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 

Chingri Posto Narkel Diye Paturi

 

 Chingri / Prawns with posto and narkol bata (poppy and coconut paste) wrapped in kola pata (banana leaves) - Chingri Posto Narkel Diye Paturi. A side dish that goes well with rice. Here is my version that I make at home at times…

Ingredients to marinate the Prawns 

300 grams medium size cleaned and deveined Prawns 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

Method 

Mix all the ingredients above ingredients together and keep it aside for 15 minutes 

Ingredients- For the paste. 

2 tbsp Poppy seeds

Few small pieces of Coconut pieces peeled 

1 small piece of Ginger 

3 to 4 Garlic cloves 

2 Green Chillies 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients into fine paste 

Ingredients for the Chingri Paturi 

Marinate Prawns 

1 medium Onion sliced 

Few Coconut pieces sliced 

3 to Green Chillies slit

Wet paste 

Salt to taste if required 

1/2 Red Chilli powder 

2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Mustard oil

2 medium size Banana leaves washed and gently warmed up the banana leaves over low flame. 

Method 

Take a bowl, add the marinated prawns, wet paste, red chilli powder, 2 tbsp mustard oil, coconut slices, onion slices, salt if required. Mix all the ingredients well. 

Place the glossy side of the banana leaves on top.. of each other in a crisscross manner. Transfer the prawn mixture on the banana leaves. Wrap up the banana leaves and tie the leaves with a thread. Take a pan, add 1/2 tsp mustard oil and spread the oil all round the pan. Place the parcel into the pan. Cover the pan, on a medium low flame, cook the parcel for 5 minutes, change the side of the parcel and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, repeat the process once again. Once done, open up the banana leaves and serve the dish with hot rice. 

#prawns #coconut #bananaleaves #paturi #poppyseed #bengalicuisine #food #foodie #foodpics #foodblogger #foodphoto #recipe #sidedish #nonvegetarian 

Mushrooms and Prawns Stuffed Long Buns

When we do anything with love, it happy us…. 

Even though I am unable to bake frequently … but when ever I bake, this gives me immense happiness… 

Had some mushrooms in the fridge.. hence used them in this recipe… but any type of stuffing can be used. 

Here is my recipe - 

For the Stuffing  

Ingredients 

1 packet of mushrooms sliced 

Few Prawns cleaned and chopped 

1 Onion sliced 

4 to 5 Garlic cloves finely chopped 

1 or 2 Green Chillies finely chopped 

1 pack of Knorr  Sweet Corn Veg Soup 

1/2 tsp Chilli flakes 

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Butter 

1 tbsp Olive Oil 

1/2 cup Milk 

Method 

Take 1/2 cup of Milk, empty the packet of the soup, stir and keep it aside. Take a pot, add 1 1/2 tsp butter, as the butter melts, add olive oil, add the chopped garlic, green chilli and sliced onion. Stir fry until translucent. Add the mushrooms, stir and cook for a minute, add chopped prawns, stir for few minutes, add the chilli flakes and salt. Pour the milk. Lower the flame and stir continuously until all the ingredients binds together. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp butter and stir. Switch off the flame and keep it aside.. 

For the Bread Dough 

Take 3 portions of Wheat Flour and one portion of All purpose flour, add a tsp of  sugar, salt to taste and mix all the ingredients together, add a tbsp of instant yeast, mix again, add Luke warm water little at a time and mix it together. Knead the dough well for 10 minutes… the dough should be soft and bit sticky, add a tsp of  oil and knead it again. Apply oil on the dough, cover the bowl and keep it aside and let it proof until it becomes double in size. Once double in size, punch the dough and knead the for few more minutes, if the dough is very sticky add little flour. Divide the dough into 6 portions. 

To Make the Stuffed Bread Roll

Stuffing 

Bread dough 

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 Egg beaten 

Method 

Take a portion of the dough, add 1/2 tsp oil, knead the dough for few seconds, press the dough with the help of the palm and spread the dough into a disc. Place some stuffing on the dough, fold in the dough to close the stuffing and make a bun. Place the rolls on a greased tray, or if you have a bun moulds, place the dough in the mould. Cover the bread buns with a cloth for 30 minutes, brush the roll with egg. Give some slits on the bread. Bake the bread roll in a pre heated oven for 20 minutes at 180 / 190 degrees celsius, once done, remove and cool the stuffed long buns, once cool completely enjoy.. 

Fish Bread

This can be eaten as snacks, any choice of stuffing can be added. Hope you enjoy the video... and enjoy making this recipe too. 

For the fish filling

Ingredients 

250 grams Basa or any Boneless Fish cut into pieces 

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1  Onions chopped 

1/2 tsp Garlic chopped 

1/2 tsp Ginger chopped

1 - 2  Green Chillies  chopped 

2 tbsp Green Capsicum chopped 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes 

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings 

1 tbsp Flour 

2 tbsp Butter 

1/4 cup Milk 

Method

Take a bowl, place the boneless fish pieces, add salt and lemon juice, marinate for 15 minutes. Take a pan, add butter, let the butter melt, add the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and capsicum. Sauté them on medium low flame until the onion is translucent in colour. Add the fish pieces, let it cook until the fish has become soft and flaky. Add the Italian seasoning, chilli flakes and salt to taste. Stir and add the flour. Mix the flour and let it cook for few seconds. Add the milk and keep stirring the stuffing until all the milk had evaporated. Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool down. 

For the Bread

Ingredients 

1 cup of Wheat flour 

1 cup of All Purpose Flour 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Active Yeast

1 tsp Sugar 

1 tsp Oil

Luke Warm Water 

Method

 Take  a bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Take 1/4  cup of lukewarm water, add sugar and  yeast. Mix it and keep it aside to rise. Add the yeast water and little more lukewarm water - little at a time if required into the flour. Knead the flour into a soft dough. Add oil to the dough and knead again and keep the dough for rising until  it doubles in size. 

For Assembling - 

Ingredients 

Dough 

Stuffing 

1 tbsp Milk

1 tbsp Melted Butter

2 tbsp Egg White 

Method 

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees. Knead the dough again and make lemon size balls, take one ball and roll it out. Cut the sides,  keeping space in the centre for the stuffing. Place the stuffing in the centre of the disc.  Then start braiding, over lapping each strip over each other.  For the eyes put pepper corn. Keep it for 15 minutes covered.  At a small bowl, mix milk, butter and egg white. Brush the mixture on the fish bread and bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. Once done you can brush some butter (optional). Enjoy the fish bread. 

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. 

Grilled Fish

Grilled fish can be eaten as one of the healthy starter or can be enjoyed for dinner with some salads. Grilled fish can be marinated in many ways. Boneless fish or slices of big fish can be used for grilling. Bhetki, Basa, Ghol etc can be used for grilling. 

Ingredients 

6 pieces of Ghol fish slices 

1/2 cup Hung Curd

3 tbsp Mayonnaise 

1 tsp Garlic paste 

Salt to taste

1 tsp Pepper Powder 

1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

1 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1 tsp Cumin seed powder 

1 tbsp Besan / Chickpea flour 

1/2 tsp Carom seeds

1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Marinate the fish with all the above ingredients well and keep it for an hour or two. Take a foil and spread it on a baking tray. Keep the fish slices on the foil. Add some of the marinade on the fish. Grill the fish in a preheated oven at 200 degrees celsius for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven. Turn the fish gently and apply the remaining marinade on the fish, continue to grill for another 10 minutes. Remove the fish and serve the fish with green coriander chutney and spicy mango -  cucumber - tomato salad. 

Garlic Coriander Baked Fish with Coconut Milk...

This dish is adapted from Thai cuisine... It's a baked dish and without oil. So definitely a healthy dish. Serve this dish with green cucumber, tomato and rice and enjoy the flavour of garlic, coriander and coconut.

Ingredients

500 grams  Fish Fillets

2 Garlic cloves minced 

1 small bunch Coriander leaves cleaned

1 inch Lemon grass stalk

4 to 6 Bird Eye chillies 

2 tsp Red Chilli flakes

Salt to taste 

3/4 cup Coconut Milk

1 tbsp Honey

2 tsp Fish Sauce 

2 tbsp Lemon Juice 

Method 

Take a chopper, add the coriander, garlic, lemongrass, chilli flakes, fish sauce, lemon juice, honey, salt and coconut milk. Pulse it  3 to 4 times. Take a oven proof baking dish. Place the fish into the baking dish. Pour the mixture on the fish and mix well. Add the chillies. Bake it in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes at 200 degrees celcius or until fish is cooked well. Garnish with coriander leaves, cucumber slices, tomato slices and lemon slice.

Baked Fish Bread Cake

Baked Fish Bread Cake
This dish is made with bread and fish.. Leftover bread is ideal to make this dish... Minced meat can be used instead of fish... More veggies and herbs like chopped carrots, mash potatoes, rosemary or thyme can be also add...

Ingredients
1 big loaf of Focaccia or any kind of bread
500 grams Boneless Fish boiled
10 Garlic Cloves minced
2 Green Chillies minced
Few sliced Olives
1 Green Capsicum chopped
1 Onion chopped
Salt to taste
2 cups of Cheddar and Mozzarella mix  
2 cups of Milk
3 Eggs
1 tbsp Olive oil
Method
Add oil into a pan, add onion, garlic, green chillies and capsicum. Stir and saute for 3 minutes. Add the boiled fish and salt. Stir it and break up the fish into small pieces and stir cook for 3 minutes more.. Take the bread loaf and break it up into small pieces. Add it to the fish. Take milk, add eggs and a cup of cheese in a bowl and mix it. Pour the mixture into the bread and fish. Mix it. Take a baking tray, grease it. Transfer the mixture into the baking tray. Spread it evenly. Add the remaining cheese on top... Bake at 200 degrees celcius for 30 minutes in a preheat oven.. Serve hot..

Fish cake

Fish cake
300 grams boneless fish
1/2 cup boiled potato mashed
1 pieces of bread mashed
1/2 tsp ginger grated
1/2 tsp garlic chopped
1 green chilli chopped
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup capsicum chopped ( red and yellow or green)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated or slice cheese optional
1/2 pepper powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp oil
1 egg beaten
2 tbsp spring onions chopped

Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Boil the fish and mash it. Take a pan and add oil. Heat the oil and add garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute. Add onion chopped, green chilli and capsicum chopped and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add the curry powder, pepper powder and salt. Stir it well. Add the spring onion chopped, mashed fish, mashed potatoes and mashed bread. Mix it well add the egg and mix it again. Now take a baking pan. Grease it with oil. Add the mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs from top add grated cheese or slice cheese and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes or bake it till the cheese has melted and browned.

Cheesy Garlicky Prawn Bake

Cheesy Garlicky Prawn Bake
Ingredients
15 medium or large size Prawns cleaned, but the tail should remain. Slited from the centre.
1 tbsp a Garlic crushed
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Lime juice
1/2 cup Cheese grated
2 tbsp Oil
Method
Apply lime juice, pepper powder, 1 tbsp oil, garlic and salt to the prawns. Keep it aside for 30 minutes for marination. Take a baking pan. Grease the pan with oil. Arrange the prawns in a line. Bake the prawns for 15 minutes at 200 degrees in a pre heated oven. After 15 minutes in the oven take the baking tray out and sprinkle grated cheese on the prawns.  Keep the prawns back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes more till the cheese has melted and become brown. Serve it hot.

Fish Pie

Fish Pie 

Ingredients 

1/2 kg Silver Bassa Fish cut in to pieces

1 cup Prawns  medium pieces

1 l/2 cup   Fish Stock 

2 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Fine flour

1/2 cup Cream

1/4 cup Cream + 1/4 cup milk for the potatoes 

2 Egg  yolks 

4 tbsp Grated Cheese

Few strands of Spinach  blanched, chopped

3 cups Mashed potatoes boiled and mashed 

2 Garlic cloves crushed

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp pepper powder

Method 

Take the mashed potatoes add cream, egg yolks and milk and mix it properly. Keep it aside. Sprinkle  salt and pepper.  Heat a saucepan. Add in the butter, allow it to melt, then add  the flour and whisk  it properly  using a whisk. Gradually add in the  stock whisking in between. Whisking the stock constantly, bring it to the boil and simmer until thickened. Whisk in 1/2 cup  cream in the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Add  the fish pieces. Gently stir in the  pieces into  the sauce. Add the prawns. Cook very gently over a low heat to poach the fish in the sauce. Pour the sauce into a pie dish. Spread the spinach leaves  and then sprinkle crushed garlic and grated cheese. Sprinkle salt and pepper powder. Spread the mashed potato to form a thick, even layer on top of the pie, smoothing the mashed potatoes  with a spatula or palette knife. Bake at 190 degrees for 25–30 minutes in the pre-heated oven until golden brown.

Baked Open Tuna Sandwich

Baked Open Tuna Sandwich
1 canned Tuna flakes
2 tbsp sliced green Olives
1 Tomato chopped
1 onion chopped
1/4 cup each chopped Red and Yellow Capsicum
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
4 tbsp Mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Cheese
1 egg
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper powder
8 slices Big Sandwich bread
4 cheese slice
Butter to apply on bread
Method
Take a tray. Brush the tray with butter. Take bread pieces. Apply butter on the bread slices. Take a bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the cheese slice in the bowl. Mix it. Spread the filling on the bread slices. Take the cheese slices and put it on top of the filling. Bake it at 180 degrees for 20 minutes in a preheated oven... Serve it with Potatoe wafers...