Raj Bhog....

This is one of the sweet delicacy of Bengal. It is another variety of rosogulla which is made from paneer or cottage cheese but it is little bigger in size, yellow in colour and has a mawa and milk masala stuffing inside. 

For the Paneer / Cottage Cheese 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 liters Cow Milk 

3/4 tsp Citric Acid 

3/4 cup Water 

Method 

Dissolve citric acid in water. Heat the milk and when it just starts to boil, reduce the flame. Take a ladle full of milk and add it in citric water, mix it and pour it back in the remaining milk and stir. Once the milk curdles and separates from the whey, then switch off the flame and let it stand for an hour and half. Strain the paneer through a muslin cloth till all the water drains out completely. 

For the Suffing 

1 tbsp Mawa

1 tbsp Milk Masala powder 

For the Sugar  Syrup 

3 cups Sugar 

7 1/2 cups Water 

For the Raj Bhog

Ingredients 

Paneer made from 1 1/2 liters Cow Milk 

1 tsp All Purpose Flour 

1 tsp Semolina 

2 pinches of Yellow food colour 

Method 

For the Stuffing, mix the mawa and milk masala together, make 8 or 12 equal small portions as many portions of the paneer balls and keep it aside. 

For the Rajbhog, take the paneer, semolina and all purpose flour together and knead it well till a smooth soft ball is form. Divide the dough into 8 or 12 equal portions as per the size desired. Take one portion,  flatten and create a hollow in the centre of the dough. Add a portion of the stuffing, seal the edges of the dough and roll it back into a ball. 

To make the Sugar syrup, mix sugar and water in a heavy bottomed pot. Heat it on full flame. As the syrup begins to boil add the balls one at a time into the sugar syrup to make the Rajbhogs. Lower it on medium heat and cover the lid for the first 5 minutes. Then half open for the next 15 minutes and for the last 10 minutes remove the lid. Serve it hot or room temperature. 

P. S. Instead of the milk masala powder you can ground 2 Almond, 3 Pistachios, Few Saffron Strands, 1 Cardamom seeds together. 

Tea time Pineapple Compote and Chia Cake...

This cake is an experiment in my kitchen. I have used Pineapple compote and Chia seeds. I had some pineapple compote left in the fridge. It's a soft and moist cake. There are pineapple pieces with every bite.  

Ingredients 

250 grams Self Raising Flour 

175 grams Caster Sugar 

1 tsp Roasted Chia seeds 

4 tbsp Pineapple Compote 

10 drops of Pineapple essence 

150 Ml Water 

3 Eggs 

100 grams Butter 

50 grams Olive oil 

Method 

Take 1 medium and small bread loaf tin. Grease it with butter and keep it aside. Take a small pot. Add the compote and water. Let it come to a boil and then simmer for 2 minutes. Add the butter and oil. Let the butter melt. Switch off the flame. Let the mixture cool down. Take a mixing bowl. Break the eggs. Beat it for a minute. Add the sugar, beat it till it becomes fluffy and the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the pineapple essence and pour the liquid mixture gradually while beating it. Add the flour in three parts and beat it well. Add the roasted chia and finally beat it for few seconds. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celcius. Pour the batter into the greased moulds. The batter should be 1/2 the quantity of the mould. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 35 to 40 minutes. Check it with the toothpick. If it comes out clean then the cake is done. Remove it from the oven and cool it completely before slicing. 

P. S. If you are using All Purpose Flour then add a tsp of baking powder.

Paplet a Che Hirwe Kalwan.....

Pomfret cooked in Green Curry

It is a Konkani dish, cooked in green coriander paste. Green coriander leaves, green chillies, garlic, ginger, onion, coconut, tamarind and cumin seeds are use to make the wet paste. The pomfret is then cooked in the wet paste. This dish can be eaten with rice. 

I have adapted the recipe as per my convenience.

In this recipe I have not used Tamarind paste and have added a tomato in the gravy. 

For the Wet Paste 

Ingredients 

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves cleaned 

4 tbsp freshly grated Coconut or Desiccated Coconut 

1 small Onion chopped 

6 to 8 Garlic cloves 

1 small piece of Ginger 

4 or more Green chillies cut into pieces 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in to a grinder, add 1/3 cup of water and grind it in to a thick paste. 

For making the Pomfret Curry 

Ingredients 

2 medium size Pomfret cut into 2 pieces or you can make more pieces as per your choice 

1 Onion chopped 

1 Tomato chopped 

2 Green chillies slit and cut into pieces 

Few Curry leaves 

Few Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing 

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Wet paste  

3 tbsp Oil 

Method 

 Marinate pomfret with salt and 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder. Take a wok or a chatti. Add oil and heat it. Add the mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Saute it for a minute. Add the chopped onion. Sauté the onions till translucent.  Add the green paste. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, salt and remaining turmeric powder. Stir and cook it another 1 minute. Add a cup and a half of water. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the pomfrets. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve hot with hot steamed  rice.

Chingrir Chop / Prawn Chops....

These Prawn chops are one of the delicious snacks from the streets of Kolkatta. The Prawn chops are made with medium or small size prawns and  potatoes cooked with spices and then it is given an oval shape. It is then coated with egg and bread crumbs and deep fried. It is served hot with mustard sauce / kasundi and onions... But due to the cost of the prawns, the street vendors add less of prawns and more of potatoes in the chop. So if you really want to enjoy the prawns, make it for yourself.... 

For the Prawn Chops... 

Ingredients

500 grams Medium sized Prawns

 (Cleaned, sautéed with 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder and salt for 3 minutes and roughly mashed)

2 Potatoes boiled and mashed 

1 Onion chopped 

1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic - Green Chilli paste 

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Sugar 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Bay Leaves 

2 tbsp Oil 

Method

Take a wok, heat oil. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let the cumin crackle. Add the garlic-  ginger - green chilli paste. Sauté it for a minute. Add the chopped onion. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes and prawns. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the salt, sugar, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes till all the ingredients combines well. Keep it aside to cool. Divide the mixture into equal lemon size portions. Give it an oval shape. 

For the Coating and Frying 

Ingredients 

2 Eggs beaten

4 tbsp Water 

Pinch of Salt 

2 cups or more Bread crumbs 

Oil for Frying 

Method 

Spread the bread crumbs on a plate. Add water and salt into the egg, mix it. Take a portion. Coat it with the bread crumbs. Dip it into the egg, coat it again with the bread crumbs. (If you want you can dip it into the egg again and coat it with bread crumbs - optional). Repeat the process with the other portions too. Keep it in the fridge for an hour - that will help to bind well. Take a wok, heat the oil on a medium low heat. Fry till golden brown in colour. Serve it hot with mustard sauce.

Chitrakoot

This is a very famous sweet from Bengal. Chitrakoot is made from cottage cheese,  flour, semolina, khoya, sugar and baking powder. It is first deep fried in ghee or oil and then submerged in the sugar syrup and after that rolled with milk powder and caster sugar. 

Ingredients

For Chitrakoot.....

100 grams Home made Cottage cheese (water completely squeezed out )

25 grams Khoya 

10 grams All Purpose Flour 

OR

5 grams of each All Purpose Flour and Semolina 

5 grams Sugar 

2 Pinches of Baking powder 

Ghee or Oil for frying 

For the Sugar Syrup....

100 grams Sugar 

100 ml Water 

1/4 tsp Milk Powder to sprinkle

Little Caster Sugar  to sprinkle 

Method 

Take the cottage cheese, khoya, 5 grams sugar, all purpose flour and baking powder in a plate. Knead all the ingredients together until a soft dough is form. Divide the dough into 6 lemon size equal balls. Flatten the balls and shape it into square or diamond shape. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the chitrakoots until brown in colour. Mean while take a pot and add sugar and water to make a one string sugar syrup. After the chitrakoots are fried dip it into the sugar syrup for an hour. Remove it from the syrup, arrange the Chitrakoots in a plate. Sprinkle milk powder and caster sugar on top.