A ‘bata’ — a mash or paste — can be far from simply a flavouring agent and be made with way more than just spices. If you’re looking to try something new and interesting this season, check out these lip smacking non vegetarian bata recipes that are perfect to add some winter warmth.
Shutki (dried fish) bata
When most things taste bland as the seasonal sniffles make an appearance, this tok-jhal shutki bata recipe paired with piping hot rice is a hit.
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Ingredients
- Dried fish or shutki: 100gm
- Finely chopped garlic: 2 teaspoons
- Whole dry red chillies: 2
- Finely chopped onion: 2 large
- Finely chopped tomato: 1 large
- Finely chopped coriander leaves: 3 tablespoons
- Finely chopped green chillies: 5-6
- Lemon juice: 5-6 tablespoons
- Salt
- Sugar
- Mustard oil
Recipe
- Blanch the dried fish for 10 minutes and strain the excess water
- Make a smooth paste with the blanched fish, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoon lemon juice and mustard oil
- In a nonstick pan, heat mustard oil and add chopped garlic and dry red chilli, and saute until light brown
- Now add onion and saute until golden
- Add the fish paste, green chilli, tomato, lemon juice, salt and sugar and mix well
- Cook for 10-12 minutes on low flame until the paste comes together and the oil separates
- Add chopped coriander leaves, drizzle some more mustard oil and turn off the flame
Beef keema bata
A beef pate-like side that pairs very well with hot rice, paratha, roti or bread.
Ingredients
- Minced beef (keema): 150gm
- Grated beef fat: 2 tablespoons
- Ginger and garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
- Finely chopped ginger: 1 teaspoon
- Finely chopped garlic: 1 teaspoon
- Finely chopped onion: 2 large
- Finely chopped tomatoes: 2 large
- Finely chopped green chillies: 6-7
- Finely chopped coriander leaves: 3 tablespoons
- Finely chopped spring onion: 3 tablespoons
- Roasted whole dry red chilli paste: 2 tablespoons
- Lemon juice: 4 tablespoons
- Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
- Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1 tablespoon
- Salt
- Sugar
- Mustard oil
Recipe
- Marinate the beef keema with salt, 1 tablespoon lime juice, coriander powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 2 tablespoon mustard oil, 1 teaspoon red chilli paste and ginger-garlic paste for minimum 15 minutes and preferably overnight
- Make a smooth paste in a blender
- In a nonstick pan, add mustard oil and grated beef fat, and heat well
- Now add chopped ginger and garlic and saute until light brown, add chopped onion and saute until golden brown
- Add the red chilli paste, Kashmiri red chilli powder, a pinch of salt and sugar and cook on low flame for 1-2 minutes until the oil separates from the spice mix. Sprinkle a dash of water to deglaze if needed
- Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes
- Next goes the meat paste, chopped chillies and lemon juice. Mix well and fry for 10-12 minutes
- Check seasoning, add the chopped spring onions and coriander leaves, and the beef bata is ready
Mutton liver bata
G.O.A.T. lovers in the house, this one is a hearty, filling flavour bomb.
Ingredients
- Grated mutton liver: 200gm
- Fried onion paste: 1 medium cup
- Ginger-garlic-whole dry red chilli paste: 2 tablespoons
- Green chilli paste: 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice: 2 tablespoons
- Cumin and coriander powder: 2 teaspoons
- Garam masala powder: 1 teaspoon
- Kashmiri red chilli powder: 2 teaspoons
- Finely chopped onion: 1 large
- Finely chopped green chillies: 2
- Finely chopped coriander leaves: 2 tablespoons
- Bay leaf: 1
- Salt
- Sugar
- Mustard oil
Recipe
- Add mustard oil in a nonstick pan and heat well
- Add bay leaf and saute for 2-5 seconds
- Now add the fried onion paste, ginger-garlic-red chilli paste, green chilli paste, cumin and coriander powder, garam masala powder, lemon juice, Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt and sugar and saute on low flame for 8-10 minutes, oil separates
- Turn off the heat, allow the spice paste to cool down, and make a smoother paste in a blender
- Add some more mustard oil in the same pan, add the spice paste and saute for 3-5 minutes
- Now add the mutton liver and mix well
- Sprinkle salt and cook for 10-12 minutes on low flame
- Once the liver is cooked, turn off the heat and let the whole thing come down to room temperature
- Put the mutton liver mix in the blender and give a quick whip
- In a mixing bowl, add the cooked mutton liver, add chopped onion, green chillies, coriander leaves and some lemon juice
- Check seasoning, drizzle some mustard oil and dig in
Chingri (prawn) bata
A must-try shrimp recipe that’s quick and easy to whip up.
Ingredients
- Deveined, peeled shrimp/ small prawns: 200gm
- Finely chopped onions: 2 large
- Finely chopped tomatoes: 2 large
- Finely chopped green chillies: 5-6
- Finely chopped coriander leaves: 2 tablespoons
- Chilli flakes: 1 tablespoon
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
- Grated garlic: 1 teaspoon
- Butter: 2 tablespoons
- Salt
Recipe
- Heat some butter in a pan
- Marinate the shrimps/prawns with salt and grated garlic and saute until golden
- Put the cooked prawns in a mortal pastel and mash roughly
- Add all the chopped veggies, chilli flakes, lemon juice, salt and mashed shrimps/prawns in a bowl and mix well, and the chingri bata is ready to eat
Sabuj lotey (Bombay duck) bata
Move over lotey fry, lotey jhuro and loter chop. This winter, try this sabuj lotey bata with some hot bhaat.
Ingredients
- Lotey fish (Bombay duck): 200gm
- A paste with 1 whole dry red chilli, 1 small roasted onion, 1 small toasted tomato
- Finely chopped onion: 1 large
- Finely chopped tomato: 1 medium
- Coriander leaves-green chilli-lemon juice paste: 3 tablespoons
- Finely chopped green chillies: 3-4
- Lemon juice: 2-3 tablespoons
- Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt
- Sugar
- Mustard oil
Recipe
- Drain all excess water from the lotey fish pieces
- Add mustard oil in a pan and heat
- Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric powder and place on the pan
- Cover and keep the flame low. As the fish cooks, the water in the fish will drain out
- Uncover after 7-8 minutes and increase the heat. Do not flip the fish but ensure the water evaporates
- Turn off the heat and let it cool
- Gently mash with a fork
- Mix the mashed fish with all the other ingredients, check seasoning, keep it tangy and hot and the lotey bata is ready to savour
