My cooking experiences go back a long way. Way back in 1989-90, when we were posted in a beautiful place in North Bengal I had won a "Salad Competition "organised by the ladies club of the Marketing Division of company. Mr Hubby is with a large Oil company and the then head of the division Mr S.R.Sarkar and his wife were very social people. Ours was a very cosmopolitan colony with people from various regions staying together. We had North and South Indians as well as people from the far east. Hindus,Sikh and Muslims we may have been at home but there we lived as one.
Lady Sarkar took great care in organizing many activities to keep everybody active. Organizing Picnics to the neighboring places, Poetry-fancy dress-Drama competitions, Dance functions, Kitty Parties, Surprise parties etc all made life very exciting.
Why was it so exciting ,you will think now.....it happens everywhere . But then you wouldn't have had experiences like us.
One very funny incidence comes to my mind. We ladies around 25 of us decided to go to Dhulabari for shopping one morning. Now, it is a small border town in Nepal and one could easily cross over to shop for "Foreign"goods if one wanted. So we ladies after seeing off our husbands to office were ready to travel. Some, who had sent their kids to school had a deadline to keep while a few young ladies had their kids with them. Packed into cars we left, happily chatting loudly and giggling in the company of each other. Excited, Like Kids we all were !!
There was no problem at all and armed with long" lists "we spread out in the whole of Dhulabari shopping for all we desired.
Then, it was time to return. Most of those who knew the rules had booked their purchases but some ladies were new.
Their husbands were newly transferred and they had made cash payments and purchased things to carry themselves. Now crossing the border with these, were not allowed.
We hurdled together to decide what was to be done. Then a way was found. We packed our old used clothes and shoes and cosmetics etc into our new shopping bags and boxes, rushed back into various shops to "Wear" the new ones. Tearing the packets, covers and brushing up the new to make them look old ,was great fun.
Ladies who had worn jeans wrapped new saris over their jeans!! Over our faces we put on a lot of make-up in order to make the new makeup look old!!
Of course the men in the posts were not dumb. They knew at once what we had been up to and very leniently let us go.They must have had a hearty laugh on seeing our "Made Up" faces and our attairs but we silly ladies were so happy to have "Fooled" the officers .
Little things make life enjoyable.....
Once in a while, we had cooking classes too. We learnt from each other.
It helped me grow as a person and for me, those six years were a learning experience.
Friends made back then are still with me , close to my heart. I have had very sweet memories with them. they will always remain with me. Back then I had tasted Haleem for the first time and now.....
Haleem is very popular in India and also in Kolkata. The very thought of having it excited me and often it took me to various outlets in Kolkata selling Haleem. Haleem is available all around the year
over here.
Come Ramjan and a lot of Haleem outlets pop up all over the city. Aminia, Arsalan, Mughals, Mehfil, Rahmania and others around the city sell Haleem and have been around a long time.
I tried making it a number of times but the dish didn't turn out as lip-smacking as those available in the shops, so I kept at it till I achieved what I made today. I have tried to follow the recipe shown on Khana Khazana but of course not word to word.
Haleem is a one dish meal I would say with all its dals, rice, wheat and spices only some may find it a bit too heavy on the stomach.
My style Haleem-
Preparation
First of all you will have to take a large pan . I use a large pressure cooker for the purpose.
Soak the lentils (Daal in Bengali) as well as the Broken Wheat (Dalia).
Dalia needs to be soaked for 3-4 hours at least where as the daals need to be soaked for 1 hour.
I use 3 types of daals as Khana Khazana recipe says.
Soak Urad, Chana & Moong separately.
We will need 1/2 a kg of Mutton. I use mutton pieces that are cut in medium sizes and have bones.
You can remove the bones and use Boneless pieces in this dish. Use the bones to make Mutton Stock.
Boil the bones in water with whole Garam Masala for an hour and strain. Stock is ready !
Marinate the mutton pieces with 1 tsp salt and 1 cup of fresh curd/yogurt. Mix well to coat.
Chop all the 4-5 Onions very thin lengthwise. Heat 1 cup of refined oil in a deep pan or a wok and deep fry the onions in batches till crisp. Remove on to a tissue paper when golden.
Tip: Onions burn very easily and taste bitter , so as soon as they turn golden remove them.
Method
Heat a large pan. Heat 4-6 tbsp of Pure Desi Ghee and add 1/2 tsp Sahi Jeera, 8-10 Pepper Corns,1 tbsp of Ginger-Garlic Paste and stir a bit. Next add 1/2 a cup of the soaked Broken Wheat, 1 tbsp of each daal, marinated mutton,1 tbsp Green Chilly paste, 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, Salt 1/2 tsp (or as per your taste) ,1 tsp Garam Masala Powder all one by one and stir well. Add enough Stock or Water to cover everything in the pressure cooker. Put a lid and pressure cook. After 3 whistles take off the lid. If you are cooking in a pan, put a lid and cook till the mutton pieces are soft.
After removing the lid , with a spoon remove the mutton pieces and cook the rest in the pan further.
At this stage , mix in the Barista (fried onions ).
You can keep some aside for Garnishing later as well .
Use a Blender to blend everything in the pan and smoothen .When everything is of a thick slimy consistency, add the mutton pieces back. Heat the ghee in a separate pan and add the remaining Ghee.
Now the Haleem is ready to serve.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.
I garnish with scrambled eggs and sometimes with Barista too.
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Bengal The Land Of Sweets
Lady Sarkar took great care in organizing many activities to keep everybody active. Organizing Picnics to the neighboring places, Poetry-fancy dress-Drama competitions, Dance functions, Kitty Parties, Surprise parties etc all made life very exciting.
Why was it so exciting ,you will think now.....it happens everywhere . But then you wouldn't have had experiences like us.
One very funny incidence comes to my mind. We ladies around 25 of us decided to go to Dhulabari for shopping one morning. Now, it is a small border town in Nepal and one could easily cross over to shop for "Foreign"goods if one wanted. So we ladies after seeing off our husbands to office were ready to travel. Some, who had sent their kids to school had a deadline to keep while a few young ladies had their kids with them. Packed into cars we left, happily chatting loudly and giggling in the company of each other. Excited, Like Kids we all were !!
There was no problem at all and armed with long" lists "we spread out in the whole of Dhulabari shopping for all we desired.
Then, it was time to return. Most of those who knew the rules had booked their purchases but some ladies were new.
Their husbands were newly transferred and they had made cash payments and purchased things to carry themselves. Now crossing the border with these, were not allowed.
We hurdled together to decide what was to be done. Then a way was found. We packed our old used clothes and shoes and cosmetics etc into our new shopping bags and boxes, rushed back into various shops to "Wear" the new ones. Tearing the packets, covers and brushing up the new to make them look old ,was great fun.
Ladies who had worn jeans wrapped new saris over their jeans!! Over our faces we put on a lot of make-up in order to make the new makeup look old!!
Of course the men in the posts were not dumb. They knew at once what we had been up to and very leniently let us go.They must have had a hearty laugh on seeing our "Made Up" faces and our attairs but we silly ladies were so happy to have "Fooled" the officers .
Little things make life enjoyable.....
Once in a while, we had cooking classes too. We learnt from each other.
It helped me grow as a person and for me, those six years were a learning experience.
Friends made back then are still with me , close to my heart. I have had very sweet memories with them. they will always remain with me. Back then I had tasted Haleem for the first time and now.....
 |
| Haleem-My style Garnished with Scrambled Eggs |
Haleem is very popular in India and also in Kolkata. The very thought of having it excited me and often it took me to various outlets in Kolkata selling Haleem. Haleem is available all around the year
over here.
Come Ramjan and a lot of Haleem outlets pop up all over the city. Aminia, Arsalan, Mughals, Mehfil, Rahmania and others around the city sell Haleem and have been around a long time.
I tried making it a number of times but the dish didn't turn out as lip-smacking as those available in the shops, so I kept at it till I achieved what I made today. I have tried to follow the recipe shown on Khana Khazana but of course not word to word.
Haleem is a one dish meal I would say with all its dals, rice, wheat and spices only some may find it a bit too heavy on the stomach.
My style Haleem-
Preparation
First of all you will have to take a large pan . I use a large pressure cooker for the purpose.
Soak the lentils (Daal in Bengali) as well as the Broken Wheat (Dalia).
Dalia needs to be soaked for 3-4 hours at least where as the daals need to be soaked for 1 hour.
I use 3 types of daals as Khana Khazana recipe says.
Soak Urad, Chana & Moong separately.
We will need 1/2 a kg of Mutton. I use mutton pieces that are cut in medium sizes and have bones.
You can remove the bones and use Boneless pieces in this dish. Use the bones to make Mutton Stock.
Boil the bones in water with whole Garam Masala for an hour and strain. Stock is ready !
Marinate the mutton pieces with 1 tsp salt and 1 cup of fresh curd/yogurt. Mix well to coat.
Chop all the 4-5 Onions very thin lengthwise. Heat 1 cup of refined oil in a deep pan or a wok and deep fry the onions in batches till crisp. Remove on to a tissue paper when golden.
Tip: Onions burn very easily and taste bitter , so as soon as they turn golden remove them.
Method
Heat a large pan. Heat 4-6 tbsp of Pure Desi Ghee and add 1/2 tsp Sahi Jeera, 8-10 Pepper Corns,1 tbsp of Ginger-Garlic Paste and stir a bit. Next add 1/2 a cup of the soaked Broken Wheat, 1 tbsp of each daal, marinated mutton,1 tbsp Green Chilly paste, 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, Salt 1/2 tsp (or as per your taste) ,1 tsp Garam Masala Powder all one by one and stir well. Add enough Stock or Water to cover everything in the pressure cooker. Put a lid and pressure cook. After 3 whistles take off the lid. If you are cooking in a pan, put a lid and cook till the mutton pieces are soft.
After removing the lid , with a spoon remove the mutton pieces and cook the rest in the pan further.
At this stage , mix in the Barista (fried onions ).
You can keep some aside for Garnishing later as well .
Use a Blender to blend everything in the pan and smoothen .When everything is of a thick slimy consistency, add the mutton pieces back. Heat the ghee in a separate pan and add the remaining Ghee.
Now the Haleem is ready to serve.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.
I garnish with scrambled eggs and sometimes with Barista too.
 |
| Home style Haleem |
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| Baked Rasgulla, Mango Truffle Sandesh & Mango Suffle Sandesh |
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