Dubai: Every year, during Poila Boishakh, the first day of the new year in the Bengali calendar (which is usually April 14 or 15), the first question every Bengali asks is “Pujo ta kobe?” This translates to when is Durga puja this year?
Such is the attraction of the five-day festival that every Bengali waits and looks forward to it - all-year round. It is a time which is all about having a good time with friends and loved ones, pandal (a temporary shed for public gatherings) hopping, wearing new clothes, offering rituals, eating bhog, proshad (an offering made to the deity Durga) and other local snacks.
Another Indian festival – Navaratri, coincides with Durga Puja. While Navratri is a nine-day celebration, the Bengali Durga Puja starts on the sixth day of this festival, which in Bengali is called Shoshthi and ends on the tenth day, which is known as Bijoya Dashami. The fasting is generally on Ashtami that is the eighth day, where pushpanjali or a flower offering is made to the deity and then the fast is ended.
The story of twelve friends
The actual time for Durga Puja, earlier known as Bashonti Pujo was in spring. The worship of deity Durga in the Bengali month of Ashwin (September - October) started when the deity Ram, prayed to her before fighting Ravana, the demon king, by offering 108 blue lotuses and 108 lamps. This is referred to as “Akal Bodhon” — worship that was done untimely.
Initially, it was only the rich, who could afford to celebrate the festival. But later it is said that 12 friends from Guptipara, in Hooghly, West Bengal, collected money (called “Chanda” in Bengali) from the neighbouring community and started the community pujo — called “baroari pujo”(baro — 12, yaari — friends). This is the present form of Durga Puja in Bengal. Though there are Rajbaris (palaces) that still have their own ceremonies at home.
The festive feast and many meals
We Bengalis love to eat and during the pujas, we literally go overboard. The “bikel er jol khabar” (evening snacks) are much awaited and that’s the time when we plan dinner.
Breakfast during the pujas is essentially a luchi with sada aloo r chorchori ( fried flatbread with white potato curry), or Radhaballabhi with aloo dum or kochuri torkari or even dhakai porota and cholar dal. Add of course mishti or sweets… the list of mishtis are endless. But “bonde” (sweet boondi) and Jilipi (jalebi) are staples.
As the day’s pooja progresses the first item offered to the deity are fruits and sweets. Once this is offered it comes to people as “Proshad”. This comes as a mid-morning snack!!!
Then comes the “thakurer bhog”. This is always khichuri, labra, five kinds of bhaja, chutney, lal doi, and guess what? Right! Mishti of course.
In West Bengal it is customary for every family to visit their relatives and receive blessings. Carrying a “Haari of Rosogolla” (the traditional earthen pots in which sweets are sold) or a box of Sandesh we visit family and friends. Of course the visits are accompanied by eating. Now the menu doesn't vary much but we eat a lot.
Afternoon snacks, consisting of singara, vegetable chop, chicken cutlet and fish fingers, egg roll, chicken roll, mutton roll, phuchka (Golgappas), alu kabli (spicy and tangy potato mix), ghugni (Bengali chickpeas) along with tea and cold drinks are just gulped down.
The dinner is a light affair. If not, then here comes the options — Porota and Mangsho (light fried flat bread and meat), Rabri (a sweet dish), or Laccha Porota and Chicken Kosha, Mishti of course. Even a rice item like Lebu Bhaat (Lemon Rice) and Tok Mishti Maach (sweet and sour fish), is fabulous to taste.
But the festivities do not end here. Now every family gets together. It is Bijoya Dashami. We touch the feet of our elders and receive blessings. And it is actually now that the sweets rain down. Rosogolla, Sandesh, Pantua, Kheer Kodom, Kheer Mohon, Langcha, Lobongo Lotika, Chanar Jilipe — the list is endless.
As all things must come to an end, so does Durga PujA. With a heavy heart, we send off the deity Durga and her children back to Mount Kailash in the Himalayas to her husband, the all-pervasive deity Shiva. Stuffing the idols mouth with sweets really brings tears to the eyes. With choruses of “Abar Eso Ma”, (come again mother) and “Asche Bochor Abar Hobe” (next year it will happen again) and with the chanting of mantras the idols are immersed in the water of the river Ganges.
1. Radhaballabhi
Ingredients:
100 gms urad dal or black gram whole, soaked overnight
250 gms all-purpose flour
2 tbsp ginger paste
4 green chilli, made into a paste
8 gms fennel seed powder, dry roast and then grind
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
500 ml oil
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
¼ tsp hing or asafoetida
¼ tsp nigella seeds
Method:
1. In a grinder make a smooth paste of urad dal and set it aside.
2. In a bowl take 250 grams of flour, salt, and one tablespoon of chilli ginger paste, one teaspoon of fennel seed powder and three tablespoons of oil.
3. Mix this very well until it resembles a bread crumb like consistency.
4. To this add one fourth of the urad dal paste and mix well.
5. Now add lukewarm water as required to make a soft dough.
6. Apply a little oil over the dough and cover it to rest for half an hour.
7. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan.
8. Add the asafoetida, nigella seeds, chilli ginger paste (the rest of it) and sauté until a nice fragrance is released.
9. Next add in the sugar and sauté once again.
10. Next add the remaining fennel powder, salt, the rest of the urad dal paste and in medium heat keep mixing.(Care should be taken as urad dal has a tendency to stick to the pan.)
11. After five minutes the mixture should be ready.
12. Take it out in a plate, spread and let it cool.
13. Now from the dough make 10 balls.
14. With a little oil on the palm turn each ball in a way that it resembles a small hollow bowl.
15. In the centre of the bowl, stuff the urad dal and close the mouth to form a ball again.
16. Now very lightly roll out each ball into small discs. If necessary a little oil can be applied on the rolling pin so that the dough does not stick. Cover each disc as they are rolled out.
17. In a heavy bottomed pan add in the 500ml of oil and heat until it smokes.
18. Now deep fry each radhaballabhi disc on both sides until golden brown and keep them on a kitchen towel.
19. Serve them hot and crisp.
2. Niramish Aloo dum
Ingredients
500 gms potato
1 tomato, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
2 whole red chilli
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp green chilli paste
2 cardamom
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
½ tsp whole cumin seed
½ tsp cumin seed powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
3 tbsp cashew nut paste
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
200 ml oil
1 cup water
1 tsp ghee or clarified butter
Method
1. Cut the potatoes into medium-sized cubes, apply turmeric powder and a little salt.
2. In a pan pour oil and shallow fry the potatoes very nicely. Remove in a separate bowl.
3. Keeping only four tablespoons of oil in the pan, remove the rest of the oil.
4. Now add whole garam masala, whole cumin seeds, bay leaf, and whole red chilli. Sauté for some time.
5. Then add in the cubed tomatoes and sauté very well. Then add the ginger-garlic paste, the green chilli paste and sauté again in medium inflame.
6. Next add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt and sugar. On medium heat sauté till oil leaves the spices. A splash of hot water may be added if the spices tend to burn.
7. Once oil starts leaving the spices, add in the fried potato and mix very well for at least five minutes.
8. Then add water and cover the pot after stirring nicely.
9. After five minutes add in the cashew nut paste and mix well.
10. Put the flame on high for two minutes and sauté very well.
11. Switch off the flame and add garam masala powder and ghee or clarified butter. Mix well and keep it covered for five minutes.
12. It is then ready to be served.
3. Hing er kochuri with chatu filling
Ingredients
1 tbsp whole cumin seeds (roasted)
1 tsp whole coriander seeds (roasted)
8 whole red chilli (roasted)
1 ½ cup maida
1 ¼ tsp salt
3 tbsp oil and 500 ml for frying
½ cup sattu or chatu (ground gramflour)
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp hing or asafoetida
Method
1. First make a powder of roasted cumin seeds, roasted whole coriander seeds, and roasted whole red chilli.
2. In a bowl take the maida and salt (one teaspoon) and mix nicely.
3. Then add in the three tablespoons of oil and combine with them till you reach a bread crumb like consistency.
4. Next add water and make a dough and let it rest while you make the filling.
5. For the filling in a bowl take chatu, one fourth teaspoon of salt, sugar, asafoetida and one fourth teaspoon of the powdered masala that was made earlier.
6. First mix these dry ingredients very well and then add half teaspoon of oil and mix very well again.
7. Now little by little add water to make a dough that is not very hard and not too soft also.
8. Now make small balls out of the dough made by the maida and keep it covered.
9. Take each ball, make a hollow bowl shape and stuff in the chatu filling.
10. Bring the ends together again to form the ball and roll out after applying a little bit of oil on the ladel.
11. Now in a deep pan add oil and heat it till smoking point.
12. Now put each rolled out disc and deep fry until golden brown and crisp.
13. Take it out on a kitchen towel and serve hot.
4. Kochurir torkari (potato curry and kochuri)
Ingredients
250 gms potato
2 green chilli, made to paste
1 ½ inch ginger paste
¼ tsp hing or asafoetida
½ tsp Bengali panch phoron, Bengali 5 spice
1 dried red chilli
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp blacksalt
¼ tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/8 cumin powder
1/8 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp Bengali garam masala powder
1 ½ tbsp mustard oil
Method
1. Heat mustard oil in a deep pan and add panch phoron, red chilli powder, ginger and chilli pastes, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and sugar. Sauté very well. Be careful not to burn the spices.
2. Next add in the potatoes and salt.
3. Mix the potatoes with the spices very well for at least two to three minutes.
4. Next add water so that the potatoes sink under it and in medium heat let it boil until the potatoes are soft.
5. Next lower the flame and add kasuri methi and sauté very nicely.
6. This curry can be had absolutely dry or it can be left slightly runny depending upon individual tastes.
7. Once done cover and rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
5. Bhog Khichuri
Bhog Khichuri is essentially a rice and lentil porridge, which is cooked anytime of the year especially during the rainy season and during Durga Puja in West Bengal. Hence that term “Bhog er Khichuri”, “Bhog” essentially meaning the food that is offered to the deity Durga.
This recipe has generally come down through generations in Bengali families. So there is hardly any variation in the ingredients from family to family.
Ingredients
100 gms Gobindobhog rice
100 gms moong dal or green gram dal
3 medium potato, cut into four piece each
12 cauliflower florets
2 tomato, chopped
½ cup green peas, blanched
4 to 5 green chillies
½ cup coconut, sliced thin
1 ½ Bengali garam masala powder
½ tsp and 1 tsp turmeric powder, for frying potato and cauliflower and while cooking the khichuri
1 tsp chilli powder
1 ½ tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
1 ½ tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mustard oil
1 l hot water
3 dry red chillies
4 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 to 6 cloves
3 cardamom
1 inch cinnamon stick
Note: Gobindobhog rice is a small grained, flavourful and beautifully scented rice. However, this might not be available everywhere, though in West Bengal for khichuri, this is the rice that is widely used. It can be substituted by basmati rice.
Method
1. Wash the rice nicely and spread it out to dry completely.
2. In a pan over medium heat add the moong dal and dry roast it till it releases a nutty aroma.
3. Remove and wash the dal immediately.
4. Now in a karahi add one teaspoon of oil and add the air dried rice in it.
5. Fry the rice till it releases a very sweet smell.(This has to be done with any form of rice that one may use.)
6. Now remove the rice in a separate plate.
7. In the karahi add 2 teaspoons of oil and shallow fry the potato and cauliflower florets. Remove in a separate plate.
8. In the same oil shallow fry the coconut slices and remove.
9. In the same karahi add in the rest of the oil. Heat the oil over medium flame. Once hot add in cumin seeds, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and dried red chillies.
10. Now add in turmeric powder, cumin powder, ginger paste and fry till oil leaves the mixture. A splash of hot water can be added if the spices stick to the pan.
11. Now add in the tomato and cook till the tomato turns mushy.
12. Next add in the rice, dal, and mix with the spices very well.
13. Now add one litre of hot water, give it a very nice stir.
14. Cover the karahi and cook on low flame for five minutes
15. Once the khichuri starts to bubble add in the potato, cauliflower florets, blanched green peas and green chilies and give it a thorough stir.
16. Cover and cook again till the rice and dal are done. But, keep stirring in between so that the rice and dal do not stick to the pan.
17. Once the khichuri is done, add in the sugar. Give it a nice stir so that the sugar mixes with the khichuri well.
18. Switch off the gas and add in the ghee and garam masala powder and stir very well.
19. Let the khichuri sit covered for at least 10 minutes so that all the aromas mingle together. It is then ready to be served.
6. Labra
This is a mixed vegetable that is often paired with khichuri during Durga Puja and even when it is not. A number of vegetables are added in this curry and the variety and amount of vegetables varies from family to family. For example banana stem, radish, are some of the vegetables, which are added in some families whereas the recipe below will not have this. But please feel free to add them if you like the taste. If you are using radish use two medium-sized ones. Whereas while using banana stem use 140 grams.
Ingredients
150 gms potato
250 gms brinjal (eggplant)
150 gms cauliflower
200 gms cabbage
120 gms sweet potato
100 gms raw banana
100 gms flat beans
500 gms pumpkin
80 gms yardlong beans
100 gms sponge gourd
1 bundle spinach
5 green chillies
4 dried red chilli
50 gms ginger paste
120 gms grated coconut
375 ml mustard oil
4 dried red chilli
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp Bengali Panch Foron or Bengali 5 spice ( In equal proportion mix together Fennel Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Wild Celery Seeds and Nigella Seeds)
1 tbsp and ½ tsp turmeric to coat some vegetables
1 tbsp salt and a pinch more to coat vegetables in
3 ½ tbsp sugar
3 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
Method
1. One very important thing to remember while making labra is that the vegetables all need to be cut in a way that they ultimately retain their shapes after cooking. So, cutting them too small would be counterproductive.
2. Cut the potato, sweet potato and green banana into medium-sized pieces and immediately soak them in normal water after cleaning them properly or else they will turn reddish brown in colour.
3. Cut the brinjal into medium-sized pieces, clean them properly and rub a pinch of turmeric powder, a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar onto the pieces. This will enable it to soak in less oil when they are being fried before adding it to the main vegetable.
4. Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets and soak them in salt and turmeric water for at least half an hour so that they do not soak in a lot of oil when shallow fried.
5. Cut the cabbage, sponge gourd and pumpkin into bite size chunks and keep aside.
6. Cut the flat beans into half and remove the side fibres.
7. Cut the yardlong beans into one inch pieces and blanch it in boiling water for two to three minutes.
8. Roughly chop the spinach leaves and wash them thoroughly.
9. In a big karahi, add the oil until it is really very hot.
10. Now one by one shallow fry brinjal, green banana, cauliflower and remove them in a separate plate.
11. Now in the already hot oil add Bengali Panch Foron, dried red chilli and the bay leaves.
12. Once the spices start to splutter add ginger paste and give it a very quick stir.
13. Next add the potato and the sweet potato, mix with the spices and cook on medium heat for two to three minutes.
14. Now add the pumpkin chunks, sponge gourd, cabbage, flat beans and mix very nicely. Let it cook for at least 5 minutes.
15. Next add in the fried cauliflower, brinjal, blanched yard long beans, green banana, and the roughly chopped spinach leaves and sauté the vegetables very nicely so that all the spices quote the vegetables.
16. Now add in the salt, turmeric powder and green chillies. Cover and cook for at least 10 to 15 minutes, stirring in between.
17. Now remove the lid and add in the grated coconut, leaving at least two tablespoons for garnish later on. Mix the coconut well.
18. Switch off the flame and add the ghee or clarified butter. Cover and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
7. Bengali fried rice
Ingredients
500 gms basmati rice
1 tsp chopped ginger
5 cauliflower florets
¼ cup green pea
½ cup carrot
¼ French beans, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup oil
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
½ cup cashew nuts
½ cup raisins
Method
1. Clean the rice very well and cook the rice so that it is almost half done.
2. In boiling water put the beans, cauliflower, green peas and carrot far five minutes and then immediately remove.
3. Take a big deep bottomed pan add in the oil and heat the oil to almost smoking point.
4. Sauté the cashew nuts and the raisin till nicely golden and remove.
5. Now add in the chopped ginger, green peas, the carrot, the French beans and cauliflower.
6. Now add in the ghee or clarified butter and the rice. Mix it very well under low flame.
7. Next add salt, sugar, fried cashew nut and raisins.
8. Switch off the gas and keep it covered for at least 15 minutes before serving.
8. Chana dalna (homemade paneer curry)
Here the chana or paneer is made at home by curdling milk. One litre of milk would yield around 200 grams of chana.
Ingredients
250 gms chana
4 medium potatoes
2 cloves
2 cardamom
1 inch cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/3 cup oil
2 green chillies
1 tbsp ghee or clarified
1 ½ cup water (hot)
Method
1. Once the fresh chana is made, then press it into a rectangular shape and weigh it down so that it retains the shape and the excess water is released.
2. Now, with the help of a sharp knife cut out pieces according to desired shape.
3. Next over a low flame add two tablespoons of oil. Now very carefully place the chana pieces and shallow fry them until light brown on both sides.
4. Next in a karahi put the rest of the oil, and let it heat up.
5. Next add in the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf and green chilli.
6. Then add the potato pieces and light fry them until slightly brown.
7. Next add in the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger paste, and stir for at least two to three minutes so that the spices coat the potatoes very well.
8. Now add in the hot water and let it come to a boil.
9. Now very carefully drop the light fried chena pieces.
10. Let the curry boil for at least two to three minutes and then switch off the flame.
11. Add ghee, cover and keep aside for five minutes before serving.
9. Dhokar dalna (lentil fritters in a potato curry)
Ingredients
250 gms cholar (Bengal gram lentil) or 250 gms matar dal or peas split lentil
½ coconut, grated
2 cloves
2 cardamom stick
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp and ¼ tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
3 tsp cumin powder
3 tsp coriander leaves
1/3 cup and 2 tbsp oil
4 green chillies
2 tsp dry roasted cumin powder
3 potatoes, cubed
3 tsp whole wheat flour
2 cups hot water
1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
Method
1. Soak the dal overnight and the next morning drain out the water and grind the dal finely along with half of the grated coconut and quarter teaspoon of salt.
2. Now in a pan pour the oil and shallow fry the potatoes till they are slightly brown in colour. Set it aside in a separate bowl.
3. Now in a flat pan or on a plate or on a cutting board apply two tablespoons of oil and ensure that it quotes the pan very well.
4. Now spread the ground dal in the pan plate or cutting board so that it looks like a sheet of about half inch thick.
5. Now very carefully with a sharp knife make diamond shapes or squares from the ground dal.
6. In the pan where the potatoes were fried, fry the pieces of dal that have been cut into shapes very carefully until they are crisp and brown. Remove in a separate plate carefully.
7. In the same pan add the clove, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric powder, cumin powder, ginger paste and the whole wheat flour.
8. Sauté very nicely until aroma is released. Now add hot water and salt.
9. Once the water comes to a boil add fried potatoes.
10. Now lower the flame and in the lentil fritters, cover and let it boil for around 10 minutes.
11. Once done remove in a serving plate, add ghee and sprinkle roasted cumin powder on top.
12. It is very important to remove the curry the moment it is done or else the curry would tend to become thick and the fritters chewy if kept in the hot pan.
11. Aloo phulkopir dalna (cauliflower and potato curry)
Ingredients
5 potatoes, cut into cubes
1 cauliflower
½ cup green peas
2 tomato, cut into cubes
1 tbsp ginger paste
½ tsp cumin seeds
Bengal garam masala, whole
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
2 dried red chilli Dried Red Chilli 2
¾ cup oil for frying and 2 tbsp oil extra
½ tbsp ghee or clarified butter
Method
1. In a deep pan pour in the three fourth cup of oil and let it come to a smoking point.
2. Now put in the cauliflower and potatoes and shallow fry them till slightly brown.
3. Remove in a separate plate.
4. In the same pan add 2 tablespoons of oil and then add Bengali whole garam masala, cumin seed, bay leaf and dried red chilli. Sauté for one minute.
5. Next add in turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and red chilli powder. Now mix it very well. You can add in a tablespoon of water so that the spices do not burn.
6. Now add in the green peas and mix well
7. Next add the fried potato, water and close the lid and cook for five minutes on low flame so that the potato softens down.
8. Next add in the fried cauliflower and stir very well.
9. Bring it up to a boil to get a slightly medium consistency gravy
10. Now switch off the flame and addn the ghee. Cover and rest for five minutes before serving.
12. Shorshe Bata Ilish (Hilsa in a mustard gravy)
Though this recipe calls for hilsa fish the same recipe can be used for any kind of fish like rohu pabda or pomfret.
Ingredients
500 gms hilsa
4 tbsp white mustard paste
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp curd
4 green chillies
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
5 tbsp mustard oil
½ tsp panch phoron or Bengali 5 spice
1 ½ cup water
Method
1. Grind the mustard seeds with one green chilli and one teaspoon of salt. This should be done carefully so that the mustard does not turn out to be bitter.
2. Now in a bowl mix together the mustard paste, ginger paste, turmeric powder, curd and water.
3. Apply some salt and turmeric powder on the pieces of the fish.
4. In a karahi, pour in the oil and once it smokes add in the panch phoron and the mustard paste mix.
5. Once this mix boils add in the raw fish and the rest of the green chillies.
6. Let it boil in medium heat for at least 10 minutes so that the oil floats on top.
7. Once this is seen the dish is done. Enjoy this with steamed white rice.
13. Pabda Macher Jhal (catfish curry)
Ingredients
4 medium pabda or catfish
2 potatoes, cut into two lengthwise
1 tomato
½ tsp ginger paste
2 to 3 green chilli
2 tsp coriander leaves
½ tsp nigella seeds
¾ tsp and ½ tsp turmeric powder
1 ½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp and ¼ tsp salt
5 tbsp mustard oil
1 ¼ cup water
Method
1. First rub the fish with half teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and keep it aside.
2. Now in a karahi add the oil and fry the fish very well. It should be a little more than shallow fried but not very deep fried and crispy.
3. Take it out in a plate and keep it aside.
4. In the same oil, add Nigella seeds and sauté for a minute.
5. Then add ginger paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and the chopped tomato.
6. Sauté very well and add in the potatoes. Fry them for a minute and cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
7. Now add in the water and bring it up to a boil
8. Now gently slide in the fried fishes and stir carefully.
9. Let it cook till the oil floats on top.
10. Once the oil floats up, switch off the gas.
11. Sprinkle the coriander leaves and green chilli.
12. This is best enjoyed with steaming hot rice.
14. Chingri macher malaikari (Prawns cooked in coconut milk)
Ingredients
500 gms prawns
2 tbsp onion paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
2 tbsp tomato purée
½ cup coconut milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
4 tbsp mustard oil
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamoms
1 inch cinnamon
15 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp curd or yoghurt
1 pinch garam masala
2 tsp sugar
Method
1. Wash and clean the prawns very well. Apply salt and turmeric on the prawns and keep it aside.
2. In a karahi add oil, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and onion paste. Fry on low flame very well.
3. Now add the ginger and garlic pastes and again fry very well.
4. Next add the tomato paste and fry very well.
5. Next add water, Kashmiri chilli powder, salt, sugar and sauté very well on low flame.
6. Next add in the prawns and mix with the spices so that it coats them well.
7. Next add in the beaten curd and sauté very fast so that it does not split
8. Next add in the coconut milk and cook for at least 7 to 8 minutes.
9. Now switch off the flame and add ghee or clarified butter and the garam masala powder.
15. Macher Kalia
This is a dish usually made out of Rohu or Katla fish in a very rich gravy
Ingredients
5 pieces katla or rohu fish
4 potatoes, cut into cubes
3 onions, sliced
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp tomato purée
100 gms curd or yoghurt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp mustard
5 tbsp mustard oil
1 ½ tbsp ghee or clarified butter
2 bay leaves
1 dry red chilli
2 cloves
3 green cardamom
1 inch cinnamon stick
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
2 cups hot water
Method
1. Rub the half teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of turmeric powder on the fish and keep it aside.
2. In a shallow pan deep fry the fish so that it is almost crisp.
3. In a karahi or wok add in the cubed potatoes and the mustard oil and let the potatoes brown up slightly. Remove in a separate plate.
4. In the same karahi, add in the mustard oil and temper it with bay leaf, dry red chilli, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, and cumin seed and let it crackle.
5. Next add in the slices of onion and the sugar and let the onion caramelise slightly.
6. Next add in the ginger-garlic pastes and cook for two minutes till the raw smell disappears.
7. Next add in turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and the cubed tomatoes or tomato purée and sauté very well, on low flame till oil oozes out from the sides.
8. Next keeping the flame in medium high add in the beaten curd and sauté well.
9. Next add in two cups of hot water and give it a nice stir.
10. Once the water starts bubbling, add in the potatoes and the fish very carefully.
11. Cover the karahi and cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
12. Switch off the flame and add in the ghee or clarified butter and garam masala powder.
Serve with steaming hot rice.
16. Egg roll
Ingredients
2 parathas
2 eggs
75 gms onion, sliced
1 green chilli, optional
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp oil
Method
1. In a bowl break an egg. Beat it lightly and then add salt to it.
2. In a flat pan add one spoon of oil let it smoke up and then pour in the beaten egg to form an omelette.
3. Now put the paratha over the omelette and press it so that the egg sticks to the paratha.
4. Next turn the other side of the paratha and brown it slightly and remove from the pan.
5. Next spread out the onion and green chilli on the paratha
6. Then sprinkle lemon juice and tomato sauce and roll it up to form the egg roll.
7. Repeat this process with the second paratha and the second egg also.
17. Chicken roll
Ingredients
2 parathas
100 gms chicken, cubed
½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp red chilli powder
1 pinch turmeric powder
1 tbsp curd or yoghurt
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp oil
¼ cup onion, sliced
2 green chillies
2 tbsp tomato sauce
Method
1. In a bowl add chicken cubes, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice and curd. Mix very well and cover and keep aside for two hours.
2. Next if you have a griller grill the chicken pieces till they are nicely brown. Or else in a pan over low heat add one the spoon of oil and spread out the chicken cubes and cover them. Let them cook for at least 5 minutes before turning them. Cover and cook till they are completely done.
3. Now spread out one paratha and apply tomato sauce on the paratha
4. Next spread the chicken cubes in a line at one end of the paratha along with sliced onions, green chilli.
5. Now roll it tightly to form the chicken roll.
18. Bengali vegetable chop
Ingredients
1 cup beetroot, grated
¼ cup carrot, grated
1 cup boiled potatoes
2 tbsp coconut sliced
2 tbsp peanuts
3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp ginger paste
½ tsp Bengali Panch phoron
1 ½ tsp sugar
Bread crumbs to coat
5 tbsp milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup oil
1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
½ cup onion slices
2 tbsp beetroot, thinly sliced
2 tbsp carrot, thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
Method
1. Grate the beetroot and carrot separately.
2. Mash the boiled potato unevenly so that there are little lumps and not a smooth mashed potato.
3. In a karahi pour in the 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the coconut and peanuts and set them aside
4. In the same karahi add in the panch phoran and let it crackle
5. Next add in the ginger paste and chopped green chillies and let it fry for one minute.
6. Now add in the grated beetroot, half of the salt and cover and cook on low flame till the beetroot becomes soft.
7. Now add in the grated carrot, mix well and cook till the carrot becomes soft.
8. Once done now add in the boiled and mashed potatoes and mix very well.
9. Now switch off the gas and add in the coriander leaves and the ghee or clarified butter.
10. Now let the mixture cool down totally.
11. In a bowl take some dry flour and spread it with your hands.
12. In a bowl mix together the milk and all-purpose flour so that it forms a slurry
13. In another plate pour in bread crumbs and spread it out with your hand.
14. Now make balls with the beetroot mix and shape them into an oval shape. Each ball should be around 30 grams.
15. Next coat the vegetable chops lightly with the all-purpose flour, then dip into the slurry of milk and all-purpose flour, then coat it with the bread crumbs.
16. If you want a thicker crunchier quoting then repeat the slurry and breadcrumb process again.
17. It is a good idea to deep freeze the vegetable jobs for at least two hours before frying so as to prevent them from falling apart.
18. In a deep bottomed pan add the half cup of oil and bring it up to a smoking point.
19. Gently insert the chops into the pan and fry till they are golden brown in colour.
20. Remove on a kitchen towel and serve hot.
21. This vegetable chop is generally served with a salad of sliced onions, beetroot and carrot sprinkled with salt and a little bit of lemon juice.
19. Homemade mawa
Ingredients
½ cup milk
1 tbsp clarified butter
1 cup milk powder
1 butter paper
Method
1. In a deep pan pour 1 tablespoon of ghee.
2. On medium low flame add the milk and mix.
3. Then add in the milk powder and sauté it till it forms a lump and leaves the pan cleanly.
4. If using fresh mawa you can stop here.
5. If you want to refrigerate for later use, oil a butter paper slightly.
6. Take the mawa out of the pan ointo the butter paper and give it a log shape. Fold the butter paper into a rectangle and refrigerate it in the freezer.
20. Bode (sweet boondi)
Ingredients
100 gms besan or gramflour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp cardamom powder
½ lemon squeezed to juice
1 ½ cups water
2 tbsp oil
500 ml oil for frying
2 drops red colour food, optional
¼ tsp yellow food colour, optional
Method
1. Mix the besan with the baking soda very well.
2. Add water and make a smooth batter which should not be too thick or too runny.
3. Add the oil and mix again nicely.
4. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes covered on the kitchen counter.
5. Now in a separate bowl take out four tablespoons of the batter and mix the red food colour if using and mix it very well.
6. In the bigger bowl add the yellow food colour if using and mix it very well.
7. In a slightly flat pan, add oil and heat it up nicely.
8. Drop a few drops of batter to test. If they float up then the oil is perfectly heated.
9. Lower the heat to medium.
10. Take a perforated ladle. Now holding the ladle above the pan, with the left hand pour the batter with a separate ladle onto the perforated one. It will be found that the batter will flow through the holes in the ladle onto the hot oil and form the boondies or tiny dough balls.
11. The boondies will fry up taking around 30 to 40 seconds. Check one or two for crispiness and take them out on a kitchen towel.
12. After each batch it is necessary to wash the perforated ladle, so that the remnants of the earlier batches are cleaned.
13. To make the sugar syrup, on a high flame melt the sugar in the water.
14. Then lower the flame totally and add the lemon juice so that the sugar does not crystallise.
15. Then add one fourth teaspoom cardamom powder.
16. Boil on low flame for five minutes more.
17. Then add the fried boondies in the syrup.
18. Bring up the flame to high and fry the boondies for one minute stirring continuously.
19. Switch off the flame and cover the boondies for two hours
20. After that it is ready to serve.
21. Jilipe (Jalebi)
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp curd
3/4th water for batter and 3/4th for syrup
2 pieces cardamom (smashed)
1/4 tsp orange food colour, optional
1 cup sugar
½ lemon juice
½ tsp baking soda
500 ml oil
Method
1. Mix all-purpose flour and the curd very well.
2. Then add the water and make a batter. Beat it for 2 minutes and then rest it for 10 minutes.
3. For the sugar syrup, on a high flame dissolve the sugar in the water.
4. Add the cardamom pieces and orange food colour if using.
5. Now lower the flame and add the lemon juice to prevent crystallisation.
6. Next in the batter, add in the baking soda and food colour if using, and mix it very well.
7. In a piping bag pour the batter.
8. In a flat pan pour in the oil and heat it up.
9. Now carefully squeeze out the batter from the piping bag in a circular motion to give at least two to three circles from smaller to bigger. (It would look like a pretzel).
10. In medium flame fry the jilipi until they are crisp.
11. Take them out and soak in warm syrup for two to three minutes.
12. It is then ready to serve.
22. Lobongo lotika
Ingredients
100 gms all-purpose flour
40 gms water and 100 gms water for the syrup
4 gms salt
40 gms ghee or clarified butter
100 gms mawa
10 cloves
200 gms sugar
500 ml oil
Method
1. Mix together all-purpose flour and the salt.
2. Then add the clarified butter and rub it to resemble a crumb like consistency.
3. Add the water and form a dough. Cover and set it aside for half an hour..
4. Now form small balls from the dough .and roll them into small circles.
5. Place the mawa at the centre of the circle.
6. Apply water on the entire edge of the circle. Now fold one side over the filling and press the borders down.
7. Then fold the opposite side and press it over the first fold.
8. Next fold the other two sides one at a time.
9. In the centre press 1 clove. Set aside the labanga Lotika.
10. For the sugar syrup, boil the sugar and the water for around 10 minutes.
11. In a separate pan pour the oil and let it heat on medium flame.
12. Fry the Lobongo Lotika until golden brown.
13. Immediately soak in the sugar syrup.
14. Remove after 5 minutes, cool and serve.
23. Kheer singara
Ingredients
1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
1 ½ tbsp ghee or clarified butter
1/4 cup water and 150 ml extra for the syrup
¼ tsp cardamom powder
½ cup mawa
12 raisins
9 pistachios
1 ½ tbsp sugar
½ lemon squeezed for juice
Method
1. In a bowl mix together maida, ghee and cardamom powder until it is a crumbly mixture.
2. Add water to make the dough. Let it rest for one hour.
3. In a pan add ghee and lightly roast the raisins and pistachios.
4. Then add the mawa and the sugar in it. Once it turns a little brownish, remove it from the pan and cool totally.
5. To make the sugar syrup, boil the sugar and the water on medium heat.
6. Once the sugar dissolves add in the lemon juice so as to prevent crystallisation.
7. Now from the dough make 6 balls.
8. Roll out each ball in an oval shape and cut through the middle horizontally.
9. Now taking the dough in your hand form it into a cone by bringing in the two sides opposite to the cut side and apply some water so that they stick
10. . Fill the cone with the mawa mixture.
11. Now apply water on the remaining side of the cone and bring it down to seal the opposite side.
12. Deep fry the singara until golden brown and immediately put it in the warm syrup
13. Let it soak for half an hour
14. Then let it cool completely and serve.
24. Chanar Jilipi
Ingredients
1 l full fat milk
1 ½ lemon squeezed to juice
3 tbsp milk powder
1 tbsp maida or all purpoder flour
1 pinch salt
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp greem cardamom powder
½ tbsp ghee or clarified butter
500 ml oil
1 ½ tbsp semolina
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cup water
6 whole green cardamom, smashed
A few saffron strands
Method
1. In a deep vessel pan pour the milk and let it boil on medium flame for 20 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl mix the lemon juice and the half cup of water
3. Now add this lemon water to the milk and keep stirring.
4. As the milk curdles and whey separates, switch off the flame.
5. Now using a strainer and a muslin cloth pour out the chana (cottage cheese) so that the whey flows out.
6. Now tie this muslin cloth and hang it so that the whey comes out totally from the chana.
7. Next in a separate bowl take some warm milk and add the semolina and mix it very well
8. In a flat plate take out the chena and knead it with the palm of your hand until smooth
9. Next add cardamom powder, semolina mixture, all purpose flour, saffron strands and knead it again till it becomes slightly oily
10. Divide the mixture into 15 portions
11. Now roll one ball at a time into a cylindrical shape and put it on the plate
12. Now holding one end of this cylinder turn the rest of the cylinder to form a circle from small to big making at least two such loops.
13. Cover and let it rest
14. For the sugar syrup boil the sugar and water with green cardamom and saffron on medium flame for around 10 minutes.
15. In a separate pan heat together oil and ghee and deep fry the jilipis until reddish brown.
16. Put them into the sugar syrup immediately and soak for around 2 hours.
17. It is then ready to serve.
25. Kheer kodom
This recipe has two parts. First we make the Rasgullas and then we give them a coating of mawa.
Ingredients
1 l milk
½ cup vinegar
6 ½ cups water
2 cups and 3 tbsp sugar
350 grams mawa
5 tbsp milk powder
Method
1. Boil one litre of milk in a deep pan.
2. In a separate cup mix half cup of vinegar and half cup of water.
3. Once the milk is boiling add in the vinegar water mixture.
4. Once the milk curdles, strain it in a clean muslin cloth and wash the chana with cold water to remove the smell of vinegar. Do this at least twice.
5. . Now hang the chana so that the entire whey drains out for at least half an hour.
6. For the sugar syrup boil two cups of sugar and six cups of water and let it dissolve.
7. With the help of your palm rub the chena so that it is smooth and lump free for at least 10 minutes.
8. Now make around 12 balls.
9. Keep the sugar syrup in low flame and drops the balls in it.
10. Now cover and keep in low flame for 10 minutes.
11. After 10 minutes raise the flame to medium and let it boil for 20 minutes.
12. Switch off the gas.
13. Now take out the rasgullas from the syrup and put it on a strainer so that the syrup drains out completely and the balls cool down totally. Keep it at least for 20 minutes.
14. In a plate take the mawa, sugar and milk and as previously with the chana - smoothing it out, making it lump free.
15. Now divide the mawa mix into 12 balls.
16. Next mix together the grated mawa and the milk powder.
17. Take each ball of mawa and flatten it on your palm.
18. Place the drained rasgulla on the mawa on your palm and wrap it around the rasgulla to form a perfect ball.
19. Now roll this ball on the mawa and powder milk mixture and let it rest for five minutes before serving
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