#food #foodlover #happytimes #eatresponsibly #ofmindsandmoments #durgapujo #foodie #foodstagram #foodlover #foodtodiefor #kochurloti #ilish #loveforfood
When I was contemplating on the idea of starting up my blog in early March of 2021, I was juggling with different ideas. I usually discuss a thing or two with a very close few..
The very very few people that I talk with had given me ideas… they told me to write about my travels and the funny experiences… or to write about daily grinds… or… blah blah blah blah… the idea of a food blog had also come up… and I was like… “In your dreams Dude !” ….
OK… Maybe not the DUDE part !!
But I never ever gave this idea a second thought of writing a food blog !
And Yet here I am… writing about something as mundanely unique as KOCHU r LOTI !!
With Durga Pujo just around the corner… it’s a happy feeling everywhere. Yet, with the ongoing crazy situation, everything has gone haywire. .. This year particularly I am having mixed feelings about everything.
Last year was particularly a bad one with no Durga Pujo .. no Pandal hopping… No wearing sarees… no going out… No Pushpanjoli… no dhaak… no dhunuchi… The very first time ever in life… It was a really difficult phase for all..
The worst being Durga Pujo taking an online dip !!!!
Horrendous !!!
This year too looked grim… but things started looking up when I got to know that Pujo is HAPPENING in our area and myself becoming an active member of our local Association… things took a happy happy turn.
Also got a membership of the biggest association in our area. … an added happiness…
So.. No nostalgia.. no missing out on the dhaak er taal inside my heart… no missing out nothing on Shorot.. Shiuli… Kashful… (though not available here) … yet so fresh in my memory lanes…
OH !!... how I would love to get lost in those nostalgic smells of pure freshness… back in my dad’s village… back in the simple lively life… back to innocence … back to when nothing mattered… back to when I was so complete and my heart was not broken…….
……………………………………………
None-the-less…. Coming back to my immediate happiness… Kochur Loti… which I got from the local vegetable market…
All thanks to Rafik and Shimul for literally hiding a bunch for me !!!
It seemed like a trophy after getting my 2nd jab of Covidshield ! YAY !!
So happy was I with my prize that I never asked Shimul the cost.. I just hid it again inside my
… “Bajar er THOLI “ ….
On my way back home I was already savouring the idea of Ilish mach er mathe diye Kochur loti…
WOW .. A Delicacy… rare in Mumbai… two thousand miles away from home…
I am sure my MA cooked such stuff…
But honestly I have no memory of kochur loti from
…my childhood…
...my teenhood…
...my pre-adulthood…
...my early marraigehood…
...my everhood…
...or my neighbourhood ……. !!!
The Ilish mach er matha… already languishing in my freezer suddenly seemed so precious …. My mind was racing through my stock of onions and garlic and all other stuff…
…. And another super exotic savory that I got today… a BIG TAAL… I almost sang to myself…
… my dil goes…. Ummmmmmmmmmmm …..
Now ..now… Taal… and Taal er bora… Taal kheer… and all associated stuff….
…Will definitely make me a food blogger…. But later….
This bog is slave to Kochur loti.. !
Suddenly I had this enormously relaxing idea of throwing out every other thing and become minimalistic in life… and stick to basics… exotic basics … wow… life is simple when you get your hands on the things you’ve been longing for years… and suddenly you have it…
…. right in front of eyes….
…alluring-ly only yours….
…. making way inside my tholi ……
My Ma must have cooked it with kucho chingri… or in her favourite niramish style… but Ilish matha is a completely different level !
Google tells me that Kochur Loti is nothing but Colocasia stem/shoots .. and it requires special technique of cooking to remove crystals of calcium oxalate….
WOW… such exotic way of saying….
…… bhapiye jol phele dao….. !!!!!
Anyway … I am not here to share any recepie of kochur loti … but the final product which has come out… is utterly absolutely delicious… .. the look of it… the feel of it… the irresistible attraction of it….
I am not boasting of being a good cook… I am not….
I still look up at recepies and find out about easy process and tricks..
...or call up MA every now and then to find out about making a certain thing…
BUT guys… this ilish matha diye kochur loti… has turned out something to die for…
...My day is happy…
…my heart with all its broken pieces at peace…
……my tummy sleepy and …
…..my head in harmony ….
Off to catch up with some …. Bhaat Ghum …. And make up little for those terrible insomnia which gives me company at night …
On a sleepy note … : since Durga pujo is less than a month away… and we know it is very important to eat good food… because that IS in itself a celebration…. We all have plans for savouring some really delicious dishes during the pujo… that is … if you are stuck at home…
….some home cooked narkol diye cholar dal and aloor dom..with sada luchi..
…..or a labra and khichuri with khejur diye tomato chutney…
…..or basonti polao with kosha mangsho…
….or simply mixed fried rice with chili chicken…
The list can be endless … if you love to cook and eat… that is .. !!
Or if you have a steel heart… and iron arms… I am sure you will be out there during pujo… with the lost memory of savoring mochar chop… chingri mach er chop… cutlets… and biriyanis….
Or waiting behind the umpteen people for that PHUCHKA …. Ooooo laaa laaaa…..
…… dada… r ektu gondhoraj lebu r jhal din… !!!! remember ..?
Or given to pandemic situations…. Would you people love to drool in
…. Mainland China..? or Sigri…. Or Maharashtra Lunch home… … or Oh Calcutta ….
Or…. Simply Home sweet Home…. With some kochur loti… in whichever way you want.. !!
Wishing everyone a Happy Durga Pujo 2021.
Enjoy safely.