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Ganapati Bappa Moraya
2008-09-03 14:43:00 A very big Hello !!! to all my dear readers and blog friends. I am back after a very very long break and believe me I am now really really ready to blog again. My trip to India was super. It was one big social event. I was visiting friends and family left ,right and centre. Visited some nice restaurants too and ate lots of delicious stuff and inspite of all the hogging I did there I lost some weight. Isn't that amazing? I am very happy.And here I am with my latest dish that I have just prepared minutes ago and is fresh off the stove. I couldn't have chosen a better day than today to start blogging again . Yesss! It's Ganesh Chaurthi today . That special festival of Maharashtra which is celebrated for 10 days with great pomp all over the state. Before starting any new venture we believe in praying to Lord Ganesh or Ganapati Bappa as he lovingly called in Marathi. It is believed that Ganapati can remove any obstacles that may be a hindrance in your way to success and that is the re...
By: food-n-more
Kesar Rasmalai (Bollywood Cooking)
2008-05-04 22:29:00 Blogging has changed my outlook towards cooking. Cooking for me is no more just something that I do to fill our stomachs but it has acquired a completely different facet. I go to extreme lengths now to make the food look as good as it tastes. And when there is a blog event that challenges me to bring out the best in me I am definitely game. That's exactly what Meeta's Monthly Mingle has done. The theme she has presented us (or rather challenged us with) this month is Bollywood Cooking. It's a fabulous theme with a wide variety of dishes to explore. Glamorous as Bollywood is , I thought my dish had to be equally glamorous . And my Kesar Rasmalai is just that. It's elegant, sophisticated, and has just the right balance sweetness and creaminess. I also wanted to try out something from a different culture than mine.The other reason why I chose to make a Bengali sweet like Rasmalai is to celebrate all the beautiful Bengali actresses in Bollywood. Right from the beautiful Suchitra Sen...
By: food-n-more
Rasgulla - Traditional Bengali Sweet
2008-04-14 16:20:00 Gujaratis are famous for a sweet tooth, and though I grew up in a house that had racks of jars loaded with homemade sweets, I had an extra affinity for Bengali sweets like Rasgulla, Rasmalai and Sandesh, just because they have a juicy and rich texture made of ricotta cheese and khoya, and combined with "ras", made with either sugar syrup or milk, these delicious indian sweets never fail to impress! "Rasogullas", as they are called in West bengal, are favorites with not just the locals, people... Please Click the Title for the Full Post
By: Fun and Food
Mango Sheera (Sheer Indulgence)
2008-03-07 23:57:00 Mango Sheera (or Sweet Semolina flavoured with Alphonso Mango ) is a firm favourite in our house. Now Sheera which is traditionally flavoured with bananas tastes awesome and I have savoured it loads of times since childhood .But about 10 years back I tasted this modern variation with Alphonso Mango pulp and that too the fresh kind for the first time at my sister's and loved it. Surprisingly though I never made it myself till last year when I hosted a food stall.At the stall the initial reaction of most people when they read my menu was that of intrigue . Just as I had expected people were drawn to it as anything that has mango in it and particularly Alphonso mango is simply impossible to resist to any Maharashtrian. After savouring the first spoonful most of them were completely bowled over by the combination of the delicious flavours of mango and cardammom and ghee and soon I had people asking me for the recipe. Needless to say I had sold out all the Sheera in about 2 hours or so....
By: food-n-more
Shakkarai/Sweet Pongal/ Sweetened Rice with Jaggery
2008-01-24 11:02:00 Pongal festival is to celebrate the harvest festival and the first day of the Tamizh (Tamil Calendar Month) month. It is a festival that is spread over four days. Pongal in tamil means something that is overflowing. The act of boiling over of milk in the clay pot is considered to denote future prosperity ...
Badam Halwa (Sheero) with a Toor Dal Twist - A Healthy Fusion!!
2007-12-06 21:17:00 Some days you just feel like indulging in something sweet, and that too without a fuss! Of course, you can buy chocolates and cakes from outside, but there's an entirely different pleasure in making something sweet and delicious at home, and enjoy it while it fills your kitchen with a fragrance, right? Well, back in India, Sooji Halwa is one such simple sweet which is made in every household to cater to sweet cravings. But another favorite of mine has been the Badam Halwa, and this time I tried to add something healthier to it and cut down on the almonds and the fat they bring along with them; so I added the main ingredient of my another favorite - Puran Poli or Vedmi, and I made my own Toor dal and Badam Halwa, which tastes just as nice, with way fewer calories!Let me warn you that this is not your traditional rich halwa that is loaded with ghee, so if you are looking for a recipe for a festive occasion, just replace the toor dal below with almonds and go for the original Badam Ha...
By: Fun and Food
Kesar Rasmalai - Diwali Special !!
2007-11-09 19:15:00 Diwali is one of the most popular Indian festival and would always remain to be so. Though each region in India has a special way of celebrating it, and a unique story behind it, in the northern part of India it is celebrated as the return of "Ram (a lord king) along with Sita (his wife) and Lakshman (his brother)" from his 14 years of exile after his victory over Ravana (obviously, the demon king!). To commemorate his return to Ayodhya (his birthplace), his subjects illuminated the kingdom and burst crackers. Hence, following the tradition, Indians celebrate it by enjoying sweets, music, fireworks and family get-togethers. The day after Diwali also heralds the beginning of a New financial year for some of the Hindus. So here's a beautiful, spectacular and rich-looking Indian dessert recipe (traditionally a bengali sweet) that I am sure many of you must have tasted in Indian restaurants - the Kesar Rasmalai!Ingredients4 cups whole milk for channa1 cup sugar3 cups of water6-7 strand...
By: Fun and Food
Gulkand and Khoya Burfi
2007-10-23 19:44:00 "Diwali", the most famous Indian festival is around the corner, and it's time to make some nice sweets and snacks at home. Actually, navratri season is still on as "Dassehra" just got over 2 days ago, and people are eagerly waiting for Diwali, which is rightly known as the festival of lights, food and prosperity. It's a known legend that "Lakshmi", the goddess of wealth and "Ganpati", the god of health and prosperity, can be wooed to bless your home and family by offering them with luscious sweets, so how was I going to stay behind?? After all, we all need God's blessings, right? So here's something that you can make too to sweeten your festive season, a Gulkand and Mava Burfi which is simple to make and tastes awesome! "Gulkand" is basically rose syrup that has a unique flavor, and an ever more scintillating aroma, thanks to the rose extract. In Ayurveda, is is considered highly cooling for the body and has several other medicinal properties. It will not only make your dessert ...
By: Fun and Food
Coconut Laddoos (or Burfi) - A quick and tasty treat!
2007-10-04 18:47:00 The season of festivals is in all its glory for Indians, with one celebration after another all lined up till November! So its traditional to make sweets at home, but what about people who just have a sudden urge to cater to their sweet tooth, celebration or not??!! Well, I have a perfect solution! I have enjoyed eating Koprapaak (Coconut Burfi) since I was a child, and now I've found a really simple recipe that works great when you need to make this treat in a jiffy. So here's something to satiate your craving for a dessert, or a perfect "prasad" for all those festival times....Ingredients1 can condensed milk2 cups dessicated coconut2 tsp cardamom powder2 tbsp sugar1/4 cup nuts - chopped (pistachios, almonds, cashews)A few strands of saffron - to decorateMethodKeep a little coconut and a few pistachios aside for garnishing. Mix the condensed milk and the remaining coconut in a bowl. Add the sugar and elaichi powder and stir on a low flame for about 4-5 mins. The milk is already t...
By: Fun and Food
Almond Cookies (Eggless Nankhatai)
2007-09-26 19:53:00 Cookies are a top-rated snack food, and every household, especially with kids, is bound to have a jar filled with cookies. One such type of cookie famous in India is called "Nankhatai". It can be made salty and spicy, or sweet and soft. It is best enjoyed with tea, but beleive me, these tiny tots are so tasty and mouth-watering your hand would reach out for them any time of the day! Here's a recipe for Almond Cookies or Nankhatai which I adapted from my sister-in-law's version. It does not use eggs, yet is soft and chewy. Her kids love these cookies, so I'm sure it'll be a hit with your kids too!!Ingredients2 cups All-purpose flour (Maida)1 cup powdered sugar (or adjust to taste)1/2 cup butter or ghee2 tbsp baking powder3 tbsp milk powder12-15 pieces of almonds - slit in halves, skin removed (you can even use peanuts)4 tsp almond essence (you can use vanilla if almond is not available)Cookie cutter (optional)MethodHeat the oven to 350° F. Lightly coat a large baking tray with bu...
By: Fun and Food
Sukhdi or Golpapadi (Wheatflour dessert)
2007-09-19 21:36:00 Sukhdi or GolPapadi is a famous gujarati sweet made of wheat flour and jaggery. Even today, if you visit a traditional gujarati household, 8 times out of 10 you will find their pantry stuffed with tins full of "spicy naastas" and sweet delights like matthri, shakkarpara, sukhdi, mohanthaal and more! My mom used to make them so well, and I still remember coming back from school or classes and hogging down 2-3 pieces at a time. "Sukhdi" is an easy recipe, and what makes it more inviting is the fact that it can be stored for a fortnight or so without any problems. It is not too sweet, and combines the goodness of wheat, jaggery and ghee. So here's my mom's recipe straight out of my kitchen!Ingrdients2 cups whole wheat flour31/2 cups ghee1 1/2 cup jaggery - sliced thinly4 tbsp milkMethodTake a pan, add half of the ghee to it and add the wheat flour. saute the flour on medium heat while constantly stirring. As the flour tends to cook and change color, it will soak up all the ghee. keep...
By: Fun and Food
Churma Laddoos (Wheat Flour Ladoos)
2007-09-16 06:44:00 Lord Ganesha, the elephant-faced Indian God is famous in Indian and non-Indian households alike! Even my Chinese and American colleagues believe in his divine power. The symbol of prosperity, happiness, and success, legend says that praying to Ganpati with a true heart can solve all your troubles or problems. Stories about miracles created by this iconzed idol have been experienced in many households, and on this auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, millions of people in India would be following a tradition of ganesh puja for 10 days. Appealing to Lord Ganesha on this day, keeps your house and family protected and prosperous for the rest of the year! So here's what I offered to Shri Ganesh, churma laddoos (Wheat Flour Ladoos). This is his favourite dish, so I'm vouching on peace and prosperity in our house after serving him these!! But the credit of the result goes to my mom, for without her supervision and guidance, I don't think my laddoos would have come out so great! So here'...
By: Fun and Food
Malpua with Rose-flavoured Rabdi (Indian Pancakes)
2007-08-30 20:21:00 Everyone is familiar with pancakes and syrup, and its a dish savoured by a large number of people in and out of USA. But have you heard about the Indian pancakes?? Yes, we have a traditional dessert called "Malpua" (like a pancake) which is served with "Rabdi" (which acts like syrup). This is a popular dish in many parts of India (especially during Karva Chauth festival) and you can still see road-side vendors prepare fresh hot malpuas (while you watch and salivate:)) and serve it with the milk-based syrup topping. I enjoyed eating it a lot! A perfect balance of sweet and cream, it is an ideal dessert for any festival, Indian or not!!IngredientsFor the Malpuas and Sugar Syrup1 cup maida or all-purpose flour1/4 tsp baking powder1/2 gallon (about 1 litre) milk1 1/2 cups waterA few strands of saffron1 tsp cardamom powder1/2 cup sugarGhee(clarified butter)or oil for fryingFor the Rabdi (recipe described below)3 cups whole milk2 large tbsp un-sweetened condensed milk3 tbsp sugar2 tsp ros...
By: Fun and Food
Dry Fruit Basundi - and Happy Rakhi to all Brothers and Sisters!!
2007-08-28 21:15:00 Rakshabandhan or "Rakhi" is a festival for brothers and sisters throughout India, though it is mainly celebrated in Western India. On this day a sister ties a rakhi, or a sacred thread on her brother's hand. This signifies an eternal bond between the siblings. She then prays for the long life, success and happiness of her brother, and in return, the brother promises to protect her, always take care of her and try to keep her happy for the rest of the life. This is celebrated every year on the Poonam (Full moon day) of the month of "Shravana" (the most religious month for Hindus). My brother and bhabhi (brother's wife) had invited us for lunch this sunday and luckily for us, my parents and my in-laws, both visiting us from India- were also present on this auspicious day and we had lots of food, fun and laughter!! My Bhabhi had made "Dry Fruit Basundi" for us and it was sooooo good that I could hardly keep my eyes open after I gulped down 2 bowls full of this wonderful Indian sweet ...
By: Fun and Food
Kesar-Elaichi Shrikhand
2007-08-15 05:36:00 This is 21st century, which means no one is "allowed" to spend more time on anything than absolutely necessary. So how can we not implement this principle in cooking? And the new alternatives available for traditional cooking make it even more easy to make something great in a jiffy! So, "Ring out the old, ring in the new, when you run out of yoghurt, sour cream comes to your rescue"(yup, I'm an established poet too:)!!!)Shrikhand(photo courtesy gujaratplus.com) is a well-known and highly-loved dessert in India that is simple to make and tastes very nice. You don't need to be an Indian to enjoy it. And saffron(kesar) and cardamom(elaichi) are the best friends of anything sweet! Traditionally, Shrikhand is made from hung curd, which used to be a lot of pain as it took hours. But this recipe of mine uses Sour Cream instead of yoghurt, which gives it a better texture and flavour, and you can make a perfect dessert in a very short time! The idea sparked when we had a pot-luck party du...
By: Fun and Food
Puran Poli
2007-08-11 17:10:00 Every region of India has a variety of cuisine, and no matter what region you come frm, everyone has a sweet tooth. Puran Poli is something like a sweet chapati (flat wheat bread)which is quite common in Gujaratis and Maharashtrians. The version I describe below is from Gujarat. This is my brother's absolute favourite, and I still remember the 2 of us fighting for an extra piece as our mom sat watching, horrified yet smiling!! Hope you enjoy it as well.Ingredients3 cups Wheat FlourWater for kneading1 pinch Salt2 tsp Ghee1 1/2 cup Jaggery or Sugar1 1/4 cup Toor Dal1/4 tsp Cardamom Powder1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder(jaifal)MethodPut the dal in the cooker to pressure-cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain the excess water and let it cool a little. Then grind it slightly, not dding any water to it. Put a huge saucepan to heat, add the dal mix, add jaggery/sugar and the nutmeg and cardamom powder. Keep stirring constantly so that no lumps are formed in the mixture. This mixture tends to bubble and splut...
By: Fun and Food
Coconut Cream Barfi (Jihva for Ingredients: Coconut)
2006-12-27 14:55:00 It was my idea that my posts during Christmas would be my last ones before leaving for India on my holiday, but Ashwini's event with Coconut as the chief ingredient was too good to miss. So I had to do it. This recipe has been on my mind since I saw Coconut Burfi-Fudge made by Saffronhut. Her photos were so tempting that I knew I had to make them. When I made these I did not follow her recipe but just used whatever was available at home and in whatever quantities . The result was not as picturesque as hers but taste gorgeous.What I used:2 cups grated frozen coconut,1.5 cups sugar,1/2 cup double cream,1 tspn cardammom powder,1 generous pinch saffronProcedure:Heat a heavy bottom panMix the first 3 ingredients in the pan and cook on a gentle flame till the mixture begins to get dry at the edges. This takes about 25 mins,After the mixture starts moving along with the spatula switch off the heat and add the cardammom powder and the saffron strands mixed in a small amount of warm milk.St...
By: food-n-more
Teratti Paal - Mother of all Tambram sweets in Diwali Blogging - III
2006-10-20 13:53:00 Continued from Diwali Blogging- I and II.....It's not like I've been going crazy cleaning and cooking. Nankhatais were made almost 10 days ago. Khajas were made last Sunday. Then there was a big break. My domestic help fell ill and I managed whatever cleaning I could do by myself...I can see all my friends in the US say- No maids here! But the kind of dust that settles on everything that has stayed in one place for more than 5 minutes, is so typically BOMBAY. I often tell DH, if I didn't move for a couple of hours, I'd be covered with dust myself.The baked Karanjis took shape 3 days ago and then it was only today that I decided to make the stuff for the finale. Since I'd bought some extra milk for the day, I wanted to make a milk based sweet. I thought - why not Teratti Paal? For all those who aren't familiar with this one - this recipe has only two ingredients - Milk and Sugar. Milk is boiled and boiled some more (read as atleast 40 minutes per Litre) - to obtain a semi solid...
By: Saffron Trail
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