OMELETTE CURRY

This one is done entirely the family way. I mean I have seen other recipes of Omelette Curries in the net but followed the family recipe here. However, I thing eggs more or less have similar curry base all over! May be later I will try the modified recipes I get to see around! As a child I did not like eggs. To be precise, I loved the yolk and discarded the white altogether. My brother altogether hated eggs. 

Preparing this Omelette Curry was our mother's trick to feed me egg protein. Keeping with the tradition, I too do it to feed egg to my son who does not love eggs much. The senior at home loves egg in any form except raw. Actually, our's had been a fish loving family! We preferred rustic, cheaper variety fish curries over an egg! In the present day, I take some interest in eggs as I do not get my choice of the fresh water fish varieties on a regular basis!

This is quite an easy recipe done with minimal ingredients. As a Bengali, the use of potato in curries is perhaps by default. You can skip it if you wish. It tastes absolutely yum with both rice or roti. It is a quick and simple recipe that can be done on a busy week day night, I mean at any time! In our childhood, we used to have sudden guests, the eggs in stock were the saviours in the situation. Let us proceed with the recipe.

INGREDIENTS :

Eggs : 4
Potato : 1
Onion : 1

Tomato : 1
Ginger Paste : 2tsp

Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp
Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Cinnamon Powder : 2pinches
Green Cardamom Powder : 1pinch
Cloves Powder : 1pinch
Cumin Seed : 3pinches
Bayleaf : 1
Salt : As required

Sugar : 1tsp
Oil : 3tbsp + 1/4tsp for each omelette

METHOD :

Prepare omelette with the eggs and cut them into smaller pieces.

Peel, cut, wash and cube the potatoes. Apply salt and turmeric. Slice the onions, wash & cube the tomato!

Heat 1tbsp oil in a wok . Fry the potato pieces till brown, take out and keep aside.

Temper the oil with cumin seeds and bayleaf. Add the onion slices and fry till brown.

Add the ginger & garlic pastes, fry for 1 minute. Add the cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to it and saute for 1/2 a minute.

Add the fried potato pieces and mix well. Add one cup water and bring the gravy to boil.

Let the gravy boil for 3-4 minutes, add the tomato pieces. Add the omelette pieces now. Let boil for 3-4 minutes.

Now add the sugar, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder and cloves powder. Stir and switch off.

Serve the curry hot with rice or chapati.

MULI KOFTA CURRY

I think preparing a kofta with the simplest of vegetables can make the dish tasty to the vegetable haters. Earlier kofta was not that common in the Bengali homes. We perhaps have hired the idea of preparing kofta from Northern India. I love it, sharing food habits is also a kind of bonding among souls within a country. A vast country like our's needs to bond at all level; social, political and cultural. In the present day, I think we have become more adaptive to each other. Our ethnicity and nationality can go together without being a threat to each other. With all these feelings going strong in my heart, I love cooking the dishes belonging to the different states or regions of India. I did not follow any specific recipe while  cooking this Muli / Radish Kofta Curry. I just did it the way I felt will appeal to the taste bud of the maximum. It is a no onion, no garlic recipe. Let us proceed with the recipe.

INGREDIENTS :[for the kofta]

Radish : 2medium sized

Boiled Potato : 1 medium sized

Refined Flour : 1tbsp

Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp

Dry Mango Powder : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Green Chilli : 2

Coriander Leaves : 1sprig

Salt : As required

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Oil : 2 tbsp 

INGREDIENTS :[for the curry]

Ginger Paste : 1tbsp

Cumin Powder : 1tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder : 1tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1tsp

Cinnamon Powder : 1pinch

Cardamom Powder : 1pinch

Cumin Seeds : 2pinches

Bayleaf : 1

Sugar : 1tsp[optional]

Oil : 2 tbsp

METHOD :

Peel, wash and shred the radish. Boil in enough water for 5 minutes. Let cool, drain the water. Squeeze nicely and take in a bowl.

Wash and chop the coriander leaves and green chilli. 

Heat the oil in a wok and temper with the cumin seeds & chopped green chillies. Give a stir and add the radish. 

Stir cook for a while, add the cumin, coriander, dry mango, turmeric powders, the salt, cook further for 2-3 minutes.

Add the boiled potato & the washed and chopped coriander leaves. Fold in well adding the refined floor and take down.

Once cool; tear portions from the dough and shape into balls; place them on an oven proof plate. Mine is a convection mode oven, I cooked them in grill mode for 10 minutes one side, 5 minutes turning over. Place the plate on the higher wired stool for this.

Now heat 2 tbsp oil in the wok. Temper with cumin seeds and bayleaf. Add the ginger paste and saute for a minute. 

Add salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and stir for 1/2 a minute. Add 2 medium tea cups of water. As it comes to boil, add the kofta balls. Cover cook for 3-4 minutes. Add sugar, the cinnamon and cardamom powders, boil for 1/2 a minute. Its done.

Enjoy the curry hot with rice or roti.

CAPSICUM CHICKEN

If I prepare this kind of meals, there are happier faces in our home. My labour in the kitchen gets half. Then I cannot give in to that, I never can forget my roots, not even at the cost of my comfort. Cooking desi meal is also a part of being strongly rooted to my homeland, I feel. The primitive self feels insecure if I do not cook Bengali / Indian recipes for two days in a row. Anyway, the teen at home forgot reading and writing Bengali, at least he should eat what we grew up eating. I am trying hard as long as it is possible. Nonetheless to say I also cook what they like quite often. This combination of Chicken with Capsicum and Burnt Garlic rice has been a hot favourite with my men. This Garlic tempered rice I tasted here in this island in a restaurant by the seaside. It is simple yet flavourful, just frying the cooked rice in burnt minced garlic adding some chopped green chillies, salt and black pepper powder. It pairs well with South East Asian preparations. A fan of Chinese and Thai Cuisine, I much love the number of sauces they use in their cooking. I do not have much of knowledge about the variety of sauces, neither do I have them all in my pantry. I prepare them with whatever ingredients I have in my kitchen and do not claim the authenticity. Let us do this simple and yummy recipe together.

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken [boneless] : 250-300 gm
Green Capsicum : 1medium sized
Red Chilli Padi : 2-3 [they are hot]
Yellow Bell Pepper : 1medium[I did not have, hence skipped]
Onion : 1 big sized
Garlic [minced] : 1tsp
Ginger [minced] : 1/2 tsp
Chilli Sauce : 2 tbsp
Cornflour : 1 tbsp
Salt : As required
Soy Sauce : 2 tbsp

Black Pepper Powder : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 4tsp

METHOD :

Wash and cut the chicken into cubes. Marinate with black pepper powder and salt as required for an hour. Coat with cornflour.

Wash and cut the capsicum and onion into cubes. Slit the red chillies. Marinate them with a little of salt.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the chicken pieces until light brown. Drain the excess of oil placing them onto tissue papers.

Add the minced ginger and garlic and stir at high heat. Add the onions and stir till translucent. Add the capsicum cubes and the slitted red chillies / chilli padi. Stir at high heat for a minute. Add the chicken.

Pour the chilli sauce and the residual corn flourin the bowl adding a little of water. I actually do not like much of the corn flour. Mix well and keep stirring at high heat for 2-3 minutes. It is done.

Serve hot with the Garlic tempered rice.

BREAD GULAB JAMUN

Today is Bhai Phota; a day when all sisters pray for their brother's life long health and prosperity. This is the day I miss my brother a lot. I remember my brother was five years old when I started giving 'phota' to him[a dot on his forehead wishing him good luck, good health, longevity]. It was a celebration in our home then, some of my cousin brothers, my maternal uncles all used to be together at one place; sweets, elaborate lunch menu, smell of incense, earthen lamps, crackers in the evening..... a pious, divine and joyous atmosphere altogether. I think of those golden days and relive the moments. The maternal uncles would not come together every year because my youngest aunt mostly did the ritual back in the grandparent's home. Ever since I relocated to another country; an island city far from my homeland, I miss my brother on this day. I send rakhi to him through post but there is no way to send "phota" that way. I religiously call him this day and exchange  words. This is same with many a sisters I know. I thought of sharing a simple sweet made in a jiffy on this occasion. I learnt this recipe of bread gulab jamun after going through a number of similar recipes in the internet. What attracted me is the simplicity of the ingredients in doing the same. Let us do it together.

INGREDIENTS :

Bread : 6 pieces
Milk [boiled]  : 1 small cup
Refined Flour : 1tbsp
Sugar : 1 small cup + 1tsp
Baking Powder : 1/2 tsp
Water : 2 coffee cups
Green Cardamom : 3-4
Oil : 1cup.

METHOD :

Boil the milk for about 10 minutes stirring in between, let cool.

Pulse the bread slices taking in a blender. Transfer the powder to a bowl.

Add the baking powder, 1tsp sugar and the milk little by little. Knead very well and shape into balls.

Heat the oil in a wok. Simultaneously in another burner boil a cup of sugar with 2 coffee cups of water. Add the green cardamoms to it. Cook till it's a bit sticky, much of it.

Fry the balls in low heat until brown and dip into the hot sugar syrup. Keep them soaked for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Serve them warm!

DOI POTOL

Doi Potol is Parwal / Pointed Gourd cooked in a yogurt based gravy. Our mother used to prepare it on an all vegetarian day or when there were guests at home. Later I had it the same way in my husband's side of the family. I do not know though how authentically Bengali it is. I never saw our grandmother cooking potol / parwal / pointed gourd this way. However, it is a good vegetarian side dish.

Cooking pointed gourd with yogurt may have got included later in the Bengali homes, something different from the regular fair of peyaz-potol chochori or aloo-potoler dalna. I thoroughly enjoy this no onion, no garlic curry with rice. It equally goes well with flat breads.

There is good use of plain yogurt in my kitchen. I feel it enhances the taste and texture of the gravy. I have not used onion or garlic in it like in a majority of Bengali homes, even onion and garlic are considered as non vegetarian in the Hindu Bengali families. This curry is prepared with beaten yogurt and few spices with a tempering of whole garam masalas. Let us do it. The gravy of the Doi Potol is usually kept thick....

INGREDIENTS : 

Potol / Parwal / Pointed Gourd : 8-10
Plain Yogurt : 100gm
Ginger Paste : 1tbsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2tsp
Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Salt : As required
Cinnamon : 2 one inch stick
Green Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2
Bayleaf : 1
Sugar : 1tsp
Oil : 2tbsp

METHOD :

Cut the two ends of the pointed gourds and slightly slit on both the ends. Peel them keeping a little of gap.

Wash them and apply salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Keep aside for 10 -15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the pointed gourds until light brown. Keep aside.

Temper the oil with bayleaf, green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Add the ginger paste and saute well for 2-3 minutes.

Add the salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and the chilli powder. Stir for 1/2 a minute.

Beat the yogurt with sugar. Saute well for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 small cup of water.

Let the gravy boil for 3-4 minutes. Add the fried pointed gourds. Stir and cover cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Serve hot with rice or chapati.

FIERY CHICKEN

The son is a chicken lover, hence, I keep searching for various chicken recipes. I browse the internet to bring in variety to a meat dish. There is a basic problem with me though when it comes to cooking a new kind of dish. All of a sudden in the evening I may select a Thai Curry to cook. I have a good quality boneless chicken, a piece of galangal, even a Thai sauce, but I do not have the lemon grass. Now what? 

Most of the time I do not plan my dishes ahead. It all depends on my mood and the availability of the ingredients in my kitchen. In such a scenario this Indian does a mix "n" match cooking, of course when she is not cooking an authentic Bengali dish. Now therein comes the problem of naming it because it is not an authentic one. The same happened with this chicken curry too, it is similar to tikka masala but not an authentic enough. Hence, I named it Fiery Chicken going by it's colour, look. My men and my little guests loved it.

For this curry, I prepared a paste with ripe tomatoes, the island special red chilli padi, onion, ginger and garlic. Since I love colour in my dishes, I make a good use of Kashmiri Mirch in my cooking. The curry was thick, tangy and spicy. My South Asian root and taste bud do not allow me to go otherwise, even after repeated warnings from the senior at home. Let us proceed with the recipe.

INGREDIENTS :

Chicken : 500 gm
Tomato : 1 big sized
Onion : 2 medium sized

Red Chilli Padi : 4-5 [they are hot]
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder : 11/2tsp
Salt : As required
Turmeric Powder : 1tsp
Bayleaf : 1

Lemon Juice : 2-3 tbsp
Oil : 4tbsp

METHOD :

Wash the chicken pieces and marinate with 1/2tsp turmeric powder, salt, lemon juice and keep aside for an hour.

Wash and cut the tomatoes, discard the seeds. Prepare a paste with tomato, peeled, washed and cut onions, the red chilli padis blending them together.

Heat the oil in a wok. Temper with the bay leaf.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes, saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomato-chilli padi-onion paste. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Add the salt and turmeric. Add the marinated chicken. Stir well and cover.

Remove the cover and stir every 3-4 minutes. We will cook at low heat all through. This will take about 25-30 minutes.

It goes well with both rice and chapati. Get some dal, vegetables, salad on the side!

CHIRER LADOO

I wished to prepare something easy, fuss free, simple ahead of Diwali, something with whatever ingredients available in my kitchen without killing much of my time. During this festive season, we are quite busy cleaning every nook n corner of our homes, decorating them with diya, arranging for "rangoli" / powder colour painting or whatever in whatever way we can. Actually, Rangoli is not exactly a thing of our community, but it looks too beautiful if done properly! I like those made with flowers but I am not an artsy person! Alpona; that is patterns painting is our kind of Rangoli, our maternal aunts had been really good at.

I am loving to roam around the Diwali Bazaar that is held here every year, it gives the feel of a home away from home. Colourful diyas, painted pots, wall hangings and all kinds of home decors are flooding the market. It feels like buying them all but they are pricey. Besides all these, we need to prepare some homemade goodies too. This time it is Chirer Ladoo / Flattened Rice Ladoo for me.

There had been the practice of preparing Chirer moya among us, grown up eating them made with whole flattened rice and jaggery. Mine is a different one, a simplified and quick one. Done with few ingredients, it is tasty! I am sad being unable to do exactly the family recipe of chirer moya!

INGREDIENTS :

Chirey / Poha / Beaten Rice : 200gm
Skinless Roasted Peanut [unsalted] : 2tbsp

Cashew Nut : 10-12
Jaggery : 3 tbsp
Sugar : 1 tbsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 1/2tsp
Raisin : 10-15

Melon Seeds / Char Magaz : 2 tsp

Milk Powder : 2 tbsp
Ghee : 2 tbsp + 3 tbsp

METHOD :

In a wok, heat 2 tbsp of  ghee. Roast the peanuts at a very low heat. They should not burn.

Add the chirey / poha / beaten or flattened rice and keep stirring at low heat for 3-4 minutes. Switch off the gas stove and let it cool.

Grate the jaggery or crush them with a rolling pin. Wash and soak the raisins for 1/2 an hour.

In a blender add the roasted beaten rice, peanuts, cashew nuts, jaggery, sugar, 1tbsp of ghee and the green cardamom powder. Grind them to a coarse powder.

Transfer to a plate. Strain the water from the raisins and add to the mix, also 2 tbsp of ghee & the char magaz / melon seeds.

Grease your palms with ghee & shape them into round balls. This is a bit crucial part!

Our flattened rice ladoo is ready within an hour. Store them in airtight container & refrigerate the extras!

SHAHI PANEER

I love paneer in any form, the son too. Well, the man is not fond of but eats without refusal. It is healthy, high protein and a good alternative to fish and meat. Actually. Paneer is a good option for those South Asians who are vegetarian. Buy it from a store or prepare it at home, this easy to make paneer curry is a saviour when one is in a hurry or does not want to spend much time in the kitchen yet want to prepare something delicious for the family. 

Whether it is roti or rice, paneer goes well with both. I think the entire of India loves it. I do not remember when actually paneer flooded the Kolkata market, earlier it was chena [milk curdled at home and put to use]. Things got a little easier for our moms with all the sweet shops starting to sell readymade paneer. At least in our home it became easier to feed the fish loving son and daughter on an all vegetarian day. Thursday was fearful to me once.

Paneer curries are regular in our  home. It is versatile which we can mix and match with other vegetables or prepare a solo dish. At times when I get lethargic to go to the Indian market, I prepare chena at home and proceed. Otherwise, I always store a block in my wonder box [refrigerator]. This is a healthier version of Shahi Paneer where I used plain yogurt instead of cream. I do not use cream much in my cooking. In fact, Bengali cooking does not require use of cream. Ada- jeerey- lonkabata-dhoney guro-panchforon are what adorns our kitchen. Truth is Paneer itself was / is not that welcome in a typical 'Bangal Bari', but now I think the scenario is changing. We are getting cosmopolitan, learning to accept and appreciate the new. Let us proceed with the recipe which is, easy, quick and healthy.

INGREDIENTS :

Paneer : 200gm
Plain Yogurt : 100gm
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Onion Paste : 2tbsp
Cashew nut : 4-6
Raisin : 5-6
Melon seeds : 1/4tsp [charmagaj]
Poppy seed : 1tsp [if you are in Dubai or Singapore, use white sesame seed]
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2tsp
Salt : As required
Oil : 1tbsp
Butter : 1/2tsp

METHOD : 

Cut the paneer into your desired shapes and apply a little of salt.

Soak the poppy seeds in hot water for an hour. Strain. Prepare a paste with the poppy seeds, cashew nuts, raisin, melon seeds adding as much water as required.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the onion paste. Saute well for 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger paste and saute for another 2-3 minutes at low heat.

Add the cashew nut-raisin-melon seeds-poppyseed paste and saute for 2-3 minutes. Beat the yogurt well and add to the wok. Fold in well and stir for a minute.

Add the chilli powder and salt as required. Saute for 1/2 a minute and add 1 small cup of water.

Let boil for 2-3 minutes. Add the paneer pieces, let boil for another minute. Add the butter and stir carefully. As it melts, switch off the gas stove.

Enjoy with any kind of Indian flat bread.

SWEET POORI

Finally, I decided to blog about it. I really do not know any such dish exists or not because this is the result of a severe cooking blunder. I admit, it does happen in my kitchen at times. Errors happen because I am forgetful and a dreamer. Hence, I do blunders with measurements. On a contrast, I have seen if I am too cautious in the kitchen to do good, then too I do blunders. I try to remain relaxed while cooking. I do blunders and manage them too because I hate the wastage of food. This Sweet Poori is not what I was up to. I was trying to prepare some Kamala Bhog [orange flavoured Raagullas], but ended up at this. When I was about to knead the chena [home made cottage cheese] with semolina and baking soda, I found there was still water in the chena which needed to be drained. The rasgullas are definitely going to break and I am not a person to throw away a bowl full of chena. With some additional ingredients I landed into this dessert, which I assure sweet lovers will like. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS :

Milk : 1litre

Lemon Juice : 2tbsp

Ice Cubes : 1small cup

Semolina[suji] : 1tbsp

Refined Flour : 2tbsp

Rice Flour : 1tbsp

Baking Soda : 1/2tsp

Sugar : 1 small tea cup + 1tsp

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4tsp

Water : 1medium cup

Oil : 1/2 cup to fry

METHOD :

Pour the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel. Switch on the gas burner and bring it to boil stirring constantly. Switch off the gas stove and add the lemon juice. As the milk curdles, add the ice cubes. Let it cool.

Strain the cheese through a white piece of cloth and hang for 40-45 minutes for the excess water to drain off. Reserve the whey water for future use.

Take the paneer cheese / chena in a big bowl. This is where I did a mistake, I took out the chena / paneer when there was still water. This is how I managed.

Add 1tsp sugar, the rice flour, refined flour, semolina, baking soda, green cardamom powder to the chena and start kneading.

Simultaneously, take the water and 1cup of sugar in a vessel and boil till it reduces to 1/4 of the original quantity and gets sticky. We do not need  much of sugar syrup as we will dip the pooris in it and take out.

We will knead the mixture for about 12-15 minutes. Shape into small balls and with rolling pin we will make poori like roundels dusting a little of flour.

Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the pooris both sides each at a time at moderate heat. Dip each one in the syrup and take out, arrange in a plate. Have it fresh and warm.

If you have a sweet tooth, you can pour the remaining sugar syrup on the pooris while serving.

SHUKTO

SHUKTO is the minimally spiced Bengali mixed vegetable light curry we have grown up eating. A regular Bengali course meal comprises of "shukto, dal, bhaja, tarkari, maacher jhol and chutney". Now a days we do not have time for such elaborate cooking everyday, but we do at least 2-3 of them in turns. Shukto has become an once in a while affair considering the amount of veggies we need to cut. Yet its absolutely worth it. It is all of the nourishment in one bowl, health loaded. I remember, I hated veggies as a teen. Mom used to mash all of the vegetables, mixed them with rice and force fed me. Perhaps that is the reason I feel mom's Shukto tasted heavenly, being fed with love. But that was a simpler and regular version of Shukto, this might be the Bengali Caterers' version, also may be of the Bengalis of West Bengal origin. Our families would do it occasionally. I enjoy having both the versions of it. I also mash SHUKTO and other vegetable preparations to force fed the son. The man eats vegetables but dislikes mixed veggies. A bowl of steamed rice topped with SHUKTO with some lemon juice squeezed on it seems perfect for me. I visit the Indian market / the Bengali shops to get the veggies required for it which are quite a number. Authentically, we do not use turmeric powder in this dish but I added a little to give a touch of colour to it. Let us start with it.

Click the link / heading below for the recipe of "Bori"...

BEULIR DALER BORI / DAL VADI / SUN DRIED LENTIL BALL

INGREDIENTS :[The Vegetables]

Drumsticks : 2
Long Beans : 2
Raw Banana : 1
Ridge Gourd : 1
Bitter Gourd : 2 
Egg Plants : 2-3[small]
Sweet Potato : 2-3[small]

Raw Papaya : 1/2 of a small sized [I used a squash / chow chow instead]

INGREDIENTS :[The Spices]

Ajmod[Radhuni] : 2-3 pinches [WIKI says radhuni is dried fruit of Trachyspermum Roxburghianum, a flowering plant; smells like parsley, tastes like celery. Honestly, until I had a blog, I did not require to know what radhuni is called outside my family; some called it wild celery seed, I took it, now WIKI says it is this]
Mustard Seeds Paste : 1tbsp
Panchphoron Guro[powder] : 1/2tsp [ A powder made from equal amount of fennel, cumin, nigella, fenugreek, ajmod]
Bayleaf : 1

INGREDIENTS :[The Final Cooking]

Beulir Daler Bori / Dal Vadi : 7-8 [sundried urad dal balls]
Salt : As Required
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 pinches [optional]
Coconut Milk : 1/2 small cup
Sugar : 1tsp [optional]
Oil : 1tbsp
Use 1 tbsp Ghee for garnish if you are not a vegan, I skipped and used lemon leaves. But cow milk +ghee is essential for the rich caterer version's flavour.

METHOD :

All vegetables are required to be cut and kept in separate bowls as we would fry each separately, add to the curry at different stages.

Cut the drumsticks and long beans lengthwise.

Peel the raw banana, squash or raw papaya, ,sweet potato and ridge gourd. Cut them lengthwise after being halved.

Cut the egg plants into halves and the bitter gourds small.

Wash them and rub with salt. Heat oil in a pan, fry all the vegetables separately except for the drumsticks, long beans and ridge gourd pieces. Fry the sun-dried lentil balls separately and keep aside.

Temper the oil with radhuni / ajmod seeds and bayleaf. Add the drumsticks, and long beans pieces, stir and cover cook for 3-4 minutes. 

Add the fried raw bananas, squash or raw papaya and sweet potato pieces, stir and cover cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the ridge gourd pieces, salt, turmeric and the mustard paste. Stir carefully and cover cook at low heat for 2 minutes.

Remove the cover and add 1 medium sized tea cup of water and the fried dal vadi. Let boil for 2-3 minutes. 

Add the powdered "panchphoron" / Bengali five spices, coconut milk and sugar. Let boil for 3-4 minutes.

Add the fried bitter gourd and egg plant pieces, stir carefully. 

We are done, garnish with ghee at this stage, I did not.

Enjoy with steamed hot rice.

MUTTON ROLL

If I am far from my home, I will bring it closer to me and enliven it in my kitchen. Thats the way I feel. I miss Kolkata's street food; the lip smacking rolls, chaats, phuchka. Would I wait for my Kolkata visits to have them? That is difficult for this foodie. I try to recreate them in my kitchen. Whenever I do them I get lost in those days, in those scenes of two friends sharing one roll most of the time. Sharing was caring then too. I remember how I and my brother urged mom to buy us rolls and cutlets, how she denied street food most of the time. Once we were in college, the free birds had them often. Can I do them exactly like the Kolkata street food vendors? I dare not claim that. However, my family is happy with mine. Our mom felt it was our stupidity wanting to have those unhygienic stuffs. Moms forget their childhood; no point arguing. I cannot digest rolls and Mughlai porota kind of stuffs, rarely have them. An egg roll per Kolkata visit happens as I like it the most. I tasted the Mutton Roll from Badshah for the first time on my courtship days with the man... I tried to prepare something similar. We do it in 2 parts.... first we cook the dry mutton curry and then the parathas. Finally we are to assemble everything and roll it. I have marinated the mutton with spices and cooked it without using oil. I used store bought frozen paratha / flatbread for the purpose.

INGREDIENTS : [for the dry  mutton]

Boneless Mutton : 500gm [small cut]
Ginger Paste : 2 tsp
Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Onion Paste : 2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
Cinnamon Powder : 1/4 tsp
Green Cardamom Powder : 4 pinches

Cloves Powder : 2 pinces

Crushed Black Pepper : 1 tsp

Bayleaf : 2
Vinegar : 3 tbsp
Salt : As required

Ingredients : [for the paratha]

Refined Flour : 2cups
Salt : 2-3 pinches
Water : As required
Oil : 2 tsp for each paratha + 1tbsp for the dough

ELSE YOU CAN USE THE STORE BOUGHT PARATHA LIKE ME!

INGREDIENTS : [Final Assembling]

The Cooked Parathas 
Sliced Onion : 3-4 tbsp
Sliced Cucumber : 2 tbsp [I forgot]
Chopped Green Chilli : 2 tsp

Tomato Chilli Sauce : As much you require

METHOD :

Let us cook the boneless mutton first. Get it cut into small pieces.

Wash the mutton pieces, marinate it with the spices except for the green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon powders. Keep it covered for 2 hours. 

Heat a wok on the stove top and add the mutton. Cover and slow cook at the minimal heat. Every 5 minutes remove the cover and give a stir.

Once the released water dries up, add 2-3 coffee mugs of hot water, again cook covered at minimal heat until all of the gravy dries up. Add the green cardamom+cinnamon+cloves powders and give a stir. The mutton is ready for the purpose.

For the parathas I have used store bought frozen ones and roasted them on a pan. In case you want to cook them, below is the recipe.

Take the flour in a bowl, add a bit of salt and 1 tbsp of oil, rub for 2-3 minutes.

Add a little of water at a time and keep kneading until a smooth dough is formed.

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

Remove and shape into medium sized balls.

Roll out into round paratha shapes with the help of a rolling pin.

In a frying pan / tawa fry each paratha with 2 tsp of oil.

Place the cooked paratha on a plate. Add few pieces of mutton.

Top with the sliced onions and cucumber, chopped green chillies. Pour some tomato-chilli sauce. The forgot to add the cucumber.

Fold as you wish and enjoy.