Bengali Lunch for My Friend from Maharashtra

---- alu-bean bhaja, dimer jhol ar bhat
This year on the occasion of Diwali (the festival of lights), I was invited to have some special homemade Maharstrian delecacies at a friend's house. Her mother vited her from India and was actually staying with her when we met on Diwali. There after a really long time I had karaunji, chakli, chiwda, everything homemade! I never expected before that I would have a so Indian Diwali this year.
I also felt like cooking something authentic Bengali for them.
Unfortunastely Auntie left before we could manage some time to cook together.
So, I cooked for her daughter!
We had alu-bean bhaja (potato and green beans friend)and dimer jhol (egg curry).
Basically the same recipe I sent to BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/specials/2009/11/091126_recipes_nov2.shtml where it looked different because there it was "kasha" (very thick gravy)here it is jhol ("=gravy/sausse"), more liquid.

Sunday Dinner with Friends: a Wonderful Evening

Food is an important part of culture of a country. It is not just eating but it reflects a lot of things about the social culture of the socity it belongs to. After coming to Germany I am discovering a very different food culture. This discovery is one of the most pleasurable experiences I am having here, more so, because I am not just a taker enjoying passively whatever coming on my plate but also participating in a food tandem partnership with Germany.
Last Sunday I invited some of my friends for dinner to experience some typical Indian home-cooked food. So, I cooked for my friends:
Alu Paalak --- Spinach and potato (North India)
Dimer jhol --- typical eggcurry we cook at home (Bengali food)
Kashaa Mangsho --- spicy chicken curry (Bengali food)
Aluseddho --- mashed potato, our kind
sada bhat --- steamed rice
Narkol naru (see below!)
Sujir Payesh (see below!)

My friends brought differnt types of chocolates for me, and wine of Wuerttemberg. Yes, I am, at the moment, in the heaven for chocolates and bread and bier! I must learn how to make these chocolates, some of them at least, before I leave this country!
But, icing on the cake was this:


I am really food-happy here because I am open to taste everything. Maultaschen is one of my favourites and so is Gaisburger Marsch, too. They made me fall in love with Swabia during my first few days here at the hotel.
As I browsed through the book, I came across this piece of wisdom I must share with you:
" Bei den Reichen lernt man das Sparen, bei den Armen das Kochen!"
So true!`

I am so glad that I will be able to cook some of the dishes I have enjoyed and appreciated only in restaurants so far.
Thank you so much, people, I love you! You gave me such a wonderful evening as a gift. And you are the motivation for my most serious hobby i.e.cooking!

Potato Pan-Cake with Schmand: My Russian Weekend 2

This was my favourite of all! This was our Friday dinner that gave us enough calories to burn for the whole next day! On Saturday we walked for eight long hours!
I can cook this for my friends!Recipe will follow.