Indian sweets / Mithais Archive

7May 3, 2013
Saffron mango kulfi – a royal summer treat and uncondtional mango mania !

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first. ~Ernestine Ulmer The magic word here is “Mango” . Yellow, ripe, plump , juicy, musky and fruity with a leathery vibrant yellow skin, sometimes comes with those pretty pink spots, speaks about its ripeness, hint of sweet flavor oozing out of the bud tells you its sweetness and even before you think about eating it, just like that , your head buzzed with thousand of ideas to try with mangoes. Thats the mango…
3March 25, 2013
Cardamom scented fig and chocolate fudge / anjeer halwa or barfi for Holi

Fig fudge or fig and chocolate fudge or anjeer (fig) halwa or anjeer barfi, it goes by many name but it has only one language that speaks deliciousness in every bite ! Holi like other festivals of India always holds a special place in our heart, and being very adventurous by nature I never shied away from playing with colors. In those days in my prime years, festivals like holi used to be celebrated with great fervor, a three-day affair, not like weekend celebration of today’s…
7January 13, 2013
Til badam ki chikki aka Sesame – almond brittle

The Sun is the Self of the world, moving as well as unmoving. Surya Upanishad, Atharva Veda Sun’s transmigration from one zodiac to another, makar (Capricorn) is considered very auspicious in Hinduism and is being celebrated as makar sankranti through out the country. In some states it also coincides with the harvest festival too, like in West Bengal where it is known as “Poushe sankranti”, amidst all the rituals the most awaited moments are however a lavish spread of “pithe -puli” made with freshly harvested…
12October 24, 2012
Celebrating Dusshera with Bengali chanar / paneer jalebi

Saffronstreaks wishes everyone who stops by very Happy Vijaydashami On this special occasion we are celebrating it with paneer jalebi which Bongs fondly refers to as “chanar jilepi”. Bengal the sweet pot of India always relishes on sweets that are made with pure fresh chana or cheese rather than the milk solids or mawa. This chanar jilepi or paneer jalebi is very much indigenous to the Bengali cuisine and is something that you wont come across in other cities frequently. This is very simple…
16March 26, 2012
Orange infused mava barfi jewelled with pistachios

After the BREAK……BREAK ke baad… We are back , yes WE ARE BACK with some delicious stories that will sure entertain you… Ya I know we took an un announced break from blogging, from social networks … just to get indulge in some secluded “ME” time… and it really works wonders on you and rejuvenates with more creativity…bubbling with new stories that we cant wait to share with you… Weather is absolutley beautiful outside…crisp, cool and sunny, bright which instantly cheers you up and season’s first break…
14March 7, 2012
Gujiya infused with chocolate flavour

I was planning to make pure chocolate gujiya this Holi, to satiate my never-ending desire for chocolates, but as they say “women proposes and God disposes ” ! my oven ditches me at the last moment and developed a technical snag which needs some expert hands to rectify it. Today morning it finally sprung back into life once again, but due to lack of time and other constraints, I could not go for pure chocolate gujiya, however I decided to make…
11January 17, 2012
Pithe patishapta for Sankranti or rice crepes with coconut filling

I know I am little late in wishing everyone Happy Sankranti , but at times it becomes really difficult to squeeze out some extra time for blogging, and when it coincide with Holidays it becomes all the more difficult. It was a long weekend, here in US, and being new in NC, we went to scout the neighborhood, a short trip to State’s Farmers Market which reveals some new surprises, that I will blog about it later and explored some…
25October 25, 2011
mawe ki kachori and peda – Indian sweets

Wishing you all who stops by a very Happy, safe and prosperous Diwali Celebrating Diwali with mawa kachori and peda / pedha. “Sweets are always an integral part of any joyous or festive celebrations in India and so when Diwali comes the ladoos, pedas, barfis, jalebis , seera, rabdi all dressed in gorgeous attire arrives at the market to lure us which even the calorie conscious people find hard to resist. Hence to score on this front the sweetmeat shops…
24October 19, 2011
coconut laddoo / sweet coconut balls

Does cooking needs some special skills ? Or is it just a matter of personal taste and choices, preferences ? Or do you believe that any one can cook ? just any one…??? If you have watched Ratatouille (the movie), you must have known, what and who am I referring to , the famous French chef Gusteau who believes that “anyone can cook” , just you need right aptitude for it. Cooking is an art, and that involves not only…
14October 6, 2011
celebrating dussehra with kalakand – Indian milk fudge

Subho Bijoya Saffronstreaks wishes everyone who stops by a very happy Vijaydashami. On this special occasion, we @ saffronstreaks are celebrating Dussehra or Vijaydashami with a sweet note kalakand or qalakand – the delectable Indian milk fudge. The origin of qalakand can be traced back its root to Arabic cuisine, as the root word qand means sweet in Arabic language. (courtesy : Wikipedia) This is one of the most scrumptious sweet in North and East India where milky white kalakand are hugely popular but in Western India, its fried version or the Ajmeri Kalakand is…
29April 28, 2011
mango sandesh – a summer delight

Bengali’s love for sweet dish is well-known affair and sondesh they simply adore it. The great Bengali luncheon always ends on a sweet note, and it does not stops there, it continues with late afternoon tea and dinner as well. Life revolves around tales of sweets from birth, marriage till death and memories laden with nostalgia keep haunting, weaving the stories and unfolding the secrets of sandesh making, a culinary art which remains the forte of selected few. A 150 year…
23April 22, 2011
bhapa sandesh meets strawberry and a bengali fusion delight

The world is becoming a huge melting pot where diverse cultures melts, embracing each others flavours, ethnicity wears a contemporary look and modernization rooted in traditions, culinary and cultural boundaries has dissolved long ago into oblivion and the global gourmet table wears a (con) fusion look. Hollaindaise embraces cilantro, rasgullas are dressed up with strawberry foam, gulabjamuns sweating in chocolate fondue, rasmalais lost their way in mascarpone cheese cakes, avials are the new (rata)touille, futomaki (sushi) goes lyrical with mango salsa, kimchis are well secured inside tacos,…
8April 15, 2011
Bengali mishti doi / sweet yogurt

Bengali mishti doi / sweet yogurt is the quintessential dessert without which a Bengali lunch can be said as complete. Ingredients: Milk (full cream): 500 ml Date jaggery (crushed) : 2-3 tbsp Curd: 2 tsp with live culture bacteria Method : Heat the milk in a heavy bottom pan and reduce it to 1/2 of its original quantity. Take off from the heat and let it cool slightly for couple of minutes. Add the date jaggery to the milk and…
8April 15, 2011
Bengali nolen gurer payesh / rice pudding with date jaggery

Bengali nolen gurer payesh or rice pudding with date jaggery / molasses is the most favoured desserts in Bengali homes for any occasions. Ingredients: Milk: 200ml Rice (gobindo bhog) or any fragrant rice: 6 tsp Date jaggery / molasses (crushed) : 1/2 cup Bay leaf: 1 or 2 Cardamom pods: 2-3 Method: Soak the rice (gobindo bhog or dubraj or any fragrant small to medium grain rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and let it dry for few more…
7April 13, 2011
rosogolla r payesh / rasgulla e ki kheer

Who doesn’t love rosogolla or rasgulla ? It is perhaps the most wanted and hot favourite sweet not only among the Bengalis but the entire nation loved it. I am sure the foodies / non-foodies alike will agree with me on this. Rasgulla / rosogolla comes in all the sizes but when you gulp down the sweet cheese balls soaked in syrup , it filled you with joy and happiness. A pot full of rasgulla for every occasion. Rosogolla r payesh / rasgulle ki kheer is one of…
12March 19, 2011
malpua (syrupy Indian pancakes) rabdi and holi

Saffronstreakswishes its readers a very Happy Holi. Malpua or the sweet , fennel scented fluffy Indian pancakes drenched in sugary syrup and when served along with rabdi becomes heavenly delicious, a deadly combo which can never go wrong and make the festival of color and joy all the more delicious and sweet. Malpua enjoys a very strong integral relationship with Holi and there is a small story behind it. “In early 16th century Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a Hindu saint and…
6March 4, 2011
doodhi halwa – unusual but tasty

This is one halwa or pudding (as you like to call it) which will definitely surprise you, if you are not familiar with it. Many years back, when I was not much into cooking and all, I got a chance to taste it at my friend’s place. It was light pink in color, which was quiet unusual and taste exactly like carrot (gajar ka halwa) halwa. Later I came to know that it was doodhi / lauki / bottlegourd halwa, with an artificial color…
9February 23, 2011
mango kheer – summer is calling

Mango is heavenly delicious, irresistibly tempting and when combined with freshly whipped cream, becomes more sinful and charmed every one with its mellow fruity flavour which lingers in memory for a long time. The fruit itself exudes so much warmth and comfort, just like a tropical sunshine, and on a lazy summer afternoon, seeking shade under its green lusty boughs, time just flies away. Mango kheer speaks about the delicious combination of the ripe pulpy goodness of mango and rich creamy…
4February 11, 2011
strawberry firni

Phirni or firni is a traditional north Indian dessert, can be interpreted as rice pudding and is usually flavored with dry fruits. Phirni is one versatile dessert which can be flavored differently according to one’s taste and when strawberry is the fruit of the season, then why not make it with freshly chopped strawberries, which not only will give this traditional dish a twist but also its luscious deep red color will stimulate your senses. We are happy to announce…
4November 5, 2010
gulab jamuns says happy diwali

Happy Diwali with Gulab jamuns We wishes everyone who stops by a very “Joyous and Sparkling Diwali”. Have lots of fun, sweets and be watchful with crackers. We also hope that you have liked the Diwali special recipes and other related sweet stories on Diwali and please be careful about the spurious mawa stuff. On festive season we un intelligently binge on everything that looks edible, so please take special care about it and here are some mithai red list which…
4October 30, 2010
diwali recipes – pumpkin halwa

…diwali / halloween recipe… Gorgeous yellow-orange pumpkin is the fruit of the season and since tomorrow is Halloween, everywhere it is pumpkin-pumpkin all the way. You can prepare some jack-o-lanterns with the much colored red pumpkins to hang on your door or make some pie or cakes out of this rich and fleshy fruit. Read here for pumpkin pancakes and see some gorgeous pics:pumpkin pancakes This recipe of pumpkin halwa has been taken from Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s most famous…
4October 29, 2010
diwali recipes – broken wheat kheer

…diwali special recipe… Broken wheat or dalia as popularly known is highly nutritious because it is enriched with bran and germs, dietary fibers, manganese and is a good substitute for the staple diet of rice. Whether you mix with lentils and seasonal vegetables to make khichadi or pulav and with milk it makes a delicious dessert. Here goes the recipe for broken wheat kheer. Enjoy ! broken wheat kheer Ingredients: Broken Wheat (dalia): 100 gm Milk: 500 ml Clarified butter…
6October 27, 2010
diwali recipes – bread rasmalai

…diwali special recipe… Rasmalais …hmm…the yummy creamy sweet cheese dumplings. Rasmalai is everyone’s favorite and is popular too. So this classic dessert inspires me to make another variant called bread rasmalai, with milk breads, cream, thickened milk and dry fruits. Very easy to make and rich on taste too. Here goes the recipe for bread rasmalai. Enjoy ! bread rasmalai Ingredients: Milk: 500 ml Milk Bread: 6-8 slices Sugar: ½ cup Almonds: ¼ cup Pistachio nuts: ¼ cup Clarified butter or Ghee:…
2October 21, 2010
gajar ka halwa

sinful gajar ka halwa Carrot is good for health no doubt ! Drinking a glass of fresh carrot juice daily will keep you in the pink of your health, you know it very well, you have been told so by many people, and you have probably read as much at so many places. But will you do that ? Nah ! When winter approaches and fresh stocks of ruby-red carrots arriveto tease youtempt you, your fickle mind starts driftingand tossing the idea,…
2October 17, 2010
sandesh

…durga puja special recipe… sandesh Ingredients: Chenna: 200 gm Powdered sugar: 1-2 tbsp Method to prepare: Knead the chenna smoothly and blend chenna and powdered sugar in a pan gently. Cook on low flame, stirring continuously till the chenna is left not too dry or too soft. Take off the flame and spread the mixture on a plate and let it cool. Once cooled, cut the sandesh into desired shapes and serve.
8October 17, 2010
rasgulla or rossogulla

…durga puja special recipe… rasgulla or rossogulla No it is not a cheese balls dipped in sugary syrup but it is the old sweet everyone’s favorite rossogulla or rasgulla, which wins millions of hearts across the world. No translation please ! Read here for a sweet and short story on rasgulla. But how to make rasgulla at home ? This question has perhaps intrigued us most, so here we present a step-by-step procedure of making rosogolla or rasgulla Ingredients: Milk: 1 l Lemon…
7October 8, 2010
Orange basundi / kheer komola – Indian dessert

Updated: This blog post has been re-edited, re-photographed and re-published with a different title. Orange in milk ? Would not it get curdled ? That was my first reaction when Ma mentioned about something called “Kheer komola“. She makes beautiful payesh, just perfect, the best one and of all the payesh variety she has ever made for the festivals or simple homey occasions, ” kheer komola ” however has never surfaced, until that day. It so happened that one of our family friends had sent us huge crate of oranges from…
2April 15, 2010
bhapa sandesh

…poila baisakh special recipes… …bhapa sandesh or steamed sandesh – a Bengali sweetdish… We are concluding the series on “poila baisakh special recipes” on a sweet note with one of the signature dish from the Bengali cuisine – Bhapa sandesh. Bhapa Sandesh or the steamed sandesh Ingredients: Milk: 1 liter Powdered sugar: 2-3 tbsp Vanilla essence: few drops Lemon juice: 1 Raisins: few for garnishing Method to Prepare: To make fresh channa or cottage cheese: see here for an illustration…