Bihari Aloo Parval Dum

One of the authentic Bihari Cusine prepared without any garlic or onion is this quick recipe. Tasty,traditional yet simple,is the mouth watering gravied vegetable. Eaten in almost all Bihari households for lunch with dal and rice, can also compliment well with chapati. Traditionally fresh masala was prepared on the mortar and pestle. Dry spices have been used here which are commonly available in all kitchens, soaked in water to release all its properties, the great aroma which gives a good texture or a great body to the dish. Use of fresh coriander gives it a beautiful aroma and a great look. A lovely dish which can be prepared during a puja at home as it's a real great recipe minus garlic-onion, very pure. Traditionally Bihari sabji's are made in mustard oil so did I use it here. When this dish has to be prepared for the puja one can use pure desi ghee which would definately turn out to be a real  toothsome dish. Do try it out in your kitchens and leave your comments for this fingerlicking everyday sabji (tarkaari), a beautiful Indian recipe.

INGREDIENTS -

Parwal (Snake Gourd) - 250 gms

Boiled Potatoes - 2 medium

Bay Leaf - 2 small

Dry Spices -

Coriander Powder - 2 tbspn

Chilly Powder - 1 1/2 tbspn

Garam Masala Powder - 2 tspns

Haldi powder - 1 1/2 tspns

Sabji Masala - 1 tspn

hing powder - 1 tspn

Salt - to taste

Mustard oil for cooking

METHOD -

• Put all dry masalas and the salt in a big katori or a small bowl.
• Add to it 1/2 cup water and mix well without any lumps being formed.
• keep it aside.
• Boil and Peel Potatoes and cut them into 4 large pieces. 
• Parwal first needs to cut length wise, then cut each length into half.
• Heat mustard oil in a kadhai to a smoking point.
• When the oil is hot lower the flame and add bay leaf.
• Soon add parwals and saute till the oil is well coated to it.
• Add to it the potatoes and saute well.
• Increase flame to high and let the parwals turn slightly pink.
• Lower the flame again.
• Add the dry masala paste that was made first.
• Bhuno /saute over low flame.
• Add a little more than 1 cup water. Mix well.
• Transfer this into a prestige cooker and give one whistle.
• When prestige cooker gets cool, using the back of kalchul (ladle) press the potaotes lightly, sort of mashing the potatoes.
• This helps to give a good texture or a great body to the dish.
• Transfer into a serving dish and sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice and daal.

Moonga Aloo Sabji

The awesomeness of Bihari Cusine lies in its simplicity and  its preparation using less spices. Mostly all the dishes are prepared by using black-pepper , mustard, cumin and garlic which have their own medicinal properties. The staple food of Bihar is bhat (rice), chana-dal (pulses), chokha (Boiled / mashed vegetable) , tarkaree (gravy vegetable), papad and pickle - mainly of  red-chilly (lal-mirch) or mango and coriander chutney. 

Since there is no availability of Bihari cusine books I thought I should put up some recipes for the Bihari cusine lovers. One must try hands on the Bihari cusine and see the remarkable difference of taste from the routine dishes. Its going to be a gastronimical delight for all the food lovers. 

Today am presenting dish with gravy for our daily lunch menu as having the same routined stuff becomes monotonous. Its made from fresh tender drumsticks popularly known as "Sahjan ki Falli" or "Moonga". With the onset of Spring, drumstick flowers start blooming on the trees and by February one sees small tender noodles like drumsticks hanging on the trees , its the time to relish this tender vegetables which can be fully eaten without the plate being messed up. Usually in South Indian homes its used for Sambhar or Rasam. This dish prepared with potatoes gives a delectable taste. Enjoy having it with boiled rice, with or without dal (pulses). For the unique flavour use mustard oil but it would taste equally good using other oils too.

Ingredients - 

Tender Drumsticks - 18-20
Raw potatoes - 2 medium sized

Tomatoes - 2 medium sized

Masala -

Garlic - 10-12 pods

Mustard Powder/Sarso - 1 1/2 tspn
Cumin seeds - 2 tspn
Black Pepper-  7-8
Green Chillies - 4-5
Dried Red Chilly - 1

Mustard oil - 2 tblspn

Turmeric Powder - 1 tspn
Salt - to taste
Garam Masala - a pinch


METHOD -

1. Cut Drumsticks into about 2 inch length wise.
2. Peel and cut potatoes in small cubes.
3. Grind Tomatoes in the mixie.
4. Grind all the ingredients given under "masala"
5. Heat mustard oil to a smoking point in a heavy bottomed karahi.
6. Reduce flame and add potatoes and saute(bhuno) till potatoes turn light pink.
7. Add drumstick pieces and saute again till the oil gets well coated. Do not over-do it otherwise the vitamin contents are lost.
8. In goes the masala and give it a good mix till the raw smell of garlic vanishes.
9. Next, goes in the fresh tomato puree, salt and turmeric, give it a good mix.
10. Add to this water about 2 cups and let it simmer till done.
11. Add pinch of garam masala and give it a boil.
12. Transfer into a serving dish and serve hot with boiled rice.

Bihari Bhindi

In Bihar Okra is mostly prepared as a gravied vegetable and served for lunch or dinner. If the Okra is cooked without water then its called bhindi ki bhujia. Try this Bihari style of Okra where mustard is the predominant flavour. Here is the recipe:-

 

Ingredients

Bhindi(Okhra)- 1/2 kg

Onion- 1 medium chopped finely

Mustard Oil - 4 tbspn

Masala-

Yellow whole mustard (Sarso)- 2 tblspn

Cumin whole (Jeera) 1/4 tspn

Peppercorns (Gol mirchi) 15-20

Red Chillies dried - 3/4

Tomato - 1 medium

Tadka-

Paanch Foran - a pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn

Salt - to taste

 

Garnish

Tomato - 1 small

Green Chillies - 1

Method -

• 
  
  Grind all the ingredients under the "Masala" using very little water.
• 
  
  Cut each bhindi (Okhra) into 3 parts. Slit each part a little bit.
• 
  
  Heat mustard oil to smoking point.
• Add paanchforan and let it crackle.
• Add to it chopped onion. Saute and let it brown.

• 
  
  Add to this Okhra. Saute till browned.
• 
  
  Add in the prepared masala paste.
• 
  
  Add turmeric powder and mix well.
• 
  
  Add salt and mix well. Bhuno (Saute) it well.
• 
  
  Add water about 300 ml.
• 
  
  Cook on low flame till bhindi is cooked well and there is a perfect blend.
• 
  
  Transfer into a serving bowl.
• 
  
  Garnish with slit tomatoes and chilly.
• 
  
  Serve hot with chapati or rice.