Crème Brulee–Eggless

Crème brûlée (/ˌkrɛm bruːˈleɪ/; French pronunciation: ​[kʁɛm bʁy.le]),^[1] also known as burnt cream, crema catalana, or Trinity cream^[2] is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel. It is normally served at room temperature. Making egg-less Crème Brulee was top of the list in dare section and also it was a challenge given by Jayant uncle who is a food and found of crème brulee and many other french desserts.  

Rose Sandesh

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 4 Day 3

Theme : Special Theme : Bookmarked Recipes - online or otherwise

Course : Dessert

Sandesh (Bengali: সন্দেশ Shôndesh; Hindi: संदेश) is an Bengali dessert created with milk and sugar.^[1] Some recipes of Sandesh call for the use of chhena (cheese) or paneer instead of milk.^[2] Some people in the region of Dhaka call it Pranahara (literally, heart 'stealer') which is a softer kind of sandesh, made with mawa and the essence of curd.^[3]

Paneer Palak Methi Chaman

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 4 Day 2

Theme : Special Theme : Bookmarked Recipes - online or otherwise

Course : Main Course

During winter season we get lots of green leafy vegetable and especially in Gujarat or Northern region of India include greens in their dishes. If you visit any house you would find either Palak, Methi, Sarso, Bathua, Amaranth etc prepared everyday as one of the main course. They say in Gujarat that Green leafy vegetable are good source of iron, calcium and is warm for body and that is the reason you will see all sorts of green leafy vegetables in winter. At my place it is a must to cook green leafy vegetable atleast once a day when in season, my mom and papa loves methi and hare lashun ki bhaji and it is cooked every alternative day. Now a days we get all sorts of green leafy vegetables throughout the year, but the taste is not same. Somehow in winter i feel the taste of vegetable is something different more fresh and that particular flavour is found only during winter. 

Rajgira Paneer Parantha (Faraal Recipes)

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 4 Day 1

Theme : Special Theme :  Bookmarked Recipes - online or otherwise

Course : Breakfast, Snacks, Upavaas Khana

I am a big fan of trying out Tarla ji's recipes and also when ever I browse through some, and if given  blog or site have habit of bookmarking recipes and think shall make some day but could not make all. Thanks to Srivalli's brain child Blogging Marathon where we are given themes and we love to face new challenges every month and this month we had to do 3 weeks from her selected theme based cooking and the bonus was the last week theme is bookmarked either online or anyway, so I selected Tarlaji's recipes for Bookmark reason a i am big fan of her and reason b wanted to tribute the diva by making making her recipes.

Bhapa Doi

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 3 Day 3

Theme : Regional Recipes with Course Specific - Bengali

Course : Dessert

Bhapa doi is traditional delicacy of Bengal, made from sweetened thick milk and curd, steamed to set almost like cheese cake. The traditional recipe is time consuming one as you have to reduce sweet milk, set curd or yogurt, mix reduced milk and curd and steam to set further. I am sharing you the very popular and quicker version of Bhapa doi by adding condense milk or evaporated milk instead of reducing milk. Is very refreshing in summer and had once when we attended Bengali marriage and asked the recipe from Malika aunty who is known for her Bengali sweets in our circle, she is acclaimed Bengali cook among our group and in the Bengali community of Lagos.

Bhoger Khichuri - Bengali Khichadi

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 3 Day 2

Theme : Regional Recipes with Course Specific - Bengali

Course : Main Course

My second post under the theme of Bengali cuisine is Bhoger Khichuri or Bhagara Khichi or Masala Khichdi. Bhoger khichi is an authentic dish which is offered to Goddess on Durga Puja, Sarawathi puja, Kaali puja or Lokkhi puja, it is must dish at every household or at pandal, rice being the staple food of Bengal it is a tradition to make bhog made from rice in any form.

Jhuri - Aloo Bhaja (Aloo ki sali)

Aloo Bhaja or Jhuri is very popular snack and side dish in Bengali cuisine. Aloo bhaja is prepared in many ways i.e. thick slices, fine slices, and the most famous is thinly grated or thin juilines of potato deep fried till crispy served with Dhal, Khichuri and also great for tea time snack.

Koraishutir Kochuri - Matar Kachori

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 3 Day 1

Theme : Regional Recipes with Course Specific - Bengali

Course : Breakfast / Appetizer / Snacks

It is time travel to Bengal for this week's post, yes am going to share few Bengali dishes to you and thanks to Srivalli who is the leader and creator of our Blogging Marathon group and she gives us this beautiful opportunity to  share some regional recipes under this theme. Through out the world if you ask or query bout Indian Food people have notion that Curries, Paneer / Cottage cheese with gravy and flat breads such as Naan, Parantha, Tikka or Tandoori is it. Bengali cuisine is the most popular Eastern Indian food, but again we think Bengali means only fish or with mustard, but it is not so Bengali cuisine has wide variations in food and all recipes are very nutritious and healthy and baring few recipes.

Fada Laapsi - (Gujarati Pressure Cooker Recipe)

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 2 Day 3

Theme : Pressure Cooker Recipes
Course : Dessert

My today's post all time favourite of Gujarati's and a must sweet during auspicious occasions such as marriages, house-warning ceremony, any feast to celebrate birth of a child or during kesh mundan etc, laapsi is a must and in olden days the menu without laapsi was considered as incomplete. Laapsi is made from broken wheat known as dalia, slowly roasted in ghee and cooked in milk and sugar. But in today's era people are slowing moving towards the North Indian or International Food as part of menu. I wanted to post this recipe for long time but was looking for ideal occasion and thanks to Srivalli who's brain child Blogging Marathon is ideal platform as this week my theme was Pressure cooker recipes and this is a perfect dessert recipe under the category.

Vegetable Pulao - Pressure cooker recipes

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 2 Day 2

Theme : Pressure Cooker Recipes
Course : Main course

I love to cook in pressure cooker a reason it is very quick and saves fuel and time and secondly the falovurs of masala / spices are blended well and every grain or bit is full of aroma and flavours. My husband likes the open cooking method say if I ask him shall we make Pulao his first choice would be to make in pot rather than cooker as he likes the bite of rice to be al-dente but i love it to be soft, and when he is not around it is one pot meal. So today we are going to make very simple yet delicious pulao.

Amritsari Chole - Pressure Cooker

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 2 Day 1

Theme : Pressure Cooker Recipes
Course : Main course

When we were given the themes for this month challenge i was very happy to pick pressure cooker recipes, preparing in pressure cooker not only saves energy but also saves time too. I love to make traditional punjabi dishes such as Maa ki Daal, Dal Makhani, Chole, Rajma in cooker reason one is that it cooks faster and taste better and gives the authentic taste as of slow cooking gives and secondly it is one pot recipe, once you saute the gravy and rest is taken care of, no hazel of stirring or sticking at bottom of pan.

My first post under this theme is Amritsari chole recipe, which i learnt from my husband, he too is great cook and there would be no better occasion to showcase his recipe. Lets make Amritsari Chole.

Preparation time : 10 mins + Soaking time : 6 - 8 hrs

Cooking time : 40 mins

Serves : 4

Difficulty level : Easy

Ingredients :

2 cup channa / white chick peas

1/2 cup onion finely chopped

1/2 cup tomato crushed / pulp

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp lal mirch / red chilli powder

1 tsp haldi/ turmeric

1tsp dhania powder / coriander powder

1/2 tsp anar dhana / dry pomegranate seeds

1/2 tbsp grated ginger

1/2 tbsp garlic paste

salt to taste

2 bay leaves

1 tsp jeera

For Masala/ Spice Blend:

5 cloves / laung

1"  cinnamon bark/ taj

3 choti ealichi/ green cardamom 

3 kali elaichi / black cardamom

1/2 tbsp black pepper

For Garnish:

1 dollop butter

few slices of onions

Other things required:

Pressure cooker

Spoon

Grinder or grater

Method : 

• Soak channa in water for atleast 6 - 8 hrs or overnight.
• Heat butter and oil in pressure cooker on slow heat. When it gets hot add bay leave and jeera seeds.
• When it is brown add finely chopped onions, saute for a min, add ginger garlic and saute for a 2 -3 mins.
• Grind the spice blend to coarse powder.
• Once the onions are golden brown add all the spices and saute for couple of minutes, add in crushed tomatoes.
• Saute for 10 mins or till the oil seperates, add in soaked channa and saute for a 2 - 3 mins.
• Add around 2 -3 cups of water, let the water boil.
• Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook for 6 - 8 whistles.
• After whistles, simmer for 5 mins.
• Open the cooker when it is cool.
• After opening the lid if the gravy has not thickened simmer it for 5 mins or till the gravy has thickened.
• Transfer to bowl ans serve hot with puri or bhature or kulcha

Note :

• Soak channa in hot water if you want to make channa in an hour or so.
• Let the masala saute well in oil, this is necessary to extract the flavours of the spices.
• Never cook or saute the gravy in high flame.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#35 

Hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Please take a minute to share views and valuable comments. Regards,
Briju Parthasarathy

Eggless Slovak Paska Bread

Thanks to Eggless Baking which is brain child of Gaytari and to Yeast spotting we had to bake Eggless Slovak Paska Bread or Paska Peep. This bread is Easter Special bread which takes many decorative shapes and forms and one of such bread is Paska Bread, traditionally this bread is made with egg and butter but we our group try to make eggless version of this bread. The original recipe makes 3 loaves but have reduced the recipe by 1/4th and it makes 1 5" round and couple of peeps. So lets make the bread

Recipe Source : Eastern European Food

Preparation time : 2 hrs to 3 hrs

Cooking time : 40 mins

Yields : 1 round loaf of 7" and 2 peeps

Difficulty level : Medium

Ingredients : 

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup luke warm water

1/4 tsp salt

85 gm / 3/4 cup butter

2 tbsp curd

13/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/8 tsp baking soda

2 - 3 cups of flour

Milk + Butter for Brushing

2 tbsp oil for coating

Other things required : 

Bread Machine (Optional)

Pan

Measuring cups and spoon

Cake pan / Round ring

Aluminum foil

Oven

Bowl and kitchen towel or cling flim

Method : 

• Heat milk, butter, salt and sugar in pan till butter melts. Let it cool to room temperature.
• Sift baking soda and flour.
• Dissolve yeast in luke warm water and sprinkle 1/3 tbsp sugar on top and let it proof for 5 mins or till frothy.

If using bread machine:

• In an bread pan fit the kneader hook. Pour in milk mix. yeast water and curd. Add in 2 cups of flour ensuring it covers corners.
• Insert and lock the bread pan into bread machine. Select dough cycle and Press start. After 10 mins or 15 mins check if the dough looks sticky add in half cup of flour. 
• After the cycle is complete remove from machine.
• Divide dough into three parts.

If kneading with hand:

• In an big bowl add 2 cups of flour, make a well pour in milk mix, frothed yeast mix and curd.
• Knead the dough, at intial point it would be very sticky, add flour little by little till you get nice elastic dough and has stopped sticking.
• Place in bowl smear with oil and cover with cling and let it proof till double or for 1 hr.

For making bread:

• Divide the dough into 3 parts. Make round loaf of each part.
• Place one round loaf in the centre of greased pan.
• Make the braid from the rest dough, reserving little for decoration and place around the loaf.
• Decorate the loaf with cross or Easter decoration i.e. leaf or cross.
• Cover and let it proof for 1 hr.
• Brush butter and milk mix very gently on the loaf.
• Bake in preheat oven for 40 to 45 mins at 180 c/ 350 F or till golden.
• Immediately remove from oven and transfer on the wire rack to cool. 

For making peeps:

• Roll out the dough into rope of about 12", tie a knot from one end keeping 1/2" outside for beak and around 2 - 3" for tail
• Insert two cloves on either side of beak, make three slits at the other end of the rope this will be tail.
• Place in greased baking tray and allow to proof. Brush with butter n milk mix.
• Bake at 180 c for 30 mins or till golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let it cool on wire rack.

Note:

• The amount of flour varies on the quality of the flour. It took around 3 cups for me.
• To check the temp of water if you place a drop of water on your palm it should feel just hot.
• If using rapid yeast use only 11/4 tsp of yeast or else you will end up with after taste of yeast.
• Proofing time may vary depending on the weather. If it is cold weather place your dough in pressure cooker this will help to proof properly.
• After placing the bread, throw couple of ice cubes on the bottom of pan. This will help to form nice crust.

Bread tasted yummy and i enjoyed it with cream cheese.

Hope you have enjoyed reading this post. Please take a minute to share views and valuable comments. Regards, 

Briju Parthasarathy

Corn Spinach Open Sandwich

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 1 Day 3

Theme : Cooking with Corn

For the final post under the theme of Cooking with Corn i was wondering what to post, and as they say you will make it if you are determined, i had to go for a meeting and usually I carry something like rolls, sandwich as in Nigeria we don't get good vegetarian food, and the hold ups are such at times I have been in the hold up for 3 hrs and nothing moves, during these time my carry take helps me a lot and came up to make Corn Spinach open sandwich, as it is very quick and easy, i always have some frozen spinach as it is very handy and also a can of corn kernels and baby corn in pantry do here is quick version of my take on sandwich.

Makai ni Kadhi / Corn in yogurt gravy

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 1 Day 2

Theme : Cooking with Corn

While planning for the Marathon first thought that shall make all Indo - Chinese dishes but later thought why not dish out from corners of the world, so for my second day we are travelling to culinary journey of Gujarat. Am preparing very famous dish Kadhi, Kadhi is gravy made from chickpea flour, curd/yogurt, chilies, seasoning with salt and sugar. It is perfect combination of sweet and sour with after note of chillie, is ideal with rice, pulav/pilaf or even with any kind of bread.

Baby Corn Tempura and Spicy Vegetable Stir Fry

Blogging Marathon # 35 Week 1 Day 1

Theme : Cooking with Corn

Baby corn or corn are my favourite vegetables, I love to add in kebab, tikka, noodles, salads. Corn on the cob with flavoured butter is my all time favourite. When I saw the mail for this months theme for Blogging Marathon that we are would be cooking with corn I jumped for taking the category with Cooking with Corn as my first week Cook off.