Aditi's Rannaghar

Back.. or did I ever leave?

2011-06-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

back to the kitchen after almost three years, meanwhile had another baby (God heard my prayers, a girl this time :), my son graduated preschool and I cooked and cooked a lot so you see, I never left my Rannaghar.

More recipes coming soon...

Dimer Chop (Round Egg Cutlets)

2008-11-11T15:39:00.000-08:00

Somehow this dish always reminds me of Dimer Devil, an egg chop with minced mutton that I ate only once when visiting my Aunt in Chinsurah, a small town in the suburbs Calcutta. But, it is nowhere near that spicy mutton taste. This is still a chop and who cares what is in it when its served hot with kasundi. Bon Appetit!!!

All you need

Boiled Eggs, cut into quarters length wise
Boiled Potatoes, mashed
Chopped onions
Chopped green chilies
Grated Ginger
Salt
Plain Bread Crumbs
Oil for deep frying and a little for shallow frying onions
One egg, beaten

Method

Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions, green chilies and ginger.
Mix the fried onions with the mashed potatoes, add salt.
A bit of potato mixture and wrap around one quartered boiled egg.
Heat up oil for deep frying, dip the potato wrapped egg ball into beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs and deep fry it.
Serve hot with raw onion slices and Kasundi(mustard sauce).

Kolkata style Chicken Egg Roll

2008-09-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Chicken Preparation:
All you need

1 1/2lb Boneless, skinless Chicken thighs
8oz Plain Fat free Yogurt (small tub)
Half Cut Lime
3Tbsp Shan Tandoori Chicken Masala
1/2tsp Nutmeg Powder
Salt
2tsp oil
1Tbsp Butter
1tsp chopped Cilantro

Method

Cut the chicken thighs in small bite size pieces.
Sprinkle salt, lime juice and oil over the chicken pieces and rub altogether.
Add Shan Tandoori Chicken Masala, save a little. Add the nutmeg powder.
Whip up the yogurt and pour over the chcken and mix. Now add the saved Shan masala and mix again.
Sprinkle the cilantro on top and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F and bake the chicken along with the marinade for 20 minutes.
Take the chicken out and strain out the liquid marinade. Melt the butter and pour over the chicken and put it back in oven for 10 more minutes.

Egg washed Parathas
All you need

1cup All Purpose Flour(maida)
1/3rd cup Atta(Whole wheat grain flour)
1tsp oil
2 pinches Salt
Water to knead
3 Eggs, beaten with a little salt
Oil to fry the Parathas

Method

Mix the two flours, add salt and oil and knead into a soft dough.
Roll out a small ball of dough and cook on a griddle.
Cook one side then flip and cook other side. Then lift the paratha a little and pour oil(about 1-1 1/2tsp) and let down the paratha and rub it on the griddle.
Pour a little beaten egg on the top of paratha(the no-oil side), spread it and flip to fry the other side(the egg side).
Make several parathas likewise.

To make the Roll

Layout the chicken pieces in the middle of the Paratha.
Top dress with sliced onions, chopped green chilis, chopped cilantro.
Sprinkle a little salt and lime juice and MDH Chunky Chat Masala.
Roll up the Paratha to cover the filling and serve.

Rajmar Jhol (Kidney Beans Curry, more like a soup)

2008-01-31T13:41:00.000-08:00

All you need:
Rajma (Light red kidney beans, soaked in water overnight), Aloo (Potatoes, diced), chopped Onions, chopped Tomato, Ginger-Garlic paste, Gota Jeere for Phoron (cumin seeds), Cumin powder, Coriander powder, chopped Dhone pata (cilantro), slit green chili, Tel (oil, preferably mustard), salt and Turmeric.

Method:

Heat oil in a large pressure cooker. Add the cumin seeds, let it splutter.
Add the onions and green chili. Fry till light brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato, and potatoes. Fry them together.
Add the rajma, salt, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder. Mix them together.
Add water and pressure cook. After two whistles, open up the cooker.
Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Palak Paneer

2008-01-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

I simply love this dish. Best and tastiest way to eat spinach. Have you ever thought of kids asking for an extra serving of spinach? Believe me Palak Paneer works!

All you need:
One or two bunches of spinach, Cut up Paneer cubes (see my previous post on how to make them at home), Tomato, green chili, Onion, salt, kasoori methi, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder and oil.

Method:

Pluck the spinach leaves, wash them and boil them in a sauce pan.
Puree the boiled spinach with green chili.
Puree onions and tomato separately.
Heat oil in a wok, add kasoori methi and pureed onions/onion paste.
Add ginger-garlic, pureed tomato and the pureed spinach.
Add salt, coriander powder and cumin powder.
Add little water, cover and cook for 5-8 minutes.
Add the paneer cubes, cover up again and cook for another 5 mins.

And Done!!

Grilled Rack of Lamb

2008-01-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

There was a time when I used to hate lamb for its strong flavor and odor until I got to taste a grilled Rack of Lamb. Rack of Lamb is a portion cut out from the ribs which when cut in between the ribs makes the lamb chops. The typical flavor of lamb is at its minimum (you can say almost non-existant) in the ribs, so a Rack of Lamb should be a perfect start for those who doesn't eat lamb because of its flavor or odor. The rack comes with a thick layer of fat, so trimming is necessary. A light wash is sufficient. Juice of one lime and ginger-garlic paste is the marinade. Then rubbing the ribs with any good "Prime Ribs Rub" and salt will cure it. Grill the rack on hot charcoals. If you do not want the rib bones charred, just wrap them individually with foils. Many like it medium rare...that is well done on the outside but still pink inside, personally, I like well done. Whatever your preference is, before serving just cut in between the ribs and serve lamb popsicles separately.

How to make Paneer at Home

2008-01-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

Half gallon Whole Milk and one lime is all you need. Bring the milk to a boil, then simmer down and add the juice of lime while stirring. You will see the milk part separating from water. Strain it and let it stand in the strainer for an hour or hour and a half.

Now, dump the Paneer from the strainer onto a cutting board and cut small cubes out of it.

P.S. You can avoid this mess and use store bought Paneer :P

Lobster

2008-01-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

Are you a seafood lover? Then, Lobster has to be one of your many favorites. When I bring live lobsters home for dinner, my kitchen turns into a chaotic rampage. Holding the live lobster (although their sharp claws are clamped with thick rubber bands, they move their tails violently) from the grocery bag and putting them into a pot of boiling water is something very amusing to watch. My husband and I dance and scream each holding a very long tongs and pot lids (serving as a shield) till the lobsters seem dead and the war is won.

Put the live lobsters head first into a pot of boiling water with some ginger added to it. Cover it with a lid. After about 8-10 minutes the lobster is cooked and all red. Drain the water with lobsters onto kitchen sink. Tear apart the parts, wash and clean the insides.

Heat oil in a wok, fry the lobsters with salt and turmeric. This is the base. Now you can make it in any way you like, be it a curry with ginger, garlic, onions and cumin paste or rub it with mustard paste and fry cook till done.

Gharoa Murgir Jhol (Homemade Chicken Curry)

2007-11-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like a homemade chicken curry for a Sunday lunch. Bengalis mostly make it on a Sunday afternoon, a pleasant and tasteful change after a week long feast of Fish. This change is especially welcomed by kids. Once a week, I make this and my baby loves to eat it with steamed white rice.

Here's what you need:

Murgi(chicken, cut small, washed clean), Pyanj bata(onion paste), Aada-Roshun bata(ginger-garlic paste), Aloo(one potato, peeled & cut halved), Kancha Lanka(green chili, slit), Gota Jeere(cumin seeds), Tel(oil, preferably mustard), Noon(salt), Halud(turmeric), one Tomato and Dhone Pata(cilantro, chopped finely).

How to Cook

Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds, let it splutter.
Add onion paste & slit green chili, fry till oil separates, then add the ginger-garlic paste.
Add potato, stir some more. Add the chicken. Fold all the paste and spices together.
Add salt & turmeric, stir. Squeeze the juice of a tomato, stir again.
Add water, cover & cook over low heat until done. There should be lots of water in the curry when done.
Garnish with cilantro and turn off the heat.

Karaishutir Kochuri (Fried Indian Bread with Stuffed Green Peas)

2007-11-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Today I am making this dish, so felt like writing it down at the moment. Karaishuti means Green Peas in Bengali and Kochuri is a kind of fried Indian bread. Almost all Bengalis make this dish at least once in winter time when green peas are abundant. Karaishutir Kochuri and Aloor Dom is something a Bengali can die for. Some other time I will surely give the recipe for Aloor Dom, but now get everything ready in your kitchen for Karashutir Kochuri. The recipe follows....

Making the Pur (Stuffing)

You will need, Karaishuti(Green Peas, puried), Aada(Ginger, grated), Kancha Lanka(Green Pepper, ground along with green peas when making the puree), Gota Jeere(Cumin Seeds), Sukhno Lanka(Dried Red Pepper), Chini(Sugar, one or two fistful), Tel(Oil) and Noon(Salt).

Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and dried red pepper, let it splutter.
Add the green peas puree, grated ginger and salt.
Fry on low flame stirring continuously till cooked. When cooked, it looks dry and peas get separated(not lumpy). Takes about 20 minutes to cook.
At the end, add sugar, stir some more. On adding sugar, it will become dark green in color. Turn off the flame. The Pur is ready! Let it cool down.

Making the Kochuri

You will need Maida(All Purpose Flour), Moin(Teaspoonful of Oil), Noon(A pinch of Salt) and Tel(Oil for deep frying).

Mix together, flour, teaspoon of oil and salt with water to knead into a soft dough.
Make small(Ping Pong ball sized) dough balls, shape it into a cup. Put the Pur(Stuffing) inside, cover and roll into a ball again.
Roll out these stuffed balls with a Rolling Pin, into round flat disc and deep fry them in hot oil. They should puff up, turn, fry the other side and done!

Note:- If the Kochuris don't puff up when frying, then either the oil is not hot enough or there is a hole in the rolled out dough.

***** Instead of Kochuri you can make stuffed Porota(Paratha, Pan/Griddle fried Indian bread)****

Pics: Stuffed Paratha and the Pur(stuffing)

Mocha Aloo Tarkari (Banana Flower & Potato)

2007-10-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

A good part of Bengal is blessed with banana trees, thus every part of the plant finds a place in Bengali food. Leaves are used in place of Plates; and stems (called Thor), flowers (called Mocha) and fruits are consumed as food. Cutting and preparing the Mocha before cooking the dish is very time taking. Here is the link to how Bengalis cut the Mocha http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA2PbucleD

Cutting the Mocha

Tear off one Purple Petal at a time, take out the florets underneath the petal. Discard the purple petal.
Take out the Stigma and the Sepal, leave the stamens. Discard the stigma and sepal from each floret.
Bunch together the florets and chop finely.
Soak the chopped Mocha in a bowl full of water, with some salt & turmeric in it for 2-3 hours.
Strain the chopped Mocha and pressure cook it with some fresh water for one or two whistles. Open the cooker, strain out all the water by squeezing the Mocha tightly (this water becomes very bitter, so discard it). Now, the Mocha is ready for further cooking. Phew!!

Slice thinly some potatoes and grate some ginger.

How to Cook

Heat oil, preferably mustard oil. Add some Jeera (cumin seeds) and one Sukhno Lanka (dried red chili), let it splutter.
Add the sliced potatoes and fry for some time, then add the ginger, fry some more.
Now add the Mocha, salt & turmeric.
Stir fry altogether until the potatoes are cooked, keep adding oil if required when stirring.

You can add grated coconut in this dish, most Bengalis do. But, personally I don't like it except for Chingri Malai Curry and Chholar Daal.

First Post...

2007-10-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

When I created this blog a long time back, I had a lot of time to waste around, no kids, husband was a doctoral student and now when I have got a toddler to follow all around the house, round the clock and a very busy Professor husband gorging all the time, I finally took the pain to take some time to write something in it.

Now coming to the main theme of this blog, Rannaghar which means Kitchen in Bengali is the most important room of a Bengali house. Bengalis are famous for devouring Panchpad meaning five dishes apart from the steamed white rice in a single meal which is now a rare sight. Being a Bengali, most of my recipes are from the region. But I do cook dishes from others parts of my country too. Recipes, straight from Aditi's Rannghar coming soon. {sounds like a TV commercial :-) }