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

KOLAR BORAR PAYESH (Payesh with Banana & Grated Coconut Fritters)

Kolar Borar Payesh or Kheer made by adding Banana and grated coconut Fritters)

A quintessential Bengali style payesh is made with full fat milk, rice, sugar or jaggery, cardamom, dry fruits and nuts. It is impossible to imagine any auspicious occasion in Bengali households without a homemade payesh.

This is one of the heirloom recipe of the Thakur Bari. I have tried to recreate this recipe and trust me it tastes heavenly. Not a very difficult recipe though. Most of the bengali's love payesh as well kolar bora. Its just making the kheer with the usual process, then making the banana coconut fritters  and dipped in that kheer or payesh. Super tasty and full of flavour.

Ingredients:

(For the Banana fritters)

• Banana - 2 ripe
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Maida - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery (grated or syrup) - If you can use nalen gur, it would enhance the taste.
• Oil for frying

(For the Payesh)

• Gobindo Bhog chal - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 1 liter 
• Cashew nuts 
• Raisins
• Jaggery
• Crushed Cardamoms
• Bay leaf

Process:

1. In a bowl, mash bananas, add coconut and maida along with jaggery powder. Give it a good mix ensuring there is no lumps. You can add a little water to get a thick batter like consistency.

2. Heat oil for deep frying and keep on ladleful of batter to the hot oil and fry till the fritters are golden brown. Repeat the same process and make all the fritters. Keep aside on kitchen towel.

3. For making the payesh, soak rice in water for 10-15 minutes, drain and let it dry. Boil milk in a heavy bottomed pan, add bay leaves and cardamom. Cook over on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the rice and cook on medium flame, till the rice is perfectly done. Add cashew, raisins and let the milk simmer for 4-5 more minutes. 

5. Now add the banana fritters and cook for 2 minute on medium flame. Remove from the heat.

6. Add jaggery syrup of grated jaggery (which ever you are using) and keep on stirring continuously until the jaggery is completely dissolved. Allow to cool down and serve.

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

NARKEL NARU || COCONUT LADDU

These Gurer Narkel Naru or Jaggery  Coconut Bliss Balls are a must during any Bengali festive celebration. All you need is some coconut & jaggery. Both are abundantly available in a Bengali household and when combined together yields enough to cater to everyone in the family, from young to old because everyone is a big fan of this traditional Bengali sweet called Narkel Naru. These Naru's are from Lokkhi Pujo this year.

Ingredients:

1. Coconut - halved and then the flesh scraped using a scrapper.
2. Jaggery - as per taste

Process

1. Scrape the coconut and grind it further to get a fine texture

2. Take a heavy bottom pan and place it on low heat. Add the ground coconut and the jaggery in it and mix.

3. Cook it on low heat till you see the jaggery melt down completely. Keep stirring it continuously.

4. Now, continue cooking till the mix becomes sticky and starts to come together as a dough. It should take somewhere around 5-7 minutes to get that.

5. Turn off the heat and take the mix out in a mixing bowl. Allow it to cool down to room temperature.

6. Divide this mix into smaller portions and then roll them into smooth balls. Keep them in an air-tight container for a week. No need to refrigerate if the weather allows. Otherwise, keep it in refrigerator.