Echorer Dalna (Raw Jackfruit Curry - Bong Style)

 

             Echorer Dalna (Raw Jackfruit curry) is a delicacy and a favorite dish enjoyed by most of the Bengalis. There are many variations to this recipe. Here I bring to you the veg. version which is prepared by adding some potatoes. It is made into a gravy called 'Dalna'. I kept it slightly thick to suit my palate. However, one can adjust the consistency by adding more water accordingly.

             Do add some ghee when done, to enhance the flavour. For a non-veg. version, prawns, mutton liver or fish head are generally added. Relish this yummy preparation  with hot steamed rice, chapattis or any Indian flat bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong style regional delicacy.

           Raw jackfruit is a perfect meat substitute and versatile. Many dishes can be prepared with it. You can make cutlets or koftas for an evening tea-time snack or as appetizers. Besides, curry, stir fry, biryani, etc. can be made with this seasonal veggie. It is also a good source of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and it prevents many health problems. So it is perfect for all vegetarians. 

• 1 small size jackfruit, cubed 
• 1 med. potato, cubed
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1-2 bay leaf
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee 

          Pressure cook the cubed jackfruit in enough water with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 1 whistle. Drain and set aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan / wok and fry the boiled jackfruit till light golden in colour. Keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the potatoes till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with the dry red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

          Then add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder mixed with little water. Fry till the oil separates.

          Now add the tomatoes. Cover and cook till it is mashed. 

          Add the boiled jack fruit, fried potatoes, salt, slit green chilies and mix well.

          Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame till the potatoes are cooked and the gravy is slightly thick. 

          When done, add garam masala powder, coriander leaves and ghee. Give it a stir and serve hot with steamed rice, chapatti or any Indian flat bread. 

                      Pressure cook the jackfruit with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder 

                      for 1 whistle. Drain and set aside. 

                         Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the boiled jackfruit till light golden in colour.

                            Keep aside. 

                              Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the potatoes till light brown. Keep aside. 

                        Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon,                                            cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                         Add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric

                         powder & red chili powder mixed with little water. Fry till oil separates.

                                  Now add the tomatoes. Cover & cook till it is mashed. 

                    Add boiled jack fruit, fried potatoes, salt, slit green chilies & mix well.

                      Add 1 cup water. Cover & cook on a low to med. flame till the potatoes

                      are soft and the gravy is slightly thick. 

                        Add garam masala powder, coriander leaves & ghee. Give it a stir.

                              Serve hot with hot steamed rice, chapatti or Indian flat bread.

Mourola Mach diye Uchche Bhaja (Small Fish Stir Fried with Bitter Gourd - Bong style)

 

               Check out this Bong style recipe that has an unique combination of Mourola Mach (Mola Carplet  - small size fresh river water fish) and bitter gourd. This is my first try and it turned out real amazing and heavenly. 

             If you are a fan of bitter gourd, then this is a must try recipe. The addition of fish just takes this dish to the next level. A drizzle of some ghee and a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder along with some chopped coriander leaves is divine. Enjoy it with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

               Mourala Mach are small fresh river water fish that is generally enjoyed when they are fried crisp, known as bhaja. It is a favorite Bengali fish fry recipe. They can be simple relished as it is or with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some ghee. It is just heavenly. They are eaten whole along with the bones when they are fried crisp. 

               Mourala Mach can also be made into a thin gravy, can be stir fried with mixed veggies, can be steamed inside Pumpkin leaves or can be prepared in a tangy stew called Macher Tok. 

• 2 medium size bitter gourd, sliced
• 200 gms. mourala mach, cleaned and rinsed
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and set aside for 5 minutes. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan / wok and stir fry the fish till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the sliced bitter gourd, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Stir fry till they are tender and almost done.

          Then add the chopped garlic and green chilies, followed by the fried fish. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

          Switch off the flame and add the roasted cumin powder and ghee. Give it a stir and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice. 

                       Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 5 minutes. 

                       Heat 2 tbsp. oil & stir fry the fish till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

                           Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds. 

                           

                           Sauté for a few seconds.

                      Add the bitter gourd, salt & turmeric powder. Stir fry till they are 

                        tender and almost done.

                                  Add the chopped garlic and green chilies, 

                                  followed by the fried fish. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

                     Switch off the flame & add roasted cumin powder & ghee. Give it a 

                        stir & garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Raw Jackfruit Sambar (Lentil Curry - South Indian style)

 

          Sambar in general is very commonly prepared in almost all South Indian homes. In fact every household have their very own way of preparing this traditional dish. Vegetables of your choice are generally added to it, drumstick being the most common veggie.

           So check out my version of Raw Jackfruit Sambar, that has its origin from Udipi in Karnataka where it is called Halasina kayi Huli. This simple lentil curry tastes just awesome not only with rice but also with idli, dosa, uttapam, etc. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy and nutritious recipe.

               Raw Jackfruit is a vegetarian mutton and is a popular meat substitute. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Besides, it is good for diabetics as it keeps the sugar level in control. 

               So to sum up, the consumption of Raw jackfruit is beneficial to our health. Various recipes can be dished out with this wonder veggie. However, for now, go ahead and prepare this yummy Raw Jackfruit Sambar and enjoy with your loved ones. 

• 1/4 cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil), soaked for 30 minutes
• 1/2 of a small raw jackfruit, deskinned & cubed
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. sambar powder
• 2 tbsp. fresh coconut paste
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee
• a sprig of coriander leaf to garnish

          Pressure cook the dal in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. Give it a whisk. To it add the chopped raw jackfruit and cook for 1 whistle.

          Add salt, sambar powder, coconut paste, tamarind paste and turmeric powder. 

          Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. When done, transfer to a serving dish. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops crackling, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chilies, garlic and urad dal. Sauté for a minute on a low flame. 

          Then pour this tempering over the prepared sambar. Add a tsp. of ghee and  garnish with a sprig of coriander leaf. Relish with hot steamed rice. 

Note - 

1.  I have skipped jaggery / sugar in this recipe. You may add so if you wish. 

2.  I have made use of store bought sambar powder. But if preparing it at home, then grind the coconut along with the other ingredients. 

3.  I have added a tsp. of ghee to the end product as this makes the sambar more flavorful and aromatic. However, it is purely optional.

                            Pressure cook the dal in 1cup water for 4-5 whistles. Give it a whisk. 

                                 To it add the chopped raw jackfruit and cook for 1 whistle.

                  Add salt, sambar powder, coconut paste, tamarind paste & turmeric powder. 

                             Add 3/4 cup water & bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

                             When done, transfer to a serving dish. 

                       Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. After it stops crackling, add the

                         asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chilies, garlic & urad dal. Sauté for a 

                         minute on a low flame. 

                                  Pour this tempering over the prepared sambar. 

                     Add a tsp. of ghee & garnish with a sprig of coriander leaf. Relish with 

                     hot steamed rice. 

Dates Dry Fruit Roll (Sugar Free Dessert)

 

             Dates Dry Fruit Rolls are very easy to prepare. They are healthy with the goodness of dates and mixed dry fruits having almonds, cashew, pistachios, walnuts and raisins. I flavored these rolls with cardamom powder and rose water. This is a perfect guilt free dessert apt for any festive occasions. Besides, they can be enjoyed as a quick breakfast on the go. It is also a perfect snack for weight watchers and ideal for the youngsters.

             Dates and Dry Fruit Rolls are completely sugar free as it has only the natural sweetness of the dates. So they are diabetic friendly. It can be made much in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy treat. 

• 1 cup soft dates, deseeded & chopped
• 3 tsp. ghee
• 1 cup mixed fry fruits, chopped
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp. pistachios, chopped
• 1 tbsp. rose water
• pinch of chopped pistachios, almonds and dry rose petals

              Blend the chopped dates and the rose water in a mixer grinder and keep aside. 

              Dry roast the sesame seeds for a minute and keep aside.

              Heat 1 tsp. ghee and sauté the dry fruits for 2 minutes. Keep aside. 

              Heat 1 tsp. ghee and sauté raisins for a minute. Set aside. 

              Heat the remaining 1 tsp. ghee and sauté the ground dates and cardamom powder till it comes together as a lump. 

              Now add the roasted dry fruits and raisins. Combine everything well. 

              Transfer to a plate. When it is cool enough to handle,  roll the mix into a log. 

              Now on a surface or in a pan, spread the roasted sesame seeds, chopped pistachio, chopped almonds and dry rose petals.

              Roll the log on it so that it is well coated. Wrap it in an aluminum foil and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

              Then cut into slices with a sharp knife. Date Dry Fruit Rolls are ready to be enjoyed.

                                  Dry roast the sesame seeds for a minute and keep aside.

                            Heat 1 tsp. ghee & sauté the dry fruits for 2 minutes. Keep aside. 

                                 Heat 1 tsp. ghee and sauté raisins for a minute. Set aside. 

                     Heat the remaining 1 tsp. ghee & sauté the ground dates & cardamom

                       powder till it comes together as a lump. 

                        Add the roasted dry fruits & raisins. Mix everything well. Transfer 

                        to a plate. When it is cool enough to handle, roll the mix into a log. 

                              Now on a surface or in a pan, spread the roasted sesame seeds, 

                              chopped pistachio, chopped almonds and dry rose petals.

                                  Roll the log on it so that it is well coated. 

                                 Wrap it in an aluminum foil and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

                                  Cut into slices with a sharp knife.

                        Date Dry Fruit Rolls are ready to be enjoyed.