Begun bhaja Bengali way(Brinjal Fry)

https://youtu.be/-fymfxvuhr8

Yummy Begun bhaja bengali way/Baigan fry bengali tarike se

Lot of my friends ask me how to fry brinjals my way as I am a bengali.They love the way bengalis fry.Though it is a simple video but still I thought of making this to show the technique used to make this dish.Sugar is not for sweetness but is mainly used to carmalize the brinjals while frying it.It will give a nice colour.Flour will give that extra crispyness which everyone loves.It will not make the brinjals soggy after frying.Being a bengali I use mustard oil but it can be fried in while oil too.
Marinate the brinjal for atleast 15 min so that it releases water and it stays crispy after frying.
Cut them in medium thickness.

 Ingredients

1. Brinjal 1 long cut into circles
2. Red chilli powder- 1/4th tp
3. Sugar 1 tp
4. salt as per need
5. Flour- 2tbsp for dusting
6. Mustard oil for frying the brinjals

Method

• 1 Cut the brinjal in medium thickness in circles.
• 2 Marinate the brinjal with salt,sugar,red chilli powder and keep it for 15 min.
• 3 Throw away the water which is released from the brinjal.
• 4 Now heat enough mustard oil in kadai and dust flour on both sides and fry on both sides.
• Serve it hot.

Eat with Puris,rotis,parathas,rice and dal.
Serves 3
Prep time with preparation 17 min
Cooking time 5 min

Recipe by Chef Dimple

Chilli Fish

Chilli Fish

Chilli fish is very very popular chinese dish among all Indians.Although we have made this dish in Indo Chinese way .As less oil is used in this dish it has become popular with kids as well as grown ups.Most of the restaurants serve this dish and every restaurant has their own style of cooking this dish.You can make with with Cat fish,Basa fish,Bhetki or even salmon.These fishes donot have bones so is used for this preparation.You should have a wok to cook this dish.It is cooked in high flame.

Servings 4
Prep time 15 min
Cooking time 12 min

Ingredients

Boneless fish 1 fillet basa
Onion diced 1
Capsicum diced 1/2
Chopped garlic 1 tp
Chopped ginger 1tp
Green chillies 5
Flour 1 tp
Cornflour 2tp
Red chilli powder
Pepper powder 1/2 tp
Egg 1
Salt and sugar as per need
Tomato ketchup 2 tbsp
Fish sauce 1tp
Vinegar 1tp
Fish sauce-1 tp
Lemon juice 1tp
white oil for frying and making sauce
Soya sauce-In marination as well as in the gravy
Seaseme seeds-1 tp

Method

Marinate the fish with lemon juice,soya sauce,red chilli powder,salt,sugar,egg and keep aside for deep frying.

Now in a pan take enough white oil to deep fry the fish.Fry till crisp and drain in a kitchen towel.

3.Now we have to  make the sauce.First take 2 tp oil in a pan.Take the same oil which we used for frying.

4.First add chopped ginger,garlic and saute for few seconds.

4.First add chopped Onions and green chillies and saute on high flame.

Now add 1tbsp tomato ketchup,1tp of soya sauce,1tp vinegar,1/2tp fish sauce,seaseme seeds,black pepper powder and sugar and salt to taste.Now saute in high flame .

Now mix 1 tp cornflour with water and pour it in the sauce.

If you want gravy or semi thick gravy add water according to it.
It is ready.Serve with seaseme seeds.

Serve hot with any kind of fried rice.

Recipe by Chef Dimple

Chicken Bharta with a twist

Chicken Bharta with a twist

Chicken bharta is a very common recipe in any house.Bharta means shredded.It is a very popular dish of Punjab and people all over India love this dish.
Best thing with bharta is that we can use the left over chicken also for this recipe or any kind of tandoori chicken which is left in the fridge.
Today I have used bonelss thigh chicken pieces here.I will also use this Chicken Bharta in Pizza topping or in sandwich filling.My kids love it.
I have mentioned my recipe as a twist to the regular chicken bharta recipe because here instead of cream I have used milk powder with kaju paste.This will give a sweet taste to the recipe as well the texture will be very silky and smooth.so let us check the recipe.

Ingredients

1. Boiled chicken shredded boneless-300gm
2. Chopped onions-3 medium size
3. Tomato chopped-1 and 1medium size
4. Ginger and garlic paste-2 tpsp
5. Whole garam masala-2 bayleaves,2 cinnamon sticks,1big cardamom,green cardamom,few cloves
6. Mustard oil-2 tbsp
7. Butter-1tbsp
8. Turmeric powder-1 tp
9. Coriander powder-1 tp
10. Cumin powder-1/2 tp
11. Garam masala powder-1/4 tp
12. Kashmiri red chilli powder-1 tp
13. Green chilli paste-4 chillies
14. salt to taste
15. Milk powder-1 tp
16. Cashew nuts-10
17. kasuri meethi-1 tp crushed

Method

• 1 Boil the chicken pieces in water for 5 to 7 min in high flame.Cool it and then shred it with your hand.
• 
  
• 2 In a pan add 2 tbsp mustard oil and heat the oil nicely.Now add whole garam masala and temper for few seconds.
• 
  
• 3 Now add chopped onions and 1 tp salt and fry the onions till light golden brown.
• 
  
• 5 After this add chopped onions and continue to fry for another 2 min till the tomatoes turn soft.
• 6 Now add ginger and garlic paste and continue to saute till the raw smell of ginger and garlic are no more.
• 
  
• 7 Now add the dry spices.Add turmeric powder,cumin powder,coriander powder,garam masala powder and saute till it leaves oil from the sides.Now add kashmiri red chilli powder and saute.
• 8 Once the spices are sauted well add the boiled shredded chicken and mix it well and continue to saute till it is dry and you can see oil from the sides.
• 
  
• 9 Now make a paste with cashewnut,green chillies and milk powder.
• 
  
• 10 Now add little water to the paste and pour it in the pan.Let the chicken simmer for atleast 4 min.It will not take much time as the chicken is boiled.When the chicken is dry add kasuri methi,butter and mix and cover and cook for another min .Then switchoff the flame and give it a standing time.
• Garnish this with boiled eggs.

Note Serve this Roti ,naan ,paratha
https://youtu.be/dpuncN8iGPs

Recipe by Chef Dimple

How to make Simple Mutton Curry|Indian recipe| Mangsher jhol

Thor Ghonto ( Recipe with Banana Stem)

Mocha Ghonto is a delicacy of bengal.This is a pure vegetarian dish and a very very healthy dish.This is made from Banana Stem.So if you see banana tree is a very useful tree.Stem,flowers and fruits are eaten and leves are used for plating.You  get easily get Thor or stem in the market.

You have to cut and throw away few layers and have to use the inner core of the stem.Slice it in circles and then cut into thin strips like potato fries or like french fries.

If the stem is fresh,no need to pressure cook.You can add salt and keep it for 15 min.It becomes soft and then mash it with your hand by pressing it.

If the stem is old and tough just pressure cook it for 1 whistle till it soft.

Mash it well.

Now in a pan add mustard oil.Once it is hot add 2 red whole chillies and onion seeds to temper.

First add diced potatoes ,add salt and fry it for couple of min and then add the mashed thor or banana stem slices which already has salt in it.Stir it well for a min. 

Now add 1/4tp turmeric powder  and cook it for 3 min.Stir it well.

Now add 1/2tp garam masala powder,1/4tp sugar,5 green chillies and 1 tbsp desicated coconut.You can use fresh grated coconut.

Continue to stir for 3 min.

Cover and cook for 3 to 4 min in low flame till the thor becomes soft and cooked.It becomes dry and soaks all water

Now add 1 tp ghee and the dish is done.The aroma from ghee enhances the dish.

Thor ghonto is ready.Serve hot with steamed rice.

Inspired from my mom.

Recipe by Dimple

Waterlemon juice with gondhoraj lebu/lemon

Watermelon Juice with Gondhoraj

Watermelon juice is a healthy drink.You get watermelon in summer.You can make this and keep it in the fridge for a day.Here I have used Gondhoraj lebu to give a twist to this juice.I have a gondhoraj plant and use its fruit and rind to make this juice.

Ingredients

1. Watermelon-cut into cubes
2. Sugar 1/ cup
3. Lemon rind 1/2 tp
4. Ice cubes 6

Method

Cut watermelon into cubes and put it in a mixer jar.Add sugar,ice cubes,gondhoraj lemon rind and churn it.Serve cold with godhoraj lebu/lemon slices.

Recipe by Dimple

Pomfret steamed inside Pumpkin leaves

Pomfret has become nowards the most costly fish and has become a delicacy.It has less bones so people enjoy this more.You can make grilled,panfried or pomfret curry but today I chose to make this in a rice cooker.This preparation is partially fried and then steamed inside pumpkin leaves.

Ingredients 

For marination

Pomfret-2

Turmeric powder-1/2tp

Red chilli powder-1/2 tp

Lemon juice-1 tp

Salt

For the paste

Mustard seeds-2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Green chillies

Little water to make a smooth paste

Mustard oil for cooking and frying-2 tbsp

Pumpkin leaves-6

First wash the fish with salt and lemon to remove the fishy smell.

Then marinate the fish with salt,lemon juice,turmeric powder and red chilli powder and leave it for 5 min.

Marinate the fish

Now make a paste with mustard seeds,green chillies,salt and water in a mixer. 

A semi thick paste is made.

Now fry the fish pieces on both sides for a min.

Put the paste in a bowl and make little liquidy with 2 tbsp water.Mix it well.

Now add 1tbsp oil in the paste and mix it again.

Now add the fish one by one and coat on both sides with the paste.

Place it on leaves.Use 3 pumpkin leaves for each fish and wrap it roughly from all sides.

See it is roughly wrapped.

Put 1/4th water in a rice cooker and place the wrapped pomfret and put it on the steamer.

Press cook button and steam it for 15 min.

After 15 min leaves become soft and it is done.

Serve it with hot steamed rice.Eat when it is hot.

Recipe by Dimple Chakraborty

Total time in prep and cooking 20 to 25 min

Serves 2 people

Photo shoot Dimple

Note...You can also use bottle gourd leaves.Mustard oil is must for the beautiful aroma and taste.

Chicken curry with coriander

This is a very simple chicken curry with fresh chopped coriander leaves as garnish.Here I prefer chicken with bones.This chicken curry requires no marination.This can be eaten with rice,roti and can be eaten regularly as it is the most simple curry recipe.Here I have used mustard oil but you can cook with white oil or any other oil of your preference.You can make it dry or semi thick gravy.If you want to use potatoes you can use.

Ingredients needed

1 kg of chicken with bones

6 medium size onion paste

Ginger and garlic in equal quantity 3tbsp

Tomato puree 3tbsp

Mustard oil 3 tbsp

Coriander powder 3 tp

Turmeric powder 2tp

Salt to taste

Garam masala powder 1 and half tp

Red chilli powder 2tp

Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tp

Chopped coriander to garnish

First add 3 tbsp mustard oil and heat it .

Now temper with 10 to 12 peppercorns,5 small cardamoms,2 cinnamon sticks,2 bayleaves.

Now add onion paste made of 6 medium onions and saute it till it leaves oil.

Now add 3 tbsp ginger and garlic paste and saute for few mins till the raw smell of ginger and garlic are gone and it leaves oil from the sides.

Add 3 tbsp of tomato puree and continue to stir further for 3 min.

Now add 2tp red chilli powder,turmeric powder 2tp,coriander powder3 tp,garam masala powder 1 1/2 tp,salt to taste.Saute for few min till it leaves oil.

Now add 1 tp kashmiri red chilli powder for colour.Continue to stir.

Add 1/2 cup beaten curd and add to the sauted spices.Saute it with little water.

Add the washed chicken pieces and coat it well with the spices and saute for few min till it leaves oil from the sides.Check the seasoning.

Now add 1 glass of water and cooked in medium heat till the chicken is cooked well.When oil floats on the top,chicken is done.

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.

Preparation time 20 min

Cooking time 20 min

Serves 6 people.

Recipe by Dimple Chakraborty