Bengali Spicy Bitter Gourd (Bangali Aachari Korola)

On my recent visit to our family home where my in laws resided for a long long time, in an old trunk containing relics of the past, I found old photographs. The pictures were hazy with age. I also found an old Kantha that belonged to Baba, my late father in law when he was a toddler.

Baba's Kaatha

Remembered Aaroti Pishima's golpo (Story).

Pishima (Aunt) worked in Bengal Home Industries , kolkata, in the 60's. She had to look after the stores and meet a lot of foreign clients. Once, she said clients from Japan visited and kept looking for something absolutely elegant and different, someting that was new.....

Pishima said, we were cracking our heads thinking of what would please our Japanese clients all day but nothing in the large store of ours pleased them. I went home and I looked into my stuff, trying to find something....anything at all , that would please our clients ....

As I looked high and low, in an old trunk under the bed I found a Kantha. In Bengali language a "Kantha" is a blanket made of cotton cloth, hand quilted with cotton thread. Simple running stitch is used to embroider the kantha and to make it beautiful. Often, new and old pieces of cloth were stitched together.
It was a unique piece but worn out with time. Still, I took it along the next day to the store to show it to the Japanese. We showed them scarfs,  purses, bags but they didn't seem interested. Then, I took out my old kantha. They were very fascinated with the piece and thought it was a piece of art!!
The Japanese gave a large order of Kantha quilts which Pishima got made from the women in villages.

My Achari korola was a hit with both Baba n Aaroti Pishima. Here's how I prepare it....
Its nothing like the Achari Karela North Indians love.

Bangali Aachari Korola

Chop the Bitter Gourd into fine slices. For this preparation I take around 250 grams of 
Korola and immerse the thin slices in a bowl of water. Will need a tomato, medium size. Grate the tomato.
Also chop 1 large size onion very fine.
Grind 4 tbsp of Yellow mustard to fine paste. You can use black mustard seeds instead of white if you like strong flavours.
I grind 2 tbsp of poppy seeds and 2 green chilly's along with the yellow mustard seeds but you can just grind Mustard seeds with 2 green chill's.

Heat 2-3 tbsp White Refined oil  in a wok and add 2 dry red Chilly's. Add 1/4 tsp 
Bengali  Five Spice mix  (Paanch Phoron).

P.S......If you want to prepare Paanch Phoron at home it can easily be done. 
             In a bowl mix the same quantity of Fenugreek seeds (Methi Dana), 
            Onion Seeds (Kalo Jeere), Cumin Seeds (Sada Jeere), Fennel Seeds (Mouri)
              and Wild Celery (Radhuni) to make Bengali Paanch Phoron.


Next, add the finely chopped onion and saute very well till transparent.  Add the grated Tomato and cook till the tomato is cooked and raw smell vanishes. Then add the finely sliced Korola.  Mix. Saute well.  Add 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, Salt to taste, 1/4 Tsp Dry Mango Powder(Aamchur Powder) and 1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder. Saute for 1/2 a minute to mix all up with the bitter gourd pieces.  Put a lid, reduce the flame and cook covered on low flame The veggies will let out water and cook in its own juices.

After 3 minutes , remove the lid and mix in the mustard- poppy seed-green chilly paste.
Put the lid back and cook covered on low flame for another minute. 
Remove  cover and mix. The dish is ready. Serve with Rice or Roti