Romancing The Rains

Team Chronicle

Monsoon in Calcutta means a wet, soggy day, severe water logging and slow traffic. But your day or evening can perk up with a variety of fritters, khichuri and piping hot rasam. So as the thunders roll at a distance and the rains threaten to flood your driveway, don’t forget to enjoy our monsoon recipes.

I still remember the rainstorms that hit our family home at Calcutta in the months of July and August. The hot humid summer at last gave way to thundering storms, drizzles and then heavy rains and lightning. How I looked forward to the onset of the monsoon. The blue sky covered by angry looking dark clouds, the whistling wind, the roll of thunder and the sudden streak of light – all prepared us for the advent of the rain Gods. I retreated indoors and made a beeline for the kitchen where I knew grandmother would be busy rustling up magical monsoon treats. Years later, I find our city – a melting pot of various culture and cuisines, has so much to offer by way of food in the monsoon!

We start off with the Bengali bhadrolok’s menu for a rainy day. Breakfast must necessarily mean hot, plump luchis and spicy golden aloor dom. Khichuri, a comfort food tops the lunch list, along with a selection of piping-hot bhajas or fritters. Beguni, potuli, peyaji, kumro- phool bhaja, aloo bhaja, and of course, sizzling machh-bhaja (large chunks of crisply-fried fish). On special days, the humble machh-bhaja will give way to a more chic, Westernised fish roll. All this, with generous dollops of melting ghee, sour pickles, sweet chutneys and papad set of with the lowly khichuri turn this simple meal into a gastronomical experience. Of course, such comfort food necessitates an afternoon siesta. Evenings are spent sipping steaming cups of Darjeeling tea, and snacking on assorted telebhajas.

The Gujaratis, Marwaris and Punjabis have their own selection of sinfully delicious monsoon treats. I adore their dhoklas, khandvi, daal bhatti churma, pakoras, tandoori chicken and stuffed parathas weighed down with dollops of white butter. Crunchy, spicy, absolutely superb!

The Chinese offer hearty soups, terrific noodles and fish ball curry. How can we forget the delightful momos of the north-east? Or even the heavenly Khao Suey of Burmese fame? Let us not leave out our fellow Calcuttans, who serve lip-smacking chutneys and fiery rasams with dosas and appams.

The cake is taken by our Anglo-Indian friends, who dish out French fries, crispy fried chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, bread fry and banana eggs, as also nachos and masala peanuts – great to curl up on the couch for a heavenly snack!

Here are a few of monsoon recipes. Try them out on a wet day and write in to us about your experiences.

SHORT – CUT RASAM
Tomatoes – 3 /4 , coriander leaves – 1/2 cup, pepper – 1 tbsp,  cumin seeds – 1 tbsp, red chili – 1, salt, curry leaves 1/4 cup. Grind all ingredients together to a fine paste. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Remove from flame and season with mustard seeds in ghee. This can be served with rice or had as a soup.

BURMESE KHAO SUEY

200 gms egg noodles or spaghetti, 1½ teacups mixed boiled vegetables (French beans, carrots, cauliflower, green peas), 2 tomatoes, chopped, 4 tbsp powdered roasted gram dal, 600 ml of coconut milk, 1 onion chopped, 4 tbsp oil, salt.  Paste of 4 tsp coriander seeds, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 12 red chillies and 1-inch ginger. Garnish – 100 gms sev, 4 chopped spring onions, ½ teacup chopped coriander, 2 onion chopped, 12 cloves garlic chopped, 3 sliced onions, juice of 3 lemons, salt.

½ kg chicken cubes [optional]
Boil noodles. Prepare paste in a mixer. Heat oil and sauté onion.  Add paste and sauté again. Add tomatoes and sauté again for 2 minutes. Add chicken. Add coconut milk, boiled vegetables, powder gram, dal and salt. Simmer the gravy for 35 minutes.

Transfer noodles to individual dishes. Pour gravy over the noodles. Add garnishes. Squeeze on fresh lime juice, sprinkle with salt and chilly powder to taste. It’s ready to eat!

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN
30 salted crackers, 4 tbsp flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 egg, 1/4 cup oil, 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed. Place crackers in large plastic bag. Crush until they are coarse crumbs. Add flour, salt and pepper to bag and mix well. Beat egg in a shallow dish; heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dip chicken pieces in egg, then place in bag with crumb mixture, seal bag and shake to coat. Reduce heat to medium and cook coated chicken in skillet for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently, until golden brown and juices run clear.