KANCHA AAMER MISHTI ACHAR / RAW MANGO SWEET PICKLE

The mango season is on, I can see its reflection everywhere.... in shakes, desserts, pickles.... South Asian pickle variety is our achar.... a condiment. The mention of achar / pickle brings forth many a sweet memories. Our mom used to prepare pickles with mango, tamarind, elephant apple, mainly sweet ones using jaggery considering Bengal's love for sweets. I remember only the lemon pickle she made was a sour one. She did prepare one sour mango pickle which I loved very much. 

Our daddy had to have little bit of sweet pickle with his fish curry and rice, hence sweet pickles had predominance in our home, made with sour jujube, elephant apple, raw mangoes. That simplistic love story was typical of that generation..... altogether a different generation, a different perspective of life.... They hardly shared any amount of romance between them!

Coming back to pickle, ever since I saw the raw green mangoes in the market, I was planning to prepare some achar for my senior who loves it with hand rolled breads, even if they are accompanied by vegetables and meat. Though he prefers sour pickle in oil, I prepared this sweet one, with a typical Bengali dry roasted ground spice mix added to it. I prepared this KANCHA AAMER MISHTI ACHAR yesterday evening. What you see in the picture has to be kept under the sun for a week and then stored in a jar.

INGREDIENTS : [ for the dry spice mix]

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp

Coriander Seeds : 1tsp

Fenugreek Seed : 1/4tsp

Fennel Seed : 1/4tsp

Black Mustard Seed : 1/4tsp

Wild Celery Seed : 1/4tsp

Dry Red Chilli : 5

INGREDIENTS : [ for the sweet mango pickle ]

Raw Mango : 3-5 standard sized [preferably whose seed has not hardened enough]

Jaggery : 1 medium tea cup [I used the powder]

Sugar : 2-3 tbsp

Salt : 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

METHOD :

Peel, wash and cut the mangoes into medium sized cubes discarding the seeds. Rub with salt and turmeric powder. Rest for half an hour.

Take a wok, switch on the gas stove. Add the marinated mango cubes & cover cook at low heat for 8-10 minutes. Give a stir in between!

Remove the cover, add the jaggery powder & a medium cup of water; fold in well. As the jaggery melts, keep stirring at medium heat till it turns little sticky. Add the sugar to get the mixture more sticky.

Switch off gas. Transfer to a bowl. 

Dry roast the spices at minimal heat for 3-4 minutes, grind to a coarse powder! 

Add it to the pickle & fold in well!

Give a good sunbath to the pickle before transferring to a sterilised jar! Keep giving sunbath a intervals.

CHICKEN BIRYANI

Royal, Rehmania, Shiraz, Aminia, Aliya are few among other Biryani specialists of Kolkata, taking forward the legacy of Lucknowi Biryani. Besides these old restaurants, some of which are more than 100 years old, we have numerous small shops in the Park Circus, Ekbalpur, Kidderpore area who sell authentic Lucknowi Biryani. I will not elaborate on how Kolkata ended up following Lucknowi style Biryani because by now the story is known to many. 

It goes as this, when Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deported to Kolkata, he brought with him his personal cooks. It was from then perhaps Kolkata's love for Mughlai khana was born. The recipes were passed on to the next generation till date. I have tried to bring in that taste but never claim it to be authentic Lucknowi Biryani.... it is quite impossible to get the secret ingredients the ustads use....they never divulge the full recipe outside of family, I believe. Whatever I could gather from different recipes, I have jotted down according to my own convenience. I follow that at my home, it does turn good, a lighter version of the very flavourful and tasty restaurant ones.

The potato piece, that is peeping is definitely not a part of the authentic Lucknowi Biryani. Knowing Bengal's love for potato, it was a later addition. Or may be there was other reason; there are various theories doing the rounds, I doubt if they have proper historical evidence! There you also get one boiled egg per plate of biryani garnished with crispy fried onion. I served it with cucumber raita, but let me tell you Kolkata loves to have it with mutton / chicken chaap. At this home, we enjoy biryani alone with raita, the son would not touch a raita! Our love for  food can take us to any extent and we never claim to be healthy eaters till recently. A community that is obsessed with food, football, cricket, drama, cinema, politics.

INGREDIENTS : [ for the biryani masala ]

Green Cardamom : 4-5
Black Cardamom : 2
Cinnamon : 2 one inch stick
Clove : 4
Nutmeg : 1
Mace : 2
Cubeb[kebab cheeni] : 4-5
Shahi Jeera : 1/4 tsp
Star Anise : 1

INGREDIENTS : [ for the rice ]

Basmati Rice : 2 coffee mugs
Green Cardamom : 2-3

Black Cardamom : 1
Clove : 2-3
Cinnamon : 2 one inch stick
Shahi Jeera : 3 pinches
Bayleaf : 2-3

Mace : 2-3
Salt : As required
Water : As required

INGREDIENTS :[for the chicken]

Chicken : 1 kg [big cuts]
Potato : 2-3 cut into halves

Egg : 4-5
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Garlic Paste : 2 tbsp
Onion : 2
Plain Yogurt : 250 gm
Biryani Masala : 1 tsp
Bayleaf : 2
Oil : 2 tbsp
Ghee : 1 + 2 tbsp

Turmeric : 1/2 tsp
Rose water : 2-3 drops

INGREDIENTS : [ for the final round ]

The Cooked Chicken & Potato

The Boiled Eggs

The Cooked Rice

Ghee[clarified butter] : 1/2 small cup 

Edible Orange Colour : 2-3 drops
Rose water : 1 tbsp

METHOD :

Peel, wash and cut each potato into two halves. Slice the onion. Dry roast all the spices meant for biriyani masala and grind them together.

Mix together the powdered spices & plain yogurt; beat well!

Wash the chicken and marinate with salt, turmeric, the beaten spiced yogurt and half of the ginger-garlic paste along with the potatoes. Keep aside for 2 hours.

                 

Heat the oil+2tbsp ghee  in a wok. Temper with the bayleaf. Slice the onions & add to the wok! Fry till brown & take out half of it!

Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the spices separate from the oil. Add the chicken & potatoes with the marinade!

Cook covered at low heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, cook uncovered until 70% done. Switch off the gas stove & add 1tbsp of ghee & slitted green chillies to the chicken curry, mix well!

Store the chicken curry in a bowl! Now let us prepare the rice. Take enough water in a deep bottomed vessel and put for boil. Add the required amount of salt & the whole spices mentioned in the rice making section!

Once the water starts boiling, add the rice. Cook till 60 % done. Take the rice in a colander, let the water drain completely!

Boil the required number of eggs, peel & wash! Prepare a paste with 1/2 small tea cup of ghee, 2tbsp powdered milk & the orange edible food colour!

Take a deep bottom vessel. Arrange in this order.... a layer of rice, some chicken, eggs and the potato pieces. Add 2-3 tbsp of the ghee mixure. Arrange few such layers with rice at the top.

We are supposed to seal with an atta dough but I just covered with a heavy lid. Place a pan on the gas oven. Place the vessel on it. Cook at low heat for 45-50 minutes.

Serve hot with raita and salad!

NO OIL SUKHA MUTTON

Whenever I think of mutton I visualise of a bowl full of soft, succulent mutton pieces soaked in a gravy that has mutton fat floating. Talking about yesteryears, in an average Bengali home mutton meant cooked in generous amount of oil, forgetting that mutton itself releases its own fat which is enough for cooking it or may be a little amount of oil is required. 

I do the same, perhaps by default. I do use lot of oil in cooking. Considering the health hazards, I am trying to cut down on the use of oil in any dish, particularly in meats. Few days back, I was talking to a Punjabi co-blogger friend about food, cooking. She said in her family, mutton is cooked without oil. They marinate the mutton with spices for quite long hours, thereafter slow cook it. 

I liked the idea, thought of cooking mutton without oil. I forgot to ask what spice combination she uses. Hence, used my own combination of spices. I kept the gravy dry wanting to serve with hand rolled breads. To keep the gravy dry or runny is unto you. Here goes the recipe which is quite is simple and easy to do!

INGREDIENTS :

Goat Meat : 500 gm

Plain Yogurt : 200 gm

Onion Paste or Sliced : 3 tbsp

Garlic Paste : 3 tbsp

Ginger Paste : 1 tbsp

Coriander Powder : 1 & 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder : 1 tsp

Green Cardamom : 3-4

Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 one inch length

Clove : 3-4

Salt : As required

Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp

METHOD :

Clean and wash the mutton thoroughly.

Beat the yogurt and pour onto the mutton. Add all of the other ingredients, fold in well. Mix the whole thing nicely. Keep aside for 2 hours.

Heat a pressure cooker on the gas top. Once heated, pour the marinated mutton along with the marinade.

Stir for 3-4 minutes at high heat. Lower the heat and close tight the lid. Pressure cook at low heat until one whistle. 

Let the lid open normally without force. Loosely cover, let it slow cook at minimal heat until dry. We have to check and stir every few minutes. 

Transfer to a serving bowl, serve with choice of bread or fried rice!

GRILLED PANEER

I am caught up in various activities, elaborate cooking isn't happening in weekday nights. I keep searching recipes that are easier, takes less time to cook, colourful, suits my men's taste buds. Honestly, the senior of the men isn't fond of paneer, but wraps are his favourite. Any filling wrapped in tortilla or paratha would he enjoy. The junior is fond of paneer like his mother. Yesterday, back from work I had to go out... I am trying to balance everything, I settled on Grilled Paneer, served fresh wrapped in tortillas. It was such easy and quick to do it. With the summer heat on, people get tired easily end of the day. This was done happily listening to my favourite music. Isn't that what I love doing most?... Listening to soft melodies while cooking, a meaningful movie feed my soul. Cooking gives me that satisfaction of being a mother, a wife. With my earphones on, I marinated the paneer with minimal ingredients. I went out again, came back, it was done in few minutes.

INGREDIENTS :

Paneer [Indian Cottage Cheese] : 200 gm

Italian Herb Mix : 1/2 tsp

Crushed Black Pepper : 1/4 tsp

Dry Mango Powder : 1/2 tsp

Lemon Juice : 2 tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 tsp [I used Olive Oil]

METHOD :

Marinate the paneer with all the ingredients mentioned. Keep aside for an hour.

I am not comfortable using skewers. I greased an ovenproof wired grill stand with oil, placed the marinated paneer pieces on it.

I use convection mode microwave oven. I placed the grill plate inside, atop it the wired high stool with marinated paneer pieces.

I cooked  one side for 10 minutes. I turned over, brushed the paneer pieces with oil, cooked the other side for 5 minutes.

Serve the Grilled Paneer with a choice of chutney or serve wrapped in tortilla.

RAW JACKFRUIT CURRY / ECHORER DALNA

When I look at the jackfruits in the market, I dive into my past, reach straight to my childhood. I was born and brought up in our maternal grandparent's home until age six. The bond kept getting stronger. Every summer and winter vacations I had to be there... to be on our maternal grand mom' lap, ride behind the maternal uncles' scooter... I was spoilt by their indulgence.... the grandfather loved gardening. The house had a big garden surrounded by coconut and beetle nut trees. Besides,  there were mango, jackfruit, lemon, drumsticks and many varieties of flowers, fruits growing there. He used to grow seasonal vegetables too. Most of the time I used to be in the garden, playing alone. My brother & cousins are younger to me.

His jackfruit trees bore fruits in abundance, they were huge sized. The Bengalis eat the green ones made into curries, also the ripened juicy ones.... aah...the taste was divine...just cut from the tree and eaten fresh. I remember the ordeal of the grandmother on the day she decided to cook  green jackfruit curry. The maternal uncles used to cut one, rest she took up from dressing it to grinding & pasting the spices to slow cooking it. The end product was heavenly, flavourful with a garnish of ghee and Bengali garam masala. It feels good to see that the native islanders here love ripe jackfruit, it has some cousin varieties too! Also, we easily get the green ones may be because the Southern Indians eat it!

Now a days the process is easy.... the complex process of removal of it's hard skin is no more, its already done and then sold. There is no reason why we should not cook it. I would take forth the legacy with due respect to all of the yesteryear women for whom things were not as easy as it is now. Only the cutting part is a bit time consuming but when u eat the curry u forget all of the pain. We call it "Gaach Patha" literally meaning tree mutton; actually it is a vegetarian dish cooked with a lot of spices to get a mutton curry feel. In our family its a no onion, no garlic dish. We also use small prawns in this curry but today I kept it pure vegetarian. When I cook an authentic Bengali vegetarian curry with it, I do not use too many spices! I cook a light curry unless I want a duplicate of a mutton curry, that is vegetarian!

INGREDIENTS :

Raw Jackfruit : 500 gm
Potato : 2 medium
Ginger Paste : 2 tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Seed : 2 pinches
Bayleaf : 1
Bengali Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp[ an equal amount of green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves ground]
Sugar : 1 tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1 tbsp
Ghee : 1 tbsp [clarified butter] [you can skip it to make it vegan]
Oil : 3-4 tbsp

METHOD :

Apply a little of oil in your palms before cutting the jackfruit because the secretion from the raw fruit will make your palm sticky. I did get one whose skin is already cut. So cut the hard mid region of the fruit, discard it. If your jackfruit has seeds take out and discard the yellowish skin that covers the seed. Now cut into small cubes. Wash and apply salt and turmeric as required.

Take the jackfruit pieces in a deep bottomed vessel, add 2 coffee mugs of water and boil on gas top for 6-8 minutes. Take down and discard the water. Add little salt and turmeric again.

Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into cubes. Apply salt and turmeric; fry them. Prepare a paste with the ginger paste+cumin+coriander+red chilli+turmeric powders+salt+2 tbsp water; mix well!

Add little more of oil to the remaining if required. Once hot, temper with bay leaf and cumin seeds. As they splutter, add the spice paste.

When the raw smell goes and  the spices separates from the oil; add the fried potatoes and jackfruits. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes at medium to low heat. Add about 2 coffee cups of water & cover to cook at minimal heat!

After 6-7 minutes, remove the cover and check if they are soft. If yes,  add the Bengali garam masala powder, sugar and ghee.

Cook for a minute or two. Its done. Serve hot with rice or even with roti.

Please note I use less spices, if you want it like a meat curry, double the amount of the spice mix, also can use tomatoes & onions!

DOI MURGI & PUDINA PARATHA

Its weekend, time to set loose and indulge ourselves quite generously. Whether we dine outside or at home, the food has to be a bit colourful, a bit different from the rest of the days..... why not? We get more time to experiment in the kitchen. The countdown begins from the Friday evening. My hidden wings spread with joy..... Though I am an early riser, it feels good to think I have no compulsion to wake up early next morning. This weird lady gets up at the wake of dawn, she loves watching the calm view outside, its dawn, its still dark.... and the koyal coos. She gets lost somewhere and sings.... Koyal boli duniya doli...samjho dil ki boli... 

Like in the above song, she believes the sky above and the earth below is the worthiest home an awesome twosome can have.... she believed and still believe for the right cause and the right person, one can denounce anything in life. She thinks she can, or could...then in between comes the thought of her sarees and costume jewels!.... The mean self confronts generosity... Recently, I developed a love for silver jewelry... it has to have a matt finish and of tribal design..... if anyone gifts me  platinum... I am right there... The husband will not neither anyone else! Coming to the man & the son; cooking a DOI MURGI & PUDINA PARATHA for them is a pleasure; they love their bread & meat platter!

Anyway, from her Utopia, she does come back to reality gazing at the rising sun, walks up to her kitchen, does the necessary works required and settles on the simplistic DOI MURGI for that day. To see that smile on her men's face, she decided to serve it with MINT / PUDINA PARATHA.

INGREDIENTS : [for the doi murgi]

Chicken : 1 kg
Plain Yogurt : 400-500 gm
Garlic Paste : 2 tbsp

Ginger Paste : 2 tsp

Green Chilli Paste : 1 tbsp
Sliced Onion : 1 medium tea cup
White Pepper Corn : 1 tsp
Black Pepper Corn : 8-10
Bayleaf : 1

Dried Red Chilli : 3-4
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Salt : As Required
Oil : 3-4 tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the pudina paratha]
All Purpose Flour : 1 1/2 coffee mug
Whole Wheat Flour : 1/4 coffee mug
Fresh Mint Leaves : 1 coffee mug
Carom Seed : 1/2 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 2 tbsp + 1 tsp for frying each paratha

Let us cook the doi murgi / yogurt chicken at first!

Wash and marinate the chicken with a spice mix blending together yogurt, white pepper corns, green chillies, salt, turmeric, ginger & garlic pastes! Keep covered for 2 hours. 

Peel, wash and slice the onions.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper oil with  the bayleaves, dry red chillies and the black pepper corns. Add the sliced onions. Fry until brown & crisp!

Add the marinated chicken with all the marinade. Fry at medium to high heat for 3-5 minutes stirring continuously. Now lower the heat to minimal and cover. We have to uncover and stir every 4-5 minutes to avoid sticking.

After about half an hour of cooking, the yogurt will release water, so you may not require to add water. I did add I coffee mug of water, slitted green chillies, cooked for another 10 minutes at low heat, without a cover!

Now, we would cook the pudina paratha / fresh mint flatbread!

Take both the flours in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil, salt, the carom seeds and mix well. Rub for 2 minutes.

Wash the mint leaves and add to the flours.I felt hand crushed mint leaves emanates more of flavour!

Prepare a smooth dough adding water & oil as required. This may take 8-9 minutes!

Keep the dough covered for half an hour, remove cover & knead again for 2-3 minutes!

Prepare balls tearing portions and shape into round parathas!

Heat a pan and place each paratha at a time. Roast each side well. Then add 1tsp oil and fry each side well.

Serve the mint flatbread / pudina paratha hot with the yogurt chicken curry / doi murgi!