Kalara Chadchadi | Bitter Gourd in Mustard Paste

 

a healthy side dish using the bitter vegetable, Karela / Kalara / Bitter Gourd from Odia cuisine

Karela !!!!

Karela (in hindi) / kalara (in odia) / bitter gourd is one of the healthiest vegetables in the food world and is considered as a staple in many types of Asian cuisine. This has either long or medium short length with pointed ends, the outer skin is rough with jagged spikes all over. In addition to its sharp flavor (bitter) and distinct appearance, there are many impressive health benefits by the regular consumption of bitter gourd. It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, magnesium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and has high dietary fiber. It is rich in iron and contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach and also twice the potassium of a banana, according to a health source. Even drinking raw karela juice is full of advantages as it contains essential vitamins as well as antioxidants.

 

Some more health benefits of bitter gourd :

• Helps to reduce blood sugar
• Acts as a blood purifier
• Helps in weight loss
• Boosts immune system
• Great for diabetes etc.

 

Culinary uses : 

Bitter gourd aka karela is easy to prepare and can be used in many different recipes. It can be enjoyed raw or in cooked form. One can use it as a vegetable, pickle or as a juice. Chips of this vegetable sounds a perfect crispy snack, even some paratha can be prepared with this vegetable as a stuffing.

Here I have come up with a odia special recipe using this healthy vegetable, karela as Kalara Chadchadi / Bitter gourd in mustard paste.

Do check some karela based recipe from this blog -

• Sweet and Sour Bitter Gourd Curry / Khatta Meetha Karela  
• Stuffed karela with aloo   

Ingredients for kalara chadchadi :

1. Bitter gourd - Bitter gourds are here used in cubes form. One can simply slice the karela and use it to make the chadchadi. 
2. Potato - For the uniformity, potatoes are also cut in cube forms.
3. Onion - This is used in tempering part in chopped form.
4. Pancha phutana - A combination of cumin seed, mustard seed, fenugreek seed, fennel seed and onion seed is this pancha phutana / panch phoron. This is a must in most odia dish tempering part.
5. Garlic clove, whole red chili, cumin seed, mustard seed - All these 4 ingredients are used to make a fine paste along with very little amount of water and this paste is the main flavor in the dish.Turmeric powder & Red chili powder - These two are the spice powders used in this dish.
6. Badi (sun dried lentil dumplings) - It gives nice crunch to the dish. This is an optional addition, if using then simply fry them with or without oil first and then use.
7. Mustard oil - Mustard oil gives the authentic flavor, still one can use any other oil.
8. Salt - This is added as per the taste.

Making procedure of this dish :

In a mixing bowl first all the bitter gourd (karela / kalara) cubes and potato cubes are mixed well with turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Then mustard oil is heated in a pan. When oil is hot enough, pancha phutana (panch phoron) along with 1 whole red chili are added and allowed to crackle. Then chopped onions are added and saute till slightly transparent. Next bitter gourd and potato cubes are added and everything is well mixed using a spoon and also saute for 4-5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, a fine paste of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, 2 whole red chilies, garlic cloves are prepared in a grinder jar. After 4-5 minutes, the masala paste is mixed well. Around 1/2 cup water is poured and stirred well. The pan is then covered and allowed to cook till all the vegetables are well done over low-medium heat. At last, some fried badi (sun dried lentil dumplings) are roughly crushed and sprinkled  over. The dish is ready to serve now !

Dietary note :

✔ Vegetarian & Vegan
✔ Healthy side dish
✔ Odia Cuisine
✔ Dairy & Gluten free

The event related to this post :

Monday is here again and the Foodie Monday Blog Hop team has decided the 262th theme as 'Bitter, but Good' which is suggested by me this time. Basically we all have to make dish with a bitter ingredinte as the major part of the dish. So here I have come up with this Kalara Chadchadi | Bitter Gourd in Mustard Paste and contributed for the theme.

Now let’s go through how to make "Kalara Chadchadi" at home 👇

: Recipe Card :

Kalara Chadchadi | Bitter Gourd in Mustard Paste

Print

Author: sasmita

Prep time: 10 MCook time: 20 MTotal time: 30 M

a healthy side dish using the bitter vegetable, Karela / Kalara / Bitter Gourd from Odia cuisine

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd (cubes) 1.5 cup
• Potato (cubes) 1 cup
• Onion (chopped) (medium) 1 no.
• Garlic clove 6-7 no.
• Whole red chili 2-3 no.
• Pancha phutana 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seed 1 tsp
• Mustard seed 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder 1/2 tsp
• Salt as needed
• Water as needed
• Mustard oil 2 tbsp

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, take bitter gourd (karela / kalara) cubes and potato cubes.
2. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt and mix well.
3. Now heat mustard oil in a pan.
4. When oil is hot enough, add pancha phutana (panch phoron) along with 1 whole red chili and allow to crackle.
5. Then add chopped onions and saute till slightly transparent.
6. Now add bitter gourd and potato cubes and mix everything well.
7. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make a fine paste of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, 2 whole red chilies, garlic cloves in a grinder jar.
9. After 4-5 minutes, add this paste and mix well.
10. Pour 1/2 cup water and adjust salt.
11. Give a nice stir and cover the pan.
12. Allow to cook till all the vegetables are well done over low-medium heat.
13. Serve hot as a side dish along with steamed rice dal combo or with pakhala pasara (water rice) !

Notes:

Some fried badis can be added towards the end of the dish. This gives a nice crunch to the dish. I have skipped this addition. As this is bitter, so I will recommend to make this a little spicy to balance. But this is optional. Mustard oil gives the authentic flavor, still one can use any other oil.

https://www.firsttimercook.com/2020/08/kalara-chadchadi-bitter-gourd-in-mustard-paste.html

Vegetarian side dish, Kalara, Mustard paste, Bitter gourd, Mustard oil, Potato, Onion, Karela, Kalara, Panch Phoron

Side dish, Vegetarian, Odia dish, Kalara Chadchadi, Vegan, Gluten free, Healthy dry dish, Gluten free, Diary free

Odia

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @firsttimercook on instagram and hashtag it #firsttimercook

You may also follow me on  Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

PIN for later :

Continue Reading ...

Bhapa Aam Doi in OVEN | Steamed Mango Yogurt with cardamom and saffron (with VIDEO details)

  

a melt in mouth texture Bengali dessert with a twist of the king of fruit, Mango and that too prepared in Oven (WATER BATH method).

What is Bhapa Doi ?

Bhapa Doi is a traditional and absolutely delectable dessert from the West Bengal state of Indian subcontinent. Bhapa doi consists of two Bengali words, 'Bhapa' means 'steamed' and 'Doi' means 'yogurt / curd'. So literally bhapa doi means a steamed yogurt. Each Bengali knows to please anyone by serving a bowl of this type of sweets towards the end of a meal.

Are Bhapa Doi and Mishti Doi same ?

Most have the misconception that these two are same. But, no ! Both are different. Mishti doi is the sweetened yogurt where as by steaming it becomes bhapa doi. So Mishti doi can turn into Bhapa Doi but not the vice-versa !

Basically this simple Bengali dessert is made using condensed milk, Greek yogurt (hung curd). All you need to do is mix all the ingredients together and steam. Literally, these are the only simple steps to get a delicious creamy dessert. The bhapa doi can be prepared in a steamer or even in oven by following water bath method. Now-a-days the flavorings of the bhapa doi varies and can be customized by using sliced almonds, chopped pistachios, saffron, raisins, chocolate chips, fruits etc. 

Previously I had shared a bhapa doi recipe where some masala tea powder is added to the simple bhapa doi or steamed yogurt and hence the dessert became Masala Bhapa Doi | Spiced Tea Flavored Steamed Yogurt . In that, I had followed the steaming method. Today the bhapa doi is flavored with the king of fruit, Mango and that too in a oven (that means I have used the water bath process to steam). So the Bengal delicacy here becomes Bhapa Aam Doi / Steamed Mango Yogurt. 

Ingredients for this sweet dish :

• Mango pulp - Mango pulp one can use fresh homemade ones or store bought. If preferring to use homemade, then just peel the mango and chop roughly. In a blender jar blend into a smooth puree type without adding any water. Mango pulp is then ready to use. The sweetness of the bhapa doi is also affected by the ripeness of the mango. So adjust as per the sweetness desired.
• Condensed milk -   If you are not in for of much sweetness, then just add only 3/4th cup of condensed milk instead of 1 cup or vice-versa. 
• Greek yogurt / hung curd - This recipe is called for hung curd or Greek yogurt. If you are using regular yogurt (check how to make curd / yogurt at home) then make sure that, it is drained of most of the liquid. It is the important step and has to keep in mind that no water should be there in the hung curd if preparing the hung curd at home. All water from the curd should be drained out. Instead of regular yogurt, Greek yogurt is naturally thick. So it is best suited and well combined easily with the condensed milk. Always prefer to use fresh curds that is not sour at all, otherwise the dessert'll not taste very good.
• Cardamom powder - This is is most common flavoring agent in the bhapa doi preparation.
• Milk (warm) & Saffron - Few saffron strands are soaked in warm milk and then used in this bhapa doi mixture. In addition to that some crushed saffrons are sprinkled on top of the bhapa doi molds before steaming which lends a very beautiful look in the bhapa aam doi.

Preparation method of bhapa aam doi :

As I have already mentioned above that here the bhapa doi is prepared by following a water bath method. That means in oven the steaming procedure is done. So first the oven has to preheat at 180 deg C. Meanwhile few saffrons are soaked with warm milk in a small bowl and kept aside. 

In another mixing bowl the hung curd, mango pulp, condensed milk are mixed well until a smooth texture. Next the saffron milk is added followed by the cardamom powder. Everything is given a quick stir. This yogurt mixture is then poured in the desired molds till 80-90 % filled. Some crushed saffrons are also sprinkled on top of each molds and those molds are then covered with aluminium foil. 

A baking tray is filled with regular water till 1 inch and the molds are transferred onto this tray. Finally these are allowed to bake for 20-25 minutes at 160 deg C or until a skewer / knife inserted into the molds comes out clean. Then all the molds are allowed to cool down completely. Before serving these bhapa aam doi is kept in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to get chilled which are then ready to serve !

Dietary Notes :

✔  Festive friendly
✔  Gluten free
✔  Bengali Cuisine
✔  Make ahead dessert
✔  Steaming in Oven (WATER BATH)

Serving suggestion :

If you are a fan of bengali sweets that too bhapa doi, then this mango twist to the classic n traditional bhapa doi surely a must try in summer for you. This is a perfect party and potluck dessert too as it can be prepared well ahead and kept in refrigerator until serving. One can make this in a big mold and slice while serving or simply prepare in single serving molds which are pretty easy to serve. Just mix all the ingredients together and steam (on gas stove or in oven by water bath) until set, keep in refrigerator to chill and serve finally ! This bhapa doi preparation is the Instant version. It is best enjoyed as chilled straight out of the refrigerator. This is best suited for festive dessert that one can make in a hurry as well. So do make sure this Bhapa Aam Doi with cardamom and saffron that too in oven.

HOPE YOU WILL LIKE THIS BENGALI SWEET😊! WHY NOT TRY SOME MORE SIMILAR RECIPES 👇 AS WELL :

• Lavang Latika (Baked Version)  
• Stuffed Mango Sandesh   
• Bhapa Sondesh | Steamed Cottage Cheese Fudge (microwave steaming)  
• Choco Swirl Patishapta 
• Masala Bhapa Doi | Spiced Tea Flavored Steamed Yogurt  

Event related to this post :

Well, the July month challenge in 'Shhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge' group was 'Steamed Food'. The theme was suggested by Anu Kollan, she is a wonderful blogger, do check her latest recipe Vattayappam - Kerala Style Steamed Rice Cakes. For the current theme, my partner was Shobana Vijay (blogs at shobas delight) who gave me 2 secret ingredients as Milk & Cardamom and I gave her as Coconut & Oats. And as usual, using mine two ingredients I had to prepare a steamed dish. So here is the Bhapa Aam Doi or Steamed Mango Yogurt with cardamom and saffron in OVEN for theme contribution.

Now let’s go through how to make "Bhapa Aam Doi  in OVEN" at home 👇

  

Video procedure of this "Bhapa Aam Doi / Steamed Mango Yogurt " :

: Recipe Card :

Bhapa Aam Doi | Steamed Mango Yogurt with cardamom and saffron in OVEN

Print

Author: sasmita

Prep time: 10 MCook time: 25 MTotal time: 35 M

a melt in mouth texture Bengali dessert with a twist of the king of fruit, Mango and that too prepared in Oven (WATER BATH method)

Ingredients:

• Mango pulp 1 cup
• Condensed milk 3/4 - 1 cup
• Greek yogurt / hung curd 1 cup
• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
• Milk (warm) 2 tbsp
• Saffron 1 tsp + for garnishing

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 deg C.
2. Mix 1 tsp saffrons with warm milk in a small bowl and keep aside.
3. In another mixing bowl, take the hung curd, mango pulp, condensed milk.
4. Whisk well until a smooth texture.
5. Next add saffron milk and whisk again.
6. Then add cardamom powder and give a quick stir again.
7. Pour this yogurt mixture in the molds till 80-90 % filled.
8. Sprinkle some crushed saffrons on top of each mold and cover those molds with aluminium foil.
9. Pour 1 inch water in a baking tray and transfer these molds into the tray.
10. Put the tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes at 160 deg C or until a skewer / knife inserted into the molds comes out clean.
11. Take out from the oven and allow all the molds to cool down completely.
12. Place all molds in refrigerator for at least 2 hours and then serve it chilled !

Notes:

No water should be there in the hung curd if preparing the hung curd at home. All water from the curd should be drained out. Always prefer to use fresh curds that is not sour at all, otherwise the dessert'll not taste very good. Sweetness can be adjustable. If you are not in for of much sweetness, then just add only 3/4th cup of condensed milk instead of 1 cup or vice-versa. Mango pulp one can use fresh homemade ones or store bought. If preferring to use homemade, then just peel the mango and chop roughly. In a blender jar blend into a smooth puree type without adding any water. Mango pulp is then ready to use. The sweetness of the bhapa doi is also affected by the ripeness of the mango. So adjust accordingly. Steaming time may vary depending upon the size of mold.

https://www.firsttimercook.com/2020/08/bhapa-aam-doi-steamed-mango-yogurt-in-oven.html

Egg free dessert, Bhapa doi, Aam Bhapa doi, Condensed Milk, Hung curd, Greek yogurt, Saffron

Dessert, Steamed Dessert, Mango, Bhapa Doi, Baked Yogurt, Gluten free, Vegetarian,

Bengali Cuisine

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @firsttimercook on instagram and hashtag it #firsttimercook

You may also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

PIN for Later :

Continue Reading ...

Mango Kalakand in microwave

an absolutely delightful Indian Milk Fudge (kalakand) with the flavor of the king of fruit, Mango (JUST 4 INGREDIENTS & 10 MINUTES)

Raksha Bandhan is an Indian festival which is meant to celebrate any type of brother-sister relationship between men and women who may not be biologically related. This festival is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu religion. 'Raksha' translates to the protection and 'Bandhan' translates to bond. On this day, a sister ties a rakhi around the wrist of her brother in order to pray for his prosperity, health and well-being. The brother in return offers a gifts and promises to protect his sister from any harm and under every circumstance. The festival is also celebrated between brother-sister belonging to distant family members, relatives or cousins. In addition, it does not matter if that person is a kid or an adult to celebrate this occasion. Brothers and sisters of all ages celebrate Raksha Bandhan. Furthermore, it strengthens the bond between them as well. This festival usually falls in the month of Saawan and people celebrate it on the last day of the month. 

This year raksha bandhan is day after tomorrow. What better than to please your brother or even sister with home made food for Rakhi, I like to cook everything that my brother likes rather than going outside, even if it is simple dish it makes the spread much more special. This year I have planned to make sweet dishes using mango for this celebration along with some other dishes as well. So in this post i am going to share Mango Kalakand in microwave 😊

STAY CONNECTED to us as the next sweet dish using Mango is coming just after this post !!!

so What is Kalakand ?

Kalakand is a traditional and popular Indian dessert that is made out of solidified sweetened milk and cottage cheese (paneer). Traditionally Kalakand is made in a huge pan by boiling large amounts of milk, stirring continuously till it is thickened (semi solid texture) along with sugar. Literally this is a tedious process that takes lots of time. This sweet has a subtle flavoring of cardamom, slightly nutty as well as crunchy texture from the dry fruits like almonds and pistachios toppings.

Apart from the traditional method, there is another way where one can make kalakand INSTANTLY. In instant method, some chhena / grated soft paneer and condensed milk is used to make kalakand. However, whether it is cooked in traditional way / in instant way, the taste and texture of the end result is quite similar. Only the difference is one can make the dish with much less effort in instant method. Though the basic kalakand is made only of chhena and sweetened milk (milkmaid), still these days there are some varieties of kalakand are being prepared which contain fruits or vegetables flavors and those flavorings are blended pretty well with this milky dessert. Here is a fruity flavored kalakand 👇

Mango Kalakand !!

Well, from the name itself one can guess the flavoring agent of this sweet dish is the king of fruit, Mango. I have the last batch of mangoes in my pantry, so before finishing all and waiting for next summer to have mango, I am here with this sweet dish Mango Kalakand. And yes, this kalakand is the Instant one and that too in microwave. 

Dietary note :

✔ Easy to make
✔ Festival sweet dish
✔ Vegetarian
✔ Gluten free
✔ Instant Dessert

Ingredients of this mango kalakand : 

• Chhena - I have used fresh homemade chhena. So for homemade chhena always pick full fat milk if the chhena is used for making any sweet dish, do check how to make CHHENA at home. Instead of chhena, one can use paneer here. But in that case the paneer has to grate well. If using the store bought paneer then pick the soft and fresh paneer.
• Condensed milk - The sweet factor of the dish is due to this ingredient. One can increase or decrease its amount as per the sweetness desired. In addition to this, some amount of regular sugar also can be added.
• Mango pulp - This is the fruity touch in the kalakand. I have simply peel ripe mangoes, roughly chopped the flesh and make a fine puree from it without adding any water. The natural sweetness also affect the overall sweet taste of the kalakand. So after adding the mango pulp adjust the amount of condensed milk, little more or less.
• Mango essence - This is optional. The mango essence enhances the fruit flavor in the kalakand. But this is optional and I have not added.
• Milk powder - This is used as the binding factor here. Also the milk powder gives a richness to the kalakand. So I always use this in any kind of kalakand.
• Chopped nut & Rose petals - These are optional, but gives an eye-catchy look to the dish. I have used some chopped almonds and pistachio along with some rose petals. One can opt any other like cashew, varak / edible silver / golden leaf for the toppings.
• Ghee - Ghee is used to grease the tray onto which the kalakand is transfered and allowed to set. By greasing, the kalakand slices come out easily from the tray.

Method of preparation :

As per the name, the whole cooking process is done in a microwave. First all the mango pulp are taken in a large microwave safe bowl and kept in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. After giving a quick mix, the pulp is again kept in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes more. Meanwhile a tray (preferable square tray more than 1 inch height) is greased with little ghee and kept aside. Into that bowl, condensed milk along with chhena, milk powder and mango essence (optional) are added and mixed well. Then the bowl is kept in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. After giving a mix, the bowl is again kept in the microwave on high till the whole mixture seems slightly thick (still soft) with 1 minute interval (do not keep on high for long time, else it will become hard). After that the whole mixture is immediately transferred onto the greased tray. Using a spatula it is then flattened evenly and pressed gently. Some chopped nuts and crushed rose petals are sprinkled on top and then slightly pressed so that these will stick well. The tray is kept aside to cool down a bit. The whole dish is then transferred to the refrigerator for 1 hour, till set well. And finally the kalakand is cut into square pieces or any other shapes as desired and ready to serve & enjoy !

💡FEW TIPS TO MAKE PERFECT KALAKAND :

• Always use fresh homemade chhena or paneer to make kalakand which leads into so soft and moist Kalakand.
• If using paneer, then grate them first and then use in the preparation method.
• Avoid using frozen hard paneer for making this sweet.
• Mango and cardamom pairs pretty well. So don't skip adding the cardamom powder while making the mango kalakand.
• I have greased my tray with ghee here. Alternatively, you can line your tray with the parchment paper. This way it would be easier to lift the paper and then cut the sweet dish into squares.
• Don't be hurry in slicing the kalakand. If it is well set in refrigerator then one can easily take out the slices.
• Always keep in mind not to place the kalakand bowl on high for long time, else the kalakand will become hard.

Serving suggestion :

Kalakand is usually prepared in India during the weddings, parties, festive seasons like Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Holi, Eid etc. This is a perfect make-ahead kind of sweet dish prepared using some fresh mango pulp. During the mango season this is I often make if some fresh chhena is there with me. The whole process is super simple, easy and quick. Just mix everything and microwave on high in some interval till becomes slightly thick (but must have soft texture). Allow to set well and cut into slices. That's it, the sweet dish is ready ! This kalakand stays good for 4-5 days in the refrigerator keeping in an airtight container. So as the celebration days are here and then why to wait, try out this super delightful slices with mango and indulge with all near & dear ones !

Now let’s go through how to make "Mango Kalakand in microwave" at home 👇

: Recipe Card :

Mango Kalakand in microwave

Print

Author: sasmita

Prep time: 5 MCook time: 10 MTotal time: 15 M

an absolutely delightful Indian Milk Fudge (kalakand) with the flavor of the king of fruit, Mango

Ingredients:

• Chhena 3/4 cup
• Condensed milk 1/2 cup
• Mango pulp 3/4 cup
• Milk powder 1/4 cup
• mango essence (optional) 1-2 drops
• Chopped nut for toppings
• Rose petals for toppings
• Ghee for greasing

Instructions:

1. Take all the mango pulp in a large microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
2. Take out, give a mix and again microwave on high for 1-2 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile grease a tray (preferable square tray more than 1 inch height) with little ghee. Keep aside.
4. Take out from the oven.
5. Into that, add condensed milk along with chhena, milk powder and mango essence (optional).
6. Mix everything well and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
7. Take out, give a mix and again microwave on high till the whole mixture seems slightly thick (still soft) with 1 minute interval (don't keep on high for long time, else it will become hard).
8. Transfer the mixture immediately onto the greased tray.
9. Flatten evenly and press using a spatula.
10. Sprinkle chopped nuts and some crushed rose petals on top and again slightly press so that these will stick well.
11. Cover the tray and keep aside to cool down a bit.
12. Transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour till set well.
13. Cut into square pieces or any other shapes and enjoy !

Notes:

I have used fresh homemade chhena. One can use paneer here, just grate and use like chhena. The sweet factor of the kalakand here depends upon the sweetness of the mango pulp, hence adjust the condensed milk accordingly. Don't overcook the mixture, else the kalakand will be hard in texture. Simply keep an eye on when the whole mixture starts to thicken (but still has the soft texture).

https://www.firsttimercook.com/2020/08/mango-kalakand-in-microwave.html

Mango, saffron, condensed milk, chhena, cottage cheese, Festival dish, Indian Mithai

Dessert, Vegetarian, Kalakand, Mango kalakand, Gluten free

Indian

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @firsttimercook on instagram and hashtag it #firsttimercook

You may also follow me on  Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

PIN for later :

Continue Reading ...