Gourmet goes festive!

THE October sun muses mellow, the drums echoing against its fragrant skyline, pandals stand tall housing the sacred divinities — the auspicious spirits are invoked. It’s time to soak in the revelry of the most opulent festival in the Bengali almanac — Durga Puja. Puja festivities aren’t so much about following scriptural sanctities, as they’re about rejoicing in the extravagant cravings of the soul.

No surprises then that the five-day-long jubilations extol in the pleasures of food, fun and finery. “The commencing of pujas unleashes the glutton in the Bengali who goes all out to explore myriad culinary pastures. ‘Eating out’ forms an integral part of our cultural canvas,” holds restaurateur Anjan Chatterjee. Chatterjee, who owns specialty restaurant Oh! Calcutta, draws attention to the changing palette of the discerning Bong foodie. “He’s moved beyond the usual Chinese-Mughlai-Continental fare, experimenting with more delectable ethnic fodder. Bengalis now recognise the explosive power of their own cultural cuisine. Be it the subtle flavours of Thakurbari cooking or lip-smacking, street food like Kabiraji Cutlet or Mughlai Parantha — there’s a Renaissance in the realm of indigenous Bengali cuisine,” he adds.

Tradition, however, still holds fort. Barun Mallick, scion of the Posta-based Mallick family, whose household puja celebrates its 155th year, informs, “Heritage demands that puja cuisine is completely vegetarian, comprising largely of bhog (prasad) that’s handed out to devotees, daily.”

Yet, with the passage of time, culinary innovations abound in the dietary dictionary. Food consultant Subhankar Dhar, ex partner of the popular Bengali eatery 6, Ballygunje Place (Kolkata and Bangalore) says, “Thakurbari food is resonating back. Known for its refined food habits — from Oriental lunches, Continental dinners to the best French chefs in their kitchen, this family fare revels in items, like Golda Chingrir Cheeni Kabab (jumbo prawn thermidor) and Kakra Chingrir Pathuri (marinated crab meat and prawn wrapped in banana leaf and roasted) are menu musts.”

Even the quintessential vegetarian fare bears the imprint of a glorious past. “Thakurbari cuisine comprises the best of West Bengal’s food tradition — mildly flavoured with a soft texture,” adds Chatterjee, pointing out to all-time favourites, like Dhuni Kichdi, Potol Pathuri and Mochar Govindobhog.

The natural goodness of Bengali food is also blending ceremoniously with occidental traditions. Debashish Saha, senior sous chef, Park Hotel, Kolkata adds, “Fusion food is the latest fad. From Prawn Biryani, Baked Firangi Cauliflower (with Continental, white sauce stuffing), Crumb-fried Gulab jamun served with vanilla ice-cream to Meehedana Tiramisu, it’s tradition with a twist.”

“You can’t imagine pujas without the robust trail of food odours emanating from the holy ground,” claims restaurateur Dhiren Mitter, whose plush South Kolkata eatery, K’s — The Eating Place, is being decked up for the culinary carnival. As food worshippers stream into his den — Chatterjee aptly concludes, “Durga pujas are a ‘peth (stomach) pujo’ above anything else!”

MISTI DOI MOUSSE

INGREDIENTS

Mishti doi 200 gm Whole cream 120 ml Gelatin 4/5tbsp. Crushed cookies 4 no Caramelised sauce 2 tbsp. Green banana 1 no Butterscotch sauce 4 tbsp.

METHOD
Fold mishti doi, with whole cream thoroughly and then add gelatin dissolved in water. Take a round, stainless steel, 3” diametre, both side open cylindrical container, put crushed cookies on the base and pour in the curd mixture on top of the cookies and refrigerate. Cut small chunks of banana and mix with the caramelised sauce and place on top of de-molded sweet curd mousse. Sprinkle butterscotch sauce encircling the mousse. (Courtesy Debashish Saha, senior sous chef, Park Hotel, Kolkata)

CARAMEL SAUCE (makes 550 ml)

INGREDIENTS
Brown sugar 1 1/2 cups Flour 4 tablespoons Water 1 cup boiling Dash of salt Butter 2 tablespoons Cream 2 tablespoons Vanilla to taste

METHOD
Mix sugar with flour in a saucepan; blend well. Add water and salt. Stir while cooking for 6 to 8 minutes. If too thick, add a little more water. Remove from heat; stir in butter, cream, and vanilla to taste.



LAU KAKRA
Four portions

INGREDIENTS
Crab (4) 450-550 gms Bottle gourd 1 kg Mustard oil 150 gms Turmeric 5 gms Green chilli paste 40 gms Panchphoron 3 gms Chopped onion 100 gms Ginger paste 30 gms Crabmeat 100 gms Salt to taste Green chilli 6-8 no Sugar to taste

METHOD
Cut the crab into small portions, apply salt and turmeric. Keep for 10 minutes. Peel and cut the bottle gourd into small dices. Heat 2/3rd mustard oil and saute the prepared crab, remove and keep covered. Temper the oil with panchphoron and add the prepared gourd. Add salt and chilli paste. Cover and cook till the gourd is half done. Add turmeric and saute the crab and crabmeat. Cook till the gourd and crab is done. Heat reserved oil in a separate kadhai, saute the chopped onion and ginger, cook till golden and add to the cooking crab, mix well. Cook till the vegetable is well combined. Serve with rice.


MOCHA O GOBINDOBHOGER GHONTO
Three portions

INGREDIENTS
Boiled banana flower 400 gms Raisins 30 gms Gobindobhog rice 150 gms Cinnamon 2 gms Green cardamom 1 gms Bayleaf 2-3 nos Ginger paste 30 gms Jeera powder 15 gms Turmeric 3 gms Red chilli powder 15 gms Jeera whole 5 gms Salt to taste Sugar to taste Ghee 50 gms Mustard oil 60 gms

METHOD
Pick and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and dry on absorbent paper. Marinate the rice with ginger, turmeric, red chilli, salt and jeera powder. Keep for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a kadhai, temper with jeera and bayleaf. Lightly crush the hot spices and add to the spluttering spices. Add the rice and saute on high heat, till well fried. Add the boiled mocha and cook well. Add 500 ml of hot water and salt. Add the raisins. Cook till the rice is done. Add sugar and ghee. Stir fry till dry and well combined. Check for seasoning and adjust.


CHINGRI O MOUROLAR PATURI
Two portions

INGREDIENTS
Scampi prawns (30-40) 300 gms Mourola (fish) 200 gms Cucumber 150 gms Coconut paste 150 gms Mustard paste 30 gms Mustard oil 175 gms Green chilli paste 40 gms Banana leaves 2-3 nos Salt to taste Sugar to taste Turmeric 2 gms Curd 20 gms

METHOD
Roughly chop the cleaned prawns, clean the mourola fish, deseed the cucumber and cut into matchsticks. Apply salt and turmeric to the fish and prawn, keep separately. Heat 2/3rd mustard oil and lightly fry the mourola in small batches. In a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the banana leaves. Add the fried mourola to the prepared mixture, mix with a light hand. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. Prepare the banana leaves and cut into 4 square pieces. Divide the prepared mixture into 4 equal portions, wrap each portion into a prepared banana leaf. Steam the parcels for 8 minutes, remove and pan grill for 6 minutes, serve hot.


BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE (makes 550 ml)

INGREDIENTS
Brown sugar 1 1/2 c. dark Flour 4 tbsp. Boiling water 1 c. Pinch of salt Butter 4 tbsp. Cream 2 tbsp. Vanilla 1/2 tsp.

METHOD
Mix the sugar with the flour. Pour in the boiling water and add salt. Cook in a saucepan, stirring frequently for about 8 minutes. If it seems too thick, add a bit of boiling water. Remove from the range and stir in butter, cream and vanilla.


BILATI MURGIR CURRY
Three portions

INGREDIENTS
Curry cut chicken 9 pcs Malt vinegar 35 ml Garlic paste 40 gms Black pepper powder 30 gms Coconut milk 200 ml Salt to taste Brown onion 25 gms Sugar to taste Refined oil 100 gms

METHOD
Marinate the chicken pieces with vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic paste. Keep for two hours. Heat oil and 200 ml water in a kadhai, add the chicken and the marinade. Bring to a boil, cover and cook till the water has dried out, only the oil remains. In the same oil, saute the chicken till well browned. Add coconut milk and cook till the chicken is well cooked and the gravy is reduced. Add the browned onions and mix. Check for seasoning and adjust. Serve with rice.
(Courtesy Oh! Calcutta)