A look at the fish crazy Bengalis

It is a well-known fact that Bengalis are crazy about fish but, somewhere down the line, they have had to change their tastes from the small size tasty fish to larger fish that do have their values but do not taste like the ones fifty years back.
The main problem with the small size fish was its preparation prior to frying and cooking. These fishes had plenty of scales and getting rid of these annoying externals was a major headache for the mothers of yore. Usually the task would be assigned to elderly women in the family who had plenty of spare time or to the maid servants. It was the days prior to the arrival of LPGs on the scene and when the ovens would be coal fired. The ash that was left over at the end of the day would be carefully preserved and would be used in descaling the fish.

Yes, the women had a tact – they would hold the fish in between the fingers, dip it in the ash and then proceed to remove the scales. After that was doe, they would clean the internals and pick up the next one. Obviously, it was a time consuming affair but, once these small size fish went through the cleaning process and was coked and served, the dish would leave its taste in the mouth long after the meal was over.
Unfortunately, such women are nowhere around. They have vanished like the coal fired ovens and fish lovers have to now depend on the fish seller to clean and cut the fish to size. As a result, the attraction of small size fish have been lost. The craze is now for large size fish like rohu, katla, bhetki, prawns etcetera – these are easy to handle. Same goes for the ones that do not have the annoying scales – fish like pabda or tangra.
Of course, exceptions will always be there – and, the exception is the hilsa. It has scales but no one is much bothered because, beneath those scales lies a fish that tastes divine. It may be sourced from the Padma River in Bangladesh or from our very own River Ganges but, it is certainly the Lord of the Rings. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Bengali’s favorite dhokar dalna

Dhokar dalna is a dish loved by Bengalis and, while chana dal can be converted into any number of mouthwatering recipes, the dhokar dalna is in a world of its own – it remains unruffled by the innumerable items that keep sprouting all around it clamoring for attention.
Dhokar dalna, undoubtedly, rules the roost and holds a pride of place in the Bengali cuisine – the place it occupies cannot be taken by any other.
The person who created this wonderful dish is not known, neither is there any explanation of why it is called dhokar dalna. ‘Dhoka’ stands for ‘bluff’ and ‘dalna’ usually means a thick sort of spicy gravy. This part of the nomenclature is understandable but not the ‘dhoka’ part!!

Anyway, preparing this delicious dish is a tedious affair. There are a number of steps involved right from soaking the chholar dal in water and, later, making a paste out of it. To get the proper taste, the paste used to be made on a grinding stone but, with the advent of the food processors, the activity can be offloaded to the gadget. Only – care should be taken to ensure that the paste remains a bit coarse.
Then follows adding spices and drying the paste so that it lends itself to be suitable molded by laying it on a plate and cutting into diamond shapes. Some like it square, others rectangles - the shape does not matter. The next step is to fry these squares or rectangles or diamonds to a brownish color. And, then preparing the gravy and putting the fried dhokas into the gravy.
From the above it is clear that it requires time, patience and, of course, the ability to prepare the dhokar dalna. But, the homemakers of today are busy with their activities of running the house alongside taking care of the children and working in the office. They may have the inclination but do not have the time. They must, at times, feel the absence of elderly ladies in the family. Therefore, when the palate wants the taste of dhokar dalna, they make a beeline for some restaurant.
Incidentally, the basic ingredient of dhokar dalna is the dhoka and, there are shops in Kolkata that sell these packets of ready-mix. There are the ‘best by’ dates indicated and all one needs to do is to prepare the gravy, add the dhokas and enjoy. (to be continued …)
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Rasgulla, the juice-dripping sweet that Bengalis swear by

Till now, I knew that the delicious rasgulla was a creation of Bengalis and the credit went to one K C Das who invented these wonderful balls of delight. Its only ingredient was chhana or cottage cheese that had to be cooked in a syrup of sugar. But, Orissa wants to take the credit for being its creator!!
Whatever it may be, creating rasgulla may sound simple but it requires plenty of experience to have the correct density of the syrup and the proper kneading of the chhana. It is mass produced in hundreds in a huge vessel over a coal fire. Nowadays, with the introduction of new and modern gadgets, the equipment have been modified but the process remains unchanged.
The rasgulla are usually an inch in diameter but there are the larger ones that go by the name of Raj-bhog (feast for the King). Here, a stuffing is introduced in the center of the white ball – the stuffing is usually of a paste of almond, pistachio with a small size kishmish in each Raj-bhog. And, the size is bigger.
Yet another variety is the kamala-bhog – this has a tinge of orange color with the essence of orange added in the dough in addition to the orange color.

And, one cannot overlook the smaller size rasgullas that go to create another Bengali favorite – the rasomalai. The rasgullas used in this are really small ones and, the rasomalai is prepared by adding the small ones in a mixture of kheer. This kheer is nothing but milk that is boiled to reduce the volume – as it keeps boiling, it thickens and, there is a new taste that is totally unlike milk. When the tiny rasgullas keep boiling in this kheer, the tiny balls swell and melt when popped in the mouth. One can easily relish a dozen of these tiny rasgullas in the rasomalai.
The popularity of rasgulla can be gauged from the fact that during marriages, there used to be friendly competition among the guests – who can eat how many. Those traditions have vanished because people have become health conscious. Moreover, the serving is done by caterers and, they will serve only as per the preplanned menu. Extra helpings are taboo.
However, all of a sudden, news have emerged that the origin of this beloved rasgulla is not in Bengal but in neighboring Orissa.
Director of K C Das Private Ltd, Sanjoy Das, the fifth generation descendant of Navin Chandra Das family, has clarified that it was the Das family who had created rasgulla made from cottage cheese and dipped in a sugary syrup. But, Orissa claims that the rasgulla originated from the Jagannath Temple in Puri – it had been a part of the religious rituals since the 12th century.
Obviously, experts have to dig up evidence to decide the winner in this battle – till the final decision is known, let us enjoy the rasgulla in all its glory. (to be continued …)
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Bengalis love hinger kachuri and chholar dal

Chana or gram or chick peas can be used to create the beautiful dish of chana dal. It is made all over the country but, the Bengalis have perfected the art and any girl can win over any boy if she is adept at kneading the flour into a dough and stuffing it suitably with a concoction that has the pungent hing or asafoetida mixed into the filling.
The filling is usually of boiled biuli or udad dal that is dried in a pan and spices added to enhance the taste and flavor. Once fried, these tiny balls of flattened dough swell up and attract the food lovers.

Bengalis refer to chana dal as chholar dal – it can be cooked as ordinary dal and garnished with coconut cubes and red chili fried in mustard oil. This out-of-this-world stuff when poured in the container of the cooked dal spreads a heavenly aroma that is difficult to resist.
Such chholar dal tastes great with hinger kachuri – in some parts of Kolkata, locals depend on this combination for breakfast and the shopkeepers have a hard time to cater to the demands. The hinger kachuri gets its name from hing or asafoetida which is a must that is added to the dough. Once the kachuris are deep fried and served with the accompanying chhoar dal, it transforms into a feast meant for the King.
Of course, the unique taste that one would relish in the shops can never be replicated in the kitchen – the environment has a major role to play. Many might scoff at the surroundings and harbor fears of falling sick, but, there are many ardent followers who would travel miles to get to the outlet of his choice and eat his favorite hinger kachuri with chholar dal. (to be continued …)


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Dhokla - the lovely fluffy besan product

Apart from boondi and sweets made out of boondi, besan is used to make many other eatables to soothe the Indian palate – and, one of these is the fluffy dhokla. Once restricted to Gujarat, it is now common fare all over the country and, like snacks like idli, dosa, uthappam of the south, dhokla has won over Indians in all corners.
Dhokla is a sort of snack unique to Gujarat and its lightness is a matter of mystery – when laid out on display in the shops with a sprinkling of chopped coriander leaves and a splattering of mustard seeds it beckons with its fluffy yellow color and porosity.

It is not too difficult to prepare and it involves mixing besan with yoghurt in proper proportions with addition of water and a pinch of salt. The mixture is to be kept for sufficient time (3 to 4 hours) in order to allow the fermentation to take place. Once that is done, a bit of turmeric is added to bring the yellow color and the mixture is ready to be cooked. Some would add green chili and ginger paste to bring in a different taste apart from lemon juice, sodium bicarbonate and a tiny bit of oil.
Now comes the cooking part. Put the mixture in a greased container and then in the steamer – dhokla has to be steam cooked. This should not take more than ten minutes. Then cut it into suitable size fluffy cubes and allow it to cool.
The last step is the garnishing with coriander leaves, ground coconut and whole mustard seeds. The mustard seeds are put in a kadai of boiling oil and as it starts to splutter, pour it over the dhokla and finish off with the white and green garnishing of coriander leaves and grated coconut. (to be continued …)
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Indian kitchens must have ‘besan’

‘Besan’ is the powdered form of the chana dal (gram or chickpea) and is an inseparable part of any Indian kitchen right from Kashmir to Kalaikunda – Indians just cannot think of a world minus besan because, with its help, the cook can create wonder recipes.
Besan is usually made use of by mixing with water to make a batter in which vegetables or fish are dipped and deep fried. The end product is generally known as pakoras – and the vegetable can be practically any veggie that can be fried. Examples onions, potatoes, cauliflower, brinjal, green chillies etcetera.
However, another area where besan is extensively used is in making sweets. And – in order to make these sweets, experts are required, conveying the powder into tiny globules of different sizes to create delicious sweets is the work of an artist, an artist who knows just how much he can extract from his ingredients.

The common factor is the batter of besan in water and, these are converted into tiny globules by passing through a sieve which has holes punched in it. The sieve is selected based on what is being prepared.
If it is to be boondi meant for taking with raita or chat, there would be salt added. Else, if it would be for a laddoo which is sweet, some color (orange or yellow) would be added to the batter and that would be passed through a sieve. The besan would then get converted into millions of tiny crisp droplets which would be fried in ghee and dumped into sugar syrup. The droplets would be removed with the syrup sticking to its sides and then left to dry. Once the dryness is manageable, kish-mish, chopped cashew nuts, pistachios etcetera are added as garnish and then, the laddoos are formed by hand.
This is the general method of preparing laddoos of besan in places other than in Bengal.
However, in Bengal, the boondi laddoos are known as ‘darbesh’ – the process is similar as above – only, the droplets are of different colors like red, orange, green.
And, on top of the list is the mihidana – or ‘fine droplets’. Yes, the size of the boondis are very small and the sieve has smaller size holes punched. Moreover, the color added to the batter is deep orange and it is fried in ghee. This mihidana is a unique sweet of Burdwan. (to be continued …)

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The lost world of ‘kabiraji cutlets’

Frankly speaking I am still not clear in my mind about the origin of the word ‘kabiraji’ in respect of those mouth-watering food items that have a prefix of ‘kabiraji’. As far as my knowledge goes, ‘kabiraj’ is supposed to be a doctor of sorts who deals in alternate medicines. They used to thrive in the era of Sarat Chandra, Bankim Chandra and Rabindra Nath as one can know from the numerous references made to these learned members of the medical profession in their novels.
The general concept is that the ‘kabiraj’ dabbled in Ayurveda and had a vast knowledge of medicines that came from natural sources like leaves of plants or roots. A combination of a mortar and pestle was an integral part of their practice. And, their medicines were effective.

Anyway, the link between the ‘kabiraj’ and ‘kabiraji culet’ evades me. I just cannot fathom the reason why a plate of mutton cutlet or prawn cutlet or chicken cutlet carry the prefix of ‘kabiraji’ when there is no medicine involved in its preparation.
I tried to get an answer from the internet and, only one answer appeared to throw some sort of light on this mystery – ‘kabiraji’ was actually a distortion of the word ‘coverage’!
Well – that could be a plausible answer because for a cutlet to earn the prefix ‘kabiraji’ it has to be covered with egg batter. No, not the dip-in-egg-batter-and-fry type but one where the egg batter was spread on top of the cutlet. What happened is that the egg batter surrounded the cutlet from all sides and curled up and created a blister-like appearance.
The aroma from the ‘kabiraji’ cutlet can knock anyone over. Only – such extraordinary food items have vanished from the scene. Those days of ordering the ‘kabiraji cutlet’ are like dreams. The young couples (usually unmarried) occupied the cabins of restaurants for some privacy and the waiter took the order promptly and pulled the curtains as he left. But, he delayed serving the cutlets – the delay was intentional and it entitled him to a generous tip!! (to be continued ....)
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The days of mughlai parathas

When I see the way fast foods have invaded our lives with outlets of international brands of pizza and chicken products proclaiming their wares via hoardings and ads in every conceivable media, I long for the days of mughlai parathas and kabiraji cutlets.
Both these used to rule the roost before the egg rolls, chili chicken and noodles snatched the customers and the restaurants that used to offer stuff like the mughlai parathas and kabiraji cutlets had to look for alternate items to retain the customer base. Therefore, most of them embraced the new age foods while many others had to shut shop.

I remember a couple of restaurants that held pride of place as far as Mughlai parathas were concerned. This eatable is a simple preparation of a paratha made of maida and stuffed with minced meat. It was not the ingredients but the method of preparation that held center stage. The lump of dough of maida was flattened to near paper thickness on a large marble slab. Once the cook, an artist by any means, was satisfied with the shape, he would put the requisite amount of stuffing of minced meat in the center, apply a light coat of beaten egg and then fold the ends to create the shape of a rectangle.
And – all these would be done in full public view because he would occupy a glass cabin located at the entrance of the restaurant. Once the paratha was ready, he would place it on a plate and the waiter assigned to the table would snatch it up and rush to serve it to the customer.
They would work with clockwork precision and come rain or shine, the cook would never leave his station – he was proud of his work and his owner was proud of him.
Unfortunately, those artists have vanished as have their creations. This is the age of buy-1-get-1 free where individuals do not count. (to be continued …)

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Independence Day as I have seen it

Independence Day, for many persons like me, is a day to remember the valiant soldiers who have laid down their lives to bring Independence to our country. And, who have, subsequently, kept up the fight against intruders to ensure that our borders are safe from outside attacks.
On this day, the tricolor is unfurled in the capital New Delhi by the Prime Minister and in the states by the chief ministers. There are the usual lectures by the chiefs to maintain contact with the masses and, some states present parades of the local military, police, fire brigade personnel, NCC cadets, and the Home Guards etcetera.

Nothing is on a lavish scale because the day is in the middle of August which is the season of rains, hence any outdoor program has to be drawn up accordingly.
My memories of Independence Day is one of mixed feelings. In my school days, there used to be the prabhat feri – or procession early in the morning by young boys and girls. They would be dressed in white and would carry the tricolor and march through the streets singing patriotic songs. There would be band boys with drums and they would provide the music.
The tricolor would flutter from each house and the sweet shops would make special Independence Day sweets – usually sandesh in three layers corresponding to the colors of the flag. There would be enthusiasm all around because Bengalis had played a major role in the freedom struggle.
Foremost among them was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who had given the war cry – ‘give me blood and I will give you freedom’. He had formed the Indian National Army and wanted to tie up with foreign powers to help get freedom. However, he suddenly disappeared and it is believed that he died in an air crash in Japan.
Anyway, apart from Netaji, there were many other young freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives so that India could get freedom – names like Khudiram Bose, Prafulla Chaki, Bijoy, Badal, and Dinesh became immortal. Songs were composed to talk about their valor. Those patriotic songs would be sung on Independence Day.
It has to be membered that Bengal was one state that was deeply and directly involved in the freedom movement because of personalities like Netaji with added inspiration of Rabindra Nath Tagore. Bengalis are poets at heart and the freedom struggle got its dose of insulin from patriotic songs penned by the likes of Kazi Nazrul Islsam, Dwijendra Lal Roy, Tagore and others. (to be continued …)

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Joynagarer Moah – a unique sweet of Bengal

There are several food items that are unique to West Bengal and, while others may try to imitate them, their efforts very seldom deliver that which is there in the originals. Bengalis have a sweet tooth and sweets rule the roost – in every lane and by lane, alongside the tea shops there are the shops that sell sweets. The sweets appear to be the same but, each shop has its specific patrons.
Anyway – to return to some sweets that are Bengal’s identity. There is the Joynagarer moah which is available only during the winter months. The reason is the ingredients that go into making these sweets that are the delight of Bengalis. Anyone who is returning from Kolkata during winter would invariably be weighed down by packets of this delicacy.

The moah are made from a special kind of puffed rice that are bound with jiggery – that too special nalen gur which is made out of the juice of palms trees. The juice is collected and boiled over a slow fire till the liquid crystalizes and turns solid. There is a special tact involved and the final product depends on the artist who toils over the fire to create these masterpieces. Machines cannot create these.
There was tis beautiful movie on the subject – it was the 1973 movie Saudagar and its actors were Amitabh Bachhan, Nutan and Padma Khanna.
Anyway, the Joynagarer moah of South 24 Parganas Joynagar district has now won the coveted G I (geographical indication) tag. This tag attaches great prestige to the special sweet that has a very short life and has brought joy to those who make these.
Two more equally unique Bengali sweets are the Mihidana and Sitabhog of Burdwan.
These are under evaluation by the concerned people in Chennai and a decision is expected to be made known soon.
Incidentally, a GI tag is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin. (to be continued …)

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Khichudi – the favorite monsoon recipe for Bengalis

When it is raining cats and dogs outside, there is a general clamor in the family to prepare ‘khichudi’ for lunch - ‘khichudi as the main dish with begun bhaja and papad to munch with the piping hot homogenous mixture of rice, dal, potato, and onion. The last two ingredients should preferably be whole and not cut in pieces.
The taste of the onion, once it gets cooked in whole, is out of this world – as you peel the layers one by one, you wonder at the power of nature. She has created a vegetable that can make you cry and, also, soothe your taste buds.
Oh – I forgot - there could also be an omelet alongside the khichudi or fish fry.

It is not known which Bengali came up with this recipe but, it is generally believed that it is a quick fix solution when it is not possible to go out of doors to the market due to pouring rain outside. Hence one has to make do with readily available items at home.
The procedure is not complicated - get hold of the ingredients, wash and dump them into a vessel, add salt and enough water and put it on the oven. While the cooking is in process, the begun bhaja are prepared as also the papad bhaja and omelet. The container of ghee is kept near at hand and the family members gather at the table, ready with the spoon.
Just before serving, the ghee is added to make the dish more appealing.
There is, of course, another type of khichudi – the pure vegetarian one with no trace of onions. This is prepared during the Durga Puja and is served as a community lunch to whosoever is present at the puja pandal at that time. This lunch is an occasion where there is no separation of caste or creed, rich or poor. (to be continued …)
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Papad – a truly Indian food item from Kashmir to Kanyakumari

If anyone was asked to name the truly Indian food item loved from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the answer would invariably be ‘papad’ – a product that is truly Indian in nature. Papad (or papadum) as described in Wikipedia is ‘a thin, crisp disc-shaped Indian and Pakistani food typically based on a seasoned dough made from black gram, fried or cooked with dry heat’.
Papads are usually taken in either baked condition or fried – both taste divine. In olden days, the fried papads were an integral part of village fairs. The shopkeepers would keep frying the papads while his customers, the young and old alike, waited to grab their papad bhjaja and munch it as they moved from one stall to another.
In order to make papad, different ingredients and methods are used and, the most popular one uses urad dal or blackgram. Its flour is mixed with spices like black pepper, salt and kneaded into a dough – this dough is then made into tiny roundels, flattened and dried in the sun. Once fully dry, they are stored in airtight containers for future use.

There are other types of papad that are made from sabudana, and potato, and, of course, the masala papad where dried spices like red chilli are added. Papad making is a sort of cottage industry and, in the place where I live in Nashik, the women of the locality get together and pool their labor resources to prepare the annual requirement. And, believe it or not, they make much more than their normal requirement. The excess they sell off to others. Some of them, who have good contacts, make good money out of their abilities.
Incidentally, in Gujarat, women have taken up this papad manufacture in a big way through cooperatives and are now owners of a multimillion dollar enterprise with their products being exported. (to be continued …)
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)
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Bread in its myriad forms in our lives

The other day I suddenly remembered the poem of Sukumar Roy – it was all about the wonderful combination of pauruti aar jhola gur. Pauruti is better known as bread but, in the times of the poet Sukumar Roy, sliced bread was unknown. The bread used to in the shape of a rectangle pillar with a crusted mound on top – that used to be of a dark brown color. These breads used to come in different weight basis – usually quarter pound, half pound and one pound. That used to be the measure of weight.
So much so for the pauruti part. Now for the jhola gur – this is actually palm syrup and extracted by tapping the juice from the palm tree. It is an unadulterated form of sweetness that can make any person pine for more. And, the combination of pauruti dipped in the jhola is unparalleled in taste. As the poet has himself certified – it is the best of the best.
Anyway – with the progress and development all around us, jhola gur has vanished from the scene and the bread of the good old days have also undergone transformation. It is the age of sliced bread – the white one and the brown one.
In the trains, the railways dish out bread-butter sandwich with omelet for breakfast – by the time the stuff reaches the passenger, the butter goes invisible. It was there, must have been there, but – it must have melted and gone into the pores of the bread. A case of lost in transit.
At home one can apply the butter liberally and, sprinkle some salt, black pepper and sugar over it and slap another slice of bread equally buttered. Then float into heaven as you take one bite and then another.

Another wonder preparation of bread is the French toast – it is not known whether it actually originated in France but, this delicious item can add glamour to the breakfast. Slices of bread dipped in a batter of eggs and fried creates a dish that just cannot be put down. The batter is made of beaten eggs with chopped onions and garlic added with a pinch of salt, sugar and a couple spoonful of milk. The bread slices are dipped in the batter and fried – the end product with frills (of egg) all around it looks like an out-of-this-world product. (to be continued …)
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Tribute to Tagore on his death anniversary

Today morning, I woke up to Rabindrasangeet being transmitted from two Bengali TV channels and realized that they were paying tribute to Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore on his death anniversary.
Rabindra Nath Tagore – a man of many qualities, a man who has penetrated into the very fabric of Bengali culture like no one has ever done or will ever do. He was a master with creating characters, situations and was comfortable with poetry and prose. His two-liners have become memorable quotes for Bengalis from all walks of life – from the lover boy to the wise old men.
He was perfectly at ease with poetry and prose – examples are the dance dramas that he composed. Not only the songs but the music and the dance forms. It was a capsule for which the credit belonged to him and him only. Side by side, his novels and short stories keep the readers spellbound.

He belonged to a rich family but, right from his childhood, he was different – that is why he began to compose poetry just by listening to the pitter patter of raindrops on the leaves. Or – staring at the tall palm trees swaying in the wind, he could compose some more poetry that are unforgettable.
Many of his works were made into movies by Satyajit Ray and, more recently, it has become for others movie makers to jump on to the bandwagon of Tagore to come to the limelight – the dress code of his era brings back nostalgic memories which these movie makers exploit to the hilt.
Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913 for his collection of poems and is probably the only man who has composed national anthems for two countries – India (Jana gana maa) and Bangladesh (Amar sonar Bangla).
He had established Bishwa Bharati University. It was an open air citadel of education where students came from all corners of the world. I had visited the place a couple of years back and was sad – the place had lost its charm. The buildings were in need of repairs and the surroundings looked as if no one really bothered about the upkeep. (to be continued …)
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The world of fuchka, golgappa and panipuri

Fuchka, golgappa and panipuri all mean the same – an exotic street food that falls in the category of ‘you cannot be happy with one’. It is loved by not only Bengalis but by people of North India a well as western India – they love it by its other names like golgappa and pani puri. Golgappa because it is round in shape, like a ball. And pani puri, as its name implies, means puri filled with pani or water.
For some strange reason, it is not very popular down south - they have their own version of fast foods like idli and wada that have penetrated into other parts of the country but they have yet to embrace the wonder fuchkas that must, necessarily, be taken in one motion – directly popped from the plate into the mouth.

Whatever be the name, these wonder balls are in a class by themselves. Shaped like half-inch diameter brittle balls made out of flour, these are stuffed with a heady mix of mashed potato into which go some powdered spices.
The process of preparing these delicious quick-fixes is simple – the seller picks up one of the balls in the fingers of his left hand, pierces it with his left thumb and inserts the mashed potato mix with his right fingers.
Simultaneously, he transfers the ball to his right hand, dips it into a jar that contains tamarind water and serves it on the plate usually made of leaves (shalpata). One fuchka is never enough, it cannot satisfy. Hence these are sold in lots – each lot contains five or six of the fuchkas or golgappas or pani puris.
The patrons never come in singles - there is always a crowd of fans, either giggling girls or serious looking boys or bunch of friends out to enjoy freedom.
I have seen these being served in restaurants – but, they never taste the same. Served on plates, there are usually four to six of the balls with small containers containing tamarind water and the filling of mashed potato. A spoon is given to help in filling and then dipping into the tamarind water. Unfortunately, such fuchkas never taste like the ones served in street corners.
Wonder whether anyone has ever thought of patenting fuchkas, including the process of manufacture. (to be continued …)
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A street food named jhal muri

Jhal muri is a street food that is unique to Kolkata – it has been there for ages and no one can really remember who invented this recipe. It is a very simple recipe and requires no cooking as such. It is a ready to eat mixture that is usually prepared and served to the customers on demand. It is always fresh and a delicious preparation that used to, once upon a time, be the catalyst for relationships between the boys and the girls – in the days when social networking, as we now know it, was nonexistent.
The art of making jhal muri is a well-kept secret of those who have mastered the art. Way back in the 1950s and 1960s, the sellers, wearing ghungroos (bells) around their ankles, would go about the neighborhood. The very sound of the bells was music to the ears and children would flock to the source of the jingling to get in queue and lay hands on the jhal muri packets.

These packets would be made of paper, mostly large size pages of magazines.
As to the ingredients – most important was the fluffed rice of muri. The dispenser of the concoction would put a fistful of muri into a container which would usually be a can that once held oil or ghee or some such product.
Then would follow a whole lot of ingredients like tiny pieces of onions, green chili, fried groundnuts, and a few other exotic items. He would then sprinkle a few drops of mustard oil in the container and stir the ingredients with a large spoon.
And – then he would remove a packet, pour the jhal muri into it and serve with a flourish. Usually, the quantity of jhal muri prepared would depend on the number of customers at that point of time.
Incidentally, jhal muri vendors are also seen in trains bound for Kolkata – they board the trains when they enter the borders of West Bengal and the long distance passengers are their patrons because jhal muri is an identity of Bengalis. (to be continued …)

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A tribute to Kishore Kumar, the legend, on his 86th birthday

Today is the 86th birthday of legendary singer Kishore Kumar, a man of many qualities who is remembered for the hundreds of songs that he has sung in his lifetime – from comical ones to soulful ones. He was a master in his own way and has left an indelible mark on not just Bengalis but on all Indians.
Among his songs, I love the one from the 1954 movie ‘Paheli Tarikh’ or ‘The 1st day of the month’. The lyrics of the song ‘din hai suhana, aaj paheli tarikh hai’ was penned by Qamar Jalalabadi and paints a vivid picture of the 1st day of any month in the year 1954.
It has been aired at exactly 7.30am on the 1st day of every month over Radio Ceylon and later Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
In those days, the 1st day of the month meant getting salaries, hence there was happiness in the family and expectations right from the missus to the kids. Everyone in the family looked up to the bread earner.

The expectations of the wife came first - please come home early, she says, because I would like to go to see a cinema at night with you. Do not make any excuse because today is the first day of the month and there is happiness all around.
The shopkeeper is happy – he will get some money from those who had taken items on credit and owe him money. The money lender (Kabuliwala) has come at the gate of the office – he wants his money back. The money he had given as loan!
The cinema hall beckons – they announce cinemas of Aaga, Bhagwan, Kishor Kumar, Nimmi, Gita Bali, Ashok Kumar, Nargis, Raaj Kapoor, and Dilip Kumar. They promise songs and dance aplenty. Tickets are priced at five annas – the price in the black market is ten annas!! Do not go back because, today is after all, the 1st day of the month. (Anna was the denomination of coinage up to the 1960s – 16 annas was equal to one rupee)
And, the children also want their share of fun and joy. They surround the man of the house and demand toys.
Kishore Kumar has sung hundreds of songs but, this is one song that gives a vivid description of the simple life of the 1950s – it is all about a past era when wants were few. (to be continued…)

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Modern day fad - vegetables cut and packaged, ready to cook

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention and, therefore, it has come to pass that today we can get vegetables cut, packed and ready to cook. These are available off the shelf and have come as a boon to those who do not want to be bothered about the dull routine of peeling and cutting the vegetables for cooking.
I first saw it in a number of shopping outlets in Bangalore – the packets were nicely stacked on air-conditioned shelves and the customers were young couples, most of them being from the IT industry. They had just started getting used to a family life and, probably, were not that confident about the process of getting the veggies into proper shape. Moreover, such peeling and cutting required necessary cutting equipment apart from some sort of expertise.

Well – if these were readily available off the shelf, why should worry about cutting equipment and expertise. As to the cooking, there are any number of websites that can provide step by step guidance on preparing the most typical of mouthwatering dishes.
Later, I saw such ready-made packets of cut vegetables in shopping outlets in Nashik as well as in Pune – obviously, the fad has caught on.
When I last visited Kolkata, I found such cut vegetables sold in the markets. In some shops, the shopkeeper will peel and cut the vegetable that you have purchased. As they do for the fish – they descale and cut the fish because the modern day nuclear families do not have any elder women in the house to undertake such dull, boring chores like those of yore who used to be entrusted with these activities.
And, in Nashik, I have seen fruits being sold cut and packaged during festivals like Ganesh Puja and Divali. It is customary to offer at least five different types of fruits to the Gods. But, due to the high cost, a solution has been found. Packets containing one piece of each fruit is sold. For those who cannot afford full fruits, the solution is to offer cut pieces like one pod of an orange, one slice of guava, one grape etcetera – the cost is much less!! (to be continued …)
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Prawns are the prized catch of the kitchen

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Prawns are the prized catch of the kitchen

Three fourths of the Earth is water and, water means fish and thousands of varieties from the tiny ornamental ones meant for the aquarium to the huge fish like tuna that can weigh in tonnes. Fish is an integral part of any Bengali’s life and, those who live in Bengal can have their choice of the best ones, subject to the strength of the purse while those who are denied such a privilege have to be content with whatever is available.
Therefore, prawns win hands down because of its easy availability all over the world. In India, it is called chemeen in down South in Kerala and jhinga in Mumbai. We, Bengalis, call them chingri and, the different methods of cooking can make the dish an unforgettable one.

Of course, it is a fish that has wastages in the form of the scales, but, the stuff inside the scales are something that one would get hooked on to and savor again and again.
If the size is too small, the method is to cook it in a base of lauki – the resultant lau-chingri with the typical kumro-bari, a unique Bengali food item, can bowl anyone over.
Once the size of the prawn is large enough, the fish can be cooked in a number of ways. One popular method is in a coconut base. The coconut is grated and the fish with mustard oil and a few green chilies thrown in is steam cooked in a closed container. The fish is not fried but, kept in the raw condition. When the lid is opened, the flavor of the prawns will hit you hard and, you will want to sit down to taste it.
The third equally tasty preparation of prawns is the spicy one. The shell of the fish is usually not removed fully and, once fried, it turns reddish in color and imparts an unmistakable glow to the final product. The fish is fried and then cooked in a paste of onion and garlic with the addition of regular spices. (to be continued …)
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How green is our Indian food menu

All of us know that greens should be in our menu and form a part of our regular diet because these are unadulterated forms of useful vitamins and minerals that the body requires. We have learnt from our schooldays the importance of spinach – thanks to Popeye. Indians call it palak and there are any number of tasty dishes made out of this green leafy vegetable. Palak paneer is on the top of the list.
However, a similar honor is not given to other greens.
In Bengal, the vegetable vendors lay out their greens but the takers are not very many. Bengalis have assigned a generic name to greens – they call it shaak. The most popular ones are the lau (bottle gourd) shaak, kumro (pumpkin) shaak, and pui shaak. These shaak are the slender and tender stems and leaves of the main vegetables and are invariably converted into tasty dishes, usually with some types of fish.

One more favorite green in the Bengali kitchen are the tender stalks of the onion plant – with the flowering tip of the stalks. They taste wonderful when fried, minus the flowering tip, in oil. They are called piaj-kali and taste divine beside dal. These stalks are simply fried, no need to add spices – except a pinch of salt.
Another favorite green in the Indian kitchen is the coriander leaves – these are used as garnishing in dishes or in raita. In some places, these are converted into delicious fried snacks with the base of besan. Mint leaves or pudina are also a popular green – it is used in preparations and, also, made into a paste to take alongside other dishes or as a sauce for fries.
In Western countries, greens have a special place in their food chain – like lettuce and spinach. They take it in the raw in salads made up of raw vegetables like carrots, beetroots, tomatoes, and even cabbage. They also use coriander leaves and mint leaves. This is because the greens there are not affected by anything harmful like pesticides or with chemicals to increase their yield or with paint to enhance their looks. To them it is quality that matters. (to be continued …)
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