Mochar Ghonto

Ingredients to cook Mochar Ghanto:

Banana Flower                                                                                1 

One medium sized potato                                                                Diced

Cumin seeds                                                                                   ½ tea spoon

Bay leaves                                                                                      2

Cumin and Ginger paste                                                                 1 tea spoon each

Turmeric powder                                                                             ½ tea spoon

Garam Masala paste(cardamom, cinnamon, clove)                        1 tea spoon

Grated coconut                                                                               ¼ cup

Oil                                                                                                    3 table spoons
Salt and sugar to taste

The recipe:

1. Once the florets have been cleaned, chop them into small size. Boil this with little salt till almost cooked. Remove water and keep florets aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and bay leaves, and once the seeds start to splutter, add the boiled mocha. Add turmeric powder and salt, cover the pan with a lid, and allow it to cook for 10 minutes on a slow flame.
3. In another pan heat some oil and fry the diced potatoes. Set it aside.
4. Open the lid of the pan in step number 2, add the mocha and gently cook it by tossing and turning it several times.
5. Add ginger, cumin, and chili paste and mix them well. Also add a spoon of sugar to taste.
6. Add the fried potatoes and cook till all the ingredients are soft and the water has dried out.
7. Add the grated coconut now and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
8. Finally, add the garam masala mix.
9. Set it on a bowl and garnish with some more grated coconut on the top and a spoonful of ghee (clarified butter). This dish goes very well with rice.

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Tips:
1. This is the basic recipe but an interesting twist Saimoon puts on this sometimes is the addition of "daler bora" or lentil fritters. Since the mocha shrinks during cooking, adding daler bora to this dish does increase its volume and tastes good too.
2. When peeling the mocha, apply some cooking oil/mustard oil to your hands to prevent the sticky juices of the mocha from staining your hands.
3. If you are unable to get mocha where you live you can try this out with bean sprouts but you will agree it is a poor substitute for the uniquely Bengali flavors of mochar ghonto. 

Mishti Doi (sweet yoghurt)

Mishti Doi is synonymous with Bengal in East India. The Bengalis are famous for their sweet preparations and Mishti Doi is among their most well known desserts. Mishti Doi tastes great but is amazingly simple to make!

Ingredients:

• 1 liter full cream/ whole milk
• 3-4 tbsps yogurt
• 250 gms sugar

Preparation:

• Boil the milk in a heavy-bottomed pan, on a medium flame till it is reduced to half its original volume. Stir frequently to prevent the milk from scorching. When done, cool the milk till it is just lukewarm.
• Put the sugar in another pan and heat over a low flame to melt. Allow the sugar to caramalize (brown). Remove from the fire when done, add the reduced milk to this caramalized sugar and mix well to blend.
• When the milk and sugar are thoroughly mixed, add the yogurt to the mixture and stir gently to mix.
• Pour into the desired container and keep in a warm dark spot for the Mishti Doi to set. The best taste results are achieved by setting the Mishti Doi in a earthenware pot.
• When the Mishti Doi has set and is firm, chill for a few hours and serve.

Chili Fish – Cod cooked Indo-Chinese Style

Chili Fish – Cod Cooked Indo – Chinese Style

Prep Time: 40 minutes (includes time to marinate the fish)

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 limes

1 inch piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 cloves of garlic

2 pounds cod fillets cut into 2 inch pieces

Oil for shallow frying

1 cup small red onions, quartered and then layers removed

10 green chilies, cut into 4ths length wise

1/2 cup light soy sauce

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Place the cumin and coriader in a small blender. Add in the lime juice and process to a paste.

2. Add in the ginger, garlic and the continue grinding until smooth.

3. Mix the spice paste over the fish and coat the fish evenly and set aside for about 20 minutes.

4. Heat the oil in a large wider skillet and place the fish in a single layer and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Make sure that the oil is very hot, but cook the fish on medium heat.

5. Remove the fish carefully and strain the oil and return to the skillet. Depending on the amount of fish that you are cooking, this stage might need to be done in batches. It is imporant not to crowd out the pan to ensure a good crisp texture.

6. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes until the onion turns lightly translucent.

7. Add in the fish and the green chilies with the soy sauce and stir lightly. Cook for about 3-4 minutes to allow the heat from the chilies to be released. Serve immediately!

Saag Kumro

Ingredients:

3 cups peeled and diced pumpkin (kumro)
2 medium potatoes, diced but not peeled
A bunch of fresh spinach), chopped
1/2 lb baby shrimp (peeled+steamed is ok)
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 dried red chilli
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon corriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons finely ground/grated coconut

Procedure:

1. First heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin and the turmeric, stir-fry these spices for a minute before you add the shrimp. Fry the shrimp for a couple of minutes and then take them out with a slotted spoon and leave aside.
2. Next break the dried red chilli and fry it in the oil for a minute before adding the potatoes and pumpkin. Stir fry these for a few minutes. Add the corriander, chilli powder and sugar and stir-fry for a couple more minutes.
3. Now add the chopped spinach and stir it in until the it slowly decreases in volume and blends in with the other ingredients (~3 mins). Now add the salt and sprinke a little water (3-4 Tbsp) cover and allow to cook under low heat until the potatoes are done.
4. Sprinkle and stir in the ground coconut and shrimp before turning off the heat, you may wish to save a little for the final garnish when you serve this dish.

Serves: 4-6 people
Serving ideas: serve with piping hot plain rice and borar jhal!

Bengali Style Aloo Dum

Makes :4 -5 servings


Ingredients

• 12 -14 small round potatoes or normal potatoes diced into big chunks (Boiled and Peeled)
• 1/4 cup onion paste
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/4 cup of tomato puree
• 1/4 cup yogurt (For sourness, can add lemon juice optionally)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 green cardamoms, lightly crushed
• 1” piece cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida
• 2 Green chillies, whole
• Salt to taste
• 2 + 1 tablespoons of Oil

Ingredients For garnishing

• Coriander leaves, fresh and chopped
• 2 Green chilies, whole with the stem
• Lime wedges

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, add the potatoes, a pinch of turmeric powder, and salt. Saute the potatoes till they are light golden. Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and keep aside.

In the same frying pan, add the other tablespoon of oil, add the onion, ginger and garlic paste and saute for a few minutes until the paste turns golden and the raw smell goes away on low heat. Add the bay leaves, green cardamoms, cinnamon stick, cloves and asafoetida and sauté for a few minutes 

Add the tomato puree and sauté till nicely blended with the onion-garlic-ginger paste. 

Add the remaining turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt, sugar and curd. Saute the entire mixture well, cover and let it simmer on low heat until the masala-mix is thickened (takes about 10 min). 

Now add the potatoes and the 2 green chilies and mix everything well with the masala adding just a little water. Cover and let it simmer on low/medium heat for another 15 minutes until the masala has coated the potatoes well and is thick.

When done, garnish with fresh coriander leaves, green chilies and lime wedges.



Note: 
Also if you use larger potatoes you need to increase the spices, the tomato puree, etc. So make changes accordingly based on the quality of the potatoes you use and the size. The gravy is really thick and well coated with the potatoes.

Chhana aam kasundi paturi

Ingredients (To serve 2)

• 200gm chhana (cottage cheese) • 100gm paneer • 20gm red chilli paste • 20gm kasundi (mustard sauce) • 50gm aam kasundi paste • 25ml ginger juice • Salt, to taste • 20gm flour • 4 banana leaves • 40gm coconut paste Refined oil, to grill

Method

Grate the paneer in a bowl, and mix the rest of the ingredients, except the chhana, in it. Add the chhana and mix with a light hand. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Warm the banana leaves over an open fire to soften them. Cut into squares. Take out the mix and divide into eight portions. Place a portion on a banana leaf square. Fold it into an envelope and secure with a string. Do the same with the remaining seven portions. Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan and grill the parcels till the leaf changes colour. Untie and serve.

Kolkata Style Vegan Frankie

Serves: 2

Cooking time: 10 min

Preparation time 10min

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• Potato (Alu): 3 large, boiled, peeled and mashed
• Onion (Peyaj): 1 medium size, chopped
• Tomato: 1 medium, chopped
• Green chili (Kancha Lanka) : 2, chopped
• Coriander leaves (Dhane Pata): ¼ cup chopped
• Salt to taste

For the wrap:

• Wheat Flour (Maida): 2 cup
• Water

Preparation:

• Make a dough using the flour and prepare parathas
• Mash the boiled potatoes, add the other ingredients and mix well
• Once the parathas are ready put a generous amount of the filling mixture and roll the parathas
• Cut each roll into two from the middle and serve hot with tomato sauce, lemon juice and salad

Chanar Dalna - Bengali Cheese Curry

Ingredients

• For the cubes -
• 200 gms chana
• 2 tablespoon chickpea powder/ besan
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon green chilli paste
• Pinch of salt
• Vegetable oil for frying
• For the dalna –
• 1 medium sized potato, cut into square
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 tablespoon ghee (optional)
• 1 tablespoon mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

• Knead the chana well till your palm start feeling oil, mix in all the ingredients excepting the oil and knead once again
• Pat the chana to make a 1” thick square slab, cut into 1” cubes and let it rest for 5-10mins
• Heat about a quarter cup of oil in a skillet and fry the cubes till lightly brown, place on a kitchen paper to drain out the excess water, reserve for later
• Season the cubed potatoes with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. In the same skillet add the cubed potatoes in the leftover oil and fry till they turn light brown, drain out the excess oil using a kitchen towel and reserve for later
• Mix all the powdered spices for dalna excepting garam masala powder, pour in water to make a thick paste
• Heat the mustard oil in a wok and put in the whole cumin seeds, as they start spluttering add the fried potatoes and pour in the spice paste mix well to coat all the potatoes. Stir till the color takes a little darker shade; turn the heat if you fear to burn the spices. Pour in about 1 ½ cup of water, season with salt
• Cook covered for about 5-7minutes till the potatoes are well done. Put in the fried chana cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
• Add the garam masala powder and ghee, if you are using and serve hot with warm white rice or chapatti.