Ilish Polau

Ingredients

• 6-8 ilish (hilsa) pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 1 large bay leaf
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamoms
• 1 tsp kalojieera (nigella)
• 3 tbsp ghee
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 3 dried red chillies
• 3 green chillies

Steps

1. Marinade the fish with 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp salt, and all the turmeric and lemon juice for 30 minutes
2. Meanwhile cook the rice and let cool for 30 minutes
3. In a large pan, heat the cooking oil and lightly sauté the fish steaks and set aside
4. In the same oil add the chillies, cardamom, clove, bay leaf and stir fry over medium heat for 5 minutes
5. Add the previously cooked rice to the pan and stir fry until the rice coated with the spices.
6. Turn off the heat and remove the rice from the pan.
7. Coat the bottom of the pan with 1/3 of the remaining ghee and add ½ the fish in a flat layer.
8. Layer ½ the cooked rice over the fish, and drizzle ½ of the remaining ghee and ½ of the remaining salt on top of the rice.
9. Repeat with the process with the remaining fish, rice and spices.
10. Pour ½ cup of water over the rice.
11. Cover tightly and simmer over low heat for 15 – 20 minutes.

I present you one of my favorite Tehari recipes.

Sauteed Mutton

Ingredients

• Beef 1 kg (2 lbs)
• Onion paste  – 1/2 cup
• Garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
• Turmeric paste – 1 tbsp
• Ginger paste – 2 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
• Salt – 3 tsp
• Onions – 2 medium, thinly sliced
• Cinnamon – 2 1/2 inch sticks
• Cloves – 8
• Cardamom – 4 pods
• Bay leaf – 1 medium
• Green chili – 6-8
• Oil – 1/2 cup (or less)
• Rice – 2 1/2 cup (preferably aromatics like Basmati or Kalojira)

Preparation

• Cut beef into small pieces
• Simmer beef with the next 7 ingredients (pastes and powders) and 2 tsp of salt along with a cup of water until tender. This will be about 45 minutes to an hour. Stir occasionally to ensure that the spices do not stick to the bottom. You may add additional water if needed.
• In a large pan (large enough for all the rice and meet), fry the thinly sliced onions until almost golden brown.
• Add in the cinnamon, clove, cardamom and bay lead and fry an additional 4-5 minutes.
• Add in the previously cooked beef and fry over mediumheat until the oil floats to the top. Stir continuously.
• Add in the rice and fry an additional 5 minutes. Stir continuously.
• Add in 5cups of water, 1 tsp of salt and the green chili and bring to boil over high heat.
• As soon as it starts boiling, turn the heat to low. Give it a thorough stir to ensure no rice is sticking to the bottom. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.
• Enjoy with a Bangladeshi salad.

This version is a basic version quite common in Bangladesh and is often eaten with fried eggplants or scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

• MoogdAl 1 cup
• PolAu Rice  2 cups
• Finely diced ginger 2 tsp
• Salt 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon Sticks 2/3
• Bayleaf 2 [small ones]
• Ghee 1/2 cup
• Cloves 4/5

Steps

1. Wash the rice
2. Fry the dAl separtely for a while.
3. Lightly fry in ghee the ginger and bay leaves
4. Then add the rice, dAl, and salt, fry for about 10 minutes. Medium to medium high heat
5. Add five cups of boiling water and the salt
6. As soon as the water comes up to boil, put a lid on it.
7. Simmer on low heat for 20/25 minutes
8. You could add beresta to it or you could make it spicier by adding turmeric and chilli powder. I use 1/2 tsp of the former and 1 tsp of the latter. [I like it hot]

Comments

This version is a drier version and uses Moog Daal (Mung beans) instead of the standard yellow lentils..

Ingredients

• MoogdAl 1 cup
• PolAu Rice  2 cups
• Finely diced ginger 2 tsp
• Salt 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon Sticks 2/3
• Bayleaf 2 [small ones]
• Ghee 1/2 cup
• Cloves 4/5

Procedure

1. Wash the rice
2. Fry the dAl separtely for a while.
3. Lightly fry in ghee the ginger and bay leaves
4. Then add the rice, dAl, and salt, fry for about 10 minutes. Medium to medium high heat
5. Add five cups of boiling water and the salt
6. As soon as the water comes up to boil, put a lid on it.
7. Simmer in low heat for 20/25 minutes
8. You could add beresta to it or you could make it spicier by adding turmeric and chilli powder. I use 1/2 tsp of the former and 1 tsp of the latter. [I like it hot]

Ingredients

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 1 small onion
• 3 medium carrots
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick, crumbled
• 2 cloves
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp light vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt (or to taste)

Procedure

1. Wash the rice in cool water, squeezing gently with your fingers, until the water runs clear. Put the rice in 2 cups of cool water to soak for 20 minutes.
2. Strain soak water into saucepan and heat. Leave rice to dry in strainer. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.
3. While rice is drying, chop onion finely and set aside. Dice carrots and set aside. Measure spices.
4. When rice is dry, heat oil over medium high flame in heavy, oven-proof skillet or casserole dish. Add spices.
5. When spices become fragrant, add butter and onions. Cook until onions are tender and light golden brown. Add carrots and cook for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add rice and cook, stirring very gently for 5 minutes.
7. Add salt and heated soak water, bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until water on top of rice has boiled off.
8. Cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes at 350 deg. F.
9. Remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes, then serve.

It is important to handle the rice gently so that the grains are not broken. It’s also important to use whole spices; ground spices would overpower the rice. This dish can be re-heated in the oven.