Shukto

Shukto -

A traditional Bengali recipe. A classic melange of vegetables cooked with poppy seeds and mustard and my all time favorite menu by my super Mom.... :P

Ingredients:

5 types of vegetables in combination from this following list-
1 Kanch kola- raw or green banana
1 cup of chopped  Green papaya
½ Mulo/white radish or 8-10 red radish
9-10 Sojne data/ drumsticks pieces of roughly 1-2 inch
Aloo/potato
Mishti aloo/ranga aloo/sweet potato
Begun/brinjal/eggplant
Potol/parwal/pointed gourd
Sheem/hyacinth
Jhinge/ridge gourd
Borboti /beans or may use yard long beans
Uche/Korola/bitter gourd- Uche is different from Korola

Other Ingredients:
Oil 5 tablespoons
Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
Ginger 1 inch piece
Panch phoran 1 teaspoon (Panch phoron is a mixture of 5 spices in equal amount - Cumin seeds, Fennel seeds, Nigella seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds)
Bay leaves 2
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Ghee 1 tablespoon

Method:

Wash and cut the bitter gourd into thin roundels. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry bitter gourd slices lightly. Drain and keep aside. Make a thick paste of poppy seeds, mustard seeds and ginger. Heat the remaining oil in a kadai. Add panch phoron and bay leaves. When the seeds start to crackle, add the chopped vegetables and stir lightly. Add the ground spices and stir for five to seven minutes. Add two cups of water and cover. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally till vegetables are almost cooked. Add the fried bitter gourd, salt and sugar. Stir and add a tablespoon of ghee. Cook for another two minutes till gravy is not too thick nor too dry. Serve hot with rice.

Patishapta (Rice crepes with coconut filling)

"Sankranti" can be coined as Indian Thanks giving day, the harvest festival specially for crops like rice, as we have more than one harvest season in our rich agriculturally varied country, so it is also the time to thank the Nature for a good harvest and bountiful of happiness that also ushers us in the new season. This recipe is a Bengali sankranti special – patishapta. Rice crepes filled with coconut and jaggery mixture.

Ingredients:
Rice flour : ½ cup
Milk : ½ cup + more if batter is too thick
Sugar : 2 tbsp
Ghee as required
Coconut (freshly grated ) : 2½ cup
Date palm jaggery / nolen gur (crumbled into pieces): 50 gm approximately

Instructions:
Make a smooth, easy flowing batter with rice flour, sugar and milk. Keep it separated.
Heat a nonstick pan and add the coconut in it. On a low flame, keep on stirring the coconut for few minutes and add the jaggery.
Keep on stirring on low flame till the jaggery melts and incorporates well into the coconut.
This may take up to 20 minutes till you get a little lumpy mixture.
Leave the mixture to cool for few minutes.
Heat a non-stick pan, and grease it with ghee.
Pour a ladle of batter in the center of the pan. Swirl the pan slightly so that the batter thins out in a circular disc.
Cook on a low flame until the bottom of the crepe turns golden.
Using a spatula, flip it over and cook the other side for few seconds.
Flip it back and add a spoonful of coconut filling in the center, fold it over from each side towards middle, overlapping one side.
Set aside and make rest of the patishapta or crepes with remaining batter and filling.
Do not forget to grease the pan with ghee in between crepes.

Notes:
There are many variations to it both in the batter and filling. Some use all purpose flour and sooji too in the batter, but traditionally it is being made with rice flour only. Go and try with the flavours that suits you best. For filling you can use dry fruits too and in place of jaggery can replace it with sugar, but the jaggery gives such a nice aroma and taste that is hard to match !!!

Narkel Nadu (coconut laddoo)

This has no recipe at all, people makes these as per their taste and preferences, some with jaggery, ask any Bong, they will vouch for their beloved “narkel er naadu” others with sugar, condensed milk to give these laddoos extra richness in taste. No matters, what you add, they always taste best. This is absolutely hassle free and you can make these in advance for Diwali or for any festival or puja.

Ingredients:
Coconut : 1 or 2 to make 15-20 balls / laddoos
Green cardamom : 2-3 shelled
Sugar : 1 cup or according to taste
Milk (not skimmed) is optional : 1 litre or 4 cups

Method :
Scrape the coconut with the help of coconut grater. The freshly grated coconut has its own rich taste and flavor, which you wont find in the canned or packed one, sometimes enhanced by the artificial sweetener.
Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan and add the grated coconut slowly in the pan after 2-3 boils.
When the coconut absorbs much of the milk, add the sugar and cardamoms. The amount of sugar needed also depends upon the sweetness of the coconut, so always check the coconut, before adding the sugar.
Stir on a low heat, till they starts collecting and forms a lump. Cool slightly, say for 5-10 minutes and then starts making the laddoos or balls.
Serve the coconut laddoo or sweet balls, warm or at room temperature.
Vegans can skip the milk part. For them, in a non stick pan just add the sugar and coconut together, stir on a low heat, till they become lumpy. It will take around 20 -30 minutes. Cool slightly before making balls out of it.
You can refrigerate these coconut laddoos up to two week, if stored in air tight container. Actually it is hard to keep these laddoos for long, as they vanish quickly…sometimes in a same day. :)
This simple and tasty coconut laddoos or the sweet balls will be showcased in this months event : Healing foods which is themed around this wonderful fruit : coconut and if you have not yet send me the recipes, then please hurry up , as two more weeks to go !!!

Mishti Doi

Mishti doi / Sweet yogurt is a Bengali dessert and it is also the quintessential dessert without which a Bengali lunch can be said as complete.

Ingredients:
Milk (full cream): 500 ml
Date jaggery (crushed) : 2-3 tbsp
Curd: 2 tsp with live culture bacteria

Method :
Heat the milk in a heavy bottom pan and reduce it to 1/2 of its original quantity.
Take off from the heat and let it cool slightly for couple of minutes.
Add the date jaggery to the milk and mix it vigorously till the jaggery completely dissolves into it..  Check for the sweetness , if requires add more . Let it cool to room temperature. Date jaggery can be replaced with caramelized sugar.
Add the curd (it should have live culture bacteria) to the lukewarm milk and whisk thoroughly. The culture should spread evenly.
If you are not sure about the curd, then first try to set a regular dahi / yogurt at home. If it works then it should work for mishti doi as well.
Pour the mixture into a terracotta or clay pot and keep in a warm place (preferably near gas stove / or in an incubator) for 10-12 hours, may be overnight to set , so that you can enjoy it next day.
Sugar or jaggery in the milk actually inhibits the setting of yogurt, so it takes long time to set. Try to make mishti doi preferabaly in summer months when the avearge temperature rises to more then 32 degree celcius.
Once set, refrigerate and serve the chilled mishti doi as a dessert.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani -

This Hyderabadi biryani is definitely fit for the royalty.

Ingredients:

Chicken,cut into 1 inch pieces - 1 kilogram
Saffron (kesar) 8-10 strands
Milk - 1/2 cup
Oil 3/4 cup
Onions, sliced - 3 large
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Fresh mint leaves - 1 cup
coriander leaves, chopped - 1 cup
Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
Green chillies, finely chopped - 3
Yogurt - 2 cups
Cloves - 7
Bay leaves - 2
Green cardamoms - 5
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Basmati rice - 500 grams
Ghee - 2 tablespoons

Method:

Soak the saffron strands in milk. Set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the onions till brown. Drain on an absorbent paper.
Grind coarsely.Add ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder, salt, half of the mint , half of the coriander leaves, lemon juice, green chillies, fried onions, yogurt and the oil in which onions are fried and salt to the chicken. Mix well. Set aside to marinate for two hours. Heat a non stick pan. Add chicken along with marinade and cook on medium heat till chicken is tender.Boil water in a deep pan. Add cloves, bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon. Add salt and rice. Cook till rice is one third done. Drain and spread on a plate.
Put ghee at the base of a non stick deep pan. Spread half of the cooked rice. Spread the cooked chicken evenly on the rice layer. Cover the chicken layer with remaining rice.Sprinkle saffron-milk mixture, remaining mint, coriander leaves. Cover with a lid and. Put tawa underneath the pan and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Serve hot.

Mutton Biryani

Mutton Biryani -

A tedious recipe, but the outcome is so delicious that every minute spent on cooking this is well worth it. A mouth watering and aromatic mutton biryani.

Ingredients:

For the rice:
1 star anise
500 gm basmati rice, washed & drained
2 bay leaves
2 black cardamom
2 tsp black cumin seeds
6 black peppercorn
6 green cardamom
2 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
1 tsp fennel
1/4th jaiphal
1 javitri
3 tsp salt

For mutton marination:
1 kg mutton, cut in 2 inches pieces, preferably front leg part and avoid shoulder cut
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp garlic paste
1 Tbsp ginger paste
3 Tbsp raw papaya paste
4 Tbsp hung curd
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt

Other ingredients:
4 onions, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 th cup milk, warm
Ghee
Saffron strands
Oil
Rose water
Kewra essence
4 green chillies

Method:

Marinating the mutton:
To the mutton add the beaten curd, ginger-garlic paste, raw papaya paste, chilli powder, salt, lemon juice, garam masala.
Allow the mutton to marinate for 3 hours.
Making fried onions or Barista:
Slice 2 onions very thinly. Separate the slices.
In a pan or kadai add oil and fry the onion slices till nicely brown.
Take care not to burn them. Fry in small batches. Do not put all the slices at a time, that will lead to lumpy messy onions.
Make sure all the onion slices frying are dipped in oil, if needed add more oil. Keep stirring continuously but gently for an even brown color.
Take the fried onions out with a slotted spoon or ladle.
Keep them on a paper-towel lined plate. This crispy brown fried onion slices are called Barista.

Cooking the mutton:
Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan.
Add remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook, stirring continuously, till onions are light golden brown.
Add ginger paste and garlic paste and mix well.
Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat for seven to eight minutes.
Add coriander powder, cumin powder and red chilli powder. Mix thoroughly.
Stir in three cups of water, bring it to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered till mutton is almost cooked.
Add tomatoes, salt, garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves.
Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. The ghee would be separated from the spices and there should not be any watery gravy to the meat.

Preparing the rice:
Use only good quality long grain Basmati rice. Soak the rice for 20 minutes in water. Wash well till the water runs clear. Drain all the water.
In a small piece of cloth take cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, javitri, jaiphal, black peppercorn, shahi jeera, star anise and tie a knot to make a bag (potli).
Bring 750 ml water to boil, add rice, bay leaf, salt and potli, cover and cook till rice is done 1/3rd.
Drain the water & remove the whole masala potli.

Preparing the saffron-milk:
Take 1/4th cup warm milk in a cup and dissolve saffron strands in the milk.
Cover and wait for 20 minutes. Add rose water and kewra essence in the milk. Mix well and cover. Keep aside.

Layering the biryani:
Take a large heavy bottom pan with tight fitting lid.
Add 2tbsp ghee to the pan. Melt the ghee on low heat. Turn and rotate the pan carefully so the ghee can coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Switch off the heat.
Add a layer of cooked rice, then cooked meat pieces, sprinkle saffron water, add fried onion slices and ghee.
Again add a layer of rice, then meat...go on like this till you are done. Top and bottom layer will be of rice.
Cover with chopped pudina and coriander, fried onion and slit green chillies and juice of half a lemon.
Put the lid on. Seal the pan with flour dough or aluminium foil, then put the lid. Keep the heat to lowest. And cook the Biryani in this 'Dum' process for 40 minutes.
Make sure your pan is heavy-bottomed or the rice will burn. Or you can place a flat tawa then keep the pan on that tawa.
After 40 minutes switch off the heat and let the biryani stand for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serve with raita and salad.

Mattar Ke Kachori (Peas Kachori)

Mattar Ke Kachori (Peas Kachori) -

Peas Kachori is delicious, fried puff pastry filled with spicy green peas. This mouth watering snack also can be served as part of any main meal.

Ingredients:

For crust:
1 cup All Purpose flour (plain flour or maida)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
Approximately 1/2 cup chilled water

For filling:
1 cup green peas
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
1 teaspoon fennel seed powder (sonf)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon shredded ginger
1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to your taste)
Oil to deep fry

Method:

To Make Crust:
Add the flour, salt and oil in a bowl and mix it well.
Add the chilled water slowly, mixing with your fingers as you pour the water.
Do not knead the dough. The dough should be very soft but not sticking to fingers.
Cover the dough and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.

To Make Filling:
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add green peas, stir-fry until peas are tender.
Add ginger, coriander powder, fennel seed powder, chili powder, mango powder and salt, stir fry for another few minutes.
While stir frying the peas mash them with spatula.
Let the filling cool to room temperature.

To Make the Kachoris:
Take the dough and lightly knead it.
Divide the dough in twelve equal parts.
Take one part of the dough and with your fingers flatten the edges and make into about 2-inch circle. Leaving center little thicker then edges around.
Mold the dough into a cup and place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the filling. Proceed to make all 12 balls.
Let the filled balls sit for 3 to 4 minutes before pressing.
Set the filled balls on a clean and dry surface with the seam facing up. Using the base of your palm, slowly flatten them into about 3 inches circle.
Heat about 1-1/2 inches of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To check if oil is ready put a little piece of dough in the oil. It should sizzle, and come up very slow.
Do not over crowd the kachories in frying pan, fry them on medium heat.
After they are puff, slowly turn them over.
It will take about 3 minutes to fry from each side. Fry until golden-brown on both sides.
If the kachories are fried on high heat, they will get soft and will not be crispy.

Serving suggestions:
Kachoris can be served plain, with a variety of chutneys, or with Aloo Dam.

Plain Dosa

Plain Dosa -

A famous South Indian Dish that can be eaten as breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

FOR THE DOSA BATTER

Ingredients:

1 cup whole skinned urad dal
3 cups idli rice*
Salt as needed (see notes)

Instructions:

Soak the rice and dal separately for 3 hours
Grind dal first into a smooth consistency adding enough water
Grind rice into a smooth batter by adding just enough water to get it going
Combine the two, add salt, and let it ferment in a large enough bowl lightly covered, for about 6-8 hours in a warm place
* You can increase rice to four cups if using good quality urad dal but it takes experience and practice to tell if that's the case so go with these proportions as you start out

TO MAKE THE DOSAS

Ingredients:

4 cups of fermented dosa batter
1-1.5 cups of water
4 tbsp of gingelly oil (Indian sesame oil) or ghee

Instructions:

Add enough water to the fermented batter until you have a smooth, pouring consistency. Make sure the batter is not too watery though, it should be thick-ish but fall off your spoon easily.
Heat a tawa or iron griddle and grease with the oil lightly. Pour about 1/2 cup batter to the centre of the tawa.
Using the back of your ladle, gently spread the batter with a circular motion from the centre towards the sides of the tawa.
This requires some practice but is not hard at all. As you can see, I have made dosas enough times to actually do a decent job with my left hand while taking pictures with my right. Ok, I'll stop showing off now.
Since we are not making very crispy dosas, don't spread it too thin. The dosa should be more or less evenly thick.
Drizzle about 1 tsp of oil around the edges of the dosa and add a few sprinkles on the top as well.
If your tawa is greased adequately and is not sticky, the edge of the dosa will start to come off the pan in about 1 minute or so. Use a spatula to gently lift the dosa and flip it over. Cook the other side for another 40 seconds or so and remove from pan.
Serve with dosa podi, chutney, sambar, tiffin sambar, or anything that takes your fancy. I can eat dosa with pretty much anything!

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa -

Masala Dosa is mainly a South-Indian food but it is on the menu list of many North Indian Specialty restaurants too. Though making Masala Dosa is a long process, but its worth it.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the Dosa Batter:

1 cup regular rice
1 cup parboiled rice
½ cup split black lentils or urad dal
¼ cup poha/flattened rice
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
salt to taste
water as required

Ingredients for the Masala – Potato filling:

4-5 potatoes
10-12 cashewnuts (optional)
10-12 curry leaves
1 tbsp chana dal
3 onions sliced or chopped
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 or 2 chopped green chillies
1 or 1.5 tsp chopped ginger or grated ginger
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
½ tsp turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida
3 tsp oil or ghee
salt

Instructions:

Preparing the Dosa Batter:

Rinse the rice and urad dal separately first.
Soak the parboiled rice, regular rice and poha in a bowl or pan.
In another bowl soak the urad dal-methi in enough water
Grind the urad dal with methi to a fine and fluffy batter.
Grind the rice and poha to a smooth batter.
Mix both the rice and urad dal batter with salt.
Cover and let the batter ferment for 8-9 hours.

Preparing the potato filling-sabzi:

Heat oil or ghee.
Fry cashew nuts and keep aside.
Splutter the mustard seeds. add cumin seeds and chana dal.
Fry the chana dal well.
Now add the onions and curry leaves.
Fry the onions till they become soft.
Add the green chilies and ginger.
Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida.
Mix well.
Now add the boiled chopped potatoes.
Add the fried cashew nuts and salt
Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring well.
Add chopped coriander leaves.
Stir and keep aside.

Preparing the Masala Dosa:

Heat a flat pan or a flat non-stick pan.
Smear some oil on the pan.
Spread the dosa batter in a circular way on the pan. Add some oil on top
Flip and cook the other side.
Flip again.
Spread the potato sabzi filling on one side of the dosa.
Cover with the other half and let the dosa cook for 15-30 seconds.
Serve masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and sambar

Notes:

If you are unable to spread the batter on the pan, then add some water to the dosa batter. this will help you in spreading the batter evenly on the pan. To get golden brown dosa, the pan should be hot. But the flip side is that if the pan is very hot, then you cannot spread the dosa batter nicely. Either sprinkle water on the pan and then wipe it. This brings down the temperature of the pan. Do this method on an iron pan. Don’t do this on a non stick pan. It might affect the non stick coating. If using a non stick pan than as soon as one dosa is done, reduce the flame. Spread the dosa batter on the pan. now increase the flame and let the dosa cook.

Idly / Idli

Idly / Idli -

Idli is a popular breakfast recipe in South India but now getting popular in other parts of India too.

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice or sona masoori rice or regular rice
1 cup parboiled rice
½ cup urad dal/black gram, skinned whole or skinned spilt
¼ cup poha/flattened rice
¼ tsp methi seeds/fenugreek seeds
water as required
salt
oil to apply to the idli moulds

Instructions:

Pick and wash both the rice and urad dal.
Soak the rice and poha in water for 4-5 hours.
Soak the urad dal with methi seeds separately for 4-5 hours.
Drain the soaked urad dal. reserve the water.
Grind the urad dal, methi seed with some of the reserved water till you get a smooth and fluffy batter.
Grind the rice to make a smooth batter.
Mix both the batters together in a large bowl or pan. add salt and mix well.
Cover and let the batter ferment for 8-9 hours.
After the fermentation process is over, the batter will become double in size and rise.
Gently mix the batter.
Grease the idli moulds.
Pour the batter in the moulds steam the idlis in a pressure cooker or steamer.
If using pressure cooker remove the vent weight.whistle.
Steam for 10-12 mins or until the idlis are done.
Remaining batter can be stored in the refrigerator.
Serve the steaming hot idlis with coconut chutney and sambar.

Tips:

You can use the similar batter for making Dosa.

Chaat Street

Chaats -

You guys will find some of the tastiest Street food which are famous and available throughout the Indian streets across several regions. Try out your hand and surprise your taste bud. Enjoy...!!!....

Bhel Puri Chaat

Papdi (Papri) Chaat

Matar Chaat

Fruit Chaat

Aloo Tikki Chaat

Palak Chaat

Potato Skins / Potato Bowl Chaat

Peanut Chaat/Masala

Raj Kachori Chaat

Khasta Kachori

Pani Puri

Masala Papad (Papad Salad)

Masala Mathri (Spicy Crackers)

Masala French Fries

Veg Samosa

Non-Veg Samosa

Murukku

Chole Bhature

Vegetable Frankie – Kathi Roll

Non-Veg Frankie - Kathi Kebab Roll

Non-Veg Frankie - Egg Kathi Roll

Daal Poori

Hing er Kochuri (Hinga ke Kachori)

Mattar Ke Kachori (Peas Kachori)

Batata Vada & Vada Pav

Aloo Kabli (Bengali style Potato Salad)

Dahi Vada

Rava Dhokla

Moong Dal Vada

Medu Vada

Idly

Rava Idli

Plain Dosa

Masala Dosa

Poha (Flattened Rice)

Upma Sooji

Sabudana Khichdi

Namak Paare (Nimki)

Mirchi Bhaji

Bread Rolls

Bengali Chicken Keema Chop (Chicken keema Pakoda)

Spicy Indian Chips

Spicy Cashews

Spicy Green Peas

Achari Prawn Pulao

Achari Prawn Pulao -

Achari Prawn Pulao is a spicy pulao whose taste will simply blow away your mind. Try this at your home and enjoy a spicy meal!

Ingredients:

For achari marinade: 
20 medium sized prawns
1 and 1/2 tbsp green chili pickle 
1/2 cup onion , finely chopped
1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
1 tsp fennel seeds 
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi) 
1 tsp cumin seeds 
1 and 1/2 tsp shaan Tandoori mix ( for color)
3/4 cup curd
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
Salt, to taste

For rice :
1 and 1/2 cup uncooked long grained rice (Basmati)
1, 1 " cinnamon  stick
1/2 tsp caraway seeds (Shahi jeera)
3 cardamom
3 tbsp oil 

Method:

Wash, shell and devein the prawns. Pat dry. Keep aside.
Dry roast the mustard , fennel, cumin and fenugreek seeds separately and blend them together to a fine powder. 
Puree the green chili pickle and mix well with curd . In a bowl, marinade the prawns with this paste and rest of the marinade mix and keep marinated for a minimum of 30 minutes . 
In the mean time, pressure cook the rice , make sure that each grain of rice separates easily. Keep aside and cool.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non stick skillet , add the chopped onions and marinated prawns (keep the gravy aside) and fry them together till you get a golden brown color. 
Next add the marinated gravy and let cook till it gets dry. Keep aside.
In the same pan , heat 1 tbsp oil, add the  cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and fry , once it starts to sputter, add the rice, achari prawns with gravy  and toss gently for a few minutes. Add salt if required.

Serve hot with any curry of your choice.

Calcutta/Kolkata Fish Biryani

Calcutta/Kolkata Fish Biryani -

The third in the list of famous Biryanis, Calcutta/Kolkata biryani evolved from the Lucknow style when Wajid Ali Shah, the last nawab of Awadh was exiled in 1856 to the Kolkata suburb of Metiaburj. He brought his personal Chef with him as he was very particular about his food. Due to recession at that point of time potato had been used instead of meat/fish. Later on that  became a specialty of Calcutta Biryani, though meat/fish is also served along with it. As compared to other Biryanis, Calcutta/Kolkata biryani is much lighter on spices but rich in flavor and taste. Kolkata Biryani is best made with mutton but fish can also replace mutton and can be prepared to perfection.

Ingredients :

2 and 1/2 cups  long grained rice (Basmati rice)
5 pieces Silver Carp/Katla/Hilsa ( can use any fish of your choice, preferably any oily fish)
2 large onions, chopped lengthwise
2 large potatoes, cut into quarter
1, 1" cinnamon
1 Black cardamom
2 Green cardamom
3 cloves
1 Anise seed
1 Bay leaf
3/4th tsp Nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp Mace powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 cup Milk
2 pinch Saffron (can also use yellow/orange color)
1 n 1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 tsp kewra water
2 n 1/2 tbsp Ghee
4 tbsp Oil
Coriander leaves,  to garnish

Method:

Marinade the Fish pieces with salt, a pinch of turmeric powder, cumin powder ,red chili powder, 1 tbsp lemon juice , keep aside for 10 to 15  minutes.  In the mean time, boil the potatoes, till it becomes a bit tender. Keep aside.
Next heat 2 tbsp of ghee and fry the Bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, anise seed , once fragrant, add rice and fry with all the spices for a minute. Add salt and water and boil till the rice is 90% cooked.
In the mean time, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wide bottomed pan and fry the fish pieces to a light golden brown color on both the sides.Keep aside.
Next fry half of the cut onion to a golden brown color in 1 tbsp of oil , keep aside.
In the same pan, heat one more tbsp of oil , add the rest of the onion and fry till translucent, next add the half boiled  potatoes, salt and turmeric powder, sprinkle a little water and let cook covered till the potatoes are fully done. Take out from the heat, keep aside.
Grease a wide flat bottomed, non stick skillet with ghee . Divide the rice into two halves. Add one half of the rice to the pan and spread out with a ladle to make a bed.
Sprinkle sugar , mace powder and nutmeg powder on the rice bed. In a spoonful of warm milk, add two pinches of saffron and drizzle half of it on the rice. Add half of the fried potatoes with onion and reserve the rest for the next step.
Next add the remaining rice on top and spread out in all directions to make a bed . Pour a cup of milk on the rice. Drizzle the rest of the saffron milk , add the remaining fried potato, fried onion, and the fish pieces. Lastly add a tbsp of kewra water. Let cook covered on low heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle a tbsp of lemon juice before removing from heat.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Raita and Salad.

Fish Biriyani

Fish Biriyani -

Ingredients :

1 lbs Catfish (You can use any fish of your choice)

2 medium sized onion

1 medium sized tomato

1 tbsp Red chili powder

Coriander leaves, 1/2 bunch

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups Basmati rice

whole garam masala (1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 cloves, 1 black cardamom)

Ghee/butter, as required

Oil, as required

Salt to taste

2 -3 drops kewra water

Marination for fish :

3/4 cup yogurt

1 tbsp Ginger and Garlic paste

1 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 and 1/2 tbsp Biriyani Masala (I always prepare Biriyani masala at home.)

Following are the ingredients for Biriyani Masala:

Cinnamon- 2 inch piece 

Cloves 8-10

Cardamom - 8

Black cardamon - 2

Nutmeg -1 

Bay leaves- 1

Fennel seeds- 1tsp

Mace  5-6

Caraway seeds/Shah Jeera- 1 tbsp

Star Anise-1          

Method:

Wash the fish thoroughly and cut into 2" pieces. Wash the basmati rice properly and keep aside.

Marinate the fish with the ingredients as mentioned above and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee/butter  in a non stick deep skillet, fry the whole garam masala, add rice and fry again for less than a minute . Add water , a pinch of salt and cook rice till its half boiled.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil , fry 2 chopped onions with 1 tbsp red chili powder till it gets golden brown .Then add 1 chopped tomato and cook till it gets pulpy. At the end, add the marinated fish and cook till the fish is half done. 

In an Oven safe large serving dish with a tight lid, lay the rice at the bottom and spread. Layer with the fish gravy. If you wish, you can add a layer of fried onions (You can either use store fried onions or make it at home). Sprinkle a few drops of Kewra Water . Repeat with a layer of rice and curry followed by sprinkling kewra water . Layer until all the rice and gravy has been used up. Pour the lime juice on top.

Put the lid on the vessel. Make a seal so that the steam cannot escape at all. Put this dish inside a preheated oven at 250 deg F. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes and turn off the oven. 

Do not remove Biriyani for atleast one hour from the Oven.

Served with Raita.

Bread Rolls

Bread Rolls -

Bread with potato filling makes a mouthwatering snack. This is a perfect snack with afternoon tea or served as an appetizer. Bread Potato Rolls are crunchy outside, spicy and soft inside. Easy to prepare

Ingredients:

4 bread slices, (bread should be firm)
2 medium size potatoes boiled peeled and mashed (this will make about 1-1/4 cup mashed potato)
1/4 cup green peas, boiled
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
1 tablespoon Cilantro (hara dhania), finely chopped
1 green chili (hari mirch) minced; adjust to taste
1 teaspoon ginger (adrak),finely chopped
Oil to fry

Method:

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the cumin seed. When the cumin seed starts to crack, add green peas, green chili, and ginger, and stir for a few seconds.
Add the potatoes and all the spices (chili powder, mango powder, salt, cilantro) and stir-fry for a minute. Turn off the heat.
Taste the mixture; it should be a little spicier than you like, as it will taste milder inside the bread. Set aside
Trim the edges of the bread slices and cut them into two pieces. Set aside.
Roll 1½ tablespoons of the mixture at a time into an oval shape. Make twelve rolls. (The size of the potato rolls will depend on the size of the bread).
Fill a small bowl with water to wet the bread. Dip one side of a slice of the bread lightly in the water. Place the slice between your palms and press, squeezing out the excess water. This makes the bread
moist.
Place the filling in the center of this bread and mold the bread to completely cover it all around, giving an oval shape. Repeat to make all the rolls. Before frying, let them sit for about five minutes. (This will evaporate some of the water from the bread so that it absorbs less oil while frying; also making the bread rolls crisper).
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Drop the rolls slowly into it, taking care not to overlap them.
Fry the bread rolls until they are golden brown, turning occasionally. This should take about two to three minutes. Take them out over a paper towel.

Serve them hot with green cilantro chutney or tamarind sweet or sour chutney or simple ketchup.

Malpua

Ingredients:

For rabri:
1 litre milk
1 cup sugar

For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Saffron strands
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

For the malpua:
500 gms all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
400 gms sweetened condensed milk
Slivered almonds and pistachios to garnish
Ghee

Method:
Mix the milk and 1 cup of sugar in a thick-bottomed pan
Cook to reduce it to a fourth of its original volume while stirring frequently
Remove it from the fire; allow cooling and then chilling in the refrigerator
Mix equal quantity of sugar and water in a pan
Boil it until a single-thread consistency is obtained
Add cardamom powder, saffron threads, mix well
Keep it aside to use later
In a large mixing bowl, blend the condensed milk, flour and baking powder together to form a smooth batter
Meanwhile heat enough ghee in a deep frying pan to cook the malpuas
Pour the batter into the oil to form circles about 4" in diameter
Cook till golden brown
Remove from the oil and put directly into the sugar syrup
Remove after 2-3 minutes and drain on a wire rack
Now to serve, place 2 malpuas in a plate, spoon rabri over them and garnish with slivered nuts

Lachha Rabri

Lachha Rabdi is a sweet, delicious dessert made with milk, nuts, and spices.

Ingredients:
4 cups Milk
3-4 tablespoon Sugar (sweetness as per taste)
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder
1/4 teaspoon Saffron
2 tablespoon chopped almonds & pistachios

Method:
Take a big,wide and heavy bottom pan or kadhai.
Grease the sides and bottom of the pan with ghee.
Add milk in the pan and boil on medium flame.
When milk start boiling ,a layer of malai will start forming over the milk.
Now take the malai with help of spatula and keep collecting it on the sides of the pan.
Collect malai on all the sides and keep stirring the milk in between so that it will not stick in the bottom.
Keep repeating the process till the milk reduced to almost 1/3 .
Now add sugar and boil for 5 minutes.
Add saffron,cardamom and chopped nuts and switch off the flame.
Now scrape the malai from the sides of the pan and add in the milk.
Let it come to room temperature.
Garnish with some nuts and saffron.
Refrigerate it for 1-2 hours and serve chilled.

Kulfi (Indian Eggless Ice Cream)

Kulfi is an eggless Indian ice cream. This is a simple and delicious dessert made with milk and sugar. Kulfi is very popular with street vendors, especially in summer. This is an easy recipe to make and Kulfi is an absolute treat for both young and old.

Ingredients:
4 cup milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon agar-agar (sea weed works as a vegetarian gelatin)
1/4 teaspoon cardamoms crushed

Method:
In a heavy bottom pan over medium high heat boil the milk, heavy cream, and sugar together.
After milk comes to boil lower the heat to medium and let it boil for about 35 minutes, stir the milk occasionally and clean the sides preventing milk not to make a ring on sides. Because of cream, milk does not burn in bottom of the pan.
In a small bowl mix corn starch, agar-agar, and cardamom with 2 spoons of water really well making sure there are no lumps,
Add to the boiling milk mix it well, boil for about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix the milk for about a minute.
Let it cool and pour into the molds, use Kulfi molds, Popsicle molds or small cups. I am using 3 oz plastic cups.
Freeze for about 5 hours, before Kulfi is ready to serve.

Suggestions:
You can flavor Kulfi with saffron or vanilla and add the nuts of your choice.

Pista Kulfi (Pistachio Ice Cream)

Kulfi is a very popular Indian ice cream. Kulfi comes in a variety of different flavors. Traditional kulfi is flavored with cardamom; this recipe is flavored with cardamom and pistachios.

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1 slice of white bread
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar, adjust to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground cardamom (ilachi)
10 pistachios sliced

Method:
Remove the crust from all sides of the bread and cut the bread in small pieces.
Blend bread pieces, cornstarch, and a 1/2 cup of milk, making smooth paste and set aside.
Boil remaining milk (3.5 cups) in nonstick frying pan on medium high heat.
Stir milk as needed to keep milk from burning on the bottom of the frying pan. Stir the sides of the pan to avoid scalding.
After milk comes to boil, let the milk boil for another 12 minutes. The goal is to boil the milk from 3 1/2 cups to 2 1/2 cups.
Add the bread mixture to the milk in frying the pan and cook for another 4 minutes, reducing the heat to medium. Bread and cornstarch are added to reduce the water crystallizing in kulfi during freezing.
Next add sugar and pistachios and cook for 2 more minutes.
Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder.
Cool the milk to room temperature and pour into a bowl,
Take cellophane wrap and place it right over the milk covering it completely. Note: It is important that the cellophane wrap touches the milk.
Put it in freezer. It will take about 7 hours for the kulfi to be ready to serve.

Variations:
Replace pistachios with almond or coconut powder.
Replace pistachios with finally chopped fruits like mangos or strawberries. Add fruits in the end after turning off the heat.
Many people enjoy eating kulfi like a Popsicle.  Before freezing, pour the milk mixture in to a Popsicle mold.  If you don’t have Popsicle mold use small paper cups and place cellophane wrap on top of the milk and place a Popsicle stick in center of cup and freeze.

Mawa Kachori (Puffed Pastry)

Mawa Kachori is an exotic dessert. This is a delicacy from state of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is known for their rich food and culture. Pastry filled with aromatic mixture of mawa and nuts makes a very festive dessert.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1cup all-purpose flour (maida, plain flour)
2 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee)
Approx. 1/2 cup of lukewarm water as needed

Filling:
1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
1 cup milk powder
1/4 cup mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios coarsely ground)
1/4 teaspoon crushed cardamom
3 tablespoon sugar

Note: If you are using mawa use ¾ cup of mawa instead cream and powder

Oil to fry

Syrup:
1cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon crushed cardamom
Few strands of saffron

Method:

Crust:
Mix flour, and clarified butter in a bowl, making firm soft adding water slowly as needed. Knead the dough until the dough becomes soft and pliable.
Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least ten minutes.

Syrup:
Boil the sugar and water on medium heat, as sugar comes to boil add saffron, and cardamom on medium heat until syrup is about one thread or 220 degrees (Fahrenheit) on a candy thermometer. Set aside.

Filling:
Mix the cream and milk powder in a frying pan. Cook on medium heat until it becomes consistency of soft dough, this should take about 3-4 minutes. Stir continuously so the mixture does not burn on the bottom of the pan. This mixture is known mava.
Next add nuts mixture, sugar, and cardamom powder to mawa. Mix together well and cook for about 2 more minutes until mixture is consistency of soft dough. Keep aside.
After cooling, the mixture will become drier but still should be lightly moist.

Making Kachories:
Knead the dough for a minute.
Divide the dough into about 18 equal parts.
Roll each ball into about 2-inch diameter.
Take one of the rolled dough in your palm and place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap the filling. Proceed to make all 30 balls.
Let the filled balls sit for 3 to 4 minutes before pressing.
In the frying pan heat the oil on medium high, frying pan should have about 1-1/2 inches of oil.
Set the filled balls on a clean and dry surface with the seam facing up. Using the base of your palm, slowly flatten them into about 3 inches circle.
To check if oil is ready put a little piece of dough in the oil. It should sizzle, and come up slowly.
Slowly drop the Kachories in the oil, do not over crowd the kachories in frying pan, fry them on medium heat.
After they are puff, slowly turn them over.
It will take about 5-6 minutes to fry. Fry until golden-brown on all sides.
If the kachories are fried on high heat, they will get soft and will not be crispy.

Serving:
Just before serving drizzle the kachori with about 2 tablespoons of hot syrup. Garnish them with left over filling or sliced pistachios.
Kachories can also be served without syrup.

Coconut Barfi

This recipe is made with coconut powder combined with a cardamom flavored sugar syrup. This is a scrumptious dessert or snack.

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup dry milk powder
1/2 cup coconut powder
1/2 cup grounded walnut
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:
Grease an 8-inch round or square plate and set aside.
Boil the heavy cream on medium-high heat.
After milk comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low-medium heat.
Add the sugar and Stir so sugar is dissolve.
Let it simmer six to seven minutes making sure to stir frequently. The milk syrup should heat until 230 degrees on candy thermometer or one thread.
Add the milk powder and mix well. Stir for about two to three minutes on medium heat or until the mixture should start leaving the pan.
Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder, coconut powder and ground walnut and mix well.
Spread on a greased plate about 1/2 inch thick and let it cool for about an hour. Cut the barfis in square or diamond shapes, or any desired shape.

Tips:
If sugar syrup heats to above 230 degrees, the barfee will be dry. If the syrup is not thick enough, the barfi will take longer to cook with dry milk powder, making the burfee chewy like taffy.

Peda (Indian Sweet)

Pedas are an all time favorite sweet. Pedas are like soft milk fudge. Pedas are grainy texture made with milk and sugar, flavored with cardamom. Peda can be served as a candy or as a dessert.

Ingredients:
4  cup paneer
1/3 cup milk powder
1/3 cup milk
1/2  cup sugar
3  tablespoon unsalted butter (ghee)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder (ilatchi)

For Garnish:
1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

Method:
Check the recipe for paneer and make the paneer with whole milk. For this recipe use 4 cups of milk.
Heat the frying pan on medium. Add butter and let it melt.
Next add milk, milk powder, and paneer. Mix it well.
Cook mixture on medium heat stirring continuously until mixture starts leaving the sides of the frying pan and becomes like dough. This should take about 12 minutes. Now this is known as khoya.
Transfer the khoya into a bowl and let it cool off until khoya becomes just lukewarm.
Mix the sugar and cardamom powder into the khoya and knead it for about a minute until every thing blends together and become soft dough. Note: if you mix the sugar while khoya is hot that will make pedas soft.
Divide the mix into about 20 equal parts and roll them into round balls. Lightly press it down so it looks like small patty.
Put few pieces of sliced pistachios on every peda.
Pedas should be served at room temperature.
Pedas can be kept for few days at room temperature and about a month refrigerated.

Kalakand

Very traditional and delicious dessert, made with whole milk, variation of a barfi soft and grainy in texture.

Ingredients:
8 cups or 2 quart milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice (for making paneer)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds or pistachio for garnishing

Method:

Making Paneer:
Mix lemon juice in ¼ cup of hot water and put aside.
Boil the 4 cups of milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
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.
Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
To take out the excess water, squeeze the wrapped paneer. Do not knead the paneer.

Making Kalakand:
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.
Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.
Add the paneer in the milk and keep stirring till the mixture thickness and form a soft dough consistency.
Add the sugar and continue to cook and stirring until the mixture become soft lump and start leaving the pan from sides.
Pour it over greased plate keeping about half inch thick.
Let it cool for about one hour. Cut the kalakand in squares.

Tips:
Putting few spoons of water in pot before putting milk reduces burning the milk bottom of the pan.
If kalakand is too soft put the plate in microwave oven (plate should be microwave safe) for 2 to 3 minutes. Making sure kalakand don’t become dry.

Besan Ki Barfi (Gram Flour Fudge)

Besan ki barfi is sweet like candy and has a fudge like consistency. Made with roasted Besan, butter and sugar, it is then flavored with cardamom and garnished with nuts. Besan Burfi can be served any time of the day. In an Indian household, Burfies are served as cookies or chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 cup besan, gram flour
2 tablespoons sooji, semolina
1/4 cup coarsely ground almond powder
6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or ghee
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
8 green cardamoms– shelled and seeds crushed
Approx. 1 tablespoon pistachios crushed for garnishing

Method:
Grease 8” flat plate and set aside.
In a bowl mix besan and semolina, add about 3 tablespoons of butter mix it well by rubbing with fingers. Mix will become grainy; Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Put rest of the butter in frying pan over medium heat; add besan mix and roast for about 4-5 minutes stirring continuously basen will lightly change the color.
Add almonds and roast stirring continuously until the color has change to deep golden brown and also start to smell of the roasted basen, this should take another 6-7 minutes. Turn off the heat. We add the almonds later otherwise almonds will be over roasted.
In a saucepan, boil the sugar and water together over medium heat until syrup is little less then 1 thread or 205 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Mix the syrup with flour mixture mix well and pore over greased plate.
Sprinkle the sliced pistachios evenly over the top to garnish.
Let Barfi cool it takes about 1 hours and cut into 1” squares.

Notes:
If syrup is not right consistency Barfi can become very soft or very dry, in any case it is easy to fix.
Barfi is too soft: add little more almond powder or coconut powder. May be make them in ladoo a ball shape little smaller then golf ball and roll them in almond or coconut powder.
Barfi is very dry: sprinkle hot water as needed about 2-3 tablespoons over besan and mix it.
Enjoy!

Paneer Barfi

Paneer Barfi is great to serve with tea or coffee, or as a dessert with any meal.

Ingredients:
Paneer with 1/2 gallon or 8 cups of milk
2 slices of white bread
3/4 cup sugar
6 green cardamoms coarsely grounded
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon of butter to grease the baking pan

Method:
Check the recipe for paneer and make the paneer with whole milk or 4% milk.
Pre heat the oven on 275 degrees.
Grease the 8″ by 8″ baking pan keep aside.
Remove the crust from all side of bread.
In food processor put the bread and make breadcrumb add paneer and sugar mix it well now add cardamom and half the sliced almonds and mix just for few seconds.
Mixture should be moist, if it appears to be dry add 2-3 spoons of milk.
Put the mix in baking dish spread evenly and spread rest of the almonds evenly. Cover with the foil.
Burfee should take about 30 minutes but check after about 20 minutes like you will check the cake putting the knife. Knife should come out clean. After burfee is ready leave it cover for about fifteen minutes so burfee remain moist with the steam.
After paneer burfee comes to the room temperature cut them into your desired size and shapes.

Variations:
Add 2 tablespoons of coconut powder in the mixture while mix is still in food processor.
You can flavor the burfee with saffron adding about 6 strand of saffron in the mixture.
Saffron will give nice color and add to the taste.

Chom Chom

Chom Chom is a popular Bengali (East Indian) sweet dish that is made with Paneer, (home-made cheese). It is a versatile dish that can be served in many different variations. Here I will show you 3 different ways to serve Chom Chom, either with Pistachios, or with Coconuts or with Malai (cream).

Ingredients for Chom Chom:
Paneer prepared with 4 cups or 1 liter of whole milk
2 cups of sugar
5 cups of water

Ingredients for different serving options:

1. With Pistachios
1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

2. With Coconuts
2 tablespoons finely shredded coconut/coconut powder

3. With Malai (cream)
2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:
Prepare paneer according to recipe “How to Make Paneer”. To test if sufficient water has been removed out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer in your palm and rub with your fingers. You should be able to make a firm but smooth ball, after 15-20 seconds of rubbing.
Place the drained paneer on a dry, clean surface and knead it for 3 to 4 minutes until it rolls into smooth soft dough. If the paneer is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water.
Divide the paneer dough into 8 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth oval shaped ball.
For the syrup: In a wide saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add sugar and stir to dissolve completely. Use a large pan as the Chom Choms will double in volume while cooking in the syrup.
Add the paneer balls to the syrup and bring it back to a boil. Then turn down the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.
Open the pot cover, turn the chum chums over and cook for another 15 minutes.
Check to see if the chum chums appear firm but sponge-like (with little holes on the surface). Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 more minutes.
Remove the chum chums from the syrup.
Serve chill!

Serving Options:
1. With Pistachios
Cover every Chom Chom with a few pieces of sliced pistachios

2. With Coconut Powder
Roll the chom choms in dry coconut

3. With Malai (cream)
Boil the milk over medium heat until it reduces to ½ its volume. Stir the milk continuously so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.
Add sugar, and cardamom powder. Stir for 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat.
While milk is still warm pour 1 tablespoon over every Chom Chom and top with a few pieces of pistachios.

Enjoy this soft, spongy, flavorful sweet Chom Chom!

Besan Ladoo

Besan ladoos are rich, sweet dessert-snack made from gently roasted gram flour (besan). Ladoos can be served any time of the day. Traditionally in Indian households ladoos and burfis are served as cookies and chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups gram flour (besan)
2 tablespoons semolina flour (fine sooji)
1/2 cup unsalted melted butter (ghee)
3/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons sliced almonds (badam)
1/4 teaspoons coarsely grounded cardamom seeds (ilaichi)

For Garnish:
1 tablespoon melted butter or ghee
1 tablespoons sliced pistachios (pista)

Method:
Put the besan (gram flour), sooji, and melted butter in a large frying pan and mix.
Turn the stove on to medium heat and begin to roast the basen mixture until basen becomes light golden brown in color.  Stir the mixture continuously with a spatula to prevent burning. Cooking on high heat will not allow the mixture to fully cook.
When the color has changed you will also start to smell the sweetness of roasted besan. This should take about 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the basen cool to a warm temperature. don’t let it become to room temperature.
While the mixture is warm add and mix cardamom seeds, almonds, and sugar.
To make the ladoos, take about 2 tablespoons of warm basen mixture into your palm. Gently press the mixture between your palms to form a smooth, round ball. The ladoos are usually about the size of a ping-pong ball, but you can adjust the as you prefer.
When you have finished making all of the ladoos, take one ladoo at a time and dip the ladoo a quarter inch into melted butter or ghee. Then lightly touch the part of the ladoo with the butter into the sliced pistachios just enough so some pistachios stick to the ladoo.
Put ladoos back on the plate with the pistachio side facing the top.
Leave the ladoos on a plate to cool to room temperature before putting into a covered container. The ladoos can be stored in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks.

Boondi (bundi) Ladoo

Boondi Ladoo is a great, mouth watering snack-time dessert and is a must have at all special occasions all over India. Boondis are very small, round deep fried balls that have been soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. After soaking, the syrup is drained and the syrup infused boondi are formed into balls (ladoos).

Ingredients:
1 cup gram flour (besan)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water adjusted as needed
1 1/2  cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
6 green cardamom pods (ilaichi)
Oil to deep fry

Utensils:
Perforated Spoon, Skimmer, or Ladle:
The critical part of boondi making is to use the right kind of utensil for the batter to drop through the holes into the hot oil to form the little pearl shaped fried balls.  To accomplish this you need to use a flat skimmer, strainer or perforated ladle that has several round holes on the surface, each about the size of a whole black peppercorn.
Candy Thermometer: Use this to measure the temperature of the sugar syrup at the “half thread” stage of boiling.

Method:
Crack open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Crush the seeds and keep aside.
Put the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. When the syrup comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let it simmer until the syrup is about half thread consistency or 220 degrees on the candy thermometer.
Mix the gram flour with water to make a smooth pancake-like batter or slightly thicker than dosa batter.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inches of oil. Tip: To test if the oil is the right temperature, drop a pinch of batter into the oil; if it rises immediately without changing color then the oil is ready to start frying the
Hold the skimmer about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the oil over the center of the frying pan with one hand. With your other hand pour some of the batter onto the skimmer to cover all of the holes without spilling over the edge of the skimmer. Tip: if you hold the skimmer higher than 11/2 inches above the oil boondi will not be round.
The batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil. If the batter doesn’t drop right away through the holes, pour the batter on the skimmer back into the batter bowl, mix a little more water to the batter and start again. Drop enough boondi into the oil so they just cover the surface of the oil in frying pan in a single layer
Fry them until the sound of sizzling stops and boondis are light gold in color but not crispy! Lift the boondi out of the oil with a slotted spoon (this allows excess oil to drip back into the frying pan) and put them directly into the warm syrup and mix.*
Before making the next batch of boondi, wipe clean the skimmer. This helps to keep the boondi round.
Repeat the process of making boondi and adding to the syrup with rest of the batter. You may have to adjust the heat in between making boondis.
When finished frying the boondi, let them soak in the syrup for few minutes.
Add the crushed cardamom seeds and sliced almonds to the syrup.
Now drain off the excess syrup.
If the boondis are still hot, let them sit only until they are warm enough to handle – don’t let them to cool off. If the boondis become cold you will not be able to form them into ladoos.
To make the ladoos, scoop up some of the boondi mixture into your palm with a spoon. Gently squeeze the mixture between both palms to shape into a round ball about the size of a golf ball. As you are squeezing some of the syrup will come out.  You can make the ladoo larger or smaller if you have a preference.
As you finish making each ladoo, put it on a plate and continue on to make the next ladoo.
As the Ladoos cool to room temperature they will become firm but they should still be moist.
Ladoos will keep at room temperature in a covered container for up to 10 days and for one month in the refrigerator.

Tips:
If the syrup is not of the right temperature, you will not be able to form the ladoos.
If the boondis cool down to room temperature before being shaped into balls, the sugar will crystallize.
If you are not able to make ladoos, don’t worry. You can still enjoy them as “meethi boondi” or sweet boondi.
*If you like the boondi for raita or making some other salty snack don’t add to the syrup.

Jalebi

Jalebis can best be described as funnel cakes. Jalebis can be made thin and crispy or thick and juicy. Jalebis taste best when served hot.

Ingredients:

Batter:
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon besan (gram flour)
1/2 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
About 1/3 cup of lukewarm water (as needed)

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of cardamom powder
Few strands of saffron
1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Also needed:
Oil to fry

Method:

Batter:
Dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for about five minutes.
Mix the flour, besan (gram flour), oil, and sugar together.
Add the yeast solution and mix well, making sure that there are no lumps and the batter is smooth.
Set the batter aside and let it sit in a warm place for one hour.
Make sure the batter is fermented, but do not over ferment. After fermenting batter will be little lacy.

Syrup:
Boil the sugar and water together. Add the lemon juice and saffron and close the heat.

Making Jalebis:
Heat the oil in a flat frying pan about 1 1/2″ deep.  To check if the oil is ready, put ont drop of batter in the oil, the batter should sizzle and come up without changing in color right away.
Fill the Jalebi batter into a piping bag with a number 3 nozzle. You can also use an empty bottle (i.e. empty ketchup or mustard bottle).
Squeeze the Jalebi batter out in the hot oil in a pretzel shape to about 2 inches in diameter.
Fry the Jalebis until golden-brown on both sides.
Transfer into the warm syrup.
Let jalebi soak in the hot syrup for a few seconds and take out.
Serve hot.

Variations:
Try sprinkling cinnamon powder or drizzle melted chocolate over the Jalebis for a creative touch.