Mishti Kumro Bhorta (Red Pumpkin Bharta / Pumpkin Mash - Bong style)

 

            Mishti Kumro Bhorta (Red Pumpkin Bharta) is a simple comforting Bong style dish as it needs very few basic ingredients. It takes very little time to prepare and tastes just divine with hot steamed rice. This traditional dish is almost a lost recipe now and has its origin in the rural parts of West Bengal and Bangladesh. This recipe has a nice garlic flavor and the addition of raw mustard oil and lime juice to the finished product gives a great punch to the dish.

           You need to savor it to believe how this easy to prepare dish can be so yummy and amazing. It is just divine. So when you are looking for something simple, go ahead and try this comforting and soulful dish of Mishti Kumro Bhorta. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this must try regional chutney.

• 400 gms. pumpkin, cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 3-4 dry red chilies or as required
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2 onion, sliced
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil in a pan and sauté the dry red chilies, garlic and one sliced onion separately till light brown. Keep aside to cool and then mash them coarsely along with 1/4 tsp. of salt. 

          In the same oil sauté the pumpkin till well browned. Keep mashing it in the process with your ladle. Set aside to cool slightly. Then add it to the mashed onion-garlic mix. Combine everything well. 

          To this mix, add the remaining sliced onion, coriander leaves, lime juice and remaining mustard oil. Mix everything well and serve with hot steamed rice. 

Heat 1 tbsp. mustard oil in a pan and sauté the dry red chilies,

                       garlic and

               one sliced onion separately till light brown. 

                     Keep aside to cool.

             Then mash them coarsely along with 1/4 tsp. of salt. 

                 In the same oil add the pumpkin and ....

                sauté the pumpkin till well browned. 

Keep mashing it in the process with your ladle. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Then add it to the mashed onion-garlic mix. Combine everything well. 

To this mix, add the remaining sliced onion, coriander leaves, lime juice & remaining mustard oil.

                    Mix everything well.

                  Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Egg Butter Roast (Mangalorean Fusion Recipe)

 

            Egg Butter Roast is a take on the very popular Mangalorean special Chicken Ghee Roast. However, in this recipe, I replaced ghee with butter. This style of dish is very spicy with the addition of dry red chilies. You can tone it down by adding Kashmiri red chilies, like I did.  However, it is toned down to some extent with the addition of tamarind and jaggery. You may adjust the spiciness according to your preference. 

           This dish is a great party recipe where it can be served as an appetizer. It can also be relished as a side dish with dosa, appam, idiyappam or chapatti for a sumptuous meal. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delicacy. 

         The origin of the original recipe goes back to the town of Kundapur. So at times, it is also called Kundapur style Ghee Roast. It is very spicy and full of flavors coming from the ghee and a medley of various spices. You can use Kashmiri red chilies instead, for less of heat. 

          There are many versions to this amazing dish and any which way it is prepared, it simply tastes awesome. The whole spices are freshly dry roasted and ground to make the dish more flavorful. 

Ingredients - 

• 3-4 eggs, boiled & scored 
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• pinch of turmeric powder
• pinch of red chili powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Dry roast & grind - 

• 8-10 Kashmiri red chilies
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. jaggery
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste

          Dry roast the Kashmiri red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds for 1-2 minutes or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside to cool. 

          Then grind along with the garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, jaggery and tamarind  into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

         Heat 1 tbsp. butter in a pan & add a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Give it a stir.

         Then add the boiled eggs and sauté till they are lightly browned. Keep aside. 

         Heat the remaining butter and fry one sprig curry leaves till they turn crisp. Keep aside for garnishing. 

          In the same butter, sauté the onion and remaining curry leaves till light brown. 

          Now add the ground paste and salt to taste. Mix everything well and sauté till the oil separates. 

          Add the fried eggs and stir fry for 1-2 minutes till the eggs are well coated with the masala. 

          When done, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

          Serve with steamed rice, dosa, appam, neer dosa, idiyappam, plain biryani or chapatti for a sumptuous meal. 

                      Eggs are boiled & scored.

Dry roast the Kashmiri red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds & fenugreek seeds for 1-2 minutes or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside to cool. Then grind along with the garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, jaggery & tamarind into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

Heat 1 tbsp. butter in a pan & add a pinch of salt, turmeric powder & red chili powder. Give it a stir.

Then add the boiled eggs & sauté till they are lightly browned. Keep aside. 

Heat remaining butter & fry one sprig curry leaves till they turn crisp. Keep aside for garnishing. 

In the same butter, sauté the onion & remaining curry leaves till light brown. 

Now add the ground paste & salt to taste. Mix well & sauté till the oil separates. 

                   Add the fried eggs. 

 Stir fry for 1-2 minutes till the eggs are well coated with the masala. 

             When done, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve with steamed rice, dosa, appam, neer dosa, idiyappam, plain biryani or chapatti for a sumptuous meal. 

Green Papaya Curry - South Indian Style

 

         This is an easy version of the Green papaya curry cooked in Andhra style. Steam them before hand to save time and then a bit of tempering and a sprinkle of sambar powder is all that takes to dish out this wonderful delicacy. Enjoy with steamed rice pr as a side dish with roti or paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this dish. 

          There are many uses of green papaya. It can be used to make a curry (both dry and with gravy), made into a salad or simply have it boiled in a Bengali style with rice, mustard oil, salt, green chilies and coriander leaves. Here I prepared in an Andhra style, which can be enjoyed either with chapatis or as a side dish with curd-rice.

• 1 medium Raw Papaya, chopped
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

             Steam the papaya for 8-10 minutes or till soft and keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, red chilies, urad dal and chana dal. Sauté till the dals changes color.

            Add the onion, curry leaves, garlic, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté till light brown. 

           Now add the papaya and continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.  

           When done, sprinkle the sambar powder and give it a stir. 

          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or as a side dish with roti or paratha. It also goes well as an accompaniment with curd rice. 

       Steam the papaya for 8-10 minutes or till soft & keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, red chilies, urad dal & chana dal. Sauté till the dals changes color. 

                 Add the onion, curry leaves, garlic, 

                   salt & turmeric powder. 

                 Sauté for 2-3 minutes till they turn light brown.

Now add the papaya  continue to sauté for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.  

          When done, sprinkle the sambar powder & give it a stir. 

Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with steamed rice or as a side dish with roti or paratha. 

            It also goes well as an accompaniment with curd rice. 

Bottle Gourd Chutney (Sorakaya Pachadi - Andhra / Telangana Cuisine)

 

         Bottle Gourd Chutney or Sorakaya Pachadi in the local Telugu lingo is a very delicious chutney that is full of flavors. Thinly sliced bottle gourd is sautéed along with garlic, green chilies and a handful of coriander leaves. It is then coarsely ground and tempered with mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Roasted sesame, roasted peanuts and fresh grated coconut can also be added for enhanced flavor. 

         

           This simple and easy to prepare Pachadi is best relished with hot steamed rice-ghee combo, with chapatis, as a spread on toasts / parathas, with any South Indian breakfast like idli, dosa, vada, and finally as a dip along with some vegetable crudités or chips. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this amazing chutney

• 1 medium size bottle gourd
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 5-6 garlic, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal

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

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the chopped garlic and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the sliced bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder and roasted coriander powder. 

          Mix everything well and cook, covered till it is tender. Sprinkle water at times if needed.

          Add the chopped coriander leaves and continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame and keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

          Tempering - Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the coarsely ground paste and stir fry for 4-5 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add lime juice. Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

Peel the bottle gourd & slice them. Soak in water to prevent it from discoloration. 

       Heat oil in a pan  temper with cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Add the chopped garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

Add the sliced bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder & roasted coriander powder. 

Mix everything well & cook, covered, till it is tender. Sprinkle water at times if needed.

Add the chopped coriander leaves & continue to sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame && keep aside to cool down. Then blend coarsely in a mixer grinder. 

Tempering - Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

Then add the coarsely ground paste & stir fry for 4-5 minutes. When done, switch off the flame & add lime juice. 

                  Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapatti.