Bengali Style Hilsha

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Hilsha fish - 6 steaks, (6 pieces cut off the whole fish)*
• Eggplant - 2 cups, cut into finger length wedges
• Idaho Potato - 2 med, cut into finger length wedges
• Green chili - 2 - 3, sliced lengthwise (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
• Cumin powder - 2/3 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

• For the spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. First wash and drain the fish steaks. In a bowl mix in the spices for the rub. Coat the fish steaks with the spice rub evenly, rubbing all over the flesh. Let it rest for 1/2 hour.
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp oil, pan fry the steaks for 2-3 min on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• 3. Add the onions and salt to the oil, saute till they turn translucent. Add 1/2 cup of hot water and all the dry spices (chili, cumin, turmeric, coriander) and stir combine. Simmer till the added water evaporates and creates a thick spice mixture. Return the fish steaks to the spice mixture and gently flip over to combine overall.
• 4. After few min, remove the fish from the spice, add all the vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Make sure to coat all the vegetables. Saute for 4-5 min on high heat. Carefully lay the fish steaks over the vegetables. Add 3 cups of hot water to the pan, to make sure to soak the fish and the vegetables properly. Simmer on med heat for about 30 min, covered.
  
• 5. After 30 min, uncover the lid, carefully stir to rearrange the veg and the fish, simmer for 5 more min uncovered to reduce the gravy to a thick consistency. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 10-15 min before serving. Serve it with plain white rice.

Spinach Pumpkin Stir-fry

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Leaf Spinach (frozen*) - 1 lb (450 gm)
• Pumpkin - 2 cups, cut into cubes
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Garlic cloves - 2 thinly sliced
• Dried Chili pepper - 2 - 3, torn into small pieces
• Salt - to taste
• Paprika powder - 1/2 tsp

Methods:

• 1. In a non-stick pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil. Add the dried chili peppers and the garlic, saute to infuse the oil.
  
• 2. Add the onions and salt. Saute till they are translucent.
  
• 3. Add the frozen spinach and stir to combine. The heat will defrost the spinach as well as cook it. Keep sauteing for 5-8 min on medium-high heat.
  
• 4. Meanwhile, in a microwavable bowl, place the cubed pumpkin. In half cup of water mix in the paprika powder with 1 tsp of sugar. You can skip the sugar. I, however, like extra sweet pumpkins. Pour the spiced water over the pumpkins, cover and microwave on high for 3-5 min till they are perfectly steamed.
• 5. Once the spinach has reached a dark green colour, and all the excess moisture has evaporated, add the pumpkins to the spinach. Saute for 2-3 min.
• 6. Serve with white rice.
  

Hints:
* You can use fresh ones, I like the frozen ones coz there is less work as no need to wash or chop. If you are using fresh ones, then adjust the measurements.

Hot & Spicy Catfish Sauté

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Catfish - 2 pounds, cut into cubes
• Roma tomato - 3, sliced lengthwise
• Onions - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Serrano pepper/green chili - 2, thinly sliced
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• 
  
• For spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2
  
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. Coat the fish cube generously with the spice rub. Use your hand to rub it in thoroughly but gently, as the flesh of the fish will be very delicate when raw. Let it marinate for 1/2 hour.
• 2. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
  
• 3. In a non-stick pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil till smoking hot. Add the fish cubes, and saute on high heat for about 3-4 min, till the fishes develop a crispy coating. Remove and set aside.
• 4. Add the onions and salt to the oil. You should not need any extra oil, however if you do, then add 1 more tbsp before adding the onions. Saute till they are browned on the edges.
• 5. Add all the dry spices, and 1/2 cup of water so the spices will not burn. Saute till the water evaporates.
  
• 6. Add the tomatoes and saute for 3-4 min, return the fish cubes to the pan and lower the heat to med.
  
• 7. Keep sauteing till the juices released from the tomatoes have evaporated, and the onions and tomatoes stick to the fish. Turn the heat off. Add the green chilies, stir to combine.
• 8. Serve on a bed of flavoured or plain white rice .
  

Bengali Fish Curry

Servings: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• Ruhi/Carp fish - 6 steaks, (6 pieces cut off the whole fish)*
• Eggplant - 1 cup, cut into finger length wedges
• Idaho Potato - 2 med, cut into finger length wedges
• Roma Tomato - 2 lrg, cut into finger length wedges
• Green chili - 2 - 3, sliced lengthwise (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Fresh Cilantro - 1/2 cup, coarsely chopped
  

• For the spice rub:
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
  

Methods:

• 1. First wash and drain the fish steaks. In a bowl mix in the spices for the rub. Coat the fish steaks with the spice rub evenly, rubbing all over the flesh. Let it rest for 1/2 hour.
• 2. In a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp oil, pan fry the steaks for 2-3 min on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• 3. Add the onions and salt to the oil, saute till they turn translucent. Add the garlic, saute for a minute. Add 1/2 cup of hot water and all the dry spices (chili, cumin, turmeric, coriander) and stir combine. Simmer till the added water evaporates and creates a thick spice mixture. Return the fish steaks to the spice mixture and gently flip over to combine overall.
• 4. After few min, remove the fish from the spice, add all the vegetables to the pan and stir to combine. Make sure to coat all the vegetables. Saute for 4-5 min. Carefully lay the fish steaks over the vegetables. Add 3 cups of hot water to the pan, to make sure to soak the fish and veg properly. Simmer on med heat for about 30 min, covered.
  
• 5. After 30 min, uncover the lid, carefully stir to rearrange the veg and the fish, simmer for 5 more min uncovered to reduce the gravy to a thick consistency. Turn the heat off and sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top before serving. Serve with rice.

Hints:
*You can use any type of fish for this curry. You can also use fillets rather than steak cut fish, however for the big fishes like Ruhi/ Buffalo Carp/Silver carp, etc, steak cut is more tasty for this type of curry.

Raas Malai- the Sweetest Delicacy!

Ingredients:

• Full-cream Milk - 1.25 gallon/ 4.5 liter
• Vinegar - 4 tbsp
• Sugar - 5 cups
• Green Cardamon - 2

Methods:

• 1. In a non-stick pot , bring half a gallon of milk into boil by simmering on very low heat. Reduce the milk to half the amount by keeping it simmering for about 2-3 hours on low heat. Remember to stir occasionally to avoid any burns or lumps.
• 2. Mean while, in another pot bring the rest of the milk to boil. Once it starts bubbling, turn the heat off and add the vinegar. The milk solids (chana) will separate from the whey.
• 3. Drain it in a cheese cloth, and hang it somewhere to drain for about 1.5- 2 hours. Do not squeeze to get the water out faster. This will make the chana (cottage cheese) hard and result in harder sweets.
• 4. Back to the evaporated milk, once the milk has reduced to a thick sticky consistency (you will know when you dip a wooden spoon in the milk and a thick cream sticks to the spoon) add 1 cup of sugar (or to your preference) and keep stirring to melt in the sugar completely. Your sweetened cream is done, set it aside and let it cool. Once cold , keep it in the fridge until it is required for the sweets.
• 5. Meanwhile in a pot with a wide surface area, make the simple syrup by adding 4 cups of sugar to 5 cups of water and the cardamons. Simmer on low heat, and keep it warm while you make the chana balls. You need a large pan*, because once you add the chana balls they will puff up and take up as much area as you give them, that means the bigger they will get.
• 6. Once the chana has properly been drained out of all the liquid, knead it with 1 tbsp of sugar for about 6-10 min. The more you knead it the softer the sweets will be.
• 7. Form tiny little balls out of the chana, the recipe allows for about 70-90 balls. Once all the chana balls have been prepared, poach them in the simple syrup for about 20 min on low-med heat, covered. Do NOT open the lid while cooking. This will make the balls shrink and hard.

• 8. Once the 20 min is up, turn the heat off and let the sweets cool down. Do not open the lid until the pot is cool to touch. This will make sure the sweets are soft and spongy. Soak the sweets in the syrup for about 24 hours.
• 9. Then transfer them (drained of the syrup) to the sweetened cream and soak in the cream for 24 hours more, refrigerated. The longer you soak the sweets, the sweeter and plumper it will get. After the 2 long days of waiting, you can serve the sweetest delicacy ever. It is no doubt a lot of hard work, but the result is heavenly!!!
  

Hints:
* If you do not have a large enough pan, then cook the sweets in two batches or use two different pots, that is what I did. This also means that you need to divide your syrup in the two pots or make extra syrup for two different pots.

Beef Stew with Panch Foron

Panch Foron is a mix of five different whole spices. It comprises of Cumin (jeera), Nigella (kalojeera), Mustard seeds (shorshe dana), Ajwain/caraway seeds (radhuni), and Fanugreek (methi). Usually panch foron is used for adding a distinct aroma and taste to vegetable dishes and pickles (mango pickle etc). Some also use it in fish. I have tried my version of beef stew with panch foron and the result was brilliant. Panch foron comes as a mix, and you can find it in any Indian/Bengali or authentic food stores.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Beef - 3 lb (1.5 kg), cut into small stew pieces
• Onion - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Salt- 1/2 tsp
• Potatoes - 2 lrg, cubed (optional)
• Cinnamon stick - 1.5 inch
• Whole Cardamon - 4-5 pcs
• Whole Cloves - 4-5 pcs
• Bay leaf - 1, med
• 
  
• For the Marinade:
• Panch Foron - 2 tsp
• Salt - 1.5 tsp
  
• Chili powder - 1.5 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Whole pepper corns - 1 tsp
• Plain Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Methods:

• 1. Wash and drain the beef. In a bowl mix in all the ingredients for the marinade and marinate the beef overnight in the refrigerator.
• 2. On the day of cooking, let the beef come to room temperature for about 1/2 hour before cooking. In a non stick pot (I prefer a dutch oven) heat 2 tbsp of oil.
• 3. Add the bay leaf, cardamons, cloves, cinnamon, pepper corns. Be careful, as they will start to pop as they infuse the oil. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Saute till the onions are nicely golden.
• 4. Add the beef along with the marinade to the pot. Stir to combine, and 1/2 cup of hot water.
• 5. Simmer on low-med heat for about 1.5- 2 hours, stirring occasionally for the flavours to blend. Add 1/2 - 1 cup of hot water every 15 min, to make sure there is enough juice for the beef to be cooked without burning.*
• 6. Nearly at the end of the cooking time, check a piece of meat to make sure it is tender to pull, then add the cubed potatoes. Simmer till the potatoes are cooked through. You might need to add a bit more water when you add the potatoes, so that they will absorb all the flavours from the gravy.
• 7. Serve with a side of garden salad and rice or flat bread.

Hints:
*Do not be lazy and add a whole quart of water all at once. By adding small amount of water frequently will allow the beef stew to develop a strong and gourmet flavour which you will not achieve if you drown the beet with a lot of water at the very start.
** Some people like adding beef stock to their stew. However, my version does not require that, as it already possesses an infusion of great flavours.

Beige Khichuri with Chili King Prawns

The traditional Khichuri (which is usually bright yellow/orange coloured) usually has more spices, such as turmeric, cumin, etc and also more types of lentils. The cooking process is also a little bit more complicated. This version of my Khichuri does not go to all those lengths but still tastes fantastic and is the perfect solution for a busy or amateur cook. Since, I do not use all the dry spices, my khichuri looks beige coloured, and its easy on the tummy. :)

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• For Khichuri:
• Sona Masoori Rice - 3 cups*
• Masoor Dal/ red splits lentils - 1.5 cup
• Onion - 1 sml, finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves - 2, crushed
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
  
• Green Chili - 2 sml, finely chopped
• Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1.5 tsp (or to taste)

• For Chili King Prawns:
• King Prawns - 1 lb(450 gm, or about 12 pcs)
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped coarsely
• Garlic powder - 2 tsp
  
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Paprika powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
  
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Methods:

• 1. Clean and devein the prawn, leaving the shells on. **
• 2. Mix in all the ingredients for the chili prawns, except the cilantro and the onions, in a bowl and marinate the prawns while you cook the rice.
• 3. Wash the rice and the lentils together and let it drain in a colander.
• 4. In a pot, put the drained rice and lentils, add the onions, garlic, ginger, chili, salt, and the mustard oil. Mix to combine. Add 7.5 cups (2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice and 1.5 cup for the lentils ) of water using the same cup you used for measuring the rice.
  
• 5. Put the pot on high heat, covered, till the water comes to a boil. Once boiled, stir to combine everything together, lower the heat to medium, cover and let it cook for 15 min, undisturbed, that means do not go in, opening the lead or stirring the rice. If you stir your rice too many times, it will release the starch which will make the rice sticky.
  
• 6. After 15 min, check the rice to see whether all the water from the surface has evaporated or not. If it has, then turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 15 min before serving. If you still see some moisture on the surface of the rice, then cook for few more min on med heat and then turn the heat off. Your Khichuri is done.
  
• 7. Meanwhile, on a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of butter. Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
  
• 8. Add the prawns and saute till they curl up and turn bright red. Once all the juices released from the prawns are evaporated, your prawns are ready. Top them with the chopped cilantro.
• 9. Serve the prawns on a bed of the beige coloured khichuri.
  

Hints:
* You can use any type of medium grain rice. I prefer Sona Masoori, because it has a nutty flavour and the rice, when cooked, is not sticky or does not lump up.
** To devein a prawn/shrimp, keeping the shell on, you first need to remove the heads. Then make a slit or puncture mark on the tip, middle, and lower back of the prawns, through the shells. Make sure not to make a deep wound, which will cut through the vein as well. Place your knife tip through the slits of the shells and pick up a point of the vein through the slits marks, and pull it out. The veins will come out whole, leaving the prawns clean. You might have some trouble the first time, in which case you can just make a cut along the back of the prawn and just pull the vein out. However, the other option makes the prawns look prettier.

Stir-fried Tindora with Crushed Mustard Seeds

Tindora is a vegetable which is mostly used in Indian cooking. I came up with this dish when I bought a bunch of Tindora and found out that they don't taste too good if used with too much Indian spices. So I came up with this simple but spicy concoction. However, if you cannot find Tindora, you can use green beans instead for this recipe. Of course, they do not taste the same. Nevertheless, the green beans also make a very tasty dish which can be served alongside some grilled chicken or steak.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Tindora - 1 lb/ 500gms, cut in half, lengthwise.*
• Onion- 1 large, sliced thinly.
• Green chillies- 4/5 (depending on heat preference, you can use more or less), sliced in half
• Whole mustard seeds - 1.5 tsp, coarsely crushed in mortar & pestle
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
  
• Salt - to taste

Methods:

• Wash the tindora, cut the tips, and slice them in half lengthwise.
• Blanch them in boiling salted water till cooked. Make sure not to overdo it, they should still be green and a slight crispy. Drain and set aside, covered.
  
• Heat 2 tblsp of olive oil in a pan. Add the onions, saute till translucent.
• Add the tindora and the chillies. Add the crushed mustard seeds and the cumin powder and a pinch of salt. Also add couple of tblsp of the blanching water to the pan to cook the spices.
• Saute for 5-7 min till the water evaporates and the tindora looks shiny and crispy.
• Serve immediately with rice.**

Hints:
* If using green beans instead of tindora, do not cut the beans in half. Just cut the tips and keep them whole. You can also use a mixture of green and yellow beans to give the dish a vibrant colour.
**This dish is very sensitive to timing, so do not cook more than required for the current meal, as the left-overs taste pretty dull.