I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to celebrate colours in my daily life … the sun rays filtering into our rooms traversing through the day from dawn until dusk, casting shadows and reflections in different hues and directions… a myriad of flowers from coloured hibiscuses that bloom slowly as the morning sun warms up… fragrant frangipanis, pink oleanders standing tall trying to kiss the vibrant blue summer sky, butterflies of varied sizes flocking to the bushy yellow allamandas… and then surrendering to the delicate blue butterfly peas.
My butterfly peas are all around – hanging alone from planters on my fence and my neighbours’ or growing lovingly entangled with other plants in our garden. Also called Aparajita, meaning ‘the unconquerable’, and Neelkantha, meaning ‘the blue-throated one’, the latter is linked to the Hindu God Shiva. In Hindu mythology, during the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the oceans by gods and demons to get Amrita, the nectar of immortality – Lord Shiva drank the poison that surfaced to save the world, causing his throat to turn blue and earning him the name Neelkantha.
The Neelkantha flower is a sacred offering for Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna, and Goddess Durga, whose other name is also Aparajita for remaining undefeated and invincible.
My morning rituals include collecting flowers for our altar and home from our garden and the surrounding community. Knowing my passion and interests, my Ma shared a recipe of a polao – the Neelkantha Polao. She had seen it on TV where it was made by the Bengali kirtan singer Aditi Munshi. This special rice offering made with blue butterfly peas was always made at her home during Holi, the Indian festival of colours. Apparently this was a favourite dish of Lord Krishna and she served the Neelkantha Polao with a paneer preparation – Pitambari Chanar Dalna.
On last Sunday during the Holi weekend, I made both the polao and paneer. I also made Cholar Dal, a favourite accompaniment whenever I make traditional Bengali polao like Basanti Polao, also known as Mishti Polao. A traditional sweet tomato chutney with raisins completed the offering for our altar and our special Sunday lunch menu. Sharing the recipe of the Neelkantha Polao… hope you enjoy making it too!
Neelkantha Polao, a polao made with blue butterfly peas
Category: Mains; Cuisine: Bengali/Subcontinental
serves:4 people Time: 40-45 minutes
Ingredients
30 fresh blue butterfly peas, washed and petals separated from sepals (dried petals can also be used)
200 gms or 1 cup Gobindobhog rice*
1 bay leaf
1 one-inch cinnamon stick
5 green whole cardamoms
1/2 tsp Bengali garam masala powder (a fine grind of green cardamoms, cinnamon sticks and cloves taken in equal proportions)
200 gms mixed nuts – pistachio, cashew, almonds broken and pounded
100 gms raisin, golden
3 tbsps Bengali gaoa ghee*
1 tbsp sugar
Salt, as per taste
Method
- Boil 3 cups of water. Let the petals soak for a few minutes until the blue colour fades out of the petals. Sieve and drain out the water (for 1 cup of rice, we’ll require double the amount of water, for example here, 2 cups of water. Use the same cup for measuring rice and water.)
- Wash the rice grains in running water and drain the water. Keep aside for half and hour.
- In a Dekchi or any deep-bottomed vessel, add 2 tbsp ghee once the vessel heats up. Add the rice grains, bay leaf, cardamoms, cinnamon sticks and gently give it a continuous stir for a minute so that the rice doesn’t get burnt at the bottom of the vessel.
- Add 2 cups of butterfly pea infused blue water, garam masala powder, salt and sugar. Cook with the lid on and allow the rice to puff up.
- Check a few rice grains with your fingers and when they seem almost done, take off the flame and keep the lid on for five more minutes.
- In a tempering wok, heat 1 tbsp of ghee. Fry the mixed nuts and raisins until they turn light brown. Pour this as a garnish on top of the blue and fragrant Neelkontho Polao.
* I used Gobindobhog, the short-grained aromatic rice that’s used to make other traditional Bengali rice based dishes like Payesh, made specially on auspicious occasions. You may substitute Gobindobhog with Kalijira from Bangladesh or Jeera Samba rice from Kerala. Ma mentioned that Aditi Munshi had used Basmati.
* A Bengali Gaoa Ghee is a type of cow ghee made in a different process than regular ghee or clarified butter. This lends a distinct aroma and a thick texture to the ghee. You may substitute it for any other ghee.
My Neelkantha Polao turned out delicious, fragrant and needless to say… very pretty in a hue of blue. For me, a polao shouldn’t become a routine affair lest it loses its special charm and must be brought to the table only on special occasions as a showstopper. How do I then immerse myself with my daily blessings of blue butterfly pea flowers that are abundantly flowing into our home? Well, I simply brew and sip into a breathtaking blue Neelkantha tea – a squeeze of lime and the blue turns into a vibrant violet… a magic tea for my senses and soul.
As we usher in Spring with the equinox today and may you continue to have millions of reasons to celebrate life… and colours every single day. Even when you are feeling blue!
Unblogging it all… Ishita
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Rice recipes that you may love from my blog:
Kolkata Mutton Biryani
Bengali Khichuri
Desserts:
Firni or Ferni – The broken rice pudding
Payesh or Bengali Rice Pudding
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