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

MANGO RASMALAI

A decadent and rich homemade dessert flavored with fresh mango puree that is gorgeous as well as delicious that always brightens the mood. The juicy and spongy fresh cottage cheese balls are dunked in a creamy sweetened mango flavored milk. As we know mango season is getting over so why not make some chilled Rasmalai with this mango twist?

Ingredients:

1. Rosogolla - 6 - 8 (Rosogolla recipe is there in the blog, you can check the same for making Rosogolla)  
2. Milk - 2 cup
3. Condenses milk - 1 cup
4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Nuts (any nuts of your choice) - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
6. Mango Puree - 2 cups

Process:   

  

1. Pour milk in heavy bottom kadhai and let it cook on low flame, stirring occasionally. Add condensed milk, cardamom powder and stir continuously till you get the perfect thick consistency.

2. Once the milk reaches the desired consistency, put the flame off and let it come to room temperature. Add the mango puree and mix well. 

3. Now squeeze out lightly the syrup from rosogollas (that you have already made) and add them gently to the Mango milk mixture, you can also divide the the rosogollas into two pieces, I have kept them as whole. Add the dry fruits of your choice.

Mango Rasmalai is ready, keep them inside the refrigerator and later on serve chilled. 

TOMATO SOUP

Tomato soup is absolutely comforting, tastes delicious and flavor packed. A good tomato soup is all about flavors, with a right balance of sour and sweetness, which I have been making for my family since decades. It is super simple to make and needs only a handful of ingredients.  The amazing thing about this soup is that it can be made in different ways & each taste different depending on the ingredients used and cooking method. Some taste so plain with less flavors while some taste very sour or runny. This one has amazingly great flavors, nice texture and of course an all time favorite one.

Ingredients:  

1. Tomatoes - 200 gram (ripe, red and less sour)
2. Onion - 1 medium size (finely chopped - Onion adds a sweet flavor to the soup)
3. Butter - 1 tsp 
4. Bay leaf - 1
5. Garlic cloves - 2-3
6. Salt
7. Cornflour - 3/4 tsp
8. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Process:  

1. Heat butter in a pan. Then add bay leaf and garlic cloves, saute for a minute and add chopped onions. Fry them on a high flame for 2 to 4 minutes until they are slightly roasted. This brings out the sweet flavor from onions.

2. Add tomatoes and sprinkle salt (1/3 tsp) and cook until slightly soft. Cool the mixture once done and discard the bay leaf. Transfer to a blender jar and pour 1 cup water and blend to a smooth puree. Blend very well until smooth. 

3. Place a sieve over a pan or pot and pour the blender mixture and filter. Discard the coarse particles. Bring the soup to a boil on a medium heat. 

4. Meanwhile add  corn flour to half cup of water and mix well to make a slurry. (If you do not prefer corn flour in this recipe then you may add a small boiled potato and blend.) Once the tomato soup comes to a boil, simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then gradually stir in the corn flour mixture.

5. Now add sugar and stir. boil this well until the tomato soup thickens and the raw flavor of the flour has gone. Taste and adjust salt if required. When it reaches your desired consistency then add herbs and black pepper. Turn off the flame. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and garnish with herbs and cream (if you are using cream). Serve hot with croutons or toasted bread.

NOTE: If you are vegetarian, you can skip onion garlic and use the same process. 

DAL MAKHANI

The rich and creamy aroma of Dal Makhani is the most beautiful thing int he world, especially for foodies. I am not saying this is an authentic or restaurant style dal makhani, because, trust me every restaurant has its own version. This north Indian dish goes very well with Rice or Paratha. I tried this with green moong dal and rajma and turned out yummy. Here is the easy recipe, do try at home and share your views in the comment section.

Ingredients:

1. Green moong dal - 1 cup

2. Rajma - 1/4 cup

3. Butter - 100 gram (half cup)

4. Ginger paste - 1 tbsp

5. Garlic paste - 1 tbsp

6. Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tbsp

7. Garlic - 1 tsp (chopped)

8. Salt to taste

9. Fresh tomato puree - 1/2 cup

10. Onion paste - 1/2 cup

11. Fresh cream - 1/2 cup

12. Fresh coriander leaves - 1 tsp

13. Dry red chilli - 1 

14. Bay leaf - 1

15. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

16. Ghee - 1/2 tsp

17. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Process:

1. Soak the dal and rajma together for at least 4-5 hours or overnight. Then scrub and wash it clean. Add 4 cups of water and boil in a pressure cooker till dal splits and becomes thick.

2. Cut tomatoes and puree them. Cut onions and make a smooth paste. 

3. In a pan, add butter and saute ginger garlic paste for 2 minutes. Add kashmiri red chilli powder, bay leaf, dried red chilli and stir nicely. Add tomato puree and onion paste and give a good stir, let the tomatoes cook till they turn very thick.

4. Add this fried masala / tadka to dal along with some water and salt and turmeric powder. Cook the dal for 30 minutes. 

5. In a separate pan, heat oil and add chopped garlic. Let the garlic turn to brown, and add straight to the boiling dal. Add some more butter along with fresh coriander leaves and ghee. Add garam masala powder and cream. 

6. Remove from heat and serve hot with Paratha or Rice.

MANGO JAM

A delicious homemade mango jam, perfect for the mango season. The temperatures are soaring and there are mangoes to make your life beautiful. Be it raw mangoes or sweet ripe mangoes, the dishes one can make are innumerable. So here is a simple and easy recipe of mango jam. You can simply store it in the refrigerator. Either way, mango jam is the perfect way to preserve mangoes.

Ingredients :

1. Ripe mango - 1 big (grated 1 cup)
2. sugar - 1 cup
3. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
4. Salt - a small pinch

Process:

1. Wash and peel the raw mangoes, grate them using the fine grater option.
2. In a pan, take the grated mango, add sugar and a pinch of salt and bring it to heat on low flame. 
3. After 3-4 minutes the sugar starts caramelizing, see the change in color. Add cardamom powder. Keep stirring and scraping the sides also.
4. When the sugar has been completely absorbed and there is still moisture the jam is done. See the consistency and the thick syrup.
5. Let it cool, store in a glass jar and use as required.

Try out this amazing and simple jam and trust me everyone will love this.

CRISPY HONEY CHILLI POTATOES

Honey chilli potato is a hugely popular Chinese dish. It is very crunchy and full of flavor snack that you cannot resist. This is a favorite snack in all the age groups. Here is the three step simple yet delicious recipe. 

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 3 big
2. Cornflour - 3 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Soy sauce - 2 tsp
5. Tomato ketchup - 2 tsp
6. Chilli sauce - 1 tsp
7. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
8. Oil - for frying
9. Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
10. Ginger & Garlic (finely chopped) - 1 tsp
11. White sesame - 1 tsp
12. Honey - 1 tsp
13. Spring onions - 1 tsp (finely chopped)

Process:

1. Cut the potatoes into finger chip size and boil them adding a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Drain water and spread them evenly in a kitchen towel, let the moisture go away. In a bowl, add 1/2 tsp cornflour and mix the potatoes. Deep fry the potatoes until they are crispy golden brown. Keep aside.
2. In a bowl, mix water and corn flour and keep aside. 
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add chopped ginger garlic to it, once the garlic is light brown and fragrant, add onions and saute for 5 minute, then add soy souch, chilli sauce, honey, tomato ketchup and mix well. Add spring onions and the corn flour mix to this sauce. Keep stirring on medium heat for one minute.
4. In a serving bowl, place the crispy fried potatoes and spread the sauce, mix well, garnish with some more white sesame and spring onions or chopped coriander leaves.

ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

It's my niece's birthday today (19th June 2020). Though she is far away from me, I just thought to make a cake so that when she is cutting her birthday cake, I can also enjoy my piece of cake. This is my second experiment in baking a cake in Kadhai and this time also it came out fluffy, soft and tasty. I have used used normal Nescafe coffee powder, not any coffee essence. I just loved the cake.

Ingredients :

1. Wheat flour - 1 cup
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Baking powder - 1 tsp
4. Butter - 1/2 cup
5. Milk (boiled and cold) - 1/2 cup
6. Dry fruits - 1 tsp
7. Eggs - 2 
8. Salt - pinch of
9. Nescafe coffee powder - 1 tsp

Process :

1. Grease the cake tray. Dust with flour evenly and set aside.
2. Pour milk and suger in a mixing bowl and stir until sugar dissolves. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Gently mix until the flour is combined well. Start adding eggs one by one and keep mixing. Lastly add coffee powder and mix well.
3. Once the batter is ready, pour this in the cake tray.
4. Heat the heavy bottom kadai for 10 minutes and then place a steel stand (optional) inside the kadai and place the cake tray. If you do not have a steel stand, you can directly place cake tray in the kadhai. Sprinkle dry fruits in the top and cover with a lid.
5. Let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes. After 15 minutes you can check by putting a knife side the cake, if the knife comes out clean, means the cake is done, else you can cook for another 5 minutes. 

Your Almond Coffee cake is ready to serve. You can garnish it with some more chopped almonds. 

Do share your experience while trying this cake.
Happy Baking.