Khandvi Salad

Often we have Indian food on a menu and we are racking our brains for an accompanying salad. Cucumber-tomato-onion-coriander leaves finely chopped or "cuchumbur" seems to be the only option. Then it seems so hackneyed. Yet so refreshing, so classic. But then there is something a bit daily about it. Recently, Sharoon messaged that she had been served an interesting salad at a party and very generously she shared the recipe.

Sharoon enjoys the whole idea called 'food'. A full time corporate careerist and mom, she still finds the time to hunt for recipes, attend cooking classes, plan a cook-along on her trips, visit produce markets, write food books, and of course cook up dishes. I often get a food query, a clarification question from her. And I also often get valuable ideas and suggestions. There are people who live to eat and those who eat to live. Sharoon is clearly a live to eat person. Cheers to that!

Cheers to this recipe too! I served this at a recent home party. Everybody loved it. So, I am sharing a recipe which served 20 odd people. Please adjust proportions when you try to make it.

I took 3 large carrots. Peeled and washed them. Next you have to grate the carrot. Also, wash a medium sized green cabbage and grate it. Then clean a bundle of coriander leaves and chop finely. De-seed 2 green chillies and chop finely. Take 2 limes and juice them. You will also need half a cup of salted peanuts, each peanut needs to be halved longitudinally.

In a warm walk, pour in 11/2 tsp oil. In a minute add a tsp black mustard seeds and about 15 curry leaves. To this add 1 tsp salt and the peanuts. In another minute toss in the vegetables. Stir fry. Add the chillies and the coriander leaves. Toss and stir. Time for lime juice. Mix.

Take about 2 packets of Khandvi and cut them in thin slices. Add to the salad. the Khandvi usually has some seasoning on its body, please use them too. Taste for salt and tang check.

Serve warm or cold. Both taste as good. 

Chilli Prawn Oil

Bengalis are less divided by caste or economic standing than they are by being 'Bangaal' or 'Ghoti'. There is no SOBO vs Suberb or NCR vs New Delhi positioning in people's minds in Kolkata. But there is this refugee from East Bengal even if the family has crossed borders before 1947 versus the homegrown gentry from West Bengal classification which creeps into every introduction. The two aquatic stalwarts which gained brand position to keep the war flag furling are 'Hilsa fish' alias 'Ilish maach' and 'Tiger prawns' alias 'Chingri maach'. 'Bangaals' eat 'Ilish'; 'Ghotis' patronise 'Chingri'. Because the banter in the 20th century is innocuous and because the Bengali person always overeats, everyone eats everything equally delightedly namely 'Ilish', 'Chingri', 'Paapda', 'Rui', 'Bhetki' and more.....

'Ilish" is a seasonal fish. The first recipe which is tried out with the first coveted catch or buy of the year is 'Ilish-er Tel' which is like a flavoured chilli oil. This is mixed with a small portion of rice and this constitutes the first few mouthfuls of the 'Ilish' celebration for the year.

My mother refused to be defeated by seasonality. Why should she have 'maacher-tel' only and only when river Padma bestowes her blessings on us. She concocted a 'Chingri-er tel' coined for your convenience as 'Chilli prawn oil.'

This is what you do. Marinate about a kg of Tiger prawns with its head intact with salt, 11/2 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp turmeric powder. Keep it like this for atleast an hour and a half.

You will need about 6 odd fresh green chillies. Wash and slit them vertically through the centre. In about 4 to 5 tbsp mustard oil once warmed throw in the green chillies. Because they have been slit, they will not sputter and throw up sharp hot seeds. Keep the heat low. In a minute add 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 2 tsp red chilli powder. Within a minute pop in all the prawns and fry in medium heat on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes each. Keep a lid on while you do this. If you feel the oil has got used up, warm another tbsp of hot mustard oil and pour it in. In another minute you are ready. Taste for salt. Mix with white rice and have gold red rice with crunchy spicy prawn.

Ma cooks really well, she makes many prawn variations. But this one has completely won my husband's heart. And his stomach. Now even he who barely cooks has learnt to make this.

One last anecdote. My mom is a 'Bangaal' and my husband is a 'Ghoti'. I told you, the love of fish brings the two close. Not a Bengali for nothing.