.....From My Palate

Bhawana

Shahi Phirni – Long time no see!

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No, I was not on sabbatical but it was indeed a long break. I do agree! The invisibility was not intentional, in fact the recipe I am posting was made and clicked long time back but enjoying the resting period in the draft. I don’t know its being busy or sheer laziness to blame or may be both! Either I was busy like a bee or a couch potato doing nothing productive. Ya, I know! 🙂

Now if i think back, in 2017 I balanced my life pretty well with work, family and myself. Wow! It was an achievement that I realized now while clicking my fingers on the keyboard. Yes! without feeling guilty I relaxed whenever get a chance by not worrying about home, chores and cooking. And i learnt you don’t have to be on toes and running around to have a spick and span home and life. Sometimes if cushions are not in place and sink is full of dishes and you have a project to finish… its alright to take a time off, relax your nerves and browse, talk on phone, read or as simple as watch TV.

Taking out time from daily life has become so difficult in this time. We are always running and trying hard to manage more than we can in 24 hours. Super man or woman are not just in stories now, each one of us are trying to be one in daily lives. Without thinking about the consequences, we are running on a fast pace to achieve all goals as soon as possible. We are so busy in working hard for what we wanted that we are not realizing what we a loosing in life.

We are becoming human robot, having same routine and lifestyle. We are so much in our comfort zone now, its getting difficult to think life out of it. The sad part is we are programming our coming generation in the same way. Our sensibilities are so busy we hardly get time to stop and appreciate what we have, what we do or simple our lives. Its not our fault, if we will stop to rest or any reason, we will be left behind. Yes! we are competing from the start until our last….! And if someone wanted to quit the race he will be tagged as quitter, no goals, wasting time or loser.

Who wanted to be a loser in life? Nobody!! So Run, Run fast as you can!
Sometimes I also feel like running along but I can’t cope up with pressure and stress. Its sad but i don’t have the super women syndrome. I wanted to stop and breathe, appreciate, look around and walk…Just walk!
My goals for life keeps on changing keeping in mind needs for my family and what makes me happy and at peace. I like talking to my son about my childhood, my parents and even about my grandmother. This is my way by telling him stories to make him aware of different aspects of life.
What he sees now is a life to compete and get success (financially) to get a good life. We taught are kids to be polite and use sorry and thank you in daily lives. But we are forgetting to tell them the need to feel sorry before saying sorry and saying thank you with a gratitude.
Saying thank you and sorry without looking in eyes, without feeling are just plain words. We are using them everywhere in elevators, cashing counters, stores, offices all around in day to day lives.

I think i will cut down this topic here and get back to the real life. In real life, things are busy, not perfect but life is good. I hope 2018 is good and happy for everyone so far! Its already March. I noticed little bulbs bulging out from the branches today. So, spring is near and i can’t wait for it. Weather was really confused and acting weird this season. But the good part is days are getting longer and brighter.

My recipe for today is not new but royally classic. Phirni is a classic dessert that is made on any festive or special occasion. It is a traditional milk based, creamy rice pudding that tastes best when served chilled in clay pots. After a rich food on any festive occasion, spoonful of chilled, creamy phirni makes the palate and the soul content and blissful.

Shahi Phirni
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 4 cups Milk (Full Cream)
  • 1/2 cup Rice
  • 1/3 cup Khoya
  • Few Saffron Strands soaked in warm milk
  • 1/2 cup Sugar ( increase according to taste)
  • 2 tsp. Ghee
  • Sliced Almonds and Pistachios
  • 1 tsp. Cardamom Powder
  • 1 tsp. Rose Water
  • Rose petals and Silver Leaf for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and grind in to coarse paste.
  2. Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan.
  3. Add coarse rice paste and cook it on low heat until the milk is thickened and reduced in quantity. (remember to stir it in between every now and then)
  4. Now add khoya, saffron milk and sugar and cook for another 5 minutes.
  5. Add cardamom powder and ghee. Mix it well.
  6. Always check the consistency for your likeness as it will thicken more once cooled.
  7. Mix nuts and rose water.
  8. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve chilled garnished with your choice.

Dragon Fruit Mousse Cake – Celebrating Sixteenth Birthday !

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It was a memorable week for my family, my niece turned 16 yesterday. When we chatted few days back, she asked me to bake a cake and send a video to her. Sweetheart, I am dedicating this cake post to you. Wishing you a very happy birthday and a great year ahead. Make us proud and stay happy and blessed! We all love you and always there for you.
Sixteen is really a special number. I remember my 16th birthday and more specifically remember what I wore on that day. Friends, cake, gifts, good food, lot of talking and fun makes the day memorable and beautiful. What else we want on a birthday right! Birthdays were so much fun at that age. I used to count the no of calls and cards I get on my birthdays, and single digit less can put me in depression, coz it shows I was loosing love, concern and attention. There was an honesty in friends and their messages. The amount of time they gave due to the carefree life at that time was precious. The card used to be full of colorful, hand written, funny and sometimes heartfelt messages. One of my very good friend never missed my birhday, she used to come every year either I am celebrating or not. And i still remember my other friend, who didn’t sleep all night and made a huge card for me. There are other friends too, I am not in touch with…but I really wanted to tell them, I still remember you all and thank you very much for your honest love, concern and making my birthdays really special and memorable. Thank you very much.

Gosh! It feels like I am already celebrating friendship day on this platform. I do believe, not to wait for any special occasion to vent out your feelings regarding someone or something. So, just share what I felt this very moment. But Yayy! Mother’s day is this weekend and I already had a post in the draft to celebrate this occasion. We will talk about this beautiful relationship and my experiences in the coming post.

Either you are celebrating or not but the presence of a cake itself gives a sense of jollity all around. If my metabolism started to work the way I wanted, I can and I will eat cake before and after every meal. I love to bake but the only issue is I just can’t abandon my creation at the mercy of others palate. I have a penchant for Mousse cakes these days. The moist creamy cake with a mirror glaze on top and covered with garnishes of fresh fruits, macaroons or edible flowers.

Freeze dried fruit powders are very popular and in demand these days. I tried dragon fruit powder for this cake. It gave very nice color and taste to the frosting and glaze. We can use these powders for smoothies, in baking and frosting. I will try to use the same powder in other recipes and will share soon.

One very important thing required to make a good mousse cake is a cake molds. If you don’t have one, use acetate strips to support frosting while refrigeration. It is a very simple cake as no tedious decoration is needed to looks beautiful. I used strawberry cake in this recipe and its optional. You can use any sponge cake, eggless or with eggs, in any shapes and sizes. If you are looking for good sponge cake recipe please let me know or google can help you as per your requirement. Use Agar Agar for the vegetarian option for gelatin.
Happy Mother’s Day in advance. Enjoy the best relationship gifted to a women by a supreme power.

 

 

Dragon Fruit Mousse Cake
Recipe Type: Cake / Dessert
Cuisine: International
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • Sponge Cake (I cut small circles of strawberry cake for mini individual cake)
  • 1/2 cup Sugar Syrup with Orange blossom water
  • 2 packets unflavored Gelatin Powder
  • 1/4 cup. Water
  • 2 cups Heavy Cream
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tbsp. dried Dragon Fruit Powder
  • 1 tbsp. Orange Blossom Water
  • 1 pack Strawberry flavored Jello
  • 1 tbsp. dried Dragon Fruit Powder
  • Water as needed.
  • Silvered Pistachios and fruits for garnishing
Instructions
  1. For the Mousse- Mix cream and sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
  2. Take water in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top.
  3. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds, until clear and dissolved.
  4. Add dragon fruit powder, gelatin mixture and orange blossom water in the cream.
  5. Fold it gently to retain volume.
  6. For the Mirror Glaze- Prepare jello according to the instructions on the pack., Add dried dragon fruit powder while mixing jello in hot water. Add ice cold water to cool the jello faster.
  7. Cut the cake rounds in halves.
  8. Place the first half cake in the mousse mold. Sprinkle tbsp. of sugar syrup all over it.
  9. Pour a layer of mousse over it.
  10. Now place the second half of the cake and pour a thick layer of mousse again..
  11. Likewise make all the mini mousse cake and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  12. Now pour the glaze on top and further refrigerate to set overnight or until glaze is all set.
  13. For serving, run the knife along the sides of the cake and remove the cake from the mold.
  14. Garnish the sides of the cake with silvered pistachios.
  15. Decorate the top with your favorite fruits.
  16. Serve and enjoy!

Chatpati Palak Chaat

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Life is really unpredictable for obvious reasons now. In February I planted bulbs in my backyard on a sunny day without jacket and today, in May I am wearing a woolen robe with socks on my feet and still feeling cold. Gosh! Is there anyone who can tell me where we are heading to…?? All my woolens are washed, nicely folded and packed for almost 5 months of hibernation but instead of feeling happy, I am feeling stupid and cold! Golden rays of sun are welcoming us outside but cold wind pushing us inside saying “Spring is for me and I wanted to play alone”!!

Anyhow, Food is the only option that’s comforting and cheering our soul while dealing with this confusion. Chaat, a mix of crunchy, sour, sweet, savory taste all at once, tickle our palate, mind and soul. Chaat a synonym for happy, blissful and satisfied in one word. But only requirement is it should tastes good, getting a good plate of aloo tikki or pani puri is as rare as getting a partner made for each other. ;-0 I really crave for good chaat in US and its really difficult and looks like impossible so far. A good plate of chaat should be hot and crunchy with a good balance of cold sweet dahi, sour tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney and perfect seasoning.

Pani puri, aloo tikki, papdi chaat, dahi puri, dahi bhalle, bhel puri are all popular and in demand. The only chaat that tastes delicious but still lives an unappreciated life is Indian Popeye’s favorite Palak Chaat. The crisp Spinach fritters with yogurt, chutneys and garnished with pomegranate and sev. What a delight?

Well, I am not sure if its as healthy as it sounds because of spinach but I can vouch for its deliciousness. It is a good appetizer and can give a zesty start to any party.

 

 

Palak Chaat
Recipe Type: Chaat
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 10 Spinach leaves, washed and dried
  • 1/2 cup Besan (Bengal gram flour)
  • 1/4 tsp. Ajwain (Carom Seeds)
  • Red Chilli Powder as needed
  • Salt to taste
  • Water to make the batter
  • Oil- for deep frying
  • Green chutney
  • Tamarind chutney
  • Yogurt
  • Roasted Jeera Powder
  • Chaat masala
  • Red Chilli Powder
  • Salt
  • Pomegranate Seeds
Instructions
  1. Add besan, ajwain, red chilli powder, salt and make a thick and smooth batter with the help of water.
  2. Heat oil in a pan.
  3. Coat spinach leaf with the batter and fry in batches until golden and crisp from both sides.
  4. Repeat the step for all the remaining spinach leaves and put them on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
  5. Just before serving, place spinach fritter on a serving plate. Drizzle beaten yogurt, tamarind and green chutney.
  6. Season it with salt, chilli powder, jeera powder and chaat masala.
  7. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and nylon sev.

Moong Dal Burfi

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What a beautiful morning today!
Its been raining since morning, freshly cut (thanks hubby dear) lush green grass outside all around, young light green leaves on the tree, swaying slightly here and there with the direction of the wind. The wind chime on the tree making a music soothing for ears. Small, colorful, bright red, blue and white bird houses hanging with the branches of the tree, playing hide and seek with me. I am enjoying the whole outside view (without cribbing of course!) and appreciating the beauty of nature. The tranquility outside giving a sense of peace inside me. Its amazing to realize, how time and unknot mind changes the perception for things around you. Yes! its a relaxed, chores can wait and being at home day for me. Sitting with my morning tea and looking outside with a relaxed mind and realizing that drops of water while coming down, create musical chords when touched the ground. The same nature that was there yesterday, day before yesterday or everyday with its different colors, mood and beauty amazes me today!. Its true! “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”. You need an eye to appreciate things, without that the same beauty turns in to the beast and create chaos in the life.

Sometimes, we need to stop overstressing our mind, body and soul, take a pause and be thankful and appreciate things around us that we ignore in our day to day life. Appreciate and thankful are two beautiful words that can make any relationship stronger and happy. I am really thankful to the God, my parents, my family and friends for giving me love, care and concern in abundance so that I can return and share the same feelings with the world. I try my best to make my son understand that how important it is to earn love and care of people around you more than money and success. But the level of competition we are dealing with to survive in this time are diluting these words and giving tinge of artificiality in life.

Its time to cut the bitterness and appreciate the sweetness God has given us that we can relish with a thankful heart. Its not a secret anymore that how much I love sweets!! I truly believe that a piece of good sweet/dessert can instantly erase the bitterness, sadness or any negative feeling for some time. It is very important to have a piece of “sweetness” everyday in a life.

Moong dal halwa is a very popular winter delicacy in India. Its an important menu item in any winter weddings in north India. But another moong dal delicacy very popular for its earthy granular sweet taste is Moong Dal Burfi. Its real flavor comes with the amount of ghee and little effort that is required to make it. One need lot of patience and energy to cook dal in ghee on medium/low flame and stirring continuously until the kitchen is filled with the sweet aroma of cooked dal. This is hardest part else its a simple recipe. If you are on diet, savor a bite and enjoy the taste for rest of your life but do not try to make it without ghee. This sweet is for people who appreciate food in its organic recipe. I will rather eat little and enjoy the taste for longer than eat everyday with the twisted artificial recipe.
Regards,
Have a nice weekend.

 

Moong Dal Burfi
Recipe Type: Dessert/Sweet
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 1 cup yellow Moong Dal, soaked in water for minimum of 3 hours
  • 1 cup Ghee
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 cup Khoya, grated or crumbled
  • 1/4 tsp. Green Cardamom Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Rose Water
  • Silvered Pistachios and Vark for garnishing
  • Few strands of saffron or drops of yellow color
Instructions
  1. Grind dal coarsely using very little water.
  2. In a non stick pan, mix the ghee and dal, and cook until dal becomes dark in color and the fat separates.
  3. Remove pan from stove and add khoya, cardamom powder and mix it well,
  4. In another pan make a sugar syrup. Mix saffron or yellow color, rose water and dal mixture in the syrup.
  5. Mix it vigorously and cook until till it becomes sticky and ready to set for burfi.
  6. Transfer the mixture in the greased tray, spread it evenly and garnish with vrak and silvered pistachios. Keep it aside.
  7. When it cool and set, cut it in to squares and serve.

Saffron Caramel Drip Cake with Peach Topping

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Hello, friends. Happy Spring!
Weather has been really crazy this year. We already had a glimpse of spring weather in February. February was really mild, with no snow storm and the highest temperature was in 70’s. I remember the day with the highest in 70’s because it was so good outside in February that we wanted to fire the grill and enjoy the sunshine. But later that week we were again home arrest due to snow storm, wind and cold.

Spring rain, an epitome of romance but since last week this glistening rain that drenched the heart with love ruining my schedules, car, clothes and most important my shoes. (I hate rain boots!) Traffic, closed bridges, mess everywhere makes me more vulnerable to depression and the only saving grace that’s brings back my sanity is my “Ginger Tea”. Keeping my tea time in mind I wanted to bake a coffee cake that goes well with my tea and compliment the season too. While browsing Vikas Khanna’s book during my “me time” his apple saffron cake tickled my fancy and pushed me to wear the apron. The recipe was eggless and that makes it just perfect during sacred navratris week.

Thanks to my pantry, all the ingredients were available but I tweaked the recipe with a peach to make it more cordial to the season. The hustle and bustle in the kitchen while baking is so gratifying and the aroma enveloping the kitchen makes it a worth while! The yogurt and apple cider vinegar in cake to replace eggs did their job really well. The saffron caramel was the star of the evening and we are still relishing it with apple and bananas.

This cake is dedicated to celebrate arrival of spring and love for peaches. The day amidst rain, mess and chaos was so rewarding in the evening with a cup of steaming ginger tea and piece of delicious cake. Even the rain outside was so calming and blissful now, when the family is around, playing board games with this delicious treat.
Thank you Vikas Khanna

 

Saffron Caramel Drip Cake with Peach Topping
Recipe Type: Baking/Cake
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • For Caramel-
  • 1 tsp. Saffron
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
  • Peach Slices as needed
  • Cake-
  • 1 1/2 cup All- Purpose Flour
  • 3 tbsp. Cocoa Powder, unsweetened
  • 1 tsp. Baking Soda
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • Zest of 1 Orange
  • 5 tbsp. Oil
  • 1 cup Plain Yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
  1. Crush saffron with sugar in mortar and pestle until well combined.
  2. Mix butter and saffron sugar until smooth.
  3. Cook the mixture in a heavy-bottom pan on medium heat.
  4. Cook it for 3-4 minutes and add peach when sugar begins to caramelize.
  5. Cook the peaches on low heat until soft.
  6. Now add cream and gently mix it.
  7. Keep it aside to cool down.
  8. Preheat oven at 350° F.
  9. Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and orange zest.
  10. Now add oil, yogurt and vinegar. Mix it well until smooth with no lumps.
  11. Pour the batter in a greased baking pan.
  12. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  13. Cool the pan and carefully inverted the cake on serving plate.
  14. Arrange the pear slices on the cake and drip the caramel on edges of the cake.
  15. Serve with steaming coffee or tea.

Tiramisu Cake With Eggless Mascarpone Filling And Whipped Cream Frosting

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Wow, January of 2017 has already disappeared in the past. It’s February and its a birthday month of, “love of my life”, my son. Its been 10 years since God has blessed us with this beautiful gift. These 10 years has been full of love, happiness, hugs, kisses and baking. Yes! baking, cooking and blogging, coincidently I started my blog in the very same year he was born. When people fuss about cooking and cleaning with the new born baby , I don’t know from where I get the strength and courage to start a food blog. After so many years if I try to look back how I managed to cook and blog with no help and a new born baby, everything seems to be foggy and fuzzy. But the pleasure of being a creator gives me an immense satisfaction and happiness all through this journey.

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Motherhood teaches you a lot. It really enhance your capability to love another person beyond measure to a extent that your life revolves around that small bundle of joy. Now that my son is entering in to double digits, its a big milestone for me. I am very proud looking at his transitional phase from a boy to a teenager but cannot hide my nervousness too. I am so used to of hearing mom all the time that I started missing that sound when he is not around. Though I am not ready to push him to live and learn by himself but still now a days I keep on telling him, you are 10, be independent, why you need mom for everything? That’s my duty to teach him how to fly…fly all alone!

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Good parents give their children Roots and Wings.
Roots to know where home is,
Wings to fly away and exercise what’s been taught them.
Dr. Jonas Salk

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I have no doubt in saying that my son is a huge fan of my baking. His confidence sometimes makes me feel guilty about the fact that I am not a trained baker. I am so embarrassed when he declares to the world that his mom bakes the best cakes. He likes whipped cream frosting better than butter cream frosting. I always try to customize my baking according to his taste. We don’t wait for occasions to bake a cake, all what it needs is any free time of the day in the kitchen, with lots of love and laughter.

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He has always been my little helper, my taster, my admirer and a big motivator in the kitchen. Whenever I finish making cream frosting, he is always there to lick a bowl and a whisker. This is a ritual and even I make sure to make frosting when he is around. Now that he is growing up, I sometimes fear of losing these moments with him.

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Dear Son,
I love you and will always there for you.
A very very Happy Birthday to you.
Big hug and lots of kisses!

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Tiramisu Cake With Eggless Mascarpone And Whipped Cream Frosting
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • Vanilla sponge Cake
  • For the coffee syrup–
  • 2 tbsp. Instant Coffee Powder
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • Espresso extract–
  • 2 tbsp. Instant Coffee Powder
  • 3 tbsp. Hot Water
  • For the filling and frosting–
  • 8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
Instructions
  1. For the espresso extract, whisk together espresso powder and hot water.
  2. Set aside or use espresso from coffee machine.
  3. For the coffee syrup, in a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract. Set aside.
  4. For the filling, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tbsp. coffee syrup just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
  5. For the frosting, beat the cream, 1/2 cup powderedsugar and 2 tablespoons Espresso extract until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of filling mixture in it.
  6. To assemble the cake, place one plain cake layer on a serving plate.
  7. Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake.
  8. Pour coffee syrup over cake, then spread half of the filling mixture.
  9. Place another cake layer; poke holes in cake.
  10. Pour coffee syrup over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling.
  11. Spread sides and top of cake with frosting.
  12. Decorate the cake according to the taste.
  13. Refrigerate before serving.

Paan Rasam- Betel Leaves Soup To Comfort On Frigid Day

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I like the whole scenery when its snowing outside. Everything wrapped up in white color, looks so calm and peaceful. I really enjoy looking at small cotton balls coming down while sitting cozily on a warm spot near a window with my favorite hot drink “ginger tea”. I prefer to use the biggest cup available to enjoy this incredible moment. Sometimes I do miss a little help like calling a name, (I rather request than order) and the thing is in your hand without moving a bit. Well, I don’t mind requesting some crunchy pakodas with my tea, to make the moment indelible while looking outside the serene view of everything turning white. Wow, I don’t want to come out of my dream moment but all of a sudden the pure, white heaven is covered with footprints.

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Yes!, small cute creatures wrapped up in thick jackets, gloves, hat and carrying their own snow sled invading my invisible territory and crushing my beautiful scenery. In a moment the whole place is in a mess but the noises of laughing, talking, chirping, screaming makes the place so lively and playful.
Well, the place was no more serene and calm but the laughter, fun and happiness makes it still worthy to enjoy with my tea. All of the sudden I realized, one of the small cute creature belongs to our home. He is playing with the snow like there’s no tomorrow.

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The recipe I am sharing today is kind of a home remedy to prevent common cold in the season. Served with rice and ghee, rasam is a comfort food in winter. I like the special ingredient “betel leaves” in the recipe. Its good for digestion too. I tweaked here and there, so this might not be the authentic recipe.

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Paan Rasam
Recipe Type: Soup/ Home Remedy
Cuisine: South Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 Betel Leaves, (Paan )
  • 1 Tomato
  • 1/2 cup Tamarind Water, (adjust the quantity of tamarind according to the taste)
  • 1/2 cup Dal Water, (dal cooked and mashed in a thin consistency )
  • 1 tsp. Peppercorns
  • 2-3 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • Bunch of Curry Leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. Mustard Seeds
  • 2 small pinch Asafetida Powder, ( Hing )
  • 1/2 tsp. Desi Ghee ( I prefer more on top too )
  • 2-3 dried Red Chilies
  • 1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Shredded coconut or coriander optional for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Grate the tomato and take out the pulp and juice out of it. You can simply grind the tomato too.
  2. Coarsely crush cumin seeds, peppercorn and garlic in mortar and pestle.
  3. Heat ghee in a pan and add some mustard seeds.
  4. When they start popping, add curry leaves and dried red chili.
  5. Now add crushed garlic mixture, tomato pulp, tamarind water and dal water.
  6. Also add turmeric powder and salt. Mix it well and cook on medium flame.
  7. Taste it and add salt or tamarind more as per your taste.
  8. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and cook for around 5 minutes.
  9. At the end add hing and finely chopped betel leaves.
  10. Cook 2 more minutes.
  11. Garnish and enjoy!

 

Kesariya Gulab Doodh Puli -Celebrating Makar Sankranti With A Bengali Delicacy

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Being Indian, I am very proud of my rich heritage and blend of different cultures living and celebrating each and every festival together. No matter how different our food and languages are, but the colors, zest, love and bustling joy on any festivity bring us together as one. The names of our festivals might be different but there is a fine thread in the stories and traditions that unify us as a whole. I love traditions and the traditional formulas used in old school culinary creations. I wish if I can learn every forgotten delicacies and techniques from all the grandmothers and great grandmothers of our country. Our mothers and grandmothers are real culinary geniuses with years of experience in technicality of this art. There are no fancy gadgets, utensils or exotic produce (from todays world) in their kitchen but the food defines their love and sincerity for the family. They like to cook in seasonal or available produce in that region. Their recipes are classics, might be little tedious for todays generation but lot more healthier and tasteful.

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The instant food, recipes and equipments makes our life comfortable and happy but unknowingly we are compromising on authentic taste and healthy living. We all are working so hard in our own ways and the least we can do for ourselves is having a healthy lifestyle. Food is important because not only it provides nutrients for our body but also prevent sickness and heal from it.

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I will continue this topic in my other post but now I like to introduce my recipe of the day. First, wishing you all a very happy Lohri, Makar Sankranti and Pongal. These festivals are celebrated in specific regions with the different names but the rationale behind the celebration is to welcome warmer long days and the first harvest of the season.

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Doodh Puli is a traditional Bengali sweet prepared to enhance the festivity on Makar Sankranti. I love all Bengali sweets but this name is quite new and unique to me. As for me, its a rural sibling of our vey popular rasmalai. It has a distinct flavor of jaggery and the crescent shaped rice dumpling gives an exotic feel to the dish. The beauty of the recipe is it requires minimal available ingredients of the season. Pithe made with freshly pounded rice flour are more soft and flavorful.

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I read many blogs and watched lot of videos and confidently entered the kitchen with the recipe. But very soon I realized its not just the recipe but also technique how and when that gives the taste to it. Being a girl from north, handling rice flour was not easy for me. But later, experience I get from making makke ki roti and wet finger tips worked for me. I have to add little milk powder in the stuffing so that its easier to stuff the mixture in rice flour dumplings. Its an awesome few hours in the kitchen with many new lessons to remember. Oh! how I wish if I can serve it to a Bengali grandma to know where I can improve and work on..!

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Kesariya Gulab Doodh Puli – Bengali Delicacy On Makar Sankranti
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Bengali/Bangladesh
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Rice Flour
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 2 tsp. Rose Water
  • 1/2 cup or more hot Water
  • 1/2 cup Coconut, shredded
  • 1/2 Palm Jaggery (substitute with sugar or any jaggery)
  • 2 tbsp. Milk Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Cardamom Powder
  • Crushed Dried Rose Petals
  • I Liter Milk
  • 1/2 cup Jaggery
  • Few strands Saffron soaked in warm milk
Instructions
  1. Mix salt and 1 tsp. of rose water in the rice flour.
  2. Add hot water slowly as needed, mix it together with a wooden spoon to make a dough.
  3. when it cools down, knead it well in to soft smooth dough.
  4. Cover it with a wet cloth and give it a rest for some time.
  5. Take a pan and dry roast coconut for few mins.
  6. Add grated jaggery or sugar with milk powder.
  7. Cook for another 5 mins until jaggery melted and its all mixed together.
  8. Add cardamom powder and rose petals.
  9. Mix it well and keep it aside to cool down.
  10. Make small balls out of the rice flour dough.
  11. Flatten out each ball with the help of wet finger tips in to small disc.
  12. Stuff the filling inside, fold and pinch the edges in the shape of crescent moon.
  13. Mix 1/2 cup jaggery and 3 tbsp. of water, cook until it thickens in consistency.
  14. In a heavy bottom pan heat the milk.
  15. When it start to boil, simmer on low flame and until it thickens and reduce in the volume.
  16. Add jaggery syrup and saffron in the milk.
  17. Taste it and add little sugar if needed.
  18. Mix it well and now its time to add rice flour dumplings in the milk very gently.
  19. Cook it for another 15 mins , stirring very gently with the wooden spoon.
  20. When they start to float on top switch of the flame.
  21. Add 1 tsp of rose water. Mix it.
  22. Garnish and serve warm.
  23. Happy Makar Sakranti.

Chawal Ki Kheer – Synonym For Prosperity

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Om Shri Ganeshaya Namaha
Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year. May God bless you and your loved ones with all the happiness, good health and success in life.
New year brings hope, energy, motivation and much more… In a first few weeks the adrenaline rush is so intense that it feels like its new you! All resolutions are bound to fail but still there are few on list before every new year’s eve. My all time favorite is having a healthy, active life and organized home. The mission is to have a balanced lifestyle for my own sanity and less yelling and chaos at home. And I must admit first month is always like living in a heaven. My home is so clean and organized that you can eat in my bathrooms. Things are easier that way if it just home or work but we live in a society and should follow few rules. Going out with friends or going for shopping, partying late, vacations, guests, sitting and enjoying social media with a cup of tea, telephone conversations with friends or family, or just feeling lazy…these are my “few” sinful temptations that I cannot say no to them. Sometimes I do compromise on my beauty sleep to have more hours in my life so that I can balance home, family, friends, and my own time. But before spring things are always out of control, yelling and chaos at home, always cooking in the nick of time and cleaning of bathrooms are always required before any unexpected guests.

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But as the months passes by, there are so many memories that we create between this chaos with my family and friends. The stranger becomes the part of the family at the end of the year, there are more happy pictures and funny interesting stories to share with the world. Celebrating good times and festivals together, and most importantly I have people around who care for me and I can count on them.
Life has ups and downs, bad times passes by but what we cherished and remains in our memories are the good times we spent with our loved ones. I am still looking for a balance in my life but will not compromise on adding these cherished memories in my life.
Moving on to the first recipe of 2017. This is the evergreen classic dessert.

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In our tradition ‘Rice” is a symbol of auspiciousness and prosperity. We use rice in all the pujas, havans, different ceremonies and rituals. During weddings the use of rice to bless the couple or the family with the prosperous life signifies its importance in our life. Rice is the first grain that we give our child as a first solid food. Rice is a staple diet in India. During month of Shravan and on Poornima cooking and sharing chawal ki kheer is very sacred and favorable. I know they sound more like the old delights and its hard to charm our new generation with these talks but I believe sharing and caring is never old.

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To celebrate the festivity on new year I am sharing the recipe of the classic dessert “Chawal Ki Kheer” as a symbol to start the new year with the auspiciousness and prosperity. This is the one of the holy dessert that is served and represent festivity.

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Chawal Ki Kheer –
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 L Milk (Whole milk preferably)
  • 1/2 cup Rice, washed and soaked
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. Cardamom Powder
  • 2 tbsp. warm Milk with crushed saffron
  • 1 tbsp. Ghee
  • 1/2 tsp. Rose water
  • 2 tbsp. shredded Coconut
  • 2 tbsp. Raisins
  • Sliced Almonds and Pistachios
  • Chandi ka varak and dried rose petals optional
Instructions
  1. Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pan.
  2. Add rice and cook until the rice is soft and the milk is reduced and creamy on low flame.
  3. Keep on stirring regularly to ensure no burning and sticking rice at the bottom of the pan.
  4. When the rice are floating on top and soft add sugar, saffron infused milk, coconut, raisins and half of almonds and pistachios.
  5. Now add ghee and mix the kheer vigorously to emulsify the milk, ghee and rice.
  6. Cook it until your desired consistency. I prefer creamy and partially thicker.
  7. At the end add cardamom powder and rose water.
  8. Mix it and keep it aside to cool down.
  9. Serve hot or chilled with garnishing.

Happy Dussehra – With Lauki Wali Dahi And Malai Burfi

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Happy Dussehra to all of you. Wishing you all peace, prosperity and good health.
May this day clear all the evils of our lives and brings joy, peace and prosperity in and around our life.
Happy Vijayadashmi!

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Dussehra the most important festival celebrated all over India. This is the festival that remind us that truth or goodness always triumphs over bad and evil. No matter how good, intelligent, brave and strong a person can be but truth and goodness always marks the victory over the wrong and evil. Though in the present time, where evil, lies and wrongs are all over around our lives but these old set examples show us a light in a dark tunnel. To my knowledge Ravan was the most intelligent, strong, brave, highly educated, pious and a great devotee of Shiva.
He was a wealthy king of a strong nation. But the truth is wealth and intelligence always gives birth to greed and jealousy. Success and power takes away the ability to think wisely and accept the failures. Demon is not the person “Ravan” but his greed, jealousy, pride and action. His fall was due to the lack of wisdom. I respect Ravan for his intelligence and achievements but his pride and actions made him the person he is known in the history.

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In the present time, we forgot the difference between intelligence and wisdom. We are heading and pushing our kids to be intelligent and highly educated and unconsciously nurturing “Ravan” in them. Being competitive is good but without wisdom it delivers pride, greed and jealousy. There are very few people who can take success and power well in their lives. The feeling and desire of having more and more in life makes you an egocentric for whom nothing is more important than oneself.

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In today’s time (on social media), there are so many stories about Ram and Ravan and I don’t want to pass my judgement on that infact I am too small and trivial to even say anything about them. All I can say is that was past, we are not even sure if that exist or not. We can learn from the moral of the story and go ahead in our lives with a conviction that truth and goodness always triumphs over bad and evil no matter how intelligent, wealthy or successful the evil is…..

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Now if we come to the festivity and the brightest part of the festival, Dussehra and Vijayadashmi are celebrated with lot of authentic delicious recipes served as a meal and Prasad on the auspicious day. I belong to the northern part of India where festivity begins on the first day of Navratris with the fasting and worshipping Goddess Durga and her nine forms of Devi for nine days. On the first navratri we sow seeds of barley or “Jaun” in an earthern pot. We watered them every day so that they sprout in to long sheaves by the 10th day of Vijayadashmi or Dussehra. My Mom told to me to keep them covered so that they will grow taller and more yellow in color. It has a significance of prosperity and good health in the family.

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During pooja on Dussehra weapons, tools, ledger, books, pen and pencils are worshipped, sheaves of barley are tied to them. After pooja sheaves of barley are placed behind the ears of all the males in the family. For the Prasad lauki wali dahi with malai peda are distributed to everyone. The meal of the day is vegetarian with urad dal, aloo gobhi, chawal, chapatis, boondi raita and chutney.

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When I came to US I realized Lauki wali dahi is very specific to certain part of northern India. I wanted to share this recipe with you guys on this auspicious day of Dussehra. Instead of peda I made malai burfi with the available ingredients. Hope this day brings more happiness and peace in the world.
Shub Dussehra.

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Happy Dusshera –
Recipe Type: Lauki Dahi with Malai Burfi
Cuisine: Indian
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • Lauki Ki Dahi
  • 1/2 cup Lauki (Bottle Gourd), grated and boiled
  • 3 cups Milk
  • 1/2 tsp. Yogurt Culture
  • Malai Burfi
  • 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
  • 2 tsp. Ghee
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Milk Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Cardamom Powder
  • Few Strands crushed Saffron
  • Sliced Almonds and Pistachios for garnishing
Instructions
  1. Lauki Ki Dahi
  2. Boil the milk and keep it aside to cool down.
  3. The milk should be slightly warm for good yogurt.
  4. Mix boiled lauki and milk.
  5. Add little bit of sugar for extra sweetness.(Its optional)
  6. Add culture in the milk and mix it well.
  7. Keep it in a warm place for 6-7 hours or overnite.
  8. Cover the container with warm cloth in winter.
  9. Refrigitrate it and enjoy delicious yogurt with Malai Burfi
  10. Malai Burfi
  11. Heat non stick pan on low heat.
  12. Add ghee, ricotta and sugar.
  13. Cook until sugar is melted and ricotta is thicker in consistency
  14. Add milk powder, saffron and cardamom powder.
  15. Cook it and keep stirring until the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan.
  16. Pour the mixture in to greased container.
  17. Spread it well with the spatuala, garnish it with nuts.
  18. Cool, cut in to pieces.
  19. Serve with lauki ki Dahi
  20. Happy Dusshera!