple Begun Bhaja many of us can not say no to the humble vegetable. 

 I learnt this recipe from my most promising friend "THE INTERNET" , the site I have completely forgotten. I had never tasted the original recipe , but felt like giving it a shot. And it did turn out very well, tasty and refreshing specially in the hot parched summer.

For the recipe I used: 

A good chubby eggplant.. (can be substituted by the slender ones as well).

A cup of curd.

Few green chillies, fennel seeds (saunf) , asafoetida (heeng).

Cut the eggplant in long pieces. Smear salt and turmeric. Shallow fry the pieces. Dry excess oil in a kitchen towel. 

Keep the cup of curd ready.Add little salt, red chilli powder as per taste. You may add a little water in case the curd is thick. Make sure the mixture is smooth.

Now heat some oil in kadai. Temper with a pinch of heeng, 1-2 dry red chili , a few pods of cardamom, a teaspoon of  saunf, 2-3 slit green chillies. Now add the curd. Keep stirring for a few minutes so that no lumps are formed. Add the eggplant and simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander.

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The story of a bengali kitchen

India is country of 28 states and 7 UTs and I can bet that the variety of recipes and cuisines is hundred times the mentioned figures. It is said that in India "With every 10 miles the dialect changes" and so does the cuisines.

Being a land of varied demographics our cuisines are signatured by spices , herbs not to forget the immense variety of vegetables and fruits and pisces (thanks to our long coastline and perennial rivers). We love cooking feeding and eating. Being the land of "वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम " , the food and cuisine has been influenced by the Aryans, Arabs, Mughals, British and Portuguese apart from our own culture and traditions. Be it veg or non-veg, we can lay down 100s of recipes of a single item.

I have stayed in many parts of my country and have devoured many regional recipes. My friends have treated me with the authentic recipes , delicacies and savories from their land. They are all "THE BEST". Every nook and corner of the country has something superb to offer on the pallet. So here's a sneak peak from my corner - a typical bengali kitchen.

Speaking of Bongs, we have three main interests: reading, travelling and ofcourse eating(or rather cooking). During the era of GrandMas, the meals took all their time, labour and ingenuity, from dawn to dusk. With us, leaving our homes in the morning for work returning post sunset, things have changed, but we still love to lay courses on weekends and holidays. And mind you, bongs have strict rules for cooking, serving and eating. The courses cannot be swapped , they always arrive on your plate in the age old sequence. The meal can be a veg,non-veg combination or a purely-veg( may be on a Pooja day)...Bongs refrain using onion garlic for pure veg dishes.

Till date on occasions like Bdays, pooja days or when the Jamai (Son-in-Law) visits, Mas and GrandMas prepare all the courses: 

We start with the

Teto(Bitter) . The teto can be Karela bhaja(fry) or Shukto(a curry of bitter guard with loads of other veggies ) or Neem begun Bhaja (tender neem leaves and very small cut brinjals fried).

Then should come the shaak (Saag). Can be anything from palak to methi to mulo (mooli ka saag) to laal shaak. Another rule : teto or shaak will be eaten only with rice not with roti , etc.

Then comes the Daal (lentils). It can be Chholar daal(bengal gram), masoor() daal , bhaja moong daal(the moong is first roasted) or Arhar daal. Beware again: the daal may taste a bit sweet , but we love it this way. The daal has to be served with some Bhaja(fried brinjal or potato or fish) or a ghonto . Now a ghonto is preparation of any finely chopped vegetable with some specified spices(we call it panchphoron). This is always a dry recipe. It can be badhacopi(cabbage) ghonto or moolo(mooli) ghonto or mocha(the flower of banana tree) ghonto or any other ghonto.

For a veg meal , this would definitely be followed by a daalna. A daalna is a recipe of any veggie this time cooked in a thick gravy with a hint of garam masala and ghee. Its usually a potol (parwal) or cauliflower or paneer.

Now comes the non veg part, the mutton or the fish or both. And the number of fish recipes can be more than one. We have a Machher Jhaal(hot fish curry), or Jhol(the gravy in this case is thin and not so hot) or simply the Bhape(Steamed in banana leaf).

Then walks out the chaatni(chutney) or Tok. The chaatni is the sweeter sister of north Indian chutney and usually made of tomatoes,raisins, raw papaya, pineapple, grapes, olives in combination or single. A tok is a thinner version usually made of tamarind or raw mango.

The meal finally culminates with the infamous dessert mishti doi.

Yes there always remains a tini mini place in the tummy for the paan to take care of all the hogging done..

Now ready for the siesta after the fiesta!!!

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The magic world of books

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.  ~Charles W. Eliot

I dont know when and how I had entered the unfathomable world of books and reads but it was quite early days. Those times it was not the so called "books and novels", but light reading of Champak, and comics "Billu", "Chacha Choudhary" and "Pinki"s. Ma wanted me to read the ones which were in Bengali or English but I always preferred the Hindi ones. Our train journeys were always consorted by Nandans and Champaks. 
My first date with English Literature was because of a dear friend who had gifted me a "Hardy Boys" novel. There was no looking back after that. The "Hardy Boys" and the "Nancy Drew" and then Charles Dickens occupied all my free times and with that came the unsatiable craving for more and more books. Those days I often dreamt of owning a library of my own, the library would have a nice cosy floor-sitting area , and would have books on ladder accessible shelfs , shelves which would touch the floor and reach the ceiling , books from all over the world, from encyclopedias to novels to poetry to comics. 
Then came the day of my rendezvous with Bengali Literature. It was just after my 10th board exams and I had no idea of how to spend the 3 months long vacation. Ma gave me the much acclaimed Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay's Pather Panchali(It was made into a film by the Oscar winning Director Satyajit Ray and was one of the greatest film ever made). After that my love for Bengali Literature too grew in leaps and bounds from Sarat Chandra Chatterji and other yesteryear writers to contemporary writers.Books are the best company I ever had(ofcourse after my parents, husband and good friends). They have made me laugh in bitter times and made me cry in good times. I get so addicted while reading a particular book that I feel like finishing the whole book at one go.
Here are some of my all time favorites, which I have read I dont know how many times:
1. Chander Pahar - the mountain of the moon (Bibhuti Bhushan Bangopadhyay)
2. Parineeta - Sarat Chandra Chatterji.
3. Diary of Anne Frank
4 The hound of the baskervilles - Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Canon Doyle)
5 The whole Harry potter series
6 Kite Runner - Khaled hosseini
7 Great Expectation - Charles Dickens
And many many more to add and add on.
With the latest technology, reading good reads is much easier and with the same "flipping and dog earing of pages" feeling of ebooks, what is only missing is the smell of the books. May be a time would come when the IT revolution would make that too possible(amen).

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Tomato stuffed

I am not in the mood of writing much today.. So here goes just the recipe.
You need:
A few tomatoes, preferably round ones
Boiled Potatoes, grated ginger ,
chopped coriander and chillies,
sweet corn if you like
Scoop out the center pulp. You may use the pulp in any other recipes. Mash the boiled potatoes , add sweet corn, chillies , ginger, coriander, salt and a little chaat masala. You can replace potato with grated paneer. Fill in the tomatoes. Place in an oil smeared microwaveable plate. Season a little with salt and black pepper. You may or may not sprinkle a few drops of oil. Microwave on high for 6 mins. The time may vary based on softness of the tomatoes and pwer of microwave. so keep checking after 2-3 minutes. Enjoy!!

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