The ladies of the DHROOPAD family participated in the cooking demonstration of Bangladeshi food during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC on July 2, 2010. Many from the audience requested for the recipes. Here are the recipes for the items prepared during the festival. We hope to add more recipes for more traditional Bangladeshi food in the future. Check the site for updates.
Piaju
a traditional item especially popular during the month of Ramadan for breaking the fasting.
Ingredients:
Masoor Dal
Channa Dal
3 Onion sliced
4 green chilies chopped
1 bunch cilantro chopped
¼ tsp powdered spices –cumin, coriander, turmeric and chillie
½ tsp Baking powder
Oil for frying
Method:
Soak the masoor and channa dal for 2 hours. Grind the dals with very little water.
Mix all the items in a bowl. Put some oil in the wok. When oil is hot put 1-tablespoon mixture in the pan. Fry them until they become red in color.
Bhapa Pitha
a traditional popular delicacy
Ingredients:
1 packet grated coconut
6 cups rice flour
2 packets molasses (pitali gur)
Method:
Boil some water in the specialty saucepan, or you can use a steamer.
Add salt to the rice flour and sprinkle some water to dampen the flour. Sift the flour through a plastic strainer with medium sized holes using your hand to press the rice dough so small particles of slightly moist rice flour come out.
Spread some of the sifted rice flour lightly in the small cup . Place 1 tablespoon molasses at the center ( do not spread molasses). Sprinkle 2 teaspoons coconut over it . Cover the molasses and coconut by spreading some more rice flour in the cup. Spread a wet cloth on the cup. Gather the four corners of the cloth with the cup inside. Hold the cloth with the cup tightly keeping the cup upside down.
Place the cup with the cloth ( keeping it upside down ) in the strainer fitted on the saucepan. Uncover the cup and remove it carefully from the pitha. Gather the corner of the cloth again and cover the pitha with it. Put lid on the saucepan and steam for 30-60 seconds. Holding the cloth remove pitha from the strainer.
Serve hot pitha at breakfast.
Mughlai Paratha
Ingredients:For the dough:
Whole wheat flour 500 gm or all purpose flour
Milk 1 cup, Warm water
Salt to taste
For Masala Kheema:
1 lb beef mince (you can use any meat you prefer for this recipe)
2 tsp cooking oil
1 medium-sized onions chopped fine
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
½ tsp powdered spices- coriander, cumin, turmeric, chille & garam masala
chopped coriander leaves
For the filling:
500 gm Masala Kheema (spicy minced meat)
2 eggs
Ghee/ vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil for pan frying Parathas
Method:
Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan.
Add the onions now. Fry till they turn a pale golden color.
Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the minced meat and fry for 5 minutes.
Add all the spices - coriander, cumin, turmeric, chille, garam masala and salt to taste.
Continue to brown the minced meat well.
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt to taste. Add the milk a little at a time and knead. Once the milk is used up, add water.
Knead well to make a medium-soft, smooth dough. Wet your hand and rub all over the surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 1 hour.
Whisk the eggs with salt to taste and keep aside.
Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and then press flat. On a oily surface, roll a ball out into a 4" circle.
Put a large spoonful of the Masala Kheema in the center of the circle and a bit of beaten egg and fold edges of circle up to completely cover and seal the Masala Kheema inside. Pinch the folds to shut.
Do this for as many Parathas as you want. The unused dough can be refrigerated and used later for up to 3 days. As you finish rolling out the Parathas, keep them aside (ready to fry) - place them one over the other with a sheet of plastic wrap in between each so they don't stick to each other.
Heat a frying pan on a medium flame till hot with shallow oil. Put a Paratha on it. Cook till you see tiny bubbles appearing on the upper surface. Now flip.
The Paratha is ready when both surface turns crispy golden in color.
Decorate the Mughlai Paratha with onion slice and relish with any sauce of your taste.
Alternate way of stuffing is to roll out 2 separate pieces of dough spread the filling and the eggs on one rolled out piece and place the other over it and seal by pressing the edges and fry as above.
Chicken Biryani
The most common traditional main dish at marriage reception or any occasion
Ingredients:
2 chicken (Cut into medium size pieces) washed and drained
6 cups of Basmati rice washed and soaked for 15 minutes and drained
8 cups of *Masala water for rice
A. Chicken marinade masala:
1. 1 tsp red chili pepper
2. ¼ tsp Joifal powder (Nutmeg)
3. ¼ tsp joitri (Mace)
4. 3 tbls white vinegar
5. 1 tsp sugar
6. 1½ tsp salt
7. 4 drops kewra
Mix all the ingredients with chicken and marinade for 10 to 15 minutes
B. Beresta (fried onion)
- In a mid size non-stick pan fry thin sliced onion (Beresta)
- Take out the beresta and use the same oil to fry marinated chicken (fry light brown)
- Save the oil and wash the same pot to cook fried chicken
C. Masala to cook chicken:
- 2 medium size onion sliced
- 1½ inch thin slice of ginger
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 8/10 green elachi (cardamom)
Blend all the ingredients with ½ cup of water. Make a fine paste.
D. In a non-stick sauce pan add all the ingredients below to chicken:
- 1 cup cooking oil
- ¼ tsp Joifal powder (Nutmeg)
- ¼ tsp joitri (Mace)
- ¾ tejpata (bay leaf)
- 4/5 pieces ½ inch cinnamon stick
- 7/8 cloves
- 2 big elachi (cardamom brown)
- 2 tbls ground coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tbs vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1½ salt
Put together…
Add blended onion/garlic/ginger/elachi (cardamom) paste (#C) into above mentioned ingredients and cook very well. Add chicken and cook. Add little water, cover the pan simmer it for 45 min.
In half cup milk add 2 tbls yogurt and mix well. Add 1/8 tsp food color (jorda color), Kewra, saffron, microwave for 20 sec and add red and green chili to it. Add the mixture with chicken and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Chicken is done.
Cook Biriyani rice
*Masala water
In a 5 quart pan boil 8 cups water
Add spices
1. ¼ tsp powdered nutmeg
2. ¼ tsp mace
3. 5/6 cardamom
4. 2 large (brown) cardamom
5. ¼ shahi jeera
6. 2 star anis
7. 8/10 colves
8. 15 black whole pepper
9. 3 bay leaf
10. Salt
After 20 minutes strain the water and add 2 cups of milk. Masala water is ready.
In a 10 quart pot add ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp ghee and onion, garlic and ginger paste. Add 1½ tsp salt and strained rice. Sauté for rice and add Masala water. Cook the rice for 20 min.
Prepare 1/3 cup of milk, 1/8th tsp Jafran food color, kewra, 8 drops of rose water and saffron flakes to sprinkle over the chicken.
Putting together the Biriyani:
Separate rice in 3 portions. Layer 1st portion of rice in an aluminum foil tray then spread chicken with masala, fried onion and spoon in the milk/food color on top of rice. It will bring out colorful rice afterwards. Cover the preparation tightly and put in the oven for 1 hour at 250 degree Fahrenheit. Your Biriyani is done.
Serves with borhani and Salad.
Serves 20 to 25 people.
Borhani
a traditional exotic drink must have with/after biryani, believed to help with digesting
I
n Bangladesh, Borhani is a traditional yogurt drink served at wedding ceremonies. No occasion or ceremony will be arranged without Borhani.
Ingredients:
Plain Yogurt (white & sour) – 2 lbs
Borhani mix is a readily available packet of the below ingredients. If packet is available use the packet other wise use the below ingredients.
Mint Leaf (pudina leaf) paste- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Leaf (dhania leaf) pest- 1/2 teaspoon
Green chilly pest – 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
White mustard seed powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
White pepper powder – 3/4 teaspoon
Sugar – 3 teaspoon
Black salt – 1/2 tea spoon
Normal salt – 1/2 teaspoon (as per taste).
Method:
In a blender add the Borhani mix, the yogurt &1 cup water and some ice and run the blender to mix well.
Serve cold.
Shammi Kabab Fish
Ingredients:
2 canned tuna fish in water
2 cups or as required Potato flakes mixed with warm water to form a tough paste so that absorb some of the moisture in the tuna
1 onions
2 tsp ginger garlic paste or you can use ½ tsp ginger powder and ½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp powdered spices- coriander, cumin, turmeric, chille & garam masala
2-3 green chillies cut into small pieces (optional)
salt and pepper
1 eggs
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Method:
Drain canned fish to remove water.
Mix all the ingredients well.
Shape into long or round kababs. Fry in shallow oil enough to cover the kababs until browned.
Serve with a dash of lime and garnish with fresh coriander leaves (optional) and onion rings.
Gulab Jamun Recipe (Milkballs in Sweet Syrup)
Ingredients:
For the Syrup-
3 cups sugar
7 cups water
2 teaspoons cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon saffron
For the milk balls-
Gulab Jamun Mix
½ cup milk
2 tsp cream of wheat
4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Method:
Make a syrup by boiling together sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder and Saffron. Set the syrup aside in the saucepan on the stove.
Mix by hand in a bowl:
powdered milk, all-purpose flour, baking soda
Gradually mix in to form a soft dough (only slightly sticky) heavy cream.
Make into walnut sized balls (you may use a small amount of cream on your hands while rolling) set aside and cover with a damp cloth.
Heat in a deep frying pan or wok:
Add the milkballs a few at a time. Fry to an even dark brown. (Adjust the heat so they don't get dark any sooner than 5-7 minutes.) When browned, drain the oil off the milkballs, dip them into the syrup, then transfer onto a serving dish. (Re-boil the syrup between batches to keep the thickening process happening.)
After all the balls have been prepared, boil the syrup again for about 15 minutes, until thicker, and pour over the milkballs. Let the syrup soak in for a few hours before serving.
Serve hot or cold. This may be re-heated from the refrigerator (or freezer) by pouring hot syrup over the (defrosted) milkballs. They may also be topped with whipped cream.