Tetor Dal (Bitter Gourd cooked with Moong Dal)

Tetor Dal or Bitter gourd cooked with moong dal is a light lentil stew and it is a quintessential Bengali dish. Very popular during summer seasons. Bitter gourd is known to cleanse your palate and this stew is super ideal to detox your tummy. A very light lentil stew to enjoy your summer meals.

Ingredients:

1. Moong Dal (yellow lentil) - half cup
2. Bitter gourds - 1 big size or 2 medium 
3. Green chillies - 2 or as per taste
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 
5. Salt as per taste
6. Dry red chillies - 2
7. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Nigella seeds (kalonji) - 1/2 tsp
9. Ginger paste or grated - 1/2 tsp
10. Coriander leaves 
11. Mustard oil

Process:

1. Wash and cut the bitter gourds into thin circles. Sprinkle with salt and turmeric powder, mix well and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. It will help to soften the bitter gourd.

2. Wash dal few a times and cook with salt. 

3. In a heavy bottom pan add mustard oil and heat enough until you see smoke coming out. Add the bitter gourds, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes and remove them. Now in the same pan, add little more oil, dry red chillies, cumin seeds and nigella seeds and give a stir as it will start to sizzle soon. 

4. Add the boiled dal and turmeric powder. Adjust salt and water as per consistency. Add  green chillies, grated ginger and stir it around. Simmer for 5 minutes, add half tsp of ghee (optional) and chopped coriander leaves to garnish with. Serve hot with steamed rice.

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Chicken Cutlet / Chop

Rainy season comes with a lot of cravings. Good food is wise medicine and can save you from a lot of infections that commonly affect the digestion system in the rain. Moreover, home made foods are always the BEST, isn't it? 

Lets make these tasty and tempting Chicken Cutlets, the simplest chicken recipe for monsoon cravings. These cutlets are perfect for parties or any get-togethers. And you can either shallow fry them or air fry (as per your wish). 

Ingredients:

1. Minced chicken - 200 grams
2. Onion - 1 finely chopepd
3. Garlic - 1/2 tsp fine chopped
4. Green chillies - 2 or as per taste
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 
6. Meat Masala powder - 1/2 tsp 
7. Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp 
8. Salt as per taste
9. Ginger paste - 1/3 tsp
10. Coriander leaves 
11. Potatoes - 2 (boiled and mashed)
12. Bread crumbs - for coating
13. Oil - for shallow fry

Process:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add Chopped garlic and chillies, sauté for a minute and add the minced chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then add chopped onion, and powder spices. Mix everything properly and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add ginger paste, mix well, cover and cook till chicken is done properly. Remove from heat, add coriander leaves and let the mixture cool down. 

2. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken mixture, boiled potatoes and bread crumbs. Mix everything together. 

3. Make small balls from the chicken mixture and shape them into cutlets or chops (cylindrical shapes) whichever you wish to. 

4. In a small bowl, add one egg and pinch of salt, mix well. Once all the cutlets are ready, dip them (one by one) into the egg mixture and carefully roll them in bread crumbs. You can also keep these chicken cutlets in fridge for frying later.

5. Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry both the sides until they turn golden brown. Drain the cutlets on kitchen towel and repeat the same process for the remaining cutlets. SERVE hot with tomato ketchup.

P.S. The recipe is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Steamed Chicken

Steamed chicken is a very simple yet delicious recipe and you can make it so quickly with just a few ingredients. 

Ingredients:

1. Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
2. Posto (poppy seeds) - 2 tsp
3. Cashew nuts - 6-8 
4. Green chillies - 6-8 (as per taste)
5. Boneless chicken -  half kg (cut into 3 inch pieces)
6. Yogurt - 2 tsp
7. Salt - as per taste
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Kashmiri Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp 
10. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
11. Red dry chilli - 1
12. Cardamom - 2-3
13. Cinnamon 
14. Clove - 2-3
15. Onions - sliced ( 2 big)
16. Mustard oil - 2 tsp

Process:

1. Wash and clean the chicken pieces. 

2. Soak mustard and poppy seeds in water for 20 minutes. Add cashew nuts also. Make a paste adding green chillies.

3. Take a tiffin box (in which you can steam the chicken), pour the chicken pieces and add the prepared mustard-poppy-cashew paste, yogurt, turmeric powder and salt, mix well and keep aside for 30 minutes for marination.

4. In a frying pan, heat mustard oil and add Red dry chilli, cardamom, cinnamon and clove along with sliced onions. Fry for 2-3 minutes on medium low flame and add ginger garlic paste. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder to get a nice color.  Saute till the spices are mixed properly.

5. Add fried onions to the chicken mixture, give it a good stir and add some green chillies on the top, cover the tiffin box with the lid and steam for 30 minutes on low flame. 

6. Serve hot with steamed rice.

P.S. The recipe reel is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

MANGO BHAPA DOI

MANGO BHAPA DOI - Before mango season gets over, try this traditional bengali creamy dessert with only a few ingredients. Misti Bhapa Doi is consideredd to be the protector and vanquisher of all evil, Mother Durga is honored with a wide spread of exotic dishes which also included the Bhapa Doi as a part of the "Misti Mukh". This is known as the origin of Steamed Sweet Yogurt.

Ingredients:

Hung curd - 2 cups

Condensed milk - 1 cup

Fresh cream - 1/2 cup

Mango puree - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Process:

1. Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth and hang it for few hours till the water is drained and you get thick hung curd.

2. In a mixing bowl, add hung curd, condensed milk, fresh cream and mango puree. Add cardamom powder (if you are using)

3. Whisk nicely till no lumps are left.

4. Pour the mixture in a baking tray and cover with aluminium foil. Place the tray in a kadhai, close the lid and steam for 20-25 minutes.

5. Once done, refrigerate the curd for 1-2 hours to set. Enjoy the best flavoured Mango Bhapa Doi.

P.S. The recipe reel is there on my Instagram and YouTube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Egg pulao in cooker (One Pot Meal)

Delicious one pot meal for a busy day - Egg Pulao in a Cooker

Ingredients:

Boiled Eggs - 4-5

Basmati rice - one cup (washed and soaked)

Water - one and half cup

Oil - 2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1-2

Star anise - 1

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cardamom- 2-3

Ginger Garlic - 2 tsp (chopped or paste)

Sliced onions - 2 big

Tomatoes - 1 (sliced)

Green chilies - 2-3

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp 

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Salt to taste 

Ghee - 1 tsp

Process:

1. Wash and sock basmati rice for 10 minutes. 

2. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add Bay leaf, Star anise, Cinnamon stick, Cardamom and chopped ginger garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add sliced onions, tomatoes and green chilies long with all the powder spices and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

3. Once the spices are done nicely, add the boiled eggs, coriander leaves and salt as per your taste. and sauté for 1 more minute.

4. Now add rice and give it a good mix. Add one tsp of ghee and close the pressure cooker. One whistle and the pulao is ready to serve.

5. Serve hot with raita or any curry. 

P.S. The recipe reel is there on my Instagram and YouTube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Chicken Kathi Roll

Chicken Kathi Roll Recipe is a lip smacking roll of a tawa paratha stuffed with a flavourful and chatpata masaledar chicken filling along with crunchy onions and capsicum. Have made this using chicken masala from @badshahmasalaofficial 

Ingredients:

(for the chicken marination)

Chicken breasts - 200 grams (cut into thin pieces)

Salt

Black salt

Garam masala

Kashmiri red chilli powder

Ginger garlic paste

Lemon juice

Yogurt

Mustard oil

Other ingredients:

Onion - thinly sliced

Capsicum - thinly sliced

Eggs

Whole wheat flour 

Oil

Salt

Tomato ketchup

Mustard sauce

Onions - sliced

Coriander leaves - finely chopped

Green chillies - finely chopped

Chat masala

Lemon juice

Process: 

(For making the parathas)

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, a tablespoon of oil and knead adding little water at a time to make a firm and smooth dough.

Add one tablespoon of oil to coat the dough and knead again. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. 

Roll the dough portions into balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand. Toss them on flour and roll them out. Put the paratha on the skillet on medium high flame. After a few seconds flip on the other side and add some oil. Cook until almost done. Now add the beaten egg on one side of the paratha and flip. Cook for a minute till the egg is cooked. Remove from the tawa.

(For the chicken tikka filling)

In a mixing bowl, add the chicken strips along with all the ingredients mentioned above for the chicken marination. Keep aside for at least one hour.

Heat a pan with oil on medium flame, add the sliced onions and capsicum, cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add Chicken Masala and cook for 2 more minutes and add the marinated chicken pieces. 

Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until the masala has cooked through. 

(For assembling the Chicken Tikka Kathi Roll)

Place the paratha on a plate, add tomato ketchup and mustard sauce on it, now add prepared chicken tikka masala filling, place the sliced onions next to it, add chopped coriander leaves and green chillies, sprinkle some chat masala and lemon juice.

Fold like that of a roll and serve. 

P.S. The recipe reel is up on my Instagram page. Check it out @romisrecipe

Tender Coconut Icecream

Tender Coconut Ice-cream -  super creamy and delicious homemade vegan ice cream, so perfect for this summer.  

Ingredients:
Tender coconut flesh - 2 cups
Coconut milk - half cup
Cashew nuts - 6-7 (soaked)
Coconut cream - one cup
Coconut sugar - 2 tsp (optional, add it according to your preference)
Tender coconut flesh (chopped) - 1 tsp for the topping

Process:
1. Put everything in a blender jar and blend together.
2. Transfer the mixture into an airtight container or ice cream tray, add the chopped tender coconut flesh on the top and cover with aluminium foil. 
3. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours or still set. Scoop and enjoy. 

P.S. The recipe reel is up on my Instagram page. Check it out @romisrecipe

Achari Dahi Bhindi

Achari Dahi Bhindi is a very popular Punjabi dish made with Indian spices, it's very simple and easy to make, yet very delicious. Can be served as a side dish. The tangy and spicy taste of pickle (achar)  makes this dish flavourful and unique. If you love BHINDI, do try this simple yet flavourful recipe. You can also make the same recipe with Aloo or Gobi, it tastes yummy. 

Ingredients:

Bhindi - 300 gram
Mustard Oil - 3-4 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Grated Ginger  - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 3-4
Onions - Finely chopped - 1 cup
Tomatoes - Finely chopped - 1 cup
Crushed Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp 
Crushed Fenugreek Seeds  - 1/2 tsp 
Nigella Seeds - 1/2 tsp 
Crushed Mustard seeds  - 1/2 tsp 
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp or as per taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp 
Dry Mango powder - 1 tsp 
Cumin powder -  1 tsp 
Curd / yogurt - 1/2 cup
Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves for Garnishing

Process: 
1. Wash and cut the bhindi's into long slices.
2. Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a pan. Add sliced bhindis, salt and stir fry it on medium flame for 5-6 mins. Remove it from the pan and keep aside.
3. In the same pan, heat the 2 tbsp oil, add cumin and mustard seeds along with all the crushed  seeds and sauté it for a few seconds.
4. Add ginger paste, green chillies and onion and sauté it till golden brown and soft. Add chopped tomatoes in it and again sauté it until soft and mushy.
5. Now add all the powdered spices and mix it well, and stir fry it till oil starts leaving from the mixture. Adjust the salt and sprinkle kasuri methi.
6. Add the whisked yogurt and mix it well, stir it continuously till it starts boiling. Add the shallow fried bhindis in it. and cook it for 2-3 mins on low flame.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve as a side dish with simple daal rice or roti - paratha.

P.S. The recipe reel is up on my Instagram page. Check it out @romisrecipe

Steamed Papad Tadka Rolls

Steamed Papad Tadka Rolls - Lip-smacking snack which is a perfect combination of health and taste to enjoy.

Ingredients:

Papad - 3-4
Besan (Gram flour) - 2-3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/ 2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
White sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Sunflower Oil 

Process:

1.In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients, add water and make a paste. 
2.Brush water in the papad and apply the ready paste on one side of the papad. Roll it.
3.In a steamer, place all the rolls (do not overcrowd the pan)  and steam for 6-7 minutes.
4.Remove from the steamer and cut the roll into small bite size pieces.
5.In a tempering pan, add 1/2 tsp of oil, add mustard and sesame seeds along with curry leaves. Add the dry spices (chilli powder, turmeric, chaat masala and salt). 
6.Mix well and add the papad pieces. Simmer for 1 minute and add fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot. 

P.S. The recipe reel is up on my Instagram page. Check it out @romisrecipe

SUKTO - Bong Delicacy

Sukto / shukto is a popular vegetable medley prepared in a Bengali household. It consists an array of vegetables and "badi" or "bori" cooked with Bengali spices. In Bengali cuisine Sukto is a mild, sometimes bitter, milky curry that is eaten after shaak (greens) and before dal (lentils). This recipe I have learnt from my Mom and one of my Mother-in-laws favorite one  - so this is dedicated to both my mothers on MOTHER's Day. 

Using high quality ghee in your recipes takes it to another level and is also good for health. I have used @akshayakalpa organic cow ghee . Their organic ghee is free from antibiotics, growth hormones, and preservatives to ensure the highest quality. The ghee tastes just like homemade ghee. Do check out their page for organic products.

Ingredients:

Raw Banana / Plantain

Carrot

Bitter Gourd

Potatoes

Drumstick

Raw Papaya

Eggplant / Brinjal 

Bori

Green Chili

Bayleaf / Tejpata

Panch Phoron

Dry red chilli

Radhuni / wild celery 

Posto & Mustard paste,

Ginger

Salt

Turmeric powder

Milk

Ghee from @akshayakalpa to cook

Process:

Dry roast Radhuni / wild celery and make a fine powder. Keep aside.
 Wash and cut all the vegetables.

Soak Mustard seeds and posto in water for 10 minutes and make a smooth paste.

In a frying pan, add ghee and fry bori till lightly brown, keep aside. In the same pan fry brinjal and bitter gourd separately and keep aside.

Add little more ghee in the pan and add panch phoron, red dry chilli and green chillies, saute for few seconds and add all the raw vegetables 

Add turmeric powder and salt as per taste, mix well. Cover and cook till the veggies are half done. Now add the fried veggies and bori along with posto paste, ginger paste and radhuni powder. Mix well and add milk. Cook till all the veggies are tender and combined well with the spices. 

Add a spoonful of ghee and remove from flame. 

Serve hot with steamed rice. 

P.S. The recipe reel is up on my Instagram page. Check it out @romisrecipe