Classic Bengal

I have become my mother. Creepy but true. And it has nothing to do with the exponential increase of silver flashes in my hair. It's ironic for one who has been bored with block since she was 18, to have stopped colouring her hair just when the need is most dire! But this is not why I am my mother. Oh no, that would be too obvious. Me, I like the subtle approach. Like the plate sitting innocously next to me. Unsoiled, but for a flicker of hope, in anticipation of dinnertime.

Hah! No demure little plate this. Oh no, this plate is nothing but a cleverly disguised converyer belt, purveying copious quantities of bhat, daal and begun bhaaja. A feast for the Gods. Shame has no idea where I live, as I scarf five begun bhaaja's, nary a blink in sight. Enough. I retire, gracefully, my surreptitious tongue action unnoticed. Given that I'm the only one dining at this point, my skills at subterfuge should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Twenty minutes later, I'm overtaken by a familial sense of duty as DDM returns from work. Unfortunately, he doesn't not seem to share the same sense of duty and negligently chats with colleagues on the phone. My rather subtle prompting about dinner elicits an enthusiastic, "as soon as I change". Four minutes seems to be an appropriate limit to patience, and like all ageing rock stars, I come out of retirement to snag another three begun bhaajas, accompanied by some daal and bhat for decorum. Shockingly enough, the agility of my tongue goes unnoticed yet again, clean plate sedately indifferent.

I do hereby declare bhat, daal and begun baaja to be my new favourite comfort food. Hell, quite possibly my all time favourite food if I didn't eat so damned much of everything! If I ever have another aai buro bhaat, like my mother before me, I shall coyly ask for begun bhaaja please..... So, in homage to my Mother, Bewdi and Bengalis everywhere:-


Bhat, Daal & Begun Bhaaja

The bhat (erm, rice!) quite frankly, is your problem. Deal with it.

Daal : Ingredients

1 cup Tur dal * 2 tsp vegetable oil * 1/4 tsp eating soda * 1/2 tsp salt * 1/2 tsp mustard seed * 1/2 tsp cumin seeds * 1/2 tsp haldi powder (turmeric) * 1/2 tsp red chilli powder * 1/2 tsp jeera/dhania powder (cumin & corrainder seeds) * 1/2 tsp gur (jaggery)

Daal : Method

Wash the daal, and add to a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, for 3 whistles. Whisk the cooked daal so it stares less at you (lumpy paste like consistency). Heat oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds till they start cackling, then add all the powdered masalas. Add the daal, and cover the pan. After a minute, take the lid of and bring the daal to a boil. Add the gur, salt and adjust for taste. If necessary, add more water (it should be ladleable, but not excessively runny) and bring to the boil 2-3 more times more.

Begun bhaaja : Ingredients

2 brinjals (aubergine) sliced into 1/4" rounds * haldi powder (turmeric) * salt * sugar * atta (whole wheat flour) * vegetable oil for deep frying

Begun bhaaja : Method

Wash brinjal well and sprinkle the brinjal slices with salt, sprinkle of sugar and haldi and rub into the skins. Sprinkle the atta over the rounds but not too generously (this will make them slightly crisp, but don't overdo, coz you still want the middle to be lusciously soft). Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan, turn down the heat and fry them first at medium heat till they are soft (about 5-7 minutes) and then finish off on high heat till the colour resembles the back of a cockroach. Drain and serve.


Jompesh korey kheyo!