Dahi Ka Halwa (Yoghurt / Curd Pudding)

 

            Ever heard of a dessert made of yoghurt? It is a recipe from the royal kitchens of India. Sounds weird, but actually it turns out very yummy. It is a Shahi dessert and is almost a lost recipe now. It is believed its origin is from the state of Rajasthan. The end product is like any other halwa / pudding that is generally made, but far more exotic and tastier. So this dessert can be a great festive / party dessert and I bet no one will be able to guess the core ingredient. 

          Very few basic ingredients goes into dishing out this halwa. Typically ground dry fruits and jaggery are used. However, I made use of semolina and plain sugar. Brown sugar can also be added. 

          So go ahead and give this exotic dessert a try and impress your loved ones. Check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this Royal treat. 

• 2-3 tbsp. ghee
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 1 cup hung yoghurt, whisked
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp. water
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 2-3 tbsp. chopped almonds and pistachios
• few dry rose petals and few strands of saffron to garnish

          Heat ghee in a pan and add the semolina. Stir fry till light brown in colour. Keep aside to cool down slightly.

          Then add the hung yoghurt, sugar, rose water, cardamom powder and saffron water. 

          Mix everything well and put the pan back on flame. Continue to stir on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

          Now add the chopped nuts (reserve few to garnish) and continue to cook till the ghee separates and everything comes together.

          Garnish with the remaining chopped nuts, rose petals and saffron. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. 

                      Heat ghee in a pan and add the semolina. 

       Stir fry till light brown in colour. Keep aside to cool down slightly.

 Add the hung yoghurt, sugar, rose water, cardamom powder & saffron water. 

Mix everything well & put the pan back on flame. Continue to stir on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

                 Add the chopped nuts (reserve few to garnish).

      Continue to cook till the ghee separates & everything comes together.

          Garnish with the remaining chopped nuts, rose petals and saffron. 

                Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. 

Echorer Rezala (Raw Jackfruit Curry - Bong style)

 

           This is a vegetarian version of the very popular Bengali / Bangladesh style Mutton / Chicken Rezala. So I made use of Echore (Raw / Green Jackfruit), which is a perfect meat substitute to make this yummy dish. The spices remain very much the same. This recipe calls for a gravy with a slightly thicker consistency. 

          With a nice aroma coming from the rose / kewra water and the creamy texture  from the use of milk and cream, this makes it a sure shahi dish. I skipped the traditional use of cashew nuts and yoghurt. It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground green chilies. Enjoy it with naan, paratha, roomali roti, rice, pulao, etc. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

             Mutton Rezala and Chicken Rezala are two very traditional and popular Bengali style aromatic non-vegetarian dishes. It is cooked in a creamy yoghurt based gravy. 

          They are very much a part of the menu in many Bengali restaurants in and around Kolkata. The non-veg. version of this recipe is very popular in Bangladesh too.

            It is usually cooked in mustard oil and some ghee to give an authentic flavour to the dish. It is a great party recipe and is mostly cooked during special occasions. 

Ingredients - 

• 1 small raw jackfruit (Echore), cubed & boiled
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. rose / kewra water
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves 

To Grind - 

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2-3 green chilies

          Grind the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies into a fine paste. keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan. Sauté the boiled jackfruit till light brown. Keep aside. 

          Heat remaining oil and ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the ground onion paste and sauté till the oil separates.

          Then add the sautéed jackfruit and mix everything well. 

          Now add the milk, cream, salt to taste, roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder. Give it a stir. 

          Cover and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. Switch off the flame and add the rose water and coriander leaves.

           Serve with steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. You can also relish with naan, kulcha or tandoori roti. 

 Grind the onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies into a fine paste. Set aside. 

  Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté the boiled jackfruit till light brown. Keep aside. 

Heat remaining oil & ghee. Temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                Add the ground onion paste & sauté till the oil separates.

                   Then add the sautéed jackfruit & mix everything well. 

 Add the milk, cream, salt, roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder & garam masala powder. Give it a stir. Cover & simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes. 

        Switch off the flame and add the rose water and coriander leaves. 

                     Serve with steamed rice, paratha or chapatti. 

             You can also relish with naan, kulcha or tandoori roti. 

Shahi Baingan / Eggplant

 

               Shahi Baingan is a take on the popular Shahi Paneer recipe. It is a very popular Mughlai style recipe that is made with paneer in a rich tomato-cashew gravy. This gives a royal touch to the dish. Hence the name 'Shahi'.  However, instead of paneer, I made use of eggplants and almonds in place of cashew to make this yummy recipe. It turned out just amazing. 

              This gravy is smooth, velvety and has the richness and creaminess coming from the milk, cream, tomato and almonds. It also has the flavors from all the dry spices added to it. 

              So it is a perfect side dish for steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan, tandoori roti, poori or chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing party dish.

• 8-10 baby eggplants, washed, wiped & slit 
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 green chilies
• 2-3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 8-10 almonds, soaked for 15 minutes & peeled
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 cup milk
• 2-3 tbsp. fresh cream
• 1 tsp. roasted kasuri methi
• pinch of saffron

               Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies till light brown. 

 

               Then add the tomatoes and all the dry spices. Sauté till the oil separates. Keep aside to cool. 

              Then grind along with the soaked almonds into a smooth paste. Pass through a sieve and keep aside.

               Slit the eggplants and smear with a pinch each of salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder inside the slits. 

              Heat 1 tbsp. and stir fry the eggplants till tender. Keep aside. 

               Heat remaining oil and ghee. Stir fry the strained onion paste till the oil separates. 

               Switch off the flame. Now add the milk and the cream. Give it a mix. Then switch on the flame and cook the gravy on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

               Add the fried eggplants. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

               Then add the roasted kasuri methi and saffron. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. 

               Serve along with steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan, tandoori roti, poori or chapatti for a nice comfort meal. 

               

Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies till light brown. 

Add the tomatoes & all the dry spices. Sauté till oil separates. 

Keep aside to cool. Grind along with the almonds into a smooth paste. 

                     Pass through a sieve and keep aside.

  Slit the eggplants and smear with a pinch each of salt, turmeric powder & red chili powder inside the slits. 

           Heat 1 tbsp. & sauté the eggplants till tender. Keep aside. 

  

Heat remaining oil & ghee. Sauté the strained onion paste till oil separates. 

Switch off the flame. Add the milk & cream. Give it a mix. Then switch on the flame & cook the gravy on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

  Add the fried eggplants. Cover & cook on a low to medium flame till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency. 

  Then add the roasted kasuri methi & saffron. Give it a stir & switch off the flame. 

Serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, pulao, naan, tandoori roti, poori or chapatti for a nice comfort meal. 

               

Rui Macher Rezala (Rohu Fish in white gravy - Bong style)

 

            Rui Macher Rezala is a traditional and a very popular Bengali style fragrant Fish curry cooked in a creamy yogurt based gravy. With a slight aroma coming from the kewra water and the nutty flavour from the Cashew paste, this is surely a connoisseurs delight and is a sure Shahi dish. 

          I made use of Rohu fish. However, any other variety works just as good. This recipe calls for a gravy with a slightly thicker consistency. It is mildly spiced, mostly coming from the ground peppercorns. There are many versions to this delicacy, but the end result is simply mouth watering. Mutton and chicken rezala are another two dishes which are also very popular.

          Rui Macher Rezala is very much a part of the menu in many Bengali restaurants in and around Kolkata. This recipe is also very popular in Bangladesh. This dish is usually cooked in mustard oil and some ghee for an authentic flavor. 

          It is a great party recipe and is mostly cooked during special occasions. Enjoy it with hot steamed rice or Basanti Pulao / veg. pulao for a great comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing Durga Puja special dish. 

• 2-3 Rohu fish fillet, cleaned
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 cup yoghurt
• 6-8 cashew nuts
• 1 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. kewra water

          Blend together cashew nuts and yoghurt till smooth. Keep aside. Grind the onion, ginger, 4 green chilies and garlic into a paste. Keep aside. 

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and lime juice for 5-10 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry them till light brown. Keep aside. 

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

          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 

          Add roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder and pepper powder. Mix well and sauté for a few seconds. 

          Now add the cashew-yoghurt mix and simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. 

 

          Add the milk and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil. 

          Then add the fried fish and cook, covered, till the gravy thickens to a desired consistency.

          When done, add 2 slit green chilies, kewra water and garam masala powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame.

          Enjoy this aromatic fish curry with hot steamed rice, or Basanti / veg. pulao. 

                      Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt & lime juice for 5-10 minutes. 

                      Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry them till light brown. Keep aside. 

                   Heat remaining oil & ghee & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, 

                      cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                          Add the ground onion paste and sauté for 2 minutes. 

                    Add roasted coriander powder, roasted cumin powder & pepper powder. 

                    Mix well and sauté for a few seconds. 

                        Add the cashew-yoghurt mix.

 

                       Simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the oil separates. 

                       Add the milk and salt. Bring it to a boil. 

                              Add the fried fish & cook, covered, till the gravy thickens to a 

                              desired consistency.

                       When done, add 2 slit green chilies, kewra water & garam masala 

                        powder. Give it a stir and switch off the flame.

                   Enjoy this aromatic fish curry with hot steamed rice, or Basanti / veg. pulao.