The old man and the little girl.

Park Circus market was one of the famous market place of Calcutta. You can get anything from a needle to furniture for your home. It may sound a bit awkward nowadays, but for us, it wasn't less than any Mall with seperate sections for every need of yours. It had a separate vegetable section, meat section,fish bazar,poultry section, utensils section, clothes section, bangles section, Needles and threads section, Stationary section, furniture bazar and, flower market and even a oil ghani. This market was in circular shape so everything was fit into a fine order. Outside the market along the footpaths were the sweet shops, pan shops, slipper shops, bakery, tea shops, fruits shop, books shops etc. And in the midst of all these was the old blind man sitting begging alms.He was always accompanied by a small girl of four to six years and also a dog. It is said by the market owners that, he got this girl from a garbage trash in a almost dying situation. He picked her up took her to the hospital and saved her. From that day onwards he is taking care of her as his own child. 

From my balcony I used to watch them. The old man had a routine too. Though he was a beggar he kept himself and the girl very tidy. Early morning he will take his bath from common corporation pipe on the roadside, and will give a bath to the little girl too, making her tidy. The dog will follow him wherever he goes and will howl on all dangers of traffic and people. He always used to sit in front of the entrance gate and the ones who enter inside the market and the ones who exit used to give him some money or eatabels. The eatabels were enough for him and the child, and moreover the sweet shops too used to feed him in the afternoon with their leftovers. 

One thing I noticed was that,he always carried a big bag, which he never used to part with on any condition, it will always be hanging on his either shoulders. He though blind used to protect the girl in all possible ways from climatic conditions and also from crooked people. Days passed by and the girl was growing up into a teen and the man becoming more older. Seeing her grow into teens, I was wondering how would the girl be safe  amidst this market place and also with all the wild activities of the night. I used to be in pain seeing them and helpless too, since, I didn't have the courage to ask my parents to keep her at our home, because every middle class family of that era, would

be in, just bread to mouth situation,so, giving help to another soul wasn't that easy. But as said "every cloud has a silver lining," I saw, one day, a van approaching that old man. 

It was a van from the Orphanage run by Mother Teresa and they had come to take that child away to their orphanage. Taking the child away from the old man wasn't an easy task. No matter what, the child will not let go the old man. It was a pathetic scene, the child howling her breath, and the old man begging the van to go back. The van went back with a promise to come back again the next day. In the meantime we all decided to make the old man understand. The major part of the discussion was done by our maid who too used to feel the pain of a destitute. She too was working for an earning to keep her large family away from begging. So she made the blind old man understand the graveneous of the situation of a girl being on road without any protection. The old man agreed and made the child too understand the same.

 Next day the van arrived, the attendents approached the old blind man to let go the child. He moved towards the van with his bag hanging on his left shoulder and clutching the girl's hand.Just as the girl was getting inside the van he stopped her. He removed his bag from his shoulder. For the first time I saw him opening his precious bag. He took out a beautiful Zari Saree in red clour and a pouch full of money. He handed over the saree and the pouch to the girl saying that he had kept it for her marriage, since, she is leaving him it's a parting gift from him. May she be blessed and live a worthy life.

Tears welled up the little girls eyes and also the onlookers.

Who would think a beggar to act or to have something precious as such? and also to part with it.?(Do remember the era). He truly played the role of a father though he wasn't her own. The van took the girl away leaving behind the blind man and the dog. My routine of watching the market place from my balcony continued and I saw the old man now taking care of his dog 🐕.

(Pic courtesy Google images)

Zimikand/Sooran/Oal/Chena fry

A brief discrption of this wonderful vegetable

Zimikand or Elephant foot yam is considered to be a staple food, rich in carbohydrates proteins and vitamin B6, a great food for diabetic patients since it helps in maintaining the sugar levels. It's also help in increasing the bowel movements, thus a relief to  the one suffering from constipation.

Ingredients

1. Zimikand 1/2 kg

2. Onion - 2 large

3. Whole red chillies - 4

4. Pepper corns -1 tsp

5. Garlic - 5 cloves

6. Turmeric powder - 1tsp

7. Salt to taste

8. Oil for frying

Method

Cut the Zimikand

into pieces (just as shown in the pic above)remove the skin and boil adding salt and turmeric powder in a cooker, one whistle. This prior cooking will help to fry it quickly and soft too. Mostly Zimikand takes longer time to cook if raw. Remove when cool and cut it into thin slices

Grind the onion,peppercorn, whole red chillies and garlic to a fine paste in a mixie. Apply/ coat the paste nicely on the Zimikand slices. Keep it covered for ten minutes. Heat a tava pour oil and place the Zimikand slices, fry on slow flame, turning the sides when the lower sides completely turns brown and crips.

Fry both sides until brown and crispy.  Remove, your

Zimikand/Sooran/Oal/Chena fry is ready to be served. You can have it like a snack or as accompaniments.

(Pic courtesy Google images)

Snake gourd,raw mango and jackfruit seeds curry.

Snake gourds are one of the rich source of fibre and roughage. The addition of jackfruit seeds in this recipe, instead of any (dal) lentils, brings additional benefits of minerals, alongwith thiamin and riboflavin, the raw mango acts as a coolant to the body during the summer months when mangoes are in plenty aspecially raw mangoes again an another source of fibre and vitamins. It contains 36.4 % Vitamin C.

Ingredients

1. Snake gourd -1 large

2. Raw mango - 1 smal

3. Jackfruit seeds - a few

4. Grated fresh coconut- 1 cup

5. Green chillies - 5

6. Cummin seeds - 1 tsp

7. Curd - half cup

8. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp

9. Salt to taste

10. Curry leaves a few

11. Mustard seeds-1tsp

12. Fenugreek seeds-1 tsp

13. Whole red chillies,-1

14.Coconut oil - 1 tsp

15. Water - 2 glass.

Method

Clean and cut the snake gourd into small pieces.

Remove the skin of the jackfruit seeds.

Cut the raw mango into small pieces discard the seed.

In a cooker cook the jackfruit seeds five to six whistle. When cooked transfer it into a large pan add the chopped snake gourd, raw mango, two cups of water, turmeric powder and salt, cook till done. Grind together grated fresh coconut, green chillies and cummin seeds to a fine paste in a mixie.

Mix this paste with half cup beaten curd pour this paste into the  pan of boiled snake gourd jackfruit seeds and raw mango. Cook for another two minutes on low flame add the curry leaves and remove. Heat a tadka pan,

add coconut oil when hot add the mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds, whole red chillies broken into two and curry leaves let it splutter now pour this tadka on the curry, mix well and cover to retain the aroma.

Your curry is ready to be served with steamed rice.

(Pic courtesy Google images)

Steamed fish in banana leaves

Ingredients

1. Hilsa fish (for the lover of fish with bones) or betki fish (which is fleshy and have less bones) it also called as Asian sea bass or Narimeen in Malayalam. A kilo or as per one's individual requirements.

2.Grated fresh coconut - one whole coconut

3.Green chillies - 6

4. Yellow mustard  a teaspoon

5. Oil for dusting - coconut oil or mustard oil

6. Banana leaves cut into rectangles. Take the count as per the pieces of fish. (For getting the authentic taste it is recommended, can use foil if not available)

7. Salt to taste

8. Turmeric powder

9. Steamer or idli cooker

( Do increase the ingredients of masala as per one's requirements)

Method

Clean and cut the fish into pieces. Apply salt and tumeric powder. Keep aside. Grind together fresh coconut green chillies and yellow mustard seeds in a mixie to a fine thick paste. Dust the banana leaf cut outs with oil and blanch( see the pic)blancing helps the banana leaves to hold the things without tear.

place the fish piece in the centre coat the fish nicely with the coconut masala paste and make it into a packet. You  can even tie it with threads to seal it tightly ( see pics)

Boil water in a steamer when boiled place the fish packets carefully without tearing. Steam it for ten minutes. Open and remove from the steamer. Let it cool. Your steamed fish is ready to be served

(Pic courtesy Google images)

The Mike and audience

Kolkata and the people of Kolkata, are always the most enjoyable type, and I, a Kolkatian too enjoyed the same. My home was in Park Circus the heart of the City well known for its markets, with all the hustle and bustle of the market place: Small shops, big shops, stalls etc. The tea stalls were the most entertaining one for they would be playing the radio, which was a boon for me, an ardent lover of music, especially songs. The need of any individual radio in one's home wasn't a necessity at all, for songs would be blarrering out, from these tea stalls. And moreover, other than these stalls, there were the loud speaker rental stores, who too would be playing their records. So it was a celebration all the time, and these 24x7 songs made me a good singer humming around the house all day. The days passed by with this practice of mine and I started thinking myself to be a singer not less than the great legend Lata Mangeshkar ji. Thus  brimming with pride 🙆 the Lata ji  residing in me now inclined to catch the attentions of neighbours and relatives singing aloud, and within no time a session of Atankshari began every weekend in our home. This talent of mine slowly came to the notice of my busy Accha too. My Accha adhering to the advice of my neighbours decided to bring out my talent on stage in one of the Onam programmes organised by the Malayali Samajams. Accha was a very active member of Rotary club, Malayali Samajams etc. Thus, began my practice classes, day in and out, with loads of praises and backings,which made me a full blown balloon🎈 of pride. The day of the programme arrived, and I, with the support of my family members, was all set to be on stage, though I  never had  an experience of one.Onam programme began in chronological order with  dance performances being the first: audience started enjoying every moment with great enthusiasm. Then, came the  session of Ganamela. One by one the singers started

singing their songs and were getting applauses. I standing at the backstage was hearing all this and was waiting for my turn with full confidence clearing my throat.  Just at that moment my name was announced and I moved to the stage, in front of the Mike. The spot light flashed upon me and I witnessed the huge audience in front of me. Opening the song written chit in my hand, I started Arr.....hum....hrrr... hum...hum...hum. All these sound came out from me except the song. The Lata ji inside me didn't stir nor will sing. I was literally shaking with stage fright and the nervousness choked me, by now the audience bursted out laughing and hooting. Phusss....... 😒gone with the wind was my enthusiasm and pride, and my dream of singing to a large audience came crashing down.  As it is said "Pride comes before a fall," I ran 🏃towards the back stage with tears in my eyes 😭  and my dream remains a dream even today.

Pic courtesy Google images

Maago vs Mango

In this post I am portraying an incident, as told by Amma to me. This was the era of sixties, my mom a newly wedded bride, came over a miles apart to Kolkata where Accha worked for a living. She was a village bele born and brought up with the innocence of village. She was a tender vine, with no knowledge of the hardship of city life. Amma was the youngest amoung her ten siblings, adored by her eight brothers and her only sister.  She, a bubbling innocence used to enjoy all the freedom roaming around in her courtyard plucking fruits and flowers, playing around in the rivers,fields, and ponds catching fishes. She was a carefree bird flying in a clear sky. This lovey dovey of village came over to the clutter and bluster of city life, ignorant of the happenings and the ways of life here. Accha a busy worker, hardly had time to make her view the city scenario or to explain her the way people lived here. She was hardly twenty then. They shifted to a small one room apartment on the ground floor in one of the lanes of Kolkata. As you can assume she felt locked down and in a cage. The only entertainment for her the whole day was to watch through the windows the hustle bustle of moving vehicles and rickshaw walas.  Amma was slowly getting adjusted to this life of hers, and a period of two months passed by. The summer was approaching alongwith the seasons of mango. Amma who was an ardent lover of fruits especially MANGO, and was desperate for having one; but couldn't find the way to get it the way she used to in her village. Since, Amma still hadn't learned the local language so didn't have any idea how to approach any one outside. The days were moving on as usual, she sitting near the window, watching and waiting for Acchan to come back from work.  During her two months stay, Amma neither could have a good conversation with Accha nor could she keep her desire for having mangoes in front of him. For, in those days just to obey one's husband without demanding anything, was the ordeal thrust upon her, by her mother. But her desperation for having MANGO was very high. Now, her window peering was going on as usual and during one such day, she suddenly heard a voice "MAGO", "MAGO" , my innocent Amma without rectifying what she heard ran outside to get her "MANGO"  and alas what do she see 🥺🥺..(a haggard female),since she didn't know the language, she couldn't make out what actually was, happening. My mom kept on asking for MANGO  from the begger with what ever way she could explain to her, and on the other side the begger kept on saying 'MAGO''MAGO, this happened for a while, and in midst of all this Accha arrived and had a good laugh😁😁. Seeing my Accha laughing my mom burst into tears 😭😭. My mom was very sad😩 and confused🤔. Consoling her my Accha explained  to her saying, in Bengali "MAGO" means mother, just as Amma in Tamil for addressing females, so she was actually a beggar and was asking alms, and not selling MANGO.  As said  a "Jaundiced eye' will see everything yellow" My poor Amma was so desperate, that she could hear and feel only MANGO 😂😂😂😂.

Simple and authentic chicken fry

Chicken mulagu partiyadu

( For the servings of four person)

Ingredients

1. Chicken  -1 kg (use the farm fed one )

2.  Onion -250 gm

3.  Whole Red chillies -5

4.  Pepper corns -1 teaspoon

5.  Garlic -1 whole pod.

6.  Curry leaves - a cup if shredded, otherwise three to four strands

7.  Salt to taste

8. Tumeric powder- 1 teaspoon.

9. Coconut oil -1 cup ( since it's authentic Kerela cuisine I would suggest, you use coconut oil only to capture the authentic taste) can use any other oil of your choice too.

Methods

Clean and wash the chicken throughly and cut it into pieces of your choice (small or big). Apply turmeric and salt and keep aside. Now grind in a mixie 250 gm onion, garlic, whole red chillies and pepper corn together. Apply this paste on chicken and marinate it for half an hour. Now heat a iron wok or large kadai pour the coconut oil when hot put the curry leaves, add the marinated chicken and fry on slow flame stirring constantly for 10 minutes. Now cover and cook until done. Remember no water should be added. This has to be cooked on very slow fire. Add more oil if you find it dry. 

Your authentic and aromatic chicken fry is ready to be served. You can serve it as a snack or as accompaniments.

(Pic courtesy Google images)