Pui Shak Diye Bhaja Muger Dal (Roasted Moong Dal cooked with Malabar Spinach - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali delicacy of roasted Moong Dal which is commonly prepared in almost every Bengali household. It is sometimes combined with any veggie or greens for a wholesome and nutritious meal. 

         In this recipe I combined it with Pui Shak (Malabar Spinach) to prepare this yummy lentil curry. I tempered with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds and radhuni (wild celery seeds). This gives this dal a very good flavor. Red chili powder is optional. Traditionally. green chilies are used. It is typically relished with hot steamed rice. You can adjust the quantity of water as preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy dish.

• 1/3 cup moong dal (split green gram), dry roasted and soaked for an hour
• 2 bunches Pui shak (Malabar spinach), chopped 
• 1 cup tender twigs, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (wild celery seeds)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder to garnish

          Boil the dal and the tender twigs of the Pui shak in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. Keep aside. 

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

         Add the onion and sauté till light brown. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Now add the chopped Pui shak and 1/4 cup water. Mix well and cook, covered till it turns soft.

         Add the boiled dal, 1/2 cup water and green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

         when done, add ghee and the dry roasted cumin powder. Give it a stir and serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Boil the dal & the tender twigs of the Pui shak in 1 cup water for 4-5 whistles. 

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

                     Add the onion & sauté till light brown. 

Then add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                       Now add the chopped Pui shak 

               and 1/4 cup water. Mix well & cook, covered till it turns soft.

                         Add the boiled dal,

                 1/2 cup water & green chilies. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

                   When done, add ghee & the dry roasted cumin powder. 

                Give it a stir & serve hot with steamed rice or chapattis.

Mourola Mach diye Pui Shaker Chorchori

 

             Check out this Bong style recipe that has an unique combination of Mourola Mach (Mola Carplet  - small size fresh river water fish) and Pui Shak (Malabar Spinach). This is my first try and it turned out real amazing and heavenly. 

             If you are a fan of any sort of greens, then this is a must try recipe. The addition of fish just takes this dish to the next level. A drizzle of some mustard oil to the end product is divine. Enjoy it with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish.

              Mourala Mach are small fresh river water fish that is generally enjoyed when they are fried crisp, known as bhaja. It is a favorite Bengali fish fry recipe. They can be simple relished as it is or with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some ghee. It is just heavenly. They are eaten whole along with the bones when they are fried crisp. 

              Pui Shak, on the other hand, has a lot of health benefits in the form of vitamin, calcium, protein, iron and fibre. It is cooked with bori (dried lentil dumplings) for the veg. version and prawns / fish head for the non-veg. version. However, this  combination turns out just amazing.

• 2 bunches of Malabar Spinach
• 100-200 gms. mourala mach, cleaned and rinsed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. extra mustard oil 

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and set aside for 5 minutes. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan / wok and stir fry the marinated fish till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chili and nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the chopped garlic and green chilies. Stir fry for a minute or till the garlic changes colour.

          Then add the chopped Pui Shak, salt to taste, turmeric powder and roasted cumin powder. Cover and cook till all the moisture has evaporated. 

          Add the fried fish and mix well. Sauté for a minute. Switch off the flame and add the mustard oil.

          Give it a stir and serve with hot steamed rice for a comforting lunch. 

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

                     Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté the fish till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

                   Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili & nigella seeds. 

                          Sauté for a few seconds.

                Add the garlic & green chilies. Sauté till the garlic changes colour.

Add the Pui Shak, salt, turmeric powder & roasted cumin powder. 

Cover & cook till all the moisture has evaporated. 

                             Add the fried fish & mix well. Sauté for a minute. 

                            Switch off the flame and add the mustard oil. Give it a stir.

                                  Serve with hot steamed rice for a comforting lunch. 

Pui Shak Chingri Bora (Malabar Spinach & Prawn Pakora / Fritters - Bong style)

 

          These are simple Bengali homemade style pakoras made of Pui Shak or Malabar Spinach and prawns. For a veg. version, just omit the prawns. These crispy fritters are a great accompaniment to our normal dal-chawal or khichdi. You can also relish them as a rainy day tea time snack or as an appetizer with kasundi (bottled mustard sauce) or any chutney. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these amazing pakoras.

          Bengalis generally make a curry of these creepers with pumpkin, eggplants, potato, broad beans, etc. Like other greens, Pui Shak too, has a lot of health benefits in the form of vitamin, calcium, protein, iron and fibre. 

           It is cooked with bori (dried lentil dumplings) for the veg. version and prawns / fish head for the non-veg. version. However, pakoras made with them also tastes yummy too. So do give it a try and enjoy them on a rainy day or on a chilled winter night. It is so comforting. 

• 2-3 cups Pui Shak, washed, drained & finely chopped
• 8-10 prawns, deveined, cleaned & rinsed well
• 2-3 green chilies
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp. gram flour
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• oil to deep fry

          In a bowl, add a pinch of salt to the chopped pui shak and marinate for 5-10 minutes. Then mash well.

          Pound the prawns, garlic and green chilies coarsely. Add to the Pui Shak and along with the  remaining ingredients (except oil). Sprinkle water accordingly. Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.

 

          Wet your hands and take a little portion of the batter and form into equal size pakoras and keep them ready to be deep fried.

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Gently drop the pakoras in the hot oil. Fry on a low flame on both sides till golden in colour.

    

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot as a tea time snack, as an appetizer with kasundi / green chutney or as a side dish with dal-chawal or khichdi.

                       In a bowl, add a pinch of salt to the chopped pui shak & marinate for

                       5-10 minutes. Then mash well.

                       Pound the prawns, garlic & green chilies coarsely. Add to the Pui Shak 

                       along with the remaining ingredients (except oil). Sprinkle water accordingly. 

                                  Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.

                      Wet your hands. Take a little portion of the batter & form into equal

                      size pakoras and keep them ready to be deep fried.

                         Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Gently drop the pakoras in the hot oil. Fry 

                         on a low flame on both sides till golden in colour.

  

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                    Serve them hot as a tea time snack, as an appetizer with kasundi / green 

                    chutney or as a side dish with dal-chawal,

Pui Shaker Bora (Malabar Spinach Pakoras / Fritters - Bong style)

 

          Check out for these simple Bengali homemade style pakoras made of Pui Shak or Malabar Spinach. They are also called Basella Alba. These crispy fritters are a great accompaniment to our normal dal-chawal or khichdi. You can also relish them as a tea time snack or as an appetizer with any chutney or kasundi (bottled mustard sauce).

          Bengalis generally make a curry of these creepers with pumpkin, eggplants, potato, broad beans, etc. Like other greens, Pui Shak too, has a lot of health benefits in the form of vitamin, calcium, protein, iron and fibre. 

           It is cooked with bori (dried lentil dumplings) for the veg. version and prawns / fish head for the non-veg. version. However, pakoras made with them also tastes yummy too. So do give it a try and enjoy.

• 2 cups Pui Shaak (Malabar Spinach), washed, drained & finely chopped
• 1/3 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1/4 cup rice flour 
• pinch of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• oil to shallow fry

          In a bowl, add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to the chopped pui shak and marinate for 5 minutes. Then mash well.

          Mix with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle water accordingly. Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Wet your hands and take a little portion of the batter and gently drop in the hot oil. 

          Fry on a low flame on both sides till golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot as a side dish with dal-chawal, as a tea time snack or as an appetizer.