A Homemaker's Diary

A Taste Test and A Break

2012-02-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

via.google images

A couple of month’s back Kalyan of finely chopped shared a post written by Pooja dhingra of Le 15 Patissiere. He said if your family tells you should run a restaurant then you should read it. That made me thinking. Its not like everyone who tastes my food wants me to start food business but I hear this pretty often. Trust me I don’t have big foodie dream rather my love for food (which is there on my minf 24X7) is quite platonic. I love to cook and don’t have much expectations from it. But that article made me want to go for an acid test. A test where family members are not associated, where appreciations are not tossed just because they love me and most importantly where my food would be tasted after paying the price. That way no one will spare the mistakes or the quality. And I am excited to share that I had my first food sale this weekend. Which was a roaring success and am overwhelmed with the response and the appreciations.

It was a part of the Nari seba sangha spring fete in Jodhpur park (please read more about it here). This is one of the renowned social events in Kolkata where a small fair is organized in their premise for 3 days. Almost 150 or more established and budding businesses (all run by women) participate with their unique products. You will find all types of products like designer and embroidered sarees, dress materials, home furnishings and decorative, ceramics, stationery, handmade soaps and oils, candles, jwelleries etc. The selection is done through an interview where products are also checked. I wanted to be a part of this prestigious affair and appeared for the interview and to my own amusement got selected. Only 10 food stalls were there. including some renowned food joints of South Kolkata.

On my menu were dishes that I do best ie. Bengali styles lunch items-both veg and non veg, snacks, traditional desserts and bakes. All the items were cooked by us (I and my maternal aunt) in our house. It was quite difficult for inexperienced persons like us to manage such huge quantity without proper utensils but I am proud to say that we managed it well. Everyone praised the food on taste and quality and we gained huge popularity. Who came on the first day brought more foodies to our stall the next days. Lots of small catering orders are also coming in which we were not prepared for but given the circumstances would have to rethink.

The best praise came from a 40 something lady who said my food reminded her of her mom’s cooking. Most of them wanted us to start our own business so that they can taste this regularly.

Now you might ask why dint I shared this news before. Its just because I was not sure if we could pull it off successfully. Also if you read my blog you must have realized that I prefer to maintain my anonymity as a blogger. It was hard for me to step out of my comfort zone. But if I go there next year would definitely give a shout out to you all.

With all the hard work of last week I definitely have earned myself a good break. We are off to Thailand for a 12 days trip. See you soon with loads of pictures on return.

Labra, Bengali Ratatouille?

2012-01-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

This week proves to be very busy for me. We had 2 back-to-back birthdays, 1 anniversary and finally tomorrow is Saraswati puja. The puja this year is important for us as our son’s writing initiation or hatekhori would be done tomorrow. This is a Bengali tradition where in front of the goddess the priest will introduce the Bengali alphabets to the child. The parents offer flower and pray to the goddess for her blessings to be showered on the child. Our kid is extremely excited. Though not sure but he thinks something important is going to happen to him tomorrow.

After making 2 birth day and 1 anniversary cake and cooking full birthday dinner for my father on his birthday am too tired to get excited about this. But right now am an emotional mush, this happens to me every time he makes me realize that he is growing too fast.

Anyways here is a quick recipe that a reader of mine asked for. Labra is like an Bengali ratatouille or vegetable mishmash. Lots of varieties of vegetables are cooked together with ginger and Bengali five spices till they are soft and coated in their own juice. This is a very basic and simple dish but very rich in flavours. Mostly served on puja days with niramishkhichuri and roasted papad.

Labra

Ingredients:

Eggplant: 1 cup (thickly sliced)

Carrots: ½ cup (sliced in thick long wedges)

Cauliflower: 1 cup (small separated florets)

Cabbage: ½ cup, thickly chopped

Yard long beans: ½ cup 9cut in 1” pieces

Pumpkin: 1 cup; cut in small cubes

Radish: 1/3 cup (cut in cubes)

Spinach: 11/2 cups (chopped thickly)

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Asafetida or hing: 1/8 tsp

Panchforon or Bengali five spices: ½ tsp

Dry redchillies: 2 pieces

Salt

Turmeric

Sugar

Oil: 1 tbsp (preferably mustard oil)

Method:

Prepare the veggies as mentioned above. Wash and keep them separate.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan or a kadhai. Add the panch foron, dry chillies. Once they splutter add the hing. Immediately add the ginger paste mixed with 1 tbsp water and salt. Stir and cook till the water evaporates.

Add the cabbage, radish, carrots and yard long beans. Stir and add turmeric. Cover and let it cook for 3-4 minutes.

Uncover and add the rest of the vegetables. Mix and cover. Let it cook on a medium flame. This would get cooked in its own juice. Stir at regular interval till the veggies are soft (8-10 minutes)

Adjust the seasoning and add ½ cup water and sugar to balance the taste. Cover and cook till the water is absorbed and the veggies are coated with the gravy.

This is a dry dish so adjust the water and cooking time as required.

A Homemaker’s notes:

You can also add sweet potatoes, broad beans, drumsticks and potatoes.

Undhiyu, a Gujarati winter delicacy with root vegetables and seasonal herbs

2012-01-25T08:03:00.000-08:00

I have this whimsical feeling of cooking or baking something as and when my heart desires for it. It does not have to something fancy or exotic. Sometimes even a rustic and everyday dish steals my heart and when it strikes I know I have to make it right away. Last week something similar happened when I saw undhiyoo on Arch’s blog.Then a video came up on Saee’s blog and the blogosphere seemed to have flooded with varieties of undhiyoo recipes. I wanted to make and taste it so badly but the recipe called for some very seasonal and regional products like garlic chives (garlic greens), Surti papdi and purple yam. I have never seen purple yam or garlic green in markets, well I never looked for it. But I was pleasantly surprised when on my weekly shopping trip to the haat (market) my trusted green grocer showed me some garlic greens and asked if I want to buy them. He knows am very curious of such uncommon products and I was happy to grab it. Pushed all other plans aside the whole time was then spent to shop for undhiyu ingredients. Surti papdi (broad beans), baby brinjals, yam, sweet potato and fresh fenugreek greens.

Finally got enough time to cook it today. Undhiyoo is a Gujarati winter delicacy where various types of root vegetables are cooked with beans and methi dumplings (methi ke muthia) in a green spice paste made of garlic chives, coriander leaves and coconut. The vegetables are stuffed with the green paste and then cooked in layers on a very slow flame. The end result is a very rustic dish cooked with hearty deshi vegetables to warm our hearts on a winter afternoon.

I read at a few blog that this dish calls for a lot of work or preparation but trust me I found it quite easy. Blame our Bengali elaborate holiday lunches which calls for a minimum of five side dishes with rice, it was a breeze for me to prepare and cook it. Though I never tasted this dish before but from the beautiful aroma of the methi muthias frying in the hot oil made me sure that I was on the right path. I loved the green spice paste so so much that ended up adding a whole lot of it. And even ended up stuffing some Mackerels fish with this to fry and accompany our meal later. We enjoyed it with hot steamed rice, roasted mackerel and Papad (sorry but that’s all what my Bong gene wanted). And now that I am writing this after such a satisfying meal all I can say is I was in Deshi winter heaven today.

Undhiyu

Ingredients:

Methi muthia or fresh fenugreek leaves dumpling

Washed and chopped methi leaves: 1 cup; loosely packed

Besan or chickpea flour: 3 tbsp

Suji or semolina: 3 tbsp

Whole wheat flour: 6-7 tbsp

White sesame seeds: 1 tsp

Coriander powder: ½ tsp

Cumin powder; ½ tsp

Turmeric: ¼ tsp

Soda bi carb: 1/8 tsp

Salt

Green spice paste:

Washed and chopped Garlic chives: 1 cup; loosely packed

Fresh coriander: ¾ cup; loosely packed

Coconut: ½ of a medium one

Green chilies: 2-3; depending on how much heat you can handle

Ginger: 1” piece

Fresh turmeric: 1” piece

Coriander seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1 tsp

Salt

Lemon juice

Vegetables:

Surti papdi: ¾ cup

Broad beans: ½ cup

Peas: 1/3 cup

Sweet potatoes; 2, small

Raw banana: 1

Baby potatoes: 6

Yam: 1 cup’ cut in cubes

Baby brinjals: 5

Carom seeds: 1/3 tsp

Asafetida; ¼ tsp

Green chillies: 2

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Salt

sugar

oil

Method:

Wash and chop methi leaves. Mix in a pinch of salt, mix and keep it aside.

Wash the yam, cut in cubes and mix in few drops of lemon juice and salt. Keep it aside. Before using wash it under running water. This will get rid of its itchiness to some extent.

First made the green spice paste by grinding all the ingredients under spice. Do not make a very thin smooth paste. Make it coarse to add some texture.

Wash and prepare the vegetables. Make small crisscross slits on one side of the brinjals and potatoes. Don’t cut it through rather create a pocket to stuff with green spice.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half and make similar cuts.

Cut the banana in three and make a similar slit.

String the surti papdi and halve them.

String the broad beans and cut them in 1” pieces.

Stuff the potato, sweet potato, banana and brinjals with the green spice.

Rub the purple yam, beans and peas with some of the spice paste.

Now mix in all the ingredients for muthis with the chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well. If needed add little water to bind the dough. It should not be watery rather like a cookie dough.

Heat oil in a deep pan. Take little muthia dough in your palm and give it a oblong shape. Fry on medium flame till brown.

Take out and drain the oil on absorbent paper.

Take a big heavy bottom pan, preferably flat bottom. Heat 2 tbsp oil (I used the left over oil from muthia). Lightly fry the yam and potatoes. Take out and keep aside.

Add carom seeds, asafetida and slit green chillies to this oil. When they start to splutter add the beans and peas. Mix in 2 tbsp of the green spice and stir. Cover and let it cook on slow flame for 3-4 minutes.

Next layer the sweet potatoes, potatoes and yam. Sprinkle 2 more tbsp of the spice mix. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Do not stir.

Spread the final layer of brinjals, banana and the remaining spice paste. Pour 2 tbsp of muthia oil and little salt. Cover and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Uncover and add ¾ cup of warm water. Check the salt. Sprinkle little sugar and spread the muthias on top. Cover and let it get cooked for 10-15 minutes till the vegetables are soft but not mushy. I cooked mine on my Prestige Induction cooker. It was easier to handle the dish that way.

Traditionally served with puris and rotis.

Events:

Dish it out; brinjal and garlic started by Vardhini and hosted by Sangee

Indrani's Spotlight Winter vegetables

Hit and spicy treats; curries/stews at food corner

Healthy and Hearty at pages

tags:

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Instant Chili Pickle; well almost

2012-01-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Winter definitely calls for something fiery something spicy. Which will shake away the winter laziness and remind us of our very existence. If that is something you believe in then this chili pickle is for you. A hot, spicy, tangy almost instant chili pickle which pairs really well with out of the wok stuffed parathas and khichris.

Am not quite aware of the varieties of chillies available around and not very fond of them either. All I like is the beautiful flavour of the green chilies and the round taste that it provides when added to curries. Never ever dared to touch that fiery red smashed potato that my in laws make with lots of fried dry red chillies. As a layman the thumb rule for me is, the shorter the chilies, higher the heat. That way I always keep away from the small round chillies that are found in Kolkata markets. Even for this green chili pickle I chose the longer variety of green chilies which has a beautiful aroma but less heat.

For obvious reason my family never ever believed that I like chili pickle unless one winter morning I made hot fluffy alu parathas, Delhi style and had them only with this chili pickle. After my years in Delhi am a true believer that stuffed parathas are best eaten with hot and spicy pickles especially chili pickle. Though I often make stuffed parathas at home during winters still I miss those small eateries around the colleges where they served out of the pan hot, greasy, enormous alu parathas. As much as I try am yet to infuse that smoky flavour in my parathas. But what I can make easily is this green chili pickle, which is almost instant. This is my own recipe and I prefer to make it in small quantity for that crunch.

Yes am hooked for life.

Instant chili pickle:

Ingredients:

Chopped Green chillies: 1 cup (make ½” pieces) almost 25-30 pieces

Lemon: 1

Vinegar: 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 11/2 tbsp

Methi (fenugreek) seeds: ½ tbsp

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Salt: 11/2 tsp

Broken or split mustard or rai ke chawal: 11/2 tbsp * see notes (this is also known as kaduku parippu, got to know from Nisha's blog :-)

Methi ke chawal or split fenugreek seeds: ½ tbsp* see notes; added a picture of split mustard and fenugreek seeds below.

Mustard oil: ½ cup

Method:

Wash and spread the chillies on a newspaper to dry. Once they are dry cut them in small ½” pieces. Place in a non-reactive bowl. Pour in the vinegar and the salt. Mix and keep aside for 1 hour.

Dry roast the methi seeds and mustard seeds till they are a couple of shades darker. Cool and grind to a coarse powder.

Peel the lemon (yes peel. Trust me it’s not that difficult for only one lemon). Cut them in segments, discard the seeds and mix in to the chopped chillies.

After 1 hour mix in the ground masala, turmeric powder, methi and sarshon ke chawal and give it a good stir to mix everything together. Keep aside.

Heat the mustard oil till smoking. Take off from heat and pour on the chillies. Mix well and keep aside uncovered to cool.

Once cold pour in a sterilized glass jar. Place it in a hot sunny place for a couple of days before enjoying the pickle. You can have it instantly as well but this resting time matures the flavour.

A Homemaker's Notes:
Methi and sarson ke chawal are the skinned and split seeds. I bought mine from M.K.Ahmed supermarket in Bangalore. Most probably they all store the thing but may be under different name.

To make your own split fenugreek and mustard seeds, roast the seeds on very low flame for a minute or so just to make it warm. Take them out in a mortar and using the pestle press the seeds couple of times. The skin of the seeds will break and you will get split seeds. this adds a beautiful aroma to the pickle.

Like all pickles make sure all the utensils you are using is dry. Sterilize the glass jar by boiling it in a hot water for a few minutes. This will increase the shelf life of the pickle.

After the resting period check the salt. if needed add more.

Events:

Indrani's Spotlight Winter vegetables

Tags:

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Mug Daler Bhaja Pithe or Muger Puli

2012-01-15T08:45:00.000-08:00

May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

~Irish Blessing

Today I am not in a frame of mind to write about a recipe. Today is a kind of day when everything seems obsolete, every daily chore feels like a task. Still am making this post as I promised to many of my readers that I will help them making Muger Puli on Poush Sankranti. And to keep my promise I prepared it day before yesterday and clicked the pictures. So here it is. A traditional sweet made specially for Makar Sankranti or the Harvest festival. This is a stuffed sweet where the case is made with mashed yeallo lentil which is dry roasted and boiled with little water.the filling is made with scraped coconut, milk solids and date palm jaggery. The half moon shaped sweets are then deep fried and soaked in date palm jaggery syrup.

Enjoy the recipe and pardon me for not being able to write much.

Muger Puli:

Ingredients:

Yellow lentil or Mug (mung dal) dal: 1 cup

Flour: 3 tbsp

Rice flour: 2 tbsp

Soda-bi-carb: 1/8 tsp

Salt; 1/8 tsp

Green cardamom: 2 pieces (crush to get a fine powder)

Filling:

Freshly scraped coconut: 1 cup

Milk solid or khoya: ¼ cup

Date palm jaggery or sugar: ½ cup

Syrup:

Date palm jaggery or sugar: 2/3 cup

Water: 1 cup

White oil for deep-frying

Method:

Mix in the date palm jaggery, scarped coconut in a heavy bottom or non-stick pan. Cook on low flame by stirring continuously. First a lot of juice will come out from the coconut. Let it all dry up by stirring and cooking for 7-9 minutes. When the coconut mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan add in the grated khoya and stir to combine all together. Take off from heat and let it cool.

While it cools start dry roasting the mung dal by cooking it on low flame. Stir occasionally so that its cooked uniformly. This should take 5-7 minutes and when its done a beautiful roasted aroma should waft from the pan with the lentils turning a couple of shades darker. Wash this under running water and add 11/2 cups warm water. Cover and let it become soft. You may need some more water so always keep a cup of warm water ready at hand. The idea hear is to make the lentils soft and mushy without any extra water. Once done, cover and let it cool.

In the mean time make the syrup by just boiling the ingredients for 5-6 minutes till they are little thick. Keep it warm.

When the boiled lentil is cold, take it out on a plate and mash it. Add the rest of the ingredients i.e. flour, rice flour, salt. Soda and crushed cardamom powder. Knead to get a smooth yet tight dough just like roti’s or puri’s.

Start making the puli or the half moon shapes by taking a golf ball size of dough. Press between your oiled palms and make a bowl by pressing it. Please refer to THIS.

Fill the lentil bowls with a little (marble size) coconut filling. Bring the two edges together and press to secure the shape. Again refer to THIS.

Repeat with the rest of the dough. You should get almost 12-14 pulis.

Once all the pulis are prepared cover it and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. The amount of oil should be enough to cover the pulis (almost 3”).

The oil should be very hot so that once anything is put in, it should sizzle and bubble and immediately come on top. The idea here is to immediately seal the outside of the puli or it will break. Trust me on this as I have been there, done that.

Place one piece of puli and with the help of a spatula help to cook it on all sides. Once you see small brown spots on them place another one in the hot oil. Do not add many at one go as that wil decrease the temperature of the oil and the pulis fall apart.

Once a puli is fried take it out with a slotted spatula and place in the warm syrup for a few seconds. Place in another bowl and repeat the process for the rest.

Serve warm or cold with a spoonful of syrup drizzled on top.

A Homemaker’s Diary:

The temperature of the oil is very crucial. Bring it to almost smoking point and place one piece f sweet at a time. Making of this sweet takes up a lot of effort and if they get all mushed up during frying.

If you don’t plan to serve them just after frying then don’t dip the fired pulis in syrup. They will become soft once you do so and storing them becomes difficult. Store the fried pulis in an airtight container in the fridge. Once you want to serve, warm them in microwave and dip in sugar syrup.

Greek New Year Cake Errrr Mini cupcakes

2012-01-11T03:58:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a lot of things and meant to post a lot of good recipes during the holiday break. To start with the clicks and write ups were all ready for a traditional Kerala Plum cake, Macher chop and a great sweet and sour Chinese soup. But everything went wrong and after a lot of deliberation I decided to keep mum. I was also tired, damn tired and the fatigue kept me away from the net.

First we went to Santitniketan for the yearly Poush mela. The baby went crazy over all the rides and I felt like spending most of the time around the dragon train and merry go round. When it was time to come back the maid dint show up and a week was gone doing everything by ourselves before a substitute was found. Then came the visit of my in laws. They went all around the city to visit places like Kolkata zoo, Science city, nicco park, 3D movies and mall hopping. If my legs were human they would have refused to stay with me after all these running. The weather here is acting weird again. Its all cloudy, rainy, foggy and cold all at the same time. Which has resulted into stuffed nose, difficult sleeps and irritated throat. Among all these running and hullabaloo all I could manage was that quick post to wish happy new year with a borrowed clip art and quote. All thanks to you lovely readers to acknowledge that small (almost no effort) effort and wish me back.

But now that I am back and have some time for myself I really cannot believe that the year has already gone. It was so eventful for us that I hardly could pay any attention as it went by. But a new year always is a great point to start on the things that are left in the midway. I plan to explore some new horizons out of my comfort zone, lets see what God has in mind for me. Hope you all had a wonderful start!

This cake again belongs to the book cakes and cakedecorating by Angela Nilsen and Sarah Maxwell. Traditionally this is baked as a big round cake to mark the beginning of a year. in Greece this is known as vassilopita where a gold coin is baked into the cake and the family member who gets the coin is said to have good luck for the rest of the year. mostly this is baked with lemon flavour but the sucker I am for everything orange I decided to follow the recipe given in the book and tweaked it a little. The decorative icing with Nutella was my son’s idea. Don’t know where he got this idea that orange and chocolate is a classic combination but when I offered him a cake he demanded something chocolate on this. I don’t have a mini cupcake tin and baking in such minuscule sizes is a difficulty. But am glad that I tried. My little one loved the mini cuppies and kept on asking me with elated voice ‘egulo amar jonyo baniecho? (/ have you made these for me?). all of us loved this cake and I already have baked them thrice since December.

Greek New year cake

(28 mini muffins/ 12 standard muffins or one 6” round cake)

Ingredients:

Flour: 1 cup

Almond meal: 5 tbsp (to prepare your own almond meal at home please see the note below)

Castor sugar: ¾ cup

Salt: 1/8 tsp

Baking soda: ¼ tsp

Baking powder: 1 tsp

Vegetable oil: 5 tbsp (I used canola oil)

Egg: 1

Orange zest: of 1 orange (used navel orange)

Orange juice: ½ cup

Method:

Line a mini muffin pan with paper cases. In case you dont own mini muffin pan place 2 mini muffin cases in your regular muffin pan, tartlet mold or silicon muffin molds. If you are using individual tart molds it would be better if you can place them all together on a large baking tray. The handling would be much easier.

Preheat the oven at 175 C.

Sieve the flour with salt, baking soda and baking powder. Rub in the orange zest and mix the almond meal. Keep aside.

In a big bowl beat the sugar and oil till the sugar melts and the mixture is light and fluffy. Break in the egg and beat till its combined. Add half of the flour mixture fold to incorporate it well. Pour in the orange juice and mix. Finally add the rest of the flour. Fold with a very light hand till a creamy mixture is achieved.

Spoon in to the prepared muffin cases. Fill them till ¾.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake or they will become very dry.

For standard muffins bake for 20-22 minutes and for a round cake bake for 35-40 minutes. Always check with the toothpick test.

Once done cool them in the pan for 5 minutes and then on the wire rack.

To make the icing bring the nutella to room temparature and fill a piping bag fitted with a small no.2 writing nozzle (round tip). Decorate as per your wish.

I filled the nutella in a small zip lock bag and cut a small hole at the corner.

Cool them in the fridge to set the piped design for an hour.

Hope you will love these beauties!!!

A homemaker’s notes:

Almond meals are not easy to find in India. So make your own at home. first place the almonds ina microwave safe bowl. Pour water to cover them completely. Micro on high for 2 minutes. Take the bowl out. Drain the water and press a piece of almond between your fingers. The skin will come off easily.Repeat with all the almonds and place them on piece of paper to drain all the water.

Dry roast these almonds for a couple of minutes or till they are a couple of shades darker. Cool and grind in a food processor. Don’t pulse for long or the almond will start releasing its oil. Do this in small batches and with several gaps. Once done place the meal in air tight container and use within a month.

Events:

Vardhini's Bake fest#3 hosted at Pumpkin farm.

cook, eat, delicious desserts at vegetable platter

Srivalli's Kids delight; colour palette. hosted this month by Gayathri

Tag:

orange cake, orange flavoured cake, orange and almond in cake, almond meal, how to make almond meal at home, almond powder in India, vailopita, gold coin cake, new year cake, orange and chocolate recipe, orange and chocolate cake, mini muffin recipe, orange and canola oil muffin recipe, vegetable oil cake recipe, orange flavoured cake, orange blossom cake, almond meal cake, mini muffins for kids recipe, kids friendly cupcake recipe, how to pipe nutella on cupcakes, almond cuppy recipe, chocolate muffin, orange blossom dessert, best ever orange cake recipe, orange scented almond mini cakes, cakelets for new year, what to bake with navel orange.

A new beginning...A Brand New year

2012-01-01T01:32:00.000-08:00

“Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true”

Lord Tennyson.

Light Fruitcake: for Christmas

2011-12-20T04:56:00.000-08:00

Of all the festivals, Christmas always has a special appeal to me. No mass celebrations, no offerings, no show offs but a pure way of celebrating relationships and togetherness. . I love the way the celebration revolves around family and bonding. Bringing all our loved ones close to share some beautiful moments of togetherness. It’s a time to give, to share, to bond, to hope and to remind ourselves how much we are cared for.

I adore the way Christmas time weaves a beautiful utopian world for kids. An innocent, magical world of hope and faith. It’s a pleasure to watch their eyes twinkle when they hear the stories of Santa and his gifts. Their bright expecting eyes and the happy smiles with which they hang their socks, offer cookies and milk and awaits their gifts belongs to a time which is not long lived. But no matter how young or old we are, nothing beats the delight of receiving unexpected gifts from others.

What could be a better way to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus and the blessings of hope, peace and love that came down from heaven above than to celebrate and pray together as a family.

Christmas for me is never complete without some good fruit cake. Either store bought or home made. But after tasting the homemade one I definitely would never go back to any shop for my dose of Christmas fruit cake. If you remember I posted one rich fruit cake recipe some 2 years back. I pretty much follow the same recipe till date, but with time have devised my own way of preparing it that suits me the most. Now, am confident and can bake it without fail. Am planning to post that revised recipe next but today I would like to share a light fruit cake recipe which could be prepared any time the cravings strike. It doesnot require the month long soaking of fruits or stirring your own caramel but is just as delicious.

I got this recipe from a book called cakes and cake decorations and baked it this year for the first time. Trust me its gorgeous and perfect for those who doesnot like boozy flavours in their bakes. So if you think this year you missed the mark and cannot make some fruit cake for your family, don’t worry. Gather the fruits and nuts of your choice and bake it today. You have enough time to rest the cake before Christmas to mature the flavor and taste.

Ingredients:

Flour:21/2 cups + 3 tbsp

Baking powder:11/2 tsp

Mixed spice: 2 tsp (I used readymade. Make your own by placing some cloves, allspice, cinnamon and cardamom on a hot pan. Warm it for a minute, so that the aroma intensifies. Cool and grind to a fine powder.)

Nutmeg powder: 1/8 tsp

powdered Brown sugar:1cup

Butter: 10 tbsp

White oil: 6 tbsp

Eggs: 4 (big)

Molasses: 2 tbsp

Dry fruits: 2 cups (I used candied peels, raisins, black currants, dates, dried figs, apricot and tutti frutti)

Nuts: 1 cup; chopped (Used almonds and cashews)

Red wine: 2+2 tbsp

Orange juice: ¾ cup

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan place the mixed fruits and nuts. Pour in the orange juice, 2 tbsp wine and cook it on medium till they are tender and the juice is soaked(approx. 5 minutes). Keep aside. Once cool mix in the 3 tbsp flour to coat the fruits evenly. This will make sure the fruits don’t sink to the bottom of the cake while baking.

Preheat the oven to 150 C. line a deep 9” round pan with butter paper. Line the sides too. Grease and keep aside.

Sieve the baking powder and flour. Mix in the nutmeg powder, spice mix and keep aside.

Grate the orange and rub the zest to the flour.

Peel the orange and blend the flesh to a smooth thick liquid. Keep aside.

Take a big pan and using a hand mixer beat the sugar, butter and oil for 2-3 minutes. It should be fluffy and pale. Add the molasses and mix. Break one egg into it and beat to incorporate. Do the same with the other 3 eggs.

Add half of the flour mixture and with a spatula fold it gently to combine. Add the orange puree, mix and finally mix in the rest of the flour.

Tip in the flour coated fruits and nuts, mix and pour in the prepared tin.

Bake for 70-80 minutes. Check by inserting a skewer at the center if its done. If not cook for another 10-15 minutes or till done.

After that turn the heat down to 140 C, Cover the top with a piece of foil and bake for another 10-20 minutes to give the cake a nice brown colour and a rich matured flavour.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin. when completely cool, turn out of the tin. brush with the left out wine, let it soak and then cover in cling film to keep it moist.

The cake should be rested for atleast 24 hours for the rich flavours to mature.
It will keep well for several weeks, but make sure it is wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight conatainer. No need to fridge.

To decorate dust the top with icing sugar and then drizzle with a pouring liquid of icing sugar and milk. Mine was quite thin and fallen was flat when dry. For the nuts and cherry design dry roast any whole nuts of your choice. cool and coat with good quality honey. place at the middle and finally tie a pretty ribbon around the cake to make it look more festive.

Events:

Sinful Delights hosted at Zesty Palette

Bake Fest #2 hosted by Sangee.

Sweet Baked at Krithis and Dennys.

Bake event at Tickling Palettes

Cooking Concepts Holiday Baking

Julie's Christmas Delicacy

Khushi's Bake With Your Heart

Pari's Only Cakes and Cookies Event

Jingle All The Way by Kavi

Tags:

Christmas cake, fruit cake, fruitcake, fruit and nut cake, dry fruit cake, rich rum cake, wine cake, booze cake, plum cake, plumb cake, kerala plum cake, light less rich plum cake, no caramel christmas cake. molasses in cake, rich dry fruit cake, raisin cake, holiday special bakes. holiday cake recipe, Christmas baking recipes, apricot, baking a fruit cake, how to bake a fruit cake, best ever light fruit cake recipe, wine soaked cake, booze soaked cake, orange juice soaked cake, how to make instant soaked fruits, wine sipped fruit cake, juice soaked nuts cake, rum fruit cake, rum soaked light fruit cake, dandee cake,

Oats and Coconut Cookies with Nutella icing

2011-12-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

Some people are lazy and then some are lazier. And if you are looking for the laziest then look no where here I am. don’t know what has gotten into me this year but am feeling uninspired. Planning to make a lot of things but when it comes to cooking I don’t want to enter the kitchen, or more strangely am cooking and eating but don’t feel like clicking the food. Such a bad phase for a food blogger.

But given the circumstances I should have simply divulged in baking. as this year would be the first time when am around my own people. First time when during Christmas I would get some 20 hungry mouths to stuff my cakes and cookies with. Almost all my cousins have planned to visit us in Santiniketan for Poush meal. But rather than baking gorgeous goodies I kept on procrastinating the whole process.

Anyways finally yesterday was able to gather myself up and baked the family favourite oats and coconut cookies. And while am writing this post a light Christmas fruit cake is being baked. This cookie is one of those recipes that made me confident about baking. Its easy and almost no fail recipe. I have been baking these for 3-4 years now and it has never let me down. Its easy and even an amateur baker can bake these cookies with perfect end result. the best part is the oats gives it a nutty flavour and an healthy edge. Sometimes I add chocolate chips but today wanted to jazz them up for Christmas. So iced and decorated it with melted nutella, white chocolate and chopped pistachios.

Oats and Coconut cookies

Yields 12-14 cookies

Ingredients:

Flour: 1 cup

Oats: ¼ cup

Grated coconut: ¼ cup

Chopped dry roasted nuts: 2 tbsp (I used a mix of almonds and cashews)

powdered Sugar: 7 tbsp (if using sweetened coconut use less sugar)

Baking soda: 1/3 tsp

Egg: 1

Margarine/oil: 5 tbsp (I use 4 tbsp white oil and 1 tbsp butter)

Vanilla essence: few drops

For decoration

Nutella

Chopped pistachios

Method:

Dr roast the oats on low flame till you get a nice nutty aroma. Take out and let it cool.

To make your own dessicated coconut grate fresh coconut. Spread them on a piece of paper. Micro on high for a minute. Stir and chek how dry they are. Micro for another minute till you are happy with it. Don’t cook for long as then the oil might come out.

Sieve the flour and baking soda. Mix in the oats, coconut and keep aside.

In a big bowl cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Break the egg and stir to combine. Mix in the flour mixture and with a spatula combine it together to form a soft dough. Don’t overwork the dough or you will end up with little heavy disks. Cover with plastic film and chill atleast for half an hour.

Once you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 175 C and grease a baking tray or cookie sheet. I always line a baking tray with aluminium foil and grease it lightly.

Pinch small lemon size dough and flatten into thick disks between your palms. Place on the tray and bake for 12-15 minutes. Best if you could turn the tray after 7-8 minutes. Once baked the cookies should be remain white in colour and soft to touch. But they will firm up once cooled.

Cool on wire rack or on plate upside down and store in an air tight container.

To decorate them just brush with nutella (at room temperature) or dip half of it in melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped nuts of your choice.

A homemaker's Notes:

If making for everyday use skip the icing and add chocolate chips instead.

For eggless bakes add 1 tbsp flax seed powder. mix it with 2 tbsp water and keep aside for 15 minutes. Use instead of eggs.

Sometimes i also add cinnamon powder instead of vanilla essence.

Events:

Baked Goodies at tickling palette.

Desserts with coconut at Raksha's Kitchen.

Christmas Delicacy at Erivum Puliyum

Holiday baking at Srav's culinary concepts

Events:

sending this to Sinful Delights held at Zesty Palette.

Food of the month; party foods at food Corner

Winter Carnival at Tickling palettes.

Tags:

Oats, Oats in baking, coconut, coconut in baking. coconut dessert, coconut cookies recipe, oats and coconut, coconut and chocolate biscuit, how to make dessicated coconut at home, how to prepare grated coconut for baking, chocolate desserts, nutella frosting, cookies with egg, easiest cookie recipe, no fail cookies recipe, holiday gift ideas, edible gift for Christmas, christmas cookie recipe, chocolate chip cookies, baking with oats, baking with eggs, best cookie recipe, healthy cookies, cruncgy cookies.

Gajar Ka Halwa (Carrot Halwa)

2011-12-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

I am sucker of seasonal produce. I know am repeating the same thing again and again but there is something in the freshest of vegetables that makes me happy instantly. I also love this fact that we Indians highlight seasonal produces in every aspect of our life. Take any season and we have some delicacies planned around that season’s availability. You cannot name a home. Though available almost all year around but you cannot name a home where pickles are not made in summer or gobi ka paratha is not enjoyed for winter breakfasts. In our home though we eat healthy light food almost the whole year but winter is a different story altogether. We simply cant resist to cook with the colourful vegetables this season offers. So fresh, so juicy, so colourful it’s a sin not having them this time of the year. At least once we would make karaishuntor kochuri (green pea stuffed fried flatbread)and notun alur dom (newpotato curry), nolen gurer payes (rice pudding with date palm jaggery), pithe and Gajorer halua or gajar ka halwa. It’s a tradition and I don’t want to break that.

Last weekend when my local sweetshop finally declared that they would now sell milk solids or khoya I knew tht this is the time to make one of the most enjoyed Indian delicacy, Gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa. This is so famous and so much loved that it almost enjoy an iconic status. take any old hindi movie from the 70’s or 80’s. Somewhere in the movie gajar ka halwa is mentioned. Either it is made by a mother to treat the son who was away on some noble mission or by a daughter in law to prove her culinary skills. Growing up watching all these I always thought preparing this delicacy must have been very difficult. Though maa prepared this every year but as long as I had my bowl full of warm ghee soaked halwa, I never bothered to check how she made it. I first made this when after marriage a group of husband’s friends came for dinner. I prepared the dish for the first time and then with time I have devised my own way of cooking this. I really don’t mind making it rich and with lots of dry fruits because in our home its made only once or twice each season. Below is my version.

Gajar ka Halwa

Ingredients:

Coarsely Grated carrots: 4 cups (tightly packed); Just wash, peel and shred the carrots coarsely. (I don’t like to grate the carrots very fine and turn them into a mush, rather prefer to have some coarse visible pieces in my halwa.)

Sugar: 1/3 cup

Condensed milk: 1/2 cup

Khoya or milk solids: ½ cup

Milk: 11/2cup

Ghee or clarified butter: 6 tbsp

Chopped nuts: 1/3 cup (I used cashews, almonds and Pistachio)

Raisins: handful

Green cardamoms: 4-5 pods

Chopped pistachio for garnishing

Method:

Mix the sugar with the grated carrots. Mix and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Wash and soak the raisins in half cup water.

Heat half of the ghee and sauté the chopped nuts till golden. Take out and keep aside.

Crush 2 cardamom pods and add to the same ghee. Once the aroma hits you add the grated carrots. On a low flame keep on cooking this till it changes colour. Approx. 8-10 minutes.

Next add the milk and keep on stirring on low flame till the milk is absorbed and the carrots are soft. Approx 15 minutes.

Add the condensed milk, nuts and raisins and stir to combine. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and then add the rest of the ghee. Mix and again fry the carrots till it dons on a bright orange hue. The mixture now should be almost dry.

Finally mix in the grated khoya and cardamom powder (crush the rest of the pods).

Mix and serve hot, warm or cold.

You can also store it for a couple of days in fridge.

Events:

sending this to Sinful Delights held at Zesty Palette.

Food of the month; party foods at food Corner

Winter Carnival at Tickling palettes.

Tags:

Carrot, Gajar, gajor, carrot dessert, khoya, milk solid, green cardamom, ghee, milkmaid, nestle, gajorer halua, halwa recipe, halua, halva, winter halwa, party dessert with carrot, carrot based dessert, carrot fudge, carrot burfi, North indian halwa recipe, vegetarian dessert, vegetable based deseert, carrot and milk, orange hued dessert, North Indian winter delicacy, how to make gajar ka helva, rich Indian dessert, authentic indian dessert recipe, festival dessert, most popular indian dessert, milk based carrot dessert, best ever indian dessert, winter special dessert.

Let's Pray...

2011-12-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

By now you all must have seen this tragic fire in AMRI Hospital in Kolkata, which has claimed 91 lives so far. The worst tragedy of recent times when people dies at a place where they think they are at safe hands. Its not the death of some helpless patients but with them our faith and trust in such institution also dies. We are shocked, angry, sad, scared and helpless all at the same time and are still shivering every time the footage is shown on TV. All we can do is to pray to God to bless the souls who died and give courage to their families. Who were forced to watch helplessly when their near and dear ones were choked to death. though not family but I mourn with them.

Rest in Peace....

Winter Warmth: Warm Mediterranean Salad

2011-12-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick post to bring you some winter comfort. A perfect bowl of warm vegetable and egg salad. We love this salad and it fits the bill perfectly when you don’t want to slog in the kitchen for hours to prepare dinner. Just cut the veggies thickly, blanch them in salted water, toss with some olive oil and herbs and there you are, with an warming meal. Serve in pretty bowls, curl up on the sofa, wrap your finger tightly around it and enjoy the goodness.

I prepared this long back in Bangalore, when the single cherry tomato plant from my green patch was generous enough to fulfill all my requirements. It was difficult even for us that the tree grew from a single cherry tomato that I brought from my favourite super market and just buried the whole thing in the vegetable garden. Almost a year later that turned into a huge bush laden with small cutesy tomatoes. I really miss that garden especially when am tied here with two tiny spaces passed on as balconies.

The recipe belongs to a cookbook called ‘Mediterranean; quick and simple recipes’, which I got from my library. it’s a paperback but contains some real good recipes. After drooling at the picture for some days I finally decided to make it with some minor amendments to suit my situation. So here is my version. Pardon the lousy pictures which were clicked at night and we then were really struggling with the new DSLR. Give it a try this season. It’s a bowlful of goodness, which will keep you warm.

Warm Mediterranean salad

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

Green Capsicum: 1

Yellow capsicum: 1

Onion: 1 medium

Cucumber: 1 (make sure the cucumber you use is not ripe or very big. Try to use the tender smaller ones with lesser seeds)

Cherry tomatoes: ½ cup

Beans: 10 pieces

Carrot: 1 medium

Mushrooms: ½ cup

Black olives: handful

Garlic: 1 fat clove

Feta cheese/Fresh paneer: ½ cup

eggs: 2

Grated Cheese: 3 tbsp (omit if you are using feta cheese)

Dressing:

Olive oil: 1+1 tbsp

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Mustard: 1 tsp

salt

basil leaves or any other herbs

Method:

Wash all the vegetables.

In a small bowl take the eggs with little salt and water and boil for 7-8 minutes. Drain, peel and cut in quarters. Keep aside.

Peel and cut the cucumbers in thick chunky pieces.

Slice carrot in thick 1” longg batons.

Remove the sides of the beans and cut in half.

Cut capsicum and onion in big chunky squares.

Remove the skin of the mushrooms and cut in half.

Halve the tomatoes.

Chop the garlic and fresh basil very finely.

Keep everything separate.

Blanch the beans and carrots in salted water or micro for 5-6 minutes.

In a small bowl take 1 tbsp olive oil, mustard, salt and lemon juice. Mix well and keep aside.

Once the veggies are blanched drain the water and keep aside.

In a big pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and fry till you get the garlicky smell.

Add cubed onion and just stir for a few seconds. Add the capsicum and mushroom. Sauté on high for a minute to soften the mushrooms.

Add the paneer pieces, blanched veggies, tomato and chopped basil. Mix.

Switch off the heat and add the quartered eggs, chopped cucumbers, olives and the dressing. With a big spoon mix very lightly to coat everything well. If you like add more olive oil.

Finally sprinkle the grated cheese and serve warm.

Am planning to make it soon if I get to find some feta cheese in Kolkata. Thanks to Miri. She has given me some information which am going to look out for this Saturday.

A Homemaker's Diary

I once added some roasted potato too. It tasted divine.

No Oil Sweet and sour LemonPickle

2011-12-01T23:13:00.000-08:00

Pickling is an ancient art of preserving seasonal produce. All over the world fruits and vegetables are preserved in oil or brine to enjoy in lean seasons. But for us Indians its much more than that. Pickle for us is that inevitable part of our meal without which our taste buds are not satiated. A breakfast of hot alu paratha on some chilly winter morning is unimaginable without a spoonful of chili pickle on top. Or take our very own humble khichuri. It does not taste the same without some sweet n sour mango pickle at the sides.

And to satisfy that cravings we have a long list of varieties of pickles. In India pickle making is a tradition, which is shared by almost all households. Our mothers and grandmothers have always taken out time in every summer and winter to make those special pickles using the secret family recipes. They will order mangoes in summer and many an afternoons will be spent peeling and cutting and drying them under hot sun. In winter aunts and elder sisters from the neighbourhood will also join in the pickle making process while enjoying the late afternoon sun. They will talk for hours while picking through the tomatoes, chilies or limes with careful eyes. The vegetables would then be cut and mixed with spices. Pungent mustard oils would be poured and the cooking of all the spices with the oil will create a heady aroma, which will stay there for some days bearing the memory.

In our ancestral home we used to have a huge room called Bhandar ghar or food storing room. The room had huge ceramic and earthen pots and most of them were filled with various types of pickles and murabbas. I can still remember those early afternoons when men of the house went to work and unlike other such normal days the kitchen still buzzed with activities. It was a long time consuming process of measuring, dry roasting, grinding, mixing and cooking the spices. but everyone seemed to enjoy that over some chitchatting, leg pulling and gossips. Even they did not mind the month long process of bringing the jars outside every morning to cook it. Later the finished pickles were poured in huge jars with utmost care and stored in the pantry. Every time someone left home for hostel or for work small batches were taken out to pack for them. To make their bland hostel food bearable and also to remind them the love and warmth of home.

My mother still do the same every summer and winter. Though not such big batches that my grandmother used to make but still pretty much a decent quantity to feed her three kids and their families. The two little ones in the family have already picked their favourite and never stay away from ordering Didu to send some more when their jars are empty. Lately I also have started learning and making these pickles and preserves sharing them among family members. I love this process where so much of my family tradition is attached. Every time I refill my elder brother’s stock of Gur aam, his eyes light up. This makes me proud and makes me believe that am walking on the footsteps that have a long history of tradition.

This lemon pickle belongs to Manisha of Indian food Rocks. And there was a time when almost all food bloggers made this pickles and blogged about it. Yes its that popular. But I strongly believe Manisha will disown this version of mine. Blame it on my sweet loving Bengali genes or me but I added way much more sugar than the recipe called for. Sorry, but I like my pickles with sweet and sour taste. I have been making this pickle way before I started blogging and loved the fact that it does not call for any oil or any cooking. All you have to do is mix everything up and then place the jar in the sunniest corner of your home. I placed it on my kitchen windowsill and the notorious Kolkata sun cooked the pickle in a record 4 weeks time. My whole family is crazy about this pickle and every time they see good quality lemons they bring some for me to make this. I have made this pickle with both varieties; the bigger lemons with thick skin and small, thin skinned regular ones. The lemons you see in the picture are from my MIL’s backyard. She wanted a batch of this too and sent me a huge bagful.

Manisha makes the pickle in summer (April) which I also did. But lemons are comparatively cheaper in winter months so am planning to make another batch very soon.

If you want the original version shared by Manisha, please go here. For a sweeter and tangier version check mine below.

No Oil Sweet n SourLemon Pickle

Ingredients:

Big Indian Lemons: 9+1 (these are smaller than the ones found in USA but larger than the regular small Indian variety)

Or small Indian limes: 12+2

Green chillies: 25 pieces (or more depending upon your preference)

Ginger: 1 medium piece (the julienned ginger should measure ¾ cup)

Methi seeds (fenugreek seeds): 1 tbsp

Salt: 10 tbsp (many of you seems to be a little skeptical about the amount of salt used here but trust me that is balanced out by the tartness of the lemon juice, sweetness of the sugar and the heat of the ginger and chilies. As no oil or no stove top cooking is done in this recipe, so salt acts as a cooking agent and brings out the juice from the lemon and cooks it through. It softens the hard skin of the lemons too.)

Sugar: 12/3 cups

Turmeric powder: 3 tsp

Split fenugreek seeds: ½ tsp

Split mustard seeds: ½ tsp (also known as sarson ke chawal, these are very easily available in any super market.)

*If unavailable please see the note below.

For the spice mix:

Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Asafoetida or hing: ¼ tsp

Method:

Before you start the process make sure that the jar and the utensils are clean and dry.

Wash all the lemons, chilies and ginger under running water. Pat them sry with a soft kitchen towel. There should not be any moisture.

Reserve 2 lemons for juice.

If you are using the bigger lemons cut them in half and then cut in 6 pieces. For smaller ones cut them in half and then in quarters.

Remove the stem of the chilies and cut them in 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size.

Peel the ginger and cut them in thin1” long juliennes.

In a big dry glass or ceramic jar take all the cut vegetables. Add the fenugreek seeds, split fenugreek seeds, split mustard seeds, salt, sugar and turmeric powder. Mix and keep aside.

Take all the spices for the spice mix in a small pan. Dry roast on very slow flame till they turn a couple of shades darker. Cool and grind them to a fine powder.

Mix in to the vegetables. Squeeze in the juice of the 2 reserved lemons and give the jar a good shake to combine everything well.

Place the jar out in direct sun to cook. I placed the whole jar on my kitchen windowsill which gets direct sunlight for 4-5 hours a day and mine was done within 4 weeks.

After a day or two you will see lot of juice coming out of the lemons. Check the taste and adjust the sugar, salt or chili level according to your taste. Do remember to give the jar a good shake every day. Keep on stirring the whole thing once in every week.

When the juice thickens almost to a coating consistency, check if the pickle is done by cutting one lemon piece. There should not be any white part in the skin, which takes maximum time to cook. It should be soft and juicy.

Store in a dry and cool place and always take out with a dry spoon.

A Homemaker’s notes:

To make your own split fenugreek and mustard seeds, roast the seeds on very low flame for a minute or so just to make it warm. Take them out in a mortar and using the pestle press the seeds couple of times. The skin of the seeds will break and you will get split seeds.

Tags:

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Mid-week Cheer

2011-11-30T07:03:00.000-08:00

Winter has finally entered our part of the world. After a month long peek-a-boo we can finally feel the chill in the air. And to cheer us all various fairs and exhibitions have started all over Kolkata. Every weekend is like a fun trip around the city. But things are always not such fun. This weekend at the handicraft fair my purse was stolen. This is my first such experience and I was stunned. It took me a couple of hours to believe what actually has happened. By that time we reached home and hubby and I were busy blocking the various credit and debit cards that were also lost. Finally after 2 days the works are done and to cheer my gloomy self I baked a fresh batch of Moroccan Orange muffins. Will share the recipe soon but today here are some clicks that brought immense happiness to me.

First, my 2 and half year old little sunshine. This is his bunny face that he makes if given something that he does not like. I gave him some carrot juice to drink when he was back from school…rest of the story is written on his face.

This is what I did with the leftover orange peel. Saw this at pinterest and wanted to try this at home. Very easy to make. check out this video for the how to part. That smelled amazing.

Filled the home with a soft and sweet citrus-y aroma. Am definitely going to make this again and again through out winter.

Last but not the least the handmade dry flowers. I bought some at the craft fair and was so enthused, made some at home too.

What do you think of them? Aren't they gorgeous?

What brings you cheer in the middle of the week? Share you stories too.

Fulkopi Alu'r Dalna to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

2011-11-24T10:42:00.000-08:00

Few years back I dint know what thanks giving day is all about and frankly speaking I dint care. As a young girl I was not aware what real responsibilities mean. I loved my family, took care of them, did whatever work they gave me but somewhere in my mind I knew I am taken care of. I knew whether I do it or not works would be done to make our life smooth and running. But today it’s a different story. Yes every now and then I complain for being stuck in the household chores and how the hubby is getting all the fun by going to work. I get angry on my little one for scattering his toys and creating a mess. I argue with my father for little little things and throw a feat every time Maa says something critical. Forget about the way I argue like a mad woman when traffic is stuck in the road or the summer heat is unbearable.

A bunch of water Hyacinth flowers, collected on our way back from the property in the suburbs. Its a spectacular scene when they bloom together all over the water bodies.

But at the end of the day when I come to bed to my family, that little soft bundle smelling of milk and innocence gives me comfort. I feel blessed to have him in my life, for having this luxury and stay at home to watch him grow, to hold him tight anytime I feel like. So every night I count my blessings and Thank God for everything. For having this opportunity of being treated as equal with my brothers, to have such loving parents and siblings providing me a cushion to fall back upon, to have such a wonderful husband like ‘A’ who listens to my every whim and unconditionally supports and believes in me, to have wonderful friends and family who appreciate every little things I do for them, to have a beautiful son in ‘R’ who never never forgets to tell me ‘tumi khub bhalo Mummum (you are a very good mother)’, to have a family to come back to, to have enough food to cook and feed them, to do things that I enjoy and mostly to be myself.

A visitor who came to say Hi!!!

But life is not fair everywhere and sometimes without any reason. This relisation have made me more optimistic. I have learnt to thank, to appreciate and to be grateful. The glass is always half full for me and nothing is taken for granted anymore. So today when I feel gratified I also pray to God to bring good health, peace and happiness to everyone. While I write this lets look around ourselves and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. It's the little moments that make life big.

Fulkopi’r torkari is a light flavourful curry made with cauliflower, potatoes and green peas. This dish is also a simple everyday dish, but what makes it special is the fresh seasonal produce. I waited for my mom’s vegetable garden to deliver the first homegrown cauliflower of the season to cook this dish. The cauliflowers she grew are small and not perfect. But the fact that they are Tended and cared for with love brings joy to the table. Its not only food that nourishes our body but also something that soothes our soul.

Fulkopi’r torkari or Cauliflower and potato curry

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 1 medium

Potatoes: 2-3 medium

Fresh or frozen green peas: ¼ cup or more

Tomato: 1 big

Green chilies: 2 pieces

Onion: 1 big

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Coriander powder: ½ tsp

Cumin powder: ½ tsp

Chili powder: ½ tsp

Turmeric powder

salt

Cumin seeds; ½ tsp

Black pepper: 4-5 pieces

Cloves: 2 pieces

Cinnamon: 1/3” stick

Bay leaf: 1

Oil: 4 tbsp

Garam masala: 1/3 tsp

Fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Boiling cauliflowers in hot salted water for a few minutes is very important as it helps to get rid of the dirt and small insects stuck inside.

Cut the cauliflower in small florets. Wash under running water and then boil or microwave for 4-5 minutes in salted water. Drain and mix with little salt and turmeric. Keep aside.

While the cauliflower is boiling, peel and cut potato in medium cubes.

Chop the onion very fine.

Cut the tomato in small pieces and sprinkle little salt over it. Keep aside.

In a small bowl mix ginger paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric and chili powder with ¼ cup water.

Once the cauliflower is boiled heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the cauliflowers pieces and fry on medium till golden on each sides. The cauliflower should be half cooked by now. Take out, drain and keep aside.

In the same oil fry the potatoes till golden and keep aside.

Pour the rest of the oil in the same pan. Crush the whole garam masala lightly to release the flavors and add to the oil when hot. When it sizzles add the cumin seeds and slit green chilies.

Take care, as it will splutter a lot. Add in the chopped onion and fry on medium till its translucent. Pour in the spice mixture. Sprinkle little salt and fry till oil start to separate at the sides.

Mix in the chopped tomatoes and keep cooking on low till the tomatoes are mushy and blends well with the spice.

Now mix in all the fried potatoes, peas and cauliflowers. Give it a good stir. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add 2 cups of warm water.

Mix, check the seasoning and cover. Let it cook on low flame till they are soft and cooked through. The vegetables should not be mushy but cooked and hold their shape. If needed add more water to cook it.

Cook uncovered for a minute or so to adjust the gravy as per your liking. We like ours with little bit thin gravy so I added more water.

Check the seasoning and finish off with fresh coriander or garam masala powder.

A homemaker’s Tips:

You can omit onion if you like.

Non vegetarians can also add lightly fried prawns along with the vegetables.

Events:

Sending this to back to roots at a mad scientist's kitchen.

Tags:

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Best Ever Eggless Banana Muffin

2011-11-22T01:14:00.000-08:00

This shot is inspired by a similar picture of Dario Milano

Everyone makes lemonade when life gives us lemon. But a foodie thinks differently and she rather chooses to make some lemon curd. So few months back when I was endowed with huge piles of bananas I exactly knew what I was making. This dates back to this when my uncle was hospitalized for his bypass surgery. Its another story that the operation took him a whole of 3 months to finally being discharged from the hospital.He kept going in and out of the hospital for several wrong reasons and negligence of the doctors.Thank God that he is finally fine and has joined work as well.

My Meso works for Idian forest department and is an avid gardener. In their ancestral house they have a huge garden where every variety of fruits and vegetables are cultivated. It was pretty obvious that everyone who came to visit him during his stay brought bagfuls of fruits and vegetables from their garden. The variety kept on changing. Sometimes it was bagful of spinach, pointed gourds, brinjals and other times it was pumpkin, bottle gourd and mangoes. But one thing that was pretty constant to appear on a weekly basis was banana. Every time someone came, they brought bunches of banana, consisting of 50-60 fruits. So much so that even after eating them for breakfast, evening snack and after dinner dessert we had huge piles of bananas. My so deep fry loving maternal uncle jumped with joy and advised us to make some kalar bora or sweet banana fritters. But I went bananas at the thought of using so much oil.

So I came up with this idea of making eggless banana muffins, full of nutrition from almonds and banana…healthy and delicious. The best part is it’s easy to prepare, easy to store, easy to carry and one can enjoy this as a snack or as a nutritious dessert. With this in stock you are sorted. Serve them to your sudden guests, pack them for hubby’s evening sncak or kids tiffin box. Everybody loved it when I first served it with evening tea. When my MIL who does not have much appetite for sweet things(including me*) reached for the second muffin I knew it’s seriously good.

On another note I went through a root canal treatment this weekend and its painful. while I recover and kill time with the internet you enjoy this recipe.

Here is my version of turning scrap to fab!

Eggless Banana muffin

(yields 12-13 muffins)

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 11/2 cups

Almond: ½ cup (if you get almond meal take 5 tbsp)

Flaxseed powder: 2 tbsp

Baking soda: 1/3 tsp

Baking powder: 2 tsp

Sugar: ½ cup

Cinnamon powder: ½ tsp

Milk: 2/3 cup or little more

Over ripe bananas: 2 medium

Oil: ¼ cup (I used saffola gold, use canola oil or any odorless white oil)

Choco chips or one cadbury’s milk chocolate bar

Method:

Preheat the oven at 180C and prepare your muffin pan.

Mix the flax seed powder with 2 tbsp water and keep aside for 15 minutes.

If you are using whole almonds roast them till the nutty aroma arises. Cool and grind them to a coarse powder. Do this by puling it in your grinder but remember to stop in between and stir the almond or it will leave oil. You can also chop it very fine if you like.

While the almonds are roasting chop your chocolate bar in small chunks. Keep aside.

Sieve flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon. Mix in the cooled almond meal. Keep aside.

Take the milk, banana, oil and sugar in your food processor or mixer jar and make a smooth liquid with it. Mix in the flax seed paste.

Take out in a big bowl. Pour the flour mixture in 2 batches and fold gently.

Mix in the chocolate chunks and spoon in individual muffin cases.

Sprinkle some more chocolate on top if you like.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm or cold. Perfect with little drizzle of chocolate sauce or a spoon of whipped cream at the sides.

This keeps well for 3-4 days in covered container in fridge.

A Homemaker's Notes:

You can substitute cinnamon powder with vanilla essence. I like the baked banana flavour so dint use any.

Use honey instead of sugar. that gives a beautiful flavour.

it could also be baked as a cake. in that case use a 8" round pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. or alternatively use a loaf pan.

Events:

Sending this to Vardhini's bake fest#1 at zesty palette.

Tags:

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Pasta Primavera with Fresh Basil

2011-11-16T03:19:00.000-08:00

I always love this time of the year and loving it more here in Kolkata. The weather is pleasant with bright sunny days and soothing nights. There is a crispness in the air which makes it impossible for us to stay home in the evening. All we want is to go out and enjoy the fresh air. Though that is not much possible in a crowded city like Kolkata still we are going out every evening to have a walk around the locality.

Another thing that brings cheer to me is the fresh winter vegetables that have started appearing in the market. Though in this age of preservation almost everything is available the yaer around yet there is something special about the seasonal fresh produce. I love roaming around the local vegetable and fish market, touching and smelling just from the farm greens and vegetables.

All these together make me crave some fresh flavours and light saucy meals, which could be enjoyed while watching our favourite Programs. So this weekend when I found some fresh basil in our local Spencer's I instantly knew what I am going to make. So Pasta Primavera it was for us that night with loads of fresh basil thrown in for that heady aroma. I paired that flavour with some freshly squeezed lemon juice…together they were refreshingly comforting.

Pasta Primavera is an Italian –American dish where loads of crisp spring vegetables are added to the pasta. Primavera means spring so its wise to choose crisp fresh vegetables like broccoli, carrots, beans, onions, corns etc. The flavours here are kept very simple and mostly are finished with sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese. Our kid is a sucker of cheese and he could eat it as is. I chose an array of fresh vegetables including new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, beans, fresh corn, capsicum, carrots, onion and loads of garlic. Here is how I did…

Pasta Primavera with Fresh Basil

Ingredients:

Spaghetti: one packet

Carrot: 1

New potatoes: handful

Beans: 7-8 pieces

Capsicum: 1

Corn: 1/3 cup

Cherry tomatoes: handful

Broccoli florets: ½ cup

Onion: 1 big

Garlic: 4-5 fat cloves

Fresh basil: 1 cup; loosely packed

Lemon: 1 big

Olive oil: 3 tbsp

Salt

Chili flakes

Grated Parmesan cheese: ¼ cup

Method:

First prepare the vegetables. Wash them thoroughly under running water.

Peel the carrot and slice them in half moon shape.

Wash the baby potatoes and slice them in thick rounds.

Cut small florets of broccoli.

Cut the capsicum in thin slices.

Cut cherry tomatoes in half.

Cut beans in long pieces.

Chop onion in thick half moon shape.

Finely chop garlic and basil.

Keep everything separate.

In a big bowl blanch broccoli, potato, corn, carrot and beans with little salt for 4 minutes till they are tender yet crisp. I used my trusted microwave for this.

In a big bowl take lots of water and cook the spaghetti or any other variety of pasta according to the packaged instruction. Reserve 1/3 cup of pasta boiling water. Drain the spaghetti.

While the spaghetti is boiling start making the sauce. Heat oil in a big pan.

Add chopped garlic and chili flakes. Fry till the garlicky aroma hits you. Immediately tip in the onions and fry for a minute.

Drain the blanched vegetables and add in. Sprinkle little salt and sauté on medium for 2 minutes.

Add the capsicum, tomatoes and half of the chopped basil.

Again sauté for 2-3 minutes till the skin of the tomatoes start to shrink.

Tip in the drained spagetti. Give it a good mix with all the vegetables.

Squeeze the lemon and also add the cooking liquid. Adjust the salt.

Sprinkle the rest of the basil, grated parmesan cheese and little chili flakes.

Mix and serve hot.

A Homemaker’s Tips:

You can also add mushrooms, olives, zucchini, spinach etc to make it vibrant and nutritious.

Pour some good extra virin olive oil just before serving the dish. It brings out the fresh flavours of the basil and veggies.

Non-vegetarians can also add sausage, chicken bits or roasted fish.

If you like roast vegetables try roasting the vegetables with little salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil in an 150C preheated oven. Boil the pasta separately and finally toss everything together with lots of parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Tags:

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Tinkona Parota Ar Alur Dom; Perfect Bengali Breakfast for the Festival

2011-11-11T01:10:00.000-08:00

This Diwali I was extremely lazy and trust me or not dint prepare a single thing for the festival.Managed to clean the house for Durga puja and luckily my new maid is very good at keeping things as it is. Hubby would be soon off for a long abroad trip so the only thing that I find myself doing is washing, ironing and packing things for him. In between that am cooking meals in a ziffy and lazing with books in front of the TV, where its ‘Chota bheem’ playing all the time. The baby on the other hand was home as his school was closed for the week and he did whatever he wanted to with double the energy. Really Wished could have borrowed a little enthusiasm from him to cook at-least one festival item for Diwali. Rather I searched for restaurants near our locality and finally went to Rajdhani for a huge festive thali meal.

The baby though was very happy. Now he is at an age when he has started understandng and enjoying things. That whole morning he kept on jumpng and screaming when the electricians fitted fairy lights around our housing. Went out with his father and Dadu with a long list of various coloured lighting crackers and candles that he needed. By evening he stared shouting for some red, blue, yellow tinkle tinkle lights (twinkling fairy lights) and candles around the house. He was so stubborn that finally I had to get out of my ‘lazing all day round’ mode and take him to the nearby shop. Once home he demanded to light up all the candles he bought.

So it was lights and candles all around the house. Below are some clicks of that evening...

The various candle holders from my collection

Lavender scented Candle on the Dining Table

Some Diyas to the Deity and a hand painted Lantern

A Half-done wall painting project glowed in the soft lights

on the Fridges and Shoe rack

On the bookshelf where the little one neatly arranged the leftover candles around the lit one

But am not that a bad and lazy person you see, rather am clever so even when hubby could have started complaining about no festive food at home, the next morning I prepared this typical Bengali breakfast. which is the Bengali style triangular and layered fried flat bread with potato gravy. Its like the Eastern counter part of North Indian paratha for breakfast…only difference is our parota is sinfully made with bleached white flour and loads of oil. Which is poured right from the word ‘Go’. First we add generous amount of oil as shortening then we roll and shape it with little more oil and finally oil is drizzled in an generous manner on the paratha while cooking….pretty scary. Though this paratha is a regular fix in most Bengali families for Sunday breakfast but in our 5 years of marriage this is the first time I prepared it.

Any potato curry complements this dish really well to give you an instant nirvana. You can make simple alu bhaja (fried potato juliens) or alu’r bati charchari but both of us like it with some gravy. So I prepared a simple and light alu’r dom. If you like the spicier version of this curry please see this. Though all purpose flour and me are not best of friends still once in a while we love to have this. Have this on a lazy weekend when no work is scheduled. Enjoy this breakfast with your favourite newspaper and a cup of tea. for me the best part is its so heavy and filling that instantly you will like to hit the bed and doze off, skipping the lunch.No more cooking for that day.

Bengali Triangular layered paratha

Ingredients:

All purpose flour or maida: 2 cups

Vegetable oil: 3 tbsp+1 tsp

Salt: a pinch
ajwain or aniseed: a pinch

Water: to knead the dough

Method:

Take the flour, ajwain and salt in a big bowl or plate. Make a well at the center and add the oil in it. Rub the flour in it till it resembles breadcrumb.

Gradually start adding water and mixing to see if the dough is soft and holds together. Once you achieve that, start kneading on an oiled surface or on a big plate. Knead with the heel of your palm to make the soft and springy. Smear 1 tsp oil on it and cover. Let it rest for 30 minutes before you start rolling the parathas.

After that divide the dough in 10 small balls and smoothen the outer surface by rolling them between your palms.

Oil your rolling pin and the surface of your rolling platform. Roll out a small circular disk. Brush the top with little oil. Fold along the diameter in half in a half circle. Again brush a few drops of oil on the top. Fold again in a triangle.

Roll out the triangle and elongate to make your triangular paratha. The thickness would be similar to regular paratha.

Roll the other balls in similar manner.

To cook the parathas, heat a griddle or a flat pan and place these parathas on top. After a minute or so you will see bubbles coming up on the surface. Flip it. Cook the other side till it turns white and small brown spots appear.

Drizzle few drops of oil from the sides. Press the parathas to make sure its cooked through. Flip and repeat the process. It should take 5-6 minutes for each paratha to cook.

Serve hot just out of the pan. Any potato curry pairs well with these parathas.

Alur dom

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 3 big

Onion: 1 medium

Ginger” 1” piece

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

Tomato: 1 medium

Coriander powder: ½ tsp

Chili powder: ½ tsp

Sugar:1/4 tsp

Salt

Turmeric

Garam masala

Whole clove: 2 pieces

cinnamon: 1 small piece

Oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

Ash and rub the potatoes clean, cut them in quarters and boil in salted water till tender. It should be cooked but firm and should hold its shape. Peel the skin and smear it with turmeric and salt.

When the potato is boiling prepare the spice paste by grinding the onion and ginger. Make a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan and lightly fry the potatoes till golden. Take out from pan and keep aside.

In the same oil add the whole cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds and slited green chillies. When they start to splutter add the spice paste. Fry on low heat till oil start to separate at the sides.

Mix turmeric, chili and coriander powder to 2 tbsp water and add to the pan. Fry for another minute or so till the raw smell is gone.

Cut the tomato in quarter and add to the pan with salt. Cook till the tomatoes are cooked and oil starts oozing out at the sides.

Mix in the potatoes and pour 2 cups of warm water. Check the seasoning and let it boil on medium flame. Keep cooking for 5-7 minutes or till the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. I prefer it thin.

Finally add the sugar and the garam masala powder.

Serve hot with parathas or luchis.

Event:
sending this to 'back to the roots' hosted at the mad scientist's kitchen.

Tags:

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Happy Diwali

2011-10-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous Diwali!!!

Narkel-er Tokti or Coconut and milk Solid fudge

2011-10-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

My son started going to school from yesterday. I don’t know how to express myself but am happy, excited, elated and scared at the same time. Excited because the whole process reminded me of the time when I first hold that bundle of joy some 2 and 7 months back. All wrapped in cothes, not moving a finger yet still making many statements with his eyes. since then he has been like my constant companion, my sidekick, we hardly have spent any time without each other since his birth. I am happy also to see my little one growing up every day. Every time I look at him I realize something new about him and starting school is like embarking on a new journey of developing a new world for himself. I know am sounding like a sloppy mother but that’s what I feel right now as I am on a roller coaster journey of emotions. I am sad and miserable at the same time as the baby who knew no one but his mother will start making a life and world for himself from now on. I know I need o let him fly and help him to gather air under his wings but still the mother in me feels miserable for the 2 hours he is at school.

The baby on the other hand is very excited and loves his school. The first time we took him there he almost refused to come back to us. All he wanted was to play with all the toys there. I really was a little worried and thought he would have cold feet on the first day and would cry but he was too enthusiastic, a little too much for my comfort. Come on dint we all cry on our first day to school and pleaded with our parents not to leave us there all alone among starngers. But that dint happen to my son, the one who came home teary eyed was me. Hubby tried to support me by saying that he would always be there by my side. But still are not every 2 and half year supposed to cry and miss their mother? Am not sure yet and life seems quite complicated. So while I figure that out, yu relish this recipe of simple sweet made with coconut.

We Bengalis allow ourselves a long time till Diwali or Kali puja to share bijoya greeting. So am taking that priviledge and here is another recipe to serve your guests during the festivals. Narkeler tokti or sometimes also called chandrapuli is generally a sandesh or fudgy sweet made with coconut and milk solids. Though it share almost the same ingredients as Narkel naru still its very different in taste, texture and shape. While grated coconut is used for Naru, the same s ground to a smooth paste to give tokti its smooth and soft texture. Its an elegant looking sweet which could be prepared in a jiffy to impress your guests.

Narkel-er Tokti

Ingredients:

Grated coconut: 2 cups (Use fresh coconut)

Khoya or milk solids: ¾ cup (or use full fat milk powder); grate it

Sugar: ½ cup (or s per your taste)

Green Cardamom: 3-4 pieces

Pistachios for garnishing

Ghee or white oil to grease he sandesh molds.

Method:

First grind the coconut and sugar till a very smooth paste s achieved.

Take a heavy bottom pan or preferably a non stick pan and cook the ground coconut on a very low flame.

Continuously stir the coconut to cook it evenly. Once you see its becoming dry (approx. 7-8 minutes) add the grated milk solids.

Cook it on low for another 10 minutes or till it comes together as a big dough. The end produt would be dry to touch yet soft and little sticky.

Chop the pistachios very fine while the coconut cools down a bit.

Work when the coconut is still warm or it will harden.

Grease the molds with little white oil and sprinkle little chopped pistachios on it. Then take little coconut to cover the surface of the mold. Press with your hands to give it the shape of the mold. Remove from the mold with utmost care and place on a greased plate to cool down.

If you don't have these molds you can set them in a flat plate and later cut in squares or diamonds. sprinkle the top with chopped nuts of your choice.

It will harden further as it cools down.

Once its complete cold store them in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays well for a couple of weeks.

Enjoy!

Events:

Diwali special-sweets and savories at tickling palate.

Healing food Coconut at saffron streak. an event started by Siri.

Diwali sweet recipes at my culinary creations.

Only sweeta and desserts at Gayathri's cookspot. an event started by Pari.

My Diwal my way at yummy food.

Diwali festival of lights at Anu's healthy kitchen.

Tags:

Coconut, grated coconut, coconut paste, fresh coconut sweet, bengali style coconut dessert, narkeler misti, mishti, nariyl ke mithai, how to make sweets with coconut, bengali sweets, bangali mishti recipe, easiest bengali recipe, coconut fudge, berfi, burfi, borfi, nariyal ke burfi, bijoyar mistimukh, mishti mukh, bijya sweet, East indian sweet recpe, bangladeshi dessert recipe, how to make kheer er tokti, milk solid fudge, Indian coconut sweet, indian style coconut dessert. diwali sweet recipe, sweets for festivls.

Elo Jhelo; A Crunchy and sweet treat to wish ‘Shubho Bijaya’

2011-10-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

I know am awfully late in wishing you Shubho Bijaya, Happy Dassera and Shubh Navrati. But trust me, I have reasons and these are not at all lame excuses. I have been travelling a lot which has made me tired, sick and weak. So much so that right now am on antibiotics to overcome the congestion in my chest. Yes its that bad. But being late is always better than not wishing you at all. So here is a big bear hug coming your way with Bijaya greetings. How did you enjoy the puja my friends? Mine was very relaxed. We spent time together as family but missed going out and pandal hopping. Kolkata was full of huge pandals and beautiful artistic decorations. Even our own apartment association celebrated the puja in a very nice homey manner. We loved the themes and decorations that the famous pujas of Kolkata selected this year and wanted to visit the pandals. But they are not my cup of tea. One has to stand in a que at least for 2-3 hours or more to get into the main pandal near the Durga idol. That too after covering a 10 minutes distance in a couple of hour. Most roads are blocked and it seems whole Kolkata spent time on streets on those five days. So we rather chose to get away from all the hustle and bustle to spent time in a quite village at my in laws place.

We only went out once all decked up in new sarees and matching jwelleries, Visited lots and lots of relatives and enjoyed our time of togetherness. We also went to Santiniketan to my parents and loved our mid night quite visits to all the pandals in Santiniketan and around.

Below are the pictures of one of my favourite puja which I love to visit every year. Remember this post where I shared the story behind a very unique weekly craft market? This puja belongs to the same area of Boner pukur danga near Santiniketan Ashrama. This puja is called 'Hiralini Durgotsav, which was started in 1989 by an artist and teacher Bandhan Das. He is no more but what he has left is his touch of beauty and art. Right from the idol to pandal decorations to puja preparations, everything have a touch of art. He planned to create 5 different Durga idols which would be totally different in material and look. Which they use on alternative years and repeat the same after each 5 years. When one idol is made of the regular clay the others are made of wood, metal and other materials. The protima is unlike any we generally see in pandals. Here Maa does not hold any weapon rather she holds beautiful lotus flowers in her ten hands to bring in World peace. Another unique point about this puja is the involvement of local santals. They take care of every preparation and minute details. They bring a distinctive tribal flavor to the whole atmosphere. The evenings are filled with their performances like tribal dance, drama and weapon skills. I have heard that along with regular khichuri bhog they also offer tari (fermented Palm sap; Toddy).

Picture: Somnath on picasa

Picture: Sujit Sengupta

courtesy: Subhendu Dhabal

This year they were worshipping the metal idol. We went there at about 11:30 at night and there was not enough light. But still we managed to get some photos which I am sharing below. It had a very quaint feel to it amidst the sonajhuri forest and the unique wavy red laterite soil formation called Khoai. Local craftsmen sell their art in small stalls around the area. They also bring in authentic Bengali festival foods like ghugni, pithe etc.

Today am also sharing a fried dough sweet pastry called Elo jhelo which is almost synonymous to Bijaya or the last day of Durga puja, symbolizing good over evil. This is very similar to the preparation of Jibe gaja that I shared earlier, but the form of this snack is very different. Below is my quick recipe.

Elo jhelo or Bengali Fried Pastry

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 11/2 cups

Oil/ghee: 4 tbsp (I used saffola gold white oil)

Salt: a pinch

Nigella seeds: ½ tsp

Water: as required

Oil for deep frying

For the syrup:

Sugar: 1 cup

Water: ½ cup

Cardamom pods: 2-3 pieces

Method:

Take the flour in a big bowl and mix in the salt and nigella seeds. To this add the oil and rub with your finger tips tips to get sand like texture. To this add water very little by little to make nice, soft and firm dough. Cover and keep aside for 20-30 minutes.

After that pinch and take small ping pong ball size dough. Press and smoothen it between your palms. Roll out in small disks (2”-2.5” diameter) like puri or luchi.

With a sharp knife make 8-9 slits vertically on the disk. Leave 1 cms each on top and bottom.

Holding the end sides together loosely roll the disk like you do for swiss rolls. Press the ends to secure the pattern.

Prepare the same with the remaining dough.

Heat oil in a heavy based deep pan or kadhai to medium heat. The temperature of the oil is very important, very hot oil will make it soft at the inside. Check the heat by dropping a pinch of dough in the oil if it takes some time to come up n the surface, the oil is ready. If it immediately comes up then the oil is too hot and you run a possibility of burning them.

Fry the elo jhelo in small batches till golden brown. Take out and soak the extra oil on absorbing paper.

The elo jhelo should be cold completely before adding them to the syrup. So give it ample amount of time to cool down.

Once the elo jhelos are completely cold, start making the syrup by boiling the sugar in the water. crush the cardamom and add this to the biling syrup. Boil for 3-4 minutes till one string consistency is achieved. At this stage lots of bubbles will start to appear on the surface too.

Quickly add all the elo jhelo in the syrup and mix them to coat with sugar syrup. The syrup will harden once the elo jhelo touches the hot syrup, so work with very quick hand.

Spread the elo jhelo on lightly oiled plates to cool down.

Store in air tight container and treat your family and friends.

A Homemaker’s Notes:

The heat of the oil is very crucial and I can’t press this point enough. This is what I do. I always heat the oil to smoking point and then switch off the heat and again switch on after 3-4 minutes. That way the raw smell of the oil is gone and the oil is hot enough to cook the gaja till light brown. Also keep on adjusting the heat by increasing or decreasing the flame.

2. You can also check the syrup by putting a drop of syrup in a bowl of cold

water; if it doesn’t dissolve and immediately comes on the surface…the

syrup is ready.

Events:

Diwali special-sweets and savories at tickling palate.

Diwali sweet recipes at my culinary creations.

Only sweeta and desserts at Gayathri's cookspot. an event started by Pari.

My Diwal my way at yummy food.

Diwali festival of lights at Anu's healthy kitchen.

First Guest Post: Kasha Mangsho and Polao/ Bengali Style dry Chicken Curry and Rice Pilaf

2011-10-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is the time of the year when we long to go home, a time of family get togethers, food and festivities. but our busy schedules sometimes dont allow us to do that our heart desires. so when some of us soak in the festivities some cannot do that due to their prior commitments. yet we try to celebrate the puja wherever we are by getting ready in new clothes, visiting the local puja place and cooking special meals for friends and family. we try hard to recreate the special magic of this very special festival and taste of home. My Orkut friend Krishna is one such person. She stays in USA and shares glimpses of her life and kitchen at her newly started blog Always Smile. The thing that makes her very special is her enthusiasm in everything creative. a vibratious and enthusiastic person who finds time for doing new crafts and trying out new recipes. She is here today to share a very favourite Bengali meal of Kasha Mangsho and Pulao.

Kasha Mangsho/ Chicken Kasha or Bengali style dry chicken curry is the glamorous version of this homey Sunday special chicken curry that I shared sometimes back. This is a very special dish made specially on occasions like birthdays, wedding parties or large get togethers. The polao or Bengali preparation of aromatic white rice pilaf is the perfect accompaniment for this royal chicken dish. together they make my experience of having first guest post very very special.

Over to you Krishna...

It is almost four years that I left my home country to come to the USA. Since then, I have been participating in Durga Puja celebrations here. Actually it is not four years, rather eight years I was not in Calcutta during pujas. Though the flavor of Calcutta-puja is not present here still I don’t miss that much. Rather, I enjoy cooking special dishes during the puja time here. So, when Sayantani invited me to contribute on her blog, I readily accepted that. Since I received her request I had been wandering what to cook? At last I decided to cook Bengali polao and chicken kasha on Saturday, 1^st October. The menu for rest of the puja-days is yet to be decided. Here I’m sharing the recipe of Polao and chicken kasha. Unfortunately I cannot tell that these recipes are very authentic, because I changed it little bit during cooking.

Chicken Kasha

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut into medium pieces

1 big size onion, finely chopped

1 medium size tomato, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2-3 cloves

2-3 pods cardamom

1 inch stick of cinnamon

1 ½ tbsp. ginger paste

1 ½ tsp. garlic paste

1 tsp. coriander power

1 tsp. garam masala powder

1 tsp. turmeric powder

½ tsp. chili powder (if you want spicier, you can add more chili powder)

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves for garnish

3 tbsp. water

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Method:

Wash the chicken pieces and marinate with salt for half an hour.

Fry 1/3 of the onion with little salt and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp. of oil (I used olive oil) add bay leaf, cardamom, clove and cinnamon, and fry for few moments. Then add the rest of chopped onion and fry until golden brown. At that time you can also add one tsp. of sugar to caramelize the onion.

When the onions are translucent add chopped tomato, ginger, garlic paste and fry. Add 1 tbsp. of water, and fry again until everything mixes up well. If you need, you can add another spoon of water.

Once the oils start to separate at the sides, add garam masala powder, coriander powder, chili powder, and fry for 1-2 minutes.

Add the chicken-pieces and cook until chicken-pieces become tender. Add water as per needed. When the water become almost dry, switch of the gas and put in a bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander and fried onion.

Polao:

Ingredient:s

2 cups of rice

2 bay leaves

4 pods of cardamom

3 cloves

1 inch on cinnamon piece

1 small sized onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. ginger paste

2 tbsp. of sugar

1 tbsp. of ghee or clarified butter

1 ½ cup of water

Few saffron pieces soaked in 1 tbsp. of milk

Salt to taste

Method:

Clean the rice and spread on a plate to dry.

In a small frying pan heat the ghee, and add bay leaves and chopped onion, and fry for few minutes.

Add cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and fry until onion becomes red. Add ginger paste, and fry for few minutes.

Then take a microwave-proof bowl, add the fried ingredients and rice, sugar, saffron and water. Cook in microwave-oven for twenty minutes.

serve hot with the Kasha Mangsho.

Chana’r Payes (Bengali Style Cottage Cheese and Milk Pudding)

2011-09-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Today is Mahalaya, the end of Pitripaksha and the beginning of auspicious Devipaksha, the time when Bengalis all over the world gears up for the celebration of their biggest festival Durga Puja. At the crack of dawn through chanting of Mahisashur Mardini mantras, we pray and invite the goddess to descend on Earth. (read my last year's post here)

Today is also my and hubby’s birthday. Yes! Like our lives we also share our birthdays. But today all of us are very tired. We just got back from our trip to Orissa and the change of weather has made the baby sick. The maid is also absent for the last 10 days after she got her new dress and bonus for the puja. Now am highly suspicious that she is gone for good and its high time that I look for a substitute. With loads of laundry and a dirty house almost made theirs by the ants and spiders in our absence, I hardly get any time to plan anything for the big day.

I also am very low on energy right now to cook a full-fledged meal for us, so happily shelved that idea of an elaborate birthday meal for another bright sunny day. Rather planned for a mousse cake and good home delivery. But call it family pressure or whatever I at least have got 12 calls since morning with birthday wishes and esquires about the menu for our big night. Finally I had to give in when even my 4 years old niece wished and asked me if I had made payes. So finally I had to surrender and decided on this chanar payes, which my man can’t resist.

Chanar payes also known as ‘channamrito’ is not very common in Bangali mishti’r dokan or sweet shops. Rather very few chosen shops sell this delight in small plastic cups. Chanar payes is always enjoyed chilled with some chopped green goodness of pistachios. This cardamom or keora flavoured thick creamy and little grainy dessert is a delight to eat. The recipe is quite easy to assemble provided you have patience to stir the milk to thicken it to desired consistency. Below is the recipe

Chanar payes

Ingredients:

Full cream milk: 1+1 liter

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Milkmaid: ½ can

Sugar: 2 tbsp or as per taste

Pistachios: few

Green cardamom: 3-4

Method:

Heat 1-liter milk in a heavy bottom pan on medium flame. Stir in between to prevent it from burning at the bottom. The milk will start to thicken and getting reddish hue slowly. Continue doing this for 30-35 minutes till its thick and creamy.

In the mean time lets make the chana or cottage cheese. Heat 1-liter milk in another pan. Once it starts to boil pour in the limejuice. Reduce the flame to low and stir gently. The milk will curdle and clear whey will separate. Strain the paneer in a muslin cloth. Wash under cold running water to get rid of the lemony smell and then hang it for ½ an hour.

Now get back to the boiling milk, which must have reduced, in quantity by now. To this add the milkmaid. Stir gently to mix. Check the sweetness and add sugar as per your taste.

Now get the chana out of the cloth wrap and start kneading it with the palm of your hand. Knead to make it smooth for 5-6 minutes.

Once you are happy with the consistency of the thickened milk reduce the flame and start adding the chana little by little. Gently stir to mix the chana to the milk. Once all the chana is added let it simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Make sure there is enough liquid as the chana will soak up lots of liquid during the process of cooling. The consistency of the final dish should not be runny or dry. So adjust the liquid accordingly.

Once done, sprinkle pounded green cardamom and mix.

Serve chilled with generous sprinkling of pistachios.

A homemaker’s note:

Make sure to wash the chana very well under water, as any trace of lemon will curdle the thickened milk.

Thicken the milk before you add the chana as the milk should not be boiled for long with chana in it. It has high chance of curdling.

The flavouring can vary. You can use bay leaf, cardamom or keora water to give it your choice of aroma.

You can also add saffron threads to add flavour and colour to this dessert.

The thickened milk should have enough liquid to hydrate the chana and still leave some liquid. So thicken the milk accordingly or adjust the consistency by adding more liquid.

With This heavenly Dessert I wish you

Shubho Mahalaya!

Events:

Diwali special-sweets and savories at tickling palate.

Diwali sweet recipes at my culinary creations.

Only sweeta and desserts at Gayathri's cookspot. an event started by Pari.

My Diwal my way at yummy food.

Diwali festival of lights at Anu's healthy kitchen.

Tags:

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Grilled eggplant, fresh vegetable and chickpea salad with za’atar

2011-09-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

For most homealone lunches I prefer to have salads or soups. Like many of you cooking for self is not something I enjoy and some dats even whipping up a soup seems like a task. Those days fresh salads come into my rescue. Recently hubby went to Chennai for a week and I took a break from the kitchen chores. Apart from cooking the baby’s food I prefer not to enter there and lunch comprised of some fresh salads with grilled veggies, paneer and cheese.

This is one salad that I particularly enjoyed. There is not much recipe but the za’atar gave it an extra edge. For all those who does not know what za’atar is I will refer this link. In short it is a middle eastern spice which is a mix of several dried herbs like thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, salt and sumac. This has a very nutty taste and a lovely green color. I got my batch from Israel which Hubby got for me on his last trip there. In my pantry this is mostly used as a topping for focaccia bread and manakeesh or as a seasoning for salads and cocktail samosas. If you don’t have this try adding dried herbs like oregano or mixed Italian seasoning and top it with dry roasted sesame seeds.

The extra crunch of the fresh vegetables like cucumber, carrots, tomato, corn and onion goes really well with this soft grilled eggplant and the nutty flavours of za’atar. Here is the quick recipe.

Grilled eggplant, fresh vegetable and chickpea salad with za’atar

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

Boiled chickpeas: ½ cup

Cucumber: 1 medium (less seed is better)

Onion: 1 small

Tomato: 1; medium

Boiled corn: ¼ cup

Carrot: 1 small

Olives: 5-6

Eggplant: 1 small

Olive oil: 1 tbsp+1 tsp

Za’atar: 1tbsp

salt

Lime: 1

Method:

Slice the eggplants in thin rounds. Smear little salt and grill it using 1 tsp oil on both the sides till done. Keep aside.

In a small bowl take 1 tbsp oil and lemon juice. Mix well and add salt according to your taste.

Peel and dice the cucumber and carrots in small pieces. Chop tomato in the similar manner.

Peel and slice onion in half moon shape. Sprinkle little salt on it and mix to separate the layers.

In a big bowl take all the cucumber pieces, chopped tomato, sliced onion, boiled corn and chickpeas and olives. Pour in the oil-lemon juice mixture. Season with salt and add za’atar, mix well.

Serve topped with the grilled eggplants and some more sprinkling of za’atar.

I washed mine with a chilled glass of rose drink.

Refreshing!!!

With this am off for a refreshing trip to Puri in Orissa. See you after a week.

Events:
Sending this to this month's monthly mingle; scintillating salads. Started by Meeta and Hosted this month at Divya's Sil se.

Tags:

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Chocolate Fudge Birthday Cake With Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

2011-09-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

I am the designated birth cake baker for my family and some friends. For every birthday they know where the cake is coming from. Now a day all they do is give me a call to confirm the flavour and the colour. Now September and ocober are the months of birthdays in our family including mine and hubby’s. Even some close friends have birthdays in these months. So for the last couple of weeks I have been baking cakes one after another and trying to decorate with as little ingredients and equipments I have. Every time I do so I wish I was in US to lay my hands on all those cake decorating supplies to make perfect decadent cakes consistently. But that’s not possible so I try to make do with the fewer things from my pantry.

For my mom’s birthday I baked this chocolate fudge cake and decorated with chocolate butter cream icing. It was decadent in all its senses, undoubtedly the best cake I have every tasted. I adapted the recipe from King Arthur flour where they dedicated this cake to us that is the DBCBs (designated birth day cake bakers). Truly this is an recipe worth keeping. The cake was moist, lightly fudgy and very soft, almost to a melting in the mouth consistency. To intensify the chocolaty flavour they suggested adding some coffee granules which I always do, it deepns the flavour and gives it depth.

The chocolate butter cream icing was my own recipe. I googled for a good butter cream recipe but shivered at the thought of using so much butter and sugar. So I planned my own recipe and it clicked. The butter cream was smooth like silk. It tasted awesome without being very rich. The only concern Ii had was I wanted a deeper colour, next time I am going to add more chocolate.

Before I get into the recipe let me share a few words on the decoration, though I have never shared any decorated cake on this space but that’s what I love to do in my spare time. I am a self tought decorator and give it a try on every opportunity. Below are some of the cakes that I decorated. This cake was the easiest to do. It was done within 15 minutes but placing those silver sugar beads were a pain. I need a good pair of tweezers asap.

Chocolate fudge Cake with chocolate butter cream icing.

Ingredients:

Fudge cakes: 2 no.s (RECIPE BELOW)

Choclate butter cream icing: 3 cups (RECIPE BELOW)

Silver sugar beads: big and small: handful

Choclate fudge cake

Makes 1x8” round cake. If you want 4 layers in the final cake bake 2

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 1 cup

Sugar: 1 cup (I prefer to powder this in my mixie grinder)

Coco powder: 6 tbsp

Cornflour: 1 tbsp

Baking powder: 1 tsp

Baking soda: ¼ tsp

Espresso powder: 1 tsp (I used Nescafe gold)

Eggs: 2

Vegetable oil: 6 tbsp

Vanilla essence: 1 tsp

Water: 10 tbsp

Method:

Preheat the oven at 170 C.

Grease one 8” round pan. Or if your oven is large enough grease 2 pans to bake at one go. In that case make the double the amount of batter given above.

Sieve the dry ingredients twice and take in a big bowl.

To this add all the wet ingredients. Beat to get a lump free smooth batter.

Pour in the greased pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Take it out and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert on a wire rack and cool.

Butter cream icing

Margarine: 75 gms (at room temparature)

Dark chocolate: ½ cup

Coco powder: ½ cup

Castor sugar: ¾ cup

Whipping cream: 11/2 cups

Milk: 1tbsp

Method:

Add 1 tbsp milk to the chocolate and melt it in your microwave. Be careful it could burn very easily. Or you can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Keep it aside to cool.

Using your hand mixer beat the margarine and sugar on high till its light and fluffy (approx 4 minutes). Add the melted choclate and coco powder and beat on low to incorporate it well.

In a separate bowl (preferably chilled stanless steel bowl) beat the whipping cream till stiff peaks form. Fold in the chocolate mixture to this.

Keep it aside.

Assembling:

Once your cakes have cooled down slice each in two. If the middle of the cake has risen too much, chop of the top and level it.

Take one bottom layer and place it on a cake board. I generally place 4 thin strips of aluminum foil along the bottom edges of the cake. The foil catches all the fallen decorations and once am done I generally remove these strips to have my cake on a clean surface.

Take some icing on this layer (approx.1/2 cup) and spread it using a offset spatula. Make sure to level it properly. Place top layer on it and spread icing on this. Repeat with the other top layer and finally place one bottom layer upside down.

Now carefully cover all the sides and top with the icing.

Take the left over icing in a zip lock pouch. Snip a small hole and create any design of your choice.

Finally decorate with the silver beads.

tags:

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