Thorer Ghonto

Thorer Ghonto

"Thorr"  is the soft inner portion of the banana stem. This is an extremely delicious dish. This dish "Thorer Ghonto", prepared in a simple style tastes the best. Too many heavy spices are not used in the preparation. 

This recipe is my mom's and you don't mess with an old recipe as this.....mistakes if any are entirely mine, as she dictated it to me on phone. Mom says its my Thakuni's (Grandmom) recipe and so, really old.  This is a "Niramish " (vegetarian )preparation. I would love to share it with you all.

Chopping is treaky. Now days, it comes chopped in packets and so we don't have to spend hours finely chopping the banana stem.  But if you are ready to do the tough work yourself, be armed with two table spoons of mustard oil or  use salt. This precaution while handling the stem is necessary as the stem gives out a sticky sap which  causes the skin to turn black on contact.

 Two ways that ma prepares Thor Ghonto are.....
 1) with rice and grated coconut
 2) with aloo and  grated coconut (you can add boiled soft peas too )

A third preparation is Thor Chechki.....
 Thor is chopped fine, boiled and then mashed. Then in a little mustard oil the Thor is prepared with mustard and dry chilly as tempering.

Ingredients

Banana Stem, finely chopped &boiled-1 cup

Gobindo Bhog Rice,soaked-1 tbsp

Green Peas,boiled-1/2 cup

Coconut, Grated-1/2 coconut

Potato,cubed-1,medium size

Cumin Seeds-a pinch

Bay Leaf-2

Green Chilly,slit-4

Salt-as per taste

Sugar- as per taste

Turmeric-a pinch

Ghee-2 tsp

Ginger Paste-1/4 tsp

Cumin Powder-1/2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder- 1/4 tsp

Preparation

Chop the Thor fine and put in a bowl of water immedietely. Then steam and drain. Then coarsely mash with hand.
Wash and dry the very small cubed potato and fry lightly. Keep aside.
Grate the coconut and keep aside.
Boil the green peas till soft.
(If you are making with rice then Soak the Gobindo Bhog Rice for fifteen minutes. Drain and dry the rice. In a teaspoon of oil, fry it golden brown and keep aside .

 Procedure

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp White Oil and 1 tsp Desi Ghee. Add Bay Leaves, Green Chillies and Cumin        Seeds. Let them splutter, then stir a bit.

Add Thor, Turmeric, Cumin Powder, Ginger Paste, Salt and Sugar.

Add the golden fried Potato cubes (and rice and peas whatever you are using at this stage)
Give all a mix.
Cover and cook till the potato cubes or rice is soft.

Add the boiled peas and grated coconut and mix. Cover and cook for two minutes .

Lastly, uncover and add the Garam Masala and Desi Ghee.

Serve with hot steamed Rice



                                                         COMING UP.....

Raw Papaya Chutney (Plastic Chaatni)

Raw Papaya Chaatni :

I had this the first time on my own wedding! As we have lived in Mumbai and very rarely visited Kolkata after my Grand dad expired, we hadn't heard of this "Plastic Chutney". In Bengal it was the ultimate.
All relatives who were present at my wedding were so surprised that we hadn't even heard of the name till then, it was put on the pre-wedding lunch menu at once. Every Bengali on this planet has tasted this dish in their lifetime, they said but we at the Sanyal family hadn't !!

Inquiring about the chutney in our makeshift wedding kitchen, back then, I had learnt from the "Thakur" (Cook) that it was green papaya chip chutney made with loads of sugar and a touch of lemon juice.
And after tasting this dish I was hooked..... though it's not meant for those who are constantly watching their weight.

My ma in law insists on  the long variety of papaya as she says its meaty on the inside......more than the round shaped raw papaya's. 
Peel the skin off and  cut the papaya into half lengthwise. Scrape off the hard skin in the center and
remove the seeds. Cut into fine chips. She shows you how.....

Steam cook the papaya chips but take care that they are just cooked and not too soft . Discard the water.

You will require 1 1/2 cup of papaya chips.
In a measuring cup take 1 cup sugar and 1 cup of water to make syrup in a pan. When the syrup is ready (Sugar has dissolved) add the papaya chips. When the syrup boils reduce the flame and leave to  cook. The papaya chips will turn transparent. 

Paper Plastic Chaatni

When you see that the papaya chips are transparent, dissolve 1 tsp of cornflour in a dash of water and add to the pan. 

When the gravy of the chutney thickens, add the juice of two lemon's (4 tbsp Pati Lebur rosh). 

When after the dish begins to boil add a pinch of salt. Give all a mix.
Turn off the flame.



Soak some raisins and cashew nuts in a bowl of water. Add these to the dish. Leave to cool.

When the dish cools , transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy chilled.

Plastic Chaatni

Bengal Gram With Jackfruit Seeds

Kathal Bichi Diye Cholar Dal

Kathal Bichi Diye Cholar Dal

Ingredients:

Chola dal – 150 gms

Gota Garam Masala
       Green Cardamom (whole)- 2 nos

       Cloves (whole)- 2 nos

       Cinnamon stick – ½ inch piece

Dry red chilli – 1no.

Bay leaves – 2 nos

Jeera (whole) – ¼ tsp

Kaju & raisin (kishmish) – 1 tsp each

Fresh coconut cut into small pieces – 1 tbsp

Jackfruit Seeds-15-20

Jeera paste – ½ tsp

Ginger paste – ½ tsp

Ghee – 2 tsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Green chilli – 2 nos. slit length-wise

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp

Sugar – ¼ tsp

Salt – as per taste

Oil – 50 ml (sunflower oil)

Bhaja masala powder:

Dry red chilli – 2

Tej pata (bay leaves) – 1

Jeera (whole) – 1 tbsp

Roast the above ingredients on a tawa till it emits the beautiful aroma. Let it cool and then dry grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Procedure:

I soak the cholar dal for half an hour before putting it in the pressure cooker to boil.

Boil dal with 1 bay leave, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 green cardamom,1 clove, a little turmeric and a pinch of salt. Do not overcook the dal. They should be whole after having been boiled.

Wash the kathal Bichi (jackfruit Seeds) and dry in the sun . I put it in the fridge to dry in an open bowl. Peel the outer cover and then boil well till soft. After boiling the seeds become soft and difficult to peel. Chop into two halves or into tiny pieces .

Heat oil and sauté kaju and kishmish and keep aside. Add jeera, cloves, green cardamom, green chilli and dry red chilli. Sauté lightly and add the coconut pieces, toss lightly till the coconut pieces turns golden. Now add the ginger paste & jeera paste. Sauté for some time and add ½ cup water. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, kaju and kishmish and the boiled dal (slightly mashed by hand). Let the dal thicken a bit and then add 1 tsp bhaja masala powder, 1 tsp ghee, garam masala powder ½ tsp,the seeds and let it come to a boil.Check the seasoning. Let it stand in the pan for 5-7 min. Dish it out with 1 tsp ghee.

This dish is traditionally had with fulko luchi or kochuri. Goes well with pulao or fried rice.You can serve it with roti (chapatti) as well.

Stop The Blog Lifting

We are so used to taking liberties with people these days that we do not realise that we are hurting someone's sentiments and that's not okay. Its as if when it comes to you it's offensive, but when its on someone else, 
it is not !!

Of late, I have seen a reader, Mr Abhishekh Chakraborty,
 has taken the liberty of copying from my Blog and even passing off my pictures as his own on face book. Also a community page called "Eso Boso Ahare"has used my "Bengali Holiday Lunch" photo without my permission and passed it off as their own. I am flattered that they want to copy but they are cowards who don't have the guts to give me appreciation and do so on the sly. 

I know all of you love cooking, at least the love of food has brought you to this blog. This is a peek into my kitchen and my cooking experiments. Cooking up something nice for my family, is a hobby. A wiff of spices is what you will get as you go through my posts.

See it for yourself in the following link........

https://www.facebook.com/EsoBosoAhaare

 This photo is the copy of my post dated 19th june 2012   named 

Bengali Sunday Lunch.                          

Narkel Diye Ghugni

Narkel Diye Ghugni

Narkel Diye Gughni Matar (Yellow Pea Curry with fresh coconut)

I remember having the ghugni after Durga Puja on Bijoya Dassami along with a lot of sweets.

 We Bengali's have a custom of taking the blessings of elders on Bijoya . In my childhood , each

 an every family prepared Ghugni and each tasted different from the other.

This is an evening snack dish but with luchi you can serve it for breakfast as well. Ghughni is

 made with Dried White Chikpea. In the eastern parts its a very favourite and common dish.

The vegetarian preparation is very light and tasty.

Ingredients:

Ghughni Matar dal – 150 gms

Gota Garam Masala

     Green Cardamom (whole)- 2 nos

     Cloves (whole)- 2 nos

     Cinnamon stick – ½ inch piece

Dry red chilli – 1no.

Bay leaves – 2 nos

Jeera (whole) – ¼ tsp

Kaju & raisin (kishmish) – 1 tsp each

Fresh coconut cut into small pieces – 1 tbsp

Jeera paste – ½ tsp

Ginger paste – ½ tsp

Ghee – 2 tsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Green chilli – 2 nos. slit length-wise

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp

Sugar – ¼ tsp

Salt – as per taste

Oil – 50 ml (sunflower oil)

Bhaja masala powder:

Dry red chilli – 2

Jeera (whole) – 1 tbsp

Roast the above ingredients on a tawa till it emits the beautiful aroma. Let it cool and

 then dry grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

Procedure:

Soak the lentils overnight. Boil dal with 1 bay leaves, 1 green cardamom,1 clove,1 cinnamon stick, a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of salt. Do not overcook the dal. They should be whole and soft after having been boiled.

Heat oil and sauté kaju and kishmish and keep aside. Add jeera, cloves, green cardamom, green chilli and dry red chilli. Sauté lightly and add the coconut pieces, toss lightly till the coconut pieces turns golden. Now add the ginger paste & jeera paste. Sauté for some time and add ½ cup water. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, kaju and kishmish and the boiled dal (slightly mashed by hand). Let the dal thicken a bit and then add 1 tsp bhaja masala powder, 1 tsp ghee, garam masala powder ½ tsp and let it come to a boil. Let it stand in the pan for 5-7 min. Dish it out with 1 tsp ghee.

The dish has just a little gravy to serve with luchi or chapati.

If you prepare it very dry then like the Bengali's you could have it with puffed rice as well.

P S.....This is a vegetarian preparation but if chicken mince or mutton mince is added it tastes extra special and becomes a non-veg snack.





BENGAL :  A  PARADISE FOR DESSERT LOVERS

THANKS FOR VISITING.... I HOPE YOU WOULD HAVE FOUND MY POSTS USEFUL....PLEASE LEAVE BACK YOUR COMMENTS....I WOULD BE HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU....

Ruma mashi

Ma n Ruma mashi

Last week, Ruma mashi came. She is my mother in laws cousin sister. She used to be a teacher.The sisters had a nice time catching up. Mashi lost her mother recently after prolonged illness and the ladies were happy to be together. Everything in Bengal is linked to food and so lets talk about a few things that were laid out on the table during her stay.
Ruma Mashi is ma's "Ma-ma-to Bon", maternal Uncle's daughter. Being the youngest in the family she has missed out on the kind of childhood which my mother in law and the other kids in the family enjoyed.She was a toddler back then so  she doesn't remember a thing. Every summer vacation was spent in village, in the huge family home and the fun stories ma narrates is what Ruma mashi loves to hear.
So, along with the food came the stories and of course, Ria my younger daughter and I, were all ears.


The Day Menu on one afternoon :  Bhaat

                   Bhaja Moonger Dal
                   Beguni
                   Mochar Ghonto
                   Parshe Maach er jhal                                                    
                   Rui maacher Kalia
                   Khejur-Amsotto Chaatni
                   Misti &
                   Misti Doi.

Bengali Misti Doi

Chanar Sandesh

Dinner Prepared Ria

The Dinner Menu on one evening :  Roti
                              Bhendi Ir Torkari
                              Halim
                              Sabudana Payesh
                              Banana&Walnut Cake
                              Filter Coffee                                                            

Banana&Walnut Cake With Filter Coffee

Fun and laughter filled the days and evenings.
 Strong family ties are responsible for us having a steady flow of relative's all round the year. When around the world and even around us, we see broken families, I am reminded as to how lucky I am, to be able to give my girls a stable home, strong roots and blessings of elders. This is the only lasting source of happiness, I feel .

Something I read :

Ashok kumar Ghosh writes......

The other day, while taking a walk, I noticed a ramshackle bus with a Volvo sign parked on the roadside. I found the driver and helper sitting beside the bus enjoying a smoke. I asked them if their bus was indeed a Swiss Volvo. At this , they were very amused and asked me to read the Volvo sign again.

I noticed a small "NO" written atop the word "Volvo"!!! I laughed with the men at this revelation.