Gurer Payesh

Winter is the perfect time in Kolkata for indulging in food. Nolen Gur (Freshly made date Jaggery) is awaited with bated breath and along with it comes a wide array of Misti’s ( Sweets ) to tantalize your taste buds. The Probashi ( Non-resident Bengali’s ) Bengali’s like me wait for our quota of the Patali Gur ( solidified date Jaggery ) which typically is bought back by friends visiting Kolkata during the winter months.  

I got lucky this year. Thanks to a colleague from Kolkata and courtesy the FedEx network, a nicely packed box of the golden slabs made its way to my kitchen.

A Birthday celebration is incomplete without the traditional Payesh in a Bengali household and it is a ritual to feed the birthday boy or the girl with a bowl of the traditional Chaler (Rice) Payesh.  The Gur had arrived just in time for Mr. J’s birthday and made it possible for a Birthday breakfast of Luchi and Payesh.

 

You need the following to make Payesh :- 

• High fat milk      :- 1 Litre
• Bay Leaves        :- 3 No.'s
• Cardamom        :- 5 No's, powdered.
• Dry Fruits          :- 1/2 Cup ( Mixture of Cashenuts, Raisins, Almonds)
• Patali Gur          :- As per your taste.
• Rice                  :- 1/2 Cup. I have used Gobindo bhog variant from Kolkata

Method :-

1. Boil the milk is a heavy bottomed vessel. Keep stirring at occasionally to make sure that the milk does not burn at the bottom.
2. Add the cardamom and the bay leaves. Continue boiling.
3. Once the volume of the milk is reduced to almost 3/4 of the original volume, add the rice. I have used Gobindo Bhog rice which has a beautiful aroma. In case I run out of stock, I resort to using Jeera rice ( found in Bangalore )
4. Add the dry fruits.
5. Keep stirring occasionally.
6. Cook slowly till the rice boils.
7. Once the rice boils completely, add the Jaggery. the amount will depend on your taste.
8. Mix well. Boil till it thickens a little more.
9. Garnish will sliced almonds.

Notes :-

• Add the Jaggery only after the rice cooks completely. Adding Jaggery will arrest the boiling of the rice.
• The Jaggery is tested before use else it might curdle the milk and spoil the dish. To test, simple take a few spoons of the boiling milk into a small bowl and add a little bit of the Jaggery. Mix it and leave it for a few minutes. Check if the milk has curdled.

Chingri Chalkumrar Ghonto ( Ashgourd with Prawn )

"Ghonto" is a traditional Bengali form of cooking which is mostly made of one or sometimes two vegetables ( and sometimes fish). Very less oil is used and the vegetable are well diced so that it can cook in its own juices and results in a mushy  juicy dish. Ghonto's can be made as a pure vegetarian dish or shrimps / parts of fish can be thrown in to cater to the carnivorous palate such as mine. 

Vegetables like gourds were never a hot favorite of mine ( and my little Sis's). Dad is a firm believer of " Shob Kichu Khete Hoy" ( You should eat all kinds of food ). Hence a handful of shrimps was my Mom's way of making us eat the otherwise boring gourds.

Ingredients

1. Chal Kumra ( Ashgourd) :- 500 grms
2. Shrimps ( small sized ) :- 200 grms
3. Cumin Seeds ( Jeera ):- 1 tsp
4. Green Chilli :- 2 or 3 No's depending on your taste
5. Red Chilli :- 1 No.
6. Ginger Paste :- 1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder ( Haldi ) :- 1 tsp
8. Salt :- As per taste
9. Coriander leaves :- About 3 to 4 twigs for garnishing

Cooking Method

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a Kadai ( Wok ) and shallow fry the shrimps ( cleaned and deveined ) with a pinch of salt and turmeric pd. Keep aside.
• Shallow fry the prawns ( cleaned and deveined ) with a 1/2 tsp of oil for about 2 minutes. Keep aside. Please note that prawns cook very quickly and overcooked prawns tends to become stiffer.
• Diced the ash gourd and boil it with a pinch of salt.
•  Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds and the red chilli and let it splatter.
•  Add the ginger paste, turmeric powder and slit green chillies and fry for sometime.
•  Add the Ashgourd and cook till the water content dries up and the vegetable becomes slightly mushy.
• Add Salt and mix well.
•  Add the sauted shrimps and cook for a couple of minutes
•  Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tit Bits

• This is a traditional dish of East Bengal and is a typical winter dish.
• Best served with hot steamed rice.