Independence Day is a celebration of our history, but also of our unique, versatile culture. Each and every corner of the country boasts of unique culinary preparations that are distinct from each other. What better way to celebrate Independence Day 2018 than by enjoying some delicious traditional preparations.
Here are 18 recipes from Eastern Indian cuisine:
1) Kosha Mangsho (West Bengal)
Courtesy: Executive Sous Chef Lokesh Jarodia from Novotel Imagica Khopoli, Mumbai
Ingredients
150 gm Mutton100 gm Onion10 gm Garlic80 gm Yoghurt5 gm Turmeric Powder3 gm Garam masala powder 20 gm Mustard oil2 gm Cinnamon5 pieces Green cardamom1 piece Black Cardamom6 pieces Cloves3 pieces Dried red chillies3 pieces Green Chillies3 pieces Bay leaves3gm Coriander powder20gm Ginger paste3gm Cumin powder3gm Kashmiri red chilli powder10gm Sugar5gm Ghee Salt to taste
Method
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{{/usCountry}}* Marinade by making a paste of garlic, onion, turmeric, curd and garam masala.* Mix the mutton pieces into the marinade and keep it for approximately 4-5 hours.* Heat the mustard oil in a Kadhai, add whole spices, let it crackle and add sliced onion and saute nicely.* Once the onion gets brown in colour and the spices start releasing their oil, add the marinated mutton, and cook it slowly. Keep adding mutton stock so that it doesn’t get dry and cook till the mutton gets tender.* Finish it with ghee and serve hot with paratha or pulao.
2) Aloo Posto (West Bengal)
Courtesy: Executive Sous Chef Lokesh Jarodia from Novotel Imagica Khopoli, Mumbai
Ingredients
120 gm potatoes (medium size) 50 gm Poppy seeds20ml Mustard Oil 5gm Green chillies3gm Onion seeds (Kalonji) 3gm SugarSalt to taste2gm Ghee
Method
* Cut the potatoes into small cubes and soak the poppy seeds for 30 minutes. Make a fine paste.* Now, heat the mustard oil in a pan and add onion seeds, green chillies and potatoes. Add salt and turmeric and mix it well.* Add stock and cook the potatoes. Once the potatoes are half-done, add poppy seeds paste and cook it further in slow heat. Add ghee.* Serve hot with steam rice.
3) Chingri Malai Curry (West Bengal)
Courtesy: Executive Sous Chef Lokesh Jarodia from Novotel Imagica Khopoli, Mumbai
Ingredients
160gm Prawns2gm Onion Seeds (Kalonji)10gm Mustard oil2gm Green chillies2gm Whole cumin10gm Onion paste5gm Ginger Paste3gm Garlic paste2gm Cumin powder2gm Coriander powder2gm Red chilli Powder2gm Sugar2gm Garam masala powderSalt to taste120gm Coconut milk3gm Ghee
Method
* Blanch the prawns in turmeric water and keep aside.* Heat mustard oil in a pan and add whole cumin, onion seeds, onion paste, and ginger garlic paste. Saute nicely, Add all the powder masalas.* Add prawn and saute with masala. Now, add coconut milk and cook it. * Serve hot with rice or paratha.
4) Litti Chokha (Bihar)
Ingredients
For Litti
2 cup wheat flour1/2 tsp ajwain seeds2 tbsp of ghee3/4 tsp salt
For filling 1 cup roasted gram or sattu4-5 cloves of grated garlic 1 chopped onion 1 Ginger grated2-3 chopped green chilies½ cup chopped coriander leaves ½ tsp onion seeds1 tsp ajwain seeds1 tbsp lemon juicePickle Salt to taste
For Chokha
2 boiled potatoes1 brinjal 3 tomatoes4-5 peeled garlic cloves 2-4 chopped green chillies1/2 piece of grated ginger 2 chopped onions 1 tbsp chopped coriander 2 tsp mustard oilSalt to taste
Method
* Mix flour, salt, carom seeds and oil. Knead the dough with water. When soft, cover with wet cloth and keep aside. * Take a mixing bowl and add spices, ginger, chilli, coriander, lemon juice, and combine. Add a teaspoon of oil and few drops of water if it is dry. When crumbly, keep aside.* Take a medium-sized dough, make small dough balls. Place 2 tsp of filling in the centre of it and pull the edges of the dough, wrap the filling. Make 10 such balls. * Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the balls on a baking dish and bake for 40 minutes. Flip the balls to the other side at half-time. Do it 3 times for even heating. * Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and keep aside. Roast brinjal and tomatoes on medium flame from both sides until soft. Peel burnt skin of brinjal. Mash boiled potatoes and brinjal along with garlic and tomatoes. Add onion, coriander, ginger, salt, chillies and mustard oil. Mix ingredients with hand. * Put this chokha in a bowl. Dip litti in ghee and serve with coriander chutney.
5) Bamboo Steamed Fish (Nagaland)
Ingredients
For curry:
1 kilo Rohu 2 tbsp mustard oil2-3 tomatoes cut in 4 pieces 2 diced onions1 cup shredded bamboo shoots5 slit green chillies1 crushed garlic pod1 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder500 ml water1 cup chopped shallots Salt as per taste
To marinate fish:2 tbsp ginger garlic paste2 tsp Red chilli powder1 tsp turmeric powder1tsp saltOil
Method:
* Marinate the fish overnight or for an hour. Heat oil and deep-fry the fish till the pieces are brown. Keep aside to drain the oil. * In a casserole, heat 2tbsp of mustard oil till it begins to smoke and add diced onions. Stir till it is caramelised.* Add tomatoes and spices. Add bamboo shoots and water. Cover the pot and cook till the water is boiling, then reduce the flame and cook for 15 minutes.* Add fried fish and cook for 10 minutes. Spread shallots and cook for 5 minutes. * Turn off the flame and gently stir without breaking the fish pieces. Put the lid back and let it rest. * Serve it with rice.
6) Masor Tenga (Assam)
Ingredients
4 Rohu fish1 chopped tomato 1 chopped potato 1 tsp mustard oil1 tsp turmeric powder1 dry red chilli2 cups of warm water1 tsp chopped coriander leavesSalt to tasteLemon juice
Method
* Marinate the fish with turmeric and salt. Set aside for 15 minutes. * Heat the oil and shallow fry the fish till brown. * Heat 1tsp of mustard oil and add dry chilli. Add tomatoes and turmeric powder, saute, and let it simmer. The tomatoes should have become a pulp. * Add potato, mix and saute. Let it simmer until the oil seperates. Add water and fish, and let it boil for 4 minutes. * Garnish with coriander and serve with rice.
7) Dalma (Odisha)
Ingredients
200gm raw papaya100gm potato75gm brinjal80 gm drumstick120gm arbi20 m beans65gm raw banana120gm pumpkin80gm tomato 100gm onion150gm Arhar dal2tsp mustard seed4tsp cumin seed2tsp turmeric powder2 bay leaves 3 dry chillies 3tsp oil Salt as per taste
Method
* Wash vegetables and cut into medium-sized pieces. Beans and drumstick should be cut in 2-inch long pieces. * Soak dal in water for an hour. Fry cumin seed and dry chilli slightly and make a fine powder of it. Keep aside.* Boil 7 cups of water in a pan. Add dal, turmeric powder and cook. When it is half-cooked, add vegetables, and salt as well as the tomatoes. * When well-cooked, remove from the flame and keep aside.* Heat oil in a deep pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seed, bay leaf and dry chilli. Add onion slices when it splutters, and fry till golden brown.* Add boiled dal and vegetable mixture to it slowly and cover. Sprinkle cumin chili powder and remove from flame. * Serve with rice or roti.
8) Daal Pitha (Jharkhand)
Ingredients
1/2 cup Bengal gram2 green chillies1/2tsp Jeera1/2tsp salt2tsp oil1tbs Grated Coconut 1 cup Rice flour
Method
* Soak channa dal in warm water for 2 hours and grind to paste along with chilli, jeera and salt.* Heat a pan with oil and add ground paste. Saute for 3 minutes. Put off flame and add grated coconut. Mix it. This will be your stuffing. * Take rice flour in a bowl. Add salt and mix.Add this to boiling water and mix well to form a soft dough. * Grease your palms with oil and make a small ball. Fatten it and put a spoonful of stuffing. Close the edges by pressing it. Make several balls. * Steam it for 12 minutes. * Serve it warm with coriander chutney.
9) Chilka (Jharkhand)
Ingredients
1 cup rice 1/2 cup channa dalSalt to tasteOil
Method
* Wash and soak the rice and dal for 5 hours. Drain the water and grind into a fine paste by adding water.* To make a thin roti, add a little water and then salt to the batter and mix well. * Heat a non-stick pan at medium heat. Grease with oil. Pour batter and spread nicely over the pan. Drizzle with a little oil. Cook it for 1/ 2 minute and flip to the other side. Cook again for a few seconds.* Serve it with chutney or curry.
10) Sajana Saga Bhaja (Odisha)
Ingredients
500gm drumstick leaves 5tsp Moong dal 5tsp shredded coconut 15 cloves garlic 1/2 cup milk1/2 tsp sugar 3 tsp cooking Oil1 tsp urad dal1 tsp mustard seeds2 dry chillies Salt to taste
Method
* Separate the drumstick leaves and keep aside.* Fry moong dal till it turns golden brown.* Boil a cup of water with milk and sugar in a deep dish.* When the water starts boiling, pour fried moong dal and heat it.* Add drumstick leaves in the deep dish and add salt to taste.* Heat oil in a frying pan and fry garlic cloves till golden brown. * Add urad dal, mustard seeds and dry chilies to frying pan. Fry for a minute and add drumstick leaves and coconut. * Let the drumstick leaves cook for 5 minutes. Stir it at intervals. Fry the drumstick leaves till almost dry.
11) Panch Phoran Tarkari (Meghalaya)
Ingredients
2 potatoes cut in pieces3 brinjals cut in wedges2 tsp oil1/2 tsp cumin seeds1/2 tsp fennel seeds1/2 tsp mustard seeds1/2 tsp fenugreek seed1 tsp red chilli powder1/2 tsp turmeric powder2 tsp coriander leavesSalt to taste
Method
* Heat oil and splutter whole spice seeds.* Stir-fry vegetables with turmeric, salt and chilli.* Cook on a low flame with minimum water till vegetables are cooked.* Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti.
12) Kharzi (Arunachal Pradesh)
Ingredients
1 cup boiled rice1/2 cup chopped spring onion 2 1/2 tsp cheese4 tsp red chilli paste1/2 tsp ginger pasteSalt to taste
Method
* Grind cheese with red chilli and ginger paste. Combine with chopped spring onion. * Mix with hot cooked rice and serve it warm.
13) Thekua (Bihar)
Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour1/4 cup powder sugar2 tsp grated coconut3 tbsp Rava4 tbsp GheeWaterCardamom powder Oil
Method
* Add wheat flour, sugar, coconut, rava and cardamom powder in a bowl. * Add ghee and mix for a few minutes until it becomes crumbly.* Sprinkle water and knead into a dough.* Roll out the dough into a disc and cut it with a cookie cutter.* Heat oil in a pan and fry both sides of the cookies until crispy.* Store after cooling in an air-tight box. Serve as snacks with tea.
14) Khamen asinba thongba (Manipur)
Ingredients
12 small tomatoes 1 tsp Ghee1 tsp Kalonji seeds1 cup sugar Salt to tasteSmall piece of lemon peel
Method
* Heat ghee and roast kalonji seeds and tomatoes till the peel starts separating. * Remove peel and keep aside. * Boil water and sugar, salt, lemon peel and roasted tomatoes. Cook until syrup consistency is achieved.
15) Veg Bangwi (Tripura)
Ingredients
1 cup sticky rice soaked for 5 hours2 tsp gheeCashew nutsSoaked raisins1/4 tsp saltBanana leaves
Method
* Roast cashew nuts in ghee and keep aside.* Drain the rice and mix with ghee, cashew, rasin and salt.* Make cones of banana leaves. Fill it with the mixture and tie it with a strand from the leaf. * Steam this for 1.5 hours and serve hot.
16) Sanpiau (Mizoram)
Ingredients
RiceChopped garlicChopped gingerButterPepperSalt to taste
Method
* Pressure cook the rice with all the ingredients and water.* Garnish with pepper, onions and local spices.
17) Rice Pakoda (Chhatisgarh)
Ingredients
½ rice flour 2tsp chopped onions 2tsp curd2 green chillies ½ tsp cumin seeds3tsp coriander leavesWater Salt as per tasteOil
Method
* Mix rice flour, onion, chillies,salt,curd,cumin seeds and coriander leaves in a bowl. Add water to make the batter.* Heat oil in a pan and add a tablespoon of batter at a time. Deep-fry till they turn golden brown from all sides.* Serve hot with chutney.
18) Banarasi Ras Wale Aloo (Uttar Pradesh)
Ingredients
4 potatoes boiled and dicedChopped coriander leaves1/2 tsp turmeric powder1/2 tsp cumin powder1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp roasted fennel seeds 1 pinch asafoetida 1 tsp amchur1 tsp pepper 1 tsp coriander 1 tsp red chilli powder1 tsp grated ginger2 tsp mustard oilSalt to taste
Method
* Mix spices with grated ginger and water to make paste.* Heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds and asafoetida.Add fennel seeds and spice paste. Add potatoes. Stir till spices are coated.* Adjust consistency with water and add salt.Simmer till there is desired consistency.* Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with puri.
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