TrumatterLiving: Hojoborolo
Select nonsense, meltdowns, kintsugi-ing the soul with a gorgeous fall roast and works of Sukumar Ray
Like a dog who is beat, with its tail between its legs, I sat there one Saturday, unable to deal with the sheer nonsense of life. It really doesn’t matter, the details of it all. It’s just a series of really nonsensical events that could have not existed at all. Could have been also easier to deal with one nonsensical event every quarter but the arrival of nonsense is often unexpected and equally dramatic.
And hence, I was drown in the Himalayas of nonsense that said Saturday, each one in the heap chosen with care. An anthology of select nonsense. And a classic case of “Chhilo rumal, hoye gelo ekta beral” (It was a handkerchief. And now its a cat)
‘‘Mushkil abar ki? Chilo ekta dim, hoey gelo ekta pekpeke hash! E to hameshai hochhey’’- Hojoborolo, Sukumar Ray
“what is the problem? It was an egg, now its a quacking duck. This happens all the time’’- said the cat.
I burst into laughter, on a Wednesday morning, after successfully crossing the five stages of grief (or nonsense in this case). Clearly, S**t happens, things change and there absolutely nothing one can do about this. Tail out and proud, let’s look for that bone.
This is the thing about literature. This is the thing about exceptional writing. Like a no-fail-old-fashioned it never ceases to straighten that spine of yours.
Strange that exactly 3 days less, 99 years, after Sukumar Ray passed away, I would find myself in a fit of laughter, bathing in jhuri-bhorti (basket full of) nonchalance and odomos after an intense 2 months of psychological mosquito bites. Truth is, a handkerchief turns into a cat all the time and that’s just how things are. It’s utter rubbish but it happens. That’s just how things are! Rejoice. You cannot do anything about it.
I think in the coming months I will see a lot more nonsense too but I am good. Just remember, a handkerchief often turns into a cat and there is nothing about it!
But what you can do is eat great food. That is in your control. It’s how you Kintsugi your soul
Food is really gold standard when it comes to mending your weary soul. Atleast for the likes of me. And Chicken Roast ranks very high in the list of world’s most sought after soul mending food. No, seriously. Im telling you. It’s a notch above chicken soup. Minor heartbreaks? House help quitting? Have a bowl of soup. Buried under nonsense of people you thought were sensible? It’s straight up a roast for me. With its layers of herby goodness and dripping butter, it can not only mend the most broken souls but also make it glitter. Just like it’s been Kintsugi’d!
And this fall roast is the most perfect glue in the world.
A slight variation from my usual chicken roast, this fall roast combines maple syrup and rosemary in melted butter which is basted over the bird as it cooks. I also add a teeny bit nutmeg to let the deep, fall flavors come alive.
Here’s the recipe of my fall roasted chicken
A small, 900 gram bird, dressed
2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp butter
Maple syrup - 2 tbsp
Freshly grounded pepper: 1 tsp
Freshly grounded nutmeg: 1 tsp
Rosemary: 1 sprig + 1 sprig
Chopped garlic: 2 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
How to make it
You can do it a day ahead or in the morning too if you are planning a feast in the evening.
Pat dry the bird.
Mix butter, salt, pepper, 1 sprig rosemary, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl.
In another bowl, add 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 sprig rosemary, nutmeg and 2 tbsp melted butter. Keep aside.
Take the first butter mixture, rub chicken, on the skin and cavity.
#TIP: Freeze/refrigerate according to when you want to use it. If you freeze it, you might want to give a good 3-4 hours to thaw.
Oven Time
Heat a cast iron skillet or a roasting tray over gas on medium. Add a tbsp of the maple-rosemary-butter. Get the bird in and let it get golden. Spoon the butter on top of the bird.
Once you get the beautiful golden color, dunk it in the oven at 220 for 15 and then at 180 for 40 minutes, basting the bird with the butter mixture from the roasting pan every 15 minutes.
After its time is done in the oven, check it with a blunt knife. You can check the sides of the bird’s thigh. If that’s done, its done. Cover it with aluminum foil.
Rest for half an hour and serve.
I hope you enjoy this little rant and the recipe; remember guys life is one big hojoborolo and you dont need to think so much. A handkerchief can turn into a cat.
Haha
Love, Rukmini