Thor Chhechhki

Banana pith (known as thor in bengali) is an useful part of the banana tree (stem) which is believed to remove kidney stones.

In previous days, a typical menu in bengali cuisine served during lunch time will have delicious recipes made from various parts of the banana plant like banana stem (thor chhechhki) and banana flowers (mochar ghonto). Cooking thor recipe is easy but the cutting takes a little time and patience.

Because of our busy and hectic schedules, it becomes difficult to prepare these recipes on daily basis unlike other vegetables. But if you know the proper technique and have enough time in your hand, you can definitely give this recipe of Thor Chhechhki a try.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 thor (banana pith)
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar (to taste)

Procedure:

1. Remove the outer covering to get the core inner portion known as the pith.
2. Cut the thor / banana pith into circular slices and keep on removing the intervening fibers (oil your hand otherwise it may feel sticky).
3. Soak the slices immediately in water to avoid browning.
4. Cut the slices to fine pieces and again soak in water for 5-10 mins. Drain the excess water. (Press with hand to squeeze all the remaining water).
5. Take a kadhai / frying pan and heat oil. Put mustard seeds and slit green chillies and let them splutter.
6. Add the sliced onions and saut� till light brown (If you want a strictly vegetarian dish, omit the onions).
7. Slowly release the finely sliced thor in the kadhai. Stir fry for 2-3 mins.
8. Add sugar and salt. Add a little water if required.
9. Cover and cook till the thor is tender and cooked thoroughly. Remove from fire.
10. Transfer to a serving bowl / plate. Serve hot with plain rice and daal.

Parantha

Parantha (Paratha / Parota) is a popular food item that can be eaten at breakfast / lunch / dinner. Paranthas are basically of two main types: 1) Stuffed Paranthas and 2) Plain Paranthas.
Each State of India have some special way of preparing these paranthas, the basic methodology remaining the same (The difference is only in the way each stuffing is prepared and in the rolling process).

Paranthas are mostly a North Indian speciality incluidng some mouth watering paranthas from Gujarat and Rajasthan as well. Rice being the staple food for Eastern India (Bengalis), paranthas have become a delicacy which are prepared on special occasions like festivals / rituals etc.

Non-stuffed paranthas are usually made from wheat flour / chappati flour (flour made from whole wheat) and normally layered. The dough is rolled out and brushed with ghee, folded and brushed with ghee again and folded several times to get the requisite shape (triangular / square / spiral). The final rolled out dough is palced on a hot tawa / griddle. As the parantha is cooked, the steam puffs up separating the layers. (This technique is used in making puff pastry patties, known as flakiness).

Here is the recipe for Plain Parantha (Triangular shaped)

Ingredients:

• 1 � cups wheat flour (atta)
• 1 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1 � cups water (as required)
• 1 tbsp white oil (for dough)
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 cup wheat flour (for dusting to roll out dough)
• white oil, for frying

Preparing the dough:

1. Take a flat bottomed utensil and sift wheat flour & plain flour. Add a little salt. Mix well.
2. Add white oil. Slowly add water, mixing after each addition.
3. Knead the flour thoroughly to form a smooth dough. Add 2-3 drops of oil if required (Stop adding water or else dough will become wet & sticky).
4. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel. Allow to rest for 1 hour.

Rolling out the dough:

1. To make triangular-shaped paranthas, divide the dough into small round balls (the balls will be slightly thicker than balls made for ordinary chapati / roti).
2. Take a rolling broad and dust the board with a little flour.
3. With a rolling pin, roll out one of the small ball to form a circular shaped parantha (similar to rolling out a chapati / roti).
4. Fold in half to from a crescent shape.
5. Dust the parantha with wheat flour and again fold to form a triangle shape. Press the corner with fingers and seal the edges well.
6. Roll the triangular shaped dough into a large, flat triangular shaped parantha.
7. Roll out evenly with the edges slightly thinner to ensure uniform cooking.

Method of cooking the rolled out dough:

1. Preheat a tawa / griddle over medium heat (Don�t place the parantha on a cold tawa, or else it will stick).
2. Place the triangular rolled out dough on tawa.
3. When the color changes on the top, flip to the other side.
4. Apply 1 tsp of white oil, coat the paratntha and flip over.
5. Repeat the process of brushing the parantha with oil on the other side.
6. Keep flipping it over till both sides are evenly browned and spots appear on the parantha (Do not fry too much or the parantha will blackened patches).
7. Serve hot with curries and pickles. (To keep the final paranthas warm, place them in a towel lined casserole and fold over the sides of the towel).

Lal Shak Bhaja

The chief sources of Vitamin A are green leafy vegetables including taro black/green arum leaves (kalo / shobuz kochu shak), helencha shak, drumstick leaves (sajina shak), indian spinach (pui shak), bottle gourd leaf (lau shak), jute leaves (pat shak), amaranth red leaf (lal shak) and spinach (palak).

No authentic Bengali cuisine is served without a dish of shak bhaja (which is eaten first).

Here is the recipe for lal shak bhaja.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches � fresh laal shak (red amaranth)
• 1 tbsp whole black mustard seeds
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp poppy seeds (posto)
• 1 � tsp oil, for frying

Garnish:

• 10-12 chhoto bori bhaja (optional)
• 1 tsp coconut, grated (optional)
• 10-12 peanuts, roasted (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash, clean the laal shak thoroughly and finely chop the shak, only leaves and soft branches just above the hard roots.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai / non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3. Lower the flame, add chopped shak and stir fry.
4. Add salt and sugar. (Remember shak do not absorb salt, so be careful while adding salt or else the dish will be too much salty).
5. Cook in medium flame. Stir fry till salt & sugar are completely absorbed.
6. (You do not have to add water as water will be released from shak, and it will be cooked in that water only).
7. Cover the kadhai / pan, reduce the flame and simmer.
8. Check from time to time and stir occasionally so that the shak do not stick to the bottom of the kadhai / pan.
9. Cook till the shak is tender and done. Dry the excess water.
10. Sprinkle poppy seeds, mix and remove from fire.
11. Garnish with either bhaja bori / grated coconut / peanuts (as desired).
12. Serve hot with steamed rice.