Debjani is a very active contributor to our Cook Like a Bong Facebook page. She has also contributed to the recently published authentic Bengali recipe cookbook, Sharadiyar Rannabati. Debjani posted about her signature dish, Achari Murgh in the Facebook page. I have heard and tasted alu achari before, but achari murg was an absolute different preparation. So, I tried it out at home and it was marvelous. So, I thought of sharing this wonderful recipe as a guest post from Debjani Chaudhuri.

Bengali chicken or mutton curries are mostly include potatoes with a thick and spicy gravy. Whether it’s chicken-do-peyaja or the kasha mutton potatoes are a must. But, unlike the age old dishes, this special chicken curry from Debjani’s kitchen didn’t have those potatoes neither does it have that pinch of garam masala to add the extra flavor. According to Debjani, as garam masala as its own smell and taste it would have killed the scent and tangy taste of the pickle oil.

Ingredients:

• Chicken , cut into small pieces
• 8 whole dry red chilies
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• ½  teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• ½  teaspoon  Cumin seeds / jeere
• 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds (saunf / mouri)
• 1 teaspoon Onion seeds (kalonji)
• 1 teaspoon Thymol/ carom seeds (ajwain)
• 2- 3 Bay leaves
• Mustard oil (must to use shorshe tel)
• 4 medium Onions, chopped
• 2 inch piece Ginger, chopped
• 15-20 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
• 4 medium Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped ( for garnishing – optional)
• 3 – 4 tablespoon of pickle oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Heat oil in a wok (kadai) and add all the seeds ( paanch phoron n ajwain) for tempering
• Let the seeds splutter a bit, add bay leaves and whole red chilies
• Add onion and garlic, ginger and tomatoes
• Put in the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt
• Add the chicken pieces and fry with the spices a bit
• When the oil separates, pour in little water and cook covered
• Cook it on a slow fire and let the chicken become tender and cooked in its own juice, without adding too much water
• When nearly done add lemon juice and ad pickle oil, mix and cover
• Put off the flame, and serve with chapatis and salad.

Hot Tips - Debjani did not use garam masala for the preparation as it will spoil the taste of pickle. She used garlic pickle oil for this preparation, but you can also use pickle oil of chili pickle or mixed pickle, for added punch.

Panch Phoron is a concoction of 5 different spices – fenugreek, mustard, cumin, fennel and onion seeds/ nigella.

Don’t forget to have a copy of our Festive recipe e-book and the October calendar. And do send in your entries to the ongoing event Cooking with Seeds – Poppy, a brain child of Priya from Priya’s Easy and Tasty Recipes, just 2 more days to go before the event ends.

Preeti of ISing Cakes was kind enough to share the “One Lovely Blog” award with us. Thanks a lot Preeti.

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Thank you all for your great response at the first part of Monthly Mingle RoundUp and as promised here comes the second part of roundup. Of the five different categories – soups, bakes, fruits, sides and others, I have posted the former two yesterday and here’s the last three. Which one did you like most?

Fruits

Oz of Kitchen Butterfly is crazy about poached pears, and so is her husband. So no points for guessing this one, she sent a wonderful Simply delicious pear recipes served with creamy rice pudding

When most of us are braving the winter chill (and some even hails), Quinn of Quinn’s Baking Diary is having a hard time in Australia coping with the mercury rising as high as 41̊C. That didn’t turn her down and here she is with a Roasted Corella Pears with Vanilla Bean & Lemon for the event.

Soma of e-Curry has brought the colors of her recent Disney world in her kitchen, if you don’t agree check out Moroccan Carrot & Orange Salad which says it all with those vibrant shades.

My Experiments & Food has a healthy Grape Raita to serve.

Sides

Spinach and Popeye are inseparable indeed. That’s what Shankari of Sacrameto Spice has to share with us – Sauteed Spinach with Raisins & Pine Nuts

Indrani of Appayan has a list of all the veggies that supply you with the nutrients just right for this dry and chilling winter. She puts in all to make this wholesome Bengali Winter Vegetable Medley

Another vegetable medley – Bandhakopi Palang Kablir ghonto from another Bong cook, Jayashree of Spice and Curry

Santhy Sankar of Appetite Treats enjoys the US winter with a Cauliflower Stir Fry

Coaxing her children to eat greens Deeba of Passionate About Baking has some colorful recipe to share with us, it’s a Chargrilled Broccoli with Chilli & Garlic

Herbs are an integral part of the winter market. Nandini of Usha Nandini’s Recipes had this spicy Masala Beans with Fenugreek leaves and Vegetables with Almonds to share

Shama of Easy to Cook Recipes had three recipes in mind – Green Pigeon Peas, Butter beans curry and Mochhai curry/ Field beans curry

Koki of Cooking With Koki has sent a lovely dish for the event – Pachai Mochai kootu as a part of her four day celebration of Pongal.

Kalva of Curry In Kadai started her new year with a lovely Moms Spicy Vegetable Kurma.

Enough of vegan. Lets take a short break and enjoy Chicken Saag, a chicken preparation with seasonal herbs, by Arundhuti of Gourmet Affair.

Others

Solange of Pebble soup had sent a lovely Risotto al Cavolfiori for the event.

Noodles can only mean Chinese. But ask Sudha of Malaysian Delicacies, she has something else in mind, a Noodles in Gravy (Mee Rebus Johor)

Well, you can’t talk about winter in North India without referring to Winter special-makke di roti and sarson da saag. Pari of Foodelicious has rightly contributed this all in one healthy delicacy.

Faiza of Faiza Ali’s Kitchen has prepared a Mexican dip, Guacamole for this occasion. Try it this winter along with chips or quesadillas.

Want to have a real treat? Try this Cauliflower Patties with Coriander from Graziana of Erbe in cucina (Cooking with herbs)

Well, enough heavy recipes here, lets have a cold drink. A Grape juice from the Kanchan of Kitchen Gossip

Which one did you like?

Here’s the photos of all the entries for this event:

Monthly Mingle – Winter Fruits and Vegetables

Ongoing Events

Don’t forget to take part in

• Salad Carnival ending February 14
• Healthy Fast Food event, ends February 5th. This event is being hosted by Radhika at her blog and I am the co-host

Do send in your lovely entries for the events

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Festive spirit is raging high among Bongs with Durga Puja just round corner (only 11 days). There is so much to talk about – Puja Barshiki, history of Durga Puja, Durga Puja in Kolkata, memories of school/college days, Mahalaya hymns, my experience at last year’s Puja at Bangalore and of course the Puja wardrobe, Puja recipes – that I became overwhelmed with to write and what to leave out.

So, here’s the deal.

Starting today, I’ll write a post a day till Puja starts. And in these posts, I hope to cover ‘Pujor Amej’ (Festive Flavour) in terms of food, history and a bong’s insight. There would be occasional touches of fashion trends too.

And some updates on Durga Puja Food Festival too. Hurry folks, the deadline for getting a chance for an entry in the eBook and a prize is 22^nd September. Click here for more information.

Puja is almost at the door steps and am counting on the days, just 11 days to go. The first essence of the puja you get in Kolkata is the sale of the Puja Barshikis. At this time of the year the fat magazines is a well known scene at the news paper stalls. I had not yet bought my share of Puja Shankha this time, but just brought back home this month’s edition of Anadamela. The trigger was the painting of a Durga idol on the cover page of the edition; it said “Pouranik Galpe Debi Durga” (Mention of the Goddess Durga in mythology). I’ll let you all the stories in the corresponding posts, so be patient.

There had been several stories about the inception of this autumn festival, which became the most important festivals among Bengalis, and for that matter Hindus. My most fond memories of Durga Puja are the dawn of Mahalaya. Mahalaya is said to be the day of the inception of the goddess. This day also marks the last week on countdown for the pujas, and so it is so special. With the cracking of dawn starts the radio program for Mahalaya. When I was a kid that was the only source, these days every Bengali channel shows their version of Mahalaya, but still listening to the hymns sung by Virendra Kishore Bhadra in a half-awake state is my favorite.

What I thought of posting today has nothing to deal with Mahalaya or Durga Puja, but with less than a fortnight to go before the festival starts and as I have missed the last year of Durga Puja celebration in Kolkata, I am looking forward for this year. When it’s autumn, the air, the blue sky with the fluffy wet white clouds, the bamboo structures getting ready for the puja, the crowd at the shops – everything just compelling me to talk about the goddess and the way these four days is spent.

In my previous posts I had written about a lot of chicken preparations, but this time I just shifted a little and prepared with minced chicken. Those of you, who are fond of mutton or lamb, can also prepare it with minced meat.

Ingredients:

• Minced chicken (Murgir keema): 300gm
• Potatoes (Aalu): 2 medium sizes, cut into quarters
• Sour curd (Tauk Doi): 2 tablespoons
• Onion paste (Peyaj bata): 2 tablespoons
• Ginger-garlic paste (Aada-rasun bata): 1 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder (Halud guro):  ½ teaspoon
• Chili powder (Sukhno lanka guro): 1 teaspoon
• Mustard oil (Sarser tel): 4 tablespoon

Preparation:

• Clean the keema  in a colander and keep for sometime for the water to drain out
• Heat half the oil in a wok and half fry the potatoes and keep aside
• Pour in the rest of the oil and let it heat
• Add in the onion and ginger-garlic paste and sauté
• Add the half-fried potatoes, sour curd, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt ; and stir till the color changes a shade darker and it becomes dry
• Put in the keema and stir again
• Pour in water and let the keema cook till tender
• Take out of flame and serve with warm rice

Further reading: Kheema Recipe, Keema in Naan

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1. Bajji’s Platter from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
2. Bisi Bela Bhaat from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
3. Bisibelabath from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
4. Black-eyed peas pulao from Asha of Aroma Hope
5. Brinjal Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
6. Capsicum Rice from Shama  of  Easy to Cook Recipes
7. Carrot Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
8. Cauliflower Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
9. Chenna Pulao from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
10. Chicken biriyani from Shama of Easy to Cook Recipes
11. Chilli-Tangerine rice from Anushreeram of Chandrabhaga
12. Cilantro Rice from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
13. Cocnut Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
14. Coconut Milk Vegetable Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
15. Dil se pulao from Sindhura of Bay Leaf
16. Doodh Puli Peethe from Sunanda of Sunanda’s Kitchen
17. Garlic Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
18. Healthy Geen Rice/ Pudina Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
19. Iyengar’s Poliodharai from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
20. Keshari Bhaat (Sweet Saffron Rice) from Sanika of  Sanika’s Spicy&Tangy….Sweet&Yummy!!!!
21. Khasta Kachori from Naveeta of Zaayeka
22. Kondakadalai Sadam/ Red Chana Dal Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
23. Lemon Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook  Recipes
24. Lemony Lemon – A Tangy Tasty Masala Bath from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
25. Medhu Pakora from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
26. Mint Magic (Pudina pulao) from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
27. Mishti Pulao from Aundhuti of Gourmet Affair
28. Mor Koozh from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
29. Multiprotein Rice from Shama of Easy to Cook  Recipes
30. Mushroom Pulao from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
31. Paruppu Keerai Dosai from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
32. Pasta Pulao from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
33. Patishapta from SGD of  Whims and Wishes
34. Peanut Cup Rice from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
35. Poha from EC of  Easy Crafts
36. Prawn/Shrimp Pulao of Homecooked
37. Puliyothaai/ Tamarind Rice from Shama of  Easy to Cook Recipes
38. Puttu~Steamed Rice Cakes from Poornima of Tasty Treats
39. Rice Ball Kheer from Sanika of Sanika’s Spicy&Tangy….Sweet&Yummy!!!!
40. Rice Uppma from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
41. Sharkara Payasam from Poornima of Tasty Treats
42. Shazani biryani from Sindhura of Bay Leaf
43. Spongy Dosa with yum yum coconut from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
44. Tomato rice from Sindhura of Bay Leaf
45. Vegetable Bonda from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
46. Vegetable Pulao from Poornima of  Tasty Treats
47. Vegetable Rice from Hema of Adlak’s Kitchen
48. Venpongal from Shama of Easy to Cook Recipes
49. Wholesome Moong kichadi from EC of Easy Crafts

With so many recipes, it’s really hard to choose which one is the best. But still, it’s on you to select the best. So go ahead and choose your best recipe and write it down as a comment for this post.

Will be back with some new recipes soon, till then Happy Cooking and Happy Eating.

Post a comment on which recipe you liked the most and please leave out your own recipes.

This is in the order of how I received the recipes:

Sharmila was the first person to send me this yummy looking fish kheema for the event.

Fish Kheema

Manasi with her lots of energy had many a things to share and here are her contributions.

Seekh Kabab

Lukhmi

Shikambur Kabab

After fish and meat it has to be egg, so here was Vij with her Disguised Egg Curry.

DISGUISED EGG CURRY (EGGS COOKED IN CASHEWNUT AND POPPY SEEDS SAUCE)

And now comes the dear exception. With the girl chefs around, I came across somebody who is a little different. He is non other than Siddharth, he was good to send me his simple recipe of EggVeg Ginger Garlic Maggie Noodles, and to tell you the truth, it has become very popular among those who can light the gas oven and knows nothing more. Check his blog for more details.

EggVeg Ginger Garlic Maggie Noodles

Suma was there next with chicken kheema and chiken samosa. A all time favorite of all Indians for an idle evening ideal snacks.

Chicken kheema

Chicken samosa

With the snacks getting over had to have something little more spicy, and yes Arundhati was ready for that. The Tandoori chicken was ready to serve.

Tandoori Chicken

It was now time for my dear friend Priti, who had sent a number of recipes for the event and here are the list: Grilled Chicken, a different style Egg Drumstick curry, the delicious and yummy Prawn Masala, and ofcourse the main course Egg Briyani with Rajma.

Grilled Chicken

Chicken curry with capsium baby corn

Prawn Masala

Egg Biriyani with Rajma Raitha

Vij has sent another yummy recipe with egg, Egg Kheema Curry.

Egg Kheema Curry

Priya was all set to have a massive entry for the event, and here she is with five of her delicious non-veggie recipes. Hyderabadi Chicken 65,  Malabar Egg Thokku, Egg 65, Shark Hash Kuzhambu, and Spicy Fish Gravy.

Hyderabadi Chicken 65

Malabar Egg Thokku

Egg 65

Shark Hash Kuzhambu

Spicy Fish Gravy

Shama sent nice South Indian non-veggie recipes for the event. Mutton Kulambu/Goat meat Curry, Chicken Pulikulambu, Chicken kulambu, Fish Mango Curry and Fish Kulambu.

Mutton Kulambu

Chicken PulikulambuChicken Kulambu

Fish Mango curry

Fish Kulambu

Chicken Rezala

Murgir Jhol

Fried Chicken with Eggs

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Ingredients:

Chicken (murgi): 1kg

Red chilli powder (sukhno lankar guro): 3 teas-spoons full, mixed with water to make a paste

Garlic (rasun): 15 cloves , chopped well

Mustard oil (sarser tel): 2 table-spoons

Tomato: 3 small sized, 2 of them grinded to make a puree

Onions (peyaj): 1

Cornflour: 2 table-spoons

Vinegar: 1 table-spoons

Spring onions : 2 stalks, chopped

Eggs (dim): 2, beaten well

MSG (ajinamoto): 1/4 teaspoon (optional)

Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Take the chicken , one tomato, one peyaj (cut into half) and boil the whole in a deep pan with sufficient water such that the ingredients get covered with water.
• Take it out , when the chicken is half cooked. Keep the stock for later use.
• Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the half cooked chicken. Keep aside.
• Take some more oil and sauté the garlic for a minute. Add the tomato puree, chilli powder paste, and the stock and bring it to boil. When it starts boiling add salt.
• Take the cornflour in a boil and mix it with water. Add it to the boiling sauce, cook till it gets thickened.
• Now add the chicken along with vinegar , MSG and spring onions to the sauce and mix. Add the beaten egg in trickle and cook till the egg strands rise to top.

Your chicken in chilli garlic sauce is ready to serve , spicy and yummy. Serve hot. Enjoy cooking and happy eating.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Chicken (murgi): 1kg

Onions (peyaj): 5 medium sized ones

Tomato: 2 medium sized

Potato (aalu): 4 pieces

Mustard oil (sarser tel): 4 tablespoon

Ginger garlic paste (aada-rasun baata): 2 tea-spoons

Garlic (rasun): 4/5 cubes

Turmeric powder (haluder guro): 1 tea-spoon

Chilli powder (sukno lankar guro): 2 tea-spoons

Kasuri methi: 2 tea-spoons

Salt to taste

Preparation:

· Wash the chicken well. Take chicken, two onion cut into halves, tomatoes, 1 tea-spoon of ginger and garlic, and water to cover the chicken in a deep bowl. Boil the chicken; keep aside the boiled chicken and onions. Keep the chicken stock apart.

· In a kadai, pour the mustard oil and heat it. Add the diced potatoes and fry. Keep the potatoes aside after they become golden brown.

· Add diced onions in the oil and fry for 1 or 2 mins. Add garlic ginger paste and the garlic cubes and fry one more minute. To the fried spice add chicken and the boiled onions. Add the stock along with the turmeric and chilli powder. Cook for 7 minutes with a lid over the kadai. Add the fried potatoes.

· Check if the chicken has softened, add more stock if required.

· Add crushed kasuri methi and cook for 1 minute.

· Serve hot with rice, roti , paratha.