Echorer Dalna/Raw jack fruit curry

After 'Echorer Torkari', my 1st  post on  jackfruit  became so popular, I thought of making some other experiment with that and finally I ended up in making the delicious dish  called 'Echorer Dalna'. It is a completely vegeterian recipe made of raw jackfruit which doesnt contain even onion and garlic which is considerd as a part of nonveg in bengal. It is basically a raw jack fruit curry cooked in a thin gravy which goes very well as a side dish with roti and chapatti. Here I made some variation adding chickpeas(green peas) to that which made more delicious. You can prepare it in both versions.

Ingredients:

Jackfruit 500 gms Potato 1 cut into cubes Chickpea (green peas) 1 cup Tomato 1chopped Red chili 3 Cumin 1 tsp Ginger paste 2 tbsp Green chili paste 1 tbsp Turmeric powder 1tsp Roasted Cumin powder 1 tsp Roasted coriander powder 1 tsp Red chili powder 1 tsp Garam masala powder 1 tsp

Method:

1. Clean jack fruit and wash it properly. Take all the pieces in a large pan and add 1/2 cup of water and a tsp of salt. Boil it for about 6 to7 minutes. Drain out excess water and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry potato pieces until soft and golden in color. Keep it aside. Boil chichkpea soaked overnight.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add bay leaves, red chili and cumin seeds.When cumin starts spluttering add ginger paste and green chili paste and fry for few seconds. Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, red chili powder and little water. Fry the masala until oil get separated from it.

4. Add chopped tomato salt and little sugar. Stir for sometime until tomato becomes soft. Now add boiled jack fruit pieces and boiled green peas and  stir well so that it gets mixed with the masala uniformly. Add fried potato and let it covered and cook for 8 to 10 minutes with ocassional stirring. Now add garam masala powder (home made one by grinding cardamom, cinnamon and clove together) and mix it. Turn off the flame and let it cover for another 5 minutes.

Serve with hot plain  rice, chapatti or roti.

Echorer Torkari /SpicyJackfruit sabji

Raw Jackfruit is known as 'Echor' in Bengali and is very popular vegetable during this summer season. In Bengal raw Jack fruit are cooked in a rich, thick and spicy gravy just like we prepare chicken and it tastes almost like chicken curry. In this summer , when Jack fruits are easily available even in Bangalore I thought of making some special and authentic Bengali dishes with Echor. In this post I will share one of those dishes named "Echorer Torkari". Hope you will like it very much. More Echor recipes are yet to come in my upcoming posts.

Happy cooking!!

Ingredients:

Echor                                            500gms
Onion                                            2 Large (chopped)
Potato                                           2 large (cut into pieces)
Garlic                                            10 cloves(paste)
Ginger                                           2 tbsp (grated)
Bay leaves                                     2
Red chili Whole                              2
Clove                                            4 to 5
Cinnamon                                      2 sticks
cardamom                                     5 to 6
Turmeric powder                           1 tsp.
Coriander powder                          1 tsp.
Red chili powder                            1 tsp.
Roasted peanut                             10 gms
Garam masala powder                   1 tsp.
Ghee                                            1 tbsp
Salt(as per taste)

Method:


1. Cut Echor (Raw jack fruit) and clean it properly (I know it is a very tough job and takes lots of time and effort) or you can buy tinned ready made jack fruit pieces from market which will make your job easier.

2. Wash the pieces and mix with salt and turmeric powder and keep it for half an hour. Heat a pan and add echor pieces and 1 cup of water and boil it for 6 to 8 minutes. remove it from  flame and drain the excess water and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a large pan and fry potato pieces until becomes soft. Take it out and in the remaining oil add jack fruit pieces and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes in high flame.Take it out and keep aside.

4. Heat oil and add bay leaves, red chili and whole garam masala (Cardamom, cinnamon, clove). Fry for  few seconds and add chopped onion and fry it until becomes golden yellow. Now add ginger and garlic and saute again. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chili powder. Saute the masala until oil gets separated . Now add fried jack fruit , fried potatoes, roasted peanuts and salt as per taste. stir continuously so that it gets mixed well with the masala. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover it with a lid and let it cook for another 6 to 8 minute with occasional stirring. When the  the gravy becomes semi dry add garam masala and Ghee. Switch off the flame and keep it covered and give a standing time of about 15 minutes.

Serve hot with steamed rice or chapatti and enjoy this delicious main course item in Lunch or Dinner.

This recipe has gone for the event "Flavors of Bengal"  and Nayanas event.

Chicken Kasha / Kosha Mangsho/ Spicy Dry Chicken

Chicken Kasha is a typical Bengali dish. It is actually a semi dry preparation of chicken slowly cooked with different types of spices keeping the pieces intact without breaking them.

Ingredients:

Chicken                              1kg
Onion                                 3 large (paste)
Ginger garlic paste              3 tbsp.
Tomatoes                           3 (ground to paste)
Turmeric powder                1 tsp
Red chili powder                2tsp
cumin powder                    1tsp
Coriander powder              1 tsp
Garam masala powder        1 tbsp
Cinnamon                           2 stick
Cardamom                         5 to 6
Clove                                 5 to 6
Bay leaves                          3
Mustard oil
Ghee                                1 tblsp
Salt                                   (as per taste)
Sugar                                1 tsp

Method:

1.Wash chicken properly and cut into medium sized pieces. Take chicken pieces in a large bowl and add onion paste, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, salt and 3 tablespoon of mustard oil. Mix thoroughly and keep for marination for about 3 hours.

2. Heat  mustard oil in a non stick pan. Add whole garam masalas (cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, clove, Aniseed). When masala starts spluttering add the marinated chicken . Stir the chicken along with the masala slowly and continuously in medium flame so that masala cooked completely along with the chicken.

3. When masala starts leaving oil add tomato puree and 2 cups of warm  water and mix it. Cover it with lid and let it cook for another  8 to 10 minutes with occasional stirring. When the water evaporates and chicken pieces becomes tender and garam masala powder and sugar. Cover it for another 4 minute in low flame.

4. Remove it from fire and add 2 tsp of ghee and sprinkle some more garam masala powder. mix it well.

Serve hot and enjoy with steamed rice or parathas.

Sobha of Food Maaza has awarded me with a lovely award. She is having an wonderful blog with  varieties of  mouthwatering recipes. Thanks Shobha for  your wondrful words and the award.

Sweet and sour tomato mango chutney

Bengali's special occasion menu is always incomplete without a sweet chutney. I personally prefer this type of tomato chutney at the end of a heavy and spicy meal. The tangy-ness of this chutney actually comes when tamarind is added but in the season when green mango is readily available I would always prefer adding that as it adds an wonderful flavor to the chutney. Another  specialty of this chutney is that it is cooked in a pressure cooker as suggested by one of my friend  which  actually reduces the time and effort requires while cooking.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes                    6
Green mango               1
Whole red chili            3 to 4
Sauf (fennel seed)            1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds            1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin and Sauf powder 1 tsp
Green chili (slitted)      3
Turmeric powder        1 tsp
Red chili powder        1 tsp
Sugar                         1 cup (Depend on the sourness of the mango)
salt (as per taste)
Raisins                       3 tbsps

Method:
1. Wash tomatoes and green mango and cut  into medium pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add red chili, mustard seeds and sauf. Let mustard splutters. Add mango and tomato pieces, slitted green chili  and saute it for sometime. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Stir again so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pressure cooker.

3. Now add sugar and raisins and stirs for sometime.. Add water as required and cover the lid of the cooker and cook it up to 4 whistles in medium flame. Open the lid and mix it thoroughly. Add roasted cumin and sauf powder.Stirr until the gravy becomes thick. Check the the sweetness and add some more sugar if required.

Garnish with roasted sauf powder. Serve along with typical bengali food.

Doi Begun/ Brinjal in curd/ Eggplant in yogurt

Doi Begun is a very popular Bengali vegetarian dish. This is one of the special item my mother prepares whenever I visit my native.I used to relish that very much. That is why I made this preparation on that special day of poila boisakh.

Ingredients:

Brinjal or Eggplant (round) 1 large
cumin seeds                       1/2 tsp
Green chili (slitted)             3
Ginger paste                       1 tsp
Turmeric powder                1tsp
Red chili powder                 1/2 tsp
Curd                                   200 gms
Salt ( as per taste)
Sugar 1 tsp
Mustard oil
Fresh coriander leaves (Chopped)

Method:

1. Cut Brinjal into round pieces and add turmeric powder and salt . Mix it well and keep it for marinate .

2 Heat oil in a pan and fry those brinjal pieces until it becomes soft and turn  brownish yellow.

3.Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seed. When seeds splutters, add ginger paste and fry for a couple of minute. Add chopped green chili, turmeric powder, red chili powder and little water. Fry the masala for sometime and then switch reduce  the flame. Now  beat the curd (yogurt)with salt and sugar and add gently to the masala. Stir gently for a couple of minutes.

4. Add fried brinjal pieces. Mix it with the gravy and cover it. Let it cook for another couple of minutes. Add Chopped coriander leaves. Remove from fire.

Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve with hot plain rice.

Going for the "Flavors of Bengal" event and Nayanas event.

Machher muror jhaal / Spicy fish head

On poila boishakh, my hubby brought a giant Rohu fish whose head alone was of 1.8 kilos in weight. Although he relishes any preparation of fish headvery much but that day he has  specially requested for these  dish which my mother in law used to make always for him during his childhood days. In this preparation whole fish head is cut into two halves and fry each half with spices keeping the piece intact, so I think you have already understood how much effort has to be given to cook it.

Ingredients:

Fish head
Onion (chopped)       1 Large
Garlic (chopped)        5 to 6 clove
Green chili                 4 to 5
Tomato (chopped)    1 large
Turmeric powder      1 tsp
Chili powder            1 tsp
Mustard oil
Salt
sugar
Coriander leaves (chopped)

Maaccher muror Jhaal

Method:

1.Cut the Fish head into two halves. Wash it properly and mix turmeric powder, chili powder and salt to it.

Keep it  marinate for half an hour.

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish head pieces for about  6to 8  minutes in medium flame covering the pan with a lid. Turn the pieces once while frying so that both side gets fried well keep it intact. Remove it and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in the pan again and add garlic and onion. Fry until the onion becomes golden yellow. Add chopped green chili and chopped tomato. Saute for sometime and add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and little sugar and again stir for a couple of minute. Now add fried pieces of fish head  and wrap the masala gently so that it mix well  with pieces and the pieces doesn't  break. Add 2 to 3 tablespoon of water and cover it. Let it cook for about 4 to 5 minutes in low flame.

4 Add  chopped coriander leaves. Mix it and cover it for sometime reducing the flame. Remove it and transfer in a plate gently.

Garnish  with fresh coriander leaves, onion rings  and serve with steamed rice.

Narkel Diye moog dal (Bengali style) / Moong lentils with coconut

Moong Dal is always Bengali's favorite pick among different type of lentils when it  is an special occasion. That is why I prepared Moog Dal in a very special way during Poila Boishakh.. It is actually dry roasted Moog Dal cooked with grated coconut which give wonderful aroma of fried coconut garam masala.

Ingredient:

Moong Dal                     (250 gms)
Coconut(grated)             1/2 cup
Green chili (slitted)          3
Ginger (grated)               1 tbsp
Bay leaf                          2

Red chilli                        3

Turmeric powder           1 tsp
Cumin powder               1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder   (1 tsp)
Cumin whole                   1 tsp
Mustard oil                     2 tbsp
salt as per taste
Sugar                            1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat a  pan and add Moong Dal and roast them for about 5 minute in medium flame until becomes golden brown in color. Remove it from fire and add water and wash dal properly.

2. Take dal in a pressure cooker and  add salt and double amount of water boil it for about 5 minute in full pressure. Don't over cook  the dal. Remove from fire. Let it cool. Now open the lid and add turmeric powder and mix well.

 3. Heat oil in a pan  and add  bay leaf and whole red chili. Fry them for a minute and add whole cumin seed.
fry them until cumin splutters. Add grated ginger and fry for a minute and then add grated coconut and slitted green chili . Stir fry  coconut for a couple of minute until it turns slightly golden yellow. Add cooked dal and stir.

4. Let it cook for 6 to 7 minutes with occasional stirring. Now add sugar (adding more salt is optional as you have already added while boiling  the Dal) and garam masala powder (Bengali garam masala). Add another cup of water if it become too thick. Cover the lid and cook for more 4 to 5 minutes.

Serve hot with plain rice and bhaja (Brinjal (Beguni), potato or cauliflower fry)

Subho Naboborsho / Poila Boishakh menu

Friends, today is Poila Boishakh which means Bengali New Years day. So dear friends, Subho Naboborsho (Happy New Year) to all of you. Wish new  year fill your life with happiness  bright Cheer, bring to you joy and prosperity for the whole year. Today is a very special day for Bengalees and we always arrange a special menu for lunch which includes all the special and authentic bengali dishes from starter to dessert.Though today is not a holiday here in Bangalore and its like other weekdays, I still could manage to prepare some of those special items for my family in my limited time and really enjoyed having that with them.

Todays menu Includes:

Narkel diye Moog daal/ Moong Lentils with coconut

Doi Begun/ Brinjal in yougurt

Phulkopi Borir Macher Jhol / Cauliflower fish curry

Macher muror jhaal/ Fish head curry

Chicken Kasha/ Spicy chicken

Tomato mango chutney

Nalen gurer payesh

Recipe of those dishes will be published in my upcomming posts.

Shorshe Ilish (Hilsa in mustard)/ Bhapa Ilish

Hilsa fish, commonly known as 'Ilish maachh' in Bengal is very much popular fish among Bengalees. Any preparation with Ilish becomes Bengal delicacy. Ilish is actually considered as national fish of Bangladesh and it is extremely popular in the Indian states adjacent to Bangladesh border. It is actually a sea fish but it lays egg in rivers and thats the time when they are caught, that is why sometimes we get eggs inside the fish and which makes it even more tasty. Any preparation of Ilish usually doesn't require much of spice as the aroma of the fish itself is enough to make the dish delicious. Today I want to share the recipe of 'Shorshe Ilish', a famous Bengali delicacy, which is actually Hilsa cooked in mustard sauce. This is one of the easiest preparation of Ilish and can be cooked in Microwave also.

Ingredients:

Hilsha/Ilish fish 5 or 6 pieces
Mustard seed 3 tbsp
Onion 1pc (finely chopped)
Green chili 4 to 5
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Salt (as per taste)
Sugar (as per taste)
Mustard oil


Method :

1. Soak mustard in water for about an hour and then grind it into a fine paste.

2. Clean the pieces of Ilish fish and placed it in a steel container box having lid.

3. Add the mustard paste to the fish and then add chopped onion, turmeric powder, slitted green chilis, salt and little sugar and finally 2 tbsp mustard oil mustard oil. Now mix the whole mixture so that the paste get mixed thoroughly with the fish. Now close the lid of the  container.

4. Heat a large pan and add about 4 cups of water. Now placed the steel container inside the  pan . Cover the pan and let it cook in high flame for about 5 minute and then  reduced the flame and cook for another 12 to 15 minute(Check the level of water inside the pan at regular interval it shouldn't get dried up).

5.   In case of Microwave preparation, mix  whole ingredient including the fish  in a microwave safe  closed container. Close the lid and cook it in microwave for 8 to 10 minute.
6.  Serve hot with steam rice. 

Potol Posto (Stripe gourd with poppy seed)

Potol posto is a very common vegetarian dish among Bengalis. Posto means poppy seed is one of the spice which is often used for vegetarian preparations along with combination of different vegetables like Potato, Stripe gourd(potol/parwal), Snake gourd, ridge gourd et.. Here I tried to make something different by adding Potol/parwal/Stripe gourd only and it came out very tasty. I have posted this recipe for the event"Think spice think poppy seeds" in Radhikas and Sunita's blog.

Ingredients:

500gms. Potol/Parwal/Stripe gourd

3 tsp Posto (poppy seeds)

3 green chilli's

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. fenugreek seed

salt(as per taste)

sugar (as per taste)

Method:

1. Peel off the stripe gourd and give a slit lengthwise. Heat oil in a pan and saute them in low flame until becomes soft. Take it out and keep aside.

2. Grind poppy seeds and green chili together to get a paste.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds. Now add poppy seeds paste and turmeric powder and little water.Fry the masala until oil gets separated from it.

4. Add cooked stripe gourd, salt and little sugar. Add little water and stirr for a couple of minute. Cover it and let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove it from fire and pour in a serving bowl.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Sweet Mango chutney

Mangoes are my all time favourite fruit and is considered as 'King of Fruits' in Bengal. I am particularly fond of fresh ripe mangoes as well as sweet, tangy and spicy mango chutney. Chutney is a very common dish served before dessert in most Bengali occasions, mostly made out of mangoes during mango seasons. I love to eat it any time especially after having meals. Chutney is prepared from ripe mangoes either sweet or sour but I always prefer sour one which gives a tangy taste to the chutney. It can also be prepared from raw mangoes which is available most of the time.

Ingredients:
2 nos. Raw or ripe mangoes
3 tblsp. sugar (depending on the sweetness of mango you can change the amount of sugar added.)
1 tsp. Salt (or as per taste)
6 to 8 Red chilli s
2 tsp. Fennel seed (sauf)
1/2 tsp. methi seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp. red chilli powder
2 slitted green chili
1 tsp. oil

Method:
1 Wash mangoes and peel off the skin and cut them into long slices. If you want you can discard the seed.

2. Heat a pan and add 3 red chilis, 1 tsp. methi seed and 1 tsp. fennel seed (sauf). Roast them for a couple of minutes and then grind them in a grinder to make powder.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add 3 to 4 red chillis, fennel seeds and mustard seeds. When mustard starts spluttering add mango slices. Stirr for a minute and add turmeric powder and salt. Stirr again for a couple of minutes and add 2 cups of water. Cover it with a lid and let it cook for about 10to 15 minutes with occasional stirring.

4. When the mango slices gets softer, reduce the flame and add sugar. stirr again and try to mash some of slices to get a chutney of thick consistency. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes until the chutney becomes thick.

5. Remove from fire and set aside to cool. When it become cool serve it in a bowl or pour it into a jar and refrigerate it. It can be stored for long time in refrigerator.

Prawn Cabbage (Bandhakopi Chingrir ghonto)

Hello friends!! I have re-entered in my blogging world again. First of all I want to apologize for absconding so suddenly. I was really missing all my reader friends. Actually I went for a long pending and much needed vacation and spent some memorable time in my native. Now Iam back with lots of memories and most importantly loads of various new recipes from my super cook mother and mother in law which I would definitely like to share with all of you in due course of time. Here you go with the first one....

'Lau chingri' means Prawn and bottle gourd is considered to be one great combination among bengalis but this time I came to know from my mother that prawn and Cabbage is an excellent combination. The dish was so delicious that I immediately thought of putting it as my 'come back' post. This dish again is very healthy as it doesn't require any spice.
Ingredients:

250 gms Prawn (Each peeled and cut in two halves)
500 gms Cabbage (Finely chopped)
1 potato (Diced into small cubes)
1 Onion (Chopped)
1 tsp ginger paste
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp Black Cumin (Kala jeera or Kalaunji)
2 tsp. turmeric powder
3 to 4 slitted green chillis
Salt
Sugar
Coriander (finely chopped)

Method:

1. Pressure cook chopped Cabbage with little salt until it becomes tender.
2. Mix turmeric powder and salt with the prawn pieces.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes till golden brown , keep aside. Now fry the prawn pieces and keep aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil and fry Bay leaves and Kalaunji. Now add Chopped onion and grated ginger and fry for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Add Cabbage, Green chillies turmeric powder and Salt. Stir continuously for 4 to 5 minutes so that it gets mixed throughly.
6. Add fried prawn pieces and potato pieces and mix throughly. Cover the pan and let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir occasionally.Now add half tsp.of sugar and stir.
7. Add Chopped Coriander leaves and remove from fire.

Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve Hot with steamed rice.

Egg Malai Curry

'Malai Curry' is a very common word among Bengali's. Its a  very special recipe  where coconut milk is the main ingredient. Malaicurry can be prepared with prawn, chicken as well as with egg. It can also be prepared with vegatables like cauliflower, parwal, potatoes etc. The preparation is almost same for both veg and nonveg. Here is the recipe for the most common form of malaicurry 'Egg Malaicurry' as egg is one of the most common nonveg item regarding its availability at home. It  taste so good that it always becomes the most delicious dish in all occasions.

Ingredients:

6 to 8 Egg (Or as required)

1 coconut ( Grate and squeeze out milk) Or 200ml ready made coconut milk.

1 onion 

10 gms ginger

2 green chilli

2 clove garlic.

1 tsp turmeric powder.

1 tsp. coriander powder.

1 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp.garam masala powder

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. whole garam masala (cardamom, cinnamon, clove)

salt 

sugar

Oil

Method:

1 Boil egg fully and then peel it off. Mix turmeric powder and salt with it and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan.  Put the boiled egg  and deep fry them until becomes golden yellow.

3. Blend onion,  ginger, chili and garlicin a blender to make a fine paste.

4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add whole garam masala and bay leaves. when clove splutters, add the onion ginger garlic paste and fry them  for a couple of minute. Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and a little bit of water. Fry the masala until the oil get separated  from it. Add coconut milk and salt. Stirr the gravy until it gets reduced . Add fried eggs, garam masala and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Stirr it and cover  the pan and let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes in low flame. turn off the heat when the gravy becomes thick oil starts coming out of the gravy.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Chichinge Aloor Dalna( Snake Gourd Potato curry)

Snake Gourd is one of those vegetables which are rarely used and I think we have limited knowledge of preparations  of snake gourd. This dish is an authentic Bengali dish made of snake gourd as I am using "Paanch Phoron" ( mixture of Mustard, Cumin, Fenugreek, Black cumin and Sauf) which is the common phoron (tarka) in bengali veg curry  and I love the aroma of that. This  curry can be prepared with Parwal also as both the vegetables belong to same family. 

Ingredients:

 500 gms Snake Gourd

 2 Large Potatoes

 10 gms ginger piece.

3 green chili's

1 tomato (chopped)

1 tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp roasted cumin powder.

1 tsp garam masala powder (powder of clove, cinnamon and cardamom)

1 tsp. paanch Phoron ( mixture of Mustard, Cumin, Fenugreek, Black cumin and Sauf) 

2 red chilis

Salt

Sugar

1 tsp. Ghee

Method:

1. Wash and cut  potato and snake gourd into  small pieces. Heat a little oil in a pan. Add the vegetables and little salt and saute for about 8 to 10 minutes. Take it out and keep aside.

2. In a grinder grind ginger , green chili and roasted cumin powder  to make a fine paste

3. Heat oil in a pan and add red chilli's and paanch phoron. Add ginger paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Now mix 1 tsp turmeric powder in 2 tbsp water and add the paste to the fried masala. Fry the masala for about 5 minutes. Now add chopped tomato and saute for 2  to 3  minutes. Add fried Snake gourd and potato pieces. Stir for sometime and add Salt , garam masala powder and a 1/2 tsp. of sugar.  

4. Add 1 cup of water. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes with stirring in between. Once it is cooked, add 1 tsp. of ghee  and then turn off the heat.

Serve hot with Plain rice or chapatti.

Shorshe Maach (Fish With Mustard) Recipe

This is an authentic bengali recipe which is simply delicious.The taste of this recipe is completely different from other bengali dishes because of the pungent flavor of mustard.This recipe is considered to be healthier than other non veg dishes as it is cooked in steam and very less oil is required for it. Any fish like Rohu, Katla,Telapia, pabda, pomfret and specially Hilsa (illish maach) which is highly recommended for this dish. Another specialty of this recipe is that this dish is very easy to cook in Microvewave and takes very less cooking time. 

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms fish.
2 tblsp. mustard paste(0.
1 tsp. green chili paste.
1 large onion finely chopped.
2 green chilis (slitted).
1 tsp. turmeric powder.
1 tsp. Salt (as per taste).
1 tsp sugar.
2 tblsp. kachhi ghani mustard oil.
METHOD:
1.Wash and cut fish into pieces.

2.Take a microwave cooking container  and mix fish pieces, mustard paste, green chili paste, chopped onion, turmeric powder, salt,  sugar and mustard oil. after mixing add slitted green chilis. Close the lid of the box.

3. For microwave preparation, keep it in the microwave and and let it cook in microwave for 12 to 15 minutes in 850W with Stiring twice or thrice in between.

Garnish with chopped coriander  leaves. Serve hot with plain rice.

I am reposting the recipe as it goes for the "Microwave Oven Recipes" event going on SriLekha's blog. Congrats! Sri for such a gr8 event.

Karaishutir Ghugni (Chickpea curry)

'Ghugni' is considered to be one of the most  popular dish in the  eastern part of India Specially Bengal. This is a delicious curry made of mainly Chickpeas (Karaishuti)  which goes very well with snacks like Luchi, Samosa and other chaat preparations and it also can be served as main course with Roti, chapatti and Naan.  

Ingredients:

250 gms Chickpea

2 Large Potatoes (Diced)

2 green chilies (Slitted)

1 Onion (Sliced)

1 Onion (Grated)

1 tbsp grated ginger.

4 to 5 clove garlic (minced)

1 Tomato (Chopped)

1 tsp. Cumin seeds.

2 Whole Red chili

1 tsp. Turmeric Powder

1 tsp. Cumin Powder

1 tsp. Red chilli Powder

1 tsp. Chaat masala Powder

1 tsp. Garam masala Powder

Salt (As per taste)

Sugar(As per taste)

Coriander Leaves

Method:

1.Wash chick peas and soaked overnight. Diced Potatoes into medium pieces. Put both of them in a pressure cooker , add 1 tsp. salt and cook them for 8 to 10 minutes (minimum 3 whistles).

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry those boiled potatoes until it becomes yellow. Take it out and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a large pan and add red chilies and cumin seeds. Now add chopped onion and fry until golden brown. Add grated onion, ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes. Now add Turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, salt and little water . Fry again until the oil separates from the masala. 

4. Add chopped tomato and stir for a couple of minute. Now add fried potatoes, boiled chickpeas and chaat masala. Stir for about 5 to 6 minutes in medium flame. Add 1 cup of water, little Sugar and garam masala powder. Cover the lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes in medium flame. When the gravy is  little thick take it out from fire.

  

Finally Garnish with chopped onion and coriander leaves. 

This is one of the favourite dish of my Hubby. So this just for you my dear and I am sending this recipe to Alka of Sindhi Rasoi 'just for you' event. Congrats! Alka for hosting this great event.

Spinach Daal

This is another healthy and easy to cook recipe which contains the nutrition value of both Spinach and Daal.This is one of the most common daal I prepare for my family.Spinach is considered to be the healthiest of all the green leafy vegetables but very limited experiment we can do with that maintaining its nutritional value.Spinach is a great combination of health and taste.

Ingredients:

2 bunches Spinach (150 gms)

1 cup toor dal 

4 pods garlic (finly chopped)

1 large onion (Finly chopped)

1 large Tomato (chopped)

2 green chilis (slitted)

2 red chilis.

1 tsp. whole cumin seed.

1 tsp. turmeric powder.

1 tsp. Red chili powder.

Salt (as per taste)

Sugar.

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash daal and soaked for atleast 2 hours. Wash Spinach and chopped it.  Put soaked daal, spinach, chopped garlic, chopped tomato and salt in a pressure cooker and pressure cook it so that  daal boils completely.

2. Heat oil in a pan  and add red chilis and cumin seeds. Now add chopped onion and fry till  onion turns golden yellow. Now pour  daal in the pan and add slitted green chilis. Add turmeric powder and red chili powder. Cover it and let it boil for a couple of minutes.

3. When the daal started boiling add 1/2 tsp. Sugar. Cook for another couple of minutes. take it out in a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with plain rice.

Cauliflower with Coconut milk

INGREDIENTS:

5oo gms Cauliflower (cut into medium pieces).
200 gms Potato (diced).
1 coconut.
1 tsp,Ginger paste.
1 tsp. green chili paste.
2 cardamom.
2 cinnamon stick.
1 tsp. Turmeric powder.
1 tsp. cumin powder.
1 tsp. coriander powder.
1 tsp. Garam masala powder.
Salt (as per taste).
1/2 tsp.Sugar.

METHOD:

1 Grate coconut and soak into 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Now squeeze the coconut to get milk.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Put cauliflower and potato in the pan and fry for about 5 minutes. take it out and set aside.

3. Heat oil in another pan . Add cardamom and cinnamon stick. Now add ginger and chili paste. Fry adding little water. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes and then add fried cauliflower and potato. Saute for another 5 minutes. now add coconut milk .

4. Stir for sometime and then cover it and let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes with stirring in between. Now add garam masala and sugar and stir it again.

5. When the gravy becomes dry and starts leaving oil from it, reduce the flame.

Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot with plan steamed rice.

Tips: Ohter easily available vegetables also can be used for this recipe.

Maachher Muror Ghonto (Fish head curry).

INGREDIENTS:

1 Large fish head (Rohu or Katla).
50 gms (2 tblsp.)Flavored rice ( Basmati or Jeera rice).
1 onion (grated).
1 onion cut into cubes.
1 tblsp. grated ginger.
3 green chilis (slitted).
1 Tomato (chopped).
1 bay leaf.
2 cinnamon stick.
2 Cardamoms.
2 Cloves.
2 tsp. turmeric powder.
1/2 tsp. Coriander powder.
½ tsp.Cumin powder.
1 tsp. red chili powder.
1 tsp. Garam masala powder.
Salt (According to taste).
Mustard oil (Any other oil also can be used.).
Ghee.

METHOD:

1. Wash the fish and cut into 2 halves. Mix turmeric powder and salt to it. Heat oil in a pan and fry those pieces until it becomes golden.
   
2. Heat oil in a pan and put washed rice grains and fry them for a couple of minute and set aside.
   
3. Put 1 tbsp. oil in the pan and heat it. Add 1 bay leaf, whole cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Fry them for a minute and then add onion cubes. When onion becomes soft add grated onion, ginger and green chilis. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Red chili powder and salt. Fry the masala for 5 to 6 minutes and add chopped tomato and again cook it for another couple of minutes.
   
4. When the tomato become soft, adds fried rice and stir a little. Now add 2 cups of water.
   
5. Close the lid pf the pan and let it cooked for 10 minutes so that the rice gets boiled well.
   
6. Finally add fish head pieces and Gram masala. Cover it and again and cook for another 5 minutes with stirring slowly so that the pieces doesn’t get smashed. When the water reduces and gravy becomes thick reduce the flame and add tsp. of ghee. Now take it out and serve it hot.