RAHIMA AHMED

GORAM BHATER KHUI ILLISH
Ingredients:
4 pcs ilish, 2 pcs khui*
250g boiled rice
1½ tbsp onion paste
½ tsp garlic paste
¼ tsp cumin paste
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp red chilli paste, 4/5 green chillies
Coriander leaf (chopped)
2 tbsp mustard oil, Salt to taste
Sliced lemon and tomatoes for garnish
Method:
In a bowl mix all ingredients with the fish. Set aside and allow to marinade. Take the fish and put it on the 'khui' once marinated. Spread coriander leaf and green chili over fish. Then wrap the 'khui' securely and tie with a piece of thread. Boil the rice till the water evaporates. Then place the khui wrapped fish in layers between the rice. Once cooked, remove the packs and serve.
*Khui: Khui is the sepal of the betel leaf. In villages, it is obtained from betel nut trees. This is collected, soaked in water and then dried. It has a fragrance which is imparted on the foods cooked using this as an ingredient.
Rahima Ahmed is a housewife. She loves to cook and work on her cooking skills. Her dream is a noble one, choosing equality in society over anything else.

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SABERA MARJANA

CHOCOLATE CAKE IN PRESSURE COOKER
Ingredients:
    For the cake:
    3/4 cups plain flour
    2 large eggs, room temperature,
    3/4 cups caster sugar,             
    1 tsp baking powder,             
    2 tbsp coco powder
    50g butter, softened,     
For the chocolate icing:             
    3/4 cup liquid milk,             
    2 tbsp coco powder,             
    2 tbsp caster sugar,             
    50g cooking chocolate
Method:
In bowl, combine flour, baking powder and coco powder with a wire whisk.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light, smooth and fluffy. Add caster sugar, beat until well blended, smooth and creamy. Finally add butter and flour mixture. Beat until combined. Grease a 3-9 inch round cake mould with oil and sprinkle some flour over it. Pour the cake mixture in it. Preheat the pressure cooker on high flame for 2 minutes, put the cake mould, cover with the lid, without the whistle and let it cook on low flame for 30 to 35 minutes. The cooker should not have water in it. After 30 minutes, open the lid and check if the cake is cooked by inserting a knife into it. If the knife comes out clear, then the cake is cooked. If it comes out sticky, let it cook for some more time.
For the chocolate icing, heat the cooking chocolate, milk, sugar and coco powder in a small saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1-2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake. Spread the filling between layers and on top of cake. Decorate as desired.

Sabera Marjana is a house-wife. She loves cooking and enjoys learning new recipes.

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SABRINA ALAM HANI

ILISH MACHER MALAIKARI
Ingredients:
6 pieces of ilish, 1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp onion paste, 2 cups of coconut milk
2 tsp powder milk, 2 tsp ghee
Method:
In a pan heat oil/ghee and add the ginger and onion paste. Fry for a while and gently pour in the coconut milk. Add the fish pieces, cinnamon and cardamom and stir. Then add some milk and sugar. As the fish gets boiled, add a little ghee and remove from flame. Serve with pulao.
Sabrina Alam is a student. She has always been fond of cooking and loves to experiment with new dishes. 

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SELINA CHOWDHURY

ROASTED PIGEON WITH SHATKHORA
Ingredients:
6 pieces of pigeon
8 medium-size chunks of shatkhora
1 cup onions, chopped
1 tbsp onion paste, 1 tsp garlic paste
½ tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp sugar
2 tsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp cashew nut paste
Salt to taste
1 cup of oil
Water as needed
4-5 green chillies
Method:
Start by mixing the pieces of pigeon with turmeric powder and salt. Heat 1-2 cups of oil in a pan and then place the pigeons there to fry. In another pan, heat 1-2 cups of oil. In this pan, place the chopped onions and the cashew nuts. Fry them and add one spice after another, as per your taste.
Heat the oil along with the spices and once done, add 1-2 cups of water along with the pieces of shatkhora and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Now add the tomato paste and cashew nut paste. Finally, place the pigeons in the mixture. Keep on a low flame for five minutes. Add sugar and green chilllies. Once the spices and the pastes have all soaked into the pigeons, add salt if needed and then remove from the stove, ready to serve.  

Selina Chowdhury is a self-taught chef. She likes cooking, learning new recipes and new techniques of cooking.

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YASMIN MOJUMDAR

KEEMA BEGUNI
Ingredients:
500g minced beef
1 large eggplant
1 whole garlic,1 tomato
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
2 tsp ginger paste, ½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder
Salt as required, 5/6 green chillies, chopped
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
A handful of coriander leaves
2 tbsp oil
Method:
Apply the oil to the eggplant and tomatoes. Put these to the flame along with garlic. After 3 minutes, when the eggplants and tomatoes smell charred, put the vegetables in cold water. Wash these and then proceed to skin and chop them.
In a separate pan, pour 3 tablespoons of oil. Let it heat and then add chopped onions and fry for a while. Now put the ginger paste on the onions, add the ground spices and stir it. Add the minced beef to the masala and cook for 5 minutes. Pour half a cup of water and tomato ketchup, green chillies and cover and cook for 10 more minutes. When the water dries up, add the chopped vegetables. Stir and mix the vegetables. Put the flame off. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with garlic-cilantro paratha and yoghurt sauce.
Yasmin Mojumdar owns her own cooking school in Sylhet and fervently works towards women empowerment in all spheres of life.

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SABRINA KHAN

WATERMELON RASHMALAI
Ingredients:
2 cups of diced watermelon
100g ice cream,1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup 'malai' ,1 cup cream, 1 cup sour yoghurt
Method:
Dice the watermelon. Mix the ice cream, coconut milk, malai, cream, yoghurt and the watermelon.
Sabrina Khan is a university student who also has a diploma in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts from City and Guilds College, UK.

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SHAMIM ARA PARVIN

BROKEN GLASS PUDDING
Ingredients:
3 boxes of sugar free instant jello  of various flavours, 1 cup  water, 1 packet gelatin powder, about 2¼  to 2½  tsp, 1 cup cream whisked, ¼  cup of sugar, salt to taste.
Method:
Follow the instructions on the box for each flavour, but use half the water suggested. Place the hot jello mixture into 3 moulds and place in the fridge. I used loaf pans. About 4 hours later, the jello will have solidified. Use a butter knife or spatula to cut the jello into cubes.
Dump all the jello cubes into a larger container. Carefully mix them, so they are evenly assorted and allow to set in the fridge.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add ½ cup of cold water. Evenly sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water. Set aside  for 5 to 10 minutes. While the gelatin sets, bring your cream and remaining ½ cup water up to a boil. Whisk in your sugar equivalent and salt. Make sure it is dissolved.
Pour your hot cream mixture into the gelatin and whisk. Whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Allow the gelatin to rest until it is cooled down to about room temperature. It's a safer approach to just let it sit on the counter and cool for about 30 minutes. The idea is to pour it over the chilled cubes, without the warm mixture melting the cubes, causing them to bleed. If it is too cold, the creamed gelatin will solidify. When the creamed gelatin has cooled, pour it over the assorted jello cubes. Chill for about 4 more hours. Cut and serve!
Shamim Ara Parvin is a house-wife and has always been interested in cooking