Mocha-r Tari / Paturi ((Banana Flower))

Mocha-r Tari / Paturi

Ingredients:

1Large Mocha (Banana Flower)
½-cup grated coconut
1 ½ -tablespoon white mustard ...
1 ½ -tablespoon Poppy seeds
1-teaspoon turmeric
1-green chili
2-tablespoon mastered oil
1-big banana leaf / 4 pieces of purplish-red outer bracts (leaves) of banana blossoms / flowers (much darker and tougher compared to the tender inner leaves) or aluminum foil (I used outer leaves of banana blossoms / flowers)
Salt to taste

 Method:
1. Peel each layer of the flower and bring out the stem (which almost looks like small banana actually). Then you will have to take each stem and remove the central pith. Throw the central pith ( it is hard and you will not be able to cook it)
2. Cut the stems in to small pieces almost like mince
3. Add salt and turmeric and boil for while or until soft and cooked
4. Drained the boiled water and keep aside the minced mocha
5. Grind the coconut, poppy seeds, white mustard seed, green chili and make a paste
6. Add little salt immediately otherwise the paste might turn bitter
7. Combine the above paste, salt if you need more, turmeric, mustered oil, boiled mocha together very well using your hands to mix them really well
8. In case you are using outer leaves / banana leaf Wash the banana leaf and dry with a kitchen towel. Lightly roast the leaf so that it becomes soft and manageable. Hold over a low flame and remove.
9. Put the mocha mix in the flamed outer leaves / banana leaf and wrap it well
10. Then grill it on a tawa for 10/15 mins, keep turning until both side color change of the banana leaf
11. If you are using aluminum foil, just wrap the mocha mix in foil, put them on a hot tawa and grill it like you will do for banana leaf. The taste does not differ much but the smell of the banana leaf will be missing
12. It should not take more than 25/30 mins
13. Sprinkle little mustard oil and over the mocha r Tari / Paturi before serving with hot rice

Prawns Mayo

Prawns Mayo

 

Prawns Mayo
Ingredients:
• Medium-sized prawns, with tails being intact : 500 grm
• Turmeric powder (for marination): ¾ tsp
• Salt (for marination): ¾ tsp
• Refined oil: 3 tsp...
• Garlic paste : 3 tsp
• Lemon (for marination): 2 pieces
• Turmeric powder (for the curry): ½ tsp
• Salt (for the curry): ¾ tsp (or according to taste)
• Sugar: 1 tsp
• Green chillies: 4
• Tomato puree: 3 tsp (optional)
• Milk : 1 small cup
• Mayonnaise : 4 tbsp
• Butter / Fresh cream: 2 tsp
• Coriander leaves
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with jeera rice or plain boiled rice

Method:
Marinate prawns for at least 2hrs, with lemon juice, garlic paste, turmeric powder and salt.
Grind the mayonnaise with milk to make thin.
The marinated prawns being fried in refinedd oil. In the same hot oil, add whole garlic (cassia bark) and wait for a few seconds. Add the tomato puree . Sauté for few min, add the mayonnaise , turmeric and green chilli . Sauté continuously to prevent burning of the powders. Sprinkling a little water if the gravy starts sticking to the pan. After 5 min, add the rest of the salt, sugar, sauté till the mixture starts separating from the oil. Now add fried prawns and sauté for 5 min at a simmered flame. Now add butter / fresh cream. Let the curry boil for 10min, simmered and covered. Before serving, add Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Jeera Rice or plain boiled rice

Sukha Keski Maacah

Sukha Keski Maacah

 

Sukha Keski Maacah
Keski fish (Small tiny whitebait fish) is a tiny Bangladeshi fish resembling Silverfish but not quite. It is mostly cooked dry-style as opposed to a curry dish. Small whitebait fish is good for hypothyroid.
Ingredients:
250grm Keski fish (found in most Bangladeshi stores)
2 pieces onion...
1 piece tomatoes
5 green chillies
4 tbs mustered oil
Handful of fresh coriander leaves
Spices: 3/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, , 1/2 tsp salt or to taste.
How to:
1. Place fish in colander, wash and drain well until completely dry and taking care not to make it mushy.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add finely diced onion. Fry until soft and almost brown.
3. Add the spices as indicated above and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add 1/2 cup of water and form a paste. Stir and fry for 2 minutes and then add finely chopped tomatoes. Stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the fish, stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the water evaporates.
6. Cover with lid and allow cooking on low heat for 15 minutes. By now all the water should have evaporated.
7. 5 minutes before removing from heat, add slit green chillies and fresh coriander leaves.
Recommendations: Serve with hot rice of your choice and definitely worth trying as this dish is very tasty!

Bhangui - Traditional food of Tripura

Bhangui

Ingredients:

White flavored sticky rice (Binni rice/ Govindobhog Rice) – 1 KG

Ghee or edible oil- 250 grm

Onion- 2 pieces (Big)

Ginger- 2-3 inch

Bhangui / Banana leaf- 5

Cooking procedure:

 Wash sticky rice thoroughly and dry them in sun. Once dried mix ghee/edible oil with julienne cut onion , ginger and salt. Make a cone shape with Bhangui / Banana leaf  (Bhangui leaf) and pour the rice without leaving any space .

Noe tie the leaf tightly and dip all the  cone tied preparation in water and boil them for an hour and turn off the owven.

Serve with some fish fry , egg fry or any fired item. It’s very testy.

Chittal Macher Muitha /Fish Dumplings

Chittal Macher Muitha /Fish Dumplings

Ingredients:

Chital fish :     ½ kg Gada
Potato :     2 boiled
Mustard oil :     250 gm
Ghee :     1 ½ tsp
Salt and sugar :  As per teast
Turmeric Powder :  1 tsp (powder)
Red chilli powder :    1 tsp (powder)
Onion :     3 Pieces  
Ginger :     4-5 inch
Jeera/ cumin :     1 tsp (powder)
Tomato:   1 pieces
Cloves :     2
Chinamon :     2
Green cardamom :     2

Preparation Method for Chittal Macher Muitha Recipe :


         

 
 

Take the fish pieces, peel the skin of the fish and wash properly.

Take the boiled potato and smash them. To make the Muitha (Dumplings/Kofta) mix the minced fish with the julienne cut ginger, green chilli and onion, a bit of salt , turmeric and make a thorough nice mixture.

Now add the smash potato with the fish and mix them properly. If you wish add a one pinch of maida.

Chital Keema

       

Now take a small portion of the mixture, give it a round shape and take a pan/  saucepan and put the mixture. Add some water and boil it till the color changes, take the balls out after 2-3 minutes. Let it cool and cut into square pieces and  shallow fry the Dumplings in a pan.

For the gravy, heat oil in a pan, fry the Potato cubes and keep aside. Heat oil in the same pan add  Bay Leaf, leave for a minute and then add the onion, ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder/ green chilli paste, cumin powder  stir fry till the paste becomes brown in color. Add the chopped Tomato or Tomato Puree, Salt, and cook till you can see oil separating out. Pour 2 cups of water, the fried Dumplings, fried Potatoes, cover and give the gravy a boil.
Garnish with garam masala powder and add ghee and pour into the serving bowl. serve with Plain Rice.

Mango Flavored Yogurt ( Aam Doi)

                                             

Mango Flavored Yogurt ( Aam Doi)

Ingredients :

Plain Yogurt : 2.5 cups / 500 gm
Sweetened Condensed Milk - 300 gm
Sweetened Mango Pulp - 5-6 tbsp

Method :

1. Take a cheese cloth, or a soft cotton cloth, pour the yogurt into it, tie the cloth loosely and hang the yogurt along with the cloth on the kitchen faucet / tap for 15 to 20 minutes or til most of the whey ( yogurt-water) has been drained. You can skip this stage by using Greek yogurt.

2. Take the yogurt out from the cloth, put it in a big bowl and add the sweetened condensed milk and the mango pulp. Mix all the ingredients nicely by using a spoon and check the sweetness. Pour the mixture into a oven proof dish. ( cup / bowl / pan )

3. Preheat the oven to 220 degree F or 104 degree C and place the rack on the top. Bake the yogurt for 10 minutes. Just check it if the top of the yogurt has set, and turn off oven. Cover the yogurt and let it be there in the oven for another 2-3 hrs.

4. Then take it out and put it in the refrigerator for couple of hours, serve chilled.

Microwave Method : 

 It takes only 4 to 5 mins to set the yogurt. Check it in every minutes until done. When it is done, keep it in the refrigerator for couple of hours and serve. 

Palak Paratha or Spinach Paratha

Ingredients

 2 cups whole wheat flour/atta

 200- 250 grams spinach/palak

 1 or 2 green chilies, finely chopped

 ¼ tsp carom seeds/ajwain

 2 tsp oil or ghee

 salt as required

oil or ghee for frying the parathas

Instructions

 Rinse the spinach leaves very well in water. drain them.

 Heat water and boil the spinach leaves in hot water for 5 to 7 minutes.
 Strain and keep some of the stock in which we have boiled the spinach leaves.
 Puree the spinach in a blender.
In a large bowl mix the whole wheat flour with salt, carom seeds, green and chili.
Add the spinach puree and 2 tsp oil. mix well.
Add required amount of stock or water and make a smooth dough.
Take a medium size ball from the dough. roll the dough ball into a small circle.
Spread some oil or ghee  on the top of the rolled dough. If you want you can dust the rolling board with wheat flour
Gently roll the  dough with a rolling pin. Make sure that the parathas do not break. Roll it into a size of a normal roti or chapati
You will get a triangular shape.roll into a medium sized parathas.
On a hot tava, cook the palak paratha with some oil or ghee. till they are crisp and brown from both side.
Make all palak parathas this way. serve the palak paratha hot with green peas curry, yogurt or pickle.
You can also stack the palak parathas in a roti basket or casserole and serve them warm later.

Stuffed Capsicum

 

Ingredients :
2-3 tbsp oil
3 - 4 capsicums (bell peppers)
2 pieces boiled potato ,
1 cup grated paneer
1 cup green peas

1 tsp whole cumin
1 tbsp chopped ginger
50 grm cheese
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
50 grm cheese for garnishing

Method:

Slice off the top of the capsicums. Scoop out the inside keeping them hollow.
Heat 3 tbsp. of oil in a pan; add the whole cumin and  ginger and cook till light brown.
Add the potato mash, paneer , green peas and mix well.
Add all the spices and mix again. Cover and let this mixture cook in its steam for five minutes.  Check the salt and keep aside.

Now stuff the capsicums with the mixture and covered and garnish the open area with cheese.
Now Grill the capsicum after applying little oil on the surface in micro woven for 10-12 minutes till the capsicums become tender / pan fry them in oil for few minutes and serve hot.

Note: mixture can be making per your test.

Eelish Tilottoma

Illish / Hilsa Tilotoma

Everybody knows Hilsa or Ilish is the most popular fish for Bengalis. This is the national fish of Bangladesh. Bengalis wait throughout the year for monsoon and Ilish. Now a days this fish is not very pocket frieldly, but still Bengalis can spent any amount for Hilsha especially in rainy season.   I think Hilsa is most popular for its aroma and taste.  

Most common and popular dish is Sorsha illish or Bhapa illish. But today I cooked Illish / Hilsa which is not traditional or Bengalis all-time favorite Sorsha illish.

 Hilsa with sesame seeds (Teel) curry and it was awesome. I named it Illish Tilotoma. Let’s try for it.

 Ingredients

Hilsa about 1 kg., cut in steak size peices

White sesame(Teel) seeds 4 tbsp.

Poppy seeds 1 tsp.

3-4 tablespoons refined  oil

Green chilies 3-4, slit

Kalojeera / Kalonji

Salt as per taste

For the paste:

3 tablespoons sesame(Teel) seeds

1 tablespoon poppy seeds (white)

3-4 hot green chili (or as per your taste)

Salt to taste

Preparing the paste:

Soak the ingredients for the paste in 1/4 cup of water for about 30 -45 minutes. Grind the sesame seeds, green chili, with salt to make a thick paste (This paste is called “TEEL  bata = sesame paste). If you want can add poppy seeds paste.

 [Alternate way to make sesame paste : Dry grind the seeds (sesame(Teel) seeds and poppy) and then mix the powdered seed with about 3 tablespoon water, salt, and green chilies and grind it again for minute and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes.]

Wash and clean (remove scales) of the fish and cut in steak size pieces or you can have them clean and cut at the place from where you buy the fish.

To this sesame paste add a 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric (your wish), 1 tsp. refined oil and salt. Your sesame sauce is ready.

Method

Now rub the fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder. Heat oil in a pan. Then fry the fish till they are golden in both sides. Set aside.

Add kalojeera,. As you get the frying smell of kalojeera then add sesame paste and salt and turmeric powder. Sauté this for a minute and mix well. Add 1 cups of water if you want more soup you can add more water. Add silted green chilly ( while serving make sure to give one green chilly with each fish piece because some person love to mash it and have it with rice and it add an extra taste).

Now add the fried fish let it boil for another 2 minutes then put off the flame. Give 10 minutes standing time before serving and Serve with hot steamed rice.

 Alternate Method

Add 3 cups of water in a pressure cook. Now place a ring in it.
Take a pan and spread little refined oil. Place the fish pieces on a single layer. Pour the sesame sauce liberally on the fish pieces so that all the pieces are coated nicely. Place the slit green chilies on top. Drizzle  some more refined oil on the top if you wish.
Now place this pan on the ring in the pressure cooker. Cover with lid and pressure cook for 1-2 whistles. Serve hot with rice.

Puti Mach Tok Jhal

Puti Mach-er Tok Jhal
 

Ingredients:

250 gm Puti Fish ( Spot-fin swamp barb )

2 tbsp Mustard paste

5-6 Green Chill

1 tsp Menthi seeds

Salt to taste

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

½ tsp red chili powder

1 Medium tomato

1 tbsp dry mango powder (Aam chur powder)

Cooking Procedure:

Take good pieces of fish. Wash it and pat it dry . Then marinate with turmeric powder and salt.

                              Shallow fry the fish and keep it aside.

Make a paste of mustard seeds. Heat oil in pan then add menthe seeds and green chilly to crackle in oil. Now add the tomato slice. Fry it for minutes. Pour the above mustard paste. Add salt, turmeric powder , red chili powder and aam chur powder. Stir well with water. Lastly add the fish. Cover the lid for 5-10 mins. Serve it hot with rice.

Tetor Dal / Bitter Gourd Lentil Soup

 

Ingredients:

1 cup Moong Dal

1 medium tit korola/ 100gm Uchhe (Bitter Gourd)

½ inch Ginger

1 pinch mustard seeds

3-4 pieces lemon leaf

½  tsp Turmeric Powder

Oil 3 tsp mustard oil (you can use refined oil).

Salt as per test.

 Methods:

I use Moong Dal. Dry roast the dal and then boil the dal(in pressure cooker minimum 7-8 whistle ). Meanwhile cut the Bitter Gourd into thin round slices, season them with salt and turmeric.

In a wok heat oil . Add mustard seeds. Fry until the seeds change color (about 15 seconds).  Now add and  fry the Bitter Gourd slices for few minutes. Make and add a paste of the Ginger, next add the turmeric and cook for few more minutes. Add the cooked dal, water and mix them well. Adjust the taste with salt and add the lemon leaf. Boil it for few minutes and Drizzle some mustard oil on the top if you wish.

Creamy Egg Curry

Ingredients

Eggs                        4 nos.
Fresh Cream          100ml
Tomato                   2 medium sized
Garlic                       4 cloves
Refined oil              4 tbspn
Cumin seeds           1 pinch
Turmeric Powder   ½  tspn
Red Chilli powder  ½ tspn
Green Chilli             4 nos
Kasoori methi         ½ tspn
Salt and sugar to taste

Method

Boil the eggs, peel the cover and add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.

Wash and blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 4 minutes(or the tomatoes can be cooked in microwave for 4 minutes with out water) . Grined the boiled tomato puree is ready and keep it aside.

Make the garlic paste and slit the green chilli.

Mix the red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garlic paste amnd make a paste of the same by adding three to four tbsps of water.

Heat oil in Kadhai. Fry the eggs and keep them separately. Add the green chillies and cumin seeds and stir fry briefly. Add the mixture and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes in a medium heat. Now add the tomato puree and cook it till the oil is getting separated.

Now add the eggs, stir well on a medium heat. Add sugar and salt. Mix well and add the cream and 2-3 tspn of water and cook it for another few minutes on low heat.

Lastly ,You can add the kasoori methi, stir lightly and serve hot.

Mourala Macher (Mola Carplet Fish)Paturi

 

Mourala Macher (Mola Carplet Fish)Paturi

 

This is a typical East Bengal Dish and Mourala fish (Mola Carplet) is a small variety of fish. Bengali's are primarily rice eaters and this dish is best with plain rice.

 Ingredients:

Fish (Mourala) 500 grams
Onion 1 large,pest

Garlic  2 flakes pest
Mustard Oil 4 tbsp
Green Chilly 5,finely pest
Mustard Paste 3 tbsp
Red Chilly Powder 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1  tsp
Salt  per test
Coriander leaf for garnishing.

Method:

Clean the fish and wash well. Drain water and keep aside.
In a bowl, take the fish, onion, green chilly, mustard paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and add 2tbsp mustard oil. Mix all together well.
Heat a pan/ kadai and add little water.  Boil the water for 2 minutes. Reduce the flame and add all misture of the bowl into the water. Drizzle some more mustard oil on the top.
 Cover and cook till the water dries up. Remove from fire.
Put the contents of the kadai into a small tiffin box and close the lid tight. Place this tiffin box on a large bowl of boiling water, cover and steam for 10 minutes. After that the paturi is ready to serve with white plain rice.

Lau chingri (Bottle gourd and the spicy shrimp).

Lau chingri is a hot favorite dish in East Bengal. Basically this is Portuguese recipe. It is a combination of the sweet bottle gourd and the spicy shrimp.

                                                 

Ingredients:

Serves: 5

·     Lau (bottle gourd or lauki) - 1 small (about 750 grams)

·     150 g- Small Shrimps/Choto Chingri

·     salt to taste

·     1 tspn turmeric powder

·     4 tbspn of oil

·     1 tspn cumin seeds

·     1 bay leaf

·     2  whole dry red chili

·     1 tspn cumin powder

·     Coriander leaves for garnishing

·     Water as needed

Preparation:

Peel the vegetable and chop finely cut into 1 inch long thin strips.

Peel shrimp, wash thoroughly, rub salt and turmeric and keep aside.
Cooking procedure:

Heat oil in a kadai/ pan. Fry the shrimps and keep aside.

To the same oil, add jeera (Cumin seeds) / panch phoron, bay leaf and dry red chillies. Fry until the seeds change color (about 15 seconds).                    

Add the cut lauki, and mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

Add turmeric, jeera (cumin) powder, green chilies and fried shrimps. Mix thoroughly and cover to cook further for approximately 8 minutes or until the vegetable is tender and cooked.

Take the cover off occasionally and stir. If the lau is fresh it will release water. The lau will soften gradually. No need to add water as the lau will cook in its own juice.

 Remove cover, add salt, and turn heat to medium-high to evaporate excess water.

Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from heat.