Bitter Gourd With Red Pumpkin / Karela–Kumro Dry Curry

Hi friends,
My today’s recipe is karela- kumro dry curry – a traditional Bengali dish that makes use of mustard seeds paste. It is served as first item for lunch. It is very easy to make and takes very few ingredients.

Cooking time – 30 mins. Serve – 4
Ingredients -
1.Red pumpkin – 500grams.
2.Bitter gourd – 1
3.Shredded coconut – 2 tabsp.
4.Mustard seeds – 2 tabsp.
5.Green chilly – 2
6.Kalonji – 1/2 tsp.
7.Sugar – 1/2 tsp.
8.Salt – to taste.
9.Turmeric pwd – 1/4 tsp.
10.Oil – 2 tabsp.
Method -
1.Wash and remove seeds from the bitter gourd and chopped it finely.
2.Grind mustard seeds paste with green chilly, 1/2 tsp of salt and little water to a smooth paste.
3.Heat oil in a pan, add kalonji. Stir for few secs.then add red pumpkin and bitter gourd,turmeric pwd, little salt, saute for 3-4 mins on medium flame. (if needed sprinkle water).
4.Add mustard paste,coconut and sugar,saute for 3-4 mins on medium flame.
5.Add 1 –11/2 cups of water and let it bring to boil.
6.Cook until the pumpkin and bitter gourd are well mixed and all the water has evaporated. Mash it with stirring constantly.
Remove pan from heat and give 5 mins standing time.
Dry karela- kumro curry is ready to serve, serve with plain rice as a first item.      

Dry Cabbage Curry / Bandhakopir Tarkari /Cabbage With Peas

Hi Friends,
My today’s recipe is cabbage curry- a simple and delicious side dish cooked in Bengali style. It is very easy to prepare.

Cooking time – 45 mins.  Serve – 4
Ingredients --
1.Cabbage (medium) – 1 (washed and finely shredded)
2.Potato – 2 (Peeled,washed and cut into medium pieces)
3.Cumin seeds – 1 tsp.
4.Tomato – 1 (chopped)
5.Green peas – 1/2 cup.
6.Bay leaf – 1
7.Ginger paste – 1/2 tsp.
8.Turmeric pwd – 1 tsp.
9.Red chilly pwd – 1/2 tsp.
10.Cumin pwd  - 1/2 tsp.
11.Ghee – 2 tbsp.
12.Garam masala pwd – 1 tabspoon.
13.Sugar – 1 tabspoon.
14.Salt to taste.
15.Wheat flour – 1 tabspoon.
16.Milk – 4 tabspoon.
17.Green chilly – 4 (sliced)
18.Oil – 4-5 tabspoon.
Method -
1.Boil the cabbage with 1 tsp of salt for 4-5 mins. Then put in a colander and keep aside.
2.Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and bay leaf. When cumin seeds splutters add potato pieces and fry till light brown.
3.Add tomato, ginger, chilly- cumin-turmeric pwds sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Saute on medium flame until the raw smell of the masalas goes off.
4.Add cabbage, peas and salt, mix well. Add little water and saute for 5-6 mins.
5.Add 1 cup of water and simmer for 7-8 mins with stirring till the liquid dries up.
6.In a small bowl dissolve wheat flour with milk and add to the pan, mix well and saute for 5-6 mins with continuous stirring.
7.Remove pan from heat.Add ghee,garam masala pwd and green chilly, mix well. Cover the pan and give 10 mins standing time.
Cabbage curry is ready to serve. Serve with rice / roti / paratha.