Rinku Bhattacharya's Blog, page 88
October 26, 2013
Simple Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Red Chili Flakes
The evening light fades significantly earlier, leaving me practically no time to document the activities of a fading garden. Yes, it is the time of the year, when the garden is singing its final notes, a weak chorus of greens – mustard, spinach and dandelion to name a few. We have lots of peppers bell and hot varieties and some bits and pieces of eggplants and even got a spontaneous batch of okra. A few loose tomatoes keep the sauces flowing.
It is that time of the year when the cat seems to want to stay indoors rather than run around chasing mice and other neighborhood creatures.
The following couple of weeks see the face of a few important projects at work and at home. So, at home, I am tackling a serious bit of organizing the pantry.
If the MIL heard, she would heave a sigh of relief. Her closets and pantry is always impeccable. Some of it reflects her rather neat and fastidious housekeeping and some of it does reflect the just in time ways of shopping in India.
We do have enough stores around for everyday, but I like to make a quarterly trip to Patel Brothers to stock up on big items. I am realizing that all of this however, does need a better inventory control system.
Speaking of greens, one of my all time favorite bitter greens is Broccoli Raab. We have just begun harvesting them this year. A cool and bitter green, they remind me of fresh fenugreek. Broccoli Raab or rapini does not have the bitter sweet maple like scent of fenugreek but works well in a lot of recipes as a substitute. Freshly harvested, I cooked them very simply and we enjoyed them straight from the pan.
Even as I look out of my window, I see leaves, colors and something a lot like Halloween. I realize that we should have celebrated Halloween this family dinner, and in case you are wondering what family dinner is, stay tuned and someday I shall tell you all about it.
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Simple Sauteed Broccoli Raab with Red Chili Flakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3 servings
A lovely rendition of broccoli rabe with golden onions, a hint of spice and sweetness and some coconut milk to round it off.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3 pods of garlic, minced
3 medium sized cipollini onions, finely chopped or 1 medium sized red onion, chopped
2 cups of chopped broccoli rabe/rapini finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
11/2 tablespoons coconut milk (optional)
Lots of crushed red pepper flakes to finish
Instructions
Heat the oil on medium heat for about a minute.Add the black mustard seeds and wait for the seeds to crackle.
Add in the minced garlic and cook for a minute until the garlic is soft and fragrant.
Add in the onion and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the onion is beginning to turn golden brown.
Add in the rapini an mix well.
Add in the sugar, salt and the coconut milk if using and cook for a minute or two.
Add in plenty of crushed red pepper flakes and serve immediately.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.2http://cookinginwestchester.com/2013/10/simple-sauteed-broccoli-raab-with-red-chili-flakes.html
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October 23, 2013
Green Ribbon Maple Masala Salmon
Few things beat having your sibling cross the Atlantic to come and visit you on you birthday! Well, he came bearing gifts, my birthday gift from the brother was a beautiful hand painted fish plate made by someone called Stir Crazy Mama. It was a beautiful piece and I will update this post with the platter pictures. Now, the salmon plate called for an instant salmon dish, instant in terms of concoction not really cooking time. A salmon dish with all the flavors of fall.
The air is fresh and chilly and the colors vivid and beautiful. It is my time of the year, the time when the kitchen is inviting. I have probably exhausted myself with all the pumpkins that we see around, I am often torn between wanting to get out and bring myself a huge pumpkin and then again, I think otherwise. For some people, Fall is the season of pumpkin spice, for me it is all of that and more, I think of nutmeg, ginger, fennel and slow cooking and baking. Most people who know me, probably know of my maple syrup addiction. It brings me back to home, this time of the year when I think of all the sweets that are made palm jaggery. Good maple syrup brings home the same deep flavors.
I have paired maple with salmon before, I feel that the combination is quite amazing, the dense and rich flesh of the salmon marries the beautiful rich sweetness of the maple and lives happily ever after. Today, I got bolder with my flavors and everyone including the kids loved it. Deepta’s palate has evolved nicely, she is now very adventurous and is curious about trying new flavors. The chili of course is still a deal breaker.
Today’s recipe did pack some mild heat, infused in the green ribbons of cilantro, poblano and peanuts. The salmon gets finished off with black and crushed red pepper. It works well as I can adjust the flavors based on preference. This is a great one dish meal and I rarely have any leftovers. However, if you have leftovers, the fish can be flaked and mixed with chives and a tablespoon of mayonnaise to form a light salad that can be used for sandwiches.
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Maple Masala Salmon with Cilantro Peanut Ribbons
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
A flavor baked salmon dish with seasonal fall spices, maple syrup and a cilantro and cashew nut pesto dressing.
Ingredients
For the Maple Masala DressingFor the Maple Masala dressing
11/2 teaspoons fennel
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
11/2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce or salt to taste
¾ teaspoon red cayenne pepper
½ cup pure maple syrup
11/2 limes (about 1/3 cup fresh lime juice)
2 pounds of salmon fillet (I used wild coho salmon)
For the green ribbons
1/3 cup raw, unsalted blanched peanuts or cashew nuts
¾ cup fresh cilantro
1 small poblano pepper
To finish
Freshly ground black pepper
Crush Red Pepper
Instructions
Grease a large baking sheet (I prefer this, instead of casserole pan for this recipe)Place the fennel, cumin and mustard seeds in a spice blender and grind to a powder.
In a mixing bowl mix this with the ginger, soy sauce or salt, red cayenne pepper, maple syrup and the lime juice.
Cut the salmon into 4 to 5 inch pieces.
Add in the salmon and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the salmon on the baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes.
While this is baking mince together the peanuts or cashews, cilantro and the seeded poblano peppers. This should be very finely minced so you can use a mini chopper if desired.
Open the oven, and bring out the baking sheet.
Shape the green mixture into ribbons and place in the center of the salmon pieces.
Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. It is very important not to over-cook the salmon.
Remove from the oven and serve with freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper.
Notes
The prep time includes time for the salmon to marinate.
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October 22, 2013
Upcoming Cooking Class at Curious on Hudson
I am pleased to announce an upcoming cooking class at Curious On Hudson, at Dobbs Ferry, NY. This will be a demonstration style class where I will be teaching you how to make your own Garam Masala blend and use it in a couple of seasonal recipes. Of course, we all get to taste the food and I will be signing copies of my cookbook.
I am excited about the class and hope to see some of you there.
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October 21, 2013
Tomato Rice with South Indian Seasonings
This week saw a birthday- another year of life happily completed. It was not a very eventful milestone, but peace is sometimes the best medicine. Based on various events around the home and at work, it is turning out to be a birthday week, rather than a birth day and I will take all seven days and then some. I was rewarded with a surprise visit from my brother and I got to meet my cousin’s fiance. Somewhere, along the middle of last week, we had a weeknight guest and among the dishes on the table, was this tomato rice dish that I had picked up from Anju’s Mysorean table.
My birthday treat to myself was to sleep in, two days in a row. I am weird that way, but I love and treasure my sleep. Nothing makes me happier than a nice nine hour rest, especially, during soccer season, when it seems like I spend more time on the weekends driving the kids around than anything else. I have to confess, the past few months have also taken a lot of my free time, coordinating events and book related stuff. I have enjoyed the events and have been delighted at the response that my cookbook has received, but it has come at the cost of some more free time being eked out of my already packed routine.
Now, back to the rice dish, bhaath is the Indian word for rice in many parts of India, it certainly is called bhaat in Bengali, but my friend Anju refers to vegetable based rice dishes as bhaat, essentially eggplant rice as Vaangi Bhaat and this tomato rice dish as tomato bhaat. What makes these rice dishes different from the North Indian varieties is their simpler earthier flavors and stronger spices. They do not necessarily contain a surfiet of fancy items like fried onions or saffron, but rather are a simple combination of fresh vegetables, rice and earthy seasonings all coming together in a great one pot dish, or sometimes just an addition to the table of other items.
Traditionally, a shorter grain rice might be preffered for this dish, I have however adapted it with basmati, with fewer spices and some peanuts for crunch and protien to make it work on my table as a one-dish meal. I love to make this a few time during fall, when we still have tomatoes trickling in, an abundance of herbs in the garden and colors all round. It is indeed a beautiful time of the year! Every week of the year, I wonder whether it will be the week we close the garden down, and every Monday is often like a new gift of unexpected bounty, still will some greens, loose squashes, lively brocolli, green peppers and the handful of tomatoes we have a crop that continues to sustain us.
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Tomato Rice with South Indian Seasoning
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
A simple well flavored and colorful one-dish vegetarian meal that marries tomatoes with the seasonings of Southern Indian.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/8 teaspoon asafetida
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
3 green cardamoms
2 - 3 cloves
1 2-inch stick cinnamon, broken
10-12 curry leaves
3 diced tomatoes
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 dried red chilies
1 cup of basmati rice
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional, if not using you can increase the amount of water in this dish)
13/4 cups of water
1/2 cup raw blanced peanuts
1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 tablespoon minced mint
Instructions
Heat the oil in a pan for about 30 minutes and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds crackle.Quickly add in the cumin, asafetida and the ginger.
Add in the green cardamoms, cloves and the cinnamon stick and stir well.
Add in the curry leaves and the diced tomatoes and mix well.
Stir in the salt and the turmeric and continue cooking the mixture stirring gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomatoes soften and begin to turn saucy.
Gently add in the rice and stir well.
Add in the coconut milk (if using) and the water and bring to a gently simmer.
Cover and cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking gently toast the peanuts until the peanuts turn a few shades darker and is aromatic. We tend to like a few darker brown spots while toasting but this needs to be done carefully as it is easy to burn the nuts.
Remove the cover from the rice, you should have large fragrant reddish golden grains. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanuts and the cilantro and mint.
Leave the rice covered for another 10 minutes before serving, this allows the moisture to get absorbed and the grains to swell into regal and separate perfection.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.2http://cookinginwestchester.com/2013/10/tomato-rice-with-south-indian-seasoning.html
There are plenty of possibilities with this dish, you can add in green peas or even green beans, chopped cashew nuts along with the peanuts and of course if you are so inclined a few thyme leaves to join the herb party.
Looking at these tomatoes, I still feel the few we are recieving are vivid and colorful with the fresh scent of freshness. Hopefully they will last a few more weeks to allow me to savor the flavors of the garden and enjoy nourishing tomato and red pepper soup.
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October 13, 2013
Rossogolla – Poached Indian Cheese Balls in Syrup
Another year of celebrations pass by, this year the festival just about passed me by. To sum it up in my daughter’s words, we missed the Pujo again!
I write this post grabbing a few minutes in my BIL’s house in Albany, staring a very beautiful wooded colorful landscape. The falling leaves remind me of the scattered Gul Mohor petals, something that is so visible and prominent in Kolkata this time of the year.
The similarity ends there, this peaceful landscape is very different from Kolkata would be today, on the day of Biyoya. The noise, the ceremony and the general spirit of reverence cannot be described in words, I hope that someday, I can capture it in picture for you. Food is different, it can be recreated with the same feeling of reverence irrespective of the locale or landscape.
Today’s recipe in fact is as predictable and the festivities in Kolkata – Rossogolla is a very popular and home style dessert, that is probably suitable for all occasions including your wind down Sunday dinner.
Bijoya or Bijoya Dashami, is the tenth day of Durga Puja, and is when Durga has defeated the evil Mahishashura and is ready to head back home to the heavens. In Kolkata, married women are donning their red and white sarees and stepping up to decorate the mother goddess with vermillion (the mark of marriage) and symbolically offer her sweets. This is followed by the exchange of sweets among friends and family.
The festive Bengali however is not ready to give up his/her need to celebrate and so the season of sweets and ceremony continues. In fact, the next few weeks continue in an exchange of visits and sweets culminating with Kali Puja and Diwali.
Back to the rosogolla, the dessert needs a few simple steps starting with the making of the paneer or channa that forms the base of this dessert. I have offered a fairly detailed explanation of how make the chana or fresh Indian cheese in my cookbook and here is a really great post about the chana here. Once you have the channa down, the rest of the recipe is quite easy. There are many aspects of Indian holidays that I am remiss about, but making sweets is certainly not one of them. Given that Indian sweets is not an every day affair in our house, that fact that I make an effort to indulge in all the sweetness of Indian desserts make it all the more special! But, all things considered, may the autumn or Sharodiya Utvsav be a special one for you!
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Rossogolla – Poached Indian Cheese Balls in Syrup
Prep Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 6 minutes
A classic Bengali dessert recipe!
Ingredients
For the Channa1 gallon milk
2 limes
To assemble
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon semolina or sooji
2 tablespoons of sugar
For the syrup
2 cups of sugar
3 cups water
4 cardamoms, bruised
1 teaspoon saffron strands (optional)
Instructions
Bring the milk to a boil in large pan on medium heat. Cut the lime and squeeze in the juice and wait till the milk curdles allowing the solids to separate from the water.Drain the milk solids immediately in a colander line with a cheese cloth. Wash the cheese under cold water to let it cool thoroughly and then hand for at least 6 hours to let the water drain thoroughly.
In the meantime boil the sugar and the water for the syrup with the cardamoms for 25 minutes, until the syrup is nice and thick but not overly so. It should reach a 1/2 strand consistency. Stir in the saffron.
Now add the drained cheese in a mixing bowl and mix in the semolina and the flour and sugar and knead well for at least 10 minutes, alternately, you can place this in a food processor and pulse for a minute until very well mixed.
Carefully shape the mixture unto 10 to 12 balls and cover and let the balls rest for 30 minutes.
Bring the syrup to a boil and gently add in the balls, it is important to cook the balls in a pot large enough to accommodate them without crowding them.
Gently simmer and poach the balls for at least 20 minutes, until the balls are nice and spongy.
Serve hot or cold.
Notes
Recipe Adapted from The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles
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Bhog in Pleasantville, NY
We love eating out, however, we do not eat Indian food at restaurants, often.
The reason is simple, I cook Indian food at home more often than not, so it is nice to look for variety when eating out! And, despite all our spice restrictions and allergies when it comes to eating out, we are an adventurous family.
However, we on the road and looking for a spontaneous quick bite, Indian is something we look for. It offers a more balanced option than several other culinary options on the go! Today was one such day! We were on the road heading back from Albany to return home in time to make my daughter’s girls scout event in Pleasantville, NY. We needed to squeeze lunch in and I thought it would offer a good opportunity to try Bhog in Pleasantville.
I have been wanting to try Bhog, and thought that today was the day! I walked in hoping that Bhog, would be that quick fix Indian restaurant that would not need me going for long lunches in NYC or to Brewster, NY to satisfy our outside the house Indian food cravings.
Of course, this is how I walk into every Indian restaurant within the 5-7 mile radius of Valhalla, NY and them sometimes realize that good things in life take a little time, whether we drive or take the train.
Now, as we pulled over to the restaurant, I could not help noticing the restaurants tagline – Redefined Indian cuisine.
I have to confess, I am never sure about what to make of such claims, after all, let us face it, a re-definition can be both good or bad. Anyhow, the first impression being the decor was very charming, I loved the tasteful Indian murals, displays of Indian instruments and the lovely murals depicting Radha and Sri Krishna.
Interestingly, enough they did not have a Sunday buffet, but did have Sunday lunch menus. The menu had three options with varied choices of protein. Between the four of us, we chose something out of the three options, the children opted for the dosas, a south Indian style traditional rice and lentil crepe served with condiments, a potato filling and a spicy lentil stew.
The sambhar or lentil stew was a little flat, but the rest of the platter was pretty good! A well rolled lentil and rice crepe, two well seasoned chutneys and a lightly spiced potato filling that was nicely done. Moving onto the kathi rolls, a traditional Kolkatta style wrap, that my husband had ordered, the roll came with a house made wholewheat flat bread nicely done onions and a side potato salad. Somehow, they mixed up my husband’s order and he got the shrimp instead of the chicken roll and the potato salad was flat enough for my children to say that it was boring.
I had ordered the thali, that is an Indian meal with assorted options. I have to say I was a little surprised to receive an regular sized plate with rather large bowls, not very typical. The shrimp while very comforting and creamy, lacked the layers of Indian flavor that is always fun to work with.
The vegetable served on the thali, the Navratan korma, seemed to be cooked in the same sauce as the shrimp and also was not layered enough and certainly did not have nine vegetables as might be expected of this dish. The Naan that came with the meal was fresh and nicely done.
The lentils that came with the thali was light and very well done. Overall, we might be back to Bhog because of its proximity, but to truly come back because we want to might take time.
The details on Bhog,
Bhog,
83 Wheeler Ave.
Pleasantville, NY
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October 6, 2013
Sweet and Spicy Shrimp with Ginger and Scallions
A couple of weeks back, I had received an invitation to participate in a Sweet to Savory Challenge by Marx Foods. If anyone knows me, I find it quite impossible to turn away from a challenge. I love the idea of playing with ingredients and creating new things.
I also love mixing sweet and savory flavors in my cooking. I do it quite often, particularly with Shrimp and other forms of seafood.
This challenge did have a twist, since it was not just any ingredients, it was the combination that they were sending me.
Specifically, we received,
Coconut Sugar
Vanilla Beans
Fennel Herb Sugar
Granulated Honey
All of this sounded wonderful, especially since I wanted to check out what the Fennel Herb sugar was about, I had some familiarity with the other ingredients. Well, the problem also is that, I hate deadlines with cooking and like posting on this space at my own pace, so, it is still a bit of a last minute show, but a good one I think.
Last weekend, was just so exciting and exhausting. Here is the facebook post, telling you about my mini-celebrity brush cooking from my book. I had this recipe mulling in my mind and was glad that it worked out as well as it did with a quick shot.
It is very flavorful, the basic concept here is a marriage of chilies and deep sugars. This is nicely offset with the tartness from the lime and lemongrass. The glaze gets just the nicest hint of fennel, tying it all together.
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Sweet and Spicy Shrimp with Ginger and Scallions
Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours, 25 minutes
A sweet and spicy shrimp dish using an assortment of sweet and savory flavors.
Ingredients
For the Marinade2 red chili peppers (a sharp variety, I used scotch bonnets)
1 large piece (about 1 inch), fresh ginger
2 pods of garlic
1 tablespoon freshly chopped lemongrass
Juice of 1 lime
11/2 tablespoons coconut sugar
3/4 tablespoon granulated honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 pound of large shrimp, shelled and deviened
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup oil
For the glaze
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped scallions (mostly whites, reserve the greens to garnish)
1 lime
1 tablespoon fennel herb sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
To garnish
3 tablespoons chopped green scallions
Instructions
Place the chili peppers, ginger, garlic, lemongrass in a blender.Cut the lime and squeeze in the juice.
Add the coconut sugar and granulated honey,salt and cilantro blend until smooth.
Place the shrimp in a glass bowl and add the ground spice marinade and refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.
Spread the cornstarch on a flat plate.
Dredge the shrimp in the cornstarch.
Heat the oil, well heated and add the shrimp and cook until nicely golden (about 1-2 minutes per side).
Drain on towels.
Heat the oil for the glaze and add in the scallion whites and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, squeeze in the lime juice and add the fennel herb sugar and the soy sauce and mix well.
Add this to the scallion mixture and cook for 2 minutes on medium high heat until the mixture thickens.
Add in the shrimp and toss well.
Garnish with the remaining scallions and serve as an appetizer or main dish with rice.
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October 5, 2013
Alu Kopir Chechki – Curried Soft Potatoes and Cauliflower
We have had a stunning fall thus far, and I have been enjoying this beautiful season, immensely. Fall, is my most favorite time of the year – the colors, the fresh air and the general festiveness, all seem to call my name.
There are however, two weeks in this seasons where there are shadows that slightly overcast, my overall joyous spirit.
The two weeks of Navaratri or Durga Puja. Commencing with Mahalaya, we Bengalis revel in a ten day celebration of Durga Puja, which is like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Chanukah combined in its intensity and festivity. I am not exaggerating on this one. I LOVE Thanksgiving, in fact, that is what gets me back into the groove, but, it is not the kind of show stopper Durga Puja is.
There is very little, happening around here, that brings home the spirit of the last minute hustle and bustle, the sights and sounds of the last minute make shift pandals being erected. Much as I try, the cheery pumpkins and the rustling leaves do not quite cut the mustard (no pun intended) during these two weeks.
An artist finishing a Durga image at Kumartooli, Kolkata.
The magic of controlling my kitchen, is that I can at least try to garner some semblance of the festivities in terms of food. I realize that some of this culinary enthusiasm will probably, get lost during the week, once the hustle and the bustle emerges, but I had today morning and made the best use of it. It was a surprisingly beautiful Saturday morning, where I felt totally collected and in control. I treated myself and the brood to a breakfast of parathas and a very homey Bengali style potato and cauliflower stir-fry, the kind we call chechki.
This is a very simple creation, but certainly a production and nice break on a morning and yet, these kinds of breakfasts are quite common, whipped up by mothers in Kolkata at the blink of an eye. If you are looking to find more homey recipes, do not hesitate to pick up a copy of my book. It is uncommon enough for us all to feel happily sated with the meal. For, all my blog readers, here is wishing you the best of the season, because no matter how you celebrate it, Autumn is a beautiful time of the year!
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Alu Kopir Chechki – Curried Soft Potatoes and Cauliflower
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
A soft and flavorful Bengali vegetarian stir-fry that is perfect for a light meal for breakfast or dinner.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil (peanut or mustard)1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalo jire or kalonji)
1 medium sized white onion, cut into a fine dice
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced (about 3/4 cup)
Salt to taste
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
½ head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces (11/2 cups about ¾ pound)
¾ cup water
Handful of frozen peas
Chopped cilantro
Instructions
Heat the oil on medium heat for about a minute and add in the nigella seeds and wait till the seeds begin to sizzle.Add in the onion and cook until the onions is soft and transluscent.
Add in the ginger and sauté lightly for 30 seconds or so.
Add in the potato and the salt, turmeric and chilies and mix well. Stir the mixture well and cover and cook on low heat until the potatoes are partially cooked.
Add in the cauliflower and mix well.
Add in the water and the peas and simmer the mixture stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft and the water is absorbed.
Mix well, stir in the cilantro and serve.
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September 24, 2013
Bitter Melon, Potato and Eggplant Stir Fry – Kolora Alu ar Begun Bhaja
My father taught me how to love korola or the bitter melon pretty early in life. This amazingly bold and super-nutritious vegetable is 
much loved on the Bengali table, in fact, standing out almost like an oxymoron against the deep Bengali love for sweets. The bitter melon in fact works as an anti-dote against all the ills culled by the deep love of sweets that the Bengali enjoys.
This week has had melancholy strains, Martha our longtime helper is getting ready to leave us. Our rather tightly wound household survives on routine and the thought of change, especially so radical is anything but comforting. The little one is very disappointed, and I know that he will have to learn about these partings eventually. This week is also close to the second year anniversary of Dad’s passing, and it brings with it the same sense of sadness and loss. Food always offers an outlet to celebrate and mesh together memories, it helps me channel remembrances in a positive manner. Food memories that even connected together to bind into my cookbook, that I hope some you will be persuaded to get.
This dish is about as simple as it gets, it is a starter dish that is enjoyed at the beginning of a meal. When my father was posted in Nigeria, I used to visit on summer holidays and my father used to always come home at lunchtime. A long day allowed and almost necessitated a mid-day break in the routine. I remember, my mother getting food ready on the table, snowy white rice, just strained, hot and steaming, sunshine bright lentils, a chorchori and usually chicken or fish. The lunchtime meal, especially if Dad joined us was an unquestionably Bengali meal, leaving time for occasional experimentation in the evenings. No matter how elaborate or simple the meal was, this was a staple that he wanted to have around. If not there, Dad would get into the kitchen and make it himself.
It was a strange and comforting sight, to see Dad in the kitchen, in his office clothes, looking sharp and efficient, wielding a knife and evenly dicing the vegetables, first the bitter melon, then the potatoes and finally the purple and shiny eggplant. He used a spoon to sprinkle some turmeric and salt over the eggplant, and then it was handed over to Bob, our cook to finish off. This recipe will probably be the swan song for this year’s summer offerings and of course, the weather has very loudly proclaimed the arrival of Fall in the Hudson Valley.
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Bitter Melon, Potato and Eggplant Stir Fry – Kolora Alu ar Begun Bhaja
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
A simple everyday stir-fry that uses bitter melon and is a classic starter on the Bengali table.
Ingredients
2 small potatoes3 medium sized slender Japanese variety eggplants
1 medium sized bitter melon (korola)
2 tablespoons oil (preferably mustard oil)
1 teaspoon panch phoron (Bengali 5-Spice)
½ teaspoon turmeric
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon red cayenne pepper
Instructions
Dice the eggplants and set aside. Peel the potatoes and dice and set aside (note, if you wish, you can use organic red skinned potatoes and leave the skin on).Dice the bitter melon and leave any visible seeds
Heat the oil on medium heat for about 1 minute and add in the panch phoron (Bengali 5 spice) and wait until the spice crackles.
Add in the mixed diced vegetables and stir well.
Shake over the turmeric and the salt and mix well. Cover and cook the mixture for about 5 minutes on low heat, remove the cover and check the mixture for softness. The potatoes should be lightly crisped and soft.
Stir the cayenne pepper and mix well. Cook for another minute and serve with rice and lentils for a classic Bengali style first course.
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September 23, 2013
Fish Fillets Baked in Sour Cream – to end a long day.
Last week I had begun cooking from Annette Corona’s wonderful Ukrainian cookbook, and you have my review of the book here. I was a little under weather last week, and tried the cake that I had baked again, we ate this with tonight’ recipe on hand – Pike Fillets in Sour Cream. I had promised myself that I would make one of the fish recipes, and I kept my promise. In fact, that is what we ate last night for dinner. This evening turned out to be unexpectedly long, I missed my stop and spent a good 40 minutes, in transit before I got back to my station.
The flavors of the cake, that I made again continue to please, and this time round I ate most of the filling myself. As an cooking teacher, one of the things I always emphasize is that some recipes take longer to perfect than others, and this often depends on the cook. In my case, I think I am getting closer to the original intent of this lovely balanced cake.
The Pike Fillets in Sour Cream, was something that I made last evening. Annette suggests that you can cook this with almost any fish on hand and I made this with the Perch fillets that I had on hand. She says that it is an Ukrainian favorite, and having tasted it, I can see why. This recipe brought back memories of a fish dish that I used to make once upon a time, it was sort of a fish baked in a white sauce with a cheesy crumb topping. Annette’s dish is lighter and more colorful as it incorporates a chock full of carrots, which as we all know are in season right now. The sour cream offers a nice gentle sauce, that will work well with most accompaniments. We enjoyed these with lots of toasted sourdough bread. It fortified me for a busy week ahead.
BTW, if you are interested in getting yourself a copy of this interesting cookbook, I will be giving one away the first week of October. To enter, please do leave me a comment, telling me about your interest in the book.
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Fish Fillets Baked in Sour Cream
A delicate and lightly seasoned fish dish, perfect for fresh fish on a cool evening.
Ingredients
3 pounds pike filletssalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter or sunflower oil to taste
1 onion, coarsely chopped (1 used a medium sized white onion)
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fish or chicken broth
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
Chopped fresh parsley or dill to garnish
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle the pike fillets with salt and black pepper and place in a large shallow baking dish in a single layer. Let stand while preparing the vegetables.Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Saute for about 1 minute, and then add the carrot, celery and the fish or chicken broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook the vegetables until tender; about 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Whisk the flour into the sour cream and spread over the pike fillets. Spoon the vegetables and their juices all around the fish. Cover with aluminium foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes.
To serve spoon portions of fish and some of the vegetables onto warmed dinner plates, drizzle with some of the sauce, and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley or dill.
Notes
Recipe from The New Ukrainian Cookbook by Annette Ogrodnick Corona
Hippocrene Books (2012)
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