Ginger-Lemon Drink

"I am dying of thirst " might be an appropriate reaction when you feel dehydration pangs. Why?? Because human survival is dependent on water. The body needs water just as our cars need petrol . Every cell and organ in our body depends on water for efficient functioning. Water is one of the most essential nutrients of the human body.
In these sultry hot summer mid mornings,We.......myself and my friends, often settle down over some refreshing ginger and lemon fizz ,to chat.

Ingredients : 

Ginger juice                                            1 tsp

Lemon juice                                            2 tbsp

Roasted Cumin powder                          1/2 tsp

Rock Salt,powdered                              1/2 tsp

Water                                                    2 cups

Ice Cubes                                              4-6

Sugar                                                     6 tsp

Lemon Slice                                            for garnishing

Method :

In a jug mix the lemon juice,sugar,rock salt and roasted powdered cumin.

 Add water and mix again.

Put ice cubes in a tall glass and pour the drink in it.

Add some ginger juice.

Garnish and serve.

Another  interesting way of making this drink is to peel and crush 1 inch ginger in a bowl. Add 2 cups of water in the bowl and let it stand for a few hours.When you are ready to serve, add powdered sugar and a pinch of rock salt. Give it a stir. Now strain this into a tall  glass and add some fizzy lemon drink like limca or  sprite etc and serve.

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Lau Chingri (Gourd with shrimps)

Lau Chingri

Ingredients :

Gourd                                             1medium size

Shrimps                                           500 grams

Vegetable oil                                   4 tbsp

Ghee                                               2 tsp

Turmeric Powder                            a pinch 

Salt                                                 as per taste

Sugar                                              1 tsp

Green Chilly,slit                               2 

Cumin Powder                                1 tsp

Cumin seeds                                    1/4 th tsp

Clove                                             2

Cardamom                                     2

Cinnamon                                       1 inch

Method :

Chop the gourd very small and boil. Discard all of the water.

Chopped and steamed Lau

Wash the shrimps after cleaning well. Smear a pinch of turmeric and salt.

Shrimps

Heat vegetable oil in a wok and fry the shrimps lightly. Carefully remove the shrimps to a bowl but let the oil and juices remain in the wok.

Heat 1 tea spoon ghee in the same wok and add cumin seeds and crushed whole garam masala that is clove,cinnamon and cardamom.

Lightly saute the seeds and add the powdered spices-turmeric, salt, sugar, cumin powder  and stir cook the spices. Then add the boiled gourd . Give all a mix. Add the shrimps.

When the dish  dries, add the ghee, turn the flame off and give 10 minutes of standing time.

Serve with rice.







                            

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Chingri Macher Bora Bhaja(Shrimp Fritters)

In Bengal, Rice (Bhaat) and Lentils (Dal ) are staple and with it , are served fries (Bhaja ) and of various kinds. Vegetables like Brinjal, Potato, Pumpkin etc are cut into wafer thin slices and batter fried crisp. Other than that, leaves of spinach, spring onions, fenugreek etc   are chopped very fine and fried into "Bora" to be served along with Bhaat and dal. Chingri macher bora bhaja is a simple recipe which i would love you to try.

Ingredients :

Shrimps                                            1 cup
Rice Powder                                     1 tbsp
Green Chilly Paste                             1 tsp
Salt                                                   as per taste
Turmeric Powder                              a pinch or two
Ginger Paste                                     1 tsp
Fresh Coconut ,grated                       1/2 cup
Vegetable Oil                                    for deep frying
Onion Paste                                       1 medium size

Method :

Saute the shrimps a bit in a pan with a little oil and remove.

Now grind the shrimps and grated coconut together.

Add rice powder, salt, green chilly paste, ginger and onion pastes. Beat all together with hand to mix. 

Heat oil for deep frying the bora's.

You can replace rice powder with flour (besan).Serve hot with bhaat and dal.

Here is a second type :

Matar Daler diye Beguner bora

Ingredients :

Matar dal Paste                                   1 cup

Basmati Rice Powder                          1 tbsp

Green chilly Paste                                1 tsp

Salt                                                      according to taste

Brinjal                                                  1,finely sliced

Method :

You will have to first grind the lentil into a very fine paste with the help of water.

Cut the eggplants into very thin slices. Other vegetables such as pumpkin, pointed gourd and leaves of fenugreek , pumpkin flowers and ' bok phool'  etc are also fried like brinjal.

In the dal mix salt, green chilly paste and rice flour. Beat all together with hand to mix. The mix should not be too thick or too thin.

Now you can dip any vegetable of your choice, very thinly cut or leaves of fenugreek/spinach /pumpkin flower/bok phool.

No flour is used in this recipe.

Bok phool 

 We Bengali's love  to eat "Bok phool bhaja". I had no idea wot was the name of the flower that we so love, so I looked for some information and here I share it with you.

This is a Tropical plant called Sesbania Grandiflora, Agati grandiflora. Its a  small ornamental tree with a straight trunk that produces a mass of large, 3-4" white flowers resembling little birds, hence the name. The flower is large and distinctively curved. The vertical pods, that contain seeds are discarded. The tender leaves, green fruit and flowers are eaten alone as a vegetable or mixed into curries or salads in Asia. Flowers may be dipped in batter and fried.

Every Body Just Loves Crispy Crunchies 

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Malpua( Indian Dessert)

This dessert, made all over India, is very simple and easy to prepare and loved by all, specially North Indians. Its prepared during festivals like Holi and Diwali in states of Jharkhand and Bihar. In Bengal this dessert is prepared as well. My family prepares it with a special recipe which i would like to share with you my friends who happen to be reading this diary of my quest to learn and share my culinary experiences. 

Malpua

Ingredients :

Refined Flour                                            4 tbsp

Semolina                                                   1 tbsp

Desi ghee                                                  2 tsp

Baking Powder                                         1/4 tsp

Cream                                                      4 tsp

Cardamom Powder                                  1/2 tsp

Milk                                                         1/2 cup

Pista ,chopped                                         1 tsp 

Almonds,chopped                                    1 tsp

Sugar syrup                                              1 bowl

Silver leaves                                             3 pieces

 Method :

Mix milk little by little to the flour and prepare a mix.

Saffron can also be added.

Prepare a thick smooth paste.

Heat a non-stick pan and put 2 tsp desi ghee.

When hot, put the batter little by little, in round shapes and fry both sides crispy.When golden remove to a dish.

Dip them in  sugar syrup. Leave for two minutes in syrup.

In a platter, put the soaked malpua's. Garnish with silver leaf (varak). Sprinkle chopped Pista and Almonds and thick cream.You can also serve Rabri on top of the malpua's.

To prepare Sugar Syrup :

Sugar                                       1/2sugar

Water                                       1/2 cup

Method :

Boil together to make a thick syrup. You can add a few strands of saffron as well to give a good flavour to the syrup.

To prepare Rabri :

Milk                                          2 litres

Sugar                                        200 grams

Cardamom Powder                   1 tsp

Method  :

Boil milk till it gets thick. Add sugar and simmer for another15 minutes. Add the cardamom powder. Cool and serve. 

Recreating my mum's dishes is great fun for me.This one is prepared with  sweet yoghurt, misti doi in Bengali.

Ingredients :

Misti doi                                          500 grams

Flour                                               100 grams

Ghee/vegetable oil                            for deep frying

Fennel seeds(Mouri/sauf)                 1 tsp

Sugar syrup

Method :

Beat the sweet yoghurt (misti doi).

Add 4 tbsp ghee to the flour and mix.

Now mix the flour to the curd little by little. See that the curd does not form lumps. A thick smooth batter mix has to be prepared.

Add the fennel seeds( mouri /sauf).

Heat ghee for frying in a pan. Take a  large round spoon and put one spoon full of the batter to fry at a time.

Make a round shape with the mix.

Fry golden on both the sides and remove.You may or may not put in syrup. 

Remove and serve.

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Lobia Dal

A food that conjures up my feelings of warmth and comfort is DAL. A simple honest dish that needs very little other than a hot chappati (Indian Bread) or some rice doused in ghee to augment it. Lentils or dal as they are referred to in India, are dried legumes and their edible seeds. Dals are the primary source of protein in the Indian cuisine. High in fibre, rich in protein, low in fat , easily digestible and available in a wide variety of flavours and textures, dals are healthy. They have the ability to absorb a variety of other flavours as well. For extra nutritional punch, dals are cooked with greens in them.This dish is prepared by my mother in law in a very simple method, which I have given below along with the reciepe I follow when I cook the same lentil for guests.

Ingredients :

Lobia (black eyed beans)                                                      250 grams

Onion,finely chopped                                                            1,medium

Garlic Clove,minced                                                              1, large

Tomato,finely chopped                                                          1 cup

Ghee                                                                                    3 tbsp

Mustard seeds                                                                      3/4 tsp

Cumin seeds                                                                         1/4th tsp

Fenugreek seeds                                                                   1/4 th tsp

Garam masala                                                                       1 tsp

Chilly powder                                                                       1/2 tsp

Turmeric                                                                               1/4 tsp

Sugar                                                                                    1 tsp

salt                                                                                        as per taste

Lobia (black eyed beans)    

Other ingredients

Method :

In a pan soak the lentils overnight. Then put the pan on heat and boil the lentils till soft and mushy. U can also pressure cook the lentils till soft. Don't discard the liquid in which the lentils have been cooked. Keep it reserved .

In a medium size pan, heat ghee or u may use oil if u so desire, and drop the mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add cumin and fenugreek.

When the cumin starts to catch color, add the onions. Cook until it starts to turn golden and then add the garlic. Stir for a minute and add the tomato. Cook stirring occasionally .

Add all spices and mix. Cook for two minutes and then add the boiled, soft, lobia lentils with the liquid.

Add salt and sugar according to taste.

Top with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with parathas.

My Mother in laws recipe :

Ingredients :

Lobia                                                               250 grams

Onion, finely chopped                                      1,medium

Tomato, finely chopped                                   1 cup

Ginger, finely chopped                                     1 inch

Ghee                                                               3 tbsp

Cumin seeds                                                    1/2 tsp

Green Cardamom                                            2

Cloves                                                             2

Cinnamon                                                        1 stick

TurmericPowder                                              1/4 th tsp

Coriander Leaves,finely chopped                     2 tbsp

Green Chilly,finely chopped                             2

Sugar                                                             as per taste

Salt                                                                as per taste

Method for making :

Soak the lobia lentils overnight and then pressure cook till absolutely soft. Take a spoon and mash some of the lentils. Do not discard the liquid. Keep all aside.

Crush the whole garam masala(whole clove, cinnamon and cardamom) and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a wok and and add cumin seeds and the crushed spices. Saute a bit and add the chopped onion. Stir fry till golden.At this stage you may add  one chopped potato,but that is optional.

Next add the tomatoes and fry well.

Then add the ginger and green chillies and some of the coriander leaves chopped fine.

Add the lentils with the liquid.

Add turmeric powder.

Cook stirring continuously.

Add sugar, salt and taste and adjust flavours.

When the liquid reduces to half and the gravy has thickened, turn the flame off and give some standing time.

After 10 minutes transfer to a serving bowl.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with paratha or chapatti.

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Mutton Roganjosh

We are a non-vegetarian family, even though on a few fixed days of the week we do have vegetarian. On these days the thought of eating any kind of meat is an abomination and the height of sin. My mother says that our meat-eating puts us at an advantage and vegetarians suffer nutritionally because the only protein they eat comes from lentils and that isn't enough. Thursdays make Bengali's of Kolkata... vegetarians and Sundays are non-vegetarian with special menu on the cards. 
Red meat tops the list of  our favourites. In my family Rojanjosh is the most favoured above others. 
Roganjosh as we all know is a deep, rich lamb curry. With its yoghurt and almond base, it is very delicious and quite different. 
In India, mutton or leg of the baby lamb with the meat on bone is used. Pieces are cut into large bone-in pieces. Its served with lovely pilaf (polau), naan or tandoori roti. This is a recipe I use whenever I cook Roganjosh.

Ingredients for Roganjosh :

Mutton                                             1kg

Desi ghee(clarified butter)                 1 cup

 Fried Onion Paste                            2 tbsp

Garlic Paste                                      1 tbsp

Cloves                                              4

Green Cardamom                              8

Black Pepper Powder                       1/4 th tsp

Salt                                                   2 1/4 th tsp

Turmeric Powder                              5 tsp

Kashmiri Red chilly Powder               4 tsp (mixed in 1 cup water)

Saffron                                              1/2 tsp (mixed in 2 tbsp water)

Water                                                3 1/2 litres

Method Of Preparation :

Heat ghee in a pan and when hot, add the cloves. When it crackles put the gas flame off and remove from heat .Cover and keep the pan aside.

Now boil the meat pieces with salt and garlic. Boil until the pieces are half done. Remove the scum from the water. Remove from heat and remove the meat pieces and strain the water through  a sieve.

Wash the meat pieces in cold water.

Put the water in a pan to boil. Add green cardamom, turmeric powder, fried onion paste and the clove-flavoured desi ghee. Mix and boil for 10minutes. Add the red chilly water, reduce the flame and cook covered until the meat pieces are soft.

Add the saffron water and black pepper powder, mix and let it come to a boil.

Remove from heat and serve hot.