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!!