Sweet Corn Sandesh

 

            Sandesh is a very popular Bengali sweet that is made of homemade chenna (cottage cheese). However, I made these yummy Sandesh with store bought Paneer which turned out great. They are either baked, steamed or gently cooked in a non-stick pan till thick. This is the latter version. It is then formed into desired shapes or cut into slices. They are a great festive dessert or can be enjoyed as and when desired.

              

           These days Sandesh can be found in various flavors. So try out this vibrant and appealing Sweet Corn Sandesh, where the paneer is combined with the corn puree to make this delicious and appealing Sandesh. Molds can be used for shaping it or made into round or oblong balls. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dessert.

• 2 cups Sweet Corn
• 200 gms. paneer, mashed
• 1 tsp. ghee
• a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp. milk 
• 1/4 cup castor sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. slivered pistachios, almonds, few dried rose petals & few strands of saffron to garnish

           Puree the sweet corn and strain it. Set aside. 

           Blend the paneer in the mixer grinder or knead it well with your hands till smooth. 

          Transfer to a non-stick pan and add rest of the ingredients. 

           Mix everything well and keep stirring continuously on a low flame till it leaves the sides of the pan.

          Transfer to a greased bowl / plate and garnish with slivered pistachios, almonds, few dry rose petals and saffron.

           You can give any shape of your choice. You can also use a mold here. Make similar Sandesh following the same method. 

          Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy as an after-meal dessert or as a festive dessert.

                     Puree the sweet corn and strain it. Set aside. 

Blend the paneer in the mixer grinder or knead it well with your hands till smooth. 

         Transfer to a non-stick pan and add rest of the ingredients. 

                  Mix everything well and keep stirring continuously.....

                      Keep stirring.... on a low flame 

                     till it leaves the sides of the pan.

                  Transfer to a greased bowl / plate.

        Garnish with slivered pistachios, almonds, rose petals & saffron.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy as an after-meal dessert or as a festive dessert.

Radhuni diye Potoler Dalna (Parwal / Pointed Gourd Curry - Bong style)

 

           Pointed Gourd / Parwal is a common and a favorite veggie among most Bengalis. It is also very popular around North East India. It is known as Potol in the local lingo. On the the other hand, Radhuni (celery seeds) is a spice, resembling ajwain or carom seeds. It is generally used as a tempering on its own or included in the panch phoron spice mix that is very common in a Bengali cuisine. 

         

           So check out my version of a traditional Bengali dish of Pointed Gourd cooked in a thick gravy. The base of the gravy is that of a paste made of onion, ginger, garlic and tomato. 

          I then added radhuni powder to the end product to enhance the flavor. You can relish this amazing dish either with rice or any Indian bread. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional cuisine.

• 8-10 parwals, cut into roundels
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. radhuni (celery seeds), dry roasted
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Grind the onion, ginger, tomato and garlic into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

          Grind the roasted radhuni into a fine powder and keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the parwals till light brown. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat the remaining oil and temper with cumin seeds, dry red chilies and bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the onion paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the turmeric powder and red chili powder. Sauté for a minute.

         Then add the fried parwals, salt, slit green chilies and 1 cup water. Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens and the parwals are cooked well.

         When done, add ghee and the radhuni powder. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot steamed rice or as a side dish with chapatti. 

        Take 1 tsp. of radhuni, dry roast it and grind into a fine powder.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the parwals till light brown. Drain & keep aside. 

Heat the remaining oil & temper with cumin seeds, dry red chilies & bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

After it stops spluttering, add the onion paste & sauté till the oil separates.

    Add the turmeric powder & red chili powder. Sauté for a minute.

                 Then add the fried parwals, salt,

slit green chilies and 1 cup water. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens and the parwals are tender.

                 When done, add ghee & the radhuni powder.

                    Garnish with coriander leaves.

      Serve with hot steamed rice or as a side dish with chapatti. 

Sheem Paturi (Flat Beans Curry - Bong Style)

 

           Paturi is a traditional Bengali recipe where the fish is coated in mustard paste and is steamed. It is generally cooked, wrapped in a banana leaf. But today I would like to share my version of a paturi style recipe with flat beans. 

          It is a very simple, easy and equally delicious dish. As banana leaf was not available, I cooked the flat beans, mixed with all the mentioned ingredients in a dum style. This side dish can be had with steamed rice or chapattis. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish. 

• 400 gms. flat beans, chopped in half
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil

          In a pan / kadai, transfer the chopped flat beans and all the above mentioned ingredients. Mix everything well. 

          Cover and cook on a low flame by sprinkling some water at intervals till it is done.

          When the veggie turns soft, switch off the flame. Your curry is done. It is that simple and easy.  Relish as a side dish with either steamed rice or chapatti.

                   In a pan / kadai, transfer the chopped flat beans

                     and all the above mentioned ingredients. 

                       Mix everything well. 

Cover & cook on a low flame by sprinkling some water at intervals till it is done.

          When the veggie turns soft, switch off the flame. Your curry is done. 

           Relish as a side dish with either steamed rice or chapatti.

Biuli Daler Borar Jhol (Urad Dal Pakoras in Gravy - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali recipe where pakoras / fritters are made of soaked & ground urad dal and then made into a gravy. Typically, split urad dal is used. But I made use of urad dal with skin for additional fibre. The pakoras can also be prepared  of chana or masoor dal. This is a great comfort food and comes in handy when you run out of any veggies. 

          Besides eggplants, potatoes, ridge gourd, pointed gourd or bottle gourd can also be added to the gravy. This simple delicacy is usually relished with hot steamed rice. However, it can also be had with chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish. 

Pakora-

• 1/4 cup urad dal (black gram lentil with skin)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to shallow / deep fry 

Gravy - 

• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 long eggplant, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 small onion
• 1 tomato
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the lentils for an hour. Wash, rinse and grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

          Blend together onion, ginger, garlic and tomato into a smooth paste and set aside.

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

          For the Pakoras - Heat oil in a pan and drop in small balls into the hot oil. Fry till light golden in color. Drain and keep aside. 

          For the gravy - Heat oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Then add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants and green chilies. 

          Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

          When done, add the garam masala, ghee and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.

                      Soak the lentils for an hour. 

       Wash, rinse & grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

                   Heat oil & drop in small balls into the hot oil. 

                    Fry till light golden in color. Drain & keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Set aside. 

Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder & salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

                    Add 2 cups water & bring it to a boil. 

Add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants & green chilies. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

When done, add the garam masala, ghee & coriander leaves. Give it a stir.

                       Serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.