Durga Puja festival comes to an end in West Bengal

Kolkata: Bengal's four-day-long extravaganza, the Durga Puja festival, came to an end on Saturday with immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga and her progeny as people celebrated Vijaya Dasami.

The immersion of idols in the city at the ghats of the Hooghly was made amidst tight security, police said.

The immersion marks the symbolic return of the Goddess and her children to Mount Kailash, the heavenly abode of her husband Lord Shiva, after her annual sojourn on earth.

The immersion of idols in the city at the ghats of the Hooghly was made amidst tight security, police said.

"Around 1700 to 1800 idols will be immersed today. The immersion is overseen by speed boats, watch towers and police personnel in strength," police said.

Besides the community pujas, many household pujas were also scheduled for immersion today.

However, there would be no immersion tomorrow because of Bakri-Id and it would resume after 8 PM on October 6, police said.

"According to a government notification there will be no immersion on Sunday because of Bakri-Id. It will resume at 8pm on Monday (October 6) which is the last date for immersion," they said.

Several big budget puja committees have decided to keep their idols for a day to give puja enthusiasts a last chance to have a look at the gorgeous pandals and extravagant lighting.

In districts towns and in the city, thousands of people bade a tearful farewell to the Goddess. Young revellers, middle-aged puja committee members and women in finery danced down the streets escorting the idols to the immersion ghats as drums rolled and bagpipes played full throttle, police said.

Bystanders lined the streets of the metropolis along the procession routes cheering the processionists who chanted "Durga Maiki Jai".

Before the immersion ceremony, married women in white and red-bordered saris engaged in 'sindoor khela' (smearing of vermillion on each other's forehead). Men and children exchanged greetings and the state fondly bid adieu to the Goddess imploring with her to visist again next year --

"Aschche Bochhor Abar Esho, Ma."

Karela with Capsicum

Link to the recipe: http://www.tarladalal.com/Karela-and-Capsicum-Subzi-4311r

Image by Tarla Dalal
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Bitter though it is, karela has a unique taste that transforms it into a delicacy if prepared in the right ways. Here, an innovative combination of bitter gourd, onions and colourful capsicums are sautéed with a traditional tempering, resulting in a flavourful and aromatic subzi that goes well with rice and rotis. Although prepared with everyday ingredients and the simplest of cooking methods, the Karela and Capsicum Subzi is a super hit mainly because of the thoughtful combination of vegetables.

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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 18 mins
Makes 4 servings
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Ingredients

2 cups bitter gourd (karela) strips , cut approx. 2”
1 cup coloured capsicum strips (green and yellow)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 cup sliced onions
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste

Method

1.    Combine the karela strips and salt in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes.

2.    Squeeze out the excess water from the karela and keep aside.

3.    Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.

4.    When the seeds crackle, add the karela strips and onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

5.    Add the turmeric powder, mix well and cover and cook on a medium flame for 6 to 8 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

6.    Add the capsicum and salt, mix well and cover and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

7.    Add the chilli powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder and sugar, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

8.    Serve immediately.

BABY CORN MASALA | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

BABY CORN COOKED IN RICH TOMATO GRAVY.

Last week when we all went to a North Indian restaurant  for lunch we ordered a Baby Corn Masala which we have never tried before in that place. We all liked it very much and we went for veggies shopping and my daughter picked the cute baby corns in the vegetable section and asked me to make a masala with that.
I tried to recreate the same taste but i almost it was like that(my daughter said) and we had a great dinner with rotis and a salad(recipe coming soon)

Picture updated.



SERVES : 4-5
INGREDIENTS:

BABY CORN	2 PACKETS(15 NO. APPROX)
ONIONS	2 NO AND 1 NO FOR GARNISHING
CAPSICUM	1/2 NO
TOMATO	2 BIG RIPED
CASHEW NUTS	5-7 NO.(OPTIONAL)
REDCHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEED POWDER	1/4 TSP
KASOORI METHI	1/4 TSP
TOMATO SAUCE	1/4 TSP
GARAM MASALA/KITCHEN KING MASALA	A GENEROUS PINCH
CUMIN SEEDS	A PINCH
MILK	1/2 CUP
SALT	AS NEEDED
TURMERIC POWDER	A PINCH
OIL	2 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Wash the Baby corn and cut them into big pieces .

• Roughly chop the 2 onions and saute them in a kadai(add a few drops of oil) till it turns into a nice brown colur.

• Roughly chop the tomatoes and the capsicum into cubes.

• In a pan cook the baby corn till it becomes soft.
• It took 10 minutes for me to get them cooked.
• Add a pinch of turmeric and little salt while cooking.

• When it is done, drain the excess water and keep the corns aside.

• In a mixer jar, add the sauted onions, tomatoes, redchilli powder,coriander powder,cumin seed powder,tomato sauce , kasoorimethi, cashew nuts(if adding and i didnt add) into a smooth paste.

• In a kadai add the oil and saute the capsicum and cubed onion for a minute.
• Keep it aside.

• In the same oil throw in the cumin seeds and add the ground masala.
• Saute them in a low flame for 5 mins.

• Add the cooked Baby corns and the milk to the gravy.

• Now add the capsicum and onions to this.
• Put off the flame.

• Serve it hot with Roti/ Naan.
• It tasted even so yum with Peas pulao also.

Tomatoes can be replaced by 1/2 cup of store bought tomato puree.
I used the Everest Kitchen King Masala and it gave a wonderful flavour to the curry