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.

Veg Sandwich: My Simple Brunch.

Most of the mornings I get really busy with my daughter and all my household works, so I don’t get time to have my breakfast in time. So I prefer to make brunch for me. It’s time saving and perfect for a busy day. I know skipping breakfast is not a good job but some time we are helpless. One of my very favorite brunch items is simple VEG SANDWICH with a slice of fruit or any Juice.

Today I was really busy with my cleaning and washing so very quickly I made this sandwich for my brunch. And my daughter loves this too which is really good for me because she is very choosy about food. This type of sandwich is good for lunch box and small picnic also.

Ingredients:
1.Normal Bread: 2 piece.
2.Finely chopped carrots, Onions, Green peppers and green peas: ½ cup.
3.One medium size boiled potato.
4.One slice cheddar cheese.
5.One table spoon bread crumbs.
6.Pinch of black pepper powder.
7.Salt and sugar as per taste.
8.One tea spoon butter.
9.One tea spoon vegetable oil.

For Chutney:
1.Chopped coriander leaves: a hands full.
2.Few mint leaves.
3.One green chili.
4.Very little amount of ginger.
5.Salt and sugar as per taste.

Process:

For making chutney, in a blender add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, ginger and green chili and blend it. Now add the lime juice and little salt and sugar mix well. Your coriander chutney is ready for sandwich.

Now in a vessel add the oil and slowly add the chopped veggies with some salt, sugar and black pepper powder and cook for 5 to 6 mint in low flame with a lid. Now remove from heat.

Now smash the boiled potato with a pinch of salt, now make two small balls with that. Take one ball in your palm and flatten it now add the cooked veggies on top of that. Now take the other ball and flatten it with the hand and cover the veggies and make a stuffed round flat shape ball. 

Sprinkle some bread crumbs all over the stuffed ball. Now in a frying pan add some oil and pan fry the stuffed flat ball till both the side turn brown. Now remove from heat.

Take one bread spread some butter first, now spread the coriander chutney, now place the cheese slice on top. Now place the fried stuffed ball on top. Now take the other bread and spread some chutney now place the bread on the top of the stuffed ball (the side you spread the chutney must be on down).

Now in dry frying pan in medium heat place the sandwich and fry both the sides till they turn little crispy and brownish do it very carefully.

Your easy and super first VEG SANDWICH is ready enjoy your brunch. 

Chocolate Cookies: For All Chocolate Lovers.

When I started my blog that time I thought it’s may be a time pass for me, but slowly I got addicted with my blog. Every day I started to cook something new which I love to share with my friends. Previously my photos were not good but slowly I learnt how to improve, still I have to improve a lot. When someone appreciates my works that gives me so much of energy to work on my next post, and today I am posting my 200th recipe. This is really a big achievement for me. 

To celebrate my special day I baked some easy CHOCOLATE COOKIES for the very first time. They turned out just perfect and I am so happy to share this with all of you. Cookies are really a favorite item for all of us and handmade cookies are always the best. These cookies are for my daughter and all the chocolate lovers. 

Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: 1-1/4 cup.
2.Egg: 2.
3.Butter: 1/4 cup softened.
4.Canola oil: 6 table spoon.
5.Brown Sugar: ¾ cup.
6.Sugar: ½ cup.
7.Baking cocoa Powder: ½ cup
8.Baking Powder: ½ tea spoon.
9.Vanila extract: 1 tea spoon.
10.Few Chopped almonds.

Process:

In a bowl beat the butter and oil, then add the sugar and beat well. 

Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.

Now add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Now in a separate bowl add the flour, baking cocoa and baking powder and combine together.

Now gradually add to butter mixture and mix well.

Now add the chopped almonds.

Now take one large oven proof tray, place an ungreased butter paper on top.

Now place one tea spoon of cookie batter into the tray (there should be enough place between the cookies to rise).

Now bake them in 350F for 10 to 15 mints or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 1 mint before removing from the pans.

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

Misti Cholar Dal

Today is Janmasthami - lord Krishna’s birthday, almost every part of India celebrate this auspicious day with lots of wishes and some mouthwatering dishes. For hindus lord Krishna is symbol of intelligence and we all believe that lord Krishna is a small kid and try to make him happy with our puja and prasad. 

Today I prepared few of the authentic Bengali dishes to celebrate JANMASTAMI, and among them one of my favorite dish is MISTI CHOLAR DAL or SWEET CHANA DAL. This one is a signature dish of Bengal and a perfect breakfast item. With LUCHI or PURI this dal just makes your breakfast perfect. My MAA made this with lots of love so I wanted to share my mother’s love with all of you.

Ingredients:
1.Cholar Dal or Chana Dal or Bengal Gram: One small cup.
2.One inch crushed ginger.
3.Few raisins.
4.Few cashew nuts.
5.One bay leave.
6.One dry red chili.
7.Few cumin seeds.
8.One small cinnamon stick.
9.Turmeric powder: 1 tea spoon.
10.Cumin Powder: Half tea spoon.
11.Bhaja Masla: ½ tea spoon (few cumin seeds, 2 dry red chili and  few coriander seeds, dry roast them and grind them). Garam Masla : ½ tea spoon.
12.Shreded coconut: 1 table spoon..
13.Chopped coconut (small bite size): one tea spoon.
14.Mustard oil for cooking.
15.Few drop of ghee.
16.Salt and sugar as per taste.

Process:

Boil the dal in a pressure cooker with some salt around 3 to 4 weasel (don’t over boil the dal).

Now take one heavy bottomed vessel and add the mustard oil, after the oil become hot add the cumin seeds, bay leave, cinnamon stick and the dry red chili, stir for few seconds.

Now reduce the heat and add the raisins and the cashew nuts and fry for few seconds.

Now add the crushed ginger, turmeric powder and cumin powder and stir for few seconds.

Now add the shredded coconut stir for few seconds, then add the boiled dal with the water and add some salt and sugar.

Cook with a lid in medium flame till the dal boil completely and a nice gravy come out with the water which we added while adding the boiling dal. Now add the garam masala and mix well.

Now in a separate vessel add the ghee and fry the chopped coconut till they turn little brownish.

Now serve the dal in a bowl and sprinkle the bhaja masla on top and garnish with fried chopped coconut. Enjoy this hot dal with some Luchi or Puri.

Chaler Payes or Kheer or Rice Pudding

Today is Janmasthami the lord krishna’s birthday, almost every part of India celebrate this auspicious day with lots of wishes and some mouthwatering dishes. For hindus lord Krishna is symbol of intelligence  and we all believe that lord Krishna is a small kid and try to make him happy with our puja and prasad. 
  

From the childhood days I saw my MAA to celebrate this day with lots of different Prasad. And I love to follow my mother's footsteps and after my marriage every year I tried to do something in KRISHNAASTAMI. Today I made few things and among them the most authentic dish is PAYES or RICE PUDDING. Bengali style payes is really a delicious dish which is made with lots of milk, rice and dry fruits. My husband loves payes a lot so I thought to share my MAA's payes recipe with all of you.

Ingredients:
1.Milk:1 Litter.
2.Gobindobhog rice: A hands full or two table spoon.
3.Sugar: 5 table spoon.
4.Raisins: 10 to 12.
5.Cashew nuts: 10 to 12.
6.Few Chopped pistachios:
7.Few Chopped almonds.
8.Cardamom: 2 piece.
9.Half tea spoon ghee.

Process:

Add the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel in medium flame and cook till the milk become half in quantity (stir in between).

Now add the cardamom pieces, cashew nuts and raisins.

Wash and clean the rice, now add the ghee on the rice and mixed it well.

Now add the rice in the boiling milk and cook till the rice boil (add the rice after the milk is reduced in quantity so that the rice will not over boil till it finish and while eating you can understand that rice is there). Now cook this in very low flame.

Now add the sugar and cook till the milk become thick. 

Your PAYES or KHEER or PAYESAM or RICE PUDDING is ready garnish with the chopped pistachios and almonds, serve hot or cold. 

Dry Fruit Sandesh With Kheer

As a foodie when you’re eager to eat something you just can’t stop yourself to make it. Most of the times it happened with me, every month I thought this month no sweet dish for me because it has lots of calories. But in my home my husband needs some dessert after dinner so do I. 

I made some easy dry fruit sandesh with kheer on top. They were so delicious and perfect that you cant resist yourself to finish them as soon as you can. Sometime just think about your tummy nothing else which makes you feel happy.

Ingredients:

1.Chana/Paneer/ Inidan Cottage Cheese: 100 gm.
2.Sugar: 3 table spoon.
3.Chopped cashew nuts: ½  tea spoon.
4.Chopped pistachios: ½  tea spoon.
5.Chopped almonds: ½ tea spoon.
6.Khoya or Malk Powder: 2 Table spoon.
7.Few saffron strands.
8.Milk Maid: 1 table spoon.
9.Milk: ½ cup.
10.Freshly crushed cardamom.
11.Few drop of ghee.

Process:

How to make chana or Paneer click on the Paneer or Chana and go through the link.

Now knead the chana with your palm tightly, so that no lamb is there.

Now take on heavy bottomed vessel and add few drop of ghee, now add the chana and sugar and stir continuously till the sugar melt.

Now add the khoya and mix well. Now add the freshly crushed cardamom and all chopped dry fruits nad mix well till the mixture become dry remove from heat.

Now in a plate spread the chana mixture in square shape and keep thin fridge for 30 mints.

Now make the kheer, for making kheer in a heavy bottomed vessel and the milk. When the milk start boiling adds the milk maid and the saffron strands and keep stirring till the mixture become thick. 

Now take out the chana mixture from the fridge and spread the kheer on top of the chana mixture.

Keep it in fridge for 30 mints just to settle down the kheer on top.

Now cut the sandesh in square shape and garnish with some pistachios. Your easy dry fruit sandesh is ready serve and enjoy.

Homemade Paneer or Indian Cottage Cheese or Chana

Paneer or Indian Cottage cheese is a tasty and healthy for all of us. There is so many  Paneer preparation which we all love to have. But after shifted in Canada i am really not that fortunate to find good quality paneer (now i know from where i can get it), so i started making paneer at home. First or second time the result was not that good.But slowly i am able to make fine quality Paneer like shop. And sometime my husband don't even understand that the Paneer is home made or from shop. Few of my friends are asking for Home made paneer recipe so my this recipe for them.

Preparation time: 10 mints.
U need 4 to 5 hr to get good quality paneer.

Ingredients:
1.Heavy creamy Milk (i use 3.5%): 1 liter.
2.Half cup Vinegar.
3.Half cup water.
4.One cheese cloth.

Process:

Put Milk in a heavy bottomed vessel, when it starts boiling adds the Lime juice. Slowly the milk 
turn into chena.(when the water turn into green colour).

Drain the cheana in a cotton or cheese cloth. Wash the chena under running cold water so the flavor of lime juice will goes off.

Now squeeze the water and tightly make a knot and hang the chena for 2 to 3 hr. And after that put something heavy on top of the cloth wrapped Paneer for another 2  hr.

Now slowly open the knot and cut the Paneer in any shape.

Stuffed Alur Dam

We may get bored with all other vegetables but never feel bore to have POTATO. The love towards potato will never end. And especially we Bengali’s just can’t think any curry without potato. Same for my husband, he also loves potato very much, if I ever ask him what vegetable  you want to have with Roti or Chapati his answer always the same any potato curry. That’s why I want to make potato curry in different style.

In Biye Bari or Wedding party a very famous dish is stuffed potato curry and one of my favorite items. Once I tried this at home long time before so I thought to share the recipe with all of you. There are so many recipes in the web but I cooked it in my own process. Potato is something which makes a dish perfect and tasty so you can’t stop yourself to make this dish.

Ingredients:

1.Two large potato.
2.Paneer or Indian cottage cheese: 100 gm.
3.Ten to Twelve chopped cashew nuts.
4.Eight to ten chopped raisin.
5.One table spoon smashed khoya or Milk Powder, One tea spoon corn flour.
6.One large sliced onion.
7.Two to three clove garlic.
8.One inch ginger.
9.Two chopped green chilies.
10.One medium chopped tomato. Chopped coriander leaves: A hands full.
11.Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Kashmiri red chili powder (Half tea spoon of each item).
12. Pinch of Garam Masala.
13.One bay leave, Few clove, Few cardamom, Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili. 
14.One tea spoon curd.
15.One table spoon fresh cream.
16.Salt and sugar as per taste.
17.Sunflower oil for cooking.
18.Half tea spoon ghee.

Process:

Pill and boil the potatoes. Let it cool now smashed it with your hand and keep it in refrigerator for 30 mints (just to dry the smashed potatoes).

Now in a bowl add the paneer, khoya, chopped raisin and cashew nuts, pinch of salt, pinch of cumin powder and chopped green chilies. Now mix them all and make soft dough.

Now take out the smashed potato from the refrigerator and add pinch of salt and corn flour, and mix well. Now make small balls with the smashed potatoes, in each ball make a hole in the middle and add some paneer mixture on it and join the edges and make a stuffed ball.

Now add Ghee or Sunflower oil in a vessel and fry the stuffed potato balls in high flame till they turn little brown and remove from the heat.

Now for gravy, make a paste with onion, tomato, garlic and ginger with some water.
Now in a vessel and some oil, and slowly add the whole garam masala, now add the onion paste and stir for some time.

Now in a bowl whisked the curd with all the spices powder and mix well with some salt and sugar.

Now add the curd mixture in to the vessel and cook this in medium heat with a lid for 8 to 10 mints or till the oil came out.

Now add some water and chopped coriander leaves and again cook this with a lid for 5 mints.

Now your gravy is almost ready, add the fresh cream and the fried potato balls and sprinkle some ghee and cover with a lid for 3 to 4 mints.

Your Stuffed potato curry is ready. Slowly take out the stuffed balls from the gravy and serve hot with Plain Paratha or NAAN.

Pita Bread, Pan Fried Falafel and Tahini Sauce: A Mediterranean Platter

While eating out one of our favorite stops is Mediterranean  Restaurant. Me my husband we both love to eat Mediterranean food, specially the Pita bread and the lovely sauce they serve with the platter. He always asked me to make some Mediterranean food for him at home, and I am not sure that I can make something like that. But if you never try, you may always feel the same.

Sunday night means something special at home and with a big dilemma I made up a Mediterranean Platter, PITA BREAD, FALAFEL AND TAHINI with some deshi style tandoori chicken. Everything turned out just awesome. Thanks to Google who helped me to find out some easy and delicious recipe but i change few things in my convinient. We had a wonderful dinner with a glass of French wine.

PITA BREAD:

Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: 2 cup.
2.Dry yeast: One table spoon.
3.Sugar: One tea spoon.
4.Salt: ¾ spoon.
5.Olive Oil: One tea spoon.
6.Vegetable oil: One Tea spoon.

Process:

Take half cup of warm water now add the sugar and mix well, then add the dry yeast and mix well. Keep it aside for 10 mints or waits till it rises.

Now take one bowl and pour the flour and salt mix well. Now in the middle add the olive oil and the dry yeast mixture and mix well with a spatula till it become soft dough.

Now knead the dough with your palm in a floury surface still the dough become smooth and soft.

Now keep the dough in a bowl, rub the vegetable oil on it and cover with a plastic sheet and keep this in warm place for 30 mints.

After 30 mints the dough become double in size, now take out the dough and place it in a floury surface and make it flat.

Now with a knife cut it from the middle, then again make some small pieces with dough. Now take each piece and make some round shape balls. Now keep the dough balls in a bowl and cover it with a plastic sheet for 10 mints.

After 10 mints take each ball, make a flat round shape roti with the help of a rolling pin.
Pre heat the oven in 250F.

Place the Pita Breads in an oven proof tray and bake the breads for 5 mints or till they puffed up. Now take out the breads from the oven.

Your Home Made Pita Bread is ready.

FALAFEL:

Ingredients:
1.Chickpeas: 1 cup.
2.One medium sliced onion.
3.Chopped Parsley: A handful.
4.Chopped Coriander: A handful.
5.Few cumin seeds.
6.Pinch of cumin powder, Pinch of coriander powder.
7.One clove garlic.
10.All-purpose flour: one table spoon.
11.Baking powder: 1 tea spoon.
12.Salt as per taste.
13.Sunflower oil for frying.

Process:

Soak the chickpeas overnight, or you can use some canned chickpeas also.

In food processor add the chickpeas, sliced onion, chopped parsley, chopped coriander and garlic and blend till it for 30 seconds.

Now in the food processor add the salt, baking powder, cumin seeds, cumin powder and coriander powder and blend it for 10 seconds.

Now take out the mixture from and add the flour and mix well. Make some flat balls with the mixture and keep them in refrigerator for 30 mints.

Just avoid extra oil I just fry them in a pan with very less oil, but usually you need to deep fry them. Fry till they turn brown all the sides. Remove from pan and soak the extra oil in a paper towel.

Your hot and easy FALAFEL is ready.

TAHINI SAUCE:

Ingredients:
1.Two table spoon sesame seeds paste or Tahini.
2.One table spoon plain yogurt.
3.One clove garlic paste.
4.One tea spoon olive oil.
5.One tea spoon lemon juice.
6.Pinch of salt.
7.Pinch of red chili powder.
8.Pinch of parsley flakes.

Process:

In a bowl whisked together the sesame seeds paste, garlic paste yogurt olive oil. Then add the salt, lemon juice, red chili powder, parsley flakes and mix well nicely.

Now keep this mixture in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serve. 

So easily you can make a Lebanese Platter for you and your family.