The influence of the widows

In medieval Bengal the treatment of Hindu widows was much more proscribed than common elsewhere. They led very monastic lives within the household and lived under strict dietary restrictions. Traditional cuisine was deeply influenced by them; they were the important contributors to the kitchen since they were not allowed any interests but religion and housework. Their ingenuity and skill led to many culinary practices; simple spice combinations, the ability to prepare small quantities (since widows often ate alone) and creative use of the simplest of cooking techniques. Most traditional Bangali vegetarian recipes didn’t use onions and garlic. This has led to a definite slant towards ginger in bangali vegetarian food. This treatment of widows in Bengal continued. 

Cashew kofta

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken minced	500 grams
Salt	0.5 tea-spoon
Green chili paste	1 tea-spoon
Ginger paste	0.5 tea-spoon
Garlic paste	0.5 tea-spoon
Garam Masala	As required
Flour	4 tea-spoon
Egg	1 piece
Baking powder	1 tea-spoon
Corn Flour	2 tea-spoon
Oil for frying	1 cup
Flour	0.5 cup

Procedure: mix the minced chicken with all the above ingredients and marinate for one hour. Make small balls with the mixture, roll it over flour and fry these in dipping oil.

Special Chicken Chutney

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken	1 (1.5 kg)
Spinach, boiled, paste	1 cup
Pudina paste	2 table-spoon
Coriander leaf, paste	2 table-spoon
Green chili, paste	2 table-spoon
Oil	1 tea-spoon
Cumin paste	0.5 tea-spoon
Onion sliced rounded	2 cup
Ginger paste	2 table-spoon
Garlic paste	1 table-spoon
Coriander paste	1 tea-spoon
Salt	0.5 tea-spoon
Sour yogurt	1 cup
Lemon juice	1 cup
Cassia leaf	2 piece
Cardamom	2 piece
Cinnamon	2 piece
Cardamom, cinnamon and clove powder	1 table-spoon

Procedure: cut the chicken into some pieces as desired. Add sour yogurt, half a spoon salt and marinate for one hour. Pour oil on a pan give cassia leaf, cardamom, cinnamon and sliced onion and stir a little until onion is soft. Give ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin and salt and braise for a few minutes. When it is brown give marinated chicken pieces into it and braise under law heat. After half an hour add spinach paste, coriander leaf, pudina leaf and green chili paste and braise a few minutes add lemon juice and braise for 10 minutes more closing the pan with a lid. After it is ready sprinkle fried onion and serve. 

Green Mint Pesta Chicken

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken, medium	1 (800 grams)
Sour yogurt	1 cup
Nuts and pistachio	1 cup
Bay leaf	2 table-spoon
Ginger paste	1 tea-spoon
Garlic paste	1 tea-spoon
Onion paste	1 table-spoon
Green chili paste	1 tea-spoon
Green chili whole	5/6 pieces
Onion cubed	1 cup
Cinnamon	3/4 pieces
Cardamom	4/5 pieces
Cassia leaf	2 pieces
Ghee	0.5 cup
Salt	As required
Lettuce	4 leaves
Carrot and tomato	1 each
Pistachio	1 table-spoon
Pudina leaf (buds)	2/3 pieces

Procedure: wash and clean the chicken and make several pieces. Mix sour yogurt and all other ingredients and salt and keep it in the freeze for one hour. Place a deep fry pan on the oven, give ghee and ginger paste, garlic paste, onion and cook for 30 minutes in medium heat. Stir the entire materials from time to time. When the meat becomes tender give 5/6 green chili and take it out of oven. As no water is given the chicken will be tasteful and nutritious.

Serve: Decorate a curry dish with lettuce leaves and pour the curry into it decorate all the sides with Sliced carrot, tomato (Green and red capsicum can also be used). It can be taken warm with Pilao or Luchi.

Chicken Qurma (Curry)

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken, medium	2 whole
Ginger paste	1 table-spoon
Onion paste	1 cup
Sour Yogurt	0.5 cup
Cinnamon	4 pieces
Coriander paste	1 table-spoon
Cardamom	2 piece
Cassia leaf	2 piece
Green chili	6 piece
Ghee	0.5 cup
Onion chopped	2 pieces
Potato, medium	4 pieces
Sugar	1table-spoon
Salt	As required
Rose water	As required
Nuts and pistachio	As required

Procedure: Place pan on the oven and give oil. When it is hot sprinkle chopped onion and fry until it is brown. Bring out the fried onion and make it dry. Wash and clean the chicken and make several pieces as desired. Cut potatoes into 4 pieces. Mix all the ingredients and mix with chicken pieces and potato. Put all these in a pan and braise until the meat is tender. Add rose water, nuts and pistachio and it is ready for serve.

Spicy chicken curry

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken, 8 pieces	1 kg
Ginger paste	1 table-spoon
Oil	0.75 cup
Cumin paste	1 tea-spoon
Turmeric paste	1 tea-spoon
Chili paste	1.5 tea-spoon
Onion chopped	1 cup
Garlic, cubed	1 tea-spoon
Salt	1 tea-spoon
Tomato, cubed	1 cup
Garam masala	tea-spoon
Water	As required

Procedure: heat oil on the oven. Give onion and fry until light brown, then give all the ingredients and braise. Give chicken and tomato cubes in the pan, add water and braise. When chicken is tender sprinkle cardamom and cinnamon powder and put under low heat for some times. When it is oily put down the pan.

Chicken Sago Chop

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken Brest, boneless	800 grams
Sago	200 grams
Ground nut	100 grams
Onion paste	2 tea-spoon
Ginger paste	1 tea-spoon
Garlic paste	0.5 tea-spoon
Green chili chopped	2 tea-spoon
Black pepper powder	0.5 tea-spoon
Salt	As per taste
Oil	As required
Egg albumin	From 2 eggs
Biscuit powder	As required

Procedure: Mince the chicken breast into paste. Wash the sago seeds thoroughly. Crush the groundnuts into powder. Mix all the ingredients with the minced meat and make small balls or any shape. Bit the egg. Dip the balls and roll it on the biscuit powder and fry it in dipping oil. Keep about 10 minutes until these balls turns brown. Serve with sauce. 

Chicken with soft cocoanut

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken, local variety	1 whole
Cocoanut, soft variety	0.5 cup
Cocoanut milk	1 cup
Oil	0.5 cup
Onion paste	2 cup
Garlic paste	2 table-spoon
Ginger paste	2 table-spoon
Turmeric paste	1 table-spoon
Chili paste	1 tea-spoon
Coriander	1 tea-spoon
Cumin paste	1 table-spoon
Cinnamon (half inch)	4 pieces
Cardamom	4 pieces
Clove	2 pieces
Cassia leaf	2 cup
Salt	As per taste

Procedure: Cut chicken and soft cocoanut into small pieces. Pour oil in a pan and heat it. Give chili, turmeric, onion, garlic, coriander and salt and braise for quite some time. After it is well done give all the chicken and soft cocoanut into it and braise again. After a few minutes add cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cassia leaves. After some time add 2 cups of water and one cup of cocoanut milk and make it boil for some times closing the pan with a lid. When ready, and there is enough gravy, put it down from the oven. 

Chicken Paturi

Ingredients	Quantity
Banana leave (young)	1 piece
Chicken (small pieces)	1 kg
Ginger paste	1 table-spoon
Dry chili	1 table-spoon
Garlic paste	1 tea-spoon
Mustard seed paste	1 tea-spoon
Mustard oil	2 table-spoon
Nutmeg	0.25 tea-spoon
Mace	0.25 tea-spoon
Cinnamon	1 piece
Cardamom	2 piece
Vinegar	1 tea-spoon
Salt	1 tea-spoon
Onion, sliced	1 tea-spoon

Procedure: wash the banana leaf thoroughly and warm both the sides thoroughly. Take nutmeg, mace, cardamom and make a paste. Mix all the paste with the chicken pieces. Warp the whole materials with the panama leaf into a packet and put it on a flat iron pan and cover it. Put the pan on oven and make the flame high. Wait half an hour, when the cover and turn the packet from one side to another half an hour. When the leaf becomes tender, there will be good aroma and the dish is ready.