Multigrain Jeera Kali Mirch Namakparey/Nemki and Happy Diwali

 

Greetings for a very Happy Diwali.

May festival of light brings loads of happiness and peace to you and your family.

I often think festivals brings out much positivity among us, as we gather around and mingle with family more and spend quality time. We share generously and reach out to friends and family members, whom we haven’t met or talked for a while now. This pandemic is turning out more challenging for each of us, as we slowly try to adjust and live our ‘new normal’. That doesn’t take away the spirit of festivity within us. We are home bound, restricted but not lacking the festive spirits. We lighted 14 prodeep/Diyas yesterday to celebrate' Choto Deepawali' and today also we lighted candles. And festivals without some ‘pet puja’ is incomplete as well. Here is our platter for this Deepawali.

I have made Kaju katli and Balushahi and these multi grain Kali mirch jeerey wale namakparey in Hindi or nemki in Bengali and these are delicious. We always make some savoury snacks for Deepawali. These multi grain nemki were crunchy and bustling with flavours. I have added freshly grounded cumin seeds and whole black pepper to give a nice kick and flavor.

 Now to the recipe

Jeera Kali Mirch Multigrain Namak parey/Nemki

Recipe requirements

• 2 and half cups of multi grains flour
• 3 tsp of cumin seeds
• 10-15 whole black pepper
• 1 tsp of red chilly flakes
• 1 tsp of sonth (ginger powder)
• 2 Pinches of hing (asafetida)
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3-4 tbs of cooking oil
• ¼ tsp of baking soda

For deep frying namkin/namakparey

• 2 cups of cooking oil

Method

• Take a big mixing bowl. Add all the multi grain flour.
• Dry roast 2 tsp of cumin seeds and whole black pepper for about 2-3 mints. In a mortar and pestle, dry grind, toasted cumin seeds and whole black pepper.
• Now add all the spices in the mixing bowl with multi grain flour. Cumin and whole black pepper coarse powder, rest of cumin seeds, ginger powder, red chilly flakes, hing, baking soda and salt.
• Mix all well. Now add in 3tbs of cooking oil. Knead the dough with water. Just enough to hold it together. Cover it and leave it to rest for about 2-3 hrs.
• Now divide the dough in equal portions.
• Meanwhile, heat up a fry pan, add cooking oil. Let it heat up properly.
• Take one portion and roll into big round just like chapati.
• Cut them into diamond shapes out of them and fry the namakparey in hot oil. Take out and drain over a kitchen towel.
• Store in air tight container and it stays fresh for about 4-5 days.

Recipe Mentioned 

Kaju Katli

Balushahi

Enjoy Deepawali with your friends and family.

Happy Diwali everyone. Have a good one.

Multigrain Laddu - Happy Vijayadashmi and Shubho Bijoya

 Festivity invokes myriad feelings. The feelings which takes you back to growing up years, recalling the food, laughter and joy shared with friends and family. Even though, we are in midst of a Covid pandemic, the surroundings around us have become somewhat pleasing with beautiful fall colors. Besides that, it brings much relief to us these days, amidst the chaos, we sometimes observe around the globe happening in present time.

And autumn coincides with Dussehra, Bijoyadashmi and Kojagori Lakhsmi pujo, Halloween and then, soon festival of lights- Deepawali. Autumn season imparts a lovely sense of calmness and a festive spirit. May the festive spirit linger on to give us courage and strength to carry on our daily life.

These days, we are mostly confided to home as social gathering is restricted or we have left with limited options, either with morning walks in local parks, occasional local super-market rounds and compulsory school days over here. 

‘Sharadoutsav’ had started couple of days ago and a Bengali in me, was yearning for that ‘Pujo- Pujo’ feeling. So, we caught up with Live telecast of Durga Puja at Belur Math, Kolkata. We missed the Pujo buzz surrounding Pujo pandals this year just like many of you. So, we tried to recreate the atmosphere with home-made Bhog er khichuri, labda and tomato chutney and offered Pushpanjali in home listening to Mantra chanting by Priest, of course there are many videos on YouTube,which came to our aide and also caught up with some other old telecast of local “Sarbojonin” Durga Puja as well. This created a magnificent ambience for us -It says “Something is better than nothing.”. 

Let’s keep our traditions alive in our hearts and try to adjust and live with our ‘new normal’ as of now.

Moving on to our recipe of Multigrain laddus’, I have made these laddus on Shashti and these turned out moist and delicious. I have made whole Wheat Laddus  and Boondi Laddu earlier as well. These laddos are much more flavorful with multigrain. Multigrain atta is easily available everywhere these days, so no need to dry grind all grains in home. This flour mixture of grains had-Oats, Wheat, Maize, Quinoa, Channa, Spelt and Soya. Please read labels if you are allergic to any ingredients before making these laddos. You can create your own version of multigrain flour as well. You need a heavy-duty grinder/mixer for that purpose. 

Now to the recipe.

Multigrain Laddus

Recipe requirements (Makes approx- 16)

• 3-4 cups of multigrain atta/flour
• 1 cup of granulated sugar 
• ¾ cup of desi ghee
• 4-5 cardamom pods

Method

• Put a deep pan on flame. Add 2-3 tbs of ghee to it. Add multigrain flour and roast them for 10-15 mints at medium-low flame, stirring in between.
• Add in sugar and mix well. Add in freshly crushed cardamoms. You can use cardamom powder as well.
• Add ghee slowly and keep mixing. When all the ghee is poured into the flour sugar mixture. Keep stirring, till it starts to collect well.
• Stop stirring and take it off. Let it cool a bit.
• Clean your hands with soap and water. Start shaping laddus with some portions. I have made approx. 16 laddos with this much of quantity.
• Store in cool and dry place. Stays fresh for 3-4 days. Further, if required after 4 days, please put them in refrigerator.

Enjoy festivity and wish you all a very Happy Dussehra and Shubho Bijoya.

Malpoas and Happy Holi

Festivals invokes nostalgia and memories. Holi/Doul Poornima was much awaited in our home. While growing up, I liked the dry colors or ‘Phag’ in Hindi, as Holi falls under Phagun month according to Hindu calendar. I was never a fan of wet Holi and in secondary school, I almost stopped playing with colours. Don’t take me wrong, I like colors, in fact I adore colors, but when it comes to playing with wet colors, I shy away. Anyways, I always liked Phag and those varied colors of phag sold in small packets- red, yellow, green and orange. When splashed in to the air, smell of Phag intoxicated many minds and souls. Those days phag used to have a sweet aroma, or may be my olfactory nerves were much active then. I could smell that beautiful aroma of Phag.One whiff and the entire mind used to get intoxicated with joy and happiness that surrounded those celebrations on every Holi Mornings.

As the day progressed, I would peek inside kitchen to see what is being cooked there. My mother used to make Gujia, namkeen, Dahi vada etc. on every Holi. Sometimes, I would see her make these ‘Bhaja Malpoas’ as well. I also recalled, once we went to meet up our school teacher in the evening. I was in junior school at that time. I would call her madam A, as she reminds me of a famous Hindi poetess. Both share same name. Madam A, was earnestly making fresh batches of ‘bhaja malpoas’ for her school kids and was serving them warm as well. Those days teacher-student relationships were very cordial and they were almost like our guardians. The joy and satisfaction on my mother’s face and my teacher Madam A’s face is incomparable. These ladies have different aura about themselves.

I have tried to re-create those same ‘bhaja malpoas’ in my kitchen as well. I don’t know if this is something to preserve traditions, or remembering and acknowledging my mother’s and Madam A’s contributions in shaping my future and developing memories, but I like to make them once in a while during festivals.

These Bhaja Malpoas makes me feel the comfort of that bygone era. Festivals indeed invokes feelings and nostalgia. Before I jump to recipe, Wishing everyone a very Happy Holi, Doul Poornima.

This is how I made Bhaja Malpoas.

Bhaja Malpoa/ Mini fried pancake

Recipe requirements

• 1 cup of self-rising flour/Maida
• 1 cup of roasted semolina/Sooji
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 3-4 tsp of fennel seeds
• 1 cup of milk or as required to make the batter
• 2 cups of cooking oil
•  2-3 saffron strands (optional)

Method

• In a big mixing bowl, mix in semolina and self-rising flour. The proportions, I generally take equal in quantity.1:1 for semolina and self-rising flour. If you don’t get self-rising flour, use plain flour but add in about a tsp of baking powder.
• In a mortal and pestle, coarsely crush fennel seeds.
• Now add in fennel seeds and sugar to the above. Add whole milk slowly and mixing through, make sure there are no lumps.Add saffron strands if you wish to add.
•  Make a smooth batter not too thick and not too thin, just like a pancake batter, easy to drop in consistency.
• Now in a deep bottomed pan, add in cooking oil. Let it heat up.
• Take about a heaped table spoon of the batter and slowly drop into the hot cooking oil. Let it deep fry for a while. Take them out and drain over kitchen towel.
• This much of the batter made approx. 20-22 medium size malpoas.
• Unlike other malpoa which is khoya based and dipped in sugar syrup, these 'Bhaja Malpoas' are very crunchy when relished warm and hot.
• Store in air tight container stays fresh for 3-4 days.

Happy Cooking Friends and Wishing Everyone - Happy Holi !!

Chicken Dry Curry- Murgir Makha-Makha Jhaal

The leaf of every tree, brings message

From the unseen world, look every

falling leaf is a blessing

-          Rumi

Past couple of days, its raining here, sometimes persistent and sometimes intermittent. We are observing sudden drop in temperatures in the mornings and evenings. If it rains the weather becomes cold and soggy which is typical of autumn season in this part of the world. 

Although, fall season has an enticing aura and grandeur. Each and every falling leaf has a beauty of its own. I was strolling out, in one of our local parks and tried to capture some moments with my mobile.

And also, this blog has turned 13. Thirteen long years have passed, when I first wrote a random blogpost in blogger in 2006.It feels nice to be connected to my readers, who have subscribed the blog posts and feeds.
Although, I am not that active in using other social media platforms, this blog still has some loyal readers. I must thank them and new readers for coming back here for recipes and more for years now.

Now to the recipe for todays post- chicken curry. I would not want to label this as curry. But I fail to come up with exact replica for ‘makha-makha jhal’ in English. I have taken some liberty in naming this dish chicken dry curry. I have used ajwain/carom seeds for making this dry curry, although it’s not the only ingredient, which I would like to highlight.
Although must admit ajwain/carom seeds being a digestive enhancer helps in balancing off the richness of the gravy that comes with walnuts and all whole garam masala ingredients.
The use of freshly grounded spices like mace, cloves and cardamom has infused much aroma to the gravy. The gravy was done in slow stir/fry type.
This is a work of patience, as you need to pound and grind the spices for a lovely aroma, which adds up to the gravy. I took the pictures with my mobile as usual. Hope, it justifies the texture of the gravy.

Now to the recipe.

Chicken Dry Curry- Murgir Makha-Makha Jhaal

Recipe requirements

• Chicken – 1kg
• 4 medium size onions
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• ½ inch ginger
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1 medium size tomato
• 2-3 medium size potato cut into half
• 5-6 walnuts
• ¼ cup of raisins

Seasonings

• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• 2 tsp of coriander powder
• salt as per taste or 1 tsp 
• 5-6 tbs of cooking oil 

To be freshly grounded

• 2 tsp of whole black pepper
• 4-5 cloves
• 4-5 green cardamom
• Few strands of mace
• ¼ tsp of carom seeds

Method

• Wash and clean chicken pieces thoroughly. I have used 4 leg-sides portions for this curry which makes approx 1 kg of chicken.
• In a food processor or mixer/grinder, grind onions, garlic, ginger, walnuts, raisins, tomato and green chillies to a smooth paste.
• Now heat up a heavy bottomed fry pan, add cooking oil.
• Add in the prepared paste, add in salt, turmeric powder, red pepper powder and coriander powder and keep on stir/fry for 10-15 mints.
• Meanwhile in a mortar/pestle, dry grind- carom seeds, cloves, cardamom, whole black pepper and mace.
• Now add in cut potatoes to the above. Add the dry grinded masala powder now.
• Keep on stir/frying for about 5-7 mints more. 
• Now cover the pan and let it cook. Do not add water, if you want a dry gravy with it. Lower the flame and let it slowly cook in its own juices and all spices for about 30 -35 mints or till all the chicken pieces turns soft and cooked through well.

Happy Cooking Friends

Posto'r Bora- Pan Fried Poppy seed paste Fritters

We have had a good spell of rain to cool off the raised summer temperature over here. And fried stuff specially fritters are integral part of rainy season /Monsoon. I generally don’t do much fried stuff specially pakodas or cutlets these days. But that was a different day. I had some poppy seed paste (posto bata) and I was reluctant to use it in a Jhinge posto( ridge gourd with poppy seeds paste - recipe link-Here) or aloo posto ( potatoes with poppy seed paste - recipe link- Here) nor I was interested to make posto murgi ( chicken with poppy seed paste Recipe Link Here).
I asked my better half and my daughter about Posto’r bora and they absolutely liked the idea of having them.

I recalled, my mother making posto r bora in a deep fry pan/kadai as kind of deep fried. However, I have shallow fried them over Tava/iron skillet. This time I had a non-stick tava, which I utilized for this purpose.

Here is how, I have prepared them

Posto’r bora- Pan fried Poppy Seed Fritters

Recipe requirements (Makes 6-8)

• 100 gms of poppy seeds
• 4 tbs of besan
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of freshly grounded black pepper
•  Half cup of chopped onion
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tsp of grated ginger
• Salt as per taste
•  4-5 tbs of cooking oil

Method

• Soak poppy seeds for about 3-4 hrs in water. Grind them into to a smooth paste in a mixer grinder with some water.
• In a big mixing bowl, take the smooth poppy seed paste, chopped onion, chopped green chillies and grated ginger. Add in besan/black gram flour.
• Add in red pepper powder, freshly ground black pepper and salt.
• Now whisk and mix the contents very well.
• Heat up a flat fry pan or iron skillet. Now when the pan is ready, add in 1-2 tsp of cooking oil.
• Now with the help of spoon, drop the fritter batter on the hot fry pan. Spread the batter so that they become somewhat flat. Make about 4 fritters at one time. Now drop some more oil, by sides of the fritters for an even fry.
• It takes about 3-4 mints each side for proper frying at medium flame. Take out and drain over kitchen towels. Serve and enjoy with warm cooked rice or tea as snacks.

Happy Cooking Friends

Ikan Tongkol/Tongol Tuna Fish curry

I have recently tried Tongkol fish here in Malaysia. This fish reminds me of Tuna, actually the texture for this fish is very similar to Tuna, as both the fish belongs to the same group. The size is small as compared to big Tuna. This fish curry turned out very flavourful and fresh fish tastes way better than those canned tuna that we get in most of Western countries, plus point is, this fish has lower or no mercury contamination as compared to the larger tuna chunks.

Any tuna recipe can be very well replaced by Tongkol. So, the steamed Tongol pieces can be made into delicious croquettes recipes and can also be used in as a filling in sandwiches or rolled up in a roti-wrap. These Togkol fish wraps can be made ahead and stored in fridge. You can replace chicken or other meat from many such recipes and include Tongol fish. The fish is firm and has a lovely texture.

Now to our usual way of making fish, Tongol Fish curry in a Bengali style with garlic and ginger and some spices.

Ikan Tongkol/Tongkol Tuna Fish Curry

Recipe requirements

•  Tongol Tuna Fish – 3-4 medium size fish cut into three pieces
• ¼ inch ginger root
• 2-3 garlic
• 1 large tomato
• 1 cup of coriander leaves

For tempering and seasonings

• 2 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 and ½ tsp of red pepper powder
•  1 tsp of coriander powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• ½ tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 6-7 tbs of mustard oil

Method

• Marinate fish pieces in salt and turmeric powder.
• Heat up a fry pan. Add 3-4 tbs of mustard oil, fry fish pieces for about 3-4 mints each side. Take out in a separate plate.
• In that fry pan itself, add more mustard oil, add in cumin seeds, green chillies slit in between.
• Add in grated ginger and garlic. Fry 1-2 mints at med-high flame or till a nice garlicky smell starts coming.
• In a small bowl, add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and salt and give a nice mix with bit of water just to dissolve all the dry ingredients. This masala paste will be required now.
• Add in chopped tomato now. Fry the tomatoes till oil separates out. Add in half cup of chopped coriander leaves and the masala paste. Keep on frying this masala paste for about 5-7 mints or till the masala gets little bit dry and oil separates out.
• Now add in fried Tongol tuna fish pieces. Add in 2 cups of water and lower the flame. Let it cook for about 8-10 mints.
• Add in chopped coriander leaves for garnishing and take out in a serving bowl.
• Serve warm with rice.

Happy Cooking 

Kumro Pata Chorchori- Pumpkin leaves and vegetables stir/fry

I was delighted to spot tender pumpkin leaves or Kumro Pata in our local vegetable market recently. I brought back a bunch of leaves and made this pata chorchori.The recipe, well, nothing different than a usual chorchori recipe. I happened to have brinjal, potato, pumpkin, radish and carrot which added a lovely taste and texture to the chorchori.We had with warm cooked rice.

Here to the recipe

Kumro Pata Chorchori- Pumpkin leaves and vegetables stir/fry

Recipe requirements

•  1 whole bunch of tender pumpkin leaves approx. 400 Gms
• 1 medium size potato
• 1 medium size round brinjal
• 1 medium sized radish chopped into cubed
• About a cup of pumpkin pieces  
•  ¼ inch ginger root

For tempering and seasonings

• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 and ½ tsp of red pepper powder
•  2 tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of salt or as per taste
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 3-4 dry red chillies
• 1 tsp of panch phoron
• 5-6 tbs of mustard oil
• 1 tsp of ghee
• 1/2 tsp of garam mosla 

Method

• Clean tender pumpkin leaves and stems properly in water. Sometimes when tender leaves are not available, you can use the fully grown leaves as well. But chop them roughly.
• Heat up a fry pan, add mustard oil, and add in panch phoron and dry red chillies. Let them splutter.
• Now add in finely chopped ginger.
• Add in potato, pumpkin, radish, carrot and brinjal pieces.
• Keep on stir/fry for about 8-10 mints at medium high flame.
• Now add in turmeric powder, red pepper powder, coriander powder and salt. Add sugar as well. Sprinkle little bit of water and keep on stir/fry.
• Add in pumpkin leaves as well. Coat well with spices. Let it cook, covered for about 10-12 mints.
• Add in ghee or butter and garam masala at the end. Gently mix in with spatula.
• Take out and serve. Enjoy with rice.

I am leaving this post with a beautiful sunrise pic.

Wish you all a very happy and healthy holy Ramadan month. Ramadan Mubarak.

Kalakand sweet recipe and Sharodiya Shubecha

Festivals without sweets are incomplete .Navaratri has already started and with this the festive season. I have blogged about Kalakand sweet recipe way back .This recipe is version 2.0 with a very minor change. Festivals bring oodles of nostalgic memories with it and most of them leave you overwhelmed like splashing waves. Now, I really don’t want to mention all those memories, it’s there somewhere treasured and always will be. I have written many times about those wonderful memories in past, well those of you who are regular here, know that.

Now moving on to the recipe

Kalakand recipe Version 2.0

Recipe requirements

• 2 litres of whole milk
• 3-4 small lemons
• 1 and half cup of sugar
• 2 tsp of cardamom powder
• Almonds for garnishing

Method

• Kalakand is little time consuming sweet preparation as one needs to make Khoya first and then paneer.
• Put two vessels with milk each containing about a litre of milk on gas. Let the milk come to boil. Lower the flame and add in lemon juice, freshly squeezed to one vessel. Let the milk curdle. Strain out paneer from whey.
• Now put the other vessel with milk on low flame.Add in cardamom powder now. Let it simmer for about 30-35 mints or till it reduces to quarter of its volume. Keep an eye on the milk, keep stirring in between.
• Now keep on stirring the milk and as soon as it starts thickening a bit, add in sugar. Keep on stirring the milk and let the sugar dissolves properly.
• Now crumble paneer well with clean hands and add this crumbled paneer to the above thickened milk. Keep on stirring with a spatula so that it doesn’t stick to the base.
• When you start noticing that the mixture can collect well stop cooking further. It will be little semi-dry and the mixture will collect well leaving the vessel sides easily.
• Grease a plate with some oil. Now take out the mixture on to the plate and spread the khoya+Paneer mixture into the plate evenly.
• Garnish with some almonds .Let it cool and refrigerate to firm up a little bit.
• Serve and enjoy delicious Kalakand.

Some more Puja Recipes I have blooged about in past

Durga Puja recipes....

শারদীয়া শুভেচ্ছা ও প্ৰীতি সবাইকে 

We went to Durga Puja venue here in KL and liked the homely atmosphere. Sharing pic of Durga Puja which is celebrating its 90^th year here in Kuala Lumpur. Sharodiya Shubecha sobaike...

Happy Navaratri everyone.Ma Durga bless us all.....Love and Peace to all .....

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

Chingri Mach'er Malaikari ( Our Version ) -Prawns with coconut milk- চিংড়ি মাছের মালাইকারি

First month of a new year 2017, and even before I can realize, it’s about to wrap up fast. I haven’t briefed you all with New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.So, will write it all today. We went to central Kuala Lumpur and captured some of the beautiful moments through our smartphones. So below you will see couple of pics taken on 31^st Dec 2016 capturing New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.

Welcoming 2017 

It was all crowded, decked up and people were enjoying rest of the hours that were left of 2016.

We also stopped by to the countdown to the New Year and watched fireworks lit up Kuala Lumpur skyline and Petronas towers.

Petronas Towers

Glowing and scattering its sheen in the dark, catching up moon’s natural light, Petronas tower looks magnificent in night light , shinning like a beautiful silver ornament.

There were other parts of street also decorated with glittering lighting.

And on 28^th Jan, we observed here Chinese New Year-  this year  is ‘Rooster’ year.

Decorations in shopping malls during Chinese New Year

This also marks spring festival celebrations in Chinese communities. Irrespective of sects – Taoists, Confucians, Buddhist, Chinese people celebrate New Year where ever they are scattered in the world at this time. People flock back towards their home and re-unite with their families to observe Chinese New Year. Everyone celebrates by decorations with ‘duilian’ (a pair of scroll on which poetry is written) and giving red packets or ‘ang paow’ with money. 

Bright giant  Lanterns in shopping malls- mid-valley mall

Homes are decked up with bright lights and red lanterns. The whole atmosphere is all lit up with glorious red colour. The traditional dinner lines up on New Year’s Eve, and it’s very similar to ‘Thanks-giving’ celebrations in US.

All shopping malls are decorated. China town in Kuala Lumpur is a special buzzing place where one can see celebrations and also the Lion dance. Schools and offices, as usual are closed during these days in Malaysia.

A typical Cantonese Home on display- notice cycle at  corners

Now after all those introductions to Chinese New Year celebrations, it’s time to write about the recipe for today- Chingri Malaikari -Or prawns cooked with spices and coconut milk. There is a version of making it with ginger only and below is the version we make with onion+garlic+ginger+tomato paste.

Puritans would abstain from using tomato, as tomato in Bengali cuisine is a recent addition in making meat preparations. I don’t know much about ‘Ghoti’ version or ‘Bangal’ version, but this seems more to me a ‘Ghoti’ recipe. So, being a ‘Ghoti’ myself, I generally end up using sugar in the gravy. Now each variation, has its own charm and one should always follow what one likes to eat.

Here is how we make Chingri Malaikari with freshly grated coconut.

Chingri Malaikari (Prawns cooked with coconut milk) - Our way 

 চিংড়ি মাছের  মালাইকারি 

Recipe requirements

•  600 Gms of XL shrimps or 10-12 prawns

Spices

• ½ tsp of turmeric powder
• Salt as per taste for marinating prawns
•  1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 2 tsp of red pepper powder
•  1 ½ tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of cumin powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• ½ tsp of cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp of nutmeg powder
•  1 tsp of sugar
• 4-5 green chillies or 2-3 Thai red bird chillies
• 2 and half cups of freshly grated coconut
•  2-3 medium size onions
• 4-5 fat cloves of garlic
• Half inch ginger root
• 1 medium size tomato
• 3-4 cloves
•  2-3 green cardamoms
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 6-7  heaped tbs of mustard oil

Salt as per taste

 1 tsp of ghee

Method

• Cleaning shrimp/prawn is a tedious process.
• Deshell all prawns or shrimp whatever you are using.
• Keep the tail intact. Now if you want to keep the head, then do so, just take out the portions with eyes and tentacles. I am not that expert in cleaning head of big prawns (So, I ask fish-mongers in India to clean the head for me, and they are expert in cleaning the head. However here in KL, I do clean shrimp heads often and that is what generally I use for any chingri preparations)
• There is a thread (actually it’s the vein of prawns which we need to discard) – darkish colour sometimes mud colour, which you have to take out. From the dorsal side make a cut in the one end near tail region– and take that thread out gently. After de-shelling and de-veining, clean prawns well in water.
• Rub turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside in a bowl for 5-6 mints. Heat up a fry pan and shallow fry shrimps for about 2-3 mints at med-high or till they barely change colour. Take out and keep aside.
• Now take 1 cup of freshly grated coconut and run through in mixer/grinder with 2 cups of water. Once all gets thoroughly grinded, add more water to it and filter out the coconut milk from its solids, squeeze the remaining coconut residues well to collect rest of the coconut milk. This will make our fresh coconut milk which we will be using in for the gravy.
• Now chop onions, tomato, ginger and garlic finely.
• Heat up a fry pan/kadai.Add in mustard oil.
• Add in cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick.
• Then add in finely chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Add in tomato pieces also.
• Take all the spices (leaving behind cardamom+cinnamon+nutmeg powder) in a big bowl and mix in well with half a cup of water.
• Add this spice mixture to the above and keep going stir/fry the whole things.
• Add in tomato and sugar. Add in red Thai chillies slit in between. Add salt. Add in rest of the freshly grated coconut.
• Now after 10-12 mints when all the spices, onions, ginger and garlic is properly fried. Take out and run through in mixer/grinder to make smooth spice paste.
• Now add in bit of more mustard oil in the same pan and add in the above prepared paste, and fry through well. Adjust salt, sugar and hotness if required.
• Now add in fried shrimp to the above and put the flame to low. Cover and let it cook for 7-8 mints.
• Add in coconut milk and sprinkle cinnamon+cardamom+nutmeg powder or ‘garam masala’. Add in ghee at the end and cook further for 4-5 mints and take out chingri malaikari in a serving bowl. Enjoy with warm cooked rice.

Note- You can use a can of thick coconut milk. And also sometimes only ginger is added to make malaikari leaving onions+garlic+tomato.Please follow what ever you prefer in this recipe.

So tomorrow is Saraswati Puja.May Goddess Ma Saraswati bless us all with knowledge and wisdom. 

Shubho Basanta Panchami  - ''শুভ  বসন্ত  পঞ্চমী''  everyone.

Happy Cooking

Ranga Aloor Pantua- রাঙ্গা আলুর পান্তুয়া and Happy Makar Sankranti

A new year 2017 and I am here, with my first blog post of the year. Hope you all had fantastic New Year celebrations.

We visited our home city Kolkata during these holiday break. And that requires a separate post I reserve for some other day.

I will share a dessert recipe to start off New Year blog post-‘ Ranga aloor pantua ‘- sweet potato dessert, is one such traditional Bengali sweet recipe. I have blogged about the recipe way back in past as well. Here- back in 2009 . This post is however a recipe which is re-visited and with couple of additions. 
This recipe is simple, as it doesn’t have coconut stuffing which makes it similar to ‘Ranga Aloor Pithe’. Since we are observing ‘Poush-Parbon’ these couple of days, I thought it would be appropriate to write about Ranga Aloor Pantua- pantua as like Gulab Jamuns in Hindi.

Sankranti celebration is a big affair in every Bengali home- some, even extending it to 3 –days celebrations. Each day is marked with various types of Puley/pithe being made. I have blogged many recipes for Sankranti …
This archived blog-post has all those traditional recipes which one can make during these period.

To the recipe

Ranga Aloor Pantua- Sweet Potato Gulab Jamun- রাঙ্গা  আলুর পান্তুয়া 

Recipe requirements

10-12 purple sweet potato

¼ cup of plain flour

2 pinch of baking soda

1 and ½ tsp of cinnamon powder

3 cups of granulated sugar

2 cups of water

½ tsp of cardamom powder

Cooking oil for deep fry 

Method

• Put a large saucepan with water and sugar on cooking.Add in cardamom powder. The water content should be reduced to half and the syrup will be slightly thick like to coat well the pantuas = gulab Jamuns.
• Now pressure cook sweet potatoes. Take out , peel off the skin and let it cool a bit , so that you can work it through but don’t let it go cold otherwise it will be hard to mash up well.It would be nice if the mixture is lump free and smooth.
• Now in a big mixing bowl, take the sweet potato pulp/mash, add in cinnamon powder.
• Now mix in plain flour and pinches of baking soda, add flour to above mashed sweet potatoes, mixing in very well. Make small balls out of the dough.Be gentle in shaping these balls.
• Put a heavy bottomed pan/kadai or deep frying pan to flames. Add in cooking oil, enough to deep fry these cute small balls.
• Deep fry them for about 5-7 mints at medium-low flames or till they turn into nice brown in colour. Do not hurry this process otherwise they won’t cook well.
• Transfer them all over kitchen towels, so that they absorb extra oil.
• Now dunk them in sugar syrup and let the sugar syrup simmer slowly at low flame for couple of more minutes. Switch off the flame and cover.

Let it rest for about an hour. Serve and enjoy these delicious pantuas.

Some more Sankranti recipes

Till and Badam ki Mithai

Choshir payesh-on-sankranti

Dudh- Puli pithe

Again wish you all a very Happy  Makar Sankranti, Lohri, Pongal and Bihu.

Happy Cooking 

Chingri diye Chal kumro - ash-gourd with shrimp stir/fry - and it's 10 years of food-blogging

This blog turned 10 years old. Yes that’s a long time. I have planned to write a big senti-post with elaborate made-ups, emojis and what-not. But here I am, with my flaws, loss with words and ………

When I started taking baby steps, I never knew this could be shaping up something like this today. I needed to write, needed to write down my experiments in my small apartment kitchen like a mad scientist working endlessly, in their laboratory, except those laboratory products were being tasted by and tested on real people – aka my dear Husband and my dear daughter. Well what else can they do?

  I think (or rather I pretend to think- whatever is the case), they have also accepted this mad scientist/aka cook with her flaws and that she will continue experimenting things with them. Now, even they have started giving me instructions, ways to improve a recipe. We have healthy discussions about recipes on our dining table and the conversation even revolves around the spice –level and the levels at which vegetables are stir/fried/charred/burnt. We sometimes even discuss the need of ‘jeerey phoron’ over ‘panch phoron’ and vice-versa. Sorry politics and ‘gyan –wardhak- batein ‘, please find some other dinner table.

One fine day, dear daughter was calling me fanatically, and I thought it must be those days, where she has to vent out her feelings. ‘Ma you should see this!!  …..And I asked what? …..Hey! Your blog is on google search and that too on first page. Do you really know what it means…..and I was rolling my eyes, what it meant, trying to recall – and I gave a blank stare to her.…..probably she understood (after that day, she is on a reading spree- reading all those old posts from the beginning. I wonder how she feels, where she is mentioned or I have written about her. I need to ask her someday that too…….)

10 years can do that too (can make you go blank sometimes) ……it’s a long time …..Well food –blogging, is now a profession these days, as this is what I last heard about. I have seen a paradigm shift in this field- from hobby to making it a profession. I don’t know what should I say about that- but if that makes a difference to you. I now do tell, 'real –life' people or friends that I have a food-blog which some 3-4 years ago I couldn’t think or speak-out.

But yes, there are people, who still visit this food-blog, spend time accessing recipes and perhaps do make them in their kitchen. Some even find time to write me back and appreciate for sharing recipes with them,or drop a comment. Some even ask questions about recipes, some even criticize, and some are silent readers-they come, they read and I do think they try making recipes from here as well. 

Well, to all of you, thanks a lot for making ‘spice and curry’ a part for your life, a tiny place where you like to hang around and feel like it’s your home. Well that is what this food-blog is all about. Thank you for visiting and checking recipes here, making it a million-hits- food-blog.

Without you reader(s) this blog is incomplete. Hopefully, I will keep writing more recipes, but you have to promise me as well, that you will keep visiting us as well. 

Thank you for being with me all these 10 years of food-blogging!!!

Today I am sharing a very Bengali recipe- Chingri diye chal kumro- ash gourd with shrimp and coconut stir/fry. After all those blabbering above, I think I will spare you from more torture, and will write the recipe.

Here is how I made it 

Chingri diye chal kumro r torkari/ Shrimp and potato with coconut stir/fry

Recipe requirements- ( serves3-4 people)

1 medium size ash gourds

 300 Gms of shrimps- cleaned and deveined

2 medium size potatoes

 1 medium tomatoes chopped or 8-10 ripened cherry tomatoes slit in between

3-4 red bird eye chilies/Thai chilies

 1 and ½ tsp of red pepper powder

1 tsp of turmeric powder

Salt as per taste

For tempering

1 tsp of cumin seeds

2 dry red chillies

5-6 tbs of cooking oil/mustard oil

Method

Clean and cut ash gourd, potatoes in to long juliennes, little bit thicker.

Clean shrimps- deshell them and devein them. Marinate with turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside for 10 mints.

Heat up a fry pan, add 1tbs of mustard oil, and stir fry the shrimps for 4-5 mints. Take out and reserve to use up later in the stir/fry preparation.

Heat up a fry pan/wok/kadai, Add in rest of the cooking oil to it, add cumin seeds, dry red pepper, and let it splutter.

Stir/fry it for 1-2 mints at med-high flame.

Add in ash gourd and potatoes pieces/juliennes.

Add in red chilly slit in between and finely chopped tomato pieces.( you can add grated coconut as well.)

Add in all the dry spices- turmeric powder+red pepper powder+salt in a cup of water, mix it well.

Add this spices mixture to the above fried mix and keep on stir/fry for about 3-4 mints.

Let it cook for 10-12 mints at medium-low flame or till the potatoes turn soft. At this time add in fried spicy shrimp to above and mix it well. Take out and it’s ready to be eaten.

Serve and enjoy with warm cooked rice.

Happy Cooking friends and 

Thanks you for stopping by here and spending time with me all these 10 years of food-blogging !!