Raw Mango Chutney

Raw Mango Chutney, which is popularly known as 'Kacha Aam er Chatni' in Bengali is a sweet and tangy dish from Bengal Culinary world. Raw Mango Dessert or Green Mango Chutney tastes spicy, sour, sweet, it is a mixture of this three flavour and gives a thick and sticky consistency to the dish. Raw Mango Chutney is a famous summer special dessert in all the Bengali household. It is a speciality in the Bengali cuisines and prepared in all around the eastern part of India. This delicacy is served as the must dish menu for any occasion, be it for marriage, birthday party or any other ceremonies.

This 'Raw Mango Chutney' is a simple and quick recipe. This dessert requires a lot of sugar to balance the strong sour taste of raw mangoes, with a tempering of mustard seeds and dry red chili makes the recipe an overall zing to the taste buds. Therefore, 'Raw Mango Chutney' is based upon mainly these three basic ingredients.
Raw Mango Chutney is a special summer condiment which is compulsorily prepared to beat the heat. It is usually consumed after the meal especially in the afternoon lunchtime during a hot sunny day. It is a great way to tackle the heavy eating and also very helpful in the digestion process. It is a perfect balance of all the tastes for the whole meal course and no Bengali spread is complete without this flavoursome mixture of sweet, spicy and sour tastes.

Raw Mangoes

Raw Mango Chutney is prepared in Summers every alternate day at my home for the lunch. As the temperature soars high, it becomes quite unbearable and sort of dislike to the taste buds for the other oily dishes, so it becomes important to have some simple yet tantalising thing for the appetite. Therefore Raw Mango Chutney' is the one such recipe which comes to the rescue to our taste buds with its tanginess. Its almost a staple diet in my family and we consider this sweet dish as a wonderful way to end our meal in summer. As we Bengalis mostly consume fish or other nonveg in our meals, they are quite uneasy for a quick digestion process, that is why people in Bengal usually chew a Paan (Betel Leaf) after their meals, but for the people who don't eat Paan, 'Raw Mango Dessert' can be the best option for the scorching summers diet.

Raw Mango Chutney

Tips: Do not overcook the mangoes, as it will make the dish too much thick and slimy.

[Veg]

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Indian/ Bengali

Serves: 4

Measuring Items: 1 cup = 150 ml ; Teaspoon

Ingredients:

1. Raw mango- 3
2. Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
3. Dry Red Chili- 4
4. Turmeric powder- half a tsp
5. Red Chilli powder- half tsp
6. Salt- 1/2 Tsp
7. Sugar- 1 cup
8. Mustard Oil- 1/2 half

Method:

How to prepare ‘Raw Mango Chutney’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Wash the raw mangoes, cut into slices. 
   
2. Heat a pan with oil in it, temper with mustard seeds and dry red chili.
3. Now add the sliced raw mangoes and saute for 2 minutes.
   
4. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.
   
5. Put red chili powder, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 3 minutes.
   
6. Now add sugar and mix with the ladle until sugar dissolves.
   
7. Add half a cup of water. Cook till water boils and blends with the mangoes.
   

This is how you prepare the most simple recipe, yet the most effective one for a healthy appetite. 'Raw Mango Chutney' served in the last course of meals proves as the best solution for the heating summer afternoon aiding for digestion. Prepare this easy delicacy in less than 15 minutes and savour it at the end of the heavy meal on regular basis. It will definitely cool down the body heat and you would feel a bit lighter during the hot days.

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.

Two Silly Goats

Once upon a time there was a lovely village with a beautiful river that flowed past through it. There lived two silly goats in that village. The two goats lived in the neighbourhood houses of their masters. The two goats were very foolish in the village. They both were always jealous of each other for silly reasons. Each of them thought themselves to be very great and thought the other to be lesser than them in every way.

Both the goats loved to go to their respective fields with their masters. And while returning home, they both always halted near the river to drink some water. The river was very near to the village. There was a narrow bridge over the river, which helped the villagers to pass through the river from the village to their fields and other places. The bridge was made up of a plank of wood which served as the purpose to the villagers for crossing the river. But the plank was too narrow for two individuals to pass on it side by side. Only one person can walk over it at a time. The villagers had the understanding that when someone crossing the bridge, the other had to wait for their turn.

One fine day, the two goats were grazing around the fields without their masters. One silly goat ran towards the village in search of his master and the other remained in the fields on the other side of the river. After some time, the two goats met face to face on either side of the river over the opposite ends of the bridge. One silly goat was on one side while the other silly goat was on the other side. Now both the silly goats began walking from the opposite ends of the bridge as each wanted to cross the river prior to the other one.

One silly goat said, "I shall go first, allow me to pass through the bridge."

The other silly goat said, "No, I must cross first, you move aside."

Neither of them was ready to let the other pass through the bridge before the other one, hence no one was yielded. The two silly goats moved furthermore upon the bridge from their own sides. At last, they both meet in the middle of the narrow bridge. When they came in front of each other on the bridge, they could not pass any further and got stuck at the centre of the bridge. They stood in the middle and looked angrily at each other.

One of them said, "Go back and let me pass first."

But the other silly goat replied, "No, I will pass first, and you shall go back."

Each of them wished to be the first to pass through the bridge and nobody compromised to let the other pass first. They determined to fight the matter out. So they lowered their heads and began to push each other. They fought terribly. As they were fighting, both of them lost their balance, slipped from the bridge and fell into the river. Before they could long for anything else, both the silly goats were drowned in the river.

Moral: Act wisely and do not lose temper in adverse conditions.

Reference: Various.


More Stories on this blog--

The Peacock and the Crane 

Honesty is the best Policy

The Ant and the Dove

The Fox and the Grapes

The Magic of Patience

The Ant and the Grasshopper

The Foolish Bear 

The Two Pots

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.

Shorshe Maach

Fish with Mustard Paste which is commonly known as 'Shorshe Maach' is one such recipe in the Bengali traditional culinary world which is the most favourite and much liked recipe of all times. Every recipe of Shorshe Maach is the classic combo from the heart of Bengal cuisine. And there is not a single person who would not love to eat fish and drool at the very sight of this dish, apart from the ones who are vegetarian for sure.

Shorshe Maach is the most common dish in every Bengali kitchen carried from generations. Shorshe Maach is basically a gravy prepared with mustard seeds paste dipped with fried fishes in it. Shorshe Maach can be prepared with any variety of fish, most commonly the Hilsa, Rohu for sure on the list.

I personally like the fish fries, fish gravy and there are varieties of methods to prepare the fish curries in the Bengali cuisine. I like Rui maach, Ilish maach, prawns, pomfret fishes and when it comes to the Shorshe Maach I like the way my mom prepare the mustard fish gravy. But this Shorshe Maach recipe is simple and somewhat a shortcut to how the traditional Shorshe Maach is prepared. Well, this is what I prepared on Poila Boishakh, along with Rohu Fish Eggs Fry and Rohu Fish Eggs Curry. The recipe for Shorshe Maach is shared below.

Shorshe Maach

[Non-Veg]

Tips: While blending mustard seeds, add a pinch of salt to avoid a bitter taste from the mustard paste.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Course: Side

Cuisine: Indian/ Bengali

Serves: 4

Measuring Items: 1 cup = 250 ml ; Teaspoon

Ingredients:

1. Rohu fish- 500 grams
2. Onion- 2 large
3. Green Chilli- 6
4. Tomato- 6
5. Ginger- an inch
6. Garlic- 6 cloves

Spices:

1. Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
2. Turmeric powder- 2 Tsp
3. Red Mirchi powder- 2 Tsp
4. Salt- 2 tsp (or as per taste)
5. Mustard Oil - 1 cup

Instructions:

How to prepare ‘Shorshe Maach’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Wash the fish pieces with water properly. Marinade with turmeric powder and salt, rest aside.
   
2. Chop the required vegetables.
   
3. Heat a cooking wok, fry the fish pieces dipped in hot oil and keep them aside.
   
4. In the meanwhile, take mustard seeds, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 3 green chilies, salt, ginger, and garlic in a grinder.
   
5. Blend them all together into a paste.
   
6. Now in the same cooking wok, add in little more oil or use the remaining oil after frying the fish.
7. Add sliced onions, green chili slits, Saute until golden brown.
   
8. Now put the chopped tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes.
   
9. Slowly add turmeric and mirchi powder.
   
10. After 2 minutes pour in the blended paste into the wok.
    
11. Cook the gravy until oil separates.
    
12. Now add a cup of water and boil.
    
13. Finally, add the fried fishes to the gravy.
    

So there you go the recipe for the most favourite dish 'Shorshe Maach' from the Bengal cuisines in a very short and easy procedure. Hope you all like this simple method of preparation from my cuisine world. I often prepare this Shorshe Maach recipe for an easy and short way to finish up with my cooking job quickly, however, the recipe outcome is superb and tastes delicious paired with hot steamed rice and some fried veggies. And that is all about the recipes I prepared for the very special beginning of Bengali New Year. Wish you all with good health and prosperity for the year ahead.

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.

Rohu Fish Eggs Curry

Fish recipes are very popular all over the world and in different parts of India, mostly in Bengali households, as I am from a Bengali family fish is prepared at least twice a week. I love to experiment different fish recipes with varieties of fishes, for instance, Labeo, Rohu, Katla, Hilsa, to name a few. Talking about the fishes, but have heard about having the fish eggs too. Well on this post today I'll share a recipe made of the tiny globules of eggs from the Rohu fish. These eggs from the Rohu fish are very tasty and prepared in varieties of ways. These fish eggs are most likely available before they are hatched into thousands of small fishes again.

Rohu Fish Eggs Fry

As I was talking about the Bengali New Year spread in my previous post, I've shared the recipe for 'Rohu Fish Eggs Fry'. According to the Bengali culture, it is always observed that we prepare a whole lot of fish items and other fried veggies during any festival or occasions. I just felt like sharing this too that this month is special to me in some way and April is, of course, the month welcoming the Spring too. I heard somewhere long ago that April means 'a sweetheart with a lot of new wishes and happiness.' Well, that adds up a lot more meaning to this month with the Bengali New Year, the welcoming Spring Season and my special day.

Coming to the recipe of 'Rohu Fish Eggs Curry' is a very common fish egg recipes of all time. The traditional fish egg recipes are quite different from what I have presented here, those have a little bit of complicated method of preparation. Here in this fish egg recipe, I have used very commonly available things that we normally have in our kitchen and I have also mentioned the method for preparation in step by step which is not very complicated.

I've already shared the recipe for 'Rohu Fish Eggs Fry' in my previous post. Hence going forward after frying the fish eggs here follows the recipe for 'Rohu Fish Eggs Curry' below.

Rohu Fish Eggs Curry

[Non-Veg]

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Course: Side

Cuisine: Indian/ Bengali

Serves: 4

Measuring Items: 1 cup = 150 ml ; Teaspoon

Ingredients:

1. Rohu fish eggs fried- 20
2. Onion- 2 
3. Green Chilli- 6
4. Tomato- 6
5. Potato- 4
6. Ginger- an inch
7. Garlic- 6 cloves

Spices:

1. Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
2. Turmeric powder- 1 Tsp
3. Red Mirchi powder- 2 Tsp
4. Salt- 1.5 tsp (or as per taste)
5. Sugar- 1 Tsp
6. Mustard Oil - half a cup

Method:

How to prepare ‘Rohu Fish Eggs Curry’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Chop the required veggies for the curry.
   
2. Heat half a cup of oil in the cooking pan. (Or you can continue cooking with the same oil which remains after frying the fish eggs)
3. Put cumin seeds into the hot oil, and let it splutter.
   
4. Then add in sliced onions, chilies, and sugar fry till onion turns brown in colour. Then add ginger-garlic paste and saute.
   
5. Now add salt and chopped potato cubes, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
   
6. After 5 minutes, remove the lid, add turmeric powder, Mirchi powder, and sliced tomatoes. Mix well and cover the lid again.
   
7. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked.
8. Add a cup of water and bring to boil, then slide in the fried fish eggs nuggets into the curry.

Rohu Fish Eggs Curry is ready to be served hot, you can also garnish with fresh coriander leaves and it definitely tastes super delicious. It is best combined with hot steamed rice, sprinkle a teaspoon of ghee (Clarified butter), lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and it just tastes super awesome. Prepare this easy fish egg recipe for a stupendous lunch treat or for a Sunday gala. Enjoy cooking, serving and eating!!

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.

Rohu Fish Eggs Fry

Today I'm going to share the recipes I prepared on the day of Poila Boishakh. I already shared a pic of this Bengali Non-Veg Thali on my Instagram feed and just thought of sharing the recipes too, a few of my IG friends have shown interest in knowing the recipes for these Fish delicacies.

I mentioned about 'Poila Boishakh' (Poila= 1st; Boishakh= end of April and beginning of May), well there you get an idea what does this term actually mean. 'Poila Boishakh' marks the beginning of Bengali's New Year, so this year is going to be 1425 (১৪২৫ in Bengali), 'Poila Boishakh' means the first day of the month of Boishakh. Boishakh is the first month according to the Hindu Calender year.

Rohu Fish Eggs Fry

Along with Bengal, there are other places in India which celebrate the New Year at this time, like Assamese celebrate Bihu, Punjabis celebrate Vaishakhi, Tamilians celebrate as Puthandu, Vishu by other South Indian states and so on. I was familiar with some of these names but just googled out to be assured of, if I was going correctly. Life is so easy with Google nowadays, Isn't it?

Now coming to the Bengali Non-Veg Thali that I'm describing on this post today is very delightful and pleasing to the sense of taste buds, "when the presentation of the food is beautiful it increases the taste of the food," well don't you think this phrase adds more drool to the food.

Bengali Non-Veg Thali

On this Bengali Non-Veg plate, it includes steamed rice topped with ghee, fish with mustard paste, fish eggs nuggets fry and curry, aloo bhaja (fried potato) and salads. Bengali's plate is never complete without fish, it is also believed or even considered in few Bengali rituals that fish is very auspicious for a new beginning, and that is why if you attend any Bengali wedding you would find a large fish decorated with flowers and vermillion.

So let me now take you through the food recipes those are beautifully arranged on my plate, below I've shared the stepwise instructions along with photos for 'Rohu Fish Eggs Fry' recipe, followed by 'Rohu Fish Eggs Curry' and 'Fish with Mustard Paste (Shorshe Maach)' on my upcoming posts.

Rohu Fish Eggs Fry

Tips: Do not put the Fish eggs in water, instead just rinse thoroughly with water keeping the eggs in a strainer.

[Non-Veg]

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Course: Side

Cuisine: Indian/ Bengali

Yields: 26-30 nuggets

Measuring Items: 1 cup = 150 ml ; Teaspoon

Ingredients:

1. Rohu fish eggs- 100 gram
2. Onion- 2 large
3. Green Chilli- 6
4. Gram flour (Besan)- 1 cup
5. Turmeric powder- 1 Tsp
6. Red Mirchi powder- 1 Tsp
7. Salt- 1 (or as per taste)
8. Mustard Oil - 1 cup (for frying)

Method:

How to prepare ‘Rohu Fish Eggs Fry’ with step by step pictures and instructions-

1. Wash the fish eggs with water keeping in a strainer.
2. Mix a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for sometime.
   
3. Meanwhile, chop 1 onion and 2 green chilies.
4. Whip Besan with an adequate amount of water for a semi-thick batter.
5. Mix the sliced onions and green chilies with marinated fish eggs, then mix along with the batter.
   
6. Heat a cooking pan with 1 cup of mustard oil.
7. Take the mixed batter of fish eggs in small portions and slide into the hot oil.
   
8. Fry the fish eggs nuggets until golden brown.
9. Fry the remaining batter in batches and keep the fried fish egg nuggets aside.

You can savour these fried nuggets just like that along with some salads, or you can also prepare a curry out of it. Find the recipe for 'Rohu Fish Eggs Curry' on my next post.

Paromita Pramanick ©2018. All Rights Reserved.

'The Talkative Turtle' in Hindi

बच्चो की कहानी: बातूनी कछुआ

Batuni Kachhua

एक झील के किनारे पर एक कछुआ रहता था। दो हंस भी वहीं रहते थे। कछुए की दोनों हंसों से दोस्ती थी। तीनों पक्के मित्र थे। एक बार काफी दिनों तक वर्षा नहीं हुई। झील सूखने लगी।

एक हंस दूसरे से बोला, "चलो, कहीं और चले। यहाँ तो बिना पानी के मर जाएँगे।"

दूसरा हंस बोला, "हाँ मित्र, तुम ठीक कहते हो, चलो।"

वे लोग अपने मित्र कछुए के पास गए। बोले, "भाई, राम-राम हम लोग यह जगह छोड़ कर जा रहे हैं। तुम्हें राम-राम कहने आए हैं।"

कछुआ बोला, "भाइयो, राम-राम मुझे भी अपने साथ ले चलो न।"

हंस बोले, "तुम्हें कैसे ले चलें तुम तो उड़ नहीं सकते।"

कछुआ बोला, 'कोई उपाय करो। मैं तुम्हारे बिना नहीं रह सकता।"

हंस उपाय सोचने लगे। कछुआ भी उपाय सोचने लगा। पास ही उसे एक डंडी दिखाई दी। वह डंडी उठा कर ले आया और बोला, "इसे तुम दोनों अपनी-अपनी चोंच में पकड़ लेना। मैं डंडी को बीचोबीच दाँत से पकड़ लूँगा। तुम लोग उड़ोगे, तो मैं भी लटका-लटका चला चलूँगा।"

एक हंस बोला, "यह अच्छा उपाय है। ऐसा ही करेंगे।"

दूसरा हंस बोला, "हाँ ऐसा ही करेंगे।"

दूसरे दिन सवेरे-सवेरे वे लोग मिले। एक हंस बोला, कछुए भाई, डंडी को बीच-से पकड़ लो।

कछुए ने डंडी को दाँतों से पकड़ लिया। एक हंस ने डंडी को एक ओर से अपनी चोंच में दबा लिया। दूसरे हंस ने डंडी को दूसरी ओर से अपनी चोंच में दबा लिया। फिर हंसों ने पंख फड़फड़ाए। वे उड़े। उनके मुँह में डंडी थी। डंडी को कछुआ पकड़े हुए था। हंस ऊपर उठे। उनके साथ कछुआ भी ऊपर उठा। उसे ऊपर से नीचे का दृश्य देखने में बड़ा मज़ा आया।

तभी हंसों ने चाल धीमी की। वे नीचे उतर आए। ज़मीन पर बैठ उन्होंने डंडी छोड़ दी। कछुआ भी डंडी छोड़ कर बोला, "क्या हुआ? नीचे क्यों उतर आए?"

एक हंस बोला, "तुम्हें एक बात बतानी थी।"

दुसरा हंस बोला, "हाँ तुम्हें एक ज़रूरी बात बतानी थी।"

कछुआ बोला, "तो बताओ। क्या बात है?"

"कछुए भाई, तुम बातूनी हो। बहुत बोलते हो," एक हंस ने कहा।

"लेकिन उड़ते समय तुम कुछ नहीं बोलना," दुसरा हंस बोला।

कछुआ चिल्लाया, "क्यों न बोलूँगा? ज़रूर बोलूँगा।"

"नहीं भाई, तुम बोलोगे तो डंडी कैसे पकड़ोगे? जब बोलोगे तो मुँह खुल जाएगा। मुँह खुलते ही डंडी छूट जाएगी। तब तुम गिर पड़ोगे।"

कछुए की समझ में बात आ गई। बोला, "हाँ, मैं नहीं बोलूँगा। नहीं तो मैं गिर जाऊँगा।"

तब वे हंस पंख फैला कर फिर से उड़ने लगे। कछुआ डंडी के सहारे लटका रहा। वह बिना पंखों के उड़ रहा था। नीचे ज़मीन पर खड़े कुछ लोग देख रहे थे कि दो हंस उड़ रहे है। उनके मुँह में एक डंडी है। डंडी से कछुआ लटका है। लोगों को यह देख कर बड़ा मज़ा आ रहा था। वे लोग बहुत खुश हुए।

हंस उड़ते रहे। वे चुप रहे। कछुआ भी चुप रहा। उड़ते-उड़ते वे बहुत दूर चले गए। जो भी उन्हें देखता, वह खुश हो जाता, मुसकराए बिना न रह पाता।

एक जगह एक लड़के ने कहा, "ये हंस बड़े बुद्धिमान हैं। देखो, कैसा उपाय सोचा है।" पास में खड़ी लड़के की माँ ने कहा, "हाँ, हंस बड़े बुद्धिमान हैं। वे ही ऐसा उपाय सोच सकते हैं। कछुआ तो बुद्धू होता है।"

कछुए के जी में आया कि कहे, "मैं बुद्धू नहीं हूँ। मैं बुद्धिमान हूँ। यह उपाय मुझे ही सूझा है।" लेकिन वह चुप ही रहा। बोलना चाहते हुए भी वह कुछ न बोला।

अगले गाँव में कुछ लड़के खेल रहे थे। उन्होंने दो हंसों को कछुआ ले जाते हुए देखा। वे तालियाँ बजाने लगे। एक लड़का चिल्ला कर बोला, "देखो, देखो दो बुद्धिमान हंस एक मूर्ख कछुए को उड़ा कर लिए जा रहे है।"

अब तो कछुए से नहीं रहा गया। वह बोला, "मैं....."

लेकिन वह अपनी बात पूरी न कर पाया। मुँह खोलते ही डंडी उसके मुँह से छूट गई। कछुआ धड़ाम से एक पत्थर पर जा गिरा। उसकी पीठ फट गई और वह मर गया।

सीख: कुछ बेमतलब बातों पर ध्यान न देना ही समझदारी है।

Moral: It is prudent to ignore some unrealistic things.

Reference: ज्ञान गंगा (Gyan Ganga Book Series)

Find for more Hindi Short Stories:
Chalak Khargosh
Chhedwala Matka
Chhoti Titli
Khel ka Maidan

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