ANGOORI RASGULLAS

Angoori rasgulla also called as chenna angoor is one of the popular Bengali sweets. The mini soft and spongy are quite a favourite with kids and adults too.

I have been trying to get the perfect recipe for a long time now. After trying a number of recipes, I have got this tried and tested the recipe with some important tips.

Soft and spongy rasgullas can be made with the cow as well as buffalo milk. The first important step is to get the right type of chenna, not too moist and not too dry. Homemade chenna gives the best results. Refer to my previous post of Homemade chenna to get it right. Remember not to boil the milk once split. Immediately wash the chenna with cold water. Here we want to stop the cooking process of chenna.

Secondly, ensure that the sugar syrup is always boiling. The rolling boil shouldn’t subside as it may change the texture of rasgullas.

Chenna made from one-litre milk yields almost 40 rasgullas.

 Recipe for Angoori rasgulla

Ingredients for Angoori rasgulla

• 1 litre milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups water

How to make

Refer to my previous post to make Homemade chenna.

Rub the chenna with your palm for 10 minutes continuously. The chenna will come together like a soft dough.

To test the chenna, take a small portion and roll it into a ball. If the ball is soft and doesn't have cracks it is ready or else rub it for few more minutes.

Divide the chenna into 2 equal portions. Further, divide one of the portions into 20 portions and roll them into balls.

Add a hint of pink colour to the other portion. Mix well.

Divide the pink chenna into 20 portions and roll them into balls. Cover and keep aside.

For the syrup put sugar and water into a deep saucepan and bring it to rolling boil.

Now add chenna balls to the syrup, two at a time. Remember the syrup should be continuously boiling.

Now let it boil for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Transfer to another bowl.

Once the rasgullas come to room temperature, keep in the refrigerator.

Let the rasgullas sit in the syrup for atleast 4 hours. Serve chilled.

BAKARWADI

Sweet and savoury pinwheel snacks, crispy and tongue tingling flavours. Bakarwadi is most popular snack in Maharashtra.

The dough can be made with all purpose flour or whole wheat flour or chickpea flour. The given recipe uses combination of all purpose flour and chickpea flour.

The filling contains coconut, sesame and some powdered spices. The quantity of ingredients for filling have been finalised after trying various combinations. It may have a strong taste which is required as the flavours will mellow down after deep frying the bakarwadis.

Recipe of Bakarwadi

Ingredients for dough

• 2 cups maida or all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp besan or chickpea flour
• 2 pinches salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp hot oil
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp water

How to make dough

Mix together maida, besan, salt, baking powder, hot oil.

Add half cup water to knead a soft dough. Add more two tablespoon of water if required.

Let the dough rest for half an hour.

Ingredients for Filling

• 3 tbsp dry coconut (grated)
• 1 tbsp chilly powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/ tsp fennel dees
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp dry mango powder
• 2 tsp besan
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 4  cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar

*Oil for deep frying

How to make filling

Tip all the above ingredients in a mixer jar. Make a coarse mixture(do not add any water).

How to make Bakarwadi

Divide the dough in two portions. Roll out the dough to the thickness of ¼ cm.

Apply some water, spread the filling mixture on it. Lightly press the filling.

Start rolling the bakarwadi tightly. No gaps should be left.

Cut the roll into two centimetres thickness.

Lightly press the pieces again from both the sides to prevent the filling from coming out.

Heat some oil for frying to medium temperature.

Fry the bakarwadis in batches till crispy and golden in colour. It will take around seven to eight minutes for frying on medium low heat.

Transfer them into an air tight container when completely cooled.

Suggestion

Avoid using high heat as bakarwadi may remain uncooked from inside.

BHAJAKE POHE CHIVDA

A variety of Chivdas are relished as a snack in Maharashtra. It is a savoury snack made from pressed rice or puffed rice or even cornflakes are used as the base. The ingredients and their quantity totally depend on one's preference.

Every household has their own version. It is prepared very frequently as it is a quick snack also is enjoyed by all. 

In this recipe, puffed rice is used as the base. The quantity of salt has been specified whereas it can be changed as required.  It comes out crispy, light and tasty.

Recipe for Chivda

Ingredients

• 250 gms bhajake pohe (puffed rice)
• ½ cup cashews (broken into halves)
• ½ cup peanuts
• ½ cup black raisins
• 1/3 cup garlic (cut into slivers)
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp chilly powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼  tsp asafoetida
• 4 green chillies (finely chopped)
• 15 curry leaves
• ½ cup oil
• 2 tbsp salt

How to make

Dry roast the poha for four to five minutes on medium heat. Alternatively, it can be microwaved for three minutes (mix after every one minute). Keep aside.

Heat oil in a big kadhai or skillet. Fry peanuts, cashews, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies on medium heat till crisp and golden in colour. All these items should be fried separately. Remove in a plate.

Reduce the heat to low. Now quickly add asafoetida, turmeric, coriander, cumin and chilli powder followed by sesame seeds. Saute for a minute.

Add the fried ingredients and poha. Mix well till the spices are evenly coated.

Let the mixture cool for five minutes before adding salt and powdered sugar.

Transfer in an airtight container after completely cooled.

Suggestion

 For even mixing powdered sugar can be sieved.

CHAKLI/ MAHARASHTRIAN SNACK

Chakli is one of the favourite snacks from Gujrat and Maharashtra. There are many different recipes to make chakli. It is made with rice flour or whole wheat flour or semolina. Also ready mixes are available in the market. Nothing can beat a homemade chakli. My recipe calls for rice and roasted chana dal also called as chutney dal readily available in grocery stores.

This is my mother’s recipe, tried and tested.  For years I have been enjoying this lovely snack. Chakli is one item which my mom prepares in more quantity. I don’t restrict the chakli as just a tea time snack. I have it with dal chawal and also with kadhi chawal. Do try it, highly recommended !

Recipe for Chakli

Ingredients for (bhajani) flour mixture

• 1 kg rice
• 700 gms roasted chana or chutney dal

How to make (bhajani) flour mixture

Wash the raw rice and dry it in shade.

Dry roast the rice till it becomes light pink in colour.

Let it cool. Add the roasted chana as it is. Mix well.

Give it in flour mill to be made into fine flour.

Ingredients for Chakli

• 2 cups bhajani or flour mixture
• 1 ½ tsp chilly powder
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 ½ tsp salt or as per taste
• 3 tbsp hot oil
• 1 + 2 tbsp lukewarm water
• Oil for frying
• Chakli making machine, thick paper or plastic sheets

How to make Chakli

Take the bhajani or flour mixture in a mixing bowl.

Add hot oil, Rub the flour between the palms.

Add chilli powder, sesame seeds, salt. Mix well.

Add 1 cup of lukewarm water and knead the dough. The dough should not be too stiff or soft. Add additional 2 tbsp of water if required. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Keep some thick paper sheets or plastic sheets ready for forming in chaklis.

Divide the dough in two equal portions. Knead again.  Shape it in form of a fat sausage, put in in the chakli making machine.

Rotate the spindle so that the chaklis come out. Simultaneously move the machine in a spiral way to form the required shape of chakli.

Heat oil for frying. Make sure that the heat is between medium to low. Fry three to four chaklis in a batch. Flip them after a minute.

Fry till the chaklis are crisp and golden in colour.

Let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.

Suggestion

Temperature of the oil should not be too high as Chaklis may get burnt or may remain uncooked.

SHANKARPALE

Shankarpale is a popular snack from Maharashtra. Not only kids, elders too love to snack on these. Once made can be stored in an airtight jar for three to four weeks. Diwali is the time when shankarpale are prepared in almost every household.

There are many variations to the recipe. It can be made sweet, salty or spicy. Here is a sweet but not too sweet version with a hint of salt. The ajwain or carrom seeds is optional but if added gives a nice dimension to the taste. 

There is an option for using vanaspati or ghee in the recipe. Both the ingredients give similar results.

This recipe will surely yield you light, crisp, biscuit-like shankarpale.

Recipe for Shankarpale

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour (maida)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup vanaspati or ghee
• 1 tsp ajwain or carrom seeds (optional)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp water
• Oil for frying

How to make

In a mixing bowl add maida, powdered sugar, ajwain, baking powder, salt, and ghee or vanaspati and mix well.

Rub the mixture between your palms till you get a coarse texture.

Add half cup water and knead the dough, Add 2 tbsp more water if required. We require a stiff dough.

Let it rest for an hour. Knead the dough again for two to three minutes.

Divide the dough into two portions. Roll them into flat chapatis with a thickness of  1/2 cm.

Using a knife cut them into bite-sized square or diamond shape. Keep aside the cut pieces.

Heat oil in a kadhai or skillet for deep frying. Oil should be medium hot.

Add a batch of the pieces to the oil. Fry on low heat turning them occasionally. This will make the shankarpale crisp and light. It will take six to eight minutes for one batch.

Once they become light brown in color, remove them on an oil absorbent paper. Let it cool completely before transferring them into a container.

Suggestion

• The dough should be tight or else the final product may become soft.
• Keep turning the shankarpale while frying for even browning.

ANARSA (AUTHENTIC RECIPE FOR ANARSA)

 

Anarsa is a festive snack from Maharashtra prepared during Diwali. This delicious sweet is made from rice and jaggery and deep fired in desi ghee or clarified butter. This recipe is considered to be quite intimidating by many but it is not true. You should surely try it once to believe it.
Different recipes for anarsa are available. Anarsa can be prepared with jaggery as well as sugar or both can be used in half proportion. Results are assured if the given recipe is followed as it is.
This is my all time favourite sweet. Though it has a high calorie count, believe me it is all worth it.

My grandma used to make anarsas that were crispy from outside and soft from inside. This particular recipe is passed on to me from my mother. She says I make better anarsas than her. These words from her make me feel great.

Recipe for Anarsa

Ingredients

• Rice – 250 gms,
• Jaggery – 250 gms,
• Poppy seeds – 50 gms,
• Ghee for deep frying.

How to make

Wash the rice and drain the water. Soak the rice in water for 3 days. Change the water every 24 hours at the same time of the day.

On the 4^th day drain the water completely. By now rice may have a sour smell which is a good sign. Transfer the rice on a clean cotton cloth and let it day (in shade only).

Crush or grate the jaggery and keep aside.

Grind the rice to fine powder and sieve it to get a fine powder. This process of grinding and sieving the rice should be done as fast as possible because we require the rice powder to be little moist when we mix the jaggery with it.

Now add the grate jaggery to the rice powder and mix well with hands to from a dough.

Keep this dough in an air tight container for 4 days.

On the 5^th day the dough is ready to use.

Spread some poppy seeds on a plate. Heat some ghee for deep frying.

Grease your palms with ghee. Take a lemon size portion of the dough and roll it between the palms to form a ball.

Place the ball on the seeds and press it lightly with tip of the index fingers to from a thick puri.

Slide one anarsa (poppy seeds side up) at a time into the medium hot ghee.

Put some hot ghee over the anarsa with a slotted spoon. This is done to ensure that both the sides of the anarsa are cooked evenly.

Fry till golden brown for a minute. Drain the excess ghee and remove in a serving plate lined with paper towel.

Tips

• After 4 days if you feel that the dough is very dry, you can add one teaspoon of mashed banana or milk. More can be added if required.
• Anarsas should not be flipped while deep frying.
• Avoid using very moist jaggery for this recipe.

CHIROTE / KHAAJA (MOTHER’S RECIPE WITH STEPWISE PICTURES)

Recipe for Chirote/ Khaaja

 

 This is a light and flaky sweet prepared during festivals. People who prefer less sweet will definitely like this dish.

Ingredients

• Maida – 250gms,
• Powdered sugar – 1 cup,
• Ghee or clarified butter – 2 heaped tsp,
• Rice flour - ½ cup,
• Ghee – ½ cup (for spreading),
• Salt – a pinch,
• Water to knead,
• Refined oil for deep frying.

How to make

Take the maida in a mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix.

Make a well at the center. Heat 2 tsp of ghee at high temperature and add it to the maida. Mix well with a spoon.

Take the flour between the palms and rub gently. Add little water and knead a tight dough.

Let it rest for 30 to 40 minutes. Knead again. If your feel it is too hard to be rolled sprinkle some water and knead.

 

Divide the dough in 8 balls. Roll the balls one at a time to get a thin tortilla or chapatti (approx. 3 mm thick).




Take one rolled chapati. Apply one teaspoon of melted ghee and spread well. Sprinkle generously with rice flour.

Keep another chapati on it and repeat the procedure. Similarly layer it with third and fourth chapati.


Roll the layers together from one side to form a single log. Cut the log into one inch long pieces.



Next step is to press the pieces which can be done in two ways.




(a) Take a piece and press lightly with palm from above and roll lightly to the thickness of 5mm.




(b) Take a piece and apply pressure with palm sideways in such a way that the vertical cross section is visible from top.

Roll lightly to the thickness of 5mm.




Heat the oil for frying till medium hot and fry four at a time till they are light, crispy and golden in colour. Drain the oil and remove in a plate. Sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Tips

• Roll the chirote with light pressure. too much pressure may spoil the flaky texture.
• Sprinkle the powdered sugar on the chirote, when the oil is drained completely.