Nalen Gur Chumchum / Fresh Cheese Balls In Palm Syrup

Whole Milk - 1/2 gallon
White Vinegar - 1/4 cup mixed with 1/4 cup water
Date Palm Syrup - 1.5 cups
Water - 3 cups


Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.



As the milk comes to a boil, add the vinegar gradually and stir the milk gently. When the curd starts separating from the whey, turn off the heat.



Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer lined with cheesecloth or cotton napkin.



Wrap the cheese in the cloth, and rinse under cold water for at least 1 minute, and squeeze well.

Once it is drained, place on a dry, clean plate and knead the cheese by dragging the palm of your hand hard for at least 5 minutes until it rolls into smooth soft dough.



Divide the dough into 12 portions and make them into smooth, slightly flat oblong/diamond shape.



Mix the syrup and 3 cups of water in a big wide pan on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rasogollas and cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.


Serve at room temperature.

Puran Poli

Chana dal - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups

All purpose Flour / Maida - 1 cup
Ata / Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
Salt - a couple of pinches
Peanut Oil - 3 tbsp
Warm Water - 1 cup

Gur / Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Nutmeg - 2 pinch
Cardamom - a pinch

Ghee / Clarified butter

Soak the chana dal in plenty of water for a few hours or preferably overnight. Drain, add fresh water and cook the dal till done. You can cook it in a pressure cooker or in the rice cooker. Once the dal is cooked, strain any remaining water, mash the dal well and keep the cooked dal aside.

Mix flour, whole wheat flour and salt together. Add 2 tbsp of peanut oil and mix well with the flour. Now slowly add a cup of warm water and knead the dough. The dough should be loose and soft. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep aside for an hour.

Add 3/4th cup jaggery to a pan and begin to heat the pan. Once the jaggery starts to melt, add the cooked chana dal. Mix together well and continue to cook till liquid is evaporated and the mixture becomes thick and starts to leave the sides of the pan. Add nutmeg and cardamom powder. Cool the puran and pass it through a mincer to make it soft and lump free. This step of passing through mincer is optional but it results in soft puran polis.

Now take a tbsp of oil and knead the dough again. Take a small ball of dough and roll it like a small puri. take a small ball of the puran, stuff it in the rolled puri, seal the edges and squeeze out the excess dough.

Lightly dust the rolling pin with flour and roll the poli in circular direction like a roti. Roast on a medium high hot skillet on both sides till it gets golden spots. Once the puran police is almost done, quickly apply ghee on both sides and immediately remove from heat. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee over it.

Alur Dom / Potato Peas Curry

Yukon Gold Potatoes - 4 big, boiled and lightly crushed
Green Peas - a handful
Tomato - 2, grated
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Black Cardamom - 1
dried Whole Red Chili - 2
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp.
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - a sprinkle
Water - if required


Heat the mustard oil in a skillet. Add black cardamom dried red chili and grated tomato and ginger. Cook for a few minutes and then add turmeric, red chili powder, fennel, coriander and cumin powder. Cook till oil begins to leave the sides of the pan.


Now add the crushed potatoes green peas, salt and sugar. Mix well and cover and cook on low medium heat for around 10 minutes. In between, if required, sprinkle some water so that the spices do not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.


Before serving, add a sprinkle of garam masala on top and serve hot with steamed rice or any flatbread.


Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2016/01/niramish-alur-dom-no-onion-garlic.html

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Apples

Brussel Sprouts - 10
Granny Smith Apple - 1, chopped
Walnut halves - a handful
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic - 3 cloves (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut off the thick stems of the brussel sprouts and cut them into half.

Mix the brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. (For more flavor, garlic infused olive oil can be used). Place the brussel sprouts on a sheet pan and roast for around 40 minutes till they are crispy and brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Turn the sprouts once or twice so that they roast evenly.

Toast the walnut halves in a skillet for a few minutes. Mix the chopped apple, roasted brussel sprouts and walnuts together and serve.

Bhindi Kadhi / Okra in Yogurt Sauce

Fresh Tender Okra - around 20 to 25 pieces, chopped into 1 inch pieces
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp, lightly crush using a mortar and pestle
Whole Red Chilies - 2
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Yogurt - 1 cup
Besan / Chickpea Flour - 1 tbsp.
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp + little more to sprinkle on top
Salt


Beat  yogurt, water, besan, turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Keep aside.


Heat oil in a pan. Add coriander seeds, dried red chili and hing. Next add the chopped okra. Mix well and cook till the okra is tender and done.


Add the yogurt mix to the okra and bring it to boil. If required add little more water. Cook till the gravy thickens. Sprinkle some red chili powder on top and serve hot.


Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2016/02/bhindi-ki-kadhi-and-small-appeal.html