Bori diye Mulo Chechki (Raddish Stir Fry with Dried Lentil Dumplings - Bong style)

 

               This is a simple and a quick Traditional Bengali style radish stir fry that is most commonly found in all Bengali homes . It is a dry recipe where I gave a tempering of nigella seeds, asafoetida and green chilies in mustard oil. 

              The addition of fried bori (mangodi / dried lentil dumplings) and the garnishing of coriander leaves along with some raw mustard oil gives a nice crunch and mustardy flavour to this dish. For a non-veg version shrimps can be fried and added. It is best had with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 large radish (or 2 small ones), grated
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 12-15 bori / mangodi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoerida
• 2-3 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a kadai / pan and fry the bori till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.  

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds, asafoetida and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the radish, salt, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Cook, covered, on a low flame till almost done. 

          Now add the fried bori and cook, covered further for 2 minutes. Then add coriander leaves and remaining mustard oil. 

          Mix well and switch off the flame. Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice.

                     Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry the bori till golden brown. Drain & keep aside.  

                          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds, asafoetida & green chilies. 

                          Sauté for a few seconds.

                         Add radish, salt, turmeric powder & cumin powder. Cook, covered,

                         on a low flame till almost done. 

                              Now add the fried bori & cook, covered further for 2 minutes. 

                                  Add coriander leaves & remaining mustard oil. Mix well.

                                  Serve as a side dish with hot steamed rice.

Mulo Chingri Chechki (Radish Prawn Stir Fry - Bengali Style)

          This is a simple and a quick Bengali homemade style radish stir fry cooked along with some prawns. It is a dry recipe where I gave a tempering of kalonji (nigella seeds), fresh chilies and asafoetida in mustard oil. For a veg. version, vadi / dried lentil dumplings can be added.

          The garnishing of coriander leaves along with some raw mustard oil to the end product gives a nice mustardy flavor and an authentic touch to this dish. It is best relished with only and only hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          Mulo in the Bengali lingo is radish and Chingri is prawn. So this recipe is a jugalbandi of both these two key ingredients. 

          This is a great comfort food that is especially relished for lunch with hot steamed rice. But there is no harm in having it with roti /paratha. 

• 3-4 radish, grated
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 prawns, cleaned & tail intact
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 2-3 green chilies, slit 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

          

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the prawns slightly till it changes colour. Drain and keep aside. 

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds, green chilies and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds.

          Add all the dry spices, followed by the grated radish. Mix well and stir fry till well cooked and dry.

          When done, switch off the flame. Add the coriander leaves, fried prawns and remaining raw mustard oil. Give it a stir and serve, preferably with hot steamed rice.

                    Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry prawns till it changes colour. Drain & keep aside. 

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

                                 Add all the dry spices.

                               Add grated radish. Mix well & stir fry till well cooked & dry.

                   Add coriander leaves, fried prawns & 1 tsp. raw mustard oil. Give it a stir.

                  Serve, preferably with hot steamed rice.

Thechwani (Radish - Potato Curry - Garhwali Style)

          This is a typical Garhwali / Pahadi cuisine from Uttaranchal. Radish or potatoes are used in this recipe. Sometimes both the veggies are combined to make it. So I used the latter and it came out very delicious. This is a simple & a rustic kind of a curry, which I loved having it with chapatis.

           It is so called as the veggies are not cut but rather crushed / pounded (called thinchao in the local lingo) to make this recipe. It is a perfect side dish to be relished with either rice or chapatti. Hope you will give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2 med. size radish, roughly chopped
• 1 med. size potato, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 whole dry chili
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1-2 green chilies
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

         Pound the potato, radish, ginger, garlic and green chilies in a mortar and pestle. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the ginger, garlic and chilies till light brown.

          Add the potato and radish and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame till they turn light brown and are half cooked. Keep aside.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and temper with red chili, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Now add the onion and fry till light brown.

          Add the powdered spices and mix well. Then add the tomatoes and sprinkle some water. Cover and cook till it is mashed.

          Return the fried radish, potato and salt. Give it a stir and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cover.

          Simmer on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes. The veggies should be well cooked but not completely mashed. There should be some crunch in it.

          Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or chapatti.

      

                 Pound potato, radish, ginger, garlic & green chilies in a mortar & pestle. 

                             Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry ginger, garlic & chilies till light brown.

                        Add potato & radish & sauté for 3-4 minutes on a medium flame

                               till they turn light brown & are half cooked. Keep aside.

                   Heat remaining oil & temper with red chili, cumin seeds & asafoetida. 

                                Now add onion & fry till light brown.

                                Add powdered spices & mix well. 

                      Add tomatoes & sprinkle some water. Cover & cook till it is mashed.

                   Return the fried radish, potato & salt. Give it a stir & sauté for 2 min.
                  

                   Add 1/2 cup water & cover. Simmer on a med. flame for 4-5 minutes. 
                 

                               Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with rice or chapatti.

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.

Panch Mishali (Mixed Vegetable Curry - Bengali Style)

          This is a traditional mixed vegetable curry in the Bengali style. It means a mish mash of 5 veggies. So you can choose any 5 types of vegetables to cook up this simple delicacy. I have made use of green papaya, red pumpkin, parwal (pointed gourd). raddish and eggplants in this recipe.

          I have also added fried vadi (dried lentil dumplings), but for a non-veg. version, it is generally cooked either with prawns or fish head.This dish is a very common menu in any Bengali household. It is relished with rice, khichdi (Rice porridge), chapati, poori or paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 cup each of eggplants, pumpkin, green papaya, radish & parwal (pointed gourd), cubed
• 8-10 vadi (dried lentil dumplings)
• 2 tbsp, mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, fenugreek, cumin, mustard & nigella seeds)
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2 green chilies, broken into half
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. ghee
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the vadi till golden brown. Drain and keep aside. Temper the same oil with panch phoron, bay leaf, dry red chili, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.

          Saute for a few seconds. Then add the ginger paste and all the dry spices mixed with a little water. Saute till oil separates.

          Add all the chopped veggies and the fried vadis. Stir to mix with all the spices. Cover and cook on a low flame till the moisture evaporates.

          At this point if the veggies are not soft enough, add 1/2 - 1 cup water and continue to simmer, covered till done. Add ghee and serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

  

                              Heat oil & fry vadis till golden in colour. Drain & keep aside.

                     Temper with green chilies, panch phoron, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms 
                     and cloves.

                   Add ginger-garlic paste & all dry spices mixed with some water. Saute
                    till oil separates. 

                          Add chopped veggies & fried vadis. Cover & cook til done. Add 
                          water if necessary.

                                When done, add ghee.

                               Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.