Festivals Of India - Durga Puja


DURGA PUJA

	Durga Puja is the biggest festival of Bengali Hindus. The worship of Durga in the autumn is the year's largest Hindu festival, Orissa, Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand and other parts of East India as well as in Bangladesh. Durga Puja is also celebrated in Nepal and Bhutan according to local traditions and variations. Puja means "worship," and Durga's Puja is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of the waxing moon in the month of 'Ashwin', In Kolkata alone more than ten thousand pandals are set up, all clamouring for the admiration and praise of the populace. The city is adorned with lights. People from all over the country visit the city at this time, and every night is one great carnival where thousands of people go 'pandal-hopping' with their friends and family. Traffic becomes a nightmare, and indeed, most people abandon their vehicles to travel by foot after a point For more information Click here

	List of recipes available
	Aamer Chutney Aloo Bhaja Aloo Koraisutir Narkul Curry Aloo Posto Aloo Pyajer Chorchori Aloor Dum Bandhakopir Dolna Bandhakopir Tarkari	Beguni Bhapa Doi Bhapa Sandesh Bhoger Khichuri Chhanar Payesh Chholar Dal Chinir Narkel Naru Sukto

AAMER CHUTNEY

	Preparation Time :		50 minutes

	Serves :		8

	Ingredients :
	Raw Mangoes – 1 ¾ kg Vegetable Oil – ¼ cup Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp	Salt – ½ tsp Water – 1 cup Sugar – 5 cups
	Method :
	Peel and cut the raw mangoes into 2½ cm pieces. Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add turmeric powder, mangoes and salt. Mix well, add water and stir. Cook for about 20 minutes. Turn the heat on high and add sugar. Keep stirring till sugar dissolves, and chutney thickens (approx. 3 minutes). Refrigerate and serve chilled.
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ALOO BHAJA

	Preparation Time :		25 minutes

	Serves :		2

	Ingredients :
	Potatoes - 2 Turmeric Powder -1 tsp Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Wash and cut potatoes along with skin into fine slices. Rub in salt and turmeric powder. Heat oil in a skillet. Fry potatoes over medium heat till golden Serve hot with rice and dal.
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ALOO KORAISUTIR NARKUL CURRY

	Preparation Time :		35 minutes

	Serves :		4

	Ingredients :
	Big Potatoes - 2 Tomatoes - 2 Green Peas – ½ kg Mustard Seeds – 1tsp Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp Asafoetida- a pinch Chili Powder – 1 tsp	Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder – a pinch Coconut Milk – 1 cup Cilantro Leaves – a few sprigs Sugar – ½ tsp Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Wash, peel and dice potatoes. Wash and chop tomatoes and cilantro leaves. Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard. Sauté till it splutters. Add cumin and asafoetida. Add potatoes, tomatoes and green peas. Add 2 cups of water, turmeric powder, chili powder, sugar and salt. Cook till the potatoes are done. Add coconut milk. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or roti.
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ALOO POSTO

	Preparation Time :		30 minutes

	Serves :		4

	Ingredients :
	Potatoes - 3 Onion - 1 Poppy Seeds – 3 tbsp	Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp Chili Powder – 1 tsp Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Grind poppy seeds with water to make a paste. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut potatoes and onion into 1 inch cubes. Heat oil in a pan. Add potatoes and onions. Stir fry till potatoes turn golden. Add salt, turmeric, chili powder and stir. Stirring occasionally, cover and cook till potatoes are done. Sprinkle water if required. Add the poppy seed paste and mix well. Stirring continuously cook till poppy seeds turn light brown and the dish is dry. Serve hot with rice and dal.
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ALOO PYAJER CHORCHORI

	Preparation Time :		35 minutes

	Serves :		4

	Ingredients :
	Potatoes -5 Onions - 4 Green Chilies – 4-6	Turmeric Powder – 2 tsp Chili Powder – ½ tsp Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Wash, peel and cut potatoes in halves, lengthwise and then sliced into 1 inch pieces crosswise. Cut onions in halves lengthwise and then slice thicker than normal. Wash and slit the green chilies. Heat oil in a pan. Add potatoes and fry till they turn opaque. Reduce heat and add onions. Fry for a few minutes. Add turmeric, chili powder and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly. Add green chilies. Add a little water if the curry gets too dry. Stir till the potatoes are cooked and the gravy thickens. Serve hot with rice, luchi, or paratha
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ALOOR DUM

	Preparation Time :		40 minutes

	Serves :		6

	Ingredients :
	Baby New Potatoes – 500g Yoghurt – 1 cup Chili Powder – 1 tsp Green Chilies – 2-3 Tomato Purée – 2 tbsp Ginger Paste – 1 tsp Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch	Green Cardamom Pods - 2 Cloves - 2 Bay Leaf - 1 Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp Cilantro Leaves – a few sprigs Sugar – 1 tsp Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Boil and peel whole potatoes. Roast cumin seeds and grind it in pestle and mortar. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Sauté till it splutters. Add potatoes. Fry till golden brown. Add tomato purée and stir. Mix chili powder and ginger paste in yoghurt and add to the potatoes. Stir in salt and sugar. Add green chilies. Boil until gravy thickens and potatoes are cooked. Sprinkle with ground-fried cumin and remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with luchi or paratha.
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BANDHAKOPIR DOLNA

	Preparation Time :		30 minutes

	Serves :		4

	Ingredients :
	Cabbage, bandhagobi – 500 g Potatoes – 2 Turmeric Powder – 1 tbsp Green Chilies - 3 Cumin Powder – 1 tbsp Coriander Powder – 1 tsp Ginger Paste – 1 tsp	Butter – 1 tbsp Bay Leaves - 2 Garam Masala Powder - ½ tsp Sugar - to taste Sprigs of Cilantro Leaves – a few sprigs Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in cubes. Wash and chop the cabbage. Wash and chop green chilies and cilantro. Heat oil in a wok. Add potatoes and fry until lightly browned. Remove from oil and keep aside. To the hot oil add cabbage. Sprinkle with salt. Stir and cover. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove cover. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and ginger paste. Stir and cook until the spices are well blended with the cabbage. Add potatoes and ½ cup water. Add salt and sugar to taste. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are cooked and the gravy dries up. Heat butter in a pan. Add bay leaves, garam masala and sauté. Pour over the cabbage. Stir and remove from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with rice or roti.
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BANDHAKOPIR TARKARI

	Preparation Time :		30 minutes

	Serves :		4

	Ingredients :
	Cabbage, bandhagobi – 500 g Potatoes - 2 Green Peas – 50 g Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp Dry Chili - 1 Chili powder -1 tsp Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp Bay Leaf - 1	Cloves - 2 Green Cardamom Pod - 1 Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch Ginger Paste – 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder – ½ tsp Ghee – 1 tsp Sugar – 1tsp Salt - to taste
	Method :
	Chop the cabbage. Cut potatoes into 2 cm cubes. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, dry red chili, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and sauté till it sputters. Add potatoes and fry till golden brown. Add ginger paste, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Fry for 30 seconds. Add chopped cabbage and green peas. Add a little water. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar and cook for another minute. Add ghee and garam masala powder. Stir to mix. Serve hot with rice or roti.
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