Sandesh/ Sondesh Recipe | How to Make Sandesh | Bengali Sweets

Sandesh/Sondesh #Recipe

Sandesh or Sondesh, as it is pronounced in Bengali, is a much loved traditional sweet from the state of West Bengal in India. Freshly made paneer or chenna is used in making these. It can be flavoured in many ways. The recipe for Sandesh I am sharing today has been flavoured with cardamom/elaichi and has been garnish with saffron.

Bengalis are known for their sweet tooth and hence it comes as a no surprise that the state of West Bengal offers us with a delectable spread of sweet dishes. Misti Doi, Rasogulla, a variety of Sandesh, and many more. There are many ways to make and flavour Sandesh. But one thing is common in all varieties - freshly made paneer or chenna. It can then be sweetened with sugar, jaggery or the Bengal special Noler Gur (Palm Jaggery). Sandesh is often flavoured with cardamom, rose, saffron, etc. Fruit flavoured sandesh like aam sandesh are also popular and so are sandesh flavoured with chocolate.

Kesar Phirni Recipe | How to Make Kesar Phirni | Indian Desserts Recipes

Kesar Phirni #recipe

Phirni is a creamy rice based Indian pudding often flavoured with cardamom, saffron or rose water. The Kesar Phirni recipe I am sharing today has been flavoured with saffron and cardamom. It has almost the same ingredients as a rice kheer, but there is some difference in the preparation process.

Whole grains of rice is used in making kheer but, for phirni, we need coarsely ground rice. Kheer can be served hot or cold, but phirni tastes best when served chilled.

Instant Peda Recipe | Peda Recipe with Milk Powder and Condensed Milk

Instant Peda #Recipe

 Peda Recipe with Milk Powder and Condensed Milk

Peda is rich milk fudge flavoured with cardamom or saffron. It is also one of the favourite sweets of Lord Ganesha. So, it sells like hotcakes during Ganesh Chaturthi.

For the 2^nd day of Week 4 of Blogging Marathon under the theme ‘Special Day/Festival’, I am posting the recipe for this much loved Indian sweet – Peda.

Traditionally Peda is made with khoya and sugar. Making khoya from milk is a painstaking process where you have to heat milk on low flame for a prolonged time so that all the liquid from the milk evaporates, leaving behind a dense and rich khoya. My mom makes peda from scratch and it is really a long process. You have to be really patient to make it that way.

The recipe I am sharing today is quite instant – by using milk powder and condensed milk you can prepare delicious peda in just 15 minutes. I browsed a lot of YouTube Videos before finally trying it out.

The first time I tried it, I heated the mixture little longer than necessary, so they came out little hard – but they tasted good nonetheless. So, I tried it again and this time they came out semi-soft but not soft like malai peda. But, they were good enough.

Instant Peda Recipe

Ingredients:

200 g milk powder

200 g condensed milk

3 tbsp ghee

4 cardamom pods, crushed and finely powdered

Process:

1.       In a non-stick pan on medium flame add ghee. To it add the milk powder and condensed milk and using a spatula stir well such that the mixture is uniform and well mixed.

2.       Keep heating the mixture on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes and using the spatula keep tossing and turning the mixture as it cooks.

3.       Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Take it off heat. At this point, the mixture should resemble smooth soft dough.

4.       Take the dough out into a clean bowl and let it cool down a little.

5.       When the dough has cooled enough to handle (but not completely cold), grease your palm with little ghee and form small bite-size balls.

6.       I used terra cotta moulds to get the design impression on the peda. If you have such moulds, you can do the same. Else you can just flatten the balls a bit and put a finger impression.

7.       If you like you can garnish them with chopped pistachios.

Notes:

1.       These pedas were semi-soft with a chewy taste – but not soft like malai peda. If you like these a little hard, you can heat the mixture for another 5 minutes.

2.       It is very important to keep stirring the dough while cooking, else it can get brown.

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Badam Kheer | Almond Kheer | How to Make Badam Kheer | Festive Recipes

Badam Kheer / Almond Kheer #Recipe

This Badam Kheer /Almond Kheer is inspired by the traditional Kheer which is an Indian rice pudding. Instead of rice, I have used coarsely ground almonds in this badam kheer recipe.

On most festive and special occasions in India, Kheer finds a place in the menu. Be it a birthday or an occasion like Raksha Bandhan. There are many version of Kheer - the one with rice being the most common and popular. You can also check out my Carrot and Almond Kheer recipe here.

Sadly, I do not get to make kheer often at home as DH doesn't like it much. But, whenever I make it for myself, I make 2-3 servings and enjoy a bowl of kheer with every meal. I like my kheer to be creamy with cardamom and saffron, and there should be lots of dried nuts in it.

So, when I chose 'Festival/ Special Day' theme for week 4 of BM#78, I decided to make badam/almond kheer. With Raksha Bandhan around the corner, I think the recipe fitted the bill perfectly. This Badam Kheer is actually quite rich and should be served in small portion size.

Let's check out how I made Badam Kheer/ Almond Kheer from scratch.

Badam ki Kheer / Almond Kheer Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1-litre full-fat milk
3 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp sugar
¼ cup almonds
2 cardamoms, powdered
10 strands of saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp milk
Almond slivers, chopped pistachios of garnishing

Process:

1. Soak almonds in water for an hour. Drain the water after an hour and soak them in hot water for 5 minutes. Peel off the skin from the almonds and grind them into a rough paste.

2. Boil milk in a deep non-stick pan. Let it simmer on low to medium flame for about 15 minutes, such that the milk reduces to about 3/4th volume.

3. Add the almond paste and boil the milk for another 7-10 minutes. Depending on how thick and creamy you like the kheer, you can boil it for another 10 minutes or so.

4. Add the condensed milk and sugar and stir well. Add cardamom and saffron milk. Stir again and take it off heat.

5. Let it cool down and then you can transfer it to a serving bowl and keep in the fridge to chill.

6. Serve it chilled with almonds and pistachio garnishing.

Notes:

1.       If you do not have condensed milk, you can skip it and add more sugar for sweetness. I had some leftover condensed milk so I used it in the recipe.

2.       This kheer takes best when served chilled.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

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Shrikhand Recipe | Creamy Saffron Cardamom Yogurt | How to Make Shrikhand from Scratch

Shrikhand | Creamy Saffron Cardamom Yogurt #recipe

Shrikhand is the Indian flavoured thick yogurt. It is typically flavoured with cardamom and saffron. But, you can get as creative as you like. Flavoured yogurts are a rage these days, specially fruit flavoured ones. But, for me when it comes to flavoured yogurt, it has to be the traditional Indian Shrikhand. Although it is eaten throughout the country these days, it is said to be native to the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

I don't like the ready to eat shrikhand you get in most supermarket aisles - they are made too sweet and seem to have some artificial flavor. The good news is that it is so easy to make Shrikhand at home. Serve it with your regular meal or make it as a dessert for a party menu - it will shine on both occassions.  It is good for your gut and a must-have in these hot summer days.



It is just that you have to plan it advance as you are going to need hung yogurt/curd for making it. If you can get your hands on Greek yogurt, you can whip this up in no time.

Looking for some other dessert ideas with yogurt check out, Mango Shrikhand (Amarakhand), Mango Yogurt Delight, Misti Doi and Blueberry Fool.

Making hung yogurt/curd is pretty easy too - but, it takes some time.

Here is how you can make hung curd. 

Line a sieve with muslin cloth and pour your regular yogurt over it. Cover with a lid and leave it in your fridge for 3-4 hours- overnight is even better. The whey from the yogurt will drain out slowly leaving behind a thick creamy hung yogurt/curd. If you have 2 cups of yogurt you will get about 3/4 or at most 1 cup hung curd.

Shrikhand Recipe | How to Make Shrikhand from Scratch

Ingredients:

450 ml hung curd ( made from 1 liter of regular full fat homemade curd)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar ( adjust to taste - you may like it more or less sweet)
3-4 cardamom pods, finely powdered
10 saffron strands, soaked in 1 tsp milk and rubbed in a pestle and mortar.
Chopped pistachios and flaked almonds for garnishing.

Process:

1. In a large bowl add the hung curd, sugar, powdered cardamom and rubbed saffron. Using a whisk, mix everything together till all the ingredients are well blended and the yogurt is smooth and creamy.

2. Pour into individual serving bowls. Garnish with chopped pistachio and flakes almonds. Let it rest in refrigerator and take it out at the time of serving. Serve chilled.

Notes:

1. You can also pass the yogurt mixture through a sieve for best results. But, it will be a bit messy with a couple of more utensils to wash.

2. Do not using a electric blender to mix it as it tends to liquefy the yogurt. You can however use an electric whisk to make things easier.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Gaajar ka Halwa ~ Carrot Halwa

There are certain sweets that you can associate with some particular season. Carrot Halwa or Gaajar ka Halwa is one such Indian sweet that I associate with Winters. I remember how my mom used to painstakingly shred kilos of carrot to prepare this dish. It must have been a tedious job for her to keep up with the demands of 4 kids. Every time it was prepared in our house, it was a special treat. It is amazing how a dish can bring so many fond memories.

In India, red carrots are preferred for making this dish. Since, we don't get it here, I have used the regular carrots. Red carrots do add a special note to this dish but regular works just fine. Lets see how I make it.

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded carrots.
1 tbsp ghee
1 cup milk.
¼ cup sugar or less.
A few strands of saffron.
2 cardamom pods crushed.
Almond flakes and chopped pistachios to garnish.

Process:

1. Heat a pan and add ghee. Add the shredded carrot and give it a good stir. In a tbsp of milk soak a few saffron strands.
2. After 2-3 minutes add the milk and heat the mixture on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. The milk will reduce and thicken. Add the sugar and mix it properly. Heat for another 5 minutes. 
4. Add crushed cardamom pods,saffron milk  Keep heating and stirring till the mixture gets the required consistency.
5. It may take another 5-10 minutes.Remove from heat when done. Transfer in a serving bowl. Garnish it with chopped almonds and pistachios. Serve hot.

Note:
1. Always use freshly grated carrot for this dish otherwise the color of carrots will turn brown.
2. You can add a little condensed milk if you have it at hand.

Thank you for stopping by! Have a great weekend. Cheers!

Easy and Quick Kalakand Recipe | How to Make Kalakand in Microwave | Indian Sweets

Quick and Easy Microwave Kalakand #Recipe

Kalakand is an Indian soft milk fudge sweet dish. It is very popular in India. In this post, I am sharing an easy and quick microwave version of this much loved Indian dessert - Kalakand.

It is again the time of year when we celebrate 'Rakhi' or 'Raksha Bandhan'. It is the Indian festival to celebrate the bond between brothers and sisters. I had written about it last year when I had shared these decadent chocolate truffles.

This year I decided to go for Indian sweets for this special occasion. So, in this post, I will present you with 5 recipes to choose from for your dear brother. Of course, the first one is this rich milk based sweet - Kalakand. It is prepared by condensing milk which requires great patience as it needs constant stirring and slow prolonged cooking. Such tedious process is often a deterrent to making this sweet at home. But when I saw this microwave version on Suma's blog, I tried it instantly and since have made it many times. It is so quick and easy that you will not think twice to try it.

This recipe needs just 2 main ingredients: freshly made paneer or cottage cheese and condensed milk. Suma had used ricotta cheese but homemade paneer works like a charm too. I have tried it with both cheese and didn't  find any difference.

Recipe Source: Veggie Platter

For homemade paneer: (yields 1 cup of fresh paneer)

1.25-litre whole milk

3-4 tbsp lemon juice

Process:

1. Bring the milk to boil. When it boiling add the lemon juice. The milk will curdle instantly. Take it off the gas immediately. 

2. Separate the whey from the cheese using a strainer. Squeeze out excess water of the cheese. No need to squeeze out every drop of whey, what we need is just a soft cheese. This should yield about a cup of paneer.

Microwave Kalakand Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh paneer

1 condensed milk tin (400 gm). It measures around 1 cup in volume.

4 cardamom pods pounded

Chopped pistachios for garnish

Process:

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl mix the fresh paneer and condensed milk such that the mixture is uniform.

2. Microwave it for 10-12 minutes stirring every 1 minute. By the end of this process, all the liquid will have evaporated. If it is not so at the end of 12 minutes, continue it for a couple of more minutes.

3. Line a tin with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly. Sprinkle the cardamom powder over it and garnish it with chopped pistachios. 

4. Let it cool down to room temperature and then slice it in the desired shape. At this point, the kalakand slices may not hold its shape. It is always a good idea to refrigerate it overnight or a couple of hours to get firm slices. Enjoy a slice cold.

Wondering what else you could make, why not try any of these:

Kheer - Indian Rice Pudding

Basundi/Rabri

Bread Ras Malai

Malai Kulfi

Let me know what special you are making for Rakhi.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!