Grated Kaancha Pepe'r Tarkari -- grated raw papaya

Fifteen years ago if a tarot card reader had told me that fifteen years later I would not only be cooking and eating raw papaya with a smile on my lips but also forcing others to do so, I would have balked. I would have have also "pooh-poohed" away the whole idea and not paid the tarot card reader in full.

Ten years back if my daily horoscope in TOI predicted "raw papaya eating days in the near future", I would have stopped reading it then and there. Wouldn't have waited five more years. To stop reading TOI I mean.

Five years back when my Ma said I should buy raw papaya once a week and ripened papaya twice a week, I ho-hummed. "Okay, what the heck. We can do this once in a while," I told myself.

I still do it once-in-a-while. Do not have the devotion towards it like my Ma. But maybe soon. Five more years to go and we will see.

I really do not understand the Bong's uncanny diligence towards random health food items like beler paana, kaanchakolar jhol(raw plantain curry), kaancha peper tarkari(raw green papaya sabzi) and chirotar jol( a drink so bitter that it will scald your soul and detox you like no other). Either it is karma or it is evenings spent eating out egg-chicken roll, tamarind water phuchka, engine oil deep fried telebhaja and heavy on ghee(or is it dalda) biriyani. Of course too much of the latter needs to be balanced out with at least some of the former.

The bowel, and that too the Bong bowel, not to be confused with Bong baul, can take only so much.

But poor me does not eat too much of the roll and phuchka these days, and I don't have many fond memories of kaancha pepe to share. I was one of those kids who would suffer through chicken pox, mumps, measles, jaundice and typhoid in an entire school year and the jaundice only made sure that I had my fill of mulo seddho(boiled radish) and pepe seddho(raw papaya boiled) at an early age. Too much of anything good is bad for you and so there went my papaya devotion at an early age.

But this grated raw papaya sabzi is very different from the usual raw papaya curry.It elevates "pe(n)pe" to a different status. This "pe(n)pe" is fit for high heels and bejeweled chiffon. Maybe Nigella (Lawson) eats it on Saturdays. I am not sure but who knows. Not that it is better than a kosha mangsho but it is better for you.

The recipe for this grated kaancha peper tarkari is sourced from my Ma. Also my friend's Mom makes a similar dish. It is a simple dish but what with the papaya being grated and the addition of coconut makes it really good. And when I say "Papaya is good" you have to believe me. If you still have doubts go ahead and add some shrimp. It can only get better from here.

Grate half of a medium sized raw papaya in a grater.

Heat Mustard Oil

Temper the hot oil with Kalonji and slit green chillies.

Follow with a clove of garlic finely minced and quarter of an onion thinly sliced. Saute till onion becomes soft.

Next add the grated papaya. Sprinkle some turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.

Add 4-5 more slit green chilli and saute at medium heat. Cover and cook until papaya is almost done.

Add sugar to taste and some grated coconut. I used frozen grated coconut. Mix well and cook till everything is done. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Serve with rice.

For the shrimp option, saute some small shrimp with salt and turmeric and at the last stage mix with the papaya sabzi.

Shorshe Roshun Mushroom -- with Kasundi

Shorshe Mushroom

Since I have made the aam kashundi, my week night dinners have gotten easier.

I have been slathering and pouring that kashundi on E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G

Palong Shaak Bhaja -- Check

Tilapia -- Check

Chicken -- Check

Alu Seddho -- Check

Salmon -- Check

Bath Water -- Check. Ok, no scratch that. Not bath water but other than that on E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G

Last year inspired by Sharmila @KichuKhon and another reader(Mahua Maharana), I had made a Shorshe Roshun Mushroom -- Mushroom in mustard, garlic sauce. It was so good that since then if I ever make mushroom at home it has to be that. The garlic with mustard is the greatest idea on earth. That time I had just used the Cookme Mustard powder and garlic paste and the result had been delicious. You can see the set of pictures on FB here.

Now you can just imagine the level to which the dish was elevated when I used Aam Kashundi.

Awesomness, thy name is Shorse Kasundi Mushroom

Heat Mustard Oil to really hot or as they say in English "smoking". Don't skimp on the oil

Temper the oil with
1/4th tsp of Kalonji/KaloJeera/Nigella seeds
5 slit green chilli

When the spices hiss add the chopped up mushroom. I used a whole big box of button mushrooms.

The mushrooms release a lot of water. A lot. And it is necessary that you dry the water up.

Once the water has almost dried up add
2-3 heaped tbsp of kashundi (aam kashundi)
4 more hot green chillies slit
salt to taste(careful as kashundi has some salt)

Note: If you do not have Kashundi, you can just make mustard paste and mix it with garlic paste. To make Mustard paste --> soak 2 tbsp Mustard Seeds + 2 tsp poppy seeds in water. Drain and then add to the mixie jar. Throw in some green chilies. With splashes of water make a paste

Mix everything together and cook with frequent stirring till the 'rooms are done.

Finish off with slight drizzle of mustard oil.

Heaven.On earth. Is this

Busy Day's Egg Masala -- with some tips

If you are a Mother, like me or you are a Father, unlike me, you will appreciate what I am going to tell you about today's egg masala. In fact even if you are not a parent you should certainly appreciate the wisdom imparted in the post.

But if you are a parent, and if you have kids,
and the kids have homework,
and piano,
and taekwondo,
maybe even swimming 
or add some bharatnatyam to the mix
and you are the one who makes sure that all of these get done
and in spite of all this you insist the kids eat a good home-cooked meal at the end of the day
you will really really appreciate a peek into my cheat sheet.

At least I did, when years ago in my noveau blogging days I had landed on the blogs which showed me how to make the "All Purpose Masala". Those had saved my life on many busy evenings. But as it happens one day you are making and freezing masalas like a maniac and then next you are not. I still make ginger-garlic paste and fried onion pastes but for a while I had not frozen these all purpose masalas.

Then when I made this egg masala a few days ago, I did it again. Only I did not have any more ice trays, so I just froze a portion enough for two curries. And did it help me on a busy Wednesday. Phewwww. I saved so much time that if I wanted I could have got a pedicure done. But of course I didn't. The pedicure I mean. Instead I read a book. The Hindi-Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan being one of them and Yes Chef by Marc Samuelson the other.

So what is your cheat sheet ?

Busy Day's Egg Masala

Make the all purpose onion-tomato-ginger-garlic masala

Chop 1 red onion in chunks

Chop 1 tomato in chunks

Peel 4-5 fat cloves of garlic

Peel and chop coarsely 1" knob of ginger

Now we will make an ubiquitous, everyday masala with this.

Heat 1-2 tsp of Olive oil in a frying pan. Add the above chopped onion-tomato etc.. Saute. Sprinkle some salt. Fry the onion tomato till onion is soft and pink, tomato is cooked down and garlic, ginger is softer. You can fry them more till onion is browned etc. but this stage works well too. Now cool the above, put in a blender jar and with only splashes of water make a thick paste.

Ta-Da. This masala paste will serve as your savior in most week days. Use it as a base to make different gravies.

Cook Egg Curry

For the egg curry now boil 4 eggs. Once the eggs are cooked and peeled we will fry them. For this purpose, heat a tsp of oil in the same frying pan. Add about 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Add the eggs and fry till the skin of the eggs blister and gets a pretty golden brown.

Remove the eggs and keep aside.

Heat some more oil for the gravy. Temper the oil with 1/4 tsp of Cumin seeds and 2 tej-patta

When the spices sizzle, add half of the the onion-tomato-ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Next add
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Mirch
1/2 tsp cumin powder
and 1/4 tsp coriander powder
Fry the masla with a sprinkle of water.

Add a tbsp of Tomato ketchup and cook the masala.

Once you see the oil seeping or that there is no raw smell, add about 1/2 cup of water, salt to taste, little sugar and let the gravy come to a boil.

When the gravy is boiling, check and adjust the seasonings.
Now add about 1/4cup of whole milk and mix well. Lower the heat and let the gravy simmer.
Crush/warm a tsp of Kasoori methi between your palms and add that.

Halve the fried eggs and add them to the gravy.
Also add about 4-6 green chilies cut in halves along their length.
Finish off by garnishing with chopped coriander leaves.