Monday, September 30, 2013

Tomato Polao

My daughter doesn't like to have rice this days I don’t know why, may be she is bored with the simple dal rice.  So I started to give her Roti, Noodles types of things. But anyhow I felt she needs to have some rice at least once in a day. So I started to make veg polao, egg poalo and she really likes to have little sweet taste rice preparation. Today while making her lunch I thought to try something else so that I can also have, and I made some TOMATO POLAO. She just loved it and me too. I had this before in one of my friend's place but never tried something at home.


A quick one but this is very tasty rice preparation. This dish is very famous in south India as Tomato Rice but i love to call this Tomato Polao. Any kind of veg curry is perfect with this dish but I love to have with a bowl of curd only. 


Ingredients:
1.Raw Rice or Sonamusuri Rice : one cup.
2.Two medium chopped tomato.
3.One medium fresh tomato puree.
4.One small sliced onion.
5.One tea spoon ginger and garlic paste.
6.Few curry leaves.
7.Few mustard seeds.
8.Cumin Powder, Red chili powder: ½ tea spoon of each item. Pinch of turmeric powder.
9.Few clove, 2 cardamom, One small cinnamon stick.
10.One green chili (you can add more).
11.Pinch of kasuri meethi.
12.Few methi leaves.
13.Few coriander leaves for garnishing.
14.Salt and sugar as per taste.
15.sunflower oil: 2 tea spoon
16.Ghee: ½ tea spoon.


Process:

Wash and clean the rice and keep it aside.

In a heavy bottomed vessel add the ghee and the oil, now add the mustard seeds, cardamom, clove and cinnamon stick wait for 30 seconds now add the sliced onions add the curry leaves , Saute for 3 to 4 mints.

Now add the chopped tomato and tomato puree and cook for 3 to 4 mints.

 Now add the ginger garlic paste with all the spices powder and cook till the oil separate.

Now add the kasuri methi, fresh chopped methi leaves and some salt and sugar and mix well.

Now add the washed rice and mix well with everything for few mints.

Now add enough water and cook till the rice done.


Your easy TOMATO POLAO is ready serve hot with raita and sliced onion.





Monday, September 23, 2013

Dahi Paneer or Paneer Cooked in Yogurt Gravy

Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is an important dish at my place or I can say Paneer is a best substitute for non-veg dishes. I love to cook paneer in different ways so that he likes to eat otherwise he only loves Palak Paneer. Few days back in a cookery show I saw a nice paneer dish and that is DAHI PANEER - Paneer cooked with lots of whole spices in yogurt gravy. The taste is really different than any other Paneer dish.



I made this dish in his birthday and he liked it so much and I am really happy for that. I love to add potato in few of the paneer dishes. After I finished cooking somehow I felt if I added potato also this dish would become more tasty. 



Ingredients:
1.Paneer: 100 gm.
2.One small cup of curd.
3.Two table spoon besan or gram flour.
4.One small piece of tomato.
5.One inch ginger.
6.One green chili.
7.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin powder:1/2 tea spoon of each item.
8.Few cumin seeds, Few fenugreek seeds, Few ajwain, Few fennel seeds, Few mustard seeds.
9.Pinch of garam masala.
9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Sunflower oil for cooking.



Process:

Cut the paneer in cube size pieces.

Now add some oil in a vessel lets it become hot now add the paneer pieces and fry for some time and remove it from the vessel and keep it aside.

Add the besan into the curd and mix it nicely and keep it aside. Make a paste with ginger tomato pieces and green chili.

Now add some more oil into the vessel and slowly add all the whole spices (no 8) and allow them to start leaving the smell.

Now add the ginger tomato paste into the vessel and stir for some time. Now add all the spices powder with some salt and sugar and mix well. Cook till the oil come out from the masala.

Now add the curd and besan mixture into the vessel and mix well, cook for a minute.

Now add enough water and the fried paneer pieces and cook with a lid for 5 to 6 mints.



Now remove your DAHI PANEER from heat, now its ready to  serve. Perfect with Roti Paratha or any kind of rice, simple and tasty.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Macher Matha diye Moong Dal

In daily menu one very important and essential dish in my place is DAL/LENTIL, it can be any kind of dal but without a bowl of dal we just can’t think a meal. I try to make different kind of dal so that we are not getting bored with the same thing. One of a very signature DAL of Bengal is MACHER MATHA DIYE MUNG DAL, basically Mung dal cooked with big fish head, preferably RUHU or KATLA. The taste of fish head, whole garam masala and the BHAJA MOONG DAL make the dish a super tasty. 


The recipe courtesy to my maa or I can say all authentic Bengali dish I learnt from my maa only. The garam masala makes it aromatic and few drop of ghee makes it delicious. So this dal can make your lunch or dinner special. 


Ingredients:
1.Yellow Moong Dal: ½ cup.
2.Katla or Ruhu Fish Head: 4 to 5 small piece.
3.One small sliced onion, One medium chopped tomato.
4.One small onion paste.
5.One tea spoon ginger garlic paste.
6.Whole Garam Masala: One Bay Leave, One small cinnamon stick, Two clove, Two cardamom, Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili.
7.Turmeric powder: one tea spoon.
8.Red chili powder: ½ tea spoon.
9.cumin powder: ½ tea spoon.
10.Pinch of garam masala.
11.Bhaja Masla: ½ tea spoon (few cumin seeds, few coriander seeds, 2 to three dry red chili dry roast them and grind them).
12.Salt and sugar as per taste.
13.Mustard oil for cookig.
14.Few drops of ghee.


Process:

First dry roast the dal for few mints, then boil the dal in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside.

Now wash and clean the fish head pieces, sprinkle some turmeric powder and salt on them and mix well.

Now add some mustard oil in a karai and fry the fish head pieces till all the sides fried properly and keep it aside.

Now take another vessel and add some mustard oil allow it to hot, now add all the whole garam masala. Next add the sliced onion and fry till they turn transparent.

Now add the chopped tomato and fry till the tomatoes get melted.

Now add the onion and ginger garlic paste with turmeric powder, cumin powder and red chili powder and cook for 5 mints in medium heat.

Now add some salt and sugar(while boiling the dal we already added some salt so don’t add too much of salt)  and add the fried fish head and cook with the masala till the oil come out.

Now add the boiled dal and mix well. Cook for 5 to 8 mint with a lid.

Now add the garam masala powder and some ghee and mix well and remove from heat. 
Finally sprinkle the bhabja mosla on top.


Your MACHER MATHA DIYE MOONG DAL or MOONG DAL COOKED WITH FISH HEAD is ready serve hot with plain rice.




Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Topse Macher Batter Fry

Fish is one of an item which is always a good main dish for us. And any time any kind of fish curry goes perfect with rice. But some time a simple fried fish also makes your dinner or lunch complete. If it’s a matter of fried fish then I always love to have small fish. There are so many small fishes which we love to have fried rather than the curry. And among them one of my favorite fish is TOPSE FISH or MANGO FISH. 





But this fish is usually fried with a thick batter and that’s the specialty of this fried fish. I learnt the recipe from my cousin sister she makes this TOPSE FRY in all special days because we all cousins love this. After a long search I got the fish from the Bangladeshi shop and I am more than happy. We had a wonderful lunch with this fried fish last Sunday. 



Ingredients:
1.Topse or Mango Fish: 6 medium size.
2.Egg: 1.
3.All-purpose flour: 2 table spoon.
4.Corn flour: 2 table spoon.
5.Pinch of Baking soda.
6.Ginger & Garlic Paste: 1 tea spoon.
7.Half tea spoon turmeric powder.
8.Two green chili paste.
9.Pinch of red chili powder.
10.Salt as per taste.
11.Mustard oil for frying.



Process:

Wash and clean the fish pieces, now sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder on them and marinate the fish pieces. 



Now make a thick batter with flour, egg, corn flour, salt, baking soda, ginger garlic paste, green chili paste, some turmeric powder and red chili powder.

Now add some oil in a karai, now take one fish and dip the fish into the batter and deep fry them in medium heat till both the side fried properly. Now soak the extra oil in a paper towel. 
Repeat the same with all the fishes. 



Your hot and crispy TOPSE MACHER BATTER FRY is ready serve hot with plain rice and dal.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Chanar Jalebi : A Traditional Bengali Sweet in a Different Way

In India almost in every month there comes some festival to celebrate. Maharastra and other parts of India is now celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Ganesh is son of Lord Durga and Lord Shiv. He is the symbol of prosperity and he has the power to fulfill your wish as I know from my grandmother. 



I once attended this festival in Pune. I love the way they arrange everything and specially the ARATI. I have a small Ganesh at home so I just made some sweets to please him. Wish all my friends a happy Ganesh Chaturthi. 

I made some CHANAR JALEBI which is an authentic sweet dish of Bengal. A very easy and tasty sweet dish to celebrate this auspicious day of GANESH CHATURTHI.



Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: ½ cup.
2.Milk Powder: 1 cup.
3.Baking Powder: 1 tea spoon.
4.Ghee: 1 tea spoon.
5.Heavy cream: 1 cup.
6.Few cardamom seeds.
7.Sugar: 2 cup.
8.Water 4 cup.
9.Vegetable oil.



Process:

In a heavy bottomed vessel add the water and sugar and start making the sugar syrup. After its start boiling add the cardamom seeds. Boil it in high heat for 7 to 8 mints now remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Now in a bowl add the milk powder, flour and the baking powder and whisked together now add the ghee and mix well.

Now slowly add the cream and make soft dough.



Now make 12 to 14 balls with the dough. Take each ball and start rolling it with two of your hand and make a long rope.

Now take one corner and join in middle and same way take the other end and twist it like a pretzel shape , or as shown in the picture. Repeat the same with all the balls. 





Now add oil in karai, deep fry the CHANAR JALEBI’S in low heat till both the sides turn brownish. Remove from heat.

Now soak the fried CHANAR JALEBI’S into the sugar syrup. 



Garnish them with few pistachios enjoy this lovely dish with your family.



Sunday, September 8, 2013

Veg Sandwich: My Simple Brunch.

Most of the mornings I get really busy with my daughter and all my household works, so I don’t get time to have my breakfast in time. So I prefer to make brunch for me. It’s time saving and perfect for a busy day. I know skipping breakfast is not a good job but some time we are helpless. One of my very favorite brunch items is simple VEG SANDWICH with a slice of fruit or any Juice.



Today I was really busy with my cleaning and washing so very quickly I made this sandwich for my brunch. And my daughter loves this too which is really good for me because she is very choosy about food. This type of sandwich is good for lunch box and small picnic also.



Ingredients:
1.Normal Bread: 2 piece.
2.Finely chopped carrots, Onions, Green peppers and green peas: ½ cup.
3.One medium size boiled potato.
4.One slice cheddar cheese.
5.One table spoon bread crumbs.
6.Pinch of black pepper powder.
7.Salt and sugar as per taste.
8.One tea spoon butter.
9.One tea spoon vegetable oil.

For Chutney:
1.Chopped coriander leaves: a hands full.
2.Few mint leaves.
3.One green chili.
4.Very little amount of ginger.
5.Salt and sugar as per taste.



Process:

For making chutney, in a blender add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, ginger and green chili and blend it. Now add the lime juice and little salt and sugar mix well. Your coriander chutney is ready for sandwich.



Now in a vessel add the oil and slowly add the chopped veggies with some salt, sugar and black pepper powder and cook for 5 to 6 mint in low flame with a lid. Now remove from heat.

Now smash the boiled potato with a pinch of salt, now make two small balls with that. Take one ball in your palm and flatten it now add the cooked veggies on top of that. Now take the other ball and flatten it with the hand and cover the veggies and make a stuffed round flat shape ball. 

Sprinkle some bread crumbs all over the stuffed ball. Now in a frying pan add some oil and pan fry the stuffed flat ball till both the side turn brown. Now remove from heat.

Take one bread spread some butter first, now spread the coriander chutney, now place the cheese slice on top. Now place the fried stuffed ball on top. Now take the other bread and spread some chutney now place the bread on the top of the stuffed ball (the side you spread the chutney must be on down).



Now in dry frying pan in medium heat place the sandwich and fry both the sides till they turn little crispy and brownish do it very carefully.



Your easy and super first VEG SANDWICH is ready enjoy your brunch. 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Chocolate Cookies: For All Chocolate Lovers.

When I started my blog that time I thought it’s may be a time pass for me, but slowly I got addicted with my blog. Every day I started to cook something new which I love to share with my friends. Previously my photos were not good but slowly I learnt how to improve, still I have to improve a lot. When someone appreciates my works that gives me so much of energy to work on my next post, and today I am posting my 200th recipe. This is really a big achievement for me. 



To celebrate my special day I baked some easy CHOCOLATE COOKIES for the very first time. They turned out just perfect and I am so happy to share this with all of you. Cookies are really a favorite item for all of us and handmade cookies are always the best. These cookies are for my daughter and all the chocolate lovers. 



Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: 1-1/4 cup.
2.Egg: 2.
3.Butter: 1/4 cup softened.
4.Canola oil: 6 table spoon.
5.Brown Sugar: ¾ cup.
6.Sugar: ½ cup.
7.Baking cocoa Powder: ½ cup
8.Baking Powder: ½ tea spoon.
9.Vanila extract: 1 tea spoon.
10.Few Chopped almonds.



Process:

In a bowl beat the butter and oil, then add the sugar and beat well. 

Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

Now add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Now in a separate bowl add the flour, baking cocoa and baking powder and combine together.

Now gradually add to butter mixture and mix well.

Now add the chopped almonds.



Now take one large oven proof tray, place an ungreased butter paper on top.

Now place one tea spoon of cookie batter into the tray (there should be enough place between the cookies to rise).



Now bake them in 350F for 10 to 15 mints or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 1 mint before removing from the pans.

Mawa Malpua: Indian Pan Cake (Sweet).

A very easy and famous Bengali sweet dish is Malpua not only in Bengal, in northern part of India also Malpua is a very famous sweet dish. More or less the way of cooking is almost same. I learnt making Malpua from my grand maa but she used to deep fry them but I love to pan fry the Malpua’s. This one is a signature festival sweet dish. In my home my MAA used to make Malpua’s during any Puja. 



In the auspicious day of Janmasthami I made this Malpua’s to celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday. Malpua is a very good dessert to serve for your guests also. I made this malpua with some Khoya so this one is little different than the normal Malpua and it’s call MAWA MALPUA.



Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: 1 ½ cup.
2.Suji or Semolina: ½ cup.
3.Grated coconut: ½ cup.
4.Khoya or Milk Powder: ½ cup.
5.Grated Paneer or Indian Cottage cheese: 2 table spoon.
6.Few fennel seeds.
7.Pinch of baking powder.
8.Milk : 1 cup (if you need more you can add).
9.Sunflower oil for frying.

Sugar Syrup:
1.Sugar: 1 cup.
2.Water: ½ cup.
3.Few cardamom seeds.
4.Few saffron strands.



Process:

In a big bowl add the flour, baking powder, coconut, mawa or khoya, suji, grated paneer, fennel seeds and mix together. 

Now add the milk slowly and make a thick batter if you need more milk you can add but the batter need to look like thick as pan cake batter.

Now in different vessel add the sugar water saffron strands and the cardamoms and make thick sugar syrup. Just in high flame boil everything for 5 to 6 mints now remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Now take one pan and spread some oil in medium heat, now spread some batter in middle of the pan, fried till both the side turn brown. 

Now remove from the heat and put the malpua into the sugar syrup and soak it for 3 to 4 mints. Now remove the malpua from the syrup and keep it in a plate. Now repeat the same process till the batter finish. 



Now serve hot or cold, enjoy this mouthwatering MALPUA'S with your family