RAS - MALAI

RAS - MALAI (Sweet made with paneer and milk)



Mode - Microwave
Time - preparation -30 minutes, microwave - 45 minutes , total time - 2 hours
Utensils - 1 big microwave safe glass bowl and 1 big flat microwave safe glass pan

Ras malai is made in 3 steps.
(1) Making Paneer, (2) Making Rasgullas, (3) Making Ras malai's milk.

Ingredients -

(1) For paneer - 1/2 liter cow's milk, 1/4 tsp citric acid, 1 tbsp water
(2) For rasgullas - paneer of 1/2 liter milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp - (extra) sugar, cups water
(3) For milk - 1/2 liter milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tbsp milk powder, 1/2 tbsp corn floor, cardamom powder, kesar(safran strands), chopped pistas and almonds

Procedure -

(1) Making paneer -
1. Boil milk, cool and remove cream (malai) on it. Then microwave this fat less milk on high power for 6 - 7 minutes to boil it again.
2. Dissolve citric acid in 1 tsp water and pour this mixture in boiling milk, Stir clockwise and anticlockwise 3 times with spoon, keep covered for 5 minutes till milk gets curdled and paneer is separated.
3. Now spread a cloth piece on a large strainer, pour curdled milk on it. Pour some water on it and stir it with spoon to wash paneer. Now gather the cloth, squeeze it and remove most of the water. Remove paneer from cloth and take it in mixer jar.
4. Slowly blend paneer in mixer to make it smooth

(2) Making Rasgullas -
1. Mix 1 tsp sugar in paneer and make small or flat round balls.
2. Take 3 cups water and 1/2 sugar in a large flat microwave safe glass pan. Microwave on high power for 5 to 6 minutes (till it starts boiling).Stir and dissolve sugar completely.
3. Add paneer balls in boiling sugar syrup, cover and microwave first on high power for 3 minutes, then on medium power for 5 minutes. Remove from oven after 5 minutes standing time. Spongy Rasgullas are ready now.

(3) Making milk -
1. Take one cup milk from ras malai's milk and keep aside. Boil remaining milk in microwave on high power for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Mean while mix milk powder, sugar and cornfloor in the milk which is kept aside. Stir well to make fine paste and mix it in boiling milk. Cook it on medium power for for 5 to 6 minutes. Mix cardamom powder, kesar(safran strands), chopped pistas and almonds in it. Milk is ready.
3. Take one rasgulla on a spoon, squeeze it lightly with another spoon to remove water in it, then put it in prepared milk. Put all rasgullas in milk like this. Keep it in fridge for 3 to 4 hours and then serve.

Aai's special tips -
(1) For rasgullas use only cow's milk for making paneer .
(2) This ras malai's milk can be used for making KULFI.
(3) Veriation - Mix some mango pulp in rasmalai's ready milk for MANGO RASMALAI

BAINGAN BHARTA

BAINGAN BHARTA (My own easy technique)
Mode - Microwave
Time - preparation -20 minutes, microwave -15 minutes
Utensils - (1) Microwave safe big glass bowl

Ingredients -
(A) 1 baingan (Egg plant)- about 250 to 300 grams
(B) 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp finely chopped green chilly, 2 cups finely chopped onion,
(C) 2 cups finely chopped tomato, salt - red chilly powder to taste, kashmiri mirch powder ( for colour), 1/4 tsp garam masala,
(D) finely chopped coriander

Procedure -
(1) Remove stem of egg plant, wash and give 4-5 slits on it with knife. Apply oil oll over and microwave on high power for 4 minutes. Turn and microwave again on high power for 2 minutes. Now hold this cooked egg plant in tong and burn it's outer skin on gas flame. Burn completely, it will take 3 -4 minutes time. Then cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Now put it in plenty of water and remove all burnt skin and mash it.
(2) In a glass bowl take oil, onion, garlic, green chilly. Mix and microwave covered on high power for 2 minutes. Then mix tomato, salt - red chilly powder, kashmiri mirch powder and garam masala. Microwave covered on high power for 6 to 8 minutes. Mix mashed egg plant in it and Microwave covered on high power for 2 minutes. Mix half coriander in it.
(3) Garnish with remaining coriander and serve hot (with paratha or Roti)

Aai's special tips -
(1) Use microwave for cooking and gas stove for burning outer skin of egg plant. This is a best combination and gives nice smoke effect.
(2) It is easy to remove burnt skin of egg plant in water.

HAKKA NOODLES

HAKKA NOODLES

Tuesday, 13 september 2007
HAKKA NOODLES - MY OWN QUICK EASY TECHNIQUE
Mode - Microwave
Time - preparation -20 minutes, microwave -12 minutes
Utensils - (1) Microwave safe big glass bowl

Ingredients -
(A) 100 grams Hakka Noodles ( soaked in plenty of water for 15 to 20 minutes)
(B) Vegetables - shredded carrot, capsicum, cabbage, onion - 2 cups alltogather
(C) 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp finely chopped onion, 1 tsp finely chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger, 1 tsp finely chopped green chilly
(D) salt-sugar to taste, ajinomoto - 1 pinch, 1/4 tsp pepper powder, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp vinegar

Procedure -
(1) Remove almost all the water from noodles, keep only about 1 cup in it, add 1 tsp oil and little bit salt. Cover and microwave on high power for 4 minutes. Stir in between after 2 minutes with fork to avoid sticking noodles. Remove from oven, pour fridge water in it to prevent further cooking. Then strain all water, mix 1 tap oil in it and keep aside.
(2) In the same bowl take oil, finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, green chilly. Mix and microwave covered on high power for 2 minutes. Then mix all vegetables, salt, ajinomoto, pepper powder, soy sauce and vinegar. Spray some water on it and microwave covered on high power for 3 to 4 minutes.
(3) Add cooked noodles in it, mix well with fork, Spray some water and microwave covered on high power for 2 to 3 minutes. After 3 minutes standing time, remove from oven.
(4) Garnish with spring onion. Serve hot with hot garlic sauce.

Aai's special tips -
(1) Do not cook noodles too hard or too smooth, cook just nice.
(2) Use olive oil, more vegetables and avoid aginomoto to make the dish more healthy

Tuesday, 13 september 2007
UKADICHE MODAK (GANESH FESTIVAL SPECIAL COCONUT SWEET)
Mode - Microwave
Time - preparation -15 minutes, microwave -2 + 5 minutes
Utensils - (1) Microwave safe glass bowl (2) Flat glass dish (3) Microwave steamer
Ingredients -
(A) For stuffing - 2 cups fresh greated coconut, 1 cup jaggery(gud), 1 tsp roasted poppy seeds(coursly crushed), 1/2 tsp cardamum powder, 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder, 1 tsp rice flour, (rasins-cashew nuts-almonds - optional)
(B) For covering - 1 cup rice flour, 1 cup water, 1 tsp makkhan(butter), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar
(C) For moulding - little refined oil and water
Procedure -
(1) STUFFING - Mix coconut and jaggery(gud) in a glass dish, microwave covered on high power for 2 minutes. Remove from oven after 2 minutes and mix remaining ingredients in it.
(2) COVERING - Take water, sugar, salt and makkhan(butter) in a glass bowl. cover and microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes till water starts boiling. Mix rice flour in it, spray water on it, cover and again microwave on medium power for 2 minutes.
(3) KNEADING - After 2 minutes remove from oven, knead in processer or by hands to make a smooth dough.
(4) MOULDING - Make 7 equal portions of stuffing and dough. Take one portion of dough, make a round ball, gently pressing the centre of the ball using thumb make a cup of the ball, place one portion of the stuffing in it, shape and close modak as shown in the picture. Mould all remaining modaks in the same way.
(5) STEAMING - In a microwave steamer take 1/4 cup water. Keep the mesh in it, dip each modak in water and keep in steamer. Now cover and microwave on medium power for 5 to 6 minutes. After 2 minutes standing remove from oven. Modak sweet is ready. Serve hot with ghee.

Aai's special tips -
(1) For making coloured modak -mix seperately red, yellow, green, orange (edible) colours in very small quantity of dough. Put thease small coloured balls seperatly on white ball and mould modak.
(2) Do not oversteam modak. Modak will become hard by overcooking.
(3) Easy way for moulding - flatten dough ball(like puris), put stuffing in the centre and mould modak.

Posted by sudha kulkarni
Labels: ukadiche modak, coconut and rice sweet

MALAI PEDHA - (Sweet made from Paneer, Mawa and Sugar)

Mode - Microwave

Time - preparation -10 minutes, microwave -5 minutes

Utensils - (1) microwave safe glass bowl

Ingredients -
(1) 1 cup Paneer (cottage cheese), 1/2 cup Khava (mava), 1/2 cup powdered sugar
(2) Saffron strands, shredded Badam (almonds)-Pista (pistachios), Charoli, Milk powder

Procedure -
(1) Mix paneer, mawa and sugar and make a smooth paste in mixer. Microwave it in a glass bowl on high power for 2 -3 minutes.
(2) Stir in between after each minute. As the mixture starts becoming dry and bubbles appear on surface of the mixture, stop microwave.
(3) Add saffron to the mixture. Keep stirring.
(4) When the mixture becomes sufficiently dry and smooth, kneed well to make a smooth dough. Add milk powder if necessary.
(5) Make small round PEDHAS. Press gently a pinch of Badam-Pista shreds and Charoli on each Pedha.

Aai's Special tips -
(1) Make Paneer of cow milk at home. Cow milk paneer is smooth and soft, which makes Pedha smooth and soft.
(2) If mawa is not available, use full cream milk powder instead.

* This is a special Marathi sweet for Marathi and Hindu New Year. So give this to everybody and celebrate HAPPY GUDHI PADWA.

PURAN-POLI (HOLI POURNIMA Special)

PURAN-POLI - (A holy sweet- Naivedya- made with Gram Dal and Sugar)

Mode - Microwave

Time - preparation -25 minutes, microwave -5 minutes

Utensils - (1) microwave safe flat glass bowl
(2) flat round rolling board tied (tight) with malmal cloth, rolling pin

Ingredients -
A - For Puran
1 cup gram dal, 1 cup gud or sugar, 1 tsp cardamom powder, 1 tsp nutmeg powder

B - For dough
1 cup wheat flour + 1 tbsp gram flour + 1/4 tsp salt + 1/4 cup oil

Procedure -
A - For making puran
(1) Soak gram dal in 2 cups of water in a glass bowl for 1 to 2 hours. Cover bowl with cling film tightly, make two small slits on cling film (to release the excess steam).
(2) Microwave first on high power for 5 minutes and then on medium power for 10 to 12 minutes. Stand for 5 minutes and then remove from oven. Cool.
(3) Add gud or sugar and make fine paste in mixer. Take the paste in the same bowl.
(4) Microwave on high power for 4 minutes, stir and again microwave on high power for 2 to 3 minutes. As the mixture starts becoming dry and bubbles appear on surface of the mixture, stop microwave.
(5) Cool the mixture. Add cardamum and nutmeg powders and keep covered.
B - For making dough
(1) Add water to flour mixture and make a smooth and slightly loose dough. Keep covered for 30 minutes.
(2) Add salt and oil and kneed it well.
C - Making Puranpoli
(1) Make 5 or 6 equal portions of puran and dough each. Take one portion of dough and make it flat on the palm, stuff one portion of puran in it and cover with dough from all sides.
(2) Make poli with gentle and light rolling. Roast poli on gas stove on hot griddle. Use medium heat and roast on both sides on light golden colour. Serve hot with Saajuk tup (Asli Ghee).

Aai's Special tips -
(1) For a large quantity, it is convenient to cook dal in pressure cooker on gas stove and after making paste with gud/sugar, cook in microwave.
(2) Making puranpoli is a very delicate task. Be very patient and gentle while making it.

COCONUT VADI (Indian sweet made with fresh coconut)

Mode - Microwave

Time - preparation -10 minutes, microwave -5 minutes

Utensils - (1) microwave safe glass bowl

Ingredients -
(1) 2 cups fresh grated coconut + 1.5 cup sugar + 1 tbsp milk + cardamom powder + saffron (if desired)

Procedure -
(1) Mix all ingredients and make smooth paste in mixer. Take it in a glass bowl and Microwave on high power for 2 minutes.
(2) Stir and again microwave on high power for 2 minutes. As the mixture starts becoming dry and bubbles appear on surface of the mixture, stop microwave.
(3) Cool the mixture. Keep stirring in-between.
(4) When the mixture becomes sufficiently dry and smooth, roll into 1 cm. thick layer.
(5) Cut in square shaped pieces. Coconut vadi is ready.

Aai's Special tips -
(1) If Khoya is added to the mixture while making paste, you will get nice coconut barfi.
(2) If carrot or beetroot is added in equal quantity while making paste (1 cup coconut +1 cup carrot), vadi will be more nutritious and colorful.
(3) You can add Mango juice (Aamras) or Tomato juice, but first reduce some water in the juice by micro waving juice for 4-5 minutes, and then add this thick pulp while making paste.