Ingredients
1 litre milk preboiled and top cream removed
1/2 tsp. citric acid or
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. corn flour
1/2 cup sugar ground fine
1/4 tsp. essence of choice
few drops color to match essence flavor
(example. green with pista essence)
For topping:
1 tsp. slivered pistas and almonds
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
Small moulds of choice
Preparation
1.Dissolve acid or lemon juice in 1/2 cup warm water
2.Put milk to boil. When it rises, pour acidic water all over it.
3.Reduce heat and stir till fully curdled.
4.When whey and water separate completely, remove from heat.
5.Strain in clean muslin cloth.
6.Hold under running water for a minute.
7.Press out excess water and hang for 15 minutes (paneer is made).
8.Empty the paneer in a large plate.
9.Take 2 tbsp of paneer in a heavy pan and add cornflour.
10.Heat on medium flame stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes.
Cool, add to paneer in plate, add sugar, essence and colour.
Sondesh (Bengali Sweet)
Subz Bhaja (Bengali food)
Ingredients
2 medium size potatoes
2 medium size brinjals
1 raw banana thinly peeled
1 zucchini
1 slice pumpkin, skinned and deseeded
1 cup gram flour
1 cup rice flour
1/2 tbsp hot oil
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
3-4 pinches soda bicarbonate
oil to deep fry
Preparation
1. Wash, wipe and slice vegetables (including skins) into thick diagonal slices.
2. Make a batter of all the other ingredients, using water as required.
3. The batter should be able to coat the back of a spoon smooth and thick.
4. Heat oil for frying. Dip some veggies in batter at a time.
5. Coat with batter and let them in hot oil one by one.
6. Fry fritters (veggies) till light golden and crisp.
7. Drain and serve hot with chutney and sauce.
8. Repeat for remaining vegetables. Serve an assortment each time.
DOSA
Ingredients:
2 cups (360 g) rice, preferably parboiled
1/2 cup (90 g) split and husked Bengal Gram ('Dhuli Urad')
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
2 tsp salt Oil for cooking dosas
Preparation
Rinse rice and dal and soak in water for about 2-3 hours.Soak rice, daal, and fenugreek seeds together overnight. Grind these ingredients together to a very smooth consistency. Add the salt and enough water to make into a dropping consistency, and leave to rise for 5-6 hours, or overnight. Check consistency of the batter, and if needed, add enough water to make into a smooth pouring consistency. Heat tava (dosa pan) very hot, splash a little water over it, and with a ladle, immediately pour some batter onto it, spreading it thin, with a circular motion, without pressing too hard. (You will need some practice to get it right). Lower the heat and dribble a little oil around the edges. When edges start browning a bit, it is almost done. Add desired filling and fold over.
Ven pongal
Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 cup moongdal
3 green chillies
1/4 inch ginger
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp whole black peppers,
1 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of turmeric powder.
10 - 15 cashewnuts
salt to taste
Preparation
Mix rice and moong dal Add 3 times water(6 cups) and steam until it is overcooked.Cut green chillies ginger into fine pieces. Take ghee in a fry pan and add black peppers, and cumin seeds. When the peppers burst add chillie and ginger pieces and a pinch of turmeric powder.You should be cautious while adding the black peppers and green chillie pieces in hot oil. They may burst all over. Therefore use low heat and a deep hollow vessel for this.Add cashewnuts and remove the pan when the cashews are roasted and begin to smell.Add this to cooked dal-rice mix. Add salt, a sprig of curry leaves and mix well. Add some ghee while serving.
Vermicelli upma
Ingredients: ]1 cup vermicelli
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urud dal
1/2 tsp, gram dal
2 red chillies
5 tsp oil
a bunch curry leaves,
1 onion
2-3 cashews
salt to taste
Preparation
Roast vermicelli in ghee/oil for 2 min until it becomes slightly golden brown in color. Heat oil, add mustard seeds. When it pops, add red chilies, urud dal, gram dal .Add curry leaves and finely chopped onions. Add the roasted vermicelli .Now add 2 cups water and leave it covered in low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until it becomes soft. Roast cashews in little ghee and add it to the upma. Serve hot.