Bengali style Phulkopir Shingara/ Cauliflower filled Samosa

Hello Friends,

Hope all of you had a Great Durga Puja...So I have been to Shillong this Puja...it was an awesome time...with all the fun of Parar Pujo.

On the occasion of Bijoya Dashami, I prepared this typical Bengali style Phulkopir Shingara. My mother prepares this every Poush Sankranti and we have been relishing it since childhood. So here goes the recipe:-

Ingredients-

For the filling:-

Cauliflower- 1 no. (Medium)
Potatoes- 3 nos (Medium)
Green Peas- 1 -1.5 cup
Raisins-1/2 cup
Cashew- 1/2 cup
Panchphoron- 1 tsp  (This is a mix of five spices mainly fenugreek/methi seeds, fennel/saunf/mouri seeds, nigella/kalonji/kalojeera seeds, cumin/jeera seeds, yellow mustard/sarso/holud sorshe seeds all in equal quantities)
Dry Red Chilli (Whole)- 2 nos.
Green chilli- 2 nos. (or according to your desired level of hotness, 2 chili gives a moderate level of hotness)
Cinnamon Sticks- 2 nos (1 inch)
Cardamom- 4-5 nos
Cloves - 3 -4 nos
Garam Masala powder- 2 tsp
Cumin Powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1.5 tsp
Salt to taste
Water- around 1 cup
Oil(White/Refined/Olive)- 3 tbsp

For the samosa/shingara casing:

Flour -2- 3 cups
Refined/White Oil- 2 tbsp
Warm Water- as per requirement
Oil for frying

Method:

Step 1: Cut the cauliflower into small florets and steam it for 5 minutes. Throw away the water and drain the florets
Step 2: Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes.
Step 3: Put the raisins and cashew nuts in hot water.
Step 4: Heat the oil in a deep pan.
Step 5: Once the oil is smoky hot, put the panchphoron and dry red chilli into the pan.
Step 6: Once they start spluttering , put the cinnamon sticks,cardamom, and cloves.
Step 7: Once you get the aroma of the spices, put the potatoes and fry them till they are half done.
Step 8: Put the cauliflower florets and the green peas in the pan and fry for another 5 mins.
Step 9: Put the turmeric powder and salt and fry for another 2-3 min
Step 10: Put in the cumin powder and mix thoroughly.
Step 11: Sprinkle water and cover and cook till the veggies are well cooked. Make sure the veggies don't get burned or stick to the bottom.
Step 12: Put the cashews and the raisins and mix. Lastly sprinkle the garam masala powder.
Step 13: check the seasonings and switch off the flame. Let the mixture cool.

Now Let's prepare the casing:

Step 1: Mix the flour ,oil and water and make roti like dough.
Step 2 : Make Rotis and cut them into half.
Step 3: Make cones of the half roti and fill in the mixture and seal the cones
Step 4: Fry the samosas/shingara and serve them hot with ketchup or mint chutney

Gajar ka Halwa

Hello Friends....

Am here again with my new recipe....this time for all with the sweet tooth....the  evergreen gajar ka halwa....in an healthier avatar....so here it goes....

Ingredients:

5 carrots (peeled and grated)
Olive oil 6 tbsp (any other white oil which is healthy)
Sweetened Condensed Milk about 400 gms
Milk about 1 litre(if you are not using condensed milk)
Sugar 6 tbsp or as per your taste(if you are not using condensed milk)
Cardamom powder about 1/3 tsp or 8-9 cardamoms crushed
Raisins 2 tbsp or as much as you want
Nuts as per your requirement.

P.S. it serves two

Procedure:

Step 1:Warm some water and let your raisins and nuts stay in that.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a wok/deep pan.

Step 3: Put in the grated carrot and stir till it is limp on medium heat.

Step 4: At this stage if you are using condensed milk then pour in the  condensed milk into the pan. Stir and mix with the carrot

If you are using milk then pour in the milk. Once the milk starts boiling put the sugar and mix thoroughly. In case you are using milk you will have to wait till the milk reduces to half with continuous stirring in between.

Step 5 : Mix the cardamom powder/crushed cardamom with the carrot mixture. Let the mixture cook for another 4-5 min.

Step 6: And now you can mix the raisins and the nuts. Check the sweetness and adjust it accordingly.

Step 7 : Serve  it hot or cold as you like it.

Do tell how did it taste....

Fish Nuggets/ Fish Finger

Ok so here I am with my new recipe...
This one's a fish recipe...So fish lovers u gonna love this one

I call this one "Fish Finger"... u can name it anything (Fish Bites/ Fried Fish Fillet..)

So here's how you make it:-

Ingredients:

Fish Fillet-  500 gms - serves around 8 servings.(quantity depends on the number of people)...

Any Fish would do...I prefer hammur/basa/creamy dory....psst....try and void salmon as it has a very strong flavor of its own.....if you are using the fresh water variety Rohu (Rui ) fish should be gud....Avoid fish with too many and too small bones.

Bread Crumbs: 3-4 cups

Cornflour (cornstarch)- 2 tbsp.

Egg- 2 nos.

Garlic Powder- 1-2 tsp (depending on how garlicky u want)

Chili flakes- 1-2 tsp (again depending on how hot u want)

Salt to taste

Oil- 3-4 tbsp

Procedure:

Step 1: Wash and pat dry the fish fillet.

Step 2: Cut the fish fillet into thin strips or bite size chunks.

Step 3 : Beat two eggs.

Step 4: Mix the eggs with the cornflour, garlic powder,salt,chili flakes.

Step 5:Coat the fish pieces with this mixture

Step 6:Heat oil in a pan.

Step 7:Coat the fish pieces with the bread crumbs and fry them in the oil till they are golden brown.

Step 8: Serve them with mayonnaise and lemon or any kind of condiment.

Try this and do let me know how it turns out.

Salmon fish cakes

Ok...so lets start with my not-so-good culinary skills....
This is a self discovered recipe of Salmon fish cakes

So here it goes...
Ingredients:
Salmon fillet- 2 nos.(varies on the amount of people and amount of fish u want in your cakes he he)
Potatoes- 1kg
Green Chillies(finely chopped)- 3 nos(again depending on your taste buds..;))
Red Chilli flakes(optional and according to your chili-meter)
Salt(to taste)
Some herbs(oregano or mixed herbs-the dry variety)-don't mix too much...it might render the mixture to be bitter
Garlic and herbs mix( you can substitute this with garlic powder and herbs-dried)
Onion(Red)- 3 large(finely chopped)
Flour (for Method 2)
Egg White +Breadcrumbs( Method 1)
Oil for frying

Procedure

Boil the Salmon fillets for about 5-10 min (until they are completely boiled- they will turn white from pink in color)
Boil the potatoes and mash them completely
Cut out flakes (small and thin pieces of the boiled salmon)
Mix the mashed potatoes,salmon flakes and  all the other ingredients together.
Adjust salt ,chili and garlic seasoning (or powder) according to your taste

Cut out small patty of the mixture....or make small balls out of the mixture and flatten them.

There are two procedure to cook them:
Method 1: dip the flattened balls in egg white ,roll them in bread crumbs and fry them (deep fry or air fry)
Method 2: dust the balls with little flour and shallow fry them on a flat pan with little olive oil (or any white oil)

Remove them  after they are browned on both sides and serve them hot (though the cold variety also tastes good) with chili mayo or any dip of your choice.

Do tell me how did it taste after you made it....
Sorry I don't have photographs now but will get them next time I make it.

Dreams.......

Happiness..... colors...smiles....wishes.....thats what are dreams are all about.The cacophony....the noises of this world seem to die out in front of dreams.Day dreaming is one of my favorite pass times....it distresses me.....wishing things in my way ....even though they are not a part of my life.....brings a sense of bliss to my mind and a smile on my face......

Another day at work....phew

Just another day at work ....tired but thoughts galore....Have been taking life as it comes...each day as it shines on me....sometimes gloomy....sometimes all sunshine....have tried to fight with life...sometimes with words....sometimes just gave up with tears.....Tears are solace ....they are not a blot of weakness .....its rather a beautiful blessing which enables me flow out the sadness,the anger.....unties me from my bondages of my fears.... 

Life.....

Its 3 a.m in the morning....just up and awake....back to writing .....Its been quite sometime since i wrote my first post....stuck up with some thoughts in my mind....life's so unpredictable ...heard the sudden demise of someone whom i know but really dont know..... a friend of a  dear friend....
Life's a thought...A thought which we always want to be happy and sunny....But is it that sunny always....we suppress the tears and put up a fake smile to the world....the world which is full of hypocrites and we make it one....we twirl and dance around the happiness life throws at us....we remorse at the not-so-happy things ....but at the end life goes on .....in it remains our happiness,our sadness and most importantly our thoughts.....thoughts which make our life...