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Bengali Dishes Palak in Muger Dal Samosas Calcutta Style Subz Bhaja (Vegetable Fritters) Bengali Khichidi Chicken Biryani Note : Please do not blame Me in case the food prepared is not as per your taste

Palak in Muger Dal

Ingredients

1 cup yellow moong dal
1 bunch spinach, finely chopped
3 tbsp. ghee
2 tsp. panchphoran
3 whole red chillies
1 bayleaf
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. amchoor powder
salt to taste

Method

1. Take wiped dal in a large heavy skillet.
2. Roast dry dal stirring continuously, till golden.
3. Add 3 cups water, bayleaf, and turmeric powder.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer semicovered till dal is soft.
5. Add more water if required.
6. Add chilli powder, salt and spinach and cook further 10 minutes.
7. Heat ghee in a small frying pan, add panchphoran and allow to splutter.
8. Add whole chillies and pour over dal.
9. Add 1/2 tsp. amchoor (dried mango) powder.
10. Stir gently. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Note: To speed cooking one may use pressure cookers to cook dal much faster, but add turmeric and bayleaf in that too.

Making time: 2 hours traditionally 30 minutes in pressure cooker
Makes: 5 servings
Shelflife: Refrigerate till required after cooking. Add panchphoran just be serving.

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Samosas Calcutta Style

Ingredients

For cover:

2 cups plain flour
3 tbsp. melted ghee
salt to taste

For filling:

1 cup cauliflower
2 cups potatoes boiled
6-7 green chillies
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. panchphoran
1/2 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp. amchoor (dried mango) powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp. raisins
1 tbsp. cashew pieces
3-4 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. oil
Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Sift flour and salt together.
2. Add ghee and mix well.
3. Add water to knead a soft dough.
4. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
5. Brush liberally with ghee, knead, cover again and keep aside.

For filling:

1. Grate cauliflower, mash potatoes and finely chop green chillies.
2. Heat oil, add cashews and fry till light golden.
3. Add panchphoran and allow to splutter, add cauliflower.
4. Add all other ingredients and mix well.
5. Take off fire. Keep aside.

To proceed:

1. Make small balls, the size of small lemons, from dough.
2. Knead one into thin chappati about 5" diameter.
3. Cut into half, take one, fold into cone, seal edge with some water.
4. Fill with one tbsp. filling, seal open edges to form triangular pyramid.
5. Seal edges and corners well with moist fingers.
6. Make four or five, deepfry in hot oil till golden and crisp.
7. Repeat for all filling and dough.
8. Serve hot with green and tamarind chutneys.

Subz Bhaja (Vegetable Fritters)

Ingredients

2 med. potatoes
2 med. brinjals
1 raw banana thinly peeled
1 zucchini
1 slice pumpkin, skinned and deseeded
1 cup gramflour
1 cup rice flour
1/2 tbsp. hot oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
salt to taste
3-4 pinches soda bicarb
oil to deep fry

Method

1. Wash, wipe and slice vegetables (including skins) into thick diagonal slices.
2. Make a batter of all the other ingredients, using water as required.
3. The batter should be able to coat the back of a spoon smooth and thick.
4. Heat oil for frying. Dip some veggies in batter at a time.
5. Coat with batter and let them in hot oil one by one.
6. Fry fritters (veggies) till light golden and crisp.
7. Drain and serve hot with chutney and sauce.
8. Repeat for remaining vegetables.
9. Serve an assortment each time.

Note: Any one or one or more vegetables in combination can also be used. Choice is left to you.

Bengali Khichidi

Ingredients

1 cup rice (washed and soaked 30 minutes)
1 cup masoor dal (washed and soaked 30 minutes)
1 tbsp. channa dal (washed and soaked 30 minutes)
1 bay leaf
3 green cardamoms
1" stick cinnamon
3 cloves
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
10-12 tiny onions peeled or
1/2 cup sliced onions
10-12 baby potatoes washed clean
1/2 cup peas shelled
1 carrot diced
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic grated
3-4 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
salt to taste
5 cups water
4 tbsp. ghee

Method

1. Drain dals, rice in a colander and keep aside.
2. Save this water for adding later.
3. Semicrush spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves)
4. Heat 3 tbsp. ghee in a large heavy skillet.
5. Add cumin seeds, bayleaf, crushed spices, splutter.
6. Add ginger, garlic, chillies, stirfry for a moment.
7. Add onion, potato (with skin), sitrfry for 2 minutes.
8. Add carrots, peas, turmeric, garam masala, salt.
9. Add dals, rice and gently stirfry for 1 minute.
10. Add water to make drained water 5 cups.
11. Heat well and add to skillet.
12. Stir, bring to a boil, cover and simmer till done.
13. Rice and dals should be done but not overdone.
14. Veggies will get soft and water should be absorbed.
15. Add more water if required in between.
16. When done, pour remaining ghee and sprinkle coriander.
17. Serve piping hot with gravied veggies or kadhi (refer 'khichidis').

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups chicken pieces
1-1/2 cups raw rice
2, onions, chopped finely
1 cups chopped mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
7-8 curry leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp oil
2-3 cloves

Mix together:
1/4 tsp cumin seeds powder
1 tbsp coriander seeds powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chillies powder
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1 cup curd
Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 30 mins
2. Marinate chicken pieces with mixed curd for an hour
3. Heat oil, fry onion till golden brown
4. Remove and keep aside
5. Fry cashew till crisp and remove
6. Put marinated chicken and 3 cups water and let it cook till 1/2 done
7. Drain the chicken pieces and keep aside, keep the stock aside
8. In a pressure cooker, put rice
9. Layer it with chicken pieces, onion and cashews
10. Add salt if required
11. Add the stock measuring upto 3 cups, add water if the stock is less
12. Close and cook till rice is done

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