(This article is sponsored by Milan Restaurant)

From the Kitchen of Mona Roy
Low-fat, low carb. dishes from Bengal

Sauteed Green Beans

1 stemmed green chili (whole)
1/2 tsp kalonji (nigella)
1/2 tsp haldi ( turmeric)
1 lb green beans (preferably haricot verts) cut into 1” in pieces.*
Chopped fresh coriander leaves (fistful)
Salt to taste

Heat oil in a large wok, throw in green chili and kalonji. When it starts to sizzle, add the haldi. Wait 20 seconds or so to cook the haldi. Then throw in green beans. Saute on high heat for about 5 minutes, Add 1 tbsp of water and cover. Turn down the heat to low and let it cook for 15 minutes until done. Add salt to taste.

* you can substitute frozen French cut green beans or frozen haricot verts.
Variation: This same basic recipe can be used as a base for multiple variations. For example, after partially cooking the beans, it can be mixed with poppy seed paste or mustard paste (see below), then finish cooking for a zesty variation.

To go another way, in place of green beans, you can use potatoes or a vegetable medley of torn cabbage leaves, radishes quartered, zucchini, green beans, 1 med chopped tomato. The idea being that you use what you have and the end product is something that’s decent.

Poppyseed paste

White poppy seeds
Enough warm water
Salt

Rinse through a fine strainer (like a tea strainer) to get rid of any sand. Put in poppy seeds, add warm water to cover. Put in salt blend until smooth, adding warm water as needed . A blender is a good tool though if you have a wet grinder from India, it works even better. Try not to let the final product be watery. On the other hand, be sure to grind it long enough to be smooth. For optimum results, sauté the paste slightly with oil, haldi and some salt before adding it to the dish. It brings out a nutty flavor.

Alu Posto (poppyseed potatoes)

Heat oil and add green chili and kalonji seeds. Add diced potatoes and fry lightly for 10 mins. Add paste to the potatoes. Cover with a lid, stirring occasionally and adding 2 tbspn. of water. When water dries and potatoes are done, salt to taste. Optionally, use green chilies, sugar, or red chilly powder to adjust the mood. Ok this is not low carb. Substitute green beans or cauliflower or eggplant for a low carb option.

Mustard paste (an acquired taste – a staple of Bengali cuisine)

Black Mustard seeds
1 whole Green chili
Enough warm water
Salt

Put in mustard seeds, add warm water to cover. Put in salt and green chili and blend until smooth, adding warm water . A blender is a good tool though if you have a wet grinder from India, it works even better. Try not to let the final product be watery. On the other hand, be sure to grind it long enough to be smooth. Do NOT omit the green chili or the paste will be bitter.

Easy Microwave Shorshe Maach (Fish in mustard sauce)

4 fish steaks (a firm fish like salmon or haddock)
1 tbs haldi* (tumeric) mixed with enough oil to coat the fish
Mustard paste
Green chili
Cilantro
Pinch of sugar

Wash the fish steaks and coat with haldi and salt, leave aside for at least one hour. Lightly fry the fish steaks in oil to firm up the texture (2 minutes on each side). Optionally, the oil may have a green chili and kalonji seeds in it. Arrange the fish steaks in a microwave safe casserole dish in a single layer. Add enough ground mustard paste to cover. The mustard paste should be thinned with enough water to be the consistency of a good Thanksgiving gravy or dal (depending on your frame of reference). Add 1-2 tbsp of oil, salt to taste, a mashed green chili and a pinch of sugar. Also you can add some green chilies and some chopped cilantro. Microwave at `high-power for 10 mins and then at `medium-power for another 10 mins or until cooked. (cooking times will vary with microwave ovens). Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Please note that you can substitute salmon fillet for this but that it can be difficult to prevent the pieces from breaking
Why haldi? It is an antiseptic and thought to kill any residual bacteria on the fish.

Simmered greens with Bengali five spice

1 dried red chili (whole)
1/2 tsp panchphoron**
16 oz of washed spinach or other greens
1-3 tbs oil
Salt

Heat oil in a large wok, throw in red chili and panchphoron. When it starts to sizzle, throw in greens. Turn down the heat and simmer for minutes. Add salt to taste. For the greens, you can substitute diced cauliflower, potato and 1 chopped tomato.

**Panch phoron (Bengali five spice mixture) consists of jeera (cumin), kalonji (nigella), saunf (fennel), methi (fenugreek) and shorshe (black mustard seeds). Instead of the mustard seeds, the most authentic recipes in Bengal use radhuni which is loosely translated as celery seed. Combine in equal quantities and use. Nowadays, you can get it at some Indian grocery stores. Do NOT substitute Chinese five spice.

Tomato Chutney with Dried fruit

1 dried red chili (whole)
1/2 tsp panch phoron**
2 chopped tomatoes
1 cup handful of dried fruit
1/3 cup sugar
Salt

This is not a low carb dish.Add panch phoran and a whole dried red chilli pepper to very hot oil in a pan. Add 2 chopped tomatoes and stir fry over medium high heat. Add 1 cup of water and then dried fruits like dates, raisins, dried mango pieces. Bring to boil, then add 1/3 cup of sugar and simmer covered until the fruits are soft (about 1/2 hour). Be sure to check on it to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.

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