Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Sweets Of Bengal – “Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye?”

West Bengal is known for its rich society. Bengalis take pride in their writing, movies, music and cooking. Amongst different things like Tagore and Victoria Memorial, Bengalis take tremendous respect in their sustenance and desserts, the two biggest liberality of Kolkata. Essentially Kolkata is a city of best desserts and cooking styles. Individuals here loves to eat as well as loves to be extraordinary hosts.

Courtesy: gourmetindia



Be that as it may, one fascinating thing about Bengali sustenance in Kolkata is that l with regards to Bengali desserts, whether you have a sweet tooth or not barely matters. Sweetdishes here are not just frame an indispensable piece of the astounding Bengali cooking, however are famous with individuals of all ages, the nation over. Each feast here, closures with choicest desserts. The unique range, quality, taste, variety and cheap rates of sweets that you can find in Kolkata, will leave you amazed, sure:


Take a look at some of the most delicious sweets that you can only enjoy in Kolkata:

Rosogolla :
Our list of amazing and delicious Bengali sweets cannot start without Rosogolla. There is a saying that most of us believe: It is lucky to taste sweets before starting any work or venture. Let us start our journey to know the sweets of  Bengal with a visual treat of Rasogolla. The sweet is made with cottage cheese (Chana) and suger cyrup.

Courtesy: Wikimedia



Labanga Latika:
An easy to cook, crispy sweet Labanga Latika which has a stuffing of grated coconut, gets its name from Labanga or clove.

Courtesy: youtube



Pantua:
Made of deep-fried balls of semolina, chhana, milk, ghee & sugar syrup, Pantua is a local confection and a traditional Bengali sweet, that ranges in colour from pale brown to nearly black depending on how long they are fried. 

Courtesy: cookingshooking





Chanar jilepi or paneer Jalebi:
A very much authentic to the Bengali cuisine, Chanar jilepi or paneer Jalebi is made by deep frying fresh paneer dough in interwined spiral shaped and then dunked in thick cardamom flavoured syrup.

Courtesy: wikimedia



Kalojam:
A traditional Bengali sweet Kalojam is an enriched flour dumplings that are deep fat fried to a dark brown colour & then soaked in slow simmering sugar syrup.

Courtesy: peekncook



Darbesh:
Darbesh” is a popular & classical Bengali sweet which though look like Boondi Laddu but are different in taste and has Khowa / Mawa in it.

Courtesy: palsmaniaa



Sarbhaja:
Shor Bhaja or Sar Bhaja is definitely one of the leading items in this list. Many renowned sweet confectioneries in Kolkata make this sweet during festival times only.

Courtesy: sweethandi



Lady Kenny .
This sweet has a legend It is said that during the beginning of 19th century in Bengal, wife of the Viceroy Lord Canning had visited a suburb of Calcutta where elaborate arrangements were made to welcome her to the local Zamindar ( Landlord’s) house. Amongst many lavishly laid food items the Lady Canning liked a particular sweet very much. This sweet resembled a Gulab Jamun in its  stretched Avatar. So pleased was the Lady with the sweet that she asked for more of it and as a tribute to her , it was named after Her Excellency Lady Canning ( Lady Kenny pronounced in Bengali).

Courtesy: Mixandstir



Pantua and Lady Kenny are very similar, in their look except that the latter has a raisin inside it and coated in castor sugar.


Khirkadam:
Kheer Kadam is a sinful, delightful balls of great delicate taste and flavour. This sweet is a sweet covered by a layer.

Courtesy: Wikimedia



Sitabhog:
Believed to be one of the favourite sweet of Mata Sita, Sita-Bhog is actually a Bengali Special Dish. Sometimes its white and sometimes its Yellow. The whole preparation is little difficult than other sweets.

Courtesy: thesaffrontouch


Chomchom:
cham cham, Chomchom, or chum chum is a traditional Bengali sweet that is also popular in Bangladesh and is made with flour, cream, sugar, saffron, lemon juice, and coconut flakes. It comes in a variety of colors, mainly light pink, light yellow, and white. It is also coated with coconut flakes as a garnish.

Courtesy: sukhadiasweetschicago



Rajbhog :
Rajbhog is prepared just like spongy rasgullas. The only alteration here is that it is packed with a small amount of dry fruits & is bigger in dimension.

Courtesy: Wikimedia



Shondesh:
Sondesh is a popular Bengali sweets that comes in different types & shapes. Sondesh basically prepare with cottage cheese & sugar and with date palm jaggery which is mostly available in winter season.

Courtesy: Wikimedia



Joynagarer moa:
Joynagarer moa is a seasonal Bengali sweet delicacy prepared from date palm jaggery and puffed rice. Joynagar er moa is one of popular sweet in Bengal available mainly during winter season.

Courtesy: aamarcity



Chandra puli:
This Bengali Dessert served mostly during different puja & other holy function. This Dessert is made from grated coconut, sugar and Khoa. Here “Chandra” stands for white color and “puli” means cake.

Courtesy: balarammullick




Kachagolla:
This bona fide sweetdish Kachagolla is one of that Bengali desserts which is viewed as the purest type of sweet to be offered to the Goddess. Known as kaccha gola or kacha golla, the essence of this sweet is ecstatic and every ball is soft to the point that it will liquefy in your mouth in a small amount of seconds! Kachha gola/kacha golla is one sort of sandesh in which the chena/paneer is not cooked. Subsequently the name kacha meaning uncooked.These bundles of chena blended with sugar taste delectable.

Courtesy: saffrontales




Mishti Doi 
This journey of sweet delicacies of Bengalis cannot complete without the famous Mishti Doi. It can be termed as the king of all sweets. This sweet yoghurt is a Calcutta special. This little knight comes sparkling in a bhaar (earthen pot) and holds the ability to satisfy the Bengali more than a frozen yogurt! This thick sweetened yogurt is smooth to the point that it very nearly softens in your mouth and is an absolute necessity have for each Bengali with a sweet tooth. No big surprise why famous people from over the globe never give mishti doi a miss at whatever point they are in Calcutta!

Courtesy: Wikimedia



Kolkata desserts are best desserts in India and unparalleled in quality. One take a gander at these luring infants will make your day and your taste buds!


"Durga Puja is an ideal opportunity to celebrate and spread bliss. Bengalis love desserts and Durga Puja is the ideal time for desserts. The celebration is synonymous with homecoming, friendliness and delicious nourishment. Really Durga Puja festivities are deficient without the sweetness of Bengali desserts.

Courtesy: ninefinestuff




On the off chance that you are going by Kolkata this Durga Puja make a point to taste some of these sweet delights of Bengalis, that you can discover just in India.

Courtesy: wikimedia






Monday, October 6, 2014

Its Bitter But Its Better

Whenever we hear the name in our menu we inevitably make faces with disappointment disgust, but unlike its name its intake is surely “better” for our heath. I am talking about one of the most prominent vegetable in some Asian nations, “Bitter Gourd.”

This summer vegetable is very good and in fact essential for good health.
 Just like sour, spicy and sweet dishes it is also required for us to include some bitter in our diet and thus consuming bitter gourd is essential. Otherwise called biting melon, bitter gourd is a tropical vegetable, which is developed predominantly in the Asian and African nations. It is likewise known by the name of "Karela" and has a harsh, warty skin.

Bitter Gourd has the capacity to lower blood glucose in diabetics and has been utilized to treat diabetes in conventional drug and is presently economically accessible as concentrates, and pills. This intense flavoured, 10 – 20cm long, dark green colored, and oval shaped vegetable is really helpful in bringing down blood glucose level.

Wholesome Benefits  


Severe gourds are low in calories yet filled with valuable supplements.




A Recipe of Bitter Gourd with Twist

We all know that bitter gourd is one vegetable that is equally disliked my kids and many adults though we all are aware of its goodness for our health. Here I am sharing a dish which I am sure both your kids and adult members of the family will love to eat despite of knowing that it is the bitter gourd.

The twist in this dish is to lessen the bitterness in the vegetable and then cook.







Sunday, May 25, 2014

Cook with Flowers



Flowers are the most beautiful creation of god and the indispensible part of nature. They assume a key part in making the life of an individual more bright & mollified. They celebrate distinctive feelings. As an image of joy, affection, & replenishment, individuals revel in getting these sparkling blossoms, as well as giving these beauties as blessing additionally helps them express sympathy. Notwithstanding, blooms are not just for scent but their usage are now wide spread. From the enrichments to embellishments, to having medicinal properties, it has capacity to captivate almost every person.
However flowers are also part of our nourishment too. Yes, flowers also have very important part in different cooking and food!
Many of us might not know but blossoms have customarily been utilized as a part of numerous sorts of cooking in European, Asian, East Indian, Victorian English, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Early American pilgrims likewise utilized blossoms as sustenance. Today, there is a recharged enthusiasm toward eatable blossoms for their colour, taste, and scent.

The sight and the smell of the nourishment are significant focuses for consuming a dish. A standout amongst the most common and most engaging approaches to light up and improve a dish today is the use of edible flowers! There are numerous mixtures which are eatable, and are known to include a natural flavour into a dish. Cooking with blossoms, however, is a wary procedure, as you must be totally certain that what you are serving is not harmful or artificially treated. Nevertheless most edible flowers are safe to consume.

Most palatable blooms develop into vegetables and soil grown foods that we know and love. Eatable blooms are not restricted to those which later bloom into foods grown from the ground. Frequently the blossoms of vegetables, tree grown foods, and herbs offer an indication of the plant they originate from, in a more inconspicuous flavour. Cases are the basil, chive, garlic, and lemon blossoms. These are great enhancements for dishes. Again there are different blossoms that hail from plants like the arugula bloom, the mustard blossom, the squash blossom, which can even be consumed on its own. Again a percentage of the prettiest blossoms have petals which can also be consumed, particularly, carnations, dandelions, jasmine, rose, lavender, violets, and daisies. Some of these also add delightful fragrance to the dish, and an extremely syrupy nibble.



Utilization of Flowers in Nourishments
Blossoms are added to sustenance to give taste, smell, and shade. They might be some piece of a principle dish, mixed greens, or a sweet. They could be included as a topping. Blooms might be fused into refreshments as flavourings, or used to make teas or wines. They are added to spreads, to jams, and to vinegar, marinades, and dressings. Some are dried and utilized like culinary herbs.

Palatable blossoms might be utilized as a topping or as a necessary a piece of a dish, for example, salads. A few blossoms might be full or utilized as a part of panfry dishes. Eatable blooms could be candy-coated; solidified in ice shapes and added to drinks; added to cheddar spreads, natural margarines, hotcakes, crepes, and waffles. Numerous blooms could be utilized to make vinegars for cooking, marinades, or dressings for mixed greens.



Exotic Edible Flowers
Some flowers seem appealing and enchantment to savouries mixed greens, puddings and mixed drinks. They are eatable and have a charming, gentle taste. There are many such edible flowers in the business sector, for example, hibiscus, rose, rose geranium, marigold, violet, calendula, mint, chive, basil, primrose, thyme, cherry bloom, zucchini bloom, jasmine, lavender, lilac, and many others that can make dishes mouth-watering.

However for best flavour, blossoms ought to be crisp. Withered and blurred blossoms, and the unopened buds of most species, might be offensive, frequently harsh. Numerous blooms might be consumed entire; while others can be consumed partly.



Following are the names of some edible flowers that can be consumed itself or mixed with other items and added to dishes to make them tastier and outlandish.



  • ·        Anise hyssop:  Both blossoms and leaves have an inconspicuous anise or liquorice flavour.
  • ·        Black locust: The flowers are used as tea, and in pancakes
  • ·        Chamomile: Little and daisy like, the blossoms have a sweet flavour and are frequently utilized within tea.
  • ·        Chervil: Fragile blooms and flavour, which is anise-tinged
  • ·        Chicory: This flower is gently astringent which is obvious in the petals and buds, which might be salted.
  • ·        Dandelion: These can be sautéed, and served as a vegetable or they can be used as a delicate French salad
  • ·        Gladiola flowers: These can be mixed with egg salad or used as vegetable dips.
  • ·        Elderflower clusters or squash blossoms: These flowers can be fried in batter to make fritters,
  • ·        Hollyhock: Insipid and vegetal in flavour, hollyhock blooms make a conspicuous, palatable topping.
  • Lavender: Handful of lavender flowers can be used to intensify sorbet, fruit salad or lamb stew,
  • Lovage : This can be used in soups.
  • ·      Passionflower: In sustenance and drinks, passionflower concentrate is utilized as an enhancing.
  • Rose: Rose petals can be used to make a heavenly sauce. 
  • Violet: This flower can be used as Violet Syrup, or can be used in Tea and Salad.
   





   Other names includes: Rosemary, Sage, Snapdragon, Pineapple sage, Red clover, Lilac, Japanese honeysuckle, Geranium, Chrysanthemum, Dianthus, Dill, Chinese hibiscus, Chives, English marigold, and English daisy.

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