Recipes

Ilish Paturi with Vegetables

2009-06-22T13:49:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:

Ilish fish – 4 big pieces

Mixed vegetables (potato, cauliflower cut into very small pieces, and peas) – 4 tablespoons

Mustard + green chili paste – 2 tablespoons

Mustard oil – 5 teaspoons

Salt – to taste

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Green chilies - 4

6” square of banana leaf – 4

String – to tie each paturi

Method:

Lightly roast (will become soft; will not be crunchy any more) each banana leaf piece so that while u will fold the leaf it does not break.

In the middle of each banana leaf piece place one piece fish, 1 tablespoon mixed vegetables and 1 green chili (slit).

Add ½ tablespoon mustard paste, 1 teaspoon mustard oil, turmeric powder and salt to it and mix well with your hand carefully.

Fold the leaf to seal and secure the fish and vegetable mix in that. Tie it with string so that while cooking nothing comes out from the paturi.

Heat a non-stick pan (greased with 1 teaspoon oil).

Place the fish paturies in it and cook both sides in medium heat until the leaf becomes brown (about 5-7 minutes each side).

Remove from heat and carefully take out the cooked fish and vegetables (as it will be hot) and serve hot with plain white rice.

Machh Bhapa

2009-06-22T13:28:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:
Ilish / Rui machh - 6 big pieces (fish should be fresh)

Mustard oil – 1.5 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Mustard seeds – 2 tablespoons
Green chilies - 3-4

Method:

Rub the pieces of fish with turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Make a paste using mustard seeds, one green chili, pinch of salt and water.

In a steel/aluminum Tiffin box mix the marinated fish, mustard paste, green chilies, mustard oil (and salt if required more).

Close the lid of the Tiffin box.

In a larger container (with lid) boil some water (water level should be about half of the height of the Tiffin box).

Put the Tiffin box in that boiling water and cook the fish (covering the container) for 20-25 minutes in medium heat.

Serve hot with plain white rice.

Doi Machh

2009-06-22T11:09:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:

Fish (preferably rohu fish)- 4 big pieces

Curd - 4 tbsp

Onions - 1 medium (grated/paste)

Ginger + green chili paste- 1 tbsp

Green Chilies – 2

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Bay Leaf - 1 small

Green Cardamom – 2 (roughly crushed)

Cinnamon - 1 inch

Sugar - 1teaspoon (or as per taste)

Salt - To taste

White Oil - 4 tablespoons

Method:

Rub a pinch of salt and turmeric on the fish pieces and keep aside.

In a bowl, beat the curd into a smooth paste with 1/4th cup water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the fish lightly for 1 min each side and remove.

Add the beaten curd to the fried fish and set aside.

Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon to the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds.

Add grated onion, ginger + green chili paste, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Fry well on medium heat till oil separates.

Add fish mixed with curd and green chili slits. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes (uncovered) turning the fish pieces once in between. You may adjust desired gravy consistency at this stage.

Serve hot with plain white rice.

Homemade personal chicken pizza

2009-04-23T17:01:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:

All purpose flour – ½ cup

Active yeast – 1/8 teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Sugar – 1 teaspoon

Tomato – 1 big (finely chopped)

Oil (preferably olive oil) – 4 teaspoons

Capsicum – ¼ (cut into long strips)

Onion – 1 medium (1/4^th finely chopped & rest diced)

Garlic – 2 cloves (1 clove finely chopped & another finely sliced)

Black pepper powder – ½ teaspoon

Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

Small cubed chicken pieces – ½ cup

Tomato ketchup – 1 tablespoon

Butter – 1 teaspoon

Mozzarella cheese – ½ cup (shredded or grated)

Method:

In about 2-3 tablespoons of warm water add ½ teaspoon of sugar, and active yeast and let it rest for about 5 minutes.

Marinate the chicken pieces with lemon juice, salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper powder.

In a bowl mix flour and salt. Then add yeast mixture and 1 teaspoon oil.

Knead it well to make firm smooth dough adding warm water. Make a ball of this dough.

Take 1 teaspoon oil in your palm and roll the dough on it so that the dough covered with oil.

Cover the dough with a wet cloth (wet the cloth with warm water) and let it rest for 2-3 hours (after 2-3 hours the dough will be double of its original size).

Now heat 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan.

Add marinated chicken and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add cubed onion, sliced garlic and capsicum to it. Add little salt if required. Fry them together for about another 5 minutes and remove from heat. Pizza topping is ready.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and chopped onion to it. Fry for bout 1 min and then add chopped tomato, salt, ½ teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder to it.

Cook until tomato is cooked. Now add tomato ketchup and butter to it. Mix well and remove from the heat. Pizza sauce is ready.

When the dough is ready (after 2-3 hours) knead it and divide in two balls. Roll the dough balls (on a lightly floured surface) until you get a circle of ¼ inch thickness.

Spread half portion of pizza sauce on each of these pizza bases.

Then spread ¼ portion of cheese on each of them.

Now add ½ portion of pizza topping evenly on both of the base.

Spread remaining cheese evenly on both of them.

Bake the pizzas in the preheated oven at 400F for about 20 minutes (until the crust is lightly brown).

Enjoy your homemade personal chicken pizza.

Pabda Machher Jhal

2009-03-11T13:59:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:

Pabda Machh – 4-6 medium size or 2-3 big (cutting into halves)

Whole mustard – 2 tablespoons

Green chilies – 4

Capsicum – ¼

Tomato – 4 pieces of 1 inch square

Curry leaves – 4

Nigella seed (kalonji / onion seed) – ¼ teaspoon

Mustard oil – 4 table spoons

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Method:

Soak whole mustard into half cup water (adding little salt) for 15 minutes. Then add 1 green chili and make paste.

Rub salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder to the fish and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Cut capsicum length-wise into ¼ inch wide pieces.

Heat 3.5 tablespoons of mustard oil and fry fishes (both sides) until they are golden brown. Drain excess oil and keep aside.

Then add Nigella seeds and curry leaves to the oil. Now add capsicum and tomato and fry for a while (until skin of capsicum and tomato changes texture).

Now add mustard paste (if you wish you can strain it), salt and remaining turmeric powder. If you wish add very little water now.

When the gravy starts boiling add fried fish and remaining 3 silted green chilies to it and cook covering it for 10 minutes (turning the fishes very carefully once after 5 minutes).

Remove from the heat and add remaining 0.5 tablespoon mustard oil to it and cover. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot with plain white rice.

Hing er kochuri

2009-03-11T13:42:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:

Urad Dal – 4 tablespoons

All purpose flour – 1 cup

Asafetida (Hing) – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Oil – 4 teaspoons + to fry kochuris

Method:

Soak Urad dal in water overnight (at least 8 hours).

Make a course rava-like paste of the soaked dal adding as little water as possible.

In a pan heat 2 teaspoons of oil.

Add asafetida to it. Then add the paste of dal and salt and fry until it becomes like dough; it should not be hard. Remove from heat and let it be cool. The filling is ready.

Mix flour and salt.

Then add 1 teaspoon oil and mix well.

Make firm dough by adding about 100 ml warm water slowly to it. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.

Divide it into 8 small lime size balls.

On a smooth surface keep one dough ball and flatten it by using your hand in small (about 1.5 inch diameter) circle (the central portion should be thicker than the edges). Put about ¼ teaspoon of filling in the middle and join the edges to form a ball again. Repeat the process for all the remaining dough balls.

Roll the dough balls into about 4 inch diameter uniform circle.

Deep-fry it (fry both sides turning the kochuri upside down when one side is golden) one at a time in vegetable oil (the oil should be very hot). Kochuris should puff up.

Remove the excess oil using a paper towel and serve hot with “Chholar Dal” or your choice of curry.

Shahi Mughlai Paratha

2009-02-24T20:31:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:
For paratha:-
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Oil – 1 teaspoon + oil to fry paratha
Salt – to taste

For filling:-
Eggs – 2
Onion (chopped) -2 tablespoons
Green chili (chopped) – 2 (or according to your taste)
Ground chicken / small pieces of chicken – 4 tablespoons
Ginger + garlic + chili paste – 1 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Garam masala powder – a pinch
Oil – 1 tablespoon

For potato curry:-
Potato – 1 big (peel and cut into 1 inch cubes)
Onion – 2 tablespoons paste
Ginger + green chili paste – 1 teaspoon
Tomato – two 1 inch cubes
Salt – to taste
Sugar – 1.5 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/8 teaspoon
Cumin powder – ¼ teaspoon
Garam masala powder – a pinch
Bay leaf – 1
Green cardamom – 2
Cloves – 2
Stick cinnamon – 1 inch piece
Oil – 2 tablespoons

Method:
Mix ground chicken / chicken pieces, salt, turmeric powder and ginger + garlic + chili paste.
In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil.
Add 1 tablespoon chopped onion to it. Fry until onion becomes golden brown.
Add chicken mixture to it and mix well. Cook it in medium heat until chicken pieces become tender/ well cooked. If required sprinkle little warm water. The cooked chicken should be dry.When the chicken is cooked, add garam masala powder and remove from the heat and keep aside.

In another pan heat 2 tablespoons oil.
Add ½ teaspoon sugar to it and caramelize. Add bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, stick cinnamon to it and fry till green cardamoms become light golden.
Add onion paste, ginger + green chili paste, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and tomato to it. Fry until masala becomes brown and tomato pieces become tender.
Add potato pieces ans remaining sugar to it and cook in medium to low heat covering the pan until potatoes become tender. If required sprinkle little water to it. The curry should be with very little gravy (almost dry).
When the potatoes are cooked sprinkle garam masala powder and remove from heat.

In a bowl mix all purpose flour and salt. Add 1 teaspoon oil and blend well. Add enough warm water to make firm dough.
Divide the dough into two halves to make two paratha from it.
In a smooth surface brush little oil and roll one dough ball into a very thin (as thin as possible so that the filling cooks properly) circular shape.
Beat one egg and add ½ teaspoon chopped onion, some chopped green chili and half portion of cooked chicken to it. Mix well and put this mixture at the center of the rolled paratha.
Fold four sides of the paratha to give a square shape and to secure the filling inside it.
Repeat the process of making paratha for the second dough ball also.
Heat enough oil in a pan (depth of the oil should be at least same as the thickness of the paratha with filling).
Fry the parathas (both sides) one by one in medium heat until each side become brown.
Drain excess oil. Cut the paratha in four pieces (by this way you will be sure that the filling is also cooked properly; if you find it is not properly cooked then fry the pieces again; this will not kill the taste of the paratha) and serve hot with potato curry (alternately you can serve the paratha with “kosha mangsho”), tomato ketchup and sliced onion-cucumber salad.

Spring roll

2009-02-17T11:12:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 50 gm
Corn flour - 50 gm
Garlic (grated) - 30 gm
Carrot - 50 gm
Cabbage - 60 gm
Capsicum - 60 gm
Onion – 1 small
Spring onion (green onion) - 1
Beans - 50 gm
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
Soya sauce - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Black pepper – ¼ teaspoon
Oil – 4 teaspoons + for deep frying

Method:
Grate/chop finely all the vegetables.
Heat 3 teaspoons oil in a pan.
Add garlic and sauté well.
Add carrot, cabbage, capsicum and beans and sauté well.
Add sugar, Soya sauce, salt and black pepper and mix well.
Add spring onion and remove from the heat; let it be cool.
In a bowl mix all purpose flour, corn flour and salt.
Add 1 teaspoon oil and blend well.
Add warm water as required to make firm dough.
Divide this dough to small lime size balls.
Roll each dough balls to thin circular shape. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in a long shape in one side of this circle (about 1” away from the 3 edges nearest to it). Moisten the edges of the wrapper with little water. Fold the top and bottom part over the filling to enclose the filling securely. Now roll it to the shape of spring roll.
Deep fry the rolls in hot oil till it becomes golden.
Serve hot with your favorite chutney or tomato ketchup.

Note: You can add small shrimps and/or cooked shredded chicken in the filling if you wish.

Luchi (Puri)

2009-02-11T11:53:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Warm water – about 100 ml
Oil – 1 teaspoon + oil for deep frying

Method:
Mix flour and salt.
Then add 1 teaspoon oil and mix well.
Make firm dough by adding about 100 ml warm water slowly to it. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
Divide it into 8 small lime size balls.
Roll the dough balls into about 4 inch diameter uniform circle (it should not be thin somewhere and thick elsewhere).
Deep-fry it (fry both sides turning the luchi upside down when one side is golden) one at a time in vegetable oil (the oil should be very hot; otherwise luchis will not be good). Luchis should puff up.
Remove the excess oil using a paper towel and serve hot with your favorite curry.

Chicken dum biriyani

2009-02-09T12:44:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
Chicken – 6 pieces (medium size)
Ginger-garlic paste – ½ teaspoon
Curd – 1 tablespoon
Salt – to taste
Rice (white long grain) – 1 cup
Potato – 1 (medium) size (peel and cut into halves)
Onion – 1 medium (finely sliced)
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Milk – 1/2 cup
Water – 1 cup
Sugar – 1/4 teaspoon
Saffron – a pinch (optional)
Shaan pilau biriyani masala – 2 tablespoons
Aluminum foil to cover the container in which you will cook the biriyani

Method:
Marinate the chicken overnight (at least 8 hours) with ginger-garlic paste, curd and salt. More you marinate better will be the taste.
Soak the rice for 1 hour into water. Then drain it and keep aside.
Fry onions in 1 teaspoon oil until it becomes brown. Drain excess oil and keep aside.
Soak saffron and sugar in Luke-warm milk for 30 minutes.
Mix the pilau biriyani masala in water.
In a greased oven-proof big container first keep the marinated chicken and potato.
Sprinkle soaked rice over it.
Add pilau biriyani masala and water mixture to it.
Sprinkle fried onion over it and then add sugar-saffron-milk mixture to it.
Pour ghee over them and seal the container with aluminum foil.
Cook it in a pre-heated oven (375 degree F) for 45 - 50 minutes.
Turn off the oven and let the biriyani stand in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Serve the biriyani hot (decorating with boiled egg-halves) with fresh salad and raita.

Singara (bengali samosa)

2009-02-09T12:09:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Oil – 4 teaspoons + oil for deep fry
Water (warm)– to make dough
Salt – to taste
Potato – 1 medium (peel and cut in small cubes)
Cauliflower – 2 florets (cut into small pieces)
Green peas – 1 tablespoon
Peanut – 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Sugar – 1/2teaspoon
Cumin powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala – 1/8 teaspoon
Panch phoron – 1/8 teaspoon
Bay leaf – 1
Dried red chili – 1
Asafetida (hing) – a pinch

Method:

Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a pan.
Add bay leaf, dried red chili, asafetida and panch phoron.
When panch phoron starts to splatter add potato and cauliflower. Stir for few minutes.
Then add salt, turmeric powder, sugar, cumin powder and coriander powder. Mix well.
Now add peanuts and green peas and cook covering it until potatoes are tender. If required add very little water. The curry should be dry but not like fry.
Now add garam masala powder and turn off the heat. Let the curry be cool.
Mix flour and salt into a bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon oil and enough warm water to make firm dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and roll into a ball.
Divide the pastry into equal lime-sized balls (around 8 balls) and roll out into a thin oval shape.
Divide this into two equal pieces with a knife.
Brush each edge with a little water and form a cone shape around your fingers, sealing the dampened edge.
Fill the cases with the cool potato-cauliflower curry and press the two dampened edges together to seal the top of the cone.
Deep fry the singaras in hot oil (medium heat) until crisp and brown.
Take out and drain on a paper towel.
Serve hot with your favorite chutney or tomato ketchup.

Besan dhokla

2009-02-06T18:02:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
Gram flour (besan) - 3 tablespoons
Water – 2 tablespoons (about)
Curd (should be a little sour) – 1 tablespoon
Baking powder- 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Ginger + green chili paste – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander (chopped) - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 3 teaspoons
Boiled green chilies – 2-3 (optional)
Shredded coconut – 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds – 1/8th teaspoon
Curry leaves – 4-5

Method:
Put gram flour in a bowl and mix in curd, water and beat to a smooth thick paste. Leave aside to ferment for 4-5 hours. The mixture will increase in size.
Add ginger + chili paste, salt, and turmeric powder to the batter.
Heat the steamer or pressure cooker with about 2 cups water for steaming the dhokla. Make sure the water does not get into the container in which you will cook the dhokla.
In a small bowl, mix baking powder, 1 teaspoon oil and lemon juice.
Add this mixture to the fermented flour mixture and mix well. This will increase the volume of the mixture.
Pour immediately into flat greased vessel or a thali or a cake tin.
Steam with cover for about 20 minutes. Do not place the weight if you are using pressure cooker.
Let the cooked dhokla be cool for few minutes.
Cut the dhokla into your desired shape.
In a small pan heat the remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
When they start spluttering stop heating and pour over dhokla pieces.
Sprinkle chopped coriander, shredded coconut, boiled chilies.
Serve with tamarind chutney.

Aloo methi

2009-02-06T10:23:00.002-05:00

Ingredients:
Potatoes – 3 cups, diced (about 3 medium potatoes)
Fresh methi Leaves – 1 bunch, washed well and roughly chopped
Onion – 1 medium sized (finely chopped)
Garlic (finely chopped) – ½ teaspoon
Green chili – 1 (chopped)
Oil – 4 teaspoons
Cumin seeds – ¼ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
Asafetida (Hing) – pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Dried red chili - 1

Method:
Heat oil in a non-stick pan.
Add asafetida, dried red chili and cumin seeds and allow them to sputter.
Add onion, garlic and green chili. Fry until onions become translucent.
Add Potatoes and stir well.
Add Salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and mix well.
Cook covered for about 8 minutes on medium-low flame.
Add Methi Leaves and mix well.
Cover again and cook until potatoes are tender.
Serve hot with roti/ luchi (puri) / paratha / rice / peas polau.

Misti Doi (Bengal Speciality)

2009-02-05T18:08:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
1 cup full cream milk
2 tablespoons yogurt
5 teaspoons sugar

Method:
Put 3 teaspoons of sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan, on a medium flame to melt.
Allow the sugar to caramelize (brown).
When done add the milk and mix well.
Boil the milk till it is reduced to 2/3rd of its original volume. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from sticking. When it is complete, cool the milk till it is just warm.
Put the remaining sugar to the reduced milk and mix well.
Now add the yogurt to the mixture and stir gently to mix. Pour into the desired container and keep in a warm dark spot for the Misti Doi to set. The best taste results are achieved by setting the Misti Doi in an earthenware pot.
When the Misti Doi has set and is firm, chill for a few hours.

Chili chicken

2009-02-05T12:22:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
Chicken – ½ kg, cut into small pieces
Onion – 2, medium size, cut into square-like shape or whatever you like
Ginger – ½ inch size, finely chopped and crushed
Garlic – 2 beads, finely chopped and crushed
1 tablespoon of tomato sauce
Green chilies – 3, medium size, medium hot, finely chopped
Capsicum - 1, cut into square-like shape or whatever you like
Black pepper powder – ½ teaspoon
All purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
Soya sauce – 3 teaspoons
Vinegar – 2 teaspoons
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Oil – 1 tablespoon

Method:
Mix well the flour, black pepper powder, Soya sauce, vinegar, tomato puree, ginger, garlic, and salt.
Add the chicken pieces to this marinade and marinate it covered for 4-5 hours.
Heat oil in a fry pan and when the oil is very hot, add the onions and sauté till slightly golden.
Add the marinated chicken pieces and capsicum and sauté on low heat (covering it) for 30 to 35 minutes or until the chicken is tender taking care not to burn the chicken pieces by stirring frequently. Sprinkle a little hot water only whenever needed while cooking.
Serve it hot garnished with onion rings, lemon wedges, tomato slices, and/or fresh green chilies.

Chinese fried rice

2009-02-05T12:18:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:
3 cups white rice (preferably long grain, cooked and cold)
3 tablespoons oil
1 cup cooked peas, green beans, and carrots mix (if you wish add corn also)
Salt as per taste
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
2 tablespoons Soya sauce

Method:
In a wok heat the oil.
Add peas, green beans and carrots mix and stir fry until tender.
Lower the heat and add the eggs and stir fry until finely scrambled.
Add Soya sauce and then add rice and salt and blend well.
Stir fry for 2 minutes.
Serve hot.
If you wish you can add shrimps, cooked shredded chicken also.

Chicken Lollypop

2009-02-05T11:27:00.001-05:00

Ingredients:

8 chicken drumsticks1 tablespoon corn flour
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon Soya sauce
2 tablespoons curd
½ teaspoon tandoori masala

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper powder

Oil for deep frying

1 egg

Method:
Make 4-5 slits on each drumstick length wise so that masala can get into it.
Marinate the drumsticks with ginger-garlic paste, salt, black pepper powder, curd, tomato ketchup and tandoori masala for 1 day. You can refrigerate it if you wish to marinate for more than 1 day. More time you marinate better will be the taste. I prefer to marinate for 2 days in refrigerator.
Add corn flour, all purpose flour and beaten egg to the marinated chicken before frying.
Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and pour in the drumsticks and deep fry until the chicken turns reddish brown.
Serve hot with fresh salad.