Bhat Bhaja (Fried Rice)

Posted by: Mala D

We Bengalis Love Rice! Lots & lots of it (dieting be damned!) there is always some leftover rice left which gives us an opportunity to make this, everyone's favourite dish"Bhath bhaja".


As Spring is here with it's festival of colour Holi upon us, I thought why make the same fried rice with it's typical mustard/cumin/dry red chillies tempering & the same old veggies. So I made this colourful Mexican-inspired rice. My fussy daughter gave her approval, which is a shorthand for "good"!

Ingredients:
Leftover rice: 500gms
Onion: 1large sliced
Garlic: 7-8 cloves
Coloured bell peppers:
Red,yellow,orange,green:1each,small sized
Carrot: 1,coarsely grated
Green chillies: 3-4,chopped(optional)
Refined oil: 3-4 tbsp
Spring onion: a few green shoots
Salt: to taste
Tomato ketchup: 4 tbsp
Chilli sauce: 3 tbsp

Method:
Heat oil till it's very hot, then temper it with chopped garlic & chopped green chillies. Saute & add sliced onion. Add a little salt & fry till onion is translucent, add grated carrot & mix well. Now mix in the finely chopped bell peppers & fry just a little while. Add tomato ketchup & chilli sauce, mix it all in. Add the heated rice. Mix thoroughly. Check the salt, add more if needed. Garnish with finely chopped greens of spring onion.

Children will love it's sweet & sour taste.

Moolor saag (fried radish leaves)

Posted by: Mala D


The humble saag occupies a pride of place in the Bengali thali. There are many varieties: spinach, brahmi, methi & the king of all - laal saag. Some resourceful bengali ladies even make delectable fare out of gobhi leaves & also radish leaves. This recipe comes to me from my ma-inlaw who in turn,got it from her mother.

Ingredients:
Fresh green radish leaves: 500 gms
Dry red chillies: 2-3 nos
Ginger: 2 inches
Mustard/refined oil: 1-1/2 tbsp
Wheat flour: 1-tsp
Water: 50ml
Salt: to taste

Method:
Wash the leaves thoroughly. Chop them fine & pressure cook on low flame till the pressure builds up & then turn off the flame ( no need to add water as there is water in the leaves. if you are still unsure then sprinkle a bit of water).
Grate the ginger finely.
Heat oil & temper with dry red chillies. Add the saag, taking care there is no water along with it as the oil will splutter. Toss for a while. Now add ginger & salt. Cover & cook till saag is soft. Now mix flour in a little water (if there is any residual water left in the cooker, add it. Now add it to the saag &  mix continuously till it gets a soft,creamy look. Serve hot with rice.

Note: This recipe tastes even better if you add 150 gms of spinach to the radish saag. Wash & chop the spinach very fine. Temper oil with chopped garlic & dry red chillies & saute the spinach for a while & then proceed with the recipe as written above.