Bengali Holiday Lunch

Bengali Holiday Lunch

Kolkata is where I grew up - I can say that cause I got married as a young girl of nineteen years and accompanied my husband Soumitra to kolkata. Kolkata was my new home. And soon i was to face reality....i had no knowledge of how to cook-anything!!! Not even a simple meal for the two of us. To top it up Soumitra  had a transferable job. That meant in two months time we were moving ..... to Assam!!!
We had a lot of fun trying out new dishes together. I love Indian, especially Bengali  and North Indian. Armed with my mom's recipes and tips from elders, I started experiments in my new kitchen and started recording my experiences. Sometimes I let my imagination run riots and ended up in a lot of trouble!!!

From some basic preparations with simple ingredients, I mastered the art,and now here I am.....

This meal is best enjoyed in a holiday afternoon because this food will, without fail, knock you out for a couple of hours. Here I have made a more elaborate meal, in case you wish to serve this meal for guests.

Today's Menu :

Bhaat
Bhaja Moong er Dal with cauliflower & Peas
Pabda Macher Jhol
Chingri Macher Kalia

Bhaaat :

Bhaat

Ingredients :

Rice(Basmati)                                        250 grams
Water                                                    3-4 cups


Method :

Wash the rice a number of times under running water and then soak for some time.
Put water in a vessel to boil. Cook on high flame and bring to a boil.
Then add the rice, lower the flame and cook till the rice is soft.
Drain the water.
If you are cooking Basmati Rice like me, you should turn off the flame before it is fully done. This will prevent the rice from getting soggy and over cooked.

Bhaja Moong er Dal With Cauliflower & Peas:

Ingredients :

Yellow Moong dal                                   100 grams
Shelled Peas                                             1/2 cup
Cauliflower                                               a few florets
Green Chillies                                           3-4,slit
Bay Leaves                                               2
Turmeric                                                   a pinch
Cumin Seeds                                            1/3 tsp
Oil                                                           1 tsp
Salt                                                          as per taste
Water                                                      1 cup
Desi Ghee                                                1 tbsp
garam Masala                                           1/4 tsp

Dal with Cauliflower and peas

Method :

Roast the lentil on low flame till light golden,wash , drain and keep aside .

Pressure cook the dal with water. Add the cauliflower and peas.Cool and then open the pressure cooker lid.

Now heat a pan or wok .Add oil . Heat. Then add the bay leaf, cumin seeds and slit green chillies. Stir a bit .

Add the boiled dal, salt, a pinch of turmeric and bring to a boil.

Lower the flame and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

Put the flame off and add the desi ghee and garam masala powder.

Pabda Maacher Jhol :

Ingredients :

Fish (Pabda)                                                          4 ,medium sized,cleaned &washed

Turmeric Powder                                                   1/2 tsp

Salt                                                                        as per taste

Mustard Oil                                                           3 tbsp

Onion Seeds(kalo jeere)                                         a pinch

Green Chillies                                                         3-4,slit length wise

Coriander Leaves                                                   1 tbsp,chopped

Water                                                                     3/4 cup

Cumin Powder                                                        1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder                                                   1/2 tsp

Onion Paste                                                            3 tbsp

Ginger Paste                                                           1 /2 tsp

Tomato Paste                                                         1 tomato made to paste

Green Chilly Paste                                                  1 tsp

Kashmiri  red Chilly Powder                                   1/2 tsp

Method :

Apply a pinch of turmeric and salt to the fish and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil and fry the fish lightly, in batches of two, on high flame and remove.

Discard rest of the oil. Heat the remaining oil in a wok.

Turn down the flame and add the onion seeds. When they splutter, add the onion, ginger, tomato and green chilly pastes, one after the other and fry till oil separates.

Add turmeric,cumin powder,coriander powder, kashmiri red chilly powder and salt to taste. Add a dash of water to avoid the powders from burning.

When thespices( masalas) are fried add water.

Add the slit green chillies and the fish and allow to simmer till the fish is soft.

Normally this fish takes only 3 to 4 minutes to cook.

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with plain rice.

Pabda Maacher Jhol

Chingri Maacher Kalia :

Ingredients :

Prawns                                                        500 grams

Mustard Oil                                                 2 tbsp

Salt                                                              as per taste

Turmeric Powder                                        1/2 tsp

Onion Paste                                                 2 tbsp

Ginger Paste                                                1/2 tsp

Green Chilly Paste                                       1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder                                             1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder                                       1/2 tsp

Tomato Paste                                              1 medium size tomato made to paste

Whole Garam Masala                                  1 tbsp(cardamom,cinnamon and clove)

Sugar                                                           1/2 tsp

Chingri Maacher Kalia

Method :

Clean ,devein and wash the prawns.

Apply  a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and keep aside.Make the onion, ginger, green chilly as well as tomato pastes. Heat mustard oil in a wok and lightly fry the prawns and remove.

In the same oil add the crushed garam masala  and then the pastes.
Fry the pastes well till oil separates.

Then add cumin - coriander powders, salt, sugar and turmeric powder and give all a mix.
Add some water and the prawns and let all come to a boil.

Remove and serve. Prawns cook very fast so dont cook too much after adding them or else they tend to become rubbery.

In Bengal, no meal ends without an array of elegant looking sweets and so here are some that i just adore.....
 Mango  kalakand, Mango sandesh and Butterscotch sandesh.