MISHTI DOI / BENGALI STYLE SWEETENED YOGURT

 

What is Mishti Doi ?

Mishti Doi is a sweetened yogurt from Bengali Cuisine. Mishti means Sweet and Doi means Yogurt. Traditionally palm jaggery was used to make it which not only gives a rustic taste but a lovely colour too. 

How do we make Mishti Doi ?

Milk is boiled and simmered until it reduces to half. It is then sweetened using jaggery or sugar and set it for fermenting after adding the yogurt culture.

How I made Mishti Doi ?

I have used some full cream milk powder along with the full cream milk. It reduces the cooking time and thickens the milk. The texture of Mishti Doi comes out lovely with this tip.

Can Mishti Doi be made with sugar ?

Yes, it can also be made with sugar. To get a brownish colour it is caramelized and added to the milk. However the traditional one made with palm jaggery tastes better.

How do we serve Mishti Doi ?

This can be had as an accompaniment with meals or as a dessert. 

Can we add any flavouring or garnishing ?

Traditionally no other flavouring ingredients were added. But you may add a pinch or two of cardamom powder. You can garnish with rose petals and crushed pistachios to make it look presentable.

Ingredients:

Full cream milk ...... 3 cups

Full cream milk powder ... 3 tbsps

Organic jaggery................ about 1/2 cup  

Yogurt ...................... 2 tbsps (for culture)

For garnishing (optional)

Rose petals .... few (fresh or dried)

Cardamom powder ... 2 -3 pinches

Crushed pistachios .... 1 tbsp 

Method:

1. Put the milk into a thick bottomed pan.

2. When it is hot stir in the milk powder.

3. Bring it to a boil stirring continuously.

4. Let it simmer for few minutes. Keep stirring intermittently.

5. Allow it to cool a bit and stir in the jaggery little by little. Whisk it well. Check the taste and add as much as you wish to your liking (less or more)

6. Now let it cool until it becomes luke warm. Check it by inserting your finger.

7. Mix little milk with the yogurt culture in a small bowl and whisk it well.

8. Stir it into the milk pan and mix it with the ladle or a balloon whisk.

9. Pour it into a bowl or preferably an earthenware container.

10. Cover it with a foil and set it aside in a warm place for 7-8 hours or overnight.

11. Sweetened yogurt takes longer time to set (ferment ) than the normal one.

Note: 

1. Make sure the milk is luke warm when you mix the yogurt culture. If it is hot Doi will not set.

2. Keep it in a warm place in the kitchen or inside the oven or a microwave. 

3. In winter wrap the container with a warm or a thick cloth and place a large dish or a vessel over it. This helps in setting it faster.

4. It sets well in an earthenware containers as they are porous. 

Check out the video 

Pin for later

This recipe is part of the "A-Z Recipe Challenge in a facebook group wherein we bloggers come together and choose key ingredients alphabetically to make and post a dish every month. The alphabet of the month is Y. So I chose Yogurt and made Mishti Doi (Sweetened Yogurt) from the Bengali Cuisine 

You may also like:

Strawberry Baked Yogurt

Mango Yogurt Walnut Parfait

Mixed Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie

CHICKEN 65 - BUHARI RESTAURANT STYLE

 

Chicken 65 is a popular dish of South India. Itwas  created by Chennai's famous chef A M Buhari at his Buhari Hotel  There are many stories as to how this chicken preparation got its name.

This is a great party dish. Make and enjoy it with your family and friends.  

What is Chicken 65 ?

Chicken 65 is a spicy chicken preparation from South India. It is a fried chicken which is well marinated in a bright red sauce made with yogurt and chilli powder and spices. It is usually served with onions and lemons wedges. This Indian chicken dish is traditionally eaten hot, as a starter, aperitif or snack.

How did the dish get its name ?

Some say that the chicken was cut into 65 pieces and hence it was called by this name. While some believe that 65 ingredients were used to prepare this dish and that's how it was named. But the Buhari Hotel version says they called it Chicken 65 because it was first created in the year 1965 which sounds acceptable.

Do you need to serve any sauce with Chicken 65 ?

No, you do not need any sauceto serve with this snack as it is well marinated with many spices and is very delicious by itself.

Information Source - Google

Ingredients:

Chicken ..... 250 gms (with bones cut into small pieces)

Egg ............. 1

APF / maida ........ 1 tbsp

Corn flour (corn starch) ... 1 tbsp

Yogurt ....................... 1or 2 tbsps

Ginger garlic paste....... 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder ......... 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala ............ 1/2 tsp

Red food colour ......... 1 pinch

Red chilli powder ....... 1/2 tsp (add more if you like)

Kashmiri chilli powder ... 1/2 tsp

Salt ..................... to taste

For tempering:

Curry leaves ......... handful

Slit green chillies ... 5-6 

Ginger julienes ......  from 1 inch piece 

Lemon juice .......... 1 tbsp

Oil ... as needed to fry 

Method:

1. In a large bowl marinate the chicken with the ingredients from the first list. Cover and set them aside in the refrigerator for few hours or overnight.

2. In a pan heat sufficient oil and deep fry the chicken pieces on medium flame turning them intermittently so that they get fried evenly and get cooked well.

3. It takes about 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Boneless chicken takes less time.

4. Remove them on an absorbant paper towel.

5. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and lightly saute the ginger, curry leaves and green chillies.

6. Tip in the fried chicken pieces and toss them well. 

7. Squeeze some lemon juice on them. 

8. Serve them immediately with some onion slices and lemon wedges in a platter.

Check out the video

Pin for later

You may also like:

Pav Bhaji Masala Chicken

Ghee Roast Chicken

Pepper Jeera Chicken

DOON CHETIN / KASHMIRI WALNUT CHUTNEY

 

Doon means walnuts in Kashmiri language and chetin is chutney. This easy to make chutney has a creamy texture and tastes amazing with the flavourful ingredients added to the walnuts. Traditionally a pestle and mortar is used to grind it keeping a coarse texture but these days it is done in a grinder. 

This can be served with kababs, main meal or as a dip. 

Ingredients:

Walnuts .......... 1/2 cup

Hung curd ........ 3-4 tbsps

Onion  ...............   1 small 

Garlic ................ 2 cloves

Green chillies ..... 2

Caraway seeds / Shahi jeera ... 1/2 tsp

Dried mintleaves .................... 1/2 tsp (You may also use few fresh leaves instead)

Kashmiri chilli powder ........ 1/2 tsp

Salt .................... to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast walnuts for few minutes on meduim flame.

2. Switch off the gas and add the shahi jeera. It will get roasted in the heated pan. Let them cool.

3. Transfer the ingrdients into a grinder and blend them to a slightly coarser texture.

Note:

This chutney tastes best when it is fresh. Make and enjoy it in smaller quantity. Because of the onion and hung curd content it may change the taste if stored longer than a couple of days.

Check out the video

This recipe is part of the "A-Z Recipe Challenge in a facebook group wherein we bloggers come together and choose key ingredients alphabetically to make and post a dish every month. The alphabet of the month is W and I chose to make this walnut chutney from the Kashmiri Cuisine. 

Pin for later

You may also like:

Assam Jolphai Chutney / Olive Gur Chutney

Peanut and Garlic Chutney

Ginger Chutney

DRUMSTICK FLOWERS AND LOTUS STEM STIR-FRY / JEERE TAMATE MEI SWANJHRO EIN BEEHA / NO ONION NO GARLIC RECIPE

 Swanjhro ( drumstick flowers ) and Beeha (lotus stem) are a delicacy for Sindhis and are extensively used in the Sindhi Cuisine. We have a variety of dishes, main course as well as snacks with them. 
Here is a simple stir-fry with the combination of both. No onion or garlic is used in this recipe yet it is so flavourful. It can be relished with rotis or dhodho ( Sindhi style bhakri)

Ingredients:

Swanjhro / Drumstick flowers ...... 1 bowl (boiled)

Beeha / Lotus Stem ...................... 10 - 12 slices (boiled)

Tomatoes ............................. 2 (cut into pieces)

Cumin seeds........................ 1 tsp

Turmeric powder ............... 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder .............. 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder .............. 1 tsp

Cumin powder .................. 1 tsp

Salt ................................ to taste

Oil .................................. 3-4 tbsps

Yogurt .......................... 1-2 tbsps (optional)

Coriander leaves ............ handful

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and addthe cumin seeds.

2. When they crackle tip in the tomatoes.

3. Saute them and cook until they are soft and mushy.

4. Now add the salt and spice powders. Stir well and add 2-3 tbsps of water and simmer.

5. Now add the boiled lotus stem pieces and saute.

6. When the oil starts to separate add the boiled drumstick flowers.

7. Saute for couple of minutes until the moisture is gone. 

8. Finally add the coriander leaves.

 

Watch the Video:

Pin for later

You may also like:

Swanjhre ji Bhaji / Drumstick Flower Curry

Drumstick Flower Raita

Beeha Palak

VERMICELLI AND SHRIMP SALAD

 This is a very light salad perfect to go with sandwiches or barbecue dishes, a treat for sea food lovers.

This recipe is part of the "A-Z Recipe Challenge" in a facebook group wherein we bloggers come together and choose key ingredients alphabetically to make and post a dish every month. The alphabet of this month is V and I chose Vermicelli as my ingredient and made this yummy salad.

Ingredients:

Vermicelli pasta .. 2 cups (cooked)

Shrimps .............  250 gms
Celery seeds ...... 1/4 tsp (or 1 stalk of fresh celery diced)
Ice berg Lettuce .... as needed 
Mayonnaise .......... 1/4 cup or more as needed
Salt .................... to taste
Crushed black pepper ... 2 pinches.
Parmesan cheese ........... 1-2 tbsps (optional)

Method:

1. Cook the vermicelli pasta with little salt, oil until done. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

2. Boil the shrimps with salt, drain them and letthem cool.

3. Break the iceberg lettuve into small pieces.

4. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients. Check the seasoning. 

5. Serve it on a bed of lettuce leaves. 

Note:

You may use parsley or any other fresh herbs if you wish to.

You can also add some honey or olive oil to the salad 

Pin for later

You may also like:

Shrimp Salad

Veg Russian Salad

Oriental Rice Paper Rolls with Shrimp Salad

GREEN TOMATO CURRY / RAW TOMATO CURRY / NO ONION NO GARLIC RECIPE

This is a very nutritious curry and made without onion and garlic. You will surely love the sweet spicy and tangy flavours and it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.

Green Tomatoes nutritional value:

These are loaded with fiber, proteins and carbohydrates which help us to maintain our blood pressure at normal and also reduce the risk of heart problems. They are also a good substitute for carrots to maintain good eye sight and keep our skin glowing.

So it is very important to include these in our diet in some form or the other. Apart from the curry you can also add them to your soups and salads, make a salsa or chutney.

Ingredients:

Green tomatoes ....... 3-4 (or as needed)

Turmeric powder ..... 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder ..... 1/2 tsp

Salt ........................... as needed

Jaggery powder ......... 1 tsp

Coriander powder ....... 1 tsp

Garam masala ........... 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder .......... 1 tsp

For tempering:

Asafoetida ..... ...2 pinches

Cumin seeds .... 1 tsp

Mustard oil ...... 3-4 tbsps

Method:

1. Wash the tomatoes well and cut them into pieces.

2. Heat the mustard oil in a pan. Bring it to a smoking point and cool it a bit.

3. Add the asafoetida and cumin seeds.

4. When they crackle add the spice powders maintaining the flame low.

5. Give it a stir until they give out a nice aroma.

6. Add the tomato pieces.

7. Give a nice stir and increase the flame to medium.

8. Keep stirring intermittantly.

9. Half way through add the salt and jaggery powder.

10. Cover it and simmer until done. They get cooked in their own juices and no water is required.

11. It takes about 7-8 minutes for the curry to get cooked.

12. Keep the tomatoes little firm and don't over cook and make them mushy.

13. Serve with rotis / puris / khichdi

Watch the recipe video

Pin for later

You may also like:

Guava Curry

Watermelon Rind Curry

Vrat wali Aloo ki Sabzi

ASSAM JOLPHAI CHUTNEY / OLIVE GUR CHUTNEY

Many of us are not aware that olives also grown in India. Even I always thought they were imported from Spain.  But they grow wild in the interiors of Assam and are used extensively in their cuisine. 

Here  is a sweet, sour and spicy chutney from Assamese Cuisine made with olives and jaggery. It takes just 8-10 minutes to make this delicious chutney which can be relished with puris or parathas.

Ingredients:

Crushed olives ......  1/2 cup

Mustard oil ........... 4-5 tbsps

Organic jaggery powder ..... 3-4 tbsps

Salt ........................... to taste

Panch phoran ............ 2 tsps

Red chilli powder ..... 1 tsp

Roasted cumin powder ... 2 tsps

Honey ............................. 2 tbsps

Method:

1. Crush the olives in a chopper or a pestle and mortar.

2. Heat mustardoil to a smoking point and cool it a bit.

3. Add the panch phoran spice mix.

4. When it gives outan aroma add the jaggery powder.

5. Stir on low flame until the jaggery melts.

6. Add the salt, chilli powder and cumin powder. Stir well. Maintain low flame.

7. When the oil starts to separate stir in the honey.

8. Give it a good stir and remove from the gas. Chutney is done.

Watch the recipe video

About the group:

Shhhhh Cooking Secretly is a monthly challenge in a facebook group where we are paired with a different partner every month. Two secret ingredients are  chosen by each partner for the other one and we prepare any dish with those ingredients based on the selected theme of the month which was Chutneys.

 I made this unique chutney recipe with the two secret ingredients Mustard Oil and Panch Phoran given by my partner Sasmita Sahoo Samanta. Her blog has some amazing dishes like Kaitha Chutney to check out. 

Recipe adapted from - HERE

Pin for later

You may also like:

Sweet Tamarind Chutney

Sweet and Sour Tomato Chutney

Sweet Mango Pickle

HEART SHAPED COOKIES WITH UNSALTED CASHEWNUTS / VALENTINE DAY SPECIAL RECIPE

 Here is a very easy recipe of cashew nut  cookies. I made them heart shaped for the upcoming Valentine Day. We just need few ingredients that are always available in our kitchens. 

This recipe is part of the "A-Z Recipe Challenge" in a facebook group wherein we bloggers come together and choose key ingredients alphabetically to make and post a dish every month. The alphabet of this month is U and since we don't have any ingredient starting with this one. we decided to make something with Unsalted ingredients. I decided to make cashew nut cookies using Unsalted Cashew Nuts

Ingredients:

Unsalted Cashew Nuts ..... 1 cup

Powdered sugar ................ 1/2 cup

All purpose flour ............. 1/2 cup

Melted butter or ghee ...... 1/4 cup

Unsalted pistachios ......... handful

Baking powder ............... 1/2 tsp

Cardamom powder ........ 1/2 tsp

Milk .............................. 2 or 3 tbsps

Method:

1. Soak the pistachios that we are going to use for garnishing . This helps to peel and slice them easily and also to retain the green colour while baking.

2. Grind the cashew nuts to a fine powder.

3. In a large mixing bowl beat the melted butter or ghee and sugar until fluffy.

4. Add the cashew nutpowder, baking powder and the cardamom powder.

5. Mix well with a spatula.

6. Now add the all purpose flour (maida) and mix until the ingredients are combined well enough.

7. Add a spoonful of milk and continue to mix so that the dough is moist enough.

8. You may require 2 or 3 tbsps of milk to get the perfect consistency.

9. Now with the hand gather the dough and knead lightly. Set it aside to rest for 15 - 20 mins.

10. Peel and slice the pistachios while the dough is resting.

11. Roll out a portion of the dough and cut out the cookies with the help of a cookie cutter.

12. Make all the cookies and place them in a  baking tray on a parchment paper or silicon mat.

13. Garnish them with pistachio slices.

14. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 8 to 10 minutes. The time and temperature may vary a bit depanding on the size of the oven.

15. Cool them well before storing.

Note:

You may also use whole wheat flour if you want to make them healthier.

The same can be made with any other nuts instead of cashews.

If you areusing a small table top oven bake at 150 C 

Watch the video of these cookies 

Pin for later

You may also like:

Healthy Ragi Cookies (eggless)

Surti Butter / Batasa

Emoji Cookies / Kids Special