Shaaks on Baishakh

As the strong winds sweep across the country, heralding the beginning of the season for kal-Baishakhis and the end of yet another year, let us look at some fun ways to incorporate our favourite Baishakhi ingredients into a menu that looks totally different. Here is to a happier, healthier new year to all my readers.

KALMI SHAAK THORAN: WATER SPINACH WITH GRATED COCONUT AND SPICES 
Water spinach or kangkong or simply - kalmi shaak - is a hugely popular, green, leafy vegetable that is consumed in many countries. Come Baishakh it is always nice to see what our neighbours from other countries celebrating Songkran in Thailand, Bikram Sambat in Nepal or Puthundu in South India like to eat. 
Thoran is a popular dish eaten in Kerala, India where coconut is grated with spices to join a vegetable as part of a larger ensemble of foods. 

Ingredients
2 bunches kalmi shaak
1/2 cup chopped coconut pieces (have enough so it makes 1 cup of shredded coconuts)
2 green chilies, 1 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch of turmeric, 3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp mustard seeds
You may use fresh coconut oil or mustard oil but normal cooking oil will do. (2 tbs)
1-2 fresh curry leaves, 1-2 large red onions

Method
Grate the coconut, green chillies, cumin, garlic and turmeric until they are roughly shredded. In a pan, crackle the mustard seeds with the curry leaves for about 30 seconds then add the water spinach and cook for a minute before covering it. After 2 minutes take the lid off but the leaves will have softened. At this point make a small space right in the middle and add the grated spices in a pile then cover it with the softened spinach again. Sprinkle salt on top and cover for another 1-2 minutes then cook it without lid for another 1 minute to allow the spices to incorporate. 

Serving: Sprinkle some lemon on top of it before serving it with plain rice and all your other Boishakhi goodies!

A FEARLESS OLIVE SPECIAL: SWEET POTATO AND KANGKONG TIKKI WITH DRIED RED CHILLI PASTE
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato about 100g (boiled)
2 bunches water spinach or kalmi shaak (chopped and blanched in boiling water for less than 1 min)
1 tbsp nigella seeds or kalo jeera; ¼ cup of tamarind pulp
Handful of chopped coriander; 1 egg and some bread crumbs 
1 red onion diced; 1 tbsp mustard oil 

Method
Mash the boiled sweet potato and mix it with the other ingredients. Add salt according to taste. Portion the mix into little balls then pat them into tikki shapes or little round discs. Pout the il into a frying pan and let the sweet potato and kang kong discs in it, Cover them so they cook in the minimalist oil and you don't need to worry much as the food is already pre boiled. Let the mustard flavors seep in. On low heat cover for about 3-5 minutes on each side. 

DRIED RED CHILLI PASTE
Sauté 5-6 dried chillies in a dash of mustard oil then de-seed and mash them up. Add a bit of tamarind pulp and make it into a sauce. Add salt to taste and serve.  

Serving: Serve the tikkis in your Baishakhi menu along with the dried, chilli paste and watch your guests polish off their plates!

Health spotlight: Water spinach or kalmi shaak arrives in all its leafy abundance with great news for people suffering from diabetes as it absorbs excess sugars in the body. It is thus great for pregnant women who might develop diabetes, and its high iron content does wonders to stabilise your haemoglobin count. It also helps with people suffering from insomnia with a unique mix of selenium and zinc.

A FEARLESS OLIVE SPECIAL: BHAPA PITHA WITH LOTUS STEMS, AND GRATED COCONUT WITH SPICY JAGGERY 
The whole idea of a Baishakhi morning is about the traditional spread on everyone's tables. This time I bring to you Bhapa pitha or rice cakes with stuffing of lotus stem which has been sautéed with zeera powder and garlic, and topping of Dhaka paneer.

Ingredients
500 grams of rice, which has been prepared for a bhapa pitha (I am assuming my learned readers know how to make a traditional pitha better than me!)
1 cup grated coconut
1 kg lotus stems, cut into 1 inch long pieces
2-3 garlic diced
¼ cup jaggery or gur which has been mixed with chilli powder (you may use 2-3 dry chillies and crush them into a powder along with the seeds and mix these flakes) 
About 100 grams of Dhaka paneer or the ball cheese available 
Salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Method
Prepare the clay pot for bhapa pitha or you may use a pressure cooker. I shall not go into details of how to make a bhapa pitha. Sautee the lotus stems with the garlic in olive oil for about 2-3 minutes. Add salt towards the end. Make a half or lower layer of the rice in a cotton cloth (sieve) then fill it up with the grated coconut, lotus stems, spiced jaggery and sprinkle some grated Dhaka paneer on top. Add the top layer of rice and add this to the clay pot or pressure cooker to be cooked in steam.

Serving: Serve this with the chilli sauce from the above recipe or plain as it is. The sweet and spicy mix of flavours will leave your guests wondering at the mystery vegetable you used. 

Health spotlight: Get that calorie count down as lotus stems are rich in fibre mostly and is also a great source of vitamin C to help you build a stronger immunity! Lotus stems is great at strengthening the respiratory system and in a city like Dhaka where more than half the populace suffers from some kind of a respiratory malady, make this an essential part of your menu.