Chocolate Sandesh is a “new-age” ‘Shondesh’ that took the Calcutta sweet shops by storm when it was discovered that freshly made ‘chhana’ (ricotta cheese) and chocolate, when combined, could do wonders even for an Indian mithai.
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Last year’s apple picking day trip inspired me to make Apple Crisp at home for the first time which turned out to be delicious. Happy with my success and going by how easy the recipe is, I made it quite a few times last year along with applesauce. Continue reading
With Durga Pujo round the corner, I am taking a different route with recipes. Instead of sharing a Bengali sweet recipe, I wanted to share the recipe of something savory and traditionally Bengali that can be enjoyed on all five days of Durga Pujo – Cholar Dal (or Bengali-style bengal gram lentil). It’s also completely vegetarian and gluten-free! And if you pair it with rice, you have a gluten-free meal.
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Spring is here and so are all the New Years that’s celebrated in all different regions of India. This recipe is the quick method to make these popular sweet fudgy cheese treats or ‘Shondesh’. ‘Sandesh’ or ‘Shondesh’ is a popular sweet treat from eastern India (Bengal) and comes in a variety of flavors. The main ingredient is milk. That’s made into fresh cheese which is then cooked with flavors to make different types of ‘shondesh’. My recipes for making these sweet treats is here:
Recipe for cheese for ‘shondesh’ is here.
Recipe for Rose Sandesh is here.
This is primarily a photo blog of all the happy memories from our first Apple Picking trip that AB and I went for mid-September. Continue reading
This is freshly made paneer or ‘chhena’ ( a.k.a. ‘chhana’) or fresh Indian cheese. The texture of this cheese is slightly firmer than ricotta cheese, the latter being very creamy. However, if you knead it well, this ‘chhena’ becomes very smooth and creamy, too. Also, the process of making ricotta cheese and ‘chhena’ are the same. Even though an internet-search shows paneer is ‘cottage cheese’, the texture of the two are very different. Cottage cheese is loose with curds while paneer or ‘chhena’ is not loose.
‘Chhena’ can be easily made at home and stored in an airtight container, mixed with sugar and other flavors to prepare sweets or desserts during the Indian festive season! Continue reading
Cauliflower with potatoes ~ Aloo Gobi
This is a no hassle quick vegetarian recipe. After eating this one of my friends, who is from South India herself, told me “Sumana, it tastes so good. Like temple food.” Continue reading
A true Bengali dish, goes best with hot steamed rice!
One of my personal favorites, this dish is not just special to me but to most Bengalis I know! A flavorful dish with shrimps (or prawns), cauliflower and potatoes! Comfort food, at it’s best.
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An all-vegetarian, no onion, no garlic potato dish makes for a perfect side
Here’s a simple, very easy and quick-to-cook Indian potato dish that makes a perfect side. It has no onion and garlic but is still full of flavor! And it’s not a deep-fried recipe. To top it all it’s completely vegan and gluten-free!
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An easy and tasty option for quick weeknight dinners or leisurely weekends, Thai Basil Fried Rice is a favorite for many. And this recipe is simple enough to cook at home whenever you are craving Thai food. I have used chicken but scroll down to see the vegetarian option which I have given after the ‘Method for Cooking’.
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An Artsy Appetite 