Labongo Lotika

Labongo Lotika is a very famous sweet dish of Bangladesh and West Bengal as well.Labongo is a Bengali word which means clove. The name of the recipe is actually derived from this.It is crispy from outside and soft from inside. It can be made in two ways one is you need to dip it in sugar syrup and second way is without the sugar syrup.Though I made it without the syrup but I will explain you the process with sugar syrup as well. So let's start making Labongo Latika.

Ingredients:


For the dough:

• 2 cup milk
• 2 cup flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4th Teaspoon salt.
• 1/2 cup white oil

 For the stuffing:

• Khoya Kheer 1cup/ Dry milk powder and 2 teaspoon ghee
• chopped cashew 2 tablespoon
• green cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoon powdered sugar

 For Sugar syrup: 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-2 cardamom

For deep frying:

• 2 cups oil
  

Procedure:

• Take a container and mix all the stuffing ingredients together. For those who don't have khoya kheer ,they can use 1 cup of dry milk powder with 2-3 teaspoon of ghee and mix it really well. It is a good replacement of khoya kheer.

• Then we will prepare the sugar syrup. Take a pan, add sugar,water and cardamom and put it on medium flame. Let it boil for 5-6min and then transfer it into a bowl.
• Take one non-stick container and put it in medium heat.Add milk and let it boil.
• When the milk start boiling ,add the oil in it and mix it really well.Then switch off the gas, beat one egg roughly and pour it in the milk.The moment you add the egg start mixing the milk instantly  otherwise it will form lumps. Now after mixing it add the flour and mix it with a wooden spoon or spatula.
• Now knead it really good to form a tough dough. Do not make the dough too hard or too soft.You can add water or flour to make it right.
• Divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts.
• Now check the below video to make the Labongo Latika

• Now deep fry those Labongo Latika in medium heat till it become nice golden brown in color.
• After deep frying let it cool down a little and you can serve it likw this only. The other thing you can do is to dip those Labongo Latika in sugar syrup for 2-3 mins. Take it out and place it on a plate. Let the excess sugar syrup get drained. Then finally place it on a serving bowl and enjoy it with your friends and family.

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Veg Manchurian

Veg Manchurian is a very popular Indo-Chinese preparation made with vegetables like carrot,cabbage,capsicum etc.It can be served dry or with gravy.I generally prefer to serve it with 'dry gravy' ,but it is equally good as an evening snacks with tea, without any gravy. For those who loves meat they can make Chicken Manchurian as well. For that just add minced chicken with those vegetables or whatever meat you like. But today we will make it with vegetables only.So lets start making Veg Manchurian.

Ingredients:

For making Manchurian balls:

• 2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped capcicum
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• 1/2 cup of boiled rice
• 1-2 tablespoon flour
• chopped green chili 1 teaspoon(optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• salt as per taste
• Oil to deep fry

For making the gravy:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• Chopped garlic 2 tablespoon
• Soya sauce 1-2 teaspoon
• Tomato sauce 5-6 tablespoon
• Red chili paste 1 teaspoon(optional)
• Sugar 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt as per taste
• Chopped coriander 3-4 tablespoon

Procedure:

• For making Manchurian balls , take a container and mix all the ingredients(except oil) from the first section.Then make small balls out of it. Please do not add any water to give it a round shape because all the vegetables will release water from it so we do not need to add water externally. Even if you need it just sprinkle some water from top rather than adding it directly.Smashed the boiled rice as well before adding it.It actually helps the mixture to give a nice binding. If you want you can replace boiled rice with boiled potato as well.
• Now make small balls from this mixture.
• Take a non-stick pan and warm up some oil to deep fry those balls.
• Then deep fry those balls in medium heat till it becomes nice golden brown in color.Then take it out on a separate plate.

• Now for making the gravy , take a non-stick pan and place it in medium heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil and let it warm up a little.
• Then add chopped garlic and saute it for 1-2 min.
• Add soya sauce,tomato sauce and chilli sauce one by one.
• Then add salt and sugar.Mix them really well. Finally add chopped coriander and 2-3 tablespoon of water and let it cook for 3-4 mins. Then switch off the gas.
• Do not add the manchurian balls immediately into it. Toss the balls into the gravy just before serving.That way it will remain crunchy even if you serve it with gravy. And I like it that way. I always prepare both of them separately and keep it separate. Just before serving it I toss it into the gravy. Though it's completely your own choice.
• Sprinkle some chopped coriander on top and serve it with noodles or fried rice.

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Dokkhini Pomfret/South Indian Pomfret Curry

"Dokkhini Pomfret" is a special pomfret dish. "Dokkhin" is a Bengali word that means south and "Pomfret" is the name of the fish which is really famous in India.As this kind of preparation are found mainly in Southern part of India so I named the recipe as "Dokkhini Pomfret" or South Indian Pomfret Curry.
This fish is prepared in various way in different part of India. I have already shared two other pomfret recipes but today we will learn to cook pomfret in south Indian style.
It is not only very delicious but also very easy to make.So lets start making 'Dokhhini Pomfret'. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Pomfret( cut it in half)
• Grated coconut 3 teaspoon
• Chopped onion 3 teaspoon
• Chopped ginger 1 teaspoon
• Green chili 2-3
• Poppy seed 2 teaspoon
• Curry leaves 3-4
• Mustard seed 1 teaspoon
• Mustard  oil 2-3 tablespoon
• Turmeric powder 1/3rd teaspoon
• Salt as per taste
• Sugar 1/3rd teaspoon.

Procedure:

• Take a mixture grinder and pour grated coconut,poppy seed,onion,ginger,green chili(optional) and 2-3 tablespoon of water and make a smooth paste.
• Take a non-stick pan and place it on medium heat.
• Add 3-4 table spoon of oil and let it warm up a little.
• Then add curry leaves and mustered seed into it and let it fry for 1-2min.
• Now pour the mixture into it and let it fry for 2-3mins.
• Then add turmeric,sugar and salt and mix it really well.Finally add the pomfret fish and let it fry inside the gravy for 3-4 mins.
• Pomfret is a very soft fish and does not take much time to get cooked.
• Now add little bit of water and low down the heat.Cover it with the lid and let it cook like that for 5-10min.
• If you see the gravy is oozing out some oil from it , that means it's ready to serve.
• Now place it on a serving bowl and serve it with steam rice.

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