Maacher Dimer Boda/Fish Egg Fritters

Maacher Dimer Boda/Fish Egg Fritters

Maacher dimer boda or fish egg fritters are another Bengali delicacy. During the monsoon season the fresh water fish start breeding. 

Those who know their fish can simply look at the fish and tell whether it has eggs or not. Some less knowledgeable might need to poke the fish’s tummy. 

It is said that when a fish is with eggs its taste deteriorates. The fish might look plump and weigh a lot but when you clean it you end up with almost half a kg of fish eggs.

 Now fish eggs are available only for a month or so during the breeding season. So even though the fish might not be as tasty yet the egg is highly valued. 

You can cook the fish slices with the eggs attached to them and make the usual gravies. 

You can make a fish egg gravy. 

And best of all you can have these fish egg fritters.

Ingredients

½ kg fish eggs, washed and cleaned

5 tbsp wheat flour

2 green chillies chopped

1 onion, chopped

Sal to taste

Mustard oil to fry

Wash and drain the fish eggs. Add the chopped green chillies, onion and wheat flour. Add salt according to taste. It will make a messy, gooey batter.

Heat the mustard oil to smoking point. Lower heat. Now add spoonful of the batter to the hot oil and deep fry.

Black and White Banana Loaf

Black and White Banana Loaf

Recipe source : Dorie Greenspan

I am going bananas again!!

I have lots of bananas lying in my pantry getting darker by the day. i have a whole range of food planned to take care of the bananas. The planning takes a long time to reach the execution stage. 

But today I finally made this Black and white banana loaf and it turned out awesommmee!!

The bananas are first mushed and then mixed with rum and lemon juice. It is then left for some time as the banana imbibes the two flavours. The nutmeg also has a very distinct taste in the cake. All in all an amazing recipe from Dorie Greenspan!

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp nutmeg powder

½ tsp salt

2 ripe bananas

Squirt of fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp dark rum

3 oz/85 gms dark chocolate, chopped

110 gms + 2 tbsp butter

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

½ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease a loaf tin.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg powder.

Mash the bananas and mix with lemon juice and rum. Keep aside for some time. 

Melt the chocolate and 2 tbsp butter on a double boiler. Beat the 110 gms butter till smooth. Add the two sugars and beat till pale and glossy. Add the essence and mashed bananas and mix well. 

Add half the flour mix and then the milk. Now fold in the rest of the flour. 

The batter will look a bit curdled but it is fine. 

Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if the cake is ready.

Posto Batar Chorchori

Posto Batar Chorchori

For me posto/khus khus/poppy seeds is the magical ingredient in cooking. You can add it to basically any dish and enhance its flavour. It goes well with a variety of vegetables, chicken, mutton and fish. You can also simply make a paste, sauté it and have it with steaming hot rice. Some of my favorite posto dishes are potol (parval) posto, aloo posto, lau (bottle gourd/lauki) posto, sores posto maach, etc.

I am reminded of a childhood incident. When I was about 10 years old we had gone to an aunt’s house during the school vacations. My adorable aunt was so happy to see us. During lunch she asked me what I would like to have. Innocently I replied that I wanted to have posto bata, a very simple preparation. Everyone had a good laugh because I did not say chicken or fish. I still remember my aunt sitting on a sheel bata ( grinding stone), chuckling to herself and vigorously grinding away the posto.

With our fancy kitchen gadgets we find it so much easier to work around in the kitchen. However I have seen that anything ground on an old fashioned mortar and pestle tastes way better than when ground in a mixie. Maybe that to and fro process on a stone crushes the ingredients and releases their essential oil. Whatever the reason if you want it tastier do it the traditional way.

Ingredients

½ cup poppy seeds, soaked in warm water

1 onion, chopped fine

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

Salt and sugar to taste

1 tsp ghee

½ tsp red chilli powder

Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for half an hour. Grind to a smooth paste. Heat some mustard oil.

 Sauté the chopped onion till it turns translucent. 

Add the coriander and cumin powder. Fry till the masala is cooked. Add the poppy seeds paste, salt and sugar. Cook till oil starts leaving the sides. 

Once the mix is well cooked and dry switch off the flame. Heat the ghee and add the red chilli powder. 

Drizzle it over the posto batar chorchori. 

Garnish with green chillies.

Crackling chicken with Burnt Garlic Mayo

Crackling chicken with Burnt Garlic Mayo

Anyone coming to Leh must eat at The Eclectic Kitchen. The ambience is nice. I love their rustic furniture. The hostess is an absolute delight. Her name is Sherab and she is in her twenties. For a girl this young to have started her own restaurant and serve few of the best dishes in Leh is an accomplishment.

One of our favorite starters in her restaurant is the Crackling Chicken with burnt garlic mayo. It is simply yummm!! The dish in itself is pretty simple. Marinated chicken breast is beaten thin and rolled in beaten rice/poha/chiwda. This poha is what gives the dish its crackle. And the burnt garlic mayo is to die for. Wars can be fought on this!!Lolzz. 

Sherab was gracious enough to share her recipe with me. I have tried to recreate her dish here.

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breast

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Salt to taste

1 cup flattened rice/poha/chiwda, crushed

1 egg, beaten

4 pods garlic, chopped

½  cup mayonnaise

Cut the boneless chicken into thin strips. Marinate with ginger garlic paste and salt for half an hour. then take each strip and beat them into thin sheets using a mallet.

 Dip each strip into the beaten egg and then roll in the crushed poha.

 Deep fry.

Make the burnt garlic mayo. Heat some oil. Once the oil is really hot, lower the flame and add the chopped garlic, sauté on low flame till the garlic browns. Add the oil and fried garlic to the mayonnaise.

Enjoy the crackling chicken with the burnt garlic mayo. The crackle in the chicken comes from the coating of crushed poha.

Bandakofir Torkari

Bandakofir Torkari

Most people find cabbage to be a vary bland vegetable. I, however, love having cabbage. The Bengali preparation of bandakofir torkari is very aromatic and flavoursome. Once you make cabbage this way you will simply grow to love the vegetable. 

The best thing about Bengali cuisine is that the vegetables are not overpowered with spices and chillies. The taste is kept very basic and the aromatic spices are used sparsely. Even in this dish we are not using any coriander or cumin powder. The punch in the dish comes from a drizzling of ghee, cardamom powder and cinnamon powder at the very end.

Ingredients

1 cabbage, sliced thinly

2 potatoes, cubed

1 large tomato, sliced

1 cup green peas

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt and sugar to taste

1 tbsp ghee

½ tsp cinnamom powder

½ tsp cardamom powder

4 tbsp mustard oil

Clean and wash the cabbage leaves thoroughly. Slice them fine. Heat the mustard oil. Add the mustard seeds .Once they start spluttering add the cubed potatoes and fry them well. 

Add the peas, ginger paste and sliced tomato. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, salt, sugar and turmeric powder. Cover and cook on low flame for 5-7 minutes. 

Once the cabbage is wilted toss everything well so that the potatoes, tomatoes and turmeric is well mixed with the cabbage. Check the seasoning. 

Cover and cook till the cabbage is done.  Switch off the flame. Add the ghee, cardamom and cinnamon powders. Mix well. You can garnish with chopped green coriander.

Diwani Handi

Diwani Handi

Mixed vegetables in a spinach based gravy! Not only does it sound interesting but it is extremely healthy too. 

The biggest problem I have is to make my son eat green veggies. He will coolly separate his onions, peas, broccoli from the dish and pile them up on one side of his plate. And so I have to keep coming up with new ideas to interest him in his platter of veggies. 

Thanks to Popeye the sailor man he is fond of spinach. So its spinach and veggies today!!

Ingredients

1 cup cauliflower, chopped

1 cup French beans, chopped

½ cup carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp green chilli paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp ghee

¼ cup cashews, soaked and mace into a paste

For spinach puree

1 bunch spinach

3 green chillies

Boil the spinach and green chillies with salt. Cool and puree. Keep aside.

Parboil the chopped vegetables.

Heat the ghee. Add bay leaves and chopped onions. 

Saute for a few minutes and then add the ginger paste, garlic paste and green chilly paste. Cook.

 Add the dry masalas and fry till the masalas are well cooked. 

Add the spinach puree. Once it comes to a boil add the parboiled vegetables. 

Cook for some time and then add the cashew paste. 

Simmer for a few minutes and then take off the heat. Drizzle some cream on top.

Sorse Ilish

Sorse Ilish

Do you know what is the reaction of a Bengali when he/she is presented with an Ilish dish?

Ufffff!!!

Ahhhhhhh!!!

Drool!!!!

This king of fish brings out the gastronomical connoisseur in us.  This is a feeling that cannot be expressed in words. 

When we cook Ilish for some guests it conveys what a great esteem we hold them in. When someone buys Ilish at the fish market he is looked upon with great respect and affection by people standing around him. And when the fish is cooked at home it is said that all the neighbourhood cats get into a frenzy because of the aroma. 

However this fish is not for the faint hearted. Only one born or bred in the Bengali way of life can tackle Ilish. This is because it is full of “kaanta”. And it is very easy to get one stuck in your throat. But if you get the trick of overcoming this obstacle then this is one of the most delicious fish you can ever eat.

Ilish is cooked in various ways. The Sorse Ilish or mustard preparation is one of the commonest and simplest preparations. I personally feel that it is the best way to bring out the actual flavour of the fish.

Ingredients

4 Ilish pieces

3 tbsp mustard seeds

2 tbsp khus khus

2 green chilies

1 potato, cut into wedges

½ tsp Nigella seeds/kalonji

1 small tomato, sliced

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

½ cup mustard oil

Apply some salt and turmeric to the fish and keep aside for half an hour. Soak the mustard seds and khus khus in warm water for some time. Make a paste with some salt and green chillies.

Heat the mustard oil to smoking point and then reduce flame. Lightly fry the fish pieces.

In the same oil add the Nigella seeds. Add the potato wedges and fry till the potatoes are golden brown. 

Add the sliced tomato and cook till it is mushy. 

Add the mustard paste and cook till oil starts leaving the sides. Add salt and turmeric and cook some more. 

Now add a cup of water and bring to a boil. 

Add the fish pieces, cover and simmer till the oil floats on top. Garnish with sliced green chillies. 

Cocoa-Nana Bread

Cocoa-Nana Bread

Recipe source : Dorie Greenspan

This is an awesome cake. Since it is baked in a loaf tin you can call it a bread. The nomenclature doesn’t really matter because this is a super awesome dark as sin chocolaty cake.

 It is literally dark as sin, black as charcoal, midnight black!! You get the idea. In fact it was so dark in color that I had difficulty clicking a good picture. Honestly speaking the pictures do not do justice to the cake. It is tight yet crumbly. The top is cracked and creviced. The bread is soft and delicious.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

100 gms butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

¾ cup buttermilk

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line and grease a 9” loaf tin.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Beat the butter till soft. Add the two sugars and beat again. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. 

Mix in the mashed bananas. 

Fold in the dry ingredients in three batches. 

Add the buttermilk till it is well incorporated. 

Now add the chopped chocolate.  

Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes. Cover the top with a foil and bake another 40 minutes. Total baking time is 70-75 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if the cake is done. 

Chana murmura

Chana murmura

Do you know what I miss most living on the roof of the world? At 12, 000 feet I really miss pani puri, vada pav, aloo tikka and all those tangy, savoury street food that we get so easily down below. 

Here if you feel like having these things you make them at home from scratch. Nothing wrong with that but it cant be impromptu. We have to plan and prepare at least a day prior. And that takes out the fun from the whole exercise. It becomes a chore and not a spontaneous desire.

No use belly aching!! So what we do is that we plan theme parties based around these kinds of food. It makes it a fun event. After all you must look for happiness in the smallest of things. 

Speaking of small things I was really missing chana murmura. I simply love the lemony and spicy version made by the road side vendors. In Delhi it is a common sight to see these men carrying a big basket slung from their necks with loads of chana murmura, tomaotes, onions, green chillies, lemon, chat masala and what not. They whip up this delectably chatpata concoction in seconds. merely thinking about it is making me salivate!! So when you don’t get these chana murmura fellows in your neighbourhood you make them at home.

Ingredients

2 cups kala chana, soaked overnight

Soak the chana overnight. Pressure cook them with some salt. Once they are cooked drain the water and cool. Now take each chana and press down with the flat end of a knife. Once all the chana are flattened dry them out in the sun. your chana murmura is ready. 

Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Chocolate Chiffon Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Recipe source: bbcgoodfood

I was in the mood of making some very fancy looking cake with whatever ingredients I had at hand. Fresh fruits gateaux have long been on my list but lack of fresh kiwis, strawberries, cranberries etc have been a deterrent. 

What I do have is lots of chocolate compound. So it had to be a chocolate based cake.  I have used this chiffon cake with salted caramel recipe from bbcgoodfood. I had seen this chocolate crown decoration on youtube once and decided to give it a go.

The cake turned out to be a beauty. I couldn’t stop clicking pictures. The main discussion was whether the chocolate decoration was a crown or a jungle!!And I really had no heart to cut and eat it. But then that is what cakes are for. To be eaten and enjoyed!!

Ingredients

For the chiffon cake

125 ml oil

7 large eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla essence

375 gm castor sugar

300 gm flour

1 tsp soda bicarb/baking soda

50 gm cocoa powder

200 ml water

For the salted caramel

250 gm brown sugar

150 ml double cream

½ tsp salt

For frosting

200 ml whipping cream

For the chocolate crown

250 gm cooking chocolate

Line and grease two 9” cake tins.

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, oil, sugar, essence and 200 ml water. Add the cocoa powder and blend well.

Sift together the flour and baking soda. Fold into the liquid batter.

Whisk the egg whites till soft peaks form. Gently fold into the batter. 

Be careful not to beat the air pockets out.

Divide the batter into two tins and bake for 1 hour. 

if required you can put a foil on top of the cake after about 40 minutes to prevent the top from burning.

Once the cakes are baked take them out and cool them.

Make the salted caramel. Mix together the cream, salt and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Switch off flame after few minutes and cool the caramel. Whip the whipping cream and caramel to stiff peaks.

Slice the cakes into two halves. Spread the whip cream on the cake layers and stack them up. 

Spread the frosting all over the cake and smoothen. 

Keep in the fridge till you prepare the chocolate crown.

Chop the cooking chocolate and melt in a double boiler. Whisk it well till it has a glossy shine. 

Pour into a disposable piping bag. 

Take a piece of parchment paper and measure it around the circumference of the cake. Be sure to have an exact measurement. There should be no overlap. 

The length of the paper should be exactly as the circumference of the cake. You can adjust the height of the paper as per your wish. Here I have kept it quite tall! 

Spread the paper on a flat surface. Snip off the end of the piping bag and start drizzling the melted chocolate on the paper in a random manner. Make 2-3 layers of these squiggles.

 Leave it for a few minutes. The chocolate will start to harden. Gently lift the paper and wrap it around the cake.

 The chocolate side should be towards the cake. Gently press the paper to the cake so that the chocolate sticks to the cream. Leave the paper till the chocolate hardens completely. Now carefully peel away the paper leaving the chocolate crown behind.