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.

Bengali Arbi Recipe

Ingredients Bengali Arbi Recipe

• Bangali Arbi- 300 Gms
• Tamato- 2 to 3
• Green Chilli- 2
• Ginger- 1 inch in length
• Curd- One small spoon
• Oil- 2 two tablespoon
• Asafetida- 1- 2 pinch
• Bishop weed- 1/2 small spoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 small spoon
• Coriander Powder- 1 small spoon
• Red chilli powder- 1/4 small spoon
• Garam masala- 1/4 small spoon
• Green coriander- 1 tablespoon (sliced)

How to make Bengali Arbi Recipe

Wash the arbi, peel it and cut them into 1/2 inch round shape properly.

Grind the tomato, green chilli and ginger finely in a grinder. Put the curd into the paste and grind again.

Take a cooker and put the oil into it. Put 3 to 4 pieces of arbi in the hot oil and turnover them till they turn pink. Now take out these pieces of arbi in a bowl. To fry rest of these arbi follow the same method. (To fry these pieces of arbi less oil is consumed). Slow down the burner and if some amount of oil is present in the cooker, remove the oil. Only 1 tablespoon oil is required for making the tari of arbi.

put asafetida and bishop weed (ajwayan) into the hot oil in the cooker. when the bishop weed turns brown, put the turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilli powder into it and stir the masala. Now put the paste of tomato and curd into the masala.Continue stirring till the oil is released from the masala. Now put fried arbi and salt into the pan and fry it for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour a small glass of water into the pan and close the cooker. Cook the recipe till the whistle of the cooker bolws for once. Turn off the cooker. Open the cooker after it is released from the pressure. Mix the garam masala properly into the recipe. The Bengali Arbi Recipe is ready.

Alu Kabli Recipe

Ingredients: • 300 gm Potatoes (boiled, peeled) • 100 gm Black grams (soaked, boiled) • 4-6 tbsp Lime juice • 1/2 to1 tsp Chilli powder • Salt to taste How to make Alu Kabli: Cut the boiled potatoes into thick slices or 1/2 inch cubes. Allow to cool the potatoes thoroughly before tossing in all other ingredients. Do not break up the potato pieces. Alu Kabli is ready, serve cold.

TAK MISTI FHULKOPI

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower  - 1 medium sized

sliced onions - half

ginger paste  - 1tsp

garlic paste   -  half tsp

green chillies - 1 chopped

whole garam masala

vinegar  - half teaspoon

worcester sauce - 1 tsp

tomato ketchup - 1tsp

tumeric   optional

salt to taste

sugar - 2 tsp

METHOD

Cut the cauliflower into bigger sizes . Heat the oil , fry the cauli pieces.Fry them till it is tender and keep aside. Fry the sliced onions (light fry) with  whole garam masala and green chillies. Add the rest of the above ingredients to prepare the gravy. Cook till the oil can be seen on the sides of the pan. Now add the fried cauliflower, Mix well. Add salt and sugar to taste. cook it in slow flame for 5-10 minutes or in a preheated oven for 10 minutes .Wrap the preparation in alumunium foil. Serve hot, sprinkle gaaram masala .

CHICKEN SWEETCORN CUTLETS

INGREDIENTS

Minced Chicken -250gms

Sweetcorn - 1 small tin

Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 4-5

Chopped onoin -1 medium size

chopped carriander leaves

red chillie powdeer   half tspoon

Salt to taste.

METHOD

Drain the water from the sweetcorn . Grind the chicken, sweetcorn  ,greenchillies ,ginger and garlic paste.Keep aside.  Now add the chopped onion chopped carriander leaves and red chilli powder . Mix it thoroughly. Shape the cutlets. Shape each portions into balls andcutl press in between your palms to give it a flat oval shape.  Heat oil and deep fry the cutlets till crisp and done. Remove onto an absorbent paper to remove the excess oil. Servehot with tomato sauce/carriander chutney.

A History of Bengali Cuisine and Cookery

A distinct culinary tradition emerged in Bengal based on the availability of local ingredients. The great river systems, heat and humidity combine with the fertile soil to allow rice and an abundance of vegetables to thrive; these became the corner stones of the diet. Mangoes, bananas, coconuts, and cane sugar grew in abundance; fish, milk, and meat were plentiful; yogurt and spices such as ginger and black mustard would season the dishes.

Even though fish and meat were generally popular, there was a predisposition to vegitarianism, based on religious principles, that has continued to the present. Strict vegetarians also omit onion and garlic from their diet, foods that "heat rather than cool", preferring to substitute a garlicky-flavored spice called asafoetida. The taboo against the consumption of fish and meat became even stronger with the flowering of religions such as Jainism and Buddhism. But with the decline of Buddhism in the ensuing centuries, fish and meat returned to the menu.

Rice, the staple of Bengalis since ancient times, has remained untouched by the currents of religious change and its preparation has held to a continuing high standard. One crop a year was sufficient to sustain the people, providing ample leisure time for the Bengalis to pursue cultural ideals: folklore, music, and the culinary arts.

The 16th-century Mongol kings left their mark on the cooking of Northern India, which to this day is known as moghlai cooking. With the introduction of Islam, Bengali Moslems adopted dishes such as kababs, koftas and biriyani from their Moghul conquerors. But the major portion of Bengali Hindu cuisine retained its original characteristics except that the use of onion and garlic became more popular.

The European traders introduced food from the New World - potatoes, chillies, and tomatoes. Bengalis incorporated them into their diet, combining them with a variety of native ingredients creating new dishes.

Then as now, Bengali cooking is mostly confined to the home. Dishes are carefully prepared according to recipes handed down through generations. Modern Bengalis have become culinary innovators. They search for, and experiment with, foreign culinary ideas, incorporating such new food items as noodles, soy bean and custard into an increasingly cosmopolitan bill of fare. But in their hearts, they still delight in such traditional dishes as maacher chochori androsogolla.

CHINGRI MACHER KOFTA

 

 

Ingredients for kofta:

2 big size onions (finely chopped)
salt to taste
500 gms prawns (small)
2 tblsp breadcrumbs
2 tsp mustard oil
4 green chillies (finely chopped)
2 tblsp ghee
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup coconut
1 tblsp coriander leaves chopped
1 egg

 

Grind To A Paste 

 

1 large Onion
2 ” Turmeric
1 ” Ginger

 

 

How to make chingri macher kofta :

 

• Shell, de-vein and wash the prawns.
• Then boil them.
• When cooked, grind to make a smooth paste.
• Mix in the salt, onions, green chillies and cut coriander leaves.
• When the mixture is well blended, form into 12 balls, dip in beaten egg and roll in bredcrumbs.
• Fry in hot mustard oil.
• Keep aside.
• Extract milk from the coconut.
• Grind the big size onion, garam masala, turmeric, ginger to a fine paste for the gravy.
• Heat up oil in a saucepan.
• When it smokes, fry the bay leaves and ground masala for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring all the time and adding a little water to keep the spices from scorching.
• Gradually stir in the coconut milk extract and a little salt.
• Mix in the koftas and allow the curry to simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for about 10 minutes, till the gravy becomes rich and thick.
• Pour out pure ghee on top just before serving.

DOI MACH

DOI MACH

A speciality from Bengal – fish cooked with yogurt and other spices

Preparation Time : 20-30 minutes

Cooking Time : 20-30 minutes

INGREDIENTS: Rohu fish, cut into 1 inch thick slices 600 grams Yogurt 1 cup Salt to taste Ghee 2 tablespoons Bay leaves 2 Cloves 4-6 Green cardamoms 3-4 Onions, grated 2 small Green chillies, slit 3

METHOD:



Whisk yogurt, add salt and marinade fish in this for twenty minutes.Heat ghee in a kadai and add bay leaves, cloves and green cardamoms. Cook for fifteen seconds. Add grated onions. Sauté for five to seven minutes. Add slit green chillies and fish along with the yogurt. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on a low heat for seven to eight minutes. 


Recipe Tip :

Some people like this recipe cooked in mustard oil. If you wish to use mustard oil, heat it to a smoking point, cool it and then use as normal

Kosha Mangsho: Bengali Mutton Curry

We have always loved eating Kosha Mangsho (Bengali Mutton Curry). Sunday meal was special as it was all part of a routine to cook kosha mangsho in our paternal home. During our growing up years, especially during summer vacation, we would go to visit our paternal homeland. Whole house would start bustling with laughter and contentment of togetherness.
We would be playing with our cousins and our fathers and uncles and aunties would end up chatting with each other or on rare occasion cooking Kosha Mangsho all together.
Making mutton curry/kosha mangsho was one thing when male members in our joint family would find it a way to showcase ones culinary skills and even giving directions to the ladies of the home .Sometimes often giving lectures on the correct amount of spices and onions or ginger or garlic. After all the big hotels have male chef not female chef. Isn’t?
Perhaps that’s why females in our home-Ma, Kakima and Thakuma would then used to ask our all kakus and Baba (My father is the eldest of all brothers) to help out in making Kosha mangsho.
We would then gather round our mother and kakimas to help them out in peeling, chopping, cutting, marinating but not frying the mutton. There were no short- cuts for Freshly Prepared masala paste on Sheel Nora ( a type of Mortar/ Pestle -Sheel nora – grinding stone flab of about 16 inches * 10 inches , and a stone roller of 9 inches, roller is slide into time to time to make a smooth paste of masala over Sheel/Stone flab).

Making Kasha Mangsho, includes grinding onion, garlic and ginger into a smooth paste over Sheel Nora and then deep frying mutton in Kadai or Dekchi at med till the oil separates out, stirring in between and cooking it in at low like a slow pot cooker .Everything used to be slow and smooth, and the taste incomparable, probably there is no substitute for Hard work and the end result smooth gravy and juicy mutton pieces cooked to perfect with spices. One bite and the taste burst into the mouth, whole lot of chemical reactions and salivations makes the dish so relish.
Recipe below is my vague captivation of the vivid memories that I have on my part while growing up.
And I would say I have seen my Ma-in-law making Kosha mangsho this way. Adding potatoes as some of you would say is not part of making Kosha mangsho, but this is how I have seen my Baap’er Bari (Paternal Side) and my Shoshur Bari ( In-laws Side) making Kosha Mangsho.
With the invention of pressure cooker and Mixer grinder , things becomes far easy for us .This recipe is little bit short and time saving as mutton is being cooked in Pressure cooker after deep frying it in kadai , but the originality of taste still is maintained .


Kosha means deep Fry mangsho means Mutton

Bengali Mutton curry750 gms of mutton
3-4 medium size potato cut into half
1-2 tbs of mustard oil for frying potato
3-4 onions
For Marinating the mutton
garlic 10- 1ginger-1 ½ inch
2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of red pepper powder
1 ½ tsp of salt
4 heaped tbs of yogurt
1tsp of garam masala
For tempering
10- 12 black pepper
3 bay leaf
4 whole cardamom ( Gota elaich)
5 cloves (long)
½ inch long cinnamon stick
1 tsp of sugar
½ cup of mustard oil

How To Proceed

Marinating the mutton
Fisrt make a smooth paste of Garlic and Ginger by grinding in Mixer , add little bit of water also.Do the same with onions .
Marinate the mutton with Turmeric powder ,salt ,Coriander powder, Red pepper powder , Yogurt and 1-2 tbs of mustard oil and the garlic /ginger paste and half of the onion paste .Let it sit there for 1-2 hrs.

Heat up a kadai/ heavy bottom Pan ,add 1-2 tbs of mustard oil and fry the potatoes till brown on every side .Take out and keep aside .

Tempering The oil and deep FryingAdd rest of mustard oil and temper it with Black pepper, Cinnamon stick,Bay leaf , whole Cardamom ,Cloves and sugar .Caramelization Of sugar gives a nice Red color to the Mutton gravy .Fry at low for 1 mints . Add the rest of the onion paste, and fry for 3-4 mints till the rawness of the onions is gone.

Add the marinated mutton at this point , deep fry at med for 15-25 mints, TIP-.If the oil comes out by the side of kadai , Mutton is deep fried well .If the mutton is Kochi mangsho it may take few minutes less to deep fry it.
Add fried potatoes and 2 cups of water ( it depends on the gravy you want , if you want a thick gravy don’t add much water)
Transfer the entire fried mutton to Pressure Cooker, add 1tsp of garam masala at this point, one whistle at high and then lower the flame and cook for about 15-17 mints .
Alternately you can cook the entire thing in a deep bottom pan or kadhai at low for 1hrs and make sure it's covered,the gravy will be very dry or makho-makho.
Let it cool and open the pressure cooker pan and sprinkle fresh chopped coriander leaves .
Serve with rice or Loochi /luchi of your choice .
You May want to look some variation of  kosha mangsho and some steps in making Kosha Mangsho  then go here-- Mutton Curry 

Happy Cooking . And Thanks for visiting Calcutta Cabiin.