I wake up to the pitter-patter of raindrops on my window pane.
A grey morning.
A truant sun playing bo-peep with the melancholy clouds.
A desultory drizzle.
The heady fragrance of the wet earth.
Drenched pigeons.
Obfuscated horizons.
Kalidas‘ messenger, I idly ruminate, following the trail of a lonely cloud lazily drifting across the ashen-grey sky, carrying a message from a pining lover to his lovelorn beau.
I draw open the windows.
Welcome the mellow breeze in.
Crane my neck out.
Allow the carefree wind to play with my locks.
Stretch my palm out to feel a droplet of rain.
I return to childhood.
Miyan ki Malhar wafts in, Pandit Chaurasia’s flute romancing the rains.
The newspaper boy cycles by wearily, his stack of morning dailies carefully sheathed in layers of shocking sky-blue plastic.
A school bus, painted a garish yellow, trundles past, deluging the newspaper boy. He scoffs in disdain. The driver honks.
The auto rickshaws start to congregate at the nearby stand, makeshift plastic curtains sheltering the passenger seat from the mischievous drizzle.
It’s the rains and me this time-stops-still morning. Me and the rains.
And lunch this morning, when the ringing mobile finally shakes me out of stupor, is a rustic Tangra maachher chorchori. Earthy, yet delicious.
Tangra maachher chorchori. Gorgeous Tangra Maachh. A medley of vegetables. A splutter of kalonji. The fire of chillies. A generous drizzle of mustard oil.
To go with piping hot rice.
Exactly what I yearn for on a rain-soaked morning !!!
And if you enjoy your Tangra Maachh as much as I do, my Tangra Posto is a must-try as well !!!
Enjoy !!!
Tangra Maachher Chorchori (Tangra Maachh Cooked with a Medley of Vegetables)
Ingredients
- 7-8 small sized tangra maach
- 1/2 small eggplant cut into medium sized cubes
- 50 g pumpkin cut into medium sized cubes
- 1 radish cut into medium sized cubes
- 1 jhinge or ridgegourd peeled and cut into medium sized cubes
- 5-6 sheem or flat beans halved
- 1 big onion roughly chopped
- 1 tomato finely chopped
- 3-4 green chillies slit
- 2 tsp mustard paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp kalonji or nigella seeds
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2.5 tbsp mustard oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan, fry the eggplant cubes. Keep aside on kitchen absorbent towel.
- Marinate the fish with salt, a pinch of turmeric and 1 tsp of mustard oil. (The mustard oil ensures the fish doesn't splutter naughtily when dipped in hot oil ? ) Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the fish (Please don't over-fry as the fish can get stiff). Keep aside.
- Add the remaining oil to the same pan, when smoking hot, throw in the kalonji, allow the seeds to splutter. Add the chopped onions. Fry till golden brown.
- Now throw in the pumpkins and radish. Saute for a couple of minutes.
- Sprinkle the turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt, add the green chillies, give it a hearty stir. Cover and cook over a medium flame for another 5-7 minutes.
- Now add the ridgegourd, sheem and fried eggplant cubes. Splash a little water as and when needed if it is getting a bit too dry and threatening to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook till the vegetables are tender.
- Add the fried fish, mustard paste, toss gently. Adjust seasonings and cook for a final 4-5 odd minutes over a low flame.
- Finish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.
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