Chingri Macher Dum (Prawn cooked in Dum - Bong style)

 

          Chingri Macher Dum is a great comfort food for me and my entire family. This is my version of prawns slow cooked to perfection along with few basic ingredients, that includes onion, garlic, green chilies, coriander leaves, mustard oil and seasonings. 

           It is a very easy recipe and as prawns takes very little time to cook, you get an amazing dish in front of you in a very short time. So treat your near and dear ones with Chingri Macher Dum as a weekend menu. Do check for a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional Bong recipe. 

• 200-250 gms. medium size prawns, deveined, cleaned and rinsed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• extra chopped coriander leaves to garnish

          Into a kadai / pan, transfer all the ingredients and give it a mix.

          Cover and cook on a low flame in a dum style. You may stir at intervals.

          Cook till the prawns are almost tender and cooked.

          Switch off the flame and garnish with more coriander leaves. You may also drizzle a tsp. of mustard oil. 

          Serve hot with steamed rice for a comfort lunch. 

             Into a kadai / pan, transfer all the ingredients & give it a mix.

Cover & cook on a low flame in a dum style. You may stir at intervals. Cook till the prawns are almost tender & cooked.

 Garnish with more coriander leaves. You may also drizzle a tsp. of mustard oil. 

                       Serve hot with steamed rice for a comfort lunch. 

Raw Banana Sukka (Balakai Sukka - Mangalorean style)

 

          This is a traditional Mangalorean style Raw Banana Curry prepared with freshly ground spices that are first roasted and ground to impart the flavour. A generous amount of coconut is also added to the ground spice. 

          It is a simple side dish that has a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies, curry leaves, urad dal and asafoetida. This must try dish is especially prepared during special occasions. You can serve it as a side dish with rice or parotta. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic dish. 

Ingredients - 

• 2-3 raw bananas, cubed
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black lentil)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder 
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

To dry roast & grind - 

• 4-5 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tsp. raw rice
• 8-10 whole peppercorns
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 garlic cloves

          Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned and keep aside to cool down. Then grind into a powder. To it add the fresh grated coconut and grind coarsely. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and dry red chilies. After it stops spluttering, add the cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the raw banana, salt and turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute. Then add the tamarind water and cook, covered till tender.

          Add the ground spice and give it a toss. Stir fry for a minute. When done, garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with rice or parotta. 

                      Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned & keep aside to cool down. Then 

                      grind into a powder. To it add fresh grated coconut & grind coarsely. 

                      Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & dry red chilies. After it stops 

                      spluttering, add cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves & asafoetida. Sauté 

                      for a few seconds. 

                          Add the raw banana, salt & turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute. 

                                Then add the tamarind water and cook, covered till tender.

                                Add the ground spice and give it a toss. Stir fry for a minute.

                                  When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

                                  Serve as a side dish with rice or parotta. 

Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Kashmiri Cuisine)

          This is a traditional Kashmiri style Mutton Yakhni Pulao. Light on the tummy, it is an absolute delicacy and mouth watering. This pulao is cooked in mutton stock and with few aromatic spices thrown in. It is very flavorful and is a great party recipe. You can serve it during special occasions with some raita or/and gravy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, cubed
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 mace
• 2 whole red chilies
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 & 1/2 cups water

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 mace
• 1-2 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 & 1/2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• pinch of nutmeg powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. fried onions to garnish
• 1 tbsp. melted ghee to garnish (opt)

           
          Make a potli (bouquet garni) with coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mace, bay leaves, red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. 

          Pressure cook mutton, onion, ginger, garlic, 2 & 1/2 cups water, salt to taste and the spice potli (bouquet garni) for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

         Discard the whole spices potli and separate the yakhni (stock) from the mutton pieces. Keep them aside. 

          For the tempering - Heat the butter and oil and temper with bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms. Add the onion and fry till light brown. 

          Then add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to saute till the raw smell disappears. Now add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 1-2 minutes.

          Add 2 cups yakhni (stock), mutton, pinch of nutmeg powder and salt to taste. Pressure cook for one whistle. 

          Garnish with fried onion and a drizzle of some ghee. Serve with raita and gravy (opt).

                      Pressure cook mutton, onion, ginger, garlic, 2 & 1/2 cups water, salt to taste 
                      & the spice potli for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

                      Discard the whole spices potli & separate the yakhni (stock) from the mutton                                    pieces. Keep them aside. 

           

                     Heat butter & oil. Temper with bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves & cardamoms. 
                    

                                             Add the onion and fry till light brown. 

                        Add the ginger-garlic paste & sauté till the raw smell disappears.

                          Now add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 1-2 minutes.

                     Add 2 cups yakhni (stock), mutton, pinch of nutmeg powder & salt to taste. 
                     

                                          Pressure cook for one whistle. 

                      Garnish with fried onion & a drizzle of some ghee.

                                  Serve with raita & gravy (opt).