E(N)chor Chingri / Raw Jackfruit with Prawns

Distinctively  Bengalis are famous for their love for Jackfruit. Whether it is raw or ripe Bengalis are always head over heel in love with this Vegie/fruit. At the age of our Grannies the houses with stretched field were always cluttered with the Mango, Guava, Coconut, Banana, Papaya, Jamun/Java Plum, Tamarind, Kul/Boroi/Jujube trees and common among all was the Jackfruit tree. It is so common and a deliciously cooked dish when it's raw, we Bengalis love to call it the Vegetable Meat. The most delectable part of it is, out of one Vegie so many dishes can be cooked.  But the ripe Jackfuit is many a times an allergy enhancer for many. Even the strong flavour sometimes annoys too many. But the best part of it that everything of this Tree along with the wood, fruit, and the seeds are useful. I first tasted this dish in a party and fallen in love with first bite. So planned to make it at home. Thanks to Soumi  Naha one of my  sister like friends for helping me to cook the dish.

If you ask about the food value it is very nutritious.

"The edible jackfruit is made of soft, easily-digestible flesh (bulbs); when eaten, its simple sugars like glucose and fructose can quickly replenish one's energy and bring on a physical sense of euphoria and revitalization. A portion of 100 g of edible raw jackfruit provides about 95 calories and is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin C, providing about 13.7 mg. Jackfruit seeds are rich in protein.

Fresh jackfruit has small amounts of vitamin-A, flavonoid pigments such as carotene-ß, xanthin, lutein and cryptoxanthin-ß. Together, these compounds play vital roles in antioxidant and vision functions. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining integrity of mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A, and carotenes has been found to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Jackfruit is rich in B-complex vitamins, with large amounts of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), niacin, riboflavin, and folate. Fresh jackfruit provides potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron. Potassium provides cell and body fluids that help regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

Jackfruit can be a good bulk laxative because of its dietary fiber which helps to protect mucous membranes in the colon by decreasing exposure time and binding to cancer-causing chemicals. "(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit)

Ingredients:

E(N)chor/ raw Jackfruit: 1 small

Bagda Chingri/Prawns- 12-14 pieces (You can use Kucho Chingri/ shrimp too)

Potato- 1-2 medium (cut in cubes)

Onion- 1 medium

Ginger paste- 1 table spoon

Turmeric Powder- 1 tspn

Cumin Powder- 1 tspn

Coriander Powder-  1 tspn

Red Chilli Powder- 1 tspn

Powdered Garam Masala- 1/2 tspn

Cumin Seeds (whole)- 1 tspn

Mustard oil- 2tbspn +  2tbspn + to cut the E(N)chor/jackfruit as much as u need.

Ghee-  1-2 drops

Method:

First you have to cut the E(N)chor/Jackfruit. Whenever you cut it follow the tips:

1. Spread a thick layer of news paper on the platform on which you are going to cut the E(N)chor/Jackfruit. The sap is very sticky that comes out of the vegetable so be careful.
2. Before starting the cutting procedure apply a good amount of mustard oil on your hands and palms.
3. Then skinned the vegetable and cut it in small cubes. If you feel the seeds are too hard then remove it and use the flesh only.

1. Take a pressure cooker (optional) and cook the  E(N)chor/Jackfruit with a pinch of turmeric powder, little bit of salt and  water till its semi cooked. (If you are cooking the  E(N)chor/Jackfruit in pressure cooker then just wait for 1-2 whistles and then put it off stove). Strain the E(N)chor/Jackfruit and reserve.
2. Take a Kadai/ Pan add Oil. Fry the Potatoes and the Prawns separately semi- brown and reserve.
3. Grind the onion, ginger and tomato in to smooth paste.
4. If you need more oil add little bit. Let the oil get heated properly then add the whole cumin seeds. When it will start to splutter add the onion tomato paste and fry till the oil start to separate and the whole mixer looks dark brown but be careful not to burn it.
5. Add Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander and Red Chilli Powder, sauté for a few seconds then add 1/4 cup water. Let all the masala get mixed properly then add the Potato. Fry for sometime then add E(N)chor/Jackfruit. Fold all together  nicely  and add 1 cup water and let the water boil.
6. When the water will start to boil add the prawns and cook till the potato gets properly cooked and the water totally dried up. Add the Garam Masala Powder and ghee, fold it nicely, then serve hot with plain rice.

Read More

An Evening spent with Preeti Shenoy, Agnimitra Paul & Arupa Lahiry at the Book Launch of The Secret Wish List (Starmarks, South city Mall, Kolkata)

Presented by Starmark, at South City Mall, Kolkata, the book launch of The Secret Wish List by Preeti Shenoy was a great success. Meeting the Author in person, anchored by Arupa Lahiry and the honourable guest invitee, renowned fashionista Agnimitra Paul, was like leading to a land of mesmerism with all the discussions on the novel, thoughts provoking to it, prolonged with a question-answer session. Preeti Shenoy had written already three novels and this one was the fourth one. I had read Preeti Shenoy’s third novel Tea for Two and a Piece of Cake and literally liked it, reviewed it.  

Meeting an Author in person is always a gainsaying job when prior attachment and an elusive relationship grow in between his/ her works and the reader. We, readers always portray a naïve calibre about the Author through the reads come to our way. So when we meet an Author in person it becomes quite challenging to confront him/her to match with the fictitious portrayal that we already created in our mind. But when I met Preeti Shenoy, I was too happy and inspired by her humble and down to earth characteristics. Preeti was a lady who could easily inspire anybody, too resonating and energetic when she spoke and above all too friendly who talked individually with her fans and gave her autographs to us.

The Famous Books and stationary retailers and one of the biggest uprising chain of book stores in Kolkata, Starmarks organised the launch of the Book The Secret Wish List on 26th April'13 at 6.30pm at their South City Mall book store. With a minimum of 20 audience, Author Preeti Shenoy, Fashion Designer Agnimitra Paul and anchor Arupa Lahiry, the launch event had become a booming success. I reached to the session a little late so I missed the exact moment when the book got launched. But other way lucky enough to be a part of the discussion that sprung up slowly through a question-answer dissertation. I enjoyed and loved the part when the discussion bloomed on about the Search of Identity of women and how could they achieve it. Preeti referred to homemaker's frustration and how can they too earn their Identity.  In India she referred women were mostly designated as someone's daughter or someone's wife or someone's mother.  That was one of the points that inspired Preeti to write something about the Indian woman and their daily frustration and how to cope up with it. Every woman has a dream imbedded inside her to secure a respected place for her and prove her Identity. That was what Preeti said, she wanted to portray in her latest novel The Secret Wish list, where the protagonist Diksha became from Nothing to Something. Angimitra Paul also added strong vibes how her women artisans were able to acquire their own Identity and became the proud earning members of their families.  Literally got motivated when Agnimitra Paul referred that her show stoppers for the Fashion shows were sometimes the common workers of her leading organization.

Arupa, when asked about the inspirations behind the book, Preeti shared some short anecdotes with us.  One I am sharing here:

"One lady was abandoned by her husband she was expecting that time. After some years she moved to USA with her daughter and on a snowy evening she sat with her daughter and playfully wrote 11 wishes listed down on a plain book. Before start writing the fiction Preeti talked to the lady and she informed that 9 out of those 11 wishes came true."

Talking about Diksha the Protagonist of the book did something of her own from zero to success. So Preety said that she did believe in the law of attraction what we did believe that really sometimes had come true.  Therefore at the end of her book she added an empty page which was quite a novel idea what I felt, titled it:

"What is your wish list? Go on write it down. You never know how it can change your life."

Preeti aded: "Unless and until you are writing down your wishes you are not giving a concrete shape to it".

Preeti is here launching her fourth fiction but she is already on to her fifth one. And she was characterised as a Voracious writer by Arupa. Preeti pointed out all the characters in her novel were borrowed from her own life and she had a real life experience with it.

Preeti confidently declares this book was different from her other novels and she ensured that everybody would like the book. And Arupa vouched for it when she shared her story while starting reading this book she denied visiting an invitation only because she could not leave the book in between. For her this book was absolutely a page turner and unputdownable. Arupa also wished for The Secret Wish List that may be in future it might be got screened as it has the perfect Cinematographic elements in it and Preeti wished too with her fingers crossed.

A glimpse of the Question & Answer session in between Preeti and the audience:

1.    How long you used to write?

Ans: I used to work for 8 to 10 hours a day. It took almost 8 months. 

2.    It is seen in the different part of the book you challenged the stereotypes.  Did you?

Ans: Yes I did challenge somewhere the stereotypes what I tried to illustrate in the book.

The overall experience of the event was wonderful. Preeti Shenoy herself looked very young, vibrating and enthusiastic and through her conversation she compelled us to listen to her that much confident and attitude she carried with her. Love the way Agnimitra Paul carried herself. With the minimum make up and not a single accessory on her, she is a true beauty and soft speaker too. Quite moved by the magnificent anchoring by Arupa Lahiry who is a professional dancer and studied English literature. She was well versed and swung the event giving totally a relaxed feeling creating a homely atmosphere. 

All is well when it ends well. I returned home almost flying high with pride with the exquisite joy of talking to the author in person and having her own signature in my copy of The Secret Wish List as a lifelong asset.

To know more about Preeti Shenoy visit her website and she is an avid blogger too: http://www.preetishenoy.com/

Review on The Secret Wish list will be coming shortly..

Read More

The First Kolkata Food Bloggers' Meet at Haka, City Center I, Kolkata

The Confident and Talented Kolkata Food Bloggers. Picture Courtesy: Sarani Tarafder

The day at last came when our long waited dream came true.  On 28th April'13 (Sunday), at Haka ( City Center I, Kolkata), a group of 7 out of 13 (now 15) Food Bloggers in Kolkata were able to gather in one place and spent happy 4 hours extending the discussions on knowing each other, Food talks and sharing chitchat laughs with glee. We were all attached and knew each other virtually through our Blogs and Facebook. But when we met face to face we didn't feel that we never met before in reality. All girls were too sweet and confident enough to continue any discussion at any extend. Our new family made us too proud to introduce ourselves as the Food Bloggers in Kolkata.

We shared beautifully packed tasty gifts from our food blogger friends. Mainly we enjoyed the taste of Godiva gifted by Archita and the homemade stunning cake with a heart shape inserted in it by Amrita. Gifts from anybody are always very special. But when it comes from somebody very special the gifts become a more than a gift, a relic of the special moment. We wanted to keep it forever, but the edible part of it created a different story. So we chose to better gobble it up, savour it and treasure the taste forever with us. 

Now we are also happy to announce that Kolkata has also a good number of Food Bloggers like the other cities and these talented bon vivants now will be seen often with the updates of meets in various eateries with some food updates too. So without wasting a single moment, let me introduce the Kolkata Food Bloggers:

1. Arundhuti Rama blogs at My Saffron Kitchen
2. Amrita Gill blogs at Sweet 'n' Savoury 
3. Archita Chanda Ray blogs at My food My life
4. Poorna Banerjee blogs at Presented by P 
5. Sarani Tarafdar blogs at Cocoawind 
6. Sanoli Ghosh blogs at  Sanoli's Kitchen     
7. Kamalika C blogs at Silence Sings

And those who were not able to turn up on the first meet are:

1. Sayantani Mahapatra blogs at A Homemaker's Diary
2. Indrani Dhar blogs at Recipe Junction 
3. Mugdha Mohanti blogs at Cooking Fundas 
4. Radhika Harlakar blogs at The Flavor Carousel
5. Antra Ray blogs at Antypasti 

                 6.. Chandrani Banerjee writes for Cuisine Delights (Presently out of town for a long term project)
 I would now like to give a short review on the restaurant where our meet took place:

Restaurant Review on Haka, City Center I, Kolkata:

Cuisine: Chinese

Ambiance: 3/5

Food: 2.5/5

Service: 3/5

Price: 345/- + Tax (weekend buffet price)

Our Meet took place on Sunday and the restaurant opens at 12.30pm on weekends. We, few of the early birds reached before 12.30 pm and waited till the gate got opened. The ambiance was OK. Like other Chinese restaurants it's been decorated with the  Feng Shui stuffs and red dominated chairs and tables.  We chose the option to go for buffet. The Starter options were limited in to two veg and one non-veg dish. The taste of the starters were not up to the mark. The red chili fried chicken was mostly found with bones and tendons rather than flesh but the taste was good. The main course spread was also welcomed with limited options. Again the taste was not very good but nice. And the dessert I preferred not to go for any as they didn't enrich my taste buds much. When we ordered for Sweet lime we were served the cooler in room temperature and had to add ice separately to chill it.  The waiters were quite strange too. We kept on calling them in thought that they didn't get us. But they prompted their services without any fail what we asked for without a single gesture of letting us know of their acknowledgement. But what we noticed that as the hours increased the restaurant got too crowded and yes couples, families, groups, everyone was enjoying the place. Even we were informed by friends who had tasted Haka earlier that the taste of a-la-carte was much better than the buffet one. But yes Haka is the cheapest Chinese buffet till now in my visiting list. The overall experience was satisfactory, but couldn't mark it good.

Picture Courtesy: Sarani Tarafdar.

Read More

Mocha Chingri / Banana Blossom with Prawns

I never claim that I always cook the original dish rather my cooking style is always fusion oriented. Yes I love to experiment. I read a lot about food and how it was done. I talk about food with my mother, mother- in- law, friends, foodies et al. But when it comes to cook a dish in my kitchen, I cook it in my way according to my family's and my taste. And I always love to leave a sign of myself by giving a twist in that dish. And that becomes my signature special dish. Just Kidding. Like here the original Mocha Chingri is cooked with kucho chingri/Shrimps (as I heard from others), but here I used Bagda Chingri/Prawns. And it really comes out well. The part this dish I didn't like is the taste of the Mocha/Banana Blossom. I bought a peeled pack from the hyperlink market. But it was not that fresh and when it was cooked it took quite a long time to chew and munch and the jaws got strained. So remember to use a fresh one. Sometimes Mocha/Banana blossom tends to be found bitter too. So before buying one verify it. Now don't ask me how!!! I always go to the market and rely on the vendor like a blind one. Yea I know, I have a long way to go and to learn so many things.

If  you want to about the Nutritional value of Mocha/Banana Blossom, read here:

"Nutrition: Banana flowers, similarly to bananas are an excellent source of potassium, plus vitamin’s A, C and E. According to research at the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, which studied the flowers of musa paradisiaca, banana flowers have tremendous nutritional value, being a good source of fiber and protein. The flowers contain a class of phytochemicals known as saponins. Saponins lower LDL ,or bad cholesterol, boost our immunity against infection and are thought to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. They also have antioxidant activity and so can reduce our risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease. Banana flowers are also an excellent source of flavonoids. These phytochemicals found in many plant based foods help prevent damage to DNA cells by neutralizing free radicals. They also help lower cholesterol, are anti-inflammatory, anticancer and anti-aging."

Source:http://food-nutrition.knoji.com/banana-flowers-or-banana-blossom-culinary-uses-and-nutritional-value/

Ingredients:

Mocha (Banana Blossoms) - 1 Medium size/ 2cups (I used store bought ready to cook packet)

Bagda Chingri/Prawn- 11-12

Bayleaf - 1 medium

Whole Garam Masala- 1-2 (Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon)

Ginger  Paste- 1 tspn,

Cumin Powder - 1 tspn

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 + 1/2 tspn

Coriander Powder- 1tspn

Salt and Sugar as per taste...

Ghee - few drops

Oil - As per requirement

Method:

1. If you are using the whole mocha/banana blossom them you have to remove the blossoms after peeling away the outer leaves and clean. Then you have to take out a stem inside and chop finely. (See HERE how to peel a banana blossom)
2. Boil the chopped mocha for 15mnts adding little bit of salt and 1/4 tspn  turmeric powder.
3. Strain the excess water and reserve.
4. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a Kadai or in a pan. Fry the Prawns and keep it aside.
5. Heat  oil (if you have some extra oil left from the prawns use that by adding little bit more if required) in the same Kadai/Pan.  Add bay leaf and the garam masala.
6. Add the blossoms, mix well and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add ginger paste, turmeric powder and the cumin powder (dissolved in very small amount of water). Fry for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the Prawns/chingri, salt, and sugar. Mix well and add in 1/4 cup of water. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until most water dried out.  Add few drops of ghee and serve hot with rice.

Note:

1. The best is to use kucho chingri/shripms when you make Mocha chingri.
2. Always use the fresh Mocha/ Banana Blossom, it tastes much better than the Peeled store bought packs and I am telling you from my experience.

Read More

Tomato Chicken

All over India the month Baishakh is celebrated by different names and cultural festivity.  Each festival is so vibrant in its own way and sharing each other's regional ethnic fete brings us more close to each other.  Mainly when you are very much active in to some social networking site, you cannot turn your face from the celebration stories from the different part of the world and mainly when the spread of scrumptious food is continuously getting updated on the wall. But where one part of the world was busy in rejoicing the merriment, the other part got victimized by some fanatic disaster. The blast in Boston just ended our New Year celebration in a sad tune.  Still I was not able to understand the advantage of taking so many innocent lives in the name of terrorism. The world is moving forward to create a flourishing civilization, on the other hand, a few rabid people making it worst by their lunatic apprehension of creating a different world.  When and how it will get stopped God knows. But I pray for the healthy and long living for each and everybody lives in this beautiful world.

Coming to the recipe. I always prefer to cook with very less oil. But this dish I cooked using a heavy amount of oil. This is totally optional using the amount of the oil you want to use. Excess oil enriches the taste for sure. I mainly loved the flavor of the star anise and curry leaves blended so well with the chicken and gave a pungent savour fluxed in the dish. If you prefer the tanginess then add more tomatoes as per you choice. I always prefer a medium tinge of tart so I used moderate amount of tomatoes. So now let’s move to the dish :

Ingredients:

Chicken: 400gm

Tomato- 3-4 big (Depends on the tangy taste how much you like)

Onion- 3 small

Garlic- 8-9 cloves whole

Ginger Paste- 1 tbspn

Turmeric Powder- 1 tspn

Cumin Powder- 1 tspn

Coriander Powder-  1 tspn

Red Chilli Powder- 1 tspn

Star Anise- 2-3 Flowers

Curry Leaves- Handful

White Oil- less than half cup (You can use much less oil too)

Salt- as per taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a Kodai or a deep dense Pan. 

2. Add Star anise, curry leaves and Garlic cloves. When the garlic turns brown add the onion paste. 

3. Fry till it turns brown. Add chopped tomatoes and the ginger paste. 

4. Sauté till the tomatoes blend well with the onion, add the chicken, salt and all other Masalas. 

5. Cover and cook in slow flame till the chicken is well cooked. Serve hot with Rice/ Roti/ Pulao or Fried rice.

Read More

Apple Yoghurt

Wish you all my friends and Readers Shubho Nababarsho (Happy Bengali New year). This is for the first time I will be celebrating our Bengali new year in Kolkata. And the experience is different. Before I start the inquisitive experience of my Kolkata New year celebration let me first share few memories which I cherish most whenever the Nababarsho/ Bengali new year tunes in. I have already shared this experience before again I am sharing the same with you.

On this auspicious occasion of Bengali New year, I would like to share few of my childhood memories which are engraved in my heart so deeply that every year on this very day I feel profoundly nostalgic and sad to get those days back.

I always felt exceedingly blessed when I thought that I had completed my education from Visva- Bharati Santiniketan, a place founded by Rabindranath Tagore. The natural beauty of the place infuses its elegance through the mode of education. The freedom of creativity and thoughts always evinced through the various festivals celebrated on the auspicious occasions of special calendar events. The potentiality of a talented soul do always gushes out in the form of initiation which leads to build up a strong relationship between hearts and an integrated world.  

During my school days this Bengali New Year celebration used to start a week back. Those days are crystal clear in front of me. I can still visualise the little girl holding her mother’s or father’s hand heading towards the crafts shop to buy a bunch of white blank cards with full of excitement. The next few days run within a fraction of moment with full concentration on filling the blank cards with all those imaginary creative mentations. In our school the best part of Naba Barsho (New Year in Bengali) celebration is the exchange of these self created cards. Each and every student used to create cards by his/her own hand and would gift it to his/her friends or would make friends by exchanging the cards. The new day becomes emblematic for inviting new friends, divulging one’s talent through the cards and a learning process of acculturation. Now coming to a matured age I realise the hidden truth of the festivity. But at that time that was only a satiated fun to amplify the friends’ group and also an exhibition of talents. Self written short poems used to be scripted in the cards too. 

Another fun of this day was to stand in a long line in the scorching heat only to get a Kachori and two sweets. In our school premise this collation used to be distributed to the students on this day. These most common bites used to become too tasty and worthful on this very day only. Now I am never going to get back those days, the tastes. Only what I have the fragrance of the sweet retention and an urge to make alive few of those memories through my daughter. My father has few of those New Year cards made by my sister and me in his collection. Sometime I will surely share those with you all. (Published HERE before..)

This year in Kolkata, the experience is bit different. Here I find Nababarsho means the set of new clothes and the delectable spread of traditional Bengali delicacies. All the restaurants are vibrant with the colourful flyers of the alluring dishes they are going to offer on the very day of Naba Barsho. The shops are high on sales and people are taking the full advantage of it. Besides everything what I realise, is Bengali New Year’s main jubilation is rejoicing the food carnival. And being a boosted food blogger again, I am taking the full fun of it. Any ways let me now come to the recipe what I prepared to celebrate New Year at my home. Yoghurt again but this time it is APPLE YOGHURT. So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Apple- 1 large

Thick curd - 1 cup (I used Amul's Masti doi)

Condensed Milk - 1 tin (400g pack)

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven in to 140 degree C.
2. Skin and seed the apple and grind it in to a smooth paste.
3. Beat the curd in a smooth paste so that no lump can be seen.
4. Add  the condensed milk and the apple paste and blend together nicely.
5. Take ramekins or an oven proof pan. Pour the mixture in it and bake it for 25-35mnts.  Pls keep on checking pricking a toothpick until it comes out smooth.
6. Take out from the oven and cool it. Then refrigerate for an hour and serve with garnished apple slices and cherries.

Note:

If you love the strong apple flavour then I would suggest you to add 2 apples instead of 1. Because after making this I had a very mild flavour of apple.

Read More

Bagda Chingrir Malaikary/ Malaykari

Do you know what the difference between Bagda Chingri and Galda Chingri is? If you are a Bengali you must be laughing at me. But to be frank I didn't know the difference until I hit the fish Market in Kolkata. Being a Bengali it must be an utter shame not knowing religiously about the fishes on which you live soulfully.  Before my marriage I was a meat lover and a choosy fish lover. But after getting married to Kolkata I was introduced to the wide range or variegated species of sweet water fish. I never knew that there was such a huge fish family exists with so many different names and tastes.  And when I moved to USA for 6 years I totally enjoyed the sea food. Starting from clams to scallop, squid to octopus, salmon to shark, shrimp to lobster whatever it is, I enjoyed exceedingly each and every bite of it. After coming back again to Kolkata I then come to know about the difference between the Bagda Chingri and the Galda Chingri.  I recognize and remember  in this way- The small headed prawns which are mostly know as Tiger Prawns are called Bagda Chingri in Bengal. And those with the big heads, famous as Scampi are called Galda Chingri in Bengal. Both are famous and both cannot be beaten in taste. But if you ask me I prefer the Bagda Chingri or the Tiger Prawns much. The big heads now don't enrich my taste buds much.

When it comes to Bengali cuisine, Chingri dishes are one of the indispensable parts of any ceremony or festive occasion. Bengalis are voracious Chingri/Prawn lovers and their kitchens are always ready to welcome Chingri at any time. Though many suffer from the Chingri/Prawns intake allergies, Chingri is still largely accepted to the crowd. Being one of the major Bengali delicacies Chingri Malaikari/Malaykari is most commonly cooked in the Bengali kitchens. But apart from Malaikari chingri , Bhapa Chingri, Dub Chingri, Shorshe Chingri, are very famous too. And Coconut or coconut milk pairs with Chingri most of the time in its exotic and delectable way.

What is the original recipe of cooking Chingri malaikari, it's hard to explain. Sometimes it's been seen the use of only coconut milk, not the use of grated coconut. Sometimes both are used. Sometimes the Mustard paste will be omitted. So there are many versions and variations on cooking a particular dish. I shared how I prefer to cook and how my family enjoys devouring it. I always prefer to cook which taste wise will be blissful. So here is the recipe of Bagda Chingrir Malaikari/Malaykari. 

Ingredients:

Badga Chingri/ Prawns: 12-13 medium size

Onion - 2 big sliced

Ginger paste-  1 table spoon

Tomato- 1 small

Yoghurt- 2 table spoons

**Mustered Paste- 2 table spoons (pls check the notes below {a})

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

**Coconut Milk- 1 cup (pls check the notes below {b})

Turmeric Powder- 1/2 + 1 tea spoon

Cumin Powder- 1 tea spoon

Coriander Powder- 1 tea spoon

Red chilli Powder- 1/2 tea spoon

Whole Garam Masala- 1-2 (Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon)

Salt and Sugar as per to taste.

Mustard Oil- 4 tbspn + 2 Tblspn (More or less)

**Water- 1/2 cup (pls check the notes below {c})

Ghee- 2-3 drops (optional)

Method:

1. Mix 1/2 tspn turmeric powder and 1/2 tspn salt with the Prawns.

2. If you are using readymade mustard powder then soak the powder for 10mnts in water and then add the yoghurt, mix it well and reserve. (Pls see the notes below how to make your own mustard paste).

3.  Heat 4tblspn oil and shallow fry the Prawns and reserve.

4. If you have enough oil then no need to add oil. But if you don't have then add 2 tblspn oil.  Add Garam Masala and then the sliced onion. Fry till the onions turn brown. Add tomato and ginger.

5. When the Tomato is well blended with onion add the grated coconut. Fry them for couple of minutes more and then add the mustard yoghurt paste. And all the powdered masalas. Sauté nicely until the whole gravy commingled well.

6. Add water (Pls see the notes below how to make mustard paste at home) and bring in to boil. Add the Prawns and cook more 5mnts more. Add salt and sugar. This dish tends to taste little bit sweetish. So when you will add sugar be generous but not that much enough to turn it in to a sweet dish.

7. Add the coconut milk (Pls see the notes below how to make  coconut milk at home) and cook on high flame until the gravy turns semi thick. Add ghee and serve with rice or pulao.

Notes:

{a} How to make homemade mustard paste: Soak the 3 table spoons of  mustard seeds for an hour. Add 1 tspn poppy seed and a green chilli then grind it to a fine paste.

 If you are using a coffee grinder then don’t soak the mustard seeds. Just grind along with all adding few drops of lemon juice.

{b} How to make home made coconut milk: If you want to make fresh coconut milk , then first grate the coconut. Grind it and strain as much as milk out from the coconut. Keep that milk aside. Now take warm water and slowly add in the coconut and again strain out as much as milk you can. Keep the both the milk separately.

{C} Important: Where I used water you will use the warm water mixed coconut milk. Other procedure will be same.

If you are not comfortable with the mustard paste and the grated coconut then don't use them. Still the dish will taste scrumptious.
If you are not using Mustard paste then don't use the yoghurt. Instead of using a small tomato use a medium sized one.

Read More

Green Chilli Dry Chicken

Aw you Blog on Food!!!! Then you must know everything about Food… 

This has become a common attitude towards the Food Bloggers, came to my notice recently.  You all must be thinking why I have raised this topic. There is of course a reason behind it. Food bloggers I think you will agree with me, every day we receive many queries regarding food. Some queries tune pleasant some totally not -how to cook a dish, a recipe of a particular dish, to solve a food related problem etc. And if sometime we cannot satisfy a query then we are standing on the edge of criticism that a food blogger failed to answer.  Today let me clear something to my readers (read non bloggers). I will extend my discussion through a question answer session:

1. What is a Blog?

Precisely: A blog is "a Web site on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.”It can be personal or professional.

2. Who can Blog?

Anyone can blog on any subject. Blogging is the paradigm of one's creative mind and creative outlook.

3. Why do we blog?

If one asks each blogger this question I think the most common answer will be -"I started suddenly to play with my thoughts and now it has become the passion." Most of the bloggers didn't start a blog in planned way. They wanted to get a "Me time" and blogging is the reflection of their 'Me time'. Their thoughts, their interaction with the world, their daily experiences, their originative ideas, everything reflects in the blogs what they feel is worth to share. And being a Food Blogger we are not the goddess of the culinary world. The main reason we blog because we love to cook and spend some time sharing this with the world in a little bit creative way. What we cook in our everyday life we share and present it in a decent way to the world. Don't think it's just a minute’s job to click a picture, write an introduction, the recipe and post it. It was never so easy and not yet now. Rather day by day it has become more challenging to rectify our flaws, enhance our knowledge and bring the utmost perfection to our creations.

When I started blogging, I never thought to be channelized to the world of food blogging. The blogging journey started narrating down my thoughts, sometimes what I cooked for my family etc. I was then all alone, crazily waiting for a follower, for a comment.  I was then a very poor photographer, not have a single idea of what food styling is actually called and food photography. Still now I am just a novice. But one thing to assure that I have improved a lot. And this journey was never so easy. We Food bloggers are very much dedicated to our works. And we strain out the time from our daily busy life in food styling and Food photography which is always not tad easy. The set up for food photography, collecting the props, arranging them, to find a proper light to click and again to clean up the place like something never happened before. Then we have to edit the snaps, write and post it. Initially we used to blog for our pleasure and fun. But now it has become a quintessential part of our life. We blog for our readers who keep on expecting what we come up with next. And at the same time we cherish our "Me time" here, inhale the pride of our own creative world.

4. What are the differences between a food blogger and non food blogger?

Now those who are not blogging aren't they a good cook. This notion is absolutely wrong. Our grandmother, mother they never blog on food. But most of our recipes passed to us through them only. What we learn from them reflect here. Even every day we are learning and sharing that through our blogs. We never declare that we are the perfect cook because we blog. Rather we blog to share what we learned. And we are learning this sometimes from our fellow bloggers and sometimes from the exotic cooks who shares their neighborhood with us. Even I have learnt so many recipes from my cook maid too. So let me clear as Chef Gusto (From the movie Ratatouille) has said:"Anyone can cook", yes any one can and at the same time anyone can blog too. The only thing is you have to spend few extra hours for you only and to become well versed to pen down on what you want to share with the world. I would like to encourage non food bloggers to blog and share your potentiality with the world.

5. Why are we so proud on our blogs?

Now do I need to explain this anymore? Yes, we are very much proud of our blog. Because apart from showing off our talents we mainly blog to relax our brain and mind. Criticism is always welcome; because if you readers never point us about our flaws we will never gain our knowledge and improve ourselves. But before criticising please review your points too. As I have told, don't expect us that we Food Bloggers are the Encyclopedia of the Foodie world. We share what we have learned and you can always generate our knowledge my your valuable comments. Writers and readers are the true friends and incomplete without each other. And we always value and respect our readers' comments and criticism. But at the same time criticism from the dullards are never acceptable.

Now let me move to the recipe Green Chilli Dry Chicken. This recipe is shared by my very good friends. I have twisted a bit and cooked it in my own way. Yesterday the man made this chicken again but he made his own way. He pasted all the Masala (Onion, garlic, ginger, onion, tomatoes, capsicum, seeded green chilli, turmeric powder, Cumin powder and coriander powder) together, mixed the paste with the chicken (with bone) and cooked it in a low flame till it dried up and cooked well. And it tasted awesome. Cooking is an art and based on one recipe you can customise it in so many ways. And this is a perfect example what we bloggers do generally. We customise a dish based on a recipe; cook it in our own way and blog on it. Many of you non-bloggers also do the same thing I think. We do just an extra job by blogging it.  So now moving to my recipe:

Ingredients:

Chicken- 300gm (I used boneless, cut in cubes)

Capsicum- 1 large

Seeded Green Chilies- as much as you can (Depends on the chilli intake)

Ginger- 1 table spoon (Grated)

Garlic- 5-6 cloves

Onion- 1 large (sliced)

Mushroom- 7-8 Florets.

Lemon juice- 1 table spoon

Vinegar- 1 tspn

Salt & Sugar as per taste. 

Method:

1. Grind the capsicum, green chillies, Garlic and ginger in a smooth paste. Then marinate the chicken with the chilli paste , vinegar , lemon juice and salt for an hour or so.
2. Heat oil and add the sliced onion. When it turns semi brown add the chicken and keep on frying in low flame. When the chicken is half done add the mushroom. And the fry until the chicken is done on a high flame.
3. Your Green Chilli Dry Chicken is ready. Serve hot with rice or roti. Even it will be great combo with noodles too.

Note:

1. I have given it a little bit Chinese look by adding less chillies adding  no masalas and by adding mushrooms. Actually this can be cooked in the indianised form too by adding masalas like Turmeric, coriander, cumin powder and using onion paste as I mentioned above.
2. To get the recipes on indianised Green Chilli Chicken click HERE and HERE.

Read More