Cucumber Gazpacho

Call it a summer salad, or a raita, it's a perfect recipe when you want some light and filling food. No cooking time required and super healthy too. Moreover, Gazpacho is a soup bursting with flavor and exploding with nutrients that will improve your weight, skin, and energy. You can have this as a dip too. We enjoyed with some nachos and chips as well.

Ingredients:

• Cucumber - 1
• Curd - 2 tsp
• Soaked cashew nuts - 7-8
• Green chilli - 1 (or as per taste)
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Garlic cloves - 6-7
• Coriander leaves
• Rock salt - 1/2 tsp (you can use normal salt also)
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp
• Mixed herbs - 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil - 1/2 tsp
• Water - 1/4 cup (2-3 tsp)
• Roasted sesame seeds (for garnishing)

Process:

1. Slice the cucumbers and add to a blender jar. Add all the other mentioned ingredients and blend it to a smooth paste. 

2. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with roasted sesame seeds and some cucumber slices, serve with some chips, nachos or enjoy as raita.

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Ice Cream Sandesh Cake - Bhai Phota Special Dessert

Ice Cream Sandesh Cake is nothing but Bhapa Sandesh or Steamed Sandesh. As this is served chilled hence this is the name. 

Ingredients:

• Full cream milk - 1 liter
• Vinegar - 2 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 4 tsp
• Milk powder - 2 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Kesar color - 1/2 tsp
• Milk - 2-3 tsp
• Saffron strands - 8-10
• Pistachios (finely chopped) - 1 tsp for garnishing

Process:

1. Boil the milk and add vinegar. Once the milk curdles up, drain the content through a clean muslin cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. Transfer the cottage cheese to a blender jar, add milk powder, sugar, cardamom powder and saffron color and blend to a smooth paste.

3. Layer the baking / steaming mould with aluminum foil and spread few saffron strands and pour the batter. Cover with a foil paper and steam for 20 minutes.

4. Once done, let it cool down. Transfer to a plate gently, garnish with some chopped pistachio and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Cut into slices and serve chilled. 

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Shorshe Ilish

Ilish or Hilsa is not just a fish to a a Bong, it's an emotion to us. And having Shorshe (mustard seeds) ilish with steamed rice, flavoured with kancha lonka (green chili) is the ultimate goal of Bong-life. The "Bhat-Ghum" afterwards is inevitable. This Ilish (Hilsa) travelled all the way from Kolkata to Mumbai to satiate my longing for Kolkata Ilish. 

Moreover, this ilish (Hilsa) traveled all the way from Kolkata to Mumbai to satiate my longing for Kolkata Ilish. And the credit goes to my better-half for this. 

Ingredients:

• Ilish fish - 6-7 pieces 
• Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
• Poppy seeds or posto - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard oil - 2 tsp 
• Dry red chilli - 2 
• Nigella seeds (Kalo jeera or kalonji) - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - 4-5
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Salt to taste

Process:

1. Soak mustard and poppy seeds in water for about 20-30 minutes. Remove from water, add two green chillies and blend to a paste, keep aside.

2. Heat mustard oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the fish pieces adding salt and turmeric. 

4. In the same pan, add little more mustard oil and add dry red chillies along with nigella seeds and saute for a few minutes and add mustard paste along with salt and turmeric powder, saute for a new more minutes and add water. Let it boil for about 3-4 minutes. 

5. Once boiled, add the fish pieces and simmer for 2 minutes. Enjoy with steamed rice. 

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Hara Bhara Kabab - Diwali Special Healthy Snacks

Hara Bhara kabab is a vegetarian kabab made from green peas, paneer, spinach, gram flour, bread crumbs and Indian spices. You can deep-fry or shallow fry them on a tawa. These are very popular in North Indian Snack Platters and healthy too. 

Ingredients:

• Green peas - 1 cup
• Spinach (chopped) - 1/2 cup
• Paneer (grated)  - 1/2 cup
• Gram flour / Besan - 1 tsp
• Bread crumbs - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cashew nuts 
• Oil for shallow fry

Process:

1. To start with, make a smooth paste with peas and spinach. Transfer to a Mixing bowl.

2. Add all the ingredients and make a dough. Take small pieces and give the shape of kabab. 

3. Put a cashew nut on the top, shallow fry both the sides until crispy. Serve hot with ketchup.

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Kucho Nimki - Bengali Savory Treat

Kucho Nimki is a typical small diamond shaped cracker, and a very popular savory treat from Bengali Cuisine. Made in small batches in a Bengali household. They are a quintessential teatime snack. This is a classic savory dish which is cooked with just a few ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• Maida - 2 cups
• Vegetable oil or ghee - 1 tsp
• Nigella seeds  - 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
• A pinch of Salt 
• Luke warm water
• Oil for deep frying 

Process:

1. Take two cup of maida and add oil / ghee, baking soda, nigella seeds and a pinch of salt. Mix well and add luke warm water slowly to make a smooth but tight dough. It should take a 10 minutes of kneading.

2. Divide the dough into 3-4 parts, take one part and roll it out like a paratha (1mm thickness). Use a knife to cut long strips and then cut diagonally (ref to the video)

3. Heat oil for deep frying and then add the nimkis into the hot oil. When the nimkis turn golden, take them out of the oil and place on a paper napkin. Let them cool down to room temperature and you can store them in an air tight container for at least a week.

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Tomato Khejur Chutney

Bengali Style Tomato Khejur Chutney is a sweet and savory chutney full of flavors. No Bengali feast is complete without this simple chutney. it's very easy to make and gets ready in just 20 minutes. This chutney is a popular side dish which is also an integral part of Durga Puja Bhog along with the special khichuri and other divine dishes.

Ingredients:

• Mustard oil - 1 tsp 
• Tomatoes - 2-3 finely chopped
• Cherry tomatoes - 8-10 (optional)
• Dates - 8-10 (pitted and chopped)
• Panchforon  - 1 tsp
• Dry Red chili - 2
• Bhaja moshla - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Jaggery powder - 2 tsp

Process:

1. Heat mustard oil and add dry red chili along with panchforon, when they start sputtering, add chopped tomatoes and dates. Add salt and turmeric and sauté on low heat till the tomatoes reduces. 

2. Add jaggery powder and raisins and cook for 4-5 minutes or till the chutney comes to a boil. 

3. Adjust the sweetness and finally sprinkle the bhaja moshla and get the chutney off the heat. 

4. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Shorshe Begun ~ Popular recipe from Bengali Cuisine

Shorshe Begun is a very popular recipe from Bengali cuisine, one such dish that is creamy, light and full of flavour. Shorshe meaning mustard seeds are a prevalent part of Bengali cuisine, and Bengalis love to cook with MUSTARD Oil. The pungent flavour of mustard works brilliantly in curries with vegetables. 

Ingredients:

• Mustard oil - 2 tsp for cooking and 1 tsp to use raw to finish the dish
• Eggplant / Brinjal / Begun - 4-5 medium size (cut lengthwise)
• Mustard seeds 2-3 tsp
• Onions - 2 (sliced)
• Green chilies - 2-3 
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste

Process:

1. Soak mustard seeds in water for an hour. Drain the water and add 1 green chili, and make a smooth paste.

2. Cut the brinjals into lengthwise pieces, add salt and turmeric and coat well.

3. In a pan, add mustard oil and fry the brinjal pieces for 2 minutes each side turning lightly brown. Remove from oil and keep aside.

4. Add onions and salute for few minutes, and add the mustard paste along with salt and turmeric. Also add a splash of water. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes on high heat and then simmer for a minute.

5. Now add the fried brinjals in the mustard gravy and simmer over on low heat, covering with a lid for 3-4 minutes. Stir half way through cooking. Spread one tsp of raw mustard oil once done to enhance the taste.

6. Serve hot with steamed rice and dal. On my plate, its rice, dal, alu bhaja and shorshe begun.

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

SANDESH ~ A Traditional Bengali sweet

SANDESH is a traditional Bengali sweet, made specially during Lokkhi pujo. In Assam, Odisha, and parts of Bengal, Lokkhi puja is performed on Ashvin purnima day on the month of Ashvin, the full moon day following Bijaya Dashami and Durga puja. Devotees believe that the happier Lakshmi is during her visit, the more she blesses the family with health and wealth. During this festival, we prepare narkel er naru (coconut laddu), til er naru (sesame ladoo), Muri r mowa (puffed rice ladoo), narkel er sandesh (coconut barfi) and many other items and offer it to Maa Lokkhi. Today I have made "Kheer'er Sandesh"

Ingredients:

• Mawa / Khoya (Kheer) - 200 gram OR you can make kheer at home also by reducing the milk
• Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup
• Milk powder - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Sandesh moulds

Process:

1. Add mawa to frying pan and keep stirring on low flame, it will melt totally. Add sugar and let the sugar dissolve completely.

2. Now add milk powder and cardamom powder. Mix gently, switch off the flame and let it cool down to room temperature.

3. Grease your palm with ghee as well the moulds. 

4. Tear a small portion of the prepared mixture and gently press over the mould. Shape accordingly pressing gently with your fingers as shown in the video. (ref - Instagram and YouTube). 

5. De-mould the sandesh and keep on a plate. Repeat the same process for the remaining mixture. Allow the sandesh to set, at least for 2-3 hours. 

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

Ghugni ~ An Iconic Bengali snack

Ghugni is a curry made of white peas or chickpeas. Different variations of this dish use different types of peas, such as black gram, green peas or white peas. Ghugni is often served with luchis as breakfast or kachoris in the roadside tea stalls. It is very popular amongst all the other street foods in Kolkata. This white chickpeas ghugni is often made during Durga puja or any other festival times in Bengali households. Ghugni is widely enjoyed as a spicy and tangy evening snack and most beloved one for Bengalis. 

Ingredients:

• White peas - 1 and 1/2 cup (200 gram)
• Mustard oil - 2 tsp
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
• Cardamom - 2 crushed
• Clove - 3-4
• Bay leaves - 2
• Dry red chili - 2
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
• Onion - 2 (finely chopped)
• Ginger and green chili paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coconut - cut into slices
• Salt to taste
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Bhaja masala - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind pulp / puree - for garnishing

Process:

1. Rinse and soak the white peas over night. Then boil them adding water and salt. The Peas should be soft but remain unbroken. Once done, strain the dal and reserve the water for later.

2. Heat oil in a small pan and add the coconut slices and fry until they are golden brown. Remove and keep aside. 

2. Now in a kadhai, add mustard oil and ghee, once hot, add dry red chili, bay leaf, cardamom, clove, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Once they stars crackling, add onions and fry for few minutes. 

3. Add the ginger and green chili paste along with tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are soft. Meanwhile make a paste of all the powdered spices adding water and add it to the pan. Mix everything and fry until the smell of raw spices are gone. Add a splash of the reserved water and continue frying. Once the spices have started releasing the oil, add the boiled peas and fold it with the spices and cook for 2 minutes. 

4. Add salt and sugar and bubble on high heat for about 3-4 minutes until the curry loses its watery consistency. Add fried coconut and bhaja masala and give it a good mix. Remove from heat, cover and let it rest for 2 minute before serving. 

5. While serving, add chopped onion, green chilies and tamarind puree/pulp. Serve hot. 

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe

CHANAR JILAPI

CHANAR JILAPI is a very popular Bengali sweet from India's eastern state of West Bengal. This is an Indian sweetmeat made with fresh cottage cheese from full cream milk, adding few more ingredients and shape into a "knot" followed by deep frying and soaking in sugar syrup. This is very popular Bengali sweet and can be found at any Bengali sweet shops in Kolkata. 

Bijaya Dashami ~ as the name suggest, "Durga Puja" is dedicated to Maa Durga and on the day of Dashami, we offer various types of misti to Maa before she returns back to her home. Dashami is the end of Durga Puja and according to Hindu mythology, on this day after a battle lasting over 9 days, we celebrate the victory of good over evil.

Ingredients:

• Full cream milk - 1 liter
• White vinegar or lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 1 tsp
• Milk Powder - 2 tsp
• Corn flour - 1 tsp
• Ghee - 2 tsp
• Maida - 3 tsp
• Food color - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Sugar for sugar syrup - 1 and 1/2 cup
• Water - 1 cup
• Green cardamom pods - 3-4
• Saffron strands

Process:

1. Boil the milk and add vinegar or lemon juice. Once the milk curdles up, drain the content through a clean muslin cloth. Tie the cloth and hang it for 2 hours so that the water completely drains away. 

2. Transfer the cottage cheese to a bowl and add all the mentioned ingredients (Maida, corn flour, powdered sugar, milk powder, baking powder and ghee. You can add food color also. Knead it well until the mixture turns into a smooth dough. 

3. Take out small portions of dough, roll out long ropes out of the balls and swirl them up in the form of jalebi / jilapi / jilipi (as you say). 

4. Heat ghee or vegetable oil in a kadhai on medium heat. Once the oil / ghee is sufficient hot, deep fry these prepared jilapis in batches. Keep aside.

5. For making the sugar syrup, in a pan add sugar and water and boil it until you get the desired consistency. Add crushed cardamom and saffron strands. It should not be a very thick in consistency. Once the syrup is ready, remove from the flame and soak the fried jilapis in the syrup for few minutes. 

P.S. The recipe video is there on my Instagram and Youtube pages. Do check it out @romisrecipe