Tuesday 2 April 2013

Karaishutir Kachuri/Achari Aloor Dum/Simui er Payesh..!!



Peas stuffed deep fried flat bread/Spicy pickled Potato Curry/Vermicelli Milk Pudding..!!!




There is a saying in Bengali," Bhojon Rosik Bangali",which signifies that the Bengali people not just love to eat they eat to enjoy..to cherish ...!! Over the ages the eating habits have definitely changed but the “Bhojon Rosik Bangali" has not. There are loads of our very own food which we love to enjoy in anywhere, any moment. To cope with time and different culture we try to adjust ourselves in various ways but somewhere in our mind we remain always same. For which sometimes nothing can satisfy our taste buds more than our very own Bengali cuisine.

Karaishutir Kachuri (green peas kachori) and Alur dum( Dum Aloo - I have modified it to Achari) is another preeminent Bengali Breakfast combo. I should admit that I have prepared it at home after a long time, though I know my Man loves it very much. Therefore ,it turned  out to be a very special affair in last weekend for him and nevertheless to say that for me also.


I learned to prepare it from my Best ever teacher, MAA. She prepares it very occasionally too, mostly during pujas or to entertain guests at our home. But she always prefers it with the traditional side dish 'Chholar daal (chana daal)' as she loves to cook the traditional vegetarian dishes. But breaking the traditionalist approach,  I opted a different side dish for my kachori. I found a good amount  of baby potatoes in my veg basket and I decided to prepare Dum Aloo, which I modified slightly and prepared Achari Dum Aloo.


Here is the recipe :




Achari Dum Aloo:







Ingredients:

  • Baby Potatoes: 15-20
  • Fenugreek Seeds:1/4 tsp
  • Cumin Seeds:1/2 tsp
  • Coriander Seeds:1/2 tsp
  • Dry Red Whole Chilli:1
  • Onion:1 medium(thin slice)
  • Ginger:1/2 inch( paste)
  • Garlic:3-4 cloves(crushed)
  • Tomato: 1(chopped)
  • Turmeric Powder:1/4 tsp
  • Salt: As per taste
  • Sugar: 1 pinch
  • Mixed Pickle:1 tsp
  • Mustard Oil: 2-3 tbsp.
  • Garam Masala Powder:1/4 tsp

Process:


  • Wash and peel the potatoes.
  • Heat little oil in a kadhai and with little salt and turmeric powder fry the baby potatoes until golden yellow in color. Prick the fired potatoes with fork and keep them aside.
  • Take an another pan and dry roast the fenugreek, cumin ,coriander seeds and the dry red whole chilli. Grind them to make a coarse powder. Keep it aside.
  • Now heat little more mustard oil in the kadhai and add  the crushed garlic and sugar into it and sauté it until brown on medium heat.
  • Then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes become mushy.
  • Add the sliced onion now and cook until it becomes translucent.
  • Then add the ginger paste along with little salt( as pickle will be added at end, be careful while adding salt because store bought pickle has lots of Salt in it), turmeric powder, previously made dry roasted powder.
  • Mix the all spices together and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Then add the potatoes and cook until oil start to release from the side of the kadhai.
  •  Add one cup of water or little more and cover the kadhai. Cook on medium heat until the potatoes become soft.
  • Now increase heat and adjust the gravy and add pickle.
  • Mix well  and taste the seasoning. The gravy shouldn't be very dry or watery.
  • Sprinkle little garam masala powder and serve garnishing with coriander leaves.





Karaishutir Kachuri/Peas Kachori:







Ingredients:

  • Flour/Maida: 2 cups
  • Oil(moyan):2 tbsp.
  • Green Peas(frozen/fresh) : 1 cup
  • Asafoetida( hing): 1 pinch( I love to add it even in my karaishutir kachuri)
  • Salt: 1tsp
  • Ginger paste: 1/4 tsp
  • Sugar: 1 pinch
  • Dry Roasted Cumin and Coriander Powder:1 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder: 1/4 tsp
  • White Oil: 2 cups(for frying)
  • Enough water.

Process:







                                     

                               


                                                





                                                  



                                           




                                                 






                                                    














  • At first make  a smooth paste of green peas.
  • Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan.Add the peas paste and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Then gradually add salt,hing dry roasted powders,chilli powder,ginger paste and pinch of sugar.
  • Mix the peas paste with all the masalas and cook until the mixture dries up.
  • Keep it aside and cool it for few minutes.
  • Now sieve the flour and add salt and oil(mentioned as moyan) and mix well.
  • Gradually add water and make a nice ,soft yet firm dough.
  • Divide the dough into small balls.
  •  Stuff each ball with the peas mixture.
  • Carefully roll out them with rolling pin.
  • You may use little oil while rolling them to avoid sticking.
  • Heat white oil in a deep bottomed vessel.
  • When it is hot enough add the kachuri and set the heat to medium.
  • Gently press the kachuri with the slotted spoon( chhanta) to puff them.
  • In this way,fry all the kachuri and keep them first on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

Recipe for Simui Payesh/ Vermicelli Milk Pudding:










Ingredients:

  • Full Cream milk: 1 liter
  • Vermicelli(Simai): ½ cup
  • Milkmaid: 1 cup
  • Sugar: 1/4 Cup or as per choice
  • Ghee: 2 tsps.
  • Cardamom Powder:1/4 tsp
  • Cashew nuts: A handful
  • Raisins: 1/4 Cup
  • Any Other dry fruits

Process:
  • Take two deep bottomed vessel.
  • In one add little ghee and fry the dry fruits first and keep them aside.
  • In the same vessel add little more ghee and roast lightly the vermicelli.
  • In the other pan add the full cream milk and boil it properly.
  • Now add the fried vermicelli into the vessel of milk.
  • Boil the milk along with the golden fried vermicelli.
  • Cook until the vermicelli is well cooked and soft but be careful that the milk couldn't stick to the bottom and the strands of the vermicelli remain separated from each other.
  • Now add the condensed milk and sugar.
  • Mix and boil on medium flame until the pudding becomes thick.
  • The milk will reduce to half of it's original quantity.
  • Add the dry fruits and cardamom powder and on low flame cook for more 3-5 minutes.
  • Turn off the gas and serve garnishing with any dry fruits of your choice.





                                      Enjoy Your Food..!!