Two simple recipes from chef Sneha Singhi Upadhaya that promise to hit the sweet spot:
Sneha Singhi Upadhaya
GULAB JAMUN
[Makes 15 medium-sized jamuns]
Ingredients:
• 2cups mawa/ khoya; grated
• 50g chenna
• 2tbsp flour
• 1tbsp sooji
• 1/4tsp baking powder
• 1tbsp cornflour/ arrowroot
• 1tsp milk powder
• 1-2tbsp water
Method:
Knead the chenna very well and keep it aside. Grate the mawa and knead it too. To this, add maida, sooji, baking powder, cornflour and milk powder. Mix this well. Start to splash some water over this. Don’t add it all together. Splash some and knead. You have to check the consistency here. We’re looking for an aata (normal dough for roti) kind of consistency. Now add chenna and knead it well till it comes together like a dough.
For the filling
Ingredients:
• 10-15 makhana
• 2tbsp ground pistachio
• 1tsp kesar
• 1/2tsp elaichi
• Mix this all well.
For the sugar syrup
Ingredients:
• 1&3/4cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1tsp rose water
• 1 elaichi
• Kesar
Method:
Cook this all together till the sugar dissolves completely. Take it off heat. Take some dough in your hand, press it down, add one makhana and filling in the middle and bring it together like a ball. And keep rolling till it’s shiny, and the oil starts coming out.
First fry one in ghee to check if it’s perfect, if it’s breaking. Add a little more water and 1/2tsp maida and knead it again. Once ready, fry them all in hot ghee on low heat only. If you’re not using a non-stick, keep moving the pan at intervals so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Once it’s nicely browned, add this to the sugar syrup.
RASMALAI
[Serves 4-5]
For the Rasmalai liquid
Ingredients:
• 500ml milk
• Pinch of elaichi powder
• Pinch of saffron (optional)
• 1/2cup sugar
Method:
Bring the milk to a boil, add in the elaichi and saffron. Continue cooking for 10 minutes on medium heat, you’ll start to see it thicken. Once it does, add in the sugar. Cook till the sugar melts. And then let it cool.
For the rasgulla
Ingredients:
• 1l milk
• 2tbsp lemon juice
Method:
Make chenna of 1l milk and 2tbsp lemon juice. Once done, wash this a couple of times to remove all the whey. Squeeze out all the excess liquid and let it cool. Knead this for about 5-6 minutes with your palm till it’s completely smooth. Now shape them however you like. I made small balls out of them.
For the sugar syrup
Ingredients:
• 1.5l water
• 1.5 cups sugar
Method:
Bring this to a good boil, and then add in the shaped rasgullas. Cook this for 10-12 minutes on medium heat.
Once done, let them sit in the liquid for another 10 minutes. Now transfer the syrup into a bowl with ice and then add in the rasgullas too. We do this to stabilise the rasgullas so that they hold shape. Once they’re completely cooled, squeeze out the excess liquid and drop them into the rasamalai mixture. Mix it gently and let it sit for 4 hours or more. The longer it stays in the liquid the more flavourful it becomes. Garnish with chopped pistachios.
Pritika Sen of Caramelle brings us some fusion dessert recipes
Pritika Sen
FRESH MANGO CUSTARD
Ingredients:
• 2 Mangoes
• 300ml milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3tbsp custard powder
• 100ml heavy cream
• 2tbsp milk powder
Method:
Wash, peel and cut the mangoes into large chunks. Place into a mixer and add the milk powder. Blend well until it turns into a fine puree. Keep aside a bit of the milk and put the remaining into a pot along with the sugar. Bring to heat until it starts to simmer. Using the milk that was kept aside earlier, liquify the custard powder to form a paste. Once the milk and sugar have come to a gentle simmer, add the custard mix and whisk continuously. Now add the mango puree into the hot milk mixture also while stirring continuously. Lastly, add in the heavy cream while whisking until it has blended well and after a minute or so, turn off the heat. Take off the heat and pour into your serving dish and let cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours or more. When it is completely chilled, garnish with freshly chopped mangoes, mint leaves and anything else you may desire. Serve chilled!
NO-BAKE GURER PUDDING
Ingredients:
• 1 cup milk
• 2 egg yolk
• 1/4th cup sugar
• 1/3rd cup liquid nolen gur
• 2.5tbsp cornflour
• Pistachios (roasted and chopped)
• Almonds (roasted and slivered)
• Caramel (melted sugar and water poured and dried into rough garnishes)
Method:
Put the milk and liquid nolen gur into a pot and bring to a simmer on the stove.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and frothy. Add the cornstarch and mix well. It’ll feel a bit tight but not to worry. Take a bit of the hot milk and gur mixture and add to the yolk mixture for it to loosen up a little. Mix well. Now pour this back into the remaining hot milk and gur pot. Reduce the flame and continuously whisk until it thickens up to the desired consistency. Do not overheat. When ready, take off the heat and pour into ramekins or your serving dish and let cool in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours. Take out and garnish well with pistachios, almonds, caramel pieces and liquid nolen gur as desired.
