PORK MASALA

A finger licking spicy and delicious pork masala recipe is here. The pork is cooked in a freshly made masala paste that gives a rich color. Pork mixed with roasted spices and sauteed with onion, garlic, cloves and coriander leaves. Goes well with steamed rice

Ingredients:

1. Pork - 1 kg (cubed with fat)

2. Onions - 3

3. Ginger 1 inch

4. 4-5 garlic cloves

5. Oil - 2 tsp

6. Bay Leaves - 2

7. Green cardamoms - 4-5

8. Cinnamon - 2 inch stick

9. Vinegar - 1 tsp

10. Salt to taste

Ingredients to be Roasted and Ground:

1. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
6. Cloves - 3-4
7. Green cardamoms - 4-5
8. Bay leaves - 3
9. Dried red chillies - 2-3

Ingredients for the final cooking:

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Onion - 1/2 cup crushed
3. Garlic cloves - 6-7 crushed
4. Coriander powder - 3 tea spoon
5. Chilli powder - 2 tea spoon
6. Pepper powder - 1 tea spoon
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Process:

1. Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, bay leaves and chillies till they turn dark brown in color. Allow to cool. And grind to powder.
2. Make a paste of onions, ginger and garlic in a grinder and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion paste. Saute till it turns light brown, then add bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamoms. Stir for a few seconds.
4. Now add the roasted powder masala, salt and pork pieces. Cover with a lid and cook till the pork is cooked through.
5. Heat oil in a separate pan, add crushed onion and garlic and saute for a minute. Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and pepper powder and fry for 2 mins.
6. Add the cooked pork in this pan along with gravy. And cook again stirring occasionally, the you achieve the desired consistency.

VEGETABLE CUTLET

A spicy, crunchy, delicious Indian fritter made with a mish-mash of potatoes, carrots and green peas. These deep fried spicy cutlets (also known as "tikki") are extremely popular in India and often enjoyed with yogurt, green chutney or tomato ketchup - as per your taste.

Ingredients: 

1. Potatoes - 3 (boiled)
2. Green peas - 1 cup (boiled)
3. Carrot - 1 medium sized (boiled)
4. Ginger paste - 1 tsp
5. Chat masala & Garam masala - 1.2 tsp each
6. Red Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Ghee - 1 tsp
8. Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - handful
9. Green chilli - 2-3 chopped (as per taste) 
10. Corn flour or Maida - 2 tsp
11. Bread crumbs (from fresh bread) - 3 to 4 bread pieces
12.Salt to taste
13. Oil - for frying

Process: 

1. Mash the boiled potatoes, peas and carrot in a mixing bowl, make sure there are no chunks of potatoes. 
2. Add all the spices, other ingredients and bread crumbs and flour. Begin to mix and make a firm and non sticky ball, if it's sticky you can add more bread crumbs.
3. Divide the mixture to equal parts and make balls, flatten them and give shape. You can give shapes as you wish - round, square or heart shape.
4. Heat oil and add ghee (to add a good aroma) in a pan and fry them until golden. Keep flipping them to both the sides and fry.
5. Serve them hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

POTATO PINWHEELS

As the name says, these are snacks in the shape of a pinwheel filled with a spicy potato stuffing.   

Ingredients:   
 
For the filling

1. Potato - 2 

2. Boiled Green Peas -  1/2 Cup  

3. Cumin Seeds -  1 tsp

4. Fennel Seeds (Saunf)  -1 tsp

5. Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

6. Garam masala  - 1 tsp

7. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

8. Dry Mango Powder (Amchur) -  1 tsp

9. Salt to taste

For the dough

1. Plain Flour / Maida - 1 cup
2. Semolina (Sooji) - 2 tsp
3. Oil - 1 tsp
4. Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - 1 tea spoon
5. Salt - 1 tea spoon

Process:     

Preparing the filling

Wash, peel and boil potatoes. Mash them coarsely. Add 1/2 cup of boiled peas. (I have used frozen peas for the recipe) Add all the spices and mix them well and adjust the spices according to taste.  

Preparing the dough

Combine plain flour and semolina in a deep and wide vessel. Add 2 tea spoons of oil, 1 tea spoon Carom Seeds and 1/2 tea spoon salt. Add around 1/3 cup of water in small increments and knead a soft dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Making the pinwheels

1. Divide the dough into 2 equal balls. Brush a few drops of oil on the outside.

2. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the the balls to make a large disc around 9-10 inches in diameter. You can brush the disc with some oil if it starts to stick to the rolling pin or board. 

3. Divide the potato mixture into 2 parts and spread it evenly over the disc, leaving around 1/2 inch space on the edges. You can use a rolling pin to flatten out the mixture.

4. Gently start rolling the disc tightly from one end. Towards the end, brush a few drops of water onto the edges. This will help the dough stick together. Finish rolling up and press lightly to seal the ends.

5. Cut the dough horizontally into 1 inch slices with a sharp knife.

6. Take each slice between the palms of your hands and press gently to flatten it out. 

7. Deep fry on medium heat till they are crisp and golden brown.  

Serve with mint chutney, coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or simply tomato ketchup.  

BANANA PANCAKES

Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and delicately flavored with bananas and the recipe proves how easy they are to cook.

Ingredients:   

1. Maida -  1/2 cups
2. Sugar - 2 tsp
3. Baking powder - 1/2 tstp
4. Salt - 1/2 tsp
5. Banana - 2 piece over-ripe (peeled)
6. Eggs - 2
7. Milk - 1 cup
8. Butter - one cube
9. Honey - 2-3 tsp

For Garnishing - you can use sliced bananas, chocolate sauce, almonds - whatever is available at home.

Process:   

1. Begin by combining the maida, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl.  Whisk well and set aside.
2. In another bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth. Add the eggs and milk and  whisk with a fork to combine.
3. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. 
4. Now heat oil with a pad of butter in a non-stick pan (the butter gives flavor and the oil prevents the butter from burning). 
5. Spoon the pancakes onto the pan and cook until some bubbles appear on the top and the underside is golden brown and crisp. Flip the pancakes and cook a few minutes more. 

Top with honey and fresh sliced bananas, or whatever you like for garnishing.

SEWAI KHEER WITH KESAR

A delicious Indian desert made with Vermicelli / Sewai, cooked in milk and dry fruits. A quintessential festival recipe, sewai or sheer khurma is made in every household on the occasion of Eid. One of the most favorite Indian desert, made quickly and easily with just a few ingredients. 

Ingredients: 

1. Broken vermicelli / sewai

2. Milk - 1 ltr

3. Sugar - 5 tsp

4. Ghee - 1 tsp

5. Green cardamom pods - 4-5

6. Saffron / kesar  -1 tsp  

7. Nuts / raisin / kaju / almond - to garnish

Process:  

1. Heat ghee in a pan and roast the sewai to golden brown (on slow flame)
2. Open cardamom pods and add to sewai and let it release the aroma.
3. In a heavy bottom kadai / wok boil the milk. When milk comes to boil, add pinch of saffron.
4. Add sugar and sevai and let it cook for 10 minutes on slow flame. Let it boil till sevai is cooked.
5. Add raisin and let it cook for 2 more mins. 

6. Garnish with chopped nuts and remaining saffron.

KACHA KOLAR KOFTA CURRY

Bengali Style Kacha kolar Kofta Curry Recipe (Green Plantain / Green Banana Kofta Curry) is one of my all time favorite dish made with soft and crispy Koftas dipped in thin and simple jeera based curry. The Raw banana is rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Also the starch content present in raw banana helps in controlling blood sugar level and manage cholesterol.

Ingredients: 

1. Green Banana - 2 -3 nos
2. Besan - 1 tsp
3. Mustard Oil
4. Tomatoes Pureed - 2 
5. Bay Leaves - 2
6. Dry Red Chilli - 2 
7. Hing - A pinch
8. Cumin Seeds -  1/2 tsp
9. Grated Ginger -  1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder -  1/2 tsp
11. Coriander Powder -   1 tsp
12. Cumin Powder -   1 tsp
13. Garam Masala Powder -  3/4 tsp
14. Salt To Taste
15. Green Chilies - 216. Red Chili Powder -  1/2 tsp
17. Coriander leaves - to garnish

Process:  

1. Pressure cook the Green Bananas. Once they have cooled down, peel them off and mash them with besan, turmeric powder and salt. You can also add chopped green chillies (as per your taste). Make small balls out of them and deep fry them till golden-brown in mustard oil.

2. Now, heat some oil in a pan and temper it with hing, bay leaves, dry red chilli and grated ginger. Fry it well before adding the tomato puree.
3. Cook it till it reduces and water has been gone. Add the dry spices and fry it nicely till the edges release oil.
4. Add water to make the gravy and put in chilies as per your taste. You can slice them or simply add them whole. Cover it with a lid and allow it to simmer.
5. Before turning the heat off, drop the fried Koftas in the gravy and garnish with coriander leaves. (Though garnishing is completely optional, you can add fresh cream also to garnish and give a nice look)

RUI MACHER KALIA || ROHU FISH CURRY

Rui Macher Kalia is a popular and age-old Bengali style fish curry. I grew up eating this, and it has been a family favorite for almost all Bengali families. Specially during Bengali wedding, this dish is a "must" in the menu.  I have learned this from one of my cousin, years back, and sharing the recipe here. 

Ingredients: 

1. Rohu fish - 5-6 pieces 
2. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp 
3. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp 
4. Onion paste - 1 onion
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
6. Tomato p- 1 (puree) 
7. Green chillies - 2-3
8. Coriander leaves (for garnishing - Optional) 
9. Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
10. Dry red chilli - 1
11. Green cardamom - 1-2
12. Cloves  - 2
13. Stick cinnamon - 1 small
14. Dhaniya powder  - 1 tsp
15. Jeera powder  - 1 tsp
16. Salt and sugar - to taste
17. Bay leaf - 1
18. Oil - for cooking

Process:  

1. Marinate the fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the fish pieces and keep aside

3. In the same oil tamper the whole jeera, bay leaf, garam masala and dry red chilli, saute for a minute and add onion and ginger garlic paste. 

4. Saute well till the raw smell goes away and it becomes golden brown.

5. Add tomato puree and other spices and mix well. Sprinkle little water if required.

6. Once the spices are fried properly, add raisins and a cup of water and let the curry boil for 3-4 mins.

7. Add the fish pieces and cover it for another 3-4 mins.

8. Once this is done, you can add chopped coriander leaves, green chillies and garam masala powder, cover the pan for 1 min and remove the fire.

The Rui macher kalia is ready to serve, goes well with steamed rice.

BHAPA ILISH || SORSE BATA ILISH

Shorshe bata Illish is a quintessential Bengali dish, the seasonal Hilsa fish is cooked in mustard paste. BONG's are great food lovers and take pride in their cuisine. Here is another favorite  BONG cuisine "Sorse Bata Ilish" OR "Bhapa Ilish" 

Ingredients: 

Ilish / Hilsa fish - 500 gm
Black mustard seeds - 2 tsp
White mustard seeds - 3 tsp
Green chillies - 3-4
Red chillies -1-2
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard oil - 2 tsp

Process:  

1. Wash the Ilish pieces and keep aside.
2. Soak the mustard seeds (both black and white ) in a little bit of water for at least 10 – 15 minutes. Drain the water from the mustard seeds and then make a smooth paste of the mustard seeds, green chillies , turmeric powder and salt.
3. Marinate the fish pieces nicely with the prepared paste and some mustard oil and let the fish marinate for at least 1 hour. The pieces should be placed nicely in a vessel without the pieces overlapping. 
4. Keep the vessel on the gas, on medium flame allow the fish to cook.
5. The fish is ready when the mustard oil starts floating on the top. Do not make the gravy dry because the gravy of this dish is very tasty to have with rice.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice.  

CHICKEN PULAO

Chicken Pulao is another traditional dish from Hyderabad, this adds life to every occasion. This traditional dish needs no introduction and is a delightful blend of spiced chicken, rice and aromatic herbs. There are several ways of preparing this dish and I have the simplest recipe to prepare this dish. Here’s how you go about preparing it at home with some easily available ingredients. 

Ingredients: 

Chicken -  200 gm 

Garlic -  4-5 cloves

Ginger -  2-3 inch

Bay leaf / tej pata - 3

Green cardamom / Elaichi -  3-4 

Turmeric powder -  1/2 tsp 

Green chillies - 4-5 or as per taste

Clove - 5-6

Basmati rice - 1 cup (serves two to three)

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Star anise - 4-5

Curd (2 tsp) - for marination 

Onion - 2 - sliced 

Salt - to taste

Carrot - 1 sliced / beans - 5-6 - cut into pieces

Process:  

• 1. Take a bowl and add garam masala, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder and half of the prepared ginger-garlic paste. Mix it well and keep aside. Marinate the chicken pieces with curd and this ready spices mix and keep it aside to set for 20 minutes.
• 2.Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium flame and add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, green chilies and star anise. Mix well and add sliced onions. Saute them over a medium flame until onions turn glossy and transparent.
• 3. Now, add the marinated chicken and cook them for 4-5 minutes.
• 4. Add rice, 1 cup of water, turmeric powder and the remaining ginger-garlic paste. Season with salt and mix well. Let the rice be completely cooked. Stir occasionally.
• 5. When the rice is cooked, transfer the pulao to a serving plate, squeeze lemon on it and garnish with coriander leaves. You can add raita as a side dish.
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PANEER BUTTER MASALA

Every paneer lover swears by this recipe of paneer butter masala. This recipe can be easily made at home and the result is quite rewarding. Chunks of soft paneer tossed in a smooth onion tomato masala made rich with a good addition of fresh cream and butter.  The hint of spices in the sweetish creamy gravy is like a party for your taste buds   

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer - 250 gram

Tomato -  3 to 5 chopped
Onion paste - 2-3 

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Garlic - chopped 5-6 cloves

Kasmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Whole garam masala 

Fresh cream

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Butter/Oil

Kasoori Methi

Coriander leaves to garnish

PROCESS:

1. Heat oil in a nonstick pan, add 2 tsp oil and add chopped garlic, onion and tomato, saute for 7-8 minutes, cool down and grind to a smooth paste. 
2. Heat pan again, add 1 tsp oil and butter, add whole garam masala and saute, add tomato paste, kashmiri chilli powder, salt to taste, ginger garlic paste, mix well and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in low flame. Add the paneer, cover the pan and let it look for 5-7 mins on low heat.
3. After 5-7 min, open the lid and add 1 tsp sugar, garam masala powder and fresh cream, stir properly so that the the cream mix well.
4. Sprinkle some kasoori methi when the gravy is ready. Garnish with some more fresh cream and coriander leaves. Goes well with Paratha.