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.

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 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 hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

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

                       Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté them till it changes colour. 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 & 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 hot steamed rice or chapattis. 

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. 

Labra (Mixed Vegetable Curry - Bengali Style)

          This is a simple and a traditional homemade style Bengali Mixed vegetable curry. You can add any veggies of your choice. I also added some fried vadi (dried lentil dumplings) to enhance the flavour and add a bit of a crunch to the dish. 

          This dish is very commonly cooked in many a Bengali home. For a non-veg. version, prawns or fish head is added. It is relished as a side dish with rice, khichdi, paratha, poori or chapati. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple delicacy.

• 1 cup each of mixed veggies, cubed (Raddish, french beans, cabbage, pumpkin, raw banana, eggplant and parwal (pointed gourd)
• 1/2 cup frozen / fresh green peas 
• 10-12 vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, cumin, mustard, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 whole red chilies
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies and panch phoron. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the ginger and fry for a few seconds. Now add the raddish, beans and parwal first. Fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. 

          Then add rest of the veggies, all the dry spices and the fried vadi and green peas. Mix everything well and cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle water and stir at intervals.

          When done, switch off the flame and add the ghee. Keep it covered for 5 minutes and then serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

                                Chop all veggies into cubes.

                                Heat oil & fry vadi till golden brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                Temper same oil with bay leaves, red chilies, green chilies & panch phoron. 

                                After it stops spluttering, add ginger & fry for few seconds. 

                     Add raddish, beans & parwal first. Fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame. 

                               Then add rest of the veggies,

                                all dry spices and 

                  fried vadi & green peas. Mix well & cook, covered on a low flame. Sprinkle 
                  water & stir at intervals.

                  When done, switch off  flame & add ghee. Keep it covered for 5 minutes
                 

                                Serve with either rice, khichdi, poori, paratha or chapattis.