Pork with Bok Choy

Pork Curry

Pork and Bok Choy is a very good combination . Pork is prepared in the villages of Assam in India with variety of green leaves. Their belief is that pork curry with green leaves do not upset your tummy. Bok Choy is a Chinese cabbage and easily available in any grocery store.

Category: main course
Preparation time: 10 m
Cooking time :30m

Ingredients:

• Pork : 2 lb
• Bok Choy : 1 bunch
• Ginger : 2 inch long
• Garlic : 4 clove
• Onion: 1
• Oil : 1 tbsp
• Coriander seeds : 1tsp
• Dry red chilli : 2 - 4
• Paprika : 1tsp
• Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp( optional)
• Cinnamon stick : 2 inch long
• Cardamom : 1
• Clove : 1
• Roma tomatoes: 2
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Dry roast the 1 red chilli and the coriander seeds and powdered them.
• Clean the pork and cut in small pieces.
• Wash the Bok Choy and keep it .
• Do the thin slices of ginger.
• Cut the onion into chunks.

Method:

• Take a pressure cooker on medium heat.
• Put oil into it .
• Add the ginger slices and red chillies breaking it half and fry for 1 minute.
• Add the dry spices ( clove , cardamom and cinnamon )
• Then add the onion  and fry for just translucent .
• Put the pork pieces and stir well.
• Cover for 5 minute.
• Add the coriander and chilli powder , paprika, turmeric powder and garlic cloves and mix it well.
• Fry for 5 minute or more . The oil should be separated from the pork.
• Now add the tomatoes by doing half.
• Put salt and stir well. Cover it and let the tomato cook.
• Now pour water till it cover the pork almost 1 1/2 cup.
• Pressure Cook for about 8 minute or 1-2 whistles.
• Let the pressure go and add the Bok Choy putting the pressure cooker again on high heat without the lid.
• Cook it  again  . It will take only 4 /5 minute .  Bok Choy takes little time to cook.
• Adjust the salt and serve with your choice of grain.

It is very good with dinner roll.

Note: You can use Lai Saak or chinese cabbage in stead of Bok Choy.



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O'Tenga Machor Jool

O'Tenga Mashor Jool

 ( Fish with Elephant  Apple)

The Assamese People use Elephant Apple in so many ways. Fish curries are one of them. I want to share a Authentic Assamsese Fish Curry ( mainly in  Upper Assam) with Elephant Apple. Baby elephant apple is used for curing Sugar Problem too. O'Tenga (  Chalta  - Bangali name ) is available in Indian Stores.

Ingredients:

• Fish : 4-5 piece ( Any river fish is good for this )
• O'Tenga / Chalta / Elephant Apple : 4 - 6 slices
• Garlic: 2 clove
• Fenugreek seeds ( Methi) : 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder :1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
• Salt 
• Oil : 2 tbsp
• Green chilli: 2-3
• Coriander Leaves  for garnishing

Preparation:

• Rub the fish with 1/2 tsp  turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside.
• Boil the elephant apple slices adding 1 1/2 cup water til it cooked.
• Take a skilet and put the oil into it over medium heat.
• Fry the Fish . ( The fish should be half cooked ). 
• Take it out and keep it.  
• Drain the Elephant apple slices and store the water .
•  Add the fenugreek seeds on the left over oil of frying fish. ( You can add more oil )
• When the seeds turns color add the O'Tenga slices and fry a little. 
• Add other 1/2 of turmeric powder . Mix well. 
• Add the water of the boiled O'Tenga.
• Cover with a lid and Let it boil.
• When it boils add the fish and garlic.
• Let it cook for about 10 minute.
• Add the green chillies.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice. 

Note: You can add 1/2 of a bioled potato mash into the greavy to thicken the greavy.



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Wheat Flour and Sesame Seeds Ladoo

Til aru Atar ladoo

There were some leftover jaggery and sesame seeds mixture when I was preparing Til Pitha . I was thinking of using this mixture in a way that my kids can enjoy eating. I tried this with  wheat four and rice flour in a little modified way and it came out a real good and healthy ladoo recipe. I want to share this. 

Category : Snack 
Preparation time : 30 minute

Ingredients:

• Wheate Flour : 1 1/2 cup
• Sugar : 1/2 cup ( or 3/4 cup if you more sweet )
• Black Sesame seeds : 1/4 cup  + 1 tbsp
• White sesame seeds : 1 -2 tsp
• Ghee : 3 tbsp ( 2 + 1)
• Almond : 2 tbsp (optional )
• Cashew nuts : 1 tbsp ( optional) 

Preparation:

• Dry roast both  the sesame seeds separety as the white one take a little time to be roasted.
• Powdered the sugar and 1/4 cup sesame together.
• Powdered or cut the Almond and cashew nuts in very small pieces. 
• Keep 1 tbsp and the white sesame seeds sepaterly.
• Put 2 tbsp ghee in a pan on low heat. 
• When the ghee started melting add the wheat flour. 
• Stir continuosly .
• Fry it til the aroma come and the wheat flour change color a little .
• Switch off the heat. 
• Now mix all the ingredients well when it is still hot. 
• Rub ghee in your hand.
• Finaly take a handful of it and make balls. 
• Leave it in open air to cool and after some time keep it in a air tight container for later use.

Note : If you find difficulties in making ladoo then add more ghee into the mixture and mix well.  Powdered jaggery can also be used. 


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Simply Coconut Ladoo

Coconut Ladoo

One of the very popular ladoo in Assam is coconut ladoo. It is very easy to prepare and you can store it for 20 days to one month. It can be made with freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconuts  which is easily available in any Asian / Indian stores.

Category : Snack
Time : 20 minute

Ingredients:

• Grated coconut : 1 cup
• Sugar : 1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder : 1/4 tsp

Preparation:

• In a bowl mix the coconut and sugar well.
• Put a heavy based cooking pot on medium heat .
• Put the coconut mixture in it .
• Stirring continuously fry the mixture.
• Add the cardamom powder.
• After 5 to 8 minute the sugar is going to melt and it will stick together .
• Cook another 2 /3 minute or cook well till the moisture evaporates. ( Cook for more time  if it is soggy)
• Set aside and let it cool for some time.
• Take a handful of the mixture and make balls using your palms.
• Keep it in open air to cool down.
• Enjoy the ladoo in the tea time.

Note:   Try make the ball when it is still hot. Other wise it will not stick very well . When you are making balls wet your hand in cold milk that way you can protect your hand from burning.  If you like you can use jaggery in stead of sugar . Here I used organic cane sugar.

Crispy Pokora

Onion and Cabbage Pokora

 Pokora , a hot cup of  tea or coffee and good friends are a very good combination for chit chat in the afternoon.

Category : Snack

Preparation time : 10 m

Cooking time : 10 -15 m
Serves : 2 -4

Ingredients :

• 1/4 of a midium size cabbage ( minimum 1 cup cabbage slices )
• 1/2 of an onion ( almost 1 cup onion slices )
• 1 tsp carom seeds ( ajwain )
• 3 tbsp gram flour ( beson )
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 -4 tbsp water
• oil for deep frying
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Slice the onion and cabbage . It should not be so thin or thick.
• In a bowl mix the carom seeds, chilli powder and salt with the vegetables.
• Then add the flour little by little and mix well.
• Adjust water. Some time you do not need water because some cabbages are so moist that it releases water after mixing with salt.
• Mix it well. The vegetable will stick together. 
• Put enough oil in a heavy based pan on high heat. 
• Reduced the heat to medium low when the oil is hot. 
• Pick up some vegetable with a fork and fry it .
• It is cooked when the pokora turn color to dark brown . 
• Take it out from the oil and keep it on paper towel to soak the excess oil.

Enjoy the pokoras  with Assam tea or Darjeeling tea.


Note : It will be more crisp if you fry the pokoraj in low heat .




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Chicken with sesame seeds

  তিল আৰু মূগী মাংস

Another very popular authentic Assamese dish is chicken with sesame seeds. There are two types of sesame seeds in Assam, cultivated by the assamese people. One is a little brownish in color and the other one is black. Both are equally good for this recipe. You can find the sesame seeds in any Asian Grocery store outside India.

 Serves: 6 -8

Preparation Time : 15 m 

Cooking time : 30 m

 

Ingredients:

• One whole chichen (cut in to medium pieces)
• Onion - 1 or 2
• Ginger - 1 inch long 
• Garlic - 10-12
• Black peper corn 1 tsp
• Black sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Roasted cumin powder - 1tsp
• Garam masala - 1tsp ( optional)
• Oil - 2 / 3 tbsp
• Green chilli -1 or 2
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp ( optional )
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Clean the chicken and keep it .
• Roast the cumin seeds and make a powder of it.
• Crush the ginger and garlic and the black peper.( Ginger garlic paste can also be used but I like the crushed one )
• Cut the onion in small pieces
• Slit the green chillies.
• Make a paste of sesame seed adding water in it.

Method:

• Put  oil in a heavy based pan on medium high heat. 
• Then fry the onion till it golden brown. 
• Add the crushed ginger garlic and the black pepper.
• Fry for 2 minute.
• Add the chicken pieces and mix it well.
• Put turmeric powder and salt.
• Fry it for 4 to 5 minute . Most of the water of the chicken should be evaporated.
• Then add the cumin powder and garam masala if you are using it.
• Cover the chicken with a lid and reduced the heat. Cook for 10  minute or the chicken is almost cooked.
• Add the sesame paste and mix it very well. Cook another 10 more minute on medium heat. You will get a good smell of fried sesame. 
• Garnish with the green chilli.
• Serve hot .

Note : You can add potato pieces and also you can make a curry of this chicken adding a cup of water.

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Gomor ladoo ( Edible Gum/ Gaund/ Dinkache Ladoo)

গমৰ লাড়ু

Category : Snack

It is a natural gum. The tree grows in India and Africa.It provides heat to the body and it will save you naturally from cold and cough. Besides that it helps to lower the cholesterol and use to heal wounds also. Traditionally , this ladoos are given to new mother to meet the nutrition in India.

I take this recipe from my mother in law. I just add some dry nuts to her recipe as my kids do not like to eat the gum ladoo alone and it taste better too when added dry nuts.

To prepare these ladoo we need

• Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup
• Sugar 3/4 cup
• Almond 1/4 cup
• Cheshew nut 1/4 cup
• Ghee ( clarified butter) 1/2 cup
• Edible gum 1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder 1 tea spoon

Method:

• Powered the sugar and the dry nut separately . Keep it. (You can cut the nuts in small pieces if you like)
• Fry the edible gum putting ghee in a pan . It will fluff up immediately and the gum will be in double size. 
• Fry it in batches.
• Powdered the fried gum with a rollin pin.
• Roast the wheat flour in the same ghee reducing the heat to medium low.
• Stir continuously. It will take 10 to 15 minute. 
• Switch off the heat.
• Add powdered sugar, nuts and cardamom powder to the flour. 
• Mix it very well with the flour.
• Transfer it to a plate.
• Let it cool for sometime .
• Take a handfull and make ball when it is still a little hot. If you find difficulty to make balls rub a little ghee in your palm.Or you can add a table spoon of ghee in wheat flour mixture.( You can add more ghee if you like)
• Keep the ladoos ( Gum ball) in open air for some time and you can keep for month in a airtight container.

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