Chicken Fry - Dr.Arati (Chakraborty) Chowdhry special

I really don't know what to call it. I remember Maa use to prepare it. Je hetu Maa banaten it has to be Bengali Delicacy. So let us call it as Dr.Arati (Chakraborty) Chowdhry special. Dekhley money hoye jeno fried chicken tobey Swad is Oshadharon. Must try

Shopping list:

• 500 gms           Chicken
• 1/2 cup Curd
• 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Red chilly powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp               Cumin powder
• 1 tsp               Garam masala powder
• 1pc                 Cinnamon
• 1 tsp               Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp               Green chilly(chopped)
• 1/2 cup chopped Coriander leaves
• 1                    Egg
• 1 tsp               Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp                   Corn flour
• 2 tbsp                   Lemon juice

                Salt - to taste
               Oil to fry


Preparation:

Add the salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder to the chicken.Mix all the ingrediants except oil with the chicken and marinate it for around 4 hours.

Cooking Method:

Then heat oil for deep frying and fry the chicken for 15-20 minutes till it is cooked & the colour changes to golden.

Serve with onion flakes, green chilly & lemon juice.

Mutton Haleem - Bangladeshi style (Dedicated to my Tha'mma - Lt. Mrs.Soudamini Chowdhry)

Shopping list: 

500 gms         Boneless mutton
3 tbsp Dalia 
2 tbsp Moog dal 
2 tbsp Chana dal 
1 large         Onion fine chopped 
2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste 
5 piece         Green chillies fine chopped 
2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped 
2 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tsp Turmeric powder 
2 tsp Red chili powder 
1 tsp Cumin seeds 
1         Black cardamom 
2         Green Cardamoms 21 bay leaf 
3 tbsp Ghee 
Add to taste Salt
5 pcs         Mint/ Pudina to garnish

Wash the dals,dalia  & soak it in luke warm water for overnight.


Preparation:

I won't say  if it the most authentic way of cooking haleem.My roots are from Dacca (Bangladesh) & I have seen my Tha'mma cooking for us during winters. I am sure it should be as close as it can get in a Bengali houses in Bangladesh.So I thought of sticking to whatever was available & reliable to my memory.


Cooking Method:

In a pan or kadhai boil the dals,dalia .There should be  enough water for the dals,dalia to cook without burning. 


In a thick bottom fry pan, heat 3 tablespoon ghee, add the cardamoms, bay leaf, cumin, cinnamon & temper for a minute. Then add the fine chopped  onions & dry till they are pink in colour. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste & fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the salt according to your taste, chili powder & turmeric powder. 

Add the mutton pieces & mix all the spices & the onions well. Cook covered for at least 25 minutes on a low heat. 

Do not add any water. The mutton & the onions have enough water which will be  released due to the slow cooking with salt. 

Add the boiled dals & dalia to the mutton. Mix well.Add the chopped chilies & coriander. 

You can use lemon juice in  haleem before you  eat according to your taste. 

Garnish it with Fried onion & Mint/Pudina leaf

Bhapa (Steamed) Ilish - Sorshe bata Ilish (Dedicated to Altu Kakima)

Bhapa (Steamed) Ilish - Sorshe bata Ilish (Dedicated to Altu Kakima)

Shopping list: 

• 500 gms Ilish Maach (Hilsa)
• 2 tbsp Black Mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp Poppy seeds ( Posto/ Khaskhas)
• 5 Hot Chillies
• As per taste Salt
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp mustard oil

Preparation:

Wash and clean 5-6 pieces of Ilish cut in steak size pieces.

Sprinkle fish slices with salt & turmeric powder.

Soak Mustard seeds,Poppy seeds,Green Chillies in less than 1/2 cup of water for 30 minutes
Grind the above with little salt to make a thick mustard paste or shorshe bata. In a bowl add the mustard paste,1 tbsp Mustard Oil,1/2 tsp Turmeric powder,salt to taste. Mix well.Marinate the fish in the marinade for half an hour.

Cooking Method:

Smear a pressure cooker safe bowl with little mustard oil. Place the fish pieces in the bowl in one single layer. Pour the prepared mustard paste over it so that it covers all the fish pieces nicely. Spread paste liberally on fish. Marinate the fish in the marinade for half an hour.

Cover the Pressure cooker with lid & steam the fish for eight to ten minutes.

Serve hot with hot steamy rice.

In case you want to make it in  Microwave, mix  whole ingredient including the fish  in a microwave safe  closed container. Close the lid and cook it in microwave for 8 to 10 minute.

Shorshe Bata Diye Koi Maach'er Jhaal

Shopping list:

• 250 gm                   Koi Maach
• 3 tbsp                    Onion paste
• 1 tbsp                    Garlic paste
• 2 tbsp                    Mustard paste
• As per taste             Salt
• 1 tsp                      Sugar
• 1/s tsp                    Turmeric
• 2-3 slit lengthwise   Green Chillies
• As required             Mustard oil
• A pinch                    Kalo jeera (Nigella / Kalonji)
• 1/2- 1tsp                 Red Chilli powder 

Preparation:

Marinate the cleaned koi maach with salt & turmeric powder.


Cooking Method:

Heat oil in a pan and fry the fishes lightly. Keep aside.

In the same oil, add the slit green chillies &  the kalo jeere (Nigella / Kalonji). Let them crackle.
Add the onion-garlic paste & fry around for 5 minutes.

Add the mustard paste & the turmeric powder, red chilli powder & sugar. Mix well. Cook the masala till the oil leaves the sides of the pan, or till you 
feel the masala has been cooked.

Add the fried fish gently into the gravy and cook for another 10 minutes. Cook the fish, but ensure that they are not overcooked, as it can start breaking 

away. Do a taste test and turn off the stove, Add a  spoon of raw mustard oil, to the gravy.

The gravy should be a thick & can be garnished with slit green chillies & Coriander leaf.

Shami Kebab ( Dedicated to Sumit da )

Shami Kebab (Dedicated to Sumit da)

Shopping list:

• 500 Gms ground lamb / pathar mangso
• A cup chana dal  (soaked)
• 1-1/2" fresh ginger
• 2 large black cardamom
• 7 cloves
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 dried red chilly
• 1 cinnamon bark
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder 
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 small onion
• 1 tbs salt
• 3 tbs ghee for pan-frying
• 4 tbs refined oil
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaf

Preparation:

Chana Dal 
To begin with soak the channa dal for 3 hours. Drain away the water. 

Onion 
Peel & chop the onion.

Garlic 
Peel the garlic.

Ginger
Peel the ginger.

Coriander Leaf 
Fine chop and set aside in a bowl of water to prevent browning.



Cooking Method:

On medium heat, heat refined oil in a saute pan. Add the whole spices - cumin seeds, whole dried red chillies, cardamom pods, cloves & cinnamon bark. As soon as the cumin seeds crackle, add the chopped garlic & ginger.

Saute for a couple of minutes. As soon as the garlic shows signs of slightly brown at the edges, add the ground meat. 

Saute till the meat is no longer pink and has released all its liquid.

Add the onions, salt, turmeric powder & garam masala powder to the meat. 

Saute the meat and spices till all the liquid is dried up and only the fat remains in the bottom of the pan.

Add the soaked channa dal to the meat. Stir. Add 2-1/2 cups of water and bring to simmer.

Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and on low heat cook for about 1-1/2 hours until the channa dal is completely soft. Stir regularly to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan or you can do it in the pressure cooker as well.


Increase to medium heat and continue to saute the meat until the liquid has dried up.

Continue to saute until there is NO moisture in the meat at all. The meat should now begin to stick at the bottom of the pan.

Place the meat in a food processor and grind. All the spices must be completely fine.

Add fine chopped corrianer leaves & thoroughly mix with clean hands. 

(Optional - In a clean bowl, beat 2 eggs with a whisk until completely blended.)

Pull a chunk on meat in your hands and roll to form a ball. Flatter to form 1/2" thick discs. Set aside.

Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add ghee & heat for about 2 minutes till hot but not smoking.

Dip each one of the meat patties into the beaten egg and place in the pan.

Fry for about a minute or so on each side and then pan fry on the other side till golden brown on both sides.

Bengali Delicacy

Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences, both foreign and South Asian, arising from a historical and strong trade links with many parts of the world . Perhaps the only cuisine in the Indian region which still holds its authenticity over 1000 years, though these region was once ruled by the Mughals emperor & once it was the capital of British colonization.

From the culinary point of view, some major historical trends influenced Bengali food. This  delicacy has been all-time favourite for many for its spicy & aromatic flavours. This Cuisine generally consists of a variety of  dishes made up of rice & fish delicacies.It enlists delicious rice in main courses, curries, fish dishes, chicken cuisines, pulses, fries, cutneys, sweets & snacks.