Neem Aloo Bhaja (Potato & Neem Leaves Fry - Bengali Style)

 

           Neem Aloo Bhaja is a Bengali delicacy where tender neem leaves are stir fried along with potatoes and had with hot steamed rice and ghee. It is believed, any bitter preparation had at the beginning of any meal cleanses the system. The tender leaves are generally used as they are less bitter. This dish can also be prepared with eggplants. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• handful of tender neem leaves, washed & drained
• 1 medium potato, cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee 

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and fry the neem leaves till dry and crisp. Drain and keep aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with the dry red chili and kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Fry till it turns soft and well browned. Add the fried neem leaves and mix well. 

          Switch off the flame. Serve on a bed of hot steamed rice and some ghee.

                            Heat 1 tsp. oil & fry the neem leaves till dry & crisp. Keep aside.

                     Heat remaining oil & temper with the dry red chili & kalonji. Sauté for 

                     a few seconds.

                     Add potatoes, salt & turmeric powder. Fry till it turns soft & well browned. 

                                  Add the fried neem leaves and mix well. 

Serve on a bed of hot steamed rice and some ghee.

Neem Shukto (Mixed Vegetable Curry with Neem Leaves - Bengali Style)

           Shukto is a traditional Bengali cuisine and is considered as a delicacy. This is a mixed vegetable curry which has bitter gourd in it, but you can substitute it with few neem leaves. So this is the latter version. It is cooked in a mustard and milk based gravy. 

          It is mildly spiced and is tempered with Panch Phoron, the popular Bengali five spice. It is served with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal, as it is believed that the bitterness helps in purifying the blood. So do give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 4 cups mixed veggies, cut lengthwise
• (carrot, beans, pointed gourd, raw banana, raw papaya & pumpkin)
• few neem leaves to cook
• few neem leaves to garnish
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 bori (lentil dumplings / mangodi / vadi )
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1-2 whole dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds
• salt to taste
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (opt)
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (celery seeds)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. sugar 
• 1 tsp. ghee

          Grind the mustard seeds and the radhuni (celery seeds) along with some water into a fine paste. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the bori (till golden brown) and the neem leaves (meant to garnish) separately. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with the dry red chilies, ginger, bay leaves and the panch phoron. Allow it to splutter.

          Add the chopped veggies, neem leaves (meant to cook) and all the dry spices. Sauté on low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and green chilies. Simmer, covered on a low flame till the veggies are cooked.

          When done, add the mustard paste, milk, ghee, fried vadi and sugar. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and then switch off the flame. 

         Serve with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal.

                     Heat oil & fry bori (till golden brown) & neem leaves (meant to garnish) 
                     separately. Drain and keep aside.

                      Temper same oil with dry red chilies, ginger, bay leaves & panch phoron. 
                      Allow it to splutter.

                       Add the chopped veggies, all the dry spices and......

                      .....neem leaves (meant to cook). Sauté on low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

                      Add 1&1/2 cups water & green chilies. Simmer, covered on a low flame
                      till the veggies are cooked.

                       When done, add the mustard paste, milk, ghee, sugar and.....

                        ......fried vadi. Simmer for 2-3 minutes & then switch off the flame. 

                           Serve with hot steamed rice at the beginning of a full course meal.

Neem Begun (Eggplants & Neem Leaves Fry - Bengali Style)

          Neem Begun is a Bengali delicacy where tender neem leaves are cooked along with eggplants and relished with hot steamed rice and butter. Ghee can also be substituted. This dish or any bitter preparation is had at the beginning of any meal in order to cleanse the system. The tender leaves are generally used as they are less bitter, but I do not mind having the older ones too as it happens to be my favorite. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 long eggplants, diced
• handful of neem leaves, washed & drained
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 1-2 dry red chilies, broken
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1-2 fresh chilies (opt)

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with dry red chilies and kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the eggplants and fry for 2 minutes.

          Add the neem leaves, salt and turmeric powder. Continue to fry on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the eggplants turns soft. Serve with plain steamed rice and butter / ghee.

                    Heat oil & temper with kalonji & dry red chilies. Add eggplants & sauté 
                    for 2 minutes before adding the neem leaves.

                                 Add salt & turmeric powder.

                                Fry on a low to medium flame till the eggplants turns soft.

                                Serve along with hot steamed rice, butter & fresh chilies.