Dudh Pabda | Indian butter fish cooked with milk

Dudh pabda is a traditional but almost lost fish recipe from Bengal..its a easy to make dish..may its made with milk but amazingly it tastes like fish in mustard sauce gravy.give a try this dish in your kitchen .

Cook time-- 20 mins
Serve- 3
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Ingredients:---

Pabda fish /Indian butter fish- 3

Milk - 1 cup

Salt as required

Turmeric powder- 1\2 tsp

                                                                               

Onion seeds- 1/2tsp

Green chili - 2

Sugar- 1/2 tsp


Process:--

Marinate fish with little salt and turmeric.then heat kadai with 2tbsp mustard oil and fry fish both sides. Do not over fry.

Use the same fish fry pan with remaining oil  for making curry..Add onion seeds ,slit green chili

Then add ginger paste ,turmeric, salt to taste.Add 2tbsp water .stir well for a minute.

Then add a cup of milk.bring to bubble..then add fried fish. Turn down flame and let it cook for 3-4 mins..

Add  sugar..give nice stir..
Keep gravy as per your desire consistency..
Check seasoning...

Aam Dal | Tok Dal

Aam dal or Tom dal is a bengali s signature lentil dish in this hot summer days..this red lentil cooked with row mango and flavour with bengali five spice..But some bengali s favouring this red lentil with mustard seeds also..aam dal or Tok dal is not only delicious,it's healthy too in hot summer days.

Cook Time- 30 mins
Serve - 4
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Ingredients:--

Masoor dal/ redlentil- 150 gms or 1 n 1/2 cups

Row mango- 1

Turmeric powder- 1tsp

Chili powder- 1/2 tsp

Salt as required

Sugar - 1-2 tsp  or adjust according to your taste

Panchforan- 1/2 tsp  ( bengali  five spice-mixture of cumin seeds,Onion seeds,fennel  seeds fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds)

Dry red chili  -2

Method:--


Wash masoor dal ..then pressure cook it with 1/2 tsp each turmeric and salt .1/2 cup water..cook till 2 whistle...allow to release pressure..


Wash row mango and cut length wise..heat a pan .add 2 tsp mustard oil..then add bengali five spice .once you get nice aroma add dry red chili. Stir it for 30 secnds.


Then add row mangoes.add little turmeric,chili powder and salt...mix well everything..

Turn down flame and simmer the gas for 2-3 mins or till the mangoes become soft.

When mangoes become soft,Pour the boiled masoor dal ,add 1-2 tsp sugar or adjust according to your taste. And pour 1/2 cup water .give a nice stir..keep cooking for 2-3 mins.

Check seasoning...serve Aam dal or Tok dal  with steam rice and kurkure alu bhaja.

Kolkata chicken Biriyani

After I left my home town I missed Biryani like any other Bengali. Whenever I went to visit  my hometown kolkata and definitely try kolkata famous biryani from Siraj ,arsalan and aminia.. I am lucky that these three famous biryani outlet just few minutes distance from my kolkata home..My hubby is a die-heart fan of kolkata biryani but we live in Pune ,here we didn't get kolkata style biryani..so I have no option to other than learnt kolkata style biryani and make it at home..almost once in a month I have to make biryani and my biryani loving family enjoy it .
 There is a large variety of biryani in India and I found each one has different taste and flavour. As a bengali I love kolkata biryani most..

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Cook Time- 1 hr 
Serve - 5
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Ingredients:--

Rice - 500gms
Chicken- 700 gsm
Potatoes - 2 , cut into two pieces 
Onion - 3 large
Ginger paste - 1 tbsp 
Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp 
Chili powder- 1/2 tsp 
Coriander powder- 1tsp 
Cumin powder- 1tsp 
Biryani masla - 1-2 tbsp
Salt to taste 
Bay leaves- 2
Cinnamon- 1/2 inch stick 
Green cardamom- 2
Cloves- 3-4
Rose Water- 3-4 tsp 
Kewra water- 2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Saffron - 1 tsp

Biryani masala:-
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Coriander seeds - 2tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp 
Cinnamon- 1/2 inch stick 
Cloves - 5-6
Green cardamom- 4-5
Black cardamom- 1
Caraway seeds / shahjeera - 1/2 tsp
Jaifol or nutmeg- 1/2 tsp 
Jaitri or mace - 1/2 tsp 
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp 
Bay leaves- 2
Kabab chini - 2/4 tsp 
Star anise- 1/4 tsp
 Dry roast everything till gets nice aroma .then grind to a fine powder. 

Method:--
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Soak rice for 30-40 mins
Heat a handi with enough water for cook rice. Add one bay leaf , 1/2 stick cinnamon,2 green cardamom,2 tbsp Salt and 1tbsp oil.
  Once the water starts boiling add soaked rice...cook till 80% done..then drain water properly..then spread rice on a broad plate or on a paper...let it cool

Marinate chicken with curd ,salt to taste  ,1tsp  black pepper 1/2tsp turmeric   1/2 tsp Chili powder,1/2 sugar for 1 hr or so..

Now soak saffron in a warm milk...keep aside..
If you don't have saffron then heat a pan with 1 cup milk ,add 1/2tsp turmeric  1tsp rose  1/2kewra water and 2 green cardamom. Boil for 2-3 mins.turn off Gas. Keep aside for future use.

Now boil potatoes in pressure cooker with turmeric and salt till cooked well. Then fry potatoes. Keep it aside.

Now heat a kadai .add 2 tbsp oil .add sliced onion .fry till well brown..then take out from kadai .place it on a paper towel..

 Then add ginger garlic paste and marinated chicken..stir it for 3-4 mins or till oil leaves the side of the pan.then add 1tbsp biryani masala and brown onion..stir well to coat the chicken with masala and onion  then add 1/2 cup water .give nice stir ..then turn down flame .simmer it for 20 -25 mins or the chicken cooked well.
When chicken become tender and gravy reduced. Add 1 tsp rose water and 1/2 kewra water.stir nicely...check seasoning..turn off Gas.

Now heat a heavy bottom pan. Add 1tbsp  ghee .now add 1/3 of chicken with gravy.then layering with rice .sprnkle 1tsp biryani masala  ,boiled potatoes. Spread 1tsp  rose water and 1/2 tsp  kewra water..Then layer with rice again. Sprnkle biryani masala ,1 tsp ghee.spread half of the saffron milk or flavour milk..then spread 2/3 of the chicken. Then final layer of rice .spread ghee .rest of the saffron or flavour milk

Now cover pan with lid and seal it with flour daugh..heat a tawa then place the biryani pan over it..slow down flame for 25-30 mins..

Kalo jaam | kala jamun

Kalo jam is one of the loved sweet in bengal..generally kalo jam made with khoya and chena but i have tired to make it with milk powder which is easy to make and taste will remain the same.

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Cook Time- 45 mins
Serve - 5
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Ingredients :--

Milk powder- 1 1/2 cup
Maida - 3 tbsp
Arraroot- 2tbsp
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Milk - as required for kneading

For sugar syrup:-

Sugar - 2 cup
Water - 11/2 water
Cardamom- 3-4

Method:---

Take a bowl. Add milk powder,Maida  arraroot and baking powder. Combine everything.

Now add milk gradually and make soft -smooth daugh..cover it with damp cloth for 15-20 mins .

Now heat a heavy bottom pan .add water and sugar.stirring till sugar dissolved and make one thread sugar syrup .add cardamom mix well with syrup..

Now make 20 equal portion smooth  ball from the milk powder daugh. Ball shouldn't be any cracks.

Now heat a pan with enough oil for deep frying..

Slowly add milk powder balls Into the medium hot oil..

Fry properly till turns blackish golden colour.

Take out from pan .place it on a paper towel..

Then add kala jamun Into the warm sugar syrup..keep it in the syrup for 2-3 hrs.
Or till the kala jamun soak the syrup and become soft..

Sarse bhetki

A traditional yet tasty fish recipe from west Bengal

Cook Time -30 minutes
Serves -4

Ingredients---

 Vetki fish -4 pieces
Mustard paste - 2-3 tbsp
Green chilies- 2-3
Garlic paste- 1tbsp
Salt - as required
Turmeric powder--1tsp
Chili powder- 2/4 tsp
Onion seeds /kalonji - 1/2tsp
Tomato - 1 ,chopped

Method

Marinate fish with little turmeric and salt for 5 mins. Then fry it properly.do not over fry fish.

Soak 2 tbsp mastered seeds in water for 30-40 mins.then grind along with 1/2 green chili and little salt till smooth..

If you have sil Batta, please use it to make mastered  paste.

You can mustard powder as well. If using.  Soak 2 tbsp mustard powder with little salt for 10 mins.

Heat kadai with 3-4 tbsp mustard oil ,add onion seeds then add garlic paste,and stir it for a minute.
Then add chopped tomato and stir it for a minute.

Add mustard. Paste,turmeric and chili powder,salt to taste slut green chilies..keep stirring for 1 minute.

Now add a small cup of water and give a nice stir.cover kadai and continue cooking in a low flame for 5-6 minutes.
 
Then add fish and mix well with mustard gravy .

When starts to leave the side of the pan.that means it's done.check seasoning....keep gravy as per your desire consistency..........spread 1tbsp mustard oil over the gravy....

Serve it. With steam rice...

Dalpuri / Dal puri

Dal puri

Bengal gram /chana dal / cholar dal stuffed Puri (poori) is traditional, authentic west Bengal , Uttar Pradesh/Bihar recipe........In UP / Bihar dalpuri served with pickle , raita , curd or seviyan...
 In my childhood special Sunday breakfast means motorsuntir kachuri ,dalpuri with sukno Alu chchori.....In bengal kachuri and alur torkari you can easily get in any sweet shop or samosa/singara shop....but dalpuri you have to make it at home ....homemade dalpuri always a better option for me and my family..homemade version not only super tasty ,its a healthy too ..

For stuffing

Cholar/ chana/Bengal gram dal-----1 cup
Chili powder-1tsp
Turmeric powder- 1tsp
Salt - as required
Sugar-1 tsp
Cumin powder- 2 tsp
Ginger-1/2inch 

Daugh

 Atta/maida-2cup
Oil-1tbsp
Salt-1tsp
Sugar-1tsp

Process

 Soak cholar dal for 4-5 hrs or overnight...drain water...add soaked choler dal chili powder ,green chili ,turmeric powder ,ginger , salt , sugar into grinder and make a smooth paste..

Take pan ,add 1 tbsp oil ,add the paste and stir continuously ...when it's separate from the pan. Means dal stuffing is ready.turn off gas..keep it aside..

Puri daugh

  Take a big bowl ,add atta / moida , oil ,salt , sugar..knead a smooth soft daugh with help of water..cover the daugh for 20 - 30 mins....

Take a small portion from the daugh..roll small puri , put 1tbsp stuffing in centre of the puri , bring edages together and seal it well.pinch off the excess daugh....again make a small ball, press little , flatten., dust flour , roll with care so puri doesn t get break leaving stuffing outside...

 Heat a kadai , add enough oil  for deep frying the puri...place dalpuri carefully in hot oil..fry puri until gets golden colour..drain oil.place it on paper towel..

Sukno alu chchori

 Take potato , cut it into small cubes..wash it well...Heat pressure cooker , add 1tbsp oil,  add cumin seeds  when it splatters add alu , turmeric powder ,chili  powder , 1tsp ginger paste , cumin powder, salt .mix it well ..add half cup of water..close the lid. .wait for 2-3 whistle. .release  the pressure on its own...open lid. .stiring for 2-3 mins until gravy dries up

  Serve dalpuri with sukno alu chchori

Loitya macher jhuri

Loitya macher jhuri /spicy bombay duck fried curry

  Loitya mach or bombay duck is known in different names in different places throughout theIndia....in west Bengal and Bangladesh it's called loitya /lotte .Mumbai ,pune it's called bombil or bombay duck.

  It's very soft and mushy fish....even no need of additional water when you cooked....

Ingredients:-

 Loitya mach or bombayduck--1 kg

 Oil - 3-4 tbsp

 Onion- 2-3 (big) thinly sliced

  Ginger n garlic paste-1 1/2tbsp

  Tomato- 1 big chopped

 Green chili-as per your hot taste/2-3 

 Salt-as required 

Sugar-2tsp 

 Chili powder- 1rep

 Turmeric - 2tsp

 Cumin powder- 1tsp

 Coriander powder- 2 -3 tsp

 Coriander leaves - 1handful

Process

 Wash n clean the fish thoroughly. ..take kadai or pan .put 3-4 tbsp oil. .add sliced onion..fry it till turns light brown...then add gingar n garlic paste .stir it continuously  .add tomato stir 4-5 mins and add loitya  fish along with turmeric  chili cumin n. coriander powder  Salt n sugar...stir all ingredients with fish properly. ...simmer the gas for 5-6 mins... no need to add water as fish will release enough water.....open the lid. .stir continuously until fish curry completely dry...oil gets separate from fish curry means it's prepared .. add coriander leaves ....check seasoning......serve it with hot steam rice...

Note:--- If you want, you can discard the fish bone, blunch the fish for 4-5 mins. Drain the water, make a slit and remove the centre bone..