MINT OR PUDINA CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

Mint leaves (discard all stems) – 3 cups
Raw or green mangoes – 500 grams
Sugar – 1 or one and a half cups
Salt – 1 or 2 tsp

Procedure:


Boil the mangoes as whole (do not cut the stems) in a vessel of water. The water should cover the mangoes. Put 1 tsp salt in the water. Lower the heat once the water starts boiling. Cover the vessel with a lid. After 10 minutes, insert a skewer into a mango to check if it is soft. If it is tender shut off the heat. When the mangoes are completely cool, peel them using your hands. Scoop out the boiled mango pulp from the peels and seeds. The pulp should be one and a half cups.

Pluck the mint leaves only from the stems. The leaves should amount to about 3 cups. Wash the leaves by immersing them in a bucket of water. Wash them very well so that there is no trace of dirt as leaves collect a lot of dirt. Shift the leaves on a colander, to drain the water.
In a large mixer jar put the mint leaves first and then the sugar, over the leaves. Run the mixer at high speed. Add a little water if needed. When they form a smooth paste add the boiled mangoes pulp. Run the mixer at high speed again. It should form a smooth paste. Store it in a glass container inside the fridge.
This mint chutney can be served as a dip to several Indian dishes. It can also be used to make a soft drink. Take 4 to 5 tsp of the chutney in a glass. Put in ice cubes and cold water. Stir well. You can also add powder of roasted cumin seeds and dry red chilly. This is a soft drink from India, popular during the summers.
The ratio of mint leaves: boiled mango pulp: sugar should be 2:1:1. The amount of sugar may vary according one’s own taste of wanting the chutney to be more or less sour. There is a rare variety of green mangoes that is not at all sour Never use this variety to make chutney as the chutney would not be sour and thus turn tasteless.

Posted by Keya

SOUR FISH

INGREDIENTS

Fish Rohu - 500 grams - scaled and cut into pieces
Tamarind - 1 small lime sized ball
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1-2 tsp
Turmeric powder - half tsp
Mustard oil - half cup
Mixture of fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, saunf seeds and black cumin seeds - half tsp
Dry red chilly - 2

PROCEDURE

Wash fish well and smear with 1 tsp of salt and half turmeric powder. Put fishes on a colander to drain water. Now put tamarind ball in a bowl of hot water. After sometime press and mix the tamarind to make a paste. Now sieve the paste.
Heat oil in a wok. When oil smokes shift in as many fish pieces the oil can hold without the pieces touching each other. Fry until light brown on all sides ( turnover on all sides to fry uniformly). Keep the fried fishes on a tissue. Now in the same oil- on high heat fry the mixture of seeds and the dry red chillies. After 30 seconds slowly shift in the tamarind paste. Put a cup of water too. When it starts boiling put in 2 tbsp of sugar and half tsp of salt ( you can add the salt and sugar according to your personal taste). Now slowly shift in the fried fishes. Let it boil. You can boil it more or less according to making the gravy thick or thin. Your sour fish is ready.

This is a lip smacking Indian dish that can be served with rice.

Posted by Keya

LAU CHINGRI

This is an Indian recipe from the state of West Bengal, made mainly out of lau (white gourd, picture shown) and chingri (small prawns).


INGREDIENTS

White gourd – 1 kilo
Small prawns (shelled) – 250 grams
Mustard oil - -5 tsp
Black Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Bay leafs – 2
Dry red chillies – 2
Sugar – 2 tsp or according to taste
Salt – 1 tsp or according to taste

PROCEDURE

Wash the prawns well. Smear some salt and let drain in a colander. Peel the gourd and cut it up into thin strips about 1 inch long and one eighth inch thick. You can also thickly grate the peeled gourd if you do not want to spend time on cutting it up. Put the gourd in a covered utensil. Do not
add any water. Put on high flame. 5 minutes later open the cover. If the gourd is watery keep it uncovered otherwise cover it again. In this way the gourd should be done (just enough soft but firm). Drain the boiled gourd in a colander. Keep asde.
Heat 3 tsp of oil in a wok. When oil smokes lower the heat and carefully add the prawns. Raise the flame and stir fry the prawns till reddish orange in colour. Shift prawns from the oil with a slotted spoon. Keep aside. Now add 2 tsp oil in the same wok. When the oil slightly smokes add the bay leafs, mustard seeds and the dry red chillies (stems cut out). After 30 seconds lower the flame and slowly add the boiled gourd. Raise the flame once again and add the salt and sugar. Stir continuously till the gourd is drier (about 1 minute). Add the prawns and stir for 1 or 2 more
minutes. Serve hot or when cool with rice. You can also add freshly grated coconut to garnish.


Add the coconut just before serving, as fresh coconut tends to stale quickly. A photo of the said dish is shown here.