Rice cutlet

Leftover rice is a very common thing in any Bengali household. Usually, the leftover rice is fried and then served either in the form of lemon rice or an improvised form of fried rice. However, on my never-ending search of the internet for quick recipes for kids landed me to dassana amit's recipe for rice cutlet ( http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/rice-cutlet-recipe/ ) and I loved her way of utilising leftover rice in making something so tasty yet packed with nutrition. You can check on her recipe in the link provided above, she illustrates beautifully with step-by-step pictures. I have adapted her recipe and made some minor changes to suit my family's palate: 

Ingredients:

Leftover rice : 1cup

Carrot : 1 grated finely

Boiled potato : 2

Besan / chana sattu : 2tbsp

Onions : 1 chopped finely

Chilli powder : 1tsp (optional)

Chaat masala : 2tsp

Amchur pwd. : 2tsp

Sugar : 1tsp

Salt to taste

Mash all properly and shape into cutlets and shallow fry in a non-stick fry pan. Your rice cutlet is ready!!!!😆😆

Nutella stuffed Pancakes drizzled with honey

There is this very interesting information which I had come across in my early cooking days when I used to start my cooking by searching the net. On one of those days, I was searching for a recipe for making pancakes!! (yeah you read it right!!) and I found this very interesting piece of information about pancakes. There is a tradition of a "pancake race" in Buckinghamshire where the contestants have to participate in the race carrying a frying pan, and race to the finishing line wearing an apron and tossing the pancake as they race. (Source: Wikipedia) !! :)

Coming back to my recipe, I had seen this recipe by Tasty where the pancakes were stuffed with nutella, and really liked it. I made some changes to suit my child's palate, and the recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:                                                                                  Makes: 3 to 4 pancakes

Maida:                   1/2 cup

Baking Powder:      1/4 tsp

Egg:                       1

Milk:                      1tsp ( u may adjust the milk to get a flowy paste like consistency)

Sugar:                    2 tbsp ( i like it sweet)

Vanilla essence:      1/4 tsp

Nutella:                   2 tbsp

Honey:                     to drizzle

Method:

1) Sieve the Maida and baking powder 2 to 3 times in a bowl.

2) Add sugar ( u may powder the granulated sugar for convenience, I sometimes use it for ease; also adjust the sugar according to your taste, I like it sweet);

3) Add egg, vanilla essence, milk and beat it to a smooth paste like consistency.

4) Now in a frying pan put oil, and pour or scoop a portion of the batter into the frying pan, and wait for a second.

5) Here comes the twist, immediately scoop Nutella and spread on the pancake, and then scoop a little more of the pancake batter and pour it over the Nutella,kind of making a sandwich of Nutella with the pancake batter. This has to be done dexterously.

6) Now wait for the bubbles to pop up, and then flip the pancake on the other side.

7) Wait for few seconds and serve it on the plate.

8) Drizzle with honey (generously). 

9) Enjoy your pancake with the taste of Nutella in every bite.

   

Creamy Spicy paneer

So here I am at last after a long long long sabbatical :) Not that I had been very busy, but a little preoccupied sometimes, sometimes lazy, and at other times running after my naughty Peanut, who turned 3 this September. So it means more naughtiness, more tantrums, more activities, more stories, more fun, more trouble, more screaming, more tears, more laughs, more love and definitely more hugs :) and therefore less time to write here ;)

So now back to the recipe. Hubby loves paneer, (have I already mentioned it earlier???never mind if I have) and on Saturdays he prefers to keep it Vegetarian!!! So on those days either I experiment or I search for a recipe on the net and cook for him. On one of those days, I found this superb recipe I do not exactly remember where, since it was long back. The recipe was named "Shahi Paneer" but since the original shahi paneer is much more elaborate and includes more ingredients, so I deemed it appropriate to rename it Creamy Paneer. 

INGREDIENTS

Paneer                                                                  250 gms

Large onion                                                          1 (finely chopped)

Ginger                                                                   Half piece (finely chopped)

Tomatoes                                                              3-4 (finely chopped)

Green Chilli                                                          1 (finely chopped)

Cardamoms                                                           2 big (crushed)

Beaten Curd                                                          1/4th cup

Chilli Powder                                                        1/2 tsp

Garam Masala                                                       1/2 tsp 

Tomato Sauce                                                        1 tbsp

Milk / Thick cream                                                1/2 cup

Ghee                                                                       3 tbsp

Salt                                                                         as per taste

Coriander leaves                                                     3 tbsp (finely chopped)

1. Deep fry the Paneer cubes and set aside.
2. In a kadai, put 2 tbsp ghee, add the finely chopped onions, and once the onions have become translucent, add ginger and green chilli.
3. Then add crushed cardamoms. Now saute till brown. Then add finely chopped tomatoes and cover the utensil and cook on a low flame.
4. After some minutes add curd and wait for two minutes and then remove the kadai from the heat and allow it to cool.
5. When it has cooled down, grind it to a puree by by blending it in a mixer till it is smooth, you may have to add water for the creamy consistency.
6. Then again take the kadai and add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee and cook the puree in it. Then add salt, chilli powder, garam masala powder, and tomato sauce and water.
7. cover the kadai and cook on a low flame till the gravy is thick.
8. Now add the deep fried paneer cubes and milk.
9. garnish with coriander leaves.


The creamy paneer is ready!!

Potato de poste - Aloo Posto (Potatoes cooked with poppy seeds)

As a child I have always been a picky -choosy eater, and was averse to having vegetables. As a result I would make faces on the days Ma cooked vegetarian dishes. For me it was either a 'Chicken meal', a 'fish meal' or an 'Egg meal', anything else and I would immediately sulk and frown, but there was an exception to this general rule, and there were two items which I liked and would finish off my meal in a jiffy, despite the items being vegetarian - one of them being paneer and the other one being Aloo posto.

Baba loves to eat anything under the sun which is prepared with posto (poppy seeds) - be it "Postor bora" (posto fritters), "Jhinge Posto" (ribbed gourd with poppy seeds), "Aloo Posto", Chicken with posto paste, fish with posto paste, or simply "kancha posto" (raw poppy seeds paste)!!!! But for me the affinity towards posto was, is and always for Aloo posto. It is a simple, pure and yet delicious and lip smacking dish. You have to taste it once and then fall in love with its simplicity!!!I can finish a plateful of rice (although I am a bong but I can live without rice for years together!!!) with just Aloo posto, in which case I do not need any accompaniment to go with rice. Hence without much ado I bring forth to you the recipe of one of my favorite dishes - a simple, easy, ready-in-a-jiffy recipe:

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes (aloo)                                  4-5 medium sized
                                                          (cut into 1 inch sized cubes)
Poppy Seeds                                      4 tbsps (soaked in water)
Green Chillies                                    2-3 (slit from the middle)
Mustard Oil                                        2 tbsp
Panch foron#                                        1 tsp
Turmeric powder                                1/2 tsp

1. Soak the poppy seeds in 1 cup warm water for about half an hour and then grind it to a smooth paste. The paste should have a creamy, smooth texture and not grainy.
2. In a kadai put mustard oil and when it is hot put panch foron.
3. Once the seeds splutter, add  green chillies.
4. Now add potatoes and stir fry for sometime.
4. Add 1tsp sugar (optional).
5. Put salt to taste and turmeric powder.
6. Now add 1 cup water and cover the kadai with a lid. Let it simmer in low flame till the potatoes become tender. (the potatoes should not be too tender otherwise they will get mashed once the posto is added).
7. Add the poppy seed paste and saute for some more minutes till the creamy poppy seeds paste coats the potatoes.
And Voila!! your Aloo posto is ready!! Serve it with hot steamed rice and Biuli (Urad) Dal or Masoor or Moong Dal. Usually bongs prefer Biuli (Urad) dal with this but masoor dal and moong dal also goes well with it. For me it is just rice and aloo posto ;)

(*some bongs prefer not to add turmeric powder and so its upto you)
(# Panch foron meaning five spices consists of fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, black mustard seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds. You can make your own panch foron in case you do not get it in the shops. It is readily available in Bengal and is used for tempering. In case you cannot make your Panch foron, you can replace the same with kalonji seeds or kalo jeera)

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup

I love winters. I love to feel the winter sun on me, the feel of my winter jacket and shawl, the smell of 'nolen gur' (jaggery), the feel of fresh vegetables, playing badminton, reading books and having my favorite ginger-cardamom-cinnamon tea umpteen number of times. With the onset of winter, we love to gorge on food - sometimes healthy and sometimes junk. It is that time of the year when you know you can just let go and enjoy the season. I love to cook for hubby and little munchkin always. So this time hubby - is in his fitness freak mode ;) and he wanted to have Soup for his Friday dinner!!!!

So I thought of making a thick, creamy Chicken and Broccoli Soup. Had lots of Broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots and hence a healthy and nutritious and at the same time yummylicious soup for them and also for you all.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken                                    100 gms 

Carrot                                       1 big chopped finely

Brocolli                                    a fistful of florets

Green Peas                                3 -4 

Cauliflower                               a fistful 

Onions                                       3 medium sized

Spring Onions                            3

Garlic                                         3 bulbs 

Maida                                         2 tbsps

Butter                                          2 tbsps

Milk                                            2 Cups

Oregano                                      2 tsps

1) Soak the chicken pieces in vinegar and salt for 15 mins.

2) Meanwhile chop the vegetables.  Boil water in a pan and once it starts boiling switch off the flame and put the cauliflower and broccoli florets. Cover the pan and keep for 15 minutes.

3) Pressure cook the chicken in one cup of water for at least 3 whistles.

4) Also pressure cook the other veggies for 3-4 whistles.

5) Now strain the chicken pieces and keep aside. Do not throw away the Chicken stock. 

6) Strain the broccoli and cauliflower and throw away the water.

7) Strain the veggies and do not throw away the vegetable stock either.

8) Also make a paste of the garlic in a mortar and pestle.

9) In a Kadai, put butter and fry the onions, garlic and spring onions. When the raw smell disappears, put the broccoli, and the other veggies.

10) After stirring for few minutes, put maida and again stir. Then add the chicken and vegetable stock and stir continuously so that no lumps are formed.

11) Now shred the chicken pieces and add to the kadai.

10) Now add little sugar (1 tbsp) and salt as per taste.

11) Now add milk and cover the kadai and let it simmer in medium flame.

12) After 5 minutes lift the cover and add oregano. Again cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes and then remove from flame.

13) Garnish with oregano and crushed pepper and some  more broccoli florets.

Take my word for it you are simply going to enjoy this creamy delicious soup with the goodness of chicken, broccoli and other veggies.

Chowlette

This snack reminds me of the cold winter evenings in my hometown when my brother and myself would return from the playground and Ma would feed us her 'made-in-a-jiffy-super-tasty-nutritious' Chowlette'!! The recipe is very easy to make and tasty to eat.

Ingredients

Noodles                                 -        small packets of 6
(I used the Licia Noodles.you can also use Maggi or Sunfeast noodles )

Onions                                   -        3 Big ones

Eggs                                       -        6 

Chilli Flakes                           -        1 tbsp

Oregano                                  -        3-4 tbsp (as per taste)

Pepper                                     -        1 tbsp (optional)

Green Chillies                          -        2-3

Salt                                          -        As per taste

Cheese for garnishing

Step 1:     Boil noodles in water ;

Step 2:     Strain the noodles in a strainer when they are crispy and separate them with a fork. Apply butter or refined oil on the noodles.

Step 3:      In a bowl beat eggs, add salt, chopped onions, green chillies, Chilli flakes, oregano, pepper and beat the batter.

Step 4:     To this batter add the crispy boiled noodles.

Step 5: Now with a ladle pour this batter in a non-stick pan and fry like an omelette.

Step 6: when one side is done flip on the other side.

Step 7 : Garnish with the oregano, chilli flakes and cheese.

Your Chowlette is ready!!!!!!

Bombay Duck- Bombil - or Loitta Fish in bengali

Well I am a 'Ghoti'# by birth and 'Bangal' by law ;) so there are some 'bangal' cuisines which I have learnt to cook solely for the sheer love of hubby, and one of them is cooking 'Loitta mach' or Bombay Duck Fish or Bombil (whatever you name it....'whats in a name'!!!). 

Loitta Mach is a slimy lizard fish (for more details on its Etymology you can refer and read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_duck. Hubby loves to eat it and my duty as a doting wife is to learn to cook the dish and then gradually strive to master it. While I am still in the process of mastering it, I thought I should share the recipe with you all because cooking the fish is very easy and effortless. i am sure you are going to love this dish.

Ingredients

Loitta Fish            -      1 kg (get it beheaded from the fishmonger since the teeth is very sharp and                                                     might hurt your fingers)

Mustard Oil          -       10 - 12 tbsps
Onions                  -       500 gms

Garlic                    -      2 big pods

Tomatoes               -     2 big tomatoes

Turmeric powder   -     1 tbsp

Red chilli Powder  -     2 tbsp

Green chillies         -     3-4 chopped finely (as per taste)
Salt                         -     according to taste

The best thing about Loitta fish is that it can be eaten with its central bone!!! The central bone disintegrates while cooking and doesn't hurt you while chewing. If you want to remove the central bone then include Step 1 in your recipe or else omit the same.

Step 1 : Boil the fish in salt water for few minutes and then let it cool down. You can now remove the central bone by spreading apart the fishes.

Step 2 : In a non-stick kadai add oil and put the onion and garlic paste.
Step 3 : Add a little bit of sugar (optional)
Step 4 : Fry the onion garlic paste till raw smell disappears, and then add the chopped tomatoes and green chillies.
Step 5:  Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
Step 6: Add the fish pieces one by one and keep on stirring.
Step 7: Now, add salt.
Step 8: Keep on stirring and you would notice that the fish releases lots of water, the fish needs to get cooked in its own juices and hence keep the flame on medium and let the water dry out completely.
Step 9: After a while you would notice the water dried out and the fish dissolved and disintegrated into a paste like consistency and oil oozing out of the gravy. By this time the gravy arrives at a very rich texture and colour and lets do a Hi-Five :) our Loitta fish aka Bombay duck is ready!!!!!!

# Wikipedia - "Amongst the Bengali Hindus of India, "Bangal" and "Ghoti" are used as social sub-groups indicating the ancestral origin of a family. Those whose families came from East Bengal are Bangals and those whose families originated in West Bengal are Ghotis. The term 'Bangal' as used here has little relation to actual geography, since most members of these groups all now live in India. The term is used freely and not considered derogatory within this social class."