Bhapa Doi (Bengali Cheese Cake)

Bhapa Doi is a dessert consisting mainly of yogurt/curd and condensed milk (and milk). It reminds me of Haldiram's sweets.

Ingredients:
Yogurt/Doi - 150 g
Sweetened condensed milk - 150 g
Green cardamom seeds - from 4 cardamom
Milk - 2 tbsp.
Saffron - 5 to 6 strands
Nuts and raisins - to garnish

Method (My style of preparation):
Take 400 g of yogurt and remove the whey water by using a coarse woven cheesecloth for 2-3 hours.
After the removal of whey water, beat the curd in a blender (the thick curd measurement was 150 g).
Mix the curd along with the same quantity of condensed milk.
Then add cardamom seeds and mix well.
Pour into the ramekins or any other oven-proof dish.
Garnish with nuts or raisins.
Soak the saffron in warm milk and keep aside.
Pre-heat the oven in 190C.
Place the ramekins on a baking tray.
In a baking tray, pour hot water halfway up the dish.
Carefully place them in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes. After that, pour the saffron-coated milk in each ramekin.
Bake for another 10 minutes or until the tester comes clean.
Let the dishes cool.
Then chill the desserts overnight and consume the next day immediately.



Sent off to "Flavours of Bengal" hosted by Priya and started by Nayna.

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Vegetables with Almonds

Ingredients:

Zucchini - 2 cups (quartered)
Mushroom - 2 cups (sliced)
Beans - ½ cup (cut into 1" to 1.5" pieces)
Onions - 2 (thinly sliced)
Ginger - 2 inches (shredded)
Mint leaves - 1tbsp. (chopped)
Pepper - 1 tsp. (crushed)
Garam masala - ½ tsp.
Salt
Yogurt - 2 tbsp.
Almonds - ¼ cup (blanched)
Oil
Bay leaves - 2
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp.

Method:
In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onions with shredded ginger, crushed pepper and bay leaves.
Lower the heat and add turmeric and coriander powder, salt and garam masala. Stir.
Now add mushroom, zucchini, beans, and mint.
Pour in required water and cook till the veggies are done.
Beat the yogurt and add to the veggies. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
Finally add the blanched and halved almonds to the veggies.
Serve warm.
RSRB

Sent off to Monthly Mingle: Winter Fruits & Vegetables hosted by Sudeshna Banerjee. Originally started by Meeta K.

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Curd Rice with Turmeric

This rice is one of my favorites. Usually I prepare this type whenever I cook vegetable biryani.


One of my friends told me that she used to get curd rice with cheese in parties. I have never used this technique in curd rice as I’m not fond of cheese which supports fatness leading to ‘motu’ ness or ‘goondu’ ness. Sometimes it’s called bagalabath, when soft fluffy butter is added. I sometimes add grated mangoes, grated cucumber & carrot to this rice to make it more healthy. I like to add dry red chili also.

I saw the turmeric (haldi) in Big Bazaar and immediately bought it two days ago. I suddenly remembered to make this dish. I think it was almost after 2 years the last time I had this special kind of yogurt rice. With this golden chance, I searched and almost raided the fridge for that majestic-looking orange colored turmeric (it’s actually yellow but it looks orange) and added this to the rice. This is my kind of curd rice which is usually prepared in raw rice and should be mushy. Add extra water to boil the rice.

A little fact:
In temples, when a prasadam is offered, the cooks add butter to the curd rice.

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1 cup
Curd - ½ cup
Milk - 1 cup
Turmeric - ¼ cup (grated)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Green chilies - 2 (deseeded and chopped finely)
Curry leaves - 5-8 (chopped or not)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)
Salt

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - ½ tsp.
Chana dal - 1 tsp.
Asafetida - ½ tsp.
Oil

Method:
Boil the rice till it becomes mushy.
Add milk and curd. Mix well. Keep aside.
Peel the skin of turmeric and grate.
Heat the oil and add the tempering ingredients.
When the mustard splutters, add the dal and let it turn golden color.
Add it to the rice.
Now add the green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves & turmeric and start to mix well.
Finally add the salt and mix.
When you want to take it for a picnic, party or for travel don’t add the salt.
At the time of serving add the salt and mix.
Adding turmeric is optional. All other procedures are the same.
Serve with pickles or dry potato fry.

Sent off to Srilekha's "EFM: Variety Rice Series" event.

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