Celebrating the divine
Durga Puja is synonymous to celebration, none of which are complete without an elaborate table spread, with dishes ranging from the simplest 'bhortas' to the most delicious variety of fish.
Here are some fabled recipes from Sharmila BasuThakur, for the entire duration of the puja.
BANANA FLOWER SHAMI KABAB
Ingredients
1 banana flower
100g chana dal
1 onion
1-inch piece ginger
1 tsp green chilli, chopped
½ tsp turmeric
Salt and sugar to taste
½ tsp garam masala powder
Black pepper powder, to taste
1 tbsp lime juice
Oil for frying
Method
Chop banana flower finely and wash thoroughly. Boil the flower with all the spices and the daal. There should be no excess water. Now grind the entire thing. Check seasoning. Make small kababs from the mixture and shallow fry. Serve with polao, or steamed rice with ghee.
PINEAPPLE DALNA (CURRY)
Ingredients
1 small pineapple, cubed
2 potatoes, cubed
1 tsp ginger paste
6-7 slit green chillies
2 Bay leaves
½ tsp cumin, for tempering
3 tbsp white oil
1 tsp ghee
½ tsp garam masala paste
Salt, and sugar, to taste
Method
Fry the cubed potatoes and keep aside. Put bay leaf, cumin and 1 green chilli. When the aroma spreads, add turmeric powder and ginger paste along with little water. Cook for some time on low heat, add potato, and pineapple. Stir well.
Add a little water, salt, and sugar, and cover it. After a while, add green chilli, garam masala paste and ghee.
It should be semi-dry when ready.
PINEAPPLE AND POTATO CURRY
Ingredients
1 small pineapple, cubed
2 cubed potato
2 bay leaves
Cumin, for tempering
1 tsp ginger paste
6-7 slit green chilli,
1 tsp garam masala paste
3 tablespoon white oil
1 tsp ghee
Salt, and sugar, to taste
Method
Fry potato and keep aside. Put cumin, bay leaf and 1 green chili. Add ginger paste and a little water. Stir on low heat. Add pineapple, potato, and mix well. Add a little water, green chilli and cover it. Cook over low heat. When it is almost dry, add garam masala and ghee and remove from heat.
MASALA PRAWN
Ingredients
500g prawn, bagda
½ tsp garlic paste
8 green chilli, coarse paste
½ tsp ginger paste
1 tsp coriander paste
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 onions (large, coarsely blended)
1 tsp tamarind pulp
½ tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp mustard oil
Salt, and sugar, to taste
Method
Wash prawns and marinate with salt, turmeric powder, and tamarind pulp for 10 minutes. Put oil in a pan. Add onions, fry for a while, then add all other spices, sugar, and stir thoroughly. Add marinated fish and mix well with the spices. Add a little water and cover it.
It should be a semi dry curry.
MUTTON IN COCONUT GRAVY
Ingredients
500g mutton
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, coarsely blended
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp red chilli paste
½ tsp cumin paste
3 tbsp coconut paste
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee
Salt, and sugar, to taste
Method
Put oil in a pan. Add onions. Fry and then add cumin paste, stir. Add all other spices. Cook for some time over slow fire. Add coconut paste and meat, mix with the spices nicely. Add salt and sugar. Pour hot water just to boil the meat. Pressure cook. Medium gravy should be there.
AMILA (AN OLD TRADITIONAL BENGALI DESSERT)
Ingredients
200ml coconut milk
50ml cow's milk
2 bananas, 'kanthali,' or 'chapa'
1 sweet potato
1 guava
Sugar, to taste
4-5 small cardamom, dry fruits (optional)
Method
Cube all the fruits. Grate sweet potato and wash. Put milk in a pan. Boil, add coconut milk, sugar, sweet potato, and cardamom. Stir constantly. Add all the fruits. Cook for 5-10 mins. Remove from heat. Serve cold.
Food prepared by: Sharmila BasuThakur
Photo courtesy: Sharmila BasuThakur
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