Change of life and a new herby recipe

The aloo paratha crossed halfway to my mouth, when he screamed.... Aaaaangeeeeeeeeee..... 1year ago, in this situation, nothing could have distracted me from that aloo paratha; but now (sigh!), paratha went back to the plate and I started running towards the car holding him in one hand and umbrella in another (forgot to mention it started raining at the time he started crying). Finally he was calm after an ample time of feeding.

Yeah that was my son, who was screaming as soon as I started eating paratha. He will say ( or make a clear sound similar to) Aange which means I am hungry; we, the new parents understood this word once he was 3weeks old.

After having a baby, life has become upside down, in a good way.  We have put a PAUSE in so many things, a few things specially for the new mother. Weekends movie-marathon, planning sudden trips, eating anything, wearing any dress, sleeping whenever I want and there are many more. See, there is a big PAUSE now for all these, pause for a few months only. This "a few months" may be 6 months, 12months or 36months, completely depends on individual parents. There was a time, I used to require 8hours of sound sleep in a dark room. But now my body has evolved to cope up with 4hours of sleep (that too not continuous!) with light on.  If I get 2hours of continuous sleep within 4AM to 7AM, I am fully fresh and capable of doing all the household works. Parks of being a Mother! Even I am writing this post, during that good-night-sleep-break.

The thing is life changes and in the beginning of any new journey we will struggle to adjust with the change. But the struggle is worth it! The smile of that small face and the touch of those little fingers make all my efforts priceless.

Today's recipe is also something I tried for the first time.

It is a herb which is good for lactating mothers (Fathers, please don't complain, you know how your better-half is struggling, so don't be upset if they get more attention). These are Dill leaves. It is widely available in Bangalore but has a pungent smell. One of my neighbor, in our apartment, Priyanka, a very jolly and caring person, told my mother about this. Her mother-in-law is also very sweet and caring. She not only prepared the shaak for me but also sent me a bunch of those leafy vegetables. I liked the dish. So thought to prepare it in our bengali way. I have used a mixture of whole spices which are good for a lactating mother and helps to make the smell of the vegetable less.

What you will need:

• Dill leaves : a bunch
• Tilauri 1 small cup; tilauris are sun-dried lentil dumplings, which are available in bihar and Jharkhand. My friend Juhi, whenever she goes home, brings for me. I am in love of these tiny dumplings. You can fry and have with rice.
• Potato 1 big
• Onion 1 big
• Chilly 1 or as per your taste
• Garlic 4/5 cloves, chopped.
• Salt
• Turmeric powder
• Mixture of spices, 1 teaspoon each: Cumin seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds

Before I explain the recipe, one fun fact about these herb: One tablespoon of dill seed contains more calcium than a cup of milk. So, you see, if you don't like to drink or can't drink Milk, there is a herby substitute.

The recipe goes like:

1. Chop the leaves along with the tender stems, discard the matured ones. 
2. Peel and cut the onion and potato in small cubes. 
3. Heat oil in a non-sticky pan. Fry the tilauris.  Keep these aside.
4. Now add a little oil in the pan again, if required and heat it in medium flame. Add the mix whole spices. Once the seeds starts to crackle, turn the flame low, add the chopped garlic, once it starts to become brown, add chopped onions. Stir fry till it changes color.
5. Add the potatoes. Fry it for 3-4 min.
6. Add the chopped herb. Add tilauri. Sprinkle salt followed by turmeric powder. Mix everything carefully. Cover.
7. Keep stirring. The leaves will leave water, which will make the potatoes soft. Another 5mins and you can see the green color will become darker. Once the water is dried, potatoes are soft, check the taste of the leaves. If the raw taste is gone and it is a little sticky, your shaak is ready. 
8. Enjoy with rice and daal.

For all the lactating mothers, enjoy this period and do a favor to yourself, don't compare your health and lifestyle with others. Enjoy each moment and don't regret for the things you are unable to do now. Within blink of eyes, babies will be grown ups and will be in high schools. Then college and then job, finally they will get out of your house and will get settled somewhere else, with their other half. That's life, keeps on changing.

Hope you enjoyed the recipe as well as the post. See ya!

Birthday of a foodie and Broccoli recipes

Happy birthday to you.....Happy birthday to you...Happy birthday happy birthday... Happy birthday to you...birthday song for the birthday week; me , mother-in-law and brother-in-law Banjit, cut our birthday cakes, had tasty foods and enjoyed the gifts.

Our birthdays are always special for us, but how much are we crazy for the day? Just answer this simple questions: Do you start counting days one month prior to your day? Do you wish yourself at midnight by making birthday card? Does all your close people get annoyed with your birthday countdown? If your answer is YES, give me a high five. I am crazy for my birthday and credit goes to my Dhaligaon mama (Dhaligaon is the place where he used to work).

My birthday is in july, which used to be summer vacation (it used to be heavy rainy season) time during student life, which means I used to celebrate at home without worrying about classes and homeworks. But there was never a fancy cake on my birthday because: 1st- during my childhood, there was no cake shop in my hometown; 2nd- my Dhaligaon mami used to bake for me. Their house was 1.5hr journey from our place. Mama and mami used to bring cake for me till my high school, every year. Once, it was raining very badly; my ma told, I would bake a cake for you, your mama wouldn't be able to come in this weather. I was waiting near the window, I told, mama would come with my cake. Within 10 mins, I saw, mama and mami coming, in his scooter, wearing raincoats. When they entered our house, they were fully drenched. But I was jumping because my birthday cake arrived on time. That was the love from my mama and mami. Every birthday, while cutting cake, I will fondly remember mama. He kept promise to a small kid in that harsh weather and the kid learned the value of trust. He made me realize, how special my birthday was. And I fell in love with my birthday celebrations. Love you Mama.

This year also I made a big deal about my birthday. I am glad that my hubby darling made the day special. Surprise gifts started coming from the (birthday-energy-annoyed) hubby, one week before my birthday.

Birthday card from my 3months old baby 

Gifts from hubby

My baby also behaved those two days: 2nd July (mother-in-law birthday) and 3rd July (mine), so I was able to cook. Foods of 2nd July were simple, as my mom-in-law liked.

Foods

    

Cake & gift

We had in lunch: bhaat, potol bhaja, paneer broccoli, broccoli bhaji, mishti kumror chhakka, daal (plain rice, fried pointed gourd, paneer with broccoli, broccoli stir fry, pumpkin stur fry, daal).

3rd july was my day and I don't know to have a simple birthday food(guilty!).

Cake and lunch

Dinner and baloons

As you can see, there was plenty of food. Lunch was: bhaat, potol posto, palak pata bhaja, pasta chingri mach diye, chaal kumro aar mishti kumro bhaja, macher dim bhaja, daal (plain rice, pointed gourd with poppy seeds, spinach fry, prawn fettuccine, fried ash gourd and pumpkin, fish egg fry, daal).
We had pancakes in the evening.
Dinner: Veg fried rice, chhole, paratha, fish, rasmalai.


So the my birthday was spent well, with two cakes, loads of gifts and lots of food. That's the birthday of a foodie.

Here is today's recipe for two of the birthday foods, fried ash gourd, spinach and pumpkin, veg fried rice and broccoli stir fry. For the recipes of rest of the foods, I will update soon. OK, not soon, because I am struggling with my baby daily, to make habit of sleeping at night; so during day tome, I need to play, dance and talk with him, so that he doesn't fall asleep.

FRIED ASH GOURD, SPINACH & PUMPKIN:

Ash gourd and Pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cleaned, cut in long and thin strips ( you can cut in shape as per image).

Spinach leaves, whole, washed and soaked in water.

For the batter:

Rice flour

Turmeric powder

Kashmiri Chilli powder

Salt

Water as per thickness requirements

Oil

Mix all the ingredients for the batter. If you don't have rice flour, you can uae gram flour or all purpose flour. But rice flour add the crunchiness in the fries, also it is healthier than other two types of flour.

Kashmiri chilli adds a vibrant red color in the yellow batter ( which we get after adding turmeric powder). It is very mild spicy.

The batter should not be too much thick; you should be able to coat the pieces of the vegetables, but there should not be thick layer on it.

Once batter is ready, heat oil in a heavy and deep bottomed kadai. Once it is completely heated, dip the pieces of vegetables inbthe batter and deep fry in oil. Keep the flame medium. Once the color of the fries become light red in both sides, take it out and enjoy eating crunchy fries.

Ash gourd & Pumpkin fry

Spinach fry

BROCCOLI STIR FRY

Broccoli 200gm, cut the broccoli florets in 2 pieces, dont make it much small; soak in boiled water for a few minutes.

Potato 1big or 2medium, cut in strips of size as per broccoli; 

Onion 1medium, thin sliced

Chilly 2 or more as per your taste

Salt, oil, onion seeds and turmeric powder.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Keep flame low. Add onion and chilly. Once onion turns light red, add broccoli and potato. Saute. Add salt and turmeric powder. Saute properly. Cover the pan. Keep on checking and keep stirring after 3/4 min. Once broccoli and potato becomes tender, you can increase the heat once vegetables turn brownish, you can transfer the content into a bowl. Enjoy with roti or rice.

VEGETABLE FRIED RICE

Biriyani Rice 2 cups (washed and soaked in water for 15mins, mixed with 2teaspoon refined oil and salt). This will help to make the rice non-sticky.

Broccoli 200gm, cut the broccoli florets in 2 pieces, dont make it much small;

2 Carrots, thin sliced

15/16 French beans, cut the beans into 1inch pieces.

Peas 1 cup

Green chilly 2

Coriander leaves, chopped, handful for garnishing.

Ghee 2 tbspoon

Onion 1 big, peeled, chopped in small square shapes.

3 tbspoon barbecue seasoning

Ghee 2 tbspoon

Cook the soaked rice in a pressure cooker. You will need 3 cups of water to cook rice. Put the flame in high, one whistle and immediately turn off the heat. Let the gas pass and open the lid. Sread the rice in plate. You need to make it completely cool, otherwise while making the layers for biriyani, rice will become soggy.

Soak the vegetables in hot water for 5minutes. Now in a thick bottomed kadai, heat oil. Add chopped onions chilly. Saute. Once onion turns brown, add the vegetables and salt. Cover and Stir fry in between until the vegetables become soft. Add cooked rice, seasoning and salt if required. Increase heat and saute a few sec. Add ghee. Mix rice and vegetables carefully and slowly, without breaking the rice. Have the fried rice with veg curry or chicken curry.

That's all for today. Typing this post from last 3days. Finally finished in a hurry, otherwise it might not get posted tonight. See ya all. Good night. Hope you like the recipes and the post as well.

3-in-1 Fruity Punch and memory lane

Mamma mamma; I heard my baby's 1st words and I saw his white tooth. I was surprised to see such cute, white and small tooth of my 1.5 month old baby. Mammaaaaaaaa......

I need to feed him, 1:25AM. I checked his mouth and nope nothing, that was a dream. Yeah, my husband was smirking like you, when he heard me. It was third time I had this same dream. So, I had to know what was the dream telling me. So Googled it (many of you may have this same habit) and there were many interpretations for this dream. Many new-moms had this similar kind of dream. There, that time, one similarity I found. All of them (who had this dream), were having baby of 2weeks to 2months and all were 1st time mother; which means we all were sleep deprived, not sure whether taking care of baby correctly and anxious. So lack of sleep and anxiety were the demons ( or I should say, two lovely things) which caused the dream.

With all your blessings, my baby has completed 3 months, without any teeth, till now.

I am sharing this old dream with you all, because, again my nights are sleepless (not able to lie down) till 2AM. It seems baby is going through his sleep regression period, the period when his sleeping habit is going to change. But, how much painful itbis, these are the days we will remember in future, our memories. By the way, lack of sleep has delayed my post this time.

As I was saying about making memories, today's recipe, which is a dessert, each ingredient brings me childhood memories. I have used three ingredients for this tasty, fruity dessert: mango, watermelon and mishti doi/sweet curd (a bengali special).

Mangoes are the summer friends. After our half-yearly exam, we used to get summer vacation, 1month and 15days. My baba used to buy mangoes not by weight but in crate. He used to bring a full crate. My mamabari (maternal uncle's house) is next to our house and during summer my chhoto mashi (youngest sister of my mother) used to come to mamabari with my cousin bro Rotu. We used to play, scream, break things and create havoc in our houses. Rotu was my partner in crime, now a total grown up and a father of a lovely-naughty boy Tojo. So mangoes = summer vacation + Rotu time.

Rotu and me;

The next thing to add in the dessert glass was Mishti Doi or sweet curd. Any bengali menu is incomplete without Rosogolla and Mishti Doi. During wedding seasons, I miss the food, or more precisely the style of food. The food which used to be served in weddings, during my childhood, were of similar pattern; rice, brinjal-dipped-in-besan fry, mug daal, one sabji, one fish curry, chicken/mutton curry, chutney, rosogolla and Mishti Doi. So Mishti doi always brings me the memory of weddings.

The third and the last one is watermelon. This fruit we used have a lot during summer. But with the name of this fruit, one image comes in front of my eyes: watermelon plants near the river of my Didivaai's (elder sister, my cousin) in-law's house. Her in-law's house is in Mathabhanga, a place in West Bengal, Cochbihar. The house is near a big river. Whenever we used to visit her, generally summer vacation time, I will check these plants. I was so surprised to see, for the 1st time, growing so many watermelons  in such weak plants; I used to think those big fruits grew in big trees; Poor and Stupid me!

So, the journey to memory lane, explained the ingredients for today's recipe, which I say, 3-in-1 fruit punch.

Things to make this punch:

For 4 people

1 big ripe mango, peeled and cut and made smooth thick paste

200ml sweet curd, thick

Half watermelon, cut, deseeded, made juice.

Mint leaves for garnishing, optional.

You can see there is no added sweetener. So the calorie conscious people, if you are, can enjoy this dessert.

Make the fruit juices one day before. Keep it in freezer overnight in separate closed containers. 2 hours before serving, take out the baxes. The juices will become hard like ice. Using a spoon, stir it properly. Keep again in freezer.

After 2hours, take out theboxes. Open and mix the pastes, again. Now assemble in a tall glass.

Pour 2 spoons of mango paste. Then add 3 spoons of sweet curd. Now fill the glass with watermelon juice. You can top it with 1spoon of curd and mint leaf, if you like. You may add dry fruits also.  Enjoy!

You can adjust the amount of the fruit paste and curd depending on the size of layer and size of glass.

Being a new mom, I shouldn't take cold foods. So I take the dessert after 3hours, once it is not too cold to have. Mixing all the layers, gives an awesome taste. Try it!

Next time will come with a new story and some recipe. Till then, take care and bye!