Homemade curd...

 

Having homemade curd (dahi or doi) with our meal is a common practice. I  set curd every alternate day, it's a routine in my household. I have seen my grandmother, mother, aunts doing it and I do it too. Use of curd in Indian cuisine stretches back to the ancient Vedic times. Our cuisine may be diverse but when it comes to curd or yogurt every single cuisine uses it, be it in making the gravy for the curry or a dessert or as a dip or serving at the end of the meal. The naturally fermented curd is so very healthy and good for the gut, so I insist that my family members have their share of this probiotic goodness everyday.

Lauki kofta...

Koftas generally refer to meatballs made of minced meat of beef, lamb or chicken are mixed with spices shaped to round balls and are fried. Unlike middle eastern and central asian cuisine,  you can find many vegetarian varieties of kofta too in Indian cuisine. Potato, paneer, banana, bottle gourd etc are mashed or grated to make koftas. These koftas are then dunked in a  flavourful and spicy gravy to prepare a delicious curry. Kofta curries are very popular in India, be it veg or non-veg.

Chicken pulao...

Last week was a difficult one for me. The minor surgery I had to undergo resulted in restrictions in movement and thus my daily routine. Never mind the associated pain, missing a planned dine out with my friends due to this was more agonizing. But as the saying goes - everything has it's silver lining, I managed to get an uninterrupted break with the support of pain killers and other meds. The man was in charge of the kitchen and other household works. I enjoyed the egg curry for lunch and some not so round paratha for dinner. Yes, being sick now and then is not so bad after all. So this Sunday it was my turn to treat him and of course my little one who relentlessly tried her best to help me and comfort me in her small little ways.

Doi ilish...

The sun hiding behind the clouds, thunderstorms, the aroma of rain drenched earth and the pitter patter of raindrops on the window...Monsoon, the relief from the scorching heat of summer is a much awaited season in India. Monsoon is extremely important to people of this subcontinent, it irrigates and sustains the crops, it nourishes the greens around us, fills up the water bodies.

To be very honest, sometimes I do not enjoy rain much. I complain about the puddles of water on the road during daily commute, I get irritated with water logged streets and overdose of rain, but monsoon has it's own charm. And being a foodie I relate everything to food, and Monsoon is no exception. The cooling rain and a lazy afternoon with some crispy pakoras and a cup of hot tea is nothing but bliss.  

The reason I can overlook all the negative sides of this season is a fish, the Hilsa, the fish no Bengali can resist. Hilsa and monsoon are synonymous to me. As mangoes are to summer, hilsa are to monsoon. The silver shiny fish is the king of all. Taste, texture, flavor nothing compares to it. So for this monsoon special event I made a very simple but traditional hilsa recipe, doi ilish,  i.e. hilsa cooked in a yogurt and mustard gravy.

The ingredients are very simple and easily available. Fresher the fish, tastier will be the dish. The recipe calls for black mustard paste. To make black mustard paste, soak the mustard seeds for at least an hour in water and grind with a pinch of salt and green chilies.

Things needed to make Doi Ilish:

• Hilsa fish cut into steaks: 4-6
• Yogurt: 100 gm
• Black mustard paste: 1/4 cup
• Green chilies: 4-5
• Kalojire/ onion seed: 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil to cook

Steps of making Doi Ilish:

1. Beat the yogurt with a little water and keep aside.

2. Smear the fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder, let it rest for 15-20 min.

3. In a kadhai or Indian wok, heat mustard oil (3 tablespoon), when the oil is hot, fry the fish for 1 min on each side. Take out from pan and keep aside. Do not overcook,

4. In the same oil add kalojire (onion seed/kalonji), green chilies, as it splatters add the yogurt. Cook over low heat for 4-5 min. Add the mustard paste and the fish pieces, add salt. Cover and cook for 10 min.

This post will be part of the the Monsoon special event  of  Kolkata food bloggers.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Coconut Chutney...

Idli, dosa, uttapam are few items I often make for breakfast and my daughter's lunch box. To accompany the idli, dosa or uttapam my little one makes sure that I make some coconut chutney. Everyone in my family loves this coconut chutney. Easy to make, no cook, a complete hassle free delicacy.

The recipe I follow to make this coconut chutney is passed on from a good friend of my husband. My husband's friend Annu is from Kerala. I have heard so many stories of their college days, how the boys used to devour dosa and chutney from her lunch box and how skillful is A's mom at cooking finger licking food, specially dosa and idlis at home. Once I was making dosa and my husband told me about this recipe to make coconut chutney of her friend's. A e-mailed us the special heirloom recipe, and from then on I'm a big fan of this recipe. It's been more than ten years and I'm still following exactly the same recipe while making coconut chutney. So here it's for you all, a simple coconut chutney to go with dosa or idli. It also works great in between two slices of breads.

It takes hardly 10 minutes to make the chutney, the time consuming part is to scrape the coconut. To reduce the work load frozen grated coconut can be used, but I will recommend of using fresh coconut. To scrape the coconut I used my traditional Bengali coconut scraper (Narkel kuruni). I have grown seeing my mother, aunts using this and me too use this on regularly.

Ingredients for this chutney are very simple and easily available. The curry leaves are home-grown :) In many recipes, specially the restaurant style, chana dal (bengal gram) is added to this chutney, but I prefer without it. The process is also as easy as it could be, put all the ingredients in a grinder and make a smooth paste, and you are done.

Things needed to make Coconut Chutney:

• Fresh coconut (scraped): 1 cup
• Onion (diced): 1 tbsp
• Ginger (chopped): 1 tsp
• Yogurt: 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves: 12-14
• Green chilies: 2-3
• Salt to taste
• Water to grind
• Vegetable oil: 1 tbsp
• Brown mustard and curry leaves for tempering

Steps of making Coconut Chutney:

1. Take all the ingredients except the brown mustard and curry leaves for tempering, put them in a grinder and make a smooth paste. Pour the chutney in a bowl.

2. In a pan heat oil, when hot add brown mustard and curry leaves, as it splatters switch off heat. Pour the oil and the seeds and the leaves over the chutney. Store chutney in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Achari aloo...

Do you like potatoes? For me it's one of the must vegetable. I love it in all different ways, from fried to boiled, mashed to curried. When it comes to Indian cooking one can find generous use of potatoes, though potatoes are not indigenous to India. Potato came to India during the colonial period, through the Portuguese in the early 17th century.

I can't think of my mutton or chicken curries without potatoes, or who can refuse some steaming hot Samosas stuffed with potato. So it is, the love for potato, whatever may be the consequences (read calories).

Today I made a dry potato curry with a spicy and tangy twist, Achari Aloo, pickle flavored potato curry. The dish gets the pickle flavor from the dry spices, fennel, fenugreek, black cumin, mustard etc. And loads of garlic and dry red chili are essential part of this dish. I used dry mango powder to bring tangy taste to the dish. If you do not find dry mango powder then use vinegar or lime juice, instead.

Things needed to make Achari Aloo:

• Baby potatoes: 12-14
• Onion (very finely chopped): 1 cup
• Garlic (thinly sliced): 3 tbsp
• Ginger paste: 2 tsp
• Yogurt: 1/3 cup
• Fennel seed: 1 tsp+1/2 tsp
• Black cumin (kalonji) seed: 1 tsp+1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seed: 1/2 tsp+1/4 tsp
• Mustard seed: 1/2 tsp+1/4 tsp
• Cumin seed: 1 tsp+1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilies: 5-6
• Green chilies: 2-3
• Red chili powder: 2 tsp
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
• Dry mango (Amchur) powder: 2 tsp
• Mustard oil to cook
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Steps of making Achari Aloo:

1. Take large deep pan with cover, put the potatoes in the pan with enough water and one teaspoon salt. Let the water boil, reduce heat and cook for 5-6 min, switch off and drain. Wash with cold water. Peel the potato and prick with a fork or tooth pick. Keep aside.

2. In a flat pan, take 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, 1/2 teaspoon black cumin 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seed, and roast all the seed, but take care not to burn. Let cool down and coarsely ground the seeds. Keep aside.

3. Heat oil (preferably mustard oil) in a pan, fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown. Take out and keep aside.

4. In the same oil, add dry red chilies, rest of the seeds. As the seeds crackles, add garlic. As the garlic changes color add onion, cook till golden brown. Add ginger paste, cook for 1-2 min.

5. Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cook over low heat for 1-2 min, if needed add few teaspoons of water.

6. Beat the yogurt with little sugar and water, add the the yogurt. Cook till oil separates. Add the fried potatoes, the ground spices, and chopped green chilies. Cook for 4-5 min. Add dry mango powder, mix well. Check seasoning and adjust accordingly. Switch off heat, sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, serve hot with rotis or parathas.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Dahi vada...

Last weekend being Diwali, I came across so many delicious pictures of sweets and savories of different kinds in the popular social networking sites. Those added fuel to my craving for the mouthwatering motichur laddoos, irresistible samosas and so many more.  Lately I have been  intentionally keeping  myself away from the kitchen, though not completely but I have been avoiding anything that needed an elaborate cooking process. But the uncontrollable craving needed to be addressed. So I choose Dahi vada to quench it. For me that's the easiest one to make. So Dahi vada to celebrate a belated Diwali.

Dahi vada, is a popular road side chaat (snack) from India. It is basically deep fried lentil dumplings made from urad dal (split black gram), first soaked in water and then served with beaten yogurt and other flavorings. It is an absolute favorite of mine and my family.

To make soft and melt in mouth Dahi vadas keep in mind the following tips, use good quality urad dal (split black gram), soak the dal (lentil) for at least 6 hrs before making the paste, fry the dumplings over a medium high heat and most important of all beat the lentil paste with a whisk till your arm falls apart..... or else use an electric beater :)

Things needed to make Dahi vada:

For making the Vada (lentil dumplings):

(makes 16-18 vadas)

• Urad dal (split black gram): 2 cups
• Asafoetida (hing): a pinch
• Cumin seeds (crushed): 1 tsp
• Ginger paste: 2 tsp
• Green chili paste: 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

For assembling Dahi Vada:

• Yogurt: 4-5 cups
• Water: 1/2 cup-1cup
• Date-Tamarind chutney
• Roasted cumin and red chili powder: to sprinkle
• Black salt or chat masala: to sprinkle
• Fresh coriander: 1 tbsp
• Warm water: a pot full
• Sev or boondi: to garnish
• Sugar to taste
• Salt to taste

Steps of making Dahi vada:

1. Soak urad dal (split black gram) for 6-7 hrs. Wash well and drain the lentils. Make a smooth paste. The paste should have a consistency of thick cake batter.

2. Add crushed cumin seeds, salt, asafoetida, ginger paste and green chili paste to the lentil paste and mix well. Beat the lentil paste till it is fluffy and airy. 

3. Heat oil in a deep pan, when the oil is hot reduce the heat and put dollops of lentil paste and fry till evenly golden brown. Do not over crowd the pan, fry in batches.

4. While the dumplings are frying, heat a pot full of water. Add  a spoonful of salt in the water. Keep the water warm. No need to boil it.

5. When the dumplings turns golden brown, take out with a slotted spoon and keep on paper towel lined plate.

6. Dip the fried dumplings in the warm water.

7. In a bowl beat yogurt, water, sugar, salt, till smooth.

8. Just before serving, squeeze any excess water from the vadas and arrange them in a serving plate. Pour whisked yogurt over the vadas to coat them well. Garnish with date-tamarind chutney, roasted cumin-red chili powder, black salt or chat masala, chopped coriander leaves, sev or boondi.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Borhani.....

In my last post I told you all about posting another recipe inspired from my readers. Sorry for being so late. Last week was a little rough for me. My little one was not well. I feel miserable when my little one is sick. I didn't feel like taking out the camera and arrange some food and click them.  I lacked the motivation, was too worried about her. She is better now and I'm back to my regular routine.

This is a very simple, 'make in a jiffy' drink, thanks to Soma Basak for the idea. This is a traditional yogurt drink, called 'Borhani', served with pulao, biryani, kebabs during weddings and special occasions in Bangladesh. I have tasted this particular drink many times while having Biryani, but never made it at home. Borhani balances the spiciness of the main food and as it has ingredients like mint, cumin, yogurt, it also helps digestion.

Things needed to make Borhani:

• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Mint leaves: 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves: 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin seed: 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder: 1 tsp
• Green chili: 1
• Black salt: 1 tsp
• Sugar: 2-3 tsp
• Water: 1 cup

How to make Borhani:

1. Dry roast the cumin seed and make powder.

2. Chop mint leaves, coriander leaves and green chilies.

3. In a blender add cumin powder, chopped leaves and all other ingredients, blend till smooth. Adjust salt and sugar as per taste. Serve cold with biryani, kebab or any spicy food.

Here is some suggestions that you can pair with Borhani:

• Khuskha Biryani
• Mutton biryani
• Chicken Biryani
• Egg biryani
• Chicken Malai Tikka etc & etc...

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Macher kaliya...a bong special fish curry

Fish is the most common source of protein in Bengali cuisine. No Bengali meal is complete without a fish. Fresh water sweet fish is a distinctive feature of Bengali cuisine. Bengal's countless rivers, ponds, lakes swarm with innumerable varieties of fishes; such as Rohu, Katla, Pabda, Koi, Tyngra, Hilsa etc and etc. More than 40 types of mostly freshwater fish are common, rohu and katla being the most common of them.

In a Bengali household at least one meal a day is certain to have a fish preparation. If you do not love rice and fish then you are not a true 'Bong'. Almost every part of the fish is eaten, the head (মুড়ো) is particularly preferred. There are numerous ways of cooking fish in Bengal, fried (bhaja), simple curries (jhol), semi-dry curries with mustard paste (sorse bata jhal), sour preparations (tok) with tamarind, steamed (bhapa) etc and etc. But one ingredient is a must for all Bengali fish preparation, that is mustard oil. To get the exact taste one should use mustard oil to prepare the fish, this pungent smelling oil brings a special flavor and taste to the dish. 

Today I made a special dish called Macher kaliya. Macher Kaliya is a fish curry with onion-yogurt based rich gravy and flavored with aromatic spices. There are several versions of Fish Kaliya, today I followed my mom-in-laws recipe for this. I love the way she cooks this dish. The crispy fried fish pieces dunked in spicy aroma loaded curry. You only need steamed hot rice to finish the last drop of this curry. Try to use pieces from a big matured fish (Rohu, Katla, Carp) with fat in them, and cook the dish in mustard oil.

Things needed to make Fish Kaliya:

• Fish: 4 large pcs
• Bay leaves: 1-2
• Cinnamon: 1/2 stick
• Green cardamom: 2-3
• Cloves: 3-4
• Onion (grated): 4 tbsp
• Garlic paste: 1 tbsp
• Ginger Paste: 1/2 tbsp
• Yogurt: 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp + more to smear the fish
• Cumin powder: 1/2 tbsp
• Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Green chili paste: 1/2 tbsp (optional)
• Kashmiri red chili powder: 1/2 tbsp
• Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp
• Ghee/ clarified butter: 1 tsp
• Mustard oil to cook
• Salt to taste
• Sugar: 1 tsp + to taste
• Raisins to garnish

Steps of making Fish Kaliya:

1. Clean and wash the fish pieces, pat dry with a kitchen towel, smear salt and turmeric powder, let the fish marinate for 30-40 min.

2. Beat yogurt with 1 teaspoon sugar and little water. Keep aside.

3. In a small bowl add cumin powder, red chili powder, kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder and little water, mix to make a paste. Keep aside.

4. In a heavy bottom deep pan or kadhai heat mustard oil. When the oil is smoking hot, reduce heat to medium and add the fish pieces and fry till evenly golden brown from all the sides. Use a lid and take care as fish tends to splutter oil while frying. Take out the fried fishes and keep aside.

5. In the same pan (if needed add more oil), add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom, cloves, cook for 1 min or till the spices release a nice aroma. Add the grated onion and a teaspoon full sugar, cook over medium heat till the onion takes a red-brown color. Add garlic paste, cook for 1-2 min. Add ginger paste, cook for 1-2 min.

4.  Add the previously made spice paste ( in step 3), cook for 2-3 min. Add green chili paste (if using). Add the beaten yogurt, cook till oil separates from the spices. Keep stirring after adding the yogurt. As the oil separates add hot water (1 cup), let the water boil. As the water boils add the fired fish pieces. Add salt, raisins, cover the pan and cook for 10-12 min.

5. Uncover, check seasoning and adjust accordingly. Add ghee and garam masala powder, cover and let it rest for 10 min. Serve hot with steamed rice. This curry will have a thick gravy. If you want you can add potato to this dish.

If you like to get regular updates from me go to my Facebook page and click on the Like button. You can also follow my blog on NetworkBlogs. Thank you..!!!

Mouri-Potol...Potol with fennel seed

I love to eat Potol(pointed gourd). Except raw, I can have it in any form fried, boiled, curried...

Generally I cook different curries(potol-posto, sorse-potol, doi-potol, potoler dalna, chingri diye potol) with potol those are common in bengali household. Today I wanted to do something different, so did little experiment with them. I choose fennel to flavor my curry. So here is my experimental mouri potol (mouri=fennel; potol=pointed gourd).

Things you need to make Mouri Potol:

Potol: 500gm

Yogurt: 1/2 cup

Fennel: 2tsp

Ginger(grated): 1tbsp

Green chilies(chopped): 3-4

Dry red chili: 3-4

Cardamom: 2-3

Cinnamon: 1 inch stick

Bay leaf: 1

Shah jeera(black cumin): 1/4tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar: 1tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp

Kashmiri red chili powder: 1/2tsp

Oil

How to make Mouri Potol:

1. Make a smooth paste of fennel seed, grated ginger and chopped green chilies, keep it aside. If you dry grind the fennel first then add grated ginger and chopped green chilies, it will be easier to make a smooth paste.

2. Bit the yogurt with little water and sugar, there should be no lumps in the yogurt, keep it aside.

3. Scrap the skin of potol and peel alternately and make slits on both the ponted ends.

4. Put oil in the kadai or pan, when the oil is hot add the potol. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder, and fry the potol.

5. Fry the potol till it takes nice brown color. Take out the potol and keep aside.

6. On that same oil add bay leaf, dry red chilies, cardamom, cinnamon stick, shah jeera. As the masalas leave a nice aroma add the fennel-ginger-green chili paste. Cook for 2min.

7. Add the beaten yogurt. Keep stirring continuously and keep the flame to medium, till the yogurt is cooked. To know the yogurt is cooked or not, if you can smell the raw yogurt then you nedd to cook longer and when the yogurt is done, you can see oil separating from the yogurt and giving a nice shine to the gravy.

8. Add kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, sugar. Add the fried potol. Mix well. Add little water( I added 1/2 cup). As the gravy boils reduce the flame to medium cover the pan and cook for 10-12min. Check the seasoning, adjust accordingly.

We had this with white rice. The spicy green chilies were nicely balanced with the yogurt. And the aroma of fennel and the dry spices gave the dish a wonderful flavor...above all my daughter liked it very much, so a happy ending and a successful experiment..:)

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken, a food that needs no introduction. It originated in India, loved world wide. If you go to any part of the world, you can find tandoori chicken in every single Indian restaurants menu. The name 'Tandoori' comes from a 'tandoor', means clay oven, where it is cooked.
Last night I made this for dinner. I do not have a tandoor so cooked in my oven. One can also use a grill to cook tandoori chicken. The procees is simple, marinate the chicken pieces and cook them in an oven. Here is the process how I did it.

Ingredients:

A whole Chicken (750gm):Skinned and Cut into 4 pc

For the first marinade:

• Salt: 1tsp
• Lime juice: 1/2tbsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder: 1tsp

For the second marinade:

• Hung curd: 4tbsp
• Garlic paste: 1/2tbsp
• Ginger paste: 1/2tbsp
• Cumin powder:1/2tbsp
• Corriander powder: 1/2tbsp
• Red chili powder: 1tsp
• Black pepper powder: 1tsp
• Garam masala powder: 1tsp
• Nutmeg powder: a pinch
• Kasuri methi powder: 1/4tsp
• Mustard oil: 1/2tbsp
• Lime juice: 1/2tbsp
• Salt: 1/2tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
• Red food color: 2-3drops(optional)
• Butter(melted): for basting

How to proceed:

1. Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towel. Make slits on the meaty flesh part of the chicken.

2. Mix all the ingredients of first marinade and rub the chicken with that. Put marinades on the slits also. Let it rest for 15min.

3. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the second marinade. For the hung curd, take the curd in a muslin cloth and place it on a strainer and keep it inside the refrigerator for 20-30min.

4. Let the chicken marinate for at least 6-8 hrs inside refrigerator in a closed container.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas mark 6.

6.Put the chicken pieces in skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 1hr.

7. Place the chicken on a deep baking tray. I always use a non-stick baking rack to support the chicken.

8. Cook for 10min. Turn the chicken baste with some butter, cook for another 10min. By this time the chicken will be nicely cooked. To know if the chicken is cooked or not, just cut a fleshy part and check the color. If it is white in color and opaque, and the juice runs clear then it is done. But if it is pink and transluscent and the juice seems to bloody, then you need to cook it little longer. 

Baste the chicken on both sides again and broil it for 5min. Broiling is an option you can find in your oven. If you do not see such option just turn the oven temperature to the highest. Broiling is defined as grilling where the heat comes from above.

9. Let the chicken rest for 5 min. I know you are in big hurry to taste it, but no wait...:)

10. Serve hot with some onion rings and a piece of lime. some like to sprinkle chat masala on the chicken, but I am happy with my onion rings and lime.

I had this tandoori chicken last night, along with some pea-pulao and mixed dal..:)