Monday, February 24, 2014

R's concert and Karaishuti-r Kacahuri, Niramish Alur Dam and Enchorer tarkari (Peas Kachauri, Dam aloo without onion Garlic and Raw jackfruit curry)

R had a concert this Sunday. Friday and Saturday were dress rehearsal days. On Friday she went to the auditorium in her school bus. Usually, R is accompanied by her papa to school. So she was quite excited of this first time experience. So much that when I said that ‘you will be dropped by your school bus’ she started clapping and dancing. Kids, unlike us become so happy with little-little things!

Saturday she had to wear her dance costume and go with full make up. My little one was dancing on the Goan song ‘ya ya maya ya’. Here’s the picture of her dress rehearsal.

On Saturday I dropped her to the auditorium. There is a big ground and all the kids were arranged there according to their class. My darling went to her respective place and chose a corner to sit.

Somehow she’s very calm and quiet, when she’s at school. Whenever I met her teacher, she said that R loves to be alone than in a group. This Saturday I witnessed that. I stood there for some time. She waved her hand and blew a kiss to me. Something was there on her face which made me feel that she was missing me.  I felt my eyes wet.

That morning she asked for blue colored luchis/puri J. As this is the end of winter and also the season of fresh peas, I thought of making Peas Kachauri or Karaishutir Kachuri. Traditionally, Karaishutir Kachuri is accompanied with niramish alur dam (dam alu without onion and garlic) and some sweets. As there were some guests as well, I thought of making one more vegetable. Raw jackfruit was there. So, this Saturday dinner was grand with Karaishuti-r Kacahuri, Niramish Alur Dam and Enchorer tarkari (Peas Kachauri, Dam aloo without onion Garlic and Raw jackfruit curry). I had not made any sweet dish, instead S brought Jalebis.

Here are the recipes.

Raw jackfruit curry/ Enchorer tarkari

Ingredients
1 raw Jackfruit 1.5 Kg
2 potatoes Medium
1 Tomato small
2 green chilly
1 onion medium
1 tbsp Turmeric
1 tbsp jeera powder
1 tbsp dhaniya powder
1 tbsp red chily powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
½ tbsp garlic paste
Salt as per taste
Sugar as per taste
2 tbsp Mustard oil
Jeera/Whole Cumin seeds and Bayleaves/ tejpatta for seasoning
½ tsp garam masala
Few drops of ghee
2-3 cups of water

Preparation:
Cut the Jackfruit into small pieces.
If you are doing it for the first time, take help of your mother (which I did) or check this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Me3Ohq_NaY
Cut the potatoes into medium cubes
Chop tomatoes and onions.
Slit the green chilies
Cooking
Steam the jackfruit. Do not overcook. Remove the pressure cooker from heat after a single whistle.
Open the pressure cooker, after it cools down and pour the steamed jackfruit in a sieve to drain the water.
Heat oil in a deep-bottomed pan. When the oil is hot enough fry the potatoes with ½ tsp of salt and turmeric. When the potatoes turn golden remove them from the oil.
Next, fry the steamed jackfruit till it is golden in colour.
Now in the same oil put ½ tsp of Whole Cumin seeds and Bay leaves. 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.
Add the fried potatoes and jackfruit and continue to cook again. These should be cooked well in the spice mixture to be seasoned.
Now add 2 cups of water. The gravy should not be too runny.
When both potato and jackfruit get cooked add ½ tsp of garam masala and Ghee and switch off the flame.

  
Niramish Alur Dam (Dam Aloo without onion and garlic)

Ingredients
Baby Potato 20
1 medium tomato finely chopped
Green chilies (as per your tolerance)
Finely chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing
1 tbsp Jeera/ Cumin powder
1 tbsp Dhaniya/ Corriander powder,
 Lalmirch/ Red chili powder as per tolerance
½ tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder
½ tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
Salt as per taste
Whole jeera/cumin seed, whole dry red chili and tejpata
Mustard oil or any white oil
2-3 cups of water

Method                                                                                                                               

Wash the potatoes and boil. Add some salt while boiling. Do not overcook.
You can cut them into halves if you wish.
Peel the boiled potatoes
Heat a pan with 2 table spoon mustard oil.
Fry the potatoes with ½ tbsp of turmeric. Fry till they have a golden colour. Remove the potatoes.
Next temper the oil with some whole jeera/cumin seed, 2 whole dry red chili and 2 tejpata
Add the finely chopped tomato.
This should be cooked in a low flame.
Now in a small bowl make a paste with 1 tbsp ginger paste, 1tbsp jeera, dhania and ½ tbsp lal mirch powder, salt turmeric and half cup of water.
Add this to the cooked onion and tomato mix and fry. You can add a pinch of sugar at this time. I add this as a part of traditional Bengali cuisine. This doesn’t make the dish sweet but adds to the taste and flavor.
When the mix releases oil add the potatoes and let them be cooked in the spices for sometimes. After they are well cooked in the spices, add 2 cups of water and increase the flame.
Cook in a high flame for some time. The gravy will not be too runny. Cook till your desired consistency.
Now add the chopped coriander leaves and mix it well and switch off the gas.

Karaishuti-r Kachuri (peas/matar kachauri)

Ingredients
For Filling
Shelled Green peas 100-150 gms (6-7 people)
1 inch ginger
2 green chilies (optional)
½ tbsp Jeera/ Cumin powder
½ tbsp Dhaniya/ Corriander powder,
½ tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder
½ tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
¼ tsp Asafoetida
¼ tsp Aniseeds (saunf)
Salt as per taste
1 tbsp white oil

For Kachuri
1 cup whole wheat
¼ cup refined flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp ghee melted
Water to knead the dough
Oil to fry the kachuris

Preparation
Sift the whole wheat with the refined flour and salt
Add 2 tbsp of ghee and knead
Add little amount of water each time and knead the dough, till it is soft
Cover the dough with wet cloth

Grind the peas, ginger, green chilies and aniseeds to a fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan
Fry the asafoetida till light brown.
Add the peas paste.
Add all the spices and salt
Sprinkle a little amount of water
Fry well till the paste is cooked.
Take off from heat up and let it cool.

Divide the dough into 20 balls.
Press each ball in the centre and fill it with the pea mixture.
Close the opening well and flatten.
Roll out as for puris.
Heat up oil in a deep bottomed pan.
Deep fry the puris on low heat up till golden brown.
Remove and serve hot.



No comments:

Post a Comment