My Spices-Some common spices I use

1.Garam Masala

Bengali Garam Masala is actually a very simple mix of 4 spices: Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon and Tej Patta. The Tej Patta as I have seen is abandoned many times in favor of the others.

This I use in two forms: Whole Garam Masala and Garam Masala powder

For powder form,I sometime buy it readymade or also make it at home.
Steps:Dry Roast 20 Green Cardamom/Elaichi, 10 Clove/Laung, a 2" stick of cinnamon, a small Tej-Patta.Grind to a fine powder in your coffee grinder.Store in an air-tight container for future use

2.Bhaja Mashla(Roasted Masala) 

My Kaki(aunt) uses it for sprinkling over most chutneys and also in vegetable chops.The Bhaja Masala is called so because the spices here are dry roasted and then ground.
Steps: 

To make this Dry Roast 1 tbsp each of Jeera (Cumin Seeds), Dhania (Corriander seeds), Saunf (Fennel Seeds), 6/7 Laung (cloves) , 6/7 Elaichi (Cardamom), 3/4 TejPata(Bay leaves), an inch & half of cinnamon stick and peppercorns according to desired hotness.

Then just dry grind it to a powder. 

3.Panch phoran

It is a classic Bengali spice blend typically consisting of five spices in equal measure. It is more Bengali than any other region of India.
The five spices that make up Panch Phoran are:

Fenugreek (methi) – the golden coloured bitter one
Nigella seed (kalonji) -- the jet black tiny one
Mustard seed or (rai or shorshe) – the black or brown flavored one
Fennel seed (saunf or mouri) – the greenish sweet one
Cumin seed (jira) – the buff colored strong one

In Bengal, the place of origin of this spice,sometimes a spice called radhuni is used in place of mustard seed.
“Paanch” is bengali for Five and “Phoron” means spice. Panch Phoran is used mainly for tempering, to flavor the hot oil before adding rest of the ingredients. The essence being tempering with Five Spices. It is usually never ground or used as a powder unlike other spices which are used both in whole and ground form. However dry roasted panch phoron is ground to make a powder that is sprinkled on chutneys. But it is NEVER used in powder or paste form in any other preparation.

Panch phoron is added to the hot cooking oil before adding any other ingredients thus flavouring the oil and releasing the aroma of the seeds and causing them to pop in the pan. At this point the other ingredients are added.

If you do not have Panch Phoran but have all the five spices that are needed for this just add equal measures of each to get your own Panch Phoran. You may use the methi in less proportion to the others.

4.Kalonji

 Kalonji is jet black. Kalonji....Karojeera...Nigella Seed-a part of my cuisine

 In Bengali cuisine it is almost as popular as Paanch Phoron and used for tempering, vegetable dishes, Dals, fish curries and some chutneys. It is one of the five ingredients of Paanch Phoron. It is also added to the dough while making Nimki a savoury fried dough. The flavor within the seed is enhances after it is baked, toasted or fried in a small amount of oil or juices of foods.
5.Biryani Masala  

I love that masala and use it for not only making Biryanis but in various other dishes.

Here is how I make Biryani Masala. I reduce the carraways seeds and increase the fennel as I like the sweetness of fennel and find cararway seeds too spicy. Also I forgo the star anise and add nutmeg powder instead of the whole.

Steps: 

Dry Roast 8-10 Green Cardamom/Elaichi, 8-10 Cloves/Laung, 2" stick of cinnamon, 1 small Bay leaf, 5-6 small bark of mace/javethri, 2 tsp of Fennel seeds, 1 tsp of Carraway seeds/Shah Jeera.

Put all of the above in a coffee grinder jar along with 1 tsp of nutmeg powder.

Grind to a smooth powder and store in an air tight jar

Use this masala for loads of stuff from adding a pinch to your pualo, adding to biryani to your chicken curry. I use this masala alternately with Garam Masala but when using this, use a smaller quantity.
 

Bangali Shukto/ Bitter dish from Bengal

Traditional Bengali meal consists something bitter , Dal, Bhaja,vegetable, fish/Meat, chutney and a sweet dessert.Most surprising is that this course is almost very regular in every Bengali family . When occasion comes, then it gets long.
Bitter dish mainly Shukto , Neem begun bhaja etc(neem leaves and brinjal lightly sauted)

Shukto is a mix of vegetables with a dominating taste to the bitterness. I do not know and I think many will agree with me its still a mystery how a specific aroma comes out from shukto after cooking with some common vegetables.And it tastes different for each cook.Sometime little gravy,someone dry.It depends on personal preference.

And Shukto should be had only during the day so don't have it for dinner. Don't know reason yet. Its like a idiom passing through generation.

Yes, I am a big Shukto fan and my family too.

What you Need

Uchche or Bitter Gourd – 10 chopped

Begun or Brinjal – 2 in small size chopped
KanchaKola or Raw Cooking Banana – 1 chopped
Sajne Danta– 6 chopped in 1" stick size
Sweet Potato / normal Potato– 1 chopped
Kumro/ Pumpkin ~ chopped 5 pieces approx



Vadi (pallets of ground lentil paste and later dried ) ~ 10/15 small ones
Milk ~2 cups
Salt,Sugar
Ghee

For Phoron or Tempering
Whole Mustard Seeds ~ 1 tbsp

Tejpata or Bay Leaves ~2
Radhuni ~ 1 tbsp. This has a very nice aroma and easily available in grocery

How I Do It

Chop the vegetables. Try to cut them in the same shape .
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a Kadai/Pan
Fry the vadi till they are brown and crispy.Keep aside.

Add tejpata (bay leaves) and the whole musturd seeds,Radhuni in oil
When they start sputtering,add the veggies.

Saute. When they are little soft add salt ,water. Water to cook the vegetables, this dish is not gravy based so don't add too much water.
Cover and cook in low flame till the veggies are cooked and there is very little water.
Now, slowly add milk to moist veggies.
Once the vegetables are almost done add a very little sugar.
Add the fried vadis at the end and sprinkle Ghee on top.

Keep it cover and serve with rice at lunch. Its a delicacy of summer noon.

Things Which Amazed Life

Its June.June is always a month with specialty for me because my birthday comes with June.Though my birth has not given something worth to my world,still its special for me.

I wan just thinking about certain things I used to like ,used to do and things which used to give a sudden joy or wonder me in good past days.

Most importantly I never knew then that I will stop doing those things with growing age and such happiness will not be any more attractive some day.But recapturing them will give a tingling smile in my face..

Probably this is true for many of you!

• Putting my ear on someone’s(specially my sister's) stomach and hearing the fizz-pop,gurgles.
• Peeling a egg and getting a big chunk at once.
• Getting into bed weird and then 15 minutes later removing 2/3 of the bunched up bedsheets from under me and having that feeling of finally being comfortable.
• Having staring contest with friend
• Digging pool of sand or making a round shaped house with sand at beach.
• Eating a free sample of anything which I will never decide to buy with college friends.
• Getting a good window seat in everyday route bus at way to school.
• Finally finding the start of tape /Cello-tape
• Finally pulling out grey hair of Grandma
• Grabbing the handkerchief at last moment before sneezing
• Slipping something from hand and catch them at last second.
• Twisting the lid of the jar after nobody else could .
• Catching someone I love in bus stand when returning from school without appointment.
• Saying "See you N-E-X-T year" on 31^st Dec and then laughing hysterically.
• Just wrapping a gift with left over gift paper.
• When I sneezed and saliva comes in dress but none notices that.
• Eating the left salty mashala mix at chips packet.
• Finding out someone has same birthday as me.
• Double spacing history answers so that it takes more pages and then perfectly stapling it with a sensational confidence.
• Seeing a train from my train
• Finding money I forgot about in book.
• Walking faster than cars stuck at traffic.
• Taking the price tags off at one clean peel.
• Desperately scratching mosquito bite even when I know I should not.
• Saying “Knowing” someone famous.(You know, “My friend's younger sister’s best friend saw Sharukh Khan(Famous Actor of Bollywood) at Airport last week!”)
• Licking the top cover of ice-cream in crowd / buffet/ party.
• Realization that I love someone and this is love.
• Going outside in knee-deep water expecting rainy day at school or to play in mud.

Many more yet to list.Now what wonder me or give me innocent joy?

When someone opens elevator door for me running in haste,When something is being downloaded vry fast ,my cooked food is just perfect ,my school-friend's daughter says Hallo in mobile with her own language,When I see pitter-patter drizzling drops from my window,Paying something at exact change,When I wake up before alarm and realizing I have lots of time left .....These I will write at another entry,someday .

I cherish them now....before I lose them.

Welcome to my blog

This is my first blog.Though I am in virtual world for long time in Orkut,Twitter,Facebook etc big names,I never felt to write something except socializing with old friends and new ones.

Now at journey of life I feel its a nice way to transmit my thoughts,knowledge,love to you.Also I want to pass my legacy of some ideas,wishes,dreams and earnings,emotion to my unborn baby..

In the past, people were required to make physical contact or at least to enter the personal space of another, to introduce themselves.Now we have this place to do so!:-)

Being a software professional I should write a blog on technical tips and code snippet.But who cares!Growing up all over Kolkata in a Bengali household I feel to write whatever comes in my mind.I have realised one thing.I am not professional.

With some uncategorized note I will write on Food.I love to eat, feed others and cook .Just try out some sample from The Madras Tiffins beside my college , the Punjabi Dhabas all around city,the Chinese Tung-Fong at Park Street and the famous roll and Fuchkas of each para corner of Kolkata.I will love to feel that someone will cook these food.I get solace in cooking, the comfort of the spices sputtering in the oil, the waft of the jeera & tejpata as they turn brown, the rich yellow of musuri’r dal gives me peace, makes me calm.

Someday in this blog or anywhere I will write on Movies,I wish.Watching movie after a hectic day,leaning of sofa in a dark room at midnight,the door closed is a good time span to pamper ownself.And if we like the movie,nothing else matters.

I don't know on which certain things I will write.Can't plan and move.What to do!

So welcome to my blog and have a feast...

Though I would love to, I am usually not very prompt checking my blog e-mails since I have a real life that demands a lot of attention. So if I am not responding to your comments or replying e-mails for some days,please try to understand. But keep writing.

Love and Joy.