Sweet Betel leaves flavored Ras Malai

When summer knocks at our door what's better than a cool drink with tulsi seeds,like falooda or paan gulkand drink.I had posted a Ras Malai recipe sometime back if you all remember,it was flavored with pumpkin but this time its flavored with sweet betel leaves or better known as "MISTI PAAN". It sounds interesting isn't it? And it tastes even better. So without further ado let's see what the recipe is.....

Ingredients:


9 pieces rasgulla (pre-made,from the market.You can find it in cans too).

1/2 liter milk.

1/4 cup condensed milk.

1 market made sweet betel leaf or misti paan (generally consists of cherries,hint of mint,cardamom,fennel seeds,rose powder,gulkand but no chuna or even khoir).

Sugar to taste
.
Method:
Grind the misti paan in a blender.

Boil milk and condensed milk in a pan and add the paan mix and stir blending everything together.

Take it off the stove and strain it (*tip: I tried it for the first time so you will notice that I haven't strained,but I would suggest do strain it as it will bring smoothness and hint of flavor to it without the leaves every time disturbing your taste buds)

Now add the pre-made rasgullas and let it soak.

Serve when it cools down.

Try it and do let me know...Enjoy!

Rabri

I think,Bengali's have an extra sweet-tooth and if you come to Kolkata and haven't had rasgulla then there is no point.Tonight,here is a sweet dish recipe and I hope you will love it.  

Ingredients:

Milk 10 kg

1/2 cup Condensed Milk.

Sugar to taste.

10-12 Pistachios (powdered).
3 drops Rose Essence.

Method:

Heat milk in thick bottomed pan and stir gently,letting the malai to form over it.

With a spoon separate the malai and let it set in a round steel plate.Repeat it again and again until you have got a thick layer of malai on the plate.

Now,let it set properly.Cut them in rectangle shape and set aside.

In another pan heat 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup condensed milk and stir.

Add sugar as required and the rose essence.

Take it off the flame and drop in the malai and let it soak.

When cooled down ,refrigerate it for 2-3 hours.

Before serving garnish it with powdered pistachios.

Its a slow process but I tell you,the end result is so worth it.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!

Brownies with Vanilla Ice-cream and Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

-for Brownies.

100 gm flour.
100 gm fine sugar.
100 gm butter.
70 gm dark cooking chocolate.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
2 medium sized eggs.
50 gm walnuts,chopped.
3-4 drops of vanilla essence.

-for Chocolate Sauce.

300 gm cooking chocolate.
1 cup cream.
few drops of vanilla essence.

Method:

-for Brownies.

Seive flour and baking powder.

Melt the chocolate and butter.

Cream the sugar in the chocolate and butter mixture,add in beaten eggs and vanilla essence and pinch of salt.

Fold the flour in the mixture,a little at a time and then add the walnuts.

Pour the mixture in a square glass dish and bake at preheated oven at 175 C.

Do not remove immediately.Let it stand for 2 mins and then cut into small square pieces.

Tip: Sprinkle some rum and sugar syrup over the cake to keep it moist.


-for Chocolate Sauce.

Break chocolate into pieces and heat then over a double boiler,stir it well.

Then add in the cream,stirring to mix everything well.

Lastly add the vanilla essence.

Serve the Brownies over a slab of vanilla ice-cream and pour some warm chocolate sauce over.

Its droollicious..!! (*winks*)

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!)

Caramel Custard.

"Custard:A detestable substance produced by a malevolent conspiracy of the hen, the cow, and the cook."~Ambrose Bierce.
It is said maybe,not meaning about the taste,maybe he meant because it has nothing (ingredients) in it actually.It does not require any creativity and the simplest form of dessert that you can make is the Caramel Custard or Creme Brulee,with minimal ingredients,which is generally available on regular basis,all the time at every house and takes just some minutes to cook.Its fast and the most hassle free dessert that you can serve to your guests,easily.

Now let me tell you the difference between Creme Brulee and Caramel Custard,they both are all the way similar except in brulee,cream is used and in custard,milk.

Here's the recipe for Caramel Custard.

Ingredients:

-for Caramel

2-3 tablespoon white sugar.
Little water.

-for Custard

3 medium sized eggs.
50 gm white sugar.
few drops of vanilla essence.
500 ml milk.

Method:

To caramelize the sugar,in a pan add the sugar and little water just so that the sugar is wet.You can even do it without adding water,but if you are not professional enough you might just burn the sugar.I did add in the water and slowly stir it in medium flame.

You'll notice the sugar turn into light brown color,take it off the heat and pour it in an aluminium pan and just by turning around let it spread.Do not use spatula.

Now in another bowl break the eggs and add the sugar,whisk it well and add few drops of vanilla essence.

Now strain the mixture so that the egg white strands are removed.

Add in milk and give a slow stir.

Pour the fluid slowly in the pan.

Now you can put it in a double boiler or even oven at 325 F for 45 mins.

If you do not have oven,you can pour water in a big pan and place in the aluminium pan over.The water must be half filled and do not heat it vigorously just simmer it.

You'll notice the top layer thicken and that's when you'll know its cooked.Bring it out,and lightly scrape the edges with a spoon so that it comes off easily.

Take a plate and turning it upside down place it over the pan,then quickly turn over.

Your Caramel Custard is set and ready to be served,but I would suggest refrigeration for and hour before serving.

Simple as that! 

Cinnamon Raisin Muffin!

Baking is really 'something'! You need to keep in mind about the measurement,temperature or if you've put in too much baking soda or powder or maybe too lumpy cookie dough,etc and etc.That's a lot! I know.

I'm no expert baker,sometimes I've done countless mistakes and its obvious when it comes to baking.But I believe in simplicity.The more the complex a recipe is,the more you tend to ruin it.So,it better be simple than to land up in your garbage bin,right?

"All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast." ~John Gunther.And when its muffin,then its really a good one.
This is an easy recipe,perfect for the novice bakers.Try it and I know you'll like love it.

Lets go over the Ingredients:

1 cup (that's about  150 gm) all purpose flour.
1/3 cup (that's about 40 gm) whole wheat flour.
1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
1 tablespoon grounded cinnamon.
1/2 cup raisins.
2 teaspoon of baking powder.
1 medium-sized egg.
3 tablespoon of melted butter.
1 teaspoon honey.
1/2 cup milk.
A pinch of salt.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.

In a large bowl mix in all the dry ingredients (flour,sugar,cinnamon,raisins,baking powder,salt).Combine well and set aside.

In another bowl,mix in the wet ingredients (egg,butter,honey and milk) and whisk lightly,mixing well.

Now,fold the dry mixture into the wet,incorporating all the ingredients well.The batter will be think not runny.

Arrange muffin tray or silicon molds and pour in the batter,filling 3/4 level.

Tap a little so that no air bubbles remain in and then sprinkle a little brown sugar on top of each.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Cool and Serve.

Tip: The best way to know if you are doing right is to taste at every level.