ALOO PEPER DALNA / POTATO N RAW PAPAYA CURRY

A humble Bengali vegetarian dish is my pick today. It is a simple curry  with raw papaya, potato, few spices. As a child I hated vegetables, today I love them as I do Bengali fish curries. I understood the necessity of having vegetables in our daily diet. This vegetable curry is an age old traditional Bengali one, we generally call ALOO PEPER DALNA. Any weekday lunch / dinner is perfect with such a vegetarian curry, dal, a fish curry and any kind of fritter or greens stir fry with piping hot rice. That is what a regular Bengali meal is all about.

Raw / Green Papaya has many nutritional benefits. It is a powerful fruit full of essential nutrients and enzymes to promote digestive health. Many do not like it, when raw, it's taste is bland! I remember in our childhood we had papaya trees in our maternal grandparent's place. Whenever the grandmother wished to prepare curry with raw papaya, she would tear one and cook. It was that simple. It tasted amazing. We use it as a natural meat tenderiser! In our family, whenever we had / have any issue in our stomach, we were  fed curries made with it without spices or boiled pieces to be eaten with steamed rice!

Later, we had papaya tree at my parent's place too. They are easy to grow without any special care taken. But you cannot allow water clogging near the roots! This island has papaya trees growing everywhere, somedays I may pluck one or two from the roadside! Thats for fun because it's price is cheap here! It can be enjoyed ripened as a fruit or raw in curries; with gravy or dry. [SKIP USING GHEE IF YOU ARE ON VEGAN DIET]

You can check few other of my recipes with potato; here they are : ALOO POTOLER DALNA,  JHINGE KUMRO ALOOR TARKARI,  POTATO BIRYANI,  ALOO CHAAT, NOTUN ALOOR DOM,  RAW BANANA N POTATO CURRY, SWEET POTATO & PEANUT SNACKER

INGREDIENTS :

Raw Papaya : 1 medium

Potato : 1 big

Tomato : 1 [I skipped because originally tomato was not used]

Ginger Paste : 2 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp

Salt : As required

Sugar : 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seed : 3 pinches

Bayleaf : 1

Bengali Garam Masala Powder : 2-3 pinch [1cinnamon stick of one inch, 2 green cardamom, 2 cloves....ground together]

Oil : 4 tbsp

Ghee : 1tsp [skip if you are vegan]

METHOD :

Peel and cut the papaya into cubes discarding and scraping the middle portion nicely. Peel n cut the potato into cubes. 

Wash both separately. Rub with half turmeric and required amount of salt.

Heat oil in a wok. Lightly fry the potato and papaya cubes separately. Keep aside.

Temper the remaining oil with a bayleaf and cumin seeds.

Add the ginger paste. Fry until the raw smell goes.

Add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Stir for a minute at low heat.

Now add the fried potatoes & raw papaya, fold in well and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Add a coffee mug of water. Stir and cover.

After 5-7 minutes, remove the cover, add Bengali garam masala, sugar and ghee. Stir and boil for another 1 minute.

Serve hot with steamed rice or flat breads!

MACHER KALIA

MACHER KALIA.....typical of Bengal[?].... its rich, spicy, finger licking and obviously not an every day curry. Long back in our childhood, at Bengali festivities it would be typical Bengali Food fair. Catering services had not overtaken the duty of taking care of the guests. In all family weddings, rice feeding ceremonies of the kids and in other occasions, I have seen family members and friends serving food to the guests... there was a warm, caring touch in it. It was in these ceremonies that dishes like Macher Kalia, Red & Hot Mutton Curry, Roshogolla, Sandesh, Dal, Eggplant fry, Panchmeshali Torkari were served.... all typical of Bengal. This greedy, food lover little ate them, licked the fingers, never missed pan / beetle leaf with betel nut & spices before leaving. 

I missed that personal touch, that warmth in the Bengali weddings later. Now a days it is more about show off, from choosing the venue to selecting the menu. I believe, at least in few occasions we can stick to our tradition, preserve it, highlight it. I find it disgusting to be served a hotchpotch menu that starts with Russian Salad, then comes biryani, chilli chicken too. Would not a roshomalai be served over ice-cream in a Bengali occasion? This is an ice-cream lover speaking!

In some states of India, they do follow their own tradition, gather in their own ancestral home, in whichever part of the world they live, they would feast on their traditional food. I love and honour their feeling, their effort to stay true to their roots. I wish to celebrate the son's wedding typical Bengali way, traditional Bengali Food be served in earthenware, with banana leaves placed on them. Few childhood memories, traditions I want to treasure, follow when possible. MACHER KALIA was prepared in our homes on occasions given its richness. We do it with RUI / KATLA / Bengal Carp fish, white fish fillets can be used.

INGREDIENTS :

Rui / Rohu / Katla / Bengal Carp Fish [or any white fish fillet] : 500 gm
Onion Paste : 3 tbsp
Ginger Paste : 1 tbsp
Garlic Paste : 1/2 tsp[optional]
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Sugar : 1/2 tsp
Plain Yogurt : 1 tbsp
Cinnamon Stick : 2 one inch stick
Green Cardamom : 2-3
Cloves : 2
Bayleaf : 1
Raisins : 7-8
Oil [preferably mustard] : 5 tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the fish pieces, rub salt, half tsp turmeric on them.

Prepare all the pastes. 

Heat oil in a pan, fry all the fish pieces until light brown.

Temper the remaining oil with cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms, cloves, a bayleaf. 

Add the onion paste, fry till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste, fry well for 2 minutes.

Beat the yogurt and pour into the spice mix. Stir.

Add the salt, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilly powder. Fry for another minute.

Add a coffee cup of water. Once the gravy comes to boil, add the fish pieces, cover.

After 3-4 minutes, remove the cover, add the sugar and raisins, let cook for another minute. It's done. 

Serve with piping hot steamed rice.

BAKED AAMRAS

It is the season of mangoes to sweep away our senses. It is considered the king of all fruits among us. We love and have it regular. When it is mangoes, who stops at one? Not even this diabetic self. I remember our father's favourite breakfast in this season is ripe mango with puffed  or popped or beaten rice and milk till date. It may be typical of those Hindu Bengalis from East Pakistan [Now Bangladesh] who migrated to India decades back. My father proudly would say his family whilst in East Pakistan never bought mango from the market. They got from their own trees, had in huge quantity. Here we fail to understand their psychology and laugh it out. The fact is even the humblest owned house, small garden, dairy farm. One fine morning they had to leave everything behind, migrate, take shelter as unwanted guests in relative's houses, even in shanties. Our father came to Kolkata in early 60's for higher studies, never could embrace city life, not Kolkata but his heart lied in his birthplace throughout.

That pain of loss we will not understand who got everything in a platter. From that penny less point they did soar high within a decade. Many refugees won back lost pride, many families drowned for ever. When they speak of their past glory, we can give a patient ear, they feel happy. May be all of them were not zaminders in the truest sense but they lived in their own home, ate their own produce! Our house helps in DumDum from "Naihatir Bou" to "Shibani Mashi" to "Paran er Maa Dida", everyone used to say they had landed properties with farmlands & diary farm!

Coming back to track, ever since we landed in this island, our mother would lament over phone that she cannot feed us mango from her family garden. All attempts to convince her that we eat a lot of mangoes here which also grow in trees, goes in vein. I let her say these as I understand her feelings. This evening I saw two slightly overripe mangoes in the refrigerator. I had to do something with them, my family wouldn't want overly ripened ones as fruit. Hence, I prepared this BAKED AAMRAS which was quick and easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS :

Mango : 2
Boiled Thickened Milk : 1 cup

Sugar : 3 tbsp
Cornflour : 1 tsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp
Pistachios : To garnish [optional]

METHOD :

Preheat the oven to 160* C. Mine is a convection mode microwave oven!

Peel the mangoes and get the pulp. Put the mango pulp, thickened milk, sugar, cornflour and green cardamom powder in a blender.

Blend the mango pulp, milk, sugar, green cardamom powder together.

Pour into  an ovenproof glassware.

Bake at 160* for about 20-25 minutes; placing the low height wired stool inside, preheat.

Place atop the wired stool the mango filled glassware! Bake at 160* for about 20-25 minutes.

Keep at rest few minutes, take out and let cool.

Garnish with Pistachios, chill in the refrigerator for few hours; serve and have!

DHABEWALI CHICKEN

DHABAS are an attraction while touring India; as your speeding cars pass through the newly upgraded national highways, the inevitable stops at the "dhabas" give you warm food and rest. This pleasure is in fact a part of your tour. Whether it is a cup of tea, a lunch with rajma chawal or a dinner with chicken, chapati and dal, all are served fresh and hot. It is such a joy, at least to me. Our parents loved having Dhaba Food, tandoori roti, tara dal, aloo-mater the most. 

I would sit and watch the crowd around, at what pace and expertise the waiters would carry 4-5 plates at a time, how the cooks prepare roti on the oven one after another. A big work affair goes on whole day and night. Had I have that writing prowess, I would have definitely written a book on them. Isn't it from these "dhabas" that many a chefs and home-cooks draw inspirations? I think, yes! Although this foodie does not have much knowledge on food history.

This recipe of DHABEWALI CHICKEN did I come across surfing the internet. Anyway, I am heavily influenced by India's master chef Sanjeev Kapoor, our mother's most favourite chef. We also had "poori, narkol diye cholar dal & salad"on the side.

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken : 500gm [I used boneless]
Onions : 2
Minced Garlic : 1 tbsp
Minced Ginger : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1 tsp
Cinnamon Powder : 1/4 tsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 2 pinches
Clove Powder : 1 pinch
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Tomato Sauce : 1 cup
Salt : As requried
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice : 2 tbsp
Garam Masala : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 4 tbsp
Chopped Coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD : 

Wash the chicken, marinate with salt, turmeric and lemon juice and keep aside for 1-2 hours.

Slice the onions, mince the ginger and garlic. Wash them.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the minced ginger and garlic, fry till fragrant.

Add the sliced onions, fry till golden brown.

Add all the powdered masalas except the garam masala.

Stir for a minute, add the chicken. Fry them for 3-4 minute at high heat.

Reduce the heat to minimal, cover. After 10 minutes, add the tomato sauce.

Stir well and cover cook for another 20 minutes at low heat.

The water would dry up and hopefully it is done. 

Add the garam masala powder, stir and transfer to a bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with your choice of  breads!

STIR FRY PANEER

Some days I am left with few vegetables, mostly on Fridays. I purposefully let it be this way. Idea is to use up everything by Friday night and cook fresh on Saturday mornings. I strongly believe nothing should go waste in the kitchen unless it is rotten. I have learnt to prepare something with minimal ingredients whenever situation demands. I am a minimalist, except for my sarees and jewelries. On such a Friday, I had an onion, few greand a small packet of paneer [Indian Cottage Cheese]. I thought of  making good use of them, planned for a light STIR FRIED PANEER. 

India has a large number of vegetarian people. The Indian restaurants brought various innovations in their recipes so that the veggie lovers are not deprived of experiencing variety in food. A platter of chilli potato or chilli paneer or roasted cauliflower do give us immense pleasure beside the meat and fish dishes.... for the vegetarians these are the main. Its all about with how much care we cook it, how beautifully we present it. This mom and the son have more of paneer whenever the daddy is on  tour. It is not because we are not allowed to but because I try to cook that what cater to the tastebuds of all in the family. We respect each other's feelings, space, freedom, taste, likes and dislikes.

This dish was simple and quick to do,. I never like spending longer periods in the kitchen on evenings.

INGREDIENTS :

Paneer : 250 gm
Onion : 1
Green Chilli : 2-3

Spring Onion : A stalk or two
Minced Garlic : 1tsp
Minced Ginger : 1/2tsp
Sweet n Sour Sauce : 1/4 cup
Black Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp [coarsely ground preferred]
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 tbsp

METHOD :

Peel and slice the onion thick. Slit the green chillies, chop the spring onion. Mince the garlic, ginger. Wash all separately.

Heat the oil in wok. Add the minced garlic and ginger. Fry till fragrant. Add the onions. Saute till translucentAdd the paneer pieces.

Add salt, black pepper powder, sweet & sour sauce, chopped spring onion; stir at high heat for 1-2 minutes.

Serve it fresh, hot with noodles or rice.

DAL POORI WITH SPICED POTATO

This Dal Poori takes me backwards to 80's. I was in middle school,   was friends with our maternal youngest aunt. As soon as my school's vacation started, I used to visit the grandparent's home, 100 km away from Kolkata. I have talked about it in earlier blogposts. Born there, the place shaped my childhood. On some mornings, a dal poori / lentil stuffed puffed bread seller used to visit the neighbourhood, called 'Dal Poori nebe Dal Poori, gorom Dal Poori meaning "want hot dal poori?" The plump, greedy self craved to have. The aunt would ask me to stop him at the gate, herself would run to get her piggybank. Few leaps and I was at gate, shouting 'o dal poori wala  darao, amra kinbo', stop we would buy. 

He carried them inside a square shaped glass box, I wondered how he carried a heavy box. Aunt says one day he stopped coming. We  never asked where his home was. Humans are self centric in general.

The vegan, hand rolled puffed bread tasted heavenly. I rolled each, took heavenly bites without any accompaniments. I never could forget the taste, never did follow any other recipe of dal poori because I still believe that man prepared the best dal poori ever. My little self never thought of asking him the recipe either. For dal poori, I follow my own recipe. Any form of poori n chapatis are favourite with my men. 

Yesterday, I made these dal pooris with a chana dal stuffing, served it with a spicy potato dry curry & home made pickle. 

INGREDIENTS[ for the stuffing] :

Bengal Gram Dal : 1 cup

Onion : 1

Ginger Paste : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp

Cumin Seed : 1/4 tsp

Coriander Leaves : 2 sprigs

Green Chilli : 2

Salt : As required

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Oil : 1 tbsp

INGREDIENTS [for the dough] :

All Purpose Flour : 1 cup

Whole Wheat Flour : 1 cup

Salt : 2 pinches

Oil : 1 tsp + as required for deep frying

INGREDIENTS [for the spiced potato]

Potato : 2

Chopped Long Bean : 3-4 tbsp

Black Gram : 2 tbsp

Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder : 1/4 tsp

Coriander Seed : 1/4 tsp

Dry red chilli : 1

Chopped Coriander : 2 tbsp

Salt : As required

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Oil : 2 tbsp

METHOD 

THE SPICED POTATO :

Peel, wash the potatoes. Cut into cubes. Add the washed, chopped long beans to it. Apply salt & turmeric, keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Temper with coriander seeds, dry red chilli. Add the potato, long bean mix discarding the marinade. Stir and cover.

After 3-4 minutes add the cumin, red chilli, coriander powder. Stir   and cover.

Better to check every minute. Remove cover after 4 minutes. Add the garam masala powder, chopped coriander and stir. Adjust the salt if required.

THE FILLING :

Wash, soak the chana dal in hot water for an hour. Pressure cook up to a whistle.

Chop and wash the coriander leaves and green chilli. Peel, wash, slice the onion.

Heat oil in wok. Temper with cumin seeds. Add sliced onions. As the onions turn brown, add the ginger paste, salt, turmeric powder. 

Add the boiled dal, stir. Once it starts drying, add the cumin, coriander powder. Give a stir.

As it dries, add the chopped coriander leaves, green chilli. Stir for a while, it's done.

THE POORI :

Take the two flours, salt, 1 tsp oil in a vessel. Rub well for a minute.

Add little water at a time to prepare a dough. Cover the dough with a clean wet cloth for an hour.

Shape into round balls, make hollow space, fill with the dal mix, close it.

Roll into poori as shown below.

Heat enough oil in wok. Fry one at a time. When one side is done, flip over.

Serve hot with the spiced potato and pickle of your choice!

GRILLED POMFRET IN CORIANDER PASTE

Travelling back in time I see a morning there in Kolkata, daddy got home Pomfret for the first time though we loved fresh water fish. Why only our home, it was true about most of the Bengali homes then. In those days our mother / aunties were mostly averse to experimentation. Daddy was excited to get something new at low price. It got pricier with time, did not get a place besides Bengal's prestigious fish varieties Hilsa, Barramundi, Aaa Mach, Katla, Pabda. Mom was unhappy, she didn't know how to cook it. When she cooked a light curry with it, we could not have it for it's smell. Our community was not used to having sea fish. 

Gradually mom learnt cooking this fish needs onion, garlic. She used to marinate it with masalas and deep fried coated in a batter, else I could not have it. Pomfret got pricier in Kolkata because the middle range restaurants / hotels could not afford using bhetki fish fillets for the fish fries, started using pomfret. Bengal loves fish fries. Now it is one of the coveted fish in the Kolkata market.

This primitive self still finds it difficult to have. My family loves, so I cook. The other day I got fresh ones in the nearby supermarket which has counters for fresh fish too. This island loves fish. It was a weekday evening, I marinated them in fresh coriander paste, grilled. This was an easier option for me. We can have it with a good serving of salads and with fried rice varieties.

INGREDIENTS :

Pomfret : 4
Fresh Coriander Paste : 1/2 cup
Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Green Chilli Paste : 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice : 4 tbsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 2 tbsp

METHOD :

Clean, wash the pomfrets. Make slits on both sides with a knife. Marinate with the lemon juice and salt for 1/2 an hour. Discard the excess water.

Add rest of the ingredients, mix well. Marinate for 1-2 hours.

Grease the grill plate with oil and place the fishes on it. Grill one side for 10 minutes. Flip over and grill the other side for another 8 minutes.

You can brush little oil and marinade in between.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Yesterday was the last day of a long weekend; I thought of closing it on a sweet note. After an elaborate Sunday lunch we usually enjoy an afternoon nap, .that pleasure is perhaps gone forever. An afternoon nap results into sleepless nights for me these days, I sacrifice that pleasure. 

We enjoy watching movies together, engage in small talks, leg pulling, plan for evenings if we do not have plans with friends. I treasure   the simple pleasures of life, enjoy being with the son and the man, wait for another weekend.

We stayed home last evening. After two days of fun with friends, cooking, arranging special prayer meet at home, we needed to rest at home. I prepared fresh, hot muffins to enjoy with the evening tea. When it comes to baking, this novice looks for simple bakes. I had a small box of blueberries in the refrigerator; thought  of baking Blueberry Muffins.

INGREDIENTS :

Refined Flour : 1 coffee mug

Baking Powder : 1 tsp

Baking Soda : 1/4 tsp

Butter at Room Temperature : 50 gm

Sugar : 1/2 small tea cup

Milk : 1/2 coffee mug
Eggs : 2
Vanilla Extract : 1 1/2 tsp
Fresh Blueberries : 1 cup

METHOD :

Wash the blueberries, wipe dry. Preheat oven at 200*C. In a bowl mix together the flour, baking powder & soda.

In another bowl cream together butter and sugar. Add an egg, beat and then the other.

Add the milk, vanilla essence, mix well. Add the flour mix to the wet mixture. Just combine, do not beat.

Add blueberries leaving some. The batter looks as below.

Pour the thick batter into the muffin cups. Sprinkle little sugar atop.

Mine is a convection mode microwave; I placed the low, wired stool and on it the muffin tray. The stool has to be placed before preheating.

I baked them at 200*C for 15-20 minutes; the cooking time depends on your oven.

STIR FRIED PINEAPPLE CHICKEN

I was looking for quick fix recipes worthy of cooking on week days. I do not like spending much time in the kitchen in the evenings. I have other attractions in life, my evening walks / runs, hunting from this store to that in the local mall. Another favourite activity of mine is to explore the various sauces, condiments, spices in the super market. Coming back home around 9 pm, how much time is left for an elaborate cooking? Is this a lazy girl speaking? Never mind, as long as my family happily eats it, everything else falls in place. With a chicken lover at home you have to look for a variety of chicken based recipes.

Midweek I had few ingredients left in the refrigerator. I had boneless chicken in the freezer. Suddenly I saw a whole pineapple peeping through the refrigerator, of which I entirely forgot, neither did our help remind me about it. Well, you cannot expect more from an Uncle Podger's daughter. Last weekend I saw the tag Sweet Sixteen Pineapple on it. This sixteen at heart bought it. The family refuses to eat pineapple in the mango season. After having 1/4th of it, I thought of using it in cooking. 

I searched the internet, decided to cook Pineapple fried rice and Stir Fried Pineapple Chicken. It took less time to cook the combo. You can add veggies to it. I cooked with what I had in the refrigerator. 

INGREDIENTS :

Boneless Chicken : 300 gm

Pineapple Chunk : A small bowlful

Spring Onion : A fistful [Chopped]
Vinegar : 4 tbsp
Salt : As required
Onion : I big
Red Bell Pepper : 1 medium
Black Pepper : 1/2 tsp[coarsely ground]
Minced Garlic : 1 tsp
Cornflour : 2 tbsp
Oil : 3 tbsp

METHOD :

Cut the chicken, pineapple into cubes, wash thoroughly. Add vinegar, salt, mix well. Cover and marinate for 3-4 hours.

Mince the garlic, chop the pineapple, spring onions, wash. Slit the green chillies, cube the onion.

Heat oil in a wok. Discard the marinade of the chicken. Add the cornflour to the chicken, coat well.

Fry the chicken pieces at medium heat till golden brown. Keep aside.

Add the minced garlic to the oil. As it gives a nice aroma, add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the chicken, black pepper and salt if required. Sir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the pineapple chunks, slitted green chillies, stir fry at high heat. 

Serve immediately with piping hot rice or fried rice.