"A Saturday Chronicle" - Diary 1

Usually I make a lazy start to any Saturday, but today I woke up to my dream … infact I should call it a nightmare which I had no absolute recollection. Doh !!

While the fluctuating weather of Melbourne was still blowing chills to everyone, I decided to have a day for myself, a day full of fun, a day spent on “doing-things-I-like-the most”.

The morning was tough to get my head around things with the nightmare still banging my head, so I had to sit down to listen to my favorite “Karunesh” tracks. I take my Bose headphones to get the complete effect and create an ambiance with my lovely warm Yankee candles… Sets the mood and feels so good!!

TOTAL BLISS !!!!!!!!!

With a good start now, I thought of indulging myself to some reading as I sip my morning tea. Well, "Rabindra Rachanaboli" (Timeless collection of Tagore) is my all time fav when it comes to intense reading. So I took it out of my bookshelf and piled up my Samsad Bengali dictionary on top f it (when I get stuck with those teeth-clenching Bengali words, Samsad comes to my rescue). My notebook to jot my thoughts as I read and a novel to spend my lazy afternoon - Should be all for the day ~

While I was reading I could smell spicy-nicy chhole from my neighbour’s kitchen, and that kinda tickled my culinary hormones. (wicked smile….) Now that is what I called DISTRACTION ... LOL

But only realised that I haven’t been to the supermarket this week. All I could get from my pantry is toor dal, frozen peas, asian chillies, greek yoghurt, 4 eggs, 4 tomatoes and 1 onion – I smiled to myself and said “tateyi hobe” (Should be all)…

So the lunch was “bhorpur” (as hubby says – means complete) with a' la Chondryma de fiesta menu –

1. Toor dal with frozen peas
2. Dim er jhaal with onion and asian chilly
3. Tomato r tok / Bengali style sweet tomato chutney
4. Microwave-set mishti doi

Toor Dal with Frozen Peas 

 Asian Sweet Vine Chilly

 Dim er Jhaal with Asian Chilly / Egg Curry

 Tomato-r tok / Bengali-style sweet tomato chutney

Mishti doi in microwave

Nom nom nom.... slurp slurp slurp !!!

(N.B. Have not written the recipes for the above, those are pretty simple dishes, but if anyone wants me to post the recipes, let me know)

After completing my kitchen chores (cleaning, scrubbing etc. – the boring INGs), I took up my “Mary Higgins” before she says good-bye to me (The Novel Name – “Before I say good-bye”).

Evenings are always pleasant in Melbourne with cool breeze blowing through my balcony, and when the sun set to dusk, I took my sketch-book and gave life to my imagination –

Now, that was a day I would love to get myself soaked and dipped in everyday. Umm… not everyday though… but let such a day come occasionally into my life to be able to page a blog which I can visit sometime later ~ 

[Note: Please do not copy or publish the content and photos without my permission]

Copyright © Chondryma Chakrobortti 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Choddo Baati and Choti Diwali

It’s a good day today to start blogging again – it’s Naraka Chaturdashi commonly called “Choddo Baati” in Bengali …. Time to remember our ancestors, time to pray, time to thank them to have laid the foundation of your culture and family tradition on which you stand today.

On the eve of Deepavali and Kali Pujo, Bengalis have the tradition to light 14 lamps in remembrance of 14 forefathers of the family. Also, have seen mum cooking Choddo Shaak for the day – 14 varieties of leafy greens cooked in different methods.

Well 14 varieties of dishes on a working day is not a very good idea so I settled in for 14 lamps and the Puja in the evening.

Tradition is to light clay diyas (14 of them) in front of God. Hubby questions “And do you not offer sweets?” Well…. Any of his celebration or Puja doesn’t complete without sweets so I am off to make some…..

Happy Naraka Chaturdashi, Dhanteras and Choti Deepavali to all ~

[Note: Please do not copy or publish the content and photos without my permission]

Copyright © Chondryma Chakrobortti 2012. All Rights Reserved.