From New York to India.....

A friend of mine, phoned me last week while shopping in a supermarket to tell that she has come across nice fresh boxes of cream cheese.She herself is least interested in cooking but loves to eat and knows very well my passion for cooking. So, from time to time she informs me about fresh stuff she comes across like fruits and veggies or spices.She even gets some for me when she comes for holidays. This time too she got me the 2 boxes and asked me to make cheesecake for her.And I did and we enjoyed our weekend digging into the super easy-to-make cheesecake and caught up on all the gossip and news.

'No Bake' Blueberry Cheesecake Shots:

Ingredients:

2 packages of graham crackers.
11 tbsp unsalted butter, melted.
2 boxes Britannia cream cheese (at room temperature).
1 1/4 cups milkmaid sweetened condensed milk.
1 tsp vanilla essence.
1/2 cup whole blueberry crush.

Method:

In a large resealable plastic bag,put the crackers and crush them with a rolling pin until fine crumbs.

Melt butter in a small bowl.

Pour crumbs into a medium bowl and add the melted butter,and stir until well combined.

Chill it in freezer at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the filling,use an electric mixer set at medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the condensed milk a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add in vanilla essence and give a final mix.

Now,I have used a glass but you could use a cake tin,whichever suits you.


Note: if using a cake tin always line it with a butter paper at the base before setting the crumbs.

Make a base on the bottom of the glass by pressing the crumbs.Pour the filling into the crust; smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Freeze for 10 mins and repeat the layer again and again.

Now when the last layer has set pour in the blueberry crush and set for 2 1/2 hours.

Its ready to serve.

My father and I always go drooling at the name of jalebis but to tell you the truth, nowadays the jalebis made at the local sweet shops are always fried in low quality oils which in the end leads to upsetting your stomach or even heartburn. So,I decided why not try making it at home instead on low cholesterol oil and which will be safe from any kind of stomach problems.

Jalebi:

Ingredients:

For the batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp corn flour
3/4 cup sour yogurt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp oil, plus more oil for deep frying

For the sugar syrup:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
A few strands of saffron

Method:

Mix the flour, corn flour, baking soda, ghee in a medium bowl.Combine all the dry ingredients well, until well combined.

Add yogurt to the dry ingredients and blend them all together to make a thick batter by adding very little water.

The consistency of the batter should be thick and not watery.

Cover the jalebi batter and place it in a warm place for 24 hours or overnight, till it is risen.

Once the batter is fermented stir the batter in a cut and fold motion to combine it once again.

To make the syrup, boil the sugar with water and saffron in a small bowl on medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

When it becomes thick and stringy of one string consistency then take it off the heat and keep aside.

Pour the batter in a piping bag or muslin cloth.

Heat oil in a skillet for deep frying.

Pipe spirals of the batter onto the medium hot oil, until you get 3 concentric circles and fry until golden brown in colour and crisp.

Once the jalebi are done,drain the excess oil in a kitchen towel.

Soak the jalebis in the syrup for a minute or so and drain out the excess.

Tastes best with chilled Rabri.

My friend and my father were super happy and I had equally gala time with them on the two different occasions.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Ras Malai

Indian,Bengali's love sweets.When we visit any relatives or acquaintance the first think that comes to the mind of a Bengali is 'Misti' (sweet savory) and that would generally be 'rasgulla'.

Its soft paneer(cottage cheese) balls immersed in sugar syrup.And there is a variety in it too.

'Ras Malai',it is similar to rasgulla but instead of being soaked in sugar syrup,it is soaked in sweet,flavored milk.

Today's recipe is a famous Bengali dessert Ras Malai with a twist.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin puree 250 gm.
4 tbsp clarified butter/Ghee.
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder.
A pinch of Nutmeg (Jaiphal) powder.
1 liter milk.
20 pieces rasgulla (pre-made,from the market.You can find it in cans too).
1/2 tsp saffron.
1 tbsp pistachio.
 1/2 cup condensed milk.
Sugar to taste.

Method:

Heat clarified butter/ghee in a large pan and add in the pumpkin puree and cook for a while.

Then add the milk and stir,mixing well.

Now add the saffron(soaked in little warm milk) and cardamom powder.

Add in the condensed milk,sugar and rasgullas and let it soak the milk.

Then add nutmeg powder and give a final slow stir,carefully so that the balls don't break.

Garnish it with blanched pistachio and let it cool down before serving.

Prepare it,and do let me know if you like it....Enjoy!

Sooji (Semolina) Ladoo

I went for a vacation,to meet my sister-in-law and my little nephew.And on this visit,my nephew requested,asking to make something sweet for him.

My sister-in-law is quite strict about his eating chocolates (I pity that little guy) so when he asked me I had to make something that's healthy and easy yet tasty.

Ladoo is really a yum treat and specially children love to indulge in it.During Diwali or any other occasions sweets are a must in Indian houses,we believe exchanging packet of sweets is a good gesture towards family and friends.Out of all the home-made sweet delicacies,ladoos are famous and a regular sweet.

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup very fine semolina.

3/4 cup granulated sugar (according to taste).

2 1/2 tablespoons of Ghee or Clarified Butter.

2 tablespoons of cashew and almond,roughly chopped.

2 tablespoons of raisins.

6 green cardamom,grounded into fine powder.

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg powder.

A large pinch of saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon of milk or water.

Method:

Dry roast the semolina on a low flame,until it turns golden brown.

Now heat ghee/clarified butter and add in the chopped nuts and raisins.Then add in the semolina and stir to mix well.

Add sugar,cardamom powder,nutmeg powder and mix everything well.

Take it off from heat and add in the milk and let it cool in a plate.

Once it has cooled down slightly,but in lukewarm state,shape them in form of marbles by squeezing a handful between your finger and palm.

Set them in a plate and place a sliced almond or pistachio on top of each.

Store them in an air tight jar or box and keep them in refrigerator.

(You'll notice I haven't used coconut,because I don't like it in ladoos.But if you want to go by the book,then add in grated coconut.I don't think it makes any huge difference though,depends on individual taste.If you ask me,its tastes equally better without it.So try it and enjoy!)