Duporer Tiffin Khabar-Lunch-Box recipes 3

You all know about the lunch box recipes that I am trying to post here ,you may want to look into previous post then ,here are the links-
Lunch Box Recipes 1

Lunch box recipes 2
without adding much stories , I will start writing the recipes,




Lunch Combo three –Arhar dal, Phulkopi bodi diye jhal, Tomato koraishuti diye Rui macher jhal and few slices of apples (serves -4)
Arhar Ki dal

Arhar ki dal is a staple dal in a particular UPean home, since my upbringing happens to be in UP, this has found way into my heart and features regularly in our menu for lunch. Arhar Ki Dal with Hing (asfoetida) and jeere (cumin seeds) ka तडका ,this is what a typical Upean mother would cook for their kids for lunch and with that also ,aloo ka chokha (potatoes mashed with red pepper powder/green chilly/mustard oil and salt), however ask any Bengali, they would prefer their moonger dal over aror dal.
To me -Food as such is , a personal preference for taste buds and the culture which gets incorporated in a child which he sees around him.
Serves-4
1 cup of lentil/toor dal/arhar dal
Wash the dal thoroughly in water
Now pressure cook the dal/lentil and if required add 1 cup of water (otherwise you will get a thick and mushy dal)
Chop 1 onion, 1 inch ginger and half tomato
Now in a separate saucepan, add 1 tbs of oil, add in 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 dry red pepper split in between and add chopped onions,ginger,hing.
Slightly stir it and add to the cooked dal,this will be your tadka/tempering ,add in chopped tomato pieces.
Cook covered for few mints and at the end adjust the seasoning with salt, sugar and little bit of ghee.

Phulkopi bori diye jhaal (Cauliflower Bori spicy curry)
Badi/Bodi/bori is an essential part of Bengali cuisine.Bengali ladies have this immense passion to make bodies at home.My ma and Mil usually would lay korai daler bodi(urad dal/lentil dry dumplings which are sun-dried to make dry badis ,just like a sun-dried tomato which are available in stores) during these months after holi and it will be ready within 2 weeks of time provided its properly sun-dried.Then there are other also like posto bodi( white poppy seeds small dry dumplings) saboor bodi (sago pearl dried small dumplings)and so on …these form an integral part of any Bengali jhal/jhol/curry.

Recipe for phulkopi bodi diye jhal

1 cauliflower
2 medium size poatao cut into 1 inch long pieces
8-10 badi/bodi
Brinjal 1 cut into 1 inch long pieces
3-4 tbs + 1tbs of mustard oil
1 tsp of panch phoron
1-2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tsp of red pepper powder
2 tsp of coriander powder
2 cups of water
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of suagr
In a deep bottom pan or any other saucepan, add in 3-4 tbs of mustard oil
Fry the badi/bodi in hot oil at med stiring continuously, and when they are evenly fried to perfect golden colour, take them out
Add cauliflower pieces, fry them to golden –brown, and take them out( make sure the cauliflower pieces are dry before frying and there is no trace of water ,pat them dry with a kitchen towel)
you may add in 1 tbs of oil at this time to the saucepan ,

Now temper it with 1tsp of panch phoron
Add in potato pieces, if required add little more oil approx 1 tbs
Now add in 1-2 tsp of turmeric powder, 2tsp of red pepper powder,1/2 tsp of sugar, 1tsp of salt, 2-4 tsp of coriander powder, fry them well till the potatoes are well coated with spices.
Add in 2 cups of water, bori and chopped brinjal pieces.
Cook covered for 5mints and now add in fried cauliflower pieces.
Cook covered for 7-8 mints and take out in a separate bowl.


Tomato kuraishuti diye Rui macher jhaal
I have posted a phomfret recipe with onion/ginger/garlic paste ,here Phomfret Kalia , but this can very well go with rui mach also.Here.Rui mach made this way is known as Rui macher kalia , one very authentic dish from land of Bengal.
Now rui mach/fish, can be easily made into small fried fritters or macher bora/chop.here is a simple recipe for macher chop which you may like to see ,Fish Fritters
Then there is of course a simple ,quick and easy fish curry which I like to fix everyday as our mornings are busy , kid going to school,hubby to office , so everyday meal means some healthy, easy and simple recipes.Weekends are somewhat unusual , we usually try out Rui Macher Kalia or Chicken curry.
Here is recipe for a simple macher jhal made with rui mach
Marinate the fish pieces in turmeric powder and salt.let them sit there for half a hour.now fry them in batch of 2 at a time in hot oil till crisp and brown on both the sides. It may take time so be little patient.
1 tomato chopped
1cup of shelled peas/corn which ever is available
3-4 tbs of mustard oil/canola oil
In a saucepan add 2 cups of water, 2tsp of red pepper powder,1 tsp of turmeric powder,salt as per taste ,1 tomato chopped , 1 cup of shelled peas or frozen peas( if adding frozen peas ,time to cook the jhal /curry will be less)
Add in 3-4 tbs mustard oil, cover and cook for 7-8 mints at medium.
Take out in a bowl.

Note-For variation you may add in some yellow corn or green broccoli pieces also.

you may also like to see this wonderful recipe with rui mach , Hearty Fish curry .

Enjoy good food and more important home cooked meals.

Happy Cooking Friends