Echorer Rezala (Raw Jackfruit Curry - Bong style)

 

           This is a vegetarian version of the very popular Bengali / Bangladesh style Mutton / Chicken Rezala. So I made use of Echore (Raw / Green Jackfruit), which is a perfect meat substitute to make this yummy dish. The spices remain very much the same. This recipe calls for a gravy with a slightly thicker consistency. 

          With a nice aroma coming from the rose / kewra water and the creamy texture  from the use of milk and cream, this makes it a sure shahi dish. I skipped the traditional use of cashew nuts and yoghurt. It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground green chilies. Enjoy it with naan, paratha, roomali roti, rice, pulao, etc. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

             Mutton Rezala and Chicken Rezala are two very traditional and popular Bengali style aromatic non-vegetarian dishes. It is cooked in a creamy yoghurt based gravy. 

          They are very much a part of the menu in many Bengali restaurants in and around Kolkata. The non-veg. version of this recipe is very popular in Bangladesh too.

            It is usually cooked in mustard oil and some ghee to give an authentic flavour to the dish. It is a great party recipe and is mostly cooked during special occasions. 

Ingredients - 

• 1 small raw jackfruit (Echore), cubed & boiled
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. rose / kewra water
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves 

To Grind - 

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies

          Grind the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies into a fine paste. keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan. Sauté the boiled jackfruit till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the ground onion paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Then add the sautéed jackfruit and mix everything well. 

          Now add the milk, cream, salt to taste, roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder. Give it a stir. 

          Cover and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Switch off the flame and add the rose water and coriander leaves.

           Serve with steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. You can also relish with naan, kulcha or tandoori roti. 

 Grind the onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies into a fine paste. Set aside. 

  Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté the boiled jackfruit till light brown. Keep aside. 

Heat remaining oil & ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Add the ground onion paste & sauté till the oil separates.

                   Then add the sautéed jackfruit & mix everything well. 

 Add the milk, cream, salt, roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder & garam masala powder. Give it a stir. Cover & simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

        Switch off the flame and add the rose water and coriander leaves. 

                     Serve with steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

             You can also relish with naan, kulcha or tandoori roti. 

Mutton Rezala

 

          This is a traditional and a very popular Bengali style fragrant Mutton curry cooked in a creamy yogurt based gravy. There are many versions to this delicacy, but the end result is simply mouth watering. With a slight aroma coming from the rose water and the nutty flavour from the almond-Cashew paste, this is surely a connoisseurs delight. 

       

           It is yummy and mildly spiced. However, one thing is for sure - The taste is simply divine. Relish it with plain biryani, pulao, naan or Tandoori roti. So go ahead and give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Marination - 

• 500 gms. Mutton on bones, cubed
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. raw papaya paste
• salt to taste
• pinch of nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder

To grind - 

• 8-10 almonds, soaked for an hour
• 8-10 cashews, soaked for an hour
• 1/2 cup milk

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 whole dry red chilies
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 6 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 mace

Other ingredients - 

• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves to garnish 

           Grind the almonds and cashews along with the milk into a paste. Keep aside.

          Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients for 4-5 hours or preferably overnight.

          Heat oil and ghee in a cooker and temper with all the mentioned ingredients under "Tempering". Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the marinated mutton and simmer on a low flame till dry. Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 15 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.

          When it has cooled down, add the almond-cashew paste and green chilies. Mix everything well and simmer, covered for 5-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency. 

          Switch off the flame and add the rose water. Give it a stir and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with plain biryani, pulao, naan or tandoori roti. 

                     Marinate the mutton with all the ingredients for 4-5 hours or preferably 

                     overnight.

                   Heat oil & ghee in a cooker & temper with all the mentioned ingredients under                                 "Tempering". Sauté for a few seconds.

                                   Add the marinated mutton & simmer on low flame till dry. 

                    Add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 15 minutes on a low flame after the

                    first whistle.

                    Then add the almond-cashew paste & green chilies. Mix well & simmer, 

                    covered for 5-10 minutes or till you get the desired consistency. 

                                Switch off the flame & add rose water. Give it a stir.

                                 Garnish with coriander leaves. 

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

Potoler Rezala (Parwal / Pointed Gourd Curry)

          This is a vegetarian version of the very popular Bengali / Bangladesh style Mutton / Chicken Rezala. So I made use of some Potol (Parwal / Pointed Gourd) to make this yummy dish. The spices remain very much the same. This recipe calls for a gravy with a slightly thicker consistency. 

          With a nice aroma coming from the kewra water and the nutty flavour from the cashew paste, this makes it a sure shahi dish. It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground peppercorns. Enjoy it with naan, paratha, roomali roti, rice, pulao, etc. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          Mutton Rezala and Chicken Rezala are two very traditional and popular Bengali style aromatic non-vegetarian dishes. It is cooked in a creamy yoghurt based gravy. 

          They are very much a part of the menu in many Bengali restaurants in and around Kolkata. The non-veg. version of this recipe is very popular in Bangladesh too.

            It is usually cooked in mustard oil and some ghee to give an authentic flavour to the dish. It is a great party recipe and is mostly cooked during special occasions. 

• 10 Potol / Parwals / Pointed Gourds, scraped
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Dry roast & grind - 

• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 mace
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp. peppercorns
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 " cinnamon stick

          Blend together cashew nuts and yoghurt till smooth. Grind the onion, ginger and garlic to a paste. Keep them aside. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and stir fry the potol till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and ghee and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the dry spices and give it a stir.

          Now add the cashew-yoghurt mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the fried parwals and mix well. Cover and cook till the oil separates.

          Add the milk, salt and green chilies. Cover and simmer till the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.

          When done, switch off the flame and add the kewra water. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy it with naan, paratha, roomali roti, rice, pulao, etc.

          

                                   Dry roast the spices & then grind.

                                  Scrape potol & give a slight slit on either sides.

                              Heat 2 tbsp. oil & stir fry the potol till light brown. Keep aside. 

                    Heat remaining oil & ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, 
                    cloves and dry red chilies.

                                  Add ground onion paste & sauté for 1-2 minutes. 

                                  Add the dry spices & give it a stir.

                                  Now add yoghurt & simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

                             Add fried parwals & mix well. Cover & cook till oil separates.

                        Add milk, salt & green chilies. Cover & simmer till gravy thickens
                        to the desired consistency.

                                 When done, add kewra water.
          

                     Garnish with coriander leaves & enjoy with naan, paratha, roomali roti, 
                     rice, pulao, etc.

Mutton Rezala

          This is a traditional and a very popular Bengali style fragrant Mutton curry cooked in a creamy yogurt based gravy. There are many versions to this delicacy, but the end result is simply mouth watering. With a slight aroma coming from the rose water and the nutty flavour from the almond paste, this is surely a connoisseurs delight. 

          It has a stew like consistency and is mildly spiced,  But one thing is for sure - The taste is simply divine. Relish it with plain steamed rice, pulao, naan, parathas or any Indian flat bread. So go ahead and give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms. Mutton on bones, cubed
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup fried onions
• 8-10 almonds, soaked for an hour.
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 whole green chilies
• 3 whole dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. rose water

Dry roast & grind - 

• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 mace
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp. peppercorns
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1/2" cinnamon stick

Tempering

• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 whole dry red chili, broken into half
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick

• few sliced onions to garnish
• few fried onions to garnish

          Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under "Dry roast & grind" for a few seconds. When cool, grind along with the sugar into a powder. Keep aside.

          Grind the almonds and the fried onion too along with some water into a paste. Keep aside.

          Marinate the mutton with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt and 2 tbsp. of the ground powder preferably overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours.

          Heat the oil and ghee in a pan and temper with all the mentioned ingredients under "Tempering". Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the marinated mutton and simmer on low flame till dry. Add the milk and 1-1/2 cups water. Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on low flame after the first whistle.

          When it has cooled down, add the fried onion paste, whole green chilies, whole dry red chilies, rose water and some more water as needed. 

          Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve, garnished with sliced onions and fried onions.

                      Marinate mutton with yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt & dry spices.

                                  Marinate overnight preferably.

                                 Grind almonds & fried onion to a paste.

               Temper oil & ghee bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & dry red chili.

                                 Add marinated mutton & cook till dry.

                                  Add milk.....

                                 .......& water. Pressure cook till done.

                                 Add almond paste......

                      green chilies, dry red chilies, rose water & little extra water as needed.  
                      Simmer for 1-2 minutes.     
                     

                                  Serve, garnished with fried onions and sliced onions.

Few tips to keep in mind - 

1. Cashew nuts are traditionally added, but I went in for almonds, as it was available.

2. Transfer the sautéed mutton into a bowl, which can be placed in the pressure cooker for cooking. If cooking it directly in the cooker, increase the quantity of water as it tends to reduce. 

3. Poppy seeds paste too can be added along with the cashew / almond paste for a more thicker consistency.

4. I have added rose water, but kewra water is traditionally added at the end of the cooking.