The other 364 days can be all about snatching the remote, sneaking the chocolates, giving major eye rolls and channeling your inner Feluda to snoop and ‘inform’ the folks, but on Bhai Phonta, it’s all about love, love and love for the jigar ka tukra sibling. And what’s a better love language than indulge in a gala spread to celebrate the bond? This Bhai Dooj, My Kolkata brings to you a few recipes that will ensure a tight hug and perhaps an extra gift from your sibling.
Quick Kaju Pulao
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A simple pulao that will compliment the rich flavours of Pork Kosha.
Ingredients
- Cashew: 10-15 pieces
- Basmati rice: 1 large cup
- Cardamom: 2-3 pieces
- Bay leaf: 2 large
- Sugar: To taste
- Salt: To taste
- Ghee: 3-4 tablespoons
Recipe
- Wash basmati rice and soak in room temperature water for 15 minutes. Strain excess water
- Fry cashew in ghee until golden in a kadhai
- In the same kadhai, add some more ghee and temper the cardamom pods and bay leaves
- Add rice and saute until the rice is translucent
- Add lukewarm water and cover. Cook until the rice is ready. Don’t forget to stir at regular intervals
- Add salt and sugar and mix well. Cook for another 1-2 minutes to dissolve sugar properly. Serve hot
Hing-Gota Roshun Pork Kosha
Pooja Mitra
An offbeat pork recipe that’s spicy, aromatic and simply delicious.
Ingredients
- Pork: 1kg (70:30 meat-fat ratio)
- Hing (Asafoetida): 1 and ½ teaspoon
- Whole garlic: 1 medium
- Onion paste: 2+1 tablespoons
- Garlic paste: 1 + ½ tablespoons
- Ginger paste: 1 + 1 tablespoons
- Green chilli paste: 2 teaspoons
- Kashmiri red chilli paste: 2 tablespoons
- Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder: 2 teaspoons
- Coriander powder: 2 teaspoons
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Mustard oil: 3 tablespoons
- Hung curd: 4 tablespoons
- Salt: To taste
Recipe
- Wash pork and strain excess water
- Marinate pork with 2 tablespoon onion paste, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 tablespoon ginger paste, 2 tablespoons green chilli paste, 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli paste, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 2 teaspoons turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 4 tablespoons hung curd, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon mustard oil. The suggested marination time is overnight or at least 1 hour
- In a pressure cooker add two tablespoons of mustard oil and heat well. Add bay leaf and hing, and temper the spices
- Now add 1 tablespoon onion paste and saute well
- Next goes ½ tablespoon garlic paste and 1 tablespoon ginger paste. Saute well
- Add the marinated meat and whole garlic, and mix well with the spices. Turn the flame high and fry the meat for 2-3 minutes
- Turn the flame low and put the lid loosely. Allow the meat to cook and curd to release water for another 25 minutes. Stir at regular intervals
- Add lukewarm water as per your gravy requirement and salt
- Cook on low flame for 3-4 whistles. Check seasoning and serve piping hot
Prawn Salad
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A chingri recipe, but in a healthy, salad form.
Ingredients
- Prawns: 10-15 pieces
- Finely sliced cucumber: 1 large
- Finely sliced tomato: 2 large
- Finely sliced onion: 2 large
- Finely sliced green tomato: 1 medium
- Finely sliced gondhoraj lemon: 1 large and semi ripe
- Lemon juice: 4-5 tablespoons
- Chilli flakes: 2 teaspoons
- Crushed black peppercorns: 2 tablespoons
- Pink salt: To taste
- Ginger juice: ½ teaspoon
- Lemon zest: ½ teaspoon
- Butter: 2 tablespoons
Recipe
- Marinate prawns with some salt and black pepper. Heat butter in a pan and toss the prawns
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and give a good mix, and your salad is ready
Moong Dal Halwa Canape
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Have you tried the festive favourite Moong Dal Halwa, but as a canape?
Ingredients
- Store bought canapes: 10-12
- Moong dal: 100-150 gm
- Ghee: 6-8 tablespoons
- Finely chopped cashew: 10
- Finely chopped raisins: 10
- Halved almonds: 10
- Cardamom powder: 1 teaspoon
- Rose water: ½ teaspoon
- Full fat milk: 500 to 700 ml
- Condensed milk: 4-5 tablespoons
- Powdered sugar: To taste (4-6 tablespoons)
Recipe
- Dry roast moong dal for 2-3 minutes on low flame and keep aside
- Add ghee in a kadhai and heat. Add moong dal, cashew and raisins and saute for about 2 minutes
- Now add powdered sugar and mix well. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until sugar caramelises
- Add cardamom powder and saute for 4-5 seconds and then add milk. Mix well and cover on low flame. Stir at regular intervals and cook the milk and dal mix until dal is cooked and the outcome is that of a soft and gooey halwa
- Add condensed milk and rose water and mix. Cook for 2 minutes and turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool a little
- Take a canapes and pour dollops of halwa in each canape. Garnish with almonds. Serve the ready halwa canapes or keep them in freezer for 15-20 minutes and serve chilled