A Mexican edible tale of Burritos,Tacos,salsas,flan ,dessert and more..|My Mexican recipes

 El arte más poderoso de la vida es hacer del dolor un talismán que cura, una mariposa que renace florecida en fiesta de colores. ~ Frida Kahlo

Doesn't that sound sexy ,tasty and delish ?

For me Absolutely ! 

Hola Amigos !! 

I am sure you might have already guessed it ...It is Mexican/Spanish !! And that is a quite famous quote in Spanish by the well-known Mexican Painter,Frida Kahlo and it best describes yours truly,ME!!

It means ,"The most powerful art of life is to make pain a talisman that heals, a butterfly that is reborn, blooming in a feast of colors."

I love Spanish/Mexican language ! That flow of words when spoken by anyone sounds so sexy to me which I adore listening to and so does Mexican foods ,when eaten at any restaurant, it tastes simply delicious to me - fresh,natural,little spicy,crunchy,little sour,little creamy,cheesy,little sweet and saucy....Yummmy,my dil goes mmmmm!!....My kind of favorite food !!In fact,a family favorite go-to food!!

The tortilla reminds me of our Indian Roti/Indian Flatbread,different sauces remind me of Indian chutneys,a few desserts remind me of the Indian version of custards,cakes,puddings,few tropical drinks, remind me of Indian juices and mostly the exclusive use of rice,beans,vegetables ,spices,chillies,meat,seafoods,coconuts,jackfruits especially ,makes the Mexican food my most favourite kinda comfort food that I can have anytime,anyday.

I am not a fan of fast foods.When it comes to restaurant foods ,after Indian food, I find Mexican cuisine to be comparatively healthy food.Thanks to husband (BhogRaj G ;D:P) for introducing me to the various cuisines for sure! Being a foodie and a hardcore cooking enthusiast, the edible experiences widened my taste buds and helped me to expand my cooking experimenting horizon, far and wide.

Needless to say,I started making lots of Mexican foods at home trying my best to keep it more healthy innovatively. Not only is Mexican cuisine delicious but also not time-consuming to prepare.

 Me encanta la comida mexicana !! (Say that and feel it !) 

I don't know about you but for me, it sounds so satisfactory , warm yet alluring and it simply means "I love Mexican foods !"

Like I mentioned in my previous posts about my love for Thali food ,I got a little bored doing the Indian versions and I wanted to try something different yet something that satisfies my hunger pangs in every way.And I always wanted to make a full-on Mexican meal.So here I am with a new version of my hunger games...with all my favourite quick-to-make and quick-to-finish Mexican recipes with my personal twist yet doing my best to honor the Mexican traditions which somehow I adore to the core ...

Good food that tastes/represents especially a traditional Mexican home,traditional utensils used like in India ,the humble claypots, age-old grinding stones ,mortar and pestle called "molcajete", Molinillo used for whipping chocolates etc,Barbacoa used for grilling like Tandoori in Hindi or barbecue in English,using Banana leaves for food/cooking,grilled corn on the cob,street vendors selling varieties of street foods /antojitos,use of dry red chillies,peppy music,warm yet exotic dance,down-to-Earth (urban) yet contemporary culture ,folklores related to Mayan/Aztec civilizations ,breathtaking tourist worthy places in Mexico are what makes me incline towards the Mexicans.Admiro !!

Soy mi propia musa, soy la persona que mejor conozco, soy la persona que quiero mejorar

Meaning "I'm MY own muse, I'm the person I know best, I'm the person I want to improve."

 

Mexican foods are believed to have originated from the Mayan and Aztec civilizations.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

I didn't ! So,let me share with you all the "Aha" factor of the Mexicana!

Credit:Google

1. In 2010 Mexican cuisine was added to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity, an honor that acknowledged not only the exceptional dishes and cooking techniques but also the social importance of the foods in the Mexican culture. ~ Mexicohistorico.com
2. Tomatoes ,Corn,hot chocolates, and Vanilla originated in the Mexico.
3. Tacos are usually eaten as a light lunch in Mexico traditionally and they are so much preferred that they have dedicated a whole day as National Taco day celebrated on the March 31st in the Mexico and October 4th in the US.
4. Mayan Legend says that Tortilla was invented by a peasant as an edible gift to a King about 12ooo years ago which was later adapted and recreated by the Mayan and Spanish civilizations and which gained popularity far and wide.
5. Mexican Tortillas are made with cornmeal/corn flour as the main ingredient while Spanish Tortilla is made with potatoes and egg omelette.
6. Tortillas can have different fillings including insects like grasshoppers and other strange parts of animals (Holy Moly ,I'lll keep that in mind! ) and even have a sweeter version of fruits and ice cream (Bring it on!).
7. Pan-fried grasshoppers called chapulines and cactus called nopales are quite famous in the Mexican cuisine.
8. Mexico is home to about 300 types of chili peppers and more than 50 varieties of corn.
9. Like Indians celebrate "Pitru Amavasya" dedicated to praying and paying homage to our ancestors, Mexicans also have a day dedicated to the dead loved ones called,"Day of the dead!".
10. There is a funny breakfast recipe called Huevos divorciados meaning divorced eggs.LOL
11. The popular Mexican food,Fajita was invented by a group of cowboys in Texas.
12. Universally favored Tequila and Margarita alcoholic drinks originated in Mexico.
13. World's largest pyramid is located in Cholula, Mexico.

Wowieee....Thanks for improving my General Knowledge! 

And hence , adoro la comida mexicana ...meaning I LOVE MEXICAN FOODS !!

As I was researching and learning about the Mexican culture I realized that just like Indians,they also use food as a wonderful excuse to bond and celebrate family,friends,people and life in general tastefully.

While Tacos,Tortillas,Salsa,Guacamole,flan are becoming staple foods in most of the hybrid kitchens around the world ,then there are Churros,Burritos,Mojitos,Taquitos,Cabritos,Pepitos,Jarritos,Antojitos which sounds like the name of some edible Missiles ....I mean reminds me of that dialogue from the movie "3 Idiots" ...."Tum Gujarati log itne cute hote ho, par tum log ka khana itna khatarnak kyun hota hai - dhokla, fafda, handva, thepla - aaise lagta hai jaise koi missiles hai.(meaning Gujratis are so cute but their foods like dhokla,fafda,handva,thepla sounds like names of some Missiles) Exactly !!....No wonder ,kyu ye Mexican log bhi itney cute lagthey hain....ha ha ha...

So like a Mexican saying ,"Barriga llena, corazón contento" meaning the secret of a simple life is a full (edible)belly and a happy heart .

Having said that ,“Hay que comer para vivir, no vivir para comer.Quien come con cordura, por su salud procura .De la panza sale la danza”. meaning eating to live, not living to eat. Those who eat with sanity, provide for their good health ,for, from the stomach comes the drooling dance of life or energy to live life to the fullest/worth.

So,"Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious",said Ruth Reichl and so do I .

So ,Menú de comida ,my Mexican food menu recipes comprise of :

1.Chicken Burritos - Did you know that ?

• Burritos means "little donkey" in Spanish and originated in Northern Mexico .During the Mexican Revolution of the 20th century,foods wrapped in tortillas were famously coined the name "Burrito" which seemed convenient to carry on donkeys far and wide .
• The largest burrito ever made weighed over 12,785 lbs and stretched 2.4 km in length.(Credit:Factnight.com) Holy Cow!!
  
• The most expensive burrito ever sold was priced at $5,000 and featured luxurious ingredients such as Kobe beef and black truffles. (WTF-What The Food !! indeed)
  
• In 2006, NASA included a special type of space travel-friendly burrito called the “Thermostabilized Bean Burrito” on the menu for the space shuttle Discovery. 
• Not Mexico but San Francisco holds the title of the “Burrito capital of the world”.
• Matt Stonie achieved a remarkable feat in 2016 by consuming 47 Chipotle burritos in just three minutes.
• National Burrito Day is celebrated annually in the USA for burrito enthusiasts.(Courtesy:Fact Bud.com)
  

 

Asombrosa ..I mean AMAZING indeed !!

 

So,WHAT IS A BURRITO ?

Burrito is a food wrapped in a flatbread called Tortilla made up of corn flour and is usually filled with vegetable fillings like corn,tomatoes,soft beans,chopped onions,jalapenos and any meat toppings and varieties of cheeses,sour creams,sauces.Burritos are a versatile type of food as they can have different kinds of fillings inspired by the traditional recipes to the innovative ones that suits one's taste buds aptly.

That's why I love Burritos so much.I remember the first tortilla sets I saw for the first time at the Walmart and I was happy beyond words . Tortillas resembled our humble Indian staple flatbreads called rotis.Being a cooking enthusiast,I couldn't resist my mind and belly splurting out with varieties of Burrito ideas and more ,since they were readily available in a bunch at affordable prices and the convenience of creating fast and tasty food at home.

For me Burritos are like Indian wraps like Frankie or roti rolls etc ,only difference is our Indian flatbread is made either with wheat and other nutritious grains or all-purpose flour,oil/Indian clarified butter whereas the Mexican flatbread,Tortilla is made up of Corn flour and animal fats like lard/shortenings exclusively .Any fillings,toppings,cheese,sauces would give a magical edible twist to the traditional burrito wrap like the Indian ones.So,it is a no-brainer!Simply creativity and to taste !!

So,here is my Chicken Burrito recipe

Chicken Burrito

Ingredients

Chicken,chopped 1 cup

Spices for seasoning:

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 Tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Cumin powder - 1 Tsp

Pepper powder - 1 Tsp

Oregano - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Fillings/Toppings

Boiled rice 1 cup

Black beans,boiled - 1 cup

Corn - 1 cup

Bell pepper,sliced - 1 or 2 Nos.

Jalapenos/Serrano peppers,chopped as needed

Pineapple,chopped as needed

Pomegrante seeds as needed

Shredded lettuce as needed

Cucumber,chopped as needed

Salsa

Guacolmole

Salsa Verde

Cheese,Pepper Jack or cheese of your choice to taste

Any sauce,I used Tabasco sauce to taste

Honey Mustard Habanero sauce to taste

Sour Cream

Tortilla,large or X-Large size - 2 Nos.

Oil for shallow frying as needed - 4-5 Tbsps.

Skillet

How to prepare Burritos :

1. First, prepare boiled rice and any beans like I have used the Black beans (Pressure cooked for fast cooking the beans), and keep them aside as shown in the video.
2. Then prepare Salsa Verde as shown in the video or below in the post.
3. Marinate the chopped chicken pieces with the seasoning spices and keep them aside for a few minutes.
4. Then heat oil in a pan ,shallow fry the chicken pieces, and transfer the cooked chicken pieces to a plate. 
5. In the same oil lightly fry the chopped bell peppers,corns,serrano peppers and cooked black beans to make it flavorful.Once cooked or soft transfer them to a plate.Some people prefer them fresh but I love them a little soft/lightly cooked yet crunchy instead.
6. Since I like melted cheese in Burrito ,I am gonna put a little cheese on top of the cooked chicken pieces on a pan and allow the cheese to melt lightly on low flame .Do not keep them for long or it will stiffen up/turn hard.Then transfer it to a plate.
7. Heat a skillet or a wide pan, place a Tortilla on it and cook both sides on low flame until a little soft/lukewarm but not for too long or the Burritos will harden up and it will be difficult to fold into a proper Burrito or else the filling will fall down and it won't be that tasty to eat as well.
8. Then put off the flame and transfer the Burritos to a big plate and let's make the Burrito my way.
9. Layer - Put some cooked chicken pieces with melted cheese as needed,little bit of the mixture of cooked bell pepper,corn,serrano peppers and black beans,little bit of pineapple chunks,pomegrante seeds,cucumber chunks,shredded lettuce,smear some Salsa Verde,Tomato salsa,Guacomole,top it with all sauces and sour cream as needed.
10. Make sure not to overfill as it will be difficult to wrap the tortilla into a Burrito properly.Then as shown in my Mexican recipes video,fold the Tortilla with all fillings etc gently into a yummy Burrito tight and secured.
11. Serve it hot and fresh .If you are gonna eat later,wrap it in an aluminium foil .Burritos always taste best when served FRESH.
12. Enjoy bite by bite with the extra salsas and Guacamole to your taste.

WHAT IS A TACO?

Taco is a famous traditional Mexican dish, just like a Burrito. It is actually a small version of a Tortilla wrap either in a crispy form or in a soft grilled form ,filled with different kinds of vegetables, proteins like meat or tofu, etc., and topped with sour cream and sauces of one's choice.Just like Burrito,a Taco is a very versatile and flexible dish that can be molded/prepared into various one-of-a-kind recipes.

Wanna know some great facts about Taco???

Courtesy : FactRetriever.com

• Mexico City is called the Taco capital of the world.
• The Grand Velas Los Cabos resort in Mexico creates the world's most expensive taco, sold at $25,000 made up of a gold-flaked corn tortilla, langoustines, Kobe beef, Almas beluga caviar, and black truffle Brie cheese. (That is a mouthful to digest...I am Speechless!!)
• The largest taco in the world weighed around 1,654 pounds (750 kg) and was made in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.(That gave me the inspiration to make those mini tacos for sure without being lazy next time.)
• Bizarre tacos include grasshoppers,insects,waffle, alligator, bacon, s'mores, larvae, and cauliflower tacos. (V-omit that !!)
• TwistedTacos.com mentions," The first-ever food truck was probably a taco truck".

 

Interesante ...I mean so interesting !!

So, here is my version of Chicken Tacos and Fish Tacos !!

Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

(Basically the leftovers from the Burrito fillings that I prepared above except the boiled rice)

Leftover chickens from the Burrito  1 cup

(Or I would prepare the chicken just like that and with other spices too )

Leftover vegetables 1 cup

Pineapple chopped and pomegranate seeds as needed

Lettuce as needed

Leftover salsa as needed

Leftover Guacamole as needed

Leftover salsa verde as needed

Sour Cream as needed

Any sauce of your choice (I used Tabasco and honey habanero sauce)

Cheese (I used pepper Jack)

Small Tortilla - 4-5 Nos.

Skillet/Pan/Grill

How to make Tacos

1. Heat a skillet or a pan ,place a tortilla on it, and cook both sides until "lightly" warm on low flame.Don't keep it for too long or it will harden up.
2. Once warm ,transfer it onto a plate and layer all ingredients one-by-one ,topping it with cheese,sour cream, and sauce of your choice.
3. Just fold the tortilla wrap like a D shape .Grill it to make it the crispier version if needed.
4. That's it my Chicken Taco is ready to serve..Serve it fresh for the best taste and serve it with more sauces, salsa and guacamole on the sides.

Isn't that Burrito and Taco a wholesome meal with good quantities of vegetables,fruits,proteins,homemade salsa etc .The difference between Burrito and Tacos is that Burrito uses a large Tortilla and Taco uses small or medium ones and Burritos can include rice as well.Here the addition of chopped pineapples,pomegranate seeds,cucumber made the burritos and Tacos exclusively crunchy,delicious and healthy.

Click the links for the :

3.Pico de galo recipe/Tomato Salsa recipe 

4.Guacamole Recipe

5.Egg Quesadilla recipe

6.Salsa Verde 

Salsa Verde is a very important and staple salsa at any Mexican home that tastes better when prepared at home itself as the traditional use of the grinding stone/Molcajete/Molinillo and fresh vegetables gives it that fresh homely taste that can hardly be recreated/prepared at any restaurant with that humble personal touch with influence passed down the generations.Salsa Verde is prepared most popularly with fire/pan roasted Tomatillos,peppers,onions etc.This is one of those salsas that needs to be cooked and tastes spicy and can be used as a dip,spread,sauce and/or as a condiment.And this is how I make Salsa Verde my way Mexican style.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

Tomatillo -1-2 Nos.

Serrano peppers 1-2 Nos.

Mexican red chili,large - 1 No.

Garlic cloves - 1-2 Nos.

Shallots - 1-2 Nos.

A few cilantro leaves

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying - 1/4 the cup

Water if needed

Grinding stone/Blender

How to make Salsa Verde at home:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Lightly roast all vegetables one by one.Saute until they look roasted.
• Then turn off the gas.Let it cool a bit.
• I used my grinding stone to make a thick salsa verde or blend all roasted ingredients into a blender with a little bit of water and blend everything into a not-so-runny yet thick salsa.
• Add salt to taste.
• That's it my easy Salsa Ver is ready to serve.
• Serve it as a side dish/dip/spread/sauce/condiment in/with Burritos,Tacos etc..
• This salsa is very spicy and it usually looks green in color but since I used Mexican red chili ,it looks tad red in color.

7.Mexican Caramel Flan Recipe / Receta de Flan Mexicano - A very famous Mexican custard dessert !

Custard Mexican style made with very simple ingredients easily available at home topped with caramelized sugar is the simple yet finger-licking Mexican Caramel flan.I love custards and this easy-to-make and quick-to-finish Mexican Flan is so creamy ,jiggly and yummy and is hence one of my favorite International dessert, decadent beyond words. Delicioso !!

I was literally on a flan diet for a long now to come up with the most silky,jiggly and sweet custard recipe Mexican style.You can see the special effects of my flan experiments on my body ,just check the video ,proudly presenting me oops I mean my Mexican Flan..LOL....😋

Usually, flans are prepared in ovens but I made it on a stovetop.

Stove Top Mexican Flan| Caramelized Custard Mexican style|Receta de Flan

Ingredients

For making a Custard base

Whole Milk,room temperature - 2/3 rd Cup

Egg,small size preferably,room temperature - 1 No.

Cream Cheese,room temperature - 8 Oz.

Vanilla essence 1 Tbsp

Salt a pinch

For Caramelization:

Sugar 1/4-1/2 Cup

Water 1/4-1/2 Cup

Steel Pan

Blender

Deep Pan 

Pressure cooker grid

Aluminium Foil

How to make a no-bake/stove top Mexican Flan at home :

• Take a wide and deep pan and fill it with half a quantity of water and bring it to a boiling point and then reduce the flame.Put a pressure cooker grid or as I have seen in some Youtube videos a big folded tissue paper as the base for even cooking of the custard .The tissue can be placed later when the custard is ready to cook .
• Meanwhile let's make the custard base,take all the ingredients (break the egg) mentioned under the custard base into a blender and blend it into a very smooth LUMP-free liquid base.Transfer it into a wide bowl.Keep it aside.
• Now, to make the caramelized sugar syrup,take a steel pan and add sugar and a little water to it and let it sit there on low flame until it starts melting .
• Then give it a stir to make sure all the sugar melts gradually and uniformly by itself.Just leave it alone but keep an eye so that the sugar doesn't get stuck to the bottom and uneven.
• Even try to swirl the pan for the same purpose in between making sure it doesn't burn or get stuck till the sugar changes its color to light brown.
• Let the sugar melt completely and turn light to dark brownish color.
• If it thickens up and gets stuck , just add the extra water to it and that will gradually melt the sugar(high-moderate-low flame),creating a not-so-thin yet thick caramelized sugar syrup.The caramelized syrup should be dark and in a flowy yet thick consistency .
• Immediately once you prepare the caramel syrup,once again stir the custard ingredients prepared in the blender well to make sure that it is lump free ,smooth and well-combined .
• Take a bowl that can stand boiling pressure and transfer the caramel syrup first into it immediately and let it cool down a bit for a minute,so that it will thicken up the caramel base and it won't mix up with the custard base.Even if it does a little bit,it's ok.Then add the custard base mixture little by little.
• Cover it with the aluminum foil and place it VERY GENTLY AND CAREFULLY onto the pressure cooker grid or the tissue base.
• Keep the flame low and cook it up for an hr or 15-30 minutes longer if needed until evenly cooked.Cover it with a lid.
• After an hour or so,turn off the flame.
• VERY VERY CAREFULLY using a tong or using towels just try to take out the bowl out of the deep pan.
• Let it cool off.Then refrigerate for 3-4 hrs or until set ,jiggly yet shaped.
• It is best to refrigerate it overnight so that the flavor and texture sets in aptly.
• Next day just remove the foil and using a knife gently loosen the custard from all sides.
• Then take a plate and cover the top of the bowl and flip.
• Gently tap to release the custard onto the plate.
• Aaand there you go,the creamy,jiggly,sweet ,silky Mexican Flan is ready to EAT !!
•  Que Rico !!😋

NOTE:

• I've used a small egg instead of a medium or a large egg as I don't like any egg taste in my custard.
• To tone down that eggy taste I've used the cream cheese for that matter which makes the custard more creamy and less jiggly if not used.
• My trials with caramelization showed me that sugar caramelizes well and even in a steel pan than other pans comparatively.Once you caramelize the sugar it is best to use it immediately or it may thicken up and it would be difficult to use it then or if that happens then just add a little water to the sugar and bring it to a boil and then lower the flame until the thickened up sugar melts completely golden brown.

8.Arroz Con Leche |Rice Pudding Mexican style 

Being a dessert fan,I was surprised to come across a rice pudding Mexican style little bit similar to our Indian version of rice pudding or Kheer in Hindi and I love rice puddings a lot .Ironically,I don't have any Indian version of Rice pudding in my blog yet and the first rice pudding to make it to my blog is the Mexican-style rice pudding.

The addition of cinnamon and lemon or orange rind/peel pieces makes the Mexican pudding different from the Indian version.An orange/lemon peel in a pudding is something I would never imagine cooking with otherwise.So,it was good to know that such peels can take a pudding's taste to another level.

Traditionally,fresh long/short-grain rice is cooked and used for the Mexican-style rice pudding recipe.But I felt any leftover rice would be perfect to be reused and recreated into the Mexican-style rice pudding to make it fast yet with the same flavor.

Arroz con Leche|Rice Pudding Mexican Style

Ingredients

Leftover cooked rice - 1 cup

Whole milk - 2-3 Cups

Condensed Milk - 1 cup

Cinnamon whole sticks 2-3 Nos.

Lemon/orange rind/peel - 1-2 Nos.

Sugar to taste (optional if more sugar is needed)

Cinnamon powder to garnish

How to make leftover rice pudding Mexican-style 

• First, boil the milk into the saucepan or a wide pan.
• Once it reaches the boiling point ,reduce the flame and add the rice and cinnamon stick to it and let it simmer for a few minutes.
• After 15 minutes or so,add the condensed milk to it and stir everything until well-mixed.
• Let it simmer for a few minutes until the pudding thickens up a little but not too much.
• Then add more sugar if you need it.
• Just before turning off the cooking gas,add the lemon/orange peel and give a gentle stir.Donot cook for long or it may curdle and lemon or orange rind is used to give it the traditional citrus flavor.
• Turn off the gas and allow it to cool off.
• Refrigerate it if you wish (Tastes best for me ) .
• Remove the cinnamon sticks and lemon/orange peels ,transfer it into small bowls and serve it immediately and garnish it with cinnamon powder.
• That's it my Mexican-style rice pudding,Arroz Con Leche is ready to serve ...
• Appetitoso !!

 

9.Churros - Churros are Mexican-style fried finger-shaped Fritters rolled in sugar-cinnamon powder.Churros are one of the most popular snacks in Mexico. I saw churros first time at our local state fair and it looked and tasted like my kind of snack and since then I have been craving to make it at home and finally, I did it.It is easy and very very tasty.Gustoso!! (Tasty!)

Churros recipe|Mexican finger Fritters

Ingredients

All-purpose flour 1 cup

Water 1 cup

Sugar 1/2 Cup

Butter , melted - 2 Tbsps

Egg 1 No.

Vanilla essence as needed

Salt a pinch

Blender

Piping bag (Good quality thick and sturdy) 1-2 Nos.

Cake decorating Star tip 

Oil for deep frying

Cinnamon-sugar powder as needed - 1-3 Cups

Chocolate syrup or Nutella or Caramel syrup readymade

How to make Churros at home :

• Boil water in a deep pan.Then reduce the flame.
• Add sugar and butter to it.Let the butter melt completely.
• Add the vanilla essence to it and a pinch of salt to it and mix well.
• Add the all-purpose flour little by little and stir it with a ladle until it turns into a soft dough and all the water evaporates.Keep the flame low.
  
• Allow it to cool off a bit .But don't leave it afterward for long.
• Then transfer the dough into a wide pan and knead it into a soft dough.
• Then add the egg into it and then transfer everything into a blender and blend it into a smooth LUMP-FREE dough.
• Heat oil in a WIDE pan (it can fry a lot in one batch).
• Put the star tip into the piping bag and cut off the tip so that the star tip is partially out.
• Then transfer the smooth lump-free dough into the piping bag with tip and push the dough down gently and twist the top and tie it with a baking band ,tight and secured.
• Now put little dough into the oil and if it springs back to the top ,then oil is ready for deep frying.If it does then start making churros.
• Gently push the piping bag with the dough into the hot oil and once you get a finger-shaped churros just cut it one by one (repeat) and push them all into the oil for frying.
• Do not overcrowd and keep the flame low.Donot fry on high flame or they will burn up.
• Keep on flipping when needed to make sure all sides are cooked and lightly browned.
• Transfer the fried fritters to a bowl/plate.
• Repeat until all dough is finished.
• Allow them to cool down but not too long.
• Then make a mixture of cinnamon powder and sugar equally.I used the readymade one.
• Then roll each churros onto the Cinnamon-sugar flour.
• Transfer one by one onto a wide bowl.
• Enjoy as it is or popularly with chocolate sauce/nutella/readymade caramel sauce for an exotic kick.
• That's it Mexican style finger shaped fritters ,Churros are ready to munch.
• Mmmmmm Sabroso!!!

 

10.Aqua Fresca Pina Colada|Non-Alcoholic Pineapple Coconut Drink Mexican style 

Pina Colada is one of my most favourite and simple drink made up of pineapple ,coconut water/cream/milk and Ice.I love this name a lot and I love to make the non-alcoholic version one always.Whether it is a drink,ice cream,any dessert etc I love this combo ..it tastes so tropical and fresh and hence refreshing! For me my dil maangey more...And I make the Aqua Fresca meaning fresh water drink using Pineapple and coconut in a very simple and easy way.

Pina Colada Aqua Fresca Recipe|Pineapple Coconut Drink

Ingredients

Pineapple ,chopped 1 Nos.

Fresh coconut water - 1-4 cups

Coconut cream/Coconut milk - 1/4-1/2 cup

Sugar (optional),if needed

Lots of Ice cubes

Blender

Glass and straws

How to make pina colada Aqua Fresca at home:

Blend everything into a blender until smooth .If needed just strain the mixture for more smoother drink.

Top it with ice cubes,cherries etc and Beber...I mean enjoy your healthy DRINK !! I also used readymade coconut milk with jelly drink with fresh pineapple juice to make a quick Pina Colada.

I second that !! And it is a wrap !! My Mexican menu, for now, is done and already happily digested !!Blurrrppp !! It was such an amazing experience to partake in the Mexican culture by indulging and recreating Mexican recipes at home that boast the rich yet humble cultural heritage and traditions of Mexico which is so versatile and open for a more innovative twist/approach to give it a modern makeover with a personal touch that can adapt a bit of one's own nationality/customs to make it more palatable and one-of-a-kind.

Mexican cuisine is certainly not limited to these recipes but these are my favorite Mexican foods I love to recreate at home so far.More to explore !! Till I come up with more delicious Mexican recipes suitable to my taste buds and my blog,do give these universally appealing Mexican recipes a try and "Nos Vemos Luego !" Meaning see you all soon !!

Muchas Gracias Amigo !!

Love and light

 

MamaCita,

 

P.S.🌺🌺🌺I dedicate this post on the auspicious occassion of Dev Diwali/Tripurotsav/Gangaotsav/Guru Nanak Jayanthi Nov 15th 2024.#PraiseTheDivine #LoveLightToTheWorld 🌺🌺🌺

DISCLAIMER:Everything is just about sharing my passion for food and for informational/entertainment purpose only .Not for any personal attacks which is otherwise purely coincidental!

Bengali Non-Veg Thali Recipes|I love Bengali food|My Bengali Khana Menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomaar shoor moder shoor, srishti karur aiko shoor....

Does anyone remember this nostalgic song ? Yes...Then khoob bhalo...Hi five !

No...How about ...

Mile sur mera tumharaa, to sur bane hamaraa...Ring a bell ??Yep,Yaayyy...There you go ! 💓:)

 

People who are not aware of this popular evergreen Indian song ,this song can be summarized into the title of the song "Ek sur" meaning "Unanimously ONE voice" meaning when my voice matches with yours,it creates uniformly unique melody with a subtle message...... 

Dedicated to India on 78th Independence day -A tribute to our freedom fighters/warriors of India!

A famous song just like the National Anthem of India, created by Lok Seva Sanchaar Parishad, promoted by the Doordarshan (the oldest sole Indian TV broadcaster) and India's Ministry of Information, and initiated or introduced on India's Independence Day, 1988. Basically, a few stanzas were repeated in multiple languages of India, highlighting their unity in diversity to praise and impart patriotism among the Indian citizens.

Hence, the first line "Tomaar shoor...." is the Bengali version of the song !

This song is one of the famous nostalgic song from my childhood days. During those days,we used to have only one Television channel ,the Doordarshan with a mishmash of many varieties of programs which we all from that generation fondly watched "with family" happily and are cherished by all since then.And I remember this song being played out in between my favorite programs for a few minutes and me wondering when will this music end ...how many more languages are they gonna sing on, as we had restrictions at home to watch TV only for a few minutes and then go back to study etc.

 Anyways,after a few repetitions like this and with no choice to skip the music to watch my favourite TV program,I by hearted the song in all the languages nicely.I may struggle with the poems or dohas/Stanzas from literature from my school books back then ,but this song is still on my lips and imprinted in my heart and memory forever. Nowadays, whenever I come across this song on Youtube or feel like I should listen to it out of sheer nostalgia, I can't stop smiling and reminiscing about those golden times of my life. Somehow, little snippets like these from my childhood days make me so happy.

Courtesy:Jagjeet Singh Ji's song "Kaagaz ki kashti..."
 

Since I was raised in North India and my neighborhood and classmates were from different states of India, this song somehow struck a chord with everyone and it felt like home and part of a huge joint family called "India"!

Whenever I miss my childhood days and wanna rekindle those bygone simple nostalgic days.I tune into certain songs,ads,movies etc, especially on YouTube.And no matter how advanced we are becoming in technology etc ,I try my best to stay "old and up" - dated ;D, rekindle and evoke those olden memories by holding onto and celebrating our Indian traditions,cultures, and olden beliefs especially being a NRI /in the USA.The desi girl in me !:D

Cooking is one such art/passion that helps me to make my nostalgic memories delicious, heartwarming and tummy-worth.

Like I mentioned in my previous blogpost,my fondness for creating and eating homemade sweets led to creating a full-on Bengali Thali .

What is Thali ?

Thali means "A wholesome meal comprising of rice,curries,breads(Rotis/Naans/Kulchas),a melange of curries served with pickle,salads and sweets." 

To taste any Indian state's food,a Thali justifies that quench at once.

Thali is an edible expression of emotions ...soft,sweet,sour,bitter,pungent,creamy etc !Thali can make all five senses of our body sing and dance together just like the song mentioned above "Ek sur !".

The interesting thing is that every state in India (28 + states) has their own version of Thali.

I am sure every Indian loves Thalis especially just to enjoy bits and pieces of many curries,sweets,rotis, etc at one go .At my home, everyone loves Thali (The food - wink !) ....

But usually, we have to go to the restaurant to eat them,at home to make all the curries ,dessert etc is not a child's play .It is time-consuming and requires planning and consideration to make a wholesome meal that the entire family would relish together. So, in the past I have tried making Thalis of Kerala called pothichoru and chatti choru .

 The making of Bengali Thali

 Recently,I made a Bengali Thali for the first time.It was as always an amazing experience and edible time travel to my childhood days.

As my next-door neighbors in North India during my childhood days were Bengalis.And our (company )quarters (kinda small apartment provided by the Govt. as my father used to work there) didn't have a common border/separate wall, so, we were like a diverse family living in two different quarters in one compound.

We used to address my neighbors as Bengali aunty and uncle and they had a daughter called Jhili/Samhita who is like my own little sister and we all had a great bond .The entire neighborhood used to call us duo sisters,Choti munni and badi Munni meaning Little girl and big girl in Bihari style :D and guess what we looked quite similar as well .Aunty used to buy both of us the same kind of dresses,even got sewn similar dresses .

We both used to celebrate Bhai dooj and Raksha Bandhan tying Rakhi (An Indian traditional bracelet in different styles used for those festivals) to my big bro,Manoj Bhaiya respectively.Sharing (almost everything) is caring was our family motto !

Durga Puja is the main festival of Kolkatta.Credit:CondeNast Traveller.com 
Om Maa Durgaye Namaha!

 

Similarly,the neighbor on the top floor of our quarter were also Bengalis and we used to call them "Uparwali Bengali aunty",uncle and Amrita didi (She is so beautiful !).We were quite close to them as well.

We kids used to rule our neighborhood .My mother was quite friendly to everyone in the neighborhood and one of the reason I believe everyone loved her was her nature,everyone's simplicity back then and ironically, she was quite fair and lovely like North Indians especially.The Bengali aunty would buy a special black color Bengali saree only because it would suit my mother's skin tone more than her .

So,I was quite adored regardless.During my bachelor days, whenever I used to visit Bokaro(the place where I was raised in North India) during vacation,all my neighbors used to pamper me with foods etc ..I remember the delish mutton curry prepared by my Bengali uncle on the top floor exclusively for me.Yum!

Both Bengali aunties used to be great cooks and they used to cook their famous recipes and share with us once in a while and so did my mother whose recipes were quite famous in the neighbourhood. So,I used to wake up not only to the aroma of my mother's cooking but also to my Bengali aunty's amazing cooking next door.

Even my mother has and cooks Bengali recipes from my most memorable Bengali aunty .Because of my fondness for Bengali cuisine,I also jotted down those recipes somewhere in a pile of papers from my recipe collections that I mentioned earlier in my previous post .

Hence,I have a big inclination towards Bengalis and Bengali food in general.It refreshes so many memories that well up my eyes happily!

Not to higlight,the Bengali sweets that I am soo crazy about.My dil goes mmmm :D

Recently I came across a Bengali song /A Rabindranath sangeet,"Hey Shokha "on Youtube and I got carried away in that song so much that ,somehow it was the motivation to make the Bengali Thali ,an ode to rekindle my family's lovely bond with our Bengali neighbors during my happiest chapter of my life - the golden childhood days.(I even dared to sing that song in my video to irritate all further harmlessly :D)

Rice,fish,sweets (My favorites)...The main reasons I fell for Bengali foods !! 

So,allow me to share with you all my experiments/experiences and the outcomes of my Bengali food preparation,call it "the celebration of the Bengali Thali". 

I also like to dedicate this Thali to my dearest and unforgettable (sobbing dil se) Bengali uncle ,aunty, and my dearest Jhili Rani ...Because It's been years' , uncle and aunty passed away during her school days. My little Bengali sister is now settled in Kolkatta with her husband and family. So special they all are,I often think and miss them all a lot.

Anyways,here is my Bengali khana/an edible dedication:

Disclaimer: Everyone has their own version of all these recipes ,as always it does and these recipes are slightly modified to suit my taste buds without missing the key ingredients for each recipes respectively.Excuse me for any wrong pronunciations etc.Thanks for your understanding!

The menu for the homemade Bengali Thali :

1.Rice - Rice is the quintessential comfort (staple) food of India loved by almost all Indians except the health conscious people who want to keep an eye on their weight,insulin levels etc as it has more carbs/calories than fibers unless they are whole grains .

Did you know ? 

• West Bengal is known as the "Rice Bowl of India" as it is the largest rice-producing and consuming state of India.
• Gobindobhog is the most popular rice of Bengal .As exactly mentioned in the Wikipedia,"Gobindobhog derives its name from its usage as the principal ingredient in the preparation of the offerings to Lord Krishna/Govindaji, the family deity of the Setts of Kolkata."
• Likewise,as exactly mentioned in the Wikipedia,"Gobindobhog is known to have been the favorite rice of Hon' President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad, where the King of Sarguja regularly sent it to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi from Ambikapur."

As I was learning how to make the Bengali Thali,I came across this new variety of rice called Gobindobhog ,which happens to be the go-to rice of Bengalis traditionally.It was such a pleasant surprise to learn about this rice which I never came across in the USA so far.

So,my first recipe is the ultimate rice without which any thali is incomplete or unsatisfying.I used the regular rice I have at home that is the Sona Masuri .This is how I cook rice :

Boiled Rice

Ingredients

Sona Masuri - 1 Cup

Water - 2 Cups

Preparation method to cook rice on stove:

• Clean the rice and keep it aside
• Boil the water.
• When it reaches the boiling point, add the rice to it and stir well.
• Lower the flame (medium-low) and cover it with a lid and let it cook.
• Check and stir in between.Make sure the rice doesn't stick at the bottom and water overflows.
  
• Pick a rice and try to break it and if it does,the rice is ready to be served or continue till the rice is cooked on medium-low flame.
• Then turn off the cooking gas and transfer the rice into a colander.
• Allow the water to completely drain out .
• That's it cooked rice is ready to eat !

2.Masoor Dal curry /Red lentil curry Bengali style  

Masoor dal,the red lentils are nutrient-dense and super healthy dal.However,it has got a mind-blowing catch/surprising fact!

Did you know?

• Bengalis consider Masoor dal as non-vegetarian .Just like onion,garlic they act something like aphrodisiac.
• As mentioned in this article in Timesnownews.com it dates back to the Dwapar Yuga, during the time of Mahabharat ,when a king named Kartvyavirya Arjuna of the Haihaya dynasty tried to steal the holy cow Kamdhenu from the saint Jamdagni and while dragging her ,the holy cow started to bleed and wherever her blood fell the Masoor plant came out of it and hence Bengalis who are well known to consume the masoor dal the most ,consider eating Masoor dal as similar to eating non-veg.O Ma !
• In the same article,it is also mentioned that Masoor dal dated back to 2000 B.C. in Egypt first and then it gained popularity in India.The word masoor is derived from the Egyptian word "Misra".
• In one of the threads in this forum ,mentions Masoor dal being offered to Goddess Kali Maa .
  

Can you believe it ??? Not to mention,I am flabbergasted ! My General Knowledge is improving !:D Duh,perks of being a blogger !

 

Indians love dal/lentil curries .There are different types of dal/lentils available nowadays and Indians prepare varieties of lentil curries from state to state,home to home in their own unique ways.It can be a simple ,time-less recipe to grand time-taking recipes,this dal/lentil curry can be lipsmacking.

My dal recipes are simple yet homely versions.So far ,these are my go-to dal recipes,lentil curries inspired by my mother's recipes mostly:

Mung Dal fry restaurant style 
Kerala Parippu curry /Kerala style dal curry without using pressure cooker 
Pumpkin Mung Beans lentil curry Kerala style 
Green Gram Lentil curry Kerala style
Plantains Mung Dal curry Kerala style

During my lazy days,I end up making lentil curry and rice with some side dish.So,I am always on the lookout for making varieties of dal curries .I've tried many and still in my pending list to be posted in my blog.

So,needless to say,I was so excited to try masoor dal curry Bengali style.Previously, I've used this dal to make Sambar or fritters only.This dal had been sitting and waiting for its turn to be cooked into delicious something for long.

Finally,I got a recipe for the Masoor dal and I was so surprised that the dal used to make Bengali lentil curry is the Masoor dal itself.So,I very happy when I made this very simple yet nostalgic dal curry because guess what, it came out exactly how my Bengali aunty used to prepare ,her version of dal curry at home.THAT TASTE! This time I missed my Bengali aunty more than my mother .

For the first time, I made a dal curry in mustard oil that gives a unique taste to the lentil curry as Mustard oil is the preferred oil for Bengalis just like coconut oil is for Malayalees.

So,here is the recipe for the Bengali Masoor Dal:

Masoor Dal /Bengali Red Lentil curry 

Ingredients

Masoor Dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder -1 Tsp

Salt to taste

Water -1-4 cups

To Temper:

Mustard oil - 2-3 Tbsps

Dry Red chili,broken - 2-3 Nos.

Green chillies,chopped - 1-2 Nos.

Kalonji /Nigella seeds-1 Tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4th Tsp

Cilantro leaves- Handful

Lime juice to taste

Salt to taste

 

Preparation method to make masoor dal curry:

1. Rinse and clean the Masoor dal and transfer it into the pressure cooker with turmeric powder ,salt and water covering it or an inch more.
   
2. Pressure cook it on high flame for once and then on 2 more whistles on medium flame until the dals are well cooked and mushy.Cooking time in different pressure cookers may vary.
   
3. Turn off the gas.Allow it to cool off.
4. Heat mustard oil in a pan.Add broken dry red chillies,chopped green chillies,kalonji and asafoetida on low-medium flame.(Optional, if you wish you can add a few bay leaves as well)
   
5. Saute without burning anything.
6. Then transfer the pressure cooked Masoor dal into it and saute it.Keep it on medium flame and then on low flame ,stir in between so that the dal doesn't stick to the bottom and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Adjust water consistency .It shouldn't be too thick or too runny but it is thin in consistency.
8. Then throw in a few cilantro leaves and give a stir.
9. Put off the flame and at the end, squeeze a lime ,just a few drops to adjust the blandness of the curry.
10. Stir well.Add salt to taste.(Optional,if you wish you can add a few drops of ghee/Clarified butter to taste)
    
11. That's it Masoor dal curry Bengali style is ready.
    

3.Chingri Macher Malai Curry/Creamy Shrimps/Prawns curry Bengali style

The love for seafoods is what makes a Non-veg Malayalee like me drawn to Bengali seafood recipes for sure.I and my doter are shrimp fans .So,Shrimps are a staple at my home .

Thankfully,in the US we get shrimps/prawns all year around : fresh or frozen and the best thing for the lazy me,we get deveined and shelled-off cleaned shrimps mainly the frozen ones that are quite helpful for daily cooking.So,all I have to do is try different shrimp recipes.

Did you know?

• Shrimps are called the "Roaches of the sea".(I will try to forget that while eating shrimps nowonwards)
• The size of the gill differentiates a shrimp from a Prawn and mostly Prawns are larger by size.I often wondered what is the difference between a shrimp and a prawn.Ahaaa!
  

 

Though shrimps/prawns being called the roach of the sea makes me cringe ,let's dismiss that fact and get to the Shrimp curry Bengali style recipe.

What is Chingri Macher Malai curry ?

Chingri Macher means shrimp and Malai curry means creamy curry.So,basically,this curry is made with shrimps, a few spices and coconut milk.This Bengali shrimp curry is my favourite so far .It is not that spicy ,the coconut milk subtle-s out the curry with spices to make it flavorful.Being a Malayalee and any curry with coconut in it is needless to say ,my fav. for sure.

My go to shrimp curry is Alleppey style shrimp curry. 

Here is the recipe for chingri Macher Malai curry:

Chingri Macher Malai Curry

Ingredients

Shrimps,shell off & Deveined 10-15 Nos.

To marinate:

Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp

Red Chilli powder - 1 Tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Salt to taste

To make curry:

Onion,chopped - 1 Medium 

Green Chillies ,chopped - 2-3 Nos. 

1 Tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 Tsp red chilli powder
1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/4Th Tsp Garam Masala
1+ Cups of (fresh or readymade) coconut milk
A pinch or two of mustard seeds,powdered

Mustard Oil - 5-6 Tbsps

Bay leaves 2-3 Nos.

Salt to taste

Preparation method to make the Chingri Macher Malai Curry:

• Shell off ,devein the shrimps with or without tail (your choice) and clean them and keep it aside.
• Marinate with all spice powders mentioned above under "to marinate" and keep it aside for a few minutes.
• After a few minutes,"shallow" fry them in mustard oil.Flipping the shrimps on both the sides until partially cooked.Don't fry it too much or while making the curry it will harden up and will turn rubbery.To maintain the softness of the shrimps it should be lightly fried only initially.
• I don't like the taste of too much of mustard seeds paste,so I only used a pinch or two and freshly ground it into a coarse-fine powder.So,if you are a Bengali you know you need more mustard paste like 1 tsp or as per your taste buds.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan ,add chopped onions , green chillies and ginger-garlic paste .Saute it until the onions turn soft.
  
• Add all spices for making the curry as mentioned above one by one .Saute them on low-medium flame until onions are transparent and oil oozes out of it.
• Add salt to taste.
  
• Add bay leaves and saute.
• Keep the flame low and add thick coconut milk to it.Or,first add a little bit of thin coconut milk ,diluted coconut milk and once it reaches a boiling point,reduce the flame and add the thick coconut milk.OR,just use the coconut milk directly .Stir well.
• Let it simmer for a while until the curry thickens.Don't boil for long or it will curdle and spoil the curry.
• Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala on the top and give it a final stir.
  
• That's it my Chingri Macher Malai Curry,Creamy shrimp curry Bengali style is ready !
• The more this curry sits for long like overnight,the best it sets the authentic flavor and the taste .
  

4.Aloo Posto

Everyone at my home loves potato recipes and I am always looking out for varieties of potato stir fry recipes and so this recipe was such a new take on the classic potato stir fry recipes as the addition of Posto which means Poppy seeds in English gave it an amazing twist which I would have never added to a simple potato stir fry recipe for a newer taste.

So,Aloo Posto (Aloo means Potato and Posto means Khus Khus/Poppy Seeds) is a classic Bengali staple recipe made with Potato,bits of spices and creamy poppy seeds ,cooked in the pungent Mustard oil. Amazingly this Bengali-style Potato stir fry turned out different and yummy.

So,here is the recipe for making Bengali Aloo Posto :

Aloo Posto

Ingredients

Aloo/Potatoes,medium size,chopped -2-3 Nos.

Onions,medium size,chopped - 1 No.(Optional)

Green chillies,chopped - 2-3 Nos.

Water as needed

2 Tbsp Poppy seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tsp of turmeric powder (optional)
1 Tsp of Kalonji/Nigella seeds
3-4 Tbsps of Mustard seeds oil
2-3 Dry red chillies
Salt to taste

Mustard oil - 5-6 Tbsps

Preparation method to make Aloo Posto:

• Boil water and add poppy seeds (the water should be just 2-3 inches more than poppy seeds and not too much .Add more water if needed if it still doesn't soften up and it soaks up all the water but not too much).Cover it and let it simmer until the poppy seeds turn out soft ,then add cumin seeds and green chillies to it.Or,soak the poppy seeds in warm water for atleast 2-3 hrs prior to cooking .Soaking for hours or boiling until they turn soft is what helps grinding the poppy seeds into a smooth paste which is very important ,the key to making this recipe really flavorful.So,if you forget to soak the posto beforehand,just boil it like I did.
  
• Once the poppy seeds are almost soft,add in cumin seeds and green chillies.
• And when they turn soft, turn the cooking gas off and allow it to cool down.
  
• Transfer all these into a mixer jar and ground it into a smooth paste and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan ,add kalonji seeds and broken dry red chillies.Saute on low flame.
• Add chopped onions and green chilies and saute until they turn transparent.
• Add the chopped potatoes,turmeric powder ,salt and little water and cover it with a lid ,keep the flame low.
• Check-in and saute in between to make sure the potatoes are not sticking at the bottom.
• When the potatoes have turned soft/cooked,remove the lid and add the ground poppy seeds mixture into it and saute well for a few minutes on low flame.Some people prefer it semi-dry and some prefer it dry potato stir fry type.So,adjust as per your choice.Add more oil to fry if needed.
  
• Then put off the flame and Aloo Posto ,Potato stir fry Bengali style is ready to serve !
  

 

A few potato stir fry recipes I've stored in my blog so far:

Aloo Bhujia Bihari Style

Parval Aloo fry/Pinted Gourd Potato stir fry 

Broccoli Potato Stir fry 

Spicy Peanut Potato stir fry 

5.Murgir Jhol /Chicken curry Bengali Style

I love making different types of chicken curries.Chicken curry recipes varies from state to state,place to place in India itself .And I want to make them all.

 

 

So far I've tried these chicken curry recipes : 

Chicken Roast Kerala style
Patiala Chicken curry
Mughlai Zafrani Chicken curry 
Puransingh Chicken curry  
Malvani Chicken curry

Bengali chicken curry recipe was pending.Murgir means Chicken and Jhol means curry/gravy ,so Bengali Chicken curry is called Murgir Jhol. What I love about Bengali Chicken curry is the addition of potatoes which definitely gives it an unique twist to an ordinary chicken curry .At my home whoever is not in a mood to eat chicken will atleast enjoy the curry with potatoes in it and that's what made me wanna try this Murgir Jhol for sure.So,here I am gonna share the recipe for Murgir Jhol .

Murgir Jhol recipe|Bengali Chicken Curry Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken,cleaned and chopped - 1 Kilo

For marination:

Yogurt - 1/4th-1/2 Cup

Red Chili powder 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder 1 Tsp
Cumin Powder 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder 1 Tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste 1 Tsp
Garam Masala 1/4 Th Tsp

For gravy:

Onion,large,sliced 1 No.

Green chilli,chopped 2-3 Nos.

Tomato,chopped 1 No. 

Potatoes ,cubed ,Medium size  2-3 Nos.

Cumin seeds 1 Tsp

Bay leaves 2-3 Nos.

Mustard oil -5-6 Tbsps

Mustard oil or any oil for deep frying

Cilantro leaves - Handful 

Water as needed

Salt to taste

 Preparation method for making Bengali Chicken curry :How to make Murgir Jhol recipe .

• Marinate cleaned chicken pieces with yogurt and all spices under "For marination" .Keep it aside for 30 minutes or more in the refrigerator.
  
• Meanwhile,"shallow" fry the potatoes and keep them aside.Don't over-fry, as we will cook it further in the chicken curry or it may turn mushy.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan.Splutter cumin seeds ,green chillies and saute ginger garlic paste on low flame for a minute.
• Add in bay leaves and saute.
• Add in sliced onions and saute until they turn transparent.
• Add in chopped tomatoes and saute until they turn soft and mushy.
• Add in marinated chicken pieces and saute well.
• Add water covering the chicken pieces and bring it to boil.
• Then reduce the flame and cover with a lid until the chicken pieces are tender and cooked.
  
• Remove the lid,sprinkle cilantro leaves , shallow fried potato cubes and mix very gently without breaking the potato pieces and chicken pieces.
• Let it simmer until you can see the oil settling at the top .
• Add salt to the taste.
  
• Adjust the gravy consistency as per your choice please.Don't overcook or the potatoes and chicken pieces can break apart.
  
• That's it Homemade Murgir Jhol meaning Bengali style Chicken curry is ready to serve.
• The more the chicken curry sits and sets,the better it tastes.
  

 

6.Kosha Mangsho | Bengali Style Mutton Curry

Mutton...O Ma ! I LOVE IT !! I am crazy about mutton recipes more than any other meat.I am a sucker for any type of Mutton recipes.During my childhood days,it was once in a blue moon ,my parents would buy mutton at home.Mostly Sunday specials or when we had guests for lunch or dinner.How I wished we had such guests every day at home so that I could have the sumptuous mutton,chicken or fish recipes for sure.

I love to suck the bone marrow out of the Mutton bones a lot.Only liver part I hate ! My father after finishing his meal ,would sit there just to watch me enjoying every chunk of mutton as if it was heaven-sent and would look at my mother and they both would be smirking and laughing at each other calling me "Mutton kodichi" meaning crazy little mutton lover.

Having said that whenever I look at a baby goat or a mama goat or lambs whom I adore a lot,I feel a little uneasy making eye contact ,as I feel deep down guilty for being the silent predator/carnivorous at home.

Equally,I feel heartbroken whenever a goat or a lamb /any animal per se is used for sacrifices as part of the religious ritual. Then I console my broken heart while eating any non-veg ,thinking that if I don't eat,someone else will.It won't save the life of that goat/lamb/chicken and if it will(like freshly chopped in front of me) then I may shun it for sure.

Also reminds me of different mutton curries prepared in my neighborhoods during childhood days in different styles and I can still somehow pick up the alluring aroma of those curries ....mmmmm...ye dil maangey more...

That's how much I LOVE Mutton recipes.

I wanna cook as many mutton recipes possible.So far the Mutton recipes I tried are :

Nadan mutton curry Kerala style

Erachi ularthiyathu |Mutton ularthiyathu/olathiyathu recipe

Nizami Hyderabadi Gosht  

Gongura Mutton curry

SO,here is my Kosha Mangsho curry meaning Bengali style chicken curry recipe inspired by my mother's mutton curry recipe .I only had to substitute just one ingredient that I remember my mother telling me a long time ago.By the way,my mother doesn't eat any meat but her meat curries are simply finger-licking . 

I absolutely love the addition of potatoes in the Kosha Mangsho curry and the mutton curry preparation in mustard oil is what makes it "The Bengali style Mutton curry ".Kosha means Meat/Mutton and Mangsho means the slow-cooked Gravy.

So,here is the Kosha Mangsho recipe:

Kosha Mangsho|Bengali Style Mutton curry

Ingredients

Mutton,chopped and cleaned - 1 Kilo

Yogurt 1/4th-1/2 cup

Red chilli powder 3 Tbsps

Coriander powder 4 Tbsps

Pepper powder 1/2 Tbsp

Turmeric powder 1Tsp

Cumin powder 3/4Th Tbsp

Garam Masala 1/2 Tbsp

(Ginger 1 1/2 inch and Garlic 4-6 Nos. )paste

Onions,large,sliced - 1-2 Nos.

Green chillies ,sliced/chopped - 2-4 Nos.

Tomato,sliced ,medium size - 1 No.

Potatoes,cubed ,medium size - 3-4 Nos.

Mustard oil - 1/4Th cup

Cilantro leaves - handful

Oil for deep frying 

Salt to taste

Water as needed

Preparation method of Kosha Mangsho|How to prepare Mutton curry Bengali style:

• Marinate the mutton pieces with yogurt and keep it aside for 1/2 an hour.This will tenderize the mutton pieces.
• Transfer the mutton pieces into a pressure cooker with water covering it and pressure cooker it for 1 whistle on high flame and rest 3-4 whistles on medium to low flame or until mutton pieces are well cooked but not over cooked or it will become rubbery.Cooking mutton aptly may vary in different types of pressure cooker used.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan,add salt ,sliced onions and chopped green chillies and saute until the onions turn transparent .Initially adding the salt helps in speeding the process of browning the onions.
• Add ginger garlic paste ,saute for a few minutes until the raw smell is gone.
• Then add bay leaves,chopped tomatoes to it .
• Then add all spices and keep on sauteing till tomato becomes soft and mushy and everything oozes out oil.
• Then transfer all cooked Mutton into the pan and saute until mixed and let it boil.If it doesn't have enough water,add extra to it but not too much.
• Reduce the flame and let it simmer.
• Add the shallow fried potatoes now and sprinkle cilantro leaves.Mix well.
• Let it simmer until oil appears at the top .Make sure not to over cook the potatoes as they are already partially cooked and so are the tender mutton pieces ,which would break apart.
• Add salt to taste.Turn off the cooking gas .
• And voila....Kosha Mangsho,Bengali style Mutton curry is ready.
• The more the curry sits,better it sets in flavor and taste.
  

7.Macher Paturi|Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves Bengali Style

Macher means Fish in Bengali and Paturi (the meaning of this word is quite funny in Malayalam lol) is derived from the word "Patta/patra" in Hindi meaning An edible leaf .So,basically Macher Paturi is a steamed fish wrapped in most preferably Banana leaf .

This Bengali fish recipe elated the Malayalee in me.Fish in a Banana leaf..What more I could ask for ? 

Anything cooked in a Banana leaf is my ultimate favourite .I just love the smell of Banana leaf.It says homely ! In my native place in Kerala,we have a similar fish recipe steamed in a Banana leaf called Karimeen Pollichathu | Pearl spot fish baked/grilled/steamed in Banana leaves 

 

So,definitely ,"Curiosity was killing this homely cat !" ...Meaoww...Fish in a Banana leaves....I couldn't resist trying the fish steamed in Banana leaf Bengali Style.

 

Myself and my doter,we both love fish.I love to try different fish recipes .Here are a few recipes of fish I've tried so far:

Karimeen Pollichathu | Pearl spot fish baked/grilled in Banana leaves
Karimeen Porichathu|Pearl spot fish fry 
Apollo fish fry 
Fish Mappas curry 
Kerala thirandi curry/Kerala stingray recipe 
Alleppey Fish curry 
Kottayam style fish curry 
Thirandi roast recipe/Skate recipe
Meen Patichathu/Meen Peera/Meen Thoran/Fish and coconut

And this is how I prepared homemade macher Paturi .I tweaked the original Macher Paturi recipe a bit as per my tastebuds.Usually,Bengalis use Bhetki fish called BarraMundi or hilsa/Ilsa Fish/Rohu Fish.But those fishes are not that my favourite .So,I tried using the King Fish instead.I also couldn't stand too much mustard paste ,so I added a little mustard paste only which is the key ingredient for this paturi recipe .

 Preparation method to make Macher Paturi|How to make Macher Paturi recipe ,steamed fish in Banana leaf Bengali style. 

  🕐Grind everything except fish of course into a smooth paste.

  🕐Marinate the fish with this paste and keep it aside for an hr in the refrigerator.

  🕐🍃Meanwhile sway the Banana leaf over the flame till it changes its color like shown in the video ,that makes the 🍃Banana leaf more stronger,flavorful and pliable for steaming.

  🕐I only used a single slice of fish for now.So,I took the marinated fish and lightly fried in the same oil I used to fry shrimps while making the chingri macher Malai curry.Just reusing the oil or just use fresh oil for shallow frying both sides .THIS IS AN OPTIONAL STEP that is preferred by me otherwise marinated fish still tastes kinda raw/not that my type of flavorful to me even though steamed.You can skip it if you wish.This speeds up the cooking/steaming process.

  🕐Now,place the shallow fried fish or the marinated fish onto the 🍃above conditioned Banana leaf and fold it and make a small parcel and tie it with a thread as shown in the video.

  🕐Now heat oil in a pan,place the fish parcel and cover it with a lid.Keep the flame low.Flip the parcel to make sure the fish gets cooked both sides.Since I shallow fried the fish already,it will steam up and cook up faster when compared to steaming the marinated fish directly .

🕐After a few minutes,you can feel the aroma.Then switch off the cooking gas.Allow it to cool a bit.

🕐Then untie the fish parcel and lo behold,Macher Paturi,a steamed fish Bengali style is ready to eat !

 NOTES:

1.Usually,poppy seeds are preferred but then you have to pre-soak them for quite a long time until they soften up to be smoothly ground in a mixer jar .So,for a faster approach,substitute it with cashewnuts instead.Both may taste different but yummy.I am not a huge fan of poppy seeds.So,I used Cashewnuts instead.

2.About a tsp of mustard seeds paste or pounded to powder is used in the original fish paturi recipe but I find too much mustard paste/powder ,kind of pungent .So,I only used a pinch .

3.In the original recipe green chillies are used.So,use 1-2 Green chillies instead of dry red chillies that I used for my macher paturi version.

4.Usually they don't add peppercorns but I do need for my fish ,otherwise I found the recipe to be a little bland for my taste buds.So,to make it spicy I added peppercorns as well.You may omit.

A tribute to all freedom fighters of India on the eve of 78Th Independence day;August 15Th,2024

To wrap it up,my Bengali Thali menu,I also made the most important food item of any Thali that in fact represents the sweetness of the particular state of India it belongs to,"The sweets".So,I made homemade Rosogullas and Sandesh that I already mentioned in my previous post. 

Plain Sandesh and Rasgulla recipe here

So ,that was my Bengali Thali I longed to try and store it in my blog for records and references to those mouth watering Bengali recipes which I thoroughly enjoyed experimenting and cooking .This is the reason of blogging because once I make such new recipes I want them to be noted somewhere for sure to make my efforts worth to remember especially if I wanna cook them later.

  Credit:Sukhi.com

 Ek sur song makes sense now more edibly as food is the ingredient that binds us all together in the same tune and Thali justifies that in every way and for me, food and cooking are love made visible edibly,memories relived,something wonderful shared. 

Unn yaadon ko mein apne dil se lagayein rakhthi hu,jo mujhey mere desh aur apno se jodey rakthe hain ...... hamesha hamesha keliye....

Darr lagtha hai kahi mein bhool na jaoon,isliye inn panno mein unn yaadon ko phir ek bar ek nayi sur mein kuredthi rehthi hu..... hamesha hamesha keliye.........

Disclaimer:This Thali blogpost ,pictures,videos etc are for informational(cooking blog related) and entertainemnt purpose ONLY.Any resemblance to any person,place,thing,incident etc are purely conincidental and as per one's perception !Reader's "kind" discretion is requested!Thanks !

Love and light,