Saffron Polao (Pilau) Rice

This is a fancy yet light rice preparation that can be turned from a side into a main dish with addition of vegetables, prawns, paneer or meat.

Ingredients

1 cup rice (basmati is best), washed well, soaked for 15 min and drained
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp butter or ghee
1 clove
1 cardamom pod (elaichi)
1 small stick of cinnamon
2 peppercorns
2-3 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
5-10 strands of saffron (kesar), soaked in a tbsp of warm milk
2 tbsp raisins (kishmish)
1 tbsp cashew bits
fresh coriander leaves and/or fried onions to decorate

Method

Heat the butter or ghee in a large pan. Add all the whole spices (whole garam masala), raisins and nuts and fry a few minutes.

Add rice and stir for a few moments. Add water and saffron milk, salt and sugar and bring to boil.

Reduce to very low, cover and cook for 15-20 min until done.

Can be cooked in a rice cooker as well.

Serve hot, decorate with onions, coriander, chillies, boiled eggs.

Tip: For best results from any method of cooking, alwas pre-soak rice in cold water for at least 30 min.

Rosogolla (Rasgulla)

This is a quick way to prepare this traditional Bengali sweet (without making the chenna at home). If you have the time, you can prepare it from scratch following the same recipe with your own chenna/paneer. This is quite a light sweet and full of calcium!

Ingredients

250 g block of shop-bought paneer cheese
1/2 cup dry milk powder
5 tbsp (or as needed) milk
2 tbsp plain flour (maida)

350 g white sugar
3 cups of water

1 cup of water
2 tsp plain flour (maida)

2 tbsp rosewater (or to taste)

Method

Mash the paneer with your hands until smooth and mix in the dry milk, normal milk and 2 tbsp flour. Knead until very smooth. Add milk as needed for pliable but firm dough.

Form small smooth balls out of the mixture (no larger than a gold ball). Make sure there are no cracks as they will cause the rosogollas to break when cooking. Keep aside.

In a wide deep pan mix the sugar and 3 cups of water. Bring to boil on high and boil rapidly for 10 minutes.

Now mix 2 tsp flour and 1 cup of water. Pour half of this into the syrup and bring to high boil again. Gently drop in the paneer balls. Do not stir - they are very fragile.

Boil on high for 15-20 minutes, sprinkling the flour-water mixture from time to time in small amounts. When rosogollas are ready they are spongy and firm to the touch.

Put rosogollas in a serving bowl and sprinkle with the rosewater and some syrup from the pan until just covered.

Cool and refrigerate. Serve hot or cold.

You can also make rasmalai with these - recipe coming soon!

Enjoy and feel free to ask any questions!

Tip: if you drain the rosogollas, split them horizontally and sandwich together with some khoya (beng.: kheer), you will get delicious new sweet - ChamCham!

Coming soon!

Coming soon: a great selection of tried and tested international recipes (including Bengali, North and South Indian, Italian, American and many others!), tips and advice! Please note that for now the recipes are without pictures but I shall be adding these very soon so check back!