As a child we have always waited for this very day, especially the students; this is that very day when there occurs no encounters with studies, school, the day when parents would insist you to refrain from reading as well!!! All these serve as beautiful collections of memories taking us on a walk in those days. Amazing is their hypnotic ability!
Yes, The Pumpkins are talking about Saraswati Puja! Taking place every year in the month of February or at the end of January, this day of Vasant Panchami is celebrated pompously in West Bengal and other parts of India. It is believed that Saraswati Devi comes on this very day riding on her Swan and, being the Goddess of Knowledge and Music, ushers her blessings on her devotees, mainly, musicians, singers, and students. This day is celebrated in almost every household and even in Schools and Universities. As per sayings, one must not even taste Indian Jujubes (called ‘kool’ in Bengali) before this day!!! It is a fantasy to wait a year round for this. But it is all the more fun.
As grownups, we celebrate the day by cherishing the memories we made as children. Pandal hopping without parents, all on our own with friends, seemed like a joyful sin. Helping parents get prepared for the day, choosing idols, buying fruits and sweets( especially the’ tiler kodma’) spending a whole day with friends, gossiping, gaming, and dining together; wearing sarees and embellishing oneself in the traditional way is a must! Life, then, was so wonderful.
Today, in this era of rush we hardly get time to talk to others but still want a day that would be totally dedicated to our family, our loved ones and ourselves. And, Saraswati Puja is the reason and the purpose for this and maybe the memories attached to it.
Dining menu for this day is very simple- Khichri, a sabzi (it would be better if you could cook a panchmishali sabzi, which is like a continental one), fries of different kinds and sweets are a must. There is no use of non-vegetarian items, even of onion and garlic traditionally as people observe fast as per the rituals. Even after the menu is not so exciting what excited us most when we got to dine and spend time with friends and loved ones. The late chit chats, food being served by the elders and we serving them after, brought out an air of nostalgia. That is why even in the conundrum of everyday life Indians feel homesick on this occasion.
The craving for being back a child arises at least for one day where the world would be simple and everyone living together without hatred. We might not get the days back, but we surely can recreate the memories. And, taste is an important factor that reminds you of any memory you particularly had with it. So, we are sharing with you the recipe of a very simple dish – Khichri, but the nostalgia attached to it has always remained incomparable.
Ingredients
- Split green gram – 125gm
- Rice (small grained specially or gobindo bhog rice) – 125gm
- Cumin seeds – 10gm
- Bay leaf 2
- Cinnamon – few sticks
- Cardamom pods – 5 to 6
- Tomato diced – 50gm
- Ginger paste – 15gm
- Cumin powder- 5gm
- Turmeric powder – 5gm
- Red chilli – 1
- Whole garam masala (cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon) – 5gm
- Clarified butter – 5 to 7gm
- Mustard oil – 15ml
- Salt – As per taste
Method
- Dry roast the split green gram in a kadhai.
- Add the rice grains to it and dry roast for 30 seconds or about a minute.
- Wash the mixture and drain out the excess water.
- Heat oil in a kadhai, tamper cumin seeds (4gm), bay leaf (1 whole), cinnamon stick ( 1 whole) and two cardamom pods and sauté till they splatter.
- Add the diced tomatoes to it and sauté.
- Add the ginger paste, cumin powder, and turmeric powder and sauté very well.
- Add the washed mixture of rice and lentil and cook well.
- Add water by sprinkling and cook till the rice and lentil gets properly boiled.
- Take a different kadhai and dry roast cumin seeds (5gm), 1 red chilli, garam masala (whole), 1 bay leaf and grind them till powdered.
- After the khichri gets boiled adjust the consistency as per requirement and add salt as per taste.
- Turn off the heat, add the dry roasted powder and a spoon of clarified butter and mix well.
- Allow a standing time of 5 minutes.
- Serve with hot fritters and pappadams.
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Cravings of The Travelling Pumpkins 