Thursday, April 28, 2011

Alu Chorchori Memories

My Mother was brought up by her Grandmother. Mum called her “Didumoni”. The next generation of kids called her “Nani”. The rest of the world called her “Maiji”.

Nani always wore a white tanter sari with black or navy blue border, a thick gold chain around her wrinkled neck, two gold bangles, one in each blissfully fair arm, the blue veins of which had started showing by the time I was a pre-teen, and the house keys in a silver keychain tightly gripped in her trembling but strong hands. I remember Nani always on her wheelchair. She passed on when she was 94.

Having a great grand mother living in the same city as we did meant I got to see a lot of Bengali traditions growing up. Like this Alu Chorchori which when literally translated means a potato mishmash! The Alu Chorchori was always cooked in an aluminum karahi (wok) in Nani’s home, and served in a Kansa bowl. I don’t have a Kansa bowl here, but what I do have is a virgin aluminum kodai which is good for any slow cooking because of its heavy base.

My Mum carried forward a lot of traditional recipes she learnt from her Grandmother, and since then passed them on to my little sister and me. Though I cannot vouch for my sister’s cooking! Last I know, she had ordered pizza for dinner.

IMG_1950 This Alu Chorchori was made in our home on a lazy Sunday morning when all of us had the time and the tummy to eat it with Phulko Luchi and some Sandesh. By the time we finished breakfast, Mum would already be prepping up for a Mishti Pulao and Mangsho lunch. Those were the days…

And this is a night. When the husband and I return from work, and I am left to wonder what’d be for dinner. He has more important things to worry about - like why Pepe got the red card in yesterday’s Real Madrid Vs. Barca game.

Ingredients for Shada Alur Chorchori with Koraishuti are:

4-5 medium size white potatoes
1 cup green peas
3-4 green chilies
1 teaspoon Nigella seeds
3-4 tablespoons mustard oil
Salt

Halve the potatoes and cut them into thick slices. Slit the green chilies.IMG_1945 Heat the mustard oil in a thick bottom pan. Add the Nigella seeds and the green chilies in no particular order. Let them sauté for a minute before you add the sliced potatoes.

IMG_1946 Mix everything well, cooking on medium-high all the time for about 3-4 minutes.

I used frozen peas tonight, but if you can get fresh green peas, please use that.
IMG_1947 
Add the green peas to the sautéing potatoes and give it a good stir. Season with salt, reduce the heat and cover for 2-3 minutes.

IMG_1948

Uncover and add a cup of water. Crank up the heat and cook the potatoes till they are done. Its okay to overcook a chorchori.

IMG_1949IMG_1952IMG_1953

Enjoy Nani’s Shada Alu and Green Peas Chorchori with some hot, fluffy Luchi and Mishti any time of the day. Or night.

18 comments:

Sanghamitra Bhattacherjee(Mukherjee) said...

Lovely! Ami ektu onno bhabe kati ei chorchorir aluta..r ektu choto cube moto kore..
Sudhu kalojire and kancha lonka deyeo kora jae, tobe tokhon ektu holud dite hoye.
Nice pics :)

sulagna said...

ohh this is our go to sunday breakfast recipe with luchi. Though i am short of time so i fry the luchi one side, while G shows his culinary skills with this torkari, cooked in the pressure cooker. I do add a tomato for tanginess and let it remain "gola gola"

aipi said...

Great memories Pree- the recipes that go down generations are the best.. hopefully through our work we will leave a similar legacy for our generation to come.
Alu chorchori is my fav with hot luchis :)
US Masala

Priya Suresh said...

Fabulous memories,even i tried alu chorchori last week with pooris,we love it a lot..

Pinku said...

:) some memories are just so special...

alu chorchori with maida luchis not puris is just so awesome.

Suman Singh said...

Great memories..and alu chorchori looks so tempting and delicious..love to have this with hot hot pooris..YUM!

Sayantani Mahapatra Mudi said...

yes some memories are really very special. the alu charchari looks great and am eyeing that platter, most probably made by you.

My Unfinished Life said...

wow, so simple but i know they taste awesome!!!!!
will definitely try this one out!!!!

btw, my hubby has a compliment for you..he says thanks to you I have learnt the importance and skill of proportions in cooking...earlier when i used to cook, i did not understand the importance of measures so withewr my spices would be too much or my tomatoes would make the whole recipe too tangy...but now , i got them right!!!!

as also , he has become a fan of hummus garlic..always tells me to make some more when my present quota finishes!!!

Poorna Banerjee said...

Hey Pree, just dropped in to let you know I like your blog and have just added it to my list of favorites at my blog http://presentedbyp.blogspot.com/

Thanks once again for sharing such wonderful recipes on your blog.

Hamaree Rasoi said...

Hi Pree

It has been quite some time since I did not get updates from your post. Today, I went in and saw that I missed Aloo chhochori and Kancha lonka recipes. Ato bhalo recipes dekhe khub khete icche korche. Would love to hear from you soon.

Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

Lipsy said...

Love This!!!Looks Tempting....if u like we can follow each other and b friends

http://fashionquotient.blogspot.com/

Bengali mom in Mumbai said...

Simple dish,looks yummy..I can almost smell it..these chochchori's used to be our staple for breakfast on holidays...reminds me of those blissful days. I also have a similar alu-potoler chheNchki in my blog, check out when you have time..

purabi naha said...

Hi, I am a Bengali foodie living in Hong Kong. I loved your blog and this recipe, in particular. You have a good collection of recipes. Shall visit here again very soon. Do visit my blog when your time permits.

purabi naha said...

Hi, loved your blog and this recipe, in particular. You have a good collection of recipes. Shall visit here again very soon. Do visit my blog when your time permits.

Sam said...

This particular recipe and variations (with black pepper and turmeric) have been to the rescue on numerous lazy evenings.

anandi said...

Hi...This is truly lovely...a friend of mine from Lucknow cooks the same dish without any potatoes...she uses only peas and green chillies...

itiriti said...

Dear Pree,

Hello ishita here an avid reader of your blog. Your blodg made me feel nostalgic about sunday mroning brekfast of luchi and alur chorchcori.

great writing as usual.

tc

itiriti

sree said...

Dear Pree

Your recipes are so well descriibed that even a first timer can do it with ease. Thanks for such wonderdul recipes. Pl keep posting more...