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. 

Jeera Aloo (Potatoes Tempered with Cumin seeds - North Indian Style)

 

           Potatoes, no doubt are an universal favorite. There are numerous recipes prepared with this awesome veggie. So this yummy Jeera Aloo recipe needs no mention. It is very commonly made in most North Indian homes and is very much served in all dhabas.

          This simple and hearty potato curry flavored with cumin seeds and few other dry spices can very much be relished with phulkas, pooris, parathas and with a smearing of ghee or butter. 

          You may also serve it as a side dish with steamed rice. They can also be packed, rolled up in parathas for a quick lunch or lunch-box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this very popular recipe.

• 2 large potatoes, boiled & cut into small cubes
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. chaat masala / 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. After it stops crackling, add the green chilies, ginger and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add roasted cumin powder, roasted coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Sprinkle some water and sauté for a few seconds.

         Now add the boiled potatoes and salt. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or till it is well coated with all the spices.

         Add the chaat masala and give it a toss. Stir fry further for a minute more. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

         Serve as a side dish with steamed rice, chapatti, paratha or poori for a nice comfort meal.

                 Potatoes boiled & cubed.

             Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. 

      After it stops crackling, add green chilies, ginger and asafoetida. 

      Sauté for a few seconds.

        Add roasted cumin powder, roasted coriander powder, turmeric powder 

        & red chili powder. Sprinkle some water & sauté for a few seconds.

                Now add the boiled potatoes and salt.

        Sauté for 2-3 minutes or till it is well coated with all the spices.

      Add the chaat masala & give it a toss. Sauté for a minute more. 

             Switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves.

               Serve with steamed rice, chapatti, paratha or poori.

Hagalakayi Palya (Bitter Gourd Stir Fry - Karnataka style)

 

           Hagalakayi Palya is a traditional bitter gourd recipe from the state of Karnataka. This simple side dish is just amazing and so easy to prepare. It is a great accompaniment to curd rice. However, you can also relish with steamed rice or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe top prepare this regional stir fry recipe. 

           Bitter Gourd in general is a very healthy veggie and is also diabetic friendly as it regulates the blood sugar levels. However, it is not too popular because of its bitterness. I assure you this Hagalakayi Palya will be liked by many as there is no bitterness after the marination.

• 2 medium size bottle gourd, deseeded & sliced
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp. urad dal (Split black lentil)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. amchur (dry mango powder)
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1/3 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the bitter gourd with some salt for 10-15 minutes. Wash well, rinse and squeeze out all excess water. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds, urad dal, slit green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the bitter gourd, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Sauté on a low to medium flame till tender. 

          Now add the chopped onion and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

          Then add the amchur powder, sambar powder and red chili powder. Sauté further for a minute.

           Add the fresh grated coconut and give it a stir. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, curd rice or chapatti. 

                        Marinate the bitter gourd with some salt for 10-15 minutes. Wash well,

                        rinse and squeeze out all excess water. Keep aside. 

                        Heat oil & temper with dry red chili, mustard seeds, urad dal, slit green

                        chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                    Add the bitter gourd, salt to taste & turmeric powder. Sauté on a low to 

                    medium flame till tender. 

                           Now add the chopped onion & continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

                       Add amchur, sambar powder & red chili powder. Sauté for a minute.

                       Add fresh grated coconut & give it a stir. Garnish with coriander leaves.

                                  Serve with steamed rice, curd rice or chapatti. 

Vankaya Vepudu (Eggplant Fry - Andhra style)

 

            Vankaya Vepudu or in simple terms Eggplant Fry is an Andhra style spicy and tangy stir fry dish prepared with eggplants / brinjal. It is best enjoyed with hot steamed rice or as a side dish with curd rice, sambar rice or rasam rice. However, you may also enjoy with paratha or chapatti. 

          In fact, eggplants tastes better if prepared in this way. In this recipe I opted for baby eggplants. But you can also use any other variety of your choice. To enhance the flavor you may also drizzle some ghee while serving. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this classic and lip smacking regional delicacy.

           This Vankaya Vepudu is very popular dish in many regions of Andhra, where it is enjoyed by the local folk and found in every Andhra household and restaurants. Each family and restaurant has their own unique style of preparing it. 

           Basic ingredients, available in the kitchen goes into the preparation. However, peanuts, sesame seeds and coconut are the main spices used in the recipe besides others. It simply tastes awesome with just hot steamed rice with some ghee and you don't need anything else to satiate your hunger. A simple meal like this brings a deep satisfaction beyond compare. 

Ingredients - 

• 8-10 baby eggplants, sliced into 4 pieces
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste 
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

To grind - 

• 2 tbsp. peanuts, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut, dry roasted
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste

           Grind all the mentioned ingredients into a coarse powder and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds or till it stops spluttering.

          Add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent. Now add the eggplants, curry leaves, salt to taste and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and cook, covered till it turns soft. Keep stirring at intervals. 

          When done, add the coarsely ground spice mix and give it a stir so that the eggplants are well coated. 

          Now switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with hot steamed rice, curd rice or chapatti. 

Notes - 

1.  Immerse the chopped eggplants in salt water to avoid discoloration. 

2.  Adjust the red chili powder according to your preference. However, this dish tastes yummy when it is spicy.

3.  I added tamarind paste in this recipe. You may use a small lime size ball of tamarind. 

4.  You may also serve vankaya vepudu with a drizzle of some ghee to enhance the flavor.

                                  Dry roast the peanuts, sesame seeds and grated coconut.

                                  Grind with all the mentioned ingredients 

                                  into a coarse powder and keep aside.

                       Heat oil in a pan & temper with chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, 

                       cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

                                  Add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent. 

                      Add the eggplants, curry leaves, salt to taste & turmeric powder. Mix 

                      well & cook, covered till it turns soft. Keep stirring at intervals. 

                            When done, add the ground spice mix & give it a stir so that the 

                            eggplants are well coated.

                                 Garnish with coriander leaves. 

                                 Serve with hot steamed rice, curd rice or chapatti.