Doi Potol (Pointed gourd with Curd)

This one is a summer special. Low in calories, tasty and very light on the stomach. Interestingly, bengalis stuff it with fish (which I will share later) and it tastes heavenly! However, in this post I will share a very simple, yet delicious vegetarian recipe called Doi Potol and as I said - a lovely dish to have with hot rice on a hot summer afternoon! Here is what you need:

7-8 scraped pointed gourds or parwal or potol
1 Tsp of shredded ginger
1 Tsp of cumin paste or powder or seeds
2 tsps of sugar
5 Tbsps of Yogurt
1/2 Tsp of chilli powder
Oil
Salt
1 Bay Leaf

Take the scraped parwal and slit the top and bottom like a cross. Make sure that you don't cut them through - just small slits on the top. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the parwal to a light greenish-brown. Remove from the pan and drain them. Now, add the bay leaf, cumin seed/paste and stir. Quickly add the ginger paste, chilli powder and yogurt and stir well. Let the spices cook in the yogurt. Add the sugar and salt. Add the parwal and add 1 cup of water. Cover the pan with a lid and let the vegetable get cooked by steaming. When the Parwals are cooked, you will be able to cut them with a spatula. Lastly, remove from flame. You can add some fried onion or shredded coconut on the top.

Khichree - The Bong style (Khichuree)

For everyone, Khichree has been a comfort food since ages. Its history can be traced back to the Mughals. I am quite interested to know how the food of the nawabs transcended to become 'food of the sick' and is served in ALL hospitals. Whenever someone is sick, he is advised to have only khichree. Moms, grandmoms, great-grandmoms, uncles, aunts, elder sisters - all have prescribed this dish the moment you utter that you are feeling a bit down in the belly.

There are several variants to this dish but what is remarkable is how the bengalis tend to make merry with food and happen to change this plain and sad looking, 'dish of the sick' to a gourmet delicacy! They relish khichree on a rainy day with accompaniments like papads, beguni (brinjal fry), mashed potatoes, ghee and illish Machh bhaaja (hilsa Fish fry). I like mine with an Omlette! There is a strong superstition in my family - whenever it rains, make khichree and see the rain dissappear! I have never understood why this happens with us, but it is true. The clouds stop pouring the moment they get the aroma of my heavenly smelling Khichree :)). So, here is what you require:



1 Cup of Moong Dal
1 Cupe of Rice
7 Tbsps of Peas
3 poratoes - cut into halves
6-7 florets of Cauliflower
1 tiny piece of crushed ginger
1 onion cut broadly
1-2 Bay leaves
2 Tsp Turmeric
Salt
Sugar
Ghee/Oil
2-3 Green chillies
3 cardamoms, 2 cinnamon, 6 cloves
2 Tsps of Garam Masala
2 Tsp of Cumins seeds


Take a large bottomed frying pan and add the moong dal. Roast the moong dal slightly till golden brown. Once you see that the dal is turning a bit brown, remove it and wash it in cold water. Wash the rice and put it in a pressure cooker along with the Dal. Add the potatoes, Turmeric, salt, sugar and green chillies and close the lid. Let the cooker whistle for 4-5 times and switch of the gas. Let the cooker cool down. Alternatively, you could use a heavy bottomed pan and cook it slowly for 15mins - till the dal and rice gets cooked.

Now, take a separate frying pan and add the ghee. When the ghee gets hot, add the cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon and the chopped onions. Now, add the caulifower florets, green peas and stir-fry them in the ghee. Add the cumin and ginger and fry till the onions are brown. Now, add the khichree from the cooker and pour a bit of water to regulate the consistency. Let it simmer for 5-6mins. Add the garam masala powder.
Serve it with hilsa fish fry or papad or beguni.

Pickled Prawns

For this one, credit goes completely to my aunt-in-law who has this amazing, 'prawn in 2 mins recipe' and it goes well with both rotis and rice. Though part of her family is vegetarian, but she cooks delicious non-veg stuff too! The secret ingredient for this one is: Bedekar's readymade pickle masala. I have tried this with other pickle masalas but it is not the same. So, I would recommend that one shouldn't try this until and unless he/she has got hold of the secret ingredient!

500gms of medium sized, de-shelled prawns
2 tbsp of Bedekar pickle masala
4-5 crushed garlic cloves
Salt
4-5 green chillies
Oil
Methi seeds - 1 Tsp (Optional)
Shredded coconut (Optional)
1 Tsp of lime juice

Wash the prawns well in cold water and add salt to it. Add the lime juice and toss it in the marinade. Keep it aside for 7-8mins. Now, take a frying pan and put oil. Heat the oil in the pan. Once the oil is heated, lower the flame and add the garlic. Stir the garlic for 1min and then, add the prawns and green chillies. After 1 min, add the bedekar masala (& coconut & methi seeds - optional) and Salt. Add 5 Tbsps of water and let the prawns simmer in the curry. After 4-5mins when the prawn are orange in colour and look a bit tender, put off the gas. Add fresh coriander on the top and serve with rice or rotis.

Rawa Fried Fish (Fish fried in Semolina)

It's very difficult to get nice fresh, white pomfret in Delhi. The ones that we get, have probably travelled the world and arrived in Delhi with diluted pupils and an unbearable smell. Nevertheless, my dear father attempts to search the entire Fish market to feed his son-in-law with his favorite Pomfret Fish! So, to pamper His highness even further, I make Pomfret Rawa Fry - a delicious fried fish dish which my mom-in-law makes at home. I am yet to master the act of making it perfect, but whatever I make, my husband happily gorges on them:)

You can make this with most of the sea fishes, but the ones that I have eaten and I can vouch that they taste amazing with Rawa are basically - Sole, Ghol fish, Pompret, Prawns and bombil(Bombay Duck). Here is the recipe:

1 Cup of Rawa or semolina

500gms of Sole/Promfret/Prawn/Ghol Fish thin slices or pieces

1 Tsp of crushed garlic, ginger

3-4 pieces of kokum leaves (optional) - crush it with the ginger and garlic

Salt

2 Tsp of Red Chilli powder

1 Tsp of lime juice

1 Tsp of Turmeric

3 Tbsp of Oil

Wash the fish and marinate it in the mixture of garlic, kokum leaves, ginger. Add the lime juice, salt, Turmeric and red chilli powder. keep the fish aside for 30mins.

Now, take the rawa on a plate. alternatively, you can also take Rice Flour instead of Rawa (Semolina). Now, pick one fish piece at a time and roll it on the plate containing the Semolina.

Take a frying pan and add 3 Tbsps of oil. Heat the oil. Once the oil is heated, put the fish for frying. Carefully turn it to fry the other side after 8-9mins. Similarly fry the rest of the fishes. Serve the fish on a plate with lemon wedges.

Batata Poha (Marathi) or Chirer Pulao (Bengali)

Beaten Rice or Chire (Bengali) or Poha is also known as flattened rice - dry and flaky in texture and when immersed in a bowl of water, it absorbs the water completely. Easy to digest and a great form of carbs for those who don't like rice. I have grown up eating 'Chirer Pulao' made by my mother and I think it is extremely light & tasty. Something you can have at any time of the day.

The Maharashtrian manoos may not agree though. A little funny association with poha is for the Maharashtrian 'Grooms-to-be' who visit the 'to-be-bride' to find themselves a life partner. As a ritual in an arranged marriage, the 'prospective' groom is generally served 'Kanda poha', (which is basically 'poha made with onions') each and everytime he goes hunting for a bride! I truely think it is a great weapon to use so that the groom can take a quick (but wise) decision and give relief to his parents:)

Here is the recipe for Batata Poha or Chirer Pulao :

250gms of poha

4-5 small potatoes (preferably boiled), cut into small pieces

2 Tsp of mustard seeds or Cumin seeds

4 green chillies

Salt

1 Tsp of Sugar

1/2 Tsp of cumin powder

2 Tbsp of ground nut

3 Tbsp of Oil

1 Tsp Turmeric

3 Tbsp of Water

coriander leaves (3-5 leaves)

Wash the poha (rinse in flowing water) and keep it aside. Now, take a frying pan and put it on the gas. Add the oil and let it heat a bit. After a minute, add the cumin (or mustard) seeds, ground nuts, green chillies, potato pieces. If you wish, you can add onion or curry leaves also. Stir and fry the ingredients for 3-4 minutes. Now, add the turmeric, salt and sugar and add the poha. Stir the poha and the other ingredients well. Put 3Tbsp of water and cover the pan with a lid. The idea is to steam the poha so that it doesn't become dry. Don't put too much water or else, it will get soggy. When the water dries up, add the coriander leave and switch of the gas. Squeeze a lemon and stir it once more. You can also add some 'farsaan' on the top. Serve it hot!

Solkadhi

Since I am a Delhite in the true sense, a pink drink would definitely mean Rooh-A-afza with milk. Yes, the one which punjabi moms make for their kids during hot Delhi summers. When I came to Mumbai, I saw it being served sometimes in a bowl and sometimes in a glass with a tiny coriander leaf floating gently on the top. I seriously couldn't understand why Rooh-a-Afza milk was being served with Dhaniya! But, before I could investigate, I came to know it is not what I was thinking, but a drink called SolKadhi which is made from Kokum flowers and hence, its' beautiful pink color. SolKadhi is a refreshing appetizer drink and has got a bit of spice attached to it, but is great for digestion too. Here is what you need to make a refreshing glass of Solkadhi:

1 Cup Coconut Milk

2 cloves of garlic

1 green chilli, chopped into tiny pieces

8 petals of Kokum

a few coriander leaves

water

Salt

Soak the kokum petals in little water for some time, till you get a deep maroon coloured water. In a blender, add the coconut milk, 5 Tbs of water, garlic, green chilli, salt (according to taste) and grind it for couple of minutes. Add this mixture to the kokum water and blend it again for couple of times. Solkadhi is ready! Serve it with a few coriander leaves in a glass or a bowl.

Batata Sabji (Potato)

Here is a maharashtrian recipe which I think has a variant in the alu masala made for Dosa(s). This can be used as a filling for a snack item or maybe eaten with rawa pooris or with roti. My husband loves it and I am sure you will like it too.

Batata Sabji
6-7 medium sized potatoes
1 Tsp of Turmeric
1 Tsp of Sugar
Salt
5-6 curry leaves
1 Onion - thinly sliced
1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
Fresh Coriander

Take a pressure cooker and add the potatoes with water. Boil the potatoes in the pressure cooker and keep it aside for them to cool down. Once the potatoes are at room temperature, peel the skin and mash them slightly with the help of a Spatula. Take a heavy bottomed frying pan and add oil. Heat the oil on the gas. Once the oil gets hot, add the onion slices, curry leaves, mustard seeds and Turmeric. Stir them for 30 secs and add the potatoes. Mix well using a Spatula. Add the salt and sugar and fresh coriander. Keep stirring for another 5mins and then put of the gas. Serve it with Roti or Pooris