Exotic Hilsa Fish Curry

Pohela Boishak is the Bengali New Year.  Pohela means first, and Boishak means the month.  It is usually celebrated the during the middle of April.  For Pohela Boishak people clean their homes so that they can start the year with a clean slate, dress in fine clothes, and visit friends and family.  We also eat desserts during the New Year so that the rest of the year will be as sweet as the desserts.  One of the main lunch dishes is Hilsa (fish).  During Pohela Boishak it is a must to have Hilsa because it is a time honored tradition.

Ingredients:

One whole Hilsa: cut it into small pieces
Ground mustard: 3 tablespoons
Whole green chillies: 6
Chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Turmaric powder: 1 teaspoon
Ground onion: 4 small ones
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Oil:  1/4 cup

Process of making:

Marinate the Hilsa fish for 30 minutes with half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of tumeric.  After that grind the mustard and green chillies together with 2 tablespoons of water.  Mix in all the ingredients with the fish and put it in a shallow dish and cook it on the stove top on medium heat for a 30 minutes, or until you see the layer of oil floating on the top.  Be sure to cover the fish while cooking.  Serve it with white rice and enjoy.

Zesty Borhani

No wedding can be fulfilled if there is no borhani served. Borhani is a fresh mint yogurt drink that is served with biryani (layered rice and meat).  The flavorful seasoning of mint, black pepper, sugar, and green chili gives you the little bit of hot, sweet, and zesty flavor.  Borhani could be served as a summer drink too.


Ingredients:

yogurt:
water: 1/2 cup
ground cumin: 1 teaspoon
ground cumin: 1/2 teaspoon
ground ginger: 1/2 teaspoon
chili powder: 1/2 teaspoon
ground black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
ground mustard: 1 tablespoon
mint leaves (paste): 1 tablespoon
green chili (paste): 2 teaspoons
sugar: 1 1/2 teaspoons
salt: 2 1/2 teaspoons
black salt: 2 teaspoons

Making process:

In a blender blend the yogurt with water.  Mix in with all the ingredients. Adjust the salt, sugar, and the chilies on your own taste. Pour it in a pitcher and refrigerated until serving.

Sweet and Sour Mango Achar

Don't feel like eating dinner or tired of eating the same food?  Just add little bit of achar in your food and you will enjoy your meal.  Achar has always been a part of our cuisine. The mango achar is the most prominent one in my country.  Mangoes are seasonal fruit that only grow in summer.  During the summer there are so many kinds of achar are made, but to me the most favorite one is sweet and sour mango achar.

Ingredients:
green mango sliced: 2 cups
sugar: 1 1/2 cups
vinegar: 1/3 cup
chopped dried whole red chili: 2 teaspoons
ginger sliced: 2 teaspoons
salt: 1 tablespoon

Making Process:

Marinate the mango with salt, cover, and keep it aside for four hours.  Rinse the mango and pat it dry with a paper towel.  In a saucepan mix the mango with all the ingredients and put it on a low heat on the stove. Stir frequently and when the mango is boiled and gravy seems sticky remove from the stove. Cool and keep it in a bottle and enjoy for the whole year.

Light, Flaky Daal Puri

In my country, daily breakfast foods are called roti, puri, and parathas. They are made from whole wheat or plain flour.  Rotis are what we eat for daily breakfast, but puris and parathas are made occasionally, such as when we have company. To me nothing beats a simple dal puri for breakfast. With its light and flaky taste it is also great for snack too.

Ingredients:
Pink lentils or daal (available in Asian aisle): 1/4 cup
Ground ginger: 1/4 teaspoon
Ground onion: 1 small
Green chillies (optional): 1
Dry chillies (optional): 3
Fried onion: 1/2 cup
Coriander or Mint leaves: 1 tablespoon
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
Flour: 1 1/2 cups
Vegetable oil for frying: 2 cups

Steps to make Dal puri:

Boil the daal with 1/4 cup of water, ginger, ground onion, and green chilli on very low heat.  Mash it with both hands when it is fully cooked and dry.  Fry the dry chillies in oil and pat it dry and mix it with the fried onions and mash it little bit.  Mix all the ingredients with daal, besides the flour. In a big bowl combine flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, 3 tablespoons of oil, and make into dough with a 1/4 cup of room temp water. Making sure the dough is not too soft. Cover for 30 minutes.

Make 8 balls of flour and daal mixture.  Flatten the flour dough with hands and put the daal in the center and close the opening.  Then cover it with a wet towel.  Dust the rolling surface with flour and roll the dough with it face down on the opening.  In the mean while heat the oil into 350 degrees and fry the daal puri until they are golden brown.  Serve it sauce or ketchup.

Warm, Steaming Pulao

Pulao is a simple and easy dish to make.  It is usually made when one has company or when there is a celebration, so it is not something you would make everyday.  It is something anyone can make because it takes so little time and doesn't require that much effort.  Either way it is delicious and made in a snap.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice: 4 cup
Ghee: 1/2 cup
Cinnamon: 4 small pieces
Cardamom: 4 pieces
Cloves: 2 pieces
Ginger paste: 2 teaspoons
Salt: 1 tablespoon
Boiled water: 7 cups
Kewra water: 2 teaspoons
Green chilies: 5 (optional)
Fried onions: 3 tablespoons

Cooking process:
Rinse the rice and keep it in a colander. In a big pot heat the ghee, and lightly fry the cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves in the ghee. Mix in the ginger with 2 tablespoon of water. Pour the boiled water and salt and then close the lid.

When the water starts bubbling pour in the rice and stir.  After a few minutes pour the Kewra water and green chilies, and sprinkle the fried onions into the pot and close the lid.  In the meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then place the pot in the oven for 30 minutes.  Serve it warm with meat or vegetable curry.  Enjoy!

Spicy Beef Curry

Beef curry is a versatile dish because you can eat it with pulao, biryani, or just plain rice.  It has many spices in it which gives the flavor a kick.  You would normally make beef curry if you had guests over because it is not something you would eat everyday.  Most people also serve this at their weddings because it is a special occasion.  When I entertain guests I usually create this dish; most people seem to really enjoy it.  Whether you have company or just want to try something new, beef curry is a delicious food to make.

Ingredients:

Beef with bones: 5 pounds
Ground onions: 1 cup
Ground ginger: 4 tablespoons
Ground garlic: 3 tablespoons
Cardamom: 6 pieces
Cinnamon: 6 pieces
Plain yogurt: 1 cup
Ghee (melted butter): 1 cup
Sugar: 1 tablespoon
Salt: 3 teaspoons
Green chilies: 15 whole
Kewra water: 2 tablespoons
Orange food color: a pinch

Cooking procedure:

In big pot, mix all the ingredients except food color, green chilies, and Kewra water.  Cook everything else on medium heat.  Stir half an hour later.  When the meat is fully cooked and tender pour in the Kewra water and then cook it for 10 minutes.  When you see the ghee (butter) creating a layer on top mix the food color with 1 teaspoon of water and then pour it into the pot.  Then place all the green chilies in the pot and let it simmer for another half hour.  Enjoy this with rice, pulao, or biryani.

Pleasurable Pitha (home made cake)

In my country one of the most famous winter food is pitha.  It is a traditional food item. The winter morning is the best time to eat it, because the warmth of the pitha is more appetizing in the cold morning.  In Asia, rice cultivation occurs the most during November and December and they use that rice to make the pithas.  Some well known pithas are Vapa, Patisapta, Chitoi, and Teler Pitha.  It is a traditional winter breakfast in our culture, and also served in weddings too.  When I was a child they did not sell any pitha in the stores, and now we can even find it in Indian stores here!  They sell it like a hot cake. What can I say about pleasurable pitha?  It is tasty and delicious!

Ingredients:
Rice flour: 2-1/2 cup
Flour: 1/2 cup
Salt: 1/4 teaspoon
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Water: 1/4 cup
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:
In a big bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Mix in the water.  The flour mixture should be thick.  Cover it for the 30 minutes. Heat the oil in the pan, and pour 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture in the hot oil.  Fry it on low heat, until it turns light brown. Serve it hot and enjoy!