When I got married I know nothing about cooking except for “A La Maggi" dish. I guess many of you would discount it as even cooking. Nevertheless my father has been very proud of that fact. So much so that when my in-laws visited us for the first time (ours is an arranged marriage) , my father proudly declared that I could whip up Maggi quite well on being asked whether I could cook or not.
This family I am married into is a "Bangal" family (Bengali families who have migrated from Bangladesh). Bangals are widely reputed as foodies. Each and every member of my in-law family is a true "Bangal" in that sense. When they gather around on any occasion, they usually swap new recipes right after exchanging pleasantries.
So you could understand very well how shaken my mother-in-law was that time, imagining my prospective culinary capabilities. Anyway it is a long ride after that on the culinary express. The ride has been equally terrific and stressful.
Terrific in the sense that it gives me a sense of achievement after six long toiling years when my mum-in-law (particularly) and others (generally) relishes the Bengali meals I prepare these days.
Stressful it was in many respects.
Stressful because we (me and my husband) relocated to Delhi right after our marriage, far away from Kolkata, the sanctuary of plentiful “Rannar Mashis”.
Stressful because in those days “Dhone GNuro” (Corriander powder) and “Jire GNuro” (Cumin powder) played regular trick on me and the vegetables exploited every opportunity to burn themselves down to charcoal.
Stressful because we had to survive on our kind neighbour “Gupta Aunty’s Rajma” and “Celebration restaurant’s Tandoori Chiken” for weeks on end………
So as I found this medium of blogging, I thought it as an excellent way to document what I have learnt about Bengali Cuisine. It would help me recount those memories once more.
Who knows someday somewhere this blog may even cheer up another young naïve cooking-illiterate Bengali girl who has a bad day in kitchen with her burnt down vegetables and her over salted fish curry.
This family I am married into is a "Bangal" family (Bengali families who have migrated from Bangladesh). Bangals are widely reputed as foodies. Each and every member of my in-law family is a true "Bangal" in that sense. When they gather around on any occasion, they usually swap new recipes right after exchanging pleasantries.
So you could understand very well how shaken my mother-in-law was that time, imagining my prospective culinary capabilities. Anyway it is a long ride after that on the culinary express. The ride has been equally terrific and stressful.
Terrific in the sense that it gives me a sense of achievement after six long toiling years when my mum-in-law (particularly) and others (generally) relishes the Bengali meals I prepare these days.
Stressful it was in many respects.
Stressful because we (me and my husband) relocated to Delhi right after our marriage, far away from Kolkata, the sanctuary of plentiful “Rannar Mashis”.
Stressful because in those days “Dhone GNuro” (Corriander powder) and “Jire GNuro” (Cumin powder) played regular trick on me and the vegetables exploited every opportunity to burn themselves down to charcoal.
Stressful because we had to survive on our kind neighbour “Gupta Aunty’s Rajma” and “Celebration restaurant’s Tandoori Chiken” for weeks on end………
So as I found this medium of blogging, I thought it as an excellent way to document what I have learnt about Bengali Cuisine. It would help me recount those memories once more.
Who knows someday somewhere this blog may even cheer up another young naïve cooking-illiterate Bengali girl who has a bad day in kitchen with her burnt down vegetables and her over salted fish curry.
2 comments:
Kutus,recipe aar shortcutgulo likhe jaan.Pore rondhonshalae printout niye khunti nara jaabe.
Obossoi Bishu,khub siggiri short cut recipe post korte cheshta korchi. thanks for posting the comment.
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