Yam Pitika (Mashed Suran - Assamese style)

 

         Aloo Pitika or mashed potato is a typical Assamese signature dish which is very popular. It is part of an Assamese thali. However, potato can be substituted with any boiled / grilled veggies, eggs or grilled fish. So let me share a Pitika made of Elephant Yam. When time is a constraint, this quick and simple dish is the best comfort food. It has minimum of ingredients, easily available in the kitchen. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing North Eastern dish.

          This dish may be a far cry from any restaurant style recipe, but there is no compromise in the taste and flavour. In this recipe boiled and mashed yam is mixed with some chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, salt and a drizzle of mustard oil. 

           This simple dish is almost similar to Bong style aloo bhate and Bihari style aloo chokha. You can serve it with panta bhaat / poite bhaat / pakhala bhaat (fermented rice) or steamed rice along with other dishes. You may also enjoy it as a side dish with dal-chawal (lentil-rice) or with chapatti. 

• 500 gms. Elephant Foot Yam, boiled & mashed
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• pinch of red chili flakes (opt)

           In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients. 

           Form into balls if desired and serve with panta bhaat (fermented rice), steamed rice or as a side dish with rice and dal.

                                  Boiled Yam.

                                  Mashed Yam.

                                  Mix all the ingredients. 

 

                     Form into balls if desired & serve with panta bhaat (fermented rice), steamed

                     rice or as a side dish with rice and dal.

Sojne Pata Bata / Bhorta (Moringa Leaves Chutney - Bong style)

 

          Check out this dish indigenous to Bengal, the recipe of which is slowly fading away from cookbooks. 'Sojne Pata Bata' or Bengali style Moringa / Drumstick Leaves chutney is a traditional dish and has its roots in the very heart and soul of Bengali cuisine. In fact, it has been an integral part of Bengali cuisine for generations. 

          Less common these days, it is mostly sourced only in the interiors of West Bengal and Bangladesh. This is almost a lost and a forgotten recipe and is a far cry from any restaurant style food. It is an extremely easy, simple and a quick recipe that consists of all the flavors infused in it. It is best relished with hot steamed rice. Do give this dish a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional rustic fare. 

          

            Moringa leaves is a good source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein and iron. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. 

          This dish is prepared by sautéing together onion, garlic, green chilies and moringa leaves. It is then ground into a paste. I stir fried it again in some oil with a tempering of nigella seeds.  

          To get a pungent kick out of this bata, a tsp. of raw mustard oil is added to the end product. This is mostly consumed as a side dish with hot steamed rice. 

           In Bangladesh, this dish is popularly know as 'Bhorta' and is prepared in many ways. In fact, each household has it's own recipe.

          The present generation is not much aware of this recipe. So to revive a lost culinary art, I though I'd give it a try. It is probably my Bengali instincts talking, but in the end this dish was out of this world. 

• 3 cups moringa / drumstick leaves, washed & drained well
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1-2 green chilies
• 3-4 dry red chilies
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds

           Heat a pan and stir fry the drained moringa leaves till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep it aside. 

           Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the garlic, onion and green chilies till light brown. 

          Add the sautéed greens and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Keep aside to cool.

          Grind to a fine paste by adding very little water. It should not be runny. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the dry red chilies. Keep aside. When cool, crush them. 

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste. Sauté till dry. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add the crushed red chilies. Give it a mix and transfer to a serving bowl. 

          Drizzle remaining mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

                              Heat a pan & stir fry the moringa leaves till dry. Keep it aside. 

                   Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry garlic, onion & green chilies till light brown. 

                   Add sautéed greens & salt. Cover & cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

                   Keep aside to cool.

                                     Grind to a fine paste by adding very little water. 

                     Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry the dry red chilies. Keep aside. When cool, crush them. 

                              Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

 

                                   Add the ground paste. Sauté till dry. 

                              When done, switch off the flame & add the crushed red chilies. 

                              Drizzle remaining mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Moringa Leaves Dal

 

          This is a delicious dal (lentil curry) prepared with Drumstick / Moringa leaves and pigeon pea lentil or tuvar dal. Made it both spicy and tangy. However, it can be adjusted accordingly.   

           Moringa leaves has amazing health benefits. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein and iron. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. 

          So enjoy this healthy dal with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome delicacy.

• 1/2 cup tuvar dal (pigeon Pea lentil), soaked in water for 30 minutes 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups of moringa leaves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies. 
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste

Tempering--

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 whole dry red chilies, broken
• 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced

          Pressure cook the soaked lentils with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilies, moringa leaves and turmeric powder with 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. 

          Add the tamarind water, red chili powder and salt. Mash well and bring it to a boil. Simmer on a medium flame for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

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

          Pour this tempering over the prepared dal and serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti.

                       Pressure cook the soaked lentils with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green

                       chilies, moringa leaves & turmeric powder with 1 & 1/2 cups water for

                       4-5 whistles. 

                                  Add tamarind water, red chili powder & salt. 

                      Mash well & bring it to a boil. Simmer on a medium flame for 5-10 min. 

                      Transfer to a serving dish.

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, curry leaves

                     & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Pour this tempering over the prepared dal. 

                       Serve with steamed rice, plain Biryani, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti.

Stuffed Lachcha Paratha (Flaky & Layered Stuffed Flat Bread - Punjabi style)

    

          These yummy flaky, crispy and layered stuffed Parathas are a perfect breakfast menu. In fact, they can be had any time of the day or can be packed as a lunch box meal too. The preparation is a little bit time consuming, but it is worth all the effort. These parathas can now be made easily at home minus the oodles of fat. 

          There are many methods of preparing these flat breads. I stuffed with chopped spring onion, coriander leaves, chaat masala, sesame seeds and chili flakes. These shallow fried flat breads can be relished with any side dish, pickle, yoghurt or butter. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

         

• 1 cup Atta (whole wheat flour)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. oil to knead
• oil to shallow fry

Stuffing - 

• 1/2 cup spring onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. chaat masala 
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes 
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds

         In a bowl sift the Atta and salt. Add 1 tbsp. oil and mix well to resemble bread crumbs. Knead a firm dough with required quantity of water. Leave aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.

         Drizzle a tsp. oil and knead again for a minute or two. Now divide the dough into equal portions. 

         Take each portion and roll out into a chapatti by dusting some flour. Make similar chapattis with rest of the dough and keep aside.

         Take one chapatti and brush with some oil. Then sprinkle some flour on it and some of the stuffing. Cover with another chapatti and seal the edges. 

         

          Now cut vertical lines an inch apart. Fold it from one end to the other like a Swiss roll.

          Flatten it and lightly roll out again into a bigger circle by dusting some flour. Make similar parathas with the remaining dough and stuffing.

         Heat a tawa / griddle and shallow fry each rolled parathas on both sides by drizzling some oil over it and around the edges.

         Drain on a kitchen towel. Fry the rest of the parathas in the same way. Serve them hot with any pickle, yoghurt, any side dish or butter.

                                  Divide the dough into equal portions. 

                      Make chapattis with the dough by dusting some flour & keep aside. Take 

                      one chapatti & brush with some oil. Sprinkle some flour on it & some of 

                      the stuffing. Cover with another chapatti & seal the edges. 

                       Cover with another chapatti & seal the edges. Flatten it & lightly roll out

                       again into a bigger circle by dusting some flour.

                      Cut vertical lines an inch apart. Fold it from one end to the other like a 

                      Swiss roll.

                                  The Swiss roll.

                        Flatten it & lightly roll out into a bigger circle by dusting some flour. 

                        Make similar parathas with the remaining dough and stuffing.

                        Heat a tawa & shallow fry them on both sides by drizzling some oil over

                        it and around the edges.

                             Serve them hot with any pickle, yoghurt, any side dish or butter.

Moringa Leaves Bafauri

 

           Bafauri in general is a lentil based snack recipe from the State of Chhattisgarh. Not much is know about this particular dish. It is almost a lost recipe now. Traditionally, it is prepared with chana dal. However, I dished out with a twist. I made use of mixed lentils and a handful of moringa leaves for a healthy version. 

        

            This protein rich snack turned out real yum. In fact, it is a very easy and a quick recipe and can be relished with tomato sauce or green chutney. It is also a great tea time snack or can be packed as a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this fusion style yummy appetizer.

• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal Gram Lentil)
• 1 tbsp. urad dal (Split Black Gram Lentil)
• 1 tbsp. tuvar dal (Pigeon Pea Lentil)
• 1 tbsp. moong dal (Split Green Gram Lentil)
• 1 tbsp. masoor dal (Split Red Gram Lentil)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of moringa leaves
• 1/2 tsp. carom seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp. flax seeds (opt)
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds 
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• pinch of toasted sesame seeds & chaat masala to garnish

          Soak the lentils overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours. Then along with the moringa leaves, coarsely grind by adding very little water.

          In a bowl, mix the dal paste with all the other ingredients, except oil. Transfer to a greased steel plate and steam for 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool before cutting into desired shapes.

          Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the Bafauri on both sides slightly. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chaat masala. Enjoy as it is or with tomato sauce / green chutney. 

                               Transfer to a greased steel plate and steam for 15-20 minutes.

                                  Set aside to cool before cutting into desired shapes. 

                                 Heat oil & shallow fry the Bafauri on both sides slightly.

   Garnish with toasted sesame seeds & chaat masala. Enjoy as it is or with 

tomato sauce / green chutney.