Alu Posto (Potatoes Cooked in Poppy Seed Paste)

Ingredients –

60 g mustard oil
¼ tsp kaalo jeere (nigella seeds)
2 pcs dried red chillies
25 g onions
500 g potatoes
50 g posto (poppy seeds)
4 pcs green chillies
12 g salt
‍8 g sugar

Method –

Soak the posto in water for 2 hours
Dice the potatoes into 1 cm cubes
Strain the water from the posto and grind it in a mixer with 2 green chillies and 75 ml water and make a fine paste
Slice the onion thinly
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onions till brown
Drain on absorbent paper and set aside
In the same oil, add dry red chillies and nigella seeds. Stir and add potatoes
Fry on medium heat for 5 minutes
Take care so that the potatoes do not become brown
Add poppy seeds paste, salt and sugar
Fry on low heat for 4 minutes till the raw smell goes away
When it dries out, add a splash of hot water and continue cooking
Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes
Stir frequently
When the potatoes are soft, add 2 slit green chillies
Drizzle 1 tsp mustard oil
Add the fried onions and serve

Nigella’s Everyday Brownies

Ingredients–

• 140 gm unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• A pinch of salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 170 gm milk chocolate, chopped into small chunks

Method –

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Melt the butter over gentle heat in a medium sized saucepan
3. When it is melted, add the sugar, stirring it with a wooden spoon to help it blend with the melted butter
4. Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and salt into the pan and then remove the pan from heat
5. Whisk the eggs with vanilla extract and mix it into the mixture in the pan
6. Stir in the chopped chocolate and quickly pour into a foil lined baking tin
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes

Bengali Mutton Curry

Ingredients–

• 1 kg mutton
• 300 g potatoes
• ‍60 g mustard oil
• 4 pcs dried red chillies
• 6 pcs bay leaves
• 6 pcs cardamom
• 6 pcs cloves
• 2 pcs cinnamon
• ‍400 g onions
• 15 g garlic
• 40 g ginger
• 100 g yoghurt
• 15 g green chillies
• 10 g turmeric powder
• 4 g red chilli powder
• 6 g kashmiri red chilli powder
• ‍3 g coriander powder
• 26 g salt
• 10 g sugar‍
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 500 ml warm water

Method –

1. Slice onions thinly.
2. Cut potatoes into 5-cm chunks.
3. Make a paste of ginger and garlic using a mortal and pestle. Separately, make a paste of green chillies too.
4. Heat mustard oil in a kadai. Let it smoke gently and turn pale yellow. Temper with dried red chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
5. Add sliced onions, along with sugar to help caramelise the onions. Fry on medium heat for around 15 minutes.
6. Tilt the kadai slightly, to allow the oil to pool on one side. Add kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder directly to this oil. Fry for 20 seconds. This will help the curry acquire a rich colour.
7. Add ginger and garlic paste. Fry on medium heat for 3 minutes.
8. Lower the heat and add beaten yoghurt. Cook on low heat for another 3 minutes.
9. Add the green chilli paste, coriander powder, and salt. Keep frying until oil separates.
10. Once oil separates and the onions are a rich brown colour, add the mutton pieces. Sauté on medium heat for 15 minutes.
11. To pressure cook, transfer everything to a pressure cooker along with potatoes. Add 500 ml water and pressure cook for 5 whistles. If the mutton is not soft, pressure cook for another 1-2 whistles. Sprinkle garam masala powder

Kanda Batata Poha (Flattened Rice with Potatoes and Onions)

Ingredients –

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 cups thick Poha
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup potatoes, boiled and diced
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies
• 7-8 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp peanuts
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds

Method –

1. Add water to Poha in a bowl till it submerges completely
2. Rinse thoroughly for 30 seconds
3. Leave it for 2 minutes till it softens
4. Drain all the water and fluff it up with a fork to avoid lumps
5. Heat oil in a pan and add peanuts
6. Stir fry on medium low heat till it turns brown and remove from the pan. Set aside
7. In the same oil, add mustard seeds
8. When they splutter, add curry leaves and chopped onions
9. Mix well and cook till the onions turn light pink
10. Add green chillies, turmeric powder, potatoes and salt
11. Mix well
12. Add the fried peanuts, Poha, lemon juice and coriander leaves
13. Mix well
14. Switch off the flame, cover with lid and serve after 2 minutes

Pork Masala Curry

Ingredients–

• 500 gms Pork
• 2 Potato medium cut into big pieces
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 2 inches ginger roughly chopped
• 1tbsp oil
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 3 dry red chillies roughly broken
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 Onions medium, chopped
• 1 Tomato chopped
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp Kashmiri Chilly powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cracked peppercorns
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Meat masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

Method –

1. In a mortar pestle coarsely grind the ginger garlic.
2. In a pan heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds, dry red chillies, bay leaf and allow the cumin seeds to crackle.
3. Add in the pounded ginger garlic reserving 1 tsp of it for later use. Saute for a minute.
4. Add in the chopped onions and saute for about 2 minutes.
5. Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes turns soft and mushy.
6. Add in the masala powders – turmeric, chilly, coriander, pepper, garam masala and meat masala. Saute for a minute.
7. Add in the pork and salt. Mix well coating the masalas well with the pork. Now put on the lid and cook on low-medium heat for 15 minutes stirring it occasionally to prevent from sticking to the pan and for even cooking.
8. Add in the potato chunks and mix well. Add 1-2 cups of water, mix well and cook further with lid on.
9. Stir the curry occasionally and cook until the pork is tender. When the pork is completely cooked and the gravy reaches your required consistency, add in the reserved pounded ginger garlic. Give a quick stir and take off the heat.

Omlette Curry

Ingredients–

For the Omlette –

• 6 eggs
• 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 gm ginger, finely chopped
• 40 gm sliced onions
• 15 gm mustard oil
• 80 gm mashed potatoes

For the Curry –

• 200 gm sliced onions
• 5 gm garlic paste
• 30 gm ginger paste
• 3 green chillies
• 60 gm tomatoes
• 200 gm boiled potatoes
• 2 gm cumin powder
• 2 gm coriander powder
• 2 gm turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 50 ml water
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon
• 3 dry red chillies
• 4 cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of garam masala powder
• 25 ml mustard oil

Method –

1. Separate the yolks and the whites
2. Add green chillies, ginger and sliced onions to the yolks. Also add salt to taste
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff
4. Gently add the egg yolk mixture and fold gently with a spatula
5. Heat mustard oil in a cast iron pan
6. When the oil is hot, transfer the egg mixture into the pan
7. Put small dollops of mashed potato on the eggs
8. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes
9. Remove the pan from oven and cut the omlette into 6-8 pieces
10. Heat mustard oil for the curry
11. Temper with cumin seeds, bay leaf, dry red chillies, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves
12. Add the onions
13. Fry on medium heat for about 8 minutes till onions are brown
14. Add ginger paste and green chillies
15. Fry the mixture for 2 minutes and add garlic paste
16. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for about 6 minutes till tomatoes are soft
17. Add the dry spices mixed with 50 ml water and salt
18. When the mixture dries out, add a splash of hot water and continue frying till oil separates
19. Add the boiled potatoes and fry gently
20. Add 650 ml hot water
21. Let it come to a boil and add the sliced omelette pieces
22. Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes till gravy thickens
23. Sprinkle garam masala and turn off the heat

Cabbage and Peas Stirfry

Ingredients–

• 1 large cabbage, washed, drained and shredded
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp mustard oil

Method –

1. Heat mustard oil in a pan
2. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter
3. Keep the flame low and add dry masalas and salt
4. Add peas and cabbage
5. Mix well and cook on high flame for 5 minutes
6. Now, lower the flame and cook till the cabbage becomes tender. Sprinkle a bit of water if required.
7. Adjust salt and switch off the flame

Broccoli Soup

Ingredients–

• 1 small potato, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200 gm broccoli florets
• 2 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Shredded cheese to garnish

For White Sauce –

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 1 tsp butter

Method –

1. Add water to a saucepan
2. Add potato, garlic, onion and salt and boil for 10 minutes
3. Add broccoli and more water if required
4. Cover with lid and cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes
5. Let the ingredients come to room temperature
6. In the meantime, add butter to a pan
7. Add cornflour and stir till raw smell disappears
8. Add milk in batches and stir continuously till it thickens and no lumps are formed
9. Add salt to taste and set aside
10. Blend the vegetables and add it to the white sauce
11. Mix well and bring it to a boil
12. Adjust salt if required
13. Garnish with shredded cheese
14. Drizzle a few drops of chilli oil (optional)

Duck Egg Curry with Cauliflower and Potatoes

Ingredients–

• 4 duck eggs
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp mustard oil
• Chopped coriander leaves

Method –

1. Boil the eggs, remove the shells and set aside
2. Cut the cauliflower into medium florets
3. Cut the potatoes into 4 pieces each
4. Heat oil in a pan
5. Once the oil is hot, sprinkle some turmeric powder.
6. Fry the eggs and set aside
7. Fry the potatoes and set aside
8. If required, add 1 more tbsp oil
9. Temper the oil with bay leaves and cumin seeds
10. Add the onions and fry till light brown
11. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till aromatic
12. Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy
13. Sprinkle turmeric, cumin, coriander and red chilli powder and cook till oil separates
14. Sprinkle a little water so that the masalas do not stick to the bottom of the pan
15. Add the cauliflower and potatoes
16. Add salt to taste
17. Sauté for about 5 minutes
18. Add 2 cups of warm water and let it come to a boil
19. Add the eggs, lower the heat and cook covered till gravy thickens
20. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves

Onla Oma (Bodo Style Pork Curry with Rice Flour)

Ingredients–

• 500 gm pork, curry cut
• 15-20 slit green chillies
• 2 sliced onions
• 2 tbsp rice flour, mixed with 100 ml water
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp cooking soda

Method –

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add the sliced onions and slit green chillies
3. Sauté on medium heat until the onions turn golden
4. Add the pork pieces
5. Add salt. Stir well. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes
6. Stir occasionally
7. After 15 minutes, add turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste
8. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes
9. Add 3 cups of water , let it come to a boil.
10. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
11. Add the rice flour paste, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes
12. Add the soda, stir continuously for 2 minutes and switch off the flame