Well, I am back…now I really don’t think that anybody’s been waiting eagerly for me but what’s the harm in massaging my own ego. I have realized that I must be on the way to earn the title of the laziest blogger in the world…just scroll down and look at the dates of my last post. Let me try to put a stop-cork on that probable dubious distinction. To make up for the loss of the days I have decided to post one of the most unusual recipe up my sleeve – ‘Kachkolar Khosar Ghonto’; translated into English it reads – dry curry made from raw banana peels…eeeeks!!!! No, correctly made it is ‘delicious’. 
When I made it tonight for dinner, it wasn’t inspiration. It was that my cook walked in before time, which meant I hadn’t thought about the dinner menu. So, it was “lets’ cook from whatever is available in the refrigerator”. A raid of the crisper yielded four raw bananas. I told my dear auntiji to wash, chop and boil these with a little turmeric powder as the first step towards turning these into koftas. As auntie was thoroughly amused with the idea of koftas made from raw bananas, it dawned on me that she had never heard of any such thing. Wonderful! First an impromptu menu and then my cook is clueless about the recipes on it. Nevertheless auntie and I decided to fight it out – in solidarity!
Going back to the raw bananas, these were boiled and peeled and from here on the bananas and the peels parted ways…destiny… and both started separate journeys to the dinner plate. At this point auntie and I decided to opt for division of labour, so the koftas were auntie’s responsibility (albeit under my instructions) and the banana peels mine.
Going back to the raw bananas, these were boiled and peeled and from here on the bananas and the peels parted ways…destiny… and both started separate journeys to the dinner plate. At this point auntie and I decided to opt for division of labour, so the koftas were auntie’s responsibility (albeit under my instructions) and the banana peels mine.
Now the most difficult part to be negotiated is to chop the banana peels and two medium potatoes really finely, all the while dishing out instructions to auntie about the koftas. Then I put everything else needed for the recipe together on a plate – ½ tsp of whole cumin, a small bay leaf, one dry red chili, a green chili, about 2 tbsp of grated coconut, a mixture of 1 tsp of cumin powder, ½ tsp of turmeric, red chili and garam masala powder each. For the benefit of all those who think that I am always this methodical while cooking; let me make an honest confession that it was for the photograph. Next, dump all the spice powders, a tbsp of sugar and salt to taste into the heap of the chopped banana peels and mash it – this, trust me can be very therapeutic – just think of all the people whom you would like to mash to a pulp and voila!!! 
At this point my mother-in-law walked in and shared a little chit-chat with auntie about the strange things that I churn up in the kitchen. The tone was refreshingly appreciative though, so all of you who are trying to make a connection between the therapeutic bit and the mother-in-law – cool your heels – this post will have no family melodrama. On this note back to the banana peels. I heated a tbsp of mustard oil in a pan; added the cumin seeds, the whole chilies and the bay leaf, waited until the cumin seeds crackled and a
dded the potatoes, a pinch of turmeric powder and a little sprinkle of salt, a good stir, covered the pan and resumed my instructions about the koftas. Just as the koftas were being patted into bite-size patties, my potatoes were sweating into being nicely cooked. So I added the mashed and spiced banana peels, folded everything together and covered the pan to give the peels and the potatoes few moments of togetherness to bond into a team. Few minutes and I uncovered the pan to reveal a very well bonded, aromatic and well cooked team of the two. Auntie, who was very skeptical till this point, sniffed the air and smiled her appreciation. I added and mixed the grated coconut to the pan and off it went from the fire into the serving bowl enroute the dinner table. 
Did the family like it? Well, the mother-in-law said that it was worth finishing a plate-full of rice with. Now coming from mother-in-laws one knows how hard-earned and rare such adulations are! Do not let your expectations swell, didn’t I say that this is no place for family melodramas – not yet, not now – shhh…
dded the potatoes, a pinch of turmeric powder and a little sprinkle of salt, a good stir, covered the pan and resumed my instructions about the koftas. Just as the koftas were being patted into bite-size patties, my potatoes were sweating into being nicely cooked. So I added the mashed and spiced banana peels, folded everything together and covered the pan to give the peels and the potatoes few moments of togetherness to bond into a team. Few minutes and I uncovered the pan to reveal a very well bonded, aromatic and well cooked team of the two. Auntie, who was very skeptical till this point, sniffed the air and smiled her appreciation. I added and mixed the grated coconut to the pan and off it went from the fire into the serving bowl enroute the dinner table. 
Did the family like it? Well, the mother-in-law said that it was worth finishing a plate-full of rice with. Now coming from mother-in-laws one knows how hard-earned and rare such adulations are! Do not let your expectations swell, didn’t I say that this is no place for family melodramas – not yet, not now – shhh…
1 comment:
Good good good......
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