Durga Pujo Special " Khichuri bhog"

Well, the festive season is ON and i am sure many people, like me, are away from home, family & friends and missing this paparazzi of Pujo...
Nevertheless, there are somethings which u cant achieve so why not pep up your mood and rush to the kitchen.. I am sure the aroma from the kitchen can subside your pain to some extent if not completely.

So, presenting to you a dish which is most awaited during Durga pujo..

Any guesses?????

Ya.... Khichudi bhog

Todays preparation will be with minimal ingredients available in most household, but it definitely will light up your mood and taste buds and make you feel near to home and your loved ones.

Pujo Special "Khichudi Bhog"

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice (any preferred variety- gobindobhog, basmati or normal rice. I have used normal fine sharp grained rice, not basmati)
1/2 cup moong dal
2 inch ginger
1 tomato finely chopped
2 green chillies
1 dry red chilli
Whole garam masala (2 cardamom, small cinnamon, 4 cloves, 1 bay leave)
Chopped vegetables: carrot, raddish, capsicum & potato ( Chop them into medium sized cubes. You can add vegetables of your choice like peans, beans etc... i have made the preparation with vegetables available at home)
2 tbsp Amul ghee
3 cups of water

dry masalas:
1.5 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1.5 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp Sugar
Salt

Method:

1. Wash rice and moong dal separately and drain the water and keep it aside.
2. Now, heat a pressure cooker  and roast the moong dal till it turns light brown in colour.
3. Remove the moong dal and keep it aside.
4. Now add 2 tbsp amul ghee (you can use morton ghee or any variety available)
5. Once the ghee melts and is hot, add cumin seeds, dry red chilli, whole garam masala and let it splutter.
6. To this, add grated ginger and tomato.
7. Add the green chillies. Stir it properly.
8. Cook it in a medium flame.
9. To this add the dry masalas except the garam masala now. 
10. Stir it properly for 3-4 mins till oil starts separating.
11. To this, add salt and mix. Add little water, mix the masala dn stir it properly.
12. Now add, the chopped vegetables and mix them properly.
13. Cook them for 2-3 mins in the masala.
14. Now add the rice and dal and stir it properly.
15. Cook it for a minute or two and mix it properly.
16. Add sugar and garam masala powder
17. To this add water and bring it to boil.
18. Then close the cooker lid and let it whistle.
19. Give 3-4 whistles and then turn off the gas.
20. Keep it aside and let it cool.
21. Serve hot with tomato chutney, papad and a spicy curry.

Chicken Kosha with less masalas/spices, a healthy yet tasty kosha chicken version

Chicken Kosha: 

Preparation time: 1 hr 40 mins

Ingredients:
Chicken skinless: 1 kg cleaned into medium sized pieces
Whole garam masala: 2 bayleaf. 2 cloves. 3 cardamom, 2 cinnamon sticks
Onions: 2 medium sized, 1 thinly sliced lengthwise & 1 blended for the paste
Tomato: 1 medium sized
Green Chillies: 3
garlic: 3 cloves
ginger: 2 inch
Spices: 1 tsp turmeric powder, 3/4th tsp coriander powder, 3/4th tsp cumin powder
Chopped coriamder leaves: 1 tbsp
Mustard oil: 1 tbsp
Salt & sugar to taste

Method:

1. Take a mixer grinder & add 1 onion, tomato, 2 green chillies, all of whole garam masalas, all of the spices, garlic & ginger & blend it to a fine paste.
2. Now marinate the chicken with the above blended mixture, add little salt & 1 tsp mustard oil. Mix them well & refridgerate it for 1 hour.
3. After 1 hour, take a deep bottomed non-stick wok, add mustard oil. Once it is hot, add 1 tsp sugar & wait till it melts & caramalizes.
4. To this, add 1 onion chopped into slices as shown in the picture below. Fry them till brownish in colour.
5. Then add the marinated chicken along with the paste in the wok & mix well.
6. Stir it well & then cover it on a medium flame for 5 mins.
7. Remove the lid & stir again & then cover it again for 5 mins. This process is called "kosha".
8. Now again repeat the process till all the water & the juices reduce & the chicken gets properly cooked.
9. This will take almost 25 mins for the water to get soaked & the chicken to get properly cooked. Dont forget to stir after every 4-5 mins to avoid it getting burnt.
10. Now add 1 cup water to it, little salt, slit green chilli & chopped coriander leaves.
11. Saute it for 5 more mins.& then cover & switch off the gas.
12. After around 15 mins, the chicken looks awesome & takes a beautiful colour & can be served with plain roti/naan. You can increase the gravy by adding little more water.

Paneer Tikka Masala without oven & tastes like a Dhaba

 Paneer Tikka masala without oven & bilkul restuarant style

Preparation time: 45 mins

Ingredients:
Paneer: 250 gms, diced into 2 inch sized cubes
Onions: 1/2 diced into big 2 inch cubes & each layer separated out.
Chopped onions: 2 finely chopped medium sized
chopped tomato: 1 large
Capsicum: 1 small diced into big cubes, 2 inch wide
Tomato: 1 small deseeded & pulf removed from inside, diced into cubes
Curd: 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste: 2 tbsp
Chopped ginger: 1 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 2 tsp
turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Kasturi methi powder:1 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Lime juice: 2 tbsp
green chillies: 4 chopped
Garam masala powder: 2 tsp
Whole garam masala: 2 bayleaves, 3 cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick
Crushed black pepper
Cream: 2 tbsp
Skewers: 6
Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
Sunflower oil: 4 tbsp
Salt & sugar to taste

Method:

1. Take a bowl, add curd, kasturi methi powder, 1/2 red chilli powder, mustard oil,. 1/2 ginger garlic paste, lime juice, little salt & mis it well.
2. To this, carefully add the diced cubes of paneer, onion, tomato & capsicum. Mix well & keep it aside in refridgerator for 15 mins.
3. Now take skewers, & insert paneer, capsicum, onions & tomatoes alternately & keep it aside. It will be clear from the pictures below.
4. Once ready, take a tawa add oil & heat it.
5. Now gradually over a medium flame, shallow fry them on the tawa. keep alternating sides & ensure all the 4 sides are properly shallow fried in oil. Once done, remove & keep them aside.
6. Now take a wok, add oil, whole garam masala & chopped onions. Saute them well.
7. Once the onions gets golden brown, add little salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder. Mix well & saute. Add little water & cook the masala well.
8. To this, add chopped tomatoes, little more salt, chopped chillies & mix well. Simmer, cover the lid & cook it well. Once the masala starts leaving oil, add 2 cups water & bring it to boil.
9. Now to this, add the paneer, onion, tomato, capsicum cubes from the skewers & mix it in the gravy.
10. Cover & cook over medium heat for 4-5 mins.
11. To this, add cream & garam masala powder.
12. Mix them well & switch off the gas. Cover it for 10 mins more & serve it with jeera rice or lachha paratha.

Rui/Rohu Maachher jhal (Special bengali biyebaari speciality) for all fish lovers

My husband is very fond of fish, but since i dont like it much, cook it very rarely. I had 1kg pkt of frozen fish in my freezer, thought of preparing that in a special way.

The best compliment for any wife would be when her hubby finds it better than his mom's cooked maach. This made my day to finally achieve that level, which is much superior involving 30 years of cooking experience.

So, here to all my friends & fish lovers, presenting Rui Maachher Jhal, just as is prepared in West Bengal biyebaaris.

Preparation time: 45 mins
The entire preparation will be in low to medium flame.

Ingredients:
4 pieces of Rui maachh (Rohu fish)
Whole garam masala : 2 bayleaves, 3 cardamom & 1 cinnamon stick
Garam masala powder: 1.5 tsp
Cumin powder: 1.5 tsp
Chopped coriamder leaves: 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder: 2 tbsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1.5 tsp
Finely chopped 2 medium sized onions
Chopped tomatoe: 1/2
Chopped potato with the skin- 2 small (washed & then cut into thick round slices)
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste ( Blind 2 inch ginger, with 4 cloves of garlic & 2 green chillies & 1 tbsp water. Please do not add readymade ginger garlic paste)
1 dry red chilli
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Raisins: 10
Curd: 1 tbsp (blend curd withe raisins in a mixer & keep it aside)
Mustard oil" 3 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Marinate the rui maachh with salt & turmeric powder & refridgerate it for 15 mins.
2. Take a non-stick wok, add mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the fish pieces on a medium flame till light brown  & keep them aside. Do not overfry them & make them hard.
3. Use the left over oil & to the same wok, add cumin seeds, dry red chillies & whole garam masalas & let them crackle.
4. Then add the chopped onions & saute them till they turn pinkish in colour, Add little salt & cook it on a low flame for 3-4 mins.
5. Then add the ginger garlic paste & mix them well. To this, add turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder & saute them. Add 1/4 th cup water & stir the masala well to avoid it getting burnt.
6. To this add, the chopped potatoes, stir well. Again add little water (1/4th cup), stir well & cook it again on a low flame with the lid on. Cook this for 4-5 mins again.
7. Remove the lid & add the chopped tomatoes & mix it well. Again add 1/4th cup water & mix well & cover the lid & let it cook for 4-5 mins.over low flame.
8. Once you find the potatoes & tomatoes have cooked properly, add 2 cups of water & stir well
9. To this add, chopped coriander leaves, little more salt as per taste & cover the lid.
10. Now open the lid, the water starts boiling, now carefully drop the fish pieces. Add the blended curd with raisins to it & garam masala powder & mix well. Simmer & cook this for 3-4 mins more. 
11. Serve it with Steamed rice.

South Indian Special: Masala dosa with Coconut chutney & Sambar

This is exclusively for all my vegetarian friends, authentic South indian cuisine from my kitchen: Dosa with special alu masala, coconut chutney & Sambhar.

Here, on my blog, i will guide you how to prepare each dish, one by one. So, lets start.

Coconut Chutney

Preparation time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
Freshly grated coconut: 1 cup
chana dal: 1 tbsp
Roasted skinless peanuts: 1 tbsp
green chillies: 2
mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
curry leaves: few leaves
dry red chillies: 2
pinch of asoefetida
salt & sugar to taste:
sunflower oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a mixer, take the freshly grated coconut, chanda dal, peanuts, green chillies & grind them to a paste. Dont make it very fine, and should have little coarse texture. (If you using dessicated coconut, grind the same quantity with 2 tbsp hot water).
2. For the tempering, take a pan & add 1tbsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard & the cumin seeds & saute them till they pop. Then add the dried red chillies, Curry leaves, a pinch of asoefetida & switch off the gas.
3. Pour this tempering over the ground coconut paste, add salt & 1/2 tsp sugar & mix them well. Your chutney is ready & goes with all south-indian dishes.

 

Potato onion filling

Preparation time: 20 mins

Ingredients:
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
cumin seeds: 1 tsp
3 potatoes peeled & chopped into medium sized cubes
3 medium sized onions chopped in full length
green chillies: 3 slit
chana dal: 1 tbsp
urad dal: 1 tbsp
dry red chilli: 1
Chopped ginger: 2 tsp
broken cashew nuts: 10
curry leaves: few of them
turmeric powder: 1 tsp
red chilli powder: 1 tsp
coriander powder: 1 tsp
Salt & sugar to taste
Sunflower oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. In a saucepan, boil the chopped potatoes till 80% done. Dont overboil them. Drain most of the water & keep it aside. leaving little water with the potatoes prevents them from drying & can be used further in the cooking.
2. Now take a wok, add oil. Then add mustard & cumin seeds & let them pop. 
3. Then add chana dal & saute till light brown.
4. Then add urad dal & saute till light brown.
5. Add dried red chilli & cashews & saute again. Then add the curry leaves & slit green chillies.
6. To this, add the chopped ginger & saute.
7. Now add the chopped onions & saute till it turns pinkish. Now to this add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriiander powder & pinch of sugar & mix them well.
8. After you saute for 3-4 mins, add the boiled potatoes along with the little water & mix well.
9. Mix them & gently mash the potatoes with the spoon so that it gets crushed & mixes well with the masala. If it is too dry, add 2 tbsp water & mix well.
10. Add little salt if required & once it starts leaving oil turn off the gas.
11. This tastes yummy.

Sambhar Dal

Preparation time: 30 mins

Ingredients:
Toor dal: 1 cup
Chopped vegetables: carrots, brinjal, beans, cauliflower & all other vegetable you prefer
Sambhar masala: 2 tbsp (readymade sambhar masalas are available in all indian grocery stores)
dry red chilli: 1
green chillies: 2 chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small tomato very finely chopped
ginger & garlic chopped: 1 tbsp
mustard seeds: 1 tsp
cumin seeds: 1 tsp
red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Tamarind chutney sweet: 4 tbsp (This is prepared previously by mashing tamarind with warm water, salt, roasted cumin powder)
curry leaves: few
Salt
Sunflower oil: 1.5 tbsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook the toor dal with 3 cups of water, turmeric powder, salt & all the chopped vegetables. Cook in high flame till 3 whistles.
2. Take a wok, add oil, mustard & cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies & saute.
3. Now add, chopped onions & saute again. Cook till they turn pinkish.
4. To this, add ginger garlic paste & mix well.
5. Now add sambhar masala, little turmeric, salt, red chilli powder & saute them
6. Add little water & fry well all the masalas added.
7. Then add the tamarind chutney & mix well. To this add, the dal pressure cooked & mix well.
8. Simmer & cook it to the desired consistency for 5-6 mins. Check the salt & add more if required.

Dosa Batter, 

Ingredients: take 2.5 cups of parboiled rice, 1 cup urad dal, 1/4th cup short grained rice, 1tbsp methi seeds.

Method:

1. Soak them separately for min. 5 hours.
2. Then remove the water & grind all 4 of them in a mixer grinder part by part into a fine paste.
3. Then let it sit/ferments for min.8 hrs.

Dosa

Method:

1.  Add 1 tbsp salt to the batter & mix it well with a spoon or hand blender.
2. Now, take a non-stick tawa & heat it.
3. The tawa shouldnt be very hot, so now just cool it a little by sprinkling little water on the tawa.
4. Wipe it clean with the cloth & then pour 1 small katori batter in the centre & spread it out going in a round manner.
5. Good nonstick tawa dont require oil.
6. Now cook this on a medium flame for 3-4 mins, till the edges turn brown & comes out. 
7. Cook it for a min,more to ensure the centre is cooked well.
8. Now add 2 tbsp alu onion masala in the centre & fold the dosa. Put on one-side the alu masala & wrap it, in the way as shown in the photo below. Remove it & serve it on a plate.
9. Repeat the same process by sprinkling water, wiping & then pouring the batter in the centre.

Moghlai porotha (Burdwan style)

I remember cherishing my mamabari (Mom's parents place) stay in Burdwan (West Bengal) & the best part about spending vacation in Mamabari was eateries like egg roll, chowmein, chaat but my favourite was always Moghlai Porotha which almost every evening my Mama used to get from the famous roadside hawker, BASU.... 

How i have been missing it for last few years, being unable to go to my mamabari.
So here, presenting to you. burdwan style Moghlai porotha.......



Preparation time: 45 mins

Ingredients:
1.5 cups all purpose flour/maida
eggs: 2
Chopped onions: 1 medium sized (finely chopped)
chopped green chillies: 2
chopped coriander leaves: 2 tbsp
sunflower oil: 250 ml
Pepper powder: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Take flour in a bowl, add salt & 3 tbsp sunflower oil & mix well. Now knead the dough by adding little water at a time. It should be a medium soft dough. Cover & keep it aside for 30 mins.
2. Now take a small bowl, n beat one egg. Add salt, pepper, chopped onions, chillies & coriander leaves & beat them well.
3. Now, take a big ball from the dough (approximately 1/2 the dough) and roll it with the roll pin on ur kitchen desk into a big rectangular shaped roti. After rolling, try stretching with hands, avoid tearing it, & thus make it as long as you can.
4. Now in the centre, add the beaten egg mix carefully & slightly spread it in the centre along with a spoon.
5. Now, the most important part is folding the parotha carefully ensuring the egg is trapped within. The fold has to be in rectangular shape only. You have to fold the edges carefully from all 4 sides. This will be clear with the image posted below.
6. Now take a frying pan, add around 5 tbsp oil. Put it in medium flame & let the oil get hot.
7. Once its hot, carefully drop the paratha without spilling the egg out.
8. fry this for almost 5-6 mins over medium flame. Then carefully turn the porotha, keeping a spatula on the top ensuring the egg doesnt come out & fry the other side too.
9. Fry it well by pressing from the top, ensuring both sides are properly friedn.
10. Then remove it from the pan & serve it with salad, spicy alu sabji & ketchup/kasundi.

Bengali Mishti pulao (Bengali's favourite)

Who hasnt tried this authentic fabulous tasty sweet pulao. This was the first time i prepared this & i was excited to see my hubby's reaction after tasting one spoon of this. He beamed with happiness, which was my best moment.

So to all of you there, do try this and see your loved ones' reaction. I am too very excited to share this with you all and want you to try and surprise others.


Preparation time: 90 mins


Ingredients:

Ghee: 3 tbsp
Govindobhog rice: 1.5 cups
Boiling water: 3.5 cups
Whole garam masala: 2 cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves, 2 bay leaf
For garam masala powder: dry blend a piece of maze, 1/2 nutmeg,2 bayleaf, 2 cardamom, 2 cloves, 2 cinnamon stick.
dry fruits: 2 tablespoon of cashews & raisins each
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Sugar: 3 tbsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Green chilli (whole): 1
chopped ginger: 2 inch piece

Method:

1. Wash & soak the govindobhog rice for 40 mins.
2. Strain the water and spread it on a plate & allow it to dry under fan for approximately 30 mins.
3. Once its almost dry, transfer it to a clean, dry bow. Now to this, add dry fruits, ground garam masala powder, salt, turmeric powder, chopped ginger & 1 tbsp ghee. Mix well & keep it aside for 10 mins.
4. Now take a big non-stick wok, add the left over ghee. Once hot, add the whole garam masalas. Stir them for 30 seconds.
5. Then add, the rice mixed with spices to it, Fry this for 6 mins, on medium heat till the rice changes colour. It gets darker & takes a fried texture.
6. Once done, pour the measured boiling water into it. Stir well & cover in simmer for 3 mins.
7. Now add sugar & 1 whole green chilli, mix and then cover it again for 10 mins on low heat .
8. By now, the water will be soaked i rice & your bengali pulao is ready.
9. Serve it with kosha mangsho (mutton cury) / matar paneer gravy.