Kochur Loti (Taro Stems Curry - Bong style)

 

            This a traditional Bong style recipe of Taro stems cooked in a vegetarian version. I added some boiled chickpeas and roasted peanuts. You may also add some grated coconut or small pieces of fried coconut too. It is a very yummy recipe and it can be prepared in a non-veg. form too, with either prawns, any small variety fish or fish head. 

          Very few ingredients are required for this recipe. Drizzle the final product with some raw mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great Sunday lunch. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy. 

          It is a lost recipe, prepared only in few Bengali homes and not much found in restaurants. However, in rural areas it is commonly prepared as these taro stems are seen grown in abundance near ponds and lakes.

          This dish is considered to be a delicacy on a Bengali menu platter In this veg. version, you can also add bori (dried lentil dumplings) in the veg. version too. It tastes equally yummy.

• 300 gms. Kochur Loti (Taro Stems)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/3 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds

          Peel & chop the taro stems into 2" long. Wash them thoroughly 2-3 times. Grind the mustard seeds into a paste along with 1 green chili and 1/4 cup water. Keep aside. 

          Then in a pan, bring sufficient water to a boil along with a pinch of salt, turmeric and lime juice. 

          Add the chopped taro stem and boil, covered, for 4-5 minutes. It should be al dente. Drain well and keep aside.  

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Sauté till light brown. 

          Then add the boiled taro stems, salt to taste, boiled chickpeas and roasted peanuts. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once in between.

          Add the mustard paste. Mix well and cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes. 

         Add the remaining 1 tbsp. mustard oil and give it a mix. Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.

Note - 

          These Taro stems sometimes have a tendency of generating itchiness in the throat. So to avoid it, be sure to add lime juice, vinegar or some tamarind water while boiling it. 

          

                           Take 350 gms. of Kochu Loti (Taro Stems).

  Peel & chop the taro stems into 2" long. Wash them thoroughly 2-3 times.

Then in a pan, bring sufficient water to a boil along with a pinch of salt, turmeric & lime juice. Add the chopped taro stem.

                 Boil, covered, for 4-5 minutes. 

                    Drain well & keep aside.  

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & temper with nigella seeds & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder & cumin powder. 

                      Sauté till light brown. 

Then add the boiled taro stems, salt to taste, boiled chickpeas & roasted peanuts. Cover & cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once in between.

        Add the mustard paste. Mix well & cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes. 

                 Add the remaining 1 tbsp. mustard oil & give it a mix.

                     Now your Kochur Loti is done. 

Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

Black Sesame Mutton Curry

 

          Assam and Meghalaya State are famous for its Black Sesame Pork Curry. Sometimes Chicken and Mutton are also prepared using Black Sesame seeds. So check out my version of Black Sesame Mutton Curry where I also added potatoes, which is purely optional. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delectable mutton curry. 

            I used a very simple method of first marinating the mutton with all the required spices overnight and then pressure cooking it over a very low flame. The end result is just amazing with some nutty flavor. 

           Add some lime juice to the end product and garnish with slit green chilies and chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy this delicacy with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread. 

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut
• 1/4 cup black sesame seeds
• 1-2 medium size potatoes, cut into half
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2-3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Dry roast the sesame seeds for a minute or till you get a nice aroma. Set aside to cool down. Then grind into a fine powder.

          Marinate the mutton with ginger-garlic paste, all the dry spices (including ground sesame seeds), yoghurt and 2 tbsp. mustard oil overnight.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and sauté the potatoes till light golden in color. Set aside. 

          In the same oil, fry the onion till light brown.

          Now transfer the marinated mutton along with 1/4 cup water into the pan. Cover and simmer on a low flame till the oil separates. Keep stirring at intervals.

         Add 1 cup water and pressure cook the mutton on a very low flame for 12-15 minutes after the 1st whistle. 

         When done, switch off the flame and drizzle lime juice. Garnish with slit green chilies and chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy with rice or roti.

Dry roast the sesame seeds for a minute or till you get a nice aroma. Set aside to cool down. 

                  Then grind into a fine powder.

Marinate the mutton with ginger-garlic paste, all the dry spices (including ground sesame seeds), yoghurt & 2 tbsp. mustard oil overnight.

Heat remaining oil in a pan & sauté the potatoes till light golden in color. Set aside. 

                    In the same oil, fry the onion till light brown.

Now transfer the marinated mutton along with 1/4 cup water into the pan. 

Cover & simmer on a low flame till the oil separates. Keep stirring at intervals.

                    Add 1 cup water.

Pressure cook on a very low flame for 12-15 minutes after the 1st whistle. 

When done, switch off the flame & drizzle lime juice. Garnish with slit green chilies and chopped coriander leaves. 

                    Enjoy with rice or roti.

Kanika Bhaat / Sweet Rice - Odisha Festive Cuisine

 

          Kanika Bhaat is a traditional Odisha sweet rice, which is a part of the prasad served in Puri Jagannath Temple. This popular festive dish is also prepared during special occasions and festivals. It is prepared in ghee and garnished with fried nuts to enhance the flavor of this divine dish. It is purely a satvik dish with no onion or garlic. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this fragrant rice dish. 

          Kanika Bhaat is generally prepared with basmati rice or Govindobhog rice (a small grain rice). This dish is a part of the Chappan bhog / 56 divine offerings that is offered to Lord Jagannath. 

          A pinch of turmeric powder is added for a slight golden color and the rice is tempered in few whole spices. Sugar or jaggery can be added to sweeten the rice. A pinch pf nutmeg and some extra ghee is added to the final dish for a lingering aroma. 

• 1/2 cup rice, soaked for 1/2 hour
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 big cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1/2 mace
• 1/3 cup cashew nuts
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup coconut, sliced
• pinch of turmeric powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• pinch of nutmeg powder

          Rinse the rice well and soak in enough water for 30 minutes. Then drain and keep aside. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a pan and stir fry the cashew nuts, raisins and sliced coconut till they turn light brown in color. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same ghee with the bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, big cardamom and star anise. Sauté for a few seconds.

         Then add the soaked rice, pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

         Add 1 & 1/4 cup water and cook, covered, on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

         Add the sugar and the fried nuts. Continue to cook till all the water has been absorbed and the rice is done.

         Now add the nutmeg powder and the remaining 1 tsp. ghee. Give it a stir and keep it covered for 4-5 minutes.

         Fluff it up with a fork and serve with dalma and / or any veg. curry for a divine experience. 

      

Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a pan and stir fry the cashew nuts, raisins & sliced coconut till they turn light brown in color. Drain & keep aside.

Temper the same ghee with the bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, big cardamom & star anise. Sauté for a few seconds.

Then add the soaked rice, pinch of salt & turmeric powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

 Add 1 & 1/4 cup water  cook, covered, on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

Add the sugar & the fried nuts. Continue to cook till all the water has been absorbed and the rice is done.

Add the nutmeg powder & the remaining 1 tsp. ghee. Give it a stir & keep it covered for 4-5 minutes.

Fluff it up with a fork & serve with dalma and / or any veg. curry for a divine experience. 

Cluster Beans Curry (Goruchikkudu Kura) Andhra Cuisine

 

           This is an amazing Cluster Beans Curry in an Andhra style. It turned out very delectable and tasted awesome with chapattis. A little bit of sambar powder gave a nice punch to this simple vegetable dish. Some idli podi will also do wonders to this simple recipe. You can relish it as a side dish with rice or chapattis. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this no-fuss curry. 

• 250 gms. cluster beans. chopped into 1" pieces
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

         Steam the cluster beans for 5 minutes or till they are fork tender. Keep aside. 

         Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies.

         After it stops spluttering, add the onion, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Sauté till they turn light brown. 

          Then add the steamed cluster beans and salt to taste. Stir fry on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

         When done, add sambar powder and chopped coriander leaves. Give it a mix and enjoy as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

Steam the cluster beans for 5 minutes or till they are fork tender. Keep aside. 

           Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chilies.

After it stops spluttering, add the onion, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, turmeric powder & red chili powder. Sauté till they turn light brown. 

Add the steamed cluster beans & salt to taste. Stir fry on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

  When done, add sambar powder & chopped coriander leaves. Give it a mix.

                     Enjoy as a side dish with rice or chapattis.