Nalen Gurer Sandesh: Poila Baisakh Special.

We all are getting ready for our Bengali New Year or Banglaনববর্ষ  ১৪২১, this is a very special and remarkable day for us. The Bengali new calendar starts from this Nabo Barsha or Poila Baisakh.  At the same time some other states of India also celebrate the day like Baishakhi in Punjab. And also Jharkhand, Tripura, Orissa people celebrate this Bengali New Year.

In this special day we all cook so many varieties of Bengali Cuisine, and I am not any exception. So my kitchen and I are ready to prepare some special Naba Barsha Special dishes. And today I prepared some very authentic ‘ NALEN GURER SANDESH’  specially made with homemade chana or cottage cheese and Nolen gur or jaggerry. My husband brought some original Nelen gur from Kolkata which is the best thing you can get from Bengal. And my Maa sent some CHAACH or BASE to make some nice shaped sweets. A very easy recipe to all my friends and wish you all শুভ নববর্ষ ১৪২১ !!

Ingredients:

1.Full cream milk: 1 liter.

2.Vinegar: half cup.

3.Water : Half cup.

4.Freshly crushed cardamom: a pinch of.

5.Nalen gur or jaggery: ½ cup.

6.One table spoon ghee.

7.One table spoon milk powder.

8.Chaach or base to make sweets.( you can make without chaach also)

Process:

In a heavy bottomed vessel first add the milk and keep stirring till it start boil. The moment its starts boil add the one cup of vinegar and water mixture and boil for some more time till the chana came out and the green water separate from the chana.

Now drain the chana and water in a cotton cloth and wash the chana with some cold water so the smell of vinegar goes off.

Now squish the extra water and hang the chana for 5 to 6 hours.

Now after 5 to 6 hours smash the chana in a blender till the smooth texture.

Now in a vessel add the ghee allow it to hot, now add the smashed chana and the cardamom powder and mix well.

Now add the nalen gur and keep stirring till it become completely dry. Now add the milk powder and mix well.

Now remove from the heat and you can make your sandesh in any shape but I use some ‘CHAACH’.  First make some equal size balls with the dough then rub some ghee in the CHAACH then slowly press each ball into the CHAACH and carefully take out the sandesh form the CHAACH.

Your easy and authentic Nelen Gurer Sandesh is ready serve and enjoy.

Gokul Pithe: Poush Sankranti special

Today is Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti in West Bengal which is the last day of the Bengali month Poush. The same time this day is celebrated in other states of India too. Like Bihu in Assam, Pongal in South India, Lohri in Punjab, Hadaga Festival in Maharastra Etc. Actually this is a harvest festival and different states call it in different names. But all over the India celebrate this harvest festival.

Sweet dish never makes me feel tired and for that today also I prepared some Poush Sankranti special sweet dish or Pithe. This sweet is a very old and authentic dish, I learnt the recipe from my mother. I can say my maa is an expert of making all kind of sweet dishes. The ingredients are normal like other PITHE but the taste is really out of the world.

Ingredients:

For stuffing or PUR

1.One large cup shredded fresh coconut.

2.One cup thick milk.

3.Two table spoon milk powder.

4.Half cup sugar.

5.One freshly crushed cardamom.

For Outer Part:

1.All-purpose flour: 1 cup.

2.Semolina or Suji: 1/2 

3.Ghee: 1 table spoon.

4.Milk: 1 1/2  cup if needed use some more.

5.Sugar: 2 table spoon.

6.Salt: pinch of.

7.Baking soda: pinch of.

8.Sunflower oil for frying.

For sugar syrup:

1.Sugar: 1 ½ cup.

2.Water: 2 cup.

3.Freshly crushed cardamom.

Process:

For Pur or Stuffing:

In a large heavy bottomed vessel add the shredded coconut and sugar first and stir with a wooden spoon till the sugar melts completely.

Now add the milk and the milk powder and cook this in medium heat till the coconut milk mixture become dry and sticky now add the freshly crushed cardamom and mix well. Now the pur or stuffing is ready.

For outer part:

In a large bowl add the flour, semolina, sugar, salt, baking powder and ghee first then mix with a spoon, then add the milk and make a batter, it must be thicker than pan cake batter but not too much thick.

Now make some small flat round shape balls with the stuffing and sprinkle some flour on them.

Now first make the sugar syrup, add the sugar water and cardamom in a vessel and allow it to boil, and boil it for 3 to 4 mints and your syrup is ready. (The syrup need to be medium thick).

Now add enough oil in a karai for deep frying the Pithe’s.

Now take one flat stuffing ball and pour that into the batter and take out the ball with batter and slowly place it into the karai. And fry them till both the sides turn golden brown.

Now this way makes all the GOKUL PITHE, after frying soaked them into the sugar syrup.

You will see the quantity of sugar syrup will be reduced that mean the pithe’s soaked the syrup properly and your GOKUL PITHE is done.

Serve hot or cold enjoy your GOKUL PITHE.

Kheer Patisapta: Poush Sankranti special.

Today is Poush Sankranti or Makar Sankranti in West Bengal which is the last day of the Bengali month Poush. The same time this day is celebrated in other states of India too. Like Bihu in Assam, Pongal in South India, Lohri in Punjab, Hadaga Festival in Maharastra Etc. Actually this is a harvest festival and different states call it in different names. But all over the India celebrate this harvest festival.

A special day we always celebrate with food from start to end. In Bengal we call this day as PITHE PARBON also, basically long time ago people started celebrating this day with the rice they received from their land. And with that rice they used to make lots of sweet dishes and all those sweet dishes are known as “PITHE”. From my childhood days used to see my maa and grand maa used to make lots of different PITHE and I really tried to make something like them to celebrate the special day. I prepared some Kheer Patisapta which is a traditional Bengali sweet just like Kheer Wrapped Pan Cakes in milk cream.

Ingredients

For stuffing or PUR

1.One large cup shredded fresh coconut.

2.One cup thick milk.

3.Two table spoon milk powder.

4.Half cup sugar.

5.One freshly crushed cardamom.

For Outer part or Pan cakes.

1.All-purpose flour: 1 cup.

2.Semolina or Suji: 4 table spoon.

3.Ghee: 1 table spoon.

4.Milk: 1 ½ cup if needed use some more.

5.Sugar: 2 table spoon.

6.Salt: pinch of.

7.Sunflower oil.

For Kheer:

1.Milk: 2 cups.

2.Condensed Milk: Two table spoon.

3.Freshly crushed cardamom: 1.

Process:

For Pur or Stuffing:

In a large heavy bottomed vessel add the shredded coconut and sugar first and stir with a wooden spoon till the sugar melts completely.

Now add the milk and the milk powder and cook this in medium heat till the coconut milk mixture become dry and sticky now add the freshly crushed cardamom and mix well. Now the pur or stuffing is ready.

Now for the Pan cakes batter:

In a large bowl add the flour, semolina, sugar salt and ghee first then mix with a spoon, then add the milk and make a batter just like pan cake (not so thick not so light)

Now in a nonstick pan sprinkle some oil first and spread the oil all over the pan. Then spread some batter like a pan cake and  then just in the middle add one spoon full of coconut stuffing from one end to another and roll the pan cake or Patisapta with a flat spatula. And then shallow fry both the sides for few seconds. 

Same way make all the Patisapta.

Your Patisapta is ready you can eat them like this also.

Now for kheer add the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and boil this in low flame till it reduce the quantity, then add the condensed milk and the crushed cardamom and cook till it become thick .

Now place the fried Patisapta in a plate and pour the kheer on top of that, and sprinkle some crushed pistachios on top of that.

Poush Shankranti special KHEER PATISAPTA is ready serve hot or cold.

Chanar Jalebi : A Traditional Bengali Sweet in a Different Way

In India almost in every month there comes some festival to celebrate. Maharastra and other parts of India is now celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Ganesh is son of Lord Durga and Lord Shiv. He is the symbol of prosperity and he has the power to fulfill your wish as I know from my grandmother. 

I once attended this festival in Pune. I love the way they arrange everything and specially the ARATI. I have a small Ganesh at home so I just made some sweets to please him. Wish all my friends a happy Ganesh Chaturthi. 

I made some CHANAR JALEBI which is an authentic sweet dish of Bengal. A very easy and tasty sweet dish to celebrate this auspicious day of GANESH CHATURTHI.

Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: ½ cup.
2.Milk Powder: 1 cup.
3.Baking Powder: 1 tea spoon.
4.Ghee: 1 tea spoon.
5.Heavy cream: 1 cup.
6.Few cardamom seeds.
7.Sugar: 2 cup.
8.Water 4 cup.
9.Vegetable oil.

Process:

In a heavy bottomed vessel add the water and sugar and start making the sugar syrup. After its start boiling add the cardamom seeds. Boil it in high heat for 7 to 8 mints now remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Now in a bowl add the milk powder, flour and the baking powder and whisked together now add the ghee and mix well.

Now slowly add the cream and make soft dough.

Now make 12 to 14 balls with the dough. Take each ball and start rolling it with two of your hand and make a long rope.

Now take one corner and join in middle and same way take the other end and twist it like a pretzel shape , or as shown in the picture. Repeat the same with all the balls. 

Now add oil in karai, deep fry the CHANAR JALEBI’S in low heat till both the sides turn brownish. Remove from heat.

Now soak the fried CHANAR JALEBI’S into the sugar syrup. 

Garnish them with few pistachios enjoy this lovely dish with your family.

Mawa Malpua: Indian Pan Cake (Sweet).

A very easy and famous Bengali sweet dish is Malpua not only in Bengal, in northern part of India also Malpua is a very famous sweet dish. More or less the way of cooking is almost same. I learnt making Malpua from my grand maa but she used to deep fry them but I love to pan fry the Malpua’s. This one is a signature festival sweet dish. In my home my MAA used to make Malpua’s during any Puja. 

In the auspicious day of Janmasthami I made this Malpua’s to celebrate Lord Krishna’s birthday. Malpua is a very good dessert to serve for your guests also. I made this malpua with some Khoya so this one is little different than the normal Malpua and it’s call MAWA MALPUA.

Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: 1 ½ cup.
2.Suji or Semolina: ½ cup.
3.Grated coconut: ½ cup.
4.Khoya or Milk Powder: ½ cup.
5.Grated Paneer or Indian Cottage cheese: 2 table spoon.
6.Few fennel seeds.
7.Pinch of baking powder.
8.Milk : 1 cup (if you need more you can add).
9.Sunflower oil for frying.

Sugar Syrup:
1.Sugar: 1 cup.
2.Water: ½ cup.
3.Few cardamom seeds.
4.Few saffron strands.

Process:

In a big bowl add the flour, baking powder, coconut, mawa or khoya, suji, grated paneer, fennel seeds and mix together. 

Now add the milk slowly and make a thick batter if you need more milk you can add but the batter need to look like thick as pan cake batter.

Now in different vessel add the sugar water saffron strands and the cardamoms and make thick sugar syrup. Just in high flame boil everything for 5 to 6 mints now remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Now take one pan and spread some oil in medium heat, now spread some batter in middle of the pan, fried till both the side turn brown. 

Now remove from the heat and put the malpua into the sugar syrup and soak it for 3 to 4 mints. Now remove the malpua from the syrup and keep it in a plate. Now repeat the same process till the batter finish. 

Now serve hot or cold, enjoy this mouthwatering MALPUA'S with your family

Tiler Naru or Sesame Seeds and Jaggery Laddu

At one point of time our cooking knowledge might come to an end but our mothers knowledge is like never ending. So every time I am really surprised with her perfect way of cooking. I think we all have the same kind of experience. 

Last few weeks I am really enjoying my vacation with lots of good food. So I thought I will post some recipe from my mother’s kitchen, so better start with a sweet dish. We all know about sesame seeds and we used to make so many items where we use sesame seeds but in Bengal there is a famous homemade sweet  call TILER NARU or SESAME SEEDS AND JAGGERY LADDU. A very easy but difficult one because if you can't cook it properly then you can't roll them like Laddu. 

Preparation time: 5 mint.
Cooking time:30 mints.

Ingredients:
1.White Sesame Seeds: 500 gm.
2.Jaggery: 500 gm (in liquid form).
3.Granule sugar: 100 gm.
4.Pinch of crushed cinnamon powder.

Process:
Dry roast the sesame seeds for mew mints. And keep it aside.

Now take one big vessel and add little crushed cinnamon powder then add the jaggery and cook it till the jaggery become like gum.

Now add the dry roasted sesame seeds and mix it nicely. Before switch of the gas add the sugar and mix it slowly.

Now before it become cold slowly make some round shape balls with the mixture.  Your TILER NARU is ready keep it in an air tight box and enjoy it till it end know need to refrigerate.  This sweet can beat any other jaggery sweet. 

Tiler Naru or Sesame Seeds and Jaggery Laddu

At one point of time our cooking knowledge might come to an end but our mothers knowledge is like never ending. So every time I am really surprised with her perfect way of cooking. I think we all have the same kind of experience. 

Last few weeks I am really enjoying my vacation with lots of good food. So I thought I will post some recipe from my mother’s kitchen, so better start with a sweet dish. We all know about sesame seeds and we used to make so many items where we use sesame seeds but in Bengal there is a famous homemade sweet  call TILER NARU or SESAME SEEDS AND JAGGERY LADDU. A very easy but difficult one because if you can't cook it properly then you can't roll them like Laddu. 

Preparation time: 5 mint.
Cooking time:30 mints.

Ingredients:
1.White Sesame Seeds: 500 gm.
2.Jaggery: 500 gm (in liquid form).
3.Granule sugar: 100 gm.
4.Pinch of crushed cinnamon powder.

Process:
Dry roast the sesame seeds for mew mints. And keep it aside.

Now take one big vessel and add little crushed cinnamon powder then add the jaggery and cook it till the jaggery become like gum.

Now add the dry roasted sesame seeds and mix it nicely. Before switch of the gas add the sugar and mix it slowly.

Now before it become cold slowly make some round shape balls with the mixture.  Your TILER NARU is ready keep it in an air tight box and enjoy it till it end know need to refrigerate.  This sweet can beat any other jaggery sweet.