For Kali Puja every November, many of Kolkata’s older sweet shops observe a centuries-old ritual. Their first batch of sandesh made using nolen gur — the dark, viscous and sweet sap of the date palm — is sent to a local Kali temple. This auspicious beginning heralds a steady supply of this winter delicacy as the moyras , or Bengali sweet-makers, use it in myriad ways that sometimes border on startling innovations and east-west fusions. Until mid-March, Kolkata can satiate its craving for nolen gur mishtis in all shapes, sizes and textures.
At neighbourhood bazaars, sealed clay pots of nolen gur appear, balanced precariously on twined rope bases. They sell briskly as people buy them to sweeten payesh , pour over breakfast muri (puffed rice) and milk, or brush over hot chapattis as a delicious winter mid-morning snack.
Now, while I do love
What makes
At family winter barbecues, the divas may be the meats — pork, poultry and beef — coming off the grill, but jars of liquid gur play a starring role. Sticky ribs of pork are marinated overnight with a mix of dark soy, scarlet chilli paste, fragrant star anise and dollops of gur . On the grill, they are regularly basted with the gur to keep them moist. Nolen gur in place of sugar in a barbecue sauce made up of Worcester sauce, tomato puree, orange juice and chilli produces a winning pair with chicken, steaks and quail.
Breads are usually a must at barbecues to mop up the juices and act as rafts for the meats. My mother-in-law’s multigrain breads — moist, dark, dense and bearing a hint of peaty, sultry sweetness from nolen gur — do marvellously well.
Smoking fish and meats, another winter pleasure, can again draw on the unique qualities of the treacly gur . Besides adding a lovely subtle sweetness, it flavourfully counters any overpowering smokiness of store-bought smoked meats. This winter, my most satisfying experiment has been a warm dressing that combines miso and gur , ideal for smoked chicken, roast duck and even tofu and wilted Chinese greens.
And lest one thinks that nolen gur ’s savoury charms are for non-vegetarians only, this liquid jaggery can be generously deployed in preparations of earthy winter vegetables like beetroot and sweet potatoes.
Buckwheat Crepes with Chicken or Duck in Nolen Gur and Miso Dressing
In this preparation, the gur combines beautifully with the earthy flour and robust Miso
Ingredients
Crepes :
* 1 cup buckwheat flour or kuttu ka atta
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* Pinch of salt
Miso and Nolen Gur Dressing :
* 2 tablespoon red miso paste
* 1/4 cup nolen gur
* 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
* Juice of one lemon
* 1/3 cup sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon soy
* 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
Filling
* 200gm cooked (smoked is really nice) boneless chicken or duck breast
* Chopped spring onions to garnish
Method
1. For the crepe, mix buckwheat flour, baking powder, salt and water to make a batter of the consistency of double cream. Cover and set aside while you make the dressing.
2. Prepare the dressing by mixing together all the ingredients in a blender. Adjust taste by adding more soya for salt, chilli for heat, and nolen gur for sweetness. If it needs to be more tart, then spritz extra lemon juice. The dressing should be thick but of pourable consistency. If necessary, make it thinner with a little sesame oil.
3. Toss the meat in the dressing.
4. Brush a small non-stick frying pan with oil and place it on the flame. Make crepes by pouring in a tablespoon of batter to coat the pan (if the batter is too thick, add more water, a little at a time). Cook till bubbles appear on the surface and the edges get lacy. Flip once before taking off the heat. Stack on a plate and cover with a dish cloth to keep warm, or put them in a bamboo basket.
5. Roll each crepe with small portions of dressed meat. Drizzle over with remaining sauce. Garnish with spring onion.
( Arundhati Rayis a Kolkata-based food writer )