Kochur Loti (Taro Stems Curry - Bong style)

 

            This a traditional Bong style recipe of Taro stems cooked in a vegetarian version. I added some boiled chickpeas and roasted peanuts. You may also add some grated coconut or small pieces of fried coconut too. It is a very yummy recipe and it can be prepared in a non-veg. form too, with either prawns, any small variety fish or fish head. 

          Very few ingredients are required for this recipe. Drizzle the final product with some raw mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great Sunday lunch. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy. 

          It is a lost recipe, prepared only in few Bengali homes and not much found in restaurants. However, in rural areas it is commonly prepared as these taro stems are seen grown in abundance near ponds and lakes.

          This dish is considered to be a delicacy on a Bengali menu platter In this veg. version, you can also add bori (dried lentil dumplings) in the veg. version too. It tastes equally yummy.

• 300 gms. Kochur Loti (Taro Stems)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/3 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds

          Peel & chop the taro stems into 2" long. Wash them thoroughly 2-3 times. Grind the mustard seeds into a paste along with 1 green chili and 1/4 cup water. Keep aside. 

          Then in a pan, bring sufficient water to a boil along with a pinch of salt, turmeric and lime juice. 

          Add the chopped taro stem and boil, covered, for 4-5 minutes. It should be al dente. Drain well and keep aside.  

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder and cumin powder. Sauté till light brown. 

          Then add the boiled taro stems, salt to taste, boiled chickpeas and roasted peanuts. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once in between.

          Add the mustard paste. Mix well and cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes. 

         Add the remaining 1 tbsp. mustard oil and give it a mix. Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal.

Note - 

          These Taro stems sometimes have a tendency of generating itchiness in the throat. So to avoid it, be sure to add lime juice, vinegar or some tamarind water while boiling it. 

          

                           Take 350 gms. of Kochu Loti (Taro Stems).

  Peel & chop the taro stems into 2" long. Wash them thoroughly 2-3 times.

Then in a pan, bring sufficient water to a boil along with a pinch of salt, turmeric & lime juice. Add the chopped taro stem.

                 Boil, covered, for 4-5 minutes. 

                    Drain well & keep aside.  

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & temper with nigella seeds & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies, turmeric powder & cumin powder. 

                      Sauté till light brown. 

Then add the boiled taro stems, salt to taste, boiled chickpeas & roasted peanuts. Cover & cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring once in between.

        Add the mustard paste. Mix well & cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes. 

                 Add the remaining 1 tbsp. mustard oil & give it a mix.

                     Now your Kochur Loti is done. 

Enjoy with hot steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

Fish In Tomato Gravy - Bong Style

 

            This is my version of a simple fish curry in tomato gravy, to be enjoyed with hot steamed rice. Mustard oil is the medium of cooking to give a traditional Bong flavor to this dish. A tsp of ghee to the end product enhances the flavor. The gravy is light on the tummy and a great lunch menu, especially on weekends. There is nothing like having this comfort food along with hot steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional fish curry. 

• 3 pieces of Rohu fish 
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish till light brown on both sides. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with dry red chilies, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

          Now add the pureed tomatoes and continue to sauté till the moisture has evaporated. 

          Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Add the fried fish and green chilies into the gravy.  Cover and cook on a low flame for 4-5 minutes.

          When done, switch off the flame. Add the ghee and coriander leaves. Enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt & turmeric for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan & shallow fry the fish till light brown on both sides. Drain and keep aside.

Temper the same oil with dry red chilies, cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms & cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the onion and fry till they turn light brown. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates from the sides of the pan.

Now add the pureed tomatoes & continue to sauté till the moisture has evaporated. 

                   Add 1 & 1/2 cups water & bring it to a boil. 

Gently add the fried fish & green chilies into the gravy. Cover & cook on a low flame for 4-5 minutes.

         When done, switch off the flame. Add the ghee & coriander leaves.

                       Serve with hot steamed rice. 

Til Bata (Sesame Seeds Chutney - Bong style)

 

           A far cry from all the restaurant style food, this humble Bong style chutney is a  lip smacking yummy side dish. It is almost a lost and a forgotten recipe that the new generation is not much aware of. It is an extremely easy, simple and a quick recipe that consists of all the flavors infused in it. 

          This homemade delicacy has minimum of ingredients and is served with steamed rice and a drizzle of mustard oil for that authentic touch. It tastes simply awesome. You may also try it with chapatti or as a spread on parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing Til Bata. 

• 1 cup sesame seeds (Til)
• 3 tsp. mustard oil
• 3-4 green chilies
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• salt to taste

          Heat a pan and dry roast the sesame seeds till they turn slightly brownish in color. Keep aside to cool down.

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and sauté the green chilies and garlic till light golden in color. Keep aside to cool down.

          Then in mixer grinder, blend into a smooth paste. Add salt to taste and 1 tsp. mustard oil. Mix well.

          Serve with steamed rice along with a drizzle of the remaining mustard oil and enjoy this simple homemade chutney.

Heat a pan & dry roast the sesame seeds till they turn slightly brownish in color. Keep aside to cool down.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan & sauté the green chilies & garlic till light golden in color. Keep aside to cool down.

Then in mixer grinder, blend into a smooth paste. Add salt to taste & 1 tsp. mustard oil. Mix well.

Serve with steamed rice along with a drizzle of the remaining mustard oil & enjoy this simple homemade chutney.

Aloo Potoler Dalna (Parwal/Pointed Gourd Curry - Bengali Cuisine)

 

             Parwal or Pointed Gourd cooked with potatoes is a common and a favorite dish among most Bengalis. It goes well with poori / chapattis. For a non-veg, version, it can be cooked with prawns. For the vegetarians, vadials / mangodi (lentil dumplings) along with green peas can be added. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional Bong recipe.
          

• 5-6 Parwals, chopped into roundels of 1/2" thick
• 1 potato, cubed
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee 
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

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

         Heat another 1 tbsp. oil and fry the potatoes with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Add the remaining oil and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder mixed with some water.

          Now add the tomatoes and sauté till is mashed up. 

          Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. 

          Then add the fried parwals, fried potatoes, green chilies and salt to taste. Cover and cook on a low flame till done.  

           Now add the garam masala powder and ghee. Mix well.

           Serve with Luchis (pooris), parathas or rice and enjoy. 

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

Heat another 1 tbsp. oil and fry the potatoes with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till light brown. Keep aside. 

Add the remaining oil and temper with dry red chilies, bay leaves, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder & turmeric powder mixed with some water.

                 Now add the tomatoes & sauté till is mashed up. 

                 Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. 

Then add the fried parwals, fried potatoes, green chilies & salt to taste. Cover & cook on a low flame till done.  

                   Now add the garam masala powder & ghee. Mix well.

           Serve with Luchis (pooris), parathas or rice and enjoy.