coconut

#SpicesNFlavorsofIndia

Ya.. I know its been long that I posted on this series.. Don’t blame me, blame Mangoes for it.. lol.. Mangoes diverted me.. Played around with Mangoes last two weeks.. You have to check Easy Mango Ice-cream in Chocolate Cups and Roasted Cauliflower in Mango Curry and also did some other snacks items..

Anyways back to Assam and our theme SpicesNFlavorsofIndia.. After Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh now its “Assam”. Again a north-eastern country, so obviously it was very difficult to find their cuisine on net. Watched so many videos, read many posts and finally gathered some information.

We all love thali, don’t we??

Thali dishes vary in each and every state of India. It essentially comprises of rice, roti or puri served with accompaniments in small katoris (bowls) on a thali (plate).

Today I am presenting this Assamese Thali – north eastern part of India. I was little hesitant while preparing the dishes as mustard oil predominated the cooking and they use very less spices in their preparation but with the first morsel of each of the dish prepared I totally fell in love with each and every item. Simply wow!! Home cooked daily meal is what we crave for at the end of the day.. Little joys of life.. <3

Here is the menu:

Bhaji/Stir-Fry

• Ronga Lau Aloo Pitika (Pumpkin & Potato Mash)
• Kolmou Xaax Bhaji | Spinach Stir Fry

Dal/Lentil Stew

• Masoor Dail/Masoor Dal Tadka

Chutney/Dips

• Belahi’r Tok | Spicy Tomato Chutney

Dhaniar Bor | Coriander Fritters/Pakoda

Luchi (Puri)

Kharoni Bhat | Tadka Rice

Dessert

• Pitha Guri (Rice Flour) Cake

Here is the detailed recipe of each of it..

Bhaji/Stir Fry:

1.Ronga Lau Aloo Pitika | Pumpkin & Potato Mash

Prep Time: 10 mins         Cooking Time: 20 mins           Serves: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed, pumpkin
• 1 potato cubed
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• few coriander leaves
• salt to taste
• lemon juice to taste

Method:

1. Pressure cook pumpkin and potato cubes for 3 whistles. Instead of pressure cooking, you can also boil it. Once cooked, mash the both with the help of a fork. Add some coriander leaves, mix and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add in the chillies and onions and saute for 2-3 mins.
3. Add in the pumpkin and potato mash, add salt to taste and mix everything well. Add juice of half lemon before serving. Do a taste test and adjust the lemon juice and salt as per taste.

And your Ronga Lau Aloo Pitika is ready..

Notes:

Aloo Pitika is the basic everyday recipe, adding any other vegetable or dal gets its name with the kind of veggie or dal used. Like in the above recipe as I have used pumpkin, its called Ronga Lau Aloo Pitika.

Similarly other veggies like eggplant, even eggs and fish can also be used.

2.Kolmuh Xaax Bhaji | Spinach Fry

Prep Time: 1 hr         Cooking Time: 5 mins           Serves: 1-2 person

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups chopped, spinach leaves
• 1 cup chopped, coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp bengal gram/channa dal
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• 1 garlic, sliced
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak bengal gram for 1 hour.
2. Wash and chop all the xaax (spinach and coriander leaves) and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in the pan. Add sliced garlic and bengal gram. Saute till it slightly turns reddish.
4. Add in the turmeric powder. Mix. Add the xaax and cook till done on medium flame (hardly takes few mins). Add salt to taste, mix.

And your Kolmou Xaax Bhaji is ready.

Tip/s:
Spinach does not require much of salt so add accordingly and add salt only when it is half cooked. (Beginner’s tip.. 😉 ) That is because spinach has the property to shrink while cooking so if you add it in the beginning itself it may happen that the amount of salt will be too much than required.

Notes:
Baremehali Xaax Bhaji (Mix herb fry) is another variety in this preparation wherein you can use a combination of xaax like spinach leaves, mustard greens, fenugreek leaves and coriander leaves and follow the same method.

Dal/Lentil Stew:

1.Masur Dail | Masoor Dal Tadka

Prep Time: 15 mins        Cooking Time: 5 mins           Serves: 4-5 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Masoor dal/Split Red Lentil
• 2 Tomatoes, sliced into 4
• Water as required
• 1 tsp Mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• Few sprigs coriander leaves

Method:

1. Wash and cook masoor dal and tomatoes on a pot or pressure cook for 6 whistles with enough water.
2. Once the pressure cools on its own, remove the lid and remove the skin of tomatoes.
3. Heat oil in a pan, once hot let splutter mustard seeds. Add in the dal and tomato mixture. Add water to adjust consistency.
4. Add in the turmeric powder and salt. Mix everything well. Add chopped coriander leaves and bring it to a boil then let it simmer for 3-4 mins.

Give a stir occasionally so that the dal does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Notes:

The recipe does not call for chillies at all. But I have used 1 slit green chilli as we do require little bit of spice in our dal right.. 😀

Chutneys/Dips:

1. Belahi’r Tok / Spicy Tomato Chutney:

It is said that this chutney is a must on the menu list of a marriage ceremony in Assam. No wonder it has to be because in the entire thali this one is undoubtedly the best as suggested by me and my family members.. 😀

Prep Time : 5 mins         Cooking Time: 10-15 mins          Serves: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 4 Tomatoes, chopped
• 4 Dates, chopped or a tbsp of raisin
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp panch phoron 
• 1-2 red chillies or to taste
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• Salt and sugar to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter panch phoron and red chillies. Add in the tomatoes. Mix everything and add pinch of salt and ginger. Saute for few mins.
2. Lower the heat and add dates (or raisins). Cover and cook till tomatoes are mushy and dates soften if using. Add salt and sugar. Do a taste test and adjust accordingly.
3. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and cook until desired consistency is reached.

Notes:

• Even though the recipe calls for red chillies, I have used green chillies due to availability.
• Cooking time will vary depending upon the consistency of the chutney you want.

Dhaniar Bor | Coriander Fritters/Pakora:

Prep Time:  10 mins            Cooking Time: 10 mins                Makes: 6-7 pieces

Ingredients:

• one bunch coriander leaves
• 4 tbsp chickpea flour/besan
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• A pinch of baking soda
• Salt to taste
• Water to make the batter (around 3 tbsp water)
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Chop the coriander leaves and make a thick batter with all the above ingredients except oil. Batter should not be runny but thick enough to make balls out of it.
   (Check my Broccoli and Cashewnut Fritters/Pakora)
2. Take small balls of the batter and fry it in the hot oil till golden brown in colour.

Notes:

You can have it as a starter along with the chutney or dunk it in the dal to have Dhaniar Bor Masur Dail.

Luchi (Puri):

Luchi is often had as a breakfast item along with Aloo Bhaja or Potato Fry. It is also served when you have announced guests at home. Assamese simply love luchi.

Prep Time: 5 mins           Cooking Time: 15 mins             Makes: 7-8 luchis/puris

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Maida/All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Water for kneading the dough
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Combine Maida, Salt and Oil and knead to a dough with adding little warm water in intervals. The dough should not be hard and neither too small.
2. Pinch out a small part of the dough, roll it between your palms to form a ball and flatten it out. Roll it with a rolling pin to form a small circular discs like the way you roll out your normal puris.
3. Fry it in hot oil from both sides.

Kharoni Bhat/Tadka Rice:

Rice is the staple food of Assamese. This is just Rice seasoned with some spices.

Prep Time: 5 mins             Cooking Time: 5 mins

Ingredients: For 1 cup of Rice

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds or panch phoron
• 1-2 tsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup khar or 1/4 tsp baking soda (I did not use)
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a heated pan, add chillies and mustard seeds or panch phoron. Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the mustard oil. Add in the ginger and garlic and saute until garlic turns slightly reddish.
2. Add the rice. Mix well. Add in the khar or baking soda, if using. Add in the salt and mix everything well.

Notes:

Even though the recipe calls for red chillies I have used green chillies.

Dessert:

1. Pitha Guri (Rice Flour) Cake:

This was the highlight of the entire thali. It tasted heavenly. The coconut in the recipe did the magic.

I cut it with cookie cutter to serve as individual portions. More than the cake it tasted like the Prasad (offerings) that we make in Satyanarayan Poojas.

Prep Time: 10 mins           Baking Time: 30-35 mins

I made it in a 23cm pan but you can make it in any size pan.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Rice flour
• 2 tsp plain flour/Maida
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 cup Refined Oil

Method:

You will not believe it is that simple.

1. Just mix everything together and bake in greased baking pan for 30-35 mins at preheated oven of 150 degree celsius.

Thats it..

Notes:

Even though the recipe does not call out for nuts, I have used slivered almonds in the batter and also on top as garnishing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this simple home cooked Assamese Thali. A must try, I highly recommend.

I would like to sincerely thank Assamese Cuisine and Recipes Page on Facebook. I have gathered most of the recipes and information of this post from there. You can check their site here for more such interesting recipes.

Masur Dail recipe adapted from here.

Also would like to thank a very sweet friends Polly Bora for helping me out in this journey.

I am presenting this lavish Thali to celebrate my new friendship with Angie at Friday Fiesta. See you there friends..

Happy Cooking!!

Sushma..

Ps: I have just tried to recreate the dishes that I have learnt through the journey. Didn’t mean to hurt the sentiments of Assamese, if you think that the recipe is not authentic or tradition.