Mix Dal

Mix Dal
Ingredients
1 cup Mix Dal washed and soaked for an hour.
1 small Tomato chopped
1 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1 Green chilli slit
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
2 tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Dry Red Chilli
Few Curry leaves
Pinch of Asafoetida
Few Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Take a pressure cooker. Add the dal, salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, green chilli, garlic and  ginger paste. Add 2 cups of water. Pressure cook the dal till tender. Let the pressure release. If the dal is too thick then add water as per the requirement. Add 1/2 tbsp ghee and simmer on slow flame for 10 minutes. Take a pan. Add ghee, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add curry leaves and red chilli. Cook for few seconds. Add the asafoetida and chilli powder. Before the chilli power burns take it off the flame and add the seasoning to the dal. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or chapatis.

Bhapa Omelette er Dalnna (Steamed Omelette Curry)

Bhapa Omelette er Dalnna (Steamed Omelette Curry)

For Steamed Omelette
Ingredients
6 Eggs
1 Onion chopped
3 Green chillies chopped
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Milk
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Beat all the above ingredients in a bowl. Grease a plate. Add the batter in the plate. Steam the batter in a steamer. Once done cool it down and cut in cubes. Keep it aside while making the gravy.

For the Gravy
Ingredients
1 Onions paste
2 Tomatoes paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
2 Green chillies slit
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
Coriander leaves for garnishing
1 tbsp Ghee

Method
Heat ghee in pan, heat it. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the cumin seed crackle. Add onion and tomato paste.  Saute it till the paste turns a light brown and you see the oil separate from the paste.Add garlic, ginger paste and green chillies. Sauté it for few seconds. Add 4 tbsp water. Add Cumin Powder, Corriander Powder and Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric powder, Garam masala powder, Salt and Sugar. Stir well on medium heat. Add 2 cups water. Cover and cook till the gravy for 10 minutes. Add the steamed omelette pieces and thicken the gravy on medium flame for 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with Roti, Rice or Paratha.

Spicy Yam and Potato with Dry Prawns

Spicy Yam and Potato with Dry Prawns

For the Paste
Ingredients
2 Red dry Kashmiri Chillies
2 Red Bedki Chilli
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Sugar
3 Garlic cloves
1/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Dry prawns washed and soaked in hot water and drained
Salt to taste
Method
Grind all the above ingredients in to paste. Add water very little at a time. The masala paste should be dry.

For the Vegetable
Ingredients
250 grams Yam cut into medium size cubes
2 Potatoes peeled and cut in to medium size cubes
1 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
1 Green chilli slit
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Few Curry leaves
2 tbsp Fresh grated coconut or desiccated coconut
Few chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Half boil the yam and potato cubes. Drain and keep aside.  Take oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Let it crackle. Add the green chilli, curry leaves and onion, sauté till the onions are translucent. Add the paste. Sauté it and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the yam and potato cubes, cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, cover and cook till tender and water has dried up. Stir the vegetable. Add grated or desiccated coconut and coriander leaves before serving.

Vegetable Dumpling

Vegetable dumpling
Ingredients
For the fillings
1 cup mix vegetables ( carrots, capsicum, cabbage ) finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp garlic chopped
1/2 tsp green chilli chopped
4 tbsp spring onions chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp soya sauce

Method

Heat  oil in a pan. Saute chopped onions, chopped garlic and chillies. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt, vinegar and soya sauce and cook it till all the liquids dry up. Add spring greens, and let the filling cool.

To make  dough:
Ingredients
1 cup flour
Salt to taste
Hot water
Take flour. Add salt and  water. Make a stiff dough. Knead the dough well and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Divide into equal parts. Using dry flour roll each part into a small disc. Use dry flour to prevent dough from sticking.

Assembling
Put the vegetable filling on each disc. Bring the sides together and pinch the dough to appear like potlis or draw string bag. Now take some spring onions and tie it around the dumplings. Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes. When done, serve immedietly with homemade schezwan sauce or soya sauce.

Mutton curry Bengali style ( Mangshor Jhol)

Mutton curry Bengali style
( Mangshor Jhol)
For marinating the Mutton
Ingredients
1 kg mutton
1/4 cup curd
Salt to taste
1 tsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp turmeric pd
Mix all the ingredients and keep it for 1 hour.

For the paste
Ingredients
2  medium size onions roughly chopped
4 pieces of garlic
1 piece ginger
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 stick of cinnamon
2 green elachi
4 cloves
4 green chillies
3 kashmiri chillies
Grind all the ingredients in to a fine paste.

For cooking
Ingredients
4 medium size potatoes cut in to 2 pieces
2 medium size onions sliced
1 big tomato chopped
6 tblsp spoon mustard oil
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 garam masala pd. ( 1 elachi,

Method
Take a pressure cooker. Add mustard oil. Heat it well. Add the chopped potatoes and fry it. Take the potatoes out and keep it aside. Add sliced onions and fry it well till golden brown. Add the paste and fry it well till the oil starts separating on slow fire. Add the marinated mutton, continue cooking on slow fire till the mutton mixes well with the masala.Add salt as per taste as salt was added in the marination also. As the oil begins come out of the mutton as the potatoes, tomatoes and half jug water. Pressure cook till 4 whistle. After the pressure realises add the ghee and garam masala pd. Have it with plain hot basmati rice........