Bengali Rasogulla

Bengali Rasogulla

1. Ingredients:
   4 cups milk
   1/4 cup lemon juice
   1 1/2 cups sugar
   4 1/2 cups water
   Pressure cooker

1. Method:
   Paneer:
   Mix lemon juice in half cup of hot water and keep aside.
   Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
   As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
   Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.
   Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, and rince under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
   To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth, or press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about one hour.Taking the right amount of water out of the paneer is the most important part of this recipe.
   To check if enough water is out of the paneer, take a little piece of paneer on your palm and rub with your fingers. After rubbing the paneer for about 15-20 seconds, you should be able to make a firm but smooth ball.
   Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.
   Knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard on the paneer. Keep scooping it back to togather and knead more. If the paneer is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water. Your palm will be little greasy.
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3. Rasgulla:
   Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll them into smooth balls. apply some pressure at the first and then release when forming the balls.
   Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.
   Add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about seven minutes.
   Make sure the pressure cooker is large enough to accommodate the finished Rasgullas, as they will expand to about double
   To make the balls in the volume while cooking in the syrup.
   Close the heat and wait a few minutes before you opening the pressure cooker. Pour cold water over the pressure cooker before opening.
   Rasgullas should be little spongy. After rasgullas are refrigerated the sponginess will reduce and will be soft in texture.
   Serve the Rasgullas chilled.

Maccha Besara

Maccha Besara

Ingredients:
1 kg rohu or bhakur fish
1 onion
2 tomatoes
2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
5 garlic cloves
5 tablespoon mustard oil
3 tablespoon mustard
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the fish into small pieces and wash thoroughly. Add turmeric powder and salt to it for marinating. Make a paste of mustard, tomatoes and garlic. Cut the onion into slices. Pre-heat a pan on medium flame. Put oil and fry the fish in batches of 2 or 3 pieces at a time for 4 to 5 minutes. Keep the fried fish aside. Putting the pan again on medium flame take a little oil . Add cumin seeds and mustard ½ tea spoonful each. When the cumin seeds and mustard start cracking add the sliced onions. Stir a little. Add the tomato/mustard/garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to it. Also add 3 to 4 cups of water. Keep the pan on flame for about 10 to12 minutes. When the curry starts boiling add the fried fishes and boil it further for about 3 minutes. Maccha Besar is now ready to be served with rice. Garnish it with coriander leaves before serving.