Aloo Bharta (Hot Mashed Potato Starter)

This is a very popular Bengali starter, which is served cold and eaten with rice. It has three levels of hotness - from chilies, from onions and from the mustard oil. It is a very unusual but delicious and simple to prepare dish.

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes
1 tsp salt
2 or more to taste green chillies
1 small onion (red is best)
2-3 tbsp mustard oil
a handful of fresh coriander

Method

Cook with salt, peel and mash the potatoes. You can mash them by hand, they do not have to be smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Finely chop the onion, corainder and the chillies (very, very finely!)

Mix the potatoes, chillies, onion, coriander and mustard oil.

Shape into balls and serve with plain white rice.

Tip: you can make bharta with other cooked veggies as well - try aubergine (begun), green banana, cauliflower.

Best Ever Oat Cookies

These are very fast and easy to prepare and will turn out great even for beginner bakers. They are crispy and crumbly, chewy and delicious and keep well in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter, softened
2 tbsp oil (I use light olive)
1 large egg
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of salt
1.5 cup porridge oats
1/3 cup self-raising flour
1/3 cup or more raisins
milk as needed
oil to grease the tray

Method

Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease a cookie sheet or oven tray with a bit of oil.

Mix butter and cugar until creamy. Add oil and egg and beat until smooth.

Add all the other ingredients until mixed well, adding abit of milk as needed to make thick dough.

Drop large spoonfuls on the tray leaving some space in between. This should make 9 large cookies.

Bake in the pre-heated oven 15-20 min and cool on the tray.

Tip: Do not attempt to take cookies of the sheet until completely cooled - they will break as they harden when they cool.

Luchi (Crispy Puri)

This is a traditional Bengali bread that goes great with vegetable curries, cholar daal (chana daal with coconut and sweet spices, recipe to be posted later) and sweet puddings.

Ingredients

2 cups flour (maida)
1 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp yoghurt
pinch of salt
warm water as needed

Method

Rub together the flour, ghee and yoghurt. Add salt.

Start adding warm water until you can feel a firm dough forming.

Knead well on a floured surface, until silky.

Cover with a damp cloth and let stand at least 1 hour.

Divide the dough in about 12 balls.

Roll out each ball thinly and deep fry in hot oil until golden (do not let them turn brown).

Store in an airtight container.

Tip: these can be reheated in the oven to serve warm again.

Green Chutney

An old favourite that goes great with samosas, pakoras and other fried snacks, as well as all kinds of chaat.

Ingredients

2 large bunches of fresh coriander, washed and drained well
3 or more to taste green chillies
10 mint leaves (optional)
1-2 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 tsp salt
5-6 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Blend all the ingredients together until a smooth paste is served. This is a fresh chutney so keep it refrigerated and consume within 3 days.

Tip: larger green chillies tend to be less hot, while small narrow ones are the hottest. If you are not sure about a chili, try a piece with some bread.

Mango Lassi

One of the best drinks ever!

Ingredients

Per person:
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sweet mango pulp
sugar to taste
few drops of rose water if desired

Method

Mix all the ingredients well (doing it in your blender will create a great frothy lassi) and enjoy!

Tip: this recipe can be used for any lassi. Try banana insted of mango (or peaches, or apricots, or apples and pears) or replace frit with mint and coriander and add salt and pepper instead of sugar.

Simple Bengali Daal

An easy daal preparation that goes brilliantly with rice and vegetable or fish dishes.

Ingredients

1 cup yellow mung daal

3-4 cups water

2 tsp salt

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ginger powder

2 green chillies

2 tsp pach phoran (see earlier post)

2 tbsp oil

3 bay leaves

2 medium tomatoes

fresh coriander leaves

Method

Lightly roast the daal in a dry pan, wash well and cook with water, salt and turmeric until the grains break up.

Heat oil and fry pach phoran and bay leaves until crackling.

Add all other ingredients except the coriander leaves and fry for a few minutes.

Add the tadka to the daal, add coriander leaves and cook for few more minutes.

Done!

Tip: Soak the daal overnight after roasting to be able to cook it in under 30 minutes the next day.