Happy Diwali to my readers

Dear all, Wish u and your family a very happy Depavali & prosperous

 new year. May God fulfill all your wishes in wealth, health & happiness 

in your life.

Zomato Restaurant Review - Biriyani Zone, Kundanhalli

If you want the most cost effective yet tasty Biriyani and Kabab joint in Whitefield then you must visit this place. The food is spicy and the table size is small but excellent service and polite waiters make up more than that. This is always the best backup option for our family when I am in no mood for cooking. My son loves the Reshmi Kabab and Chicken Nababi whereas I love the excellent Hyderabadi Biriyani. This is not quite the exclusive private place for high quality dining but if you are not too much bothered about the noisy vibrant ambience then this place is for you. The tax component is less than other hi-fi restaurants and the food is la jabab. I have rated them 4.0.

Brinjal Chochchori with Coriander - tasty and easy vegan side dish

In Bengali cuisine chochchori is a dish made with different vegetable/fish with different spices like paanchforon, mustard etc. In this recipe we used two of them – Brinjal and Coriander. This is an authentic Bengali dish that can be prepared super fast and it is healthy too without compromising the taste.

Preparation Time: - 10 min

Cooking Time: - 20 min

Servings: - 2~3 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 large sized Brinjal or 4-5 small egg plant
  
• ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Nigella seeds (kalojeera) / Paanchforon ( Bengali five spices )
• 1~2 green/red chilies silted. I used green one as I am not in favor of too much of spicy food but you can use red chilies as per your taste.
• 4 tbsp mustard oil as it is authentic Bengali preparation but you can use any vegetable oil if you do not like the smell.
• Salt according to taste. You can add sugar if you have a sweet tooth.

Preparation:

1. Cut the brinjal lengthwise.
2. Chop the coriander leaves and keep in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a Kadai/frying pan in high flame.
4. When sufficiently heated, pour nigella seeds and green/red chili.
   
5. When spices splutter add brinjal pieces. Mix well and then add turmeric powder and salt.
   
6. Sauté for 3~4 min
7. Add some water, place the lid and keep cooking for 10~12 min in low flame.
   
8. Check if the brinjal is fully done. If the mixture becomes too dry then you may need to sprinkle a little more water.
9. Add the chopped coriander leaves and 1 tsp sugar. You can skip the sugar if you do not like or have any health issue.
   
10. Stir and mix well. When the gravy becomes thick as per your liking turn the burner off. Your dish is ready.
    

Garnish with few more coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.

Chalkumro Ghonto - Ash Gourd curry with milk and coconut

Chal kumro or Ash gourd is not pumpkin and not lauki. It looks like a lauki, but is darker green in color. It has some health benefits which is outlined in http://naturefitness.blogspot.in/2014/10/vegetable-ash-gourd-health-benefits.html. This preparation is a pure vegetarian and non-spicy healthy dish. But it does not compromise on taste and there is a nice aroma when prepared.  

Preparation Time: - 20 min

Cooking Time: - 35 min

Servings: - 5~6 persons

Ingredients:

1. 1 Medium Chalkumro ( Ash Gourd )
2. ½ cup grated Coconut
3. ½ cup Milk
4. 2 tsp Panchforon (Bengali 5 spices)/ Kalonji
5. 3 Green Chili slitted
6. 1 or 2 Bay leaf
7. Dry red chilli as per your taste
8. 5 tbsp Mustard Oil for authentic Bengali preparation. You can use vegetable oil instead if you want.
9. 1 ½ tbsp. Ghee
10. Salt and sugar to taste

Preparation:-

1. Thinly slice ash gourd and keep aside.
2. Grate a coconut so that it amounts to ½ cup in volume.
3. Put the coconut in a blender and blend for 1 min. You can smash the same in pestle and mortar.
4. Dry roast 1 tsp of Panchforon in a tawa and keep aside.
5. Take a frying pan / kadai with heavy bottom and heat the oil. I added ½ tbsp. ghee along with the mustard oil.
6. When the oil is sufficiently heated turn the burner in medium setting and add the bay leaf, 1 tsp Paanchforon and 1 green chilli. If you are using dry red chilli then pour them now. I did not use them.
   
7. Wait till the spices splutter. Then add coconut. Sauté for couple of minutes.
   
8. Now pour the ash gourd slices. Add salt and sugar as per your taste. Here sugar is not optional as this recipe needs some sweet taste but you can control the amount of sugar as par your taste.
   
9. Mix well and continue cooking. Ash gourd has lot of water and it will be released to aid boiling.
10. Cover the Kadai and continue boiling for 10-15 minutes in low flame.
11. Pour the milk when the mixture has dried up. Mix well and continue cooking.
    
12. When the mixture again dries up add 1 tbsp Ghee. Mix well and then turn the burner off.
    
13. Your dish is ready. For garnishing sprinkle the dry roasted paanchforon and a green chilli on top of the preparation.
    

Serve hot with rice. This is a side dish for rice only.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.