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. 

         

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.

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. 

Echore Bata (Raw Jackfruit Chutney - Bong style)

 

            This is a homemade Bong style chutney made of raw jackfruit (kathal). It may sound weird to many, but it is quite an amazing chutney. This simple and easy recipe is a far cry from all the restaurant style food. Very few ingredients are required to dish out this chutney and is sautéed in mustard oil for an authentic touch. It goes best only with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. So time to try out this rustic, village style regional delicacy. 

• 2 cups raw jackfruit, chopped & boiled
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 2+1 mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 tap. turmeric powder
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped (opt)

          Blend the boiled raw jackfruit, garlic and green chilies with just enough water in a mixer into a smooth paste.

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste, salt and turmeric powder. 

          Stir fry on a low flame till all the moisture has evaporated. While serving, drizzle the remaining mustard oil and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Narkel Bata (Coconut Chutney - Bong style)

 

           Narkel Bata is a traditional Bong style chutney made of fresh coconut, mustard seeds and green chilies. At times, garlic cloves and / or poppy seeds are also ground along with the coconut. Very few ingredients are required to dish out this chutney, which goes best only with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil. It is a very simple and an easy recipe that needs no tempering or sautéing. So time to try out this rustic, village style regional delicacy. 

          Narkel Bata is also found in Bangladeshi cuisine where it goes by the name of Narkel Bhorta. This is almost a lost recipe now and remains a homemade delicacy. It is typically prepared by the older generation and is not usually served in restaurants. 

         This is my family recipe that has been passed down by my late mom. I grew up relishing various types of bata recipes, sometimes made of coconut, raw banana peel, coriander leaves, poppy seeds, prawns, etc. In fact one can have an entire meal with any of these chutneys. For me it is pure divine and a great comfort food. 

• 1 cup fresh grated coconut
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 green chilies / burnt red chilies
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. raw mustard oil 

          Grind all the above mentioned ingredients (except mustard oil) in a mixer grinder along with just a few drops of water if possible. 

          It would be better if it is ground on a grinding stone (sil batta) for a perfect texture. Once done, just mix with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some raw mustard oil for that extra zing and enjoy.