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Goalondo Steamer Curry

April 18, 2014 By Maumita Paul 12 Comments

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Goalondo Steamer CurryPin

Goalondo Steamer Curry. The story behind how a boatman’s unpretentious chicken curry with the most basic of ingredients entered culinary folklore.

Unpartitioned Bengal of the 1880s. Blessed by fertile alluvial deltas, thanks to the generous munificence of her rivers. Calcutta and Dacca have started to flourish into bustling metropolises and the largely rural agrarian societies are slowly trickling into the cities. The British are now the indisputable rulers of the land and the impact of the Industrial Revolution, metamorphosing English lives forever in the tiny island, is now beginning to hit the Indian shores.

Enter the Railways.

The advent of the Railways stirs up the sleepy hamlet of Goalondo on the banks of the mighty Padma. Every morning a steam engine from Calcutta, spewing black venom into the otherwise sylvan pristine environs, arrives in this listless non-descript town with weary passengers enroute to Dacca and other far-flung towns further east. The newly constructed railway line terminates in Goalondo , passengers disembark here to take the steamer across the seething, turbulent Padma waters onward to Narayanganj and Dacca.

The overnight steamer journey to Narayanganj is arduous, the Padma indomitable, the ancient boatman sings a haunting melancholy strain, his flickering lantern a solitary beacon in the Stygian darkness around, his adolescent helper gets busy to cook a rustic fowl curry, fiery yet flavourful, with basic spices that he ever has supplies of in his makeshift decrepit steamer kitchen. To go with rice. To feed the starved and enervated passengers. The food, simple yet delectable, conquers their hearts and adds the crescent of a satiated smile to their travel-fatigued faces.

This is the story of the Goalondo Steamer Curry. A boatmans simple fowl curry, unpretentious, hearty yet delicious, that over time permeated into Bengali households and made its way to the exalted constellations of culinary folklore.

Try the recipe, you would not be disappointed for sure !!!

Goalondo Steamer CurryPin

Goalondo Steamer Curry

Goalondo Steamer Curry. A boatmans simple fowl curry, unpretentious, hearty yet delicious, that over time permeated into Bengali households and made its way to the exalted constellations of culinary folklore. Chicken cooked in onions, garlic and ginger. Some mean chillies and a generous glug of mustard oil. Utopia !!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bengali

Ingredients
  

  • 750 g chicken , curry cut pieces
  • 6 - 7 onion , coarsely chopped
  • 3 tbs garlic , coarsely chopped
  • 3 tbs ginger , coarsely chopped
  • 7 - 8 dry red chillies , shredded into small pieces
  • 7 - 8 green chillies , coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup mustard oil
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients, keep aside for an hour.
  • Heat your pan, add the marinated chicken to it. Cover the pan with lid and cook on a low flame till the chicken is tender.
  • Serve hot with steamed rice.
Keyword Bengali Chicken Curry, Chicken Curry, Food PhotoGraphy, Goalondo Steamer Curry
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Filed Under: Bengali Recipes, Poultry and Chicken Tagged With: Bangladeshi Ranna, Bengali Chicken Curry, Bengali Food Blog, Bengali Food Photography, Bengali Recipes, Chicken, Durga pujo recipes, Food Photography, Goalondo Steamer Curry, Indian Food Photography, Indian Recipes, Non Vegetarian, Opar Banglar Ranna, Traditional Bengali Recipes, Traditional Recipes From Grandmas Kitchen

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dipankar Ray

    August 13, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    Osadharon…Moumita both the cuisine and its romantic backdrop…I have tasted this Bengali household recipe many times… But never bothered to know the beautiful story that’s a part of it… Thanks.

    Reply
    • Maumita Paul

      August 15, 2018 at 4:31 am

      @Dipankar Thank you. I am glad that you enjoyed reading the story behind.

      Reply
  2. olive paul

    April 8, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    3 tbs garlic , coarsely chopped…is it tsp or tbsp?

    Reply
    • Maumita Paul

      April 10, 2018 at 10:43 am

      It is 3 tbsp 😀

      Reply
  3. Damayanti Nath

    December 21, 2017 at 6:16 am

    amazing recipe…Goalondo steamer curry, i newly learn…thanku dear😘

    Reply
    • Maumita Paul

      December 27, 2017 at 6:01 am

      @Damayanti Thank you for stopping by! It an age-old classic recipe. Glad to know that you liked it :).

      Reply
  4. Bidisha Dutta

    November 23, 2017 at 12:29 pm

    What a lovely story. And such a beautiful recipe. I definitely intend to try out this one.

    Reply
    • Maumita Paul

      November 23, 2017 at 12:55 pm

      Thanks for stopping by Bidisha :). Im sure , you will love this.

      Reply
  5. Sanghamitra

    January 19, 2017 at 1:05 pm

    I think prawn paste is a must in Goalondo steamer curry

    Reply
    • Maumita Paul

      January 19, 2017 at 7:53 pm

      @Sanghamitra The one I grew up on never had shrimp paste. However as in a lot of these old recipes, there are numerous variants that become popular over time. This could possible be one such case ? In Chittagong, they do still use loads of shrimp paste.
      I would be very happy to try your variant that has the shrimp paste – would be great if you could share the recipe.

      Reply
  6. Tia Dutta

    May 1, 2014 at 11:17 am

    It came out so unique and delicious… all loved this in the family. Thank you

    Reply
  7. Tia Dutta

    April 19, 2014 at 8:18 am

    Ki sundor likhecho… this history part was not known.. thanks a lot for sharing

    Reply

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Hello!! I am Maumita and welcome to Experiences of a Gastronomad.
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Maumita Paul
Sankranti remains one of the festivals closest to Sankranti remains one of the festivals closest to my heart. 

One of those days when I miss Grandma dearly and yearn to return to childhood and relish all the delectable pithe puli she would make !!! 
Happy Sankranti everyone !!!

On the plate 
Khejur Gurer Patishapta, Doodhpuli, Teler Pitha, Nolen Gurer Payesh and Soru Chakuli.
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
New blog post ❤️ And every year, around Sankr New blog post ❤️

And every year, around Sankranthi, the chitoi pithe moulds make a magical re-appearance from the hidden vaults of the windowless sunlight-starved and perennially musty and damp bhnaarar ghor (pantry), illuminated by a lone naked incandescent bulb, before being dusted, scrubbed, soaked, dried and then used in vehement anger for the Sankranti festivities, only to disappear once the euphoria of the harvest festival subsides.
A use and throw culture has still not invaded our lives and the fact that this rather inexpensive non-descript humble artifact is used on just a couple of occasions around Sankranti every year makes not an iota of difference to the magnanimous love and care it receives.
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To read more and try this recipe of Doodh Chitoi , direct link is there in bio. 
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Its less than a week to Sankranti and my kitchen i Its less than a week to Sankranti and my kitchen is in manic frenzy this morning steaming some stunning Bhapa Pitha. 

I have always preferred freshly ground rice flour to store-bought ones. And my hand-free 1400w hamiltonbeach JMG ensured the rice was ground to fine flour, just as I wanted it, in a blink .
(Also do check the coarse, medium and fine grinding options available which gives us such luxury of choice -  I opted for the fine option for the rice flour)

And  here’s my recipe for the quintessential Bengali Bhapa Pitha / Assamese Keteli Pitha. 
Soak the rice for 2 hours, drain from water. 
Allow the rice to dry over a newspaper or muslin cloth to drain any excess water. 
Use your Hamiltonbeach JMG to blitz the rice to a fine powder.
Transfer the rice flour to a bowl, add a pinch of salt, mix well.
Splash a little water to the rice flour, start mixing with your hand. The texture of the dough should be crumbly and just damp enough. Splash water in small increments, we don’t want a wet batter here.
Sieve the moist flour .
Take a kettle, fill it half with water and bring to a boil.
Wrap the lid of the kettle with a damp muslin cloth.
Spread a layer of the rice flour uniformly over the cloth.
Add 1 tsp of freshly grated coconut on the rice flour, followed by 1 tsp of chopped jaggery And finish it with another layer of rice flour. Press gently, take care to not press it too hard.
Wrap with another piece of moist muslin, put the lid back on over the boiling water.
Steam for 10-12 minutes.
Carefully remove the lid from the kettle. 
Gently remove the outer muslin cloth. Use a sharp knife along the edges of the lid to un-mould the pitha..
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#BigBoxOfLove

#SayToHelloPerfection #ProResultsAtHome #HamiltonBeachIndia #CookLikeAPro #fbciofficial

@hamiltonbeachindia, @fbciofficial @grainandgrowth .
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #glutenfree #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #sankranti
The Doulla Pithe that Grandma (Bamma) creates is s The Doulla Pithe that Grandma (Bamma) creates is sheer magic – Pillowy rice flour parcels with a tiny morsel of patali hidden in the center. Stewed in milk perfumed with even more patali gur.
Have a bite, Grandma coaxes.
And the molten patali bursts out of the shackles of the rice flour cocoon.
The fragrance of patali and the perfume of rice leave my palate enthralled.
I take another bite.
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If you want to try this , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Can I taste one ? I ask as Maa’s experienced han Can I taste one ? I ask as Maa’s experienced hands effortlessly remove the pithe from the oil and immerse them in the jaggery syrup, but even before Maa can warn me, I have snatched one and bitten into the gokul pithe.
My tongue is singed.
And for that odd moment, I am all numb.
Minutes, that feel like days, pass.
And then the taste sinks in, sublime, a mellifluous symphony of grated coconut and jaggery.
This is food heaven !!!
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To try  recipe, temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Natorer Luchir Payesh!! A sandwich, if I can use t Natorer Luchir Payesh!!
A sandwich, if I can use the liberty of an analogy, of two luchis with a divine gurer kanchagolla filling in between. Fried to a gorgeous golden. And dipped into a notun gur perfumed payesh just before serving.
You do not want it soggy, Grandma would religiously remind Maa every time, that would ruin the fun of the dish.
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To try  recipe, temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
This is the story of Grandma. And her fierce love This is the story of Grandma. And her fierce love for rice. Not just rice, any new harvest. Any fresh produce of the soil. Her soil. As she would proudly assert.
Wasting rice in our growing-up years was never an option. Not even a single grain. This is the labour of love. She would remind Dada and me whenever we fussed about food. This is the culmination of months of back-breaking labour. Respect the grain. Respect the farmer.

Cut to the present. My chire has just arrived. Ordered online and delivered at the doorstep by a logistics company. I am blissfully ignorant of what rice went in to prepare this chire. And the farmer shall remain an unacquainted stranger to me. As would his family who possibly helped as well.
Food has reduced, I ruminate, to being impersonal, hasnt it, the consumer and the producer separated by more degrees than my mind can decipher. The price I guess for the comforts of modern life.
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To read more and  try chirer doodpuli , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #makarsankranti #creatingmemories #foodthatheals
Of late, Grandma would occasionally give in to sna Of late, Grandma would occasionally give in to snatches of emotional upheavals. Reminiscing more and more of her home in sylvan Sylhet.
Chachi was our neighbour. Born in Bikrampur near Dhaka. Married to a trader family in Sylhet. She brought with her to Sylhet the delectable Bibikhana Pitha from her home town. And every year she would lovingly welcome winter, the new harvest, the fragrant rice and the notun gur with her Bibikhana Pitha.
So here it is, the incredibly delicious Bibikhana Pitha. From Bikrampur in Bangladesh. 
Bliss !!! 
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If you want to try this recipe , temporary recipe link is updated in bio ❤️
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#dessert #sweettooth #storiesofkolkata #calcuttacacophony #foodphotography #acreativevisual #nostalgia #india_undiscovered #official_photography_hub #canonphotography #eeeeeats #foodblogfeed #photographers_of_india #theuncommonbox #foodie #eatseasonal  #gastronomad_m #foodphotography #tv_foodlovers #foodpornography #foodtalkindia #photooftheday #foodporn #sankranti #desi_diaries #capturingmagic #wearebengal #eatseasonal #winter  #cherishedmemories #glutenfree #creatingmemories
Maa’s delectable Koi Komola. A riot on the pala Maa’s delectable Koi Komola. 
A riot on the palate. A throwback to all those weekends in Assam where koi was available aplenty during winters.
Enjoy before the orange season is over !!!

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Recipe link is there in bio.
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