Bori Sojne Data Diye Pona Mach'er Jhal

The kind of peak summers we have these days makes you profusely sweat it out in kitchen or even while you are out. Schools have closed for their summer vacations here and kids have loads of homework to do. But then what’s new about it, may be “poribortener hawa” or the colour green, right?

We recently bought a Casio keyboard to play some tunes and the kid in my house seems to enjoy it so far. Even the elder kids are anticipating their turns as well. There have been some kids going to summer camps from our housing complex. I am still hesitant in sending out my kid in this hot weather here. Somehow I can’t imagine spending hefty sums on these so called summer camps. There are most probably hundred other ways to keep kids busy rather than make them spend time in summer camps.
On rare occasions I have the privilege of cooking these days. It’s not that I don’t wish to but too many cooks can spoil even a simple soup. Right? So, I don’t have much to post here except sometimes this or that. So, one Sunday for lunch made these fish curry with wadis and drumsticks.Sojne data, bori, aloo and begun (brinjal) is a combination that goes well with fish specially the pona mach or katla mach.

Ok now to to the recipe

Fish curry with sojne data and bori
Recipe requirements
2-3 drumsticks ( sojne data) cut itno3 inch long pieces
2 medium size potato cut into long pieces
Half brinjal if it’s long enough cut into slices
(Potato, drumsticks and brinjal slices should be equal in length, can call them thick
Juliennes –roughly 1/2 * 3 inch juliennes)
About 6-7 urad dal boris roughly
Some oil to fry the boris
Seasonings
1 tsp of holod/turmeric powder
2 tsp of shokno lonka goron/red pepper powder
½ tsp of dhone goron/coriander powder
Salt as per taste
For tempering the gravy
1 tsp of panch phoron or 1 tsp of jeerey/cumin seeds
1-2 tej patta/ or bay leaves
About 2-3 tbs of cooking oil

Method
Cut all the vegetables into thick juliennes.
Heat up a saucepan, add oil little bit first fry the wadis/bori slowly turning nice crisp and brown.
Add more oil as all the oil will be used up while frying the wadis/bori
Temper the oil with panch phoron, tej patta at low flame.
Add the potato, fry well.
Now add in sojne data/drumsticks.
Add the dry ingredients-turmeric, red pepper powder and coriander powder and salt.
Mix well and splash some water over the fried vegetables.
Now add in about 2 cups of water.
Add in brinjal pieces and fried bori.
Adjust seasoning after tasting at this point.
Cover and let it cook for about 7-9 mints at med-low flame.Take out in serving bowl and have it with steaming hot rice.
TIP- bori or wadis tends to soak up gravy like a sponge, so it’s better to add enough water at the time making of gravy. If you don’t want runny gravy then restrict the use of water otherwise use generously. I do often add 3-4 green chilies, so that later adults can eat spicy version.
If you are preparing for kids then you may skip red pepper powder and green chilly and may use black pepper powder/golmorich goron.This gravy is good specially in this hot weather here.

Enjoy the weekend and Happy Cooking.

Wheat Bulgur Pilaf with Chick Peas and Runner Beans

I have a little fascination for glorious sunsets.

Sunset view from our apartment window in London.

Lovely memories.

And sunset at Thames river.

When most of the food blogging world is talking about wheat Bulgar and each day you can see many recipes floating out in internet. This recipe is nothing special, but a very quick fix meal idea but has many good health benefits. In case you want to quick fix a meal after a hard day at work or running around for your family then this wholesome healthy meal can be ready in jiffy. This saves your time in kitchen and you can utilize that time unwinding yourselves with your loved ones.

Wheat bulgur is excellent for a vegetarian meal. It has more fiber, protein and vitamins than rice.
Wheat bulgur which is available in most of the grocery shop abroad are parboiled and dried and it takes very less time to cook also probably because the bran has been removed.
Wheat bulgur is an essential part of meditarean cuisine especially in tabbouleh and Kibeh.Tabboueleh you all know is a salad preparation with lemon juice, chick peas, olive oil and probably mint or cilantro/coriander leaves.Kibbeh is a kind of croquette stuffed with minced meat and deep fried. No, I am yet to make kibbeh.
The texture of the end product resembles quite a lot like couscous.
The wheat bulgur used in this recipe is coarse variety; you can get fine and medium variety as well. Whatever left-over you have you can well incorporate into this pilaf. However fresh ingredients add more flavor to it.

(This recipe was saved in my draft for a long time)

Wheat bulgur pilaf with chick peas and runner beans
Serves-2
Recipe requirements
1 large cup of cooked wheat bulgur
1 cup of cooked chick peas
1 cup of chopped runner beans
½ cup of cooked green chana
1 potato cubed, slightly pre-boiled
1 onion
2 garlic pods
2-3 tsp of ginger chopped
Tempering and seasoning
2 tbs of cooking oil
2 dry red pepper
½ tsp of mustard seeds
Method

• Cook wheat bulgur according to package directions.
• Now heat up a saucepan, add cooking oil, and temper it with mustard seeds. (Tempering with mustard seeds is optional)
• Add in chopped onions, ginger, and garlic and fry it well till the onions turn reddish-brown.
• Now add in cubed potato, runner beans. Stir/fry the vegetables well for 4-5 mints.
• Now add in cooked chick peas, green chana .Add in chopped tomato if you wish to add.
• Add in the seasonings-red pepper powder, little bit of turmeric powder and salt.
• Cover it and cook till all the above are cooked well.
• Now slowly starts mixing this cooked mixture with the cooked wheat bulgur.
• Sprinkle some lemon juice over it (optional)
• Serve warm .A healthy wholesome meal ready in probably 15 -20 mints.

Note-

1. You may wish then add in some garam masala as well.
2. Chopped green chilies add extra heat to the dish.
3. Sprouts like moong, green chana can also be added.
4. A side dish of spinach sautéed with butter can also be served with this wheat bulgur pilaf.

Happy Cooking Friends