Mysore pak

If there is a will there is way. And it is so very true.  Was missing our outings and occasional dinners in Sarvana Bhawan back in Delhi. Importantly, I was missing the Mysore paak that we used to have after our meals there. I really used to relish the same without counting my calories. So, I thought of trying it and it came out brilliantly close to that. Sharing the recipe here, it is easy buy you need a little bit of patience. Try it.

Ingredients:

• Gram flour (Besan)- 1 cup
• Sugar -3 cup
• Desi Ghee – 1 ½ cup
• Water – 1 ½ cup 

Method:

1. Sift the gram flour carefully to ensure that coarse grains are separated. 
2. Pour the ghee in a pan and heat it in low flame. 
3. Boil sugar in one and half cup of water over medium heat. Keep stirring continuously till it dissolves. 
4. Bring the syrup to a boil by increasing heat  till reaches a single thread consistency  
5. Now add gram flour gradually into the sugar syrup, keep stirring all the while to prevent formation of lumps. Also start adding ghee.
6. Stir continuously till the mixture starts bubbling. Every time you add ghee the mixture will sizzle and froth.
7. Repeat the process till all the ghee is used and you get a pleasant sweet roasted aroma.
8. Pour the mixture into a greased tray. Cool a little and cut into squares or rectangles, as you wish.
9. Separate the pieces when completely cooled and store in an airtight container to retain its freshness and crispness.
Notes:
The 2 steps you have to be very careful are – ensuring single thread consistency of the sugar syrup and final Mysore pak consistency.
Keep the flame/heat low while stirring 
The colour of the Mysore pak also depends on the gram flour. The flour I used here is nice deep yellow.

Nalen gurer Payesh

Festivities have begun!  Ganesh Chaturthi has started.  Eid is there.  Durgapuja, Navratri, Dussehra, and then Deepavali.  Best time of the year to be in India with everyone in a festive mood, lots of food, shopping and adda (meeting with friends), and eating together. And nothing is complete without sweets for us. So, starting the festival with the recipe of
Nalen gurer Payesh (Kheer) or Indian rice pudding with date palm jaggery.

Ingredients:

• Gobindo Bhog Rice – 200gm
• Full cream milk -1ltr
• Bay leaf – 1
• Date palm jaggery – ½ cup as per taste
• Chopped nuts or cashew and raisins – for garnishing
• Cardamom -1/2 tsp powder


Method:

1. In a thick bottom pan, boil the milk on low /medium heat, stirring continuously.
2. Wash and soak the rice in water for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat the ghee in a small pan, add the rice and fry for couple of minutes.
4. Once the milk starts to thicken, add rice. Stir it continuously on low to medium heat so that the bottom does not get burnt.
5. When rice is cooked .add the jaggery to the payesh. Again boil for 5 to 10 minutes by stirring it continuously.
6. Check the sweetness. If you feel that it needs more sweetness, add a little bit of jaggery
7. Now switch off the gas, add chopped nuts or raisins.  It can be served warm or cold.

Gajar Ka Halwa

When I was a novice cook, then too I was good at making Gajar Ka Halwa. The best carrot for Gajar ka Halwa is of the red type (Lal wali Gajar). These red carrots are mostly found in India, particularly in North India.

Ingredients:

• Carrot – 500gm
• Full cream milk – 500 litre
• Ghee (clarified butter )- 5 tbsp
• Sugar – 1
• Cashews – 15 -20
• Almond – 10 – 15
• Cardamom- ½ tsp powder
• Raisins -50 gm
• Khoya -100gm
• Kesar -1/2 tsp or a pinch of (optional)

Method:

1. Rinse, peel and grate the carrots.
2. Place the kadai on the burner and preheat. Pour some ghee into it.
3. Add grated carrot and then fry till it changes colour slightly
4. Pour some milk
5. Now boil the mixture in low to medium flame / heat for 15 mins
6. While the mixture is simmering, keep stirring it in between.
7. After some time, the milk will evaporate and then add sugar. Keep stirring while the flame is still low.
8. At the end add cashew nuts, almond, crushed saffron, raisins and Khoya. Simmer it till all milk is evaporated
9. Switch off the burner and serve Gajar Ka Halwa hot. You may sprinkle some cashew nuts on top of each serving.  

Gupta barir Doi-Mach

This one is a very old and traditional dish cooked almost every other day at any Bengali household. I learnt this from my mother who learnt it from my grand mother.  I would call this preparation ‘Gupta barir  Doi-Mach'.

Ingredients:

• Rohu Fish – 4 pieces
• Onion – 2 (Grated and paste)
• Green Chilli -2
• Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp 
• Red chilly Powder – ¾ tsp or as per taste 
• Salt – as per taste 
• Sugar – as per taste 
• Mustard Powder or paste  -1tsp 
• Curd – half cup 

Method :

1. Marinate the fish with turmeric powder and salt for about 5-10 minutes
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan and then fry the fish and keep aside
3. Now put grated onion and green chilli pieces into the hot oil and fry till it is brown. Then, add onion paste into it. Also add turmeric powder, chilli powder, mustard powder / paste, salt & sugar to taste.
4. Keep frying in medium heat till the oil separates out from the mixture
5. Now add curd, and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes
6. Put the fish pieces into the pan and stir very carefully to cover the pieces with the spice on both sides. Cover  the pan with its lid
7. After about 5 mins  and your Doi-Mach (curd-fish curry ) is ready to be served hot
8. Please note that the curry may look oily because curd also releases a little bit of oily stuff

If you get fresh fish, then all the ingredients  can be mixed at one shot with the fish and then fried in the mustard oil.  If fresh fish is not available and you are cooking with frozen fish, then the above recipe works perfect.

Shukto

Shukto is probably the most authentic Bengali dish. The custom is that eating starts with rice and shukto. It is considered a very healthy food and also it frees up the taste buds which is very pleasing. Shukto can also be called a Bengali style vegetable stew or soup.

Ingredients:

• Bitter Gourd -1
• Sheem-4 -5
• Bori – 10 – 15
• Potato – 1
• Drum stick -2
• White radish -1
• Randhuni -1and ½ tsp
• Poppy seeds – 2tbsp
• Ginger Paste – 1 tbsp
• Sugar – as per taste 
• Salt – as per taste 
• Peas – 100 gm 
• Raw or green Banana – 1
• Green chilli –2 nos cut in fine pieces
• Mustard oil – 4 tbsp
• Milk -1 cup
• Water -1/2 cup 

Method:

1. Wash all the veggies and cut it properly.
2. Heat mustard oil in a kadahi  and fry Bori in medium flame and strain oil.
3. Now fry the vegetable pieces separately and keep aside.
4. Temper remaining oil with Randhuni. Also add cut chili pieces.
5. Add ginger paste and cook for 1-2 minutes and add poppy seed paste and again cook for around 2 minutes.
6. Add salt and sugar as per taste and cook again for 1-2 minutes. Now add little milk and water to the spice mix and bring it to boil.
7. Put all the fried veggies along with raw drumstick into the hot oil and cover the kadahi with a lid.
8. Cook for around 8 – 10 minutes in low flame or till the veggies are properly cooked.
9. Check the water level and if required add some more water because shukto should have sufficient gravy.
10. Shukto is ready to serve. It is served with plain rice.

Chatpata Cake

Baking has never been my forte. I learnt this recipe from a friend of mine. It is so easy to follow and bake. Even a novice in baking can do it easily and it will never go wrong.

Ingredients :

• Desiccated coconut- 250 gm
• Flour (maida) -250 gm
• Semolina (suji)- 250 gm
• Sugar -250 gm 
• Oil -1 cup
• Fresh milk -1 cup
• Yogurt- 1 cup 
• Baking powder – 1tbs 

*Tips : One cup is approximately 250 gm for ease of measurement.

Method :

1. Pour  all the above ingredients in a bowl in order of Flour, baking powder,  sugar, semolina, desiccated coconut, oil, milk, yoghurt.
2. Mix the above after adding each of the above ingredients
3. Take one baking tray and brush a little bit of oil into inner wall of the tray
4. Pour the ready mixture into the tray 
5. Now, preheat the oven at 180 deg C for 10 mins and then put the tray inside
6. Keep  the oven temperature at 180 deg C and keep it for 40-45 mins
7. You can check if it is baked completely  by inserting a needle (used for wool knitting) or wooden shashlik. 
8. Your cake is ready  to be served hot or as you like it.

Rasmalai

Rasmalai or Rosogolla’r payesh as is called in Bengali. I learnt this recipe from my Dimma (Grandmother – mothers’ mother). Rasmalai needs a lot of patience because you have to continuously stir it in medium heat and Dimma had patience in abundance. As people say in India – ‘Nani ke nuske’, I call this recipe as my Dimma’s Rasmalai.  But the result is sweeter. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

For Rasgullas

• Fresh Milk- 1.5 liter
• Vinegar- 3 tbsp 
• Water- 1/4 cup
• Fresh cream -1/8 cup 
• Sugar – 1 cup 
• Green Cardamom – 4 pods 
• Water (for syrup) – 6 cups 

For Rabri 

• Fresh Milk – 2 liter 
• Green Cardamom – 2 pods 
• Sugar – 1/2  cup 
• Saffron – a pinch 
• Pistachios – for garnish 

Method:

1. To make the chenna, heat together the milk and 1/8  cup fresh cream in a large pan .When the milk comes to a boil, add  the vinegar and water mixture and stir gently to curdle the milk leaving the whey behind. Immediately, transfer the chenna to a muslin cloth set over a strainer and drain the liquid. Rinse immediately with tap water to cool down the chenna and let it hang for an hour for all the liquid to drain out.

2. When the chenna has drained for an hour, place the cloth on a plate and rub the chenna inside the cloth with your hands to make it very smooth. This is a very important step to getting the rasgullas to turn out soft. This step can also be carried out in a food processor .Once the mixture is smooth, shape it into walnut sized balls.

3. Make sugar syrup with 6 cups water, 1 cup sugar and cardamom pods .Cover and let it boil, when the syrup has boiled for 3 to 5 minutes. Add  5 -6 balls of chenna or discs at a time ,cover and let it boil for about 6 to 10 minutes .The rasgullas will puff up to nearly double the size. Remove them with a slotted spoon into a bowl of cool water to stop them cooking any further.

4. Once the rasgullas have cooled, gently squeeze them to remove the water and place in a separate bowl.

For Rabri:

1. Boil the milk along with cardamom until it reduces to ½ the consistency. Keep the flame in medium low and keep stirring from time to time to prevent the milk from getting burnt. Add sugar and mix until it dissolves. ADD saffron soaked in a tbsp of milk.

2. When all the rasgullas are done, place them in a flat, shallow bowl and pour the rabri over them and let them rest in a refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Sprinkle the pistachios. The rasgullas will absorb the rabri and will become even softer.

Dimer Dhokha

Dhokar dalna is a traditional food from Bengal.  It is actually made from lentil. However, my recipe for Dhoka is made from egg and potato. One can also call it  baked egg cake in a gravy. 

Ingredients:

For Dhoka
1. Potato -400 gm
2. Eggs – 8
3. Green chillies – 1tsp paste 
4. Cumin Powder -10 gm 
5. Ginger -1tsp(paste)
6. Coriander powder -½ tsp 
7. Turmeric powder -½ tsp
8. Garam masala – ½ tsp 
9. Salt – as per taste 
10. Black Pepper Powder -½ tsp
11. Oil – 50ml (for greasing)

For Gravy 
1. Panch  phoron * – 10gm
2. Onion Paste  - 2tbsp 
3. Ginger paste – 1tsp
4. Garlic Paste  -1tsp
5. Curd -50 gm 
6. Cumin powder -1/2 tsp
7. Coriander powder -1/2 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
9. Sugar – as per taste
10. Salt – as per taste 
11. Garam masala – ½ tsp 

*5 spices : consisting of Cumin, brown mustard, Fenugreek, Nigella and Fennel seeds

Method:

For Dhoka 

1. Boil potato and mash it properly, there should not be any lumps. Add beaten egg.
2. Mix well and add all powder spices and pour in a greased baking tray and steam it for 20 minutes.
3. Take it out, cool it, cut it into desired shape and keep aside .

For Gravy 

1. Put oil in a pan heat it up, add panch phoran and temper it .
2. 2.Add  onion paste  ,ginger and garlic paste ,cook it .Add powder spices ,tomato ,salt ,sugar and cook it properly.
3. 3.Put baked pieces and cook it for some time to make it soft and juicy.

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Condensed Milk

Condensed milk is not always  easily available. One has to go to the shop and get it. There is an easy way to  make condensed milk at home.

Ingredients:

• Milk Powder -1/2 cup
• Powdered sugar – ¼ cup
• Butter (unsalted) -1tbsp
• Boiling water-1/4 cup

Method :

Pour boiling water in to blender container. Add unsalted butter and sugar . Blend until combined. Add the dry milk powder at a time ,blending after each addition .Store in refrigerator and use where a recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk .

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Makhana ki Kheer

Makhana is nothing but puffed lotus seeds or Fox nut seeds.  It is cultivated the most in the state of Bihar in India because of climatic reason. I always roast the Makhana and keep in a jar. Makhana is healthier than popcorn or chips or any other ready to eat snacks.

Ingredients:

• Measuring cup used,1 cup =250ml
• Full cream milk -1ltr
• Green Cardamom- 2or 3 
• Almonds ,blanched and sliced – 10 -15
• Cashews sliced – 10 -12
• Sugar – as per taste 
• Saffron – a pinch of (optional)

Method:

• Heat the pan and put little bit of ghee and fry the Makhana.
• Put the milk to boil. When the milk comes to a boil, add Makhana and simmer the milk with occasional stirring on a low to medium flame.
• After 5 mins, add the sugar, cardamom and pinch of saffron.
• Simmer the milk for a total time of 12-15 minutes on a low to medium flame with occasional stirring.
• If you want, you can simmer for some more minutes to get a slightly thick consistency. However keep on stirring often.
• Now add slices of almonds and cashews.
• Your Makhana kheer is ready now
• Switch off the fire and serve the makhane ki kheer - hot or warm or cold.

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Kumro Bhaate

I was cooking pumpkin in all sorts of Bengali styles, so why not a boiled pumpkin dish. In Bengali mashed steamed vegetables are called bhaate .The term literally means in rice and must have originated because very often these vegetables were traditionally steamed in the same pan in which the rice has cooked. The bhaate creates a delicious and a healthy accompaniment to plain steam white rice and daal. Try this dish for its simplicity and delectable taste. It is a healthy dish yet very palatable.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin – 200 g
• Potato -3 piece
• Mustard oil – 1 spoon
• Green chillies thinly sliced -2
• Salt – as per taste 

Method:

• Leave the pumpkin as large pieces. Put it in boiling water along with rice grains while cooking rice.
• After rice is done, take out the pumpkin pieces and let it cool a bit.
• Mash well with green chilli, mustard oil and salt.

Prawn Paturi

Paturi means cooking something wrapped in fresh banana leaves. Traditionally the wrapped parcel used to be placed inside the pan of steaming freshly cooked rice .The steam provided enough heat to cook the Paturi . I have done it differently. I fried the parcel or the wrap with a little oil in a frying pan 

Ingredients

• Medium sized prawns cleaned  - 1 kg
• Black mustard  seeds – 1tsp
• Yellow mustard seeds -1tsp
• Green chilies – 7 or 8 
• Shredded coconut –( fresh and frozen )
• Turmeric powder -1tsp
• Salt – as per taste
• Sugar – as per taste 
• Mustard oil – (This is one of the key ingredients of this recipe .So; please don’t substitute it with any other oil.
• Banana  Leaf ( cut to size enough for each parcel )
• Tooth pick or Kitchen twine 

Method:

• Wash the prawns and rub it with turmeric and salt.
• In a blender add mustard seeds, shredded coconut, 2 green chilies and a pinch of salt. Make a smooth paste of all these ingredients by adding very little water to it 
• Transfer the content in a mixing bowl and taste if the salt and sugar is properly balanced or not. Adjust them as per your taste.
• Now dip the prawns in this marinade so that each of them is well coated with the spice paste.
• Once it is done add 2 tbsp of mustard oil to it and let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Cut the banana leaves in to rectangular pieces .You can swipe them over the flame or can dip them in hot water for 2-3 minutes to make them more pliable.
• Rub little mustard oil on glossy sides of each leaves.
• Place 3 or 4 prawns along with mustard paste in the centre of the leaf. Place one full or half green chili on top of it and fold the sides by over lapping each other to make a parcel. Secure those by tying each of them with kitchen twine or with the help of tooth pick.
• If you have a steamer steam the parcels for 10 minutes or you can make them in microwave. Arrange the parcels in single layer in a microwave safe dish and cook it in full power for 10 minutes.
• Also you can fry  the parcel or the wrap with a little oil in a frying pan 

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