FRESH MUSHROOM FRITTERS

INGREDIENTS:-
(SERVING FOUR)

1. Fresh Mushroom -100 gms .
2. Rice Powder - 2 table spoons,
3. Flour - 2 table spoons,
4. Semolina - 2 table spoons ,
5. White Pepper - 2 tea spoons ,
6. Sugar and Salt to taste.
7. Lemon juice - 1 tea spoon
8. White oil - 2 - 3 table spoons
9. Water as required.
10. Onion - 1(cut into rings )
11. Green Chili - 4 (for garnishing )

DIRECTION-

• At first tear all the petals of mushroom .
• Remove the very thin skinny lair from each petal.
• Blanch all the petals for five minutes .
• Strain the water and marinate the mushroom with salt ,lemon juice and white pepper.
• Make a batter with Rice Powder ,Flour,Semolina ,White Pepper (one tea spoon) .
• Add sugar and salt to taste.
• Heat oil in a pan .
• Dip each mushroom piece in the batter and deep fry .
• Continue till all the pieces are fried .
• Garnish with onion rings and green chili .
• Serve hot with tea or coffee.
• Enjoy.

PANEER MALAI

INGREDIENTS :-
(SERVING THREE)

1. Paneer - 300 gms ,
2. Milk - 200 ml.
3. Black cardamom - 1 pod
4. Green cardamom- 3 pod
5. Clove -2
6. Bay Leaves -2
7. Ginger Paste - 1 tea spoon 
8. Garlic Paste -1 tea spoon 
9. Green chili - 1
10. Green chili paste - 1 tea spoon 
11. Raisin paste - 1 tea spoon
12. Cashew paste - 1 tea spoon
13. Khoya Kheer -100 gms 
14. Shah Zira (black cumin ) -1 tea spoon
15. White pepper power - 1 tea spoon.
16. Garam Masala Powder - 2 tea spoons
17. Butter - 100 gms.
18. Salt to taste .

DIRECTION:-

• At first slice one green chili from top to bottom and fully dip it in water and put it aside .
• Cut paneer in triangle shape .
• Heat butter in a pan and fry the paneer pieces and put them aside .
• Add Shah Zira (black cumin ),Black cardamom ,Green cardamom ,Clove and Bay Leaves.
• Add Ginger Paste ,Garlic Paste ,Green chili paste one by one and saute well .
• Add Raisin paste and Cashew paste and saute well.
• Add milk and let it boil for three to four minutes .
• Add the fried paneer pieces.
• Add Khoya Kheer and let it melt well .
• Add salt to taste .
• When the milk becomes thicker then add White pepper power and Garam Masala Powder .
• Garnish with the green chili .
• Serve hot with roti or paratha .
• Enjoy .

STEAMED POMFRET FISH

INGREDIENTS :-
(SERVING THREE)

1. Fresh Pomfret fish  - 3
2. Poppy seed - 3 tea spoons,
3. Sesame - 2 tea spoons ,
4. Charmagaj (melon seeds ) - 3 tea spoons ,
5. Cashew nut Paste 2 tea spoons,
6. Green chili -2-3 
7. Mustard oil - 3 table spoons ,
8. Salt and Sugar to taste .
9. Banana leaf (1 foot x 1 foot ) - 4
10. Lemon Juice -2 table spoons
11. Coriander leaf paste 2 table spoons ,
12. Cardamom powder -1 tea spoon.
13. Fresh cream - 100 ml.

DIRECTION:-

Marination of the fish :-

• Take the fish in a bowl and add salt and lemon juice and put it aside for ten minutes .
• After ten minutes wash the fish thoroughly and marinate the fish with salt to taste ,lemon juice and coriander leaves paste and keep it for ten more minutes .

Preparation of the banana leaves :-

• At first brush oil in the deep green side of the banana leaves .
• Hold the two sides of the leaves one by one six inches above the flame just for few seconds  and put them aside .

Method of cooking :-

• Make a paste with Poppy seed ,Sesame ,Charmagaj (melon seeds ) ,Cashew nut Paste ,Green chili. 
• Add one table spoon Mustard oil in the mixture .
• Salt and Sugar to taste 
• Put frying pan on the flame and pour rest of the mustard oil in the pan .
• Switch off the flame while setting the leaves .
• Put one banana leaf on the oil from right to left direction and place another banana leaf from to to bottom direction so that it looks like + sign.
• Take one marinated fish and dip it in the mixed spice and place it on the banana leaves .
• Continue the same process with all the fish .
• Sprinkle cardamom powder over the pomfret fish pieces .
• Pour fresh cream over all the fish .
• Next cover the fish with the rest two banana leaves .
• Cover the frying pan with a lid .
• Switch on the flame and cook in very low flame for fifteen minutes .
• Serve on banana leaves .
• Hot steamed pomfret fish is ready to serve .

UCHHER BORA (BITTER GOURD FRITTERS )

INGREDIENTS :- 
(SERVING FOUR)

1. Uchhe (Bitter Gourd) - 1 (big)
2. Rice Powder - 2 table spoons,
3. Flour - 2 table spoons,
4. Semolina - 2 table spoons ,
5. White Pepper - 2 tea spoons ,
6. Sugar and Salt to taste.
7. Lemon juice - 1 tea spoon
8. White oil - 2 - 3 table spoons
9. Water as required.

DIRECTION:-

• Cut the uchhe (bitter gourd) in a bit thick slices .
• Blanch the uchhe slices for five minutes .
• Drain the water .
• Marinate the blanched pieces with salt and sugar to taste.
• Add lemon juice to it and leave it for ten minutes .
• Take a bowl and mix Rice Powder ,Flour ,Semolina ,White Pepper ,Sugar and Salt to taste.
• Mix water to make a thick batter .
• Heat oil in a pan .
• Dip each piece of uchhe (bitter gourd) and deep fry .
• When the fritters are reddish yellow then take it out of oil and put them aside .
• Crispy uchher bore (bitter gourd fritters ) are ready to serve .

PANEER IN CHEESE AND CREAM

INGREDIENTS:- 
(Serving three )

1. Paneer (cottage cheese)- 300 gms,
2. Butter - 100 gms ,
3. Green Cardamom - 3 pods,
4. Cinnamon - 1 inch,
5. Clove - 2,
6. Ginger paste - 1 tea spoon,
7. Cumin Paste - 1 tea soon,
8. Cashew nut - 10 gms ,
9. Raisin - 10 gms 
10. Cherry - 5 gms ,
11. Cheese - 2 cubes (50 gms ),
12. Fresh Cream - 100 ml,
13. Fresh Coriander leaves paste -  5-6 tea spoons ,
14. Green chili paste - 1 tea spoon ,
15. Rice Powder - 2 table spoons,
16. Flour - 2 table spoons,
17. Semolina - 2 table spoons ,
18. White Pepper - 2 tea spoons ,
19. Sugar and Salt to taste.
20. Water as required.

Preparation of marination of the paneer :- 

• Cut the paneer in cubes or any desired shape .
• Take the paneer cubes in a bowl and mix Fresh Coriander leaves paste,Green chili paste ,salt and sugar to taste .
• Keep it at least for ten minutes .

Preparation of batter :- 

• Take a bowl and mix Rice Powder ,Flour ,Semolina ,White Pepper one tea spoon and sugar and salt to taste.
• Mix it well .Then add water to make a thick batter .
• Add one spoon of melted butter in this batter and mix well and put it aside.

Preparation of making fritters of paneer :-

• Melt butter in the frying pan .
• Dip the marinated paneer cubes in the thick batter and fry it to make fritters .
• When all the paneer  cubes are fried ,keep aside all the paneer fritters .

Process of cooking :-

• Light fry the Cashew nut and put it aside .
• Put Green Cardamom ,Cinnamon ,Clove in the melted butter .
• Add Ginger paste and Cumin Paste and saute well .
• Add one Cheese cube and wait till it melts well with the spice .
• Add fresh cream and mix well .
• Add sugar and salt to taste and one may add some water if the mixture becomes too thick (if necessary) .
• Add Cashew nut and Raisin in the cream mixture .
• Add the paneer fritters and fold in the cheese cream mixture .
• Add white pepper .
• Garnish with cherry and grated cheese .
• Paneer in cheese and cream is ready to serve .

CHICKPEA RICE

INGREDIENTS:- 
(Serving three )

1. Zira Basmati Rice - 250 grms ( 90% boiled )
2. Chickpea -250 grms 
3. Bay leaf - 2
4. Black Cardamom - 1 pod
5. Cinnamon - 1 inch
6. Red Chili - 2
7. Shah Zira (black cumin ) -1 tea spoon
8. Green chili -3-4 (cut into small pieces )
9. Garlic paste -1 tea spoon
10. Ginger paste - 1 tea spoon 
11. Onion paste - 1 tea spoon
12. Tomato puree  - 1 tea spoon
13. Cumin powder - half tea spoon
14. Coriander powder - half tea spoon  
15. Turmeric powder - 2 tea spoons
16. Tomato sauce - 1 tea spoon
17. Saffron essence -3-4 drops
18. Mitha Atar - 2 drops 
19. Garam Masala Powder - half tea spoon
20. Sugar - 1-2 tea spoon 
21. Salt to taste 
22. White oil - 2 table spoons 
23. Ghee - 1 tea spoon

Preparation of making rice :-

• Put 4-5 cups of water in a pan and cover it with lid.

• When the water starts to boil put zira basmati rice in it and let it boil for 5 minutes .

• When medium sized bubbles come up and the rice is 90% boiled then drain the water .

• Spread it in a flat tray so that the rice never sticks with each other .

Preparation of making boiled chickpea :- 

• Soak the chickpea over night .

• Next day put it in a pressure cooker with two cups of water and give 3-4 whistles .

• When the pressure cooker is cooled drain the water .

• Put the chickpea and the stock in separate pans.

Preparation of chickpea rice :-

• Heat white oil in a pan .

• Add Bay leaf , Black Cardamom ,Cinnamon ,Red Chili and Shah Zira (black cumin ) one by one .

• Add Garlic paste and Ginger paste and saute for two minutes .

• Add Onion paste ,Tomato puree ,Cumin powder ,Coriander powder and Turmeric powder and saute  for three to four minutes more till the spice is half cooked .

• Add boiled chickpeas and mix well with the spice 

• Add Tomato sauce , salt and sugar to taste and cook till the mixture is almost dried up.

• Add one cup of the stock of the chickpea and cook till the chickpea softens .  

• Add boiled rice in the mixture of chickpea and fold well.

• Add green chili , Garam Masala Powder ,Saffron essence and Mitha Atar in the rice .

• Pour ghee and mix well with the chickpea rice .

• Delicious Chickpea Rice is ready to serve .

• Enjoy .

PLASTIC CHATNEY OF PAPAYA

INGREDIENTS :-

1. Fresh Green Papaya - 1
2. Raisin -10 grms.( washed and soaked in water )
3. Mustard seed - half tea spoon
4. Red Chili - 1
5. Sugar - 1 cup or to taste 
6. Salt to taste 
7. Lemon Juice - half cup
8. Lemon Zest (for flavor )
9. White oil - 2 tea spoons 

Process of cutting the Papaya:-

• Wash the fresh green papaya throughly.
• Peel the green skin .
• Cut the papaya in long eight to ten strips .
• Peel off the inner skin thickly.
• Cut each strips into thin small slices .
• Blanch the papaya slices and put them aside .

Process of making the Chatney :-

• Heat oil in a pan .
• Add Red Chili and Mustard seeds.
• After the chili becomes fried put it aside .
• Add the blanched papaya and saute for  two minutes .
• Add salt and sugar and mix well and wait till the sugar melts .
• Add lemon juice and zest to the papaya and saute well.
• When the papaya slices become semi transparent then add raisin.
• Cool it and serve with roti or paratha at the end of the meal.
• Enjoy. 

SORSHE UCHHE ( BITTER GOURD IN MUSTARD PASTE )

INGREDIENTS:-

1. Uchhe (Bitter Gourd) -2-3( cut into thick round slices )
2. Mustard Oil -1 table soon .
3. Turmeric powder -1 tea spoon
4. Salt to taste
5. Sugar to taste .
6. Mustard paste -2 tea spoons
7. Kalo jira ( Nigella sativa seed ) - half tea spoon

DIRECTION:-

• Blanch the pieces of bitter gourd or uchhe and put it aside .
• Heat mustard oil in a pan and add kalo jira ( Nigella sativa seed )   .
• Add blanched bitter gourd pieces in it .
• Add salt to taste and saute for three to four minutes .
• Add turmeric powder to it and saute for four to five minutes more.
• Add mustard paste to it and fold well with the bitter gourd and saute till light smell of mustard comes out .
• Add a pinch sugar ( or according to taste ) to it and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook it in low flame for two minutes .
• Sorshe Uchhe is ready to serve with rice .

LEMON RICE

INGREDIENTS:- 

1. Boiled Rice for Serving two
2. White Oil -1 Table spoon
3. Green chili - 2/3 cut into small pieces 
4. Lemon juice - 2 tea spoons
5. Lemon zest 
6. Salt to taste.
7. Cumin seed -half tea spoon
8. Fresh coriander leaf - 1 bunch ( washed  and cleaned )

DIRECTION :-

• Heat white oil in a pan .
• Add cumin seeds and green chili and saute well.
• Add rice to it and add salt to taste.
• Squeeze fresh lemon in the rice or add bottled lemon juice and mix well.
• Add fresh coriander leaf and lemon zest .
• Lemon rice is ready ....so please Enjoy.

NOTE -
One may add dry fruits or fresh citrus fruits in it .

MAN KOCHU BAATA

     In Bengalee cuisine baata plays an important role .Baata means any sort of paste made of any seasonal vegetable or leaf .It is normally served at the beginning of the meal .Man kochu baata is a typical Bengalee cuisine which is served with hot boiled rice.


INGREDIENTS:-
(SERVING FOUR)

1. Taro root - 250 gms.
2. Coconut - 1 cup (grated )
3. Mustard paste - 2 tea spoons
4. Green Chili - 5
5. Mustard Oil - 1 table soon
6. Salt to taste .
7. Raisin for garnishing. 

DIRECTION:-

• Thickly peel off the man kochu (Alocasia macrorrhizos ) and cut into small cubes and wash it thoroughly.
• Make a fine paste of mustard  with two green chilis and a pinch of salt and put it aside .
• Put man kochu , grated coconut and mustard paste in a blender and blend well .
• Pour the mixture in a bowl and add salt to taste .
• Add mustard oil to the mixture and mix with the paste .
• Garnish with green chili and raisin.
• Serve with hot rice.

NOTE:-

Any variety of kochu (Colocasia esculenta) often cause an itching sensation in throat and mouth if not cooked properly. It happens due to the presence of oxalic acid which forms raphides. It is reduced to safe levels by steeping cubed taro roots in cold water overnight and disposing of the water. Calcium oxalate is highly insoluble and contributes to kidney stones. It has been recommended to consume milk or other calcium-rich foods together with taro .But it is normally found that MAN KOCHU or BHOG MANA (Alocasia macrorrhizos ) does not cause itching .Still I prefer to put the piece of MAN KOCHU the sun for a whole day before cooking it .One may add tamarind or lemon juice to avoid itching sensation .

MUSHROOM CURRY

INGREDIENTS:-

1. Mushroom-200gms (washed ,dried and cut into halves )
2. Capsicum-1 (cut in cubes)
3. Tomato-1 (cut in cubes)
4. Carrot-1(cut in cubes)
5. Cucumber-1 (cut in cubes)
6. Garlic paste -1 tea spoon
7. Onion paste - 1 tea spoon
8. Ginger paste-half tea spoon
9. Green chili paste -1 tea spoon
10. Ajwain (Carom seed) - half tea spoon
11. Char Magaj (Water melon seeds) - 1 tea spoon
12. Corn Flour -1 table spoon
13. Dark Soya-sauce-2 tea spoons
14. Tomato sauce-1 tea spoon
15. White Oil -2 table spoons
16. Salt and sugar to taste
17. Water for making batter.
18. Fresh Green Chili -2 (for garnishing )

Direction :-

• Make a batter with cornflour ,1 tea spoon of saya sauce and water .
• Add salt to taste to the batted .
• Put the mushrooms in the batter .
• Heat white oil in a pan and fry the mushroom pieces one by one and put them aside..
• Add Ajwain to the oil .
• Add Garlic paste ,Onion paste,Ginger paste and Green chili paste one by one and saute for three to four minutes .
• Add Tomato and Char Magaj and saute for two minutes 
• Add Capsicum,Carrot and Cucumber cubes and saute for three to four minutes .
• Add the fried mushroom pieces and saute .
• Add salt and sugar to taste .
• Add rest of the saya sauce and tomato sauce  and mix well .
• Add a little water if needed and cover the frying pan and cook in low flame for three minutes .
• Garnish with fresh green chili .
• Mushroom Curry is ready to serve with rice ot roti.

MIXED VEGETABLE WITH CHEESE AND EGG

INGREDIENTS :-
( SERVING FOUR )

1. Potato-1(cut in cube)
2. Tomato-1(cut in cube)
3. Capsicum-1(cut in cube)
4. Cucumber-1(cut in cube)
5. Potol (Pointed gours/Parwal/Parval/Trichosanthes Dioica) - 1(cut in cube)
6. Jhinga (Ribbed Gourd)-1(cut in cube)
7. White Oil - 2 Table Spoons
8. Besan( gram flour )- 2 tea spoons
9. Atta (Whole wheat flour)- 2 tea spoons 
10. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves ) - 1 tea spoon
11. Salt to taste
12. Sugar -1 tea spoon
13. Ajwain(Carom seeds )-1 tea spoon
14. White til (sesame without husk)- 1 tea spoon
15. Red Chili - 1
16. Green Chili - 2
17. Ginger-  1 tea spoon (fine Julianne )
18. Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
19. Char Magaj (Water melon seeds) - 1 table spoon
20. Tomato sauce - 1 table spoon
21. Cheese cube - 1
22. Egg - 1

Directions - 

Process of making fritters  ;-

• Mix bason and atta in a bowl .
• Add salt and sugar to taste .
• Add kasuri methi in it.
• Add little water (half cup)and make a mixture for fritters.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry fritters with the mixture and put them aside .

Half boil all the vegetables except tomato.Put them aside.

Process of making vegetable:-

• Heat white oil in a frying pan.
• Put bay leaf , ajwain , sesame seeds and red chili and saute for one minute .
• Add tomato and saute .
• Add turmeric powder ,salt and sugar to taste and saute for few minutes till tomato becomes soft.
• Add all the vegetables and saute for two to three minutes . 
• Add early fried fritters and char magaj to the vegetables and mix well .
• Add green chili and ginger and saute for two minutes .
• Add tomato sauce and cheese and wait till the cheese melts with the vegetable .
• Beat an egg lightly in a separate bowl till the yolk and the white are combined .
• Pour the beaten egg at the corner of the frying pan .When the egg takes colour then mix it with the vegetables.
• Cheesy mixed vegetable with egg is ready to serve with rice or roti.
• Enjoy.

MALAI RICE ( JANMASTAMI SPECIAL RECIPE)

INGREDIENTS :-
( SERVING TWO )

1. Basmati Rice - 100 gms.
2. Condensed Milk - 2 table spoons
3. water - 1 cup 
4. Sugar - 2 tea spoons 
5. Salt to taste
6. Saffron - 1 pinch
7. Mitha Atar - 2 drops
8. Cinnamon powder - half tea spoon
9. Cardamom  powder -1 tea spoon
10. Garam Masala powder - 2 tea spoons 
11. Raisin (10 gm.).
12. Cashew-nut (10 gm.).
13. Pistachio - (10 gm)
14. Akhrot (Walnut) - (10 gm )
15. Dry Coconut slice (small) - 1 table spoon
16. Cherry - (50 gm)
17. White Oil - 1 table spoon
18. Bay leaf - 2

DIRECTION:

• Heat oil in a frying pan and fry Cashew-nut ,  Pistachio, Akhrot (Walnut) , Dry Coconut slice and Raisin and put them aside.

The Process Of Making Rice -

• Wash rice and cook it with water and bring it to boil.
• When almost boiled then drain out the water and spread it in a serving plate so that it never sticks with each other.
• Take a karahi or frying pan and put water and bring it to boil. 
• Add condensed milk to it.
• Add sugar and salt to taste.
• Add Saffron ,Mitha Atar ,Bay leaf , Cinnamon powder and Cardamom  powder one by one and let the milk thicken a bit.
• Let the mixture cool down.
• Add the dried boiled rice to the mixture.
• Add garam masala powder.
• At last add all the fried dry fruits in the rice. 
• Garnish with cherry.
• Malai Rice is ready to serve.

HOW TO MAKE SALTED HOLI DOUBLE DECKER

INGREDIENTS :-
( SERVING TWO )

• Flour - 200 gms 
• White Oil - 1 tea spoon (to add to the flour )
• Sodium Bicarbonate - quarter tea spoon
• Cumin Seed - half tea soon 
• Potato - 1 (washed and cut into very small cubes )
• Paneer - 50 gms .
• Carrot - 2  (one carrot washed and cut into very small cubes and the other one made paste )
• Tomato - 1  (washed and cut into very small cubes )
• Beet - 1  (quarter part washed and cut into cubes/ circle and the rest made paste )
• Ginger - half inch (crushed )
• Onion - 1 (sliced )
• Green Chili - 1 (washed and cut into very small pieces )
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish .
• Salt to taste 
• Chat Masala or Black salt - a few pinches 

DIRECTIONS:-

        

 Process of making the staffing :-

• Heat oil in a frying pan .
• Add onion and a pinch of salt to it .
• Add potato and fry for 3-4 minutes .
• Add paneer and saute for two minutes 
• Add carrots , tomato , ginger and green chili and saute well and cook in low flame till it is soft .
• Add salt to taste .
• Put the stuffing aside and let it cool down .

         

Process of making the dough :-

• Take flour in a bowl and add a pinch of salt ,cumin seeds and sodium bicarbonate and 1-2 tea spoon of oil and mix well with the flour .
• divide the flour mixture into two parts .
• Add beetroot paste into one and make a dough and put it aside . (sprinkle water if needed )
• Add carrot paste into the other mixture and make a dough .(sprinkle water if needed )
• Put it in refrigerator for half an hour .
• Divide the dough into ten little balls (five from each) and roll them one by one into round shape

Process of making the Salted Holi Double Decker :-

.

• Put one tea spoon of stuffing into the middle of one circle each and fold from both sides .
• Put one red folded on a carrot coloured folded circle in crisscross position .and fold wrapping the other colour to give it a rectangular shape .
• Deep fry and garnish with coriander leaves and salad .
• Sprinkle black salt or chat masala just before serving .
• Serve hot and enjoy with tea or coffee .

Note :-

One may use sweet stuffing to make this item also.

HOW TO MAKE METHI SHAK BHAJA ( METHI SAAG OR FENUGREEK LEAVES FRY )

INGREDIENTS :-
(SERVING 3-4 )

• Methi leaves - 4 bunches 
• Mustard oil - 1 table spoon
• Garlic - 3-4 cloves ( crushed )
• Black cumin _ half tea spoon 
• Dried red chili/green chili - 1 
• Daler bori -8-10
• Turmeric - half tea spoon
• Salt to taste 
• Sugar - half tea spoon 

DIRECTION:-

1. Cut the methi saag 3-4 inches from the top where the stems are typically soft. Then pluck the leaves from rest of the stems. Chop them in one inch size.Put the leaves in a stainer and wash it thoroughly.
2. Heat mustard oil in a frying pan .
3. Fry daler bori till light beown colour and make it half crushed and put them aside .
4. Add dried red chili or green chili and black cumin .
5. Add crushed garlic and saute for one minute .
6. Add methi shak (methi saag) and cook in low to medium heat for 4-5 minutes till it reduces to almost half.
7. Add crushed daler bori and mix with the shak.
8. Add salt and suger to taste and mix it well .
9. Serve hot with rice or roti.
10. Enjoy.

Note :-

Methi shak is very good for health specially for diabetic people . 

Some love to add eggplant to this dish .Some even add daler bora instead of daler bori .

Please Make sure you break the red chilly while cooking otherwise it might burst and cause trouble .

During the cooking if the shak becomes too dry then just srinkle some water and cook in low heat .

HOW TO COOK PONA MACH BHAPA

INGREDIENTS :-
(SERVING THREE )

1. Pona mach (Bhagne Bata ) :- 6 pieces 
2. Mustard oil - 3 tea soon 
3. Turmeric powder - 2 tea spoon 
4. Mustard paste 2 table soon 
5. Green chili - 2 
6. Salt to taste 
7. Water 1 cup

DIRECTION :-

• Take mustard paste in a bowl .
• Add mustard oil (2 tea spoon ) with it .
• Add salt to taste .
• Put the fish in the pressure cooker .
• Add the mixture with it .
• Close the lid and add weight to the pressure cooker.
• Wait for one whistle and give 10 - 15 minutes standard time  before opening the cooker .
• Pour  fish bhapa in a serving bowl and add  one spoon of mustard oil to it .
• Garnish with fresh green / red chili .
• Serve with steamed basmati rice .

Note :-

While making the mustard paste , a pinch of salt and green chili should be added to it .Some prefer the mixture of mustard and water before cooking to avoid the husk  Some even add poppy seed to the mustard to make the gravy a bit thicker .

One may even garnish with fresh coriander leaves too .

HOW TO PREPARE TOMATO CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS :-
(SERVING FOUR)


Tomato - 4(big in size)
Dates - 8 - 10 
Raisin - 10 gms ( soaked in water )
Cashew nut -10 gms.
White oil - 1 tea spoon
Red chili - 2 
Mustard - half tea spoon 
Ginger - 1 tea spoon (fine Julianne )
Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
Sugar - 100 gms
Lemon juice - 2 table spoon
Roasted masala - 2 tea spoons
Tomato stock - 2 cups
Salt to taste 

DIRECTIONS :-

• Cut the tomatoes into halves and put them in pressure cooker till two whistle goes .
• Open the pressure cooker after ten minutes and peel off the tomatoes .
• Make a smooth pulp out of the boiled tomatoes and put it aside.
• Heat the frying pan and put oil in it.
• Add red chili and mustard seeds in the oil .
• Add tomato pulp and saute for one minute .
• Add turmeric powder and salt ( half tea spoon ).
• Add sugar to taste and ginger to the mixture and saute till the sugar melts and caramelized.
• Add tomato stock and mix well .
• Let the mixture come to boil .
• Add dates and raisin .
• Add lemon juice and roasted masala 
• Pour it in a bowl and garnish with cashew nuts .
• Let the chatny cool down and put it in refrigerator . 
• Serve at the end of any meal when cooled .

Note :-

Roasted masala is a mixture of  cinnamon , fennel and green cardamom They are roasted and grounded after that.It is used to add flavor to the chatny .

Chatny is a very popular dish of Bengal .The sweetness of chatny might differ according to taste .One may even use the substitute of sugar to make chatny.

HOW TO COOK DHOKAR DALNA

INGREDIENTS:-
(SERVING FOUR)

• Cholar Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil) :- 150 gms.
• Rice (powder) - 50 gms
• Red chili powder - ( quarter tea spoon for dhoka + quarter tea spoon for gravy )
• White oil - 3 table spoon
• Potato :- two (washed ,peeled off and cut in cubes )
• Tomato -1 (cut in cubes)
• Garam Masala powder - 1 tea spoon
• Green peas:- half cup
• Cumin paste :- 1 table spoon
• Coriander paste:-  1 table spoon
• Ginger paste:-  1 table spoon
• Asafoetida - 1 pinch
• Red chili :- 1
• Bay leaf :- 1
• Black Cumin seed :- half tea spoon
• Clove :- 2
• Green Cardamom:- 2
• Sugar half tea spoon
• Salt to taste 
• Water - 1 cup

DIRECTIONS:-

Preparation of dhoka :-

• Soak cholar dal over night in water 
• Next day drain water and make a dry paste of it .
• Mix Cholar Dal and rice powder in a bowl.
• Add salt to taste .
• Add red chili powder (half tea spoon).
• Pour the mixture in a flat tray .
• Put the tray to a steamer and steam till it sets . 
• Let the tray cool down .
• Cut the solid set mixture into squares.
• Heat a frying pan and pour white oil in it .
• Shallow fry the squares and put them aside .

Preparation of gravy :-

• Deep fry the potatoes with a pinch of turmeric and salt in the used oil and put them aside .
• Add Bay leaf  , Black Cumin seed , Clove , Green Cardamom , Sugar to the oil .
• Add asafoetida and red/green fresh chili .
• Add cumin paste , coriander paste , ginger paste and red chili powder and saute for two minutes.
• Add tomato and some salt to taste and saute till oil releases .
• Add green pea and fried potatoes and fold in the mixture .
• Add water and cover it with a lid .
• Cook in low heat and let it come to boil .
• Add the fried dhoka squares and cook for five minutes more 
• Add garam masala powder .
• Serve hot with rice or roti . 
• Enjoy .

Note:- 

While preparing dhoka one may use besan instead of rice powder . The process of making dhoka also differs from family to family.Here the process which is followed requires less oil. One may even deep fry the squares while preparing dhoka.

In such vegetarian dishes the Bengalee generally add ghee just before pouring it from the pan .