Eggplant Fritters Vegan...Beguni

Beguni is a Bengali Eggplant Fritter (Vegan) that is enjoyed by everyone…On one hand it is enjoyed at tea time on the other; it can be enjoyed with khichdi or dal chawal…

More such recipes on my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

This fritter or tele bhaja (in Bengali) / pakora (in Hindi) is really simple to make. To get it really crispy, a few tips must be followed.  All of that is included in the recipe.

A lot of my friends (who are not familiar with the Bengali cuisine) tend to confuse Beguni with Begun Bhaja …if you do too then, watch the video for a clear understanding.

Who doesn't enjoy a crispy fried Beguni?

Click the link below for the video:

Eggplant Fritters Vegan                 Makes about 12

Ingredients:

Eggplant/Brinjal – 300g

Oil – for deep frying

FOR THE BATTER

Gram flour/Besan – 1 cup

Rice flour – 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder – ¼  tsp

Red chili powder – ¼  tsp

Onion seeds/kalonji – 1/8 tsp

Castor sugar/Regular sugar – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.    Wash the eggplant and wipe it dry. Chop off both ends to make it stand. Slice it along the length thinly. Spread them out and sprinkle with salt. Smear both sides with the salt and leave aside for 10 minutes.

2.     Mix all the ingredients FOR THE BATTER in a large bowl. Add in water a little at first and mix well. Add more water to make a coating batter. Make sure there are no lumps in it. Beat it for a couple of minutes. Keep aside.

3.    Use a clean kitchen towel or tissue to mop up the water from the slices of eggplants.

4.    Dip the slices into the batter to coat them. Shake off the excess batter. Deep fry them in moderately hot oil, flipping them over from time to time till they turn golden brown and crispy.

5.    Drain on absorbent paper.

6.    Sprinkle with black salt before serving. Best enjoyed with a hot cup of tea or with kichdi or dal chawal.

© Rinki’s Kitchen

Moong Dal with winter vegetables Bengali style

On some days you want to indulge in a simple meal … this Moong Dal with winter vegetables Bengali style (recipe) is perfect for a Dal Chawal comfort eating…

More such recipes on my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

A humble dal chawal meal can be really made interesting and special by making the dal extraordinary. Cooked with winter vegetables, this moong dal recipe is special. It is a vegetarian recipe that can be made vegan by replacing the ghee/clarified butter with a vegan ghee.

The split green gram with winter vegetables is best enjoyed with steamed rice and eggplant fritters (called beguni in Bengali). This family recipe is enjoyed by my folks.

Click the link below for the video:

Moong Dal with winter vegetables Bengali style

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients:

Moong Dal/Split Green Gram – 1 cup

Bay leaves – 2

For tempering the oil:

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Green Cardamom – 2

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Winter Vegetables:

Cauliflower florets – 1/3 cup

Carrots – 1/3 cup

Sweet peas – 1/3 cup

Ginger grated or paste – 1 tsp

Green chilies chopped – as per taste

Green chili whole – 1

DRY SPICES

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Garam Masala powder – ½  tsp

Vegetable oil – 1 ½ tbsp

Ghee/Clarified Butter – 1 to 2 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.    Dry roast the Moong Dal on low heat, stirring continuously till it gets a light brown colour. Remove from heat immediately and wash it only a couple of times. Drain and put it in a pressure cooker. Add about 2 cups of water, bay leaves and cook till just done.

2.    Blanch the cauliflower florets in boiling water, drain and keep aside.

3.    Heat the oil in a wok, temper it with Cumin seeds, Green Cardamom and Cinnamon.

4.    Add in the cauliflower and carrots. Cook briefly before adding the ginger and green chilies. Mix well and add in a bit of salt. Now add in the green peas. Cook briefly. Add in the DRY SPICES. Keep the heat low. Mix well.

5.    Pour in ¼ cup of water. Add in the whole green chili. Mix well, bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook covered for 3 mins.

6.    Add in the cooked lentil or dal. Add enough water to adjust the consistency.  Bring to a boil and adjust the seasoning. Add in the sugar and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 mins.

7.    Finish it off with a teaspoon of ghee.

8.    Serve the dal hot with steamed rice and eggplant fritters.

© Rinki’s Kitchen

Mustard Chicken Curry Recipe

For those days that demand a spicy chicken curry, here’s my mustard chicken curry recipe…

More such recipes on my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

You can create a special curry sauce with readily available ingredients from the (Indian) kitchen. How they are used, when they are added make all the difference…

This chicken curry with mustard paste is a quick and easy recipe that yields amazing results. The curry is “somewhat different” than any regular one and is best enjoyed with steamed rice.

Try it….you will enjoy making and eating it too!

Click the link below for the video:

Chicken Curry with mustard paste                   Serves 2

Ingredients:

Chicken leg – 2 whole 

For the marinade – 1 tsp synthetic vinegar + ½ tsp salt

Onion (sliced) – 2 medium

Potato (quartered) – 1 medium

Fresh tomato paste – ½ cup

Garlic (grated) – 1 tsp

Green chilies slit – to taste

Yellow mustard paste – 1 tbsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Mustard oil – 3 tbsp

Ghee /Clarified butter – 1 tsp

DRY SPICES

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1 ¼ tsp

Red chili powder – ½ tsp

Garam Masala powder – ½  tsp

Method:

1.    Wash and clean the chicken legs and make a few slits on it. Marinate it with salt and synthetic vinegar. Rub well. Let it rest for half an hour.

2.    Heat the mustard oil to smoking point. Fry the potato pieces till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

3.    Add in the onion and sugar. Fry till the onions turn brown. Lower the heat and add in all the dry spices. Give it a quick mix. Add in 1/3 cup of water. Mix. Add in the tomato paste. Bring it to a boil.

4.    Add in the garlic, mix it in. Season with salt. Add in the green chilies. Cook till the raw smell goes away. Then, add in the chicken pieces.

5.    Coat them well with the masala. Let them cook on medium heat. After 2 mins flip them over. Cover and cook for 3 mins. Flip them over after 3 mins and add in the potato pieces. Cover and cook till almost done.

6.    Add in about 1 ½ cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Check the doneness of the chicken and add in the mustard paste. Mix to combine it with the gravy. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add in ghee or clarified butter, mix well and turn off the heat.

7.    Serve the Chicken Curry hot with hot steamed rice.

© Rinki’s Kitchen

Stuffed Mushroom Tikka ....a vegetarian starter recipe

If you are looking for a stuffed mushroom recipe, your search ends here. Learn how to make stuffed mushroom tikka starter…super easy and super delish!

For more such recipes, check out my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

This stuffed mushroom tandoori masala is just perfect to serve as a starter or an appetizer. It is “something different” and is enjoyed by one and all. My personal favourite stuffed mushroom recipe.

The mushrooms can be marinated, stuffed ahead and stored in the fridge till it’s time to cook them. Cooking the mushrooms on a pan hardly takes any time. It is one of those vegetarian starter recipes that are for keeps.

(भरवां मशरूम टिक्का रेसिपी )

Click the link below for the video:

Stuffed Mushroom Tikka                Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

Button Mushroom – 200g

SPECIAL SPICE MIX

Coriander seeds – ¼ cup

Cumin seeds – 1/8 cup

Green cardamoms – 4

Red chilli – 1

MARINADE

Hung curd – 3 to 4 tbsp

Garlic (grated) – ½ tsp

Ginger (grated) – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves chopped – ½ tbsp

Kasuri methi/Dried fenugreek – 1 tsp

Chaat Masala powder – ½ tsp

Garam Masala powder – ¼ tsp

Kashmiri red chili powder – ½ tsp

Special spice mix – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Salt – ½ tsp

Mustard oil – 2 tsp

Besan/gram flour – 2 tbsp

FILLING

Paneer/ Cottage cheese (grated) – 1/3 cup

Mozzarella – 1 ½ tbsp

Raisins/Kishmish (chopped) – 1 tbsp

Roasted cashew nuts (chopped) – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves chopped – 1 tbsp

Kasuri methi/Dried fenugreek – 1 tsp

Chaat Masala powder – ¼  tsp

Garam Masala powder – 1/8 tsp

Special spice mix – ½ tsp

Salt – ¼ tsp

Oil for cooking – vegetable oil (1 tbsp) + mustard oil (1/2 tbsp)

Method:

1.    For the SPECIAL SPICE MIX: dry roast the spices, cool and grind them coarsely. Keep aside.

2.    Wash, clean and peel the mushrooms. Remove the stalk or stem from all of them.

3.    For the MARINADE: Mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl.

4.    Add the mushrooms into the marinade and mix to coat them well. Leave aside for half an hour.

5.    For the FILLING: mix all the ingredients along with a tablespoon of the marinade.

6.    Scoop out the marinade from the cavities in the mushrooms. Stuff them with the FILLING mixture. Coat them with left over marinade.

7.    Add the Oil for cooking into the bowl that had the marinade. Mix well and keep aside.

8.    Cook the mushrooms on a hot pan over medium heat. Turn them from time to time and baste them with the oil marinade mix. They should be ready in a few minutes.

9.    Serve them hot with spicy green chutney and onion rings.

 © Rinki’s Kitchen

How to make Tangy Tomato Chutney Bengali Style...

What to do with juicy ripe tomatoes? I love to make a  tangy tomato chutney Bengali style…with them.

For more such recipes, check out my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

The chutney is not as sweet as typical Bengali tomator chutney. I use  jaggery or gur to make the chutney along with some sugar. I recommend that you add the sugar according to your taste.

This spicy and tangy tomato chutney is usually enjoyed by everyone. Serve it with a meal or snack…goes really well.

You will be surprised at how quickly and easily it gets done!

Tangy Tomato Chutney (Bengali Recipe)      

Makes about 500ml

Ingredients:

Ripe juicy tomatoes – 5 large

Preserved ripe mango/Mango jelly/Aam papad – 40g

Ginger (grated) – 1 tsp

Bengali five spice/Panch phoran – 1 ½ tsp

Dried Red chilli – 1

Jaggery/Gur (grated) – ¼ cup

Sugar – upto ½ cup

Salt – 1 tsp

Tamarind/Imli pulp – ¼ cup

Mustard oil – 2 tblsp

Method:

1.    Chop up the Mango jelly or Aam Papad and keep aside. Chop up the tomatoes.

2.    Heat a pan and dry roast a teaspoon of the five spice (panch phoron). Once they start to crackle turn off the heat and let them cool down slightly. Grind the spice mix coarsely.

3.    In the same pan pour in the mustard oil. Let it heat up. Add in the remaining panch phoron and the red chilli.

4.    Add in the tomatoes and give a quick mix. Season with the salt. Once it comes to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 mins.

5.    Add in the ginger and the Mango jelly. Mash up the tomato pieces. Cover and cook again for 2 more mins. Next add in the jaggery and mix well till it is has melted completely. Now, add in ¼ cup of sugar and once it is well combined, add in the tamarind pulp. Mix well.

6.    Taste the chutney. Add in some or all of the remaining sugar according to your taste. Cook for a couple of mins and turn off the heat. Once the chutney has cooled down, sprinkle some of the roasted (panch phoron) spice powder on top. Mix to combine.

7.    Serve with a sprinkling of the spice powder.

© Rinki’s Kitchen

How to make Ravioli with paneer...

If you want a tried and tested vegetarian (no egg) ravioli recipe, look no further…  learn how to make ravioli with paneer…

For more such recipes, check out my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

How to make the ravioli dough? How to make the filling? How to make the sauce?

I have explained everything simply and in great detail.

This cottage cheese ravioli recipe is enjoyed by everyone in my family. My Indianized version uses mint or pudina leaves in place of basil leaves but, the outcome is equally delicious.

Try it….it’s completely vegetarian!

Click the link below for the video:

Cottage Cheese Ravioli                 Serves 5 to 6

Ingredients:

For the DOUGH

All purpose flour/Maida – 1 cup

Semolina/Suji (fine) – 1 cup

Salt – ½ tsp

Extra virgin olive oil – 2 tblsp

Warm water – for kneading

For the SAUCE

Ripe tomatoes – 4 large

Garlic grated – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Red chili flakes – ½ tsp

Dried oregano – ½ tsp

Salt – ½ tsp

Mint leaves – a handful

Extra virgin olive oil – 3 tblsp

Tomato ketchup – 2 tblsp

For the Filling

Broccoli florets (cut into very small pieces) – ½ cup

Roasted Bell pepper – 1/3 cup

Paneer/Cottage Cheese (grated) – about 200g

Processed Cheese (grated) – ¼ cup

Mozzarella (grated) – ¼ cup

Pizza seasoning – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Fresh Cream – 2 to 3 tsp

Method:

1.    For the DOUGH: Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the oil mix well. Knead smooth dough with warm water. (The dough should not be too soft.) Cover and keep aside for 20 mins.

2.    For the SAUCE: Add all the ingredients except tomato ketchup and 2 tblsp of olive oil into a mixer and grind to a paste. Heat the 2 tblsp of olive oil in a pan and add in the tomato paste. Cook on medium heat till it comes to a boil. Add in the ketchup, check and adjust the seasoning. Cook on low medium heat till the sauce thickens slightly.

3.    For the Filling: Remove the burnt skin of the bell pepper and chop it up finely. Mix together all the ingredients and keep aside.

4.    To make the Ravioli: Knead the dough lightly and divide it into 5 or 6 balls. Roll out each ball as thinly as possible. Cut out 2” or 3” circle or 2” squares. Make sure to get even number of circles or squares.

5.    Arrange half of the circles on the work surface and brush with water. Place a little bit of the filling on the center of each leaving an outer border. Cover with the remaining circles. Press around the filling and then along the edge to seal them. Use a fork and press along the edge again to make a border.

6.    Boil water in a large pan. Add salt to it. To the vigorously boiling water add the raviolis in batches. Make sure the raviolis have enough space to dance around. They will sink to the bottom at first. Once they are cooked they will start floating to the top. Take them out and put them directly into another pan.

7.    Pour the prepared tomato sauce over the raviolis to cover them and no more. Add in some extra virgin olive oil and drizzle over some of the pasta water. Cook for a minute, tossing to coat the raviolis with the sauce.

8.    Serve directly onto a plate. Sprinkle some mozzarella on top and garnish with mint leaves.

© Rinki’s Kitchen

Green Peas Cakes

How to make green peas cake? Light, healthy and delicious…these cakes are perfect to as an appetizer or snack.

For more such recipes, check out my channel:  https://goo.gl/XBwLLc

Using seasonal produce yields the best results in any recipe. When sweet peas are in season, why not make some healthy green peas cakes that can be made with very little oil?

This is a personal favourite recipe that is totally guilt free. The best part is that the cakes have quite a bite to them. Packed with fiber, protein and carbohydrate, the cakes are light yet filling. Have them for breakfast or tea time or party snack. Kids and grownups enjoy the pea cakes equally.

Try it….Even a beginner can make this recipe quite effortlessly!

Click the below link for the video:

Green Peas Cakes               Makes 10 to 12

Ingredients:

Fresh green peas (shelled) – 2 cups

Cooked Soya granules/Keema – ½ cup

Flattened rice/Poha – ½ cup

Semolina/Suji – 2 to 3 tblsp

Onion (chopped finely) – 1 meduim

Ginger paste – 1 tsp

Garlic paste – ½  tsp

Green chilli (chopped) – 1

Coriander leaves (chopped) – 3 tblsp

Mint leaves – ¼ cup

DRY SPICES

Special Masala powder – 1½ tsp (2 tbsp Coriander seeds + 1tbsp Cumin seeds+ 3 green cardamoms +1 red chilli …roasted and ground coarsely)

Turmeric powder – ¼  tsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Red chili powder – ½  tsp

Chaat Masala powder – 1 tsp

Vegetable oil – ¼ cup

Salt and Black salt – to taste

Method:

1.    Boil the peas in some salted water for 2 to 3 mins, drain and cool. Grind to a coarse paste.

2.    Soak the Flattened rice/Poha in water for 2 mins. Drain and keep aside.

3.    Heat 1 tblsp of oil in a pan. Add in the onion and fry till lightly coloured. Add in the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes away. Add in the Turmeric, Red Chilli and Garam Masala powders. Cook on low heat for a minute.

4.    Add in the soya granules and green chillies, season with salt and cook for 2 minutes on low heat. Take it out and cool to room temperature.

5.    Add the green peas paste to the soya mixture followed by Special Masala powder and Chaat Masala powder.

6.    Add in the coriander leaves and torn mint leaves. Season with black salt. Mix it well.

7.    Now add in the binding agents. 1 tblsp of semolina and the flattened rice or poha. Season with salt. Mix well.

8.    Divide the mixture into 10 to 12 equal parts and shape into cakes. You could use a cookie cutter or a small bowl or use your fingers. Coat the prepared cakes with dry semolina and let them rest in the fridge for 10 mins before frying.

9.    Drizzle very little oil on the pan and fry the cakes till they turn crispy on the outside and have a nice colour on them.

10. Serve the cakes hot with chutney or mayonnaise.

© Rinki’s Kitchen