Gajar Ki Roti (Carrot Flat-bread)

Here comes another healthy, tasty & easy to make Indian Flat-bread "Gajar ki Roti" (Carrot Flat-bread).

I am not a great fan of Roti and to make them look tasty I keep experimenting them in various ways which not only make them good in look & taste but healthy too. 

Ingredients :

1. Wheat flour 1 cup.

2. Carrot 4 grated finely in a grater. (You can try with Beet, Turnip, Onion or any of your favorite vegetables)

3. Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp 

4. Black Cumin - 1 pinch

5. Warm milk/ Warm water (your choice)

6. Salt to taste (optional, I never use salt in Roti making, as I avoid salt and I gets enough salt in the side dish served with Roti).

7. You can also use green chilies finely chopped.(Optional depending on your taste buds)

Method:

1) Grate carrot and keep it aside.

2) Then in a big bowl, knead the wheat flour with carrot, black pepper powder,black cumin and milk/water.

3) Make small balls and roll into rotis .

4) Heat a tawa or a non stick pan on medium to high, and place the roti carefully in it. 

5)Turn it after 2 minutes when you see the underside slightly browning, flipped side and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes. Press the roti and turn every 2 minutes. Remove from heat when both the sides are golden and well cooked.

6) Serve with salad, any side dish, pickle or yogurt.

Aloo Chana Chaat (Potato Bengal Gram Snack/Salad)

Today's recipe is the tongue-tickling Aloo Chana Chaat which is very famous street food across all the main cities of India and can taste in any time and any day.

This Aloo Chana chaat is very simple to make and takes very less time to prepare, if you keep the potato cooked before hand and the Bengal gram soaked overnight.Its a healthy snack/salad, named it as you want as its full of protein and carbohydrates with freshly chopped vegetables & yogurt. The best thing is that it can be served as an evening snack or serve it as a salad or appetizer in parties.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Bengal gram/Kaal chana
1 medium Potato
1 small Onion,finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped tomato
2 tbsp finely chopped Coriander
3/4 tsp Chaat masala
1/4 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 chopped chili
1/4 tsp roasted Cumin powder(optional)
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup yogurt 
Salt to taste
Indian Mixture (optional)

Method:

• Soak Bengal gram (you can also use chickpea) overnight for 8-9hrs and wash them and pressure cook with enough water for 3 whistles,reduce the flame and cook for another 10 mins.
• Pressure cook potato for 3 whistles along with Bengal gram or separately.Let it cool completely and then peel the skin and chop into small slices or cubes.
• In a bowl add salt,chaat masala,red chili powder,roasted cumin powder, yogurt, boiled Bengal gram & chopped potato and give a nice stir until you get a uniform paste.Check the taste of it and add any seasoning like salt to suit your taste buds.
• Serve them into  individuals bowls.Garnish with chopped coriander and Indian mixtures (optional) .

You can also add other vegetables like finely chopped carrot, beet, cucumber to increase the nutritional benefits along with the taste. 

Masala Omelette

       Masala Omelette is one of the great egg dish where I can keep on adding all my favorite                   veggies & both my husband and my friends will never say No to it !

       Easiest to cook & tastiest to have it. Can be prepared within 5 minutes, serving as      

       nutritious snack anytime.

                          Ingredients 

·      Eggs                                                - 2

·      Onions chopped                        - 2 tbsp

·      Tomatoes chopped                   - 2 tbsp

·      Green onions chopped             - 2 tbsp

·      Green Chili chopped                 - 2 tbsp (Optional)

·      Coriander leaves                       - 2 tbsp

·      Carrot                                             -2 tbsp

·      Oil                                                    - few drops to sprinkle over the pan  

·      Pepper pwd                                  - ¼ tsp

·      Salt to taste

·     Alu Bhuji (Optional ) 

You can add any chopped vegetables as topping.

Method 

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl , add the chopped vegetables & salt, except the coriander leaves 

2. Heat the pan & sprinkle few drops of oil. Pour the egg mix and turn the flame to low. 

3. Gently flip the omelette and cook for another 1 minutes.

4. Take it out in a plate and garnish it with the coriander leaves, black pepper powder and alu bhujia .

5. Serve hot & enjoy.

BAPPA ILISH (HILSA FISH STEAMED IN MUSTARD SAUCE)

When I was a child, on weekends, my father (Baba) used to take me to the big Sunday  market. Sunday Market visits were usually used to get the fresh and good quality non veg stuffs like Chicken, mutton & fishes. If lucky enough, he would get the best of  Ilish mach ( as this fish used to be seasonal at that time) and on returning my mother (Ma) would cook it in the most delicious way . 

Though we could never replicate the taste mother puts in her cooking, but me and my husband, Ritesh tried to experiment something close to that !

By experiment, I always means trying new cooking stuffs which can be cook in less time. 

So here our experiment goes...

Ingredients

• 1 kg Ilish (Hilsa), cut into shape of streak.
• 1 tsp turmeric powder.
• 2-3 tsp mustard seeds.
• 2-3 green chili slit from the middle.
• 1 big onion, chopped finely.
• 2 tsp mustard oil.
• 1/2 tsp salt ( you can adjust as per your taste).

Method

• Soak the mustard seeds for 10-15 minutes in 1/2 cup of warm water. Then Grind them to make a thick mustard paste (Shorshe bata).
• Wash the fish and  take it in a big bowl.
•  Pour the mustard paste over the fish pieces, add chopped onion, chili, turmeric powder and salt. Mixed it very well covering all the pieces of fish.
• Take a pressure cooker and pour the complete mix into it. Add 1/2 cup of water to it and stir well. Drizzle the mustard oil over the paste mix. 
• Cover the lid and steam it on low flames for 2 whistles. Turn off the gas oven and let the steam out of its own. ) In case if you don't have pressure cooker, you can use microwave oven and cooked it for 20-25 mins till the fish pieces are fully cooked. )
• Serve hot with white rice and taste the most delicious steamed fish curry.  

BHAPPA CHINGRI (PRAWN COOKED IN COCONUT) IN MICROWAVE OVEN

This recipe was shared by my sweet Mom (in-Law) over phone when for the first time I came down to US two years back. One night, me & my husband Ritesh thought of trying some authentic Bengali food for dinner, right at our home without wasting much time over cooking and here comes my Mom (in-law)'s delicious recipe Bhappa Chingri ..... believe me it just takes 15-20 mins (preparation + cooking ) and its just so yummy.

My mom (In-Law) is the super mom and the best cook ! Here sharing her recipe with you all...

Ingredients

• 250 gm of cleaned prawns
• 1 big onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup grated coconut ( I used the freeze packed which is easily available in any store)
• 2 tsp mustard oil
• 4-5 green chili, slit from middle
• salt to taste

The cooking

• Take the cleaned washed prawns in a big microwaveable bowl 
• Put the chopped onion, slit chili, mustard oil and salt in the same bowl and mix well with the prawn.
• Then placed the bowl in the microwave oven on microwave high for 8-10 mins, till the prawns get little hard. 
• Enjoy the dish with warm white rice

Kaju Barfi

Kaju Barfi used to one special sweets in our Home in all festivals. Its making hardly takes less than half an hour and the taste is incomparable. 

Lets get into its making and enjoy the all time favorite sweets

Ingredients 

1. Cashew Nuts (1 cup grinded into powdered)
2. Powdered Milk (1/2 cup)
3. Sugar (1/2 cup)
4. Water (1/4 cup)
5. Milk (1 tsp)
6.Rose water (Optional)
6. Ghee (Just for greasing)

Method
1. Grinding the Cashew nuts into Powder in a dry mixer. Be sure that you grind it in a stretch, don’t stop in between and grind. Be sure that you never grind the cashew which is cold, taken from the fridge,grind it when it is in room temperature. 
2. Then boil sugar with water and keep stirring. After few minutes of boiling, check the consistency of the sugar syrup by putting a spoon and taking it out slowly. If it gives thin thread like structure when you take off the spoon then the sugar syrup is ready.
3. Now lower the flame and add the powdered cashew and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes in low flame. When the mixture gets thick and starts boiling, switch off the flame. 
4. Keep stirring in the pan for few more minutes and then transfer the mix into another plate. 
5. Check the temperature of the mix, it should be not be too hot that may burn your hand and again, it should not be too cold also. Then sprinkle some milk, mixed with few rose water and start kneading. Put some ghee into your hand so that the dough do not stick to your hand. The mix will turn into a dough and then on continuous kneading it will turn into smooth dough.
6. Roll the dough into thin layer and cut it diagonally to make pieces.You can first draw lines lightly with the knife tip and then cut into diamonds to get perfect shapes.

Misti Amaar Achaar (Sweet Raw Mango Prickle)

This Prickle was taught by my Boro Mashi (my aunt) & I never forgot the taste & the make...whenever I make it I feel like she is still here with me showing me the steps to get the perfect taste.

When I was a kid, I never thought that I can really cook as I had seen my mom & my aunties around who used to cook so fast & so tasty that any number of guests (always used to be not less than  6-7 ) with full satisfaction & I being the laziest would never enter the kitchen ever. Then one day my aunty tricked me to make this Mango prickle and after that I got into art & science of cooking.

The taste of this prickle will melt into the mouth with more carving for it. It has got the sweet spicy tangy taste and any body who love sweet and hot taste can't resist it. And the method of its making is superb easy…I had learned from my aunty when I was hardly 12-13 years old and still remembered it.

Here comes the making…..

Ingredients:

½ tsp. mustard powder

2 tsp. cumin seeds

2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/4 kg brown sugar (powdered)/ jaggery
4-5 dry red chilies

2 tsp. of mustard/vegetable oil
1/2 kg raw mangoes (peeled and cut finely)
¼  tsp. salt to taste

The cooking

·    In a pan, roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and dry chilies and grind it in a grinder. Keep it aside to cool off in a bowl.

·    Then in the same pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Add the raw mangoes to it, fry for a while and then add the sugar/jaggery and simmer in low heat till it achieves a thread like consistency. In case you adding jaggery melt the jaggery in a separate pan by heating with little water, once the jaggery gets completely melt, add it to the mangoes. This will give complete consistency to the prickle.

·    Mix in salt when the mangoes are cooked and the syrup is thick.

·    Then turn off the heat & add the grinded species and stir it thoroughly.

·    Once it gets cooled, transfer it in a dry air tight container and store for a long time. 

The Chicken Biryani in Bong style

By Bong style I especially mean that I am going to use potatoes in the biryani as potato and Bengalis are inseparables.

Biryani always marked with festive and special occasions and there is hardly who can resist this delicious dish.
Without wasting any further time, let’s gets into the cooking....first we'll start with

the chicken.

The Chicken

1. Make a paste of 1/4 inch ginger, 10 cloves of garlic.

 2. 1/2 bay leaf, 1 cup plain curd, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder,1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder, juice of half a lemon.

3. Wash and clean chicken pieces. I used 4 leg pieces.

4. Marinate the chicken in the paste for 4-5 hrs. I did not put salt in the marinade to retain moisture in the chicken. If you also do so, remember to add it just before frying the chicken/ cooking the gravy.

The Potatoes & the Onions

 5. Peel and dice potatoes and deep fry in oil with sprinkle of salt. The potatoes will be golden brown from outside, but raw inside. They will fully cook once we assemble all elements of biryani together and cook in dum (pressure cooking in low heat).

 6. Finely slice 2 big onions and deep fry till golden and sweet. I always add sprinkling of sugar to enhance the caramelization. One tip to avoid the onions burning, create a ring of onions in the frying vessel, with no onions in the middle - where the heat is highest - and keep stirring.

7. Keep the potatoes and onions on a paper napkin to drain excess oil.

The saffron/ Kesar

8. Heat some milk and add some kesar/ saffron and keep aside.

The Rice-

9. Wash and soak about 1.5 cups of basmati rice in water for 10-15 mins. 10. In a deep Pan, heat 1 tea spoon of oil and put 3 cardamom, 2 cloves and 1 stick of cinnamon stick. Then put water as per the measurement of rice taken (or 1.5 cups of Rice, take approx. 3 cups of water). Bring the water to boil in the pan and add salt as per the taste. Put the soaked rice in the boiling water and cooked till the rice is till the outer layer of the rice grain gets softening).

10. Run under cold water to drain starch, if any, as it prevent the rice from cooking further from any trapped heat.

The cooking of chicken

 11. Pick chicken pieces from the marinate and start frying the pieces. 12. Add some salt in gravy and keep aside 13. Knead some dough and keep aside to seal the cooking vessel when we cook in "dum".

Assembling elements to cook together in "dum”.

14. To assemble the biryani, use a deep vessel with a flat bottom - like a rice cooker bowl.

 15. Pour about 1.5 tablespoon of ghee and coat the vessel well.

16. Lay the chicken legs and potatoes at the bottom along with some gravy

17. Cover with half the rice.

 18. Put the rest pieces of chicken, 1/3 the fried onions and some more gravy.

 19. Add the rest of rice.

 20. Top with 1/3 the fried onions, the milk with saffron and sprinkling of ghee.

21. Make some holes with finger on the top of the rice layer on the top and put few drops of rose water.

22. Save the last 1/3 of fried onions for garnish during serving.

23. Cover vessel with lid, and seal with the dough.

24. Heat vessel on direct low flame for ~5 mins. Heat a metal tawa separately on high flame simultaneously.

25. Remove vessel from direct flame and place on tawa. Cook on medium flame for 5 mins and then on low flame for 20-25 mins.

26. Once done, serve hot with raita/ onions. Ensure each plate gets chicken and potatoes.

 

26. Once done, serve hot with raita/ onions. Ensure each plate gets chicken and potatoes.

   27. Enjoy it by serve hot. 

SHORSHE MACHE JOL (MUSTARD FISH CURRY)

Hello Friends and thanks for taking out time and going through my blog. This is my first blog  I started on cooking. Cooking for me like many of you, is a energy booster and keep me creative & productive and many a time it works like a stress releaser.

I definitely love to experiment with different cuisines, but being a Bong I would love to start with my soul food, which always is fish curry.  That's a true confession of a hardcore Bong......without fish I think Bengali meals are incomplete.


Here is the recipe for the mustard fish curry...hope you'll enjoy cooking and tasting it...do 

share your cooking experiences


Ingredients:

The Fish :

1. 800 gm of fish, ideally Rohu/Salmon/King or any big fish, cut into medium pieces (this

quantity should yield about 8 to 10 medium pieces).

2. 1 teaspoon of salt

3. 1 Teaspoon of Turmeric

4. Oil for deep fry

The Mustard Paste:

1. 2 table spoons of poppy seeds

2. 3 table spoon of mustard seeds

3. 2/3 green chilies

4. 2-3 gloves of garlic
 
5. 1 small tomato

6.1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.

The Cooking

1. Fish Preparation:

Cut and clean the fish pieces. Once they are cleaned, pat them dry with a kitchen towel and

 then marinate them with one table spoon of of turmeric powder & salt each, for 5-10 mins.

 In a pan heat some oil and once the oil is smoking hot, sprinkle a pinch of salt, this will help

 the oil remain calm when the fish pieces are added. Fry the fishes till light brown and

 remove them.

2. In a mixer grinder take the poppy seeds, mustard seeds, one green chilly,2-3 cloves of 

garlic, the turmeric, tomato, one generous pinch of salt and about 3 table spoons of water and

 grind it to a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside for future use.

3. Drain away the extra oil, leaving about two tablespoons in the pan, add back the fish

 pieces, add 3 to 4 cups of water, completely submerging the fish pieces. Cover the pan and

 let it come to a boil. Put some green chillies from the middle and add them to the pan

 according to your taste/heat tolerance. Once the water starts to boil, add the masala paste

 and let the fish cook for about 10 mins. Keep checking in between to make sure that the

 water has not dried. If the water dries add some more. The gravy should be on the thicker

 side and clinging to the fish. Enjoy the yummy fish curry with hot steamed rice for its

 perfect taste.