Assamese cuisine- Fish head with bottle gourd

 This is a very easy and yummy curry that Assamese people love to eat with steamed rice.  

Ingredients:

1 Rahu or Catla fish head

1 small Bottle gourd( approx 20cm long)

1 potato

2-3 medium-sized tomatoes

2/3 tablespoons oil. ( I prefer mustard oil).

2/3 clove of garlic

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 of a small onion

2/3 green chilies

1tsp turmeric powder

salt as per taste.

Methods:

1. Clean the fish head properly and rub turmeric powder and salt. 
2. Peel the bottle gourd and potato and cut into chunks.
3. Put oil in a heavy-based pan or korai and let it be hot over medium flame.
4. then fry the fish head and break it into small pieces, fry properly and take out from the pan.
5. Keep it aside.
6. Now on that same oil add mustard seeds and let it spatter. Add onion pieces, crushed garlic, and one slitted green chili.
7. Then add the cut pieces of bottle gourd and potato. Mix it well.
8. Add turmeric powder and salt.
9. Cover it with a lid.
10. Once half cooked add tomato pieces, cover again, and let it cook properly.
11. Then add two cups of hot water.
12. When it boils add the fried fish head. cover it and cook in high flame. 
13. You will get a think gravy.
14. Add crushed green chili.
15. Adjust the salt and serve hot with steamed rice.

                        Alternative methods

Pressure cook the potato, tomato, and bottle gourd pieces in a pressure cooker with two cups of water and a little bit of salt. On the hot leftover oil, add mustard and then onion and crushed garlic. Fry this adding turmeric powder and add some of the boiled potato and gourd pieces. Mashed those pieces and pour all the pressure cooked. Let it boil and add the fish head. Let it cook and you will get the thick gravy.

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Fish curry - Authentic Assamese Fish curry

 Authentic Assamese fish curry- Mom's Special

Ingredients: 

• 4/5 piece of Rohu or Catla ( Or any freshwater/ river fish)
•  1/2 of a bottle gourd (150gms approx) - cut into pieces.
• 1 handful of orange lentil ( masur daal)
• 1-inch ginger
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• Mustard oil.
• 1tsp fenugreek seeds(methi)

Method:

1. Rub the fish with turmeric powder and salt.
2. Put a Kadai on high flame.
3. Add enough oil to fry the fish.
4. Fry the fish till golden brown (both side)
5. Keep it aside. 
6. In that same oil add fenugreek seed and let it splatter.
7. Add crushed ginger and stir it. Fry a little. Let the raw smell goes.
8. Add the pieces of bottle gourd and lentil. Mix it and then add turmeric.
9. Mix it well and cover it and reduce the heat to medium.
10. Add 2 1/2 cup hot water when the lentil get roasted. Let it boil.
11. Adjust the salt. 
12. Once it is almost cooked add the fried fish into the curry. ( adjust the water) 
13. Let it cook for another 5 min. 
14. Garnish with green chili and coriander leaves.
15. Serve with steamed rice. 

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Fish Curry With Coriander Leaves

Coriander leves and Fish curry

Right after marriage I came to Chennai and I met Rupa baideu.  She is  so kind hearted and we came  very close to each other after the first meeting as if we know each other for long.She is like my elder sister  and guide me in every step . She taught me so many cooking tips and so many authentic Assamese Dishes at the time of staying in Chennai. One of them is Coriander Leaves Fish Curry and here is the recipe.

Preration Time :10m                      

Cooking Time : 15m

Ingredients:

• Fish : 4 /5 pieces ( Any river fish or back water fish goes well with this recipe)
• Coriander Leaves:1/4 Bunch
• 1/4 of a small onion
• 1 small potato or left over boiled potato mash ( aloo pitika)
• 2/ 3 garlic clove
• 2green chillies
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder +1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt
• Oil 2-3 tbsp ( Preferebly musturd oil)

Preparation:

• Clean and wash the fish well. Rub 1/2tsp of turmeric powder and salt. Keep it.
• Do small pieces of the onion.
• Cut the cleaned coriander leaves into small .
• Cut tomatoes and potato into four pieces.  

Method:

• Put oil on a hot pan and when it is hot fry the fish turning once. It will be light brown.
• Take it out and keep it aside.
• On that same oil fry the onions ( If you feel it is too less to fry the onion add one more spoon of oil.)
• When the onion is fried properly add the  potato   and stir it .
• Put turmeric powder, salt ( remember that you add salt in the fish too )and the garlic cloves. 
• Mix it well.
• Now add the coriander leaves and the tomatoes. Stir it and cover it reducing the heat.
• Add 1 1/2 cup of water when the mixture is almost cooked and keep it on medium heat.
• Put the fish into the curry when the curry is boiling. 
• Cook it for another 5 - 8 m . 
• Add the green chillies.
• And enjoy with steamed rice.

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Til Pitha / Narikol Pitha

Til Pitha /Narikol Pitha ( Bihu special)

Another very authentic Assamese Bihu snack is Til Pitha / Narikol Pitha. It is prepared with rice powder and sesame seeds/ grated coconut with jaggery/ sugar.  Til  is an Assamese name for sesame seeds and Narikol is  for coconut.

We need

• Glutinous rice / bora soul- 2 cups ( 1 cup for Til  Pitha and other for Narikol Pitha )

  I found a very good glutinous rice in Asian store. The name is Thai glutinous Rice . Here is the picture.

• Black sesame seeds- 1/4 cup
• Jaggery  - 1/4 cup
• Grated coconut  -1/4 cup
• Sugar  -1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1tsp ( optional )

Method:

• Soak the rice over night.
• Drain it well and keep it aside.
• Roast the sesame seeds and mix with jaggery  or  You can grind it in a mixture together with cardamom powder.
• For the Narikol Pitha roast the grated coconut with sugar. Add the cardamom powder if you are using it.
• Keep these aside.
• Now grind the rice carefully and sift with a sieve .
• Heat a griddle on medium heat .
• Take a table spoon full of rice powder and spread it with the back of the spoon or with your finger tips on hot griddle. It should be like Puri. 
• Spread the jaggery mixture for Til pitha or coconut mixture for narikol pitha on it.
• When it is roast fold from both sides or roll the pitha. 
• Enjoy the pithas with Assam Tea or keep it for 2/3 weeks .

Note: If you want to keep it for longer time you have to roast properly or one easy thing you can do is pre heat the oven at 350F and the switch off. Put the pitha on a baking tray inside it til the oven cool down. 



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Ghila Pitha (Assamese snack)

Ghila Pitha - Bhugalir Pitha  Pona

It is a bihu special snack that Assamese people prepare mainly at the time of bhugali bihu. Bhugali bihu is the harvest festival celebrated in Assam , India  in the mid January . The Assamese people prepare a lot of different types of snacks and sweets with the new crop at this time.

Thai Glutinous Rice

To prepare the Ghila Pitha

• Sticky rice ( bora Saul ) - 2 cups   

 ( Bora Saul is available only in Assam . But no worries . You can make Ghila Pitha outside India with the Thai glutinous rice or sticky Japanese rice which is easily available in any Asian store.)

• Jaggery  or sugar -1/2 cup
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup ( optional )
• Enough oil to deep fry

Method:

• Soak the rice for 2 -4 hour.
• Drain and dry it with kitchen paper.
• Grind it in a grinder taking 2 tbsp at a time and sift with a sieve.( It should be fine powder).
• Take a bowl and mix jaggery and coconut with the rice powder. 
• Make a dough of it with water .
• Take a handful and make a ball.
• Then flatten it with your palm.
• Keep it .
• Put Oil in a deep frying pan on high heat.
• Let the oil be hot. 
• When it is hot reduced the heat to medium to low.
• Now deep fry the pithas till it brown turning once.
• Keep the pithas on a kitchen paper towel to soak extra oil.
• Enjoy the pitha at tea time. 

                                             


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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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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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French Green Bean

French Green Beans 
                     With pumpkin seeds

I always like to  try new ingredients in my cooking .  Today I tried french beens ( another name of string bean)  with  pumpkin seeds as you all know pumpkin seeds are very healthy seeds like chia and flax seeds.The taste is also very good. I like to share this healthy recipe with you all.

Ingredients:

• French Beans one small bunch almost 200gms
• 1/2 of an medium size onion
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 raw red chili
• 1 pinch turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and Cut the beans diagonally.
•  Put a non stick pan over medium high heat. Pour the oil on it and wait for a minute till the oil is hot.( I use avocado oil.)  Then add the bean and stir with a spatula . Reduce the heat to low.
• In the mean time cut the onion in half and do the slices and keep it .
• Put turmeric powder  on the beans and mix it well.
• Make a powder of the pumpkin seeds and the dry red chili.( You can add more chili if you like more spicy)
• Add the onion when the water of the bean evaporated. Mix it well. 
• Add salt.
• Add the pumpkin and red chili powder when the sabji is half cooked.
• Mix it well and cover for 5 minute or more till the beans cook properly.
• Serve with rice or roti. 

Kawai Maas aru Lai Saak ( কাৱৈ মাছ আৰু লাই শাক )

Kawai maas or koi maas, is available in any asian store. Bangladesh is a great exporter of this fish.  Lai saak , looks like mustard greens , is also available in asian stores

 This recipe is so simple and easy.

Ingredients:

• Lai saak one bunch

• Kawai maas 2-3
• Garlic 2-3
• Fenugreekc seed 1/2 tea spoon 
• Tomato 1-2
• Oil 3tbsp
• Salt to taste
• turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Green chilli 2or 3 
• Juice of ginger 1tsp
• Coriander leaves for garnish.

Method:

Clean the fish and marinate it with salt, ginger juice and turmeric powder.  Keep it aside.

Wash the lai saak and do small pieces using your hand.

Put a heavy based pan on high heat. Put oil to fry the fish. Fry the fish on medium heat till it golden brown. Keep it aside. Add fenugreek seeds on that same oil. When it turns color then add the lai saak on it.Reduce the heat.  Put turmeric powder and salt and mix it well. Cut the tomatoes in four pieces and add to the saak. Add the crushed garlic. Cover it for 5 minute . Then add 1 cup warm water in it . Cover it and let it boil.
Add the fried fish and green chillies  when it is boiling. Cover it again and Allow it to cook for 10 to 15 minute on medium heat.

Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Note:If you like thick gravy you can add a potato with the lai saak.

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Fish curry 

Lai saakar machar jul

After long time back I want to write about assamese cuisine. My husband always  ask me to write down the Assamese recipes  mainly from the villages. Assamese people  are lovers of fish. So they eat fish at both lunch and dinner. Today I will write about  a fish curry with Lai saak (a special type mustard green leaves.). This is my mommy's recipe .

You need

•  A bunch Lai saak.
•  4/5 piece  Fish (any river fish)
•  1/2 tea spoon fenugreek seeds
•  Tomato 1 small (optional)                           
•  oil 2 table spoon
•  coriander leaves
•  turmeric powder 1/2 tea spoon
•  salt
•  2-3 green chillies ( Ootional)

Method:

Clean the Lai saak and separate the tender one and keep it aside. Seperate the stem and the leaves and massage it using your hands.  Keep it. 

Rub the fish with turmeric powder and salt.

Put a pan or kadai in gas stove on high heat. Put the oil in it and when it is hot put the fenugreek seeds. It become splatter immediately and add the fish on it.Reduce the gas to medium.When the fish turns to golden brown turn over the fish. After 3-5 minute add the lai saak . Add the remaining turmeric powder and adjust the salt. Cover and Cook  for 5 - 8 minute. Then some water comes out from the saak and turn over every thing using a spatula . Fish should be on top .Add the tomato slices here if you want it.Cover it for 5 minute. Put  1/2 cup of water. When it is boiling add the tender Lai Saak and coriander leaves  and cover it . Cook it for another 5/6 minute. Add 2/3 green chilies . 

And serve hot with steamed rice.


Tips: You can fry the fish earlier and add later when the curry is boiling. But the fish should be half cooked only. If you want a thick gravy you can use a boiled potato mash.

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Taro Stem with fish

Taro stem with fish head 
 Assamese delicacy- Kochhu saak aru maach muror aanja)

One morning of summer  I found  the taro stem in the Farmers Market and lots of childhood memories came to my mind . I never cooked it earlier even though it is one of  my most favoriet dish. I called up my uncle immidiately and asked the recipie.He is a very good cook. He uses small tomatoes and very small green chillies which is only available in Assam, India. So I decided to try the  recipie with Thai Green Chilli and vain tomato. Later on I came to know that   Taro stem is available in any asian store.



Ingredients:

Taro stem : one bunch
Potato : one medium
Tomato: one medium
Masoor dal : a handfull
and 1/2 of fish ( Rahu / Catla/ Hilsa) head  

Onion: one small
Garlic: 2/3 crushed
Ginger : 1/2 inch crushed
Black Pepper corn : 1 tbsp crushed
Green chillies: 2/3
And a pinch of roasted Cumin powder.
Mustard oil: 4 tbs ( 2tbs for frying the fish+2tbs for the curry)
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
salt to taste



Method:

At first clean the fish head and marrinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder.

Peel and Cut the taro stem in 2 inch length. Put enough water in a pot and keep to boil. Put one tsp of salt in the boiling water. And switch off the heat . Then add the cut  taro stem and cover it.

Cut the onion into small pieces. Make a rough paste of ginger and garlic. Wash the dal and keep it aside. Cut the potato also same as the stem.

Put a pan on medium head and put oil and fry the fish till it golden brown.  It should be fried properly. Keep the fish aside. Put a little more oil on the  same pan and fry the onion. Then add the crushed ginger garlic  in it. Fry it for a while till the aroma come. Now it is ready to add Potato pieces .Put the termeric powder and little salt.  And cover it and reduce the heat.

Drain the taro stem and keep for a while .

Add the stem on the potato and mix it well . Cover it again.

Then add the daal. Mix it well. Add a cup of water and let it boil.
When it boils add the fry fish head and let it cook properly on medium heat.

When it is cooked add black pepper, roasted cumin powder and green chillies and mix well. Cover it and keep it on low flame  for about 5 minute.

Serve with white rice.

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