Bhaja Masala

Cumin seeds – 2 tbsp

Black peppercorns – 1 ¼ tbsp.

Bay leaves – 2 medium

Dried red chilis – 2-3 broken

Dry roast all the spices separately until the spices start releasing a light smoky aroma. Be careful not to burn the spices to avoid bitterness.

Cool and dry grind all the spices together. Store in an air tight container.

Uses: 1. Sprinkle on top of hot ghughni for that very Bengali ghughni taste.

2. May be used as a last minute add to dry curries, dals, niramish alu dum.

Enjoy!

panchforan, chutney masala, & shukto masala - a basic bengali spice mix

Panchforan is a very Bengali spice mix. As the name suggests, it is a composite of 5 spices. There are 2 versions that are popular in Bengal. 

Version 1: For this you need methi (fenugreek seeds), shorshe (mustard seeds), jeera (cumin seeds), mouri (fennel/saunf seeds), and kalo jeera/ kalaunji (nigella seeds), mixed whole in equal quantities. 

Version 2: Tastes great in shukto, panchmishali torkari. Replace the mustard seeds with RADHUNI seeds. don't know the english/hindi name .... but here's a wiki link to the description

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachyspermum_roxburghianum

I have been and will be using this spice in various recipes. It is yum whether you splutter it in mustard oil or plain white oil. When punched with broken dried red chili it gives that known Bengali food aroma.........slllllllllll :)

চাটনী মশলা 

I use this chutney masala as a finishing touch to my বাঙালী  mishti aam-er chatni. To make this roast your panchforan (version1) with extra fennel seeds. Roast until the jeera seeds look browned. Grind and store in an air-tight jar. Sprinkle generously over your sweet mango chutney, as you turn off the flame, for that unmistakable বাঙালী বিয়েবাড়ি flavour.

শুক্ত মশলা 

I use ma's shukto  masala as a finishing touch to my shukto - or bittergourd mixed vegetables. This is a recipe that Ma decided to put together to be added to shuktos and even to a few panch mishali recipes. I love the slight bitterness of this spice mix.

To make this roast your panchforan (version2) with extra methi (fenugreek) seeds. Roast until the jeera seeds look browned. Grind and store in an air-tight jar. Sprinkle generously over your shukto for a yummy very বাঙালী  শুক্ত experience.

7 posts on essential spices and spice mixes

While blogging about recipes, I often get stuck on spices. Explaining a spice or spice-mix within a recipe makes it all so complicated :) So ...I just draft the recipe and procrastinate :p well the plan is to put up a few posts on spices before posting those pieces :) So, here I go on my take on essential spices in a Bong *cookie's? :p cabinet.
[* cookie (noun)- meaning - a baked food made of flour(s), shortening, and seasoning (sweet or salt);
cookie (adjective) - one who loves to cook..... well stop squinting ...someone has to smoothen a few absurdities that rule the English language. If a food lover is a foodie, one who loves to cook is a COOKIE! Yes Sir! too bad if they already have labeled it somewhere else]

We'll talk about some essential Bengali spices ..... started a few weeks back with my Panchforan, chutney masala, and shukto masala. I will start with a list of basic Indian spices, a few more basic spices, add a few garam masalas, and roasted bengali all spice, punjabi spices, and spice pastes.

Enjoy!

Tomato Pacheri with a twist

Pacheri is a sweet and sour chunky dip popular in Malaysia. I had this from at lunch from a friend's box. She had added a South Indian twist to her pacheri, and I experimented further with this dip.....and recently stopped. Well, why? 'Coz I don't think this can get any yummier :)
Try it....share if you have a better version :)

Need
Tomatoes - semi-ripe - 2 cups diced
Italian Sweet pepper - 2 big - roughly diced (you can use one large red bell pepper instead)
Ginger - 1 inch cube - roughly chopped
Chinese eggplant - 1 - roughly chopped (optional)
Celery stalk - 1 big - roughly chopped
Curry leaves - a handful
Mustard seeds (whole) - 3/4 tsp
Dried red chili - 3-4 whole
Hing (asafoetida) - a pinch
Split bengal gram - 1 tbsp
Peanuts - a handful
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt and brown sugar

Process
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, hing, and whole red chili.
When the seeds ave spluttered quite a bit, add the whole curry leaves, peanuts, and bengal gram.
When the nuts and gram have roasted well, add the ginger and all the veggies, with salt.
Cover and cook until tender.
Next, add 2 tsp brown sugar and check the seasoning. the mix should be salty like a curry, with a zing of sweetness.
Turn off the heat and add the tamarind paste.
After the mix has cooled off a bit, blend the mixture coarsely. All spices must be blended in too.

Serve with idlis, chips, or nachos, or use as a spread on sandwiches or parathas. Yum!!

Pabda macher tel jhol

পাবদা মাছের তেলঝোল is a yummy Bengali preparation. It has earned itself the status of a Bengali delicacy due to its buttery texture and simple yet oh-so-yummy taste.  

Pabda (also known as pabdah catfish or pabo catfish) is readily available in most of Bengal - West and East. Pabda is a good-enough source of omega 3 fatty acids, well the winner bengali fish in this category is Ilish...but pabda isn't too bad either :) So we can enjoy pabda - guilt-free....esp. this recipe.....I don't use much oil.

This version of Pabda-r tel-jhol is something that has been passed on to me as a family heirloom - from grandma to ma to me. I make this dish often when the family is home for lunch....so call it lazy weekends, or special occasions. 

The stunningness of this dish is in its simplicity. It needs very few readily available ingredients, and is quite healthy too. Here comes the recipe:

Need

Pabda - whole cleaned – 500 gms

Mustard seeds – 1tsp

Mustard oil – 2 tbsp

Whole red chili – 2 medium – slit

Bay leaf – 1 large

Ginger paste – 1tbsp

Cumin powder – 1tsp

Coriander powder – 1tsp

Fresh chopped cilantro – 2 tbsp

Green chili – few, halved

Water – ¾ cup

Salt to taste

To make

Marinate the fish in turmeric and salt for 15 minutes.

Heat the mustard oil in a flat skillet and splutter the mustard seeds with the whole red chili and bay leaf.

Now arrange the fish quickly in one layer. Keep the heat on high.

By the time you are done putting the last fish on, start turning the 1^st fish over gently. This ia  very delicate fish so use a soft edged spatula.  

Now add the ginger paste, cumin and coriander powder and the water. Cover and cook until the water is reduced and the oil starts separating on the sides of the skillet.

Now add the green chili and chopped cilantro and turn off the heat.

Serve with steaming white rice.

oh...and wish everyone an amazing 2014.

Spicy Buttercup Squash Cookies

Need

1 cup buttercup (or acorn) squash – Roasted and mashed

1 ½ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup oats

1 ½ tsp grated ginger

2 tbsp grated coconut

2 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¾ tbsp coarsely ground black pepper

¾ cup dark brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

1/3 cup chopped raisins (dried cranberries taste great too), 1/3 cup chopped nuts (your choice)
[I use lots of chopped walnuts and flax seeds..'coz they are good sources of ALA (omega 3 fatty acids); toss in some chopped cashews ... which with the coconut are good stuff for lactating moms]

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1/3 cup oil

¼ cup milk

To make

In a large mixing bowl, mix oil, honey, and sugar until frothy. Add squash and mix well.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and add to the mixture along with the spices. Stir well until everything blends in well. Stir in raisins and nuts. Spoon onto cookie sheets spacing cookies 2 inches apart.

Bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven (375 deg F / 190 degrees C) until cookies are golden.

Bangali Tomato Chutney with a twist

Need

Ripe red tomatoes – diced 2 cups

Panchforan* – 1tsp

Dried red chili -1 whole

Bay leaf – 1 small

Sultanas – 12-15 pieces

Sugar -3 tbsp. (try it then adjust sweetness as per taste)

Oil – 1tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaf – fresh chopped – 1 tbsp

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Green chili – 2 slit lengthwise (optional)

Salt – 1 pinch

*Panchforan is a very Bengali spice mix. As the name suggests, it is a composite of 5 spices. There are 2 versions that are popular. For this you need methi (fenugreek seeds), shorshe (mustard seeds), jeera (cumin seeds), mouri (fennel/saunf seeds), and kalo jeera/ kalaunji (nigella seeds), mixed whole in equal quantities.

To make

Heat oil in a pan and splutter the panchforan with the red chili (broken in 2-3 pieces) and bay leaf.  

Add the tomatoes, sultanas, salt, and turmeric, cover and cook on high, till the tomatoes are softened.

Add sugar, chopped coriander, and green chilis and bring to a boil again.

Turn off the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, and chill before serving after a lavish Indian meal.