A WONDERFUL LUNCH BUFFET AT KABAB-E-QUE, THE ASTOR HOTEL, KOLKATA

The Bengali New Year celebration is popularly known as 'Poila Baisakh' (the first day of Bengali calender), which was on 15th April this year. Bengalis usually celebrate this auspecious occassion with new clothes, lots of  sweets, prayers for the well-being and properity of the families and 'haal khata' (an auspicious day to open the ledger for Bengali traders, Ganesh & Lakhsmi puja occurs in every business oriented house hold). The New Year cuisine for lunch, of course, contains various preparations of fish, meat, traditional vegetarian dishes, rice and specially with mistanna or traditional sweets such as Rasogolla, sandesh, kalakand, payesh and ras malai. Those who prefer to go out to eateries get to have some pure pleasantries for the palate, and other mouthwatering culinary dalliances.

The Astor Hotel has organised a fabulous lunch buffet at Kabab-e-que with mouthwatering Bengali traditional dishes and the great going event named, "Suru hok Bangaliyana" (Bengali New Year Food Festival) from 15th April to 19th April, 2014. I was the part of this auspicious celebration with gorgeous and glorious Ms. Supreeta Singh (Marketing & Communication Manager of The Astor Hotel) and the team of a very renowned & popular Food Magazine 'Hangla Henshel'.

The starters with welcoming drink are Aam Panna, Cold Soup, Mochar Chop, Chingrir Bora, Red Cabbage and Apple Salad, Pasta Chicken / Green Salad / Boondi Raita / Dahi. 

Main Coarse serves with yummilicious traditional and very popular Bengali veg and non-veg dishes, e.g. Basanti Pulao. Macher Matha diye Moong dal. Sukto. Dhokar Dalna. Mocha Chingri. Narkeli cholar dal/ Kadai sutir kachuri. Sorse Macche. Murghi Posto. Mutton Kasha. Aamsatto khejurer Chutney. 

Usually Bengalis are very much fond of sweets, so desserts are choosen on this idea only...such as Kamala Bhog. Aamsatto Sandesh. Cheese sandesh duet cake. Vanilla Ice cream. Chocolate ice cream. Complimentary drinks. Return gifts.

Chef Sanjay elaborately discussed, why they choosen the popular traditional Bengali dishes in their menus to give more importance to this celebration mood of common people and which really touch every heart very easilly. Don't miss to tweak of this luscious taditional Bengali dishes with Bengali values. This event will be great going till 19th April, 2014. 

RATE:

Lunch Buffet: INR 599 + Tax

Dinner Buffet: INR 699 + Tax

Kebab-E-Que
The Astor Hotel
15, Shakespeare Sarani (Theater Road)
Kolkata.

Call: 9830230033.

Disclaimer: This was an invited review and no monetary transaction was involved.

AJWAINI FALIYA

It is a dry curry of green beans or french beans. Actually green beans are rich in protein as well as fiber and abundantly available in Asian market. So that it is widely using by Asians. Here, green beans are cooked with gram flour and few spices which give a rich taste. Tryout, it is really easy to make and great going with warm phulkas. 

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm French Beans
2-3 tbsp Gram Flour
1&1/2 tsp White Sesame Seeds (safed til)
1 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwain)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds (jeera)
2-3 Dried Red Chillies (according to taste)
1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp Sugar (optional)
2-3 tbsp Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and cut french beans into 1&1/2" long pieces. Sprinkle gram flour in it and toss nicely. Set it aside.

Dry roast sesame seeds till those change colour little bit. Turn off the heat and keep aside.

In a small bowl, combine kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, dried mango powder and salt. Mix nicely and set it aside.

Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, carom seeds, dried red chillies and asafoetida in it. Saute for a minute or two.

Add gram flour coated french beans in it. Fry and toss green beans for 4 minutes on medium heat. As gram flour fries, it will give a nice crispy coating on french beans.

Sprinkle spice mixture little by little on it. Sprinkle little water on it. Lightly toss beans, so that spices can coat beans very well. If it gets more dry, sprinkle more water on it. Add sugar, like the same way, fry beans for another 5 minutes on low heat.

Remove it on a serving plate. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and serve warm with puffed phulkas.

GINGER LEMONADE

This ginger based lemonade, a great twist on a regular lemonade is my favourite one which is very simple drink to beat the heat on these hot Summer days. You may infuse it with any liquer specially with vodkas, tastes great always. But here I made it as a non-alcoholic drink. Mint added definitely some extra flavour and aroma in it. This distinctive drink is a wonderful change of refreshment from regular tea or coffee.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2" Ginger (peeled and sliced)
1 Lemon (cut into 4 pieces)
7-8 Mint Leaves (dried)
1/4 tsp Black Salt
1/2 tsp Jaljeera Powder
600 ml Soda (chilled)
Few Ice Cubes Crushed
2 tbsp Sugar Syrup

METHOD:

Cut ginger into thin slices.

Take ginger, lemon and mint leaves in pestal and mortar. Add 2 tbsp water in it. Grind coarsely, a nice aroma comes out from lemon, mint and ginger. 

Stain the juice and set aside.

Take two equal sized glasses. Divide stained juice, black salt, jaljeera powder, sugar syrup, crushed ice cubes and soda in each equally.

Stir both glasses nice. and serve chill.

Serves: 2

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.

SWEET CORN CAPSICUM CHAAT

I believe in "food is the real spice of life". My brother in law asked me few weeks back for a chaat recipe which must be healthy and made with some vegetables only. So, today I come here with a very nutritious, low cholesterol chatpatta Veggie chaat that relies on low fat paneer / tofu to stay with low calorie and 'heart friendly' diet.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Cooked Sweet Corn Kernels
1/3 Cup Chopped Green Bell Pepper (Capsicum)
1/3 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
100 gm Low Fat Paneer (Cottage Cheese) / Tofu (Soya Paneer), cut into small cubes
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1 tsp Chopped Green Chillies (or as per taste)
1/2 tsp Grated Ginger
1/2 tsp Black Salt
1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

METHOD:

Heat oil in a non-stick pan or griddle, add the onions and fry for a while.
Add green chillies, ginger and capsicum. Fry again.
Add all other remaining ingredients, mix well and saute for 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, fold well and turn off the heat now.

Serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy this yummy snack.

CHITTAGONG CHICKEN

Here is a Bangladeshi dish, where chicken cooked in thick Chittagong style gravy. This flavourful chicken curry which is not only appealing to the eyes, but also a toothsome dish. Spicy, rich chicken gravy can be paired with vegetable fried rice, rotis, naan, dosa or appam. But I love to pair it with steamed rice only....trust me, its yummilicious.

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Chicken with bones (cut into medium sized pieces)
2 Medium Onions (finely sliced)
1 Onion (paste)
6 Cashewnuts (soaked in 2 tbsps warm water and made a paste)
1/2 tsp Whole Coriander Seeds
1/3 Cup Mustard Oil
300 ml warm water
Salt to taste

FOR KADAI MASALA:

2 tsp Coriander Seeds
3-4 Dried Whole Red Chillies

FOR MARINATION:

2 tsp Garlic Paste
5 Medium Pods of Garlic
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Mustard Oil
Kadai Masala

METHOD:

HOW TO MAKE KADAI MASALA:

Dry roast red chillies and coriander seeds. Stir it from time to time until smell fragrant. Then let it semi cool and grind it to a coarse powder.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN CURRY:

Clean and wash the chicken. Marinate chicken with all the spices mentioned on the above marination list. Cover and keep it in refrigerator for atleast 1 or 2 hours.

Heat oil in a kadai, add sliced onion and fry till it turns into golden brown. Add onion paste and fry for 8-10 minutes on low to medium heat.

Now add marinated chicken and fry on medium heat for 15-20 minutes or tilloil comes out from the sides. Add salt and keep stirring for 2 minutes.

Add warm water, stir well and cook it covered on low heat for 30-40 minutes or the gravy thicken and chicken is tender. Open the lid now, add cashew paste and coriander seeds. Fold well. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

PIZZA PARATHA

It's really a huge problem to each and every mom to innovate new recipes on daily basis for our kid's lunch box. Not only for kids, when we are also getting bored with regular chapatis or parathas, may tryout this cheese filling easy to make, healthy 'Pizza Paratha', came to know about it from a TV show, made little twist in our regular plain or stuffed parathas. This paratha itself is a fulfilling meal, no need of any side.

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 tbsp Oil for frying parathas

FOR DOUGH:

1&1/2 Cup Wheat Flour (Atta)
1/2 tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchur)
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
Cold Water To Knead The Dough

FOR FILLING:

4 Cheese Cubes (Grated)
1 Medium Tomato (Deseeded & Chopped)
1 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chilies
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Finely chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
1 tsp Dried Basil

FOR TOPPING:

2 Cheese Cubes (Grated)
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Tomato
1 tsp Dried Basil

METHOD:

In a large bowl, combine wheat flour, carom seeds, cumin seeds, dried mango powder, salt and oil. Add cold water little by little and knead it in a smooth soft dough (like chapati dough).
Cover and set it aside for 15-20 minutes. After that, divide it into 8 nos. equal flatten balls and keep those aside.
In another bowl, combine all ingredients for filling. Mix well by using a light hand. Divide this filling into 4 equal portions.
Take out two flatten balls from the kneaded dough, roll out into two rotis. Spread the filling on one.
Place the other roti on the top of the first one and seal the edges. Roll out again with a soft hand.
Heat tawa or griddle, roast each paratha in usual way, till both sides are done. Add little bit oil on the both sides of the parathas.

Remove it on a serving plate, sprinkle 1 tbsp grated cheese, 1/2 tbsp chopped tomato and 1/4 tsp basil on the top of each paratha. Serve immediately with spicy chilli garlic tomato sauce.