Kochur loti /stolon of taro / Taro Stem

For Shweta and Shreya

Taro was plenty where I grew up. My mom cooked taro stems with dry fish or shrimps, taro green with Ilish (fish) head. Yaers later at a Hawai'ian luau (traditional Hawai'ian feast), I ate chicken wrapped and cooked in taro leaves. The islands of Hawai'i has a tropical climate and has similar flora to other tropical places of the world. Also, the fertile volcanic soil makes crops taste better. Even the Hawai'ian potatoes have a distinct flavor you can discern.  Anyhow, I digress. Back to my roots.

My mom taught me a trick to make the frozen taro stems taste better. She asked me to dry roast the frozen vegetables in a wok  on low heat until the water evaporates before I start cooking them so the stems don't become a mush from the excess water.

Ingredients:
Minced onion- 1 medium
5-6 garlic cloves smashed or to taste
Minced green chilies (optional, I prefer it for extra flavor
Red chili powder about 1/2 tsp or to taste
Dry fish, preferably chepa/shidol. Soak in warm water, Clean scales well. Remove heads if needed (if the dry fish is not too fresh or else it might taste bitter)
You may use whatever dry fish you have including Bombay Duck. Can substitute it with shrimps or make a vegetarian version with mustard paste.

Turmeric powder
Salt

Tip: If you want the taro stems to itch less, you may soak/boil them in vinegar water or lime juice. Fresh taro stems may also be boiled in water and strained before cooking.

Method:

1. In a wok, heat mustard oil. Fry the minced onions and garlic. Add the dry fish/shrimp.
2. Since the taro is frozen or boiled (if fresh), you may add the stems later when the masala is halfway cooked. You will get a better idea as you cook a couple of times.
3. Add salt, turmeric,  red chili powder, and minced green chilies. Stir lightly occasionally to toss the spices uniformly. Serve with steamed rice.

Ilish Paturi: Bengali New Year Special

Ingredients
Ilish/Hilsa fish- 4-6 pieces
Mustard paste
(I mixed yellow and black mustard seeds in 2:1 ratio. Yellow mustard is for flavor, black mustard is for punch. Soak in water first, then strain and make a paste. I used Magic Bullet for making the paste)
Green chilies paste and slit whole for garnish
1 tsp yogurt
Grated Coconut
Turmeric powder
Mustard oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Clean the fish. Smear the pieces with turmeric powder, salt, mustard paste, mustard oil, coconut and green chili paste. 
2. Cut the banana leaves into rectangles. Wrap each fish in a separate packet, add a slit green chili on top, tie with kitchen string.
3. Heat mustard oil in a tawa or  frying pan. Fry the packets covered to cook uniformly. Turn every 5 mins till done. I cooked for 15-20 mins.
4. Serve with steamed white rice.

Pork Bulgogi

Marinate thinly sliced pork with bulgogi marinade overnight. Grill and serve with thinly sliced red chilies, ginger, and scallions. Serve with salad, pickled radish, and rice or in a sandwich.

For the marinade, combine crushed garlic cloves, soy sauce, organic sugar, grated green chilies or crushed red pepper or kochujang, and ground pepper.

Christmas dry fruit cake/cupcakes

You can use dry fruits soaked in rum for 24 hrs or simply dry fruits like candied orange slices, cranberries, raisins, figs, apples, apricots etc.

1. Preheat oven to 345 F.
2. Whisk 2 eggs, 1 tsp butter, 2/3 cup sugar (or to taste), 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup dry fruits, 1 cup sifted flour. Mix till uniform. Fold in with a spatula.
3. Use parchment cups for cupcakes or a cake pan if you making a single cake.
4. Bake for 20 mins if making cupcakes, 40 mins if a single large cake, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Salad ideas

1. Apple and avocado with white truffle flavored extra virgin olive oil, cracked pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice
2. Summer salad: boiled eggs, boiled beets, tomatoes, baby spinach drizzled with balsamic vinegar and cracked pepper.

Kacha kolar kofta (raw banana/green plantain dumplings)

For Sujaya di

Method:

For kofta

1. Cut the bananas into 3-4 pieces, pressure cook up to 3 whistles. Drain in a colander. (overnight if necessary)
2. Peel the skin, mince or chop finely with a sharp knife. Mash the banana flesh(you may prefer to stir fry them to reduce water content further. Optional step). Add salt and coriander powder. Make round balls. Coat with all purpose flour or maida. Deep fry in oil. Set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.

For gravy

1. In a wok, heat mustard oil. Add Bengali panch phoran, tej pata. Let it splutter. Take care not to burn the phoron or it will taste bitter. Then add ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt to taste. On medium low flame. (Flame button turned to about 4 o'clock)
2. Add chopped tomato, ginger, green chilis (you may add fried potatoes pieces if you want. I add green peas too). Add boiled water for gravy. Cook till a boil.
3. Add ghee, garam masala. Add the kofta balls to the gravy. Turn once. Alternately, if the balls are too soft, add the gravy to the balls after it has cooled a bit.

Kimchi meatball soup