September is the month Ma left us 11 years back. Yet, the taste of her cooking remains vivid in our memory. If anyone could create magic in the kitchen, it was her.
No one could cook chhanar dalna as divinely as her. Or dhokar dalna. Or bodar torkari. She used to grind soaked chana or motor dal herself on the grinding stone (shil nora). No readymade mixes, or even mixer grinder stuff for her. Of course, when age finally caught up with her, she reluctantly agreed to using the mixie only for grinding dal or peas.
Her koraishutir chop still remains my favourite snack.
She made chhana after curdling a litre of milk with lemon juice.
No store-bought paneer for her. And what divine taste that dalna had. She even ground ginger herself, mixed it lovingly with masalas and created magic. And her motor ghugni could beat any non-veg curry in taste!
Then there was her signature fish fry that could outdo any glam fish n chip or diamond fish fry in expensive restaurants. No one could cook mutton curry so simply as her. We would wait impatiently for the pressure cooker to let out it's last whistle. The aroma that spread in the house was unforgettable.
Chicken biryani could be made brilliantly in a pressure cooker - one had to taste hers to believe it.
She made chingri malaikari without onion or garlic. Melting in the mouth with the creaminess of fresh coconut milk - it was sheer foodie heaven!
And yes, after scraping the coconut herself, then squeezing fresh milk. No short cuts for her.
And the memory of her alu bukhara chutney can still make me salivate. Ilish r tok could give bangal kitchens a run for their money.
They don't make them like her anymore. Spending the entire life caring and cooking for family, expecting just love and appreciation in return.
#maerranna #momsmagic #mascooking #masspeciality
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