PUMPKIN BHARTA / MASHED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

This is an authentic Bengali recipe. Tastes absolutely delicious, just try it. It is a great twist with very different flavor. Mustard oil is widely used as a cooking oil in eastern region of India, you may substitute with any other oil or butter, but the taste will be very different. This is not only a comfort food, but a unforgettable flavor makes it very interesting.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb / 227 gm Pumpkin
1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)
2-3 Green chillies (finely chopped)
1&1/2 tbsp fresh Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Sugar (for taste)
1 tbsp Kasundi / 1 tbsp Mustard paste
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves
2 tbsps Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash and peel pumpkin and scoop out the seeds. Cut in large pieces.

Pressure cook it for 1-2 whistle. Let it cool naturally.

Then drain and smash pumpkin. Add onion, green chilli, lemon juice, sugar, kasundi/mustard paste, coriander leaves, mustard oil and salt in it. Mix thoroughly.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

TIPS: Mustard oil is essential for this dish. If any case, mustard oil is not available, use olive oil or
          butter in it.

PUI SHAAG CHINGRI / MALABAR SPINACH WITH SHRIMP

This Pui Shaag Chochori is very simple and can be cooked easilly. The scientific name of Pui Shaag is Basella alba, well known as Malabar spinach, red vine spinach, creeping or climbing spinach. It grows very fast. This is a typical but traditional dish of Bengal - a less spicy but titillating vegetable medley.

INGREDIENTS:
20 OZ Malabar Spinach / Pui Shaag
8 OZ Pumpkin, cut in medium cubes
2 Potatoes, cut in medium cubes
1 medium Eggplant, cut in medium cubes
1 Radish, cut in 1" long thin slices
8 OZ medium Shrimp (cleaned and washed)
1 tbsp Mustard paste
1 tsp Paach Phoron (mustard, cumin, nigella, fennel & fenugreek seeds)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
3-4 Green Chillies, cut in slits
1 tsp Sugar 
3 tbsps Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Cut and clean the malabar spinach first. Cut leaves and finely chop them. Then cut the tender stalk in 1&1/2" length. Wash them in running water. Drain all the water from it. Keep aside.

Marinate shrimp with little turmeric powder, little red chilli powder and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add marinated shrimp in it. Fry both sides for 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from the wok by using a slotted spoon. Keep aside.

Add panch phoron in the same oil. When it starts to splutter, add potato, pumpkin, eggplant, radish and green chilli in it. Fold well. Cover and fry for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.  Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, sugar and salt in it. Saute for another 2 minutes.

Add malabar spinach in it. Mix nicely. Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally. At this time add fried shrimp and mustard paste in it. Fold well. Cover and cook on low heat till vegetables get tender. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve hot, eat and get the taste of it with warm steamed rice.

TIPS: If you like to make this a vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp. It will be delectable
          one without shrimp also. 
          May add ridge gourd and arbi in this medley.

VEGETABLE HAKKA NOODLES

Prepare the 'veg hakka noodles' at home is very easy and simple, though it looks every elaborate. I like the smoky flavour, when I toss the vegetables. This is one of my favourite menu, because my mom prepared noodles with lots of veggies and I seldom carried it with my lunch box in school or college days.  It is a whole some meal, can be relished by everyone and kids also love it. Sometimes attractive presentation and appearance do act as a main catalyst. Thin sliced veggies gives a nice texture to the noodles.

INGREDIENTS:
100 gm Noodles
2 Shallots (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp Chopped Green onions
4 Green Beans (chopped)
3 florets of Cauliflower, cut in small pieces.
2 tbsps thinly sliced Carrot
1/4 Green Bell Peppers, cut in small cubes
1 tbsp thinly sliced Cabbage
Handful of Green Peas
1 pod of Garlic (chopped)
1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper
1 Maggie cube (crushed)
1 tbsps dark Soya Sauce
1 tsp Oyster Sauce
1/3 tsp Ajinomoto
2 tbsps Olive Oil + 1 tsp Olive Oil

METHOD:
Heat 4 cups of water in a pan. When water starts to boil, add noodles, 1 tsp oil and pinch of salt in it. Cook for 3-4 minutes, don't overcook it. Drain water and pour cold water in it. Drain all excess water, so that the noodles will not be sticky. Set  aside.

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a non-stick pan. Add chopped garlic in it. Saute for 30-40 seconds. Now add sliced shallot, green beans, carrot, cabbage, green bell pepper, cauliflower and green peas in it. Fry for 4 minutes on high.

Add soya sauce, oyster sauce in it. Fry for another a minute. Now add cooked noodles, ajinomoto, garlic pepper, Maggi crushed cube in it. Fold well. Now add green onion and mix well. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with manchurian or as such with sauce.

 Linking to: Fast Food : Noodles - @ Easy 2 Cook Recipes

Linking to: Nithubala's healthy-food-for-healthy-kids-event @ Latha's A Peek into My Kitchen

Sending to: "Favorite Recipes Event: Pasta or Noodle Dishes" @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen.



KASHA MANGSHO / SEMI DRIED MUTTON CURRY

A very easy to cook, kasha mangsho (Bengali mutton curry) is a traditional Bengali dish. Generally, it get cooked on Sunday lunch or dinner menu in most of the houses of Bengali communities. It is truely spicy, delicious and mouthwatering. This dish has an amazing simplicity, even though come off with a scrumptious, decent and lipsmacking preparation.

INGREDIENTS:
20 OZ or 600 gm Mutton/Goat meat (cleaned & washed)
2 large Potato, each cut in 4 pieces
2 medium sized Onion (paste)
1 medium Onion (chopped)
3-4 chopped Green chillies
2 tbsps Garlic paste
2 tbsps Ginger paste
1/2 cup Tomato Puree
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt (thick)
1 tsp Sugar
2 Bay leaves
2 Green Cardamoms + 1" Cinnamon + 2 Cloves + 6-8 Peppercorns
1/2 tsps freshly pounded Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
1&1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1&1/3 cup Warm Water
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Marinate the mutton pieces with onion paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and yogurt. Keep the marinated mutton in refrigerator for overnight.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the potato pieces till it turns golden brown. Take out from oil by a slotted spoon. Keep aside. Add sugar in the same oil. Let it melt and turn reddish colour, then add cinnamon, cardamom, clove, peppercorns and bay leaves in it. Saute for 40-50 seconds. Now add onions in it. Fry the onion till it turns light brown.

Now add marinated mutton in it. Mix well. Cover and cook till spices leaves oil. Stir occasionally. Add tomato puree, green chilli and salt in it.

Keep stirring for 3 minutes followed by adding warm water and fried potatoes in it. Cover and cook on medium low heat about an hour, till mutton gets tender.

Add pounded garam masala, clarified butter and roasted cumin powder in it. Stir to mix up thoroughly. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao, roti, naan or paratha.

TIPS: Typically kasha mangsho may be cooked in mustard oil. But I prefer to cook it in
          olive oil or normal vegetable oil.

Linking to: Pari's 'Only'-Recipes From The Royal Kitchens @ Divya's culinary journey

Linking to: Virtual Eid Potluck party @ My culinary adventures

MULO SAAG BHAJA / RADISH GREEN FRY

This is a traditional Bengali dish, eaten as a second course in Bengali lunch. I always save these greens and make it into a simple dish. A nutty touch makes it simply delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cup chopped Radish Leaves
1/3 cup finely chopped Radish
1/2 tsp Nigella seeds (kalonji)
1 Whole Dry Red Chillies
2 pods of crushed Garlic
!/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp roasted sliced Peanuts
2 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash the radish leaves very nicely. Make it pat dry.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds in it. When it starts to splutter, add crushed garlic and crushed dry red chilli in it. Saute for 40 seconds. Add chopped radish in it. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Now add chopped radish leaves, turmeric powder and salt in it. Cover and cook for 12-15 minutes on medium heat. Stir occasionally.

Maximum water from this leave evaporates and the leaves changed its colour, add roasted peanuts in it. Dry up all the water.

Serve with hot steamed rice or roti.

PAKA KOLAR MITHA BORA / RIPE BANANA FRITTERS

If ripe bananas are lying in my house, either I make banana bread or banana fritters. Today I made delicious banana fritters. It is a tasty treat for anytime, morning, noon, evening or night as a great snacks or as dessert. And it is a great way of kid's to take fruits. I recall my Ma making this treat for us, when bananas were at it's ripest. Everyone enjoyed this classic dessert.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Ripe Bananas
1 cup Rice Flour
3 tbsps All Purpose Flour
1/3 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 cup Sugar / Molasses (I used sugar here)
3 tbsps Powdered Milk
3 tbsps chopped Almonds
1 tbsps Raisins
1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder
2 tbsps grated Coconut
Oil for deep frying

METHOD:
Combine ripe bananas, rice flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder, sugar and powdered milk in a large bowl.

Mash all the above ingredients well. There should not any lump. Mix thoroughly by your hands to make a homegenous mixture. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

Add grated coconut, raisins and chopped almonds in it. Mix nicely.

Heat oil in a pan. Take a tablespoon of mixture from it and pour in hot oil causiously.

Follow the same process for rest of the fritters. Deep fry till it turns golden brown. Remove fritters from the oil by using a slotted spatula. Keep on Kitchen paper towel for absorbing extra oil from it.

Serve hot with piping hot tea or coffee. A delicious tasty treat!

Linking to: Nithubala's healthy-food-for-healthy-kids-event @ Latha's A Peek into My Kitchen

Linking to: Jagruti's 'Know your Flours - Rice flour' Guest hosted @ Nithu's Kitchen



REINE DE SABA AVEC GLACAGE AU CHOCOLAT (CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE) : A TRIBUTE TO JULIA CHILD

“Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford–you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. The you savor it, analyze it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.”
― Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking

This is my heartiest tribute to the culinary legend Julia Child, in honour of her 100th birthday on 15th August, 2012. There are lot of chefs arround the world I admire, Julia Child is one of them. A chef, a writer or she is such a personality who introduced French cuisine among Americans. The late American culinary icon is being celebrated with dinners, events and parties in Boston and across the United States. Her popular TV show, "The French Chef" changed the way Americans cooked, ate or even thought about food.

Now, I am for the first time a part of the group called Baking partners, a baking group hosted by Swathi Iyer. Being part of the 'Baking Partners - A Group of Home Bakers' our challenge for this month is Julia Child's famous Reine de Saba Avec Alacage au Chocolat which is Chocolate Almond Cake.

This is a chocolate almond cake with chocolate-butter icing and almond meal, absolutely delicious. Very rich in chocolate, flovored with spiced rum and almond extract, simple and short time baked cake. Not so much fluffy, but still moist inside, really delectable one. It is just one layered cake, easy and simple chocolate icing with almond dressing just perfect and luscious for any special occassion. Rum enhances the flavor of this cake while mixed up with the chocolate...

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE FOR 9" SQUARE PAN:
4.5OZ / 4&1/2 Squares / 127.57 gm Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate (I used Ghirardelli Chocolate)
2&1/3 tbsps Spiced Rum (Sailor Jerry brand)
4 OZ / 1stick + 1 tbsp / 127 gm Softened Unsalted Butter
3 Eggs (yolk and white seperated)
1 cup Granulated Sugar
A pinch of Salt
1 tbsp & 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup / 73.12 gm Pulverized (ground) Almond
1/2 tsp Almond Extract (use less if you don't like too much almond flavor)
2/3 cup or 64 gm All Purpose Flour
1 tbsp Corn Flour

FOR CHOCOLATE ICING:
2.25 OZ / 2 + 1/4 squares / 63.7 gm Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate
2&1/3 tbsps Spiced Rum
7 tbsps Softened Unsalted Butter
Note: Add about 3/4 cup sliced almonds to the ingredients for decoration. Instead of rum, you may use coffee.

METHOD:
FOR THE CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.

Butter and flour the cake pan. Set aside.

In a steel bowl mix chocolate and rum. Place it over another larger bowl with boiling water. Chocolate will melt after 5 minutes. While chocolate melts, let proceed with the recipe. Measure all rest of the ingredients.

Cream the butter and sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow fluffy mixture. Beat the egg yolks until they well blended.

Beat egg whites and salt in a seperate bowl until soft peaks are formed (gradually increase the speed of electric hand mixer and blend for about 5 minutes). Sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.

With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in the ground almonds and almond extract. Immediately stir in one-fourth (1/4th) of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. Delicately fold in a third (1/3rd) of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one-third (1/3rd) of the flour and continue folding. Alternate repidly with more egg whites and more flour untill all egg whites and flour are incorporated.

Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter upto its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2&1/2 to 3 inches arround the circumference are set so that a toothpick plunged into that area comes out clean; the centre should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a toothpick comes out oily.

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife arround the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. Allow it to cool for two hours; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced.

To serve, use the chocolate-butter icing recipe below and then press a desigh of almonds over the icing. 

FOR THE ICING:
A bowl filled with a tray of ice cubes and water to cover them and set aside.

Place the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and set in a larger pan of almost simmering water. Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth. Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time. Then beat over the ice and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. At once spread it over the cake cake with spatula.

Place cake on platter or tray. Scrape icing onto top center. Using small offset spatula, spread icing evenly and thinly over top and sides of cake.

Then press a design of almonds over the icing.

If you want to either share or enhance your baking skills, join us for a monthly baking adventure at Baking Partners!

 

Sending to: Cooking made easy with chocolates / Cocoa @ Spice n Sugar Tales