RASGULLA (Cottage cheese balls soaked in sugar syrup)

Rasgullas are by far one of the most famous desserts in India. With a Bengali Origin, they are by far easy to make too, but a little tricky. They are soft, spongy and juicy once you pop them into your mouth and just melt away!!!

The first time I had them was in Chennai at a sweet stall called Archana Sweets. They were just so good that I really loved the kachak kachak sound the paneer made once you bite them. 

I wanted to bring back the same experience and I succeeded. It was indeed a memory of my childhood re visited. This time I made these for my mother - in - law who is staying with us for sometime. This is her most favorite dessert and she pops quite a few once in a while :) :) ;) 

I wanted to make a pictorial representation for the same but my bratty of the toddler would not let me do it!! So had to click these pictures once they were finished. Next time I'm sure going to make a pictorial post for this....

What you need:

1. Milk - 1 1/2 litre
2. Thick curd - 1/2 cup
3. Sugar - 1 cup (cooking the rasgullas) + 2 cups (for soaking the rasgullas)
4. Muslin cloth

How to go about it:

1. In a pan, pour the milk and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add the curd and let it stand for a few minutes. You would see the whey separating from the milk. 
2. Once separate, filter this through a muslin cloth. Wash the paneer through running water for few minutes. Squeeze out excess water and tie the cloth tightly and hang this for exactly 20 minutes - 30 minutes and not more than that.
3. Now, take out the paneer. The paneer you could see would be crumbly and yet will have little moisture in it. 
4. Transfer it in a bowl and knead the paneer until your hands get sticky (fat from the paneer) It will take approximately 5 - 7 minutes. After kneading the paneer will form into a ball on its own.
5. In a big pan, add 1 cup of sugar along with 4 cups of water and bring it to a rolling boil. 
6. Roll out small balls and add these to the boiling water and cover and cook them. The paneer balls would turn big in a few minutes. Keep them covered and cook them. 
7. After about 12 minutes take one ball and add it to clean water in a container. If the ball sinks then the rasgullas are cooked. If they are floating then cook them for few more minutes.
8. Once cooked, transfer the rasgullas to a bowl of clean cold water. This is to stop the cooking process.
9. Now in another heavy bottomed pan add 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water. Let it boil and let it be for atleast 10 minutes. This is the sugar syrup to soak the rasgullas.
10. Cool the sugar syrup completely. 
11. Now squeeze each rasgulla and add them to the sugar syrup. Let them soak for at least 4 - 5 hours. 
12. Rasgullas are ready to serve.

Troubleshooting:

1. If you are not able curdle the milk with curd then add about 3 - 4 tbsp of lemon juice. But wash the paneer for at least 10 minutes so that the lemony smell is off the paneer. 
2. Do not let the paneer stay more than the said time.

Njoy with your luved ones...

Luv...

Champa...

Aish - el - Saraya (Lebanese Dessert)

This month recipe challenge of Chefs Across Boundaries was hosted by my very warm and wonderful friend Garima Sarolia Narera (blog link https://cafegarima.wordpress.com/). She chose Lebanese Cuisine. 

I've tries Lebanese food at restaurants but never made it at home. The food is mostly baked, grilled or sauteed. They include a lot of meats, seafood, vegetables and fresh fruits vegetables. 

I did not want to settle with very common recipes and hence had difficulty searching for recipes. Then cast my eye in this wonderful dessert. Archana's Kitchen came to my help for the recipe. 

Aish - el - Saraya is a pudding with sugar soaked rusks layered with sweet, creamy custard. It is eggless and eaten cold. Very inviting for the summers. I loved making this dessert and it was a big hit in my house.

What you need:

For the bottom layer:

1. Rusk - 30 nos
2. Sugar - 1 cup
3. Water - 1 cup
4. Rose water - 1 tbsp

For the custard:

1. Milk - 500 ml
2. Whipping cream - 300 ml
3. Condensed milk - 1 tin
4. Cornflour - 6 tbsp
5. Rose water - 1 tbsp
6. Chopped badam and pista - 2 tbsp

How to go about it:

1. In a pan, add sugar and water. Boil it until all of the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil for 5  more minutes and let it cool. 
2. In a tray (I took an 8' aluminium cake tray) arrange one layer of rusk. Pour the warm sugar syrup and then arrange another layer on top and pour the syrup again and let it sit for sometime.
3. In a heavy bottomed pan, combine condensed milk, whipping cream, cornflour (mixed with little cold milk), milk. Heat the mixture and keep stirring it until it turns to a think, but pouring consistency. 
4. Once thick, take off the heat and it should be let to cool. 
5. Once lukewarm, mix in the rose syrup and pour this mixture over the assembled rusks. 
6. Add the chopped nuts over the custard. 
7. The Aish - el - Saraya is ready. Let it refrigerate at lease until 4 hours.
8. Serve cold

Njoy with your lived ones...

Luv..

Champa

Serradura My Way (Sawdust Pudding my way)

I was looking for some after lunch dessert on the net. Landed on this easy Portuguese Dessert. Saw dust pudding, why the name?? This dessert uses Marie Biscuits that are powdered and layered over Whipping Cream Condensed Milk combination. The Marie Biscuits look like saw dust and hence the name. 

I did not have all the ingredients and with what ever I had gave a twist to the wonderful easy deliciousness.

What you need:

1. Fresh Strawberries - 3 (sliced)
2. Whipping Cream - 1/4 cup
3. Strawberry Wafers - 6

How to go about it:

1. Whip the cream to soft peaks and keep aside.
2. Slice the strawberries.
3. Powder the wafers coarsely.

Assembling:

1. In a glass, add the powdered wafers. 
2. Layer it with the whipped cream. I used a pipping bag to layer.
3. Over the whipped cream, delicately layer the strawberries.
4. Repeat in same order for another layer.
5. Finish it off with Whipping cream and Strawberries.
6. Cover it with a cling wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so. 

Serve Chilled....

Njoy with your loved ones...

Luv...

Champa

Rasmalai (Cottage Cheese discs in flavored milk)

Bengali sweets are a big welcome to my taste buds. They are so tasty and wonderful. I'm very very choosy when it comes to enjoying sweets, as I don't have a sweet tooth. I enjoy anything spicy. But these wonderful treats are on my favorite list always. I can hog on millions of Rasmalai's anytime of the day. 

Rasmalai is made from Rasgulla. The only addition is the flavored milk instead of the sugar syrup used for the rasgulla. My friend Garima is the best in making Rasgulla. She is crowned as the Rasgulla Queen in one the foodie groups which I'm also a part. I took her recipe and the recipe from my favorite blog www.sharmispassion.com.

The only difference I made was the number of cups of water used to cook the rasgulla. Instead of 5 cups, I used just 3 cups of water to cook the Rasgullas. 

Also, usually I use lemon juice to curdle the milk. But this time I used curd and the paneer was not smelling of lemon and no rinsing was required.

The result, I was jumping joyously at the outcome. The Rasgullas were spongy, soft and melt in the mouth kind. Now lets get on to the recipe.

What you need:

1. Milk - 1 liter
2. Curd - 1/2 cup or Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
3. Sugar - 1 cup
4. Water - 3 cups

For the Flavored milk:

1. Milk - 1/2 litre
2. Sugar - 3/4 cup
3. Saffron strands - few
4. Cashews, pista and badam - chopped 2 tbsp
5. Cardamom - 3 pods

How to go about it:

Rasgulla:

1. Bring the milk to a boil. Add the curd or lemon juice and let it curdle. The milk mass and the whey should separate.
2. Now, use a muslin cloth (mul mul cloth). Filter the milk mass from the whey. Squeeze out a little and knot it on top. Let it hang for 30 minutes exact and not more than that.
3. The resulting paneer would be crumbly in nature. 
4. Now start kneading the paneer with the heel of your palm. As you knead the paneer, fat is produced and the paneer would form a ball like pliable dough.
5. Make small small roundels and press them flat. Keep aside.
6. Boil 3 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar. Bring this to a rolling boil and slowly add the paneer discs to this water. 
7. Let the discs cook for about 12 - 15 minutes. 
8. The discs should have enough space because they will double up in size.
9. Once done, take one of the discs and put them in a glass of water. If they sink immediately, they are thoroughly cooked. If not cook them in the boiling water for another 5 minutes.
10. Once done, add the rasgullas to clean drinking water. 

Flavored milk:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, add 1/2 litre of milk. 
2. Bring it to a boil, add sugar, saffron strand let it reduce. It should not be too thick not too thin. 
3. Finally add cardamom and mixed dry fruits.

Assembling and serving:

1. Gently squeeze the rasgullas and add them to the flavored milk. 
2. Let them boil together in the milk for atleast 15 minutes.
3. Let it cool completely and serve cold.

Njoy with your loved ones...

Luv...

Champa...

Bread Halwa

Mughalai Cuisine has a rich history. From Kebabs to Halwas, the ingredients used in the dishes are so rich and very appetizing. They incorporate a lot of ground spices which make the dish very aromatic. This particular cuisine has traveled from Persia. 

Recently, I had the luck to learn a dessert "Bread Halwa" from one of my friends Shaheen. I've tasted the famous Shahi Tukra, Double ka Meetha. But bread halwa was new to me. I was little sceptical at first, because I was worried whether the halwa would have the flavour of bread in it. But none the less, I was proved wrong. 

When Shaheen gave a choice between dessert and savories, I went up for dessert. I'm not a dessert person, but my husband loves them. Any time he would love to have something sweet. I'm also little apprehensive when coming to desserts, because of the tricks like consistency etc. 

My friend Shaheen gave such an easy recipe and answered my array of questions very patiently, that I was able to pull this up. Once I finished the making it, I tasted it and it was just yummmmm!!!! Not a hint of bread, it was so soft and soothing.

I really liked the halwa hot, it was just flavorful with ghee and the cardamom. Now lets get on with the recipe....

The original recipe link : http://www.spoonforkandfood.blogspot.in/2015/01/bread-halwa.html

What you need:

1. Bread slices - 6 (any variety of bread is alright) 
2. Sugar - 3/4 cup +  1 tbsp (you can increase or decrease the sweetness)
3. Cardamom - 4 pods (finely crushed)
4. Cashews & Raisins - according to your preference (nicely roasted in ghee)
5. Milk - 1 cup
6. Ghee - 3 tbsp
7. Cream - 4 tbsp

How to go about it:

1. First, toast the bread on a hot skillet until brown but not burnt. You can even toast them with ghee. 
2. Tear them up to pieces and soak them in milk for about 5 - 6 minutes.
3. In a heavy bottomed pan, add the soaked bread, cream.
4. Nicely mash them and bring to a pasty consistency, keep stirring so it doesn't stick to the pan.
5. Add sugar and keep stirring for about 5 minutes and add cardamom.
6. Once everything comes together, add ghee spoon by spoon. You would see that the halwas will come off the pan without sticking. Just like wheat halwa. 
7. Add the roasted dry fruits and serve.

Njoy with your luved ones...

Luv...

Champa...  

Akkaaravadisal (Rice and Split Yellow Moong Dal cooked in rice and jaggery)

koodArai vellum seer gOvindhA unthannai

 pAdipparai kondu yAm peru sanmAnam

nAdu pugazum parisibnAl nanrAga

chhodagamE thoLvaLaiye thodE sevippoovE

pAdagamE enranaiya palkalnum yAm aNivOm

Adai uduppOm adhan pinnE par sOru

moodanei peidhu muzangai vazi,vAra

koodiyirundhu kulirndhElOrempAvAi

 (Oh Govindha , who conquer those who are not favourable to you by your valour and virtues, the reward we have by singing your glory and observing the austerities is acclaimed by the whole country. Now that you have granted our request we will adorn ourselves with jewels , bangles, armbands, earrings ear drops and anklets. We will wear new clothes and eat  along with you, the rice boiled in milk with ghee that drips over our elbows, and enjoy.)

This is a pasuram (verse) from Tiruppavai (sacred set of songs) written by Goddess Aandal, the only woman Aazhvar of the 12 Aazhvars from Tamil Nadu. The songs are all on Lord Vishnu and they are so beautiful that they drip with love for the god. She is like Meera bhai of North who loved Lord Vishnu more than anyone and anything in this world. Her songs are popular down south and are daily sung by ladies and girls in the month of Margazhi. 

Every 27th day of Margazhi is called as 'Koodaralli Thirunaal'. On this day, we make this trational dessert called Akkaaravadisal. Akkaaram - Sweet, Vadisal - Rice. This is rice and moong dal slow cooked with milk (just milk) and jaggery added to it. The final product, as mentioned in the pasuram is just finger licking madness.

I wanted to make this for quite some time and got the opportunity today. But, first I wanted to do a research on this dessert. Why this name?? why is it so important for us?? why is that great that even the poet has mentioned it one of her songs??? The queries went endless. Immediately called up  my relatives and got to know the history.

What do you need:

1. Rice - 1/2 cup (any variety except idly rice)
2. Moong dal (split yellow) - 2 tbsp
3. Jaggery - 1 3/4 cup (powdered, you can reduce the sweetness also)
4. Milk - 4 - 5 cups
5. Ghee - 4 tbsp
6. Cashew & Raisins - about 10 each
7. Cardamom powder - 2 tsp
8. Edible Camphor - a pinch (optional)
9. Saffron strands - 5 - 6

How to go about it:

1. In a dry pan, roast the rice and moong dal until aromatic. Wash them and add the milk. Pressure cook this mixture upto 8 - 9 whistles. We are looking to achieve a very gooey consistency.
2. Dissolve the jaggery in 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Filter the impurities and add this to the same pan and boil it. It should bubble up nicely until about 5 minutes and keep aside. We do not need to achieve any particular consistency.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, roast the cashew and raisins until golden brown and keep it.
4. Soak saffron strands in warm milk and keep ready.
5. Once the rice moong is cooked, mix the jaggery with this mixture and heat it again. It will start to bubble and the entire mixture will come together. You would start smelling the aromatic intoxicating smell of jaggery. 
6. Now mix in the cardamom, the saffron strands and give a stir.
7. Finally, add the cashew nuts and raisins and take it off from heat.
8. Serve hot... The consistency should not be too watery or too solid. It is a dripping consistency.

Njoy with your loved ones...

Luv

Champa... 

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Mousse

Dulce de Leche is sweetness personified!!! It's condensed milk caramelized and the sweetness is beyond words.... An an ice cream with it??? should I say anything??

What you need:

1. DDL - 1 can
2. Whipping cream - 350 ml 
3. Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

How to go about it:

1. Take the DDL and whip it for about 2 minutes to make it soft and keep it aside.
2. Take the whipping cream, whip it until airy and fluffy. Do not whip it too long to stiff peaks. 
3. Now fold in the ddl and the vanilla essence. 
4. Freeze upto 6 - 8 hours. Serve cold.

Salted Caramel Sauce:

What you need:

1. Sugar - 1 cup
2. Whipping Cream - 1/2 cup
3. Butter - 6 tbsp
4. Salt - 1/2 tsp 

How to go about it:

1. First make sure every ingredient is ready. The butter and the whipping cream should be in room temperature.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, make sure you take a high walled one. Add the sugar and let it melt completely.
3. The sugar will turn brown and start caramelizing. Now add the butter and start whisking immediately. The mixture will start boiling and will rise considerately. 
4. Put the heat off, and take the pan off heat. 
5. Add salt and whisk. 
6. Now slowly add the whipping cream and whisk again but not vigorously. 
7. Your salted caramel is ready. Let it cool and store it in an airtight container. 
8. Serve it with pancakes, ice creams or any dessert!!

Njoy...

Luv..

Champa

Carrot Halwa

Childhood memories of food are so fond that you always remember that particular flavor. Grand parents are a blessing indeed. They spoil us to the bone and yet imbibe so many values in us. 

My grand mother, I call her Iron Lady of our family. She has the will power of the strongest metal in the world yet she is so caring and lovable. She is the bestest cook in the world. 

The Carrot Halwa that I had first was made by her. I've never tasted anything like that. So juicy, so sweet, flavorful and rich!!! I made this also the way she did.

 What you need:

1. Red Halwa Carrots - 1 1/kg
2. Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
3. Milk - 1/2 litre
4. Ghee - 6 tbsp
5. Cashew nuts and raisins - 1/4 cup
6. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp 

How to go about it:

1. Grate the carrots and keep them ready.
2. Saute the cashews and the raisins in a tablespoon of ghee and keep aside.
3. Heat about 3 tbsp of ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add the grated carrots. Saute them for about 15 - 20 minutes. The carrots will change colour and will be half cooked by now. The raw smell should not be there by this time.
4. Add milk and keep stirring them until almost all of the milk is absorbed and the carrots are cooked thoroughly. 
5. Add sugar now and keep stirring now and then. The sugar would start to caramelize and on the sides of the pan they will start to bubble off once you stir them. At the time add 2 tbsp of ghee. 
6. You can now see that the halwa would come together to a homogenised mixture. Add cardamom powder and the sauteed dry fruits and mix. 
7. Serve hot with cold vanilla ice cream. 

Njoy with your loved ones....

Luv...

Champa....

7 Cup Cake

Diwali is that time of the year when the entire family together have a wonderful time. Lots of sweets and goodies to savor!!! This year my entire family are together, so its double dhamaka for us!!! 

I'm not a big sweet lover and I don't even try them fearing the intricacies in them. But off late I've started to make sweets since mu hubby loves to eat them.

So this is also my husbands favorite.... easy ingredients and easy procedure....

What you need:

1. Besan - 1 cup
2. Coconut - 1 cup
3. Milk - 1 cup
4. Ghee - 1 cup
5. Sugar - 2.5 to 3 cups

How to go about it:

1. Heat a heavy bottom kadai and dry roast the Besan until aromatic and keep aside.
2. Grease a tray or a plate with ghee and keep aside.
3. In the same pan, mix sugar, coconut, milk and heat for sometime.
4. Now add the roasted besan and mix thoroughly without lumps.
5. The entire mixture will be runny initially. Keep stirring continuously.
6. This mixture will slowly thicken. Once it starts to thicken add the ghee little by little.
7. You will see the mixture to froth up. This is the consistency that you need to watch out for.
8. Once you reach this consistency, remove the pan off the kadai.
9. Spread it off the plate and let it set for sometime and cut it into pieces.

Njoy with your loved  ones...

Love...

Champs