A COLLECTION OF 30 EASY.. FRILL FREE VEGETARIAN & NON VEGETARIAN RECIPES

It was a long time wish to make a post as this.... as I have seen other bloggers doing... assorting some recipes from my own blog at one place! I may not be doing it the right way but I do not know any other way.... You all know how poor I am with technology! So, I am arranging them my way.... you have to scroll for a longer period... thats it.... if only you take interest in my recipes. I feel you should.... they are easy, done with low cost ingredients always available in any South Asian kitchen and most of them are heirloom... very Bengali! I am recording here 30 Vegetarian & Non Vegetarian Recipes including Chicken, Mutton, Egg, Fish, Vegetables, Paneer and some Desserts.... All the recipes are very easy, not at all fancy and done within an hour or so!

Shall we start scrolling and trying few at a time? You must prepare them to make your family & friends happy... in the process giving me the utmost pleasure! Thank You!

Just click the recipe headings / links which will take you to the particular post!


VEGETARIAN RECIPES :

1) Click the below heading / link for recipe 👇

JHINGE ALOO POSTO

This is a vegetarian dish with poppy seed paste, ridge gourd and potatoes.... this authentic Bengali dish goes very well with lentil curry and steamed rice!

If you are a resident of Singapore or Dubai.... substitute the poppy seed paste with roasted white sesame seeds and peanut paste!

2) Click the below heading / link for recipe 👇

THREE SEASONAL DAL

Three Bengali seasonal dal / lentil curries that are very healthy and yum....

3) Click the heading / recipe link for the recipe 👇

SHUKTO

A Bengali Recipe where we cook a very healthy, non spicy mixed vegetable curry with Sun Dried Lentil Dumplings!

4) Click the below heading / link for the recipe👇

MOCHAR BORA O ADA DIYE MOONGER DAL

This is another Bengali platter with Banana Blossom Fritters and Moong Dal / Split Green Gram Dal.

5) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

PANEER STUFFED POTATO KOFTA CURRY

Paneer & Potato Kofta Balls in a normal gravy.

NON VEGETARIAN RECIPES : [FISH]

6) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

MACHER TOK / SOUR FISH CURRY

We love sour fish curries in summer with tamarind or raw mango!

7) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

BHETKI MAACHER JHAL / SEA BASS OR BARRAMUNDI IN MUSTARD SAUCE

Sea bass cooked in a green chilli-mustard sauce!

8) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

TANGRA MAACHER JHOL

This is a small variety of cat fish... a fresh water fish cooked in simple spices and garnished with fresh coriander!

9) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

PRAWN CURRY WITH RIDGE GOURD AND POTATO

Its too yum and light on your stomach... try!

10) Click the below  heading / link for the recipe 👇

GHEE TOMATO FISH

An unusual Bengali dish learnt from a friend... I used Bengal carp, you can use any!

NON VEGETARIAN RECIPES : [CHICKEN]

11) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

BADAM MURG / CHICKEN IN ROASTED PEANUT SAUCE

Unusual but supremely delightful for the chicken lovers... try with any kind of breads!

12) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

CAPSICUM CHICKEN

Its something this family loves... how about you?

13) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

CHICKEN KASHA

A very Bengali semi-dry chicken curry that usually gets cooked in its own juices.

14) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

STIR FRIED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

Oh! this is so quick and healthy!

15) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

CORIANDER CHICKEN

If you love fresh coriander in every possible dish like me, this recipe is for you!

NON VEGETARIAN RECIPES : EGG

16) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

TOMATO DHONEPATA DIYE DIMER KANCHA JHOL

Do it everyday and have.... its that light! A regular egg curry with tomato, fresh coriander and almost no spices.

17) Click the below heading / link for the recipe

OMELETTE CURRY

This is a regular in a Bengali kitchen and you must have it once to know how good it is! It rescues you on a "nothing do I have in the pantry to cook" situation!

18) Click the below  heading / link for the recipe 👇

BENGAL EGG CURRY

Thats how we have it every week! Try .... you must!

19) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

DIM SHORSHE POSTO

If you stay in Singapore or Dubai, skip the poppy seed paste and use roasted white sesame seed paste instead!

20) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

KOLHAPURI DRY EGG CURRY

This tastes awesome with steamed rice.... quite spicy!

NON VEGETARIAN RECIPES : MUTTON

21) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

MUTTON KOFTA MALAI CURRY

Does it require any word to describe... just click the link and do it!

22) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

BHUNA MUTTON

When its mutton.... I do not talk much... I am busy eating...

23) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

NO OIL SUKHA MUTTON

There is no wrong having our favourite red meat twice a month... more so  if its done without oil!

24) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

NO ONION NO GARLIC MUTTON / MAA ER PRASHADI MANGSHO

This is a heirloom Bengali recipe offered to Goddess Kali.... you have to try to know how good it is!

25) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

MUTTON SAAGWALA

The Indian restaurants in Kolkata / India serves this dish... the idea is hired from there... I cooked it repeatedly to get the right texture and colour.... now happy finally!

VEGETARIAN DESSERTS :

26) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

BAKED AAMRAS

Its mind-blowing with all the goodness of fresh ripe mangoes and pistachios.

27) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 

KALAKAND

A very authentic Bengali / Indian sweet which is too yum ... try it this way for a quicker version.

28) Click the below heading / link for the recipe...

MANGO PHIRNI

My phirni is not so authentic in texture... I always use less rice... no compromise with taste which seems like pudding 😀

29) Click the below heading / link for the recipe

PAYESH (RICE KHEER / PUDDING)

The quintessential Bengali dessert... done exactly how the grand mother used to do!

30) Click the below heading / link for the recipe 👇

CHANAR PAYESH / PANEER KHEER

I do not know how authentic Bengali it is but it tastes amazing and done at Bengali homes a lot... mine is a very easy recipe.

ONE JUST LIKE THAT.....

GARAM MASALA NOODLES

A spicy Indian treat of noodles with bell peppers, prawn and chicken!!

!! HAPPY COOKING !!

TIL ER BORA O BEULIR DAL / SESAME SEED FRITTER & BLACK GRAM LENTIL CURRY / TIL VADA AUR URAD DAL

It was indeed a special day yesterday and as usual I forgot all about it.... It was the brother who called me at night and asked if I wished her or not.... and finally before retiring to the bed I managed to wish the mother on her birthday while the brother and his wife got lots of food for a cosy family party! Ideally, I should have blogged about a "ucche chingri".... bitter gourd with prawn or "loti shutki"... colocasia stems with dried fish or prepare some roshogolla and serve her with "ruti or porota" today!.... Oh! how she loves her flatbreads with rasgulla.... now that she is a diabetic.... she is not allowed to have much of sweets! I have the pictures ready but I felt I will not get very personal in the blog.... I will try to kiss and hug people around as much as possible within my limited ability. It will be very wrong to blog about what I and my parents love today when I know that it is for my brother that I can get away with only few phone calls to her.... 

My mother really did get her dues back.... In the present day scenario when you see a different picture in maximum number of homes... it means a lot!.... Many monsoons back... she was seen morning till night with the son at the cricket ground... swimming pool or getting the daughter to school.... then rushing back home with the son.... do the rest of the cooking.... she did not have a life of her own.... we were her life! Ok, lets ease the situation a bit.... please do not ask our mother how old she turned... she might have turned 70-71 actually but you always get a wrong data from her .... haha! Once the deceased daddy... our beloved "Pa".... called me... "you know mamoni what your mother did?".... "what?".... she went for a voter id card renewal or something like that and told a number ten years less than the actual... haha.... The brother will get very angry if he reads this... he is blind about his mother... and he was always given the example of his big sister on how to earn trust of your parents... etc. etc..... Anyway, I am not the kind who will update her social media status wishing the mother.... there is no harm in doing that either.... I will rather share a yum & healthy combo recipe of a super snacker and a lentil curry..... TIL ER BORA O BEULIR DAL / SESAME SEED FRITTER & BLACK GRAM LENTIL CURRY / TIL VADA AUR URAD DAL. I know the mother would like to have this with plain rice and some salad... yes she loves fruits and salads. 

Besides a mother.... a brother.... a husband... the son or the rest of the family.... I have my readers who keep my blog, my spirit going... a treat also for those who do not have Bengal in their map! What else can I gift the mother until my next visit to Kolkata? Why not those beautifully hanging flowers that I clicked yesterday on my walk?

Ain't that too beautiful? I do not know what photography is... it is whole lot of a thing that I am too lazy to learn at the moment. Once back from the tour, S will start her swimming classes.... that should be the news at the moment....What more? Well, S comb searched the island to get an  "all covered" swim suit.... and she got one.... haha... I think this is a news more than I learning to swim at 47.... If not all the water of the pool come up when I jump.... there is a high possibility that I get to learn finally! However, I am trying to eat clean these days... at least one meal I am substituting with a big bowl of salad which has to be of my choice... at times I add a little bit of unpolished rice too!

You see I have to finish writing this post on TIL ER BORA O BEULIR DAL / SESAME SEED FRITTER & BLACK GRAM LENTIL CURRY / TIL VADA AUR URAD DAL quickly.... I have to colour my hair.... Cristine does the honour. 70% of my hairs are grey and I will not spend 80 sing dollars for my hair at a parlour every 2 weeks .... I do not earn! I am neither like my friend Nishi or ... or.... or.... Well I do not discuss all my girl or boy friends in public.... certain relationships are best kept to one's self! Our father expired not knowing what social media is.... saying that I do not think rest of the fathers should refrain from it either.... just that they be addicted like me..... Before my hairs get ready for the upcoming tour, let me share the super simple, yet mouthwatering recipe of a snacker and a dal.... a very Bengali treat for you TIL ER BORA O BEULIR DAL / SESAME SEED FRITTER & BLACK GRAM LENTIL CURRY / TIL VADA AUR URAD DAL. 

Look at the sky... I just clicked... its ready for a heavy down pour and many of us love some fries and fritters on such days.

We can have this healthy bora / vada as an appetiser with some chutney and salad or make it a part of our lunch and dinner menu.... choice is yours. I have seen some blogger friends using sesame seed and aloo for a recipe, I even tasted the very authentic Nepali Til-Aloo at a friend's place and then our colleague... the very dear, glamorous, fit and fab Sunita Joshi Juneja ma'am got it at school when I had been working here.... If I can get the recipe from her, will blog about it... its simply mind blowing.... More about Sunita ma'am when I do that post... for now know that she is an engineer who teaches mathematics in a school.... That is the problem of staying in a small island you know.... job openings are less for the expats' wives.... and hence.... exploitation is at its peak!.... Now, you will see how people will start avoiding me .... haha... but I have seen how talents are exploited.... MBAs, MCAs, Engineers, PHD... do not get their dues.... I do not blame this island either.... they have to take care of their own people, win in elections too! Even if some start avoiding me, I will not mind.... I see the "reason and motive" behind an act! What I can do is prepare a snacker with potato and white sesame seeds my style, pair it with a very authentic Bengali black gram / broken urad dal with skin, some salad and treat my readers, family and friends! There definitely had some fish or meat curry that need not be in the picture always. I did the TIL ER BORA my way and yes in 2tbsp oil... good job S....

INGREDIENTS : [for the Til Er Bora / Sesame Seed Fritters]

White Sesame seed : 1medium cup
Boiled Potato : 1big [washed, boiled, peeled, mashed]
Chopped Coriander : 3-4tbsp
Chopped Green Chilli : 2-3
Dry Mango Powder : 1tsp
Chaat Masala : 1/2tsp
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Oil : 2tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [for the Beulir Dal / Black Gram Dal]

Black Gram Lentil : 1small cup [I used halved, skinned urad / beulir dal]
Fennel Seed : 1/4tsp
Fennel Powder : 1tsp
Bayleaf : 1
Dry Red Chilli : 2 [halved]
Green Chilli : 2-3slitted
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As Required
Sugar : 1tsp
Oil : 2tbsp [authentically mustard]

PROCEDURE :

Let us prepare the Beulir Dal first.

I soaked the washed dal in hot water for 2-3 hours and boiled in enough water at low heat for nearly 40 - 45 minutes adding little salt and turmeric. It you are using pressure cooker, you need not soak but be careful and sure that you switch off gas oven after 1 whistle. Just take the urad dal in the pressure cooker, add 11/2 big cup water.... add salt and turmeric.... close lid and pressure cook at minimal heat up to 1 whistle.

Once cool, open lid! Pour the dal to a bowl. Heat oil in a wok and temper with fennel seeds, bay leaf and halved dry red chillies.

Now add the ginger paste and stir for a minute.... add the rest of the turmeric, salt as required, fennel powder. Stir for 1/2 a minute.

Add the boiled dal and fold in well. Give a quick stir and cover. Boil at medium to low heat for 3-4 minutes.

Open cover, add the sugar and slitted green chillies. Let boil for another 2 minutes.

We are done. This is how Beulir Dal is done in our family... which may be similar to other Bengali homes.

Let us prepare the Til er Bora now. I did it absolutely my way.

For this healthy fritters, I dry roasted the white sesame seeds. I kept 1/4 of the total amount as it is and dry ground the rest of it. Oh My! they release oil man... The boiled potato too is mashed and ready to be mixed!

Take the powdered sesame seeds, boiled potato, chopped fresh coriander and green chillies, dry mango powder, chaat masala, salt together in a bowl. 

Mix together well with your palm quite well. Add the rest of the roasted sesame seeds and fold in well.

Now tear off small portions and form smooth balls taking between your palms and press a bit.

Next step I for got to take the picture. Anyway, you can well understand I did not deep fry them.

What we will do is that we will heat 2tbsp oil in a frying pan. Arrange the til er bora on it.

We will now cook each side for 2-3 minutes pressing lightly with the back of a ladle. 

Enjoy hot with the beulir dal and salad. Have some fish and meat too!

GARAM MASALA NOODLES

Someone at home is not in a great spirit since yesterday night!.... Even the wife got concerned looking at the hopeless face of Messi... after all she did accompany her father to different playgrounds in Kolkata for a football or a cricket match... if not often but at times! The brother was / is a sports lover, not me! After school, I stopped!... There after I took interest only in college, friends and all the cinema halls in the Hathibagan area.... and at times to Hind, Globe, Light House, New Empire! Wasn't it in front of the Radha Cinema Hall that I, Chandrayee, Tanushree, perhaps Lena Ghosh were caught trying to get in to watch a "A"marked movie by the now husband T? We did not have Gautam Mukherjee as a body guard that day! This guy got hold of us and asked what we were doing there? He used to give private tuition to the brother then... I got scared that he may tell the mother... and our venture remained unfulfilled! Lena went in perhaps, she is Dr. Lena Ghosh now, teaches Bengali at a college but remains the same naughty.... a mouth that needs to be sealed! 

However, I was too broken when one of my heartthrob .... who is now perhaps a reader at the Calcutta University... Professor Dipankar Sinha was seen at the ticket counter of the New Empire Theatre Hall to watch a "J" series movie! Sir joined our college as a 27 years old youngster, we were 20-21.... I got hooked towards him like few of my friends... I loved his teaching style and cried when he left us for a job at the Kalyani University.... One day, a friend who was his neighbour or knew him personally delivered me this message that Sir watches such movies with his friends... and S felt awful.... all of the love was gone! Haha, Sir was seen at Nandan  "chattar" more, still S had / has to remain S. At a later stage, I realised what I had for Sir is hero worship .... I loved him as a mentor / guide!.... I failed to realise he was a normal human being too! 

T many times tried to make me understand that all of us are humans, that we should accept people at face value, that each one of us are different from the other and we need not be perfect! Such a level headed person like T too looked broken yesterday.... and I must do something to boost his mood... say serving him and our boy a plateful of GARAM MASALA NOODLES! Besides, I do not have enough time to do some complex cooking.... we are going for a tour next weekend and I have my grey hairs to be covered, nails to be done, trim my eyebrows and "dari-gof", do some face job!... I thought of shedding few kilos too but that did not happen.... I am cooking recipes from my own blog, eating them too! I need to change the pictures which do not reflect me .... they should look like what I cook at least!.... the only thing I can!.... I am yet to give you a shocker! We will get our visas just seven hours before our flight..... the reason I always tell you not to follow this family in any matter... we are that way...

You see GARAM MASALA NOODLES is not something I wish to blog about though I do it often... my men prefer such kinds on their table.... I sweat way less in the kitchen this way.... I just have a mental block.... who will blog about a "jibh porano loti".... or "shorshe narkol potol" or a "beulir dal?"..... Beulir dal is a West Bengal thing.... I was born there and I am not really torn between "two Bangla".... I love Beulir Dal with Posto.... and if I cannot have posto... I will prepare a yum fritter for you all and my family and share a wonderful combo recipe. Today, let me do a khichdi / hotch potch share.... though I do not know why I am eager to be thrown out from this island. Do you think they will tolerate me after they see me adding "gorom moshola" to noodles? This recipe I sourced from someone 18 years back! Coming to that! 

Noodle was introduced to Bengali Middle Class Households perhaps in the mid 80's?.... Since then I love it.... be it mom made or at the streets of Kolkata or at the signature restaurants of Kolkata... If you ask me to be honest, I love the "benglified" or Indian Style Noodles way too much.... but our mothers did not add garam masala to a noodle dish ever.... neither did any chef of any restaurant in India... then where did this dumbo S derive this idea of GARAM MASALA NOODLES? S till now has worked in three different schools. She enjoyed working in the institution she joined first, worked their for 5 years and left 15 days prior to her marriage.... Although they paid me or the rest less than a daily wage labourer.... I loved being their every day.... I was young, I could work hard and I loved the trust, the faith they had on me... the importance and the freedom to work my way I got! Their declaration that this girl is the pillar of the primary section gave me a high!.... I enjoyed the convoy of parents encircling me each evening.... In the five years, only two-three parents questioned me on my method... "you are not generating the power of thinking in kids".... now I admit that my method is obsolete in the present day scenario.... but my kids then are engineers, doctors, teachers today.... I am thankful that learning by rote did not lead them to nowhere! Anyway, from there I joined a school in Belur.... Oh! God! Handling teens got to be tough! There I had a Punjabi colleague Namrata Negi, who also taught me to cook Bitter Gourd with chilli-mustard sauce! I remember her of all because of their three sisters... the middle one who was a senior nurse at the Liluah Hospital won 25 lakhs in Kaun Banega Crorepati.... So, Namrata ... the youngest used to feed me cooked at home ladoo, mustard green sabzi. While in this island, I had some South Indian colleagues who treated me with mango rice to meen curries! Back then, I loved catching an early morning 56 / 56A bus from Dunlop More and cross Dakhineshwar & Belur Math all five days of a week... I am a Hindu... I will remain that but without targeting other's belief or faith!.... Our parents did not bring us up that way! Anyway, I lost the job in two years because I got pregnant before the completion of the initial contract period.... ugh! I still cannot forget the pain of losing "korkorey panch hazaar takar note" every month.... which was a good amount for an useless me in 1999! I totally got out of the track, busy bringing up my new born! 

Now that I am in the food world,  I think I should blog about a GARAM MASALA NOODLES that I have learnt from that girl...I have warm feelings for the people of this island but let me keep it vegan & vegetarian going after Namrata! I do not know why Indian doctors are not happy about having noodles as a healthy food options.... its same as rice! People of this island are far more healthier and have a higher longevity compared to an average Indian.... they work till 85! I am not well read, what I do is... I try to add a lot of vegetables to the noodle dishes.... broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, beans, carrot.... It helps or not... we enjoy! I love the crunch of spring onions atop anything! We can add tofu or paneer too.... so that there is less intake of carb filled noodles.... In fact how does it matter if we are having it once a week?

Anyway, the Bengali-at-heart me always gives a "congo to Banga".... so I have to provide the recipe links for my vegetarian stuffed pointed gourd and ridge gourd-eggplant-sun dried lentil veggies  attached to this post! Do them for sure, you will love!.... They are with updated pictures now.... I did a fair job I think! Do click the below links for the individual recipes!

POTOLER NIRAMISH DORMA [PANEER STUFFED POINTED GOURD]

DUDH BORI DIYE JHINGE BEGUNER JHOL / A LIGHT CURRY WITH RIDGE GOURD AND EGG PLANT

INGREDIENTS :

Noodle : 300-400 gm
Garam Masala : 1 1/2 tsp [I use store bought.... but freshly made at home will give better flavour and taste]
Vinegar : 2 tbsp

Chopped Tomato : 1 medium sized
Chopped Green Chilli : 1 tsp [I ran out of it]
Red, Green, Yellow Bell Pepper : 1/2 of a medium sized of each.... cut into strips [I used only the green variety]
Minced Garlic : 1tsp
Cubed Onion : 2-3tbsp
Salt : As Required
Black Pepper Powder : 1tsp

Oil : 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp

METHOD :

Half fill a medium sized, deep bottomed vessel with supreme hot water. Add some salt and 1/2 tsp of oil. Break the noodle cakes into half & immerse! Rest for 2-3 minutes. Strain and keep in the strainer for 5-10 minutes to discard all the water.

We would be needing the following for the noodle dish; bell peppers cut in to strips, cubed onions, chopped tomato, chopped green chillies[I did not], minced garlic, black pepper powder, lemon juice[I did not], Garam Masala powder, vinegar, soy sauce, ! 

All the vegetables should be cleaned and washed before using we know.

Heat the oil in a pan or wok and temper with the minced garlic. As the minced garlic turns light brown, add the tomato pieces! Stir cook for 3-4 minutes & add the onion cubes. Quick stir at high heat for a minute! 

Add the cut bell peppers, the Garam Masala powder, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, black pepper powder and stir at high heat for 3-4 minutes!

Add the boiled noodles and fold in well! We are done! Serve & have hot, do not forget your chai-coffee! Our son would have his chilled drinks!