Green Peas Soup (Matar Shorba)

 

           This is a very healthy and a nutritious soup, loaded with proteins and fibre. It is also low in fat, thus a guilt free soup for you. The presence of some coriander and mint leaves gives a very nice refreshing flavour to this Green Peas soup. Enjoy this hearty soup with few bread sticks or croutons. This amazing comfort and soul satisfying soup can be a great start to any meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 cup green peas (I used frozen peas)
• handful of coriander leaves & mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. oil 
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 2-3 cups water
• 2-3 tbsp. yoghurt 

           Heat olive oil and butter in a pan. Add the onion, garlic and green chilies. Sauté till translucent. 

              Add the peas and cinnamon. Stir fry for a minute.

              Then add the coriander-mint leaves, salt to taste, pepper powder and roasted cumin water. Mix everything well.

            Add water and cook, covered for 4-5 minutes. (Adjust the water depending on the consistency required). 

              Set aside to cool. Then discard the cinnamon. Blend into a puree. Heat through and add yoghurt. 

              Give it a stir and serve, garnished with pepper powder and coriander leaves Enjoy as it is or with some soup sticks.

                      Heat olive oil & butter. Add onion, garlic & green chilies. Sauté till translucent. 

                                  Add the peas and cinnamon. Stir fry for a minute.

                   Add coriander-mint leaves, salt, pepper powder & roasted cumin water.

                   Mix everything well.

                        Add water & cook, covered for 4-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Then 

                        discard the cinnamon. Blend into a puree. 

                                  Heat through and add yoghurt. Give it a stir.

                                Serve, garnished with pepper powder and coriander leaves.

                        Enjoy as it is or with some soup sticks.

Bhetki Dum Fish (Bong style)

 

                This is my version of Bong style Dum fish where I used some Bhetki pieces. You can make use of any fish of your choice. Very easy, simple and at the same time very delicious, this preparation does not need too much of preparation. The whole process of cooking is in a dum style and it can be relished with either hot steamed rice, pulao or plain Biryani. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Marination-

• 2-3 pieces of Betki fish fillet
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder 
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. roasted gram flour
• 1 tbsp. water
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves, 1 tsp. fresh grated coconut and few strands of saffron to garnish.

Gravy-

• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. fennel powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. cashew nut paste
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp. ghee
• pinch of saffron soaked in 3/4 cup water
• 2-3 green chilies

          Marinate the fish pieces with salt, pepper powder, ginger-garlic paste, roasted gram flour, lime juice and some water for 10 minutes.

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish  till light golden colour on both sides. Drain and keep aside.

         In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the gravy and transfer into the pan in which the fish was fried.

          Place the fried fish and spoon the gravy over the fish. Place the green chilies over the fish. Cover with a foil and put a lid over it. 

          Cook on a low flame for 8-10 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut and saffron.

          Relish with hot steamed rice, pulao or plain Biryani.

                         Marinate the fish with salt, pepper powder, ginger-garlic paste, roasted

                          gram flour, lime juice and some water for 10 minutes.

                        Heat oil & shallow fry the marinated fish till light golden colour on 

                        both sides. Drain and keep aside.

                             In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the gravy.

                                 Transfer into the pan in which the fish was fried.

                           Place the fried fish & spoon the gravy over the fish. Place the green 

                           chilies over the fish. 

                                 Cover with a foil and put a lid over it. 

                                   Cook on a low flame for 8-10 minutes. 

                     Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, fresh grated coconut & saffron.

                     Relish with hot steamed rice, pulao or plain Biryani.

Lau Muger Dal Torkari (Lauki / Bottlegourd - Green Gram Curry - Bong Style)

 

          Here is a simple and a delicious side dish made from Bottle gourd (Lauki) and split moong dal in a Bengali style. In this Bengali version of mine, I added few bori (dried lentil dumplings). However, prawns and fish head can be added for the non. veg. version. I usually prepare this dish when I want something simple, yet healthy. 

                  Light on the stomach no doubt, it requires minimum of spices and best had with chapattis. It can also be enjoyed as a side dish with rice too. The use of mustard oil gives it an authentic touch and flavor. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

               Bottle gourd is considered light on the stomach and instead of preparing on its own, addition of a little bit of fried moong dal and fried bori enhances the flavor and also gives a slight crunch to the dish. I also love adding lots of chopped coriander leaves and a tsp. of ghee to the end product. 

• 1 medium size lau (bottle gourd / Lauki), finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. split moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted & soaked for an hour
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 bori / fried lentil dumplings / mangodi
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder 
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee 

 

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the bori till golden in colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the bottle gourd, salt to taste, turmeric powder, roasted & soaked moong dal and green chilies. 

          Cover and cook on a low flame till the bottle gourd turns soft and the moisture dries up. 

          Add roasted cumin powder, fried bori and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till done.

          Switch off the flame. Add coriander leaves and ghee. Mix well and serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapattis. 

                              Heat oil & fry the bori till golden in colour. Drain & keep aside. 

                 Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                   Add bottle gourd, salt, turmeric powder, soaked moong dal & green chilies.    

                  Cover & cook on a low flame till the lauki turns soft & moisture dries up. 

                                 Add roasted cumin powder, fried bori ......

& 1/2 cup water. Cover & cook till it is done. 

                             Switch off the flame. Add coriander leaves & ghee. Mix well.

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice, paratha or chapattis. 

Rice & Cheese Balls

 

               A great way to brighten up your evening is to have this yummy snack along with your evening tea or coffee. It is very quick and easy to make. A very good use of any leftover rice is made here by dishing out this mouth watering snack. Instead of the usual chutney and sauce, try having them with some hummus or mayo. It simply tastes awesome. 

• 2 cups leftover cooked rice, mashed
• 3-4 med. potatoes, boiled, peeled & grated
• 1/2 cup cheese, grated
• 2 onion, chopped finely
• 2 green chilies, chopped finely
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp. besan (chickpea flour)
• pinch of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. rice flour
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. yoghurt
• oil to deep fry

           Mix together all the ingredients, except oil and knead into a dough. Make equal sized balls out of it. Refrigerate for a while.
 
           Heat oil and deep fry them few at a time till golden brown in colour. Drain and serve with green chutney or sauce. Alternately, the cheese can be stuffed inside the rice balls.

Echorer Muri Ghonto (Green Jackfruit Cooked with Basmati Rice - Bong Style)

 

            Muri Ghonto or Fish Head Curry is a traditional Bengali cuisine prepared with fish head, some soaked rice along with some spices into a thick gravy. The quantity of rice can be adjusted according to individual preference. It can be made into a curry form or a pulao.

          But here is a vegetarian version of the said dish with raw / green jackfruit. This is a very good combination and it also goes by the name of Chaal Echore or Echorer Pulao, where the rice happens to be the predominant ingredient. You can also add some fried prawns in this recipe for some variation.

              If making a pulao increase the quantity of rice and cook it in ghee. Traditionally it is prepared with a local variety of rice called Gobindo Bhog, but in the absence of it you can make use of Basmati rice. Echorer Muri Ghonto can be enjoyed with either rice or chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

• 1 small Echore (raw jackfruit), cubed
• 1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen ones)
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1/4 cup Gobindobhog / Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes.
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

           Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle. Keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the potatoes to light brown in colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Add another tbsp. oil and sauté the boiled jackfruit for 2-3 minutes.  

          Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chili, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté on medium flame till oil separates. 

          Add the chopped tomato and continue to stir fry till it is mashed nicely. 

    

          Now add the soaked rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add the sautéed jackfruit, green peas, fried potatoes, slit green chilies and 2 cups water.

          Cover and simmer till the potatoes and rice are done and the gravy is thick to a desired consistency. 

          Switch off the flame. Add ghee, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Mix well and keep it covered for a couple of minutes. 

          Then serve with hot steamed rice, luchi (poori), chapatti or paratha.

                                  Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle.

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

                            Add another tbsp. oil & sauté the boiled jackfruit for 2-3 minutes.  

                      Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili, cumin seeds, bay 

                         leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

                                 Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                       Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup

                        water. Sauté on medium flame till oil separates. 

                             Add the chopped tomato & stir fry till it is mashed nicely. 

                            Add the soaked rice & sauté for 2 minutes.

                       Add boiled jackfruit, green peas, fried potatoes, slit green chilies .....

                          .... and 2 cups water. Cover & simmer till the potatoes & rice are done

                          & the gravy is thick to a desired consistency. 

                       Switch off the flame. Add ghee, garam masala powder & coriander 

                                leaves. Mix well & keep it covered for a couple of minutes. 

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice or chapatti / paratha.