Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients


1 tbsp veg oil
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
2 table spoons curry powder
4 tsp plain Flour
350 g sweet potatoes (Cubed)
350g Cauliflower Florets
850m Veg Stock
100g green beens
1 tsp garma masala
nan bread & lime wedges to server


Method

Fry onion 2-3 min, add garlic, curry power and Flower (1 min) Add sweet potato, with cauliflower and stock.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 mins until potatoes are tender. Stir in the green beans and garma masala and cook for 3 mins. Serves 4. Less than 6g of fat per serving

Kashmiri Eachor

Ingredients


Onion Paste ~ 3 tbsp
Yogurt ~ 3 tbsp
Garlic paste ~ 1 tsp
Ginger Paste ~ 2 tsp
Sugar ~ 1 tsp heaped
Turmeric Powder ~ 1/4 tsp

The Gravy
For tempering
Shah Jeera/Black Cumin ~ 1 tsp
Bay Leaves ~ 2-3

For gravy

Onion Paste ~ 2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder ~ 1 tsp or more.
Kitchen King masala ~ 1 tsp heaped .
Sugar ~ 2 tsp
Salt ~ according to taste
Oil ~ for cooking
Ghee ~ 1tsp (optional)


Method


Since the jackfruit is canned in brine, it becomes a bit salty. So the night before you cook, open the can, drain the liquid, wash the jackfruit several times in fresh water and soak them in fresh water overnightCut the jackfruit pieces in cubes,Make a marinade with the ingredients listed under “For Marinade” and marinate the jackfruit for an hour.Heat Oil in a Kadhai/Frying Pan
Temper with 2 – 3 Bay leaves and 1 tsp (loosely packed) of Shah Jeera/Black Cumin. You can also use the regular White Jeera/Cumin.Add about 2 tbsp of Onion Paste.Fry till the onion turns pinkish brown and you see the oil separate from the onion paste.Lower the heat and Add the jackfruit along with the marinade
Sauté till the masala cooks. In Bengali we use the term “Kashano” which means you have to stir till the masala coats nicely and masala is cooked,Add the Red Chilli Powder, the 1 tsp of Kitchen King Masala and Salt and saute again
Do not add water but sprinkle a little as needed and cook till done. Stir intermittently. Tip:If you at all need to add water to make the jackfruit cook, remeber to dry off most of the water.
After the jackfruit is cooked add 2 tsp of sugar if you want and mix and cook for a couple more minutes. Since I am not very tuned to sourness in food and the canned jackfruit has a bit of sourness I added this step. If you don't want do not add sugar.The canned jackfruit being tender will cook quickly. If you are using the fresh ones you should steam or pressure cook the jackfruit before.
The dish had very little gravy but was moist and was excellent with Rice or Chapati.For my friends I served this with Dal, Egg Curry and White Rice. They loved it and so did we. The best part is it did not take much of my time, fast and tasty. I added a little ghee to this dish and it enhanced the taste. I also realized that a certain hotness of chillies makes it taste better, specially with the canned jackfruit. So if you wish add a little ghee at the end and don't scrimp on the chilli.

Cabbge (badhakopi) & Dal Curry

Ingredients


Chana dal(cholar dal) - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Hing (asafoetida) - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chillies - 1
Green chillies - 1 large (according to taste)
Oil - 1 tablespoon.


Method



Preheat wok/kadai with oil at medium high temperature. Add chana dal, cumin and mustard seeds. Let seeds splutter. Add red chillies, green chillies, hing and curry leaves. Let the chillies roast for few seconds.Now add chopped cabbage, pre-cooked chana dal, salt and turmeric to the seasoning. Mix well, turn down the heat to medium, cover the dish, cook till cabbage is well done (approximately - 15 minutes). Stir occasionally.Once cabbage curry is cooked, add grated coconut. Mix it well and turn off the stove.
Decorate/Garnish with coconut powder. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Prawn Fried Rice

Ingredients


1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 small chorizo sausages, cut into slices
1 onion , sliced
1 garlic clove , chopped
½ tsp turmeric
600g cooked plain rice
200g frozen cooked prawns
100g frozen peas
lemon wedges, to serve


Method


Heat oil in a frying pan. Tip in the chorizo, onion and garlic, then cook for a couple of mins until softened. Stir through turmeric, followed by the rice, prawns and peas and 150ml boiling water.
Keep stirring until everything is warmed through and the water has been absorbed. Serve with lemon wedges.

Vegetable Salad

Ingredients


1 (14 1/2 ounce) can mixed vegetables
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


Method


Place mixed vegetables and kidney beans in a colander or strainer and rinse thoroughly; drain. Mix together mixed vegetables, kidney beans, celery, onion, and bell peppers in a large bowl.Heat sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar and cornstarch dissolve; continue stirring until thickened; remove from heat. When dressing has cooled, toss with salad, mixing well.
5. Chill well before serving.

Lao (Gourd) Shaak

Ingredients


1 bunch green leaves of bottle gourds with tender twigs and branches.
1 medium size potato
1-2 ridge gourd (jhinge)
Few pumkin pieces (kumro)
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1tsp of red pepper powder (add more for more hotness)
1 -2 tsp of panch phoron (or can add kalounji/nigella seeds)
1 tsp of sugar
2-3 tbs of mustard oil


Method


Clean the green leaves of lao/lauki/bottle gourd, discard torn or wilted leaves. Clean the chopped leaves thoroughly in water 2-3 times to get rid of mud /sand if any.Cut the tender twigs in 1inch long pieces also.Heat up kadhai or any heavy bottom Pan/Wok, add mustard oil, add the panch phoron mix, and let it splutter.Now add diced potatoes .Fry it for 1-2 mints at high and add ridge gourd/pumkin pieces.Add turmeric powder, red pepper powder, salt, sugar.
Add the cleaned leaves n twigs of green bottle gourd.Cook at high for 2-3 mints, lower the flames and cover the kadhai/Pan.Cook the leaves till soft and deep-green in color. Cook another 7-8 mints at low covered.Take out when the vegetables are cooked thoroughly and somewhat mushy in texture and serve with warm cooked rice.

Pui Shaager Chorchori

Ingredients


Pui Shaak – ½ kg
Kumro (Pumpkin) -15 cube pieces
2 long Jhinge cut into long pieces of 1 1/2 inch
Potato 2 cut into cubes
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1tsp of coriander powder
1tsp of sugar
½ tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of salt
½ cup of water
3 tbs of mustard oil
1 Ilish macher matha fried prior to making the chorchori (if preparing vegetarian dish, skip this ingredient)
1 tsp of panch Phoron


Method


Cut and clean the shag first, cut the leaves and then chop them , also cut the data ( twigs )approx 1inch long pieces and slit them in between .Throughly clean them in running water . Cut all the vegetables as said above .
Now heat up a kadai , add mustard oil, temper it with Panch phoron ,add potato, kumro(pumpkin) and fry them at med , add all the masala powders ,salt,sugar ,fry them at low for 5mints.TIP--At this point if you want to make the chorchori aamish (non-veg), add fried ilish macher matha and with the help of spatula ,break it into pieces in the the wok itself.This is my MIL’s way of preparing Puin shaager chorchori in home .Now add chopped puin shaag or green leaves and fry a little ,add water( just a little bit is sufficient) cover and cook for 10 mints at low, slow the process of making it ,it will add up to the flavour .Take out after it and have it with garam bhaat(rice)