Tender Coconut Icecream

 Have you ever tried Ice Cream during winter?

This tender coconut ice cream is going to remind you about the hot summer days and give you some relief if you are having cold in your city. Thankfully there is no "So Called Winter" in Mumbai. Tender coconut ice cream is super creamy and soft in texture. It just melts in your mouth from the first bite. This ice cream is purely made with tender coconut flesh and with just few ingredients. You can make this yummy ice cream using coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut milk adding together with condensed milk (to avoid extra sugar) and some fresh cream, that it. Sounds tempting! This does not need any ice cream maker too. 

Ingredients

• Tender coconut Flesh - 2 cups (chopped)
• Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
• Coconut water - 1/2 cup
• Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
• Whipping cream - 1 cup

Process

• In a blender, add coconut milk, coconut water and coconut fleshes and blend everything together to a smooth paste. 
• Add cold heavy cream to a bowl and beat until stiff peak forms making sure you dont overbeat the cream. Mix this cream with coconut paste together and fold it using gentle strokes.
• Now pour the condensed milk to this mixture and combine everything well making sure its thick and smooth. Ice cream base is ready.
• Finally freeze the ice cream base in a container for 4-5 hours.
• Once ready, scoop the ice cream out and pour it in a coconut shell or serving bowl. Enjoy chilled. 

RAISIN COOKIES

These cookies are so quick to bake and are very popular too. May be because of the chewy texture and buttery sweet flavor. These raisin packed cookies are a baker's friend as the batter is quickly made and then all you do is drop spoonful onto a baking sheet. The cookies are baked until their centers are still soft and just beginning to turn brown yet their edges are a lovely golden brown color. 

Ingredients 

• All purpose flour - 2 cup
• Baking powder 2 tsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Unsalted butter 3/4 cup
• Brown sugar - 1 cup
• Egg - 1
• Vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon
• Milk - 2-3 tsp
• Raisins - 1 cup

Process

• In a bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together. 
• In a separate bowl, add butter and beat until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and beat till fluffy. Then add egg, vanilla and mix well. Now add flour mixture to the batter and beat until incorporated. Add milk to make a soft batter. Lastly add the raisins and beat well.
• Preheat the oven  at 180 degree. 
• Grease the baking tray with butter or you can use parchment paper.
• Drop one tablespoon of the batter on to the baking sheet / baking tray and bake for 13-15 minutes. Check once the tops of the cookies are still soft with just a touch of color. Once the edges are golden brown, remove from oven and let it cool down.  

Doi Maach (Fish in Yogurt)

Bengali lunch is always incomplete without a fish item. Either a fish fry or macher jhol, kalia or any fish curry. For Bongs like us Fish is an Emotion, and when its weekend, non-veg is must. Each fish dish has its own delicacy. Today I have cooked Doi Mach (Fish in yogurt) - a taste that lingers in your mouth. 

Ingredients

• Rohu fish (or any freshwater fish) - cut into pieces
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp 
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (or as per taste)
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard oil 
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cloves - 2-3
• Green cardamoms - 2-3
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Curd - whisked - 300 gram
• Onion paste - 1 big onion
• Coriander leaves - for garnishing (optional)

Process

1. In a bowl, put the fish pieces and add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and teaspoon of mustard oil and gently massage the spices into the fish. Keep aside for 10 minutes. 
2. Whisk the curd well and add turmeric and red chilli powder. Cover and keep aside.
3. In a frying pan, add 2 tsp of mustard oil and heat well till the oil is smoking to burn off most of its pungency. Then add marinated fish pieces and fry for a couple of minutes on each side till golden brown. 
4. In the same pan add little more oil and add bay leaf, cumin seeds and all the whole spices and saute on medium heat (about 4-5 minutes)
5. Add the onion paste and saute till light golden brown, then add ginger garlic paste and cook with a little water until its rich and the oil has surface to the top.
6. Now add the whisked curd and spice mixture to the pan, keeping the flame to medium and stir gently and simmer the curd gravy for 10-12 minutes or until the oil surfaces and the gravy has a lovely rich golden mustard yellow color.
7. At this stage, add salt and combine well, add fried fish pieces to the gravy and simmer it for another 7-8 minutes to gently poach the fish to perfection. Once the oil has risen to the top, turn off the flame. Garnish with some fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with hot steamed rice.

Matcha White chocochip ice cream

No churn white chocolate matcha ice cream, a super creamy full of matcha green flavor. This is no churn ice cream so you require no ice cram machine

Ingredients

1. Heavy cream - 2-3 cup
2. Condensed milk - 1 cup
3. Match green tea - 2-3 tsp
4. Dash of vanilla
5. White choco-chips 

Process

1. Whisk heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks are totally formed. 

2. Take a mixing bowl and add condensed milk, matcha tea powder and vanilla. Mix well ensuring there are no lumps.

3. Sprinkle the while choco chips and using a spatula fold in the whipped cream and white choco chips.

4. Pour this in a pan and add more choco chips on the top, freeze overnight. 

Enjoy Chilled Matcha White Chocochip Ice Cream.

BAKED ROSOGOLLA

BAKED ROSOGOLLA- A delicious Indian Bengali sweet. Those who love Rosogolla and have tried baked one, I am sure you love both versions, right! Here is my Diwali series of delicious sweets. 

Ingredients

1. Rosogolla - 10-12
2. Milk - 1 ltr
3. Condensed milk - half tin
4. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
5. Cornstarch - 1 tsp
6. Chopped almonds - 2 tsp

Process

1. Squeeze out all the syrup from every Rosogolla with the help of your hand.

2. Then soak them in cold water for 15 minutes. Squeeze out the water from Rosogolla after that and again repeat the process.

3.Boil the milk in a heavy bottom pot and reduce it to half.

4. Add cardamom powder in the reduced milk. Now add condensed milk. and check the sweetness. If you need more sweetness, you can add more.

6. Dilute the cornstarch in some cold milk and add in the milk. It will help to thicken the milk. Let it cool down completely.

7. Then put a layer of that reduced milk in a oven proof bowl. Arrange the rosogollas and spread some chopped almonds over them. Now spread the last layer of reduced milk.

9. Preheat the oven to 400F for 10 minutes. Then put the bowl on the upper rack of the oven and bake it for 10-15 minutes. Let it rest for another 5 minutes and then bring it to room temperature.

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.

CARROT COCONUT LADDU

These scrumptious carrot coconut laddu needs only few ingredients and takes only 30 minutes. A perfect dish to make at the last minute and also everyone will love it. Or if you’re planning for a big heavy dinner, this is perfect to make as a simple dessert, that just melts in the mouth. I have made this recipe just using the recipe of coconut laddu and gajar ka halwa. But I was very sure that it is going to taste great. I know any experiment made with carrot, coconut and condensed milk taste great. It is a great way to feed the kids with veggies. It looks gorgeous too, isn't it?

Ingredients:

1. Carrots - 1 and half cup (grated)
2. Condensed milk - 1 cup
3. Ghee - 1 tsp
4. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
5. Almonds / cashew nuts - chopped - 1 tsp
6. Desiccated coconut - 1/2 cup for rolling

Process

1. Wash, peel and grate carrots. In a pan add ghee and add the grated carrots. Saute on medium heat for 5-8 minutes until carrots are little soft and it will ooze out some water and get dried.

2. Add   coconut and toast for a minute. Then add condensed milk and mix well. cook on low flame until the mixture gets thick and starts to roll like a ball. It will take around 8-10 minutes.

3. Add chopped nuts and remove from the flame. Cool the mixture but dont make it too cold. Cool it little so that you can make the laddus by hand.

4. Apply ghee on your palm and make round balls out of the mixture. Then roll these balls in the desiccated coconut. 

Note - You can also store them in airtight container for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. 

PRAWN CURRY WITH COCONUT - NARKEL CHINGRI

A delicacy in Bengali Cuisine. Narkel Chingri is a dish that one cannot afford to miss in the festive season. Irrespective of whether you are Bengali or not, this dish is a must try for everyone who identifies as a foodie. The sweetness of coconut blended with the zing of mustard and added to the ever favourite prawns, this dish is irresistible for everyone. If you are a seafood lover, you would not want to miss out on this recipe. Traditional to Bengali culture, you must prepare this dish if you identify as a food fanatic who likes to explore different customs and cultures through the lenses of food. A rich taste and an amalgamation of flavors, this dish will help you gain compliments from all your guests . Serve this enticing recipe with steaming hot rice.

Ingredients

1. Prawns - 200 gram (if small size) OR 6-8 pieces (if big size / Golda chingri)
2. Mustard oil - 5 tsp
3. Black mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Sugar - 1 tsp
5. Grated coconut -1 cup
6. Green chilli - 6-8
7. Yellow mustard seeds - 2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt as per taste

Process

1. To prepare this delectable dish, firstly marinate the prawns with salt and turmeric and keep aside.

2. Meanwhile, soak the black and yellow mustard seeds in water for 15 minutes. After that remove them from water and grind with green chillies to make a smooth paste. Take a bowl and pour this paste. Add coconut paste, turmeric powder, mustard oil, salt and sugar and mix well.

3. Now add the marinated prawns to this mixture, mix well. Add green chillies, if required. Ensure that prawns are coated well with this mixture.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add the prawns and masala mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes over slow flame. Turn off the flame. Add little coconut and mustard oil once again and stir well. Garnish with some more grated coconut on the top and serve hot.

Kesar Pista Sabudana Kheer

Sabudana Kheer / dessert is a sweet dish which is served chilled and tastes awesome. I have tried many recipes with sabudana, then why not with some custard flavors ! So, presenting Kesar Pista Sabudana Kheer recipe which is very easy and quick to make with a handful of ingredients. 

Ingredients:

1. Sabudana - 1/2 cup 
2. Kesar pista custard powder - 2 tsp
3. Milk - 1 cup
4. Cashew Nuts  - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
5. Sugar - 2 tsp (as per your taste)
6. Rose petals - for garnishing 

Process:   

  

1. Add sabudana to a pot and rinse it very well. Soak for 1-2 hours to reduce cooking time.

2. In a bowl, add 2 tsp kesar pista custard powder and mix well with milk.

2. Pour milk in heavy bottom kadhai. Let it cook for sometime, then add sugar. Add soaked sabudana and let it cook on low flame, stirring occasionally. Cook until the sabudana becomes transparent, soft and light. Add kesar pista mixed milk in this kheer and remove from flame. Keep aside and let it cool down on room temperature. It will become more thicken upon cooling.

3. Once the kheer is cool down, add some more chopped pista. Pour into serving bowls and serve chilled with some rose petals on the top. 

BEGUN POSTO | EGGPLANTS IN POPPY SEEDS GRAVY

Poppy seeds are very much relished by most Bengalis. Many vegetables are cooked with poppy seeds paste. Tried 'Begun Posto' (Eggplants in Poppy Seeds Gravy) which is very simple and easy to prepare, it is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch and flavor. It is an absolute delicacy that goes extremely well with plain steamed rice or chapati.

Ingredients

1. Eggplants - 5-6 
2. Mustard oil - 2-3 tsp
3. Nigella seeds - 1tsp
4. Onion - 1 chopped
5. Poppy seeds, ground with some water - 1/4 cup
6. Green chilies - 2-3
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Coriander leaves (optional)

Process:

1. Heat oil & temper with nigella seeds. Saute for a few seconds & then add the onion & green chilies. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the chopped eggplant, salt & turmeric powder. Saute for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add the poppy seeds paste and mix well. Saute for a minute. Add 1 cup water and simmer, covered till the gravy turns thick. Add coriander leaves and give it a toss.

4. Serve with rice or chapatis.