Bhapa Ilish: A Flavorful Bengali Delicacy Steamed to Perfection

 

Bhapa ilish is a famous Bengali dish that features succulent pieces of ilish or hilsa fish, marinated in a rich and aromatic blend of mustard paste, coconut paste, yogurt, and spices. The fish is then steamed to perfection in a foil or banana leaf packet, which allows it to soak up all the flavors of the marinade. This dish is a true delicacy and a must-try for anyone looking to explore the rich and diverse cuisine of Bengal.

 

Ingredients:

 

• 4-6 pieces of ilish/hilsa fish
  
  
  
• 1 cup mustard paste
• 1 cup coconut paste
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil for cooking

 

 

Instructions:

 

1. Clean and wash the ilish/hilsa fish pieces and pat them dry. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

 

2. In a mixing bowl, add mustard paste, coconut paste, yogurt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well to make a smooth paste.

 

3. Add 1-2 tbsp of mustard oil to the paste and mix well.

 

4. Take a large piece of aluminum foil or banana leaf and apply a thin layer of mustard oil on it.

 

5. Place the marinated fish pieces on the foil/banana leaf. Pour the mustard-coconut paste over the fish pieces and coat them well.

 

6. Place the green chili pieces on top of the fish and spread a little more mustard oil on top.

 

7. Fold the foil/banana leaf to make a tight packet. You can also tie it with a string to keep it secure.

 

8. Place the packet in a steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.

 

9. Once done, remove the packet from the steamer and let it cool for a few minutes.

 

10. Carefully open the packet and transfer the fish pieces and the sauce to a serving dish.

 

11. Serve hot with steamed rice.

 

Enjoy your delicious and flavorful bhapa ilish!

"Indulge in the heavenly sweetness of Bengal with every spoonful of Sita Bhog."

 

Bengali sweet Sita Bhog is a traditional rice-based dessert from West Bengal, India. It is made by cooking Gobindobhog rice with sugar, saffron, cardamom, and ghee, resulting in a rich and aromatic dessert that is usually served during festivals and special occasions. The dish has a unique and delicate flavor, and is often garnished with nuts and served warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

*	1 cup of Gobindobhog rice
*	1 1/2 cups of sugar
*	3 cups of water
*	1/4 tsp of saffron strands
*	1/2 tsp of green cardamom powder
*	2 tbsp of ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions:

1.	Rinse the rice in water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
2.	Drain the water from the rice and set it aside.
3.	In a pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the saffron strands and cardamom powder to the water.
4.	Add the rice to the boiling water and stir well.
5.	Cover the pot with a lid and let the rice cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the water has been absorbed.
6.	In another pan, heat the ghee on medium heat.
7.	Add the cooked rice to the pan and stir well.
8.	Add the sugar to the rice and continue stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to thicken.
9.	Once the mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and let it cool.
10.	Serve the Sita Bhog warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy your delicious Bengali sweet Sita Bhog!

"Exploring the Rich Flavors of Chanardalna: A Culinary Journey Through Bengali Cuisine"

Chanar Dalna is a popular Bengali vegetarian dish made with fresh paneer (chana), potatoes, and spices. Here's a simple recipe for Chanar Dalna:

 

• Ingredients: 
• 500g cottage cheese (paneer), cut into small cubes
• 3-4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2-3 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
• 2-3 medium-sized tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2-3 green chillies, slit lengthwise
  
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Sugar to taste
• Oil for cooking
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadhai. Once the oil is hot, add the cubed cottage cheese and fry until golden brown. Remove the cottage cheese from the oil and set aside.

2. In the same oil, add the diced potatoes and fry until golden brown. Remove the potatoes from the oil and set aside.

3. In the same oil, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add chopped onions and fry until golden brown.

4. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and fry for a minute.

5. Add chopped tomatoes, green chillies, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

6. Add water to make a thick gravy consistency. Add sugar to taste.

7. Add the fried potatoes and mix well. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

8. Add the fried cottage cheese and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice or home made bread.

Your Chanar Dalna is now ready to be enjoyed!

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Patishapta pitha a traditional Bengali Recipe

Ingredients

250 grams Sooji (Suji or Semolina)

400 grams Maida(White flour)

Stp 1

Stp 2

200-400 grams Chini(Sugar)

300 grams Kheer (Khowa)

1pcs grate Nareal (coconut)

4-5 tablespoon Cooking oil

1.5 liter Milk or 1 liter Condense milk

How To Make

Constantly boiling and stirring the milk.

Stp 3

Add Khowa along with 50 grams of sugar to make it easier to turn the milk into semi liquid state.

or You can use grate coconut if used coconut then add 250 gm of sugar with coconut and constantly stirring the mixture wen 10-15 minute.

Stp 5

Add milk with 2 cup maida and 2 cup suji as per ratio 2:2 gradually in to make a thick mix. Add 150 grams of sugar.

Stp 4

Heat the frying pan or tawa and greece the surface of the pan with little

oil. Apply oil with a piece of cotton.

Pour the half cup of maida+suji mixture about on the hot pan and spread the mixture on the pan and make a circular shape.

Stp 6

Stp 7

After 20-30 second Put 1 tablespoon of the semi liquid kheer or coconut mixture on the over the spread

mixture.

Then roll the mixture like bread and Keep the roll on the pan and flip side by side every 8-10 secs till it turns brownish.

Now your Delicious Patishapta pitha

is ready to serve.

Bhapa Chingri - Steamed prawns with mustard and green chili

Ingredients:

Tiger Prawns (Chingri Maach): ½ kg, cleaned and deveined

2 tsp brown mustard(Sarse) seeds

1 tbsp Water

1/4 cup tbsp finely chopped onion

2 green chili(Kacha Lanka) , finely chopped

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder

Mustard oil (Sarser tel): 3 tablespoon

1/2 cup and an additional

1/4 tsp salt (as per test)

How to make :

Rub the Prawns with the 1/4 cup of salt and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Gently wash away the salt over cold water and pat dry

Coarsely ground the mustard seeds and transfer to a stainless steel bowl

Add a tablespoon of water and mix thoroughly with the onion, green chili, turmeric, salt, chili powder and oil.

Cover the bowl and set the seasoned Prawns aside for 10 minutes.

In a large pan (which can hold the stainless bowl better to use a steel tiffin box) put enough water so that it will come 1/3 up the way of the bowl and bring to boil

Put the bowl in the pan and steam covered for about 10 minutes or until the prawns is translucent.

Stir the prawns once half way through

Take it out and serve with hot white rice

Dal Puri Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups Bengal Gram (Chana Dal/Cholar Dal)

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

4 cups Flour

Ghee or Oil (for frying)

Salt (to taste)

2 tsp roasted Cumin Powder

How to make :

Boil dal along with turmeric and salt, until tender. Drain and making a thick paste.

Add cumin powder and salt  with paste and mix it.

Combine flour with water to knead smooth and tight dough.

Divide into small balls and make a deep hole in each ball.

Fill a spoon of mix dal in each ball and seal tightly.

Roll-out the balls into circles.

Heat oil or ghee in a deep frying pan and fry 2-3 puris at a time, until golden brown on both sides, on medium-high heat.

Serve hot with any curry or chutney.

Bhetki macher chop/fish fry

Requirements

Bhetki fish fillet 6-8

1 cup of bread-crumbs

2 tbs corn flour

3-4 tbs of rice powder

1 lemon and take the juice out of it.

Onion/ginger/garlic paste 4-5 tsp or enough to coat well the fish fillets.

Green chilly paste 3-4 tsp (depend on your test) or you may use green sauce also

Pinch of soda powder

2 eggs

Salt as per taste

Marinating the fish fillet

Marinate it with garlic,ginger,onion paste and salt and green chilly paste

Squeeze in the juice of lemon juice over it .let it sit there for ½ hour.

Now rolling it over bread crumbs

Coating of the fish fillet

Now break two eggs in a bowl.

Mix in bread crumbs, rice powder, corn flour and pinch of baking soda and salt as per taste in a flat plate.

The plate if flat helps even coating of the fillets.

Dip the fish fillets in egg first and then roll it over the crumb mixture, pat it well with the crumbs. let it sit there few minutes so that the coat is well soaked up.

Now roll other fish fillets like same process.

Now heat up a kadai and oil for deep frying purpose.

Let the oil heat up properly before you drop in fish chops to fry.

Fry them well for 4-5 minst on both sides.Flame should be at med to low- med depending on the heat it transfers to the saucepan/kadai ,

Take out when it turns a nice golden-brown on both sides

serve it with green coriander chutney or peanut chutney.

Mutton Red Curry

Ingredients :-

Mutton - 500 gm 

Potatoes - 225 gm 

Green chilies - 5 gm 

Ginger - a small piece 

Coconut   - 1pcs 

Coriander - 15 gm 

Onion - 55 gm 

Red chilies - 10 gm 

Turmeric - a pinch 

Garlic - a few flakes 

Vinegar 15 ml 

Fat   - 15 gm 

Vinnamon a piece 

Cloves   - a few 

Cardamom   - a few 

Curry leaves   - 1 sprig 

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp 

Salt to taste 

How to make Mutton Red Curry :-

Clean and cut meat .Peel and cut potatoes .Slice ginger and half the onion; slit green chilies Roast and grind coriander, red chilies ,turmeric and garlic Grate coconut and make extract coconut milk  and separate according to thickens. The first extract must be thick ,the second medium and third thin Heat some fat  and fry the ground spices lightly Now add meat and the 3rd extract of coconut milk and simmer gently till it gets half cooked Now add the  2nd extract of coconut milk ,green chilies , ginger ,sliced onion and potatoes ;continue to simmer .When meat is tender add vinegar ,first extract of coconut milk and salt  and bring to boil .Remove and temper .Heat a little fat and  fry a few pieces of chopped onions  till it turns brown Now add mustard seeds ,curry leaves and crushed garam masala  and allow them to splutter. Pour in to curry .Mix well and serve hot .

Palang Saag er Chop/Spinach Cutlets

Ingredients :-

Baby Spinach - 1 Bag about 6oz/170gm.

Potatoes - 1 medium sized

Peanuts - 1/3 cup. Roast

Besan - little less than ½ cup. Almost 3/8 cup

Bhaja Masala or Dry Roasted Masala - 1 tsp heaped

Amchur - 1tsp heaped

Chilli Powder - ½ tsp

Salt (to taste)

Rice Flour - to roll the patties in. 2 tbsp

Oil - For shallow frying

 To make this Dry Roast:-

1tbsp each of Jeera (Cumin Seeds), Dhonia (Corriander seeds), Saunf (Fennel Seeds), 6/7 Laung (cloves) , 6/7 Elaichi (Cardamom), 6/7 TejPata(Bay leaves), an inch & half of cinnamon stick and peppercorns according to desired hotness. Then just dry grind it to a powder.

You can also use your own Garam Masala Powder or any suitable spice mix instead.

How to make Palang Saag er Chop/Spinach Cutlets :-

Boil the Potato and mash it up smoothly. We need about 1 cup of mashed potatoes. Steam or cook the spinach in the pressure cooker. Do not add water to the spinach as it releases water. Drain any excess water from the cooked spinach and mash it up smoothly. Roast the peanuts in a little hot oil. Get rid of their skins and crush them in halves. Roasting makes the skin removal a breeze.Mix together the mashed potatoes, the cooked & drained spinach and the besan to a smooth dough like texture. The besan is used to hold or tighten the mix so if you think you need a little more of it, fine.Add the peanuts, the Salt, Amchur Powder, Chilli Powder and the Bhaja Masala. Mix well. In absence of the Bhaja Masala you can add freshly made Garam Masala. Shape into Patties and refrigerate for half an hour. Sprinkle some Rice Flour and shallow fry in hot oil till both sides are browned. now it's ready for serve with Chutney or my all time favorite Maggie Hot & Sweet Ketchup.

Prawn Malai Curry /Chingri Macher Malai Curry

 Ingredients
1. Medium Prawns 500gms
2. Coconut 1
3. Ghee/oil 2 tbsp
4. Green chilli 4
5. Onion 1
6. Garlic paste 1/2 tsp
7. Ginger paste 1/2 tsp
8. Chilli powder 1 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder 1 tsp
10. Roasted and powdered garam masala 1 tsp. (Roast and powder 3cloves, 2 green cardamom and 2 sticks of cinnamon)
11. Salt to taste

How to make Prawn Malai Curry:

Grate coconut and extract thick milk by adding hot water. Grind onion, garlic, and ginger into a smooth paste. Apply salt and turmeric to prawns, fry and keep aside. In the same oil add the paste and fry till leaves oil. Add coconut milk, boil and add prawns. Cook till the gravy becomes thick. Add garam masala and mix well.