Feel the gentle heat? Make sure the flame is not turned up too high: it could scorch.
Toss it all in and pay attention to the sizzle. Resist the urge to adjust the initial arrangement. Let the pieces lie where they have fallen. The sizzle will lessen as the heat differential reduces. Things will start warming through.
When it starts to cook - stir gently. Carefully. Just a little bit. Expose the un-seared sides to the thrumming heat. Wait for the transfer.
Now you're really cooking.
Think about fluidity: let it seep slowly into the pulsing heat. Don't pour: it might arrest the process. Just as much as can be absorbed and burned off.
Smell to check on stage. The fresh new aroma is also a bit raw. Distinct and identifiable parts, yet to yield up their flavors to each other.
Season. Hit all the notes: high, low and in-between. Stop before its just enough...trust synergy to take you that last distance.
You'll know when it's done. The aroma will be complex and layered. Pieces will have fit together in repose, settled. A melded whole.
Turn off the heat. Watch the simmer fade as stillness arrives.
Garnish with something sweet and tangy.
Serve.
By the way, you can produce a comforting Bengali chicken curry like this too.
Bengali chicken curry: Marinate bone-in chicken with -
Plain yogurt
Ginger-garlic-onion paste
Turmeric powder
Salt
Red chilli powder
Cumin powder
Follow directions above.
Now that's one awesome way to describe a recipe :)
ReplyDeleteTa PSaw. Of course, you know that I'm describing much more than a recipe...for food. ;-)
Deletebeautiful prose or poetry in motion,reads,i suspect if you tried your hand at writing a cook book you are bound to kill the rice of(the quibtissentially bong phrase:bhaat mara) many a food writer!
ReplyDeleteThx for your faith but if I took up writing cookbooks, that'd be the end. I'd get all wrapped up and lost in the 'frailty of cumin seeds and their questioning arc' or 'the haunting smell of charring garlic that permeates like the ghost of a long forgotten love' while the food burnt on the stove. Emotional gushiness makes for the occasional 'aww!' comment (and more frequent curdled-stomach 'Eww! Sappy!' commentary) but a livelihood, it is not. So I think the food writers and there 'bhaat' are safe and sound from me. For now. :-) BTW, this wa'snt primarily a recipe for food but I'm too repressed and conservative to say any more.
DeleteLOL .. wonderful lyrical composition, I can see you the conductor making graceful arcs with your spatula in the air as the music of sizzle, and char floats up with the odours and tickles all my senses .. nose, tongue, ears, eyes .. You Cookartistic You!!
ReplyDeleteHey Sea Within. (Long pause as I dream of Javier Bardem in the movie of that name. Sigh!) Where are your shores? You sound so familiar: who are you? Do you know 'The Writer' by any chance? ;-)
DeleteROFL .. Oh Deah! In my hurry to click send it must have gone via my long lost BlogID .. no blog there tho' LOL
Delete~ SujB.
Was almost tempted to carry on Depardieu style romance <;@)
Take cold shower after. You'll need it. :-) Enjoyed this piece!
ReplyDelete