Mochar chop

Mochar chop
Ingredients :
For the filling
Banana flowers -  2 cups   boiled and mashed
Potato - 1 boiled , peeled and mashed
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste -  1/2  tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
1 tbsp broken Kaju nuts fried
1/2 tbsp resins

For frying
Bread crumb as required
Corn flour - 4 tbsp
Refine oil as required (For deep frying)

Method :
Remove the outer purple covers one by one and take out the real flowers, till you reach the yellow coloured inner flowers. Discard the outer covers and center portion. Boil the flowers with turmeric powder and salt in a pressure cooker.Drain out the water and mash.

Heat ghee in a pan add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Now add  boiled mashed banana flower, mashed potato, salt and all the ingredients,  except  the ingredients for frying. Stir at low flame until all the moisture content is completely gone. Remove the heat and cool the mixture. Remove the bay leaf from the mixture. When it is cooled, make small oval shape of it.In a bowl take corn flour and water and make a batter. Dip the oval  shaped cutlets.Lay the bread crumbs on a plate and coat the patties with crumbs on both side, shed any excess crumbs.Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat and shallow fry until lightly brown on both sides. Drain on to paper towels. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Rahu or Katla macher tel jhol

Rahu or Katla macher tel jhol
Ingredients
6  pieces of Rahu or Katla fish
1 big tomato finely sliced
4 green chillies slit
Mustard oil to fry the fish
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp kalonji
1 tbsp coriander for garnishing
Method
Rub the fish with salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric. Heat up the mustard oil well and fry the fish in Mustard oil. Keep the fried fish aside. Now take out the excess mustard oil and keep 2 to 3 tbsp of mustard oil in the pan. Add kalonji, green chillies and tomatoes. Saute it well. Now add the salt and remaining turmeric powder. Add 2 cups of water boil it well and add the fried fish and again boil it for 5 minutes till the curry reduces to 1 1/2 cups. Now add coriander leaves for garnishing and 1/2 mustard oil on top. Serve with hot rice.

Tarkari diye Moonger dal (Moong dal with veggies)

Tarkari diye Moonger dal (Moong dal with veggies)
Ingredients
1/2 cup moong dal
1 small tomato chopped
1 green chilli slit
1/2 cup radish diced
1/4 cup peas
2 tbsp desiccated coconut / fresh grated coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf
2 pinch hing
1 red whole dry chilli
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Wash the moong dal and soak it in water for some time. Take a cooker add ghee. As the ghee heats up add cumin seeds, hing, red chilli and bay leaf. As the cumin seeds starts to crackle add the dal, 1 cup water, tomato, radish, green chilli, peas, desiccated coconut, salt and all the powder masala. Pressure cook it. At least 3 to 4 whistles should come. Let the cooker cool down. Before serving garnish it with coriander leaves. Have it hot with rice.....

Doi Begun - Brinjals made in Curd gravy

Doi Begun
Doi Begun is one of my favourite Bengali dish. I had learnt this dish from my neighbour.... (Mashima) Aunty Late Mrs. Leela Nath, where I stayed after my marriage in Chembur for 9 years. She was an amazing lady with an amazing culinary skill. She and her family is more than a family to me. I had a great time with her and Baudi (Bhabhi), my best friend, her Daughter in Law) while my stay in Chembur.
Ingredients
6 long thin Brinjals cut lengthwise along with the steam
2 Onion sliced( optional)
2 Green chilies slit
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric paste
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 Garam Masala powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 cup Curd
1/2 tsp Cumin seed
1 Bay leaf
Mustard oil for shallow frying
Few Coriander leaves Chopped

Method
Take the brinjals and marinate it with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Take a fry pan. Add mustard oil for shallow fry. Heat the oil till smoking point. Fry the brinjals on medium flame till brown in colour. Keep it aside. Remove excess oil from the pan. Keep just 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the cumin seed crackle. Add ginger paste. Sauté it for few seconds.
(Add the onions. Fry the onion till translucent.) - Optional
Beat the curd. Add the curd. Add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin seed powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala powder. Sauté it for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 to 3 tbsp water. Mix the gravy. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add fried brinjals, cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Doi Begun is done. Garnish with coriander leaves, serve it with hot rice.

Home Made Strawberry and Banana Ice cream

Home Made Strawberry and Banana Ice cream
Ingredients
400 grams Amul cream
200 ml milk
1 tbsp corn flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp strawberry home made jam ( recipe was shared earlier)
2 bananas mashed
1 tsp Strawberry essence
1 tsp banana essence

Method
Take 2 tbsp milk and mix cornflour and keep it a side. Take rest of the milk and boil it. Add sugar and 200 grams Amul cream, let it boil till the sugar dissolves... Add the cornflour liquid and keep stirring the milk continuously till the milk becomes like a custard. Take the custard off the gas. Divided the custard in to 2 different containers. In one portion add mashed bananas and banana essences, whisk it well and in the other portion add strawberry jam and strawberry essences, whisk it well. Keep both the containers in the freezer. After the ice - cream sets for 2 to 3 hours take it out and beat both the ice creams separately adding the remaining 200 grams Amul cream ( 100 grams of cream each in each container). Keep the containers back in the freezer till the ice - cream semi sets... Now take the containers out and fold in both the ice - cream together ( don't mix it completely, some part of the banana ice cream should been seen in between the strawberry ice cream). Now finally keep the container back in the freezer and once set completely... Enjoy....