Cooking non-veg dishes with vegetarian spices is a speciality that's tried in many Bengali households during the five holy days of the Puja. Kumro Meter Chorchori or Pumpkin and mutton liver curry is one such popular delicacy that often had with plain rice, parantha or even luchi during the Pujas. Also, what's Puja without some typical Bengali fritters or tele bhaja? City bloggers and chef Madhushree Basu Roy and Anindya S Basu share two delicious recipes with Indulge readers ahead of the Pujas.
Pumpkin and mutton liver curry
A pumpkin and mutton liver recipe without the use of onions and garlic.
Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 45 minutes | Serves six
Ingredients
1 kg pumpkin | 300 gm mutton liver | 1 tsp panch phoron | 1 dried red chilli | 1 pinch asafoetida | 1/2 tsp turmeric powder |1 tsp red chilli powder | 1 heaped tsp ginger paste freshly grated |3 tbsp mustard oil | 1/2 tsp sugar | 2 green chillies | Salt to taste
Method
Cut the mutton liver into small cubes (about 1.5 cm by 1.5 cm approx). Wash them and pat them dry. Also, cut the pumpkin into cubes (about 3 cm by 3 cm approx) and wash and keep them aside.
In a frying pan, take 2 tbsp of mustard oil and when the oil is hot, fry the mutton liver pieces over medium to high heat. Since they are small cubes, it takes about 5 to 8 minutes (depending on the size of the pieces and the thickness of your frying pan) for the liver pieces to be cooked. Sprinkle some salt over them. We don’t want to overcook them since liver becomes quite chewy and dry when overcooked. Once done, using a slotted spoon to drain out the oil and keep the cubes
aside.
In the same frying pan, add another tbsp of mustard oil and when the oil becomes hot, add dried red chilli and panch phoron. Let the spices temper lightly, when you add the heeng mixed with a little bit of water.
Then immediately add the pumpkin pieces and sprinkle turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt over them. Now stir to coat all the pumpkin pieces with the spices.
Fry over high heat for 5 to 6 minutes and then lower the temperature and cover and cook. From time to time, remove the lid and check the progress of the pumpkin cooking. Try to do that as often as possible, since the pumpkin will release a lot of water. So while removing the cover, fry
at high heat to reduce the water.
After about 15 to 20 minutes of cooking, when the pumpkin pieces have become almost soft, add the liver cubes. Add freshly grated ginger and the sugar.
Stir fry over high heat till all the water evaporates and the oil starts to release from the sides. When the pumpkin is beautifully cooked, check the seasoning and finally add slit green chillies and turn on the heat.
Serve with steamed white rice.
Kolkata style Aloor Chop with a twist / Mashed potato fritters with prawn
Mashed potato fritters in a light gram flour or besan batter with small bits and pieces of prawns as a surprise. It is just too easy to make and is a wonderful accompaniment to tea/ coffee or even evening drinks.
Ingredients
400 gm boiled potatoes | 1 large onion | 1 large tomato | 4 garlic cloves | 1/2 tsp red chilli powder | 1/2 tsp cumin powder | 1/2 tsp turmeric powder | 4 curry leaves | 150 gm small prawns | 1/4 cup besan | 1/4 cup water | salt to taste | oil for deep frying
Method
In a frying pan, take 1 1/2 tbsp of oil and heat it. Add curry leaves, onions, garlic and tomatoes in that oil. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and chilli powder.
Add the prawns and lightly sautee them till the prawns are cooked. Then crumble the potatoes with your hand and add to the frying pan. Sprinkle some salt and mix thoroughly.
Turn off the heat and using your hand, mix it all together like a nice smooth dough. Make small round balls, the size of a small lemon.
Now take some oil in a kadai and heat it. While the oil is getting hot, make a light batter with the besan and the water. Do not add all the water
instantly. The quantity of the water required should be judged by you. Add little by little till you have a
batter which will easily coat the potatoes.
Add a pinch of salt to it too.
Now when the oil is hot, dip the potato rounds into the batter and deep fry them till golden brown.
Control the temperature so as to not burn the outer shell.
Serve it with some green chillies and a cup of tea or coffee.