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.

Stewed Rice

 

One of our favourite dish is hot stewed rice with loads of vegetables and chicken or prawns. Easy and quick to make, the dish has to be eaten with steamed rice and has to be steaming hot.. 

Vegetables like bok choy, mushrooms, capsicum, zucchini, carrot, broccoli, baby corn etc can be added.. I have added vegetables that was available in my kitchen.. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup cleaned medium size Prawns 

1 big bowl of cut vegetables - Few  Spinach leaves, capsicum, carrot, mushroom and broccoli and onion cut into cubes 

1 tbsp chopped Garlic 

1 tsp chopped Ginger 

2  Green Chillies slit

Few chopped Spring Onion leaves 

1 Vegetable stock cube

2 tbsp light Soya sauce 

1 tbsp Fish Sauce 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

1 1/2 tbsp Corn flour 

2 cups Water

2 tbsp Sesame Oil 

Method 

Take 2 cups of hot water, add the vegetable stock cube and stir well until the vegetable cube has dissolved in water, add the soya sauce, fish sauce, salt and  pepper powder in the water and keep it aside. In another small bowl mix the corn flour and water. Take a wok, add 1 tbsp oil, let the oil heat, add prawns and stir fry until the prawns changes its colour, remove the prawns and keep it aside. Now add the remaining oil, add the chopped Ginger and garlic, sauté for few seconds, add the onion and carrot, stir for few seconds, add the broccoli and spinach continue to stir for few seconds, add the mushrooms and capsicum, stir for another few minutes, add the prawns and the vegetable stock water. Cover and let the stew cook until the vegetables are half cooked, add the corn flour water and cook on high flame until the gravy becomes thick. Sprinkle spring onions and serve the stew with steamed rice. 

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 

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

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. 

Misti Aloor Pata R Chingri Macher Mathar Chorchori

This is a very traditional Bengali recipe that’s cooked only at home and not commonly found in restaurants... we had grown sweet potato in our balcony pot... after 4 months we got some sweet potatoes and sweet potato leaves... I was extremely happy... 

Prawn head Chorchori is made normally with Malabar spinach, potatoes, sweet potato. brinjal and pumpkin with fish head or prawns or small fish but since I got sweet potato leaves, I made the dish with this leaves and sweet potato... some brinjal too can be added to this dish. Fish can be avoided and can be made only vegetarian. Only turmeric, salt and Mustard oil is used to cook this dish along with some garlic, onion and green chillies. 

A plate of steamed rice and this dish is enough to satisfy our souls... this dish will taste more delicious if eaten on the next day... 

Ingredients 

1 big bowl of Sweet Potato leaves washed and cut into pieces 

1 big Sweet Potato washed and peeled 

1 big size Onion sliced 

5 to 6 Garlic cloves crushed 

4 to 6 Green Chillies slit 

1 bowl of Prawn head / after cleaning one kg of prawns or any small fish cleaned and marinated with 1/2 tsp turmeric and Salt. 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

4 tbsp  + 1 tsp Fortune Mustard Oil

Method 

Cut the sweet potato into medium thin strips.. in Bengali we say Shoru kore kata... it was fun to use the boti after a long time. 

Take a wok, preferably a iron wok... I used steel wok as I was cooking on induction-stove. Add 3 tbsp Mustard oil. Let the mustard oil heat up. Fry the marinated prawn heads until crispy. Remove and keep it aside. Add 1 tbsp of Mustard oil into the same wok. Add sliced onion, garlic and green chillies together. Stir fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the sweet potato. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the salt and turmeric. Stir and add 1/2 cup of water. Stir and let it simmer for a minute. Add the sweet potato leaves. Cover and continue to cook until the water has reduced and the vegetables are  almost cooked. Open the lid and gently stir the vegetables. Add the prawn heads and stir it gently. Cover and cook for another 1 minutes. Open the lid and the stir it gently. Switch off the induction. Before serving drizzle mustard oil. Serve the dish with steamed rice. 

Whole Red Lentils and Prawn kebab

This recipe is good for snacks or can be served as starter. This can be served with Onions, lime and Mint - Coriander Chutney It’s easy to make with ingredients mostly available at home. This can be a good lockdown recipe for all the fish lovers.. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Whole Masoor dal / Whole Red Lentils soaked for 4 to 5 hours 

18 to 20 pieces  of clean medium size Prawns 

2 small piece of Ginger

1 Whole Green Chilli

2 Garlic Cloves 

1 medium size Onion chopped 

1 Green chilli chopped 

1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves 

1 tbsp chopped Mint leaves 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Amchur powder

Salt to taste

1 Egg

Oil to shallow fry 

Method 

Wash the masoor dal and remove all the extra water from the dal. Take a grinder jar, add the Masoor dal, prawns, ginger, garlic, whole green chilli, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, Garam Masala powder, amchur powder and egg into the jar. Don’t add extra water, grind the ingredients into a fine paste. The paste should not be of the dropping consistency or very watery. Remove the paste in a bowl, now add chopped onion, chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves. Mix the ingredients. Take a pan, add oil. Let the oil heat up. Take small portions from the paste with the help of a tbsp spoon and put it into the oil. Flatten the paste with the help of the spoon, fry until golden brown. Serve it with onion, lime and mint Chutney. 

Baked Chingri Begun

This is a side dish made with prawns and brinjal. Though the wet paste made with mustard seeds and other ingredients are commonly used in Bengali dishes to make Jhal, Paturi, Bhapa etc, and even brinjal is a common ingredient used along with fish to make curry, here I have tried out the recipe in a bit different way... 

This dish can be made with other small fishes. 

You can serve this dish with steamed rice.

Ingredients 

1 medium size Bharta Baigan / Brinjal 

10 to 12 medium size  Prawns cleaned and deveined
1 small Onion or 1/4 part of the Onion

4 to 5 Garlic Cloves 

4 to 6 Green Chillies as per the spiciness you require 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tbsp Fresh or Desiccated Coconut  

1 1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Poppy seeds

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped 

2 tbsp + 1 tsp Mustard Oil 

2 tbsp Curd (Optional)

Method 

Take the brinjal, cut the brinjal from the center horizontally leaving the end tail part of the brinjal intact. Scoop out the inner part of the brinjal on both the sides. Keep it aside. Now chop the scooped flesh of the brinjal and keep it aside. Take a grinder, add the onion, green chillies, garlic, mustard seeds, poppy seeds, coconut, turmeric powder and salt. Add little water and 2 tbsp of curd (optional), make a smooth paste. Rub little salt on the inner and outer parts of the brinjal.  Take a bowl, add the prawn, chopped brinjal flesh, coriander leaves, 2 tbsp mustard oil and the paste. Mix all the ingredients together. Now stuff the prawn stuffing on one side of scooped brinjal. Cover it with the other side of the brinjal. Tie up the brinjal with a thread. Keep the stuffed brinjal in the refrigerator for an hour, Remove the brinjal from the fridge.  Place the brinjal into a baking tray, pour the remaining mustard oil, and apply the oil on the brinjal. To bake, you can either bake it in a preheated OTG at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the brinjal after 10 minutes to cook it evenly or to bake it on a gas stove, take a wok, place a pressure cooker stand into the wok, cover the the wok for 5 minutes on medium flame. Open the lid, place the tray on the cooker stand. Cover the lid and bake for 10 minutes on medium low flame, after 10 minutes turn the side then continue to cook for another 20 minutes with the lid covered. Remove the baking tray from the wok. Remove the thread, place the brinjal on a serving plate and open one side of the brinjal. Pour in the liquid of the baked brinjal and prawns. Garnish with coriander leaves and green chillies. Serve the dish with hot steaming rice.

Pur Bhora Komroni

These are stuffed Pumpkin Fritters. Normally in Bengal we have pumpkin pieces dipped into gram flour batter and deep fried. Here I have added a stuffing between the two pumpkin pieces, then dipped it into the batter and fried. I have added prawns in the stuffing but prawns can be omitted... for vegetarians. This dish goes well with hot steaming rice.

For the Stuffing
Ingredients
* 10 pieces of Prawns
* 2 tbsp Mustard seeds
* 1 1/2 tbsp Poppy seeds
* 1 tbsp Fresh or Desiccated Coconut
* 1 Garlic
* 1 or 2 Green Chillies as per the requirement
* Salt to taste

Method
Add all the above ingredients into a grinder. Avoid water, if required then add a tbsp of water and continue to grind. Grind it into a coarse thick paste.

For Komroni
Ingredients
* Pumpkin cut into 30 square thin pieces
* Stuffing
* 3/4 cup Rice flour
* 3/4 cup Gram flour
* 1/4 tsp Nigella seeds
* Salt to taste
* Mustard Oil for deep frying

Method
Take a bowl, add rice flour, gram flour, salt and nigella seeds. Add water little at a time and whip into a thick dropping consistently. Keep the batter aside. Heat the oil in a pan. Meanwhile take a pumpkin piece. Apply the stuffing onto the pumpkin slice. Take another pumpkin piece and cover the stuffing. Press the pumpkin slice from top, so that while frying the pumpkin pieces don’t open up. Repeat the process with other pumpkin pieces. Take the pumpkin pieces, deep it into the batter and fry it until golden brown from both the sides. Eat it hot with hot steaming rice.

P.S. I have not peeled the pumpkin, but you can peel it. Try to cut it into a thin slice.
Fresh Coconut is preferable, if you don’t have then use desiccated coconut.

Chingri Macher Matha diye Kochu Saag Batta..

Prawn head and Colocasia leaves Paste....

 I love traditional dishes. Many of the authentic dishes or traditional home recipes are not available in any restaurants. It’s when some one personally shares them, we get to know. These recipes are not showy but one must taste them to experience it. Recently my love for these kind of traditional simple home cooked recipes have got more rooted in me.. 

This is one such recipe I am going to share with you which is my recipe connecting to my roots. 

 I had some prawn heads left with me after making  the prawn pickle for order. I didn’t feel like throwing them as I personally love to chew the prawn heads and I feel it’s more tastier than the prawn. I also had a bunch of Colocasia leaves in the fridge. So taking these two ingredients, put together... this recipe was created... 

Ingredients 

500 grams Prawn head after cleaning the prawns.. 

(Cleaned, marinated with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. And fried in Mustard oil.) 

1 bunch of Colocasia leaves chopped without stems

1 medium size Onion chopped 

2 to 3 or more Green chills chopped 

1 tsp Garlic paste

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp Tamarind paste

1/2 tsp Nigella seeds / Kalonji 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Mustard Oil

1 roasted dry whole chilli for garnishing.. 

Method 

Take 2 cups of water in a wok and add 1/2 tsp salt and colocasia leaves and let it cook till the water begins to bubble. Switch off the flame and drain the water out from the leaves. Keep it aside. Traditionally the Prawn heads and the Colocasia leaves should have been ground on a shil batta, but I have used a chopper. So first grind the prawn head and then add the leaves and grind them together again. As we don’t want fine paste, it’s better to use a chopper or a food processor. Add 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Let it heat up. Add the kalonji. As the kalonji begins to crackle, add the green chillies, ginger paste and garlic paste. Sauté it for few seconds. Add the onions and let it cook for 2 minutes or till the onions become light pink in colour. Add the prawn head and colocasia leaves paste. On a low flame, stir and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the cumin powder, stir for few seconds. Add the tamarind paste and stir for few seconds more. Now add the salt. Stir and continue to cook for another 2 minutes or till the paste starts to leave the sides of the wok. Remove the paste in a bowl, garnish with roasted whole red chilli and drizzle 1/2 tsp Mustard oil. Later you can crush the red chilli and sprinkle on top. This paste taste even better the next day. Server it with hot steaming rice... 

 P. S. You can add 2 tbsp fresh coconut paste at the end after you add salt and mix it. The coconut flavour will enhance the taste of the fish. 

Chingri / Prawns Maacher Malai Curry

This dish is an authentic Bengali delicacy and is made for occasions. It's a gravy dish. You can enjoy this dish with hot steaming rice. Big size prawns / Galda Chingri are cooked in coconut gravy. 

Ingredients 

8 pieces Chingri Maach / Big size Prawns

( Cleaned,  deveined and marinated with Salt and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder for 10 minutes )

1 1/2 cup Coconut Milk 

( Take 1 1/2 cup grated Coconut and add 1 cup water, grind it. Strain and squeeze the milk out from the coconut paste ) 

1 small Onion paste

1 Tomato paste

1 tbsp Garlic - Ginger paste  ( 2 Garlic and a small piece of Ginger )

2 Green Chillies slit

1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste

2 Cloves 

2 Green Cardamom 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

2 Bay leaves

2 tbsp Curd

1/4 cup Water

1/2 cup Mustard Oil 

1 1/2 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take oil in a wok, heat it up to a smoking point. Reduce the flame. Add the prawns and sauté them for a minute. Remove them and keep it aside. In the same oil, add a tbsp of ghee. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. Let it crackle. Add the ginger - garlic paste, stir for a minute. Add the onion paste, continue to stir, add the sugar. Sauté the onion till it changes it's colour. Add the tomato paste, stir and add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and green chillies.  Continue to sauté. Add the curd. Stir it. Add salt and sauté it till the oil releases from the paste. Add water, stir it. Add the prawns, stir and cover the wok. Cook it for a minute. Add the coconut milk, cover the wok and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ghee and sprinkle the garam masala powder. Switch of the flame. Serve it hot with hot steaming rice. 

Hariyali Jhinga Kabab...

This recipe is for those days when you just want to be out of the kitchen.. And want to have something chatpata and tasty....

This is a very quick recipe and can be made in a short time. This can be served as snacks or a starter. If you want to have it for dinner, then you can make this into a roll by placing the kababs on the chapati, add some sliced onions, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers. Sprinkle some chaat masala and drizzle some green chutney and enjoy the roll. 

Ingredients 

200 grams of Prawns big size

1/4 bunch of Spinach including the stem

4 or more Green Chillies 

1 small piece of Ginger

8 Garlic cloves

Handful of Fresh Coriander

Handful of Fresh Mint

2 tbsp Lime juice

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala

4 or more Bread pieces cut into smaller pieces

Oil for shallow frying 

Method 

Take all the above ingredients except oil and put them in a chopper or food processor. Blend the ingredients well together until it forms into a sticky batter. Take oil in a pan. Let it heat. Take some water in a bowl. Dip your palm into the water. Take some batter, shape it and put it into the oil. Fry on low heat till both the sides are golden brown in colour. Serve it hot with salad. Sprinkle chaat masala on top before serving.

Macher Bhappa Cake / Fish Cake Steamed.....

This is an excellent recipe to have with evening tea or as a starter. The fish is boiled and mashed with boiled potatoes and vegetables and then set in a steamer or steamed in any vessel till it sets. This recipe is a heirloom recipe from my aunty’s kitchen and recreated in my kitchen. It has a touch of Bengal as Kasundi is used in it.  It's a very healthy recipe as there is very less oil content which has come from Kasundi and greased container. For the bread crumbs, I have used whole wheat bread crumbs, you can also roast or crisp the leftover rotis to make the breadcrumbs.
For people who eats egg... you can substitute the fish with soya granules.
I am sure you will love my recipe as much as I did making it. I am sure you will try it out.

Ingredients
1 cup / 250 grams  Any Fish boiled, deboned and mashed ( Bhetki, Prawns, Kathla)
1 big size Potato boiled and mashed
1/2 cup finely chopped any colour capsicum
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic minced
1/2 tsp Ginger minced
1/2 to 1 tsp Green chillies minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper crushed
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs beaten
2 tbsp Kasundi ( Mustard Sauce )
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/4  tsp Mustard oil just to grease the container

Method
Take a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together very well, except for the oil. Take a greased baking pan. Pour the mixture in to the container and spread it. You can steam it in a steamer or take a wok, add water, place a napkin at the base. Place the container with the lid on. Cover the wok and steam it for 20 to 30 minutes or till the mixture has set. To check, insert a tooth pick. Cool it down. Cut it into pieces and serve it with more Kasundi.

Butterfly Fried Prawns....

This is a Chinese style Butterfly fried Prawns. It can be served as a starter. Eat it hot and enjoy the crispy fried prawns with any sauce of your choice.

For Marinating the Prawns

Ingredients 

12 Medium or Large size Prawns

2  tsp  Garlic Cloves minced 

1  tsp Ginger minced

2 tbsp Soy sauce

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Shell the prawns, leaving the tails. Slit the prawns lengthwise cutting through the back, leaving a think layer of meat till the tail. Add the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper powder to the prawns and mix it. Let it marinate for 1 hour. 

To Fry the Butterfly Prawns 

Ingredients 

Marinated Prawns 

1 Egg beaten with a pinch of Salt 

1/4 cup Corn Starch 

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs 

Oil for deep frying 

Method

Take a pan, add oil and heat it. Dip the marinated prawn into corn starch. Then dip the prawn into the beaten egg. Coat the prawn with bread crumbs. Fry the prawn properly until it is golden brown in colour and crispy. Remove and keep the fried prawn on an absorbent paper. Repeat the same process with the remaining prawns. Serve it hot with sweet chilli sauce or any sauce of your choice. 

Cơm Chiên / Vietnamese Prawns Fried Rice....

Fried rice is one of the very popular dish originated from China, it is very commonly sold on the streets of Asia. In some Asian countries, there are some small restaurants, street vendors and cart hawkers that only serves fried rice. To make the fried rice, leftover rice is generally used as the moisture in freshly cooked rice will cause it to steam instead of fry. It is stir-fried in a wok with oil to prevent sticking. The oil is seasoned with garlic and onion for flavouring before adding the rice and other ingredients to it, which is then stir-fried together in a wok. Other ingredients like egg, meat,seafood, vegetables, salt, pepper, different types of sauces are added as per the choice. It is popularly eaten either as an accompaniment to another dish, or as a course by itself. Popular garnishes that are added into the Fried rice are sliced cucumber, tomato or sliced chilli sprinkled on top of the rice.

Here is my adaptation to the recipe. I have added some green sorrel leaves to it along with other vegetables for a change.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of Cooked Rice

1 Onion chopped

1 small size Carrot chopped

1 small Capsicum chopped

1/4 cup Green Sorrel Leaves

2 Green Chillies chopped

1 tsp Ginger minced

1 tsp Garlic minced

1 tbsp Red Chilli sliced

2 Eggs

10 medium sized Prawns cleaned

3 tbsp Fish sauce

2 tbsp Rice Vinegar

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Sugar

4 tbsp Sesame Oil

Method

Break the eggs in a bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper and beat it. Take a wok, add  1/2 tbsp oil, heat it. Add the egg,cook it and make a fried scramble egg. Remove it and keep it aside. Add another tbsp of oil in the same wok. Let it heat. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the prawns,mix it. Fry it till it is cooked. Remove and keep it aside. Add the remaining oil in the same wok, heat the oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger mince. Stir fry for a minute on high flame. Add the capsicum, carrot, red chilli and the green chillies. Stir fry it for 2 minutes. Add the green sorrel leaves and stir it for few seconds. Add the rice, stir fry it for a minute on medium flame. Add the salt, pepper powder, sugar, fish sauce and the rice vinegar. Stir it for another minute. Leaving few pieces of prawns and fried eggs for garnishing, add the rest of the prawns and fried egg pieces in other wok. Stir for it for another minute or 2 until all the ingredients are well co-operated. Garish with the remaining fried egg pieces and prawns. Serve it hot.

Chingri Macher Paturi ......

Macher Paturi is a very popular dish of Bengal. It can be made with fish like Hilsa, Bhetki or Prawns. It is cooked in a banana leaf or incase the banana leaf is available then pumpkin leaf or bottle gourd leaf. The main ingredients for the paturi are fish and mustard paste which is wrapped into a parcel made with banana leaf and then steamed. 

Here is my version of making the paturi. 

To Marinate the Prawns

Ingredients

270 grams medium sized cleaned Prawns 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method

Marinate the prawns with salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside for 15 minutes.

For the Paste

Ingredients

1 1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds

3 tbsp shredded fresh Coconut or Desiccated Coconut

5 small Green Chillies

1 Garlic clove

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

3 tbsp Curd

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Sugar

1 to 2 tbsp Water 

Method

Soak the mustard seeds in water. Drain the water out.  Blend the mustard seeds and all above ingredients in a blender into a fine paste.

To make the Paturi

Ingredients

Marinated Prawns

5 Green chillies slited lengthwise

5 Red Chillies  (Optional) 

3 tbsp Mustard oil

Banana Leaves

Thread

Method

Take the wet paste in a bowl. Add the mustard oil. Mix it. Add the marinated prawns. Mix it with the paste. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Cut the banana leaves into rectangular pieces. To make it more pliable, slightly warm up the banana leaves over low flame for few seconds.  Apply mustard oil on the lighter side of each leaf. Place 6 prawns along with the mustard paste in the center of the leaf. Place one green and red chilli on top of it and fold the sides of the banana leaf by overlapping each other to make a parcel. Tie a thread around the parcel to secure it. Steam the parcels in a steamer for 10 minutes. Cut the thread to open the parcel before serving it. Seve it with hot steaming rice.

Chingrir Chop / Prawn Chops....

These Prawn chops are one of the delicious snacks from the streets of Kolkatta. The Prawn chops are made with medium or small size prawns and  potatoes cooked with spices and then it is given an oval shape. It is then coated with egg and bread crumbs and deep fried. It is served hot with mustard sauce / kasundi and onions... But due to the cost of the prawns, the street vendors add less of prawns and more of potatoes in the chop. So if you really want to enjoy the prawns, make it for yourself.... 

For the Prawn Chops... 

Ingredients

500 grams Medium sized Prawns

 (Cleaned, sautéed with 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt for 3 minutes and roughly mashed)

2 Potatoes boiled and mashed 

1 Onion chopped 

1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic - Green Chilli paste 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Bay Leaves 

2 tbsp Oil 

Method

Take a wok, heat oil. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let the cumin crackle. Add the garlic-  ginger - green chilli paste. Sauté it for a minute. Add the chopped onion. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes and prawns. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the salt, sugar, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes till all the ingredients combines well. Keep it aside to cool. Divide the mixture into equal lemon size portions. Give it an oval shape. 

For the Coating and Frying 

Ingredients 

2 Eggs beaten

4 tbsp Water 

Pinch of Salt 

2 cups or more Bread crumbs 

Oil for Frying 

Method 

Spread the bread crumbs on a plate. Add water and salt into the egg, mix it. Take a portion. Coat it with the bread crumbs. Dip it into the egg, coat it again with the bread crumbs. (If you want you can dip it into the egg again and coat it with bread crumbs - optional). Repeat the process with the other portions too. Keep it in the fridge for an hour - that will help to bind well. Take a wok, heat the oil on a medium low heat. Fry till golden brown in colour. Serve it hot with mustard sauce.

Malaysian Prawn Dalcha....

Malaysian Prawn Dalcha....

Malaysian Dalcha is an adaptation of the Indian Dalcha made by the Indian Muslim population living in Malaysia. It is made during gatherings or had in breakfast.... Basically it is made with mutton or chicken or can be made vegetarian too. 

It is made with split pigeon peas (Toor dal) and vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, carrot, turnip, french beans etc. It's a kind of Stew  with coconut milk added to it. 

Here I added Prawns to the vegetables available in my kitchen... 

Ingredients

250 grams medium sized Prawns cleaned 

1/2 cup Split Pigeon Peas washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

1 Onion chopped 

4 Garlic cloves cut into pieces 

2 Green chillies cut into pieces 

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste 

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1 Potato peeled and cut into cubes 

1 small Carrot cut into cubes 

2 Drumsticks cut into pieces 

2 Tomatoes chopped 

Few Curry leaves 

2 tbsp Malaysian Curry Powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 Star Anise 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

2 Cardomom 

6 Pepper corns 

1 cup Coconut Milk 

4 tbsp Oil 

Few Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method 

Boil the split pigeon peas in 2 cups of water till cooked. Take a wok. Add oil. Fry the prawns in oil with 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same oil add the star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, pepper and cardomom. Let it crackle. Add the curry leaves. Sauté it for a minute. Add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the chopped onions,  garlic and chilli. Sauté it till the onions are translucent. Add the drum sticks, carrot and potato. Stir it for a minute. Add the tomatoes.  Stir it. Add the spice powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and tamarind paste. Stir it and cook for 2 minutes. Add 6 cups of water. Cover and cook till the vegetables are almost done. Add the boiled dal. Stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the prawns and coconut milk. Stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Malaysian Curry Powder 

Ingredients

4 tbsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tbsp Fennel seeds

1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds 

10 dried Red Chillies 

1/2 tbsp Pepper Corns 

1 medium size Cinnamon

6 Cardomom 

2 Cloves 

1 Star Anise 

1/2 tbsp Rice 

2 tbsp Tumeric powder

Method 

Dry roast all the above ingredients except turmeric powder till light brown on a low flame. Remove it from the flame and let it cool. Add roasted spices and the turmeric powder into the grinder and grind until it becomes a fine powder. Store it in a dry glass container.

Phodshi with Prawns

Phodshi (Monsoon Green Vegetable) 

This green leafy vegetable is found only during monsoon. This vegetable growns in the forest patches and are sold by the tribals in the local markets, but it is not commonly eaten by people. I discovered this vegetable as the lady working for me had got it. Don't know what it is called in other languages, but here in Mumbai it is called Phodshi. It resembles like spring onion, but it is distinctly different and even a bit bitter. If you get this vegetable, you must try this vegetable... You can make this vegetable in many ways, just simple seasoning of garlic and green chillies or add moong dal to it. I cooked this leafy vegetable with prawns... It's a simple dish.. But taste great with hot rice or chapati.. 

Ingredients

2 bunches of Phodshi (remove the white part and use the green leaves) 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped

4  Garlic cloves minced

2 to 3 Green Chillies chopped

10 to 12 medium size Prawns cleaned and de shelled 

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

3 tbsp Oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the prawns, sprinkle salt and turmeric. Stir it and fry. Take it out and keep it aside. In the same oil, add garlic, chillies and onions. Stir fry it till the onions are translucent. Add the green leafy vegetable, tomato, salt and turmeric. Stir it and cook for 2 minutes, add the prawns. Cook till all the water in the vegetable has dried up. Serve hot with rice or chapati.