saffron – Batter Up With Sujata

Basanti Pulao

Basanti pulao or Bengali sweet yellow pulao. Bright yellow coloured aromatic rice made with fragrant gobindobhog rice saffron and aromatic whole spices taste heavenly with any spicy curry. A festive dish from Bengali cuisine. Basanti stands for yellow. This sweet yellow pulao called basanti pulao, holud pulao or misti pulao. Basanti pulao also taste great with Basmati rice, so you can use whatever you have.

Durga puja is around the corner. Try this aromatic rice to celebrate your festival. You can also make it for bhog prasad for Goddess. To know about Durga Puja or Sharad Utsab click here. For bhog or naivedya different types of dishes are prepared to offer Goddess Durga. Reading a book Bhog Naivedya by Sujata Shukla. Copy pasting a line from the book, “This is not just faith, but also a nation’s food culture, brought to you on a puja thali!.” I completely agree with it. You can get many more authentic recipes on above Durga Puja post link. As I said you can serve this pulao with any veg or non veg spicy curry. I served it with shahi dum aloo. I will share the recipe soon.

Here are some no onion garlic veg curry recipes which you can serve with this pulao.

Pointed gourd in yogurt gravy

You can also serve this pulao with any non veg curry like

Fragrant gobindobhog rice with whole spices made this pulao aromatic. But if you don’t have gobindobhog rice then you can use Basmati rice. I usually make basanti pulao with Basmati rice because gobindobhog rice is not available outside Bengal. Have a look at how it looks with basmati rice. In this pulao I have used basmati rice and instead of saffron used little turmeric powder.

But this time got gobindobhog rice online. I used saffron or keshar to make this pulao basanti or yellow. If you don’t have saffron then you can use little food colour or turmeric. But I recommend to use saffron for the lovely aroma and colour.

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Recipe

Gobindobhog rice – 1&1/4 cup

Ghee or clarified butter – 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon

Saffron or keshar – 1/4 teaspoon

Milk – 3 tablespoon

Cumin seeds or jeera – 1/2 teaspoon

Green cardamom – 3

Cloves – 3

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Bay leaf – 1

Cashew nuts – 15

Raisins – 15

Ginger – 1 teaspoon, grated or paste

Salt – 1 teaspoon or to taste

Sugar – 2-3 tablespoon

Bengali garam masala powder – 1 teaspoon

Mace or javitri powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Nutmeg or jaiphal powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Water – 2 & 1/2 cup

Method

1. Wash the rice well. Drain the water completely. Marinate the rice with 1 teaspoon ghee, salt, sugar, grated ginger or paste, nutmeg or jaiphal powder, mace or javitri powder, cumin powder and 1/2 teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder. Get the recipe of Bengali garam masala here. I have used 1 teaspoon salt and 2&1/2 teaspoon Sugar and its perfect for me. Mix everything well and keep aside.

2. Soak saffron for 15 minutes in 3 tablespoon warm milk. After 15 minutes crush the saffron with your finger tips and let it soak for some more time.

3. Crush the green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon in a mortar pestle.

4. Heat remaining ghee in a pan or wok. You can use half oil and half ghee if you want but ghee taste better. Fry the cashew nuts on low medium heat. Keep stirring to fry the nuts evenly. When cashew nuts becomes light golden brown transfer the nuts on a plate.

5. Now fry the raisins. When raisins fluff up immediately remove from ghee and transfer on a plate.

6. In the same ghee add cumin seeds, crushed green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. When cumin seeds starts to splutter add marinated rice and fry for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add saffron soaked milk, water and fried cashew nuts and raisins. Mix well.

8. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on high heat. After 5 minutes reduce the heat and cook on simmer for 5 minutes again.

9. Now stir the rice gently and check. Add little more water if required. I had to add 1/4 cup more water. Cover and cook on simmer for 5 minutes more or till water absorbed.

10. Add 1/2 teaspoon Bengali garam masala powder, mix and switch off the heat.

11. Cover and leave it to rest for 5-10 minutes. Now fluff the rice gently and serve with any spicy curry.

Recipe notes

1. Basmati rice can be used instead of gobindobhog rice.

2. You can use turmeric powder or yellow food colour instead of saffron or keshar.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hashtag, #batterupwithsujata I would love to see your creations.

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Lauki Kheer Or Bottle Gourd Pudding

Lauki/dudhi or bottle gourd kheer. Simple and easy recipe but taste is divine. You don’t need much time to make this delicious kheer or pudding if you have grated and boiled bottle gourd ready. Condensed milk gives enough sweetness so you don’t need to add sugar. Don’t skip saffron. It will give a lovely colour and flavour.

You may like some more kheer or pudding recipes on this blog.

1. Kheer komola or orange kheer

2. Rasgulla kheer/paesh or pudding

3. Khajur or nolen gur kheer

4. Chhena kheer or chhanar payesh

5. Rice kheer or pudding

6. Chakhao kheer or black rice pudding

This week 237 #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is Holi on my platter.

Recipe is very easy. Boil the milk with saffron on simmer until becomes half. Add condensed milk, boiled and squeezed grated bottle gourd, dry fruits and cardamom powder Cook till kheer becomes semi thick. Kheer will become thick when cool. You can add any dry fruits of your choice.

Recipe

Milk – 4 cup

Saffron – a pinch

Bottle gourd or lauki – 1/4 cup, grated, boiled and squeezed

Condensed milk – 1/4 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Raisin – 2 tablespoon

Cashew nuts – 2 tablespoon

Method

1. Soak the raisins in water.

2. Chop the cashew nuts into 4 pieces.

3. Drain and squeeze the boiled bottle gourd well. I have measured after squeezing. It should be tightly packed 1/4 cup.

4. Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan. Add saffron. When it starts to rolling boil reduce the heat. Cook on simmer until milk becomes half. Stir in regular interval and scrape the sides of the pan.

5. Add boiled and squeezed bottle gourd and condensed milk. Mix well.

6. Add soaked raisins and chopped cashew nuts. Cook on simmer till kheer becomes thick. Don’t make too dry. Kheer will be more thick when cool.

7. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

8. Garnish with shredded almond and pistachio. Serve warm, chilled or room temperature. Enjoy the heavenly taste.

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Osmania Biscuit

Osmania Biscuit from Hyderabad, Telangana cuisine.
Delicious buttery Biscuit flavoured with cardamom and saffron. Not only tasty and flavorful but colour of saffron made these biscuits attractive.

Osmania Biscuit is a popular tea biscuit in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.It is named after the last Asaf Jahi ruler of Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
The biscuits were first baked on the demand of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, who wanted a snack that was a little sweet and a little salty. Today, the evning chai is incomplete without these biscuits anywhere in the city. With the growth of Hyderabad as an IT hub, people from all over India were exposed to this unique biscuit and as a result of this, Osmania Biscuits are now on the list of anyone who comes to Hyderabad or goes back to his hometown. Variations of Osmania Biscuits exist in other states too; in Chennai, a biscuit that is known as ‘Butter Biscuit’ is almost similar.
It is one of the cultural identities in Hyderabad.
Source

This month Shhh Cooking Secretly group members sharing different recipes from Telangana cuisine. This Facebook group started by Priya of Priya’s Versatile Recipes, is where every month food bloggers are paired up and give each other 2 secret ingredients to cook with according to the theme chosen. This month my partner is Aparna Parinam. A very talented blogger who blog at Tangy Tales. Visit her space for different types delicious recipes. I specially love her chutney recipes.

Aparna gave me saffron and milk powder and I gave her onion and tomato. Check out her blog to see what she made with these ingredients.
I have made these yummy biscuits with saffron and milk powder. These biscuits are perfect to serve with tea or coffee.

Recipe

Maida or refined flour – 1 cup

Soya bean flour – 1 tablespoon

Milk powder – 3 tablespoon

Butter – 1/3 cup

Powdered sugar – 1/3 cup

Baking powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Cardamom powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Milk – 2 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon

Saffron – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt – a pinch

Maida for dusting

Method

1. Lightly dry roast the soybean flour and keep aside to cool down.

2. Mix saffron with 2 tablespoon warm milk and keep aside.

3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

4. Preheat the oven at 180° for 10 minutes.

5. In a bowl mix maida or refined flour, milk powder, dry roasted soybean flour, salt, baking powder and cardamom powder.

6. Cream butter and sugar powder well. Use room temperature butter.

7. Add all the dry ingredients and 1 tablespoon milk.
Combine everything and make a smooth dough.

8. Dust little flour and roll the dough. Don’t make too thin. Keep 1/4 inch thick sheet.

9. Cut the sheet with medium sized round cookie cutter.

10. Arrange the round biscuits on lined baking tray.

11. Spread saffron mixed milk over all the biscuits with the help of a brush or spoon.

12. Bake in preheated oven at 180° for 20 – 22 minutes or until the edges start to become brown.
Let the biscuits completely cool down before serving. Enjoy with your tea, coffee or a glass of milk.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hashtag, #batterupwithsujata
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Komola Bhog Or Orange Flavoured Rasgulla

Komola bhog or orange flavoured rasgulla.
Komola bhog is a popular sweet of Bengal. Just like rasgulla but slightly larger in size and flavoured with orange. These rasgulla are stuffed with pistachio and orange segment. Stuffing and flavour made these rasgulla super yummy.

I have already shared two different flavoured rasgulla here.

Mango rasgulla

Watermelon rasgulla

You may like some more orange recipes here.

1. Kheer komola or orange kheer

2. Chocolate cake with orange crunch and glaze

3. Orange crinkle cookies or nankhatai

4. Eggless orange muffins with chocolate inside

5. Sugar free choco orange mousse with malai or milk topping

Sending this post to 178 #Foodiemonday bloghop harvest harmony theme. My contribution is orange flavoured delicious spongy rasgulla or komola bhog for this festive theme.

Recipe is same as white rasgulla but flavoured with orange and slightly larger in size. I have stuffed this rasgulla with pistachio and little orange segment and added saffron and orange juice in the sugar syrup.

Always use large pan to make rasgulla. Because rasgulla expand in the sugar syrup. If you use less sugar syrup or overcrowded in the pan rasgulla will become flat. Rasgulla need space to retain it’s shape. Here is a picture of flat komola bhog because of wrong size pan.

You can skip orange segment stuffing if you want. Stuff only pistachio or you can stuff the cottage cheese or paneer/chhena balls with small misri/rock candy or ilaichi dana/nakul dana. Or you can make it without stuffing too. I sometimes make it just like white rasgulla with orange flavour and colour.

Recipe

Milk – 1 litre

Lemon juice or vinegar -3 – 4 tablespoon or as require

Sugar – 1 & 1/2 cup

Water – 3 cup

Orange juice – 1 cup

Saffron – a pinch

Orange food colour – 1 – 2 drop, optional

Orange essence – 2 – 3 drop + 2 drops for syrup

Orange segment and chopped pistachio for stuffing

Method

Please read all the tips and tricks to make rasgulla here to make perfect orange flavoured rasgulla or komola bhog.

1. Place a cheesecloth on a strainer.

2. Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan. When it starts to rolling boil remove from heat. Add lemon juice or vinegar.
Add 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir and add 1 tablespoon more or as require to curdle the milk completely.

3. When greenish whey and cottage cheese separates immediately pour into the strainer. If you boil further after curdling your cottage cheese and rasgulla will be hard.

4. Wash the paneer under running water or dip the cheesecloth in a bowl filled with cold water. Wash the cottage cheese well to remove the smell of vinegar or lemon.

5. Squeeze the cloth well to drain all the water from cottage cheese.

6. Remove the cottage cheese on a large dry cloth. Wrap well and put a heavy weight on it for 2 hours.

7. Take out the cottage cheese or paneer on a large plate. Add food colour if using.

8. Mash with your finger tips and heel of your palm. Mash till your palm becomes greasy.

9. Make 5 – 6 small balls. These will become double. If you want large sized komola bhog make 5 balls.

10. Flatten the balls and place little orange segment and pistachio slivers in the middle.
You can omit orange segment if you want.

11. Close the edges and make smooth ball again.

12. There shouldn’t be any crack on the balls.
Press the balls between your fingers and palm tightly to make crack free balls.

13. Make round ball using your both palm. Make all the balls this way.

14. In a large and broad pan heat 1 cup sugar, 3 cup water, saffron and 1 cup orange juice. Pan should be large. In small pan balls may be disfigured.

15. When sugar dissolved and it starts to rolling boil add the cottage cheese balls one by one. Let it boil on full flame from 2 – 3 minutes.

16. Cover and cook on medium high heat for 20 minutes.

17. After 20 minutes switch off the heat. Keep it covered for 2 hours or until completely cool down.

18. You can keep these in refrigerator for 5 – 6 days.
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Try out this komola bhog and enjoy the heavenly taste.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

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Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun.

Gulab jamun is a most popular dessert of India. Its a deep fried milk solid dumpling soaked in rose, cardamom and saffron flavourd sugar syrup.

No idea about why it called gulab jamun. Perhaps for rose flavour sugar syrup. Gulab is rose and jamun is round shaped Asian fruit black plum. What’s in a name. It tastes heavenly.

According to Wikipedia Gulab jamun are a milk-solid-based South Asian sweet, originating in the Indian subcontinent, notably popular in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, as well as Myanmar.

Making of gulab jamun is so easy. Just mix milk solid and little cottage cheese with refined flour or semolina make small balls and deep fry. Then soak in flavoured sugar syrup. Refined flour or maida and semolina is used for binding. Sometimes it can be made without cottage cheese or with milk powder.

I am sharing the recipe of my mother. She was an excellent cook and loved to make different types of sweets. I remember those days when we kids entered the kitchen at afternoon attracted by the sweet aroma. Our house smell delicious.

Here is a very simple and easy recipe of our all time favourite gulab jamun.
Our this week’s 154 #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is #filmyFoodies.
Sharing this recipe inspired by the movie ‘Gulab Jamun’.
Read a news that entire Bachchan family to star in Anurag Kashyap’s film Gulab Jamun. But Abhishek Bachchan said that they are still in early talks regarding filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming production. Let’s wait.
Till then enjoy the Marathi movie gulab jamun and this delicious gulab jamun 😀

I have shared some more fried dessert here. Click on the name below to get the recipe

Pantua

Malpua

Gokul pithe

Its very easy to make. I have used homemade khoya and paneer in it. You can use store bought. If you are using store bought, grate before mixing. But homemade is always best.

Recipe

Khoya or dried milk/milk solid – 1 cup

Paneer or cottage cheese – 1/4 cup

Baking soda – 1/4 teaspoon

Cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Maida or refined flour – 2 – 3 tablespoon

Black Cardamom – 1

Mishri/rock sugar or pistachio – as require

Oil for deep frying

For sugar syrup

Sugar – 1 & 1/2 cup

Water – 1 & 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Saffron – a pinch

Rose water or essence – 1/2 teaspoon

Method

1. In a pan heat water and sugar. Add cardamom powder and saffron.

2. Let it boil. When sugar dissolved completely, simmer for 3 – 4 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Add rose water or essence. Mix and keep aside.

4. Take out the seeds of black cardamom. Keep aside.

5. Mix khoya or dried milk, paneer, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder and 2 tablespoon maida or refined flour. Mix well and make a smooth dough. If require add 1 tablespoon more refined flour.

6. Make small balls. Flatten the ball with your palm. Place one black cardamom seed and one mishri/rock sugar or pistachio in the middle. Bring the edges together and make a smooth ball again. There should not be any crack. Make all the balls this way.

7. Heat sufficient oil in a pan or wok. Fry the balls on low flame. Don’t overcrowd. Stir gently to fry all the sides.

8. Don’t increase the heat. Fry on low flame to fry well from inside.

9. When the balls become golden brown, remove from oil and place on paper towel.

10. Heat the sugar syrup again. Add the fried balls in sugar syrup. When it starts to boil switch off the flame.

11. Keep the balls in sugar syrup for 3 – 4 hours.

12. Serve hot. Before serving boil again or microwave on high power for 1 minute.
Garnish with pistachio.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and suggestions in comment.

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Mango Rasgulla Or Aam Rosogolla

Aam rosogolla or mango rasgulla.
Rasgulla is a popular dessert made with ball shaped paneer/chhena or cottage cheese dumplings cooked in light sugar syrup. And I flavoured it with mango. Mango flavour made these rasgulla more delicious.

I have already shared watermelon rasgulla. Click on the picture to get the recipe of watermelon rasgulla.

You can also get some more mango flavoured sweets here.

Mango sandesh

Mango kalakand

Mango cheesecake

Mango litchi fudge or barfi

Mango steamed sandesh or aam bhapa sondesh

Recipe is same as we make rasgulla just add mango puree with sugar syrup. And I stuffed the rasgulla with small pieces of mango. I have used saffron and little yellow food colour in the rasgulla. You can omit the colour and add a fat pinch of saffron to add colour in the rasgulla.

Recipe

Milk – 1 litre

Lemon juice or vinegar -3 – 4 tablespoon or as require

Sugar – 1 cup

Water – 4 cup

Finely chopped mango – 1 cup

Small mango pieces – 6

Saffron – a pinch

Yellow food colour – 1 – 2 drop, optional

Method

Please read all the tips and tricks to make perfect rasgulla here.

1. Place a cheesecloth on a strainer.

3. When greenish whey and cottage cheese separates immediately pour into the strainer. If you boil further after curdling your cottage cheese and rasgulla will be hard.

4. Wash the paneer under running water or dip the cheesecloth in a bowl filled with cold water. Wash the cottage cheese well to remove the smell of vinegar or lemon.

5. You can make cottage cheese with curd in same method. First add 1/4 cup curd then add as require. It will depends on the milk. You need 1/4 to 1/2 cup curd to make cottage cheese.

6. If you are making cottage cheese with curd then no need to wash much. Just deep in cold water to stop further cooking.

7. Squeeze the cloth well to drain all the water from cottage cheese.
Remove the cottage cheese on a large dry cloth. Wrap well and put a heavy weight on it for 2 hours.

8. Take out the cottage cheese or paneer on a large plate. Add saffron and food colour if using.

9. Mash with your finger tips and heel of your palm. Mash till your palm becomes greasy. Its for spungy rasgulla but if you like soft rasgulla, then you don’t need to mash or knead much. Just mash till the cottage cheese becomes smooth.

10. Make small balls. These will become double. I have made 6 rasgulla out of this cottage cheese. Flatten the balls and place a mango piece in the middle.

11. Close the edges and make smooth ball again.

12. There shouldn’t be any crack on the balls.
Press the balls between your fingers and palm tightly to make crack free balls.

13. Make round ball using your both palm. Make all the balls.

14. In a large and broad pan heat 1 cup sugar and 3 cup water.
Blend the mango pieces with 1 cup water and add in the sugar syrup.

15. When sugar dissolved and it starts to rolling boil add the cottage cheese balls one by one. Let it boil on full flame from 2 – 3 minutes.

16. Cover and cook on medium high heat for 20 minutes.

17. After 20 minutes switch off the heat. Keep it covered for 3 – 4 hours or until completely cool down.

18. You can keep these in refrigerator for 5 – 6 days.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

1. You can also add a pinch of saffron in the sugar syrup.

2. Read all the tips and tricks to make perfect rasgulla.

Enjoy the delicious mango flavoured rasgulla.
Happy cooking and have a wonderful weekend 😊

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

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Chhanar Jilipi Or Paneer/Cottage Cheese Jalebi

Chhanar jilipi or paneer/cottage cheese jalebi. A sweet made of cottage cheese/paneer or chhena. Taste is almost similar to gulab jamun or pantua.
Get the pantua recipe here.

Posting after a long time. Last time participated in 124th Foodiemonday bloghop on 25th December. And now bloghop time again. This week’s 133rd #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is Holi on my platter.
Sharing a delicious sweet of Bengal, chhanar jilipi.

I never forget to taste this delicacy in my Kolkata visit. But now I don’t have to wait for Kolkata visit. Tried to make it at home. And believe me its very easy.

Now coming to the recipe. You need only few ingredients and homemade fresh paneer or cottage cheese made of full cream milk to make this delicious dish.

Recipe

Milk – 4 cup

Curd – 4 – 5 tablespoon

Refined flour or maida – 2 tablespoon

Semolina or suji – 2 tablespoon

Milk – 3 tablespoon

Milk powder – 2 tablespoon

Cardamom powder – 1 & 1/2 teaspoon

Saffron or kesar – few strands

Sugar – 1 cup

Water – 1/2 cup

Oil or ghee/clarified butter for deep frying

Chopped pistachio to garnish

Method

Heat milk in a heavy bottom pan. When it starts to rolling boil add 4 tablespoon curd. Stir the milk. It will be curdle. If require add 1 tablespoon curd more.

When the greenish whey or water and paneer separated, strain the paneer or cottage cheese with a maslin cloth.
Hang for an hour.

When the water strain out completely take out the paneer on a plate. I have got 1 cup cottage cheese. You can use store bought crumbled cottage cheese or malai paneer. But better to use home made fresh cottage cheese.

Soak 2 tablespoon suji or semolina and few strands of Saffron in 3 tablespoon warm milk.

For sugar syrup mix sugar, water, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder and few strands of saffron in a pan and boil on low flame for 5 – 8 minutes or until the syrup becomes 1 string consistency.

Knead the paneer and make a lump free dough.

Add milk powder, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder, maida or refined flour and soaked suji or semolina and saffron.

Knead till it becomes a smooth dough.
Make small balls out of the dough. I have made 18 small balls. You can make 15 – 16 bigger size balls.

Take a ball and make a long rope.
Now wind it like a coil.
Make all the balls like this.

Heat sufficient oil or ghee/clarified butter in a pan. Fry the jalebis on medium heat.

And dip them in the sugar syrup immediately.
Soak them in sugar syrup for 2 hours.

After 2 hours boil it again and let it soak for 1 hour more.

Garnish with chopped pistachio. Serve hot or cold. It will be yummy in both ways.

Note

You can store these jalebi in refrigerator. Microwave before serving if you like hot paneer jalebi.

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Zafrani Chicken

Zafrani chicken or Saffron chicken.

A very delicious and aromatic dish from Awadhi cuisine.
Awadhi cuisine is a cuisine native to the city of Lucknow, which is the capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India. It is very closely related to Bhojpuri cuisine of it neighboring region, Bhojpur. The cooking patterns of Lucknow are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern India with the cuisine comprising both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The Awadh region has been greatly influenced by Mughal cooking techniques, and the cuisine of Lucknow bears similarities to those of Central Asia, Kashmir, Punjab and Hyderabad. The city is also known for its Nawabi foods.

Source – Wikipedia
I have already shared two more chicken recipes here.

Chicken dak bungalow

Chicken chaap

Our this week’s 115th #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is Awadhi cuisine.

A dish of Lucknow, my in law’s city. Love every aromatic dish of this city.

Lucknow, known as the City of Nawabs or the City of Tehzeeb or etiquette. A city filled with varied cultures.

I am sharing an easy way to make this Awadhi dish. You don’t need to grind the spices separately. A quick yet rich, aromatic and delicious chicken curry. If you are a vegetarian make this curry with paneer or any vegetables.

Recipe

Chicken – 500 gram

Onion – 3 large, sliced

Garlic – 14 – 15 cloves, peeled and chopped

Ginger – 1 inch piece, chopped

Tomato – 2 medium, chopped

Green chilli – 1-2 chopped

Cashew nuts – 8-9, soaked in water

Almond – 8-9 + 5

Green cardamom – 3

Cloves – 3

Cinnamon – 1 inch piece

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Garam masala powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chilli powder – 1 tablespoon

Saffron – 8-9 strands

Milk – 1/4 cup

Water as require
For marination

Curd – 4 tablespoon

Salt 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Ghee/clarified butter or oil – 5-6 tablespoon

Method

Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and beaten curd for 30 minutes.

Soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk and keep aside.

Soak the almonds in hot water. Peel and slice 5 almonds for garnishing.

Heat 2 teaspoon ghee or oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and little salt.

When the onion becomes translucent add chopped green chilli, garlic, ginger, green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Fry till the onions become brown.

Add chopped tomatoes. Saute till the tomatoes becomes mushy.

Remove from heat. Add peeled almonds and cashew nuts. Let it cool down.

Grind the fried onion tomato mixture into smooth paste.

Heat remaining ghee or oil in a pan. Add the ground paste.

Add salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and kashmiri red chilli powder. Add salt carefully. We have added little salt in the marination and onion. Saute till oil leaves the sides.

Add marinated chicken pieces.

Fry till the chicken pieces coated well with spices.

Add water as require to make thick gravy. Add saffron soaked milk.

Mix well and cover.

Cook until the chicken pieces becomes tender.

Check in between.

Add more water if require.

You can make it in pressure cooker if you want to make it quick.

Check the chicken pieces with a spoon. If it becomes tender, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Switch off the flame.

Garnish with chopped almond and cilantro.

Serve with any Indian bread or rice.

Enjoy the rich aromatic zafrani chicken or Saffron chicken.

Note –

If you don’t want to make it with ghee, you can use oil but add at least 1 tablespoon ghee. I have used half oil half ghee.

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Rasgulla Kheer/Pudding Or Rosogolla paesh

Nobility in heart and character in deed

Righteous homes alone make a beautiful State.

Sisters will tie the thread on the brothers

Abiding them to do only what is right and clean.

Put the Kumkum and blessed rice on the head

Where will dwell right thoughts and noble action.

A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

Happy Raksha bandhan to all the brothers and sisters. May the Bond of love between bro and sis be more strong day by day year by year. May God bless long happy prosperous peaceful life to all brother and sisters.

Raksha bandhan or Rakhi is a festival that is celebrates the love and duty between sisters and brothers.

The world Raksha bandhan means the bond of protection. On this day sisters tie rakhi or sacred thread on brother’s wrist and pray for his happiness and prosperity.

Raksha Bandhan is an ancient festival of the Indian subcontinent, and its history dates back thousands of years.

According to one legendary narrative, when Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BCE, Roxana (or Roshanak, his wife) sent a sacred thread to Porus, asking him not to harm her husband in battle. In accordance with tradition, Porus, the king of Kaikeya kingdom, gave full respect to the rakhi. In the Battle of the Hydaspes, when Porus saw the rakhi on his own wrist and restrained himself from attacking Alexander personally.

Wekipedia

Our this week’s 104th #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is #Festiverecipes.

And today is Raksha bandhan. This rasgulla kheer is perfect for this occasion.

I have used homemade rasgulla in this kheer or pudding.

You can use store bought small sized rasgulla or anguri rasgulla to make this kheer or pudding. Just thickened the milk with cardamom powder and a pinch of saffron and add rasgulla in it. Add sugar as require. Rasgulla is already sweet so be careful when adding sugar.

Recipe

Paneer or cottage cheese – 1 cup

Sugar 1 cup + 4 tablespoon

Milk – 1 litre

Cardamom powder – 1 teaspoon

Saffron – a pinch

Shredded almond and pistachio to garnish

Method

Mash the cottage cheese with your palm. Use the heel of your palm to make the paneer smooth. Knead till it becomes lightly greasy. Make small balls.

In a large saucepan mix 1 cup sugar with 3 cup water. Rasgulla become double when cooked. Add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder.

Boil it until the sugar dissolve completely. When it starts to rolling boil slid the paneer balls in it.

Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes. You can check after every 5 minutes shake the saucepan gently.

After 20-25 minutes when the rasgullas becomes double in size remove from heat.

Let it cool down.

Now heat 1 litre milk in a heavy bottom pan. When it starts to boil lower the heat. Cook on simmer. Stir occasionally.

When the milk becomes half add a pinch of saffron, 4 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder.

Let it cook on low flame till its become 1/4. It will be thickened when cooled.

Squeeze out the syrup from all the rasgullas. Press gently to squeeze, rasgulla may break if press hard.

And drop in the thickened milk. Taste and check the sugar. Add little more if require.

If you don’t want to make rasgulla at home you can use store bought small sized rasgulla or anguri rasgulla to make this kheer.

Let the milk boil again cook on low flame for 5-8 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

Cover and keep aside 15-20 minutes. Rasgulla will soak the milk.

Serve in individual bowl. Garnish with chopped pistachio, almond and saffron thread.

Or keep in refrigerator and serve chilled.

Enjoy the heavenly taste.

I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and suggestions in comment.

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Kewra Flavoured Eggless Sugarless Almond Saffron Pistachio Whole Wheat Flour Muffins

Kewra flavoured eggless sugarless almond Saffron pistachio muffins.

Yes, presenting a healthy and delicious muffins recipe today. Muffins with whole wheat flour and no sugar no butter at all. A perfect dessert for diet conscious people.

I have used organic jaggery powder in it.

You can get some more muffins recipes here

Watermelon muffins

Fruity muffins

Cheesy savoury muffins

Eggless orange muffins with chocolate inside

Its a basic recipe. You can make it with refined flour and sugar too. Measurements will be the same. Add tutti fruity, candied cherries or any dry fruits of your choice.
You can omit milk powder if you want. Use mashed cottage cheese or paneer or khoya/mawa or dried milk instead. In that case increase the amount of jaggery powder 1 to 2 spoon. If you don’t have jaggery powder you can use brown sugar or powdered sugar too.

If you don’t like kewra flavour you can use any other flavours like rose, vanilla or add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon powder. Choice is yours.

I have served it with chocolate sauce.

I am sending this post to our 99th #Foodiemonday bloghop #flowerrecipes theme. I have chosen kewra.

Kewra water is an extract distilled from the aromatic flower of the pandanus plants. Its mainly used in South Asian cuisine. This essence is a transparent liquid, similar to rose water. Kewra jal or water can be substitute with kewra essence which is more concentrated.

Recipe
Wholewheat flour – 1 cup

Almond – 1/4 heaped cup

Organic jaggery powder – 1/2 cup

Baking powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Baking soda – 1/2 teaspoon

Flax seed powder – 1 tablespoon

Milk powder – 1/4 cup

Milk – 3/4 cup

Vinegar – 1/2 tablespoon

Oil – 1/4 cup

Pistachio – 1 – 2 tablespoon + to sprinkle

Saffron thread – 1/4 teaspoon

Kewra water – 1/4 teaspoon

Method

Preheat the oven at 180° for 10 minutes.

Grease or line the muffins tray or cup cake moulds.

Grind the almonds with skin.

In a bowl mix whole wheat flour, almonds powder, fax seed powder, milk powder, baking powder and soda. Mix well and keep aside.

You can use refined flour or 1/2 flour 1/2 oats powder instead of whole wheat flour. If you don’t want to add milk powder substitute with khoya/mawa or dried milk or mashed cottage cheese or paneer. In that case you have to increase the amount of jaggery powder.

In a large bowl mix jaggery powder, saffron, 1/2 cup milk, vinegar, oil and kewra water. Beat until jaggery powder dissolved completely.

If you want you can use brown sugar or powdered sugar instead of jaggery powder.

Add the dry ingredients. Mix well. Make a lump free batter. Add more milk if require. Batter should be thick but flowing.

Fold in chopped pistachios. You can use chocolate chips, tutti fruity or any dry fruits of your choice.

Fill the moulds 3/4 full.

Bake at 180° for 20 – 25 minutes. Or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Every oven takes different time so check after 20 minutes.

Serve with tea, coffee or a glass of milk.

Drizzle chocolate sauce and enjoy……

I would love to hear from you. If you like the recipe please leave some words in comment.

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