After the delights of morning bhog, Ashtami calls for something meaty and delicious. Since mutton was on the My Kolkata menu for Saptami, how about trying a pork and a fish recipe on Ashtami? For the festive feast, we’re travelling to Assam, starting with the bowl of soul food that is Poita Bhaat, accompanied by some Til Gahori and Patot Diya Maas, and ending on a sweet note with Til Pitha.
(You can find last year’s Bengali recipes for Ashtami here.)
Poita Bhaat
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Poita Bhaat or the Assamese version of Panta Bhaat is the kind of soul food we cannot ever get enough of.
Ingredients:
- Cooked rice: 2 large cups (to be soaked overnight)
- Cold water: 2 large cups
- Hung curd: ½ cup
- Finely chopped onion: 1 large
- Finely chopped green chillies: 2-3
- Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
- Salt: To taste
Method:
- Soak the cooked rice in water overnight
- Next day, add rice and some of the water in a mixing bowl
- Beat the hung curd gently and add to the rice, along with the chopped vegetables
- Pour the rice on a plate and drizzle mustard oil. Put the salt on the side. Your bowl is ready
Aloo Pitika
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Bengal’s aloo sheddho or aloo bhaate has an Assamese version, and the simplicity and flavour makes it a perfect accompaniment with the Poita Bhaat and Til Gahori.
Ingredients:
- Boiled potatoes: 2 large
- Finely chopped green chillies: 2
- Finely chopped coriander leaves: 1 tbsp
- Finely chopped onion: 1 small
- Salt: To taste
- Mustard oil: 1 tbsp
Method:
- Peel the potatoes and mash them well so there no lumps or uncooked bits
- Add all the ingredients and mash gently again. Check seasoning and enjoy
Til Gahori
Pork lovers, this recipe with black sesame seeds has to be on your Ashtami menu. (Psst… Put some aside to enjoy with your evening drinks at the Navami house party!)
Ingredients:
- Pork: 1kg (70:30 meat:fat ratio)
- Black sesame seeds (kaalo til): 50gm
- Finely chopped onions: 2 large
- Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tbsp
- Bay leaf: 1 large
- Cinnamon stick: 1 medium
- Cardamom: 2
- Red chilli powder: 2 teaspoons
- Lime juice: 4 tablespoons
- Slit green chillies or green chilli paste: 1-2 tbsp
- Salt: To taste
- Mustard oil: 2-3 tbsp
- Lukewarm water: 500ml
Method:
- Marinate pork with ginger-garlic paste, salt and 2 tbsp lime juice and set aside
- Dry roast the sesame seeds for about 45 seconds on low flame. Transfer to a grinder and add a little water to make a smooth paste
- Add mustard oil in a pan and heat. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cardamom, and saute till aromatic
- Fry the onions until they are golden brown
- Add pork, red chilli powder, mix together and cook the meat with all the ingredients in the pan
- Fry the meat on medium heat, stirring at regular intervals for 10-12 minutes. Add a splash of water if you find the spices and/or the meat sticking to the pan
- Once the meat is half-cooked and nicely fried, add the sesame paste, green chilli paste or slit green chillies, a pinch of salt and the remaining lime juice. Coat the meat with the paste and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes
- Now add lukewarm water and cook on low heat until the meat is ready
Patot Diya Maas
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A relative of Bengal’s paturi, Patot Diya Maas or fish in banana leaves is a fish recipe that is quick to make and rich in flavour. Take inspiration from the recipe and cook it with chhoto maach available here.
Ingredients:
- Small fish (kachki, mourola, choto desi tangra): 300gm
- Banana leaves: 4 large (Keep some extra, they are fragile)
- Green chilli paste: 3 green chillies and 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Turmeric powder: 2 tsp
- Salt: To taste
- Mustard oil: 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
- Some cotton string
Method:
- Wash the fishes well and strain any excess water. Marinate with turmeric powder, salt, green chilli-lime juice paste and mustard oil.
- Toast the banana leaves lightly on both sides on open flame and keep aside
- Now make a bed of banana leaves using 3-4 broad strips
- Place the marinated fish at the centre and wrap carefully from all sides. Tie with a string
- Heat a flat pan or tawa. Place the banana leaf wrapped fish on the tawa. Cover with a lid
- Roast each side for minimum 7-10 minutes
- Uncover, pour a teaspoon of mustard oil and enjoy
- Wash the fishes well and strain any excess water. Marinate with turmeric powder, salt, green chilli-lime juice paste and mustard oil.
- Toast the banana leaves lightly on both sides on open flame and keep aside
- Now make a bed of banana leaves using 3-4 broad strips
- Place the marinated fish at the centre and wrap carefully from all sides. Tie with a string
- Heat a flat pan or tawa. Place the banana leaf wrapped fish on the tawa. Cover with a lid
- Roast each side for minimum 7-10 minutes
- Uncover, pour a teaspoon of mustard oil and enjoy
Til Pitha
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If you love patishapta, you’ll enjoy its Assamese cousin, the til pitha. If you have some gur preserved from winter (let’s face it, most of us have a stash in the refrigerator), get it out and put it to use this Ashtami.
Ingredients:
- Sticky rice: 1 cup
- Grated jaggery: 1 medium cup
- Black sesame seeds: 100gm
- Cardamom powder: 1 ½ tsp
- Cold water: 3 cups
- White oil: 5-6 tbsp
Method:
- Soak the rice in a cup of water for 8 hours. Drain excess water and air dry well
- Blend the rice to make rice powder. Add 2 cups of water in small quantities to make a pancake-like batter
- Dry roast the sesame seeds for 30 seconds, Transfer to a grinder and make a fine powder with roasted sesame seeds, cardamom powder and jaggery
- Heat a nonstick pan and brush with some oil
- Add a dollop of rice batter and spread well. The thickness should be like that of a crepe
- Cook for 30-45 seconds and add the filling in a semi thick line at the centre
- Wrap the both side of the crepe like we do for patisapta (See image for reference)
- Cook the crepe for about 2-3 minutes in total on low flame. Remove once it starts to turn golden
- Serve with liquid jaggery (jhola gur)
