Too tired to stand in a serpentine queue at your favourite restaurant after a night-long pandal hopping during the Pujas? Relax and soak your tired feet in warm water. Madhumita Mohanta, executive chef of The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata, shares two easy to cook and traditional to the tee dishes, Kochur Loti Kosha and Holud Pata diye Chingri Jhinge Posto to brighten up your day.
Kochur loti kosha
Ingredients:
Kochur loti (Taro Stolons or stems): 500 gm
Onion paste: 150 gm
Ginger paste: Half tsp
Garlic paste: 10 cloves
Slit green chilli: Two
Mustard oil: 200 ml
Red chilli powder: Half tsp
Cumin powder: Half tsp
Turmeric: Half tsp
Sugar: ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
For tempering: One bay leaf, whole cumin ¼ tsp
Method:
Peel kochur loti and cut into two inch length and put in warm water for five minutes, to peel the skin with ease. Marinate peeled kochur loti with all the spice and mustard oil (keep some for tempering) except slit green chilli. Take a thick bottom pan, put mustard oil and heat it up Put the bay leaf and whole cumin in it. Let it crackle and then add marinated kochur loti into it. Stir it for four to five minutes, so that it does not stick to the bottom and get mixed properly. Don’t add water into it, put slit green chilli and cover it with lid, stir it in between. Cook it till loti gets tender and soft. Serve it with hot rice.
Holud Pata diye Chingri Jhinge Posto
Ingredients:
Three ridged gourds (torai)
Four tbsp poppy seeds
250 gm small sized prawns (headless, shell off and deveined)
One tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Two tbsp mustard oil
Half cup red onion
Four green chillies
1/4 tsp sugar
One tsp red chilli powder
50 gm panch phoran spice mix
Fresh turmeric leaves
Method:
Peel the skin of ridged gourd and cut into small pieces. Dry grind the poppy seeds. Clean the prawns and apply turmeric and salt on them. Fry them slightly and keep aside. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add panch phoran for tempering. Add chopped onion and slit green chilli. Add sugar and cook till the onions turn pinkish brown and translucent. Fry with little turmeric till the potatoes are light golden in colour. Add chopped ridged gourd and fry for a couple of minutes. Add salt and red chilli powder. Cover and let the ridged gourd cook for a while. While the ridged gourd is still cooking in its own juices, add the poppy seed powder and add a little water if required. Once the vegetables are done, add the shrimp, wilted turmeric leaf and mix. Top with half tsp of mustard oil.