Niramish Mangsho (Mutton Curry - Bengali Kali Puja (Diwali) special)

     

          Niramish Mangsho is a Bong style vegetarian mutton curry cooked with sacrificial meat and offered to Goddess Kali during Kali Puja (Diwali). This is then consumed as bhog or offering. 'Niramish' means vegetarian and 'Mangsho' means mutton. This dish is considered vegetarian as the mutton curry is cooked without onion or garlic. Instead, a generous amount of ginger and asafoetida are added to this special dish, besides other basic seasonings. 

          This may sound weird to many, but this type of ritual is still followed in few Bengali homes these days. However, it is more commonly found in most rural homes than in the cities of Bengal.

          Niramish Mangsho is served with hot steamed rice, along with Basanti (sweet) pulao and Cholar (Chana) dal for a perfect festive meal.  So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional Bong delicacy.

          At present, since animal sacrifice is banned in the country, few people sacrifice by cutting a large ash gourd. To concise, this ritual is still prevalent in Kali Temples across Orissa and Assam besides West Bengal. 

Marination - 

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut
• 1 cup yoghurt
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil

Other ingredients - 

• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1-2 potatoes, cut into half
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp. ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida
• 2 green chilies, slit

          Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients under 'Marination' overnight or for minimum 4 hours. 

          Heat oil and ghee in a kadai / pan. Fry the potatoes till light brown and keep aside. Temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the ginger paste and asafoetida mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the raw smell disappears.

          Then add the marinated mutton and cook on a low flame till the oil separates. Add 1 cup water, fried potatoes and the slit green chilies.

          Pressure cook for one whistle on high flame. Then simmer for 12-15 minutes on a low flame. Then enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

                                  Take 400 gms. mutton with bones, curry cut.

                                   Add all the mentioned ingredients under 'Marination'.

                                 Mix well and marinate overnight or for minimum 4 hours. 

                             Heat oil & ghee in a kadai / pan. Fry the potatoes till light brown. 

                    Temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves.

                    Sauté for a few seconds.

                      Add the ginger paste & asafoetida mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till 

                       the raw smell disappears.

                                   Add the marinated mutton.

                                  Cook on a low flame till the oil separates.

                                  Add 1 cup water, fried potatoes and the slit green chilies.

                      Pressure cook for one whistle on high flame. Then simmer for 12-15 

                      minutes on a low flame. 

                                 Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Raw Jackfruit (Kathal) Dum Biryani

 

            Let us relish some Raw/Green Jackfruit (Kathal) Dum Biryani which is not much popular but it does tastes delicious. This fruit or rather a veggie in the unripe form is known as a vegetarian's Non-Veg. dish as the texture resembles that of mutton. Enjoy it with raita and salad. You can also add in some roasted papad and pickles to go with it. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1 small Raw Jackfruit, cubed & soaked in water
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 3 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 big cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 mace
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• few rose petals 
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• handful of mint leaves, chopped
• few strands of saffron soaked in 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. rose water
• few drops of kewra essence
• handful of roasted cashew nuts

          Bring sufficient quantity of water to boil along with cinnamon stick, both the cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, mace, 1 tsp. oil and 1 tbsp. salt. Add in the rice and simmer till half done. Drain and keep aside.

          Boil the jackfruit pieces along with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.  Drain them well.

          Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the boiled jackfruit pieces till light brown. Keep aside. In the same oil fry two onions till golden in color. Keep them aside. 

         Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the remaining onion till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

         Add the yoghurt and jackfruit and mix well. Sprinkle half of the coriander leaves, mint leaves, few rose petals, cashew nuts and fried onion.

          Spread the half cooked rice, followed by the remaining coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions, remaining rose petals, saffron milk, remaining ghee, roasted cashew, rose water and kewra essence.

          Cover with an aluminum foil tightly around the edges and place a lid / steel plate over it. Place something heavy over the lid if possible.

          Cook on a high flame for 2 minutes. Then place it over a hot tawa / griddle and cook further for 15-20 minutes on a very low flame.

          Switch off the flame and let it remain covered for another 10 minutes. Garnish as desired and serve with raita and salad for a weekend lunch.






Note - 

1.  If you don't have access to fresh jackfruit, use a tin of pre-boiled of 400-500 gms. jackfruit and skip the boiling process.

2.  Both the kewra essence and rose water will impart a strong taste to the biryani and can be skipped according to individual preference.

3.  Diabetics can skip the rice and use millets or quinoa instead.

         

                     Cook rice in boiling water along with cinnamon stick, both the cardamoms, 

                     cloves, bay leaves, mace, 1 tsp. oil & 1 tbsp. salt till half done. 

                                  Drain and keep aside.

                             Boil the jackfruit along with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder.  

                      Heat oil & stir fry the boiled jackfruit pieces till light brown. Keep aside.

                      In the same oil fry two onions till golden in color. Keep them aside. 

                                  Heat 2 tbsp. & fry the remaining onion till light brown. 

                         Add ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water.

                         Sauté till oil separates. 

                                  Add the yoghurt 

                                  and jackfruit and mix well. 

                  Sprinkle half of the coriander & mint leaves, few rose petals, cashew nut

                  & fried onion.

                                  Spread the half cooked rice,                     

                      Add remaining coriander & mint leaves, fried onions, remaining rose petals, 

                      saffron milk, remaining ghee, roasted cashew, rose water & kewra essence.                  

                      Cover with an aluminum foil tightly & place a lid / steel plate over it. Cook 

                      on a high flame for 2 minutes. Then place it over a hot tawa / griddle & cook 

                      further for 15-20 minutes on a very low flame.

                      Switch off the flame and let it remain covered for another 10 minutes. 

         

                       Garnish as desired and serve with raita and salad for a weekend lunch.

Fish Dum Biryani - Bengali Style

          There are many posts in my blog on Fish. So now comes in a Biryani form. Simple and delicious, I added some potatoes in it in a true Bong style and with minimum of spices. So it can be had guilt free with some raita. So check out the step by step method with pictures to prepare it.

• 5-6 pieces of Rohu fish
• 1-2 potatoes, boiled & cubed
• 1 & 1/2 cups rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 5-6 cloves
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste / 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• handful of coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup fried onions
• 4-5 fresh red / green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. rose / kewra water
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee
• pinch of saffron soaked in 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Marinate the fish and the potatoes separately with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. 

          To prepare the rice - Bring sufficient water to boil along with salt, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Add the rice and simmer till it is almost done (al dente). Drain and keep aside.
           
          Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish pieces on both sides till golden in colour. Drain and keep aside.

          In the same oil, fry the potatoes till light golden in colour. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil sauté the onion till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste and all the dry spices mixed with a little water. Fry on a medium flame till the oil separates.

          Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Gently drop in the fish and cover. Simmer by carefully flipping it over halfway and till the gravy is reduced. When done, carefully remove the fish pieces and keep them separately.

          To assemble - In a heavy bottomed broad pan add 1 tsp. oil and sprinkle some water. (This will prevent the Biryani from sticking at  the bottom). Layer half of the rice first.

          Then add the gravy, fried potatoes, half of the mint-coriander leaves, half of the slit chilies and half of the fried onion. Spread the remaining rice over it, followed by the fish pieces, remaining mint-coriander leaves, chilies and fried onion.

          Drizzle the saffron milk, ghee and rose water. Cover and cook on dum for 10-12 minutes by placing the pan on a heated tawa / griddle. When done, garnish with coriander leaves and a dash of lime. Serve with raita.






Note- 
If preferred you can always increase the amount of gravy and ghee in the recipe.

                       Marinate fish & potatoes separately with a pinch of salt & turmeric 

                       powder for 10 min. 

                   Bring sufficient water to boil with salt, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms 
                   and cloves.

                                 Add rice & simmer till it is almost done (al dente). 

                                  Drain & keep aside.

                          Heat oil & fry fish pieces till golden in colour. Drain & keep aside.

                    In the same oil, fry potatoes till light golden in colour. Drain & keep aside. 

                                  In the same oil sauté onion till light brown.

                     Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste & all dry spices mixed with some water. 
                     Fry on a medium flame till oil separates.

                         Add 1 cup water & bring to a boil. Gently drop in the fish & cover. 

                       Simmer by carefully flipping it over halfway & till gravy is reduced. 
                       When done, carefully remove fish pieces & keep them separately.

                     Layer half rice followed by the gravy, fried potatoes, half of the mint
                     -coriander leaves, half of the chilies & half fried onion. 

                    Spread remaining rice over it, followed by fish pieces, remaining chilies, 
                    mint-coriander leaves & fried onion.

                    Drizzle saffron milk, ghee & rose water. Cover & cook on dum for 10-12 min.
                    by placing the pan on a heated tawa / griddle. 

                           Garnish with coriander leaves & a dash of lime. Serve with raita.