Naan Roti without tandoor/micro oven

Some Indian dishes are truly ruling all over the world and butter naan is one of them Who does not like butter naan and Paneer Butter Masala combo ?We, bengalis are not very accustomed with making this dish at home though. At least when we make something at home,then luchi or parota will definitely be dominating.

So I was googling for this recipe.This is the mixture of some 2-3 recipes with some own invention. I find it to be the simplest recipe.Also its very delicious.This was my first attempt and it was a hit! Naan was soft tender and was melting in mouth.After making this dish I just felt it was ridiculously simple and still I never tried it before! I was just blaming myself for this.Now I am going to cook this often.Also the best part is that you don't need any tandoor or micro oven in doing this.Only gas oven is enough. :).Also this one is pure veg recipe as I did not add any egg into it.I could not manage to get the photos while making it as I was the cook and photographer both.And I was afraid of burning the rotis.So only finished product photo I have uploaded.

Ingredients:

1. Maida - 2 Cups
2. yeast - 1 tsp
3. sugar - 1 tsp
4. salt - 1tsp
5. oil - 1tsp
6. baking powder - 1 tsp
7. Curd - 1-1/2 tbsp (optional as I forgot to add this but still my naan roti came out very well :))
8. Warm water - 1 cup
9. butter for topping 

Method:

1. Mix dry yeast into one cup of warm water.It should be just warm not boiling hot.Yeast will be activated in warm after.About 10 mins later you can see some froths.
2. Then add sugar,salt and oil into the yeast water.
3. Add Baking powder and curd to the maida.
4. Now kneed the maida with this mixture of yeast water.The dough should be very very soft,otherwise naan roti will be sticky.Add one drop of oil on the dough and cover it and keep it aside for at least 2 hour.You can see the size of the dough has become almost double.It means that its ready to be cooked now.
5. After 2 hours again kneed the dough.Now make 6 same sized balls out of the dough.
6. You can either roll it using a roller or you can use your own hand to spread it .It should be around 1/4" thick.
7. Now place it directly on the flame.I use one iron grid and place this on top of that.
8. Now rotate it on the flame so that all the parts of the roti get even flame.
9. Once you see bubbles coming up,turn the other side up.I use a flat spoon to do this.Once the other side is also done,place it on a plate and add butter on top of it.
10. Serve hot with your favorite dish.I like Paneer Butter Masala/Dal Makhani/Chilly Chicken with this.

Naan roti without tandoor/microwave

Lau Ghonto/Bori diye Lau

This dish is again a bengali delicacy.Lau or bottle gourd is a vegetable which does not have its own flavor.But it goes very well with shrimp or bori(dried lentil dumpling).Here I am sharing the way bengalis' cooks this dish in a veg way with some special tips from my mom(like adding the chire/poha).Try to cook it and I can assure you that it comes out very good.I like this dish to be little sweetish.If you want you can add little less sugar to it.

Ingredients:

1. Lau(Bottle Gourd) - 1 cut into very small pieces( I have grated it using food processor)
2. Bori - 10
3. Green Chilly slit - 2-3
4. Kalo jeera(kalanjee) - 1/2 tsp
5. Milk - 1 cup
6. Chire (poha) - 4 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
9. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
10. Mustard oil - 2-3 tbsp
11. Sugar - 2tsp 
12. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Place the lau in a pressure cooker.Add salt.Do not add water.Wait for 1 whistle.Turn off the flame.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Fry the bori and keep it aside.
3. In the same oil, add kalanjee and green chilly.Fry for sometime.
4. Drain the excess water from boiled bottle gourd.Add the bottle gourd.
5. Add turmeric powder,cumin powder,coriander powder.little salt,sugar, milk and the fried bari.
6. Cover and cook for 5-6 mins.
7. Remove the cover and add poha/chire. Stir it for 4-5 mins.
8. Add ghee and mix it properly.Turn off the flame.

Lau Ghonto

Dhaniya Murgh

This dish is super easy and super fast to make.It goes very well with naan roti or fulka at dinner.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 250 gms(cut into medium pieces)
2. Coriander leave - 1 bunch
3. Mint leave - 1 bunch
4. Green chilly - 8-10(if you want less spicy then remove the seeds)
5. Curd - 250 gm
6. Garlic pods - 8-10
7. Sugar 1/4 tsp
8. Refined oil - 3-4 tbsp
9. salt to taste

Method:

1. Make a paste of coriander leave,mint leave,green chilly,garlic and 3-4 tbsp of curd in a mixer grinder.
2. Heat oil in an oak.Add the chicken pieces and fry for sometime.
3. Beat the remaining curd and add it to the chicken.
4. Now add the grounded paste in the chicken.
5. Add sugar and salt.Simmer the flame and cover it.
6. Cook for 15 -20 mins till the chicken is cooked properly and becomes soft.Do not add any water,The gravy should be thick.Chicken should be cooked in its own water.

And its ready to be served ! 

Dhaniya Murgh

Dhokar Dalna

Dhokar dalna is a delicacy from bengal. One of my most favorite dal recipes. I have made this dish without alu. But you can always add alu in this dish.

Ingredients:

For Dhoka:

1. Cholar(Chana) Dal - 250 gms
2. Hing - 1 pinch
3. Ginger paste - 1tsp
4. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
5. Chilly powder - 1tsp
6. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. salt to taste
8. Oil for frying

For Gravy:

1. Cardamom - 2-3
2. Cinnamon - 1"
3. Cloves - 2-3
4. Onion -2 small made into a paste
5. Curd - 3-4 tbsp (bit it to a smooth paste)
6. Ginger - 1tsp
7. Garlic - 3-4 pods made into a paste
8. Chilly powder - 1tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Cumin powder - 1tsp
11. Ghee - 1 tsp
12. Sugar - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt to taste

Method:

For Dhoka:

1. Soak the dal overnight.Blend it with very little water in a mixer grinder.
2. Now heat an oak with 2tbsp of oil.
3. Add All the ingredients one by one.Add the grounded dal. Fry till it does not stick to the oak.
4. Spread it on a plate.Flatten it on top.It should be around 1/2" thick.
5. .Now cut it in the shape of a barfi.
6. Deep fry the pieces in oil.I use mustard oil for this dish.

For Gravy:

1. Heat a kadai with 2tbsp of oil.
2. Add cardamom,cinnamon and cloves.
3. Add onion and ginger garlic paste.Add sugar and salt.Fry for sometime till the onion turns brownish.
4. Add chilly powder,turmeric powder and cumin powder.Fry for 1-2 mins.
5. Add bitten curd and fry for some more time.Add little water.You need to prepare little more gravy than required as the dhoka will soak the gravy.
6. When the gravy starts boiling, add the fried dhoka into it.Boil for 2-3 mins.Before switching off the flame,add 1tsp of ghee.

Dhokar Dalna

Fried Chicken Kebab

No, its not kentucky fried chicken . :) Its indian style fried chicken kebab. But it can easily challenge KFC taste wise.This is also a super easy to prepare and delicious in taste.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - cut into small pieces
2. Garlic paste - 2 tsp
3. Ginger paste - 1tsp
4. Lemon juice - sqeeze out juice from 1/2 lemon
5. Maida - 2tbsp
6. Egg - 1
7. Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp
8. turmeric powder - 1 tsp
9. Red food color - a pinch
10. salt to taste
11. oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and clean the chicken.Marinate the chicken with salt and turmeric powder.Marinate for 1 hour.
2. Some water will come out after marination because of adding salt.Drain out that excess water.
3. Now mix the chicken with all other ingredients except oil.keep it for 15 mins.
4. Heat the oil in a kadai. Deep fry the chicken in oil.You can fry in batches.Lower the flame and then fry till the chicken cooks properly and becomes soft.
5. Serve it with  salad.

Marinated chicken

Chicken Kebab

Kolar Bora / Banana Fritters

Like every other sweet tooth bengali, I was craving for taler bora in the bengali month of Vadro.But its very difficult to get Tal(palm) in bangalore.So I replaced tal with kola.This recipe is really very simple and easy to make.

Ingredients:

1. Ripe banana - 2(it should be very soft)
2. Maida - 1 cup
3. Jaggery/Sugar - 1 cup
4. Refined oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together except oil.
2. Now take little mixture in your hand and gently drop it to the hot oil.Fry the balls till they become brown in color.

And its ready to be served! yeppie!!

Kolar Bora

Kolar Bora

Doi Fulkopi

This recipe is very simple to make.Sometimes I feel like eating something sour.Then I add little more curd and less sugar.When I feel like eating sweet, then I make the same dish with more sugar and less curd.

Last night I made this with less curd and more sugar.But after all taste is yours.You can always modify this dish.

Ingredients:

1. 1 small Cauliflower cut into small florets
2. Curd - 250 gm
3. pepper corns - 10
4. Ginger paste - 1tsp
5. Cardamom - 3
6. Cinnamon - 1"
7. Cloves - 2-3
8. Ghee - 1tsp
9. Refined oil - 3 tbsp
10. salt and sugar to taste ( i normally add more sugar because i don't like the sour taste of curd)

Method:

1. Take water in a pan.Add salt and let it boil.When it starts boiling, add the cauliflower into it and let it boil for 2 mins.This way the germs will be killed from cauliflower.
2. Now drain the water and take out the cauliflower.Heat oil in a kadai and fry the cauliflower till it becomes golden brown.Keep it aside after frying.
3. In the same oil,add cardamom,cinnamon and cloves and pepper corns.Fry for 2 mins.
4. Add ginger paste and fry for 1 min.
5. Before adding the curd,stir it so that there should be no lump.Then add the curd.
6. Add salt and sugar.Add the fried cauliflower.Lower the flame.Add little water if required.Not too much.
7. Cover and cook for 15-20 mins till the cauliflower cooks properly.
8. Before switching off the flame, add ghee.Cover it for sometime before serving.

Doi Fulkopi