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.

Chicken Haleem

                                         

Chicken Haleem

 

Ingredients

Chicken mince/ keema 250-300 grm

Broken Wheat

Green cardamoms 3-4

Cloves 5-6

Cinnamon 1 inch stick

Javitri - 1/2 teaspoon

Bay leaves 2

Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon

Onions sliced 3 medium

Ginger paste 2 tablespoon

Garlic paste 2 tablespoon

Split green gram with skin (chilkewali moong dal),soaked 100 grm

Split Bengal gram (chana dal) soaked 100 grm

Broken wheat (dalia/lapsi) soaked 100 grm

Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

Black peper  1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste & Sugar 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon

Fresh coriander leaves chopped 2-3 tablespoons

Fresh mint leaves hand torn 10-12

Ghee- 250 gm

 

Method

First boil all the grains together with lots of water, add salt. When the grains become tender and mushy switch off the woven and blend it with hand blender.

Now heat ghee in a deep pan. Add green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin seeds Javitri and onions and sauté till light brown.

Add ginger paste, garlic paste and continue to sauté. Add chana dal, moong dal and dalia and stir.

Add turmeric powder and red chili powder and mix. Add half a cup of water and sauté for two to three minutes. Add chicken Minch/ keema and salt and stir it till oil come out. Add four cups water and let it come to a boil. Add garam masala powder, coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Stir and cover. Cook on medium heat till done. Remove the bay leaves. Blend it lightly using a hand blender and garnish with fried onion and serve hot with paratha or any flavored rice.

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
You can vist our FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai

Chal Kumro pata -r Shidol Bora (fermented fish wrap)

           


Shidol  Bora (fermented fish wrap)

                           

Ingredients:

White Pumpkin leaves: 6-8 medium pieces (should be soft ones)

10 small Shidol shutki (fermented fish)

3 big onions chopped

15 garlic cloves

Salt as needed

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

7-8 green chillies, chopped

Method:

Wash the leaves and soak into salt water for couple of minutes to become soft. Remove and keep aside. Take care not to tear them.

Now wash and clean the fermented fish (Shidol) properly. Cut the big onion into thin slices or chopped. Set a small pan on high heat and add the mustard oil. When the oil begins to sizzle, add the sliced onions and crushed garlic cloves and fry until turn slightly brown. Add the shutki and fry on high heat.

As the shutki gets fried, crush the garlic cloves in a mortar using a pestle. When the shutki turns soft, add salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Stir well and little water. Finally add the chopped green chili and stir for a few minutes. Cover the pan with its lid on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Now spread pumpkin leaves on a tray and place little amount of shidol cutney in it. Fold from all sides and cover. 

Now if you want can be dip into the thin batter to bind the pokora / bora (optional)  and make shallow fry  the pokora in hot oil until golden brown.

Serving suggestion

It is usually eaten with plain white rice.
Author : Manna Majumder
Recipe By : Tapasi Dhar
You can vist FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai

Mutton Rezala

Mutton Rezala

Rezala has very popular and authentic dish originated in Bengal and highly influenced by Mughlai cuisine but it little bit different from other typical Mughlai dishes. Generally made with mutton- ribs or chops  pieces with bones (often seena pieces used) cooked in a very fragrant mild white sauce of medium thin consistency. The secret behind a successful Rezala is the use of cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, the dish is spiced with rose petal powder, jayphal – javitri (nutmeg – mace) powder, shahi mirch powder (white pepper powder) and got contrasted by whole dry red chili. The fat used in the dish is ghee/ clarified butter. Also use Varity of attr (essence) such as kewra water or rose water.
That’s why the dish “Mutton Rrezala” is very royal.
You can also prepare it with chicken, paneer, egg or prawns.

Ingredients:

Mutton 1kg , preferably ribs (I used goat meat, lamb can also be used)

Onion - 1 medium ground into a fine paste

Garlic paste - 1tbsp

Ginger paste - 2tbsp

Plain yogurt - Half cup

Cashew paste - 2tbsp

Ghee / Clarified butter - half cup

Dry whole red chili - 8, 10

Peppercorn - 1tsp

Bay leaf

Saffron - 1/4th tsp.

Milk - 2,3 tbsp

Kewra essence few drops

Salt &  Sugar

Grind the following dry spices into a powder

Black cardamom - 2

Green cardamom - 2,3

Cloves - 5,6

Mace (Javitri) - 1, 2 leaves

Method:

Soak the saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside.

Take a bowl and blend onion paste, ginger garlic paste, cashew paste with yogurt. In a mixing bowl marinate the mutton pieces with yogurt mixture along with salt, sugar and two tsp. of dry spice powder. Let it rest overnight.

In a heavy bottom  pan or pressure cooker heat ghee on a low heat. Temper it with bay leaf. Take out the mutton pieces from the marinade and after shaking off all the excess liquids add the meat pieces to the pan.

Sauté it for about 4-5 mins on medium heat. Now add the marinade slowly and mix well.

Add whole red chilies and peppercorn. Cook it covered on low heat for about 30-40 mins till the meat is tender. During cooking add water if required and stir in between to prevent the meat sticking at the bottom or if you want can cook in pressure cooker for about 2-3 whistles on medium high heat and once the pressure releases and cook it covered till the rest is done.  It Once the mutton is just done add the saffron infused milk along with a few drops of kewra water. Cook for another two mins to mix the flavor of saffron and kewra into the meat. Let it stand for an hour. Serve with naan or paratha.

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

You can vist FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai
                            

Pachan (পাচঁন)

                                            

Pachan (পাচঁন)

Pachan (পাচঁন) - শুভ চৈত্র পার্বন এর বাংলাদেশের নোয়োখালী জেলা-র একটি বিশেষ্ খাবার ৷ Pachan means a recipe with five different types of vegetables as per Bengali cuisine. Generally on Chaitra Sankranti (a Bengali festival) we have this recipe.  But we use more than five types of vegetables in that recipe along with Raw Jackfruit.  In this recipe I used 25-30 types of vegetable including neem leaf,bhrami shaak, kundru(telakuchi), tulshi pata (leaf), kancha Haldi (raw turmeric) , Roasted dried bean seeds & lots of regular vegetable. Spices used mainly Ginger paste, Black pepper paste / powder and Dhaniya paste/powder , Turmeric paste,Red Chili Powder, Bay leaf, Panch Phorn. Raw Jackfruit is one of the main ingredients for this recipe.

  This is very famous recipe from Bnagladesh Nouakhali dist on Chaitra Sankranti (summer special) day.

Ingredients:

500 grm raw jackfruit
1 bowl vegetables (pumpkin, ridge gourd, beans, carrot, brinjal, potato, raw banana, sweet potato, Bitter Gourd, drumstick, radish etc. – cut in small pieces)
Varity of Green leafy vegetable- (whatever is possible you can add)
Cholar Dal-er Bora(Bengal Gram  Fritters)
Roasted hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r shukno bichi)
2-3 Green chillies
1 Bay leaf
1 Dried Red chilli
1/2 tsp Panch phoron (Bengali mixture of 5 spices)
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp dhania powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
Little ghee
Mustard Oil

Method:

Boiled the cut jackfruit pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt until just done. Jackfruit cooks very fast. Drain and keep aside.

Roast the hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r bichi) then boil with salt until become soft , now peel the skin and keep aside.

Make the Cholar Dal-er Bora separately and soak in water for 3-4 minute to make them soft.

Heat oil in a pan. and one by one add the dry red chilli, bay leaf & panch phoron.
Let the aroma comes out of the spices.
Now add the cut vegetables (You can add as many types of vegetables as you want & green chillies into that pan.
Sprinkle little salt & turmeric powder & stir them well.
Cook covered for 12-15 minutes in medium heat.
Occasionally stir the vegetables so that they do not get burnt.
Now add the boiled the jack fruit pieces with all the spices & mix them well.
Stir for 4-5 min & add around 1/2 glass water or as required, it will be a little dry thick curry. Now add the boiled hyacinth bean seeds and daler bora and mix well.
Check for salt & spice. If require you can add 1-2 green chillies.
Spread 1/2 tsp ghee and graam mashala powder. PACHAN is ready & serve with hot rice or roti/chapati/paratha.

It tastes awesome & also very nutritious

Tip : when you cut a raw jackfruit, you'll see some sap got stuck to your knife. Place the knife over the flame of gas for a minute, then rub with newspaper, your knife will be clean.

Recipe By : Manna Majumder

You can vist FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai

Shukto



Shukto

 

Shukto-Bengali treat as a very special and traditional dish and have it on occasion like Marriage, Birthday etc specially those are from west Bengal, but as part of Lunch only. It’s a Bengali mixed vegetarian dish comprising of several veggies inclusive of Bitter Gourd, Green Banana & Drum sticks, with poppy seeds and mustard seeds paste and there are one more exclusive spice I used in my shukto recipe which is known as “Randhuni” that many Bengalis prefer to use while preparing shukto.

Ingredients

Uchche/Bitter Gourd(Karela): 1 (cut it in vertical pieces)

Begun / Eggplants: 1 (cut it vertically small pieces)

Kanchkola/ Green Banana/ Raw Cooking Banana: 1(cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

Potato/ aloo: 1 (cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

Sweet potato/ Ranga Aloo/ Sakkar Kandi: 1 (cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

Drumsticks/ Danta/ Danthal: 2 (cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

White radish/ Mulo/ Mooli: 1 (cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

Sheem/ Hyacinth Beans: 4-5 (cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

Ridge Gourd: 1(cut it  2”vertically small pieces)

Bori: 10-15

Poppy seeds/ Khuskhus/Posto paste: 2 Tbsp.

Mustard paste: 2 Tbsp.

Ginger paste: 1 Tbsp.

Panchphoran: 1 Tsp.

Radhuni: 2 Tsp.

Bay Leaves 2

Sugar: 1 Tbsp.

Salt to taste

Mustard Oil: for Frying and Tempering (around 4 Tbsp.)

Ghee/clarified butter: 1 Tbsp.

Milk: 1 cup

Water: 3-4 cup

Method

1  1. Hit Mustard Oil in a Wok and fry Bari in medium flame.
2. Now sprinkle some salt to the pieces of Eggplant and Ridge Gourd and fry.
3. After that fry Bitter gourd.
4. Now fry Green Banana, Potato, and Sweet potato, Drumsticks, White radish and Hyacinth Beans one by one.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a kadai and add panch phoron , radhuni and bay leaves. When the seeds start to crackle Add Ginger paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and add Poppy seed paste and cook for around 2 minutes.
6. Now add Mustard paste and again cook for around 2 minutes.
7. Add Salt and Sugar again cook for 1-2 minutes and then add milk and water to the Spice mix and bring it to boil.
8. Add all the veggies and cover the wok with a lid.
9. Cook for around 8-10 minutes in low flame or till the veggies cooked properly.
10. Check the water level and if required add some more water since Shukto should have sufficient gravy.

11. Add Ghee to the Curry and boil for around 2 minutes and switch the flame off.

12. Shukto is ready and served with plain Rice.

Tips: Panch Phoron is a mixture of equal quantities of fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds,mustard seeds, onion seeds and cumin seeds.

 

You can vist FB page - https://www.facebook.com/bengalikadai