Maharashtrian cuisine ...... Kandachi Pat takun Zunka, Bajri chi Bhakri and Kolambi Bhat

 Maharashtrian cuisine......

Kandachi Pat takun Zunka

Bajri chi Bhakri 

Kolambi Bhat

Kandachi Pat takun Zunka

Ingredients

2 cups Spring Onions chopped 

1 Onion chopped 

2 Green chillies chopped 

1 cup Gram flour 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

2 tbsp Oil

Method 

Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add onion and chillies. Sauté for few minutes. Add spring onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the gram flour little at a time and stir it. Sprinkle some water and keep stirring and cooking till the gram flour has cooked and Zunka is dried. Serve hot with Bhakri.

Bajri chi Bhakri 

Ingredients

1 cup Bajra flour

Warm water

Salt to taste 

Ghee to apply

Method 

Take Bajra flour in a mixing bowl,  make a well in the middle. Add salt and warm water. Knead it to make a soft dough. Make round balls out of the dough. On a flat surface, sprinkle someflour. Take a portion and pat the ball with your palm. Use flour as required. Keep flattening the ball in circular motion to make round shape like roti. Don't make it too thin. Heat the  skillet. Lower the flame. Place thr bhakri on skillet and spread little of water on upper side of bhakri. When water on bhakri dries completely turn it to cook from other side. Now remove the bhakri from the skillet and keep it on the direct flame. It will get puffed. Remove from the flame and apply  ghee from top.

Kolambi Bhat

For the Wet Masala 

Ingredients 

15 Garlic cloves 

1" piece Ginger 

3 Green chillies 

1 tbsp Coriander leaves 

1 tbsp Grated Coconut 

1 tsp Coriander seeds 

1 tsp Poppy seeds 

1 stick Cinnamon 

3 Cloves 

15 Pepper corn

Method 

Add all the above ingredients and water in the grinder and grind it in to a paste.

For Kolambi Bhat

Ingredients 

2 cups of Prawns peeled and cleaned

4 cups of Basmati Rice washed, soaked for 10 minutes  and dried 

3 Onions sliced 

2 Tomato sliced 

1 tsp Red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 Cloves 

1 Black Cardamom 

1 stick Cinnamon 

2 Bay Leaves 

1 Dry Red Chilli 

1 Star Anise 

Wet Masala 

1 tbsp Lime juice 

8 cups of Hot water

4 tbsp Oil

Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method 

Heat oil in a wok. Add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, star anise, bay leaves and dry red chilli. Sauté it for a minute. Add the onions and sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the prawns and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the rice and sauté it for another 2-3 minutes. Add the wet masala paste, tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, lime juice and water. Cook till the rice is done. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Khandeshi Thali

Khandeshi Thali...

Khandesh is a region of central India, which forms the northwestern portion of Maharashtra state.The region falls in north-west Maharashtra and covers Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, Malegaon, Nashik and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh. The Khandeshis like their meals spicy and earthy. Peanut oil, dry coconut, tiny lavangi chillies are the trademark of their cooking. But the foolproof way to tell a Khandeshi dish from another is to look for oil swimming over the dish, locally and lovingly called tarri. Kala masala is to the Khandeshis what bottle masala is to East Indians. Every family has its own version of the recipe that's pounded every summer and bottled for use all year long. It's a heavily roasted preparation and includes khopra, coriander seeds, dried red chillies, peppercorns, whole turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, shahjeera, fennel seeds, hing, khus khus, bay leaves, nutmeg, mace, dagad phool, dry ginger and jeera. Pumpkins, green tomatoes, green sorrel leaves, ridge gourd and the very popular brinjal are all sourced on the day of cooking." The Khandeshi baingan bharta or hirva vangyachi bharith is made with green brinjals (long, slim, striped variety commonly found in Jalgaon) that are roasted on an open flame till black. They are then pulped and pounded with green chillies, garlic, peanuts and spring onions. Bharleli vaangi, another popular brinjal preparation, involves stuffing aubergine with a paste of roasted peanuts, dried coconut, garlic, turmeric, red chilli powder and kala masala. But the most famous and easiest Khandeshi bhaji is made without vegetables. Shev bhaji is a curry made with dry coconut, garlic and onions. The crisp shev absorbs the spicy curry and oil, making it ideal to slurp up with the bhakri.

Information : Net source

Today my Kandeshi platter consist of 

Vangyache Bharith

Khandeshi Chicken

Boondi

Jawari chi Bhakri

Shingdana cha Thecha

Khandeshi Vangyache Bharith

Ingredients

1/2 kg Big size Brinjal roasted

1 Bunch Spring Onions chopped

12  Garlic cloves minced

4 Green chillies fried and crushed

1 tbsp Dry coconut  slices

2 tbsp  Peanuts coarsely  ground

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 tbsp Vegetable oil

Salt  to taste

Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Remove the skin of the  brinjal and mash it very well. Heat oil in a pan . Add cumin seeds and let the seeds crackle. Add garlic  and chillies. Sauté it for few minutes. Add the peanuts and coconut. Sauté for few minutes more. Add chopped green onion and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the mashed brinjal and salt. Mix it well and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve it salad and Bhakari.

Khandeshi Chicken Curry

For Marinating the Chicken

Ingredients 

1 kg  Chicken cleaned and cut into pieces

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method

In a mixing bowl, add the salt, turmeric powder and chicken. Mix it and marinate it for 30 minutes..

Wet Ground Masala

Ingredients

1 small Onion chopped

1 piece Ginger

10 Garlic cloves

4 Red Dry Chillies

2 tbsp Coconut grated

1 tbsp Oil

Method

Roast all the above ingredients in oil  till brown. Grind the roasted masala in a grinder to make a paste.

For the Chicken

Ingredients

Marinated Chicken

1 big Onions chopped

1 1/2 tbsp Kala masala

Wet Masala

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Oil

Chopped Coriander for garnishing

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.  Fry chopped onions till translucent. Add the ground masala and stir cook for 3 minutes. Add the kala masala and cook for 3 minutes.  Add marinated chicken and mix it.  Add 3 cups water to it and mix. Add salt to taste,  cover the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for upto 2-3 whistles.  Garnished it with chopped coriander, serve it  with sliced onions and Bhakris.

Boondi

For the Boondi

Ingredients

1 cup Gram flour

2 tbsp Rice flour

Pinch of Soda bicarbonate

Pinch of Salt

1 tsp Oil

Approx. 3/4 cup of Water

Ghee or Oil for frying

Almond and Pistacho flakes for garnishing

Method

Mix the gram flour, rice flour and salt.  Add water slowly and make a smooth batter to dropping consistency, batter should have no lumps. Add 1 tsp oil and soda bicarbonate  mix it well. Heat the ghee or oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Hold the  skimmer about 2 inches above the oil over the center of the frying pan. Pour some of the batter onto the skimmer to cover all of the holes.Batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil. If the batter doesn’t drop right away through the holes. Add little more water to the batter and start again. Drop enough boondesi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer.Fry the boondies until the boondies are light golden in colour. Take the boondies out and put them directly into the warm syrup and mix it. Let it soak in the sugar syrup for 15 minutes. Drain the excess syrup. Boondies are ready to serve. Garnish with almond and pistacho flakes.

For the Syrup

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup water

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

Pinch of Saffron

Few drops of Lime juice

Method

Boil the water and sugar in a sauce pan on medium high heat, stir to dissolve the sugar, lower the heat and let it simmer for  3 minutes. Add the crushed cardamom, saffron and lime juice  to the syrup. The syrup should be one string syrup. Switch off the flame.

 Shingdana cha Thecha

Ingredients

12 Green Chillies silted

12 Garlic Cloves

3 tbsp Penuts

1 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method

Take oil in a pan. As the oil heats up add the chillies, penuts and garlic. Sauté it till the chillies starts to change it's colour. Add salt to the sauted chillies and garlic. Coarse grind all the ingredients in a grinder... Serve with Bhakri..

Kala Masala

Ingredients

1/4 cup Dry Coconut grated

1/4 cup  Coriander seeds

2 tbsp  Cumin Seed

1 tbsp Shahi Jeera

1 tbsp  Fennel Seeds

12  Dried Red Chillies

2 tbsp Pepper Corns

2 sticks Cinnamon

10 Cloves

3 Black Cardamom

1 tbsp  Dagad Phool

1/2  Nutmeg

2 Mace

10 Bay leaves

1 tsp Asafoetida

2 tbsp  Poppy Seeds

1 piece  Dry Ginger

2 tsp Oil

Method

Dry roast the coconut till brown. Set aside to cool. Roast each ingredient seperately ,except turmeric, asafoetida and ginger in oil and set aside to cool. Grind the roasted ingredients with turmeric , asafoetida and ginger in to fine powder.

Konkani Thali

Konkani Thali

Tur chi Dal
Papdi chi Bhaji
Surmai Machi Fry
served with Chappati and Rice...

Daali Thoy / Tur chi Dal
Ingredients
1 cup Toor Dal
2  Green Chillies
1 inch piece Ginger grated
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Few Curry leaves
1 Dry Red Chilli broken
2 Pinch of Asafoetida
Few Coriander leaves chopped
2 tsp Ghee

Method
Cook dal in pressure cooker with a turmeric, salt, green chillies and ginger. Heat ghee. Add mustard. When mustard starts to crackle, add curry leaves, red chilli and asafoetida. Pour this seasoning to the cooked dal. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add coriander leaves and if you want pout more ghee on the dal.  Serve with hot rice.

Flat Beans Bhaji (Papdi chi Bhaji)

For the Ground Masala
Ingredients
1/2 cup Coconut
2-3 Red Chillies
1/2 tbsp Tamarind paste
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Jaggery

Method
Add all the above ingredients in a grinder and grind the ingredients into a paste.

For the Vegetable
Ingredients
1/2 kg chopped Flat Beans
2 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
3 Green chillies cut into pieces
Few Curry leaves
Wet Masala
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil
Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Add oil in the pan. Heat it. Add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add Curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the tomato. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the flat beans. Sauté it for few minutes more. Add salt,turmeric powder and wet masala. Stir and cook it 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and cover and cook till the flat beans have become tender. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Surmai Machi Fry
Ingredients
6 pieces of sliced Surmai
1 tsp Tamarind paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Konkani Masala
1/2 Chilli powder
1/2 cup Samolina
Oil for Shallow frying

Method
Marinate the fish with Tamarind paste,
Salt,Turmeric powder,Konkani masala and
Chilli powder for 15 minutes. Coat the fish with Samolina. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the fish till golden brown from both the sides. Serve hot.

Bengali Thali

Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, is one of the most important  Hindu  festivals. The name Dussehra is derived from Sanskrit. Dasha-hara literally means Dashanan ravan (the name of Ravan and in short  Dasha  and  Hara  (defeat) referring to Lord Rama's victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana. The day also marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur. The name Dussehra is also derived from  Sanskrit Ahaha, which means day. For example, Aharnisha is derived from Ahaha+nisha. The Goddess fought with evils for nine nights and ten days. The name Vijayadashami is also derived from the Sanskrit words "Vijaya-dashami", literally meaning the victory on the dashami (Dashmi being the tenth lunar day of the Hindu calendar month). Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated twenty days after Dussehra.
Information Net source....

People celebrate Dasara with good food and sweets. In Bengal Mutton is cooked on this day. 

Dasara lunch
From below Left to Right
Korola Begun Bhaja (Bitter Gourd and Brinjal fry)
Kocho Chingri Bhaja (Small shrimps Fried with Onions)
Shokto (Mix Vegetable gravy)
Mangshor Jhol (Mutton Gravy)
Misthi Doi (Sweet Curd )
Malai Chamcham
Sandesh
Kher Kadam
Aam Chutney
Pan
Sweets are from Sweet Bengal..

Korola Begun Bhaja (Bitter Gourd and Brinjal fry)
Ingredients
2 Bitter Gourd cut into small pieces
2 Brinjals cut into cubes
1 Green Chillies slit
1 Red Dry Chilli
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Mustard oil

Method
Take a wok. Add oil and heat it. Add red chilli. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the bitter gourd and stir and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the brinjals, chillies, turmeric powder and salt. Stir occasionally and cook till the bitter gourd and brinjals have cooked.

 

Kocho Chingri Bhaja (Small Shrimps Fried with Onions)
Ingredients
1 cup small Shrimps cleaned
2 Onions sliced
1 Tomato cut into to strips
2 Green Chillies slit
6 Garlic cloves whole
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Mustard oil
Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Take a pan. Add oil. Heat it. Add the onions, garlic and chillies.  Fry the onions till brown in colour. Add the shrimps, tomato, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté on medium flame till the shrimps are stirred fried. Garnish with coriander leaves.

 

Shokto (Mix Vegetable gravy)
Ingredients
Mix Vegetables
02 medium sized  Potato cut into 4 pieces length wise
2 medium sized  Brinjals cut into 4 pieces lengthwise
1 Drumstick cut into pieces
1/2 Radish cut into pieces length wise
4 to 5 Flat green Beans cut into 2 pieces
1 small Bitter Gourd  cut into pieces fried
1 tsp Ginger Paste
Few piece of Boris fried
1/4 tsp Panch Paran roasted and ground
1/4 tsp Panch Paran
1 Bay leaf
1 Red Dry Chilli
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Poppy seeds
1/2 tsp Celery seeds
4 tbsp Milk
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Ghee

Method 

Take 1/2 tsp oil, add bayleaf, Panch Phoran and red chilli. Sauté it for 1 minute. Add ginger and saute it for few seconds. Add the vegetables. Sauté it for 4 to 5 minutes. Add water, stir and let it simmer till the vegetables have cooked. Add salt. In a blender add milk, mustard seeds, poppy seeds and celery seeds. Make a paste out of it. Add the paste to the gravy, add fried bitter gourd and the boris. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add ghee and sprinkle roasted Panch Phoran roasted powder. 

Mangshor Jhol (Mutton Gravy)

Ingredients 

1 kg Mutton pieces

2 Potaoes cut into big cubes 

2 Bay leaves 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

1/2 tsp Ghee 

1/4 tsp Garam Masala 

For the paste grind all the below ingredients 

2 Tomato chopped

2 Onion chopped

3 to 4 Green chillies

1 small piece of Ginger

4 to 5 Garlic cloves

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Coriander seeds

2 Red Dry Chilli 

2 Cloves

1 small stick Cinnamon 

2 Green Cardomom 

Method

Marinate the mutton with the paste for 2 hours. 

Take a pressure cooker. Add Mustard oil. Heat it, add the potatoes and fry it. Remove and keep the potatoes aside. Add the marinated mutton. Stir and cook for 10 minutes on medium flame. Once the marinated juices reduces add  4 cups of water or more as required and add the potatoes. Cover and give 3 whistles or cook till the mutton has cooked. Add ghee and sprinkle garam masala powder. Serve hot. 

Panta Bhat served with Ilish Mach Bhaja, Murgir Bharta, Aloo Bhaja, DalBhate & Aam Tel

Panta Bhat 

Panta bhat known in Bengal or Poitabhat in Assam is a rice-based dish. It is prepared by soaking left over rice in water overnight. Traditionally served in the morning with salt, onion and chilli.It is traditionally considered as beneficial in feverish conditions.It is consumed in Bangladesh and the eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Assam. Panta bhat is especially popular in rural areas and amongst the poorer community. It is a popular dish on the day of Bengali new year. It is often served with fried fish or vegetable curry. Panta bhat or poita bhat is often garnished with Mustard oil, Onion, Chilli, Pickle, and served with Shutki mach (dried fish), Machher jhol(fish curry), especially Shorshe Ilish (Hilsa cooked with mustard), Aloo bhorta or Aloo pitika (mashed potato), Begun bhorta (mashed brinjal) and other Bhorta or pitika (mashed food). A similar dish consumed in the Indian states of Orissa and Chhattisgarh is known as Pakhal, Pokhalo, Pakhala or Pakhal Bhat. It differs from Panta bhat in seasoning as yoghurt is sometimes added prior to the fermentation process. This cold and wet food, is suitable for summer mornings, but in winter dry foods, such as Chira (flattened rice) and Muri (puffed rice) are more preferred.
It has been described in documents from 17th century.During the Mughal Era, members of socio-cultural organizations performed open air concerts, the audience listening to the concert preferred eating traditional food, particularly Panta bhat. Friar Sebastian Manrique a Portuguese Catholic priest of the Augustinian Order reported from his visit of Bengal in 17th century that the people of all communities, according to Manrique, were contented then with the daily meal of rice, often panta bhat, salt and green vegetable (shak). The better-off elements of the society consumed gh, butter, milk and sweetmeats.
In Bangladesh, it is a part of the Pohela Boishakh (Bengali new year festival) festivities. On that day it is consumed as breakfast by urban people. Panta is also served at high-end eateries in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Among Hindu Bengalis, it is consumed during the Ranna-Puja (Bengali cooking festival). In Assam, offering Dudh Panta(milk with stale water-soaked rice) is a part of the marital ritual. In Northeast India, there is a belief that taking painta or panta bhat gives the strength of a tiger.
Panta Ilish - a traditional platter of Panta bhat with fried Ilish slice, supplemented with dried fish (Shutki), pickles (Achar), dal bhate, green chillies and onion - is a popular serving for the Pohela Boishakh festival.
Information from the Net...

My Panta Bhat platter consist of
Ilish Mach Bhaja (Hilsa Fry)
Murgir Bharta (Chicken Bharta)
Aloo Bhaja (Potato Fry)
Dal Bhate (Mashed Dal)
Aam Tel (Mango Pickle)
Sliced Onions
Green chillies
Kagaji Lebu

PantaBhat
Ingredients
Leftover Rice
Water
Salt to taste
Drizzle of Mustard Oil

Method
Take a earthen pot or any vessel. Add the rice and water. Cover with a thin cloth and leave it over night to ferment. While serving add salt and drizzle with mustard oil.

Ilish Mach Bhaja (Hilsa Fry)
Ingredients
2 Pieces of Hilsa
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
Mustard Oil to fry

Method
Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Heat the mustard oil till smoking point, reduce the flame and fry the fish till brown on both the sides.

Murgir Bharta (Chicken Bharta)
Ingredients
1/2 cup fine Chicken minced
1 big size Onion sliced
2 to 4 Green chillies minced
4 to 5 Garlic cloves minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil

Method
Take a wok, add oil, heat it. Add the onion slices, garlic and green chillies. Sauté the onion till translucent. Add the chicken minced, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté and stir the chicken occasionally. Cook till the chicken is done.

Aloo Bhaja (Potato Fry)
Ingredients
2 Potatoes cut into small strips
1 big size Onion sliced
2 to 4 Green chillies slit
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 to 3 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method
Take a wok, add oil, heat it. Add the onion slices and green chillies. Sauté the onion till translucent. Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté and stir the potatoes occasionally. Cook on medium high flame till the potatoes are done.

Dal Bhate
Ingredients
1/2 cup Massor dal
1 Green Chilli chopped
1/2 Onion sliced
Salt to taste
Few drops of mustard oil

Method
Wash and boil the dal with very less water. Once the dal is boiled and if any water remains then drain the water and boil till all the water dries up, take it off the gas. Add onions, green chilli, salt and mustard oil. Make it into a ball.

Aam Tel
This is a mango and spiced flavoured oil, that is used in Bengali Cuisine. This oil is used for mashes vegetables that we call bhate or used to flavour puffed rice that is eaten for snack.

Ingredients for the Powder Masala
1 tsp Panch Phoran
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
2 Red Dry Chilli

Method
Roast all the ingredients together and let it cool, dry grind the ingredients into powder.

Ingredients for Aam Tel
1 medium size Raw Mango washed, dried and cut into medium size cubes.
1/2 tsp Panch Phoran Roasted
4 Whole Red Dry Chilli Roasted
Dry spice powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 cup Mustard oil, heated and cooled down

Method
Take the mango pieces, add turmeric and 1 tsp salt, rub the mangoes well, spread the mango pieces on a clean cloth and dry it for 2 to 4 hours under the sun. Take all the ingredients and the mango pieces in a bottle. Keep it in the sun for few day. It’s ready to be used.

   

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.

Brown Rice, Dhasak, Masala Pomfret Fry, Salli Boti

I studied in a Parsi school and had many Parsi friends..I attended many Parsi weddings and Novjote ceremonies where variety of food was served in on a Banana leaf.... Lemonade or Dukes Raspberry drink was also severed along with the food.. So today going back to my childhood days and remembering my Parsi friends I cooked...
Brown Rice, Dhasak, Masala Pomfret Fry, Salli Boti and Nimboo Pani

Brown Rice
Ingredients
1 cup Basmati rice washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes
1 large onion sliced
4 Cloves
3 Cardamoms
1 small piece Cinnamon
4 Pepper corns
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take oil in a pot. Heat it, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and Peppercorn. Sauté it for 2 seconds. Add the onion and fry. While the onion is frying.. Caramelised the sugar, add 1/4 cup water in the sugar. Once the onions are brown in colour. Add the caramelised sugar water, 2 cup more water and salt. Let the water boil once. Add the rice and cooked till done.

Dhansak
Ingredients
1/4 cup yellow lentils
3 tbsp split Bengal Gram
3 tbsp split Green Gram
3 tbsp split Egyptian Lentils
1/2 cup Pumpkin-peeled and diced
1/2 cup Egg plant diced
1 Potato peeled and diced
1 cup fenugreek leaves washed and chopped
1  Onions grated
1 Tomato grated
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp Dhansak masala
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Lemon juice

Method
Take a pressure cooker. Add all the soaked dals, vegetables, salt and turmeric powder. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook it. After the pressure releases, blend the dal  with a blender. Take a wok. Add oil and heat it. Saute onions, garlic and ginger, till they turn light brown in colour. Add the tomatoes and dhansak masala and saute it till  2 minutes. Add the seasoning to the dal, then simmer the for  5 minutes. Shut the flame and add lemon juice. Serve hot.

P.S.  I have made it vegetarian. But 250 grams Mutton cubes  are to be add in the dal while pressure cooking the dal.. After the pressure releases. Take the mutton cubes out and keep it aside. Blend the dal and then add the mutton pieces back into the dal. Rest of the process is the same.   

Masala Pomfret Fry
Ingredients
4 medium size Pomfret fish
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 tbsp Lime juice
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Simolina
Oil for shallow frying

Method
Apply all the powder masala, salt, Garlic paste and lime juice on the pomfrets. Marinate and keep it for an hour. Sprinkle Simolina on the fish. Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish till golden brown in colour. Serve it hot with sliced onions and lime..

Salli Boti
Ingredients
500 grams  Chicken or Mutton cubes
6 Dry Apricotes
1 Onions finely chopped
1 Tomato finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger  paste
1 tsp Garlic  paste
1/2 tsp  Red chillies powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves
Salli or  Potato chips, for garnishing

Method 
Take a bowl and marinate the meat with ginger, garlic and salt for 3 hours. Heat oil in a large pan and add the chopped onions. Fry to a light brown. Add the marinated meat into the pan, sprinkle the dry powder  spices and sugar,  sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add few tbsp of water to avoid burning. Add the tomatoes, apricots and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook tiĺl the meat is tender. Add vinegar and chopped coriander,  simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Add the Salli on top of the meat. Serve hot with rice.

Neem leaves, potatoes and brinjals stirred fried in mustard oil, Ash gourd ( Petha) Tarkari , Sponge gourd ( Turai) and potato Postor Tarkari, Karai Dal (Urid)

My simple rustic Bengali Vegetarian meal for the afternoon....... My Ma use to cook this kind of meal when I was a kid, but as kid I never liked lots of vegetables and made lots of fuss ... Now she is no more ... But now as I am ageing, my liking for typical Bengali food is growing stronger and and of course my Ma's culinary skill has been ingrained in me. So sharing some of her simple yet delicious recipes cooked today.......
Brinjal, Pumpkin and potato dipped in gram flour batter and fried in hot oil, Neem leaves, potatoes and brinjals stirred fried in mustard oil, Ash gourd ( Petha) Tarkari  , Sponge gourd ( Turai) and potato Postor Tarkari, Karai Dal (Urid), Ammer Chutney, Dahi, gondharaj lime and chill served from my balcony garden.....

Neem - Aloo  Begun Bhaja ( Neem leaves fried with Potatoes and brinjal )
Few tender Neem leaves
1 cup brinjal cubed
1 potato cubed
1 green chilli slit
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp mustard oil
Salt to taste

Method
Take oil. Heat the oil well. Add all the above ingredients and stir it well. Cover and cook on low flame stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables have become tender take it of the gas. Serve it with hot rice....

Ash gourd ( Petha / Chalkumro ) Tarkari
Ingredients
1/4 cup Bori fried
1 cup Ash gourd grated and some water squeezed out
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 dry red chilli
1 green chilli
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
Method
Take a kadai. Add  and heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, red chilli and bay leaf. As the cumin seeds crackles add grated ginger. Sauté for few minutes. Add the grated Ash gourd, sugar, salt, green chilli, garam masala powder and cook it till the water has dried up and the Ash gourd has become tender. Take it of the gas. Add coconut, sprinkle garam masala powder, few drops of ghee and fried crushed  Bori for garnishing.

Postor Tarkari
Ingredients
4 Sponge gourd cubed
2 potatoes cubed
1 green chilli
1 3/4 tbsp mustard oil
Salt to taste
1/2 turmeric powder
3 tbsp poppy seeds soaked in water and make paste with 1 green chilli

Method
Take a kadai, add 1 1/2 mustard oil. Heat the oil well. Add potatoes and sponge gourd , stir well and cooked till half fried. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add poppy seed paste , and cook with the lid on till the vegetables have become tender and vegetables have dried up. Add few drops of mustard oil for flavour from top. Serve with hot rice.
Postor Tarkari can be made with only potatoes or onions, snake gourd , Parwal can be added.....

Karai Dal (Urid dal Bengali style)
Ingredients
1/2 cup Urid dal soaked in water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 whole red chilli
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp panch phoran
1 pinch hing
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp sauf ( fennel ) seed powder
1 green chilli

Method
Take a cooker. Add oil and heat it. Add panch phoran, hing , red chilli and bay leaf. As panch phoran crackles add the dal and 1 1/2 cup water, salt, turmeric powder, ginger, green chilli and fennel seed powder. Cook the dal till tender. Add water according to the thickness required and boil again with out the lid for 10 minutes..... Serve it with hot rice and  Postor Tarkari...