Stirred Cottage Cheese and Veggies with Jew's - ear Fungus....

Stirred Cottage Cheese and Veggies with Jew's - ear Fungus....

During my husband's recent visit to China, one of his Chinese business associate had gifted him this dried Fungus... I was curious to try it out..loved the spongy.. rubbery texture. 

Auricularia auricula-judae, also known as the Jew's ear, wood ear, jelly ear or by a number of other common names, is a species of edible Auriculariales fungus. It has ear-like shape and brown colour, it grows on elderly woods. The name derived from the belief that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from an elder tree and is known as Judas's ear... And eventually became Jew's ear, while today jelly ear and other names are sometimes used. The fungus can be found throughout the year in temperate regions worldwide, where it grows upon both dead and living wood. It is popular and used in many Chinese dishes, such as hot and sour soup, and also used in Chinese medicine. It has a rubbery texture and no flavour of it's own... 

Ingredients

1 bowl  Cottage cheese cut into cubes

12 Jew's ear Fungus soaked it hot water for 2 minutes, till double in size, drain out the water and then slice it

1 Onion cut into cubes

1 tbsp Garlic cut into strips

1 tbsp Ginger cut into juliennes

2 Green Chillies slit into to half

1 cup Mix colour Capsicum cut into cubes

Sauce

2 tbsp Oil

Method

Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic and chillies. Sauté it for a minute. Add onion and stir fry it for 2 minutes. Add the capsicum. Sauté it for a minute. Add the fungus and the cottage cheese. Stir it. Add the sauce and ginger. Stir fry it for 2 minutes. Serve it hot. 

To make the Sauce

Ingredients

2 tbsp Soya sauce

1 tbsp Chilli Vinegar

1 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Corn Starch

1/4 cup Water

Method

Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl.

Baked Creamy Mango Sandesh (SugarFree)

Baked Creamy Mango Sandesh (SugarFree)

This Bengali sweet is creamy and soft. It is made with #SugarFree, cottage cheese and mango pulp as the key ingredients used in it. 

For the Creamy Mixture 

Ingredients 

1 cup Cream

2 cups Milk 

1 cup SugarFree 

1 cup Mango pulp 

Pinch of Cardamom powder

Method 

Take a pan and add milk in it, simmer the milk and reduce it to a cup, stirring it occasionally. Add Sugarfree and stir it until it dissolves. Let it cool down. Add the cream, mango pulp and cardomom powder. Mix it well. keep it aside.

For the Sandesh 

Ingredients 

2 cups of Cottage cheese  (Paneer)

Creamy mixture..

Chopped Mango for Garnishing

1 tbsp Rose Syrup 

 

Method 

Blend the cottage cheese in a blender till light and fluffy. Add the creamy mixture and blend it again.

To make the Baked Creamy Mango Sandesh

Ingredients 

Take a silicone mould, grease it with ghee. Add the mixture into the mould. Bake it for 10 to 15 minutes at 180 degrees celcius in a preheated oven. Once it is set, take it out and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Garnish it with chopped mangoes and drizzle it with Rose syrup. Serve it cold.

Cheesy Herb Balls

Cheesy Herb Balls....

This dish can be served as an appetiser.  

 For the Cheese Herb Filling 

Ingredients 

2 cubes Cheddar Cheese grated 

2 Garlic Clove 

1 Green Chilli 

1/2 cup Mint leaves 

1/2  cup Coriander leaves

1/2 cup Spring Onions 

Juice of 1/2 Lime 

Salt to taste

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a grinder and grind it. 

For the Cottage cheese and Potato Shells

Ingredients

5 medium sized Potatoes boiled 

2 cups Cottage cheese 

4 tbsp All Purpose Flour 

1/4 tsp Cumin powder 

Salt to taste

Method 

Mix and knead all the above ingredients together to form a dough.

To make it....

Ingredients 

Filling 

Dough

6 tbsp All Purpose Flour + 1/4 cup Water -  mix it 

1 cup Bread Crumbs 

Oil to fry

Method 

Divide the dough into equal portions like lemon. Take a portion and flatten it, add 1 tsp of the filling and close the edges of the dough properly and give it a round shape. Repeat the same process. Now dip each balls in the all purpose batter and coat the balls with the bread crumbs. Repeat the dipping and coating process once more. Let it refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Heat oil in a pan. Fry the bombs till golden brown in colour. Serve hot with tomato sauce...

Whole Wheat Mango Cupcakes with Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting...

Whole Wheat Mango Cupcakes with Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting...

It is raining mangoes, and my family likes to have the mangoes as it is, the stone of the mango remains. It has so much of flesh attached to it, so I managed to take out some pulp from it and used it up to make these mango cupcakes. These cupcakes are made with whole wheat and frosted with Cottage Cheese Cream... 

Ingredients 

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 

1 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

1 cup Condensed Milk 

1/2 cup Melted Butter (Room Temperature)

1/2 cup Mango puree 

1/4 cup Curd + 1cup Milk mix together 

1 tsp Mango Essence

Method 

Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate. Add all the wet ingredients together in to a mixing bowl. Beat it well. Add the flour little at a time and beat it. The batter has to be thick dropping consistency.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Take the cupcake liners. Fill in 2/3 of the batter in each of the liners. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 40 minutes depending upon the oven temperature. Check after 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick and check. If it comes out clean then the cupcakes are done. Cool it completely before frosting.

Cottage Cheese Cream Frosting 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Cottage cheese crumble 

1 Tetra pack chilled Amul cream (remove the excess water in the cream)

1 1/2 cup Icing sugar 

Few drops of Mango Essence 

Few pieces of Mangoes

Some sprinkles 

Method 

Churn the cottage cheese in a blender with 1 tbsp milk in to a paste. Beat the Amul cream till soft peaks form.

Sieve the icing sugar and beat it. Add the essence and cottage cheese. Beat it well. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes to set. Then add the frosting on the cupcakes. Decorate it with chopped mangoes and some sprinkles on top.

Rasgullas

Rasgullas

I had a lady who worked for me earlier. She was from a village near Malda (West Bengal)... When ever she went home on a holiday, she use to get me Rasgullas from her village... Then I changed my house and now I don't get them.. Then when my mother passed away, we had ordered food from a local Bengali caterer. The menu included Rasgullas. I could relate to the taste of the Rasgullas which the lady who worked for me use to get for me. But unfortunately if I wanted these Rasgullas from my caterer, I had to order in bulk. So then I thought let me give it a try.... These Rasgullas are not very spongy like normal Rasgullas, but taste excellent. When eaten, it had a creamer .... Mava taste... Try it you will love it...

To make the Paneer 

Ingredients
1 liter Cow milk
1 tbsp Citric Acid or 2 tbsp Lime juice

Method
Add 2 tbsp water to citric acid and dissolve it. Boil the milk. Once it begins to boil, add the citric water. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and let it stand for 2 minutes. Take a Malmal cloth and drain the whey out. Pour cold water to wash the paneer and tie the cloth and hang it to drain our the water. The water should drain out completely.

For the Sugar syrup 

Ingredients
3 cups of Sugar
6 cups of Water

Method
Take sugar and water and add it to a big deep bottom pot. Let it the water boil and sugar dissolve in water. Lower the flame and simmer the sugar syrup till a bit thicker, a stage before it forms a string. Meanwhile prepare the rasgullas balls.

To make the Rasgullas 

Ingredients
Home made Paneer made from 1 liter Cow milk
1 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Flour
2 tbsp Mava
2 to 3  drops of Rose essence or 1 tbsp of Rose water

Method
Mix all the above ingredients together except for Rose essence and knead it well, rubbing the ingredients in between the heel of the palm and stretching it. Knead it well for 5 minutes to get a smooth dough. Divide the dough into small  equal proportions. Make smooth round balls. Gently add the balls one after the other into the sugar syrup. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 10 mins on a medium high flame. Open the pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Pour 1/4 cup of cold water. Add rose essence. Let it cool and the Rasgullas are ready to be eaten.

Palak Paneer Idli ( Punjabi Dakshini Delight ) served with Garlic Tomato Chutney

Spinach (Palak) is a rich source of Iron. Here is an unique healthy recipe for you from my kitchen that is a fusion of Punjabi and Dakshini Cuisine. 

For the Palak Paneer Idli

Ingredient 

1 Kg  Idli Batter 

1 bowl Spinach chopped

1 bowl Cottage cheese  crumble 

1 Tomato chopped

1 Onion chopped

1 Green Chilli 

2 Garlic cloves 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 tsp a Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1 tbsp Oil 

1 tbsp Ghee

Handful of Spinach chopped 

Method 

Add 1 bowl spinach, tomato, onion, green chilli, garlic, salt, garam masala, chilli powder and cumin powder in a blender. Blend the ingredients into a purée. Take a pan, add oil, heat it. Add the purée and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cottage cheese, mix it. Take it of the flame. Add the purée into the idli batter, adjust the salt if need, add the chopped spinach. Mix it. Take the idli mould, apply ghee and pour in the batter. Steam the idlis. Once done, serve it with tomato chutney. 

P.S. It can be done with left over Palak paneer, mash the paneer in the left over Palak paneer before using. 

Garlic Tomato Chutney 

Ingredients

1 Garlic pod peeled and clean 

6 Dry Red Chillies

2 Tomatoes chopped 

Salt to taste

Method 

Add the above ingredients in a blender and blend it into a paste. 

For seasoning 

1/2 tsp Panch Phoran 

2 Dry Red Chillies Broken into pieces 

2 Pinches of Asafoetida 

2 tbsp Mustard Oil

Method 

Take the a pan, add the mustard oil, add the chillies and the Panch Phoran. Let it crackle, add the asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds, add the paste and cook it till the oil starts to saperate from the paste. Serve it with the idlis.

Egg Omelet Sandwich with Cottage Cheese Spinach and Carrot Spread

Egg Omelet Sandwich with Cottage Cheese Spinach and Carrot Spread.......
For the Spread
1 cup Cottage cheese crumbs
1/4 cup Hung Curd / Yogurt
2 tbsp Fresh Cream
1 cup Spinach chopped
1/2 cup Carrot shredded
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp Butter

Method
Take a pan, add butter, let it melt. Add spinach and saute till the water in the spinach has dried up. Keep it aside. In a blender add cottage cheese, hung curd, cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and blend it till smooth. Add spinach and carrot, mix it. Keep it aside.

Egg Omelet
Ingredients
6 Eggs
1 medium size Onion chopped finely
1 medium size Tomato de seeded and chopped finely
1 tbsp Red Chillies sliced
Salt to taste
1/4 Pepper powder
2 tbsp Oil

Method
Take a mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients expect oil. Beat the eggs well. Take a big pan, add oil, let it heat. Spread the egg batter and let it cook. Once done cut it into pieces.

To Assemble
Take bread slices, apply the spread on the slices. Add a omelet piece on the bread slice. Cover with another bread slice, cut the sandwich into pieces. Serve with potato chips....

Spinach, Carrot and Cheese Roulade

Spinach, Carrot and Cheese Roulade
For the Filling
Ingredients
1/4 cup Cream Cheese
1 cup Cottage cheese
2tbsp  Yogurt / Curd
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup Carrot shredded

Method
In the blender add all the above ingredients except carrots and blend it till smooth. Keep it aside.

For the Spinach Roulade
Ingredients
4 cups Spinach chopped, blanched and water squeezed out

4 Garlic cloves Minced 
3 Eggs separated
2 cups Mozzarella shredded
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
2 tbsp melted Butter

Method
Take a mixing bowl, add spinach, 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, egg yolk, garlic, salt to taste and pepper powder. Mix it. Take the egg whites and beat it till stiff. Add the egg whites in the spinach and fold it gently. Take a baking tin. Line a the tin with greaseproof paper and it brush with butter. Pour the batter in the tin. Bake at 180 degrees celcius  degrees for 10 minutes in a preheated oven. Take the tin out and spread the remaining cheese and bake it again for 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven and turn this over on a greaseproof paper to cool slightly. Peel the top layer of paper and roll up gently with the bottom greaseproof paper in the roll and leave to cool.

To Assemble
Open up the roll. Spread the filling and sprinkle the carrots on top. Roll it back. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Cut into roundles and serve.

Chinese Pineapple, Cottage Cheese With Cashewnuts

Chinese Pineapple, Cottage Cheese With Cashewnuts

For the sauce
Ingredients
2 tbsp Rice wine (optional)
1 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1/4 cup Water
2 tbsp Cornflour
1⁄4 tsp  Chinese five spice powder
Salt to taste

Method
Mix all the above ingredients together.

For the Chinese Pineapple Cottage Cheese With Cashewnuts
Ingredients
250 grams Cottage cheese cubes
1/2 cup Spring onions chopped
1 Onion cut into cubes
1 Green Capsicum cut into cubes
1 cup Pineapple cut into cubes 
1 tsp Ginger finely chopped
4 Garlic cloves chopped
1 tbsp Red Chillies sliced
1/2 cup roasted Cashew nuts
3 tbsp Sesame seed Oil

Method
Fry the paneer in the oil, remove and keep it aside. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute till the onions are translucent. Add the capsicum, chillies and pineapple. Stir for 3 minutes, add half of the spring onions , cottage cheese and cashew nuts, stir for 2 minutes.  Add the sauce and on high flame stir fry till the sauce thickens up. Add the remaining spring onions to garnish. Serve hot.

Durga Utsab and Feasting..... Vegetarian Platter

Durga Utsab and Feasting..... Vegetarian Platter 

Durga Puja (Worship of Goddess Durga ) also called Durgotsab. It is a popular festival of Bengal. It is celebrated in the eastern region of India and now celebrated world wide. The main days of Durga puja according to the traditional Hindu Calander are Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Bijoya Dashami which is within the 9 nights and 10 days of Navaratri.The word Navaratri means nine nights in Sanskrit, Nava meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshiped. The 10th day is Vijayadashami or Dussehra. This fortnight is called Devi Pokkho (Fortnight of the Goddess). The fortnight ends on Kojagori Laxmi Puja “Worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Kojagori Full Moon Night.

           Apart from the magnificent Puja Pandal set up, the sound of the Dhak (sound of the drums played during the Arati) and Dhunachi Nach (one of the form of Arti, dancing with the incense burner) and dressing, feasting is an important part... After the Debi Puja is the Pet Puja... Mornings people go to the Pandals to give Pushpanjali (Flower offering to the Goddess) on an empty stomach.Thereafter begins the feasting of the day. The food stalls in the pandals are open from morning selling, Vegetable Chop, Muchar Chop, Luchi and Dal Puri with Aloor Tarkari, and some of the sweet dishes like Rasgullas, Kalojam, Mihidanar Laddu, Pantua, Rajbhog etc. Afternoons lunch is usually the Bhog Prasad (Food offering to the Goddess and distributed amongst the people). It consist of Khichudi, Labra, Begun Bhaja, Chutney, Payesh and a Sweet dish. Nights are the visits to different Pandals and celebrating with friends and family. Enjoying the Pandals, Adda (is a form of intellectual exchange among members, who were originally of the same socio-economic strata)and Food. Mughlai Paratha, Chop, Ghugni, Jhal Muri, Phuchka, Luchi Aloor dum, Ilish Mach Bhat, Mutton Biriyani and off course no celebration ends with out sweets. The last day of the festival Vijaya Dashami is celebrated with Shindur Khala (For Bengali women, this last ritual — Sindoor Khela or Sindoor Utsav — holds much significance. The sindoor is a symbol of married life.It is first apply on the idol of Goddess Durga and then on other women while wishing them a happy married life and good luck. The origins believe that the goddess is heading for her in-laws’house. So,a royal treatment is given to Her.)There after immersion takes place and the Vijaya Dashami is concluded with KolaKoli. Greeting and respect to elders and love to young ones in the family and feasting on good food. Mutton Curry and Rice or Palau is made on that day with varieties of Sweets.

I have made some of the pure vegetarian dishes with out onions and garlic for the Durga Puja celebration at home. This dishes are different from the traditional dish prepared during the festival.
From left to Right...
Saag Bhaja usually spinach leaves are stirred fried with salt and turmeric powder. I have fried Dill leaves.
Muger Dal Bata
Kasundi diye Pholkopir Roast
Gandharaj Lebu ar Dhonepata diye Chana
Curd
Kacha Kolar Bora (Raw Banana Kofta)
Pineapple and Khejurgurer (Date Jaggary) Baked Sandesh

Muger Dal Bata (Mung Dal Paste)
For the Paste
1/4 Cup Coconut grated
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tbsp Poppy seeds
1 Or 2 Green Chiilies
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil
Method
Blend all the above ingredients into a thick paste. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

For the Muger Dal
Ingredients
1 Cup Moong Dal
Paste
1 Or 2 Chilli Chopped
Salt to taste
Few Coriander leaves Chopped
1/4 tsp Mustard Oil

Method
Soak the dal for 15 minutes. Remove the water from the dal.  Grind the dal into a coarse  paste, while grinding avoid adding water. Take a Malmal cloth, add the dal paste on the Malmal cloth, tie the cloth tightly, steam the dal till cooked. Once cooled, take the dal out of the cloth in a mixing bowl, add the chopped chillies, paste, salt to taste, mustard oil and few chopped coriander leaves. Mix it well. For garnishing add few drops of Mustard oil and chopped coriander leaves.

Kasundi diye Pholkopir Roast (Cauliflower roasted in Kasundi)

For the Kasundi
Ingredients
Ingredients
1 small Raw Green Mango pieces
3 Green chillies
3 Garlic cloves (optional)
1tbsp Black Mustard seeds
1tbsp Yellow Mustard seeds
Rock Salt to taste
Pinch of Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp of Mustard Oil

Method
Blend all the ingredients in a blender except for the mustard oil into a paste. Add little water to get a thick paste and blend it again. Now add mustard oil little at a time while blending. Store it into a glass bottle in the fridge. Let it stand for a day.

For the Cauliflower Roast
Ingredients
1 big Cauliflower cut into medium size florets
1 big Tomato cut into pieces
2 Capsicum cut into medium pieces
1/4 tsp Ginger paste
1/4 tsp Chilli paste
2 tbsp Curd
2 to 3 tbsp Kasundi
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seed powder
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
Few Coriander Leaves chopped

Method
Boil the Cauliflower florets and in 2 cups of water, adding salt to the water for 5 minutes. Drain the water out. In a mixing bowl add the ginger paste, chilli paste, curd, salt to taste, oil, turmeric powder and cumin seed powder and mix it. Add the cauliflower florets, capsicum and tomato pieces in the paste, mix it well and add the vegetables a glass baking tray, roast the vegetables for 45 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius in a pre heated oven. In between at a interval of 15 minutes, take the baking tray out of the oven and stir the vegetables. After the vegetables are cooked, take it out of the oven and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Gandharaj Lebu ar Dhonepata diye Chana (Cottage Cheese with Gandharaj lemon and Coriander leaves )

For the Paste
Ingredients
1/2 tsp Mustard Oil
1 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 or 2 Green Chillies
1 small piece of Ginger
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Dates Or 1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tspTurmeric powder
1 Gandharaj Lemon Juice

Method
Before taking out the Juice of the Gandharaj lemon, remove the zest of the lemon. Blend all the above ingredients in a blender into a paste.

For the Cottage Cheese preparation
Ingredients
500 grams Cottage Cheese cut into pieces
1 Tomato cut into strip
2 Green Or Red Chilli slit
Coriander paste
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
For Garnishing
Few Coriander leaves chopped
Zest of Gandharaj  Lemon

Method
Take a wok, add oil. Let it heat. Add the tomatoes and the chillies. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the paste, stir and simmer for 2 minutes, add the Cottage cheese cubes and the salt, stir and cook for another 2 minutes, add 1/4 cup water and salt. Stir, cover and let it simmer till the gravy has incorporated well with the Cottage Cheese. Before serving, garnish with coriander leaves, lemon zest and few drops of Mustard Oil.

Pineapple and Khejurgurer (Date Jaggary) Baked Sandesh
Ingredients
1 cup Cottage Cheese
1/4 cup grated Khajurgur ( Date Jaggary)
2 tbsp Pineapple paste or chopped finely

Method
Take a mixing bowl, mix the cottage cheese and the Jaggary well. Take a pan, add the cottage cheese mix with the Jaggary. On low flame cook the mixture well, add the pineapple paste, mix it well. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the ingredients has incoperated well. Take a small lose base tart tins.  Add the Sandesh mixture in the tins. Bake the Sandesh at 180 degrees for 25 minutes in a preheated oven till the top has  browned.