RECIPE 08: RUSHI CHI BHAJI

 

Rushi panchami is celebrated on the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi. On this day all sapta rishi (seven sages) are worshipped and remembered. The seven sages kashyapa, vishwamitra, jamadagni, atri, gautam, bharadwaj, vashishta are worshipped. Even sage vashishta’s wife arundhati is worshipped. Usually seasonal veggies and tubers are used. The veggies that are used are the ones where the oxen is not used for farming. Rishi panchami bhaji is also made in way that can be compared to the way cooking was done during the time of the rishis – simple and healthy food.

INGREDIENTS	QUANTITY
Oil	3 tbsp
Green chillies	2-3 large
Carrot chopped	¾ cup
Chopped Yellow Pumpkin	¾ cup
Chopped Raw tomato	¾ cup
Chopped elephant foot yam	½ cup
Chopped plantain	½ cup
Chopped Arbi	½  cup
Chopped Arbi leaves	1 cup
Chopped Arbi stem	¼ cup
Chopped Amaranth	1 cup
Chopped Amaranth stem	¼ cup
Corn cob	1 nos
Peanuts fresh	½ cup
Jaggery powder	1 tbsp
Water	2 cups
Salt	As required
Tamrind pulp	1 tbsp
Freshly grated coconut	1 cup

Procedure

1) All vegetables must be washed and chopped into medium sized dices or cubes and not smaller. The corn cob can be divided into 3 parts.
2) Heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil in a large pot or pan. Add 2 green chilies (chopped). You can also use ghee instead of oil.
3) Saute green chilies for some seconds.
4)Then add the chopped amaranth and colocasia leaves along with the stems. saute for a minute.
5)Then add the remaining chopped veggies and tubers.
6)Mix very well and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
7)Add the ½ cup peanuts.
8)Add 2 cups water.
9)Season with salt as per taste and mix.
10)Cover and simmer the veggies on a low to medium flame.
11) Check at intervals and give a stir and cook till tender.
12) Then add the tamarind pulp.
13)Add 1 cup grated fresh coconut.
14) Cook without a lid on a low flame till the raw aroma of tamarind goes away. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
15) Lastly add 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or add as required.
16) Mix very well and simmer it for a minute.

RECIPE 07: SWISS ROLLS

A swiss roll is a rolled flat cake that has been dipped in sugar syrup, and has a filling of jam or cream.

Ingredients:
Egg yolks 50 g
Sugar 35 g
Cake flour 50 g
Egg whites 75 g
Salt 1 g
Sugar 25 g
Vanilla Few Drops
Mixed Fruit Jam
Cake Syrup

Method:
1. Beat Egg Yolks with sugar and set aside.
2. Beat Egg whites with sugar and salt.
3. Fold flour in the meringue mix and then add egg yolk mix.
4. Transfer the batter to the paper lined and greased tray.
5. Bake at 425°F (220°C), about 7 minutes.
6. Once baked cool it and remove the hard crust using a bread knife.
7. Sprinkle sugar syrup and spread jam on the cake.
8. Roll it breadth wise tightly.
9. Decorate the cylinder with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
10. Serve cold.

RECIPE 06: AMERICAN PAN CAKES

Ingredients
Flour 500 grams
Sugar 170 grams
Baking powder 1 tablespoon
Milk 500 ml
Eggs, lightly beaten 4-5 nos.
Butter, melted 85 grams
Vegetable oil as needed

Methods:
1. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and some of the melted butter.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Add the remaining butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. The
batter will be slightly lumpy.
4. Brush the griddle or skillet lightly with the oil; heat the oil until it is moderately hot.
5. Drop the batter onto the griddle, using a 2 ounce (60-milliliter) ladle, leaving about 4-5 inch of space
between the pancakes.
6. Cook the pancakes until the undersides are brown, the edges begin to dry, and bubbles begin to break the
surface of the batter, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Turn the pancakes and cook them until the second side is brown. Repeat using the remaining batter.
8. Serve the pancakes immediately or keep them warm, uncovered, in a slow oven. Do not hold the pancakes longer than 30 minutes, or they will become tough.
9. Finish with fresh fruits, whipped cream and chocolate sauce,

RECIPE 05: RASMALAI

1)For chenna
Milk 4 ltr
Vinegar 400 ml
Water 1.5 ltr
Cardamom powder 5 g

2)For sugar syrup
Sugar 1.2 kg
Water 650 ml

3)For the saffron flavoured milk
Milk 1.5 ltr
Sugar 130 g
Saffron a pinch
Rose water 15 ml

Method:
Start by boiling the milk.
Also bring the water to a boil separately and add the vinegar to it at this stage.
Once the milk is boiled take it off the flame and let it cool, by stirring it for 1 minute continuously.
Add the vinegar and hot water mixture to the milk gradually, which curdles the milk and forms the chenna.
Add cold water to this, which helps in retaining the softness of the chenna.
Strain using a damp muslin cloth and put it under running water which helps it in cooling down.
Squeeze out all the excess water by kneading it gently through the muslin cloth till it is soft and free of moisture.
Remove from muslin cloth and knead till smooth and free of lumps.
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
Cover with muslin cloth and keep aside.

To make the chasni(sugar syrup), bring sugar and water to a boil. Remove the scum from the top. Make sure the consistency of the syrup is neither too thick nor too thin.
Maintain this consistency by adding a ladle of water to it every 5 minutes.
Keep some sugar syrup aside to soak the cooked rasmalais.
Shape the freshly made chenna into flat discs each weighing about 12 g.
Cook it in the sugar syrup, on a high flame for 15 to 20 minutes. Flour or milk is added to syrup while cooking the rasmalais, to help it froth up as it helps in cooking it properly.
Once cooked it is soaked in the sugar syrup, which is diluted with hot water to retain the sponginess of the rasmalais, for at least 1 hour.

To make the saffron flavoured milk, bring the milk to a boil and then add sugar, while continuously stirring. Add little bit of yellow food colour.
Mix saffron strands along with rose water and add it to the milk.
Reduce the milk to two-thirds of the original quantity. Cook it for a minimum of 10-15 minutes after it comes to a boil.
Take the cooled rasmalais and squeeze all the syrup out of it, and soak it in the saffron milk. Let it cool.
Serve cold, garnished with chopped pistachios and almonds.

RECIPE 04 AND REVIEW: BEBINCA

Bebinca is a flan like dessert from Goa made of coconut milk and eggs. Its 16 layered dessert with alternate layers being of different colours with one layer being darker due to over cooking. The fascinating part about this dessert is that except the bottom layer, every layer is cooked by supplying heat from the top, in an oven. In this recipe instead of over-cooking alternate layers we made two types of fillings, one was plain and other with cocoa powder.

Ingredients:
Maida 120 gms
Coconut Milk 800 ml
Sugar 250 gms
Yolks 8 No.s
Nutmeg 1 No.
Cardamom Powder 1 tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Ghee 100 gms

Method:-
Mix refined flour, sugar and egg yolks well into the coconut milk. Stir the mixture till the
sugar has dissolved. Then add nutmeg and cardamom powder and keep it aside.
Heat ghee in a container. Then pour a cup of batter, and bake it till it is brown.
Add another spoonful of ghee and a cup full of batter. Cook it again under a salamander and
repeat till all the batter is used up in layers.
Bake and overturn the Bebinca.

RECIPE 03: SPICED DATE CAKE

No. of portions: 12

FOR THE CAKE

Ingredients
Pitted, finely diced 567 gms
Brandy 30 ml
Butter 319 gms
Dark brown sugar 496 gms
Salt 2.50 gms
Eggs 7 no’s
Vanilla extract 14 gms
Sour cream 177 gms
All-purpose flour 496 gms
Baking powder 5.25 gms
Ground Cinnamon 1 gms
Ground all spice 0.50 gms

Methods:
1. In a small bowl, toss the dates with the brandy. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter, brown sugar, and
salt until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs gradually, scraping down the bowl well after each addition to make sure the
batter is homogeneous. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Gently add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and allspice, mixing just until incorporated.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dates into the
batter.
6. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and
spread it evenly across. Bake in a 3250 F/162 0 C oven until lightly browned, 25 to 30
minutes. Let cool completely.
7. Cut the cake using a 3-in /8-cm ring. Set aside. The cake may be stored in a airtight
container at room temperature, or wrapped and frozen for later use.

FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

Ingredients
Dark brown sugar 340 gms
Butter 227 gms
Heavy cream 170 gms
Corn Syrup 71 gms
Salt 3 gms
Vanilla extract 7 gms

Methods:
1. In a medium sauce pot, combine the brown sugar, butter, cream, corn syrup, and salt. Bring
the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Continue simmering , stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, 2 to 4 minutes
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool and reserve refrigerated until needed
for service.

RECIPE 02: PLAKOUNTAS

Ingredients:
1)Puff Pastry - 500 gms
2)Syrup
Sugar - 100 gms
Water - 150 ml
3)Honey - 20 gms
4)Lemon juice - 1 No
5)Lemon Rind - 1 Strip
6)Filling
Cashew nut powder - 225 gms
Yolks - 2 No.s
Sugar - 50 gms
Cinnamon - 10 gms
Nutmeg - 5 gms

Method:
a) Make a filling in the form of a thick paste.
b) Boil the sugar syrup to a two-string consistency.
c) Sheet the puff pastry to a long and thin rectangular sheet.
d) Cut into small rectangle and give an egg wash.
e) Place the filling inside and roll up each of the rectangle like a
cigar.
f) Bake at 180 C for 25 minutes.
g) Cover with the sugar syrup while still hot.