Emphow Jwng Mwitha Jwng

Emphow Jwng Mwitha Jwng (Silk worm cooked with Roselle leaves)

Silk worms survive on Mulberry leaves. They are low in fat content and are a high source of Calcium, Vitamin B1, B2 and B3, Protein, Iron, Magnesium and Sodium. Hence, silk worms can be recommended for human consumption.
For the people of North Eastern part of India, silk worm is a delicacy. Bodos cook it in various ways. Following recipe is one of them. 

                                Some Bodo terminologies : 

                                1. Emphow : Silk worm

                                2. Mwitha : Roselle 

                                3. Jwng : With 

Ingredients :

150gm Roselle leaves. 

250gm Silk worm

1tsp Salt (or to taste)
A few Green chillies, slit length wise (to taste)
1 Onion, sliced fine
1tsp Turmeric
5pods Garlic, crushed
3tbsp Mustard oil

                                   Method :

Clean and wash mwitha leaves. They are generally not chopped for any recipes.

Wash emphow, roast till light brown. Wash again to remove the burnt out skin. This step can be omitted  if you do not mind your curry to turn black in colour.
Halve the emphows.

Heat oil, stir fry chilly and onion for 2 minutes, add emphow. Keep stirring. Add salt, turmeric. Cook covered in medium heat till cooked.

Add mwitha and stir well. It gets dissolved in no time. Pour around two cups water, cover and cook. Add garlic, stir well. If needed add a little more water.
The gravy should not be too thick.

Emphow jwng mwitha jwng is ready to serve. 

Xutuli Pitha

              Xutuli Pitha is one of the lesser known pithas of Assam, a very tasty and quite easy to make.

The name Xutuli is derived from a traditional musical instrument of Assam, of the same name made of clay or stump of a bamboo tree.

A few Assamese terminologies:

Bora Saool: a variety of rice, which turns sticky when cooked.

Goor: jaggery

Teel: sesame seed

To make around 20 Xutuli Pithas you need:

                                           1/2 kg Bora Saool

                                                                 250gm Teel

                                            200gm Goor

250 ml Oil. I have used refined vegetable oil, but I grew up watching my Aaita(Grand mom) using only Mustard oil for frying pithas.

Method:

Wash Bora Saool, drain and spread to dry for about an hour. Do not soak, as it will make the rice sticky.

                                     Grind Bora Sa00l to a fine powder.

                                     Rinse Teel thoroughly ...

                  Rub vigorously while wet and let dry for some time, the skin will fall off. ....

                                        Roast this cleaned Teel a little and crush to make a coarse powder.

            Mix with Goor, leaving 2 or 3 tblsps Goor to add to the dough. This is the stuffing of the pitha.

                      To make the dough, mix the Goor that was kept aside with 1/2 cup water and strain.

                                                   Pour this to the powdered Bora Saool and knead well....

                               ...add little more water if necessary while kneading to make a soft dough.

                                             Take a little dough on your palm, make a ball and flatten it.

                                                                Spread 1or2 tsps of the Teel+Goor filling .....

                                              ...and fold it, sealing it well by pressing with your fingers. 

Make the Xutulies and keep ready for frying as it tastes best piping hot, hence, fry only before serving.

          Heat oil and deep fry the Xutulies in medium heat, turning gently, till they are a golden brown. 

                                                                       Yummy Xutuli Pitha is ready.

Stir fried Chicken with Bamboo shoot

                   Ingredients : 

1 broiler chicken : cut into medium pieces, clean and wash.

1 bamboo shoot : keep removing the layers, take only the most tender part. Slice roundels and wash. 

1 tbsp crushed ginger.

1 tbsp crushed garlic.

2 onions : thickly sliced.

Salt : to taste

3 tbsp refined oil

A pinch of pepper powder 

1 tbsp soy sauce 

                   Method : 

1. Cook bamboo shoot in water with a little salt till tender. Remove from water and keep aside. 

2. Cook chicken in water with salt till cooked. Remove from water. This chicken broth can be used in soup or other curry. Chicken can also be cooked till the entire water evaporates. 

3. Heat oil in a pan. Stir fry ginger, garlic, chilly, onion and soy sauce for 2 minutes. Add chicken, bamboo shoot, salt if needed, pepper powder (optional) and keep stirring. 

4. Stir fry this way in low heat for a while, check salt. 

Poem : Pretty Petunia

                                                                                         Pretty Petunia               

 Hello pretty dainty

How do you do..?

Pink, white, mauve and lovely blue..!

You steal my heart

You take away my gloom,

With all your tender sweetness and hue.

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Frozen was thee..

Gently did I lay you, for survival and glee..!

With a handful of care

And all my prayer,

In the bosom of earth, you did thrive and cheer.

Aspiration was it

That made me glow..?

Stealthily yet steadily my dear sapling grew..!

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Into a lady you turn now with alluring grace.

Spread of colour

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How perfectly pretty a sight you've turned dear beauty..!

Is this charming sonata

In all fairness a reality..?

You, my Petunia, are the exquisitely glorious entity.

                                   
To see more flowers do visit my garden : Magnolia                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                          Ruprekha Mushahary
                                                                                                 09.03.2011