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)

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.