Soya Baingan Bharta

 

         

          Give a healthy twist to the ever popular baingan bharta and turn out into a connoisseur's delight by adding some protein rich soya granules. It simply tastes yummy with a nice smoky flavor. Enjoy it as a main / side dish with rice or chapattis. So surprise your family and friends with this rustic Punjabi dish in a new interesting avatar. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing fusion dish. 

• 1/3 cup soya granules
• 1 large eggplant
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste / puree of one tomato
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish
• 2 slit green chilies 

            Soak the soya granules in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Then squeeze out all the water and set aside. 

            Brush the eggplant with few drops of oil and make a half slit of the eggplant. Roast on an open flame till it is charred on all sides. 

            When cool, peel off the skin and mash well. Keep aside. 

            Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. 

            Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices. Stir fry till the oil separates. 

           Now add the soya granules and mix well. Cover and cook till the moisture is all absorbed. 

          Add the mashed eggplant and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

         When done, garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chilies.

         Serve as a main / side dish with rice or chapattis.

Brush the eggplant with few drops of oil & make a half slit of the eggplant. Roast on an open flame till it is charred on all sides. 

              When cool, peel off the skin & mash well. Keep aside. 

                 Heat oil in a pan & sauté the onion till light brown. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all the dry spices. Stir fry till the oil separates. 

Now add the soya granules & mix well. Cover & cook till the moisture is all absorbed. 

              Add the mashed eggplant & stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

        When done, garnish with coriander leaves & slit green chilies. 

                 Serve as a main / side dish with rice or chapattis.

Green Papaya Bharta (Kacha Peper Bhorta- Bong Style)

 

            Green Papaya Bharta / Kacha Peper Bhorta is a very simple and a fuss-free Bong recipe. It is typically boiled and mashed Green Papaya mixed with few seasonings which is then enjoyed with hot steamed rice. It is a great comfort food for me when time is a constraint. This quick and simple dish is so satisfying and heavenly. 

          Having the boiled and mashed green papaya with just a tsp. of ghee or mustard oil is another great option and also tastes yummy. However, in this recipe, I added a tempering of nigella seeds, dry red chilies and onion in mustard oil. A handful of chopped coriander leaves is then added to the end product to make it more flavorsome. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional cuisine. 

• 1 medium size green papaya, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2-3 whole dry chilies
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 pinch of turmeric powder (opt)
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

         Pressure cook the papaya for 3-4 whistles. Mash or grate it and keep aside. 

         Heat oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds and red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion, turmeric powder and salt. Fry till light brown. 

          Add the boiled & mashed papaya and mix well. 

          Add coriander leaves and give it a mix. 

          Serve with hot steamed rice for a comforting meal.

                   Pressure cook the papaya for 3-4 whistles. 

                Mash or grate it and keep aside. 

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

                         Add the onion, turmeric powder & salt. 

                    Fry till light brown. 

                Add the mashed papaya and mix well. 

                   Add coriander leaves and give it a mix.

               Serve with hot steamed rice for a comforting meal.

           Serve with hot steamed rice for a comforting 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.