Desi Fiesta

Recipes

Recipes Tested and Tried from my Kitchen.The recipes will include appetizers, sweets, main dish, side dish,vegan recipes all around the world.

Chum Chum – SFC #3

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Bengali  sweets are always favorite among sweet lovers  . These are so addictive and most of the sweets are chenna / paneer based Like Rasgulla, Chennar jelabi , Chum chum . When I saw that this month we where going to make a very delicious bengali dessert for Sweet fantasy club I was so excited and was so happy to make this yummy sweet which I make them often at home for any festivals .Thanks to preeti for suggesting this yummy sweet this month for our Fusion challenge . 

As you all know I have joined this new  group “Sweet fantasy club” whose brain child is preeti  ,a wonderful blogger author of “ Simply tadka” . This is our third challenge under fusion Dessert was an Chum chum  . This month too preeti has chosen two wonderful indian and international  sweet and dessert , thanks preeti for this wonderful challenge again. My H loves this chum chum a lot and this one is our family fav .Moving over to the recipe..

Ingredients 


For chenna/paneer
8 cups (half gallon) milk
1/4 cup lemon Juice 


For Chum Chum:
Paneer/chenna prepared with 4 cups or 1 liter of whole milk
2 1/2 cups – sugar
5 cups – water
saffron strands few


For serving 
Rabri – as needed
Pistachios 
Desiccated Coconut
Tutti Frutti

Method 


For preparing chenna/paneer

  • Mix lemon juice in half cup of hot water and keep it aside .
  • Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
  • As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
  • Once the milk  is curdled, drain the whey using a strainer lined with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
  •  Wrap the chenna in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
  •  To take out the excess water, press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.
  • To test if sufficient water has been removed out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer in your palm and rub with your fingers. You should be able to make a firm but smooth ball, after 15-20 seconds of rubbing.

For the syrup

  • In a wide saucepan, bring 5 cups of water and sugar to a boil.  Use a large pan as the Chum Chums will double in volume while cooking in the syrup.

To Make chum chum

  • Place the drained paneer on a dry, clean surface and knead it for 3 to 4 minutes until it rolls into smooth soft dough. If the paneer is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water.
  • Divide the paneer dough into 8 equal parts and roll each one into a smooth oval shaped ball.
  • Add the paneer balls to the syrup and bring it back to a boil. Then turn down the heat to medium and cover the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Open the pot cover, turn the chum chums over and cook for another 15 minutes.
  •  Check to see if the chum chums appear firm but sponge-like (with little holes on the surface). Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 more minutes.
  • Remove the chum chums from the syrup.
  • Serve chilled!!

Serving options

  • Cover every Chum Chum with a few pieces of sliced pistachios
  • Roll the chum chums in dry powdered coconut
  • Top them  some malai / rabri on Chum Chum.

Tips

  • Cardamon and rose essence can also be added for more flavor.
  • I made my Raj bhog the same way except the shape

Nutella Fruit Pizza

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I always wanted to try a fruit pizza and here I am today wish a very delicious easy to make fruit pizza 🙂 . They are so quick to make and very simple to assemble . No need of any sauce preparation for this delicious pizza as we use Nutella spread which so delicious by itself when topped with some fruits makes it more interesting .  Fruit pizza are not so common but kids might love to have this different and  colorful pizza. For my 3rd day for Pizza marathon here am ending with a sweet note with this sweet pizza . Check Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35 



Ingredients 

For pizza dough 
(Refer  my veggie pizza post to make pizza dough
I used one quarter part of the dough for this recipe)
Nutella Spread – 1/4 cup
Assortment of fruits – You can top them with any fruit i used strawberry, cheery and kiwi ( sliced)
Hazelnut- 5-6 No ( chopped )

Method

  • Roll the dough , prick it with fork and bake them for 10 – 15 min at 350 F till light brown .
  • On the hot pizza base apply  Nutella spread sprinkle some chopped halzenut .
  • Arrange the fruits as you wish and enjoy this fruit pizza .

Guacamole Jalepeno pizza – Mexcian Style Pizza

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Here I am with yet another pizza which I experimented without a tomato base sauce . This is much heathier and delicious to taste we liked it a lot :). Giving an Mexican twist to the pizza , when i say mexico the first thing comes in our mind is our very own guacamole right ? so here i have given the pizza an mexican twist by using guacamole instead of  sauce :). Guacamole is a great dip with Doritos and tortilla chips but they tasted yummy on top of a pizza too . This is another way to make a pizza with a different sauce instead of tomato sauce always you can try something different and healthier this way . 

You can add any topping on this pizza but I had added only jalapeno here .  This was an wonderful experiment for me Don’t use store bought guacamole for this make it fresh at home so that you can make adjustments to the taste you want them to be . Here my second pizza for my  week 3 BM ..Check Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35 

 

Ingredients

For pizza dough 

Refer  my veggie pizza post to make pizza dough
I used one half part of the dough for this recipe

Guacamole

2 ripe Avocados
1/2 cup red onion  (chopped)
1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped
1-2 No green chillies (finely chopped)
salt to taste
Black pepper (as needed)
2 tbsp cilantro  finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice

Topping 


Jalapenos’s – 2-3 (cut into roundels)
Mozzarella cheese – Shredded  ( as required)

Method

For Guacomole

  •  Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.
  •  Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado.  Add the chopped onion, cilantro,chillies, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. .
  •  Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready.

Assembling and Baking Pizza

  • Pre heat the oven at 350 F for 15 mins .
  • Roll the pizza dough prick it with fork place on a tray and bake it for 10 mins.
  • Then remove the pizza base spread guacamole, top them with jalepeno and cheese.
  • Bake  them on the rack till all the cheese is melted and  corner turn light brown in color.
  • Enjoy them warm .

Chutney Pizza – Indian style Pizza

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I love to make pizza at home fresh from scratch and have been experimenting with different sauces and topping . We have a very good indian pizza shop in our neighborhood , we visit them many times and after tasting their chutney pizza i was so inspired to try them at home . They tasted so yummy and delicious  and a unique taste makes it so wanting . If you are bored with the same old tomato sauce based pizza then this green chutney pizza might attractive you visually and also taste wise it is so yummier . 

I chose this week’s theme as pizza for BM and am so happy to share this very appealing and delicious pizza with chutney it in it totally desi style you may say. My H loves green chutney’s a lot and so this pizza is like a heaven to him . I had fun making pizza from scratch at home. So here is my first pizza for this week . .Check Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35 

Ingredients

For pizza dough 

Refer  my veggie pizza post to make pizza dough
I used one half part of the dough for this recipe

For Green Chutney 

Coriander Leaves -1 bunch 
Mint leaves – 1 cup
Tamarind – 1 small marble size / 1 tsp 
salt to taste
Green chillies- 3-4 No ( adjust according to your taste)

For Toppings


Paneer – 1/2 cup ( cubed)
Capsicum – 1/4 cup ( I took  3 different colors) 

Other Ingredients 


Mozzarella cheese  – 1/2 cup ( grated)

Method


Green chutney 


In a blender blend all the ingredients together till a smooth paste and keep it aside. 

For Pizza 

  •  Pre heat the oven at 350 F – 400 F
  •  Roll the dough on a work surface keep dough slightly thick around the edges.  Prick the rolled dough so that they don’t puff up.
  • Bake the base on a pizza tray for 10 mins .
  • Remove it from the oven , then spread chutney add the topping, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and bake them on the rack for 15 – 20 mins or till the corners turn golden brown and if you wish a crispy crust the bake a little longer.
  •  Using a pizza cutter cut the pizza into four and enjoy them warm .

Tips

  • You can add any veggie topping of your choice but paneer  and capsicum taste good .
  • Adjust the green chillies for chutney as per your spice level .

Ananda Bhavan Rava Kesari| Rava Kesari Recipe

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Kesari is our family fav and my mom never forgets to make this delicious sweet for our b’day’s as this sweet is our all time fav . When I saw Priya Ranjit of Cook Like priya sharing an Adyar Anadha Bhavan style kesari which was  very similar to what my mom used to make I bookmarked it and here am with this delicious Anadha Bhavan style Rava kesari . Adyar Andha bhavan was my most fav place for south indian savories and sweets. In which Rava Kesari is one such popular one , Thanks to priya for this yummy recipe which was close to Ananda Bhavan one and was so yummy to enjoy .

Rava kesari is an south Indian fav occasional sweet which is prepared in every home in south india for festive occasions. This is generally made of coarse semolina which is roasted in ghee and then cooked in water to form soft texture then sweetened with sugar and topped with roasted nuts . This is indeed a blissful sweet to enjoy any time of a day and so loved by kids too. Let move on to the recipe.Check Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35 

Anandha Bhavan Rava Kesari

Kesari Recipe

Recipe Source : Cook Like Priya

Ingredients 

Rava / Semolina – 1 cup
Ghee / Clarified Butter -5 tbsp
Sugar – 3/4 Cup
Boiling water – 2 cups
Lemon yellow color – few drops
Cashew nuts –  6-8 chopped
Raisins – 5 Nos
Kesar Essence – 1-2 drops ( Not more than this)

Method

  • In a kadai / pan heat 2 tbsp of ghee.
  • Put chopped cashews , raisins and saute till they are light brown .
  • Add Rava , roast them in a medium flame till they  are light brown .
  • Now slowly add the boiling water simultaneously mix them with other hand.
  • Cook them in slow flame stiring continuously till the water evaporates .
  • After the rava cooks and water evaporates add sugar and mix well.
  • Add rest of the ghee in between will it is cooking.
  • Add yellow color, kesar essence and go on stiring till they form a mass and leaves the corners of the pan.
  •  Serve warm and enjoy .
Anandha Bhavan Rava Kesari
Tips
  • Stir continuously while pouring water to avoid lumps.
  • Use generous amount of ghee for the perfect texture. 

Utanki – Andhra Spl (Sweet crispy rice roll)

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This  Post is for Indian cooking challenge , For November month Srivalli had chosen this very traditional andhra spl sweet crispy rice roll which is called as utanki . This is so simple to look but is the most trickiest one . I tried my best to get the perfect shape but was noth happy with the way they looked . Even though I was not happy about the shape it tasted just yumm and we enjoyed this snack. Thanks to Srivalli for choosing this very new and traditional recipe for this month.

Even though the process is long it is worth trying it once in a while . This snack was super crispy and so delicious sweet . The only thing is it is most trickiest to make as we will have prob in forming the strings at the first but as you try and practice you can achieve the perfect shape. For first trial I think it was worth trying but i had only 2-3 some what perfect shaped Utanki. There are so less ingredients and very easy preparation now the tricky part is only when we fry and perfect consistency of the batter matters to make it looks perfect. I had tried my best so here comes the recipe.

Adapted from Divya
           
Ingredients

Rice- 2 1/2 cups
Sugar- 1 cup ( adjust according to your taste)
Milk-1 cups
Oil- for deep frying

Method

  • Soak the rice overnight and drain the water using a strainer .
  • Grind the rice in a blender  to make a fine powder. 
  • Sieve the powder to remove coarser grains. 
  • If there are  any coarse grains collect them and grind them again.
  • The powder should be smooth in texture.
  • Now in a bowl add sugar, milk and rice flour mix well till sugar melts.
  •  Keep it aside for 3 to 4 hours to ferment . I kept it over night.
  • Then take that  mixture into Indian grinder or a blender, again grind them it for till smooth . The batter should not be too thin or thick, it has to be medium. 
  • One way to check this is put your hand into the batter and take it out. Then batter should form like a string from each finger.Now transfer into a bowl.
  • Heat oil in a sauce pan / wok .
  • Now dip the hand in to the batter, and move the hand in anti clock wise for 3 to 4 times or till a disc. 
  • The batter should fall in strings if it falls like boondi don’t worry continue doing it as this need a lot of practice . Rotate the hand 3 to 4 times till o form a thick layer of strings.
  • Let it fry for 2 minutes till the color changes to light brown.Turn into other side till color turns to light brown (Don’t let it fry more time then it will become very dark)
  • Remove the rice crispy roll from oil and place on paper to remove excess oil. 
  • Then immediately fold that roll in a rolling pin.

Tips

  • I made only half the quantity from the above recipe . If the batter is thick, the strings will fall as thick balls and you won’t be swirl like how it is shown in the pictures.
  • The process very  quick , so be ready with your spatula, another ladle along with your rolling pin, to roll it quickly to form the spirals.
  • Allow the rolls to cool then enjoy this sweet snack .

Banana Chocolate Halwa

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I always used to love the panchamitradam that was made as a parashad for hindu god my neighbors back in chennai used to share the parshad and i used to lick them all . I love banana desserts and so I made this delicious halwa with it giving it a twist by adding chocolate / cocoa pd to it . You will not believe but it tasted some what similar to panchamitradam and so delicious . If you want to use of the over riped bananas lying then this might be a wonderful way to make it in to sweet. So for the 2nd day of BM I made this yummy delightful sweet. They where super yummy and gooey and remember not to over cook them else the sugar will harden . Lets move to the recipe of this yummy halwa .Check Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35 

Indian Halwa Varities

Ingredients

Banana ( Mashed ) – 1 cup
Cocoa pd – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Cashew chopped – 8-10 Nos

Method

  • Peel and mash the bananas .
  • Take the mashed bananas and sugar in a thick bottomed pan and heat it on medium high. Add the ghee. Make sure to stir  constantly. The mixture may stick to bottom.
  • Add cocoa pd once the sugar is totally melted .
  • Add ghee in between regular intervals while mixing constantly.
  • Let it cook down till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and ghee starts separating on the side.  Add cashews, take off the heat. Mix everything well.
  • Serve them warm and enjoy !!
Tips 
  • Do not over cook them else they will turn hard like a rock .
  • You can flavor it with cardamom.
Halwa with banana

Eggless American Snowmen Cookies

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To kick start the up coming Christmas am here with a very  fancy and perfect for the season . This month Our HBC host Priya Ranjit of Cook like priya had suggested wonderful array of recipes for this Christmas season. She had chosen a varieties of cookies , cakes and breads and  I have here the first cookie from the list .As  Christmas  is not so long many will be looking for some seasonal recipes and so here is an exact cookie for the season . 

I know every one  love to make snowmen but it was fun work for me to make a snow men with cookie dough they looked so cute and my family enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to Priya Ranjit for suggesting such beautiful recipes. These snow men cookies were super yummy melt in mouth cookies and they look s fancy and attractive that no kid will refuse to adore it before enjoying these cookies . My kidooo just loved this snow man look and adored them before enjoying !! Lets move to the recipes ..

Recipe Source : Taste Of home

Yield – 12 cookies  ( depends on the size)

Ingredients


  21/2 cups all-purpose flour / Maida
 1 cup butter ( softened)
 1/2 cup sugar (I used powdered)
 1 tsp water
 1/4 tsp almond extract/ Vanilla extract
 Blue and Red liquid or paste food coloring ( you can use green  instead of blue)
 Black and orange jimmies or sprinkles ( I used sprinkler)

Method

  •  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy . Beat in water and extract. Gradually beat in flour and mix well. Place 1/3 cup each in two small bowls. Add red food coloring to one and blue/ green to the other.Keep it aside.
  •  Shape remaining dough into twelve 1-in. balls and twelve 1-1/2-in. balls. Place one smaller ball above one larger ball on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly.
  •  For each snowman, shape 2 teaspoons of colored dough into a hat; place above head. For scarf, shape 1/4 teaspoon of each color into a 3-in. rope; twist ropes together, leaving one end untwisted. Place scarf around snowman’s neck. Insert jimmies for eyes and nose.
  •  Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until set. Cool on baking sheets.
  • Store them in an air tight container and enjoy.

Arisi paruppu sadam /Arisemparupu ( Kongunadu cuisine )

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Today am here with a kongu nadu recipe which is one of my fav region from tamil nadu I love to cook and enjoy the kongu nadu recipes . Have seen this delicious rice preparation  in a friends home and they tasted yumm . Kongunadu is an western region in Tamil nadu and the food has a slight variation too. Arisemparupu, famously known only in Kongu region is an one pot meal which is quick to make and has its own goodness in taste. My H loved this delicious arisemparupu and make them again N again . This is a very very quick to make one pot meal which taste so yummy and I served this yummy rice with Potato vadhakal . Lets move to the recipe quickly !!

Ingredients

Rice – 1 cup
Toor / Tuvar dal – 1/2 cup
Whole Red chilli – 2 No
Green chilli – 2 No ( split)
Channa dal – 1 tbsp
Urad dal – 1 tbsp
Onion – 1 No Medium size ( Chopped)
Tomato – 1 No large size ( Chopped)
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Turmeric pd – 1/4 tsp
Sambhar pd – 2 tbsp 
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig 
Water – 3 – 4  cups or as required 
Salt to taste 
Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

  • In a pressure cooker heat oil add mustard seeds, once they splutter add curry leaves, urad dal,  channa dal .
  • Saute them till they are light brown in color.Add ginger garlic paste , green chillies and whole redchillis and saute .
  • Add the chopped onion and saute them for a while till they turn translucent .
  • Now add tomatoes and cook them till they turn mushy.
  • Add sambhar pd ,turmeric pd , salt and mix well .
  • Now add the washed rice and toovar dal and mix well.
  • Add required amount of water to cook them in pressure cooker I used 3 1/2 cup water here.
  • Close the lid and cook the rice for 2 to 3 whistles. 
  • Once the pressur subsides open the lid and mix the rice gently .
  • Serve them hot with potato fry or any stir fry.

Sending to Jagruti’s Potluck party 

Linking this to Tamizhar samayal Tuesday whose brain child is +nalini suresh . 

Rajasthani Halwa Platter

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Sweets are always an delectable part of any course meal and rajasthan is know for its rich and delightful sweets. There are so many delicious rajasthani sweets which includes Ghevar , mawa kachori , and many kinds of sheera 🙂 . So for my last challenge of  IFC ( International food Challenge ) I choose the halwa platter to end it with a sweet note many Thanks to shobana and saraswathi who are the brain child of this group.

  As you might have seen myRajasthani festive platter,  Rajasthani Kachori  am ending the platter season with with this delicious sheera / Halwa platter .  There are so many varieties of halwa’s  but these 3 halwa are most popular in a mawari home . Theses halwa’s are made for any festive occasion and they are very delicious when had warm.  So for this weeks BM I got this delicious halwa platter for dessert theme which can be served after meal giving some choices to choose to guest or family members I have here 3 different varieties of Rajasthani halwa. Click here Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 35 

Atte ka sheera


Ingredients


whole wheat flour – 1/2 cup
water ( boiled)  –  1- 1 1/2 cups
Jaggery pd – 1/4 cup
Ghee – 3 tbsp ( add more if you find wheat flour is dry while roasting )
almonds , cashews ( chopped) – 2 tsp


Method

  • Heat ghee in a pan and roast the whole wheat flour till an nice aroma is released and its color changes to nice brown .Keep on stirring else it will burn .
  • Add boiled water little by little it will start sizzling keep on stirring .
  • once you can add all the water mix well till it absorbs all the water .
  • Now add the powdered jaggery and mix till it melts well.
  • Now cook the halwa till it leaves out ghee until then keep on stirring.
  • Garnish with chopped nuts and serve them warm .

Singoda Ka sheera




Ingredients

Singoda flour / water chestnut flour – 1/2 cup
Ghee – 1/4 cup
jaggery pd – 1/2 cup
Nut for garnish
water – 1- 11/2 cup ( boiled)

Method 

  • Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan then add singoda flour and keep  stirring till the flour turn brown in color .
  • Add the boiled water and stir continuously with out forming any lumps.
  • Now after all the water is absorbed and jaggery pd .
  • After the jaggery melts keep on stirring and cook the halwa till it leaves out the sides of the pan.
  • Serve them warm garnished with some nuts.

Moong dal sheera


Ingredients 

Moong dal / Split yellow lentil – 1/4 cup
Ghee/ clarified Butter – 3 tbsp 
Mawa/ Khoa – 3 tbsp
Sugar – 1/2 cup ( adjust to your taste)
Cashew nuts , almonds , pistachios – few chopped ( For garnish )


Method

  • Wash the moong dal well and soak it in water for 2-3 hours. 
  • Drain the lentils  and Finely grind them without adding water to it .
  • Heat ghee in a kadai / wok . Now add the ground lentil paste and roast it nicely till light brown in a very low flame , this might take some time.
  • After they turn a light brown color and leaves out an heavenly aroma .
  • Add sugar and mix them well , cook them til the halwa leaves the sides of the pan.
  • At last add mawa and Mix them well till they are  combine well and leaves out ghee.
  • Serve warm with nuts garnished .
  • You can store this halwa for 5-6 days in refrigerator.
  • Wram it when when serving.