Our plan is to share some of the simple recipes (which we cook in our daily meals). Where the exact flavour of every ingredient is kept intact with minimal use of spices. Some recipes are a bit complicated in their traditional forms. As we are modernizing, we have simplified them as per our needs. These recipes have influences from both Bengal and other cuisines. Our recipes are downstream to us by our mothers, grandmothers, and some from our friends. Documentation of the blog is kept simple.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Monday, June 22, 2020
Saturday, June 20, 2020
Friday, June 19, 2020
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Saturday, June 13, 2020
Ada Jeera diye Catla Mach er Jhol (আদা-জিরা দিয়ে ক্যাটলা মাছ এর ঝোল)
Namaskar🙏
This is my second blog. Here I will be sharing a
recipe of 'catla mach' ( South Asian Carp Fish). Today's dish is 'Ada jeera
diye Catla Macher jhol'.
First of all, let’s know something about ‘Ada’ (Ginger)
and its benefits.
আদা or Ginger is obtained from the
root of herbaceous plant Zingiber officinale. Ginger is very useful for its
anti-inflammatory nature. Ginger contains a similar compound like antioxidant
known as ‘phytonutrients’, which may diminish cell damage. Ginger can also
settle mild stomach problems. Research has shown ginger has manifold digestive
benefits. It helps move food from the stomach to the small intestine for
digestion and absorption. Ginger may also help prevent heart diseases because
of the presence of anti-inflammatory compounds. Ginger intake may lower
cholesterol and blood sugar. We have heard about ginger as a traditional
remedy for cold and cough. The active compounds in ginger can alleviate morning
sickness and nausea caused by chemotherapy or after an after surgery.
In our family, my mother cooks this dish when
someone would have a fever or a stomach issue like mind-diarrhoea. This
recipe can be prepared with green plantain also. Now let’s jump into the
details of this recipe:আদা জিরা দিয়ে ক্যাটলা মাছ এর ঝোল.
This preparation is preferred with fresh Catla mach,
Rohu mach, Magur mach, Singi mach and Chital mach.
Preparing for: Two Persons
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Catla fish- Two pieces of fish ( 50 grams each)
1. Ginger- 25 grams
2. Cumin/Jeera Seeds- 25 gram ( soak the jeera In
water)
3. Green Chillies- 6 medium size
4. Salt ( I have used Tata Salt Lite)- Salt as
per taste
5. Mustard Oil (I have used Engine Kacchi Ghani
Mustard Oil Grade I)- Four Table Spoon
6. Turmeric powder (I have used Everest Haldi
Powder)- One table-spoon
7. Bay Leaves – 2 small size
8. Potatoes- 2 Medium-sized
Utensils required
1. Kadai
2. Two plates
3. Three small bowls and a big bowl
4. Knife
5. Three Spoon
6. A big khunti or spatula
7. One-pot
The Course of Action
- Coat the fish with Turmeric and salt. Make sure that you coat the fish properly. Keep it aside to dry under the fan so that extra water droplets can evaporate
Peel the ginger and dice it roughly. Slit the chillies into two halves. Add them to the mixture. Use the whip mode twice. Make a semi-smooth mixture out of it.
- Turn on the heat. Add oil in the Kadai. Heat the oil. And add fish in it. ( This process is very tricky make sure to keep a safe distance of face and body from the pan. One can pour the fish with the help of a spatula so that you can keep up safe distance). Fry the fish gently till it becomes light brownish yellow colour. The take out the fried fish and keep it in a separate plate. Reduce the amount of oil if find excess.
Then peel the potatoes and slice it in flat semi-circular in shape. Coat the potatoes with salt and turmeric. Fry the potatoes in the same oil until it turns dark yellow colour.
- In a separate pot boil water in it add salt and turmeric.
- In the potato add bay leaves and add the three tablespoons of the previously prepared mixture. Stir it properly. When the masala starts releasing oil, add hot water and wait for a small boil. Then add the fried fish and stir it. Let the fish soak all the jhol in it. When the jhol starts bubbling, turn off the heat and keep the jhol in the Kadai for 10 minutes at least.
- ‘Ada Jeera diye Catla Mach er Jhol’ is ready to Serve with steamed rice (Garam bhaat).
Thank for reading
Hope you will try this recipe at home. And will
share valuable comments
Bye 👋
Reference
1.Sengupta, S. (2018) 9 Incredible Uses And Health
Benefits Of Ginger - From Digestion To Flu And Cold, Available at:
https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/9-incredible-ginger-benefits-from-digestion-to-fighting-flu-and-cold-1751065
(Accessed: 9th June 2020).
2. Ponnappa, S. (2019) Benefits Of Ginger Water: Why
You Should Have a Glass of Ginger Water Every Day, Available at:
https://food.ndtv.com/health/6-ginger-water-benefits-and-why-you-should-have-a-glass-of-it-every-day-1692618
(Accessed: 9th June 2020).
Sunday, June 7, 2020
Heeng Catla (হিং কাতলা)
This is my first blog. Here I will be sharing a simple but very tasty recipe of ‘Catla Mach’ (South Asian carp fish). This recipe was known to my mother and she passes on to me.
Today’s recipe is ‘Heeng Catla’
First of all, let’s know something about ‘Heeng’
(Asafoetida) and its benefits.
Heeng or Asafoetida is obtained from a herbaceous plant Ferula asafoetida (from Umbelliferae family). Heeng is the oleo gum resin acquired from the rhizome and root of the plant.
Heeng or Asafoetida is
very useful. Anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory characters of Asafoetida or
heeng help to reduce stomach problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS),
gas, intestinal worms and headache. It is also useful alleviation for
respiratory disorders like asthma, bronchitis and dry cough. Heeng is
identified as an accepted blood thinner and may help in decreasing blood
pressure levels. asafoetida helps in the menstrual pain and contraction in the
lower abdomen and back.
Now let’s jump into
the details of this recipe: Hing Catla
Preparing for: two persons
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
As the name suggests
the main ingredient of this curry is Catla Fish (South Asian Carp). This
preparation is preferred fresh Catla mach only. And the catla mach
I have taken is around 3 kg weight. I have requested the fish vendor to slice
the fish and make each portion of round 50 to 60 grams.
Catla- Two pieces of
fish
1. Asafoetida or Heeng
( I have used Everest Hing Powder)- Half a teaspoon Heeng
2. Kashmiri Red Chilli
Powder ( I have used Everest Kashmiri Lal)- One tablespoon red
chilli powder
3. Salt ( I have
used Tata Salt Lite)- Salt as per taste
4. Mustard Oil (I have
used Engine Kacchi Ghani Mustard Oil Grade I)- Four Table Spoon
5. Turmeric powder (I
have used Everest Haldi Powder)- One table-spoon
6. Black Cumin ( I
have used loose kaloo jeera )- Half Tea Spoon
7. Two Green Chillies
Utensils Required
1. Kadai
2. Two plates
3. One small mixing
bowl
4. Knife
5. Spoon
6. A big khunti or spatula
Course of action
1. Coat the fish with Turmeric and salt. Make sure that you coat the fish properly. (Otherwise, there is a high chance that you might get hurt by the hot oil while frying the fish and the best way to avoid such accidents is to dry the fish under the fan so that extra water droplets can be removed)
2. Turn on the heat. Add oil in the Kadai. Heat the oil. And add fish in it. ( This process is very tricky make sure to keep a safe distance of face and body from the pan. One can pour the fish with the help of a spatula so that you can keep up safe distance). Fry the fish gently till it becomes crispy from outside and soft white colour inside.
3. The take out the fried fish and keep it in a separate plate. Reduce the amount of oil if find excess. In the remaining oil add black cumin seeds and green chillies.
4. Take a small bowl and in it add salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and Heeng and mix it properly. (Make sure to remove lumps, before adding the mixture into the hot oil). Pour the mixture and stir it properly. When the masala starts releasing oil, add the fried fish and stir it. Add required amount of water and mix it. Let the fish soak all the masala in it. Wait for the boil. In the meanwhile keep stirring it (stir the curry lightly otherwise one might end up breaking the fish portion). After the broth has started boiling properly. Turn off the heat.
Yes ……..Heeng Catla is ready
Thank for reading
As I said this is my
first blog. I will be sharing more yummy and simple recipes.
Hope you will try this
recipe at home. And will share valuable comments
Bye 👋
Refences
[i] Poonam
Mahendra and Shradha Bisht (2012) 'Ferula asafoetida: Traditional uses and
pharmacological activity', Pharmacognosy Reviews, 6(12), pp.
142-146.
[ii] Rana, S.
(2018) 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Asafoetida We Should All Know
About, Available at: https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-asafoetida-we-should-all-know-about-1825666 (Accessed:
5th June 2020).