ChyaNchra/Mixed Vegetable Mismash with Fish Head

Bengalis are fish lovers and they are not averse to eat most part of fish except for scales and fins. A mixed vegetables and fish head mishmash is a special dish known as ChyaNchra made in almost every Bengali household and Bengali ceremony like weddings or annoprashon(baby's first rice eating ceremony)for lunch. Fish stakes are prepared into a delicious main dish at formal dinner in the actual ceremony and fish heads need to be used up somehow; so this famous dish got created with vegetables, fish heads, oils and gills with some spices. This recipe has been passed down for generations in Bengali households and it tastes insanely delicious! It's a delicacy we grew up with but unfortunately it's not that much appreciated dish among younger generation anymore. 

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.  

Hilsha with Taro, Eggplant and Amaranth Stems

A lightly spiced soupy type Hilsa curry with eggplant, small taro and amaranth stems is nothing but one of the simplest yet tastiest one dish meal with plain simple rice that I learned from one of my maternal cousins whose paternal family belongs to Faridpur district of Bangladesh. It's a popular Hilsha curry in my cousin's household during the rainy season when Hilshas are very abundant. Most Hilsha curries are tempered with nigella seeds, but a tempering of celery seeds in this recipe makes the difference and it turns out so darn delicious.

Bengali Style Chow Mein

This Asian inspired Chow Mein became popular in Bengali households during late 80’s. It is mainly prepared with veggies and sometimes eggs are added. As far as I remember during winter months when colorful veggies like bell pepper, green onion, carrot and cauliflower(yes, you heard it right) are easily available and not so expensive made Chow Mein extraordinarily great tasting that was served only with spicy tomato chili sauce on top yet it was optional. Soy sauce was not a pantry ingredient but spicy tomato chili sauce and ketchup were very popular back in the day. Rest of the year for quick lunch box or evening snack Chow Mein was made with potato and onion only and I liked it as is but some people of course wanted  with tomato chili sauce. This Chow Mein brings back lot of memories. I am not sure how many people actually make this way any more but I still do. 

Singapore Noodles

Singapore noodles packed with curry flavor for quick lunch or supper is great for any days. According to Wikipedia, it's a very popular Cantonese style noddles in Hong Kong with no connection with Singapore. Stir fried colored vegetables along with rice vermicelli, shrimp, egg and other meat are used in this easy cooking process that takes only 30 minutes. The classic curry sauce is a salty, spicy but not too spicy and slightly sweet concoction. I double for more kick. This is absolutely delicious to savor leftovers for the next day and it's definitely a keeper.

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! 

Chicken Yahkni Pulao

Yakhni Pulao is a very easy amazingly delicious rice and meat dish that I make for special weekend meal sometimes. This Kashmiri specialty rice dish originated in the Middle East and brought by Mughal rulers. Yakhni in Persian language means stock of meat with aromatic spices where meat is semi cooked first, drained and sauteed with spices then rice and meat are cooked in the favored stock over low heat. Yakhni adds a depth of flavor that gives the richness to the Pulao. This one dish rice meal is so irresistible that we don't mind having the leftovers the next day.