Durga Puja festive recipes
Around the city — By Debarati Mukherjee on October 24, 2012 at 4:30 AM
Mouth watering Beguni
This is an all time favourite snack among the Bengalis. Its taste factor and easy to do method, makes it a must have food in all festivals observed in Bengal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 small cup Bengal gram flour or Besan
4 -5 Brinjals (long and slender)
A pinch of kalonji
1 tsp red chilli powder
Oil to deep fry
Salt to taste
Method:
- Cut the brinjals in thin and longitudinal slices
- Make a batter with the Bengal gram flour, chilly powder, salt, water, kalonji seeds and little oil.
- Make sure to add water in proportion to make the batter somewhat thick and not to flowy.
- Dip the brinjal slices onto the batter.
- Take oil in the wok and deep fry the slices until they become golden brown in colour.
- Serve with puffed rice in the evening or with rice and dal in the lunch.
Pujo special pulao
It is a kind of rice preparation that is normally done during festivals. Not only it tastes yummy but is in complete sync with the festive spirit.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
½ cup rice
2-3 cardamom
1” long cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1 piece of bay leaf
½ cup boiled green peas
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
A pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
1 spoon ghee
2 teaspoon oil
Method:
- Soak rice in water for 30 minutes.
- Take a deep bottom pot and add the oil in it. Add the whole Garam Massala and let it temper for a minute.
- Add the boiled peas onto it and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the dry spices like turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and sugar onto it.
- Add rice and water to the pot and cover and cook.
- Keep it for another 15 minutes and add a dollop of ghee or clarified butter before removing from flame.
- Serve hot
Cholar Dal
Spicy lentils cooked in a coconut paste is a must have festive delicacy on the Ashtami afternoon.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup of Bengal gram dal
1 cup water
1 coconut pieces
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1 dried red chilli
Method:
- Soak the lentils in water for half an hour.
- Pressure cook the dal and keep it aside.
- Add oil in the wok, add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add the dried red chilli into it and fry the coconut pieces.
- Add the dal and cook along with the spices.
- Once the dal attains a thick consistency, remove from flame.
- Serve with Bengali fried bread called luchi.
Kasha Mangsho
Cooked with traditional Bengali spices and proper styles, the spicy meat delicacy is a must during the festive days. The aroma itself is so titillating to up the festive spirit.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
500 gm Mutton/Chicken
200gm curd
5-6 onions finely grated
2-3 onions finely chopped
7-8 cloves of garlic
½ “ginger juliennes
2 tomatoes finely grated
2-3 cardamom
1” long cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1 piece of bay leaf
1tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp black pepper
4-5 tsp oil
Method:
- Wash the mutton/chicken pieces in water and marinate them using curd, onion paste, crushed garlic and ginger paste, turmeric, chilli powder and black pepper.
- Take a deep wok and use oil to deep fry the finely sliced onions. Once done, remove and keep them aside.
- Put oil in the wok again and put oil into it. Now gently allow the whole Garam Masalas to splutter in it.
- Add the marinated mutton/chicken into it. Also add on the tomato puree to it.
- Slowly cover and cook in light flame.
- When the aromas start coming out, open and check whether the pieces are cooked tenderly. Once done, serve hot with roti, naan or pulao.
Potoler dolma
A spicy delicacy stuffed with prawn and other fried spices. A must have festival delicacy.
Serving: 4
Ingredients:
8-10 pieces of stripped gourd (parwal)
300gm prawns finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
2-3 garlic juliennes
1 tomato finely chopped
Few coriander leaves
2tsp cumin powder
2tsp coriander powder
2-3 cardamom
1” long cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1 piece of bay leaf
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp black pepper
Oil to deep fry the stuffed gourd
Salt to taste
Method:
- Clean the prawns finely and mix the with salt, turmeric and little oil. Steam it for about 5-10 minutes and keep aside.
- Heat 2tsp oil in the wok, add the bay leaves and other whole Garam masalas, ginger garlic paste, onions, and tomatoes and sauté until the masala start leaving oil.
- Add the steamed prawns to it and sauté for another few minutes. Once done, keep it aside.
- Cut the top of the stripped gourd and deseed it using a spoon gently. Stuff the prawn mixture into it. Close the mouth with a wheat flour dough ball.
- Take the wok again and deep fry the stuffed stripped gourds. Once done keep aside.
- In the wok add oil and splutter the whole garam masala. Add the tomatoes and the dry spices into it. Add water to it and let the gravy boil for a few more minutes.
- Finally, place the stuffed stripped gourds into the curry and cook it for another 15 minutes in low flame.
Serve hot with rotis or plain rice.
