BEGUN PORA (mashed roasted brinjal- spicy)

BEGUN PORA (Baigan ka bharta)

Ingredients of this recipe:

-1 medium Baigan ( Begun / eggplant)
-1/2 cup Cooked green peas
-1 Finely chopped onions
-1 Finely chopped tomatoes
-1 Finely chopped green chilli
-1/2 tsp Red chilli powder (Optional)
-1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
-1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
-3 tbsp Vegetable oil
-Salt to taste
-Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method to make this dish : 

BEGUN PORA (Baigan ka Bharta ):

 * Brush begun /baigan (eggplant) with oil and roast it on a gas burner over slow to medium heat placing it over a wire mesh.
 * Frequently turn the Begun/ eggplant upside down, until fully roasted.
 * Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water.
Cool it and peel off the blackened skin.
 * Mash the flesh thoroughly.
 * Heat oil in a pan / kadhai . Add green chilli and onion and fry over medium heat
until light golden brown.
 * Add red chilli powder , turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir.
Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
 * Add green peas and mashed begun /baigan (eggplant). Stir well.
Fry the baigan bhartha for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
 * Garnish the baigan bharta with green coriander leaves and serve hot with garam garam tawa roti.

BHETKI MACHHER PATURI

Bhetki paturi or mustard seasoned bhetki wrapped in plantain leaves

Bhetki machher paturi meaning fish seasoned with spices wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed, smoked or baked over a charcoal fire. This dish has its origin in Dhaka but now has become one of the signature dishes of Bengali cuisine. Use of banana leaves is very well-known in Asian cuisine specially in Thai cuisine where they uses the banana leaves to wrap the chickens and even in Caribbean cuisines. Other well-known similar dish is Parsi Patra ni machchhi.

                                                                   Bhetki paturi

How to prepare :

Ingredients:
Bhetki (Bekti) fish fillet: 10
Mustard paste (yellow): 3 tbsp
Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
Green chili paste: 1 tsp
Green chili: 10 (slit length wise)
Onion seeds (kalonji): 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Banana (plantain) leaves: few

Method to prepare: Combine the mustard paste, green chili paste, turmeric powder, salt and one tablespoon of mustard oil. Blend it very well and sprinkle the onion seeds over it. Generously coat each of the fish fillet with it and keep aside for half an hour.

Meanwhile dip the banana leaves in lukewarm water for few seconds to soften the string so it can be easily folded without tearing it down.

Now place the marinated fish fillet with one green chili on a banana leaf and fold the leaves properly to make an envelope or packets. Tie the packets with a thread or seal it with a wooden toothpick. In the same way make ten packets.

Next take a frying pan and grease it with remaining oil and place one large banana leaf over it so that it cover the base of the  pan. Place all the fish packets side by side and cover the pan with a tight lid so that steam cannot escape from it.

          Bhekti paturi or mustard seasoned bhetki wrapped in plantain leaves

Cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. After that turn each of the packets upside down and again cook the other side on low heat for 5-7  minute.

Remove the lid and transfer the paturi to a serving dish. Unwrap the bhetki machher paturi and let the subtle flavour of mustard and banana filled your senses. You can also prepare this delicacy using your Microwave oven.

Enjoy this mouth-watering and healthy dish!

Watermelon Slice Jello Shots (Alcoholic)

Watermelon Slice Jello Shots

 

A Veritable Nuisance

              A Veritable Nuisance

Big, Burly, Bulky, Black and Bulldozing type

E-Chats daily with his prodigal son using ‘Skype’.

The knot of his colorful tie is always in place

He  feels that he has a perfect dress sense.

He claims to be an engineer from a reputed institution

But friends find it amusing as he avoids any technical discussion.

Has number of houses in the city at varied directions

Uses the services of office car for visiting all the locations.

Wife is equally round, or may be heavier and even chubby

She speaks in a nose-driven convent-ish accent sounding very funny.

Both are from stinking rich background making them very proud

People are invited often to visit their house and remove their doubt.

He always prefers to refer to his car by its elite brand name

He is the hero of his housing society thus earning huge fame.

He walks “tipsy-topsy” with dangling black & brown shiny briefcases

People at his back, call him names referring to the product he resembles.

When he opens his mouth to speak, a sentence is never completed

But he feels that idiots are his bosses and HE is intelligence personified.

Excessively moody and his domestic or, office affairs control his mood

It directly reflects on his behaviour towards all, whether its bad or good.

He has an air about himself and has practically no sense of humour

He is arrogant for no reason and has no feelings for others whatsoever.

Extremely jealous of people who have superceded him in the organization

Calls them “Scoundrels” to derive an utterly sadistic self-satisfaction.

What he does not realize is that all his stupid activities are being closely watched

And he deserves to be paid back in the same coin, for which he is not prepared.

‘What goes up …….comes down’ if this saying holds true for all

His days are definitely numbered and he won’t be able to avoid his fall.

                                  -------------- X ---------------

[ N.B à The characters depicted here are cent percent imaginary and the writer is                              

              not responsible for any similarities observed by someone in real life. ] 

THE PAIN OF SEPERATION

LOOKING BACK - ON 9TH AUGUST 2012

A Daughter's Wish

A BIG FAT LIE

Chingri Machher Malaikari

Chingri Malaikari or Prawn Malaikari
is a very famous and popular Bengali entrée served with white Rice or Pulao for lunch or dinner on special occasions.  “Elegant Bengali Classic” – that definitely sums up this dish. It is so delicious

What You Need
Prawns ~ 1lb of the larger size, get fresh ones, see above why I got some with heads on
Onion ~ I made a paste of a large one and used about 5 tbsp of the paste (yipe, I noted the measure)
Garlic ~ 1 large clove coarsely chopped
Ginger ~ 1 tsp
Green Chillies ~ 6 slit
Coconut Milk ~ 1 can
TejPata or Bay Leaves ~ 4 small
Elaichi or Cardamom ~ 4
Laung or Cloves ~ 6
Darchini or Cinnamon ~ 2 smallish sticks as in picture
Red Chilli Powder
Turmeric Powder
Salt
Little Sugar



How to Do It
Clean the prawns and mix it with turmeric and salt and keep aside for about ½ hour
Meanwhile grind the onion to a paste.
Heat oil in Kadai/Frying Pan
Lightly fry the prawns so they turn golden in color, do not deep fry like other fish
As soon as the prawns turn a pale golden take them out put them on a paper towel.
In the same oil, add the chopped garlic.
As soon as the fragrance of the garlic rises, take out the garlic from the oil so that the oil is now garlic flavored but there is no garlic in the gravy.
Add TejPata or BayLeaves
Coarsely pound the Elaichi, Laung & Darchini with a pestle and add them too
Add the onion paste when you see the whole garam masala crackling
Continue frying the onion with a little bit of sugar till it turns brown in color or the oil separates from the paste
Add the ginger paste and cook the masala.
Stir and add the can of coconut milk
Add a little water (about 1/3 of the can) in the can, mix well and add it too.



Add Red Chilli Powder, very little turmeric powder and salt.
Add the green chillies
Mix well and cook the gravy.
When you see the gravy slightly bubbling add the fried prawns.
Cook on low for some more time till the gravy thickens and acquires a creamy consistency.
Serve with white Rice or yellow Pulao

Durga Pujo- 2011 er Koyekta chhora

Coffee House- Remix, Music: Manna Dey

25 Paisa Coin- An Obituary

Nababarsho 1419

Nababarsher Chhora