Luchi (Deep Fried Flatbread) ar (And) Alur Chorchori (Potato Curry) ...A Complete Bengali Breakfast ..!!!
Luchi Aar Alur Chorchori,this illustrious Bengali Breakfast reminds me of the Sunday mornings ,when Maa prepared this for all of us. My brother and me couldn't even think of a single Sunday without this special breakfast made by her.
After my marriage I saw my husband similarly loves this combo. So from the very beginning of my married life, I have developed a habit to prepare it very often at home.
Though at the beginning I couldn't prepare perfect beautiful puffed luchi like Maa. But repeated trials and thorough instructions given by her helped me to learn the process of making perfect circle, soft and puffed luchi.
Now,I prepare it very often especially for my little girl as she loves it and eats without complaining. But more than eating she has a strong desire in making luchi and every time she rolls few luchi.But I simply love the imperfect shaped luchis ,made by her little hands . I know in future this is going to be one of my sweetest and most beautiful, refreshing memories.
Here is the Process :
For Luchi:
Ingredients:
- Maida/Flour: 2Cup
- White Oil(Moyan): 3 tsps.
- Salt:1/4 tsp
- Water: As per need
- White Oil : 2 cups(for frying)
Process:
- Take a mixing bowl and sieve the flour first and add salt.
- Then add the white oil or moyan.
- Mix them with your hand.
- Now gradually add water and knead them with hands very well to make a soft,firm nice dough.
- Keep in mind that that dough should not be very hard or sticky.
- Divide the dough into few small equal balls.
- Using rolling pin make round luchi.To avoid sticking use little oil while rolling them.
- Meanwhile add white oil in a kadhai and heat it very well.
- Once it is heated properly ,lower the flame to medium and add the luchi one by one and press them little with the slotted spatula(Chhanta).( Maa says it helps to puff the luchi)
- When one side of the luchi turns golden turn it and fry that side well.
- Repeat the same process for the other balls.
For Alur Chorchori(Potato Curry):
Ingredients:
- Potatoes: 2 medium( Cut in cubes)
- Whole Dry Red Chilli:2
- Panchforon / Kala Jeera or Nigella Seeds: 1 tsp (Either one may be used)
- Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp
- Oil(White/Mustard):2 tbsp.
Process:
- Wash,peel and cut the potatoes in small cubes.
- Heat oil in kadhai.Once it is heated properly add panchforon or kala jeera and the dry red chilli for tempering.
- When it starts to splutter add the potato cubes.
- Add Salt and turmeric powder.
- Mix well and on medium heat sauté the potato cubes for few minutes.Dont make it fry.
- Add water and cover.Cook until the potato becomes soft.
- Adjust the gravy increasing heat.The Alu Chorchori should not be very watery or very dry.
- Taste the salt.
- Turn off the flame and serve with fulko luchi.
Enjoy Your Food..!!
There is a proverb in Bengali which literally means "Not Utilizing things at proper time". It's so true for me. As long as I was in Kolkata or at my own small town I never felt any urge to eat Bengali sweets,. Now not getting those very easily I realize their importance....as well as their heavenly taste. Can you even imagine any of your celebrations without them? I know loads of sweets are available here also but one thing I should confess that nothing can beat the taste of our very own Bengali Sweets.
This time I made Chanar Jilipi at home .This is a very famous sweet all over the Bengal. Basically it's a fried sweet and process of making is almost similar with that of Pantua ,I posted earlier.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
- Chena( Cottage Cheese) : 2 cups
- Khoya or Mawa: 2 cups
- Semolina: 4 tbsp.
- Maida:2-4 tbsp.
- Ghee:1 tbsp
- Sodium Bi Carbonate(Edible Soda):1/4 tsp
- Sugar:6 Cups
- Water:2 cups
- Cardamom Powder:1/4 tsp
- Oil(White oil/ghee): 2 cups
Procedure:
Click on this link for the process of making chena and khoya.
- Make chena at home using low fat or full cream milk..
- You may use store bought or home made mawa(Click the given link)
- Soak semolina in 6 tbsp. of water.
- Mix the chena ,the mawa and the edible soda and rub until smooth and has no lump.
- Mixed soaked semolina with the powdered cardamom and add to the chena mix.
- Mix the maida with ghee and mix properly.
- Add this to the chena mix also.
- Now knead all of them into a smooth nice dough.
- Divide the dough into equal parts.
- Roll each potion in long strips. Shape into a coil Fix the two ends.
- Shape all the portions in the same way.
- Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup with sugar and water.
- Keep in mind that the consistency of the syrup will be 1 -string.(only one thin string is formed when tested between thumb and
forefinger.)
- Heat oil in a kadhai and fry the spirals until they are golden brown.
- Dip them into the warm syrup.
- Keep them immersed in syrup for 3-4 hrs so,that that jilipis or jalebis can completely soak in the syrup.
Enjoy Your Food..!!
Celebrate Festivals Of Colors With Foods Also..!!
Celebrating The Festival Of Colours with Few Special Dishes...!!
"
রাঙিয়ে দিয়ে যাও, যাওগো এবার যাবার আগে
তোমার আপন রাগে
তোমার গোপন রাগে
তোমার তরুণ হাসির অরুণ রাগে
অশ্রু-জলের করুণ রাগে................."
These are none other than our very own poet,Rabi Thakur's lines which literally means
'Color me before you leave
In your own colors
In your hidden colors
In the hue of your young smile
In the shades of your tears"....
This was our Great Poet's request to the nature,to the last month of the Bengali year ,"Chaitra"(usually which is the time from the middle of March to the middle of April).It is sung in a chorus in conclusion of the holi festival (the Indian spring festival of color)
At the end of the winter and almost before entering into an another new year we the Indian celebrate a special festival,Holi,The Festival Of Color.There are other significances of this festival too.
Every year, thousands of Hindus participate in the festival Holi. The festival has many purposes.
First and foremost, it celebrates the beginning of the new season, spring. Originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter. It also has a religious purpose, commemorating events present in Hindu mythology.
Although it is the least religious holiday, it is probably one of the most exhilarating ones in existence. During this event, participants hold a bonfire, throw colored powder at each other, and celebrate wildly.
The celebration of Holi has different aspects. It is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, a carnival of colors, a community festival, and a tradition of ancient spring rites.
Besides throwing color at each other we enjoy it with various foods too.In each and every house holi specials foods are prepared .
Today, I am here with my three special preparations which I made to celebrate this holi .
One is Small Namkeen(Kucho Nimki) and the Other is Colorful Sondesh(with out using any food color) and the third one is Kaju Katli or Kaju Barfi( A special Indian Sweet made with Cashewnuts)
Recipes For Namkeen(Kucho Nimki),Colorful Sondesh, Kaju Katli..!!!
Recipe For Kucho Nimki(Salty Crunchy):
Ingredients:
- Flour or Maida : 1Cup
- Salt : 1/2 tsp (as per your taste)
- Nigella Seeds(Kalonji) :1/2 tsp
- Baking Powder :1/4 tsp
- Oil (Moyan): 4 tbsp
- Water :1/2 cup added gradually(As per your need to make a soft/firm dough)
- White Oil: 1 Cup(for frying)
Process:
- Take a big mixing bowl add the flour,salt,baking powder ,nigella seeds and the oil together.
- Then using your hand, mix it well.
- Gradually add water and knead the dough well till it is smooth
- In this way make a soft yet firm dough.
- Keep the dough separately covered.
- Then divide the dough into 3/4 equal balls.
- With the help of the rolling pin roll out each ball into think circle.
- Now with the help of a sharp knife cut the circle into small diamond shapes.
- Heat white oil in a deep bottomed vessel.
- Deep fry the diamond shaped pieces of dough (about 1 cup). Fry the pieces until they are uniformly transform in brown color.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil on tissue paper.
- Once they become cool store the namkeen in an air tight container.
Recipe For Colored Sondesh( without any food color):
Ingredients:
- Milk: 1 lit( full cream/low fat)
- Vinegar: 1tbsp
- Sugar:1/2 cup(or as per your taste)
- Pistachios Paste:2 tbsp.
- Strawberry Crush: 2 tbsp.
- Saffron Milk: 2 tbsp.
- Cocoa Powder: 2tbsp
Preparation:
- Boil the milk at low heat.
- When it boils very well add the vinegar.
- Milk will start to curdle soon and the chena will be separated from the greenish liquid.
- Using a muslin cloth drain the water and separate the chena.
- Wash it properly with water and then tied the ends of the muslin cloth and keep it for 30 minutes.
- You may put an heavy weight over the cloth containing chena to drain all the excess water.
- Mean while grind the blanched pistachios to make a smooth powder.Keep it aside.
- Soak 2-3 pinches of saffron strands in a 2 table spoon of warm milk to make saffron milk.Keep separately
- Take 4-5 pieces of strawberry ,add 2 tbsp. of sugar ,then add only 1 tbsp. of water and grind them coarsely to make strawberry crush. Keep it separately.
- Keep ready the cocoa powder too.
- Then remove the chena from the cloth.
- Using your hand on the kitchen slab mash the chena very well until smooth and has absolutely no lumps.
- Now add the sugar and mash again until smooth.
- Divide the chena into four equal parts.
- Add above mentioned four different flavours and colors into four different portions of chena.
- Mash very well.
- Now you will get four different coloured chena balls,
- The 1.Saffron yellow for using Saffron milk, 2.Pink for using Strawberry crush, 3.Light Green for using Pistachios, and 4.Chocolate for using Cocoa powder.
- Give each of the colored ball your desired shape.
- I use cookie cutter to shape them.
- Enjoy Your Holi with homemade colored sondesh.
Recipe for Kaju Katli..!! Kaju Barfi...
Ingredients:
- Kaju /Cashews: 1 1/2 cups
- Sugar: 1/4 cup
- Water:1/4 cup( little more)
- Corn Flour: 1 tsp
- Rose Water: 1 -2 drops
- Silver Warq: For Decoration.
Process:
- At first grind the cashews and make a very smooth powder.
- Add three table spoon of water and 1/4 cup of sugar in a pan and heat it to make a thick sugar syrup.
- When is sugar syrup is done add the cashew powder into the same pan.
- On a medium heat mix both of them very well.
- When the mixture begins to thicken, reduce heat and keep stirring.
- When the
mixture becomes thick and leaves the sides of the pan (it should take about
eight minutes) sprinkle cornstarch.
- Stir well and remove from heat. Immediately mix in the rose essence.
- Grease a marble or wooden surface with some ghee and put the mix on it.
- Let it cool for 15 minutes.Grease your hand and the roller with little more ghee.
- With your hand knead the dough .
- Then roll thinly with the greased roller.
- Spread the silver sheet over and cut
into diamond shaped katlis.
- Store in an airtight container when
cold.
Have a safe and beautiful colourful holi to all of you....!! Add color to your life..Make your life more and more beautiful..All the best wishes to all my friends,brothers,sisters and food blogger friends..!!
Egg Oblong Rolls..Golden and Crisp Finger Food For Hungry Children..!!
"Why my child is not eating properly..???" this is a common question of all the Moms like me.And the Paeditrician's answer is also always the same,"dont get panic,let them eat which they like, if the weight and development are good ,there is nothing to worry about.." But I know,this answer can't sasitfy us,the moms.Because,everyday we used to literally fight with our little ones to feed them.
For this reason, I used to keep an eye always in different food channels in search of special kid's recipes which I can make for my daughter.
This is a very interesting recipe which I made for her and really she liked it.Moreover it is enriched with nutritions too. Preparation is very simple yet delicious.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
- Eggs: 4(Hard Boiled)
- Onion: 1 (Finely Chopped)
- Cheddar Cheese(in absence,any type of cheese can be used):4 tbsp(Grated)
- Cornstarch:2 tbsp
- Bread:2 slices(toasted and ground in mixer to get 1 cup of fresh Bread crumbs)
- Salt: As per taste
- Pepper:1/2 tsp
- Mustard Powder:1 tsp(Optional)
- Tomato Ketch up:2tsp
You may add finely chopped french beans and carrot also.
Process:
- Grate the hard boiled eggs,add onions,cheese,corn starch,salt pepper,tomato ketchup and mustard powder.
- Then add the bread crumbs.
- Mix them very well and make a dough.
- Shape into oblong rolls.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the rolls,few at a time at medium heat,till the rolls become golden brown in color.
- Absorb the excess oil keepng them on a tissue paper.
- Serve them with tomato ketchup.
Let Them Enjoy Their Food..!!!
Kashmiri Pulao...!!
Polao/Pulao is a very conventional dish which mostly prepared in houses for celebrating special occasions. Especially Maa used to cook this on our birthdays and on few auspicious days. I learned this from her (my best teacher ever) and till now I always cooked the formal and conventional version of The Polao.
This time I thought of breaking the tradition by preparing something different and after a long thought I opted for Kashmiri Pulao .This is a sweet saffron polao loaded with loads of spices, fruits and dry fruits. If prepared properly then the aroma of this Polao has the capacity to astonish anybody at anytime.
The process is bit lengthy but the result is so wonderful that it worth the hardwork.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
For Rice:
- Long Grain Basmati Rice: 3 cups
- Powdered Sugar:1/4 cup
- Ghee:2 tbsp
- Water
- White Oil: 2 tbsp
- Saffron: 1/4 th gm(30-40 strands)
- Milk: 1/2 cups
Spices For Kashmiri Pulao:
- Shah Jeera( Caraway Seeds):1 tsp
- Bay Leaves:2
- Cinnamon Stick:2
- Whole Cardamom:4-5
- Cloves:5-6
- Mace(Javitri):1
- Nutmeg Powder:1tsp
- Cardamom Powder:1/2 tsp.
Vegetables/Fruits/Dry Fruits For Kashmiri Polao:
- Dry Fruits: 1 cup(cashews,raisins,almonds,walnuts,apricots or other dry fruits of your choice)
- Pineapple: 1 Cup(chopped)
- Apple: 1 Cup(chopped)
- Pear: 1 Cup(chopped)
- French Beans: 1/2 cup(Chopped)
- Carrot: 1 cup(thinly sliced)
- Peas:1/2 cup
- Cherries ,Tutti frutii,Pomegranate: For Garnishing
Other Ingredients:
- Garam Masala Powder:1/4 tsp
- Salt : As per taste.
Prepartion:
I must mention here that I followed one very good tips given by one of my beloved sis Payel. She suggested me to prepare the rice used for polao at the previous night and to keep the rice inside the fridge.It not only saves your time but also the rice you get for polao doesn't get sticky by any chance.
Overview Through Pictures:
How to make Saffron Rice:
- Take a big microwave safe bowl.
- Put the rice and the water.
- Add little garam masala powder and the white oil on it.
- Put the bowl inside the microwave oven on full power for 15-20 mins.
- This will make the rice till 70 % done.
- Drain the excess water and spread the rice over a flat plate.
- If you make the rice at the previous night keep the rice covered in the refridgerator .
- Soak the saffron strands in the luke warm milk for 15 minutes.
- Add the ghee on a kadhai and heat it properly.
- Then add the saffron soaked milk and the sugar and Mix very well
- Then add the rice .
- Mix carefully and sprinkle little water over the rice and cover.
- Cook on a very low flame for only 5-8 minutes.
- Switch off the flame and then spread the rice on a flat plate.
What to do with the dry fruits:
- Heat 1 tsp of ghee in the kadhai.
- Add the cashews,almonds and walnuts
- Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Lastly add the raisins
- Turn off the flame and keep them aside.
Final Step : How to make Kashmiri Pulao:
- Heat ghee in a pan.
- Once heated properly add the caraway seeds and fry it for 1 minute until the aroma comes out.
- Add bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and mace and saute it for 1 min.
- Now add the carrots and the french beans.
- Fry them lightly until they become little soft .
- At this point turn off the flame and wait for 2 min.
- Now add the nutmeg powder and the cardamom powder.
- Turn on the flame again.
- Add the previously fried dry fruits.
- Turn off the flame again.
- Add the cooked saffron rice.
- Mix it carefully with the spices and the fruits and vegetables.
- Add salt and mix well.
- Check the seasoning and if required you can add more powder sugar.
- Lastly sprinkle little garam masala powder over the rice.
- Then add the chopped fruits.
- Cover and cook on a very low flame for few minutes.
- Turn off the flame.
- Few drops of rose water may also be sprinkled.
- Garnish with any other fruits of your choice and serve.
Enjoy Your Foods..!!
