Mutton Nalli Nihari

Mutton Nalli Nihari

Nalli Nihari  is a National Dish of our neighbor Pakistan. Do you why the recipe calls Nalli Nihari? The word Nihari is derived from the term 'Nihar' which means 'morning after sunrise'. The term ‘Nihari’ is used as a prefix to denote that the curry is usually served as a meal after the Muslim sunrise (Fajr) prayers which is followed by a long rest before going off to the afternoon (Zhuhr) prayers. Traditionally Nihari was cooked overnight and then served to the Kings of Delhi in breakfast after the morning prayers during the Mughal times. Nihari was prepared with either beef or mutton although the leg of lamb is more popularly served today.
Ingredients

Lamb Leg Pieces 750 grams
Nihari Masala 2 tablespoons
Onions sliced 2 medium
Fried onions 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Lamb stock 2 cup
Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 tablespoons
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
Ginger cut into thin strips 1/2 inch piece
Fresh coriander leaves chopped 2 tablespoons for garnishing (optional)

Nihari masala

Nihari masala is nothing but roasted spices(In Bengali it’s call Bhaja Masal- is a unique Bengali spice blend).  To make the nihari masala, dry roast cumin seeds, green and black cardamom, cloves, mace, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, red chillies, cinnamon, poppy seeds, nutmeg, ginger powder and bay leaf in a non-stick pan and Grind the roasted spices along with roasted chana dal powder.

Method

Step 1

Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick pan. Add the onions and sauté till well browned. Add the lamb and two tablespoons nihari masala and sauté for minimum 10 minutes. Add water 8 cups or as required, fried onions and salt. Cook for minimum forty five minutes or till the lamb is soft. Add the mutton stock and the remaining nihari masala and mix well.

Step 2

Mix whole wheat flour with water in a small bowl, ensuring that there are no lumps. Add this to the lamb and continue to simmer till the gravy thickens. Sprinkle the lemon juice, garnish with the ginger strips and coriander leaves and serve hot.

Beal Panna

Beal Panna

    গরমে শরীর ঠান্ডা রাখতে, পেট ভাল রাখতে, সুস্থ থাকতে খেতে পারেন সুস্বাদু বেলের পানা।

Bel or wood apple is considered as an ancient or divine fruit in India. This fruit is very famous during Maha Shivratri time (A Hindu festival).

Summer special - Bael Fruit/Wood Apple squash/juice. Bael is very well known all over the India for its amazing health benefits, medicinal benefits. Bel contains protein, vitamin C and B complex and tannin. The Bael fruit, in actuality, is an herb with the botanical name of Limonia acidissima

Ingredients

1 big ripe bel fruit (wood apple)

Sugar or grated jiggery to taste (here used jiggery)

½ liter milk or Curd

½ tsp of elaichi powder

3 cups of water

A pinch of salt

Preparation method

First break the hard cover of the bel fruit now scoop the flesh of the fruits in a bowl. Now add water and soak it for 15 – 20 minutes than slowly mash it by using your palms gather and squish the pulp to separate the seeds and juice the pulp. Then slowly smash it with smooth hands.

Now Add a pinch of salt, elaichi powder, curd or milk (Here I used curd) and jiggery. Run the juice in a mixer but make sure it is completely de seeded. Otherwise use your hand to blend it.

The consistency of bael panna is bit thick then the regular drink but if you want the consistency to be lighter add more water and jiggery / sugar according to your choice.

Aam Kalakand

 

Aam Kalakand

Mango is the king of fruits and it can be used to make various dishes and one of them is mango kalakand. Mango kalakand is very delicious and can be prepared and served in any festival and especially Bangalore is the best place to get various type of mango in whole South India. 

This is very well know recipe for all, but today I made it in my way with simple three main (Chenna, condensed milk, mango  pulp) ingredients – Aam Kalakand!  Let try for it.

Ingredients:
2 cup (approx 200 gms) homemade paneer/chenna (procedure included for 1 ltr full cream milk)

200 grams sweetened condensed milk

Mango pulp 1 cup (without threads)

2 cup sugar

100 grm milk powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 tbsp ghee for greasing

Silver warq 1 sheet

Procedure for homemade panner / Chenna:
Boil 1 ltr full cream milk and curdle it with 1 tbsp vinegar or 1/2 tbsp lemon . Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Strain the liquid and hold the chenna in a muslin cloth. Lightly wash the chenna with drinking water to do away with the smell of vinegar or lemon. Now tightly tie the muslin cloth and strain the excess water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Procedure:
Take the chenna or paneer and milk powder and  mix well with your hands till the mixture is well blended and the chenna is completely crumbled. Now transfer the same mixture to a nonstick pan and add the mango pulp, sugar and condensed milk on medium flame and Cook the mixture till it gets thick and looks like mawa and till the mixture reaches the consistency of making a burfee. Now add the cardamom powder and stir for 2-3 more minutes. 

Grease a serving plate with ghee and transfer the mixture onto the plate. With the help of a knife or spatula, smoothen out the mixture to form a square shape of 1/2" thickness. Cut the square into equal sized smaller squares. This is just to make the marks for easier serving later on. Garnish each small square with chopped pistachios or raisin and let it cool at least for 2 hour to set it and decorate with silver warq before serving.

Dhakai Dum Polao / Bini Chaler Polao

Dhakai Dum Polao

Ingredients:

500 gm – Bini Chal (Glutinous rice)

2 -Bay Leaf

30 gm - Raisins

14 – Cashew nuts

6 - Cloves

6 - Cardamoms

2 inch piece - Cinnamon

½ tsp Black pepper seeds

1 tsp – Chopped Ginger

1/2 tsp - Sugar

Salt to taste

4 cups - hot water

Saffron - 3 strands, soaked in a tbsp of coconut milk

200 gm – Ghee

 

   Procedure:

  Clean, wash and drain rice. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add bay leaves and onion slices. Fry till golden brown. 
Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, Black pepper seeds, cashews, fine chopped ginger and finely chopped carrot. Fry till light brown.
Add rice, salt and sugar. Stir fry for a 8-10 minutes. Add raisins and saffron-coconut milk mixture and mix. Add 4 cups or as required of hot water and mix.
 Finally cover the lid with dough and seal it and cook for a period of 10-15 minutes till rice is done. Garnish with nuts and fried onions and serve with pigeon meat curry.

Chakhwi - Bamboo Shoot Curry

Chakhwi - Bamboo Shoot Curry

Chakhwi is one of the very traditional and very delicious and healthy preparations of the Tripuri cuisines. The people whoever had tasted once to some of the preparation they could not but tested it for life. Some of the Tripuri dishes have become a regular feature in non-Tripuri family also. One of the most important ingredient of Tripuri cuisine is Berma and Pork , Berma is basically fermented dried puthi fish. The flavor of the Berma is not very pleasant, but when cooked its flavor is mouthwatering and appetizer for Tripuri people. But this recipe is purely VEG. Main ingredients of the veg chakhwi is Bamboo Shoot, Green Papaya and verities of lentil.

Large number of Tripuri cuisine is prepared without oil. In that health point of view it is very good even for those who are restricted to take fatty and oily food. Some of the Tripuri cuisine are listed below: Awandru, Bwtwi, Chakhwi, Chakhwtwi, Chakhwtwi Kwthwng, Thokni Chakhwi, Berma bwtwi, Chatang, Mosodeng, Deng, Gudok,  Bhangui, Muitru, Hontali, Muhr, Mwkhwi, Napek, Peng, Rabra, Ruk, Ser, Sok, Yohk, Yaksapik . But most of the Tripuri household serves genuine Bengali Food too.

Ingredients:
Bamboo shoots: 500 gm.
Jack fruit seed :100 gm.
Green papaya:100 gm.

Drumstick Leaf 1 bunch

12 types of lentil – total 200 grm
Backing soda:2 tea spoon full.
Green chili:10 no.
Ginger:50gm.

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Fresh Lemon leaves:12 no.
Rice flour: 2 tsp (30-40 gm.)

Ghee – 4 tbsp

Red chili- 1 or two pieces

Black pepper powder as per test

Salt as per test

Preparation:
Peel off the bamboo shoots, cut the tender part of shoots into small piece of 1-2 cm. each. Take the skin of he green papaya, cut into small piece of 3-4 cm. Peel of the skin of the jack fruit seeds, soak it in water for 15 minutes, remove the red covering of the seeds, cut it longitudinally into two half. Soak all the lentil in water for 3-4 hours, Make the ginger to finely chopped, tear of the lemon leaves into two parts. Prepare liquid paste of the rice flour in a small bowl and keep it aside. split the chili remove the seeds.
Procedure:
1. Take 2Ltr of water in a big pan/karaih. Add two spoon of baking soda, bring it to boil for 5 minutes. Remove the foam slowly by serving spoon that is formed.
2. Add salt to taste, one spoon of turmeric continue to boil, add splitted green chili and chopped ginger, allow it to boil for 3 minutes.
3. Add the bamboo shoot , all lentil, jackfruit seeds and salt. Keep the burner medium to high flame. Boil it for another 15 minutes.
4. Pour papaya and fresh drumstick leaf in the pan continue to cook for 20 minutes, cover with lid.
5. Bring down the flame to simmer, add the rice flour paste in the pan, slowly stir the curry simultaneously. Cover with lid, keep it for 5 minutes.
6. Add the torn fresh lemon leaves and black pepper powder. Mix it properly in the curry, cover with lid, keep for 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from the fire, transfer to a serving bowl and 4 tbsp Ghee, serve warm with rice.

 

Note: If you want to make Non-veg CHAKHWI than add pork medium pieces instead of papaya.


Recipe By : Manna Majumder
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Mishti / Ranga Alur Pithe

Mishti / Ranga Alur Pithe

শুভ পৌষ সংক্রান্তি উপল্খে সবাইকে আন্তরীক শুভেচ্ছা....

Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated all over in India on the 14th or 15th of January and since this is a harvest festival, different parts of India make various delicacies with seasonal produce.

Bengalis celebrate the winter harvest of rice with a festival called Nabanna (new rice) or Poush Parban where special pithe(sweets) made with the rice, jiggery, milk, cream, sweet potatoes and coconut in different combination. Traditionally pithe is eaten on Posh or Makar Sankranti, the last day of the Poush month. The variety, art and creativity in pithey making is truly incredible and has a rich heritage in both Bengals (East & West).

This is Ranga aloor pithe (sweet potato balls / dumpling) one of my favorite pithe made with sweet potato, coconut, flour, sugar and  fried and then dunked into a sugar syrup which has been flavored with cardamoms powder.

Ingredients:

2 - 3 medium sized Sweet Potatoes (1 cup when boiled and mashed)

2 - 3 tbsp All Purpose Flour / Maida

1 tbsp Rice Flour

1 cup Grated Fresh Coconut

1/3 cup Powdered sugar

 For the Syrup:

6 tbsp Sugar / 6 tbsp Jaggery, powdered

1 1/2 cups Water

1/8 tsp Cardamom Powder

Method:

Boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Peel and mash them until smooth.

Add the rice flour and maida to the mashed sweet potatoes and knead it well to form a smooth dough. The dough should be soft and non sticky.

Divide the dough into equal small balls (Gulab jamun shape) and set aside. Repeat with remaining dough. Until you deep fry the stuffed dough, keep them covered to avoid drying.

To make the syrup, combine the sugar / jaggery and water in a vessel and stir until sugar / jaggery dissolves completely.

Add the cardamom powder and let it boil on a low-medium flame for 10 minutes. Turn off the flame and keep the syrup warm.

The syrup should not be too hot or cold when you add the fried sweet potatoes to it.

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Deep fry the stuffed pulis over a medium flame until golden brown color.

Remove from the oil and immediately drop them into the warm syrup. Let them soak in the warm syrup for 20 minutes or sometime. Serve warm or cold.
Author : Manna Majumder
Recipe By : Tapasi Dhar
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Mushroom Butter Mashala

                                            


Mushroom Butter Mashala

Ingredients:

250grms Mushroom (boild & golden Fry)
medium Onions, finely chopped (optional)

1½ teaspoons chopped Ginger

3-4 Garlic Cloves (optional)

 3 medium Tomatoes

 6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes

 1 small piece of Bay Leaf

 2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise

 1/2 cup Full Fat Milk

 2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)

 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder

 1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder

 2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)

 2 tablespoons Butter

 2 tablespoons Oil

Salt to taste.

Method3-4 Garlic Cloves
3 medium Tomatoes
6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes
1 small piece of Bay Leaf
2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 cup Full Fat Milk
2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste.
3-4 Garlic Cloves
3 medium Tomatoes
6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes
1 small piece of Bay Leaf
2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise
1/2 cup Full Fat Milk
2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Oil
Salt to taste.
Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.
Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.
Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.Stir and cook for 2-minutes.
Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.
Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes.Add fried mushrooms, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy.
Add fresh cream.Mix properly and turn off the flame.

Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.

 Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.

 Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.Stir and cook for 2-minutes.

 Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.

 Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.

 Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes. Add fried mushrooms, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy.

 Add fresh cream and mix properly and turn off the flame. Serve with Polao, plain rice or paratha.
Recipe By : Manna Majumder
You can vist FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai
Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.
Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.
Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.Stir and cook for 2-minutes.
Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.
Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes.Add fried mushrooms, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy.
Add fresh cream.Mix properly and turn off the flame

Dahi Karela (Bitter Gourd with Curd)

Dahi Karela (Bitter Gourd with Curd)

Ingredients:

1 large bitter gourd

5 tbsp curd

Salt to taste.

3 tbsp ghee

1/2 tsp methi seeds

2 Tej pata (Bay leaf)

Pinch hing

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

3 pieces half silted green chili

Method:  

Wash and cut the gourds into roundels.

 Wash and squeeze out the water.

 Marinate with salt, and black pepper for about 30 minutes.

Now these are ready to be made into the desired dish

Heat ghee.

Add the bay leaf, methi seeds (fenugreek Seeds) and hing.

Add the gourds and turmeric powder (optional) sauté till the moisture is absorbed from these.

Add the beaten curd , salt  and mix it well Once the curd are mixed, add 1/2 cup water and let the gourds cook till tender.

You might need more or less water depending on how thick the gourd slice is, also depending on the quality of the gourd.

The Japanese gourds are very tender and cook fast, but may be in India I would need to add more water and cook longer and it semi thick gravy and serve with white rice .




Author : Manna Majumder
Recipe By : Dipti Rani Nandi Majumder
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Sheem-Bori Chorchori

            

Sheem-Bori Chorchori

Sheem-Bori- chorchori (Hyacinth bens and sundried lentil dumplings )  is a very typical Bengali dish. chorchori  means when you combined 2 or 3 vegetable with  mustard paste and  Bori (fried lentil dumplings)  with aromatic spices, the dish called chacchori.  But here I did not use mustard paste for this recipe. You will hear about various types of charchori all the time in Bengali cuisine and  is very flavorful and unique in taste.

Chorchori has a wide range from pui chorchori (Malabar spinach medley ), Sojne chorchri (Drumstick Medley),  Palong Shaak-er Chorchori (Spinach  medley) to sheem chorchori (Hyacinth bens medley).

Ingredients:

200gm Hyacinth bens / Mangetout (Sheem) (Washed)

1 or 2 Green Chillies

3-4 tablespoons of Oil : Sunflower oil/ Mustard oil (preferred)

Bori(sundried lentil dumplings): 10-15 pcs

Turmeric powder (Halud/Haldi): 1 tea-spoon

Red chili powder : ½ tes-spoon

Methi seeds(Fenugreek seeds) / Panch phoron– 2 pinch

Bay leaf -2 piecies

Coriander leaf

Sugar: 1/2 tea-spoon (optional)

Water

Salt to Taste

Method:

Dice the sheem in small pieces and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the bori until they start getting little red but make sure they are not burnt.

Now add some more oil and add  the methis seeds / Panchphoron to fry little bit. Also, add the dry red chilies and bay leaf at this time.

Then, add both sheem along with turmeric powder, chili powder and salt and mix well to cook by itself. Put a lid over the frying pan to cook and soften faster.

Cook in low medium flame/low medium heat and check regularly for 15-20 minutes whether the vegetables have softened well.

Now add the fried bodi and mix well with little water to just cover them and again put a lid over the frying pan to cook and soften faster. Add the sugar and mix them well. Keep it on the heat and keep mixing until it stuck at the base.

The food is now ready. Garnish with coriander leaf and served.
Author : Manna Majumder

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Maan kachu Bata

Maan kachu Bata

Maan kachu Bata (MALANGA COCO / BIG TARO ROOT) is one of the favorite and mouthwatering dish in Bengali households recipe. Bata is essentially some paste which are very simple, and easy to digest. You will hear about various baata’s all the time in Bengali cuisine.

This is high content of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins make malanga root with high nutritional value. In Bengali we called it 'Maan Kochu'. A traditional and luscious recipe.

Traditionally bata always involves mustard paste, green chilies and a generous amount of mustard oil in it. Mainly freshly grated coconut also plays an important role kachu bata.

Ingredients:

250grm. maan kochu (Malanga coco / taro root)
1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

1 tsp. mustard seeds
2-3 hot Thai green chilies (I put some ripe red ones along with it)
6-8 garlic cloves (optional).
2 tbsp. mustard oil
Salt to taste
2 dry red chilies.

Maan kachu

Method:

With a sharp knife, cut off the rough outer rind of the maan kachu and wash thoroughly. Now slice it into pieces. Grate or chop maan kachu nicely. Take the grated taro root on a big strainer or colander and put it under running  water. Once you are done with rinsing squeeze out any excess water out of it. This step prevents the itching in the throat.

In a grinder make a past of mustard with dry red chilies with a pinch of salt and keep it aside.

Now grind grated malanga coco, grated coconut, together. Now again add the mustard paste and two green chilies and grind everything together to make a smooth paste. The paste will be thick and not slurry   Pour grinded taro root in a bowl.  Drizzle mustard oil in it. Stir with a spoon and mix nicely. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy this mouthwatering Bengali delicacy on your lunch table.

Note:  If you like garlic, add 6-8 garlic cloves while grinding all the ingredients together. 

Author : Manna Majumder

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