Spinach with minced chicken/Chicken Keema Palak

There is a saying in Bangla ‘je randhe she chool o bandhe’ lit meaning the one who cooks braids her hair as well. Yes, you can do more than one thing if you want to; but for an extreme lazy like me? I’m lazy, I’m moody. Most of my plans are inside my head for long time, I can imagine them, I can even view them virtually but to bring them in reality? I take a lot of time- really.

But, why am I saying all these things? To give you more information about me!!! No! Whoever has seen my recipes till date has noticed that they are all very simple in nature, with few ingredients and very less time to spend in the kitchen. 

This keema recipe is one such where you really do not have to do much but get a simple yet different and tasty dish within 15-20 minutes. This was what I made for Friday dinner. Chicken keema palak with wheat pan cake.

blanched spinach and minced chicken

Ingredients

Spinach/Palak 1 bunch
Minced chicken/ Chicken Keema 200gms
1 big onion finely chopped
1 small tomato finely chopped
Green chilies (as per your tolerance)
Ginger paste 1 table spoon
Garlic Paste 1 table spoon
Salt as per taste
Turmeric powder ½ table spoon
Cumin Powder 1 table spoon
Coriander Powder 1 table spoon
Red chili Powder ½ table spoon (optional)
Oil 2 table spoon
Cumin seeds
Blackpepper
Cardamom pods
 Bayleaves
Sugar a pinch
Garam masala
Ghee (optional)

Preparation

Wash the keema/minced chicken
Blanch the Spinach
In a bowl take the Ginger paste, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red chili Powder, salt and turmeric powder and mix with water to make a smooth paste

Method

                                                          

Heat a pan with 2 table spoon of oil.
Temper with Cumin seeds, Blackpepper, cardamom pods and Bayleaves
Add the chopped onion and tomato.
Fry for 2 minutes in low flame
Add garlic paste to the mix and again fry
To it add the mixed spice
Add a pinch of sugar
Add 1 bowl of water and let the spices to cook
When you see oil coming out from the spices add the minced chicken

minced chicken cooked in the spices

Cover and cook it in a low flame
After 5-7 minutes open the lid and check and add the blanched spinach
Again cover and cook for 5 minutes
Open the lid and check whether the chicken is cooked or not.
If it is cooked then increase the flame and let the water dry
Now check for the salt. If needed add as per taste
Add ½ table spoon of garam masala and a few drops of ghee.
The dish is ready. Garnish as you wish with onion rings, tomatoes or whatever. I used boiled eggs to garnish.
Serve with roti/paratha/wheat pancake.

Nutrition Facts

Spinach with minced chicken

Servings Per Recipe 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 192 Calories from Fat 91

% Daily Value

Total Fat 10.3 g                 16%

Saturated Fat 1.8 g           9%

Trans Fat 0 g

Cholesterol 131 mg         44%

Sodium 114.9 mg              5%

Total Carbs 14.4 g             5%

Dietary Fiber 4.3 g            17%

Sugars: 3.8 g

Protein: 13.3

NUTRITION FACTS INFORMATION

Amounts per 1 serving (232.3 g)

Calorie Information Amounts Per Selected Serving %CR* %DV** Calories 192 (803 kJ) 10%    From Carbohydrate 52 (216 kJ) 27%    From Fat 91 (379 kJ) 47%    From Protein 49 (207 kJ) 26%    From Alcohol 0 (0 kJ) 0% Carbohydrates Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Total Carbohydrate 14.4 g 5%    Dietary Fiber 4.3 g 17%    Starch 0 g    Sugars 3.8 g Fats & Fatty Acids Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Total Fat 10.3 g 16%    Saturated Fat 1.8 g 9%    Monounsaturated Fat 6 g    Polyunsaturated Fat 1.6 g    Total trans fatty acids 0 g    Total trans-monoenoic fatty acids 0 g    Total trans-polyenoic fatty acids 0 g    Total Omega-3 fatty acids 213.4 mg    Total Omega-6 fatty acids 1351.9 mg    Total Omega-9 fatty acids 5796.9 mg Sterols Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Cholesterol 131 mg 44% Phytosterols 33.8 mg

Protein & Amino Acids Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Protein 13.3 g 27% Vitamins Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Vitamin A 12877 IU 258% Vitamin C 93.8 mg 156% Vitamin D 0 IU 0% Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) 3.1 mg 15% Vitamin K 420.4 mcg 526% Thiamin 0.2 mg 12% Riboflavin 0.7 mg 42% Niacin 4.6 mg 23% Vitamin B6 0.6 mg 28% Folate 353.9 mcg 88% Vitamin B12 5.7 mcg 95% Pantothenic Acid 1.8 mg 18% Choline 24.7 mg Betaine 87.4 mg Minerals Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Calcium 139.8 mg 14% Iron 7.9 mg 44% Magnesium 104.9 mg 26% Phosphorus 190.1 mg 19% Potassium 876.2 mg 19% Sodium 114.9 mg 5% Zinc 2.5 mg 17% Copper 0.4 mg 18% Manganese 1.6 mg 81% Selenium 30.3 mg 43% Fluoride 1 mg Other Amounts Per Selected Serving %DV** Alcohol 0 g Water 191.6 g Ash 2.7 g Caffeine 0 mg Theobromine 0 mg

Mudighanto/Fried Fish head dish

In my earlier post I mentioned that I will post the recipes of all the dishes that I had made for Bhaiphonta. As per my promise, today I’ll write the recipe for Mudighanto.

From my work load to R’s different sort of tantrums to R’s health issues to  husband’s work schedule to maid’s mood swings- there are too many excuses for not being late for this post- but then better late than never!!!

Mudighanto is a hardcore Bengali dish made of fish. ‘Mudi’ or ‘muro’ is what the head of the fish is called in Bangla and ghanto is actually a semi gravy curry mixed with different spices. This is one of my favourite but cannot make too often. First, I’m the only one to eat this because my non-Bong Husband man can eat fishes but not the head part. Second, reason is the time. You need a preparation and more time than usual to cook this dish. Also you need to cross your legs, sit and relish this well-cooked dish forgetting about time.  

This Bhaiphonta was the perfect day to cook this dish. I had my cousin’s company and it was a holiday, so a leisurely afternoon to spend with the fish…

Ingredients

Head of Rohu/Katla fish (2.0-2.5 kg of weight) : 2
Basmati rice or Govind Bhog/Gobindo Bhog : 50-75 grams
Potato- 2 medium
Onion- 2 medium chopped
4-5 green chilly slitted (optional )
Ginger 3 inch grated
Salt to taste
Turmeric 2 Tsp
Jeera powder 2 Tsp
Red Chily Powder 1 Tsp
Sugar to taste
Whole jeera / Cumin seeds
 Tejpata/Bay leaves 3-4 small
3-4 green cardamom crushed
1 inch cinnamon crushed
2-3 cloves crushed
Mustard oil
Ghee (optional)
Plain water
Garam masala Powder

Preparation

Wash the head pieces and season with salt and 1 tsp turmeric. The amount of turmeric used is little more than usual to fishy smell less.

Wash the  Basmati/ Gobindo bhog rice and soak for an hour in a cup of water. After an hour drain the water and keep the rice and the soaked water aside.

Cut the potatoes in medium cube size. It means, first make a half of the potato length wise, this will give you 2 pieces. Then make another half of those 2 pieces breadth wise which will give you 4 pieces.

Cooking

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the rice to the oil and fry till white (max 1-2 minutes).

Add 3 tbsp oil, heat and fry potatoes till golden brown. Keep aside.

Saute fry heads, it should turn light brown. Remove this oil since it cannot be used for further cooking.

Heat 3 tbsp fresh mustard oil

(fresh) in a pan. Temper with bay leaves, whole jeera/cumin seeds cardamon, cinnamon and cloves and fry for a few seconds.

Add chopped onions and fry for 4-5 min till onions are soft.

To this add, the masala paste made out of the grated ginger, jeera powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and water. Add the fried rice. Fry till oil separates out. If the masala sticks to the bottom of the pan then sprinkle some water.

Add 2 cups of water (inclusive the rice water), salt, sugar and bring to boil.

Add fried potatoes and simmer for 10 min without cover.

Add the fried fish heads. Simmer on low heat till potatoes and rice are cooked.

Add ghee, pinch of garam masala and  green chillies and remove from heat.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

Steamed Bhetki Fish or Bhetki Mach-er Bhanpe

October and November are the true festive months of India.  Dussera or Durga puja is usually on October followed by Kalipuja/Diwali and Bhaiphota or Bhaiduj. I, the lazy soul, didn’t prepare a single dish on Durga puja on the account of depression from being far from home. From saptami, lunch was bhog at the durga mandap. Bhog is the food offered to the Goddess which is generally a combination of: khichudi (the main dish), accompanied either by the famous Bengali beguni or begunbhaja (fried eggplant in besan) or a vegetable dish like labra or mixed vegetable or the both, chatni and payesh or a sweet or both.  Dinner for 5 days, starting from Panchami to Dashami was different so called Kolkata preparations at different stalls in different mandaps.

Durga puja Bhog

 5 days continuously eating outside at odd hours of night was truly too much for me. My taste buds became numb. Slowly I geared up myself. And after a fortnight I have really made some dishes which I have never made before. All these dishes include mocha ganto or a Bengali preparation of banana flower, cholar dal-er bara diye peNpe (Raw papaya curry with chanaa dal or Bengal gram pakoris) and a steamed Banana cake just prior to Diwali and mudighanto (a Bengali preparation with fish head) and Bhetki mach bhape or steamed Bhetki on Bhaiphota.  On Diwali I have made dahi vada or doi bada, Semai-er payesh (a dessert made of vermicelli) and chicken in red chilly and vinegar which I have made many times. Gradually, I will put all the recipes on my blog but for today it is only the Bhaiphonta or bhaiduj special.
 

Bhaiduj or Bhaiphonta is an occasion which takes place generally 2 days after Kalipuja. Bhaiphonta is always a grand affair at my mamabadi (maternal uncle’s place). Now, for the last 5 years I miss Bhaiphonta. This time, when I came to know that N, my cousin, is in Mumbai, I asked him to come for Diwali and Phonta. He also promptly accepted. He is a bachelor, a foodie but does not cook- altogether a genuine one who misses ghar ka khana or the Bong combinations. I thought of making fish. From my personal experiences I know even though you get mutton or chicken outside but Bengali fish dishes are not available. 

My bhaiphonta menu was very simple: Steamed rice with patla musur dal (masoor dal with with panchphoron  , onion, tomato and coriander), begunbhaja, Mudighanto, Bhetki mach Bhape and semai-er payesh. The Bhetki recipe is the one which I am going to give today.

Ingredients

Bhetki fish (choice of weight and pieces are yours. I had taken a fish of 2 kg and cut it into round pieces)

Bhetki fish

Dahi or curd

Mustard paste or Mustard powder 

Plain water

Mustard oil

2-3 green chilly

Salt

Turmeric

Preparation:

Wash the pieces of the fish and season with salt and turmeric.

Heat oil in a deep-bottomed pan. When the oil is hot enough lightly fry the fishes, turning both the sides.

Make a mustard paste by grinding mustard seeds on a mortar and pestle along with green chilly, pinch of salt and turmeric (to avoid the bitter taste)or  Mix 4 teaspoons of mustard powder and a pinch of salt together in half cup luke warm water.

To the Mustard paste add 3 table spoons of curd, salt and turmeric and make a smooth paste. If you have already added salt and turmeric while making the mustard paste then you just add the curd.

Now in a microwave proof bowl put the fishes covered with the paste. Drop 2-3 drops of mustard oil and slit green chilies.

Cook the fish for 5 minutes in microwave plus convection mode. After 5 minutes take out the fish, turn them and cook for another 1 minute. Be careful while turning, as this is a very soft fish and tend to break.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

 

Rashogolla

After one week of Rakhi, it is Janmashtami.  The day before was a traditional day for R and she was curious about why she was wearing the color dress. Anything whatever is new in the schedule has to be explained to her. So, I said that it is Nandalala’s birthday and that is why she will wear a salwar kurta to school instead of her regular uniform. Now, my little one asked ‘where’s the cake Mamma?’ A valid question, truly. ‘Not a cake this time my dear, but Mamma will make rashogolla for Nandalala and you’.

Rashogolla, (rasgulla) as I prefer to call it as a proper Bangla pronunciation, is not a dish that you can make regularly or any day as you wish. It needs enough time and patience. It was a holiday for R on Janmashtami and I took a day off. So, making of the Rashogollas was possible. I was very excited to see those white, hot, sugar-syrup dipped sweets for the first time after opening the pressure cooker. I cooled one, and served R. She asked for another one.

My first attempt to make Rashogolla was a success. It was soft enough, sweet and adequately dipped in sugar-syrup. Here is the step by step recipe of Rashogolla.

Ingredients

1 L whole cream milk

Juice of 1 big  lemon

3 cups of sugar

4 cups of water (1.5l approx)

2-3 elichi pods (optional)

Nakuldana/ramdana/sugarcandies

Making the gollas

 Boil the milk.

When it starts boiling add the juice of 1 big lemon. Switch off the gas and stir. Within a few minutes the milk will be curdled. You can use any other curdling agent if you wish. Ensure that the milk should be coagulated fully. I have used curd to make the paneer or chana. I have taken full cream milk 2 liter and 6 big table spoon of curd.

Drain the water and keep the paneer aside. If you have used lemon juice you can just run it once under cold water.

After the water gets drained place the paneer on a plain cloth, tie it tightly and hang for 30-40 mnts or till the water gets drained fully.

Now knead the paneer well using your hands. This is the most important part of the whole recipe and the secret for soft rashogollas. Knead the paneer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Make balls from the kneaded paneer. The balls should be smaller from the desired size as the size will get increased atleast two times when they are dipped in sugar syrap. Approximately you can make 15 gollas from 1L of milk. Place the nakuldana inside the balls.

The sugar syrap or the Ras

 While you are making the gollas prepare the ras. In a deep bottomed pan mix 3 cups of water and two cups of sugar and bring to boil. Add some cardamom pods if you like, for flavor. When the sugar gets dissolved add the 4^th cup of water. Add  from the side of the pan so that the temperature does not gets decreased.

The flame should be in high all through.

Carefully slide the gollas into the syrap. As the size of the gollas increase after being dipped in the syrap take a pan which can provide enough room to the rashogollas.

You can pressure cook the rasogollas. I did that. In a high flame I cooked the rasagollas till one whistle and switched off the gas. If you don’t want to pressure cook then cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

You can refrigerate them or serve hot as you like.

Spicy Dam aloo

Celebrations!!! Yes, we love to celebrate each and every occasion, right from Valentine ’s Day to Eed, from Christmas to Navroz.  Our calendar is marked with festivals and celebrations all through. Then there are birthdays and anniversaries.

As a Bengali my festival starts with ‘poush parban’ or Makar sankranti, followed by saraswati puja (Vasant Panchami), holi, paila boishak (Bengali new year or first day of Baisakh), jamai shoshthi and so on. Married to a Bihari family I now also celebrate some more occasions with much fervour.  Rakhi or Rakshabandhan is one such.

I remember one incident of Rakhi from my childhood when I was in first standard.  Our’s was a girls’ school and there was no holiday on Rakhi as in Bengal we observe Bhaiphonta (bhaiduj). One of my classmates Neeraj Pandey came with a big Rakhi adorned with all Zari and decorative beads. She managed it from her brother. The rakhi was too attractive and there was a wish hidden on my young mind to have one such some day. Then so much water has flown into the Ganges!!!

When I came to Mumbai, didi was the one who tied me a rakhi for the first time. It was a small decorative piece and I loved it. After that as long as I was in Mumbai each year she used to tie me the silk thread.

With R, Rakhi is now more serious and busy event. Till now, R, the only daughter of the family, has to send Rakhis to all her cousins. So, now I get enough chances to handle those silk threads. This year, I have even bought 3 extras. They are so beautiful and creative!!! A Superman or a Doreman Rakhi for the kids, Designer Rakhs, Rakhis like Punjabi ChuRas and so on. One for my boudi, one for my sis-in-law and the other one for me- 3 punjabi ChuRas apart from R’s share.

If Rakhis and gifts are one part of the celebration then the other important part is the food of course (the one without which we cannot think of our festivals). The menu that I decided this time was spicy dam aloo, dhokar dalna, shemai-er payesh and sattu paratha (chatu-r parota). Typically a mixed Bihari  & Bengali cuisine.

I am sharing the recipe of Spicy Dam aloo.

Ingredients

Baby Potato 10-15

1 big onion finely chopped

1 medium tomato finely chopped

Green chilies  (as per your tolerance) finely chopped

1 Big onion fine sliced

Garlic paste

Ginger paste

2 tblsp fresh lemon juice

Jeera/ Cumin powder

Dhaniya/ Corriander powder,

 Lalmirch/ Red chili powder

Haldi/ Turmeric powder

Whole jeera/cumin seed, whole dry red chili and tejpata

Mustard oil or any white oil

Ghee, garammasala and sugar (optional)

Method     

                                                                                                                          

Wash the potatoes and partly boil. Add some salt while boiling. You can cut them into halves if you wish.

Peel the boiled potatoes

Heat a pan with 1 table spoon mustard oil.

Fry the potatoes with ½ tbsp of turmeric. Fry till they have a golden colour.

Next add another tbsp of mustard oil and temper the oil with some whole jeera/cumin seed, 2 whole dry red chili and 2 tejpata

To it add the finely chopped onion, green chilies and tomato.

Cover and cook

Now, add 1 tbsp garlic paste and cover again

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 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 water and increase the flame.

Cook in a high flame for 5 minutes or till the water dries. This is a dry dish, so do not keep lot of gravy.

Now add the lime juice and mix it well and switch off the gas.

If you want you can add some ghee and garam masala at the end. I usually avoid this but this time I added as a part of festival dish J.