Oh Calcutta and Bhapa Ilish

Maa and Me

Well all of you will agree there is something about 'Maa ke haath ka khana' and that is what makes my annual vacation to Calcutta even more special..

Being born and brought up in Delhi I really haven't spent many years in Calcutta (except a couple of years of schooling).. But there is something so very special about that city that once you manage a bite of the place you will savour the flavours forever..

After Baba's retirement, Maa and Baba mostly stay in Calcutta which gives me good enough reason to visit the city atleast annually.. Its a city full of amusing things, from lip-smacking street food to the hand pulled rickshaws, from the yellow cabs to the slow moving trams, the city is a wonder in itself!!!

And for me additionally is Maa, Baba, Arpi , Jiju n my cute nephew!! Obviously whenever I am there Maa makes sure she prepares all my favourite dishes!!

'Ilish' or 'Hilsa' is one Unique Fish...and being a Bong I totally love its taste..And if you manage to get hold of a fresh Hilsa make sure 'Bhapa Ilish' is the 1st thing that you cook..Maa obviously made sure I got my annual share of Hilsa this summers too. So here's presenting Maa ke haath ka 'Bhapa Ilish' or 'Steamed Hilsa'

BHAPA ILISH / STEAMED HILSA FISH

Fresh Hilsa Fish

Makes: 6-7 pieces of Fish

Fresh Mustard and Green Chilli Paste

Ingredients

6-7 pieces of freshly cut Hilsa
2 tablespoons of fresh Yellow Mustard  and Green Chilli Paste
2 teaspoons mustard oil
2-3 green chillies (slit)
Salt

Procedure

1. Wash the Hilsa pieces and sprinkle Salt and keep aside for half an hour

Preparation

2. Take a metallic container (with lid) which fits perfectly into the pressure cooker add the Mustard Oil, the Mustard and Chilli paste and some Salt

3. Put the pieces of fish inside and properly smother the mixture over the fish








4. Place the green chillies over the pieces

5. Close the lid and pressure cook till you hear one whistle then switch it off

6. When the pressure has released Serve Hot with some steamed Rice

This is one of the most popular Bengali Meals ever..Just one things you need to be an expert at picking out fish bones while eating Hilsa!

Bhapa Ilish / Steamed Hilsa Fish

Bon Appetite and Thanks Maa for making my annual trips so very memorable!

My Marriage at 21 and Mutton Kalimiri

Our Wedding

Hii..
I was just now reading a post on Facebook which talks about the usual stereotypes associated with an Indian Marriage. Like the girl should know how to cook, the girl should dress in a certain way after marriage, whether the girl should work after marriage, what about her male friends and so on..

I got married when I was 21 and not because of some social/parental pressure but because I had found that one person with whom I wanted to spend the rest of my entire life. I was still doing my Masters and honestly at 21 I hardly understood all the things associated with marriage. It was more of a 'dream come true' feeling because I was head over heels in love with N(hubby)..

But now (its been around 10yrs) when I read all this I can't thank my stars enough that I had N in my life and nobody else. The main reason being from the beginning till now N loved me the way I am..Never ever did he burden me with expectation of any sorts. I could be MYSELF in front of him ALWAYS.. I really don't know how the usual Husband-Wife relationship is cause N and Me have always been Best of Friends from the very beginning.

Its more like two friends who are in love with each other are staying together. All responsibilities together and all the fun together but giving each other sufficient space to do our own thing too, to have my own set of friends, to do things what I want to do the way I want to do!!!!

Well Thank You N, Thank you for making me feel that getting married that early wasn't an impulsive decision which one would regret later, rather something which I will cherish all my life and even later!!! Thanks for being on my side from being a total no-cook person to someone who writes a food blog now!

Now coming back to FOOD..Yes by now you can gauge that I didnot cook this one but N did.. Its called MUTTON KALIMIRI/ BLACK PEPPER LAMB. I have taken this from the Internet. Its a recipe by Chef Harpal Singh

MUTTON KALIMIRI/ BLACK PEPPER LAMB

Mutton Kalimiri / Black Pepper Lamb

Makes : 6-7 servings

Ingredients
1 kg Mutton (with Bones)

Mutton

1.5 tablespoons Freshly Crushed Black Peppercorns

4 tablespoons Ghee/refined Oil
1” Cinnamon – 2 pcs
2 Bay Leaves

7-8 Green Cardamom
5 Black Cardamom
5 Green Chillies – Slit
6 Medium Onions Sliced

3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste
Salt to Taste

5 tablespoons Boiled Cashewnut paste
1.5 teaspoons Garam Masala Powder
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream

Procedure

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of Oil/Ghee in a Non-stick Pan and add the Cinnamon Bay 

Getting Started

Leaves Green Cardamom Black Cardamom Green Chillies and Sauté

2. Add the sliced Onions and Sauté for 3-4 minutes

3. Add the Mutton and Sauté for 2-3 minutes
4. Add the Ginger Garlic Paste, Mix and Sauté for 3-4 minutes
5. Add Salt and Mix Well
6. Add 2 Cups of Water and Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes and then reduce heat and cook for 25-27 minutes
7. Heat the remaining Ghee/Oil in a non stick pan
8. Add the crushed Peppercorns and Cashew Nut paste and Sauté for 3-4 minutes (till it forms a lump)
9. Reduce Heat and add the cooked Mutton with the stock and spices
10. Add Garam Masala, Mix well and Cook further

Cashew nut paste and Black Pepper being sautéed

11. Add the Fresh Cream and Mix well, Cook further till it gets heated properly.
12. Sprinkle some more Crushed Pepper and Serve Hot with Naan or Roti.

This recipe has very delicate flavours and those who are not fond of Mutton, can try out with chicken.
Note: Vegetarians: Try with Paneer/Cottage Cheese

Thank You for reading..Ciao!

Mutton Kalimiri

The Bengali New Year with Stuffed Minced Meat Buns

Freshly Baked Stuffed Buns

The Bengali Couple

Hii..
The Best part about being an Indian is the number of festivals we celebrate..And to top it if you're a Bengali then every festival is associated with some delectable veg and NON-veg food..
(And also Saris and Round Bindis for the damsels and dames)..

This time for Poila Baishakh aka the Bengali New Year, after having a delicious lunch prepared by MIL, it was my turn for dinner. I wanted to do something different from the usual Bong Cuisine..

Well New year without Lamb/Mutton would be very dull so after some net surfing I decided to combine two recipes to make some STUFFED MINCED MEAT BUNS (Buns Stuffed with MINCED LAMB/ GOSHT KEEMA).. I clubbed it with a yummy Chicken Malai Tikka (Click for the Recipe) whose recipe I 'll share in my next post..

Baking Breads at Home have always intrigued me. Though the recipes are mostly simple yet the 'Yeast' plays an extremely important role. The bread dough rising properly while Proofing is an Eureka Moment for all bakers. The fate of the bread depends on it..

Well coming back to the recipe, I have it in two parts. The first one being the Keema Stuffing for which I have adopted the Dhaba Keema recipe by Aditya Bal. The second part is the Buns ofcourse, which I have borrowed and modified from Joy of Baking website.

STUFFED MINCED MEAT BUNS (Buns Stuffed with MINCED LAMB/ GOSHT KEEMA)

Makes: 12 Stuffed Buns

Part 1 - Minced Meat Stuffing / Keema Stuffing

Ingredients for the Keema Filling

Ingredients
1/2 Kg Boneless Mutton, Minced
1 Tablesp Oil
1 Bay Leaf  / Tej Patta
5 Green Cardamom / Elaichi
2 Teasp Cumin Seeds / Jeera
2 Cloves / Laung
3 Medium Sized Onions, Chopped
1 Tablesp Garlic, Chopped
1 Tablesp Ginger, Chopped
1 Tablesp Butter
1 Green Chilli, Finely Chopped
1/2 Capsicum, Chopped
1 1/2 Teasp Turmeric / Haldi
1 Teasp Red Chilli Powder / Lal Mirch Powder
2 Teasp Cumin Powder / Zeera Powder
2 Teasp Coriander Seeds Powder / Dhaniya Powder
Salt, To Taste
Asafoetida / Hing, A Pinch
3-4 Tablesp Milk
1/2 Cup Tomato Ketchup
3 Teasp Sugar
Juice Of 1/2 Lemon
Water

Procedure:

Keema being Cooked

1. In a pan add oil, bay leaf, green cardamom, jeera and cloves. Let them release the aroma.

2. Now add chopped onions. Saute till golden brown. Remove the bay leaf.

3. Add garlic, ginger and butter. Saute.

4. Add the green chillies and capsicum. Saute till the capsicum is wilted a bit. (For about 3-4 minutes). De glaze with some water.

5. Now add the masalas: turmeric powder, red chilli powder, zeera powder, dhaniya powder, hing and salt. Saute. Add a teaspoon of water and mix.

6. Add the mutton mince. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add milk and mix well.

7. Add the tomato ketchup, sugar and lemon juice. Cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.

8. Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook till the water evaporates and the mutton is well done.
Keep Aside to cool down.

Part 2 - Stuffed Buns

Ingredients:

Starting with the Dough

1 cup (240 ml) Milk
2  teaspoons of Active Dry Yeast
3 teaspoons White Sugar
3 1/2 - 4 cups (455 - 520 grams) All Purpose Flour/Maida
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons (70 grams) butter, melted
1 large Egg
1 large Egg, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons of Cream/Milk- Egg Wash


Procedure:1. In a small saucepan, or in the microwave, heat the milk until lukewarm (about 100 degrees F or 38 degrees C). Add the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir to combine. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until the yeast is foamy. (if Yeast doesn't turn foamy throw this mixture and try again)

Yeast Turns Foamy

2.Meanwhile in the bowl Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Once the yeast is foamy, gradually add to the flour mixture and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened.

3. Add the melted butter and a beaten egg and mix until incorporated. Continue to knead the dough (for atleast 15-20 minutes) until it is silky smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary. (if dough gets too sticky).

4. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough once, so the top is lightly greased. Cover with plastic wrap  and place in a warm spot to rise until it has almost doubled in size (about 1 1/2 - 2 hours).

5. When the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air, and divide into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a small round ball, flatten it and stuff it with the prepared Meat/Keema mixture and roll into a ball.

The Rise of the Bread Dough in around 2 hours

6. Place the balls on a greased tin or on a parchment lined baking sheet (They should be spaced so they have enough room to double in size.) I did 4 buns at a time. Make an egg wash of one beaten egg with 2 teapoons milk/cream, and brush the tops of the buns with the wash. Lightly spray a piece of plastic wrap with some oil, and place lightly over the buns. Place in a warm spot until almost doubled in size (about 60 minutes)- reproofing.

Stuffing the Buns and Re-Proofing with Egg Wash on Top

7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash (again), Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the buns are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve Warm.

And the Stuffed Minced Meat Buns finally

Dinner was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone at home. We had the buns with Murg Malai Tikka and some Shorba (Soup). Before I call it a day Here's Wishing you all  SHUBHO NOBO BORSHO that is A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR and I hope the coming year brings you many many reasons to smile!! Thanks for reading!

When 'Cooking' was a far fetched idea - Piquant Chicken Legs

Hii...

Years ago.. Yes I am the younger one who looks like a complete nut-case

Bengali parents are always very particular when it comes to Studies (Pora-Shuna) and Extra-curricular activities. Well so were mine. 
A (sis) was the perfect all rounder child every Bong parent would want. She was great in studies, an amazing elocutionist, amazing leadership qualities and obviously the teacher's favourite. And  Me, Ahem obviously the opposite, Yes I was great with 'talking' but that was mostly during the classes when the teacher was trying to teach, for me Sports was not playing a particular sport and excelling in it but rather jumping and running around. Whenever A was on 'Prefect' duty in the school corridors, she mostly used to find me outside the class or outside the headmistress's office 'PUNISHED'. But she was my greatest Saviour too. Never ever did she go and complain to Maa or Baba about her naughty little sis.

At Home, we were always occupied with either studies or some fun activities. In our house, kids doing any 'ghar ka kaam' was a strict no-no. It used to be always managed by Maa and Baba. (Though we had to polish our own shoes :( hehe ).

My Nani had been unwell from a young age so my Maa had to take up the kitchen responsibilities at an extremely tender age, She used to manage her studies and the household work since she was twelve. So Maa had been VERY particular that neither A nor Me should start cooking or do any household tasks until we grew up enough or felt like doing it ( Well I am 31 now and A is 35 and Maa still doesn't let us do so technically we are still not grown up enough) hehe.. But that is how 'Mothers' are!!

But what I used to love then also (though I didnot cook) was watching cookery shows. A and me used to always fight over the remote cause she wanted the HBO and I wanted some cookery show. On one such day (when I won the fight) I saw this dish being prepared by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and it was so simple that even a novice like me could cook this for everyone at Home and Maa Baba and A loved it!!

You can say this was my Début Match in Cooking.. Though my next cooking trial was after 5-6 years I guess!!!

So here goes the Recipe:

PIQUANT CHICKEN LEGS                                
Makes: 4-5 servings

Ingredients:  

Ingredients

Chicken Legs - 16 pieces
Orange Juice - 1.5 cups
Chilli Flakes - 1 teaspoonful
Black Pepper- 1 teaspoonful
Lemon Juice- 3 tablespoons
Cornflour - 1 tablespoons
Honey - 3.5 tablespoons
Salt - to taste

Procedure:

1. Marinate the Chicken with the Orange Juice and some salt for about 15-20mins
2. After 15 mins take out the chicken legs and keep aside
3. In a saucepan pour the Orange Juice (from d marinade) and reduce it over heat
4. Add the chicken pieces and cover and let it cook
5. When the chicken is almost done add the Chilli Flakes, Black Pepper, Honey, Lemon Juice and Salt (if reqd)
6. Mix well and cook further.

Almost Ready

7. When the chicken looks done, mix the cornflour with half a cup water and pour it into the saucepan.
8. Let it simmer till it reaches a sauce like consistency.
9. sprinkle some more black pepper and serve hot!

P.S: The flavors are a combination of tangy, sweet and hot !





This is still one of my favourites and if you notice there is NO-OIL in the recipe so technically very healthy too yet extremely unique and delicious. Try It!!
Thanks and see you in my next post!

Piquant Chicken Legs

Every Bengali's First Love CHINGRI PHISH!!

Hi..
Have you ever randomly asked any Bengali walking on the road in any part of the world how they feel about Chingri aka Prawns? if not, do so the next time, and you'll always get the same reaction..Their eyes will immediately light up and by the smile on their faces you'll know you have asked them about their first love.. Yes that it what the Chingri Maach means to each one of us..
Well I am no different...Even as a kid, the very smell of Prawns being sautéed in Maa's kitchen used to drag me home..
Though I have very minimal knowledge about the various types of Prawns I enjoy the medium sized ones the most..
This is a Bengali recipe and has been picked up from a Kakima (Aunt) in Kolkata/Calcutta.. "SHORSHE CHINGRI BHAPAA / PRAWNS STEAMED IN MUSTARD PASTE"..(Even those who are quite particular about eating healthy (unlike me) can easily try this one)

Note: For the ones who are allergic to sea-food (like the husband in my case) or who are strictly vegetarians can try this out with "Paneer/Cottage Cheese" instead of Prawns

SHORSHE CHINGRI BHAPAA / PRAWNS STEAMED IN MUSTARD PASTE

Makes: 12 medium sized Prawns

Ingredients:

Medium-sized Prawns - 12 pieces
Mustard Seeds (Yellow+Black) - 3 tablespoons
Poppy Seeds - 3 tablespoons
Yogurt/Dahi- 1/2 cup
Green Chillis - 5-6 pieces
Turmeric Powder/Haldi -  (1+1/2) teaspoons
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1 teaspoon
Freshly Grated Coconut- 1/2 cup
Mustard Oil - 3-4 teaspoons

Preparation

Procedure

1. Wash and De-vein the Prawns and Marinate them with Salt and Haldi for about an hour.
2. Soak the Mustard Seeds and the Poppy Seeds in lukewarm water for around 20minutes
3. Make a paste of the Mustard Seeds + Poppy Seeds + Green Chillis (2) and Keep aside.

Before Steaming

4. Beat together the Curd, 1/2teaspoon Haldi , a little Salt and the Sugar. (Remember you have already put salt in the prawns during marination)
5. Choose a metal container which fits well in your pressure cooker
6. Mix the Beaten Yogurt and the Poppy-Mustard Paste to the Marinated Prawns.
7. Pour the entire mixture along with the prawns inside the metal container.
8. Spread the grated Coconut on top.

9. Add around 3-4 teaspoonful of Mustard Oil on top
10. Garnish with split Green Chillies (4-5)
11. Add around 1.5 cups of Water in the pressure cooker
12. Place the container carefully and close the cooker

Post Steaming

13. Steam till the whistle blows once. (Prawns cooking time is very less, if you over cook them they tend to get tough)

14. Take the container out and give the contents a good stir before serving.
15. Serve Hot (Goes best with Steamed Rice)

Serve Hot - Shorshe Chingri Bhapaa

 All the Prawn Lovers Do try this one at home and Send me your feedback!!!
Thanks for reading..