RUI MACHER POLAO (ROHU RICE)

After a long gap, today I come here with a super delicious Bengali delicacy "Macher Polao" (fish in rice), which I made with Rohu, a fish of sweet water. I told earlier also, 'Bengali meal is incomplete without fish'. In this cuisine, you can get variety of fingerlicking good fish dishes. Rohu Rice is delicately cooked with basmati rice, rohu fish and spices, which is ever yummilicious and mouthwatery, just tryout and relish! 

INGREDIENTS:

400 gm Rohu Fish / Rui Mach (cleaned, washed and cut into 4 pieces)

1&1/2 Cup Basmati Rice (washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes)

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Red Chilli Paste (or as desired)

3/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Onion

3 Pods of Garlic (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder

(Dry Roasted & Pounded Spice Mixture of green cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, clove, caraway seeds & white pepper)

4-5 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)

Salt to taste

Cashewnuts & Raisins As Required

2 tsp Sugar

2&1/2 Cup Warm Water

Oil for Deep Frying

METHOD:

Wash rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes.

Marinate fish with salt and turmeric powder for 15-20 minutes. Deep fry fish pieces and keep those aside.

Heat 2 tsp clarified butter (ghee) in a deep frying pan. Add chopped garlic, saute for 20 seconds, then add sliced onion. Fry till onion turns into golden brown.

Add bay leaf, chilli paste, ginger paste and 1/4 tsp garam masala powder; saute for 2 minutes on medium low heat. Mix fried fish pieces into this spice mixture and fry for another 2-3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining 2 tsp clarified butter (ghee) in the same pan. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder, turmeric powder, cashewnuts, raisins, rice and salt in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes on low heat.

Add warm water in it and give a nice stir. Higher the flame till it starts to boil. Simmer the stove, cover and cook exactly for 15 minutes.

Switch off the heat now. Arrange fried fish pieces, sugar and onion mixture on the top. Cover it for another 10 minutes.

Serve warm with any curry or raita. 

Enjoy this lucious essence of Bengal, "Macher polao" (Rohu Rice)!!!

BENGALI AMSOTTO KHEJURER CHUTNEY (SWEET CHUTNEY MADE WITH MANGO PAPAD-DATES-RAISINS)

Bengali chutney are totally different from the chutneys of other provinces, not only tastewise but also in sticky texture. This is the king of all chutneys in Bengali cuisine. Basically, this is a must have sweet chutney after every bengali meal in occassions. A sweet thick chutney that serves with fried papad.

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm Dates (Khejur)
200 gm Mango Papad (Amsotto)
50 gm Raisins
1/3 Cup Pomegranate Seeds (Optional)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds (pounded)
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt

METHOD:

De-seed dates. Cut mango papad in 1/2" cubes.
Heat sugar and water in a wok or pan, keep stirring continuously.
When bubbles come on sugar syrup add dates, mango papad, raisins one by one and keep stirring.
Add salt and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
Now add pomegranate seeds, lemon juice and roasted cumin powder. Give a nice stir and remove from heat now.

Let it cool normally. May garnish with few pomegranate seeds and sprinkle with pinches of roasted cumin powder.
Serve immediately after the main course of lunch or dinner. May pour it in a air-tight container and refrigerate for two weeks.

DAHI WALA MURGH (CHICKEN IN YOGURT)

This is a classic and gorgeour Punjabi dish, usually served as a main course. A spicy and a super delightful Indian style chicken curry which is very flavourful and luscious. The main ingredient is yogurt, chicken slowly cooked in yogurt gravy. Trust me, it is just fabulous!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Kg Chicken, Cut In Bones (Cleaned and washed)
4 Medium Tomatoes
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)
1 tbsp Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1 Cup Thick Yogurt (Curd)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1&1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Or as per taste)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
FOR GARNISHING:
2-3 Green Chillies, Cut Into Slits
1 tsp Ginger Julienne
Few Sprigs of Coriander Leaves (Chopped)

METHOD:

Boil tomatoes for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. Let those cool and remove skin. Make puree from these skinless tomatoes and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a wok, when oil is enough hot, add chicken pieces and fry for 6-8 minutes or till chicken turns into golden brown. Remove pieces from the oil and set those aside.
Add cumin seeds followed by ginger-garlic paste on the same oil and saute for 4 minutes till ginger-garlic turns into light brown in colour.
Now add all the dry spices, i.e. turmeric powder, red chilli powder, faram masala, salt and coriander powder in the same oil.
Saute for a minute and then add tomato puree in it. Keep stirring for 4 minutes on medium flame, you can see oil leaves from the spices.
Pour yogurt on it and cook for a while.
Add fried chicken pieces, mix well. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium low heat. Add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), fold well and switch off the heat now.

Garnish with green chillies, julienned ginger and coriander leaves.
Serve warm with naan, paratha, chapati or any rice dish, it is always delicious!!!

SAVOURY VEGETABLE CAKE

Now I am a part of Shhhh.....Cooking Secretly Challenge, brain-child of Priya Suresh akka from Priya's versatile recipes. My secret ingredients for this month were any orange colour vegetable (I choosen Carrot) and any green vegetable (I choosen French Beans) given by Yashodhas Kitchen. Both the ingredients were used in my dish and made this yummilicious and super tasty savoury cake. A great dish for breakfast or evening tea time snack, a delicious appetizer, very less oil is used here, so it is very healthy too. If you are very much calorie consious, may omit cheese, but definitely cheese added some extra flavour to it, if you tryout this simple yet filling dish, you and your family will surely enjoyed it whole heartedly.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour (maida)
4 Eggs
1/3 tsp Freshly Pounded Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Carrot
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped French Beans
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onions
2 Green Chillies (chopped)
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1/3 Cup Plain Yogurt / Curd
1/2 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
2 Processed Cheese Cubes (grated)
1 tbsp + Few Drops of Olive Oil (may use any white oil too)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease the baking tray with few drops of olive oil and flour it nicely.
In a large bowl, break eggs, add salt and black pepper in it and whisk well.
Add flour, baking powder and blend well.
At this time add all vegetables, 1 tbsp olive oil and yogurt. Mix thoroughly.
Pour this mixture to baking tray. 
Sprinkle grated cheese on the top and bake it for 40 minutes.
Take out the tray from the oven and let it cool down completely on a cooling rack.
Garnish with grated cheese on the top.

Cut into desired shapes, serve and enjoy this yummy savoury cake.

CREAM CHEESE CHICKEN

So many favourite ingredients and flavours - chicken, cream cheese, garlic and parshley; all things are easy to make a fingerlicking good chicken dish. I explore it in my kitchen, a real delicious and quick recipe, your family will absolutely love it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg Chicken, Cut into medium sized pieces
1 Whole Lemon (juice)
2 tbsp Garlic Paste
3 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp (hipped) Minced Garlic
3 Medium Onion (chopped)
1 Cup Chopped Tomato
2 tsp Crushed Black Pepper
1 Cup Cream Cheese (I used Mascarpone Cream Cheese)
2 tbsp Dried Parshley
1 tsp Sugar
2-3 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
1 tbsp Chilli Flakes
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Clean and wash chicken pieces. Drain water completely.

Marinate Chicken with garlic paste, lemon juice and salt. Keep it in refrigerator for atleast 1 hour.

Heat 3tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a pan / wok. When butter melts completely, add minced garlic and chopped onions in it, fry lightly for 2 minutes.

Add marinated chicken pieces in it and fry well for 12-15 minutes.

Mix tomato and black pepper. Saute chicken and mix everything lightly for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

Add cream cheese and fold well. Mix parshley, salt and sugar with it. (While adding salt, just keep it in mind that cream cheese also contains salt. Stir lightly.

Sprinkle remaining 1 tbsp butter and cilantro on the top and switch off the heat now.

A real toothsome, fingerlicking good cheesy chicken is ready to serve now. Serve warm with toasted bread, or as a side with pasta, rice or any Indian flat bread........it is always yummilicious!!!

CONDENSED MILK ORANGE CAKE

Coming to the Shhhhh... Cooking Secretly Challenge which started by Priya Suresh akka from Priya's versatile recipes. The mission of this event is to know the fellow bloggers more mutually and share the cooking ingredients and cooking experience with her. As this the first challenge of this event and my co-blogger partner is noone rather than Nirmala Gurunathan, a wonderful co-blogger friend and a foodie writer of Nirmala's Kitchen. My secret ingredients were condensed milk and flour, I used both of the ingredients here to make this mouthwatering cake. It was really very dense. It had a good flavour, but you really do need to serve with whipped cream and fruit or simply sprinkle icing sugar on the top. 

INGREDIENTS:

14 oz / 400 gm Condensed Milk
1 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
15 gm or 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
4 Eggs
1 tbsp Orange zest
1 Orange, cut into round slices and de-seeded
2 tbsp Roughly Chopped Walnuts
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 tbsp Sugar

FOR GARNISHING:

1 tbsp Icing Sugar
Few Walnuts
Few Fresh Cherries

METHOD:

Grease and floured a 9" cake pan.

Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F. In a large bowl, well combine condensed milk, flour, baking powder, melted butter, eggs, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence and orange zest. Add walnuts in it, fold again.

Pour the batter on the cake pan.

In the mean time, heat a non stick pan. Arrange round slices of orange on it. Sprinkle sugar and remaining vanilla essence on it. Heat both sides of the orange pieces, so that orange glazes well.

Place the glazed orange pieces on the top of the cake batter now.

Put the cake pan on the oven and bake for exactly 40 minutes (time may little varry from oven to oven). Let it cool down on wire rack. 

Sprinkle icing sugar on the top, garnish with with walnuts and cherries. Serve and enjoy this toothsome delicacy!!!

SHAHI PANEER

'Shahi', the name suggests of this popular paneer recipe is a royal dish, a perfect for dinner party and would leave your guests craving for more. Cream and saffron increased its taste and flavour. This is a very rich with the cashew nuts plus yogurt in it; the result is an aromatic, creamy and semi sweet gravy with soft spongy paneer cubes. Had seen this recipe in 'Party Cooking' by Sanjeev Kapoor, made little changes according to my tastebuds. Trust me, this dish tastes divine!!!

INGREDIENTS:

400 gm Paneer (cottage cheese)
2 Large onion (quatered)
5-6 Black Peppercorns (kali mirche
2" Long Cinnamon
3 Cloves
1 Bay Leaf
2 Green Chillies, Slit
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 Cup Yogurt (thick dahi)
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
1/4 Cup Cashew nut (Kaju) Paste
1/8 tsp Saffron (kesar)
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder (choti elaichi powder)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cut paneer in 1" cubes.

Boil the onions in 1&1/2 cups water for 4-5 minutes. Drain water completely and allow to cool the onions. Grind and make a smooth paste of these onions.

Heat oil in a pan or kadai, add paneer pieces, fry lightly. Drain paneer from the oil and set aside.

On the same oil, add bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Saute till fragrant.

Add boiled onion paste and green chillies and saute for 4 minutes on low heat, colour of the onion should not change at this time. Add ginger and garlic paste and continue to saute for a minute.

Now add cashew nut paste and saute for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Mix yogurt in it and saute till water evaporates from it. Pour cream, garam masala, saffron and salt in it. Fold well, so that everything incorporated very well.

Add paneer pieces at this time and mix gently. Stir for 2 minutes on low heat. Switch off the heat now.

Sprinkle cardamom powder and coriander leaves on the top and serve hot.

EGGFREE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Sharing an easy, simple, irrisistible, tasty, rich and fudgy gloriously gooey chocolate brownies, which will definitely satisfy chocolate craving. Tryout, its amazing!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Cup Self Raising Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
A Pinch of Salt
400 gm / 1 tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tbsp Thick Yogurt
3-4 tbsp Sugar (as per taste)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp Instant Coffee (I used Nescafe)
1/3 Cup Hot Water

METHOD:

Sift all dry ingredients in a bowl, i.e. flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix nicely.
In a large bowl, combine butter, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla extract and blend well. Add yogurt, blend again. Now add dry ingredients little by little and blend nicely, so that everything incorporated very well.
Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F. Mix coffee in hot water. Stir well. Add this coffee mix with brownie mixture. Blend again for few more seconds.
Grease a square pan with little butter and pour brownie mixture in it. Place it on central rack of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes (time varies oven to oven).
Cool it on cooling rack, cut in 16 equal small squares. 

Serve with a scoop of ice cream, or sprinkle little icing sugar on the top and serve.

SURUL POLI - SOUTH vs NORTH CHALLENGE

Most of you know that there is a event going on named 'South vs North Challenge', which is a brain child of my dear friend Divya Pramil of You Too Can Cook....there are two teams South and North. Each team challenge each other in every month. I am so happy to complete this month's challenge recipe. The challenged recipe, 'Surul Poli' is given by my dear friend Shama Nagarajan from easy2cookrecipes. Where as me challenged to my South Indian friends with 'Labongo Latika'. 

'Surul Poli' is a crispy sugar coated roll with coconut filling. This is an authentic preparation of Kaveri delta region, Thanjavur sweet. A very special dessert for festive occassions. I made little changes, but the main flavour and process is almost same. Such a tasty delicious sweet it is, my full family enjoyed it whole heartedly. Thank you so much Shama for sharing this delightful festive sweet.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE OUTER COVERING OF THE POLI:

½ Cup All Purpose Flour (Self Raising Flour / Maida)

½ tbsp Clarified Butter (Desi Ghee)

Pinch of Salt

Water as required

½ Cup Oil for deep frying

FOR THE FILLING:

¼ Cup Roasted Chana (Pottu Kadalai)

¼ Cup Sugar

1 tsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)

2 tbsp Freshly Grated Coconut

2 tbsp Cashew nuts

3-4 Pods Cardamom

1 tbsp Raisins

4-5 Chopped Dates

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP:

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Water

FOR GARNISHING:

3-4 Cherries

1 tbsp Tutti Frutti

METHOD:

Heat 1 tsp clarified butter in a pan, ghee roast grated coconut and cashew nut for 2-3 minutes or until coconut releases aroma and turns slightly brown. Mix ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup roasted chana, coconut, cashew nuts and cardamoms in a chutney jar. Grind in a mixer into a fine powder. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, ½ tbsp Clarified butter, pinch of salt. Knead it to make a soft smooth dough by using little water. Divide into 5 equal sized balls. Cover with a wet cloth and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat ½ cup water and ½ cup sugar in a saucepan. Boil till it forms string consistency. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now take a small ball from the dough and spread it like a poori (approx 3” diameter). Heat ½ cup oil in a pan, deep fry poori in oil. Drain poori on paper towel to absorb the excess oil. While it is still warm, dip it in the sugar syrup and place it immediately in the plate with dusted powder. Spread 2 tsp of grinded powder along with few raisins and chopped dates over it. Roll them immediately. Repeat the same for the remaining dough.

While serving, pour extra syrup and grinded extra powder on the top of the polis. Garnish with cherries and tutti frutti. Serve warm. You may store the remaining in an air-tight container.

Sending to: Shama's easy2cookrecipes

Sending to: Chandrani's Holiday Recipes