Mahisasuramardini

Red Lentil (Paste, Fry, Curry)\Musur Daal (Baata, Bora, Jhol)

This is a 3-in-1 post; or you can say a 3-in-1 recipe. With the same ingredients you can get three different dishes at one time: Paste (Baata), Fries (Bora\Pakoda) & Curry (Jhol). The paste is a very popular Assamese side dish, where as I have seen the pakodas in every Bengali house & I have seen these curry mainly in Assamese cuisine. So we can say this is a mixture of two different cuisines. Just try it & let me know your experience.

Ingredients:

Musur Daal\ Red Lentil - 1 cup

Onion - 2, medium, finely chopped

Chilly - 1, finely chopped

Tomato - 1/2, take out seeds & finely chopped

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Onion seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil to fry

1. Soak the Musur Dal\Red lentil 2 hours before cooking.

2. Once it is soaked put it in a food porcesser and process it until you have a "not-so-smooth" paste of musur daal. The paste cant be too runny or too tight. Also I like if the paste is not very smooth.

3. Add the chopped tomato, coriander leaves, green chillies and sliced onion in the daal mixture. Add the salt and whip the whole mixture thoroughly with your hand. Add the onion seeds & mix again.

Note: Just before adding onion seeds, keep aside 4tbsp paste in a bowl & add a little mustard oil (I love the smell of the oil, so I always add 1tbsp oil to get a tasty paste :) ). Use this paste as a side dish. This is a popular Assamese side dish.

4. Heat the oil in a kadai and then pick up the mixture with a spoon and pour in the oil. Fry them evenly on both the sides and serve the red hot fries (bora).

Note: Some time I like to prepare curry of these pakoras\fries. This is also very popular Assamese cuisine. 

To prepare the curry:

Onion - 1, small, sliced

Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped

Ginger - 1/2tsp, paste

Oil - 1tbsp

Cumin Powder - 1/3 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2tsp

Chilly Powder - 1/3tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp

1. Heat oil in a pan,add garlic & onion. When onion becomes soft, add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilly powder & salt. (You can add potato pieces-cut into medium cubes.) 

2. Saute for 4-5min in low flame. Add water. (If added potato, cover the pan & cook for 7-8min in low flame, then uncover & cook in high flame for 5mins.) Cook in high flame for 5mins without covering the pan. Curry is ready.

3. Add the Lentil fries or daal pakoras in the curry, cook on low flame for 3-5mins. Add chopped coriander leaves, turn off the heat & serve hot.

Bottle Gourd Chicken\Lau Chicken

In this recipe, I have used the young bottle gourd, as my experimental ingredient with chicken. Since the Lau\Bottle Gourd was very tender, so I used all the parts (skin, flesh & seeds) of the vegetable. Cut the bottle gourd into four parts & take out the seeds. Make paste\thick juice in a blender or juicer. Dry fry the seeds & keep aside.

Hope to get some feedback if you like the recipe :)

Ingredients:

500gm chicken, medium pieces

1 medium, young Bottle Gourd\Lau

1 small onion, sliced

2 large potatoes, each cut into 4 pieces

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 tbsp cooking oil

1 green chilly, halved

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

salt & sugar 

Method:

1. Heat oil, add chopped garlic, chopped onions & saute until the onion becomes soft. Add potato pieces & gourd seeds. Saute for 4-5mins.

2. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilly, sugar & salt. Simmer on low flame.

3. Add the chicken pieces. Saute in medium flame for 2-3mins. Add the Lau\Bottle Gourd paste & mix everything properly. After 5mins, add water. Cook on medium fire until chicken is soft & desired amount of gravy is there.

4. Serve with rice, pulao or roti.

Choco Cake in Cooker

The day was special, so does the cake. It always feels good to prepare cake for someone's birthday; what can be better than a home-made cake , which has the touch of loved one's warm-love-care. So I tried this cake, following a recipe found while surfing the Internet. So no credit for the recipe. I just used the cooker in place of oven because of unavailability of oven. So here is a way, when your oven is not working or no electricity.

Try it out!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups granulated white sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk (or substitute by putting 1 tbsp white vinegar in a cup then filling the rest up with milk; let stand 5 minutes until thickened)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (or 2 tsp instant coffee in 1 cup boiling water)

Method:

1. In the large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Stir in hot coffee with a rubber spatula. Batter will be very runny.

2. Preheat pressure cooker over medium heat for 5mins. Grease cake tin well using cooking oil. Pour cake mixture in baking tin. First put one empty pot in a pressure cooker and on the to of empty pot put cake tin. Make sure that cake tin doesn't touch the bottom of the cooker.Cover with the lid without putting whistle on.

3. Bake on medium heat for first 5mins. Lower down the heat to low to medium and cook for 30-35mins. After 30 mins leave the cake in hot cooker for 5 more mins. After 5 mins insert a tooth pick in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clear that means cake is done.

4. If some batter sticks to the toothpick then continue to bake cake for 10 more mins. Allow the cake to cool down for 10 mins. After 10mins run the knife around the edges of cake tin. Place one dish on the top of cake tin and flip this over. The cake should come out without sticking to the bottom of cake tin. Allow it to cool down on cooling rack before putting icing on cake.

5. Serve just as it is or with dollop of cream or ice cream!

Tips:

1. If you are using thick bottom pressure cooker, in that case bake the cake over medium high heat only.

2. Cooking time may vary depending on thickness of pressure cooker, temperature settings of stove.

Happy Baking!!

Stuffed Teasel Gourd Fry\Pur Bhora Kankrol

Here, in our local market, sometimes, I can not find my favorite vegetables. My one of the favorite vegetable is Kankrol or Teasel Gourd. Teasel Gourd is very popular vegetable in our North-East region, widely available during the monsoon season. This time, when monsoon started to leave, we found some Kankrol in our local market, very high price! But we could not resist to buy these & in dinner I prepared the best recipe my Ma used to cook at home. 

My ma, prepares this recipe, whenever these are available in market. I love this stuffed things. In my 1 year Bangalore life, this was the first time I prepared these fries. These are reminding me, how I used to stand near my Ma when she used to prepare these... 

Here is my Ma's recipe. 

Ingredients:

Kankrol\  - 4 (1 Kankrol will give 2 stuffed fries) 

Poppy seed - 2tbsp 

Mustard seeds - 1tbsp

Onion - 1, medium

Green chili - 2-3

Garlic - 1-2 cloves, chopped

All-purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard oil 

Sugar & Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut off the tail of the Kankrol, peel and cut them into equal halves, lengthwise. Blanch the Kankrol for about 3-4 minutes and drain the water. (Note: you need make the pieces little soft; In our area water is not so good, so I had to use cooker to make them tender.)

2. With a small spoon, gently scoop the insides of the Kankrol out, without damaging the outer shell, giving a boat like shape to it. Retain the insides for the stuffing.

3. In a grinder, add poppy & musterd seeds, half of the onion, chillies. Make a fine paste. 

4. Heat 1tbsp oil in a kadai. Add the chopped garlic & remaining onion (chopped). Saute until onion is soft. Add the Kankrol insides. Fry for 2mins. Add the paste. Add salt & saute. Cook untill there is no water. The final output will be a little fried paste. 

5. Make a thick batter with all purpose flour, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well to avoid lumps. 

6. Take required amount of stuffing & fill the hollow insides of the kankrol boats.

7. Dip each stuffed Kankrol in the batter and shallow fry in hot mustard oil. You can use refined oil if you don’t have\like mustard oil. (but I like the musterd oil taste!)

8. Keep the stuffing-side up in the oil and first fry the “base” for about 1-2 minutes on low-medium heat. 

9. I took a spoon and started dripping the hot oil over the top of the Kankrol, just to keep everything intact. With a slotted spoon, turn the Kankrol halves to the stuffing-side down. Fry again for 1-2 minutes on low heat.

10. The Kankrols should look crusty and golden fried at the end of their cooking time. Its important the frying is done in a wok on low-medium heat so the insides are cooked. If the oil cools down, adjust accordingly.

Choco Surprise

I love chocolate. So this time tried to do some baking with chocolate, differently. We have used chocolate in cake or pudding. But in this thing, I have used chocolate in such a way, so that I don't feel guilty after having chocolate, (forgetting about my weight). I am in little hurry, so here's the recipe & I'll say about the chocolaty effect of this one, on my friends latter.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 1 & 1/2cups

Chocolate, liquid - 1cup

Semolina - 1/2cup

Coconut, grated - 1/2cup

salt - 1/2tsp

sugar - 1/2tsp (for making dough) + 3/4cup

refined oil - 1tsp

Method:

1. Sieve the maida\flour well with salt, sugar, milk and place in a flat dish. Make a bay in the center and put a little of oil for leavening. Add warm water and make a stiff dough.

2. Divide dough into walnut size balls. Roll between hand palms to smooth. Roll out balls to form thick circles.

3. Heat a non-stick pan. Dry fry semolina on medium heat; after 2-3mins add the grated coconut & mix properly. Fry for another 5mins on low heat. Turn off the heat & set aside.

4. Heat chocolate in a heavy bottmed pan & you may add 1tbsp milk. When chocolate melts completely & mixes with milk, add the semolina-coconut mixture. Mix everything properly.

5. Take some of the choco-semolina mixture & spread it over one of the flour circle.

6. Roll the flour circles & cover with a plastic sheet. Keep aside for 1hr (you can place it in refrigeratoror 30mins).

7. Heat the Cooker (covered) for 15mins on high heat. In the mean time, prepare the rolls for baking. Take out the rolls from plastic sheets & cout each roll into smaller pieces. Arrange the pieces in a baking tray & place it in cooker, over one tiffin box. (I used this idea while preparing my soft cake in cooker, place a tiffin box in the hot cooker & place your baking tray).

8. Cover the cooker, without whistle, bake for 3mins on high heat & then 25mins on low heat. Turn off heat.

9. In a high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cold water and sugar to a boil. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is clear, approximately 3 minutes. Add the baked choco-semolina stuffed pieces. Keep it on low heat for 2-3mins. Turn off the heat. 

Eggplant Mixture

The spinach khichdi does not need any side dish, but to increase the expectation level of my "already-highly-expected" friend, I prepared this. He called me from his office (could not wait to finish tiffin!) & said something (he was so happy that I barely understood his words, a good sign!). So I though to post this recipe too. It is very common in my home, my mother prepares it the best. I tried & it was good, reminded me of my mother's cooking (sigh!).

Ingredients:

(for 2)

Eggplant - 1, small

Potato - 2, medium - half boiled

Capsicum - 1, small

Onion - 1, medium-chopped

Garlic - 4-5flakes, chopped

Ginger paste - 1tsp

Onion seeds - 1tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2tsp

Soya sauce - 1tsp (optional)

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves - 1/2cup, chopped

Chilly - 1, small, cut & take out the seeds

Salt & Sugar to taste

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes. Cut into medium cubes all the vegetables (don't forget to take out the white portions & seeds of capsicum). Wash & keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add onion seeds & as they start to splatter add the chopped garlic, followed by onions. Cook in low heat.

3. After 1-2mins add the potato & capsicum cubes. Add salt, sugar, coriander & turmeric powders. Toss a little. Cover the pan & cook for 3mins. Keep checking.

4. When the potato & capsicum pieces are 99% done, add the eggplant cubes. Now mix the vegetables properly. Check the salt, you may add if you need. Cover & cook for 3mins. Uncover & again mix the vegetables properly. After 2mins, add soya sauce (optional) & the coriander leaves & cook for 2mins again.

5. You may have this with my Spinach-Khichdi, just like me :)

Spinach Khichdi

Again!! I am suffering from spinach fever, haa haa! Preparing tiffin everyday seems very challenging, when you have someone whose expectations are high (I have to confess, I am responsible for that high-expectation, sigh!). So this rice recipe fulfilled all his expectations & I was satisfied too!

This leafy vegetable, spinach, is easily available in our nearby local market & it has a huge role in most of my successful "experimental"-recipes. This one is a full meal itself. But if you want, you can prepare my Eggplant recipe & enjoy them both.

One more request I have, please join my blog & give me some feedback, if you like my blog. Your comments are valuable.

Ingredients:

Rice - 100gm \ 1 large cup, uncooked

Sona Mung daal- 50gm, no need to fry

Spinach paste (thick paste)- 1-1/2 cups
Coconut - 1/2 cup, cut into small cubes

onion - 1, small, chopped

capsicum - 1, small, finely chopped

Ginger paste - 1tbsp

chilly - 1

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

cumin seeds - 1tsp

Fenugreek sedds - 1tsp

Bay leaf - 2

oil to fry

salt to taste

sugar

water (do not worry about quantity)

Method:

1. Wash & soak, both rice & daal, together or separately.

2. Heat oil in a cooker. Add bay leaves, cumin & fenugreek seeds. When the seeds start to splatter, add onions. Saute for 1-2min. Add capsicum & coconut pieces, saute for 2mins again. Now add the spinach & ginger pastes. Cook for 3mins.

3. Add rice & daal. Add salt, sugar, chilly flakes & turmeric powder. Saute for 5 more mins.

4. Add 4cups of water. Cover and cook on high flame & wait for the cooker to whistle 4-5 times. Turn off the heat & let it set for 10-15 mins.

5. Transfer to a serving plate & enjoy.

Linking to:  Combo meals for kids @ Nithu's Kitchen & Nivedhanam

Veg-Fish

You may think how come a fish recipe is veg!!!!

This dish is a mixture of different seasonal vegetables & adding fish into them. So, what name can be best except this? I was bored with different spicy & rich dishes of fish. So wanted to have some veggies in my food, but my room-mate was into the mood of fish. So instead of preparing two different dishes, I cooked one & combined both of the two tastes. The dinner was without any argument as we both were happy with our taste-buds :)

Here is the recipe (a very simple one) which I followed. Hope to get your feedback :)

Ingredients:

Fish - 500gm, cleaned & washed

Potato - 2, medium

Carrot - 2, medium

Capsicum - 1, large

(you can use cauliflower, brinjal, Gourds, pumpkin etc.)

Onion - 1, medium, chopped

Chilly - 1, coarsely chopped

cumin seeds - 1/3tsp

musterd seeds - 1/2tsp

fenugreek seeds - 1/2tsp

turmeric powder - 1tsp

cumin powder - 1tsp

salt to taste

sugar to taste

oil

water

Method:

1. Marinate fish with salt & turmeric powder.

2. Cut your favorite vegetables (I have taken carrot, capsicum, potato, since these were only available in my kitchen store) into medium cubes or pieces.

3. Heat oil in a kadai n fry the fishes. Keep aside.

4. Now keep 2tsp oil in kadai\wok, keep aside remaining oil for future use. In the remaining oil, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds & musterd seeds.

5. When the seeds start to splatter, add onions & fry for 2mins on medium heat. Add the vegetables & saute for 3-4mins. Add the masala powders, salt, sugar, chilly. Fry for 2 more mins.

6. Add water (depending on amount of curry you want), cover the kadai & cook on low heat until bubbles appear. Now uncover & add the fishes. Cook for 3mins & turn off the heat.

7. Serve with steamed rice.