Baked Lemon Garlic Dill Catfish

Ending the last day of the decade 2019 with a simple  yet scrumptious fish meal recipe that is ready for less than an hour from start to serve and full of hearty goodness of veggies and fresh fish. Just a few ingredients and the result is fantastic. This fish meal is super low carb to serve as is but you can serve any healthy grain like quinoa or brown rice on the side. 

Beetroot, Carrot and Potato curry

Vegetables are a big part of our daily diet, be it in curry, stir fried or salad and eating the vibrant colors of vegetables are packed with lots of nutritional benefits for our health. Most veg curry are plant based with minimal spices. This Beetroot curry is one my favorites winter curries with just few spices that my Ma cooked for breakfast or dinner served with roti. It is a simple plant based curry and mildly spiced to balance the natural sweetness of beetroot and carrot in the curry. It can be served with rice as well.

Andhra Chicken Curry

A typical South Indian chicken curry from Andhra Pradesh, India, made with aromatic spices and herbs. It's very rustic, bit tangy and loaded with spices. The heat and flavor come from the dried hot chilies, fresh red chilies and peppercorns. If you love South Indian spiciness this is definitely worth trying and it is best served with plain rice. 

Ca Kho To

Ca Kho To, a Vietnamese style braised catfish in clay pot served in any Vietnamese restaurant is to die for. Sweet-salty sauce is combined with fish sauce, brown sugar and coconut water. Fish stakes are nicely coated with the sauce and braised on low heat to develop caramelized flavor and nice dark brown color. Plain white rice and stir fried any vegetables are the perfect companions to savor this delicacy. Truly delectable, so flavorsome and easy to make restaurant style dish can be made in 30 minutes and great for weekdays. 

Patiala Murgh/ Patiala Chicken

I make varieties of chicken curries from different states of India for variation. Patiala Murgh is one of the flavorful and mildly spiced chicken curry I often make for my folks. It's an exquisite chicken dish from Patiala district in the state of Punjab, cooked on slow fire with aromatic spices and nutty paste, then finished off with cream for an extra rich taste and sometimes topped with boiled eggs or omelet.  

Scallops Provencal

Juicy seared scallops in a light sauce made with the combination of shallots,garlic,fresh parsley,black pepper and last but not least white wine is so fancy yet hearty,easy and quick to prepare for week week night dinner or any special occasion.

Badami Murgh

This royal chicken curry originated during Mughal era in India, is one of the exquisite non-veg dishes prepared by the royal chefs for Nawbabs. Badami Murgh may sound luxurious but it actually pretty easy to make, a simple chicken curry with the addition of a few extra elements.

Laal Shaaker Ghonto/ Red Amaranth Mishmash

A bowl full of  Laal Shaker Ghonto with rice takes me down the memory lane. It's a simple yet incredibly tasty leafy mishmash with potato, coconut and crunchy peanuts normally served as a starter with rice in Bengali lunch but I love to savor as main dish with rice or quinoa sometimes. Its taste and flavor remain exactly the same even if it doesn't leave reddish stains on fingers while mixing with rice.

Bengali Red Chicken Curry with Kaffir Lime Leaves

It's been 5 years of blogging journey and sharing a mouthwatering red version of Gondhoraj Murgi/Bengali Kaffir Lime Chicken Curry. I love chicken curry with just few staple ingredients from my pantry and it is a delightful meal with plain steamed rice that comes together in an hour from prep to serve. This is great for busy weeknight's meal or lazy weekend's lunch/dinner. Having a kaffir lime tree(it is still small) in the backyard means fresh, pesticides free leaves that I often use in drink and cooking for its intense aroma. Gondhoraj Murgi/Bengali Kaffir Lime Chicken Curry(white version) is an authentic Bengali dish I had shared in my previous post. This red  version is rich, bright, fiery looking but not so spicy though, simmered in medium thin gravy infused with lovely fragrant kaffir lime leaves and curry ingredients. A wonderful blend of simple Bengali curry spices and aromatic kaffir lime leaves are perfectly married together. It's a must try, bursting with lip smacking flavor and taste for everyone to savor with steamed rice. 

Gondhoraj Murgi/Bengali Kaffir Lime Chicken Curry

Gondhoraj Murgi/Bengali Kaffir Lime Chicken Curry, not to be confused with Thai curry, has a distinctive citrusy flavor. This is pure deliciousness when you try something different from the Murgir Jhol/Bengali Chicken Curry. Gondhoraj Lebu means "king of flavors" similar to kaffir lime in West Bengal, India and it is used in drinks, desserts and veg and non-veg curries. The intense aroma of kaffir lime leaves and lime juice gives the curry its unique taste and flavor. It's a wonderful balance of tang, sweet and spicy flavors. Serve on a bed of plain rice, either brown or white and it will be always a hit.

Spicy Baked Bong Style Catfish

Baked fish with vegetables is our family favorite. It's a quick and simple way using very basic ingredients to make a meal for lunch or dinner. I marinate fish and vegetables for 10-15 minutes; then simply bake them with perfection. It's very healthy, flavorsome, tender, juicy and absolutely out of this world with simple Indian spices. If you love keto friendly fish meal, do give it a try. It is a perfect accompaniment to brown rice if you want to add some whole grain.

Caramel Cream Cheese Flan

Caramel Flan is a creamy custard with eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar baked in a water bath to create smooth, rich and elegant perfection to satisfy sweet tooth. Flan originated in Spain and got popular all over the world. Adding cream cheese in the flan is Puerto Rican version that gives a thicker yet melt in mouth texture. If you love cheesecakes then it's a must try. 

Spring Asparagus Quiche

 

Spring is here so is tender asparagus in abundance. We have been devouring asparagus so many delicious ways and it's unbelievably cheap right now. This asparagus packed quiche is great for lunch or dinner. A simple cheese mixture of Gruyere and sharp cheddar pairs so wonderfully with slightly sauteed asparagus. I love its wonderful blend of flavors with cheese, eggs, herbs and asparagus making this dish a family favorite comfort food. This is a very rich dish and it perfectly goes well with hearty spring salad.  

Raspberry Cheesecake

I am a big fan of cheesecakes and I make so many different flavors that everyone raves about these cheesecakes. Today I am presenting another fantastic cheesecake from my kitchen. This velvety smooth pink colored cheesecake with a nut crust is flavored with fresh raspberry preserve and topped with whipped raspberry cream. It's a wonderful dessert for any occasion.

Bhola Macher Jhal/Atlantic Croaker in Spicy Mustard Gravy

I recently made this Atlantic croakier(also known as Bhola Mach in Bengali) cooked in a spicy mustard gravy with onion and garlic. This is a truly delectable Bengali fish curry served with steamed rice.

Lau Chingri/Bottle Gourd and Shrimp Curry

Lau Chingri/Bottle Gourd and Shrimp Curry is one of the very popular veg-fish dishes in Bengali households. You just need a few pantry ingredients and it will be ready in less than an hour. This curry is very tasty, flavorful and it has natural sweetness from bottle gourd and shrimp which is enjoyed with plain rice.

Doi Maach/Fish in Yogurt Sauce

Doi Maach is a signature fish curry in Bengali households made for festive occasions, family gatherings, weddings etc. A delicious slightly sweet yogurt sauce cooked in mustard oil with onion-ginger and aromatic spices makes this curry wonderfully velvety texture and rich flavor. We use Rohu or Katla type fatty fish for this curry that belongs to carp family found in rivers in South East Asia and Indian sub continents. Frozen Rohu or Katla can be found at some groceries but I use fresh wild Grass carp that tastes exactly like Rohu available at Oriental supermarkets.

Mung Bean and Green Papaya Stew(Pepe Diye Mung Dal)

Mung beans and green papaya is a very healthy yet delicious combination. This plant based stew is full of protein, vitamin and fiber. All you need for this refreshing stew, is steamed rice and you can indulge in deep fried shoestring potatoes once in a while as a side. It's a simple pleasure of delicious comfort meal any time of the year.

Thandai Cheesecake

Dol/Holi celebration in Spring, an ancient joyous Indian festival of colors also known as "Phagwa" falls on full moon day in Phalgun month(February or March).The celebration starts on Holi eve with a public holika bonfire in an open space where people gather, sing and dance which signifies "good over evil". Next day it is a  riot of colors where people are drenched in colored powder and water. They sing and dance; it's so much fun festival by letting go of past hurt feelings, renewing healthy relationships and sharing sweets with a common greeting "Happy Holi". In west Bengal it is called "Boshonto utshov or Doljatra. Each region has different rituals but  the spirit of celebration remains same. 

Dungeness Crab Chowder

A flavorful bowl of crab chowder with crusty bread and a leafy salad on the side is so heart warming on cold winter night. I love crab chowder with fresh dungeness crab that tastes absolutely out of this world! It is bit time consuming but well worth it. It's simple and great for family supper. I bought two fresh steamed dungeness crab from the Asian super market to skip the cooking part at home. I patiently de-shelled crabs for 45 minutes and I got almost 2 cups crab meat. It wasn't that complicated. The best part of home made chowders is more satisfaction with the quality than restaurant made and if you have a strong aversion to salt pork/bacon, this recipe is a keeper. 

Peper Dalna Bora Diye/Green Papaya and Lentil Fritter Stew

Green Papaya, Lentil fritters and Potato Stew is another amazing plant based dish. This stew type curry can be made with any seasonal vegetable(pointed gourd, ridge gourd squash, eggplant, cauliflower,pumpkin etc.) and potato which is famously known in Bengali cuisine "Dalna". Vegetables are usually cut in medium diced and gently spiced with  ginger, cumin-coriander powder and fresh chili. 

Green Papaya, Chickpeas and Potato Curry

Green Papaya, Chickpea and Potato Curry(Pepe, Kabulichola, Alu diye Torkari) is another simple Bengali veg recipe without onion and garlic is savored with rice or Indian flat bread(roti). This plant based curry is hearty, low fat and full of nutrients. Chickpeas add good source of protein and fiber in this curry. Its delicious broth with coconut milk, tomato and aromatic spices gives this curry a wonderful texture, flavor, color and great taste. I use dried chickpeas instead of canned version for better texture and natural flavor. 

Shrimp and Green Papaya Curry/Stew

This simple curry is a delicious Bengali recipe with a lightly spiced stew type thin gravy to enjoy with plain steamed rice. The whole shrimp infuses loads of flavor to the dish. It was one of my favorites since childhood days cooked by Ma,a fabulous,comforting recipe with simple ingredients.  

Chocolate Cheesecake

This decadent cheesecake is full of chocolate flavor with  a chocolaty nutty crust and topped with chocolate ganache, fresh berries and sliced almonds. It's a more chocolaty dessert than cheesecake for chocolate lovers to compliment any special occasion. 

Tel Koi/Climbing Perch Braised in Oil

Koi mach or climbing perch curry is one of Bengali's favorites in winter season and always made with minimal spices. A few weeks back I had shared very simple stew with cauliflower, potato and bori cooked in a lightly spiced ginger-tomato based broth. Tel koi is another recipe as its name implies, braised in very generous amount of mustard oil. Every family makes their own way with different spices. My Ma always cooked thin soupy type(patla jhol) and mustard gravy with minimum oil. As far as I remember she never used onion or garlic. For this recipe I use very little mustard paste, a few eggplant, potato wedges and not too much oil as it is supposed be. 

Halibut Korma

Korma or qorma is a Urdu word with its Turkic root meaning braising. Korma is one of the Mughlai dishes with finesse prepared in the royal kitchen mostly meat braised in creamy gravy along with other aromatic spices for the Nawbab rulers of the Indian sub continent. The meat can be replaced with fish and it is just as delicious. It's rich, creamy and aromatic dish served with plain rice or polau and salad. It tastes even better the next day.

Bengali Spiced Roasted Spatchcock Chicken

This is another tasty roasted whole chicken and vegetables with Bengali curry spice. It always comes out amazingly juicy, succulent and lip smacking, a very hearty delicious meal on a busy day. When I crave for simple Murgir jhol/Bengali type chicken curry  but don't feel like going through all these process from cleaning, cutting and cooking, I simple bake chicken with potato and other vegetables. If you prefer to have grain free meal this is absolutely perfect. I like this chicken meal with a fresh leafy salad on the side. It's irresistible! Serve it as appetizer as well. 

Three Bean Salad

This colorful, tangy sweet(but not so sweet though)hearty salad is so tasty to munch on any time of the day. It's a simple vegan, gluten free side dish that perfectly pairs with any meal and easy to make at home using simple pantry ingredients. Store unused portions in the refrigerator up to a week.   

Koi Macher Jhol/Bengali Climbing Perch Fish Stew

A very Bengali Koi Macher Jhol/fish stew with cauliflower, potato and bori cooked in a lightly spiced with ginger-tomato based broth in winter months is every Bengali's favorite to savor with steamed rice. Yes, Bengali people love macher jhol/thin gravy type fish stew. It's our ultimate non veg comfort food. I make this type of stews with different fresh water fish all year round. It's delicious!!

Chotpoti/Chickpea Salad

The good old days when I made new friends after moving in an apartments complex and we just clicked. Then we used to meet almost everyday, went for shopping together, had breakfast, lunch, late afternoon snack together, enjoyed evening stroll with unlimited chitchat. Yes, I am taking a nostalgic walk back to memory lane as I think about this lip smacking snack that I learned from my sweet Bangladeshi friend Silva. It's a very healthy snack studded with cucumber, tomato, red onion, cilantro and spicy black salt lemon dressing. 

Mixed Vegetable Quinoa Pilaf

My New year resolutions is to have more plant based foods; so beginning the year on a colorful heath note with quinoa pilaf. If you want to cut down on carbohydrate, quinoa is an excellent choice.  Quinoa(keen-wah) is fiber rich, higher in protein than any grain, hypoglycemic, meaning it won't spike blood sugar level, has highest amount of unsaturated fat, vitamins and minerals.