Monthalman মন্থালমান Moong Dal Sweet From Nineteenth Century Bengali Cookbook

Monthalman মন্থালমান is a dessert made from Moong Dal (Split Husked Green Gram). This sweet is a different take in terms of technique on our good old Moong Dal Barfi. The recipe is from late 19th Century Bengal (Undivided Bengal) which saw the publication of India's very first Recipe Book PAKRAJESWAR IN 1831 followed by the second edition of the same book being published under the patronage of the then King of Burdwan in 1854.

Doi Begun Recipe / Bengali Style Aubergines / Egg Plants In Yogurt Sauce ~ My Bong Konnection

Doi Begun (pronounced Do~ee Bay~goon) is the Bengali way of expressing the love affair between Begun or Aubergines or Egg Plants with Doi or Yogurt. This dish has seen multitudes of festivities in both the Chowdhury (My Paternal Side of the family) and Dutta Gupta (My Maternal Side of the family) families. Having journeyed through generations, the Doi Begun has etched a mark of decadency in my family's refined culinary appetite. Creating Doi Begun therefore for me is a true pleasure, a sort of food nirvana. Not only do my fingers dance through the Bhaja Moshla , the sapphire kissed turmeric powder and the crimson tinted red chilli powder to the music from the foot tapping mustard in the nearby frying pan, but also my mind traverses to those many meals where amidst laughter and chatter the Doi Begun was served to the family.

Diwali Sweets Collection 2018 / Diwali Sweets Recipes 2018 ~ Celebrate Diwali With Us

Celebrate the Festival of Lights Diwali / Deepavali with this fantastic collection of sweets / desserts from right below. You will find the name of the dish written above the picture of each dish. All you have to do is, click on the name of the dish & you will be directed to the page where you have the detailed recipe of the dish. I decided to compile all the dishes in a single post so that you can refer to this post alone & not spend time searching the individual posts from my blog while planning your Diwali Sweets menu. Also I have left a very brief introduction of each dish below the picture of the dish so that you can choose the dish based upon your Diwali party theme or your ideas woven around your Diwali festivities.You will find here a combination of traditional sweets & some very unique dessert recipes. This post is a brilliant resource to propel your Diwali celebrations to the ultimate heights of deliciousness, happiness & festive fervour.

Raspberry Bhapa Doi Recipe / Raspberry Steamed Yogurt (Bengali Style)

Stories are a powerful tool to weave dreams, reality, imagination, sometimes unreal, fictitious things through a web of beautiful words and then enclose them inside illustrated pages of intrigue with the potentially of picking you up gently and placing you down on those wings which then fly you into a world created by the storyteller. I may have been a year and a half old, barely capable of lifting my little self and perching myself up on the bed surrounded by fluffy pillows on all sides to break my fall in case I happened to get a wee bit adventurous. Baba would place in front of me colorful story books whose three dimensional pages would stand up before my twinkling eyes, wide with anticipation. I am told that I would sit for hours looking at them, amidst adorable sounds of cooing, gurgling, babbling, just too happy to be amongst those imaginary characters popping out of my story books.

Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani Recipe / Calcutta Chicken Biryani Recipe

Kolkata ~ the city of Joy, for me, apart from being the city where my family and extended family have lived for decades, is the city where food and sports are woven into the very fabric of the life of the people. A city which breathes football and cricket, a city where food is a passion and a way to express the rich cultural heritage of this vibrant city. Today let's take a virtual tour through the essence of the most famous and popular dish from here, Calcutta Biryani or Kolkata Style Chicken Biryani.

Kolkata Biryani Masala Recipe / Calcutta Style Biryani Spice Powder Recipe

KOLKATA BIRYANI MASALA holds the complete essence of the much loved Kolkata or Calcutta Style of Biryani. Without this indigenous spice mix you will not be able to achieve that flavour or aroma which is quintessential of Kolkata Biryani. By using the Kolkata Biryani Spice Powder you will get similar results with your Kolkata Biryani in terms of taste and fragrance as that of Kolkata residents, no matter in which country of the world you live. All you have to do is diligently note down the ingredients, which luckily, nowadays are available in an Indian store near you or online, dry roast, hand pound and voila have your own bottle of Kolkata Biryani Masala Powder.

Cauliflower Burfi Recipe / Kabishambardhana Barfi Recipe / Cauliflower Fudge Recipe

Hello Beautiful People. A sizeable portion of my lovely readers worldwide must be immersed in the preparations of celebrating Diwali ~ The Festival Of Lights. The number of sweets that has swept over Social Media has already kick-started the festivities a week back. Going through the numerous sweet and savoury recipes I was thinking to myself, thanks to Social Media we get to see Recipes from every nook and corner of India and try them in our home kitchen without having to travel to that part right away. Wonderful isn't it? 

Nolen Gurer Payesh Recipe / Patali Gurer Payesh / Rice Pudding Made With Date Palm Jaggery Recipe ~ Rejoicing My Culturally Rich Roots

I have always loved rituals, customs, traditions that we follow as a part of celebrating our festivals in India. It's these little little things that make the whole event so exciting and enjoyable. I have inevitably looked forward to festivals so that I could be a part of these wonderful customs that they observe. I am sure many of you, beautiful people, will echo my thoughts. No matter which part of the globe you belong to, you must also be having your own sets of rituals and age old traditions. In my numerous travels I have repeatedly found that people all over the world, while celebrating festivals follow each and every ceremony religiously, which has been passed on through generations, till date, with equal fervour and joy. 

Cholar Dal Recipe / Bengali Style Chana Dal Recipe / Split Bengal Gram Lentil Curry (Bengali Style) Recipe ~ Just Recipes

Cholar Dal is an extremely popular Lentil Curry which is served with many a Bengali Meal. It is a very simple lightly spiced lentil curry made using split bengal gram. In Bengal Cholar Dal is served along with Luchi / Puffed Deep Fried small round breads or other popular Bengali Breads like KOCHURI / RADHABALLABHI for breakfast or at the start of a meal during lunch. Cholar Dal is also served with steamed white rice along with JHURI ALOO BHAJA (very finely grated deep fried crisp potatoes) or other BHAJAS (deep fried fritters or deep fried fish etc.). It is quick, delicious and filling. You can simply have it with any breads with a salad on the side for a hearty quick fix meal any time of the day. 

Bhaja Moshla Recipe / Bengali Dry Roasted Spice Powder Recipe ~ Just Recipes

Bhaja Moshla is the Bengali word for Dry Roasted Ground whole spices that are used in many a dish from Bengal. Unlike the Southern part of India, where there are a number of different combinations of dry roasted ground spices, either used in cooking or eaten as an accompaniment with food, Bengal has only a few, Bhaja Moshla being one very important mix among them. Now there are a number of variations of Bhaja Moshla as you can find out, by either searching online or offline, by taking to your Bengali friends or reading Bengali cook books. 

Bhapa Aloo Recipe / Steamed Potatoes In Mustard Coconut Sauce Recipe ~ Just Recipes

Bhapa is the Bengali word used for steamed. Bhapa Mach or Steamed Fish is a Bengali delicacy which finds its way to many a Bengali Feast Menu. Everytime we had a lunch or dinner gathering at my home, Ma or Thakuma (paternal grandmother) would inevitably dish out these lovely looking green parcels with a large fish fillet doused in a pungent yet aromatic concoction of mustard and coconut sauce infused with mustard oil and green chilli paste. This would not only be polished off the plate in no time but often there would be a demand for more servings of these flavour laden green parcels. Unfortunately my vegetarian friends would always miss out on this ubiquitous Bengali meal offering and would only have to do with the explanation of how these parcels came into being.

Murshidabad Mutton Tikia Recipe / Mutton Mince Patties Recipe (Murshidabad Style) / Mutton Keema Tikia Recipe ~ Just Recipes

I am quite smitten by the culinary fare of Murshidabad. Mutton Tikia (Murshidabad Style) is the third dish from the region, to be posted on my Blog. Have you checked the other two unique dishes from this region yet ? If you haven't, do most definitely check out CHICKEN KORMA (MURSHIDABAD STYLE) and POPPY SEEDS HALWA (MURSHIDABAD STYLE) . Such culinary treasures are to be savoured and documented for posterity and I am glad that I have had the good fortune of not only savouring these delicacies from Murshidabad but have cooked them many a times in my kitchen and now have them documented forever in my Blog. A hearty thank you to CHEF DEVRAJ HALDER for initiating my foray into this wonderful world of Murshidabad Cuisine.

Shorshe Keema Recipe / Mutton ( Goat) Mince In Thick Mustard Sauce Recipe ~ Basking In Festivities

It is Eid here in Dubai today and many parts of the world. In India Eid will be celebrated tomorrow. On this auspicious occasion I would like to wish all my dear friends, readers and everyone celebrating A VERY HAPPY AND BLESSED EID.

Murshidabad Murgir Korma Recipe / Chicken Korma ( Murshidabad Style ) Recipe / Poila Boishakh Special Recipes ~ Shubho Nobo Borsho

The day after the grand Ugadi celebrations and a whole week of feasting, one would have thought that everyone in the family would want to cool off their heels and also give the tummy the much required rest. But, my family, always supercharged, both in terms of activity and food is already ready for action and has by now expressed their desire to have a non-vegetarian lunch, as a week of savouring on vegetarian fare has given rise to their carnivorous appetite. I was sitting at the table sipping into my cup of ginger tea and contemplating what to cook, when the phone rang. It was my Ma calling and I was elated because not only would I get to pour my heart out to her, as I always do in each and every conversation, but also she would give me the idea of what to cook for lunch. The conversation started with Dia (as it always does ), Ugadi celebrations and then went on to Poila Boishakh ( Bengali New Year Celebration ) which is on the 15th of this month. 

KORAISHUTIR KOCHURI /GREEN PEAS STUFFED BENGALI STYLE KACHORI ~ SHUBHO BIJOYA

The annually awaited DURGA PUJO reaches its crescendo and bids goodbye to all the celebrations which are stacked away again until next year. With the Idol of Goddess Durga being immersed in the water, no matter how hard one tries, the heart does become a bit heavy. It brings in the feeling of parting and then waiting for one whole year until the festival returns. Though I have gone through this ritual of festivities which does come to an end on BIJOYA DASHAMI upteen number of times , since my childhood the melancholy beats in my heart still ring out loud and clear every single year, even now.

ELO JHELO IN SALSA, ZATAR AND ORANGE FLAVOURS - A ZESTY UNION OF FLAVOURSOME NOTES

HAPPY DUSSEHRA AND VIJAYADASHAMI TO MY DEAR READERS

The ribbed glass jar sat high up on the highest rack in the room, where through a half opened wooden window, a spotted stream of light entered. Two heads with a pair of pigtails each were clustered together in deep conversation, hush hush though, looking up towards that ribbed glass jar from time to time. The discussion gained momentum and soon a pair of tiny feet rushed out of the room and was back half carrying, half pulling, struggling with a wooden stool. Some more whispers and then the adventure to reach that jar began. The stool creaked, swayed under the raised on toes two pretty feet with a silver anklet tinkling lightly with the movement. Hush instructions were given from below, maybe the right direction of the jar. The tiny hands trying hard to reach it. Alas even after the full extension of both hands and feet the final outcome was, the jar flying in the air for a couple of seconds before breaking the pin drop silence with its clinking shatter, as it spread a thousand sparkle on the floor. No sooner had the glass jar met its final outcome a voice rang loud and clear , who is it in the store room, followed by the scurrying away of the little feet.

CHICKEN CHAAP PULAO/PILAF ~ DURGA PUJO SPECIAL

The celebratory mode continues in my home. Though we do not wake up to the beat of the Dhak/Drum or the sound of the conch shell/Shankh or the chanting of mantras, but I guess the fervour of DURGA Puja has our hearts filled and therefore every member of my family wakes up with a smile on their faces. Then, amidst the enthusiastic discussion of which new attire we will clad today and what all will accessorize it, the coffee mugs and morning cookies get forgotten. The brisk activity continues till we all decked in our finenary head out to the Puja Mandap. No matter how far one is from India and West Bengal, no matter if one is surrounded by a carnival atmosphere or not, the DURGA Puja days do bring in a whole lot of excitement.

CHICKEN KOBIRAJI CUTLETS ~ DURGA PUJO SPECIAL

A very HAPPY DURGA PUJA to all my readers, family and friends celebrating this festival. Durga Puja is a very significant festival and heralds a whole lot of festivities for Bengalis all over the world. We have grown up amidst the rituals , traditions and festivities surrounding DURGA Puja. But this is not the case with little D who was born far away from India and who though loves any kind of rituals and celebrations surrounding these festivals is not at all familiar with any of them. Every year I try in my own little way to bring to her a minuscule part of the pomp and fervour that is such an integral part of Durga Puja.

CHANAR /COTTAGE CHEESE KORMA ~ SHUBHO MAHALAYA

PAINTERS IN KUMARTULI, THE PORTER'S QUARTER KOLKATA DRAWING THE THIRD EYE ON THE IDOL OF GODDESS DURGA ON THE DAY OF MAHALAYA(IMAGE SOURCE)

SHIULI FLOWERS/NIGHT FLOWERING JASMINE FLOWERS SYNONYMOUS OF DURGA PUJA

As Indians we celebrate many beautiful festivals which span through different months giving us sweet reasons to adorn new attires, gorge into dishes which leave our taste buds doused in their flavours long after they have completed their journey into our gut and bask in festivities galore. Each festival brings in its own unique attributes, has its own legend and is our pathway to transcend on that blessed journey into our rich culture and heritage.Growing up in India I can't be  more thankful to the fact that I have had the opportunity to seep into the multitudes of diverse traditions which is the base of this gorgeous country. Each festival was celebrated with equal pomp and joy.

CHUM CHUM BENGALI SWEET ~ PINK FOR OCTOBER SERIES

Solitude is something many of us busy bees, seek almost every single day. Wishes for a day when there would be not a single life's mundane and regular whispers around, only sounds of nature, chirping of birds, gushing of the wind, water flowing like a maidens black tresses and such similar sounds, music to the ear. To find my own piece of solitude in this fast paced life, I would pick up this poem Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth and oft go through it on my way back from work, in the realms of my car trying to bring in some calm and solitude amidst the ever raging traffic outside. As the flowery words would engulf me in their dreamy confines, I would drift away trying to be in the same place as the "Highland Lass" of his poem, the same verdant where "Alone she cuts and binds the grain, And sings a melancholy strain".