Mulo Shaak Diye Bhaja Muger Dal (Lentils cooked with Radish Leaves - Bong style)

 

              This is a traditional Bengali lentil curry of roasted Moong Dal (split green gram) which is very commonly prepared in most Bengali household. It is sometimes combined with any veggie for a wholesome and nutritious meal. 

         Here in this recipe I combined it with radish leaves. You can add a few pieces of radish too. I tempered it with bay leaves, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, ginger and finished it off with some ghee. This gives this dal a very good flavor. Adjust the quantity of water accordingly. Sprinkle some roasted cumin powder and enjoy with steamed rice or chapatti.  So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong style lentil curry.

• 1/3 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted & soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 cups tender radish leaves + stems, chopped finely
• 1-2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder

          Boil the dal and the chopped radish leaves in 1 cup water for 5-6 whistles. Give it a whisk and set aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cumin seeds and ginger. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the boiled dal, salt to taste, turmeric powder and slit green chilies. Adjust the consistency and add more water if required.

          Simmer for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. When done, add ghee and mix well. 

          

         Garnish with roasted cumin powder and serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Boil the dal & the chopped radish leaves in 1 cup water for 5-6 whistles. Give it a whisk and set aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with bay leaves, dry red chilies, cumin seeds & ginger. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the boiled dal, salt to taste, turmeric powder & slit green chilies. Adjust the consistency & add more water if required. Simmer for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. 

                  When done, add ghee and mix well. 

Garnish with roasted cumin powder  serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Cauliflower Posto

 

           CAULIFLOWER POSTO is a take on the traditional Bengali recipe of Aloo Posto, where cubed potatoes are cooked in a poppy seeds gravy. So I replaced potatoes with cauliflower and followed the same method of cooking. This recipe is purely a vegetarian version with no onion or garlic. I also omitted ginger. However, you may add so if you prefer. 

          Mustard oil is the medium of cooking for an authentic Bong touch and flavor. You can relish it with rice, chapatti, paratha or poori. Adding turmeric powder and coriander leaves are optional. I omitted the former but added the latter as it is my personal favorite. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delectable regional Bong delicacy.

  

• 3 cups cauliflower florets 
• 4 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds / poppy seeds
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

        

          Blend the sesame seeds in a mixer grinder into a paste along with 1/4 cup water or as needed. Keep aside. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the cauliflower till light brown. Set aside. 

          Add another 1 tbsp. oil and temper with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the sesame seeds paste and salt to taste. Mix well.

         Add the fried cauliflower and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame till the cauliflower is tender and the gravy turns thick. 

         When done, switch off the flame. Add the chopped coriander leaves and the remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Keep it covered for 2-3 minutes.

         Serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Note - 

1.  I have used sesame seeds in place of poppy seeds as the latter is not available at my place of residence. But there was no change in the flavor. It turned absolutely yummy.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry the cauliflower till light brown. Set aside. 

Add another 1 tbsp. oil & temper with nigella seeds & green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

     Then add the sesame seeds paste & salt to taste. Mix well. 

Add the fried cauliflower & 1/4 cup water. Cover & cook on a low to medium flame till the cauliflower is tender & the gravy turns thick. 

When done, switch off the flame. Add the chopped coriander leaves & the remaining 1 tbsp. oil. Keep it covered for 2-3 minutes.

                    Serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Shosha Soya Torkari (Cucumber & Soya Chunks Curry - Bong style)

 

          Shosha Soya Torkari is a simple Bengali homemade style recipe that can be enjoyed with either steamed rice or chapati / paratha. Along with cucumber, I also added few soya chunks to make the dish a bit healthy and protein rich. This curry is absolutely light on the stomach and can be had guilt free. Very few ingredients along with few basic spices went into making it and it is diabetic friendly too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional curry. 

• 4 cucumbers. diced
• 1/2 cup soya chunks
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron 
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 2 slit green chilies
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the soya chinks in warm water for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the water and set aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, bay leaves and panch phoron. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the ginger and stir fry for a minute.

          Add the cucumber, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Mix everything well and sauté for 4-5 minutes on high flame.

          Now add the squeezed out soya chunks and salt to taste followed by slit green chilies. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

          Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered till all the moisture has evaporated and the cucumber turns tender.

          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or chapatti. 

Heat oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, bay leaves & panch phoron. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                      Then add the ginger and stir fry for a minute.

Add the cucumber, turmeric powder & cumin powder. Mix everything well & sauté for 4-5 minutes on high flame.

                     Now add the squeezed out soya chunks & salt to taste 

                 followed by slit green chilies. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water & cook, covered till all the moisture has evaporated and the cucumber turns tender.

                   Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

                    Serve with steamed rice or chapatti. 

Dim Aloo Posto (Egg & Potato in Poppy Seeds Gravy - Bong style)

 

           For all the Egg lovers, want to cook an Egg Curry in a different way?  Then try "Dim Aloo Posto" - a traditional Bengali style Egg & Potato in poppy seeds gravy. Very easy and simple, it is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch and flavor and with minimum of ingredients. Relish this delicacy with hot steamed rice, luchi (poori), paratha or roti. You may also try with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

           Bengalis are obsessed with poppy seeds. It is a must in each and every Bengali household. This versatile seed can be made use of to prepare various dishes - both veg. and non-veg. It will take your dish to an entirely new level.

           Relishing poppy seeds is a luxury to me. I try to make full use of it during my visit to India. Apart from this recipe of Dim Aloo Posto, you can omit the aloo and prepare just with egg and vice versa. 

 

           Note - In this recipe, I made use of sesame seeds instead of poppy seeds as the latter is unavailable at my place of residence. 

          

• 3 eggs, boil & make few slits on it
• 1 potato, cubed
• 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds / poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Grind the sesame seeds / poppy seeds to a fine paste along with yoghurt and water. Keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes and the boiled eggs separately. Keep aside. 

           Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

           Add the sliced onion and green chilies. Stir fry till they turn slightly brown in color. 

           Now add the ground paste and mix well.

           Add the fried potatoes and cook, covered, on a low flame till the potatoes are tender.

           Now add the fried eggs and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the gravy comes to a desired consistency and the oil separates.

           When done, add the chopped coriander leaves and the remaining 1 tsp. oil. 

           Give it a mix and enjoy with steamed rice, poori or paratha. You may also try with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha or tandoori roti.

Grind the sesame seeds / poppy seeds to a fine paste along with yoghurt and water. Keep aside. 

                   Heat oil in a pan & fry the potatoes ....

                      and the boiled eggs separately. Keep them aside. 

           Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                  Add the sliced onion and green chilies.

                  Stir fry till they turn slightly brown in color. 

                     Now add the ground paste and mix well.

Add the fried potatoes & cook, covered, on a low flame till the potatoes are tender.

              Now add the fried eggs & continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes ....

         or till the gravy comes to a desired consistency & the oil separates. 

                    When done, add the chopped coriander leaves ....

                  and the remaining 1 tsp. oil. 

               Give it a mix & enjoy with steamed rice, poori or paratha.

You may also try with jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha or tandoori roti.