Jamai Shoshthi Menu: part 2...ilish bhape/steam ilish

I know I am pathetically late with my recipe and there is no plausible excuse....God ! I am such a lazy slob....
And to make up for that here is my recipe for Ilish bhape that I made for Jamai Shoshthi.
This a traditional bengali recipe originally from East Bengal and no body makes this better than the bengalis. It is a delicately prepared dish and quite hot because of the mustard sauce and mustard oil. But if you like fresh water fish and fish bones do not bother you ...you will love this.
So happy steaming Ilish....

How to steam the Ilish:

ilish -cleaned and cut into pieces (about 8-10)
turmeric-4tbsp
mustard seeds-1/2 cup
green chillies-2 slit and 2 ground to a paste with the mustard
mustard oil-5 tbsp
yogurt-1 tbsp
coconut-a handful

Rub the fish pieces with turmeric and salt and keep aside for 1-2 hours.
Soak the mustard seeds in water and grind them into a fine paste with a pinch of mustard oil, green chillies and little salt. Now if you dry grind the mustard seeds in a coffee grinder, be careful. This may turn out to be a little bitter.Alternatively you can use ready made mustard powder.
But the authentic taste comes only from freshly ground mustard seeds with little salt, green chillies and turmeric.If you are using yogurt mix it with the mustard paste.
Now lightly brush the inside of an aluminum or steel container with the mustard oil.
Place the fish pieces inside.Lightly fold in the mustard paste.
Drizzle the rest of the mustard oil on the fish pieces. Sprinkle the coconut over the fish with the slit green chillies.
Next comes the steaming part.
If you have a lid to the steel container (which contains the fish) you can put it on or you can leave it open.
Place this container in the pressure cooker and put in water just enough to cover the bottom of the cooker.
Be careful so that when you steam the water does not come inside the fish container (specially if you are using an open container).
Now put on the pressure cooker on medium high and cook until 2-3 whistles.
Put off the gas and let the cooker cool. Take out fish container carefully (it is awfully hot!) and cool it under water(if you are in a hurry!). If you have used an open vessel then just scoop out the fish and the mustard sauce and serve with hot white rice.
Oh....! The GREAT ILISH...!

Jamai Shoshthi Menu: part 1...Cholaar Dal & Alu posto

I will be writing the recipes in batches .So here I am with the recipe of Cholaar Dal and Alu Posto.
These two are integral parts of traditional bengali cuisine and very healthy too. My mother-in-law makes great posto dishes and after I got married I was really hooked on to them.
Back at home Ma's alu jhinge posto (potato and ridge gourd curry in poppy seed paste) and dim posto (eggs in poppy seed paste) are favourites.
But C is the die hard fan of Alu posto and so Alu posto it was... for Jamai Shoshthi.
And Cholaar Dal was a universal choice .

For the Dal:

split yellow grams-1 and 1/2 cup
coconut -chopped into small square pieces
ginger paste-1 tbsp
tomato-1 medium diced
dry red chilli- 1 dry roasted(optional)
whole garam masala-two cloves, two green cardamom, small cinammon roll dry roasted and crushed coarsely)
whole cumin seeds:1 tbsp
bay leaf -1
turmeric -1 tbsp
salt
sugar
oil -3 tsp

Pressure cook the lentils with turmeric and a pinch of oil.
Heat the oil and sizzle the cumin seeds and the bay leaf.
Add the chilli and the dry roasted spice.
Next add the ginger and the toamtoes.
Add the coconut and fry until the spice is done and the coconit pieces are browned.
Add this mix to the lentil and adjust the seasoning and consistency.
Put on simmer for a couple of minutes and its ready to be served.

We like our Dal a little sweet .... so add sugar accordingly.

For the Alu posto:

potatoes- 3 medium diced
poppy seed paste- 5 heaped tbsp
green chillies-4-5 slit
kalajeera or black onion seeds-1/2 tsp
salt
mustard oil :1 tsp
white oil:4 tbsp

Heat the white oil and lightly fry the potato pieces.
Add the onion seeds and the poppy seed paste.
Stir until the potatoes are coated with the posto.
When the posto is fried, add water (around 1/2 cup).
Add salt and the chillies and cover until the potatoes are cooked.The water should also dry up.
Just before taking off the heat add the mustard oil.
Serve hot.

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte ---Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake is one of the best cakes I have ever had......
It was an unbelievably cold and rainy July afternoon and we were waiting for our train at the Freiburg station. And the cold had numbed my nose and my exposed fingers. So i decided to go for a stroll and then I saw the yummiest Black Forest Cake in the station bakery. i bought two pieces and while on our way back home we savored the cake with full gusto!

And so this Monday with a holiday I decided to give it a try(very skeptically) and it turned out quite ok.
I browsed through many recipes and settled on one basic easy one.C had been peeking in and out and perhaps wondering...." What is she up to?!"(I decided to surprise him... you see)
I had all the things handy..... but decided to make a few alterations:

I did not use cherry liquor
I did not use chocolate shavings
I did not use heavy whipped cream

OOoooooooh! I am a health freak.....:)

For the cake:

flour-1 and 1/2 cup
cocoa-1/2 cup
baking powder-2 tsp
sugar-1 and 1/2 cup
eggs-2 large
low fat butter/margarine -5 heaped tbsp
milk-1 cup


For Frosting:
light low fat whipped cream(Cool whip): 1 can
fresh cherries:de seeded and halved
chocolate chips:a handful

First sift the flour ,baking powder and cocoa powder together.Mix evenly.
Next beat the eggs and add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and frothy. Do use a beater.
Soften the butter over low heat and cool.
Then add the butter to the egg-sugar mix and beat again.
Next add the flour mix and gently fold the mixture.
Beat for 10 -15 minutes.
Line a baking pan with greased baking sheet and preheat oven at 350F.Pour the cake mix.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. This may vary. insert a toothpick/knife to check if the cake is done.
Take the cake out and cool for 1 hour.

Frosting:
After the cake has cooled properly cut horizontally with a broad knife. You can cut 2-3 layers according to the height of your cake.
Spread the layers on a flat plate.
Now generously cream the layers with the whipped cream.
Spread evenly with a knife.
Sprinkle the chopped cherries and the chocolate chips.
Repeat with all the layers.
Carefully re arrange the layers on top of each other .
Now cream frost the outer layers.
Spread evenly with knife.
Decorate with cherries and chocolate chips.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Serve cold with hot black coffee...... and enjoy a good book! :) ( I did that!)

And finally!!! IIish

And so finally ......it is here.... the fish of all fishes.... the greatest.... the tastiest....Ilish....the fish which inspired this blog.....(oh my!! how great is that?!):)

So we finally discovered this Bangladeshi shop and we drove all the way and we came back loaded with fish and mutton(goat meat).
We are "river fish " people and however tasty the sea fish is... the bengali 'macher jhol' just cannot beat anything..... and so C was quick to pick up the ilish/hilsa and Bata(a very bony but very tasty small sweet water fish).

And last evening it was hilsa time! I will try out the more elaborate recipes later... but for now we were happy with the 'ilish mach bhaja'(crispy fried hilsa) and I must say it was too good.... the kitchen was filled up with the overwhelmingly fishy smell and we hogged on the fried fish with plain rice and boiled masoor dal!!

Just wash the fish in cold water and rub salt and turmeric on the fish pieces.
Keep them aside for 10-15 minutes.
Heat mustard oil in a deep frying pan/karhai/wok.
Fry the fishes till they are brown and crisp.
Enjoy with white rice and dal or best... khichudi!

Lip smacking Alu paratha!

Weekends are the best.. and the run up to the weekends... even better!
And so of course ... it is time for leisurely talks ,a particularly engrossing game of Scrabble and late dinners!
And this Friday.. what a dinner it was..!And the smile on C's face made my day...
All my previous attempts at making Alu paratha have not been very successful... maybe the dough was too soft, maybe the filling was was not right and of course while rolling out the parathas ... the fillings were everywhere but inside the paratha...
This time however I was very careful... and VOILA!.... it was perfect...

You need:(for 5 parathas)

flour and atta:2 and 1/2 cups (mixed equally)
flour for dusting
ajwain: 1 tsp
salt:a pinch
water
oil :1 tsp


For filling:
potatoes-2 large peeled
salt
green chillies bits(optional)
pearl onions:2-4 chopped finely

Add the ajwain ,salt and oil to the flour. Mix well and take care that the oil does not form lumps.
Next add water and amke a soft dough form the flour/atta mix.
Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.
Meanwhile boil, cool and mash the potatoes.
Add salt,onion and green chilli bits.
Mix well.
Now pinch a medium sized ball from the dough and roll it into the size of a roti all the while dusting with flour.(about 6" diamater)
Carefully spoon in 2-3 tbsp filling in to one half of the paratha and fold the other half over it.
Tightly seal the edges and flatten by ppressing gently by hand.
Heat oil in a pan and fry until golden brown.
Serve hot with cold onion cucumber raita and hot mango pickle....YUM!

Beans in coconut and poppy seed paste

This is a very simple lunch dish .. one you can make in a jiffy and enjoy with hot white rice.
C came home for lunch and I had fresh beans in the refrigerator. So there I go and in 15 minutes this delicious veggie dish was ready.

To make this you need:

fresh green beans:300-400 gms
poppy seeds(posto)- 4 tbsp ground into a fine paste
coconut shavings-1/2 cup
nigella seeds-1/2 tsp
green chillies-2-3 slit (according to taste)
turmeric-1/2 tsp
white oil- 3 tbsp
mustard oil-1 tbsp
salt

Heat the white oil in a pan and sizzle the nigella and the green chillies.
Next add the beans and fry for a minute .
Add little salt, the turmeric and cover the pan and put the flame on low medium.
Let the beans cook for 5-7 minutes.
Once the beans are soft, add the poppy seed paste and the coconut.
Mix properly with the spices and check the seasoning.
Before taking it off the heat just sprinkle them mustard oil and serve.

P.S.1. You can replace the white oil with mustard oil if you want.
2. This is a recipe I picked up from Sananda.... a popular Bengali magazine.

Soul food!

Typical bong breakfasts on weekends are a little elaborate .It is essentially a 'luchi ' or 'parota' time with the simple 'cholar dal' or 'alur dom'.
Even C who is so much into healthy eating cannot say no to these 'not so healthy' treats.
At any time we prefer parota to luchi because it is not deep fried.

How to make parota:

flour-2 cups
water
oil-1tsp for kneading and 4-5 tbsp for frying
salt-a pinch

Mix the flour with salt and oil. Now knead it into a soft dough and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.
Next pinch out small balls form the dough and roll it to a circular disc on a smooth surface .
Fold the disc twice and press roll it again for the triangular parota.
Heat oil in a shallow pan and on medium heat fry the parota.

Alu r dom:

potatoes-6-7 medium ones peeled and halved
peas-a handful
tomatoes-1 large diced
ginger paste-1 tbsp
whole cumin-1 tsp
slit green chilli-2-3
garam masala powder-1 pinch
yogurt-2 tbsp
turmeric-1/2 tsp
oil-4 tsp
salt
sugar
coriander leaves- a handful

Pressure cook the potatoes till they are soft but not mushy.
Drain the water and keep them aside.
Next heat oil in a pan and lightly fry the potatoes and keep them aside.
In the same oil sizzle the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger and tomatoes and lower the heat.
Pan fry until the tomatoes soften and release oil. Add the peas.
Add the yogurt, turmeric , chillies and let the gravy come to a boil.
If it is too thick add little water.(We do not like ours too watery.)
Add the potatoes and salt and stir .
Add sugar according to taste and the garam masala powder..
Add the coriander leaves.
Serve hot with parota.