Nankhatai....Cardamom Flavored Eggless Cookies

Holiday Season is here.......I just love this time of the year when you can see decorations everywhere. Everything is in the festive mood. Everything becomes bright colored and sparkling. You can see decorations and fairy lights all around. Even if you don't celebrate this festive season its very hard not to get enticed from these lights and decorations.

A light breeze of cold air, foggy mornings, warmth of the woolen clothes, fragrance of hot coffee are the things which we can enjoy at this time of the year. 

Baking is my way of celebrating festive season. The aroma of freshly baked cookies and cakes embarks holidays. This time I was very eager to bake a very basic cardamom flavored cookie which is also known as "Nankhatai" in India.

These cookies are very simple to make and require very few ingredients which we always have at our home. So, whenever you crave for some homemade cookies try them out. I can assure once you make and store it you can't keep yourself away from these goodies.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour (Maida): 1 cup
2. Butter (at room temp): 1 stick (113 gms or 4 oz)
3. Sugar (powdered): 3/4 cup
4. Baking Powder: 1/4 tsp
5. Green Cardamoms (crushed): 7-8
6. Salt a pinch

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl sift all purpose flour with salt and baking powder. Keep it aside.

2. Take a separate bowl and cream the butter with powdered sugar manually or with the help of a hand blender. Add half of the crushed cardamoms to this mixture.

3. Add the sifted flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture and knead it to form a smooth dough. Rest it for 10 mins.

4. In the meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 F.

5.  Now divide the dough into equal size balls. Shape them into bite size balls. Press the balls in the middle with your finger and add a pinch of crushed cardamom on it. 

7. Line a baking tray with a parchment paper and place the cookies on it. Bake them for 15-20 mins.

8. Take out the cookies and place them on cooling rack for 10 mins.

9. Enjoy them with your evening tea or coffee.

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Garlic Naan......Garlic Flavored Yeast Free Indian Flat Bread

Naan.......A flat Indian Bread which doesn't need much introduction. It is appreciated all over the world. A meal in an Indian restaurant is incomplete without having "Naan" in it. A Naan is an oval-shaped, soft, pillow-like bread which is brushed with butter and pairs well with every Veg and Non-Veg curries . 

Traditionally, Naans are prepared in Tandoor (Clay Oven) on extremely high temperature. Since I don't have that kind of oven I make it in my conventional oven. It can also be made on a stove-top or skillet. There are many variations of Naan. You can flavor it with whatever herb you want and stuff it with your choice of vegetable or meat.  

I always thought making Naan at home is impossible. The texture and taste we get in the restaurant is impossible to replicate. But then one fine day I made "Paneer Makhani" and was thinking it would taste great with "Garlic Naan". It was then I experimented with the recipe of Naan and was quite amazed with the result. 

So let's dig deep into the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour (Maida): 4 cups

2. Yogurt: 2 cups

3. Baking Powder: 1 and 1/2 tsp

4. Baking Soda: 1 tsp

5. Sugar: 1 tbsp

6. Salt to taste

7. Garlic (finely chopped): 5-6 cloves

8. Cilantro (finely chopped): handful

9. Butter: for brushing

10. Warm Milk: for kneading

Method:

1. In a large bowl sift all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. 

2. Add yogurt and stir well with a wooden spatula until the dough comes together. Knead the dough well with your hands by adding few drops of warm milk at a time.

3. Keep kneading until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. It should be sticky but will form a soft ball.

4. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it sit in a warm place for at least 2-3 hours or until it gets double in volume.

5. Preheat the oven to 475 F or 250 C.

6. Once the dough gets double in volume punch it down and divide it into equal sized round balls. Dust your work surface with little bit of flour and with the help of your rolling pin roll out each ball into an oval shape. It should be 5-6 inches long and thick enough.

8.  Sprinkle some chopped garlic and chopped cilantro and press it with light hands. This will help the garlic and cilantro to stick to the Naan.

9. Place each Naan on a greased or parchment paper lined baking tray. Brush it with melted butter and put it  in the oven for 3 mins or until you see some bubbles on the Naan.

10. Flip the Naan, brush with melted butter and again bake it for 1-2 mins.

11. Repeat the same process with the remaining balls. Serve hot with curry of your choice.

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Achari Aaloo.....Pickle Flavored Potatoes

Achari Aaloo.........Aaloo or Potato is very versatile root vegetable which fits into any curry you make. When it comes to Indian cuisine you can see generous use of potatoes. That's why there are so many recipes made with Aaloo whether its Dum Aaloo, Jeera Aaloo, Aaloo Paratha, Samosa and the list is never ending. There's a secret about Bengali's.....they can't imagine their Chicken or Mutton Curries without potatoes........Sssshhhhh

Somehow, I don't like potatoes because it adds lots of extra pounds. So I try to use them as minimum as possible in my daily diet. But, when it comes to Aaloo Paratha or Achari Aaloo I can't resist myself.

Achari Aaloo.....Achar means Pickle in English. But we don't use pickle in this recipe. Instead we use the spices which are used to make pickle to infuse the flavor of pickle. This dish gets its tanginess from Amchur Powder (Dry Mango Powder). You can replace it with vinegar or lime juice. There are many variations of this dish. You can replace potatoes with chicken, mutton, paneer, cauliflower or any other vegetable of your choice.

So, let's start with our finger licking piquant recipe:

Ingredients (For gravy):

1. Baby Potatoes: 10-12

2. Onions (finely chopped): 1 cup

3. Ginger-Garlic paste: 1 tbsp

4. Tomatoes(medium sized): 3 (finely chopped)

5. Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp

6. Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

7. Black Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

8. Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

9. Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

10. Dry red chilies: 1

11. Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp

12. Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tbsp

13. Cumin powder: 1 tbsp

14. Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

15. Amchur powder: 1 tbsp

16. Asafoetida (a pinch)

17. Mustard Oil for cooking (preferred)

18. Salt to taste

19. Green chilies (adjust to your taste)

20. Cilantro for garnishing

21. Green Peas (optional)

Ingredients (For Achari Masala):

1. Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp

2. Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

3. Black Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

4. Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

5. Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

6. Dry red chilies: 1

Method:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under "For Achari Masala". Let it cool down and coarsely ground it and keep it aside. Your achari masala is ready. 

2. Wash and peel the potatoes (I don't like to boil them since peeling them gets very tough and the shape of the potatoes gets bad). Prick them with a fork and marinate with salt and turmeric powder for 10 mins.

3. Take a heavy bottomed pan. Heat mustard oil on medium heat till smoking hot this will help to reduce its pungency. You can also use vegetable or canola oil. Fry the potatoes till they get a nice golden color. Take out the potatoes and set aside.

4. In the same pan (add more oil if needed) add fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, black cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chili. Let them crackle, take care not to burn them. Add a pinch of asafoetida.

5. Add the chopped onions and fry them till they become translucent. Now its time to add the ginger-garlic paste and fry them till the raw smell is gone. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they become soft and pulpy.

6. Once the oil gets separated add turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, amchur powder. Cover the lid and cook for 1 min. 

7. Add the fried baby potatoes and coat them with the masala. Add a cup of water, green chilies and green peas (optional). Let it cook for 5 mins with lid on top.

8. Open the lid and check the seasoning. Sprinkle the achari masala and stir with light hands. Switch off the heat. Garnish it with cilantro.

9. Enjoy your Achari Aaloo with Naan, Paratha or Chapati.

Note:

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Eggless Mango Mousse....No Cook No Bake Mango Mousse

Mango Mousse.......Yes, I know this is not the season of Mangoes but last week when I went out for grocery I saw a can of mango puree which caught my attention. Immediately, chain of "Dessert-full" thoughts ran through my mind because when it comes to Dessert my imaginations get wings and they fly randomly. I have a sweet tooth so does every Bengali and I love to try desserts from every cuisine.

These days fruits and vegetables don't have any season constraints. We can get all our favorite fruits and vegetables all year round but mangoes. We can get them in puree form tough and enjoy its taste throughout the year.

Mango is considered as the king of all fruits and it deserves too. It is also known as national fruit of India where summers are incomplete without them. 

There are endless recipes made from mangoes starting from pickles to sweets. The recipe I am going to share today is Eggless Mango Mousse. It's hassle free and requires very few ingredients.  A Mousse may be sweet or savory. Dessert Mousses are typically made from whipped egg whites or whipped cream and flavored with chocolate or fruit puree. I used Mangoes but you can use any fruit of your choice.

Ingredients:

1. Mango puree: 2 cups (You can use ripe mangoes too and puree it in a blender)

2. Gelatin: 1 tbsp

3. Heavy Whipping Cream: 1 cup

4. Powdered Sugar to taste
5. Strawberries for garnishing (optional)

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl pour the heavy whipping cream. Add the powdered sugar. Whip the cream with your hand blender until you get stiff peaks. You can also use your wire whisk for this. Using electric blender makes your life easy. This will take around 2-3 mins on medium speed.

2. Dissolve the gelatin in water as per the instructions on the packet. Mix well and keep it aside.

3. Now, in a separate bowl take the mango puree. Add the dissolved gelatin and combine well so that the gelatin gets dissolved completely.

4. Now add the whipped cream to this mixture. Fold in the cream very gently. 

5. Check the sweetness and transfer this mixture into a big size serving dish or individual glasses.

6. Refrigerate it for at least an hour or until set. Remove from refrigerator 5 mins prior serving and garnish it as you like.

7. Enjoy your rich and creamy Eggless Mango Mousse  

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Paneer Butter Masala.....Cottage Cheese in a rich creamy gravy

Paneer Butter Masala.......Whenever I hear this name a clear view of Paneer cooked in bright orange colored rich creamy gravy runs through my mind which looks so inviting.  Anyway let me stop my day-dreaming and return to the post.

I am a great fan of North Indian cuisine may be that's because I have spent 7 years of my life in Punjab, India. So ask me anything vegetarian, I would say it's Paneer Butter Masala. A very popular North Indian dish which has now secured its place in the menu card of most of the Indian restaurants around the globe. As the name is self explanatory Paneer (Cheese) cooked in Butter and flavored with various spices. The gravy is thickened by using cream and cashew nut paste (though optional) which serve as the base of the gravy.

I love each and every preparation of Paneer whether its Palak Paneer, Matar Paneer, Paneer Paratha, Paneer Bhurji and the list goes on......

I don't find much difference between "Paneer Butter Masala", "Paneer Makhani" and "Shahi Paneer" where all these dishes are made with onions, tomatoes, butter, cream and nuts. It solely depends upon the preference of the cook to add or subtract the ingredients. Whatever the case is, the end result is scrumptious and mouth watering dish served on your plate.

Ingredients:

1. Paneer (Cottage Cheese): 250 gms

2. Onions (roughly chopped): 1 cup

3. Garlic(finely chopped): 2 tbsp

4. Ginger (juliennes): 1 tbsp

5. Tomatoes (large): 3

6. Cashew nuts: 7-8

7. Green Cardamoms: 2-3

8. Mace (Javitri): 1 floret

9. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp

10. Kashmiri red chili powder: 2 tsp

11. Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp

12. Kasuri Methi: 1 to tbsp

13. Salt to taste

14. Sugar to taste (optional)

15. Butter: 4-5 tbsp

16. Green Chilies: 2-3 (adjust to your requirement)

17. Cilantro for garnishing

Method:

1. Cut the Paneer (Cottage Cheese) in whatever shape you like. I like to cut it in triangles and soak them in warm water.

2. Soak the cashew nuts in warm water and grind it into thick paste.

3. Place a pan on medium heat and add in the butter. Let it melt; add green cardamoms and mace. Once you get a nice aroma add chopped onions and fry them till they get a nice brown color. 

4. Add garlic and fry them for 1-2 mins. Now add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, kasuri methi, salt and sugar. Mix all these spices together. Cover the lid and cook till tomatoes gets mushy.

5. Let the mixture cool down and then make a smooth puree, strain it well to discard the seeds of cardamoms or pieces of mace.

6. In the same pan add rest of the butter, as the butter melts add julienned ginger and green chilies. Let it cook for 1-2 mins and then add the strained puree. Cover the lid and let it cook for 8-10 mins.

7. Add paneer pieces and cashew nut paste. Adjust the consistency of the gravy, if it looks too thick add few tbsps of hot water. Let it cook for 2-3 mins. 

8. Now its time to add fresh cream and stir gently. Check the seasoning and adjust it as per requirement. Cook for another 5 mins. Garnish it with cilantro.

9. Your Paneer Butter Masala is ready to serve. Enjoy it with naan, paratha or fried rice.

Note:

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Garlicky Egg Curry....A simple recipe to satisfy any Garlic-a-holic

"Sunday Ho Ya Monday Roj Khao Ande"..............we all have seen that advertisement in our childhood. Me and my husband both are egg lovers. Whenever I don't like to cook anything I reach out for the eggs in our refrigerator and yes, they never disappoint me. 

Egg is a very versatile cooking ingredient. You can cook it the way you like and it tastes good in any form you cook either its poached, scrambled, omelette, boiled, or in a curry . Yesterday it was a very dull day for me and I wasn't feeling to cook anything and suddenly this Egg Curry struck in my mind which wouldn't take much time to cook and pairs well with anything starting from naan, paratha, chapati, fried rice or simply a bowl of steamed rice.

For this recipe you need hard boiled eggs. You would have noticed, usually eggs get cracked while boiling or at times even after boiling you have hard time to peel them off. It's due to the temperature. When you take out eggs from the refrigerator and put it in boiling water it tends to crack. So here is the trick which I learnt. Take a pan with cold water, dip the eggs in it and add a teaspoon of salt (this will prevent the eggs from cracking). Place the pan on low heat. After 5-6 mins increase the heat to medium and let it boil for 7-8 mins. Remove the pan and run the eggs under cold tap water. So, here you are with the easily peeled hard boiled eggs.

Now let's start with our recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Hard boiled eggs: 6

2. Onions (medium sized): 2

3. Potatoes (medium sized): 2 (cut into wedges)

4. Tomatoes (medium sized): 3 (chopped)

5. Cumin seeds: 1/4 tbsp

6. Garlic (crushed): 8-9 cloves

7. Green chilies: 4 (adjust to your taste)

8. Turmeric powder: 1/2 tbsp

9. Kashmiri red chili powder: 1/2 tbsp

10. Salt to taste

11. Oil for cooking

12. Cilantro (Coriander leaves) for garnishing

Method:

1. Boil the eggs as explained above.

2. Peel the eggs (I like to make a slit on the eggs for salt and other spices to get in easily) and potatoes, sprinkle a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and set it aside for 5-6 mins.

3. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Fry eggs and potatoes till they get a nice golden hue. 

4. In the same pan add some more oil (if required), add the cumin seeds, let them crackle, now put the onions and fry them until they are translucent.

5. Its time to add in our main ingredient i.e Garlic. You can use garlic paste too but garlic tastes best when its crushed. You can use your mortar and pestle or garlic crusher for this. Cook for 2-3 mins.

6. Add the tomatoes and cook till they get nice soft and pulpy. Add green chilies, salt, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder. Cook for another 5-6 mins or until the oil gets separated.

7. Add half cup of water, cover the lid and cook for 1-2 mins. Add the fried eggs and potatoes. Cook for another 2 mins.   

8. Remove the pan from heat. Garnish it with cilantro and serve hot with rice or chapati.

Note:

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Rui Macher Jhal......Rohu Fish in Mustard Sauce (My go-to Fish Curry)

Maach-Bhaat (Fish and Rice) is every Bengali's comfort food. A Bengali's love for fish is endless. There is a popular saying too "Mache Bhate Bangali" i.e. Fish and Rice makes a Bengali. We eat so many different fishes starting from fresh water ones like Rohu, Katla, Pabda to salt water fishes like Hilsa, Pomfret etc. But to be very frank I like only specific fishes maybe because I grew up mainly in Central India where we would get only 2-3 varieties. Whatever the reason is, the varieties I eat I just love them.

Here in Portland, Oregon we get Rohu, Hilsa, Pabda, Tangra etc in a Middle-Eastern shop but all in frozen form. Thanks to an Asian store out here where we get fresh fishes like Shrimp (Prawn), Pomfret, Bhetki and Tilapia (lately I started eating that). 

The recipe which I am going to share today is generally prepared with Hilsa or Ilish but I have seen my Mom to make it with Rohu too but with a slight twist. She adds cumin seeds along with the mustard seeds which not only reduces the pungency of mustard seeds but also gives a nice flavor to the dish. I like to make it the way she does. So, let's dig into the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Rohu/ Katla Fish (medium sized): 6 pieces

2. Mustard Seeds: 2 tbsp

3. Cumin Seeds: 1 tbsp

4. Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp

5. Salt to taste

6. Mustard Oil (preferable, you can use vegetable oil too): for cooking

7. Green chilies

8. Cilantro (Coriander leaves): for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash the fish pieces and pat dry them with a paper towel.

2. Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder and keep it aside for 10-15 mins.

3. In the meanwhile make a paste with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, salt, turmeric powder and green chilies. 

4. Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan on medium-high heat. If you are using mustard oil then heat the oil till smoking hot, this will help in reducing its pungency. Now reduce the heat to medium and add the marinated fish pieces and fry them on both the sides. Don't fry them too much just 1-2 mins.

5. In the same pan (you don't need to remove the fish pieces) add the mustard seeds paste. Add the desired amount of water. Cover the lid and let it cook for 2-3 mins. Once the gravy thickens to the desired consistency add just 1 tsp of mustard oil and turn off the heat.

6. Rui Macher Jhal is ready, serve hot with steamed rice.

Note:

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