Images of bengali food and festival

Serve 5-6 9” round, 3” deep dish with cover (Chicken in green Thai curry) GREEN PASTE (Grind together with a little water) 6-8 green chillies 3 spring onions chopped along with the green part (or 2 small button onions) 4 lemon grass leaves – optional 2” piece ginger 3 tbsp coriander leaves MAIN DISH 1 chicken (700-800 gms) – cut into pieces of your choice 1 ½ cups coconut milk 1 ½ tsp salt A tiny piece of gur (jiggery) 1 tbsp dhania (coriander) powder 1 tbsp jeera (cumin) powder 2 tbsp oil 1.Prepare the green paste by grinding everything together given under the green paste in the grinder. Use little water if rewuired for grinding. 2.Grate one coconut. Soak in 1 ½ cups of warm water for 1-2 hours. 3.Churn in the mixer and strain to extract coconut milk. 4.In a dish add oil, green paste, coriander and jeera powder. Mix well. 5.Micro high uncovered 3 minutes. 6.Add chicken. Mix well. 7.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 8.Add salt, jiggery and coconut milk. Mix well ...

Serves 5-6 7” round, 3” deep dish with cover & one round microwable plate LOAF 500 gms keema (minced meat chicken or mutton) ¾ cup curd 2 eggs 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tsp garam masala powder 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper (adjust to taste) 3 pieces bread slices – soaked in water , squeezed & crumbled SAUCE 1 tsp maida ½ tsp mustard powder 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp tomato sauce 1 tbsp chilli sauce 1.Wash the keema and squeeze it well. 2.Mix all ingredients given under loaf. Mix very well. 3.Grease the dish. Put keema in it & smoothen the top with your fingertips. Cover. Micro high 10 minutes. 4.Pour out the juices into a small bowl. 5.Overturn loaf on to a plate. To the juices, add all ingredients given under sauce. Mix well so that no lumps remain. 6.Pour the sauce over the loaf so as to cover it completely. Micro uncovered at 50% power (medium power) for 10 minutes. 7.Make a sep...

Serve 5-6 200 gms chicken (2 breasts and 2 thighs of medium size chicken) – cut into bite Size pieces 200 gms mushrooms quartered (cut into 4 pieces each) 2 tbsp oil or butter 2 tbsp maida (flour) 1 tsp salt 1 tsp papper 1 tsp rum or sherry (optional) 100 gms (1 ½ cup) cream or malai GARNISHING Soma chopped celery or coriander leaves 1.In a plate micro high uncovered maida (dry) 2 minutes. Keep aside. 2.In the casserole mix oil and chicken pieces well sp that chicken is coated with oil. 3.Micro high covered 2 minutes. 4.Add mushrooms. Mix well. Mirco high covered 4 minutes. 5.Mix maida and 1 cup of water well, so that no limps remain. 6.Add to the chicken – mushrooms casserole. 7.Add salt, pepper, rum. Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 8.Add cream or malai. Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 9.Let stand 2 minutes. 10.Sprinkle chopped celery or coriander and serve hot. Note :    1.This dish can be made with prawns and mushrooms. 2.it can also be made wi...

Serves 3-4 8” round. 3” deep dish with cover 500 gms chicken with or without bones (preferably cut into bite size pieces) 2 tbsp oil 3-4 flakes garlic – minced 3-4 spring onions – chopped 2-3 sticks celery (optional) – chopper fine 1 tej patta (bay leaf) ¼ cup red wine 2 ½ tbsp flour (maida) ½ tsp ajwain – powered ½-1 pepper powder 1 tsp salt  1.In casserole mix together oil, garlic, chopped spring onions (hold back the greens for later use) bay leaf, celery and chicken. Mix well. Micro high covered 4 minutes. 2.In another dish take flour. Micro high uncovered 1 minutes. 3.Add wine and ½ cup water to the flour to form a paste. Add this to above chicken of step 1. 4.Mix well, add salt, pepper and ajwain powder. 5.Micro high covered 4 minutes or till thick. Stir once in between. 6.Let stand 2-3 minutes. 7.Sprinkle spring onion greens on top and serve hot with garlic bread.

Serves 4-5 10” round, 4” deep dish with cover 1 chicken (600-700 gms) – cut into small pieces 18-20 french beans – cut into 1 ½” pieces 2 medium carrots – cut into 1 ½ pieces 2 sticky celery – chopped fine 2 capsicums – cut into ¼” pieces ½ cup milk 2 level tbsp maida 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp mustard powder 1 tsp salt 4 tbsp grated cheese (Amul) 1.In a casserole mix together chicken, carrots, celery and French beans. Add 2-3 tbsp water, cover. 2.Micro high covered 5 minutes. 3.Mix maida with milk so that no lumps remain. Add to chicken. 4.Add pepper, mustard, salt and capsicum. 5.Mix well. Micro high covered 4 minutes. 6.Stir once after 2 minutes otherwise maida tends to settle down. 7.Add cheese (grated). Mix well. 8.Micro high covered  3 minutes. 9.Let stand 1-2 minutes. Mix. Serve garnished with parsley or coriander.

Serves 3-4 8” round, 3” deep dish with cover 350 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces (boneless or with bones) ½” piece ginger – chopped fine, 2-3 flakes garlic – chopped fine 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp soya sauce, ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional) 4-5 green chillies – slit length ways 1 medium capsicum – cut into thin strips ½ onion – cut into ½” thin strips and leaves separated 1 tsp suger, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp sherry or rum (optional) 2 tsp (level) cornflour 1.In the dish, mix oil, ajinomoto, ginger, garlic, soya sauce and chicken, micro high covered 4 minutes. 2.Add all ingredients including chillies, capsicum and cornflour mixed in ¼ cup water. Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. Serve.

Serve 4-5 9” round, 3” deep dish with cover 400 gms chicken – cut into small pieces 3 tbsp soya sauce 1 ½” piece ginger – grated 1 ½ piece ginger – thinly sliced 3-4 spring onions – chopped along with the green part 2 tbsp sherry (optional) ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional) ½ tsp salt 1 ½ pepper 2 tbsp cornflour 2 tbsp oil 1.In the dish, mix oil, chicken, grated ginger, sherry, spring onion and soya sauce. 2.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 3.Add salt, pepper and sliced ginger. 4.Mix well. 5.Dissolve cornflour in 2-3 tbsp water. 6.Add to chicken. Mix well 7.Micro high uncovered 3 minutes. 8.Let stand 2 minutes. 9.Mix well. Serve hot. Note :    Ginger Fish and Prawns can also be made. Cooking time for prawns is 4-6 minutes depending on their size.

Servers 4-5 9” round, 3” deep dish with cover 200 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces 1 tsp grated ginger ½ tsp garlic paste 2 tbsp oil 3/4 tsp salt 4 tbsp honey 4 tbsp lemon juice ¼ tsp ajinomoto (optional) 2 spring onions – chopped along with the green part (100 gms) ½ packet mushrooms – sliced 1-2    drops yellow colour 2 tbsp (level) cornflour 1.in the casserole mix oil, chicken, garlic and ginger. 2.Mix well. Micro high covered 4 minutes. 3.Add mushrooms, spring onions (keep the green part aside), salt, honey, lemon juice and ½ cup water. 4.Micro high covered 3 minutes. 5.Dissolve cornflour in ½ cup water. 6.Add cornflour and colour. Mix well. 7.Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 8.Let stand 2 minutes. 9.Serve hot garnished with chopped green part of spring onion kept aside earlier. Note :    only chicken in lemon sauce can be made. Increase chicken to 300 gms and do not Use mushrooms.

Serves 4-5 9” round, 3” deep dish with cover 200 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces 100 gms mushrooms – sliced 100 gms baby corn – sliced diagonally 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp ginger paste 2 tbsp oil 1 tbsp soya sauce 1 tbsp vinegar 1 ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp pepper 2 tbsp cornflour 1/4 tsp ajinomoto (optional) 1.In the casserole mix together oil, ginger paste, garlic paste and chicken. 2.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 3.Add mushrooms, baby corn and all other ingredients except cornflour. Add ½ cup water. 4.Mix well. Micro high covered 3 minutes. 5.Mix cornflour 1 cup water. Add to cooked chicken mixture. Mix well. 6.Micro high uncovered 2 minutes or till sauce boils. Let stand 2 mintes. Serve hot. Note : If less gravy (sauce) is desired, dissolve cornflour in ½ cup water and reduce Salt and pepper to 1 tsp each.

Serves 5-6 10” round, 3” deep dish with cover 500 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces (1 whole small chicken) 10 dried red chillies 3 tbsp oil 1 tbsp garlic paste 1 tbsp (5-6 flakes) garlic – chopped fine 5 tbsp tomato sauce 1 tbsp  vinegar 2 tbsp red chilli sauce 2 tbsp soya sauce 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp (level) cornflour A little red colour (optional) ¼ tsp ajinomoto (optional) 1.In the casserole mix together oil, chopped garlic and dried, red chillies. 2.Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 3.Add chicken, garlic paste and all the ingredients except salt and cornflour. Mix well. 4.Micro high uncovered 6 minutes. 5.Add salt and cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water. Mix well. 6.Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 7.Let stand 2 minutes. Serves hot. Note :    schezwaan dishes are hot but chillies in this have been made moderate. For very hot, increase chilli powder to 1 to 1 ½ tsp.

Serves 3-4 10” round, 2 ½ -3” deep dish with cover 250 gms chicken bite size pieces (can be boneless or with bones) ½ cup cauliflower – cut into ½” pieces 1 medium carrot – cut into thin rounds 2-3 spring onions- chopped ½ capsicum – cut in ¼” broad pieces ½ tomato – cut into ¼” pieces after removing pulp 1 slice tinned pineapple- cut into ¼” pieces (optional) ¼ cup cucumber pieces without seeds 5 tbsp vinegar 2-3 tbsp (level) sugar – depending on how sweet you want the dish 2 tbsp toato sauce 1 tbsp soya sauce ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional) ½ tsp red chilli powder 2 tbsp oil A little orange red colour 2 level tbsp cornflour GARNISHING Green part of spring onions – chopped fine 1.In a casserole add 2 tbsp oil and ½ tsp red chilli powder. Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 2.Add chicken, carrots, spring onions (without the green part), and cauliflower. 3.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 4.Add all other ingredients, except cornflour. Mix. Well. 5.Add 2 level ...

Serve 3-4 8” round, 3” deep dish with cover 300 gms chicken (boneless or with bones) 1 ½” pieces ginger – cut into long and thin strips 2 tbsp oil ½ tsp red chilli powder 4 tbsp vinegar 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp soya sauce 2 tbsp tomato sauce ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp ajinomoto (optional) 1 tsp sherry (optional) Little orange red colour 3 tsp (level) cornflour GARNISHING A faw ginger strips 1.In the dish, add oil, ginger and red chilli powder. Mix. Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 2.Add chicken. Mix. Micro high covered 4 minutes. 3.Add all other ingredients including cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water. Mix well. 4.Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 5.Let stand 1-2 minutes. Serve decorated with a few ginger strips. Note :    instead of chicken, fish, prawns, mushrooms or paneer can be used.

Serves 3-4 6” round, 3” deep dish with cover, 6” round plate Delicious dry, spicy dish. 300 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces (can be boneless or with bones) 3 tbsp soya sauce 3 tsp sherry (optional) ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional) 15-16 cashew nuts – halved 6 dried, broken, deseeded red chillies 1 tsp red chilli powder 2-3 flakes garlic – crushed or chopped very fine 2 tbsp oil 2 level tsp cornflour dissolved in 1 tbsp water 1.In a dish, mix chicken, soya sauce, sherry, salt, sugar and ajinomoto. Leave to marinate for 1- 1 ½ hours. 2.In a casserole add oil, broken, dried red chillies, chilli powder and garlic. 3.Micro high uncovered 2 minutes. 4.In a plate place cashewnuts in a single layer. Micro high (dry) uncovered 2 minutes to roast nuts. Stir once after 1 minute. 5.To the casserole of stage 2, add chicken and all the marinade. Mix well. 6.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 7.Dissolve cornflour in 1 tbsp water. Add to chicken.Add roasted cashewnuts. Mix well. 8.Mi...

Serves 2-3 8” round, 3” deep dish with cover 350 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces 2 tbsp oil 5-6 flakes garlic – chopped fine 2” piece ginger – chopped fine ½ onion (small) – chopped fine 2-3 green chillies – chopped fine ½ tbsp tomato sauce 2 tsp soya sauce 1-2 tsp sherry (optional) 1 tsp black pepper 1 ½ tsp vinegar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ajinomoto (optional) 1 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 4-5 tbsp water 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1.In a dish, mix oil, garlic, onion, green chillies and chicken. Mix well. Micro high uncovered 3 minutes. 2.Add tomato sauce, soya sauce, pepper and sherry. Mix well. Micro high covered 3 minutes. 3.Add cornflour paste, vinegar, salt, chopped coriander leaves & ajinomoto. Micro high uncovered 1 minute or till sauce boils. 4.Let stand 1-2 minutes. Mix well before serving.

Serves 2-3 8” round, 3” deep dish with cover 200 gms chicken – cut into bite size pieces (can be boneless or with bones) 3 tbsp oil 2-3 dried red chillies – broken into pieces and deseeded 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 cup tomato puree 1-2 tsp sugar (according to taste) 1 tsp soya sauce ¼ tsp ajinomoto (optional) ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tbsp cornflour dissolved in 7-8 tbsp water (increase water if more gravy is desired) 1 tsp sherry (optional) 1.In the dish, mix oil, broken red chillies, red chilli powder and chopped garlic. Micro high 3 minutes uncovered. 2.Add chicken and all other ingredients except cornflour. 3.Micro high covered 5 minutes. 4.Add cornflour paste. Mix well. Micro high uncovered 3 minutes or till sauce boils. 5.Let stand 2-3 minutes. Mix well before serving.

Gives 10-12 koftas 10” round, 2 ½”-3” deep dish with cover KOFTA 500 gms keema (mutton mince) 1 tbsp ginger paste 1 tbsp garlic paste 3-4 green chillies – chopped finely 1 tsp garam masala 3 slices bread 1 egg 1 ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves GARNISHING Some fresh chopped coriander CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE 5 large tomatoes 2 ½” piece ginger 1 tsp salt 1 tsp red chilli power 1 tsp jeera powder 1 cup malai or cream A pinch of orange red colour 1.To prepare the tomato sauce. Blend all the ingredients except cream, well in a mixer, to a puree. 2.In the dish, add the above tomato puree and micro high covered 10 minutes. 3.Add cream and a little orange colour. Mix well and keep the creamy tomato sauce aside. 4.To make koftas, soak bread in water, squeeze and crumble. 5.Mix all ingredients of the kofta with the bread. Make into balls. 6.Place ball on a plate in a ring. Micro high 5 minutes uncovered. Change sides of koftas after 2-3 minutes. 7.Add koftas to the t...

Serves 4-5 9” round, 3” deep dish with cover 200 gms (1 cup) keema (minced chicken or mutton) 1 cup Basmati rice 4 tbsp pure ghee 5 leung (cloves) 4 chhoti illaichi (green cardamoms)- broken 1 tbsp ginger paste 1” piece dalchini (cinnamon) 1 tej patta (bay leaf) 1 medium onion – sliced thinly 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garam masala 1.Wash and soak rice for 1 hour. 2.In the dish, mix ghee, laung, dalchini, bay leaf, cardamoms and onion. 3.Micro high uncovered 4 minutes. 4.Add keema and all other spices except rice. Micro high covered 3 minutes. 5.Add rice and 1 ½ cups water. 6.Mix well. Micro high covered 12 minutes 7.Let stand 2-3 minutes, Fluff up the rice with a fork. Serve hot.

Serves 4 8” round, 3” deep dish with cover Chicken (450-500 gms) with or without bones- cut into pieces of your choice 3 tbsp oil 1tsp garlic paste ½ cup ready made tomato puree (Godrej or Kissan ) ½ tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp dhania powder, ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp sugar A little orange red colour 1 tsp salt 2 large capsicums – cut into strips 3 tsp cornflour dissolved in 3 cups water GARNISHING Some kasoori methi 1.In the dish, mix oil, garlic paste & chicken. Micro high covered 4 minutes. 2.Add tomato puree & all other ingredients except the last three- salt, capsicum & cornflour. Mix well. 3.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 4.Add capsicum strips, salt & cornflour dissolved in 3 tsp water. Mix well. 5.Micro high uncovered 3 minutes. 6.Let stand 1-2 minutes. 7.Mix. Sprinkle some kasoori methi on top & serve hot.

Serves 5-6 9” chicken (700-800 gms)- cut into pieces of your choice 2 medium onions 2 medium tomatoes 4-5 flakes of garlic 1” piece ginger 6-7 dried, red chillies 3 tbsp oil 1 tsp jeera (cumin) powder ½ tsp haldi powder 2” stick dalchini (cinnamon) 1 ½ tsp salt 3 tbsp vinegar 3 tbsp oil 1.Soak red chillies in vinegar. Add 2-3 tbsp water so that chillies are fully soaked for 1 hour. 2.Grind together onion, garlic, ginger and the soaked red chillies. Use vinegar water if needed. 3.Chop tomatoes and churn well in the mixer to obtain a puree. 4.In the dish, add oil, ground paste and dalchini. Mix well. 5.Micro high uncovered 4 minutes. 6.Add tomato puree, chicken and all other ingredients except salt. 7.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 8.Add salt and any left over vinegar water. Add ½ cup water. Mix well. 9.Micro high covered 4 minutes. 10.Let stand 1-2 minutes. 11.Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves. Note :    If more gravy is desired, i...

9” round, 3” deep dish with cover 1 ½ cups basmati rice 4 pieces of chicken (2 legs & 2 thighs or 2 legs & 2 breasts) 2 medium sized onions – sliced thinly 4 laung (cloves) 1” stick dalchini (cinnamon) 2 moti illaichi 3tbsp pure ghee 2 medium size tomatoes- chopped finely 2 tsp salt 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste 2 ½ cups water 1.Wash & soak the rice in water for 1 hour. 2.In the dish, add ghee, onion, moti illaichi, laung & dalchini, Micro high uncovered 3 minutes. 3.Add rice, chicken, tomatoes, salt garam masala, red chillies, garlic & ginger paste. Mix well. 4.Add 2 ½ cup water. Mix . 5.Micro high covered 17 minutes. 6.Let stand 4-5 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork to separate the grains of rice. 7.Serve hot. Note: when you finish cooking, some water may still remain in the rice but it is absorbad  during standing time as cooking process still continues for a while, even after the rice...