Kesar Shrikhand. (Low Calorie Yogurt Dessert)

Kesar Shrikhand is healthy Indian dessert made from strained curd. This is a low calorie, rich and creamy yogurt. Shrikhand is generally flavoured with saffron, cardamom and dry fruits even it is served with fresh fruits or as a standalone dessert... I was not knowing what is shrikhand and how it taste, I had heard about it but never tasted before I meet my H, I still remember that day when he had got a pack of Haldiram's shrikhand and I told him that why did you get such a expensive curd, you should have just bought a pack of curd which will not cost more then 10rs. He look at me and said you don't know what is this? and I told him yes ofcourse I know this some weird color curd. He started laughing and said this is shrikhand my dear and I can't belive you have still not tasted this and my reaction was ohhh this is shrikhand from then I know what is shrikhand and how it taste like..

I made this dessert last week and it tasted better then the store bought and I did not get the perfect color of saffron while I was taking pictures and I did take the pictures soon just because I knew that it will be over and I was not sure when I will make this dessert again.. After 2 hours I had got the perfect saffron color and it was looking beautiful... Do try this wonderful low fat dessert and serve as you like...

Ingredient's.

2 cups yogurt

1/2 cup powdered sugar (add more if you like)

10 to 15 saffron strands

3tbsp finely chopped dry fruits (pistachio, almond, raisin and cashew)

2tsp milk

Pinch of cardamom powder.

Method.

Spread clean muslin cloth on a big plate. Place yogurt in the center. Wrap and tightly tie muslin cloth.

Hang yogurt for 2 to 3 hours or until all water is drained off from yogurt. It should become very thick.

After that untie muslin cloth and transfer thick strained yogurt to bowl.

Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well until smooth.

Dissolve saffron in milk and add it to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Then refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hour before serving.

Garnish it with dry fruits nuts and serve chilled.

Rasmalai..

Rasmalai is a very famous milk-based dessert of India.This dessert is rich in its texture, flavour & can be made easily by everyone at home. I had made this Rasmalai along with few more sweets on Diwali to impress my hubby and his college close friend and his wife. As I have mention in my earlier post that this is my hubby first diwali away from home, that to in a unknown country. Thank god we had his friend family and little kid to make it even more special, we really had a blast and never felt like we are not in india... I can easily count this diwali into one of the most memorable day of my life..

 Ingredient's For Paneer

5cups whole milk

2tbsp sugar

1tbsp lemon juice

4cups water.

Ingredient's For Rasmalai (milk mixture)

4cups whole milk

1cup sugar

10 to 15 saffron strands

1/4cup chopped almond and pistachio (for garnishing).

Cooking Method For Paneer.

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly 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, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.

To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth till all the water has come out.

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 together and knead more. 

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and roll them in smooth 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 cooker is large enough to accommodate the (rasgullas), as they will expand to about double in the volume while cooking in the syrup!

Close the heat and wait a few minutes before opening the pressure cooker.

Then take out the rasgulla from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.

Cooking Method For Rasmalai (milk mixture)

Boil the milk, sugar and saffron strands in a deep frying pan on medium heat until the milk reduce to about 2 cups.

Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.

Once the milk is ready, switch off the flame, then add the rasmalai into milk. and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours

Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.

Rasmalai is ready to serve.

Serve the Rasmalai chilled.

Chicken Dum Briyani..

Chicken Dum Briyani. I had cooked this Briyani on my 3rd year marriage anniversary. From that time i had kept this in draft but never got the right time to post it. I think now i can't make this post to wait for any more, because for me tomorrow never comes. I used to think cooking Dum briyani is difficult then the normal briyani which is cooked by mixing every things together, but it is not right. They both take same effort and same time.. Now I prefer dum briyani because it taste better then the normal briyani... I have not used deep fried onion in this recipe, i have saved it for one more recipe of dum briyani. Do try and let me know.

Ingredients.

1/2 kg Basmati rice 

Chicken 1/2 kg

Few strands for saffron 

2 big size onion, 4 tomato (finely chopped)

3 green chilly (chopped) 

4 to 5tbsp of chopped coriander and mint leafs

2tbsp Ginger, garlic paste

2tbsp red chilly powder, 1tbsp turmeric powder 

1tbsp coriander powder, 1tbsp garam masala 

1cup curd, 2tbsp lemon juice

Salt as per taste.

For Tempering.

2 bay leafs, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 green cardamom

2 cloves, 1 big black cardamom, 2 star anise

1tbsp shah jeera 

Oil as per your requirment.

Cooking method.

Wash and soak the rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. In the same time soak the saffron also in warm water. 

Heat the deep frying pan add oil, when oil is hot, add all the tempering ingredients and leave till it become's brown. 

Then add onion, ginger garlic paste fry for till the onion becomes lite golden brown, then add chicken, turmeric, and salt, fry it till the chicken starts leaving oil. 

After that add red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala, give a quick stir, then add tomato, curd, lemon, green chilly, and cook till the tomatos becomes soft, then add 2tbsp of mint and coriander leafs and mix it well.

Half boil the rice in a seprate pan. add water in to rice as per it required's. Then in a separate big pan add one layer of chicken and one layer of half boiled rice. Then sprinkle from top saffron water and left over mint and coriander leafs. (you can make as many as layers you like, but i have made one 2 layers). Cover the lid and cook till the rice is completely cooked in a medium flame.

Serve hot hot with (Raita)