Indian Food Cooking

A traditional bengali recipe Shukto
This bitter taste curry is a regional favorite of the people of Bengal, Orissa, and Assam taken generally as a starter item during the midday meal. From mythical Shiva (in the narrative poems of Annadamangal) requested Devi Annapurna to cook some dishes including “Shukuta” to the historical figure Shri Chaitanya, the medieval Bengali loved the Shukto.  In Shukto the bitterness is rarely allowed to overpower the other flavors like sharpness of mustard paste, poppy seeds, and slight bitterness of sesame seeds, and flavors of ghee too.

"Some elaborate cooking items from Chandimangal"
Laphra-vyañjana is a preparation in which many vegetables are boiled together, and then a chenka (tempering) is added, consisting of spices like cumin, black pepper and mustard seed.

TEXT 43
sarvabhauma parivesana karena apane
prabhu kahe,-more deha laphra-vyañjane
Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta



Shukto #1 (A regular recipe)
Ingredients for 4:Ucche - উচ্ছে (bitter melons) 2 …

Sojne Phul Tarkari - Moringa Oleifera Flower CurrySojne Phul Tarkari - Moringa Oleifera Flower CurryIn our childhood days gatherings and preparing dishes from items of the wild or of the neighborhood garden was a regular day activity, which when defined is not so unsophisticated like nowadays. Now we prefer food found in the local market rather than grown or collected. I still remember during summer holidays how we quietly did shake the sojne trees and collect handful of flowers. Truly speaking for me growing veggies [without soil] in own kitchen garden is more interesting than snatching from other's. I have had a lifetime passion and patience for this.

Moringa Oleifera flower is slightly bitter in taste than its fruit. I generally cook any bitter dish with combination of sweet vegetables. This traditional recipe can be cooked both with brinjal or sweet pumpkin. I prefer pumpkin.


By Barnali Dutta published: March 14, 20154.0 stars based on 11 reviews , Prep time:…

Shiuli Pata Bhaja - White Jasmine Leave Fry
Shiuli pata or prajakta leaves fry Ingredients for Shiuli pata bhaja recipe Shiuli pata (শিউলি পাতা) whole about 2 to 3 per head
For the binder:
Rice flour, 2 tbsp Flour, 1 tbspSalt, 1 tspSugar to balance the taste, 1/4 tspMustard oil, 1 tbsp
Method:Take some green clean leaves. Wash the leaves gently and drain thoroughly.Mix the binder with just enough water.Put the whole leaf in to the binder mix and make a fold.Put a flat tawa or nonstick fry pan on medium heat for shallow fry. Wet your fingers with water. Take leaves one by one with very little binder. It will just be enough to stick to the leaves.Now shallow fry with 1 tbsp oil in the batches. Do not turn the leaf until it is done on one side, it can easily be moved with simple turn. Let it be fried for a few minutes on the other side.The leaves and the binder will become crunchy, slight black and green in color.Repeat the process from step 5 to 8 until done completelyServe with white ste…

Paat Pata Bhaja - Jute Leaves

Paat/Nalte pata (Jute Leaves) by Barnali Dutta dated 01/08/2014 A very popular bitter taste Indian recipe.

Botanical Name: Corchorus capsularis L. and C. olitorius L. Family: Tiliaceae.
"Jute leaves(পাট পাতা)" PAAT/JUTE TREE named as Jute mallow is a very nutritious leafy vegetable, rich in iron, protein, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and natural dietary fiber. It has a long history and a variety of names. First cultivated in Egypt. Mulukhiyyah is an Egyptian national dish which is widely popular now in Lebanon and various countries of today’s African continent, Arabian countries, and in Philippines It is also called Saluyot. Each region has its own version. Japan has been importing dry jute leaf from Africa and they are using it as the substitute for coffee and tea. In Europe, jute leaves are being used as soup . It is rather bitter and when boiled the resulting liquid is a thick one, the texture becomes similar to okra thus prompti…

Drumstick Flower
Sojne phul bhaja (Drumstick flower fry)
Bengali: Sojne

Scientific name: Sweta Maricha

Sanskrit: Shobhanjana, Sigru Saubhanjana (Carakasamhita. Haritavarga. As leafy vegetables. "The Sanskrit name employed in medical treatises in Carakasamhita, Susrutasamhita, Astangahrdayasamhita, Astangasamgraha as Sigru, sobhanjana, madhusigru, krsnagandha about more than 100 to 150 times. All collected in the journal of eJIM "The Trees Called Sigru, Moringa Sp" by Jan Meulenbeld.

Vernacular names of Sojne:English: Drumstick tree, Mother's Best FriendFrench: Bèn ailéGerman: behenbaumItalian: Sàndalo ceruleoSpanish: Árbol del benKenya: MrongeBurma : DandalunNepal: SitachiniThailand: Kaanaeng-doengOrissa: SoandalHindi: Munga ara, Segra, ShajmahGujarati: SaragavoKonkani: MosingMalayalam: Sigru, MoringaSindhi: Swanjera


"Drumstick (সজনে) Tree"
Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaves incorporated into Traditional Indian Recipes

Ingredients: Sojne phul (Moringa flo…

Raw Turmeric Recipe
Akher gur with kancha halud (sugarcane jaggery with raw turmeric root) By Barnali Dutta Published: December 21, 2013
"Turmeric" - The Spice of Life - "Let your food be your medicine." (Hippocrates)In India, this ancient crop has been used as a "coloring agent", "a magic substance of daily life", "ornamental", "a substance of religious importance and medicine", "social ceremonies and rituals" in every nook and corner from birth to death, "cultural functions and folklore arts" much prior to the Indus valley civilization from ancient time are documented during ethnological survey. Turmeric is very popular among rice eating people as a condiment and spice and used as a natural dye for weaving.
A World of Turmeric
“I have found a plant that has all the qualities of Saffron, but it is a root.”
(Marco Polo on Turmeric, 1280 AD)

This magic substance is an anti-inflammatory, hypocholestraemic…

Papaya sap
Peper kosh in batasha(white sap of green papaya in sugar bonbon/lolly or sugar drops) Published: October 20, 2013

"Papaya" – a powerhouse of nutrients Papaya (পেঁপে), the Carica papaya (Sanskrit: Erand-karkati, Amtritatumbi, Hindi: Papitaa) effectively treats and improves all types of digestive and abdominal disorders. Papaya sap contains an enzyme "papain" a milky juice is a rich source of proteolytic enzymes, a digestive enzyme-papaintha, chymopapain, alkaloids carpaine and pseudocarpaine, and antioxidant nutrients which have antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties, and emmenagogue. It as a whole improves cardiovascular system. Latex can be applied topically on eczema, ringworm, psoriasis, corns, warts, sloughing wounds, carbuncles, and burn eschar. It is also known as abortifacient.
A script behind the Papaya addressed as "Amtritatumbi"Chiranjib Bonousodhi vol 5/pg 3
A major problem in our diets today is that we only partially …

Triphala
Triphala (containing three seeds amloki, bahera and haritaki)
Triphala stands for three fruits. Phyllanthus emblica - Sanskrit "amlaki" or gooseberry. Terminalia bellirica- Vibhitaki or Aksha or "Bahera" and Chebulic myrobalans - also known as "haritaki" whose natural color is hara (green) thereby the name. It is also called 'the king of medicine' since charak's time. It is employed in the treatment of a great number of diseases. The main therapeutic version of Triphala is to scrape away digestive toxins from digestive tract and the blood, said to rejuvenate both the body especially the colon, lungs, and mind to impart wisdom and intelligence and increase longevity.

Haritaki
Haritaki which is also known as pathya in Sanskrit is also a very prestigious herb of Ayurveda. It prevents ageing, imparts longevity, boosts immunity, improves mental faculties and enhances the body resistance against diseases. Chebulic myrobalan (Haritaki) was …

Kalmegh Boti
Kalmegh boti (কালমেঘের বড়ি) Andrographis paniculata pill By Barnali Dutta Published: December 21, 2013This plant is known in north-eastern India as Maha-tita, literally "king of bitters". Importance Kalmegh, is useful in hyperdipsia, burning sensation, wounds, ulcers, chronic fever, malarial and intermittent fevers, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, skin diseases, leprosy, purities, intestinal worms, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids and vitiated conditions of pita. It is used to overcome sannipata type of fever, difficulty in breathing, thirst, and intestinal worms. It is also useful in treating acidity and liver complaints. In children, decoction of Kiriyath acts as a preventive measure to many illness. Prep time: 00:30 Cook time: 00:00 Total time: 2 daysYield: 1 boti per dayIngredients: To make Kalmegh pills: Wash, clean and collect good leaves with soft stems from the Kalmegh bunches.: take 3 to…