A Bengali Girl in the US

Beraler Golpo

2011-04-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Well, many people have been asking did the cat survive? So let us call the cat Bangali Beral (bengali cat), well folks, I feel horrid coz the husband just got a sinus attack, but the cat is still around and while he has gotten very sensible about going near him and we have gotten a $$$$ hepa filter the cat is still around. Actually this probably is what sums up our marriage, he is chalk ( lean, specific and in a bengali's opinion somewhat tasteless but some I still threw caution to the wind and we got hitched and I am well cheese, rich, great tasting but not all that good for you. But together it work! BTW, I have even sent the edits to the advisor, let us see what he says...

Jodi Puratono Prem...

2011-02-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

Today is a weird one, not that any of you care whether I am alive or dead anymore.
We are having a bit of a wrestling match at home between the husband and the cat. Well, we have had the beral from week 15 but the husband has these chronic alergies to him, so what do we do? There is a part of me that does not want to be the bad wife and the other part thinking if the cat was a real child would I consider giving him away?

Amid my crazy absence, I have defended my thesis, and have a chockful of changes that I need complete no later than 6 weeks. So maybe there might be a Dr. Bangali Meye after all!

Sanguine

2009-10-27T21:42:00.001-07:00

Whatever will be will be...

Yes, in general the beauty of the day makes me wake up fresh... I almost see the end on most days. I have to build up the momentum to get to the finish line, which I have told myself is the end of this year. I cannot help but feel happy that a big one is getting complete. As in sorrow so in joy, I miss you - Bapi! I wish I could share the ups as the downs! Yes, contrary to what is sometimes percieved you miss a loved one just as much during a moment of happiness, when you want to run and tell him, hey, I feel just wonderful today!

In this feeling of sanguine, I created a recipe, one that needs hope and patience more than it needs lots of ingredients. The results were pretty good, this can only be judged by how quickly the food finishes.

Murgir Makha Jhol - Chicken in a carmelized onion compote

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

4-5 tablespoons oil
2 onions, cut into a fine dice
1.5 lbs chicken on the bone, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons, coarsely crushed ginger
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin-coriander powder
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional, I add this for my brother)
2 green chilies, diced
2 medium tomatoes, cut into a dice
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the chicken, ginger, red chili powder, turmeric, salt, cumin-coriander powder and cook on medium high for 15 minutes. All that is needed at this point is occasional stirring, the chicken browns, the onions softens, melts and turns into a beautiful carmelized mush.
3. Add in the green bell pepper, green chilies and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. The chicken should be coated in a rich, soft thick brown sauce. Add in the tomatoes and garam masala and cook for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and well mixed.
5. Stir in the cilantro and enjoy!

The ecstasy, agony and gratitude

2009-10-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well, big bad one is done, actually finished the comps about 2 weeks, back! I was really, really relieved. Don't know much about this business, but most people tend to wait for the exam phase to be done, before they get to the dissertation stage, in my case, being that I have worked in the field (sic), this was ends to the means. Which actually means, contrary to some, I believe the worst is over - stay tuned... This shall be proved in all of 6 weeks.

The agony is the work phase, well here is the deal, the dissertation is very practical and passion driven but as I learnt from none other than my dear mother, to get something you sometimes have to give. So the give for me was the trade-off between a job that worked, motivated and in general was one that I went to and left happy to my current job. This one supplements the school expenses and works around the school schedule but comes with WJM. Somedays, I so want to through coffee on his face, but instead I use him to ratify my decisions and choices.
It is very, very, very important for me to be me - this means able to laugh and live with my children, accept (cannot solve the pains that Ma and Bapi go through) and savor the other aspects of my life - in that order. Someday, I might want to reverse things, but changes are possibly that is just what his mom and dad did to make him such a terrible and miserable human being....

Oh well, so what about food, today was really simple but sweet -misti tasting good, but with shorcuts.

Bideshi Kalakand

Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes 20 - 1 inch pieces

Ingredients

1 large can evaporated milk
1 small carton ricotta cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon powdered cardamom seeds
2-3 tablespoons ghee, plus additional for greasing
3 tablespoons coarsely powdered pistachios

Method of Preparation

1. Mix the evaporated milk, ricotta, sugar, cardamom and ghee in a microwave safe container.
2. Place in the microwave for 5 minutes.
3. In the meantime, grease a 1-2 inch deep square microwave casserole.
4. Remove mix very well and pour into the microwave safe casserole and microwave for 10 more minutes. You should see a fairly firm but moist product by now.
5. Remove and set aside for 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with pistachios, cut into squares and serve when cool.

Moonger Daler Khichuri

2009-10-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

A bit of a crazy weekend, hopefully some of the craziness will calm down after tomorrow. We had Lokkhi Pujoer khakar this weekend, we are just so stuffed...
I made a simple mooger daler khichuri today. It was not out of the ordinary, but I cooked it with some care, making sure that the grains were soft but not mushy, the way Ma would make it.

Moonger Daler Kichuri

Ingredients

3/4 cup moong dal
1/2 cup gobindo bhog chaal
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups water
1 tablespoon adaa dhone jire bata
1 small potato peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup small pieces of cauliflower
1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 bay leaves
1 large piece cinnamon (broken)

Method of Preparation

1. Roast the moong dal for about 5 minutes, till very fragrant.
2. Add about 1 cup water and cook till the water is evaporated.
3. Add in the rice, salt, 1 cup water, adaa bata, potato and cauliflower and cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes.
4. Add the remaining water as needed until the rice and dal are soft but still intact (in other words it should not be too mushy or thick)
5. Heat the ghee and add the cumin bay leaves and cinnamon and cook till the cumin sizzles, the bay leaves and cinnamon are darkened.
6. Pour this over the khichuri and enjoy!

Rainaa beetee jaye...

2009-09-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

"rainaa beetee jaaye, shaam naa aaye
nindeeyaa naa aaye
shaam ko bhoolaa, shaam kaa waadaa
sang diye ke jaage raadhaa
kis sautan ne rokee dagareeyaa
kis bairan se laagee najareeyaa
birahaa kee maaree paremadiwaanee
tan man pyaasaa aakhiyon mein paanee"

Maturity sometimes has its advantages, you appreciate things much more that you did before. The depths of a lovely song, the second read of a book that touched you before, the simple gentle beauty of that unfurling flower. The leaves are just begining to drop outside my window. I watch them and wonder why the seasons never forget to change?

In Spite of myself

2009-07-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so dear MIL is stopping by en route to dear SIL and BIL's place ready for grandchild no 4. See the major issue here now is that MIL does not really do even onions in her food. It's amazing how much difference time and working with spices makes. When I was first married, I would be at a complete loss to put together anything other that basic dal and begun bhaja for her, last night I made a simple preparation which was really very good, just lightly tempered with fennel seeds and asafetida, tomatoes and ginger. What was interesting was I got to use up the beet greens that were sitting in my fridge for a while.

I am actually blogging a recipe because I just finished the over the hump chapter for my exam, well I still have seven more weeks to keep this awful pace up, anyhow...

Mouri Phoron Diye Beet Shager Chorchori

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon asafetida
2-3 dried red chillies
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups chopped beet greens

Method of preparaton

1. Heat the oil and add the fennel seeds, when they sizzle add in the asafetida, chillies and ginger. Saute this for a few seconds.

2. Add in the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and potatoes. Cook this stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

3. Cover and cook on low till the potatoes are soft.

4. Add in the beet greens and cover and leave on low heat for 2 minutes.

5. Remove the cover, stir well and serve.

Oh Lord! Wont you buy me a Mecedees Benz!

2009-07-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, this really is becoming a pretty darn personal blog! Someone once told me that sharing personal thoughts on public space was sort of like leaving your dairy on your dinning room table. Well, let me tell you I am at a point where I am ready to bitch equal-opportunity about my not bengali spouse (also sometimes not understanding!!!!, read he is a man!!!!) and my work folks alike.

My children are spared some, mainly because they do no quite get this bitching thing yet, I can temper my fussing with a rather comforting dessert!

Ok, so a payesh is a rice pudding. My favorite variation is made with date palm jaggery, which is a creature simmilar to maple syrup. Anyhow, the object of my affection is not available, the solid darker jaggery tends to be little denser and tarter. Maybe it is me but somehow while the darker jaggery tastes ok, it seems to curdle milk when I use it, so this is how I overcame the tang and retained the flavor.

Gur Diye Challer Paayesh

Ingredients

1/2 gallon whole milk
1 pint half and half
3 tablespoons kalajeera rice
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup hot water
3/4 cup dark jaggery

Method of preparations

1. Place the whole milk in a heavy cooking (non-stick) cooking pot. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to very low and forget about it for about 30 minutes. Then stir the milk well to integrate the thick well formed layer of cream on the milk. Continue cooking this on the low flame stiring well every 10 to 15 minutes. You should have a mixture that is about half the original volumn and semi solid.

2. Add in the half and half and rice and raisins and let this continue to cook on low heat for forty-five minutes stirring only occasionally until the mixture looks pale caramel in color and is fairly thick.

3. While the rice is cooking dissolve the dark jaggery in the hot water. After the forty five minutes, mix the dissolved jaggery into the payesh (rice-milk-cream mixture). This will darken the mixture into a light caramel color and actually thin the pudding into the right texture.

4. Turn off the heat and let this cool. Place in the refridgerator for 1 hour and then serve.

Who said it would be easy?

2009-07-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

One more exam coming up, this one is rather exhausting. I have to confess things at work are getting to me. I am not sure if I can keep everything up. I would so hate to give up with the program at this point. I also thing hanging in one more year would make a lot of difference in terms of general stability.

Can I just stay put for 2-3 months. Hanging in 2-3 months will definitely get the coursework out of the way. I think also open up lots of options about what I need to do. This week opened up a huge can of worms. Supermom, right?

Simple Seared Fish

2009-05-31T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, my idea of spontaneity was not quite in sync with the lack of planning that my in-laws et all demonstrate when they stop by my house. Let me explain, "mamaji-1" lives in New Jersey has a family of 5, the last time when my MIL was here told us he was planning to visit and then cancelled with a days notice.

Mamji-2 was visiting from Indian, enroute NY assured us he would not be comming. Calls us from a hop-on bus letting us know, that he had changed his mind. The truth is a days notice here and there is not that bad, just that life is too jam packed to accomodate it. End of the week, I closed out with a very simple seared fish recipe.

Seared Mahi Mahi

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs Mahi Mahi, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Lots of lime juice
Oil for searing plus 1 tablespoon
1 teaspoon panchphoron
1/2 cup chopped scallions
10 torn basil leaves

Ingredients

1. Coat the Mahi Mahi with the turmeric and red chili powder, salt and lime juice and set aside for 1 hour.
2. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil on a non-stick skillet and place the fish in a single layer, cook for about 5 minutes on each side till nicely crisped.
3. Drain and heat the remaining oil and add the panchphoron, when this crackles add in the scallions and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in the fish and basil and enjoy!

Dharmang Sharanam Gachammi

2009-01-31T18:30:00.000-08:00

It has been a week of sorts - not a good one. With less than a week left to go to Kolkatta, both the kids are sick, "he" is frazzled and the WJM at work is anything but understanding. Well, interestly I came across a post somewhere that was in general mentioning how much further women had to go in the US and mentioning the pathetic maternity leave policies and how difficult it is for women with children to climb up the corporate ladder.

I have to tell you, this probably really struck a cord with me. In the last six years, it has been really challenging trying to juggle the two universes and believe me all I ask for is a little compassion and flexibility. I think I work pretty hard and do a good job. My first job after my daughter was a step down and sort of worked. I dared to cross the lakshman rekha, I am subjected on most days to comment on time spent, disparities between my expectations and how it is unfair to others who do not have kids, etc, etc. WJM, does not have kids and does not like them, but claims to be this devout buddhist, believer in karma, yada, yada, yada. Well, here is what bothers me, I am better at my job than he is, I get second billing both in terms of position and pay and I settle for it because- well I understand that it is difficult for me to pull late night shifts without planning. Not to mention the flack I get at home with the kids routine is rattled, because as 'he" points out to me, he has deadlines too... Somehow this is ignored because, it is inconvienient to place all of this into the equation.

Oh well, I made these koftas that were really pretty good, considering...

Koftar Jhol - Turkey meatballs in curry

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the meatballs

1 lbs. ground chicken or turkey
3 green chillies
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp ghee

For the sauce

2 tbsp ghee
A few pieces cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, diced
3 green chillies, minced
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup light cream
1 tsp garam masala powder

Method of Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs and set aside for 1 hour.
2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Grease a baking pan.
4. Shape the meat into walnut sized balls and place in a single layer on the pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes on each side.
6. Heat the ghee and add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms.
7. Add the onions and garlic and cook stirring well for about 10 minutes till the onions are lightly browned.
8. Add the tomato, chillies, curry powder, salt and sugar and cook till the tomatoes are soft.
9. Mix in 2 cups water or broth and bring to a simmer.
10. Add in the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes.
11. Stir in the light cream and cook through.
12. Sprinkle the garam masala and serve.

Ranga Alur Pantua

2009-01-27T09:18:00.001-08:00

It has gotten challenging on some days to talk to mom. With Dad's increasingly deteriorating health she is just so wound up on cetain days, I pick up the phone with very deep trepidation, actually made sure that I got a drink before the call. Well, it just was a difficult conversation as predicted. There is not that much I can do, even us visiting does not elicit the same enthusiasm that it used to.

On a different note, I made some Ranga Alur Pithe, these are these lovely coconut dumplings coated with a sweet potato shell. Interestingly enough, I had some of the filling left over that I was able to use for a nice variation. To add binding to the shell I use dal flour, I think this helps making the recipe both crisp and adds extra nutrition.

Ranga Alur Pithe

Makes 10

Ingredients

For the pithe

2-3 sweet potatoes or yams
1/2 cup urad dal flour

For the filling

1 cup frozen or fresh grated coconut
1/2 cup sugar

For the syrup

5 cups water
1.5 cups sugar
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation
1. Cook the yams or potatoes till soft and mix with the urad dal flour and place in the refrigerator.
2. Cook the coconut and sugar on low heat stirring frequently, till the coconut is aromatic, the natural oils are released and the color darkens.
3. Cook the sugar and water for 20 minutes till a fairly thick (1/2 strand syrup) is formed.
4. Shape the coconut into small nugget sized balls.
5. Take larger amounts of the sweet potato mixture and fill the center with the coconut nugget and cover completely with the potato. Complete all the coconut nuggets this way.
6. Heat the oil and gently add the sweet potato cakes and fry till crisp. This needs to be done with attention because the sweet potatoes have a low carmelization point and therefore browns very quickly, you need to cook them through without burning them.
7. Drain and add to the syrup for 3-5 minutes and serve warm.

Ranga alur pantua

Makes 10

Ingredients
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup channa
1/3 cup fresh coconut
1 tsp powdered cardamom
1 egg
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3 tbsp flour
Oil for frying
Syrup as prepared above

Method of Preparation
1. Mix all the ingredients together, I use a food processor for smoothness.
2. Shape into small balls.
3. Fry the balls till well browned.
4. Drain and soak into syrup.

Feelings, thoughts, about a week later...

2009-01-24T22:22:00.000-08:00

I have been busy as usual, tuesday was quite a emotional day for me. I have not been able to talk to ma since the inaurgaration, will call her tomorrow. This is the first ceremony I watched live simply because this was the first time, this was actually shown at the workplace. Well, this has been a week of sorts, but my culinary highlight after much trial and error was to come up with a working recipe for Rasogolla. Now this is not quite the traditional recipe, but it does look and taste pretty perfect, so who am I to blow against the wind.

Rasogolla - Cottage cheese dumplings in syrup

Makes 12

Ingredients

1 cup homemade channa (made with 1% milk)
1/2 cup whole ricotta cheese
1 tbsp semolina
1/2 tsp saffron strands

For the syrup

5 cups water
1.5 cups sugar
1-2 cardamoms

Method of preparation

1. Hang the channa to squeeze the whey out very throughly.
2. Mix the channa with the ricotta and the semolina and knead the mixture like bread dough. Keep rolling and shaping this into a round, play and tease this mixture for a good 20 minutes. It should be one well formed mass.
3. Break into balls about the size of a small walnut and set aside on a flat surface. Cover with a moist cloth and let this sit.
4. In a pressure cooker, simmer the sugar and water for about 10 minutes. Add the cardamoms.
5. Gently lower the channa balls into the syrup (make sure there is plenty of room, since the balls swell up). I do this in two batches.
6. Cover and cook on high till the pressure cooker reaches full pressure, lower the heat and cook for 8 minutes.
7. Cool naturally, remove and place in a bowl.
8. Sprinkle the saffron strands and cool slightly, enjoy warm.

Dimer Devil - Spicy Stuffed Eggs coated and fried

2009-01-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

I accept but often cannot understand. I just said this to a friend of mine who has had a difficult phase to contend with. Her father is slowing down, getting old and is really more like a shell of the man that he used to be. Although considerably older than Bapi, I think age does not matter when you see someone you love going to this distant place that you cannot reach them. As I say, it is something that one can or has to accept but the irrational cannot understand and keeps asking the answerless question - why me?

A mother who had lost her grown up child (she is the CEO of a company) had told me there is no answer to that question, just that no one is really safe.

I have a vauge idea of this recipe, here is my version

Dimer Devil - Spicy Stuffed Eggs coated and fried

Serves 8

Ingredients

6-8 hard boiled eggs
1 boiled potato
2-3 tbsp onions, finely chopped
2 green chillies minced
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp curry powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 lime

For the batter

1 cup rice flour
Water as needed
1 tsp salt

Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Cut the eggs in halves and remove the yolks into the bowl.
2. Mix the potato, onions, green chillies, cilantro, salt, curry powder, red chili powder together till smoothly mixed.
3. Squeeze the lime juice on the mixture.
4. Fill the eggs with the mixture and shape into a rounded shape to cover the entire egg white.
5. Make a batter with rice flour and water to make a thick paste.
6. Heat the oil, and carefully dip each egg into the batter to coat uniformly.
7. Lower the eggs into the oil and cook on medium heat on each side for about 7-8 minutes till the eggs are well browned on each side.
8. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
9. Serve hot with ketchup.

So what's with the inaugaration!

2009-01-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

So, we are suddenly having a pot luck at work to blow of steam and celebrate the moment in history for Obama's swearing in. My husband who had gone from the days where he thought I was this dreaming idealist, when I said I like this good looking dude who speaks optimism, hope and can deliver one heck of a speech. I want him for the next president to actually saying he is good, says he just does not get this hoopla.

But, I tell him, this is the american way, we love hoopla!

On a different note, yes, it is historic but in some way I cannot help wondering if this is some sort of divine justice, in that, gosh there is no freaking honeymoon, hoopla aside, this guy has starting working on day -121. Along the lines of what my friend tells me - yeah we have a black history month, only that it is the shortest month of the year!

Oh well, I made this ghugni the other night, turned out to me so good. I also got the riot act from the doctoral program chair, so need to start cranking up the work.

Ghugni - Whole split peas with tomatoes and tamarind.

Serves 4

Ingredient

3/4 cup dried whole split peas (sold as yellow vatana in indian stores)
2-3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp whole garam masala
2-3 bay leaves
1 onion very finely chopped
2 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 cup chopped diced tomatoes
2 green chillies
2 pods garlic
1 large piece ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp bhaja or garam masala

Method of Preparation

1. Soak the whole split-peas in hot water for 1 hour.
2. In the base of a pressure cooker, heat the oil and add the whole garam masala and bay leaves and cook briefly.
3. Add the onions and cook on low, stirring in the cumin-coriander powder
4. Grind the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, salt and sugar in a food processor to a smooth past and add the the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Mix in the splitpeas and cook under pressure for 10 minutes.
6. Let this cool to regular temperature and remove the pressure.
7. Stir in the tamarind and cook through.
8. Garnish with cilantro and bhaja masala and enjoy.

Frying Onions

2009-01-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

"Strumming my pain with his fingers, Singing my life with his words, Killing me softly with his song, Killing me softly,With his song telling my whole life With his words, Killing me softly,With his song"

I have to tell you, this song is one of those that haunts me, but I am not terribly sure what it means, but the song still touches me everytime I hear it, like a poignant memory, like an intense thought, like impact???

Well, I made a version of Chicken Rezala, was really pleased with the results, have no clue about how this dish is truly, truly made other than the fact that it is a variation of slow cooked chicken with some whole spices.

Here is what I Did

Chicken Rezala

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs skinned chicken ( on the bone)
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp ground garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
A few bay leaves
1 tbsp whole garam masala
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 cup strained yogurt
1/3 cup cashews
3 slit green chillies
1-2 red chillies

To garnish

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp ghee
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp saffron

Method of Preparation

1. Apply the ginger-garlic paste, salt, cumin-coriander powder, red chili powder onto the chicken and set this aside for 30 minutes.
2. Grind the cashews into a smooth paste with a little yogurt.
3. Mix in all the remaining ingredients including the cashew paste with the chicken and place in a casserole.
4. Cover tightly with foil.
5. Cook in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour.
6. About 25 minutes before the chicken is done, heat the oil and ghee for the garnish in a karai (wok) and add the onions.
7. Leave on very low stirring occasionally. If you let this do its thing, on low heat about 18 minutes later, you see some browning action, start stirring more frequently.
8. In less than 10 minutes you are rewarded with beautifully browned onions.
9. Remove the chicken from the oven, stir in the onions with a light hand.
10. Scatter the saffron and enjoy for a delicious treat!

To my readers

2009-01-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

I started, " A Bengali Girl in the US" a few months back, actually while going through a very low phase. I was not sure what if anything would come out of it. I love the web and am a huge lurker, I do not not unfortunately have the time to visit or track all the blogs that I would love to follow. A busy job, two energetic children often leave very little time for all of this. Nonetheless this little spot on the web does occupy a special place in my world. It is like my little sanctuary and every comment or email that I get makes me very happy. In particular what amazes me is when I get emails from people mentioning that they miss me. Here is my new year attempted resolution. I shall try to post more frequently and will also do a better job on following up on emails and comments.

Well, in terms of food, believe it or not I did not do that much inventive cooking particularly bengali food. I did make a lovely payesh made of ground almonds and maple syrup thinking of the lovely liquid jaggery that you get this time of the year in India.

Baadaam Doodher Payesh - Almond Maple Dessert

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cans carnation evaporated whole milk
1/2 cup blanched almonds
1/4 cup tapioca pearls (sabudana)
2-3 cardamoms
10-12 raisins
1 cup maple syrup

Method of Preparation

1. Place 1.5 cups of the milk to simmer in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Make a smooth paste with the almonds and the remaining milk.
3. Set this aside.
4. Heat some water and soak the tapioca for about 10 minutes and drain.
5. Add the drained tapioca, cardamoms, raisins, almond paste and maple syrup.
6. Cook for 5-6 minutes till the tapioca is soft the milk and almonds are melded through and the raisins are lusciously swollen.

Shiter Haoyai Laglo Nachon

2008-12-29T08:17:00.000-08:00

Shiter Haoyai Laglo Nachon, Laglo Nachon, Laglo Nachon, aamlokir ei dale dale

There is a rhythm in the winter breeze dancing with the amloki branches, how apt, only one needs to think of maple branches here in New York. My daughter is trying to learn Gaan, so I have to try and figure out how to translate and bring Tagore into her universe. One of the quintessential winter vegetables is the beetroot. It is so stunningly vibrant in its colors. I have not done a lot with it. The other day, I created a lovely pulao with grated beetroot and peas and took it to the Christmas eve dinner. The colors and flavors worked very well, both with the meal and to impart a seasonal touch to things.

Beet Diye Ghee Bhat - Rice with Beet and green peas

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

2 tsp ghee
2 shallots or 1 onion finely chopped
A few pieces cloves, cardamom and broken cinnamon
1 tbsp broken cashew nuts
1 tbsp raisins
1 beetroot peeled and grated
1 tsp salt
1 cup kalazeera rice (soaked for 1 hour and drained)
1/2 cup frozen peas

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the ghee and add the chopped shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the whole spices, cashew nuts and raisins and cook till the nuts are lightly browned.
3. Mix in the beetroot, salt and rice and mix well.
4. Add 1 cup water and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
5. Stir well, add 3/4 cup additional water and the peas and cook for another 5 minutes, till the rice is cooked through and not sticky.
6. Turn off the heat and let this sit for another 10 minutes. Fluff the rice and serve.

How many miles?

2008-12-12T21:12:00.000-08:00

How many miles must a girl walk down, before she can live on her own again?
Ok, so dear reader you are probably reading this and going, there she goes again...
Yes, I cannot help wondering how life can be made complicated just by being life. This week I feel I accomplished a major event by getting my vacation to Kolkatta planned. LOL, it first took persuasion at the work front to get my leave approved, my terror infused assistant went like, "I am already terrified." Ironically enough I share her with my boss. I have been in general so full of myriad things he (the boss) is getting spooked out by my lack of spirit at work. How can I explain to him the complexities of simple decisions in my life.

Anyhow, my all-time favority is simple mushur dal or what I have now started calling mushurir dal since a song my daughter has picked up that goes, Ek poa chall, mushirir dal...
I have done a thing or two for this...

Mushurir dal tomato methi diye - Red lentils with tomato and fenugreek

Serves 4

Ingredients

3/4 cup red gram lentils
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cups water
2 tomatoes
1 lime
3 tbsp oil
1 onion thinly sliced
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp panchphoron
1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek)

Method of Preparation

1. Pressure cook the dal for 10 minutes with salt, turmeric, water and tomatoes.
2. Cool and remove pressure cooker lid.
3. Squeeze the lime juice.
4. Heat the oil and cook the onion stirring frequently till well browned.
5. Stir into the dal.
4. Heat the ghee and add the panchphoron and wait till this crackles, mix into the dal with the methi heat through and serve with rice.

Keema Diye Alur Dom

2008-11-20T21:19:00.001-08:00

Had a recent house guest over, I did not realize it was a milestone birthday for him. One of the things my husband does is brings over his interns for short sojurns into our house. While I enjoy them, the marked difference between their lifestyles and mine increasingly highlights the fact that I am getting older...

Anyhow, once educated, I realized I had to do something to mark the occasion, so much for my pre-planned simple dal soup. I finally figured alur dom and luchi, then figuring he needed a little meat I added keema (ground chicken to my alur dom) results pretty good.

Keema diye alur dom - Whole potatoes cooked with ground meat

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup oil
1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 onion finely sliced
1 tsp ginger paste
10 whole baby potatoes peeled
2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh green peas
1 lbs ground chicken
2 tomatoes sliced
1 tsp sugar
Crushed lemon pepper to garnish

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the cumin-coriander powder and chili powder and turmeric, followed almost immediately by the onion and ginger and cook for 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the baby potatoes and salt and cook in the onion mixture for 10 minutes till well coated with the spices.
3. Add the peas and ground chicken and stirr well, cook adding 1/2 cup water in batches till the mixtures get fairly dry.
4. Add the tomatoes and sugar and cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes till the potatoes are very soft but intact.
5. Garnish with pepper and serve with luchis.

Narkol Khirer Barfi

2008-11-01T18:43:00.001-07:00

All right, so this one is beyond simple thanks to Indian store kheer or khoya. I am unfortunately a bit of a make from the scratch person, although somedays more than others directly proportional to all the other things going on, amount of sleep, crazy works days, you get the drift...

So, I was like Khokon's coming for Bhaiphota, I need a good spread, need some bengali misti, my rassogolla's are hit or miss, he does not like doi in any form, and then I remembered the nice rectangular packages labeled Khoya/Mawa sitting in the refrigerator bought just because. I tell you my pantry should be inventoried. Well, this recipe emerged, foolproof, comforting, done in less than 30 minutes.

Narkol Khirer Barfi - Coconut Fudge

Makes 20 pieces

Ingredients

1 lb comercial khoya (solidified milk)
1 cup grated coconut
1 cup sugar
1 tsp crushed cardamom
2 tbsp sliced almonds
Ghee to grease the plate

Method of Preparation

1 Melt the khoya/kheer in a nonstick pot.
2. When melted mix in the coconut, sugar and cardamom and cook till mixed and begining to thicken.
3. In the meantime grease a plate.
4. Pour the mixture onto the plate and let this cool and firm a little.
5. Top with the sliced almonds.
6. Cut into squares or diamonds, cool completely and serve. It keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

bengali Risoto - Moong Daal Kichuri

2008-09-12T18:21:00.003-07:00

Ok, what pray is bengali risotto, well, an ultimately comforting khichuri. This one is my favorite dishes and something that both the little ones love. My husband half-heartedly frowns at the ghee but can hardly resist good comforting kichuri as well. It is a perfect large group meal, the last time I made this for my friends Bob and Helene, this got its name. I could hardly think of what to say to such a perfect romancing for my favorite food.

Ok, so here is my confession, my moonger daaler khichuri is probably too thick for most purists like ma, but here in my New york kitchen, where the culinary world is powered with a combination of a pressure cooker and a food processor, the risoto actually would pass of for a non-identical twin.

Amar Moonger Daal Khichuri

Serves 6

Ingredients

3/4 cup moong daal
1/3 cup rice (govinda bhog)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
a few cauliflower pieces
1 potato, peeled and cut into eights
1 tsp sugar

For the tempering

1.5 tbsp ghee
2 dried red chillies
1 tsp whole garam masala
1 lime

Method of preparation

1. Dry roast the moomg dal till aromatic
2. Cook adding 3/4 cup water for 10 minutes.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients for the khichuri with 2 cups water and cook under pressure for 10 minutes.
4. Let this cool.
5. Heat the ghee and add the red chillies and cook for a few seconds and add the garam masala and cook for 15-20 seconds.
6. Pour over the khichuri. Squeeze the lime juice and mix well.

The glass ceiling begins at home...

2008-09-12T18:21:00.001-07:00

This shall be some major ramblings tied together hopefully by a very comforting recipe, anyhow my basic knowledge of poetry was throughly edged on by my mother, who among other poem taught me Annabel Lee, for some unbenonst reason today I kept thinking of,

"It was many and many a year ago,In a kingdom by the sea,That a maiden there lived whom you may knowBy the name of ANNABEL LEE;And this maiden she lived with no other thoughtThan to love and be loved by me."

The problem with poetry such as this is that it breeds simplicity and a hope for major romantisism and perfection which does or does not happen.

Back to the glass ceiling, I have been afforded every possible opportunity, other than the extra unconditional love that my mother reserves for my brother. There is somewhere everytime I talk to her that need to be allowed some slack, that never happens. What is scary is that between my two children, I expect more from my daughter and yet seem to have the same, unconditional forgiveness for my son. I do not expect more from him, but ironically enough as in my case it is the very tollerance of low expectations that empowers and in turn creates the glass ceiling at home.

Is it gender, it is nature or is it pure chauvinism. I am too wiped to understand. Well in the meantime here is a simple, comforting Chanar Dalna recipe to help.

Chanar Dalna - Indian cheese and vegetables in a creamy sauce.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 onion
1 inch piece peeled ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 green chilies
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp whole garam masala
1 potato peeled and cubed
1 tsp cumin/ coriander powder
1 tomato
1 cup yogurt
1 cup cubed paneer
1/2 cup green peas
1 tps red chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp garam masala

Method of Preparation

1. Grind the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies into a paste.
2. Heat the oil and add the whole garam masala follow by the onion paste and potato and cook stiring frequently for 10 minutes till browned.
3. Add the cumin-coriander powder and tomato and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the yogurt and mix well.
5. Mix in the paneer, chili powder, salt, and sugar, and bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minute till the mixture reaches an even simmer.
6. Add the cream and cook through.
7. Finally add the ghee and garam masala and enjoy, with or without the glass ceiling.

Begun Kopi Diye Korma

2008-09-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

All right, I am really excited, it has been a few rough weeks. I cannot shake the excitement over the elections. This might just be the first democratic president elected since we have been married. It actually is getting closer to that decade. We have passed the seven year itch, we have survived an entire world of up downs and somewhere in between. The creepster just has not been helping things.

I was rather thrilled, to realize my brother will be comming in time for Bhai-phota. Ok so I ramble, I don't know about others but I have recently gotten quite addicted to "Bru" the instant south Indian coffee blend. Here I am sipping a cuppa, trying to overcome writers block as I write what I cooked up yesterday.

Begun - Kopi Diye Korma - Eggplant, Cauliflower with Shrimps in a yogurt sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp freshly grated, ginger
1 tsp whole garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 medium eggplant, cut into semi-circular pieces
1/2 cauliflower, cut into large florrets
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 lbs freshly shelled shrimp
1 cup yogurt
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the onion and garam masala and saute for 5 minutes till softened.
2. Add the ginger.
3. Add the chili and turmeric onto the eggplant and cauliflower.
4. Add the eggplant in a single layer and cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
5. Turn the eggplant and add the cauliflower and the salt and cover and cook for 10 minutes till the vegetables are soft.
6. Add the cumin-coriander powder and the shrimp and stir lightly.
7. Carefully mix int he yogurt and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
8. Mix in the cilantro. Serve with rice.

Murgir tomato Kalia

2008-09-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Nostalgia is close to inertia. It is hard to let go. Tomorrow morning I might actually be taking my last formal examination - my doctoral comps. I sure as hell hope that it is my last formal exam. But there is this tiny sadness creeping through the corner at parting, this to me is intertia, this to me is also nostalgia, don't know why...

Well, this shall be major upset and annoyance if I flunk!

Murgir Tomato Kalia - Rich yogurt and tomato chicken

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings.
3-4 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 pounds chicken thighs, skinned and cut into smaller pieces
1 onion
1-inch piece ginger
2 tomatoes
2 spicy peppers
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup yogurt
2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin

Directions

Heat the oil and add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until turning lightly browned on the edges. Add the chicken and cook on medium heat stirring frequently.
In the meantime place the onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and peppers in a food processor and blend. Add this mixture to the chicken with the salt, turmeric and sugar and continue cooking on medium heat, stirring from time to time.
Continue the above until the mixture is dried and the oil resurfaces. This takes a good 20 minutes.
Mix in the cilantro, yogurt and cumin and cook through.
Cool slightly and serve!

Bhaja Korola diye shorseh

2008-09-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

Strange or maybe not so strangely my husband loves korola. He can eat it practically in any form, this recipe has been developed in response to this strange love.

Bhaja Korola diye Shorshe - Crisp bitter melon with mustard

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 young bitter melons (korola) very thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
Oil for frying
1/8 tsp asafetida
1-2 dried red chili
1 tsp powdered mustard

Method of Preparation

1. Rub the bitter melon with salt and set aside for a half hour.
2. Drain in paper towels.
3. Rub with turmeric.
4. Heat the oil and fry till turning brown and crisp.
5. Set aside to drain on paper towels.
6. Take about 1 tbsp of the oil and heat.
7. Add the asafetida, red chili and mustard.
8. Pour the seasoned oil over the bitter melon.

Salmon in mustard lemon chive butter

2008-09-01T20:34:00.004-07:00

All right, so if you want to have some of the classic shorshe effect moderated, just add richness to the zing. This particular recipe works well with individual salmon steaks but also works well with a large piece of salmon that can later be elegant pieced together. Either way, this is quick and the results are good!

Salmon Maach Bhape - Salmon in Mustard Lemon Chive Butter.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp fresh mustard paste
3 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp chopped chives
Salt to taste
1 tsp ginger paste
4 salmon steaks (about 2 lbs)

Method of Preparation

1. Mix the mustard, butter, chives, salt, ginger together.
2. Cut fairly comfortable pieces of foil and place a piece of salmon on each wrap.
3. Place about 2-3 tbsp of the mustard mixture and mix evenly.
4. Cover and bake in a pre-heated oven at 450 Degrees for 15 -20 minutes.
5. Enjoy with rice or mashed potatoes.

Kesar Chanar Malpoa

2008-08-11T09:44:00.004-07:00

Learnt from Ma, like many other unoticed things. My mother's malpoa like her Chorckori rocks. When we were in east africa she discovered this exceedingly simply way of making classic malpoa using evaporated milk. The brand of milk available there was called "Peak" the equivalent of carnation milk.

I have learn to dress this up just a tiny bit, this recipe works well too. I made this with Ma, not sure when we shall cook together again. Ma in her own way epitomizes the classic, quintessential bangali meye. Unlike me, she know when to compromise, when to hold her own and when to be unsure. She had a clear defined spot in her household and over the last fifteen years her love, caring and devotion to my ailing father cannot be matched. She rises when he rises, sleeps when he sleeps and despite her own pain, she attends to his needs. She remains proud, she still maintains her principles, she loves her children with her own brand of conditional but soft love. She is the quintessial bengali woman who had created this intellectual and well sustained culture of excellence.

Kesar Chanar Malpoa - Saffron and Cheese infused Pancakes

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 tsp saffron
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup channa
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp semolina
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the water and sugar for 15 minutes till it reaches a half strand thickness and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Blend the milk, channa and semolina till fairly smooth.
3. Stir in the fennel seeds.
4. Heat the oil and add two tablespoons of the batter and fry till somewhat golden.
5. Drain and place into the syrup for 5 minutes.
6. Serve warm.

Morich Diye Dalna

2008-08-11T09:44:00.003-07:00

I have realized that the world is equiped more to deal with form over substance in the case of grief. I really do not want to feel so helpless about something that has been the most positive force of my life, but unfortunately having my wasting, demented father in my house has been eating into me in pieces.

This has been with a new job, the irony of this change has been that I feel that I have delivered my best professional work at this job, but this has been very intense at a time when my personal life has been intense, too. After five years at my prior job, I had actually made two dear friends. sounds small? Let me tell you friends who accept you as you are, know you are having a bad day simply by looking at you are very hard to find. So, much as I would have been gratified to have shared my pain with my friends, I have not had any near me.

Most people cannot get why it is so painful, pain is when a parent dies - form. What happens when the parent is sort of/kind of not there? When you have your larger than life father/mentor ramble nonsense and forget your son's name it is a pain beyond description, but how can you articulate this.

Anyhow, I have to the best of my capacity tried to pour love into little things such as cooking...

This was a simple variation of classic bengali cooking, all loved it.

Morich Diye Dalna - Pepper Spiced Benagali Vegetable Stew

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp chopped minced ginger
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp hing or asafeotida
2 potatoes peeled and cut into eights
1 zuchinni cut into similar sized pieces
1 small ridge gourd cut into pieces
Other vegetable if desired (optional)
1 tbsp crushed black pepper
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp ghee

Method of preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the ginger, salt, turmeric and asafeotida.
2. After a few seconds add the potatoes, zucchinis, ridge gourd and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the black pepper and 1/3 cup water, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Stirr in the buttermilk and cook through and mix in the ghee.
5. Enjoy with rice and dal!

Chanar Payesh

2008-08-11T09:44:00.001-07:00

Payesh is essentially a concocction made of thickened milk and rice or some other thickener. This particular variation of payesh I use light maple syrup and jaggery for a difference it was actually really nice to see the subtle but highly detectable difference in taste that the changed sweetening made.

To make channa

Ingredients

1/2 gallon 2% milk
1 lime

Method of preparation

1. Heat the milk till it comes to a boil.
2. Squeeze the lime into the milk and let the solids separate from the whey.
3. Cool slightly and drain onto a strainer lined with a cheese cloth.
4. Let this drain for a couple of hours.

Chanar Payesh - Cottage Cheese Pudding.

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 can evaporated milk
2-3 cardamoms
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup powdered jaggery
1 cup channa

Method of Preparation

1. Bring the milks to a simmer and add the cardamoms.
2. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
3. Add the syrup and jaggery and cook on low till the jaggery has melted.
4. Mix in the channa and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Chill and serve.

Honey-ginger chicken

2008-07-26T15:46:00.001-07:00

A fairly simple rendition of the ever popular chili chicken, with some honeyed notes. The honey ginger modifies this otherwise familiar dish making it slightly sweeter, actually in some ways more americano. Well, think of New York General Tso's taking a trip to Kolkatta.

You know, I do realize that General Tso's is hardly (thank God!) a patent of New York, well but I I only eat it in New York. My major cravings on bad days is actually really greasy fried rice.

Frankly, that actually takes me back to the really greasy chinese days of grad school. A special back then of Roast Pork Fried Rice and Fried Half Chicken was sold at the corner chinese store for $4.50. It actually took all of 8 minutes to whip up, make 2 meals for me was categoried in this menu as American Chinese, I was quite unsure what to make of it. Well, back then fried chicken was good chicken with a full belly and un-superdrained wallet I felt that - "american chinese good!." This recipe is somewhat lighter.

Honey Ginger Chinese

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1.5 lbs chicken on the bone (cut into fairly small pieces)
1.2 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp ginger-garlic-chili paste
2 tbsp vinegar
1/3 cup oil
2 medium onions (cut into eights and sectioned)
1 green pepper cut into thin strips
3-4 tbsp honey

For the garnish

2-3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ginger, julienned
2-3 tbsp cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken with the ginger-garlic paste and soy sauce and vinegar for 2 hours.
2. Heat the oil and add the chicken mixture and cook stirring frequently for a long time till the mixture is dry and begins to fry. This process takes a good 25-30 minutes.
3. Add in the bell pepper, onions and honey and mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
4. In a separate pan heat the oil and cook the ginger till fairly crisp.
5. Mix into the chicken mixture with the cilantro.

Tauk mishti Shabur Payesh!

2008-07-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I think I am commited and I also agree that I am officially going through mid-life crisis. I demonstrate every sympton - life actually is a bit of a jumble, my career is a bit of a problem, after two decades I suddenly feel the need to think co about calling a civil rights attorney. I actually could not help wistfully thinking whether life was offering my divorsed more-than 40-yr friend dating a 29-yr a second chance. So you get the drift, in general I have been acting a little strange. To possibly top this strange behaviour, I made this payesh with key-limes. I tell you it tasted great, maybe mid-life crisis is not so bad after all!

Tapioca Pudding With Key Limes - Tauk-Mishti Shabur Payesh

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup tapioca
4 cups half and half
2/3 cup sugar
2 bay leaves
4 key limes

Ingredients

1. Heat the tapioca and soak in boiling water for 15 minutes.
2. Cook the half and half for 15-20 minutes and add the tapioca.
3. Stir in the sugar and bay leaves and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Chill for 2 hours.
5. Squeeze the juice from the key limes and stir in.
6. Chill for another half and hour and serve.

Those were the Rays my friend!

2008-07-13T14:50:00.002-07:00

Saw this Ray film, today - Nayak. Who is Ray? Satyajit Ray is another icon in the household of the Kolkatta genteel set, an amazing film-maker with classic film making skill. Most of his films were made on relatively small budgets using classic black and white medium. I actually did not watch a lot of movies growing up, being in a residential school going out for a movie was infrequent later with the invention of VCR, I suddenly caught up with a lot of these movies. But still it was not until my college days that my tastes in movies developed and I realized that I enjoyed watching off beat movies.

A couple of valentine's days back my husband surprised me with a collection of 14 films made by Ray. Watching Nayak, other than being impressed by the delicate and amazing attention to detail, watching the worlds of a mega-star and his everday fans colide, I was struck by the timeless quality of this movie.

Dal in my kitchen is just that, it takes several variations and colors but in its very essential best it is simple nourishment at its best. This emerged from the following. I had wanted to cook some Ghugni - Curried whole dried Peas, but I ended up overcooking the lentils to what is a more dal-like (soup like) consistency.

Methi Diya Motor Dal - Whole Split Peas with fenugreek leaves.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 green chillies

1 tomato

3-6 tbsp oil

2 cups cooked split whole peas (about 2/3 cups dry whole peas)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

1 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp kalo Jire

Method of Preparation

1. Process the onion, garlic, chili and tomato in a food processor

2. Heat the oil and add the above mixture and cook for 10 minutes till turning golden.

3. Add the split peas and the salt, chili powder and fenugreek leaves.

4. Heat the ghee and add the kalo jire and pour over the dal.

5. Stir well, check seasonings and serve.

Kiwi Ritas

2008-07-06T21:29:00.003-07:00

Came up with this amazing cocktail by sheer chance. Speaking of cocktails, I grew up very familiar with the term cocktail party and cocktail circuit, this however is so not a part of my life today, except for the occasional charity event, whatever...

My scientist husband, stays in his own little archive and crunches the numbers, the sports jacket I bought him several summers back remains in the plastic wrap that it came in. Oh well, this cannot stop one from experimenting at home. This particular variation came up with a few overripe kiwis, tangy and frothy, it is the best fix for a good summers day.

Kiwi Ritas - Frothy Kiwi Cocktails

Makes 4 Glasses

Ingredients

6 peeled kiwis
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup tequilla
1/2 cup tripple sec
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup ice-cubes

Method of Preparation

1. Blend all the above ingredients in a powerful blender for 10 minutes till frothy and well-blended.
2. Pour into salted or non-salted chilled glasses.
3. Enjoy!

Nostagia - Jhal Ferazi

2008-07-06T21:28:00.004-07:00

What is nostalgia? I was glad to learn that the wiki defination, concurred with my understanding of the word in terms of the rose-coloring of the past. See words I did not necessarily fuss much about I look up a little thanks to WJM. Anyhow, I remember Kolkatta phuchkas to be this really great treat, despite the fact that I could barely handle spice back them, it was more peer pressure that made me try them. I made the poor phuchka man make a special un-spiced batch for me wondering why on earth I was wasting his time.

Similarly, I am actually trying cite food memories from my boarding school days after maybe only nine years of complaning about the food. Anyhow one of the more palatable dishes was what they called Jhal Ferazi, which esentially consisted of spiced fried or roasted meat and golden potatoes, somewhat different from what we see in restaurants in the US.

I have actually taken the liberty of elaborating on this and creating something that I call american Jhal Ferazi which encapsulates two interesting techniques from Hudson Valley cooking, roasted red potatoes and roasted garlic.

American Jhal Ferazi - Spiced Chicken with garlic roasted potatoes and vegetables

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 cloves garlic
4 red potatoes, cut into 1/8ths
2-3 tbsp mustard oil
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp homemade curry powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 carrots cut into pieces
4 shallots quartered
1 golden beet quartered
1 green bell pepper cut into eights
1 tomato, quartered
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Rub the chicken with the soy sauce, lime juice and black pepper.
2. Place on a large baking tray, scatter with the garlic and red potatoes.
3. Bake for 350 F, for 15 minutes and then at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
4. Remove and set aside to cool.
5. Heat the oil and add the cumin, ginger and other spices for 10 seconds and add the carrots and shallots and beets and peppers.
6. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. In the meantime cut the chicken into pieces.
8. Mix the chicken and potatoes with the other vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
9. Add the tomato and let this cook for 1 min, and stir in the cilantro.

Beet Checki

2008-07-06T21:28:00.001-07:00

One probably will be surprised by the number of beet and carrot recipes on this blog, it is somewhat unusal for typical bengali cuisine. My mother really did not care terribly for vegetables, she grew up in a meat and potatoes household and married my father who however had to have traditional shukto's, chorchoris, etc. In turn she learnt to make mean chorchoris and chechras. She was however convinced of the goodness of Gajor (carrots) and beet, so she tried to introduce these in multiple forms. Over time especially after my children, I have learnt to love vegetables actually love veggies more than fruits and get most of my five a day from these. This is a light and simple way that I cook the beets for the kids. When I get a great, fresh bunch with the tops I add in the greens as well.

Beet Chechki - Beets and Beet greens sauteed with Nigella seeds

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp ginger paste
1/8 tsp asafetida
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chili powder
3 beets thinly sliced
1 cup fresh thinly sliced beet greens (optional)

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the ghee and add the nigella seeds and ginger paste.
2. Add the asafetida, salt and turmeric and red chili powder with the beets.
3. Coat the beets lightly, cover and cook on low for 7-`10 minutes.
4. When the beets are soft add in the beet greens if using and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Serve with ruti or rice and dal.

Lime Souffle

2008-06-28T21:56:00.003-07:00

I had an interest in cooking fairly young, learning practical cooking came later. Cooking western style puddings at home is not uncommon in Calcutta households, good puddings also grace the menu's of the clubs in Calcutta. The clubs are another relic of the, "olden, golden days", still with long highly selective membership criterias.

Anyhow, baking a cake and whipping a souffle were skills that I learnt with delight in an elective home science class. In general the class taught a whole load of homemaking skills. Believe it or not colleges actually offer a major in home science considered a good option for girls getting ready for marriage.

My greatest interest in taking this class was the cooking component of the class. Anyhow, this delicate dessert has been adapted ever so little, in that I use lovely tangy key limes, instead of regular limes. Those delicate little times have their own lovely flavor, it just takes a little longer to get the lime juice, since the limes are little with large seeds. Anyhow, since I have long since substituted the hand whipping of cream and eggs with an electric beater this effort is acceptable for the results that one gets with key limes versus regular lime, lemon makes an acceptable substitute too.

Key Lime Souffle (with Fruit)

Ingredients

2/3 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
1 cup sugar
6 eggs, separated
2 tsp grated lime zest*
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1.5 cups chilled whipping cream

Optional
Seasonal fruit such as strawberries or blueberries of your choice

Method of Preparation

1. Place the lime juice and sugar in a pan and begin mixing over a basin of hot water.
2. Gradually add in the egg yolks one by one.
3. Beat well till the mixture is smooth and the color lightens
4. Disolve the getatin in 1/2 cup hot water and set aside to cool.
5. Stir in the lime zest.
6. Whip the cream till stiff.
7. Mix the gelatin with the eggs and fold in the cream and place in the refrigerator to chill.
8. After 2 hours, whip the egg whites till stiff.
9. Bring the chilled souffle mixture out and mix well and fold the egg white in.
10. Chill for several hours and serve in bowls topped with strawberries and blueberries.

Mushroom-Green Onion Lamb

2008-06-21T20:29:00.002-07:00

The bright habanero unless you have tried it might come across as the colored suit in a group of sedate blue-suited business people. We tend to take the blue-suiters seriously, but forget that it takes confidence to wear a bright suit amongst a crowd of blue suiters. I am able to handle some kick and actually do miss it having green chilli around. I had really no reason to try any other, until a couple of weeks back when I had totally ran out of green chillies. My husband is a newbie when it comes to groceries and believe you me, his flair for innovation sometimes places an authentic Bangali Bhadrolok (bengali gentleman) to shame. I mention the Bangali Bhadrolok for a rather specific reason, long before this era of shared responsibilities the bengali man contributed to chores in the household. The most critical of these chores were the daily shopping, early in the morning prior to going to work the bengali gentleman went to the maach bazaar (fish market) procure the freshest of fish.

Anyhow, after my husbands chili shopping, I found myself the proud owner of half a dozen brightly colored habanero peppers, this and some lovely green onions and mushrooms from the farmer's market. Well I made this indo-chinese style lamb. It was awfully similar to this dish I had tasted called Chung-do Lamb, I absolutely do not know how the chinese thinly slice the lamb or any other meats for that matter.

Spicy Mushroom Green Onion Lamb

Serve 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb lamb chopped into a dice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 habanero pepper, minced
1/2 tsp butter
2/3 cup diced mushrooms
1 cup finely chopped scallions
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the ginger and garlic and saute lightly.
2. Add the lamb and cook till the pinkness is somewhat gone. (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the soy sauce and pepper with 1/3 cup water and cook under pressure for 10 minutes.
4. In the meantime, heat the butter and saute the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes and add the scallions and cook till wilted.
5. Cool and remove the lid from the cooker, stir in the mushroom mixture and vinegar and sugar and cook on medium heat till fairly dry.
6. Enjoy with rice.

Moong dal, mouri poodina diye

2008-06-21T20:29:00.001-07:00

"The child who is with prince's robes and who has jewelled chains round his neck loses all pleasure in his play; his dress hampers him at every step."

Gitanjali - Rabindranath Tagore

India is not what it was seventeen years back when I had left Kolkatta, (for starters, it was still Calcutta). I did really think, I was "leaving", I honestly thought I was coming to get a business degree, possibly fool around a little, work a little and then return to Calcutta.

Well, man proposes, god disposes. One thing led to another, I still am away from the only city that still haunts me, nourishes me and exhausts me. Very recently, opportunity knocked and my husband asked me if I wanted to go back to India. After some thinking, I decided against it. Once of the key reasons was that I felt my children would not have enough spontaneity in life. Yes, the one negative memory that I do have of my life in Kolkatta is having to run around and do things, "just right". Dress right, sing, study, speak the right english at clubs and do the pronams (touching feet) with the elderly relatives, in general not leaving too much room for freedom. Well the thought passed.

Recently, we were on vacation and visited these friends of hours and listened to for 1.5 hours the "Road to Harvard" for their 12 year old child. Believe me, I dream in IVY sometimes, but not at the cost of a smile on my childs face, I look wistfully at these impeccable clothes, but toss the thought away at the sheer delight of splashing puddles with my two imps. I truly hope that I do not take the fun and spontaneity out of their lives for some need to look like a good parent.

Here is a simple, only mildly innovative dal, bengali ranna at its purest.

Moong Dal, Poodina mouri Diye - Moong Dal with Mint and fennel

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup yellow moong dal
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
2 slit green chillies
1 tsp ghee
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/8 tsp asafetida
2 tbsp chopped, mint

Method of Preparation

1. Dry roast the dal for 5 minutes till aromatic and darker in color.
2. Add the turmeric, salt and water, green chillies and bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, till soft.
3. Add a little more water if needed to keep to a light soupy consistency.
4. Heat the ghee and add the fennel and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add the asafetida and pour over the dal.
6. Stir in the mint and serve over rice.
4.

Reshmi moghlai moorgi

2008-05-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

Have seen a lot of recipes here and there with the title reshmi, which means silk. I was not ever impressed or even convinced about meat being silky. But, seeing is believing. I have also done something here which I discovered by accident, during grad school days. I had tried cooking this gravy which was thinner than I would have liked, my relative cooking inexperience back left me exceeding unsure as to how to proceed with thickening the gravy. Eggs are always available in the refrigerator by the dozen, I cracked one into the pot, in a large amount of liquid, the egg adds body but remains rather non-descript, just this nice flavor absorbent soft stuff. Well, here is a great recipe that happened.

Reshmi Moghlai Moorgi - Silken Spiced Chicken.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 limes
1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 onion minced with 3 green chillies (in a food processor)
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into small pieces
1/2 cup yogurt
2-3 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion sliced
1 egg
1 tsp saffron

Ingredients

1. Place the ginger-garlic in a bowl and squeeze the lime juice on the ginger-garlic.
2. Add the spices and onion paste with the chicken, mix in the yogurt.
3. Place in a ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
4. Heat the butter and add the cumin seeds and sliced onion, when the onion starts browning add the chicke and cook on medium heat till the onion mixture is dry and the chicken begins to brown.
5. Add the egg and mix well to coat lightly.
6. Turn of the heat and stir in the saffron.

Poodina diye manshor jhol

2008-05-29T21:15:00.001-07:00

A nice light simple mangshor jhol. (meat curry). Now while the term mangsho in bengali refers to goat meat, I often use lamb as a substitute, I find it acceptable but a lot of people that I know such as my mother or husband tend to find the taste a little too gamey.

I use mint that grows so plentifully in summer in New York for cooking. It actually complements some of the light and subtle bengali flavors very well as in this very simple and basic mutton curry. I find this dish very comforting in winter, too where you can add all the lovely root vegetables to this gravy. I personally love making this during late spring when the flowers have all bloomed but the now gentle nip has not yet left the air.

Other than the faintly subtle, yet distinct taste of mint this dish is much like the food of my childhood, hearty and nourishing.

Poodina Diye Mangshor Jhol - Lamb curry with mint

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

3-4 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp cumin-coriander paste
1 tsp crushed black pepper
2 green chillies, very finely chopped
3/4 lbs. boneless lamb, cut into 1 inch pieces
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 small potatoes peeled and quartered
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp fresh mint
1/2 cup peas
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp garam masala

Method of Preparation

1. In a pressure cooker container, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds.
2. When the seeds begin to sizzle, add the onion and ginger-garlic.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the water begins to evaporate and add the remaining spices with the lamb.
4. Add in the salt and sugar and cook on medium high for 10 minutes stiring frequently.
5. Add the potatoes and tomatoes and mint and the peas (only if these are fresh peas, if using frozen do not add at this time).
6. Add two cups water, check for salt and then adjust if needed and cook under pressure for 15 minutes.
7. Cook slightly, remove the lid, stir in peas if using frozen, and mix in the cilantro and garam masala.
8. Serve over plain white rice.

Chana mangshor kofta

2008-05-16T21:08:00.001-07:00

A lot of the cooking that I do, emerges from what is available when I get ready to cook. The typical household of our set - professional Indian couple, chasing some degree of professional success and raising kids at the same time. In suburban New York, the help factor is usually in the form of a live-in nanny who also manages to get food on the table. It is fairly typical to have refrigerators laden with large tupperware containers of basic sustenance food.

We our not different from our set, in that we are really harried. We try to stay a little lower key on the success end of things, thereby also compromising on the the money we bring in to the household. While we do have some help, it is really minimal since I feel the kids benefit more from the daycare program we have for them. I have also not really been able to effectively outsource the cooking. It truly pains me to think that the core nourishment for this household is outsourced. So food is actually prepared almost regularly in this house. Unfortunately, there are weeks when I wish I can use Rebecca better but the deal then is that she is not trained to help and when it gets to time for training, I cannot get myself to do it. So we do have freshly cooked meals, sometimes at the cost of littered tables full of junk mail that needs to be sifted through for the occasional silly bills because Aetna did not pay $7 extra for an X-ray, some new charity that I actually might want to contribute $25 to, so you get the drift.

Well, these koftas or kababs can be made more elaborate in some variation of a jhol (gravy), but they are perfect with Dal, rice and maybe chutney or salad. The paneer in the center was an inspriration but actually tastes really good.

Chana Mangshor kofta - Meatballs stuffed with Indian Cheese

Makes 8

Ingredients

3/4 lb. ground chicken
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
3 green chilies minced
2 tbsp onion garlic ginger paste
1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
2 tbsp chopped corander leaves
1 tbsp garam masala powder
1 lime
1 egg
1/2 cup fresh paneer or chana
2-3 tbsp oil

Method of Preparation.

1. Mix the meat with the spices and squeeze the lime into the meat and set aside for 2-8 hrs.
2. Mix in the egg make into eight portions
3. Shape into pockets and fill with about 1 tsp channa and close the meatball and flatten.
4. Heat a skillet and lightly coat with oil.
5. Place the koftas in a single layer and cook for 8-10 minutes on low on each side till lightly brown.
6. Serve hot.

The Subway in a Sari

2008-05-11T22:17:00.001-07:00

There are few highs I get about asserting my Indianness anymore. Honestly, living in New York as I do, it is such an amazingly diverse melting pot, the average New Yorker rarely finds anything about a fairly adapted Indian unique. I too, have gotten used to being taught about India on occasion by my non-Indian friends.

However, the other night I was at City Hall, for this performance for bengali New year. I was wearing a sari, once it was over, I was just to tired to change. With some discomfort I braved the pouring rain into the Subway, without thinking I also ended up with the Subway heading towards Brooklyn, rather than uptown taking me home. To change transfer back, I ended up running all across the platform, I have to tell you, was totally amazed that no-one batted an eyelid at this woman in a wet silk sari running around at 10pm. Only, in New york. Had made some channa, made pantuas or Gulab Jamuns the next morning. This version is not as soft as some variations, but tastes pretty good with the authentic ingredients.

Garam Pantua - Fried syrup soaked cottage cheese balls

Makes 15 pantuas

Ingredients

For the pantua

1 cup fresh channa (made with 2% milk)
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup whole milk powder
2 tbsp semolina
2 tbsp yogurt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Oil for frying

For the syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cardamoms
1 tsp rosewater

Method of Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients for the pantua except for the oil into a smooth dough, this will be a little sticky to work with, so you shall need to wash your hands frequently to manage the dough.
2. Let this sit for 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, make the syrup by boiling together the water, sugar and cardamoms.
4. Let this cool slightly.
5. Heat the oil, shape the dough into small rounds and gently lower into the fire.
6. Fry, teasing the balls around the wok gently, when they turn golden brown lower them into the syrup.
7. When they are all immersed in the syrup, sprinkle with rosewater and serve warm

Brocolli Datar Ghonto - Brocolli Slaw and other vegetables in a flavorful spicy dry curry

2008-05-06T21:32:00.002-07:00

A bengali ghanto, is yet another variation of an assortment of complementary vegetables. The difference with the ghanto is usually the addition of some protein ingredient such as boris, grated coconuts, fish heads and such. The spicing is slightly different from a chorchori, in that garam masala and ghee are used in greater proportions, usually also finished with bhaja masala. This variation of the ghanto, I use grated vegetables and premade brocolli slaw. This makes a good addition to this dish and is immensely convienience.

Brocolli Datar Ghonto - Brocollli Slaw and other mixed vegetables

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tbsp mustard oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp grated ginger

2-3 bay leaves

1 tsp whole garam masala

2-3 whole red chillies

1/2 tsp cumin-coriander powder

2-2 slit green chillies

1 cup brocolli slaw

1 zucchini grated

1 carrot grated

1 tps salt

1 tsp sugar

To garnish

1 tsp ghee

1 tsp bhaja masala

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and the onion, ginger, bay leaves and garam masala.

2. After a few seconds add the red chillies, cumin-coriander powder, green chillies, brocoli slaw, zuchini and carrot and stir throughly for several minutes.

3. Add 1/3 cup water with salt and sugar cover and cook for for 15 minutes.

4. Heat the ghee and add the bhaja masala and pour over the vegetables.

5. Enjoy as a light dinner with ruti or luchi

Mulor Kopta

2008-05-06T21:32:00.001-07:00

Speaking of pre-prepping, koftas or kopta as they are called make amazing good make ahead creations. They work well, for several reasons, vegetable and koftas do need to be fried, I have been able to usually get away with baking the meat variations. It allows one to get done with all the frying at one time, this in particular saves a lot of unecessary effort, reheating, etc. I make these in in a large batch whenever I do this, I also find this a pretty useful way of using up the vegetables. This particular idea I actually stumbled up from the caterers who are ever so popular these days in Kolkatta, for any medium sized gatherings and of course the larger ones.

There are really no present vegetables for this, I like to use a starch sweetish vegetable such as a squash or pumkin with a crunchy vegetable such as daikon radish, but you can practically do this with any combination that makes sense to you. Cool and freeze in ziplock bags to be used as needed.

Mulor Kopta - Radish and Pumpkin balls in a rich gravy

Serves 6

For the koptas

1/4 medium radish
1/4 wedge about 3/4 lb. wedge pumpkin
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
2-3 finely chopped green chillies
3/4 cup besan or moong dal flour
1/2 cup rice flour
Oil for frying

For the gravy
2-3 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup basic curry base
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup cream
1 cup water
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts

Method of Preparation

1. Grate the radish and pumkin. (This can be done in a food processor).
2. Mix in the salt and set this over a colander for 30 minutes to drain.
3. Lightly squeeze out the excess water and mix with all the remaining ingredients. It is preferable not to use additional water. Let this sit for 20 minutes to let the flavors set in.
4. Shape into balls.
5. Heat the oil and fry lightly until golden on both sides.
6. Drain on paper towels.
7. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil add the cumin seeds and the curry base.
8. Let this heat through and add the tomato paste.
9. Add the cream and water and simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Add the koptas and cook for 5-7 minutes.
11. Add the raisins and nuts.

Gota moong phoron diye

2008-05-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

The rich lusciousness of this exceedingly simple preparation is what makes, bengali cooking so interesting. The simplicity of ingredients highlights the flavor of the light touch of pure ghee, that complements the natural creamy perfection of the lentils. This also makes a perfect dish for children, the whole grain variety of lentils adding extra nutrition to the food.

Phoron refers to seasoning food with whole spices as in the ever popular panch phoron.

Gota moong phoron Diye - Whole split green lentils with whole spices

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup split green lentils
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp ghee
2-3 dried red chillies
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
Lime juice (optional)

Method of Preparation

1. In a pressure cooker, cook the lentils, ginger, salt, turmeric, sugar and chili powder with 2 cups of water.
2. Cool and mix throughly to get an even puree.
3. Heat the ghee and add the chillies, bay leaves and nigella seeds.
4. Pour over the lentils and add lime juice if using.

Narkoler Naru

2008-05-04T14:43:00.001-07:00

Narkoler Naru, are these lovely chewy coconut fudge balls traditional flavored with edible camphor. I do this with cardamom since camphor is rather difficult to find.

This is very traditional of another bengali festival - Lakshmi Puja. Unlike Durga or Kali Puja Lakshmi Puja is very much a domestic festival, it is celebrated in most households in a homely way. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and is therefore invoked by business communities in all parts of India, the attributed of the bengali Lakshmi is a peaceful, compassionate and flighty goddess who thrives in an atmosphere of calm and cleanliness. Most households also pray to Lakshmi on Thursdays.

Houses are swept and washed clean and then decorated with alpona (a traditional floor design of rice paste), among other things the symbolic patterns include sheaths of rice paddy and pairs of feet for Lakshmi to walk on. The floor in my grandparents house was made of red stone and showed off the lovely white designs well. I was constantly chided by my Dida if the feet were not delicate enough, saying this would be off-putting to the goddess.

The first time, I tried making the naru, I was dissapointed because the results were drier and less chewy than I remembered, recently I tried again and realized that the problem was patience. They need to be cooked on very low heat!

Narkoler Naru - Coconut Fudge Balls

Make 20 small narus

Ingredients

2 cups of grated coconut (I use the frozen variety)
3/4 cup powdered jaggery
1/2 tsp powdered cardamom

Method of Preparation

1. On very low fire, cook the coconut stirring frequent for 15-20 minutes. The coconut should begin turning light brown, aromatic and releasing some oil at this time.
2. Add the jaggery and continue cooking on low stiring frequently, until the jaggery is melted and the mixture is well browned and very fragrant and toffee-like. It should have plenty of coconut oil that is glistening on the mixture.
3. Stir in the coconut.
4. Cook and shape into small balls. These balls keep well for a couple of weeks.

Kedegree claimed back!

2008-05-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

"Really, men, if you're an Anglo somewhere in your consciousness, there must be a whiff of Calcutta."

http://blogs.rediff.com/scripts/blog_rss.phtml?blogName=angloindia&blogId=1126118057

The above very profound statement was from a blog that I meandered on, how well said, I actually think the reverse is true, if you a south calcutta bong, you have to have a little bit of "home" (this is how anglo-indians born, bred and died in Cal) refer to England and english ways. Anyhow, a kedegree is an adaptation of the khichuri, where in general, rice, cream, eggs and smoked fish are combined together.

Well, one afternoon, I had some good sea bass, just one fillet, not sure what to do, I said here is good bengali kedergree, or bhuni khichuri with fish.

Macher Bhuni Khichuri - Lentil Rice Pulao with Fish

Serve 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
2 bay leaves
1 tsp whole garam masala
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp freshly, grated ginger
1/2 cup freshly cooked white fish, flaked
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp chili powder
3/4 cup masoor dal
1 cup govinda bhog rice
1 lime
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp powdered garam masala
1-2 crushed red chillies

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the bay leaves and garam masala and saute for 30 seconds.
2. Follow with the onion and ginger and cook for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the fish, salt, sugar and powdered spices and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
4. Add in the dal and rice and mix well and add in 2 cups of water.
5. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 20 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and let this sit for 30 minutes.
7. Squeeze the lime juice and add the cilantro.
8. Heat the ghee and add the chilies and garam masala and cook for 45 seconds.
9. Pour over the rice mixture and stir in.
10. Let the flavors settle in for 5 minutes, serve hot or warm by itself or with a chutney.

Curry Pata diye Kochur dalna

2008-05-01T20:27:00.006-07:00

Culture versus food. We Bengalis are strange in that, we are often hesistant to showcase some of the gems of our everyday cooking, wonder about whether people will understand our love of mustard, cannot even imagine serving people the simple alu sheddo dal ar bhaat, but now when it comes to our culture it is almost the other way round. Not that the bengali culture steeped in a deep love of literature, music and all things wonderful, would not be something to be proud of, but arguably this unique depth of sentiment, humor, passionate love of life and romance is no more an acquired taste as is the lovely fiery and pungent mustard.

Our poetry and music is very sacred to us, as is the beloved poet of all bengalis - Rabindranath Tagore. We cannot go very far in life without having the poet's words and music by our side. There are very few literary characters who are iconic and touch the life of a culture the way Tagore has shaped and formed what is current bengali literature and music. I will talk more about him, but this probably is something that one could exclusive devote an entire blog or more to.

I brought into my kitchen today a very simple vegetable, the taro also called kochu in bengali. It is a simple starch often eaten as a substititute for potato. Not quite sure of what to do with it, I actually paired the dalna (gravy based vegetable curry) with some curry leaves that is somewhat rare in bengali cooking. In fact, I first tasted curry leaves when our family lived in Nigeria. We had a curry leaf tree, and Bob our chef had learnt quite a bit of cooking and had expanded from my mother's potato curry with curry leaves to mutton with curry leaves. This my mother and others found amusing, but interestingly enough it is hardly such a novelty in South Indian meat dishes.

Anyhow, here is this recipe,

Curry Pata Diye Kochur Dalna - Taro with Curry Leaves

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 dried red chillies
1 small onion
4-6 pieces taro, peel and cut into thin wedges
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tomato, cut into a dice
3-4 chopped green chillies
8-10 curry leaves

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the nigella and cumin and cook for a few seconds.
2. Add the dried chillies and the onions and cook briefly for a few minutes.
3. Add the taro with the turmeric and salt and cook till begining to turn golden. This should take about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, chillies and curry leaves.
5. Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes.
6. Check the taro for softness and the seasonings and serve with ruti or rice.

Methi - Morich Murgi

2008-05-01T20:27:00.005-07:00

Love and selflessness is a difficult concept to define, I was recently so humbled my by brother. In fact, my brother's love for my children is exemplerary, selfless and without much fanfare. I had half dozen and counting uncles and aunts who I would have traded for one loving and sincere uncle like my brother. In a recent trip to Colorado, we were somewhat snowed in, the snow was spectacular but a tad boring to be indoors. My brother is the epitome of an outdoor person, his favorite hobby is running and trains regularly at the marathon level. I was simply startled when after a long day indoors out of a not too long vacation, he simply commented how nice it was to be able to spend the day indoors with the children and thereby having them relax.

This chicken dish uses some classic less commonly used seasonings of fenugreek. It is a simple but slow cooked recipe and gets its incrediby gentle and flavorful seasonings from the slow cooking. Makes it very perfect for a cool pre-spring day in new when the leaves begin to peek in but the whether is still cool.

Methi-Morich Murgi - Chicken with black pepper and fenugreek

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (Cut into inch sized pieces)
1 tsp turmeric
1 lime
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp whole garam masala
1 tbsp black peppercorns (coarsely crushed)
2 tbsp whole fenugreek (methi) (coarsely crushed)
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
2 tbsp cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Mix the turmeric, salt with the chicken and squeeze the juice of the lime over the chicken.
2. Let this sit for 30 minutes
3. Heat the oil and saute the onion and ginger for 10 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently.
4. Add in the whole garam masala with the chicken and mix well.
5. Stir in the pepper and fenugreek and cook on high for 10 minutes stirring well, till the chicken appears to brown.
6. Reduce the heat to low and cook stirring occasionally for at least 25-30 minutes.
7. Stir in the fenugreek and garnish with cilantro and serve.

Doi Begun - Baby eggsplants in yogurt.

2008-05-01T20:27:00.001-07:00

Health is Wealth! Goodness you think, this cannot be a recipe that is any good, if she starts with a cliche not even worth pondering over. Well, once in a while we should concede to the power of the cliche, yes of course they are these are overused but something in these somewhat pithy classics stick.

Well, this particular cliche is ironically true, my own father has been the epitome of life and zest till he contacted Parkinson's Disease. This malaise has essentially deprived him of his ability to enjoy most things. I think when it comes to food, unfortunately while there are several dozens of healthy options and the traditional bengali meal is a very well balanced repast, unfortunately all too often we skip the chorchori and teto (bitter) and jump right into the rich dishes towards the later part of the meal.

To this end, I have tried a very small moderation to this really lovely and simple dish. It is traditionally made with the medium sized eggplants that are quartered and fried till they are meltingly soft. Doing this actually absorbs a tremendous amount of oil. I use small baby eggplants that work out wonderfully well and I actually bake these these prior to using them in the sauce.

Doi Begun

Serves 4

10 baby eggplants ( allow about 2 person)
3-4 tbsp oil
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
3-4 green chillies
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 cup hung lowfat yogurt or greek style lowfat yogurt
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp bhaja masala
2-3 bayleaves

Method of Preparation

1. Cut the eggplants into quaters but leave the stem intact. This allows room to rub seasoning on the vegetables, but still preserves the appearance of whole little eggplants, which look very attractive.
2. Soak the eggplants in water and kosher salt for a half hour or more.
3. Drain and dry the eggplants.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
5. Rub with half the oil, turmeric and salt.
6. Place on a greased baking pan, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the cover and broil lightly for 3-4 minutes on each side.
8. Heat the remaining oil, add the green chillies and ginger and stir lightly.
9. Add in the remaining salt and turmeric with the cumin-coriander powder and cook lightly for 1 minute.
10. Mix in the yogurt with the eggplants and cook on low for 10 minutes. Note this should be on a simmer, rather than boiling to ensure that the yogurt does not split.
11. Check the eggplants for softness and taste the seasonings.
12. Heat the ghee and add the bay leafs and cook for 15-20 seconds.
13. Pour over the eggplants and garnish with the bhaja masala and serve for any festive occasion.

Mouri-Makha Paturi

2008-04-29T21:14:00.001-07:00

An unusual take on paturi, that consists of fish and mustard paste, wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on the grill in cast iron wok. The fish is cooked till the leaves begin to smoke and the fish inside is well cooked. A quick substitute for the banana leaves is using aluminium foil, and in this particular recipe I use a completely different spice base, the recipe gets done in just in time for a fast new york weeknight dinner but is also very good to eat any day of the week. I like to use seabass loin fillets for this, but cod, halibut or any other firm white fish works well for this purpose too.
The method of cooking produces a lovely, flavorful, moist fish.

Mouri - Makha Paturi

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tsp fennel seeds
3-4 green chilies
1 large piece ginger
1 large piece cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
4 medium sized pieces of fish (about 10oz each)
4 slices lime
4 tsp butter

Method of Preparation

1. Grind together the fennel, chillies, ginger, cinammon, cloves, black pepper, salt and turmeric and rub on the fish.
2. Cut a large piece of foil, place the fish on the center, top with 1 tsp butter and 1 slice of lime and close the foil package till well sealed.
3. Repeat this process with all the pieces.
4. Heat a cast iron pan and place all the 4 pieces of fish on this.
5. Cook on each side for about 10 minutes, the outside of the foil should blacken.
6. Unwrap the package and serve the fish.

Doi shorshe Telapia

2008-04-27T20:27:00.003-07:00

Now, I do not know if anyone had encountered the chinese spicy mustard. This is fairly similar to any mustard powder but is combined with turmeric and pepper. Once you encounter this, if like most bengalis you are fond of mustard, this visitor will not leave your kitchen. I am especially fond of this particular recipe, where other than the time taken to fry the fish, it is as simple as it gets. It is very basic, light and comforting at the same time.

Now a note of pre-prepping for the bengali meal. Yes, bengali cooking is very pristine and everything has to be "just so." The bhat is cooked right before serving or the same with frying the luchis, however the concept of prepping for the meal is not alien to bengali cooking. Early in the mornings the day starts with the masala bata (grinding of the spices), and the shobji kata (chopping of vegetables), also the maach bhaja (frying of the fish), in particular the frying of the fish is important since the freshest of fish is usually bought for everyday consumption, this is then rubbed with turmeric and salt and fried to preserve its shelf life.

Now, the concept of prepping can be extending a little to accomodate the pace and practicality of life. The very essential ginger -cumin-coriander paste can be made and kept for a few days in the refrigerator as can the posto bata, the fried fish if using can also be pre-made. I have to confess, I try to avoid frying the fish but do that in this recipe.

Doi Shorshe Telapia - Telapia cooked in a mustard yogurt sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 2lb telapia, cut into steaks.
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
Oil for frying
1 tsp nigella seeds
2 tsp ginger cumin coriander paste
1 tbsp spicy chinese mustard powder
1 cup yogurt

Method of Preparation.

1. Rub the fish with the turmeric, salt and chili powder and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oil and fry the fish till golden brown on both sides. This takes about 15 -20 minutes.
3. Drain the fish on paper towels.
4. Remove any oil beyond 2-3 tbsp and heat this oil.
5. Add the nigella seeds and add the ginger paste and stir for 5 minutes.
6. Mix the mustard powder with 2-3 tbsp water.
7. Add in the yogurt and pour this mustard mixture into the pan with the nigella seeds.
8. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer.
9. Add in the fish and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
10. Serve with rice.

Narkol Kalakand

2008-04-27T20:26:00.001-07:00

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.Life is beauty, admire it.Life is bliss, taste it.Life is a dream, realize it.Life is a challenge, meet it.Life is a duty, complete it.Life is a game, play it.Life is a promise, fulfill it.Life is sorrow, overcome it.Life is a song, sing it.Life is a struggle, accept it.Life is a tragedy, confront it.Life is an adventure, dare it.Life is luck, make it.Life is too precious, do not destroy it.Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Teresa

My mashi lives in Queens, NY. She and my mesho are rather typical of people who migarated a generation back. They realized that, "comming to Americia" was an opportunity that they needed and wanted to benefit from. In a new community, they established a name through their hard work and sheer will to challenge, complete and survive. Often however, this new world was a little harder, less familiar and they made it more palatable by clinging onto a vision of the homeland that is long past. To this end, my aunt is one of the few who makes a big deal of cooking for my husband, the maach, maangsho and misti. However, hating to cook as she does she makes a very simple kalakand (bengali sandesh) with ricotta. I have created a variation of her recipe with coconut. I use coconut powder which in this recipe works as well as fresh.

Narkol Kalakand - Milk Fudge with coconut.

Makes 20 pieces

Ingredients

1 cup 2% milk
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup coconut powder
3-4 cardamoms
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp sliced almonds

Method of Preparation

1. Add the milk, ricotta and coconut and cardamoms into a large wok and cook on medium heat, stiring frequently till somewhat dry. This process takes about 20 minutes.
2. Add the sugar and stir in and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Pour onto a greased square pan.
4. Cool slightly for 10-15 minutes.
5. Score into medium squares.
6. Garnish with the sliced almonds and serve well chilled.

Hing Diye Kopi-Brocollir Checki

2008-04-20T11:45:00.001-07:00

Absolutely simple, makes a perfect side for any meal. Consists of 2-3 essential ingredients and tastes just wonderful. That is really the essence of good bengali cooking, subtlety, precision and a gentle hand. Possibly someone who cooked better than my dida (yes, once in a while I admit) that is possible was my mashi-dida (great aunt) or my mother's shejo mashi. A simple lady, slim always dressed in a white sari with a narrow black border, the uniform assigned to widow who still followed tradition.
Her cooking was like everything else about her, graceful, understated and subtle. Even her name Nihar-kona was perfectly understated. It means dewdrop. This is not her recipe, but does remind me of her delicate style of seasoning.

Hing Diye Kopi-Brocollir Checki - Cauliflower-Brocolli stir-fry with asafetida

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp panch-phoron
1/8 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 small cauliflower, cut into flourettes
1 head of brocolli, cut into flowrettes

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the panch-phoron.
2. When this splutters, add in the asafetida, turmeric and chili powder.
3. Mix in the vegetables with the salt.
4. Cook on medium heat stirring frequently, letting the sides of the brocolli brown gently.
5. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes till soft. Serve with your choice of bread.

Amar Mar tomato dhoney pata diye pomfret macher kalia

2008-04-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

I cannot cook Pomfret with cilantro or Dhone Pata. There are several variations to the way my mother makes this fish, but it is usally never without tomato and cilantro. I have seen Pompano in the market quite a bit, but really was not sure how it would work.

Recently we were on vacation and visited our friends Ravi and Jyotsna, here we were friend imported pomfret fried and served with cilantro chutney. Much inspired I bought a fresh pompano and make this imitation of my mothers macher jhol. She does not use cauliflowers, I like them and threw them in, they really worked very well.

Dhoney-Pomfret Jhol

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs promfret or pompano steaks
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
Oil for frying
1 onion thinly sliced
1 small onion
1 inch piece ginger
2-3 green chillies
1 cup cilantro
2 tomatoes
1 tsp whole garam masala
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 potato cut into
1 cauliflower cut into florettes
1 tsp sugar
Cilantro to garnish

Method of Preparation

1. Add the turmeric and 1/2 the salt to the fish.
2. Heat the oil and add fry the fish till lightly browned on both sides. (takes about 15 minutes.
3. In the remaining oil lightly fry the sliced onion till brown.
4. Grind the tomato, chillies,cilantro, ginger and remaining salt to a paste.
5. Add to the onions with the garam masal and cumin-coriander and cook stirring frequently till well cook and the oil appears on the surface.
6. Add the cauliflower and potato and stir well and add 1 cup water.
7. Cook till the vegetables are soft add the fish and sugar and cook for 7 minutes.
8. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
7. Cover and

Piajkolir pulao

2008-04-19T22:37:00.001-07:00

A really light and elegant pulao, very understated and worked just fine, it can compliment most meals from elaborate to extensive.

Piajkolir Pulao -Spring Onion Pillaf

Serves -4 -6

Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee
1 cup chopped spring onions
1 cup washed Govinda Bhog rice
1 tsp garam masala powder
2-3 whole bay leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the ghee and add the onions and the rice and brown well, stirring constantly for 5-10 minutes.
2. Add the garam masala, bay leaves, turmeric salt and sugar with 1 and a half cup of water.
3. Bring to a boil and then cook covered on low heat for 20 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and let this sit for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and enjoy with any dish of your choice.

Chaaper Kabab

2008-04-17T11:26:00.001-07:00

Champ refers to the rib pieces of the lamb, goat or cow. In bengali is is pronounced, chaap, with a slight m intonation prior to the p. This word was something I stumbled upon, first when I used to pick up kolkatta ishyle junk or fast food aka kabiraji cutlet, mutton rolls, etc, etc in gariahata joints. My friend Arpita lived right in the vicintity, I shall later on blog about recipes from Arpita's household, good Christmas recipes. Anyhow, I browse through this menu, see this word motton champ and think this is some bizzare typo.

A few weeks later someone visits our house and my mother cooks these really good mutton (goat ribs), so this person asks her how she cooks the champ and I realize that it is indeed a real word. So now you wonder whether I have any clue about meat and groceries, and the answer is that at that age no. See a bengali genteelwoman, is really sheltered from the vagaries of the grocery market, especially the meat bazaar. It certainly was not seemly,

Well fortunately or unfortanely, somewhere along this walk of life, I did learn how to do grocery shopping and consequently also learn how to cook.

In New York, what I get readily are lamb rib chops, this is a very simply way of how I cook them.

Chaaper Kabab - Spicy Lamb Rib Chops

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3/4 cup yogurt
6 green chillies
1 small onion
4 cloves garlic
1 1 inch piece ginger
1 tsp salt
10 lamb rib chops
10 whole red chillies
1 tbsp whole garam masala

Method of preparation

1. Blend the yogurt, chillies, onions, garlic and ginger into a paste.
2. Stir in the salt.
3. Marinate the lamb in this mixture for 2-4 hours.
4. Mix in the chilies and garam masala.
5. Pre-heat the oven and broil for 10-15 minutes on low on each.
6. Serve alone or with rice.

Lau-Kakra

2008-04-17T11:25:00.001-07:00

Lau Kakra – Crabmeat with Zucchini or Bottle Gourd
Makes six servings
Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp whole garam Masala
1 onion chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin coriander powder
1 tomato
2 cups chopped cubed bottle gourd or zucchini
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 green chilies
1 cup lump-styled crabmeat
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp fragrant garam Masala

Method of Preparation

Heat the oil. Add the nigella seeds and garam Masala.
In a few seconds, add the onions, ginger-garlic paste and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the powdered spices, tomato, bottle gourd and salt. Cook stirring well for 10 minutes until the vegetable is browned.
Mix in the chilies, sugar and crabmeat. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes on low heat covered.
Remove the cover. Mix in the ghee and garam Masala, and serve.

Spicy Mustard-Mayo

2008-04-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

This condiment works well with most chops and fried fish dishes. It is really a good mixture of classic mayo and wonderful bengali mustard. It keeps for a week, but since the mustard is fresh it gets rather strong after that. I make this to use up fresh mustard paste when I make extra.

Spicy Mustard Mayonaise.

Makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup lofat mayonaise
3 finely minced green chillies
2 tbsp fresh mustard paste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp minced onions
1 small tomato, finely chopped

Method of Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients and let this sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Use as needed.

Ranga-Alu ar dimer bora

2008-04-07T19:54:00.003-07:00

This recipe is as simple as it gets, but it was one of those discoveries that just so gladdened the heart. I don't know about you but nothing gives me a greater high mostly on days when I think I have "so had it" with the insanely fast paced NY world when I see the first little daffodil peeking out of the mostly melted snow. The little ones never cease to wonder and then of course there are my creations in that space called kitchen or my hang out joint. Yes, it sounds funny, but the kitchen is my domain and little things like my euphoria over a new spice or the hits and misses of a new food experiment is something that I enjoy, create and enjoy here.

Well, this recipe was a hit,

Ranga-alu ar dimer bora - Sweet potato and egg fritters

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 sweet potato
3/4 cup gramflour (besan)
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, well beaten
4 green chillies minced
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp lime juice
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the sweet potato (I microwave this for 2-3 minutes), peel and mash.
2. Mix with al the remaining ingredients.
3. Heat the oil in a karahai (wok) and drop large tablespoons of the mixture.
5. The mixture puff and spreads out much like a thick small pancake.
6. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, drain and serve with rice and dal or khichuri.

Trout macher aam jhol

2008-04-07T19:54:00.001-07:00

A very interesting preparation, inspired by Bangla biriyani and kabab house recipe. This is a joint we had stumbled upon, as usual browsing through Jackson Heights in Queens. I am always torn between Little Indian, in the twenties and Lexington, in Manhattan, Ny and of course schlepping to Queens. The two Indian hubs offer very different experiences, the one in Manhattan is more compact, with a neater series of restaurants with an emphasis on South Indian and Pakistani/North Indian cuisines.

Jackson Heights, Queens is chaotic, filled with food markets, bazaars and any food shops that you can possibly think of.

Anyhow, they had this dish with Telapia, and had potatoes. I passed on the potatoes and cooked this with trout, another fresh water fish that can be effectively used for everyday bengali cooking.

Trout Maacher Aam Jhol - Trout cooked in a green mango gravy

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 lbs. cleaned dressed trout steaks.
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger-cumin coriander paste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 green mango peeled and coarsely chopped

Method of Preparation

1. Marinate the fish in the salt (1 tsp) and turmeric.
2. Rub with a little oil (1 tbsp) and broil the fish till lightly golden.
3. Heat the remaining oil and lightly brown the onion.
4. Add the ginger paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the chili powder and 2 cups of water and the remaining salt.
6. Bring to a simmer and add the green mango and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Check the seasonings and mix in the fish and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
8. Serve with rice and dal.

The streetcar named marriage

2008-03-31T19:41:00.000-07:00

Marriage is like any other relationship that two people participate in closely together in, it takes balance, takes accomodation and making things work. People sometimes tell me they think my husband and I work so amazingly well together. The reality is, it is that we have like several other smart people to understand what we do well together and what we do not. It stills does not mean that we do not have our fights and issues, but overall we tend to steer clear of a lot of problems.

What probably facinates me is, how much the tenacity to endure the mundane is what makes a peaceful marriage. No, it is not being cynical, just realizing how much sometimes we take for granted. These days, I am surrounded by so my friends who have spent anywhere in the neighbourhood of 8 - 15 years of happy (or maybe not so) matrimony. For some strange reason, most of my friends have unions, that make my marriage seem so conventional. What is speaking a different language, compared to my cantonese-israeli friends who manage to piece together, religions, language and continents, or my french-punjabi friends who also merge religions, language and races or my bengali-italian friends - S &D.

The last couple has been on my mind for a bit, until recently they often left us wistful after visits to their house. They were beautiful, dazzling and just full or zest and vim. It amazed me that even after their child, they had time for ballroom dancing lessons, he retained the time for his "open-mike" nights. Somehow the simplicity of knowing, my husband always dusted the snow of my car if he went out first on a snowy morning seemed, well, so suburban. Well, unfortunately, S&D's little daughter developed a whole chockful of eating problems, which in most cases lead to sleeping problems. This in turn resulted in a somewhat mundane life for Mom and Dad. I was amazed to see how quickly this marriage crumbled under pressure.

Well, in the interest of adapting, here is a really interesting creation with Ilish Maach or Hilsa. This is available in Bangadeshi grocery stores, but a good substitute for this is Shaad, that can be found in season in the New York area. I have aquired a taste for Shaad, although others insist this fish does not hold a candle to its bengali cousin - Ilish. Traditionally, Hilsa is cooked with mustard spicing and my husband likes it this way. I wanted to try something different and this very simple recipe emerged.

Tetul Ilish - Hilsa cooked in tamarind sauce

Served 4

Ingredients

1 lb Hilsa or Shad Steaks
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
1 inch piece ginger
2 green chillies
1/3 cup mustard oil
1/3 cup tamarind paste
1/3 cup tamarind chutney

Method of Preparation

1. Marinate the fish with turmeric, salt and red chili powder.
2. Make a paste with the ginger and green chillies and rub with the fish as well.
3. Heat the oil and add the fish and cook for 7 minutes, until golden on one side.
4. Mix both the tamrind paste and chutney well.
5. Turn the fish and add the tamarind mixture.
6. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the mixture is fairly dry.
7. Turn once, and cook till the tamarind is well absorbed.
8. This tastes good with rice or even by itself.

So you read, this and wonder where is the compromise, well, well, well, tonight my husband was disappointed about not having his mustard fix. Here I was thrilled with this creation, well, I peeked in the fridge and noticed some Bhindi or Okra. I whipped up some Shorshe Bhindi as the vegetable for the evening and we are still living happily so far....

Shorshe Bhindi - Okra in Mustard Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp panch phoron
1 lb Okra - (tips trimmed and cut lengthwise)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp fresh mustard paste

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the panch-phoron.
2. When this begins to splutter add the okra with the salt and turmeric.
3. Cook covered on low for 8 minutes.
4. Add in the mustard paste and stir well.
5. Cook on high for another 5 minutes stirring frequently.
6. Serve with the fish and hot white rice.

On Motherhood - Soy-Pinadas

2008-03-22T23:11:00.001-07:00

Motherhood at least to me was one of those experiences that you have thought about all your life, anticipated and wondered and fantasized about. But like all experiences it is never what you think it will be.

Life and circumstances do not make me available to track every breath that the children take. I am not sure how much I would relish doing that, but sometimes on very frantic days I wish I had more time with them and then again when they are at home sick, the house is in a complete mess, I am getting sleep deprived such novel thinking goes out of the window.

But, I jest, in essence it is one of those amazing experience that you trade nights of sleep for, give up your love of refined starches to introduce whole grains to your childs life, you world lights up when the little one wipes his dirty nose on you dress and chortles, "Ma, I love you!". You perfect the unkempt hassled look, without a care in the world.

In thinking of introducing all the wonderful healthy creations that are natures bouty, I have created this cocktail a much lighter, healthier version of the wonderful pina-colada, a tall iced glass relaxes and nourishes at the same time. So here's to motherhood.

Soy-Pinada

Makes 4 glasses

Ingredients

4 cups fresh chopped pineapple
2 cups light silk
1/4 cup pure turbinado sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/3 cup rum
1/3 cup tripple-sec
1 cup ice cubes

Method of Preparation

1. Place all the ingredients except the ice and alcohol in the blender and blend into a fine smoothie.
2. Now add the remaining ingredients and blend till well mixed.
3. Serve in tall glasses and enjoy.

The one that got away - Kabiraji Cutlets

2008-03-20T22:08:00.001-07:00

Was on vacation, found these really good organic chicken cutlets. I was reminded of the Durga Puja outings that we had as kids. Any bengali worth their panch-phoron know and is excited about Durga Puja. Growing up with Dida, the four days of puja, entailed getting up fasting till Anjali (floral offering to the goddess) and then eating the bhog (meal cooked for Durga). The bhog consisted of vegetarian offerings usually khichuri and other fried bhajas cooked in the community style.

The evenings were a different story. The city was transformed into a magical wonderland! Each block had its own Durga, made differently, decorated and designed differently. Making protimas or clay images are a full-time occupation for the designers. While Durga Puja is the largest festival, there are religious festivals with similar images all through the year. The evenings were enjoyed by most by visiting the different pandals and of course eating the wonderful street food - phuchkas, rolls, cutlets.

A bengali cutlet, is usually a fish or meat fillet, well spiced coated with bread crumbs and fried. A kabiraji cutlet is a special variation, where the coating is made of eggs along with the breadcrumbs. I really don't have an exact recipe for this, but I make a variation the following manner. I serve this with a spicy mayonaise recipes that works well, but so does ketchup.

Kabiraji Cutlets - Chicken cutlets with a whipped egg coating

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

10 green chillies
1 small onion
1 lime
2 tbsp ginger-cumin coriander paste
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
10 chicken cutlets
3 eggs
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Make a paste with the onion, chillies and lime juice.
2. Mix with the ginger paste and 1 tsp salt and turmeric.
3. Marinate the chicken with this for at least 2 hours or longer.
4. Separate the eggs (whites from the yolks).
5. Whip the whites till fairly stiff.
6. Mix the yolks with the flour and breadcrumbs.
7. Stir in the whites,
8. Heat the oil till smoking, coat the chicken well with the batter.
9. Gently lower and cook on low till done.

Jane Austen and Posto Murgi

2008-03-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

For someone raised on a diet of classics and "so-called" intellectual romance, Jane Austen was a relatively late read. Well, for starters, it was not a part of my reading curriculum and therefore just not a part of "horizon broadening experience" among the first books that lay claim to such fame.

However, at the risk of sounding cliched, the cream rises to the top. I did discover Jane Austen, loved reading Pride and Prejudice and have shed many a tear over the movie. Well, just very recently over a dish of lovely, creamy, posto murgi, (chicken with poppy seeds.), I watched this movie call becomming Jane. I had no idea what her life was like and this movie touched me to the core. Well, this chicken dish is lovely smooth and delicate, with or without movie.

Posto Murgi - Chicken with a poppy-seed sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tbsp oil
1 onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp whole garam masala
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli
1 lb chicken, (I use boneless thighs)
1/2 cup poppy seed paste (posto)
1/3 cup cashews with 2 tbsp milk

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes till turning brown.
2. Add the ginger-garlic, garam masala, cumin-coriander, chilli and chicken.
3. Cook the chicken on high heat stirring frequently till well browned and the oil separates from the spice mixture.
4. Lower the heat and add the poppy seed paste with 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Process the cashews with milk to make a creamy paste and mix into the chicken.
6. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Lovely Ritas

2008-03-16T19:40:00.001-07:00

Alcohol is really to stanger to the average food loving, romantic bengali. Even early romatic novels have several love-lorn bengali Romeos such as Devdas drinking down their sorrows over their bottle of favorite alcohol. Additionally the Raj and the sophisticated clubs that are relic of the bygone days of splendour retain the cocktails, good scotch and off course wonderful chilled Indian beer.

While I love my drink to my preffered drink of choice is lovely red red wine. For the non-Devdases (bengali Romeos), the alcohol and music flows in various wonderful forms. Music along with the drinks makes for a good backdrop to the adda (stimulating intellectual conversation.) A wonderful brand of music a lot of my generation Anglophiles or not can relate to not other than the Beattles. So here is a cocktail called, "Lovely Rita" dedicated to my dear friend Saurabh.

Lovely Rita

For 2 drinks

Ingredients

6 strawberries
4 oz orange juice
1 oz rum
1/2 oz tripple sec
1 tbsp powdered jaggery
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh juice of two limes

Method of preparation

1. Blend all the ingredients for at least 2 min in a blender.
2. Serve on the rocks and enjoy with or without company.

Kacha Aam Pora

2008-03-16T19:39:00.002-07:00

Mashed vegetables are eaten as a starter in bengali food in several variations. The most elementary of these are bhate, which literally means in rice, originating from vegetables such as potatoes, pumpkin cooked together with the rice. These are then fished out and mashed with mustard oil and salt. Another variation of these vegetables are pora or bhorta. In pora, the vegetables are cooked with their skin on over a live flame till the skin chars, this is cooled and then peeled of and the vegetable is mashed coarsely and seasoned lightly with spices and eaten with rice and dal.

The most common variation of pora is begun or eggplant. Someone has told me about kancha aam or green mango being done this way. Now, while everyone adores mangoes, green mangoes are that gift of early summer in India that brings back fond girlhood memories. This intense tart unripe mango is enjoyed raw with spicy seasoning and in bengali cooking as chutney.
So, when I popped the green mango on the gas stove, little did I know that I would be treated to an amazingly beautiful gastronomical surprise. The skin chars beautifully cooking the mango into a mellow smooth texture.

Kacha Aam Pora

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

1 green mango
1 large boiled potato
1 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 crushed red chilli
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method of Preparation.

1. Place the mango on an open flame and cook for 15 minutes turning and moving the fruit till the skin is uniformly charred.
2. Cool and peel evenly.
3. Mash this with the potato.
4. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and cook till they darken and add in the red chilli and onion and lightly cook till translucent.
5, Mix in the mango mixture with the remaining spices.
6. Serve with rice and dal.

Peper Chocka

2008-03-16T19:39:00.001-07:00

A choka, is an interesting creation, in that it is not a part of the typical repetoirre of bengali vegetable styles - paturi that reffers to fish or vegetables seasoned with mustard, wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed, dalna that is a thick vegetable gravy based dish, chorchori - a dry mixed vegetable melange, checki - a stir fry of usually single vegetable seasoned with kalo jire or black carraway seeds.

A chokka, is usually made with pumkin and chick-peas. Well, I had some green papaya in my kitchen, (green papaya is a very common visitor in my house) and I made this peper (papaya) chokka.

Peper Chokka -Green Papaya with green Chickpeas

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion thinly sliced
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cups grated green papaya
1/2 tsp turmeric
3/4 cup cooked green chickpeas
1 tsp salt
2 slit green chillies
1 tsp ground garam masala
1 tsp ghee

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds.
2. Add the onion and ginger with the papaya and turmeric and cook for 7 minutes till the papaya begins to turn golden and add all the remaining ingredients except the ghee.
3. Mix well and cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the ghee and mix well, serve with ruti and dal.

Brocolli Chechki - Pan Roasted Broccolli with Nigella seeds.

2008-03-08T19:21:00.001-08:00

A little extra care. Somethings in life remain undiscovered until we have the time to pay adequate attention to them, the attention and care takes these seemingly uninteresting things out of the realm of the ordinary to a place of respectability.

Ok, cutting through the chase, brocolli is not something that I had given a whole load of thought to, I bring it home once in a while to make myself feel virtuous, cook it, puree it, somehow make a meal out of it. Well last week, I spent a little more time with the brocolli and the result was that this nutritutious green was converted to a lovely bengali dish that worked wonderfully with the rest of the meal.

A chechki in bengali cooking is a drier vegetable preparation where the vegetables are seasoned with nigella seeds (kalo jire) and cooked in a dry preparation. The most common variation is potatoes, here is my variation with brocolli.

Brocolli Chechki - Pan Roasted Brocolli with Nigella Seeds

Serves 4

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp grated ginger
1 small onion finely chopped
1 dried red chili
1 tsp salt
2 cups brocolli florrets

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the nigella seeds, quickly followed by the ginger, onion and red chili.
2. Cook for a few minutes and add the salt and broccolli cook on medium heat for 20 minutes stiring frequently.
3. The key to have the brocolli begin to turn brown, but not get burned.

Bengali Calamari

2008-03-08T19:20:00.004-08:00

I love calamari or squid. It is impossible for me to go somewhere there is an option to order this fried, I have to have it. Well, learning to cook squid has been quite a learning experience. Cooking with seafish is just a completely alien concept, traditional bengali fish is river fish, the closest one gets to seafish is shrimp and the occasional pomfret. Anyhow, here is how I tranformed the Calamari and this bengali incarnation suits it very well. The key here is not to use frozen squid since it tends to be rather hard, also I stay away from the tentacles when making this dish.

Calamari Macher Bora - Bengali Calamari Fritters

Makes enough for a small crowd.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh squid cleaned well.
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
3/4 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1/2 cup rice flour
1 tsp nigella seeds (kalo jire)
1 small onion finely chopped
2 green chillies chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Cut the squid into rings and rub with the turmeric and 1/2 the salt and set aside.
2. Mix the remaining salt with the besan and rice flour and add in the remaining ingredients except the all.
3. Mix into a thick batter with cold water, wisking well.
4. Heat the oil in a karahi till smoking.
5. Dip the squid and add to the oil, cook in batches till done, serve with ketchup or your favorite condiment.

Tel Muri - Spicy Puffed Rice

2008-03-08T19:20:00.003-08:00

Ok. so today in New York, there is very little that is not available. What has really changed over the passed decade plus of my life here is the prolificness of bangali supplies, actually for that matter any ethnic supplies, without looking too far one can get down to regional variations of products. My children and husband love puffed rice commonly sold as Mamra/puffed rice known as muri in bengali.

Speaking of regional specificities when I went to Queens, NY I was rather suprised to see quite a large selection of imported products from Bangadesh, including Muri that was sand puffed or as the label clearly stated, "Balubhaja". In fact, it is quite a common site in the roads in Kolkatta to see people puffing the rice on dark sand to make muri. There are several ways to eat muri as a snack, my favorite variation is seasoned with mustard oil aptly called tel-muri. Try this with your favorite cup of tea, nothing to give you that pick-up after that long day at work.

Tel-muri - Spicy Puffed Rice

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

1 cup puffed rice or muri
1/2 cup Indian snack mixture (chanachur) sold also in most Indian groceries
1-2 green chillies minced
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp mustard oil

Method of Preparation

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Serve with a strong cup of tea.
2

Romance and the Rains

2008-03-08T19:20:00.001-08:00

"Western wind, when will thou blow The small rain down can rain? Christ, if my love were in my arms And I in my bed again!"

Anonymous - 16Th Century.

Well, the above is one of my favorite verses, I so love the rain as do most Bengalis. Yes, rain in almost all of Indian brings with it the coziness of snow in the west. Rain, reminds you of nights spent reading, pouring rain is white noise that soothes and rain also stimulates a craving for spicy street food. When I think of rains and street food, the reminiscences of first (shall we say infatuation!) come to mind. I was the studious bespectacled girl, who kept hoping that the football jock would notice her. Ironically enough, this football jock prided himself on 3-month relationships and 6-8 "affairs" a year. As if in those days of innocence we even knew what such a term meant.

Well, love to us was surreptitiously sneaking in some food in a restaurant or on a rainy day getting street food such as a moghlai paratha or phuchka. A phuchka is this balloon like crisp, that gets filled with a potato chick mixture, dipped into this intense spicy water and popped into one mouth as fast as the puchkaman (street vendor), pops it. Most people thing its the meld of all these amazing spices that make the experience unique and something that we come back several times for. Well, recently our local indian store has opened a Chaat section, which among other things serves phucka. My now 5-year old wanted to try it, well she could not handle the spice or the size of this mouth-popper but boy is she hooked!!! So contrary to popular opinion, it just is the experience rather than any one element that makes the phuchka special.Now, I have to customize them to suit the new york KG version but it is so well worth it.

Now back to the jock. Needless to mention several phuckas later (3-4 dates) he informed me that he loved me like a "brother" and would love to stay in touch. It took lots of tears to get over that one, but I still love phucka on a rainy or sunny day and still am soothed by pouring rain.

Puchka - Indian Stuffed Balloon Crisps

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 pkg store bought puchkas (sold in Indian store as pani-puri)

Filling

2 boiled potatoes
1/2 cup cooked chick peas
1 tsp black salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

For the water

1 tsp black salt
2 tbsp corinader leaves
1 green chilli
2 limes
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
6 cups water

Other

1 pkg store bought puchkas (sold in Indian store as pani-puri)

Method of Preparation

1. Mix all the ingredients for the filling by mashing them together and set aside.
2. Blend all the ingredients for the water with 1 cup water and mix with the remaining water.
3. To serve, pop the phuckas, fill with some of the filling and either pop right into your mouth or serve to someone whose mouth you want to filled with a mouthful of tingling, tangy happiness.

Mustard Mashed Potatoes

2008-03-02T22:04:00.001-08:00

A way to a man's heart is through his stomach! Yes, this is a well known phase, how true this is I do not know. I have to confess there are three men in my life who I have cooked a lot for, cooked with love, caring and an intent to impress - my Bapi (father), my brother and my husband. I think luckily for me your place in your father or brother's heart is guaranteed, so I just cook for them to make myself happy!

Let us talk about what my husband how he related to my love for experimenting with flavors and food. Yes, I do try to please my husband's heart through food, the testimony to this is my success with fish and experimentation with fish flavors. As my mother says, my husband is a fisheaterian. So in an equal opportunity world, if my husband tried to woo me back with food we would end up being one fat family, no he connects with me over food as well, we both love food, wine, travel and tea. But he does not cook he tastes discerns and provides feedback - honest objective and real feedback, what makes it valuable is that he has a very discerning palate with a few exceptions - he does not like cardamom and does not really like the fish head. Oh well, even discounting that he passes the taster test.

Here is a dish that took a tiny bit of trial and error, it is simple but like most dishes with melded flavor the flavors have to be just right. This is a variation of both classic mashed potatoes and alu bhate and claims a special place unique just to itself.

Shoshe Makhon Alu - Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

4-6 idaho potatoes boiled in their jackets
2 tsp salt
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
4 tbsp mustard oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion finely chopped.

Method of Preparation

1. Mash the potatoes with all the ingredients and let this sit for 10 minutes.
2. Serve as an accompaniment to any meal of your choice.

Basic Outside Spices

2008-03-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

Of course in general traditional bengali spices are simple flavorful and does the trick better than anything else when it comes to bengali cooking. But in general bengali experimentation makes one want to broaden the horizons. Just like soy sauce and vinegars are the main stay of a lot of urban bengali kitchens, some staples that I have come to meld into every day cooking are,

Tandoori Masala: I use the commercial variety, this simple blend of spices makes a great rub or marinade and can add some zest to dishes without too much fuss.

Coconut Bread Pudding

2008-02-24T11:20:00.002-08:00

Here is dressing up another classic. Puddings are one of those relics that are left over from the days of the Raj. Even 20-25 years back prevalences of this culture was very evident in the middle class life-style. Multinational executives such as my father or uncle usually had several perks including the company paid cook. Most of such employees repetoirre included the "bread and butter pudding."

My first introduction to making this pudding was from my dida, who being married to a doctor in the army had seen her share of the good life, but she had also survived up and downs of traveling having a spouse away in Burma while she stayed in KolKatta raising her little children. Dida taught me the traditional steaming method.

Well, I have taken that good old "bread and butter" pudding and indianized it with coconut, saffron and jaggery. Serve this simple and satisfying dessert hot and you shall warm or charm the toughest of customers.

Coconut Bread Pudding

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

10 slices 2-day old white bread
3 tbsp soft butter
2 cans coconut milk
4 eggs
1 cup powdered jaggery
2 tsp saffron strands
1/2 cup dark large raisins

Method of Preparation

1. Trim the crusts of the bread and lightly coat with half the butter. Cut into cubes.
2. Grease a square casserole with the remaining butter.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
4. In a mixing bowl, empty the coconut milk, eggs and jaggery and leave for 10-15 minutes to soften the jaggery.
5. Using an electric mixer or a form beat till well blended. Stir in the saffron and raisins.
6. Mix in the bread cubes and pour onto the casserole.
7. Bake till lightly for 35-40 minutes.
8. Cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm.

Shimoyer Payesh

2008-02-24T11:20:00.001-08:00

A payesh is the most classic of bengali dessert, it sort of takes the place of cake in western dessert parlance. In essense a base of thickened milk and cardamom or saffrom incoporates other ingredients such as cheese (channa), rice or in the case of this recipe- vermicelli. I like this particular version to use thin roasted vermicelli (shimoy), that is usually available in most Indian grocery stores. If unable to find this, broken roasted angel hair pasta can be substituted but the result is not quite so delicate, but fairly acceptable.

Shimoyer Payesh - Vermicelli Pudding

Serves 10

Ingredients

1 can evaporated milk
1 quart 2% or whole milk
2-3 cardamoms
1/4 cup raisins
1 cup thin vermicelli
3/4 cup sugar

Garnish

Powdered Pitachious (optional)

Method of preparation

1. Heat the evaporated milk with the regular milk.
2. Simmer with the cardamoms for 10 minutes.
3. Add the raisins and vermicelli and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the sugar and let this cool.
5. Serve garnished with the pistachious if using.

Shootki Maach in Hudson Valley Style

2008-02-24T11:19:00.002-08:00

What you might want to know is shuutki maach. well it means dried fish..

This is sort of a speciality particularly amongst people with Bangladeshi or East Bengali roots. Yes, with all this hoopla about bengali culture, language, etc even we bengalis have divisions, largely after the geographical divide between Bangaladesh and West Bengal, India which was originally predicated on religion, leaving the hindu east bengalis aka bangals to move to westbengals. These so bangals brought with them perseverence and simplicity as well as a love of frugal food. So dried little fish that is later hydrated and cooked with an infusion of spices is no exception.

Ok, in the Hudson valley I substitute this very effectively with Bacalou or salt cod. Actually I use this for quite a few things, including a drop dead variation of macher chop or fish chops. That has become quite the hit for parties, etc. Anyhow, here is a good simple recipe with Salt Cod

To Hydrate the cod,

Soak in plenty of water for 24 hours, the water needs to be changed at least 3-4 times during this process to ensure that most of the salt gets cleared out.

Shuutki Maacher Jhol - Salt Cod in very spicy gravy

Ingredients

5-6 medium sized pieces of hydrated salt cod
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
Juice of one lime
1 tbsp cumin-coriander seeds
1 large piece ginger
2-3 dried red chillies
1/3 cup mustard oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 small onion chopped
2-3 green chillies

Method of Preparation

1. Rub the fish with turmeric and chilli powder. Squeeze the lime juice.
2. Grind the cumin-coriander seeds with the ginger, red chillies and 2-3 tbsp water in the wet dry grinder.
3. Heat half the oil and lightly fry the fish pieces.
4. Add the remaining oil and add the onion and garlic.
5. When this is begining to brown add the spice paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add 1/2 cup water with the slit green chillies bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Gently lower the fish into the gravy and cook for 5 more minutes.
8. Serve with white rice.

Dr. Seus, rules of life and adapting!

2008-02-24T11:19:00.001-08:00

I am a passionate and voracious reader, I am always processing and replicating the written word, my pre-school children have introduced me to a world of literature that I was not sure 'existed. Dr. Seuss the wizzard of children's literature is one such creation, his insightful nonsense rhyme ranges from profound to imaginative.

"One fish, two fish, black fish, blue fish, old fish, new fish,
This one has a little star, This one has a little car.
Say! what a lot of fish there are."

Variations, moderations and making things work is the rule of life, for any tranferance of culture, whether in the Hudson Valley or beyond. These days, I actually feel quite comfortable accepting this as a basic fact of life simply because we really live in a global world, yes, I truly wish I could have everyone in my life encompassed in the small 10 blocks between Rawdon, Kolkatta to Lake Gardens, Kolkatta that had been my geographical universe growing up.

Interestingly enough, no matter how small the geographical slice is, we human beings can still can find ways to divide ourselves, but ironically enough by the same token no matter how wider the divisions are, should we want to, we also find ways to unite ourselves.

So the following recipe is actually in that concept, sweet achaars (pickles) are common in bengali cuisine but usally made of unripe green mangoes, kool (indian plum), and such. I have substituted dense, hard tart partially unripe peaches in this recipe to replicate one such sweet achar.

Peach Faller Achaar - Sweet and Spicy Peach Pickle

Serve 15-20

Ingredients

10 hard southern peaches
4 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp mustard oil
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tsp whole panch phoron
1 tsp bhaja masala
1 tsp powdered panch phoron
1/2 cup powdered jaggery or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar

Method of Preparation.

1. Seed and cut the plums into wedges, smear with the salt, turmeric and chili powder.
2. Spread on a flat tray and set aside to dry in the sun for 4-5 days.
3. Heat the oil and add the ginger and the panch phoron.
4. When this splutters add the powdered spices and the drained peaches and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the brown sugar and vinegar and boil for 10 minutes.
6. Cool and place in tight fitting jars and use as needed.

Peac

Alu Maach Bhujri - Fish Potato Pancakes

2008-02-24T11:18:00.002-08:00

There is an interesting variation in bengali cooking that is floating around haute bengali cuisine called Bhorta, a term refering to mush. I personally believe this is an attempt to make the traditionally bengali bhate (boiled seasoned mashed vegetables), sound hip. Except that this bhorta concept also extends to chicken and fish.

Well, I love playing around with potato pancakes. I feel these delectable creatures have tremenous room for improvement. I add all kinds of ingredient to the classic shredded potatoes, in this case flaked fish (can be cooked salt fish or canned tuna) and my bengali name for them is bhujri.

Alu maach bhujri - Fish Potato Pancakes

Serve 4-6

Ingredients

2 large idaho potatoes
1 onion
2-3 green chillies
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 minced green chillies
3 tbsp besan or chick pea flour
1 tbsp cornstarch or rice flour
1/2 cup flaked fish
1 egg
Oil for shallow frying

Method of Preparation

1. Peel and grate the potatoes, grate the onion, place in a colander and set aside to drain for 30 minutes.
2. Squeeze out all the excess water and add the cilantro, chillies, chickpea flour, rice flour, fish and egg.
3. Heat the oil and drop spoonfuls of the mixture and fry till crisp and well done.
4. Serve as a snack or a side-dish.

Mango Nababi Kosha - Rich mutton cooked in a dry style

2008-02-24T11:18:00.001-08:00

Here is a variation on the classic kosha mangsho(slow cooked dry mutton), with a little help from some external spicing (It uses a generous touch of tandoori masala- a north Indian style barbeque spice and the process gets some help from the use of a pressure cooker.

A pressure cooker is a must have in most Indian houses, since it speeds up to process of cooking lentils and rice tremendously. This used to be something like an ongoing dowry, in that we did put the trusty prestige pressure cookers in the dishwasher which significantly shortened their lives. Hence, every time my mother-in-law visits she brings us one or two new ones. About a year back, fed-up of this exercise I went with one of my students to Fortuneoff. With a lot of trepidation I bought a Fagor pressure cooker, which does explicitly tell you not to place it in the dishwasher. But I have to tell you I am hooked, the wonderful dial that lets you release steam right away or thicken the gravy is just too good to replace, with the old fashioned very trusty whistle weight. The good old fashoned quick cooker has so amazingly churned up countless stews, khichuris and other wonderfully soothing creations for my two children still works, but has been put on retirement duty,

Mango Nababi Kosha - Rich mutton cooked in a dry slow cooked sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 lbs mutton or lean lamb on the bone
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp tandoori masala
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp oil
2 onions finely chopped
10 cloves of garlic
1 large piece of ginger

Method of Preparation

1. Marinate the meat with the vinegar and dry spices for a few hours.
2. Heat the oil and cook the onions for 5 minutes.
3. Process the ginger and garlic in a food process and add to the onions with the meat.
4. Cook this mixture on medium heat stirring frequently till the spices are well blended and the oil begins to surface.
5. Place in a pressure cooker with 1/2 cup water and cook under pressure for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the cover and cook on high till the water evaporates and the oil resurfaces. (about 20 minutes).
7. Check seasonings and serve with any bread recipe.

Plastic Chutney

2008-02-24T11:16:00.001-08:00

Even as I write this chronicle, I have to confess that it has been a long time since I have eaten chutney in the context of the bengali meal. A pure bengali meal is not necessarily one that takes several 100 ingredients to prepare, but it is steeped in order, protocol and the order of the courses. A chutney in the bengali context is a sweetened relish usually prepared out of tart products such as tomatoes, pineapples, green mangoes and such. It is served towards the end of the meal with papor aka poppadums, (the trendy lentil wafers that now is served in lieu of crackers at wine-cheese events).

Anyhow, none of the above prepares you to guess what plastic chutney is. I suggest you actually do not cheat, try to guess and then find out what this is. These are delicate, thinly sliced pieces of unripe papaya in a tangy-sweet sauce. It was something my mother made very often while I was growing up, the traditional style of cutting the green papaya for this chutney is into razor thin aproximately 1 cm squares, since my mother made this so frequently she kept the thinness but was more forgiving with the precision of the squares. I do the same, it still looks rather pretty and tastes just amazing.

Plastic Chutney - Green Papaya Chutney

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 limes
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup thinly sliced green papaya cut into 1 cm squares
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp raisins

Method of Preparation

1. Squeeze the lime juice over the sugar.
2. Place in a pan with 1/2 cup water and the salt.
3. Cook on high for 15 minutes till the liquid has almost evaporated.
4. Add the raisins and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Cool and serve with papads or with any other item as a relish.

Tomato Shorshe Chingri

2008-02-10T16:15:00.004-08:00

One simple and interesting combination. This one was adapted from something I had tried in someone house that I had visited with my aunt. As mentioned my post-graduation days consisted of a fair amount of excursions with my family like my aunt in good bengali circles to let the probashi bengali community know that I was available and single. This lady in concern too I think had a single physician son, so the connection. As I said, they rest has dissapeared into the portals of this journey that we call life, but I do remember the dish that I adapted the following recipe from.

Tomato Shorshe Chingri - Shrimp with Tomato and Mustard

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lbs peeled and shelled large shirmp
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tomato
2 green chillies
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp freshly prepared mustard paste

Method of preparation

1. Marinate the shirmp with turmeric and 1 tsp salt for 15 minutes
2. Heat half the oil and sear the shrimp and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil and add the cumin seeds and the ginger paste.
4. Add the cumin-coriander powder.
5. Grind the tomato, green chillies and cilantro in the food processor and add to the oil with the salt.
6. Cook for 10 minutes and add in the shrimp and cook for 10 more minutes.
7. Serve with rice.

Hopta Diner Pulao - Week-night pilaf

2008-02-10T16:15:00.003-08:00

A very simple creation that emerged from my graduate school days. An honest confession, is that the foundations of my culinary days emerged from some well meaning Indian gentlemen who felt the way to a girls heart is to initiate her into the kitchen. I landed in the US, most unprepared to fend for myself. While I have always loved cooking, like most South Calcutta girls, my idea of independence really consistend of taking the bus instead of getting a ride from the driver. I was most unschooled in what my social worker friends would call, "practical life-skills", so I did know how to cream butter and sugar for a cake to perfection, but did not have the first clue to cook rice.

I took a walk after a week, to the closest neighbourhood convienience store and since I did not know my basmati from govinda bhog, I picked up a small bag of rice called Camelia long grained rice. Then I was provided a tutorial in "how not to burn your rice" from four very enthusiastic men, one of whom professed undying love for me with 4 weeks of our cooking lessons. I have no clue where he is, this pursuit of love ranged from the bizzare to the dramatic and then finally upon his graduation he went back to India and found himself a bride who his parents adviced would be very receptive and willing to understand his charms and worth.

Anyhow, the next stages of rice cooking progressed to dressing up rice to make a one dish meal. This is one variation that I often make for a quick weeknight adaptation of pulao.

Hopta Diner Pulao - Week-night Pulao

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp whole garam masala
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tsp ghee
2 tbsp prepared fried onions

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the rice with water, salt, garam-masala and peas. The heat needs to be lowered when the water reaches a boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Cover and leave with the heat turned of for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the ghee and onions and serve.

Badam Diye Cholar Dal

2008-02-10T16:15:00.001-08:00

Cholar dal is the bengali dal for festivities. In this recipe I have replaced the traditional coconut milk with ground almonds. What I find very handy to add a touch of richness to such foods is commercial almond meal, I tend to get this in Trader Joes, I use this in almost anything, from brownies, cookies to typical moghlai style food.
Such a dal works well with rice but really calls for luchi, kachori or dalpuri. These are the stuffed breads that make traditional bengali robibarer khabar. The kachuris are time consuming and an art form in themselves. On some weekends, they do grace my kitchen, not always. The catch-22 with such food, is that they really are company foods, so when one makes them one yearns for good company, the perenial joys of adda (lazy conversation) and honestly a life much, much slower than what today's world with constant wired conections, blackberries and broadbands offer on most days. Back to the catch-22, they are also rather difficult to make for company, since they are so time-consuming.

Badam Diye Cholar Dal - Bengal Gram Dal with Almonds

Lentils and dried beans cook much faster when soaked for a while, I usually tend to remeber this when I am ready to cook, so one of the shortcuts that I employ is to soak it in boiling water while I prepare other things for the remainder of the meal. About half an hour does the trick of soaking in regular water for 2-3 hours.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup cholar (Bengal Gram) Dal (soaked for 30 minutes in hot water)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2-3 green chilies
1 tbsp raisins
1/2 cup almond meal

For the tempering

2 tsp ghee
2-3 bay leaves
1 small piece cinnamon
2-3 cloves
1 dry red chilli

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the dal with the turmeric, salt, sugar and 1.5 cups of water in the pressure cooker for 10 minutes.
2. Stir and mix in the raisins, chillies and almond meal and cook till fairly thick.
3. Heat the ghee and add the whole spices and cook for 10-15 seconds, till they darken.
4. Pour over the dal and stir.
5. Serve with your favorite accompaniment.

Capsicum Mangso

2008-02-10T16:14:00.000-08:00

I can sometimes relate to people complaining when their children leave and go to the west coast. My only sibbling is about 10 years younger than me, and is a big source of solace to have around. He left India about 10 years back, (something my mother really cannot forgive me for) to go to school in Montreal, CA. After graduating he went to work in Boston, which also was not too far away from the Hudson valley. Last year, big company, evil empire Microsoft beconed, so of to Seattle he went. It does feel sad to have him so far away, instead of the spontaneous weekend I end up seeing him only every so many months. He likes to eat and eats well. He has now learnt basic cooking and tends to eat out a lot, however when he visits he craves good bengali food. What results is a few days of good ghoti (west-bengali) cooking where the heat is not intense and tempered with a touch of sugar.

The prefered bengali red-meat of choice is goat meat called mutton. Here is a variation of a mutton curry cooked with capsicums or green bell pepper also something that my brother likes.

Capsicum Mango - Mutton Curry with potatoes and Green Bell Peppers

This dish is best prepared under pressure, so I have provided pressure cooker instructions.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 goat meat on the bone
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1 lime
2 onions
1 large piece ginger
2-4 cloves garlic
3 green chillies
1/6 cup oil
2 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
2 tbsp whole garam masala
2 large tomatoes coarsely chopped
2 small potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
2 green peppers coarsely sliced

Method of Preparation

1. Apply turmeric and salt on the meat. Squeeze the lime juice and set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.

2. Process the onions, ginger, garlic and chillies in a food processor.

3. Heat the oil in a pressure cook and add the onion mixture with the meat. Cook on high for 10 minutes stirring frequently.

4. Add the powdered spices with the garam masala and strir and cook for 10 more minutes.

5. Add the potatoes and mix and cook for 5 minutes.

6. Add the tomatoes and peppers and mix well. Add one cup water, check seasonings, and cook under pressure for 15 minutes.

7. Cool slightly and serve with rice, luchi or ruti.

Bhgetable Chop

2008-01-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

Well, let us see so many boy meets girl or for that matter girl meets boy stories start so well, with a lot of promise and anticipation with even people looking to see what happens between boy and girl. One such story was boy meets girl, boy sets out to charm and conquer given than girl was more effervecent and bubbly than anything he had ever seen, girl succumbs to such an ultimate brand of chasing and sheer intrigue. Girl and Boy fall in love( at least think they do), boy sets out to control and tame the girl, for a while the girl respond after a while she rebels, he tries to coax, cajole and adapt and then he leaves. Girl is devasated for a year she is unable to move on, finally decides studying for the CPA exams will give her focus, it was difficult between nursing a very broken heart, fending off unwanted suitors, making a living, reading the accounting books were one more unneccesary thing.

However, Girl clears the exams, two years later meets a computer scientist who is some ways is even stranger than the "one that got away", but this time it works. Today she cooks both food and the books, takes care of the CS and the two amazingly special children that they have produced. Yes, this is my story so sometime bad things in life are a precursor for the good things to come.

Well, these are just the kind of things that are discussed over tea, I have to confess I had a sort of sureal existence in south cal during my teenage years, where I knew about the girl/boy dating and adda but sort stayed away. Anyhow in general a bengali adda (intellectual discussion is really incomplete without good snacksm the priemier snack if of course chops in all their various incarnations)

Let us start with the Bhejetable chop, this is a good vegetable croquet bengali style. The bengali language does not have certain replacements for english letters and one of these missing letters is the letter V, which is pronourced in the vernacular as Bhe, hence my title.

Bhegetable Chops - Bengali vegetable croquets.

Makes 10 chops.

Ingredients

1 beet
1 potato
1 carrot
2 tbsp roated peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp bhaja masala
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup white flour
1 cup bread crumbs
Oil for frying

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the vegatables till soft, cool and mash.
2. Mix with the peanuts, coriander leaves, bhaja masala, salt and sugar.
3. Mix the white flour with some water to make a batter.
4. Shape the vegetable mixture into slightly oval shapes.
5. Dip into the batter coat well with the bread crumbs and place onto the plate.
6. Continue this process till all of them are coated and leave in the refrigerator for 1 hour or longer.
7. Heat the oil and test with a bread crumb, it should rise immediately to the top.
8. Fry each chop till well browned and serve with ketchup and tea.

Pepe Murgir Jhol - Chicken and Green Papaya Curry

2007-12-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

It is interesting how many ways nutritious vegetables are thrown into essential bengali food and cooking. Once common vegetable used in various forms in the papaya - the green unripe version is added to different curries, such as this light chicken curry. The chicken is cooked in delicate stew format and makes a wonderful supper with or without rice for a cold day. The kids and I are quite hooked onto this simple dish, I sometimes eat this in a bowl with just a hint of rice.

Pepe Murgir Jhol - Chicken and Green Papaya Stew

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 small chicken, jointed
1 lime
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
1 onion very finely chopped
1 large piece ginger
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp whole garam masala
2 potatoes peeled and quartered
1/2 small green papaya peeled and cut into small pieces
1 large carrot cut into pieces
1/2 cup peas
2 tomatoes cut into quarters

Method of Preparation

1. Squeeze the lime on the chicken and rub with the salt and turmeric and set aside for 30 min.
2. Heat the oil and add the onion and chicken and cook stirring frequently.
3. Grind the ginger, coriander, cumin and black pepper into a paste and add to the chicken.
4. Cook stirring frequently for about 15 minutes.
5. Add the remaining vegetables, with 2 cups of water, place in a pressure cooker and cook under pressure for about 15 minutes.

Khejurer Gurer Payesh

2007-11-25T21:31:00.000-08:00

A good payesh is a thing of beauty and a joy for ever. This thanksgiving weekend, I introduced my husband to another interesting bengali wonder - khejur gur or bengali date jaggery. One of the greatest joys of my marriage is that while I am a quintessential foodie, enchanted by all the wonders of good food, bengali or not. My main quest in life is to bring these culinary wonders into my kitchen, learn them, understand them and make them a part of my own being. My significant other and culinary muse is happy just to accept culinary delights in any form presented. He tried the delicate sweetner and concluded that this did not have the requisite tartness that jaggery from sugarcane posseses.

I spent some time explaining to him about the beauty of liquid notun gur. My devoted Dida would give me this liquid date sweetener with warm milk on a cold Kolkatta morning. For such a foodie I was a very fussy eater, my mom tried her best, but it really took a seasoned grandmother (my ma's ma) to be able to really coax proper food into me. Along with milk and jaggery, fresh fish with eggplant and cauliflower, my really pure memories of homestyle bengali cooking originate from Dida.

Well, what I did with the gur (jaggery) was to make payesh (bengali-style rice pudding), given that my finicky little westchester half bengali daughter gobbled this up, I think that I had found a winner.

Kejurer Gurer Payesh - Bengali Rice Pudding with Date Jaggery

Serves 8 people

Ingredients

3/4 gallon whole milk
2 cardamoms
2-3 bay leaves
3 tbsp kalajeera or govinda bhog rice
1 cup churshed khejurer gur (if unavailable, substitute for turbinado sugar)
1/2 cup cream

Method of preparation

1. Cook the milk with the cardamoms, bay leaves on low, till about half in volume.
2. Add the rice and cook for 25 minutes.
3. Add in the jaggery and cook for another 15 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and add the cream.
5. Let this cool slightly and serve while still warm.

Badhakopir Dalna

2007-09-23T21:07:00.006-07:00

Yet another basic vegetable preparation the bengali way. This one is an interesting dry preparation of cabbage and potatoes, in my opinion this works well with luchis or chapatis rather than rice, but I guess a rice preparation with dal would work too.

Anyhow, here goes the recipe,

Ingredients

2 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp panch-phoron

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

2-3 green chillies

2-3 bay leaves

1 tsp whole garam masala

1 tsp cumin-coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 potato cut into cubes

2 cups of finely shredded green cabbage

2 tomatoes chopped

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the panch-phoron. When this begins to pop, add in the ginger and green chillies.

2. Add the bay leaves and whole garam masala.

3. After a few seconds, add in the remaining spices and the potatoes

4. Cook stirring vigorously, for 5-10 minutes till the vegetables are well coated with the spices.

5. Add in the tomatoes, check the seasonings, cover and cook on very low heat for 15 minutes.

6. Stir and serve with your favorite accompaniment.

Bhuna Maach - Fish folded in a golden onion sauce

2007-09-23T21:07:00.003-07:00

What pray is bhuna maach? Well, kasha mangho or slow cooked dried mutton is a common classic. When you want to make the man in your world happy especially after a crazy week of long insane work hours, you need to customize a tested and true classic to suit his tastes. In this case mutton would not do for my husband what good salmon would. So I adapted the kasha mansho concept to adapt to salmon.

Bhuna Maach - Fish folded in a golden onion sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup oil

1 tsp mixed whole garam masala

2 onions thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic thinly sliced

2 tsp cumin-coriander powder

2 tomatoes diced

2 lbs salmon fillet

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the garam masala and the onions.

2. Cook on slow heat till the onions turn golden brown, stirring well. This process needs to be done slowly and patiently and takes about 15 minutes.

3. Add in the garlic, cumin-coriander, and the tomatoes and keep cooking till the tomatoes are soft.

4. In the meantime, marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for about 15 minutes.

5. Slide the fish lightly into the onion-garlic mixture and cook till barely done and eat with your favorite rice dish.

Sorshe Kumro kopi

2007-09-23T21:07:00.001-07:00

A surprising dish emerged from an unexpected ingredient. While trapersing through the shelves of the local chinese store, I found this rather unsuspecting small yellow container about the size of a small spice jar called spicy mustard. I have not had much luck with powdered mustards but then why should I let the past deter the future. So I picked this up, and, brought this home.

Scrounging through the refrigerator I found some cauliflower and pumkin and thus a star was born.

Shorshe-Kumro Kopi - Spicy Mustard with cauliflower and Pumpkin

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 tsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp nigela seeds (Kalo zeera)
1/2 tsp panch phoron
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 cup diced pumpkin
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 tbsp spice mustard made into a paste with 3 tbsp water

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the nigella and panch phoron.
2. Add in the ginger and saute lightly.
3. Add the pumpkin and cauliflower and cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes till soft.
4. Mix in the mustard and cook on medium heat till dry and well absorbed.
5. Serve with rice and dal.

Phulkopir Khichuri

2007-09-02T21:22:00.001-07:00

Khichuri is a quintisential bengali dish, I know people might feel this humble melange of rice, lentils and vegetable thrown together in a pot and cooked with some wonderful, subtle spicing. A complete meal in itself. It is a classic for crowds, warm comfort food on a rainy day and yes, this is most common festival food.

Pujas or religious days are usually dedicated to gods and goddesses. The largest and most highlighted of these are the Durga Puja a 10 day festival dedicated to the godessess Durga who comes down to earth to visit her parents and slay Mahishashura the evil one. Legend has it that Mahishashura had recived a boon from Lord Shiva that he could not be slain by any man, thus Dugra was sent to earth to do this. This festival harnesses the best the Bengali has to offer, the lighthearted spirit embodied in the fun-filled festivities, the gartronomical wonders especially the sweets distributed in abundance, the artistic talents found in the myriad pandals and variations of the image of the mother goddess.

The puja consists of the food offerings to the goddess also called Bhog and Khichuri is usually a predominant part of this Bhog. There are several variations to Khichuri, I shall have a few different recipes but this particular one is an unsual one with peanuts and cauliflower created for my daughter.

Chine Badam Diye Phulkopir Khichuri -Rice and Moong Dal Porridge with Cauliflower and Peanuts

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

1 cup yellow moong dal
4 cups water
1/2 cup rice
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 cup chopped cauliflower florettes
1 potato quartered
1 tomato quartered
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 green chillies slit
1.5 tsp ghee
1 onion finely sliced
1/2 cup shelled peanuts lightly roasted
1 lime
2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Dry Roast the lentils till aromatic and bring to a boil with the water.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes and add the rice and remaining vegetables, chillies, salt and sugar and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Heat the ghee and cook the onions till golden brown.
4. Mix into the rice with the peanuts and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and squeeze the lime juice and chopped cilantro, cool and enjoy.

Mangshor Kabab

2007-09-02T21:21:00.002-07:00

As we start delving further into the depths of the food, we start uncovering all the myriad influences in Bengali cuisine - religious, the most prominent being Hindu, Muslim and Christian.
Cultural, English, Mughal and influences from other parts of India. To grow up in a city like Calcutta is to to have a truly cosmopolitan upbringing. Other than just the food, the cities rich cultural heritage will expose you to literature, philosophy, music and the core values from several parts of the world.

This simple recipe is muslim in influence. I make this in my New York kitchen, on a portable electric gril with ground turkey. If you think this does not cut it, you had better think again!

Mangshor Kabab

Makes 20 - 30 small kababs

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tbsp ground garam masala
1 small onion finely minced
4 pods of garlic finely minced
1 inch piece of ginger grated
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
6 green chillies minced
1 tbsp salt
2 limes
1/3 cup besan or gram flour
Oil for cooking

Method of preparaion

1. Mix all the ingredients except the limes, besan and oil.
2. Squeeze the lime juice and marinate for at least 4-5 hours.
3. Mix in the besan and shape into small flat little patties.
4. Heat the grill, and, coat with oil.
5. Place each patty on the grill and cook on both sides for 5-6 minutes till turning golden. Serve hot with salad or chutney.

Alu-kabli

2007-08-18T23:28:00.003-07:00

This one is an interesting one, because I really have very vaugue recollections of this dish. It is a part of traditional bengali street food that is served on these leaves of the Shaal tree, called "Shaal Pata" in bengali. Street food in Kolkatta is distinct because of these shaal pata, in fact, they are an amazingly hygenic and biodegradable contraption. These leaves are usually formed into coned and secured with a toothpick, and food such as alu-kabuli (Potato and chickpeas), phucka, etc are served on this.

These used to be a really surreptitous treat for me during college days, since I really was not allowed to eat this during my school days and really was not encouraged to do this during college days either. The street food however is a rather essential part of the Kolkatta food experience and I have a few typical recipes for the same.

For me they are also synonimous with with the rains, that in Kolkatta are magical and refreshing and stir up all the amazing cravings for the tasty, tangy flavors of street food. The recipe for Alu Kabuli has become a rather adapted one, but it makes an amazingly refreshing variation of potato salad. I compromise and always serve these in paper bowls, (not sytorofoam, just paper), somehow serving this on china plates dont quite cut it.

Alu - Kabuli

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

4 russet potatoes - boiled and peeled
2 limes
2/3 cup prepared Ghoogny
1 tsp black salt
1 tsp amchuur (dried mango powder)
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp chopped cilantro leaves

Method of Preparation

1. Slice the potatoes and mix with the juice of the lime.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients and chill for 1 hour.
3. Serve with any other food or as a simple light lunch.

Sorshe-Morich Murgi

2007-08-18T23:28:00.001-07:00

I passed onto a lovely article on India, written by Michael Wood, who details his love affair with India into a book - The Story of India by Michael Wood. A beautiful section in his writing is,

"There is so much to see in India that you would need several lifetimes – no wonder the Indians believe in rebirth. People tell me that I must be tired of the country after a dozen visits in the past 18 months, some of them long and gruelling journeys. But the opposite is true. I have come to love India and admire its people even more. To paraphrase Dr Johnson, if one is tired of India, one is tired of life. "

I have to tell you as I am delving through the rich lanscape of Bengali food and cultural and what it means to me in New York, (a place I now call home), I am nourished by old memories that I needed to refresh myself with and am building on new encounters with Bengali culture that I am so excited that they wait to be discovered by me.

Black pepper is used quite a bit in bengali cuisine. This recipe is one that I adapted from something I had at an Eiburo Bhat, that is the Bengali equivalent of a bridal shower. Here food is usually prepared according to the bride's food preferences, this interesting recipe happens to be something that the bride in concern liked. I have simplified this recipe by using storemade prepared mustard.

Sorshe - Morich Murgi - Mustard Black Pepper Chicken

Serves 6-8 people

Ingredients

1 whole chicken skinned and cut into pieces
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup prepared mustard ( I use grey poupon stone-ground mustard)
2-3 green chillies minced
1/4 cup mustard or any other oil
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
1 onion finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp coarsely chopped black pepper

Method of Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken with salt, turmeric, mustard and green chillies for at least 2 hours.
2. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and let them crackle.
3. Add the onion and ginger and cook till the onion begins to brown.
4. Add the chicken and cook on low heat till it is well browned.
5. Gently stir in the black pepper and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
6. Serve with chapatis or salad.

Kochu-Kumro Bhate

2007-08-18T23:27:00.002-07:00

The term Bhate comes from the prefered method of cooking something together with rice. This is usually done with vegetables (usually starchy ones) thown into the rice so that they cook together with the rice. This is one of the ways that Bengali cuisine conserves energy, since in this instance the vegetables get cooked at the same time that the rice is cooked.
This variation uses colacassia (kochu) and pumpkin.

Colacasia - Pumpkin Hash - Kochu Kumro Bhate

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 colacasia
4-5 large piece of red pumpkin
2 tsp ghee or butter
1 tsp freshly prepared mustard paste
2 green chillies finely minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander leaves chopped
Lime to squeeze - Optional

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the vegetables either with rice or alone.
2. Peel and mash with the remaining ingredients.
3. Squeeze the lime juice if using and serve with hot white rice and dal.

Muro -Diye Misti Badhakopir Dalna

2007-08-18T23:27:00.001-07:00

Macher Muro or Fish head is not for the uninitiated fish eater. A true bengali however relishes their fish head, it is used with several dishes vegetables, rice, lentils and of course curried as a jhol. In this recipe, I paired it with some cabbage, delicately sweetened and softened with some milk. I used a catfish head for this, I have to confess that I have only thus far tried cooking with catfish and carp in these Muro dishes.

Muro - Diye Mishti Badhakopir Dalna

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 whole head of catfish
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger paste
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 head of cabbage, finely shredded
3 slit green chillies
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup milk

Method of Preparation

1. Rub the fish head with the turmeric, ginger paste and half the salt.
2. Heat the oil and add the fish head, cover and cook each side for about 10 minutes. It should be well browned and can be broken into large pieces.
3. In the same oil add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add in the cabbage with the remaining salt. chillies and sugar.
4. Cook for 5 minutes stirring well, mix in the sugar and milk and cover and cook for 10 minutes till the cabbage is soft and the flavors are well mixed.

Kumro Bahuroopi -Pumkin with Green Pepper and peas

2007-08-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

He (she) who can write well, has such an amazing gift. I love politics like most bengalis. The last few months an interesting politician who has caught my attention is Barrack Obama. He seems to be such a fresh new voice. I do not believe he will really make it to the end of the race, but he certainly add a new powerful voice to some issues. I was reading his book, "The Audacity of Hope". Several part of the book touched me, I am sure I shall share this further as I write and cook more. I however was so profoundly moved by the way he writes of his wife, "She is also very beautiful, although not in a way that men find intimidating or women find off-putting; it is the lived-in beauty of the mother and busy professional rather than the touched up image we see on the cover of glossy magazines."

This is such a profound statement, it reminds us that simple and everyday is so beautiful just in its simplicity. Thus follows a simple dish good with everyday chapatis or rice and dal.

Kumro Bahuroopi - Pumpkin with Green Pepper and Peas

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp panch phoron
2 dried red chillies
1 onion finely chopped
2 cups pumpkin peeled and cubed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup peas
1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
2 tbsp coriander leaves
1 lime

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add the panch phoron and red chillies.
2. When this crackles, add in the onion and pumpkin with the salt and sugar.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes and add in the peas and green pepper.
4. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with the coriander leaves and squeeze the lime juice over the pumpkin and serve.

Love or Bhalobasha in Bengali

2007-08-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Before I wrote this post, I actually googled the term "bengali love" hopefully to find just a tiny bit of inspiration, or just maybe not. Found tons of nonsense and was left to compose this post as usual on my own.

My version of romantism is influenced my grandmother, yes, I sais dida or grandmother!, Uttam-Suchittra films and a touch of classical English Literature. But, overall the bengalis are an intensely romantic community. Love(bhalobhasa) pervails in every aspect of life. Love in my opinion is as subtle as a woman just being aware of this man she meets everyday from a tender young age, this man who brings a sparkle to her eye and a hum to her activities. Somtimes this moves to the mundane of marriage and sometimes it just retains just the special sparkle and hum.

"Unrequited love" or maybe unattainable love in not uncommon amongst the bengali. After the real world is often simple and sometime not so pragmatic. Bengali's are just such amazing romantics. It is not simply a figment of artistic imagination where you have stories of the two people living and growing up in the same para (neighbourhood in bengali), but just never able to tell each other how much they care, simply sharing a certain regard, sometimes just knowing the other one exists. Other times this love remains silent for myriad social and economic reasons. This is fortunately not so pervasive in today's relatively more modern society. Thank goodness for that! Life is too short for us not to take advantage of whatever love that comes our way.

There is an interesting preparation of Pumkin or Kumro, that is cooked with chickpeas and traditionally eaten with luchis. While making this recipe, I developed a variation that starts out the same way but actually tastes quite different so here we get two for the price of one.

Kumro Chokka - Red Pumpkin with Chickpeas

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil preferably mustard
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, cumin coriander paste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 slit green chillies
2 cups of pumpkin cut into cubes
1/2 cup cooked chick peas
1 tsp bhaja masala
1 tsp ghee
2-3 bay leaves
1 tbsp whole garam masala

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and add onions and cook till soft.
2. Add in the ginger paste and cook till begining to brown.
3. Add the salt, sugar, green chillies and pumpkin and fry well.
4. Add in the chick peas and cover and cook for 7 minutes till the pumpkin is soft.
5. Add the bhaja masala.
6. Heat the ghee and add the bay leaves and garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Pour over the pumpkin and let the flavors settle and serve hot.