Sapla diye Boroli Maach

 

Sapla / Water lilies / saluk  is  seen in abundance during the monsoon season. The stem of water lilies are very popularly eaten as vegetable in villages. Seeds on frying are eaten as puffed-grains called Makhana. 

The cooking process is very simple. The fibers from the stems are peeled off and the stems are cut into pieces. The stems can be cooked into Fritters, stirred fry or cooked with fish or hilish head. 

Today I have cooked Sapla with Boroli Maach. 

This dish is eaten with steamed rice. 

Boroli or Barred Boril (Barilius barila) fish is normally found in clear streams in the foothills, it is found in abundance in the mainstream of Torsa and Teesta. Like hilsa, flock of Boroli swim against the river current. They are mainly spotted in April-May before monsoon or October-November after monsoon. This fish is a delicacy for the North Bengal people. This fish is called  as ‘Teesta’s hilsa for its heavenly taste. This small size fish can be cooked in many ways, with mustard paste, fried or can be cooked into curry. 

I was extremely happy to source these indigenous ingredients … as I had never eaten the Sapla and Boroli fish earlier. 

Here is how I have cooked Sapla Diye Boroli Maach 

Ingredients 

250 grams Boroli Maach

1 bunch of Water lilies / Sapla

1 medium size Potato cut into wedges

1 Onion sliced 

2 to 3 Green Chillies slit 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/4 cup Mustard oil 

Method 

Clean and wash the fish. Marinate the fish with salt and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder. Clean and cut the sapla into pieces. Take an iron wok, add mustard oil. Fry the fish, remove the fish and keep them aside. In the same wok, add potato, onion and green chillies, stir fry them for 2 to 3 minutes. Take a bowl, add salt, cumin powder and remaining turmeric powder, add 2 tbsp of water and make a paste. Pour the paste into the wok, stir for a minute. Pour 1/2 cup water. Stir and cover the wok. Let the potato cook until tender. Once the potato is cooked, add the sapla and fish. Stir gently and cover the wok. Let it cook for another 2 minutes. It’s ready to be savoured with steamed rice. 

Taler Pitha / Palmyra fruit Steamed Cake

 Palmyra fruit / Taal / Tardgola  / Sugar palm 

The palmyra fruit is eaten while the outer covering is still unripe during summers… once the fruit is riped then the inside of the fruit becomes yellow and pulpy from inside. In Bengal it’s said in the month of Bhadro (August) tal fruit becomes ripe, it is used to make different types of dishes like pitha , fritters, kheer, luchi etc. This dishes made from Tal are offered to Lord Krishna on Janmashtami day in Bengal. 

The fruit is peeled, the pulp is extracted and then strained. Sugar and pinch of salt are added to the pulp and then simmered. The pulp can be stored in the fridge for further use. Since Janmashtami is just around.. today we made Taler pitha / Palmyra fruit steamed cake. It’s a sweet dish. Milk and sugar is used to make the dish, but I have used condensed milk to give richness to the taste. 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Rice flour 

1/4 cup Semolina 

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder 

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp + 1/2 tsp broken Cashews

1 tsp Raisins

1/4 cup Grated Coconut 

1/4 cup or more Condensed Milk as per the sweetness 

1/2 cup Palmyra fruit Pulp

1/4 cup Ghee

Method 

Take a bowl, add rice flour, semolina, salt, cardamom powder, baking soda and baking powder. Mix all the ingredients together. Add ghee, condensed milk and the pulp. Mix well. The batter has to be thick and dropped consistency. Add 1 tsp broken cashews and raisins, mix well. Pour the batter into a greased container. Sprinkle the grated coconut. Gently mix the batter. Add the remaining broken cashews. Steam the batter for 25 minutes or until done. Insert a toothpick to check. Once done cool the Taler pitha and enjoy. 

Hilish Macher Mata diye Kochur saag / Taro Stem with Hilish Head

 

Taro stem is a popular ingredient in Bengali cuisine… each part of Taro plant is consumed in Bengal… the roots, the stem, the leaves and the stolons… it can be cooked with either fish head, prawns or made vegetarian. Some taro varieties produces a slime that can cause irritation - itching, pain, burning or swelling in the mouth and throat or even vomiting. While cutting the taro stem if the skin is too itchy then you must avoid eating that taro,  it’s best to boil the taro stem with salt and turmeric and drain the water out completely and add little lemon juice at the end.. 

Cooking the taro stem with hilsa fish head is a delicacy. This dish is served with steamed rice. 

Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 Green Chillies 

10 Garlic cloves 

1 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/4 cup Water 

Ingredients 

Grind all the above ingredients together into a paste. 

Hilish Maacher mata diye Kochur saag 

Ingredients 

1 Taro stem

1 Hilsa Fish head 

2 Green Chillies slit 

Wet paste 

Salt to taste 

1 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 Bay leaf

1 Red dried Chilli 

1/4 cup Mustard Oil 

Method 

The outer part of the taro stem or the outer fibre is pulled out and then it’s cut into small pieces. It is then boiled with a cup of water, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder. We can cook the stem in a pressure cooker, give 1 or 2 whistles. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and drain / squeeze all the water out completely. Clean and rub the fish head with little salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Take a wok, add mustard oil, let the oil heat up. Reduce the flame to medium and add the fish head into the wok. Fry the fish head until golden brown from both the sides. Remove the fish head and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf and dried red chilli. Sauté for few seconds. Add the wet paste. Add the salt, remaining turmeric powder, chilli powder and green chillies. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the fish head, cook the fish head for a minute and break the fish head into small pieces. Add the boiled taro stem into the wok, stir, add sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the water evaporates completely and the dish becomes mushy. Enjoy the dish with steamed rice. 

#bengalicuisine #Hilsa #tarostem #delicacy #nonvegetarian #sidedish 

Kara Kuthiraivali - Ravai Pidi Kozhukatta

 Kara Kuthiraivali - Ravai Pidi Kozhukatta - 

This traditional dish is from Tamil Nadu - Kongunad region. In Andhra it’s known as Kudumulu. In Karnataka it’s known as Kadubu. In Kerala it’s known as Pidi Kozhukattai. This dish is usually made during Ganesh Chaturthi or during occasion… family gathering. Usually made with rice. The rice flour is cooked in hot water with spices and salt. Then once the dough is easy to handle, the Kozhukatta are usually oval shaped and moulded by hand (Pidi) and then steamed. A very healthy comfort steamed dish that can be eaten for breakfast. 

There is a sweet and a savoury version of Kozhukatta. We are making the savoury version. 

Here I have made Kozhukatta not with rice flour but with semolina and barnyard millet mixed in equal portion. 

This can be had for fasting and can be good substitute for rice. This dish can be served with coconut chutney. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Semolina / Rava 

1/2 cup Barnyard millet / Sama 

Few Curry leaves 

Few chopped Coriander leaves 

2 to 3 chopped Green Chillies 

1 small piece for Ginger Grated 

1/2 cup Grated Coconut 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 tsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urid dal 

Pinch of Asafoetida 

2 cups of Water 

2 tbsp Oil 

1 tsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a wok, add 2 tbsp oil, heat the oil. Reduce the flame. Add the chopped chillies, ginger, curry leaves, urid dal and chana dal. Sauté, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds. Add the water. Add salt, let the water simmer. Add the coconut and stir. After few seconds add the washed semolina and sama millet. Stir as the batter shouldn’t form a lump. Stir and cook until it forms a soft dough.. once cool. Switch off the flame… and cover the wok and wait until the dough is easy to handle. Take a steamer, on the top vessel, brush some ghee or place a banana leave. Apply ghee or oil on your palm. Take small portions and shape the Kozhukatta with the help of the palm. Place the Kozhukatta into the vessel. Steam the Kozhukatta for 10  minutes. Serve them hot with chutney.

Keema - Patties Pav

 I had eaten this dish at a Sindhi restaurant in Ulhasnagar. The dish was so delicious that I couldn’t resist making this at home… and moreover when the request comes from my daughter…..

Keema - Patties with Pav - 

The patties was made with keema stuffed in between the potato covering… and the keema gravy was poured over the patties… served with pudina Chutney, sliced onions, a lemon wedge and Pav….. 

Here is my version of making Keema Patties at home with a twist …. As there was no keema at home and had around 300 grams of boneless mutton at home…. I tried making keema at home… usually with the help of the chopper I manage to make small pieces of mutton, but my chopper knocked out… as I didn’t have any options, I tried grinding the keema in a grinder… the mutton became a paste… I had to make the keema texture… so the twist… and believe me the dish was delicious… see the recipe for the twist…. And some what healthy for the twist added… 

For the non-vegetarian- mutton and chicken keema and for the vegetarian boiled soya keema can be used… rest the recipe is the same… 

For me the twist ingredient had to be used by force as the mutton became a paste and I didn’t have soya granules to give the dish keema texture… but I would say use the twist, it becomes healthier.. 

I made the Potato Patties without the Keema stuffing in an air fryer…. 

For the Patties 

Ingredients 

3 Big Boiled Potatoes mashed 

2 finely chopped Green Chillies 

1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves 

1 tbsp finely chopped Mint leaves 

3 Bread cut into pieces 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Amchur powder 

1/2 tsp roasted Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp roasted Dried Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp + 1 tsp Oil 

Method 

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, except 1 tsp oil. Mash and mix all the ingredients together until a soft dough is formed. Make lemon size portions and flatten the portions with the help of the palms. Apply little oil on the palms to avoid sticking. Grease a tray with oil. Place the patties on the tray, air fry at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes on one side, turn and for 10 - 15 minutes on another side. The patties is done. 

For the Keema 

Ingredients 

300 grams Mutton Keema 

1/2 cup Oats 

1 medium size Onion cut into pieces 

2 medium size Tomatoes chopped 

15 Garlic cloves 

3 small pieces of Ginger 

4 to 5 Green Chillies 

1 small bunch of Mint leaves cleaned 

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 dried red Kashmiri chilli cut into pieces 

2 Bay leaves 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

3/4 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder 

1 tsp Meat Masala 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi 

4 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Since I didn’t have mutton keema, I tried doing the keema at home and it became mutton paste.. 

Take grinder, add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, few handful of coriander leaves and mint leaves… grind the ingredients together into a coarse paste. 

Take oil in a dekhchi / pot. Add 3 tbsp ghee, once the ghee heats up, add the dried red chilli pieces and bay leaves, after few seconds add the wet masala paste, sauté and keep cooking for a minute on medium low flame. Add the dried spice powders and salt - turmeric, cumin, chilli powder, coriander, salt, garam masala, meat masala and Kasuri Methi. Stir and cook for few seconds, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the masala starts to release ghee. Add the mutton keema… I add the mutton paste, and stirred well so that the paste doesn’t form a big lump… cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. When the mutton was almost done, I added oats and stirred well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. The gravy will thicken up because of the oats, add another 1/2 cup water, let it cook for a minute. Switch off the flame and let the keema rest for 2 hours… this will enhance the taste… before serving… if you see the gravy has thicken up, add water as desired so the the gravy is of pouring consistency.. check on the salt… add the salt if required. Add the roasted cumin powder and 1 tbsp ghee… garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves…

To serve the Keema Patties-

Take a flat bowl or a plate. Place the patties and pour the keema gravy on top, garnish with sliced onions, mint leaves, lime wedges and mint chutney. Serve with Pav…. 

Chicken Momos with Soup and Momo Chutney

Momo is one of my and my daughter’s favourite… and I think many of us likes momos too… being rainy season don’t want to risk our stomachs…  eating out… here is my way of making momos at home… savouring them with hot piping soup and spicy momo chutney… all to go with the season.. 

This is a special combination we get on the streets of Kolkata at many places … 

Here I have used 50 percent wheat flour and rest refined flour… I have added veggies to the chicken to make it more healthier… Oil is almost nil… we can replace the chicken with pork or prawns.. along with the veggies… 

For the Momo Chutney 

Ingredients 

2 Big Tomatoes cut into big pieces 

6 Kashmiri Chillies cut into pieces 

10 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

Few stems of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tbsp Raw Peanuts 

1 tbsp Sesame seeds roasted 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1 tbsp Vinegar 

2 tbsp light Soy sauce 

Method 

Take a pot, add the tomatoes, Kashmiri Chillies and peanuts, add 3/4 cup of water. Boil the ingredients on a medium flame for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame and add garlic and ginger, cover and let it cool down. Once in room temperature, add the ingredients in the grinder and add salt, sugar, pepper powder, vinegar, soy sauce, coriander stems and sesame seeds, grind all the ingredients well, add water as desired to get the runny consistency of the cutney. Once done keep it aside, can be kept in the fridge for a week. 

To make the outer covering of the Momos 

Ingredients 

1 cup of Wheat flour 

1/2 cup of Refined Flour 

Salt to taste 

Luke Warm water 

Ingredients 

Mix the wheat flour, refined flour and salt together, add little water at a time and knead a semi hard dough. Cover and rest the dough for an hour.. 

To make the stuffing and soup for the Momos.. 

Ingredients 

Take 2 Cabbage leaves cut them into pieces 

1 small Carrot cut into pieces 

1 small piece of Onion cut into pieces 

2 Green Chillies 

10 Garlic cloves for Momos 

6 Garlic cloves chopped for Soup

1 small piece of Ginger 

1 Stem of Spring Onion chopped 

1 stem of Celery chopped 

5 to 6 Boneless Chicken pieces 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Soy Sauce 

1 tsp Red Chilli sauce 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Chicken seasoning powder for Momos 

1 tsp Chicken Seasoning powder for Soup 

1 tsp of Wheat flour slurry 

1 tsp Oil 

1 tbsp Corn flour 

Method 

Take a food chopper, add the cabbage, carrot, green chillies, garlic, ginger and spring onion. Finely chop all the vegetables, remove the chopped vegetables from the chopper, keep one tbsp of the chopped vegetables aside, now squeeze all the water out from the rest of the chopped vegetables. Don’t throw the water extracted from the vegetables. Now put the dry chopped vegetables back into the chopper, add chicken pieces, salt, pepper powder, soy sauce, chilli sauce, chicken seasoning powder and corn flour, blend all the ingredients together well until the ingredients are well combined and forms a soft dough, remove and keep the stuffing in the fridge for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, add 3 cups of water, chopped vegetables, celery, garlic, water extracted from the chopped vegetables used in momo stuffing, salt to taste and chicken seasoning powder and the slurry. Stir well. This soup will cook along while we will steam the momos… 

Let’s make the Momos 

Take a dough and knead well, take a portion from the dough, roll the dough into a thin round disc, take a round cutter, and cut medium or small size disc from the big disc, place the disc on the plate, make a batch of 12 disc at a time, take the stuffing and mix well, take a disc, take a small portion of the stuffing, and place the stuffing in between the disc, spread the stuffing a bit, then start covering the edges of the disc… giving the momos a shape you desire, repeat the process and make all the momos… grease the steamer plate, place all the momos on the plate, cover the steamer and steam the momos for 15 minutes. While the momos are cooking, we can prepare the second batch of momos. Prepare both the batches of momos then serve. Once the momos are ready serve the momos with hot piping soup and spicy momo chutney. 

Varhadi Chicken Curry

Varhadi Chicken Curry 

Varhadi cuisine and Saoji cuisine comes from the eastern region of Maharashtra (Vidarbha region). Varhadi and Saoji are the 2 cuisines that are spicy and not suitable for faint hearted person, but still Varhadi cuisine has a milder version of spice level. 

Today we prepared Varhadi Chicken Curry right from scratch… A lovely recipe shared by my friend. The Varhadi Masala once made can be stored and can be used in making other Varhadi dishes… 

We added less Chillies because of my daughter, but more chillies can be added as per the taste. We served the Chicken with Bhakri, Rice, Chinchecha saar and Onion. 

Varhadi Masala Powder 

Ingredients 

2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Sahi Jeera

6 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp Mustard seeds

20 Pepper Corn 

1/4 tsp Methi seeds 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi 

2 tbsp Dried Grated Coconut (Khopra)

6 Cloves 

2 Black Cardamom

6 Green Cardamom

1 small piece Nutmeg 

1 Javtri 

1 tsp Dagad phool

1 medium stick Cinnamon 

4 to 5 Kashmiri chillies 

6 Spicy dried Red Chillies 

Method 

Fry roast all the above ingredients until light brown in colour and an aroma releases, switch off the flame and cool the masala down. Grind the masala into a powder. This powder can be stored for any gravy dish.

Wet masala 

Ingredients 

1 big size Onion sliced 

15 Garlic cloves 

2 to 3 small pieces of Ginger 

Few stems and leaves of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a pan, add oil and heat the oil, reduce the flame and add onion slices, stir fry the onion slices until light brown in colour, add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute, add coriander leaves and stems, stir and cook until the onions are brown in colour, switch off the flame and cool down. Grind with 1/4 cup water until the ingredients becomes into a paste. 

Varhadi Chicken Curry 

Ingredients 

750 grams of Chicken cut into pieces 

1 small Onion chopped 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

2 tbsp Varhadi Garam Masala 

Wet paste 

4 tbsp Oil 

1 cup Water 

Method 

Take a pressure cooker, add the chicken pieces, little salt to taste, 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and water, give 2 whistles, switch off the flame, let the pressure release, separate the chicken pieces from the stock. Take a pot, add oil, let the oil heat. Add the chopped onion, stir fry until light brown in colour, add the chicken, stir, gradually add the remaining turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt to taste. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Varhadi masala, stir, add the wet paste, continue cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the chicken stock, stir and let the curry simmer for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame, cover and keep, before serving add coriander leaves, serve with bhakri,  rice and onions.

 

Chingri ar Kacha Aam diye purbhora Lunka r Achar

 

Chingri ar Kacha Aam diye purbhora Lunka r Achar - 

This pickle recipe was going on in my head for sometime ..  I wanted to experiment and create the recipe… finally made it, it’s an amazing Bengali pickle for nonveg lovers. I have used prawns, but mutton Keema also can be used after boiling the Keema. 

Here I have taken fat green chillies, stuffed the chillies with raw mango and prawns with spices. This pickle with stay for 3 to 4 months in the fridge. Can be enjoyed with dal - rice, Paratha or chapatis. 

Any pickle masala can be used, I have also shared the masala that I have made. 

Here is the recipe… 

For the Pickle Masala 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp Mustard 

1 tsp Coriander seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp Carom seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

1 tsp Chilli powder 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients together into fine powder 

For the stuffing 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Kasundi 

2 tbsp Pickle Masala 

1/2 Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Black Salt 

Salt to taste 

10 to 15 boiled Prawns ground without any water

3 tbsp Ginger- Garlic - Green Chilli paste ( 1 small Ginger, 10 to 15 Garlic, 10 Green Chillies) 

4 tbsp grated Raw Mango - excess water squeezed out 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients together. 

For the Pickle 

15 Fat Green Chillies washed, dried, stem removed and slit on one side for stuffing 

Stuffed Masala 

1/2 cup Mustard Oil 

1 tbsp Vinegar 

Method 

Take a green chilli, stuff the masala in the green chilli, repeat the process until all the chillies are stuffed. 

Take oil in a spread out pan, heat the oil until smoking point, switch off the flame and cool the oil down. Switch on the flame once again, the flame has to be low. Place the stuffed green chillies in the pan. Turn the green chillies and coat the oil all over the chillies. Add the excess stuffing masala into the oil, the oil will be just warm, switch off the flame, let the oil cool down. Add a tbsp of vinegar. Take a clean dry jar, place the green chillies into the jar, pour the excess oil and the masala into the jar. Keep the jar out for 2 days. Then keep the jar in the fridge. It stays well for 3 to 4 months. Enjoy with dal - rice, Paratha or chapatis.

Malai Methi Chicken Kabab Curry

 Malai Methi Chicken Kabab Curry - It’s a delicious side dish to go with Pulao, Roti, Naan or Paratha. It’s quick to make… Vegetarians can use Paneer or Vegetarian Kababs instead of the Chicken Kababs. 

Here I have grilled the Kababs in an Air fryer. The Kababs can be grilled in an oven or on charcoal. 

Here is the recipe how I made it - 

For the Chicken Kabab - 

Ingredients 

400 grams of Chicken Keema or Boneless cut into small piece 

1 small Onion chopped 

4to 5 garlic 

1 small piece of Ginger 

3 to 4 Green Chillies 

1 tbsp Lime Juice 

Few Coriander stems and Leaves chopped 

Few Mint Leaves 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Roasted Cumin and Coriander powder 

2 tbsp Sattu or roasted Besan

1 tsp Chicken Masala 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Oil + 2 tbsp Oil 

1 tsp Ghee

1 piece of Charcoal 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients plus one tsp oil except charcoal and ghee into to a chopper and blend all the ingredients together until it begins to form a soft dough. If chopper is not available then use a mixer jar. 

Remove the Kabab mix and knead it well. Take a piece of charcoal and heat it up on fire. Place the charcoal in a small bowl, place the bowl in between the kabab mix. Pour a tsp of ghee and cover the big bowl of kabab mix for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the charcoal bowl. ( The charcoal process can be avoided if the Kababs are grilled on charcoal grill). 

Now apply oil on your palms. Take a big lemon size portion of the kabab mix. Shape as you like, cylindrical or oval. Brush the remaining oil on the Kababs. 

Place them on a tray. Air fry at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes on each sides. Similarly can use a preheated otg or grill it on a grilling pan until brown on both the sides. Keep it aside. 

For the Wet Paste for the Curry 

Ingredients 

1 big size Onion sliced 

5 to 6 Garlic chopped 

1 small Ginger piece chopped 

2 to 3 Green Chillies chopped depending upon your spice level 

Few Coriander stems chopped 

10 Cashew nuts

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder - (Optional)

1 Green Cardamom 

2 Cloves 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

1 tsp Oil 

4 to 5 tbsp Curd 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a pan except curd. Sprinkle little water and mix all the ingredients together. Place the pan on a low flame. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion pieces have become translucent. Switch of the flame. Once the ingredients have cooled down, grind all the ingredients together with the curd into smooth paste. 

For the Methi Malai Chicken Kabab Curry 

Ingredients 

Chicken Kabab 

Wet paste 

2 to 3 tbsp Ghee 

2 Green Cardamom 

2 Cloves 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

1 Bay leaf 

1 tbsp Kasuri Methi 

Salt if required 

1/2 cup Milk 

1/4 cup Cream 

Method 

Take a wok, add ghee, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Sauté for few seconds. Add the wet paste and 1/2 of the crushed kasuri methi, stir, cook for 2 minutes on low flame. Once the masala starts to thicken and the ghee releases, add 1/2 cup water, cover and let it simmer for a minute. Meanwhile beat the milk and cream together and keep it aside. Add the kababs and let the gravy simmer for another minute. Pour the milk - cream into the gravy and stir gently, in few seconds switch off the flame. Garnish with remaining crushed Kasuri Methi and serve with Paratha or Naan.

Mango pickle with Fenugreek sprouts

 

Mango pickle made with Fenugreek sprouts - just loving it… made in complete traditional way.. 

Here is the recipe - 

1 1/2 kg Raw Mangoes - (Measurement after washing, cleaning and cutting the mangoes into pieces)

1/2 cup Fenugreek seeds 

1/2 cup Mustard Dal ( Rai ka Kuria) 

4 tbsp or more Salt as per taste

2 tbsp Turmeric powder 

1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder 

3 tbsp Chilli powder 

2 tbsp Roasted Fennel powder 

1 tbsp Roasted Coriander powder 

1 tbsp Roasted Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Asafoetida 

1 tsp Carom seeds

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds

1/2 liter Sesame Oil

Method 

Day 1 - Take a bowl, add the mango pieces, add 2 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp turmeric powder, mix all the ingredients together, cover and leave the bowl aside overnight, wash the fenugreek seeds well and soak the fenugreek seeds in water overnight. 

Day 2 - Next day stir the mango pieces with a dry spoon. Cover and keep the mangoes aside. Strain the water from the fenugreek seeds, instead of throwing the water, drink the water, it’s good for health. Take the soaked fenugreek seeds and in a moist cloth, tie the cloth and keep it hanging. In between keep sprinkling water on the cloth to keep the cloth moist. It takes 2 days to get sprouts. We don’t need to over sprout the seeds. 

Day 3 - Strain the water from the mango pieces and keep the water aside. Spread the mango pieces on a cloth or on a plate, sun dry the mangoes for 3 to 4 hours. 

Meanwhile heat the oil, let the oil cool a bit, but it should be still hot, add the these ingredients in a bowl - 2 tbsp salt, mustard dal, Kashmiri chilli powder, red chilli powder, remaining turmeric powder, roasted coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, carom seeds, Nigella seeds and asafoetida. Mix all the ingredients together. 

Now add 1/2 the amount of oil into the ingredients and mix well. Cover and keep the masala aside, until the mangoes are sun drying. After 3 to 4 hours, add the mangoes into the masala, mix the masala well and keep the mangoes covered. 

Day 4 - Remove the fenugreek sprouts and sun dry until all the moisture from the sprouts are removed, for 2 hours. Then add the fenugreek sprouts into the marinated mango water, mix and keep it aside for an hour. Now mix the water and the sprouts into the mango pieces. Stir and keep it aside. 

Day 5 - Store the pickle into a clean dry glass jar. 

Day 6 - Stir the pickle and add the remaining oil. Stir daily once with a clean dry spoon and keep it to mature for at least 7 days. 

After 7 days it’s ready…

Kasundi - Traditional method…

 Kasundi is quintessentially a part of the Bengali cuisine. It’s used in cooking and used as an accompaniment with fried food as dip, salad and starters. Kasundi has a sharp pungent taste.

 Traditionally Kasundi is made with lots of rituals and many restrictions are followed. Earlier only the Bramhins could only make the Kasundi. Made in the month of April ( End April and starting of May,  as the mustard seeds have been harvested and dried in the Sun. Kasundi should be made before the monsoon begins. The mustard seeds and other spices are washed, dried in the Sun and ground into fine powder. Black mustard is used. The water is boiled and reduced into 3/4 quantity. The mustard powder is added into the mud pot along with salt and Turmeric powder. Gradually warm water added and stired well. The Kasundi is made into thin consistency. The Kasundi is stirred very well. Some people add raw mango pieces into the Kasundi. 

In villages people enjoy Kasundi with puffed rice / muri makha, different types of vegetables makha or add the Kasundi in the green vegetables like paat saag / jute leaves. 

Now it is made at home with ease. Apart from traditional Kasundi there are now many ways and ingredients vary while  making the Kasundi. 

Here is a humble try of making the traditional Kasundi at home. It stay for a long time out, but I prefer keeping the Kasundi in the fridge. 

Here I have used Black and Yellow mustard. I have added few Garlic cloves, it’s optional. I have added vinegar so that it stays well for a longer period of time.

Ground Spices for Kasundi 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp Cumin seeds 

2 tbsp Coriander seeds 

6 to 8 Pepper corns 

4 Bay leaves 

6 to 7 Dried Chillies 

4 Cloves

3 Green Cardamom 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

Method 

Dry roast all the above ingredients until an aroma releases. Switch off the flame and keep the spices aside until it cools down. 

Kasundi 

Ingredients 

1 medium size Raw Mango washed, peeled and ground into paste. 

4 Green Chillies (optional)

1 medium piece of Ginger

4 Garlic cloves (optional)

1/2 cup Yellow Mustard seeds 

1 cup Black Mustard seeds

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Turmeric powder 

Ground spices 

1 1/2 liter or more Boiled warm water ( Water has to boil and reduced to 3/4) 

2 tbsp Vinegar (optional)

Method 

Wash the black and yellow mustard seeds. Dry the mustard seeds in the sun until it’s completely dried up. 

Take a grinding jar, add the mustard seeds, Grind the mustard seeds into fine powder. Also make a paste of the green chillies, ginger and garlic together. Add the ground spice powder into the mustard powder. Sieve the ingredients together, so that we get a very fine powder of the ingredients ground. Take a mud pot, add the mustard and spice powder into the pot. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix all the ingredients together. Add the ginger - chilli - garlic paste and mango paste. Now add the warm water gradually into the pot and keep on stirring, so that no lumps should form. Keep stirring, check on salt. Add salt if required. Keep stirring and keep adding warm water until the sauce has a thin consistency. Keep stirring for 10 to 15 minutes as all the ingredients blends together and all the flavours releases. Add the vinegar. Gradually the Kasundi will become a bit thicker later. Cover and leave the Kasundi aside in the mud pot. Next day transfer the Kasundi into the dry clean bottles and keep it in a dry place. Later keep it in the fridge.

Macher Patishapta

 Macher patishapta - 

Patishapta is a sweet pitha usually made during Makar Sankranti in Bengal. 

The patishapta base / crepe is made with rice flour, semolina and all purpose flour. Here taking inspiration from patishapta, I have made Maacher/ fish patishapta. Instead of sweet stuffing, savoury fish stuffing is added into the patishapta base. This dish can be enjoyed for breakfast or snack. 

Fish stuffing 

Ingredients 

250 grams boiled boneless fish mashed 

1 medium size onion sliced 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

1 tsp grated Ginger 

1 tsp grated Garlic 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1 Bay leaf

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/4 tsp Garam masala powder 

1/4 Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Chaat masala 

1 tsp Tomato Ketchup 

1 tbsp Oil

Method 

Take a pan, add oil, once the oil heats up, add the bay leaf and cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds crackle, add the onion slices, ginger, garlic and green chillies chopped. Saute until the onions are light brown in colour. Add the boiled fish, salt, cumin powder, garam masala powder, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Stir and cook the fish for a minute, add the chaat masala and tomato ketchup. Stir and cook until the fish stuffing has cooked well. Sprinkle coriander leaves. 

For the crepe 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2 cup fine semolina 

1 Egg

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp oil

Fish stock ( Remaining liquid after the boneless fish has been boiled) and water as per required 

Method 

Take flour, semolina, baking powder and salt. Mix all the above ingredients together. Add the egg and the fish stock,  add water little at a time if required to make a batter. The batter should be of thick flowing consistency. Beat well so that no lumps should remain. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

To make Macher Patishapta 

Ingredients 

Fish stuffing 

Batter 

Method 

Take a pan, keep the flame on medium. Once the pan warms up, pour a ladle full of batter, rotate the batter and make a thin crepe, let the crepe cook, once done, remove the crepe on a plate, spread some fish stuffing on the crepe, roll the crepe and enjoy it with salad, Kasundi and tomato ketchup.

Mangalorean Buns with Veg Sagu

 May times we have visited Mangalore and every time we enjoyed this meal during breakfast. My friend’s MIL makes one of the best Mangalorean Buns. This dish is very popular in Mangalore and is available in most of the restaurants for breakfast. 

Here is the recipe - 

Mangalore Buns

 Ingredients

2 cups Whole Wheat flour  Flour

2 medium sized Ripe banana

2 tbsp Jaggery powder or Sugar 

½ tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Baking soda

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Curd

1 tsp ghee

oil for deep frying

Method

Take a mixing bowl, mash the bananas, now add sugar, salt,  baking soda, cumin powder and curd . Mix the ingredients well into a smooth paste. Add the flour and knead the flour into a dough, add little more flour if required. The dough is slightly sticky. While kneading you can apply some ghee and knead. Keep the dough covered in a bowl overnight. Knead the dough the next morning. The dough is a bit sticky, so dust some flour and take medium sized balls from the dough and roll into round pooris. Fry each poori into medium hot oil till they are puffed and golden. Serve the buns as snacks or enjoy for breakfast with veg sagu or with coconut chutney or Sambar. 

Veg Sagu Recipe - 

Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small Onion chopped 

1 small Tomato chopped 

2 Green Chillies 

Few Coriander stems cut into pieces 

1 small piece of Ginger 

2 tbsp grated Coconut or desiccated Coconut 

4 to 5 Cashew nuts

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Jagger 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 

1/4 tsp Chilli powder 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients into a fine paste with water. 

Veg Sagu 

Ingredients 

1 medium bowl around 250 grams of vegetables cut into small pieces - Carrot, French Beans, Cauliflower, Capsicum, Green Peas and Potato

2 Green Chillies 

Few Curry leaves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1/2 tsp Chana dal

1/2 tsp Urid dal 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 Dried Red Chilli cut into pieces 

Few Cashew nuts  

Wet Paste 

2 tbsp Oil 

Take a pressure cooker, add oil, once the oil heats up, add the dried chilli, chana dal and Urid dal. Once the dals are half fried, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute until the mustard seeds crackle. Add the vegetables, cashews and green chillies. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the wet paste and continue to cook until the oil releases from the paste. Add 3/4 cup of water. Stir, cover the pressure cooker and give 2 to 3 whistles. Once the air pressure releases, check the gravy, as per choice, we can reduce the gravy. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with poori, buns, Paratha etc. 

Kolkata style Chicken Cutlet ( Fowl Cutlet)

 

Fowl Cutlet is one of the street food of Kolkata and also one of the popular dish that’s sold in the Cabin style restaurants.. where each wall of the old cabin restaurant has some story to tell.. This dish is also made during occasions… 

The chicken cutlets are made with chicken mince or boneless chopped chicken pieces, spices and coated with egg and bread crumbs. It’s fried in oil until golden brown in colour and served with salad and mustard sauce (Kasundi). 

Ingredients 

1 cup Chicken Mince

or Boneless Chicken pieces 

Half Onion taken from 1 small Onion 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 Garlic cloves 

1 Green Chilli 

1/4 cup Coriander and Mint leaves 

Juice of 1/2 Lime

Salt to taste 

1/4 Pepper powder 

1/2 Garam Masala (Ground 1 Green Cardamom- small Cinnamon-2 Cloves)

1/2 tsp Bhaja Masaala (Roasted Cumin- Coriander- Red Dried Chilli ground into powder) 

2 Eggs

3/4 cup Bread Crumbs 

Oil to Fry 

Method 

Take a chopper or a grinder, add the chicken mince or pieces, lime juice, onion, green chilli, ginger, coriander and mint leaves, garlic, salt and pepper powder. Blend the above ingredients together. Take the paste out into a bowl. Add the garam masala and Bhaja masala into the paste. Mix the ingredients together. Take 1/2 of the bread crumbs in a plate, beat 2 eggs with little salt. Take a lemon size portion from the chicken paste. Roll the portion on a greased plate to give a cylindrical shape. Then with the help of the bread crumbs flatten the cutlets into diamond shape or oval shape. Repeat the same process. We get around 7 cutlets. Now with place one cutlet on the chopping board and with the help of a knife shape the edges well. Repeat the same process with all the remaining cutlets. Now dip one cutlet into the beaten egg and then coat the cutlet with the remaining bread crumbs. Repeat the same process with the remaining cutlets. Take a pan, heat the oil, until medium hot. Place 2 to 3 cutlets into the pan as per the space of the pan. Fry the cutlets until golden brown in colour from both the sides. Serve the chicken cutlets with salad and Kasundi. 

Coorgi Style Chicken Masala

 My recent visit to Coorg or the Kodagu district was an experience of its kind, as we stayed with the locals at a home stay amidst the coffee and pepper plantations… we enjoyed the uniqueness of the lush green wild nature and the distinctive cuisine to the fullest. Kodava or the Coorgi cuisine enjoys using fresh and local ingredients found in the region… like Kachampuli, the local vinegar extracted from the Garcinia Cambogia fruit, pepper - spices, bamboo shoots, pork - wild boar etc. 

The home stay owners were kind enough and allowed me to pluck some fresh pepper from their plantation… I also managed to get Coorgi Masala (kartha Masala) and Kachampuli… 

Using all the Coorgi ingredients, I have made Coorgi style Chicken Masala, here is the recipe -  

I have used big leg pieces, but we can also use medium size chicken pieces.. 

To marinate the Chicken 

Ingredients 

2 Big leg pieces 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 tbsp Coorgi Curry Masala (Kartha Masala) 

1 tsp Kachampuli Vinegar 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients together and keep the marinated chicken for 2 to 3 hours. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

2 small Onion chopped 

6 to 8 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger

3 to 4 Green Chillies 

1 Handful Coriander leaves 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients into coarse paste 

To make the Coorgi Chicken Masala 

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken 

Wet paste 

Few Curry leaves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

2 Green Chillies slit and cut into pieces 

Few drizzle of Kachampuli vinegar 

Pickled Fresh Pepper 

Salt if required 

6 tbsp Oil

Method 

Add oil into the wok, once the oil is hot, add the wet paste. Stir and sauté until the paste is translucent. Add the marinated chicken, cover and cook for 2 minutes on each side, turning the chicken leg pieces occasionally. Continue to cook on low flame. Once the oil releases, add 1/2 cup of water, cover the wok and continue to cook, turning the chicken leg pieces occasionally until the chicken legs are tender and the gravy has reduced. Garnish with fresh pickled pepper, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chillies and drizzle of Kachampuli vinegar. Serve with hot rice or akki roti.

Duck kosha / Hasher Mangsho kosha

Winters are the best time to make duck meat.. though the meat is not commonly eaten now a days as the meat is expensive. Earlier days I remember we use to get duck eggs or swan eggs when we travelled to Kolkata, but nowadays it’s not available. It’s a delicacy preparing duck meat. The duck meat is paired with chitoi / sara pitha or chaul er ruti/ rice chapatis. 

Ingredients 

To marinate the Duck 

500 grams Duck 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

Method 

Apply salt and turmeric powder on the meat. Keep the meat aside for 1 or more hours to marinate. 

Ingredients 

For Spice paste 

Salt

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp roasted Cumin and Coriander powder 

1 tsp Meat masala powder 

2 to 4 tbsp Water 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients together and make a paste. Keep the paste aside. 

Wet paste 

Ingredients 

1 small Onion 

1 medium size Tomato 

1 Green Chilli

1 small piece of Ginger 

5 to 6 Garlic Cloves 

2 Coriander stems 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients together into a fine paste. 

To make Duck kosha

Ingredients 

Marinated Duck 

3 medium size Potatoes with skin cut into big cubes 

1 medium size Onion sliced 

2 Green Chillies slit

Wet paste 

Spice powder paste 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

2 Green Cardamom crushed 

3 Cloves crushed 

1 small piece of Cinnamon crushed 

1 Red dry Chilli cut into pieces 

2 Bay leaves 

6 tbsp Mustard oil 

Method 

Take a pressure cooker, add the marinated duck meat, add a big cup of water. Pressure cook the meat for 2 whistles. Let the press release. Remove the boiled meat and the stock into a bowl. In the same pan, add the oil. Let the oil heat up. Add the potato cubes, fry them until light brown in colour. Remove and keep the potatoes aside. In the same oil add the cumin seeds, crushed cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, red dry chilli and bay leaves. Let it crackle, add the boiled meat, sauté for 2 minutes, add the sliced onions, sauté until golden brown in colour. Add the spice paste and wet paste. Cook the meat until the oil releases. Add the potatoes and continue to cook. Add little stock at a time and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender. Add the green chillies and add the last remaining stock. Cook for 2 minutes and switch off the flame. Serve the duck kosha with Chitoi pitha or rice chapatis. 

Kulfa / Purslane Bhaji

 Kulfa/ Luni Bhaji/ Nunia Saag / Purslane grows wild in India and it’s generally mistaken as weed…unlike spinach, fenugreek, mustard greens etc, this vegetable isn’t cultivated, few days back I saw this plant growing in my kitchen pots.. wild.. I was about to pluck, my house helper said let it grow… we can use in cooking.. this plant has immense health benefits. Staying in urban, most of us don’t know many of the greens that grows around wild… it’s off later that I have been noticing that sometimes some of the villagers come to the city from the nearby villages to sell these treasures. 

This is an annual plant, the leaves and stems are succulent and the flowers can be of any colour like pink, white or yellow. The common one is yellow… The stem and the leaves are both edible, used in soups, salad or cooking. In India it’s cooked with dal, or with as sabji / bhaji. The taste of the leaves are bit tangy. Purslane has vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can be extremely beneficial to our health. 

We can stir fry the greens with garlic and green chillies, or cook them with dal or make a gravy dish… one of the recipe that I make with this leafy vegetable is -

Ingredients 

1 bunch of Kulfa leaves chopped 

1 Potato cut into cubes 

1 small Tomato chopped 

1 tbsp chopped Garlic 

2 Green Chillies cut into half 

1 Dried Red Chilli 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil, once the oil heats up, reduce the flame, add the garlic and red dried chilli. Sauté the garlic, once the garlic turns light brown in colour, add the tomato, potato, salt and turmeric, stir and cook until the potato is half cooked. Add the chopped greens and green chillies. Stir and cover the wok. Let it cook until the water has evaporated and the vegetable and the potato has cooked completely. Serve this vegetable with rice or chapatis.