Masoor Dal (Red Lentils Curry - Bong style)

 

            This is a simple traditional Bong style Red Lentils Curry and this happens to be one of my favorite dal recipe. I relish having it with steamed rice and some aloo bhaja (potato fry) on the side. It is nutritious as it contains lot of proteins and there is minimum use of spices. Have it with a tsp. of ghee or a dash of lime for added flavor. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this homemade style Masoor Dal.

          

• 1/2 cup masoor dal (red lentil), soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. panch phoron 
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves. chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Boil the dal in 2 cups water for 3-4 whistles or till it is soft and mushy. Give it a whisk and keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and panch phoron. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the chopped onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the boiled dal, salt turmeric powder and cumin powder.

           Mix well and simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. When done, switch off the flame. 

           Add chopped coriander leaves and ghee and serve with hot steamed rice, accompanied with aloo bhaja (potato fry) for a great comfort meal.

Boil the dal in 2 cups water for 3-4 whistles or till it is soft & mushy. Give it a whisk & keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with dry red chilies & panch phoron. Allow it to splutter.

                 Add the chopped onion and sauté till light brown. 

Add the boiled dal, salt turmeric powder & cumin powder.  Mix well & simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. When done, switch off the flame. 

                     Add chopped coriander leaves & ghee.

Serve with hot steamed rice, accompanied with aloo bhaja (potato fry) for a great comfort meal.

Moong Dal Tadka (Split Green Gram Lentil Curry)

 

                  It is a well known fact that Lentils are full of proteins and fibre and is a must-have in many homes. Here I bring to you a very flavorful dal that is very popular in most restaurants. So check out my version of this simple Moong Dal Tadka.

         Tastes awesome with rice and I am sure it is a comfort food for many. I like having it with steamed rice and some pickles and papad to go with it. It tastes heavenly. It can be had with any Indian bread too, along with some onion and a drizzle of some lime juice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great comfort food. 

• 1/2 cup split moong dal, soaked for 30 minutes, rinse & drain
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

         Boil the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water along with onion, tomato, ginger, salt and turmeric powder for 5-6 whistles.

          Add kasuri methi, green chilies, garam masala powder and milk. Simmer for 1-2 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep aside.

         Heat ghee in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, garlic and asafoetida. Sauté till light brown and switch off the flame.

          Then add the Kashmiri red chili powder and give it a stir. Immediately pour this tempering over the cooked dal.
        
          Add lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice or any Indian bread like naan, tandoori roti, paratha or chapatti. 

                      Boil the dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water along with onion, tomato, ginger, salt

                      and turmeric powder for 5-6 whistles.

                                  The boiled dal.

                      Add kasuri methi, green chilies, garam masala powder & milk. Simmer 

                       for 1-2 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep aside.

                        Heat ghee in a pan & temper with cumin seeds, garlic & asafoetida. 

                        Sauté till light brown & switch off the flame. Add the Kashmiri red

                        chili powder & give it a stir. Pour this tempering over the cooked dal.

        

                                 Add lime juice & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                    Serve with hot steamed rice or any Indian bread like naan, tandoori roti, 

                    paratha or chapatti. 

Baby Marrow & Green Peas Curry

 

           Marrows are from the Zucchini family. It is a wonder veggie as it has a lot of health benefits. It lowers cholesterol, aids in weight management, is good for diabetic patients, etc. 

           So check out this simple, yet delicious curry of baby marrow cooked with green peas. I gave a tempering of bay leaves, whole garam masala, cumin seeds and asafoetida and finished it off with ghee, kasuri methi and garam masala powder. 

          You can go ahead and add potatoes and tomatoes too, if preferred. You can relish it as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 5-6 baby marrow, chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder 
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan / wok and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, asafoetida and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except garam masala and salt) mixed with some water. Stir fry on a medium flame till the oil separates. 

          Add the chopped baby marrow and mix well. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the green peas, salt and 1 cup water. 

   

          Cover and simmer till the marrows are soft and the gravy is reduced to a desired consistency.

          When done, add the crushed kasuri methi, ghee and garam masala. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Keep it covered for 5 minutes. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                   Chop the baby marrow.

                         Heat oil & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, 

                         asafoetida and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Add the onion and sauté till light brown. 

                      Add ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices (except garam masala & salt) 

                       mixed with some water. Stir fry on a medium flame till the oil separates. 

                      Add the chopped baby marrow & mix well. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

                                 Add the green peas, 

   

                        salt and 1 cup water. Cover & simmer till the marrows are soft & the 

                        gravy is reduced to a desired consistency.

                       When done, add the crushed kasuri methi, ghee & garam masala. Give it

                        a stir and switch off the flame. Keep it covered for 5 minutes. 

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves.

                                  Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Ilish Macher Matha / Muro diye Ole Torkari (Elephant Yam cooked with Hilsa Fish Head - Bong style)

 

          This is a traditional Bong style curry where Elephant Yam is cooked with Hilsa fish head. It is had with hot steamed rice and is considered a delicacy on a Bengali platter. Apart from Hilsa fish, you can also substitute it with Rohu or Indian carp fish.

          This dish is usually a Sunday lunch menu in most of the Bengali homes and it is also prepared on special occasions. It is a very simple dish, that is light on the tummy. Very few basic ingredients goes into preparing this curry. A tsp. of raw mustard oil to the end product gives an authentic touch and flavour to this dish. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delicacy. 

• 1 Hilsa fish head, marinated with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder & deep fried
• 250-300 gms. ole Elephant Yam), into into cubes
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. mustard oil to garnish
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Bhaja Masala (dry roasted spices)

• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 3-4 bay leaves, broken
• 3-4 dry red chilies

          For Bhaja Masala - Dry roast the cumin seeds, dry red chilies and bay leaves for a minute or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside to cool and then grind into a fine powder. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a kadai / pan and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the fried fish head and break into few pieces. Then add the cubed (Ole) Elephant Yam and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

          Add 1 cup water, salt and turmeric powder. Bring it to a boil and then simmer, covered, till almost done. 

          Add the grated ginger and slit green chilies. Cook further for a minute and switch off the flame. 

          Add the mustard oil and garnish with a tsp. of the ground spice mix. Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

 

                     Bhaja Masala - Dry roast the cumin seeds, dry red chilies & bay leaves

                     for a minute or till you get a nice aroma. Keep aside to cool & then grind

                     into a fine powder. Keep aside. 

                      Heat oil in a kadai / pan & temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves &

                      cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                   Add the fried fish head & break into few pieces. 

                                Add the cubed (Ole) Elephant Yam & stir fry for 2-3 minutes. 

                       Add 1 cup water, salt & turmeric powder. Bring it to a boil and then 

                       simmer, covered, till almost done. 

                       Add the grated ginger & slit green chilies. Cook for a minute more.

 

                                 Add the mustard oil.

                                  Garnish with a tsp. of the ground spice mix. 

                                  Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Dimer Tel Jhaal (Egg Curry - Bong style)

 

            I love eggs in any form. So try my version of a simple Bengali homemade style egg curry, cooked in mustard oil with a tempering of nigella seeds and green chilies. It has minimum of spices and is a quick recipe. The base of the gravy has only red chili powder, salt and turmeric powder. 

           It's that simple with minimum effort but with maximum flavor. It hardly takes any time to dish out this delicacy and not to forget a drizzle of some raw mustard oil to the end product for an authentic Bong touch. To sum up it is pure divine and I like to relish it with only plain steamed rice. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

         

• 3 eggs, boiled & cut into half
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste 
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Mix turmeric powder and red chili powder in 1/2 cup water and keep aside. Marinate the eggs with a pinch each of turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt for 5 minutes. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the eggs for a few seconds. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the chili paste and salt to taste. 

          Bring it to a boil and add the sautéed eggs. Cover and simmer on a low flame till the gravy reduces slightly.

          When done, add coriander leaves and drizzle the remaining mustard oil. Switch off the flame and keep it covered for a few seconds. Serve with hot steamed rice. 

                     Mix turmeric powder & red chili powder in 1/2 cup water & keep aside.

            Marinate eggs with a pinch of turmeric powder, red chili powder & salt for 5 min. 

                      Heat 2 tbsp. oil & sauté the eggs for a few seconds. Drain and keep aside. 

                Temper the same oil with nigella seeds & green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                                   Add the chili paste and salt to taste.  Bring it to a boil.

                 Add sautéed eggs. Cover & simmer on a low flame till gravy reduces slightly.

                                 When done, add coriander leaves.

                           Drizzle remaining mustard oil. Switch off flame & cover for awhile.

                                Serve with hot steamed rice.