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.

Tea stall style "S" Biscuits

Few memories will never fade from our mind because almost with every memory we have lots of stories. Like I remember asking my parents to buy a cup of tea from any road side TEA STALL when our parents used to have tea while going for any trip and most of the time my parents used to give me bakery biscuits from the shop. I really love all those fresh bakery biscuits and among all the biscuits my favorite one is “S” shape biscuits. I don’t remember when the last time I had the biscuit. Today from the morning I wanted to prepare some plain flour biscuits so I started searching in the web but did not get any suitable recipe for it so I just made it in my way.

While eating the biscuits with a cup of tea I was floating on my childhood days. This one is a very easy recipe and you gonna love it.

Ingredients:

1.Plain flour: 1 cup.

2.Freshly crushed pepper: ¼ tea spoon.

3.Any seasoning I used Italian seasoning: ¼ tea spoon.

4.Baking powder: ½ tea spoon.

5.Baking soda: a pinch of.

6.Olive oil: ¼ cup.

7.Few fennel seeds.

8.Salt : ¼ tea spoon or as per taste.

9.Sugar: 1 tea spoon.

10.Water ¼ cup if you need more then use slowly.

Process:

Pre heat the oven in 350 degree F or 180 degree C.

Now in a bowl whisked the flour, salt, sugar, crushed pepper, seasoning, fennel seeds, baking powder and soda then mix all nicely.

Now add the oil slowly and mix with the flour mixture.

Now add the enough water to make smooth dough.

Now with the dough make 10 to 12 small balls, now with every ball make some long rope.

Now fold the rope like “S” and this way make all the biscuits like my photo.

Now spread a butter paper on top of the oven proof tray, now place the biscuits on that.

Now bake it for 40 mints, just flip it after 20 mints so both the sides bake properly. Now take out the tray from the oven and place the biscuits in a cold rack.

Enjoy your “S” biscuits with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Baked Dhoka or Baked Lentil Cakes.

Last few days my husband was asking me to make some DHOKAR DALNA OR LENTIL CAKE CURRY, but I just avoided making it because to fry the DHOKA OR LENTIL CAKES need lots of oil. Actually you need to deep fry the lentil cakes and that usually soaks lots of oil. But this curry is a very famous curry and one of the tastiest so because of this reason Bengali people can’t stop eating this dish. I got a very nice idea from one of my close friend Archita - she gave me a nice idea. Instead of deep frying the DHoka’s  I can bake it with just few drop of oil. Believe me I prepared the Baked Dhoka’s which is so good that I didn't find any difference from the frying ones. So if you are also trying to avoid excessive oil this way you can make perfect DHOKA.

Ingredients:

1.Chana dal or Bengal  gram: 1 cup.

2.One inch ginger.

3.Salt and sugar as per taste.

4.Few cumin seeds.

5.Two green chilies.

6.Pinch of cumin powder.

7.Two table spoon oil.

Process:

Wash and soak the chana dal for 1 hour, now in a grinder blend the dal with ginger and green chilies with some water.

Now in a vessel and 1 ½ table spoon of oil, now allow it to hot then add the cumin seeds let it crackle then add the chana dal paste with some salt sugar and cumin powder.

Stir it till the chana dal mixture become dry completely.

Now grease one plate with some oil and add the dry chana dal paste and spread across the plate proportionately.

Keep the plate in fridge for 10 mints. Now with a knife cut the Dhoka’s in some Rhombus size.

Now pre heat the oven 425 degree F, now grease one oven proof tray with some oil and place the dhoka’s on the tray.

Now bake it for 10 mints now flip the dhoka’s and bake it another 10 mints (all the ovens are different so check after every 5 mints).

Now remove the tray from the oven and your BAKED DHOKA OR LENTIL CAKE  is ready, you can eat this with plain rice and dal or make a normal Dhokar Dalna with this baked dhoka. 

Baked Veggie Pops: A Guilt free snack.

The most difficult part is to think what to cook every day, and than lunch and dinner the difficult part is evening snacks. My husband is very much fond of snacks, but fried snacks are not good for health. So I was really worried some time what to give him. Now my toddler girl also started eating the same food whatever we are eating with less oil and spices, like the chicken after cooking I wash her pieces with some hot water so all the masala gets washed out. So deep fried snacks are not good for her health also, that’s why I prepared some BAKED VEGGIE POPS for them which is completely oil free. After making it I was so happy because this type of snacks I can make for them every day.

With some daily vegetable's only I prepared it, with tea this snack is always going to be a super hit dish in your home. I know all of you are actually don't love to eat deep fried snack for health purpose so this one can be the perfect choice.

Ingredients:

1.One medium size potato: cut into small pieces.

2.One small carrot: cut into small pieces.

3.One small beetroot: cut into small pieces.

4.5 to 6 chopped beans.

5.Frozen peas: A hands full.

6.One medium finely chopped onion.

7.Chopped cauliflower.

8.One table spoon lemon juice.

9.Chaat Masala: ½ tea spoon.

10.Aamchur powder: ½ tea spoon.

11.Black pepper powder: ½ tea spoon.

12.Salt and sugar as per taste.

13.One to two table spoon oil.

14.Two table spoon all-purpose flour.

15.Half cup corn flour.

16.Half cup bread cramp.

Process:

 Except peas semi boiled (like 50%) all the veggies in some salt water, and keep it aside.

Now in a vessel add some oil and allow it to hot, now add the chopped onions and saute till it become golden.

Now add all the veggies and frozen peas in to the vessel and cook for some time with a lid.

Now remove the lid and add the lemon juice, salt, sugar, aamchur powder, chaat masala and mix well.

Now semi smashed all the veggies (don’t smashed completely) with a spatula and allow it to cool.

Add some water into the corn flour and keep it aside.

Now make some small balls, first roll them into the flour, then dip them into the corn flour water mixture and finally roll them into the bread cramps and repeat the process 4 to 5 times with each and every balls so the outer part will be more strong.

Now pre-heat the oven in high temperature in grill mode and baked the veggie balls for 15 mints or till each sides turn golden brown in between just shake the tray so that all the sides will bake properly.

Now take out from the oven, your easy BAKED VEGGIE POPS is ready, serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Badhakopir Ghanto/Cabbage mishmash: From my maa's kitchen.

In daily food menu needs to be cooked in less oil for health purpose and I also love to follow this. Because oily foods are not good for every day, so better to use some less oil in our daily items. Today I was actually thinking to share one of my Mother’s cabbage recipes which is a very tasty dish and you can cook  this in very less oil. This is an authentic Bengali dish called BADHAKOPIR GHANTO.

Cabbage is not my favorite that’s why maa tried to cook in this way some time, and this one is my favorite. Few of my vegetarian friends are asking for a simple cabbage recipe from long time hope this one can be a perfect dish for them. In Bengali term ‘GHANTO’ means where veggies mishmash in their own way and the dish looks like bonding of veggies.

Ingredients:

1.Cabbage: Cut into small square shape (one big cup).

2.One medium potato: Cut into medium size.

3.Brinjal or Eggplant: Half of a medium size ( Cut into small square shape).

4.One small size chopped tomato.

5.Paanch Foron: ½ tea spoon. (Methi seeds, cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Kalonji, Fennel seeds).

6.Mustard seeds: 1 tea spoon.

7.Poppy seeds: 1 tea spoon.

8.Turmeric powder: ½ tea spoon.

9.Two split green chilies.

10.Salt and Sugar as per taste.

11.Two to three table spoon of mustard oil (if you want you can add more).

Process:

In a vessel add half table spoon of oil allow it to hot then add the brinjal pieces with some salt and fry it with a cover for 2 to 4 mints. Now remove from the heat and keep it aside.

Now first make a paste with poppy seeds and mustard seeds with some water and keep it aside.

Now in the same vessel add rest of the oil and allow it to hot, now add the paanch foron, after few seconds add the potato pieces, tomato pieces and the green chilies and saute for few mints.
Next add the cabbage and mix well. 

Now add the turmeric powder, salt and sugar and mix well, now cook this in medium heat till the veggies 80% done.

Now add the fried brinjal and mix well, finally add the mustard and poppy seeds paste and mix well.

Now cook this with a lid for few more mints or till the veggies mix with each other nicely.

Your BADHAKOPIR GHANTO is ready before serving sprinkle some ready made fried Bori or lentil dumplings.

Chicken Dak Bungalow: A Sunday Special.

Today I was thinking what will be the prefect lunch menu for a snowy Sunday, because we actually don’t have any plan to go out so a complete day at home with lots of household works. So need to cook something which is simple but my husband wants something special because it’s Sunday. From long time I wanted to prepare CHICKEN DAK BUNGALOW but any how skipped my mind towards some other recipes. But today finally I made it, a simple recipe where the combination of Chicken and egg make the dish perfect.

The recipe is simple but this is the only gravy where chicken and eggs are cooked together. A very tasty and one pot recipe with egg and chicken to satisfy your family. Plain rice is the best with this gravy but plain Roti also can be perfect with the dish.

Ingredients:

1.Chicken : 500 gm (cut into medium size pieces)

2.Potato: 2 medium size.  (cut into two halves)

3.Egg: 2.

4.Onion: one large sliced.

5.Ginger: 1 inch chopped

6.Garlic: 6 to 7 clove chopped.

7.One large tomato puree.

8.Green chili: 4 to 5.

9.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala Powder (1/2 tea spoon of each item).

10.Bay leaf 1,Small Cardamom 1, Dry red chili 1, Green cardamom 2, Clove 2, Black cardamom 1.

11.One table spoon whisked curd.

12.Mustard oil for cooking.

13.Salt and sugar as per taste.

Process:

Wash and clean the chicken pieces, now marinate the chicken pieces with all the spices powder, some salt and one table spoon mustard oil for ½ an hour.

First boil the egg’s, now add some oil in a vessel and shallow fry the boiled eggs and the potato pieces, while frying sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder. After frying keep it aside.

Now in the same vessel add some oil and add 80% of the sliced onion, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, green chilies and fry for some time. Allow it to cool now make a smooth paste with some water and keep it aside.

Now add some oil in the vessel allow it to hot then add all the whole garam masala, and half tea spoon of sugar after few seconds add the rest of the sliced onion and fry till it become transparent.

Now add the marinated chicken pieces and cook for some time.

Now add the fried onion ginger garlic and green chili paste and mix well with the chicken pieces.

Now add some salt and the fresh tomato puree and mix well, now add the fried egg and fried potato pieces and cook with a lid.

After 5 to 8 mints when the oil separate from the gravy add the whisked curd and mix well and cook for another few mints in low flame.

Now add some hot water and cook for few more mints with a lid.

After few mints the gravy become thick and rich, your easy CHICKEN DAK BUNGALOW is ready serve hot with plain rice and salad.

Gokul Pithe: Poush Sankranti special

Today is Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti in West Bengal which is the last day of the Bengali month Poush. The same time this day is celebrated in other states of India too. Like Bihu in Assam, Pongal in South India, Lohri in Punjab, Hadaga Festival in Maharastra Etc. Actually this is a harvest festival and different states call it in different names. But all over the India celebrate this harvest festival.

Sweet dish never makes me feel tired and for that today also I prepared some Poush Sankranti special sweet dish or Pithe. This sweet is a very old and authentic dish, I learnt the recipe from my mother. I can say my maa is an expert of making all kind of sweet dishes. The ingredients are normal like other PITHE but the taste is really out of the world.

Ingredients:

For stuffing or PUR

1.One large cup shredded fresh coconut.

2.One cup thick milk.

3.Two table spoon milk powder.

4.Half cup sugar.

5.One freshly crushed cardamom.

For Outer Part:

1.All-purpose flour: 1 cup.

2.Semolina or Suji: 1/2 

3.Ghee: 1 table spoon.

4.Milk: 1 1/2  cup if needed use some more.

5.Sugar: 2 table spoon.

6.Salt: pinch of.

7.Baking soda: pinch of.

8.Sunflower oil for frying.

For sugar syrup:

1.Sugar: 1 ½ cup.

2.Water: 2 cup.

3.Freshly crushed cardamom.

Process:

For Pur or Stuffing:

In a large heavy bottomed vessel add the shredded coconut and sugar first and stir with a wooden spoon till the sugar melts completely.

Now add the milk and the milk powder and cook this in medium heat till the coconut milk mixture become dry and sticky now add the freshly crushed cardamom and mix well. Now the pur or stuffing is ready.

For outer part:

In a large bowl add the flour, semolina, sugar, salt, baking powder and ghee first then mix with a spoon, then add the milk and make a batter, it must be thicker than pan cake batter but not too much thick.

Now make some small flat round shape balls with the stuffing and sprinkle some flour on them.

Now first make the sugar syrup, add the sugar water and cardamom in a vessel and allow it to boil, and boil it for 3 to 4 mints and your syrup is ready. (The syrup need to be medium thick).

Now add enough oil in a karai for deep frying the Pithe’s.

Now take one flat stuffing ball and pour that into the batter and take out the ball with batter and slowly place it into the karai. And fry them till both the sides turn golden brown.

Now this way makes all the GOKUL PITHE, after frying soaked them into the sugar syrup.

You will see the quantity of sugar syrup will be reduced that mean the pithe’s soaked the syrup properly and your GOKUL PITHE is done.

Serve hot or cold enjoy your GOKUL PITHE.

Kheer Patisapta: Poush Sankranti special.

Today is Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti in West Bengal which is the last day of the Bengali month Poush. The same time this day is celebrated in other states of India too. Like Bihu in Assam, Pongal in South India, Lohri in Punjab, Hadaga Festival in Maharastra Etc. Actually this is a harvest festival and different states call it in different names. But all over the India celebrate this harvest festival.

A special day we always celebrate with food from start to end. In Bengal we call this day as PITHE PARBON also, basically long time ago people started celebrating this day with the rice they received from their land. And with that rice they used to make lots of sweet dishes and all those sweet dishes are known as “PITHE”. From my childhood days used to see my maa and grand maa used to make lots of different PITHE and I really tried to make something like them to celebrate the special day. I prepared some Kheer Patisapta which is a traditional Bengali sweet just like Kheer Wrapped Pan Cakes in milk cream.

Ingredients

For stuffing or PUR

1.One large cup shredded fresh coconut.

2.One cup thick milk.

3.Two table spoon milk powder.

4.Half cup sugar.

5.One freshly crushed cardamom.

For Outer part or Pan cakes.

1.All-purpose flour: 1 cup.

2.Semolina or Suji: 4 table spoon.

3.Ghee: 1 table spoon.

4.Milk: 1 ½ cup if needed use some more.

5.Sugar: 2 table spoon.

6.Salt: pinch of.

7.Sunflower oil.

For Kheer:

1.Milk: 2 cups.

2.Condensed Milk: Two table spoon.

3.Freshly crushed cardamom: 1.

Process:

For Pur or Stuffing:

In a large heavy bottomed vessel add the shredded coconut and sugar first and stir with a wooden spoon till the sugar melts completely.

Now add the milk and the milk powder and cook this in medium heat till the coconut milk mixture become dry and sticky now add the freshly crushed cardamom and mix well. Now the pur or stuffing is ready.

Now for the Pan cakes batter:

In a large bowl add the flour, semolina, sugar salt and ghee first then mix with a spoon, then add the milk and make a batter just like pan cake (not so thick not so light)

Now in a nonstick pan sprinkle some oil first and spread the oil all over the pan. Then spread some batter like a pan cake and  then just in the middle add one spoon full of coconut stuffing from one end to another and roll the pan cake or Patisapta with a flat spatula. And then shallow fry both the sides for few seconds. 

Same way make all the Patisapta.

Your Patisapta is ready you can eat them like this also.

Now for kheer add the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and boil this in low flame till it reduce the quantity, then add the condensed milk and the crushed cardamom and cook till it become thick .

Now place the fried Patisapta in a plate and pour the kheer on top of that, and sprinkle some crushed pistachios on top of that.

Poush Shankranti special KHEER PATISAPTA is ready serve hot or cold.