Mihidana Cheese Cake - Durga Puja Delights

On the onset of Durga puja, Kolkata becoms sheerly festive. Every year Kolkata celebrated this festival like a carnival, Pujor Khabar forms an integral part of the entire Parikrama. Going to restaurants and smapling new fare, as almost every restaurants serve some Puja specials. 

Pujo, as I correct myself, comes with really wild memories, all nigh long panadal hopping session, the smell of dhuno, the ecoes of conch early in the morning, the dhaak beating at a tempo that would render anyone dancing. The Giant wheels, the adda at Maddox Square all keep me waiting every year for durga puja . They say you always meet lost friends at Maddox Square in the pujas. 

The biryani, kosha stalls at puja pandals, those paara pandaal cultural functions, Shayama, Chandalika, Chitrangada, all coming to life in local pandals. And not to forget the early Morning breakfasts at Terhatti bazaar. 

Well before I get carried away, Let me tell you what I have in Store. I am taking a Present day hit Cheese Cake and giving it a traditional Bengali twist. Taking the quintessential Bangali MIHIDANA and paring it with a cheese cake .  Had Shared this recipe with RJ Arvind on Radio One .... In his show Arvind's Kitchen. 

Gelatin 50 g

1/2 cup water 

Whipped cream 200g

Cream Cheese 100g 

Marie biscuits 75g

ginger biscuts 50 g

Butter 50g

Powdered sugar 50g + 50g

Mihidna (motichoor ) 250 g 

2 tsp badam syrup 

• Whip the cream and set aside
• Beat in powdered sugar 50g in to the cream with some chopped fresh fruit or crush
• Crush the biscuits and mix 50g sugar and butter into the biscuits for the base
• Set the crust and chill
• Dissolve and melt gelatin in water 
• Add the gelatin to the cream mixture
• mix in 200 g of the mihidana and badam syrup 
• Pour over the crust and chill
• Finally top with remaining mihidana and set 

Cinnamon Apple Patishaptas

Cuisines all over the world, share many common aspects with each other. All Cuisines share many common cooking techniques, they have common food groups, some even have very similar dishes. Most cuisines have custards, dumplings, fritters, Wraps, pancakes etc.

Crepes are also there in most cultures and in Bengali Cuisine, the make a sweet crepe made with rice flour and its called PATISHAPTA.

I am taking a modern take on this traditional recipe and making Apple Cinnamon Patishaptas. Had recently shared this recipe with RJ Arvind on air on 94.3 Radio One one his show Arvind's Kitchen

For Patishapta 

1/4 tin condensed milk

1 cup flour

2 tbsp rice flour

125 ml water

 2 tsp Butter for frying

Mix all ingredients into a batter with coating consistency and whisk well to remove lumps 

apply butter on a non stick pan with some tissue and make 10 crepes with the above batter of 6 inch diameter 

For filling 

2 diced apples

3/4 cup grated khoya / mawa / dehydrated milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

heat apples and sugar till apples go soft and moisture evaporated making a semi chutney

switch off and add khoya and cinnamon powder and mix well

cool the mixture and roll the crepes with this mixture

Serve at room temperature or a little warm with vanilla ice cream  

Chatpati Amrood Ki Sabzi ...

Navratras are approaching real soon .... and i would like to share a childhood favorite and a wonderfully delicious dish to  eat during navratri...

In Navratri we cannot consume the following items as a fast

Any Cereal ( wheat / rice / pulses)
Common salt - replaced by pink salt (sendha namak )
Any garam masalas 
Onions
Garlic
Mustard


I will be sharing more Navratra recipes on and off for next few days and I hope you will like it.

I shared this recipe on Radio One 94.3 FM with RJ Arvind in his show Arvind's Kitchen.

Ingredients 

2 large guavas ( less ripe) diced

1 tsp ghee 

1 tsp grated ginger 

2 green chilies chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric 

1 tbsp coriander powder

2 tsp kashmiri chili powder 

1 tsp Raw Mango Powder ( amchoor ) 

1/2 cup yogurt 

Chopped coriander leaves (optional ) 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste 

1 tsp Sugar 

1 cup water 

Heat Ghee in a pan and temper with ginger and green chilies and saute till golden 

Add the dry ingredients namely chili, coriander, raw mango powder, turmeric, salt, sugar, pepper 

saute for a few seconds 

Add guava dices and water and saute for a few mins and cook covered for 15 mins

The guavas will go soft and the water with thicken ad evaporate. make sure that the skin of the guava isn't green any more 

Add yogurt and turn off the gas for some time ... switch on again after 5 mins and simmer till oil appears on the edges. This will prevent the yogurt from curdling. 

Please leave your feedback in the comments