Thursday 14 December 2023
Apple - Beetroot Jam
Monday 11 December 2023
Panch meshali Sabji r Chechki
Now this time of the season the market is flooded with winter vegetables - it’s fresh, vibrant and adds special flavour to the dish … and we tend to buy varieties of vegetables… and then finishing them is a task specially when we have less members in the family.
Here is a Bengali recipe that is very easy to make, with many varieties of vegetables and this absolutely pairs up with paratha, luchi, ruti for breakfast, snacks or dinner.
Panch meshali means medley of vegetables.. and chechki means vegetables cut in small strips and stirred fried in mustard oil, tempered with nigella seeds and seasoned with just salt, turmeric powder and little sugar (optional) and I have used little ghee and coriander leaves for garnishing
We make Alu Kumro r chechki, alur chechki, phulkopi alur chechki, badakopir alur chechki that goes will for breakfast…
Here in this recipe I used cauliflower/ Phool kopi, Kumro / pumpkin, Carrot/ gajar and French beans and Potatoes…
Ingredients
1 big bowl of vegetables - Carrot, Potato and Pumpkin cut into small strips, small cauliflower florets and French beans cut into half..
2 to 4 Green Chillies slit
Few Coriander leaves chopped
1/2 tsp Nigella seeds
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp Ghee (optional)
1 tbsp Mustard oil
Method
Take a wok, add mustard oil, once the oil heats up, reduce the flame and add nigella seeds, once the seeds crackle, add all the vegetables and green chillies, salt and turmeric powder, stir and cook on low flame, sprinkle little water once in a way, cover continue cooking until the vegetables are almost tender, add sugar and continue to cook without the lid until the vegetables are cooked completely, drizzle ghee and sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve the dish with luchi, porotha or ruti.
Thursday 23 November 2023
Oats - Barnyard Millet and Semolina Vermicelli Idlis with Carrot
Oats, Barnyard millet and Semolina Vermicelli with Carrots…
Quick breakfast or snack, easy to make and healthy too. Serve them with sambar or any chutney of your choice. Flatten rice can be also added.
Measuring cup measurement
Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
1/2 cup Grated Coconut
2 Green Chillies
Few Curry leaves
4 tbsp Curd
Salt to taste
Method
Grind all the ingredients together, if need add little water and make fine paste.
For the Idli
Ingredients
1 cup Oats
1/2 cup Barnyard millet
1/2 cup Semolina Vermicelli
1 small grated Carrot
Few Curry leaves
2 tbsp grated Coconut
2 tbsp Curd
Salt to taste
1 tsp Eno
1 tbsp Coconut oil
Method
Take a grinder jar, add the oats and Barnyard millet, wash, add 2 cup water, let it soak for 10 minutes. Add salt, grated coconut and curd. Grind the ingredients in a grinder. Pour the batter in a bowl, keep it aside for 10 minutes. Add the vermicelli. Continue to soak for 15 minutes more. Take a idli steamer. Grease the mould with coconut oil. Add the eno in the batter. Gently stir the batter. Pour the batter into the idli mould. Add little grated carrot and a curry leave on the batter. Steam the idlis for 20 minutes. Check the idlis inserting a stick. If the stick comes out smooth, then the idlis are done. Once done remove the idli moulds and let it cool a bit, before scooping out the idlis from the mould. Serve the idlis with coconut chutney.
Wednesday 22 November 2023
Bombil Pakoda / Lote Macher Bora / Bombay Duck Fritters
Serve this dish with green chutney and onion slices.
Ingredients
10 pieces of big size Bombil, clean deboned and cut into half.
1 tsp Ginger - Garlic paste
1 tsp Lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Carom seeds
6 tbsp Gram flour
4 tbsp Rice flour
Oil to fry
Method
Take the Bombil pieces, and rub little salt and 1/2 tsp lemon juice on the bombil pieces. Take a bowl, sieve the gram flour and rice flour together. Add the remaining lemon juice, salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger- garlic paste, carom seeds and little water at a time to make a thick batter, beat the batter well. Heat oil in a pan, once the oil is hot, keep the oil on medium flame. Dip the bombil pieces into the batter and fry them in hot oil until golden brown in colour. Remove the bombil pakoda on a paper towel. Serve the crispy bombil pakoda with green chutney and onion slices.
Saturday 18 November 2023
Stewed Rice
Thursday 16 November 2023
Drumstick - Potatoes and Mung Dal fritters cooked in Mustard and Poppy seed paste gravy
Thursday 9 November 2023
Dried Mix Fruit Cake with leftover bread served with Custard
Thursday 2 November 2023
Oats Uttapam
Oats Uttapam - A quick, tasty and instant snack / breakfast that is also very healthy…..
its easy to make and I am sure children will love it.. Serve this with chutney of your choice.
Here is how I make it at home …
For the Veg Masala Spread -
Ingredients
4 tbsp chopped Onion
4 tbsp chopped Tomato
1 chopped Green Chilli
2 tbsp chopped Coriander
Few chopped Curry leaves
2 tbsp Grated Coconut
1 tsp Sambar powder
Salt to taste
Method-
Mix all the above ingredients together and keep it aside
For the Batter-
Ingredients
3/4 cup Oats
1/4 cup Semolina
2 tbsp Curd
Salt to taste
Method
Take a blender jar, add the above ingredients and add 1/2 cup water, mix and keep it for 10 minutes, now add little water at a time and blend all the ingredients together, the batter should be thick dropping consistency. Let the batter rest for another 15 minutes.
To make the Uttapam-
Ingredients
Batter
Veg Masala spread
Ghee
Method
Take a skillet, once the skillet is hot, reduce the flame to medium low, pour a big ladle spoon of batter on the skillet, spread the batter a bit, spread the veg masala spread over the batter. Drizzle little ghee. Cover the uttapam and let it cook for a minute, open the cover and check, turn the uttapam and let it cook for another minute. Serve the uttapam with Chutney of your choice.
Sunday 29 October 2023
Caponata
Tuesday 10 October 2023
Chandrapuli
Chandrapuli
Monday 9 October 2023
Kala Chana and Ragi Soup
Kala Chana and Ragi Soup (Desi Style)
This soup is wholesome, healthy and delicious ..
I have added coconut milk for enhancing the flavour (optional). Ragi is added not only to thicken up the soup, but it is also healthy and has high nutritional values.
Ingredients
1/2 cup boiled Kala Chana / Black Chickpeas
3 tbsp Ragi / Nachni flour
1 small Onion finely chopped
1 small Tomato finely chopped
1 Green Chilli finely chopped
5 to 6 Garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves
1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
Lemon wedges for serving
Salt to taste
3/4 cup Coconut Milk (optional)
1 tbsp Ghee
Method
Coarsely grind the Kala chana without water. Take out a tbsp of the coarsely grounded Kala Chana and keep it aside for garnishing. Add 2 cups of water In the rest of the ground Chana. Take a pot, add ghee, once the ghee melts, add the garlic and onion. Sauté until translucent, add the tomato and green chilli, sauté for a minute, add the ragi flour and continue to sauté for another minute. Add salt and roasted cumin powder. Stir all the ingredients. Now add the ground Chana with water and constantly stir the soup as no lumps should form. On a low heat let the soup cook, until the soup has thickened up a bit. Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for few seconds. Switch off the flame. Garnish with some coarsely ground chana, coriander leaves and serve the soup hot, squeeze some lime juice before having the soup.
#blackchickpeas #ragi #millet #yearofthemillets2023 #fingermillet #soup #wholesome #healthyfood #vegetarian #recipe #cooking #foodpics #foody #foodforfoodies #foodphoto #foodlover #foodblogger #recipedeveloper #cookingpassion
Wednesday 4 October 2023
Stuffed Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Saturday 9 September 2023
Chicken Mandi
Mandi is a traditional dish originated from Yemen, it many consist of meat and rice cooked with Yemeni spice blend called Hawaji. It is cooked in a underground pit. It's extremely popular in most areas of the Arabian Peninsula.
Sunday 3 September 2023
Amara Diye Ilish Macher Tok
Amara Diye Ilish Maacher Tak
This is one of the recipe made Ilisha fish that is sour in taste.. the sourness is made either tamarind pulp, dried raw mango or the fruit of the season that is hog plum.. (Amara). I have added a tbsp of poppy seed paste too to enhance the taste of the curry… and to create new recipe from my kitchen with love.. Serve this curry with steamed rice.
Ingredients
4 slices of Hilsa / Ilish
4 small size Hog Plum peeled
2 Garlic cloves crushed
3 to 4 Green chillies slit
1 Dried Red Chilli
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
Salt to taste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
2 tbsp Jaggery powder or Sugar
1 tbsp Poppy seeds paste
3 tbsp Mustard oil
Method -
Marinate the fish with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt for 10 minutes.
Add oil in a pan, fry the fish on both the sides until light brown in colour… or we can just use the fish without frying them.
In the same pan, add mustard seeds and dried red chilli. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add the hog plum. Stir for a minute, add the green chillies and garlic. Stir for few seconds, add 2 cups of water, poppy seed paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and jaggery powder. Cover the pan and let the gravy simmer for 2 to 3 minutes on medium - low flame. Add the fish and let it simmer further for another 2 to 3 minutes. Once done serve the Hilsa curry with steamed rice.
Monday 7 August 2023
Chingri Posto Narkel Diye Paturi
Chingri / Prawns with posto and narkol bata (poppy and coconut paste) wrapped in kola pata (banana leaves) - Chingri Posto Narkel Diye Paturi. A side dish that goes well with rice. Here is my version that I make at home at times…
Ingredients to marinate the Prawns
300 grams medium size cleaned and deveined Prawns
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Method
Mix all the ingredients above ingredients together and keep it aside for 15 minutes
Ingredients- For the paste.
2 tbsp Poppy seeds
Few small pieces of Coconut pieces peeled
1 small piece of Ginger
3 to 4 Garlic cloves
2 Green Chillies
Salt to taste
Method
Grind all the above ingredients into fine paste
Ingredients for the Chingri Paturi
Marinate Prawns
1 medium Onion sliced
Few Coconut pieces sliced
3 to Green Chillies slit
Wet paste
Salt to taste if required
1/2 Red Chilli powder
2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Mustard oil
2 medium size Banana leaves washed and gently warmed up the banana leaves over low flame.
Method
Take a bowl, add the marinated prawns, wet paste, red chilli powder, 2 tbsp mustard oil, coconut slices, onion slices, salt if required. Mix all the ingredients well.
Place the glossy side of the banana leaves on top.. of each other in a crisscross manner. Transfer the prawn mixture on the banana leaves. Wrap up the banana leaves and tie the leaves with a thread. Take a pan, add 1/2 tsp mustard oil and spread the oil all round the pan. Place the parcel into the pan. Cover the pan, on a medium low flame, cook the parcel for 5 minutes, change the side of the parcel and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, repeat the process once again. Once done, open up the banana leaves and serve the dish with hot rice.
#prawns #coconut #bananaleaves #paturi #poppyseed #bengalicuisine #food #foodie #foodpics #foodblogger #foodphoto #recipe #sidedish #nonvegetarian
Tuesday 25 July 2023
Savoury French Toast with Spinach… Corn and Cheese…
Thursday 20 July 2023
Vateli Dal na Khaman Dhokla
Sunday 16 July 2023
Thalassery Biriyani
Thalassery biryani is a popular dish from Thalassery that is situated in the Malabar cost of Kannur district in the state of Kerala.
The history says that this dish dates to the 18th century, during the reign of the British East India Company. The biriyani along with other local dishes were introduced to the The British officers by the local Muslim Mappila Community, who have settled in Kerala coming from the Middle Eastern — Arab or Persian. The British officers were very impressed with the unique aroma of the dish. This dish not only become famous amongst the officers but also amongst the other local communities of Kerala.
- Net source
The biriyani is made using spice blend that consists of fennel seeds along with other spices that is not used in other biriyani masala. Cashew and Raisins are fried and used in the dish. Aromatic short grain Kaima/Jeerakasala rice that is locally grown is used for this dish. Chicken or Mutton is cooked separately with the spices, curd, onions, ginger - garlic paste and tomato. The rice is cooked separately with whole spices.The rice and meat are then layered and cooked together on dum / sealed pot.
There are many versions of this dish… Inspired from Swasthi's Recipes blog, here is the recipe from my kitchen..
To make the Biriyani Masala - Ingredients
2 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Pepper corn
1 tsp Shah Jeera / Caraway seeds
6 Cloves
4 Green Cardamom
1 medium piece of Cinnamon
1 Star Anise
2 Mace / Javitri
1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder
2 Dried Red chillies
Method
Grind all the above ingredients into a powder.
To make the Rice - Ingredients
2 cups Kaima/Jeerakasala
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
2 Cloves
2 Green Cardamom
1 small piece of Cinnamon
2 Bay leaves
2 Red dried Chillies broken into pieces
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Ghee
Method
Wash the rice and keep aside. Take a pot, add the ghee, add the spices mentioned above, sauté for few seconds. Add the washed drained rice and salt, stir for few seconds, add 4 cups of water, let the rice cook until the water has evaporated completely and the rice has cooked well. Leave the rice open and stir the rice occasionally so that the rice doesn’t form any lumps..
To make the Chicken - Ingredients
1 kg Chicken cut into pieces
2 + 1 large Onions sliced
1 large Tomato sliced
1 tbsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Garlic paste
2 tbsp Green Chilli paste
1/2 cup Curd beaten
1/4 cup broken Cashews
1/4 cup Raisins
Salt to taste
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 cup Ghee
Method
Take a pot, add ghee, let it melt, add 1 onion sliced and fry the onions until golden brown in colour for the birista, remove the onions and keep it aside, in the same ghee fry the cashews and raisins, once golden brown remove and keep them aside. Add 2 sliced onions, fry until light brown in colour, add the ginger- garlic and chilli paste, stir occasionally and sauté the masala for a minute. Add the curd, tomato sliced, turmeric powder, 2 tbsp spice powder and salt, stir and continue to cook for another minute. Add the chicken, stir, cover and continue to cook on medium low flame stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked.
To Assemble the Biriyani - Ingredients
Chicken
Rice
1 tsp Spice Masala
Fried Cashews and Raisins
Brista
1/4 cup Coriander and Mint leaves chopped
2 tbsp Ghee melted
2 tbsp Rose water
6 Boiled Eggs (optional)
Banana Leaves (optional)
Method
Take a heavy bottom pot, place the banana leaves (optional), add some rice, add the chicken gravy uniformly over the rice, add the boiled eggs, sprinkle some spice masala, some fried onions, some fried cashews - raisins, chopped coriander- mint leaves, drizzle some ghee and rose water, add another layer of remaining rice over the chicken gravy, repeat the process - add the remaining spice masala, fried onions, fried cashews - raisins, chopped coriander- mint leaves, drizzle the remaining ghee and rose water. Cover the pot with a lid, seal the pot or cover the pot with a tight lid. Place the pot over a hot tawa and cook on low flame for 20 minutes. Let the pot be covered for another 20 minutes before serving the biriyani. Serve the biriyani hot with raita and Papadam .
Tuesday 4 July 2023
Chicken & Vegetable Gravy served with Mashed Potato and Butter Tossed Noodles