Saturday, December 14, 2019

Chingri Narkol diye Chichinge Chenchki - Snake Gourd with Coconut and Prawns



Chichinge or snake gourd is one of my favourite veggies and, in fact, the hubby is quite fond of it too. But I only knew one recipe for this veggie - Chichinge Peyanj Bhaja - and was quite delighted to find more recipes on Sayantani's blog A Homemaker's Diary. This blog is one of my go to blogs when I'm looking for help with Bengali recipes or for something new to try out. She has easy to follow instructions interspersed with little tips that make life in the kitchen easier. 

Bengal is an abundant region, be it for vegetables and fruit or the bounty from its innumerable ponds, streams, rivers, and coastline. It is no surprise, therefore, to find numerous recipes for every ingredient. You will find preparations to fit a vegan, vegetarian or non vegetarian diet, and in fact, even sweet meats made from a myriad vegetables too. Our daily meals are traditionally elaborate in that they have multiple courses including daal, vegetables, fish, or meat, followed by something sweet to round off the meal. The abundant Gangetic delta provides rich seasonal produce giving the Bengali plenty of variety through the year - and thus we have a wide range of dishes , enough to cook something different every single day of the year! 

I am very grateful to bloggers like Sayantani who share not only the festive and the unusual recipes from their Bengali kitchens but also the simple yet delicious everyday fare that is common in Bengali households. Like this easy Chingri Narkol diye Chichinge Chenchki. 

Chingri Narkol diye Chichinge Chenchki


3-4 feet  snake gourd, skin scraped, pith removed, and then sliced
Half cup prawns, deveined and chopped
3 tbsp Mustard paste
Half cup scraped fresh coconut
A couple of green chillies
1/2 tsp Nigella seeds
Salt
Turmeric
Mustard oil

Chuck in the nigella seeds and green chillies into hot mustard oil. 
Add the prawns with salt and turmeric and mix well.
After a minute chuck in the sliced gourd. Mix well and cook covered for 5-7 minutes.
Now add the mustard paste and mix. Cook further for a couple of minutes.
Add the grated coconut at the very last minute, give it a quick stir, and then take it off the heat.

Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with more grated coconut and drizzle with a little mustard oil for extra punch. 

Serve it with plain hot rice along with daal and a bhaja, and you will have a delightful Bengali meal! 

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Doi Posto diye Chalkumro - Ash Gourd with Curd and Poppy Paste


Chalkumro or Ash Gourd is a very common ingredient in Bengali kitchens and is used in a zillion different ways. I've never been a great fan of this bland vegetable and have therefore never cooked anything with it ever. However, in the last few years as I have explored Bengali cuisine with more interest I have made an effort to cook with even those ingredients I have hitherto found uninspiring. The chalkumro was in line and the last time I went to buy vegetables I picked up a large wedge of this white gourd.

I found this recipe on the Facebook group - Bangla Niramish Rannaghor contributed by Mili Banerjee. This is a fairly easy recipe - the only effort is in prepping the chalkumro.

Doi Posto diye Chalkumro

500 gms Chalkumro or Ash Gourd
150 gms fresh curd
3 tbs posto or poppy seeds
3 tbsp mustard paste
1 tsp nigella seeds
5 green chillies
mustard oil
salt
sugar
fresh coriander

Soak poppy seeds for 20 minutes or so and then grind to a smooth paste with 2 green chillies.
Soak 2 tbsp of Sunrise mustard powder or make 3 tbsp fresh mustard paste.
Remove the seeds and pith from the chalkumro, peel the outer skin, and cut the chalkumro into thin match-sticks.

In a large bowl combine the curd, mustard and poppy pastes and mix well. Add the cut chalkumro to this mixture and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a wok heat mustard oil. Chuck in the nigella seeds and the remaining green chillies and let it sizzle for half a minutes. Then tip in the marinating chalkumro, mix well, cover and cook for around 20 minutes on a low flame. Give it an occasional stir.

Remove the lid and add salt and sugar, mix well and then dry out the water in the wok stirring constantly. Cook till you see the oil released. Let it cook for a further few minutes and then take it off the heat.

Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with some finely chopped fresh coriander.

In Bengali households this will be eaten with hot rice as part of our usual multi-course meals along with daal, bhajas, and more. However, it also works well with simple phulkas.