Subho Janmasthami Special

We all who have read Indian mythology are familiar with the story of Lord Krishna. He is the most worshiped  Hindu deity .One constant story, which is told and retold by every generation is his habit of stealing butter. The midnight birth of Lord Krishna, is celebrated everywhere in the rainy month of Shravan, which fall in the months of July-August. Many people fast till midnight and then offer the newborn an offering of milk, curd, butter and sweets.A small cradle is set up to worship the coming of the Lord to the earth to fight evil forces..
Here are some dishes made on the occasion.

Rosogullas :

Rosogolla

All you need :

Milk                                                                           5cups
Sugar                                                                         2 1/2 cups
Lemon Juice                                                               1tsp
Milk                                                                           1cup
Cardamom Seeds                                                       1 tsp

This is how I make:

Boil 1 cup milk.Add lemon juice till the milk curdles. Sieve through a fine cloth and preserve whey for four days. Use paneer for some other dish.
On the fifth day, boil 5cups milk. Cool and remove the thick cream layer from the top. Heat  again and add as much reserved whey as is needed to curdle the milk. Sieve through a piece of muslin and keep under a weight to remove all water. Measure the chana /paneer /cottage cheese and add 2 tsp maida for 500 grams. Knead well.
Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the sugar and boil. Remove top scum. As the syrup is simmering, make small balls of the curdled mixture and push 2 grains of cardamom in the centre of each. Drop the balls in the boiling syrup. Cover. After two minutes, remove cover and sprinkle syrup with icecold water. Repeat this process of covering, exposing and sprinkling with icecold water covering, six times. The rosogollas will float on top. Remove from fire. Cool and hot, both ways Rosogollas taste very good.

Narkoler Laddu:

Narkoler Laddu

All you Need :

Fresh Coconuts,finely grated                                                      3cups
Cardamom Powder                                                                   1 tsp
Sugar/Jaggery                                                                            2 cups
Milk                                                                                          1cup
Desi ghee                                                                                   2 tsp
Raisins & cashewnuts                                                                 1 tsp each

Method I follow :

Take a wok or deep pan and heat1 tsp desi ghee.When hot, stir fry the cashew and raisins in it. Remove when golden.
Pour the milk into the pan and boil it. As soon as the milk starts boiling, put 2 cups of coconut into it. Blend thoroughly.
Only when the coconut completely absorbs the milk, sprinkle sugar on it. Keep stirring constantly on medium heat.
As soon as the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan, remove from heat. Transfer to a dish. Let it cool down a bit.
Now apply desi ghee to grease your palms and make small lemon-sized balls out of the mixture.
Tip :
You can also use jaggery instead of sugar. Heat the jaggery till it bubbles and the syrup is of a thread consistency. Cool slightly and then add the grated coconut.

Luchi and Alur Dom :

Alur Dom(Curried Potatoes)

Potatoes                                                     500 grams
Desi Ghee                                                   1 tbsp
Oil                                                              2 tbsp
Green Cardamoms                                      3
Cloves                                                        4
Cinamon Stick                                             1 1-inch
Bay Leaves                                                  2
Ginger Paste                                                1/2 tsp
Tomato Puree                                             3 tbsp
Turmeric Powder                                        1 tsp
Chilli Powder                                              1 tsp
Green Chillies (slit)                                     3-4
Lime Juice                                                 1 tbsp
Milk                                                          4 tbsp
Sugar                                                         1 tsp
Salt                                                            to taste

Method I follow :

Boil the potatoes and skin then.You can use small potatoes or if using medium ones then cut into half.
Heat the ghee and oil together in a wok to smoking point. Reduce heat and fry the green cardamoms, cloves , cinnamon and bay leaves until they give out a fragnance.
Add the ginger paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder and the tomato puree. Fry on medium heat for 5 minutes. When oil starts to separate add the potatoes, sugar and salt to tadte.Keep stirring for some 5 more minutes.
Add the green chillies, lime juice and milk.
Simmer for sometime and then take off the fire and keep covered.
This is offered to the God and so no Onion or garlic has been used in the preparation. This is a puja special. Serve with white flour puffy white luchi.

Malpoa

All You Will Need :

Unsweetened Yoghurt (Doi)                                                           250 grams
Flour (Maida)                                                                                 2 tbsp
Aniseed (Mouri)                                                                             1 tsp
Ghee  /Refined Oil                                                                          1/2 cup
For the Syrup:
Sugar                                                                                             2cups
Water                                                                                            1cup
Yellow food Colour                                                                       1 drop(optional)

Method I follow :

Mix the sugar to the water and stir till the sugar dissolves. Place the pan on medium heat and bring the mixture to boil. Add the colour if desired or else leave. Saffron, dissolved in cold water, can be added as well, to give a flavour. Boil untill the syrup is thick. Cool.
Blend the yoghurt with the flour in a bowl. Add the aniseed. Mix well. Heat the ghee in a wok and add a tablespoon of the  prepared mix at a time and fry until brown and crispy at the edges.
remove from ghee and place in the sugar syrup.Add the malpoas one at a time as they are fried.



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