Malpua

malpua

Preparation Time : 1/2 hour
Cooking Time :1/2 hour

Ingredients:

• Maida : 1/2 cup
• Suji : 1/2 cup
• Banana : 1 medium
• Sugar : 3 tbsp + 1 cup
• Khoya kheer : 1/2 cup grated
• Raisins : 2 tbsp
• Milk : 1 cup or more
• Water : 2 cups
• Ghee : 2 tbsp
• Cardamom : 4
• Baking soda : pinch
• Vegetable oil : 1 cup

Procedure :

1) In a bowl take maida,suji,smashed banana,khoya kheer,sugar,raisins,Pinch of
    baking soda, milk and sugar.Mix them well so that there are no lumps in it.Make
    the batter not too thick nor thin .Keep the batter in room temperature for at least
    1/2 hour.

2) Take a heavy bottom pan add water , 1 cup of sugar, crushed cardamom and let
     it boil for 8-10 minutes.Turn off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.

3) Now in a frying pan add ghee and oil and heat it.Now pour one big spoon full
    batter in hot oil one at a time and fry both sides till golden brown.

4) Now soak each malpoa into sugar syrup for 1-2 minutes and take it out from syrup
    and put it in a seving plate.

Serve it warm or chilled.

Bengali Style Sweet Boondi

sweet boondi

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 20-25 minutes
Serves:6-7

Ingredients :

• Besan/Gram flour :1 and 1/2 cup
• Water for batter : 1 and 1/4 cup
• Red food colour : 1 drop
• Sugar : 1 cup
• Water for syrup :2 and 1/2 cup
• Cardamom : 3-4 crushed
• Rose water : 1tsp
• Vegetable oil to deep fry

Note:

 (The critical part of boondi making is to use the right kind of utensil

   for the batter to drop through the holes into the hot oil to form the

   little pearl shaped fried balls.To accomplish this you need to use a

   strainer or perforated ladle (in bengali we call it jhanjri) that has
   several round holes on the surface.)

Procedure:

   

1) In a pan put 2 and 1/2 cup water and sugar and bring to boil on high heat.
    Add crushed cardamom and rose water.When sugar melts down and syrup
    becomes thick,then simmer the syrup.

2) Now in a bowl mix besan with 1 cup water to make a smooth thick batter.
    If required add little water.

3) Heat the oil in a frying pan.

4) Hold the perforated ladle/ jhanjri above the oil over the center of the frying
    pan with one hand. With your other hand pour some of the batter onto the
    perforated ladle to cover all of the holes without  spilling over the edge
    of the perforated ladle.

5) The batter will start dropping through the holes into the oil. If the batter

    doesn’t drop right away through the holes, pour the batter on the skimmer

    back into the batter bowl, mix a little more water to the batter and start

    again. Drop enough boondi into the oil  so they just cover the surface of

    the oil in frying pan in a single layer. In 2-3 tbsp batter mix red food colour

    and also make boondi from this batter.

6) Fry them until boondis are light gold in color but not crispy. 

7) Lift the boondi out of the oil with a slotted spoon (this allows excess

    oil to drip back into the frying pan) and put them directly into the warm

    syrup and mix.

8) Before making the next batch of boondi, wipe clean the skimmer.

    Repeat the process of making boondi and adding to the syrup with rest

    of the batter. You may have to adjust the heat in between making boondis.

9) When finished frying the boondi, let them soak in the syrup for 1 hour
    or more. 

Bengali Langcha

bengali langcha

Preparation Time  : 1 hour
Cooking Time : 1 hour - 1/2 hour

Ingredients :

• Chana : 2 cups
• Maida : 1 tsp
• Basmati rice flour : 1 tsp
• Khoya kheer : 1 cup
• Jaiphal-javitri powder : 2 pinch
• Baking soda : 1 pinch
• Nakul Dana : 15 or more
• Sugar : 2 tbsp
• Mustard oil : 1 tsp
• Cardamom : 5-7 crushed
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Ghee : 2  tbsp heaped or you can fry langchas in ghee only.
• Water : 5 cups + 2 cups 
• Sugar : 2 cups + 1 cup

Procedure :

1) First on a flat surface like kitchen slab, put chana ,khoya  kheer,2 tbsp
    sugar, baking soda, javitri and jaiphal powder.Knead it well with the
    help of both palms for 10 minutes so that there are no lumps in the
    mixture.
2) Now add maida and basmati rice powder. Again knead for half an
     hour.You have to make a soft dough.
3) Now you have to take mustard oil in both palm and knead the dough
     very well for another 10 -15 minutes.The dough will remove oil.
4) Now in a plate put 1 tsp of musard oil and spread it .
5) Now put a heavy bottom large pan and pour 5 cups of water and 2 cups
    of sugar. Boil it.Add 4-5 crushed cardamom and boil it for 8-10 minutes.
    Now make heat very low so that syrup remains warm. Make it light syrup.
6) Take another small pan and pour 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar or
     little less than 1 cup and 2 crushed cardamom.Let it boil and make thick
     syrup. Turn off the heat.
7) Now make equal size round balls out of the dough,put 1 nakul dana inside
    the balls,  then  shape them into long cylinders, the shape of langcha. Roll
    the dough with your palms on the slab to make them even and smooth.
    Cover the raw langchas with a wet kitchen towel .
8) In a frying pan heat 2 tbsp ghee and 1 cup oil . Now lower the heat to
    medium -low.
9) Now add 5 langchas in hot oil and fry in low heat evenly on all sides till
    its colour changes to dark brown. While frying langchas will increase in
    size so either use very  large pan or fry in small quantities. Do not over fry
    it will burn.
10) Now put the fried langchas in light syrup and stir continously in it for
      15 minutes. This will help the langchas to be soft inside and its outer
      surface will be little crispy.
11) Atlast take out langchas from light syrup and put it in thick syrup .let it
      there for 10 minutes.Remove from syrup.
     Serve langchas warm or chilled.

Beguni / Batter fried Eggplants

beguni

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 15-20 minutes
Serves : 5-6

Ingredients :

• Eggplant : 1 medium cut into very thin slices length wise or round wise
• Besan : 4 tbsp
• Rice flour/ Corn flour : 1and 1/2 tbsp
• Nigella /Kalonji / kalo jeera : 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Sugar : 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder : 1/8 tsp
• Water : 1/2 cup
• Red chilii powder : 1/4 tsp
• Cumin powder : 1/8 tsp
• Vegetable oil for deep frying

Procedure:

1) Wash and clean egplant.Cut into thin slices and keep it aside.
2) In a deep bowl take besan,rice flour or corn flour,kalonji,salt,sugar,
    red chili powder,cumin powder,turmeric powder and pour water.
3) Make a thick batter.Do not add all water one at a time .Check its
    consistency and then add water.
4) Now heat oil in a frying pan .
5) Take one eggplant/ brinjal slice and dip it in batter to coat  both sides
    of it . Slowly release the coated eggplant in the hot oil.
6) Keep medium heat and fry till both sides are golden brown and crisp.
     Take out and put them on kitchen paper to soak excess oil.

     Serve hot with hot tea.

Bengali Nolen Gurer Rosogolla

nolen gurer rosogolla

Preparation Time 3-4 hours
Cooking Time : 30-35 minutes
Serves : 10-12

Ingredients :

• Whole milk : 2 lit
• Lemon juice : 4-5 tbsp
• Sugar : 1 cup
• Nolen gur /khejur gur : 1 cup
• Water : 5 cup
• Cardamom : 2

Procedure :

1) In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, stirring occasionally, making sure

    not to burn milk.As the milk starts boiling, add the lemon juice gradually

    and stir the milk gently.Lower the heat to medium. In few minutes 

    milk will curdle and cluster of white milk solids will forms.When you see the

    greenish water separating ,take it off from heat.

2) Now drain the chana using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.

    Next lightly rinse the chana with water to remove the lemony taste and let

    it drain.Squeeze out  the excess water from the chana.Take out the excess
   water firmly press the cloth, or put  the wrapped chana under a heavy

    pan for about one hour.

3) Once the chana is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the

    chhana for 30-35 minutes until the chhana is  almost rolls into smooth soft

    dough .Knead the chana with the heel of your palm .The chhana will look
    like a smooth  dough and your palm will be little greasy from the fat of the
    chhana.

4)Take small portion of it and roll into small balls between your palm. The

    balls should be smooth and firm. To make the balls thus, first apply a little

    pressure between your palm and then let go, rolling the ball very lightly by

    a circular motion of your palms. Approximately 15-16 balls will be made

    from this measure.

5) In a heavy bottom pan make a syrup adding 5 cups of water and 1 cup

    of sugar and 1 cup of khejur gur. Keep it at medium high heat and bring
    to boil. Add 2 crushed cardamom.

6) Add all raw chana balls to the boiling syrup .Cover the pan with lid.Cook

    in high heat for first 4-5 minutes.Then cook for another 20-25 minutes in

    medium heat. Now turn off heat and wait for 10-15 minutes.

    Your rosogolla is ready. You can seve hot or chilled.

Bengali Style Fish Fry

fish fry

Preparation time : 2 hours
Cooking time : 10-12 minutes
Serves : 7-8

Ingredients:

• Fish : Bhetki / telapia fillet 2 cut into small pieces
• Onion paste : 1/4 cup
• Ginger paste : 1/2 tbsp
• Garlic paste : 1/2 tbsp
• Lemon juice : 1-2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Green chilies : 1-2 paste 
• Cumin powder : 1 tsp
• Corriander powder : 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder : 1/2 tsp
• Egg : 2 beaten
• Bread crump : 1 cup
• Vegetable oil  to deep fry

Procedure :

1) Make a fine paste of onion,ginger, garlic and green chilies in a
     blender.
2) Marinate the fish pieces with the onion-ginger -garlic-green chili
     paste,little salt and lemon juice for 15 minutes.
3) Put the marinated pieces in a single layer in a shallow tray.
4) Now again marinated them with corriander powder, cumin powder
    and garam masala powder.Nicely coat all the pieces and keep it
    covered for atleast 1 hour.
5) Take out each fish pieces from marinated spices and drain out
     excess water.
6) Take a small bowl. Beat 2 whole egg with pinch of salt.
7) Take a plate and spread bread crump.
8) Now take one fish piece ,roll it in bread crump ,then dip it in
     beaten egg, take out and again roll in bread crump.keep aside.
9) Now in a frying pan heat sufficient oil for deep frying.
10) Now gently slide the fish pieces coated with egg and bread
     crump in hot oil. Fry it in medium heat till its colour become
     golden brown.

    Serve hot with salads and ketchup.
     

Narkel Naru / Coconut Ladoo

narkel naru

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time : 40-45 minutes
Serves : 30

Ingredients :

• Shredded Coconut :  frozen 340 gm,You can use and grate fresh coconut.
• Whole milk : 1 cup
• Evaporated milk : 5 fl oz
• Condensed milk : 14 oz
• Elaichi /Cardamom: 4 crushed
• Sugar : 2-3 tbsp

Procedure :

1) First thaw the frozen coconut or you can use fresh one.
2) Take a heavy bottom pan and add all the ingredients except cardamom
     powder.
3) Now  put the pan in medium heat .
4) Mix all the ingredients together and stir continously.
5) You can add more or less sugar as per your taste.
6) Add cardamom powder.Stir till the whole milk almost dries up.
    Colour of the mixture will slightly change.
7) Do not dry the mixture too much ,else you can't make round balls. As you
    notice that the coconut mixture starts to come out smoothly from all sides
    of the pan turn off the heat and remove the pan from hot surface. Let it cool
    slightly.When the mixture is warm to touch take 1 tbsp of mixture and start
    making round balls by rolling between your palms .Keep it in a air tight
    container and refrigerate it for 7-10 days.

    Remove from refrigerator before serving.