Til Bata (Sesame Seeds Chutney - Bong style)

 

           A far cry from all the restaurant style food, this humble Bong style chutney is a  lip smacking yummy side dish. It is almost a lost and a forgotten recipe that the new generation is not much aware of. It is an extremely easy, simple and a quick recipe that consists of all the flavors infused in it. 

          This homemade delicacy has minimum of ingredients and is served with steamed rice and a drizzle of mustard oil for that authentic touch. It tastes simply awesome. You may also try it with chapatti or as a spread on parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing Til Bata. 

• 1 cup sesame seeds (Til)
• 3 tsp. mustard oil
• 3-4 green chilies
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• salt to taste

          Heat a pan and dry roast the sesame seeds till they turn slightly brownish in color. Keep aside to cool down.

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and sauté the green chilies and garlic till light golden in color. Keep aside to cool down.

          Then in mixer grinder, blend into a smooth paste. Add salt to taste and 1 tsp. mustard oil. Mix well.

          Serve with steamed rice along with a drizzle of the remaining mustard oil and enjoy this simple homemade chutney.

Heat a pan & dry roast the sesame seeds till they turn slightly brownish in color. Keep aside to cool down.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan & sauté the green chilies & garlic till light golden in color. Keep aside to cool down.

Then in mixer grinder, blend into a smooth paste. Add salt to taste & 1 tsp. mustard oil. Mix well.

Serve with steamed rice along with a drizzle of the remaining mustard oil & enjoy this simple homemade chutney.

Thankuni Pata Bata (Centella Leaves Chutney - Bengali Style)

 

          This is an extremely simple and a nutritious Bong style chutney made of Thankuni Pata (Centella Leaves). So if you happen to come across this plant, pluck out the leaves and prepare this traditional & a healthy dish. In this recipe, the leaves are ground along with green chilies and garlic. This is then sautéed in mustard oil with a tempering of nigella seeds. It is then relished with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

               Thankuni Pata, as it is known in the Bengali lingo or Centella leaves have some medicinal properties that are very healthy for us. 

             It is not much popular, though it is quite relished in the North Eastern regions, especially West Bengal and our neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia to name a few. 

          These leaves can be made into delectable pakoras or can be enjoyed as salads, stir fries, juice or chutneys. 

• 2 handfuls of Thankuni Pata (Centella Leaves), chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)

     

         Wash the Thankuni leaves well under running water and drain them.

          Grind along with the garlic, chilies and very little water to make a smooth paste.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder.

          Fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle some mustard oil over it. Enjoy with hot steamed rice.

         Wash the Thankuni leaves well under running water & drain them. 

 Grind along with garlic, chilies & very little water to make a paste.

   Heat oil in a pan & temper with kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                 Add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder.

                  Fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated. 

    Transfer to a serving bowl & drizzle some mustard oil over it. 

              Enjoy with hot steamed rice.

Lau Pata Bata / Bhorta (Bottle Gourd Leaves Chutney / Bharta - Bong style)

 

              Lau Pata Bata is a traditional Bengali homemade style chutney that has its roots in the very heart and soul of Bengali cuisine. In fact, it has been an integral part of Bengali cuisine for generations. Less common these days, it is mostly sourced only in the interiors of West Bengal and Bangladesh. 

          This is a dish indigenous to Bengal, the recipe of which is slowly fading away from cookbooks. This particular dish is made out of Bottle Gourd Leaves. They contain the most nutrients and it tastes simply yummy. So time to try out this rustic, village style regional delicacy  that is bursting with flavors by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

 

            You must have noticed bottle gourd creepers growing around everywhere. Just try making a chutney out of few tender leaves, garlic and green chilies along with a tempering of nigella seeds in mustard oil. It taste just awesome.   

            It is a grandmothers recipe and almost a forgotten one. This is in no way a restaurant style dish. One does not get to see such homemade recipes these days, unless you have an elderly person in your midst. This amazing side dish is best relished with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil.

• 10-12 tender Bottle Gourd Leaves, washed, drained & chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1-2 green chilies
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil to garnish

              Blend the leaves, garlic and green chilies into a fine paste by adding very little water in a mixer grinder. However, It gives a good texture if you are using a grinding stone. 

              Heat oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the paste, salt and turmeric powder. 

              Fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated and the paste starts to leave the sides of the pan. Switch off the flame.

              Drizzle some raw mustard oil to the end product and serve with hot steamed rice and enjoy this simple delicacy.

                         Heat oil & temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds & add 

                         the paste, salt and turmeric powder. 

                       Fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated & the paste starts 

                       to leave the sides of the pan. 

                       Drizzle some raw mustard oil to the end product & serve with hot steamed 

                       rice and enjoy this simple delicacy.

Dhonepata Bata (Coriander Leaves Paste / Chutney - Bong Style)

 

             Coriander leaves is an aromatic herb that is generally used for garnishing any prepared dish. But try making a paste out of it - Bong style. It tastes simply superb. It is almost similar to chutney, but in a cooked version. In this recipe, the fresh leaves are first ground along with garlic, chilies, onion and tomato (though the latter two are optional).

          It is then stir fried with a tempering of nigella seeds in mustard oil. It is a very simple and a a very easy recipe as it has very few ingredients. This dish is also called Bhorta in Bangladesh and goes best with hot steamed rice. However, you can also relish it as a spread on chapattis, parathas or sandwiches. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare traditional recipe.

• 2-3 bunches of coriander leaves along with the stem
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 fresh green chilies
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tomato
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds

          Wash and drain the coriander leaves. Then grind it along with garlic, green chilies, onion and tomato into a fine paste by adding very little water.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder.

          Keep sautéing on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. Enjoy with hot steamed rice, chapattis or parathas.

                 Grind coriander leaves along with garlic, green chilies, onion & tomato ....

                                 ....... into a fine paste by adding very little water.

                      Heat oil in a pan & temper with the nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder.

                        Keep sautéing on a low flame till all the moisture has been absorbed. 

                                 Enjoy with hot steamed rice, chapattis or parathas. 

          

Jhinge Khosha Bata / Bhorta (Ridge Gourd Peel Chutney - Bong style)

 

           Jhinge Khosha Bata is a traditional Bengali style chutney made from Ridge Gourd Peels. It may sound weird to many, but it is quite a healthy and a nutritious dish, as peels have the most nutrients and fiber in them. This chutney goes best with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. You can also relish with chapatti / paratha or as a sandwich spread a la fusion style. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional  delicacy.

               Ridge Gourd Peel chutney is not commonly heard of and is almost a lost recipe now. It remains a homemade delicacy prepared by the older generation and not usually served in restaurants. The recipe has travelled all the way from Bangladesh where it is very popular and is called 'Bhorta'. Veggie Peels are generally discarded, but if prepared in a chutney form, tastes simply yummy. 

               This is a family recipe passed down by my late mother who never used to discard any peels. The process of preparing it is very simple. You just need to blend the boiled peels along with garlic and green chilies. Then it is tempered in mustard oil with nigella seeds, dry red chilies and onion.   

              Besides ridge gourd peels, I also make similar chutney with the peels of bottle gourd, raw banana, pointed gourd and pumpkin. They turn out very yummy. So next time remember to preserve these peels and turn them into this delectable chutney. 

• The peels of 2-3 ridge gourd, boiled & drained
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2 green chilies
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 whole dry chilies
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 onion, sliced
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. of raw mustard oil 

          Blend the boiled peel along with garlic, green chilies and just enough water in a mixer grinder into a smooth paste. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

          Now add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated.

          Serve with hot steamed rice and with a drizzle of raw mustard oil. You may also relish with chapatti / paratha or as a sandwich spread.

                        Blend the boiled peel, garlic, green chilies & little water into a paste.

                               Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chili & nigella seeds.

                                  Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                                   Add the ground paste, salt & turmeric powder.

                                  Stir fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated.

                             Serve with hot steamed rice & with a drizzle of raw mustard oil.