Lifestyle
"Songs of Fishermen": Mong Mong Sho’s tribute to the lives shaped by water
Depicting the struggles, sorrows, and lifestyles of the fishing community, shipbuilders, and boatmen in the coastal area of Bangladesh, a solo art exhibition of international artist Mong Mong Sho titled "Songs of Fishermen" is currently ongoing at the EMK Center, Dhanmondi in the capital.
The exhibition was inaugurated on September 30, marking the 9th founding anniversary of the EMK Center.
Joined by Alak Roy, Professor of the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Chittagong, eminent artist Kanak Chanpa Chakma, and Bishwajit Goswami, Assistant Professor at the Drawing and Painting Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University, the inaugural ceremony lauded Mong Mong Sho's use of vivid colours in his thought-provoking artistic narratives.
Read: Rokeya's art exhibition opens at Indian Cultural Centre
4 Shahabuddin paintings sold at international auction by Sowda and ARTcon
Four paintings of the Independence Award-winning internationally-acclaimed Bangladeshi painter and freedom fighter Shahabuddin Ahmed have been sold on auction online through the international platform Sowda.com, in association with renowned art agency ARTcon.The four lithography paintings - ‘Run’, ‘Horse’, ‘Freedom’ and ‘Horses’, were auctioned on the Sowda website on August 18 and all the paintings were sold at the auction on October 11.Bidding the base price of Tk 150,000 for each of the four paintings following the auction rules, Obhai Solutions Limited has become the proud collector of the four artworks, painted by the legendary artist Shahabuddin Ahmed.
Also read: Shredded Banksy artwork sells for $25.4 million at auctionThe first of its kind international auction in Bangladesh, the month-long auction has received an overwhelming response from the top intellectuals, artists and art collectors in the country.
10 Delicious Bangladeshi Dishes With No Onion and No Garlic
When it comes to any cuisine, anywhere around the world, cooking a dish without garlic or onion is quite rare. Garlic and onion are both integral components of Bangladeshi cuisine as well since most of the recipes demand the satisfying crunch of onions and the powerfully pungent taste of garlic. But owing to the diversity of Bangladeshi recipes, there are several scrumptious dishes that require no garlic and no onion and yet manage to leave a gastronomical mark on the taste buds.
Onion & Garlic Free Yummy Bengali Dishes to Try at Home
Here are 10 such delicious Bangladeshi dishes that can be cooked without any onion and garlic.
Aloor Dom
Aloor Dom is a tasty Bengali dish where baby potatoes are slow cooked in such a way that the result is a rich buttery bowl of soft and textured potatoes. To cook this bowl of delicious goodness, some baby potatoes are diced and fried with salt until they turn golden.
Read:Easy Durga Puja Vegetarian Recipes to Try at Home
Setting the potatoes aside, in another wok, fry some bay leaf, red chili and cumin seeds. Adding ginger paste and poppy seed paste, it is required to fry everything together for 5 seconds until kaju paste and beaten curd are added to the mixture of ingredients.
Finally, the potatoes and some water are put in the mixture which is then simmered for 10 minutes. Once the gravy thickens, take it off from the stove and finish off with some garam masala.
Labra
Labra is a Bengali mixed vegetable dish which is cooked with a variety of seasonal vegetables and without using any garlic or onion. In order to prepare labra, some spices like dry chili, bay leaf, fennel seeds and cumin seeds are first fried. Now a thick paste should be made by taking some ginger paste, mustard oil, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, sugar and salt.
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Then heat some oil on a pan with bay leaf, panch phoron and red chili, add the potatoes first, followed by all the vegetables after 3-4 minutes. Once the vegetables are mixed, add the spice paste and then mix thoroughly again. Now the vegetables need to be cooked for 15- 20 minutes in low flame till they soften up. Serve the labra with the fried spices from before.
Doi Phulkopi
Doi fulkopi is a fragrant Bengali dish that promises to fill the house with a beautiful aroma alerting every one of the tasty dishes being cooked. It is the perfect meal for bringing warmth to cold wintry days. This dish can be made by first marinating small slices of cauliflower with yogurt, ginger paste, salt, garam masala and red chili powder.
Spluttering panch phoron and bay leaves in hot oil, some sliced ginger sautéed in the same oil in another pan. The marinated cauliflower is then added to the oil and cooked till the cauliflower turns golden. Finally, take off the cauliflower from the stove and add the needed amount of garam masala to achieve the desired taste.
Read:Togur: The Molasses Made from Watermelon Juice in Bangladesh
Moong Dal Fry
This nutritious dish is rich in protein and fiber. To prepare Moong Dal Fry, firstly some dal is cooked in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water until they turn mushy. In a pan, some mustard seeds are made to crackle in hot oil after which asafetida, green chili and ginger paste are sautéed in it.
Some chopped tomatoes are mixed with it and cooked until they get pulpy. Now some cumin powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder are mixed before putting in the dal. Putting some water to attain the desired consistency is a good idea at this point. To level up this dal, a tarka can be made with ghee and red chili powder on a hot pan and poured on top of the dal.
Aam Dal
Aam Dal is a refreshing lentil soup which tastes salty, sour and a bit sweet at the same time. This staple dal curry is cooked in a similar way to the aforementioned dal recipe, but after cracking the mustard seeds in hot oil, some cut up green mango slices are added and cooked for 2- 3 minutes.
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Next, some ginger paste, turmeric powder and salt are added to the slices. To soak up the spices and cook the mango, the pan needs to be covered for 4- 5 minutes. Now the cooked dal is poured into the mixture along with some green chili and water to reach the desired texture. 1 cup of water and a little bit of sugar are added at this point to let it simmer. The end result will be some mouthwatering dal to go with rice.
Paneer Dalna
This dish is made with cottage cheese chunks known as paneer and some cut up potatoes. Some oil is taken in a bowl and ingredients like turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt are added to make a thick paste. In a pan some oil is heated and potato chunks are fried and then strained off. Same process is repeated for the paneer chunks.
Now tempering the oil with dry red chili, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and cumin seed, ginger paste is added and cooked. Next, some chopped tomatoes are cooked till softened up. Pour in the spice mix and some water and bring it to boil. The potatoes are added then cooked for 8- 10 minutes after which the paneer is also added. The dish is finished off with some ghee and garam masala powder.
Read:Yummy sweets for Durga Puja: Traditional Bengali desserts to try in the great religious festival
Doi Potol
This no garlic no onion dish can be made by frying some peeled pointed gourd with turmeric powder and salt until they turn a nice golden brown. Next, some panch phoron is sizzled in hot oil and ginger paste is mixed with it.
A slurry is to be made with dry spices like cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder added to a little water. At this point, some yogurt is mixed in low heat and the fried pointed gourds are added to the pan. It is then covered and simmered. Finally, some garam masala and ghee make the dish ready to astound everyone with its flavors.
Niramish Ghugni
Ghugni is a dish with bold flavors made with a mash of boiled yellow peas, potatoes and all sorts of spices. To prepare this dish, one needs to soak some yellow peas overnight. The next day,these are boiled and cooked with some ginger and chili paste.
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The potatoes are added on a pan and cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder are added to the pan and finally the whole mixture is simmered in a low heat with the boiled yellow peas to produce some delectable Niramish Ghugni.
Chanar Torkari
Chanar Torkari is a variation of chanar dalna where some more pastes like coconut paste and cashew nut paste are added to the dish to bring out its unique flavor. Chanas are cottage cheese nuggets that are shaped out of curdled milk.
These chanas are then cooked in whipped yogurt with a mixture of coconut paste, cashew nut paste, peas and other ingredients like turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt to add more flavors to the dish. This dish requires no onion or garlic.
Read:Trans Fats: Facts You Need to Know
Lau Shak Chorchori
Chorchori refers to a concoction of a variety of vegetables that are cooked dry to bring forth the crunchy texture of the vegetables. To make this dish, the tender bottle gourd leaves are cooked in a pressure cooker with some salt.
The next step is to squeeze out the excess water. Now heat some mustard oil in a pan and some ground cloves, red chilies and poppy seeds paste are added to it. At this point, turmeric powder is added and the spices are sautéed. Finally the leaves are added and cooked in a low flame to result in a green textured palatable Lau Shaker Chorchori.
These are some of the well- known Bengali dishes that are really easy to cook and require absolutely no garlic or onion.
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Bottom Line
So far we have mentioned 10 easy to prepare Bengali curries that do not require any garlic or onion. All of these cuisines are healthy and delicious. However, the taste, flavor and scent of these dishes may vary depending on cooking process, portion of ingredients, skill of cooking, etc. Bon appetit!
How to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone?
What is a comfort zone? A place to live and eat in comfort? A place of peace? The Comfort zone is very similar to these statements. The comfort zone is basically a behavioral condition, where the environment is familiar to us; There are certain boundaries where we feel comfortable working, and the results are pretty sure. We know our work; we know the results. Let's dig out more about comfort zone.
What is the benefit of leaving the comfort zone?
Except for a handful of people, everyone loves to stay in their comfort zone. Because when we leave our comfort zone, life becomes difficult for us. The pressure on us increases, and risk also increases. There is an uncertain situation where the person does not know what will happen and what the person will do.
Interestingly, with this uncertainty and risk, it comes with tremendous opportunities, which we have been deprived of for so long due to staying in our comfort zone. The door to unobstructed chances of real-life opens when a person can leave behind the comfort zone.
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Getting out of the comfort zone means opening the door to new possibilities in front of you. Maybe a person can take the first step to fulfill the long-cherished dream. The person will have the power to control any situation and to keep a cool head in all situations.
Further, the person's creativity will increase, and he or she will be able to think of new ideas as well as implement them. In addition to taking yourself to new heights by harnessing the qualities hidden inside you, you will be motivated to learn and try new things. As a result, you will become more efficient and better as a human being.
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Ways to leave your comfort zone
Although the words stress, uncertainty, and risk may seem negative, it has a huge positive side. The comfort zone is limiting one's chances. Let's take a look at some ways that will help you to get out of your comfort zone.
Be confident
The person has to believe in himself and his own abilities. Thus aspirations will help the person to break through the walls of the comfort zone.
Do a repetitive task in a new way
Avoid the usual road to university or workplace and one day take a new road that you do not usually take. Go and talk to someone new you have never met. Do a new task every day or even help the family to do household chores. By doing this, anyone can learn to adapt to the new environment.
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Choose the hard option
People always tend to choose the easy option for any task so that they do not have to deal with any new situation. However, this is a bad habit, and quitting this habit will help someone to leave their comfort zone. So, it is advisable to choose the relatively difficult and unfamiliar option. Honestly, even if the person fails, he or she can still learn something new. It will be a new experience.
A fresh start every day
Just because anyone fails to do something today does not mean that all the possibilities are gone. Remember that tomorrow can be a whole new day for anyone. So, the person can start anew from there.
Challenge yourself
Push yourself to overcome the weaknesses. Start anything from very small. Start doing the things that you are afraid to do. Further, talking to a stranger is also helpful. Or making friends with someone who speaks a different language will also help to come out from the comfort zone.
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Do what you are afraid to do
Despite the strong desire and interest, people tend to shy away from many tasks only because of unreasonable fears. So, it is advisable to quit this habit. Do more of the things you are afraid to do.
Involve with volunteer work
Joining volunteer work can be a great way to get out of your comfort zone. Through volunteering, people can learn new skills, get to know new people, and can also be a partner in the development of the country and society. Being able to work for people will give a sense of gratitude and self-satisfaction.
Think of some of the unexpected successes in the past
Everyone has at least one success story in their life. There must have been a time in life when a person thought to fail but finally became successful. Think of those times. You will see that the strength of mind has increased many times, as well as confidence, will grow.
Read How to let go of a lifelong dream and embrace a new one?
Think of someone who encourages you
Parents, family members, close friends always encourage us. So, if anyone is stuck in their comfort zone, the person can think of those well-wishers and keep himself boosted.
Stop worrying
People usually complicate matters by thinking too much about something. This eventually reduces our interest in that issue. For example, someone planned to go somewhere with his friends on holiday. But, if you love to stay in your comfort zone, you might not be used to such holiday planning.
Therefore, you may try to find some excuses such as waste of money, traffic jams, hampering your studies, etc. By doing this, you may be spending your holidays in comfort, but you are missing the happy moments with your friends, which could give you the means to live in a new way. This is just one example. Excessive thinking about something often stops us from finding something new.
Read Top Qualities of Genuine People
Do not try to do anything alone
Try your best to keep someone by your side, who may be a close friend, mentor, or parent. Seek advice from them and their sincere advice and encouragement will give you courage as well as the right direction if needed.
Does everyone need to get out of their comfort zone?
While staying within the comfort zone is considered a bad effect, it is not a bad thing at all. If anyone has a good job or business; or if someone's life is going well; or if somebody is happy with family and friends - and if these are their respective comfort zones - then there is no need to get out of here.
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Marc Riboud’s haunting images of Bangladesh’s birth: ‘Mourning and Morning’ begins at LWM
Commemorating the life and works of the iconic French photographer Marc Riboud, best known for his photojournalistic works in Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War, a month-long solo photography exhibition titled ‘Bangladesh 1971: Mourning and Morning’ was inaugurated on Saturday at the Liberation War Museum (LWM), Agargaon in the capital.
Jointly organised by LWM and Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), the opening ceremony of the exhibition was joined by Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen as the chief guest.
French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marin Schuh attended the inaugural event as the guest of honour, while AFD’s newly appointed director François Grosjean, LWM trustee and member secretary Sara Zaker, exhibition co-curator Mofidul Hoque and LWM trustee Dr Sarwar Ali joined the programme as special guests.
Lorène Duret, the other curator of the exhibition, alongside Catherine Chaine Riboud, widow of Marc Riboud, virtually joined the inaugural event from France.
“This is surely a remarkable day for us, as we are celebrating the never-seen-before magnificent photographic works of Marc Riboud during our 1971 Liberation War. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs will always be there if any sort of support is needed, for the acceleration of this wonderful exhibition,” FM Dr Momen said at the ceremony.
He added, “As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have been implementing initiatives such as Economic Diplomacy which demonstrates the roadmap of our economic activities and achievements, and Public Diplomacy, to let the world know about the remarkable progress of Bangladesh that we achieved in the past 12 years. We have established a ‘Bangabandhu Corner’ in each of our diplomatic missions, to let the world learn about the sacrifices our Father of the Nation made; as well as the unique and tragic sacrifices of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”
Low-grade Fever: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Prevention
Many people get affected by fever during the season change. From children to the elderly, anyone can feel that way. In some cases, people visit the doctors and convey that they feel feverish, but the thermometer does not show a high body temperature. In these cases, there is a general feeling of fever, body aches, and discomfort. This condition is normally identified as low-grade fever.
What is low-grade fever?
For a healthy person, the normal body temperature is 98.6° Fahrenheit or 37° Celsius. So, if anyone has a slightly high body temperature, that is considered a low-grade fever. So, what is the idle range for low-grade fever?
According to Healthline, the range for low-grade fever is between 98.7°F and 100.4°F (37.5°C and 38.3°C). This fever may last for more than 24 hours, while chronic fever usually lasts for more than 10 to 14 days.
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Normally, fever can be many types, but in most cases, low grade, and mild grade fevers are not a serious matter and may go away within a few days. In most cases, it can happen due to cold or flu. However, there are some other causes of a persistent low-grade fever.
What causes a low-grade fever?
Many times, people feel feverish due to the impact of warm weather, wearing heavy clothes, dehydration, or walking in the sun for a long time. It is normal for children to get such fever when new teeth erupt.
But in some cases, low-grade fever can also be a symptom of serious diseases like tuberculosis, thyroid problems, various stomach complications, diabetes, cancer, and more. This type of fever can sometimes be caused by inflammation of the joints or muscles, urination, or ear-throat-tooth infection. So, the person needs to look for other symptoms to find the cause of such a fever.
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The most common cause of low-grade fever is the difference in weather and humidity, and the body may get hot. Further, hormonal imbalance in older women can also raise body temperature.
A new medication can also create low-grade fever, which is sometimes called drug fever. Some drugs associated with low-grade fever are quinidine, phenytoin, beta-lactam antibiotics, such as cephalosporins and penicillins, carbamazepine, methyldopa, procainamide, and carbamazepine.
Symptoms
Mild fever can have many symptoms, such as loss of appetite, chronic cold cough, shortness of breath, ear and throat pain, nausea and abdominal pain, weight loss, joint and muscle pain, abdominal digestion noise, etc.
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Fever should first be measured with a thermometer four to five times a day for five to seven days to check if the temperature rises or not. If measuring at a regular interval shows a temperature rise, the person might have a low-grade fever. Further, if the temperature list shows fever during the day or night, caution should be taken.
Low-grade fever can also occur due to seasonal flu or influenza. Seasonal flu or influenza is a sort of acute respiratory infection through influenza virus. The flu can be four types, and of the four types of influenza viruses (A, B, C, D), both influenza A and influenza B viruses can cause seasonal epidemics, perhaps fever.
Usually, Influenza signs include fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and bone pain, sickness, sore throat, and runny nose. However, In most cases, treatment is not needed, and it recovers within a week.
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How to Get E-Passport in Bangladesh: Things you need to know
An e-passport or electronic passport is a passport featuring an electronic microprocessor chip and antenna that integrates the person's biometric identity, such as picture, fingerprint, and eye-Irish. E-passport holders do not have to stand in line for visa checking for immigration. Rather they can pass immigration very quickly using electronic gates. Now e-passport is available without any hassle by applying online from anywhere in the country. Let's get to know how to get an E-Passport in Bangladesh.
How to apply online for an e-passport
The application can be started by entering the website ‘www.epassport.gov.bd’ and clicking on the first tab on the left titled ‘Apply Online’.
In the beginning, the name of the local passport office will be shown as soon as the name of the police station near the district and present address is given. This is the place where both the e-passport application form has to be submitted and the e-passport can be obtained.
READ: e-Passport to brighten Bangladesh image: PM Hasina
During the application process, the applicant needs to provide some necessary information including name, birth date, present and permanent address, profession, nation ID number, data of previous passport (if applicable), parents name and occupation, contact number, emergency contact, etc. And, the system will also require bank details where the application fee has been submitted.
What is more, at the end of the registration process, the system will ask the applicants to choose a suitable date and time for appointment for giving respective biometrics from the designated days available in the Passport Office.
When the registration is done, the applicant needs to take a print out of his or her e-passport registration application form including the biometric date schedule.
READ: Bangladesh enters e-Passport era
How much does it cost to get an e-passport
There are three types of e-passport delivery systems. The applicants are expected to receive their e-passports after the stipulated working days since the date of submission of application.
1. Regular: 21 working days
2. Express: 10 working days
3. Super Express: 2 working days
E-passport of 48-page 5-year delivery fee
Regular: BDT 4,025
Express: BDT 6,325
Super Express: BDT 8,625
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E-passport of 48-page 10-year delivery fee
Regular: BDT 5,750
Express: BDT 8,050
Super Express: BDT 10,350
E-passport of 64-page 5-year delivery fee
Regular: BDT 6,325
Express: BDT 8,625
Super Express: BDT 12,075
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E-passport of 64-page 10-year delivery fee
Regular: BDT 8,050
Express: BDT 10,350
Super Express: BDT 13,800
Currently, the Bangladesh passport offices are not receiving online payments. So the applicants can submit the payment through any of the following banks - Sonali Bank, Trust Bank, One Bank, Dhaka Bank, Premier Bank, and Bank Asia.
The applicant's full name on the e-passport bank deposit form must match with the applicant’s full name provided in his or her e-passport registration form. At this time a photocopy of the NID card and a summary of the application form will be required. The summary can be downloaded from the website after submitting the online application.
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After depositing the e-passport issuing or re-issuing fee in person, the applicant needs to collect the bank deposit receipt.
What documents are needed to get an e-passport
The fully filled-in application form has to be downloaded and printed. Then one copy passport size photo, photocopy of NID card, and bank deposit receipt have to be attached.
Applicants below the age of 18 must provide a photocopy of the parent's NID card along with the birth certificate of the applicant.
Usually, these are the key documents that the applicants need to submit to the passport office on the day scheduled for biometrics. The documents required for e-passport application can be submitted to the passport office without attestation.
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In some cases, the applicants might need some additional documents like proof of address, birth certificate, copy of police report (if passport is lost), NOC certificate, Office ID card (for job holders), Last exam's certificate (for students), etc.
However, during the biometric screening day, the applicant must take his or her original NID card, original previous passport (if applicable) for verification.
Finally
It should be noted here that once the application is finally submitted, it can no longer be changed. Only one application can be submitted with a national identity (NID) card. At the time of application, all information must be given according to the national identity card, and/or previous passport (if applicable). All in all, the information and documents provided for e-passport application must be authentic. Otherwise, the e-passport will not be obtained.
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Shredded Banksy artwork sells for $25.4 million at auction
A work by British street artist Banksy that sensationally self-shredded just after it sold at auction three years ago fetched almost 18.6 million pounds ($25.4 million) on Thursday — a record for the artist, and close to 20 times its pre-shredded price.
“Love is in the Bin” was offered by Sotheby’s in London, with a presale estimate of 4 million pounds to 6 million pounds ($5.5 million to $8.2 million).
After a 10-minute bidding war involving nine bidders in the saleroom, online and by phone, it sold for three times the high estimate to an undisclosed buyer. The sale price of 18,582,000 pounds ($25,383,941) includes an auction-house fee known as a buyer’s premium.
Also read: Banksy sneezing woman artwork appears on Bristol house
The piece consists of a half-shredded canvas in an ornate frame bearing a spray-painted image of a girl reaching for a heart-shaped red balloon.
When it last sold at Sotheby’s in October 2018, the piece was known as “Girl With Balloon.” Just as an anonymous female European buyer made the winning bid — for 1 million pounds ($1.4 million) — a hidden shredder embedded in the frame by Banksy whirred to life, leaving half the canvas hanging from the frame in strips.
Sotheby’s received some criticism at the time for failing to spot the hidden shredder. But the 2018 buyer decided to go through with the purchase, a decision that was vindicated on Thursday as the work's price soared.
The work quickly became one of Banksy’s most famous, and Sotheby’s sent it on tour to cities including New York and Hong Kong before Thursday’s auction.
Auctioneer Oliver Barker joked that he was “terrified” to bring down the hammer to end Thursday's sale. There were jitters among Sotheby's staff to the last that Banksy had another surprise planned.
Alex Branczik. Sotheby’s chairman of modern and contemporary art, called the shredding “one of the most ingenious moments of performance art this century.”
Also read: Vatican issues a street art stamp, ends up getting sued
“It has been a whirlwind to follow the journey of this now legendary piece and to have it back in our midst, offering it tonight in the very room it was created by the artist,” Branczik said. “Banksy is no stranger to making headlines and this latest chapter in his story has captured imaginations across the world — we can only begin to guess what might come next.”
Banksy, who has never confirmed his full identity, began his career spray-painting buildings in Bristol, England, and has become one of the world’s best-known artists. His mischievous and often satirical images include two male police officers kissing, armed riot police with yellow smiley faces and a chimpanzee with a sign bearing the words, “Laugh now, but one day I’ll be in charge.”
Several of his works have sold for multiple millions at auction. In March, a Banksy mural honoring Britain’s health workers, first painted on a hospital wall, sold for 16.8 million pounds ($23.2 million) at a Christie’s auction, until Thursday a record for the artist.
“Girl With Balloon” was originally stenciled on a wall in east London and has been endlessly reproduced, becoming one of Banksy’s best-known images.
Easy Durga Puja Vegetarian Recipes to Try at Home
The festival of Durga Puja brings family and friends together in a harmonious union of joy, laughter, and happiness. One of the major festivities of Durga Puja is relishing the scrumptious vegetarian food. The love that Bengalis hold for food gets translated impeccably during this time through the myriads of colorful dishes they bring to the table. With the ongoing Durga Puja, let’s take a look at 10 popular Bengali dishes which are delicious, vegetarian, and absolutely easy to prepare.
Top 10 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes for Durga Puja
Aloo Posto
A creamy Aloo Posto is one of those staple dishes that is hard to miss during Durga Puja. A combination of some simple ingredients like diced potatoes, poppy seeds, mustard oil, turmeric powder, and some green chilies yields a mouth-watering dish that leaves a mark on the taste buds.
To cook this savory dish, grind some poppy seeds after soaking it for 2 hours, fry the diced potatoes with green chilies in some mustard oil, add some turmeric powder and water and then bring it to a simmer by closing the lid. It is really as easy and tasty as it sounds.
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Bengali Khichuri
The magical blend of rice, dal, and vegetables has been a favorite of Bengalis for years and Durga Puja feels incomplete without it. The traditional Bengali Khichuri has a soft and mushy texture that melts almost immediately in the mouth.
Create this dish by roasting some moong dal on a pan, cool and wash it with some rice, sauté some bay leaves, cardamom, cumin seeds, clove, ginger paste, turmeric paste, onion, and tomato, add the rice and daal with the sautéed items and then boil it with water. When the khichuri is bubbling, cook it for a good 30- 35 minutes in low heat. Adding the desired vegetables at the end will result in a steaming blend of unforgettable khichuri.
Read Yummy sweets for Durga Puja: Traditional Bengali desserts to try in the great religious festival
Mochar Chop
This gastronomical delicacy is a must-have on all occasions for Bengalis. This hassle-free dish is easy to make and takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Mocha refers to banana flowers which is the main ingredient for this dish.
The process is as simple as blending the stir-fried mocha with some potatoes, molding them in small round shapes, dipping them in bread crumbs, and then deep-frying it in hot oil. The end result should be some unforgettable crunchy flavorful croquettes.
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Ghugni
Ghugni is a wonderful blast of flavors in the mouth with its mash of boiled yellow peas, potatoes, and all sorts of spices. To prepare this, soak some yellow peas overnight, boil it the next day, cook some ginger and chili paste, garlic paste, and potatoes on a pan, add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder to the pan, and finally let the whole mixture simmer in low heat with the boiled yellow peas to produce some delectable Ghugni to spice up the Durga Puja feast.
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Chanar Korma
Chanar Korma, a variation of chanar dalna, is yet another favorite of Bengalis for Durga Puja. Chanas are purely vegetarian as they are cottage cheese nuggets made out of curdled milk. These chanas are cooked in whipped yogurt with a mixture of coconut paste, cashew nut paste, peas, and some spices to add more flavors to the dish. This dish requires no onion or garlic and itself becomes a great side dish with plain polao, khichuri, or puri.
Beguni
A well- known easy to cook recipe for Durga Puja is deep-fried slices of battered eggplants which is referred to as Beguni. It takes about 12 minutes to prepare and is a go-to snack for most families during this festival season. This dish requires some long and thin slices of brinjal, coated with a batter of gram flour, red chili powder, salt, and sesame seeds, and then deep-fried in a pan of hot oil until it is light and crispy.
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Dal Puri
Dal Puri is deep-fried bread mixed with lentils. It is a largely popular dish for Durga Puja as it offers a fantastic color, taste, and a combo of flavors in each bite taken. Dal Puris can be made by slightly cooking the lentils with red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, garlic, green chili, and onion and grinding everything into a paste, kneading and rolling some dough and stuffing it with the paste, and then finally deep frying the puris until they serve a crisp golden texture.
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Shorshe Begun
What are Bengalis without their love for eggplants dipped in some tangy mustard paste? This signature Bengali dish known as Shorshe Begun is cooked with some sliced eggplants which are marinated in flavorful spices and then shallow fried for some time.
After frying, it is then dipped in mustard paste and cooked with tomatoes and cilantros until the fragrance of the mustard becomes too hard to miss. This curry is preferred in most households as it takes a very short time to prepare and the concoction of flavors goes really well with rice, bread and puris.
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Vegetable Chorchori
This iconic dry vegetable curry is known for its mixed flavors and unparalleled consistency which fills the heart with warmth and content. This char flavored dish can be made with a variety of vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, pumpkin, long beans, eggplants, radish, ridge gourd, etc.
To cook this dry curry, all the chopped vegetables are first sauteed with turmeric and mustard paste. Once the vegetables have been cooked in a low simmer, in another wok, splutter panch phoron, asafoetida, and slit green chilies. Adding the vegetables to the spices, mix them well together. The vegetables are cooked in a high flame till all the moisture has evaporated and they look dry.
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Finally, they are ready to be served with some garnish such as coriander. The aroma coming out of the dish itself is enough to instill a sense of celebration among everyone.
Sweet Tomato Chutney
This tangy and sweet delicacy is a must-try for Durga Puja as it complements most of the other dishes mentioned above. It is really easy to make and goes with a lot of dishes because it enhances the taste with its tanginess. This condiment is cooked with chopped tomatoes, jaggery, cashew, raisins, and panch phoron. The redness of this chutney is a treat to the eyes as it is to the appetite.
Bottom Line
So far, we have discussed 10 yummy vegetarian recipes. The ingredients and cooking process can be customized depending on personal preferences. These Bengali vegetarian dishes are bound to add to the celebrations of Durga Puja with their comforting explosion of flavors and colors.
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Togur: The Molasses Made from Watermelon Juice in Bangladesh
Molasses is one of the sweetest foods in Bangladesh. And, Water Melon is one of the most popular fruits grown in Bangladesh. The juice of this succulent fruit refreshes the mind and body on summer days. But the idea of molasses made with watermelon juice is absolutely unprecedented. Mrityunjay, a watermelon farmer from Chhotobond village in Dumuria Upazila of Khulna startled the country with this wonderful innovation. He named the newly invented molasses (locally termed as ‘Gur’) 'Togur,' as it is made from watermelon (locally termed as ‘Tormuj’) juice. Let's find out some information about this new type of molasses.
How the idea of Togur came about
Mrityunjay has been cultivating watermelons since 2019. Besides good yield, he has also been able to make some profits in this period. During the cultivation season, he got some watermelons which are quite small in size. These watermelons, called 'Kats', are almost unsaleable and are left in the field. Most of the time, when they get wet in the rain, they rot and spread a bad smell. Some Kats, however, can be used as food for domestic animals and fish.
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Suddenly one day it came to Mrityunjaya’s mind that if molasses can be made out of date and palm juice, it is possible for watermelon juice as well! Immediately, he went to the Upazila Agriculture Office to consult. Then along with his wife Mitali, he tried to make molasses with a few Kat watermelons. After making it, he was surprised at the sweet taste of Togur which looks like date molasses.