Hilsa fish head with Malabar spinach and vegetables

Ingredients

1. Hilsa fish head - 1 no
2. Pumpkin diced - 1 cup
3. Potato diced - 1 tsp
4. Malabar spinach  chopped - 2 cups
5. Brinjal diced - 1cup
6. Flat / broad beans - 1 cup
7. Panch phoron - 2tsp
8. Ginger grated - 2 tsp
9. Green chillies - 3 nos
10. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Mustard oil - 3 tbsp

Method
Marinate the fish head with salt and turmeric powder and fry them in a wok until golden brown.
Drain and remove,in the same oil add green chillies and panch phoron. Once they start spluttering add grated ginger and potato. Stir fry in low flame till potatoes are half cooked. Now add flat beans,pumpkin,brinjal,turmeric powder,salt and cover and cook stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables are almost cooked add Malabar spinach and fried fish head. Break the fish head with the end of the spatula and cook for 2 mins approx. Serve hot with rice.

Dahi baingan

Ingredients

1. Brinjal- 8 nos( small size)
2. Curd - 1/2 cup
3. Black pepper powder - 1tsp
4. Sugar -1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Mustard oil - 4 tsp
7. Chopped coriander - 3tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan,add brinjals and salt. Cover and cook in a low medium till the brinjal is completely cooked. Meanwhile whip curd along with some water,sugar,black pepper powder. Now mix chopped coriander to the brinjal and stir fry for 30 secs. Pour in the curd mix and switch off the flame. Serve hot.

Rasmalai

Ingredients

1. Full cream milk - 1 ltr
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
4. Green cardamom - 2 pods
5. Chopped dry fruits for garnishing
6. Curd - 4tsp

Method

Boil 500 ml milk and add curd,keep boiling till the milk cuddles to get chena.Strain it and keep it in the strainer for a minimum of 2 hrs till all the extra moisture drains out. Now squeeze off any left over moisture and make small balls out of the chena. In a flat pressure cooker add 1 cup of water and sugar and allow to boil. Now add the chena balls into them,cover the cooker's lid and cook for 2 whistles.allow to cool it normally.
Boil the remaining milk in a  vessel and add condensed milk to it. Add cardamom and simmer till its gets reduced to half of  it's original volume. Cool, squeeze the chena balls lightly and add to the milk mixture. Serve after 30 mins.

Note- refrigerate for a minimum 1 hr before serving

Dahi hilsa

Ingredients

1. Hilsa fish - 4 pieces
2. Curd - 100 gms
3. Coconut grated - 6 tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Green chilly - 2 nos
6. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Mustard oil - 5 tsp
9. Panch phoron - 2 tsp
10. Chopped coriander - 4 tsp

Method

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for 15 mins. Heat oil in a pan and fry the fish from both sides till golden brown.Drain and remove from pan. In the same oil add green chillies,panch phoron,and allow to splutter. Now mix in coconut and stir fry for one minute. Add curd and cook for 30 secs. Mix in turmeric powder,salt,red chilly powder and stir for 30 secs. Now add the fish and cook for one minute. Add chopped coriander and cook till the dish is dry. Serve hot with rice.

Elaichi shrikhand

Ingredients

1. Thick curd - 200 gms
2. Sugar powder - 50 gms( add more if you want sweeter)
3. Green cardamom - 3 pods

Method

Pour the curd on a strainer and keep on a vessel or in a muslin cloth and hang it inside refrigerator for 7 to 8 hours,so that all the excess moisture drains out.Lightly dry roast the seeds of cardamom and pound them in a mortar and pestle.Mix it along with sugar powder in the curd and whip it thoroughly with a fork.Shrikhand is ready to serve.

Malpua

Ingredients

1. Maida- 2/3 cup
2. Rice flour - 1/3 cup
3. Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
4. Fennel seeds( saunf) - 2tsp
5. Sugar - 1/3 cup( add more if you want sweeter)
6. A pinch of salt
7. Sugar syrup- 1 cup(make by dissolving and heating equal amount of water and sugar)
8. Condensed milk for topping
9. Refined oil for pan frying

Method

Make a smooth batter of maida,rice flour,sugar,salt,coconut and keep aside for 30 mins. Now heat some oil in a pan. Add fennel seeds in the batter. Add 1 ladle of batter to the pan and make into small circular shape pan cake. Fry from both sides. Repeat till you have used all the batter. Pour the sugar syrup onto the fried malpuas and let it absorb for 5 mins. While serving pour some condensed milk and serve hot or cold.

Spicy prawns in mustard,poppy seeds and coconut paste

Ingredients

1. Prawns - 250 gms
2. Mustard seeds - 2tsp
3. Poppy seeds - 4tsp
4. Coconut grated - 6tsp
5. Green chilly - 2 nos
7. Onion chopped - 1 no( finely chopped)
8. Ginger grated - 1tsp
9. Garlic grated - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
13. Mustard oil - 4 tsp
14. Salt to taste

Method

Make a paste of coconut,mustard seeds,poppy seeds,green chilly.
Marinate the prawns with salt and turmeric powder and keep for 15 mins. Heat oil in a pan and fry the prawns for a minute,till it changes colour. Drain and remove from pan. In the same oil fry onion,ginger,garlic till oil starts separating. Now add turmeric powder,chilly powder,coriander powder and stir fry for 30 secs. Add the paste along with some water. Mix in the prawns,salt and cook for a minute. Serve hot with rice.

Note - For plating I have used capsicum and tomato which I had just roasted on direct flame over the gas oven till soft.

Green potato,fish fry with charred onions

Ingredients for green potato

1. Boiled potato - 4 nos( peeled)
2. Coriander chopped - 1cup
3. Green chilly - 2 nos
4. Ginger - 1 inch
5. Salt to taste
6. Mustard oil - 2tsp
7. Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the potatoes till golden brown. In the meanwhile make a paste of coriander,salt,green chilly,ginger. Add this paste to the potato and stir fry till moisture evaporates. Switch off flame and add lemon juice.

Ingredients for fish fry

1. Katla fish - 3 piece
2. Ginger,garlic paste - 1tsp
3. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Kasuri methi powder -1/2 tsp
6. Coarse rice powder for coating
7. Refined oil for pan frying

Method
Marinate the fish with ingredient no 2,3,4. And keep aside for 30 mins.Heat oil in a pan,coat the marinated fish with rice powder and pan fry from both sides till golden brown and completely cooked

Pan fry onions with salt and add few drops of fish sauce to it.
Assemble the dish as shown in image and serve hot.

Cauliflower fried rice,seam chicken,firni

Ingredients for cauliflower fried rice

1. Boiled rice- 2cups
2. Cauliflower chopped- 3/4 cup
3. Tomato chopped - 1 big
4. Shah jeera - 1tsp
5. Desi ghee - 2tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Black pepper powder - 1tsp

Method

Heat 1tsp desi ghee in a wok. Add shah jeera,allow to splutter. Next add cauliflower and cook,covered in a low flame till it softens. Now add tomato,salt and stir fry for one minute. Next add rice and stir fry for some more time. Lastly add black pepper powder and remaining desi ghee,serve hot.

Ingredients for saem chicken

1. Saem - 250gms( boil and make a fine paste)
2. Chicken boneless - 500gms
3. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
4. Ginger chopped - 1tsp
5. Garlic chopped -2tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1tsp
8. Red chilly powder - 1tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Mustard oil - 3tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Now add ginger,garlic and fry till they change brown in colour. Add the chicken pieces and cover,cook for 3 to 4 mins. Now add turmeric powder,chilly powder,salt,coriander powder and cook,covered,stirring occasionally till the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add the saem paste,stir and cook for one more minute. Serve hot.

Ingredients for firni

1. Basmati rice powder - 25gms
2. Full cream milk - 500ml
3. Sugar - 100gms
4. Rose water - 1tsp
5. Chopped nuts for garnishing

Method

Soak rice powder for 20 mins. Boil milk in a pan and add the soaked rice powder into it. Cook in a low flame,stirring frequently till it forms a thick smooth paste,it will take 20 mins approx. now add sugar and cook further till it completely dissolves. Switch off the flame and add rose water,chopped nuts. Cool and serve,best served in earthern pot.