RECIPES

Lets start with BANGLADESHI  food.  Most of these are taken from Siddiqua Kabir's famous book "Ranna Khadya Pushti".  I have tried to cut down some elaborate stuff as I like to cook simple.  The other thing I have to warn you about is the amount of oil.  I am giving the original amount here but I find its often wayyyy too much.  Usually one third or half the amount will do just fine !

Now if you have not tried cooking subcontinental food before you need to stock your kitchen with some spices first.  Here's a list of some of the most essential ones.  Onions, garlic and ginger are very common ingredients. I usually buy ginger root, blend it and make ice cubes of it.  It stays good for a long time and saves the hassle of chopping it all the time.  As for garlic you can get chopped ones in the grocery store.  I also keep ground garlic and ginger.  The other ground spices you will need are chilli, turmeric, cumin and coriander.  Most food also call for Cinnamon sticks, Cardamom pods and Bayleaf.  If you are really ambitious you can also get Anise, Cumin seed, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds, Poppy seeds, Clove, Mace, Nutmeg...and the list never ends.  But its a start.
 

VEGETABLES :

Okra with Tomato:

200 g (8 oz) okra                                                                        2 tablespoons sliced onion
1 tomato, chopped(I usually use the prechopped 8 oz cans)          1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric                                                       1 green chilli, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground chilli                                                              salt to taste

1. If you have whole okra, cut both ends and make 3cm long pieces.  You can usually get already cut ones too.

2.  Heat oil.  Try onion and garlic light brown.  Add okra, rest othe ingredients and 1/4 cup og water.  Cover and cook over medium heat for six minutes.

3.  Stir oncem when vegetbale is cooked remove from heat.

Potato Curry (Alur Dom):

450 g(1 lb) potato                                        1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup cooling oil                                        1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 bayleaf                                                      2 Cardamoms
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed                              2.5 cm / 1 inch cinnamon 2 sticks
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric                       1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder                           1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger                          2 tablespoon yogurt(optional)

1. Boil potato, peel and cut into cubes.  Make some of the cubes half broken.  Make paste of ground spices.

2.  Heat oil.  Add cumin seed, bay leaf, stir add the paste of ground speces and 1 cup of water, cook stirring regularly.  When the oil surfaces add potato and the rest of the ingredients.  Fry for a minute and add 1/2 cup of water, simmer for 5 minutes.

Vegetable Vindaloo :

(For this recipe I often just buy frozen vege mix of peas, corn, carrots and beans)

1.  Peel potatoes, carrots, onions and make small cubes.

2.  Except oil mix all ingredients and marinate for two hours(this is not really necessary ten minutes will do if you are in a hurry)

3.  Heat oil , add vegetables and 1/2 cup of water.  Cover and cook until the vegetables are done.
 

Sweet and Sour Eggplant (Khatta Begun):

1.  Soak tamarind in one cup of water.  Rub through a sieve, save the puree.  If you are using concentrate add a tablespoon of it in water.

2.  Slice eggplant 1cm/ 1/2 inch think and put in water.  Drain water.

3.  Mix the ground spices and salt to make a paste.

4.  Rub the slices of eggplant with half of the mixed spices.

5.  Fry the onion and bayleaf until the onion is golden yellow.  Add the eggplant and fry till brown.  Then add all the spices except sugar and tamarind.  Add 1/2 cup of water and cook until the oil surfaces.

6.  Add three cups of water, tamarind and sugar.  Cook about 30-40 minutes or until gravy becomes thick.  Remove from heat.
 

Chick Peas Curry :

1Kg whole chick peas                               1/3 cup vegetable oil
450 g potatoes                                        1 teaspoon minced ginger
8 red chillies                                            1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 bay leaf                                                 1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoon cumin seeds                          2 tablespoon tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon fenel seeds                         1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds                    2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
2 cardamoms                                            salt to taste
2 sticks cinnamon
2 cloves

1.  Boil the potatoes, peal and make cubes.

2.  Heat oil in a saucepan.  Fry onions, ginger, garlic, bayleaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and the seeds.  Add the chickpeas and the potatoes and mix with the fried spices.

3.  In one cup of hot water mix all the ground spices(chilli, turmeric),salt and pour it in the mix.  Cook for 5 minutes.

4.  Add the sugar and tamarind in another cup of hot water.  Add it  to the chickpeas and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

5.  Garnish with cilantro before serving.

FISH :

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk :

450 g(1 lb) Fish steaks                                1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup vege oil                                            2 cardamoms
1/4 cup finely chopped onion                        2.5 cm / 1 inch cinnamon 2 sticks
1 teaspoon ground turmeric                           2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground chilli powder                    4 green chillies
1 teaspoon ground coriander                        1/2 cup thick coconut milk
1 teaspoon sugar

1.  Usually salmon and prawns are best for this dish.  You can also use carp, mackerel, anc cod. Make medium size pieces of fish.

2.  Heat oil in saucepan.  Add the onion and ground spices and cinnamon and cardamom. Stir fry spices until oil separtes.

3.   Arrange fish in the pan, add one cup of water and the coconut milk( Alternately you can also use just one 12 oz can of coconut milk).  Turn the fish so that all sides are cooked.  Cover and cook till gravy thickens.  Add green chillies and lemon juice.  Cover and simmer till oil surfaces.  Add the sugar before turning the heat off.
 

Fish Curry with Yogurt :

1.  Make medium size pieces of fish. (Most fishes are ok for this recipe).

2.  Fry the onion till golden yellow.  Put in all ingredients except green chillies.  Add 1 cup of water, cover and cook over moderate heat.  Turn fish once, add chillies and simmer till gravy  is thick and oil separates out.

Dessert:

1 litre milk ( I use 1/2 and 1/2)                   1 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice                                               rasins, nuts according to taste
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1. Rinse rice and soak in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes.  Drain, and break the rice lightly with a rolling pin.  Then cook the rice.

2.  Bring the milk to boil.  Then add the sugar, rasins and cooked rice and simmer in low heat for about 20 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let it cool.  Garnish with nuts if desired.
 

Some other recipes :
Pad Thai
North African Couscous Paella
Tomatican
Chickpea and Artichoke Heart Stew
Shrimp Bisque
 

Bon appetit
Thai Kitchen
Food from Asia(including Bangladesh)