LEMON RICE

Earlier South Indian Cuisine meant only Idli, Dosa and Uttapam to me, until I visited some of the major temple cities of Southern India in 1992 with our parents. The memories are still afresh on my mind. I loved everything about the tour, the history about the temples, huge variety of saris, the beaches and the local cuisine using lot of coconut in almost everything. 

It was a pleasure to have breakfast with appam, at lunch munching on a big dosa with coconut chutney and for dinner gorging on rice and fish curry using tamarind juice and coconut milk. Although I am not a dosa and sea fish fan, I actually enjoyed the chicken curry there cooked with coconut & mustard seeds paste I remember.  

With a filled stomach, watching the temple architectures, built during the rule of different dynasties was an educational tour for us. I specially loved Kanyakumari, Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram, the Kovalam Beach and the romantic hill station of Kodaikanal. I wish to visit these places again at some point in life.

    

There is much of history  attached to the temples, a 15 days tour is not enough to cover even half of them and have a taste of the local cuisine. It was in that 15 days span, I got acquainted with lemon rice, tamarind rice, mango rice. For an ardent rice lover like me, it was quite a treat. 

Back home, my mother did not prepare them, the Kolkata eateries did not sell them either. In general, South Indian food meant Dosa, Idli and Medu Bada in Kolkata then.

It is now that I have a couple of South Indian colleagues at work, I get to taste various Southern Indian dishes almost everyday. I am fond of LEMON RICE, enjoy having it with plain yogurt. There are a number of posts on it, I thought  of adding mine too.

INGREDIENTS :

Cooked Rice : 1 cup

Lemon Juice : 1/2 small tea cup

Curry Leaves : 10

Black Mustard Seed : 1/4 tsp

Black Gram Lentils / Skinless Urad Dal : 1/2 tsp

Bengal Gram / Chana Dal : 1/2 tsp

Raw Peanut [with skin] : 3 tsp

Dry Red Chilli : 2-3 [halved]

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Salt : As required

Oil : 3 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the rice thoroughly 4-5 times and soak in water for about an hour. Heat 6 cups of water in a deep bottomed vessel. Once the water starts boiling, add the rice. Let boil at medium heat. Keep checking if it is done. Drain the water when the rice is 80% done. 

Get the juice from the lemon. Warm 3 tbsp oil in wok, add the washed curry leaves, stir for half a minute, take out. Fry the raw skinned peanuts for 2-3 minutes, take out.

Temper with mustard seeds. As they splutter, add the urad dal and chana dal. When they turn light brown, add the pre washed curry leaves and the halved dry red chillies.

Add the boiled rice, salt and turmeric powder. Fold in well. Keep stirring at medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and mix well. At this stage you can add the fried peanuts and 2 slitted green chillies if you wish to. 

Switch off the gas stove, transfer the lemon rice to a serving bowl. Serve with plain yogurt / raita accompanied by salads!!

FISH KABIRAJI

FISH WITH COVERAGE.....popularly known as Fish Kabiraji in Kolkata. It took me 24 years to know that fish kabiraji is actually fish with coverage. Before that I used to wonder how come such a tasty piece of fish fried and then folded in a fried batter of egg can be called Kabiraji. It is an alternative medical practice promoting herbs and vegetables in our diet, also claiming to cure ailments. I could not really match the two. Then, one day my then would be husband told me it is fish within a coverage of egg. Gosh! May be invented during the British Rule of India and the name degenerated from coverage to Kabiraji later. Authenticity of the fact is not known.

Down memory lane, thinking about fish kabiraji, I find myself with my dear pals at the famous COFFEE HOUSE. This is not a regular restaurant....situated in the midst of colleges and book shops, it is a place for many evolving ideas, where writers, poets, professors and students can be seen together. Once you are in....you can hear all sorts of talks....from latest Bollywood movie to idealism, socialism.....World Politics....a place of peaceful coexistence of the intellectuals and brats like us. Amidst this, I find myself sitting with my friends, talking nonsense, taking heavenly bites on my kabiraji cutlet. I remember one of our professor caught us one day and yelled .... "I think you have a class now, how come you are here?" We, the desperate young brats did not listen to him....he is no more.... as told by my friends. There is a phase in life we become this annoying. Once in college, the mother too bought us fish or chicken or mutton cutlets from Adi Malancha Kormibrindo on some days, we would bring home for the brother, the father rarely liked outside food, in his heart he was in East Pakistan / Bangladesh until his last day. The rest of us three loved India, city life, he did not buy a home in the city, at least in DumDum. With her limited resources, the mother did buy us our favourites. The father was a good human being though. My man and the son enjoy this kind of restaurant like food, I am more than happy to cook for them all these.

We get three types of kabiraji cutlets in Kolkata.....Fish, Mutton and Chicken. Kolkata residents spread throughout the world must be missing Kolkata street foods and snacks. In solidarity with them, I felt like sharing this recipe of Fish Kabiraji and also wish to acquaint the rest of the world with a tasty snack. It is done with Bhetki fish fillets. Sea-bass perhaps belong to the same species. I used frozen Tilapia fillets. Normally fish fillets are marinated in a spice mix and fried, then folded in a fried batter of egg. It's quite a labour but worth it.... we are not doing it every day. We are always at a liberty to make some addition and subtraction.

INGREDIENTS:

Fish Fillet[any firm white fish] : 7-8
Lemon Juice : 5-6 tbsp
Green Chilli Paste : 1 tbsp
Fresh Coriander Paste : 4-5 tbsp
Salt : As required
Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1tsp

Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp
Cornflour : 1tbsp
All Purpose Flour : 1tbsp
Egg : 3 + 2
Breadcrumb : 150 gm
Chaat Masala : To sprinkle on the finished cutlets
Oil : As required to deep fry 

METHOD :

Wash fish fillets, marinate with salt, keep aside for few minutes, wash again thoroughly. 

Prepare a paste with the washed green chillies, fresh coriander leaves, add to the washed fish fillets along with the lemon juice, ginger & garlic pastes, salt as required, black pepper powder. Fold in well, keep covered for 2-3 hours.

Beat 2 eggs in a bowl and the bread crumbs on a plate. Dip each of the fish fillets in the egg batter, then coat well with the bread crumb. Repeat the process. Refrigerate them for few hours.

Beat together the cornflour and 3 eggs, black pepper powder in a bowl, keep aside. Take out the uncooked fish fries from refrigerator. Fry them in batches, take out, place onto tissue papers.

With your fingers, spread the egg-cornflour batter like a thin sheet on the oil which need not be too hot. Place each cutlet, fold and take out. This was the toughest part for me.

Serve & have them with Kashundi[mango-mustard sauce] & Salad [sosha-peyaz kuchi]. Do not forget to get tea or coffee.

WALNUT RAISIN BREAD

Cake, Bread, Pastry are my favourite. When the brother & I were young, a cake or a warm toasted bread with milk was our evening snacks. The toughest part was to have the milk that I don't enjoy. To make sure I drink the milk, mom allured me with buttery bread and cake. Few varieties of bread were available then. Living in the suburbs we got to know about only two types of bread only....normal bread and milk bread, the latter was whiter and softer. In a family where breakfast meant inevitably roti / parathas, bread was an occasional visitor when mom would be sick. Once the mother got me a cake oven, I baked cake at home, biscuits too, now I bake for the man & the son.

Talking about bread, I remember a bread story which I wish to share. It dates back to the 70's when I was about 5-6 years of age. I used to live in a small township, about 100 km away from Kolkata at our maternal grandparent's home. There was a bakery nearby. I used to go there with my youngest aunt and ohh! How heavenly was the smell of freshly made breads.....it was definitely not butter bread. A pound of bread selling for 50 paisa or 1 rupee definitely did not have butter in it even though it was 30-35 years back. May be the smell was of the flour, milk and yeast. Such impoverished was the look of the bakery.....yet such fresh and soft were the breads. I remember, an old man with a single helper did it all.

That there can be anything other than plain breads was unknown to me for long. It was only when super stores started coming up at every corner of my city that I witnessed a variety of bread. Earlier, their availability was limited to a core area in the heart of the city, far from our home. In those days or may be now too, in general, a Bengali would buy pricey Hilsa or Prawns but would not like to spend on fancy bread. There is nothing wrong or right here, it's about the priorities in life..... I feel everyone has the right to set it.

My first attempt to make a bread went haywire. I admit baking isn't my forte. With constant encouragement from friends in G+ and others, I wished to bake it at home. Hence, this morning I  baked my first ever WALNUT RAISIN BREAD. A bright, fresh Sunday morning, fresh and soft was my bread too, that too following few easy steps.

INGREDIENTS :

Refined Flour : 1 coffee mug
Sugar : 1 tsp+1 tsp

Salt : 1/2 tsp
Dry Active Yeast : 11 grams
Vanilla Essence : 1 tsp [I forgot]
Milk : 1 tbsp
Butter : 1/2 tsp 
Chopped Walnut : 6-7
Raisins : 10-12

Oil : 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp

METHOD :

In 1/2 small tea cup of warm water, add 1 tsp of sugar and 11gm of the dry active yeast. It would take 5 minutes to activate.

In a bowl, mix together flour, 1 tsp sugar, baking powder, add the activated yeast. Take on the kitchen counter, knead well for 3-4 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of oil, knead for 2-3 minutes, keep covered inside the microwave oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Take out, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes adding 1 tbsp of oil. Roll it out, arrange the chopped walnuts & raisins atop.

Fold it to get the shape of a loaf. Grease a loaf tin with oil, place a butter paper. Place the dough in it. Slit it from the middle. Keep covered in the microwave oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take out.

Mix the milk, butter, warm a bit in the microwave oven, it should not be hot. Brush the top of the uncooked bread dough.

Place the low wired stool inside the microwave oven. Preheat oven at 160*C for 10 minutes. Place the loaf tin atop the wired stool. Bake it for 30 minutes at 160*C.

Your Walnut Raisin Bread is ready to be served with butter accompanied by tea / coffee!

MATAR PANEER

PANEER is unripened cheese popular in the Indian subcontinent. It is easy to make this vegetarian cheese. If you are living outside of India, it may not be available at your local supermarket. You may have to travel to an Indian / Asian store and look for it in the frozen section. Do not worry, if soaked in warm water for an hour, frozen paneer tastes equally good as the fresh ones. Alternatively we can prepare it at home with cow milk and lemon juice / vinegar. We get fresh paneer here but I buy the frozen packets mostly.

Paneer seems a good vegetarian option. It is popular all over the Indian sub-continent. However, in Bengal, it is in use for merely about 15-20 years. Many a fish loving Bengali still do not have it in their favourite list. In my family, from the day it was available fresh in the local sweet shops, it became a favourite. Thursdays always had been a full vegetarian day. I and my brother called it a doom's day. We did all weird things hoping mani would change her decision. We would stop talking to her on that day, would run away to friends' homes have fish. Our mani dear undaunted, used to give examples of good children in the neighbourhood who loved vegetables, hence had beautiful skin and hair. It did not inspire us at all. 

Paneer entered Bengal and our Thursdays got better. Time has changed me, I  got wiser and love vegetables of my choice now, preferably with an accompaniment of fish /meat /egg curry. 

Matar Paneer is more of a North Indian dish. I used to love their thick gravies using cream, not anymore. I do it my own way with simple spices adding a dash of butter in the end. It goes well with both steamed rice and roti. I have used home made paneer.

INGREDIENTS :

Paneer : 250gm [store bought or home made]

Green Peas : 1/2 cup

Tomato : 1[medium]

Ginger Paste : 1tbsp

Cumin Powder : 1tsp

Coriander Powder : 1tsp

Green Chilli Paste : 1tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp

Garam Masala Powder : 1tsp

Cumin Seed : 2pinches

Bayleaf : 1

Butter : 1tbsp

Salt : As required

Sugar : 1/2tsp

Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD :

Soak the paneer pieces in warm water for an hour. Take out, add salt. Wash, cut, deseed the tomatoes, prepare a paste in the blender. Get the ginger and green chilli paste done separately. Wash, add little salt to the green peas.

Heat oil in wok. Keep a big bowl beside half filled with warm water. Lightly fry the paneer pieces in batches, drop into the warm water. This helps the paneer remain soft.

Temper the remaining oil with a bayleaf and cumin seeds. Add the ginger paste, fry until the raw smell goes away. Add the chilli paste and tomato paste. Fry until the paste separates from the oil. Add salt, turmeric, cumin powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and the green peas. Fold in well.

Add 2 medium tea cups of water. Cover, let boil at low heat. When the gravy gets thicker, add the paneer pieces, sugar[optional], garam masala powder. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the butter, give a stir and switch off the gas burner. It is done!

Enjoy with rice or chapati! We had it with luchi / Bengali puffed bread & shemai er payesh / vermicelli pudding, an offering made to my God Family on the day!

MUTTON KEEMA MATAR

Each region of India has its own style of preparing  Keema, keeping the basic ingredients, spices more or less same. Remembering my childhood, going out with mom was a pleasure for two reasons.... a new dress and a keema / minced chicken or mutton cutlet from the popular outlets. In a normal middle class home in those days.... getting a new dress other than festivals was a thing of joy.... inexplicable! As far as keema cutlets were concerned, this fatso finished one in 5 minutes, then wanted more. Mom's warning came as a thunder blow.... too much of outside food is not good for your health, along with it the assurance, I will prepare for you soon. The happy self came back home happily dreaming of keema cutlet, curry, stew. My dreams did come true..... in few days.

I wished to be a good home maker like our mom, though far from being that. Yet heard from different sources that my senior does speak positive about his wifey. The happier self dedicates more time in the kitchen.  The junior says nothing but refuses to eat from school canteen regular. This makes me happily engaged in the kitchen, I love being there.

Keema / Minced Meat preparations are regular in our home, they go well with handmade breads; my men love them. The basic ingredients for this dish are lamb / mutton keema, onion, ginger and garlic, yogurt, chilli paste and green peas.

INGREDIENTS:

Mutton / Lamb Keema : 500gm [minced lamb / mutton]
Plain Yogurt : 100 gm
Onion : 2[big]
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Green Chilli Paste : 2tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder : 1tsp[adds colour only]
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Green Peas : 1cup[small]
Bayleaf : 1
Bengali Garam Masala : 1/4tsp [an equal amount of cinnamon, green cardamom and cloves dry roasted and powdered]
Oil : 3 tbsp + 1tsp

METHOD :

Wash the mutton mince thoroughly taken in strainer. Transfer to a bowl. Beat the yogurt, pour onto it. Add salt, turmeric, 1tsp oil, mix well. Keep covered for 2 hours. Slice the onion, wash.

Heat oil in wok. Wash the green peas, add little salt in it. Add to the oil, saute for 2 minutes at low heat. Take out, keep aside. Temper the remaining oil with a bayleaf.

Add the sliced onions, fry until brown. Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. Fry well until the oil separates from the spices. 

Add turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder. Mix well, saute for a minute.

Add the marinated keema along with marinade, fold in well. Cover cook for about 30-40 minutes until the juice dries up. All the cooking has to be done at low heat. Remove cover, stir every 4-5 minutes.

Add l/2 cup warm water. As it comes to boil, add  sautéed green peas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, add the Bengali garam masala powder, stir and switch off gas stove.

Serve with your choice of bread, I love it with rice!!

SPICY VEGETARIAN RICE

Rice is considered a staple in many parts of Asia. Believed to have first grown in ancient southern China and India, Rice growing was first brought to Japan possibly in the 1st century BC and became popular. From India, it spread to Southern Europe and Africa[Sourced from WIKI]. Staple or not it enjoys a celebrity status, whether you are having it everyday or occasionally. With its flexibility...it's unique. Have it steamed, fried, baked....whichever way you wish.

Piping hot white kernels of Rice with a curry of your choice accompanied by a salad is this diabetic self's favourite dream these days. An extreme rice lover that I was....I used to have it three times a day....gone are those golden days. I really thank my patience for living with two rice haters under one roof. I have to constantly think and work on how to feed some rice and vegetables to them. All your effort may go into vein if your family does not enjoy what you cook.

When the situation is this, a variety of pilaf and fried rices become a saviour. It has to be easy to prepare, with ingredients available in your kitchen. It was a Friday, with some paneer, broccoli, bell peppers, carrot and green peas available at home.... I could think of nothing but this quick and easy Masaledar / Mosholadar / Spicy Rice.

INGREDIENTS :

Cooked Rice : 2-3 coffee mugs
Carrot : 1
Red n Green Bell Pepper : 1/2 of each
Green Bean : 3-4

Crushed Peanuts : 1 tbsp
Green Chilli : 2-3
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Kashmiri Mirch Powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seed : 3 pinches
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp
Oil : 3tbsp

METHOD :

Cut all the vegetables lengthwise, keep in separate bowls, add salt, mix well. Slit the green chillies.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Keep heat at medium to low. Temper oil with cumin seeds. Add the carrots and green beans, fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the bell peppers, fry for another 2 minutes.

Add all the powdered spices, slitted green chillies. Fold in well, keep stirring for a minute. 

Add the cooked rice, salt as required. Stir well for 2-3 minutes till all of the rice is nicely coated with the spiced vegetables.

Switch off the gas stove, it is done! Serve hot with yogurt / raita and pickle! My men definitely need fish or chicken on the side!

DAAB CHINGRI [PRAWNS IN COCONUT SHELL]

Daab Chingri or Prawn Cooked in Coconut Shell is a Bengali delicacy which we generally cook on special occasions. In fact, our mother or grand mother did not cook it as far as I can recollect. Excuse my extreme love for non-vegetarian food ...specially fish.....Prawn is not a fish.....we often forget that....it is so much into our lives as a fish...Just back from India....with lot of memories and stories associated with three Fs.....Family, Fish and Friends....I cannot help myself from praising and loving these smelly...scaly creatures everyday through my cooking....and finally giving utmost pleasure to the stomach.

Being a Bengali.....we cannot go without fish a single day. Prawns and Hilsa being the two kings among all. There had been a big fight between Bengalis of West Bengal origin and that of East Bengal.....on which one is the best....Prawn or Hilsa? Our generation is smarter....we never get into these silly fights but enjoy the best of both.....

This island being the home for freshest of prawns of all sizes, there is no reason why one will not have it on a regular basis if he or she is not allergic to it. Needless to say, the Orients are excellent cooks and they cook exotic dishes with prawns using less ingredients, that too in the simplest manner. That surely deserve accolades.

I am yet to learn the nitty gritty of Oriental Cooking, hence thought of preparing and sharing what I know. Daab Chingri has a number of variations with regards to the spices used. I really did not do any research on the authenticity of the spice mixes. I did the way I felt like that day, that particular moment, felt relaxed doing it. Watching my men eat a bit more grains of rice was an absolute pleasure.

For Daab Chingri....you need a green coconut shell, few spices, shredded coconut and fresh medium sized prawns. Here is how I did it....

INGREDIENTS :

Prawns : 400 gm [medium sized did I use]
Onion : 1 big
Ginger Paste : 2tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Cumin Seeds : 2 pinches
Bayleaf : 1
Shredded Coconut : 1/2 small cup
Oil[Mustard preferably] : 2tbsp + 1tbsp + 1tbsp
Green Coconut : 1 [either we use one shell two times or buy 2]

METHOD :

Wash and de shell the prawns...[the heads should not be thrown, but can be used to make pakoras.] Add some salt  to the prawns and rub well. Keep aside.

Peel, discard the two ends, wash the onion. Cut half, slice.

Heat oil in wok. Temper with a bayleaf, whole cumin seeds. Add the sliced onions. Fry until brown. Add the ginger paste, fry until the raw smell goes. Add all the powdered spices, salt needed. Stir for a minute, add the shredded coconut, stir for 2 minutes.

Pour the cooked spice mixture onto the marinated prawns, add some slitted green chillies, 1tbsp oil. Mix well. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Cut the top of the coconut round. Pour the water in a glass. We are supposed to take out the soft white flesh but I did not do....you can see in the picture I kept it as it is. Now prawns are ready to be put into the coconut shell. Do it with a spoon... each coconut shell can contain 200gm of marinated prawns.

Cover the coconut shell with the lid. Now preheat oven at 180*C. Place the small wired stool inside the oven, place the coconut over it. Cook for 45 minutes at 180*C. Look at the picture below.

Please check if it is done because every oven is different, the cooking time may slightly vary. Once done, let it cool a bit. Drizzle 1tbsp mustard oil before serving.

Enjoy with some piping hot steamed rice. We also had some "kumro sheddo"... that is boiled pumpkin and "lau dal"... that is moong dal with bottle gourd on that particular day.

KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI O ALOOR DUM

We call Green Peas....Koraishuti....n....this Koraishutir Kachuri....as we call it.... used to be a winter treat for us in our childhood. It is usually served with aloor dum or cholar dal among us. Green Peas were available only in winter then. Cold wintry Sunday morning, hot kachoris / kochuris being fried in the kitchen.....who on earth can concentrate on studies....not me at least....

Every five minutes I had to peep into the kitchen to check what is going on.... in each visit, I picked up one and finished in just three little bites. Before my mom could serve them on a plate pairing with dum aloo, I would finish 3-4 kachoris / stuffed hand made breads. 

Dear mom warned....."Girls should not behave like this". My poor self never understood why girls have such restrictions....before I could come to any conclusion, I could hear the baritone voice saying....let her have....someone reading the newspaper was indulgent....he introduced me to the world of reading at an young age, given me immense freedom, even while choosing my life partner. From him, I have learnt we need to guide our kids, never try to control their lives.

Sunday Mornings meant amazing with kid's bi-monthly magazines, special breakfasts accompanied by rasgullas or jalebis, followed by a chicken / mutton curry, stir fry greens with rice for lunch watching Ramayan, Sherlock Holmes on TV....what a treat!

Preparing green peas kachori or koraishutir kochuri has become easy these days with frozen packets available throughout the year. Just get them, thaw, paste and proceed with your recipe. Let us do that now. I would share the recipe of the Dum Aloo too.

INGREDIENTS [For the Stuffed Bread] :

Plain Flour : 2 coffee cups
Semolina : 1medium tea cup
Salt : As required
Green Peas : 250 gm
Ginger Paste : 2tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Green Chilli : 2
Asafoetida : 4pinches
Turmeric Powder : 2 pinches
Cumin Seeds : 2 pinches
Oil : 150ml + 2tbsp

INGREDIENTS [For Dum Aloo] :

Potatoes[medium] : 500gm
Milk : 1 cup[big]
Lemon : 2[big]
Onion : 2[big]
Kashmiri Mirch Powder : 1tsp
Green Chilli : 4
Ginger Paste : 2 tbsp
Garlic Paste : 2tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric : 2 pinches
Cinnamon : 1[1 inch stick]
Green Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 3
Bay Leaf : 1
Sugar : 1tsp
Oil : 3tbsp

PROCEDURE : 

Let us prepare the potato curry at first.

Peel and cut the potatoes into halves. Wash them. Make holes in the potatoes with a fork. Marinate with salt, 2 pinches of turmeric, milk n lemon juice. The marinade may curdle, do not worry, this dish demands it. In the end you get a tangy sweet Dum Aloo. Cover and keep aside for at least 4 hours. Get the spice pastes ready, slit the green chillies, slice the onions.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper with bayleaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves. As they give a nice aroma, add the sliced onions. Fry till brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste along with slitted green chillies. Fry well, add salt, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli powder. Stir, add the potato along with the marinade. Stir well and cover cook at low heat for about 15-20 minutes. You need to stir every 5 minutes to avoid burning or sticking at the bottom. Check if the aloos are done, then add the sugar, little water and switch off after another 3-4 minutes. Transfer into a serving bowl.

Let us prepare the Koraishutir Kochuri or Green Peas stuffed poori.

Prepare a dough with the refined flour, semolina, little salt, 2tbsp oil, water as required. 

Keep aside for 1/2 an hour covered with a wet cloth. 

For the filling, prepare a paste of the green peas along with 2 green chillies. Heat 1tbsp of oil in wok. Temper with the cumin seeds. Add in the ginger paste, fry well. Add the cumin powder and stir. Add in the asafoetida and immediately the green peas paste, followed by salt and turmeric. Keep on stirring until it dries up and the sides tend to come out. Once done transfer into a bowl, let cool. We would use little of turmeric to retain the green colour of the peas filling.

Remove cover, tear off smaller portions, make round balls from the dough. Make pockets to place the fillings, close again. See the picture below.

Once the kachori balls are ready, with help of a rolling pin and base, lets roll the kachoris / kochuri dusting the balls lightly with flour. Do not press the kachoris hard with the rolling pin, filling may come out. Look at the picture below.

Heat oil in wok. Fry the kachoris / kochuris one at a time. When one side is done then flip onto the other side. Just as in the picture below.

Serve hot the Koraishutir Kochuri / Green Peas Kachoris with Dum Aloo accompanied by sweets of your choice!