Mom's Whistling Kettle and tea-time chats

When I grew up in Kolkata in early '70s, whenever there was an invitation for community meal, some wedding, or some other occasion to celebrate, meals were served on Banana leaves, washed, cleaned and wiped dry(desirably) by the most unskilled member in the cooking team. There were no buffet arrangements per se, and mostly meals were served to hungry invitees, sitting in rows on row tables and folding wooden chairs. Believe you me, it was usually messy, with your dal flowing into your next sabji and sometimes even jumping out of the leaf onto the precious dress used only for big occasions. Never ever did we realise Banana leaves were eco friendly as well as the most hygenic option, if cleaned well. And generations of people migrated to organised catering services, serving food in variety of dinnerware. The waterglasses made of terracotta gave way to re-usable glasses, and as independent citizens, Bengalees slowly started prefering to exercise their choice and therefore enjoying b...

My unaccounted for absence from nurturing my own blog is unpardonable. I am fully aware of my faults and follies. Even then, Bengali New Year is occasion enough to share my thoughts, my experiments in kitchen and then either feel good at my successes or be sad. But as I am celebrating Nabonbarsho, I am committed to feel happy and bring a wide green on your faces as well. These days I am training myself to create menus with sole consideration of the stockpile in my refrigerator and freezer. Hence, while struggling to imagine something new with the ordinary cuts of a whole bhetki fish, frozen and lying to get used up in my freezer, I decided to try out Bhetki r paturi in Convection mode. But, in Gurgaon, the erstwhile Gurugram, that Duryodhana had gifted his Guru Dronacharya, locating plantain plants is difficult. In these moments of true Bong crisis with food, I was desperate to hoot the one and only vendor selling in DLF...By the way he sells a leaf for Rs 75. Hence, ventured to bas...