A classic cooler for this Summer season. Though it’s officially Spring but with the heatwave it feels Summer like. What better way to quench your thirst and have the ‘feel good’ feeling than enjoy Gandhoraj Lassi. Healthy and easy to make. Let’s dig #MadhubishsKitchen #GandhorajLassi #Lassi

Course – Beverege

Cuisine – Indian

Prep time – 5 mins, Making time -5 mins

Difficulty level – Easy

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Ingredients

1 Gandhoraj Lebu juice

1/4 cup Yogurt

1/2 tsp black salt

Pinch of salt

Method

Wash the Gandhoraj lebu and halve it, extract juice. In a bowl add yogurt, Gandhoraj juice, black and salt and whisk well, add 1 cup water and whisk well. Add lots of ice to serving glass, pour the Lassi, garnish with mint leaves and enjoy 😊

Makhana or Foxnut is a very nutritious ingredient to use in various ways. It’s varied in taste depending on whether made as a savoury or dessert. I made a curry and loved my version. The Makhana will not be soggy if you follow the way I cooked #MakhanaCurry #MadhubishsKitchen

Course – Main

Cuisine – Indian

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Difficulty level – Easy

Serves -2-3 persons

Ingredients

1/2 cup Makhana or Foxnut

1 large onion sliced fine

1 large tomato chopped fine

5-6 cashew nuts

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 Tbsp ginger chopped

1 tsp garlic chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp whole garam masala – cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds

2-3 green chillies chopped

Salt

Sugar

Butter

Method

In a wok heat 1 Tbsp butter and add Makhana. Roast until crispy and set aside. In the same wok heat 2 Tbsp of the butter and add the 1/2 of sliced onions and cook to soften. Add chopped ginger, chopped garlic, cashew nuts, chopped green chilies and chopped tomatoes. Cook till softened and add little salt. Mix well and set aside to cool. Add to a blender and make a smooth paste. Set aside. In the same wok heat butter and add rest of the chopped onions. Cook to soften, add the paste, and little water. Cook to get rid of the raw smell. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix well. Add Makhana and mix well. Add little water to get a thick consistency. Sprinkle garam masala powder and set aside to serve

Potol Gobindo or Chaal Potol as some Bengali’s say is a traditional recipe that is cooked on special occasions. Some cook for Noboborsho and some cook during Pujo. Whatever be the occasion, this dish is a classic vegetarian cuisine that can be enjoyed on its own or with steamed rice. Gobindobhog rice gives a distinctive flavour and taste to Potol. Let’s dig ! #MadhubishsKitchen #PotolGobindo #Potol #GobindobhogRice

Course – Main

Cuisine – Bengal

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Serves -3/4 persons

Difficulty level – Easy

Ingredients

1 cup Gobindobhog rice

4-5 Potol

1 large Potato

3-4 cashew nuts

3-5 raisins

For Whole Garam masala

1” cinnamon stick

3-5 cloves

3-4 green cardamoms

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaf

2 whole dry red chilli

For Masala paste

1 Tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

4-5 Tbsp ghee

1 Tbsp sunflower oil

Salt

Sugar

Method

Wash the vegetables and peel them. While peeling the Potol retain a bit of the peel as it won’t turn mushy when cooking. Wash the rice and air dry. In a wok heat sunflower oil and add the Potol and fry golden, set aside. In a wok heat 1 Tbsp ghee and add whole garam masala, bay leaf, whole dry red chilli, cumin seeds, cashew nuts and raisins and fry for 2 mins. Add rice and fry for 3-4 mins. Set aside. In the same wok heat rest of the ghee and add a paste of all Masala with little hot water and cook until oil surfaces. Add potatoes and mix well. Cook covered for 5 mins covered, sprinkle some water if need be, cook 80% and add Rice with cashew nuts and raisins. Stir well. Add Potol and mix well, add water and cook covered. Add salt and sugar and cook for another 1 min. Drizzle ghee and set aside. Serve hot 😊

Summer veggies are varied maybe not like winters but still they are no less. Bengal has some unique recipes with Summer veggies and one such is Dharosh Posto. It’s easy, simple to cook, full of flavours and best part is use of Posto or Poppy Seed. Let’s dig! #MadhubishsKitchen

Course – Main course

Cuisine – Indian (Bengal)

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Preparation time-5 mins, Soaking time-2 hrs, Cooking time -30 mins

Difficulty Level – Easy

Serves -4/5 people

Ingredients

200 gms Dharosh or Okra

1 medium size potato

1 medium size tomato

20 gms Mustard seed

20 gms Posto or Poppy seed

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp kalonji

1 whole red chilli

2-3 Green chillies

5-6 Tbsp mustard oil

Salt

Sugar

Method

Soak mustard seeds and Posto together for 2 hrs. Drain and add to a blender, add chopped green chilies and adding 2-3 Tbsp water blend smooth, set aside. Wash the vegetables. Peel the potato and cut into wedges. Cut the edges of Dharosh and cut into halves. Chop the tomatoes. In a wok heat mustard oil and add Dharosh and fry golden. Set aside. In the same oil add whole red chillies, kalonji and stir for 1 sec. Add potatoes and fry until golden, add chopped tomatoes and fry for 2-3 mins. Add poppy seed paste and mix well. Add salt and sugar and cook covered for 4-5 mins. Once potato is boiled add fried Dharosh and mix well. There should be a crunchiness to Dharosh and it should not be mushy. Mix well. Set aside

Serve piping hot with steamed rice

Data or Drumstick is a very popular Summer time vegetable enjoyed by Bengali households. Various dishes both vegetarian and non vegetarian is cooked with Data or Sajne Data. Special mention can be made of Shukto having Data. But today I want to share a lost recipe from Mymensingh, Bangladesh which is best enjoyed with steamed rice. Easy to make and Data should be thick ones and not the fresh ones. The Data which are few weeks old are best cooked this way #MadhubishsKitchen #DataKoura

Course – Main meal

Cuisine – Indian (Bengali)

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Preparation time-10 mins, Cooking time-20 mins

Difficulty level – Easy

Ingredients

2-3 Sajne Data cut into 2” sizes

1 Red whole chilli

1/2 tsp nigella seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder

3 tsp black mustard with 1 tsp coconut paste

2 Tbsp plus 2 Tbsp mustard oil

Salt

Sugar

2-3 Green chillies

Method

Wash the Data well and cut into 2” sizes, set aside. In a wok heat 2 Tbsp mustard oil and add red whole chilli and nigella seeds, when it splutters add Data and stir for 1 min, add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and stir for 2-3 mins. Add little water and cover to cook. Add salt and sugar and stir for 1 min. Add the black mustard-coconut paste and stir well for 2-3 mins. Add sugar and mix well. Drizzle rest of the mustard oil, add green chillies and set aside. Enjoy a mouthwatering dish with steamed rice

To beat the heat Kokum is a very good ingredient to use. It’s all good health and nutrition. Let’s dig #KokumMojito #MadhubishsKitchen

Course – Appetiser

Cuisine – Indian

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Preparation time-2 hrs, Cooking time -30 mins

Difficulty level – Easy

Ingredients

1 cup dried Kokum

2 cups hot water

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Salt

Black salt

Black pepper powder

1 tsp roasted cumin powder

1” ginger sliced

1 lime juice

Mint leaves

Lots of ice

Method

In a bowl add dried kokum and hot water and soak for 2 hours. Add to a blender and blend smooth. In a pan add water and sugar and bring it to boil to make a syrup. Set aside. In the syrup add kokum paste, sliced ginger, salt, roasted cumin powder, black salt and black pepper powder and bring it to heat, on low flame cook for 10 mins to thicken. Add lime juice and strain, set aside to cool completely. In a serving glass add lime juice, crushed mint leaves, 1/2 cup kokum syrup and lot of ice, add soda and mix well. Enjoy 😊

Sankranti is knocking at our door and every household would make various Sankranti treats such as Pithe, Patishapta to be enjoyed with Gur or Jaggery. Lot of coconut used too. From Gur’er Payesh to Gur’er Rosogolla, there are so many dishes. I chose to start the week with a Pithe which is traditional in Assamese homes but I have a twist by using Beetroot juice. #BeetrootBhapaPithe #MadhubishsKitchen

Cuisine – Assam

Course – Dessert

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Difficulty level – Easy

Preparation time-10 mins, Cooking time-45 mins

Ingredients

For Dough

2 cups Rice flour

1 cup Beetrooot juice

1/2 cup powdered sugar

For Filling

1 cup grated coconut

1/4 cup Khoya grated

4-5 Tbsp condensed milk

1 tsp cardamom powder

Method

For Dough

In a bowl add Rice flour, salt and gradually add Beetroot juice to make a dough, set aside

For filling

In a wok add grated coconut, grated Khoya, condensed milk and on medium flame cook until coconut leaves surface. Add cardamom powder, mix and set aside

For preparing the Pithe

Take a part of the dough, add to a Pithe maker, add 1 tsp of the filling and close the filling with a part of the dough. Finish the batches. Add them to a steamer and steam for 10 mins,

Serve and enjoy 😊

Shorba or Indian version of Soup is very popular in Indian Kitchens. Winter in season lot of vegetables are tender, sweet to taste and Shorba gives a great texture, quality to it. I made Spinach. Spinach are growing in my gardens and with Quinoa it tasted heavenly #SpinachShorba #Shorba #MadhubishsKitchen

Course – Soup

Cuisine – Indian

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Difficulty level – Easy

Serves -2-3 people

Preparation time-10 mins, Cooking time-15 mins

Ingredients

3 cups Spinach

1/2 cup Quinoa

1 Tbsp ghee

3-4 garlic cloves

1 medium size onion sliced

Salt

Pepper

Method

Wash the Spinach and chop fine. in a wok heat ghee and add garlic cloves & onion. Cook until onion softens. Add quinoa and cook for 2 mins. Add chopped Spinach and stir. Sprinkle water and cover to cook for 10 mins. Spinach will wilt. Add salt and pepper and mix. Set aside, cool and add to a blender. Blend smooth. Add to the wok and bring yo heat. Check on consistency, set aside to serve

This is a lost recipe, a no oil recipe which is yummilicious to the core. Can be slurped with steamed rice in one go. I enjoy cooking and sharing lost recipes and this is one of them. Also a no oil recipe is always a strong wish to go for. The Orange juice and Ginger paste in little water gives a distinctive taste and flavour which surpasses any comparison #PrawnsOrangeGingerJuice #MadhubishsKitchen

Course – Main

Cuisine – Bengal (India)

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Serves -2-3 persons

Preparation time-10 mins, Cooking time-20 mins

Difficulty level – Easy

Ingredients

10 Medium size Prawns

2 medium size onion sliced

5 green chillies

1 Tbsp ginger paste plus 1 tsp

1.5 Tbsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder

1 Tbsp whole garam masala crushed

300ml Orange juice

2 cups water

4-6 raisins

Salt

Sugar

To garnish Coriander leaves

Method

In a pan add water and boil, add sliced onions and boil until softened. In a mortar & pestle crush whole garam masala. When onions are boiled drain and let it cool on a plate. When cooled add to blender with 3 green chillies and make a fine paste. In a wok add crushed garam masala and stir for 1 min, add onion paste and cook until raw smell is gone. Add 1 Tbsp ginger paste and cook on medium flame to get the raw smell out. Add 2 green chillies, add Kashmiri red chilli powder and stir 1 min, add 1/4 cup water and stir and cook until well mixed. Add 1/4 cup water and stir well. Add Prawns and mix well until prawns are well coated about 2 mins. Don’t let prawns cook a lot as it becomes hard. Add raisins and mix well. Add salt and sugar and mix well. Add Orange juice and mix well. Let the prawns cook on medium flame for 2-3 mins. Add rest of the green chillies and stir. Add 1 tsp ginger paste with 1/4 cup water and add to the wok. Mix well and set aside. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice

14th November is celebrated as Children’s Day in India and whether a kid or an adult, we all like having cakes. Cakes made in different styles and different flavour is everyone’s favourite. I chose to make Bread Oreo Cake and the cake was yummilicious! Let’s dig #MadhubishsKitchen #BreadOreoCake #Cake #Oreo

Course – Dessert

Cuisine – Indian

Author – MadhubishsKitchen

Serves -4-5 people

Difficulty level – Easy

Preparation time-10 mins, Cooking time-45 mins

Ingredients

20 slices of Bread

1.5 cups double cream

10-12 Oreo Biscuits plus some more for decoration

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar syrup

Method

Remove the cream from the biscuits and add the biscuits to a blender and get powder. Set aside. In a bowl add double cream whisk until stiff peaks and then add powdered biscuits and using the fold & circle technique. Keep it aside. Take bread slices and cut the edges. In a serving board place liquid chocolate in four spots and place 4 slices of bread. Apply sugar syrup on the breads and take Oreo biscuits, remove the cream and dip in milk with a help of fork and place on the breads. Repeat this exercise until one layer is complete. Place 4 slices of bread on it. Add double cream biscuit layer on it and place 4 slices of bread on top. Apply sugar syrup and take Oreo biscuits discard the cream and dip in milk with the help of fork and repeat the exercise. Cover with 4 more slices of bread. Set in fridge for 30 mins. Apply liquid chocolate on all sides. Add gems and some broken Oreo biscuits on top as decor and share with your kids. Your kids would love it