Chicken with Veggies Lemon Coriander Soup

 

Not feeling well, seasonal changes can some times make you sick, no problem enjoy this hot homemade soup that will enhance the taste buds and at the same time it’s healthy. 

For vegetarian’s - exclude the chicken and add the vegetable stock. Directly sauté the vegetables for few seconds. 

Ingredients 

1 small chunk of Boneless Chicken cut into thin strips 

1/4 cup of mix vegetables finely chopped - Carrot, Beans, any colour Capsicum, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chilli and onion 

Few stems of coriander along with the leaves chopped finely

Juice of 1/2 Lemon or more as per the taste 

Salt to taste 

1/2 cup Rice Flour slurry - 6 tbsp of rice flour mixed in water 

1/2 Chicken Stock cube 

1/4 tsp Pepper Powder or as much required 

1/2 tsp Soy Sauce 

1 tsp Sesame Oil

Method 

In a pot add the sesame oil, add the chicken strips and sauté until the chicken changes its colour. Add 1/2 cup water along with the chicken cube. Boil the chicken for 5 minutes. Except for the coriander and lemon, add all the vegetables and 1 1/2 cup of water. Let the vegetables cook for a minute on high flame. Add salt and pepper. Stir and add the rice slurry, lemon juice, soy sauce and coriander leaves. Stir and let the soup cook simmer until it thickens. Garnish the soup with pepper powder. Serve it hot. 

Steamed Orange Cup Sandesh infused with Orange Jam

Since Oranges are rich in Vitamin C and very good for keeping  the cold away in the winters... here is a healthy Bengali sweet dish fusion with oranges and cottage cheese.. to celebrate any moment of your day. Sandesh is a Bengali sweet dish made from cottage cheese... to which I have added home made Orange Jam to enhance the flavour of the orange. 

Ingredients 

5 medium size Oranges cut into halves

250 grams Paneer / Cottage Cheese / Chenna

1/2  cup Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1/3 cup Condense Milk 

Method 

- Using a citrus juicer, remove the juice from the oranges, without damaging the orange peel cups.. incase citrus juicer is not available, then remove the orange segments from the orange peel cups and press the segments through a strainer to procure the juice, discard the seeds.. we should get around 2 cups of orange juice. Gently remove the orange pith from the orange cups. Blanch the orange cups in hot water to remove the bitterness from the skin. 

- Take a pot, add a cup of orange juice, sugar and salt, let the juice reduce on a low flame, stirring it occasionally until the juice reduces and thickens. Switch off the flame. Keep it aside. Once cool, the orange jam will thicken further. 

- Take a blender, add the cottage cheese, condensed milk and the remaining cup of orange juice. Blend all the ingredients together into a smooth paste in a blender. 

- Take a steamer, add water into the steamer, set the steamer plate,  arrange the orange peel cups on the plate. Pour the liquid into the orange cups. Add a tsp of the orange jam into each of the orange cups. Steam the orange cups sandesh for 15 minutes. 

- Remove the steamed orange cup sandesh from the steamer the steamer and cool them a bit, then cool the orange cup sandesh in the fridge, before serving  garnish the orange cups with orange jam, dried orange peel and some mint leaves.

-  This portion gives 10 Steamed Orange Cup Sandesh. 

#dessert #bengalicuisine #cottagecheese #orange #innovativecooking #delicious #yummy #foodphotography #foodie #recipepost #cookingwithlove #homechef #foodoftheday #recipeoftheday 

Spicy Jhat - Pat Jhinga Masala Rice

Here is a quick meal to end the day...with leftover rice and some Prawns.. it’s simple, yet delicious. 

Ingredients 

Handful of Prawns - devined and cleaned

2 cups of Cooked Rice

1 small Onion coarsely ground 

2 to 3 Green Chillies coarsely ground 

1 tsp Garlic and Ginger coarsely ground 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

2 Bayleaves

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tbsp Desiccated Coconut 

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste 

4 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Ghee

Method 

Take a pot, add oil, let the oil heat up, until then marinate the prawns with little salt and turmeric. Once the oil heats up, add the prawns and stir fry the prawns until it changes its colour. Remove the prawns and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let the cumin seeds crackle. Add all the ground paste into the pot and sauté the paste for a minute, add the salt, sugar, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and coconut. Continue to sauté until the oil releases from the masala. Add the prawns, stir and add around 1/2 cup of water. Let the masala simmer for few seconds, add the prawns and continue to simmer for another few seconds. Add the cooked rice and ghee,  on a full flame stir the rice well with the masala. Switch off the flame. Add the coriander leaves, stir and close the pot and keep it aside for 5 minutes before serving. 

#prawns #rice #masalarice #jhatpatrecipe #quickmeals #gharkakhana #homechef #homecooking #cookingwithlove #delicious #foodie #simplemeals #gharelukhana #recipe #foodpic

Godrej Yummiez Steamed Chicken Lucknowi Sheek Kabab One-pot Meal

We love Godrej Yummiez as it’s very convenient and healthy to use. It comes in frozen precooked or in pre marinate form. We can create delicious dishes out of it or just cook it as it is. The pre marinated ones have to be thawed and the precooked ones need to be fried directly after it’s taken out of the freezer. 

At times when we just want to cook a jhatpat type of meal which should be tasty and healthy at the same time, then one pot meals are ideal to cook with Godrej Yummiez pre marinated products.  I had some leaf over cooked  rice, I added eggs and some chopped vegetables into the rice, mixed it, added some fried Godrej Lucknowi Sheek Kababs and steamed it. We are not going to add much spices as we don’t want the actual flavour of the Kabab to dilute. 

Ingredients 

4 pieces of Godrej Yummiez Chicken Lucknowi Sheek Kabab 

1 small Onion chopped 

3 to 4 Garlic chopped 

1/4 cup Red, Yellow or Green Capsicum chopped into small cubes 

1 1/2 Cup of Leftover Rice

2 Eggs

2 Slices of Cheese

Salt to taste 

1 tsp  Pepper Powder 

2 tsp Butter 

Method 

Take a pan, add a tsp of butter, heat the pan, add the  Godrej Yummiez Chicken Lucknowi Sheek Kabab into the pan, fry the Kababs, meanwhile take a bowl, add the rice, onion, capsicum, garlic, salt and pepper into the bowl, mash and bind all the ingredients together. Once the Kababs are fried cut them into halves. Take a container with a lid, grease the container with 1 tsp butter, pour the batter, place the cheese slice on the batter and place the Kabab on the cheese slices. Close the lid, take a pressure cooker, add water at the base of the cooker, place a cooker stand and then place the container on the stand. Close the lid of the cooker and cook until 2 whistles. Switch off the flame and let the pressure release. Remove the container, open the lid and enjoy the Godrej Yummiez Steamed Lucknowi Sheek Kabab One-pot Meal 

Bengali Chicken Stew

 

The most easy recipe and comfort food, that we most of us in Bengali household must have had as kids on a regular basis and even after growing up we enjoy having it with hot steamed rice..... specially in winters when we get varieties of fresh vegetables in the market and its also made on the days when someone in the family is unwell. It’s made with loads of vegetables like cauliflower, green peas, beans, carrot, potatoes, raw papaya, tomato, onion, ginger, garlic and chicken. We can replace oil with ghee.. then butter is not required. 

Ingredients 

500 grams Chicken pieces 

Few medium size Cauliflower florets 

1 medium size  Potato cut into cubes

1 medium size Onion sliced 

1 medium size Tomato chopped 

1 medium size Carrot cut into pieces 

Few cubes of Raw Papaya 

6 to 8 French Beans cut into pieces (Didn’t have)

Few Green Peas (Didn’t have)

2 Green Chillies (Optional)

4 Garlic crushed 

1/2  tsp Ginger paste 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tsp Sugar 

2 Bay leaves 

2 Cloves crushed 

2 Green Cardamom crushed 

4 Pepper corn crushed 

1 small Cinnamon crushed 

2 Cups Water 

2 tbsp Oil or Ghee 

1 tsp Butter (Optional)

Method 

Take a pressure cooker,  add oil, once the oil is hot, add the whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and pepper corn), bay leaves, ginger and garlic. Sauté for a few seconds, add the chicken pieces and sauté until it changes its colour. Add the vegetables, stir for few seconds. Add the sugar, salt and pepper powder. Stir and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, stir and pressure cook until 3 whistles. Let the pressure release. Open the cooker and add the butter. Serve the stew with steamed rice. 

Godrej Yummiez Chicken Lasooni Tikka Rose Buns

I am extremely delighted to get these super yummy pre cooked packets from Godrej Yummiez   . They are very convenient pre marinated or pre cooked frozen products and easy to cook... specially when sudden guests comes over or when we have busy schedule. It’s #Gharkafastfood, as Godrej Yummiez can be stored in the freezer and used as and when required, it’s healthy, chef curated and it’s delicious. 

I have used GodrejYummiez Chicken Lasooni Tikka for this recipe. 

To make the Dough 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 

1 tsp Dry Active Yeast 

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a cup with 1/2 cup Lukewarm Water. Add sugar and yeast. Mix the ingredients and keep the yeast to rise. Take the a mixing bowl, add the flour and  salt, mix the ingredients. Once the yeast rises, add the yeast water and little more water into the flour to form a dough, knead the dough for 5 minutes. Add the 1 tbsp of oil into the dough and knead the dough for another 5 minutes. Brush the remaining oil on the dough, cover and keep it aside until the dough rises double in size. After 2 hours, punch and knead the dough for another minute. 

To make the Chicken Lasooni Tikka Rose Buns

Ingredients 

1 packet of Godrej Yummiez Chicken Lasooni Tikka 

1 Medium size Onion Sliced 

Bread Dough 

2 tsp Butter 

2  tbsp Oil

1 Egg Beaten 

Method 

Thaw the Chicken Lasooni Tikka packet for 30 minutes. Take a fry pan, add 2 tbsp of oil,  add the onion slices, sauté the onions until translucent, add Godrej Yummiez Chicken Lasooni Tikka pieces into the pan, occasionally flip the tikkas and cook the tikkas for 15 minutes in the pan. Break the chicken tikka into bite size pieces.  Grease the baking tray with butter. Make lemon size portions of  the dough. Take a portion and roll the dough into 6 inch disc. Make 4 diagonal slits, leaving the center intact. Add some chicken tikka pieces in the center of the disc. Take one sections of the dough and cover the stuffing on one side. Now take the opposite side of the  section and cover the other side of the stuffing  with the dough. Repeat the last 2 sections in the similar manner. 

Pinch on the side to seal the the dough. Place the bun on the greased baking tray. Repeat the same process until all the buns are ready. Brush the beaten egg over the buns. Bake the buns for about 15 to 20 minutes in a a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius. Remove the buns and brush them with butter. Serve the buns with walnut and mint dip. 

Walnut and Mint Dip

Ingredients 

Take 1/2 cup Walnut 

1/4 cup Mint leaves 

1 Green Chilli

1/3 cup Curd

Salt to taste 

Method 

Blend all the above ingredients  to make the dip. 

#HomeChefMatters @foodbloggerai @vikhrolicucina #gharkafastfood #gharkakhaana #foodies #homechef #foodlover #foodmedia

Mutton Rogan Josh

Rogan josh is a popular dish of Kashmir. This dish was introduced by Mughals influenced from Persian cuisine. Its made with mutton or lamb. There are various spices that are added to the dish for flavour and traditionally the colour of the dish came from ratan jot or mawal flower, but Kashmiri Chilli is now used for the colour too. There are different ways of preparing the dish, specifically 2 versions of the dish - Kashmiri pandit and the Muslim way..  I adapted the recipe from a Kashmiri friend Deepa Kaul channel DeeZ Culinary Delight the Kashmiri Pandit way of preparing where no onion and garlic are used.  

We enjoyed this with steamed rice. 

Ingredients

750 grams Mutton cut into pieces 

2 Bay Leaves 

2 Black Cardamom crushed 

2 Green Cardamom crushed 

1 small piece of Cinnamon crushed 

3 Cloves crushed 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds crushed 

A pinch of Asafoetida 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Ginger powder

1 tsp Fennel seed powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 cup Curd beaten 

4 to 6 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method

Take a pressure cooker, add oil and let the oil heat up. Reduce the flame and add the whole crushed spiced and bay leaves. Once the spices crackle, add the mutton pieces, stir and sauté the mutton for a minute add the asafoetida and continue to sauté until the mutton changes its colour and the juices dry up. Now add the salt, ginger powder, chilli powder and fennel powder. Stir and sauté for few seconds, add the curd and continue to sauté until the oil separates from the masala, add the Garam Masala powder, stir and cook for a minute. Add 1 cup water, stir and close the pressure cooker. Cook on a medium low flame until 3 to 4 whistles. Switch off the flame and let the pressure release. Open the lid and serve the Rogan Josh with Steamed Rice. 

Ilish Macher Lejar Bhorta / Hilsa Fish Tail Bhorta

There were 5 tail pieces of Hilsa fish left in the freezer. Usually as the tail part of the fish is thorny many people avoid eating the tail part. In Bangladesh they make various types of Bhortas. I had this recipe in my bucket list as I had heard from my husband about the Ilish  Bhorta when he had travelled to Bangladesh and I had randomly seen some few recipes on YouTube. It’s delicious, you can actually finish one whole plate of steamed rice with Ilish Bhorta. 

So here it is... 

Ingredients 

5 Tail pieces of the Hilsa Fish

2 medium size Onion sliced 

2 Garlic Cloves

2 or more Whole Dried Red Chilli 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 cup + 1/4 tsp of Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take the fish tails, apply salt and turmeric powder. Heat 1/2 cup oil, fry the fish tail until golden brown in colour. Remove the fried fish and keep it aside to cool, in the same oil now fry the onion and garlic until golden brown in colour. Remove the onion and garlic and keep it aside. In the same remaining oil fry the dried red chillies until brown in colour. Remove the chillies and keep it aside. Now very carefully remove the thorns from the fish tail and keep the fish meat aside. Now take the fried onion, garlic, red chillies, salt to taste and coriander leaves on a plate, mash all the ingredients together well, add the fish meat and mash the ingredients together. Transfer the Bhorta into a serving plate, drizzle with the remaining mustard oil and a fresh red chilli, serve it with hot steamed rice. 

Kolkata Fish Fry

 

Kolkata Fish Fry 

It is one of the Bengali Delicacy made during occasions and celebrations. Normally mostly at home fish fry / mach Bhaja is frying the fish with salt and turmeric, but the marinated fish that is crumb coated and deep fried is made very rarely at home. Bhetki or Telapia is used for this dish. This dish is served with Kasundi and Onion. 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Boneless Fish Fillets cut into rectangular or square shapes

Juice of one small Onion Paste 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger Paste

1/2 tsp Chilli paste 

Juice of 1/2 Lemon 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1 Egg beaten with little salt 

3/4 cup Bread Crumbs

Oil to Fry 

Method

Marinate the fish with lime juice and salt, keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then add onion juice, ginger - garlic paste, chilli paste and pepper powder. Let it marinate for at least an hour. Take the bread crumbs on a plate. Take a marinated fish fillet, dip it in egg and coat the fish with bread crumbs, repeat the process by dipping the fish in egg and again coat it with bread crumbs. Shape the fish properly from the sides. Heat up the oil, on a medium low flame fry the fish until golden brown in colour. Remove the fish on a paper towel. Serve hot with onion and mustard sauce / Kasundi.

Vegetable Chops

 

This year Durga Pujo and Pet Pujo both are to be celebrated within the four walls of our home. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Thanks to the technology that there are live streaming of rituals, performances and zoom adda from any part of the world that you are situated in. 

As this year pet pujo is at home.. hence I made vegetable chops without onion and garlic to cherish the memories of the last year Durga Pujo .. it is served with Kasundi and salad 

Ingredients

1 cup grated Beetroot

1 cup grated Carrots

2 grated Boiled Potatoes

1 or 2 chopped Green Chillies

1/2 tsp grated Ginger

Few Raisins

Few broken Cashew nuts 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Bhaja Masala powder ( 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, 1/2 Coriander seeds and 1 dry red chillies - Roast it and grind it in a grinder)

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 Bay leaf

2 tsp Ghee

4 tbsp  Corn flour or Maida  + 1/4 cup or little more Water mix to make a slurry 

1 cup Bread crumbs 

Oil to fry 

Method

Take a pan, add Ghee, let it melt, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, green chillies and grated ginger. Sauté it for few seconds. Add the cashew nuts and raisins, sauté until the cashews turn light brown in colour. Add the beetroot, carrot, potato, sugar, salt, cumin powder and garm masala powder. Stir and cook all the ingredients together until the ingredients binds well. Add the bhaja masala and mix the ingredients again. Switch off the flame, remove the mixture into a plate and let it cool down. Take lemon size portion from the mixture and give the ball a oval shape, repeat the process. Take the slurry and the bread crumbs. Dip the chops into the slurry and then coat the chops with the bread crumbs, repeat the process one more time. Heat up the oil in a wok, add the chops into the oil, fry the chops on a medium flame until golden brown. Remove the chops on the paper towel. Serve the chops with salad and Kasundi. 

Fried Achaari Paneer Sticks

 

Since the festivals are round the corner, here is a very simple and easy vegetarian starter you can make at home. This recipe that I created calls for few ingredients which most of us have at home. This dish can be enjoyed with ketchup and mint mayonnaise dip 

To Marinate the Paneer Sticks

Ingredients

6  Paneer strips - Paneer cut into 3 inches  length and 1 1/2 inches thickness 

4 to 5 tbsp spicy Mango Pickle Masala including the oil of the pickle masala or chilli pickle masala for more spiciness 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Panch Phoran crushed (Equal portion of Nigella seeds, Fennel seeds, Wild Celery seeds or Mustard seed, Cumin seeds and Fenugreek seed)

6 inches 6 Bamboo Skewers

Method

Take a bamboo and insert the paneer strip gently into the stick, till the tip. Take a bowl, add crushed panch phoran , salt and the pickle masala into the bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Apply the masala on the paneer strips and keep it aside to marinate while we make the batter and proof the batter. 

To make the Batter 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour / Maida

2 tsp Dry Yeast

1 cup and more as required Lukewarm water

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar 

Method 

Take a rectangular container, add 1 cup lukewarm water, sugar and yeast. Mix all the ingredients together. Keep it aside until the yeast rises. Now add a cup of flour and salt into the same container, mix the flour into the yeast water, add the remaining flour and mix the ingredients together into a smooth thick batter, while whisking add extra water only if required. Keep the batter aside to rise. 

To make the Paneer Sticks

Ingredients 

Marinated Paneer

Batter

Oil to fry 

Ingredients 

Take a pan, add oil, let the oil heat, reduce the flame. Take a marinated paneer stick, dip the paneer stick into the batter, coat the paneer strips well. Fry the paneer strips until golden brown in colour. Remove the fried paneer strips on the paper towel. Serve the paneer strips with tomato ketchup and mayonnaise dip. 

Grilled Lebanese Chicken with Lebanese Potato Salad, Green Peas Hummus and Pita Bread

Lebanese cuisine is wholesome and healthy, it consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, pickled vegetables, fresh fish, meat and olive oil. Most of the fish and meat are grilled and fresh vegetables are eaten in the form of salads. Various types of dish, dips, salad, picked vegetables, fruits and desserts are served in small quantity at a time, it’s known as mezze. On a regular basis a family can make 3 to 4 dish for mezze, but for functions and occasions mezze can consist of more than 25 dishes... 

Information - Net source

We enjoyed some Lebanese dishes at home...

Grilled Lebanese Chicken 

 

Ingredients 

1 kg Whole Chicken 

Juice of 1 Lemon

2 tbsp Olive oil for marination + 1 tbsp Olive oil for grilling 

4 Garlic minced 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes 

* 1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

2 Cloves ground

Method 

Take the whole chicken, apply all the above ingredients to the chicken and keep it aside for 4 to 5 hours to marinate. Take a pan, place the chicken and pour the remaining olive oil over the chicken. Grill the chicken in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees celsius on one side, remove the tray and turn the chicken, grill the chicken on the other side for another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the grilled chicken and serve it with salad. 

Lebanese Potato Salad

  

Ingredients 

2 medium size Potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes 

Juice of  1/2 Lemon 

1 small Onion sliced 

2 tbsp chopped Mint leaves 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Olive oil 

Method 

Boil the potato cubes. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water out and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes to cool it down. Take a mixing bowl, all the above ingredients and mix the ingredients well. Serve the salad immediately. 

Green Peas and Mint Hummus 

   

Ingredients 

* 1 cup Frozen Green Peas

1 tbsp Tahini 

1 Garlic Clove

1 tbsp chopped Mint leaves 

1 tbsp Lemon Juice 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

Method 

Thaw the green peas, keep a tsp of green peas aside. Take a food processor, add the green peas, garlic, salt, pepper powder, some chopped mint leaves, tahini, lime juice and 1 1/2 tbsp Olive oil. Blend the ingredients together into a smooth paste. Remove the paste into a bowl, drizzle the remaining olive oil, sprinkle some mint leaves and add some green peas over the hummus. 

Pita Bread 

Please click on the link below 

http://suskitchenbysumitra.blogspot.com/2016/06/pita-bread.html

Ajwaini Amritsari Fish Pakora

 

• 
  
  
  
  
• It’s Saturday night... time to spend some quality time with family... at the dinner table. Adda (formal or informal conversation) and food with some mocktails and cocktails to go with the flow.. very much required to bond with the family... 
• This is a popular punjabi starter.... best is ravas or telapia or basa... or any boneless fish can be used. Fish is marinated and kept for at least an hour. It’s then deep fried and sprinkled with chaat masala and served hot with onion, lime and chutney. 
• 
  
• Ingredients 

500 grams Telapia or any boneless fish pieces  

1 tsp Garlic paste 

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tbsp Lime juice 

1 tsp Carom seeds / Ajwain 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Soda bicarbonate or eno for crispiness  - optional 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

1/2 cup Hung Curd

3 to 4 tbsp Chickpea flour / Besan 

Oil to deep fry

For garnishing - sliced onion, lime pieces and chutney

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, add in the curd, ginger - garlic paste, lime juice, carom seeds, salt, Kashmiri chilli powder and besan. Whisk all the ingredients into a smooth batter. Add the fish pieces, mix well and keep it aside for at least an hour. Add the soda bicarbonate, mix the ingredients together. Heat oil to fry, once the oil is hot, add the fish pieces into the hot oil and on a medium flame until golden brown in colour. Remove the fish from the oil and keep it on a paper towel. Sprinkle some chaat masala. Serve the fried fish with sliced  onion, lime and chutney .

Batter Fried Golden Prawns

 

This dish is ideal for serving as a starter, it’s crispy and flavourful. It’s very easy to make with all the ingredients available in the kitchen. You can add fresh minced garlic or ginger or coriander or other herbs for the flavour. After the prawns are marinated it’s then dipped in the batter and deep fried. It’s has to be served hot with chilli or any sauce of your choice. 

For Marinating the Prawns

Ingredients 

12 medium size Prawns - clean the prawns keeping only the tail portion intact. Devine the prawns.

1 Green Chilli minced 

4 Garlic cloves minced

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a prawn and with the blunt side of the knife, flatten the prawns by hitting the prawns gently, repeat the process for all the prawns. 

Add salt, garlic and chilli. Mix all the ingredients together. Keep the prawns aside till we make the batter. 

To Fry the Prawns 

Ingredients 

Marinated Prawns 

1 Egg

1/2 cup Refine / All Purpose Flour 

1/4 cup Corn Flour 

1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

Salt to taste 

Oil to fry 

Method 

Take a bowl, add the AP flour, corn flour, salt and baking powder. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the egg and little water at a time. Whisk and make a thick dropping consistency batter, keep the batter aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile take a wok, add oil and heat the oil. Once the oil becomes hot, take a piece of prawns and dip the prawn in the batter. Repeat the process and fry the prawns until golden brown in colour. Remove the prawns on a paper towel. Serve the prawns with any sauce of your choice. 

Daab Chingri

This dish is one of the delicacy of Bengal.... The Prawns are cooked in the coconut shell. It’s generally made on occasions. The ingredients used in this recipe are almost same as prawn paturi or prawn bhappa... only difference here is, the coconut water and the coconut meat are added in this recipe and the cooked prawn gravy is filled into the coconut shell and grilled in the oven. 

There are different ways of making it.. many people add onion paste and  ginger paste while cooking the gravy... but I haven’t added these ingredients... Many a times after grinding the mustard, the dish taste bitter, to avoid bitterness, please strain the mustard paste. If you don’t have oven, it can be made in the pressure cooker. 

Ingredients 

500 grams big size Prawns, cleaned and deveined 

4 Green Chillies slit

1 Garlic clove

3 tbsp Tender Coconut Meat (Malai)

3 tbsp Mustard seeds 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 cup Coconut Water

3 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a grinder and add coconut meat, 2 green chillies, garlic, mustard seeds, salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 3/4 cup coconut water to make a fine paste. Take a strainer and strain the paste and add remaining coconut water into the paste. Take a wok, add mustard oil and let it heat up. Meanwhile add salt and remaining turmeric powder on prawns and mix the ingredients together. Add the prawns into the hot oil, let the prawns cook until it changes its colour, add the remaining 2 green chillies and continue to cook for few seconds, pour the paste and continue to cook for a minute. Switch off the flame, take the coconut shell, add the cooked prawn gravy into the coconut shell, cover the top part of the coconut shell with foil, grill the daab chingri at 180 degrees celsius for 15 to 20 minutes in a preheated oven. Once done let the coconut shell cool down a bit in the oven, remove the coconut shell from the oven, remove the foil and serve the daab chingri with steamed rice. 

Incase Otg is not available, the coconut shell can be steamed in the pressure until 2 whistles. 

Achari Veggi Garlicky Mayonnaise Dip

 

                   Achari Veggi Garlicky Mayonnaise Dip 

This dip can be enjoyed with any chips / Nachos or fries... served as starters. This is a tangy and a creamy dip, it’s very delicious. This dip can be kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Carrot grated

2 tbsp Beetroot grated

Few Coriander leaves chopped

1/2 cup Garlicky Mayonnaise or Plain Mayonnaise with crushed Garlic added

1/4 cup Hung Curd 

1 tbsp Any spicy Pickle Oil along with the masala

Rock Salt to taste 

Packet of Cheese Nachos / Nachos / Fries / Chips 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl, take garlicky mayonnaise, add the carrot, beetroot, spicy Pickle Oil, curd and Salt. Mix all the ingredients together well. Transfer the dip into a serving bowl and sprinkle little chopped Coriander leaves on the dip. Serve the dip with Nachos, Chips, Fries etc . 

Pomfret Macher Tel Jhal

This is a quick and easy Bengali recipe to go with steamed rice. This dish is one of our family’s favourite dish, my mother use to make it. It’s supposed to be bit spicy and tangy.

Ingredients 

1 big size Pomfret cut, sliced and cleaned 

1 medium size Tomato chopped 

2 to 3 Green Chillies slit

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds 

Salt to taste 

3/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 cup Mustard Oil to fry the fish

Few drops of Mustard Oil to drizzle  

Method 

Take the sliced pomfret pieces, apply 1/2 tsp turmeric and salt, heat the oil and fry the fish slices until brown in colour. Remove the fried fish pieces, keep it aside. Remove the excess oil and keep around 2 tbsp oil in the wok. Add the nigella seeds and green chillies. Sauté the nigella seeds for few seconds. Add the chopped tomato, salt and remaining turmeric powder. Stir and cook until the chopped tomato is mushy. Add a cup of water and let the gravy simmer. Add the fish pieces and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Switch off the flame, sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and drizzle little mustard oil over the gravy. Serve this dish with steamed rice. 

 

Ilish Macher Bhappa

After a long time we managed to get Ilish from an online cold storage. We were very thrilled, after all it’s called the Macher Raja... King of Fish in Bengal, as it’s the tastiest fish. The fish was delivered whole, we had to clean and cut the fish... and I love cutting the fish. So quickly got into action, geared up with the cutting tools, cut the fish and made Bhappa Ilish - one of the classic traditional dish made with Ilish. 

 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Ilisha Fish

1 Garlic Cloves

4 to 6 Green Chillies as per the spiciness you require 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli Powder - Optional 

1 tbsp Fresh or Desiccated Coconut  -  optional 

2 - 3 tbsp Mustard seeds 

1 tsp Poppy seeds - optional

2 tbsp Curd 

1 1/2 tbsp + 1//2 tsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

To make a paste, add mustard seeds, poppy seeds, coconut, 2 green chillies, garlic, salt and curd in a grinder and grind all the ingredients with little water into a paste. Strain the paste. Take fish pieces and apply salt chilli powder and turmeric powder on the fish, pour the paste and mustard oil on over the fish and coat the fish well with the paste. Add slit green chillies. Close the container and steam the fish for 10 - 15 minutes or add water in the pressure cooker, place the cooker stand and place the closed container inside the cooker and pressure cook with 2 whistles. Once done, drizzle the remaining mustard oil and serve it with hot steamed rice. 

Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka is a popular dish found in India.

The word tikka means small bits or

pieces.

 Small pieces of boneless chicken are marinated with spices, curd, lemon and salt. The marinated chicken pieces are then skewered. It’s then grilled over hot charcoals. It’s served with green chutney, onion and lime. 

For Marinating the Chicken pieces- 

500 grams medium size Boneless Chicken pieces 

Juice of 1 medium size Lemon 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger paste 

1/2 tsp Chilli paste

1 medium size Green Capsicum cut into cubes

1 medium size Onion cut into cubes 

1 medium size Tomato deseeded cut into cubes 

1/2 cup Hung Curd

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Tikka Masala 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi - optional 

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Marinate all the above ingredients together and keep it for 5 to 6 hours 

To Grill the Chicken Tikka

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken 

Little Chaat Masala to sprinkle 

Onion and lemon cut into pieces for garnishing 

Method 

 Skewered in the vegetables and chicken pieces one after the other into the wooden skewer. Place it on a tray and grill it in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 240 celsius, remove and turn the skewer, grill for another 15 minutes. Remove, sprinkle with Chaat masala and serve it hot with green chutney, onion and lemon. 

Tikka Masala Powder 

Ingredients 

1 Black Cardamom 

4 Green Cardamom 

3 to 4 Cloves

1 small piece Cinnamon 

1 tsp Pepper Corn

2 tbsp Coriander Seeds

2 tbsp Cumin seeds

10 Red Spicy Whole Dry Red Chillies 

10 Kashmiri Dry Red Chillies 

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 

1 tbsp Dry Mango Powder 

Method 

Roast the whole spices 2 minutes on a low medium flame. Cool the spices and add the turmeric and dry mango powder. Grind all the ingredients into into a powder. 

Murgir Kofta Curry / Chicken Kofta Curry

 Murgir kofta Curry 

This is a simple Chicken Kofta Curry to be enjoyed with steamed rice or paratha. Here I have taken boneless chicken pieces and ground the chicken pieces into a paste to make the kofta. I have added the Chicken Koftas into the curry without frying. 

For the Kofta 

Ingredients 

350 grams Boneless Chicken pieces 

1 small size Onion sliced 

1 Green Chilli 

1 Garlic 

1 small piece of Ginger 

Few Mint Leaves 

Few Coriander Leaves 

1/2  tsp Cumin seed powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a food chopper or a grinder jar, add all the ingredients and use the pulse button on the mixer few times. Take a lime size portion of the Keema and make a ball. Repeat the process with the remaining keema. Keep the keema balls in the fridge. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

2 small Onions sliced 

2 small Tomatoes chopped 

5 Garlic Cloves 

1 small size Ginger piece

1 Green Chilli 

Method 

Take a grinder jar, add all the above ingredients and grind all the ingredients into a paste 

For the Murgir Kofta Curry 

Ingredients 

Keema Balls

1 small Onion sliced 

3 Medium size Potatoes cut into medium size chunks 

1 Green Chilli 

Few Coriander leaves for garnish 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder 

1 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

2 Bay leaves 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

Wet paste

2 tbsp of Curd 

1 tsp Ghee

3 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a wok or a pot, add oil, let the oil heat up, reduce the flame, add the cumin seeds, green chilli and bay leaves. Sauté for some few minutes, until the cumin seeds crack. Add the onion and fry until light brown in colour. Add the potatoes, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wet paste, stir and cook the masala until the oil realises from the masala. Add the curd and all the dry powder masala, salt and sugar. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, stir and cover the pot. Let the curry simmer until the potatoes are half cooked. Now add the keema balls. Let it cook until the potatoes and keema balls are cooked. Drizzle ghee and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with hot steamed rice. 

Gua Bao / Steamed Bao Buns stuffed with Sticky Chicken and Pickled Vegetables

 

Gua bao also known as Bao bun or Pork belly buns or lotus leaf buns are very popular all over China. It’s very popular street food of Taiwan.  It’s a complete meal, the soft fluffy buns are served usually with pork belly but it’s also served with chicken and pickled vegetables. 

For Steamed Bao Buns 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 

1 tbsp Active Yeast

2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder 

1/4 cup Lukewarm Water

1/2 cup Lukewarm Milk 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a cup, add the warm water, 1 tbsp sugar and active yeast. Stir and keep the yeast to rise. Add the milk and 1 tbsp oil in the yeast. Whisk the yeast. Take a bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and remaining sugar. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the liquid. Mix all the ingredients together and knead the dough for 10 minutes. If required add little more water, it should be a soft - stretchy dough. Apply the remaining oil on the dough, cover and keep it aside for 1 to 2 hours or until it rises doubled in size. Open the lid of the bowl, punch the dough and gently knead it for a minute. Roll out the dough into a disc, take a round cutter, and make medium size round disc. Remove the excess dough. Now fold the disc into half, and gently press the bun, with the roller. Repeat the process for other buns. Place the buns on a small butter paper, cover the buns and let the buns rest for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, add water and let the water boil. Place the buns into the steamer vessel along with the butter paper, keeping little distance between the 2 buns. Cover the steamer and let it steam for 10 minutes. Once done switch off the flame and open the lid, let the buns remain in the steamer for 2 minutes before removing the buns from the steamer. 

Pickled Vegetables 

Ingredients 

A small piece of Carrot cut into thin strips 

A small piece of Cucumber cut into thin strips 

A small piece of Capsicum cut into thin strips

A small piece of Red Cabbage sliced 

Few Coriander leaves 

2 tbsp White Vinegar 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Mix all the ingredients together and let it marinate for 2 to 3 hours 

Sticky Chicken 

Ingredients 

200 grams Boneless Chicken cut into pieces 

1 tsp Garlic minced

1/2 tsp Ginger minced 

1 tbsp Soya sauce 

2 tsp Red Chilli sauce 

1 tsp Tomato Ketchup 

1 tsp Fish Sauce 

1 tsp Vinegar 

2 tbsp Honey 

1 tbsp Sesame Oil 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder 

1 tsp Roasted Sesame seeds 

Method 

Take a bowl and mix all the above ingredients, together, except sesame seeds, keep it for an hour. Take a wok, add the marinated chicken, and cook the chicken until the chicken has become soft and the juices has dried up. Switch off the flame. Add the sesame seeds over the chicken. 

To Assemble - 

Take a bun, add a tbsp spoon of the chicken in the middle of the bun, add some pickled vegetables and some coriander leaves or spring onions. Serve the buns and enjoy! 

DescriptionParchment paper, and place it on a tray, cover the buns and let it rest for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, boil the water in the steamer. Place the buns along with the butter paper into the steamer. Cover the lid and steam the buns for 10 minutes. Once done, switch off the flame and open the lid and let it stand for 2 minutes before removing the buns from the steamer.