Sunday, 28 December 2014

Nolen Gur'er Kanchagolla







I still remember Moni Dadu. Moni Dadu was a friend of my paternal grandpa, a younger brother of sorts actually. They lived in the same neighbourhood in Serampore, a former Danish colony on the river Hoogly in West Bengal, where our ancestral house is. I haven't told you about my paternal grandpa before. That is because I have no memories of him. He died when I was a year old. I have grown up hearing about his life from my grand ma and the others And from Moni Dadu. Perhaps that is why I remember him so vividly. About Moni Dadu, now. His name was Moni Shankar De, a humble man of modest means but one with a big heart. And even after my grandfather passed away he maintained the tradition of his annual visit, and always looked out for our family.
After my grandfather's death, however, he always came around the day of his death anniversary. And his conversations were invariably restricted to reminiscences of his time with my grandpa. For years it had been the same, he came on the first or the third of December, in the afternoon, he wore the same white dhoti, a white shirt and a brown sleeveless sweater, spoke of the same things, asked the same questions, and left in the evening, 7 o clock sharp, every time. Another constant was a huge box of sweets from my grandpa's favourite sweetshop, the legendary 160 year old Felu Modak Sweets in Rishra, the town adjacent to Serampore. That was for me the highlight of his visit.
Felu Modak's  sweets are stuff of legends and their Gutke sandesh, especially the ones infused with date palm jaggery or Bengal's fabled Khejurer Gur, made only during the winter months, is cult stuff. Moni Jethu always brought the gutke sandesh for us. The problem was - I only got to eat a couple. After all we are a big joint family and we shared. I was not too happy sharing the gutke though. It is difficult to stop at a couple.
One time when Moni Dadu came visiting, my aunt made the mistake of giving me the entire box of gutke sandesh to keep in the kitchen. I obeyed. I went into the kitchen, kept the box on the kitchen counter, turned around and was just about to walk away, when the thought occurred. I can always pop in one gutke, from my share of two. So I did. The problem however was, I didn't stop at one, neither at two. I have no clue wht had gotten into me, but by the time I came back to my sense only 5 or 6 gutkes were rolling around in the box. I was terrified.
I have always been a commendable actor and I can cook up stories alright. So I ran down the stairs, panting more than I should have and screaming at the top of my lungs, "The cat, there is a cat in the kitchen," The plan was to convince every one that the cat had eaten 30 odd gutkes. Our kitchen, back then, was on the fourth floor, a roof top kitchen actually, and a cat had been the least of our worries. I do not  exactly.remember what followed but I do remember the feel of my mother's merciless fingers wrapped around my ears as she draged me past Moni Dadu into my grandmother's room and I also remember the slaps she planted firmly on my cheeks.






Anyway, so much for Nolen Gur'er Gutke. My other nolen gur favourite is the kanchagolla. A soft, moist cottage cheese sandesh infused with the goodness of nolen gur. And a couple of days ago i tried making it at home. It was bull's eye at the first go and I couldn't be happier. My cousin said it was as good as store-bought and I was ecstatic. Now date palm jaggery or Khejurer gur comes in various forms, the hard 'patali', the smooth, runny golden syrupy version referred to as 'jhola' or 'poira' gur and also a thicker, grainy version - nolen gur. In my recipe I used the thick grainy nolen gur. 




Ingredients  (Makes 8-10)

Milk - 1 litre
Calcium lactate
Nolen Gur (thick grainy variety) - 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp
Condensed milk - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 8-10







Method

Bring the milk to a boil, and while the milk is bubbling away, add the calcium lactate and let it boil until the milk curdles producing chhena and water separates.
Strain  the water and the give he chenna a nice rinse under cold running water.
Tip the chhena onto a large tray and knead it until smooth. Add the nolen gur (3tbs) and knead some more so that it is uniformly infused. Finally add the condensed milk adnd mix well.
The mixture will be a little wet. But that's how we want it.
Now heat a heavy bottomed pan and add the chhena mixture into the pan, lower the heat and let it cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Once the gur releases it smoky aroma and leaves the sides of the pan,  and the chhena is somewhat dry, remove from heat. Be careful not to overwork the chhena or you will get extremely dry and the sandesh would turn out brittle.
Add another 1 tbsp of nolen gur and mix well. Sculpt into 8-10. equal balls while still warm and top it off with a raisin and a smidgens of gur..  








Wednesday, 24 December 2014

Christmas at Flurys


If you're in Calcutta during Christmas, and I insist on calling my city Calcutta rather than Kolkata, especially in this context, you can't not take a stroll down Park Street and if you are on Park Street you might as well stop for a meal at Flurys. In fact you must, especially to sample their Christmas Specials menu. I have.



The predominantly meaty main course section includes holiday classics like - Traditional Roast Turkey with onion stuffing and the works - roasted new potatoes, crunchy vegetables, bacon wrapped chipolata sausages - topped with a sweet and tart cranberry sauce; Grilled pork chops with maple glaze served on a bed of bacon studded rice with vegetables like Brussels sprouts, baby corn and carrots, and a chunky, caramelized pineapple sauce, finished off with some rocket salad; Parmesan-crusted baked fillet of Basa. My pick - the pork chops especially for that delectable layer of fat and the sweet and tart pineapple sauce.



Desserts include, the in house specialty Christmas pudding served with caramel cinnamon custard, white chocolate and strawberry trifle and warm pannetone pudding. topped with creme anglais and hazelnut sauce.

The specials are on offer for lunch and dinner up to January 4, 2015. The pork or Turkey dinner (main course and dessert) is priced at Rs 950, while the fish dinner would come for 750. Vegetarians could opt for the Mushroom, Brussels Sprout and baby corn shepherd's pie with sweet potato and cheddar mash, along with a dessert of their choice, priced at Rs 600.




Wish you all a Merry merry Christmas

Monday, 22 December 2014

Meatloaf for the Holidays


I think of school the most around Christmas. I went to a convent and Christmas has always had a special connotation. The month of December was by far the most fun at school - fun activities, acting in Christmas plays, carol singing and crib designing competitions, Christmas party at school and of course the annual day function a couple of days before Christmas and then the holidays. Come December and text books took a backseat for once. What I love about Christmas the most. The Tree. And Santa Claus. You have no clue how much I cried the day I discovered there was...well I don't like saying it still. 

Once I played Santa Claus in high school, on our annual day function, in front of a couple fo thousand strong audience. I was the emcee for the evening too, and at the end of the programme I had to dash to the green room and wiggle into a Santa suit in record time. And minutes later there I was making a fool out of myself on stage doing crazy Santa steps, or what I thought would be crazy Santa steps, before I jumped off the stage and ran into the audience, hollering out to them. A couple of kids broke into hysterical tears, the parents were the only ones amused. My performance was a super hit. 

That evening as a teenager I wasn't really psyched to be playing Santa Claus. I mean come one, I was chosen for that role because I was round! And I could act of course (give the woman some credit). I mean a sixteen year old girl DOES NOT want to play Santa. Not that I have anything against Santa though. Anyway, so somehow I made through the evening's embarrassment, came home and stopped eating. Only for a day. Then I decided it was not worth it, so went back to eating. 

Talking of eating, how would you like a spicy meatloaf on your breakfast table this Christmas. Or may be the day after! I made this chicken meatloaf  today which I think will feature on my Christmas brunch this year. I have added a desi twist to it by adding a few spices like cumin and cinnamon and some fresh coriander leaves and topped it with a simple sweet and salty tomato sauce. I loved it on its own and between bread. I think you will like it too! 

 

Ingredients 

Minced Chicken - 1 kg
Breadcrumbs - 1 cup (200 g approximately)
Finely chopped onions - 1/2 cup (packed)
Minced garlic - 1 tbsp
Grated carrot - 1/2 cup
Finely chopped parsley - 2 tbsp
Finely chopped cilantro - 4 tbsp
Nutmeg powder - 3/4  tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coarsely ground peppercorns - 2 -3 tbsp
Red chili powder -  1/2 tsp
Butter - 50 g
+ more Butter for greasing the pan
Salt to taste
Egg - 1 large

For the tomato sauce
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Chili flakes - 1 tbsp
White oil - 2 tsp


Method 

In a mixer pulse the ground chicken to a fine mince.

In a pan heat 50 g butter. Add half the nutmeg Add the finely chopped onions, lightly saute. Add the grated carrots and minced garlic ad saute until soft. Take of heat and keep.

In a bowl mix  mince chicken and breadcrumbs, working the two to form a uniform mix. Add the sauteed oninion-garlic-carrot mix, remaining nutmeg powder, cinnamon, cumin, ground peppercorns and
Red chili powder one by one. Add salt to taste.

Finally beat the egg lightly and add to the mixture. Mix well with hands or a spatula, the former always better.

Heat the oven at 180 degree centigrade.

Grease a loaf tin well with butter. Pour the meat mixture into the loaf tin and spread it out uniformly. Bake at 180 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

In the meantime whisk together the tomato puree, oil, salt and sugar to taste and chili flakes.

Bring out the loaf tin and pour the sauce over the meat loaf, spreading it with a spatula. Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve with salad or soup, some bread on the side may be. My favourite - a meatloaf sandwich.






Friday, 19 December 2014

Asian inspired rice and chicken with date palm treacle sauce



Christmas is only 5 days away and I am not as excited as I usually am. This is the second year in a row that my parents will be out of town on Christmas. They are off on a tour of Rajasthan in a few hours actually. As I write I can hear my mother fussing over what has been packed and what not. My brother, planned to join them last minute. Now it's me and Buddy, my 3 year old golden retriever for the next 12 days. I am HOME ALONE on Christmas and no I am not really happy about it.

Yeah I know it could be a lot of fun but what's Christmas without the family around. Christmas might not have a religious connotation for us, but it had always been special in my family. We always celebrate with pomp, the tree, the carols, the stocking, Santa and the special roast and Christmas pud. We do it all. The best part is the assorted pastries from Flurys that Dad gets every year, without fail. This year too I ll put up a tree, call a few friends perhaps. But it won't be the same, would it?

However, I plan to cook a lot these few days. And I will cook myself a special meal on Christmas too. No I ll leave the roast out, doesn't make sense making a roast just for myself. May be I ll make this dish, I am sharing with you today. It is quick and easy ad delicious and looks as lively as a Christmas tree! I am also sending this as an entry for Kolkata Food Bloggers Christmas week special event Christmas Recipes.


The dish, basically oven grilled chicken on rice drizzled with a sweet and lemony sauce, more like a dressing actully, is inspired by Asian flavours. The lime and star anise make for a good combination of flavours. But what gives the dish its character is the Date Palm Treacle, Bengal's fabled Nolen Gur. You can use regular jaggery too, but the slightly smoky and distinctly sweet notes of the nolen gur gives the dish a special touch. I made it the other day for a few friends and they loved it. So did I. And I am quite sure you would too.




Ingredients 

Boneless chicken - 500 g
Chopped red chilies (fresh) - 3-4 tbsp

For marination
Minced ginger-garlic - 1.5 tbsp
Lemon juice - 3-4 tbsp
Date palm treacle- 1.5 tbsp
Star anise powder - A large pinch
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

For sauce
Date palm treacle - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 1.5 tbsp
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

To serve
Steamed rice
Chopped red chilies and coriander leaves
Lime wedges


Method

Marinate the chicken over night with all the ingredients listed under 'For Marination' list.

Pre heat oven at 190 degree centigrade.

Add a drizzle of date palm treacle (optional) and the chopped red chilies to the chicken. Place the chicken on a sheet of aluminium foil, at the centre. Fold in the sides to form a envelope. Now place the envelope on another sheet of aluminium and fold in the edges so you have two layers of aluminium foil encasing the chicken.

Grill the chicken in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. It should be ready and will melt in your mouth.

In a microwave-proof bowl add all the ingredients for the sauce. Microwave it for 30 seconds. Bring it out give it a quick whisk and put it back in and microwave for another 30 seconds.

Serve the chicken on a bed of plain steamed rice with a generous drizzle of the sauce and a wedge of lime. Garnigh with more red chilies and chopped fresh coriander leaves.


Monday, 15 December 2014

Mutton Aamsol and why A is the best host ever


Being an ideal guest is not easy. Being an ideal host is difficult still. Above all it is tricky. Especially in these insanely busy and taxing times we live in, having guests at home, can only add to the stress. I travel considerably and have stayed with quite a few friends and relatives on my trips. They have all been good hosts is differing degrees,but Angona, my friend I went to Pune to visit, has by far been the best host ever. Here's why

1. My holiday was her priority too
I received a mail a week prior to my trip from A. The Subject Line read "Your Pune Itinerary". The mail comprised a beautiful plan for my week in Pune down to the slightest detail. And it included everything I had expressed a desire to do, on my holiday, in my previous conversations with A. And also a few special treats thrown in from her end. In effect we strayed from that itinerary ever so often, doing things impromptu really. But what that mail meant to me was something different. The mail was like a confirmation that my visit was something my host was looking forward to. I mean come on I was going to turn her life upside down, raid her fridge, wear her makeup, dribble on her pillows, etc etc. But here she was putting in real effort to make my holiday a success. It is a warm feeling. Considering the fact that she had to go to work and go through 8 sometime 10 hour stints at office and take care of mundane responsibility, it couldn't have been easy.

2. Because, she was as enthusiastic about my trip as I was, if not more. 
I could trust A to return from a ten-hour stint in office and suggest we go and check out that restaurant someone had been raving about. No she didn't say "let's stay home because I am tired." I might have said that a few times, not A. The thing is it is not difficult to understand that after a busy day at work one might feel like chilling at home, and had A felt like it I wouldn't mind at all. But no A is awesome-sauce....work hard, party harder, eat hardest! The kind I dig really. 

And she is fine with taking crazy selfies even if she hasn;t slept for 24 hours straight! 

3. Because she respected my space. 
I was staying at her house and I was only keen on doing things her way but I didn't have to. I never felt obligated or compelled to give her company while she was in the house. And while she treated me with utmost care, I was like staying in your own house. We were like flatmates, only I wasn't sharing the bills. And she never said "Have you not come to see me, why are you on the laptop?" or "Why are you on the phone for so long?" But at the same time we had a great time together and had some brilliant conversation, and bonded famously without suffocating one another. (Ummm here I am assuming I didn't, but that's ok. Not that she'll tell me if I did..Buhahaha)

4. She did not over do it, and at the same time took care of every little thing 
No she didn't hover on me all the time, She made hosting look effortless. A took it easy, but made sure I had everything I need. The fridge was stocked and how, so was the pantry, I had access to her kitchen too so I could cook anything I wanted, a local number to call from, contact details for people and services I might need. All this after the assurance that she was only  a call away. And the most endearing bit - she would make time to call in the middle of the day to make sure I was ok. Gestures that matter.  

5. She cooked me amazing food! 
And finally and most importantly, A is a brilliant cook. While we ate out a million times during my say in Pune, the meals A cooked were by far the most delightful. So, on the day of my arrival the lunch that awaited me comprised spicy Marathi egg curry which I savoured with obscene amount of rice and a gorgeous roasted raan with a side of ajwain parathas. The meal was the final confirmation that this holiday was going to be one of the best I had had. And it was. Another time she cooked me a subtly spiced, light and hearty chicken curry tempered with nigella seeds, which was finger licking good and forced me once again to stuff myself silly. But A had reserved the best for the end. 

Marathi Egg Curry;Raan;Amsol Pork

So, it was my last weekend in Pune. And we had plan. The idea was to get sloshed and dance the night away. The music list look promising. But there couldn't be a party without food. A of course volunteered to cook. She had promised to cook me some pork and she did. A had learnt to cook the dish - Pork Amsol, a dish of Goan origin - from a friend and as far as I am concerned she nailed the dish.A light, gorgeously fragrant pork stew cooked with amsol, popularly known as kokum. That evening I decided I did not want alcohol. I couldn't not know what I was eating when the dish in question was A's Pork Amsol. And ever since my return home I have thought about it numerous times. Finally yesterday, I decided to make it at home for the folks. And they say it was one of the best Sunday meals they have had in a long time. 


For personal and religious reasons we do not cook pork in our kitchen at home. My parents do not eat pork either. So, I replicated the dish with mutton/goat meat. Purists might cringe their nose but trust me the Amsol Mutton was nothing short of fabulous. Experimenting in the kitchen is fun, but nailing a classic on the first go is pure ecstacy. The dish is cooked without a single drop of oil. Yes you read it right. Not one drop. However, the meat should have some fat. The ingredients are simple and your manual labour is limited to not more than 7-10 minutes. It is one of the simplest dishes there is and in its simplicity is its glory. Yes it is easy to make but because it is so simple, you must handle the dish delicately.


Ingredients 

Mutton - 1 kilo 
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp 
Peppercorns - 1 tbsp 
Dry red chilies- 10 
Green chilies - 10 (whole)
Onions (thinly sliced) - 6 (medium sized) 
Garlic cloves - 15 (medium sized)
Kokum/amsol - 10-12
Salt to taste 
A pinch of sugar 
Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp (or to taste)


Method 

Place your pressure cooked on heat. Once it is hot reduce heat and add the cumin and peppercorns. Lightly roast them. 

Once the cumin is fragrant, add the dry red chilies and green chilies. Stir around for a few seconds. 

Add the onions, garlic cloves and stir until onions begins sweating.  Add tamarind pulp diluted in half cup water. 

Also add the kokum/amsol now 

A minute later add the meat, fry for abour 5 minutes. Add salt, a pinch of sugar and about 2 cups water. 

Pressure cook for about 7 minutes on high flame (2 whistles!) and then reduce flame and pressure cook for about 15 minutes. Do not let the steam out immediately. Let the meat rest for about 5-7  minutes while before you serve it...piping hot.