Rasagulla

I wanted to post this for a long time now being the  most favourite sweet of mine.There are varieties of Rasagulla in Odisha being Famous with the places name as Pahala Rasagulla and Salepur Rasagulla. My Dad used to bring a special one near to our home which was my favourite that we have named it after the person who is selling it as Kalia Rasgulla. So really have lots of childhood memories with it.

My Daughter who is going to turn 2 Years next month can now pronounce the name of this white beauty sweet although dividing it into two as Rasa ..... Gulla.
I was so delighted when I prepared it this time and she went on asking for me for two days with her sweet voice to have it.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1 litre
Lemon Juice - 2 Tbsp
Sugar - 2 cups
Water - 3 Cups
Cardamom Powder - 1/4 Tsp
Rose essence - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Boil the Milk and when it starts boiling simmer and add the lemon juice to it. you will notice all the milk will curdle into chena.
Now using muslin cloth strain the chena and wash it with running cold water to get rid of the smell of lemon completely.
Now squeeze all the excess water completely.
Now take out the chena or paneer and knead it well for 10 minutes till it is smooth.
Now prepare small balls out of it.
Now take a Pressure cooker add water sugar and cardamom powder. Let it boil. Now keep it on medium flame. Slowly put all the paneer ball into it.
Close the lid and let it pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

Every cooker is different so it may take less or more whistles.
Leave the cooker to cool and let all steam escapes on its own. Then you can take out the rasgullas and enjoy it warm or chilled.

Amba Tomato Khatta (Tangy Mango and Tomato )

Sour Chutneys or Khatta are a part of every day meal in odia cuisine. Be it Tomato Khajuri khatta,

Amba chutney , Pineapple chutney, Dahi baingan and many more.

Today I am Preparing a combo of tomato and raw mango Khatta.

Ingredients:

3 Tomatoes

2 Raw Mangoes 

2 tbsp Jaggery (or as per your taste)

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 Tbsp grated coconut

1/2 tsp Bhaja zeera lanka gunda(Roasted cumin redchilli powder)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

Few sprigs of curry leaves

1 Tsp oil

Heat oil in a wok add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let it splutter. now add curry leaves to it.

Add the Tomatoes and mango.Put salt turmeric and jaggery to it. Add grated coconut.

Cover and let it cook.Stir in between.

Once all the tomatoes are pulpy switch off the flame and add the bhaja zeera lanka gunda.

Shahi Palak Sabji Paneer

Would be wondering about the dish name ....Ya heard about popular Shahi Paneer ....a bit experiment with palak and different veggies with the shahi paneer. Give it a try and you would like to make it more often.
I usually cook the onion ginger garlic greenchilli paste and keep it in refrigerator for 3-4 days which I have used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Onion Ginger Garlic Paste(Cooked)
1 Cup Paneer Cubed
1 Carrot Sliced round
1/4 cup green peas
1/4 cup Sweet corn
3-4 Green beans chopped
1/2 Capsicum cubed
1 cup chopped Spinach
2 Green Cardamoms
1 Cinamom stick
1/4 Tsp Zeera
1 Tsp Ghee
Salt to taste
1/2 Tsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp Kitchen King Masala Powder
1 Tsp Kasoori methi
6-7 Cashews Soaked and made paste

Heat Ghee to a pan or wok add Zeera, Cardamoms and cinnamom sticks. Now add all the veggies except spinach and season with salt, turmeric powder and onion ginger garlic paste.
Cook for few minutes.
Now add kitchen king masala powder and kasoori methi and cook for some time.
Now add the paneer and chopped spinach.
When all the veggies are cooked add the cashew paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Gota Bhendi Bhaja : Stuffed Okra

Odia Cuisine is also known for using mustard seeds in its recipe. The mustard seed paste is used varieties of curries which are known as besara. This mustard paste is also used to stuff various vegetables. Today I am going to prepare a very famous stuffed vegetable Okra/Bhindi and in Odia it is known as Bhendi.

Ingredients:

10-12 Bhendi/Bhindi/okra
2 Tbsp Mustard seeds (soaked)
2 hot Green Chillies
5-6 Garlic Cloves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Mustard oil as  required
Salt as per taste

Make a smooth paste of mustard paste, garlic, greenchillies.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan add the masala paste,add salt, turmeric,chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Slit the Bhendis lengthwise from centre and stuff the prepared masala.

Heat oil in a flat pan and cook all the stuffed bhendis.

Serve with Rice  and Dal.

Aloo Baingan Sabji

This is a simple Aloo Baingan Sabji with flavours from lime juice, crushed peanuts and crushed poppyseeds.  A little different from normal aloo baingan sabji and if you dont prefer sourness from lime you can substitute it by adding tomato to it. It is equally delicious as I have tried with both. Give it a try and I am sure you will love it. Now lets prepare it.

Ingredients:

2 Long Purple Aubergine Sliced in rounds
2 Small Potatoes Sliced in rounds
1 Small Onion thinly Sliced
1 Tsp Crushed Poppy Seeds
1 Tbsp  Crushed Peanuts
1/4 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 Tsp Fennel Seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to Taste
1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Lime juice

Heat oil in Pan. Add Mustard seeds, Cumin Seeds, Fennel Seeds and let it splutter. Add Asafoetida and Crushed peanuts to the oil.
Add onion and Stir till it is slightly cooked. Now add potatoes and Aubergine. Add salt, Turmeric, Cumin Powder and Coriander Powder . Mix and cover and cook for 7-8 minutes stirring in between.
Lastly Add Crushed poppy seeds and lime juice.
Serve with Rice or Roti.

Puran Poli : Maharastra Recipe

Happy New Year to all my reader friends.This year I have decided to post specialities of different states each month. So starting with a Sweet one Puran Poli one of the Maharastrian delicacies prepared mostly on festive occasions like Ganesh chaturthi or Diwali.

Puran Poli is aFlat bread stuffed with a sweet lentil filling prepared with Chana dal/Split bengal gram dal , jaggery and little cardamom powder. Puran meaning Stuffing and Poli meaning Cover in Marathi langauge in enjoyed in most of the households.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing/ Puran:

1 Cup Chana dal Soaked for 3-4 hours
3 Tbsp Powdered Jaggery
Pinch of Cardamom Powder
1/2 Tsp Dry Ginger Powder

For Poli:
It is the Same atta dough we use for our Chappattis or Rotis. I have added ajwain to the dough which is optional.

Wheat Flour
Salt
Water
1/4 tsp ajwain/carom seeds(optional)

Prepare the dough and keep aside.


Take the chana dal in a pressure cooker and cook till done.

Strain the chana dal and mash with a spoon or potato masher . Add jaggery , ginger powder and cardamom powder.

Cook the dal mixture in a pan so that all water evaporates.
Now let it cool.

Now divide the dough into equal parts and stuff the dal mixture into it.

Roll and cook both sides on a gridle. Apply butter or ghee to both sides.

Enjoy with spicy Pickle.