Fried eggplant were doused with mustard sauce --- Eggplant with Mustard Sauce --- made on 13th July, 2012

My experiment with Egg ---- Egg Dhoka --- made on 24th June, 2012

Spinach and Moong Lentil Concoction --- (Palang Shaak die Moog Daal) --- made on 10th June, 2012

Thakur Barir Daal --- Daal recipe of Rabindranath Tagore's house (Red Lentil +Coconut Shredded +Tamarind)--- made on 23rd May, 2012

A delectable snack when green Jackfruit and potatoes combined with spices --- Green Jackfruit Pakoda --- made on 1st May, 2012

4 "P"s affair!!!! --- "P"otato, "P"ointed Gourd and "P"umpkin with "P"oppy sead paste ---- made on 25th April, 2012

Sun dried red Lentil Chunks with Spinach leaves and few potatoes --- made on 24th April, 2012

Loving the heat of the Mustard Seed Paste when it coats the Hyacinth beans ---- Sim sorshe - Hyacinth beans with Mustard Seed Paste --- made on 22nd April, 2012

What did I use:

Hyacinth beans: 18-20 pieces

Mustard paste: 11/2 tbsp; please adjust according to your taste. We Bengalis are in love with mustard and we love the heat of this spice. For beginners I would suggest to use less.

Nigella seeds; 1/3 tsp

Green chillies: 2-3 pieces

Mustard oil: 1 tbsp

Salt

Turmeric

Sugar: ¼ tsp

How did I cook:

Cut the edges of the beans and remove the hair on both sides. With a fork poke the beans at 2-3 places. Wash and boil with a pinch of salt and turmeric for 5 minutes or till half cooked.

Drain the water and keep the beans aside.

Heat the oil in a pan or kadhai. Once its smoking hot reduce the flame and add the nigella seeds and slited green chillies. Be careful the spice will splutter a lot. Add the drained beans, pinch of salt and turmeric.

Fry on very low flame for 3-4 minutes or till the raw smell of the beans are gone.

Mix the mustard paste with ¾ cup water. Pour the water in the pan. Make sure the mustard skin is not added.

Check the seasoning and let it cook and thinken. The gravy would be little more after coating the beans and the oil should start coming out.

Pour few drops of pure mustard oil on top. Mix and serve.

Rohu Fish with Kasturi Methi + Fenugreek + Curd - made on 15th March, 2012

What did I use: 

• 6 pieces of Rohu fish
• 1 large sized onion
• 5-6 green chillies
• 3/4 cup of yogurt
• 1 of ginger paste
• 1 tsp of garlic paste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds or methi seeds
• Mustard oil for cooking    

How did I cook:

1) Rub turmeric powder and salt on the fish pieces. Deep fry them. (Please note when the oil becomes smoking hot, only then slide in the fish pieces, else the fishes would stick to the bottom of the pan.)

2) In a blender, make a paste out of green chillies and onion.

3) Heat oil in a frying pan. (You may use the same oil used for frying fishes, but then be careful that the fishes are fried on medium to low flame throughout or else fishes fried on high flame might burn the oil and the curry cooked in burnt oil will taste bitter.)

4) When oil turns piping hot, add methi seeds and before it sputters too much, add the onion & green chilli paste. (Don't let methi seeds burn else the curry would taste pungent.)

5) Caramelize the onion and then add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder & coriander powder. Sauté for 2 minutes till spices blend into each other. (If the mixture turns dry, add few tablespoons of water to keep the moist in and sauté.)

6) Add salt and yogurt. (Be careful that the yogurt is whipped well with no lumps remaining before pouring into the curry.) Simmer on medium heat. You may add water at this stage as per your requirement and let the gravy come to a boil.

7) Toss in the fried fish pieces. Sprinkle garam masala powder on top and also kasuri methi. Cook covered on medium heat for 2 minutes more.

8) Serve hot with rice.

 

Tilapia Fish (steamed) with mustard seed paste - made on 8th Feb 2012

Luchi, Alur Dom, Payesh - made on 28th October 2011

Bhetki Fish Curry (Boiled + Curried) - made on 11th September 2011

What did I use:

Boneless bhetki slice (75 g each) 5 pcs
Yellow mustard grains – 4 tbs
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Ginger ­­– 1 tbs

Ground Onion - 3
Salt – 1 tsp
Green Chillies (slit) – 3 pcs
Red chilli powder – 1 tbs

Kalunjee (kala jeera) – 1 tsp
Sugar
Mustard oil – 300 g
 
How did I cook:

Marinate the fish in a little salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. And keep it in a bowl aside for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes take some water in a big whole wok and boil it on high heat and then keep that bowl of Bhetki and steam for 15/20 minutes.

Make mustard paste in a blender with salt and turmeric. Add mustard oil, kalunjee, slit green chillies, sugar into the mustard paste and mix well.

Pour some mustard oil on a separate wok and fry ground onion till it gets brown and add mustard paste. Add some water if required. After that, add bhetki fish to this thik curry. And cook for few minutes.

You can serve with steamed rice.

Pabda Fish Curry - made on 1st September 2011

Katla Fish - made on 27th August 2011

Katla Fish Kaliya made on 26th August 2011

Pabda Fish - made on 30th July 2011

It is an easy to cook and easy to digest recipe for rainy days, although any day.

Recipe:

What did I use:

A few large Pabda fishes
½ tsp of red pepper powder
2-3 tsp of cumin seeds
2 tsp of black pepper powder
½ tomato chopped
1 tsp of turmeric powder
3-4 tbs mustard oil for frying fish +2 tbs of mustard oil to make the curry
1 cup of water (vegetable stock can also be used)

How did I cook:

Marinate the fish with turmeric and salt , keep aside for half hour.
Heat up a wok and add mustard oil , fry fish on each side for 5 mints at medium till they are turned little brown . Be Careful while frying Pabda Fish. Take out gently after they are fried and keep aside. Now grind  cumin seeds. Add black Pepper and red pepper powder to that. And pour 1 tbs water to that. Now pour oil on the  wok and heat it up. Then add spice mix to the oil. Fry it for 3/4 mins and add the fried fish and turmeric, salt, 1 cup of water and tomato and 2 tbs of mustard oil. Cover and cook at low for 10 mints. Take out when the gravy is thick , serve with warm cooked rice .

N.B. If you like simple gravy, you can add more water while cooking :).......

Potoler dalna (Pointed Gourd Curry) - made on 24th July 2011

The tedious Potol sometime tastes WOW! Today’s Potol er dalna really turned out to be delicious indeed....But you may not believe…because many people don’t like Potol.

You just try once, otherwise I have to give myself an imaginary pat on my back!! ha ha ha...!

So here goes the recipe:

What did I use:
*Potol/Parwal- 1/2 kg - Peeled and halved
* Potato - 2 medium sized - cubed
*Gobindo Bhog / Basmati Rice - 1/2 cup : soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
*Onions – 1 (big size, finely chopped)
*Tomato – 1 (medium size, chopped)
*Whole garam masala- 2-3 cardamoms, 1 piece of 1" cinnamon stick, 3-4 cloves
*Bay Leaf - 2 small
*Masala paste - [1 tsp of Turmeric powder + 1 tsp cumin powder + 1/2 tsp of coriander powder + 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp of kashmiri mirch powder (for colour) + 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder (optional) mixed with a little water]
*Ginger paste - 1-2 tsp
*Ghee - 1 tbsp
*Roasted & ground garam masala - 1 tsp
*Sugar - a pinch
*Slit Green chilli - 2-3
*Mustard Oil - 3 tbsp 

How did I cook:
1. Soak washed Gobindo Bhog/Basmati rice in water.
2. Rub salt and turmeric on the Potol and Potato pieces and keep for 5-10 minutes
2. Lightly fry the Potol and Potato pieces in oil and keep aside.
3.Take fresh oil in a wok. When hot, add the Bay leaf, whole garam masala
4.Add the finely chopped onions and a pinch of sugar for colour. Add the ginger paste
5. Fry till the onion turns light brown but take care not to burn them.
6. Add the masala paste. Stir and let the masala cook till you see the oil & masala separate.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes
8. Keep stirring and cook on low to medium heat for about 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle water if required.
9. Add the uncooked Gobindo Bhog/Basmati rice. Stir well and let the masala seep into the rice.
10. Add the pre-fried potato cubes. Add some water (about 1/2 glass)
11. Keep cooking and when the rice is semi cooked in the masala and the potato is partly cooked, add the fried Potol pieces.
12. Stir well and add some more water if it has become too dry.
13. Cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes till the rice is just right and not overcooked and mushy.  

14. Add the slit green chillies
15. Before switching off the flame, heat the ghee in a skillet and add a tsp of roasted & ground garam masala and add this to the almost done 'Potoler Daalna'.
16. Enjoy with hot steamed rice!

Dudh Pabda (Pabda Fish + Milk + Mustard Seed) - made on 24th July 2011

What did I use:

Pabda fish 2/3 ps

Milk 1 Cup

White Mustard Seeds 1.5 tbsp (Ground)

Ginger 1 tsp

Garlic 1tsp

Chili 2/3 ps

Turmeric powder 2 tsp

Salt

Water

How did I cook:

Wash the fishes and rub salt and turmeric on fishes and keep for 5-10 minutes.

Lightly fry onion, ginger and garlic, chili with oil for 2 minutes.

Then add ground mustard seed and fry for few minutes.

Then pour milk on it and stir the mixture for few minutes.

Then add the fishes in it and pour little water.

And cook it for few minutes.

Egg curry made on 1st July 2011

Spicy Chicken - made on 30th June 2011