at 16:21

One Billion Rise, Valentine’s Day and a Sweetheart Warm Chocolate Sandwich with vanilla ice-cream, for my Sweetheart:

Come February and all shop window turns red. It breaks the monotonousness of January.  January is New-year and February is Valentine day. I do not have many thoughts on Valentine’s Day. Should I celebrate it or should I not? Well some celebration most often is not about what I think but what person in relation to the celebration feel. Like my mother loves the NEW thing called mother’s day (not so much about father’s day though). She thinks that as a mother they are never given the importance they deserve hence a day like that, although very pseudo, pushes people to think about their mother. My father on the other hand hates the idea of father’s day and will always give a sarcastic remark if we happen to wish him. He says that he is loved always and does not need to be reminded. As for me, well I am not like some ‘political party’ (I am not naming them as next thing you know they have given a supari to get me. They are mad anyway and does not deserve mention here ) who venture into moronic endeavour of breaking card and gift shops and start teaching Hindustani  cultural as opposed to western culture to us janta. I am also not like ‘paint the house red with red heart shaped balloons’ and ‘will not be with you in case I do not get my Valentine’s Day surprise of my choice’. I am like ‘let’s not make R feel left out on a day when rest of world is going crazy trying to impress each other’

I find commercialisation of all thing called ‘love’ little stupid really. It was after all made popular by Cards Company to sell more cards and gifts. But if someone wants to celebrate it just the way we do with birthday, anniversary or even puja and Christmas, I see no reason to stop them. I love my birthday precisely because that is only one day in year where I can blackmail my friends in buying me things that I want. So what’s wrong with V day?

Like I said, I love to see that R is not excluded from the red love, also like to make my mother and brother and A feel special on the day who like to feel special, well who are special. They are anyway. But sometime, it is nice to say that aloud, with a hug and with a call and maybe cooking something special (which I do any way every day). But to be honest, I would be just me like every day, living and loving people around me.

Having said that there are some interesting things happening on 14^th of February 2013. One  billion Rising Campaign ( See http://onebillionrising.org/) to stop violence against women is taking place all over the world this year on 14^th Feb . Violence against women seems to a never ending fight for many of us. This year the rape incident in Delhi saw 1000’s on road in Delhi and other part of the world. I went to protects across London with other men and women.  Pioneered by author of Vagina Monologue, One Billion Rising is a promise that we will rise up with women and men worldwide to say, "Enough! The violence ends now”.

My organisation is taking part in the event in London and we have taken part in making a movie on women and girls fighting violence. Many of the women I work with or have worked with have come forward, shared their story and helped in making the movie.  Please join us with your loved one and make it a success. Here is the link for the page:

http://www.onebillionrising.org/page/event/detail/startarising/4v7g8

What can be better way to express your love? I will surely be there with R celebrating our fights against violence, with other men and women of the globe, cheering for our every day success to stop violence against women, and paving way towards a world free of violence against women and girls. Are you going to be there?

Food forms an equally important part in bringing people together and celebrating life. While I am excited about One billion women’s rise, our film, rally on 8^th March and talk on 9^th March at south bank centre in London, I am also excited about cooking some easy, low cost but interesting V day dishes for my loved ones. To start the celebration I have made ‘Sweetheart Warm Chocolate Sandwich with vanilla Ice-cream ‘

I am sending this recipe on Priya’s Versatile Recipe for Valentine’s Day Recipe Contest. Please fine the details of the contest here

Ingredients (For one Serving)

4-slices of Bread, any bread would do, I used white for the colour

2-tablesppon melted chocolate

1-Egg

2-teaspoon sugar (depending on taste)

2-tablespoon full fat milk (you can use skimmed milk too)

2-scoop good quality vanilla ice cream

Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle

Colour fruits for garnishing (I used pomegranate for being red and grape as I had them at home)

Oil to fry

Method

1.    Break the egg, add milk and sugar and beat well

2.    Cut the bread in heart shape ( using either heart shape biscuit cutter or by drawing like me)

3.    Spread the melted chocolate on bread and make a sandwich

 

4.    Heat oil in a pan

5.    Mix egg and milk and sugar

6.    Soak the chocolate sandwich in the egg

7.    Fry the sandwich until both side is golden brown

8.    place on plate with two scoop ice cream, fruits and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top

9.    Serve while the sandwich is warm so that they ice-cream melt when eating together

10. Impress your loved ones and Start a lovely V day celebration ! 

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page pet pujo and adda and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog here. I am featured at Networkedblogs.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!

Breakfast with R on A sunny sunny morning at home. a little over exposed photo but the sun is so rare here that did not feel like editing the snap. the sunshine overflow

 

at 20:17

Fruit and Walnut Cups: Dessert made Easy and Healthy

This is a very simple dessert and it would never fail you. Many times, it rescued me from my last minutes dessert disasters.  I usually make this dessert when I invite many people over for lunch and have gone overboard with main courses or too tired to make any puddings. Basically when I am too deep into showing off!!!!  This light dessert is full of goodness of walnuts, freshness of seasonal fruits and healthy oat biscuits and decadence of whipped cream. So after too much eating, it sort of gives a break to the over eating and fills you up with freshness of fruit and nuts.

I have also tried this one for breakfast and it was an instant hit with kiddos and adults alike. You get to feed oat, walnuts and fresh fruits minus any sugar- without any fuss to any age group. It takes about 30 minutes to make for 10 people. What more do you want?

This is my all time favorite. I hope you like it too! Enjoy making this wonderful dessert by me!

 

Ingredients (to make for 10 to serve in small dessert glasses)

30-walnuts (3 for each person but you can add more) broken you can use a blender to make dust as well. I made dust of the walnuts

15-oats biscuit (1 and ½ for each person, but you can add more) made into crumbles (I used Mcvities digestives full fat version)

10-strewberry, thinly slices

1-orange, skin off and made in to dices

7/8-any other berry

2-sharron fruit, thinly sliced

Sufficient sweet mango, small diced

1/4-cup orange juice (or any other fruit juice)

Little vanilla extract

20/25-tablespoon fresh whipping cream (homemade or store bought. I used homemade. Ideally 2 table spoon for each glass/person)

 

 Method:

1.    Mix the broken/dust walnuts with oats biscuit crumble. Combine well

2.   Add little orange juice with the walnut and biscuit mix to make it little moist but not soggy. It should remain loose and crumbly. Keep aside

3.   Mix all the mix fruits together

4.   Add vanilla with whipping cream or add vanilla in fresh cream and whip until soft peak rises. Do not over do it and make it hard

5.   Now the layering for the dessert

6.   Take a dessert glass or anything tall ( bowl would do too but for layering something glass like is nicer and easy)

7.   First layer : make with walnut and oat biscuit mix

8.   Second layer:  Top the first layer with one tablespoon of whipped cream and spread the cream around the glass

9.   Thirst layer : Top the second layer with fruits

10.                Fourth layer: top the third layer with again walnut and biscuit mix

11. Fifth layer : Top the fourth with one tablespoon of whipped cream and spread the cream around the glass

12.                Sixth layer: top the fifth layer (of cream) with fruits. Add the fruits nicely as this would be your last layer

13.                Chill for 1 hour before serving

14.                Serve as dessert or breakfast or even for picnic

Note: Layering is done to make it look beautiful. If you are eating at home on a Friday night while watching a movie, you might want to just put all ingredients together and combine and just enjoy the dessert without the hassle of layering

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page pet pujo and adda and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog here . I am featured at Networkedblogs.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!

 

at 17:31

Coffee Snaps: a coffee time favorite for both S and R

Ingredients: (This will make around 70)

125g spread or butter ( I used spread)

200g brown sugar

3- Teaspoon ground coffee

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

1-egg

220g- flour ( or you can use 110g plain and 110g selfraising flour. then you will not need baking powder)

1/2-teaspoon baking powder

 

 Method:

1.     Preheat the oven 160c for fan oven

2.    Beat the spread/butter, coffee, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. I use electric beater for about 7 minutes

3.    Add egg and combine

4.    Shift the flour with baking powder

5.    Combine  the flour

6.    Roll rounded teaspoons into balls and place 1 inch apart on a greased baking tray

7.    Bake for 10 mins. do not wait till they are hard and they will become crisp once cooled

8.    Cool down before serving

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page here and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog . I am featured at Network bloggers.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!

 

 

at 20:34

Poush Sankranti: time for new harvest, kites, Ganga Sagar Snan and Mela, pitha, puli, payesh

English months January–February, that is the months of Poush-Magh-Falgun in Bengali calendar, are the months for celebration of new harvest.  Ours being predominantly an agrarian society, harvesting festival is celebrated across Indian. Known by different names in different parts of the coiuntry- Poush Sankranti in Bengal, Makar Sankranti in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka ect, Maghi in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Lohri in Punjab, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Uttarayan in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu in Assam- with some regional variation, it is celebrated with much fan fare  in all most every household.  It is also celebrated in Nepal –Maghe Sankranti, Myanmar-Thingyan, Cambodia-Maha Sangkran, Thailand-Songkran- again mainly agrarian economy.

 

Although the festival has a religious tonality, in the rural areas, where people still depends on agriculture, everybody celebrates the harvesting festival and takes the opportunity to pray to their God: the land and the crop. In West Bengal this day is also marked by Ganga Snan: a dip in the ocean where Ganges drains in to the sea is considered to be of great religious significance. It is believed that taking holi dip  during this time of the year cleanses all sins. In other part of the country, the sky will be like a rainbow with kites flying from every rooftop. In Delhi, I remember we used to have bonfire and dance around it while throwing peanuts, popcorn etc into the fire.  

Although the festival is a more rural festival, urban household celebrates it too with special emphasis beings food. Hence, it is also known as Pithey Parbon. Both my parents’ household, being agrarian celebrates it in a big way. Although, they have not been farming for ages now, it remains one of the most important festivals along with Noboborsho (Bengali New Year), Lakshmi Puja, Boter Bhat. I do not remember any pujo’s or praying associated with the festival, however my grandmothers, my mother, and all my mashi’s would make pitha and serve it to their God during evening prayers. I like the idea that we are celebrating harvesting festival. With time, we are forgetting our farmers, that our country is essentially an agriculture-based economy, that we have horrible agriculture policies and that every year we have farmers committing suicide. When we are so busy with our life, maybe a festival likes this with all focus on the food and pitha and payesh, we would at least think about the people who are making it all happen.

I am celebrating the day with the hope that I will be able remember my original background that is rooted in the land. I have made Pati Shapta, Malpua, Dudh Puli and Bhapa Pitha for the day. My father is super excited about it. He thinks although it is more about eating now, it still has the power to push people to think about farmers. I believe him.

Here are the recipes for the Pithas that I made:

For Recipe of Pati Sapta Pitha click here

For Recipe of Dudh Puli click here

 

For Recipe of Malpua click here

 

 

For Recipe of Bhapa Pitha Click here

 

at 00:22

Poush Parbon er Pati shapta: Both sweet and Savory Pati Shapta Pitha for Poush Sankranti

Coconut and Jaggery filled Pati Shapta

Ingredients for Jaggery and coconut filling

1-cup Grated coconut

Jaggery as per taste (you can use sugar too incase you don’t have jaggery) 

 Ingredients for milk fudge filling

4-litre full cream milk

4/5 Cardamom

Sugar

Milk Fudge Filled Pati Shapta

 Ingredients for vegetable filling (for people who cannot take sweet)

6-potatoes thinly sliced

2-onions thinly sliced

Pinch of turmeric

1-green chili

Salt to taste

 Ingredients for Pati Shapta  

1-cup Rice Flour/flour (I used flour)

4/5 cardamom, crushed

Water or milk to mix (I used water)

Jaggery

1- Tablespoon of Semolina (optional. Does not matter much if you do not give. I did not use today as I did not have it at home)

 

Method:

Jaggery and Coconut Filling

1.    Heat a pan and add jaggery

2.   When the jaggery is liquid add the grated coconut  and combine well

3.   Cook until sticky and dry but moist enough to work with the mixture

The jaggery and Coconut Filling

Milk Fudge Filling

1.    Reduce milk on low heat

2.   Add cardamom

3.   Reduce it until milk have turned thick and dry

4.   Add sugar or jaggery and cook little more

5.   Dry it until you can work with hands and use as filling in a crepe

Vegetable filling

1.    Heat oil

2.   Fry onion and potatoes

3.   Add salt, chili and turmeric

4.   Fry until cooked

You can used any vegetable filling, even chicken filling

For Pati Shapta or Crepe

1.    Mix cardamom with flour

2.   Add jaggery or sugar

3.   Add Semolina ( if using)

4.   Add water or milk ( I used water) to make a paste

5.   The batter would be little more liquid than pancake batter

Pati Shapta Batter

6.   Smear oil on a hot frying pan. I used one end of a green papaya to smear the oil on the pan

Smearing oil on the pan with the help of vegetable end

7.    Take a deep spoon of batter and pour it over the pan

8.   Make a round using the back of a spoon , this should be evenly distributed

9.   Put the stuffing length wise at one end ( leaving little space to fold) of the Pati Shapta

10.                Fold the pati Shapta from the end where you have placed the filling and roll it till the other end

Savory Pati Shapta for people to do not take sweet or sugar

11. Serve hot or cold

Lot of people pours thick milk over the pati Shapta. I do not like to eat that way. In fact as per my mother bangal’s do not eat that way. Whatever, I do not like to add more milk over it as it is already really sweet. However, you can pour thick milk or condensed milk over pati Shapta before serving.

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page Pet Pujo and Adda  and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog. I am featured at Network bloggers.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again!

 

at 22:37

Dudh Puli for Poush Sankranti - Puli Pitha (Bengali flour made Sweet. And puli is the name of the sweet) soaked in milk

Ingredients:

1-cup Rice Flour/flour ( I used flour)

1-cup Grated coconut

4-litre full cream milk

Pinch of salt

4/5 Cardamom

Jaggery as per taste (you can use sugar too incase you don’t have jaggery) 

Oil to deep fry the pitha

 Method:

 Filling

1.    Heat a pan and add jaggery

2.   When the jaggery is liquid add the grated coconut  and combine well

3.   Cook until sticky and dry but moist enough to work with the mixture

Dough:

1.    Take the rice flour/flour. Add salt

2.   Add  boiling water little bit at a time

3.   Knead it

4.   The dough should be soft and easy to work with but not sticky

5.   Then make small balls of the dough

Making the Pitha Puli (Bangal) or Pithe (Ghoti)

1.    Using a roller pin, make flat rounds with the dough

2.   Put little bit of the filling in the middle of the round flat dough

3.   And fold it and seal it properly. Use little water if need

4.   It will look like half moon

5.   Heat oil in a pan

6.   Deep fry the pitha until golden on both the sides

Making the milk to soak the Puli

1.     Boil the milk on low heat to reduce it to half

2.   Add cardamom and little jaggery ( or sugar as per taste)

3.   Boil until jaggery melts

4.   Soak the puli pitha and boil for little more, until the pitha seems soaked. Do not over boil

5.   Serve hot or cold

 

For regular update from my blog, please visit my face book page Pet Pujo and Adda and click ‘like’. Also, follow me at my blog. I am featured at Network bloggers.  You can also leave your comments here. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Hope to see you again