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.

Mung bean with Jack fruit Seeds

This Mung bean and jack fruit seeds stew spiced with fresh ginger paste and other basic spices is a very delicious vegan and vegetarian friendly dish can be enjoyed with plain rice and simple shallow fried eggplant, fried potato or any veggie fritters. 

Chirer Polao/Bengali Style Flattened Rice Pilaf

An easy, tasty and very satisfying Chirer Polao deliciously brings together different veggies, peanuts, slightly aromatic warming spices and a touch of sweet note from raisins and sugar. It takes only half an hour to make with simple pantry ingredients. Flatten rice pilaf is called poha in other parts of India as a very popular breakfast and it is sold by street food vendors. They make it very savory with less veggies.  

Radhaballavi

It’s been eight years documenting various recipes I learned and tried over the years on my blogging journey. It’s fun but loads of work to post after managing my family. Today I bring you a heavenly delicious Bengali style fried stuffed bread Radhaballavi which is  served at Bengali wedding ceremonies and as a special treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner in many Bengali households.

Water Spinach Mishmash/Kalmishaker Ghonto

Veggies are my all time favorites. I never get board of eating veggie dishes. Bengali or other Indian regional cuisines make immense variety of seasonal veggie dishes so many different ways with different spices, be it stir-fry with minimal spices, cooked in mildly spiced gravy or dry type. This water spinach curry with mixed vegetables gently spiced with ginger is slightly time consuming but it is worth the effort to have variety of vegetables all together in one dish. It can be served with steamed rice or roti. I learned it from one of my friend's mom who is originally from Dhaka in erstwhile East Bengal, now Bangladesh.  

Avial/Aviyal

Being a foodie I love to prepare different regional cuisines of India often. Recently I tried Avial/Aviyal for the first time, a signature Keralite mixed veggie medley and it turned out delicious. I think this is the easiest curry I had ever made. No sauteing required. It's just boiled veggies, then spiced coconut mixture mixed with yogurt and tempered whole spices in coconut oil stirred in the curry. Nothing can't be more easier that this one! 

Stir Fried Moringa Leaves

Moringa or drumstick tree is native to the Indian subcontinent, a super food with lots of health benefits and nutrients. Recently moringa got its popularity all over the world. Moringa powder is sold in health food stores but cooking fresh moringa is a delicacy. Fresh moringa leaves and flowers have a subtle flavor and slightly bitter taste and it can be used in so many tasty Bengali recipes.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Fall is pumpkin season and so many pumpkin inspired savory and sweet dishes are great treats to celebrate the spirit of the season with family and friends. No big Thanksgiving celebration this year though and it's important staying home, being healthy during this pandemic situation. So we are trying our best to enjoy holiday spirits with family this time!

Spiced Fig Jam

If life gives you figs, make fig jam to accompany with so many wonderful ways; spread on crackers, pita chips, toast, and bagels, even on roti and last but not least on cheese. Figs and Fig Jam are aesthetically appealing and they are great to incorporate with cake, cheesecake or tart filling and toppings. Ripe figs are naturally sweet; so spicing it up a little with crystallized ginger and chili takes to a different level. Fig Jam is perfect for fall and winter season. It's not too sweet; it’s delicious! 

Sabur Khichuri/Tapioca Pearl Mishmash

Sabur Khichuri is another comforting meal in Bengali households especially during Durga Pooja. People who observe fasting for any Hindu ritual, consume grain free pure vegetarian Satvik food afterwards. Bengali Sabur Khichuri is very different than Sabudana Khichdi from other states of India which is dry type. This one uses roasted mung bean along with veggies like cauliflower, potato, carrot, peas, green beans and peas etc.This no onion and no garlic recipe. The aroma of the roasted mung bean and the sauteed veggies with spices takes me down to memory lane. It tastes divine as is. You can always add fried eggplant, Papad and sweet chutney with it! Try this Sabur Khichuri. This is absolute one dish wonder whether fasting or not. 

Sabudana Khichdi/ Sago/Tapioca Pearl Pilaf

Sabudana khichdi is an easy and very popular Indian savory dish made with soaked sago/tapioca pearl, roasted peanuts and slightly spiced sauteed potato, served for breakfast, tea time snack and during Hindu rituals who observe fasting in the state of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and some other states. Sago or tapioca pearl is an acquired taste that is nicely balanced its chewy texture with crunchy peanuts and stir fried spiced potato mixture. This recipe makes 3-4 servings and it is satvik vegan, meaning no ghee, onion and garlic are used. 

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.

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. 

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.

Bhatura/Bhature

Bhatura/Bhature is a very soft, chewy, leavened, deep fried, puffy white North Indian bread served with Choley/Chana Masala. This famous North Indian delicacy is popular all over the world savored as a delicious meal for breakfast, brunch or dinner. The combo of Choley and Bhatura is match made in heaven.  

Alur Dom

   

Alur Dom is a very popular gravy based potato curry all over India and every region has its own variations. This is a Bengali style pure vegetarian(no onion-no garlic)and vegan Alur Dom with green peas. Dom or dum style potato means it is cooked on slow fire with the lid on for sometime that allows the spices and herbs to infuse the potatoes, resulting in a irresistible Alur Dom that every Bengali enjoys with Karaishutir Kachuri(green peas stuffed fried Bengali bread) Luchi(fried Bengali white bread) or just plain roti. 

Green Beans and Potato Curry

I love the smell of fresh green beans and small potatoes that reminds me a taste of winter in India. Ma used to make a simple curry with fresh young green beans and new potatoes often in winter months. This simple curry is very light, delicious and vegan that pairs perfectly with roti(hand made flat bread). I often make this comfort curry because I get these veggies all year round in my part of the world. All essential ingredients are just fridge and pantry staples. 

Chanar Dalna

Chanar Dalna is a Bengali version slightly sweet fried Indian cheese balls or square pieces curry along with diced potato simmered in a gravy called dalna which is basically made by tempering some whole  spices followed by a simple gravy made with ginger paste, tomato, cumin and coriander powder. The Chana balls or pieces are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The curry is mildly spiced and sweet with thin gravy. No onion and garlic are used in Dalna. Adding ghee and Bengali Garam Moshla at the end brings a  Satvik taste to this dish. It's is a very special dish during any Hindu ritual.

Bastani Sonnati/Persian Ice Cream

Bastani Sonnati, a simple Iranian traditional ice cream also known  as Persian ice cream. It is made from milk, sugar, rose water, saffron, and pistachios. We had this ice cream at an Iranian restaurant and the sever explained how easy it was to make with just a few ingredients at home.   

Doi Bora/Dahi Vada & Dahi Bhalle

Doi Bora/Dahi Vada, a famous Indian street food categorized as "chaat" served as cold for snacking or just as a meal. This lip-smacking colorful delicacy with lentil fritters soaked in whisked seasoned yogurt and sweet n sour tamarind chutney and topped with sev/gram flour fritters available across India and abroad.