Orange Sandesh

Orange Sandesh

By Chef Shantanu Gupte

From Health Mange More

Prep: 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Mithai

Key Ingredients:

Bengalis make sandesh in different flavours and this is one of them

Ingredients

Orange filling
Orange segments 12
Sugar 1 tbsp
Sandesh
Low fat cottage cheese (paneer), crumbled ¾ cup
Low fat mawa/khoya crumbled 3 tbsps
Powdered sugar 2 tbsps
Ghee ¼ tsp

Methods

To make orange filling, heat sugar in non-stick pan till it melts. Add orange segments and toss them gently, making sure that the segments do not break.
To make sandesh, mix cottage cheese, mawa, powdered sugar and ghee in a bowl and mix. Add 2 tbsps water and knead till the mixture becomes smooth. Add a little more water if required.
Divide this into 24 equal balls and press them lightly.
Place 1 orange segment on half the portions and cover each with another of the remaining portions.
Seal the edges of the 2 sandesh properly so that the orange is sandwiched between them.
Keep these sandwiched sandesh on a serving plate and keep the plate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Serve chilled.

Cherupayar Payasam

Cherupayar Payasam

By Chef Shantanu Gupte

By India Unlimited

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Mithai

Key Ingredients:

Split skinless green gram (dhuli moong dal)
Coconut milk
Jaggery

A must in the Onam menu, this is a dal payasam which the locals of Kerala love

Ingredients

Split skinless green grams (dhuli moong dal) 1 cup
Coconut milk 1 cup
Jaggery (gur), grated 3 tbsps
Ghee 2 tbsps
Green cardamom powder ½ tsp
Dried ginger powder (soonth) ½ tsp
Dried coconut, grated 1 tbsp
Cashewnuts 8
Coconut cream to drizzle

Methods

Melt jaggery in a non-stick pan with little bit of water.
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a cooker and add split green gram and saute till it becomes golden brown.
Add 2 cups water, cover the cooker and cook under pressure till 3 whistles are given out.
Open the lid when the pressure reduces completely. Add jaggery syrup, cardamom powder and dried ginger powder and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add coconut milk and mix. Cook till it just comes to a boil. Switch off the heat.
Heat remaining ghee in a small non-stick pan, add dried coconut and cashewnuts and saute till they are golden. Put half of this mixture into the cooker and mix and cook till the payasam is semi-thick.
Transfer it into a serving bowl and garnish with sautéed coconut and cashewnuts and drizzle coconut cream.

Chicken Farcha

Chicken Farcha

By Chef Shantanu Gupte

By India Unlimited

Prep: 2 hours

Cook: 30 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Mithai

Key Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks
Eggs
Breadcrumbs

A popular Parsi deep-fried chicken drumsticks

Ingredients

Chicken drumsticks 7 to 8
Red chilli paste 2 tbsps + 1 tsp
Browned onion paste 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder 1 pinch
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsps
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Oil 3 tbsps + for deep frying
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tsps
Breadcrumbs 1 cup
Eggs 2

Methods

Make some incisions on the chicken drumsticks and put them in a bowl. Add 2 tbsps red chilli paste, 1 tbsp browned onion paste, salt, black pepper powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, 1½ tbsp oil and lemon juice and mix till all the drumsticks are well coated. Keep the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.
Heat remaining oil in a deep non-stick pan, add remaining browned onion paste and remaining red chilli paste and saute till fragrant.
Add the marinated chicken drumsticks and a little water and mix well. Cover and cook till the gravy becomes thick, and the chicken is cooked.
Add some coriander leaves and turn off the gas.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
Take breadcrumbs in a bowl and roll chicken drumsticks in it till they are well coated.
Take eggs in another bowl, add a little salt and whisk well. Dip the chicken drumsticks in whisked egg and deep fry till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot along with the gravy if any left.

Jaipuri Mewa Pulao

Jaipuri Mewa Pulao

By Chef Shantanu Gupte

By India Unlimited

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Mithai

Key Ingredients:

Rice
Almonds
Pistachios
Chironji

Sweet rice preparation enriched with saffron and dried fruits

Ingredients

Almonds 4 to 5
Pistachios 4 to 5
Chironji/charoli 1 tbsp
Rice, cooked ½ cup
Ghee 1 tbsp
Milk 200 ml
Sugar ½ cup
Saffron, mixed with milk a few strands
Fresh cream 3 tbsps
Silver warq for garnishing
Nutmeg powder to sprinkle
Green cardamom powder to sprinkle

Methods

Heat ghee in a deep non-stick pan, add rice to it and saute.
Add milk, sugar and saffron mixed with milk and mix well.
Keep aside a few almonds, pistachios and charoli for garnish and add the rest to the rice and mix.
Cover and cook till all the milk is absorbed. Don’t stir too much as it may break the rice grains.
Add cream and mix well.
Transfer onto a serving plate and garnish with silver warq. Sprinkle nutmeg powder, green cardamom powder and reserve dried fruits and serve hot.

Mahrashtrian Gujiya

Mahrashtrian Gujiya

By Chef Ajay Chopra

Prep: 35 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Method: Moderate

Course: Mithai

Key Ingredients:

All-purpose flour
Semolina
Fresh coconut
Jaggery

Gujiyas stuffed with fresh coconut filling are so very tasty that they get consumed in no time

Ingredients

All purpose flour (maida) 2 cups + 1 tbsp
Semolina (suji / rawa) ¾ cup
Ghee 6 tbsps
Sesame seeds (til) 3½ tbsps
Poppy seeds (khuskhus) 4 tbsps
Fresh coconut, scraped 1 cup
Jaggery, grated 2 cups
Green cardamom powder 2 tsps
Salt to tasgte
Oil to deep-fry

Methods

To make the dough take all-purpose flour in a bowl, add ¼ cup semolina and 3 tbsps ghee and mix well. Add sufficient water and knead into a semi soft dough.
To make the filling, heat the remaining ghee in a non-stick pan, add sesame seeds, poppy seeds and remaining semolina and saute till golden brown.
Add coconut and mix well. Saute for 2-3 minutes and remove it from heat.
Add jaggery, cardamom powder and salt and mix well. Set aside to cool.
Divide the dough into small equal balls and roll them into small puris. Place some stuffing mixture in the centre of each puri and fold it in half and press the edges to seal.
Twist the edges with your fingers to make gujiyas.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Gently slide in the gujiyas, a few at a time, and deep-fry till light golden.
Drain on absorbent paper. Cool and serve or store in airtight container.

Sweet Gujiya

Sweet Gujiya

By Chef Ajay Chopra

Prep: 35 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Method: Moderate

Course: Mithai

Key Ingredients:

All-purpose flour
Semolina
Desiccated coconut
Powdered sugar

These gujiyas are usually made during festival or a special occasion

Ingredients

All-purpose flour 2 cups + 1 tbsp
Semolina (suji / rawa) ¼ cup
Ghee 3 tbsps
Poppy seeds (khuskhus) 3½ tbsps
Cashewnuts, chopped 10
Raisins (kishmish) 20
Desiccated coconut 1 cup
Green cardamom powder 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder ½ tsp
Powdered sugar 1 cup
Oil to deep-fry

Methods

To make the dough, take all-purpose flour in a bowl, add semolina and 3 tbsps ghee and mix well. Add sufficient water and knead into a semi-soft dough. Let the dough rest while you make the stuffing.
To make the stuffing, heat remaining ghee in a non-stick pan, add poppy seeds and saute them till light golden brown.
Add cashewnuts, raisins and desiccated coconut. Mix well and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and powdered sugar and mix well. Set aside to cool.
Divide the dough into small equal balls and roll them into small puris.
Place each puri in a gujiya mould, place some stuffing in the centre, close the mould and shape into gujiya.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai, gently slide in the gujiyas, a few at a time, and deep-fry till light golden.
Drain on absorbent paper and let them cool.
Serve or store in an airtight container.