Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Thesis writing, Shutki machher jhal

Is a very uphill task. You certainly know of a certain Frodo Baggins who started his dissertation under Gandalf the Grey, a wise tenured PI. That story is detailed here. So, I visited the bigsis at Urbana. Did you know that city is the home of Miss America 2003? There, I have improved your day somewhat with that leetil factoid. Also, I made Shutki Machh with dried fish from the Chinese store. Here are a few facts about Shutki Machh.
  1. It is made with dried, salted fish.
  2. The original recipe is Bangaldeshi.
  3. I am part Bangladeshi, at least by lineage.
  4. The best prep of Shutki is the low-on-gravy-high-on-chilli version. This is also called the 'Jhal'.
  5. Shutki machher jhal is usually mind-shatteringly hot and spicy. As in your insides will melt and your read end might think it is a Kilimov RD33 afterburner.
  6. Shutki stinks to high heaven. People of a delicate disposition, and of a genteel upbringing have been known to faint whilst walking past a place where they were just drying out Shutki.
  7. The same people will fight each other to eat more Shutki. But they cannot make it.
  8. Trade secret: soak said dried fish in hot water for a while. That will kill some of the stink.
  9. Bigger trade secret: the process of cooking will drive your neighbours out of their shantys (Shutki is rarely cooked in American Suburbia or any random Manhattan co-op).
  10. Shutki is sometimes made with Loitta fish. Here is a recipe. Here is another.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Gawd! Lineage in theory? With your shutki and loitta in the post, u stink of your Bangal lineage in practice! I hope the chimney was effective, else I pity her neighbours. Esp considering you made good your escape.