Rasgulle

Naram rasgulle

Who doesn't like the soft , spongy, balls of goodness that ooze out the sweet syrup! I just love them! I tried them many times and finally got a hang of it. Here are the soft delights in golden saffron syrup.

Ingredients 

2 lts 1.5 % fat milk

1-2 tbsp vinegar

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

1/5 tsp saffron

2 crushed green cardamom

Method 

Boil milk and add vinegar. Boil till it splits. 

Strain in a cheese cloth and wash in free water to remove flavor of vinegar.

Boil sugar with water in a pressure cooker.

Add saffron and cardamom.

Meanwhile squeeze out water such that excess water is out of the paneer.

Few say it should be kept under weight but I realized that it only makes rasgulla harder. 

Take out the paneer in a bowl or plate. It should be the consistency of soft cream cheese. 

Now mash it well for about 7-10 mins till the paneer comes together like a ball. It becomes creamy and leaves the sides of the bowl.

Make small balls. This should give about 30 small balls. You could make bigger if you like.

The balls should not have lines on them.

Drop them in boiling syrup one by one. Do this in two lots.

Close the pressure cooker and give it a whistle.

Boil for another 3-4 mins on medium flame.

Remove from flame and let it cool on its own.

Open the cooker and add sweeter sugar syrup if you like it sweeter. 

Remove and make the other lot.

Cool in fridge and serve chilled. 

Enjoy the spongy sweet delight!

Oats and poha namkeen

   

Oats and poha namkeen

200 gms poha

200 gms oats

50 gms shelled peanuts

25 gms cashew nuts

Few Sliced dry coconut

50 mixed spicy potato chips 

2 chopped chillies

Handful of curry leaves

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp sesame

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tbsp powder sugar

1 tsp amchur 

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt 

Method 

Mix oats and poha in a microwave proof bowl.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and let them crackle.

Add chopped chillies, curry leaves and let them color.

Add peanuts , cashew halves and coconut sauté. 

Add the haldi, salt ,chilli powder, amchur and powder sugar. Sauté and make sure it doesn't burn.

Remove from flame and add vinegar.

Pour onto the oats mix and mix well. Toss well. 

Put into microwave on high for five mins.

After every minute remove from microwave and stir well. 

It would be steaming but keep cooking in microwave till it's crisp. Takes about 6-7 mins. When cool it will turn very crisp. 

Store in moisture proof jars. 

Mushroom and tofu manchurian

   

Mushroom and tofu manchurian 

My daughter is hooked to Manchurian but I have just been postponing making Chinese food. Today for my daughter and her brother who is soon going to move to holland to join college , decided to do Chinese! Perfect for bro-sis who love and hate each other to bits! And good thing ... I used my magic appe pan to make the balls.

Ingredients 

250 gms button mushrooms

200 gms ch tofu

1 cubed onion

1 cubed bell peppers

1 tbsp +1 tsp ch ginger

1 tbsp +t tsp ch garlic 

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp +1 tsp soya sauce

3-4 tbsp ketchup

4-5 tbsp corn flour

3 tbsp atta, bit healthy 

1 tsp schezuan sauce

1 tbsp vinegar 

Salt 

Ch spring onions

Method

In a bowl mix atta , 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp soya sauce , 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp each of ginger and garlic and a little water. To this add the mushrooms and tofu. 

Heat the appe pan, sprinkle oil and add mushrooms and tofu pieces. Cover and cook on both sides. 

Heat oil in a wok and add ch ginger and garlic. Sauté!

Add cubed vegs and sauté on high heat! 

Add the sauces and stir well.

Add the mushrooms n tofu balls and sauté.

Add a cup of water or as much gravy as you would like. Boil.

Mix rest of the cornstarch and water and mix well. Pour into the gravy and cook well. Add vinegar and cook. 

Add a tbsp of oil and top with ch spring onions. Yummy manchurian is ready to eat! 

Schezuan sauce

Schezuan sauce

I have always loved doing things from scratch. After a long wait finally decided to crack this sauce. Read many recipes over the net and then with a bit from here and a bit of mine ... Made it. We are sweating our sinuses out!! Yummy hot and sizzling ! Sharing my take on it.

Ingredients 

1/2 a bowl of red chillies soaked in water for an hr.

1 tbsp pepper corns

1/2 bowl of oil

1 heaped tbsp ch ginger

1 heaped tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 a bowl ch celery

1 small onion chopped

3-4 tbsp tomato ketch up

1 tbsp soya sauce

2 -3 tbsp vinegar 

1/2 tsp schezuan pepper crushed .. Optional 

Salt to taste

Method 

Heat the oil and add ginger and garlic , sauté

Add celery and onions and sauté well.

Grind the chillies with pepper corns.

Add the chilli paste and about 1/2 cup water and cook. 

Add the salt, ketchup , soya sauce and Schezuan pepper. 

Cook on slow fire till oil seeps out and it looks glossy.

Add vinegar and boil again. 

Cool and fill in jars! It's very sharp and hot, 1/2 tsp each and we were on fire! Enjoy!!