Muga dali Pitha / Mug dal er pithe / Moong dal ke mithe cheele

During long vacations in my childhood, we would go over to Dadu's house and spend the days there.
But when there were short holidays, some part of the family would come over to our place.
Some part because fitting in the whole family together was possible only in Dadu's huge house.
We stayed an hour away, on the hills, where Bapi had his factory.
So at times, some cousins  and kakus and kakimas would come over to spend a few days with us.

The house would be filled with voices ... all talking, laughing, calling out to others ... all at the same time while we cousins did what we did best ...  creating our own ruckus and having a great time. 
The kitchen would be busy and while Ma looked into the meals all through the day, it would the kakimas or mashis (aunts) who would choose the job of rustling up their special snacks and sweets for us. It would be one of those times when we kids would to be perpetually hungry and after every hour or so we would walk into the kitchen with a "Khide peyeche" announcement.

While we were indulged on most times, it would be a no show if the time was closer to a meal time like lunch or dinner.
So my Mejo kakima came up with this potent medicine of "Dudh kola muri debo?".
The thought of a bowlful of soggy, puffed rice mashed with banana and milk would successfully douse those whimsical hunger pangs that the aromas from the kitchen had brought about.
And with a hasty "We will wait for lunch / dinner", we would disappear.

I remember one such time when Boro mashi, Ma's eldest sister, was visiting.
Mashi worked as a teacher in govt. schools and had just become Principal and was posted in a school at a nearby district. Since it was summer vacation, she and her daughter were spending a few days with us.

Mashi visiting us meant fun in all ways. She would hold quiz contests, grill us on general knowledge, give us math quizzes to solve, hold competitions complete with prizes ... and so on.
And the best part was getting to eat the food she cooked.
Boro Mashi had magic in her hands.

She could make a light, plain dal seem heavenly.
She could make a plain roti interesting.
She could make the fussiest kid eat up without a peep.
And she was a wizard at making achars.
A dash of this, a handful of that, a little chopping here, a quick beat of hands there ..... watching mashi in the kitchen was mesmerising.
Matronly, with a warm smile on and a solution to any problem always, she was one person I looked up to.

It was on that visit that Mashi had made this Muga dali pitha.
She had sat us kids down with a bunch of questions to solve and had disappeared into the kitchen.
We could hear her chatting with Ma and in a while,  this beautiful, warm, sweet aroma drifted out of the kitchen a spread all over the house .... making its way towards us in the drawing room.
We started getting fidgety but were warned against getting up and going to the kitchen.
Bapi had returned by then and the evening tea was just being served.
And Mashi walked in with a plate full of fragrant, hot pithas.

And what pithas they were!
Crisp on the sides, the sweetness of the jaggery mixed with the fragrance of coconut ... it smelt of something that can be only divine.
They were just fried and out of the pan and still very hot.
We savoured each bite, experiencing different flavours everytime ... the sting of black pepper, the bite of small pieces of coconut, the sweetness of a fennel seed .....

Jaggery and coconut are an integral part of Odia pithas.
And are usually paired with crushed black pepper and fennel seeds.
And the body is usually of dals / lentils or rice powder.
Fried, steamed, roasted ... made in different ways for different occasions.

Yesterday, a few of my friends had come over to visit and brought me a load of cooked food so that I could rest and not have to cook for a couple of days at least.
I was touched but not surprised.
All through the years, every time I have fallen ill .... and god knows when I fall ill it has always been a lengthy affair, sometimes stretching to almost a year .... it has been these friends who have been my rock; my support; my pillars.
I was so happy to see them that I wanted to make something for them that would be quick.

I had boiled moong dal in the fridge for dal tadka .... so decided to make this pitha for them.
I had grated coconut in the freezer too.
So all I had to do was to make a mix and fry them.
My friends joined in too and soon we were all in the kitchen .... chatting, laughing, frying the pithas and eating them right there ... straight off the pan .... breaking each one, blowing on the pieces to cool  and sharing with one another.
We made some ginger tea too and while it rained on outside, I basked in the warmth inside, feeling cozy and loved.

Now for the recipe of the Muga dali pitha or Moog daler pithe -

Need :

Whole green moong dal - 2 tea cups, boiled with a pinch of salt
Gur / Jaggery - according to your taste for sweetness (I used granules )
Maida / APF - 2 tbsp
Rice flour - 2 tbsp
Elaichi / Cardamom seeds - crushed
Black pepper - crushed
Mouri / Fennel seeds - crushed
Grated coconut - 1 tea cup
Water - a little to make the batter
Cooking oil - as you require
Ghee - half of the amount of cooking oil (optional)

There is no perfect measurement for the ingredients ... you will have to decide according to the thickness of the batter, the sweetness you want, whether you want to pan fry or deep fry ... etc. etc.


How to :

Mix everything except the oil and ghee and make a thick batter.

Heat a heavy pan or a tawa.

Add a oil + ghee in equal quantity.

When hot, pour in spoonfuls of the batter to make thick pancakes.

Fry the pithas, first covered and then uncovered, on both sides, till they turn brown.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy !!

Chanar Jilipi / Chena jilapi / Syrup soaked cottage cheese circles

My feet are itching to set off on the road again. My heart is restless and is longing for new visions.
Not goal visions; visual visions.
Like looking out of the window and seeing the countryside fly by. It can be a window of a train or the car ... I don't care much for flights because there is no countryside to look out at, but right now a flight will do very well too.
I just need to get out.

Last year was a whirlwind .... full of travels.
Even before we had emptied our suitcases, we were off again.
So much so that I had no time to update my travel blog, much as I wanted to.
January had started with Hampi and Bangalore, which we did by road and had way too much fun, then Rajasthan just a day after we reached back, which was by train, in
March we were in Mahabaleshwar, by road, Jaipur again in May, by flight,
July in Lonavla and September and October in the US of A, which included Miami, Florida and Disneyland, Orlando too.
Phew!!
I do have a very sincere intention of updating Country Roads with these trips, but not before I wade through the hundreds of photographs and select a few.

The weather, in Pune right now, is fabulous and it would be criminal if not soaked in.
A thought we are taking very seriously.
So we are going out, visiting exhibitions, sales, music programmes and sometimes eating out too.
We have drastically cut down on our eating out ... but do visit our old favourites once in a while.
Where we know the food ... read quality ... is good and the service polite and warm.
Umpteen number of eateries have sprung up in Pune in the past few years but quality is one thing that helps us decide which to try and which not to.
Most places will start of well and then quickly deteriorate in quality .... so we strike it off after two or three visits.
Others will start off weak, but gain momentum and realise the importance of the quality of food.

Besides, both of us love home cooked food and very very simple food. If you read my recipes or have tried them out, you will know just how light my cooking is.
And both of us love our food that way.
Give B a dal and rotis and he is the happiest person in the world.
Give me a dal with rice and I am happy.
Give me a light bhaja along with it and I am the happiest girl around.

So when I turned a year older a few days back, B wanted to go out for lunch.
And had been trying select a good place for lunch or dinner.
I, on the other hand, was not being helpful.
Because I did not want to eat out.
A plate of dal, bhaat and begun bhaja was calling out to me in my mind.
I was missing home, my family and the numerous phone calls did not help.
So, when it was late noon, I told B to give up searching.
And set off into the kitchen to cook. That is where I find solace.
So cooked a full meal of dal, roti and sabzi for B and a Chicken curry and Mishti bhaat / Polau for myself.
Indulged myself with a few aloo bhaja too.
There was Tomato Khejurer chaatni in the fridge.

And all these made a happy plateful( here is a shot) for me.

And I made Chanar Jilipi.
Or Chenna jalebis. Or Chenna jilapi ( in Odia ).
Or sweets made from fresh cottage cheese.
Call them by any name you want to.
I have been wanting to try my hand at making these for a while now.
And it was such a soul satisfying job .... by the time I finished and stepped out of the kitchen, I was smiling.

These light, soft, delicate, syrup soaked roundels of sweetness are pretty easy to make.
All you need to do is handle them with care.



Need :

Milk - 1 litre
Juice of lemon - 2 tbsp (or more if you need )
Fine semolina / sooji - 1 tbsp
Maida / APF - 1 tbsp ( a little more if you feel the jilipis break when forming )
Sugar - 1 coffee cupful
Water - 3 coffee cupfuls
Green cardamom - 3, crushed and powdered
Cooking oil - 5 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

 How to :

Boil milk.

Add the lemon juice to curdle and make the chana / chenna / cottage cheese.

Strain well. Keep it in the strainer or hang it in a muslin cloth to drain the water well.
But don't make it too dry. It should have some water left in it.

Heat the water and sugar in a heavy pan till sugar dissolves and the water comes to a boil.

After an hour, knead the chana with the semolina and maida till very soft and light.

Add the powdered cardamom and mix well.

Take small balls out of the kneaded chana and roll on a flat plate to make a thick, longish shape.
You can use a little ghee in your hands and on the plate so that the balls do not stick.

Gently twist the long shape into a circle.

Heat the oil + ghee in a heavy, flat bottomed pan.

When hot, gently let in the chana circles into it.

Fry one side till brown and then gently turn it over.

Remove carefully and let into the sugar syrup.

Soak well for a good two or three hours before serving.

 

Wish you all a very happy spring!

Go out, enjoy the sun, the breeze, the flowers and be alive!!

Enjoy !!!

Rosh Bora / Lentil dumplings in Sugar syrup

 

 This is a quick post. And a long pending one.
Having risen early today, I am indulging in some quiet time after what seems like ages.
I am not pushing myself to start the washing machine, walk into the kitchen to put the water for tea on, go to my favourite room for dumping and start working on the dry clothes from yesterday ... sorting for laundry, folding, arranging them in their alotted rooms.
And most importantly, I am not thinking of breakfast.


No.
I am sitting in my favourite chair by the bay window ... I have opened it to feel the slight cold that still lingers in the morning air ... and just looking out.
Soaking in the morning quiet.
I do not feel like reading too, this morning. I am even ignoring the new book by Jeffery Archer .... yes, I finally bought it ... lying on the center table.

I look out, eyes scanning the tree tops and the land on the hills far away.
Just last evening we had seen a huge fire there .... so strong and so bright that we could easily make out the red, orange and then the yellow of it ... showing the intensity.
It is a regular phenomenon here ... I have been seeing it ever since we have come to this flat.
We assume it is either wild fire that the dry grass and plants easily catch. But another reason can be the ritual that the farmers of sugarcane fields follow .... after a harvest, they burn the whole field to get rid of any pests or rodents that might stay to enjoy the sweet sugarcanes.

Whatever it might be, we have a beautiful view of the fire. It starts, rises and spreads to the adjoining hills. And looks like a big, orange  garland that goes up and down and around the hill tops.

Now, as I look at the hills, there hangs a light fog. There is no trace of the wild dance of destruction that they had seen the earlier evening.
My trance is disturbed by a quick movement below in the garden ... a bird darting from one tree to another.
The Koyel.
We have lots of them here. The poor thing is a shy bird.
And since the highrises are much above the trees, we get to see them below us. Which I am sure gives them a lot of stress ... to stay hidden all the time.
To get from one tree to another, they have to fly as fast as they can to get away from being in the open ... aznd settle down inside the branches with, I am sure , a sigh of relief.
The poor dears.

Among all this I remember I have some photos ready to be posted.
So get my laptop and start typing away.
And that is all that blabber you have been reading till now .... if at all you have been patient enough to. :-)

But I will get to the recipe now.
I had made this Rosh Bora during Diwali. With my hand and shoulder slowing recovering, I could not resist the temptation to make a few sweet and savoury snacks this time.
Made everything in less quantities but clicked some hurried photos, hoping to post them on Kichu Khonn.
Who knows when I'll be able to make some again.

Need :

Urad dal batter - around 1 cup (soak for 2 hours and grind the urad dal to a paste )
Grated fresh coconut - ½ cup
Whole Black peppercorns - ¼ tsp , lightly crushed
Green cardamom - 2 pieces
Sugar - 1 cup
Water - 1 and a ½ cup
Oil - to deep fry

How to :


To make the Sugar syrup :-

Take a deep pan and put in the water and the sugar and keep on low heat till it starts boiling.
Crush the green cardamoms and add in.
Keep stirring and boiling till the sugar dissolves and the syrups cooks well .... say around for 5 minutes after the sugar dissolves.
You do not need to thicken the syrup.

To make the Boras / dumplings :-

Beat the Urad dal batter with a fork to make the batter a little fluffy and incorporate some air into it.
If you want to, you can add a pinch of baking powder ... I did not.
Add the coconut and the crushed black peppercorns.

Heat enough oil in a deep kadahi.
Scoop out small balls of the batter and drop them carefully into the oil.
I cannot make perfect balls ... I use a spoon to pick up and drop the batter .... hence the imperfect shapes. :-)
Keep the heat on low and fry them till golden brown in colour.

Dunk them into the warm sugar syrup and let them soak in for a while.

This is one of my very few favourite sweets .... though I do not make it very often.

You can serve them both warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!!

Lauki ka Halwa / Sweet dish made with Bottle Gourd

Halwa is basically a sweet dish made either from grains, flours, vegetables or fruits along with milk or condensed milk and sugar as its main ingredients.

I was introduced to the Lauki ka halwa / Doodhi ka halwa ... after I got married. Before that I had no idea what else could be done with the humble lauki other than a curry / torkari or a raita. In fact I wasn't even interested in the vegetable ... and if it was made with shrimps, just picked out the shrimps from the dish and left it alone.



But later I was introduced to North Indian cuisine ... mainly Rajasthani cuisine. And Rajasthanis are known for their love for sweets as much as their love for savoury and deep fried things.

So there I was, just married, ... a Bengali who did not care for sweets at all ... having jalebis for breakfast, halwas at lunch and kheer at dinner.
I can't say if I had more sweets or more savouries then ... all kinds of kachoris and namkeen ... just to get rid of all that sweetness in my throat.



Anyway ... now I know how to make sweet dishes at home.

So when the call from home came on Holi , the question had to come too ... " So what did you make for Holi?"
We were having a very busy time during Holi ... in fact had almost forgotten about it ... leave alone to go the kitchen and cook up sweets.

I had glanced around ... body language you know ... when you are about to fib :-p .... and saw a lauki in the vegetable bowl .... so blurted out "Lauki ka Halwa".
There was a sound of smile in the further conversations and I was relieved.

So set about making the halwa ... can't stay a liar for long. :-)


I make this halwa like the way I make Gajar / Carrot ka Halwa. The best part is the Lauki does not take as much time to cook as the gajar ... so this is quicker ... well ... just a little quicker.



Need :
Lauki / Bottle gourd - 1 medium sized
Milk - around 2 cups ( whole cream milk works best ... but you can use skimmed milk too )
Sugar - around 10 tbsp ( you might need more ... depends on the amount of lauki ... so taste to adjust)
Elaichi / Green Cardamom - 2 whole and 3 powdered
Saffron - a few strands ( optional )
Ghee / Clarified butter - around 1 tbsp ( just enough to toss the lauki in )
Cashewnuts - as per your wish ... whole or broken

How to :

Heat the ghee in a deep pan or a wok / kadahi ... preferably non stick. Stir fry the cashewnuts for a while .... do not brown ... and remove.

In the same ghee, let in the whole elaichi. Then add the grated lauki and stir well.
( You can add a pinch or .... less than ... a pinch of salt ...actually very, very little ... so that the water drains out and the lauki cooks quickly).

Add the milk and let it boil. Remember to keep stirring to avoid it getting burnt at the bottom.

When the lauki is well done and the halwa turns thickish, add the cashewnuts, sugar and the elaichi powder.

It will release water. Let it cook till it has dried up well .... make sure the sides do not burn.



Serve hot or cold.
Enjoy !! :-)

Blogspot is acting crazy ... shows one comment waiting to be moderated ... and yet refuses to display it. This has been going on for the past two days and is driving me bonkers. :-(
Hope this does not go on for long.

Other Halwas on Kichu Khon
Gajar Ka Halwa / Carrot Halwa
Moong Dal Halwa

Chaler Payesh / Rice Kheer

It was a junior colleague's b'day on the 15th. It was doubly important for him as it was the New Year too ( he is a Bengali ).

Away from home for the first time, he lamented how his mother was very upset as he did not have Payesh / Kheer. Hubby is a softie ... and immediately committed that he will get his payesh the next day.
Notwithstanding the fact that we ourselves have been living off bread / McD's burgers for the past so many days.

But I can't blame him. We both are suckers. One just had to whine and we fall for it. Both friends and just aquantainces have greatly benefited from this. ;-)


Like the pregnant wife of a colleague ... who on our first introduction ..... went on and on how she was craving for Rosogollas ( she knew I was a Bengali & cook well too ..... thanks to our loyal friends ). And I very good naturedly make some the very next day .... and off goes the dear husband with a big box.
I never heard from her again.

And there have been uncounted times when a friend would want to have fish .... and gets a box on his table the next day. No ... nobody believes in returning a favour ... not even with a word of thanks. Only when we get to cross our paths at a party or get together I'd get to hear that I cook fish very well.
Duuuhhhhh?


But thank god such characters are few and far between. There are lots & lots more with much more etiquette and courtesy... who will call up to warn they are barging in ... make me promise I won't step into the kitchen ... get some stuff .... and spend hours sprawled on the floor ... endless talks on endless topics .... and laughs. :-) They are the ones who make friendship worthwhile. No prizes for guessing which lot I cherish and absolutely love to cook for. :-)

Anyway ... So there I was the next morning ... cooking payesh .... when I'd rather have somebody cook me a decent meal.

Decided since I was making it anyway, I might as well post it. So clicked some snaps with a lot less enthu than I'd on any other time.

( This snap has a successfully blurred background, unlike the other ones. And I do not have Photoshop. :-) )

Need : Rice ... around a quarter cupfull ( broken Basmati rice is best for this ), 1 litre milk, sugar, less than a pinch of salt, elaichi / cardamom seeds, bay leaves.


How to : Soak the rice in a bowl with a little milk / water for around half an hour.
Boil milk with the cardamom and bay leaves till it reduces a little ( whole / full cream milk works best for kheer ).

Now add the rice & the salt ( it has to be very, very little ... just to complement the sugar ) .... and let it boil.

Remember never to leave it even for a moment ... the rice will stick to the bottom (yes, even if you are using a non-stick pan ).
Keep stirring and stirring .... till the rice gets cooked completely.

Now add the sugar ( I cannot give the measurement ... just taste it and decide when it is enough ). It will release water.

So boil for some more time.


Serve warm / cold.

With these measurements the Payesh / Kheer turned out to be very thick and creamy. If you prefer it a little less thick then lessen the quantity of rice ... and do not reduce the milk too much.

Gajar Ka Halwa

Winter is still eluding us ... but then ... "dil ko khush rakhne ko .... " ... I am making all the dishes / snacks that we usually enjoy in winter .... and keep imagining it is cold outside while we dig into that paratha or sip that flavoured milk/tea.
The fog in the early mornings and evenings does assist us in our imagination ... and for a while I would love to forget that it is more of smog.

Got some fresh, juicy carrots of the season. And after a round of carrot pulao, carrot poha and carrot upma each ... not to mention the salads, I made the first Gajar Ka Halwa of the season.
My version is again easy and healthy. I always prefer the Bengalis' way of adding ghee to a dish after it has been cooked. Just a little on the top gives the required flavour and saves us from using huge amounts that is needed if cooked in.
Need : Grated carrots, sugar, a little ghee, half a pinch of salt, milk and elaichi powder.
How to : Heat a heavy bottomed non stick pan / kadhai. Add the grated carrots and fry for a little while.
When the carrots turn a bright orange, add a little salt and keep frying till all the released water has dried up.
Now add milk and let it cook on its own ... yes ... if you are using a non stick vessel you won't even need to stir it.
After it starts to thicken add sugar and elaichi powder and cook till done.

Spread a little ghee on the top and cover and let it stand for a while. You can garnish it with dry fruits too.

Gulab Jamun

The festive season is slowly coming to an end and I can breathe a sigh of relief now. The hectivities (?) had started almost a month before Durga Puja and are now slowing down ... albeit gradually.

It has been much fun ... the preparations and the celebrations .... brightened by heart warming wishes and boisterous visits from good friends and family. We are a quiet couple and those who know us know that everybody is welcome in our life ... they only have to step in.... or even barge in. :-)

Over the years I have learnt the traditions and what to make on Diwali .... and try my hand at them. This year too I made a few goodies .... and all keeping up with the tradition of deep frying and sweet stuff.
But that is what Diwali is for ... gorging on calories that you might feel blocking your heart as you are sleeping ... but then find yourself hale and hearty the next day .... and craving for more. :-)

And then there is always the rest of the year to walk/run/bend/stretch them away... punish your body well for reaching for that extra gulab jamun/laddoo. What say ..? ;-)

I have a lot to post .... but am starting with the all time fav Gulab Jamuns as I want to send them to Sunshinemom's event.


I did not do much to make them ... as I used the store bought Gits instant mix.

Just added milk instead of water to knead the mix ... they turned out real creamy and rich in texture.
Another tip .... if the sugar syrup turns out too thick and is not enough for all the gulab jamuns, just heat the bowl ... yes, gulab jamuns and all .... with some added water. That should do the job and the sweets will soak through.
Need : Gulab Jamun mix ( I use Gits), sugar syrup ( boil equal quantitites of sugar and water ... add a few crushed elaichi),a little cold milk, cooking oil for deep frying.
How to : Knead the mix with milk to make a very soft dough (remember ... the softer the dough, the softer the gulab jamuns). If it sticks to your hands, apply a little cooking oil.
Heat enough oil in a kadhai. Make small balls from the dough and deep fry them on low flame till they are well cooked and turn brown.
I did not have the time or the patience ... so made medium sized balls and got huge sized gulab jamuns. :-)
Drain from oil and dunk them into the hot sugar syrup.


This bowlful goes to Sunshinemom's event FIC Brown.
And to Sudeshna who is hosting Satisfy your sweet tooth.

Updated :

And to dear Srivalli ... who is just too nice for words. In my hurry I completely forgot her event inspite of me saying that I'll send something for it. But the nice person she is, she actually reminded me of it ... and with a smile.

Since this post is not even a day old, I am sending my Gulab Jamuns to dear Srivalli too for her event JFI Festivals .

Happy Diwali all !!

Moong Dal Halwa

Do not steal

These three photographs featured here have been stolen

and is all over the web.

I have got in touch with as many as I could and requested to get them removed.

Some of them have complied promptly.

If you see any of these snaps on any website or blog, please do inform me.

Thanks.

( Disclaimer : This recipe is entirely my own idea. I have tried to simplify a complex recipe for my own self. )

I think I should call it Instant moong dal halwa.

When I posted the parathas I was so caught up in the whirlwind days that I forgot to send it to Sunshinemom for her Brown event. :-(

They were brown alright ..... but she won't allow linking to old posts this time. :-(

I was so absentminded it completely slipped my mind. And the good lady says she finds it the best among my whole lot so far. She has a huge heart ... and I feel like going waaaaaah, waaaaaaah, ..... :-(

So thought of posting this halwa before I forget again.

When I came to know this is one of hubby's favourite, I asked many people as to how to make it. And got so many vague answers.

Later when I looked up the recipe in the net, I found it long and time taking .... always starting with "Soak the dal for a few hours .....".
I wanted to make it ..... and make it real fast.

So came up with my own version .... experimenting as usual. Now I can make this halwa in 10 mins flat, no pre planning .... no jhanjhat. :-)

All I do is dry roast the dal in a heavy kadhai till it is light brown and well cooked and gives off an aroma. This should be done on a low flame.

Then I cool it and grind it coarsely in a grinder. And store it in an airtight bottle.

Whenever I want to make halwa, all I have to do is cook it in ghee and sugar .... just like sooji halwa .... and it is done! :-)


Do not steal

Need : Yellow moong dal, roasted and coarsely ground, ghee, water, sugar and elaichi powder.

How to: Heat ghee in a non stick kadhai ( you need less ghee this way). Add the ground dal and fry for some time. Add the elaichi powder.
Add water and keep stirring till all water is soaked up ..... then add the sugar.
It will release more water .... so keep stirring till it dries up.
Done! :-)
Do not steal

This sweet goes to Sunshinemom's event FIC Brown.

Rosogolla / Rasgulla

No introduction needed for this sweet I guess.:-)

I learnt this from my cousin N didi ... having two much older and much married cousins in the same city has helped me a lot as far as cooking is concerned.

N didi makes the biggest sized rosogollas one can ever imagine .... but then again ... the perks of being the wife of a C-in-C includes a huge ration allowance.:-)

I had a lot of milk in the fridge ... and it has been a long time since I have made some proper sweets ... so set about making rosogollas.

Contrary to what most people believe, making rosogollas is very easy ... and the whole process takes just about an hour.

Just a few pointers to keep in mind -

Rosogollas should always be made from cow's milk and it is better if fresh lemon juice is used to curdle the milk .... though vinegar too helps as a substitue.

The milk, once curdled, should not be boiled for a long time .... this tends to harden the paneer ... for rosogollas we need soft paneer.

The syrup for rosogollas is thin ... unlike that of gulab jamuns/jalebis.

Most people add a little rawa/maida to the paneer for fear of it breaking ... I do not. Nothing happens .... as you can see. :-)

I am giving the measurements ... for a change .... so that everybody can try.


Need : 1 litre cow's milk, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, crushed green cardamom/elaichi, 1½ tbsp vinegar / lemon juice.

How to : Boil milk and curdle it using lemon juice / vinegar.

Hang the paneer to drain of all water for about half an hour. Alternatively you can dump it into a sieve and keep a heavy pan on it.

( Don't throw away the whey ... it is high in protiens ....use it to make dals or add to the gravy of dishes ... gives a beautifully rich flavour).

Mash the paneer ... for a long time ... till it is soft and fluffy.



Make small balls , using a very light hand .... unlike when you make gulab jamuns.

Put water and sugar in a cooker. Add the elaichi and bring to a boil .... don't fix the cover ... just keep it covered so that it comes to a boil quickly.

Now add the rosogollas and fix the cover.

Set to two whistles on high flame and two more on low flame.

Remove from flame and wait till the pressure is released ... on its own ... do not force release ... else the rosogollas will harden.

Done. :-)

1 litre milk yielded exactly 11 of this sized rosogollas.



Enjoy !!

Malpua

Since this is a hurried post ....will put up a snap later ...when I get to make them again


Need : 2 cups maida, 1/4 cup milk,1/2 cup water,1 mashed ripe banana,2 tbsp sugar for the batter, 2 cups sugar for the syrup, elaichi / cardamom (crushed) , half crushed saunf / fennel seeds, oil / ghee to fry.

How to : Mix maida,water, a little sugar,saunf and the mashed bananas. Add milk to make a thick batter.

Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed flat pan.
Ladle out a big spoonful of batter in a round shape. Deep fry till golden brown and crisp.

Take it out and dip into sugar syrup.Keep for some time and then remove from sugar syrup else they will soak too much and turn soggy.

Sugar syrup : Heat 2 cups of water and 2 cups sugar in a kadai / deep vessel.
Bring to a boil.
Add safron / elaichi powder ...whichever preffered.
Boil well till the syrup loses its watery look and starts getting a little thicker.