Phulkopir Singara

Singara in Bengal is different from Samosa which is made in other parts of India because of the stuffing and the spice powder that is used. Phulkopir singara is best to make during winters as cauliflower is easily available in the market.  

To make the singara crispy, the  moyen / amount of ghee or oil has to be proper and mixed well with the flour.  Instead of cashews you can also fried peanuts and add it to the stuffing. 

While frying the singara the temperature of the oil has to be low to get uniform golden colour and crispness. Serve the singara with tetuler / tamarind chutney. 

For the Stuffing 

Ingredients

1 large size Potato cut into medium size cubes 

1 cup Cauliflower cut into small  florets 

1/2 cup Green Peas 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

1 tsp Ginger minced 

1 tbsp Raisins 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

2 Bay Leaves 

1 tbsp broken Cashew nuts

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

2 1/2 tsp Bhaja masala (Dry roast 1 tsp Cumin, 1 1/2 tsp Coriander seeds and 1 Dry red chilli. Cool it and grind it into fine powder)

1tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take 2 cups of water in a pot. Add potatoe, cauliflower, peas and salt. Boil it till the vegetables are cooked. Drain the vegetables and keep it aside. Heat Ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let the Cumin seed crackle. Add the cashews, stir an sauté till the cashews are brown in colour. Add the green chillies and ginger. Stir for a minute. Add the vegetables, raisins, salt, sugar and turmeric
powder. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the bhaja masala. Stir and mash some of the vegetables. Switch of the flame and transfer it into a bowl. 

For the Dough and Singara

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Soda bicarbonate

1 1/2 tbsp Ghee

Stuffing 

Oil to fry 

Method 

Add salt and soda bicarbonate into the flour. Mix it. Add 1 tbsp ghee. Mix the flour well using your finger tips. Add little water at a time and knead the flour into a hard dough. Add 1/2 tsp ghee and knead it well. Keep the dough in a bowl, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. Take a lime size ball. Roll the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball on the rolling board. Apply little ghee on the dough and roll the dough into a round disc. Cut the disc into halves. Take one part of the cut disc. Fold the straight edges to make a cone. Fill 3/4th of the cone with the stuffing. Seal the opposite ends of the opening by pressing with your finger. Repeat the same process till you make all the singara. Take oil in a wok. Heat the oil on a low heat. Add the singara and fry on a low heat till it is uniformly golden brown from all sides. Remove it on a paper towel. Serve it hot with tetuler / tamarind chutney. 

Phulkopir Roast

As winter approaches there are varieties of winter vegetables that comes in the market. Phulkopi / Cauliflower is one of  the winter vegetable that is one of my favorite. This vegetable is used to make various dishes. Phulkopir Roast is one of the vegetarian dish made with Cauliflower, as the name says it all.  This is an old Bengali dish made during occasions. Many of the restaurants in Kolkata serves this dish during Durga Puja. This is a very simple dish made without any garlic and onions. It can be served with rice or paratha or rotis. 

For the Masala Paste

Ingredients

1 tbsp Raisin soaked in 3 tbsp water

1 inch Ginger chopped

2 Green Chillies

1 tsp Coriander seeds

3/4 tsp Cumin seeds

3/4 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a grinder and add little more water. Grind all the ingredients into a fine paste. 

For the Cauliflower Roast

Ingredients

500 grams Cauliflower cut into medium size florets

Masala paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar 

2 Bay Leaves 

1/2 tsp Bengali Garam Masala (2 Cardomoms, 3 Cloves and 1 small stick Cinnamon ground into powder)

1/4 cup Curd

1/4 cup Mustard Oil

1 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Take 1 liter water in a wok. When the water becomes hot, add 1 tsp salt and let it bubble. Switch of the flame. Add the Cauliflower and let it stand for 15 minutes. Drain the water out. Add mustard oil in the wok. Let it heat. Add the cauliflower and fry it till it’s colour changes. Remove the cauliflower from the oil. In the same oil add the bay leaves. Add the masala  paste and on a medium low flame, sauté the paste till the oil begins to separate from the paste. Add the curd and continue to cook. Add the sugar. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook the cauliflower till done. Keep stirring it occasionally. Add little water and salt in between as the cauliflower takes time to cook. Once done add garam masala and ghee. Serve hot with rice or roti. 

Pholkopir Barfi / Kabishambardhana Barfi / Cauliflower Barfi

Pholkopir Barfi / Kabishambardhana Barfi  / Cauliflower Barfi

This sweet dish is one of the favourite sweet cooked in Jorasanko, where the great poet Rabindranath Thakur resided. This dish was invented by his neice on his 50th birthday. This sweet dish is not found any where in the shops. You have to make it to enjoy it. Cauliflower is ground and made in to a barfi. In eairler days it was ground on shilbatta.. but now a days grinders have taken over the kitchen.

Ingredients

250 grams or a small Cauliflower remove the stem and cut into medium size florets around 6 to 7 florets

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Khoya crumbs

5 to 6 tbsp Sugar or more as per the sweetness required

Pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp Cardomom powder

1 tbsp Almonds chopped

1 tbsp Raisins

Few Saffron Strands

2 tbsp hot Milk

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Soak the saffron in hot milk and keep it aside. Take a pot and boil the cauliflower florets in water till It is cooked. Remove and drain the water out completely. Let it cool. Make a coarse paste of it in a grinder without adding any water to it. The paste should be around a cup. In a wok, heat the  ghee. Add the cauliflower paste. Stir it on low heat and stirring it continuously cook it for 5 minutes. Add sugar and 1/2 cup khoya. Keep stirring it till the sugar has dissolve and the khoya has melted. Add the saffron milk, cardomom powder, salt, half of almond chopped and raisins. Stir and cook till the mixture has incorporated well and semi dried up. To check, take a pinch of the mixture and roll it with your fingers, it should form a ball. Grease a plate. Pour the mixture into the plate. Spread it out. It should be 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Garnish it with remaining almonds, raisins and a tbsp of khoya. Let it set till it cools completely. Cut it into square pieces and enjoy it. 

Maqluba

Maqluba 

It is a traditional dish of Jordan and Palestine. The dish includes meat, rice, and fried vegetables placed in a pot, which is then flipped upside down when served, hence the name maqluba, which translates literally as "upside-down".When the casserole is inverted, the top is bright red colour from the tomatoes  and rest covered with other vegetables. It is usually served with either Yogurt or simple Arabic salad...

Net Source
 
Today I have made Veg Maqluba..and have adapted the recipe as per the availability of the ingredients in my kitchen...
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
2 big size Potatoes peeled and cut into thick rounds
2 Eggplants cut into thick round
1 Cauliflower cut into medium florets
3 Tomatoes cut into thick rounds
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic Clove chopped
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 1/2 tbsp Baharat powder
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Allspice powder
Or
***1/2 tsp Cloves powder
     1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
     1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder***
2 Bay Leaves
Salt to taste
4 1/2 cups of Vegetable stock or water
2 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry the Vegetables
1 tbsp Butter, melted
1 tbsp Almond and Pistachio flakes
Few Raisins and dry Berries  for garnishing

Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot, add bay leaves, onions and garlic, stir for 2 minutes.  Add salt, pepper, turmeric powder, cumin powder, allspices powder and baharat powder. Add 4 1/2 cups vegetable stock and let simmer for 10 minutes. Keep it aside.
Take another pan, heat the oil for frying. Add the  eggplant slices and fry it from both sides until golden brown. Take it out and on an absorbent paper, keep it aside. Fry the cauliflower florets and keep it aside. Fry the potatoes and keep it aside.
Take a heavy bottom pot. Grease it with butter. Arrange the tomato, eggplant, potatoes and cauliflower in layers. Pour 1/2 the stock, add the rice and then pour the remaining stock. Cover it and cook it on a low flame. Till the rice is cooked. Let it cool a bit, then carefully flip it up-side down on a serving platter. Garnish it with raisins, berries, almond and pistachio flakes. Serve hot with fresh yogurt or Arabic salad.

Baharat Spice powder
Ingredients
1 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 tbsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Pepper Corns
1 tbsp Cloves
2 to 3 sticks of Cinnamon
4 Cardomom
2 tbsp paprika / chill powder
1 small Nutmeg

Method
Blend all the above spices in a blender. Store it in a dry glass container.

   

Cauliflower Kootu

Cauliflower kootu

Kootu in Tamil means 'add'. Any Vegetable can be added with the lentils. Different types of Kootu are made with different spice flavour.  It is an South Indian dish. The gravy here is not very thin. 

---  Net source 

Here I have made Cauliflower Kootu. The flavour of the Kootu powder here with the vegetable and lentil has an awesome taste. It is eaten with hot steam rice. 

For the Kootu Powder

Ingredients 

3 Dry Red chillies

10 Black pepper corns 

1 tbsp Coriander seeds 

1 tbsp Chana dal 

1/4 cup Dry or Fresh coconut 

Method 

Take a pan, dry roast all the ingredients except coconut on low flame for 5 minutes. Add grated coconut and roast for 2 minutes more and turn off flame. Cool and grind the ingredients into a fine powder. Keep it aside.

 For making the Kootu

Ingredients 

2 cups of  Cauliflower florets cut into small pieces 

1 Potato peeled and cubed

1 Onions finely sliced 

1 Tomatoe chopped 

1/2 cup Tur dal washed and boiled with 3 cups of water 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Kootu Masala

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

Salt to taste

For tempering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

Few Curry leaves 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Cook the Tur dal with 2 cups of water till done and keep it aside. Heat ghee in the vessel, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida, let it crackle. Add the  onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, potato and the cauliflower, saute for 10 minutes on low medium flame. Add the tomato. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled tur dal, ground kootu masala powder and salt, mix well. Add 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till the vegetables are almost cooked. Add the tamarind paste, along with a cup of water and cook on low-medium flame with lid for another 10 minutes and the vegetables are fully cooked. Turn off the flame. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Chilli Cauliflower Bread Sticks with Marinara sauce

Chilli Cauliflower Bread Sticks with Marinara sauce
Ingredients
1 big size cauliflower, cut into small florets and minced
1 tsp Pickled Red Chill sliced or Green chillies chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
Salt to taste
3 Egg whites beaten
1/2 cup + 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
Method

Cook the minced florets in a pan till tender. Remove cooked cauliflower from pan and cool it . Place the cooked  cauliflower in a towel and holding by the ends,  squeeze the liquid out of the cauliflower. No water should remain.Transfer the cauliflower to a mixing bowl along with 1/2 cup cheese, italian seasoning, chilli, pepper and salt and mix it well. Gently fold in the egg whites.  Transfer the cauliflower mixture into the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, at 200 degrees celcius in a preheated oven.  Remove from the oven and top with remaining 1cup cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese turns golden brown. Cool it. Cut it into breadsticks and serve hot with marinara sauce.

Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups of Tomato seeded and diced
2 onions chopped
1 garlic clove  minced
1/4 tsp of each dry Oregano and Basil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Olive oil

Method
Heat oil in a saucepan.  Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add tomatoes, oregano, sugar and basil and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Cool it. Add the sauce in the blender.. Blend it until it becomes into a puree. Add it back in to the saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes. It is  ready to be served...

Durga Utsab and Feasting..... Vegetarian Platter

Durga Utsab and Feasting..... Vegetarian Platter 

Durga Puja (Worship of Goddess Durga ) also called Durgotsab. It is a popular festival of Bengal. It is celebrated in the eastern region of India and now celebrated world wide. The main days of Durga puja according to the traditional Hindu Calander are Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami which is within the 9 nights and 10 days of Navaratri.The word Navaratri means nine nights in Sanskrit, Nava meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshiped. The 10th day is Vijayadashami or Dussehra. This fortnight is called Devi Pokkho (Fortnight of the Goddess). The fortnight ends on Kojagori Laxmi Puja “Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night.

           Apart from the magnificent Puja Pandal set up, the sound of the Dhak (sound of the drums played during the Arati) and Dhunachi Nach (one of the form of Arti, dancing with the incense burner) and dressing, feasting is an important part... After the Debi Puja is the Pet Puja... Mornings people go to the Pandals to give Pushpanjali (Flower offering to the Goddess) on an empty stomach.Thereafter begins the feasting of the day. The food stalls in the pandals are open from morning selling, Vegetable Chop, Muchar Chop, Luchi and Dal Puri with Aloor Tarkari, and some of the sweet dishes like Rasgullas, Kalojam, Mihidanar Laddu, Pantua, Rajbhog etc. Afternoons lunch is usually the Bhog Prasad (Food offering to the Goddess and distributed amongst the people). It consist of Khichudi, Labra, Begun Bhaja, Chutney, Payesh and a Sweet dish. Nights are the visits to different Pandals and celebrating with friends and family. Enjoying the Pandals, Adda (is a form of intellectual exchange among members, who were originally of the same socio-economic strata)and Food. Mughlai Paratha, Chop, Ghugni, Jhal Muri, Phuchka, Luchi Aloor dum, Ilish Mach Bhat, Mutton Biriyani and off course no celebration ends with out sweets. The last day of the festival Vijaya Dashami is celebrated with Shindur Khala (For Bengali women, this last ritual — Sindoor Khela or Sindoor Utsav — holds much significance. The sindoor is a symbol of married life.It is first apply on the idol of Goddess Durga and then on other women while wishing them a happy married life and good luck. The origins believe that the goddess is heading for her in-laws’house. So,a royal treatment is given to Her.)There after immersion takes place and the Vijaya Dashami is concluded with KolaKoli. Greeting and respect to elders and love to young ones in the family and feasting on good food. Mutton Curry and Rice or Palau is made on that day with varieties of Sweets.

I have made some of the pure vegetarian dishes with out onions and garlic for the Durga Puja celebration at home. This dishes are different from the traditional dish prepared during the festival.
From left to Right...
Saag Bhaja usually spinach leaves are stirred fried with salt and turmeric powder. I have fried Dill leaves.
Muger Dal Bata
Kasundi diye Pholkopir Roast
Gandharaj Lebu ar Dhonepata diye Chana
Curd
Kacha Kolar Bora (Raw Banana Kofta)
Pineapple and Khejurgurer (Date Jaggary) Baked Sandesh

Muger Dal Bata (Mung Dal Paste)
For the Paste
1/4 Cup Coconut grated
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 Or 2 Green Chiilies
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil
Method
Blend all the above ingredients into a thick paste. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

For the Muger Dal
Ingredients
1 Cup Moong Dal
Paste
1 Or 2 Chilli Chopped
Salt to taste
Few Coriander leaves Chopped
1/4 tsp Mustard Oil

Method
Soak the dal for 15 minutes. Remove the water from the dal.  Grind the dal into a coarse  paste, while grinding avoid adding water. Take a Malmal cloth, add the dal paste on the Malmal cloth, tie the cloth tightly, steam the dal till cooked. Once cooled, take the dal out of the cloth in a mixing bowl, add the chopped chillies, paste, salt to taste, mustard oil and few chopped coriander leaves. Mix it well. For garnishing add few drops of Mustard oil and chopped coriander leaves.

Kasundi diye Pholkopir Roast (Cauliflower roasted in Kasundi)

For the Kasundi
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 small Raw Green Mango pieces
3 Green chillies
3 Garlic cloves (optional)
1tbsp Black Mustard seeds
1tbsp Yellow Mustard seeds
Rock Salt to taste
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp of Mustard Oil

Method
Blend all the ingredients in a blender except for the mustard oil into a paste. Add little water to get a thick paste and blend it again. Now add mustard oil little at a time while blending. Store it into a glass bottle in the fridge. Let it stand for a day.

For the Cauliflower Roast
Ingredients
1 big Cauliflower cut into medium size florets
1 big Tomato cut into pieces
2 Capsicum cut into medium pieces
1/4 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp Chilli paste
2 tbsp Curd
2 to 3 tbsp Kasundi
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seed powder
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
Few Coriander Leaves chopped

Method
Boil the Cauliflower florets and in 2 cups of water, adding salt to the water for 5 minutes. Drain the water out. In a mixing bowl add the ginger paste, chilli paste, curd, salt to taste, oil, turmeric powder and cumin seed powder and mix it. Add the cauliflower florets, capsicum and tomato pieces in the paste, mix it well and add the vegetables a glass baking tray, roast the vegetables for 45 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius in a pre heated oven. In between at a interval of 15 minutes, take the baking tray out of the oven and stir the vegetables. After the vegetables are cooked, take it out of the oven and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Gandharaj Lebu ar Dhonepata diye Chana (Cottage Cheese with Gandharaj lemon and Coriander leaves )

For the Paste
Ingredients
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil
1 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 or 2 Green Chillies
1 small piece of Ginger
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Dates Or 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tspTurmeric powder
1 Gandharaj Lemon Juice

Method
Before taking out the Juice of the Gandharaj lemon, remove the zest of the lemon. Blend all the above ingredients in a blender into a paste.

For the Cottage Cheese preparation
Ingredients
500 grams Cottage Cheese cut into pieces
1 Tomato cut into strip
2 Green Or Red Chilli slit
Coriander paste
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
For Garnishing
Few Coriander leaves chopped
Zest of Gandharaj  Lemon

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the tomatoes and the chillies. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the paste, stir and simmer for 2 minutes, add the Cottage cheese cubes and the salt, stir and cook for another 2 minutes, add 1/4 cup water and salt. Stir, cover and let it simmer till the gravy has incorporated well with the Cottage Cheese. Before serving, garnish with coriander leaves, lemon zest and few drops of Mustard Oil.

Pineapple and Khejurgurer (Date Jaggary) Baked Sandesh
Ingredients
1 cup Cottage Cheese
1/4 cup grated Khajurgur ( Date Jaggary)
2 tbsp Pineapple paste or chopped finely

Method
Take a mixing bowl, mix the cottage cheese and the Jaggary well. Take a pan, add the cottage cheese mix with the Jaggary. On low flame cook the mixture well, add the pineapple paste, mix it well. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the ingredients has incoperated well. Take a small lose base tart tins.  Add the Sandesh mixture in the tins. Bake the Sandesh at 180 degrees for 25 minutes in a preheated oven till the top has  browned.