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 

Stuffed Whole Wheat Pita Bread

 

 Stuffed Whole Wheat Pita Bread… 

It’s a wholesome meal loaded with vegetables …  delicious.. This dish can be enjoyed anytime of the day… This dish can be easily made at home with little bit of planning and most of the dry ingredients are available in our kitchen. 

Lebanese Spice powder is available online.. incase you don’t want to make it. 

For the Pita Bread 

Ingredients 

2 1/2 + 2 tbsp  cups Whole Wheat Flour 

2 tsp Dry Yeast

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1/2 cup Lukewarm water + More water as required 

1 tbsp Olive oil

Method 

Add yeast, sugar and water in a bowl and let it proof for 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of  flour and salt and mix it well. When the yeast is ready pour the yeast on the flour. Mix the dough well. If required add more water little at a time and start mixing the flour and kneading it into a soft dough. Add a tbsp olive oil and knead it for 5 minutes. Brush some olive oil on the dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest until it rises double its size. When the dough is ready, sprinkle some flour on the dough and remove the air from the dough.  Knead it again for few seconds and make 6 equal portions of the dough. Arrange the balls on a greased tray leaving some distance, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. With a help of a rolling pin roll out each ball into a 1/3 inch thick oval shape or in circles. Let the pita rest for 10 minutes.

To Make  Pitas on the Stovetop...

Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Put the rolled-out pita on the skillet and cook until you see bubbles starting to form. Flip and cook for few seconds on the other side, press the surface gently with a towel. Flip again and cook another few seconds.  The pita should start to puff.  Keep cooked pitas covered with a clean towel while cooking the remaining pitas.

Lebanese Spice Blend 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Coriander powder 

2 tbsp Cumin powder 

2 tbsp Pepper corn powder 

2 tbsp Paprika ( used Kashmiri chilli powder)

1 tbsp Clove powder 

1 tsp Cardamom powder 

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 

1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients and store the spice blend in a glass bottle. 

For the stuffing  - 

Ingredients 

3 Soya Chaap Stick cut into small pieces 

3 to 4 Mushrooms cut into half and sliced 

1 small Onion cut into half and sliced 

5 to 6 Garlic cloves chopped 

1 medium Tomato deseed, cut into half and sliced 

1 small Capsicum sliced 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

1 tsp Lemon juice 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Lebanese spice powder 

1 tsp Olive Oil

Method 

Take a pan, add olive oil, add the soya piece, sauté for 2 minutes, add the onion, garlic and continue to sauté for a minute, add the capsicum, green chillies, continue to sauté for another minute. Now add the mushrooms and tomato. Continue to stir fry on medium low flame, add the salt and the Lebanese spice powder. Continue to stir fry for another 2 minutes, until all the vegetables are cooked and the all the ingredients have mixed well… switch off the flame. Add the Lemon juice.. mix and keep it aside.. 

For the Salad 

Ingredients 

1 small Cucumber cut into thin strips 

1 small Tomato deseeded, cut into half and sliced 

1 small Onion sliced 

1/2 cup of thinly sliced Cabbage 

1 tsp Lemon juice 

1/2 tsp roasted Cumin powder 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and keep it aside for 15 minutes. 

For Assembling - 

Ingredients 

Stuffing 

Salad

Pita bread 

Method 

Cut the pita bread into half.  Take one half of the pita bread. Create a pocket. Add some salad into the pita bread pocket, add some soya Chaap stuffing and some more salad.. and it’s ready to be served. 

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. 

There are many ways one can make this dish. Mainly the meat has to be moist. The meat is marinated and cooked separately with the rice in a steamer and then the chicken is grilled in a tandoor.. The dish has a smoky flavour. This dish is served with Tomato Chutney called Salata Hara.. 

Here is how I have made the Chicken Mandi inspired from Yummy O Yummy. 

Spice Blend 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp Peppercorns

6 Green Cardamom 

6 Cloves 

2 inch Cinnamon 

1 small piece of Nutmeg 

2 Bay leaves 

1 tsp Paprika (used Kashmiri chilli powder here)

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

Method 

Dry roast all the whole spices for few seconds, let the spices cool down. Add the turmeric powder and paprika / Kashmiri chilli powder and grind all the ingredients together into a fine paste. 

Marinate the Chicken 

Ingredients 

2 pieces of the Chicken thighs

1/2 tsp Garlic paste 

1 1/2 tbsp Spice blend

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Lemon juice 

Few strands of Saffron in 3 tbsp of hot water 

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

Method 

Take a bowl, add the spice blend, salt, 3 tbsp saffron water, 2 tbsp oil,garlic paste, lemon juice and salt. Mix all the ingredients together. Give few slits on the chicken pieces. Rub the spices on to the chicken pieces. Keep the chicken pieces aside for an hour or more. 

For the Mandi 

Ingredients 

250 grams / 1 cup of Basmati Rice 

1 medium size Onion sliced 

2 Green chillies slit 

1 tbsp chopped Garlic cloves 

1 Dried Lime

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Marinated Chicken 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

2 Green Cardamom 

2 Cloves 

1 inch Cinnamon 

2 Bay leaves 

Salt to taste 

1 Chicken cube seasoning 

Few Raisins and Almond Flakes for garnishing 

Few Saffron strands in 4 tbsp of hot water 

1 tsp + 1/2 tsp Butter

1 tbsp  + 1 tsp Ghee

1 small piece of Charcoal 

Method 

Wash the rice and keep it aside. Take a steamer pot, add 1 tbsp ghee and 1 tsp butter, once the ghee and butter melts add the whole garam masala spices, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let the spices crackle, add the onion, green chillies, dried lemon and garlic, sauté until the onion slices are translucent. Add the rice, chicken cube seasoning and salt. Stir and sauté the rice for a minute. Add 2 cups of hot water and saffron water into the pot.  Cover the lower steamer pot with the casserole pot of the steamer. Place the marinated chicken in the casserole. Cover the casserole pot and cook the rice until done. Remove the chicken, brush the chicken with butter. and grill the chicken for 15 minutes, until golden brown in colour. 

Add the almond flakes, raisins and chopped coriander leaves into the rice. Stir the rice gently. Place the chicken over the rice. Place a small bowl in the center of the pot. Burn a charcoal, place the charcoal into the bowl, pour 1 tsp ghee. Immediately cover the pot and wait until the smoky flavour has infused into the rice and chicken. Once done remove the charcoal out. Serve the Chicken Mandi with Tomato Chutney called Salata Hara..  

Salata Hara 

Ingredients 

1 Big size Tomato chopped 

2 tbsp Tomato Purée 

1 Green Chilli

2 Garlic Cloves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tsp Lime juice 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a blender, add the tomato, green chilli, coriander leaves, garlic, salt, lime juice and tomato purée. Blend all the ingredients together into a paste. Serve this Chutney with Chicken Mandi. 

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. 

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 

Savoury French Toast with Spinach… Corn and Cheese…

A perfect breakfast or snack with a cup of tea… in monsoon… best for lunch box too… a jhat - pat recipe with easily available ingredients in our pantry.. 

Ingredients 

4 Eggs 

1 small Onion chopped 

2 to 3 Garlic Cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

2 to 3 Green Chillies or more as per taste 

Few Coriander Stems 

2 to 3 Spinach Leaves chopped 

1/2 cup Corn

6 White / Brown Breads 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

2 cubes of Cheese

2 to 3 tbsp Butter 

1/2 cup Oil 

Method 

Take a pan, brush the pan with butter, add the spinach leaves, sauté the leaves for a minute or 2 until the water from the spinach evaporates. Boil the corns and drain the water out. Grind the corns into a coarse paste. Remove the corn paste into a bowl, cut the cheese cubes into small pieces, mix the cut cheese pieces into the corn paste. 

Take a grinder / blender / chopper, add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, coriander stems and spinach. Make a coarse paste, add the eggs and blend. Add salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together. Remove the eggs batter in a flat bowl. 

Savoury French Toast with Spinach… Corn and Cheese… 

A perfect breakfast or snack with a cup of tea… in monsoon… best for lunch box too… a jhat - pat recipe with easily available ingredients in our pantry.. 

Ingredients 

4 Eggs 

1 small Onion chopped 

2 to 3 Garlic Cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

2 to 3 Green Chillies or more as per taste 

Few Coriander Stems 

2 to 3 Spinach Leaves chopped 

1/2 cup Corn

6 White / Brown Breads 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

2 cubes of Cheese

2 to 3 tbsp Butter 

1/2 cup Oil 

Method 

Take a pan, brush the pan with butter, add the spinach leaves, sauté the leaves for a minute or 2 until the water from the spinach evaporates. Boil the corns and drain the water out. Grind the corns into a coarse paste. Remove the corn paste into a bowl, cut the cheese cubes into small pieces, mix the cut cheese pieces into the corn paste. 

Take a grinder / blender / chopper, add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, coriander stems and spinach. Make a coarse paste, add the eggs and blend. Add salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together.  Remove the eggs batter in a flat bowl. 

Take a pan, add the butter and oil, heat the oil moderately, take a bread piece, dip the bread paste into the egg batter and coat the bread well. Place the bread piece into the oil, keep the flame medium to low. Spread the corn - cheese spread over the bread piece. Now take another bread piece. Dip and coat the bread piece well in the egg batter. Place the bread piece over the corn paste. Now shallow fry the bread on both the sides until golden brown in colour. Once done, remove the French toast on a paper towel. Repeat the same process with the remaining ingredients. Cut the French toast into half. Serve the French toast with sauce of your choice.

Vateli Dal na Khaman Dhokla

This is a very popular snacks from the state of Gujarat.. I have grown up enjoying this with fafda and Jalebi from my childhood days, this was my father’s favourite combo… very often this was our breakfast in the morning specially on weekends as I have grown up in Gujarati neighbourhood… 

Lots of Chana dal was there in my pantry, so had to make this recipe.. Here the Chana dal has to be fermented overnight.

 

Here is the recipe - 

Ingredients 

1 cup Chana 

1 tsp Ginger - Green Chilli paste

1 Green chilli cut into half and slit

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Few Curry leaves 

2 tbsp Fresh grated Coconut 

2 tbsp Nylon Sev (optional)

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 Mustard seeds

Pinch of Asafoetida 

1/2 tsp Eno 

2 tbsp Curd

1 tbsp Sugar 

1/4 cup Water

1 tsp + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Oil

Method 

Soak the Chana dal for 5 to 6 hours. Grind the Chana dal into smooth paste, the batter should be of thick consistency. Let the batter ferment overnight. Take the batter, add ginger- green chilli paste, salt, turmeric powder, curd and 1 tsp oil. Beat the batter well. Add eno, mix the batter once. Take a steamer, grease the dhokla vessel, pour in the batter, fill 3/4 of the vessel. Steam the dhokla for 20 minutes,  insert a toothpick to check. Once done, remove the dhokla vessel and keep it aside to cool, meanwhile take a small pan, add 1 tbsp oil, let the oil heat, add the mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilli, once the mustard seeds splatter, switch off the flame. Take 1/4 cup of water and add sugar. Once the sugar dissolves add the sugar water into the seasoning. Cut the dhoklas into diamond shape, drizzle the seasoning over the dhokla, garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut. Serve with green chutney and nylon Sev. 

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 . 

Chicken & Vegetable Gravy served with Mashed Potato and Butter Tossed Noodles

 

When it comes to cooking just for your own self, it’s very boring… to make it interesting, here is a simple continental dish with Maggi masala and other ingredients that was available in my kitchen. Any vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, coloured bell pepper, baby corn can be added. For Vegetarians please omit the chicken.. 

Ingredients 

1 pack of Noodles 

1 Boiled Potato 

1/2 cup Boneless Chicken pieces 

1 cup Mix Vegetables like Mushrooms, Capsicum, Carrots, Onions etc. cut into medium size cubes or sliced 

Few Coriander leaves 

1/2 tbsp crushed Garlic

1 cube of Maggi Chicken or Vegetable stock

1 Maggi Masala that comes with Maggi Noodles 

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Fresh Cream

1/4 cup Milk 

1 tbsp Wheat Flour 

Salt and Pepper powder to taste 

1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp Butter 

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil 

Method 

Add 1 1/4 cups of water in a pot, let the water simmer, add the vegetable stock cube and let it dissolve, add the noddles, let the noodles cook, once done, separate the water from the noodles and keep both aside. 

Now take a pan, add oil and 1/2 tbsp butter, let the butter melt, add the garlic, sauté for few seconds, add the vegetables and stir fry for a minute. Remove the vegetables and keep them aside, in the same pan, add the chicken pieces and sauté them until they are cooked. Remove the chicken and keep them aside. In the same pan now add one cup of vegetable stock water used for boiling the noodles. Let the water simmer, take 1/4 cup fresh cream, Milk and wheat flour and make a slurry. Add the slurry into the simmering water and keep stirring until the gravy begins to thickens, no lump should form. Now add the the chicken, cooked vegetables, and a packet of Maggi masala that comes with the noodles. Taste and then add extra salt accordingly if required. Let the gravy simmer for a minute, switch off the flame. Take the boiled potato, grate the boiled potato with the help of a grater, add 2 tbsp cream, 1/2 tsp butter, some salt and pepper powder, mix all the ingredients very well. Take the noodles and simply toss them in the remaining butter and salt to taste 

Take a plate and assemble all the dishes together, sprinkle some coriander leaves on the gravy and serve them hot. 

Enjoy the dish with some beverage of your choice. After all Self love is the first love 💕

Gima Saag / Dime Saag e Bora / India Chickweed/ Bitter Cumin fritter

 Gima Saag / Dime Saag (Indian Chickweed / Bitter Cumin grows wild mostly near small water bodies like lakes, ponds, streams etc.. and also grows wild on land.. it grows round the year, but grows more during monsoon. Many of us must have seen this weed growing in our pots and garden, but generally we pluck them out. Next time grow them and enjoy as a side dish. It belongs to carpet weed family. It has medical properties and is bitter in taste. It has healing properties to cure constipation, indigestion, skin problems etc. It’s used as vegetable in rural Bengal. The leaves are used for cooking. Mostly it’s not very popular in urban cities.. sometimes sold by villagers in the market but commonly consumed in the rural areas where there are open lands and water bodies.

 I was fortunate to source this weed from a nearby field that’s situated near the banks of river Ulhas that is few minutes away from my place.. my Didi (house helper) was very sweet enough to get it for me. God bless her. 

We make stir fry, flitters, mashed or sabji out of this weeds. 

Today I made Flitters / Bora with Gima Saag 

Ingredients 

1/2 bowl of Gima saag leaves 

3 Garlic cloves chopped 

2 Green Chillies chopped 

4 tbsp Besan / Chickpeas flour 

2 to 3 tbsp Rice flour 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

Oil to fry 

Method 

Take only the leaves of the Gima Saag, wash it well, add salt, turmeric powder, chopped green chillies and garlic, rice flour and chickpea flour into the bowl, add very little water if required, mix all the ingredients together until all the ingredients binds together into a very soft sticky dough.. Heat oil in a pan, take small portions of the dough, flatten it and place the portions in the hot oil, fry the flitters until golden brown in colour from both the sides. Enjoy it hot with steamed rice.

Bel er Panna

 

Bel er Panna / Stone Apple drink from Bengal.. 

There are many Stone Apple and Wood Apple Trees in Tadoba.. the fruits from the tree had fallen and we managed to get some of the wood apples and got one stone apple during the Jungle Safari.. given to us by one of the forest authority… 

Many people get confused between both the fruits… but both are totally different in texture and taste.. the wood apple is sour and the shell of the wood apple is rough, whereas the stone apple is sweet and the shell is smooth. The wood apple is used to make Chutney and Achhar.. the stone apple is use to make sweet Sharbot and Panna - summer drinks and murabba. 

The stone apple is very good for stomach and is very cooling for summers… 

Here is a recipe for the summer drink… 

Ingredients 

1 Stone Apple 

1 cup Curd

2 to 3 tbsp or more Sugar as per the sweetness 

1/2 tsp Black Salt

1 cup Water

Ingredients 

Break the stone apple into half, scoop out the pulp, take a bowl, add the pulp and a cup of water… mash the pulp well with water, remove the seeds and fibre from the pulp…. Take a blender, add the pulp, curd, sugar and black salt… blend until the sugar dissolves and all the ingredients have blended well together… the summer drink is ready.. add ice to serve or keep it in the fridge, cool the drink to enjoy… 

Kodbel Makha / Wood Apple Mashed

 

Kodbel / Kotbel Makha.. / Wood Apple Mashed 

Some dishes are purely emotions.. specially when you eat them after ages… it’s nostalgic….. “shitkaler dupure… baranda ai boshe mridu rod khete khete kodbel makaha khao ar moja tai alada” (licking the Kodbel Makha with a book in other hand or enjoying the Adda in an winter afternoon in the balcony where soft sun kisses your skin is purely an emotion). I am sure many will relate with me.. 

Wood apple has a strong and a sharp aroma and it’s sour in taste.. it’s fleshy and sticky from inside.. 

It’s a cooling fruit hence helps in digestion and also has other health benefits. 

Some times we tend to get confused between Bael and Kodbel.. but both are different from each other in taste. Bael is sweet and mostly made into juice, where are Kodbel is made into makha / mash, chutney or Pickle because of its sour taste.. 

Ingredients 

1 Wood Apple cracked into half

1 Green Chilli chopped 

Few leaves of Coriander 

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Sugar / Jaggery as per taste 

1/4 to 1/2 tsp Black salt 

1/2 tsp Roasted Red Chilli and Roasted Cumin powder 

3/4 tsp Kasundi (optional)

1 tsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Mash the green chilli and coriander together using the mortar and pestle.. then scoop out the pulp of the wood apple and continue to mash, now eventually add sugar, salt, black salt and roasted cumin and chilli powder and continue to mash.. then add kasundi and mustard oil and continue to mash until your mouth start to water and you can’t wait to lick the makha 😃

Kali Gajar ka Barfi / Black Carrot Barfi

Last year I had made Kanji of Beetroot and Orange Carrot and I had loved the taste of the Kanji, I was very curious to taste Black carrot Kanji.. which is only available in the North.. so I recently had got a chance to drink Black Carrot Kanji..  that was from a restaurant, but haven’t see the whole black carrot as it’s not available in most parts of  India.. it’s apparently cultivated in Punjab and is found only in some states of North India. .. 

The carrot tasted earthy and sweetish in taste .. yesterday I had got some black gajar. 

It’s said it has - Vitamin B, C, E, it has high anthocyanin content, it fight diseases like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, inflammation and oxidative stress, it boost immunity, improves vision and digestion. 

I had shared a picture of the black beauties.. I was thrilled to get good responses from my foodie friends.. I thank them for sharing some information about the black carrot. 

Apart from the healthy probiotic drink Kanji which is the most popular recipe, dishes like Halwa is made, it’s sold in few shops in Lucknow. Other than that it’s also use for making juice, salad, pickle and murabba. And then of course you can create your own recipes from black carrot like cake, bread, cookies etc.. the idea and innovation is endless.. 

Here I tried out 3 dishes with black carrot.. 

I have used jaggery powder and sugar to make the Barfi sweet since I had very little jaggery left in my pantry.. jaggery is a healthy version or otherwise can be made using sugar. 

I made a small batch of Kanji, used in making salad and made Barfi out of the rest of the carrots.. 

Here is the recipe of the Black Carrot Barfi -

Ingredients 

2 Cups of Grated Black Carrot 

3 tbsps + 1/2 tsp Unsweetened Khoya 

3/4 tsp Desiccated Coconut 

3/4 cup Milk 

3  to 4 tbsps  as per sweetness required Jaggery powder 

1 tbsp Organic Sugar ( I had no jaggery left at home )

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder 

A big pinch of Salt

Some Almond flakes 

2 tbsps Ghee

Method 

Take a pan, add ghee, once the ghee melts, add the grated carrots, stir fry for at least 5 minutes on low flame. 

The whole cooking will be done on low flame.. 

Now gradually add half cup milk, stir occasionally and cook the carrots until the milk has almost evaporated, add the remaining milk and 3 tbsp of Khoya, mix and stir the ingredients so that no lumps remains in the pan. Continue to cook until the milk has evaporated, now add the jaggery powder, cardamom powder, pinch of salt and little almond flakes, stir occasionally and cook until the mixer starts to separate from the pan and starts to form a lump… to check take a small portion and roll the portion, it will form into a ball. Switch off the flame. Pour the mixture into a tray, flatten and spread the mixture evenly. Add the remaining Khoya into the desiccated coconut and mix the khoya with the coconut. Sprinkle the Khoya - coconut mixture and remaining Almond flakes over the Barfi. Let the Barfi set for few hours before cutting. Enjoy the Barfi any time of the day. 

Radhuni - Jeere Bata R Shobji Diye Rui / Catla Maach er Jhol

Rahu Fish with Wild Celery -  Cumin and Vegetables 

This is a healthy dish made with Rohu fish or Catla fish , loads of Vegetables and with flavour of Wild Celery seeds.. enjoyed with hot steamed rice and lemon. Winter vegetable like radish, carrot, brinjal, onion stalk and flat beans with potato are preferably been used..  other vegetables like raw papaya, raw banana, beans, pointed gourd etc can also be used. 

This is my home style recipe where I add onions and garlic too.. we can avoid garlic and onion if we want.. tomato and ginger is used. 

Here I have made this dish for 2 people.. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 medium size Tomato cut into pieces 

1 small size Onion cut into pieces 

1 small piece of Ginger 

5 to 6 medium Garlic cloves 

1 or more Green Chilli

1/2 tsp Wild Celery seeds / Radhuni 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds or powder 

1/2 Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder or 3 to 4 Pepper corn

Salt to taste 

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients into paste .

For the fish Curry 

Ingredients 

2 Rohu or Catla Fish pieces 

1 medium bowl of vegetables 

1/2 Radish cut into thick strips

1 small Carrot cut into thick strips 

1 medium size Potato cut into wedges 

1 long small size Brinjal cut into thick strips 

1 Onion Stalk cut into an inch length 

4 to 5 Falt beans cut into 2 halves 

1 or 2 Green chillies silt

1/2 tsp Panch Phoron 

Salt and little Turmeric powder for the fish

Wet paste 

4 tbsp Mustard oil 

Method 

Take 2 tbsp oil in a wok, heat the oil up, fry the fish with little turmeric and salt until brown in colour, remove and keep it aside. 

Add the remaining oil, once the oil heats up add the Panch phoran, let it crackle, add the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes, add the paste.. stir and cook the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, cover and cook the vegetables until soft. Add the fish and let it cook for another 1 minute. Serve the dish hot with hot steamed rice and preferably Gandharaj lemon…. 

Mulo Saag, Sabji ar Chingri Macher Matha Diye Chachra

 

This recipe is shared by one of our “Annapurna”… yes I would call her Annapurna.. they are the actual people in most of our houses for whom we are blessed. They are always behind the scene.

She is the lady for whom we enjoy all the traditional meals each day in my brother’s house.. for the last 6 years.. 

Unfortunately as my brother has to move on to a different city.. so we will miss her immensely.. before departing, I had requested her to share one of the traditional Bengali recipe. She was so happy to share the following recipe - 

As winter is almost in, now a days the market is flooded with winter vegetables like flat beans, radish, radish leaves, brinjal, cauliflower, carrots etc. we got some vegetables from Market 1, C.R. park market as we get many vegetables that are used in Bengali dishes.. and got some prawns and other fishes too.. 

We used the prawns head for this dish… we can used fish offal like fish oil or small fishes or fish head to prepare this dish… 

Ingredients 

2 bunches of Radish leaves cut into medium - small pieces 

Incase Cauliflower stems are available then the stems of the cauliflower can be cut into medium - small pieces 

1 Long Brinjal cut into medium long pieces 

1 medium size Radish cut into medium long pieces 

1 Big size Potato cut into wedges 

Few Flat Beans cut into 2 halves 

2 to 3 Green Chillies slit 

Few Prawn heads cleaned, washed and marinated with salt and turmeric 

1 tbsp Poppy seeds ground into paste 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Sugar 

3/4 tsp Cumin powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/2 tsp Panch phoran 

4 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Blanch the Cauliflower stems and Radish leaves in hot water for few minutes. Drain the water out and keep it aside. 

Take a wok, add 2 tbsp oil, let it heat up. Lower the flame, to medium flame, add panch phoran, let the panch phoran crackle. Add the cut vegetables (flat beans, potato, radish and brinjal and cauliflower stems ), sauté the vegetables, cover the wok, stir occasionally and cook  for 5 to 7 minutes,  Add the radish leaves, stir occasionally, cover the wok and continue to cook for another 3 minutes until water releases from the leafy vegetable, add salt, turmeric powder. Stir, cover and continue to cook for another minute, add the chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Stir, cover and continue to cook. In another pan add 2 tbsp Mustard oil. Let the oil heat up, lower the heat, add the marinated prawns head and fry it until brown.  Add the green chillies and sugar into the vegetables, continue cooking until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the fried prawn heads into the cooked vegetables and add 1/4 cup hot water. Cover the wok and cook until the water has dried up and the vegetables are soft. Add the poppy seed paste, stir, cover and cook for another minute. Open the cover stir, and drizzle 1/2 tsp mustard oil, stir and transfer into serving bowl.. and enjoy with hot rice. 

Whole Wheat Atta Cookies

These are home baked whole wheat cookies, we can enjoy these with a hot cup of tea. These cookies can stay for a week in a air tight container. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Ghee

 1/2  cup Powdered Sugar 

 1 1/4 cup Whole wheat flour 

 3 tablespoons fine Semolina 

2 tbsp Milk powder 

 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 tsp Baking Powder 

1 tbsp  or more Milk 

 1 tbsp Almond flakes 

Some Kesar strands 

Method 

Add the ghee, sugar, salt and cardamom powder in a bowl and beat it well. Add the whole wheat flour, semolina, milk powder and baking powder into the bowl and mix it together till crumbs are form. Add the milk very little at a time until a dough is form. Take a baking tray. Make small lime size portions of the dough. Take a portion and slightly flatten the dough and create a small cavity in the centre. Please the cookies on the tray leaving little gaps in between the 2 cookies. Garnish with almond flakes and Kesar strand. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees celsius for 15 to 20 minutes depending upon your oven temperature. Cool the cookies in the same tray until the cookies cools down completely before eating it. Keep it in a air tight container.

Jugadu Chicken Curry

 

As I am with my daughter to settle her… at present we don’t have much amenities in the kitchen, just a gas stove and very few things, rest of the things are all on the way including all the ingredients … frankly speaking we are a bit feed up eating the restaurant food.. we had ordered some vegetables that can sustain without fridge for some days like potatoes, onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and some green chillies from Bigbasket.. was wondering what can we cook in a easy way.. my daughter loves chicken.. got some chicken and chicken masala from blink.. love this app as it just deliverers anything  within 90 minutes… we had some all spices leaves that I had carried with me as it grows abundantly in my house and turmeric powder that I make at home, but the question was how to arrange garlic ginger paste.. cannot buy readymade as there is no refrigerator.. suddenly I realised that I had a small chopping board and a rolling pin.. that was my wooden shil batta for today… 

Since I have only one pan.. I used same pan to mix the chicken with the masala and cook the chicken directly in the same pan. 

Here is the recipe for Jugadu Chicken Curry 🤗

Ingredients 

500 grams of Chicken with bones or boneless 

2 Medium size Potatoes peeled and cut into 2 

1 Medium size Onion sliced 

1 Big size Tomato sliced 

1 small  piece of Ginger peeled and cut into tiny  pieces 

5 to 6 Garlic cloves peeled 

3 to 4 Green Chillies 

Few handful of Coriander leaves 

2 tbsp Chicken Masala powder 

3/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

2 Dried AllSpice leaves or Bay leaves 

2 tbsp Sugar syrup 

2 to 3 tbsp Mustard Oil 

Method 

The name  jugadu chicken curry is given as I didn’t have grinder or mortal - pestal.. I used chopping board and rolling pin to grind the green masala (ginger, garlic,green chillies and coriander leaves). 

Take the pan or wok in which the chicken will be cooked, add the chicken pieces, cut potatoes pieces, some sliced onions, some sliced tomatoes,  3/4 of the green masala, chicken masala powder, salt, turmeric powder and 2 1/2 tbsp mustard oil. Mix all ingredients together. Place the pan or wok on the gas stove and switch on the flame, cover the pan or wok and cook on medium low flame for 5 minutes, stirring the ingredients occasionally.  Now add the remaining green masala, some more tomato - onion slices and 2 all spice leaves. Stir and cook for a minute.  Add a cup of water or as much water required for the gravy. Cover and let the gravy simmer the gravy for 2 minutes, add the sugar syrup - (I used it from the the rosogolla syrup as I didn’t have any sugar at home) and stir, now cook the gravy until the chicken pieces and potato pieces have cooked well. Switch off the flame, drizzle the remaining mustard oil, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice. 

Komro Pata Diye Ilish Macher Bhorta

 Komro Pata Diye Ilish Macher Bhorta 

Ilish Macher Bhorta is one of the favourite in our house… from the time my husband visited Bangladesh… mostly head and tail of the fish is used… one of the dish made with the head of the fish is chorchori… 

We had some pumpkin leaves growing in our balcony pot… we have used pumpkin leaves to make Macher paturi.. and chorchori… but the leaves weren’t enough to make either of the dishes… since Bhorta is one of our favourite.. used the pumpkin leaves in the Bhorta… 

Patients is the key word for Bhorta… as lots of fine fish bones  have to be removed .. but once made.. it will just vanish from your plate…: 

To marinate the Fish 

Ingredients 

Head and Tail of Ilish/ Hilsa fish 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Chilli powder 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Apply salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder on the fish head and tail.. 

To make the Bhorta 

Ingredients 

Marinated Fish head and tail 

Handful of Pumpkin leaves (can add more)

2 medium size Onion sliced 

2 or more Green Chillies 

2 Garlic cloves

2 Dry Red Chillies 

1/4 tsp Nigella seeds

Salt to taste

2 to 3 tbsp of Mustard oil

Method 

Take oil in a pan.. let it heat, fry the fish head and tail.. until golden brown in colour… remove the fish head and tail and keep it aside. Add sliced onion, garlic, green chillies and dried red chillies into the remaining oil in the pan. Sauté until light brown in colour, add the pumpkin leaves.. stir once.. move the sautéed onions and the leaves on one side of the pan, add the Nigella seeds, spread the onions in the pan, place the fish head and tail over the sautéed onions… cover and cook for a minute, open the lid and turn the fish and cook for another minute. Switch off the flame, let it cool a bit, take a grinding jar, add the head, tail, garlic cloves, green chillies, one dried red chilli, pumpkin leaves into the grinding jar. Don’t add any water.. use the pulse button and grind the ingredients coarsely… 

Remove the Bhorta on the plate.. here comes the test of your patients… time to remove the bones… once done add the sautéed onions and salt.. mix all the ingredients together.. the Bhorta is ready to be savoured with some hot rice… 

Macher Dimer Bora / Fish Egg Fritters

Fish eggs are a delicacy in Bengali homes during monsoon… as the fish sold in the market mostly comes with eggs.. we generally use Rohu or Catla fish eggs to make fritters / Bora or we make curry with fish egg fritters / Macher Dimer borar Jhol or Macher Dimer jhuri bhaja / Scrambled Fish Eggs or Macher Dimer bhapa / steamed fish eggs. 

More common recipe using fish eggs is Macher Dimer bora/ Fish egg fritters.. 

Rohu or Catla fish eggs are taken, chickpea, salt, onions, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves (optional) are mixed well with the fish eggs. It’s deep fried. The fish egg fritters are eaten during lunch with dal and rice or as evening snacks. 

Ingredients 

1 cup Fish eggs / Roe 

2 tbsp Chickpeas flour 

1 medium size Onion sliced

2 Green Chillies chopped

2 medium size Garlic cloves chopped 

Coriander leaves (optional)

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder (optional)

Oil for deep frying 

Macher Dimer Bora r Video 

Method 

Wash the fish eggs, take the fish eggs in a bowl, add chickpea flour, chopped onions, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves (optional), turmeric powder (optional) and salt. Mix all the ingredients together. Keep the batter aside for 5 minutes, meanwhile heat the oil. Once the oil heats up, reduce the flame. Add tbsps of the batter into the oil, on medium low flame fry the fritters until golden brown in colour. Serve the fritters with dal - rice or as snacks. 

#fisheggs #roe #fritters #bengalidelicacy #monsoonsnacks #monsoonfood 

Rava - Oats Pongal

 Venn Pongal also known as Khara Pongal is an easy and healthy South Indian savoury dish made with dal and rice…  served for breakfast with sambar and coconut chutney. 

Here I have used semolina and oats instead of rice. 

Rava - Oats  Pongal 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Moong Dal

3/4 cup Oats 

3/4 cup Rava 

1 small piece of Ginger grated 

Few Curry leaves 

2 to 3 Green Chillies chopped 

2 Red Dried Chillies 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp Pepper Cashew nuts

Handful of broken Cashews 

Salt to taste 

3 tbsp Ghee

2 cups Water

Method 

Take a pressure cooker, add the Moong Dal and dry roast the Dal until a roasted aroma release, don’t over roast the dal, add water and wash the 2 to 3 times, add water and boil the Dal, the dal should remain whole but cooked…switch of the flame and keep the dal aside.  Take another pot, add 1 1/2 tbsp ghee, add cumin seeds, let it crackle, add the cashew nuts, fry until light brown in colour. Add the whole red chillies, pepper corns, curry leaves, ginger and  green chillies, sauté for a minute, add the semolina and oats, stir all ingredients together for a minute. Add salt, continue to fry all the ingredients until light brown in colour. Add 2 cups water gradually and stir all the ingredients on low flame until the water has reduced. Add the dal and continue to stir, add the remaining ghee and stir, once done switch of the flame. Serve the Pongal hot with coconut chutney. 

#kharapongal #vennpongal #breakfast #southindiancuisine #foody #foodreels #recipe #foodlove #yummy #delicious #cooking #cookingwithlove #amazingfood #foodpics #tasty #homechef #foodblog #cookingvideos #foodie #vegetarian