Lau Ghonto- A bengali Delicacy (bottle-gourd-curry)

Lau Ghonto- A bengali Delicacy (bottle-gourd-curry)

Bottle gourd which is called as LAUKI in Hindi.
Ghonto is generally makes in Bengali Cuisine with the vegetables (cabbage, gourd, radish etc.) where vegetables are finely chopped or grated. It is very delicious and healthy to eat. 
Here is the recipe.

Ingredients :

• Lau/lauki : 1medium size
• 1 bay leaf
• Kalo jeera/Kalonji  : 1tsp
• Green chilli :3-4 slitted
• Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
• Salt to taste 
• Sugar : 1tsp  
• Oil
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
• Bori : 10pcs  

  Method

  • Wash and peel lau/lauki/bottle gourd and slice into finely pieces.
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry the boris till light gloden brown.keep aside.
  • In that oil, add bay leaf,kalo jeera/kalonji seeds and
    slitted green chilli.When chilli turns light dark and seeds crackle, add chopped lauki and a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Stir for a while. You don't have to add any water,as lauki itself releases a lot of water.
  • When water comes out,cover and cook it in low flame. Add the sugar and let it cook. you can add a little water if you want.Now, add the boris and let them absorb some water.
  • Lau cooks very fast.Finally,when all the water evaporates and lau is quite soft and mushy, remove from heat. 
  • Garnish with some coriander leaves,and serve hot with steamed rice. 
    
    

    
    

Aar aloor jhol- An every day curry

Aar macher aloo diye jhol ( Aar fish curry with potato wedges)

Aar is a very tasty fish and it goes quite well with potatoes and cauliflowers.
Fish cooked in spices, flavored with radhuni seeds( As per wiki, it's called wild celery seeds in English and ajmod in hindi),hot green peppers and cooked in mustard oil is a recipe very close to my heart.

 Ingredients

• Aar fish 4 pieces
• 1 medium-sized potato cut into wedges
• 1 medium-sized tomato finely chopped
• 2-3 slitted Green chillies
• 1/2 tsp radhuni seeds
• 2 nos bay leaf
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1tsp coriander powder
• salt as per taste
• Mustard oil
• Few coriander leaves for garnishing
  

  Method

  
  

  • Wash fish pieces properly, apply salt & turmeric & keep aside.
  • Peel & cut potatoes into wedges.
    Finely chop tomato.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan & when it smokes, lower flame & fry the fish pieces well. Take out & keep aside. In the same oil fry the potato pieces well & take them out.

  

•  Now add radhuni seed, Slitted green chillies & bay leaves  to the oil & when they splutter, add the powdered masala ( turmeric, chilli,cumin and coriander podwer).Add a little salt & keep mixing & turning so they don't stick to the pan. Add the chopped tomato & fry well. 
•  Now mix in the potato wedges & saute for a while.At this point you can add fried cauliflower pieces also, it increase the taste of the curry,but i skipped the cauliflowers.
• Continue to stir until oil leaves from the masala.Add about 2 glass of water,mix well & now add the fish. Bring to a boil ,then lower flame, cover & cook for 5mins.
• . Garnish with chopped corriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.
  

  Note: you can also make this curry with cumin seeds also if radhuni seed is not available.
  This fish can be prepared with onion using tomato and ginger garlic paste. will post the recipe soon. Till then enjoy this curry with your loved ones.
  Bon appetit :)

Yum Yum Golda Chingri (Prawn Dopiaza)

Yum Yum Golda Chingri (Prawn Dopiaza)

 Dopiaza means two onions. Finely chopped for the initial masala, and thickly sliced for extra flavour.

Ingredients 

• 400gms Golda Chingri/ Jumbo Prawns
• 2 large onions, 1/2 chopped finely; rest sliced lengthways into thick slices.
• 1 large tomatoes; blanched, and chopped finely
• 1 tbsp heaped ginger-garlic paste
• a pinch of cumin seeds
• 1-2 bay leaf
• 2 dried red chilli 
• 1 tsp tumeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• salt as per taste
• sugar
• Asafoetida/hing a pinch
• oil

  Method

  •  Remove the shell. Devein and clean the prawns. Rub two teaspoons turmeric powder to the   prawns and keep for 10 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a thick-bottom pan. Add the bay leaf, dried chilli, Asafoetida/hing and cumin seeds.
  • Let them sauté for a minute, add a pinch of sugar and let it caramelize. Now add the chopped onions.
    (The caramelized sugar adds a whole lot of color to the onions)
  •  Once the onions are nice and golden brown, add the ginger-garlic paste.mix and cook for a few minutes on low heat.
  • Now add the red chili and turmeric powders. Continuing to cook on low heat.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and sugar.
  • Keep stirring.  
  • In another pan, fry the turmeric-rubbed prawns.
  •  Another couple of minutes on each side of the prawns and they will be ready to add to our Dopiaza gravy. 
  • Add prawns stir until they are coated with the tomato mix. add some water in the mixture and  cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Now,add the garam masala powder and give it a good mix. 
  • Cook the shrimps in the gravy for about 4-5minutes.
  • Remove from heat and serve hot with plain Basmati rice.
    
    
    

    Bon appetit!! :)

Piyajkoli Diye Tangra Mach(Tengra with Spring Onions)

Piyajkoli Diye Tangra Mach(Tengra with Spring Onions)

Ingredients

• 250gms Tangra mach cleaned
• 2 medium sized potatoes cut in thin wedges
• A bunch of onion greens cut into small pieces
• 4-5 green chilies slitted
• 1 medium sized tomato finely chopped
• A pinch of Nigella seeds (Kalo Jeere)
• 1and1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tsp. cumin powder
• sugar as per taste
• salt as per taste
• Mustard oil
  

Procedure

 

• Wash the fish well and pat dry. Marinate with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt
• Heat mustard oil a pan and fry the fish pieces lightly on both sides. Remove.
• In the same oil, add the nigella seeds and green chillies.
• Stir fry for a second and then add the finely chopped tomatoes. Fry well  till the raw smell goes. 
• Next you will have to add the chopped spring onions.Fry well.
• Mix turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt and sugar in a little water and add this mix to the pan.  
• Fry till all spices are cooked and oil comes out from the mixture ( which we people call Koshano in bengali)and then, add the fish pieces and a little water.
• Put a lid, reduce flame and cook for 5-7 minutes. 
• After 5-7 minutes remove cover and check. If the water has dried out and the is fish cooked, then put flame off and transfer to a serving dish. 
• Serve warm with white steamed rice.