After four years and four long months, I am visiting my hometown with my husband. I grew up in that city and spent 25 years of my life there. When I came back I had some mixed feelings. Pardon me if I hurt many of your feelings, but I am just saying how I felt. I came to notice that there are few things I missed very badly and some I did not. Once again, it is not against your feelings for Kolkata, it is just my feelings.
If there is something I truly missed in these last four years it is eating food with my parents in my home. When I saw my Dad at the airport, my eyes filled with tears of joy. I missed eating my mom’s delicious meal and my husband also agrees that she cooks better than I do. I missed rice pudding prepared with “Nolen Gur'(Nolen gurer payesh) and the delicious sweets that dad used to get for us. I missed those endless discussions with my parents over my mom’s special chai. M says, “I ate chai latte from so many places, but your mom’s is the best one.” I miss shopping with my mum and her way of bargaining. I missed being pampered by her. She used to massage my head with gentle strokes using her magic fingers and in a moment all of my stress and tensions were gone! It’s true, nothing in the entire world is better than mom’s lap.
But when I visited this city after long years, there are many things I never noticed that strike me pretty badly. The first and foremost is the crappy traffic. My dad was driving the car and I was holding my breath and praying to be back home safely. People drive so recklessly. Road conditions got worse and potholes and bumpers are everywhere. Everyone is shouting and honking at each other. So I say to the roads of Kolkata, “No, I did not miss you.” Also, I did not miss the dust, smoke and humidity here. Boston is pretty humid too, but at least air and water are clean. I drink water from any tap in Boston, and here everywhere we are carrying a water bottle specially prepared by my parents. They first filter the water and then they boil it to clean the germs. My parents were not okay with my husband drinking water from anywhere else. Also, I was too scared to try food outside of my home. I have a very weak stomach and it gets upset pretty easily. So my parents embargoed us from eating outside for two weeks when I visiting. Frankly, I did not mind. I prefer to be healthy and safe during my travel rather than sick.
During our whole trip, my mom cooked over thirty dishes, and we devoured all of them. No matter how much I cook, my mom’s food is the best. Her food was so good that I did not get a chance to take pictures. Before I could take my camera out, I licked the bowl clean. I promised her that I would have more time to take some photos of her signature dishes during our next visit. No matter how much I follow her recipe, the taste of her food is always better. My husband, who ate her food for the first time, also agreed that her food is a lot better than mine.
My mom cooked:
1. three kinds of chicken
2. one meat dish
3. chickpea with ground meat
4. different kinds of poppy seeds
5. prawn malaikari
6. four to five fresh fish preparations
7. poppy seeds fritters
8. meat cutlets
9. chickpea battered vegetable fry
10. chicken wrap
11. rice pudding
12. pithe (a sweet dish native to West Bengal)
13. Biriyani
14. fish stuffed flatbread
15. Fish wrapped in banana leaves
16. Spicy puffed rice (Masala muri).
We ate like kings three times a day and rested a lot. She cooked so much food that I did not have a chance to try from outside.
After two scrumptious, gluttonous weeks, we finally came back to Boston. Here, sugar season is upon us. In my office I see cookies, brownies, candies, and chocolates everywhere. My facebook wall is flooding with cake and cookie recipes. Half of my colleagues are out celebrating Christmas with their family. There is less traffic on the street and fewer chores to do at work. The festivities are everywhere. I decided to take a break for a few days before I start baking again on Christmas eve. A few days back I found this Biscotti recipe while browsing through the Saveur website. These are great as a gift or for dipping in coffee/tea in a winter evening.
Recipe for Saffron Biscotti
Recipe is adapted from Saveur. The original is here. I think using 3.5 oz of chocolate was a little too much. It can be reduced.
Yield : 40
1. Preheat the oven to 325F. In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. In a large bowl, using egg-beaters beat butter, sugar, orange zest and saffron until they are pale and fluffy. Add one egg at a time and beat well. Add milk and mix.
2. Now add dry ingredients in batches. Mix until combined. Remember, your dough will be very thick. Add chocolate chunks and mix it well in the dough.
3. Transfer the dough to a work surface and quarter it.
4. Transfer each quarter to parchment paper-lined baking sheet and form a 12″x1″ flattened log.
5. I put two logs in each sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until they are brown around the edges.
6. Transfer baking sheets to wire rack and cool for 10-15 minutes.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
8. In a cutting board, slice the logs into 1″ thick slices with a serrated knife.
9. Return slices to the baking sheet, with cut sides up and bake for 15 minutes.
10. After 15 minutes take it out, turn and bake another side for 10-12 minutes more.
11. Transfer to a wire rack to cool it completely before serving.
Note:
1. Butter should be softened, not melted.
2. I prefer my biscotti very crunchy which is why I baked for 15 minutes on each side. If you want it a little soft, you can bake it for 10 minutes.
Hi Dolphia,
Were these the biscotti that you gave us ? They were delicious !I was wondering
what flavor you put in. I also loved reading your narrative on your visit
back to Kolkata. It must be hard to be away for so long.