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.
Tomato Date Raisins Chutney, Tomato Khejur-er Chutney or Indian Chutney – this recipe is a popular relish served in Bengali weddings or for a meal at home, at the very end just before dessert. It is easy to make and is an aromatic, flavorful sweet ending to any meal. Also it’s completely vegan and gluten free!
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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
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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A healthy and yummy Crêpe recipe with fruits thats perfect for breakfast or brunch
After trying my hand at cooking and making different kinds of food, I’ve come to realize that to cook food that looks great on the plate and is also delicious does not necessarily have to take up a whole lot of time. This is one of them. An inspired recipe that can be a meal or a dessert, Coconut milk Crêpes is healthy and a treat for your palate with Greek yogurt and almost any kind of fruit.
Sambar with Rice ~ a comfort food which is a simple, nutritious meal of proteins and carbohydrates
South Indian food like Dosa, Idli and Uttapam was a big hit with my family. I grew up in the eastern state of Bengal where there were (and still are) some excellent south indian food restaurants which we would frequent. My staple order was paper plain dosa, a long, crispy thin Indian crepe with an assortment of condiments like coconut chutney, tomato chutney and, of course, Sambar! Continue reading
A luscious and rich pasta dish that you will love!
The temperature outside stills says it’s summer. However, stores here are already stocking up and displaying Fall decorations? Hmm. Maybe it’s time to get ready for Fall.
So here’s presenting a luscious and rich recipe that will be perfect for the chilly and colder months. But if you want to enjoy it right away, no one’s stopping you! 🙂 Continue reading
An easy, tangy and spicy dish with Indian Cottage Cheese and Bell Peppers
I would like to call this dish ‘Paneer As You Like It’. Amused and confused? Has Shakespeare got anything to do with this? I wish!!
Well, I named this dish so because it is a super versatile and easy dish with ample scope for you to play around with some of the main ingredients. Read how 🙂 Continue reading
An Artsy Appetite 