Kalakand

Finally its the day :4 and tomorrow My Ganesha will go away. Hoping he goes happy and promise to come back next year. For today's Bhog I prepared this milky Kalakand. Its one of my favourite mithai of all time.
The slight crumbly texture and the intense cardamom taste makes it a sweet to die for.
I have used freshly homemade paneer to make this.
The recipe is inspired by one of the fellow bloggers Priyanka Sushant Verma from Cook with Priyanka.

Kalakand

Ingredients
1cup Paneer (Homemade Paneer)
200ml Condensed Milk (Milkmaid)
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
10-12 Chopped Pistachios


Procedure:

• Make the fresh paneer using the recipe in the link.
• Now in a pan, add in the paneer and the milkmaid.
• Mix well.
• Keep stirring till it starts to leave the pan.
• At this point add in the cardamom powder.
• Mix well.
• Cook till most of the moisture goes away.
• Switch off the gas.
• Take a tray, grease it with ghee.
• Pour the mixture on the tray.
• When it cools down, cut into pieces. 



Kalakand

• Serve. 

Besan Ladoo

There is lot of Activity going on in the house these days. Ganpati at home so busy in making him happy. Preparing meals for him all day. Its the day : 3 and I prepared Besan Ladoos. I had made sure that everyday will make a new sweet for his Bhog. I am enjoying each and every day of Ganpati celebration at home, with loads of cooking going on.
This recipe is adapted from the Raks Kitchen.

Besan Ladoo

Makes 15 Ladoos

Ingredients:
1 CUP Besan Flour (Gram Flour)
1/2Cup Ghee
1Cup Powdered Sugar (You can also use Boora Sugar for preparing Beasan Ladoos )
1tbsp Cardamom Powder
8-10 Chopped almonds (keep few for garnishing)

Procedure:

• There is on traditional way of preparing Ladoos. Put ghee in a wok and roast besan in it.
• I have used a different method all together.
• Dry roast the besan in a kadhai till the raw smell of besan goes away.
• Make sure it does not start Browning from bottom so keep stirring.
• This whole process will take around 20-25 minutes.
• Now remove the flour from the stove.
• Sieve it.
• After sieving put it on the flame, add in the powdered sugar. mix well.
• Melt the ghee.
• Put it gradually seeing that it does not become too wet, as shaping them would be difficult. mix well
• Switch off the gas.
• Add in the cardamom powder and chopped almonds.
• Make them into ladoos once they become easy to handle.
• Garnish them with chopped almonds.
  

Indian Desert: Falooda Recipe

I remember having this awesome delight during my stay in Mumbai when I was here for the first time. We were staying in Holiday Inn, so one night after dinner, we were craving for some Indian desert. Pondering over the menu I came across Falooda read the description and found it quiet interesting, without second thought I ordered it. And so I discovered this awesome desert which is just superb with loads of flavours.
Then I came to know that it is the famous street food of Mumbai, Again I ate this in Chowpatty. So I  just wanted to try this at home.
Its quiet a simple dish to prepare and all the ingredients are readily available.You need to make little effort in finding the sabja seeds, I odered  it online from Big basket.com. Will review it in one of my posts later.

Falooda 

Yield:
Makes one Glass

Ingredients:
1glass of Milk (Full Cream)
50gms Falooda Sev or Vermicelli
2tbsp Rose Syrup
2scoops of Kesar Pista Kulfi (you can use any variant)
1tbsp Sabja Seeds (Sweet Basil)

Procedure:

• Soak Sabja seeds for at least one hour before making the desert.
• Boil the Falloda sev or vermicelli in water till its done.
• Remove the water once it is cooked, add the cooked noodles in milk.
• Add in sugar 1tsp and rose 1tbsp rose syrup.
• Cook this for five minutes.
• Remove it from gas. Allow it to cool.
• Keep it the freezer or refrigerator untill it is chilled.

For Serving:

• Take a tall glass, add in 1tbsp of Rose syrup at the bottom of the glass.
• Now add in sabja seeds.
• Pour the milk over it.
• Add in kesar pista kulfi.
• Serve chilled.

Falooda

Sooji Ka Halwa (Semolina Halwa)

I am blogging like after 3 months. Lot of happenings. Left Chennai shifted to Mumbai and now finally settled here.

Its the onset of winters. u dont have much of a winter here in Mumbai but I guess the feeling of it does not go, So I made this Sooji ka Halwa quiet common in all the households.... The best part of having this halwa is straight from the pan, when it done and its burning hottt....!!

Sooji ka Halwa

Ingredients:
1 cup Sooji (Semolina)
1/2 cup Ghee
1 cup Sugar
4 cups of Water
1tsp Cardamom powder
Raisins and almonds and Cashewnuts



Procedure:

• Heat ghee in a pan, add in sooji.
• Roast it on medium flame stirring continuously till it turns golden in colour.
• In the meanwhile, in another vessel make a sugar syrup with sugar + water + cardamom powder.
• The sugar syrup needs to be of one thread consistency.
• When the sooji is roasted well, add in the sugar syrup, stirring continuously
• Add in the nuts
• Serve hot

Coconut Ladoo

Living in the state which is surrounded by coconuts everywhere, made me try out this awesome little ladoos made with coconut and Milkmaid.
Its simple and really easy to make.

Coconut Ladoos

Ingredients:
1 tin Milkmaid
100g Milk Powder (Dairy Whitener)
5 cups Fresh Coconut (Grated)
1cup Dry coconut (Desiccated Coconut)
1tsp Cardamom Powder
Few Muffin Cups

Procedure:

Coconut Ladoos

• Take a thick bottomed kadahi or pan, add in grated fresh coconut + condensed milk + Milk powder.
• Add in cardamom powder.
• Heat the mixture, stirring continuously, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Lower the flame, and cook till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan.
• Remove from fire, and let it cool down.
• When it is cooled, roll into ladoo.
• Roll it in the dry coconut.
• Place it individually into the muffin liners.
• Store in a air tight container.

Shelf life: 3-4 days

Makes around 20 ladoos

Rice Kheer

Rang Barse Bheege chunarwali Rang Barse..... Holi Hain... The Festival of colors.. I just like humming this song a lot on the day of Holi. I guess its the best song ever for this festival. I think most of my readers wud agree with this.
And this festival without any sweets is incomplete. So I am posting a very simple recipe of Kheer.

Rice Kheer

Ingredients:
100gms Basmati Rice (or any Long-grained Rice)
1tsp Cardamom Powder
1kg Milk
100gms Sugar
Mixed dry fruits (Almonds + Raisins)

Procedure:

• Soak rice for 1 hour before making the kheer.
• Take a Handi or a tambe ka lagan boil milk in it.
• After one boil lower the flame.
• Add in cardamom powder. Let it simmer on low flame for about 20 minutes till it reduces in quantity.
• Now add in the soaked rice.
• Let the rice cook in milk for about 15 minutes.
• If it starts to thicken you can add more milk.
• Add in sugar and dry fruits. Mix well.
• After 5 minutes switch off the gas.
• Serve it hot or cold.
• Garnish with almonds flakes.  

Shahi Tukda

Shahi Tukdas are my all time favourite Indian Sweet dish. It is both sweet and crunchy at the same time. I always try making it in different ways so that every time I eat it has something new to offer. I came across this recipe on Facebook on Nestle Milkmaid Sweet Moments Page, so I couldn't resist to make it.

Shahi Tukda

Ingredients:
1/2 tin Milkmaid (Condensed Milk)
1cup Milk
1tbsp Cornflour
2-3tbsp Milk (Separate)
1tsp Cardamom Powder
8 Slices Bread
Mixed Nuts ( Almonds+ Pistachios + Cashews)
Oil/ghee to Fry
Silver Vrak

For the Sugar Syrup:
1cup Sugar
1cup Water

Procedure:
For the Milk Mixture:

• Make a paste of cornflour with 2-3tbsp of milk. Mix well so that no lumps are made.
• Take a Pan, add in milk in it. Bring it to a boil.
• Add in cornflour paste. Stirring continuously so that no lumps are made.
• Lower the flame, add in Condensed milk + Cardamom powder. Mix well.
• Cook until the mixture becomes slightly thick.
• Remove from Flame. Keep it aside.

Preparation of the Bread:

• Cut the Bread slices in triangular shapes. Keep it aside.
• Heat Oil/Ghee in a Kadahi to fry the bread slices.
• Fry the bread slices. Keep it on a tissue paper to remove the excess oil.
• Now prepare sugar syrup by boiling sugar and water together. Add in 1/2 tsp of Cardamom powder in it.
• Boil it till it becomes one string consistency.
• Now dip each fried bread slice in the sugar syrup. 
• Just for a fraction of a minute so that it remains crisp.

Plating of the dish:

• Take a serving plate, place the sugared bread slices horizontally one over the other like a stair-case.
• Pour the thickened milk mixture over these bread slices.
• Garnish it with chopped nuts and silver vrak
• Serve hot or cold.

Ras Malai

My liking for sweets makes me try for a new recipe everyday. I cant live without eating deserts and sweets be it Indian or International. My tongue craves for it like anything. So here I am posting a very simple tried and tested recipe for these sumptuous desert, First we should know as to what is Ras Malai. It is a dish made with home-made cottage cheese, made into sweet dumplings and served with thickened milk with a tinge of saffron and mixed nuts like almonds and pistachios.

Rasmalai

Ingredients:

For making the chena for the Ras malai:

1lt milk

2tbsp Lemon Juice

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

For the Rassa:

1lt milk
3tbsp Sugar

1tsp Cardamom Powder

1/2tsp Saffron

2tbsp mixed nuts (Almonds + Pistachios)

Procedure:

• Boil milk in pan. When it starts to boil add in lime juice.
• Stir gently.
• Then take a muslin cloth, separate paneer from water. Press well.
• Hang the cloth on the tap to remove excess water for 30 minutes.

In the meanwhile for the rassa:

• Boil the remaining 1lt milk in a pan, when it starts to boil, lower the flame.
• Add in cardomom powder, and saffron.
• Mix well.
• Let it simmer on low flame, till milk is reduced to half of what it was.

After 30 minutes:

• Take the chena, make sure that there is no water in the paneer.
• If required, grind it the mixer.
• Knead it into a smooth dough.
• Now divide this into small flat balls.(Make sure that there is no crack in the ball) 
• Now take a pressure cooker, add water and sugar.
• When it starts to boil, slowly put the paneer discs into it.
• Close the lid.  
• After one whistle, switch off the gas. 
• Take out the Paneer discs from the cooker, after 5 minutes.
• Squeeze each disc slighlty to remove the excess water.
• The Rasa would be thickened by now. 
• Add in mixed nuts in it.
• Now add the chena discs into it.
• Serve chilled.

Apple and Walnut Phirni

Festivals are incomplete without sweets and deserts. Diwali festival of lights is on its way and you need to impress your family, relatives and guests with amazing recipes. This is the one which will make everyone really happy.

Apple and Walnut Phirni

Ingredients:
For the Phirni:
1.5l Milk
100gms Rice
1stick Cinnamon
250gms sugar

For the apple and walnut sauce:
1 Apple (finely chopped)
100gms Walnut (Finely chopped)
100gms Sugar
1tsp Cinnamon Powder

Procedure:
To make the Phirni:

• Soak rice for one hour. Then grind it into a smooth paste.
• Boil milk in a vessel. After one boil, lower the flame. 
• Now add in the rice paste gradually stirring continuously so that no lumps are made.
• When the rice is cooked it will take around 20 minutes, add in sugar.
• Mix properly let it simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.
• Remove from flame. Keep it aside so that it cools down.

For the apple and walnut sauce:

• Take a pan, add in the finely chopped walnuts in them. 

• Roast them well, now add in the finely chopped apples. Stir continuously.

• Add in sugar.
• Cook till the apple gets tender. 
• Remove from flame.

For setting of the phirni:

• You need mitti ke doane or even glass bowls or small glasses.
• First pour in 1tsp of apple sauce beneath.
• Top it with the phirni.
• Place a slice walnut over it. do the same with the remaining bowls.
• Keep it in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled.

Dal Tadka

 Dal Arhar, tempered with Butter and ghee makes it a total delight. It is a favourite among all Indians. Whenever you have nothing to make at  home, then dal tadka is always the last resort for most of them.

Dal Tadka

Ingredients:
1 cup Dal Arhar
Salt to Taste
1tsp of Turmeric Powder

For the Tadka:
1tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Whole Red chilies
1 Medium Sized Onion (Chopped)
2 Medium Sized Tomatoes (Grind it in a mixture into a paste)
2 Green Chilies (Chopped Length-wise)
4-5 cloves of Garlic (Chopped finely)
1 pinch of Asafoetida
2tbsp of Butter
Fresh Coriander

Procedure:

• Pressure cook the dal, along with Turmeric Powder and salt. As soon as one whistle comes in the cooker, switch off the gas.
• The dal should not be over-cooked. 

For the Tadka:

• Heat Butter in a Pan, add in cumin seeds + whole red chilies + asafoetida + cloves of Garlic.
• Let this cook properly till the garlic is brown in color.
• Now add in the green chilies and chopped Onions.
• Let this cook till the onion changes color.
• Now add in the tomatoes paste in it.
• Mix it well.
• If required add in more butter.
• Let the tadka cook on high flame till the onions and tomatoes are cooked well.
• Now add in the dal in this tadka.
• Mix well.
• Add in fresh coriander.
• Serve hot with Rice, pickle and Onions.

Dal Peshawari

Peshawar a north west frontier town reminds one of sudden gun fires, women clad in Burkhas, men enjoying their hookahs.
Peshawari Cuisine can be described as a refined blend of various regional cooking traditions of the South Asian Subcontinent. It is known for its richness and flavour. This Dal Peshawari is prepared on the stove or chulah, simmered on low heat for hours in aromatic spices and lots of butter and cream.

Dal Peshawari

Ingredients:

For Boiling Dal:
1 cup Black Urad Dal
2 Black Cardamom
2 Tej pata (Bay Leaf)
1 Dal chini (Cinnamon)

2 Green cardamom

2-3 Cloves

2 Cups of Milk

2 Cups of Water 

Salt to Taste

Fresh Coriander and Mint Leaves

For the Tadka: 

2tbsp Butter (preferably white butter but in case of non-availability you can use Amul Butter)

3 Tomatoes (Pureed)

1tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

2 Green Chilies chopped

1 tsp Red Chilly Powder

1 tsp Kasturi Methi

Fresh Cream

More Butter
1tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Whole Red Chilies

Procedure:

• Soak The dal for an hour before boiling it. (optional)
• Pressure cook the dal with Milk + Water+ Salt + Black Cardamom + Green Cardamom + Dal Chini + Tej Pata + Fresh Coriander and Mint Leaves + Cloves.
• This will take around 25 minutes.
• When it is done separate the water from the dal. Keep it aside.
• Heat butter in a non stick kadahi or Handi.
• Add in cumin seeds and whole red chillies. When it stops cluttering add in ginger garlic paste.
• Add in chopped Green Chilies.
• Mix well.
• Then add in the tomato puree. Mix all this well.
• Let the tomato puree cook on low flame. Till it starts leaving oil.
• Then add in water and milk mixture that you have separated from Dal.
• Let this simmer on low flame along with the tomato puree.
• If the water is less then you can add one cup of milk+ water into it.
• Now add in kasturi methi.
• After 10 minutes add in cream and 2 tbsp of butter again.
• Let this simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Then add in the cooked dal.
• Mix well. (if again u feel that it is very thick add in water)
• Adjust seasonings. (salt and red chilly powder)
• The more you let it simmer on low flame the more tastier the Dal will be.
• For a tastier Dal it should take around 1 hour.
• In hotels they cook this Dal on sigree for 3-4 hours or even more.

Rabri E Khaas (Shahi Tukda with a Twist)

Rabri E khas is my version of shahi tukda. Bread dipped in sugar syrup coated with homemade Rabri, almonds, and silver vrak tastes awesome. Its a must try for all those sweet lovers.

Ingredients:
8-10 Bread slices

For sugar syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp Cardamom Powder

Few drops of Kewra Essence

For Rabri

Refer my recipe on Kesariyan Rabri

For Garnishing:

7-8 Almonds Flakes

3-4 Silver Vrak

Procedure:

• Cut the Bread slices into Round shapes using a Round shape Cutter.
• Heat oil in kadhai, to deep fry the bread slices. Keep it aside.
• On the other side, heat a pan, to make the sugar syrup. (Sugar + Water + Cardamom powder+ Kewra Essence)
• Now when the bread slices are fried, dip each one of them in sugar syrup.
• Place it on a serving plate.
• Now on each bread slice spread 1 tbsp of Rabri, sprinkle some almond flakes over it.
• Apply silver vrak. repeat the same with all the remaining bread slices.
• Serve Cold or hot as you like.

Kesariyan Rabri

Rabri reminds me of my childhood days when we used to visit Ayodhya, Faizabad. There was this small sweet shop Ram Asray where he used to give this kulhar (Terracotta Cup) bhar ke rabri. Oh! it was just splendid. Me and my father used to hog on this whenever we used to visit Ayodhya.
I always go back to those good old days whenever I make this at home.

Ingredients:
1l Milk
7-8 Strands of Saffron (Kesar)
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
2-3  tbsp Condensed Milk (or Sugar)

Procedure:

• Soak the saffron stands in 2 tbsp milk. Keep it aside. 
• Take a nonstick pan add the milk in it. Bring to a boil.
• Let it simmer on low heat. 
• Add cardamom Powder and saffron in it.
• Mix it well.
• Let it cook for 30 minutes till the milk is reduced and thickened.
• Then add sugar or condensed milk.
• Let it simmer on low heat for another 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot OR cold whatever one prefers.

You can use Rabri in making Shahi Tukdas. 

Rabri tastes amazing when accompanied by Jalebi or Imarti.

Mango Phirni..."The Mango Pleasure"

Its that time of the year when the markets are raining with mangoes. Every mango season i kinda like making stuff with this king of fruits.  Raw mangoes are used for pickles, chutneys, Aam Panna.. Ripe mangoes for various deserts, smoothies, shakes and so on.
Although rich in calories, you cant avoid this delectable fruit.
I used mangoes in my phirni. Rice pudding with mild flavour of mangoes will totally increase the richness of the desert.
I have used Condensed Milk (Milkmaid ) instead of sugar in my recipe to give that extra flavour.

Ingredients:
1.5 kg milk
4 tbsp rice
1/2 tin Condensed Milk
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 ripe mango
Almonds (Chopped)
Pistachios (Chopped)

Procedure:

• Soak rice 3-4 hrs one hour before making the phirni.
• After its soaked well, remove from water, so that it dries out.
• After it is dried make into a smooth paste. keep aside
• Now take a vessel, pour the milk, bring a boil and lower the flame.
• Then add in the cardamom powder.
• Let the milk cook for around 20 minutes,.
• In the meanwhile, peel the mango blend it to make a smooth pulp out of it.
• Keep aside 2tbsp of mango pulp for garnishing.
• Now when the milk is cooked add in the rice.
• Let this cook for another 10 minutes.
• Add in the condensed milk.
• After 10 minutes add in the mango pulp stirring continuously..
• You adjust the sweetness according to your taste buds. as mangoes will aslo be sweet.
• Add in almonds + pistachios.
• Remove from flame.
• Take earthern pots. 
• Spoon in the phirni in all of them.
• Garnish it with 1tsp of mango pulp and chopped nuts.
• Serve Chilled

Dal Makhani..

Today i am diving back in Punjab with one of the most finest dishes,Dal makhani one of the Punjabi Cuisines. We Punjabi's just love our food so we just try to make it rich in every possible way... This Dal is rich in protein  fiber content as well lot of healthy Nutrients..

Its a restaurant style Dal which i tasted in Pind Baluchi.. its really tasty and mouthwatering... I am posting it with my flavours and my style of cooking... I hope u all will love this Dal a lottt...

Ingredients:

2 katori black urad dal

1/2 katori rajma

2 medium sized onions(finely chopped)

3 medium tomatoes (pureed)

2 green chillies

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp kasturi methi

Salt to taste

Whole garam masla (bay leaf, dalchini, green cardamom, black cardamom, khadi lal mirch, cloves)

Coriander leaves (chopped)

2 tbsp ghee

Butter (100 gms)

Cream

Procedure:

• Soak the Dal and the rajma together for 1 hour before u start preparing.
• Now take a pressure cooker, put in the Dal and the rajma, 1 bottle of water +salt +some coriander leaves. Boil the Dal till it is well cooked.
• Separate the water from the Dal. and keep it aside.
• Take a pan, put in the ghee, when the ghee is hot add in the cumin seeds, when it clutters, add in the whole garam masala.
• Then add in the ginger garlic paste. let it cook for a while, Add in the chopped onions.
• When the onions are cooked add in the tomato puree.
• Cook it on low flame. Add in the coriander powder + red chilly powder + turmeric powder. Let it simmer for a while so that the puree is well cooked.
• Now add in the butter + the water (separated from the Dal) into the pan. Cover the lid and let this mixture to cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the mixture is well cooked then add in the Dal.  (u can add more water if it becomes too thick)
• Add in the kasturi methi.
• Cover the lid and let the Dal simmer on low heat for 30 min. Stirring it from time to time.
• After that add in the cream and then again cover the lid and let it cook for another 10 min.

Serve hot

Garnish wid butter and coriander leaves.

Note: it will be best if u use white butter. ( yellow amul butter will also do)

Chane ki Daal....

Now from my palate is the recipe of a very popular Dal, Channa Dal... Its very simple to cook dis one... my husband loves dis made by me.. I always accompany it with Gobi musallam or Gobi matar... and chapatis and some Jeera rice... trust me it makes a fantastic meal....


Ingredients:
2 cups Channa Dal
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 medium sized onions
2 green chillies
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 khadi lal mirch
1/2 vadi
2 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste
Coriander for Garnishing


Procedure:
Wash and soak the Dal for 15 min.
Now take a pressure cooker, add in the ghee, when it gets hot add in the cumin seeds and the khadi lal mirch.
When the cluttering stops add in the chopped onions, Green chillies chopped and the ginger paste.

Let it cook for a while till the onions changes color.
Now add in the chopped tomatoes and the vadi.
Cook all this for a while. Add in the salt+turmeric powder+garam masla after all this cooked add in the Dal and 4 cups of water.
Close the lid and allow it to cook for next 15 min.

Garnish it wid coriander leaves.
Serve hot wid jeera rice and some vegetable of your choice....