GULAB JAMUN

GULAB JAMUN

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry milk powder
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped almonds (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio nuts (optional)
• 1 tablespoon golden raisins (optional)
• 1 pinch ground cardamom
• 1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying
•  1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 7 fluid ounces water
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 1 pinch ground cardamom

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the milk powder, flour, baking powder, and cardamom. Stir in the almonds, pistachios and golden raisins. Mix in the melted butter, then pour in the milk, and continue to mix until well blended. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, stir together the sugar, water, rose water and a pinch of cardamom. Bring to a boil, and simmer for just a minute. Set aside.
3. Fill a large heavy skillet halfway with oil. Heat over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Knead the dough, and form into about 20 small balls. Reduce the heat of the oil to low, and fry the balls in one or two batches. After about 5 minutes, they will start to float, and expand to twice their original size, but the color will not change much. After the jamun float, increase the heat to medium, and turn them frequently until light golden. Remove from the oil to paper towels using a slotted spoon, and allow to cool. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool slightly.
4. Place the balls into the skillet with the syrup. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, squeezing them gently to soak up the syrup. Serve immediately, or chill.

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BANANA COCONUT TAPIOCA PUDDINGS

BANANA COCONUT TAPIOCA PUDDINGS

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tapioca pearls
• 400g can coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup finely chopped palm sugar
• 3 just ripe bananas, peeled, thickly sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely grated dark palm sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 mango, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled, thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Place the tapioca in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 2 hours to soak. Strain through a fine sieve. Cook in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until opaque. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, combine the coconut milk, water and sugar in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and mixture is heated through. Add the tapioca and gently stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly. Add the banana and transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill.
3. Combine the dark palm sugar and water in a small frying pan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until syrup thickens.
4. Spoon the tapioca among serving bowls. Serve topped with mango and pineapple slices and drizzle with sesame syrup.

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RASGULLAS

RASGULLAS

Ingredients:

• 6 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Preparation:

1. Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pan till it starts foaming; immediately add the lime juice and stir. It will curdle right away. You should see the milk solids separate from the whey. Pour into a colander lined with cheesecloth; rinse the milk solids with cold water to get rid of the lime juice. Allow the water to drain completely.
2. Gather the muslin cloth edges like a parcel and express as much water as possible; what you now have is soft cheese. Turn the cheese onto a rolling mat or other smooth surface. Knead the cheese well to make a smooth paste. Roll into a ball and divide into 20 equal portions.
3. Bring the water to a boil in a pressure cooker; stir the sugar into the boiling water until dissolved.
4. Roll each portion of cheese into a smooth ball between your palms, making sure there are no cracks; gently drop the balls into the hot syrup. Secure the lid onto the pressure cooker and bring to pressure. Reduce heat to medium-low and pressure cook for 6 minutes.
5. Release the pressure from the cooker while running under water; remove the lid. The rasgullas should be floating on the syrup and have expanded 2 or 3 times in size. Pour the rasgullas and syrup into a bowl. Gently stir the cardamom into the mixture. Refrigerate to chill completely before serving cold.

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KHEER

KHEER

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 cup Basmati rice
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon rose water (optional)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts

Preparation:

1. Bring the coconut milk, milk and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan. Add basmati rice, and simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the raisins, cardamom and rose water, and cook for a few more minutes. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with almonds and pistachios.

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RASMALAI

RASMALAI

Ras Malai or Rosh malai is a dessert eaten in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The name Ras Malai comes from two parts in Urdu: "Ras" meaning "juice/juicy" and "Malai", meaning "cream". It has been described "as a rich cheesecake without a crust."

Ingredients:

   For rasmalai patties:

• 4 cups milk
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 4 cups water

   For milk mixture:

• 3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon cardamom (crushed)
• 1 tablespoon almonds
• 1 tablespoon pistachios

Method:

  Paneer:

1. Mix lemon juice in half a cup of hot water and keep aside.
2. Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed over medium-high heat, stirring frequently making sure milk do not burn on the bottom of the pan.
3. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
4. Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
5. Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, rince under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
6. To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth, or press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about one hour. Taking the right amount of water out of the paneer is the most important part of this recipe.
7. To check if enough water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub with your fingers. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
8. If the paneer is too dry, add a few drops of water, using the water squeezed from the paneer.
9. Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.
10. Knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard on the paneer. Keep scooping it back to togather and knead more. Your palm will be little greasy.

  Making the Rasmalai:

1. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll them in smooth balls.
2. To make the balls apply some prassure at the first and then release when forming the balls, lightly press to make about 3/4″ patty shape. 
3. Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.
4. Add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about seven minutes.
5. Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the finished rasgullas patties, as they will expand to about double in the volume while cooking in the syrup!
6. Close the heat and wait a few minutes befor opening the pressure cooker. Pour cold water over the cooker before opening.
7. Take out the patties from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.
8. Boil the milk in a frying pan on medium heat until the milk reduce to about 2 cups.
9. Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.
10. Add the sugar and the Rasmalai patties in milk. Let it cook for few minutes.
11. Add the cardamom and mix in. Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios.
12. Serve the Rasmalai chilled.

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