I love winter only because I get lots of Vegetables through out the season, specially green vegetables. Winter comes with fresh vegetables, fruits and I eagerly wait for it's arrival to enjoy delicious home cooked meal with such fresh veggies. And since childhood, I've seen Baba brings fresh Peyajkoli, big begun, bandhakopi, phulkopi and many more. My Baba also love Peyajkoli in any way. But the best of them is Peyajkoli kucho chingrir Or choto macher chorchori. It's a family favorite. In this recipe only few ingredients are used and makes a delicious dish. Thin <a href="http://www.peekncook.com/Show-A-Recipe/42117/bengali-masoor-dal" title="masur dal">masur dal</a> with chopped chilantro and dash of lemon juice goes best with this. If you wish can have <a href="http://http://www.peekncook.com/Show-A-Recipe/2022/bhaja-muger-dal" title="Bhaja Muger Dal">Bhaja Muger Dal</a> instead. In Hyderabad, Peyajkoli is not a regular vegetable. Some vegetables shopkeepers bring such Bengali vegetables all the way from West Bengal. 2 months ago, I became very sick, down with viral pneumonia and flu. And had to admitted to the nearest Hospital in ICU. At the very stage my mother had to come to Hyderabad all the way from Kolkata in 3 hours of notice. As I've a very small kid. At that stage I was also thinking of Peyajkoli, as my mom came from Kolkata, I was wishing I could ask her to get some for me. That much I love Peyajkoli. Any way, after coming back to home from hospital, my craving for Peyajkoli had increased, and I've started looking for it in my vegetable shop. But in vain, no where I found it. But suddenly I came to know about a shop who keeps Peyajkoli and other Bengali vegetables. No sooner I rushed to him and got my Peyajkoli along with 2 big brinjals. Happy me, now cooking my favorite dishes of Peyajkoli.
Peyajkoli is known as Onion Flower stalk in English, this is only available in winter. And mostly available in North Eastern part of India. In West Bengal this vegetable is very much popular, this can be cooked many ways. You can simply stir fry the chopped Peyajkoli with potato sticks or can be added in Fish curry aka Machher Jhol with potatoes, can be added in Dal or can be cooked with small fishes like anchovy or shrimps. The presence of this vegetables makes a simple dish testier. Peyajkoli doesn't have a strong smell like onion but add a nice aroma in any dish.
