Have you ever stood in front of the refrigerator with no clue as to what to make for dinner? Often times we are in such a busy rat race to accomplish so many things during our day that mealtime prep work is the last thing on our mind. Many of us opt for the quick microwaveable dinner meal from the freezer section of our grocery store or a quick takeout from the fast food place down the street from us. Of course there are those of us who are al lot more organized with meal planning and prep work for the week done ahead of time.

Rehnuma of The Conscious Copywriter, who is of Bangladeshi origin is sharing some easy everyday Bengali recipes that are perfect for preparing meals ahead of time for a global inspired menu that will bring a little diversity to your dinner table.

From Rehnuma,

With meal prepping taking the internet by storm a few years ago, my husband and I, both eager to get fit and be healthy, resolved to stop eating the rich, dense, home-cooked Bangladeshi curries we were enjoying several times a week. Surely enough; out went the curries, and in came the resolution to eat clean, fill up on greens and batch-prepare our meals for the week ahead.

While we were initially spared the daunting task of needing to find something healthy, filling and delicious to cook every night, we soon found ourselves wondering if there was life beyond the endless days of grilled chicken and salmon with different combinations of greens.

Dabbling cautiously in other cuisines spiced mealtimes up for a while (Moroccan lamb tagine week is particularly fondly remembered); but soon enough it seemed like preparing something healthy, that also tasted good after several days in the fridge was a bit more effort than we could sustain.

It was on the verge of giving up where we decided that this couldn’t be the end. Instead of the dense, rich curries we ate before, what if we could just use the healthier, simpler everyday Bengali recipes we’d grown up with? And so we did. While we experimented with many different traditional Bengali recipes, here are the ones that we found took the least time to cook, and still taste great after several days in the fridge.

If you are almost ready to giving up batch-cooking or just want to try something new in your make-ahead routine, perhaps it’s time to stock up at your local international food store and give one of these recipes a try?

Pan fried Rohu (Rohu Mach Biran)

Bengalis are famous for their love of fish, and while it’s not all we eat, it can’t be denied that Rohu cooked in any way is a staple of the Bengali dinner table. When dining with guests; the bigger and juicier the pieces of fish the better. Personally, I love the meaty density but delicate flavour of this fish; it can take rich, heavy spices well without being overpowered by them.  For prepping our meals ahead for the week, we normally opt for a light pan-fry.

To prepare:

• Marinate the sliced, de-scaled pieces of fish in turmeric and chilli powder, adding salt to taste.
• Lightly fry one large, sliced onion in a small amount of oil until golden brown
• Add the marinated fish and cover until cooked through, sprinkling with sprigs of fresh coriander and fresh green chilli to garnish
• For times where we’re craving a more soupy, curry-style dish, instead of marinating the fish, adding half a teaspoon each of the turmeric and chilli powder to the browned onions along with fresh green chillis and coriander creates a flavorsome paste to cook the Rohu in.
• When the spices and fish have cooked through, introducing small amounts of water to the pan and allowing to simmer over a medium-high heat will allow you to create a sauce packed with flavour to the consistency of your choice.

Add to your make-ahead meal boxes with plain white or brown rice for a filling meal packed with healthy nutrients.

Lightly Spiced Vegetable Curry (Shobji Bhaji)

Vegetables in Bengali cuisine are super versatile as they can be cooked in so many ways and used as starters, mains or side dishes.

While it’s a staple of every meal, it’s also a rite of passage for Bengali elders past a certain age to start requesting meals of only lentils (dal), vegetables and flat bread (roti) to keep themselves healthy but sustained in their later years; and it’s no surprises why. This humble vegetable curry holds its own at a lavish Bengali banquet, as well for a quick weeknight meal pulled out of the fridge after work.

To prepare for two:

• Lightly brown one large onion in a medium-sized frying pan using a small amount of oil and salt to taste.
• Once the onions are translucent, I like to add a small amount of turmeric, chilli and coriander powder, as well as a couple of fresh green chillies before letting cook over a medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
• Add vegetables once the spices have cooked through and released their fragrance. I find this recipe works best using beans, root and cruciferous vegetables as a base with tomatoes and ‘softer’ vegetables better suited to garnishing a couple of minutes before taking off the heat.
• Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium heat to allow all the vegetables to soften, before adding a sprinkling of fresh coriander when serving into your meal boxes.

Spiced Potato and Coriander Croquettes (Aloo Chop)

Adding an Aloo Chop to your meal is like having a treat with every meal. Traditionally eaten as a snack or a side dish amongst main dishes, they are full of carbs and deep-fried making them a slightly on the naughty side. On the bright side though, they’re small and relatively light, so I like to think that eating one of these as a snack a few times a week is perfectly justified.

Photo credit: BBC Food – www.bbc.com

To prepare enough for 10 aloo chops:

• Start by boiling 3 large potatoes and lightly frying one large onion in a pan with a small amount of oil.
• Once the potatoes are boiled, take off the skin and mash together with the lightly fried onions, salt, fresh coriander, fresh green chilli and a pinch of turmeric powder.
• Shape into small, spherical rounds using your hands, and then chill in the fridge for 45 minutes.
• Next you can prepare two bowls. In the first, create an eggwash ‘glue’ by beating one egg in a small bowl, and in your second you can have your breadcrumbs of choice (I prefer the store-bought stuff, but you can make your own). I mix the breadcrumbs with cornflour to make the chops extra crunchy, but you can skip this part if you prefer.
• Dip the potato rounds into the egg, coating all of the potato.
• Cover with breadcrumbs, and deep fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Lentil and Rice Porridge (Dal Kitchuri)

Kitchuri is widely popular across the South Asian subcontinent and known by many different names. One fact remains unchanged wherever you go; it’s the ultimate comfort food, and it’s smooth, thick texture makes it especially easy on the stomach.

From the muslims of Bangladesh breaking their fast after a long day of fasting in Ramadan with the comfort of kitchuri and chickpea curry, to the Bengali hindus of West India offering kitchuri as a bhog (offering) during Durga Puja, kitchuri has a place in the Bengali heart that few other dishes can match.

While it’s rarely the showstopper; the one-pot-convenience of the dish means it can be slow-cooked while you’re doing other things, and is the perfect base for other dishes.Photo credit : A Playful Kitchen – www.aplayfulkitchen.com

For a uniquely simple, Bengali twist on the dish

• Wash 1 cup rice and one cup of red split lentils in a large pan.
• Add a couple of bay leaves, salt, and a pinch of peeled, grated fresh ginger to the mix.
• Bring to the boil with 3 parts water for one part of rice and lentil mix, then reduce to low heat. You may find the rice keeps soaking up the water; if this is the case, keep adding water until the rice is no longer soaking it up.
• Cook for a minimum of 45 minutes, whisking the mixture in between to break up the grains and form a thich, smooth consistency.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of ghee and fenugreek seeds 10 minutes before taking off the heat to bring out the unmistakable, comforting aroma of a classic kitchuri.

These are our meal prep favorites. While there are healthier dishes out there for sure, these dishes work because they are nutritious, simple and can either be cooked in under 30 minutes or slow cooked whilst you are doing other things. I would say that mixing up our normal meal prep routine by including a few of these dishes into our meal boxes every week has helped bring variety and the comforts of Bengali traditional cuisine back into our meals without sacrificing taste or time.

Thank you Rehnuma for sharing these amazing culturally diverse recipes. Which dish would you like to try?

Rehnuma Choudhury is a content writer who helps ethical companies build purpose, passion and inclusivity into their brands. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion in brand marketing, and aim to help ethical brands reach more people and serve marginalized communities through their work.

{Words by Rehnuma Choudhury; Instagram: @the.conscious.copywriter}

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