Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet - Filipino style)

 

          Tortang Talong is a very common Filipino style eggplant omelet that is traditionally served for breakfast in the Philippines. This is a very quick recipe and one can also enjoy it as a brunch, snack, lunch / dinner or as a lunch box meal. It is also served on a bed of rice, accompanied with greens and soya sauce. 

          This simple recipe has very few ingredients, where the eggplants are first roasted on an open flame till it is charred. Then skin is peeled, dipped in beaten egg and pan fried. Some chopped mixed veggies are added to enhance the flavour. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy and wholesome dish. 

• 2 long eggplants 
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil

          Wash, rinse and wipe dry the eggplants. Prick them with a fork and roast them on an open flame till it is well charred. Cool and peel the skin off. Give it a flat shape with the help of a fork. 

           In a large flat bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, pepper and red chili flakes. In another bowl, mix together the chopped onion, tomato, green chili and coriander leaves. 

          Heat a 1 tbsp. of oil in a pan. Dip each roasted eggplant into the egg mix and carefully place it on the pan. Sprinkle some of the mixed veggies over it and shallow fry for a minute till one side is done.

          Carefully, turn it over and cook the other side too. Similarly, pan fry the other eggplant. Serve with sauce and/or on a bed of rice for breakfast, snack or as a meal.

                                Wash, rinse & wipe dry the eggplants. Prick them with a fork.

                                   Roast them on an open flame.....

                                  ..... till it is well charred.

                        Cool & peel the skin off. Give it a flat shape with the help of a fork. 

                          In a large flat bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, pepper & red chili flakes. 

                      Heat a 1 tsp. of oil in a pan. Dip each roasted eggplant into the egg mix 

                      & carefully place it on the pan. Sprinkle some of the mixed veggies over 

                      it & shallow fry for a minute till one side is done.

                                  Carefully, turn it over & cook the other side too. 

                        Serve with sauce for breakfast, brunch, snack or as a meal with rice.

Chicken Kasundi (Mustard Chicken - Bong style)

 

          Here is my version of a very easy and equally delicious chicken curry in mustard sauce. It will really hit the spot for lovers of the traditional Bengali mustard condiment. I used the bottled kasundi paste and if you do not have one, you can add some homemade ground mustard paste. The end result was a yummy chicken gravy which can be relished either with hot steamed rice, plain biryani, pulao, jeera rice, chapatti, paratha or naan. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. chicken, curry cut
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp. kasundi (bottled mustard paste)
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 2+2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 large onion, chopped

          Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt, 2 tbsp. oil, kasundi and all the dry spices overnight or for a minimum of 3 hours.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and temper with bay leaf, cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Then add the marinated chicken and cook, covered on a medium flame till dry. 

          Add 1/2 cup water and continue to simmer, covered, till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency and the chicken turns soft.

          Serve either with hot steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao or any Indian bread.

                     Heat oil in a pan & temper with bay leaf, cardamoms, cinnamon & cloves. 

                     Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                  Add the onion and stir fry till light brown.

                   Add the marinated chicken & cook, covered on a medium flame till dry. 

                                   Add 1/2 cup water.

                       Simmer, covered, till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency & the 

                       chicken turns soft.

                 Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao or Indian bread.

Niramish Mangsho (Mutton Curry - Bengali Kali Puja (Diwali) special)

     

          Niramish Mangsho is a Bong style vegetarian mutton curry cooked with sacrificial meat and offered to Goddess Kali during Kali Puja (Diwali). This is then consumed as bhog or offering. 'Niramish' means vegetarian and 'Mangsho' means mutton. This dish is considered vegetarian as the mutton curry is cooked without onion or garlic. Instead, a generous amount of ginger and asafoetida are added to this special dish, besides other basic seasonings. 

          This may sound weird to many, but this type of ritual is still followed in few Bengali homes these days. However, it is more commonly found in most rural homes than in the cities of Bengal.

          Niramish Mangsho is served with hot steamed rice, along with Basanti (sweet) pulao and Cholar (Chana) dal for a perfect festive meal.  So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional Bong delicacy.

          At present, since animal sacrifice is banned in the country, few people sacrifice by cutting a large ash gourd. To concise, this ritual is still prevalent in Kali Temples across Orissa and Assam besides West Bengal. 

Marination - 

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut
• 1 cup yoghurt
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil

Other ingredients - 

• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1-2 potatoes, cut into half
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp. ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida
• 2 green chilies, slit

          Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients under 'Marination' overnight or for minimum 4 hours. 

          Heat oil and ghee in a kadai / pan. Fry the potatoes till light brown and keep aside. Temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the ginger paste and asafoetida mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the raw smell disappears.

          Then add the marinated mutton and cook on a low flame till the oil separates. Add 1 cup water, fried potatoes and the slit green chilies.

          Pressure cook for one whistle on high flame. Then simmer for 12-15 minutes on a low flame. Then enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

                                  Take 400 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut.

                                   Add all the mentioned ingredients under 'Marination'.

                                 Mix well and marinate overnight or for minimum 4 hours. 

                             Heat oil & ghee in a kadai / pan. Fry the potatoes till light brown. 

                    Temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves.

                    Sauté for a few seconds.

                      Add the ginger paste & asafoetida mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till 

                       the raw smell disappears.

                                   Add the marinated mutton.

                                  Cook on a low flame till the oil separates.

                                  Add 1 cup water, fried potatoes and the slit green chilies.

                      Pressure cook for one whistle on high flame. Then simmer for 12-15 

                      minutes on a low flame. 

                                 Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Choddo Shaag / Shaak (Kali Puja (Diwali) special Recipe - Bong style)

 

          This is a traditional Bong style leafy greens stir fry typically prepared on 'Bhoot Chaturdoshi' or 'Choti Diwali' to honor our ancestors. It is almost similar to Halloween and falls one day before Kali Puja (Diwali). 'Choddo' means 14 and 'Shaag' means leafy vegetables. So this particular dish is prepared with an array of assorted greens on the 14th day of the waning moon in the month of Kartik. 

          Choddo Shaag is generally relished with hot steamed rice for lunch. This ritual is then followed by lighting 'Choddo Prodeep' or 14 diyas in the evening, signifying 14 generations and to ward off evil spirits. This simple dish is just amazing and worth a try. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic Bong dish. 

          Green leafy veggies have great nutritional benefits and is consumed on this day. It is believed it is to boost our immunity. Similarly lighting 14 diyas is considered to ward off evil spirits. Hence this Choddo Shaag is consumed to ensure the family is healthy and protected throughout the year.

          Although Choddo Shaag was prepared at my in-laws place, but this is my first try at making it. I could not stick to the traditionally used greens as they are not available where I live. So had to make do with whatever was available. 

         

    So in this recipe the 14 types of assorted greens that I have used are Spinach, Bok Choy, Spring onion, Pui Shaag (Malabar Spinach), Mustard greens, parsley, coriander leaves, mint leaves, Kolmi Shaag (Water Spinach), Dill Leaves, Radish Leaves, Fenugreek Leaves, Pumpkin Leaves & Lal Shaag (Red Spinach).

         However, it was quite fun foraging for the greens as I kept hopping from one super market to the other in search of them.

• 3 cups of 14 types of assorted greens, washed well, rinsed & chopped
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 8-10 bori / mangodi / dried lentil dumplings
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and lightly fry the bori till light brown. Keep aside to cool. Then crush them slightly.

          Temper the same oil with dry red chilies and nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

          Now add the chopped greens, salt and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low to medium flame till the moisture has evaporated and it is nicely fried. Keep stirring at intervals. 

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with the crushed bori and mustard oil. Keep it covered for 5 minutes.

           Then serve this amazing Choddo Shaag with hot steamed rice. 

                                 The chopped greens.

                    Heat oil & lightly fry the bori till light brown. Keep aside to cool. Then 

                    crush them slightly.

                      Temper the same oil with dry red chilies & nigella seeds. Sauté for a 

                      few seconds. 

                                 Then add the garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

                        Add the chopped greens, salt & turmeric powder. Mix well & cook, 

                        covered on a low to medium flame till it is nicely fried. 

                                  When done, garnish with the crushed bori ....

                                 and mustard oil. Keep it covered for 5 minutes.

                                Then serve this amazing Choddo Shaag with hot steamed rice.