Palak Aloo/Stir Fried Spinach Potato

Simple stir-fried spinach-potato dish is comforting that requires lots of spinach, green peas, some diced potato, onion and garlic. Lots of green goodness has huge nutrition value. I use baby spinach leaves but big ones are also fine. Potatoes are cooked till 90 % done then I stir fry spinach leaves until they wilt and incorporate with potato well. This method keeps spinach green. I serve it alongside lentil and rice, or just with hand roti. Very easy and satisfying vegan meal. 

Stir Fried Bitter Gourd & Pumpkin

Bitter gourd is an acquired taste that is complemented the way we cook in Bengali cuisine by using lentil, mixed vegetable(Shukto/Bitter Sweet Mixed vegetable Medly) and other ingredients. Bitter gourd is an excellent palate cleanser and any bitter gourd item is served in the beginning of any meal so that next delicious items can be savored wonderfully.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala is char-grilled (on the BBQ grill or in the tandoor oven) boneless marinated chicken pieces smothered in the amazing rich & creamy gravy made of flavorful spices, ginger, garlic, onion, tomato, yogurt and cream. Chicken Tikka can be grilled in a oven or pan-seared on the stove top at home as well. The gravy is bit tangy-sweet velvety textured and the wonderful North Indian curry spices delivers exotic flavor. It's an incredible dish to devour with family and friends!

Bengali Fried Rice/Ghee Bhat

Aromatic Basmati cooked rice is stir fried with ghee, some veggies, cashew nuts, raisins and some dry spices is great side dish with lentil, vegetable, paneer, chicken or meat curries. We Bengali call this pretty, colorful and fragrant rice "Ghee Bhat/Fried Rice" ; it's so very tasty and simple to put together that can easily satisfy the crowd. The flavor is so excellent that makes the whole house smelling heavenly! This rice dish is often served at special occasions like bridal shower, wedding, rice eating, and so many more  ceremonies, festivals or simple family get together. 

Kalier Dal/White Lentil Stew

Kalier Dal/White Lentil Stew is the most favorite lentil for West Bengal people anytime of the year alongside with potato-poppy seeds curry. This simple combo is a delicacy for them. On the other hand, for the Baagal folks (people from Bangladesh(erstwhile East Bengal) this lentil is not that popular and they make it bit differently. My mother served this lentil either with any veggie fritters or with Chola-Matordaler Bora. This is very wholesome summertime comfort meal in Bengali households.

Uttapam and Vegetable Paniyaram

I made so many batches of Dosa batter in these lock down months even South Indians would be surprised. My kids loves to snack on them without any accompaniments. I shared Dosa and explained well here in the Dosa post. Using one simple Dosa batter so many things can be made. Uttapam is one of them topped with onion and and other veggies served alongside Chutneys and Sambar are perfect lunch or dinner for us. Uttapams is kind of thick pancake and soft,fluffy texture. They are So tasty. If Chutneys and Sambar are finished but some batter remains I don't mind to savor Uttapam just like that. 

Mushur Dal & Chola-Mator Daler Bora/Red Lentil Fritters & Husked Black Chickpeas-Yellow Split Peas Fritters

Lentil fritters and Lentil Curry with plain steamed rice is a soulful combo in Bengali households. They are so tasty and they only require minimum pantry ingredients, yet full of crispy-crunchy deliciousness. There are lots of variations but these two types of fritters are very popular for most Bengali households. They can be served as starter with tea and puffed rice too.

Amish Alur Dom/Potato Curry with Onion-Garlic Gravy

This is a classic Bengali Amish Alur Dom(potato curry) smothered with onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and spices cooked on Dom method/slow fire with the lid on. Amish in Bengali vegetarian dishes use onion and garlic. There is an another pure vegetarian(no onion-no garlic) version I shared to serve with Kachuri (fried stuffed bread) and Luchi(Bengali fried white bread). 

Neem Shukto/Neem Leaves and Mixed Vegetable Medley

Neem leaves and mix vegetable medley from Bengal is a humble beginning for lunch with plain rice. The right of mixture of neem leaves and other vegetables with minimal spices give an excellent palate cleansing dish to have it with plain rice or just a bowl of itself is so satisfying. This dish is very wholesome with subtle flavor. Neem leaves are much more bitter than bitter melon. So the concoction of neem leaves and mix vegetables must be balanced carefully. If the dish ends up too bitter it may not be pleasurable at all.

Coffee Ice Cream

I have never made so much ice cream before; because of the Covid-19 pandemic situation around, I am trying to make everything at home. I am sharing another decadent ice cream dessert for coffee lovers. Rich creamy coffee ice cream with freshly brewed dark roast coffee absolutely satiates sweet tooth. It is so smooth, creamy, rich without any topping and it is perfect for hot summer days. 

Dak Bungalow Chicken Curry/Chicken Dak Bungalow

Dak Bungalow Chicken Curry/Chicken Dak Bungalow, a very simple and flavorful rustic chicken curry with eggs and potatoes in a soupy type dish with minimal spices was created during British colonial times in India by the Khansamah or care taker of the Dak Bunglow. This wonderful dish may not be as popular as in the Anglo Indian households these days but all I can say is, Bengali's famous simple yet tasty Murgir Jhol/Chicken Curry got inspired by this preparation. 

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Pecan is a staple pantry ingredient in our household. We love pecans in so many things. I use pecan in porridge, trail mix, cheesecake crust or just simply munch on it. I thought of making Pecan Ice Cream a long time ago but I always ended up buying it. I had a big carton of heavy whipping cream in the refrigerator for a while that was used in cake frosting, cooking, and Persian Ice Cream. There was still some left, so I had to make Pecan Ice Cream.

Persian Love Cake

Persian cuisine is all time family favorite, be it sweet or savory. When I first time made this unique cake 5 months back, I was quite skeptical about using ground almond and pistachio in the cake batter. But it turned out so delicious and moist, infused with a distinctive Persian flavor. It rose so beautifully and we loved its perfect balance of cardamom, rose water and saffron flavor.The cake was not too sweet but incredibly rich and delicious. My tween made it a few days back with a little bit of help from me and it turned out great. She made Bastani Sonnati also known as Persian Ice Cream as well and I paired it with Persian Love Cake. Trust me, it takes to a whole new level. 

Lemon Cake

My tween(soon to be seventh grader) has shown an interest in baking and cooking lately. She baked Victoria Sandwich Cake(haven't posted yet) and Brownie Bottom n Brownie Swirl Cheesecake last week following my recipe all by herself except for the oven part. To make this cake, I contributed only 20% and rest was taken care of by my tween; having said that, I did the baking part, icing and of course photography, write up and tween did the rest. This is a wonderful way to find happiness during this mundane moments of quarantine life. It's a sheer bliss to see the cake rising in the oven so beautifully and releasing from the pan very easily. Measuring and mixing were just perfect. It was an excellent job; what's a pleasure to taste something delicious and perfect made by my little girl.