Besan til barfi

Ingredients

1. Besan - 1 cup
2. White roasted til - 1/4 cup
3. Sugar syrup- 1 cup
4. Green cardamom-1 no
5. Ghee - 1/2 cup

Method

Heat ghee in a wok and add besan to it. Stir fry in medium flame till besan turns light brown in colour. Now add til,cardamom and stir for 2 mins approx. For the sugar syrup boil equal amount of water and sugar,bring to boil and simmer for 2 to 3 mins. I had also added small amount of orange food colour although it is optional. Keep the syrup warm. Now mix in the besan mix into the sugar syrup. Be careful with the quantity of the sugar syrup you add,the final mixture should be little dry so adjust with the amount you actually need. Grease a plate with some ghee and spread the mixture on it. Press with the spatula and cut in barfi shapes. Sprinkle some til over it and serve once it cools down completely. I kept it for 30 mins in the refrigerator before serving.

Pumpkin halwa

Ingredients

1.Pumpkin - 2cups(chopped,use red pumpkin)
2.Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
3.Khoya - 1cup(i had used leftover pedas)
4.Sugar - 1/4cup(if using khoya,else don't use sugar)
5.Green cardamom - 2nos
6.Desi ghee - 5tsp

Method

Pressure cook the pumpkins in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles,when cool mash them with a spatula. Heat ghee in a pan and add cardamoms,mix in the pumpkin and stir fry till most of the moisture evaporates.Now add condensed milk,crumbled pedas(if using khoya then add it along with sugar). cook till all blends well and halwa is dry enough.You can also add some chopped dry fruits for further richness in taste.Serve hot or cold.

Sweet potato,yam nd bread cutlet with green chutney

Ingredients

1.Sweet potato - 1cup(broadly diced)
2.Yam - 1cup(broadly diced)
3.Potato - 1cup(broadly diced)
4. Brown bread slice - 4 piece
5.Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
7.Cumin powder - 1tsp
8. Kasuri methi - 3tsp
9.Garam masala powder - 1tsp
10.Salt to tatse
11. refined oil for pan frying

Method

boil sweet potato,yam,potato and mash them. in it mix,chilly powder,amchur powder,cumin powder,garam masala powder,salt.Crush kasuri methi in your palms and add to the mixture.Now soak the bread in water and squeeze out the moisture. Mix this into the mixture,to make a dough.Heat oil in a pan.Shape round tikkis from the mixture and pan fry from both sides till golden brown and firm. Serve hot with green chutney,salad and hot tea/coffee.

Pumpkin flower fry- kumro pholer bora

Ingredients

1. Pumpkinn flower - 6nos
2. Besan - 4tbsp
3. Roasted cumin powder - 1tsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Chopped green chilly - 1/2tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Refined oil for frying

Method

Make a smooth paste of besan,cumin powder,turmeric powder,green chilly,salt with water. Hat oil in a wok,dip the flowers into the batter and deep fry until golden brown. serve hot with green chutney,salad and hot tea.

Hilsa fish head with Malabar spinach and vegetables

Ingredients

1. Hilsa fish head - 1 no
2. Pumpkin diced - 1 cup
3. Potato diced - 1 tsp
4. Malabar spinach  chopped - 2 cups
5. Brinjal diced - 1cup
6. Flat / broad beans - 1 cup
7. Panch phoron - 2tsp
8. Ginger grated - 2 tsp
9. Green chillies - 3 nos
10. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
11. Salt to taste
12. Mustard oil - 3 tbsp

Method
Marinate the fish head with salt and turmeric powder and fry them in a wok until golden brown.
Drain and remove,in the same oil add green chillies and panch phoron. Once they start spluttering add grated ginger and potato. Stir fry in low flame till potatoes are half cooked. Now add flat beans,pumpkin,brinjal,turmeric powder,salt and cover and cook stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables are almost cooked add Malabar spinach and fried fish head. Break the fish head with the end of the spatula and cook for 2 mins approx. Serve hot with rice.

Dahi baingan

Ingredients

1. Brinjal- 8 nos( small size)
2. Curd - 1/2 cup
3. Black pepper powder - 1tsp
4. Sugar -1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Mustard oil - 4 tsp
7. Chopped coriander - 3tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan,add brinjals and salt. Cover and cook in a low medium till the brinjal is completely cooked. Meanwhile whip curd along with some water,sugar,black pepper powder. Now mix chopped coriander to the brinjal and stir fry for 30 secs. Pour in the curd mix and switch off the flame. Serve hot.

Rasmalai

Ingredients

1. Full cream milk - 1 ltr
2. Sugar - 1/2 cup
3. Condensed milk - 1/2 cup
4. Green cardamom - 2 pods
5. Chopped dry fruits for garnishing
6. Curd - 4tsp

Method

Boil 500 ml milk and add curd,keep boiling till the milk cuddles to get chena.Strain it and keep it in the strainer for a minimum of 2 hrs till all the extra moisture drains out. Now squeeze off any left over moisture and make small balls out of the chena. In a flat pressure cooker add 1 cup of water and sugar and allow to boil. Now add the chena balls into them,cover the cooker's lid and cook for 2 whistles.allow to cool it normally.
Boil the remaining milk in a  vessel and add condensed milk to it. Add cardamom and simmer till its gets reduced to half of  it's original volume. Cool, squeeze the chena balls lightly and add to the milk mixture. Serve after 30 mins.

Note- refrigerate for a minimum 1 hr before serving