Sometimes there are places that bring tears to your eyes when they are being spoken about – tears of joy, of memories, of belonging, of streets known, of hidden bylanes unknown. Do you have such a place that means that to you?
For me it is the place where there once sat a vendor selling “puchka” – those little fried balls that are filled with spicy yum coriander water and some potato-black chana mix. And no – golgappa/panipuri / any other name does not even begin to describe what that is ! And that is Calcutta 
🙂
And sometimes when we felt like, it was a ‘deconstructed’ version of the puchka called the ‘”choormoor” that was eaten.
I have lived so long, and so longingly, with the lingering taste of that quintessential street food of Calcutta, that I wondering how might I replicate it in some form. Here it is – the spiced potato-black chana mix was recreated as a baked cutlet, with the baked sweet potato shreds adding to the crispiness.
In flavour it tasted very similar, though a healthier and slightly drier version of it.
Until I go back to Calcutta again, this is going to have to be my go-to food, for memory trips to that place that brings tears.
Recipe –
1 cup boiled black chana mashed well
2 small boiled potatoes mashed well
Chopped Dhaniya and Pudina ( Coriander and Mint)
Amchoor – 1 tbsp or more. You can use tamarind water instead.
Salt, Red Chilly Powder, Jeera Powder as per preference.
Process –
Mix these well. Make round flat cutlet. Keep them in the fridge for 20 minutes. Grease the baking tray with some oil. Lightly brush the top with oil too.
Put the cutlets onto it. Bake until crisp and brown. You can turn it around mid way.
Baked at 170 degrees C for 20 minutes.
Ovenderful by Simran Oberoi 