Mohinga - Burmese Fish Noodle Soup

Catfish Soup (center), Garnishes (top left), Rice Noodles (top right)

When it comes to comfort food, Mohinga is one of my favorites. It brings back fond memories of early morning vendors who carry a coal stove, holding a pot of soup, on one end of a pole and all the cooking utensils and ingredients for this noodle dish on the other end of a bamboo pole slung across the shoulders.  This noodle soup is considered the Burmese national dish and is eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Generally, every family has their own variation of this dish and this is my adaptation. I prefer to make a large batch of this meal and invite a group of friends to join in this hearty Burmese meal.

This recipe was adapted from the recipe featured on the Hsaba website. Two forms of catfish were used in my recipe, catfish nuggets (mostly from the belly of the fish) which are added at the start of making the soup and chopped fillets that are added at the end, to make sure that guests get enough fish in their soup bowls. 

Dharosh Aloo Posto - Okra & Potatoes in White Poppy Seed Sauce

Mum and I made something similar to this with just okra once.  She has been my mentor in all of life's lessons, and cooking in particular.  There were eight of us siblings in our family and we waited with our tongues hanging out for her food, whenever she had the time to cook.  Sometimes the wait would be almost unbearable, but she stood for no nonsense in the kitchen and we were not allowed to whine or bug her while she was cooking.  When I grew older and spoke to her on the phone, our main topic of conversation was what she was going to cook or had cooked that day.  I, therefore, dedicate this blog and all my recipes to her and hope she is in a place where she is getting a well-deserved rest.  How did she ever get through life with so many strings attached to her 'sarir achol'?  'Sarir achol' is the portion of the sari that is draped over the left shoulder.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. fresh okra, trimmed & cut on bias
1 russet potato, cubed
1 tsp. amchur (dried mango powder)
1/4 tsp. nigella seeds
1 tsp. ginger paste
2 tsp. Coleman's mustard powder, soaked in 2 Tbsp. cold water
3 Tbsp. white poppy seeds (posto), soaked in hot water for 30 minutes.
2 Tbsp. grated, unsweetened coconut
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
salt to taste
1 tsp. ghee

Directions:

1. Toss okra with amchur.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat, fry okra until golden and set aside.
3. In the same saucepan, heat remaining oil and sputter nigella seeds.
4. Add cubed potatoes, ginger paste, salt and fry until potatoes are tender.
5. Meanwhile, puree posto along with soaking water, coconut and some salt until smooth.
6. When potatoes are fork tender, combine posto with mustard and pour over potatoes.
7. Cook until some of the liquid evaporates, add okra back into pan, stir and cook until thick and almost dry.
8. Adjust salt, garnish with ghee, stir and remove from heat.
9. Serve with hot, cooked basmati rice.

Pui Shaak er Ghonto - Indian Spinach with Vegetables

When Mum came to visit for a fortnight about three years ago, we  made a point of shopping at the Indian and Oriental grocery stores every other day, coming home and then cooking up a storm.  She recited and I wrote down all the recipes we prepared in a notebook.  This is a recipe from that notebook.  

And here is a picture of the vegetables before prepping.  The tomatoes were not used in this recipe; they are there for presentation only, for color contrast. :)

Ingredients:

Big bunch of pui shaak, chopped (aka Malabar/Indian spinach at Vietnamese stores)
1 russet potato, cubed
1/4 pumpkin, peeled and cubed
1 Oriental eggplant, cubed
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
2 whole dried red chillies
1/2 tsp. panch phoron (cumin,fenugreek,nigella,black mustard & fennel seeds)
2 tsp. ginger paste
1 tsp. roasted panch phoron, ground
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. ghee

Directions:

1. In 1 Tbsp. oil, fry eggplant cubes over medium-high heat until golden.
2. Remove eggplant and set aside.
3. In same saucepan, add remaining oil and sputter panch phoron seeds, chillies and bay leaves.
4. Add potatoes, pumpkin and ginger paste and stir well.
5. Cover and cook until vegetables are almost done.
6. Add pui shaak, cover and cook until spinach is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated.
7. Return reserved eggplant to saucepan and cook for a couple of minutes.
8. Sprinkle roasted panch phoron and sugar over top, and stir.
9. Garnish with ghee, stir and remove from heat.
10. Serve with hot, cooked Basmati rice.

I shared this recipe on

Khayan Dhi Ne Pazoon Sipyan - Slow Cooked Eggplant & Shrimp

This is a Burmese dish.  'Sipyan' in Burmese means 'oil returns', so don't skimp on the oil.  I use extra-light olive oil in all my cooking and since olive oil is supposed to be healthy, that along with the word 'light' gives me a certain amount of freedom to use a little extra oil.  To allow the full flavour of this dish to develop, it should be simmered on a low flame for as long as it takes for the liquid to evaporate and the oil to return to the surface.

Nga Sipyan - Slow Cooked Fish Fillets

This is a Burmese dish.  The holy trinity or mirepoix in Burmese cooking is pureed/pounded onions, garlic and soaked dried red chillies. 'Nga' means fish and 'Sipyan' means 'oil returns'.  So that I don't have to skimp on the oil, I use a healthy oil such as extra-light olive oil in all my cooking.  The other thing to keep in mind is that for the full flavour to develop, this dish must be simmered on low heat for as long as it takes for the liquid to evaporate and the oil to return to the surface.

Aam Doi - Baked Mango Yogurt Dessert

I found this recipe on Bong Mom's Cookbook but modified it a bit because the idea of using mango pulp as well as condensed milk seemed too sweet.  This is made the same way as Bhapa Doi except that condensed milk has been replaced with mango pulp. 

This is very quick and easy to make and took me exactly 10 minutes to put together and pop in the oven before setting the table for dinner.  We were so anxious to try it that we had it for dessert right after dinner today.

Ingredients:

1 cup (8 oz.) mango pulp*
1 can Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 tub (7 oz.) Greek unflavored yogurt**
1/2 tsp. saffron, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Blend all ingredients and pour into an oven-proof dish.
3. Place the dish in a larger pan of water.
4. Bake at 300F for 45 minutes or until the edges brown slightly.
5. It's okay for the center to jiggle slightly.
6. Refrigerate overnight and serve cold.

*   Mango pulp is available in cans in Indian grocery stores.

** Greek yogurt is thick enough that it doesn't need to be strained, which saves time.  If Greek yogurt is not available use plain yogurt that has been strained overnight or use this tip provided by Vidya for a quick way to strain yogurt:  Spread a whole ( yes all 20 pages ) newspaper on your counter, cover with cheese cloth, folded twice over. Spread the yogurt on this in a 1/2 " thin layer. Wait 10 mins and it's done! Wait a little longer and you have a nice curd cheese.

Red Lentils With Green Beans

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups red lentils, washed until water runs clear
1/2 lb. green beans, sliced into small rounds
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium or 12 plum tomatoes
salt to taste
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. panch phoron (Bengali five spice)
1 tsp. ghee
cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Wash and soak lentils for 1/2 an hour.
2. Cook over medium heat until lentils disintegrate.
3. Heat oil over high heat and sputter panch phoron.
4. Fry onions and garlic until onions turn translucent.
5. Add tomatoes and cook until they break down.
6. Turn heat to medium, add green beans and cook until tender.
7. Add cooked lentils, adjust salt to taste, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Garnish with ghee and cilantro and serve with cooked rice or tortillas.

Zucchini Chingri Posto

Zucchini and Shrimp in White Poppy Seed Gravy

This is a variation of Jhinge Chingri Posto. Jhinge is ridge gourd which is not readily available in the U.S. Zucchini and Chayote Squash are similar in taste, so I've substituted zucchini for the ridge gourd today.

Ingredients: 
7-10 medium zucchini, peeled and cubed
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp. white poppy seeds, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes
1 Tbsp. ginger paste
1/4 tsp. nigella or kalonji or kalo jeera seeds
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt to taste
1 tsp. ghee

Directions:

1. Boil a cup of water and soak poppy seeds for half an hour. 
2. Heat 1 Tbsp.oil, mix shrimp with salt, fry until it turns pink and set aside.
3. Heat remaining oil over high heat and sputter nigella seeds.
4. Add ginger paste and zucchini, stir and cook until tender.
5. Blend poppy seeds along with water in which they were soaked.
6. Adjust salt to taste in zucchini and add poppy seed paste.
7. Stir and cook until most of the gravy has evaporated.
8. Add shrimp, stir and cook for a minute or two and remove from heat.
9. Garnish with ghee and serve with hot cooked rice.

Bottle Gourd with Shrimp

This is one of Mum's recipes and is the Burmese version of Lau Chingri.  Bottle gourd is available in Indian grocery stores, but can be replaced with zucchini or chayote squash. 

Asparagus & Shrimp in Mustard Gravy

Shrimp and mustard gravy go well with a lot of vegetables such as eggplants, potatoes, pumpkin, summer squash or sweet potatoes.  Asparagus provides a crisp note when combined with shrimp and ground mustard.

Clockwise from top left to right -
Bagaara Baingan, Tomato Date Chutney,
Asparagus & Shrimp in Mustard Gravy and
Green Beans with Black Pepper

Ingredients:

1 bundle asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1" pieces
1/2 lb. frozen salad shrimp, defrosted
1 tsp. ginger paste
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalonji)
4-5 green chillies
1/2 cup black mustard seeds, soaked overnight in salted water
2 Tbsp. white poppy seeds, soaked along with mustard seeds
Juice of 1 lime

Directions:

1. Blanch asparagus pieces and shock in cold water.
2. Grind drained mustard and poppy seeds in a blender, strain and mix with lime juice.
3. Heat oil, fry green chillies until skins turn white, remove and set aside.
4. Add nigella seeds and wait until they sputter.
5. Add asparagus pieces along with ginger paste and fry for a few minutes.
6. Add shrimp and fried green chillies, then pour in ground mustard.
7. Bring to a boil and remove from heat source.
8. Serve hot over cooked basmati rice.

Bagaara Baingan

This dish is usually made with small, whole eggplants, but works just as well with oriental eggplants.  The original recipe is on a Facebook group page called Kitchen Raagas.  I've reproduced the recipe the way I made it here for people who are not on Facebook.

Bagaara Baingan

Ingredients:

5 large oriental eggplants, cut in bite-size pieces

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced into a fine paste

1 tsp. ginger paste

1 large tomato

1 handful peanuts, shelled and skinned

1 handful Bengal gram dal (chana dal)

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. grated/dessicated coconut

1 Tbsp. tamarind paste

1 tsp. ghee

6-7 curry leaves

Directions:

1. Dry roast separately, chana dal, peanuts, and sesame seed.  Mix together and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Fry eggplants till golden and set aside.

3. Make a paste of onion, garlic, ginger and tomato.

4. Heat olive oil and fry paste until oil resurfaces.

5. Add roasted powder, eggplants, coconut, tamarind paste and curry leaves to the saucepan and stir well.

6. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

7. Garnish with ghee and serve.

Tomato Date Chutney

Festive Bengali meals end on a sweet note, usually a chutney of which Tomato Date Chutney is the most common.

Ingredients:

6 large tomatoes
8 dates, deseeded and chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, cut in julienne strips
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, or to taste
1 small lump jaggery (gur)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or white)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. panch phoron *
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Cut a shallow + on the base of each tomato and submerge in boiling water until skin peels at +.  
2. Allow tomatoes to cool, peel, chop and set aside.
3. Heat oil, temper panch phoron, cinnamon stick and star anise until seeds begin to sputter.
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook for about an hour on medium heat until liquid evaporates.
5. Serve warm or chilled at the end of the meal.

* Panch phoron is a Bengali 5-spice mixture which comprises the following seeds in equal proportions:

• Fennel 
• Nigella  (Kalo Jeera/Kalonji)
• Cumin  
• Mustard 
• Fenugreek (Methi)

This recipe was shared on

Bhapa Doi

Bhapa (steamed) Doi (yogurt) is a baked yogurt dessert that tastes a lot like cheesecake.  It is also very similar to Laal Doi (red yogurt) that is available in the Kolkata sweet shops (misti dokan).

Ingredients:

1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk
1 (16.oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (6 oz.) tub plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Blend all ingredients.
3. Pour into a glass baking pan and bake at 350*F for 30 minutes.
4. Lower oven temperature to 275*F and bake for another 30 minutes.
5. Refrigerate overnight.

Beet & Vegetable Chops

Vegetable Chops - Beets, Carrots and Sweet Potato are boiled,
mashed and formed into patties, using besan (chickpea flour)
as a binding agent.

Ingredients:

3 medium beets

4 carrots

1 sweet potato

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup chickpea flour (besan)

2 tsp. plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp. salt

Cilantro, chopped

Green onions, chopped

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Method:

1. Cut root vegetables into chunks and boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes.
2. Drain vegetables and mash with a fork or potato masher until it resembles chunky mashed potatoes.
3. Add chopped onions, flour, yogurt or sour cream & salt and mix through.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.
5. Using a tablespoon to measure, drop vegetable mixture into hot oil and flatten to form a patty.
6. Shallow fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.
7. Drain patties on a plate lined with a paper towel.
8. Alternatively, chops may be baked on a cookie sheet (foil lined and greased) at 400F for 20 minutes.
9. Serve patties with lime and tamarind chutney. 

This recipe was shared on:

Lentils with Sweet Potatoes

Urad Dal with Sweet Potatoes

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup kalai dal (urad dal)*

1 sweet potato or 1/4 pumpkin, peeled, diced and soaked in water

6-8 plum tomatoes, cut in half

2 Tbsp. extra light olive oil

½ tsp. shah jeera or cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise

2 tsp. ginger paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp. ghee or melted butter

2–3 green chilies, left whole

Directions:

1. Wash lentils until water runs clear.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and star anise.
3. When cumin starts to sizzle, add sweet potatoes and tomatoes and stir.
4. Add lentils and ginger paste and cook until lentils are tender.
5. Blend with an immersion blender and adjust salt to taste.
6. Garnish with ghee and whole green chilies.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steamed rice or tortillas.

* The urad dal may be replaced with channa or toor dal.

Fried Cabbage with Shrimp

Bandha Kopi Chingri Mach

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cabbage, shredded

18-20 large shrimp, shelled and deveined

6-8 baby potatoes, cut in eighths

3 Tbsp. extra light olive oil

½ tsp. shah jeera or cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 star anise
1 tsp. Kashmiri mirch or chili powder

2 tsp. ginger paste

1 tsp. garlic paste

2 medium onions, sliced

6-8 plum tomatoes, cut in half

Salt to taste

1 tsp. Ghee or melted Butter
½ tsp. Bengali garam masala (ground cinnamon, cardamom and cloves)

2 – 3 green chilies, left whole

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry shrimp until pink.
2. Remove shrimp and set aside.
3. Heat oil in same pan and add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick & star anise.
4. When cumin starts to sizzle, brown the sliced onions.
5. Add cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, ginger & garlic pastes, chili powder and salt.
6. Stir well, cover & cook cabbage over medium heat until it turns golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Adjust salt to taste and return fried shrimp to pan.
8. Cook for 5 more minutes, garnish with ghee, garam masala and whole green chilies.
9. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steamed rice or tortillas.

Minty Ground Chicken Curry

Minty Chicken Keema Curry

 

 

 

 

Servings: 6

Preparation time: 15 minutes

  Cooking time: 20 minutes

  Ingredients

1 lb. ground chicken

1 cup frozen green peas

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. mint-cilantro chutney (used for pani poori)

2 + 2 Tbsp. cooking oil

8-10 curry leaves

1 tsp. garam masala powder (see note below)

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp. crisply fried onions

2 heaped tsp. garlic paste

1½ tsp. ginger paste

¼ tsp. black mustard seeds

1 star anise

1 stick cinnamon

4 green chilies, sliced

Method

1. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes in salt, yogurt, mint-cilantro chutney, crushed fried onions, garlic and ginger pastes and 2 Tbsp. oil.
2. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chilies, star anise, cinnamon and curry leaves.
3. As soon as mustard seeds sizzle, add chicken along with marinade and stir thoroughly.
4. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
5. Add peas, cook 2 minutes, sprinkle with garam masala & transfer to serving dish.

Serve with steamed rice, roti or paratha.

Note:

• Mint-cilantro chutney (a.k.a. pudina chutney) may be prepared at home or purchased from an Indian grocery store.
• Garam masala in Bengali households comprises 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms and 3 cloves that are roasted and ground to a fine powder.

Baby Potatoes in Poppy Seed Sauce

Alu Posto

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. white poppy seeds (posto)

1 cup water

3 Tbsp. extra light olive oil

½ tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalonji)

1 lb. baby potatoes, cut in half

2 tsp. ginger paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp.ghee or melted butter

2-3 green chilies, left whole

Directions:

1.   Boil potatoes for 15 minutes, drain, peel and quarter each half segment.

2.   Boil a cup of water in microwave, pour over poppy seeds in a bowl. Set aside to cool and soften.

3.   Puree the poppy seeds, water, some salt and a green chili until it reaches the consistency of a thick     sauce.

4.   Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add nigella seeds.

5.   When the seeds begin to sizzle, add potatoes, ginger paste and salt.

6.   Lower heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.

7.   Add pureed poppy seeds and stir until well combined.

8.   Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and just coats the potatoes.

9.   Garnish with ghee & whole green chilies and transfer to a serving dish.

Note:

• The potatoes can be replaced with several other vegetables, such as eggplant, cauliflower, potatoes, zucchini, ridge gourd (jhinge), sweet potatoes, or pumpkin, etc.

Eggplant in a Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Doi Begun

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt
4 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
1 tsp. Bengali roasted five-spice powder (panch phoron)

4 large oriental eggplants, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. turmeric
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp. extra light olive oil

1 Tbsp. extra light olive oil
1/2 tsp. shah jeera or cumin seeds 

2 sliced onions
5-6 plum tomatoes, quartered
2 russet potatoes, cut into 12 pieces each
1/4 cup golden raisins

1 tsp. ghee or melted butter
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 – 3 hot green chillies, left whole

Directions:

1. Mix yogurt with the next 5 ingredients and allow it to come to room temperature
2. Coat eggplants and potatoes with turmeric and salt, then fry in 3 Tbsp. oil until golden brown. 
3. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add cumin seeds.
4. When the seeds begin to sputter and sizzle, add sliced onions and saute until translucent.
5. Add tomatoes, potatoes and raisins, lower heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are tender.
6. Add fried eggplant, adjust salt to taste and cook for 3 minutes.
7. Remove pan from heat source and add yogurt mixture, one tablespoon at a time, until the yogurt is thoroughly incorporated into the vegetables.
8. Garnish with ghee, chopped cilantro & whole chilies and transfer to a serving dish.

Note:


The yogurt is added a Tbsp. at a time so that it does not separate. 
Be very gentle when adding the yogurt so that the eggplants do not disintegrate.

Salmon in Mustard Gravy

Salmon Macher Jhal

Ingredients: 

1 large Salmon fillet, cut in pieces

Phoron:
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
½ tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera)

2 Tbsp. posto (white poppy seeds)
4 Tbsp. black mustard seeds

1 large onion, sliced
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
Salt to taste
Pinch of sugar
5-6 plum tomatoes
1½ cups hot water 

Garnish with:
1 Tbsp. chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
3 green chilies
1 tsp. ghee

Directions: 

1. Soak mustard seeds and 1 Tbsp. salt in tepid water overnight. 
2. Soak posto in hot water for 15 minutes. 
3. Strain the mustard and blend with posto.
4. Marinate the fish slices for 10 minutes in turmeric & salt. 
5. Fry fish lightly on both sides and set aside.
6. Add 3 Tbsp. oil to pan over high heat and add nigella seeds.
7. When seeds begin to sputter, fry the onions and tomato paste until oil resurfaces.
8. Add blended posto and mustard to the pan.
9. Sauté for 3 minutes, add the hot water, plum tomatoes and fish pieces.
10. Place lid on pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
11. Adjust salt to taste and add sugar. 
12. Garnish with coriander leaves, green chilies and ghee.

Fish in Mustard Gravy

Tilapia Macher Jhal

I find that making this dish on the spur of the moment is not  possible because mustard seeds need to be soaked overnight in salt and water to get rid of its bitterness.  Using Coleman’s  Mustard saves a lot of time.  The other time-saver is to add the fish directly to the gravy instead of frying it beforehand.  This steams the fish, keeping it moist and tender.  

Inspiration for this recipe is attributed to Dipanwita Banerjee who is a wonderful cook!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Salmon, Tilapia or Catfish fillets or steaks

Soak next two ingredients for 15 minutes and grind into paste:

3 Tbsp. white poppy seeds (posto)

¾ cup boiling water

Stir into paste and set aside for 10 minutes:

1 Tbsp. Coleman’s English Mustard superfine powder

Phoron:

3 Tbsp. oil

½ tsp. nigella seeds (kalo jeera/kalonji)

2 green chilies, sliced

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

4 Tbsp. Hunt’s tomato sauce (not ketchup) or 2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup hot water

 Salt to taste

Garnish with:

1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Directions:

1.    Soak poppy seeds in boiling water for 15 minutes & blend both until smooth.
2.    Stir in Coleman’s Mustard and set aside for 10 minutes.
3.    Cut fish fillets in half.  If using fish steaks, leave whole.
4.    Heat oil in saucepan; add nigella seeds & chilies.
5.    When seeds begin to sputter, fry onions until translucent.
6.    Add tomato sauce or chopped tomatoes, lower heat & simmer until oil resurfaces.
7.    Stir in poppy seed paste & simmer for 5 minutes.
8.    Add ½ cup hot water, bring to a boil and add fish pieces.  
9.    Cook over low heat for 5 more minutes.
10.    Adjust salt to taste, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Cheerer Pulao

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Mala Ray Chatterjee's Poha with Loads of Veggies in a Facebook group called Kitchen Raagas.  This recipe differs slightly from the original because I didn't have all the ingredients, so I am providing a modified version.  This is also for those readers who do not have a Facebook account.  This dish is fast and easy to make and is great for breakfast, brunch or lunch. 

Cheera or Poha is dehydrated and flattened rice flakes that is highly nutritious and lasts in the pantry for a long time. 

Ingredients
1 cup cheera (poha), washed and squeezed dry

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 green chili, deseeded and chopped 
1 tsp. urad dal
1 tsp. chana dal
1 tsp. cashew nut pieces
1 tsp. raisins

1 medium onion, chopped
1 Roma tomato, chopped
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp. chopped ginger or ginger paste
1 cup chopped vegetables (cauliflower, carrot, peas, green pepper, potatoes/sweet potatoes) 
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 lime cut in 4 wedges
1 Tbsp. cilantro

1 tsp. ghee

Directions

1. In a saucepan over high heat, sputter mustard seeds, chili, dals, cashews and raisins.
2. Add onions, tomatoes, curry leaves, ginger and fry for 2 minutes until onions soften.
3. Add vegetables and salt and cook until vegetables are cooked, about 10 minutes. 
4. Add cheera (poha) along with lime juice and mix well. 
5. Adjust salt  and chilies to taste and heat through.
6. Garnish with cilantro and ghee
7. Remove from heat to a serving dish and serve with lime wedges.