Doi Ilish/Hilsha in Yogurt Sauce

I started this blogging journey eleven years ago. Life got super busy that I couldn’t post as much as I wanted for past few years;  especially 2023, I just vanished from blogging. But my passion for cooking never faded away. However I never stopped posting on my Instagram whatever I cooked. I came back slowly to blog and excited to share recipes. I got connected with people through my blogging journey. I completely missed my blog's 11th birthday last week. So, better late than never and today, I am sharing an amazing Hilsha recipe that passed down to my mother from a close family friend. It became one of our family favorites. It’s so drool worthy and definitely a keeper. 

Stir Fried Sugar Snap Peas

I recently had this amazing sugar snap pea stir-fry at friend’s house. Sugar snap pea is great on its own with yogurt dressing, full of protein and fiber. But this stir fry became a pretty regular thing with different spices since then. This is the easiest and almost requires no spices. It is a quick and easy side dish for busy weeknight dinners. I just sometimes enjoy having it as whole meal. It’s delicious, filling and satisfying.

Chicken Adobo

I love exploring different foods from around the world. I met a lovely lady from Philippines a couple of weeks back at work. We instantly got connected. We both are foodie and shared good sense of humor. She is great cook and introduced me to delicious chicken adobo which is national dish of Philippines. Tender chicken braised in a rich, savory, tangy, slightly sweet sauce consisting of soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and a little spicy kick of freshly crushed peppercorns. It was so good. The depth of flavor was incredibly satisfying.

Chicken Rezala

Rezala is a rich meat dish yet subtle gravy with aromatic spices, yogurt, milk/ cream and nuts created during Mughal era in Kolkata. This is very similar to korma. But its thin delicate gravy makes Rezala so unique. It is so delicious having rezala with naan and paratha. It pairs greatly with Polau as well. 

Traditionally mutton is used for rezala; but Chicken Rezala became its popularity as a lighter option over the years. Original recipe is very rich with ghee laden sauce. I tweaked it to make with less oil and ghee, yet it tastes incredible. 

Mishti Doi, a fermented sweet yogurt is pure delicacy of the sate of West Bengal, Odisa and Bangladesh. Any auspicious occasion requires Mishti Doi. It is made of thickened milk, yogurt culture and sugar, set in an earthen pot, wrapped in a heavy blanket then left in warm place to ferment overnight. Traditionally Mishti Doi gets its light brown color by caramelized sugar. It doesn't need any flavoring or toppings. 

Whole Spinach Curry with Mixed Vegetables/Shish paloker Ghonto

 

Shish Palonger Ghonto is another winter staple cooked with plenty of different vegetables like pumpkin, eggplant, cauliflower, radish, sweet potato and lentil dumplings. Shish palong means whole big spinach with hard stems only available in winter months in India. This is available in Asian groceries call Taiwanese spinach.

Raddish Mismash/Mulor Ghonto

Mulor Ghonto is a winter dish and very understated dish. Ghonto may literally means mash; but it is more about coated nicely everything together. Winter is an abundance of fresh produce of different colors from leafy greens to all types of vegetables and comparatively inexpensive. Therefore,so many ghonto dishes are made in  Bengali households. It requires minimal spices and enjoyed with rice or roti.