Shorshe Bata diye Uchche Bhaja (Bitter Gourd cooked in mustard paste - Bong style)

 

          Check out this Bong style recipe that has an unique combination of mustard paste and bitter gourd. This is my first try and it turned out real amazing and heavenly. So if you are a fan of bitter gourd, then this is a must try recipe. The addition of a paste made of mustard seeds, garlic and green chilies takes this dish to the next level. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy it with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          Any bitter preparation made of bitter gourd or neem leaves is a delicacy on a Bengali platter and is quite popular among most Bengalis. It is had at the beginning of any meal as it is considered to cleanse the system. At times, bitter gourd is just fried on its own or along with potatoes or pumpkin depending on individual choice and availability. 

• 2 medium size bitter gourd, cut lengthwise, washed & drained
• 2 tbsp. mustard seeds, soaked for 15 minutes
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (celery seeds)
• 1 onion, sliced
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

 

          Grind the mustard seeds, garlic and green chilies with a pinch of salt into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

          Marinate the bitter gourd with some salt and turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes. Then wash well and drain. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and sauté the bitter gourd till light brown. Keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with nigella seeds and celery seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the fried bitter gourd, salt to taste, mustard paste and red chili powder. Sauté for 2 minutes and switch off the flame.

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice. You may also try it with chapatti. 

Mourola Mach diye Uchche Bhaja (Small Fish Stir Fried with Bitter Gourd - Bong style)

 

               Check out this Bong style recipe that has an unique combination of Mourola Mach (Mola Carplet  - small size fresh river water fish) and bitter gourd. This is my first try and it turned out real amazing and heavenly. 

             If you are a fan of bitter gourd, then this is a must try recipe. The addition of fish just takes this dish to the next level. A drizzle of some ghee and a sprinkle of roasted cumin powder along with some chopped coriander leaves is divine. Enjoy it with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

               Mourala Mach are small fresh river water fish that is generally enjoyed when they are fried crisp, known as bhaja. It is a favorite Bengali fish fry recipe. They can be simple relished as it is or with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some ghee. It is just heavenly. They are eaten whole along with the bones when they are fried crisp. 

               Mourala Mach can also be made into a thin gravy, can be stir fried with mixed veggies, can be steamed inside Pumpkin leaves or can be prepared in a tangy stew called Macher Tok. 

• 2 medium size bitter gourd, sliced
• 200 gms. mourala mach, cleaned and rinsed
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and set aside for 5 minutes. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan / wok and stir fry the fish till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the sliced bitter gourd, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Stir fry till they are tender and almost done.

          Then add the chopped garlic and green chilies, followed by the fried fish. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

          Switch off the flame and add the roasted cumin powder and ghee. Give it a stir and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice. 

                       Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 5 minutes. 

                       Heat 2 tbsp. oil & stir fry the fish till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

                           Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds. 

                           

                           Sauté for a few seconds.

                      Add the bitter gourd, salt & turmeric powder. Stir fry till they are 

                        tender and almost done.

                                  Add the chopped garlic and green chilies, 

                                  followed by the fried fish. Sauté for 2 minutes. 

                     Switch off the flame & add roasted cumin powder & ghee. Give it a 

                        stir & garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Tetor Dal (Karela / Bittergourd Dal / Lentil - Bong Style)

 

               This is a traditional homemade style Bengali delicacy, where fried moong dal (green gram lentil) and raw papaya are cooked with fried bitter gourd slices. Having any bitter preparation at the beginning of any meal is generally considered to cleanse the system. Raw papaya can also be substituted with bottle gourd. 

                Tetor dal is a very common recipe cooked in most of the Bengali household. All bitter melon lovers will definitely relish this dal. Just enjoy it with hot steamed rice. There are many versions to this dal, where it differs slightly from one individual to the other. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this very Bong style classic dish.

• 1/2 cup moong dal (split yellow / green gram )
• 1/2 of a small raw papaya, cubed
• 1 small bitter gourd, sliced
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 whole dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek and nigella (kalonji) seeds)
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder 
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ghee 
• 1/4 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder

          Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. Soak in water for 15-20 minutes. Pressure cook along with the papaya cubes & a pinch of salt in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Open the lid after it cools down.

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and temper with red chilies, bay leaves and panch phoron. After it stops spluttering, add the ginger and sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the bitter gourd, a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Sauté till light brown. Add the boiled dal, salt to taste, green chilies and 1/2 cup water. (Adjust the consistency accordingly).

          Bring it to a boil and simmer on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Add ghee and mix well.  Garnish with roasted coriander-cumin powder and serve hot with steamed rice.

                      Pressure cook the soaked moong dal with papaya cubes & a pinch of 

                      turmeric powder in 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. 

                            Heat oil & temper with red chilies, bay leaves and panch phoron.

                        After it stops spluttering, add the ginger & sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add bitter gourd, a pinch of salt & turmeric powder. 

                                 Sauté till light brown.

                         Add the boiled dal, salt to taste, green chilies & 1/2 cup water. Bring it

                         to a boil & simmer on low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

                                  Add ghee and mix well.  

                                 Garnish with roasted coriander-cumin powder.

                                  Serve hot with steamed rice.

Bitter Gourd (Karela) Chutney

          All Bitter Gourd lovers will simply love this amazing chutney. It was my first try and I really fell in love with this side dish. A very easy recipe, it simply tastes yummy with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some extra ghee. It is lip smacking with all the flavours in it - spicy, tangy, sweet and a slight hint of bitterness. You may also relish it with chapati, curd rice, idli or dosa. It is definitely a must try recipe.

• 4 long bitter gourd, seeds discarded & sliced
• 8-10 dry red chilies 
• 1 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp. split black gram (urad dal)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp. jaggery / sugar to taste
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves

          Add some salt and turmeric powder to the sliced bitter gourd and leave aside for 30 minutes. Then rinse well and squeeze properly. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the bitter gourd, turmeric powder and salt to taste on a low flame till golden brown in colour. Keep aside to cool.

          Heat remaining oil and fry the other ingredients starting from - dry red chilies to black gram. Keep aside to cool.

          Dry roast the coconut till golden in colour and set aside to cool.

          Grind into a paste all the stir fried ingredients along with tamarind, jaggery, salt to taste and required quantity of water.

         Heat ghee in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the curry leaves and asafoetida. 

          Sauté for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering over the chutney and relish with plain steamed rice or chapatti. 

Uchche Bhaja (Bitter Gourd Stir Fry - Bong style)

           This bitter preparation is a delicacy on a Bengali platter and is quite popular among most  Bengalis. It is had at the beginning of any meal as it is considered to cleanse the system. It is just fried on its own or along with potatoes depending on individual choice and availability. Add kasundi paste to the end product if a more pungent flavour is desired. Serve with ghee and hot steamed rice.

  

• 2-3 medium size bitter gourd, chopped finely
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, cumin, mustard, fenugreek and nigella (kalonji) seeds)
• 1-2 whole dry red chilies, broken into two
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. kasundi  (mustard paste) / ghee 
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with whole dry red chilies and panch phoron. After it stops spluttering, add the chopped garlic and sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the chopped bitter gourd, salt and turmeric powder. Cover and cook on a low flame till it is tender. (this will take some time, so be patient).

          Keep stirring at intervals. When done, add the kasundi and stir well to combine. Switch off the flame. 

          Add coriander leaves and give it a toss. Serve with hot steamed rice and ghee. 

                     Heat oil & temper with whole dry red chilies & panch phoron. Then add
                     chopped garlic & sauté for a few seconds. 

                       Add the chopped bitter gourd, salt and turmeric powder. 

                     Cover & cook on low flame till tender. Keep stirring at intervals.

                      When done, add the kasundi and stir well to combine.

                        Switch off flame. Add coriander leaves and give it a toss. 

                               Serve with hot steamed rice and ghee.