A cup of Assam Tea

  It has been a week since we celebrated Magh Bihu, yet I am still relishing Xutuli Pitha or Sutuli Pitha, and so is my family.  Last week, I posted my  Magh Bihu food memory,  and most of my readers have never heard of or known the food I shared in my blog.   Today, I will share the most quintessential dessert we make during Magh Bihu, or for that matter, any  Bihu .  Pillowy, sticky, crunchy, half-moon-shaped dessert inspired by an Assamese musical instrument.  If you closely look into Assamese cuisine, especially festive cooking,  Bora Saul  or Sticky rice is widely used. Since Bora Saul is indigenous rice in Assam, if you live outside Assam or India, you can use Japanese sweet rice or sticky rice.   Let's get to the ingredients... Ingredients 2 cups Japanese sweet rice or sticky rice 1 cup sesame seeds ( Teel ) and save 5 tablespoons for decoration (optional) 1 cup jaggery or gur Oil for frying Process  Wash and so...

  Nostalgia is a part of every immigrant's life, a treasure trove. I carry a piece of Assam in my heart and wear it on my sleeves. Special occasions and festivities often transport me back to my homeland, especially to my large family with all Our Uncles and Aunts, to our house and our expansive courtyard in Assam. During this time, my homeland, Assam, celebrates Magh Bihu with great zeal. Magh Bihu is a harvest festival, similar to Thanksgiving in the USA, where the end of the harvest season is widely celebrated. I reminisce those wonderful times, how in the guidance of my Koka (Grandfather) we used to build a makeshift house in our courtyard, my Pehis(Aunts) and Mom prepared Bihu delicacies. How the whirlpool of flavor straightly tantalized my senses with roasted sesame, ground sticky rice, and the sticky and syrupy smell of jaggery. During the day, our house help collected all the winter vegetables, whether it was olkobi, pohulkobi, or tender potatoes from our kitchen garden, a...

 Happy New Year, everyone. A brand new year with new hopes and new planning and whatnot. This year I took it a bit slow and steady, not going overboard on anything.  Taking it slow does not always mean doing nothing, but rather doing something at your own pace. Also, in New England, winter has just begun, and we are limited in what we can do due to COVID-19. Keeping myself or the kids inside all the time is not a good idea, so we decided to go for a short outing. Then, Saville Dam came to mind. Nested in the quaint countryside of New Hartford, Saville Dam at Berkhamsted reservoir was built in 1940. I had been to Saville Dam many times and experienced all the seasons except winter. Every season offers its unique beauty. Spring and summer offer crisp blue skies, sparkling water, and emerald green mountain backdrops, while autumn provides a vibrant color splash against the sweeping view of the mountains.  But visiting Saville Dam in winter is a solitary experience. Even thou...