#bangalifood – Reetika Mitra https://reetikamitra.com Fooding Around Sun, 05 Oct 2025 07:32:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://reetikamitra.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-icon-32x32.png #bangalifood – Reetika Mitra https://reetikamitra.com 32 32 Gondhoraj Chicken (Chicken with Gondhoraj Lemon) https://reetikamitra.com/mainstays/gondhoraj-chicken-chicken-with-gondhoraj-lemon/ https://reetikamitra.com/mainstays/gondhoraj-chicken-chicken-with-gondhoraj-lemon/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2025 05:40:10 +0000 https://reetikamitra.com/?p=7306 The word “Gondhoraj” translated, simply means king of fragrance. Gondhoraj lemon is the special ingredient in this recipe. This particular lemon is predominantly found in West Bengal but quickly becoming popular in other parts of India. I was pleasantly surprised to find it on the Blinkit catalogue and it turned out to be really good. This fragrant lemon has been used in Bengali kitchens as an ingredient to dishes and also served on the plate to be squeezed into the food as per the individuals choice and taste.

The dish visually looks a bit toned down and plain to the eyes but the taste more than makes up for the lack of eye appeal. The combination of Gondhoraj lemon with chilli is a marriage made by the food gods. You simply can’t go wrong with this assortment. This is an easy and quick recipe. Other than the Gondhoraj lemon, the other ingredients are pretty straight forward and easily available. Most Bengalis would like to team this with Luchi or steamed rice but I feel this dish would go equally well with parathas and appams. I wanted to share this recipe post the Navratri period since it can be a nice non-vegetarian dish for those who would like to try something different.

 

 

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Gondhoraj Chicken (Chicken with Gondhoraj Lemon)

★★★★ 3.3 from 1119 reviews
  • Author: Reetika Mitra
  • Prep Time: 15 Mins
  • Cook Time: 20 Mins
  • Total Time: 35 Mins
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Description

The Fragrance of Bengal

Ingredients

  • 800 gms Chicken
  • 1 Tbsp Ginger paste
  • 1 Tbsp Garlic paste
  • ½ Tsp green Chilli paste or 1 tsp finely chopped green Chillies
  • 4 Tbsp heaped, thick Curd or Yoghurt
  • 2 Tbsp Gondhoraj Lemon juice
  • 2–3 Tbsp Oil (or Ghee)
  • 1–2 Bay leaves
  • 2 dry whole Red Chillies
  • 10–12 whole Black Peppercorns
  • 2 medium sized Onion, grated to a fine paste or finely chopped
  • ¾ Tsp Coriander powder
  • ¾ Tsp Cumin powder
  • ½ Tsp Garam Masala powder
  • 1 Tbsp Ghee
  • 1 Tsp Sugar (to balance the taste)
  • 5–6 Kaffir lime leaves
  • Salt according to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash and pat dry the chicken. Marinate it with the ginger paste, garlic paste, yogurt, green chilli paste, Gondhoraj lemon juice and salt. Keep aside for 30-60 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, temper with bay leaves, dry red chillies and the whole black peppercorns. Add in the onion paste. Sauté till the raw smell goes away and turns light golden brown in colour.
  3. Next, add in the marinated chicken along with the coriander powder and the cumin powder. Stir well cover and cook over medium-low heat. Cook for about 18-20 mins, stirring the chicken at regular intervals. While cooking, if the chicken starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, you may add ½ cup of hot water to it.
  4. Once the chicken is almost cooked, add the ghee, sugar, garam masala powder, kaffir lime leaves. You may add some more of the Gondhoraj lemon juice if you want out here. Do taste the gravy and add according to your preference.
  5. Cook for another few minutes until the chicken is fully done and is cooked through. Turn off the heat. Serve with steamed rice, luchis, parathas or even appams!

Notes

You may also add a bit of finely grated lemon rind at the very end of the cooking, just before switching off the flame. This will ensure a flavour burst of the Gondhoraj lemon. However, this is purely optional.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4

 

 

]]> https://reetikamitra.com/mainstays/gondhoraj-chicken-chicken-with-gondhoraj-lemon/feed/ 7547 Ghugni https://reetikamitra.com/startup-ideas/ghughni/ https://reetikamitra.com/startup-ideas/ghughni/#comments Sun, 14 Sep 2025 08:30:41 +0000 https://reetikamitra.com/?p=7296 Ghugni is a curried dish made with dried white peas popular in the east of the country across West Bengal and Orissa. The Ghugni is versatile. It can be a snack or a part of a meal. It is also a popular street food. Unlike other street food, this is healthy and one can indulge without guilt. It is rich in protein and fibre. I grew up having the Ghugni on the way to college and it was a common fare at home when people came over or just as a snack in the evening. A vivid memory I have is after the Durga Pujo festival post Dashami when folks came for the Bijoya pranams, my grand-mother used to make large quantities of this Ghugni and served it to guests with luchi or triangle shaped parathas. India’s diversity comes alive in dishes like the Ghugni. In Kolkata the Ghugni is topped with chopped onions and lime juice. Whereas in Orissa it is served with Bara (lentil dumpling), Aloo chop and even samosa. The dried white peas is available throughout the year and the dish is also easy to cook. No wonder, this is such a popular snack and has tremendous potential in other parts of India beyond just the east.

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Ghugni

★★★★ 3.2 from 1378 reviews
  • Author: Reetika Mitra
  • Prep Time: 10 Mins
  • Cook Time: 25 Mins
  • Total Time: 35 Mins
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Description

The Hidden Gem

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried white Peas/Matar, soaked overnight
  • 1 large Potato, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1 large sized Onion, chopped
  • 1 large Tomato, chopped
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 Tsp roasted Cumin powder
  • 1 Tbsp Coriander powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli powder
  • 1 Tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
  • 2 Tbsp Oil (I always use Mustard oil to make this preparation)
  • Salt according to taste

 

Ingredients for Bhaja Moshla (Dry Roasted Spice Mix)  for Garnishing :

 

  • 1 Tbsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 Tbsp Fennel seeds (Mouri/Sauf)
  • Tsp Coriander seeds
  • 2–3 whole green Cardamom

Instructions

  1. Take overnight soaked white peas, potato cubes, water, salt, and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups water, pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
  2. Pressure cook for one whistle over a high flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from flame and allow the pressure to settle on its own.
  3. In the meantime in a tava or a pan, dry roast all the ingredients under Bhaja Moshla. Remember to keep the flame Low. Keep stirring and roast for 6-7 mins or until the spices turn brown.
  4. Once done, let the spices cool down before grinding them to a fine powder using a grinder jar.
  5. Once done, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  6. Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil turns hot, add bay leaf and chopped onion. Saute until onions turn golden in color.
  7. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and a dash of water. Stir to mix.
  8. Next add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute till tomatoes become soft and mushy. Now add coriander powder. Saute to mix.
  9. Add cooked peas and potatoes. Mix well. Cover and cook over medium flame for 5 minutes.
  10. Add roasted cumin powder, garam masala powder, and chopped coriander. Mix well and remove from flame.
  11. Serve piping hot Ghugni garnished with a generous amount of freshly made Bhaja Moshla mix,  chopped onion, coriander, green chillies and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3
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