Kesari Badam Bahar Sandesh Roll...

Sandesh is a sweet delicacy of Bengal. There are different types of Sandesh which are made with the key ingredient Chana / Cottage cheese. This recipe here is an experiment in my kitchen. The outer covering is made with cottage cheese while the inner roll is made with almond powder which is infused with saffron and saffron colour. You get 2 different taste which is the chana / cottage cheese taste from the outer covering and the kesari badam barfi taste from the inner roll and 2 put together the taste is divine. This sweet can be served to friends and family during festive season and since Diwali is next in line, do try it and have a joyous and sparkling Diwali.... 

For the Kesari Badam Bahar Barfi / Inner Roll

Ingredients 

100 grams Almond powder

2 tbsp Milk masala ( 1 tbsp Pistacho powder, 1 tbsp Almond powder, 1/4 tsp Cardomom powder, 2 pinch of Saffron crushed )

6 tbsp Sugar 

2 pinch of Saffron colour 

1/4 tsp Saffron 

1/4 cup Mava / Khoya 

6 tbsp Milk 

Method 

Take a non stick pan, add khoya, stir it continuously for 2 minutes on low flame. Add sugar and stirring it continuously, cook till the sugar dissolves. Add the almond powder, stir and cook for a minute, add 2 tbsp of milk and mix it. Add another 2 tbsp of milk, saffron, saffron colour and milk masala. Stir it and cook it for a minute. Add the remaining milk and cook it till it forms a soft dough. If required add a spoon or 2 of milk. To check, take a little portion and try to roll it. It should form a ball. Take it out, cover and keep it aside. 

For the Sandesh / Outer Roll 

Ingredients 

Home made Cottage cheese made from 1 1/2  litre Milk ( whey has to be completely drained out ) 

6 to 8 tbsp Sugar 

Method 

Mash the cottage cheese well. No lumps should remain. Take a non stick pan, add sugar, stir it on low flame for few seconds. Add the cottage cheese, keep stirring and cooking for 5 to 7 minutes till the sugar and cottage cheese combines well and starts to leave the sides of the pan. Remove it, cool the mixture a bit and add it in a grinder and pulse it 3 to 4 times. It will be come a smooth soft dough. 

To Assemble

Method 

Take a plastic sheet, put the cottage cheese dough on the sheet. Cover the dough with another plastic sheet. Roll the dough into a disc. Remove the top plastic sheet. Take the inner stuffing and shape it into a long cylindrical roll. Place the roll on the edge of the cottage cheese disc. With the help of the plastic sheet, start rolling the cottage cheese disc around the inner stuffing. It will become a cylindrical roll. Keep the roll in the fridge for an hour. Remove it and cut it into disc. Decorate it with edible sliver foil / chandi ka warq

 ( optional ). 

Tomato Khejur Aamshottor Chutney.....

Sweet chutney is a must have Bengali delicacy enjoyed at the last course of the meal with papad. There are various types of chutneys which are served for meals during celebrations and festivals. Tomato, date and dry mango pulp chutney is one of them. It can be kept for approximately 2 months in the refrigerator in a glass bottle. It is so scrumptious that it can be enjoyed with paratha, roti, luchi or just eaten like that. It is aways better to make it a day before as the taste enhances as it is stored. 

For the Spice Powder 

Ingredients 

2 tsp Panch Phoran ( Equal portion of Nigella seeds, Celery seeds, Feaugreek seeds, Fennel seeds and Cumin seeds) 

Method 

The seeds are dry roasted and ground to powder. 

For the Chutney 

Ingredients 

250 grams Ripe Tomatoes cut into pieces

1 tsp Ginger minced or paste 

1 cup of Dry Mango pulp / Aam Papad pieces 

1 cup of Dates / Khejur cut into pieces 

1/2 cup of Raisins / Kishmish

1/2 cup or more Sugar as per taste

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp Panch Phoran 

2 Dry Red Chillies 

2 Bay Leaves 

2 tbsp Mustard oil 

Method 

Take a wok, add oil and heat it well. Add the Panch phoren. Let it crackle. Add the dry red chillies, bay leaves and ginger paste. Sauté it for a minute. Add the tomatoes. Stir it, add salt and turmeric powder. Stir it, add the dry mango pulp, dates and raisins. Stir it and cook it for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water, stir, cover and cook till all the ingredients combines together and it becomes mushy. Add the panch phoran powder. Mix it well. Let it cool. Serve it with any meal. 

Butterfly Fried Prawns....

This is a Chinese style Butterfly fried Prawns. It can be served as a starter. Eat it hot and enjoy the crispy fried prawns with any sauce of your choice.

For Marinating the Prawns

Ingredients 

12 Medium or Large size Prawns

2  tsp  Garlic Cloves minced 

1  tsp Ginger minced

2 tbsp Soy sauce

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

Method 

Shell the prawns, leaving the tails. Slit the prawns lengthwise cutting through the back, leaving a think layer of meat till the tail. Add the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper powder to the prawns and mix it. Let it marinate for 1 hour. 

To Fry the Butterfly Prawns 

Ingredients 

Marinated Prawns 

1 Egg beaten with a pinch of Salt 

1/4 cup Corn Starch 

1/2 cup Bread Crumbs 

Oil for deep frying 

Method

Take a pan, add oil and heat it. Dip the marinated prawn into corn starch. Then dip the prawn into the beaten egg. Coat the prawn with bread crumbs. Fry the prawn properly until it is golden brown in colour and crispy. Remove and keep the fried prawn on an absorbent paper. Repeat the same process with the remaining prawns. Serve it hot with sweet chilli sauce or any sauce of your choice. 

Mutton Liver Roast.....

As Goddess Durga has already left for her home.. for Bengalis Bijoya Dashami begins. Family and friends get together... adda and feasting continues. Mainly non vegetarian dishes are cooked like Mutton Curry and Mete (Goat Liver) Chorchori  and are served with Rice or luchi and lastly sweet delicacies are served.

This time I tried a different dish instead of Mete Chorchori.. 

It is a semi dry dish and can be served as starters or can be served as side dish with Roti, Paratha or Luchi. Spiciness can be added as per your choice.

Ingredients 

500 grams Mutton Liver cut into pieces 

2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Chilli paste 

1 Onion paste 

3 Onions sliced 

4 Garlic cloves crushed 

2 Green chillies cut lengthwise 

1 Tomato sliced 

2 Bay Leaves 

Salt to taste 

3/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder 

3/4 tsp Garam Masala powder 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

3 tbsp Ghee

1 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing 

Method 

Take a pressure cooker. Put the liver pieces, onion paste, ginger - garlic - chilli paste, salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder in the pressure cooker. Mix it and let it stand for 1 hour. Close the lid of the pressure cook and cook it till 4 whistles or until cooked. Let the pressure release, open the lid and keep the cooked liver in a bowl. Take a wok. Put ghee. Let it heat up. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaves. Let it crackle. Add the crushed garlic and sliced onions. Sauté it for 2 minutes. Add the green chillies. Stir fry it for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are brown in colour. Add the cooked liver. Stir it for a minute. Add the remaining turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sliced tomato. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Desi Veggie Pizza Spoons.....

This is a delicious desi.. vedeshi.. bite size snack.. It can be served as starter too. The filling can be made with any vegetable like capsicum, onion, potato, mushroom, baby corn etc. Infact any type of filling can be added  like you can make cheesy pavbhaji spoon or keema spoon or dabeli spoon.. The choice is yours. I am sure children will love it.. Try it and you will love it too... 

For the Pizza Dough 

Ingredients 

500 grams Whole Wheat Flour

Salt to taste

1sachet Instant Yeast

1 tbsp Sugar

1 cup Lukewarm Water

2 tbsp Olive oil

Method

Take a mixing bowl. Mix flour, sugar and yeast. Add the salt. Mix it. Add water little at a time and knead the dough. Stop adding water as the soft dough is formed. Keep kneading the dough for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp oil and continue to knead for 5 minutes more. Stretch the dough and see. If the dough is stretchable then it is done. Take a bowl, add the dough and apply oil on it. Cover and let it rise. Meanwhile while make the filling. 

For Making the Desi Veggi Pizza Filling 

Ingredients 

1 Onion chopped 

3 Tomatoes chopped 

1 Capsicum chopped 

2 tbsp  Garlic cloves minced 

4 Mushrooms chopped 

1/4 cup Fresh Corns

( More vegetables like baby corn, red and yellow capsicum can be added )

1 tsp Sugar 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Chilli powder 

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala powder or Curry Powder 

1/2 tsp Dried Basil Leaves

3 tbsp Olive oil or any vegetable oil 

Method 

Take a pan, add oil. Let it heat. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté it till it is light brown in colour. Add the chopped capsicum and corn. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, chilli powder, basil leaves, curry powder or kitchen king masala powder. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushroom. Stir and cook further for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water. Stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. The filling should not be liquid. It should be semi dry. Keep it to cool. 

For making the Pizza Spoon 

Ingredients 

Pizza Dough

Filling

1 cup Pizza Cheese grated or Mozzarella cheese and Cheddar cheese mix 

1 tbsp Olive oil 

Dried Oregano or Dry Italian Herbs to sprinkle 

Method 

Take the dough. Punch it and knead it for a minute. Make big lemon size balls. Grease the soup spoons. Take one dough ball. Roll it out in to long oval shape. Spread the dough out on the steel soup spoons. Press it well to aquire the desire shape of the spoon. Cut the excess dough out. Repeat it with the other remaining spoons. With the help of a fork, prick the dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Take some foil paper and make lime size balls out of it, place the foil balls below the handle of the spoon , this will give support to the spoons. Add a tbsp of the filling into each spoons. Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes or till the bread turns light brown in colour in a preheated oven. Remove it from the oven. Let it cool. Remove the edible spoons very gently and separate it from the steel spoons. Sprinkle dry oregano or Italian herbs and serve it hot.