Tomato Kasundi

When I first heard about it on the latest season of Masterchef Australia Season 6, my salivary glands went on a overdrive. The red oozing out of the burgers was too much to resist. I decided to Google the recipe and voila....there are dozens of Tomato Kasundi recipes floating around in the blogosphere. And each version happened to be quite different from the other. I finally settled for my own version ( inspired by the Odia Tomato-Besara ). Though it takes some time and effort, the investment is well worth it !! This versatile sauce can be had with white rice, slathered over bread/wraps and even as a hot dip for all kinds of fritters.

While I have used mustard powder/one can just use whole mustard in the tempering. The mustard introduces a slightly bitter note along with the heat but some varieties can be quite bitter. Yellow mustard is a safe bet for folks who can not accustomed to the mustard-y taste/flavour.

Read on -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 5 medium sized ripe tomatoes
• 4-5 garlic flakes
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• a pinch of cumin powder
• 4 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp powdered jaggery
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1-2 green chili 
• salt to taste

Preparation - Grind the mustard into a fine powder.

Grate the ginger and garlic.

Put the tomatoes in boiling water for 5-6 mins. Remove and wash under running water. Peel and chop them.

Take all the ingredients (except oil) in a mixing bowl and toss together.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the green chili and fry till it starts to turn brown. This would release its heat and flavor into the oil.

Add the contents of the mixing bowl and allow to cook on medium heat.

Once the water evaporates and the oil starts to separate into another layer, it is done.

Allow to cool down before storing it in disinfected bottles. Stays good in the fridge up to 6 months to 1 year.

Goalondo Chicken Curry

I love recipes that have a story woven around them. Whether truth or fiction, a bit of folklore always seems to add that right amount of oomph or X-factor to a dish. Goalondo Chicken curry/Steamer chicken curry was created by the Muslim boatmen of 'Goalondo-Narayanganj' steamers in pre-partition India. It was an important point in those days while travelling from Kolkatta to Dhaka.

As this is a Bengali recipe that dates back to the British days, I feel honored to put a piece of history on my blog. Having read about it on so many blogs, I could not resist its charm. There is nothing earth shattering about the recipe, just a very basic rustic type with minimal spices. Due to the limited kitchen available on a boat, it was made with un-ground spices.Believe me, many of us would have already tried it out without knowing about its iconic status. Even my mother-in-law makes something like this but has long forgotten where she picked up the recipe. My husband attributes the great taste to the miraculous waters of the Ganga and Bhramaputra that irrigate the region.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour ( plus 10-12 mins extra )

Ingredients -

• 600 gm medium sized chicken pieces ( skinless )
• 3 big onions (roughly chopped)
• 2 inch ginger ( roughly chopped )
• 8-10 garlic cloves ( roughly chopped )
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2-3 green chilis ( slit lengthwise )
• 2-3 red chilis ( broken into two )
• 4 tbsp mustard oil ( no other oil plz )
• salt to taste
• 1-2 tsp tomato sauce ( my addition )
• coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation - Thoroughly wash chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, red chilis, green chilis, turmeric, mustard oil and salt. Mix well. Keep aside to marinate for 1 hour.

Cooking - Heat a wok. Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Toss on medium flame for 3 mins.

Reduce the flame to low. Cover with a lid and allow to cook without adding any extra water. It is important for the chicken to get cooked in its own juices. It will take about 45 mins to 1 hour for the chicken to become tender. ( Most of the water should have reduced by now. If not, turn up the flame for 2 mins )

Serve hot with white rice or rotis.

Posto Bara ( Khuskhus tikkis )

Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-40 rupees

Ingredients: Posto(khus-khus/poppy seeds)( 6 tbs), finely chopped green chilli (2 nos), finely chopped onion (2-3 tbs), finely chopped coriander (1-2 tsp), mustard oil (2-3 tsp), salt to taste.


Preparation: Grind the posto into a thick coarse paste.

Add the finely chopped ingredients along with salt and a few drops of mustard oil. Mix well.




















Cooking: Heat a non-stick tawa/pan. Take small balls of the paste and flatten on the tawa ( just like tikkis ). Drizzle generously with oil.

Cook on both sides till light brown-red.
















Remove from fire and serve with white rice.


Tip: Grind the dry posto seeds. Then add water and grind again. The paste will be much more fine.