Delicio Recipe List

A traditional Bengali lunch is not complete without a fish curry where hot steaming rice is served with daal, fried vegetables and finally with a fish preparation. Here is the recipe for Sorse Rui (Rohu in Mustard Gravy) ideal to have with rice during lunch time. Ingredients: 4 pieces rui (rohu) 2 tbsp black mustard seeds (sorse) 1 tbsp poppy seeds (posto) 2 green chiili (for mustard paste) 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp salt (to taste) 2-4 tbsp mustard oil (as required), to fry fish 3-4 chilli (slit lengthwise) to decorate 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped (optional) Procedure: Clean and wash the fish pieces and sprinkle 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and a 1/2 tsp salt on the pieces and rub on all sides. Keep aside for 10 mins. Grind the mustard and poppy seeds with 2 green chillies in a blender to form a smooth paste. Add a little water while making the paste. (Do not overgrind, as mustard paste may get bitter). Heat oil in a kadhai and shallow fry the fish ...

It's been a long time since I have baked a cake. A recipe for Chocolate Fudge Cake as found in a cake recipe book. Ingredients: 325 gms plain chocolate cake covering 275 gms white butter 175 gms caster sugar 4 eggs, beaten 175 gms self raising flour 50 gms ground rice 10 ml / 2 tsp vanilla essence 50 gms flaked almonds 100 gms icing sugar 10-15 ml coffee essence toasted almonds, half dipped in melted chocolate, to decorate Procedure: Line a 9 inch round cake tin with buttered greaseproof paper. Warm half the cake covering in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk 225 gms butter and caster sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, keeping the mixture stiff. Slowly beat in the flour with ground rice, vanilla essence and flaked almonds and the cool, (but still liquid) chocolate cake covering. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in oven at 180?C / 350?F, mark 4 for 11/2 hours. Cool in the tin for 30 mins before turning out. Melt the ...

A delicuous chutney made with ripe tomatoes to savour in hot afternoon with rice and curries. My mom-in-law used to make this chutney by roasting ripe red tomatoes specially during summer time. I loved that smoky taste and flavour of roasted tomatoes. So here is the recipe for Roasted Tomato Chutney as learnt from her. Ingredients: 5-6 medium sized tomatoes 3 onions, finely chopped 3-4 bunch fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 red chili 1 green chilli 4-5 tbsp powdered sugar (to taste) ? tsp salt (to taste) Procedure: Wash the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes on a wire mesh on the gas. Switch on gas and roast the tomatoes till the tomato skin starts to blacken. Use a tong to turn the tomatoes and ensure they are roasted on all sides. (Insert a fork to ensure whether the inside is soft or not). Switch off gas, remove the tomatoes and collect in a plate. Slowly and carefully remove the outer blackened skin (it is easier to remove the skin while the tomatoes are still a little hot). Tak...

Delectable summer drinks like Aam Pora Shorbot, Beler Shorbot (sherbet made with passion fruit), Zafrani / Kesari Sherbet, including yogurt drinks like Ghol / Chaas and Lassi are traditional coolers and excellent remedies to beat the sweltering heat of Kolkata summer. They help in digestion and the salt & sugar combination of the drinks keeps the electrolyte level of the body in control. Aam Pora Shorbot (sherbet prepared with roasted mango pulp) is useful in rehydrating the body and preventing Heat Stroke / Sunstroke (A metabolic disorder where the body temperature increases and the body is unable to dissipate the heat and can even lead to unconsciousness). Here is the recipe as learnt from my mother. Ingredients: 2 raw mangoes a pinch salt (per glass or to taste) 3-4 tsp sugar (per glass) 150-200 ml water (per glass) a pinch of rock salt (to garnish) a pinch of roasted cumin seeds (jeera) powder ice cubes Procedure: Wash the mangoes and cut a small portion (circular shape) at th...

I wrote about Eggs in Milk in my earlier post. Lots of my friends were very curious about this recipe. So here is the recipe for Eggs in Milk. As everyone know, eggs are considered a good source of nutrition as they add protein and other nutrients to one?s diet. A nutritious & delicious recipe with the goodness of egg & milk with very few ingredients and it also takes very little time to cook. Chicken eggs are the most commonly eaten eggs. They supply all essential amino acids and provide several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, choline, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. They are also an inexpensive single-food source of protein. Choline is an important nutrient for development of the brain, and is said to be important for pregnant and nursing women to ensure healthy fetal brain development. Ingredients: 100 gms / 4 eggs 2 cups water (to boil eggs) 1 cup / 250 ml milk 4 tbsp onion paste (2-3 large onions, made i...

Tomato is classified as a type of vegetable and is used in various dishes in main courses including green salads and pickles & chutneys. Some tips on storing and cooking techniques of tomatoes. Storing Tips on Tomatoes: As long as they are kept at room temperature, tomatoes bought at the mature green stage will soften slightly, turn red and finish ripening to develop their full flavour and aroma. You can place the tomatoes in a shallow bowl at room temperature until they are ready to eat (Don't refrigerate, as tomatoes stored in the refrigerator tend to lose flavor). To speed up the process, place tomatoes in a brown paper bag / closed container in a single layer (with the top side up) to trap the ethylene gas which helps in ripening the tomatoes. Once they are fully ripened, tomatoes can be kept at room temperature or refrigerated for several days. But remember to use tomatoes only when they are back to room temperature to get their fullest flavour in cooking. Cooking Techniqu...

Preparing biryani is always an elaborate affair at my in-law's place. The main dish should be accompanied with raita, green salads and an appropriate sweet dish. Here is the recipe for Kesari Chicken Biryani. Ingredients: 2 cups / 400 gms basmati rice 1 kg chicken (cut into 8-10 pieces) 1/2 cup / 2 large onions, finely sliced 3 tbsp ginger paste 3 tbsp garlic paste 3 cups / 600 gms curd / yogurt 6 tbsp ghee 2-4 green chiili, chopped 2 tsp red chilli powder 5 cups water few strands of saffron / kesar 1/2 cup (100 ml) warm milk a pinch of yellow food colour salt to taste 2 tbsp mint leaves / pudina patta, finely chopped 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves / dhaniya patta, finely chopped Whole Spices: 2 bay leaves / tej patta 4 (1") cinnamon sticks / dalchini 10 cloves / laung 10 green cardamoms / chhoti elaichi 2 black cardamoms / badi elaichi 1 tsp mace / jawitri 3 tsp black cumin seeds / shahi jeera Garnish: 2 large onions, sliced & fried 10-12 pieces, kashewnuts, fried 1 bunch ...

It is the turn for the final dish of tonight's menu, pudina parantha. The process of making the dough for pudina parantha is just like kneading the dough for ordinary roti only here I added a few chopped mint leaves in the whole wheat flour. You can also prepare pudina roti / chappati instead of the parantha. Ingredients: 200 gms wheat flour / atta 4 tbsp freshly mint leaves / pudina patta, finely chopped 1 tsp thymol seeds / ajwain 2 tbsp white oil, to knead dough ?-1 cup warm water (for kneading dough) 1 tsp salt (to taste) ? tsp red chili powder (to taste) white oil, for frying Procedure: Sieve atta and take in a mixing bowl. Add chopped mint leaves, ajwain, white oil, salt and red chilli powder and mix well. Slowly & gradually add water and knead to form a soft dough. Cover with a moist cloth for 30 mins. Roll into a slightly thick roti / chappati than usual. Heat a non stick frying pan / tawa and place a rolled out roti / chappati. Flip to the other side after you notice ...

I generally prepare cucumber & yogurt raita as it is liked by the family members. As tonight I am having a mint based menu, just added a few chopped mint leaves in the curd mixture to form a mint, cucumber & yogurt raita. Ingredients: 2 cups sour curd 1 small cucumber, grated ? cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced 1 tsp powdered sugar 1 tsp salt ? tsp red chilli powder (optional) 1 tsp roasted cumin seed / jeera powder a pinch rock salt, for garnishing Procedure: Wash, peel and grate the cucumber and place the grated cucumber on a strainer to drain the excess water. Strain the curd in a clean & thin / muslin cloth to squeeze out the water and collect the curd in a mixing bowl. Add the grated cucumber (press to ensure that there is no excess water, chopped garlic & mint leaves and mix well. Add salt, powdered sugar, red chilli powder and mix well (Add ? cup water, if required). Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Sprinkle rock salt ...

Thought of making Saag-Aloo (a nutritious dish made of spinach & potatoes) dish for tonight?s dinner. While preparing I found out there was no coriander leaves (which I generally use for spinach gravy recipes) but a handful bunch of mint leaves were available. Well wary at first of the taste, substituted coriander leaves with the mint leaves and voila...the final dish was also delicious with the typical smell of mint. A few bunch of mint leaves were extra so I prepared mint, cucumber & yogurt raita and instead of plain roti made pudina parantha to have a whole course "minty" menu for tonight's dinner. Ingredients: 2-3 bunch spinach, roughly chopped 4 medium sized potatoes, peeled & diced 1 cup shelled peas 2 bunch mint leaves 2 large onions, finely chopped / grated 1 tsp ginger paste 1 tsp garlic paste 1 large tomato, finely chopped 2 tsp coriander powder ? tsp garam masala powder ? tsp red chili powder 1-2 green chilli (as per taste) salt to taste 1 tbsp oi...

Making my son eat vegetables and legume is a tough matter. So I try to prepare dishes as per his liking utilizing vegetables and lentils which are not visible in the final dish. Here is a healthy Continental soup with cannellini beans, carrots and chicken. Ingredients: 200 gms cannellini beans / white Italian kidney beans 1 large chicken leg portion 150 gms onions (peeled & finely chopped) 125 gms carrots (peeled & finely sliced) 1 stick celery (trimmed & sliced) 1 bay leaf 1 ltr water salt to taste freshly ground black pepper chopped coriander leaves (optional) for garnish Procedure: Soak the beans overnight. Take a pressure cooker, put the beans, add water as required and bring to a boil. Cover and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles, simmer and cook the beans for about 40-45 mins. Drain. Now put the onion, carrots & celery slices with the beans, chicken portion, a pinch of salt and bay leaf in the pressure cooker. Add 1 ltr water, cover and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles...

Missi Roti is a Rajasthani speciality and a type of chappati / parantha. If you all remember my post on Chillah (another Rajasthani recipe), where I used besan, atta and maida with a variety of vegetables. Well missi roti is prepared with wheat flour and gram flour. Ingredients: 200 gms wheat flour / atta 200 gms gram flour / besan 1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera a pinch of asafoetida / hing 2 tbsp kasoori methi powder1 tsp salt (to taste) 1 tsp red chili powder (to taste)white oil, for frying ?-1 cup warm water (for making dough) Procedure: Sieve atta to remove the husk. Take the sieved atta & besan in a mixing bowl. Add cumin seeds, kasoori methi powder, salt & red chili powder and mix well. Add a little oil and gradually add water and knead to form a soft dough. Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside for 30 mins. Make 10-12 small round shaped balls. Take a ball, press to form a flat shaped dough and roll into a slightly thick roti / chappati than usual. Heat a non stick frying...

Idli is a healthy food and much loved South Indian snack, made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils and rice. Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, idlis are usually served with green / coconut chutney and sambar. One of my colleagues used to bring idlis with molagai podi (mixtures of crushed dry spices). Rava Idli is a popular variety of idli, a speciality of the state of Karnataka in India. Rava means semolina (suji) in the native Kannada language. Rava Idli is usually found in restaurants that serve the Udupi cuisine. During our stay in Bangalore, we tasted Rava Idli in a popular restaurant ?Udupi Park Family Restaurant? on Airport Road, opp Kemp Fort. Serves: 8-10 idlis Ingredients: ? cup semolina / rava / suji 150 gms / 1 cup sour curd 1 tsp fruit salt / eno 1 tbsp cashewnuts ? tsp soda-bi-carbonate 6-8 curry leaves 2-3 dry red chillies 1 tsp mustard seeds 3 tsp white oil water (as required, for batter) 1 tsp ghee salt to taste Procedure: Heat oil in ...

A new variation for the good old tomato soup, done in a microwave and that too with few ingredients. A healthy & nutrituous soup which can be served with sandwiches and green salads. I prepared this soup keeping in mind my son, who do not like to have soup other than chicken soup (cream of chicken, sweet corn chicken soup to name a few). I thanked my lucky stars, when on the way to Nainital he tasted tomato soup for the first time and liked it tremendously. So now my kid has 2 soups in his menu, chicken soup and tomato soup. I did not use black pepper when I made the soup initially for him. You can always add the freshly ground black pepper at the end (as per taste). Ingredients: 250 gms tomatoes, chopped 2 small onions, finely chopped 1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped 2 tbsp fresh cream, whipped 1 tbsp cornflour 2 tsp butter 4 cups water salt (to taste) freshly ground black pepper (to taste) fried bread croutons, for garnishing Procedure: Dissolve cornflour in 1/2 cup water and keep...

Misti singhara (or sweet samosa) is one of my favourite sweet dish. Very easy to prepare also. The process of making sweet samosa is similar to that of the popular samosa (filled with fried vegetable stuffing) only here the stuffing is of khoya / kheer and the final samosas are dipped in the sugar syrup. Ingredients: 200 gms (2 cups) plain flour / maida 200 gms (2 cups) khoya kheer / mawa ? tsp baking powder 1 tsp nutmeg powder 1 tsp saunf (mouri / aniseed) ? cup boiling water (as required) 1- ? tbsp white oil (for kneading dough) white oil / ghee, for frying Sugar Syrup: 2 cups sugar 4 cups water 4-5 green cardamom (chhoti elaichi) few strands of saffron Making sugar syrup: To make the hot sugar syrup, take a deep pan, mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. (ratio is 1 part of sugar to 2 parts of water) and bring to a boil. Add 4-5 cardamom pods (crushed) and saffron. Mix with a spoon until all the sugar is dissolved in water. Boil the syrup and then simmer to reduce the water b...

I am back with a delicious Biryani recipe. I had Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani, first time during my stay in Bangalore. What surprised me that they serve a gravy with the biryani dish along with raita / green salads. So when I prepared the recipe at home, I kept the gravy and served it along with the biryani. Ingredients: 350 gms mutton, cut into cubes 200 gms basmati rice 2 large onions 4 medim sized tomatoes 1/2 cup curd 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tbsp red chilli powder (to taste) salt (to taste) 6-7 green chillies 4 tbsp white oil 2 tbsp ghee 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped 1-2 cups boiled water (as required for gravy) 4-5 strands saffron 2 tbsp milk Whole Spices: 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 green cardamoms, slit 3 black cardamoms, slit 4-5 cloves 1 1/2" cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves Garnish: 2 large onions, sliced & fried 10-12 pieces, kashewnuts, fried 1 bunch corinader leaves, chopped 1 boiled egg, sliced Procedure: ...

Everybody must be wondering where on earth I have disappeared!!! I was on a welcome break trip to Nainital. Well here's some information on one of the most beautiful hill resorts in Northern India. Nainital is situated in the Uttarakhand State and headquarters of Nainital district in the Kumaon foothills of the outer Himalayas, also known as the "Lake District of India" and known for the scenic natural splendour. Situated at an altitude of 1,938 mt (6,358 ft) above sea level, Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped (some people say mango-shaped) lake. Nainital is known for the exquisite beauty of Nainital Lake, which is surrounded by seven mountains, of which the highest are Naina on the north, Deopatha on the west and Ayarpatha on the south. The north end of lake is called Mallital while the southern one is called Tallital. Some of the tourist spots are Haldwani, Kaladhungi, Ramnagar, Bhowali, Ramgarh, Mukteshwar, Bhimtal, Sattal and Naukuchiatal. Nain...

We had gone to Oklahoma to see my Dad and step-mom in the nursing home. One thing I really wanted to do while we were there was cook up a batch of enchiladas for my brother and sister in law who also live in Oklahoma. I mixed up the dry ingredients for the sauce at home, and purchased the rest of what I needed at the local Walmart. I made 2 pans, one of cheese enchiladas, one of beef ones. I buttered 2 pyrex baking dishes, placed the enchiladas in them, and placed them in my sister in laws brand new oven at 400*. About 15 minutes later, and nearly time for them to come out of the oven, I heard a loud POP in the oven. I opened the door to see a terrible mess. The dish that the cheese enchiladas were in had exploded, and shards of glass and melting cheese were everywhere inside the oven, including in the other dish of enchiladas. There were some big peices of glass and there were tiny shards. It was all over the oven, including some that fell down below the "floor" of the oven,...

Found about a wonderful cause from Priya who is a member of BloggerAid . The group is publishing a book with the recipes prepared by the foodie bloggers around the world, a really noble gesture againt the hunger. The profit from the sales of the cookbook will be directed to School Meals , a programme of The World Food Programme (WFP) , United Nations frontline agency...... Here is my contribution to the cause: Aam Panna I wrote about Coolers in a previous post. Aam Panna is type of Cooler known for its heat resistant properties and is an effective remedy for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It is made from raw green mangoes and also used as a delicious, refreshing and healthy beverage to fight against the intense summer heat. The recipe requires few ingredients and mangoes are readily available across the globe, but you have to ensure to prepare with raw mangoes only. I cannot write the recipe, until the cook book is out... So you have to wait till the book is finally published. Gui...

Laddoo / Laddu is a type of sweet often prepared to celebrate festivals or household events. There are different types of laddoos like boondi / motichur laddoo, rava laddoo, besan laddoo, mawa laddoo to name a few? Here is the recipe for Moong Daal Laddoo, which is easy to prepare at home. You can either soak the daal, grind to make a paste, fry and then make the laddoos (A little time consuming method as the frying takes a lot of time). Another process is to use powdered moong daal flour (or powder the dry roasted moong daal) and then prepare the laddoos. Ingredients 300 gms (1? cup) moong daal (yellow split green gram daal) 300 gms (1? cup) sugar 250 gms / 1 cup melted ghee (as required) 6 black cardamoms (badi elaichi), crushed 2 tsp ghee (for preparing final laddoo) Procedure: Take a kadhai and dry roast the moong dal (you can use sona moong dal) on low flame until the colour changes to light brown / red. Cool thoroughly and grind the roasted daal and sugar in a blender to form ...

The best way to beat the heat during summers is to keep oneself cool and hydrated by consuming a lot of beverages, fruit juices and drinks like lassi, nimbupaani, butter milk, etc. Exposure to heat leads may cause health problems like dehydration, sun stroke and stomach upsets. Coolers, are natural drinks prepared from thandephal or ?cooling fruits? that keep the body cool in the summer time. Aam panna (made from raw mango pulp), watermelon juice and pomegeranate juices are known to be great coolers. These juices protect our bodies from the scorching heat during summer and are effective natural remedies for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Wishing everyone a Happy Holi. Play a healthy, safe and colourful Holi. Peragi is fried pastry filled with a khoya & nuts mixture and soaked in sugar syrup. Though its traditional and a must have treat during festivals like Holi / Diwali it can be prepared at home any time. Here is the recipe for Peragi. The method of preparing the sugar syrup, kneading dough and stuffing is almost same like lobongo lotika . Only difference is in the style of folding and sealing the peragi. Ingredients: 250 gms (2 cups) plain flour (maida) 500 gms (4 cups) mawa / khoya kheer ? tsp baking powder 100 gms (1 cup) sugar 100 ml (1 cup) water (as required) 2 tbsp white oil / ghee (for kneading dough) 1 cup sugar 1 tsp cardamom powder 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder 3 tbsp raisins (kishmish) ? cup (100 gms) chopped almonds white oil, for frying Sugar Syrup 2 cups sugar 4 cups water 4-5 green cardamom (chhoti elaichi) Procedure: Preparing sygar syrup: To make the hot sugar syrup, take a deep pan, mix the 2 cups of...

Thandai is a popular cold drink prepared with a mixture of almonds, fennel seeds, magaztari seeds, rose petals, black peppercorns, poppy seeds, cardamom, saffron, milk and sugar. It is sometimes mixed with 'bhang' to make an intoxicating drink and often associated with the Holi festival. Ingredients: 1 - ? ltr water 1 cup milk 2 cups sugar 1 tbsp almonds 1 tbsp watermelon seeds (tarbuj seeds), skinned ? tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus / posto) ? tbsp aniseed (saunf / mouri) 1/2 tsp cardamom powder (or seeds of 2 black cardamoms, crushed) 1/2 tsp rosewater 1 tsp whole peppercorns, crushed 1/4 cup dried / fresh rose petals ? tsp bhang (optional) Procedure: Take a pan and soak sugar in ? ltr of water. Stir till all the sugar is dissolved in water. Strain to obtain the sugar syrup and keep aside. Wash and clean all the dry ingredients. Soak in 2 cups of water. Keep aside. Allow all the soaked items to stand for about 2 hours. Take a blender / mixie and grind all soaked ingredients to ...

Holi also called the Festival of Colours , is a popular Hindu spring festival celebrated mainly in India and also globally. Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (death of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). On the main day, people celebrate Holi by throwing coloured powder (gulal / abir) and coloured water at each other. This year, Holi will be celebrated on 11th March 2009 and Holika Dahan is on 10th March 2009. In West Bengal, Holi is known as Doljatra / Dol Purnima or Boshonto Utsav (as celebrated in Shantiniketan) and celebrated with great festivity and joy. In Shantiniketan (the abode of Rabindranath Tagore), ?Basanta Utsav (spring festival)? is celebrated in a unique way. People welcome the season 'Basanta' with music and dance. Bengalis celebrate Holi as Dol Yatra or the swing / jhula festival where th...

Aloo dum is a very simple recipe for potatoes cooked with Indian spices for plenty of flavor. There are several different variations of cooking aloo dum like kashmiri aloo dum, stuffed aloo dum and even pure vegetarian aloo dum. This is the recipe for pure vegetarian aloo dum (for those who do not take onions in their food items). Ingredients: 500 gms small potatoes, (uniform size) 1 tbsp ginger paste (grated ginger) 1 tbsp garlic paste (grated garlic) 1 bay leaf 1 inch cinnamon stick 2 green cardamoms 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp turmeric powder 2 tsp coriander powder 1 - ? tsp cumin powder 1 large tomato, finely chopped 1 tsp sugar salt to taste ? tsp red chili powder (to taste) 1 tsp garam masala powder 2 tbsp oil 1 tsp ghee 1 cup water (as required for gravy) 2 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped Procedure: Wash the potatoes thoroughly, retain the skin and prick the potatoes with a fork. Take a pressure cooker, boil just enough water, add a pinch of salt and release the potatoes when ...