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)

Mixed sprouts and Kundru curry.

Mixed sprouts and ivy gourd curry.

Ingredients

1.Mixed sprouts- lentils and legumes- black gram, greem gram, red lobia,white lobia 2 cups

2. Kundru(ivy gourd) 100 gms

3. Grated fresh coconut 1 cup

4. Green chillies     5

5. Fennel seeds   1 teaspoon

6. Ginger an inch

7. Garlic  five to six cloves

8.  Tomotoes  blanched 3

9.  Curry leaves a few

10. Coconut oil or ghee as per preference 2 table spoon

11. Turmeric powder

12. Mustard seeds

13. Salt to taste

14. Water 1/2 cup

Methods

Soak together blackgram, green gram,red lobia,(legumes) white lobia (legumes)for 8 hours. Drain the water and tie in a wet cloth, keep it in a dark place for sprouting. Remember to sprinkle water on the cloth if dry.  Your sprouts will be ready in a day. You can make the sprout in the sprout maker, or can buy the ready made sprouts too.
Steam the sprouts not boil. Cut the ivy gourd into small cubes. Keep aside. 

Grind together grated fresh coconut,green chillies,ginger,garlic,and fennel to a fine paste, keep aside.

Make a puree of the blanched tomotoes.  Heat a pan put 1 table spoon oil or ghee, add the mustard seed, when it splutter add the chopped ivy gourd turmeric powder, salt and half cup water. Cover and cook until soft and cooked. When cooked, in the same pan, add the tomoto puree, mix well and cook for two minutes covered. Now add the ground coconut mix(masala) and steamed sprouts into the pan and mix well, cook for another 1 minute. Do not over cook. Add curry leaves remaining one teaspoon oil or ghee and remove from fire. Your sprouts and Ivy gourd curry is ready to be served. Serve it with steamed rice or with any Indian bread - roti,naan parota etc.

Note: For the one who doesn't like fresh coconut can replace with half cup cashew nut paste.

(Pic courtesy Google images)

Kapda wala

I am talking about that era when shopping was considered luxury. The era of 70's and 80's. People used to do shopping only on special occasions like marriage or some grand happenings in one's home or family.

  

My home wasn't limited to us four, (three sisters and a brother) father and mother. It was actually like  a dharmshala with  many people residing together. This included my cousins who came looking for job and stayed until they got one.Thus our home was filled with atleast 15 to 20 members. In those days there  would be only one breadwinner for the family, so, all the  responsibilities lied on him. So buying clothes etc was done solely as per the demand and as per one's need.In our home too, the scenario was same. My mother was a house wife with  many household responsibilities, thus she too avoided unnecessary expenses, unless, it's really that important. We used to get new clothes during Puja or on one's birthday.

 

Now coming to my title "Kapda wala." 

Actually these Kapda walas were those people, who used to carry "THHAN"( bundles of cloth )on  their back ,and a measurement stick in their hand, they would be selling their clothes from door to door. In those  days the lady of the house would hardly go out for her shopping needs, thus these Kapda Wala was a solace for small shopping needs of her, and moreover, he would give away clothes on credit too.  Hence this Kapda Wala used to come every month to sell his clothes  as well as to collect his dues. Through these visit of this Kapda wala, we used to get a view of different variety of clothes out in fashion. This was our window shopping. But as I said shopping was a luxury so buying something wasn't that easy. 

 

Now, it so happened that a function was commencing in our family and every members had to have new clothes and also to carry  gifts for others too. So my father asked my mother to do the shopping from the Kapda Wala. Amma asked us to choose our clothes,we four chose accordingly and left the room happily. The function was to happen in Kerela. We reached well in advance and was anxiously waiting for the D day to wear our clothes. The D day arrived with pomp and grandeur and we wore our new clothes and reached the venue and lol 😬what do we see!!  all my cousins were too in the same outfit🙄.

 

It was a sheer surprise for us all.My cousins and others who had moved out from our home and were staying independently, had given their new address to the  Kapada wala who visited them too.The witty Kapda Wala had given the same coloured and same pattern clothes from a "THHAN"to all, in order to cut his cost on any new "THHAN".

 E 

Here we all were looking like a  Baraat Band in uniform 🤣🤣

This comic/ comedy of ours is discussed even today in our native place whenever any functions take place !!!!!!!!The Kapda wala though a boon was also a bane 😉

Pic courtesy Google images

Aaloo Raita

Aaloo Raita

Ingredients

1. Boiled potatoes 2

2. Green chillies 1

3. Curd 1 to 2 cups as per requirement

4. Roasted cummin and pepper powder

5. Kala namak or rock salt

6. Coriander leaves a few

Methods

Beat the curd nicely and keep in a bowl. Cut the boiled potatoes into very small cubes. Finely chop the green chillies and corainder leaves, keep aside. Now combine together the potatoes, finely chopped chillies,coriander leaves into the beaten curd add the salt, roasted cummin and pepper powder. Mix well. Keep it refrigerated, before serving. Your Aaloo Raita is ready to be served.

My Mom's delight

Hariyali Pulao
Ingredients
1. Basmati Rice   2 cups
2.  Ghee.                1/2 cup
3.  Green chillies. 4
4.  Pudina.              A bunch
5.  Coriander leaves A bunch
6. Green peas.         1 cup
7.  Cardamom green 2
8.  Cinnamon sticks. 1
9.  Clove. 1 tejpatta     1
10. Curd                 2 tablespoon
11. Salt to taste
12. Ginger garlic paste
13. Water.   3 cups
14. Fried onions 3.

Method

Wash and soak the rice for ten minutes strain in a strainer and keep aside. Grind

together all greens(ginger garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves and pudina leaves )alongwith curd in a mixture. Keep aside. Now grind the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon in a stone grinder. Grind coarsely. Heat a big pan with heavy bottom. Pour ghee add tejpatta, now add the strained rice and fry for ten minutes without breaking the rice, add green peas and fry for another five minutes. Now add the grind green masala and fry for another five minutes until it costs the rice well. Add three cups water and salt. Cook open on slow flame. Once half done add the ground gram masala (clove, cardamom, cinnamon).In the meanwhile cut three onions and fry until brown. When cooked add the fried onion on top before serving. Your Hariyali Pulao is ready to be served. Serve it with any raita of your choice. Best with Aloo raita.

Self clicked

Bolti Diwaarien

I still wonder how would the walls of a home relate to you??? It is a mirror of your memories.  Though lifeless,it is a book in itself. It has so many things to share  with you; it is a complete encyclopaedia to one's life journey. It's also a true witness to all the happening in one's home. It's has so many secrets which, only, it can reveal. So here is one such story which the wall of my home has witnessed. This is the wall of my home in Kolkata. I don't know what all it might have seen and was captivating. We were a family of six. Three sisters one brother mom and dad. A close nit family in the era of (sixties - seventies) who stayed in urban cities. My dad(Acchan) was a well educated man from the village who had taken up a prestigious job in Kolkata and as such he was a bada babu for the villagers who would have high hopes and aspirations for thier children too. Thus begins the transformation our close nit family and home into a Dharamshala. My father a udaaramanasu  (big hearted) will be pleased to serve everyone who ever comes to his door. One such incidents I  am jotting down here. A set of two brothers arrived one day to our house with a letter in hand from their dad. They were enquiring about my dad, since he was in office, we said he was not available at this moment. The innocent brothers rather I would say the innocence of village upbringing was so strong that they both said we will wait untill uncle comes back from office. So they were waiting but imagine how? They were literally standing near the sofa till evening. They dared sit on it. We politely asked them to take their seats but they won't do so. The height of respect was too much at that time I think. When my dad came back they touched his feet then with due permission they finally sat down. This incident was witnessed by the walls of our hall (sitting room) and it might still be holding so many such incidences. Will take you all once again sometime later.....