Bhojon
Rashik
Take it as pun or reason to be proud but over the centuries Bengal
have managed to acquire a distinct place in the culinary map of
the world. Bengalis relish the image of Bhojon Rashik
quite dearly and the state has to offer plethora of palates to
satisfy your gastronomic pleasures or just Rasana
Tripti.
Though Bhaat, Dal,
Aloo Posto and Macher
Jhol are indispensable
ingredients to define a Bengali kitchen but after the 19th century
renaissance in Bengal, a dramatic change seeped in the customs,
culture and education of Bengalis in Calcutta. During this century,
Bengalis experienced a change in their food habits too.
This was the time when the biggest weakness of Bengalis, Mishti
(sweetmeat) & Mishti Doi (sweetcurd)
became available at mass rate from retail shops. Till today the
‘Moiras’ (sweetmeat makers) and their Mishtanna Bhandars (sweet
shops) conquer a dear place in a Bengali heart. Dwarik Ghosh,
K.C.Dass, Bhim Chandra Nag and Ganguram are the pioneers in this
field who, over the generations are dishing out different preparations
for different taste buds.
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Recipes
this week
CHINGRI PAKORA
| oil
for frying
2 green chillies chopped
500 gms shrimps (shelled)
few sprigs coriander leaves chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp soy sauce
1 egg
1/2 cup refined flour
2 onions chopped
Method:
How to make chingri pakora :
Cream the egg, flour and little oil.
Mix in the shelled shrimps, soy sauce, ginger paste, cut coriander
leaves and cut onions.
Mix well.
Shape into balls or flat cutlets.
Heat up oil in a kadhai and deep fry the cutlets till golden
brown.
Serve as a snack or as a side dish with lunch.
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KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI
Ingredients
1/4 tsp salt
3 tblsp ghee (melted)
1 cup refined flour
For Filling
1/4 kg Peas (shelled)
1 inch Ginger
4 small Green Chillies
4 tsAniseeds (saunf)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
Salt to taste
Ghee to deep fry
How
to make koraishutir kochuri :
Sift the flour with 1/4 tsp salt.
Mix in 2 tblsp of ghee and knead to a soft dough.
Grind the peas, ginger, green chillies and aniseeds to a fine
paste.
Fry the asafoetida till light brown.
Mix in the peas paste and salt.
Fry well till the paste is cooked.
Take off from heat up and let it cool.
Divide the dough into 8 balls.
Press each ball in the centre and fill it with the pea mixture.
Close the opening well and flatten.
Roll out as for puris.
Heat up ghee in a kadhai.
Deep fry the puris on low heat up till golden brown.
Remove and serve hot.
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KUCHO
AMER ACHAR
Ingredients
1/2 cup mustard oil
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp panch phoron powder
salt to taste
1/2 kg jaggery
4 - 5 raw mangoes (grated)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
How
to make kucho amer achar :
Mix the grated mangoes, jaggery, turmeric powder
and salt.
Keep the mixture in the sun for about 4-5 days at a stretch.
Mix in red chilli powder and panch phoron powder and leave it
again in the sun for another 4-5 days.
Mix in the mustard oil just before bottling and preserving it.
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