Tomator Tok

Tomator Tok
Ingredients:
4 Ripe tomatoes  chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp garlic chopped
1/2 tsp  Ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 dry red chilli
1/2 tsp Panchforon (a mixture of fennel, mustard, fenugreek, cumin and black cumin)
1 Bay leaves 
1 tsp Sugar
Salt  to taste
2 tsp Oil

Method
Boil the chopped tomatoes with ginger, turmeric  and salt in 4 cups of water.Once the tomatoes become soft, stir the mix thoroughly into a thick paste.In a separate pan, heat the oil and brown the onions and garlic.Add in the panchforon, dry red chilli and bay leaf, and fry for another minute.Add all the ingredients from the pan into the tomato mix.Stir in the sugar and let it simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.Serve hot.

Oler Danla ( Yam curry)

Oler  Danla ( Yam curry)
Ingredients
500 grams yam cut in to cubes
2 potatoes cut in to cubes
1 onion finely sliced
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp chilli paste
1 tomato chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp of ghee
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder ( powder made of 2 cloves, 1 small stick Cinnamon, 2 cardamom  and 1/2 cumin seeds)
Method
Take 1 1/2 tbsp ghee in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the cumin seed crackle. Add chopped onion. Saute till brown in colour. Add the cubes of potatoes, sugar and saute it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger - garlic , chilli paste and salt to taste. Stir for 2 minutes more. Add the yam and the all the dry powder masala. On a low flame cover the kadai and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato. Cook it for few minutes more with a close lid. When the ghee starts to leave the sides of the Kadai add 2 small cups of water. Cook the yam on a medium flame till the potatoes and yam is cooked. Before serving add 1/2 tbsp of ghee and sprinkle garam masala from top.

Chicken Dak Bangla

Chicken Dak Bangla
A  very easy, tasty and rustic recipe to make.
Ingredients
   1 kg Chicken cut in large pieces
4 tbsp  Mustard Oil
2 big  Onions roughly chopped
A small piece of  Ginger
6 Garlic cloves
2 Tomato chopped
2 Whole Dry Red Chillies
3 tbsp curd
1 tsp turmeric pd
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 green cardamom
1 small stick of Cinnamon
4 cloves
6 pepper corns
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Ginger Julienne for garnishing
Chopped Coriander for garnishing

Method
Wash and dry the chicken.
Except for Mustard oil, sugar and curd take all the ingredients and grind it in a blender. Now take the chicken and add the curd and the masala paste and mix it well. Marinate it for 1 to 2 hours. Now take oil in a cooker. Heat the oil well. Add the chicken and sugar to the oil and saute it for 10 to 15 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and cook it till the chicken has become tender or give just 2 whistles as the chicken has been marinating for long. Garnish it with ginger Julienne and chopped coriander.

Badakopi diye macher mata ( fish head with cabbage)

Badakopi diye macher mata ( fish head with cabbage)
Ingredients
500 grams of cabbage finely sliced
1 big katla or rahu fish head fried in mustard oil and broken in to big parts
2 potatoes cut in to big cubes
1 tomato chopped
1 onion sliced
2 tsp ginger - garlic paste
1 tsp chilli paste
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 sugar
Salt to taste
1 bay leaves
2 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp ghee
Method
Take a vessel. Add mustard oil and heat then cumin seed and bay leaf. Add onions and fry then add ginger - garlic paste, chilli paste and tomato. Saute them properly. Add sugar and salt to taste. Add the potato, cabbage and all the powder masala. Cover the vessel and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes. Now add the fish head and cook it till all the water dries up and the potatoes are cooked. Add ghee and sprinkle garam masala for garnishing.

Bengali style Mutton Biryani

Bengali style Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

750 grams   meat
500 gm. of basmati rice washed and soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
4 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp. ginger paste
1 tbsp. garlic paste
4 potatoes cut into halves
1 large onion finely chopped
1 cup  curd
2 tsp. Kashmiri  chilli powder
Few drops Kewra essence
Few strands of saffron soaked and 1 tsp kesar colour in 2-3 tbsp. of warm milk
Salt  to taste
1 tsp Sugar
2 green cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
5 pepper
2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
4 boiled eggs

Make a powder from the masala:-
2" cinnamon stick
6 cloves
3 green cardamom
1/4 of a whole nutmeg
1/2" mace
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1tsp of pepper corn

Method

Cook the pre soaked rice in enough water seasoned with salt, green cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, pepper and few cloves. Cook till the rice is almost done. Drain the rice on a colander and spread on a flat plate.

Take ghee in a heavy bottom pan or in a pressure cooker and heat it. Add chopped onion and fry till they are brown. Add the meat pieces and sear them on high heat. Add ginger, garlic paste and stir the meat pieces. Once the raw smell goes away add the curd and Kashmiri chili powder. Add the potato, salt and sugar and saute the meat and  add the masala powder. Cook till the potatoes are 90% boiled. Remove the potatoes and keep them aside. Rest 10% cooking will be done in Dum.

If required add water as per requirement or else   cook the the meat pieces in a pressure cooker.
Now  assemble the biryani. Take a heavy bottom pan. Add one layer of rice and then the mutton pieces, some potato pieces and some gravy. Repeat the layer. The last layer will be rice.  Add the boil eggs on top. Now add saffron and kesar colour milk on top of the rice, also add a few drops of kewra water. Add some melted ghee . Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves.   Cover the biryani pot tightly. Now we are ready to put the biryani for Dum.
Put the vessel on a thick tawa or charcoal so that the bottom does not get burnt.  Cook it on a low heat for 30 minutes. Once done  keep it off the fire for at least an hour before serving. Serve it with green salad.

Quiche my fusion style with leftovers....

Quiche my fusion style with leftovers....
Made from previous night leftover soya Keema and pav.......
Ingredients:-
8 pieces of bread
1 cup of soya keema cooked
8 eggs
1 onion chopped
1/2 yellow and red capsicum thin sliced
6 to 7 spinach leaves chopped
2 green chillies chopped
1 tsp butter
2 cups milk
Salt to taste
Oregano and chilli flakes to sprinkle
Optional
Chopped olives
Grated cheese
Method:-
Cut the left over pieces of bread in to small pieces . Add milk and soak the bread well. Beat the eggs and add to the bread and mix it well. Now add leftover soya keema, onions, spinach, chillies and salt. Mix the mixture well. Now take a baking tray and rub the butter in to the tray. Pour the mixture in to tray. Decorate the mixture with sliced colourful capsicum , olives and grated cheese Sprinkle chilli flakes and Oregano. Bake the quiche in a pre heated oven for 25 mins at 250 degrees temperature.Quiche ready for breakfast......

Su's style Grilled Fish in Orange Barbeque Sauce ...

Su's  style Grilled Fish in Orange Barbeque sauce ...
Ingredients
3 peices  of  bone less silver bass fish
1 tsp garlic chilli paste
Salt to sprinkle
4 tbsp Barbeque sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp spring onions chopped

Method
Take 3 peices of bone less fish and cut them into 2 pieces. Add all the ingredients to the fish  except spring onions chopped and roasted sesame seeds and marinate it for an hour. Grill it at 200 degrees for 15 minutes in a pre heated oven. Take it out and garnish it with spring onions chopped and roasted sesame seed.

Kaju Puri / Cashew nut cookies

Kaju Puri / Cashew nut  cookies
Ingredients
1 cup - kaju powder (cashew nut) powdered
½ cup - powdered sugar
1/2 tsp - cardamom powder
few strands - saffron - kesar
2 tbsp - milk or as needed
Finely chopped pistachio to garnish - optional
Ghee to apply on rolling board.
Method

Prehea oven at 180 degrees. Add saffron(kesar)to the warm milk. Keep aside. Mix kaju powder, powdered sugar, cardamom powder in a medium bowl and seive the powder. Prepare semi soft dough with the help of saffron milk. Add tbsp at a time till you get nice soft dough. Rub ghee on the rolling board so that the dough does not stick. Roll the dough on the rolling board to the thickness about 1/4 inch. Sprinkle  the pistachio on the rolled dough and roll the rolling pin lightly. Take a round cookie cutter and cut the circles out. Put the parchment paper on the baking tray. Place the puris on the paper. Bake about 12-15 minutes or till it changes color slighly to nice golden.
Remove and let it cool. You can bake them on the tawa too. Just roast it on a slow flame roasting both the sides till light golden brown.

Multi grain vegetable idlis

Multi grain vegetable  idlis
Ingredients
2 cups broken red rice
1 tbsp of each moong dal, channa dal, tur dal, bajra, Ragi, Jowari, wheat
1/2 cup of urid dal
1/2 tsp methi seeds
Salt to taste
1 fresh coconut grated
1/2 bunch Coriander leaves
4 garlic cloves
2 green chillies
1 carrot grated
1 beet root grated
Sasame oil for greasing the idli moulds
Method
Wash the rice,the pulses and grains. Soak it in water for 6 to 8 hours. Grind the rice, pulses,grains and the methi seeds together. The batter should be thick and not very fine. Cover and keep it over night. Next day add salt to taste, 1/2 cup grated coconut, grated carrot and beet. Mix the batter well. Grease the idli mould with oil and cook it till done. Serve it with green coconut chutney.

For green coconut chutney take coriander leaves, chillies, salt to taste, coconut grated and garlic and grind the ingredients.

Gobi (Cauliflower) ke Danthal (stems) ki Sabzi

Gobi (Cauliflower) ke Danthal (stems) ki Sabzi
Ingredients
Stem and leaves of a big cauliflower ( green part of a fresh cauliflower) cut in to medium size strips
Salt to taste
1 tbsp coconut oil
5 to 6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 whole red chilli
For the masala paste
4 tbsp coriander leaves
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves
2 green chillies
2 tbsp coconut grated
1 small piece of ginger
1 tbsp curd
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 pack Dabur coconut milk

Method

Grind all the ingredients for the masala paste. Take a pan and add coconut oil. Heat the oil and add cumin seeds, curry leaves and red dry chilli. Add the cauliflower stems and leaves and sauté it for few minutes. Now add the masala paste and cook the cauliflower stems and leaves. Add water in between and  cook on a slow flame till the  cauliflower stems and leaves are tender and all the water has almost evaporated. Drizzle some coconut oil from top and have it with hot rice...

Mochar chop

Mochar chop
Ingredients :
For the filling
Banana flowers -  2 cups   boiled and mashed
Potato - 1 boiled , peeled and mashed
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilli paste -  1/2  tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
1 tbsp broken Kaju nuts fried
1/2 tbsp resins

For frying
Bread crumb as required
Corn flour - 4 tbsp
Refine oil as required (For deep frying)

Method :
Remove the outer purple covers one by one and take out the real flowers, till you reach the yellow coloured inner flowers. Discard the outer covers and center portion. Boil the flowers with turmeric powder and salt in a pressure cooker.Drain out the water and mash.

Heat ghee in a pan add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Now add  boiled mashed banana flower, mashed potato, salt and all the ingredients,  except  the ingredients for frying. Stir at low flame until all the moisture content is completely gone. Remove the heat and cool the mixture. Remove the bay leaf from the mixture. When it is cooled, make small oval shape of it.In a bowl take corn flour and water and make a batter. Dip the oval  shaped cutlets.Lay the bread crumbs on a plate and coat the patties with crumbs on both side, shed any excess crumbs.Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat and shallow fry until lightly brown on both sides. Drain on to paper towels. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Rahu or Katla macher tel jhol

Rahu or Katla macher tel jhol
Ingredients
6  pieces of Rahu or Katla fish
1 big tomato finely sliced
4 green chillies slit
Mustard oil to fry the fish
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp kalonji
1 tbsp coriander for garnishing
Method
Rub the fish with salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric. Heat up the mustard oil well and fry the fish in Mustard oil. Keep the fried fish aside. Now take out the excess mustard oil and keep 2 to 3 tbsp of mustard oil in the pan. Add kalonji, green chillies and tomatoes. Saute it well. Now add the salt and remaining turmeric powder. Add 2 cups of water boil it well and add the fried fish and again boil it for 5 minutes till the curry reduces to 1 1/2 cups. Now add coriander leaves for garnishing and 1/2 mustard oil on top. Serve with hot rice.

Tarkari diye Moonger dal (Moong dal with veggies)

Tarkari diye Moonger dal (Moong dal with veggies)
Ingredients
1/2 cup moong dal
1 small tomato chopped
1 green chilli slit
1/2 cup radish diced
1/4 cup peas
2 tbsp desiccated coconut / fresh grated coconut
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf
2 pinch hing
1 red whole dry chilli
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Wash the moong dal and soak it in water for some time. Take a cooker add ghee. As the ghee heats up add cumin seeds, hing, red chilli and bay leaf. As the cumin seeds starts to crackle add the dal, 1 cup water, tomato, radish, green chilli, peas, desiccated coconut, salt and all the powder masala. Pressure cook it. At least 3 to 4 whistles should come. Let the cooker cool down. Before serving garnish it with coriander leaves. Have it hot with rice.....

Doi Begun - Brinjals made in Curd gravy

Doi Begun
Doi Begun is one of my favourite Bengali dish. I had learnt this dish from my neighbour.... (Mashima) Aunty Late Mrs. Leela Nath, where I stayed after my marriage in Chembur for 9 years. She was an amazing lady with an amazing culinary skill. She and her family is more than a family to me. I had a great time with her and Baudi (Bhabhi), my best friend, her Daughter in Law) while my stay in Chembur.
Ingredients
6 long thin Brinjals cut lengthwise along with the steam
2 Onion sliced( optional)
2 Green chilies slit
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric paste
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 Garam Masala powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 cup Curd
1/2 tsp Cumin seed
1 Bay leaf
Mustard oil for shallow frying
Few Coriander leaves Chopped

Method
Take the brinjals and marinate it with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Take a fry pan. Add mustard oil for shallow fry. Heat the oil till smoking point. Fry the brinjals on medium flame till brown in colour. Keep it aside. Remove excess oil from the pan. Keep just 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let the cumin seed crackle. Add ginger paste. Sauté it for few seconds.
(Add the onions. Fry the onion till translucent.) - Optional
Beat the curd. Add the curd. Add salt, sugar, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin seed powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala powder. Sauté it for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 to 3 tbsp water. Mix the gravy. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add fried brinjals, cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes. Doi Begun is done. Garnish with coriander leaves, serve it with hot rice.

Home Made Strawberry and Banana Ice cream

Home Made Strawberry and Banana Ice cream
Ingredients
400 grams Amul cream
200 ml milk
1 tbsp corn flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp strawberry home made jam ( recipe was shared earlier)
2 bananas mashed
1 tsp Strawberry essence
1 tsp banana essence

Method
Take 2 tbsp milk and mix cornflour and keep it a side. Take rest of the milk and boil it. Add sugar and 200 grams Amul cream, let it boil till the sugar dissolves... Add the cornflour liquid and keep stirring the milk continuously till the milk becomes like a custard. Take the custard off the gas. Divided the custard in to 2 different containers. In one portion add mashed bananas and banana essences, whisk it well and in the other portion add strawberry jam and strawberry essences, whisk it well. Keep both the containers in the freezer. After the ice - cream sets for 2 to 3 hours take it out and beat both the ice creams separately adding the remaining 200 grams Amul cream ( 100 grams of cream each in each container). Keep the containers back in the freezer till the ice - cream semi sets... Now take the containers out and fold in both the ice - cream together ( don't mix it completely, some part of the banana ice cream should been seen in between the strawberry ice cream). Now finally keep the container back in the freezer and once set completely... Enjoy....

Eggless Kesar Pista Elaichi Pancakes with Banana and Pear Syrup.. Served with Fresh Cream / Vanilla Icream / Hung curd

Eggless Kesar Pista Elaichi Pancakes with Banana and Pear Syrup.. Served with Fresh Cream / Vanilla Icream / Hung curd
For the Pan cake
Ingredients
2 cups Rice flour
3 tbsp Curd
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp sugar 
Or
3 tbsp honey + 3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp milk masala
1/2 tsp Elichi
1 cup or milk
2 banana
Butter for spraying on the pan
Method
Take a blender. Add the banana, salt, curd, 1/4 cup milk and blend. Add sugar or honey or both as desire, milk masala, milk and blend. Add rice flour little at a time and blend. Make a thick batter. If more milk it needed add to the batter. Rest for 10 minutes.. Apply butter to the pan. Add a spoon of batter and make it. Similarly make the rest and keep it aside.

Banana and Pear syrup
Ingredients
1 pear cut in to cubes or any fruits
2 banana sliced
4 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp Elichi powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp butter
Method
Take a pan. Add butter. Add the fruits and saute. Add honey, salt and Elichi powder. Cook it for 5 minutes.

While serving take 2  pan cakes in a plate... Add the fruit syrup. Add Hung curd or Vanilla Ice cream or Fresh cream......

Lal Maas

Lal Maas

Ingredients
1 kg mutton cut into cubes
8 whole red chillies soaked in water for 30 minutes and ground into fine paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 bay leaves
1 green cardamom
1 small stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1 cup curd
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
3 tbsp ghee
1 whole red chilli
1 tbsp coriander leaves

Method
Take a pot. Add 2 tbsp ghee. Add cloves, cinnamon stick, 1 green cardamom and bay leaves. Add onion and fry till light brown in colour. Add chilli paste and ginger garlic paste. Sauté it for 5 minutes on low flame. Add turmeric powder, salt to taste, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Sauté it for a minute and add the mutton cubes. Sauté it for 10 minutes and add the curd. Keep stirring for 10 minutes. Add about 2 cups of water. Cook the mutton till done on a low flame. For tempering take a pan add ghee and 1 whole red chilli and 1/2 chilli powder and before the chilli powder begins to change it's colour take off the gas and pour over the Lal Maas gravy. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

Laccha paratha

Laccha paratha
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Ghee for making the parathas

Method
Take the flour,salt and oil. Mix it well. Add water to make a dough. Keep the dough covered for an hour. Make medium size balls. Take a ball and roll the dough out. Apply oil or ghee and sprinkle flour on the rolled dough. Now start folding like paper fan. Now roll the dough strip to round shape. Apply little flour and roll out the paratha. Put the paratha on a hot tawa. Roast on both the sides and apply ghee. Lachha paratha is ready.

Eggless coconut almond bundt cake with white chocolate ganache

Eggless coconut almond bundt cake with white chocolate ganache
Ingredients
100 grams butter
1/4 cup castor sugar
200 grams condensed milk
1 tsp coconut essence
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp curd
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup fine samolina
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda bi carb
1/4 cup roasted chopped almonds
Milk as required

Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Take a mixing bowl and beat butter and sugar till fluffy. Add in all the other wet ingredients except milk and beat the mixture till well blended. Mix all the dry ingredients except roasted almonds and add in to the wet batter little at a time. Beat the batter well. If the batter is dry add in milk to make it into a thick dropping consistency.  Add the roasted chopped almond and gently mix the batter. Take a bundt pan and spray the pan with oil. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake it for 35 minutes. Cool the cake and pour white chocolate ganache from top.

Rustic Ciabatta bread with Poolish(Starter)...

Cheesy Herb Bread

Cheesy Herb Bread
Ingredients
1 Fresh Ciabatta
2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Oilve oil
2 tbsp grated Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp Grated Mozzarella
2 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup Mix chopped Fresh herbs ( Coriander leaves, Rose Mary, Thyme, Chives )
1/2 tbsp Chilli flakes
1/4 tbsp Pepper powder
Salt to taste

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Add the butter, olive oil, Mix herbs, garlic, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, chilli flakes, Pepper powder and salt. Mix it well. Take the ciabatta and slice the ciabatta half way through into thick slices, (don't slice it completely so that the whole ciabatta remains together). Spread the cheesy herb butter in between bread slices.  Wrap ciabatta in foil and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees in a pre heated oven or until butter is melted. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Spicy Stired fried Mutton liver with Vegetables

Spicy Stired fried Mutton liver with Vegetables
Ingredients
250 grams Liver cut into thick strips
1 big size Potato cut into thick strips
2 Onions cut into thick slice
2 Green Capsicums cut into thick strips
2 Tomatoes remove the seeds and cut into thick strips
2 Green Chillies slit
4 Bird's eyes red Chillies slit
3  Garlic Cloves chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Honey
2 tbsp Oil
Few chopped coriander leaves...

Method
Take a pan, add oil and heat it. Add garlic. Saute it for few seconds. Add the onions and green chillies,  stir fry till translucent, then add the Capsicum. Stir fry on full flame for 3 minutes, add the potato and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Add the liver and stirring occasionally on full flame cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper powder, honey, worcestershire sauce,tomatoes and red chillies. Stir fry and cook till the potato and liver is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with bread.

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup with Almonds

Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup with Almonds
Ingredients
6 Mushrooms cleaned and sliced
2 Garlic cloves minced
1 tsp Fresh ground Pepper
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tbsp Olive oil
1/2 cup Almonds soaked and ground into fine paste. Add 3 cups more water after grinding
Few Almond flakes

Method
In a pot, heat 1/4 tbsp olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook it till tender. Take the mushrooms and grind it into paste. Keep it aside. Add the 1 tbsp  oil and heat it, add the garlic, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir it occasionally till the raw flavour of the flour has gone. Add 1/2 tsp ground pepper and salt. Add 1 cup of the almond milk little at a time whisking it so that lumps don't form. Cook it till it becomes a smooth paste.   Now add the mushrooms paste to the almond sauce. Add the remaining almond milk. Whisk the soup till smooth. Let it simmer on low heat till it becomes thick and creamer. Serve it hot, sprinkle ground pepper, add some almond flakes and drizzle with few drops of Olive oil before serving......

Neem leaves, potatoes and brinjals stirred fried in mustard oil, Ash gourd ( Petha) Tarkari , Sponge gourd ( Turai) and potato Postor Tarkari, Karai Dal (Urid)

My simple rustic Bengali Vegetarian meal for the afternoon....... My Ma use to cook this kind of meal when I was a kid, but as kid I never liked lots of vegetables and made lots of fuss ... Now she is no more ... But now as I am ageing, my liking for typical Bengali food is growing stronger and and of course my Ma's culinary skill has been ingrained in me. So sharing some of her simple yet delicious recipes cooked today.......
Brinjal, Pumpkin and potato dipped in gram flour batter and fried in hot oil, Neem leaves, potatoes and brinjals stirred fried in mustard oil, Ash gourd ( Petha) Tarkari  , Sponge gourd ( Turai) and potato Postor Tarkari, Karai Dal (Urid), Ammer Chutney, Dahi, gondharaj lime and chill served from my balcony garden.....

Neem - Aloo  Begun Bhaja ( Neem leaves fried with Potatoes and brinjal )
Few tender Neem leaves
1 cup brinjal cubed
1 potato cubed
1 green chilli slit
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp mustard oil
Salt to taste

Method
Take oil. Heat the oil well. Add all the above ingredients and stir it well. Cover and cook on low flame stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables have become tender take it of the gas. Serve it with hot rice....

Ash gourd ( Petha / Chalkumro ) Tarkari
Ingredients
1/4 cup Bori fried
1 cup Ash gourd grated and some water squeezed out
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 dry red chilli
1 green chilli
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
Method
Take a kadai. Add  and heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, red chilli and bay leaf. As the cumin seeds crackles add grated ginger. Sauté for few minutes. Add the grated Ash gourd, sugar, salt, green chilli, garam masala powder and cook it till the water has dried up and the Ash gourd has become tender. Take it of the gas. Add coconut, sprinkle garam masala powder, few drops of ghee and fried crushed  Bori for garnishing.

Postor Tarkari
Ingredients
4 Sponge gourd cubed
2 potatoes cubed
1 green chilli
1 3/4 tbsp mustard oil
Salt to taste
1/2 turmeric powder
3 tbsp poppy seeds soaked in water and make paste with 1 green chilli

Method
Take a kadai, add 1 1/2 mustard oil. Heat the oil well. Add potatoes and sponge gourd , stir well and cooked till half fried. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add poppy seed paste , and cook with the lid on till the vegetables have become tender and vegetables have dried up. Add few drops of mustard oil for flavour from top. Serve with hot rice.
Postor Tarkari can be made with only potatoes or onions, snake gourd , Parwal can be added.....

Karai Dal (Urid dal Bengali style)
Ingredients
1/2 cup Urid dal soaked in water
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 whole red chilli
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp panch phoran
1 pinch hing
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp sauf ( fennel ) seed powder
1 green chilli

Method
Take a cooker. Add oil and heat it. Add panch phoran, hing , red chilli and bay leaf. As panch phoran crackles add the dal and 1 1/2 cup water, salt, turmeric powder, ginger, green chilli and fennel seed powder. Cook the dal till tender. Add water according to the thickness required and boil again with out the lid for 10 minutes..... Serve it with hot rice and  Postor Tarkari...

Chanar Misti Polau or Chanar Zarda

Chanar Misti  Polau or Chanar Zarda
Chanar Misti Polau is a very popular Bengali sweet dish. As a kid this was one of my favourite sweet dish and still is. I always wondered if I would be able to make this anytime at home. From past few days I had it in my mind to make it. So today on the occasion of Gurupurnima I wanted to try making this sweet dish.

For the Sugar syrup
Ingredients
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water
1/2 tsp Lemon juice
2 Cardamom crushed
1 small stick of Cinnamon
1 Bay leaf
Few drops of Kewda essence (Optional)

Method
Boil the sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamon, lemon juice  and water. Make 1 string  sugar syrup. Add Kewda essence. Keep it aside.

Chanar Zarda / Chanar Polau
Ingredients
1 cup Cottage cheese ( water should be drainer out completely )
8 tbsp Milk powder
2  tbsp Cornstarch
1/4 cup All purpose flour
2 tsp Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Ghee
Few drops of Yellow and Orange food colour
Ghee + Oil for frying

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients in the bowl to make the Polau except food colour. Mix all the ingredients very well and knead it for 5 minutes to make a soft dough. Make around 20 small balls. Keep it aside. Now divide the remaining  dough into three parts. Mix few drops of yellow food colour in one portion of the dough. Mix orange food colour in another portion of the dough. Leave the third postion of the dough as it is. Take a grater. Grate the dough with the help of the grater. Take oil and ghee mix. Heat the oil on medium heat. Fry the paneer balls till brown in colour , dip it in the sugar syrup and keep it aside for 20 minutes.  Fry the grated paneer on a medium heat for 3 minutes. It should not lose its colour and become brown at the same time it should be bit crispy. After frying put it on the tissue paper to remove excess oil. Then add it into the  sugar syrup , cover it and keep it like this for 10 to 15 minutes . Strain the Polau from the syrup and spread it in a wide dish so that it does not stick to each other. Garnish with Almond and pistachio flakes...