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.