Bread Paratha etc

Namak Mirch ka Paratha

6:30 AM


Today is the 19th day of India under lockdown. Something that started with a lot of apprehensions and fears slowly is becoming a new normal. People working from home as much as possible. Kids learning through online classes and each of us is trying our best to make sense of this changing time in our own unique way.

Bengali

Neem Jhol

11:22 PM


We belonged to a time when the rule in every middle-class family was to finish whatever was served on the plate. Ingredients were local and seasonal. Food was wholesome and simple, but the rules were strict.

Bengali

Macher Tel die Jhinge khosar bhorta

9:16 PM


The time sure is tough and at times heartbreaking. While we all stay home to fight this deadly virus, thousands of migrant workers started their journey to reach home. Just think of their plight. No work, no money and no assurance whether there would be any food the day after. The kids as young as 3-4 years old are there too and together they are walking, carrying their belongings to reach home which is 700-800 Kms away. 

Bengali

Mourola Macher Bati Charchari

9:18 PM


It's been almost 10 days that I haven't stepped out of the house. 9th day without any househelp and 4th day of the nationwide lockdown. But I am not complaining. Rather I find ourselves fortunate to have a roof over our head, food on our table and the opportunity to work from home when we need it the most.

Bengali

Alur khosa bhaja /crisp fried potato peel

9:31 PM


One of my favorite books of all time is The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anny Barrows. The book is set in 1946, a time when the whole world was starting to recover from the devastating World war 2.

I should not be a spoilsport and reveal the storyline here but let me just tell you that the book gets its name from an innovative dish the islanders created during the time of War.

World War 2 brought in the rationing of staples around the whole world. Food was scarce everywhere, but it was more so on the island of Guernsey as the German outpost there took away everything the people produced. All they were left with were potatoes and seawater to season it. They could not afford to waste anything and came out with an innovative way to use up potato peels to replace flour and make a pie crust. This story always reminded me of my ma's alur khosa bhaja or crisp fried potato peels. 

Popular Posts