Narkel Patol

Finally it’s time to celebrate Bengali’s the most waited festival which comes every year to give us enormous joy and happiness.  And as we all know bong festivals starts and ends with lots of yummy foods.  Every year this time I love to post some traditional recipes so this year my Durga Puja festival starts with some NARKEL PATOL OR COCONUT PARWAL.

The ingredients are very common but with the taste of Patol and coconut makes this dish supper tasty. This is a vegetarian recipe so like me who usually have veg food on SASTHI this recipe is really a perfect choice for them.

Ingredients:

1.Patol or Parwal: 8 to 10 pieces ( scrap and cut from the middle)

2.One large tomato paste.

3.One inch ginger paste.

4.One small cup grated coconut.

5. Cashew nuts paste: 2 table spoon.

6.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder ( half tea spoon of each item)

7.Salt and sugar as per taste.

8.Few cumin seeds, one bay leaf, one cardamom, 2 clove.

9.Half cup milk, Half cup water.

10.Half tea spoon ghee.

11.Canola oil for cooking.

Process:

First wash and clean the patols, now sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside.

Now add some oil in a heavy vessel and shallow fry the patol pieces till they turn little golden in every side and keep it aside.

Now in the same vessel add some more oil, and slowly add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and clove after few seconds add the tomato paste and cook for some time.

Now add the ginger paste with all the spices powder and cook for some time.

Now add some salt and sugar and cook it for some time till the oil separate.

Now add the grated coconut and cashew nuts paste and cook in low flame.

Now slowly add the milk and water and mix well with gravy, and finally add the fried patol pieces and cook with a cover in medium flame for 10 to 12 mints. (if you feel u can cook in low flame for 15 mints)

Before turning off the gas just sprinkle the ghee on the top.

Serve hot with plain rice or poori.

Yellow Dal Fry

After a long break I am here again in my blog. Due to some other priorities I was not able to post any new recipes in my blog and for that I am really very sorry to all my followers. As a foodie I never stopped to cook good food but any how didn't manage to take photos and write recipes. Missing my blog and page very much so no more regrets because I am not going to stop cooking.

As a daily routine I need to cook dal at my home because without a dal my husband doesn't want to eat. So often I try to find out a new dal recipe. Last week one of my friends called us for dinner and she prepared some nice YELLOW DAL FRY. The taste of the dal was  really awesome so I didnt stop myself to prepare it at home to share with all of u.

Ingredients:

1.Mixed Dal: half cup.

2.One large chopped onion.

3.One large chopped tomato.

4.One tea spoon ginger garlic paste.

5.Turmeric powder, Rec chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder (half tea spoon of each item).

6.Salt and sugar as per taste.

7.Sunflower oil for cooking.

For Tarka:

1.Few cumin seeds, 2 dry red chili, 1 bay leaf.

2.One tea spoon chopped garlic.

3.One tea spoon chopped ginger.

4.One tea spoon Kashmiri red chili powder.

5.One table spoon ghee.

6.chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Process:

Wash and soak the dal for 30 mints.

Now in a pressure cooker add some oil, allow it to hot now add the chopped onion and chopped tomatoes and cook till the onions are transparent.

Now add the ginger and garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes off. Now add some salt and sugar and mix well.

Now in bowl add all the spices powder and mixed with some water and add it to the cooker and cook it till the oil separate.

Now add the soaked dal (without the water) and cook for few mints.

Now add some water (around one cup) and cook till 4 to 5 whistle.

Your dal is ready now time for tarka.

In a small pan add half off the ghee and the Kashmiri red chili powder and fry for some time, now sprinkle it on top of the dal.

Now in the same pan add rest of the ghee and slowly add the cumin seeds, dry red chili, bay leaf, chopped ginger and garlic and fry for some time.

Now sprinkle it on top of the dal, and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

Your YELLOW DAL FRY is ready serve hot with plain rice or roti.

Chicken Seekh Kabab

Since morning I wanted to cook something special for dinner but I wanted to prepare something easy and tasty too. I asked my husband and he suggested to prepare some CHICKEN KABAB. I made my mind and prepared some SEEKH KABAB. Kabab’s are specially from IRAN but now it’s a famous dish in all over the world. There are so many different types of kabab but among all SEEKH KABAB is very old and authentic one.

The specialty of the kabab is you need some minced chicken that makes SEEKH KABAB different from any other kabab. With some very simple ingredients you can easily make this at home. We had a awesome dinner with this SEEKH KABAB hope this recipe will help you to make some nice kabab’s.

Ingredients:

1.Minced chicken: 500 gm.

2.One small onion paste.

3.Few pepper corn.

4.Few cloves.

5.One black cardamom.

6.Two table spoon of bread crumbs.

7.One table spoon corn flour.

8.One table spoon chana dal

9.Two to three chopped green chilies.

10.Chopped fresh coriander leaves: a handful.

11.One table spoon lime juice.

12.One beaten egg.

13.Salt as per taste.

14.Half tea spoon red chili powder. Half tea spoon chaat masala.

15.Oil 2 table spoon.

16. Skewers.

Process:

Pre heat the oven in 475 F.

Make some fine powder with the clove, cardamom, pepper corn and chana dal.

Now in a big bowl add the minced chicken, onion paste, masala and chana dal powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt, lime juice, mix well and keep it in refrigerator for 30 mints.

After 30 mints take out the bowl from the fridge now add the beaten egg, bread crumbs, corn flour, chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leaves, one table spoon oil and mix well.

Now make some equal shape balls with the mixture and now pat the mixture with hands onto skewers and shape like kababs. (If you using bamboo skewer please soak them into water for 10 mints).

Now place the skewers in the grill rack and grill it for 15 to 18 mints or till it done.

Now take out the rack from the oven, the juicy tasty SEEKH KABAB is ready, sprinkle some lime juice and chaat masala on top and serve hot.

Bengali Mutton Curry: Nababarsha Special (Kachi Pathar Jhol)

Today is Bengali New Year নববর্ষ  ১৪২১, a special day which is very close to all of our heart. I remember in my childhood days we three sisters used to wear a new dress to celebrate the special day. Our morning used to start with new dress then lots of good food. Bengalis are always known as a foodie and that’s why we don’t leave any special day to celebrate with lots of authentic foods. And I don’t think without a special bowl of Mutton Curry or KACHI PATHAR JHOL any Bengali occasion complete.

This year for the very first time I prepared some BENGALI MUTTON CURRY in my maa’s style. I learnt the entire authentic recipe from my maa only. This mutton curry is a very common dish for all Bengali or I can say a must desire for all Bengalis Sunday lunch menu. My maa used to cook this in pressure cooker but I cooked in a Karai but to make it soft I cooked for almost 1 ½ hours. With plain rice this dish will make us very happy.

Ingredients:

1.Mutton: 600 gm.

2.Two medium sliced onion.

3.One inch ginger.

4.6 to 7 clove garlic.

5.Two green chili.

6.One small onion paste.

7.One small chopped tomato.

8.Two to three potatoes cut into halves.

9.Turmeric powder: ½ tea spoon.

10.Red chili powder: ½ tea spoon.

11.Garam Masal Powder: ½ tea spoon.

12.Whole garam Masala: 1 bay leave, few clove, 1 black cardamom, 1 dry red chili, 1 small cinnamon stick.

13.Salt and sugar as per taste.

14.Dry curd: 1 table spoon.

15.Vinegar: 1 table spoon.

16.Mustard oil for cooking.

Process:

First make a smooth paste with the ginger, garlic and green chilies.

Now wash and clean the mutton pieces, now marinate them with salt, vinegar, curd, half of the ginger garlic and green chili paste and one table spoon of mustard oil and mix well. Now keep it in refrigerator for 30 mints.

Now add some oil in a karai and fry the potato pieces till they turn golden brown and keep it aside.

Now on the same vessel add all the whole garam masala and wait till the aroma comes out, now add some sugar and the sliced onions and fry till they turn golden brown.

Next add the onion paste and rest of the ginger garlic and green chili paste and mix well. Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and some salt and cook till the masala start leaving oil.

Now add the marinated mutton and mix well, and cook with a cover for 15 mints.

Now remove the heat and add the fried potato pieces and cook in low flame with a lid for another 15 mints just check in between. 

After that you can put all the curry in a cooker with two cup of hot water and cook till 4 whistle. 

But I cooked in the karai only so after that I add one cup of hot water and cook in medium heat for 40 to 45 mints. Just add the garam masala powder in between and check that you need to add more salt or not.

Now remove from the heat, the blackish little reddish little oily my favorite mutton curry is ready serve hot with plain rice.

Note:(if you are not going to cook the curry in the cooker then after 15- 20 mints just take out the potato pieces from the gravy otherwise they will melt. just add them again before switch of the flame).

Nalen Gurer Sandesh: Poila Baisakh Special.

We all are getting ready for our Bengali New Year or Banglaনববর্ষ  ১৪২১, this is a very special and remarkable day for us. The Bengali new calendar starts from this Nabo Barsha or Poila Baisakh.  At the same time some other states of India also celebrate the day like Baishakhi in Punjab. And also Jharkhand, Tripura, Orissa people celebrate this Bengali New Year.

In this special day we all cook so many varieties of Bengali Cuisine, and I am not any exception. So my kitchen and I are ready to prepare some special Naba Barsha Special dishes. And today I prepared some very authentic ‘ NALEN GURER SANDESH’  specially made with homemade chana or cottage cheese and Nolen gur or jaggerry. My husband brought some original Nelen gur from Kolkata which is the best thing you can get from Bengal. And my Maa sent some CHAACH or BASE to make some nice shaped sweets. A very easy recipe to all my friends and wish you all শুভ নববর্ষ ১৪২১ !!

Ingredients:

1.Full cream milk: 1 liter.

2.Vinegar: half cup.

3.Water : Half cup.

4.Freshly crushed cardamom: a pinch of.

5.Nalen gur or jaggery: ½ cup.

6.One table spoon ghee.

7.One table spoon milk powder.

8.Chaach or base to make sweets.( you can make without chaach also)

Process:

In a heavy bottomed vessel first add the milk and keep stirring till it start boil. The moment its starts boil add the one cup of vinegar and water mixture and boil for some more time till the chana came out and the green water separate from the chana.

Now drain the chana and water in a cotton cloth and wash the chana with some cold water so the smell of vinegar goes off.

Now squish the extra water and hang the chana for 5 to 6 hours.

Now after 5 to 6 hours smash the chana in a blender till the smooth texture.

Now in a vessel add the ghee allow it to hot, now add the smashed chana and the cardamom powder and mix well.

Now add the nalen gur and keep stirring till it become completely dry. Now add the milk powder and mix well.

Now remove from the heat and you can make your sandesh in any shape but I use some ‘CHAACH’.  First make some equal size balls with the dough then rub some ghee in the CHAACH then slowly press each ball into the CHAACH and carefully take out the sandesh form the CHAACH.

Your easy and authentic Nelen Gurer Sandesh is ready serve and enjoy.

Keema Matar

Last week I purchased some ground chicken but while buying I was not sure what I am going to do with that. I wanted to use as stuffing for any dish but then I thought to cook in different way. So finally I prepared some easy KEEMA MATAR with the ground chicken. KEEMA MATAR  is a very famous North Indian dish but most of the time it is made with ground mutton or lamb. I just used chicken instead of any red meat, the taste was really good. I know all my chicken lovers friends going to love this dish. I just cooked the ground chicken with lots of spices and after removing from the flame I added some frozen peas.

Ingredients:

1.Ground Chicken: 500 gm.

2.Frozen peas: one cup.

3.One large chopped onion.

4.One small chopped tomato.

5.One table spoon ginger garlic paste.

6.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder Garam  Masala (half tea spoon of each item).

7.Black cardamom: 1, Green cardamom: 1, Bay leave: 1, Clove: 3: Cinnamon stick: 1 small.

8.One tea spoon beaten yogurt.

9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Chopped fresh coriander leaves: A hands full 

11.Canola oil for cooking.

Process:

In a heavy bottomed vessel add two to three table spoon of canola oil allow it to hot, now slowly add all the whole garam masala and saute for few seconds. Now add the chopped onions and some sugar and cook till it transparent.

Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off, now add all the spices powder and cook for few mints.

Now add the minced chicken with some salt and cook in high flame till the chickens are tender now reduce the heat and add the chopped tomatoes and cook with a lid.

Now remove the lid and add the beaten yogurt and mix well and cook for another couple of mints or till the oil come out from the chicken.

Now add the frozen peas and mix well, and finally add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

Cook in medium heat for few mints, now remove from the heat.

Your easy and yummy KEEMA MATAR is ready serve hot with plain roti or chapatti.

Methi Malai Matar.

Took a small break from my blog world because my husband was not in the country so I was actually not in a mood to cook anything special for me and my daughter. He came back on last weekend so I also got some inspiration and energy to cook something special and different for him. But while entering into the kitchen my mind was completely empty, there was some fresh methi leaves in my fridge so I thought to prepare some dish with the methi leaves. And finally I prepared some delicious METHI MALAI MATAR.

The specialty of this dish is fresh methi leaves and peas /Matar which makes it super yummy with some fresh cream. The recipe is super easy which I ate long time back in one of my friends house. This dish is perfect with plain roti or paratha.

Ingredients:

1.Fresh Methi Leaves: 1 bunch.

2.One cup frozen peas.

3.One medium sliced onion.

4.Two clove chopped  garlic.

5.One inch chopped ginger.

6.One table spoon charmagaz (melon seeds).

7.Pinch of garam masala, Pinch of cumin powder, Pinch of red chili powder, Pinch of kasoori methi.

8.Few cumin seeds, few cloves, few cardamom.

9.Half cup milk.

10.Two table spoon fresh cream.

11. Salt and sugar as per taste.

12.Sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Wash and chopped the methi leaves and keep it aside.

Now add one tea spoon oil in a vessel and allow it to hot, now add the cloves and cardamoms now add the sliced onions, chopped ginger, chopped garlic and fry for some time.

Now add the melon seeds and saute for few seconds now switch of the flame and allow it to cool down.

Now make a fine paste with some water with the fried ingredients and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil in the same vessel and allow it to hot, then add the cumin seeds and next add the frying onion paste and cook till the raw smell goes off.

Now add the chopped methi leaves and mix well and cook with a lid for 5 mints in low flame.

Now remove the lid and add the frozen peas and cook for another 5 mints with the lid, next add some salt, sugar, red chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, kasoori methi and mix well and cook for another couple of mints.

Now add the milk and cook for 4 to 5 mints in low flame with a lid and finally add the fresh cream and mix well and cook for 2 more mints with the lid.

Now remove the lid and your easy METHI MALAI MATAR is ready serve hot with Roti or Paratha.

Red Velvet Cake: V-Day special

Red is the color of love that’s why Valentine’s Day means red color everywhere.  For V-Day special I made some spinach cheese tart so I thought to make something red which will make our day perfect. And without a perfect dessert any celebration becomes dull. So finally I made some RED VELVET CAKE to celebrate the special V-Day.

The specialty of the cake is the RED COLOR and this cake is layered with some cream cheese filling. As I told before baking is not my cup of tea so this time also I was little nervous but after seeing the cake my husband's expression was best V-Day gift for me.

Ingredients:

1.All purpose flour: 2 cup.

2.Sugar: 2 cup.

3.Eggs: 3.

4.Butter: 1 slice (softened)

5.Baking powder: 1 tea spoon.

6.Salt: ½ tea spoon.

7.Two table spoon: Brown sugar.

8.One table spoon vanilla essence.

9.Three table spoon coco powde

10.Butter Milk: 1 cup.

11.Red food color: 2 table spoon

12.Some extra butter and flour for greasing.

For frosting:

1.One cup Unsalted butter.

2.Two cup powdered  sugar

3.Half cup cream cheese.

4.One table spoon vanilla essence.

Process:

For Cake:

Pre heat the oven in 175C.

In a big bowl add the sugar and butter mix till it light and fluffy about 5 mints.

Now add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.

Then add the vanilla essence and mix well. Finally add the red food color and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and backing powder, coco powder, brown sugar nicely.

Now slowly add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat just until combined.

Now flour and grease two same size cake pans and bake two same size cakes for 30 to 35 mints or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool it for 10 mints, then take out the cakes from the pan and place them in a cool rack.

Now make the frosting:

 In a bowl add the butter, powder sugar, cream cheese and vanilla essence and mix well.

Now in a plate first place one cake then spread the cream cheese on top of that like a layer now place another cake and same way spread the cream cheese all the sides of the cake smooth the surface.

I just decorated the cake with some crushed candy which makes the cake more tasty but you can use any other things to decorate your cake.

Enjoy your RED VELVET CAKE WITH YOUR LOVED one.

Cheese Spinach Tart

Any special day always makes us happy and some days are close to our hearts because most of us having memories with some special days. And like me all of you also have lots of good memories with this special day called “VALENTINE’S DAY”. The day to express love to your loved ones, for me every day is “Valentine’s Day “if your loved ones are with you. But still there is some special essence of the day which we can’t ignore. I wanted to surprise my husband with some special food which I never made before. I was not sure before making it but I was actually surprised after tasted the SPINACH CHEESE TART MY V-DAY special food for my husband.

Before trying any new baking dish I get so nervous but every time I become more and more confident or I can say it’s the best learning process.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1.1   ½ cup all purpose flour.

2.1 stick cold butter.

3.1/4 tea spoon salt.

4.1 tea spoon sugar.

5.Chilled water: half cup.

For the filling:

1.Two fresh bunch of spinach.

2.One medium size chopped onion.

3.Eggs:4.

4.Light cream: 1 cup.

5.One table spoon butter.

6.One cup cheddar and mozzarella  cheese shredded.

7.One tea spoon salt.

8.Pinch of ground nutmeg.

9.Pinch of cayenne pepper.

Process:

For the crust:

In a bowl add the flour, salt and sugar and mix well, now add the cold butter and mix well till the butter mixed completely.

Now add the chilled water one table spoon at a time and slowly make dough don’t over mix it.

Form the dough on to a round shape and wrap with a plastic wrap and keep thin refrigerator for 30 mints.

Now pre heat the oven in 450F, now in a oven proof bowl roll the crust dough and crimp the edges just like my photo.

Now partially bake the pie crust for 7 to 8 mints

Now for filling :

Finely chopped the spinach, now add the chopped spinach into some boiling water with  some salt just for 3 to 4 mints.

Now drain the hot water and squeeze all the extra water from the spinach, you can use some tissue paper to completely dry the spinach.

Now add some butter in a pan and saute the chopped onions till the onions are soft, now add the drained spinach and some salt and cook for few mints.

Now in a separate bowl whisked the eggs, salt, cayenne pepper, nutmeg powder, cream and combine well.

Now pour the fried spinach and onions on top of the pie crust, now sprinkle the cheese on top of the spinach and onions.

Now pour the beaten egg mixture on top of everything.

Now bake it on 350F for 25 to 30 mints or until a knife inserted into the center smoothly. (Please check after 15 mints)

Now remove the tart from the oven and allow it to set up at least for 30 mints.

Now enjoy your SPINACH CHEESE TART with your loved ones.