Strawberry Cashew Mawa Barfi

Strawberry Cashew Mawa Barfi 

This is my Chef's Special Choice winning recipe for the Sugar free contest 

Ingredients
250 grams Mawa
250 grams Cottage cheese  (Paneer )
1/2 cup Cashewnut powder
1/2 Sugar free powder
1/2 Strawberry pulp
Few drops of Strawberry essence
Few Pistachio chopped for garnishing
Method
Take a plate and make crumbs of Mawa and paneer. Take a heavy bottom pan, add the mawa and paneer and stirring it continuously cook it for 10 minutes till the liquid in it dry up a bit. Divide the mixture in to two parts. Take one part in a pan, add the cashewnut powder and 1/4 cup Sugarfree in it. Stir and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more till the mixture forms almost like a dough. Take it out and spread the mixture on a greased plate. Take the next mixture in a pan, add the strawberry pulp, 1/4 cup Sugarfree powder and few drops of Strawberry essence. Stir and cook till the mixture forms almost like a dough. Take it out and spread the mixture on the cashewnut barfi. Let it cool. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Cut and serve it in
pieces.

Kheerer Perakhi

Kheerer Perakhi 

My Ma was an excellent cook during her era. I remember my Ma making many types of sweet dishes during the festive season. One of the dish she prepared was Kheerer Perakhi.  My Ma passed away 2 years back. This Diwali I thought of celebrating in her rememberence. This sweet dish is not seen much in the shops now a days. 

Perakhi in other places outside Kolkatta is called Mawa Kachori / Candrakala/ Suryakala. The ingredients for the Perakhi and Kachori is more or less the same except in Mawa Kochuri / Candrakala / Suryakala  stuffing,  coconut, semolina and poppy seeds are added in some places. Kheerer Singara / Samosa Ingredients and the method is the same except for the shape is different. Perakhi is made with khoya stuffing filled in between the 2 rolled dough and then it is fried and dipped  into the sugar syrup. 

For the Stuffing 

Ingredients 

250 grams Khoya 

3 tbsp Sugar or as required 

2 tbsp Mixed Dry Fruit flakes (Almond and Pistachio)

1/2 tbsp Raisins 

2 Pinch of Cardamom powder 

Method 

Take a pan , heat it.  Add khoya and on low flame stir the khoya till it turns light brown & soft. Add sugar, stir it. Then mix  the dry fruit flakes, cardomom powder and raisins with the khoya. Keep it aside. 

For the Dough

3 cups All Purpose Flour 

3 tbsp Ghee

Salt to taste 

Cold Milk or Water to knead the dough 

Method 

Mix APF, salt and ghee, mix it. Add milk or water little at a time. Knead into a firm dough, cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes. 

For Sugar Syrup

11/2  cups of Sugar

2 cups of water 

Method 

Mix the sugar and water in a pot. On a low flame cook the sugar syrup till 2 string consistency. 

For the Kheerer Perakhi 

Ingredients 

Stuffing 

Dough 

Sugar syrup 

For garnishing Pistacho flakes 

Ghee for frying 

Method 

Take the dough. Divide the dough into equal small lime size portions. To make the Perakhi, take 2 dough balls  and appy a drop of ghee on the rolling board. Roll the dough balls out into small size pooris. Place one spoon of filling in the middle of one poori and close the stuffing by placing  another poori. Now pinch and fold the edges inwards. Repeat the process to make other perakhis.  Deep fry the perakhis in the hot ghee over a low flame till it turns golden brown in colour. Drain on absorbent paper. Dip the perakhis in the hot sugar syrup. Let it soak for 5 minutes.  Take it out from the sugar syrup on a plate. Garnished it with  pistachios. Serve after it cools down.

Gurner Narkel Naru (Jaggary Coconut Ladu)

Gurner Narkel Naru (Jaggary Coconut Ladu)
These Coconut Laddus are made in a Bengali Traditional way.....In my Gandma's house in Kolkatta, they would make these laddoos for Puja or on a daily basis, stock it up in a glass jar during my growing up years as a kid. I remember my Ma making it too. I remember my cousin and me quietly vanishing the laddoos from the jar kept in my Grandma’s room while she was fast asleep in the late afternoons and sneaked under her cot to eat it and giggled away to glory. Another very distinct memory of my childhood is the visit to Mumbai Ramkrishna Mission in Mumbai with my Parents... Those day my father use to regularly take us to the Mission, specially on a Sunday and we knew many Swamijis there. As we visited the visiting room in the mission and met the Swamijis, one of the Swamiji use to take out 2 Narus out of the jar for me to gobble it up.

Ingredients
4 cups fresh grated Coconut
2 1/2 cups Jaggary Or Date Jaggary grated
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Cardomom powder
A small pinch of Camphor for flavouring

Method
Take a non stick pan, add the coconut. Stir it for 2 minutes, add the Jaggary. Cook it on low flame, stirring it continuously. Sprinkle the salt... It helps to balance the sweetness and Cardomom powder. Keep on cooking it on low flame till all the jaggery melts and is well incorporated into the coconut. When it starts to form a dough, Switch off the gas.to check, take a small portion and roll it with the help of the fingers. It will form into a ball. Sprinkle the Camphor and mix it. Make the desire size balls while it it still warm. Serve and store it in a jar when it cools down completely ....

P.S. The colour of the laddoos depends on the Jaggary... You can melt and boil the Jaggary first to get a dark colour laddoos..

Kesar Pista Kaju Chakli

How about celebrating Diwali with
Kesar Pista Kaju Chakli ✨✨
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Cashew flour /powder
1 1/2 cups Pistacho flour / powder
1 1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
2 pinch Saffron 
Ghee for greasing
Pistacho flakes
1 tsp Saffron syrup

Method
Place a thick bottomed pan on a medium flame;  add sugar and water. Let the sugar dissolve in the wate. The syrup should  be in between 1 and 2 string consistency. Divided the sugar syrup into 2 parts. Take 1 part of the sugar syrup; add saffron and  powdered cashews to the sugar syrup. Lower the flame and keep on stirring the cashew paste till it  thickens and  becomes a soft dough. Switch of the gas. To check if it is ready to be rolled, just roll a small pinch of the dough in between your fore finger and thumb. Similarly repeat the same process with the powdered Pistacho at the same time.  If it does not stick to your fingers then that means it is ready to be rolled. Apply little ghee on the the palms.  Roll the two doughs into cylindrical long rope of the same size together. Cut the dough into equal portions. Take a portion. Apply ghee on the platform. Place the dough on the platform. With the help of the palm; roll the dough gently into a long thick rope shape around 4 inch. Give the rope a spiral shape. Repeat it with other portions. Garnish with pistachio flakes and a touch of saffron syrup in the center...

Dal Bati Churma

Dal Bati Churma
It is a famous dish / delicacy of Rajasthan. This dish is cooked in all occasion. It consists of baatis that is round breads baked over firewood or oven and dipped in ghee. The dal is slow cooked in a pot and seasoning is added,  Churma made from unsalted dough,  into round balls and fried in ghee. These  fried baatis are crushed and sugar or jaggery is mixed into it.

I have baked the Batis in oven and Dal in pressure cooker with less use of ghee. Even the Churma is baked in oven.

For the Panchmel Dal
Ingredients
2 tbsp Split Bengal Grams (Chana Dal)
2 tbsp Yellow Split Dal (Tuvar Dal)
2 tbsp  Split Green Gram (Moong Dal)
2 tbsp Split black Dal (Urid Dal)
2 tbsp Pink lentils (Massor Dal)
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
1/2 tsp Dry Mango powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Bay leaves
2 Cloves
1 small Cinnamon stick
1 Red dry Chilli
2 Pinch of Asafoetida
1 Green Chilli slit
1/4 tsp Ginger grated
1/2 tbsp Ghee

Method
Clean and wash the dals, soak it for 30 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook it. Give 3 to 4 whistles. Once the pressure releases, open the cooker. Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, 1/4 tbsp ghee, ginger and green chilli in the dal. Mix it. Add the water if required. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.  Heat rest of the ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, red chilli, let the cumin seed crackle. Add asafoetida and red chilli powder. Add 1 tbsp of water in the seasoning to avoid burning of chilli powder, cook for few seconds. Add the seasoning in the dal. Simmer for 2 minute more. Serve with the Batis.

For the Bati
Ingredients
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Semolina
1 tbsp Bengal Gram Flour
1/4 tsp Carom seeds
1/2 cup Milk
Pinch of Baking Powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp  + 1/2 tbsp Melted Ghee

Method
In a mixing bowl, Mix all the dry ingredients and mix it. Add 1/2 tbsp of ghee, rub the flour with the help of the Palm. Add milk, and water if required little at a time. Knead it into a firm dough. Knead well for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions and shape each portion into an even sized round balls. Flatten the rounds lightly using your thumb to make an indentation in the centre of the ball. Arrange the baatis on a baking tray. Brush ghee on the Batis. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 40 minutes turning it over occasionally. Brush ghee on the Batis break each baati into pieces and pour hot panchmel dal over the baatis.

For the Churma
Ingredients
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 tbsp Fine Samolina
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp Powder sugar or more as required for sweetness
2 pinch Cardamon powder
1 tsp Almond Flakes
1/4 or more Milk
1/4 tbsp + 1 tsp Melted Ghee

Method
In a mixing bowl, mix whole wheat flour, Simolina and salt. Add 1/4 tbsp ghee, mix it. Add milk little at a time and make a firm dough. Knead it for 5 minutes. Make equal portion of the dough, brush the churmas with ghee, bake it at 180 degrees Celcius for 40 minutes turning it occasionally till brown on both the sides.  Cool the churmas, blend the churmas in a blender, add powder sugar, Cardomom powder and the remaining ghee and mix it. Add the almond flakes for garnishing.
P.S. I have baked the Churmas along with the Batis...
Please use melted ghee according to the measurement to reduce the quantity of ghee used while brushing.

Chana ar Oats er Jelebi in Apple Syrup(Cottage cheese and Oats Jalebi)

Chanar Jelebi is a very popular sweet dish of Bengal. Authentic Chanar Jalebi is made from mixing cottage cheese, sugar and All purpose flour or Samolina. Here I wanted to give a twist... It is then deep fried in ghee. I wanted to reduce the usage of ghee, so I used a pan and tried to shallow fry it instead of deep frying it. Then it is deeper in sugar syrup. I wanted to avoid sugar. So I used Apple juice. I reduced the Apple juice to 1/2 the quantity. Dipped it in hot Apple juice and let it stand for an hour... and the taste was Out of the world.

Chana ar Oats er Jelebi in Apple Syrup(Cottage cheese and Oats Jalebi)

Ingredients

1 cup Cottage cheese

3 tbsp of Oats or more 

1/2 tsp Sugarfree 

Pinch of Cardamom powder

Pinch of Rock Salt

1/2 tsp  Almond and Pistacho flakes for garnishing (Optional)

2 tbsp Ghee.

Method

In a mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, oats, cardamom powder, pinch of salt and sugar free. Knead it very well  for 5 to 10 minutes to make a soft dough. Divided the dough into equal lemon size balls. Take a chana ball and smoothen it with your palm. While rolling check if it is cracking then add more oats and knead again. Place it on a flat surface and start rolling it back and forth with your palms. Do not put too much of pressure and try to keep the same thickness.  Make a 4 inches long rope and roll and give it a spiral shape. Prepare all the jalebis and keep them aside. Cover and keep as there can be crackes if expose to open due to air. Take a big pan, heat the ghee. Place the jalebis as many as possible. Fry and put it on the tissue paper. Then add it in the Apple syrup and soak it for an hour or more. Serve it hot and garnish with almond and pistachio flakes. (Optional)

P.S. Please use fresh full cream Cottage cheese to get soft and creamy texture and also odd cottage cheese will not bind properly and will cracke. If the Cottage cheese is made at home then drain the water completely before making the sweets.

Apple Syrup

Ingredients 

2 cup Apple juice 

2 tbsp Sugarfree (Optional) 

1 crushed Cardomom 

1/2 tsp Lime juice

Method 

To make the syrup add Apple juice,sugar free,  crushed cardamom and lime juice together and boil it till the quantity reduces to half.

P.S. I used 4 big size fresh apples to make the juice. Blend the chopped apples in the blender and strain the pulp out completely  as we require only the juice. This will not be so sweet; as I have not used Sugarfree.  If you want it sweet then you can also use ready made Apple juice or Honey. 

Multi Grain And Coconut Laddu.....

Multi Grain And Coconut  Laddu.....
Ingredients
1/4 cup of each
Jawari Flour
Bajra Flour
Soya Flour
Sattu Flour
Amarnath Flour
Water Chestnut Flour
Oats
Brown Flattened Rice
2 to 3 cups Desiccated Coconut
4 tsp Ghee
2 or more cups of grated Jaggary as per the sweetness required
1/4 tsp Cardomom powder
2 Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Milk
Handful of Raisins
Handful of Almond Flakes

Method
Take a wok, add all the types of flours, Oats and Brown flatten rice. On a low flame stir it for 10 minutes, till a aroma spreads in the kitchen. Add 1 tsp ghee, salt, Cardomom powder, 1 cup coconut, raisins and almond. Keep on stirring it for another 10 minutes. Now switch off the gas and let it cool a bit. Add the grated Jaggary and mix it properly. Put the wok back on a low flame. Stir for 2 minutes, add the remaining ghee. Stir for 2 minutes, add 1 tbsp milk at a time and keep on stirring, after the mixture is dried up, add 1 tbsp of milk, keep stirring, keep adding milk till and stirring till the mixture will become moist and gradually the mixture will bind together into a dough. Take if off the gas. Apply ghee on the palms, take little portion of the mixture and make lemon size ball. Roll the ball in the remaining coconut and serve once it is in room temperature.

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.

Thandai Chocolate

Thandai Chocolate
Ingredients
250 grams of White chocolate compound
Some candy colours of your choice

Ingredients for Thandai powder
10 Almonds
10 Pistachios
2 tbsp  Melon Seeds
8 Rose Petals
1/4 tsp Poppy Seeds
2 Green Cardamom
4 Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp Rose Essences
Few strands of Saffron

Method
Grind all the ingredients together and keep aside. Take white chocolate and melt it. Temperature of the White chocolate should be 100 – 110° F (37 – 43° C). Be very careful as the high milk and sugar content in white chocolate will cause it to burn easily.
Add the powder to the melted chocolate . Mix it. Add colours to the mould and fill the moulds with chocolate . Keep it in the fridge till it sets.
The Thandai powder can be used in the milk adding sugar to it to make Thandai drink...

Fried Modak Stuffed with Bottle Gourd and Mava stuffing.......

Modaks have a special significance during Ganesh festival,  as it is believed to be the favourite food Lord Ganesha, due to which he is called moniker modakapriya (the one who likes modak) in Sanskrit. During Ganesh Chathurthi the deity is offered with Modak and distributed as Prasad..  Modaks are made with rice flour and jaggary coconut stuffing  which are steamed.  Innovative recipes for modaks have also been created like chocolate modak, motichoor modak, cake modak....

Fried Modak Stuffed with Bottle Gourd  and Mava stuffing.......
For the Stuffing
Ingredients
3 cups  Bottle gourd grated along with the skin
1/2 cup Mava
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Condensed milk
5 tbsp or More Sugar according to the sweetness required
1/4 tsp Cardomon powder
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Almond flakes
1 tbsp Raisin
1 tbsp Broken Cashew nuts
1 tbsp Ghee

Method
Take a wok. Add grated bottle gourd, cover and cook till the juices of the bottle gourd reduces. Mean while in another pot mix 1/4 cup Mava , milk, condensed milk, sugar and salt. Let it boil and then let it simmer on low flame for 5 minutes. Add the bottle gourd in the milk. On a low flame cook the bottle gourd stirring it occasionally till the bottle gourd has incoperated well with the other ingredients. Add raisins, broken cashew nuts, Almond flakes, Cardomon powder, remaining Mava and ghee. Cook for another 10 minutes. Keep it aside.

For the dough
2 cups All purpose flour OR 1 cup APF and 1 cup Whole wheat
1 tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste

Method
Mix flour and salt. Add ghee and mix the flour well. Add water as required and knead the flour to get a semi soft dough. Keep it covered for 15 minutes.

For the Modak
Dough
Stuffing
Oil for frying

Method
Make equal portion of the dough. Take a portion of the dough and roll it into a 2 inch circle. Add one spoon of the stuffing. With the help of the fingers curl up the edges of the dough. Gently get the edges together and close the edges. Take oil for frying in a wok. Heat the oil. Fry the modaks till brown in colour from all the sides.

Kesar Pista Barfi Handi filled with Malai Rabdi...

Kesar Pista Barfi Handi filled with Malai Rabdi...

Kesar Pista Barfi
Ingredients
1 cup Pistachio powder
1 cup Cashewnut powder
1/4 cup Khoya
1/2 cup powder Sugar
2 pinch of Saffron
2 tbsp hot milk
1 tsp Ghee
1 tsp Almond flakes for garnishing
1 tsp Pistachio powder for garnishing

Method
Take a mixing bowl. Mix pistachio powder, cashew powder and sugar. Take 2 tbsp hot milk, add saffron and let the saffron soak for 5 minutes. Take a pan. Add the Khoya. On low flame, cook the Khoya for few seconds, add the dry ingredients. Mix it. Add the saffron milk. Keep stirring the Barfi.... till it starts to leave the pan edges. Grease a plate. Pour the mixture. Let it cool a bit, but it should be still warm to shape the Barfi.  Apply ghee on the palms. Knead the mixture so that the mixture becomes smooth and forms a dough and it will be easy to shape it. Take a palm size portion and give it a handi shape. Make a hole in the handi to fill it with Malai Rabdi. Once the handi is made.. Sprinkle Pistachio powder and almond flakes on the handi. Sprinkle some pistachio powder on the Rabdi.

Malai Rabdi
Ingredients
500 grams Full Cream Milk
5 tbsp Condensed Milk
1 pinch of Cardomon powder

Method
Heat and simmer the milk on low heat. Reduce the milk to 1/2 the quantity. Add the condensed milk and cardamom powder. Let it simmer and keep on stirring constantly till the milk has become thick....
Take it off the flame and cool it.

Happy Onam 2015 Instant Baked Vattayappam (Baked Rice Cake)

This Onam may the spirit of King Mahabali spread prosperity and Happiness to all.... I wanted to make some floral rangoli and celebrate the festival with sweets... I thought of this dish where it  should be traditional as well.. Instead of a cake base I made Instant Baked Vattayappam  (Baked Rice Cake) as a base and then decorated it with Coconut cream... Floral design on top of the rice cake... 

Instant Baked Vattayappam  (Baked Rice Cake)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cup Rice flour
1 1/2 tsp Dry Yeast
1/4 cup Luke warm Water
2 cup Coconut milk
1 Mashed Banana
1/2 cup Or more Sugar as per taste
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Raisins
2 tbsp Cashewnuts
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder

Method
Take  yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and lukewarm water in a mixing bowl. Keep it for 10 minutes or till it rises. In a separate mixing bowl,  add the coconut milk, sugar, salt and Cardomon powder, mix the ingredients well till the sugar dissolves. Add the liquid to the yeast, gradually add the rice flour and whisk it till no lumps remain. Add the mashed banana, raisins and cashewnut. Mix it well. The batter should be thick dropping consistency. Keep it for 10 minutes. Take a baking tin, grease the baking tin. Pour in the batter in the tin. Let it rest for 20 minutes in the baking tin. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes...

Tiranga Rabdi Gelo

Tiranga Rabdi Gelo
Ingredients
1 litre Milk
1  small Tetra pack Amul cream
1cup Condensed Milk OR more as per the sweetness required
1 tbsp Pistacho powder
1 tsp Cardomom powder
1 tbsp Almond powder
1/2 tsp Saffron
2 drops of Orange colour
2 drops of Green colour
3 tbsp of Agar Agar powder

Method
Take the milk, simmer on low flame, and reduce 1/4 of the milk... Add condensed milk... Stir the milk till the condensed milk dissolves with the milk. Take it off the gas and add the cream. Divide the milk into three parts. Add Pistacho powder, 1/4 tsp of Cardomom and green colour in one of the milk pot and mix it.  Take the second milk pot and add saffron, 1/4 tsp Cardomom powder and orange colour, mix it an keep it aside. Take the third milk pot, add almond powder and 1/4 tsp of Cardomom powder, mix it. Take agar agar and add 3/4 cup water to it. Soak for 2 minutes. Stir it and keep it on low flame till the agar agar dissolves. Take glasses.. Add 3 to 4 tbsp agar agar liquid in the pista elachi Rabdi. Mix it well on a low flame and give it a  boil, stirring it constantly. Take of the flame. Put 2 or more spoons in each of the glass.. Keep it in the fridge for till it sets. Repeat the same with badam elachi and kesar elachi... Add Pistacho powder for garnishing... Have it chilled..

Tiranga Kalakand

Tiranga Kalakand
Ingredients
300 grams Paneer
6 tbsp Sugar
4 tbsp Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Milk
Pinch of Salt
Few drops of Orange essence
2 drops of Orange colour
2 tbsp Pistachio powder
2 drops of Green colour
Few stands of Saffron
1 tbsp Almond flakes

Method
Take the paneer, sugar and a pinch of salt. Mash the paneer well with the help of your palm. Divided the mashed paneer into 3 equal portions. Take a non stick pan. Take one portion of the paneer and and cook the paneer on low flame for 3 minutes or till it becomes little dry and crumbly. Keep it  aside. Take the another portion, repeat the same process as with the first portion. Add orange essence and orange colour. Mix it and keep it aside. Take the last portion, repeat the same process as done with other portions, add 1 tbsp pistachio powder and green colour. Mix it. Now add the other orange and white paneer back into the pan. Add condensed milk and milk. Mix it and cook on low flame stirring it occasionally till the milk dries up. Spread the Kalakand on a plate. Decorate it with pistachio powder,  almond flakes and saffron..

Moog Dal Pakon Pitha

Moong Pakon Pitha is a traditional dish of Bangladesh. The pitha is made with moong dal and rice flour dough. The dough is rolled and different designs and patterns are created on it. It is then deep fried and soaked in thick sugar syrup. Due to the designs, it is also called Nakshi pitha.  

I tried making it, but I need lots of practice to master the art to create a perfect design. 

For Syrup

2 cup sugar

1 cup water 

1 small piece cinnamon

2 cardamom

Method 

To make the syrup combine all the syrup ingredients in a pot.

The syrup should be thick in consistency.

For the Pitha

Ingredients

1/2 cup Moong dal

1 cup Rice Flour

1 pinch of salt

2 tbsp oil

2 1/2 cups water

Oil for deep frying

Method

Boil the Moog Dal in water.

Use a hand blender, so that the moog dal blends well.

Add salt and 1 tbsp oil.

Switch off the flame.

Stir the dal.

Add the rice flour and stir.

Cover the vessel and keep it aside till the mixture cools down a bit and it is easy to handle.

 Knead it to form a soft dough. Add little oil and knead it well.

Take a big lime size portion.

Apply oil  on the  rolling surface to prevent the dough from sticking.

Roll the dough to about a ¼ inch to 1/3 inch thickness.

Apply oil on the rolled disc.

You may use cookie cutters, fork, comb, toothpick or any other material to create designs on the rolled disc.

Ensure the design is deep enough as it will help absorb the syrup and make the inside of the pitha moist.

Heat oil to deep fry the pithas.

Fry the decorated pieces until in golden color. 

Remove the pithas from the oil.

Place the pitas directly in the hot syrup.

Pakon pitha is ready to be serverd.

Shor Bhaja

Shor Bhaja
Shor Bhaja is a traditional Bengali sweet dish. It was first made in Krishna Nagar West Bengal. It is made  only from cream of the milk. The process is bit tedious and it needs gentle handling, but the outcome is worth the try.

For the Sugar syrup
Ingredients
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp Lime juice
Pinch of Cardamom powder
Few drops of Rose essence

Method
Add water and sugar in a pot. Let it boil. Add cardomom powder and rose essence. Let it simmer till 1 string. Add lime juice and keep it aside.

For the Shor Bhaji
Ingredients
2 liters Full Cream Milk
1 tbsp Sugar
2 tbsp All purpose flour
Few Almond and Pistachio chopped for garnishing
Ghee for shallow frying

Method
Boil the milk, then simmer the milk on low flame,  the cream will start to form on top of the milk. Wait till the cream settles in properly. Take the cream out from the milk very gently and keep collecting  it on a plate layer by layer. Sprinkle sugar on top of the cream when we reach to half point.  Repeat the process of collecting the cream over the sugar till the  last point. Press the cream and remove all the milk from the cream if any. Cut the cream pieces into square pieces. Sprinkle little flour on the cream. Leave it for some time. Heat the ghee in a fry pan. Take some flour on a plate. Take a square at a time. Gently apply flour all around and reshape  it. Add the square cream pieces 2 at a time in the ghee. Fry it on medium-high flame on both the side until golden brown in colour.  Put the sugar syrup back on fire on a low flame. Add the fried cream pieces into the hot sugar syrup. Let it simmer for 1 minutes. Switch off the flame. Let the Shor bhaja be in the sugar syrup for 10 minutes until it soaks some sugar syrup. Remove it and keep it on a serving plate. Decorate with chopped  almond and  pistachio. Serve it and Enjoy.....

Roti ki Kheer

Roti ki Kheer
Delicious and healthy... Roti ki kheer was an experiment in my kitchen. Try it and you will want more....
Ingredients
2 Chappatis
2 cups Milk
Pinch of Salt
6 tbsp Sugar or as per taste
2 Pinch of Cardomom powder
10 Raisins
Few broken Kaju
4 Almond chopped
4 Pistachio chopped

Method
Make fine crumbs of the Chappati. Boil the milk on a low flame. Once the milk boils, add a pinch of salt and sugar. Let the sugar dissolve. Stir it occasionally. Add cardomom powder. Let the milk simmer for 5 minutes. Add the Chappati crumbs. Let it cook on a low flame  till the texture gets smooth. Add the raisins, kaju, almonds and pistachio flakes keeping some for garnishing. Serve hot or cold.

Classic Dhokla, Schezwan Vegetable Dhokla and Vattayappam with a twist

These 3 healthy quick snack recipes are a twist from classic recipes of India made from the same basic key ingredients... Lapsi and Suji.  Do try out at home....

Suji and Lapsi Batter
Ingredients
2 cups Lapsi ( broken wheat)
2 cups Suji
1 cups butter milk or more to make a thick batter
2 tsp soda bi carb or yeast or Eno

Method
Wash the Lapsi and soak it in water for 2 to 3 hours. Then throw the water in which the  Lapsi was soaked. Now put all the ingredients except for the salt and soda bi carb or yeast or Eno in the grinder and grind it into a fine paste. Take the batter out of the grinder and if required add more butter milk to get a thick consistently. Add soda bi carb or Eno or yeast as desire. If yeast is added then add the yeast in 1/4 cup of Luke warm water with 1 tsp sugar and keep it for 10 minutes for rising. Then add the yeast water to the batter. Let the batter stand for 30 minutes to an hour.

This batter is the base for the 3 following recipes. Divided the batter into 3 parts.

Classic Dhokla
Ingredients
1 part of the batter
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp chilli paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp oil
1 pinch of hing
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5 to 6 curry leaves
4 tbsp water
1/2 tsp sugar
Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method
Add ginger, salt and chilli paste to the batter. Grease the dhokla plates and fill 1/2 of the dhokla plates with the batter. Sprinkle chilli powder and roasted cumin powder and steam the dhoklas. Check the dhokla with the help of the tooth pick. If done the tooth pick will come out smoothly. Take the dhokla out of the steamer and cool it. Now take oil in a small vessel and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds starts to crackle add hing, curry leaves and sugar. Keep it for a minute and add water and let it bubble. Now add the tadka on the dhokla and garnish with coriander leaves. Cut it in to square or diamond shapes and serve it with green coriander chutney.

Schezwan Vegetable Dhokla
1 part of the batter
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste
1/2 pepper powder
1/2 tsp soya sauce
1 tbsp Schezwan sauce
1 onion sliced
1/2 small capsicum slice
1/2 tsp garlic crushed
1/4 cup cabbage sliced
1 tbsp carrot sliced
1/4 cup spring onion chopped
Coriander leaves and spring onions for garnishing

Method
Take the batter and add salt as required. Take a pan and add oil. Add crushed garlic and sauté for a minute. Add all the sliced vegetables. Add the soya and the Schezwan sauce. Sauté the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped  spring onions the vegetables and keep it aside. Now grease the dhokla   plate and fill 1/4 of the plate with the batter. Half steam the batter. Once half steamed and the top of the batter has harden spread the vegetables on the batter. Now fill the rest of the plate with the rest of the batter and sprinkle pepper powder on top. Put the plate back into the steamer and steam the dhokla till done. Take it out from the steamer and garnish it with coriander leaves and chopped spring onions. Let the dhokla cool and then cut into shapes as desire.

Vattayappam with a twist
1 part of the batter
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
Sugar as per the sweetness required
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp broken kaju
1 tbsp raisins
1 mashed banana
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp Saffron syrup
1 banana sliced for decoration
1/2 tsp ghee

Method
Take the batter and add all the ingredients except Saffron syrup and sliced banana. Mix the batter well. Now grease the plate with ghee and add the batter. Steam the batter till done. Take the plate out of the steamer. Cool the Vattayappam. Garnish it with Saffron syrup and sliced banana.

Rosh Bora

Rosh Bora
The festival of Makar Shankranti is also known as Pithey Parbon in Bengal. There are many types of Pithey made in Bengal. Another type of sweet made during Shankranti is Rosh Bora.
Ingredients
2 cups of whole white urad dal
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated ginger
Oil for frying
Notun gur or date jaggery according to the sweetness of the syrup wanted

Method
Soak the dal for an hour. Drain the water and grind into a fine paste. Mix in fennel seeds, salt and grated ginger with the paste. The consistency of the mixture should be thick. Whisk the batter in one direction till light and fluffy. Heat oil in a wok and when oil gets heated up then drop a tablespoon of the batter and fry till golden brown in color. Fry in batches. Once the boras are ready. Keep them on a absorbing paper to drain off the excess oil. While frying the boras, get the Gur syrup ready. Heat 2 cups water with 2 cups grated Notun gur. When the gur completely dissolves and forms 1 string consistency then switch of the flame. Soak the boras in the syrup for an hour. Boras will turn super moist after absorbing the syrup.

Kaju Puri / Cashew nut cookies

Kaju Puri / Cashew nut  cookies
Ingredients
1 cup - kaju powder (cashew nut) powdered
½ cup - powdered sugar
1/2 tsp - cardamom powder
few strands - saffron - kesar
2 tbsp - milk or as needed
Finely chopped pistachio to garnish - optional
Ghee to apply on rolling board.
Method

Prehea oven at 180 degrees. Add saffron(kesar)to the warm milk. Keep aside. Mix kaju powder, powdered sugar, cardamom powder in a medium bowl and seive the powder. Prepare semi soft dough with the help of saffron milk. Add tbsp at a time till you get nice soft dough. Rub ghee on the rolling board so that the dough does not stick. Roll the dough on the rolling board to the thickness about 1/4 inch. Sprinkle  the pistachio on the rolled dough and roll the rolling pin lightly. Take a round cookie cutter and cut the circles out. Put the parchment paper on the baking tray. Place the puris on the paper. Bake about 12-15 minutes or till it changes color slighly to nice golden.
Remove and let it cool. You can bake them on the tawa too. Just roast it on a slow flame roasting both the sides till light golden brown.