Assamese Mini Thali | Simple Lunch is a traditional, delicious meal where I have served Bootar Daal, Bhendir Sorsori and Bilahir Tok along with rice.
The food of Assam, as of any other place, is largely influenced by its climate, soil and vegetation. Rice is the staple diet and the Assamese like to eat rice and fish curry. The people of Assam prefer to eat non – spicy foods. Spices like cumin, coriander, mustard, ginger, garlic, fenugreek, panch poran, cardamom and some ingredients that are found in Assam only are generally used.
The speciality of Assamese cuisines stands in its simplicity and varieties of ingredients. Assamese dishes are less spicy than any other Indian Dishes, but carry the richness of taste and health.
Traditionally, Assamese food is cooked in earthenware. This method imparts a smell from the utensils to the food itself giving it a distinct flavour. It’s interesting to know that the Assamese mix all the leftover vegetables to eat with green chillies and mustard the next day.
Assamese people love to enjoy every festival. These festivals unite all communities of society. These festivals are symbols of the Assamese culture. When it comes to the festivals of Assam, the first word that strikes Bihu. The Assam tea festival flaunts the speciality of the state of Assam, tea, which has earned its fame all over the world.
I have cooked Kardoi from this state for Indian Cooking Challenge,but cooking this Assamese Mini Thali surely was some experience.
Bhendir Sarrosi
4 cups ladyfingers, washed and wiped, head and tails removed
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp panch poran
1 whole red chilli
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 green chillies. slit
Paste
2 tbsp of thick mustard paste
( Soak mustard seeds in water and grind to a thick paste with a little water), diluted with 1 cup water
1 tsp ginger paste
a pinch of turmeric powder
Heat the oil and add the bay leaf, panch Poran and red chilli.
When the seeds sizzle, add the bhindi along with salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Stir well, cover and cook over low heat for about10 minutes.
Stir frequently in between. The sliminess should have disappeared by now.
Mix the mustard, ginger paste, pinch of turmeric, and green chillies in a bowl.
Add this mixture into the bhindi and stir well.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for about 5-6 minutes or till the gravy thickens and the bhindi is well coated in the mustard paste.
Bootar Daali
1 1/2 cups Bengal gram
1/4 cup masoor daal
1 small onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 green chilli, slit
1 level tsp grated jaggery/sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander
Hot water
Tempering
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 whole red chilli
1 bay leaf
Make a paste of the onions, ginger and garlic.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the ingredients for tempering.
Add the onion-ginger-garlic paste along with the turmeric and cumin powders.
Stir constantly till the mixture thickens and most of the moisture has evaporated.
Add the mixed pulses, jaggery and the green chilli and stir till they are nicely coated with the spices and start to brown.
Add the water up to an inch above the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
Cook for 4 whistles, the lentils should have been cooked by now.
Remove from heat and let the pressure subside by itself before opening the lid.
Place overheat
Add the garam masala and the 2 tbsp of chopped coriander.
If the mixture has thickened too much, add a little more water. Bring everything to a boil and remove from heat.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Bilahir tok
5-6 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 tbsp mustard oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp panch poran
1 bay leaf
1 whole red dried chilli
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A small piece of jaggery
Salt to taste
Heat the oil in a pan.
Add the panch poran, whole red chilli and bay leaf.
When the seeds start to pop, add the onion and tomatoes.
Add salt and add the turmeric.
Mix well, cover and cook (stirring occasionally) till the tomatoes are mushy.
Add the jaggery and stir till it is dissolved and the tok thickens… just so that it is neither too watery nor too thick.
Give a nice stir and remove from heat.
Serve as a condiment with rice, khichdi’s or even with rotis and other flatbreads.
This Assamese meal was a hit, my son loved the Bhindi and it has to feature in the routine menu. The Daal was quite similar to the chana daal that we make, but I must say that the tomato chutney was delicious and a must-try.
You could check for more Mini Thali’s
Bookmarking. Vaishali this is so delicious.Love it
Yummy Assamese dishes Vaishali. It's very interesting to see so many cuisines have the mustard flavored dishes–I've one that I made for another state later in the month.
Lovely mini thali there ! Loved all s flavors
Inviting thali vaishali, yes i bet that bilahir tok is amazing, coz i too made it and paired it with for our regular breakfast!!! simple spice but great taste!!!
very hearty and healthy dishes!!!
Simple Thali,looks wonderful..Dhal looks so tempting and must be a flavorful one..
Lovely meal. Love your choice of dishes.. all of them look yummy.
I like that paanch Poran flavor and wonderful spread
very beautiful looking platter…you have combined the flavors very well…and probably done better justice to the cuisine than any native has done so far on their blogs,
Awesome spread Vaishali! Lovely presentation.
Seriously tomato chutney looks absolutely delicious, dal, bhindi curry looks fabulous and just am drooling here..
wow such and delicious meal from assam 🙂 they look very very inviting dear !!! make me hungry now 🙂 am in love with Bhendir Sarsori , looks very yummy and easy to make even 🙂 Such an inviting meal platter loving it 🙂
I am also loving the tomato chutney! It looks very delicious. I will try them in summer when my garden is overflowing with tomatoes. Same pinch of Bhendir Sorsori…I made it from Sunita's blog too…lovely platter 🙂
Lovely mini lunch meal …wonderful spread !
Lovely meal. Looks delicious.
That's a fantastic meal Vaishali..beautiful spread!
Delicious spread. I need to try the okra and tomato dish. They look absolutely delicious…
Healthy and comforting dishes..looks delicious..
I love okra and the whole spread looks delicious
I love this spread, esp the okra, which has gone into my bookmarks!
Lovely presentations of dishes.. Thali looks comforting.
Tasty spread Vaishali! I would love to make that bindi curry and tomato chutney.Looks so inviting 🙂
Lovely spread there. I make that tomato chutney often at home without that panch phoron mix and didn't know it had some fancy name like this. 🙂
Lovely meal Viashali. Some of the Assamese food is similar to Bengali food, specially the preparations made with mustard seeds. Will try the mustard bhendi curry.