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 .

HOW TO COOK SWEET AND SOUR SHOL FISH

INGREDIENTS :-
(SERVING TWO)

1. Shol Fish - 200 gms (cleaned and washed )
2. Mustard Oil - 2 table spoon
3. Bay Leaf - 2
4. Cumin seeds -1/2 teaspoon
5. Kashniri Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon
6. Ginger paste - 1 tea spoon
7. Dhania-Jira (coriander-cumin) paste - 2 tablespoon
8. Tomato puree - 1 tea spoon
9. Hung curd - 50 gms
10. Turmeric powder - 2 tea spoon
11. Tamarind pulp - 1-2 tea spoon ( to taste )
12. Sugar - 1 tea spoon ( to taste )
13. Lemon juice - 2 tea spoon
14. Green pea - half cup
15. Salt to taste
16. Water - 1-2 cup
17. Garam masala - 1 tea spoon
18. Green chili for garnishing

DIRECTIONS :-

• Marinate shol fish with lemon juice , turmeric powder and salt for fifteen minutes .
• Take mustard oil in a frying pan and light fry the fish and put them aside .
• Add bay leaf and cumin seeds to the oil .
• Add ginger paste and dhania-Jira (coriander-cumin) paste and saute for two minutes .
• Add kashmiri red chili powder and turmeric powder and saute for two minutes more .
• Add tomato puree and hung curd to it and saute till the oil releases. 
• Add green pea and fold in the mixture. 
• Add salt to taste.
• Add water and let it come to boil .
• Add shol fish in the gravy .
• Add tamarind pulp and sugar in the gravy .
• Cover the frying pan with a lid and boil for five minutes more .
• Add garam masala and garnish with green chili .
• Serve hot with steamed rice .

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN DHANIA

Ingredients (Serving Two)

1. CHICKEN 500 gm. (half boiled and boneless) washed ,cleaned and cut into medium size pieces.

2. Mustard oil (2 tablespoons).

3. Bay leaf (2).

4. Cumin seeds (1/2 teaspoon).

5. Red chili (2).

6. Garlic (5 cloves).

7. Onion 2 (medium to big size).

8. Ginger (1 inch).

9. Dhania-Jira (coriander-cumin)  2 tablespoon.

10.Potato  (1 medium size diced and half boiled).

11. Tomato (1 medium size).

12. Roasted power of Dhania-Jira 1 tablespoon.

13.Chicken stock half cup.

14.Fresh coriander leaves (two bunches).

15.Salt to taste.

Directions:

1. 1.Make a paste of Dhania-Jira (coriander-cumin) , fresh coriander leaves (one bunch ) , one onion , ginger and tomato and put it aside.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan or Kadai (oak)
3. Once it is hot add  bay leaves , red chili , crushed garlic cloves and cumin seeds and saute for one minute.
4. Add one sliced onion and saute for one minute.
5. Add the mixed paste and saute for one minute.
6. Add half boiled chicken and potato and fry for 8-10 minutes till the masala leaves oil.
7. Add chicken stock and mix it well.
8. Add salt to taste and let the chicken thicken.
9. Add roasted power of Dhania-Jira .
10. Add fresh coriander leaves.
11. Serve hot with roti or nun or kulcha.
12. Enjoy.