Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol / Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato

Ruhi Maccher Aloo diye Jhol 

Light Gravy with Ruhu Fish and Potato  

Bengalis love Jhol to have it with hot steam rice. Jhol are usually light, liquid gravy. Jhol can be made with fish, meat or vegetables. The Jhol ingredients can vary according to the recipe. Here today I have made Jhol with fish and potatoes. Other vegetables can be added as per the availability.   

For the Fish Fry

Ingredients 

5 to 6 pieces of Rahu Fish 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1/4 cup Mustard oil 

Method

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Heat the mustard oil till smoking point. Lower the heat. Fry the fish till brown on both the side. Take it out on an absorbent paper. 

For the Gravy 

Ingredients

Fried Fish 

2 medium size Potatoes cut into wedges 

2 medium size Tomatoes cut into wedges

2Green Chillies slit 

2 tbsp Garlic, Ginger and Chilli paste  ( 3 Garlic cloves, 1 small piece Ginger and 2 Green Chillies)  

1/4 tsp Nigella Seeds 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Use the same wok in which the fish was fried, take out the extra oil and keep 2 tbsp oil in the wok. Heat the oil, add Nigella seeds and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the potatoes, stir fry for 2 minutes, add the ginger garlic chilli paste. Saute it for 3 minutes. Add the salt and turmeric powder, stir for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Saute it again for 2 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water. Let it boil and then let it simmer till the potatoes are cooked. Add the fish and simmer for 2 minutes. Switch of the flame. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Serve with hot steam Rice. 

Chocolate cake with Butter cream decoration

Minni goes wild was the theme of the cake as a girl enters her wild teens... This is a chocolate cake with fresh cream and butter cream decoration on top.. 

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

Indonesian style Eggplant Sambal / Sambal Terong

 It has a tangy, sweet and spicy taste and is very delicious. It is very easy to make and it can be had with steamed rice. 

Ingredients

2 medium long  Eggplants cut into cubes 

10 Fresh Red Chillies chopped

6 Shallots chopped 

4 Garlic cloves 

1 tbsp Shrimp paste (Optional) 

1 tbsp  Palm Jaggery  grated 

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Tamarind paste 

1/4 cup Oil 

Method

Take a bowl and soak the tamarind paste in 2 cups of water. Keep it aside. Grind chillies, shallots, salt, shrimp paste, palm jaggery and garlic in a mortar and pestle or grind it in a grinder. Heat oil for frying in a wok, stir-fry the eggplant till light pink in colour. Remove from the wok and drain it on a paper towel. Add the paste.  Stir fry for 2 minutes, on medium heat.  Add tamarind water.  Let boil, for  10 minutes. Add the eggplants. Mix well and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve it with steamed rice.

Cauliflower Kootu

Cauliflower kootu

Kootu in Tamil means 'add'. Any Vegetable can be added with the lentils. Different types of Kootu are made with different spice flavour.  It is an South Indian dish. The gravy here is not very thin. 

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Here I have made Cauliflower Kootu. The flavour of the Kootu powder here with the vegetable and lentil has an awesome taste. It is eaten with hot steam rice. 

For the Kootu Powder

Ingredients 

3 Dry Red chillies

10 Black pepper corns 

1 tbsp Coriander seeds 

1 tbsp Chana dal 

1/4 cup Dry or Fresh coconut 

Method 

Take a pan, dry roast all the ingredients except coconut on low flame for 5 minutes. Add grated coconut and roast for 2 minutes more and turn off flame. Cool and grind the ingredients into a fine powder. Keep it aside.

 For making the Kootu

Ingredients 

2 cups of  Cauliflower florets cut into small pieces 

1 Potato peeled and cubed

1 Onions finely sliced 

1 Tomatoe chopped 

1/2 cup Tur dal washed and boiled with 3 cups of water 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Kootu Masala

1 tbsp Tamarind paste 

Salt to taste

For tempering

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds 

Few Curry leaves 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida 

2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Cook the Tur dal with 2 cups of water till done and keep it aside. Heat ghee in the vessel, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida, let it crackle. Add the  onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, potato and the cauliflower, saute for 10 minutes on low medium flame. Add the tomato. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the boiled tur dal, ground kootu masala powder and salt, mix well. Add 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till the vegetables are almost cooked. Add the tamarind paste, along with a cup of water and cook on low-medium flame with lid for another 10 minutes and the vegetables are fully cooked. Turn off the flame. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Egg Bafat Curry

Egg Bafat Curry

A Bafat is a hot spicy masala blend , use to make spicy hot tangy Mangalorean curries. Once the bafat masala powder is made, you can use it for many dishes like fish curry, fish fry, meat and many vegetarian dishes too. It can be stored in a clean and dry glass container.

For the Bafat Masala powder 

Ingredients 

5 Kashmiri red chillies

5 Dry Red chillies

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tsp  Cumin seeds

4 cloves

1 piece Cinnamon

6 Pepper corns

1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp  Turmeric powder

Method 

Take a pan. Add the chillies and roast for 2 minutes. Remove the chillies from the pan. Put all the other ingredients on the pan except the turmeric powder and roast for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix all ingredients together and cool it. Grind the roasted ingredients in a grinder.  

P.S. Since I did not have the spicy Red Chillies, I have used the chilli powder.

 (The original Mangalorean recipe does not contain Kashmiri Chillies. Only Red spicy chillies to be added.)

Egg Bafat Curry 

Ingredients

6 hard boiled Eggs peeled 

2 Onions sliced 

1 big Tomatoe chopped 

1 tbsp Garlic Ginger and Chilli paste 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Bafat Masala powder 

4 tbsp Ghee 

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped

Method

Take a wok, add ghee and let it heat. Add the garlic ginger and chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onions and sauté it till pink in colour. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes till soft. Add all the turmeric  powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stir it well and cook for a minute. Add 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 10  minutes, add the Garam Masala powder and Bafat Masala. Cook for 10 minutes more.  Add the eggs, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame. Cover and let the  curry  stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves. Serve it with steamed rice.