Mango Shrikhand

Its the season of mangoes and we can't let it go without making 'Aam-rakhand". Aamrakhand is basically shrikhand with aam ( Mangoes ). Shrikhand is one classic Maharashtrian sweet dish made from strained curd. On some auspicious occasions or during a special function, nothing beats the menu of Shrikhand, Batata bhaaji ( potato sabzi ) and puris. It is also offered as "prasad" ( offering ) to the Lord during pooja or festivals. It is semi-soft and you can literally lick it with your finger, rather than having it with spoon ( i still feel it tastes better this way, hehehe )

Making shrikhand takes some time as the curd has to be hung in a cotton cloth and drained of all the water inside. We also get ready made Chakka ( hung curd ) in market, but finding it here in Delhi is a task. So i preferred setting up the curd overnight with full cream milk and then making the chakka myself at home. Yes it does take some time, but the effort is all worth it... especially since it's my hubby's favourite :)

Shrikhand can be eaten as it is with dry fruits, or addition of mango pulp makes it aamrakhand which is very popular in Maharashtra. You can add any fruit pulp or even chunks of fruit and make shrikhand, the taste just gets better :) In thane, there is a shop which sells fresh fruit shrikhand, and they put pieces of grapes and apples..the taste is so unbelievably flavourful, that you would want a second helping for sure.When i make a visit to Mumbai, next week, i will go to that shop and click a picture for you guys :)

Ingredients :

Curd - 1 n half cup ( I made homemade curd in my regular curd bowl, so it should be about 1 n half cup. 

Mango - 1

Sugar - 1/2 cup ( adjust to taste )

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Pistachios - 5-6

Almonds - 5-6 ( You can also put raisins or cashews or even anjeer if you like )

Cotton cloth/muslin cloth 

Recipe : 

Take out all the curd in the muslin cloth and tie it tightly. Hang the cloth for around 3 hours so that all water drips down. Tie it over the sink or keep some vessel below it, so the water doesn't drip making a mess. If you don't have a place to hang, just put it in a big vessel on the side, tilt it, and cover the vessel with a lid tightly. Squeeze out all the extra water from it after 3 hours.

Remove it in a clean bowl.

Remove all the pulp from the mango and put it in a blender to make a smooth pulp. Add sugar and blend again.

Now add this pulp to the curd. Mix in cardamom powder.

Add in chopped almonds and pistachios. Mix it all well and garnish with some pistachios or almonds when serving in a bowl.

I like the shrikhand/aamrakhand cold. So normally i let it be in the refrigerator for around an hour before eating.  

Note : My Mom's tip : If you find it too thick, add some full cream milk or some cream. It adds to the taste of Shrikhand :)

Now make some hot puris and you are ready to have a scrumptious meal :))

Happy Cooking :)

 

Shahi Tukda : Valentine Special

Shahi Treatment for The Prince Charming : Shahi means Royal, and what better way to make your husband feel royal on Valentine's day than to cook his favourite meal and top it all with a royal dessert :) As it was a working day, i decided to arrange a surprise for him...Yes, the usual surprise cards, aromatic candles, love messages in tiffin box, a photo collage, a bottle of wine, some homemade choclate muffins.... All this was definately making him smile. But i guess the way to a man's heart is definately through his stomach...when i cooked his favourite chicken dish for main course, that got him showing me all his teeth :)) And i topped it all off with this dessert....A super fun filled valentine's :) 
Basundi ( Recipe uploaded earlier ) (  http://cookininpajamas.blogspot.in/2014/01/basundi-sweetened-milk.html ) is one of his favourite desserts.. so i normally make it once a month...So, to make something special for Valentine's , i decided to make Rabdi ( More thickened milk ) and top it on the shahi tukda. 

I had never tried this dish before, had only eaten at several restaurants. But making it was super easy and super fun ! Makes for a good sweet craving, and  a dessert everyone will enjoy at your home :)

Ingredients :

Milk - 1 Litre

Sugar - 1/3 rd cup

Water - A little

Ghee - To fry the bread slices

Saffron - a few strands 

Milkmaid ( Sweetened condensed milk ) - 2 tbsp ( This is optional, you can totally skip this or if you want, can add 1-2 tbsp of sugar instead )

Chopped nuts - almonds, Pistachios, Cashews, raisins ( Any of your choice for garnishing )

Bread slices - 4

Recipe :

Soak saffron in about 2-3 tbsp of milk.

Bring milk to boil in a non stick or a heavy bottomed pan. Reduce the heat to sim, and bring the milk to 1/2 of it's original...Keep stirring in between. It will start becoming thick and changing colour.

Now add the condensed milk ( or sugar ). If not, just add the saffron-milk mixture. Keep stirring again and reduce the milk to 1/2 of it's consistency ( comes to about 1/4th of it's original consistency ). It has to be of pouring consistency and not too thick. 

Let it come to room tempertaure. And then keep it in the fridge to cool. This is called Rabdi.

Meanwhile, take sugar in a saucepan and fill it with water just enough to cover the sugar. Let it come to a boil, and then simmer it for around 3-4 minutes more..( Remove a drop and see if it sticks to your finger, and forms a thread... That's when you know it's done)

Now Take the bread slices and cut it's edges. Now cut them diagonally into triangle shapes ( You can cut each slice into 2 or 4 parts, i prefer cutting them into 4 ). Heat ghee in a pan. Now fry the bread slices in ghee on medium/low flame till they become crisp and brown. Its important that the slices be crisp.

Remove and soak on a tissue paper. Now dip them into the sugar syrup for about 10 seconds and arrange them on the plate. Add the cool rabdi on top and garnish with chopped nuts.

Enjoy in the royal dessert... Tastes Heavenly delicious....:))

You can add the sugar syrup to the rabdi and even eat rabdi as a dessert in itself. Adjust the sugar content according to taste.

Alternatively, you can make shahi tukdas and store it in fridge. It stays for about 3-4 days.

Happy Cooking :)

Gulpoli : Maharashtrian delicacy

Makar Sankranti special : Makar Sankranti is a traditional festival celebrated in India which marks the transition of the Sun into the Makar Rashi ( Capricorn sign). For maximum years, it is celebrated on 14th of January... but rarely it also occurs on the 15th of January. It depends on when the sun changes its celestial path. It is also celebrated as the harvest festival.

Childhood memories : My memory of Makar Sankranti is only the " Til-gud" and "Gul-Poli" made by my mother. I love the gul-poli, simply because its crispy, and can be eaten for a week after it's made. Alternatively, you can also make the filling and store it and make it as and when needed. The dough stays in the fridge for almost a week too. I have never tried my hand at Gul-poli, as the process seems too tough and tedious for me. But this time, i carefully observed my mother making it and decided to note down all the small tit-bits she uses to make it just perfect!!! And its not that tough at all, so i am going to make it soon for sure !!! Its such a delight watching Mom cook :) 

Gul-Poli is usually found in all Maharashtrian homes during Sankranti. It is basically a roti ( bread) made of jaggery. Jaggery provides heat to the body, and hence it is eaten during this season of winter. The til-gud ( sesame -jaggery ) ladoos are also eaten during this time to provide heat and energy to the body during winters. I will post a different recipe for the 2 types of Til-gud ladoos that my mom makes. Meanwhile, here is the Gul-Poli recipe :

Ingredients :

( Makes around 20 )

For the filling :

Gul ( Jaggery ) - 1/2 kg

Besan ( Gram flour ) - 2 tbsp

Til powder ( Sesame powder ) - 1/2 cup ( Dry roast white sesame and grind them to a fine powder in the mixer-grinder )

Dry coconut powder - 1 tbsp ( Dry roast the dry-coconut and grind to a powder - turns little brown )

Ghee or Oil - 1 tbsp

For the dough :

Besan ( Gram Flour ) - 1 cup

Wheat Flour ( Atta ) - 4 cup

Maida ( All purpose flour ) - 1 n half cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Recipe :

Grate the Gul (jaggery). It should be fine, there should be no chunks in it.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, and roast the besan ( Gram flour ) till it turns light brown.

Mix the grated jaggery, sesame powder, dry coconut powder and besan well. It forms like a ball. Keep it aside.

Next, mix the Besan, wheat flour and maida together. Heat the 2 tbsp oil and add it to the mix-flour. This is called Mohan. Now knead it into a soft dough. Add water little by little. Keep the dough aside for 30 minutes.

Roll a small ball from the dough to a small chapati, and add the filling. ( You can divide the dough and filling in equal quantities beforehand. )

Now cover it from all sides and close the ball neatly.

Roll this ball again into a thin chapati ( Flat bread) ...You can dust it with flour if it sticks.

The idea is to roll it carefully , so the filling doesn't come out.

Now heat a pan ( Tava ). Place the poli on the tava. Do not add any oil or ghee on top. Roast till done or till light brown.

Mom's Tips :

1. Always roast the Polis on tava on low flame

2. If the filling comes out of the Poli, then you can add a pinch of Lime ( Chuna which is used in Paan )to the filling.

3. Never stack the Polis on top of each other when hot. Spread them on a newspaper till they get cold and then stack them at room temperature.

Happy Cooking :)