Lau Shaker Ghonto (Bottle Gourd Greens Curry with Mixed Veggies - Bong style)

 

          This is a traditional Bengali style curry made with few tender Bottle Gourd leaves and few tender twigs. A whole lot of mixed veggies and some fried bori (lentil dumplings) are added to make this simple and delicious recipe. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch.

          I added some ghee to the end product to enhance the flavor. This yummy classic dish is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

• 8-10 tender Bottle Gourd leaves & tender twigs washed, drained & chopped
• A cup each of mixed veggies (pumpkin, French beans, radish, eggplant, carrot, parwal), chopped lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 8-10 bori (badi / dried lentil dumplings)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, fenugreek, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. ghee

       

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai and fry the bori till light golden in colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with panch phoron, bay leaves and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the mixed veggies, salt, roasted cumin powder and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Now add the bottle gourd leaves along with the twigs, green chilies, fried bori and grated ginger. 

          Give it a mix and cook, covered on a low flame till done. Sprinkle some water if necessary and keep stirring at intervals. 

          Switch off the flame and add the ghee. Give it a toss and keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis for a comforting meal.

        Heat oil & fry the bori till light golden in colour. Keep aside. 

Temper the same oil with panch phoron, bay leaves & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add the mixed veggies, salt, cumin powder & turmeric powder. Mix well & sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

 Add the bottle gourd leaves along with the twigs, green chilies, fried bori & grated ginger. Give it a mix & cook, covered on a low flame till done. Sprinkle some water if necessary & keep stirring at intervals. 

Switch off the flame & add the ghee. Give it a toss & keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. 

           Serve with hot steamed rice or chapattis for a comforting meal.

Echorer Muri Ghonto (Green Jackfruit Cooked with Basmati Rice - Bong Style)

 

            Muri Ghonto or Fish Head Curry is a traditional Bengali cuisine prepared with fish head, some soaked rice along with some spices into a thick gravy. The quantity of rice can be adjusted according to individual preference. It can be made into a curry form or a pulao.

          But here is a vegetarian version of the said dish with raw / green jackfruit. This is a very good combination and it also goes by the name of Chaal Echore or Echorer Pulao, where the rice happens to be the predominant ingredient. You can also add some fried prawns in this recipe for a non-veg. variation.

              If making a pulao increase the quantity of rice and cook it in ghee. Traditionally, it is prepared with a local variety of rice called Gobindo Bhog, but in the absence of it you can make use of Basmati rice. Echorer Muri Ghonto can be enjoyed with either rice or chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

• 1 small Echore (raw jackfruit), cubed
• 1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen ones)
• 1 potato, cubed
• 1/4 cup Gobindobhog / Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes.
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves to garnish

           Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle. Keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the potatoes to light brown in colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Add another tbsp. oil and sauté the boiled jackfruit for 2-3 minutes.  

          Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chili, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté on medium flame till oil separates. 

          Add the chopped tomato and continue to stir fry till it is mashed nicely. 

    

          Now add the soaked rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add the sautéed jackfruit, green peas, fried potatoes, slit green chilies and 2 cups water.

          Cover and simmer till the potatoes and rice are done and the gravy is thick to a desired consistency. 

          Switch off the flame. Add ghee, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Mix well and keep it covered for a couple of minutes. 

          Then serve with hot steamed rice, luchi (poori), chapatti or paratha.

                                  Pressure cook the raw jackfruit for one whistle.

                              Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry the potatoes to light brown. Keep aside. 

                            Add another tbsp. oil & sauté the boiled jackfruit for 2-3 minutes.  

                      Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili, cumin seeds, bay 

                         leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

                                 Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                       Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup

                        water. Sauté on medium flame till oil separates. 

                             Add the chopped tomato & stir fry till it is mashed nicely. 

                            Add the soaked rice & sauté for 2 minutes.

                       Add boiled jackfruit, green peas, fried potatoes, slit green chilies .....

                          .... and 2 cups water. Cover & simmer till the potatoes & rice are done

                          & the gravy is thick to a desired consistency. 

                       Switch off the flame. Add ghee, garam masala powder & coriander 

                                leaves. Mix well & keep it covered for a couple of minutes. 

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice or chapatti / paratha.

Mourola Mach diye Kumro Shaag Er Chorchori (Pumpkin Leaves Curry - Non Veg. Bong style)

 

                   This is a traditional Bengali style curry made with pumpkin leaves and few tender twigs. A whole lot of mixed veggies and some Mourola Mach are added to make this simple and delicious recipe. Mourola Mach are small river water fish also called Mola Carplet. This dish is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch.

          I added some ghee to the end product to enhance the flavor. For a vegetarian version, substitute the fish with bori / mangodi (dried lentil dumplings), coconut and /  or boiled black chickpeas. This regional dish is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice. However, you may also serve it with chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 3-4 cups pumpkin leaves & tender twigs washed, drained & chopped
• 3-4 cups of mixed veggies (pumpkin, French beans, cauliflower, eggplant, radish, pointed gourd), chopped lengthwise
• 1 cup mourola maach, cleaned, rinsed & drained
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. wheat flour mixed with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan / kadai and sauté them till it changes colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves and dry red chili. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add all the chopped veggies and all the dry spices. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. 

          Now add the chopped greens, twigs and grated. ginger. Mix everything well. Cook, covered, on a low flame. Sprinkle some water at intervals and keep stirring.

          When almost done, add the fried fish, slit green chilies and the slurry. Stir fry for a minute more and then add the ghee. 

 

          Give it a toss and keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve with steamed rice.

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

                       Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté them till it changes color. Drain & keep aside. 

                         Heat remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds, bay leaves and dry

                         red chili. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                          Add the chopped veggies & all the dry spices. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. 

                      Add chopped greens, twigs & grated. ginger. Mix well & cook, covered, on a 

                       low flame. Sprinkle some water at intervals & keep stirring.

                                  When almost done, add the fried fish, slit green chilies ....

                                 & the slurry. Sauté for a minute more. 

                          Then add the ghee. Give it a toss & keep it covered for 2-3 minutes.

                                 Serve with steamed rice.

Kumro Shaag / Shaak Chingri Chorchori (Pumpkin Leaves cooked with Mixed Veggies & Prawns - Bong Style)

 

          This is a traditional Bengali style curry made with pumpkin leaves and few tender twigs. A whole lot of mixed veggies and some prawns are added to make this simple and delicious recipe. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch.

          I added some ghee to the end product to enhance the flavor. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with mangoidi (dried lentil dumplings). This yummy side dish is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Bong delicacy.

• 3-4 cups pumpkin leaves & tender twigs washed, drained & chopped
• A cup each of mixed veggies (pumpkin, French beans, cauliflower, radish, eggplant, parwal), chopped lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, fenugreek, cumin & nigella seeds)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 10-12 prawns, deveined & cleaned
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. wheat / plain / gram flour mixed with 1/4 cup water to make a slurry
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan / kadai and sauté the prawns till it changes colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and temper with panch phoron, bay leaves and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the French Beans, Parwal (Pointed Gourd), cauliflower, radish and turmeric powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Now add the pumpkin, eggplant, green chilies and grated ginger. Mix everything well and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

          Then add salt, coriander powder and cumin powder. Give it a stir and add the chopped greens along with the twigs. Combine everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle some water and keep stirring at intervals. 

          When almost done, add the fried prawns and the slurry. Stir fry for a minute more and add the ghee. Give it a toss and keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

                                 Choose the tender leaves and twigs for this recipe.

                      Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté the prawns till it changes colour. keep aside. 

 

                        Heat remaining oil & temper with panch phoron, bay leaves & dry red 

                        chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                         Add French Breans, Parwal, cauliflower, radish & turmeric powder. 

                         Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

                     Add the pumpkin, eggplant, green chilies & grated ginger. Mix well and

                     stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

                           Then add salt, coriander powder & cumin powder. Give it a stir.

                     Add the chopped greens & the twigs. Mix well & cook, covered on a low 

                      flame. Sprinkle some water and keep stirring at intervals. 

     

                                  When almost done, add the fried prawns....

                                  and the slurry. Stir fry for a minute more....

                           and add the ghee. Give it a toss & keep it covered for 2-3 minutes. 

                                  Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice or chapattis.