Here are two recipes from expert chefs to add more grandeur to your Puja feast

No Indian celebration is complete without an accompanying grand feast. And eating out during festivities like Durga Puja has almost turned into an annual ritual for most food-loving Bengalis. But for those who are cagey about contracting the coronavirus and want to avoid the serpentine queues in front of the busy diners, we have some equally delectable traditional recipes to try out at home. Chefs Madhumita Mohanta of The Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata and Prakash Chettiyar of JW Marriott Kolkata have shared two eternally favourite seafood recipes. Made with whole and freshly ground spices, the dishes can be relished with something as simple as steamed rice. So, stock up the ingredients in your kitchen and w h i p u p these classic dishes to t u r n your Puja days special.

Gota Morich Diye Kakrar Malai Curry by Chef Madhumita Mohanta, Lalit Great Eastern Kolkata

Ingredients: Mud crab (big size- 500 gm each): 1 kg | Mustard oil: 80 ml | Ghee: 2 tbsp | Onion paste: 80 gm | Garlic paste: 1 tsp | Ginger paste: 1 tsp | Cumin powder: 1 tsp | Coriander powder: 1 tsp | Salt: to taste | Cashewnut paste: 1 tbsp | Brown onion paste: 1 tsp | Green chilli whole: 2 pcs | Hung curd: 40 gm | Cinnamon stick: 1 inch stick | Green cardamom: 6 pcs | Black cardamom: 4 nos | Whole black pepper corn: 2 tsp | Bay leaf: 2 pcs | Mace: 1 sprig | Clove: 8 pcs | Garam masala powder: ½ tsp | Coconut milk: 100 ml | Fresh cream: 50 gm | Black pepper powder: ½ tsp | Sugar: 1 tsp

Method: ■ Clean the crab properly. ■ Take a heavy bottom pan and heat mustard oil. Once the oil is hot, sauté the crab until the shell changes colour to bright red. Remove the crab from heat and keep it aside. ■ Add 1 tbsp of ghee with the remaining mustard oil. ■ Add the whole garam masala and whole black pepper to the oil and ghee mixture and cook till it starts crackling. ■ Add slit green chilli and onion, gainer and garlic paste and cook till the colour turns to light brown. ■ Return the crab to the gravy and cook together till the gravy starts leaving the side of the pan. ■ Add the cashew nuts and brown onion paste. Add all the dry masala and sugar and simmer for a while. ■ Add hung curd and coconut milk and mix well.

Chingri Malai Curry by Executive Chef Prakash Chettiyar, JW Marriott Kolkata

Ingredients: Jumbo prawn with shell and head: 1,500 gms | Mustard oil: 80ml | Fresh coconut milk: 200 gms | Onion paste: 80gms | Green chilli paste: 20 gms | Ginger garlic paste: 30 gms | Kalonji: 10 gms | Red chilli powder: 12 gms | Turmeric powder: 10 gms | Coriander powder: 10 gms | Cumin powder: 10 gms | Salt and sugar as per taste | Ghee: 50 gms

Method: ■ Heat mustard oil in a pan, lightly deep fry the prawns. ■ Remove the prawn and keep it aside. ■ Add kalonji seeds, onion paste with green chillies, ginger, and garlic paste. ■ Reduce the temperature; add coriander, turmeric red chilli powder and cumin. ■ Cook the paste on a slow flame, stirring continuously. ■ Add coconut milk and let it boil for some time. ■ Reduce the heat and add the fried prawns and allow it to simmer till the prawns are cooked completely. ■ Add garam masala and finish it off with ghee at the end. ■ Garnish it with slit green chillies. ■ Serve hot with steamed rice