Dum Aloo

An authentic Indian vegetarian dish of potato prepared in yogurt based gravy.

Ingredients:

For paste

• Onion                             - 1 large
• Tomato                          - 1 medium
• Green chilli                    - 4(I chose red ones to get good color)
• Ginger                           - ½ inch
• Garlic cloves                  - 6

For the main curry:

• Baby potatoes                - 15(You can also use big potatoes cut into 4)
• Whole cumin seeds         - 1 tsp
• Green cardamom            - 3
• Cinnamon                       - 1 inch stick
• Bay leaves                      - 2
• Cloves                            - 6
• Black peppercorns          - 8
• Turmeric powder            - ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder            - ½ tsp
• Cumin powder                - ½ tsp
• Mustard oil                     - 4 Tbsp
• Salt                                - to taste
• Yogurt                            - 3/4 cup (Greek or hung, whisked)
• Kasuri methi                   - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Make a smooth paste of the ingredients mentioned for paste.
2. Heat water in a deep pan and bring to boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 6-8 minutes (till parboiled).
3. Remove potatoes from hot water and allow them to cool. Peel. Using a fork prick the potatoes so that it can absorb spices well.
4. Mix potatoes with a pinch of salt and turmeric.
5. Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes till golden brown.

 6. Remove potatoes from oil and keep aside.

7. In the remaining oil(add some more if needed) add cumin seeds, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns and bay leaves.
8.When cumin starts spluttering add the paste. Mix well and cook on medium flame.

9. When the paste is cooked well and oil starts separating add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder. Mix well and cook for another minute.

10.Add the whisked yogurt and half cup water. Add salt and mix well. Cook till gravy simmers.

11. Add the fried potatoes. And cook till gravy thickens.

12. Sprinkle the kasuri methi and mix well, remove from stove.
13. Serve hot with jeera rice or naan.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

For Palak puree -

• Palak(Spinach)                  - 250 gms
• Green chilli                       - 3-4(chopped)
• Garlic                               - 5-6 cloves
• Ginger                              - ½ inch

For the curry-

• Paneer                         - 250 gms
• Onion                           - 1 large(chopped)
• Tomato                        - 1 medium(chopped)
• Turmeric powder          - ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder          - ½ tsp
• Whole Cumin                - ½ tsp
• Bay leaf                        - 2
• Cinnamon                     - 1 inch stick
• Green Cardamom          - 3
• Cloves                          - 8
• Black peppercorn          - 10
• Whip Cream                  - 2 Tbsp
• Oil(or ghee)                  - 3 Tbsp
• Salt                              - to taste

Method:

1. Blanch the spinach in hot water for few(2-3) minutes. Remove from the hot water and put in ice cold water for 5 minutes.
2. Add blanched spinach, garlic, ginger and green chilli in a blender and make a smooth paste.
(If needed add half cup water)

3. Cut paneer into 1" sized cubes. Mix with a pinch of salt and turmeric.

4. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan. Add the paneer pieces and fry them till golden brown in color.

5. Remove from pan and keep aside.

6. Add remaining oil in the pan. When hot temper with cumin seeds.
7. Add bay leaves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, black pepper corns.
8. When aroma of whole spices come out add chopped onions and sauté till onions turn translucent.

 9. Add chopped tomatoes. Keep cooking till tomatoes are cooked and turn mushy.

10. Add turmeric powder and chilli powder. Stir well and cook for a minute.
11. Add palak puree and half cup water and salt. Mix well.

12. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.
13. Add the paneer pieces. Give a good stir. Cover and cook for few more minutes.
14. Add cream and mix well. Remove from stove.

15. Serve hot with Naan or roti or jeera rice.

Banana Loaf

Ingredients:

• Banana                     - 2 large, very ripe ones
• All purpose flour       - 1 cup
• Butter                      - 1/3 cup, melted
• Brown Sugar             - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract          - 1 tsp
• Egg                           - 2 large
• Baking soda               - 1 tsp
• Salt                           - a pinch

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 350°F.

2. Mash the bananas until smooth in texture and keep aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl add melted butter and brown sugar and beat to a fluffy mixture.

4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.

5. Add flour, baking soda, banana and salt and beat till well blended.

6. Grease a 8"X4"loaf pan with butter. Pour the batter in the pan.

7. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Paneer Shondesh

Ingredients:

• Paneer(Cottage cheese)         - 250 gms
• Condensed milk                     - 200 gms
• Cardamom powder                - 1/4 tsp
• Pistachios                             - 15(chopped)
• Almonds                               - 10 (chopped)

Method:
1. Grate paneer. Then knead using your hand till a smooth mixture is formed.
2. Add the paneer in a pan, add condensed milk and put on low heat.

3. Add half the amount of chopped pistachios and almonds and mix well.4. Keep cooking on low flame till the mixture thickens and no more sticks to the surface of the pan.
5. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
6. Remove pan from stove and let the mix cool.

7. Form small balls by rolling in your palm and then flatten a bit.
8. Garnish with the remaining chopped dry fruits.
9. Freeze for an hour and paneer shondesh is ready to serve.

Tilapia Peyaji

Ingredients:

• Tilapia fish           - 4-5 pieces
• Onion                   - 1 medium sized (Chopped length wise)
• Tomato                - 1 medium sized (Chopped, length wise)
• Green chilli          - 4-5 (Chopped)
• Coriander leaves  - 1 Tbsp (Chopped)
• Turmeric powder  - ½ tsp
• Red chili powder  - 1 tsp
• Oil                       - 3 Tbsp
• Salt                      - to taste

Method:

1. Rub fish pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for 15 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the fish till cooked and brownish from each side. 

3. Remove from oil and keep aside.

4. On the remaining oil, add chopped onions and green chilli. Cook till onions turn translucent.

5. Add tomato and cook till tomatoes are cooked and turn mushy.

6. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and mix well. Cook for another minute.

7. Add half a cup of water. Add salt and mix well. Cover with a lid and let the gravy simmer.

8. Add the fried fishes. Add chopped coriander. Give a gentle stir. Cook till gravy thickens.

9. Serve hot with rice.

Kumro Bhaja - Pumpkin fry

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin                     - 2 cups(chopped in cubes of half inch size)
• Green chilli                - 3-4 (chopped)
• Kalonji(Nigella seeds) - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder        - ½ tsp
• Salt                            - as per taste 
• Mustard Oil                 - 1 Tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan till smoking hot. 

2. Add kalonji.

3. Add the chopped pumpkin and green chilli. Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.

4. Cover and cook on medium heat by stirring at regular intervals till pumpkin is cooked.
(If the pumpkin tends to become mushy, do not cover, cook open)
5. Serve hot with rice and daal.

Mutton Kosha - Mutton Curry

Another mouth watering Bengali dish, Mutton kosha(Mutton curry). Slow cooked meat and the heavenly gravy is bound to make your taste buds bend on their knees and beg for more.

Ingredients:

• Mutton(Goat)              - 2 lbs
• Onion                         - 3 Medium (2 paste and 1 chopped lengthwise)
• Tomato                      - 1 large
• Green Chilli                - 5-6
• Ginger paste               - 1½ tsp
• Garlic paste                - 2 tsp
• Potato(Optional)         - 2 medium sized (peeled and cut into halves)
• Cumin powder            - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder       - 1½ tsp
• Turmeric powder        - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder        - 2 tsp (Adjust according to your taste)
• Mustard oil                 - 6 Tbsp
• Green Cardamom        - 4 (Break them open a bit)
• Cinnamon                   - 2" stick
• Bay leaves                  - 2
• Cloves                        - 10
• Black pepper corn       - 10
• Garam Masala powder - ½ tsp(Powder of green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves)
• Salt                            - as per taste

Method:
1. Make a paste with 2 onions, tomato and green chilli. Marinate the mutton with ginger-garlic-onion paste, turmeric-red chilli-cumin-coriander powder, salt and 2 Tbsp oil. Keep in refrigerator for 4-5 hours.

2. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy bottomed pan till smoking hot.
3. Mix the potato with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt and fry them till golden brown. Take out the potato and keep them aside. (This step is optional but as I always say, Bengalis like potatoes in everything, so this step needs a mention.)
4. Temper the same oil with bay leaves, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper corn. 
5. When aroma of whole spices come out add the chopped onion.

5. When onions turn pinkish add the marinated mutton mix. Mix well and cook in medium heat till the raw smell of masalas fade.

6. Turn heat to low and cover the pan with lid and cook till oil separates from masala.
7. Add the potatoes and add a cup of water. Mix well, cover and cook, stirring in regular intervals, till mutton is cooked.
(It takes around 45-60 minutes for the mutton pieces to get cooked properly. If the mix becomes too dry you can add some more water.)
8. Sprinkle the garam masala powder and mix well. Remove form stove.

9. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Samosa/Shingara

Samosa, called Shingara in Bengali is a very popular snack in every part of India. A hot plate of samosas with some fried green chili and a hot cup of tea is really something to die for. I think it would have been much easier for Menaka to break Vishwamitra's meditation if she had a plate of samosas in her hand, instead of she dancing and sweating and seducing him!

The stuffing widely used is potato but I have used potato, cabbage and green peas. 

Ingredients:

For outer cover:

• All purpose flour(maida)    - 1½ cup
• Ghee                                 - 2 Tbsp       
• Salt                                   - 1/3 tsp
• Oil                                     - for deep frying

For Filling:

• Potato                            - 2 medium, boiled, peeled
• Cabbage                         - 1 cup, chopped
• Green peas                     - ½ cup
• Green chilli                    - 3-4, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves             - 1 Tbsp
• Whole cumin                  - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder                - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder           - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder            - ½ tsp
• Red Chilli powder           - ½ tsp
• Salt                                - as per taste
• Oil                                 - 2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Take maida in a mixing bowl, add ghee and salt. Mix well with hand till you get a crumbly texture. 

2. Now add little water and knead the mixture. Keep adding water and kneading till you get a firm dough. Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside.

Let's prepare the filling at this stage. 

3. Heat oil in a pan. Temper with whole cumin.

4. Add chopped cabbage, chilli. Add salt and turmeric powder. Cook covered till cabbage becomes tender.

5. Add boiled potatoes, green peas. Add cumin, chilli and coriander powder and mix well.

6. Cook till all the ingredients are cooked and mixed well. Add chopped coriander leaves and remove from pan.

Here comes the main task, preparing the samosas. :)

7. Remove the wet cloth from the dough and knead it one more time. Divide the whole dough into 6 small sized balls. 

8. Roll the ball into a flat circular roti not very thin.

9. Cut it from the middle using a knife into two semi circular portions.

10. Using a brush or your finger tips, wet the straight edges of the roti.

11. Take one semi circle in hand and bring together the wet edges, one above the other, press and seal thereby forming a cone.

12. Stuff the samosa cone with the prepared filling. 

13. Apply water on the open edges of the cone and bring together the ends. Press and seal properly.

14. Prepare all the samosas 

15. Heat oil in a deep pan for deep frying the samosas. When the oil is hot add samosas in oil few at a time, lower the flame to low.
16. Fry till samosas turn golden brown in color.

17. Remove from pan and place in paper towel to get rid of the excess oil.

18. Serve hot samosas with fried green chilli, ketchup and green chutney.

Modak - A sweet for Ganapati Bappa

Ganapati festival has started. I really miss Pune during this period of the year. Next ten days the whole city would be busy celebrating the festival. The pandals, the lights, the decorations, the loud music, the pujas and aartis, I miss all of them. And Modak is just one of those items which makes Ganapati festival so special. This is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Ganesh Chaturthi. Tried preparing this at home and sharing the recipe.

Ingredients:
For filling:

• Coconut                   - 1 cup, shredded or grated
• Jaggery                    - 1 cup
• Poppy seeds             - 2 Tbsp(optional)
• Cardamom powder   - ½ tsp

For dough:

• Rice flour            - 1 cup
• Water                 - 1.5 cup
• Salt                    - a pinch
• Ghee                  - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat a pan and dry roast the poppy seeds and keep aside. 

2. In the same pan add coconut and jaggery and cook on low heat till jaggery melts.

3. Add poppy seeds and cook for another 10 minutes till the mixture no more remains watery and thickens. 

4. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. The filling is ready, keep aside. 

5. In a deep pan add water and bring it to boil. 

6. Add ghee and a pinch of salt. 

7. Reduce the heat to low. Now add rice flour gradually stirring continuously till the rice flour is mixed with water. 
8. Remove from stove and keep it covered for few minutes. 

9. Take the mix in a big plate or bowl and knead with hand till a nice dough is formed. 

10. Make small balls from the dough. Roll the balls in your palm till smooth. You can apply some water on your palms while rolling. 

11. Take a ball in your palm and flatten it with your fingers to a round disc or a shallow bowl. 

12. Place modak filling in the center.  

13. Bring together the edges and seal the top. Make sure there is no crack in the modak. 

14. Place modak in a steamer and steam for 12 minutes.

15. Remove from steamer and serve hot with a dollop of ghee.