Monday 30 November 2015

MIXED DAL DAHI VADA




Weekly once I crave for a chaat, of late I have been tuned that way. My men are not chaat lovers, I do it for myself and my help. Her Filipino taste buds got adapted to Indian Cuisine so fast, I should get some credit for that. Back home, my mom loves them. Whenever we went out, we would hop into the eateries and have a platter of chaat or Dosa or Idli. Then, I may not have loved these so much but now I do. It is quite for sometime I did not prepare Dahi Vada at home, I have  2 bottles of homemade Date-Tamarind Chutney and Green Chutney following few friends' recipes, sev too, so why delay?

Usually we do the vada with urad dal. This time I did with a mix of urad, moong, masoor, chana, adding few spices. They tasted well with an addition of generous amount of yogurt and chutney. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS :[for the vada]
Urad Dal : 1/2 medium cup
Masoor[red lentil] : 1/4 medium cup
Moong Dal : 2tbsp
Chana[Bengal Gram] : 1tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1/2tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/4tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Cumin Seed : 1/4tsp
Salt : As Required
Oil : 100ml[to fry]

INGREDIENTS :[final assembling]
Plain Yogurt : 200gm
Salt : 3pinches
Sugar : 1/2tsp
Chaat Masala : 1/2tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2tsp
Date-Tamarind Chutney : 1/2small cup
Green Chutney : 1/4small cup
Sev : 2tbsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves : 1tbsp

METHOD :
Wash and soak the dals in hot water for 1-2 hours. Drain the water and grind to a coarse paste in a blender.

Add cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and cumin seeds.

Heat oil in a wok. Simultaneously boil half a vessel of water and switch off. Fry the vadas in batches and drop in the water. Take out after 5 minutes. This gives them sponge like consistency.

Keep the vadas on tissue papers to get rid of the excess oil. Beat the yogurt adding salt and sugar.

In a plate, arrange the vadas. Pour the yogurt. Add the date-tamarind chutney and green chutney. Sprinkle chaat masala, red chilli powder and the sev on top. Add chopped coriander at last.

Serve chilled. Enjoy!!

















Sunday 29 November 2015

MURG PULAO


On days when I do not feel like spending much time in the kitchen, I choose this type of recipes to be cooked. Less time spent in the kitchen with happier faces at the dining table. The carnivore duo at home are not too fond of rice, but when they get to see meat in some fried rice, they happily have it. They prefer one-pot meals, specially the senior does not want me to spend much time in the kitchen. I love being in the kitchen though there are days when I love doing such smart cooking. Yesterday was such a 'no mood tp cook' day. So, I planned to  prepare this Murg Pulao and serve it with raita and salad. Incorporating cucumber, tomato, carrot in the raita makes the platter a wholesome and tasty one. I prepared the pulao in the most simplest way with few spices. Had my men gladly ate bowls of raita & plates of salad, I would have happily cooked such  hassle free meals! That they would not do & I would not let them go without having good amount of vegetables, it is a necessity!


INGREDIENTS :

Chicken : 500gm
Rice : 1coffee mug [I used fragrant, short grain KALIJEERA rice]
Cashew Nut : 8-10 [halved]
Raisins : 10-12 
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Onion Paste : 2-3 tbsp
Lemon Juice : 2tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 1 tsp
Cinnamon Stick : 2one inch
Green Cardamom : 2-3
Cloves : 2-3
Bayleaf : 3-4
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Oil : 3tbsp
Ghee : 1/2 small tea cup

METHOD :


Wash the chicken pieces and marinate with salt, wash after an hour, thoroughly! Thereafter, marinate with  turmeric+cumin+coriander+red chilli powders, 2 tbsp oil, ginger+onion+garlic pastes, lemon juice. Keep aside for half an hour to 45 minutes!

Heat a wok! Add the marinated chicken, fold in well. Cover cook for 10-15 minutes stirring at regular intervals. After about half an hour, it should be done! If it releases enough water, we need not add water! Transfer to a bowl!


Wash the rice and drain the water! Spread a newspaper on the table & spread the rice grains on it! The rice grains would get free of water & get dry!

Take a heavy bottomed vessel or wok. Heat the oil and ghee together. Saute the cashews for a minute and take off. Temper with bayleaves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves, chopped green chillies.

Add the rice,  keep stirring for 7-8 minutes until the colour change. Add water double  of the rice using the same cup that measured the rice. Add some salt & sugar as required.

Give a stir & over cook at low heat for 10-12 minutes. When the rice is 80%done, add 1tsp ghee, the fried cashews and raisins. Add the chicken making some space in the middle! Cover cook for 6-7 minutes at minimal heat!

Lightly mix with a ladle. Turn off the gas stove after 2 minutes. Let it stand for 10-15 minutes. Shake well before serving. 



  





Friday 27 November 2015

EGG MAHARANI



Some day, somewhere I have read that a community in the North-East region of India prepares an egg curry using lentils along with other spices. The rest I managed to forget, neither did I make any attempt to look for the exact recipe in the net. Yesterday, I planned for an egg curry and wished to incorporate some dal protein, making the dish wholesome and flavourful too in the process. I purposefully did not look for the original recipe, I wished to prepare it in my own way with the apparent idea I had of it.

In such a scenario, what I find tough is naming the dish. I cannot think much and named it Egg Maharani, given its unique taste and flavour. Here, the whole garam masalas are dry roasted and boiled with lentils and made into a paste, sautéed in oil with a spice mix to prepare the gravy for the eggs. Let us do it.



INGREDIENTS :

Egg : 8
Tomato : 1
Onion Paste : 1tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Clove : 2
Bengal Gram Dal : 1tsp
Moong Dal[skinless] : 1/2tsp
Masoor Dal[red skinless] : 1/2tsp
Cinnamon Stick : 1two inch
Green Cardamom : 2
Clove : 2-3
Black Pepper[whole] : 1/2tsp
Cumin Seed : 2pinches
Cumin Powder : 1/2tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Garam Masala Powder : 1/4tsp[optional]
Cashews[halved] : 5-6
Raisins : 7-8
Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD :

Boil the eggs in enough water adding little salt. Once cold, clear off the shell. Slit little on both ends and rub with little salt.

Wash and soak the lentils in hot water for 2hrs. Dry roast the cinnamon stick, green cardamom, cloves, black peppers and garlic cloves together.

Wash and cut the tomatoes, discard the seeds. In a pressure cooker put together the tomato pieces, roasted spices, the dals straining the water. Add little salt and half cup water. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles. Let cool.

Once cool, blend the dal mix into a paste. Heat oil in a wok and fry the eggs, keep aside. Temper the same oil with cumin seeds. Add the cashews and raisins. Fry for 1/2 a minute.

Add the onion paste and fry for 2 minutes. Add the ginger paste and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the dal mix and saute for 3 minutes. Add the cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Stir well for  1/2 a minute and add 1 medium cup water.

As the gravy comes to boil, add the egg pieces and let cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the garam masala, stir. It is done.

Serve hot with any kind of Indian Breads.



Thursday 26 November 2015

CHINGRI KASHA





Our community is prawn lovers, as most part of the world is. We prepare it in many ways, a dry curry, at times with gravy, with different vegetables... potato, jackfruit. When we prepare it with vegetables, we choose the smaller variety, while for gravies dry or soupy, the medium or bigger ones are preferred. The soaring height of its prices have made it very difficult to have it on a regular basis, at least back in my hometown. We are unable to have what we like. Back home tiger prawns are much loved, unfortunately seen rare on the plate now.

Where I stay at present is slightly better when it comes to the prices of prawns. Its sea based, so we get a wide variety of prawns in varied sizes. Moreover, my men love them, so I do often. This particular preparation is done with shredded coconut and selective spices using very little water. Let us do this very easy dry prawn curry.



INGREDIENTS :

Prawn[medium sized] : 500gm
Shredded Coconut : 1small cup
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp
Cumin Seed : 3pinches
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Salt : As Required

METHOD :

Clean, devein and wash the prawns thoroughly. Rub with salt and 1/2 tsp of turmeric. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Lightly fry the prawns in batches and keep aside.

Temper oil with cumin seeds. Add the shredded coconut and saute for 1 minute.

Add the ginger paste, salt, turmeric and stir for 1-2 minutes. Now add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder, fold in well and stir for 1/2 a minute.

Add the fried prawns, fold in well and keep stirring at high heat for 1 minute. Add half small cup water. Let cook covered at medium heat till the water dries up.

Enjoy with peeping hot steamed rice. We had some Palak Dal / Lentil Spinach Curry alongside!






Wednesday 25 November 2015

VEGETABLE ROLL


When the neighbourhood confectionaries emerged in Kolkata, we came in contact with this! For a middle-class girl like me, Pantheras was truly foreign! These confectionaries for the first time reached the middle-class homes for whom those in the Park Street area was another world! Pantheras became vegetable rolls in these outlets & to the Bengali catering houses! They however kept the non-vegetarian versions too! But we were denied of buying them, not solely because of the price but with the same warning time and again.... they are fried in poor quality oil. I think this was the scenario at many homes. 

Beyond all these warnings was a greedy soul who would stand in front of 'Chop kaku's' shop and watch all the activities. A big wok full of hot oil, how skilfully the person dipped the thing in gram flour batter and dropped in the hot oil. At times the lady of the house did give in and bought her kids those fries. I remember the newspaper bags[thonga] all soaked in oil and me carefully taking out the 'chop' and giving a heavenly bite. Honestly, today I too will not allow my son to have such oil soaked stuffs.

Our mom used to prepare certain kind of fries & fritters at home if not these vegetable rolls. It took me over forty years to do them in my kitchen. I think my tryst with food is since when I was born! Aah... home sweet home and all these small things adds up to the sweetness. This vegetable rolls I have prepared mainly with boiled beetroot, potato, green peas, few spices. Let us do it.



INGREDIENTS [for the dough]

Refined Flour : 2 coffee mug
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 2 tbsp

INGREDIENTS [for the filling]

Beetroot : 2
Potato : 1
Green Peas : 2tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 1 tsp
Cumin Seed : 1/4tsp
Asafoetida : 1-2 pinch
Cumin Powder : 2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As required
Sugar : 1 tsp or Jaggery
Cornflour : 1tbsp
Oil : 1tbsp 

INGREDIENTS [for the final product]

The Cooked Filling
The Dough
Bread Crumb : 250-300 gm
Refined Flour : 2-3 tbsp
Oil to Deep Fry


METHOD :

Peel, wash and cut the beetroots and potatoes. Cut them and pressure cook upto two whistles. Once cold, strain the water and mash adding little salt. The water can be reserved for future use in curries or soups.

Heat I tbsp oil in a wok. Temper with the asafoetida & cumin seeds. Add the mashed potatoes n beetroot and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes.

Once the mixture starts drying, add the salt, the spice powders, green peas and fold in well. Keep stirring for few more minutes!

Add the sugar or jaggery & the cornflour, stir cook for 2-3 minutes & take down on a plate! Let it cool!








Prepare a dough mixing together the refined flour, salt, oil, adding a little of water at a time & kneading! It would take 7-8 minutes! Keep covered for 10-15 minutes, remove cover, knead for 2-3 minutes & tear off smaller portions!

Roll into round paratha shapes, add some filling and fold as below. You can place the filling on the side too & roll!

At first dip the rolls in the refined flour-water mixture we would prepare & then coat with the bread crumb! Repeat it again!











Heat the oil in a clean wok. Deep fry them and transfer onto a tissue paper to get rid of the excess oil.





Serve & have them hot with your choice of sauce / dip / chutney & onion, cucumber rings!












Monday 23 November 2015

KASHMIRI PANEER CHAMAN



I was looking for a different paneer recipe which I have never cooked before. I landed into this recipe of Kashmiri paneer which they call Veth Chaman in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. As I came across the recipe, I was once again lost in the past. It was October, 1987 that we visited Kashmir, indeed a Paradise on Earth. Mesmerised by its picturesque beauty, I always wished to visit again in future but never could. Everything I saw there is still fresh in mind, even the innocence of the rural people. A basket full of apples was gifted happily, they even refused to take money. Then what did they ask in return? Our mother's strips of Bindi.

What I do not remember is if we tasted local cuisine there or not. What I always say our parents were limited in their choice of food then. What I read is this Paneer Chaman is a dish prepared by the Kashmiri Pandits of Jammu and Kashmir. I went through a number of recipes and finally adapted this recipe from "mapsofindia.com". The paneer pieces are usually fried but I did not as I was trying to reduce the amount of oil consumption. Let us do it.



INGREDIENTS :

Paneer : 300gm
Tomato : 2medium
Asafoetida : A pinch
Ginger Powder : 1tsp
Fennel Powder : 1tsp
Garam Masala Powder : 1/4tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/4tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Salt : As required
Cumin Seeds : 2pinches
Milk : 1/2 small cup
Oil : 2tbsp

PROCEDURE :

Cut the paneer into cubes and marinate with little salt.

Cut and wash the tomatoes and discard the seeds. Prepare a tomato paste in the blender.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper with cumin seeds and a pinch of asafoetida.

Add the tomato paste and saute well for 2-3 minutes. Add salt, turmeric, ginger powder, fennel powder, Kashmiri mirch, red chilli powder and stir well for 1 minute.

Pour half cup water and let the gravy boil at low heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the paneer pieces and milk. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the garam masala powder. Stir carefully.

Let cook for half a minute and switch off the gas stove.

Enjoy with any kind of  bread.





Sunday 22 November 2015

PARSHE MAACHER JHAL


I google searched frantically but did not find the English name of "Parshe" .... Although most would say it is the baby form of Grey Mullet, I am unwilling to buy the theory! The Bengalis who will stop by my recipe will understand which fish I am talking about. Those who love Bengali Cuisine, they will perhaps know if they regularly visit Bengali restaurants. For the rest, you can do with any small fish of your choice. This particular fish is very common among us, a common sight in any Bengali fish market. It has very less bones and hence very comfortable to have. We prepare plain curry with it, have it deep fried as an accompaniment with rice and lentils or prepare a thick gravy with it from a paste made of black mustard seeds and green chillies.

The other day I got the coveted sized Parshe in our wet market. We usually get them on weekends. I was so very happy to see them in a foreign land. But they are not as fresh as found in the Kolkata wet markets! Their price also is reasonable compared to other varieties. Always buy the smaller in size, because they taste better. Using mustard seed paste is very common among us in curries and veggies. Let us prepare this extremely easy to do Parshe Maacher Jhal.

Besides doing this curry, such smaller sized parshe mach / fish can be enjoyed deep fried! I am also fond of a curry with a ginger & red chilli paste, a bit thick would be the curry! That texture we get using a good amount of ginger paste & stir frying it for a longer period! Neither side of my family are Parshe Fish lovers; somehow I started enjoying the very fresh varieties we get in our Kolkata neighbourhood's wet market "Baguiati Bazaar"!



INGREDIENTS :

Parshe Fish: 6 - 8 [small sized mullet]
Mustard Seed[preferably black] : 2tsp
Green Chilli : 4-5[adjust according to your taste bud]
Garlic Clove : 2[optional]
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder: 1tsp
Nigella Seeds[kalonji/kalojeere] : 3pinches
Oil[authentically mustard] : 4tbsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves to garnish [optional]

METHOD :

Clean the stomach and the scales of each fish and wash 2-3 times thoroughly. Rub 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt as required. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile wash the mustard seeds thoroughly through a strainer. Put it in a blender along with green chilli, garlic cloves, little salt and water. Blend it till smooth. We get a paste like consistency. Add the rest of the turmeric powder to the paste.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the fish in batches till brown on both sides. Do not over fry.

Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Add the mustard paste and quick stir for 1/2 a minute. Add 1/2  cup water and let the gravy boil for 3-4 minutes at low heat. Add salt if required.

Add the fried Parshe fish carefully and let boil for another 2-3 minutes at low heat. Its done.

Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with slitted green chillies and enjoy with piping hot steamed rice, dal and a vegetarian dish.








Friday 20 November 2015

DAHI POORI


WHILST IN KOLKATA, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER WANT DOI PHUCHKA; AT FIFTY, DAHI POORI CHAAT HAVE BECOME A CRAZE!

Yesterday was a  hot day, I had to be out for a pretty long time. I craved for some chilled food back home. It is for quite sometime I was planning to prepare Dahi Poori. Just back from the afternoon heat, I was tired, yet went ahead with it. I felt it will give me some respite from the heat. 

Those who stay in the tropical countries, they will echo my words. As I have told earlier, my food preferences have also undergone changes in the recent years. I have started to love more of fruits, chaats and different kind of veggies. Fresh Water Fish; I will always be in love with.

I heavily followed Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe while doing it. For the home made crispy kachori, miniature poori I called them; I went through few recipes earlier too. I was happy that I could make the crispy kachoris at home. Doing something from the scratch is very satisfying. Below is the recipe of Dahi Kachori with stepwise pictures.



INGREDIENTS :[for the kachori]

Semolina : 1small tea cup
Whole Wheat Flour : 2tsp
Salt : 1/4spoon
Baking Soda : A pinch or two
Oil : 1tsp + 50ml[to fry]
Water : As Required

INGREDIENTS :[for the filling]
Potato[boiled] : 2
Black Chana: 1/4 small tea cup
Plain Yogurt : 1cup
Green Coriander Chutney : 1/2tsp in each kachori
Dates Tamarind Chutney : 1/2tsp in each kachori
Roasted Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Chilli Powder : A pinch on top of each kachori
Chaat Masala : A pinch on top of each kachori
Sev : 1/4tsp for each [fried, thin gram flour noodles]
Sugar : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Coriander Leaves[chopped] : 2tbsp

METHOD :

Wash and soak the black chana in hot water for 3-4 hours.

Prepare a not too soft, neither too hard dough using the semolina, wheat flour, salt, baking powder, oil and water.

Roll into small puris as seen below. Better we roll out a big, round shape and use a small, round container lid to cut and shape!


Heat oil in a wok. Fry the puris till crisp. They look as this.


Let them cool. Make a hole in the middle of each of them.

Mash the boiled potatoes adding salt, cumin powder and coriander powder.

Beat the yogurt with the sugar. Take all the ingredients in separate bowls as below.

Drain the water from the black chana!




At first; fill in each of the poori / fried puffed bread with mashed potato, then the boiled Bengal Gram chana, green chutney, date chutney, yogurt, sev, red chilli powder, chaat masala, chopped coriander leaves. They look as what you see in the pictures.