Ilish Dum Pokht

Whether it rains or not a "Bangali" loves to have Ilish (Hilsa) .This dish was mastered by ma.
My ma in Law says its Ilish Dum Pokht but in actual she has never used the original Dum Pokht technique of slow cooking in a sealed container. This dish is dedicated to my ma,my mentor.

Ingredients :

Hilsa Fish-500 grams
Onion Paste-4 tbsp
Ginger Paste-1 tsp
Green Cardamom-5
Lime Juice- 1/2 tsp
Thick Coconut Milk-1 cup
Pepper Powder-1/2 tsp
Green Chilly-4
Refined Oil-as required
Desi Ghee-2 tsp or as required


Heat Ghee and Oil together in a "Handi".
Crush Green Cardamom and add as tempering.
Add the Onion Paste and saute till reddish.
Add the Ginger Paste and saute a bit and immediately add the Coconut Milk.
Add Salt  ,Green Chilly and Pepper Powder.
Reduce the heat and let the gravy come to a boil.
Add the raw fish pieces and increase the flame.

Let the fish cook. Fish will not take more than a few minutes to cook.

Now after adding the fish pieces you can  put a lid, reduce the flame and seal the utensil with a soft dough made of wheat flour and water.
Cook for a few minutes on low flame and then turn the heat off. Don't open the container immediately
 Remove seal when you are ready to serve. Add the lime juice and 1 tsp Desi ghee before serving.
I use 1/2 tsp lime juice but if you like the sour taste feel free to add more.
Serve with plain rice.

Tandoori Chicken

When my brother -in -law Gautam invited us to dine with him at Flame n Grill an Indian cuisine eatery in Kolkata, I was sure it would be a great outing. All this, because of the trashing reviews this restaurant had received from my eminent excise inspector friend. The first impression of the dimly lit interiors of this restaurant situated in Mani Square is of a cool upmarket place. The interiors arrest our attention , an ethereal sight indeed, but its the buffet spread that attracts my attention.

For those of us who would rather eat at home than have an exquisite dining experience, gourmet everyday is the mezzanine option. Try this ! Puree mangoes with some cucumber, mix with cold water to thin the solution, add some chopped coriander, some salt and lemon juice and you have a cold soup ready!!!Putting together a few simple ingredients you can put gourmet on your table everyday. Duplicating something you ate at a restaurant or your  last vacation, evoking the same delicious smell ,can be fun.

Each Time I bring home a bunch of bright vegetables , I have the feeling that my kitchen has suddenly brightened up. Scooping up all those colours and thinking how to cook them is a pleasure in itself. 

My sister -in -law, Mala cooks up  some simple but amazing dishes with her friends on weekends at her place. She shared with me a few of her recipes, that i would now like to pass on to you all. As you can see she is making chicken.We had tandoori chicken earlier at the restaurant so i decided to try out Mala's recipe at home. Mala's recipe can be made successfully in a conventional oven .

Tandoori Chicken :

Chicken                             1.5 kg, skinned & cut into 4 pieces                                                     or just chicken legs

Lemon                               juice of 2 

Salt                                    4 tsp

Garlic                                2 cloves,peeled & sliced

Onion                                1,large,peeled &sliced

Coriander Powder            1 tsp

Red Food Colour              1/2 tsp

Chilly Powder                  1/2 tsp

To Garnish :

Lettuce                             1

Tomatoes                          1-2,sliced

Onion                                1/2,sliced into rings

Lemon Wedges                 a few

Method :

Make 3 deep cuts in each piece of chicken with a sharp knife. Rub the flesh all over with half the lemon juice, then rub in the salt.
Mix the remaining ingredients to a paste with the remaining lemon juice, using an electric blender.Put the chicken in a baking dish lined with foil,then pour over the marinade.
Cover and leave to marinate for at least 12 hours.
One of the secrets of tandoori chicken is the marinade......the longer the chicken is left in the marinade, the more authentic will be the finished dish. You  may find that in some of the eateries it is usual for the chicken to be marinated in a cool place for 3 days and sometimes even for as long as 1 week.
Roast in a pre-heated moderate oven for 1 1/2hours at 180 degree celcius or until the chicken is tender. Increase the heat to moderately high that is 200 degrees celcius and roast for further 15-20 minutes until browned on top.
Serve hot on a bed of lettuce leaves, garnished with tomato slices, onoin rings and lemon wedges.

Tandoori Chicken

Oats Pulao

Oats Pulao

Ingredients:

Oats                                                                  100 grams

Potato                                                                2 large,peeled and cut small

Onion                                                                 1 large,finely chopped

Peas                                                                   1/2 cup,shelled

Green Chillies                                                      2-3 ,chopped

Sweet Corn                                                        1/2 cup

Refined Oil                                                         2 tbsp

Salt                                                                    to Taste

Sugar                                                                 2 tsp

Dry Red Chilly                                                    1,slit

Tomato                                                               1,d'seeded &chopped into large pieces

Green Coriander                                                 1 tbsp,finely chopped

Method :

Wash and drain the potatoes. Apply a pinch of salt and keep aside.

Heat a wok with the oil.

Add the slit  dry red chilly.

Add the potato and saute on high flame till light golden.

Add the peas, corn, salt, sugar, green chillies and half cup water. Cover and cook  on low flame till the vegetables are tender.

Add the oats and tomato.Mix well.

Check the seasoning.

Remove and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with finely chopped  fresh coriander . 

Serve hot.

You may add roasted peanuts or omllette cut into thin strips.

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