Kalakand or Milk Cake

Another sweet delicacy from West Bengal and also all over the India was my today's venture. Being a sweet lover I always love to make sweet dishes to give us a treat. And that’s why I always try to make the authentic Bengali sweets to feel the essence of Kolkata. But this one is really famous in all over India too.

I prepared some KALAKAND or MILK CAKE a delicacy which gets melted in mouth easily. For making this sweets you need few basic things like Chana, Thick Milk, Sugar and some pistachios for garnishing. But the sweets are just too good. Almost in every sweet shop in India you will get this sweet, a very easy but very tasty one. 

Ingredients:

1.Thick Milk : 4 cup.
2.Chana or cottage cheese: 100 gm.
3.Sugar : 4 table spoon (depend on your taste also).
4.Some Pistachios for garnishing.
5. Few drop of ghee.

Process:

Put the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and start boiling when it’s become half of the original quantity then add the Chana.

And stir continuously now add the sugar and stir till the milk and chana mixture become dry.

Now grease one plate with little ghee and spread the mixture into the plate proportionately and garnished with pistachios.

Keep it in fridge for 20 mints. Now cut into small pieces.

Give your family members a sweet treat…

Bong's Special Paanch Meshali Tarkari or Mixed Vegetable

Some delightful authentic Bengali dishes are made with only few no of spices. But the taste and the look always give us pleasure. One of a very famous veg preparation of West Bengal is Paanch Meshali Tarkari or Mixed Vegetable (no paneer). And this recipe is from my Grany’s kitchen. She was a vegetarian and she loved to have all kind of different vegetables. With all this different vegetables she used to prepare this Paanch Meshali Tarkari. I really love the smell of the dish.

This dish is specially made with all kind of vegetables like potato, cauliflower, pumpkin, beans, brinjal, carrots etc, and with very less spices. With Plain rice Roti this one is just the best. A very simple recipe but always a treat for ourselves.

Preparation time: 15 mints.

Cooking time: 40 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Potato: 1 big. (cut into cube size)

2.Half cup chopped beans in big size.

3.One small bowl of cauliflower in medium size.

4.Two medium size carrots cut into medium size.

5.Half Brinjal cut into medium cube size.

6.One small bowl of pumpkin pieces.

7.One small bowl of radish cut into cube size.

8.6 to 8 Pattols or Parwals .

9.split green chilies 5 to 6.

10.One small chopped tomato.

11.Daler bori half cup.

12.Half tea spoon of turmeric powder,

13.Half tes spoon of cumin powder.

14.Half tea spoon of bhaja masla (dry roasted and grinded cumin seeds and dry red chili).

15.Half tea spoon Paanch foron (cumin seeds, kalonji, sauf, fenugreek seeds. Mustard seeds), 1 Bay leave.

16.One tea spoon ginger paste.

17.Salt and sugar as per taste.

18.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Cut and wash all the vegetables. Now add some oil in a vessel and fry the cauliflower pieces till it turn golden and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil and fry the brinjal pieces till it become golden brown and keep it aside.

Now add some oil and fry the Bori pieces till it golden brown and break them into small pieces.

Now add some more oil and add the Paanch foron and bay leave when they start crackle and all the other vegetables, tomatoes and green chilies with some salt and fry for some time.

Now add the turmeric powder, cumin powder and mix well with everything.

Now after 5 mints add the ginger paste and some sugar and stir well.

Now cook with a lid in low flame till the vegetables are 60 % done.

Now remove the lid and add the fried cauliflower and fried brinjal pieces and mix well with everything.

Again cook in low flame till the vegetables are cooked completely.

Now add the fried BOri and the bhaja masala. Mix well with everything.

Garnish with some bhaja bori. Serve hot with plain Rice or Roti

  

Sesame Chicken

Sesame seeds are one of the oldest seeds used by human being. And among all the other seeds Sesame has the more oil consistency. From the very beginning people used this sesame seeds for coking. And especially in Chinese cooking sesame seeds are one of the very important parts. 
Most of the authentic Chinese preparations are made from sesame oil. From long time I purchased few sesame seeds but never prepared anything with them. How to use the sesame seeds in cooking while searching in Google i found all the information. Googled some recipes and prepared a nice dish Sesame Chicken one of a very famous Chinese preparation. 

This one is perfect with Noodles or Rice both. Last night we both were very hungry so didn’t have enough time to prepare some noodles so we had with Paratha only. Which was also not so bad combination.

Preparation time: 15 mints.
Cooking time: 30 mints.

Ingredients:
For marination:
1.Boneless chicken : 600 gm. (cut into small cube size).
2.One tea spoon ginger and garlic paste.
3.One table spoon dark soya sauce.
4.One table spoon sesame oil. (if you don’t have sesame oil just add some sesame seeds in normal sunflower oil till a nice smell come out).
5.Some salt.
6.One table spoon corn flour.
7.One table spoon all-purpose flour.
8.Half tea spoon red chili powder.

For sauce:
1.One table spoon green chili paste.
2.One tea spoon grated ginger.
3.Four to five clove grated garlic.
4.One table spoon dark soya sauce.
5.One table spoon vinegar.
6.One table spoon tomato sauce.
7.One table spoon corn flour.
9.Half tea spoon red chili powder.
10.Salt and sugar as per taste.
11.Some chopped green onions.
12.One tea spoon honey.
13.Some sesame seeds for garnishing.
14.Sesame oil or normal sunflower oil for frying and cooking.

Process:
Marinate the chicken pieces with all the mentioned ingredients for 30 mints.

Now add enough oil in a vessel and fry the chicken pieces slowly. Soak the extra oil in a paper towel.

Now take one wide pan and add some oil , now add some sesame seeds and grated garlic &  ginger pieces and fry till the smell come out.

Now make one paste with chili paste, corn flour, soya sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar and some water. And add the mixture into the pan and cook for some time.  

Now add the fried chicken pieces and stir for some time.

Now add the chopped green onions and honey, combine well and switch of the heat.

Now garnish the chicken with some toasted sesame seeds (just dry roast the sesame seeds) and green onions.

Serve hot and enjoy the taste.

Gajar Ka Halwa or Carrots Halwa

GAJAR KA HALWA OR CARROT HALWA is basically a dessert prepared with grated carrot ghee, nuts and milk. This dish is famous in Punjab and in North India. But now GAJAR KA HALWA is popular all over the India and in worldwide also. So if you have enough carrots at home and don’t understand how to finish all of them then you can make this lovely dessert for your family.

I think almost every day my husband asks me after dinner don’t you have any sweets to eat. It’s difficult to prepare SWEET DISH every day because the reason is he finishes almost everything within one or two days. And after that really I don’t feel like to prepare again. But some time you can’t say just no to them. 

Preparation time: 15 mints.
Cooking time: 1 hr to 1.30 hr.

Ingredients:

1.Carrots: 1kg.
2. Milk : 1 liter.
3. Condensed Milk: 500 ml.
4. Sugar : 400 gm (depend upon your taste also).
5.Cardamom 2 to 3 piece. Two bay leave.
6. Ghee: 5 to 6 spoon.
7.Few raisin.
8.Few cashew nuts.
9.Few almonds.
10.Few pistachios.

Process: 

Wash and grate the carrots. Blanch and shred the nuts.

Take one big vessel and add the ghee when it became hot add the bay leaves and cardamom pieces. And add all the nuts and raisins and fry for some time.

After few seconds add the grated carrots and fry till the raw smell goes off.

Now add the milk and cook in low flame for 40 mints.

Now add the sugar and condensed milk and cook again in low flame for another 20 to 25 mints. 

Switch of the gas when a nice color and smell come out. Garnish with the almonds and pistachios.

Serve hot or cold.  

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.