Shukto with Paanchphoron

Shukto with Paanchphoron is a made in heaven combination. That’s what I think. Paanchphoron is a traditional Bengali 5 Spice mix. I am trying to remember if I have spoken about it before.

What do I feel? I feel a lump in my throat.

Before I start on this post, I want to share a few updates on what transpired after I returned from my trip to the US.

It was a mixed bag as usual. Real life problems took over dramatically with a few tense days and moments. This post may explain some differences. (This is not necessarily just me- I am trying to share some nuances of the mixed-up metaphor that we are in different contexts). 🙂

Shukto with Paanchphoron chatter

At first, I was relieved to find a bit of peace in my own space with my own kitchen and time to unpack. I managed to do my laundry after several false starts, hiccups, water supply interruptions and more. We managed to get the house livable if not loveable with the help of an apparently very grateful helper. I was grateful for most of my plants having survived thanks to a few kind neighbors.

Even got the help of the gardener to shift the plants and get a few new plants which were promised before.

Then I realized that the construction in my next-door apartment which was informed as a 2-3 weeks project was actually not over yet after perhaps 4 months of the starting date.

On top of that, I got the “good news” of a lift replacement project happening in my block.

So that’s some more noise, dust, strange men outside my apartment at all hours, incessant confusion with power tripping (might be unrelated) and the inconvenience of a service lift being out of service.

Shukto with Paanchphoron overdose

Next, I was informed that the other lift goes for a toss after this one is done. Does it help the residents eventually- sure. I guess it does. I am a paid tenant being harassed to vacate the premises. We shall try to do that as soon as possible. Where will I go- is nobody’s concern actually.

On top of everything else, 2 doormats and a Ganesha idol head was stolen from outside the apartment door. Oh, did I mention, that was gifted by a friend’s mother when I attended the wedding, and I carried it around through several house shifting over I can’t count how many years.

Now which friend? Am I partial towards that friend in particular. I think, maybe I need some time to think this one out. My husband is very attached to several things in his bed, in the cupboards and the storage rooms. I’m asking that question again.

I was asked to run around and check in CCTV to detect who could possibly have done this.

Now, I ask the good people in this universe, on top of everything else, that I do on my own, do I need to be an assistant to incompetent and uncaring security or neighbors as well?

Shukto with Paanchphoron rants

Right now, I am too upset because soon after this incident, I had my helper asking for a raise, a Pooja bakshish and she wanted to discuss different sarees or undergarments in great details with me.

She has frequent other demands on understanding how important she is by giving new stories everyday about the innumerable challenges in her life.

Apparently, she has several hungry lovers after her, uncaring husband, a sister or sister-in-law who has extracted from her and many other such ploys used to get more people to give her more things or money.

In the meantime, she’s late to work and wants to have leave of absence on short notice as well. Her stories about that gets more and more creative. I have no way to verify the details- honestly. She has moved to a PG and that might be the cause for her change of mind.

Let’s hope, she starts her own literary agency as I am unable to support those demands right now. I am incapable of assisting her in that endeavor currently. When she first came, I gave her work trusting her stories.

Now I have a different point of view. Really? How come? Let’s say, I give back what I received from the universe.

You give me dust, noise, pollution and no home, hearth or childbirth, I give you back ashes and earth.

Countrywide search for 5 Spice

She has obviously found more scapegoats for her sob stories. If I tell her about mine, I wouldn’t be able to get a proper hearing any which ways. I am the more “privileged” of the lot apparently with multiple recipes like Shukto with Paanchphoron up my sleeves.

Perhaps, she should visit my in laws and my husband next to understand the true meaning of privilege. Or perhaps senior citizens who are more protected and freer to dispense more advice.

Meanwhile, I have another superhero comic “developer” on my website who has promised many things and some of them have been delivered but mostly minor items. A lot more work is pending.

To my mind some of the feedback to correct should not be more than 1 hour’s work as far as I can understand. But perhaps I misunderstand since, the context is not clear to me. And he charges me a lot to not show his face to explain about more work he’s doing on our website which is actually not yet done.

I am beyond mortified because in the meantime the world mourns the death of a few iconic people or their relatives apparently.

Should I be screaming out my lungs at this point or should I be mourning along with them on the death of people who actually wish to work or take pride in their work.

Do I trust humans more than robots? That’s the question that needs to be answered by the humans themselves who give the suggestions for AI.

Shukto is locked up- steroids or insulin shots?

Let me know, what’s your story about dealing with humans over and beyond AI tools. I am trying to have empathy but currently I am under too much pressure to deliver on work that many people have not done to have real empathy. (I’m trying to understand this difference- I fail spectacularly).

So perhaps, I will reserve that for later when I do have the time to feel sorry for others.

This post also comes at the end of a long week with many celebrations- for Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, for Teachers Day and for multiple other festivities which are happening right now around India. I have also, seen a few people coming here suddenly and noticing my presence right before Durga Puja/Navratri celebrations.

Hence this is a paid promotion.

Paid in the sense that three good neighbors here offered to buy a couple of bowls of this Shukto with Paanchphoron and Aloo Jheenge Poshto for a small sum. 🙂 I was actually offering them for free, but I was told by another neighbor to charge a small price. That’s just a token amount to help me continue to take one more step on this journey.

It’s a lonely journey so I have to share that warning with those who are collaborating or contributing. It takes a toll.

Yoghurt not needed for Shukto with Paanchphoron

I have already donated the money that my mother and my helper kindly gave me this month.

My mother for God knows what reason- apparently for my birthday which was in July. And my helper because I had paid her advance for the month and she seems to be miffed by my insistence that she work on a Saturday instead of a Sunday when I had planned something else.

Obviously, these people are very free or maybe I don’t understand what they really want. My respect for them was from Day 1- I didn’t know which other way to show my gratitude.

Very free minded and independent agents of unleashing more chaos in this world. So, let’s all decide who is the villain of this piece of drama unfolding. I’m unable to share that today because I do not have the degree to do so.

Let me make this a better offer to those who are totally uninterested in the troubles of others- see the recipe below.

It may help you or may not.

Going or Coming with Paanchphoron

If you wish to have other recipes in future as well, please do subscribe to our newsletter.

It is free of cost, actually. Thankful for a few people who did subscribe- they may read it or may not. But it does encourage us who are trying to continue this with some regularity.

The recipe for Shukto with Paanchphoron uses many vegetables which are common with Avial. While I was looking around for the recipe in my notes, I remembered that I had actually learnt it from another book gifted by a friend.

Now, I cannot find that book as well. Did I gift it to someone, was it stolen or did I leave it in Singapore for my husband. I am not sure. Now, it doesn’t matter. Here’s something that I found online.

Avial Recipe | Kerala Aviyal – Dassana’s Veg Recipes

My version of Avial turned out to be nothing like what I had made several times before. Clearly, my heart was not in it. But I still share it as an example of how we learn as we cook.

Blabbering Poojas with muscle relaxants

Anyways, nobody needs my permission to rewrite my lifescript- do go ahead. People are already doing it behind my back. My narrative is of little interest to most people. I have zero significance in a world full of how many people now- who has the latest count?

I was told- I am an impure woman married to a very pure man. This is becoming beyond ridiculous now. I am unable to face the crowds during Puja/Navratri due to people’s insinuation about my mud blood origins. There are Lakshmans who do not wish that I cross Rekha. 🙂

She has silks galore for those who want somebody to admire them more closely. But who needs silks when you have such glowing skin. Who is looking at her makeup anyways. Those eyes speak such volumes- I am dumbfounded. 😀

I think it is time to submit the thesis developed by jobless monkeys. Way beyond the permitted time for the examinations to be accomplished. Kindly share the biases in income for different physical attributes. I will then get some details on mental aptitude test. Do share biases in gender, place of origin, race, language, etc. So, there were these AI tools to help people overcome the biases. However, it ensures that the power remains with the ones who developed those tools. Hence, I am unable to participate in this free for all fight for supremacy in a Planet of the Apes kind of simulation.

Did I get an honorary doctorate? No, I didn’t.

Hard of hearing Doctors

Don’t have the balls to get that, sorry. I needed something more extraordinary in my younger days. But apparently, I wasted time climbing coconut trees to find coconut to make oil and then sell to the women who are long tressed today.

Then I was looking around in dense ginger forests for turmeric roots to dry up, pound into kilos and kilos of turmeric to make some soaps. Or perhaps I was poaching in Sandalwood forests for adding to such soap. (Taller tales continue…)

Now, you may say, who needs soap? We can just skip it today. But then that would make you more impure.

Now let’s talk about what is pure in this universe. You can only eat gheeeeee….and nothing else but gheeeeeeee. And perhaps sour curd. Nothing sweeter than that.

Wow!

Panchakarma sessions to commence.

I have a feeling, the drug inspectors need to be called now pronto. Somebody has obviously made some very foolish allegations and messed with the sadhupurushes.

If you can be dramatic and exaggerate- down south we, do it 3x more.

Paanchphoron Kirtans for Spiritual Conquests

Hmmm- interesting.

What if I can fool with just a spray of deodorant? You can- but you smell obnoxious even with the deodorant. In fact, cannot stand that awful stinking deodorant.

This is becoming very suspicious.

Intolerant German Nazis I think…. highly sensitive and yet nonsensical. Difficult public. Some places have word limits- you know.

I know. But have you dealt with a two-year-old just starting to talk? No? Ok.

Let’s get to the recipe quickly.

What are the spices that make up Paanchphoron?

As far as I can see and remember- cumin seeds (jeera), nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalounji), fenugreek seeds (methi), fennel (mouri/saunf) and now there is some confusion on the 5th one.

Why?

Some places it is parsley seeds (radhuni) and some other places it is mustard seeds (shorshye/Rai). Did I get that right? Not sure.

Chinese Sister of Paanchphoron?

Doesn’t matter. You can buy Paanchphoron in any bengali grocery shop.

It is also available in online stores nowadays.

There’s a Chinese Five Spice mix which is used often in their herbal soups. Please do not confuse it with that- totally different mix of flavours. That has a lovely earthy herbal aroma too- a bit on the sweeter side with an overpowering smell of star anise (or so I think).

I used it often for stir-fries earlier.

Now, many of us don’t have this confusion in life. So may find this additional information unnecessary- my apologies for that.

Let’s get cracking on the vegetables section now.

We use assorted vegetables- many root vegetables are used. But most important among them is the dreaded bitter gourd.

You may think, why dreaded? That means you didn’t grow up with mothers who force fed that to you. Trust me, I know.

You had a different kind of parenting? Ok. Then the confusion is natural.

Chinese Whisper not Sister

We will find other ways to explain this later. The universe is connected in mysterious ways. Beyond my capacity to understand or explain. Why was I born a woman? Is it a curse or a blessing- you tell me. You think I’m free?

For the moment, let’s start with the paste that goes into Shukto with Paanchphoron. It’s a common one and I have used it in many other recipes.

It’s a mix of grated coconut, poppy seeds and mustard seeds. You can use a mix of yellow and black mustard seeds. Choice is yours- how strong or mild you want it to be. Some people like to skip the mustard seeds all together.

The roasting of the cumin seeds and paanchphoron is very important. We like to pound it after roasting and then sprinkle on top. I have done this twice already and I am ready it do it again. I have the money to support other whores and nurses instead, it seems.

So, let’s try this once again. Let me understand, what kind of universe allows this to transpire.

Let’s look at the video and you may find it quite easy to follow.

Do share your queries, suggestions, comments or feedback- it helps.

Footnote

September is a Bitch (stage whispers)

Something a little bitter. Something a little sour

Something a little salty. Something a little caustic

And something a little sweet

Are we talking about tasteless people

In a rather backhanded complimentary way?

Do you choose to deride your own people

And your own culture in this way?

Then perhaps you should leave this August premises

And proceed towards your own definition

Of a Stairway to Heaven or Hell.

You have no right to insult such magnificent

Detail oriented people- your documentation

Needs to be revalidated.

Annual Health Checkups to be done

Stress induced by what exactly?

Is not clear for some people

For others you may want to check

Whether you need more carbohydrates

Or you wish to reduce them

Many of us, don’t have a choice

I implore others to raise their voice.

Melting Lemon Drop 14. 09. 2025