Potoler Dolma—Pointed gourd stuffed with mutton mince

Ingredients

6 Large Pointed Gourds

200 gms mutton mince

2 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp ginger paste

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 large onion finely chopped

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp tomato ketchup

4 tsp flour

Method.

1. cut the tips of the pointed gourd and core and clean the centres and keep aside.

2. In a heated pan add 2 tsp oil and add the ginger, garlic and onions and fry for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry for a while. Add the mutton mince, salt, garam masala and red chilli powder and cook well. Add salt and tomato ketchup.

3. When the meat is cooked and dry switch of the gas.

4. Add some water to the flour and make a tight paste.

5. Fill the meat mixture into the gourds and seal the end with the flour paste. Put the ready gourds in the refrigerator for 10 minutes,

6. Heat well a pan full of oil. Add three gourds at a time and let them fry with the flame reduced to low.

7. Take out the well-fried gourds on kitchen towels and take off the flour caps from them.

8. Serve as accompaniments to rice and lentils or cook in a rich gravy!

Caramel Pudding in a Jiffy!!

Ingredients

one egg

1/2 litre milk

1 stick of gelatin dissolved in warm water and kept aside

4-5 spoons of sugar

2-3 three spoons of vanilla custard powder

1-2 drops of vanilla essence (optional)

Method

1. Take  a pudding mould and add two spoons of sugar and a little water into it. Heat the mould on high flame till the sugar caramalizes and becomes rich brown.

2. beat the egg and add the cold milk into it. Add the remaining sugar, gelatin and the vanilla custard powder into this. Thoroughly beat the mixture. You may add the vanilla essence now.

3. Heat the mixture till it thickens a little.

4. Pour this mixture into the mould.

5. Let it cool for a few minutes and then refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Eggs Frittata— Fathers’ Day Special!

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 onion finely chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 stick coriander leaves finely chopped

1 green chilli finely chopped

1 large tomato de-seeded and finely chopped

1 capsicum medium chopped

1/2 packet sweet corn soup

2 large sausages cut into thin roundels

1 tablespoon pizza/pasta sauce.

2 inch piece of pizza cheese.

Method

1.Heat a pan and add 1 tsp oil.

2. add the garlic and ginger paste. fry for 1 minute and then add the onions. Fry till  light pink

3. add the chopped tomatoes, capsicum, coriander leaves, chilli and sausages. Fry for 2 minutes.

4. add pasta/pizza sauce and mix well. Switch off the burner and keep aside.

5. Take a large bowl, break the eggs, add salt and beat till frothy.

6. Take a bowl and add 2 cups water. Mix the soup powder in it. Light the burner and bring the soup to a boil. Switch the burner off and keep the thick soup aside.

7. add the soup into the egg-mixture and mix well. Now add the cooked sausage mixture into into it and mix well again.

8. Heat a 6 inches round non-stick frying pan and add 3 tsp oil. Pour the entire mixture when the oil is heated.

9. Cook the egg mixture in low flame to prevent the bottom getting burnt quicker than the top. Cook till the liquid at the top gets dry.

10. Add black pepper powder and switch off the burner. The frittata is ready!

11. grate the pizza cheese on top of the frittata  and put it into the microwave oven for a minute to melt the cheese.

12. Cut into wedges and serve hot with brown bread slices or with mashed potatoes.

Aloo Tikki with a Twist…

Ingredients:

200 gms Potatoes

2 onions finely chopped

2-3 green chillies finely chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1  tsp garlic paste

1/2 packet mixed pickle

2 tsp sweet pickle/tamarind pickle

1 bunch coriander leaves finely chopped

3-4 tsp roasted gram flour (Sattu)

salt

sugar

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes and mash them very well. Keep aside.

2. Heat a pan and add 1 tsp oil. Add the ginger garlic paste, onions, coriander leaves and green chillies. Fry for two minutes.

3. Add the mashed potatoes into this fried mixture and mix well. Lower the flame and add the pickles. Mix thoroughly and fry the mixture.

4. Take out the mixture and let it cool. Make small balls from this mixture and flatten them to form tikkis.

5. In a large plate spread the roasted gram flour and roll the tikkis in it.

6. heat a skillet and add 1 tsp oil in it. Put two or three tikkis on at a time. Both sides should be well browned.

7. Serve hot with Chhole, Sliced onions and Lemon slices.

Chicken Green Peas Masala

Ingredients:

200 gms Green peas boiled

250 gms Chicken cut into small boneless pieces

1 carrot diced and boiled

2 large onions finely chopped

2 pods of garlic finely dices

3-4 babycorns sliced diagonally and blanched in boiling water

1 large capsicum diced

1 large tomato finely chopped

1 stick coriander leaves finely chopped

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red pepper powder

salt

sugar

Method:

1. In a heated pan add 2tsp rice bran oil

2. Add the garlic, fry for 30 seconds and add the onion, tomato, baby corn and fry for 2-3 minutes

3. Add the capsicum, carrots and chicken and fry for a minute

4. Add the spices, salt and sugar.

5.Fry the whole mixture on medium flame till the onions and tomatoes become soft and mix well

6.Add a 1/2 cup warm water and cook for another 4-5 minutes or till the water dries and all the vegetables and chicken are thoroughly cooked.

7. Add the chopped coriander leaves and turn off the flame.

8. Serve with hot rotis or simply as evening snack!

Chicken Dhania-Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

300 gms chicken cut into medium pieces

2 large sticks of coriander leaves

1 large onion finely chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp tumeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp gram masala powder

2 tsp Tikka masala paste/sauce (buy or make following recipe below)

(chop two tomatoes finely, one onion chopped finely, 7-8 pods of garlic finely chopped, 1 tsp ginger finely chopped. in a pan heat 2 tsp oil and add all the ingredients. cook till the masala is roasted and the tomatoes are soft and release oil. add two spoons vinegar and 1 tsp salt. keep reserved in an air-tight jar.can be stored in the refrigerator and used for a week)

2 sticks cinamon

2-3 green cardamom

2-3 cloves

1 bay leaf

salt

sugar

oil

Method:

1. In a heated pan add two large spoons of oil. Add the whole spices and let them roast for 30 seconds.

2. Boil the chicken and keep aside.

3. Add the chopped onion, coriander leaves, garlic and ginger paste and fry for a few minutes till the onion is soft.

4. Add the spice-powders except the garam masala, salt, sugar.

6. Add the tikka masala and fry for a minute.

7. Add the chicken and fry till all the spices get coated around it.

8. add one small cup water and cover the pan

9. Open the lid and check the gravy for salt. Add garam masala powder.

10. Serve hot with tandoori bread. Enjoy!

Quick Coriander-Garlic Pakoras

Ingredients:

1 Stick coriander leaves chopped

150 gms Besan

2 tsp garlic paste

1 small onion chopped finely

1 tsp nigella seeds

2 green chillies finely chopped

salt

sugar

3 tsp oil

Method:

1. In a bowl add the besan, salt, sugar, nigella seeds, red chilli powder and add water to make a batter which is not runny.

2. Add the green chillies, coriander leaves chopped, chopped onion and garlic paste and mix thoroughly.

3. Add the oil in a pan and heat it till piping hot. Use a table spoon to pour a portin of the batter in to the oil.

4. Make 6-8 medium sized pakoras. fry them till they are golden brown and cooked from the insides too.

5. In a serving bowl lined with kitchen towels drain the excess oil from the pakoras. Serve as accompaniments to tea or to Red lentils at lunch!

6. Enjoy!

Kosha Mangsho Special—- Finally the Recipe!

Ingredients:

1250 Gms Mutton

3 large onions pureed

2 table spoons garlic paste

2 table spoons ginger paste

1/2 papaya grated or pureed

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 bay leaf

1 cup whipped curd

2 tsp mustard oil

4 potatoes, cut into halves.

1 tsp ghee

1 tsp garam masal powder

Salt

sugar

Whole spices:

1 nutmeg crushed

2-3 cinnamon sticks crushed

2-3 black cardamoms crushed

2-3 cloves

2-3 green cardamoms crushed

A few peppercorns crushed

Method:

1. mix the curd, turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powders, salt, papaya paste, onion paste, ginger, garlic together.

2. marinade the mutton in this overnight or at least for 7-8 hours. In a Pan add oil and fry the potatoes till golden brown. Keep aside.

3. Heat a large pan with 2 tsp mustard oil. Add 1 bay leaf and the crushed whole spices. Let them roast for a few second till the aroma spreads.

4. Add the marinated mutton into the pan. Add all the marinade. Fry till the oil separates from the curd and spices.

5. Heat a pressure cooker. Add the fried mutton into it. Add 2 cups water and close the lid. Let it cook until 4 whistles.

6. After the pressure is release open the cooker and add the fried potatoes. Close the lid and give 1 whistle.

7. Open the lid and pour add sugar if needed. Pour the ghee and add the garam masala powder.

8. Serve hot with Basmati rice!

The addition of black peppercorns, nutmeg and black cardamom adds a special aroma to my take on the Bengali Kosha Mangsho. Enjoy! 🙂

Dal Makhani

Ingredients

1. 200 gms black urad

2. 50 gms rajma beans

3. 1 large onion chopped and pureed

4. 2-3 pods of garlic blended into paste

5. 2 large tomatoes chopped

6. 1 tsp cumin powder

7. 1 tsp red chilli powder

8. 1 bunch coriander chopped

9. salt

10. sugar

11. 1 tsp butter

12. 1 tsp ginger paste

Method

1. soak the urad dal and rajma in 3 cups water with salt overnight.

2. In a pressure cooker add the soaked dal with 2 cups of fresh water

3. cook for 3-4 whistles.

4. drain the dal and completely mash it.

5. Heat the pressure cooker add some of the butter. Fry the garlic paste, ginger paste and onion puree. When they turn brown add the tomato, cumin powder, chilli powder and salt. Cook till soft and then add the mashed dal with two cups of cold water and the rest of the butter. Close the cooker and cook for two whistles.

7. Open the cooker and add sugar and the chopped coriander.

8. serve steaming with tandoori roti.

Methiwala Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients

1. 2 Beetroots Cut into small pieces
2. 2 carrots cut into small pieces
3. 1 potato cut into small pieces
4. 1 capsicum cut into small squares
5. 1 onion cut into small squares
6. 7-8 small florets of a cauliflower
7. 1 tomato finely chopped
8. 100 gms green peas
9. 2 tsp rice bran oil
10. 1 tsp cumin seeds for tempereing
11. 1 bay leaf
12. 1 bunch coriander leaves finely chopped
13. 2 tsp kasoori methi dipped in boiling water for 10 mins
14. salt
15. sugar

Method

1. Heat a pan add the oil. Add the bay leaf and the cumin seeds and the kasoori methi.

2. Add the vegetables and saute for a while.

3. When the tomato blends well and releases oil add salt and 2 cups water. Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook.

4. raise the cover and check the softness of the vegetables. when cooked add sugar and the coriander leaves.

5. serve hot with roti or wiith peas pulao.