In March, I was bitten by the madness to create a spring whimsy menu at Amar Khamar’s Annaja, befittingly named Basanta Alap. The idea was to bring forth a Bengali bhoj, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients, which went way beyond the realm of the expected, in form. So, the first course, of course, had to be a tettow (bitters), and uchhe bhaja was my first choice. I leafed through my childhood memories, conjuring up the flavours of the bitter gourd often cooked with pumpkin or alu to ease out the bitterness, and eaten with bhaat, on which a little dollop of ghee was allowed to melt, before the makha. No sooner had I thought of the flavours, I knew I wanted to use the uchhe bhaja like nori (seaweed) inside an uramaki, in a hat tip to my inordinate fondness for Japanese food.
Inspired by childhood meals with ‘ucche bhaja’ and ‘ghee-bhaat’, Dyuti’s Tettow Uramaki uses the ‘ucche bhaja’ like nori
The uramaki is an inside-out sushi roll, with the rice holding the fillings in. What a wonderful function of bhaat, I thought the first time I had this sushi, as the almost gummy sushi rice suddenly gave way to a piquant salmon wrapped in a demure nori. I had been on a search for a very Bangali sushi rice replacement, and while gobindobhog trials were okay, they lacked the bite and the chew of a traditional sushi rice. That is, till I discovered binni, at Amar Khamar, while discussing ingredients with chef Preetam Bhadra. I knew my Tettow Uramaki had to have binni and we sourced the rice, and the recipe trial blew my mind! I had found the perfect sushi rice substitute!
Because it is such a Bangali sushi, each element in it is quintessentially Bangali too. The nori is replaced by the uchhe bhaja, the other fillings by the Kumror Chhokka Jam, and in place of the pickled ginger is a pickled shakalu. For the dipping sauce, there is a Midnapore ghee and kachalonka (green chilli) emulsion, the chilli-less version of which I had had the chance to taste at chef Preetam's winter table at Annaja, the recipe for which he was kind enough to share with me.
A Kumror Chhokka Jam and pickled jicama (shakalu) make up the filling for the sushi
On World Sushi Day, I am sharing this crazy fun Bengali sushi recipe with all My Kolkata readers. This is not only a Bangla-fied sushi, but also a great reason to eat your tettow! And, of course, just like I can eat sushi any time of the day, you too can make this any time you want. And with as many variations as you may want!
The recipe has five elements, each of which is broken down for your easy reference below!
Meshiagare!
For the Pickled Shakalu
Ingredients
- Jicama, or shakalu: 1, cut into 0.5 cm thick juliennes
- Vinegar: enough to soak each shakalu piece evenly
- Rice wine vinegar (optional): 1tbsp
- Sugar as per taste
- Salt as per taste
- Green chilli: 1, cut into thin oblique slices
Method
- Mix in the two vinegars, sugar and salt
- Add the shakalu and green chilli slices, so that they are fully soaked in the pickling liquid
- Leave it for at least two hours before using
For the Uramaki
The rice
Ingredients
- Binni rice: 1 cup
- Water: 1¾ cups
- Rice Wine Vinegar: as much as needed to evenly coat the cooked rice, approx- 2-3tbsp
Method
- Pressure cook the rice in the water. It should be done in about 12-15 minutes
- Mix in the rice wine vinegar and let the rice rest
Kumror Chhokka Jam
Ingredients
- Ripe Pumpkin: 50g
- Onion, chopped: 1tbsp
- Garlic, chopped: 1tsp
- Panchphoron (Five spices): 2tsps
- Dry red chilli: 1 (or if you want the heat, 2!)
- Mustard oil: 1tbsp
- Salt: to taste
- Sugar: to taste
Method
- First, peel and chop the pumpkin into 1-inch long, ½ inch broad thin slices, the ubiquitous chhokka cut!
- Heat mustard oil in a wok. Temper the oil with the panchphoron and dried red chilli
- Add in the onion, fry till translucent, then add in the garlic and fry till lightly browned
- Add in the pumpkin slices, fry till cooked to tenderness
- Add salt and sugar as per taste
- Once cooled, blend it to a fine puree. If it feels runny, return it to the wok, and reduce till it reaches a clammy, jammy consistency. Your second element of the uramaki is ready!
Uchhe Bhaja
Ingredients
- Bitter Gourd (uchhe): 2 medium sized, cut into thin roundels
- Mustard oil: 2tbsp
- Turmeric: ½ tsp
- Salt: ½ tsp to taste
Method
- Smear the fine roundels of bitter gourd with turmeric and salt
- Heat the oil, and fry the uchhe till crisp. Take care to not burn the bitters!
Dyuti Banerjee’s Tettow Uramaki
Assembling the sushi
Method
Once the three elements are ready, and the rice is cool enough to touch, you will need to assemble the following:
1. A sharp broad blade knife
2. Parchment/ Baking paper
3. A piping bag
4. A small bowl of water
Now the most fun part begins!
- Lay out a large square of baking paper (oily side on top), place your vinegared binni on it, and flatten with fingers dipped in the water, till it is about ⅓ inch thick
- On the side closest to you, layer the crispy uchhe bhaja in one or two tightly packed rows
- Fill in that piping bag with that magic jam, and pipe, lengthwise on top of the uchhe bhaja
- And now, start rolling from the side containing the fillings, carefully. Pull the butter paper off, and there stands your Tettow Uramaki, waiting to be sliced up!
- To slice the uramaki, you need to dip that knife into the water, and deftly cut into that pretty cylindrical shape, to make your own sushi slices, but the Bangali way!
Ghee Kachalonka Emulsion (Chef Preetam's recipe)
Ingredients
- Boiled and mashed potato: 150g
- Ghee: 40-50g
- Hot water: as required
- Salt: as per taste
- Pepper: as per taste
- Green chilli: 1, finely chopped
Method
- Using an immersion blender, lightly whip the alu sheddho, the ghee with the water
- Add the green chilli, salt and pepper, and blitz just enough to be silky
- Overbeating can make it starchy — cautions Preetam
Finally, plate the uramaki with the pickled shakalu and ghee kanchalonka emulsion.