Anshu's Food Odyssey

KACHA GOLLA is a popular sweet or the mishti recipe from the state of West Bengal in India. Said to have originally originated in Bangladesh, where it is called as " PRANHARA ", this sweet is absolutely delectable and soothing on the tastebuds with its subtle flavors and sweetness. As the name suggests, Kacha, meaning raw, this recipe is made using fresh and raw chhena that is mixed with just a little amount of sugar, condensed milk and cardamom powder; and then rolled into milk powder resembling cute little snow balls..    As its the time of festivities in India with all major festivals knocking at the door, I thought it was the right time to try my hands on this beautiful recipe at home. I made a small batch first, but to my utter surprise it came out so well and delicious that it got over in a jiffy. Would be making it once again for the upcoming festival of Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami... This is a perfect recipe for fasting too as it is so light on the palette an...

Flavored with cardamom, saffron and topped with whole lots of nuts, Mawa Cake is a beautiful take on the traditional Indian mithais. As its the time of festivities; with Raksha Bandhan, Teej and Janmashtmi just around the corner, I wanted to make a typical Indian sweet or a dessert however, my heart was stuck on baking a cake....this cake studded with classic desi flavors, therefore, came out to be my ultimate choice. A perfect combination of both the worlds, it is good to celebrate any traditional Indian occasion or even as an everyday bake. What more? it doesn't even require any kind of frosting and can be enjoyed as is with a cup of tea or coffee... YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... Rajasthani Ghevar Mathura ke Pede Gulab Jamun Kesar Kalakand Cardamom & Saffron Spiced Eggless Mawa Cake INGREDIENTS APF/ Maida - 1 and 1/2 cups Super fine granulated Sugar - 1 and 1/4 cups Crumbled Khoya/ Mawa/ Milk solids - 100 grams  Olive oil - 1/2 cup Whisked curd - 1/2 cup Milk - 1/4 cup...

The holy month of Shravan or Sawan is here; dedicated to Hindu God, Lord Shiva, the month is considered extremely auspicious and brings with it, lots of festivities and religious events to celebrate. Teej, Nag Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtmi and Maha Shivratri are some of the popular festivals that are celebrated during this holy month.  Not to mention, for us Indians, festivals and celebrations stand synonymous to different kinds of traditional sweets and mithais...and amongst all, the Rajasthani Ghevar is something without which, sawan celebrations are incomplete. Resembling a honey comb texture, Ghevar is made using a thin batter of flour, milk and ghee. Having said that, making it is nothing less than an art and requires some sort of skill and practice at first. But, once you are there, it would just seem so easy. The beautiful mithai is enjoyed by dipping it in some sugar syrup first and then topping it with lots of khoya or milk solids, which makes it extrem...

Season of festivities is just around the corner. Raksha Bandhan , Krishna Janmashtami , Ganesh Chaturthi , Navratri and then Diwali ....need not say, the second half of the year is always so full of fun, frolic and excitement. Though the pandemic has been a show spoiler, but, we can always keep our spirits high and give a kick start to the celebrations by making some delicious, hygienic and preservative free mithais at home. So, here is my first mithai of the season - Kesar Sandesh Barfi - super yum and melt-in-mouth....if you too are looking to celebrate the festivals with some home made sweets, this is one easy recipe, super yummy and a must try.... YOU MAY ALSO LIKE... Bengali Sponge Rasgulla Chocolate Malai Peda Kesar Kalakand Gujarati Sweet Sata Kesar Ras Malai Gurudwara Kada Prashad Kesar Sandesh Barfi INGREDIENTS Full fat milk - 1 liter Juice of 1 lemon Super fine sugar - 3 to 4 tbsp Milk powder - 2 tbsp  Few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp of warm milk ...

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase through them, helping me retain and maintain this blog. Starting tomorrow is the auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi in many parts of India. One of the most celebrated Hindu festivals , it marks the birth anniversary of the beloved elephant-headed Hindu God, Lord Ganesha. The excitement for this 10 days long fiesta can be seen weeks before the actual day; people begin cleaning their houses, prepare different sweets and snacks and artisans across India start carving the idols of Ganesha in different poses and sizes. On the actual day of the chaturthi, these idols are installed in elaborately decked up pandals, temples, and even individual homes accompanied with various poojas, aartis and large processions. Not to mention, the mood of ecstasy, joy and blissfulness can be felt everywhere. Al...

Galette is French term signifying an open pie, pastry or a tart. While it has a lot of savory versions, the sweeter versions made using fresh fruits are more popular worldwide and make for a sinful yet a very rustic dessert to be served during parties, get-togethers or any festive events. Coming to the base or the pastry of the galette, it involves use of just three basic pantry ingredients: flour, butter and sugar. When baked to perfection, the crust comes out super flaky and buttery; and that fresh fruit with its delicious juices just makes the galette super addictive and lip-smacking. Now, for the fruits, I have made this galette using fresh peaches. However, you can go ahead and use any fruit of your liking; something like strawberry, apples, raspberries and blueberries would make for a great choice...  One more thing! Galettes are super easy to make and don't require any fancy equipment such as pie dishes or tart moulds; all you have to do is just make the pastry ...

Gajak or Chikki is a recipe famous in different parts of India and is best enjoyed during winters as it has all the ingredients like gud (jaggery) and til (sesame seeds) which provide the much needed warmth to the body. Traditionally this healthy and wholesome recipe is cooked on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sakranti, which is also celebrated as Lohri in Northern parts of India such as Haryana and Punjab. Best part is, the crunchy brittle can be stored for months and can be enjoyed as and when need be. So, lets start with the ingredients and the recipe. Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle INGREDIENTS While til/sesame seeds - 3/4 cup Crumbled gud/jaggery - 3/4 cup Chopped cashews and pistachios(optional) - 2 tbsp Water - 1 to 2 tsp Ghee - 2 tsp Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle Til Gud ki Chikki | Sesame Brittle METHOD Start by dry roasting til along with chopped...

I am a big pumpkin fan since my childhood days. Seriously, I love this vegetable in any form and the khatti meethi pethey ki sabzi is my absolute favorite. Coming to the halwa, my mum always used to make it during the Navratri fasting and its flavors, texture and aroma is something that I remember even till date. After I got married, pumpkin was a rare treat for me because none of the family members at my in-laws side liked this vegetable. Gradually, I too stopped making it. But, this time during Navratri, I thought making this divine halwa and remember my good old days. If you too are a pumpkin lover, this is a must for you to try as well. And don't worry, the recipe is very simple and easy and comes together in just few minutes. Kaddu ka Halwa INGREDIENTS Kaddu/Yellow Pumpkin/Butternut Squash (shredded) - 4 cups Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 cup Milk - 1/4 cup Ghee/clarified butter - 4 to 6 tbsp Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp Nuts (melon seeds, chopped almonds, chopped pis...

Sheer Khurma or Sheer Korma is a delicious traditional Mughlai dessert made on the festival of Eid . A creamy, thick pudding made with milk and roasted sewai (vermicelli) topped with whole lots of nuts and dry fruits, it surely makes for a palatable treat for all those with a sweet tooth. So, on my blog today, is indeed a detailed recipe on how to make Sheer Khurma at home... Sheer Khurma | Vermicelli Pudding | Sheer Khurma Recipe | How to Make Sheer Khurma Well, the term, Sheer Khurma comes from Persian language wherein 'Sheer' refers to 'Milk' and 'Khurma' refers to 'Dates', and hence Sheer Khurma can be deciphered to 'Milk cooked with Dates'. According to legends, Sheer Khurma came to India with the Turk and Mughal rulers, and in the beginning, it was just the thickened milk with dates that was consumed first thing in the morning to celebrate the joyous festival of Eid . However, with years passing, vermicelli and nuts beca...