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Easy to make Bengali recipes
Food holds a special place in Bengali culture. While we do have our grand dishes, it is the simpler dishes that really steal the show. Not everyone has mastered Bengali cuisine, be it for lack of interest or practice or complexity. And so, the following recipes are just some of the popular dishes that are not only easy to make but also easy on the stomach. Try them out; they will most certainly not disappoint.
PANCHADAL KHICHURI
Ingredients
1 cup rice
2 tbsp split Bengal gram (chickpea)
2 tbsp skinned green gram or yellow moong dal
2 tbsp split green gram or green moong dal
2 tbsp pigeon pea or arhar dal
2 tbsp pink lentil or masoor dal
½ cup finely chopped onion
½ cup potatoes, cut into cubes
½ cup carrot, cut into cubes
½ cup tomatoes, cut into cube
½ tsp garlic paste
4 green chillies
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
3 dry red chillies
2 bay leaves
A pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
4-5 cup water
Chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method
Wash the chickpeas and soak in water for 2 hours. Combine rice and all types of dals except chickpeas. Wash them properly. Soak using enough water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the water and keep it aside. Heat the ghee and oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When seeds start to splutter add bay leaves, dry red chillies and cloves. Add onions, sauté until onion gets transparent. Add garlic paste and sauté until raw aroma goes away. Add potatoes and carrot, sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and mix well. Add all the spices and mix well. Add drained rice and dals. Mix well and 4-5 cups of water. Add salt and green chillies. Cover and cook till done. Garnish the panchadal khichuri with fried onions and coriander leaves. Serve hot with spoon of ghee.
KOLAR MOCHAR CHOP (BANANA FLOWER CUTLET)
Ingredients
1 kolar mocha (Banana flower)
½ tsp turmeric powder
5-6 green chillies
3 egg yolks
3 slices bread
1 tsp fresh ginger paste
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp black pepper
Method
Clean and chop banana flower or kolar mocha. Boil them with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Drain water. Allow it to cool completely. Mix all other ingredients with boiled banana flower. Mash them properly. Give them cutlet shape. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the chop until brown. Serve hot.
MOURI POTOL (POINTED GOURD WITH FENNEL SEEDS)
Ingredients
500g potol (Pointed gourd)
½ cup yoghurt
1 tbsp ginger, grated
3-4 chopped green chillies
3-4 dry red chillies
2 cardamoms
1-inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp black cumin
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp oil
Method
Make a smooth paste of fennel seeds, grated ginger and chopped green chillies. Keep it aside. Beat the yoghurt with little water and sugar, keep it aside. Scrap the skin of the pointed gourd and peel alternately and make slits on both the ends. Heat oil in a pan and add the pointed gourd. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder, fry the pointed gourd till it takes nice brown colour.
Take out the pointed gourd and keep aside. On the same oil, add bay leaf, dry red chillies, cardamom, cinnamon stick and black cumin. As the masala leave a nice aroma, add the fennel, ginger and chilli paste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add beaten yoghurt. Keep stirring on medium heat till yoghurt is cooked. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and sugar. Mix well and add fried pointed gourd. Mix well and add little water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Check the seasoning, adjust accordingly. Serve hot.