Shorshe Eelish

The hilsa or eelish is one of the most loved fishes to Bengalis and Bangladeshis. Found in the tidal estuaries in and around the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta, this fish can be eaten in a variety of forms - smoked,  fried, steamed, or even baked (inside leaves of the banana plant). These fish breed during the monsoon season, and are generally caught at the same time. Eelish eggs are a delicacy too.

1. Eelish fish
2. salt and turmeric to marinate
3. mustard oil
4. green chillies
5. mustard paste

Procedure :

 Marinate the fish steak with salt and turmeric powder. Heat the wok. Add 1 tsp mustard oil. And arrange the marinated fish steaks. Simmer for 2 mins. Add the mustard green chilly paste to it. Then add salt, and water. Boil for 5 mins. Add enough slit green chillies and 2 tbsp mustard oil. Boil for another 2 mins. Remove from heat.

Serve with hot rice.

AAM anandAAM

The road that a mango follows from the tree to the plate and then the palate is paved with a lot of excitement and anticipation and especially so when it is the first such journey of the season. Very soon mangoes will flood the market in all their sweet glory but the wait for the fruit to ripen can seem to be very long. So for all of you impatient people, here is a mango chutney to kick off the mango season.

• 2 cups of raw (green )mango slices, without the skin being peeled. This helps retain the fibre as well as the vitamins.
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt and turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon PanchPhoron - mixture of five spices, kalanji (kala jeera), saunf ( mouri), fenugreek seeds (methi), mustard (shorshe), cumin (jeera)
• 2 teaspoon mustard oil
• 1 tablespoon flour for thickening

• Soak the mango slices in cold water for half an hour and drain. Take a fresh pan of boiling water and place the mangoes for a couple of minutes and drain again. This will reduce the acidity of the raw mangoes.
• Add sugar, salt, turmeric powder into the bowl of boiled mangoes and put on heat. Cook for 15 minutes till the mango slices are tender. 
• In a separate bowl, take half a cup of water and stir in the flour. Add this into the boiling mango mixture and stir for another two or three minutes till it thickens.
• Heat the mustard oil in a skillet and add the PanchPhoron till it starts splattering (Chaunk !) 
• Pour the hot Chaunk into the boiling mango mixture.
• Cool before serving.
• Suggested garnishing : Ginger juliennes / Raisins

ICY FRUIT COCKTAIL

All types of seasonal fruits viz watermelon, muskmelon, grapes, mango, papaya etc.( cut into tiny cubes)
Milk (1/2 litre)  boiled with little sugar and thicken by adding flavoured CUSTARD POEDER.

VANILA ICE CREAM

CHOCOLATE SYRUP (available in any departmental stores) I use HERSHEY's Chocolate Syrup



Place the fruitcubes in dessert bowls and refrigerate. Add 2 tbsp Custard-milk mixture and 2scoups icecream on top of the fruitcubes-custard mixture. Add Chocolate Syrup before serving.

It is a yummy dessert and you can prepare it the day before. Keep it in the fridge and serve CHILLED to wow your guests.

BEAT THE SWELTERING SUMMER WITH THIS ICY FRUIT COCKTAIL .

PLZ DON'T EVEN THINK FOR CALORIES THIS TIME!!!

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Vegetable Chop

VEGETABLES (Carrot, Beet Root, Cauliflower, Green Peas )
POTATO (Boiled and Mashed)
CORRIANDER LEAVES (Finely Chopped)
COCONUT (Finely Chopped)
PEANUTS (Fried)
GREEN CHILLIES (Finely Chopped)
GINGER (Grated)
GARAM MASALA POWDER
SALT & SUGAR to taste
EGG (Beaten)
CORN FLOUR
BREAD CRUMBS
REFINED OIL for frying

Cut the vegetables into tiny small cubes and boil them by adding a pinch of salt. Do not add water while boiling. Close the lid and heat on a slow flame. That will help easy boiling. Avoid excess boiling. Add the mashed potato, a handfull of fried peanuts and fried coconut pieces. Then add grated ginger, green chillies and fresh corriander leaves. Add Sugar and sprinkle garam Masala Powder. Spread the hot mixture on a large platter and allow it to cool.

Meanwhile beat the egg along with salt and a little corn flour. Make CHOPS in oval shape from the above mixture and coat each of them with beaten egg and then roll them over breadcrumbs. Deep Fry the CHOPS in Refined oil.
SERVE HOT WITH SALADS & TOMATO KETCHUP !!!

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"STIR-FRYING"

Make sure you have everything you’ll need chopped and ready to go before you start your stir-fry. Stir-frying is quick, so you won’t have time to do much other than stir once you start.
Preheat your wok or a large frying pan slightly before adding oil. Add oil, making sure the surface of the pan is well covered. If using garlic, ginger, onions  add them and saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Determine which of your stir-fry ingredients need the most cooking time, and add these first. For example,  carrots, french beans need more time to cook than some vegetables like mushrooms and bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage. Don’t forget to stir!
 Add marinated chicken, shrimp according to your choice. Then add serial (optional, like boiled rice, toasted bread cubes, boiled noodles, instant noodles or precooked pasta). Reduce heat, allowing noodles to steam cook for 5-7 minutes. If adding rice, pre-cooked noodles or other grains, stir-fry just long enough to mix the flavors, about three minutes. Add a little oil to avoid sticking.

Add sauce or spices and stir until finished cooking. For a basic stir-fry, you'll want about 3 tablespoons of sauce. ( CHING's "STIR FRY" SAUCE  is the best!!) Most of the liquid will cook off, leaving you with just the flavors. If you'll be serving your stir-fry over rice or other grains, you'll want about 1/3 cup of sauce, and may want to thicken it up with a bit of corn-starch or flour.( I avoid corn starch)

Enjoy your finished stir-fry!  Serve hot.

Kadai Paneer

Paneer (Cut into cubes and soaked in hot salted water for 30 minutes) 250 gms.
Carrot (sliced) 1 cup
French Beans (chopped) 1 cup
Green peas (shelled) 1 cup
Cauliflower (small florets only) 1 cup
Capsicum (chopped) 1 large
Onion (chopped) 1 large
Tomato (chopped) 1 large
Ginger-Red Chilly ( paste)  2tsp
Kasuri Methi (dry) 2tbsp
Curd 2tsp
Refined oil  4tbsp
Ghee  2tsp
Salt and Sugar to taste
Garam Masala Powder 1tsp



Boil Carrot, French Beans, Cauliflower and Green Peas in a little water by adding a pinch of salt for 2 mins only without closing the lid of the pan (to avoid over cooking) so that no extra water is left ( that will retain the food value of the vegetables). Heat Refined oil and 1 tbsp ghee and fry the Paneer cubes lightly and keep aside. Fry the Capsicum and the  boiled vegetables together in the same oil for 5 mins. Then keep them in the same platter along with Paneer. Fry Onion and Tomato together till brown and keep them aside with the Panner-Veggie mixture.
Add the Ginger-Red Chilly Paste into the oil and then add the beaten curd. Saute for 2 mins Add Garam Masala Powder and Kasuri Methi . Add Salt and a little Sugar. Now add the Paneer-Vegetable Mixture. Keep for 2 mins. Add the residual Ghee from top. 
Serve hot with roti/chapati/paratha/puri
SPECIALITY TIPS : NO EXTRA WATER IS ADDED DURING COOKING OF "KADAI PANEER"!!!AND THIS IS A "COOK N SERVE " RECIPE.

FulKopir Singara ( Cauliflower Samosa)

Ingredients :

Cauliflower florets : 1cup
Potato (diced) : 1and 1/2 cup
Greenpeas : 1/4th cup
Fried Peanuts : 2tbsp
Coconut (finely chopped and fried) : 2tbsp
Fresh Corriander leaves
Grated Ginger and green Chilly paste : 2tbsp
Garam Masala Powder : 1tsp
Salt and Sugar to taste
Ghee : 1tsp
Baking Powder : 1tsp
Flour (Maida)
Refined Oil

 Procedure :

Sieve the flour with baking powder, salt, refined oil and water to make a hard dough. Cover the dough with a bowl and refrigerate, so as to make them crispy. Meanwhile Boil the diced potato and green peas. Ensure that no extra water is reatined after boiling. Stir-fry the cauliflower florets in refined oil and add them to the potato-green peas mixture. Sprinkle peanuts, coconut and rest of the ingredients into the mixture. Stir fry them all loosely and let it be cooled. This makes your samosa (singara) filler. 

Make small balls from the dough you had made, roll and cut into two halves. Fold each of the half in a triangular manner and enclose the filler. Seal the samosas properly and deep fry in refined oil.

Serve hot with tea/coffee as an evening snack.