Neem Jhol

'Neem Jhol' is a light mixed vegetable stew with the goodness of 'Neem Pata' or or young Neem leaves. This is a must in my household during Spring as part of weekend lunch. Young Neem leaves play a significant role in Bengal cuisine during this time of the season as it is known to have many medicinal benefits and handles the evils of season change. The light stew will also essentially contain 'Sojne Data' or moringa or drumstick, another healthy veggies to tackle the season change nuisances along with Bori or dry lentil balls. The dish will have a bitter sweet taste with a rich aroma of Ghee or clarified butter. Best enjoyed as the first course of meal with plain white rice. 

Ingredients

• Brinjal -1
• Green Papaya - 1/2 
• Sweet potato - 4
• Sojne data or drumstick - 100 gm
• Bori or dried lentil balls - 1 small bowl
• Tender Neem leaves - 1/2 bowl
• Ginger paste - 1 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Mustard paste - 1 heaped tbsp
• Ghee - 2 tbsp, bay leaf - 2-3
• Salt, sugar

 Cut all the vegetables in approximately same size and saute them with a pinch of salt in white oil. Keep aside.

Lightly saute the bori in little oil till golden brown and keep aside.

In the same pan, roast the tender neem leaves till crunchy. Keep aside.

In a bowl, mix cumin and coriander powder, ginger paste and mustard paste. Add a cup of water and mix well.

In a deep pan or karai, heat the ghee and add two three bay leaves. Now add the masala water and let it boil.

Add the sauteed veggies into it and cook covered over low heat.

When veggies are almost cooked, add salt and the fried bori. Mix carefully and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

When water is reduced and veggies cooked well, add the fried neem leaves and give it a good stir.
Check the salt. Next goes the sugar. Switch off the heat and add a good dollop of ghee at the end. Keep covered for 10 minutes.
Enjoy with rice.

Cheesy Paneer Mint Tikki

Some healthy snack for your loved ones, you can serve it as starter with a minty dip or have it the Indian way, with rice and daal. The flavors of mint blended well with the paneer and suppressed its otherwise bland taste. You may add a pinch of chat masala as well for some extra kick.

Ingredients

• Paneer - 250 gms
• Pudina / mint leaves - a bunch
• Cheese cubes 6 - 7
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Green chilli - as per taste
• Curd - 2 tbsp
• Besan / gram flour - 3-4 tbsp
• Salt
• Butter for shallow frying

Mash the paneer using a spatula. Now make a paste of curd, pudina/mint leaves and the green chilli with a pinch of salt and sugar. Add the mixture and ginger garlic paste to the mashed paneer. Knead well.

After 10 minutes, spinkle the besan / gram flour and knead again. You should be able to form a ball using the paneer mixture.

Now take small amount from the paneer dough and place one cheese cube at the centre.

Take some more dough and make a ball covering up the cheese cube. Cheese should not be exposed outside. Then press them lightly to form a disc or tikki and keep aside.

Prepare all the discs / tikkis and keep it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Heat butter on a flat tawa and spread it to make a thin coating of butter onto the tawa. Place the tikki side by side and shallow fry till golden brown from both the sides.

Serve with salad and Pudina Aaam ke Chutney.

Potato Salad

Seasons last baby potatoes are used to make this beautiful salad!! We really loved this!!

Ingredients

• Baby potato - 10-12, peeled and boiled in salted water
• Onion 1- Thinly sliced
• Extra V Olive oil - 1 tbsp
• Hot water - 1 tbsp
• Blue cheese dressing, store bought - 1 cup
• Capsicum and Carrot, jullienned  - 4 tbsp
• Dried parsley - 2 tsp
• Chili flakes - 1 tsp

Mix boiled potato with onion, EV Olive oil and hot water.

Mix all the remaining ingredients of dressing.

Add to the potato and stir carefully.

Keep covered and serve cold.

Mushroom Pulao

I have served this yummy Pulao for our Christmas Lunch last year, The use of coconut milk added a nice flavor to the dish.

Ingredients:

• Basmati or any fragrant rice - 2 cups
• Mushroom - 1 pack, cut longitudinally
• Raisin - a handful
• Coconut Milk - one pack
• Onion - 2 , chopped
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp each
• Green chilli - as per taste
• Salt, Sugar,
• Whole Garam masala

Clean, wash and soak the rice for 15-20 mins. Clean and chop the mushrooms too. Chop Onions too.
Heat oil in a pan. Add bayleaf, cinnamon, clove and green cardamom. 

When it splutters, add the chopped onion and saute well. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw aroma subsides.

Add the chopped Mushroom and saute with a pinch of salt till the Mushrooms are half cooked. 

Add the soaked rice and chopped green chilli. Saute over low heat till the rice is coated with Mushroom masala mixture and become translucent. 

Add a cup of coconut milk and a cup of water and mix well. Cook carefully adjusting the amount of water as required. 

The rice should be cooked through and water should be completely absorbed by the rice.
When almost cooked, add a spoonful of sugar a handful of raisin. Stir carefully not to break the rice.

Keep covered for 15 minutes. Serve with Chicken with Mushroom.

Rosemary Pork Chops

Off late, we have started loving pork, specially the non fat variety. In this recipe, I have used lean pork chop which is cut into bite size pieces. I have used dried rosemary, since we donot have access to fresh rosemary in Kolkata yet. Nice change to a regular dinner menu, I have served this dish with my 'Cauliflower Mac N Cheese'. 

Ingredients

• pork chops - 500 gms
• Half pack Knorr Vegetable soup
• salt & pepper
• Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
• Paprika - a pinch
• Green Chilli - as per taste
• Garlic - chopped, 1 tbsp
• Dried Rosemary - 2 tsp

Season pork chops with salt, pepper and paprika.

Heat olive oil in a flat pan, then add chopped green chilli and fry quickly. Next goes chopped garlic.

Now add the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and brown them from all sides.

Pork chops might release some water. 

Fry till the water evaporates. Sprinkle rosemary and mix well. In a bowl, mix half pack of soup powder with water and keep aside.

 

Pour the soup water onto the chops, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

Cooking will depend on the thickness of the pork chop. Once they are cooked, there should be little gravy onto the chops. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with your 'cauliflower Mac n Cheese'.