Weave a Thousand Flavors

Happy Deepavali & 'Channar Jilipi' in Celebration : Khoya & Ricotta Spirals in Saffron Nectar

 

People,  Meet Channar Jilipi ~ Gulab Jamuns with a college education.

The first time I met Mr. Hubby's extended family over a decade ago, they all asked me if I had ever eaten my Mother-in-law's Channar Jilipi for which she holds the unrivaled reputation of making, like no other. 

 
While the Gulab Jamun, is its dumpy brother Channar Jilipi is its feminine reinvention. Sporting slender curves and incredibly delicate, Channar Jilipi is bound to give Gulab Jamuns a complex! 

At it's best, both have a heart that is soft with a melt-in-your-mouth center that is bursting with intensely flavored syrup as you bite into it. Alas, more often than not, most end up a hard 'rock' at its core. And that dearies is what separates the novices from the whiz'.

So when my mother-in-law affectionately, Ma was visiting for a few weeks this summer (and since we both share the same passion for good cooking and food) we decided to put our heads together and make Channar Jilipi. The basis of the partnership was simple, she teach - I learn, with two notable and from what I understand, ground breaking differences.

I convinced Ma that we should skip the boring old, 'add lemon to curdle the milk' step and instead reach for store-bought Ricotta in the refrigerator aisle. Gasp! Well why not? That's exactly how Ricotta is made and imagine skipping such a tedious step for the modern kitchen (if it worked that is)

Dubious she was indeed but what a good sport and agreed to give it a go. Just when she'd come to terms with this, I suggested we get rid of good old fashioned kneading and use the food processor. Now we were both really nervous but ventured on, brave faced and all.

Enter, Ma - you must understand, the pillar of Indian kitchen is 'andaaza' - don't bother asking our Mums for recipes, they don't have one. They do everything by proportion and then a splash of this and a dash of that i.e. 'andaaza'. The proportion is critical and you never mess with it. I am quite used to my own Mum and grandma exchange recipes in the form of 1:7 - butter : flour. Sorta reminds me of mixing cement, same concept, 1:3:4 just in case you wanted to know.

To make these spiral lovelies, one essentially needs equal parts of khoya : Ricotta to which is added a smidgen of flour and other flavor adding ingredients such as cardamom seeds and sugar.

So where to buy Khoya?

Khoya which is essentially reduced milk to its solid/thickened form, is sold as a 'brick' in Indian-Pakistani grocery stores, in the refrigerated section and is essential to this recipe. Ricotta is available in regular grocery stores.

Channar Jilipi are heavily in demand in Bengal while Gulab Jamun, its globular brother is made all over India, especially during Deepavali - the festival of lights seeing how you too are going to fall madly in love with these sweet, curvy delights!  

Nothing like Homemade Ghee

 
We had some acquaintances over to dinner the other night. They are some friends of friends and we had only met them a couple of times at community gathering events. They had heard of my cooking skills (not shy am I?) and they wanted some authentic home cooked Indian grub. So we invited them.

One of the ladies saw that I was using ghee and she started talking to the other women about how she picked up a bottle of fragrant ghee at this high end organic foods store (for something like 8 or 9 bucks). Now no offense,  but I have experienced some of these ready made ghee's available in  the high end markets and all I can say is - close but no cigar!

I realized as I was stirring the dal that as long as one can get their hands on sweet cream butter (I bought 2 lbs on sale at 1.59/lb just to make ghee)  and stir a pot, you can get the most awesome, liquid, golden ghee in 45 minutes flat, for one-thirds the cost and double the quantity!

Now for those of you unfamiliar with ghee, it is also known as clarified butter and it is fantastic in  rice dishes, Indian cooking and makes a mean steak au poivre to tow -- you think I'm kidding - try it and see for yourself.

I cook my steak with nothing but - and here's why. It has a much higher burning point, than  butter and I think of it as the 'clean fuel of cooking fat'. Good term, eh?

It has no strong discernible flavor so you can use it in just about anything - roasted veggies, roasted potatoes (to die for) and almost all Indian cooking - for which olive oil has too strong a flavor and scent. Do you what my favorite food in ghee is? Fried eggs! Yummy!

Mrs Das' Macher Kalia - A Bengali Fish delicacy In a Gravy with Aromatic Spices

There is nothing quite the likes of a fish market in India.

The sheer energy of the place with mounds and mounds of the freshest fish, countless varieties, the smells and the shouts of the men and women with their pruned white hands as they wave and shout to draw your attention - to get you to look at an amazing cut of fish is a fantastic experience in itself.

And yet among all of India's cultures and states and coastal towns it well accepted  that the people of West Bengal (and Bangladesh)  really know their fish!

I should know. I am married to one!

Now my mother-in-law just happens to be an ace talent in the kitchen herself. You only have  to be in  her presence as she gently works around the kitchen cooking a fish dish of one variety or the other, as she has done so for the last 40 odd years and you know that now's the time to observe and learn.

And I have done so and yet I may be many strides away from being as good as the author of this dish. So I  humbly bring you Mrs. Das' Macher Kalia.  

We begin by selecting a white firm fish such as shown here - grass carp steaks, traditional 'rui' or 'rohu'. You can use boneless grass carp or Tilapia fillets if you prefer. 

Carp is quite easily available at Asian markets here in the US where they have an extensive fresh fish collection.

 

I have used grass carp steaks cut down the middle and sliced 1/2" thick. First we marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder. 

Onions - Next finely chop a large onion and the garlic cloves.

Tomatoes - Chop the tomatoes and set aside

Peas - Remove a 1/4 cup frozen peas from the freezer and set side.

Potatoes - Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut in 1/4" thick slices and set aside in a bowl of water so they do not brown.

Garlic - Peel and crush

Cilantro - Wash and chop. Immerse in a bowl of water till ready to use. Any soil or dirt will settle to the bottom of the bowl.

Bengali garam masala powder - Roast the spices ( cardamom pods, cinnamon bark & cloves) on medium heat till the sent of spices fill the air for about 30 seconds - a minute. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Grind to a powder in a coffee grinder. Set aside.

 

In a non-stick frying pan heat 1/2 cup of oil and heat on medium high flame till it is very hot. When you drop the first piece of fish in it should sizzle immediately.

Fry for approx 2 minutes per side till is crisp and brown on both sides. I use a pair of tongs or a fork to gently turn over.

Continue above method till all the fish has been cooked. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Cooks Note - Do not fry more than 2 pieces of fish at a time or the fish will not cook crisp like you need it to. 

Also, as when deep frying all foods the hot oil will splatter so once you drop the fish into the oil step back from the stove so you do not get hot oil splatter all over you.

 

 

In a separate saute pan or 'kadhai', take some the oil used for frying the fish .  Keep on medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and onions and saute till soft and golden brown.

 

Now add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Saute for a few minutes on medium flame till tomatoes begin to soften approx 3-4 minutes.

Add the whole cardamom, sliced potatoes and 2 cups water. Once the liquid comes to a boil, cover with a tight lid and simmer. Keep at medium heat and simmer for approx 10 minutes till the potatoes are cooked.

Cooks Note - If you are going to sit down to eat right after preparing this dish then the 2 cups of water is fine. If you are going preparing the fish earlier in the day to be eaten at dinner for example then increase water to 2 - 1/2 cups. This is because as it sits some of the liquid will be absorbed  and you want enough of a gravy to go with the steamed rice. 

Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the fish gently to the gravy and spoon the gravy onto the fish. Now add the peas, sprinkle with Bengali garam masala powder and top with 1 tsp 'ghee'.

Cover with a lid and on medium high heat continue to simmer for the next 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice. You may garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

This is an intensely flavored dish with the rich gravy, the sprinkle of ground aromatic spices and crispy  texture of the fish.

We love it served on rice and is a true example of comfort food for us in our family. I hope you'll give it a go & it delights you as much as it does us!

 Recipe for  

MACHER KALIA - A Bengali fish curry cooked in a lightly spiced gravy of onions and tomatoes

Serves 4

Shopping list

2 lbs Grass Carp or Tilapia steaks/ fillets

3 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed                             

1 large chopped Onion

1/2 diced Tomato

3 medium Potatoes

1/4 cup fresh or frozen Peas

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

4 whole Cardamom pods

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil for frying  (4 tbs of this oil to be used for gravy)

1 tsp 'ghee'

2 - 2 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup chopped Cilantro leaves (optional)

Bengali Gram Masala -

2 cardamom pods

1/2" cinnamon bark

2 cloves

For Marinade:

1/2 tbs  salt

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

Preparation

Fish: Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder.

Garlic cloves -  peeled, crush and chop

Onion - Finely chop a large onion

Tomato - Wash and dice. Leave skin on.

Potatoes - Peel and slice in 1/4" thick slices. Immerse in a bowl of water till ready to use.

Cilantro - Wash and chop. Immerse in a bowl of water till ready to use. Any soil or dirt will settle to the bottom of the bowl.

Bengali Garam Masala - Roast the spices on medium heat till the sent of spices fill the air for about 30 seconds - a minute. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Grind to a powder in a coffee grinder. Set aside.

Cooking Method

In a non-stick frying pan heat 1/2 cup of oil and heat on medium high flame till it is very hot. When you drop the first piece of fish in it should sizzle immediately. Fry for approx 2 minutes per side till is crisp and brown on both sides.  Continue till all the fish has been cooked. Remove to a plate and set aside. Set aside 4 tbs of the oil.  Store the remaining oil once completely cool for future use.

Do not fry more than 2 pieces of fish at a time or the fish will not cook crisp like we want it to. 

In a separate large saute pan with a lid or 'kadhai', take 4 tbs of the oil used to fry the fish. On medium heat, add the crushed garlic and onions and saute till soft and golden brown.

Now add the chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Saute for a few minutes on medium flame till tomatoes begin to soften approx 3-4 minutes.

Add the whole cardamom, sliced potatoes and 2 cups water. Once the liquid comes to a boil, cover with a tight lid and simmer. Keep at medium heat and simmer for approx 10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Add the fish gently to the gravy and spoon the gravy onto the fish. Now add the peas, sprinkle Bengali garam masala powder and top with 1 tsp 'ghee'. Cover with a lid and on medium high heat continue to simmer for the next 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Enjoy!