Showing posts with label Indian Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Festival. Show all posts

Tuesday 8 October 2019

Beetroot er Sandesh



May this Bijoya Dashami light up for you, the hopes of happiness, peace and prosperity !
Bijoya Dashami marks the end of Durga Puja. It is  celebrated differently across India. It’s the celebration of good over evil. In Bengal it is celebrated after the MA Durga idol is immersed. Young seeks blessings from the elders and share sweets. Men embrace (Kola - Kuli) each otherto wish Subho Bijoya. 

Beetrooter Sandesh 
This is a healthy sweet dish to be shared during Bijoya with your loved ones. 
Ingredients 
1 small Beetroot boiled and puréed 
1 cup Chana / Cottage cheese mashed 
2 to 3 tbsp Date Jaggery 
Ghee to apply on the sandesh mould




Method 
Take a pan, add the beetroot puree, on a low flame stir and cook the purée for a minute. Add the chana and continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the mixture has dried up a bit. Add the jaggery and continue to cook until it forms into a lump, and yet it is soft. Switch off the flame. Take the sandesh out on a plate. Let it cool down. Mix the sandesh dough well. Take the mould, apply ghee.  Take a small portion of the sandesh and shape up the sandesh with help of the mould. Remove the sandesh from the mould and serve. 

Wednesday 27 September 2017

Paneer Ke Kabab


A superb and easy festive snack or starter for vegetarians. Without any garlic and onion and with very few ingredients this snack can be made in very less time. This Kabab is shallow fried and served hot with green chutney.

Ingredients
250 grams Paneer / Cottage Cheese
3 tbsp Green Masala Paste ( Few coriander leaves, few mint leaves, 1 small piece of Ginger, 2 Green Chillies and 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds ground together in a mixer without adding any water )
2 tbsp All Purpose Flour ( Maida )
2 tbsp Semolina ( Suji )
Rock Salt to taste - (Sendha Namak)
2 tbsp Curd
Oil for shallow frying

Method
Take the cottage cheese, ground masala, maida, suji, salt and curd in a bowl. Mix all the ingredients  properly till it forms a soft dough. Make small balls and flatten it.
Take a pan, add oil. Let it heat. Shallow fry the Kababs till it is golden brown on both the sides. Serve it hot with green chutney.

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Durga Pujo ar Misthi Mukh


Durga Mai ki Jai.... 


The sound of Dhak, Dhunochi r Naach, Smell of happiness in the Air, New Clothes, Dressing up, offering Puspanjali, Bhog, Meeting friend's and family, Adda and feasting means Pujo, ar Bangali mane Mishti.... 
Ar Shes Pate Mishti - at the end a sweet dish has to be there... 
Here are some of the festive sweetdishes you can try out... The links are given below each picture. Please click on the link for the recipe... Happy Durga Pujo... 



Chanar Pantua 


Langcha 


Nolan Gurer Roshogolla


Pan Bahar Sandesh


Keshri Babam Bahar Sandesh Roll


Raj Bhog


Chitrakoot


Rosogollar Payesh 



Oats ar Chanar Diye Gurer Payesh


Malpuas 


Rasgullas


Perakhi


Narkel Naru


Chanar Misti Polau 


Misti Doi


Chandrapuli


Malai Chumchum


Ranga Alur Pantua ( Sweet Potato Pantua )

Wednesday 28 June 2017

Dhuska

Since it's raining continuously here for last 2 days, I was craving for something fried, but at the same time, lazy me wanted to be a couch potato. So here is a simple recipe to satisfy my soul....
It's a traditional dish of Jharkhand. It's made during festivals and can be had for breakfast and snacks. It's a fried savoury pancake. Easy to make with few ingredients. Rice and lentils are soaked in water and made into a smooth batter with garlic and ginger.  Cumin seeds, chopped chillies, green peas, coriander leaves, salt and turmeric powder are added to the batter and it is deep fried. It's serve with ghugni or aloo rassa. 


Ingredients
1 cup Rice 
1/2 cup Split Black Gram / Urid dal 
1/4 cup Split Bengal Gram / Chana dal
2 tbsp Green Peas - optional 
2 Green Chillies chopped 
1 tbsp Coriander Leaves Chopped 
2 to 3 Garlic cloves 
1 small piece of Ginger 
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
Oil to fry 




Method 
Wash and soak the rice and the lentils separately for 5 to 6 hours or overnight. Grind the rice and the lentils along with the garlic and ginger in a grinder into a smooth batter. The batter should be of thick dropping consistency. Add the salt, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, chopped chillies and coriander leaves. Mix the batter well, for the air to incorporate well, let is stand for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a pan, add a ladle of batter and fry it till golden brown on both the sides. Serve it hot with Aloo Rassa..

Incase if you don’t want to fry, add little oil on the skillet and pour the batter on the skillet. Spread it a little and cook it until done.

Aloo Rassa...

Thursday 2 February 2017

Gota Sheddho....


Gota Sheddho is made on the day of Saraswati Puja in Bengal and eaten the next day that is Sheetal Shasti. Gota means whole and Sheddo means boiled.  It is made with 5 types of vegetables, spinach with stem and roots (shish palak) and whole mung dal or whole black lentils. Each of the vegetables are taken in odd number like 5, 7, 9 or 11.
Different household has different version of making Gota Sheddho. In some houses, they have it only boiled and some houses makes mashala gota sheddho. 
I tried keeping my mother's traditional way of making mashala gota sheddho.  It is normally eaten with panta bhaat. 

Ingredients 
300 grams Whole Mung Dal 
1 bunch of Shish Palak
11 Flat beans whole
11 Green Peas whole 
11 small size Potato whole
11 small size Brinjal whole 
5 Green Chillies 
2 tbsp Ginger paste 
2 tbsp Fennel seed paste 
Salt to taste 
1/2 cup Mustard Oil 

Method 
Take the shish palak. Cut the stems into 1 inch pieces, the roots are also cleaned and add to the stem, the leaves are cut into pieces and kept separately. Give a slit on the potatoes and brinjals. Take a deep bottom pot. Add 2 liters of water. Add the dal. Arrange the stem and the roots of the palak, sprinkle some salt, then arrange potatoes followed by brinjals. Then add the flat beans, green peas and chillies. Cover the pot and let it simmer on low flame till the ingredients are 50 percent cooked. Add half of the mustard oil. Now add the Palak leaves and sprinkle some more salt. Cover and let it simmer till the dal is cooked. Take the ginger and fennel seed paste in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup water to it. Pour the paste on the gota and add some more mustard oil. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes. Lastly drizzle the remaining mustard oil and keep it over night. Enjoy the gota for lunch.

Friday 28 October 2016

Paan Chocolate Cake Truffles..


If you are a paan lover, and want to enjoy dessert with an Indian touch, then this is an ideal Diwali sweets for you after a sumptuous meal. This is made with chocolate cake sponge and the ingredients of the paan are added into the cake crumbs. It is mixed and kneaded into a dough. The dough is then divided into small balls which are dipped into melted chocolate and garnished with sweet fennel balls. Just pop one and you will pop in another... Sinfully delicious..... 🎊✨🎉💥😃

To prepare Paan Chocolate Cake Balls
Ingredients 
15 small Betel leaves cut into pieces 
1 1/2 cup of Chocolate Cake crumbs
2 tbsp Gulkand 
3 tbsp Chocolate Ganache
1 tbsp Sugar coated Fennel seeds mukhwas 
1 tsp chopped Glazed Cherries 
1/2 Paan masala ( pinch of Nutmeg powder, pinch of Cinnamon powder, pinch of cloves powder , pinch of Cardamom  powder and pinch of fennel powder )
1 tbsp of each  dried Rose petals and Desiccated Coconut  ( I did not use )

Method 
Take a grinder, add the cake crumbs, chocolate ganache, gulkand and betel leaves. Grind it into a paste. 
Or 
Add the cake crumbs into a grinder and grind it into a finer crumbs. Remove it into a mixing bowl add the chopped betel leaves, gulkand and chocolate ganache and follow the rest of the process. 
Add the paan masala, chopped glazed cherries, sugar coated fennel seeds mukhwas, rose petals and desiccated coconut. Knead it into a dough. Make small balls from the dough.

To make the Truffles 
Ingredients 
1/4 packet of Pure Dark Chocolate 
2 tbsp Sugar coated Fennel seeds 
Paan Chocolate Cake Balls 

Method 
Melt the chocolate in the microwave and cool it down to room temperature. Dip a cake ball into the melted chocolate. Remove it and keep it on a chocolate / small cupcake liner or a parchment paper. Sprinkle some sugar coated fennel seeds. Repeat the same process. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Serve it. 





Monday 24 October 2016

Paan Bahar Sandesh....


I have betel plant growing wild in my balcony. I love the flavor of the betel leaves with gulkand and sweet fennel mukhwas. My experiment with Sandesh continues. I have infused betel leaves and gulkand with paneer. Have it at the end of a meal. As you eat it, first taste is of the sandesh and then the flavour of the paan.. 

Ingredients 
10 small size Betel Leaves finely chopped 
200 grams Paneer / Cottage cheese
3 tbsp Condensed Milk 
3 tbsp Dessicated Coconut 
2 tbsp Gulkand 
1 tbsp of Sweet Fennel Mukhwas 
1 tbsp of Sweet Mix Mukhwas
Few Cherries cut into pieces 

Method 
Take the paneer and blend it in a blender. Take a wok, add the paneer, Betel leaves, dessicated coconut, gulkand and condensed milk. Keep stirring it continuously and cook on low flame till all the ingredients combines together and forms a dough. To check, take a small portion of the dough and roll it with your fingers. Remove it from the wok and keep it on a plate. As it cools down a bit. Knead it for a minute and divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Mix the 2 types of sweet mukhwas together. Take a portion. Roll it into a ball and slightly flatten it. Create a dent in the centre. Fill up the centre with the mukhwas and add a cherry piece on top. 


Wednesday 19 October 2016

Kesari Badam Bahar Sandesh Roll...


Sandesh is a sweet delicacy of Bengal. There are different types of Sandesh which are made with the key ingredient Chana / Cottage cheese. This recipe here is an experiment in my kitchen. The outer covering is made with cottage cheese while the inner roll is made with almond powder which is infused with saffron and saffron colour. You get 2 different taste which is the chana / cottage cheese taste from the outer covering and the kesari badam barfi taste from the inner roll and 2 put together the taste is divine. This sweet can be served to friends and family during festive season and since Diwali is next in line, do try it and have a joyous and sparkling Diwali.... 

For the Kesari Badam Bahar Barfi / Inner Roll
Ingredients 
100 grams Almond powder
2 tbsp Milk masala ( 1 tbsp Pistacho powder, 1 tbsp Almond powder, 1/4 tsp Cardomom powder, 2 pinch of Saffron crushed )
6 tbsp Sugar 
2 pinch of Saffron colour 
1/4 tsp Saffron 
1/4 cup Mava / Khoya 
6 tbsp Milk 

Method 
Take a non stick pan, add khoya, stir it continuously for 2 minutes on low flame. Add sugar and stirring it continuously, cook till the sugar dissolves. Add the almond powder, stir and cook for a minute, add 2 tbsp of milk and mix it. Add another 2 tbsp of milk, saffron, saffron colour and milk masala. Stir it and cook it for a minute. Add the remaining milk and cook it till it forms a soft dough. If required add a spoon or 2 of milk. To check, take a little portion and try to roll it. It should form a ball. Take it out, cover and keep it aside. 

For the Sandesh / Outer Roll 
Ingredients 
Home made Cottage cheese made from 1 1/2  litre Milk ( whey has to be completely drained out ) 
6 to 8 tbsp Sugar 

Method 
Mash the cottage cheese well. No lumps should remain. Take a non stick pan, add sugar, stir it on low flame for few seconds. Add the cottage cheese, keep stirring and cooking for 5 to 7 minutes till the sugar and cottage cheese combines well and starts to leave the sides of the pan. Remove it, cool the mixture a bit and add it in a grinder and pulse it 3 to 4 times. It will be come a smooth soft dough. 

To Assemble

Method 
Take a plastic sheet, put the cottage cheese dough on the sheet. Cover the dough with another plastic sheet. Roll the dough into a disc. Remove the top plastic sheet. Take the inner stuffing and shape it into a long cylindrical roll. Place the roll on the edge of the cottage cheese disc. With the help of the plastic sheet, start rolling the cottage cheese disc around the inner stuffing. It will become a cylindrical roll. Keep the roll in the fridge for an hour. Remove it and cut it into disc. Decorate it with edible sliver foil / chandi ka warq
 ( optional ). 

Tuesday 23 August 2016

Chia Besan aur Sattu Ki Barfi...

Chia Besan aur Sattu Ki Barfi....

When festivals are around and sweets are in demand let's make some home made sweets with Lyva Organic Chia seeds..
Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, which is grown in Mexico. "Chia" means strength, and it used used as energy boosters. It contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. Chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole-grain food that can be absorbed by the body as seeds. About 2 tablespoons of Chia contains 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals.The mild, nutty flavor of chia seeds makes them easy to add to foods and beverages. They are most often sprinkled on cereal, sauces, vegetables, rice dishes, or yogurt or mixed into drinks and baked goods. They can also be mixed with water and made into a gel.
I have roasted the chia seeds.. hence it gives crunchiness to the barfi along with almond flakes.
This is a recipe and review for Plattershare and Go Organic India for Belly Nirvana Program....

Ingredients
1/3 cup Sattu
1/3 cup Besan/Gram flour
1/2 cup Organic Coconut Sugar or Organic Jaggary powder
Pinch of Salt
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder
2 tbsp Almond flakes
1 tbsp Pistachio coarsely ground
2 tbsp Organic Chia Seeds roasted
3/4 cup Milk 
1/4 cup Ghee

Method
Grease a square tray and keep it aside.
Take a wok and add ghee. Let it melt. Add the besan and sattu. Stir it continuously and saute it on low heat till light golden brown in colour. Add the coconut sugar or jaggary, stirring it continuously, cook it for a minute. Gradually pour the milk and keep stirring till continuously till all the ingredients combines together. Add the chia seeds, salt and cardomom powder. Stir and cook till it starts to leave the sides of the wok. Spread the mixture on the square tray. Sprinkle with pistachios and almond on top and gently press the mixture. Let it cool completely before cutting and serving.   

Monday 18 July 2016

Mete Chorchori (Dry Liver Curry)

Mete Chorchori (Dry Liver Curry)

It is an old dish from Bengal. It is basically made with Mutton Liver, but you can use Chicken Liver too. Here I have made it with Chicken liver. This can be servered as a side dish and can be eaten with Paratha and Roti or Rice. 

Ingredients
250 grams Chicken Liver 
2 Potatoes cut into cubes and rubbed with Salt and 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
1 small Onion paste
1 big Onion chopped 
2  Tomatoes puréed
1 tsp Ginger paste 
1 tsp Garlic and Chilli paste 
1 Bay leaf
1 Cardamom crushed 
2 Cloves crushed
1 small piece Cinnamon 
6 Pepper corns 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Sugar 
Salt to taste 
3 tbsp Mustard oil 
1 Green Chilli chopped for garnishing 

Method 
Marinate the liver with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt for 30 minutes. Add oil in a wok. Heat it till smoking hot. Reduce the flame. Add the potatoes and fry it till light golden in colour. Remove it and keep it aside. In the same oil, add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and pepper corns. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf and the chopped onions. Sauté it till light brown in colour. Add the ginger garlic and chilli paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the onion paste. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the liver pieces. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes. Continue to stir and cook for 3 minutes more. Add the tomato puree and stir. Add the powder spices, salt and sugar. Stir and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook till the water dries up. Garnish with chopped chillies. Serve it hot.

Sunday 12 June 2016

Mango Coconut Kesar Laddu

Mango Coconut Kesar Laddu 

Ingredients 
2 cups Mango pulp 
1 1/2 cup Desiccated Coconut 
1/2 cup Milk Powder 
1/2 cup Sugar 
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder 
2 Pinch of Salt 
2 Pinch of Saffron 
Few Almond Flakes
1 tbsp Ghee

Method 
Take a wok, add  3/4 cup coconut and other remaining ingredients in the wok. Keep stirring on a low flame for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup coconut, keep stirring till the mango pulp becomes thick and sticky. Add 1/1 tbsp ghee.  Stir it, too check, take a small portion and try rolling it. It will be sticky, but it will form a ball. Take a plate, grease it with ghee. Pour the hot mixture into the plate. Spread it. Keep it till it is easy to handle. Take the remaining coconut on a plate. Apply ghee on the palms. Divide the mixture in to equal portions. Roll it into a ball. Coat it with coconut.

Thursday 24 March 2016

Happy Holi

Happy Holi to all..
Art work done with Coloured Powder Sugar on a curd based drink Piyush...

Tuesday 22 March 2016

Nutty Chocolatey Mawa Donut Gujjiya.......

Nutty Chocolatey Mawa Donut Gujjiya.......

Holi hai Bhai Holi hai....
Khelo Rango ke Sath.... 
Gujjiya kha ke mast raho....
Aahi hai Subhakamnaye Hmara Apke Sangh..... 

Gujjiyas are classic dish made with all purpose flour dough and Mava filling, deep fried and dipped in Sugar syrup... 
This is a Gujjiya with a twist... 

For the Donut dough
Ingredients 
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour + 1/4 cup extra for handling the dough and rolling the dough 
3 tbsp Melted Butter 
2 tbsp Powder Sugar 
Salt to taste 
1 1/4 tsp Dry Yeast 
1/4 cup Lukewarm Water 
1 tbsp Sugar for the Yeast 
1/4 cup or more Lukewarm Milk for kneading a soft dough


Method 
Add yeast, sugar and  lukewarm water in a cup and keep it aside till it rises. Take flour in a mixing bowl,  add salt and powder sugar. Mix it.  Mix in yeast and milk little at a time as per the milk is required for kneading a soft dough. Add a tbsp of butter and keep kneading the dough for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining butter on the dough and  keep it aside cover till the dough rises. 
P. S. If the dough gets sticky sprinkle some flour and knead it. 
Knead the dough well. Stretch the dough and fold on a flat platform.

For the Nutty Chocolate Mawa filling 
Ingredients 
3/4 cup of Mawa
1/2 cup of Chocolate Chips 
Handful of Almond and Pistachio flakes or chopped

Method 
Take a pan, add the mawa and cook it till the mawa starts to form a dough, take it off the flame. Add the Almond and Pistacho flakes and mix it. Add the Chocolate chips, mix it well and keep it aside.

For the Donut Gujjyas 
Ingredients 
Dough
Filling 
Oil for frying the Gujjyas

Method 
Take the dough and knead it again. Divide the dough in to two portions. Take one portion and roll the dough, cut circles out of the sheet with a round cutter. Add the filling and fold one side to the other side. Press it and fold the edges. Keep it for 20 minutes. Heat the oil. Fry the Gujjyas till brown. Take it out. Cool it. Sprinkle it with coloured sugar powder... 

For Garnishing 
Use coloured sugar powder..... 

P. S. Take 2 tbsp of Sugar in a grinding jar and add few drop of colour. Mix it with the spoon.  Grind the sugar. The colour will get mixed with the sugar. If darker shade is required then add more drops of colour and grind again. This coloured powder sugar canbe used to decorate cakes and other desserts...