Baked Bekti Bong style

 

         I am really tired today. And a little unwell too. But dad had brought fresh Bekti from New Market this morning and there was no way he was going to let me rest in peace until I made something with them. 
        So, I had to ….poor me!
        And then, though I had no plans of posting on the blog today, I just couldn’t wait to share the product of my labour today. 
        The recipe originally was my attempt at recreating a dish I have had at Bengali restaurant here in town but now this dish has evolved into something I can call my own, though the inspiration remains this particular restaurant.  So, I am not going to write much today, just share the recipe instead. 
  In this dish, creamy hung curd, the goodness of cashews and the zing of mustard comes together to give good old Bekti a mouthwatering makeover. 

Ingredients

Bekti fillet – 15 pieces

Hung curd – 150 gms 
Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cashew nut paste - 3 tbsp

Poppy seed paste (posto) – 2 tbsp

Mustard paste – 2 tbsp

Mustard oil – 6-8 tbsp

Salt to taste

Green chili paste – 1 tsp

Whole green chili – 7-8 

 Method

• Blend together hung curd, cashew nut paste, poppy seed paste, mustard paste, green chili paste, salt and mustard oil, to make a creamy mix.  Add salt to taste. 

• Pour the marinade on the fish and keep aside for half an hour.
• Preheat oven at 180 degree centigrade.
• Line the fish on a baking tray, placing the fish close together and finally pour the marinade over it. Now slit the whole green chilies placing one half on each piece of fish. 
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• Slip the tray into the oven and bake at 180 degree centigrade for 35-40 minutes. For the final 3-4 minutes turn up the heat to 200 degree centigrade for a lovely crust.
• Serve hot with steamed rice.

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Badami machchi tikka

I am still in the Kebab mode and while I have tasted some of the best kebabs in the last couple of weeks in Turkey, I love our Kebabs too. And I have a soft spot for Fish Tikka. Now I have this marginally irksome habit trying to give my twist to anything and everything. Some of them have been disasters. Some, I am proud of. So, about my fish Tikka, every time I make it at home I make a different version, I add something more, take something out. And over time I have developed my Badami Fish Tikka. Now this isn’t culinary ingenuity, but this dish is a winner. The cashew nut paste I add to the marinade gives the Tikka a whole new dimension. And a little Kasuri Methi does wonders to the flavour.

Here’s the recipe. A must try this winter…

Ingredients

Bekti fillet cut in  cubes - 500 gms

Grated Ginger - 3 tbsp 

Garlic paste - 2tbsp

Cashew nut paste- 3 tbsp

Green chili paste - 1 tbsp

Chaat Masala - 1 tsp  + for sprinkling at the end

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Chili powder - 11/2 tbsp 

Kasuri methi- 1 tbsp 

Salt to taste

Oil - 5-6 tbsp 

Lemon wedges 

Method

• For a good 45 minutes keep the fish immersed in a large bowl of salted water which has a few lemon wedges tossed in.
• Take the fish out and keep in a bowl, make sure there isn’t any excess water in the bowl.
• Now mix together the grated ginger, garlic paste, cashew nut paste, chaat masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, green chili paste, kasuri methi and garam masala.
• Add 4-5 tablespoons of oil into the marinade and combine well. Add the marinade to the fish and make sure the fillets are well coated in the marinade. Keep aside for about 1 hour.
• In a preheated oven, grill the fish pieces for 25-minutes at 160 degree centigrade or till fish is done, the juices dry. Or if you have a charcoal grill, go for it. 
• Serve piping hot with lemon wedges, a sprinkle of chaat masala and some onion salad. It can't get better on a wintry evening, with a glass of wine perhaps. 

Turkish touch: Sumac flavoured chicken

 

          The myriad hues of shimmering Turkish lamps, the sheen of silk, the intricate embroideries on satin spreads, antique kilims and rare carpets, turquoise and gold, the heady whiff of Turkish coffee, pleading invitations of shopkeepers, the joy of striking a bargain, the excitement, the epiphanies – the Grand Bazaar is like a bewitched maze in a fairytale land. Easy to get lost, only you will be more than willing to lose yourself. I had reserved an entire day for the Grand Bazaar, the last day of my holiday, and I am glad I did. But the one thing that was on my mind all the while were the peaks and mounds and shelves-full of spices – paprika, Iranian saffron, cinnamon, mixed spices and my favourite Sumac. And that's where my heart was all the while as I browsed through souvenirs and ceramics and shoes and bags.

          I checked out quite a few spice shops and finally decided that the best sumac was available at the second shop I had tried. The next half an hour or so was spent in finding it out. Quite an ordeal figuring out when you have 4000 shops to navigate through. But I did and had my sumac wrapped and yes I bargained and did strike a deal. Trust me I have a way with words. And no I am not exactly known for modesty. But the way, talking about this particular charmer of a shopkeeper. If you thought the Italians were the flirts, visit Turkey. And they do not even discriminate.

          So, I had my sumac safe in my bag. Coming to what sumac is, it is a tangy, lemony spice, a deep red powder that smells heavenly, used in Middle Eastern cooking.  It basically comes from sumac berries which are dried and ground. And it is delicious. Commonly, it is used in salads and even sprinkled on dips. It’s used in meat too. And ever since I had put that plastic wrapped spicy goodness in my bag, I have been itching to cook with it.

          And I did. Now, I am probably expected to share traditional Turkish recipes which I have come back with. But come on you can get them on other sites, so before I share the ones I got back from the trip, I planned to share my very own recipe with a Turkish twist. I have used flavours essentially Turkish and I think You will love it.

Ingredients

Chicken (boneless) –   I kg

Garlic paste: 2 tbsp

Grated ginger – 4 tbsp

Chopped parsley – ½ cup  

Sumac – 2 tbsp

Red chili powder – 1tbsp 

Cumin powder – 1 tbsp

Cinnamon powder – ¾ tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – ¼ cup

Method

Marinade the chicken pieces with grated ginger, garlic paste, sumac, red chili powder, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, parsley and salt. Keep for 2 hours.  

Heat oil and add the chicken pieces. On high heat sear the chicken pieces laced with the marinade. Remove and transfer into a baking tray.

Preheat oven at 200 degree centigrade.   Grill the chicken pieces for 30 minutes, turning over the pieces once mid way.

Once done, line the chicken pieces on a tray and pour the juices over.