The Odiya Rasagolla

With great obeisance, I humbly place this dish at Your lotus feet, O Maa Laxmi. 

 

Rasagolla, the sweet dish which Lord Jagannatha had offered to his consort, Maa Laxmi, as a peace offering.
As per legend, Goddess Laxmi was upset with Her husband as He had left their abode without Her consent. This was the time when He was out on the rath yatra, along with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister, Devi Subhadra.

After nine days, when they return to the temple, Goddess Laxmi does not allow them to enter inside the premises and keeps the door shut. She and Lord Jagannatha, then engage in a battle of words. An angry Maa Laxmi taunts them while Lord Jagannatha lovingly tries to reason and persuade Her to open the door stating tiredness. She even instructs her friends to not allow them inside. 

This divine argument, known as Laxmi-Narayana Bachanika, is concluded with Lord Jagannatha offering rasagolla - chenna (cottage cheese) balls immersed in sugar syrup. 

It is then that Goddess Laxmi allows them to re-enter their abode.

This ritual of offering Rasagolla is still kept prevalent in Puri, and after the nine day long rath yatra, the dieties of Lord Jagannatha, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are taken inside the temple premises only after an offering of rasagolla's to Maa Laxmi. This day has since been known as Niladri Bije and marks the end of ratha yatra for that particular year.

And since 2015, the last day of ratha yatra or Niladri Bije of each year, is dedicated to this mouth - watering sweet and is celebrated as Rasagolla day.

Since times immemorial, rasagolla has been an quintessential part of Odisha, for both The Divine Lords as well as us- the mere mortals. This sweet dish is still offered as part of the daily bhog or offering to the dieties in Puri Jagannatha temple. 

Over time, this little spongy ball has picked up quite a number of nick names namely rasogolla, rasgulla, rashgola and rasbari among the many, and crossed geographical boundaries.

In a pan boil the milk. Keep stirring so as not to let the milk stick to the base of the pot as well prevent any fat from separating away.

 

As the milk starts to boil, add the vinegar/ lemon. As the milk starts to curdle, switch off flame.
Pour the curdled milk into a cheesecloth and discard the whey. Wash the chenna (while in the cheesecloth) with water so as to remove any sourness as well as smell of vinegar/ lemon.
Squeeze lightly and drain out most of the water content. Do not squeeze too much for this will lead to the chenna drying out. Let it hang for about 30 minutes to ensure the removal of any leftover whey.

After 30 minutes, knead the chenna with your palms, for around 5 minutes.

The final dough should not be too grainy nor watery, but soft and smooth.

Pinch out small portions and make smooth round balls.

Preferably in a wide bottom pot, boil water and sugar, till all the sugar melts. Add cardamom and let it bubble for a good 10 minutes.

Add the chenna balls into the boiling water. As these balls will puff up, make sure not to overcrowd with too many balls at a time. Cover the pot and let it boil. After about 8 minutes, flip the rasagolla's carefully. Make sure that the water is bubbling and covered throughout the cooking time.

After about another 4 minutes, switch off flame and let it cool down completely before transferring to another container. Let it rest for about 6-7 hours before serving and/or tossing into the refrigerator. At all times, make sure to keep the rasagolla's dipped in the sugar syrup else they tend to loose their round shape.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 liter Whole Milk
• 2 Tbspns Vinegar /Lemon
• 1.5 Cups Sugar
• 4 Cups of Water
• 2-3 Cardamoms 

METHOD

• In a pan boil the milk. Keep stirring so as not to let the milk stick to the base of the pot as well prevent any fat from separating away.
• As the milk starts to boil, add the vinegar/ lemon. As the milk starts to curdle, switch off flame.
• Pour the curdled milk into a cheesecloth and discard the whey. Wash the chenna (while in the cheesecloth) with water so as to remove any sourness as well as smell of vinegar/ lemon.
• Squeeze lightly and drain out most of the water content. Do not squeeze too much for this will lead to the chenna drying out. Let it hang for about 30 minutes to ensure the removal of any leftover whey.
• Preferably in a wide bottom pot, boil water and sugar, till all the sugar melts. Add cardamom and let it bubble for a good 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, after 30 minutes, knead the chenna with your palms, for around 5 minutes. The final dough should not be too grainy nor watery, but soft and smooth.
• Pinch out small portions and make smooth round balls.
• Add the chenna balls into the boiling water. As these balls will puff up, make sure not to overcrowd with too many balls at a time. Cover the pot and let it boil. After about 8 minutes, flip the rasagolla's carefully. Make sure that the water is bubbling and covered throughout the cooking time.
• After about another 4 minutes, switch off flame and let it cool down completely before transferring to another container. Let it rest for about 6-7 hours before serving and/or tossing into the refrigerator. At all times, make sure to keep the rasagolla's dipped in the sugar syrup else they tend to loose their round shape.
• Dig in :D !!

Eggless Oil Free Banana Cake

Come summer and fruit-lovers drool at the very thought of welcoming all the exotic tropical fruits, save for one :( - me !! Although my gustatory cells are geared up with all the gusto of a fruit-erian, the olfactory and ophthalmic nerves seem to be on a high alert.. surveying around for any edible items going bad. For, it is also the time when fruits and veggies loose their freshness very quickly.

It is during these days that making a banana cake comes to the rescue. Over-ripe bananas, preferably the ones whose peels having started blackening, make the best cake.
And not to mention, a good excuse ;) for the forgetful lot (me me) who miss devouring the bananas while  still fresh :D !!

Absence of refined flour (maida), oil and sugar makes it a hit among the health conscious while being egg-free for the vegetarians .

A healthy ,vegetarian and filling snack !!

Mash the ripe bananas till pulpy.

Add other wet ingredients and whisk together. 

Add all the dry ingredients

Stir by gently folding. Mix just until well combined.

Pour the batter into a greased oven friendly container. Sprinkle chopped walnuts (optional).

Bake for 60-65 minutes at 160C.

Ta-da... Banana cake is ready !
Let it cool before slicing.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Over Ripe Medium Sized Bananas
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 2 Cups Wheat Flour
• 4 Tbspn Jaggery 
• 1 Tspn Vanilla Essence
• 3/4 Tspn Baking Powder
• 3/4 Tspn Baking Soda
• 1/2 Tspn Salt
• 1 Tbspn Flax Seeds
• Handful of Walnuts, chopped roughly.

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 160C.
• Mash the ripe bananas till pulpy. 
• Add other wet ingredients and whisk together. 
• Add all the dry ingredients and stir by gently folding. Mix just until well combined. 
• Pour the batter into a greased oven friendly container. Sprinkle chopped walnuts (optional).
• Bake for 60-65 minutes at 160C. 
• And, a super healthy snack is ready !

Jamun Ice Cream

Jamun or Black Plum is a typical summer fruit and a limited one at that. Gone summer and so are these little berries.
Packed with medicinal benefits, these sure do make their presence felt on a pharmaceuticals shelf, although in the form of juice and tablets. Candies, jams and jellies too have their fair share with jamuns. Adding one more to the list... fresh Jamun Ice Cream, of course without any preservative :D !!

De-seed the jamuns. Roughly chop and squash them up.

Whisk condensed milk, whipped cream, sugar (optional) and vanilla essence (again optional).

Whisk till smooth.

Add the chopped and crushed jamuns. Mix well. 

Pour the mix into a container, cover and let freeze for at least 3-4 hours.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 Cup De-seeded Black Jamuns
• 3/4 Cup Condensed Milk
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• Sugar as per taste
• Vanilla Essence (optional)

METHOD

• Blend/ Whip all the ingredients except the black jamuns.
• Roughly chop the jamuns into small pieces.
• Add the chopped jamuns with the milk base. Mix well.
• Pour into a container, cover with a lid and let it freeze for at least 3-4 hours.

No-Cook Mango Kulfi

Come summer and, mind and body unitedly crave for something cold. And, what better treat than a chilled kulfi.
Ripe and juicy mangoes in plenty demand too. Combine both and voila.. we have Mango Kulfi !

Traditional kulfi making involves cooking milk, till it reduces substantially followed by a freezing session. But then there is the prickly hot summer day, with all it's heat, resisting any prolonged kitchen stay. And, to combat both heat and time, below is a quick, easy and no-cook kulfi recipe.

A respite from the heat and a treat to young and old alike.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Mango Pulp 
• 2 Tbspn Condensed Milk (store bought)
• 1 Tbspn Cream
• 1 Tspn Cardamom Powder
• Few Strands of Saffron (optional)

METHOD

• Blend mango pulp, condensed milk and cream, till they combine well.
• Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well. Taste and adjust accordingly. Add sugar if required.
• Pour into mould and let it freeze for about 8-10 hours.
• Now, sit back, relax and enjoy your creamy yummy mango kulfi !!

Chenna Khiri

Khiri or Kheer is one of the most famous Indian dessert and 'chenna khiri' being one of its adaptation, is a sweet delicacy from Odisha.
A typical Odiya festive dining affair, is usually sure to get a glimpse of this 'khiri' dish. A relatively easy and less time consuming recipe, in comparison to it's other relatives, it sure tops the drool-list.

Growing up, the first ever memory I have of this dish was, at one of my favorite aunt's place. She had meant to prepare a treat for us - the naughty kids who were just over with their final exams !!
Being quite an awesome cook, she had whipped up an elaborate meal along side this dessert in no time. And, soon enough 3 hungry little kids (read wolves :D :D) were at the dining table. And, by the time we were up, the 'chenna khiri' pot, had been licked clean !!
It must been real tasty or maybe it was the hunger or the company.... or all of them combined. Well, we can never know now. All that remains today is - the fond memories of licking a 'chenna khiri' pot clean !!

And, of course Aunt's recipe -

INGREDIENTS

• 3Lts Whole Milk
• Sugar, as per taste
• 2 Tbspn Cardamom Powder
• 1 Tbspn Vinegar

METHOD

• Boil approximately 750ml of milk. Let it come to a boil. Add vinegar and let the milk curdle completely till clear whey is seen. Strain using a kitchen towel/ muslin cloth, so that all moisture drains out. Chenna/ cottage cheese is ready.
• Boil the rest of the milk. Stir occasionally to prevent milk from sticking to the bottom of the vessel.
• Simmer till the milk has reduced to almost 1/3rd of its original content. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Stir well and let it simmer for another couple of minutes. Switch off flame and allow it to cool. 
• Crumble the chenna well. Add it to the now condensed milk. Stir to mix well.
• Toss it into the refrigerator for a chilled serving or ladle it up into a bowl for a quick serve.

Grape Popsicle

In this scorching heat, a popsicle is a great reliever. And, when it's home made and involves all natural fruit, then it sure becomes an added treat.

This green grapes popsicle is super easy to make, with every bite worth the around 12hr freezing session wait.

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Grapes (seedless or de-seeded)
• Sugar, as per taste

METHOD

• Blend the grapes till smooth. Add about half a cup of water. Strain.
• Add sugar and mix well.
• Pour into moulds and let it set in a freezer for around 12hrs.

Pomy Popsicle

A native of Persia, this little red ball called 'Pomegranate' is supposed to be the most powerful antioxidant among all fruits. Packed with nutrients too, it sure makes it's way up in the must-eat list.

Pomegranates contain punicalagins, which are powerful antioxidants and have proved to be more beneficial in comparison to green tea (a definite good news for folks who are put off by green tea, me included :D).
Anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, a sure memory enhancer and a cholesterol fighter, among many of it's health benefits.

Juice it up, eat it raw or add it to salad, garnish with it or simply popsicle it out :P.

A perfect respite to a hot summer afternoon...

Blend the pomegranate seeds well. Add water if necessary.

Strain it. Add sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as per taste.

Pour into mould. Freeze for around 12hrs.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Pomegranate Seeds
• 2 Tspn Lemon Juice, or as per taste
• Sugar, as per taste

METHOD

• Blend the pomegranate seeds well. Add water if necessary. Strain it.
• Add sugar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust as per taste.
• Pour into mould. Freeze.
• Around 12hrs of freezing and pomy popsicle is all ready to fight the heat.

Malpua

Malpua - One of the chappan (56) bhog which is offered to Lord Jagannatha everyday and to us (the mere mortals :P !!) during the festivals, especially Janmashtami.
Soft in the middle, crunchy on the sides, this dessert has several variations when it comes to its ingredients and preparation methodology... yet, all conclude with a delectable dish enjoyed and craved by one and all.

And I assure, you can't stop with just one. It is just so tempting.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Maida/ All Purpose Flour (instead wheat flour can be used too)
• 3 Tbspn Jaggery (or sugar), or as per taste
• 2 Tbspn Whole Milk
• 1 Tspn Fennel Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cardamom Powder
• Oil for deep frying

METHOD

• Mix all the ingredients together to make a smooth batter. It should be runny, yet neither be too thick nor too thin.
• Let the batter rest for a couple of hours.
• Heat oil for deep frying. With the help of a ladle or spoon, pour the batter into the oil. Start pouring in the center and make concentric layers around it. The center should be the thickest.
• Fry on low. Flip when one side is well fried and golden brownish. Repeat with the other side.
• Take it out of the oil and remove excess oil by keeping it on a kitchen towel.
• Place on a serving plate and drizzle rabdi, malai or condensed milk on it. Garnish with fennel seeds and sliced almonds and pistachios.
• Relish !!

Add maida, cardamom powder and fennel seeds.

Add jaggery.

Heat/microwave the jaggery with a little water, to ease in mixing.

Add jaggery solution.

Whole milk

Add whole milk.

Mix everything well. Add water if necessary. Consistency should be neither thick nor too thin.

Let the batter rest for a couple of hours.

After a couple of hours... Heat oil for deep frying. Drop a ladle full of batter in concentric circles.

Drain excess oil and place on kitchen towel.

Drizzle rabdi or malai or condensed milk and garnish with fennel seeds and sliced almonds. And, now relish :D !