We all know that Bengali people are very fond of food. They are famous for "macher jhol" fish curry and "bhat" rice. This recipe is cooked in almost every house of Bengal and people love this dish very much. In any occasion, they prefer to cook this dish. However, beside this dish they also prepare some other dish, which they eat with rice. Here I am sharing some recipe of Bengal, which the people cooked with great interest.

Recipe 1.

How to prepare shukto (traditional dish of bengali of mixed vegetables)?

Preparation time- 20 min

Cooking time- 15 min

Serve- 3 person

Ingredients

• 1 cup sliced drumstick
• 1 cup sliced brinjal
• 1medium sized sliced sweet potato
• 1 cup radish
• 1 cup sliced bitter gourd
• 1-1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp poppy seed
• 1 cup sliced raw banana
• 1 cup sliced raw papaya
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seed
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 2 tsp ghee
• 1-1/2 cup water
• 1/4th cup milk, and
• salt as per taste.

How to cook?

1. First, soak the poppy seed and mustard seed in lukewarm water for at least half an hour.
2. Then wash the vegetables.
3. Then turn on the gas and put the wok on it.
4. Pour ghee into the wok.
5. When the ghee gets heated fry the bitter gourd and keeps aside.
6. In the remaining ghee, add few mustard seed and fenugreek seed.
7. When it started to pop up add all the vegetables except the bitter gourd and stir-fry in medium heat.
8. Then make a fine paste of mustard seed and poppy seed with the help of blender.
9. Then add the paste into the vegetables and mix well with the vegetables.
10. Then add turmeric powder, salt as per taste and mix well.
11. After that add water as required to boil the vegetables and cover the wok with a lid. Do not add much water if you need thick gravy.
12. When the vegetables are well cooked, remove the lid, add the fried bitter gourd, milk and ghee, and cook for a minute.
13. Then cover it with a lid and turn off the gas.
14. Our delicious "shukto" is ready to serve.
15. Serve hot with plain rice.

Recipe 2.

How to prepare aloo posto (potato cooked in poppy seed paste).

Preparation time- 10 min

Cooking time- 20 min

Serve- 2-3 persons

Ingredients

• 3 medium sized potato
• 3 tsp poppy seed
• 1/2 tsp black cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• Water as required
• Salt as per taste
• Oil as required.

How to cook?

1. Soak the poppy seed in water for about half an hour.
2. Cut the potatoes in slice as of your choice. Then wash the potatoes.
3. Then with the help of the blender make a fine paste of the poppy seeds and keep aside.
4. Then turn on the gas and put a wok on it and pour oil to fry the potatoes.
5. When the oil gets heated, slit the green chilies from the middle and put it in the oil, add black cumin, potatoes, and sauté it for some minute.
6. When the potatoes turn light, brown add the poppy seed paste an mix it well.
7. Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt and again mix it well and fry for a minute.
8. Then add water. If you want gravy, then pour little water to soft the potatoes but if you want more gravy add more water.
9. Then cover the lid.
10. When the potatoes get soft turn off the gas.
11. Our “aloo posto” is ready to serve.
12. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Recipe 3

How to make chingri macher malaikari (prawn malaikari)?

Preparation time- 15 min

Marinating time- 45 min

Cooking time- 20 min

Serve-4 person

Ingredients

• 6-7 pieces large size prawn
• 2 medium size onion
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1/4th cup fresh coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 inch ginger
• Oil as needed
• 3 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp cashew paste 
• 1 medium size tomato.

How to cook?

1. First, marinade the prawn with lime juice, turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for 30 min.
2. Then make a fine paste of onion, ginger, cashew and green chilies.
3. Then turn on the gas and (put it on slow flame) put a deep fry pan on the gas and pour oil in it.
4. When the oil gets heated put the prawn and fries on both sides. Do not over fry it.
5. Then take out the prawn and set aside.
6. On the remaining oil, add the fine paste, which was made by grinding onion, ginger, cashew and green chilies.
7. Then sauté it for some minutes until the raw smell of the masala disappear.
8. Then add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, red chili powder and little water and mix it very well.
9. Then add the prawn and cook for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
10. Then add coconut milk and cook for 1 minute.
11. Make thick gravy of it.
12. Then turn off the gas.
13. Our “chingri macher malaikari” is ready to serve.
14. Serve hot with biriyani, pulao or plain rice.

• Written by Sharmistha Banerjee.
• In category Recipes.
• 11 years ago.

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