Catfish Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb catfish cut into 1 inch steaks
3 green chilies
1/2 tsps Turmeric
1/2 tsps Red chili powder
1/2 tsps Salt
Oil
1 yellow/red onion, chopped
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 red bellpepper cut into thin slices (you can also green or yellow bellpeppers)
1 cup tomato, chopped
Cilantro

Method:
Rub the catfish pieces with turmeric and salt. Let stand 30 min. Heat oil in large, deep frying pan on medium. Add the diced onion, garlic and the green chilies, and sauté for a few minutes till the onion softens and turns pink. Add the catfish, tomatoes and the red pepper slices and stir. Add the salt and chili powder. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and let simmer for another few minutes. Serve hot with rice/ roti.

Chaler Payesh(Rice Pudding)

Ingredients:
Sweet smelling Rice (Gobindobhog chaal): 100gms
Milk: 4 cups
Sugar: 150gms
Ghee: 1 teaspoon
Cashew nuts: 10gms,
Raisins: 10gms
Green cardamoms: 3 to 4
Bay leaf: 2


Method:
· Boil the milk in very low flame, and let it condense till it become almost ¾ its original volume.
· Meanwhile, add ghee to rice and mix well.
· Drop in the rice when the milk is ready, and now cook on high flame, stirring often.
· As the rice gets cooked add sugar, green cardamom, bay leaf.
· Keep on flame till the sugar melts.
· Throw in the cashew nuts and raisins.
· Garnish with raisins and cashew nuts or any other dry fruits of your choice.

Options:
· If you dont get Gobindobog, then work out with good quality Basmati rice
· The more you condense the milk, the better it tastes.
· Also, instead of sugar you can add jaggery or gur.
· To add a touch of color and flavor saffron is a good choice too.

Ingredients:

q 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
q 1 tablespoon butter
q 1 large onion, grated
q 1 tablespoon grated ginger
q 2 cloves garlic, smashed
q 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
q 3 cardamom pods, pounded to split open (don’t let the seeds get away)
q 1 whole cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
q 1 chicken breast, chopped into blocks
q 3 tomatoes
q 2 bunches of spinach
q 2 tablespoons chopped coriander/cilantro
q 2 red chilies, split
q Salt to taste

Method:
q Partially boil the spinach and blend into a smooth paste. Keep aside.
q Put oil and butter in a large pan on low – medium heat
q Once melted, add onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon. Stir and let them simmer gently.
q Add the chicken.
q Let cook for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes, water, spinach and cilantro. Stir well and salt.
q Add the green chilies. Stir well and simmer covered for 1/2 an hour, till the spinach starts sticking to the sides of the pan.
q It’s a yummy dish and even those who hate spinach will love it!!

Cholar dal

Cholar Dal
1 cup Cholar Dal
1tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of salt
i tsp sugar
2 tbs of ghee
1 tsp of cumin seeds /mustard seeds also can be used
1 tbsp sliced coconut
I tsp oil

Soak the dal in water for at least 15 minutes.
dd oil in a kadai and fry the cumin seeds and bayleaf along with the dal. Transfer the seeds and the dal to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water.
Add turmeric powder and salt, sugar.
Cover and cook at medium heat till 3 whistles.
Let the pressure subside and then open the cover.
Before serving add ghee and sprinkle on top with the coconut slices.
Serve hot with white rice.