Pomfret Rawa Fry- Maharastra Special

This is one of my favorites Maharastra speciality. Simple, crispy and tasty.

Ingredients:

1. Rawa 100gm, chilly powder , salt as per taste
2. 1 Pomfret medium sized, not too big, half slit on the surface so that marination gets inside
3. turmeric 1 spoon, ginger garlic paste 1 spoon, 1 spoon onion juice (optional)
4. Most important ingredient 2to 3 Kokum, soaked in water and take the water. Kokum is widely used in Konkan side of the Maharastra, it's a  sweet and sour dark brown colored fruit. Very much available in all super market or normal shops. If you are not in Maharastra and kokum is not available you can use lemon juice

Method:

1. Mix all the spices and apply the spices on Pomfret fish. Marinate it for minimum 1 hour.
2. Roll the fish in rawa and settele it for half an hour

3. Shallow fry the fish and serve hot as starter or as part of maincourse

BombayDuck Fish Dry fry/Lote Mach Bhaja

BombayDuck, a very funny name. Bombil in Marathi and Lote in Bengali also called as Bombay Duck fish. There are multiple stories behind this funny name. One of the popular stories is, dried version of this this fish used to transport by Bombay Mail (Bombay Dak). Whatever but I love this fish..soft, tender fish really really tasty. I still remember in childhood, my mother used to prepare this fish with vegetables , borboti (Yard Long beans),potao,onion,brinjal and little bit of mustard paste. Ohh..too Good..I still feel the taste. I never fond of rice taking three times a day  but if my mother prepares Lote fish/bombil then I definitely take rice three times a day and not a joke I can eat a full kadai of this fish. Ohh..yea I a m a big foodie. Once my mother prepared 1 kg crab. Me and one of frieds ate entire 1 kg crab..this is too bad..right! but believe me people who knows me now might not believe all these food stories. Now I believe eating more fruiits,vegetables and saldas..this is how human transforms from one phase to next phase..but every phase teaches you something important in life!
Anyway this time my mother visited Mumbai and she prepared this fish but simple version, without any vegetables. Let me share this simple version..

Ingredients:
1. 5-6 bombil/lote fish. clean and cut into halves.
2. 4 small onions, cut into long thin slices. 1 spoon ginger, 1 spoon garlic
3. 2-3 green chillies, slit those
4. 1 table spoon turmeric powder, 4-5 spoon mustrad oil or refined oil, salt to taste

Method:

1. Just mix everything and keep this mixture in low flame for 10 minutes.

2. Water will come out and change the flame to medium. Water will start drying and it will be a dry thick mixture. Sreve this with hot rice.

Dhokar Dalna (Potao curry with chana dal dumpling)

hi..frieds! do you believe in miracle. i believe ..and not only believe I live onto it.
If your wish has a right intention, definitely going to be true sooner or later.I stronly believe all our prayers are answered, just you need to be patient.
Ramkrishna Paramhansa (Indian saint) said, Diamond cannot be polished without friction,Gold cannot be purified without fire.
Good people go through trials but don't suffer.With that experice their life becomes better,not bitter.
I wanted to share some stories for long but probbaly right time not came. Nothing happen before your turn and time comes.
I will tell you today two stories ..I have much more in my stock but I think for this session two is fine ..
First story: People who are aesthetic might believe its a concidence..never mind.
Before my marriage I used to visit ISCKON temple very frequently. I remember those days I was posted in B'lore (Southern part of India).
Life was fun ! uhh! Good friends, room mates and colleagues means you can say life was full of colors!
During those days ISCKON was one of my major attraction in B'lore...very nice peaceful environment and devine songs used to make me crazy..
My parents were looking for a suitable guy for me but unfortuantely equation was not working out. Either I was rejecting them or they were rejecting me.
However, during this time once I went to ISCKON..kind of little upset annd confused. was unable to understand that life was flowing towards which direction. Climbing up the staircase to get a glimpse of Lord krishna and thousands of thoughts flowing in my mind . Suddenly one thought popped up.
My mind suddenly said.."I have a wish. If you want me to get married I have one wish, whereever you fix my marriage in that family should have your temple and you are worshipped daily there". This  thought and wish came for a second and gone. I forgot..simply forgot.
Almost six months later my marriage got fixed with a guy who was working in Mumbai but native is in Kolkata.I left my job in B'lore,relocated to Mumbai and got married finally with this guy, my hubby. D-day came. typically I had gone thorugh all rituals of marriage and finally time came to depart. Only a gal who experienced this moment can understand what she goes through..though before this moment already I spent 8 years out of my  home for college and job, still
I felt some one had cut my main vein and I was bleeding..my non-stop tears, heavy head and overwhelmed mind, tired body every thing put together I can only think of a black canvas.Finally reached my in-laws place, I was welcomed with lots of rituals, you can say that's a typical protocal to step into our next phase of life.And my inlaws took me to their temple, temple of lord Narayan..daly panditji comes and do worship. It seems, this lord Narayan is being worshipped for last couple of decades.I was surprised, amazed and dumb found.I just recollected, once I wished it..!!!!

Second story: In 2011 I was posted in USA,Connecticut,stamford city. We celebrate all our cultural festivals with family and friends. We can't forget our festivals beause of our sorroundings and nearest dearest don't allow us to forget but in USA situation is bit different. My mother didn't remind me of Janmashtami in her last call.From the first story you can understand I love to celebrate Janmashtami.I woke up in the morning and just followed my daily routine of taking bath and then worship.
I got some urgent call from India couldn't get time to have breakfast .Left for office and there one of my Indian clients came to my cubicle just before lunch break and informed that he would be leaving early due to Janmashtami. I felt so bad that how can I forget it!! But it's ok, conveyed Thanks to God that atleast I came to know before day ended.But we do fasting or eat some fruits at lunch on Janmastami. Problem was our office cafe had an option of frozen fruits but there were so much non-veg around, I was not comfortable eating fruits from there. I was thnking from where do I get some fruits..and it was  a long hectic day, without eating anything since morning to night would be very difficult so I was asking my Lord,you only decide and guide me.I went to wash room , came back and saw a tiffin box on my desk, which I gave it to my colleague with Rosmalai (sweet dish) few days back. OPened the box and Oh My GOD! it was full of Raspberry,Blueberry and strawbeery..
all my favorite fruits. See how much he takes care of us and felt so blessed that day!

I have taken enough time..now let me share a very common and authentic Bengali vegentarian dish.

Dhokar Dalna:

Ingredients:
1. one and half cups of chana dal (Cholar dal), soaked in water and make a smooth paste with salt. Put little bit of water if it becomes too dry while grinding.
2. two Bay leaves,two spoons of ginger paste, one spoon garlic paste an dne spoon onsion paste. Onion/garlic optional.
3. half cup tomato paste, 1 small spoon cumin powder and one small spoon cumin seed, 1/4 small spoon garam masala,
4. Two medium sized potatoes, turmeric powder, salt, red chilly , green chilly,sugar as per your taste.
5. Oil for fry and curry, 1 spoon ghee

Dumpling preparation:
1. Put a deep bottom pan on the oven, add chana dal paste with two cups of water.
2. Add salt, half small spoon ginger, finely chopped green chilly in that mixture. Keep stiring the mixture.
3. Mixture will become dry and tight, switch off the gas and spread the mixture on a smooth steel dish.
4. Keep this chana dal layer for some time to set and then cut into small squares/diamond shape
5. Fry this chana dal cakes in Oil

Curry Preparation:
1. Cut the pottaoes ninto medium sized cubes , mi with salt and turmeric powder and fry it, keep it aside
2. Add half small spoon cumin seed, bay leaves and add 1 spoon ginger, one spoon onion and half small spoon garlic and cumin powder.
   Add turmeric and little salt to it. Fry these spices properly.
3. Add tomato paste to it and little water. Fry these mixture  till raw smell goes off.
4. Now add potato cubes into it, mix well and fry this mixture of potatoes with spices for another 2-3 minutes.
5. At this stage add garam masala, green chilly and red chilly, add two spoons water and fry one more time.
6. Once oil starts relesing then add water, remember it should be a thick gravy and dumpling also soak water. So add water accordingly.
7. once you get the first boil, add dumplings
8. At this stage add salt to taste, little bit of sugar and one spoon ghee
 

Chittol Doi Kalia

Chittol Doi Kalia

Ingredients:

1. 5 pieces Chittol fish, appx 500 gms. I got belly part of it. Mix with salt and turmeric powder
2. One and half medium sized grated onion
3. half grated tomato, 3 green chilies
4. two table spoon curd, mix with 1 table spoon cumin powder, 1 spoon red chilly powder and 1 spoon mustard paste. Beat the spice mixture with little bit
of water to make it a smooth paste
5. salt to taste, 6 table spoon oil, 1 spoon turmeric powder, 1/2 bay leaves

Method:

1. Heat the kadai/wok and put 3 table spoon of oil. Fry the marinated fish and keep it aside.
2. If there is any oil left in the kadai, add another two table spoons of oil into it.
   Add bay leaf, grated onion, fry it for a minute and then add grated tomato.
3. Put two green chilies and turmeric powder, fry it till oil starts releasing from the spices.
4. Add one cup water,let it boil and then put the curd mixture into it.
5. once curd mixed completely and gravy is brought into proper boil, then add the fried fishes and boil it for 5-8 minutes.

Add salt as per taste.
9. As typical Bengali finishing touch, add remaining one table spoon oil into gravy and slit the 3rd chilly, add it.Switch off the gas and cover with a lead  for sometime.

Enjoy with hot steamed rice.

Fish Chiurmura

I feel so good when I spend time with my friends and its quite refreshing too !! so whenever my husband goes on office trip,I utilize it to the core. This time I went one of my friends' place in THANE,Mumbai. Thane is also becoming very crowded similar to other suburbs but the area where she is staying, is really nice, calm - peaceful. She stays with room-mates..so I enjoy the company of all enthu people.
I really relish all her dishes, because those are different something between Hydrabadi and Bengali with an Andamani touch. Sounds funny right?? She is Bengali, from Andaman and studied in Hyderabad, working in Mumbai. So lot of regional influences in her cooking. So this time I demanded that she has to cook for me but finally I ended up preparing fish dishes. I will tell you why.. So, morning we left for Fish market, no, please don't think its a big market with full of fish-keepers...like a typical fish market in Kolkata. only one fish shop and all Bongs are  jumping on the fishes, everyone is in hurry and wants the best one, some are shouting with all vital force "Where is my 1kg Rahu?" .."what is today's rate of tiger prawns?"..some
people are getting irritated due to delay in final deliveries. OH My GOD..if I had not visited these fish shops (which are rare in Mumbai), wouldn't have believed how many Bengalis are there in Mumbai... So total 4 resources to cut fish, one is un-scaling the fish, one person is grabbing the fish and supplying it to the back-end for cleaning and one manager who is taking orders,noting down the same in a notebook and taking the cash.Bhetki, Chittol, parse, pabda,Rahu,Katla, Kagji,Prawns with different sizes..oops! I don't know name for some of the fishes.I selected Chittol and Kagji...by that time I already decided menu. Chittol kalia and Fish churmura with Kagji fish.
Just fyi..all these are fresh water fish...All my fish lovers friends must be knowing that Chittol belly (peti) is one of the most desired fish in Bengal.
After seeing those big Chittol belly she surrendered and said..ohh no I don't know how to cook this..you only manage it. Ok even I was not able to control to enjoy cooking this delicious fish. So I prepared Chittol kalia and Kagji fish churmura.And we had some left out Rahu fish head so she utilized those mixing with yesterday's louki (bottle gaurd/lau) and Patta gobhi(cabbage/badha kopi).
We had a superb feast..we all ate together and at the end of the meal we all beacme tired...because we kept eating.. and eating bony fish is a tiresome activities for all of us..we are not regular fish eater the way we used to eat fish in our childhoods..
We had a plan for aftrenoon..but afternon we had food and after that feast we were  not in a position to even get readyfor our visit to "Maa Niketan".. then around 6:15 pm we realized its too late..quickly i searched their number in google and gave a call.They confirmed that they are open till 7 pm in the evening but it was already 6:35 pm and we had to shop before going there.Thank GOD there is a super market just under her flat and we quickly grabbed some groceries like rice,lentil, cooking
oil..etc..My friends helped me to get a rick and loaded the stuff..we reached there just in time, 7pm. "Maa Niketan" is a ladies orphanage.Very neatly maintained campus, disciplined and well mannered kids, sisters are busy managing the kids..they have 4years old to 28 yers old ladies. They have a big computer lab, auditorium where kids perform different cultural activities yearly and lot of employees from different companies join as volunteer.If you attend the annual program, you can notice kids are really happy their, they are so much involved in their world..an innocent world.We had a small discussion with sister about kids and their daily schedule...ohhh!! was feeling so good...A day before to this visit, I was asking my friend whether they have a parlour closer to her flat. So while returning she asked me, there is one Parlour Soma, if you want to.. Ohh no...I told her, I was completely relaxed, this visit was better than a head message. That's how a good environment can change our mood..Anyway I will share these two recipes Chittol and kagji fish churmura...Sorry friends I made you wait for so long ..

Fish Churmura

Ingredients:

1. 250 gms  any kind of small fish like kagji,morola which are within 4 inch length
2. 1 medium sized onion and two green chilies
3. 1/2 table spoon turmeric powder,1/2 table spoon cumin seed powder, 2 table spoon oil, salt to taste

Optional:
1/2  table spoon amchur powder, if you want little sour punch.

Method:

1. Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric and keep it for 10-15 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a kadai or wok and put the marinated fish. stir it frequently. typically this kind fish is very soft in nature so it breaks and bones
come out. Keep stirring and during this process you can pick those center-single bones from the kadai.
3.Soon you will find you have only fish pieces left.
4.Then add cumin seed powder , chopped onion, chilies and amchur powder, stir it for 1 minute and switch off the gas.
After putting the spices and onion, you should not cook more than 1 or 1/2 minutes.

Tips:
This dish can be made in south style also, like for tampering/tadka you can use mustard seeds, garlic and curry leaves.
you can add half table spoon tamarind water and serve with hot steamed rice.

Steamed Prawn

I must say, this is my mother's specialty ..Ohhh! still I can remember each of its bite....tantalizing paradox..being a Bengali I have a soft corner toward mustard paste ...and that to with prawns..Guys please try and am sure, you will not be disappointed.

Ingredient:

1.   2 table spoon mustard seed

2 green chilies

8-10 medium sized prawns

1 table spoon curd, half small spoon turmeric powder, salt to taste

Mustard oil/olive oil – 2 table spoon

Method:

Grind mustard seed with green chilli and salt , if require ad little bit of water to make a paste. Add half cup of water and strain it with the help of a big holed strainer.

Now mix this mustard paste,curd, salt, turmeric powder and mustard oil  with prawns.

Put this mixture in a tiffin box, pack it tightly, add one cup water in a cooker and place the tiffin box inside cooker.  Whistle it for 3-4 .

Serve this with hot steam rice.

Tip : You can even pack the entire mixture in a banana leaf, tight the leaf properly with a thread and place it in tiffin box.

Chicken Rezala

Ingredients:

1.     800 gm skinless chicken, clean it

2.     4 medium sized onion paste, 1 table spoon ginger and 1 and ½ table spoon garlic paste

3.     Half cup curd, 1 table spoon cashew paste, 1 table spoon poppy seed paste

4.     4-5 green chillies

5.     4-5 table spoons mustard/olive oil, 2 table spoon ghee

6.     Half spoon garam masala (only 2 cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon)

   

   Method:

1.     Add onion paste, ginger, garlic, curd, salt (to taste), two green chilli paste  to chicken and mix it well, keep it for 1 hour

2.     Heat the kadai/wok and put oil

3.     Once oil is ready add marinated chicken to it.

4.     Fry it for 15-20 minutes in high flame for  10 minutes and then in medium flame

5.     Add poppy seed and cashew paste and add 1 table spoon ghee to it.

6.     Fry for another 1o minutes. Once oil starts  releasing, add garam masala , mix it properly.

7.     Add rest of the ghee to chicken and shift this chicken to cooker. 3-4 whistle is sufficient to make the chicken enough soft and tender.

8.     Once it is ready put one more spoon of ghee , deseed and slit rest of the green chillies , sprinkle on the chicken and  close the lead for 2 minutes

9.     Serve this with hot steamed rice