Posto Borar Malai Curry .... Poppy Seeds Cakes In Coconut Gravy.....!!!

Posto or poppy seeds ,which is drawn from the opium plant (Papaver somniferum) is one of the most imperative components  of any Bengali Kitchen. We deem a full course Bengali meal imperfect without this. There are copious preparations in which we use poppy seeds paste as the key ingredient. Not only that in many fries we intersperse the whole poppy seeds to augment the deliciousness. Amongst all the preparations of poppy seeds Alu Posto( potato and poppy seeds paste curry)  and Postor bora or poppy seeds cakes are  enormously trendy and most admirable Bengali Delicacies. But eating raw poppy seeds paste with steaming hot rice is my most favorite. Ahhh Heaven...!!! I will definitely share  the experience with you someday.

Now lets discuss some of other good magnitudes  of Poppy seeds.Besides its luscious and mouth watering taste this  is good for human health too. Poppy seeds are highly nutritious, and less allergenic than many other seeds and nuts. These are a potential source of anti-cancer drugs.  Moreover it is very helpful in digestion and rich in carbohydrate and calcium too. 

Today I am going to share a little off bit recipe of poppy seeds. Out of inquisitiveness I prepared a different type of curry with the poppy seeds cakes. After making poppy seed paste cakes or postor bora I made Malaicurry with those.If the truth be unfold ,I also never tried or tasted it before but it was simply cherished by my other two family members, even I also liked it very much. 


Here is the recipe for you ….!!




Ingredients:

For Making Postor Bora:

• Poppy Seeds Paste: 1 Cup + 1 tbsp.
• Coconut ( Freshly Grated or Frozen) : 3 -4 tsp.
• Onion : 2 small ( very finely chopped)
• Green ChiliL :2 (Chopped)
• Salt: As required.
• Maida(White flour) :2 tsp.
• Mustard Oil : 1 tbsp + for frying.

For The Curry:

• Cinnamon Stick:1
• Cardamoms:2-3
• Cloves:2-3
• Onion:2 tbsp ( Paste)
• Ginger:1 1/2 tsp.
• Garlic:1 1/2 tsp ( Crushed)
• Tomato Puree:2 tbsp.
• Salt:to taste
• Sugar:1/4th tsp.
• Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Kashmiri Red Chili Powder:2 tsp.
• Coconut Milk: 1 cup ( I used 1 small packer of  maggi coconut powder which I dissolved in a cup of water)
• Poppy Seeds Paste:1 tbsp.
• Mustard Oil : 2 tbsp.
• Water:1/4 -1/2 Cup ( warm)

Process:

How to Make Postor Bora:

• At first mix 1 cup of poppy seeds paste with green chili, onion, grated coconut, salt, mustard oil and maida. The idea of adding coconut in the popp seeds paste I learned from one of my friend. You may skip it too. But dont forget to add little flour while you are going to make curry with your poppy seeds cakes. It will help to keep the poppy seeds cake firm and these wont break easily.
• Once yout mixture is ready make few flattened balls keep them aside.
• Heat a little mustard oil in a pan( preferably non stick pan) and shallow fry them until golden brown in color.
• Your postor bora is ready. Take them out of the pan and keep them on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

you can serve these with steaming hot rice and lentil too.

How to prepare the Malai Curry:

• Heat the rest of the mustard oil in a pan and then add the sugar. On medium flame fry the sugar till brown and then add the cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms.Fill the fragrance and then after 2-3 minutes add the tomato puree. Give a nice stir . Then add the onion paste. ginger paste ,salt and kashmiti red chili powder.
• Keeping  the flame in low to medium cook thoroughly until oil starts to release from the sides of the pan. At this time you will find that the spices mix tends to leave the pan. Now add the coconut milk and a 1/4 th cup of warm water.Let it boil for few minutes.
• Then add the fried poppy seeds cakes or postor bora. Do not cook them for a very long period of time as they can break off.
• Once these gravy becomes thick and the postor bora become more soft and tender and well coated by the gravy turn off the flame.
• Serve with steaming hot rice.
• Trust me it's blissfully delicious.

                                                                   Enjoy Your Food...!!

Sweet And Sour Mango Pickle...!!!

Every time the green mango flavor takes me back to my upbringing days when I was in school , college or university. My mom used to prepare different types of pickle with the green /raw mangoes  and stored up them for all of us , for the rest of the year. Those days were just like a wealth treasure  in my life. Me my brother , sometimes along with our cousin sisters and brothers stole the pickle from Maa’s cooking pantry during our summer vacation days and the practice of stealing was not less than a venture to us.
 As Maa prepares mango pickle fantastic, I never ever tried to make this even after my marriage. All the time she makes different types of pickles and keeps reserve it for me and I just collect them during the time of my stopover there.

But this time I just couldn't curb myself from doing a little experiment with the raw mangoes, as you all know that I am just a cooking freak.  Though the process is easy like anything and anybody can make it , still I am exceedingly happy as my little one has liked it . Though she is very young still she is very particular about the foods she likes to eat.
 One more thing, this is my first experimental pickle recipe. So please bear with me. I promise I try to improve my skill in this field also.

So, here comes the process of making my easiest description of Sweet and Sour Mango Pickle. 



Ingredients: 

• Raw Mango: 3 (roughly grated)
• Sugar: 2 Cups ( depending upon your choice or the sourness of the mango)
• Salt: As required.
• Chili Powder: 1 -2 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Nigella Seeds : 1/4 th tsp.
• Dry Roasted Cumin and Coriander Seeds: 1 tsp each and then ground to a coarse powder.
• Lime Juice: 2 tsp.

Process:

• At first wash and pat dry the green mangoes. Peel off the skin and then coarsely grate them using a hand grater.
• Then take a big bowl , put the grated mango into it and mix it with salt, sugar, turmeric powder, chili powder and lime juice. Mix thoroughly and keep it almost for half a day (5-6 hours) preferably in the sunlight. 
• Now heat a kadhai or wok in the oven and pour the mango mixture into it. On medium flame cook it until it becomes glossy and thick.
• Check the salt and sugar. Add more if required.
• Turn off the flame and let  it cool for sometime.
• Once it becomes cool completely sprinkle the roasted and cumin and coriander powder and mix well.
• Transfer the pickle into a sterilized bottle or jar.
• Store in the refrigerator. It will be good for at least 5/6 months if stored inside the fridge and it will be good for at least two and a half month if it is stored at the room temperature.

Tip: You may use jaggery also instead of sugar.

                                                                                                           Enjoy Your Food...!!!

Bitter Gourd & Capsicum Fry...!!!

Ruthless summer and its consequences don’t persuade me to stay inside the kitchen for a very long period of time. That’s why these days I am sharing some very easy and fuss free recipes. But I promise I will be back with some other recipes soon. Today I am going to share an incredibly trouble-free, as well as hale and hearty recipe for everyone. This is not only the first-rate recipe for the diabetic people but also it is good for the non diabetic ones.

Here comes the process:

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd: 2 nos.
• Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper): 2 nos.
• Onion: 2 nos.(thin sliced)
• Garlic: 4-5 cloves(crushed)
• Green Chili: 2-3 (Chopped or halved, adjust the number according to your tolerance)
• Turmeric Powder:1 tsp.
• Salt: To taste
• Onion Seeds ( Kalonji):1/2 tsp.
• Coriander Leaves: Chopped to garnish.( Optional)
• Oil :1-2 tsp.

Process:

• Wash, Pat dry both the capsicum and bitter gourd. Remove the tapering ends of the bitter gourd and make thin slice of them. Keep separately. Discard the seeds of the capsicum in the middle and make thin slice of that also. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the kalonji or onion seeds. Feel the fragrance. Then add the crushed garlic. Once it becomes little brown add the onion slices and fry it on medium flames till translucent. Now add the bitter gourd and the capsicum slices. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Stir it for 2-3 minutes. Then cover and cook until both of them become  tender.
• After few minutes uncover and cook for another few minutes on medium flames. Add the chopped green chili. Give a nice stir. Once the bitter gourd and the capsicum become well fried turn off the flames.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

                                                                                                            Enjoy Your Food...!!!

Black Pomfret In Mustard Paste & Coconut Gravy...!!!

The other day when my hubby bought few Black Pomfret steaks from the super market I got little  baffled as I never cooked it before . Moreover in my life, I never tasted this fish even as I am very choosy regarding the matter of non vegetarian food  items. But I didn’t want to hurt him anyway and got ready to try it something differently other than usual pomfret fry. I prepared the fish with using mustard paste and coconut milk and the result was heavenly according to the other two members of my family.
Today I am going to share that recipe . It is very simple and can be prepared very hastily too.



Here is the process:

Ingredients :

• Black Pomfret Steaks: 5/6
• Mustard Paste: 2 tbsp (very fine paste)
• Coconut Milk Powder: I used one small packet of magi coconut milk powder(25 gm) which I dissolved in half cup of water .You may use any other or homemade 
  coconut milk too.
• Yogurt: 1 tbsp .
• Salt: To Taste.
• Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder: 1 tsp ( adjust according to your tolerance)
• Mustard Oil: 2-3 tbsp.
• Green Chili : 2 nos . (slit vertically)
• Water: 1 Cup (warm)

Process:

• At first wash and pat dry the black pomfret steaks. Marinate them with little turmeric powder, salt and 1 tsp of mustard oil. Keep them aside for few minutes.
• Now heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a deep bottomed vessel and carefully fry the fish steaks till golden brown in color. Take them out of the vessel and keep them on a tissue to absorb the excess oil. Discard the blackish oil in the pan.
• Now take a bowl and mix the fine mustard paste, dissolved coconut powder, turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder, and the yogurt . Whisk thoroughly to get a very smooth and nice paste.
• Now heat 1 and a ½ tbsp of fresh mustard oil in a wok and add the green chili first . Now pour the paste into it. Stir on medium flame for 3-4 minutes and then pour a cup of warm water.
• Let it boil for 2-3 minutes and add the fishes. On medium flame again cook it until the fish becomes tender and well coated by the spices paste. Check the seasoning. Cook until your desired consistency but don’t forget that this fish preparation doesn’t have much gravy. So once the fish becomes well coated by the spices, turn off the flame.

                                                                 Enjoy Your Food..!!

Mango Jam From Ripe Mangoes....!!!

In spite of every unsympathetic surroundings, I love Indian summer because of the wide availability of various juicy and delicious fruits. I already mentioned this in my former posts. Among all the fruits, mangoes are regarded as the King of fruits and we use this in various ways. Already the fruit markets are flooded with different types of ripe mangoes. The other day I bought a few seasoned ripen mangoes to eat as whole fruit. But I found them excessively sour in taste and hence decided to throw them away. Suddenly an idea came up in my mind and I was determined to give it a try. Needless to say that my thought had boomed and I was deliriously happy. Oops, I just forgot to mention what I had made with those mangoes. Mango Jam…yes, in a very speedy and effortless method, I prepared Mango jam and if the  truth be unfold,it was scrumptious.

Here comes the process:

Ingredients:

• Mango: 4 
• Sugar:   1 Cup
• Water: Few Drops Only (Optional)
• Lime Juice: 2 tbsp.



Process:

• At first wash the mangoes well and peel the skin off.
• Then chop them finely. Discard the seed in the middle.
• Take a big bowl & mix the chopped mango pieces, lime juice and the sugar and keep it aside for 20 - 30 minutes.
• It will release a lot of water and the sugar will be dissolved.
• Pour the mixture into the blender and mix thoroughly and make a smooth paste. During the time of blending you may sprinkle few drops of water (I didn’t use though).
• Now heat a wok or deep bottomed vessel and pour the mango mixture into it. Cook it on medium to low flame and continue stir it so that it can’t be burnt.
• After few minutes you will find that the mixture is getting a silken, smooth and glossy texture and gradually it is becoming thick.
• Once it becomes thick and glossy turn off the flame and let it cool for some time.
• Then pour the jam in a cleaned bottle or container and refrigerate.
• Uses - Completely up to you as my little one is eating it directly :) .

                                                                 Enjoy Your Food...!!

Doi Potol ..... Pointed Gourd In Yogurt Gravy...!!!

Trichosanthes diocia is known as the pointed gourd, parwal (parval) or potol .Informally ,it is also known as green potato in many places of India. It is a perennial ,vine plant,similar to cucumber and squash. It is a diocious plant ( male and female) which remains dormant during the winter season and thrives well under a hot to moderately warm and humid climate. Pointed gourd is a good source of carbohydrates, Vit A and Vit C. It also contains major nutrients and trace elements which are needed in small proportion for playing essential role in human physiology. (Source: A Text book of Botany)

This is used as the ingredients of soup, stew,curry sweet or eaten fried and as potoler dorma( dolma) with fish or meat or potato stuffing.

 Today I am going to share a simply curry recipe of potol which my mom prepares very frequently in the scorching summer.It is a good alternative of the rich non vegetarian dishes.It is a very simple recipe where fried potol is cooked in the thick gravy of yogurt.It tastes best when served with steaming hot rice.

Here is the recipe.


Ingredients:

• Pointed Gourd( potol):8/9 pieces.
• Yogurt:1/2 Cup
• Cinnamon:1 " stick
• Cardamom:3/4
• Cloves:3/4
• Bay Leaves:2
• Ginger:1 tsp paste
• Red Chili Powder:1 tsp (adjust according to your tolerance)
• Turmeric Powder:1 tsp.
• Salt:to taste
• Sugar:1/4 tsp.
• Cumin Powder:1 1/2 tsp.
• Coriander Powder:1 1/2 tsp.
• Oil:2 tbsp + 2 tbsp(for frying) ( Preferably mustard oil ,else white oil is ok too).

Process:

• Lightly skin the potol ( sparingly) ( see the picture ,don't peel off all the skin) . Cut both the ends. Marinate with little salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for few minutes.
• Heat the oil in a pan and fry them until golden brown in color. Keep them on a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.Discard the fried blackish oil.
• Now take a small bowl and mix the turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder,red chili powder, ginger paste and salt. Now add little water and mix well to make a smooth paste .Keep it separately for 10-15 minutes.
• Now heat some fresh oil in the pan and add the bay leaves,cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamoms.
• Once you feel the aroma add the spices paste prepared earlier.On medium flame cook it until oil starts to release from sides. 
• Now beat the yogurt very well with a tbsp of water and slowly add to the pan so that the yogurt can not be curdled. Give a nice stir and now add the fried pointed gourds.
• Cook on medium flame stirring occasionally until you see that the curry tend to release from the pan. You don't need to add any extra water as the yogurt will release a lots of water and it will be cooked in this water.
• Sprinkle the sugar and cook for another few minutes.Adjust the gravy and taste the seasoning. Generally doi potol doesn't have much gravy so turn off the flame once all the potols are well coated by the spices mixture.Turn off the flame.
• Sprinkle the garam masala powder and cover the pan for a while so that the aroma could be captured by the curry.Uncover and serve with hot steaming rice.

                                                               Enjoy Your Food..!!

Chicken Cutlet With Chicken Fillet..!!

Making a healthy and delicious evening snacks on a regular basis makes me sometimes out of my mind. I simply cant decide what should I prepare which will be good in taste and provide some goodness to health. I prefer to drink a glass of juice or a whole fruit during this time but my daughter since her more young age prefers to eat something delicious. Today I am going to share an idea of making easy chicken cutlet which not only you can enjoy with your family but also you can serve it as evening snacks or appetizer to your guests. I am very sure of the fact that you are going to enjoy this to the fullest.
Process of making is extremely easy. Few months back I have shared an another recipe of chicken cutlet which I made with minced chicken(Chicken Cutlet with Keema) . You can go for that option too but this one is more easy to make.


Here Comes detail recipe:

Ingredients:

• Boneless Chicken Breasts: 1
• Onion: 1( medium, finely chopped or paste)
• Ginger:1''( paste)
• Garlic: 2 tsp ( crushed or paste)
• Vinegar:1 tsp.
• Salt:To taste
• Black Pepper Powder:2 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder: 1/2 tsp ( optional)
• Eggs: 2 (beaten with little salt)
• All Purpose Flour(plain maida): 1/2 cup or as per the requirement to coat the chicken pieces.
• Freshly Prepared Bread Crumbs: 1 Cup ( or as per the requirement to coat the chicken pieces well)
• Oil: Enough for deep frying.

Process:

• Take an extremely sharp and big knife( preferably chopper) and  make a few thin slices(fillets) of the chicken breast. Form each of the breast( of 150 gm weight) 3/4 pieces of  thin fillets can be removed. Wash and pat dry each of the fillets.
• Now take each of the fillets in between two tissue paper and with a wooden rolling pin ( you can use the wooden portion of your knife) bash/whack/roll/hit it until the fillets become little flattened. But try to do it very carefully so that the fillets can not be broke.
• Now take a large bowl and mix the chicken fillet with onion, garlic, ginger, vinegar, salt, black pepper powder and chili powder. Mix thoroughly and keep the bowl separately covered for 30 mins atleast.
• Now beat the eggs with little salt and keep aside. Take two flat plates and arrange the  all purpose flour and the bread crumbs.
• Now take each of the chicken fillets from the bowl ( marination bowl) and first coat them in a layer of flour.
• Then grab each of them and dip into the egg mixture and give a final coating of bread crumb very well.You may use a tong while doing this so that all the bread crumbs, eggs and flour cant be stick to your hands and you can easily finish all the processes well.
• Once the coating process is done, heat the oil in a deep bottom vessel and fry them until golden brown color appears.
• Absorb the excess oil using a tissue and serve the chicken cutlets with your favorite salads and sauce.

#Note: You may bake your chicken cutlets too. For this preheat your oven to the maximum settings ( 180-200 degree celcius) .Take a big baking tray and place a non stick baking parchment paper.Grease it generously with white oil or olive oil.Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and sprinkle little more oil on the top. Bake it into the preheated oven until the crust becomes golden brown in color. You may require to flip the chicken pieces in between.Take them out of the oven and serve.

                                                                    Enjoy Your Food.....!!