Savoury to sweet: Recipes for the perfect Sashthi meal

It’s that time of the year again and what is Durga Puja without some pet puja! Five days of no diet, luchi for breakfast, countless phuchkas and ice creams during the midnight pandal hopping, and more. Feasting during the festive season is as much a home affair as an outdoor one, and if you’re entertaining at home during Pujo, worry not for we have specially curated Durga Puja menus for you to try your hand at, for each day. For Sashthi, here’s a delectable feast of radhaballavi, chicken kosha, alu dum and more…

Radhaballavi

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Put on your Bachchan Sr voice and say, “Phulko radhaballavi for Sashthi lunch is parampara, pratishtha, anushasan.” Add some narkel diye chholar dal and you’re set!

Ingredients:

For the filling -

Urad dal (Biuli dal) paste: 300 gm
Ginger and green chilli paste: 1 tablespoon
Fennel (mouri) powder: 1 and ½ teaspoons
Nigella seeds (kalo jeere): 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida (hing): 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil
Salt
Water

For the dough-

All purpose flour: 400 gm
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Ginger and green chilli paste: 1 teaspoon
Urad dal paste: 4 tablespoons
Ghee: 2 tablespoons
Water

Recipe:

For the filling-

Soak the urad dal overnight and make a dry paste. Remember, the paste cannot be too smooth
In a frying pan, add vegetable oil and heat
Now add nigella seeds and hing, and temper well
Next, add ginger and green chilli paste and saute
Add a little water
Add the fennel powder and a pinch of salt and sugar. Cook well
Add the dal, mix well and and saute until the mix is not sticking to the pan
Turn off the heat and let it cool

For the dough-

Mix flour, salt, ghee, sugar and ginger-green chilli paste in a bowl
Add the dal and some water to knead a soft dough. Cover and set aside for minimum 30 minutes

For the radhaballavis-

To fry the radhaballavis, heat enough oil in a kadhai. Remember, we are going to deep fry the beauties
Make small balls out of the doughs, make a small pocket at the centre and add filling. Cover the pocket and make smooth balls again
Brush some ghee or oil and roll flat
Deep fry until golden, drain excess oil and serve hot

Stuffed alu dum

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This one needs a little effort, yes, but soft chhana with some kismis and kaju in alu pockets, cooked in a light but spicy gravy is too yummy to not give it a try.

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 8 large
Grated paneer or chana: 1 cup
Milk soaked raisins: 10
Chopped cashews: 10
Ginger and green chilli paste: 2 tablespoons
Whole cumin: 1 teaspoon
Hung curd: 3 tablespoons
Roasted cumin and coriander powder: 1 and ½ tablespoons
Milkmaid: 1 tablespoon
Tomato puree: 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Kashmiri chilli powder: 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder: ½ tablespoon
Garam masala: 1 teaspoon
Bay leaf: 1
Dry red chilli: 1
Cornstarch paste
Sugar
Salt
Ghee
Mustard oil

Recipe:

Cut the potatoes in half. Scoop out the centre of the potatoes going only half-way through. Finely chop the scooped out part of the alu
In a mixing bowl, add grated paneer, finely chopped scooped out potatoes, raisins, cashews, 1 tablespoon ginger and green chilli paste, ½ tablespoon roasted cumin and coriander powder, milkmaid, salt and sugar. Mix well and knead lightly
Now, fill up the potatoes as you make a thick cornstarch paste in a separate bowl. The paste will be used to seal the potatoes. Seal the top of the potatoes so the filling does not come out
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai and deep fry the stuffed potatoes till they are golden. Take them out, drain excess oil and set aside
In a frying pan, add mustard oil and a little ghee and heat well. Add bay leaf, whole cumin and dry red chilli and temper
Add ginger and green chilli paste and saute for 2-3 minutes before adding the roasted coriander and cumin powder. Cook for another 3 minutes and then add the tomato puree
Cook the puree for 3-4 minutes and add the hung curd. Mix well, add a pinch of salt and sugar, red chilli powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder and let the spices cook for 6-7 minutes in low flame. Add a dash of water if needed
Once the spice base is ready, add required amount of water and seasoning for the gravy
Add the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala and drizzle ghee from the top and switch off the heat
Let it rest for a bit before serving

Beguni

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Little beats crunchy beguni! Add some posto on top for extra crunch and have yourself a joyful snack.

Ingredients:

Thinly sliced brinjals: 2 large
Turmeric powder: 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Baking powder: 1 tablespoon
Chickpea flour (besan): ½ cup
Poppy seeds (posto): 2 tablespoons
Salt
Sugar
Vegetable oil

Recipe:

Marinate the brinjals in turmeric powder for a few minutes
Make a thick batter with chickpea flour, salt and baking powder and water
Heat oil in a kadhai, dip each piece in batter coating uniformly and deep fry till light brown
While still in oil, sprinkle some poppy seeds on each side
Serve smoking hot

Navratan dal

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Radhaballavi or any family member of the luchi community needs a member from the dal family to make the perfect, complete meal. This navratan dal (a mix of different dals) is slightly sweet, rich and delish and sets the mood of Pujo just about right.

Ingredients:

Navratan dal mix: 500 gm
Ginger garlic paste: 3 tablespoons
Slit green chillies: 3-4
Turmeric powder: 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice: 2 tablespoons
Finely chopped coriander leaves: 3-4 tablespoons
Finely chopped onions: 1 large and 1 small
Finely chopped garlic: 1 teaspoon
Finely chopped tomato: 1 large
Finely chopped green chillies: 2
Ghee: 3 tablespoons
Cinnamon stick: ½
Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Bay leaf: 1
Dry red chilli: 2
Sugar
Salt

Recipe:

Soak the dal overnight or for at least 6 hours
In a pressure cooker, add the dal, 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste, slit green chillies, a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Add enough water to cook the dal and cook for 1 whistle. Let the steam release on its own before opening the cooker
Add ghee in a kadhai. Heat well and then add bay leaf, dry red chilli, cumin, and cinnamon stick. Temper well and add chopped garlic
Add the ginger and green chilli paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and onion and saute well for 4-5 minutes
Add chopped tomatoes, green chilli and cook for 2-3 minutes
Add the boiled dal, season with salt and sugar and mix well
Once the dal is ready, check seasoning, add chopped coriander and a dollop of ghee and it’s ready

Chicken kosha

Pooja Mitra

Kosha mangsho is an emotion. Chicken or mutton with some radhaballavi on a Sashthi’r dupur — can the first day of Pujo get any better?

Ingredients:

Chicken: 1kg
Finely chopped onion: 3 large for marination and 2 large for beresta (crispy, golden-fried onions)
Ginger and garlic paste: 2 tablespoons
Green chilli paste: 1 tablespoon
Whole red chilli and tomato paste: 2 tablespoons
Medium sized whole potatoes: 8
Tomato cut into halves: 2
Slit green chilli: 2
Hung curd: 3 tablespoons
Roasted cumin and coriander powder: 2 tablespoons
Kashmiri red chilli powder: 2 tablespoons
Bay leaf: 1
Dry red chilli: 1
Turmeric powder: 1 tablespoon
Sugar
Salt
Mustard oil
Ghee

Special masala-

½ star anise, 2 green cardamom pods, 2 cloves, 1 dry red chilli, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2-3 black peppercorns. Dry roasted and powdered: 2 tablespoons

Recipe:

Marinate chicken with half of the chopped onions, ginger and garlic paste, green chilli paste, hung curd, salt, sugar, turmeric powder mustard oil and 1 tablespoon of the special masala. Keep aside for minimum 30 minutes
Make beresta and keep aside
Marinate the potatoes with salt and turmeric powder for a few minutes. Deep fry and set aside
In a kadhai, add mustard oil with some ghee and heat
Add bay leaf and dry red chilli. Cook till the red chilli turns brown
Now, add the other half of the chopped onions and cook till they are golden brown
Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes before adding the cumin and coriander powder
Add a pinch of salt and cook the masala on low to medium flame until the oil separates
Add the marinated chicken and cook on a low flame for about 20-25 minutes — this is the process of koshano. Keep stirring and add a splash of water if needed
Once the chicken is about 70 per cent done, add the potatoes, tomatoes, green chillies, the beresta and the special masala. Continue the koshano for another 10-15 minutes and add required amount of water and some salt to taste
Cover and cook till the potatoes are all cooked and ready
Checking seasoning and serve hot

Chhanar payesh

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Pujo means mishtimukh with payesh, rosogolla, nimki and what not from Panchami to Dashami. Make this easy chhanar payesh and give your Sashthi menu a sweet ending.

Ingredients:

Chhana or homemade paneer: 500gm
Full fat milk: 1l
Powdered sugar: 8-10 tablespoons
Cardamom powder: 1 teaspoon
Cashew: 10
Pistachios: 6-7
Almonds: 7-8
Milk soaked raisins: 10
Saffron strands: ½ teaspoon
Nakuldana: 10-15
Milkmaid: 1 cup

Recipe:

Knead the homemade cottage cheese (chhana) well. Point to remember, the cottage cheese has to be soft and oily as a result of the kneading
Make small balls of cottage cheese, putting one nakuldana in each ball
Boil milk and reduce it to half
Add sugar, milkmaid, dry fruits, cardamom powder and saffron strands and boil well
Once the milk is thick and ready, add the cottage cheese balls and cook for another 3-5 minutes
Turn off the flame, cool the dessert and refrigerate. Serve chilled