Belanak fish curry- small Mullet fish curry

Bengali people and fish are inseparable identity. Here in Malaysia, I am being introduced to many local fishes on a regular basis. One among them is ''Belanak'' or gray mullet fish here. Belanak is a local fish and even more popular in Indonesia. These fishes are small and it reminds me of our very own ‘Puti’ and’ Morula’ fish. Although the ones I picked up are little bigger, more of size of our palms, some can even grow bigger than that as well. Any recipe with morula and puti can very well be incorporated with Belanak also.

This is our way of making belanak fish- Bengali way.Belanak fish can also be eaten if they are deep fried and goes very well with sambal belacan – a very spicy condiment served along with ‘nasi lemak’- a fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves here.

Belanak Fish curry (Gray mullet fish curry)

Recipe requirements

• About 12-15 small belanak
•  10-12 cherry tomatoes
• 3-4 Thai red chilly
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 5-6 shallots  

Spices and seasonings

• 1 tsp of turmeric powder (½ tsp of stir/fry and ½ tsp for rubbing on belanak)
•  2 tsp of red pepper powder
•  ½ tsp of coriander powder
•  1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 3-4 Thai red chillies
• 5-6 tbs of mustard oil
•  1/2 tsp of Kalo jeerey/nigella seeds

Method

• Clean, and remove scales of belanak fish. Clean the fish stomach as well.
• Rub in fish with turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside.
• Heat up a fry pan, add 2 tbs of mustard oil, add in belanak fish and stir/fry them for about 2-3 mints flipping sides as well. Take out in a separate bowl.
• In that fry pan itself, add more mustard oil, add in nigella seeds, chopped garlic and Thai red chilies.
• Now add in tomato and shallots slit in between as well. Keep on stir/fry for about 5-6 mints at medium high flame.
• Now add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder and salt. Sprinkle little bit of water and keep on stir/fry.
• Add in fried belanak fishes.
• Add in one –two cups of water depending upon the consistency of curry. Cover and cook for 7-8 mints or till fishes are cooked through well.
• Take out in a serving bowl. This goes well with warm cooked rice.

Happy cooking friends

Cabbage with Shrimp stir/fry - Chingri diye Bandhakopi - চিংড়ি দিয়ে বাঁধাকপি

I don’t need to write about the benefits of green leafy-vegetables. So I will skip that part and also I don’t want to sound boring and rhetoric to you all. Cabbage with shrimps, now who doesn’t like shrimps except few of us, who have allergies. This is a very homely Bengali way of making cabbage with shrimps. People may have little variations to it, like some may use cumin seeds for tempering, some may not, and many will go on to add grounded ginger+ cumin as the base of the masala. Please use ingredients, whatever way you want to make.

This is how this recipe is made in our kitchen.

Chingri diye Bandhakopi – Cabbage with shrimp stir/fry recipe

Recipe requirements

• 1 whole cabbage – approx. 400gm
•  De-veined shrimps- 300- 400 Gms
• 2-3 fat cloves of garlic
•  1 medium size onion
• 2 medium size tomato

For tempering and seasonings

• 1 tsp of turmeric powder (½ tsp of stir/fry and ½ tsp for rubbing on shrimps)
•  2 tsp of red pepper powder
•  1 tsp of coriander powder
•  1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• ¼ tsp of sugar
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp of panch phoron
• 5-6 tbs of mustard oil
• 2 tsp of ghee
• 1 tsp of garam masala

Method

• Chop green cabbage finely.
• Clean, de-shell and devein Shrimps. Rub in shrimps with turmeric powder and salt.Keep aside.
• Heat up a fry pan, add 2 tbs of mustard oil, add in shrimps and stir/fry them for about 2-3 mints and take out in bowl.
• In that fry pan itself, add more mustard oil, temper it with panch phoron, dry red chillies.
• Now add in tomato and chopped garlic into it. Add in chopped onions.
• Keep on stir/fry for about 5-6 mints at medium high flame.
• Now add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder and salt.Add in sugar as well. Sprinkle little bit of water and keep on stir/fry.
• Add in chopped cabbage now. Mix cabbage very well with spices.
• Add in quarter cup of water.Cover and cook for 7-8 mints or till cabbage leaves are cooked through well.Add in fried shrimps now, stir/fry and mix with a spatula for another 3-4 mints.
• Add in ghee and garam masala at the end. Give a final mix.
• Take out and serve in a bowl.

Note-

You can add chopped potatoes and green peas as well.

Happy Cooking Friends

Chocolate Panna Cotta Recipe

Now that Chinese New year celebrations have ended in our neck of the woods, shops and shopping malls are now decorated with V-day themes. Well, nothing wrong in decorations and shopping for V-day. But to each, for having their personal views, and I am like we don’t need a particular day to fall in love and express love. It can be any day or probably every day. So, V-day or not, love every day, time is running out, if you love/like anyone say it, and don’t hold back. Love almighty god, your parents, your siblings and your family first and last but not the least love yourself for what and who you are. Unless you love yourself or be happy, you cannot love others and make others happy. Ok, dearies no more ranting for today. So, enjoy and have great V-day celebrations, whatever way you all prefer.

We have been craving for some chocolate dessert for a while and what better way in indulging than having chocolate panna cotta.

Now to the recipe

Chocolate Panna Cotta ( Suitable for Vegetarian) 

Recipe requirements

•  1 cup of whole milk
• 400 ml cream
• 6-7 heaped tbs of caster sugar
• 5-6 heaped tbs of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp of instant coffee
• 3-4 tsp of agar –agar powder

Method

• Put a large pot with milk, cream and sugar on cooking. Let it come to one boil.
• In a separate cup take 2-3 tbs of warm milk and dissolve agar-agar powder.
• Mix in cocoa powder and instant coffee powder. Add in agar –agar with milk and keep on stirring till all mix well.
• Now add the above cocoa powder mixture to the boiling milk and cream mixture. Keep on stirring for another 8-10 mints at medium flame. Now switch off the flame. Let it cool a bit.
• Pour in bowls /cups and cool. Refrigerate them in  panna cotta moulds or what ever you would be using to set.
• Set in fridge for 5-6 hrs.  Take out and serve.
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Note

•  You can use gelatin instead of agar-agar if it’s not available.
• This recipe is suitable for vegetarian as agar –agar is a great substitute for gelatin which is derived from animal products.

Wish you all a very happy V-day.

Dal-Saag (Lentils cooked with Amaranth leaves)

There are days when, I can only think of comfort foods and dal –roti is one such recipe which never gets ruled out and we never get bored out of it either. Dal- saag is adding up more greens to those ‘’everyday dal recipes’’. I have used up green amaranth leaves with chana dal+ masoor dal. Many use spinach , some even use beetroot greens. Choose whatever you wish to, bottom line is, this is a great way of incorporating greens in one’s diet-plan.

This is how we make Dal-saag – our comfort food.

Dal-Saag (Lentils cooked with Amaranth leaves)

Recipe requirements

•  2 cups of chana dal ( Yellow split pea lentil)
• ¼ cup of masoor dal ( orange lentil ) 
• 1 bunch of amaranth leaves or 800 gm of amaranth leaves -stems discarded

For tempering and seasonings

• ½ tsp. of turmeric powder
•  1 tsp of red pepper powder
•  1 tsp of coriander powder
• ¼ tsp of cumin powder
•  1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 1/2  tsp of sugar
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 2-3 fat cloves of garlic
• 1 medium size tomato
• Pinch of hing
• 4-5 tbs of mustard oil
• 2 tsp of ghee

Method

• Soak chana and masoor dal for about 2-3 hrs in a vessel with water.
• Put cleaned dals in pressure cooker.Add in 2-3 cups of water.Let it come to one boil, Remove /skim off the white foam that is forming now. Close the pressure cooker, by securing the lid with whistle.
• Now pressure cook both dals together for 2 whistles with ample water. Let the pressure subside and then open the lid. Add more water if it turns out semi- dry. Add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, salt and sugar. Mix well and keep aside.
• Now heat up a fry pan, add in mustard oil. Let it come to smoking point.Now do the Tarka/tempering.
• Add in cumin seeds, dry red chillies and hing. Add in chopped garlic and tomato. Add dry spices- coriander+cumin powder.
• Stir/fry all for about 3-4 mints at med-high flame or till oil separates out.
• Clean Amaranth leaves in water.Take out tender shoots and healthy looking leaves from the bunch, discard stems..
• Blanch amaranth leaves separately. Add the leaves to the cooked dals ( Lentils). Let it simmer for about 8-10 mints.
• Add the tempering/tarka to the above cooked dals with greens.
• Let it slowly simmer for about 4-5 mints. Add ghee at the end. Serve and enjoy with roti or rice whatever way you prefer.

Tip- You can add in some toasted cashews to the above dal or Paneer cubes as well.

Happy Cooking and have a great week ahead.....