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. 

Masoor Dal Bhorta /Bharta (Mashed Red Lentils - Bengali / Bangladeshi style)

 

          Masoor Dal Bhorta is a simple and an easy Bong / Bangladeshi homemade delicacy with an amazing yummy flavor. It is nothing but boiled and mashed red lentils, mixed with fried onion, garlic, dry red chilies and a handful of chopped coriander leaves. It is generally enjoyed with hot steamed rice or panta bhaat (fermented rice). 

     This is a great comfort food and if having with hot steamed rice, a drizzle of some raw mustard oil makes this dish pure divine. This dish has very few ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen so it can be made in a jiffy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing recipe.

          This traditional dish is almost a lost recipe now and has its origin in the rural parts of West Bengal and Bangladesh where it is very popular. This recipe has a nice garlic flavor and the addition of raw mustard oil and lime juice 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. So when you are looking for something simple, go ahead and try this comforting and soulful dish of Masoor Dal Bhorta. 

• 1/2 cup masoor dal (Red lentils), soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 cup water
• 2 green chilies
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 4 dry red chilies
• 2 onion, sliced
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 3/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

         In a pan, transfer the soaked dal, water, green chilies and 1 tbsp. mustard oil. Cover and simmer till it is almost cooked.

         Now add 1/2 tsp. salt and continue to cook till all the water has been absorbed. Keep aside. 

         Heat remaining oil and sauté the dry red chilies and garlic till they turn brown in color. Set aside. 

          In the same oil, stir fry one sliced onion till golden brown in color. Set this also aside and allow it to cool down slightly.

          Now add 1/4 tsps. salt and mash them well with your fingers. 

          Add the cooked masoor dal till and combine everything well. 

          Add remaining sliced onion, chopped coriander leaves, lime juice and the oil in which the onion was fried. Mix everything well. 

          Form them into balls. Enjoy with steamed rice and onion, green chilies and extra lime juice as accompaniment. 

         

In a pan, transfer the soaked dal, water, green chilies & 1 tbsp. mustard oil. Cover & simmer till it is almost cooked.

                      Now add the salt & continue to cook....

                     ....till all the water has been absorbed. Keep aside. 

Heat remaining oil  sauté dry red chilies & garlic till brown in color. Set aside. 

In the same oil, stir fry one sliced onion till golden brown in color. Set this also aside and allow it to cool down slightly.

         

                           Now add 1/4 tsps. salt. 

                      Mash them well with your fingers. 

                Add the cooked masoor dal till & combine everything well. 

Add remaining sliced onion, chopped coriander leaves, lime juice  the oil in which the onion was fried. 

         

                          Mix everything well.

                      Form them into balls. 

Enjoy with steamed rice and onion, green chilies and extra lime juice as accompaniment. 

         

Bhaja Potoler Bhorta (Mashed Fried Pointed Gourd - Bong style)

 

          Bhaja Potol Bhorta (parwal 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 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 Bhaja Potol Bhorta. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this must try regional chutney.

• 6-7 Parwal / Pointed Gourd, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 6-7 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil

          Marinate the parwal with turmeric powder and salt to taste. for 4-5 minutes. 

          Heat mustard oil in a pan and sauté the dry red chilies and garlic till light brown. Keep aside to cool and mash them coarsely along with a pinch of salt. 

          In the same oil sauté the marinated parwal till well browned. Keep aside to cool slightly. Then crush them coarsely and add to the crushed garlic.

          To it, add the onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, lime juice and raw mustard oil. Mix everything well and serve with hot steamed rice. 

Heat mustard oil in a pan & sauté the dry red chilies and garlic till light brown.

 Keep aside to cool & mash them coarsely along with a pinch of salt. 

Marinate the parwal with turmeric powder & salt to taste. for 4-5 minutes. 

In the same oil sauté the marinated parwal till well browned. Keep aside to cool.

              Then crush them coarsely & add to the crushed garlic.

                   To it, add the onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, 

                       lime juice 

                   and raw mustard oil. Mix everything well.

                    Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Potol Bhorta (Parwal Bharta / Mashed Pointed Gourd Curry - Bong style)

 

            Potol Bhorta (Parwal Bharta) is a simple 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. 

         

           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 Potol Bhorta. Do check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this must try regional chutney.

          Bhorta / Bharta or mashed curry, be they of any veggie, lentil, fish, chicken or egg is very popular, particularly in Bangladesh and in West Bengal too. This is a great comfort food and goes best with hot steamed rice and with a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. A small amount of kasundi too does wonders to this dish. The end product is just so divine and yummy. You may also relish it as a side dish with chapatti. 

      

• 8-10 potol / parwal / pointed gourd, chopped
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. kasundi (bottled mustard paste)

          Pressure cook the chopped parwal in 1 cup water for 2-3 whistles. Set aside to cool down. Then drain the water and blend into a smooth paste.

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, garlic and nigella seeds. Sauté for a minute or till the garlic is slightly fried. 

          Then add the onion and green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

          Now add the parwal puree, salt and turmeric powder. Continue to sauté till all the moisture has evaporated.

          Garnish with coriander leaves, kasundi and remaining oil. Serve with hot steamed rice for a comfort meal.

Pressure cook the chopped parwal in 1 cup water for 2-3 whistles. Set aside to cool.

                     Then drain the water and blend into a smooth paste.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, garlic & nigella seeds. Sauté for a minute or till the garlic is slightly fried. 

              Then add the onion & green chilies. Sauté till light brown.

                    Now add the parwal puree, salt & turmeric powder. 

                     Continue to sauté till all the moisture has evaporated.

                    Garnish with coriander leaves, kasundi & remaining oil. 

                  Serve with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.