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.

Keema Matar

Last week I purchased some ground chicken but while buying I was not sure what I am going to do with that. I wanted to use as stuffing for any dish but then I thought to cook in different way. So finally I prepared some easy KEEMA MATAR with the ground chicken. KEEMA MATAR  is a very famous North Indian dish but most of the time it is made with ground mutton or lamb. I just used chicken instead of any red meat, the taste was really good. I know all my chicken lovers friends going to love this dish. I just cooked the ground chicken with lots of spices and after removing from the flame I added some frozen peas.

Ingredients:

1.Ground Chicken: 500 gm.

2.Frozen peas: one cup.

3.One large chopped onion.

4.One small chopped tomato.

5.One table spoon ginger garlic paste.

6.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder Garam  Masala (half tea spoon of each item).

7.Black cardamom: 1, Green cardamom: 1, Bay leave: 1, Clove: 3: Cinnamon stick: 1 small.

8.One tea spoon beaten yogurt.

9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Chopped fresh coriander leaves: A hands full 

11.Canola oil for cooking.

Process:

In a heavy bottomed vessel add two to three table spoon of canola oil allow it to hot, now slowly add all the whole garam masala and saute for few seconds. Now add the chopped onions and some sugar and cook till it transparent.

Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off, now add all the spices powder and cook for few mints.

Now add the minced chicken with some salt and cook in high flame till the chickens are tender now reduce the heat and add the chopped tomatoes and cook with a lid.

Now remove the lid and add the beaten yogurt and mix well and cook for another couple of mints or till the oil come out from the chicken.

Now add the frozen peas and mix well, and finally add the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

Cook in medium heat for few mints, now remove from the heat.

Your easy and yummy KEEMA MATAR is ready serve hot with plain roti or chapatti.

Methi Malai Matar.

Took a small break from my blog world because my husband was not in the country so I was actually not in a mood to cook anything special for me and my daughter. He came back on last weekend so I also got some inspiration and energy to cook something special and different for him. But while entering into the kitchen my mind was completely empty, there was some fresh methi leaves in my fridge so I thought to prepare some dish with the methi leaves. And finally I prepared some delicious METHI MALAI MATAR.

The specialty of this dish is fresh methi leaves and peas /Matar which makes it super yummy with some fresh cream. The recipe is super easy which I ate long time back in one of my friends house. This dish is perfect with plain roti or paratha.

Ingredients:

1.Fresh Methi Leaves: 1 bunch.

2.One cup frozen peas.

3.One medium sliced onion.

4.Two clove chopped  garlic.

5.One inch chopped ginger.

6.One table spoon charmagaz (melon seeds).

7.Pinch of garam masala, Pinch of cumin powder, Pinch of red chili powder, Pinch of kasoori methi.

8.Few cumin seeds, few cloves, few cardamom.

9.Half cup milk.

10.Two table spoon fresh cream.

11. Salt and sugar as per taste.

12.Sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Wash and chopped the methi leaves and keep it aside.

Now add one tea spoon oil in a vessel and allow it to hot, now add the cloves and cardamoms now add the sliced onions, chopped ginger, chopped garlic and fry for some time.

Now add the melon seeds and saute for few seconds now switch of the flame and allow it to cool down.

Now make a fine paste with some water with the fried ingredients and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil in the same vessel and allow it to hot, then add the cumin seeds and next add the frying onion paste and cook till the raw smell goes off.

Now add the chopped methi leaves and mix well and cook with a lid for 5 mints in low flame.

Now remove the lid and add the frozen peas and cook for another 5 mints with the lid, next add some salt, sugar, red chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, kasoori methi and mix well and cook for another couple of mints.

Now add the milk and cook for 4 to 5 mints in low flame with a lid and finally add the fresh cream and mix well and cook for 2 more mints with the lid.

Now remove the lid and your easy METHI MALAI MATAR is ready serve hot with Roti or Paratha.

Red Velvet Cake: V-Day special

Red is the color of love that’s why Valentine’s Day means red color everywhere.  For V-Day special I made some spinach cheese tart so I thought to make something red which will make our day perfect. And without a perfect dessert any celebration becomes dull. So finally I made some RED VELVET CAKE to celebrate the special V-Day.

The specialty of the cake is the RED COLOR and this cake is layered with some cream cheese filling. As I told before baking is not my cup of tea so this time also I was little nervous but after seeing the cake my husband's expression was best V-Day gift for me.

Ingredients:

1.All purpose flour: 2 cup.

2.Sugar: 2 cup.

3.Eggs: 3.

4.Butter: 1 slice (softened)

5.Baking powder: 1 tea spoon.

6.Salt: ½ tea spoon.

7.Two table spoon: Brown sugar.

8.One table spoon vanilla essence.

9.Three table spoon coco powde

10.Butter Milk: 1 cup.

11.Red food color: 2 table spoon

12.Some extra butter and flour for greasing.

For frosting:

1.One cup Unsalted butter.

2.Two cup powdered  sugar

3.Half cup cream cheese.

4.One table spoon vanilla essence.

Process:

For Cake:

Pre heat the oven in 175C.

In a big bowl add the sugar and butter mix till it light and fluffy about 5 mints.

Now add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.

Then add the vanilla essence and mix well. Finally add the red food color and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and backing powder, coco powder, brown sugar nicely.

Now slowly add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat just until combined.

Now flour and grease two same size cake pans and bake two same size cakes for 30 to 35 mints or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool it for 10 mints, then take out the cakes from the pan and place them in a cool rack.

Now make the frosting:

 In a bowl add the butter, powder sugar, cream cheese and vanilla essence and mix well.

Now in a plate first place one cake then spread the cream cheese on top of that like a layer now place another cake and same way spread the cream cheese all the sides of the cake smooth the surface.

I just decorated the cake with some crushed candy which makes the cake more tasty but you can use any other things to decorate your cake.

Enjoy your RED VELVET CAKE WITH YOUR LOVED one.

Cheese Spinach Tart

Any special day always makes us happy and some days are close to our hearts because most of us having memories with some special days. And like me all of you also have lots of good memories with this special day called “VALENTINE’S DAY”. The day to express love to your loved ones, for me every day is “Valentine’s Day “if your loved ones are with you. But still there is some special essence of the day which we can’t ignore. I wanted to surprise my husband with some special food which I never made before. I was not sure before making it but I was actually surprised after tasted the SPINACH CHEESE TART MY V-DAY special food for my husband.

Before trying any new baking dish I get so nervous but every time I become more and more confident or I can say it’s the best learning process.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1.1   ½ cup all purpose flour.

2.1 stick cold butter.

3.1/4 tea spoon salt.

4.1 tea spoon sugar.

5.Chilled water: half cup.

For the filling:

1.Two fresh bunch of spinach.

2.One medium size chopped onion.

3.Eggs:4.

4.Light cream: 1 cup.

5.One table spoon butter.

6.One cup cheddar and mozzarella  cheese shredded.

7.One tea spoon salt.

8.Pinch of ground nutmeg.

9.Pinch of cayenne pepper.

Process:

For the crust:

In a bowl add the flour, salt and sugar and mix well, now add the cold butter and mix well till the butter mixed completely.

Now add the chilled water one table spoon at a time and slowly make dough don’t over mix it.

Form the dough on to a round shape and wrap with a plastic wrap and keep thin refrigerator for 30 mints.

Now pre heat the oven in 450F, now in a oven proof bowl roll the crust dough and crimp the edges just like my photo.

Now partially bake the pie crust for 7 to 8 mints

Now for filling :

Finely chopped the spinach, now add the chopped spinach into some boiling water with  some salt just for 3 to 4 mints.

Now drain the hot water and squeeze all the extra water from the spinach, you can use some tissue paper to completely dry the spinach.

Now add some butter in a pan and saute the chopped onions till the onions are soft, now add the drained spinach and some salt and cook for few mints.

Now in a separate bowl whisked the eggs, salt, cayenne pepper, nutmeg powder, cream and combine well.

Now pour the fried spinach and onions on top of the pie crust, now sprinkle the cheese on top of the spinach and onions.

Now pour the beaten egg mixture on top of everything.

Now bake it on 350F for 25 to 30 mints or until a knife inserted into the center smoothly. (Please check after 15 mints)

Now remove the tart from the oven and allow it to set up at least for 30 mints.

Now enjoy your SPINACH CHEESE TART with your loved ones.

Tea stall style "S" Biscuits

Few memories will never fade from our mind because almost with every memory we have lots of stories. Like I remember asking my parents to buy a cup of tea from any road side TEA STALL when our parents used to have tea while going for any trip and most of the time my parents used to give me bakery biscuits from the shop. I really love all those fresh bakery biscuits and among all the biscuits my favorite one is “S” shape biscuits. I don’t remember when the last time I had the biscuit. Today from the morning I wanted to prepare some plain flour biscuits so I started searching in the web but did not get any suitable recipe for it so I just made it in my way.

While eating the biscuits with a cup of tea I was floating on my childhood days. This one is a very easy recipe and you gonna love it.

Ingredients:

1.Plain flour: 1 cup.

2.Freshly crushed pepper: ¼ tea spoon.

3.Any seasoning I used Italian seasoning: ¼ tea spoon.

4.Baking powder: ½ tea spoon.

5.Baking soda: a pinch of.

6.Olive oil: ¼ cup.

7.Few fennel seeds.

8.Salt : ¼ tea spoon or as per taste.

9.Sugar: 1 tea spoon.

10.Water ¼ cup if you need more then use slowly.

Process:

Pre heat the oven in 350 degree F or 180 degree C.

Now in a bowl whisked the flour, salt, sugar, crushed pepper, seasoning, fennel seeds, baking powder and soda then mix all nicely.

Now add the oil slowly and mix with the flour mixture.

Now add the enough water to make smooth dough.

Now with the dough make 10 to 12 small balls, now with every ball make some long rope.

Now fold the rope like “S” and this way make all the biscuits like my photo.

Now spread a butter paper on top of the oven proof tray, now place the biscuits on that.

Now bake it for 40 mints, just flip it after 20 mints so both the sides bake properly. Now take out the tray from the oven and place the biscuits in a cold rack.

Enjoy your “S” biscuits with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Baked Dhoka or Baked Lentil Cakes.

Last few days my husband was asking me to make some DHOKAR DALNA OR LENTIL CAKE CURRY, but I just avoided making it because to fry the DHOKA OR LENTIL CAKES need lots of oil. Actually you need to deep fry the lentil cakes and that usually soaks lots of oil. But this curry is a very famous curry and one of the tastiest so because of this reason Bengali people can’t stop eating this dish. I got a very nice idea from one of my close friend Archita - she gave me a nice idea. Instead of deep frying the DHoka’s  I can bake it with just few drop of oil. Believe me I prepared the Baked Dhoka’s which is so good that I didn't find any difference from the frying ones. So if you are also trying to avoid excessive oil this way you can make perfect DHOKA.

Ingredients:

1.Chana dal or Bengal  gram: 1 cup.

2.One inch ginger.

3.Salt and sugar as per taste.

4.Few cumin seeds.

5.Two green chilies.

6.Pinch of cumin powder.

7.Two table spoon oil.

Process:

Wash and soak the chana dal for 1 hour, now in a grinder blend the dal with ginger and green chilies with some water.

Now in a vessel and 1 ½ table spoon of oil, now allow it to hot then add the cumin seeds let it crackle then add the chana dal paste with some salt sugar and cumin powder.

Stir it till the chana dal mixture become dry completely.

Now grease one plate with some oil and add the dry chana dal paste and spread across the plate proportionately.

Keep the plate in fridge for 10 mints. Now with a knife cut the Dhoka’s in some Rhombus size.

Now pre heat the oven 425 degree F, now grease one oven proof tray with some oil and place the dhoka’s on the tray.

Now bake it for 10 mints now flip the dhoka’s and bake it another 10 mints (all the ovens are different so check after every 5 mints).

Now remove the tray from the oven and your BAKED DHOKA OR LENTIL CAKE  is ready, you can eat this with plain rice and dal or make a normal Dhokar Dalna with this baked dhoka.