FOUR SIMPLE VEGGIES IN MY HUMBLE KITCHEN

Here are four more regular veggies from the kitchen of Bengal, also family recipes. Still on a tour of nostalgia, I strongly feel the urge to compile such recipes which have the threat to be forgotten soon. One of the main inspiration behind this is off course Piyali Mutha of My Tryst With Food and Travel fame whose blog is a storehouse of Indian, International recipes along with her travel experiences around the world. Latest in her blog is an awesome Bengali Vegetarian Thali, where every details of Bengali life and culture is captured, indicating we need to preserve them. For the food lovers, her blog link is @ mytrystwithfoodandtravel.blogspot.com. 

Drawing inspiration from such posts, I am making a humble effort to compile what is getting lost. I am sharing them everywhere, even amidst the people to whom such dishes are like strangers, anyone stopping by means my culture & food reached a little further. Therein lies my satisfaction.

These are simple veggies that are / were been cooked in the Bengali homes. I get drenched with many a memories when it comes to such dishes. How beautifully the ladies of the house cooked them, who never knew or bothered about showcasing their talents.

I remember my senior's grandma, a super active lady in her 80's some 18-20 years back cooked wonderful vegetarian dishes with minimal ingredients and in a small stove. I am just trying to keep them alive. 

Hopefully the future generation will try them besides their '2 minutes dinner menus'. Here I compiled together 4 Bengali vegetarian dishes which we will cook together now.

      BADHAKOPIR GHONTO /  CABBAGE WITH POTATOES

INGREDIENTS :

Cabbage : 1 small sized

Potato : 1big

Tomato : 1medium

Green Pea : 1/2small cup

Green Chilli : 2[slitted]

Dry Red Chilli : 1[halved]

Ginger Paste : 1tsp

Cumin Powder : 1/2tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1tsp

Cinnamon Powder : 2pinches

Cardamom Powder : 1pinch

Cloves Powder : 1pinch

Cumin Seeds : 2pinches

Bayleaf : 1

Sugar : 1tsp

Salt : As required

Ghee[clarified butter] : 1tsp [skip to make it vegan]

Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD : 

Shred the cabbage, add enough water and a little of salt. Microwave at high for 5-6 minutes. Strain the water.

Wash and chop the tomato. Peel, wash and cut the potato into 8 pieces. Rub with salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok. Lightly fry the potato pieces. Take out and keep aside.

Temper the remaining oil with cumin seeds, bayleaf and the halved dry red chilli. Add the ginger paste, salt and turmeric. Stir for a minute. Add the cabbage, stir and cover. Remove the cover and stir every 3-4 minutes.

You will see a lot of water releasing. When about 75% of water would dry up, add the tomato pieces, fried potato pieces, cumin powder, slitted green chillies. Stir and cover cook for 3-4 minutes.

Remove the cover, add the sugar, green peas, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves powder. Stir and cover cook for 2-3 minutes.Remove the cover, garnish with ghee. Switch off the burner!

It goes well with both rice / roti.    

OLER DALNA / YAM CURRY

INGREDIENTS :

Ol[suran/elephant foot yam] : 250gm
Ginger Paste : 2tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Cinnamon Powder : 2pinches
Cardamom Powder : 1pinch
Cloves Powder : 1pinch
Cumin Seed : 2pinches
Salt : As Required
Bayleaf : 1
Ghee : 1tsp [skip to make it vegan]
Oil : 2tsp

METHOD :

Peel & cut the big chunk of yum into small cubes. Wash them and rub with salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the yam pieces in batches. Take out and keep aside.

Temper the same oil with a bayleaf and cumin seeds. Add the ginger paste and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add the cumin powder, salt, turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder. Saute for 1/2 a minute. Add the fried pieces of yum. Fold in well and stir for a minute.

Add a cup of water, boil for 3-5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves powder, ghee and cook for another minute.

Serve hot with steamed rice.   

MORSHUMI TARKARI / SEASONAL VEGGIES

INGREDIENTS :

Cauliflower : 1medium

Long Bean : 3-4

Hyacinth Bean : 150gm

Radish : 2small

Potato : 2 medium

Coriander Leaves : 2sprig

Green Chilli : 2[slitted]

Dry Red Chilli : 1[halved]

Turmeric Powder : 1tsp

Nigella Seed[kalonji] : 1/4tsp

Salt : As Required

Sugar : 1tsp

Oil : 2tbsp

METHOD :

It is called seasonal because in those days cauliflower and Hyacinth beans were available only in winter. 

Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets. The long beans and radish should be cut lengthwise. Discard the skin of the radish. Cut half each of the Hyacinth beans. Peel and cut the potatoes into big cubes.

Wash the vegetables and rub with salt and turmeric. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok, temper with the kalonji / kalojeere and the halved dry red chilli. Add the radish first, cover cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the potatoes & long beans now, stir and cover cook for 3-4 minutes. Keep the heat at minimal. Remove the cover and add the broad beans and cauliflower florets. Stir and cover cook at minimal heat for 7-8 minutes.

Add the sugar and slitted green chillies. Stir and cook for another minute. Wash and chop the coriander leaves. Add to the veggies. Stir cook for 1/2 a minute and switch off the gas stove.

It goes well with both rice/roti.

LAU GHONTO / BOTTLE GOURD BENGALI STYLE

INGREDIENTS :

Lau[bottle gourd] : 1medium sized

Bori[dried lentil balls] : 7-8[you may skip]

Green Chilli : 2[slitted]

Coriander Leaves : 3sprigs

Cumin Seed : 1/4tsp

Bayleaf : 1

Dry Red Chilli : 2[halved]

Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp

Salt : As Required

Oil : 2tbsp

METHOD :

Peel and wash the the bottle gourd. Cut into smaller pieces and shred.Discard the bigger seeds, in fact younger ones while buying.

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the lentil balls if using. Keep aside.

Temper the oil with cumin seeds and bayleaf, dry red chillies.

Add the shredded bottle gourd. Add salt. Stir and cover. It will release a lot of water.

Once it is 60-70% done, add the turmeric powder, slitted green chillies. Stir and cover again.

Once the water dries up completely; add the sugar, chopped coriander leaves and the fried bori broken into halves. Stir and let cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice.