Malai Gulab Jamun

Here is a simple recipe to make malai gulab jamun.

Preparation time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients:

•  Milk powdered - 1 cup
•  Semolina/ Sooji- 4tbsp 
• All purpose flour/ Maida- 4tbsp
•  Milk- 1 cup (to make dough) 
• Baking Powder- ½ tsp 
• Ghee/vegetable oil for frying 

For filling:

• Cream/malai- 1 cup
•     Milk- 1 cup (to make dough) 
•  Coconut- ½ cup grated(optional)

For sugar syrup:

• Sugar- 2 cups 
• Water- 2 cups
•  4 - 5 Cardamom
• few drops of lemon
• Few strands of kesar

Procedure:

•  Make a dough of maida, sooji, milk powder, milk, baking powder and ghee. 
• Knead a soft dough and leave for 2-3 hours. 
• After leaving the dough for a few hours, add more milk and then knead into a soft dough again. This is done because the dough becomes stiff and hard after leaving it for 2 or more hours. 
• Heat a frying pan. 
• Add  clarified butter/ghee for frying the jamun. 
• Let it heat on low flame. You can also use vegetable oil. 
• Meanwhile, make small round jamuns and keep them in a plate. 
• You can apply a little ghee on your palms to roll the jamun balls easily.
• On the other gas burner, boil water in a deep bottomed pan. 
• When it turns hot, add the sugar and make a syrup. 
• Stir on low flame till the sugar melts. 
• Let it cool after the sugar dissolves and the syrup is ready.
•  Now, when the ghee is hot, fry the jamuns until they become brown. 
• Take them out and dip in the sugar syrup. Let the jamun balls soak in sugar syrup for 3-4 hours. 
• Take the jamuns out after soaking and gently squeeze out syrup. 
• Make a small slit at one end and fill the cream/ malai.

Enjoy this creamy yummy dessert!!!

Goan Red Chicken Curry

“I love the Goan red spice paste. It is spicy, chilli-like and vinegary and adds a real punch to anything it is added to. I have made my paste suitable for Western palates, but by no means is it mild or apologetic. I think the dish shows the flavors of the paste beautifully. The onion adds sweetness and the tomatoes balances out the flavors of the paste. If you like spicy dishes – and by this I don’t mean red hot – this is a great dish to try.” – Anjum

Ingredients:

4 tbps vegetable oil/Olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and sliced

4 tbsp Goan red spice paste (Recipe follows)

4 large tomatoes, chopped

salt, to taste

1.5 lb chicken pieces, skinned( I have used 500 gm chicken,without skin)

For Goan Red Spice Paste:

This is a spicy, vinegary paste from the beautiful region of Goa. As all the ingredients are i raw so it does need to be well cooked.

Makes about half a cup

• 2 largish, mild fresh red chilies, deseeded
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 3 cloves
• 6 peppercorns
• 3/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 9 large of garlic, peeled
• 1/2 in slice fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 1/2 in piece of cinnamon
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 

Blend all the ingredients together to make a fine paste.

Note:I have used white vinegar here, and skipped the  tamarind.

Preparation:

• Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan. 
• Add the onion and cook until browned, around 10 minutes. 
• Add the spice paste and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and the salt, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened and reduced.
•  Uncover the pan and toss the tomatoes in their own juices for another 6-8 minutes or until they have become good shade darker.
• Add the chicken(I have marinated the chicken with ginger-garlic paste and salt for 30 minutes) 
•  Stir well in the pan for a few minutes. 
• Add 1 cup of water, bring to the boil and cover. 
• Cover over low heat for 20 minutes if the pieces are small and 25 minutes if large.
• Uncover , turn the heat up and boil off excess moisture in the pan, tossing the chicken in the reducing gravy all the time. 
• Doing this for 3-4 minutes will finish off the chicken, deepen the flavour and darken the color. The gravy should be dark red and quite thick. 
• Serve with Rice or Indian bread.

Recipe courtesy:  Anjum Anand - writer of Anjum’s New Indian 

Dahi Murg/ Doi Murgi

I have learnt this recipe from my Maa. The vote always used to go to Doi Murgi whenever we had to enjoy some quick fix chicken dish. It may not look appealing but its taste is quite unique. The aroma of garlic when added to the ghee(clarified butter) is exotic. Garlic and green chilli are the two key ingredients in this dish which makes it different from the other Dahi chicken preparations. This dish is a must try for garlic-lovers!!

So here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 250 gm chicken
• 4 tsp thick yogurt
• Green chilli ,4-5
• 8  medium sized garlic cloves
• Freshly crushed black pepper
• Clarified butter/ghee 2 tbsp
• 1 large bay leaf (Tejpatta)
• Salt, as per taste
• Cashew paste,1 tbsp(optional)
• cream,1tbsp(optional)

Method:

• First make a smooth paste of garlic and green chillies using food processor.
• Now marinade the chicken with this freshly prepared chilli-garlic paste, yoghurt, and pinch of salt for 1 hour.
• Heat clarified butter in a pan.
• Add bay leaf into it first and then the marinated chicken.
• Stir it nicely for few seconds.
• Check the seasoning. Add salt if needed.
• Now cook it by covering the pan on low flame till the chicken cooked properly.

The chicken will cook in its own juice, no need of adding water.

• Add the cashew paste (If you want a rich and thick gravy) and cook for another few minutes.
• Give the final touch by adding cream and freshly crushed black pepper.

Serve hot with rice.

                                                                        

Apple Caramel Crisp

If you are looking for a yum but easy dessert, this caramel apple crisp will be the perfect choice for you.It makes a sinful dessert when this warm apple crisp is topped with creamy vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

So here is the recipe. 

Servings = 4

                                                        Ingredients:

• Flour 1⁄2 Cup
• Granulated sugar 1⁄4 Cup (4tbsp)
• Salt 1 Pinch
• Ground cinnamon 1⁄2 Tsp
• Cold unsalted butter 6 Tbsp cubed
• Oats 1⁄2 Cup

• 2 large apple peeled, cored and cut into cubes
• Caramel sauce/Brown sugar, 3 Tablespoon
• Ground cinnamon, 1 Teaspoon
• Salt, 1 Pinch
• Lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon powder.
• Add the butter cubes and break them down into the mixture by using the tips of your fingers and rub to mix well.

• Stir in the oats. Place the bowl into the freezer or refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

• Peel, core, and cut the apples into small chunks. Toss well with the caramel sauce, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice.
• Pour this mixture into a baking dish, then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly all over the top.
• Pop in oven and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbling.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and extra caramel sauce.

Phulkopir Jhaal (Cauliflower in Chilli-Mustard sauce)

Probably every Bong is born onto this world knowing how to cook and specially how to cook with Shorshe Bata (Mustard paste). Use of Mustard paste is very common in bengali dishes, specially fish (like Hilsa, Bhetki, Pabda…. I think I should stop here, as I’ll end up making a long list :) ) and eggplants are two commonly chosen ingredients to make jhal, bhapa, or paaturi. But the cauliflower is not generally used with mustard paste. Even I didn’t have the idea that, even cauliflower can blend with mustard paste so beautifully. I found this recipe while reading  an article on Purnima Thakur who gifted us with a rarest collection of recipes of The great Thakur Bari.

I tried this dish few days back and the taste was so good that, I cannot stop myself making it again. So, I thought of sharing this recipe with you all. Hope you will also like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size cauliflower
• 2 tbsp of mustard paste
• Whole green chillies divided (I have used 5)
• 2 tbsp of mustard oil and extra to add at the end
• Nigella seeds (Kalojeera)
• ½ cup of water
• Salt, as per taste
• Sugar, as per taste
• Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp

Method:

• At first make a smooth paste of mustard by grinding mustard seeds, chilies (I have used 2) and little water in a food processor.
• Now heat mustard oil in a pan.
• Add few nigella seeds and then the cauliflower florets to this hot oil.
• Fry it covering the pan till light golden brown.
• Now add salt, turmeric powder, and the mustard paste into it.
• Mix all the ingredients nicely and cook in high flame for few minutes.
• Add water and whole green chillies to.
• Cover the pan and cook in low flame till the florets are cooked properly.
• Now turn off your gas and little mustard oil into it to complete this dish.

The dish is now perfectly ready to have with steamed rice.

 Note:
I always prefer to sieve the mustard paste adding little water, as it helps to remove the seed coat and reduce the chance of acidity.




 

Sweet Peanut

Ingredients:

• Crushed roasted peanuts-1 cup and little more for garnishing
• Sugar-1 cup
• Milk powder- 1/2 cup
• Clarified butter/ghee- 3 tbsp
• Water-1/4 cup
• Cinnamon powder-1/2 tsp
• Dessicated coconut powder,  and for garnishing

Method:

• Place a sauce pan on the stove.
• Add the sugar and water and let it boil until the sugar syrup comes to thick consistency.
• When the syrup comes to thick consistency, add the crushed roasted peanut powder.
• Keep stirring for about 3 minutes until lumps disappear.
• Add the ghee and stir again for about 2 minutes.
• Now add the milk powder and Cinnamon powder.  Keep stirring until the swirl from the bottom is frothy and the mix starts to harden.
• Keep a pan greased with ghee ready.
• Once you see the mix getting to leave lumps and bubble up pour the mix into the greased pan.
• Let it cool for about 20-30 minutes.
• Slit them to your desired shape with a greased knife  or you can shape them by using your palm
• Garnish them with Dessicated coconut powder and serve.

Note:

How to make crushed roasted peanut:

• Roast the peanuts on a very low flame.
• Keep stirring while roasting. The peanuts should start crackling and turn brownish.
• Turn off the gas. Let them get cold.
• Now remove the skins by rubbing between palms. Discard the skins.
• Powder the nuts in the grinder. The powder can be coarse to fine but make sure that it does not turn into a paste. 

How to check the consistency:

Take a wooden spoon and insert in the syrup. Watch out it is hot. Take it out and blow mildly and touch the syrup when it is tolerable to your fingers. Now bring the thumb and index finger and press and pull them apart. You will see threads forming. If the thread is thick it is dense consistency. If it is then like a needle it is light consistency.

'Banana-Oats shake with Almond and Honey'

One glass of this shake has many reasons to replace your daily starchy bites of morning.Oatmeal is a naturally low-fat, high-fibre food and an excellent choice for your daily breakfast. Adding fresh fruit can provide both flavour and a health boost, especially if you choose a banana, which provides additional nutrients and a number of essential vitamins and minerals. Bananas also contain abundant soluble fibre  as does oatmeal. Combining these two foods regularly can be a simple and easy way to increase the health benefits of your breakfast.

Having it as a shake will be the best option to make it tastier.Use low fat milk instead of full cream milk keeping in mind your diet plan.

The almond and honey  adds more benefits to this healthy drink.So, here is the recipe of this healthy and nutritious drink.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 banana, cut into thirds
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 5-6 almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Ice cubes(optional)

Method:

In a blender, combine oats, , banana, fat-free milk, honey, almonds, cinnamon and ice cubes ; puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

Olive Corn Green Salad

Garb a bowl of this healthy green salad to beat your evening hunger other than eating fried and starchy snacks.It's filling, tasty, as well as nutritious.

One bowl of this salad has sufficient source of fibre, potassium, vitamin-C, vitamin-A  and have a strong potential to keep you away from heart diseases,cancer.Guess what else, it helps to manage weight which is most important.

Ingredients:

• 1 corn  kernels
• Half red bell paper-thinly sliced
• olive 
• cabbage,shredded- 1/2 cup
• olive oil -1 tsp
• Lemon- 1 tbsp
• Freshly grounded black pepper -1/2 tsp
• salt - as per taste

Procedure:

1. Place the corn in a large pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, until kernels are tender but crisp. Drain, cool slightly, and use a knife to scrape kernels from the cobs.

2.keep the shredded cabbage and red bell paper  in luke warm water to disinfect and to reduce     the extra crunch.

3. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients and season with pepper and salt. 

Chicken Pasta Milano

Not a low calorie one obviously, but it's a must try dish. A delicious blend of pasta and chicken with garlic, fresh tomatoes. Sun dried tomatoes are used mainly to prepare this dish, I have used fresh tomato here to get a fresh and tangy taste.

Ingredients: 

serving=4

1 tablespoon butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh tomato, to make a smooth paste

1 cup chicken stock, divided

1 cup heavy cream

450 gm skinless, boneless chicken 

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tsp oregano

8 ounces dry pasta

Method:

Making the  Sauce:

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for few seconds. Add the tomato puree  and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered till the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick.

Preparing the chicken:
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet  over medium heat, warm olive oil and saute chicken. Press on chicken occasionally with a  spatula. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until the meat  is cooked well from inside.Remove the chicken from the skillet.

In the same skillet, over medium heat, bring 1/4 cup chicken stock to a boil; stirring the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce prepared before ; add oregano to it and adjust seasoning to taste.

Preparing the  Pasta:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes; drain, transfer to a bowl. Now in a pan warm little olive oil and saute red bell paper and olive in a low flame for few seconds and then add  to the pasta.Now toss the pasta with 3 to 4 tbsp of the cream sauce.

Now to garnish cut each chicken breast into 2 to 3 diagonal slices. Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Transfer the pasta to serving plates; top with chicken and coat with the cream sauce; serve hot.

Rasmalai

Rasmalai originated in kerala,India. It is one of the most famous desserts in Bengal and is likely based on the rasgulla or rosogolla(in Bengali), which is a close variation.

this dessert consists of soft paneer balls immersed in sweetened, thickened milk delicately flavored with cardamom. Like Rasgullas, Rasmalai is also made with homemade cheese known as “paneer” or “chhena”. Instead of being soaked in sugar syrup like Rasgullas, Rasmalai is soaked in sweet, flavored milk.

Ingredients for making making chhena/paneer :

• 4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 1/2 cups water

Ingredients for Milk mixture:

• 3 cups of milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar (adjust to your taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon crush cardamom
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachios(for garnishing)
• Saffron strands(for garnishing)

Method:

To make the Chhena / Paneer:

• Mix lemon juice in half a cup of hot water and keep aside.

• Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed over medium-high heat, stirring frequently making sure milk do not burn on the bottom of the pan.

• As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly and stir the milk gently. The milk fat  will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.

• Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.

• Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness and the flavour of the lemon.

• To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth, or press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about one hour. Taking the right amount of water out of the paneer is the most important part of this recipe.

• To check if enough water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub with your fingers. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds,  a firm but smooth ball will be formed.

• Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.

• Knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard on the paneer. Keep scooping it back to togather and knead more. Your palm will be little greasy.

Making the Rasmalai:

• Divide the dough into 11-12  equal parts and roll them in smooth balls.

• Mix the sugar and water in a in a heavy bottomed pan with lid  on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

• Add the paneer balls into it  and cover the pan with the lid. make sure to maintain the sugar syrup consistency same by adding little hot water into it,otherwise it will not become soft and spongy.

• cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

• Take out the soft ang spongy panner balls from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.

• Boil the milk in a  pan on medium heat until the milk reduced to half of its volume.

• Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.

•  Add the sugar and the panner balls  into the milk. Let it cook for few minutes.

• Add the cardamom and mix in. Garnish with saffron sliced almonds and pistachios.

• Serve the Rasmalai chilled.

Kalakand

Kalakand  is a very traditional and delicious Indian dessert, made with  solidified, sweetened milk and cottage cheese.It's a variation of  burfee, soft and grainy in texture. .Though it was invented in Rajasthan, it has became  favourite among  the sweet lovers of West Bengal.

Recipe makes about 12 to 16 pieces

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of  milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (for making cottage cheese/chhena)
• Milk powder - 2 tbsp
• condensed milk (optional)

     For garnishing: 

• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds and pistachio (optional) for garnishing
• saffron strands (optional)

Method:

Making cottage cheese / chhena:

1. Mix lemon juice in ¼ cup of hot water and put aside.
2. Boil the 4 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
3. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
4. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
5. Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
6. To take out the excess water, squeeze the wrapped paneer. Do not knead the paneer.

Making Kalakand:

1. Boil remaining 4 cup of the milk in a heavy bottom frying pan on medium high heat until the milk reduces to about two cups.
2. Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.
3. Add the paneer in the milk and keep stirring till the mixture thickness and form a soft dough consistency.
4. Add the sugar and continue to cook and stirring until the mixture become soft lump and start leaving the pan from sides.
5. Pour it over greased plate keeping about half inch thick.
6. Let it cool for about one hour. Cut the kalakand in squares.

    Garnish them with almond,pistachio and saffron and serve.