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.

It’s summer time! The scorching heat is bothering all of us. Our body consists of almost 70%of water, so it becomes very essential to maintain this content for proper functioning. Fruits are the body’s best friends as they help in maintaining the nutrient level in the body by compensating the loss of minerals due to excessive sweating in this blistering and sweltering weather. Various fruits like watermelon, musk Mellon, cucumber and others provide adequate fluids and electrolytes for the support of healthy functioning of body. No doubt they make a good snack too. Here are some refreshing delights for all you people out for who wants to beat this boiling temperature through various juicy flavorsome quenchers, lemonades which can be prepared in minutes and relished at home.

Mango mint cooler

Ingredients:
2 cup mango pulp;1 freshly pureed mango;1 sprig mint leaves shredded;1 tbsp lime juice; ice cubes as required;175 ml aerated drink of your choice;1/2 tsp chaat masala

Method:

In a blender combine together the mango pulp and the freshly made pulp with some limejuice and crushed ice. Pour a mixture in a tall glass and top with some aerated drink like orange fanta or mirinda. Serve chilled.

Melon delight

Ingredients:
2 large pieces of water melon(so as to make 300 ml of juice);2 medium size cucumber(to make 100ml of juice);1 piece of ginger; salt to taste.

Method:

Peel, remove seeds and cut into pieces the melon, the cucumber and the ginger. Blend into blender. Strain the juice. Serve with ice cubes and salt and pepper to taste.

Red riding hood

Ingredients:
200ml carrot juice; 100ml tomato juice; ice cubes; rock salt to taste.

Method:

Blend the carrot juice and the tomato juice. Mix the rock salt and add the ice cubes.
It’s now ready to savor up.

Black and white wonder

Ingredients:
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream, 100 ml of black grape juice; 100 ml soda water; some mint leaves.

Method:

In a tall glass, make 2 layers with the ice-cream at the bottom and then grape juice. Top with soda water. Garnish with mint leaves and serve as and then.

White wonder

Ingredients:
water of one fresh cocout;200 ml of pineapple juice; 2tbsp pineapple pieces,2 almonds(optional)chopped into pieces; pinch of cinnamon powder.

Method:

Mix the coconut water and pineapple juice. Mix in the pieces and almonds. Garnish with cinnamon powder and serve chilled.