Why Grandma adores her bitters is incomprehensible to a nine year old me and an eleven year old Dada. We’ve just learnt in science class at school about the diverse spectrum of flavours, sweet, sour, salty, bitter and the enigmatic umami. And despite us thinking hard and long, we are at a loss to explain why someone would ever relish bitter. How can the mean bittergourd even win in a duel with the luscious mango ? We wonder. Or outperform the sweet sour and salty mango pickle in a contest of flavours ?
And even in the dark and murky world of bitter, there’s a hallowed gradient – bitter, more bitter and the most despicable bitter.
Korola (bittergourd) would, for example, pass off as bitter. So would shojne phool (moringa flowers).
Uchhe (the smaller cousin of korola), polta pata (the leaves of the pointed gourd / potol vine) and shiuli pata (leaves of the parijat tree) would perhaps classify as more bitter.
While, neem pata (neem leaves) and gime shaak (apologies, have no clue whats the English name for these greens) would inhabit those rarefied echelons of bitter that only Grandma and Maa, (maybe Bapi at times, only when coaxed to doing so by Grandma), would dare to venture in.
I have, over time, with utmost difficulty, made peace with korola. In fact I have almost begun to relish crispy fried bittergourd. Or shojne phool that Maa cooks with potatoes or steams with posto. (poppy seed paste) And the bitter-sweet shukto that Grandma prepares on weekends when Bapis hectic schedule allows him a breather and he can savour lunch at home.
Dada continues to struggle though. And despite all the rebukes and reprimands from Bapi and Maa, cannot overcome his aversion to bitter.
And on one mellow spring-turning-to-summer morning, Didi returns with a bunch of fresh polta pata from the neighbourhood. Grandma is overjoyed. polta pata is fiercely seasonal and it’s not everyday you are lucky to get such tender leaves freshly plucked straight off the vine.
Dada of course doesn’t share the same enthusiasm.
I am more neutral though, I confide in Dada, if it’s not the despicable category, I am open to trying whatsoever Grandma is about to prepare with these leaves. He gives me a look. (If looks could kill, this surely would have been murder !!)
And Grandma proceeds to fry fritters with the polta pata.
I try one.
The delicious crunch and the heat of the chilli soon give way to a bitter undertone.
I make a face.
Have a gulp of water, Grandma advises.
And magically the bitter dissolves into a mellow sweet taste that envelopes the palate.
That was sheer genius, I exclaim in delight.
Grandma smiles.
Half the fritters disappear in the Polta patar borar shukto that Grandma whips up.
Bitter-sweet with a medley of vegetables and an alluring fragrance of radhuni and ghee.
Another addendum to my slowly growing list of bitter that I am beginning to relish.
What about Dada ? You might be wondering.
Well, even Grandmas persuasion cannot get him to try the polta patar borar shukto. He remains dogged in his resolve to stay away from anything that is remotely bitter.
And Grandma ? She is not one to yield so easily.
What does she do ?
Well, read my next story to know.
Polta Patar Borar Shukto
Ingredients
For polta patar bora
- 20-25 tender polta pata or pointed gourd leaves washed and drained
- 1/3 cup motor dal
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- salt to taste
- oil for frying
For the shukto masala
- 1.5 tsp panchforan
- 1 tsp radhuni or celery seeds
- 2-3 bay leaves
For shukto
- 1 medium green banana cut into 2” long batons
- 1 medium brinjal cut into 2” long batons
- 1 medium sweet potato cut into 2” long batons
- 4-5 potol or pointed gourd peeled and cut into longitudinal halves
- 1/2 tsp panchforan
- 1/2 tsp radhuni or celery seeds
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
- salt to taste
- sugar to taste
Instructions
For polta patar bora
- Soak the motor dal overnight. Wash, drain from water. Make a smooth paste with very little water. Give it a hearty whip.
- Finely chop the polta pata. Add to the chopped leaves the motor dal paste, rice flour and a little salt .
- Give it all a good mix. Add a splash of water if needed to make the batter.
- Heat the oil in a kadhai. Take a small amount of the batter and release carefully into the oil.
- Fry the bora till golden brown. Repeat for the rest of the batter. Keep over a kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.
For the shukto masala
- Lightly dry roast the panchforan and 2 bay leaves. Once cooled down, add the radhuni. Grind to a coarse powder. Keep aside.
For the shukto
- Soak the sesame seeds in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain, make a fine paste with a little water. Keep aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadhai, fry the brinjal pieces till light brown. Keep it aside.
- Add the remaining oil in the kadai, add 1/2 tbsp of ghee, when smoking hot add 1/2 tsp panchforan, 1/2 tsp radhuni and the bay leaves . Allow the spices to splutter.
- Throw in the raw bananas, sweet potatoes and pointed gourds. Sprinkle a little salt, sauté for 8-10 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the ginger paste (keep 1 tsp of ginger paste aside for later use) and sesame seed paste, continue to cook for another minute or two.
- Add 2.5 cups warm water, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or when the vegetables are almost done .
- Add the fried brinjal, sprinkle in half the shukto masala and cook till the vegetables are tender .
- Throw in the palta pata fritters, add a sprinkle of sugar, adjust seasonings. Simmer over low flame for another 5-7 minutes. Once you get the desired consistency, switch off the flame.
- Add the remaining 1 tsp of ginger paste, the rest of the shukto masala and a generous dollop of ghee . Cover and keep aside.
- Allow it to cool to to room temperature. Serve with steamed rice .
Leave a Reply