Masala Poorie / Puri

Chholar Dal or Chana Dal was already carried forward from Lunch. Hence the Puri with a twist!

Though we Bongs are partial towards 'Phulko Luchi'...Poories made of Maida, Covid restrictions and limited supplies prompted me to improvise with whatever was available.... and here goes the recipe of Masala Poorie

Ingredients as per my availability: can be tweaked around to suit taste and availability

Maida - about 1/2 cup

Ata (whole wheat flour) - 3 cups almost

Hing /Asafoetida - 1 tbsp

Chili flake - 1 tbsp

Ajwain - 1.5 tbsp

Salt

Sugar

Ghee- 1 heaped tbsp

Curd (because it was available)-a bowl approx

Warm water

Procedure :

Mix the dry ingredients.

Then mix the ghee followed by curd and warm water....knead

Roll into poories and fry....

I served with Chholar Dal...

Anything like Alu Dum, Chhole, Chutney will do....even just like that...warm puffed spicy poorie tastes awesome!

Lau Chingri

Bottle Gourd with Shrimps

The addition of Shrimps (Kucho Chingri) to the humble Lau (Bottle Gourd) has elevated this dish to  an exalted position in the world of Bong gastronomy. The 'Lau Chingri' didnt stop at conquering the heart of the Bong gourmet, but inspired the cult folk song from Opar Bangla "Saadher Lau banailo more Boiragi" !

Coming to the recipe, here it goes :

Ingredients : 

Lau / Bottle Gourd- chopped into small pieces

Pumpkin julienne-a small qty ..about 1/3 the quantity of Lau

Shrimps-de-veined and washed

Panch phoron-1 tsp

Tej pata -1

Shukno lonka / whole dry red chili

Grated/paste of ginger

Holud/turmeric

Jeera powder

Green chili

Dhonepata / Coriander leaves-chopped

Ata (whole wheat flour)- 1 tbsp

Ghee

Salt

Sugar

Procedure :

1.Steam the chopped lau + julienned pumpkin

2. In a Kadhai, heat oil and season with Panch Phoron.

3. When the phoron is crackling, throw in Tej pata, Shukno lonka followed by the washed and de-veined shrimps.

4. After frying the shrimps add ginger, turmeric, jeera powder followed by salt and a pinch of sugar.

5. Now add the steamed chopped lau + julienned pumpkin into the spice mix in the kadhai.         

6. Stir it around..no water is to be added as white gourd gives out water.                                  

7.Keep it covered for a few minutes till the vegetables are cooked. Remove the cover...let the moisture evaporate.

8. Once the veggie-shrimp is done, sprinkle a spoonful of Ata to help dry up excess moisture and make the dish 'maakha-maakha'.

9. Finish of with dhonepata, slit green chilies and a dash of ghee.

10. Serve with steamed rice

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Phish Phash / Pish Pash...what's in a name ;)?

A gentle nudge from friends reminded me that I have a Cooking Blog. It has been sitting idle, gathering (virtual) dust for the past 2 years or so. Not that I haven't cooked...I have. But blogging about food is a tad bit more cumbersome than cooking food.

A microorganism is holding up the whole world of the mot superior being at ransom...the whole human world is under forced hibernation. While the more fortunate ones are cooped up within the confines of their home, praying for safety and good health, the others are stranded far away from home, alone, scared and helpless. Among the millions of Covid related forwards doing their rounds in the virtual space, one which struck me somewhere said "A vaccine for the Human Virus has finally been found ...Corona....which will heal mother Earth"! What a sad state of affairs we have brought ourselves to...

Well in these troubled times, when supplies, though regular (till now) are limited and cooking simple yet finger licking food is a daily challenge, remembering Phish Phash was like a God Send.  

This is  comfort food I remember from my childhood, especially  from the after-fever-bitter-taste-zero appetite phase. I remember the soft aromatic rice with melt-in-the-mouth-mutton, carrot-peas-potato drizzled with dollops of butter....Aaahhhh bliss!

With chicken in the fridge, I proceeded with the chicken version of the above one pot comfort food!

Ingredients for 10 generous helpings and some more

Gobindobhog Rice - 750gm

Curry cut chicken with bones - 1.5kg 

Carrot : 2-3 chopped into chunks

Beans - a handful -roughly chopped

Potatoes- 2-3 cut into quarters if large

Green chilies - as per taste

Any other vegetables may be added: capsicum, raw papaya, cauliflower, cabbage..all chopped roughly in chunky pieces

Ginger paste - 2 tbsp - for marination of chicken
Garlic paste - 2 tbsp - for marination of chicken

Pepper powder
Whole garam masala - Cinnamon, Green Cardamom, Peppercorns (optional), Bay leaf

Finely chopped onion-1
Onion paste-1
Chopped tomato -1
Butter

Procedure :
1. Marinate the thawed and washed chicken with ginger-garlic paste, salt and pepper for about 1/2 hour.
2. In a pressure cooker, place the marinated chicken + onion paste + chopped onion+ chopped tomatoes +whole garam masala+Pepper powder+salt+green chilies+salt. Add adequate water. Cook for 2 whistles.

3. Separate the chicken stock and the boiled chicken pieces.4. In a rice cooker place the washed Gobindobhog rice with the chunky vegetables and add the chicken stock and a bit of butter/ghee and let it cook till almost done. Add the chicken pieces. Keep the cooker on for a couple of minutes more.

5. Serve the steaming hot Phish-Phash with dollops of butter.

I dont like the rice very mushy and overcooked. 
If you like it that way, after pressure cooking the chicken, add the rice and veggies into the chicken stock in the pressure cooker. If needed, add some more more water and pressure cook for 1 whistle (gobindobhog cooks very fast)...And the mushy risotto like  Phish Phash is ready to be served

Optional : A fistful of Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) may be added along with the rice to make it an even more wholesome meal. I didnt, though...