Malpuas

Malpuas

It is like sweet pancakes, it is popular in India and Bangladesh. It is also served to Lord Jagannath Dev in his Sakala Dhupa (morning food served to the lord). During Paush Sankranti, Malpuas are prepared in Bengali homes. Malpuas along with mutton curry is served in many non-vegetarian Maithil homes during Holi. 

Net Resource...

It is made in many ways... All purpose flour (Maida) mixed with fennel seeds, sugar, curd and milk.. Or some times rice flour or Simolina along with banana is mixed with curd and shallow fried and dipped in sugar syrup. 

Here is my version of the Malpuas... 

Sugar Syrup

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup Sugar 

1 cup Water

Pinch of Saffron

Method

Add all the above ingredients in a pan and let it simmer on medium heat till 1/2 string consistency is acquired. Take it off the flame and keep it aside. 

Malpua Batter 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour 

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

2 tbsp Cottage Cheese

2 tbsp Mava

Pinch of Salt

1 tbsp Sugar

2 Pinches of Cardomom powder

1/4 tsp Fennel seed powder

1/4 cup Curd

2 cups Milk or more as per requirement 

Ghee to Shallow Fry 

For Garnishing

1 tbsp Almond and Pistachio Flakes

4 tbsp Rabdi or Condensed Milk 

Method 

Take a mixing bowl,add all purpose flour, wheat flour, Mava, cottage cheese, salt, sugar,fennel seed powder and Cardomom powder. Mix it well. Add curd and milk as required to make a medium thick batter. Like a crepe batter. It's better to churn it in a blender to get a smooth batter. Take a pan, add ghee. Let it heat. Take a ladle full of the batter and pour it into the ghee. Fry the Malpuas till golden in colour on both the sides. Arrange the Malpuas on a plate, pour in the hot syrup on the the Malpuas. Pour the Rabdi or condensed milk on the Malpuas and garnish with almond and pistachio flakes... 

Strawberry Mojito (Mocktail)

Strawberry Mojito (Mocktail)

Absolutely refreshing drinks to beat the Summer Heat... 

Mojito is a traditional Cuban highball.

Traditionally, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, sparkling water, and mint. The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular. It is a combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus, and mint flavors is intended to complement the potent kick of the rum, and has made this a popular summer drink.The cocktail has a relatively low alcohol content. When preparing a mojito, lime juice is added to sugar (or syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and should not be shredded.Then rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint leaves up from the bottom for better presentation. The drink is finally topped with crushed ice and sparkling soda water. Mint leaves and lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

Net Resource 

Here I have made a Mocktail Fruity Strawberry Mojito... Absolutely refreshing... 

Ingredients

4 Frozen Strawberries slices

Handful of Mint Leaves  

1 Lime cut into slices 

4 tbsp Sugar + 1/2 glass water mixed

1 tsp Chat Masala

Chilled Club Soda

Method 

Take a tall glass, add the sugar syrup, strawberries, 2 lime slices ( keeping the centre pieces for garnishing), few mint leaves (keep few for garnishing) and chat masala. Mash the mixture with the muddler. Take 2 tall glasses, pour 1/2 the mixture in one glass and the rest into another glass. Pour the club soda, take few mint leaves and add it in the drink and garnish with lime slices.

Lagan Ka Murg

Lagan Ka Murg

Lagan is the wide heavy bottom pot in which this dish is cooked. This dish can be cooked on any occasions. It has a rich creamy taste. It can be enjoyed with Roti, Naan or Rice.

I found this Hyderabadi recipe from a old Muglai cook book which I own. This recipe is different from the recipes I saw on the net, but it tasted awesome.. 

For the Wet Masala Paste 

Ingredients 

1 Big Onion chopped 

1 " Ginger piece 

6 Garlic cloves 

5 Dry Red Chillies 

1 tbsp Poppy seeds 

2 small pieces Dry Coconut 

15 pieces of Cashew nuts

Method 

Grind all the above ingredients in to a paste.

For the Chicken Gravy 

Ingredients 

1 Kg Chicken cleaned and cut into pieces 

14 Baby Potatoes boiled and peeled 

2 Tomatoes sliced 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 1/2 tsp  Garam Masala powder 

2 cups Thin Coconut Milk 

1 cup Thick Coconut Milk 

1/4 cup Milk 

1 tbsp Butter 

1/4 cup Ghee 

Few Coriander leaves chopped

Method 

Take a Lagan or a pot. Add butter and let it melt. Add the potatoes and fry till light golden in colour. Keep it aside. Add the ghee. Let it heat. Add the paste and sauté it for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 of the portion of the milk. Stir it and cook for a minute. Add the remaining milk and cook it till golden in colour and the ghee starts to separate from the gravy. Add the chicken pieces and cook the chicken for 5  minutes. Add the tomato, salt, turmeric power and garam masala powder. Stir it. Add the thin coconut milk. Cover and cook on low flame till the chicken is tender and the gravy has thicken up a bit. Add the potatoes and the  thick coconut milk. Simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

P.S. I have used tetra pack Coconut milk so to make thin coconut milk, I have taken 1 cup coconut milk and have add 1 cup water.

Ajarian Chirbuli

Ajarian Chirbuli

I found this dish while net researching. 

It is a dish from Georgia’s Ajara region. The eggs are made with tomato and walnut sauce. It is a popular breakfast dish. Different versions of Chirbuli are made in different regions of Georgia. It is worth the try. 

Ingredients

5 Eggs 

1 Big size Onion chopped 

3 Ripe Tomatoes chopped 

2 Garlic Clove chopped 

2 tbsp Basil Leaves chopped 

2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped 

10 Walnut Kernels ground 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Red chilli powder 

1 tsp of Corn flour

2 tbsp Butter

Method 

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute it till light golden in colour. Add the tomatoes. Stir it. Add the corn flour, salt and chilli powder. Stir and continue cooking on low flame, stirring it frequently for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground walnuts, coriander and basil into the pan and stir again. Carefully crack the eggs and add it on the chirbuli sauce. Let it cook for 3 minutes till the eggs are cooked.  Serve it hot.

Lau re Much Muche Khosha Bhaja served with Taak Massor Dal with Radhuni Phoran.....

Lau re Much Muche Khosha Bhaja served with 

Taak Massor Dal with Radhuni Phoran.....

Crispy Bottle Gourd Peel Fry served with 

Sour Split Red lentils with Wild Celery seeds seasoning.. 

As summer is in, I prefer to have simple and light food. Some thing sour and tangy... Taak Massor Dal with Radhuni Phoran is a simple dal made with raw mango to have a tangy.... Sour taste with wild celery seeds which has a distinct flavour and one of the key ingredient in Panch Phorn. It is rare to find it in local markets, but is available in Bengali stores.

Lau re Much Muche Khosha Bhaja is a very interesting side dish made from the peels of a Bottle Gourd. We Bengalis make a dish out of the vegetable peels too. If you see there are more nutritious values in the peels of a vegetables which we thrown away. This is a crispy fry dish which goes well with hot dal and steam rice. It is absolutely a soul food.... 

Lau re Much Muche Khosha Bhaja

Ingredients 

1 bowl of Bottle Gourd Peel cut into thin slices

1/4 cup Rice Flour

2 tbsp Gram Flour

1 tbsp Poppy seeds

1 tsp Nigella seeds

1 tsp Green Chillies chopped 

Salt to taste 

Oil to deep fry

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients except oil together. Mix it well. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a wok, spread the bottle gourd peels little at a time on the hot oil, fry on medium heat till crispy and golden in colour. Serve it with hot Taak Massor Dal and Steam Rice. 

Taak Massor Dal with Radhuni Seasoning 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup Massor Dal / Split Red Lentil washed and soaked

1 Onion chopped 

4 to 5 pieces of Raw Mango 

1 Green chillies slit 

1/2 tsp Radhuni / Celery seeds

2 Bay Leaves

1 Dry Red Chilli 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil  

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

Method

Take a pressure cooker. Add oil, let it heat. Add Radhuni seeds, bay leaves and dry chilli. Let the seed crackle. Add the onion and green chilli, fry till translucent. Add the mango pieces, stir it. Add the soaked dal, salt and turmeric powder. Stir it, add 3 cups of water. Pressure cook and give 3 whistles. Let the pressure release on it's own. Add a cup of water more, depending on the consistency wanted. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Add coriander leaves for garnish. Serve hot.