A Bengali Twist

I have been meaning to do a post about this for some time.  And today, I got reminded and finally, got down to it. Actually, I read an article on a blog that I follow which pushed me. 

Do read this article. All about Kolkata and Panch Phoron

A few months back, I had to cook lunch for myself in very limited time. There was no time to cook separate dal and a sabzi. And there were just a couple of carrots, tomatoes and a small bharta baingan sitting in the fridge. So I made a combined dal-sabzi with a Bengali twist. And out of my experiment, was born a most beloved recipe - one which is versatile (you can use pretty much whatever you have lying around in your refrigerator's vegetable tray) and the template which generates outstanding results.

1. In a pan, heat mustard oil. Add a heaped tablespoon of paanch phoron, that godly mixture of everyday condiments.

2. Once the mustard seeds have crackled, add some bari or mangori (lentil dumplings). Fry them on medium heat until brown.

3. Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and the oil leaves the sides.

4. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Cook for a couple of minutes.

5. Add whatever veggies you have handy. I have used eggplants + carrots ( cut into 2 or 3 solid pieces) + potatoes; ridge gourd + potatoes + carrots; bottle gourd + carrots + beetroot; squash + eggplants etc. And the results have been great every time.

6. Cover the pan and allow the veggies and the mangori to cook through.

7. Open the lid and cook for 5 minutes.

8. Add some tamarind pulp and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Cook more if you want an absolutely dry consistency.

9. Serve with rice or chapattis.

You guessed it . The Bengali twist here was the use of mustard oil in combination with the paanch phoron. Do try this recipe and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

How I Salivated!

I have this longstanding desire to take a food-tour of Delhi. So many books and articles I have read about the old city that have had me salivating 'from my gills'. Here is another such article that appeared in today's Mint. Enjoy!

Old Delhi Secrets

Of soups and men

Did I say how delightful it was to snack on soups during bitterly cold winters? A steaming hot bowl of soup on a cold winter night, alongside my  much-thumbed copy of Pride and Prejudice is enough to warm the cockles of my heart. But of course,  this isn't the winter - its the monsoon season and its been pouring constantly. And yes, it has been cold (relatively speaking) in Mumbai. Hot soups are a joyous treat even in these cold, rainy nights.

Truth be told I have never truly been a connoisseur of soups. In fact,  I actually avoid them, especially in buffet-style restaurants.  Of course,  there was this one time when in a bid to cut out some cereal from my diet, I had lunched on Hot and Sour Chicken soup, every day for more than a month. Of course, I never lost any weight. Something to do with all that deep-fried crunchy noodles they give you alongside the soup!

A soup for me needs to be hearty, flavourful and full of interesting bits to relieve the monotony of drinking just a bowlful of liquid. And hence, when I tried this awesome Thai pumpkin soup, I made sure to add interesting bits.

Thai-style Pumpkin Soup

Saute diced onion. Add skinned and diced yelliw pumpkin, green chilli, and lemongrass. 

Once the pumpkin is cooked,  add oyester sauce, soy sauce, salt, red chilli powder,  coriander powder,  and fennel powder. Allow to cool.

Puree in a blender and return to heat. Add coconut milk or some dessicated coconut and regular milk. Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Squeeze some lemon into it. Serve with sliced tomatoes and crisp fried onions.