Maacher Shaate Tomato

Fish with Tomato
Fish is, no doubt, in the spotlight of Bengali cuisine. It is caught and cooked all over bengal. This recipe hails from western Bangladesh where my parents grew up. In their local area, fish would always be fried first then placed into the curry, and never put straight in raw. They say that if you really want a taste of Bengal this fish recipe is it!

 

serves 6-8


Ingredients:
7-8 pieces of fish (We used Mrigal fish, a fresh water fish native of Thailand. You can substitute with fish of your choice cut into chunks, round steaks, or fillet)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp whole cumin
1 tsp salt
2 large tomatoes
1 Habenero or A few chili peppers ( both optional)
1 medium- large onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup Veg. oil
Reserve a drizzle of oil for the second stage of the recipe.


Directions:
Stage one
Put fish in a bowl.
Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, paprika, and turmeric on fish.
Mix and marinade for 30 minutes to one hour
Heat skillet on medium high heat.
Add 1/2 cup oil
When oil is heated, add fish piece by piece (caution it will splatter; lower heat if splatter is violent)
Fry for 5-7 minutes on each side.
Make sure they are thoroughly cooked.
Take fish off oil and set on a platter.

Stage Two
Keep the stove on medium heat.
Add a drizzle of oil to the same skillet.
Add onions, peppers, and whole cumin.
Saute until golden brown.
Add tomatoes and continue to saute
until tomatoes are roughly cooked, soft, but still intact.
Pour or spoon the tomato mixture over the fish.
Garnish and Enjoy!

Recipe By Sabrina
Photographs by Naz
Posted by Naz

Mango Salad

Here is a recipe for mango salad. Normally we eat mangoes in simple long slices. Sleek, sweet, golden, and juicy. Those are the ideal characteristics of a mango( to most people. Personally, I love them sour and with a bit of a bite). This is something that my mother threw together to mix things up a bit.This is certainly not traditional. Most of the time we consume mangoes alone, but my mom spotted a lone cucumber in the refrigerator, decided to give it some company, added some conversation pieces, and lo! The salad was conceived.

serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 large ripe mango
1 fresh (seedless if you prefer) cucumber
Juice of 1/2- 1 lime
1/2 a small red onion (optional)
salt (optional)
Mint (optional for garnish purposes)

Directions:
Cut mango into cubes or square chunks
Cut cucumbers into cubes
Place into serving bowl
Cut a lime in half and squeeze juice over mango and cucumber
Dice half an onion (it should be red even though it is not pictured. We didn't have any available that day)
sprinkle salt (optional)
Mix and garnish
Enjoy!


Recipe by Sabrina
Posted by Naz
Photographs by Naz

Dinner

Murghi (Chicken) Roast 

 Snippets of Thursday evening supper.  

Preparation...

serves 6-8 or 8-10

Originally this dish is roasted on the stove top covered with a lid cooked on low heat, but an oven distributes heat better.

Ingredients:
1 entire chicken cut into pieces
2 large potatoes cut into wedges
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1tsp blackpepper
1 tsp paprika
1 heaping tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
6 cardamom
10 cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
2 tbs of blended onion, garlic, and ginger paste*
1 cup tomato sauce (optional)
1 whole habenero or de-veined and unseeded( if you like heat)
Few sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)

*this paste can be prepared ahead by chopping 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, and a piece of ginger about the size of thumb with 1/2 cup of water. Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

note: all ingredients labeled optional are non traditional. They are only added for extra flavor. Omit if you prefer traditional ingredients.

Directions:
In a small bowl combine salt, turmeric, black pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and oil.
Then mix in the onion, garlic, and ginger paste.
Add mixture to chicken and potatoes in a large bowl.
Spread and cover pieces evenly.
Let marinade overnight or 30- 60 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat a skillet on medium heat.
Add oil to thinly coat the bottom of skillet.
Add chicken pieces one by one to sear them.
After searing them place in baking dish.
Meanwhile with the stove still on, add the remaining marinated mixture with potatoes to the skillet
Add tomato sauce.
Turn off stove and add potatoes on top of chicken.
Cover with foil and put into oven.
Let bake for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe by Sabrina
Posted by Naz
Photographs by Naz

Mangsho Ranna

Meat Stew

Spice blend before adding turmeric

After adding turmeric

After tomato

Serves 6-8
serve with rice

Ingredients:
1 pound beef (or lamb)
1 medium to large onion
1tsp freshly grated ginger
4-5 cloves garlic
2-3 dried red Chilies
4 cardamom pods
6 cloves
1 and1/2 tsp turmeric
1 large bay leaf
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup of cold water
1/2 cup tomato sauce or freshly chopped tomatoes
3-4 green chilies (if you prefer heat)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
6-7 fresh sage leaves (optional)

Directions:
Put meat in large bowl
Add dried chilies, bay leaf, and oil.
In a separate small bowl combine salt, black pepper, whole and ground cumin, cardamom, paprika, oregano, cloves, and turmeric.
Add spices to meat and mix to evenly distribute.
In a blender place ginger, onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup of cold water, blend until
it takes a paste consistency.
Add to meat and mix.
Let meat marinade for 30 minutes or over night.
Put a pot on the stove on medium heat
(Do not add any oil, oil is already in meat mixture.)
Add meat, stir, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, uncover and add tomato sauce (or fresh tomato) and stir
Cook for 10
After 10 minutes, add hot water
Put heat down to low
Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes
or until thoroughly cooked and meat is tender.

Recipe by Sabrina
Posted by Sabrina
Photographs by Naz

Boiled Fried Eggs with Onions

This is an accessory recipe. It is used as a garnish or decoration on rice. 

Ingredients:
8 eggs hard boiled
1 tsp turmeric
1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder (cayenne powder)
4 tbs oil
1 small or medium onion finely sliced

Directions:
Peel the eggs and make sure there are no shells.
Place them in a wide bowl.
sprinkle turmeric and chili power over eggs evenly.
Put aside.
Put frying pan on medium high heat.
Add 4 tbs oil.
Add onions.
Fry until golden brown and semi crispy.
Take out of pan and place on a small plate.
Add about a tbs of more oil to the pan. Keep on medium heat.
Then add eggs.
Cover for 2-5 minutes.
Then take off lid, stir and cover again.
Fry the eggs (stirring occasionally) until they are golden and have a layer of crispy skin.
Garnish on a plate of rice and sprinkle the fried onion on top.
Enjoy!

Recipe by Sabrina

Posted by- Sabrina

Photographs by Naz