Manji Pulimuchi

Pulimuchi is a sour and spicy Mangaloren Style masala gravy dish cooked with fish or chicken.

The gravy can be dry or semi dry as per one’s choice. This is a finger licking dish that can be served with Rice or Neer dosa.

Here I have used Pomfrets.

For the Masala Paste

Ingredients

20 or more Red Guntur Chillies as per the spiciness required - Soaked in water for 30 minutes

2 Onions chopped

16 Garlic Cloves peeled

1 small Ginger chopped

1 Green Chilli

1 1/2 tsp Tamarind Paste

10 Pepper Corn

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Coriander seeds

Salt to taste

Method

Grind the cumin, coriander and pepper till it is in powder form. Grind the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilli and 1/2 of the red chilli along the powder into a fine paste. Add the remaining red chillies, tamarind, salt and little water and grind the all ingredients together into a thick fine paste.

For the Pomfret Masala Gravy

Ingredients

4 medium size Pomfret marinated with Turmeric and Salt for 15 minutes

Few Curry Leaves

Masala Paste

1/2 cup Coconut Oil

Method

Take a flat pan. Add the oil and heat it. Add the masala paste, stir fry it for 2 minutes. Add the curry leaves. Continue to stir fry for another minute. Spread the masala on the pan. Place the pomfrets in the masala. Apply some of the masala on the top part of the pomfret too. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes on a low flame. Remove the lid. Turn the pomfrets. Cover and cook the pomfrets father till the oil from the masala releases and the pomfrets are done. Serve the Pomfrets with Neer Dosa.

For the Neer Dosa Recipe click on the link given below....

http://www.suskitchenbysumitra.com/2017/11/neer-dosa.html

Neer Dosa

Neer dosa literally meaning water dosa in Tulu. This dosa is prepared from rice. Neer dosa is a delicacy from Tulu Nadu region and a part of Mangalorean cuisine. This can be had for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is served with Chutney or any gravy dish. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Raw Idli Rice 

1/2 cup Fresh or Desiccated Coconut

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the rice at least for 2 hours. Grind the rice along with coconut and 1 cup water into a smooth batter. Do not add excess water while grinding. 

Transfer the batter from the grinder into a bowl. Now add 2 cups of water and salt into the batter. The batter should be watery. Add more water if required. Take a skillet or pan. Spread some water over the pan, the water should sizzle and then pour a ladle full of batter over the hot pan. Rotate the pan and spread the batter. Cover the dosa with a lid and allow to cook on medium flame. Fold the dosa into a triangular shape. Serve the Neer dosa with chutney or any curry or fried dish. 

Phulkopir Roast

As winter approaches there are varieties of winter vegetables that comes in the market. Phulkopi / Cauliflower is one of  the winter vegetable that is one of my favorite. This vegetable is used to make various dishes. Phulkopir Roast is one of the vegetarian dish made with Cauliflower, as the name says it all.  This is an old Bengali dish made during occasions. Many of the restaurants in Kolkata serves this dish during Durga Puja. This is a very simple dish made without any garlic and onions. It can be served with rice or paratha or rotis. 

For the Masala Paste

Ingredients

1 tbsp Raisin soaked in 3 tbsp water

1 inch Ginger chopped

2 Green Chillies

1 tsp Coriander seeds

3/4 tsp Cumin seeds

3/4 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a grinder and add little more water. Grind all the ingredients into a fine paste. 

For the Cauliflower Roast

Ingredients

500 grams Cauliflower cut into medium size florets

Masala paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar 

2 Bay Leaves 

1/2 tsp Bengali Garam Masala (2 Cardomoms, 3 Cloves and 1 small stick Cinnamon ground into powder)

1/4 cup Curd

1/4 cup Mustard Oil

1 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Take 1 liter water in a wok. When the water becomes hot, add 1 tsp salt and let it bubble. Switch of the flame. Add the Cauliflower and let it stand for 15 minutes. Drain the water out. Add mustard oil in the wok. Let it heat. Add the cauliflower and fry it till it’s colour changes. Remove the cauliflower from the oil. In the same oil add the bay leaves. Add the masala  paste and on a medium low flame, sauté the paste till the oil begins to separate from the paste. Add the curd and continue to cook. Add the sugar. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook the cauliflower till done. Keep stirring it occasionally. Add little water and salt in between as the cauliflower takes time to cook. Once done add garam masala and ghee. Serve hot with rice or roti. 

Gondhoraj Chicken Bhappa

‘Gondhoraj' in Bengali means the king of smell. It's a type of a lebu / lemon, which is aromatic and it is different in size, shape and taste. The smell is very refreshing and mesmerizing.

It is best had with Korai r Daal and Aloo Posto served with hot steaming rice. Now a days many different dishes are made using Gondhoraj Lebu.

The lemons, lemon leaves and Bhut  Jolokia used are from the plant growing in my house. 

Here I have made Chicken Bhappa my style with Gondhoraj Lebu and it's leaves. Since I used bhut jolokia, I didn't add green chilli paste as bhut joloki is very spicy. 

Ingredients 

1 kg Whole Chicken 

1 Onion sliced

3 Green Chillies slit 

2 Bhut Jolokia sliced lengthwise 

5 Gondhoraj Lemon leaves

4 to 6 wedges of Gondhoraj Lime 

Some Coriander Leaves for garnishing 

Paste of 1 medium size Onion, 1 small piece of Ginger and 5 Garlic 

Paste of 2 tbsp Coconut grated and 2 tbsp of Poppy seeds ground with 2 tbsp of Curd 

1 tbsp Juice of Gondhoraj Lebu 

Salt to taste 

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

Take a whole chicken, after washing the chicken, wipe the chicken with a paper towel. Poke the chicken with a fork. Apply little salt on the chicken properly and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Now add the Onion - Ginger - Garlic paste. Rub it well on the chicken. Keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add the coconut - Poppy seed paste, lime juice, salt, 1/4 cup of oil, sliced onion, 2 green chillies, some slices of bhut jolokia and lemon wedges. Apply all the ingredients well on the chicken as well as in the inside part of the chicken, let it stand for an hour. Take a pressure cooker, place the chicken and its marinated juices into the pressure cooker. Pour in 1 tbsp of the mustard oil. Place the green chilli and the remaining slices of the bhut jolokia on top of the chicken. Cover the lid of the cooker. Let it cook on a low flame until 5 whistles. Let the pressure release. Garnish it with some coriander leaves. Serve it with hot steaming rice. 

Borhani

This is a very traditional and popular curd base drink from Bangladesh served in parties, weddings or on special occasions. I had this drink at Fakhruddin in Singapore. I must say it's an amazing drink. This drink helps in digesting the heavy food. The curd is blended with the other ingredients and it's served cold. The drink has the flavor of mint and it's bit spicy as green chilli, ginger, pepper corn and mustard seeds are some of the ingredients added in the drink. The sugar is added as per the requirement and taste you want. 

I have added mustard oil to enhance the flavor of the drink. 

For the Green Fresh Juice

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Mint Leaves 

2 tbsp Coriander Leaves 

1 Green Chilli

1 small piece of Ginger 

8 Pepper Corn 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

Method 

Grind all the ingredients in a grinder. Add 1/4 cup water and grind further into a smooth paste. Strain the paste into a bowl. 
Watch the video here 👇🏼

https://youtu.be/XTcQr0JVxvo

For the Drink 

Ingredients

200 grams Curd

Green Fresh Juice

1 tsp Black Salt

1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin seeds powder 

5 tsp Sugar or as per the requirement 

6 Mint Leaves and some Mint for garnishing 

1/4 tsp Mustard Oil

2 cups Water 

Ice cubes 

Method 

Add the curd, sugar, black salt, roasted cumin seed powder, mint leaves, green juice, mustard oil, some ice cubes and 1/2 cup of water in a blender and blend the ingredients well. Pour the remaining water in a jug. Add some more ice. Pour the curd drink into the jug and add mint leaves for garnishing. Pour it into a glass and enjoy the Borhani.