Arbi Stir Fry (Colocasia Stir Fry)

 

            Arbi Stir Fry is a quick and a simple stir fry to go as a side dish along with your rice or chapattis. It is a dry version which is both spicy and tangy due to the presence of red chili powder and lime juice. The spice level can be adjusted according to your preference. This yummy stir fry is absolutely a hit with curd-rice or sambar rice. 

          

          It takes a matter of a few minutes to dish out this delicacy if the arbi is already boiled and refrigerated to save time. Please note - there is no onion, garlic or ginger, so it is a perfect dish to be had during fasting, though ginger can be included if preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.

• 12-15 arbi (colocasia)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. 

            When cool, drain them and peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

            Heat oil in a pan and sauté the arbi along with salt and Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

            In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves and green chilies for a few seconds and add them to the fried arbi. 

            Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

            Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. When cool, drain them & peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the arbi along with salt & Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves & green chilies for a few seconds. 

Add them to the fried arbi. Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Dahi Baingan (Eggplant in Yoghurt Gravy)

 

            This is one of my quick fix recipe where I cooked the eggplants in a yoghurt based gravy. Very simple to prepare, it tastes absolutely yummy. It is truly a vegetarian delight, with no onion or garlic. In this recipe, I have used baby eggplants. However, you may use any variety you prefer. You can enjoy it with any form of rice or Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.  

• 8-10 baby eggplants, sliced into 4 pieces 
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 3/4 cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Whisk together yoghurt, chickpea flour, ginger paste and all the dry spices. Keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat the remaining oil and temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Then add the yoghurt mix and 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a boil.

          Add the sautéed eggplants and green chilies. Cover and simmer on a low to  medium flame till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

         When done, garnish with coriander leaves. Relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, paratha, poori or chapatti.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till light brown. Keep aside. 

Heat the remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds. 

       Then add the yoghurt mix & 1/2 cup water. Bring it to a boil.

 

Add the sautéed eggplants & green chilies. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

                     When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

       Relish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, paratha, poori or chapatti.

Shahi Paneer (No Onion & No Garlic - Jain Recipe)

 

          Shahi Paneer needs no introduction. It is a very popular Mughlai style Paneer recipe that is made with paneer in a rich tomato-cashew gravy. This gives a royal touch to the dish. Hence the name 'Shahi'. However, this is a Jain recipe without onion or garlic, apt to have during fast or any special festive occasion. 

          This gravy is smooth, velvety and has the richness and creaminess coming from the milk, cream, tomato and cashew nuts. It also has the flavors from all the dry spices added to it. 

          So it is a perfect side dish for steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan, tandoori roti or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.

• 200 gms. paneer cubes 
• 3-4 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1" ginger
• 8-10 cashew nuts 
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. fennel powder
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/3 cup cream 
• 1 tbsp. dry roasted kasuri methi 
• pinch of saffron 

          Grind the tomatoes, green chilies, ginger and cashew nuts into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

         Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a kadai / pan and sauté the paneer slightly. Immerse in cold water and keep aside.

          Now in the same pan, heat oil and add the ground tomato paste. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add all the dry spices. Sauté till the oil separates. 

          Switch off the flame. Now add the milk, cream and water. Give it a mix. Then switch on the flame and cook the gravy on a low flame.

          When the gravy thickens slightly, add the soaked paneer and some water in which it was soaked, to the gravy. 

          Cook for 2-3 minutes and then garnish with dry roasted kasuri methi and saffron. 

         Serve along with steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, tandoori roti, naan or chapatti. 

        

          Grind tomatoes, green chilies, ginger & cashew nuts into a paste. 

       Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a kadai / pan and sauté the paneer slightly. 

                Immediately immerse in cold water and keep aside.

          Now in the same pan, heat oil & add the ground tomato paste. 

          Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

                  Add all the dry spices. Sauté till the oil separates. 

           Switch off the flame & add milk & cream. Mix well. Then switch 

           on the flame and cook the gravy on a low flame.

           When the gravy thickens slightly, add soaked paneer & some water 

           if required, to the gravy.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.

                 Garnish with dry roasted kasuri methi and saffron. 

          Serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, tandoori

          roti, naan or chapatti. 

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.