Aakhol Ghor, the Assamese Cuisines and Foods from Assam

Its all about Food and Food Habits from the land of blue hills and red river, Assam.

Aakhol Ghor means Kitchen in Assamese. Assamese traditional Kitchens normally has two parts. First the dining area plus a small cooking space for tea etc. And the next bigger and more functional room is the actual kitchen with at least two earthen fire places (chowka).If you are a food lover you can hope to see a lot of authentic Assamese Recipes in this place......

DISCLAIMER

Some famous Chef of India once said, " India is so unique, one can find three different recipes for the same chicken curry in the three houses lined in the same row. Every kitchen and every cook in India has it's own cook book, unlike rest of the world."
I personally feel it is so well said. Even in my case, you might find small to big differences in your known method of cooking and the ones posted here. I call them true Assamese for two main reasons, one: because of the spices used, and two: my granny knew nothing beyond her village ( she did not believe that cauliflower can be green, which is Broccoli). So whatever she cooked was passed on over generation. And my Mom finds it hard to believe anything can be cooked beyond her traditional methods( she is best at it, though she makes excellent Indo - Chinese things, invented). So please feel free to put in your comments / correction. One thing I can assure is I have cooked all these ( everything) myself with my own hands at least once. So whatever is here is tried and tested. You are always welcome to do your bit of experiment !!!!!

One Simple Quick Side Dish....

Ingredients:

1. Half Cup Masoor Dal ( red bengal daal)
2. One small Onion finely chopped.
3. Green Chilly, chopped.
4. 1 spoon mustard oil
5. Salt to taste
6. A cotton big handkerchief / Piece of cloth.

Method:

First and fore most your piece of cloth has to be so clean that you can eat it. It should be literally eatable.
If you cook rice in pressure cooker your work is more than half done. Put the daal in the cloth piece and make a pouch by tying it tight. The knot has to be tight but make a pouch double the amount of daal. Put this pouch in your rice, to cook along the rice. Once your rice is done, take the pouch out and let it cool a bit.

Take out the daal from the pouch, add all the rest of the ingredients, mesh well. It is a delicious side dish for any rice variety. I some times stuff this into a Paratha too :-D
1 comment:

Mach Aru Kala Teel Curry - Fish Curry in Black Sesame


Oh well.. long since my last recipe... sorry about that. Here is one absolute authentic Assamese dish.
Ingredients:


  1. Fish ( Rahu or Climbing Perch)

  2. Black Sesame seeds (Kala Teel) - About half cup, paste ( Use the black variety with the "chilka")

  3. Galric - 7 to 8 Medium cloves

  4. Salt to taste

  5. Green Chilly- about 3, slit them

  6. Water - Boiled

  7. mustered Oil - 2 Spoon
Method:
Clean the fish and deep fry, do not forget to add salt and turmeric. The fish should be 90% fried.
Heat a wok ( Karhai). Add the oil and bring it to boil. Add the garlic cloves. Sputter till brown. Add the Gingely / till paste. Add Salt and the green chilly simultaneously. Add the boiling hot water. ( The amount of water should be double the amount of gravy desired. About a Liter is fine for this amount of other ingredient). Let is come to bubble. Add the fish pieces.
Now let it shimmer on a very low flame. It is ready to serve when the water is half of its amount. serve with rice....
2 comments:

Ou Tengar Ombol - elephant's apple chutney


Well elephant's apple is a favorite soaring agent used by all Assamese Kitchen. I am not sure where all places this particular fruit is avaiable. If you can find it do try this chutney.

Do not forget to throw away the cover flakes.



  1. Ou tenga - 1, flaked and cut in to pieces.

  2. Salt to taste

  3. Sugar to taste

  4. Green chillies

Method:


Boil the Ou tenga falkes with water in a cooker. ( add only enough water to cook). Remove from flame once cooked. Mesh the cooked flakes and squeeze. Seperate the pulpy water part and the hard fibers. Add salt, sugar and Chillies. Mix well.


Serve with anything.

No comments:

Roast Brinjal - Bengena Pitika


Pitika and Pora are two unavoidable side dishes of any assamese platter. Here is one quick fix.

Ingredient:


  1. Brinjal - One ( as shown in the picture)

  2. Roasted or Boiled and peeled Potato - 2 medium

  3. Onion - 1, Finely chopped

  4. Green Chilly - to taste

  5. Masturd Oil - 1 tea spoon

  6. Green Coriender - 2 tea spoon, chopped

Method:


Roast the brinjal on a gas flame/ wood fire or any where as per your arrengement. Prick the brinjal while roasting, with a pricker. After roasting it evenly and once the brinjal is cooked, peel of the skin. Keep it in a pan or plate. Add the potatos ( Peeled). Add all the rest of the ingredients. Mesh it well. ( You can add a boiled egg to it).


Serve it hot with any rice platter.

2 comments:

Pickle - Brinjal


This is one of the best expertise of my mother. You can make it at any point of time. Use the kind of Brinjals as shown in the picture.


Ingredients:


  1. Brinjal - 1KG

  2. Oil - 1 Ltr

  3. Ginger - 250 Gm - Paste

  4. Garlic - 3 Big - Paste

  5. Red Chilly Powder - 2 Table Spoon

  6. Jeera / Cummin Powder - 2 Table Spoon

  7. Dhania / Corriender powder - 3 Table Spoon

  8. Fenugreek / Methi - 1/2 tea spoon- powdered

  9. Salt to taste

  10. Sugar to taste

  11. Vinegar - 1 Cup

  12. Curry leaves - 4 to 5

Method:


Wash the brinjal clean. Remove all stems. Dry of all water with a clean musline. Cut in to a size of 5cm length. You can use them a half sliced vertically or cut into quater vertically with a length of 5 cm. Heat a iron wok or a deep and heacy bottom pan. Pour 750 Ml of the oil. Half fry the brinjals in batches. Drain the oil and keep aside. Add ginger and garlic to the oil. Fry till golden brown. Add all the spices mentioned. Now add the half fried brinjals. Add salt and sugar to taste. Mix well. Cook till every thing is mixed evenly. when the Brinjal is cooked, add vinegar and the curry leaves. Keep it on flame for another minute and remove.


Let it pickle for 2 days in a jar. heat the remaining oil and let it cool. Once cooled, pour over the pickle.


Serve it with chappati, bread or any thing. ( The sate is sweet salt sour)

2 comments:
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