My Plate Meal
This is a story of the past and the present. Mousomi Chakravorty shares her childhood memories which helped her to cook in the present times. She also shares her own ‘my plate meal’ this festive season.
Well though the definition would be, a plate that is equally divided into four sections mainly proteins, fruits, vegetables and starchy food or Healthy Balanced Diet.
I often convince myself that rules are not broken here, it’s equally healthy which allows me to implement my ideas in my own ‘My Plate Meal’. Encouraged by my family and friends, try to make my plate colourful or possibly self-indulgent .Also since, I have never learned to cook or been taught to cook; I have learnt mostly by seeing my grandma (Thamma), Maa and Maya Didi .
The fond memories of my grandma planning a day meal, usually used to start by picking fresh herbs, vegetables from the kitchen garden. She used to spend hours cooking from scratch and had some amazing unique recipes as for example Niramish shob shobji(Mixed vegetables), wheat flour mixed with water was added in the end to make it a thick curry, Chanar Dal er Bora R Tok (fritters made from Bengal gramin a sweet and sour curry), Ajanta Paneer (cottage cheese) curry without using any usual ingredients like onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes and many more such amazing recipes.
That also reminds me that every evening, she would go to meet her friends in the neighbourhood and would often carry a box with tasty delights for them. She died peacefully when I was 11, perhaps already by then. Genetic traits were passed on to me. Maa is more of a cook only by necessity, still has her own recipes of Parathas(Indian Bread), Bread Chop (an amazing, powdered mix of spices; that she uses), Punjabi Chicken curry (less spices but more tomatoes) and so much more exciting and easy dinners. Maya Didi has this amazing skill of cutting vegetables especially the green leafy vegetables, banana flower, green papaya, raw jackfruit, which I think adds so much to the dish.
The most messy and time consuming part of cooking a balanced hearty meal in Eastern Part of India is cutting and cleaning fish mainly small fish (Moka, Puthi). Though was always forbidden to sit and watch Maya Didi (I can still hear in background-Mum saying to me Naa Porashuna korar excuse) doing the job, I still would plead her to keep some for me to practice later. The fish monger in the Birmingham Indoor Fish market should read this article and hopefully will understand where I am coming from.
Just like Science practical lessons, I saw them doing things and learnt to cook in my own way. It goes without saying, that I have tried to incorporate into ‘My Plate meal’, recipes from different parts of India and other parts of the world that interests me or closely relates to my choice of spices and flavour of a food item.
Festive season is on, and hence thought of sharing some ‘My Plate Meal’ ideas .These are ideas only, simple, and flavoursome and allows anyone to make their own fusion of food/recipes on a plate . My plate meal, do not count the number of calories or go by any set rules and hence readers might find them quite experimentaland critical.
Goan pork sausages replaced with Spanish Chorizo, Tomato Rice, Boiled Chickpea salad and Prawns (marinated with lime juice and any Indian spices of choice, coated and fried with semolina).
Persian Chicken wings and roast potatoes (marinated with saffron, garlic, yoghurt, lime, pepper), Rice (Zeera Rice).
Roast Chicken (marinated with lemon and Indian spices of choice), roast baby potatoes and baby carrots and Spicy rice. Olives is quite frequent for me in my salad as it reminds me of Jolpai (Assam’s Olives).
Tuna Fish cakes (proudly can say these fish cakes are very popular amongst my family and friends). I picked that up during my school holidays In Duliajan, Assam. My aunty who isn’t a fan of dried fish (Shutki Mach) would often request me to make Tuna fish (tinned). In London, few times in SriLankan restaurant, I would often come across to taste fish cakes and made my own version of this snack. Tandoori chicken wings, Bhindi (okra) Kurkure and Scotch egg (boiled egg wrapped in spicy coating of potatoes and minced chicken instead of sausage meat).
I am sure this plate needs no description except Ridge gourd vegetable is (replaced with Courgettes). Drumsticks with squash, prawns just tempered in curry leaves, paneer fried with spinach.
Happy Festive Times!!!!
What's Your Reaction?
Loved every bit of it! Your plating is amazing, so is the vivid making!
Thank You!!!!