machher_jhol and kalia

This is a slightly edited post from my ma.

1. Generally we fry the fish first then make jhol or kalia .But it depends on the type of fish available there . If you get ilish then there is no need to fry unless you really want to eat it fried.

Now lets talk about simple macher jhol. First fry the pieces lightly. See that it is not over/undercooked. Do not put too much oil. After frying; take out the pieces carefully. If there is some oil remaining, you can use that or if needed you put a little oil in again. Now wait till the oil is properly heated. To know whether it is ready or not put some jeera or kalo jeera in the oil. You will hear a sizzling sound; Agei ekta chhoto batite jeera dust, haldi, lanka dust, alpo jol diye ekta paste baniye rekhe dite hobe. Now put that paste in the oil and fry it. At this stage you can add sliced tomato as well. After the paste is fried, add water to make the liquid jhol. Add salt to it. When the watery mixture is boiling, put pieces of fish in it. After it boils for a few minutes, sprinkle some atta powder over it slowly. This will thicken the jhol. If you want to have other vegetable in this machher jhol, you will have to slice these vegetable ( such as begun, vindi, or aloo) and fry and keep aside. When the jhol is boiling, put these fried vegetable in it.

2.Macher kalia

With rahu or katla you can make kalia. Fry the pieces first then put aside. Make onion, garlic ginger paste. Keep aside. In a separate pot, make a paste of haldi, chillie, jeera, dhania (all dust) with little water. If you want to, you can put aloo in kalia. Then after frying the fish you have to fry the aloo and put aside. Heat oil. When oil is ready fry the onion paste first then put the haldi paste. When you will see oil coming out then you add water. When the water is boiling add aloo. Let it boil few minutes. When the aloos are soft, put macher tukra and add salt. Finally add some atta powder to make the gravy thick. Add garam masala.Your kalia is ready.

chicken bahari

This is an unedited recipe sent to me by Purabani-di, an extremely accomplished cook.
chicken baahaari!!!!!
prothome chicken ta ke ektu boro boro piece e
katbi.......tarpor chichen ta dhuye tate tok doi,
peyaj bata (olpo), aadaa bata, roshun bata, lonka
guro, jeere guro, holud guro, dhone guro(olpo),gorom
moshla guro(olpo) diye makhiye fridge e tule
dibi........marinade korar jonno........fridge e aami
minimun 5 hrs theke shuru kore maximum 48 hrs obdi
rekhechhi without tension.......tobe optimum
overnight.....shonibaar raate eta kore rekhe diye
robbar shokale raanna kore ne......jai hok...
tarpor fridge theke ber kore rekhe ekta karai e tel
de.........in the mean time porimaan moto kichhu peyaj
salad e jemon gol gol chakti chakti kate, sherokom
kore kete rakh.......shegulo tele reddish brown kore
bheje tule rakh aalaada kore........shei left tel tai
tejpata aar kichhu gota gorom moshla (dalchini,
lobongo aar chhoto elaach)foron de........tarpor puro
marinade kora chicken ta diye de aaar naarte thak
jaate lege na jai........dekhbi jol
berochhe.......berote de.......nere nere jolta shukiye
ne........eta ke bole koshano........tarpor nuun dibi,
ektu chini dibi shaadmoto........tarpor aabaar naarte
thak.....eta semi dry item ....tai jhol hobe
na......ruti-bread er shaathe shobcheye bhalo lage
tobe bhaat o cholbe jaara shukno shukno
khai............jol puro more gele aalaada kore rakha
peyaj bhajata opore choriye de/.......mix kor.....ektu
gorom moshla guro chhoriye de.....mix kor.......opor
theke ghee de....mix it......chapa diye dheke rakh
jate khusboo ta paliye na jai....byas!
eta ektu bahari ranna, tobe week end e korle bhaloi
lagbe. tobe er onek hi-fi modification aachhe jeta tui
aamaar barite kheyechhili......asha kori bhule
gechhish......jai hok, eta onek simple form........aar
jodi patla chichen er jhol chaash, tao bolte paari!!!
janaash!!!!

palong ghonto

Palong shak/Palak
This can be prepared in various ways. For instance there is palak in dahi, again we have palak paneer and many many more. U can cook palak with mutton/chicken also. I am giving u some simple recipes.

1.Palak ghanto (very simple)
U will need aloo/begun/any other vegetable along with palang . Chop all the veggies to small size & chop up the palang. Then heat a little oil in ur cook 'n serve bowl. Put our everything in ur bowl. Cover it. Cook at low flame. All the water will come out. Wait till all the veggies are cooked & tender & there is no water left. Then remove the vessel from heat. Now finally heat a few teaspoons of oil again; put some jeera, a few tejpatta (if available ). In the meantime mix a little haldi, a little chillie, a little jeera & a little dhania powder in some water. After putting jeera & tejpatta add haldi etc in oil & mix thoroughly. When u will feel the masala is cooked & oil is coming out mix all the pre-steamed veggies along with palak with the masala. Cover the bowl for a few minute & wait. Remove from heat. Never add salt at the first stage . Because the saak after being cooked will reduce to half in volume. So u will add salt when shaak is cooked. For topping u may add dry jeera powder (fried) & grated coconut. Your palang is ready.

Rajma aaloor jhol torkari

Rajma-aaloor jhol-trokari (red kidney beans with potatoes)

description: this is a vegetarian side dish with rice/ruti. Also can be had as a soup. The recipe is ripped off from a recipe taken from the Hawkins Futura cookbook. I have added some extra trimmings to it.

Ingredients: Rajma/ Red kidney beans (2 cups): soak overnight.

Aloo/ Potatoes: two, medium.

Pyanj/Onion: one large.

Lemon: one (or lemon juice)

Tomatos: two (or puree)

Masala: haldi, lonka guro, shukno lonka(3), garam masala, gota jeere, shorshe.

Ginger-garlic paste.

Method: chop the onion into really small pieces. Peel the potatoes, and slice into small pieces (too large means that this will not go well with the rajma, and also takes a longer time to cook). Heat two tablespoons of oil in the pressure cooker, add gota jeere and shorse. When they start sputtering, add the onion and mix, stir fry to golden brown. Add one spoon of ginger garlic paste and the other masala. Stir. Add tomato (diced/puree). Mix and stir on high heat until oil starts separating from the mixture. Add the potatoes and mix thoroughly, add rajma and 4-5 cups pf water. Put the lid on and let it cook at medium pressure for 20 minutes(Futura) or for 4 whistles (regular). Let it cool down and add salt and lemon juice (2 spoons) or squeeze a cut lemon into the rajma. Serve with rice.

palak murgh

Palak murgh.

Description: this is a preparation of chicken with spinach. It goes very well with rice or ruti or parathas. You can also use it as a burrito fill.

Ingredients: boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds/1kilo), two large onions, one can spinach (palak/shaak), half a can sweet peas, haldi, garam masala, lonka guro, gota jeere, chicken masala, ginger garlic paste, pepper paste, tomato puree, curd (dahi).

Method: marinate the chicken with dahi, haldi, lonka guro and a tablespoon of olive oil (if u are feeling posh). Store in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

If the spinach comes from a can, it is pre washed, if it does not, it has to be washed and chopped.

Chop the onions into small pieces (use mixer if needed). Fry the onions till golden brown. Add jeere, lonka guro, chicken masala and let the masala fry for a minute or two. Add a tablespoon each of ginger garlic paste and pepper paste. Let the mixture cook for a few minutes. Add tomate puree, and mix to make a thick paste. Let this cook for a minute. Add the chicken. Mix thoroughly. Cook on low heat for half an hour. Keep stirring so that the base does not char. Add the spinach and the peas. Mix, and add a little garam masala. Let this simmer on medium heat for fifteen minutes. Keep stirring. Add salt and water (depends on whether you want a thick jhol, or not) and heat for another five minutes.

keema daal

Keema/dal.

Description: this is a mixed dal and keema preparation which is an excellent sandwich fill and also tastes great with ruti/paratha.

Ingredients: one pound/450 gm of keema/ground turkey. ¾ cups of arahar dal, one onion, tomato puree. Shukno lonka (dried chilli), haldi, lonka guro, chicken masala, dhone guro, gota jeere. Ginger garlic paste.

Method: pressure cook the daal and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a kadai, when the oil starts simmering, add the gota jeere. After a minute, add chopped onion and stir until golden brown. Add haldi and other masala to taste and allow the masala to roast. Add ginger garlic paste(one tablespoon) and tomato puree. Mix thoroughly and let this simmer. After two or three minutes, add the keema and cook on low heat for at least twenty minutes. When the keema has cooked, add the daal, top up with water and mix thoroughly. Let this simmer for ten minutes or so. Add salt to taste. To dry this and make it a sandwich fill, let it simmer on low hear for more time.

mushroom and capsicum torkari

items needed: one pound/450 gms/1 tin of mushrooms in water.(no washing
needed)

one large capsicum(also called 'green bell pepper')
one medium sized onion
50 ml of thick tomato puree/ one tomato
quarter teaspoon each of haldi/lonka guro, garam masala, 'tava fry'
masala, panch foron, gota
jeere, dhone guro.

modus operandi:
chop the onions into as small pieces as possible. use a blender/mixer if
needed. heat 2 tablespoons of oil inthe kadai until it simmers, add gota
jeere and panch foron and let it sputter. add the chopped onions and keep
stirring until the onions turn brown. in the meantime, wash and chop the
capsicum into strips about 2 inches long and half an inch wide. the
mushrooms have to be chopped into small pieces. after the onions turn
brown, add the masala powders and cover the kadai. wait for a minute to
let the masala fry well and then add the tomato puree (or chopped tomato).
mix well and let this simmer. after two minutes, addthe mushrooms and the
capsicum and stir well. add salt/sugar to taste. lower the
heat and let this cook slowly for
atleast 20 minutes. stir occasionally to make sure that 'tola ta jeno na
dhore jaaye!!'

mixed ghughni

Mixed ghughni(spicy)

Ingredients:

1 cup kabuli chana(chick peas)

1 cup black eyed peas

1. cup cow peas

2 onions

Ginger-garlic paste

Tomato puree

Pepper paste

Haldi(turmeric), lonka gunro(ground chili), garam masala, chhola masala(Everest or MDH), 2 green lemons(or lemon juice), a slice of Mozarella cheese.

Preparation:

Soak the peas overnight. In a pressure cooker, take two tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat. Chop the onions. When the oil starts simmering, add the onions. Stir occasionally till they turn golden-brown. Add the masala. Mix thoroughly and stir at medium heat for a minute. Add a tablespoon of ginger-garlic and pepper paste and two to three tablespoons of tomato puree(depends on thickness). Stir at medium heat till the onions start exuding oil. Now add the peas. Add salt to taste and 3 cups of water. Mix the ingredients and cover the cooker. Bring the cooker to heat for four whistles. Allow it to cool for a minute or two and then let the steam escape. Squeeze the lemons into the cooker or add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice. Add a small slice of cheese and cover the cooker lid. Wait until the cheese has melted. Mix before serving.

Extra: garnish with pudina/dhone pata. Serve with roti/pita/hot wheat buns.

Aloo marich

Aloo marich.

Ingredients:

5 medium sized potatoes.

2 medium sized onions.

4/5 dried chilies(shukno lonka).

Haldi(turmeric), lonka gunro(red chili powder), marich(pepper), garam masala.

Instructions:

Clean and pressure the potatoes for 3 whistles(or microwave on high for 7-8 minutes). Remove the outer skin(easier if potatoes have been pressured) and cut into quarters. Chop the onions. Heat one tablespoon of refined oil in a kadhai until it begins to simmer. Add half of teaspoon each of haldi, lonka gunro and garam masala. Add one and a half teaspoons of marich. Wait until the masala begins to sputter. Break the shukno lonka into small pieces and add. Add chopped onion. Sauté until the onion turns golden. Add the sliced potatoes and salt to taste. Let this cook for ten minutes. Keep moving the potatoes around so that the base of the kadhai does not get charred.

Extras: chop a tomato into sixteenths and add towards the end. Stir occasionally.