Badshahi Chicken, first originated as to my knowledge, in a Bengali Daily when I was a little kid. With it my father tried his hands at cooking for the first time. Though made in a small quantity it turned out to be a HUGE Success! His tenure as a good cook started with this recipe and ended with making Chicken Cutlets. The legacy was forwarded to my big brother who has honed his skills and made it into a bigger success of mouthwatering Cutlets. You take a bite and you feel like floating in the magical ocean of happiness. I have always been a helping hand when such chefs are around! But that is yet another story. Now coming to Badshahi Chicken all you need is a handful of chicken breasts or legs and the following ingredients…

Oil to sauté the ingredients
Onion paste
Ginger paste
Green Chilli paste
Poppyseed paste
Tomato puree
Coconut milk
Plain curd
Salt and Sugar
Garam masala
Haldi/Turmeric powder
Kashmiri Mirch

How to cook: Marinade the chicken in curd and keep it for an hour. Add oil to Kadai and sauté all the ingredients for 5-10 minutes. Add the marinated chicken, mix well, cover the Kadai and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes. Add 1 cup of warm/boiling water. Add roasted garam masala or powder and mix well. Done!

Onekdin por post korchi! Kolkatae ja gorom poreche...r temon-e load shedding hochche roj roj. Tomader shobaikar blogs theke notun ranna shikhe besh mawja laagche, but summer e kitchen ta ami avoid korte chai :D tai ekhon bishesh kichui ranna korchina, sudhu, salads, curd rice r Murir opor-ei din katachchi :D
R ichcheo ache ektu sabdhaan e kheye jodi ojon ta komano jae :D

Blog ta k'din holo besh fanka fanka lagche...tai bhablam ektu bhorie di, tar shathe tomader shonge ekta simple recipe share kore feli :)
Recipe ta holo Plastic Chutney! Eta ami onno kothao khaini, janina tomader kemon laagbe! Barite hoye specially Pujor shomae...Luchi Tarkarir khaowar pawr Plastic Chutney kheyte darooooon laage, bisheshoto kolapatae serve kora holey!! Ekdom thanda thanda kweel kweel!!
Plastic Chutney ke keno ‘Plastic’ bola hoe ebar boli! Eta raw Papaya/Paype diye toiri hoe r Paype ta khub paatla paatla kore kata hoe…jaate besh ekta transparent look ashe. Thik transparent plastic –er moto. Janina tomra maanbe ki naa, kintu erokom bhabei bojhano hoechilo amae…jokhon ami Jethimake jiggesh korechilam. Khub shadharon khabar gulor odbhoot naam ber kore amader koutuhawl barato.
Ebar bole feli ki ki laagbe..

Ingredients:
One small sized Raw Papaya.
½ Nimbu/Lemon.
100/200 gms sugar.

Recipe:

• Cut the green Papaya lenghtwise into 4- 6 parts. Take each part and make very thin slices.
• Boil the Papaya slices and discard the water.
• Make a sugar solution with 100/200 gms (approx) of sugar. The syrup should NOT be of very thick consistency.
• Add the boiled Papaya slices into the boiling sugar syrup. Keep it for 2 mins until it becomes soft.
• Remove it from the oven and let it cool.
• Add lemon juice (1/2 a lemon approx) and mix well.
• Take care while mixing it, try not to break the slices.

Your Job Done !! Transparent Plastic Chutney is ready!! Refridgerate it and have it with Luchi/Paranthas!

Tell me how it tastes!!

Now post the picture on your Blog and leave me a message! Would lllove to see!

Mango Pickle/Teylenga as we call it is one of the favourite Pickles of LahaBari ! My Didi (GrandMom) used to make it, my Jhetimas still do it. Those summer vacations were a dream with almost no studies…spent seeing them making varieties of pickles, bori…all kept for sun drying at the terrace. The view from small window of the puja room was a visual treat…as we waited longingly and drooling over the idea of savouring the pickles…how many days to go?…when would Didi finally give it with Sunday breakfast of hot paurotas !!!

This summer I have decided to try preparing a Big Jar of Teylenga so that I could relish it with utmost pleasure for the whole year. So I asked Ma to give this recipe of authentic Teylenga and let me share with my friends.
I welcome you all to have a peek at the recipe and try making it. It tastes awesome with plain/stuffed paranthas.

Soak Black Chickpeas/Chola overnite.
Drain the water and let it dry for an hour.
Raw mangoes cut into cubes and discard the seed.
Take a glass bowl and add
. Mustard powder
. Red Chilli powder (grind/pound Whole Red Dry Chillis)
. Turmeric powder
. Salt
. Minced Ginger
. Minced Garlic
. The Chickpeas/Chola
. Mustard oil to make a paste with all the above ingredients
. The mangoes to the paste and mix well for 5 mins
. More Mustard Oil to it and mix well for another 5 mins
. Put the whole stuff in a glass jar and let it Sun Dry for 10-15 days.
Your ‘Teylenga’ is READY !!!

Keep sun drying the pickle every day.

Now take two shots of the pickle, one before sun drying and the other after you sun dry it and post on your blog.

FulKopir Teyl! [Cauliflower Florets dipped in Mustard Oil]
This is my Jethima’s Special Pickle, famous in our home. Have this with plain Rotis and you would keep wanting for more n MORE!!!

How it is made:

You take one big Cauliflower and cut the florets.

Boil the florets in water for 1-2 minutes and drain the water.

Put all the florets on a dry kitchen napkin and let it dry for some minutes.

Place the florets on a dish.

Add Tumeric powder/Haldi, Red Chilli powder, salt and mix it well.

Cover the dish with a muslin cloth and Sun Dry the florets for the whole day.

When it becomes dry, dip the florets in a glass jar full of Mustard Oil (its smell, flavor and pungency help to spice up the cauliflower).

Cover the jar and let it Sun Dry for 1 – 2 days or a week and its READY!! Have it with Hand Made Rotis.

Finally…take a shot and post it on your blog!

DO NOT forget to Sun Dry the Pickle. The more you Sun Dry it the more tender and spicy would it taste!!

Beguni, the famous roadside snacks of yesteryears is still a hot favourite in Bengali households especially during rainy days. This goes best with Plain/Jhaal Muri or with Khichudi.







This is how I made it:

· Make a paste (should be of consistency as of cream) with Besan/Gram Flour and water. Add salt and kalounji to it.

· Take a large Baingan/Brinjal/Aubergine and cut it into slices of equal thickness. Sprinkle some salt on it.









· Heat mustard oil in a Kadai.











· Dip one Brinjal slice in the Besan paste , first one side n then the other, do it for 2-4 times n put in the hot oil.

· Let it deep fry for some secs, when it becomes reddish turn on the other side and fry.

· Finally hold the deep fried Beguni (as shown in the picture) for a half a minute and keep it on a serving dish.

Do the same process with the rest of the slices and Server Hot with Muri/Puffed Rice!!!

Hyacinth Bean/Sheem in Mustard Sauce - Try this recipe and let me know how it tastes!! Give a guess work!

Bitter Gourd n Potato Stir Fried Vege or Uchche Alu bhaja (as we call it in bengali) is very easy to make and tastes great with Rice/Roti. I like it a bit crispy, hence add no water.

This is how I prepare it:
· Take 2 potatoes, peel off the skin and cut into thin matchsticks.
· Take 2-3 bitter gourds and cut it lengthwise and then into thin slices ( as shown in the picture). I prefer to cut it into matchstick shapes. If you want it de-seeded cut the bitter gourd into half and just scoop out the seeds.
· Boil both Bitter Gourd and Potatoes separately in water for 2 mins (this way u need less time to cook).
· Drain the water and keep it aside.
· Heat oil in a Kadai and add some Paanch Phoron.
· Add the bolied Bitter Gourd and stir, 1 green chilli and stir fry for a min or two.
· Add the boiled Potato, salt (as required) and stir fry for 5 mins.
Its DONE!!! Taste the stuff and see if its crisp enough or you need to stir for a bit more time.

Adaar Kuchi!

This is a kind of condiment prepared in bengali households and is a must during festivals. Served generally with Luchis/ Kochuris along with spicy vegetable dishes. It is very simple and can be preserved for months.

You take 2-3 large sized Ginger, preferrably smooth skinned ones.

Cut off any protuding parts and gently peel off the skin. Keep aside the protuding parts.

Take one thumb of ginger about 2 inches lenght.

Slice the peeled ginger lengthwise. The slices would be very thin.

Take 2-4 slices and stack one above the other, and cut them lenghtwise into very thin matchsticks.

Take a glass bowl and put the sliced ginger into it.

Add salt, green/red chillies (cut into thin rings) and generous amount of fresh lemon juice to it (2-3 lemons approx).

My grandma used to keep the bowl under Sun. But I refridgerate it.

The ginger slices would turn reddish and becomes soft.

Serve with Luchis !!!

You can even add a pinch of sugar to give is a more reddish texture.

Cabbage n Peas Vege or better called Bandha Kopir Choka ( in bengali), prepared in the authentic bengali method goes well with Luchi/Porota/Ruti/Rice n Dal.

My mom always insists not to add any spice like jeera n dhania powder save a dash of freshly grated ginger and green chillis, jeera, a bit of haldi, de-seeded tomatoes and boiled peas. Words couldn't simply describe the taste unless you prepare and have it :)

This is hoe I made it:

Take a green cabbage. Pull off the outer leaves and discard 1 layer.

With a long knife, cut the head in half through the core.

Keep one half on the cutting board, core on the left side

and start cutting vertically into very thin slice.

Discard the white core portion, take only the leafy part of the cabbage.

Repeat the above process on the other half.

Put the cabbage into water and boil it for half a minute and drain the water.

Take a kadai and heat two table spoon of oil.

Add jeera seeds, grated ginger ( half tbl spn), 2 boiled potatoes cut into cubes and saute it for a min.

Add haldi, salt, sugar ( 1 tea spn), 2 green chillis, 2 de-seeded tomatoes, 1 cup boiled peas and cook it for 5 mins.

Cover the Kadai and let it cook for another 5 mins until the cabbage becomes tender.

Server hot with hand made roti, or better with Fulko Fulko luchi !!

Sunday Breakfast - Wish to have Spinach Omlette. For that have to get some spinach from the local bazaar or from mobile vegetable wala :) Got this recipe from a friend and have tried it once, tastes good :)
Will post the pic soon after breakfast, hopefully.
I guess this is the recipe:
Take the leaves of spinach, wash well and boil for a minute with salt until it becomes soft.
Beat egg, add salt, green chillis and the spinach.
Make an omlette and have it!

Shrimps n Pumpkin Pleasure

How I made this:

Take 100 gms of shrimps, wash well, add salt and boil for some minutes until its tender.

Drain the water and keep it aside.

Fry it for 1 min in 2 table spoon of heated oil.

Cut the Pumpkin into 1-2 inches rectangular pieces and boil for some minutes until it becomes soft.

Drain the water and keep it aside.

Cut 2 onions into cubes.

Take another kadai/pan and heat 1 table spoon of Mustard oil.

• Fry the onion until it becomes red


• Add ginger paste, tumeric, mango power, 1 green chilli, salt, sugar and fry well


• Add the shrimps and fry well


• Add the Pumpkin and cook for another 5 mins

Bataa Maach-er Jhaal (without mustard sauce)



How I made it:
Take two to four 'Bataa' Maach/Fish (as shown in the picture). Wash well and apply tumeric and salt to it.
Heat oil in kadai and fry the fish for 1-2 minutes. Do not over fry to avoid the fish getting hard.
Beat 1-2 table spoons of plain curd in a katori and keep it aside.

Now the gravy or Jhaal part:

• Take another kadai and heat 1 table spoon of Mustard oil.
• Add some Nigella seed/kalonji, ginger paste and fry for half a minute
• Add tumeric/haldi ( approx 2 pinches), 2 green chillis, 1/2 tea spoon kashmiri mirch ( I use Everest) salt as required, curd and cook well for 1 min
• Add the fried fish, 1 cup of boiling water to it cover the kadai and let it cook for 5 mins
• When the gravy thickens garnish it with fresh Coriander leaves
• Serve hot with plain rice

Fish (Katla Maach) Curry

Chicken in Juicy Red Curry - A simple dish @ Dinner.

This is how I made it :

• Marinade 500 gms of chicken with 3 tbl spoon of curd and 1 tbl spoon of ginger paste for a hour.

Heat oil in Pan, add finely sliced garlic and onion and fry until it bcomes red.

Add the chicken, tumeric ( very small amount - 2 gms), kashmiri mirch ( 2 tbl spoons) , 2-3 green chillis, salt, sugar ( 1tbl spoon), and finely sliced tomatoes ( 2-3 deseeded tomatoes). Cook this for some 5-6 mins.

Add boiled water, cover the pan and let it boil for 10 mins or so until the chiken becomes tender.

Server hot with Roti or Rice!!

Moong Dal (100 gms)

• Soak 100gms of moong dal and pressure cook with as much water as needed to soak the daal.
• Seperate the bolied daal from the water and keep it aside.
• Heat a kadai/pan and add 1 tbspn of oil
• Add jeera/cumin seeds and fry a little until it becomes brown but not black
• Add chopped garlic (2 cloves), ginger paste (1/2 tbspn) and fry well
• Add Haldi/ tumeric as required
• Add tomatoes (cut into very small pieces) and mix the spices for half a min
• Add the boiled daal, salt, slitted green chillies and mix well for 1 min
• Add the boiled water (half a cup) and cook it for a min until the daal becomes a little thick
• Garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves

Ideal to have it plain rice and papad.

Sada Alu chachchari, as the name suggests is made of boiled potatoes and no tumeric or haldi is added to this and hence 'Sada' - (white coloured).

• Cut potatoes into small peices and boil it
• Heat a tawa and add refined oil/mustard oil
• Add 'Paanchh Phoran' - A blend of five (Fenugreek-methi, Fennel seed-saunf or mouri, Cumin seed- jira, Nigella seed- kalonji, Radhuni or wild celery seed) spices and fry it a little
• Add the boiled potatoes, salt, slitted green chillies and mix well for 5 mins
• Add boiling water and cover the tawa/pan for another 3 mins until the potatoes become very soft and juicy
• Serve with handmade rotis/luchis.

A quick dish made from roasted Aubergine.
Take a big smooth skined Aubergine/Baingan and wash it.

• Slit a Baingan half way (length wise)
• Brush the outside of baingan with mustard oil
• Place it over a grill and roast
• Peel off the darkened skin of baingan
• Mash the baingan in a dish
• Add green chillis, onion, tomato (cut into small pieces), coriander leaves, salt and one table spoon of mustard oil.
• Mix well and serve with hand made Rotis.