Baked Rashogolla/Rasgullas

Kolkata trips are always hectic, travel and foodie trips, a real stress buster. Though this time the visit was too short, only for 4 days, still we managed to have some delicacies. As this was a festival time, and mostly covered by Pujas, so the percentage of Bhog (puja offerings) from different temples and sweets were top in the list. Both of us miss such kind of Bhog as well.  See this Kali puja offering from Lake Kalibari is really tempting. Isn’t it?

Bhog from Lake Kali bari

Next is the sweet tales.  Now, that Balaram Mullick and Son’s have an outlet nearby our place, so my boudi (brother’s wife) was keen on making us taste almost all their delicacies. I really do not care about weight gain when I am at this City of Joy. Thus, in 4 days we have tasted almost all the signature dishes of Balaram Mullick, ranging from baked mihidana (a type of sweet made up with besan mixed or gram flour, ghee and water), Baked doi (sweet curd), Baked Sandesh, Choclate stuffed Sandesh, Baked Rashogolla and what not. Among all these I loved Baked Rashogolla and Baked Doi. O they were just heavenly. This one is from BMS.

Baked Rashogolla: Balaram Mullick and Son's

Back in Pune, I was craving for those sweets and believe me I went to that extent to enquire for their franchise in Pune. But no, they didn’t answer. After a 15 days break, it was little hectic to settle down. So I rarely got time for any experiments. But in the back of my mind baked Rashogollas were very much present.  This Tuesday was my sis-in-law’s birthday and she will be moving for long term to Boston, next weekend. We planned to celebrate her birthday. And that was when I thought of making these baked Rashogollas for her birthday (dear sis is usually part of all my experiments). According to the plan I made the Rashogollas a day before and baked them on Tuesday afternoon after returning back from work.

The entire process took 1-1.15 minutes. The attempt was successful. Everyone liked it and both my daughter and my husband said that it is as delicious as the original. Hmmm….loved both the sweet and the compliments.

Here comes the recipe. I will not give the recipe of the Rashogollas as it is already there in my blog. I will only give the process of baking.

Ingredients

Rashogollas 20 pieces (you can use tinned or the readymade ones as well)Condensed milk 1 can1 litter full cream milkHalf cup waterCardamom drop(2-3 drops)

Process for making the milk sauce:

Take a thick bottom pan and boil the milk to reduce it to half.Add the condensed milk to it and stir to avoid burning from bottom.At this point add little water.When it is thick remove from heat.Allow this to cool.

Remember after the sauce cools down it will become a little thicker. So remove it from heat before it reaches to your desired thickness.

Baking Process:

Squeeze the sugar syrap from the rashogollas and dip them into the milk sauce. Place them in the baking bowl.The rashogollas should be fully covered in sauce. You can pour the extra sauce from the top.Add 2-3 drops of cardamomPreheat the oven and bake the Rashogollas on the top rack. When you find the top layer brownish, the process is complete. I baked in 250 degree for 30 minutes. Let them cool down and then serve.

                                            

Coconut-Semolina Laddu

This time Ganpati Utsav celebration was again big and a memorable one. In our society the function is for 7 days, the first and the last day being the grand one. Each day we have morning and evening aarti where one nominated resident takes the responsibility for Ganeshji’s bhog and aarti for one morning or evening. Evening aartis are followed by different events and activities. 7 days of fun and excitement, busy and time management- a most awaited event of the year.

courtsey Google

This time I had the responsibility of the aarti and bhog on the first day of the puja, i.e., on Ganesh Chaturthi. For the first time I have made Prasad for 100 people- coconut-semolina laddu. It was finished then and there and appreciated but I could not taste any as I was busy in distributing them and when I finished I found all the boxes empty. Even though I could not taste it but I was happy that everyone liked it.

Now, the recipe

Ingredients  

Semolina/suji – 1 kg
Grated Coconut- 1 kg
Sugar – 1 kg
Ghee: 2tbsp
Milk- ½ L (optional)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of camphor powder
Cashew and raisins to decorate

NOTE: I have given the ingredients for 100-120 pieces but you may not make in such an amount. Just remember the quantity of semolina and coconut should be the same, sugar should be at least half of the added quantity of semolina and coconut, i.e.,  I have taken 1 kg each both semolina and coconut which makes them 2 kgs, so the quantity of sugar is 1 kg. Anything less than this will be difficult to bind.

Method                                                                                                                        
Heat ghee in a deep bottomed pan.

Add semolina and coconut and keep the gas on medium flame. 

Keep stirring continuously or they might burn at the bottom.

Stir and you will find the oil coming out from coconut. Now add sugar to the mix and stir.

Add salt and camphor powder.

If you are adding milk then by this time boil and let the milk reduce to half of its quantity. I prefer to add this as it enhances the taste.

Now you will see that the sugar is melted and the mixture started to bind. Switch off the gas before it become too hard.

Now take water in a bowl and wet your palms. Take a small quantity of mixture (as per the size of the laddoos) and shape them round. You can decorate them at the top with half cut cashew and raisins.

Allow them to cool and serve.

Misal

Some days back I was just counting about how long I am out of Kolkata. Oh…15 years now!!! in Mumbai and Pune.  And in these 15 years I have been in love with these cities. Yes, I miss Kolkata, how can I ever forget my Tilottama city! But both Mumbai and Kolkata have made places in my heart. By now I can understand and speak Marathi, I wait for the Ganpati utsav, love to watch Marathi Theater and of course the Maharashtra cuisine. Goda Masala, abundance of groundnut and dry coconut, the kari patta flavor though very different from our Bengali cuisine but very tasty. Thus, I became fond of chawli, thecha, missal, bangi, bhindi masala and mostly all of the dishes so much that now along with Bengali, Bihari recipes,  Maharashtrian dishes are also fondly and frequently made at my place.

I have already shared the recipe of Bharli Wangi (Stuffed Brinjal). Now today it is Maharashtrian Misal.

Ingredients

Pulses:

100gm green moong  

50 gms  matki/mat beans

10 gms Bengal gram whole

10 gms dried green peas

Other Ingredients

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 tomato finely chopped

Green chilies (as per your tolerance) finely chopped

Garlic Paste 1 tsp

Any vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Turmeric 1tsp

Jeera powder 1tbsp

Dhaniya powder 1tbsp

Lalmirch Powder as per taste

Sugar ½ tsp

Maharashtrain Goda Masala 2 tbsp

Dry coconut powder (optional) 1 tsp or as per choice

Whole spices: jeera and mustard

Water

Kari patta and coriander leaves for flavor

Preparation

Wash the pulses thoroughly and soak them overnight.

Take them out of water after being soaked and wash again and dry.

Prepare the Goda masala or you can buy the readymade one. I make this along with some of my neighbours together at the end of summer for the whole year and use it for different dishes.

Cooking                                                                                                                               

Heat a pan and add the whole spices and kari patta.

Add the chopped onion and tomato and fry till light brown.

Add the garlic paste, green chillies, salt and turmeric.

Now, add the pulses and all the spices including the dry coconut powder. Mix well and cook.

You will get a nice flavor of the mixed spices and see the oil coming up.

Now add water and pressure cook with 2 whistles.

Wait for the cooker to open. Check for salt and if the gravy is too runny dry it till your needed consistency.

Garnish with Coriander leaves.

You can also garnish with finely chopped onions and sev. Add some lemon juice.

Serve with homemade pav, rice or dalia.

Fried Mushroom with Garlic

This time I have visited my blog quiet after a long time. It is not that I had taken a break from cooking. I cook as per my mood (Yes, I am a terribly moody person). Often I clicked the pictures of the dishes and also often I could not. Just like last night. I made a brinjal dish but before I could take a photo all of us gulped it. No, today I will not talk of that. May be after a few months or whenever my mood allows I will add that recipe.

Many a times I have mentioned that all my dishes are simple and I am an amateur cook and a blogger. I write the recipes for me-like people, who started cooking late and/or cooking became a passion of late. It will be really encouraging for me if you leave a comment after trying or reading any of my recipes.

Today, I am back with a mushroom dish which I had made 2-3 months back. This is loved by my daughter and her friends and also our friends. So, here for you is Fried Mushroom with Garlic.

Ingredients

12-15 White button mushroom
8-10 Crushed Garlic Cloves
Garlic Paste 1 tea spoon
Salt as per taste
1 Tbsp butter
Crushed black Pepper as per tolerance (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

Clean the mushrooms properly.

Place them on a kitchen tissue and pat them dry.

In the mean time crush the garlic cloves and black pepper if you do not have them ready.

Now…

Method                                                                                                                               

Heat a pan. Put butter on it and then the garlic paste.

Add the mushrooms and add salt.

Keep the flame high and stir.

Do not cover. Remember mushrooms tend to leave water. So you should be careful that they should not be overcooked, since this is a fried dish.

After the water gets dried add crushed garlic and stir.

The dish is complete when the water is completely dried and the mushrooms are crispy. You can check for salt and add some more if needed. If not required you can turn off the gas.

Sprinkle crushed pepper. Add and mix lemon juice if you like it little tangy.

A very good, healthy and less time consuming side dish or finger food which you can serve at kid’s party as well. The crisp and tangy taste is liked by all age group.

Try and let me know.

Raw Jackfruit Kofta- A vegetarian delicacy

This weekend I tried raw jackfruit kofta. This is the time when you get these vegetables like raw jackfruit (kathail) or stripe gourd (parwal) and both are my favourites. Every time whenever I bring jackfruit, I usually go for the plain sabzi. This time I thought of making koftas. These vegetable delicacies remind me of my dida’s recipes, simple yet lajawab!!!

Making kofta is quiet time consuming, so I had chosen the weekend. With Kofta I had made veg biriyani accompanied with simple dahi raita.

It happens many times with many of us when some pure vegetarian guests are invited and we wonder of what to make or something new to make to avoid the repetitions. This dish is one of such kind which serves as a full royal meal. So here the recipe goes.

Ingredients

For Kofta

1 raw Jackfruit 1 Kg

2 potatoes Medium

100 gms chana dal 

2 green chilly

2 onion medium

½  tbsp Turmeric

1- 1/2  tbsp jeera powder

1 tbsp dhaniya powder

red chily powder as per tollerance

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

Salt as per taste

Sugar as per taste

Oil to fry the koftas

½ tsp garam masala

Few drops of ghee

Preparation:

Soak  chana dal for 2-3 hrs

Cut the Jackfruit into small pieces. (I usually get this peeled off from my vendor. If you have to peel this then refer to my earlier post (https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=72189134158661279#editor/target=post;postID=6041779103784091833;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=15;src=postname)

Peel potatoes and cut into halves                 

Pressure-cook the jackfruit pieces, potatoes and the soaked chana dal with a pinch of salt and turmeric. Do not overcook. I had cooked with 2 whistles.

While these get cooked, finely chop onions and the green chilies.

Open the pressure cooker, after it cools down and pour the steamed vegetables in a sieve to drain the water.

Mash them nicely.

Cooking:

Heat oil in a pan. Put the finely sliced onions and the green chilies and fry them till golden brown.

Add all the spices one by one and the garlic and the ginger paste and let the spices be cooked.

Add little sugar.  

When the spices are well cooked (this you can ensure when you see oil coming out) add the mashed vegetables and mix them continuously. 

When you see the mix is completely dry remove it from heat.

Now, make kofta balls out of this mixture. If you find the binding is not enough, you can add besan to this and mix well.

Fry the koftas.

For Curry:

1 medium potato (optional)

1big onion

1 big tomato

1  tbsp Turmeric

1 tbsp jeera powder

1 tbsp dhaniya powder

red chily powder as per tollerance

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

Salt as per taste

Sugar as per taste

Mustard oil or any oil

Jeera/Whole Cumin seeds and Bayleaves/ tejpatta for seasoning

½ tsp garam masala

Few drops of ghee

2-3 cups of water

Preparation:

If you are using potato then cut it into medium cubes.

Chop tomatoes and onions.

Cooking:

Heat oil in a pan. Temper with whole Jeera/Whole Cumin seeds and Bayleaves/ tejpatta.

Add the potatoes with ½ tsp of salt and turmeric. When the potatoes turn golden remove them from the oil.

Add the chopped onion and tomato and fry till it is soft.

In the meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all the spices and the ginger, garlic paste with half cup of water.

Add this paste when the onion gets light brown in colour. Add ½ tsp of sugar and continue to cook till the water dries up and oil releases.

Now add 2-3 cups of water. Let the water boil for some time. You will have to add the fried potaoes at this stage if you are using them. When you feel the consistency of the gravy is alright remove it from flame. 

As the kofta balls will soak the water so it is important to leave this gravy a little runny.

Now add the fried koftas and add ½ tsp of garam masala and Ghee. Keep this covered for some time to allow the koftas to soak the gravy. 

Be careful while serving as the koftas are now soft. Serve with roti, paratha, steamed rice or Biriyani.

Semolina kheer or Sujir payesh

Yes, I am back. It was a very hectic time. Even though sometimes I cooked something different from everyday’s routine but could not pen them down. In this period, I really did not indulge into anything very complex. Oh! Ok, now if somebody is reading this or reads my blog regularly, knows that I really never go for complex things.

Most of the blogs and food groups are featured with saliva tempting photos of different matured, complex food items. Both the picture and the recipe describe its intrinsic quality. It also defines the expertise of the writer as a cook and a photographer.  

But I am an amateur cook and a poor photographer and equally a poor writer. Neither of these are my expert areas.  As I mentioned in some of my earlier posts, that it is R who inspires me to cook. Before she was there in our life I hardly cooked. But now I just love to response to her demands. I wait for her reactions. And what a 3.5 year old girl can ask for! so, mostly my dishes move around different types of sweets and simple veg and non-veg items. I write down these recipes so that I do not forget them and also for people like me who are not expert cooks.  I believe there may be at least one in the audience, who is like me- a little bit of kitchen-phobic, not that passionate of cooking, yet has to cook.

 It was during my college days, I was watching Sanjeev Kapoor’s Khana Khazana, once. That day SK was teaching how to cook bottle-gourd (lauki). I was with one of my very senior friend. I was surprised to see SK teaching that lauki dish which Ma used to cook at least once in a week. I expressed it to my friend. Now, my friend who had just started her family life a year back, said me that even these are needed for the first time cooks. However, I was not convinced till I faced the situation. I would really be very happy if my recipes are useful to anybody.

Today the recipe that I will share with you is a sweet dish. 15 days back once when I returned from office, my daughter asked me to feed her with luchi (puri) and suji (semolina) and payesh (kheer). It was already 8 o’ clock. R does not want any vegetable with luchi but the husband man needs. So, altogether 4 dishes within 45 minutes- prepare ata for luchi, peel vegetables and cook, suji and kheer. No, that was not possible. So, I decided to club suji and kheer into one and came up with semolina kheer or sujir payesh, one of my childhood favourite, Ma used to cook very frequently. Here’s how  I did.

Ingredients

Milk 1 ltr

Semolina/suji 1 cup (50-75 gms)

Sugar 1 cup or as per taste

A pinch of salt

Condensed milk 4-5 tbsp

Ghee: 1tbsp

Cashew

Raisins

Green cardamom 1

Bay leaves, cardamom powder

Method                                                                                                                               

In a deep bottomed pan take semolina and dry roast till its golden (approx 5-7 minutes). Keep stirring continuously or it might burn at the bottom.

Boil the milk and divide it into 2 equal shares.

Take out the semolina and soak it in one part and keep apart the other share. Soak the semolina for at least 20 minutes or it softens. After 20 minutes, if you see that it has soaked all the milk then slowly add some warm water to it.

Now add heat the pan and add ghee. Add the bay leaves and the green cardamom. Add cashews and fry till golden.

Now add the soaked semolina. To this one by one add the sugar, pinch of salt, condensed milk and the raisins. Add the separated milk slowly.

Mix well with a heavy spatula and cook in a low flame for 5 minutes. Add the cardamom powder.

Remove it from heat. Remember this will thicken after being cold. So, remove it little watery.

Serve at room temperature.

Chili Prawn

All the 3 of us love prawns. I make it too often with many variations. Some are pure Bengali dishes and some are just fusions. This time it’s a type of Chinese preparation, but really not observing all the Chinese cooking norms or using all the Chinese cooking ingredients. This is a readymade version for working mothers. This goes well with roti or Chowmin or any kind of fried rice.

Presenting before you- another dish of prawn- Chili Prawn (my version)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Medium sized Prawns (20 pieces)

Salt as per taste

1 big onion and 1 big capsicum cut into dice shape (you can add any vegetables like carrots, French beans etc.)

4-5 garlic cloves cut into halves from length

Green chili cut from length (quantity as per your tolerance)

1 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp green pepper sauce

1 tsp red pepper sauce

1 tsp chili vinegar

Red chili powder as per taste (optional)

Salt as per taste

water

oil

Method

Clean, wash and pat dry prawns. Rub them with salt and chili powder and keep aside

Heat a pan with oil. Add the diced onion, capsicum and garlic. Add a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes

Now add the prawns and the green chilies. Continue to cook until all the ingredients become soft.

Now add all the sauces and vinegar and mix well and cook.

Add half cup of water and bring to boil.

I love this dish semi dry. You can remove the dish from heat when you get the required consistency of the dish.

Baked Prawn

Today’s dish is on the view of the festive season ahead. This has been made long back but was lost amidst other recipes. I started browsing through my recipes to post something new on Food Mood and More…’s wall and I found 2 prawn dishes yet to be posted. Here, is the first one. A very simple, less time consuming dish- easy to prepare, easy to digest and with a great taste; you do not have to spend too long in the kitchen. So, here comes my first dish of today- Baked Prawn.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes

Ingredients

Medium sized Prawns (20 pieces)

Salt as per taste

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 big onion sliced

1 cheese cube grated

½ tsp oregano

olive oil or any other oil [this dish requires very little oil]

Method

Clean, wash and pat dry prawns. In a microwave safe bowl put the prawns marinated with salt, lemon juice and 1 tsp oil. Keep for 10 minutes.

In the mean time heat a wok with 1 tsp oil and shallow fry the onions with a pinch of salt. Remove onion slices from heat when they are soft.

Mix the fried onions with the prawns. Now add the grated cheese.

Preheat the microwave. In convection mode bake the prawns for 5 minutes.

Then bring the bowl out and turn prawns to the reverse side. At this time you can check if the prawns are cooked or how much is left to be cooked. Depending on that you can time your baking. I did it for 2 minutes more. Do not overcook prawns.

 Sprinkle oregano and serve.

Fried Baby Potatoes

In this post I am sharing the recipe of fried baby potatoes. This I made randomly. Since, long time was having these potatoes at home, needed to be cooked at the earliest. As dum aloo is a dish that is frequently cooked, I thought of some other variation. This dish came out very tasty and was liked by everyone. A simple and easy making dish.

Ingredients

Baby Potato 20-25 pieces peeled and cut into halves

Salt as per taste

½ tsp Turmeric powder

1 tbsp roasted ground nut powder

1 tbsp grated coconut

A pinch of whole mustard seed

Whole Red chilly 1-2

5-6 curry leaves

Coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Method                                                                                                                               

In a pan, heat oil. When the oil is heated add the mustard seeds and the whole red chilly.

Now add the peeled, washed potatoes.

Add salt and turmeric powder.

Cover and cook in low flame.

Fry till the potatoes are brown in color.

Now add the ground nut powder, grated coconut and the curry leaves.

Mix well and fry for five minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut.

Note: If you want you can add chilly powder or green chilies.

Kheer and Ground Cashew nut Sandesh

Image Courtesy Google

Vijaya Dashami, a day when we bid adieu to Ma Durga. As per Bengali tradition, Ma Durga is regarded as the daughter, who comes to her ‘Baaper bari (maiden home)’ with her children to spend 4 days. In Kolkata, these four days are the best spent days in a year. The air is vibrant.

Image Courtesy Google

As daughter comes to baper bari, so there should be a tone of happiness everywhere. She should get the feeling that back at her maiden home everything is going very nice and people are happy. As per myths, she is offered the best food from Saptami to Navami. Then on Dashami, she is served with panta bhat (previous day’s rice mixed with water) and Kochur saag (colocassia), so that she can go and say to Shiv bhagvan how poor people are at her maiden’s place. In the evening of dashamis there is ‘thakur baran’.  Married ladies in this occasion fill plates with pan ‘betel leaves’, a coin, a lump of mud, coriander seeds, ajwain seeds, a book,  sindoor and sandesh ‘sweets.’ All these are made touched to Ma Durga and all others who accompany her. After the ritual of baran, married ladies put the offered sindoor on each other’s forehead and bangles. The idols are now ready for immersion. After the immersion, younger people touch the feet of elders, friends embrace each others, greeting Shubho Bijaya. Sweet is distributed.

Since, childhood, I have always seen Ma and dida busy on these days with cooking. As everybody had a vacation at this time, they used to make their special dishes. Baba used to do the necessary sabji and machli shopping mostly by Shashthi. From Saptami onwards the grand feast was on till Dashami. Then on Dashami afternoon, post lunch, Ma and dida used to sit for making ‘narkol-er naru (coconut laddoos)’. In those days ‘narkol-naru’ were must serve sweets for anyone who comes for Bijaya.  In our childhood days, people used to go to every friend and relative’s place to do Bijaya. Places which were not readily accessible there post cards were sent, saying ‘Shubho Bijaya’. Narkol Naaru, ghugni and gaja or nimki were the dishes which were the common items for ‘bijaya’. Very simple items-  yet very tasty.

The simple things of those days are not common now. Time, place, lifestyle had created obstacle in many rituals. May be we cannot do it like our mothers but still we try to give these essences to our next generation.

My Dashami special sweet was- Kheer and Ground Cashew nut Sandesh. This was really loved by everyone who tasted.

Ingredients for 40 pieces

Milk 2 ltr

Cashew Nuts 50gms

Sugar 20 gms

Pinch of cardamom powder/ or cardamom pods

Method                                                                                                                               

In a deep bottomed pan start boiling milk adding cardamom pods. As it gets heated lower the flame and keep reducing the milk.

Reduce till its consistency becomes semi solid.

Grind cashew nuts.

Add ground cashew nut and sugar with the milk and cook in a low flame till the mixture comes to a binding state.

Cool the mixture in a plate.

In a bowl take water. Wet your hand. Take a little amount of mixture and make balls out of it slowly, then flatten it with your palm.

Decorate it with kishmish.

Mahalaya Special

Mahalaya sets the starting of Devipaksh and end of Pitripaksh. An auspicious day, marked with Tarpan ‘an event of paying homage to ancestors ’.  This is also the day when Ma Durga starts her journey from Kailash to Martya. As per Bengali traditions she reaches on the 6th day, i.e., Panchami and our Durga puja starts from the next day- Shashthi.

Since, my childhood I have always waited for this day. This was a very busy day, starting at 4 A.m with the Chandipath of Shri Birendra Krishna Bhadra in radio- Akashvani Kolkata. Baba used to wake us up for this event. I always slept in the middle of the program and finally used to get up at my usual time.

This was also the day when we used to go for our puja marketing. Ahh such a special day!!! new dress, new shoes. Unlike today’s time, in our childhood chances of having new dresses were not so frequent-few occasions included were Puja, poila boishakh, shashthi and birthday. Among these, puja was very special. There was an option of more than two dresses, new shoes, ribbons, bangles etc. and not only that, the actual excitement for me was to go to Kolkata and do the marketing, then eating outside- Nahus, Amenia, Puntiram etc. Now, this offer is not something that you get regularly.

Post childhood, it was boudi (sis-in-law) and me shopping- from north to South, from new clothes to food products, from Mahalaya to Panchami.

I am out of Kolkata for 12 years now and in these 12 years, it was only once when I could make it for Durgapuja. Since these 12 years, every year I wake up early, listen to Mahalaya, and then crowded with the nostalgic feelings start my Devipaksh.

As I have always seen Ma cooking something special for this day, even I do try.

This time my Mahalaya special was a mixecd thali of Maharastrian and Bengali Cusine. I made Bharli Wangi (Stuffed Brinjal), Paneer Fritters and Rui Mach-er Kalia.

The Recipe for Bharli Wangi  is as follows:

Ingredients

8-10 Small Baingan or Brinjals

2  medium onions finely chopped

Green chilies  (3-4 or as per your tolerance)

Garlic Paste 1 tea spoon

Any vegetable oil 3 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Turmeric 1tsp

Dry Spices:

Jeera powder 1tbsp

 Dhaniya powder 1tbsp

lalmirch Powder as per taste

Groundnut powder 3tbsp

Sugar ½ tsp

Dry coconut powder (optional) 1 tsp or as per choice

Whole spices: jeera and mustard

Curd 2 table spoon

Water ½  cup

Kari patta and coriander leaves for flavor

Preparation

Wash the Brinjals properly and cut the stem a little from length and make 4 slits. Remember the Brinjals will remain intact so while slitting them be careful not to cut the whole.

Make the groundnut powder. Dry roast the groundnuts till they are brown. Remove the peels and let it cool down. Now ground them. Keep the powder coarse.

Now mix all the spices together.

Cooking                                                                                                                               

Heat a pan with oil and lightly fry the brinjals with salt and Turmeric. When they are soft remove from heat and cool them.

Now in the oil add the whole spices and kari patta.

Add the chopped onion and fry light brown. Add the garlic paste and fry for some more time.

Now, with the help of a spoon carefully stuff the mixed spices into the brinjals.

Add the brinjals to the fried onion, cover and cook in simmer for some time.

Add salt and sugar.

Add sliced green chilies.

Add the dry coconut powder.

Now mix them properly and cook for some time.

Now add water and let it dry. It is a thick gravy dish.

Now beat the curd and add.

Mix properly and switch off the gas.

Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve hot with roti/paratha or rice.

Now, the Rui Macher Kalia. This is also a thick gravy spicy dish of Rohu.

Ingredients

Rohu medium pieces 6-8

2  medium onions finely chopped

Green chilies slit (as per your tolerance)

1 big onion pasted

1 medium tomato pasted

Garlic Paste 1 tea spoon

Ginger Paste 1 tea spoon

Salt as per taste

½ teaspoon sugar

Turmeric Powder

Jeera Powder 2 tea spoon

Red chilly Powder as per wish

Oil

Ghee 1 teaspoon and garam masala

Method

Wash the fishes and rub with salt and turmeric. Fry them lightly.

Add whole jeera, 2-3 cardamom pods, 2-3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 bay leaves. Add the onion paste and fry. Now add the garlic and tomato paste and fry for some time.

In a small bowl take all the spices and ginger paste and make mixture with water.  Add this to the fried onion and tomato paste. To this add the green chilies. Cook till the spices are fried and the oil comes up. Add the sugar.

Add the fishes and Add 1-1/2  cup of water. Allow the fish to be cooked.

When the gravy is dry add ghee and garam masala and stop.

Serve with rice.

Paneer Fritters

Ingredients

Milk 1 litre

Vinegar 2 tbsp

Carrot, Capsicum, onion, green chili and tomato cut into small pieces

Bread

Salt

Oil

Method

Boil the milk. Add vinegar and make the paneer. (You can avoid this step and use readymade paneer. I love the taste of homemade paneer). Remove water from paneer and make it semi dry.

In a pan, heat oil.  Add the finely chopped vegetables and add salt and cook. When the vegetables are cooked add the paneer. Cook for some time till paneer is mixed finely with the vegetables. Cook till oil comes out.

Take the cooked paneer after cooling it. Divide it into 8-10 equal portions. Roll with your hands and give desired shapes.

Have water in a small bowl. Wet your palms and then take the breads. Cover the paneer balls from all side. Once done Deep fry them. 

Baked Chanda Mach (Chanda Fish)

These days were totally a messed up sort. I have mentioned in my earlier post about our shifting and R’s ill health. These were accompanied by the absence of the aunty who used to be with us and take care of R and helped me in cooking and household. This phase went for 2 months. R is keeping well now (fingers crossed) and the aunty is back. A sigh of relief!!!

R is demanding for many dishes now from Rasgulla to cup cakes to luchi.  I made luchi, alu matar-er sabji and halwa for Ganpati Bappa’s bhog. This I will post some other day. Today’s posted dish is actually made quite back, on Independence Day. Due to lack of time and mood could not post it. I will do it today.

After we shifted, this was for the first time Kda and Idi wanted to come. On those days there were frequent visit to the doctor- for both my father and R, then- tests, medicines etc. Neither S nor I could find time to go to the market.  So my fridge was almost empty. But then, Kda are more like a family. So never matter if the pantry is full or not. I checked and found that I have 1.5 kg chicken and 12-15 pieces of Chanda fish, half k.g or so Parawal. I thought of preparing plain rice, roti, alu parwal ki sabzi, chicken curry and baked fish. Rest can be ordered from outside.

This was for the first time that I had experimented baking with Chanda fish. Infact, for the first time I was cooking this fish. This variety was not very much available in Kolkata. I found this one more like any other sea fish, say pomfret. The fish was easily cooked and very soft. The taste was perfect. All of us enjoyed the fish- the drink- the music and of course the adda.

Ingredients

Chanda Fish 15 pieces

2 tbsp garlic paste

2 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt as per taste

1tsp Turmeric powder

Red chily powder as per tolerance level

2tbsp olive oil

Method

Clean the fish wash and pat dry them. Rub the fish with all the ingredients and keep marinated for 2-3 hrs.

Preheat the oven in 180 degree and bake the fish for 10-12 minutes. Take them out carefully to see if they are properly cooked and soft. If not, bake for 5 more minutes.

Serve hot with salad of your choise or Mayo dip.