Taler Pitha / Palmyra fruit Steamed Cake

 Palmyra fruit / Taal / Tardgola  / Sugar palm 

The palmyra fruit is eaten while the outer covering is still unripe during summers… once the fruit is riped then the inside of the fruit becomes yellow and pulpy from inside. In Bengal it’s said in the month of Bhadro (August) tal fruit becomes ripe, it is used to make different types of dishes like pitha , fritters, kheer, luchi etc. This dishes made from Tal are offered to Lord Krishna on Janmashtami day in Bengal. 

The fruit is peeled, the pulp is extracted and then strained. Sugar and pinch of salt are added to the pulp and then simmered. The pulp can be stored in the fridge for further use. Since Janmashtami is just around.. today we made Taler pitha / Palmyra fruit steamed cake. It’s a sweet dish. Milk and sugar is used to make the dish, but I have used condensed milk to give richness to the taste. 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Rice flour 

1/4 cup Semolina 

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cardamom powder 

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp + 1/2 tsp broken Cashews

1 tsp Raisins

1/4 cup Grated Coconut 

1/4 cup or more Condensed Milk as per the sweetness 

1/2 cup Palmyra fruit Pulp

1/4 cup Ghee

Method 

Take a bowl, add rice flour, semolina, salt, cardamom powder, baking soda and baking powder. Mix all the ingredients together. Add ghee, condensed milk and the pulp. Mix well. The batter has to be thick and dropped consistency. Add 1 tsp broken cashews and raisins, mix well. Pour the batter into a greased container. Sprinkle the grated coconut. Gently mix the batter. Add the remaining broken cashews. Steam the batter for 25 minutes or until done. Insert a toothpick to check. Once done cool the Taler pitha and enjoy. 

Hilish Macher Mata diye Kochur saag / Taro Stem with Hilish Head

 

Taro stem is a popular ingredient in Bengali cuisine… each part of Taro plant is consumed in Bengal… the roots, the stem, the leaves and the stolons… it can be cooked with either fish head, prawns or made vegetarian. Some taro varieties produces a slime that can cause irritation - itching, pain, burning or swelling in the mouth and throat or even vomiting. While cutting the taro stem if the skin is too itchy then you must avoid eating that taro,  it’s best to boil the taro stem with salt and turmeric and drain the water out completely and add little lemon juice at the end.. 

Cooking the taro stem with hilsa fish head is a delicacy. This dish is served with steamed rice. 

Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 Green Chillies 

10 Garlic cloves 

1 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/4 cup Water 

Ingredients 

Grind all the above ingredients together into a paste. 

Hilish Maacher mata diye Kochur saag 

Ingredients 

1 Taro stem

1 Hilsa Fish head 

2 Green Chillies slit 

Wet paste 

Salt to taste 

1 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1 Bay leaf

1 Red dried Chilli 

1/4 cup Mustard Oil 

Method 

The outer part of the taro stem or the outer fibre is pulled out and then it’s cut into small pieces. It is then boiled with a cup of water, salt to taste and 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder. We can cook the stem in a pressure cooker, give 1 or 2 whistles. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and drain / squeeze all the water out completely. Clean and rub the fish head with little salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Take a wok, add mustard oil, let the oil heat up. Reduce the flame to medium and add the fish head into the wok. Fry the fish head until golden brown from both the sides. Remove the fish head and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf and dried red chilli. Sauté for few seconds. Add the wet paste. Add the salt, remaining turmeric powder, chilli powder and green chillies. Stir and cook for a minute. Add the fish head, cook the fish head for a minute and break the fish head into small pieces. Add the boiled taro stem into the wok, stir, add sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the water evaporates completely and the dish becomes mushy. Enjoy the dish with steamed rice. 

#bengalicuisine #Hilsa #tarostem #delicacy #nonvegetarian #sidedish 

Kara Kuthiraivali - Ravai Pidi Kozhukatta

 Kara Kuthiraivali - Ravai Pidi Kozhukatta - 

This traditional dish is from Tamil Nadu - Kongunad region. In Andhra it’s known as Kudumulu. In Karnataka it’s known as Kadubu. In Kerala it’s known as Pidi Kozhukattai. This dish is usually made during Ganesh Chaturthi or during occasion… family gathering. Usually made with rice. The rice flour is cooked in hot water with spices and salt. Then once the dough is easy to handle, the Kozhukatta are usually oval shaped and moulded by hand (Pidi) and then steamed. A very healthy comfort steamed dish that can be eaten for breakfast. 

There is a sweet and a savoury version of Kozhukatta. We are making the savoury version. 

Here I have made Kozhukatta not with rice flour but with semolina and barnyard millet mixed in equal portion. 

This can be had for fasting and can be good substitute for rice. This dish can be served with coconut chutney. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Semolina / Rava 

1/2 cup Barnyard millet / Sama 

Few Curry leaves 

Few chopped Coriander leaves 

2 to 3 chopped Green Chillies 

1 small piece for Ginger Grated 

1/2 cup Grated Coconut 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

1 tsp Chana dal

1 tsp Urid dal 

Pinch of Asafoetida 

2 cups of Water 

2 tbsp Oil 

1 tsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a wok, add 2 tbsp oil, heat the oil. Reduce the flame. Add the chopped chillies, ginger, curry leaves, urid dal and chana dal. Sauté, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds. Add the water. Add salt, let the water simmer. Add the coconut and stir. After few seconds add the washed semolina and sama millet. Stir as the batter shouldn’t form a lump. Stir and cook until it forms a soft dough.. once cool. Switch off the flame… and cover the wok and wait until the dough is easy to handle. Take a steamer, on the top vessel, brush some ghee or place a banana leave. Apply ghee or oil on your palm. Take small portions and shape the Kozhukatta with the help of the palm. Place the Kozhukatta into the vessel. Steam the Kozhukatta for 10  minutes. Serve them hot with chutney.

Keema - Patties Pav

 I had eaten this dish at a Sindhi restaurant in Ulhasnagar. The dish was so delicious that I couldn’t resist making this at home… and moreover when the request comes from my daughter…..

Keema - Patties with Pav - 

The patties was made with keema stuffed in between the potato covering… and the keema gravy was poured over the patties… served with pudina Chutney, sliced onions, a lemon wedge and Pav….. 

Here is my version of making Keema Patties at home with a twist …. As there was no keema at home and had around 300 grams of boneless mutton at home…. I tried making keema at home… usually with the help of the chopper I manage to make small pieces of mutton, but my chopper knocked out… as I didn’t have any options, I tried grinding the keema in a grinder… the mutton became a paste… I had to make the keema texture… so the twist… and believe me the dish was delicious… see the recipe for the twist…. And some what healthy for the twist added… 

For the non-vegetarian- mutton and chicken keema and for the vegetarian boiled soya keema can be used… rest the recipe is the same… 

For me the twist ingredient had to be used by force as the mutton became a paste and I didn’t have soya granules to give the dish keema texture… but I would say use the twist, it becomes healthier.. 

I made the Potato Patties without the Keema stuffing in an air fryer…. 

For the Patties 

Ingredients 

3 Big Boiled Potatoes mashed 

2 finely chopped Green Chillies 

1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves 

1 tbsp finely chopped Mint leaves 

3 Bread cut into pieces 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Amchur powder 

1/2 tsp roasted Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp roasted Dried Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp + 1 tsp Oil 

Method 

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, except 1 tsp oil. Mash and mix all the ingredients together until a soft dough is formed. Make lemon size portions and flatten the portions with the help of the palms. Apply little oil on the palms to avoid sticking. Grease a tray with oil. Place the patties on the tray, air fry at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes on one side, turn and for 10 - 15 minutes on another side. The patties is done. 

For the Keema 

Ingredients 

300 grams Mutton Keema 

1/2 cup Oats 

1 medium size Onion cut into pieces 

2 medium size Tomatoes chopped 

15 Garlic cloves 

3 small pieces of Ginger 

4 to 5 Green Chillies 

1 small bunch of Mint leaves cleaned 

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 dried red Kashmiri chilli cut into pieces 

2 Bay leaves 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder 

1 tsp Coriander powder 

3/4 tsp Chilli powder 

3/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder 

1 tsp Meat Masala 

1 tsp Kasuri Methi 

4 tbsp Ghee 

Method 

Since I didn’t have mutton keema, I tried doing the keema at home and it became mutton paste.. 

Take grinder, add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, few handful of coriander leaves and mint leaves… grind the ingredients together into a coarse paste. 

Take oil in a dekhchi / pot. Add 3 tbsp ghee, once the ghee heats up, add the dried red chilli pieces and bay leaves, after few seconds add the wet masala paste, sauté and keep cooking for a minute on medium low flame. Add the dried spice powders and salt - turmeric, cumin, chilli powder, coriander, salt, garam masala, meat masala and Kasuri Methi. Stir and cook for few seconds, add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the masala starts to release ghee. Add the mutton keema… I add the mutton paste, and stirred well so that the paste doesn’t form a big lump… cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, add 1/2 cup of water and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. When the mutton was almost done, I added oats and stirred well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. The gravy will thicken up because of the oats, add another 1/2 cup water, let it cook for a minute. Switch off the flame and let the keema rest for 2 hours… this will enhance the taste… before serving… if you see the gravy has thicken up, add water as desired so the the gravy is of pouring consistency.. check on the salt… add the salt if required. Add the roasted cumin powder and 1 tbsp ghee… garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves…

To serve the Keema Patties-

Take a flat bowl or a plate. Place the patties and pour the keema gravy on top, garnish with sliced onions, mint leaves, lime wedges and mint chutney. Serve with Pav…. 

Chicken Momos with Soup and Momo Chutney

Momo is one of my and my daughter’s favourite… and I think many of us likes momos too… being rainy season don’t want to risk our stomachs…  eating out… here is my way of making momos at home… savouring them with hot piping soup and spicy momo chutney… all to go with the season.. 

This is a special combination we get on the streets of Kolkata at many places … 

Here I have used 50 percent wheat flour and rest refined flour… I have added veggies to the chicken to make it more healthier… Oil is almost nil… we can replace the chicken with pork or prawns.. along with the veggies… 

For the Momo Chutney 

Ingredients 

2 Big Tomatoes cut into big pieces 

6 Kashmiri Chillies cut into pieces 

10 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

Few stems of Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tbsp Raw Peanuts 

1 tbsp Sesame seeds roasted 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

1 tbsp Vinegar 

2 tbsp light Soy sauce 

Method 

Take a pot, add the tomatoes, Kashmiri Chillies and peanuts, add 3/4 cup of water. Boil the ingredients on a medium flame for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame and add garlic and ginger, cover and let it cool down. Once in room temperature, add the ingredients in the grinder and add salt, sugar, pepper powder, vinegar, soy sauce, coriander stems and sesame seeds, grind all the ingredients well, add water as desired to get the runny consistency of the cutney. Once done keep it aside, can be kept in the fridge for a week. 

To make the outer covering of the Momos 

Ingredients 

1 cup of Wheat flour 

1/2 cup of Refined Flour 

Salt to taste 

Luke Warm water 

Ingredients 

Mix the wheat flour, refined flour and salt together, add little water at a time and knead a semi hard dough. Cover and rest the dough for an hour.. 

To make the stuffing and soup for the Momos.. 

Ingredients 

Take 2 Cabbage leaves cut them into pieces 

1 small Carrot cut into pieces 

1 small piece of Onion cut into pieces 

2 Green Chillies 

10 Garlic cloves for Momos 

6 Garlic cloves chopped for Soup

1 small piece of Ginger 

1 Stem of Spring Onion chopped 

1 stem of Celery chopped 

5 to 6 Boneless Chicken pieces 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

1 tbsp Soy Sauce 

1 tsp Red Chilli sauce 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Chicken seasoning powder for Momos 

1 tsp Chicken Seasoning powder for Soup 

1 tsp of Wheat flour slurry 

1 tsp Oil 

1 tbsp Corn flour 

Method 

Take a food chopper, add the cabbage, carrot, green chillies, garlic, ginger and spring onion. Finely chop all the vegetables, remove the chopped vegetables from the chopper, keep one tbsp of the chopped vegetables aside, now squeeze all the water out from the rest of the chopped vegetables. Don’t throw the water extracted from the vegetables. Now put the dry chopped vegetables back into the chopper, add chicken pieces, salt, pepper powder, soy sauce, chilli sauce, chicken seasoning powder and corn flour, blend all the ingredients together well until the ingredients are well combined and forms a soft dough, remove and keep the stuffing in the fridge for 30 minutes. Take a steamer, add 3 cups of water, chopped vegetables, celery, garlic, water extracted from the chopped vegetables used in momo stuffing, salt to taste and chicken seasoning powder and the slurry. Stir well. This soup will cook along while we will steam the momos… 

Let’s make the Momos 

Take a dough and knead well, take a portion from the dough, roll the dough into a thin round disc, take a round cutter, and cut medium or small size disc from the big disc, place the disc on the plate, make a batch of 12 disc at a time, take the stuffing and mix well, take a disc, take a small portion of the stuffing, and place the stuffing in between the disc, spread the stuffing a bit, then start covering the edges of the disc… giving the momos a shape you desire, repeat the process and make all the momos… grease the steamer plate, place all the momos on the plate, cover the steamer and steam the momos for 15 minutes. While the momos are cooking, we can prepare the second batch of momos. Prepare both the batches of momos then serve. Once the momos are ready serve the momos with hot piping soup and spicy momo chutney.