
Happy 72nd Indian Republic Day! May the love and pride for our nation keep soaring high amongst all Indians, much like the Tricolour!
I have been living abroad for the last 20 years and have just moved back to India from Dubai in October 2020. For those who may be expecting with fluttering hearts that the decision was initiated by a patriotic call to my roots, the country where I belong… the Bearded Biker got a transfer within the organisation that he has been working for many years. We were very excited as both our parents live in Kolkata and the last year was witness to the havoc it created in our minds not being able to travel to Kolkata, if and when we wanted to. We opted for Chennai in a heartbeat. Excepting for a short stint in Frankfurt, we have always lived by the sea. Living in Dubai always felt like an extension of India. The only conscious decision that I have maintained all these years, was that I was never going to give up my Indian passport.
Definitely not because of patriotism.
What does patriotism mean to me? I can’t pinpoint. What is it to be born an Indian? I can’t pinpoint. How does it feel to be a non-resident Indian living abroad? Again, I can’t pinpoint. Isn’t it better to be a first -class citizen in India rather than living a life off a second-class citizen elsewhere? I definitely can’t pinpoint. How do I inculcate Indianness in the Z-Sisters? Well, I don’t think I do.
Now, may I ask you a question? If you have an answer to that, I may have an answer to all the above questions. What does being born in a particular family or having certain individuals as parents mean to you?
That is exactly what I feel. I have never questioned the family that I was born to, or the surname that I inherited or analysed the nature of my parents. If I didn’t like any behavioural pattern in them, I have been conscious not to have imbibed that. While I don’t deny that I have been raised with certain values or I am guided by ethics and principles that have been passed on by them, I also have my own value system and my own ideas and ideologies that have been shaped by my own journey. I may have tried to change a few things that I haven’t liked about the environment I grew up in, otherwise retained everything that I loved about it. Yes, I have been lucky to have had a happy childhood with a lot of happy memories, a safe upbringing and a life of relative ease. However, I am very different from each of my parent and I lead a different life. There are arguments and our opinions don’t always match. It’s quite obvious that I try to shake them up, make them see my viewpoint. I may or many not succeed – it all depends upon each case.
One thing is certain though, no matter what, I will never give up on my parents. Or leave them for any other parents.
My emotions for India are pretty much the same. I am proud of India’s achievements, I am saddened at her failures, I scream at her frustrations. I bask in her glory and fade when she’s ashamed. But I have always stood by her, will always stand by her and will never bash her.
Neither, my emotions were magnified when I was living the life of a non-resident Indian for two decades, nor have they been sealed with a ‘high-level of patriotism’ certificate, now that I am back. Like I wished at times that Ma or Baba would behave like a certain friend’s parent, yet I have never felt that urge to belong to any other family but my own, my feelings for India has been the same.
I have never discussed Indian politics not because I don’t understand politics, but because I understand how it has the massive potential to incite us and divide us – both in an ongoing party happening at the world stage or in a living room.
I only discuss food. I only discuss travel. Out of choice and out of faith. For I believe, these are the two things that connect people and their hearts across different religions, regions, generations and mindsets. Also sports, but only when the nation is playing against another.
I don’t know whether the hoisting of the Indian flag is poignant to me because of what we were taught in school or because I have always associated the Tricolour with Baba hoisting the flag on the Republic Day, the Independence Day or Gandhi Jayanti as he carried out his roles in his respective government postings. I had the privilege of seating at the front row, seeing him take the gun salute. As the Tricolour unfurled, I had goosebumps all over. To be honest, it had less to do with patriotism and more to feeling that Baba was a superhero and all the parade and drama unfolding in front of him, were directed towards us!
The Z-Sisters have been studying in a British school all along and after moving to Chennai, they are now studying in an International school. I have no qualms admitting that they may or maynot know the Indian National Anthem by heart. I have never insisted and I have never imposed. Just like my Ma never insisted that I learn Rabindrasangeet although she was a Tagore aficionado and had the tutelage from the greatest exponents on RabindraSangeet like Kanika Bandopadhyay, Nilima Sen and others. In my life’s ups and downs, I often wake up humming a Tagore song, its lyrics reflecting exactly the emotions I am going through at the hour. As if, they have seeped into my subconscious. With the viral video doing the round today in WhatsApp groups, about a four year old girl Esther singing Band Mataram, I did feel a little tweak inside … should I have insisted? There was a community flag hoisting ceremony in the morning which I didn’t sign up for, as I felt that we should still maintain a certain amount of social distancing. I have tied up an Indian flag in our terrace after reading up the dos and dont’s of hoisting the Tricolour. After all, we are in the home turf now and we could end up hurting someone’s sentiments or sensibilities (if we stood taller than the flag and other criterions), considering we are in the world’s largest democracy with approx 1.38 billion people, each having their own sentiment. Today’s plan is to sing the National Anthem together and maybe learn a bit on what the terms like republic, democracy and others mean. Also reminisce on our very privileged visit to the Governor’s House in Kolkata where we saw one of the original copies of the Constitution of India while sipping on Darjeeling tea in a cup which had the proud symbol of Ashok Stambh on it.
I haven’t imposed any Bangaliana on the Z-Sisters, yet they are the ones planning our traditional Bengali menu for our Bijoya get togethers at our home. My heart swells when Big Z declares that I make the best mishti doi in the world. Similarly, I am accused by many of not having imposed any Indianness on them.
What is Indianness? Can there be really one definition? Excepting the emotion that is in unison as was recently witnessed when India won the India-Australia test series. If showing the Taj Mahal or knowing what each colour in the Indian flag stands for, I think I have passed the litmus test, so have the Z-Sisters!
I have already mentioned that when we were discussing our move out of Dubai, we chose India as we didn’t ever aspire for a different passport or wanted to move westwards. As I have already mentioned that it’s got nothing to do with patriotism. Or I am writing this blogpost just because I am back in India. The sights and sounds of India have always rejuvenated me, although I recognise that living in India after twenty years may be different from the romanticism of travelling through India on our family vacations… although we have broken through the comforts of the typical Incredible India routes for the NRIs and foreigner tourists by exploring the rough terrains of Leh and Ladakh following the bike trails. We are the kind of family who gets as excited eating in the streets of Lucknow as enjoying the colonial flavours of Windamere in Darjeeling. There’s a lot to learn and unlearn. The Z-Sisters haven’t for once questioned our decision to move to India. Li’l Z asked me the other day… ‘you are privileged and have a voice Mama, so how are you going to use it?’ That’s serious food for thought though, but for today, I will simply dress my part and celebrate Republic Day by doing the best I can… cook a simple tricoloured food and write. By the way, we live very close to the backwaters and the canal that flows by is called the Buckingham Canal. Guess, even the canal in this Muttkadu backwaters knows that we will probably be excited by that… so what if it’s alibi a canal’s name?
My ethnic kaftan has a few more colours than the tricolour, but quite representative of the Indian flag really. Our lunch was spot on though!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Thank you for joining me on my daily food and travel journey on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
Some posts from my recent Chennai Chapter: Finally calling Chennai home Homemade spicy Chicken 65 Chicken Chettinad cooked in a claypot
Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post, nor are there any affiliated links for any of the brands that may have been mentioned in this blogpost. The subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and all images are from my personal album. While you enjoy reading my posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from these posts.
Below are my Independence Day pictures from my Kolkata visit in 2018. Every year, around July and August, we used to visit Kolkata – a period I term as my ‘summer hibernation’. I missed out on my 2020 summer hibernation and am looking forward to my frequent Kolkata visits from Chennai.

Wishing you abundance and joy as new harvest is celebrated all across India. They may have different names… Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Maghi Bihu, Uttarayan, Lohri and others, but the intentions are the same. It’s a celebration of nature’s bounty and to her show gratitude. It also marks the sun’s transit to Capricorn, hence marking the end of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Needless to say, it’s the perfect time to release everything from the past and welcome a new decade by setting new intentions!
I’m immersing myself into every new experience that I can get in my new adopted home, Chennai. Nothing can be better than a festive season or a celebration to learn about it’s cuisine and culture. Ideally, I’d visit local markets, explore back alleys, try out popular casual eateries alongside the long-standing finer restaurants. I love meeting cooks and chefs of both restaurants and family kitchens, listening to their food stories and food memories. The last year has been quite different in that sense … I haven’t been able to embrace new people in their kitchens and homes spontaneously and without any fear, unlike other times.
I wanted to learn to make a few dishes that are cooked for Pongal so that we could have a special Pongal lunch at home (below) along with the Z-Sisters. During this time of the year, Bengalis celebrate Makar Sankranti. The harvesting season calls for Notun Gur, the season fresh jaggery and different kinds of pithes, a kind of dumpling made with rice dough and filled with fresh coconut and jaggery. I will not be making pithes this time or be able to visit our Bengali friends in Dubai, some of who would invariably make pithes at home… but I can proudly say that I have learnt to make the Sakkarai Pongal, the special Pongal dish cooked with newly harvested rice, moong dal and sugarcane jaggery. I also learnt a few other regional dishes followed by a hearty breakfast with this wonderful family who opened up their traditional home kitchen for me. Yesterday felt extremely special, as after a long time I went into the homes and kitchens of two wonderful families in our community ~ Veni and Subha. Of course, with my mask and social distancing protocols in place.
Adda with Veni and digging into her Kolkata konnect
When I met Veni, we hit off instantly. She is a Tamilian from Kolkata, hence an honorary Bengali by her own admission. I caught Veni chatting voraciously with a few other residents of the community one evening, about regional sweets. I am not sure whether the discussion had a probable sweet inclination because of the Kolkata influence in her or was it me lurking in the background trying to get a confirmed place in my new friendship circle and manifesting a topic that I could partake in effortlessly. Did Tamilians, like Bengalis, discuss sweets for hours, I wondered! Veni and her family – her husband Swami, their two cute little boys and her parents, welcomed me wholeheartedly into their home when she heard I wanted to learn how to cook the Sakkarai Pongal. This was a special sweet cooked with newly harvested nice, moong dal and sugarcane jaggery. Traditionally, it was cooked in an urli or a claypot in the courtyard, the sun god being a witness. The idea was to have the porridge overflowing as that heralded an overflowing abundance while everyone shouted Pongalo Pongal… may this rice boil over!
I had to reach at 7:30 in the morning as Veni’s mother planned to cook a few dishes for breakfast. Veni had already mentioned that her mother didn’t follow the traditional method of cooking sakkarai pongal in the urli and used a pressure cooker instead, to fast track the preparation. Aunty reminded me of my mum-in-law… very hands on and at the helm of their kitchen. Their kitchen was a cleverly revamped space that combined both modern aesthetics and regional cooking requirements. Aunty spoke to me in Bengali and rebuked me occasionally “eyije dekho” / look here, instructing me to bring back my attention to her cooking rather than chat away with Veni. Along with the sakkarai pongal, our breakfast menu consisted of the savoury vadas and ven pongal to be served with sambar, coconut chutney and multiple refills of filter coffee. Aunty shared her culinary wisdom with me – how to use the grated jaiphal and the edible camphor to sakkarai pongal sparingly or to mix a bit of regular sugarcane jaggery to the special sugarcane jaggery to sakkarai pongal as the latter could lend a salty taste at times. While Aunty was occupied with stirring and “steering” the preparation of the dishes by standing infront of the gas stove, Veni provided prompt assistance in clearing away pots and pans, or whizzing away fresh coconut in the mixie to make the coconut chutney. I learnt that Aunty’s family had been settled in Kerala and her cooking was occasionally influenced by the Malabari style of cooking. Like every family recipe, each family had their own tweaks to the same recipe. But I guess like all mothers’ cooking, Aunty’s preparations too, won the hearts of everyone in this family. Veni’s husband Swami, loved his mum-in-law’s version of sambar. Post my cooking session at Veni’s, I was contemplating whether I should include sambar in my lunch menu at home with a store bought sambar masala that was already there in my pantry. I was advised not to fuss so much about whether I had certain vegetables at home. Any vegetable that was stocked in the refrigerator, could easily go into the sambar, only once in while.
Veni addressed me as “Didibhai”, an endearing term for an elder sister in Bengali and her two little boys had something or the other to share every few moments, with their new found friend “Ishita Aunty”. To my utter surprise, each boy sang two Tagore songs… Rabindrasangeets, for me… “ami chini go chini tomare, ogo bideshini” and “jodi tor daak shune keu na ashe, tobe ekla cholo re”. Their Bengali pronunciation and renditions were perfect as though they were thoroughbred Bengalis. Veni apparently sung these to the boys as bedtime lullabies! Every artwork in their house had some story and as we had a long adda at their long dining table, even the dining table seem to have a story. The wooden top was recycled out of Kilpauk post office and all the wood that was used in their house was recycled. I felt very much at home and welcomed with a lot of affection and warmth. Inspite of that, I wanted to know whether traditional Pongal meals were a family affair or whether the celebrations called in for bigger gatherings like other Indian festive celebrations, for example Diwali or Eid. Families celebrated Pongal at their respective homes, although Veni and Swami celebrated with guests when they lived in Mumbai. They were very happy to have me, the first guest at their home during Pongal after three years. In fact, Swami shared how he missed out on Pongals all these years, as he was usually in Dubai on work at this time of the year. And guess which was his favourite restaurant ? Ravis’s ofcourse… much like the Bearded Biker!
Once Aunty finished cooking, an assortment of prasad, an offering went directly off the gas stove to the deities in their prayer room. Veni pampered me with a platter and guided me to the best spots in her dining room and in the garden for natural lighting. She seemed to be an Instagram pro, appearing enthusiastically in my video and presenting the platter with a Pongal greeting. While we all ate together, much like most mums, Aunty didn’t join us and was busy serving us. Each dish was delicious. The vadas were undoubtedly one of the best I’d ever tasted, incredibly soft and fluffy from the inside and at the same time deliciously crispy from outside. The sambar tasted very different from the ones I had tasted before in most of the South Indian restaurants in Dubai. I think, it was the variety and freshness of vegetables and Aunty’s secret which probably did the trick. A take away parcel of the sakkarai pongal accompanied me back home, which led to a bit of change in my menu plans… all for good!
A glimpse of tradition at Subha’s
I had also wanted to witness the traditional preparation of sakkarai pongal, the overflowing of milk as the rice, dal and jaggery slow cooked on fire in a pot. Subha came from the Chettiar family and for them the celebration of Pongal as a festival was huge. She and her family celebrated Pongal in the traditional way. I had reached out to her and although I had an open invite, I missed out on the timing and the actual ceremonial preparation. The kolam, the traditional floor artwork done with rice powder in Subha’s kitchen was intricate and beautiful. There were two pots in which sakkarai pongal had been cooked ~ one by her and the other one by her husband. Subha explained the process and showed me how she had offered prasad. She led me to their beautiful puja room, which was adorned with deities created in Tanjore artwork. She served the food on banana leaf which was then placed on the traditional weaved tray that was used to clean the rice. Subha welcomed me to join them for lunch, saying that the food was very different and extremely authentic. As much as I was enticed with her lunch invite, I was too full from the breakfast. Although my heart said that Subha’s invite was too good to miss, my brain guided me elsewhere… to my home to prepare lunch as it was already noon.
When a burst of colours hit the roads and floors
I took a small detour to the local market just outside our community gate. There were many vendors selling sugarcane plants and turmeric plants – the Pongal tradition called for decorating the entrance with both these plants, the sugarcane and turmeric representing sweetness and savoury respectively. Both in food and life, I guess! On my way back, a quick walk around the community presented me with an array of different kolams that adorned the entrance doorways. There were pulli kolams, the dotted designs as well as some colourful ones. A few #fromwhereistand shots for my Instagram were ready and I scooted home to don my apron for downloading my morning’s culinary knowledge at the earliest.
Embracing the sensory overloads of Chennai wholeheartedly
The sights of flower vendors or women wearing brightly coloured saris with fresh flowers in their hair, I have embraced all these sensory overloads wholeheartedly. The day before moving into our new home which fell on Diwali, I stopped by the road to buy some flowers. The flower lady insisted on putting some flowers on my hair too, taking out a hair clip from a secret chamber. The Universe must have heard my heart’s desire to decorate our home with flowers on a regular basis. Lady Priya, the lovely part-timer who’s come into my life works in the temple in the mornings, setting out rangolis with flower petals and manages her sister’s flower shop in the evenings. Every Monday, she brings in fresh flowers from the local wholesale market, which she offers me at cost price. Their fragrances last for a few days, specially a variety of rose called the pannir rose. Sometimes she strings the flowers into garlands or sets them on silver plates. We place them all around the home, sprinkling a bit of rose water. When she is lucky enough to catch hold of a bounty from the flower market, we decorate a large uruli with flowers and tea lights floating in water. Every time we do that, the traditional uruli, a family heirloom from Bearded Biker’s side, or our Jordanian ceramic bowl adorned with silver filigree, acquires a different dimension altogether rather than lying on the coffee table as mere showpieces. Even the Royal Jasmine, one of the many varieties of jasmine, blooming in our garden or Rangana, the geranium gracing our community gardens are subtle reflections of nature’s colourful bounty that surround us in our new home.
Finally at home for Sappadu
My initial plan for our lunch menu was to make the chakarai pongal at home. I had instructed our wonderful cook Lady Priya accordingly, to make a vegetable dish the day before. It was to pair with steaming hot rice and ghee and I intended to serve on banana leaf. Aunty’s parcel of sakkarai pongal acted as a boon in disguise. I cooked a quick sambar and the savoury ven pongal that I had learnt in the morning. The kāykaṟi kirēvi, or a vegetable gravy cooked in a claypot by Lady Priya, added a rustic charm to our lunch set up. Aunty’s sakkarai Pongal deserved special spotlight, hence I took out the silver spoons and bowls from my treasured collection. I also placed sugarcane sticks and turmeric plants in front of our puja room and offered a prasad of the ven pongal that I had cooked.
Festive celebrations mean a lot to me. I don’t believe much in rituals but I believe and respect the immense faith that brings people together. Whether it is Bijoya Dashami or Christmas, we have always celebrated them at home so that the Z-Sisters may have some special memories that will anchor them in their respective journeys in life. All these months, I have missed being with my parents and parents-in-laws, so learning to cook with Aunty and chatting with Veni’s father as we celebrated Pongal over breakfast, felt indeed very special. Pongal is celebrated over a few days, each day marking something special. I may or may not be able to learn any more new dishes, or visit another home… but this memory will last me a lifetime. May all the seasons continue to overflow with abundance and give us many reasons to smile!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Thank you for joining me on my daily food and travel journey on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
Some posts from my recent Chennai Chapter: Finally calling Chennai home Homemade spicy Chicken 65 Chicken Chettinad cooked in a claypot
Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post, nor are there any affiliated links for any of the brands that may have been mentioned in this blogpost. The subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and all images are from my personal album. While you enjoy reading my posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from these posts.
* The recipe is guided by Aunty’s home style cooking of Sakkarai Pongal, that I had jotted down.
1 cup rice (new harvest rice Pongal raw rice is available in stores. Aunty used Gobinbdobho, a special rice that Bengalis use for making payesh)Sakkarai Pongal
Ingredients
1 cup moong dal
¼ cup sugarcane jaggery, powdered
16 cardamoms, powdered
jaiphal or nutmeg, grated (a pinch)
edible camphor
½ cup milk
1 cup cashews
¼ cup raisins
4 tbsp gheeMethod

One of the most exciting ways to explore and learn more about a region, for me, is to learn to cook regional dishes. I cooked Chettinad Chicken in a claypot, an affair that I have been longing for a long time. It turned out to be delicious and I’m currently obsessing over everything about it… the aroma, the texture and the excitement of cooking in a claypot.
I have been gathering recipes from Tamil Nadu – the easy ones to be stirred on the weekdays while I am keeping aside the elaborate ones for the weekends. Today, I cooked Chettinad Chicken in a claypot, an affair that I have been longing for a long time, specially after a drive to ECR or East Coast Road that brought me to a shop selling potteries and earthen cookwares. I have used earthen tagine for cooking Moroccan chicken or fish in the Mediterranean style before, but this was the first time I used earthenware for Indian style of cooking that probably required tempering of spices in hot oil. I was assured by the vendor that my claypot would be safe and sound… hence I took a leap of faith and survived safe and absolutely sound!
Chettinad cuisine is one of the most popular regional cuisines of Tamil Nadu. Originating from the Chettinad region, the speciality of the cuisine is the use of a variety of spices and fresh ground masalas. Although the Chettinad Chicken recipe called for roasting a lot of spices, the cooking itself was neither elaborate nor difficult. I missed out on two ingredients – the small round fat gundu red chillies and kalpasi or black stone flower. While I substituted whole red chillies for the gundu red chillies, I couldn’t substitute anything for Kalpasi. The latter is a kind of a lichen and often blended with other spices – I have added that to my next grocery list.
The WhatsApp group in our community, specially the women’s group, has become quite a lifeline for me. Yes, there is a subgroup from amidst the residents’ group, much like a lot of WhatsApp groups that seem to overwhelm us in our daily lives. Various tips poured in when I asked about Kalpasi and I learnt that it was a flavouring ingredient that added aroma to rice variety and curries. A bit of it was enough to lend flavour. The stone flower is often dry roasted with other spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds, coriander, red chillies, pepper corns and then powdered to flavour curries. Some used it sparingly in its whole form for making coconut based kurmas and fried it along with the onions. Too much Kalpasi could make a dish bitter.
Food cooked in an unglazed claypot gives out a strong earthen aroma and the food retains all the oil and moisture. Moreover, since food can only be slow cooked on slow to medium fire, do remember the adage … patience is a virtue.
I poured myself steaming hot rice and I couldn’t stop obsessing over the Chettinad Chicken that I had cooked for lunch. I am sanguine it was the same for the Z-Sisters and the Bearded Biker. That… when humbly said!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Thank you for joining me on my daily food and travel journey on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
Some spicy recipes that you may like: Homemade spicy Chicken 65 Stuffed Chilli Spring Rolls Thai Papaya Salad
Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post, nor are there any affiliated links for any of the brands that may have been mentioned in this blogpost. The subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and all images are from my personal album. While you enjoy reading my posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from these posts.
* The recipe shared in my blog is guided by our wonderful cook who follows home style cooking and the recipe has been tried in our kitchen.
1 kg chicken with bones, de-skinned and cut into medium sized piecesChettinad Chicken
Ingredients
8 Indian shallots, thinly sliced
4 medium sized tomatoes, cubed
4 tbsp poppy seeds
4 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 two-inch cinnamon sticks
8 pieces green cardamoms
8 pieces cloves
2 star anise
8 dry red chillies
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1 lime
20 fresh curry leaves
½ cup vinegar
2 tbsp white oil
salt as per tasteMethod

Getting into the Chennai groove with a homemade spicy Chicken 65 for today’s lunch. I made two variations of it – with and without gravy. This is probably the closest any of my blogposts have gotten real-time!
My last blogpost was kind of very long as I belted my heart out into how we have settled down in Chennai. The behind-the-scenes activities started in April 2020 and we moved into our home in Diwali. We finally felt at home by New Year’s eve… all of these culminating in a long emotional blogpost. The header image showed a meal that I had cooked a few days earlier, in the manner of a bhog... Khichuri, a dish made with rice and lentils, accompanied by the humble aloo bhaja / fried potato, begun bhaja / fried eggplant and a sweet tomator chutney.
Big Z vented on Facebook… because the header image captured a lunch that wasn’t real time. ‘This is deception and clickbait Ma. This wasn’t for lunch or dinner today
‘. I responded back, ‘where have I ever written that this was for today?’ The conversation got me thinking… what about an almost real time blogpost?
While it is easier to go real time on Instagram and instastories, my style of blogposts required a bit of tending and time. So today’s post is dedicated to her. It is also a loving retaliation from me defending my dignity on social media and putting myself to the challenge to blog about today’s lunch before we hit tea time. Instagram and instastories included! This was today’s lunch – my rendition of the legendary regional favourite – Chicken 65. I made two variations of it, one without gravy that Lil Z liked. The other one had a slight gravy as the Bearded Biker and Big Z preferred their meals with rice. Lil Z and I preferred rotis, unless it’s a fried rice, pulao or biryani. A simple onion salad with a squeeze of lime and green chillies by the side … and that was it. I could hear Big Z scream, ‘Ma, this isn’t salad!’ Then again, we hardly have salads in traditional Indian cuisine excepting a countable few regional salads here and there. Would you agree?
Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Hotel Buhari, Chennai (courtesy, wiki). The internet is abuzz with many variations of Chicken 65 – from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and other places. I learnt this recipe from my wonderful part-time helper and while not delving into the authenticity of the recipe, I tweaked it a bit (adding a bit of sugar, the Bong touch!). The outcome was pretty insane and exactly how we would like – tender and juicy, crispy and spicy.
I can’t wait to read Big Z’s reprise on Facebook… and yes surprisingly, we are conversing via multiple realms these days. What matters most is that conversations must keep on going and that we remain connected, what do you think?
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Thank you for joining me on my daily food and travel journey on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
Some spicy recipes that you may like: Stuffed Chilli Spring Rolls Thai Papaya Salad
Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post, nor are there any affiliated links for any of the brands that may have been mentioned in this blogpost. The subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and all images are from my personal album. While you enjoy reading my posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from these posts.
2 kgs chicken, medium sized pieces with bones fresh curry leaves, a handfulHomemade spicy Chicken 65
Ingredients
4 green chillies, sliced
3 tbsp red chilli powder
3 tbsp garam masala powder (store bought garam masalas vary with the region.
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp sugar (my tweak)
salt, as per taste
1 cup refined flour
2 tsp corn flour
200 gms plain yoghurt
white oil for deep fryingMethod

Wishing you all health and happiness for the New Year from our new home in Chennai, as we start a new chapter in a new city!
We moved to Chennai this October after two decades of living in Dubai. I can’t wait to explore, learn and know more about the city that is going to be my fourth adopted home after Colombo, Frankfurt and Dubai. “How are you liking Chennai?”; “How does it feel to be back to India after so many years?”; “How are the Z-Sisters adjusting to their new school?”; “Have you all settled down?”; “Given the long stint in Dubai, surely making new friends at this age would be the most challenging?”… to all the questions that are coming my way, my answer is the same. It feels quite surreal that we have finally moved. It also hasn’t sunk in that we have moved. With all the developments that have been happening in the world over the least few months, there must have undeniably been an army of visible and invisible human forces, also some mighty divine forces at play to keep the process going for moving countries and settling into a new city. The other day, I asked the Bearded Biker, “ How are you feeling?” He replied, “I can’t feel yet”. In some sense, it’s pretty much the same for me too. Although we haven’t been moving around the city as such, whatever sights and sounds I have seen and heard of Chennai, I already feel at home.
For every house in every neighbourhood that we have driven past in Chennai, I could almost point to its twin in some para in Kolkata! The city feels so familiar with its kaleidoscopic traffic – be it the crowded buses, the gatherings of people at various crossings, a myriad of food stalls by the roadside, the tangled electric and telephonic wires running precariously across streets and more. Naturally, there were differences, but the warmth and readiness in accepting new people (us, in this case) was exactly the same.
What makes a new city feel like a home – making new friends, embracing a city’s idiosyncrasies… or is it home cooked food churning out of the kitchen?
I have realised that the criterions for feeling at home have changed over the years. While in my earlier days in Srilanka, making a few good friends and meals arriving at the dining table when I was hungry (preferably not cooked by me) was all that it would take to make me feel at home! Fast forward to two decades later, specially this year – after maintaining social distancing, keeping in touch with Dubai friends over zoom calls, months of staying in a limbo in our Dubai home in anticipation of tentative dates for our move and then finally landing in Chennai, moving into a temporary accommodation (although in the lap of a luxury 5 star hotel) and finally moving into a proper home, I find solace now when simple Bengali food rolls out from our kitchen. Or, when our home is filled with the aroma of Z-Sisters‘ wonderful baking. A simple meal is all it takes to win my heart. Like the other day when I cooked khichuri, a dish made with rice and lentils, accompanied by the humble aloo bhaja / fried potato and begun bhaja, signing off with a tomator chutney. It was more in the manner of a bhog, an offering during any pujo and marked our new kitchen’s ribbon cutting.
A Bijoya get-together at our place with a traditional Bengali spread for our friends had become an annual ritual for us. This year was an exception for obvious reasons and also because we had just moved into our temporary hotel accommodation in Chennai. We moved into our new home on the day of Diwali and although it couldn’t have been a more auspicious day than this to move in, I wasn’t ready to cook yet. The day when I cooked the above mentioned dishes, it kind of felt like a cosy house warming pujo. However, unlike the elaborate festive Bijoya spreads at our home, this time the menu was humble and reminiscent of the Lokhi pujo that used to take place at my ancestral home in Naihati.
Khichuri and aloo bhaja, as would be cooked for bhog or offering during a pujo at home
Begun bhaja or fried eggplant smeared with turmeric and salt, is enough to perk up a simple khichuri
Potatoes cut into round pieces, with skin on – kind of a Bengali version of sliced jacket potatoes … fried, but of course!
Ghee has to be Jharna ghee – a gaowa ghee, which is ghee prepared from cow’s milk; and green chillies acting more like oxygen for the Bearded Biker
Tomator chutney as a sweet sign off, specially in absence of more formal mishti or desserts
Even before we moved into our new home, the Bearded Biker had made sure that our kitchen was the first room to be in one hundred percent working condition. In spite of that, I didn’t rush into cooking proper meals on a daily basis. Instead, I focused on unpacking and arranging the house. We quite fell in love with the ease of ordering in food through food delivering apps like Swiggy and tried out various restaurants for the first two weeks.
In Dubai, we hardly ever ordered from out. From the elaborate Lucknowy Biryani to the complicated Georgian Khachapuri, we cooked everything at home. If we did ever order, it was never through food delivery apps. I had been very conscious about the high commissions charged by these apps that seem to eat into the restaurants’ margins, specially the small eateries. In India though, I gathered it was a different scenario. Due to sheer volumes of these home deliveries, specially during the Covid period, the delivery apps managed to become instrumental to the F&B business. Through the period of our transition and settling in, we ordered from a variety of restaurants – a few Biryani houses, desi Chinese and even a restaurant serving Kolkata rolls and street-style tawa noodles.
For a family who takes a lot of pride in their love for Awadhi Biryani (even travelling to Lucknow for an evening only to eat), the Aatu Erachi (mutton) Biryani from BVK (Bai Veetu Kalyanam) cooked in traditional coal and firewood really impressed us. Equally impressive was the packaging. Covered with Banana leaf in a round re-usable tin container, the serving portions were really generous and came accompanied with a curd raita, brinjal chutney and bread halwa. We also enjoyed the Bengali food and Kathi rolls we ordered from Bayleaf restaurant on the day of Bijoya. Compensating for not having cooked for our annual Bijoya dinner, we ended up ordering an elaborate spread of khichuri, luchi, mochar chop, deemer devil, kosha mangsho, katla kalia, kaancha amer chutney and malpua served with rich rabri. Amongst the few desi Chinese restaurants we tried, we realised that chilli chicken dish isn’t the way we Kolkatans are used to. It is more like chicken cooked in a light soya gravy. Again, the chicken lollypops from most restaurants were pretty phenomenal and came with a spicy Schezwan kind of a gravy sauce. Special mention goes out for chicken lollypops from Red Box.
An elaborate spread of traditional Bengali food from Bayleaf restaurant
Aatu Erachi Biryani from BVK
When Sundays start seeming like Sundays again – not the first day of the working week… with kochi pathar jhol, a slow cooked mutton curry for lunch and a promise of a bhaat ghoom, the special afternoon siesta induced by bhaat, or rice!
In Dubai, we had got used to Fridays and Saturdays being our weekends. Switching to Sundays being our first working day took a longer time than switching back. Soon I would message my Dubai friends on a Sunday asking whether they would like to hangout over zoom! While we bought our poultry products over apps like Licious, Tender Cuts, Fresh to Home and others, the Bearded Biker practically obsessed over buying mutton from a local butcher shop. The butchers here refer both lamb and goat as mutton, but for us Bengalis, it is the kochi patha or tender goat curry is what we fantasise about. As if by destiny, there were two good butcher shops just outside our community gate, highly recommended by a friend I had recently made. Our Sunday ritual has now become quite like this – the Bearded Biker scurries to our star butcher Tejuddin as early as possible, so as to get hold of the best cuts. I then marinate the meat and slow cook it in the manner of my mum-in-law’s cooking. This is the taste of traditional mutton curry that I have always associated with our Kolkata homecoming meals. Ma uses a pressure cooker, but I resorted to a deep bottomed pan on Tejuddin’s insistence on the tenderness of the meat. The indulgent bhaat ghum, or the lazy afternoon siesta induced by bhaat or rice, hasn’t yet materialised because many household logistics are requiring tending during the weekends… inshallah soon!
I always say this very proudly to everyone – people do many things when in love. I have nailed the legendary Kolkata Biryani and now this… the slow cooked mutton ala mum-in-law!
Leaving aside the rich mutton curry, a simple paanchmeshali torkari with bori, or a mixed vegetable cooked in gravy along with dried lentil dumplings and white rice does make an amazing prequel to the mutton curry. A few other simple Bengali delicacies have already graced our kitchen in Chennai – pulao, bhaja moonger daal and simple begun bhaja in all its avatar, radhaballavi or deep fried flat breads with spiced stuffing with aloor torkari and more. While our weekend menus most often reflect our Bengali roots stirred up by culinary nostalgia and childhood memories, its completely different on the weekdays. In between online office and schooling, lunches are mostly grab and go. Dinners are a bit more leisurely and the menu is quite casual that can be prepared easily by all of us – pastas, grills and wraps or a simple curry with plain rice.
Mutton slow cooked in Bengali home cooking style
Paanchmeshali torkari with bori, or dried lentil dumplings
Begun bhaja, or fried eggplant
Niramish pulao and bhaja moonger daal
Radhaballavi and aloo torkari
Mishti… a Bengali’s connection to the sweetness of life. And a bit of khuchur muchur or snacky tit bits with chanachur and nimki
“What you seek is seeking you.” Rumi’s words cannot be more true than in my life. I have always been blessed with friends and family who love to eat as well as feed. Our close friend Srikanth, a Tamilian born and brought up in Kolkata and now settled in Bangalore has been instrumental in bringing Banchharam, the legendary Bengali sweet shop from Kolkata to Bangalore. As soon as we moved into our home in Chennai, he sent us a trousseau of traditional Bengali sweets, all the way from Bangalore. From nolen gurer roshogolla delicately dunked in rosh, chanar jilipi, a variety of shondesh – the soft makha shondesh included, mishti doi set in claypots and every mishti that I could imagine. Our fridge that night was reminiscent of my mum and mum-in-law’s fridges… stacked with sweets. I have always wondered the need for stocking so much of sweets on a day-to-day basis. Both mums’ reasoning has always been… what if a guest turns up suddenly? Along with the assortment of sweets, there were some familiar packets of what we refer as khuchur muchur or savoury tit bits. The sweet, spicy and sour Mukhorochok chanachur aptly named tok-jhaal-mishti… and nimki, the diamond shaped fried savoury pastry, both being the ultimate accompaniments during tea-time.
Nolen gurer roshogolla
An assortment of traditional Bengali sweet
Gurer shondesh
Mishti Doi
Chanar jilipi
Chanachur and nimki
What constitutes my Bengali kitchen?A few quintessential Bengali must-haves in a Bengali pantry… and a few precious cookbooks
Our kitchen isn’t confined to Bengali cooking. There are spices, salts and sauces from around the world as well as different types of oils. However, the must-haves in my Bengali pantry would definitely have to be these quintessential Bengali items… a very strong and pungent mustard oil, a gaowa ghee under the brand called Jharna, the thick mustard dip Kashundi, spices like panch phoron, the Bengali five spice mix of fenugreek, nigella, cumin, radhuni and fennel seeds powdered and blended in equal proportion; the Bengali gorom moshla consisting of powdered cardamoms, cloves and cinnamons in equal proportion, kalo jeere or black cumin seeds and few basic spices that are common to all Indian kitchens. Gobindobhog, the small-grained fragrant rice is preferred for making signature dishes like Payesh, the rice pudding or the Murighonto, a rice dish with fish head. Different types of boris, the dried lentil dumplings make their coveted entry in some vegetarian dishes like shukto, borir jhaal or dishes made with shaak or leafy vegetables. We are also most excited about the availability of posto or poppy seeds which were banned in Dubai. Posto in different forms – bati posto, aloo posto, different vegetables cooked with posto – like begun posto or potol posto have always been such an integral part of lunch in my side of the family with connections from epar Bangla, which refers to West Bengal.
Along with the trousseau of traditional Bengali Sweets that arrived from Bangalore, our Santa from Bangalore also sent some cooked items like the typical Bengali shingara, kochuri and vegetable chops made with beetroots and carrots. On my special request, there were a few ready to be fried radhaballavis too! To add to the punch, there were spices like panch phoron, a wood pressed Mustard oil, kashundi, Jharna ghee, different kinds of boris, Gobindobhog, muri and as mentioned earlier Mukhorochok chanachur and nimkis. Also, patali gur and Dulaler talmichri or palm candy… the latter having a Bengali pedigree as legendary as Boroline, the antiseptic cream!
Some quintessential Bengali items in a Bengali pantry sent by my friend
Panch phoron, the Bengali five spice mix – fenugreek, nigella, cumin, radhuni and fennel
The Bengali gorom moshla consists of cardamoms, cloves and cinnamons in equal proportion
Posto or poppy seeds
Bori or dried lentil dumplings
Gobindobhog rice
Jharna ghee
Patali gur
Mustard oil ; kashundi
Over the years, I have also collected a cabinet filled with traditional pots and pans, utensils and knick knacks that I like to use when I present Bengali cooking. Some of them have been handed over and can be considered as heirloom – like the shondesh mould that the Bearded Biker’s Dida used, the dekchi in which I always cook payesh when I’m cooking for auspicious occasions like birthdays or pujo and the beautifully etched Sheel and Nora, the grinding stone and pestle that are used typically to grind wet masalas. Cookbooks also form a part of my priceless possession, many signed by the cookbook authors and chefs that I have been fortunate enough to meet. Although the internet is abuzz with many blogs on Bengali recipes, I still love going through cookbooks. Interestingly, the most referred to cookbook on my shelf is a simple cookbook, the N.I.A.W. (National Indian Association of Women) Cookbook that my mum-in-law had gifted to both S and me after our wedding, lovingly signed “Cook happily & Eat merrily”! The cookbook is a compilation of recipes from different cuisines around the world. The recipes are simple, easy to follow and there are no pictures. The next most referred cookbook is one by Tanima Ray, a personal compilation of family recipes by my father’s close friend Mridul Pathak, and a more recent one called Taste of Eastern India, brilliantly captured and penned by Kankana Saxena. It’s a precious gift from Kankana and the only cookbook that has got both my mum and mum-in-law’s sign of approval regarding authenticity of recipes. Moreover, the recipes are very easy to follow and the pictures are not only just brilliant but present a lot of signature Bengali dishes in a manner that make me so proud of my culinary heritage. That I have always been, but honestly I still haven’t found too many cookbooks depicting the rich heritage of Bengali cooking. Mallika Basu’s Miss Masala offers humorous read on her early life in London along with quick Indian recipes, also shares some Bengali recipes. Rinku Bhattacharya’s The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles is also quite an easy read. Thakurbarir Ranna by Purnima Thakur or Pragyasundari Devi’s double editions of Amish O Niramish Ahar, will interest a serious culinary reader. The latter published in 1902, is often referred to as the first cookbook in Bengali.
And then there are blogs… I have connected to many passionate food bloggers, in my initial years of my blogging or in my food writing journey. Some of them are Bengalis and I have been fortunate enough to meet up with some of them. We all feel the same bond – our mission to write on food and our culinary heritage. Whether it is Anindyo and Madhusree of Pikturenama, Debjani of Debjanir Rannaghor, Kalyan of Finely Chopped, Soma of E-Curry, Sandeepa of Bong Mom’s Cookbook, Sudeshna of Cook like a Bong… these are bloggers who have inspired me and keep me motivated. Asma Khan, who I knew from the time she penned a blog called Darjeeling Express, is now a noted restauranteur and star of of the documentary series Chef’s Table on Netflix. I have often resorted to them for food adda virtually or met up with them in their respective cities. I hop on to their blogs occasionally for tried and tested traditional and non-traditional Bengali recipes or to keep my blog mojo going.
Sheel Nora for grinding wet spices
Shondesh mould belonging to the Bearded Biker’s Dida
Some traditional utensils from my photography cabinet
My collection of Bengali cookbooks
My precious possession of cookbooks – all signed by the chefs and authors I’ve met
Farm freshness delivered to the doorstep
We are still very traditional in the sense that we still prefer reading books, rather than read on kindle; feel, touch and see the fruits and vegetables we buy rather than buy them online. In Dubai, we got every kind of fruits and vegetables from around the world. But I am finding that the freshness of fruits and vegetables here are completely different, whether bought from popular neighbourhood grocery stores like Nilgiris and Freshies. I am not sure whether the food mileage and seasonal offerings have something to do with it. Every Wednesday, there’s a vegetable market within the community set up by a supplier called Ansio Fresh who source directly from the farms. We have a wide variety ranging from seasonal fruits and vegetables grown locally or otherwise, to choose from. Although initially the weekly vegetable market was set up during the lockdown period, it has continued even now and is gradually becoming quite popular with the residents. Apart from this weekly community event, I also look forward to the residents’ whatsapp group, which has been pretty much my lifeline since we moved into the community. Anyone having a good experience with any producer, artisanal or gourmet products, information is immediately shared. Orders are placed within the group and the product is delivered to the doorstep within hours.
Rockin’ around the Christmas tree…
Have a happy holiday!
From Diwali until this Christmas … well, that’s exactly how long it practically took us to unpack all the boxes that had packed in our Dubai home. Day by day, the house is evolving into a home. Bits and bobs are still left, and I am guessing they will still be there for the next few months… but every day we pat ourselves and say we are ‘almost there’! From learning that we will be moving… to have finally moved into a new city after having wrapped up years of living in Dubai … that too amidst the pandemic… it’s been quite a journey. From last December until this December – its a whole year of unfolding of multiple events! There’s something magical about Christmas and just like Durga Pujo and our Bijoya get togethers, the festive season and Christmas celebrations at home with friends who had become like family, had become annual rituals for me. Every year, Big Z insists on setting up the Christmas tree as early as the first week of November, bringing it down only by end of January. To that effect, the Christmas tree was set up a bit late at our home this year – in the first week of December! She kept the decoration very simple, saying that she wanted it to reflect how she felt this year – solemn and lonely. Solemn, because we lost one of our Labrador sons – Cinder in November. Lonely, probably because she had to leave her friends in Dubai without any proper farewell. Unlike Lil Z who has met up with some of her school friends who live within the community, Big Z is making an effort to make new friends. Much like us. We had all become so snuggled up and comfortable within the group of close friends that we had in Dubai, that sometimes it feels like we have forgotten the art of making new friends! Thankfully, the community and the neighbourhood that we have moved into, is very warm and welcoming. Many residents are still maintaining social distancing and most taking all the necessary precautionary measures. This festive season promises to break a few barriers (hopefully not codes) and bring the community together. There was a festive bake sale for the children for which Big Z made delicious homemade brownies and Lil Z baked vanilla muffins, while the other children put up such amazing fare. I also met up with a few residents and got the feeling that we would soon make some good friends here.
The Z-Sisters are ardent bakers and quite proficient in that. The aroma of their occasional baking fleeting though our home is my happy space. While I like to be experimental in the kitchen with my cooking, recipes that require following them to the tee, restrict me. Exactly why Big Z finds baking exciting … she likes having a structure. The Bearded Biker is also meticulous about following instructions but isn’t into baking. He’s more focussed on meat dishes from around the world and follows recipes meticulously to stir up elaborate and complicated meat recipes. Lil Z is still quite young and mostly chooses recipes that are colourful and fun. So I guess, each of our cooking preferences reflect our philosophies in life!
Celebrating Christmas at our home had also become an annual ritual, much like the Bijoya get togethers. This was an honour that was conferred upon us after our return from Germany! An elaborate spread surrounding the roast turkey, mulled wine stirred by a close friend, Christmas rum balls made by another friend, cookies by Lil Z, our garden lit up in fairy lights, s’mores in the bonfire and an impromptu skit by the children and carol singing by all those gathered … our Dubai home embraced it all. This Christmas was a bit different in that sense, reflected beautifully in Big Z’s Facebook update…
We had a family Christmas this year instead of having a Christmas party with friends. We opened gifts in the morning, went back to sleep, ate a yummy lunch, baked for hours, cycled for a bit and then ate turkey for dinner. Lil Z organised easy activities like crafts and cookie icing whilst I screamed Christmas songs at the top of my lungs. Even though today was simple and relaxed, it was super fun. I actually enjoyed this family Christmas more than normal parties because it was slow and felt like a longer Christmas day than normal. Of course, we played with Brownie and he sat under the table waiting for scraps of food and went out on his first walk in a couple of weeks. Throughout it all, for the first time since Cinder left us, I still had fun while remembering him and how wonderful last year was with him.
I realised that while preparing for all the get togethers at our home, whether it was for Bijoya, Christmas or any birthday celebration, I put all my heart and soul into cooking the food and I set out with a lot of intention. This year, everything was different. There were too many things happening all simultaneously in my life that sometimes I am just surrendering to where’s life taking me rather than what I should be doing / or what I want to do. Big Z’s post also made me realise that sometimes in trying to bringing everyone together in the past, no matter what my intentions were … we didn’t get the time to be with each other. This Christmas too, I spent the whole day cooking but somehow, we felt as if we are all together.
It was a fairly elaborate Christmas lunch with mashed potatoes, green peas, German pork sausages – both spiced and non spiced, spicy meatballs and Zwiebelsosse, a typical German onion sauce that I learnt to make when we lived in Frankfurt. We ordered the sausages and meatballs from a Bangalore based company called Meisterwurst. For dinner, it was a roast turkey, steamed vegetables and mushrooms in white sauce. Big Z also made some Yorkshire pudding to be had with the turkey gravy. The Bearded Biker carried on with his legacy of shaving the turkey like every year… alibi a smaller audience this time. Big Z’s chocolate cake and Lil Z’s cookies with DIY icing signed off the festive dinner splendidly. There was so much of happiness in the simplicity of it all. We also ushered in 2021 in a similar manner – cozy, at home with the five of us. Yes, finally we are at our home in Chennai. And guess what? I am also mishti doi ready in our Chennai kitchen… I have bought some claypots on my day out to ECR the other day with my lovely friend I have made from the community. The objective is very simple… to try out my first batch of bhapa mishti doi and to make some new friends!
May 2021 bring in lots of joy and happiness in your lives… and let’s stay connected more than ever – spicier, sweeter and stronger!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Thank you for joining me on my daily food and travel journey on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
Recipes that you might like making for the New Year: Happy Cinnamon Rolls that you can make at home Homemade Bread with Sprinkled Sesame – an ever evolving romance Stuffed Chilli Spring Rolls – because a little spiciness in life is sweet Kogel Mogel recipe Bhapa Mishti Doi
Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post, nor are there any affiliated links for any of the brands that may have been mentioned in this blogpost. The subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and all images are from my personal album. While you enjoy reading my posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from these posts.

When Janmashtami or the annual celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna is in full swing, these fried mini Taler Boras make their entry… sweet – bitter – crunchy entry!
My attempt at another futile translation… Taler Bora. Palm Fruit Nuggets? The last time when I translated Phulko Luchi to Bengali puffed-up flour flatbread, I was sure that some of Luchi’s crispiness and fluffiness got lost in translation. So this time, can I simply say how I love these fried balls of deliciousness? Or how they might just become extinct, washed away by the more popular fritters and branded nuggets? Or shall I add to the already existing confusion – how will you categorise Taler Bora… under snack or sweet?
All I know for now, these are fried mini balls filled with love. Love from grandmothers and mothers belonging to the previous generation. Probably not my Ma though, who’s got other kind of cooking skills to her credit! During the monsoons around Bhadra maash (the Bengali month of Bhadra coincides with mid August onwards), when Janmashtami or the annual celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna is in full swing, these fried mini Taler Boras make their entry… sweet – bitter – crunchy – delicious – entry. We resort to Purnimadi, the wonderful lady who’s been cooking and looking after my parents for more than fifteen years. Purnimadi prepares Taler Bora, Taler Shaash and many other edible knick knacks that are typically associated with Janmashtami. She prepares all of these at her home and shares them affectionately with us.
Every year around July and August, we are in Kolkata. An indulgence that I have been referring to as my summer hibernation. The Z-Sisters and I stay on for a longer period, while the Bearded Biker is headed back to Dubai to join back work. The 10ft x 6ft balcony in my parents’ house overlook a lot of greenery that fools one into believing that there can be no cacophony on the road below the lush green foliage cover. One couldn’t be more fooled. All day long, the chayer dokan or the roadside tea stall across the road, are frequented by the locals, mainly parar chokras or the young men from the neighbourhood. Their day jobs seem to be just hanging around the tea stall and drink tea, accompanied by tea biscuits and rusks, which are very typical of these roadside tea stalls. It seems to me sometimes, that these never ending tea-refills must be coming for free!
For both my patents, the balcony has almost the window to the world. I may be sounding over-dramatic but believe me, it really has become so. In the mornings, my Baba, a retired bureaucrat, enters the world of somebody else’s reality, by flipping through the pages of the several newspapers that he’s subscribed to. This is my Baba’s version of scrolling through his social media feed while a nondescript radio tuned into the local FM channel unceremoniously cuts into the birds chirping in the nearby Kadam tree (wiki describes it as Leichhardt pine, and coincidentally Lord Krishna’s favourite tree!). The branches of the Kadam tree seem to forcefully barge into the balcony, which is where we all converge during our tea times… and the candid photo shoots of Bengali food cooked at Ma’s kitchen.
An early morning walking tour with Calcutta Walks last year at this time, along with my photographer buddy
My annual summer hibernations in Kolkata are powered by addas – hanging out with family and friends. They are stirred by a whirlwind of emotions… kaleidoscopic journeys through Kolkata’s alleys and a whole lot of food stimulation. I am curious to know… are you at this hour, living in the city where you have grown up in? Or are you making a home in a different city altogether… far away from home? Wherever you are… keep safe and stay happy.
Don’t ever give up on any festive spirit or traditional recipes that connect you to your roots, no matter how hard it can be at times and how hard times are!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
Thank you for joining me on my daily food and travel journey on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
I would love you to see Kolkata through my eyes. Here's a rewind on some of my favourite Kolkata memories: Introducing Kolkata's street food in BBC Travel Show at Dacker's Lane; immersing myself in a surreal Ramadan Walk with Calcutta Walks; indulging myself in the colonial hangover at Flurys; diving into ice creams at my childhood ice cream parlour by the Ganges - Scoop; there's Dilipda's Phuchka, which is 'world famous in Kolkata' and last but not the least... hoping that unique bazars like Tiretti Bazar continue to thrive, where you can still find the last remnants of Chinese culture... but maybe not for long.
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Taler Bora or Palm Fruit Nuggets
Category=snack/dessert; Cuisine=Bengali
Ingredients
1 ripe tal/palm fruit with 3 medium size kernels4 bananas1 cup suji/semolina1 ½ cup maida/flour1 cup sugar½ cup grated coconutwhite oil for deep frying or ghee (if you are generous!)Method
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- Scrape off the skin of the palm fruit and squeeze out the fibrous pulp from inside. Use a sieve so that the pulp is smooth
- Squeeze the kernels in water before throwing them off, so that all the juice isn’t wasted
- Add the semolina, flour, sugar, grated coconut into the pulpy juice and mix them thoroughly to make a smooth batter. Add mashed bananas and mix them into the smooth batter
- Heat oil in a deep bottomed frying pan. Or ghee (oh yes, generously if you using ghee!)
- Make small balls (1 inch in diameter) and drop them slowly in the hot oil and fry them till they are crispy and golden brown.*
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*Where will you get Palm fruit in Dubai? A few Indian/Asian stores like Lulu Supermarket, Adil and in the Fruits and Vegetable market in Deira or Backet in Sharjah. A few of the Spinneys outlets hold Market Days on Mondays and stock many Srilankan vegetables. My guess is, you might get palm fruits there as they are also used widely in Srilankan cuisine.
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Disclaimer: This isn’t a sponsored post, nor are there any affiliated links for any of the brands that may have been mentioned in this blogpost. The subject, story, opinions and views stated here are my own and all images are from my personal album. While you enjoy reading my posts with lot of visuals, please do not use any material from these posts.