Muri Ghonto/ Fish Head Curry

Muri-Ghonto, one of the most popular & traditional Bengali dish. The word 'Muri' or 'Muro' stands for head. Muri-ghonto usually taste better with large fish heads, but as we get Tilapia fish here, so I prepared it with that. It can be prepared in different ways with cabbage, lentils, bottle gourd,etc but here i used the most common way that is cooked with rice.

Sharing the way I cooked with you, hope you will like it.

INGREDIENTS

· 1 Big fish head of Tilapia  (Mostly used is Rui/Rohu or Katol/Catla)

· 100gm Basmati Rice

· 2 medium size potatoes

· 1 onion finely chopped

· 1 tsp garlic-ginger paste

· ½ tsp turmeric powder

· ½ tsp red chili powder

· ½ of cumin powder

· 1 Dry chili

· 2 bay leaves

· Garam Masala (mixture of whole of 2 Cinnamon, 2 Clove & 2 Cardamom )

· 1 cup of warm water

· Salt as per taste

· Mustard oil/vegetable oil for cooking

PREPARATION

·  Wash the rice and keep it aside after rinsing the water thoroughly.

·   Clean the fish head of its gills and wash under running water.

·   Then marinate the fish head with turmeric powder & salt for 2-3 mins.

·    Cut the potatoes into small cubes.

·   Fry the fish head in deep frying pan till it turns brown with 4-6 tsp of oil.

·   Take out the fish and keep it aside, then fry the potatoes in the same pan & oil (add more oil only if needed).

·   Once the potatoes are fried well, take them out & keep them aside too.

·   Then in the same pan, put another 4-5 tsp of oil and then sauté the dry chili, bay leave &  garam masala.

·   Then add the chopped onions, garlic –ginger paste, turmeric powder, chili powder & cumin powder and fry for a minute.

·   Add the potatoes & rice, stir well and fry for some more time.

·   Pour the water and stir again to mix all the ingredients.

·   Then add the fish head and salt.

·   Cook it under a lid cover for 5 minutes intervals of stirring for 15-20 mins.

·   Once the potatoes are fully cooked & the water is fully absorbed, turn off the heat.

·   Serve hot with white rice.

Chicken Chop/Chicken Cutlet

In a chilling winter evening, when friends & family come down with a hungry tummy,

 nothing goes well then serving them with hot sizzling chicken chop/Chicken cutlet with a hot 

cup of Cardamom Chai/Tea.

Here goes the recipe of Chicken Chop/cutlet  ....

INGREDIENTS

·   500gms of boiled, boneless minced chicken

·   1 medium sized onion finely chopped

·   1 tsp of  finely chopped Garlic

·    1 tsp of finely chopped Ginger

·    ½ tsp of finely chopped chilies (as per your taste)

·    2 boiled mashed potatoes

·     Salt as per taste

·     ½ tsp of Garam masala( mixture of finely grounded powder of Cinnamon, Clove &        Cardamom )

·     ½ tsp of Baking powder

·     ½ tsp of cumin powder

·     ½ tsp of turmeric powder

·      ½ tsp of red chili powder

·      ½ cup of Bread crumbs/ Semolina/Sooji

·      2Eggs

·      Vegetable Oil for deep dry

PREPARATION

·    Heat some oil in a pan, sauté fry garlic, ginger & onion.

·    Add the minced chicken, salt, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and fry for 3-4 mins.

·    Once the oil starts separating from the chicken in the pan, turn off the heat & add the garam masala.

·    Let the mixture gets cool down.

·    Then add the boiled mashed potatoes with the chicken and mix well.

·     Make small ball out of the chicken mixture & store the balls in fridge for 15-20 mins.

·     After fridge storage, take the balls out and keep them aside.

·    Beat the eggs well in a separate bowl.

·    Now spread the bread crumbs/semolina/sooji in a plate

·    Dip the chicken balls in the egg and then roll them over the bread crumbs & keep  them aside.

·    When all the balls are done with egg dip & bread crumbs, then deep fry the deep fry pan.

·    Serve hot with Chopped onions/carrot/cilantro & ketchup.

Salsa / Tomato salad

When its time for some simple, healthy and snack time.....Salsa is all time favorite. Easy to make & healthy-tasty to eat.

INGREDIENTS

1. 2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes , finely diced.
2. 1/2 red onion, finely diced.
3. 1 chili finely diced.
4. Juice of one lime.
5. 1/2 cup chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.
6. Salt to taste.
7. Optional: ½ tsp of Mustard oil.

METHOD

1.        Start with chopping up 2 medium sized fresh tomatoes. Prepare the chilies. Be very careful while handling these hot chilies. If you can, avoid touching them with your hands. Use a fork to cut up the chilies over a small plate, or use a paper towel to protect your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling and avoid touching your eyes for several hours.

2.       Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl including salt & oil. Taste. If the chilies make the salsa too hot, add some more chopped tomato. If not hot enough, carefully add a few of the seeds from the chilies.

3.      Let sit for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to combine.

4.      Serve with chips, tortillas, tacos, burritos or tostadas.

Begun Bhaja ( Brinjal Fry)

Begun Bhaja/ Beaingan bhaja is famous snack which can be taken along as snack or main meal.

Ingredients

        

1. 1 large eggplant (begun/brinjal/baingan/aubergine) cut into half inch round slices
2. ½ tsp turmeric powder/hadli
3. salt as required
4. ½ tsp of sugar
5. mustard oil or sunflower oil for frying
6. 3 tsp chickpea flour/besan or all purpose flour/maida/Corn flour
7. A pinch of Kolonji/black cumin (Nigella sativa also known as black caraway, or black onion seed)

Instructions

1.       Rinse the eggplant (brinjal) well in water. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.

2.      Now slice the eggplant in ½ inch thick roundels.

3.      Now add all the turmeric powder, salt, sugar, besan/corn flour/black cumin together in a bowl with some water and mix well till it become thick dip.

4.      Then drop the brinjal pieces in to the dip & Marinate for 3-5 minutes.

5.      Heat oil in a pan.

6.      Take out the brinjal from the thick dip and start frying in the pan.

7.      Now pan fry the brinjal slices till crisp and golden brown on both sides.

8.      Drain baingan slices on paper tissues.

9. Serve brinjal fry just as snack or with with Rice or roti / naam.