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.

Deem Makha Makha (Egg Masala)

Posted by: Priyaka A

This is an improvised and dry version of the Bengali deemer jhol. Ingredients for the main masala: Hard boiled eggs - 6 Onions - 3 medium sized, cut into long thin slices  Tomato (paste) - 2 medium sized Refined / Mustard Oil - 3 tbsp Ginger (grated) - 1 Inch long  Green Chilli (chopped) - 4 Red Chilli (dry & whole) - 2 Tejpata (Indian Bay-leaf) - 1 leaf Laung / Clove - 2 pieces Black pepper – 4 Green Elaichi / Cardamom (slightly crushed) - 3 Hing / Asafotida - 1/4 tbsp Haldi / Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp Coriander / Dhania powder - 1/4 tbsp Salt - to taste Serves – 3 to 4 people Method:  Marinate the boiled eggs (de-shelled) in little salt, haldi and red chili powder for 10 - 15 minutes. Take 3 tbsp of oil, heat the oil and fry the boiled eggs till they have a golden brown coating. Take them out and keep aside. (Poke holes with a fork on the egg for the masala to penetrate before marinating.) Use the remaining oil for making the main masala. Add hing, laung, elaichi, tejpata, green chillies, whole pepper , sliced onions and ginger and fry until dark brown in colour. Then add the tomato paste, haldi, whole dry red chilies, salt and continue to fry by adding little water to avoid the masala from getting burnt. Fry till the masala is well cooked and you can see the oil separate. Lastly, add the shallow fried eggs along with the red chili powder and dhania powder. Mix well and let it cook for another 5 minutes. You may garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and serve with hot rice or paranthas.

Deem Begun

Recipe by: Mala D

I don't know why we Bengalis call the brinjal "be-gun" ie without any virtue/quality when this "crowned" vegetable is used so extensively in our cuisine--fried, roasted, boiled, curried and so on! To appeal to fussy eaters, it is even used in non-veg preparations. This is one such recipe, courtesy of my ma-in-law's friend, Mrs Roy from Chandigarh. No copy rights issue here!

Ingredients:

Begun (aubergine, eggplant): 1 big size, about 300 gms
Onion: 1 medium size
Egg: 1 large size
Green chillies: 2-3 nos
Ginger: 1-1/2 inches
Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
Desi ghee: 1 tsp
Bay leaf: 1 large
Cardamoms: 4-5 nos
Cinnamon stick: 1, about 2 inches
Cumin(jeera) seeds: 1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Turmeric(haldi) powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp


Method:
Cut the brinjal into small pieces, soaking them in a little water to ensure they don't turn dark. Wash thoroughly, drain & keep aside.
Chop the onion finely & grate the ginger. Heat oil in a deep pan till it reaches smoking point. Lower the flame & add bay leaf, cardamoms, cinnamon & cumin seeds. As they splutter, add chopped onion & toss them. Add grated ginger & fry for about a minute & then add the chopped brinjal pieces. Mix well. Add salt, turmeric powder & chopped green chillies. Cover & cook till brinjal turns soft. Now put on sim, & quickly break the egg over the curry & mix it really fast, ensuring it coats most of the brinjals. Increase the flame & keep turning the curry. Add the desi ghee & garam masala powder & coat it all over. Close the flame. It really cooks fast.
Serve it hot with rice/ chapati/parathas.