Doi Mach or Fish Cooked in Yogurt Gravy

Fish cooked with yogurt is a delicacy from West Bengal. If you search in Google you will get plenty of varieties but my Ma cooked the Doi Mach in a very simple method but the smell of the dish makes you hungry. Only with few items she used to cook the fish curry. Yesterday night I made the fish curry like her but I felt Ma makes it far better than me.

The main ingredients of the dish is Big size Fish and lots of yogurt. I made few little changes to make it little different and I am successful.  Ruhu or katla is just the perfect fish for this recipe but if you have fish filet then also you can cook with them and the taste will be the same only. 

Preparation time: 5 mints.
Cooking time: 40 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Ruhu or Katla fish : 4 pieces.
2.A small sliced onion.
3.Half tea spoon grated ginger.
4.Half tea spoon grated garlic.
5.Two to three split green chilies.
6.Half tea spoon Red chili Powder, Half tea spoon coriander Powder, 
A pinch of turmeric powder, A pinch of Garam Masala Powder. 
7.Half cup well bitten yogurt.
9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Few cumin seeds, Few black pepper, Few clove.
11.Mustard oil for cooking.
12.Half tea spoon ghee.

Process:
Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Fry the fish pieces and keep it aside.

Now add some oil and ghee in a vessel and add the cumin seeds, clove and black pepper when they start crackle add the sliced onions and fry till they become golden brown.

Now add the grated ginger and garlic and fry for some time and add the yogurt and cook till the yogurt become reddish.

Now add the red chili powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar and cook till the oil come out.
Now add some warm water and add the fried fish pieces and cook with a lid in very low flame for 15-20 mints.

Now remove the lid and add the garam masala powder and add the split green chilies, and again cook with a lid for another 10 mints. 

The Doi Mach is ready serve hot with plain rice.

Garlic Prawn Deshi Style

Few things always remind us few memories too. Few memories are really close to our heart also. We never forget all those days of our life. In my school days we had a neighbor, they were from Tripura. Uncle transfered to our place so they started staying in a rented house near our home. Still I remember the face of aunty because almost every day she used to visit our place with something. And seriously I really waited for her to come. She is a terrific cook, and few of the items are just too good. Still I remember one of her Prawn item which my Ma also cooks after learning the recipe from aunty.

Few ingredients are always good with prawn like Coconut and Mustard and she used to add garlic so I named the dish is Garlic Prawn Deshi style. With plain rice this one is just too good.

Ingredients:

1.Medium size Prawn: 150 gm.
2.Half cup grated coconut.
3.Half chopped tomato.
4.Four to five clove of garlic.
5.Two green chilies.
6.One table spoon White Mustard.
7.Few cashew nuts.
8.Few raisins.
9.One tea spoon Turmeric Powder, A pinch of Amchur Powder.
10.Few Kalonji. Two split green chlies.
11.Salt and sugar as per taste.
12.Mustard oil for cooking you can use sunflower oil too.

Process:

Wash and clean the prawns. Now marinate them with some turmeric powder and salt.
Add oil in a vessel and shallow fry the Prawns and keep it aside.

In a grinder add no 2 to no 8 ingredients as mentioned above and make a smooth paste with some water. Add the turmeric powder and aamchur powder also into the mixture.

Now add some more oil in a vessel and add the KAlonji and split green chilies after few seconds add the Masala paste with some salt and sugar and cook till the oil come out.

Now add the fried prawn pieces and stir for some time. Next add some warm water and cook with a lid till the gravy become thick.

The garlic and coconut smell makes the gravy a spectacular. Serve hot with plain rice.

Moong Dal or Lentil with Cabbage

A daily meal cannot be complete without a bowl of Dal or Lentil. Me and my husband can’t think rice without any kind of dal. In my kitchen almost every day I have to cook daal, that’s why love to prepare different kind of Dal too. 

My Ma in-law prepares a special dal with Cabbage which is really one of our favorite items.  She prepares this one with Matar Dal but unfortunately I don’t have Matar Dal so I prepared with Moong Dal and extra I add few more vegetables like Pumpkin, Beans etc. Its turned out really too good. This recipe is for those who love different kind of Dal like us.

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Moong Dal or Matar Dal: 100 gm.
2.Cabbage cut into big pieces: one small bowl.
3. Pumpkin: Cut into cube size (10 to 12 pieces).
4.Beans cut into small pieces: Half cup.
5.Few kalonji.
6.Two dry red chili.
7.One tea spoon turmeric powder, Half tea spoon cumin powder.
8.Salt & sugar as per taste.
9.Mastard oil (u can use sunflower oil too).

Process:

Dry roast the Moong dal then boiled it in a pressure cooker with the turmeric powder and some salt.

Now add some oil in a vessel and add the Kalonji and dry red after few seconds add all the vegetables and fry for some time.

When the vegetables are become little soft add the boiled dal with some water and sugar. Cook with a lid till the vegetables are cooked.

Enjoy with plain Rice or Roti.

Lau Chingri or Bottlegourd and Prawn Curry

Lau, Kaddu, Bottle gourd is one more favorite vegetable of mine. One of a very famous Bengali Delicasy is Lau Chingri or Prawn & Bottle gourd Curry. Among the entire authentic Bengali dishes Lau Chingri is one of the famous one. Many people cook the dish in various ways. I followed my Ma’s recipe.

But the saddest part is that my husband doesn't like it that’s why I really don’t feel like to cook for myself only. While reading on Bengali Novel the moment I read about Lau Chingri or Prawn & Bottle gourd Curry I can’t resist myself, and cooked some Lau Chingri for myself only. But the moral of the story is my husband eats almost all the prawns I just finished my dinner with the Lau or Bottle gourd only. 

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Medium size Prawns : 150gm.
2.A small Bottlegourd  (cut into small cube size).
3.One tea spoon Ginger and Green Chili paste.
4. Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder (Half tea spoon of each item).
5.Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili , One small bay leave.
6.Salt and sugar as per taste.
7.Mustard oil or sunflower oil for cooking. 

Process:

Marinate the prawns with little turmeric powder and salt and shallow fry them in little oil. Keep it aside.

Now add some oil in a vessel and add the cumin seeds, Dry Red chili and Bay leave after few second and the Bottle gourd pieces into the vessel and fry for some time.

Now add all the spice powder into the ginger and green chili paste with some water. And add the mixture into the vessel with some salt and sugar and cook till the oil come out.

Now add the fried prawn pieces and stir for some time. Now add some warm water and cook till the  Bottle gourd cooked nicely and all the water evaporate.

Served hot with Plain Rice.

Chicken Rogan Josh

 

In Chennai once we went in a restaurant where we had a nice Mutton Rogan josh but after that hardly I had that. Yesterday when I called my elder sister she told me that she just finished Mutton Rogan Josh for her weekend guests. After that I feel like to have that now only. But here very difficult to get good mutton and my husband doesn’t like Lamb. So what to do I started thinking and finally came to an end and prepared Chicken Rogan Josh. Rogan Josh is a authentic Kasmiri Dish. I searched lots of web in Google and finally followed Sanjeev Kapoors Mutton Rogan josh recipe, just istead of mutton I used chicken. And I made few changes just because it’s Chicken. And the dish turned out really superb.

 

To satisfy our taste buds any how we find out the alternative and after finish the cooking we realize that we made something good, And that’s satisfy ourselves.  After having the dish my hubby dear was so happy because he told me to cook Mutton Rogan Josh in our next Vacation in Kolkata. But friends seriously I am telling you this one is really different.

 

Preparation time: 15 mints.
Cooking time: 1 hr.
Serve for 2 people.

Ingredients:
1.Chicken :  4 Big pieces ( I used leg and breast).
2.One large sliced onion.
3.One small chopped tomato.
4.Two table spoon well bitten curd.
5.One table spoon Kashmiri Red chili Powder, Half tea spoon normal red chili powder.
6.Half tea spoon fennel powder, A pinch of asafetida, Half tea spoon coriander powder.
7.One bay Leave, Two clove, Two cardamom, One small cinnamon stick.
8.Salt and sugar as per taste.
9.Mustard oil for cooking (u can use sunflower oil too).

Process:
Marinate the chicken pieces with some salt, red chili powder and coriander powder for 30 mints.

Now add oil in a vessel and add all the whole garam masala, after few second add the sliced onions and cook till the onions are become brown.

Now add the chopped tomato and fry for some time.

Now add the marinated chicken pices and keep cooking till the oil come out.

Now add some warm water along with the salt and sugar and cook in medium flame with a lid till the chickens are 65% done.

Now open the lid and add the Kashmiri red chili powder (don’t add it directly just add some water into it before adding) mix nicely. Now add the bitten curd and fennel powder and cook the chicken in low flame for another 20 to 25 mints.



Switch off the gas when a nice color comes out. Serve hot with Rice or Roti or Paratha.

Prawn Polao

Prawn + Rice is a perfect and favorite combination for both of us. And with this combination one of our favorite dish is Prawn Polao. Prawn cooked with Basmati rice and spices is a delicious dish to relish. Most of  the time we don’t want any side dish with Prawn Polao, because the dish itself is a complete meal.

The specialty of the dish is coconut milk instead of plain milk you need to add, the coconut milk which gave the dish a different flavor. I got the recipe form one of a leading Bengali Magazine “Sananda” long time back. Almost all of my guests like this dish from my kitchen. 

Ingredients:

1.Basmati Rice:One cup.

2.Medium Size Prawn :15 to 18 piece.

3.One medium chopped onion.

4.One small sliced fried onion.

5.Two dry red chili, Two clove, Two cardamom, One small Sinnamon stick.

6.Half tea spoon ginger & garlic paste.

7.Frozen peas: A handsfull.

7.A pinch of turemeric, Half tea spoon Kashmiri red chili powder.

8. A pinch of Shahi Polao Masala (I used Everest Shahi Polao Masala). (Optional)

9.Half cup coconut Milk.

10.Salt And Sugar as per taste.

11.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Soaked the rice for 3 mints, and make a fine paste with dry red chili, clove, cardamom and cinnamon stick.

Now marinate the prawn with ginger and garlic paste salt and turmeric powder for 15 mints.

Now add oil in a vessel and shallow fry the prawns and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil and add the chopped onions and fry till the onions are transparent. Now add the red chili masala paste with some salt and sugar and cook for few mints.

Now add the frozen peas and fried prawns and cook for some time.

Finally add the soaked rice and the shahi Poalo Masala and stir for 3 to 4 mints.

Now add the coconut milk and half cup warm water and cover with a lid. Cook till the rice done.

 

Garnish with the fried onions and serve hot with Raita.

Mysore Pak

Every day is a new day for us and daily we can learn something from others. A new thing always makes us thrill and excited too. I never feel shy to ask people. Whatever new thing I see every day, without hesitation I ask the person about that.

Few days before we went for a dinner party in one of my Telugu friends place and almost most of the items were cooked by her mother in-law who came from Hyderabad few days before. The foods were really too good. And among all of them I like the Sweet dish most. She prepared a nice MYSORE PAK sweet. How can I stop myself to ask her about the recipe? She is really too good ,yesterday she came at my home and not only she described me the recipe so well she only made the sweet for me. Thank you aunty for sharing the recipe with me. 

This sweet belongs to Mysore Karnataka. People used to say that the sweet was first made in the Palace of Mysore that’s why the name of the sweet dish is Mysore Pak. This sweet is made with lots of Ghee (clarified butter) Besan or Gram Flour and sugar. While making the sweet you have to take care of the measurement. We really enjoyed the sweet and the smell of the Ghee.

Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.One cup Besan or Gram Flour.
2.One cup Ghee or Clarified Butter.
3.Two cup of sugar.
4.Pinch of cardamom powder.

Process:

Make thick sugar syrup with two cup of sugar and one cup of water. The syrup should be that thick like liquid gum.

Now add the ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel and after it melt properly add the gram flour into the vessel and stir continuously.

When the besan mix nicely with the ghee and a nice color come out add the sugar syrup and the cardamom powder into the vessel and mix well.

When you able to see some bubbles are there into the mixture and the texture become sticky switch off the gas.

Now take one plate or vessel and grease with some ghee and then put all the mixture into that. Keep it in fridge for 5 mints. Now cut into small pieces.

Your Mysore Pack is ready serve as dessert.

Matar Paneer Veg Version (No onion No Garlic)

Among all task one of my tough job is to think about what to cook. For daily lunch and dinner this is the difficult job for all of us. In the Poush Sankranti day we used to have vegetarian food for the day. We dont even use the Onion and Garlic also. I prepared some simple Matar Paneer without onion and garlic. It’s really perfect for any veg day.

I made this dish with Paneer or Dry cottage Cheese, potato and Matar or Peas. Very easy to make but the taste is just too good. If you want you can add some chopped Cashew nuts also in the gravy.

Preparation time: 10 mint.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Paneer: 100 gm. (cut into cube size).
2.One medium potato (cut into cube size).
3.One tea spoon ginger and green chili paste.
4.One small chopped Tomato.
5.Peas: A hands full.
6.Turmeric powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red chili Powder (half tea spoon of each item).
7.Clove:2, Cardamom :2, Cinnamon: a small piece. One small bay leave, Few cumin seeds
8.Pinch of garam masala powder.
9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Sunflower oil for cooking.
11. Half tea spoon of ghee.

Process:

Add some oil in a vessel and fry the paneer pieces till they become golden brown and keep them aside.

Now fry the potato pieces till they become golden brown and keep them aside.

Now add some more oil in a vessel. And add whole garam masala, cumin seeds and bay leave. 
After few seconds add the chopped tomato and cook for few mints.

Now make a mixture with all the spice powder and ginger and chili paste with some water and add them into the vessel with some salt and sugar.

After 3 to 4 mints add the frozen peas and cook till the oil come out.

Now add the fried potato and fried paneer’s and mix well with the masala. Add little warm water and cover with lid. Cook till the gravy become thick and the potato boiled properly.

Now remove the lid and add the garam masala powder and ghee. Serve hot with Rice, Polao or Roti.

Macher Chop or Fish Chop

We Bengalis love fish in every way. There are plenty of fish dishes which we used to have, among all of them one of our very favorite fish items is Macher chop or Fish Chop which is a very famous Bengali Delicacy. A very popular and easy dish which we like to have as starter. I got the recipe from my cousin sister and tried to make like her. 

For making this Macher Chop all we need a big fish (you can take any fish), because with big fish only the taste becomes perfect. This one is famous as starter. Last night I had one small potluck party for this only I made this Macher chop and it came out so well. 

Ingredients:

1.Any big Fish of your choice : 4 piece.
2.One medium chopped onion.
3.One tea spoon garlic paste.
4.One clove chopped garlic.
5.One table spoon lime juice.
6.Two to three chopped green chilies. 
7.One piece of bread.
7.Half tea spoon of cumin powder & Red chili powder.
8.A pinch of Chaat Masala and Garam Masala powder.
9.One well beaten egg.
10.Five to six table spoon bread crumb
11.One table spoon all-purpose flour.
12.Salt and sugar as per taste.
13.Sunflower oil.

Process:

Boiled the fish pieces and remove the bones now smashed the fish pieces. Then add some salt , lime juice and the bread piece (before add the bread piece put some water into the bread and squeeze it)  into the smashed fish and mix well.

Now put some oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic after few seconds add the chopped onion and fry for some time. Now add the garlic paste and star for some time.

Now add the smashed fish mixture into the pan and mix well with everything.

Slowly add the all the spice powder with some salt and sugar and cook till the mixture become dry and raw smell goes off.

Now make small flat balls with the mixture and first roll them into all-purpose flour then dip into the beaten egg, finally roll them into the bread crumb and keep them in refrigerator for 5 to 10 mints.

Now deep fry them in low flame and served hot with Ketchup and salad.  

Poush Sankranti special Chandrapuli

One more special day for us to celebrate, In West Bengal Makar Sankranti, in Assam Bihu, In Punjab Lohri, In Tamilnadu Pongal and the list goes on .  Almost every part of India celebrate this special auspicious day which is actually a Harvest Festival.  We Indians celebrate all the festival in fullest.  The specialty of Makar Sankranti in WB is, the farmers cut the new crops and from that rice (flour) they make some sweet dishes to celebrate. But different people make different kind of sweet dishes or Pithe to celebrate the special day. 

 I think almost in every house Maa, Grnad Maa’s are busy making the Pithe for this special day. My Grand Maa used to make so many different  kind of Pithe on the day and in almost all the dishes she used to add date palm Jaggery or Khejur er gur. The smell of the jaggery and coconut is just awesome. I tried to make one of her very special sweet Chandrapuli, which is really famous delicacy in WB. My maa only gave me all the special tips to make this Chandrapuli.

Milk, Khoya, coconut, Date Palm Jaggery are the main ingredients of this sweet dish. First time I prepared this so I am little scared also.

Ingredients:
For inner filling:
1.One cup shredded coconut. (make a paste with some water in a grinder)

 2.Two big cup thick milk.
3.Khoya: 50 gm.
4.Half cup sugar.
5.Three to four table spoon date palm jaggery.

For outer shell:
1.All-purpose flour: 150 gm.
2.Half cup shredded coconut.
3.Half cup sooji or semolina.
4.Three  table spoon sugar.
5.A pinch of salt (optional).
6.A pinch of cardamom powder.
7.One table spoon of ghee.
7.Ghee or sunflower oil for deep frying.

For sugar syrup:
1.Two cup of sugar.
2.One cup of water.
3.Few cardamom.

Prcoess:
For sugar Syrup:
Make thick sugar syrup with sugar and water. When its start boiling add the cardamom pieces. And keep it aside. 

To make the inner filling:

In a heavy bottomed vessel add the milk and the coconut paste and cook till the milk become half.

Now add the khoya, sugar, and date palm jaggery and cook till the mixture become dry and stick together.

For outer shell:

Mix all the ingredients together with some water and make one  dough.

Now make small balls with the dough and flatten each ball with your fingers in the shape of a bowl (the shell would be medium thin). Now add one spoon of filling mixture into the shell bowl and bring together both the edges and it will get the shape of half-moon.

Now deep fry them in medium heat in Ghee (but if you want you can fry them in sunflower oil also) till both the sides become golden brown and after that soaked them into the sugar syrup. Leave it their till the sugar stuck with the Chandrapuli’s like gum.

Serve hot or cold.

-