Flavours Of India

Sweets of all kinds are very popular in India and are eaten at the end of a meal. In some parts of India, they are one of the items for breakfast. And when one thinks of an Indian festival, one cannot but conjure up visions of a variety of multicolored mouth watering sweets.

The sweet dishes here complement and even compete with all the items that have gone before it. It may surprise you but it is a fact that wide variety of delicious sweets and deserts can be seen in different part of India. Rice Kheer and Gajar Ka Halwa are very popular all over India with their many variations, along with Meethe Chawal, the saffron flavored rice adapted from zarda pulao, a favorite festive recipe of the Muslims.

One can also taste south Indian variation of north Indian kheer known as Semiya Payasam; the famous Bengali delicacy –Rasogolla (fresh cottage cheese balls in syrup).Different novel presentation of broken wheat or dahliya in form of lapsi can be experienced in any part of India in its specialized flavors.

The lip smacking rasagolla sweet dish preparation is discussed here below.

Rasagolla

Ingredients:
1 litre of cow’s milk;1/4tsp of citric acid finely dissolved in ½ cup water;1 tsp polished flour;1 cup crystal sugar;3 cups of water; some drops of rose essence

Method:

1. To make chenna (paneer)
   Boil milk in a pan, and then allow it to cool for sometime. Now carefully skim fat from its surface. Boil the milk again. Little by little add citric acid, and stir it continuously. When milk start to curdle up, put the pan aside from heat flames, leaving it covered for 10-15 minutes. Now set muslin over any bowl. Pour all the curdled milk into this muslin to strain it. Carefully gather all the corners of this muslin and then tie it properly on the top of curds about 5-7cms. Hang it up now for at least 15 minutes. Smoothly squeeze this bag now, take it down and set it amid two cutting boards. Leave any heavy object of about 3 kgs for about 1-11/2 hour on the top board .afterwards remove weight. Untie this bag and remove the chenna.

2. Put the chenna on a smooth surface and knead it finely using the heel of your hand at least for 1minute.side by side starts pouring flour over it and then knead it again properly till cheena acquires soft and rich-smooth touch (roughly 5 minutes).now divide this mixture into 10 equal fractions. From each fraction, prepare balls of 4cms.in diameter. Roll each of these balls between palms with slight pressure till they turn smooth and even.

3. Fill the cooker with water and sugar crystals and allow it to cook on high heat. Bring it to a boil, while stirring it constantly for the preparation of sugar syrup. Carefully leave chenna balls in this sugary syrup one by one.

4. Place the lid on cooker and allow it to cook on full pressure on a heated flame (high). Trim down the flame later and again cook for about 5-7 minutes.

5. Place your cooker aside from heat and let it to cool slowly and naturally. Now take off the lid of cooker, and Stir in some drops of rose essence. Finally transport the rasogollas along with some sugar syrup in a serving bowl. Cool it off for some time and then serve chill.

Long before the chowmein conundrum congested our collective consciousness, the only smoodle of a noodle we could boast of in India was the simple sev and seviyan. The noodle have been slurped, gulped and twirled for centuries by cultures around the world but as for now, it won’t be wrong if I say that indeed, India has been totally noodle-ified today.

Noodles vary in width-they can be as thick as coffee stir sticks or as thin as thread. When it comes to length, however, they are usually served long and uncut in the belief that long noodle symbolize a long life. This is one reason why, in keeping with Chinese tradition, noodles are commonly served at birthday celebrations. noodles ,collectively known as mein, can be made from just about anything-wheat, mungbean, cornflour, rice, soyabean…..interestingly what we refer to as chowmein in India is actually lo mein-a dish in which boiled noodles are tossed in the work and mixed with other ingredients. Chowmein, on the other hand, have stir-fried ingredients served over noodles!

Below are some lip smacking noodle recipe that you can try out.

Manchurian salad with noodles

Ingredients:
2 cups boiled hakka noodles

For vegetable Manchurian balls:
1 cup grated carrots;1 capsicum(chopped);1 tsp garlic(chopped);1 tsp ginger(chopped);1/2 cup cabbage(chopped);3 tbsp maida;2 tsp Soya sauce;1 tsp chili sauce; oil to fry; salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the Manchurian dressing:
2 tbsp Soya sauce;1 tbsp chili sauce;1 tsp oil;1 tsp garlic(chopped);1 tsp ginger(chopped);1 tsp chilies(chopped);1 tsp coriander leaves(chopped);1/2 cup water;1 tbsp cornflour solution to thicken;2 tsp green spring onion(chopped);salt and pepper to taste

Method:

For vegetable Manchurian balls:
In a bowl mix the veggies with sauces and salt and Maida, and mix well, drop spoonful of the mix in oil and fry them until golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

To prepare Manchurian dressing:
Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic, ginger, chilies, add the water, Soya sauce, chili sauce, seasonings, and bring to a boil. Add the cornflour solution and spring onion greens and coriander leaves. Mix well and remove. Cool and toss with Manchurian balls and noodles and serve chilled. Garnish with cherry tomatoes.