Come December there is a mood of celebration in the air of West Bengal. Even though the winters in West Bengal are never harsh, but people love to bundle up themselves on the slightest pretext!
To me winter means the season to enjoy the afternoon sun after a cold bath. Winter is also the season to peel oranges and enjoy book. Street vendors get busy with their stash of Joynagar er Mowa, Mihidana, Jhola gur etc. Winter in Durgapur meant picnic at Kumar Mangalam Park or at the Durgapur barrage. Poush mash ( winter) is also the Hindu calendar for getting married, and hence for many Bengalis winter is the season to gorge on delicacies. While one can gorge on decadent dishes like Motorshutir Kochuri, Alor Dom, Koi Macher Jhaal but it is also worth trying the local seasonal delicacies. The Indian winters bring out the best greens. Different states of India have their own winter favorite. While Punjabis gorge on Sarson da saag ( Mustard greens) and Makki roti, Gujratis gorge on Undhiu.
Here I present two of my favorite winter favorite: Koyet bael ( stone Apple) and Kamranga. Bael is also known as Bilva ( Sanskrit) , wood apple, stone apple or Aegle Marmalos. Bael is commonly found throughout South East Asia. In India it has the reputation for medicinal purpose, as well as for religious purposes. However Koyet Bael makha ( mashed Koyet Bael) has a slight twist than the original Bael. While Bael is more on the sweeter side, Koyet Bael is tangy. Ripe Koyet Bael smells sweet and is one of the easy winter snacks.
Ingredients:
Koyet Bael (1)
Mustard oil - half tea spoon
Rock salt
Chillies
Sugar ( optional)
Process:
Break Koyet bael and scoop out the pulp gently. A ripened Koyet bael pulp looks light brown and has soft seeds. Mash the pulp with a hint of mustard oil, finely chopped chilly and a fat pinch of rock salt. Optionally one might add little sugar if it tastes too tangy!
Serve the mashed Koyet bael inside the hard skin of the fruit and enjoy!
Another beauty of the winter season is Kamranga or star fruit. The juicy crunchy fruit has distinctive tart taste. Kamranga is either eaten raw or dipped in Rock salt. It can be also prepared as a relish or condiment. Like many other things, these fruits cannot be found in shopping malls but can be best sourced from street vendors ( or foot-path sellers!!)
