Kolkata #1

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Food, India, Indian cuisine, indian culture, indianfood

A visit to Kolkata is incomplete without tasting the famous  chicken rolls..

Finally got a chance to visit Nizams… the place of origin of kathi rolls!!

Nizams located at new Market area in Kolkata!!!

Located in Hoggs Street at Kolkata’s New Market area, it serves chicken/ mutton rolls filled with yummy kathi kebabs..

Back then Kolkata was known as Calcutta.
Nizam’s was the place for chicken/ mutton rolls and kebabs…
In colonial Calcutta, Indian natives and British expats devoured the palatable kebabs -which were grilled on iron skewers smoky and charred at Nizam’s alike.
But the British patrons found it somewhat messy and troublesome to dig into the greasy kebabs with their hands.
It was especially inconvenient for those on the go, including the babus and sahibs (the British bureaucrats) making the daily commute to the adjacent business district of Dalhousie Square.
To make their lives easier, someone at Nizam’s started wrapping the popular kebabs in crispy..flaky parathas and further wrapping the paratha roll in wax paper to make sure no gravy dripped from the kebabs.
This idea was a hit! Everyone was devouring the rolls happily..

A plate of succulent kathi kebabs!!!

It is impossible that one visits kolkata and doesn’t dig into these yumm rolls..now a staple street food it’s available all over the city but the one at Nizams is the traditional classy original kathi roll!!

Do give it a try when to visit the city of joy!!!

And while at it tasted the Dum biriyani with the classic alu ( Potato)..a typical in Biriyanis here…

Potato in biriyani

#nizamskolkata
#nizams
#nizamrolls
#kolkata
#hoggstreet

#newmarket

With inputs from Google wiki on the origin of nizams!!

Makar Sankranti!!!

Tags

India, Indian cuisine, indian culture, indianfood, Sweeteats, Thoughts

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

January is all about new beginnings and welcoming the first festival of the year..Pongal/ Makar Sankranti!!!

It is a festival dedicated to the Surya (The Sun God) and hence marks the beginning of all things new!!!

In all southern states of India the first day is celebrated as Bhogi, the first day of the pongal festival..
The Bhogi Mantalu ( Fire in Telugu language) wherein a bonfire is lit with cow dung cakes and wood!!

The Bhogi Bonfire!!

Old items are discarded and sacrificed in this fire, heralding new beginnings!!

Beautiful rangolis adorn the frontyards and not to forget kite flying and sugarcanes!!!

Rangolis depicting a pot being cooked on fire wood filled and overflowing with sweet pongal marking abundance and prosperity!!!

Pongal is cooked in every household, a sweet one and a savoury version alongside Masala vadais, everything adding on to the festive fervor and hence making the new year truly special!!!

Happy Pongal/ Makar Sankranti everyone!!!

🔆🔆Jalebis🔆🔆

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cheatmeals, Food, India, Indian cuisine, indianfood, Just thoughts, lostinself, rainlover, Sundayoutings, Sweeteats

Hey everyone🙋🏻‍♀️

What goes around…goes more round round round and becomes a Jalebi!!!

Jalebis being deep fried!!

As I am currently visiting kolkata…a foodies haven, I had to visit this place called GD market…

( All precautions taken 😊)

Most places in kolkata have these kind of markets in their own respective localities…

It is one of those markets which is like a closed enclosure containing every household item you need..from jewellery to bath fittings… groceries to beddings…and the list goes on..

A stroll through Kolkata’s GD market and one can never miss the sight of Jalebi wale bhaiya( person making Jalebis) at this shop called Raj Bhallavi sweets, dishing out round round jalebis like a pro..

He must have mastered the art to perfection as every curve is round, perfect in thickness and size..

People throng here to taste the hot freshly made Jalebis and samosas!!!
All for just Rupees 5 each!!!

The process begins sharply at 6 p.m and goes on for about an hour or so..

Sometimes the demand is soo much that he finishes his daily lot in a matter of minutes..

Throwback to my days in kolkata, we used to visit this place atleast once a week..

After a hectic day at work this was a perfect way to unwind , sipping kulhad wali chai..( Tea served in small clay pots/ cups) giving it an earthy flavour and of course  jalebi and samosas…pure bliss!!

As I visit kolkata again, memories are refreshed and I keep my diet aside for a bite of this delectable mouth watering sweetmeat!!!
What’s your jalebi story??!!!

Hot Jalebis and rain!!

Nolen Gurer payesh

Tags

Food, Homemade goodness, India, Indian cuisine, Sweeteats

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

Here’s a sweet dish called Nolen Gurer Payesh…Date Palm Jaggery Rice Pudding…

Made by my mil..

It isba typical bengali sweet dish made especially during the winters…

Made from a special flavoured rice called Gobindobhog rice.. simmered for a long time in thick milk and jaggery, to be eaten warm or chilled!!!

Nolen Gurer Payesh!!!

I read somewhere that for Bengalis Payesh( Rice pudding) is Love but Nolen Gurer Payesh is an emotion!!! Holds true for Bengalis..whereas for a non bengali like me tasting the super rich ..creamy… flavour filled kheer tasted like our sweet pongal with a twist!!

✴️Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!!!✴️

Tags

Food, India, Indian cuisine, Thoughts

Hey everyone..🙋🏻‍♀️

In these trying times, the only thing keeping us happy and sane are our festivities which are being celebrated in the confines of our homes with family..( hopefully)

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi in India…the festivities continue starting with Krishna janmashtmi and going on till Diwali…

Ganesha Idol at our premises!!!

Here a few reposts talking about this wonderful festival celebrated in honour of our elephant headed adorable god..Ganesha…

Gallivanting with Ganesha

This festival always takes me down memory lane..

Along with the festivities come different varieties of sweets made especially for this festival as our beloved Ganesha loves food..

A festive recipe, simple and easy made by me…Chef Nee..

Rava Laddus!!!

My lil one wishing all a very happy ganesh chaturthi…

Rhea doing the puja…

Stay safe everyone…😊 And remember, don’t look at the moon!!!😊

Don’t look at the moon!!! It’s Ganesh Chaturthi!!!

Kul kuls!!!!

Tags

Food, India, Indian cuisine

Hey everyone 🙋🏻‍♀️

Been a long long time…

Since it’s lockdown in India and am attending hospital for emergency and taking telecalls I get a little free time to cook and bake…made this for the family..

Kul kuls / gala gala or kala kala!!! These crispy crunchy snacks are called by various names in various parts of India…

Me being a South Indian prefer to call them gala galas…
I first came across these as a kid during Christmas season when this particular delicacy along with rose cookies would make an appearance through out Christmas and new year..
I never knew of it’s origin then..Later got to
know it was a Goan/ Manglorean speciality..
My granny taught me how to make these..

I was fascinated as to how the snack derived its shape…

Serrated kul kuls

Like all curled with serrations on the top..kind of crest and troughs…learnt that it’s made with the dough being pressed at the back of a fork..

Getting the shape right!!

The last time I made these was during  2015 Christmas..with my grandmother instructing me on the measurements and the consistency of the dough…

Today as I made them after 4 years I miss my grandma who passed away 3 weeks ago…

I couldn’t even say a proper goodbye to her due to the lockdown…made this in her memory today!!!
Will always miss her!!

Hope to keep posting more regularly…until next time…stay safe!!!🤗🤗🤗

🍒Very Berry!!! #1

Tags

Food, India, Indian cuisine

Kuler chatni

Hey everyone 🙋
Today’s post is a foodie one
With two different recipes in two different posts involving the sour berry, the Indian plum

Jujube- Indian plum

I am a South Indian married to a Bengali, so when I came across this particular recipe I cringed thinking how could anyone make a sweet dish out of something which is supposed to be spicy and sour..
The berries are called Kul in Bengali..Elandapazham in Tamil…Regipandlu in Telugu
(The southern part of India)

A small flashback though..

Having grown up in the south, everyday outside my school just before summer this particular berry used to be sold in carts…All for a meagre 25 paise..
My pocket money used to be one rupee per day, which was a lot in those days..,
I used to buy these for 25/50 paise while walking back home..
The vendor used to drizzle them with salt and chilli powder mix..😋
One had to be cautious while consuming them as they were the residing places of miniature fruit worms..
I know it sucks but one can’t resist eating the good ones though..
We used to get these dried, packeted ones sold for just One rupee…we used to call them BORROMS!!
How the word came into picture I do not know..

So when I first saw my Mil making a sweet dish out of this I quickly pocketed a few to be eaten with salt and chilli powder…yummy yum

Below is the Bengali style recipe Of this yummy berry..

It’s a simple one with variations..I will stick to one taught to me by Mil…

So here we go..

🍒Wash the berries without much pressure on them( they tend to burst open and get gooey)
🍒Gently press each berry to check for fruit worms

Clean the berries

Clockwise…Dried red chillies..Sugar..Black mustard seeds..

🍒Take a wok and add some oil and a tablespoon of black mustard seeds..

🍒Once they splutter add in little turmeric and one or two dry red chillies..( I am using the kashmiri variety here )
Saute them and add in the berries..
🍒Add in sugar and a cup of water depending on the amount of berries

🍒Saute all till you get a thick syrupy consistency

🍒The flavour is that of sweet and sour…Sweet from the sugar and the berries contributing to the sourness

🍒An alternate method would be to add in raw mangoes or even tomatoes to balance out the sweetness..

Do give it a try and let me know how it tasted…Until next time have a great week ahead everyone 🤗🤗🤗