Here is an real easy recipe for a very fulfilling snack or meal. Some cooked fish and then add “whatever” you want, some spice for a kick and you have these crispy, flaky patties.

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A hearty stew, with a medley of fragrant spices that is surely going to warm your soul and stomach!
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A plain old lentil soup, can bring immense comfort sometimes.

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More produce from my backyard. A few showers last month rejuvenated the plants & they are happy. It is Methi/Fenugreek & Tomatoes this time.

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The Shak/Shaag (any leafy green) Bhaja (Stir fried or deep fried) is a big part of the Bengali/East Indian Cuisine. Back home, if I was having a typical Bengali meal, I do not recollect a single day that went without some kind of leafy green, & unlike many kids I would love every preparation of the Shak.

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We have a very dear friend who has helped me invigorate my kitchen with a very steady supply of Rosemary. He owns two big bushes, & all I have to do is call him to get a bagful of fresh Rosemary. Who can resist cooking with fresh herbs as aromatic as Rosemary?

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My two girls are growing up too fast. One turns 8 next week, the other one is still our 3 year old “baby”. I feel I am still not ready to let go of the world of fairies & princess. It is a kind of cocoon, a shelter to be living in this bliss. All the notes to the tooth fairy have been carefully tucked away ( the “tooth fairy” sometimes forgets to take her tooth, but leaves the gift.. so it is not a fair deal…)..

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This dal is one of my comfort foods. Every time I make it, the sound of the sizzling spice & the aroma reminds me of home, of my childhood…. Masoor dal used to be a staple food for me – for I rarely would want to try any other dal. Why? Because I love the flavor these special spices cooked in Mustard Oil- yes that is what is used to season this dal. If you are not aware, traditionally most of the recipes in Bengal use mustard oil for cooking. It cannot be denied that the flavor that mustard oil adds can not be replaced with any other subsitute. To season this recipe, you would need a very little of the oil- & I would warn that this would not taste the same without this particular combination of  Mustard Oil & the Panch Foron (very commonly used spice mix in Bengal to temper lentils & vegetables….I have explained that later in the post).

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Dal(Lentil) paratha/flat bread is something which I learned from my grandmother. My grandparents lived only a few minutes away from our home. And it would be often that my grandpa would walk by with a bag of hot, freshly made parathas and a bunch of flowers for me.

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