Labanga/Lavang Latika

This is another famous bengali sweet. The name labanga latika comes from the clove/long attached to it. This is just a simple puri stuffed with mawa, given a cute shape, locked with a clove,fried and then soaked in sugar syrup. It becomes so soft after frying and soaking in sugar syrup that you would really love the taste of it. So do try out this traditional Bengali sweet and I am sure you all would definitely like it. So, just N'Joy!!

Delicious Labanga Latika!!

Ingredients:

        For the dough:

• Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Ghee/Clarified butter - 2 tbsp
• Salt - a pinch
• Baking soda - a pinch
• Sugar - a pinch
• Cloves -as needed

       For stuffing:

• Mawa-1/ 4cup
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
• Sugar- 3 tbsp(powdered)
• Raisins - 10 (U can also use chopped nuts - cashews, almonds, pistachios)

     For sugar syrup:

• Sugar - 1 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add maida, ghee, salt, sugar. Mix well and knead into a stiff dough slowly adding warm water.
2. Keep it covered for 1/2 an hour.
3. Knead once more and make lemon sized balls from the dough.
4. In a pan, take  sugar and water and heat on medium heat till it reaches medium consistency.Remove from heat and keep it warm.
5. In a microwave bowl mix all the ingredients under stuffing and microwave for 5-6 mins stirring frequently. Allow it to cool and divide the stuffing into 8- 9 portions.
6. Take each small ball made from the dough and roll them out in the shape of a circle. Put a portion of the stuffing at the centre.
7.  Now take two ends of the circle and cover the stuffing by overlaping each other. Now flip it to the other side and wrap two sides on another.Finally put the clove on top to lock them well.Apply pressure gently so that they stick well.
8. Deep fry the lavang latikas/envelopes in medium heat till golden brown and crisp. Drain on a paper towel to soak the excess oil and dip them in the sugar syrup. Let it soak in the sugar syrup for at least half an hour.
9. Serve delicious labanga latikas hot or cold.

Kamranga Goja/Elojehlo

Bengalees welcome guests after the immersion of Devi Durga (Bijoya dashami) with lots of sweets and snacks. Elojhelo is one such sweet among them. It hs got a cute name, interesting shape and really yummy. This is also a very delicious tea time snack and can be stored in an air tight container for a long time.
So just enjoy !!

Ingredients:

• Maida - 2 cups
• Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Water- for making the dough
• For Sugar syrup:
• Sugar - 2 1/2 cup
• Water - 1 cup

Method:

1. In a bowl, add maida and baking powder together.
2.  Now add 2 tbsp of oil and mix well.Make a dough adding little water at a time.
3. Cover the dough with a wet cloth for an hour.
4. Now make lemon sized balls from the dough and roll into a small circle.
5. With the help of a knife, slit along the circle without cutting the edges.
6. Roll the slited circle/puri tenderly.(See the picture)
7. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the kamrangas one/two at a time in low flame until light brown in colour.
8. Place the fried kamrangas in a tissue paper and allow them to cool.
9. Now making the sugar syrup- Take sugar and the measured water in a pan and bring it to a nice boil till the sugar thickens to produce bubbles. Turn off the flame and set aside.
10. Now add the fried kamrangas/gojas /elojehlo into the syrup and let them be their for 30 mins.
11. In this way the elojhelos will be completly coated with the sugar.
12. Take them out and store in an airtight container for a month.

Rosogolla/Rasgulla In Pressure Cooker/ A Traditional Bengali Sweet

Finally, I will start posting once again after a long time. So, thought of starting with some sweet dishes which I prepared during this puja. No celebration is complete without the rasogolla/rasgulla specially for Bengalees. This awesome sweet dish captures everyone's heart, the moment it is tasted. It is relished almost everywhere in India and abroad. So, just have fun and try out this easy and famous sweet!

Ingredients:

• Whole milk - 1 litre
• Vinegar - 1/2 cup (diluted in 1/2 cup water)
• Maida - 1 tsp
• For Sugar syrup
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Water - 4 cups

Method:

1. Take the milk in a pan and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, remove from heat.Stir for 5-7 mins till it turns slightly cool.
2. Now add the diluted vinegar solution and stir the milk gently.The milk will curdle and the whey would seperate from the milk.
3. Strain the curdled milk with a cheese cloth. Homemade chena /paneer is now ready.
4. Transfer the chena to a clean flat plate and add maida to it. Knead and mix well to make it smooth and free of lumps.
5. Then make lemon/ping pong size balls.  There should be no cracks in the balls. I made around 12 balls.
6.  Add the water and sugar in a pressure cooker and bring it to a boil. Add the prepared paneer balls and close the cooker.
7. Cook for 1 whistle and then cook on medium for 7-8 mins.
8. Cool and open the lid, the balls would just double in size.
9. Remove from the cooker and transfer them to a bowl.
10. Wait for at least 2-3 hours before serving so that the rasgullas get time to soak in all the sweetness.
11. So just enjoy these easy to make Bengali Sweet- Rosogolla!

Mutton Keshri Biryani

Biryani is one of my all-time favourite one-pot meals. They don't take much effort to be made, and they taste great. Plus, you don't have to think about what side-dishes to be made. It can be had just with a bowl of raita and salad. Yesterday, I made keshri biryani as some of my college friends were coming over. Even though, I'm not a big fan of the red meat, the biryani tastes much better with mutton in it. So, do try it at home! I'm sure you'll love it! :D

Ingredients:

• Mutton - 500 gms
• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Ghee - 50 gms
• Onion - 2 (finely sliced)
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Green papaya - 100 gms
• Curd - 100 gms
• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Javitri/mace - 1 gm
• Green cardamom- 8-10
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Saffron/ Zafran - 5-6 flakes
• Keora water - 2 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Raisins - 1/4 cup(soaked)
• Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup (halved)
• Grapes - 50 gms
• Diced apples - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Wash and drain mutton.  Pierce with a fork and marinate with ghee(50 gms), salt, grated onion, ginger garlic paste, grated green papaya, red chilli powder and garam masala for 3-4 hrs.
2. Put 50 gms ghee in a cooking pan and when warm, add sugar. When it turns light brown, add javitri, green cardamom and saffron.
3. Saute a little and add the marinated mutton. Cover and cook till enough water comes out.
4. Add rice, keora water and 3 cups of water to boil. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles and then turn off the heat. Once pressure is off, remove the lid. Finish with adding a tablespoon of ghee from the top. Garnish with raisins, cashewnuts,grapes and apple.
5. Serve hot with raita and salad. N'Joy!!

Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is a hot and spicy, deep fried,lip-smacking chicken dish of South India. Thought of making this dish many times but somehow couldn't end up doing it.  It was raining heavily yesterday and so I made this yummy dish and served with hot coffee. It tasted great and everyone in my family enjoyed. Gobi 65, Mushroom 65 can also be made for the veggie lovers. Chicken 65 served in restaurants is usually fiery red in colour due to the addition of red food colour. But I used Kashmiri red chilli powder instead.

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken - 250 gms (cut into bite size pieces)
• Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Maida/All purpose flour - 1 tsp
• Red colour - 2-3 drops(optional)
• For marinade:
• Egg - 1
• Cornflour - 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
• For tempering / tarka:
• Oil - 11/2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Musterd seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 15-20
• Green chillies - 4-5
• Whole red chilli - 2-3(split in 1/2)

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with the ingredients under - for marinade for atleast an hour.
2. In a bowl, mix yogurt, kashmiri red chilli powder, garlic paste, salt and maida. Keep aside.
3. Heat oil for frying. Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry on medium heat till the pieces are cooked nicely. Now increase the flame and cook till the pieces turn golden brown in colour.Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
4. Next in a kadhai heat oil. To it add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves. Saute for a few secs.
5. Now add the yogurt mixture and the whole red chillies.Stir well. To it add the fried chicken pieces and toss to mix the ingredients well. Toss till the chicken absorbs the yogurt mix.
6. Remove onto a serving plate and serve hot as an appetizer with lemon wedges and onion rings.

Sorshe Ilish /Hilsa In Mustard Gravy

Monsoon and Ilish(Hilsa) are both synonyms to Bengalees. Its raining heavily in Kolkata and we all Bengalees have got hooked to Ilish. The fish markets are full of  Hilsa these days but the price is so costly that we cannot afford to buy it on a regular basis. What makes this fish popular is its awesome aroma which itself makes every dish delicious. Many delicious preparations can be made with this dish - Ilish Bhape,Paturi or even a simple bhaja or fry. Now,hilsa is also cooked in other ways like Ilish biryani, korma, mango hilsa, grilled or smoked with boneless hilsa and so on.
    Today I want to share the recipe of Sorshe llish,  a famous Bengali delicacy cooked in mustard sauce gravy. This is very easy to prepare but tastes awesome. It can be done in microwave too. This recipe cooked by my mother is my all time favourite. Hope u all would also enjoy this traditional Bengali dish.

Ingredients:

• Hilsa fish - 7-8 pieces
• Mustard seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Poppy seeds - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Kalonjee(nigella seeds) - 1tsp
• Yogurt - 2 tbsp (beaten)
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Green chillies - 4-5 (slit)
• Salt to taste and little sugar
• Mustard oil for cooking

Method:

1. Grind mustard seeds and poppy seeds with 2 green chillies and little water to a smooth paste.
2. Heat mustard oil in a kadhai/wok and temper with nigella seeds.
3. Now slowly add the mustard-poppy seed paste diluted with little water. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and saute for a minute.
4. Next add the yoghurt and stir well.
5. Add salt and sugar and a cup of water and bring it to a boil.
6. Put the fish pieces gently in the kadhai adding slit green chillies.
7. Cover and cook on low medium heat for 8-10 mins.

Serve warm with steamed rice and just N'Joy!

 

Mughlai Shahi Chicken Korma

This is a famous Mughlai cuisine which is a gravy with mix of spices, yogurt nuts and butter giving this chicken curry a mouth-watering creamy taste. A traditional mildly sweet, delicious North Indian recipe. When I invited some of my friends yesterday I made this chicken dish and they all appreciated. It tasted really great Give this a try and I hope that you'd really enjoy it!

    

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1/2 kg ( with bones)
• Yogurt -  1 cup
• Onion - 2 (sliced)
• Almonds - 8-10 ( blanched)  
• Raisins - 20 
• Garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tsp 
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1tsp
• Pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Mace and Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp  each
• Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt and Sugar to taste
•  Coriander leaves

       Method:

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger garlic paste for 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion slices till brown. Keep on a paper towel. Now blend half of the fried onion, almonds, raisins with little water to make a smooth paste.
3. In a small bowl take the yoghurt and add to it turmeric, red chilli, cumin, coriander, pepper powder, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon powder,salt and sugar. Whisk till smooth.
4.  Heat oil in a pan and add whole peppercorns. When it crackles, add the chicken pieces and fry them till light brown on both sides. Keep aside.
5. Next pour some oil in the same pan. Add cinnamon and cardamom pods and the almond, raisin and onion paste. Fry till oil starts seperating.
6. Remove the pan from heat and wait till it cools a bit. Now add the yoghurt mixture and stir well. Transfer the pan again to medium heat.
7. Add the fried chicken pieces and cook on medium to low heat for 20 mins or till the chicken turns tender. Adjust seasoning.
8. Garnish with fried onions and chopped coriander leaves.
9. Goes well with paratha, naan, pulao.  N'Joy!!