GOLAPBHOG

GOLAPBHOG is nothing but melt in mouth rose flavoured Rasgulla / Rosogolla [I used strawberry paste recooking, updating in October, 2025]. This time of the year we miss Kolkata most, during Durga Puja. We create more or less that ambience. I prefer to follow tradition, authenticity of region I belong.....through its cuisine, dresses, language. Whichever part of world we are in, we should, in no way, forget our roots. RASGULLA / ROSOGOLLA is an integral part of Bangaliana ...... It represents Bengal as far as food is concerned. It is popular throughout India, perhaps in many other places of world. West Bengal exports tinned Rasgullas throughout world. You can smell a proud Bengali speaking but RASGULLA / ROSOGOLLA, I insist, it originated in Bengal, later Odisha, rest of undivided India followed. A Kolkata based confectioner, Nobin Chandra Das invented it probably, I do not research at all, family & friends are my informers. Writing further requires a lot of research, time, let's go to recipe. Let us prepare this rose flavoured Rosogolla together with stepwise pictures.

INGREDIENTS : (for fresh paneer / chena)

Fresh Milk : 1 litre [ I used milk powder]
Rose Syrup : 2 tsp [I used 1/2 tsp of strawberry paste]
Vinegar : 1 tbsp
1ce cubes : A small cup

INGREDIENTS : (for syrup)
Water : 5 cups
Sugar : 2 cups

Rose Syrup: 1 tsp  [I used Strawberry Paste : 1/2 tsp]
Green Cardamom : 4-5

METHOD :

Pour milk in heavy bottomed vessel. Put gas mark at medium. Keep stirring so that milk does not burn at  bottom, add rose syrup. 

When milk comes to boil, add mixture of vinegar+water [1 part vinegar to 2-3 parts of water]. Once milk curdles, switch off gas stove. Immediately add ice cubes to prevent cottage cheese / paneer getting hard. 

Drain entire content through clean white cloth placed on strainer. Hang cloth for 40-45 minutes. Place cottage cheese on plate. Add 1/2 tsp of strawberry paste. Keep kneading for 10-12 minutes.

Shape cottage cheese portions into small balls. Do not make them too big. Cristine does this for me!

Take 5-6 big cups of  water in heavy bottomed wide mouthed vessel. Switch on gas stove. Add 2 small tea cups of sugar, 1/2 tsp of strawberry paste, green cardamoms.  Let it boil at high heat.

Once syrup boils for 8-10 minutes, gently add cheese balls. Make sure vessel does not get overcrowded because roshogolla balls need space to move around. 

Cover cook in medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Press one ball, if it springs back you are done. Switch off gas stove. Over boiling may turn them hard.

Enjoy it warm / chilled.

SHORSHE-NARCOL MURGI

CHICKEN ....being popular among this generation kids, is a regular in most of the homes I think. Hence it is important to bring in variety in way of its preparation. With many recipe ideas around it is not a difficult task either. Besides, with little innovation we can always create a new recipe. Honestly, mustard and coconut being widely used among Bengalis, the idea of preparing chicken with a combination of mustard, shredded coconut was making rounds on my mind. I had a similar dish somewhere in Chennai back in 1992. I remember, as a kid how me and my brother loved chicken. In those days chicken was new in the market, I mean in Kolkata, around the 80's. Mutton was more popular in a Bengali household, besides fish. Chicken became an instant hit. Every Sunday, both of us siblings got super hungry way before lunch time. The aromatic smell of the spice mix from kitchen was to be blamed. I try to do the same for my family, just the way our mother did for us. A family bonds over all the efforts we give as individuals. This recipe has predominance of mustard flavour in it. The use of chillies can be adjusted as per your preference.

INGREDIENTS : 

Chicken : 500 gm
Black Mustard : 30 gm
Green Chilli : 5
Garlic Paste : 2 tsp
Onion : 2 big
Bay Leaf : 1
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Shredded Coconut : 4 table spoon.
Juice of one lemon
Oil (preferably Mustard) : 4 table spoon

METHOD :

Wash chicken pieces. Marinate with lemon juice, turmeric, salt. Keep standing for 2 hours.

Wash black mustard in a strainer. Take in a blender along with chillies, little salt, 1/4 cup water. Blend to smooth paste. Keep two tsp garlic ready in hand. Salt is used so that mustard paste do not turn bitter.

Heat oil in pan. Temper with bay leaf. Add onion slices. Fry until golden brown. Add garlic paste. Fry until raw smell goes away completely.

At this stage, add mustard-chilli paste. Saute for 2 minutes. Add shredded coconut next. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add chicken along with marinade. Stir well, cover.

Lower heat. Remove cover, stir every 3-4 minutes. When water dries up, pour in 1/2 cup of  water. Stir well. Cover again, cook until gravy thickens. Switch off gas stove, it's done.

Enjoy Shorshe-Narkol Chicken with steamed piping hot rice!! We had "daler bora diye mocha, methi begun, tetor dal" too alongside!

RABRI IN MICROWAVE

DIWALI is knocking at door with all its glitterati, glamour, crackers, lightings, sweets. Rabri is a classic, traditional Indian dessert / sweet. It is popular in every region, every corner of India. Rich in taste, it is either eaten as an individual dessert or as an accompaniment to jalebis, malpuas. My first meeting with Rabri dates back to 1978, when I visited Hardwar, a holy city in India with parents. They sell excellent Rabri. Being a total vegetarian city where even eggs are not allowed, they depend much on fresh fruits and milk. The better the milk quality, tastier would be the dessert. I visited the same place later, may be had gallons of Rabri. I prepared this Rabri in Microwave to save time, to keep an option open for jazzing up a quick dessert for my family, guests. I went through Tarla Dalal's Microwave Rabri recipe. I did not follow her recipe ditto though.Yet, I would credit her for the idea of doing Rabri in Microwave without much hassle. Let us do this easy, a bit time consumimg Rabri In Microwave together.

INGREDIENTS : 

Full Cream Milk : 2 litres
Sugar : 5-6 tsp [Adjust as per your taste]
Cardamom powder : 1/2 tsp
Choice of Dry Fruits to Garnish!

METHOD :

Pour milk in heavy, deep bottomed microwave proof bowl. 

Microwave at high for 10 -12 minutes, covered with microwave proof plate. 

Take cream formed on top to the side, press it tight!

Repeat process until milk thickens considerably.

Add sugar, green cardamom powder to it! Microwave covered for another 10-12 minutes. It turns onto a creamy consistency. 

Transfer to bowl. Once cool, garnish with rose petals or dry fruits.

It can be served hot or chilled. Chilled tastes better. 

Enjoy as an individual dessert or as a topping on jalebi and malpua.

EGG CURRY IN COCONUT MILK

We visited Southern India back in December, 1992. First time in life, I learnt about Southern India's extensive use of coconut milk in cooking. In fact, they use all edible parts of coconut in their cooking. That Bengalis too do, every part of a coconut is used among us. But, we do not cook with coconut every day. I vividly remember about having one chicken curry in Chennai that used black mustard seeds paste & shredded coconut. Based on my memory of it, I cooked & blogged about a mustard chicken. Bengalis these days cook mustard chicken, do not know if it is authentic of Bengal or of those Bengalis who travelled to Southern India, came back & cooked it. This Egg Curry in a coconut milk base is done with Bengali regular spices with major influences from Southern India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia. Although I am not too fond of coconut milk, at times I do enjoy cooking with it. Come let us do the simplistic curry!

INGREDIENTS :

Eggs : 4-6
Onion : 2
Ginger Paste : 1 tsp [I use ginger extract]
Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : A Pinch
Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Bayleaf : 1
Coconut Milk : 100 ml
Green Chilli : 2
Oil : 2 table spoon (Authentically coconut)

PROCEDURE :

Wash eggs carefully, put for boil with enough water. Add in one tsp of salt. This helps the shell come out easily. After the water comes to a boil, boil for another 5 minutes. Switch off gas stove, let it cool.

Peel, wash, slice onions thinly. Slit green chillies. Wash, cut potato into 4 pieces, first lengthwise, then widthwise. Get ginger, garlic paste ready. 

All spice powders should be kept in small bowls. Coconut milk be poured in a cup.

Peel off shells from the eggs and slit both ends.

Heat oil in wok. Fry eggs applying little salt, take out [this only Bengalis do] 

Add bayleaf to the remaining oil. Add sliced onions, fry until golden brown. Add ginger, garlic paste. Saute well until the raw smell goes away. 

Add all spice powders along with salt, turmeric, saute well until spice mix separate from oil.

Pour a tea cup of water, cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove cover, pour in coconut milk. Add slitted green chillies. No need to cover. 

After the curry comes to a boil, add eggs. Let boil for another 2 minutes. Switch off gas stove, we are done.

Please do not boil the curry much after pouring in the the coconut milk, it may curdle. Enjoy with steamed piping hot rice.

NIRAMISH ALOOR DUM

LUCHI-ALOOR DUM; one of the favourite Bengali breakfast menu. If its weekend, it has to be accompanied with halwa  or jalebi / jilipi or pantua or roshogolla or sandesh; the list is varied.... the aloor dum is static. The word 'Niramish' means vegetarian. Among us even onion, garlic are considered non-vegetarian. This NIRAMISH ALOOR DUM is prepared without onion and garlic. At times, we offer this to God along with Rice Pulao or luchi / puffed rice!

There are various other ways of preparing Aloor Dum, sometimes with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste or even with a combination of milk n lemon juice in the marination. I shall definitely come up with them some day.

As told in the beginning, Aloor Dum, accompanied with Luchi tastes divine. It even goes pretty well with polao & fried rice; jeera rice or lemon rice! I remember, a foodie that I was, I relished / cherished every bit of the aloo smeared with gravy, then there was the finger licking part. These were small things we enjoyed as kids. Even today, as a mother, as a teacher, I would neither admit nor agree with the fact that these small acts are anyway against table manners. Humans need not turn robots. In self defence, I get closer to traditions, I do not have any qualms about it!

This NIRAMISH ALOOR DUM  is prepared with a generous amount of tomato which works as good substitute to onion, garlic, adds  to colour of gravy. Nonetheless to say, Kashmiri Mirch is must have in my kitchen just for that colour factor! The best part of it is that you can have this spicy potato curry with toasted breads too;  thats how they are served in Kolkata roadside tea stalls!

INGREDIENTS :

Potato(medium sized) : 500 gm
Tomato( medium sized) : 2

Green Pea : 1/2 small tea cup size
Green Chilli paste : 1 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds: 2 pinches
Bengali Garam Masala Powder(a mix of cinnamon,green cardamom,cloves) : 4 pinch
Bay Leaf : 1
Sugar : 1/4 tsp
Coriander Leaves : 25 gm chopped ( optional)
Oil : 4 table spoon

Skip the garnish of ghee if you want it to be vegan.

METHOD :

Peel, wash, cut potatoes into halves. Apply little salt, turmeric. Keep aside for not more than 15-20 minutes, else they turn black.

Wash, cut tomatoes into small pieces, discard the seeds. Slit green chillies. Keep ginger paste, green chilli paste ready. Keep salt, turmeric, cumin powder, red chilli powder separately in small bowls.

Heat oil in wok. Fry potato pieces until golden brown in batches. Take out. Temper oil with cumin seeds, one bay leaf. Add ginger paste. Fry till raw smell goes away. Add green chilli paste. Fry for a minute.

Add tomato pieces, cook until soft. Add green peas. Stir for a while. Add red chilli powder, salt, turmeric, cumin powder, mix well. Stir until oil separates from spice mix.

Add fried potatoes. Fold in well with spices. Add  half coffee mug of water. Cover cook for five minutes at low heat. Wait for gravy to thicken. Add sugar, Bengali Garam Masala,  chopped coriander leaves, give a stir. Switch off gas stove. It is done.

Enjoy with chapati, poori, paratha, pilaf or even toasted bread slices.

AAR MACHER JHOL / LONG WHISKERED CATFISH CURRY

GIANT RIVER CATFISH / LONG WHISKERED CAT FISH......this is what it is commonly called in English. In Bangladesh and in West Bengal, it is called AAR MAACH. Extremely popular among most of the Bengalis, it is eaten on a regular basis in both sides of my family. As the name goes, it is a river water fish, available fresh in the market and can be cooked in different ways. At times, we cook it with eggplant and potato, at times a thick gravy with ginger- garlic paste or sometimes with only ginger- green chilli paste or with tomatoes and potatoes cut length wise. 

With the head of this fish, we make yummy veggies along with eggplant and coriander paste or with bottle gourd. My friends other than Bengalis may find it weird but if you can grow the taste, and love fish, you may like it.

Different districts of Bangladesh and West Bengal have different ways of cooking. As my forefathers belong to the Comilla district of Bangladesh, there in the winter months, people cook it in a gravy of green chilli coriander leaves paste with broad beans, eggplant and potatoes without frying the fish. Hopefully shall come up with that recipe some other day.

This recipe is a regular one using very little of spices. You can alternate with any variety of catfish available at your place. If it is sea catfish, do use onions. We donot use much of onions for the fresh water fish varieties unless for some special dishes. Here in this island, we do not get them fresh! It is better to add some onion in that case, but today I have not!

INGREDIENTS :

Aar Mach : 6-7 steak
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1 1/2 tsp
Salt : As per taste
Cumin Seeds : 3 pinch
Chopped Coriander Leaves : 25 gm (for garnish)

Slitted Green Chilli : 1 or 2
Oil (Mustard) : 5 tablespoon.

METHOD : 

Wash fish pieces under running water. Apply salt, one tsp of turmeric powder. Mix well. Let it stand for about 15 minutes.

Mix together ginger paste, cumin+red chilli+turmeric powders+salt. Chop, wash coriander leaves.

Heat oil in pan. Lightly fry fish pieces until golden brown. They should remain soft.

Temper remaining oil with cumin seeds!. Be careful, they should not burn. Add in ginger paste, sauté for a minute, then green chilli paste. Sauté for another minute. At this stage, add turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt. Fry until oil separates from spices.

Now pour in one coffee mug of water. Give a stir, cover. Let gravy boil at medium to low heat. After 5 minutes, add fried fish pieces, slitted green chillies carefully. Let boil for another 3 minutes. You can pour  another 1/4 cup of water if required. Add chopped coriander leaves. Give a stir, switch off the stove.

This fish curry requires gravy to be light and not thick. Enjoy with steamed piping hot rice, with lentils, vegetable fritters to go. I have today family style tomato red lentil curry & Drumstic with potatoes in chilli-mustard paste!

KANCHAGOLLA (BENGALI SWEET)

Sweets, Sweets n Sweets; that's what we love to prepare and eat during the festivals. Indulging to the extreme is what we do with ourselves during this period. And why not? Such occasions come once a year, to enliven our hearts and we  savour the moments for the next one year. Moreover, any celebration among us is incomplete without sweets.

WHAT IS KANCHAGOLLA?

Yesterday was Mahalaya. We generally offer something homemade or store bought to our God Family on such days. I had no time in the morning; I had to hurry to my workplace, and the entire day I felt awkward. Back home, I thought I should not go to the bed with guilt. Let me prepare something which is quick and easy to make, without compromising with the taste. I came up with this KACHAGOLLA sweet, which I loved too much in my childhood. It is made with Chena / Paneer(curdling the milk with lemon juice) and sugar. During the winter months, we alternate the sugar with date palm jaggery.

Finally, I finished cooking this popular Bengali sweet at around 9 pm yesterday, felt extremely happy and content. Hope the Almighty will forgive  me for serving the dinner late. One thing you should keep in your mind, even if you refrigerate, this sweet tends to spoil quickly. I would suggest you to have them all sooner. Two litres of milk shall make about fifteen sweets approximately.

INGREDIENTS :

Full Cream Milk : 2 litres [I used Meiji's fresh milk]
Sugar : 1/2  small tea cup
Lemon Juice : 3-4 tablespoon
Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tea spoon
Chopped Pistachios : 6 [optional]

PROCEDURE :

Let us first prepare the Chena (Indian Cottage Cheese). Pour 2 litres of milk in a heavy bottomed pan. Put on the gas oven for boil. When it boils for a pretty 7-8 minutes, pour in the lemon juice added to 1/2 a small cup of water. You can see the milk curdling, switch off the gas stove immediately.

Now take a clean white cloth. Pass the curdled milk through it, so that the whey is drained away. Please do not throw away the whey, store it in the refrigerator to use later. 

What is deposited in the white piece of cloth is called Chena / Paneer Cheese. Wash the paneer under running water, tie the cloth to the kitchen tap and then hang for an hour. All of the excess water should go away.

Now blend the sugar along with the green cardamom to get a powder form. Mix with the Chena and keep mashing until the sugar is mixed well and the thing turns smooth. 

Cook half of the paneer mix at minimal heat in a pan that is not used to cook anything with turmeric or other spices. Cook it for 5-6 minutes stirring continuously. Add it to the remaining paneer.

Once cool, knead well the entire thing. Shape into round balls with the help of your palms. Garnish with the chopped pistachios if using.

You are done. Your God Family is happy, your family is happy, you are too! Enjoy!

PAYESH (RICE KHEER / PUDDING)

PAYESH / RICE KHEER is considered auspicious among us. It is prepared on special occasions, be it birthday, baby shower, puja or other auspicious ceremonies. You can have it any day, whenever you wish to. You can cook it in 1&1/2 to 2 hours. They say on birthdays, one must have a bowl of Payesh, it ensures a longer life. A wife or a mother prepares it praying for longevity.

Originally or authentically Bengalis make payesh with rice grain. Gradually with time and developing the power of acceptance, we prepare it with other ingredients like vermicelli, sago, broken wheat, carrot, even bottle gourd. Hopefully, I can come up with each one of them in future.

With festive season around, let me share this recipe of Rice Kheer / Rice & Milk Pudding! I hope it gets sweeter with the  of your hands.

During winter, with availability of date palm jaggery, we use it instead of sugar. I can guarantee you would be in seventh heaven as far as taste is concerned.

INGREDIENTS :

Fragrant Rice ( Gobindo Bhog / Chini Gura / Kali Jeera / Basmati ) : 3 tablespoon
Full Cream Milk : 1 litre
Sugar : 1/2 small teacup + 2 tablespoon (measurement should be as per your taste)
Green Cardamon : 2-3
Bay leaf : 1
Cashew Nut : 8 halved
Raisins : 8.
Ghee : 1/4 teaspoon.

PROCEDURE :

Place rice in a bowl, wash thoroughly, drain water. Pour in ghee onto rice bowl, mix well. This helps rice not to stick with each other. Wash raisins, soak in warm water. Cashews to be halved.

Pour milk in heavy bottomed pan. Switch on gas stove. Put gas mark at low. This dish is to test your patience. Once milk comes to boil, clean, add bay leaf. This enhances flavour. Now you have to stir milk constantly, else it may burn at bottom

Keep stirring milk till it gets a bit creamier. At this stage, add rice. Give a stir every 3 minutes until rice is boiled.

Do not over boil rice. You have to take care of that. Once the rice is almost boiled, add sugar. Keep on stirring.

Crush green cardamoms. Add to kheer / podding once it gets creamier [I do not make it much of creamier]. Add raisins and cashews. 

After 2-3 minutes, switch off gas stove. It's done. Pour onto a serving bowl.

Please note , always add rice first to boiling milk. Add sugar only when rice is cooked. Else rice won't get cooked!

BHAPA DOI (BAKED YOGURT)

Just one week left, festive season is on. The biggest festival of BENGALIS, which happens once in a year, is at our doorstep. In whichever part of world we are, we would celebrate. Maa Durga comes down to earth with four children leaving her husband Lord Shiva back in heaven. She showers her blessings on us. Earth is said to be her parental house.

Mythology says Durga Puja was at first  celebrated during Spring. It was King Rama, said to be the 7th incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who celebrated for the first time in Autumn before going to kill the demon Ravana. Story goes long which this blog space & blog owner's knowledge level may not permit.

All these five days, we indulge ourselves to extreme, whichever part of world we are in. We prepare a lot of home made sweets, greet people with warmth. I thought of sharing few recipes of homemade sweets. Let's start with BHAPA DOI (Baked Yogurt) today. You need less ingredients for this. Method is too easy. If you have a sweet tooth, you would love it.

INGREDIENTS :

Plain Yogurt : 1 Coffee Mug.
Evaporated Milk : 1/4 Coffee Mug
Condensed Milk : 1/2 Coffee Mug (you can adjust as per your taste)
Ground Almond : 1 tsp
Chopped Pistachios : 2 tsp
Cardamom Powder  : 1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE :

Blend plain yogurt, evaporated milk, condensed milk together. Add ground almond, mix well. Pour onto an ovenproof bowl. Pour water in another ovenproof bowl .

Preheat oven! Place bowl with yogurt mix on top of bowl filled with water. It should be half immersed in water, not more than that. Cover the bowl with foil!

Bake for 30 minutes at 180*C, mine is a convection mode microwave oven. Take out, cool at room temperature.

Garnish baked yogurt with chopped Pistachios, then refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Serve chilled.

Every oven has different features. I would suggest you to check from time to time.

KHICHURI..... BEGUN BHAJA O ALOO BHAJA

Kichuri / Khichdi / Rice and Lentil Hotchpotch is the ultimate comfort food for us. There are different ways of preparing it! At times it is made without any veggies and served alongside some fries and a mixed vegetable dish. It is  made with a variety of vegetables too. Either way it is extremely healthy. Avoiding the chilli part, we prepare it as a main meal for smaller kids too. One gets the necessary nutrition  from one single dish, cooked  quickly and is hassle free.

We prepare it with a fragrant variety of rice called Gobinda Bhog, which is not easily available outside of West Bengal. But you have Bangladeshi stores in almost all of the countries. There you get 'Chinigura or Kalijeera chal' which is nearly the same variety. Alternatively, you can use Basmati rice. The lentil Bengalis use for this recipe is Skinless Yellow Moong in general.  At times, we prepare it with masoor dal  / red lentils too. In that case we use onions.

Since our childhood whenever it rained in the evening, we knew the dinner menu will be khichuri / rice & lentil hotchpotch today with eggplant and potato fries accompanied by tomato chutney. Super lucky we were if there had some Illish (Hilsa) fish in mummy's store, then we would get heavenly tasted deep fried illish / Hilsa fish pieces. Our mother's pantry was a pandora box actually. Now you all tell me which food loving kid would concentrate on studies when it's raining outside and lovely smell from the kitchen makes you hungry all of a sudden. It's better to pen down a poem and wait for the magical words.....' Your dinner is ready'.

Yesterday, I wished to bring into life those childhood memories, tell our son about our life that was simple and we were happy with simple things in life and life necessarily need not revolve around an iPad 24/7. I was late yesterday, had to skip cooking the tomato chutney. We can agree on a conclusion that Khichuri, Rain and Bengalis have a close knit connection or bond, whatever.

INGREDIENTS :( for Khichuri )

Rice (Gobindo Bhog or Chinigura or Basmati) : 1 coffee cup
Lentil (yellow moong dal) : 1 coffee cup
Ginger Paste : 2 tbsp
Salt : As per taste
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds : 4 pinches.
Dry Red Chillies : 2
Green Chillies : 2
Bay leaf : 1
Mustard Oil (Any other variety will do) : 2 tablespoon.
Sugar : 2 tsp

A garnish of ghee or butter is a must for us to have it!

INGREDIENTS : ( for the Fries )

Eggplant : 1 medium
Potato : 2 big
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As per requirement
Oil : 4-5 tbsp
Rice flour : 2 tsp for dusting 

Sugar : 1 tsp

 SERVES 4

PROCEDURE :

For the Khichuri / rice & lentil hotchpotch, take the rice and the lentils in separate bowls. Wash the rice a couple of times and soak. Heat the wok and dry roast the lentils. When cool, wash it, add enough of water and cover cook at low heat until half boiled.

Add the washed rice and more of water and let cook covered at low heat! Keep checking every few minutes, add water if required! 

When the rice & lentils are almost done, add the washed & slitted green chillies, the sugar & the salt and the turmeric powder. Give a stir, cover and cook at low heat for another 7-8 minutes! Once done switch off.

Heat the oil in a pan. Temper with a bay leaf, cumin seeds and dry red chillies. Add the ginger paste, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1tsp cumin powder and salt. Keep stirring at low heat until it's nicely fried yet not burnt. Pour on the rice and lentil mixture. Stir to mix very well. Switch on the gas, keep stirring for another 2 minutes. Switch off, it's done.

For the potato fries / Aloo Bhaja, cut the potatoes into round thick slices. the eggplants into half moon sizes as shown in the picture. Wash and marinate with the sugar, salt and turmeric as much as required. Keep aside covered.

Not put the wok on the gas burner. Heat the oil. Fry the potatoes and  keep frying until both the sides are brown. Take out once done.

For the Begun Bhaja / eggplant fries, cut the eggplants as you wish, the pieces have to be thick. Wash and marinate with the sugar, salt and turmeric as much as required. Keep aside covered for 10 minutes.

Fry the eggplants in batches after dusting with some rice flour. This helps them to stay crispy for sometime. 

I would ask you to fry the potatoes first because after frying the eggplants, the oil turns black, unlikely to be reused.

Serve the Khichuri along with the fries, accompanied by sweet tomato chutney or a little of pickle. You can pamper yourself more with an omelette or fried fish, preferably Illish. ENJOY!

FISH IN BLACK PEPPER SAUCE

FISH....the word gives goosebumps to me....or rather to the Bengalis. In my current city , variety of fish is available but they are all sea fish. Bengal is a state surrounded by rivers and ponds. Hence, our taste buds are more accustomed to freshwater fish. Here fresh water fish are mostly available in frozen form. With kids at home we cannot always take the liberty to eat frozen things. So in a foreign land, our choice of fish gets limited. Given our love for fish, we will find some way or the other to satisfy our taste buds. I finally felt it is wiser to adapt to the changed circumstances at least to some extent.


From the various blogs by the experts, I learnt that any smelly fish , if marinated in vinegar for at least 1 hour and then washed and cooked, does not smell anymore. With all my tried and tasted recipes on fish, I have seen if we use onion and garlic , curry made with smelly fish can taste good.
Yes, you are right, with availability  of fresh water fish in abundance , Bengalis do not use much onion and garlic in fish curries except for in few dishes.

This FISH IN BLACK PEPPER SAUCE is a favourite with my men. They love it either as an appetiser or as a non vegetarian side. I prepare such dishes mainly on Friday evenings with my refrigerator almost vacant preparing to welcome fresh stuffs next morning. This dish is prepared with minimal ingredients. You can however use all types of bell peppers. The day I prepared this, I had only red bell pepper and green chillies available in my pantry.... yet the end product was tasty.

INGREDIENTS :
Boneless Fish Fillets ( Tilapia, Sutchi or Grouper ) : 500 gm.
Minced Garlic : 1 table spoon
Minced Ginger : 1 tsp
Onion : 2 medium
Red Bell Pepper : 1 ( you can use yellow and green bell pepper along with it.)
Green Chillies : 4 - 5
Soya Sauce ( light ) : 1 table spoon
Black Pepper Sauce : 2 tsp.
Salt : very little as both the sauces have salt in it.
Vinegar : 2 table spoon
Corn flour : 3 table spoon
Oil : 4 table spoon.

PROCEDURE :
Wash the fish fillets thoroughly , cut into small squares, marinate with vinegar and keep aside for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cut the onions , red bell peppers, into small cubes. Slit the green chillies. Get ready with the minced garlic and chillies.

In a bowl put in the corn flour . After 1 hour drain the vinegar from the fish. Wash again and pat dry. Add very little salt.

Heat oil in a wok. Coat the fish pieces very well in the corn flour. Fry them in batches. Please do not over fry them. Fry in batches, the wok should not be overcrowded.

Put the fish pieces in a tissue paper to drain the excess oil.Now pour the excess oil in the wok keeping only 1 tsp in it. Only that much is required. Once the oil is hot , put in the minced garlic and ginger,sauté till you get the fragrance. Put in the onion pieces. Sauté till translucent. Put in the bell peppers and slitted green chillies.

Increase the heat. Sauté for 3 minutes. Pour in the soya sauce. Stir for 1 minute. Now put in the fish pieces. Mix well carefully so that they do not break.

Now pour in the black pepper sauce. Stir in high heat for 1 minute . It's done. In the process sprinkle salt if only it's required.

Transfer to a bowl and serve hot as an appetiser or as a side with steamed Jasmine rice or with noodles.

TANGY TOMATO EGG CURRY

The sight of eggs remind me of Devang Patel's famous ad "Monday to Sunday...Roz khao andey hi andey" as part of NECC's promotional advertisement on health benefits of having eggs. Oh! How my mother  relentlessly tried to persuade me, my brother to have eggs , the two egg haters, citing example from this particular advertisement.

One cannot deny the health benefits of egg. It is amongst most nutritious foods on planet. Though eggs are high in cholesterol, they don't adversely affect blood cholesterol. In fact eggs raise the HDL, the good cholesterol . It contains choline..... an important nutrient required by us and help reduce risk of heart disease  among us[WIKI]. The list is big. Let's stop here with the note that We should have eggs on a regular basis.

My husband is extremely fond of eggs, it is a regular in our home. For  egg curries, we Bengalis prefer duck egg, it tastes better. Duck eggs being banned in this island, we remain faithful to  the more popular bird, hen.

Today, let's cook tangy tomato egg curry. Bengali curries are usually red, hot but this one not that much, neither an authentic Bengali curry.

INGREDIENTS :

Eggs ( preferably of duck, else hen ) : 6 nos.
Tomato : 4 medium sized
Onion : 1 big sized
Garlic paste : 2 tsp
Ginger paste : 1 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp (it is known more for enhancing colour of  curry but is mild)
Green Chilli : 3 nos
Salt : As per taste
Bay Leaf : 1
Cumin Seeds : 2 pinches
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Bengali Garam Masala (an 1 inch size cinnamon stick, 2 green cardamoms, 3 cloves , roasted, powdered)
Oil (Mustard or otherwise) : 2 tablespoon.

PROCEDURE :

I am cleanliness freak, I prefer washing eggs before boiling. Boil eggs with half spoon of salt, once done let them cool. This helps shell to come out quickly without damaging egg white.

Cut each tomato into 4 pieces, discard seeds, wash, put into blender to get smooth paste. Get paste of onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies...... all separately .

Discard shell of eggs. Wash again, make 2 slits on both ends of each. Apply some salt, turmeric on them, rub well.

Heat oil in wok. Lightly fry eggs. Take out. Temper oil with bay leaf, cumin seeds. When cumin seeds start spluttering, add in onion paste. Fry until raw smell goes. Add garlic, ginger paste. Fry until raw smell goes off.

Pour in tomato paste , keep stirring for 3-4 minutes, add green chilli paste, salt, turmeric, Kashmiri mirch powder. Keep on stirring  until oil seperates from spice mix.

Add a cup of water. Let boil for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add eggs. Cover, let boil for another 3-4 minutes. 

Add garam masala powder. Stir well. Add little sugar if you wish to. It's done. The gravy should be of creamy consistency.

This curry goes well with both steamed rice, flatbread.