Mochar Ghonto

Mochar Ghonto   
"Mochar Ghonto" is a Bengali dish made from the banana flowers.

Ingredients
1 Banana Flower                                             
1 Potato cut into medium size cubes
1 Green Chilli slit
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/4 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp  Grated coconut         
1 tbsp Ghee
1/4 cup Fried Moong dal Boris or fresh Moong dal bora ( soak the moong dal for 30 minutes, drain the water out, grind the moong dal with salt, nigella seeds and green chillies. Take 1/2 tsp of the paste and drop it in hot oil and the boras are ready)

Method
To clean the banana flower; Rub little cooking oil in the finger and palm to avoid the dark stains. After peeling  of the purple leaf, there are yellow coloured blossoms underneath. Separate the blossoms from the purple leaf and collect the blodsoms and discard the purple leaves. After removing the layers of purple leaves, there will be a stage where the leaves  are light yellow in colour and it can’t be peeled.
Finely chop that Conical portion and keep it in bowl of water. To clean the Blossoms, you need to clean each of them one by one.Remove the transparent casing and the stick like stigma from each flower. Boil the chopped conical portion and the flowers in salt water till tender. Discard the water and mash it. Heat ghee in a pan, add the cumin seeds and bay leaves and green chilli. Once the seeds start to splutter, add the ginger paste. Saute it for few seconds and add the potatoes; stir fry the potatoes for 2 minutes and add the  mashed banana flower. Add turmeric powder, salt, sugar and cumin powder.  Stir it and cover the pan with a lid, and  cook on a slow flame stirring it occasionally.  Cook it till all the  have incorporated well. Add the boras or boris. Cook for few minutes more. Add the grated coconut. Finally, add the garam masala mix and add 1/4 tsp ghee from top. Serve with hot rice.

Mix Sprouts Curry

Mix Sprouts Curry

For the Masala paste
1/4 cup Roasted grated Coconut
6 Garlic cloves
1 Red Dry Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Sambar powder Or Curry powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Jaggery
1 tbsp Tamarind pulp

Method
Grind all the above ingredients into a smooth paste and keep it aside.

For the Mix Sprout Curry
Ingredients
2 cups of Mix sprouts
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Few Curry leaves
1 Red Dry Chilli
Pinch of Asafoetida
Masala paste
1 tbsp Coconut oil
Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method
Add the mix sprouts and 3 to 4 cups of water and pressure cook it. Give 4 whistles. After the pressure releases add the masala paste to the boiled sprouts. Add more water if required. Mix it and let it simmer on medium low flame. Let ot simmer for 15 minutes. Take another pan, add oil. Let the oil heat. Add the mustard seeds and red chilli. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add the curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Add the seasoning to the curry. Let it simmer for 5 minutes more. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.

Grilled Garlicky Herbed Gondharaj Sole fish with Baked Sweet Potatoes.

Grilled Garlicky Herbed Gondharaj  Sole fish with Baked Sweet Potatoes.

For the Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
1 medium sweet potato, unpeeled, cut into thick wedges
1 tsp Melted Butter
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degree Celcius.  Put the sweet potato wedges on a baking tray and toss through 1tsp of melted butter, salt and pepper powder. Bake  in the oven for 45 minutes turning occasionally or until golden and tender. Keep it aside till the fish is ready. Keep the baking tray on top of the hot oven, so the sweet potatoes remain hot.

For the Sole Fish
Ingredients
4 pieces of Sole fish fillets
1 whole Pod of Garlic peeled
Few fresh Sage
1 small stem of RoseMary
2 Gongharaj Lemon Leaves
1 tbsp Gondharaj Lemon juice
1 tbsp Melted Butter
Salt to taste
Garnish with chopped Chives and Gandharaj Lemon slices

Method
Take a chopper, add  garlic cloves, Rose Mary, lemon leaves, lemon juice, melted butter and salt. Chop and mince all the ingredients together. Apply the minced ingredients on the fish. Marinate it for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celcius. Grill the fish for 25 minutes, turning the fish occasionally. Serve the fish with sweet potatoes and sliced lemon, sprinkle chopped chives.

P.S. Any lemon can be used if Gandharaj lemon is not available and any fish fillets can be used.

Southekayi Palya (Madras Cucumber Stir Fry)

Southekayi Palya (Madras Cucumber Stir Fry)

Ingredients

1 Medium Sized Madras Cucumber cut into small cubes

4 Green Chillies Slit

Few Curry Leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/4 tsp Bengal gram dal (Chana dal)

1/4 tsp Split Black Dal (Urid dal)

1/2 Turmeric Powder

1/2 Coriander Powder 

1/4 Jaggary 

Salt to taste 

2 tsp Coconut oil 

1 tbsp Grated Coconut 

Method

Take a big wok and add the oil, add Mustard Seeds,cumin seeds, urid dal and chana dal, let the mustard seeds crackle. Add green chillies and curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds. Add Madras cucumber, turmeric powder, coriander powder, Jaggary and salt, sprinkle some water, stir the vegetable. Cover the lid and cook, stirring it occasionally.Turn of the heat when all the water is evaporated and  cucumber becomes tender. Sprinkle grated coconut. Serve it with hot rice.

Cucumber and Coriander Health Drink

Cucumber and Coriander Health Drink
Ingredients
1/2 Cucumber or 1 small Cucumber cut into pieces
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Dry Wheat Grass powder (Optional)
1 tbsp Lime juice
Rock Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder

Method
Take a blender add cucumber, coriander leaves, lime juice, coriander seeds, wheat grass powder ( Optional ) and rock salt. Add 1/2 cup water and blend it. Moist the rim of the glass with some juice.  Apply pepper powder on the rim. Pour in the juice in the glass. Garnish with coriander leaves and cucumber stick.

Drink it in the morning  an empty stomach. It detoxifies, reduces acidity and helps in digestion, cools your body during summer, antioxidant, reduces the risk of cancer, helps in weight reduction, protects your heart if drank every day.