Bafa Dhoi

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

One more sweet from Bengal. Many times I came across this sweet but never thought of trying it only because I was lazy. And yesterday I decided to make it and today its ready. Its so simple and easy to make and the taste is too good.

I followed the recipe from Tarla Dalal's website.

I used very little quantity as I was not sure about the taste. But I am going to make it again very soon as my mom liked it a lot. I too enjoyed it chilled.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 cup

Condensed Milk - 1 cup

(I used  the small tin of 90gm and the same amount of Milk and Curds)

Fresh Curds - 1 cup

(Take equal quantity)

Method:

1. Take all the ingredients in a vessel.  Mix it thoroughly. 
2. I used hand mixer.
3. Prepare a double boiler.
4. Boil the mixture in double boiler for 10 to15 min.
5. Pierce knife and if the knife comes out clean, Bafa Dhoi is ready.
6. Make it cool outside and keep in the fridge overnight or 4-6 hours.
7. Enjoy the chilled bowl of Bafa Dhoi.

PJ's ongoing event  

Celebrate Sweets-Bengali Sweets which is started by Me.

 

Will be back with one more Bengali sweet :-)

 

Keep Smiling

Payesh(Rice Kheer)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I always wait for a chance to prepare sweets and have it too.This week is Bengali sweets week for me.  I am already late in my entries to PJ's event. I do not want to loose this chance to try new sweet dishes from Bengal.

Here is one simple yet yummy sweet which I really loved to eat. My younger daughter loved it.

I browsed many sites for the recipe and I got the same recipe from all. There were 2 recipes. One with sugar and another one was with condensed milk.

I went for sugar one. 

Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1/4 cup

Milk - 1/2 litre

Sugar - 1/4 cup or more

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Saffron Strands - 2(soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk)

Bay leaf - 1

Chopped nuts - 2 tbsp(Soaked in warm milk)

(I chopped the nuts very fine, as my kids do not like if I put whole)

Method:

Soak the rice for 15 min to half an hour. Drain it and keep aside.

Keep the milk to boil. 

When it is boiled for few minutes, add the drained rice and bay leaf.

Cook the rice till it is boiled 3/4th on low flame (It may take around 25 to 30 minutes).

Keep on stirring in between.

Add the sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well. Add chopped nuts and keep on cooking till the rice is cooked.

Add the saffron strands and cook for a minute.

Allow it to cool.

Serve with some  more chopped nuts.

Serve chilled if you like.

Sending this to 

PJ's ongoing event  

Celebrate Sweets-Bengali Sweets which is started by Me.

Keep Smiling,

Milk Rabdi in MicroWave

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

My very last minute entry to three events. When I was searching for Karah Prashad, I got this recipe and was trying to adjust the time to make it. And today I was so much tempted to make it as its the last date for 2 events, as soon as I came from work, I prepared this one. This is again the famous desert in Punjab.

A very quick desert(but need time to chill the rabdi) and very tasty too.

Coming to the recipe, I got the recipe here.

I added one extra ingredient i.e., Chopped almonds.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 cup

Grated paneer - 1 cup

Condensed milk - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Saffron strands - 2

Chopped almonds - 1 tbsp

Original recipe says to add ghee but I skipped it.

Method:

Add all the ingredients in a M/W Safe bowl.

Keep HIGH and cook for 5 minutes.

Allow to cool, 

Serve chilled.

Two things I want to change in this are:

1. Do not use frozen paneer, Use fresh and soft paneer as the taste differs a lot.

2. You can add nuts to the rabdi which gives nice crunchy taste.

Sending this to three events :

Pari's event Flavours Of Punjab an Event Announcement  

which is started by Nayna  of simply.food

 

Priya of Priya's Feast's Microwave Cooking-Sweets event

 which is started by  Srivalli.

 

And

Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal's

 Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday - Volume 19

Keep Smiling,

Rasagulla and Dry Jamun-Reposted for the event

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

You have already read about my weakness about Bengali sweets. I love any bengali sweets. May be because my name is Bengali: Nivedita, :-),

Here are the links for those lovely recipes which I tried at home. 

Re posting the link for those recipes for 

PJ's event  

Celebrate Sweets-Bengali Sweets which is started by  me.

First one is :

Rasagulla

 Second one is  

Dry Jamun

Keep Smiling.

Choley Bhature

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Choley is very famous in Punjab. Choley and Bhature are the great combination, which goes well for breakfast or lunch. Its a heavy food. Do not eat and drive!

 

I prepared this on my second daughter's birthday. It was a hit, every one liked it so much and the aroma of the Choley masala was everywhere in my area.I did not had time to prepare masala at home as the menu was for almost 50 people. I was not sure about the taste if I made the masala at home. 

Thanks to Kwality Choley Masala product. 

For Bhature, I took the recipe from Sailu.

Check her blog for the recipe.

For Choley:

I followed the recipe given on Kwality choley masala packet which goes like this:

Ingredients:

Kabuli chana - 100gm

Onion - 2 chopped

Chilli Powder - 1 tso

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Kwality choley Masala - 1 tbsp

Tomato- 1 big, chopped

Green chillies - 2 slit

Ginger - 1/2", sliced

Salt to taste

Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

                    

Method:

Soak the chana overnight.

Cook and keep aside in the morning.

Fry chopped onions till golden brown in a kadai in oil.

Add the coriander powder, chilli powder and Kwality Choley masala.

Fry for 3 minutes.

Add tomato, green chilli, ginger. Fry for few minutes.

Add boiled choley. 

Add salt and cook for 5 minutes. 

Add Kasurei methi and cook for 2 more minutes.

Sending this to 

Pari's event Flavours Of Punjab an Event Announcement  

which is started by Nayna  of simply.food

Keep Smiling,

Karah Parshad

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Most of us go to the temple to pray to God to fulfill our wishes.Many times, we make a deal with God that if our wish comes true, we will offer him many things!!!  But, believe me,I go to temple only to have parshad. Yes, I am fascinated(!!!! is this the right word??) about the food that is distributed in the temples. Even though its simple and limited, the taste is divine.

The same thing I feel with baby's food. The food prepared for babies or small kids, is very tasty and if we make the same food for ourselves, it won't taste the same.

Today I tried this sweet or halwa which is distributed in Gurudwara. I always tasted this in Dubai Gurudwara. And thought of trying it my self. I started browsing the net and got  This.

The taste was good, but there were two things which went wrong:

One is I was late in adding the water and second is I felt the ghee is too much for the quantity.

 My parshad came out dark in color but the taste was good.

 The Karah Parshad what Sindhi's make is dry but in this water is added.

Lets go to the recipe:

 Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 cup(But I feel 3/4th cup is enough)

Sugar - 1 cup

Water - 2 cup

Method:

1. Take a thick bottomed pan and roast the wheat flour till light brown.
2. Add ghee and sugar and mix well.
3. Keep on stirring or else the halwa will get burnt.
4. Stop cooking once the halwa starts leaving the sides.
5. You can add cardamom powder or nuts to these. But usually it is served plain like this in Gurudwara.
6. I am not sure how has this come out and want to apologize if there is any mistake in it.

Sending this to 

Pari's event Flavours Of Punjab an Event Announcement  

which is started by Nayna  of simply.food

Keep Smiling,

Entries to 30 Best Recipes of 2010

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Don't you all think that its difficult to judge ourselves!! I am sitting in front of my system, reading all the posts in the blog to choose the best two recipes, but so much confused. These are my babies, how can I choose only two  the best posts!! For me each post is good and the best!  

But, I have to choose only two as there is a rule in the event to choose only two. After thinking for a long time I have taken these down two for the event.

Tri Colored Chapatis and Tomato Chutney!  I love these chapatis because of the colors and I feel so happy to see my kids enjoying eating these. These are good for breakfast, for traveling, for kids, for parties.....

and  Tomato Rasam Cubes These cubes are feathers to my cooking talent. I was so happy when I thought about this recipe and I got it right and perfect.

I am sending these two babies to 

Chako's Kitchen's ongoing event :

‘THE 30 BEST RECIPES OF 2010′ 

Wish me all the best. And my other blogger friends too.
 

Keep Smiling,

Bitter Gourd Chutney Powder(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This powder has become common in my house and I am totally in love with it.

Any one going for Bitter gourd chutney powder??? I am sure you all will say a big NO!! But try this powder and you also will fall in love with it. Yes!!! 

Its simple, healthy and perfect side dish with hot rice or with chapati. Do you believe I eat it just like that.

Have it to believe it.

And Tons of thanks to Pratibha of THE CHEF and HER KITCHEN for sharing such a wonderful recipe.

Kakarakaya Podi / Bittergourd Powder

I have copied the recipe exactly from her. Even the down written recipe is from her blog(I did not get better words to write it in my own) Visit her for many wonderful recipes and tips.

Ingredients:
Bittergourd - 1/2 kg 
Onions - 4 big,very finely chopped
 Dry coconut - 1 heaped cup grated
Curds - 3 tbps
Red chillies - 15,fiery hot one's
a gooseberry sized tamarind
Regular oil - 1/2 cup apprx.
salt to taste
Method:

• Grate the bitter gourd with a grater.
• Add salt and curds to it and mix well and leave it aside for 1 hour.
• Squeeze the water completely from the bitter gourd and keep it aside.This step is mandatory in order to ease the process of frying the bitter gourd and storing the powder,it will also remove 60-70% of the bitterness.
• Cut the tamarind into small pieces and slightly dry roast the red chillies and tamarind for few seconds.This step is however optional if your red chillies are softer and tamarind is slightly damp.
• Grind the red chillies,tamarind,dry coconut with salt to a slight coarse powder.
• In a thick bottomed kadai heat oil(1/2 cup approximately) add squeezed bitter gourd and fry on a very low flame until it is slight golden in color(75-80% done),it approximately takes 15-20 min.This step is very important and it is to be on very low flame.
• Now add the very finely chopped onions to the bitter gourd and fry on a very low flame until the onions and bitter gourd is deep golden in color.It takes around 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the ground spice mixture to it and mix well and keep stirring on low flame for 3-4 min and remove it from the stove.
• Cool the powder completely and store it in air tight container.You can store it for 2 weeks also.
• When you taste it, you will start thinking where the bitter gourd has disappeared!!!!
  

 I am sure all of you will enjoy this and you are going to try this at home, (if not  tried before), for those, who  have already tried this, they know the taste.

Keep Smiling,

Boiled beans Sabji

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

First thing to do is to apologize for not being regular in my posting. Second thing is to Thank everyone for being with me here when I am not. I love you all for supporting me and request you to be with me.

Today I am going to post a recipe which is in my draft from past one year (Almost!!) Yes! These few simple preparations makes our life so easy. I got busy with other special dishes and forgot about this simple but healthy side dish which goes well with Chapati or rice. 

I love to make this often as it is quick,easy and healthy and can be kept with rice and dal in a cooker till my cutting job is done.

Ingredients:

Green beans - 200 gm, cleaned, cut and boiled in a cooker or outside till soft

Onion - 1 big, chopped

Tomato - 1 big, chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Crushed garlic - 4 to 6 cloves

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Sugar - 1 tsp

Gurellu Chutney(Niger seeds,ಗುರೆಳ್ಳು) powder - 1 tsp(optional, I add it because its common in my house)

You can use white sesame seeds(crushed) instead of it. But the taste differs a lot.

Method:

1. Take oil in a kadai.
2. Add mustard seeds, wait to splutter and add cumin seeds.
3. Add curry leaves, garlic and saute for half a minute.
4. Add chopped onion and fry till change in color.
5. Add tomato and all the dry powders. 
6. Mix well. Boil till tomato is tender, by adding little water(I take the water  from boiled beans)
7. Now add the boiled beans. Cook for a minute.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander(Here, I have missed it) before serving it with chapati or rice.

Will be back with new thing soon.

Keep smiling,

 

VARO-Indian Praline with Mixed Dry fruits for ICC

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

Srivalli's this month's  Indian Cooking Challenge  is  Varo – Indian Praline with Mixed Dry fruits . It was very helpful for me as it eased my work for Diwali.  Alka suggested the proper sweet for Diwali. Varo is a Sindhi Special on the Diwali day. 

Usually we make with other ingredients also such as, roasted peanuts, Dalia, kurmura, til.... 

But this Varo is special and everyone waits to tastes it.

I am directly coming to the Challenge with photos. The recipe is from  Simply Sindhi Recipes:

Ingredients:

Mixed Nuts - 1 cup(I took almonds and cashew nuts only)

Sliced dry coconut - 2 tbsp

Sugar - 1 cup

Cardamom powder - 1tsp

Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Vessels to make:

Thick bottomed kadai,

Big, wide steel plate or rolling board(greased)

Rolling pin

Method:

1. Cut or slice the nuts into small pieces.

2. Keep everything ready near the gas stove as you should be quick at the end.

3. Heat ghee and sugar and on low heat.

4. Wait till it melts and gets caramelized.  Be patient as it needs more time(almost 10 to 15 minutes)

5. Once it is light brown, add mixed nuts, poppy seeds and cardamom powder. 

6. Mix well to get the nuts properly coated.

7. Now, be quick and pour this on rolling board or steel and immediately roll it to make thick circle.

8. Here, if you are late, you are out of challenge!! Because the mixture gets hard very fast. 

9. Wait till the Varo is cool.

10. Break into pieces and store in a airtight jar.

This is for  Indian Cooking Challenge

Keep Smiling,

HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU.

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,

WISHING EVERYONE 

A

VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS

DIWALI

ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.

image

Thanks everyone for being with me. Please give me some more time to be regular here.

I am on holidays and will be back soon.

Keep Smiling,

Stuffed Lady's Finger with Coconut and Coriander(Food remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

 Hi All,

A delicious, tasty and easy ladyfinger or bhindi ki sabji from Jagruti of Joy of Cooking.

Click here for the recipe:

Stuffed Ladies finger or Okra

I enjoyed it with hot chapatis or phulkas.

I am sure you will love it.

Thanks Jagruti for sharing such a lovely and simple recipe.

Keep Smiling,

Event Round Up ~ "Complete My Thali(CMT)-Pickle"

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you all? I am sorry for the delay in this round up. As I have told you, I was on a family holiday. We visited Coorg and Yes! Coorg rocks. Beautiful land which is famous for my favorite Filter Coffee powder. Cardamom, Pepper, Cumin seeds also rule this land.

I enjoyed my 5 days stay and am back with wonderful memories and loads of photos.

Coming to the event,Event Announcement ~ "Complete My Thali(CMT)-Pickl...

I am very happy with the entries. All different and tasty pickles with mouth watering photos. I am going to try all these for my side dishes.

I will go for a quick round up as it is already delayed.

Entries are as the way I have received in my inbox.

Vasavi 's
1.Tomato Nilava Pachadi (Tomato Pickle)










Harini's
2.Mango-Ginger Pickle


Akheela's
3.Malay Pickle

Kanthi's 4 entries:

4.Tomato pickle, 
5.PULIHORA AVAKAI,
6.MANGO CHUTNEY/ Mamidikaya Menthi Baddalu,
7.MANGO SWEET & SOUR CHUTNEY

Nayna's 2 pickles

8.Pickles

Carrot Pickle and Mango Pickle

  

Subikhsa's  
9.Haldiche Lonche

Santosh's 3 entries:
10.Mango Pickle

11.AMLA PICKLE


12.GREEN CHILLY ACHAR N ACHARI SALAN[VEG]


Smitha's 2 entries:
13.Mukkala Avakaya / Mango Achaar (Tiny mango pieces ...

 14. Instant Cucumber Pickle / Kheera Achaar
 

PJ's 2 entries
15. Lemon Pickle -Pressure Cooker Method

16.Fresh red chilli pickle


Vanishri's 
17.HERINDI



Gayathri's 
18.Maa Inji Pickle



Smita's 
19.Sweet & Spicy Lemon Pickle

20.Puli Injhi (Traditional Kerala style pickle)



Priya's  4 entries:
21.Instant Green Bellpepper Pickle

 22.Instant Carrot Pickle

 23.Lemon Pickle-Pressure Cooker Method

 24 Instant Sprouted Fenugreek Pickle



Priya Sriram's  2 entries:
25.The Heat is On (Gooseberry Pickle)

 26. Maangai Keeru/Fresh raw Mango Pickle



Padma's
27. Green Fresh Pepper Corn Pickle



Kavitha & Gayathri's 5 entries:
28.Gooseberry Pickle

29.Mango Thokku

30.Lime Pickle

31.Mango pickle

32.Sweet Mango pickle


Shama's 5 entries:
33.Ginger Pickle

34. Mango pickle

35.Gongura Pickle

36.Green chillies Pickle

 37.Bittergourd Pickle


Denny's  
38.Ginger Pickle


Sangeetha's 
39.Star gooseberry pickle

and the one which I missed is from
Yummy4Tummy
 40.Chintakaya Pachadi (Tamrind Pickle)



Last is from my kitchen rack: 4 entries:
41.Two pickles( remixed & reposted):
      '
42.Red Chilly Pickle
43.mixed fruit pickle

And I am really sorry for delayed addition of entry from Jagruti.(Sorry Jagruti)
Oil Free Carrots and Chilli Pickle with Split Mustard seeds

Now the winner is Number 3:

Akheela's 

3.Malay Pickle

Thanks to my FB friends for helping me to choose the winner.

(3,14,12,9,2,24)

Congratulation to Akheela

Keep Smiling,