Halodhir Chutney

Turmeric Chutney

INGREDIENTS:

• Turmeric rhizome - 100 grams
• Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds - 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 5-6
• Green chilies - 4-5
• Vinegar
• Salt

METHOD:

• Put all the ingredients in vinegar overnight and make a paste in the morning
• Serve

Xewali Phoolor Khar

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh or Dried Xewali Phool/শেৱালি ফুল (Night-flowering Jasmine) - 2 Cups
• Raw Papaya or Squash (I've used both, 50/50) - 1 (Cut to equal sized pieces)
• Mosur Dail (Lentil) - 1 Cup
• Baking Soda - 1 pinch (or 1 cup kolakhar*)
• Ginger - Half thumb sized (Crushed)
• Garlic - 6/7 cloves (Crushed)
• Green Chilly - 3/4 (Cut vertically)
• Mustard Oil and Salt

METHOD

• Heat mustard oil in a pressure cooker
• Add ginger, garlic and green chillies, stir
• Now add mosur dail, xewali phool, papaya and squash together, mix well
• After 2-3 minutes, add salt and baking soda, mix well
• Add water and pressure cook for 3 whistles
• Add 2 teapoons of mustard oil before serving
• Serve with Rice

*Here's the link to 'How to prepare Kolakhar'.. http://www.kavitasaharia-myroom.com/2009/08/indegenious-way-of-making-khar-bio.html (Kavita Saharia's blog post)

Baah Gaaj Khar

Add Baah gaaj (Raw Bamboo Shoot), Kothal guti (Jackfruit seeds) or Raw papaya, Masoor dail (Lentil), Garlic cloves (crushed), Green chillies, Khar (1 pinch Baking Soda), Salt together in water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Kharoni Bhat (খাৰণি ভাত)

INGREDIENTS

• Rice - Half Cup
• Green Chilli - 2-3
• Ginger - 10 grams (Cut to very small pieces)
• Garlic - 3-4 pods (Crushed)
• Mustard Seed or Paas Phooron - 10 grams
• Kola Khar (কলাখাৰ) - Half Cup (or Baking Soda - 1 pinch)
• Mustard Oil - 4 teaspoons
• Salt

METHOD

• Cook the Rice, keep aside
• Heat a pan, add Green chillies and Mustard Seeds (or Paas phooron)
• When the Mustard seeds stop spluttering, add 2 teaspoons Mustard oil
• Add Ginger and Garlic, fry till the colour become reddish (ৰঙচুৱা)
• Add the Rice then the Kola khar and Salt, mix and fry for 2-3 minutes
• Add 2 teaspoons Mustard oil, mix well and serve

Pasotia (পচতীয়া) Paat

Leaves of five-leaved chaste tree (Vitex negundo)

These leaves are called Pasotia (পচতীয়া). Can be used in 'khar' preparations like 'Amita Khar'.

"পচতীয়া (five-leaved chaste tree, Scientific Name: Vitex negundo). "Pachatia / Pasotia /A giachit (As.) / Nishida (Beng)
Habiat & habitat : A large strongly aromatic deciduous shrub or small tree. Leaves digitately 3 - 5 foliate and pale green. Leaflets 1.5-5 by 0.5 - 1.5 inch., lanceolate or narrow lanceolate, acute, entire, crenulate. Flowers lavender to blue in opposite cymes arranged as panicles. Fruit is small,
drupe, slightly ribbed, gland dotted. It is common throughout the state mostly found in open areas.
Flowering :April to August. Fruit ripen in cold season" ~ Source: WILD EDIBLE PLANTS OF ASSAM by Brahmananda Patiri & Ananta Borah

Maasor Muror Khar

Fish Head Khar

INGREDIENTS

• Fish Head- 1 (I've used Rohu fish head)
• Raw Papaya or Squash and other assorted vegetables like Aubergine, Cauliflower leaves, Lai xaak etc.
• Rice Flour- 1/2 cup
• Masoor Dail- 1/3 cup
• Baking Soda- 1 pinch
• Garlic- 7-8 pods
• Green Chilly- 3-4
• Mustard Oil and Salt

METHOD

• Cut the fish head into two pieces, wash and marinate with Turmeric powder and Salt
• Heat Mustard Oil and fry the fish head pieces, keep aside
• In the same oil, add crushed Garlic pods and Green chillies
• Cut and add the Papaya, Masoor Dail, Salt and the other vegetables, mix well
• After 2-3 minutes, add Baking Soda, mix
• Add 4 cups of Water, mix well and cover with a lid
• When the water starts to boil add the Fish head pieces and Rice flour, mix
• Cook on low flame until the gravy becomes thick
• Sprinkle some fresh Coriander and a few drops of Mustard Oil
• Serve with warm Rice

Lai Xaakor Khar

Mustard Green 'Khar'

 INGREDIENTS

• Lai Xaak- 12-15 leaves
• Rice flour- 1/2 cup
• Baking Soda- 1-2 pinch/es or 2 ladles 'kolakhar'
• Garlic- 5-6 cloves
• Green Chilles, Salt and Mustard Oil

METHOD

• Heat Mustard Oil
• Add Green Chillies and mashed Garlic cloves, fry for a minute
• Cut and add Lai Xaak, mix well
• After 2-3 minutes, add Baking Soda, mix
• Add 4 cups of Water, Salt and the Rice flour, mix well and cover with a lid
• Cook on low flame until the gravy becomes thick
• Sprinkle some fresh Coriander and a few drops of Mustard Oil
• Serve with warm Rice

Dimoru Paator logot Gahori

Pork with Fig Tree leaves

This is a Karbi ethnic recipe of Assam

Ingredients:

• Pork (Should be 60% oil or lard) – ½ Kg
• Dimaru Leaves – 10-15
• Pithaguri (Rice flour) – 1 Cup
• Ginger-Garlic paste – 2 Tbsp
• Baking Soda – 1-2 pinch/es
• Green Chilly – 2-3
• Salt – To taste

Method:

• Heat pressure cooker
• Add Ginger-Garlic paste and Green Chillies
• Add grinded Dimaru leaves, Baking Soda and Salt, mix
• Add the pork. Stir for sometime
• Add 1 ½ Cups Water
• Add the pithaguri and mix well
• Close the lid and cook for 3-4 whistles

Bengenar logot Maasor Petu

Fish Intestine (Petu) with Aubergine

INGREDIENTS

•  Petu of 1 Rohu Fish
• 1 medium sized Aubergine
• 1 Onion (chopped)
• 8-10 crushed Garlic pods
• Green Chillies, Mustard Oil and Salt
• * 1 pinch Baking Soda (Optional, this makes it a 'khar' dish)

METHOD

• Heat Oil and add Onion, fry till golden brown
• Cut the Aubergine to small pieces, add and fry till they become soft
• Add the Petu, Garlic, Green Chillies, Salt and mix well. Cover with a lid
• * After some time (appox. 5 minutes) add Baking Soda, mix, cover again and cook on low flame until done
• Serve with Hot Rice

Amita Khar

Papaya Khar*

*Alkaline. "The khar is a signature class of preparations made with a key ingredient, also called khar. The traditional ingredient is made by filtering water through the ashes of a banana tree, which is then called kola khar (The name derived from the locale term of Banana, "Kol" or "Kola")"~ wikipedia

INGREDIENTS

• Raw Papaya- 1 (Medium size)
• Masoor dail- 1/3 Cup
• Cauliflower leaves & stems, Bottle Gourd Peels (Optional)
• Baking Soda- 1 pinch
• Garlic- 5-6 pods
• Green Chilly- 3-4
• Mustard Oil and Salt

METHOD

• Heat little Oil in a pressure cooker
• Add crushed Garlic pods and Green chillies
• Cut and add the Papaya, Masoor Dail, Soda, Salt and the other vegetables, mix well
• Add 2-3 cups water and cook for 2 whistles
• Add a tsp of Mustard Oil
• Serve with warm Rice.