Baghare Baingan

Ingredients:
1. Brinjal 7, give slits but keep them whole
2. Peanuts half cup, roasted and skin removed
3. Sesame seed (white) half cup, roasted
4. Paste of 1 Onion + 1 Garlic + little Ginger
5. Green Chilli 2, chopped
6. Jeera (whole) half tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Turmeric half tsp
9. Coriander(Dhaniya) powder 1 tsp
10. Cumin(Jeera) powder 1 tsp
11. Garam masala powder half tsp
12. Oil 3 tbsps
13. Fresh Coriander leaves 2 tbsps, chopped

Method:
Fry Brinjals a little in oil and keep aside.
Make a paste of Peanuts and Sesame seeds.
Heat oil, fry whole Jeera and add Jeera powder, Dhaniya powder, Turmeric. Fry for a minute or two on low flame.
Add the Paste of Onion+Ginger+Garlic, fry for a minute.
Add Peanut+Sesame paste and stir fry for few more minutes.
Add 1 glass of water, Salt and bring to a boil.
Put in the Brinjals. Cover and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle Garam masala, close lid and cook for one more minute.
Tasty Baghare Baingan is ready. Sprinkle Fresh Coriander leaves and serve.  

Palak Paneer

Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1. Paneer 200g
2. Fresh Spinach 150g
3. Green Chilli 1 (or to taste)
4. Tomato 2
5. Paste of 2 Onions (can be added chopped)
6. Paste of Ginger 1 tsp
7. Paste of Garlic 1 tsp
8. Jeera powder 1 tsp
9. Dhaniya powder 1 tsp
10. Garam Masala powder half tsp
11. Kasuri Methi 1 tsp
12. Salt to taste
13. Turmeric half tsp
14. Whole masala: few Cardamoms, few cloves, few pieces of Cinnamon, a pinch of Cumin
15. Oil 3 to 4 tbsps
16. Cream (optional) for garnishing

Method: 
Saute`Spinach and Chilli in little oil on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes till the leaves wilt. Do not over cook. Let it cool. Grind to a fine paste.
Puree the Tomato and keep aside.

Heat oil, add all the whole masala and let them splutter.
Add Onion paste and stir fry till soft brown. Add Ginger and Garlic paste to this. Keep frying.
Put in the Tomato, Salt, Turmeric and the powdered masala. Keep frying.
Add Spinach paste and Kasuri Methi, fry again till masala leaves the sides of the pan.
Pour one glass water, cover and simmer.

Add the Paneer pieces, cover and cook.
Delicious Palak Paneer is ready. Serve garnishing with cream.

Puroi Xaakor Bor

Puroi Xaakor Bor
(Fritters of Malabar Spinach)

Common name: Malabar Spinach
Assamese name: Puroi Xaak
Bodo name: Mwiphrai
Bangla name: Pui Shaag

There are two types of Puroi Xaak, Green and Red. For these Fritters I am using the Green Malabar Spinach. Red Malabar Spinach too can be used.

Ingredients:
1. Puroi Xaak, chopped fine
2. Besan
3. Salt
4. Green chilli, chopped
5. Water, few drops
6. Oil to fry

Method:
Mix the ingredients well, leaving aside oil.
Add just a few drops of water if necessary as water content of Puroi xaak is very high. 
Deep fry in oil and serve hot.
A very tasty fritter.

Spinach Fritter

Winter is a season I enjoy cooking and trying out new dishes with the fresh greens and vegetables that are grown in my garden. It's such a pleasure watching the tiny seeds growing to saplings and gradually turning to a full grown plant bearing fruits. Nothing like eating the organic harvests of your own garden.

Ingredients:
1. Spinach leaves, washed
2. Salt to taste
3. Rice powder
4. Water
5. Oil to fry

Method:
Make a batter mixing Rice powder, Salt and Water. Keep it for an hour or so.

Dip the leaves in this batter and fry for a few minutes turning on both sides. Some of the Spinach leaves are real big. In that case I fold it in half, lengthwise while dipping in the batter.
Besan can be a substitute to Rice powder. But my family prefers Rice powder as it makes the fritters crunchy.

A cup of steaming hot Assam Tea and this crunchy can do wonders not only to the tongue but to the soul too after a long day's work.   

Barbeque (Fish+Prawn+Pork)

Fish Barbeque:
Ingredients:
Take any fish that has less bones and can be cut into little large size pieces.
1. Rahu/Bhakuwa fish 6pcs, cut into pieces little bigger than the usual size cut for curry.

2. Salt 1 and half tsp
3. Pepper powder 1 tsp
4. Butter 2tbsps, melted
5. Lime juice of half a lime

Method: 
Mix Lime juice, salt and pepper powder well. Smear on the pieces of fish.
Melt butter and pour over fish. Make sure that all sides are brushed with butter well.

Leave it for at least 4 to 5 hours.
Can be left outside during Winter, but keep in fridge in Summer.

Finally the barbeque part and it is ready to serve.

Gajar Ka Halwa

Serves 12

Ingredients:
1. Gajar (Carrot) 1 and half kilo, grated. Use the Red Carrot
2. Ghee 8 tbsps
3. Sugar 10 tbsps
4. Milk 2 big glasses
5. Mawa/Khoya 150gm
6. Cardamom (Elaichi) powder 1 tbsps
7. Cardamom, whole 6
8. Bay leaf (Tej Patta) 6
9. Kismis 8
10. Cashew Nuts, broken half cup
11. Pistachio and Cashew Nuts, chopped lengthwise for garnishing
12. Verke (edible Silver Foil) for garnishing

Grated Red Carrot 

Method:
Heat Ghee fry whole Cardamom, Tej Patta and Kismis for a few seconds and add Carrot. Keep stirring and cooking in low to medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes till the water evaporates completely.

Add Milk, Sugar and broken Cashew nuts, cook again on low heat stirring occasionally.
Add Mawa/Khoya and Cardamom powder, mix well.

Spread the Halwa on a serving tray and decorate with chopped Pistachio, Cashew and Verke.
Can also be served in a bowl.

Thari'r Khaar

Thari'r Khaar = A Khaar dish cooked with the stems of Radish, Cauliflower and Broccoli.

 Winter months are the best to enjoy loads of lovely home grown vegetables. I grow plenty of Greens like Spinach, Mustard Greens, Coriander, Lettuce etc and Vegetables like Radish, Carrots, Beans, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Broccoli, Capsicum, Tomato etc during this season. They are organic and very very tasty.
The vegetables are so tasty that I do not discard even the stems after cooking Radish and the florets of Cauliflower and Broccoli. No wonder I am my mother's daughter when it comes to using almost all parts of vegetables. I remember my mother fondly, who was a fantastic cook and a great homemaker. She tended a beautiful flower garden as well as a lovely kitchen garden. I developed this hobby of growing my own vegetables, picking them up and cooking fresh from none other than my mother.

Ingredients: 
1. Tender stems of Radish, Cauliflower and Broccoli. Cube the stems.
2. Red Lentil (Masoor Daal)
3. Salt, to taste
4. Mustard oil, a little
5. Turmeric, a little (optional)
6. Green Chilli, to taste, chopped
7. Ginger, crushed
8. Garlic, crushed
9. Kola Khaar ( edible Soda-bi-carb is a substitute)
9. Water

Method: 
Saute the cubed stems and the Lentils in Mustard oil.
Add salt, chilli, turmeric (optional) and stir well.
Add Ginger and Garlic. Reserve a little crushed Ginger to add later.
Add water, cover and cook in medium heat.
Add Khaar, and cook for some more time.
Check salt and chilly. Add the reserved crushed Ginger and a little raw Mustard oil when done.
The delicious dish is ready to be served with a plate of Rice.
 

Chicken with Bok Choy

Bok Choy is one herb I love growing during Winters. Very healthy, tasty and needs no much of care to grow. This particular recipe of Chicken with Bok Choy is a favourite one of my family, delicious!!

Ingredients : 
For Marination

1. 1 and half kg Chicken. Debone the chicken. 
2. 2 Eggs
3. 4 tbsp Corn flour
4. 1 heaped tbsp Ginger paste
5. 1 heaped tbsp Garlic paste
6. 2 tsp Salt
7. 1 and half tbsp Refined oil
8. 1 and half tbsp Soy sauce

Mix all the above ingredients and leave for 2 hours. 

Ingredients :
For Cooking

1. 1 bunch of Bok Choy. Cut into big pieces, keeping stems and leaves apart.
2. Refined oil for frying and cooking
3. Green Chilly to taste, cut lengthwise 
4. More Salt if needed
5. 1 tsp Garlic paste
6. 1 and half tbsp Corn flour

Method : 

Deep fry the marinated chicken pieces in three batches. 
Heat oil, put in the Garlic paste and Chilly. Stir fry for a minute and add the fried chicken pieces. Stir fry for another minute and add warm water.
Mix Corn flour to cold water and add to the chicken. Cook for a few minutes and check salt, add more if needed. 
Put in the stems of Bok Choy and stir for a minute. Add the leaves and stir/cook for half a minute. Bok Choy Chicken is ready. 

Chicken with Bok Choy is best served with a plate of Fried Rice.

Bok Choy can be replaced by Mustard Greens (Lai Xaak) 

Use exactly same amount and same method 

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You may check Stir Fried Chicken with Bok Choy which is similar but dry.