Begun diye Tangra Macher Jhaal (Fresh River Water Fish cooked with Eggplants - Bong style)

 

          Check out this traditional homemade style Bengali fish curry prepared along with eggplants. However, you can also cook it with potatoes, green papaya or parwal (pointed gourd). It goes best with hot steamed rice and is a common dish found on a Bengali platter. 

          The fish used in this recipe is Tangra which is a fresh river water fish. It is prepared in a thin gravy with minimum of spices. A tsp. of raw mustard oil can be drizzled on the end product to enhance the flavor and for some pungency. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this simple regional recipe.

• 10-12 tangra fish, cleaned, washed & drained
• 1 long eggplant, cut lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. cumin powder powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. Make a paste with turmeric powder, red chili powder and cumin powder along with some water and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the eggplants and the marinated fish separately till light golden in color. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with kalonji and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the spice paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

           Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil and gently drop in the fried fish and eggplant. Cover and simmer on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes.

          When done, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice.

                                       Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the eggplants.......

                       & the marinated fish separately till light golden in colour. Keep aside.

                        Temper the same oil with kalonji & green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add the spice paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

Add 1 & 1/2 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil.

Gently drop in the fried fish & eggplant. Cover & simmer for 2-3 min.

When done, garnish with coriander leaves.

                                 Serve with hot steamed rice.

                                     

Raw Banana Thoran (Kerala Cuisine)

 

          This is a simple, easy and a traditional Kerala recipe, where raw banana is cooked with fresh coconut. It is tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chili and raw rice for a delicious flavor.  This happens to be one of the items in the Onam Sadya meal, and is relished as a side dish. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

• 3 raw bananas
• 1/3 cup fresh coconut, grated
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1-2 green chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 3 tbsp. coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1 tsp. raw rice
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

          Pressure cook the raw bananas in sufficient water for 1 whistle. When cool, discard the skin and chop into cubes. 

          Grind the coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, green chilies, coriander leaves and 1 sprig curry leaves into a coarse paste. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the mustard seeds, dry red chili, 1 sprig curry leaves and raw rice. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

          Now add the onion, salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry till light brown. Then add the boiled banana and cook, covered on a low flame 1-2 minutes. 

          Add the coarse paste and give it a stir. Sauté for a minute and then switch off the flame. Serve as a side dish with steamed rice, sambar-rice, curd-rice or chapattis.

                    Grind coconut, garlic, cumin seeds, green chilies, 1 sprig curry leaves & 

                    coriander leaves into a paste. Keep aside.

                     Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chili, 1 sprig curry leaves

                     and raw rice. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

 Now add the onion, 

                                  salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry till light brown. 

                     Then add the boiled banana & cook, covered on a low flame 1-2 minutes. 

                                 Add the coarse paste and give it a stir. Sauté for a minute. 

                   Serve as a side dish with steamed rice, sambar-rice, curd-rice or chapattis.

Parwal (Pointed Gourd) Ghee Roast

 

          For all the Parwal lovers out there, I would like to share a vegetarian version of Mutton Ghee Roast, a very popular Mangalorean delicacy. I made use of the same freshly ground spices that goes into making the non-veg. version. The combination of the parwal (pointed gourd) and the spicy-tangy masala is simply awesome and delicious. 

          This fiery side dish is cooked in ghee for a rich flavour. It can be relished with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, paratha or just plain chapatti. So do give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 8-10 Parwals, scraped and cut into half
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp. ghee
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Dry roast - 

• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp. peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 3-4 whole red chilies
• 8-10 Kashmiri red chilies

           Grind all the dry roasted ingredients into a fine paste along with ginger, garlic and some water. Marinate the parwals with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

          Heat 1 tbsp. ghee and sauté the parwals till light brown. Drain and keep aside. Heat remaining ghee and fry the ground paste till the oil separates.

          Now add the parwals, curry leaves and salt. Mix everything well and add 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer on a low flame till done. 

          Serve as a side dish with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, chapatti, paratha or any type of flat bread.

                    Marinate parwals with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder for 10 minutes.

                        Heat 1 tbsp. ghee & sauté parwals till light brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                                  The ground paste.

                         Heat remaining ghee and fry the ground paste till the oil separates.

                                 Add the parwals, curry leaves and salt. Mix everything well.

                               Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer on a low flame till done. 

                      Serve as a side dish with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, chapatti, 

                      paratha or any type of flat bread.

Spinach, Coriander & Red Lentil Soup

 

          This is a very light and a refreshing soup prepared with spinach and tender stems, coriander leaves with stems and some soaked red lentil. The stems, especially, contains a lot of nutrients and it gives out a distinctive flavor. It also goes best as a light one-pot meal with some bread sticks or some grilled meat. So check out a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          This soup is especially good as a diet for the elderly & sick people. For some texture and consistency, I added some red lentils as it contains protein and fiber. So it is ideal to add this yummy and healthy soup in your daily menu.

• 1 cup coriander leaves & stems, roughly chopped
• 1 cup spinach with stems (only the tender ones), roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 stock cube
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• salt to taste (opt)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tbsp. masoor dal (red lentil) soaked for 15 minutes
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Heat oil and sauté the bay leaf . Then add the onion, green chilies and garlic. Sauté till light brown. 

          Then add the spinach and  coriander leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. Now add the stock cube, roasted cumin powder, pepper powder, salt (opt), the soaked lentil and water. 

          Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. When cool, discard the bay leaf. Blend into a puree and heat through. Serve with a dash of lime juice.

                                  Heat oil and sauté the bay leaf . 

                                 Add the onion, green chilies & garlic. Sauté till light brown.

                               Add the spinach & coriander leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                       Add the stock cube, roasted cumin powder, pepper powder, salt (opt), 

                                  the soaked lentil 

                        and water. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. When cool, discard the bay

                        leaf. Blend into a puree and heat through. 

                                 Serve with a dash of lime juice.

                          

Neem Aloo Bhaja (Potato & Neem Leaves Fry - Bengali Style)

 

           Neem Aloo Bhaja is a Bengali delicacy where tender neem leaves are stir fried along with potatoes and had with hot steamed rice and ghee. It is believed, any bitter preparation had at the beginning of any meal cleanses the system. The tender leaves are generally used as they are less bitter. This dish can also be prepared with eggplants. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• handful of tender neem leaves, washed & drained
• 1 medium potato, cubed
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee 

          Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and fry the neem leaves till dry and crisp. Drain and keep aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with the dry red chili and kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the potatoes, salt and turmeric powder. Fry till it turns soft and well browned. Add the fried neem leaves and mix well. 

          Switch off the flame. Serve on a bed of hot steamed rice and some ghee.

                            Heat 1 tsp. oil & fry the neem leaves till dry & crisp. Keep aside.

                     Heat remaining oil & temper with the dry red chili & kalonji. Sauté for 

                     a few seconds.

                     Add potatoes, salt & turmeric powder. Fry till it turns soft & well browned. 

                                  Add the fried neem leaves and mix well. 

Serve on a bed of hot steamed rice and some ghee.