Homemade frozen Banana Chocolate ice-cream Recipe

When you are an ardent lover of ice-cream and Swiggy deliveries are not available during this unexpected and unfortunate lockdown, then you can try this homemade banana chocolate ice-cream! 

Ingredients: 

1. Banana - 4 pieces
2. Cold Milk - 1 cup
3. Cadbury - 1 packet (50gm) or more according to your taste.

Step-by-step process:

• Start with ripe bananas.

• Peel the banana and chop into small round pieces.

• Put the bananas in a freezer safe container.
• Freeze the banana pieces for 8 hours but ideally overnight.
• Transfer the frozen banana pieces into the blender and keep blending until last bits of banana smooth out.

• Add milk and Cadbury, keep blending. 

• When it will get smooth out and creamy, transfer it into a container and freeze it until solid.

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Punjabi Kadhi Pakora Recipe

Kadhi Pakora, a popular Punjabi dish is often made in my kitchen, but I just couldn't manage myself to take step-by-step pictures and that's why it took me so long to share this delicious recipe. You can have kadhi pakora either at lunch or dinner with rice.

INGREDIENTS to make pakora:

• 1 medium-size onion - chopped finely
• Finely chopped cabbage - 100 gms
• Besan / gram flour - 3 tablespoon
• Rice flour - 2 tablespoon
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Refined oil for frying
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt, to taste
• Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Water - for making the batter, as required 

How to make pakora:

Mixed all the ingredients and make a thick batter. Heat the oil in a kadhai. When the oil is hot, make small balls of batter and fry them 3-4 at a time. When their color turns golden brown (both sides), strain the excess oil, and keep aside.

INGREDIENTS to make Kadhi:

• Thick curd (i.e., without water) - 6 tablespoons
• Besan / gram flour - 2 tablespoons
• Onion - 1 medium size, finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium size, finely chopped
• Fenugreek seeds (methi) - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dry red chilies - 3 to 4 pieces
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Ginger - 1/2 inch, finely chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Water - approx. 500 ml

How to make besan-curd mixture:

• In a deep bowl take besan and curd. Whisk it well and make a smooth mixture without any lumps.

• In a kadhai, heat 2 tablespoons of mustard oil. When the oil is hot, add dry red chilies, methi seeds, cumin seeds, and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add chopped ginger and fry for 1 minute.
• Then, add chopped onions and fry for 2 minutes.
• In the end, add the besan-curd mixture.

• Keep stirring continuously for 30 minutes, otherwise, there are chances for besan to stick to the bottom of Kadai. When the mixture starts to thicken, turn off the flame and transfer the mixture to a serving bowl. Add pakoras into the mixture. So try this recipe at home and do share your experiences. 

Note: You can make different types of pakora like onion pakora, dal pakora, spinach pakora, as per your choice and convenience.

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Green Mango Chatpata Recipe by Chandrani

Recipe details:

Green mango - cut into small pieces

Spices - cumin seeds, green chilies, mustard seeds, salt, sugar, and mustard oil

Add all ingredients into a grinder and mix well until made into a fine paste having a smooth consistency.

Raw mango chatpata is ready. Enjoy this with your daily meals!

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Easy Desserts: Sooji Ka Malpua by Chandrani Jana

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is doing good and staying safe! Welcome to Chandrani's Kitchen.

The lockdown period is going on for quite some time and we can only stay indoors during this time. Bengalis always crave for sweets, more so during such crisis times. So, today I will tell you about such a homemade sweet which can be made quickly with sooji (semolina), milk, and sugar. Let's get started, then!

Ingredients:

Sooji (semolina) - 200gm

Milk - 500ml

Sugar - 500gm

Cardamon - 4 pieces

Desi ghee - 2 tablespoons

Cashew nuts - 15-16 pieces whole, grind them with the help of a grinder.

Process:

• Take a wide pan or kadhai and switch on the gas on a medium flame.
• Add sooji, sugar, and mix for 5 minutes. 

• Add milk in small parts and mix well to make it consistent without any lumps.

• When the mixture is completely dry, switch off the flame and keep aside for 30 mins.

• While the mixture is getting cooled, let's prepare the sugar syrup. Take a deep pan and switch on the gas.
• Add sugar, water and melt the sugar on a low to medium flame. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves completely.

• Boil for 5 minutes after sugar dissolves and add the crushed cardamons.
• When the syrup turns brownish and sticky but not too thick, switch off the flame and keep it aside.

• Now, knead the cooked and cooled sooji mixture like atta/flour dough. Take a flat panned container and put 1 tablespoon of desi ghee. Now, mix the sooji dough with ghee well.

• Keep kneading until the sooji mixture turns into a semi-sticky dough like atta/flour. Divide this dough into equal shaped small balls.

• Take chakla belan (flat-bread roller) and add a few drops of oil. Now roll these balls into flat-breads like chapatis and cut into round pieces with the help of small round cutter (or a small bottle lid if you don't have a cutter).

• Take a kadhai and heat oil on a medium flame. When the oil is boiling hot, add the round flat-breads one by one and fry until these turn golden on both sides and puffy.

• Strain these puffed-up fried flat-breads and dip into the sugar syrup.

• Take these out from sugar syrup and garnish by sprinkling ground cashew nuts on top. These lip-smacking homemade sooji sweets are ready to be served and savored. 

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Ladies' Fingers (Vendakkai) Curry, the Tamil way

This is a simple gravy recipe in which ladies fingers/vendi/ঢেঁড়স is cooked in a tomato-onion, cashew nut and urad dal based gravy. This masala gravy is very much popular in the south India side. You can enjoy it for your everyday meal along with roti/ paratha and rice.

Things you'll need (Ingredients):

• Bhindi/Okra/Ladies' fingers -250 gm (washed)
• Onion: 1 large finely chopped
• Tomato -1 large finely chopped
• Garlic (peeled) - 8 to 10 pieces
• Ginger - 1/2 inch (peeled)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
• Urad Dal - 1 tablespoon
• Fennel Seeds/Saunf - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cashew nuts - 10 to 12
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cooking oil - 5 tablespoon
• Salt, to taste

How to make this recipe (step-by-step process):

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Gajar ka Halwa (গাজরের হালুয়া) Recipe - A Popular Indian Dessert

Gajar ka Halwa is a popular Indian dessert. It's an easy recipe which you can make anytime since carrots are easily available throughout the year. Grated red carrots are usually slow-cooked with ghee, milk, sugar, and dry fruits. Gajar ka halwa and ice cream is usually a great combination. Now, let's have a look at the recipe and step-by-step preparation process -

Ingredients:

• Carrots - 500gm
• Milk - 1 liter
• Jaggery (to avoid sugar) - 1 cup
• Green Cardamom - 12 pieces
• Desi cow ghee - 4 Tablespoons
• Cashew - 100 gm (broken)

Check the process here:

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Spanish Omelet - Perfect Dish for breakfast!

Spanish omelet is one of the signature dishes in Spanish cuisine and very easy to make.
Now, let's have a look at the recipe and step-by-step preparation process -

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 to 3 individuals

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized potatoes (peeled+finely chopped)
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• Salt, as per your taste
• Refined oil - 4 to 5 tablespoons
• Eggs - I have used 3 but you can take more if you want.
• Tomato - 1 large
• Green chilies - 2 finely chopped
• Cumin Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Dry mango powder - 1 tablespoon
• Cornflour - 1 tablespoon
• White flour - 1 tablespoon

Check the process here:

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Tasty Doi Begun in My Style: Recipes from Chandrani's Kitchen

Welcome to Chandrani's Kitchen with one more unique and tasty dish! 

Today I will share with you a completely vegetarian recipe "Doi Begun" (or commonly called "Brinjal in curd curry"). "Doi begun" is one of the popular curries from the Bengali and Odia cuisine. It is made with Doi or dahi which means curd and begun means brinjal/eggplant, mixed with spices. This recipe can be served with rice, chapati, or paratha. Let's see what ingredients are needed to prepare this dish.

Ingredients:

• Brinjal (or begun)– 1 medium-sized (sliced in thick square pieces)
• Tomato - 1 medium-sized
• Cashew - 1 tablespoon (make a smooth paste with tomato)
• Onion - 2 medium-sized (finely chopped)
• Salt & Sugar - as per your taste
• Fenugreek seeds (or methi) - 10 to 12
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon
• Gram Flour (or besan) - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard Oil - as required to cook
• Cumin (or jeera) powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curd (or dahi/doi) - 200 gm 
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried red chilies - 2 pieces
• Bay leaf - 1 piece
• Asafoetida (or hing) powder - 1 pinch
• Black caraway (or Kalonji) - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried fenugreek leaves (or Kasoori methi) - 1/2 teaspoon

Here's a step-by-step approach to make this delicious dish (with photos):

• To start with, cut the brinjal (or begun) into the thick medium slices, add salt, turmeric, and mix well for proper marination.

• Blend the curd with gram flour and keep it aside.

• Now take a pan, heat oil, and fry the marinated brinjal pieces in a low-to-medium flame.

• Fry the brinjal pieces until they become turn yellowish-brown (on both sides). Take them out from the frying pan and place them in a separate bowl.

• Next, add 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan and add black caraway, dried red chilies, bay leaf, fenugreek, and asafoetida powder. Mix well and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add chopped onions and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add ginger-garlic paste, mix well, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Once the pungent smell of the ginger-garlic paste goes off, add tomato-cashew paste and mix well.

• When the oil separates out from masala then, add previously blended curd (with gram flour) in the pan and mix well again.

• After stirring for 2 to 3 minutes, add 400 ml of water, then add salt, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and sugar (to taste). Cook for 10 minutes on a high flame. 

• Since I have blended gram flour with curd, the gram flour needs to be cooked well to remove any raw taste.
• After 10 minutes, add crushed dried fenugreek leaves and mix well. 

• Take it out in a serving bowl and add fried brinjal pieces. Now your "Doi Begun" is ready to be served with rice or paratha during lunch or dinner.

So, if you liked the recipe, cook it at your home and do let me know how's the taste in the comments section below.

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Chicken Pulao Bengali Style

Pulao is a sweet one-pot dish made of kolam rice (known as "Govindobhog" in Bengali) mixed with vegetables, chicken/mutton, and spices. There are several types of Pulao dishes popular in India like Veg pulao, Chicken pulao, Paneer pulao, Kashmiri pulao, etc. 

Now, let's talk about today's recipe - "Bengali style Chicken Pulao". This chicken pulao is not only easy to prepare but is delicious as well. If we compare it with biriyani, it does not involve those many steps that are required to cook biriyani.

So, what are we waiting for? Let's get to the recipe fast!

Ingredients: 

• Govindobhog rice ("Kolam rice" in Telegu) - 150 gm
• Chicken (either boneless or medium-sized)  - 300gms
• Curd - 4 tablespoons
• Onions - 1 large
• Garlic and ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
• Tomatoes - 1 large
• Green chilies - 4 (finely chopped)
• Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon
• Cumin Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1 /2 teaspoon
• Desi Cow Ghee - 2 tablespoons
• Oil - 2 tablespoons
• Salt, as per taste
• Sweet - 2 teaspoon
• Cinnamon - 1 large stick
• Cardamom - 4 (1 black + 3 green)
• Cloves - 6 to 7
• Bay Leaves - 2 

The step-by-step process (photos)

• Wash the rice thoroughly and leave it aside to drain the water for drying it completely.

• To marinate chicken, take a bowl and add the chicken pieces, curd, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder. Mix well and set it aside for 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, take a pan and heat oil. Add the finely chopped onions and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on a high flame.

• When onions become soft and golden in color then, add the chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

• Next, add the marinated chicken and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes on a low flame, cover it and stir it occasionally.

• After 10 minutes, add 1 cup of water and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes.

• Switch off the flame and keep the chicken aside.

• Take another deep bottomed pan, switch on the gas, and add ghee.

• When the ghee completely melts, add the green and black cardamoms, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick to the ghee and stir it for a minute.

• Now add rice and fry for 5 minutes on a medium flame. Add salt and mix well. 

• Add the previously cooked chicken along with rice and add 1 cup of water, cover the pan and cook it on a low flame for 10-15 minutes. Keep checking so that the mixture is not burnt.

• When the water has been absorbed fully take out the lid, add sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala powder, and mix well.

• Check the rice if it is well cooked or not and add salt, if needed, as per your taste.
• Turn-off the gas and serve with raita for lunch or dinner.

Kindly try this at your home. Do like, comment, and share! 

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