Sunday Breakfast

Breakfast on a sunday in a Bengali family is a bit more than just the usual Egg and Toast or the Ruti-Torkari on a busy working day. Rain or shine, Calcutta knows how to take it "easy". Thats right....while the office goers take it easy, the stay at home moms like me have to work that extra bit to make this day called sunday a bit different from the other days. So this is what I serve ....Stir fried cauliflower with potatoes, Cabbage and brinjal deep fried with luchi or paratha.

Banda Kofi,Phool kofi Chechki &BegunBhaja

Begun Bhaja                                                                                                      

Fried Brinjal pieces are called Begun Bhaja

Ingredients :

Brinjal                                        1 large size

Turmeric Powder                        1/4 tsp

Salt                                             as per taste

Sugar                                          a pinch per piece

Mustard Oil                                For deep frying

Wash the brinjal and pat dry. Then cut into thick, round slices
Rub salt, sugar and turmeric powder on the slices.

Heat a deep pan or wok with mustard oil. 

Deep fry each of the brinjal pieces till golden in colour.

Serve hot with roti, luchi or porota.

Tip :

I recommend mustard oil but if, mustard oil is too pungent for your liking, do feel free to use refined oil instead. We Bengali's love to use sugar to coat the brinjals for, we have a sweet tooth , but if you dont want to use it dont.

If you dont like too much oil, and brinjal does soak in a whole lot of oil, then after coating the brinjal pieces with salt, sugar and turmeric, roll them on plain flour to coat each piece. Dust off the extra flour before you deep fry .

Porota

 Begun Bhaja or Brinjal Fry ia a very common dish that we Bengalis make and have almost regularly. Its very easy to prepare and is served on sundays at my place with luchi for the young and with paratha for my ma in law who is 78 yrs young. Bhaja means "deep-fried"and is not for the weight watchers but I have a trick up my sleeve that makes the fries soak in less oil and also turns out very crispy. A few of the vegetables like Brinjal, Pointed Gourd, Potatoes are made into bhaja.

Banda Kofir Torkari 

Banda Kofir Torkari

Ingredients :

Cabbage                                                                 1
Potato                                                                     2
Green Chillies ,slit                                                    4
Bay Leaves                                                             2
Cumin seeds(Sada Jeere)                                        1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder                                                        1 tsp
Garam Masala powder                                            1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder                                                     just a pinch
Mustard oil                                                              2 tbsp
Clarified Butter(Desi ghee)                                       1 tbsp

Method :
Chop the cabbage very fine .You can use a food processer or do it with a knife.
Chop the potato into large size cubes.
Slit the green chillies.
Heat the mustard oil or which ever u prefer in a pan or wok .Add cumin seeds when the oil is hot and also the bay leaves. Next add the green chillies and the potato pieces.Saute till the potatoes start to colour.Then add the cabbage .Mix in the powdered spices and then lower the flame ,cover and let cook on slow flame.Dont forget to give it a mix once in a while to avoid burning.
If you wish to add chopped tomato as a variation you can add at this stage.
When the potato is absolutely soft and mushy add boiled peas.This is optional .You can also add finely chopped coriander leaves if you want to avoid the desi ghee and still give a nice flavour to your dish.
The desi ghee is to be added lastly.
When all are well blended remove to a serving dish.

Porota(thick Crispy Bread Grilled in Clarified Butter)  

Ingredients :

Flour                                                            500 grams
Clarified Butter(Desi Ghee)                           2 tbsp
Sugar                                                           2 tsp
Water                                                          as required
Salt                                                              1/2 tsp

Method :

Rub the ghee into the flour and add the sugar and salt. Knead with enough water to make a soft  and pliable dough for 8-10 minutes and leave to rest two hours. Make equal size balls using the full dough. Roll out each ball into a large thin circle, stretching it with the rolling pin or with your hands as much as you can. Spread ghee on this and then fold sides to form a square or if you like a triangle.
Cook on a non-stick pan or griddle over medium fire. Put ghee on both sides and cook until brown and crisp on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve.

Luchi (Puffed Fried Flour Bread)

Ingredients :

Flour (maida)                                                            4 cups

Clarified Butter (ghee)                                               2 tbsp                                    

Orange Juice Served along with Breakfast

Salt                                                                           to taste

Sugar                                                                        to taste

Refined Oil                                                                5 cups

Method :

Mix flour and ghee well. Then add salt and sugar to the ghee and flour. Knead with enough water to make a dough. Make small equal size balls using the full dough. Now using a rolling pin make small rounds .

Heat refined oil in a wok. When steaming hot add the rolled luchi one by one and remove when puffed up. Serve hot.

Bengali Khana