Prawn Pulao

          Prawn Pulao is an easy and a delicious one-pot meal that can be dished out in a jiffy. It is a combination of prawns, rice, saffron milk and all the other essential spices. In this version of mine, I added some potatoes too, for a wholesome meal to be relished with raita. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 250 gms. prawns, deveined & cleaned
• 1 potato, cubed
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. ghee or as preferred
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2" cinnamon stick
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 6-7 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 2 pathar ke phool
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. garlic, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger, sliced
• 3-4 green chilies, slit
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/2 cup water
• a pinch of saffron
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• handful of coriander-mint leaves
• 2 tbsp. fried onions

          Soak the saffron in the milk and keep aside. Marinate the potatoes & prawns separately with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry the potatoes and prawns separately till light brown. Drain them and keep aside.

          Add the ghee to the pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, star anise and pathar ke phool.

          Saute for a few seconds and then add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies. Fry on a medium flame till light brown.

          Now add all the dry spices (except salt) and saute well. Add the rice and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes.

          Then add the fried potatoes, fried prawns, saffron milk, water, fried onions, salt and chopped coriander-mint leaves.

          Transfer to a vessel and pressure cook for 2 whistles. When it cools down a little, fluff it up with a fork and serve with raita.







Note - 
1. You can directly do in a pressure cooker. As the quantity of rice was less and my cooker was too large, I preferred to cook in a vessel.

                 Marinate potatoes & prawns separately with a pinch of salt & turmeric 
                 powder for 10 min. Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry potatoes & prawns separately
                 till light brown. Drain them & keep aside. 

                 Add ghee & temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, star anise
                 & pathar ke phool.

                   Sauté few seconds & add onion, garlic, ginger & green chilies. Fry on 
                   medium flame till light brown.

                                Add all the dry spices (except salt) & sauté well. 

                                Add rice & continue to stir fry for 2 minutes.

                                 Transfer to a vessel.

                                 Add fried potatoes, fried prawns, saffron milk, water.....

                                 Also add fried onions, salt & chopped coriander-mint leaves.

                                  Pressure cook for 2 whistles. 

                                 When it cools down a little, fluff it up with a fork.

                                 Serve with raita.

Date Muffins

          These yummy Date Muffins are just perfect for an evening tea-time snack. I came across this very easy and simple recipe by doing a google check. So thought of sharing it. They can also be had just as it is or as an after meal dessert. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 250 gms. pitted dates, chopped
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp soda bicarb
• 70 gms. butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• pinch of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence

          In a pan bring to a boil milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon powder, vanilla and dates. Add the soda bicarb and mix well. Keep aside to cool.

          Fold in the flour and then add the egg. Combine everything well. Place the muffin liners on the baking tray and spoon the batter in it. Fill only 3/4 of the muffin liners.

          Bake in a preheated microwave oven at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes. Set aside to cool on the wire rack and then enjoy as it is or with your evening cup of tea / coffee.

                  Bring to a boil milk, butter, sugar, cinnamon powder, vanilla & dates. 
                  Add the soda bicarb & mix well. Keep aside to cool.

                                  Fold in the flour.

                                 Then add egg. Combine everything well. 

                 Place the muffin liners on the baking tray & spoon the batter in it. Fill only
                 3/4 of the muffin liners.

                      Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C degrees for 20 minutes. Set aside
                      to cool on the wire rack. 

The baked Date Muffins 

Enjoy as it is or with your evening cup of tea / coffee.

Doodh Ilish (Hilsa Fish in Milk Gravy - Bengali Style)

          This extremely flavourful Hilsa fish is very popular among most of the Bengalis, including me. Protein rich with omega 3 fatty acids, it is prepared in many ways. This is one way where it is cooked in milk which is very light on the tummy. 

          Extremely yummy, it is best had with hot steamed rice. The addition of  raw mustard oil to the end product makes it more appetizing. If Ilish (river water fish) is not available, it can be prepared with prawns. This recipe is apt for any special occasions. So give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 pieces of Ilish Mach (Hilsa Fish)
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds(kalonji)
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" ginger
• 1-2 green chilies
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup milk
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 tsp. raw mustard oil to drizzle
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Grind together nigella seeds, cumin seeds, ginger and green chilies to a fine paste. Keep aside. 

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish till they are slightly brown. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with panch phoron. Saute for a few seconds and then add the ground paste along with turmeric powder. Fry on a medium flame till it leaves the sides of the pan. 

          Add the milk, slit green chilies and salt. Bring it to a boil and then add the fried fish. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

          When done, add the coriander leaves and switch off the flame. While serving, drizzle some raw mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice.

                      Marinate fish with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 5-10 min. 

                     Heat oil & shallow fry marinated fish till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                      Temper the same oil with panch phoron. Saute for a few seconds.

                     Add ground paste & turmeric powder. Fry on a med. flame till it leaves
                     the sides of the pan. 

                      Add milk, slit green chilies & salt. Bring to a boil.

                      Add fried fish & simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

                      Add coriander leaves & switch off the flame. 

                   While serving, drizzle some raw mustard oil & enjoy with hot steamed rice.

                      

Aam Doi Cheere (Mango Flavoured Yoghurt-Flattened Rice Dessert - Bengali Style)

          A personal favourite of mine, this is a healthy, chilled and a refreshing dessert. Doi-Cheere (flattened rice / poha-yoghurt) is usually enjoyed in many homes, especially during summer. So as the mango season is on, I decided to give a twist and made a fusion of this traditional homemade dessert by adding some mango puree for some extra flavour. 

          So go ahead and prepare this yummy dessert and relish anytime of the day. But remember to have them chilled. It is simply divine. It is a very easy and a simple recipe as there is no cooking involved. Just add some poha and yoghurt to the aam ras and it is ready to enjoy. A perfect seasonal summer dessert. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup mango puree
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1/2 cup flattened rice / poha (I used brown poha)
• sugar to taste
• pinch of cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 2-3 tbsp. raisins
• chopped pistachios, almonds, cherries & mango cubes to garnish (opt)

          Wash the poha 2-3 times and soak in water for 10-15 minutes or till it gets soft. 

          Drain and mix with all the other ingredients. 

          Chill and serve, garnished with dry fruits, cherries and mango cubes.

                               Wash poha 2-3 times & soak in water till it gets soft. Drain.

                                 Add yoghurt to the mango puree.

                                 Then add drained poha, sugar

                                  cardamom powder, rose water

                                  and raisins.

                         Chill & serve, garnished with dry fruits, cherries & mango cubes.