Malai ChamCham

malai chomchom

Preparation Time : 1 hour
Cooking Time : 1 hour

Ingredients :

• Milk : 6 cups +2 cups
• Lemon : 1
• Maida : 1 tsp
• Sugar : 2 cups + 4 tbsp
• Water : 5 cups
• Elaichi : 3 crushed
• Pistachio : 5-6 
• Saffron : pinch

Procedure :

1) In a heavy bottom pan boil milk, stir occasionally, making sure not to burn
    milk.As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the
    milk gently.Lower the heat. Almost in seconds you will see the milk curdle
    and clumps of white milk solids forming.When you see the greenish water
    separating ,turn off the heat and let it sit for 4-5 minutes.

2) Now drain the chana using a strainer line with a cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
    Next lightly rinse the chana with water to remove the lemon taste and let it
    drain.Squeeze out  the excess water from the chana.
 

3)  Once the chana is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the
     chana for 15-20 minutes until the chana is almost rolls into smooth soft
     dough.In the mean time, you add 1 tsp of maida.Knead the chana with the
     heel of your palm .The chana will become smooth and your palm will  be
     little oily from the fat of the chana.

4)  Take small portion of it and roll into small balls between your palm. The
      balls should be smooth and firm.Now give Chamcham an oval shape and
      place it on a plate. Prepare all Chamcham balls.Approximately 9-10
     chamcham will be made from this measure.

5)  In a heavy bottom pan make a syrup adding 5 cups of water and 2 cups
     of sugar. Keep it at medium high heat and  bring to boil. Add 2-3 crushed
     cardamom.let it boil for 5-6 minutes.Syrup should be thin.

6)  Add all raw chhana  to the 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  the heat and wait for 10-15 minutes.

7)  Only take out Chamcham with no sugar syrup and put it in a bowl.

8)  Make kheer / malai in a small pan.Add 2 cups of milk and boil it. Stir continuously .
     Other wise milk will burn at the bottom.Boil milk till its volume become half.
     Add 4 tbsp of sugar and stir it still it dissolves in milk.Turn off the heat and let
     it settle down for 3-4 minutes.

9)  Now pour kheer/ malai over chamcham in the bowl. Garnish with 5-6 finely
     chopped pistachios and saffron. Add 1/2 tsp of rose water over chamcham.

     Serve it chilled or warm.

Hridoy Horon Pithe

hridoy horon pithe

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

Ingredients :

• All purpose flour / maida : 1 & 1/2 cup
• Ghee : 1/4 cup
• Salt : pinch
• Baking soda : 1/8th tsp
• Baking powder : 1/8 th tsp
• Milk : 1/2 cup
• Sugar : 1 cup
• Water : 1 & 1/2 cup
• Saffron : pinch
• Cardamom : 2 crushed
• Vegetable oil : 1 cup

Procedure :

1) In a bowl take flour ,pinch of salt ,baking soda and baking powder. Mix them
    well. Add ghee and mix it well with flour. Knead it for 10 minutes with your
    palms. Now add milk and knead them well.Make a soft dough.Keep it aside
    for atleast 30 minutes.
2) Now take a pan and boil water and sugar . Add crushed cardamom .Make thick
    syrup. Keep it aside.
3) Divide the dough 5-6 balls and roll each balls into very thin flat bread.
4) Fold the flat bread as paper fan and fold in half. Seal inside with wet finger and
    fold  the open edges opposite way to make a heart shape and seal with water and
    cut the excess part.

5) Heat oil in a frying pan and fry pithe on medium heat till its colour changes to
    golden brown.
6) Soak them in warm sugar syrup for at least 1 hour. Take them out from syrup .
    Garnish them with saffron.

    Enjoy Hridoy Horon Pithe.

Sahi Paneer

sahi paneer

Preparation Time :15-20 minutes
Cooking Time : 30-35 minutes
Serves : 4-5

Ingredients :

• Paneer : cut into small cubes 200 gm
• Onion : 1 /2 cup paste
• Cloves :3 
• Black peppercorn : 3-4
• Cinnamon stick : 1"
• Cardamom : 2-3
• Bay leaf : 1 medium
• Green chillies : 2 slit
• Ginger-garlic paste : 1-2 tsp
• Cashew nut paste : 1/4 cup
• Yogurt : 1/2 cup
• Fresh cream : 2-3 tbsp
• Saffron : pinch
• Garam masala powder :1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Green cardamom: 1/2 tsp
• Vegetable oil : 4 tbsp

Procedure :

1) Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add onion ,fry it for 2 minutes.
     Then make a smooth paste of it in a blender.
2) Add remaining oil and heat it. You can fry paneer pieces very lightly
    if you want. Keep aside.
3) Otherwise temper oil with bay leaf,cloves,peppercorn,cinnamon stick
     and green chilies.
4) Now add onion paste and fry for 5-6 minutes.
5) Now add ginger-garlic paste and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
6) Add cashewnut paste and beaten yogurt ,mix them well.Stir continously
    and fry till all moisture is absorbed.
7) Add garam masala powder,salt and green cardamom powder with little
    water(1/2 cup) ,mix them well and cook for 5-7 minutes.
8) Now strain the gravy .
9) Now pour the gravy in the hot pan and add paneer pieces . Add a pinch
   of saffron and cook for 4-5 minutes in medium heat.
10) Add fresh cream ,mix it well and switch off the gas.

Serve hot with naan, rice or paratha.

Rasamalai

rasamalai

Preparation Time :1 - 2 minutes
Cooking Time : 40-45 minutes
Serve : 4-5

Ingredients :

• Whole milk : 500 ml
• Rasgulla : 8-10 (Canned rasgulla can be used,or you can make them.)
• Cardamom : 2-3 crushed
• Saffron strands : 7-8
• Sugar : 1 tbsp or you can add more
• Pistachio : 1 tbsp finely chopped for garnishing

Procedure :

1) Boil milk in a pan for 30 minutes in medium high heat.Stir continously
    till its volume reduces to 3/4 th of its original volume. Scrape off the
    cream that will collects on all sides of the pan.
2) Add crushed cardamom and saffron strands. Boil milk for 5 minutes.
    Reduce the heat.
3) Remove rosogolla from syrup and squeeze extra syrup from it.
4) Add rosogolla to the milk  and add a table spoon of sugar. Taste if you
    need more sugar.Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

    Garnish it chopped pistachio and serve chilled.

Rajbhog

rajbhog

Ingredients :

• Paneer /Chhana : made from 1 litre
• Sugar : 2 cups + 1 tbsp
• Kesar / Saffron : 1/2 tsp soaked in 1 tbsp+ 1 tsp milk
• Suji / semolina : 1 tsp
• Maida/ all purpose flour : 1 tsp
• Milk powder(unsweetened) or mawa: 1/4 cup
• Green cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
• Pistachio (blanched and chopped): 1 tsp
• Water: 5 cups 
• Green cardamom: 6-7
• Saffron: few strands
• Rose water: 1-2 tbsp

Procedure:

1) Make channa / paneer and drain out all excess water from it.
2) Put chhana/paneer on plate. Add sugar (1 tbsp), semolina, flour
    and saffron to the chhana and mix very well.Mix all the ingredients
    very well.  Knead the dough with heel of your palm for 10 minutes,
    to make a smooth dough.
3) Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and cover the dough with a wet
    kitchen towel.
4) Now take another plate and put milk powder,green cardamom powder,
    pistachio and saffron soaked in 1 tbsp. Mix all the ingredients for the
   stuffing and divide the stuffing into 10 small balls.
5) Stuff the chhana/panner balls with the stuffing balls. Make smooth
    round balls. Cover the chhana balls with a wet kitchen towel.
6) Now make syrup .In a large deep container boil 2 cups of sugar
    and 4 cups of water. Add green cardamom, saffron to the syrup,
    let the syrup boil. As the syrup rolls to boil add the chhana balls
    carefully. Reduce heat, cover the container and cook the chhana balls.
   Cook the chhana balls for 40-45 min. In between add 1 cup of warm
   water to keep the consistency of the syrup right. Make sure you are
   using a large enough container to accommodate all the chhana balls
   and as the chhana balls are cooked they will swell up to double their size.
7) Switch off heat, remove pan from heat and let it cool down.
    Serve hot or cold

Pistachio Phirni

pistachio phirni

Ingredients :

• Basmati rice /Gobindo bhog rice : 1/2 cup
• Milk : 1/2 litre + 1/4 cup
• Pistachio : 1/4 cup blanched,peeled and sliced 
• Saffron / kesar : pinch soaked in little warm milk
• Sugar : 7 tbsp ( you can add more or less sugar as per your taste)
• Elaichi powder / cardamom powder : 1 tsp
• Rose water : 1tsp

Procedure :

1) Soak rice for half an hour. Drain and grind it with 1/4 cold milk  to a
    coarse paste.
2) Take a pan and bring milk to boil.
3) Add rice paste dissolved cold milk. Cookand stir  constantly in medium
    -low heat, till rice is completely cooked.
4) Add sugar, saffron soaked in milk, green cardamom powder and cook
    till sugar is completely dissolved. cook till you get thick consistency.
5) Add rose water ,mix well. Turn off the heat.
6) Put it in a bowl and garnish with sliced pistachios.
    Chill in a refrigerator for an hour or two before serving.  

Murg Musallam

murg musallam

Ingredients :

• Chicken : 1 whole about 600gms. Without feather and skin
• Turmeric powder : 1 tsp. + 1 tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder : 1 tbsp. + 1tbsp
• Plain yogurt : 2 tbsp.
• Lime juice: 2 tbsp
• Basmati rice : 1/2 cup washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• Garam masala powder : 1 tsp + 1 tsp
• Egg : 2 hard boiled
• Saffron : 1 pinch strands soaked in warm milk
• Ghee /clarified butter :1 tsp. + 4 tbsp
• Onions  paste :2 medium
• Baby potatoes : 4 peeled
• Cardamom : 4
• Ginger garlic paste : 2 tbsp.
• Poppy seed paste : 2 tbsp.
• Cashew paste :2 tbsp.
• Rose water : 2 tbsp.
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil : 10 -12 tbsp

Procedure :

1) Wash the chicken and pat it really dry.

2) Now with a sharp knife make deep cut over thigh, drumsticks and breast
    part. Make some long deep cut on the joints as well. These cut will help
    to cook the chicken evenly and faster.

3) Marinate the chicken with 2 tbsp yogurt, lime juice, 1 tsp turmeric powder,
    1 tbsp kashmiri red chili powder and 1 tsp salt. Make sure that you put the
    masala  inside the stomach as well. Keep it marinated chicken in refrigerator
   for 6-7 hours.

4) Take out chicken from refrigerator at least half an hour before you start
     cooking.  Mean while cook the rice till it is 90% done.

5) In a bowl take cooked rice and one by one add salt, ghee, saffron soaked
    in milk  and garam masala powder to it. Mix it gently with the rice so that
    the rice grains don’t break. Keep it aside.

6) Now take the marinated chicken and stuff one egg along with the masala
    rice inside its belly.With a needle and thread carefully sew the opening.

7) Heat about 10-12 tbsp. of oil in a flat pan and fry the whole stuffed
    chicken on medium heat till all sides turn golden brown. It takes about
    10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken on a plate.

8) Heat ghee in another wide pan. Add cardamom and wait till it stops
    spluttering. Add potatoes and fry till they are golden yellow.

9) Now add onion paste along with ginger garlic paste and fry on low heat
    till oil starts comesout from the masala.

10) Sprinkle rest of red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala.
      Mix well.

11) Add cashew, poppy seed paste, salt and cook till oil comes out.

12) Now add very little (1/2 cup)water and let it comes to boil.Add rose water.


13) Now gently add the fried chicken to it and apply the spice mixture all over
      it with a spoon.

14) Cook it covered on medium heat for 10 minutes before you flip the chicken
      over. Cook the other side for another 10minutes. By this time both chicken
      and potatoes will be nicely cooked.

15) Gently cut the stitches and remove the thread.

16) Pour the gravy on a serving plate and carefully place the stuffed chicken
      over it. Line up the potatoes and sliced egg.

     Serve with saffron rice. 

Saffron Rice / Kesari Bhaat

saffron rice

Ingredients :

• Basmati rice : 2 cups
• Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
• Saffron / kesar : 1/4 tsp soaked in 1/4 th cup of warm milk
• Salt to taste
• Sugar : 1 tbsp
• Ghee : 2-3 tbsp

Procedure :

1) Wash rice and soak for 30 minutes in water.First you prepare rice
     like  it is normally done.
2) Spread it on plates under a fan so that the remaining moisture is
     vapourized and the rice becomes dry.
3) In a heavy bottom pan heat ghee on medium heat till it melts.
    Temper with whole cumin seeds. Add rice to it and fry it for
    2-3 minutes.
4) Add salt, sugar. Pour saffron soaked in  milk over the cooked
    rice and cover. Mix them well and cook for 4-5 minutes in
    medium-low heat.Let it stand for 10 minutes.
  Serve hot with Mutton curry, Chicken chaap.

Vegetable Biriyani

vegetable biriyani

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice : 2 cups
• Onion : 1 large thinly sliced
• Ginger paste : 1tsp
• Garlic paste : 1tsp
• Green chili Paste :2-3
• Tomato : 1 medium chopped
• Kashmiri Red chili Powder : 1/4 tsp
• Shan  Biriyani Masala : 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves : 1 tbsp
• Clilantro leaves: 3 tbsp
• Cauli flower : 2 cups cut into big florets
• Potato: 1 large cut into cubes
• Peas : 1/2 cup
• Beans : 1/2 cup cut length wise
• Carrots : 1/2 cup cut into cubes
• Yogurt : 1 cup
• Ghee /clarified butter : 3-4 tbsp
• Oil : 1-2 tbsp
• Bay leaves: 2-3
• Cardamom : 4-5
• Cinamon : 1" 
• Cloves/ laung : 4-5
• Saffron : pinch
• Salt to taste
• Sugar :1 tbsp
• Water : 4 and 1/2 cups
• Milk : 2 tbsp

Procedure:
1)  Heat oil/ ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.
2)  Add sliced onion ,saute till nice and brown.Reserve half of the
     onions for garnish.
3)  In the same pan add ginger-garlic-chilli paste. Lightly fry
       for 2-3 minutes.
4)  Now add chopped tomato and fry till it becomes mushy and
      there is no raw smell.
5)   Add chili powder and biriyani masala with a sprinkle of water .
       Fry for 2 minutes.
6)   Add chopped mint leaves and cilantro leaves and mix.
7)   Add chopped vegetables and saute for another couple of minutes.
      You can also use frozen vegetables instead of fresh  ones.
8)   Now lower the heat and add 1 cup of beaten yogurt with salt.
       Mix well.
9)   Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
10) Remove masala from heat and put it in a deep microwave safe bowl.
11) Mean while wash rice and soak for 30 minutes.
12) In a pan add ghee/oil .Tamper with  bay leaves, cardamom,
      cinnamon, cloves.
13) Add the rice washed and drained.
14) Saute rice for 4-5 minutes at medium heat.
15) Now put rice over masala, mix gently.
16) Add water double the amount of rice. Add sugar and salt.
17) Heat few strands of saffron in milk and add that.
18) Now put in the microwave and select the option your
      microwave takes for rice.
19) keep stand for 5-6 minutes.

      Serve hot with raita.