Bengali Rice Kheer

Ingredients :-
Milk - 1/2 ltr
Basmati Rice - 2 Cups
Sugar - 4 Cups
Cardamom - 5
Cashewnuts (Kaju) - 12-14
Golden Raisins (Kishmish) - 7-8
Bay Leaves (Tej pata) - 4-5


Method :-
Boil milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Pound cardamom with a pestal & add to the milk. Add bay leaves and let the milk thicken for another 10-12 mins. Remove the bay leaves from the milk & add rice, sugar, cashew and raisins to the milk & bring to boil. Let it cool down. Serve either hot or refrigerate it and serve cool.

Chingri Macher Malaikari

Ingredients :-

White Shrimp/Prawns - 400 gms

Onions - 2

Garlic - 1 large clove coarsely chopped

Ginger paste - 1 Teaspoon

Green Chillies - 4 slit

Coconut Milk - 1 small/medium can

Bay leaves (Tej pata) - 4-5 small

Cardomom (Elaichi) - 4

Cloves (Laung) - 4

Salt - to taste

Sugar - 1 Teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 3 Tablespoons

Red Chilli Powder - 3 Tablespoons

Mustard Oil - 4 Tablespoons

Water - 4 Cups

Method :-

Clean the prawns & boil in microwave for 1 min. Throw this water. Sprinkle salt & turmeric powder on the prawns & set aside for 15-20 mins. In a deep fry pan, heat oil & fry the prawns till they turn golden brown. Set aside. In the same oil, put coarsely chopped garlic, bay leaves, cardomom and cloves for 2-3 mins. Make a paste of the onions & add this paste to the pan. Continue frying on medium flame & add a little sugar to this. Once the onion starts changing colour add ginger paste & fry for 2-3 mins. Stir & add the can of coconut milk. Add little water, salt, turmeric powder & red chilli powder to this. Add the green chillies. Mix well & cook the gravy. Once the gravy starts bubbling, add the fried prawns. Cook on low flame for sometime till the gravy thickens & acquires a creamy consistency. Serve hot with rice or pulao.

Khichadi

Ingredients :-

Basmati rice - 2 Cups

Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) - 1 Cup

Onion - 1 chopped

Water - 4 Cups

Cumin Seeds - 1 Teaspoon

Bay Leaves (Tej pata) - About 4-5

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Cloves - 3-4

Green Chillies - 4

Mustard Oil - 1 Tablespoon

Salt - to taste

Turmeric Powder - 3 Tablespoons

Dried Red Chillies - 4

Method :-

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan or pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, let it splutter. Add bay leaves & cloves. Let it splutter for 2 mins. Add dried red chillies, chopped green chillies, onion, fold in rice & lentils. Add green peas, slightly boiled. Sprinkle salt & turmeric powder, add water. Close the lid of the cooker or pan & let it simmer for around 15-20 mins or until 2 whistles from the cooker. Let the steam settle. Serve hot.

Hot & Spicy Egg Curry

Ingredients :-

Eggs - 5

Green Chillies - 4

Potatoes - 2

Onions - 1 & a half

Tomatoes - 1

Garlic - 6 cloves

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Turmeric Powder - 3 Tablespoons

Red Chilli Powder - 3 Tablespoons

Oil - 4 Tablespoons

Water - 4 cups

Method:-

Boil the eggs. Heat the oil in a deep fry pan. Make some slits in the boiled eggs & apply salt and turmeric powder onto it, and fry them. Keep the fried aggs aside. Now in the same oil, fry square cut pieces of potatoes & deep fry them. Put finely chopped green chillies, chopped onions, garlic and ginger paste and fry till they turn golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder & red chilli powder to the pan & saute for 5-6 mins. Add the fried eggs to this. Now, Add hot water to make a thick gravy. Serve hot.

White Shrimp Salad

Ingredients :-
White Shrimp - 500 gms (cleaned)
Red Capsicum - 1/2
Yellow Capsicum - 1/2
Orange Capsicum - 1/2
Green Capsicum - 1/2
Onion - 1
Tomatoes - 1
Corn - 1 cup boiled
Hot Sauce (Red Chilli & Garlic Sauce) - 3 Tablespoons
Vinegar - 2 Tablespoons
Salt - to taste
Black Pepper Powder - 1 Tablespoon
Oil - 2 Tablespoons Canola/Vegetable Oil

Method :-
Heat the oil in a deep fry pan. Fry the cleaned shrimp for 6-7 mins. Thinly slice the capsicums into 2 inch straight length & add in the pan, fry for 2-3 mins. Spread the boiled corn over this. Sprinkle salt. Add hot sauce & 1 tablespoon vinegar & saute for 3-4 mins. In a salad tray, arrange the shrimp in the center, cut onion & tomatoes in round shapes & decorate from the sides. Sprinkle the black pepper powder & remaining vinegar on top. Serve hot.

Mach Mach Better (Ilish recipe)

Ingredients :-

Hilsa (Ilish) Steaks - 12

Kalonji (Kala Jeera) - 2 Tablespoons

Potatoes - 2 medium-sized

Green Chilies - 4 slit from middle

Mustard Oil - 6 Tablespoons

Salt - to taste

Turmeric Powder - 6 Tablespoons

Red Chilli Powder - 4 Tablespoons

Cumin (Jeera) Powder - 4 Tablespoons

Water - 3 cups hot

Method :-

Wash the fish clean under running tap water. Marinate the hilsa steaks with salt & 2 spoonfulls of turmeric powder and set aside for 5 mins. Heat the mustard oil in a deep fry pan & lightly fry the fish, repeating both sides for 2 mins. Remove the fish from the pan & set aside to cool. If possible, try to throw this oil & use fresh mustard oil. Heat the oil on medium flame & fry kalonji seeds & slit green chillies for 2 mins, add squarely chopped potatoes into this & fry until they turn golden brown. Add salt. Add the fish & reduce the flame. In a deep bowl, add the remaining turmeric powder, red chilli powder & cumin powder and add hot water, mix to make a paste, if needed add a little extra water & pour this into the pan of fish. Bring to boil on low flame with lid covered for 10 mins. Ilish is ready. Serve with rice.

Bengali Aloo Posto

Ingredients :-

Green Chillies - 4, Potatoes - 2 medium-sized, Poppy Seeds (Posto) - 5 Tablespoons, Mustard Oil - 4 Tablespoons, Salt - to taste, Turmeric Powder - 2 Tablespoons, Cumin (Jeera) Powder - 1 Tablespoon, Water - 2 cups, Panch Pharan or Cumin (Jeera) Seeds - 1 Tablespoon, Coriander Leaves - 3 Tablespoon finely chopped

Method:-

Soak the poopy seeds in warm water for 2 hrs before grinding. In the grinder, grind the poppy seeds together with 2 green chillies to make a fine paste. Cut the potatoes to 1" square pieces. Heat oil in a deep fry pan, add panch phoran & potatoes, fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown. Add the poppy paste to it, add salt, cumin powder & turmeric powder, add water & bring to boil on low flame. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves & serve hot with rice.