Life Without Alu?: Allahabad to America: The food I grew up with

This article has been published in the Kansas City Bengali Association Durga Puja 2017 Magazine. I am sharing it here for all my followers.

Hi, I am Debjani and I LOVE FOOD. I cannot stress enough how much I miss eating yummy ‘deemed unhealthy’ by modern society food. Butter, ghee (clarified butter) with piping hot rice, Peyaji (deep fried onion fritters) and the list goes on and on….and Alu. OMG I hate to skip potatoes. I think most of us share my frustration for not being able to eat what you want. I wanted to tell and share with people so I started a blog, it’s called ‘Life Without Alu?’ If you agree that Life Without Alu and other “unhealthy” delicacies, is tough then read on!

The name of my blog means there is no life without Potatoes or carbs or good food and hence it features all the good, yummy recipes which are sure to make you drool. You can also find additional important kitchen organization and homemade spice making tips on my blog because when we are talking about food it covers everything.

My blog is a Travel and Food blog and hence you will also find reviews on restaurants. Debarshi (my husband) and I love to travel and I like sharing our experiences about the different places we visit and all the delicious dishes we enjoy. After all Good Food Makes Good Life.

I'm from Allahabad (India), which is known for its university and religious significance. Being the eldest child I learned a lot of things at a young age and one of them was cooking. However, it never occurred to me how much I will miss all the delicious Allahabadi food which were a day to day affair while I lived there. We all share the troubles of living so far away from our families but it also adds to the excitement of visiting the childhood home we all love. At least for me, every trip to my hometown is special and worth the wait….and I am sure it is the same for you too!

If you have never been to Allahabad, you cannot imagine all the good food you have been missing. So, I am going to take this opportunity to share with you all the delicious local Allahabadi foods. I would recommend keeping a napkin handy because this journey is going to make you drool!

(Photo shows from left: Yogurt for making the Lassi and Rabri used for topping)

It is such a sweet comfort that some things in life never change, for example the Loknath Gali in Chowk. Loknath is a busy alley in the old part of Allahabad. Stepping into this crowded narrow place springs every childhood memory back to life. When I visit, at least once, I take the same ricksha ride with my mother that we have taken so many times. Passing by the shops we used to shop at, thelas (carts) we used to grab a quick bite and alleys we have turned upside down for a matching dupatta (stole). Last time was no exception and there we were at this place doing all the things we have done so many times. Life is a cycle after all, “And as it is for spring flowers, so it is for us.”

Chowk is one of the oldest neighborhood of the city, packed with businesses, a lot like Bora Bazaar of Kolkata or Chandni Chowk of Delhi. You can literally find everything there at whole sale prices but my main attraction has always been the food. Loknath has the smell of delicious food in the air, you can smell all different types of spices, pickles and sweets. Somewhere someone will be frying Kachoris or making delicious Chaat, walk a little further and you will smell all kinds of Mithai (sweets and desserts). In short, you will find some of the most yummylicious street food. My mother and I did some shopping and then went straight to my favorite shops of Lassi and Namkeens.

In Allahabad street foods are usually served in the traditional way. The photo above shows Lassi served in a clay cup. Although lassi can be sweet or savory, traditionally lassi in Allahabad is sweet. Now this clay cup is handmade on a pottery wheel and is not only environment friendly but also instills an earthen smell in the drink. Furthermore, it is topped with cream, Rabri and nuts to add to the heavenliness.

Why are these cookies piled up in huge heaps? Well for starters these are not cookies but Namkeens. Now let me tell you what this word means: Namkeen comes from the Hindi word Namak which means salt. So it basically says savory snacks.

You must have had Samosas or even Mathris from the Indian restaurants or Chaat cafes, they are also available in ready made packets in the Indian stores. If you like snacking on Indian Namkeens you have to go to this savory paradise. They have all kinds of snacks like Papri, Mathri, Kachori, Khasta (a puffed pastry made with a filling of lentils) etc. Another specialty of Loknath shops is Samosa. Normally you will find Samosas with a potato filling about medium in size but Loknath’s Samosas are prepared with a filling of lentils and spices and are smaller in size. They are called Masala Samosas and are fried in Ghee (Clarified Butter) which brings an intensified silky, rich buttery taste. All the Namkeens are freshly prepared everyday and you can store them at room temperature for weeks, believe me they don’t go bad.

(Photo shows from left: Khoya and Paneer)

Locals also go to Loknath for their day to day grocery shopping for spices, fresh produce and milk products like Paneer and Khoya (prepared by thickening and drying whole milk in an open pan, Khoya is the primary ingredient to many Indian desserts). Paneer can also be easily prepared at home by curdling whole milk with a food acid like lemon juice. This process helps to separate the liquid from the curdled milk which you can then drain on a cheesecloth. The excess water is then squeezed out and the cloth is tightly twisted to make a ball shape. You can put some heavy pot on top of the the cloth so that the Paneer holds a perfect shape. However, since all the dairy products are also readily available in the grocery shops at a very reasonable price. People usually prefer to buy fresh Paneer from the market, avoiding the trouble of preparing it at home from scratch. My mom likes to buy it from the Loknath Gali in Chowk along with Namkeens and sweets.

I feel there is something nostalgic about my mom’s cooking. I am sore that we all share the same feeling for all our mothers. The style of cooking that we grow up with, in a way becomes a part of our DNA. Don’t you agree? My mom does not use too many spices nor does she have any secrets, in fact she is always willing to share her recipes with everyone. Still, it never feels the same even if I am using the same recipe. I guess, that’s why the phrase, ‘from mom’s kitchen.’ A dish prepared by her just feels special, they just make me feel so warm and loved. When our mom’s cook (or used to cook, for those who have faced the ultimate loss) for us, every bite is like reliving childhood and reminds us of all those happy memories we shared as a family. Even a simple rice and dal tastes great when we are eating it together.

If you ever get a chance to visit Allahabad, you must have some Allahabadi Chaat. Chaat is a famous street food in most parts of India. Nowadays it has even graduated as a first course dish in several restaurants and even in weddings as appetizers. During my last three years in the U.S I have had Chaats in quite a few Indian Chaat cafes of Atlanta, San Jose and San Francisco. However, is it possible for a chatori (a person who loves to eat Chaat) like me to go to her home town and not have some delicious Chaat? Amidst my jet lag and stomach upsets whenever I was well I used to go out with my sister and enjoy some tasty Chaat from the local vendors. Allahabadi Chaat is different in many respects. This photo features many different aspects of Allahabadi Chaat. From the top is Karela (these are crispy chips shaped like bitter gourd, prepared with a dough of all purpose flour and served with yogurt, Matar, onions and spices), Alu Tikiya (mashed potato mixed with spices and sometimes filled with paneer or lentils and shallow fried, they are served with Matar, chutney and onions), tomato for preparing Tamatar (another dish prepared by sautéing tomato pieces with cumin seeds and the Alu Tikiya dish. The tomato is cooked and mashed in the dish and spices like cumin powder are added, this is then garnished with some yogurt and cilantro) and one thing which is missing from this photo is my all time favorite – Phulki (or phuchka or gol-gappe or pani ke batashe). Goes with many names but has the same petrifying effect on foodies around the world. These are small deep fried puffed breads and these are served either with Jeera Jal or with Chutney Matar (Ghugni). Now, Matar (or Ghugni) in a Phulki is unique to Allahabadi Chaat as far as I know unlike the common practice of stuffing them with mashed potato.

Now let’s move on to another of my favorite snacks – Samosa. This is a deep fried pastry filled with spicy potato and sometimes peas. Samosas have their own versions in every state of India but its unique triangular cone like shape remains more or less the same. Although nowadays we get many versions of Samosas (filled with meat, paneer or lentils) my favorite is the traditional one where the filling is made of fried mashed potatoes and spices. I love the Samosas of Allahabad as they have the perfect crust and filling ratio. Because of their small size they are super crispy. The crust holds the filling perfectly and it doesn’t crumble with the first bite. Samosa is the most popular street food during rainy season. I have enjoyed many such Chai (Tea) Samosa party with my friends. It’s an ecstatic feeling to watch the rain pour down while gossiping and eating a hot crunchy snack. Samosas in Allahabad are usually served with the green Dhania (cilantro) chutney although sometimes it is also served with a tart Tamarind.

My parents gave me a surprise treat at the Grand Continental Hotel in Civil Lines, Allahabad and this photo features Goat Biryani. Biryani is a main course dish where meat (or even veggies) is cooked with Basmati rice because of its long grains and flavorful aroma and is often served with a yogurt raita. In our home my husband, Dr. Debarshi Chatterji is the master chef of Biryani. His specialty is Awadhi mutton biryani, which has roots of origin from the geographical area around Lucknow and Allahabad. Specialty of Awadhi mutton biryani lies in the subtle use of aromatic spices and essence. Rose water, Kewra water, mace, nutmeg, saffron and other aromatic products are used in small amounts to provide a subtle texture and aroma which enlivens the spirit.

Now let’s move on to some serious desserts. Allahabad has a bunch of western bakeries that serve cakes, pastries and patties with an Allahabadi twist. This photo features Cakes from one of the most popular bakeries of Allahabad – Paradise. This is my go-to place for delicious desserts. You can see that the cakes have been specially labelled as “Egg Cake” and that is because many cakes and pastries are also prepared eggless to cater to the high density of vegetarian population in the city. The sweet treats are endless and I for one get absolute mesmerized with all the options.

I think it will be correct to say that Indian pastries bear a remarkable similarity with French pastries. We realized this when we went to the Amelie’s French Bakery and Café in Charlotte, North Carolina. They had the exact soft pastries topped with whipped cream, chocolate and fruits. Indian pastries are actually very different than the American muffins and pies and you should definitely give it a try. So let’s see what’s on these shelves, I see Black Forest, Pineapple Exotic, Éclairs, Exotic Truffle and Mango Toon pastries.

You can also find all sorts of breads and cookies in the bakeries around Allahabad. Burgers, Sandwiches, Pizza and my favorite – Patties (or Puffed Pastries). Patties are prepared by filling a dough parcel with cooked vegetables or meat. The filling is pre cooked with spices and the parcel is then baked crisp. The flaky crispy dough tastes very much like a croissant.

I was so happy to go to this old bakery with my sister and Debarshi. We shared a couple of sweet and savory dishes and went back home happily.

There are a lot of places in Allahabad with tons of great food and I hope you will enjoy these yummy dishes whenever you are in my hometown.

Remember “People who love to eat are always The Best PEOPLE”.

Love to cook? Learn more delicious recipes on my blog – http://lifewithoutalu.blogspot.com

I would love to hear from you, please post your comments on my blog and enjoy all the good food.