Steamed Biscuit Cake

          This is an amazing steamed eggless cake made of biscuits. You can use any of your favourite type - plain or cream biscuits. A very easy and a simple recipe for unexpected guests. It requires very few ingredients and the garnishing can be done according to individual preference. Came across this interesting recipe and so wasted no time in preparing it. Should confess that it turned out absolutely yummy. So do give it a try and you can play the guessing game with your dear ones.

• 1 cup ground cream biscuit (any flavour)
• 1/2 cup milk or as required
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt
• 1 tbsp. chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp. dried rose petals (opt)

          Mix the milk to the ground biscuit and make a batter of pouring consistency. Meanwhile, pour some water in a pressure cooker, place a stand and bring it to a boil.

         Just before steaming, add eno fruit salt to the batter and mix well. Pour the batter immediately into a greased cake tin / container. Tap it well and sprinkle the chopped pista over it (save some for garnishing).

         Gently place the container over the stand in the cooker and close the lid. Do not put the weight. 

          Steam for 20 minutes on a low flame. When done, switch off the flame and let it cool for a while. Place it on a wire rack and cool it further.

          Then demould it and cut into desired shapes. Garnish with chopped pista and rose petals. Enjoy as a tea-time snack or when desired.          

Black Chickpeas Tikki / Patties / Cutlet

          These yummy and healthy tikkis made of black chickpeas are just perfect as a tea-time snack or can be served as appetizers along with kasundi (bottled mustard sauce), tomato sauce or green chutney). For a vegetarian version, egg can be substituted with potatoes or corn flour. 

           They can also be served as vegetable burgers along with onion, lettuce, cucumber, tomato and cheese slice. Besides, they can also be made into a roll / frankie or packed as a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1/2 cup black chickpeas / chana, soaked overnight & boiled
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. garlic, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• 1 egg
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• oil to shallow fry

           Blend the boiled chickpeas to a slightly coarse paste. Add all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil). 

          Take a small portion out of the mix and form into any tikki shape. Refrigerate for some time. 

           Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and shallow fry the prepared tikkis, few at a time till golden in colour. 

           Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with kasundi (mustard sauce), tomato sauce or green chutney.

                      Blend boiled chickpeas to a coarse paste. Add all ingredients (except oil). 

                      Take a small portion of the mix & form into any shape. Refrigerate
                      for some time. 

                      Heat 1 tbsp. oil & shallow fry the prepared tikkis till golden in color. 

                Drain on a kitchen towel.

                         Serve with kasundi (mustard sauce), tomato sauce or green chutney.

Echore Chingri Bharta (Raw Jackfruit Prawns Curry - Bengali Style)

          You must have had Baingan (eggplant) bharta, So how about trying Raw jackfruit & Prawns Bharta? I came across this traditional Bengali recipe and so decided to give it a try. The method of cooking was unique, in the sense that the jackfruit was first deep fried and ground instead of boiling it and then cooking it with fried prawns. The end product was just so amazing and yummy. It can be enjoyed with either hot steamed rice or chapati. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

  

           You do not get to see such out-of-the-box recipes. It is an old recipe that you usually get to see our mothers and grandmothers cooking. I personally am on the lookout for such rare recipes and waste no time in trying it out. It is a must-try recipe and I am sure all jackfruit lovers will  appreciate it. So Bon Appetit!!

• 1 small raw jackfruit, cubed
• 1/2 cup prawns, deveined & cleaned
• any oil for deep frying
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder

          Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the chopped jackfruit till light golden brown in colour. Drain and keep aside to cool. Blend into a smooth paste by adding some water.

          Heat 2 tbsp. mustard oil in a pan / kadai and sauté the red chilies. Drain and crush them. keep aside. Then fry the prawns till it changes colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and sauté for a few seconds. Add the garlic and asafoetida and stir fry till light brown. 

          Add in the onion and green chilies. Sauté till light brown. Now add the blended jackfruit mix, salt, turmeric powder, crushed red chilies and cumin powder.

          Stir fry on a low flame for 2-3 minutes and add the fried prawns. Continue to cook till dry. When done, add the remaining mustard oil and switch off the flame.

           Toss well and garnish with the crushed fried chilies. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

                       Temper oil with nigella seeds & sauté few seconds. Add garlic &
                       asafoetida and stir fry till light brown. 

                      Add in the onion and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

                        Add blended jackfruit mix, salt, turmeric powder, crushed dry red
                        chilies and cumin powder.

                       Sauté on low flame for 2-3 min. Add fried prawns & cook till dry. 

                    
                      When done, add remaining mustard oil & switch off flame. Toss well.

                        Garnish with the crushed fried chilies. 

                                Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis. 

Savoury Popovers

         These amazing egg based baked delights are just perfect for a tea-time snack. You can go ahead and add any spice or herbs of your choice. Relish them as appetizers or serve them as an after-school snack with tomato sauce, any chutney, hummus or mayo. I like to have them with some soup for a light meal. They are very light, crisp and easy to dish out and can be made for a quick snack on the go. 

• 2 eggs (makes 10)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. kasoori methi, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
• pinch of pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp. chat masala or to taste
• melted butter to grease the muffin pan

          In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Then add all the ingredients and mix well to form a smooth batter.

          Pour into the greased muffin pan so that each cup is about 2/3 full. Bake at 180 degrees C for 30-35 minutes or till the popovers are golden brown. 

          Set aside to cool a bit before demolding them. Relish as a tea-time snack, as appetizers / after school snack with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Mutton Posto - Bengali Style

          Mutton Posto is a traditional non-veg. version of the very popular Aloo posto. It simply means mutton cooked in a creamy poppy seeds gravy. Tried it for the first time and I should confess that it came out real yummy, 

         It is best relished with plain steamed rice or plain chapati. But there is absolutely no harm in serving it with jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao or any Indian bread like naan, tandoori roti, kulcha or paratha. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe. 

• 400-500 gms. mutton with bones
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (opt)
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 mace
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds paste
• 1/4 cup cashew nut paste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. kewra water

           Grind to a paste the roughly chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies to a smooth paste. 

          Marinate the mutton with the ground paste, 1 tbsp. oil and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) for a minimum of 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan / kadai and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace and sugar. Saute for a few seconds.

           Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Now add the marinated mutton and cook, covered on a low flame till the oil separates.

           Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

           Bring it back into the pan and add the poppy seeds paste and cashew nut paste. Mix well and cook, covered for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Add the garam masala, kewra water and ghee. Give it a stir and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes more or till the gravy is thick. 

          Serve with plain biryani, pulao, jeera rice, plain steamed rice, naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, paratha or just plain chapati.

Note - I had to substitute poppy seeds paste with sesame seeds & cashew nut paste as the former is unavailable here. But I must confess that it came out real yummy.

                     Marinate mutton with ground paste, 1 tbsp. oil & all dry spices (except                                           garam masala powder) for a minimum of 3-4 hours.

                     Heat remaining oil & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon,                                         cardamoms, cloves, mace & sugar. Saute for a few seconds.

                       Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. 

                      Add marinated mutton & cook, covered on a low flame till oil separates. 
                      Add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 15-20 min. on low flame after the
                      first whistle. 

                     Bring it back into the pan & add poppy seeds paste & cashew nut paste. 
                     Mix well & cook, covered for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame. 

                     Add garam masala, kewra water & ghee. Give it a stir & simmer for 
                     1-2 minutes more or till the gravy is thick.

                          
                                Serve with any form of rice or Indian bread. 

Mutton Posto Biryani - Bengali Fusion Style

          Mutton Posto is a classic Bengali dish where the mutton is cooked in a poppy seeds gravy. I turned this yummy dish into an amazing and a quick biryani by layering the rice with all the garnishes over the curry and baking to perfection. This new innovation turned out something unique and can be relished with just a plain raita. One pot delicacy for your next party. 

• 400-500 gms. mutton with bones
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 mace
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds paste
• 1/4 cup cashew nut paste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• 1 cup basmati rice, soaked for an hour
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fried onions
• pinch of saffron / yellow food colour mixed with 2-3 tbsp. milk
• 1-2 boiled eggs, cut into half
• few onion rings
• lemon wedges

           Grind to a paste the roughly chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies to a smooth paste. Cook the rice along with some salt till it is 80 percent done. Drain and keep aside. 

          Curry - Marinate the mutton with the ground paste, 1 tbsp. oil and all the dry spices (except garam masala powder) for a minimum of 3-4 hours or preferably overnight.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan / kadai and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace and sugar. Sauté for a few seconds.

           Add the onion and stir fry till light brown. Now add the marinated mutton and cook, covered on a low flame till the oil separates.

           Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

           Bring it back into the pan and add the poppy seeds paste and cashew nut paste. Mix well and cook, covered for 5-10 minutes on a medium flame. 

          Add the garam masala, kewra water and ghee. Give it a stir and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes more or till the gravy is thick.

          Biryani - In an ovenproof dish layer the mutton posto curry and top it up with the rice. Sprinkle the coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions and the colour. Cover with a lid and bake for 10-15 minutes at 180 degrees C.

           Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with boiled eggs, onion rings and lemon wedges. Serve with raita for a sumptuous lunch / dinner.
          






Note - I had to use sesame seeds in place of poppy seeds as the latter is unavailable here. But frankly speaking there was no change in the taste and flavour.

                           Biryani - In an ovenproof dish layer mutton posto curry & top it 
                           up with rice. Sprinkle coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions 
                           & colour. Cover with a lid & bake for 10-15 min. at 180 degrees C.