I GROW KHARKOL PATA!
That proves how much I love the family's dishes made with KHARKOL / GHATKOL PATA! I could not get the exact English term of it; they say it is one type of Arum / Taro Leaf, not the usual one! West Bengal sells it during the monsoon months. If you stay in the interiors of Bengal and have some wildly grown greens around you; you can easily spot them growing amidst them! People pick & cook rustic dishes with it, even with smaller prawns!
The above picture strengthens the fact further how much I want side dishes made with Kharkol Pata / Lobed Leaf Typhonium / Bengal Arum Leaves in my life! Once I landed in this island, I lost the hope of having the family rustic recipes on my plate! Then, gradually I went from this market to that! I screamed Eureka and confidently took the ladle in hand. The son & the man indeed eat the boil & mash; bhartas I make. I believe it is easier to feed kofta and bharta to the vegetables haters like my son & the man! In my brother's case, it's more of depending on his mood! This moment he would say how good I got an aar mach home, the next day he would say he does not want it! Only in case of meat he has consistency! As per the mother, the daughter-in-law eats vegetables and salads!
IN THE ROADS OF A FIVE STAR ISLAND, I DISCOVERED KHARKOL / GHATKOL PATA!
Just imagine; a BMW, a Mercedes Benz drove by and I have no attention in those; I was still recuperating from the excitement of discovering Kharkol / Ghatkol leaves in the suburbs of the island; at first at the backside of our condominium! Before that, I read the details about how to grow it in a pot! It requires no care, just a little of watering! It is about 1 1/2 years now, I am growing this specific variety of Arum Plant, I tear them anytime I wish to have a bharta! Do not take off the roots, they re-grow! My family cooks it plain, or with dried Bombay Duck fish or with smaller prawns! My in-law's family is not in the habit of having too rustic Bengali dishes, they prefer clean eating with regular Bengali curries. I introduced certain recipes from my family; to some the father-in-law appreciated saying he ate long back at his aunt's place, T's sister likes rustic food more than bigger fish curries. However, T & his sister are not submerged in food like me! I have no qualms in growing Arum Leaves on my 10th floor flat and cooking with them what I am eating since my childhood! Anirban's family & our family share similar food recipes; both originating from and having bases in Comilla, Tripura! But they are not our caste, gotra!
The son loves dried fish bharta, availability of Arum Plant in the island was a discovery made after he re-located to another country! To be safer, I kept his other favourites in the platter; "mochar ghonto, dal, dhonepata-mushurir dal er bora"!
WHAT IS KHARKOL PATA BATA?
All my life, I have heard the family veterans saying we should have everything seasonal. KHARKOL PATA BATA, has medicinal properties that lessens body aches, they say! WIKI calls it Bengal Arum, that is an aroid! Do not ask me further, I fear in-depth studies & research! I do not need many things to be happy in life; a few lipsticks, sari, dresses; the freedom to buy them anytime; the freedom to eat what I want when! Bengali bata-buti / paste / bharta are not exactly the way I cooked this. I do not use the traditional "shil-nora" to paste stuffs; I use a blender! I do not maintain a class, standard per say; when my tribe goes for coffee in the Starbucks or hangout at the Isetan; I am happy with a bowlful of "Panta Bhaat" / Fermented Rice with air-fried potato & onion fry! I avoided using a gallon of oil but look at the amount of rice! It was my lunch today!
Bengali Arum Leaves Bharta / Kharkol or Ghatkol Pata Bata is said to be eaten among the tribals of Bengal. I do not know if my family belongs to any tribe or not, but I have seen the rustic recipes being cooked in the family! Crossing half century, I am loving to have them. I am loving this vegetarian Bengali platter; the vegan, gluten-free leaf paste; banana blossom stir fry, lentil curry & fritters. My not so Bengali son can have a dal & bhaja meal with love, but on some days!
KHARKOL PATA / GHATKOL PATA / BENGAL ARUM LEAF : A BUNCH OF
SLICED ONION : 1 MEDIUM TEA CUP
CRUSHED GARLIC : 1 TSP
SLITTED GREEN CHILLI : 1 OR 2
DRIED RED CHILLI : 1 OR 2
NIGELLA SEED / KALO JEEREY : 1/4 TSP
BAY LEAF : 1
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4 TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
OIL : 2 TBSP [We always use mustard oil]
PROCEDURE :
We would separate the hard stem & leaves at first! We need to wash them thoroughly!
We would chop the greens roughly! We need to heat a wok and add the chopped and washed greens. We would stir cook for 3-4 minutes at low heat; water would release! We would switch off the gas burner!
Once cool, we would transfer the leaves to a blender, add a green chilli to it, get a paste!
In a wok; we would heat the oil and roast the dry red chillies, take out!
In the same oil, add the nigella seeds, the crushed garlic.
Once the crushed garlic pieces turn brown, we would add the sliced onions!
We need to fry the onions brown, add the green paste!
We would add the turmeric, stir cook at low heat until it turns semi-dry, paste like!
We would transfer it to a bowl; crush & mix the roasted dry red chilli in to it, once cool! It is to be had with piping hot rice. It can also be enjoyed with chapati, we have only with rice.
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