• Flour 1 cup
• Baking powder 1(1/2 ) tbs
• Salted Butter 1/2 cup
• Orange rind 2 tbs
• Powdered Sugar 3/4 cup
• Eggs 2
• Orange Squash 1/2 cup
• Soda Bi Carb  3/4 tsp

• Sieve the flour,baking powder and the soda bi carb.
• Beat butter,rind and sugar till tight and fluffy.
• Add eggs one by one. Beat till well blended.
• Add orange squash and mix well.
• Add flour in 2-3 batches.Mix with a spoon to get a soft dropping consistency.Add 1-2 tbsp milk if needed.
• Line a muffin pan or tray with paper cups.Grease the paper cups.
• Spoon mixture into them,filling them 3/4 only. Bake at 180 degree C for 15 mints till well risen and light golden.
• Let them cool in the pan for 2 mints and then remove.

Orange Muffins

Festive spirits are high as we are couple of weeks away from Christmas and New Year celebration, the city of joy has began its celebration with the cake mixing ceremony at The Sonnet Hotel Salt Lake on 2^nd Dec. I was present in that event as I got invitation through Kolkata Food Bloggers Kolkata Food Bloggers. The event was marked by the presence of Ace fashion designer Agnimitra Paul, Mrs.India International Riecha Sharma, Pt.Tarun Bhattacharya,  Guru Sanshaita Bhattacharaya,renowned artist Wasim Kapoor, Music director & singer  Samidh Mukherjee & Percussionist Ratul Shankar.

Cake Mixing Ceremony is an age old tradition and it definitely gives a feel of the forthcoming festivities and its also an opportunity for people to come together and share good times as rightly said by Mr.Rajib RoyChoudhury, General Manager of The Sonnet Hotel ,Kolkata.

The event took place at open lawn,where huge trays were filled with fruits - raisins, black currants and cherries. All invitees and guests were handed with gloves,aprons and chef hats. At the very beginning all the fruits were mixed and to soak the fruits  wine, rum, whiskey and honey were added.

The mix will be kept for fermentation and will further be used in baking plum cakes, puddings etc. The longer the mix is kept the tastier will be the cake.

It was an awesome experience and all the hotel staffs along with celebrity guests had loads of fun and were served with tasty canapes and tarts with tea and coffee. Needless to say it was really a wonderful evening with beautiful and talented people around.

Now coming back to my recipe, I would like to mention Cauliflower (Phool Kopi) is a vegetable which is low in fat and carbohydrates and a good source of Vitamin C. In Bengal Phool Kopi dalna ( Cauliflower curry made with potatoes and peas ) is a most common dish but one can transform this veggie in many ways  as possible. In my recipe of roasted Cauliflower I have roasted this veggie with a cream based gravy. Try this recipe in this winter with any kind of bread,zeera rice or pilaf.

Recipe Of  Roasted Cauliflower In Cream Based Gravy

 Ingredients :

• 1 Full head cauliflower ( cut into big pieces )
• 1/2 Turmeric and Salt
• 2 Tbsp Cashew paste
• 1 Red Onion Paste
• 1 Tbsp Green Chilli Paste
• 1/2 Tbsp Garam Masala Paste
• 1 Tbsp dried roasted cumin powder
• 2 Tomatoes (make a paste)
• 2 Tbsp Cream
• 1/2 Cup water 

Recipe Of  Roasted Cauliflower In Cream Based Gravy

 Method :

• Wash the cauliflower and cut into pieces,in a pot add water,turmeric,salt and the cauliflower pieces and bring them to boil.Once start boiling reduce the heat and simmer for couple of minutes.Strain your cauliflower.
• In a pan heat some oil and add onion and green chilli paste,saute for a minute and then add the Tomato paste and turmeric,stir well for 5 minutes.
• Next add the cashew paste and stir again for a while and then add the garam masala powder and the roasted cumin powder.
• Add some water at this stage and let the gravy boil for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add the cream and stir well,by now you will get a nice aroma from the gravy, season the gravy with salt and pepper, simmer for 3 minutes and switch off the flame.
• Now In a baking bowl,take the cauliflower pieces and pour the gravy over the pieces.
• Now bake the dish for 15 to 20 minutes in a microwave.
• Garnish the dish with some green chillies.

Recipe Of  Roasted Cauliflower In Cream Based Gravy

Basanti or sweet yellow pulao is a signature Bengali dish,made generally during occasions, though I don't need  any festivals or occasions to make this dish as it is an all time hit in my family and we enjoy it on mostly Sunday's with our regular Mutton or Chicken curry. This yellow pulao is often made during puja's and hence it is also known as Bhog er Pulao,at least in my house along with Kichudi and labra ( Bengali style mixed vegetable) Basanti pulao is a must during any relegious ceremony.

Today I am happy to share one of my favorite Bengali pulao with my readers and hope you will enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Today I am sharing a traditional snack recipe of litti, which is very popular in Jharkhand district of India. In Bihar litti is served with Murg Korma ( Chicken cooked in creamy gravy ) and Choka ( a preparation of roasted and mashed Potatoes,Eggplant and Tomatoes ). The outer crust of this snack is prepared from wheat and they use roasted gram flour (Sattu) and spices for the stuffing.

• Sattu - 200 gms
• Grated Ginger - 2 tbs
•  Chopped Green Chillies - 3 to 4
• Coriander leaves - chopped
• Ajwain - 1/2 tbs
• Cumin Powder - 1 tbs
• Mustard Oil - 1 tbs
• Pickle Spices - 1 tbs
• Lemon Juice - 1/2 tbs
• Salt according to taste

  Recipe Of Litti

Method :

• Take 2 cups of flour in a bowl and add ajwain,ghee,baking soda and curd,knead the dough properly and keep it aside for at least 30 mints.
• In another bowl take sattu and add grated ginger,chopped coriander leaves,green chillies,lime juice,ajwain.cumin powder,pickle spices and mustard oil.Mix the sattu well with all these ingredients.
•  This mixture is also known as Pitthi,so if the mixture seem to be too dry you can add some drops of warm water.
• Now make small balls from the dough and flatten the balls with the help of your palms,put 1 tbs of pitthi (the mixture for the stuffing) on it and close the edges. Press this stuffed pieces to flatten a bit.
•  Next take a non stick pan and allow it to heat,then place the stuffed pieces on the pan and cook them by turning occasionally until the sides became brown.
• You can  also serve litti with coriander chutney.

For The Gravy :

• 2 large onions,chopped
• 2 large Tomatoes,Chopped
• 6 Cashew nuts Chopped
• 4 to 5 Raisins Chopped
• Whole garam masala,2 each
• 1/2 tbs Shah Jeera
• 1 Bay leaf (tej pata)
• 2 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp of Turmuric
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/3 tsp Garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp Cream
• Salt and Sugar according to taste.

Recipe Of Paneer Pasanda

• In a pan or kadai,take the chopped tomatoes,cashew nuts and the whole garam masalas. Add 1 cup of water,stir and simmer the mixture till the Tomatoes soften.
• When the Tomotoes soften,ladle the mixture in a bowl and allow to cool completely,grind the mixture.
• Your Tomato paste is ready.
• Now for the Onion paste,take a pan and add 2 tbsp of oil and saute the chopped Onions with a pinch of salt.Once the Onions turns light golden,switch off the flame and ladle the Onions in a bowl,allow to cool and then make a smooth paste of it.
• For the Paneer Stuffing, in a bowl mix chopped Coriander,crumbled cheese,chopped cashew nuts,raisins and green chillies.Add turmeric,salt,red chilli powder and cumin powder.
• Mix everything and keep aside.
• Now slice the paneer into triangles or into squares,the slices should be thick enough so that you can cut them into two halves.
• Gently stuff the paneer with the mixture.
• Next make a paste of corn starch with water,adjust the quantity of water to get the required consistency.
• Dip stuffed paneer slices into the corn starch and shallow fry them in a pan.
• Now drain the fried paneer slices and keep them aside.
• For the gravy,heat a pan and add bay leaf and cumin,next add ginger and garlic paste,saute for a while then add the Tomato and cashew nut paste. Stir well and add the onion paste,again saute for a while on medium flame.
• Add turmeric,coriander powder and kashmiri lal mirch,add a cup of water and stir very well.
• Let the gravy simmer for some time,once the gravy became thick add the paneer slices,coat the slice well in the gravy.
• Add the garam masala powder and stir well.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.
• You can enjoy your paneer pasanda with any Indian bread,jeera rice or pilaf.

Recipe Of Paneer Pasanda

 Samosa or Singara is a very popular savory snack in India. In Bengal we have two versions of this snack,one is the regular samosa where we use potatoes,peas,cauliflower and peanuts for the stuffing  and the other is the sweeter version of this snack. The processes of Mishti Samosa or Sweet Samosa is similar to that of the popular samosas, only here the stuffing is of khoya /Kheer /Semolina and the final samosas are dipped into the sugar syrup.

Recipe Of Sweet Samosa

Indian cuisine is distinguished by its sophisticated use of spices and herbs. Food is an integral part of Indian culture,with cuisine differing according to community and region. Each region, religion and cast has left its own influence on Indian Cuisine.The North is known for its tandoori and Korma dishes,South is famous for its spicy and vegetarian food,East is known for its chilli curries and West is for seafood. Indian food culture is an assimilation of all this regional cuisine.

While we waited for the Kebabas and Main Course we were served beautiful round Rice Papads with some amazing chutneys.








The last and always my favorite course,for dessert we were served Shahi Tudka and  Lauki Ki Kheer.

For the inner filling :

• 1 Cup grated coconut
• 1 Cup grated Jaggery
• 1/2 tbs Cardamom Powder
• 1/2 tbs Poppy Seeds
• 1 tbs Ghee

Sukhdi is a traditional Gujrathi sweet,which taste awesome with just three ingredients,which are easily available in kitchen shelves. This Raksha Bandhan day I may not have a hand to tie the auspicious thread,but I certainly have a recipe to share.

Recipe Of Sukhdi

Ingredients :

• Wheat Flour ( Atta) - 1/2 Cup
• Melted Ghee -  1/4 Cup
• Grated Jaggery - 1/2 Cup

Recipe Of Sukhdi

• In a pan heat ghee and roast the wheat flour in medium flame,untill golden brown.Keep stirring to avoid the wheat flour getting burnt.Soon a nice aroma will come out.
• Next add the grated or powdered jaggery in the mixutre and mix well for a minute.Switch off the flame.
• Now spread the mixture into the ghee greased plate and level it with the back of the spatula
• Allow the mixture to cool down for 10 miuts then slowly cut them into slices.

Recipe Of Sukhdi

Do you remember stories of Sindbad The Sailor or The Merchant and the genie ? Well I am certainly not testing your memory,rather I want you to go back down the memory lane when we used to gaze at bright stars and clear sky in a hope that a carpet may fly down and a genie may appear. Days when our parents and grand parents told stories about prince,princess and fairies from land far and wide.I am talking about those lovely childhood days. I still remember,in school we used to have library class twice a week and our class monitor was in charge of distributing the books,we literally did our best to bribe her to get our favorite series to read. Fascinating stories and characters always sweep us to a different world, far from reality a world of fiction, imagination and dreams.

Story telling is an art which I think is one of life's most powerful and envied skills.The oral story telling is as old as language itself,throughout history stories have primarily existed in the verbal realm,preserving and passing knowledge across generations. A story well told can make us laugh,weep,swell with pride or rise with indignation. There may not be any better example in the world then how art, trickery,magic and craft can swirl together and forms a world that every reader and listener want to enter. Well,I am talking about stories from Arabian Nights,where the character Scheherezade tells each of the Arabian Nights tales,in order to survive a little longer at the mercy of her listener,The Sultan.These stories are some of world great treasures.They have existed for thousand of years,consisting stories from Persia,Arabia,India and Asia. Now this remind me of another great story teller called Molla Naserddin,a satirical wise man who lived during the middle ages in Iran and his stories are treasured by all over the world. His stories are generally humorous,but in subtle humor there is always a lesson to be learned.

Coming back to my recipe of spicy prawn rice,is a dish from Khuzestani Cuisine. Khuzesthan is a province in south-west of Iran.Seafood is the most important part of Khuzesthani cuisine. Now unlike Iranian cuisine which is neither too hot or spicy,Khuzestani cuisine are both hot and heavily spiced.In this dish the marinated prawns are cooked together with the rice in a pot and served with an yogurt dip.

• Wash the prawns in cold water and soak them for 20 mints in water and add 1/2 tbs of lemon juice,drain and keep aside.
• Wash the rice throughly in cold water and soak for 2 hours. Drain and keep aside.
• In a bowl marinate the prawns with garlic,ginger,red pepper,turmeric,cardamom,fenugreek and salt for an hour.
• In a pot bring 4 cups of water to boil,add the rice and cook till the rice is firm in the center.Strain and rinse with cold water.
• In another non stick pot heat oil and spread the rice,layer it with the marinated prawns,make small holes in rice to let the steam out.Cook for ten mints on medium heat.When the rice starts steaming pour a cup of water,melted butter and saffron,lower the heat and cook for another 50 mints.
• Serve hot with any yogurt dip or pickles.

Sometimes we hold onto things that we feel are essential in our lives when we should decide to make changes.Making those changes are difficult and most people wont make those changes,because there is a part of us that feels we have failed when life takes an unexpected turn.While some changes don't carry the stigma of failure,many changes do.In my case those changes were made for me.I felt that my life was over at the time when in reality it was just starting over. I guess my point is that in life one must embrace change,even if you don't make the change.You never know where the new path may take you,you never know if you don't go.

Change is the essence of life,just like the progress of the seasons brings changes in the nature - the emergence of first daffodils in the spring and the migration of variety of species is celebrated all over the world. In India,we welcome the spring and celebrates the new life and energy of the season. Similarly,in Iran they celebrate the rebirth of nature with much enthusiasm. 

Nowruz  is the persian New year and is one of the world's great festival, a full month of activities celebrating earth and the arrival of spring. Most of all it is a festival for families.Children and adults alike can share in preparing special meals,in decorating the house,and performing the many ceremonies that welcome the New Year. Nowruz is also about feasting on traditional food such as sabzi polow,Kookoo sabzi and meat based dishes among many other fresh and mixed herb based dishes. There is also a rich tradition of baking New Year's desserts and each region has its own traditional Shirini to celebrate this traditional festival.

The recipe that I am going to share today is one of the traditional recipe ,which is a must for a Nowruz meal. Meat filled rice balls are made with rice,meat,yellow split peas along with finely chopped fresh herbs.

For Fillings : Some raisins,walnuts and fried onions.

Method :

• Boil the rice for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat,drain and set aside
• Boil the yellow split peas on medium heat for 30 minutes and set aside.
• In a large bowl combine boiled rice with split peas,grounded chicken,turmeric,chickpea flour,saffron ,onion,salt and pepper.
• In a big bowl whisk the eggs separately and then blend it well with the other ingredients.Take a handful of the mixture and shape into a ball.Make a hole in between and stuff some raisins,walnuts,and fried onions inside.
• In a pan take 3 tbs of oil and heat it,deep fry the balls and serve them hot.