A long break from blogging. Not that anyone
missed me, but the narcissict part of me did. Life changing events and
adjustment to loss of loved ones takes some time getting used to. But time is a
great healer..we just need to give it time. I hereby resolve in presence of my
laptop, the telly and my phone (these being my connection to the real world)
that I would post at least one recipe a month. I don’t commit a lot. I was
always the one for setting a small target and overachieving J Never liked the concept of setting
a stretch goal…what if I don’t make it.
Today is a good day to start as I have achieved
one such goal. I completed 5 kms walk in the event called ‘ Race for Life’ organized
by Cancer Research UK. It was a great event. In the restrained emotions of the
british society it was nice to read lines like ‘I race for life of the Grandad
I never met’, ‘I race for life of What Could have been’, ‘_all those who are fighting’ and the one
that encompassed the spirit of the day ‘ I race for life for A CURE’.
The success of the event was followed by a sumptuous
pub lunch where we devoured no less than 10 different tapas items among four of
us.
Back home, I did the mistake of measuring up
myself on the scales…foolish foolish impulse…did I think 5kms of sedate walking
would set off the patatas bravas and deep fried (chicken prawn, mushroom..almost
anything). I could not even think of a
normal Sunday dinner. Strange how often I feel the urge NOT to cook compared to
the urge of cooking. And still I am here writing a food blog. I must be nuts
(there would be many who agree).
During the few days when I am the organized incarnation
of myself I soak and freeze white/green peas, chole, rajma, moong dal etc. My disorganized
self breathes a sigh of relief when I recall the frozen stash of goodies. Today
in remembered the last two cups of white peas sitting in anticipation in their
frozen state. I decided to cook ghugni.
It is Bengali semi main course item, generally had either in the morning with porotha or more frequently in the evening team with chop and misthi when people are visiting. For me anything that needs more than 15mins of pre/cook time , find a place for itself in main course. Ghugni is a light and quicker substitute for Chole. It forms a part of weekday quick cooking list. I loved the odd occasions when we were allowed to have the street food ghugni. Served in a dry leaf bowl it tasted wonderful. The chunks of coconut and slices of ginger were a perfect accompaniment to the mushy texture of the peas. I am not sure if such things exists in anymore. Trips to Kolkata are now more hurried and harried. In a life of plenty time is the only scare commodity.
My ghugni cannot do justice to those memories.
It would probably take me 10 mins to just get all the ingredients together. But it does gets to my dinner table in 20mins, which a winner on a sunday evening.
Ingredients
350-400gms white peas
soaked overnight and drained
½ onion slicked fine
1 tomato cubed
½ inch ginger grated
or paste
2 bay leaves
2 green cardamon
1inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 tbsp cumin powder
2 tbsp coriander
powder
1tbsp bhaja masala
(use garam masala if you do not have the bengali secret)
4 tbsp oil
2 tbsp tamrina or
tamrind pulp (optional)
Roasted cumin powder
for garnish (optional)
Combine the bayleaves, cardamon , cloves and
cinnamon with peas and water and pressure cook it. If you are using frozen peas
like me, allow an extra whistle, else two should get it to a cooked state.
While that’s happening, heat the oil in a wok/pan.
Add the grated ginger to that. 10secs for it to sizzle before you add the
onions. Lightly sauté the onions, enough to get the raw taste out. You need not
cook them to brownish state. Add the tomatoes and the cumin and coriander
powder to it. Again the intent is to cook the raw taste out of the powders. You
do not need to mash the tomatoes, let them loose their shape in the course of
stirring and cooking. It takes generally 5-6 mins for this quantity
Once the peas are boiled, add it to the mixture
in the wok and let it simmer. At this
point, season with salt and the bhaja/garam masala. I cover it and let it cook
for 15mins. I sometimes add tamarina sauce or tamarind pulp to add the sour
tinge to it. A slice of lemon work as well.
Garnish with chopped onions and fresh
coriander.
In case you are wondering about the accompanying
porotha as AS was, sorry that’s not happening. i am going to eat only ghughni,
if you fancy something more you are welcome to the bread or the tortillas.
A day well spent…and ended
