Bengali Chicken Kosha, Bengali Porota and Kachumber Salad

Ingredients

• 2 cup Maida
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Ghee (melted, for the dough)
• 0.75 cup Warm Water (or as needed)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Dough

   • In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of maida, sugar, and salt. Whisk them together.
   • Add 2 tbsp of melted ghee to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to rub the ghee into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This step is key for a flaky texture.
   • Gradually pour in the warm water while mixing to form a dough. Knead for 8-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic, but not sticky.
   • Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, making the porotas softer.
2. 2

   Shape the Porotas

   • After resting, knead the dough for another minute. Divide it into 8 equal portions and roll them into smooth balls.
   • Take one dough ball and dust it with a little maida. Roll it out into a thin circle, about 5-6 inches in diameter.
   • Brush about 1/2 tsp of melted ghee evenly over the surface of the circle. Lightly sprinkle some dry maida over the ghee.
   • Fold the circle in half to create a semicircle. Brush the top surface of the semicircle with ghee and sprinkle with maida again.
   • Fold the semicircle in half once more to form a triangle. Press the edges gently.
   • Lightly dust the triangle with maida and carefully roll it out into a larger triangle, about 5-6 inches on its longest side and 1/4 inch thick. Be gentle to preserve the layers.
3. 3

   Fry the Porotas

   • Heat a tawa or a non-stick skillet over medium heat. The tawa should be hot but not smoking.
   • Place a rolled porota onto the hot tawa. Cook for about 30-45 seconds, until you see small bubbles forming on the surface.
   • Flip the porota. Drizzle about 1 tsp of ghee on top and around the edges.
   • Fry for 1-2 minutes, gently pressing with a spatula, until golden-brown spots appear. You will see the layers begin to separate.
   • Flip again, add another 1/2 tsp of ghee if needed, and cook the other side until it's golden brown and crisp.
   • Remove the cooked porota from the tawa and repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.
4. 4

   Serve

   • Once a porota is off the heat, place it on a flat surface. Gently clap or crush it between your palms to fluff up and separate the layers.
   • Serve immediately while hot and flaky with classic Bengali dishes like Aloo'r Dom, Kosha Mangsho, or Cholar Dal.

Ingredients

• 200 g Red Onion (about 2 medium, finely chopped)
• 240 g Tomato (about 2 medium, deseeded and finely chopped)
• 300 g Cucumber (about 1 large, peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 pc Green Chili (optional, finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (freshly chopped)
• 0.5 tsp Salt (or to taste)
• 0.25 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (for color and mild heat)
• 0.5 tsp Chaat Masala
• 0.5 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder (bhuna jeera powder)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the Vegetables (8 minutes)

   • Wash all vegetables thoroughly.
   • Peel the cucumber and finely chop it. Deseed the tomatoes and finely chop them.
   • Finely chop the red onion. If using, finely chop the green chili.
   • Place all the chopped vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
2. 2

   Combine and Season (1 minute)

   • Add the roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt to the bowl with the vegetables.
   • Pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice over the mixture.
3. 3

   Toss and Serve (1 minute)

   • Add the freshly chopped coriander leaves.
   • Gently toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated with spices.
   • Serve immediately to enjoy the best texture and crunch. Do not let it sit for long after adding salt.