The Perfect Jilapi (Jalebi)

It's been little more than two months that I've been in Spokane and I'm already deeply in love with the town. It's been a glorious summer and a much needed break after a grueling first year of dental school. But leave I must. I fly out to Philadelphia tomorrow to start my second year of classes. Oh Penn, how I hate you right now. It's hard to imagine three more years of flying back and forth. But, since I've managed to survive this far hopefully I'll live through the rest as well. On the bright side, I do get to see my friends after the break. So it can't be all that bad. Enough with the whining. Let's simply end the summer on a sweet note, making something that reminds us (me and the hubby) of home and warmth and sweetness.

Traditionally sweets, such as the one I talk about today are a very integral part of Bengali culture. They are offered when guests arrive or they are treats that guests bring as gift. There is a warm, soothing quality to it which comes from the gentle use of spices like saffron or cardamom and the rich sweetness solidifies their status as cherished treats. Being deep fried and then soaked in a flavored sugar syrup, it is not the usual end to an everyday meal. But for special occasions there can be nothing better than a Jilapi/ Jalebi.

This is a relatively hard dish to master but the end results are completely worth the pain.

Jilapi batter
1 cup plain flour
1 and ½ tablespoon gram flour (besan, also known as chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup of lukewarm water

Sugar syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice -- to prevent crystallization
1/2 tablespoon rose water (optional)
pinch of cardamom powder (optional)


Dissolve yeast in warm water and wait for 5 minutes till the yeast blooms.

Add all the ingredients to make the batter. You can choose to add more or less water to achieve the right consistency, which should be like a pancake batter. Leave aside covered with a clear wrap or a kitchen towel for at least an hour.

If you are making jilapi the next day it's completely ok to stick this in the fridge. Just make sure to take it out at least an hour before you actually fry the batter.

Now onto making the syrup. Heat up the sugar water mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Boil till you reach a one thread consistency ( at the thread stage there's still a lot of water left in the sugar and the temperature on a candy thermometer should be around  215 degree F or 101 degree C). At this stage, usually I barely touch the spoon with my index finger, then touch the index finger with the thumb and gently pull apart. If one thread is formed then the syrup is done. And you immediately switch off the flame. If you feel that the sugar is getting too thick add a little more water and boil again. If you will be adding cardamom, saffron or rose water do it at the beginning or the end. It really makes very little difference.

Now on to the actual frying bit. Heat up at least an inch of oil in a cast iron skillet or your favorite frying pan. The oil needs to be at a temperature so that when you drop a little batter it sinks for barely a second before rising to the top and sizzling.

Hold the empty bottle or ziplock bag full of jilapi batter (with one end snipped) and pipe concentric circles into the hot oil quickly making sure to join the ends. Speed is your best friend here. Do it slowly an you end up with squiggly jilapi. But it'll still taste good.

Fry the jilapis till they are golden brown on both sides. and set aside.

Transfer the fried jilapi one by one into the sugar water slurry and dip completely for 20-30 seconds. The hollow jilapi will take in the flavored sugar syrup while remaining crispy on the outside.

Serve warm.
Enjoy.
Do not eat everyday.
That is all...

Chicken Korma

Curries do not necessarily have to be garishly red, or yellow. Nor is it always spicy. Chances are if you have only tried curries in restaurants you have not experienced the full depth and breadth of flavor that mild, creamy curries like this can bring.

The Chicken Korma is the regal version of curries. Brought to the Indian subcontinent by the Mughal empire, it is subtle, even understated but brimming with flavor. The complexity of this dish comes from the use of nutmeg, mace and poppy seed paste as well the typical spices like coriander and cumin. Although I use milk instead of cream to make it a little healthier, this recipe has deep roots. It comes from my aunt who has been lovingly cooking this dish for us for as long as I can remember.

Chicken Korma (Other than the chicken, ingredients are listed in the order that they are added)

2 lb chicken
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup onion thinly sliced or minced
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
2 tablespoon ginger paste
2 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika/ chili powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/4-1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered mace
1 tablespoon poppy seed paste
4 green chilies
1/3 cup water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon rose water
1/2 tablespoon kewra water

First off, heat up oil in a 3 qt pan that has a tight lid. Fry the onions till you begin to see caramelization around the edges. The key is to stir the onion from time to time so that the edges turn a rich golden brown. This will take some time, close to 10 minutes but the flavor they provide is essential to good curries. Make sure to add salt at this stage so that the water is steeped out of the onions helping them brown evenly.

Starting to get caramelized. Needs to be cooked for a few more minutes

Now add all the spices up to the black pepper powder all the while cooking over a slow medium heat. You do not want to add water at this stage unless your spices start to stick. The "masala" mixture should be lightly sauteed adding tablespoons of water only if it's absolutely necessary.

A light brown color after all the spices have been added 

Now add the chicken pieces and cook on low medium heat for 10-15 more minutes.

You want the pieces to be evenly coated with the spice mixture.

Evenly coated bone-in pieces of chicken  

Now add 1/4 cup water and continue cooking. The chicken will release its own juices and stew in it. If you want you can definitely use boneless, skinless chicken but chicken pieces, bones and all produces a stock that enriches the sauce. Plus cooking the meat on the bone makes it very succulent.

Not much longer now. We are nearing the end,After 15-20 minutes this is what the dish looks like. When spice mixture becomes thick add nutmeg, mace and poppy seed paste. The poppy seed paste is something that you have to make at home from whole poppy seeds. You have to dry roast the poppy seed and blend with water to make a smooth paste. I can not stress how essential it is for the paste to be smooth. If you feel that the paste is grainy, strain the paste before adding it. You can also choose to leave it out if it is too hard to find but it does add a new dimension to the meal.  

Now add 1/3 cup more water, milk and whole green chilies and cook covered for 10 more minutes.

5 minutes before you take it off the heat add in sugar, salt (do a taste test and only add salt if you think it needs it), rosewater and kewra water.

Serve with a side of naan or polau (rice fried and cooked with whole spices). It doesn't get more authentic than this. :)

Aloor Dom

I've been sitting on this for weeks, trying to come up with a translation that would truly explain what "Aloor dom" is to someone who isn't Bengali. Aloo is the Bengali for potatoes, so the easiest name would be "potato curry" but it really wouldn't be right. Curry is just too generic a word to explain this dish which was a quintessential part of growing up in Bangladesh. Served with a side of  Luchi ( a deep fried flat bread very popular in my part of the world), aloor dum was breakfast on weekends for the longest time. One way of making this, is to boil the potatoes till barely cooked through and sauteing in a mixture of spices. It is then simmered in a covered pan over a low flame till the flavors completely permeate the potatoes transforming it into a delightful beginning to a lazy weekend.
p.s. I do know that it's Wednesday. But no harm in planning for the coming weekend.

1 lb Potatoes
4 tablespoon oil
7-8 curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tomato
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cayenne pepper

I used red, yellow and purple baby potatoes which were cut in half, boiled and then peeled.  You want these to be on the smaller end of the spectrum as the smaller potatoes taste better in this dish.

Heat oil in a flat pan and add curry leaves. After a minute add cumin and mustard seeds. Be careful as the seeds will splutter in hot oil. A process we lovingly called tempering. Very common in Bengali cuisine.

  
Add in rest of the spices along with chopped tomatoes.

Saute for a few minutes adding tablespoons of water if the mixture starts sticking.

Add potatoes. Give it a quick stir to evenly mix everything. You want each piece of potato to be coated. But be gentle as traditionally the dish is served as chunky pieces that are not mashed together.

Add 1/2 cup of water, lower the flame and cover with a tight lid. Water will slowly evaporate and infuse potatoes with flavor, a process known as "dom". Stir once in a while to ensure it doesn't stick.  

Potatoes are ready once most of the water evaporates and you are left with a semi-dry mix of potatoes and spices.

Step by Step Guide to Paneer

The best thing about making homemade Paneer is that you know it will be fresh, it will never be  rubbery like storebought frozen cubed ones and you can infuse the milk with herbs and spices that will introduce a very subtle hint of flavor. It won't overpower and when used in curries, it will provide a distinct yet subtle edge.

Flavored with lime zest, parsley and cilantro

8 cups whole milk

1/4 c lime juice

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tablespoon cilantro

1 tablespoon lime zest

First, set a pot of milk over medium heat so that it can gently come to a boil. If I recommend using a non stick pot for anything this would be it. Make sure to stir frequently so that the milk does not stick.

Zest and juice one lime. Make sure not to get the white pith that is under the bright green peel because it's the pith that brings bitterness not the zest.

Line a strainer with cheesecloth that has been folded over four times. A single layer would not be strong enough to hold in the cheese.

Once the milk starts boiling add cilantro, parsley and the zest. It is all optional here, you can choose to add some other herb or crushed black pepper for a little kick.

Pour in lime juice and the protein will separate from the greenish whey. Turn off stove immediately as the longer you cook the harder the paneer gets. 

Strain out the cheese. You can use the whey to make bread or as soup stock if you like.

Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey.

Now place the paneer on a flat porus surface. and place a heavy pan on top of it.

The water will gently ooze out and you will get paneer that holds it's shape and does not crumble. 

Cut into cubes to use in curries or stir fries.  

Braised Greens for a Meatless Monday

First year of Dental school being done. I'm back to my kitchen again. :)

Not that I wasn't in the kitchen last year, mind you, just not enough to blog about it. But now I'm utterly, completely enjoying the two months I have off before heading back to Philadelphia and back to Dentistry.

Before this vacation's over I promise to post a bunch of new dishes that I've been dying to photograph. Let's start with the simplest one first. Braised mustard greens.

I hate when my green don't retain that deep, bright green hue after being cooked. So I blanch it first and then braise it. You don't have to stick to mustard greens as collards or broccoli rabes taste equally good.

Braised Mustard Greens

1 lb of mustard greens
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1-2 dry red chilies
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt


Good to know -- A pound might seem like a lot but once cooked you will end up with less than a third of what you started with.


First blanch the greens in a large pot of boiling water that has been salted. To know if you've salted water perfectly, taste it before adding veggies. It should taste like sea water. Be careful to blanch only for a minute or two and then drain the greens in a colander.

Now that you've taken the greens out you can use the same pot for the next steps. On medium heat, saute minced garlic and chilies in olive oil for less than a minute, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. You can choose to take the seeds out of the chilies if you do not like your food spicy, but I usually leave it in.

Add in greens, stir to coat with the lovely oil, garlic, chili concoction. Salt to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon is how I like it. And after a minute add 1/3 cup of water, cook until tender and water has mostly evaporated, approximately 5 minutes.

Sweet Asian Eggplant

Another great eggplant recipe. I'd like to say it's spicy, but it's also sour and a little sweet. It's a melt-in-your mouth eggplant dish you'll want to make over and over again.

1 Eggplant

2 tablespoon Brown sugar

2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoon Soy sauce

1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes

1/4 cup Onion (chopped finely)

4 cloves of Garlic (minced)

Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices.

Put a tablespoon of oil in a non stick pan and fry the eggplant slices till they get soft. Should take about 5 minutes. You don't want to overcook the eggplants at this stage, as it will be cooked in the sweet soy, sugar sauce again.

Once the eggplants have been cooked set it aside. Gather all the ingredients.

Heat up 3 more tablespoons of oil and saute onions, garlic, and crushed pepper.

Add brown sugar to caramelize the onion.

Add in brown sugar and vinegar.

Now gently place the eggplant slices in one layer and cook for about a minute. Gently flip over and give it another minute.

 Be very careful when taking out of the frying pan as the slices will be quite soft. You want the slices ot be soft but not mushy. They should hold their shape.

Stack and serve hot with a side of Jasmine rice.

Frittata with a Touch of Desi Spice

Frittata is a dish very similar to an omelet. Vegetables are sauteed, beaten eggs are poured on top and then cooked on low heat or baked or broiled till the eggs sets up. This Desi flavored frittata uses onions, green chilies, tomatoes and gets its warmth from a little bit of ginger and a touch of cumin. Tastes marvelous with paratha.   

4 Egg whites

8 Cherry tomatoes

Oil

1/4 cup Onion (chopped)

2/3 green chilies

salt

cumin

ginger paste

Chop up onions, tomatoes and green chilies. Cherry tomatoes can be substituted with any other kind. 

Saute onion and chilies in oil till the onion turns translucent. This will take about 2 minutes 

After a while add tomatoes, ginger paste and cumin powder.

Keep cooking till the tomatoes are mashed up. This will take another 5 minutes or so.

Now add in the egg whites that have been beaten with a fork. instead of egg whites feel free to use 3 whole eggs.

Lower the heat and wait for eggs to set. Once you've poured the eggs, do not attempt to stir as you will end up with scrambled eggs. At this stage you can put the entire pan in the oven on broil for a few minutes. 

Or fold it over to give an omelet feel to it. 

Once cooked, plate it up and serve warm with any naan or paratha or any other bread of your choosing.

As always..ENJOY!!

Beef Patties

I've started dental school last week. :)
Things aren't crazy busy yet but it's getting there.God knows when I might be able to post again. Before I take a short break I wanted to post a recipe one of my dear friends (you know who you are!!) has been asking for. This is one of those dishes very close to my heart. "Google" it you'll find Jamaican beef patties everywhere but not the Bengali kind. The kind of beef patties I grew up with were made with a spicy mince meat filling inside a puff pastry crust. The meat is cooked first with different spices, made into triangular shaped patties, and then baked for 20 minutes. Once made, the unbaked ones can be stored in the freezer for 3-4 weeks but in my house they rarely last that long. Without further ado, here's the recipe.

Beef Patties 

Makes 25-27

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min

Bake time: 20 min

Minced Meat(Keema in Bengali)- 1 lb
Oil- 2 tablespoons
Medium sized onion- 1
Green chili- 4
Ground pepper- 1/2 teaspoon
Soy sauce- 2 tablespoons
oyster sauce- 2 tablespoons
Ginger paste- 2 tablespoons
Garlic paste- 3 tablespoons
Cumin powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- 1/4 teaspoon
Corn flour- 1 tablespoon
Store bought puff pastry sheets

To make the filling slice a medium onion into thin half moon shaped slices.

 Fry in oil till they are translucent and barely start to get color.

Then add the minced meat and all the other ingredients except for the corn starch and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, till the meat is cooked completely.

Add the corn starch 3-5 minutes before taking the pot off the heat and make sure to cool the filling first before making patties. Adding the corn starch will ensure that the filling sticks together as opposed to crumbling apart.

Now that the filling's ready, it's time to take out the pastry.

I use Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets when I'm making this. Each box has two sheets and from each sheet you get 18 patties. So for a pound of meat, I use one and a half boxes which makes 27 patties.

First thaw the sheets according to package directions and open up the folds. I usually do one sheet at a time. Lay it flat on a surface and cut into 9 pieces following the folds.

Place about 1 tablespoon of the cooked minced meat mixture on each square.

Seal the edges really well forming little triangles.

Here's another random shot of a few more right before they head to the oven.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes till they get a vibrant golden color. Pick your favorite condiment and enjoy!! :)