WATERMELON POPSICLE

Given the present heat, I crave for two things.... rain and coolers.... I feel a fresh fruit popsicle is the best to keep us hydrated, get us a cool feel in this tropical climate. Besides, it is a good way  to feed fruits to the kids at home. It is altogether a feel good thing to watch our kids happily having them.

Back then in our childhood, we called them kathi[stick] ice-cream. As kids, we were acquainted with the approaching sound of the wheeled carts. Inside the box were many colourful and flavourful "kathi" ice creams lying on a bed of ice cubes. To us, it was a pandora box. In those days the school gates were flocked with all sorts of vendors.... ice-cream seller, pickle seller, panipuri seller in the afternoon. We were devoid of this pleasure as our school was within a protected area where such vendors were denied access..... 

Once we were in the road and until we reached home... only one sentence I would plead "Mani.... get me one".... the inevitable answer was....'they are made with dirty water'. My brother somehow managed these stuffs from the mother on his way back from the school. In our middle class household there was no refrigerator until I was in the eighth standard. Hence, she could not promise of a home made one. Ice cream meant only Kwality Ice-cream 2-3 times a month. When I was at the grandparent's place, I had the pleasure to have them.

I really do not know what gave me / us more pleasure, it's cooling effect or the natural red colour that painted our lips and tongue. I loved them to the extent that I even wished to marry an ice-cream seller or a "ghugniwala". Perhaps no guy came near me in fear of selling ice-creams or living with a silly-mad romantic under one roof for life. Hahaha.... jokes are but jokes.... I love making up stories, people who take the pain of reading my blog, deserve some relief.... comic or otherwise.

Meanwhile, the wiser person at home who was destined to live with an insane woman says my mental age is same as was 25 years back. The lady of the house holds tight the popsicle on her left hand, sucks it and  reads Jhumpa Lahiri at the same time. She is happy in her own world, which is small and weird. Since she did not marry a popsicle seller, she keeps making popsicles for herself and her teen boyfriend.... with whom she is in a 'living in relationship'... until a young lady comes and snatches him away.

By the way, I was overjoyed to see my childhood crush "Kathi ice-cream" sold as "Potong ice-cream" in this island. Yet I prefer making them at home. I prepared these WATERMELON POPSICLES with 3-4 ingredients and trust me the entire process was too quick leaving the freezing period. Do not worry if you are not having popsicle moulds, do it using plastic glasses and ice-cream sticks. I have moulds but I find the plastic glasses easier. Let us see how we do it.

INGREDIENTS :

Watermelon : 1/4 of a big sized
Lemon Juice : 1tbsp
Ginger Extract : 1tsp

Black Salt : 1/4 tsp
Sugar : 2tsp

METHOD :

Wash, de-seed and cut off the white and green parts of the watermelon, we need only the red portion.

Put the watermelon pieces in a juicer or blender not used for blending spices.

Blend for 2-3 minutes at intervals. Pour on to a vessel.

Strain the entire content, store in another vessel. Add the lemon juice, ginger extract, sugar, black salt. Mix them well.

Pour into plastic or paper or thermocol glasses, freeze for few hours.

Cover each glass with aluminium foil, make a slit in the middle, insert ice-cream bamboo stick and freeze for few hours.

Thereafter,  they should be ready to serve. Tear off the glasses to serve them.

Enjoy, revisit your childhood anytime!

FISH FINGERS

Returning back to this space after break is a pleasure. I enjoy writing the posts ever since the inception of this food blog. Cooking is a fun activity for me, it relieves my stress. My kitchen is my comfort zone, I am confident there. We should enjoy what we do.

I did not blog doesn't mean I stopped cooking, my mind was elsewhere. I cooked simple meals, felt happy when someone dear lovingly said, "when did my little daughter learn this much of cooking?" He forgot his little daughter is a middle aged woman at this time.

Today I thought of sharing a simple, a tasty and savoury appetiser. We need few ingredients to prepare this. It can be done in a jiffy if there are sudden guests at home. You can engage them with a plateful of these FISH FINGERS  accompanied by their choice of hard, soft drinks or with tea, coffee; thereafter you can plan for dinner.

INGREDIENTS :

Any Firm White Fish Fillet : 500 gm [I used Tilapia]
Lemon Juice : 4tbsp
Ginger Extract : 3tsp
Garlic Extract : 2tbsp
Salt : As required
Corn Flour : 2 tbsp

Refined Flour : 2 tbsp
Bread Crumb : 1 coffee mug

Crushed Black Pepper : 1/2 tsp
Oil : 200-250 ml [to deep fry]

METHOD :

Wash and cut the fillets into finger sized  shape. Marinate for an hour with salt, wash thoroughly thereafter!

Marinate them again with the lemon juice, ginger extract, garlic extract, crushed black pepper and salt.

Keep aside for an hour or two.

Take the bread crumbs on a plate.

Prepare a thick batter with the refined flour, corn flour, little salt and water.

Dip each fish piece in the batter mix and then coat with the bread crumbs. Repeat.

Refrigerate the dressed fish fingers for few hours.

Heat the oil in a wok!

Take out the dressed, uncooked fish fingers, deep fry them in batches until they turn golden brown. Keep the heat at low.
Put them onto tissue papers to get rid of the excess oil, then transfer onto serving plates.

Serve hot with your choice of sauces, dips, chutney  and salad.T had two slices of bread with cheese!We had it for dinner & he cannot have fries alone for dinner, neither fancy a salad!

FISH KOFTA CURRY

I took a break from blogging for sometime for various reasons. Today  may not be the right time to resume, I forced myself because food and cooking relieve my stress. In my blog, I so far have highlighted the culinary expertise of the ladies in my family who encouraged me to love cooking. 

We forget to mention the people who are the silent supporters at home, for whom we are able to engage ourselves happily in the kitchen, for them we cook. Today's post is dedicated to such a person... our father. He never peeped into the kitchen, never showed any interest in cooking..... end of the day he is happy with whatever is served to him.

The typical East Bengal; now Bangladesh born father of us is a mango and fish lover. He loves kofta varieties. Whenever I prepare kofta curries, I think of him.... I parcel a bowlful virtually. We do miss our families back home...... specially at this stage in life. Coming back to the recipe, this is Fish Kofta Curry made with homemade spices. Let us do it together.

INGREDIENTS :

Fish Fillet : 300gm
Minced Ginger : 1/2tsp
Minced Garlic : 1tsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 1tsp
Chopped Onion : 2 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 1/2tsp
Onion Paste : 1tbsp
Tomato Paste : 1/2 small tea cup
Cumin Powder : 1tsp

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Dry Mango Powder : 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Cumin Seed : 1/4tsp
Bay leaf : 1
Plain Yogurt : 2tbsp
Sugar : 1/2 tsp[optional]
Oil : 5tbsp
Gram flour : 1tsp

METHOD :

Peel, wash and chop the onions.

Wash and cut the fish fillets into medium pieces. Boil them in enough water adding a pinch of salt. Drain the water once soft.

Heat the oil in a wok, temper it with 2 pinches of cumin seeds. Add the chopped onion. As they turn golden brown, add the minced ginger and garlic.

As they give out an aroma, add the boiled fish, break with your ladle. Add salt, 1/2 tsp cumin +1/2 tsp coriander +1 tsp dry mango +1/2 tsp turmeric powders and chopped green chillies. Stir cook well.

Add the gram flour and mix well. Switch off the gas burner. As the mixture cools, shape into small round balls, flatten or do not.

Heat the remaining oil, fry the fish balls in batches carefully or cook them in the oven like I do!

Temper the oil with cumin seeds and bay leaves. Add the onion paste and fry until golden brown.

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes away. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the rest of the chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, sugar and beaten yogurt. Fry until the oil separates from the spices. Pour one small cup of water. Let it come to boil.

Arrange the fried fish koftas in a serving bowl. Pour the gravy over it, 10-12 minutes before you are ready to eat it.

Serve with steamed white rice.

DIM SHORSHE POSTO

With an egg lover in our home I keep looking for different recipes. This helps both ways, I am relieved of the monotony of cooking the same curry, also the family gets some variety in the food served. I was never a fan of egg, neither the son, his father is. There are funny, interesting stories regarding his love for eggs that his family told me, all of which cannot be shared publicly. 

I have seen the full grown adult to eat all of the rice and curry and then taking small bites of the egg so that it does not finish in a jiffy. Looking at it, I only give a smile of indulgence and feel the urge of looking for a variety of egg recipes.

This egg curry with poppyseed and mustard seed paste is a Bengali recipe but not that common. People of WestBengal more likely prepare this curry rather than their counter part from EastBengal. Not regular in our family, I still prepare it as it is extremely easy to prepare and tastes great with steamed rice. It is done with few ingredients and can be a saviour on a busy week day night. Let us see how easily and quickly it is done.

INGREDIENTS :

Egg : 5-6 [Earlier Bengalis used Duck Eggs for Curries]
Black Mustard Seed : 1tbsp
Poppyseed : 1tbsp [Those who stay in Singapore and Dubai may use white sesame seed instead]
Green Chilli : 4-5
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : 1tsp
Nigella Seeds[kalonji] : 1/4 tsp

Bayleaf : 1
Oil : 3-4 tbsp [We use Mustard Oil]

METHOD :

In a small bowl, take together the mustard and poppyseeds[I used white sesame seeds], soak for an hour.  Take both in a blender, add the washed green chillies, 2-3 tbsp of water, 2-3 ice-cubes, salt. Blend to get a smooth paste. The salt and ice-cubes do not let the black mustard seeds get bitter.

Boil the eggs in enough water. Once cold, discard the shells.

Make slits on the eggs, rub with little salt and turmeric.

Heat the oil in a wok, lightly fry the eggs and keep aside.

Temper the remaining oil with the bayleaf and nigella seeds. Add the spice paste and fry at low heat for a minute.

Add a medium tea cup of water. As it comes to a boil, add the fried eggs.

Give a stir and let boil for 7-8 minutes. Switch off the gas stove as the gravy thickens.

Enjoy with piping hot steamed rice.

EGGLESS MANGO CAKE

Recently a Mango feast was going on in social media, mouthwatering mango based recipes were shared by  the food bloggers. I wished to share a mango recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed all the innovations they brought into their mango dishes; I loved the traditional Mango chutney, pickle recipes too. Back home, Mango is the king of all fruits, all of us do treat and eat it royally.

The other day mom was saying the mango tree at my parent's place has boar a lot of mangoes this season. She was sad because we would not be visiting India this summer. This post may be to show her, console  saying "Mani we get it here and eat it too." Though we do not get that variety or taste as we used to back home, I never tell it to her. It all depends upon how we adapt to a place, appreciate the advantages. We get the best quality watermelon here which is not the case back home.

I baked this Eggless Mango Cake for our visiting friends from school, perhaps to make our memory sweeter. They liked it, hope others too will. Okay, one of the two friends is not a sweet lover. Let us proceed with the recipe that uses ripe mango. The original recipe did I find in Google Search, modified a bit as per the ingredients available in my kitchen.

INGREDIENTS :

All Purpose Flour : 1 coffee mug
Fresh Mango Pulp : 1 coffee mug
Baking Powder : 1 tsp
Baking Soda : 1/4  tsp
Plain Yogurt : 1/2 coffee mug
Sugar :  1/2 small tea cup [you may need more]
Oil : 1/2 small tea cup
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp 

METHOD :

I preheated the oven to 160*C. 

I sieved together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda.

In a blender,  I had beaten together the sugar, oil, pulp of 2 mangoes, plain yogurt for some 2 minutes!

I added the wet mixture to the flour mix and folded in well. 

I added the vanilla essence and had beaten the batter for 3-4 minutes.

I poured the batter in a greased cake tin. Mine is a microwave convection mode oven inside which I placed the low height wired tool. Thereafter, I placed the cake tin atop the it.

I baked the mango cake batter for 20 minutes at 160*C. Once cool, I gently turned it over on a plate! 

We are to have  it warm or refrigerate the excess! 

CHICKEN IN COCONUT MILK

I forgot about the original recipe that inspired me to cook this currprefer preparing a dish with whatever ingredients available in my kitchen. A kind of lethargy is taking over me. I used roasted curry leaves powder, also lemon grass. We like Thai and Indonesian curries. I was exploring through various such recipes, then according to my convenience and the ingredients available, I landed into this recipe which tasted pretty well. My men love meat, the son loves chicken. I need to find out new recipes for cooking this lean meat. Still a learner cook, I try only simple recipes from the world cuisine which are within my limits, I have no qualms admitting this. In general, Bengalis use grated coconut in cooking more than the coconut milk. I like shredded coconut more than coconut milk. Besides the coconut milk used in it, I liked the aroma of the shredded coconut, curry leaves, lemon grass used in this curry. Here goes the recipe of CHICKEN IN COCONUT MILK.

INGREDIENTS : 

Chicken : 500 gm
Coconut Milk : 100 ml
Curry Leaves : A feast full of
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Lemon Juice : 3-4 tbsp
Oil : 3tbsp
Minced Onion : : 4 tbsp
Crushed Lemon Grass : 1 tbsp
Dry Red Chilli Powder : 2 tsp
Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Oil : 3 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the chicken pieces and marinate with salt, turmeric, lemon juice, onion, garlic, ginger, red chilli powder for about an hour.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the curry leaves As they splutter, take out. Crush to a coarse powder once cool.

Temper the hot oil with the crushed lemon grass. Give a stir and add the marinated chicken. 

Stir cook at high heat for 3-4 minutes, Reduce the heat to minimal and cover the wok with a lid.

Cover cook for 25-30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Remove the cover, add the coconut milk and the coarsely ground roasted curry leaves. Give a stir and cover cook for another 7-8 minutes at minimal heat. It should be done.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

METHI PHORON CHINGRI

Prawns used to come regular to our home, of all sizes, though parents did not like luxury. This simple Prawn Curry our mother cook on week days. She cooked special recipes on weekends, also when guests visited. For this curry, mom uses regular kitchen spices. The oil is tempered with fenugreek seeds, the potatoes cut in roundels. I follow the same recipe, my family loves to have it on weekday nights. Only that the mother uses freshly pasted spices, I use spice powders.

During our childhood, in an average middle-class Bengali home, it was always typical Bengali Cuisine that was made... from fritters to the desserts. I have no qualms admitting that most of the ladies did not know beyond it, they did not have any regrets either. They had a lot responsibilities in life which we cannot even think of. They hardly had any time to look after themselves. They lived a less complicated life. I always love spending time with this elderly generation and the kiddos. I can talk to them for hours and find myself at peace, feel secured.

I would have happily cooked only Bengali Cuisine if not my men's taste buds were different. I have no qualms in admitting either that I cannot cook much beyond Indian Cuisines.What I can I do, rest we have at restaurants. I love being me, have no regrets about it. This stubborn, quiet lady thinks she performs well when it comes to curries. This Prawn curry has nothing special in it, everyone can do it. All magic is in the tempering, the oil should not be too hot or cool at the time of tempering. Let us see how it is to be done.

INGREDIENTS : 

Medium sized Prawns : 500 gm

Medium sized Potatoes : 2

Ginger Paste : 2 tbsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 2 tsp

Salt : As required

Fenugreek (methi seeds) : 1/2 tsp

Oil (preferably mustard) : 4 tbsp

METHOD :

Clean, de-vein and wash the prawns well, rub with turmeric and salt.

Peel and wash the potatoes, cut into thick roundels. Apply salt and turmeric.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the potato pieces lightly. Take out and keep aside.

Fry the prawns lightly. Take out and keep aside.

Temper the remaining oil with fenugreek seeds. Once it releases aroma, we will add the ginger paste to the oil. ( Remember the fenugreek seeds should not burn).

We will fry the ginger paste for 2 minutes and then add the salt, turmeric, cumin powder, red chilli powder to it, stir well for half a minute till it separates from the oil.

Add the lightly fried potato pieces to the spice mix, fold in well and add a coffee mug of water.

Cover the wok with a lid and let boil for about 3-4 minutes.

Remove the cover and add the fried prawns. Cover cook for another 3-4 minutes. It should be done.

It goes well with steamed rice.

BANANA WALNUT KULFI MALAI

In my previous post about Kulfi Malai; our desi ice-cream variation, I mentioned how in our childhood street hawkers visited our neighbourhoods to sell them. They used aluminium moulds kept on a heap of ice cubes inside a box, the top of which used to be covered with a red cloth [laal shalu]. They carried the big baskets on their heads and entered our neighbourhood around 7 pm. What ingredients they used only they knew, we only pampered us with unlimited indulgence and pleasure, convincing mom was a tedious job though. Rarely she would agree to buy us, she would say the vendors use drain water to prepare them, though we kids never believed in it. Years later, I have started echoing the same words and happily prepare them at home. However, whenever we went for a family outing, we had kulfi malai or ice-cream outside, we did not know as kids what dine-out is. My experiment with ice creams never prove good because it requires whipped cream and I use the cheaper fresh cream. Hence I keep preparing Kulfi Malai often, an easy to make sweet summer treat for my family. We need 3-4 ingredients to prepare this creamy rich BANANA WALNUT KULFI MALAI.   It is definitely worth doing and having. Lets see how we do it!

INGREDIENTS :

Evaporated Creamer : 1 standard sized can commonly sold
Banana : 2 medium sized

Sugar : 3 tbsp

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/2 tsp
Walnut : 6-7

METHOD :

Take the evaporated creamer in a vessel.  Switch on the gas stove and boil it for 5-6 minutes at minimal heat.

Add the sugar and the green cardamom powder, stir and  keep boiling for another 2-3 minutes.

Switch off the gas stove and let it cool. Wash, peel, mash the bananas and add to the boiled milk, stir to incorporate well.

Pour the mixture onto moulds, top with toasted broken pieces of walnuts and close with the caps tightly. I use thermocol glasses, cover with aluminium foil papers, insert ice-cream sticks in the middle.

Refrigerate for at least 4-5 hours before serving.

CABBAGE PULAO

This is a humble vegetarian recipe from the kitchen of Bengal, not a family recipe.. It is neither a delicacy nor would you find it in the menu of any speciality Bengali restaurant. These recipes are bound within the four walls of the humble kitchens just like the hidden stories of sorrows, happiness, ignored talents, love, rejection of the 'Antorpurbashinis'..... the lady gang in the families. Till the early 20th century, our women were denied access to the outer world, denied of their basic rights. Perhaps, this is the reason why they poured in all their talents, sincerity in cooking. 

Everyone deserves and desires some recognition. The family kitchens were their den where the men never interfered. We may be a fish loving community but we equally love to cook and eat vegetables.....from shukto to chocchori[vegetable medleys]. The yesteryear women gifted us a lot of vegetarian recipes.... the humblest ones with the simplest ingredients. They had magic in their hands but no one to bring forth and highlight their talents.... culinary and otherwise.

This recipe of Cabbage Pulao was narrated to me by a dear friend. She told me one of her aunt who was widowed in her teens, prepares this. I modified it as per my convenience because she could not give me the detailed recipe but an abrupt description. We need few simple ingredients for this recipe. Very less spices are required in it, only that a very good quality ghee is a must to prepare it. It sure will be a delight to my men if served with a non-vegetarian curry and salads. Bengali veteran ladies definitely would use the small grain fragrant rice variety "Gobindo Bhog" for this rice dish but I used long grained Basmati rice. Also, by Pulao / Pulao, Bengalis mean cooking the rice together with the spices, covered in measured water, stir fried rice is fried rice to us. The rest of India may not have such notion. However, I have drained the water and stir cooked the rice, also named it pulao.

INGREDIENTS :

Cabbage : 1 small sized [choose a green, leafy one]
Basmati Rice : 1 coffee mug
Chana Dal [Bengal Gram] : 1tbsp
Green Cardamom : 3-4

Cinnamon Stick : 2-3 one inch sized

Clove : 3-4
Bayleaf : 2
Green Chilli : 2-3 [slitted]
Salt : As required
Sugar : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Cashew Nut : 5-6 [halved]

raisin : 7-8
Ghee [clarified butter] : 4-5 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the cabbage well. Roughly chop and keep aside in a colander for the water to drain.

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak for 1/2 an hour. Cook it in enough water until 70% done. Drain the water.

Heat ghee in a wok and temper with the green cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, cloves. Add the Bengal Gram lentils / Chana Dal, cashew nuts and raisins. Stir for 1/2 a minute.

Add the cabbage, little salt and turmeric; stir at high heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add the cooked rice and the slitted, washed green chillies, stir at high heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add the sugar, stir and switch off the gas stove.

APPLE CINNAMON CAKE

Apple is a favourite fruit in our home. Whenever I wish to prepare something with it, I get it in refrigerator. My family loves home baked cake served warm. I lack confidence when it comes to baking, also not all ingredients are available at home. I select the easy ones requiring  minimal ingredients. I found this APPLE CINNAMON CAKE doable given my baking knowledge. All of the ingredients are available in the kitchen. Though this forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden symbolises sin, it has actually a number of health benefits. This deciduous tree in the rose family first originated in Central Asia and then spread to the rest of the world. Apples have religious and mythological significance in many cultures. Besides it has high nutritional value with good amount of dietary fibre and vitamin C, it is low caloric too.[sourced from WIKI]. I do not know how much nutrition is retained when we use it to bake a cake. I did it to lighten up a weekend evening tea table. The original recipe called for using brown sugar, so I did.

INGREDIENTS :

All Purpose Flour : 1 coffee mug
Sugar : 6-7 tbsp
Ground Cinnamon : 1+ 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder : 1 tsp
Baking Soda : 1/4 tsp

Plain Yogurt : 1/2 coffee mug

White Organic Vinegar : 1 tbsp
Vanilla Extract : 1 tsp
Apple : 1 big [peeled and chopped]

Oil : 4-5 tbsp

METHOD :

Mix together the chopped apple, 1tbsp sugar, 1/2tsp cinnamon powder.

Mine is a convectional microwave oven with the temperature set at 160*C. 

Preheat the oven to 160*C placing the low wired rack inside.

Sieve the flour and baking powder together.

Blend together the sugar, oil, yogurt, vinegar, vanilla essence, 1 tsp cinnamon powder until creamy.

Add the semi-liquid mixture to the flour mix and mix all well until a smooth batter is formed. 

Add half of the chopped apple to the batter and mix well.

Pour the batter into a greased cake tin. Add to it the rest of the chopped apple.

Place the cake tin atop the low wired rack. Bake at 160*C for 50-55 minutes.

Please note the batter should not be up to the top of the cake tin as it will rise.

Enjoy a slice with your favourite cup of tea.