Cabbage with Fish head

This is a typical Bengali recipe. Many people like it, and many don't because many people don't like fish head. I learnt this recipe from my mother. It takes time to make this dish. Made best with Head of Hilsa fish, but can also be made by Rohu or Katla

Ingredients:
Cabbage 1/2 kg
Fish head 1 big
Onion 1 (optional)
Tomato 1
Potato 1 (optional)
Green Chilly 2
Bay Leaves 2-3
Red Chilly 2-3
Cumin seeds a pinch
Turmeric powder
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Red Chilly Powder
Garam Masala (Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Cloves and Cardamon ground together)
Salt
Method:
1. Sprinkle turmeric powder on the fish head and keep aside.
2. Meanwhile cut the cabbage, chop the onion and tomato. Dice the potato, slit the green chilly and make a paste of cumin, coriander, turmeric and red chilly powders with a bit of water.
3. Fry the fish heads till the fishy smell disappears. Break them in small pieces. Keep aside.
4. In hot oil, drop the bay leaves and the red chillies.
5 When they thurn dark, add the cumin seeds.
6. When the cumin seeds stsrt to splutter, add the potatoes. Fry lightly.
7. Then add the onions and fry till they lose their colour.
8. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
9. When the whole thing looks a bit cooked, add the spice paste and salt.
10. Then add the cabbage and cook covered.
11. When the cabbage is semi cooked, add the fish heads and mix well.
12. Cover and cook on medium flame.
13. Add the garam masala and cook for 2 more minutes.

Torai (Ridge Gourd)

I just love this vegetable. When I cooked it last night, I thought it was not good. When we ate it, it was good. My husband loved it and urged me to post it here. This can be cooked with gravy or can be had dry. If more gravy is needed, more water has to be added while cooking covered.
Ingredients:

Ridge Gourd 2 Big

Potatoes 2 medium

Onion 1 big

Tomato 1 big

Garlic 5-6 pods

Corriander powder

Cumin powder

Turmeric powder

Chilly powder

Salt

Method:

1. Peel and dice the ridge gourd and the potatoes. Chop the onion and garlic and slice the tomato.

2. Make a paste of the corriander, cumin, red chilly and turmeric powders with a bit of water.

3. In hot oil, first fry the garlic.

4. Then add the onion and fry for some time.

5. Add the potatoes and fry for some more time.

6. Add the paste and salt. Fry this by sprinkling water, till the smell of onion dissapears and the spices smell good.

7. Then add the ridge gourd and mix well.8. Put the tomato slices, cover it and cook on a medium flame. The vegebables will be cooked with the juice of the tomato. Add water if
needed.

My Chicken Curry

I love to experiment with food. I have noticed that when people cook chicken, it is a very elaborate procedure. I wanted to do something very simple, so I made this dish. My husband and toddler son loved it.

Ingredients:

Chicken 1 kg

Onion large 1

Tomato large 1

Potato large 1

Curd 3-4 tbsp

Cumin seeds a pinch

Corriander powder

Turmeric powder

Red Chilly powder

Cumin powder

Ginger Garlic Paste

Salt

Method:

1. Wash the chicken pieces, dry them and soak in the curd with a

bit of turmeric powder.

2. In the meanwhile, chop the onions, cube the potatoes and slice the tomato. Also make a paste with the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chily powder in a bit of water.

3. In hot oil, add the cumin. When it splutters, add the onion.

4. Fry the onion and when the colour changes a bit, add the potatoes.

5. Fry for around 4 mins and add ginger-garlic paste.

6. Fry for 4 more mins and add the spices paste.

7. This has to be fried longer by stirring and sprinkling water (so it does not burn), till it smells good and the oil leaves the mixture.

8. Add the chicken with the curd.

9. Stir well till everything is blended.

10. When it starts to boil, add the tomatoes.

11. The chicken should cook with the curd and the juice of the tomato. The curd should be enough gravy, but if more gravy is needed, then add more water after it boils.

12. Cover and cook on medium flame till chicken is done.

Beetroots and Carrots

This dish my sister and I have been eating since we were kids and we both love it. Not many people like beetroot. This is a yummy dish and healthy too. Best eaten with rice.

Ingredients:
Beetroot 2
Carrot 1
Potato 2
Tomato 1
Green peas
Bay leaves 3
Red Chilly 3
Cumin Seeds a pinch
Turmeric powder
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Salt

Method:
1. Cut the beetroot, carrot and potatoes in cubes. Chop the tomatoes.
2. In hot oil, add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to splutter, add the bay leaves and the red chilly.
3. Add the tomatoes and fry for a bit. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt.
4. Fry for sometime, till the juice separates.
5. Add all the vegetables including the green peas.
6. Fry for sometime.
7. Add some water and pressure cook for about 5 whistles.

Creamy Egg Curry

This is a recipe I learnt from my mother. It is yummy. We just love it. I like to use the cream available in the market, that come in tetrapacks, but fresh cream is also good.

Ingredients:

Eggs 6

Onion (chopped) 1

Garlic (chopped) 6-8 cloves

Cream as much as you like

Turmeric powder

Red chilli powder

Salt

Method:

1. Boil the eggs and peel them.

2. After they cool, add turmeric and a pinch of salt.

3. Heat oil and fry the eggs a bit to make them yellow and keep aside.

4. In hot oil, fry the garlic and the oninon for around 2 mins.
5. Add salt turmeric powder and red chilli powder and fry a bit more.
6. Add the cream and fry till it smells good, and the oil starts to seperate.
7. Add water and bring to a boil.
8. Once the water starts to boil, add the egges.
9. Let it boil for some time, so that the eggs take on the flavours of the curry. and the gravy thickens a bit.

Capsicum with Tomatoes

This is one of my favourite dishes. It is very simple to make and can be eaten with rice or with roti.

Ingredients:
Capsicum (cubes)
Tomatoes (sliced)
Onion (chopped)
Garlic (chopped)
Turmeric Powder
Chilli Powder
Corriander Powder
Cumin Powder
Salt

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan.

2. Fry the garlic and the onion.

3. Add salt and fry a bit.

4. Make a thick paste of the turmeric powder, chilly powder, corriander powder and cumin powder. I prefer making a paste and adding it to the onions.

5. Fry with the spices by sprinkling water, till the onion is cooked.

6. Add the capsicum. Fry for around 2 minutes.

7. Added the sliced tomatoes. Mix well, cover and keep on medium flame. It will cook with the juice of the tomatoes.

My first post

Cooking is something I enjoy doing. Along with writing and photography. I decided that the best thing to do would be to combine the three things together and make a food blog. Though I enjoy cooking, it does not mean that I am a good cook. I love to experiment. I will post my experiments and what I have learnt from other people.
Hope my blog is good.