Sarika walks down the memory lane. She talks about her grandparents, parents and her roots. She serves two festive delicasies. An exclusive for Different Truths.  

My dida (grandma) got married at the age of 10, much before her puberty, she told me on one stormy evening, during the kal boishaki (stormy monsoon) month. She was continued to stay with her parents place, playing hopscotch, hide and seek in saree and bindi there was no change in her life. She returned to her official home that is her husband’s house after two years, right after her puberty.

She recalled her wedding day. She blushed while talking about her laal benarosi (red Banarasi, her wedding attire) and red bindi. “Your dadu was very handsome. His skin colour was like kacha halud (raw turmeric). Ami toh kali, tor dadu tu rajputro chilo (I was the dark one, your grandfather was a handsome prince),” she said.

She recalled her wedding day. She blushed while talking about her laal benarosi (red Banarasi, her wedding attire) and red bindi. “Your dadu was very handsome. His skin colour was like kacha halud (raw turmeric). Ami toh kali, tor dadu tu rajputro chilo (I was the dark one, your grandfather was a handsome prince),” she said. Dadu was an inspiration to many. There was nothing on earth which dadu had no knowledge. He knew everything, fishing, farming, event management, stiching, cooking, animal farming, and was working with the Indian Railway. “Your dadu was great storyteller. His storybag was always filled with interesting stories. He studied from Dhaka University. I owe to him for my knowledge of mythological stories. He also shared many stories from Bangladesh – their life styles, food, culture and also his childhood. Dadu used to follow listen Bangladeshi news every night, I used to wonder. One day I asked, ‘Why you follow that news about the place which you left during your childhood days’? He told me, in an emotional voice, “Runa (my pet name), you cannot separate a person from his birthplace, no matter where you go.” He also shared the pain of partition of India. “No one wants to to be separated from their country, their birthplace, but still it happens,” he rued.

Today, we celebrated Noboborsho. This is my first Noboborsho without Baba (Daddy). I left my home more than twp decades back. But not a single festival, birthday passed without Baba-Maa’s blessings. And now onwards, Baba won’t call me anymore. Noting can fill that void…

Not only my country, worldover, we are going through a very tough phase. So almost no one is in the mood of celebration. Few days back, I prepared Dhakai Chicken and Savory Patisapta, fit for festive feasts.

Not only my country, worldover, we are going through a very tough phase. So almost no one is in the mood of celebration. Few days back, I prepared Dhakai Chicken and Savory Patisapta, fit for festive feasts. Here are the recipes.

Subho Noboborsho!

Dhakai Chicken

Ingredients for marination:

• 4 Chicken leg pieces
• 2 1/2 tbsp Red chilli powder
• 1.5 tbsp Turmeric
• 4 tbsp Oil
• Salt according to taste
• Ingredients for gravy:
• 4 tbsp Oil
• 3 Onion paste
• 3tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1.5 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 4 tbsp yogurt
• 2 Bay leaf
• 3 Cardamoms
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick
• 4 tbsp Cream
• 1 cup warm Water
• 2 tsp Garam masala powder
• Fried onion (for garnish)
• Coriander leaves (for garnish) optional
• 2cup fried onions
• 3 tspspoons special roast powder

The special roast spice powder

    1 nutmeg

    1 tbsp mace

     2 tbsp white pepper

    10 cardamoms

     1 inch cinnamon stick

     1tbsp shah jeera

Dry roast everything until release the aroma except nutmeg and mace.

Then put it into mixer grinder also nutmeg and mace.

Store it into an air tight container.

Directions: 

• Few slit marks on chicken legs
• Marinate with turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.
• Heat oil in pan and fry for some time then flip over cook the other side.
• Keep them in bowl
• Into the same oil, add fried onion, ginger and garlic paste, cook until onions are cooked.
• Now unfold the whipped yogurt to the pan and keep stirring continuously.
• Now add rest of the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and sauté till oil starts to release from the masala.
• Now pour the chicken gently in the pan and cup of warm water. Now mix it properly in a simmer flame.
• Heat the ghee in a separate pan, and add crushed cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves.
• Once spices are ready and released aroma this is the time to pour over the chicken.
• Stir cream into it and give a gentle stir, cover and cook until the chicken are tender and gravy turns into a thick consistency.
• Now add roast spice and mix well.
• Check the taste and keep to rest for few more minutes rest .
• Garnish the way you want.
• Serve hot with Nan or rice.

Savory Patisapta

Ingredients

• 1.5 fresh green peas
• 4 green chillies chopped
• 1/2tssp turmeric power
• 1tsp cumin paste
• A pinch of hing(Asafoetida)
• 1tsp aamchur powder
• 1.5 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt according to taste

For batter

1 cup plain floor

• ½ suji or semolina
• 1 cup milk
• ½ tsp pinch of salt
• Oil
• Method
• Grind the peas and chillies
• Heat the oil in a pan and throw cumin seeds and hing and add ginger paste and sautefor a minute.
• Add peas paste, turmeric powder , salt  along with few drops of water, fry for some time(about 7 to 8 mins) or until peas are cooked.
• Now add aamchur powder (which is optional) allow cooling at room temperature.

Preparing batter

Mix floor, semolina and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water and milk for smooth batter, and make sure there should not be any lumps.

• Keep aside for half an hour.
• Heat a pan with medium heat and brush with oil
• Give the batter a gentle stir
• Putone and half spoon of batter into the pan, spread the batter gently. Cook until the batter sets.
• Place thekoraisuti (green pea) filling lengthwise along with the crepe. Now, gently fold the crepe and cook for another three minutes.
• Serve hot withkasundi or mustard sauce.

Photos by the author