Noboborsho feast for a perfect Bangali celebration

Paneer Payesh Recipe

Ingredients

 • 150 gram of cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon semolina
• 5 cups of milk
• 4 green cardamoms, crushed a little
• 6-7 strands of saffron
• ½ cup of sugar
• 6 almonds

Instructions
First, boil the milk in a large pan and cook till about half the quantity is left. Mash the paneer and semolina together until it becomes a smooth paste. Make tiny balls with the paneer mixture.

Going to the next step, when the milk has thickened to the desired consistency, add sugar, elaichi, saffron and keep the gas high. Add the paneer balls, keep the milk at a boil and keep stirring for 10 minutes.

Finally, refrigerate to chill, garnish with almonds and serve.

Aamer Tok Dal (Sour Mango Lentil Curry)

Ingredients

• 1 cup masoor dal (red lentil) soaked for 1 hour
•  1 large (300g, seed removed) raw mango chopped lengthwise
•  2 tsp grated ginger
•  1 tbsp mustard oil
•  5 cups water
•  1 dry red chilli
•  1 tsp panch phoron or black mustard seeds
•  ½ tsp turmeric powder
•  ½ tsp red chilli powder
•  1 tbsp sugar
•  2 tsp salt

Instructions
Toss chopped mango with ½ tsp salt and red chilli powder. Set aside. In a pressure cooker or heavy-bottomed pan, boil two cups of water with one tsp salt and one tsp grated ginger. Add the soaked masoor dal and cook until the first whistle. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes.

Heat mustard oil in a wok. Temper with panch phoron (or black mustard seeds) and dry red chilli. Add remaining one tsp grated ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the marinated mango and turmeric powder. Stir-fry for one to two minutes.

Pour in the cooked lentil, add remaining water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for five to seven minutes until the mango is tender yet holds shape. Add sugar and adjust salt. Boil to your desired consistency.

Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. Serve Aamer Tok Dal with plain rice.

Chingri Malai Daab (Prawn Coconut Curry in Tender Coconut)

Ingredients

• 500g medium-sized prawns, cleaned and deveined
• 1 tender coconut (daab), shell intact, water reserved, soft flesh scooped out
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 2 tbsp onion paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 2–3 green chillies, slit
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• 1 small stick cinnamon
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp ghee (optional)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp sugar
• Salt to taste

Instructions

Marinate the prawns with salt and turmeric for 10 minutes. Heat mustard oil in a pan, fry the prawns for one to two minutes, and set aside. In the same oil, temper bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon.

Add onion paste and cook until golden, then add ginger and garlic paste, red chilli powder, and sugar. Stir-fry until the oil separates from the masala. Add the prawns and coconut flesh, followed by coconut milk and reserved coconut water. Add green chillies and salt, and simmer for five to six minutes. 

Pour the curry into the empty coconut shell, drizzle with ghee, and either steam for 10–15 minutes or bake at 180°C for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with rice.