Poila Boisakh-Lets usher in the new year with tradition, hygiene and Chingri Bhape
6:23 AM
April
is the busiest month for us Bengali mothers. While on one hand
schools reopens after a long session break then on the other April
Means our second biggest festival of Nababarsho or Bengali new year
is just around the corner. No matter how people joke about the many
Parbons (festivals) us Bengalis celebrate but we never shy away from
it as for us festivities are always synonymous to family time,
following tradition, enjoying good food and having overall good time
with lots of adda.
As
kids we loved Nababarsho for the new clothes that parents will buy
for us. Bachhorkar prothom dine sob bhalo korte hoy (You need to be
and do good on the first day of the year) was what Maa tought us. So
on every new year without fail we took ritualistic bath in neem and
turmeric water, wore new clothes, visited shops for their new ledger
opening puja, exchanged handmade cards with New year wishes and in
the afternoon feasted on a huge spread of Bengali traditional recipes
by Maa.
So
While the househelp scrubs the floor, the husband cleans every corner
and I wash all my decor pieces, rearrange all the shelves and give
the house plants a much needed trimming. Nababarsho needs a spic and
span home and Kitchen being the heart of the home it always need
special attention. I start by clearing out the shelves, cleaning the
containers and airing the cupboards. It takes a lot of time but these
are must for a hot and humid area like Kolkata. And then to disinfect
the whole house I use Godrej Lal Hit. This is a magic spray that is
very effective in killing cockroaches and keeping insects at bay a
must use cleaning product in our household. I weekly spray it in the
corners, under the sink and fridge and even inside the sink pipe and
drainage pipes. Lal hit with its special long nozzle makes it
possible to spray in the hard to reach areas and keeps my home
healthy and hygienic. and the best part is now LAL HIT is available in a fresh fragrance, it even gives a
pleasant smell which lingers around the house.
I have
been using this product for a few years now and as a mother of small
kids am thankful for it's presence in my life. I recommend all my
readers to use LAL HIT and wish all of you a happy and safe Poila
Baisakh. Have fun and enjoy your day with friends and family.
Chingri
Bhape
Ingredients:
Prawn:
300 gms
Mustard
seeds: 2 tbsp
Poppy
seeds: 1 tbsp
Grated
coconut: 1/4 cup
Green
chillies: 4-5
yogurt:
2 tbsp
Mustard
oil: 3 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Turmeric:
1/2 tsp
Sugar: 1/4 tsp
Method:
First
Make a smooth paste of mustard and poppy seeds. Use the chutney or
smaller grinder bowl of your mixie. Once you are happy with the
consistency add the coconut, 2 green chillies and yogurt to it and
mix.
Marinate
the cleaned and washed prawns in this paste along with mustard oil,
salt and turmeric. Slit the green chillies and mix them too.
After
an hour of marination place this in a steel container with a lid.
Steam the container in a bowl/pan/kadhai of simmering water with a tight fitting
lid. Steam on medium for 15 minutes. Take out and let it rest for 5
minutes then serve with hot steaming rice.
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1 comments
Shobho Poila baishak Sayantani .kemon acho...chingri bhape looks delicious...hugs
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