Jhal Muri (Spicy Puffed Rice - Kolkata Street Food)

 

          Jhal Muri is the equivalent to Bhel Puri of Mumbai. 'Jhal' in the Bengali lingo means spicy and 'Muri' means puffed rice. This is a very popular and a light Bengali tea-time snack. It is very quick and easy to dish out this simple and humble delectable snack. Moreover, it is a perfect snack while watching TV and is also a healthy alternative to any store bought snack.

          This spicy and chatpata snack is a very popular street food found in every street corners of Kolkata. Apart from the ingredients used, you can also add sprouts, chopped cucumber and some dry fruits. Unlike in the bhel puri version, mustard oil is added to the Jhal Muri along with other seasonings. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2 & 1/2 cups Muri (puffed rice)
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 tomato, chopped finely
• 2 green chilies, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 small potato, boiled and chopped
• 2 tbsp. boiled black chickpeas
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 3 tbsp. mixed bhujia (gram flour fritters)
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds (dry roasted & ground)

             In a bowl, mix together onion, green chilies, coconut, tomato, potatoes, coriander leaves and black chickpeas.

             Just before serving add the puffed rice, all the dry spices, peanuts, mixed bhujia, lime juice and mustard oil. Give it a toss and serve immediately as an evening tea time snack.

Mix together onion, tomato, grated coconut, green chilies,

boiled & chopped potatoes, coriander leaves & boiled black chickpeas.

Just before serving, add roasted peanuts, mixed bhujia, 

puffed rice, all the dry spices, lime juice and mustard oil. Give it a toss.  

Serve immediately as an evening tea time snack.

Pomfret Fish Cutlet / Tikkis / Patties

          These yummy Fish Cutlets serves as perfect appetizers for any rainy day snack or in any in-house party. They can be relished with tomato ketchup or any chutney. I made use of some leftover fried pomfret fish that was deboned and mashed. I added boiled and mashed potatoes along with other basic flavorings. You can as well add mashed paneer or bread crumbs too. So go ahead and dish out these amazing starters that is very easy to make and a pure indulgence. Please check out the step by step pictorial recipe to make this yummy dish. 

          

• 1 cup any leftover fried pomfret fish, deboned & mashed
• 1 potato, boiled & mashed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• handful of mint & coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. corn flour
• 2 tbsp. oil to shallow fry

         In a bowl, mix together the mashed fish and mashed potatoes. 

          To it add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, lime juice, mint & coriander leaves. Mix well.

          Then add all the dry spices and corn flour. Combine everything well into a dough. 

          Divide into equal portions and give a desired shape. Refrigerate for an hour.

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the cutlets in batches on both sides till golden brown in color.

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot, as appetizers with any chutney or tomato ketchup.

               In a bowl, mix together the mashed fish  mashed potatoes. 

To it add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, lime juice, mint & coriander leaves. Mix well.

Then add all the dry spices & corn flour. Combine everything well into a dough. 

  Divide into equal portions & give a desired shape. Refrigerate for an hour.

Heat oil in a pan & shallow fry the cutlets in batches on both sides till golden brown in color.

                   Drain on a kitchen towel.

Serve them hot, as appetizers with any chutney or tomato ketchup.

Beguni (Batter Fried Eggplant - Bengali Style)

          These batter fried Beguni or Eggplant Fry are very commonly prepared in most of the Bengali homes and is also a very popular street food in Kolkata. They go very well as a side dish with khichdi, pulao or dal-rice. 

          They can also be relished as a tea-time snack or as appetizers with tomato sauce, mayo or any chutney. The options are plenty. So here is my version of this yummy and crispy fritters that tastes simply divine on any rainy day in particular with your loved ones. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 3-4 long & broad eggplants, sliced to 1/2 " thickness
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 3/4 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. onion, finely chopped (opt)
• oil to deep fry

          Marinate the eggplants with salt and half the turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Make a batter of pouring consistency with the besan and all the other ingredients (except oil) with required quantity of water.

          Heat oil in a pan. Dip the eggplants in the batter few at a time and deep fry till golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve hot along with khichuri (khichdi), tomato sauce or chutney.

                     Marinate eggplants with salt & half the turmeric powder for 10 minutes.
                     Make batter of pouring consistency with besan and all ingredients (except 
                     oil) with required quantity of water.

                      Heat oil. Dip eggplants in batter & deep fry till golden in colour. Drain 
                      on a kitchen towel.

Serve hot along with khichuri (khichdi), tomato sauce or chutney.

Macher Chop (Fish Cutlet - Bengali Style)

          Macher Chop or Fish Cutlet is a very simple and an easy to prepare recipe, that serves as perfect appetizers in any in-house party. They are usually made with Rohu or Bhetki fillet. They are coated with egg wash and bread crumbs and deep fried. 

          Potatoes can be used for the binding, but here I have used some brown bread and paneer. A very favourite snack, they are a common sight in almost all street corners in Kolkata. These yummy snacks are relished with ketchup, some onions and green chilies as accompaniment.

• 1 & 1/2  cups fish fillet, boiled & flaked
• 2-3 tbsp. paneer, grated
• 3 brown bread, soaked in water for a few seconds & squeezed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
• oil to deep fry

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except oil, egg and bread crumbs. Divide into equal portions and shape each into small round balls. Refrigerate for an hour.

          Dip each of the balls in the egg and coat with the bread crumbs. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the chops, few at a time till golden brown in colour. Drain on a paper napkin and serve, hot with tomato ketchup.

                  Mix together all the ingredients, except oil, egg & bread crumbs. Divide into
                  equal portions & shape each into small round balls. Refrigerate for an hour.

                             Dip each of the balls in the egg and coat with the bread crumbs. 

                      Heat oil & fry the chops till golden in colour. Drain on a paper napkin.

                                  Serve, hot with tomato ketchup.

Hing Er Kochuri (Asafoetida Flavoured Stuffed Flat Bread - Bengali Style)

       
          Hinger Er Kochuri is a widely popular Bengali breakfast, had along with some Alur Torkari (potato curry). The asafoetida is a dominant flavour here unlike the kochuris of other regions. 

         It is a very common sight near any street corner eatery shops in Kolkata, to find eager and hungry morning customers busy devouring this delectable breakfast with enough zeal to last them till lunch time. It also happens to be a favourite evening snack too in many Bengali households.

• 1 cup maida (plain flour)
• 1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil to knead

Stuffing-

• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram), soaked overnight
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (onion seeds)
• 1 tsp. ginger-green chilies paste
• salt to taste
• 3/4 tsp. asafoetida
• pinch of turmeric powder
• oil to deep fry

          Grind the soaked dal along with very little water into a smooth paste. keep aside. Knead a dough out of the maida, atta, salt and 2 tbsp. oil with required quantity of water. Keep aside.

          For the filling - Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a non-stick pan and temper with kalonji. After it stops sizzling, add the ginger-green chilies paste and saute for a few seconds. Then add the ground dal, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Saute till dry. Keep aside to cool.

          Divide the dough into equal portions. Take each portion in your hand and make a dent in the center. Fill 1 tsp. of the filling in it and close all edges. Fill up the other portions of the dough with the filling in the same way.

          Roll out each filled dough with the help of some oil into a small circle just like a poori. Roll the rest of the dough too and keep aside to fry.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the kochuris one at a time till light golden brown in colour. Drain on a tissue paper and serve hot with potato curry.

Potato Curry 

• 2 potatoes, boiled & mashed
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted panch phoron powder (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, fenugreek, cumin  & onion (kalonji) seeds)
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil and temper with cumin seeds. Add the onion, ginger and green chilies and saute till light brown. Add the mashed potatoes, salt, turmeric powder and panch phoron powder.

          Add 1 cup water and cook, covered for 3-5 minutes on low flame till the gravy turns slightly thick. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

Nimki (Namakpara / Fried Crackers - Bengali Snack)

       
             Nimki is a very popular Bengali snack. It is also commonly made in all households in the Northern regions and goes by the name of Namakpara. It is relished with a hot cup of evening tea. They are generally prepared in large batches and stored in air-tight containers.   

            Another time when it is made is during Bijoya celebrations, just after Durga puja. It is also prepared during Diwali celebrations and enjoyed with family and friends. They can also be made both savory and sweet.

• 2 cups maida (plain flour)
• 4-5 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (onion seeds)
• oil to deep fry

          

          Sift together maida, salt and baking soda. Knead all the ingredients (except oil to deep fry) with sufficient water into a stiff dough and keep aside  for 25-30 minutes. 

          Make equal sized balls and roll each of them into thin circles, just like chapattis. Cut into diamond shapes and keep aside. 

          For then second method, roll out the balls into a puri size circle and fold into half. Fold again into a triangle. Press lightly and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the nimkis few at a time in low flame till light golden brown in colour. Drain on a tissue paper and serve as an evening snack.