Bhuna Gosht

 

          Bhuna Gosht is an amazing North Indian delicacy that needs no introduction. It is also very popular in Pakistan where it is served with khamiri roti. Bhuna means to fry or to roast and Gosht means mutton or lamb. This yummy preparation is perfect for a weekend lunch. It is also an ideal party recipe or an Eid recipe. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing mutton curry.

          In this recipe, mutton is sautéed on a low flame with a good amount of onion, yoghurt and a medley of basic spices till the oil separates. Then it is pressure cooked in a little amount of water till it is tender. Further it is simmered till you have a thick lip smacking gravy. 

           I used both mustard oil and ghee for an intense flavor. Onion, ginger-garlic paste, yoghurt and basic spice powders forms the base of this rich gravy which is almost dry. It goes best as a side dish with naan, tandoori roti, paratha or chapatti. It can also be enjoyed with steamed rice or jeera rice.

• 500 gms. mutton with bones
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick 
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1/2 mace
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 8-10 whole peppercorns
• 2 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 cup yoghurt, whisked
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          In a small bowl, mix together ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and 1/4 cup water into a paste. Keep aside.

          Heat oil and ghee in a pan and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and mace. Stir fry for a minute.

         Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the mutton and salt to taste. Stir fry till it turns brownish in color.

          Now add the spice paste and continue to sauté till the oil separates. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.

          When the pressure releases, continue to simmer on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes.

          Add the whisked yoghurt and simmer further till the gravy turns thick.

          When done, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy with Indian flat breads like naan, tandoori roti, rumali roti, chapatti or paratha. It can also be enjoyed with steamed rice or jeera rice.

    

Heat oil & ghee in a pan & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns & mace. Stir fry for a minute.

                  Add the onion and sauté till light brown.

 Then add the mutton & salt to taste. Stir fry till it turns brownish in color.

                    Now add the spice paste.

                  Continue to sauté till the oil separates. 

                        Add 1 cup water.

Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.

Add the whisked yoghurt & simmer further till the gravy turns thick. 

                  When done, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy with Indian flat breads like naan, tandoori roti, rumali roti, chapatti or paratha. 

                  It can also be enjoyed with steamed rice or jeera rice.

Lau Shukto (Bottlegourd / Lauki Curry - Bong Style)

 

           Shukto is a traditional Bengali cuisine and is considered as a delicacy. This is typically a mixed vegetable curry which has a fair amount of bitter gourd in it. It is had at the beginning of a meal as it is believed that the bitterness helps in purifying the blood. There are many versions to it. 

          It is sometimes cooked in a simple way or sometimes in a rich gravy. So check out my version of Shukto prepared with bottle gourd and minus the bitter gourd. You may add if you wish, but it is purely optional. Bori (dried lentil dumplings) is also added. However, I substituted it with few urad dal pakoras. Enjoy this regional dish with hot steamed rice. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

1 medium bottle gourd

1/4 cup split balck gram (urad dal) soaked for 30 minutes

3 tbsp. mustard oil

1-2 bay leaves

1-2 dry red chilies

1 tsp. mustard seeds 

salt to taste

2 green chilies, slit

1 tsp. ginger, grated

1 cup milk 

1 tsp. whole wheat flour / plain flour

1 tsp. ghee

1 tsp. panch phoron powder

               Peel the bottle gourd and slice them. Soak in water to prevent discoloration. 

              Mix the wheat flour with the milk and keep aside.

              Dry roast the 1 tsp. panch phoron and allow it to cool down. Then grind into a fine powder and keep aside. 

             Grind the soaked urad dal with a pinch of salt and some water into a smooth paste. Whisk this batter well and keep aside. 

             Heat oil in a pan and add small dumplings of the batter and fry them till golden in color. Drain and keep aside. 

             Temper the same oil with mustard seeds, dry red chilies and bay leaves. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

             Then add the sliced bottle gourd, green chilies and salt. Cover and cook till the moisture is almost absorbed and the veggie is tender.

             Then add the fried pakoras, grated ginger and the milk. Mix well and cook, covered on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes

            When done, add ghee and panch phoron powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Peel the bottle gourd and slice them. Soak in water to prevent discoloration.

Grind the soaked urad dal with a pinch of salt & some water into a smooth paste. Whisk this batter well and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan & add small dumplings of the batter & fry them till golden in color. Drain & keep aside. 

Temper the same oil with mustard seeds, dry red chilies & bay leaves. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

Add the sliced bottle gourd, green chilies & salt. Cover & cook till the moisture is all absorbed & the veggie is tender.

                    Then add the fried pakoras, grated ginger 

and the milk. Mix well & cook, covered, on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

When done, add ghee & panch phoron powder. Give it a stir & switch off the flame. 

                    Serve with hot steamed rice.

Radhuni diye Potoler Dalna (Parwal / Pointed Gourd Curry - Bong style)

 

           Pointed Gourd / Parwal is a common and a favorite veggie among most Bengalis. It is also very popular around North East India. It is known as Potol in the local lingo. On the the other hand, Radhuni (celery seeds) is a spice, resembling ajwain or carom seeds. It is generally used as a tempering on its own or included in the panch phoron spice mix that is very common in a Bengali cuisine. 

         

           So check out my version of a traditional Bengali dish of Pointed Gourd cooked in a thick gravy. The base of the gravy is that of a paste made of onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. 

          I then added radhuni powder to the end product to enhance the flavor. You can relish this amazing dish either with rice or any Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional cuisine.

• 8-10 parwals, cut into roundels
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (celery seeds), dry roasted
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Grind the onion, ginger, tomato and garlic into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

          Grind the roasted radhuni into a fine powder and keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the parwals till light brown. Drain and keep aside. 

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

          After it stops spluttering, add the onion paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the turmeric powder and red chili powder. Sauté for a minute.

         Then add the fried parwals, salt, slit green chilies and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens and the parwals are cooked well.

         When done, add ghee and the radhuni powder. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice or as a side dish with chapatti. 

        Take 1 tsp. of radhuni, dry roast it and grind into a fine powder.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the parwals till light brown. Drain & keep aside. 

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

After it stops spluttering, add the onion paste & sauté till the oil separates.

    Add the turmeric powder & red chili powder. Sauté for a minute.

                 Then add the fried parwals, salt,

slit green chilies and 1 cup water. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens and the parwals are tender.

                 When done, add ghee & the radhuni powder.

                    Garnish with coriander leaves.

      Serve with hot steamed rice or as a side dish with chapatti. 

Masala / Podi Sundal (Chickpea Snack - Tamilian Cuisine)

 

          This is a very popular and a healthy chickpea snack found in South India, especially Tamil Nadu. I was introduced to this simple and easy snack during my stay in Chennai. They are usually served in temples and also can be found being sold in beaches and parks. 

          As chickpeas contain high protein, they can be relished anytime of the day. But it is best relished as an evening snack along with a cup of hot tea or coffee. It can be prepared with or without adding the masala podi. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy snack.

• 1 cup white chickpeas, boiled
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 whole red chili, broken
• 1 green chili, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. idli podi
• 1/4 cup fresh coconut, grated
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

         

         Heat oil in a pan and temper with red chilies, mustard seeds, green chili, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.

          Add the boiled chickpeas, idli podi and salt. Sauté for a minute.

         Add the grated coconut and coriander leaves. Give it a toss and switch off the flame. Enjoy as a snack.

Heat oil in a pan & temper with red chilies, mustard seeds, green chili, urad dal, asafoetida & curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.

                 Add the boiled chickpeas, salt

                  and idli podi. Sauté for a minute.

                     Add the grated coconut and coriander leaves. 

                   Give it a toss and switch off the flame.

                      Enjoy as a snack.