Obattu / Holige / Puran Poli is a sweet flat bread made during festivals, in south of India.  It’s a very traditional Indian Sweet.
It is not just made for festivals but also is made in weddings, House-warming and many more auspicious ceremonies. This flat bread is made by making a sweet filling which is covered by dough and flattened into circles and cooked on a tawa and roasted on both the sides using oil or ghee.
It is not just made for festivals but also is made in weddings, House-warming and many more auspicious ceremonies. This flat bread is made by making a sweet filling which is covered by dough and flattened into circles and cooked on a tawa and served hot with a dollop of ghee! Yum Yum…

The Name Yugadi or Ugadi is derived from the Sanskrit word Yuga means Age, Adi means Beginning.  According to the Lunar calendar of Hindus, the New year begins or falls on the Chaitra Shudhdha Paadya or the first day of the first Indian month Chaitra.  This generally falls in the month end of March or beginning of April according to the Hindu calendar.  People of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtrians celebrate this festival.
In Karnataka, traditionally we prepare Obattu / Holige which is usually prepared with Daal, either Channa or Tuvar and is also made with coconut.  We also make Holige saaru using some of the filling / Hoorna and tastes awesome.   I just for a change made it with Poha / Avalakki as I had some Red Poha left over and as it was too little I used it to make this sweet.  It didn't make much difference and tasted very well and my family loved it!

Obattu brings back memories and it's so nostalgic when I think about it.  Every festival especially these big festivals like Sankranthi, Ugadi, Deepavali my Mum was very particular that we should wear new dresses.  My sister stitches very well, a poor girl every festival she had to stitch 3 (dresses) she used to start stitching a fortnight back but wouldn’t finish until the day! she would sometimes sit and stitch all through the night! For us to wear on the festival day! when I think about it now I feel so sorry for her.

We had to get up very early in the morning, I used to draw Kolam (Rangoli), a free hand drawing in front of the house, It was my duty! And help amma in cooking! My youngest sister was the tomboy she used to take her honda and do all the shopping with my dad! It was such fun, first thing amma would do is make the Kanaka (outer covering for the Poli ) as it needs time to soak.  A good 3 to 4 hrs soaking helps in the dough to soften up and stretch very well. So, end of the story, if you are planning to make Poli soak the dough early in the morning and after you finish all other dishes make obattu in the end!
Let’s see how to make this sogasu obattu or Avalakki obattu…,

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Obattu / Holige / Puran Poli with Avalakki (Poha) - Ugadi Recipe - A Traditional Sweet Flat Bread From South India)

Obattu / Holige / Puran poli is a sweet flat bread made during festivals, in south of India. It’s a very traditional Indian sweet. This flat bread is made by making a sweet filling stuffed, which is covered by dough and flattened like a paratha and cooked on a tawa.

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 6 hours hours 6 minutes minutes

Servings 15

Ingredients

For Covering

• 1/2 cup Chiroti rava
• 1/2 cup Maida
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Water as required to make the dough

For Stuffing / Filling (Hoorna / Poorna)

• 1/2 Cup Red Poha / Avalakki
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1 cup Jaggery
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• Maida for dusting (optional)** check notes

Instructions

• Take equal quantity of Chiroti Rava and Maida with a tsp of turmeric and oil, a little salt mix everything together then start adding water to make it into a soft dough. Let the dough bit sticky softer than chapati dough. Knead it very well for at least 5 minutes using one or two tsp of oil if it gets sticky, soak it with the remaining oil and leave it for 3 to 4 hours covered.
  
• Now let’s make the filling.  Take Red Poha in a bowl wash it well and soak it for 10 to 20 minutes hour it becomes soft mash it well, take equal quantity of grated coconut and grind it to almost a smooth paste don't grind it too much as coconut gives out water mix both together and keep aside. Otherwise, you can grind poha, coconut and jaggery all together to a paste.
  
• I have used 1 cup of Jaggery (you can adjust Jaggery to your liking) but don’t reduce it too much, for two things one you won’t get the consistency of the dough as jaggery helps in binding it properly and the taste becomes little bland and won’t be interesting to eat.
  
• Take powdered jaggery in a kadai, add ¼ cup of water for it to dissolve, once it completely dissolves filter it through a strainer to remove the impurities, then return it back to the kadai once it starts boiling add the poha mixture into it and start mixing it well enough so it gets completely combined and allow it cook in a medium to low flame for few minutes, keep stirring in intervals so that it doesn’t get burnt and everything comes to one whole non sticky mass.  Don’t make it too dry that spoils the consistency.  Hoorna/Poorna  is now ready. add one or two tbsp of ghee and leave it to cool down. 
  
• Take the dough and knead it very well with the help of oil, oil helps in stretching the dough like an elastic. Now the dough is ready to make the poli. Make small balls of the filling and covering as shown in the figure. The covering dough should be half the size of the stuffing.
  
• Take grease proof foil or Banana leaf or some foil which can withstand the heat, spread some oil on it then take the stuffed poli and flatten it using your fingertips into a nice round.
  
• Heat a tawa transfer the flattened poli on to it by slowly realising it cook on both the sides, drizzle oil around. Brushing oil flip and cook on both the sides. Once done serve it with a dollop of ghee, serve it hot!
  

Notes

**I use another method to make poli covering, to use less oil my mom makes the dough,  oil it lightly just on around the dough and leaves it in the fridge until needed then take it out and kneads it’s very well like kneading bread and makes it so elastic.

The post Obattu / Holige / Puran Poli with Avalakki (Poha) - Ugadi Recipe - A Traditional Sweet Flat Bread From South India) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Everyday cooking is my forte now, sweets or any kind of desserts are in a faraway land as I have no takers anymore!! I am not a great fan of sweets, love everything spicy.  Occasionally a bit of chocolate is fine with me.  But, fruits I love them they are my sweet friends.  I try and pick up all the sweet fruits I find in the market.

When kids were small they wouldn't mind gobbling up anything!! I used to bake a lot then, now they have become old and they are more cautious of what they want to eat!! They have become more #health conscious, Every festival I dread to think what sweet shall I make and how will I try to convince them to eat it!!

In India, most of the sweets we make are traditional and cannot forgo changing them especially when you are with elders at home it's like prescribed medicines, we need to make the same sweet for particular festivals.  Now leaving away from parents and Parents-in-law who are no more, I have a free hand on changing menus!! I usually stick with the savoury part of it but, with sweet, I change, I don't follow them sometimes, as it depends on who will eat what? I think most of us have adapted to this kind of attitude right?  As my BIL  always says that his MIL makes Formula food 🙂 !! He knows what my mum makes on each and every festival.

This the method I usually make Khus Khus payasam always. You can try this method as well if you prefer to add milk.

In India, white poppy seeds are used in most of their dishes according to the region and cuisine.  These white poppy seeds are used for bringing flavour, texture and thickening.  Indian cooking is usually based on Ayurveda medicine and our ancestors have adapted it our everyday cooking for good health and its benefits.  Poppy seeds are one of the essential spices in Indian cuisine.

I remember when I had mouth ulcers, fatigue, required sleep, tummy upset or when I felt my body got heated up (Body feels very heated up according to Ayurveda) mum always made this.  It is considered to be anti-inflammatory inflammation caused from stomach and mouth ulcers.  It helps to induce good sleep.  Natural body coolant reduces the heat during summer especially.

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Kheer / Payasam with khus khus (Ghasagase /White Poppy seeds) #vegan

This traditional sweet Kheer / Payasam is totally vegan and super delicious with loads of health benefits

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp White poppy seeds
• 3/4th cup Jaggery ( as you prefer)
• 2 tbsp Rice
• 3 pods cardamom
• 1 whole Coconut or 2 cups of grated coconut packed
• 5 each of Almonds, cashew, pistachio
• 1/3 cup Hot water
• 1+ 1/2 cup water

Instructions

• Dry Roast poppy seeds, in a low flame until it starts popping out. Remove it from the wok and put it in a cup pour hot water and leave it aside for 1/2 an hour with Almonds, Pistachios, Cashewnuts.
  
• Meanwhile, remove the skin from cardamom pods and powder and keep it aside. Take the gratings from the coconut and grind it into a smooth paste, Remove coconut milk by squeezing. Add 1/2 cup of water to the squeezed out coconut gratings and run the mixie again and squeeze coconut milk again. Use the remaining other 1/2 cup water with coconut squeezed gratings and grind again to take coconut milk again.
• The coconut gratings left over after squeezing the coconut milk don't throw it away use that to grind with the soaked poppy seed, cashew, almond, pistachio into a smooth paste. In an other large vessel in which you plan to make the payasam take 1/3 cup water and crushed jaggery, Keep it in a low flame and allow the jaggery to dissolve. Filter the dissolved jaggery wash the vessel so there are no impurities left over.
• Put back the dissolved jaggery into the bowl add the ground poppy seed paste mix it well, so their are no lumps in it and allow it boil, keep on stirring so it doesn't get stuck to the vessel now add the thick, semi thick and thin coconut milk you squeezed out into it.
• Add the powdered cardamom, keep stirring for few more minutes adjust consistency of the payasam if you want it thin add little more water or keep it thick. That's it, the kheer is now ready to be served. You can even edible camphor a pinch for flavour.

Notes

You can use tinned coconut milk if you are unable to make coconut milk. Another method is you need not have to soak poppy seeds.  Once it is cool ground it into a fine powder first and then add the nuts and coconut and grind them into a smooth paste and carry on with the same procedure.

 

The post Kheer / Payasam with khus khus (Ghasagase /White Poppy seeds) #vegan appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi Everybody, Hope you are all doing well, thank you all for still visiting me and leaving your valuable comments which has always been a big inspiration for me to come back to blogging. It's been more than a year and I haven't blogged ever since, been through lot of things and, as they say “Old wine in a new bottle” finally here I am with a new domain name and my own website, which is still under construction.

As the days go by I will try my best to make this site more user friendly and post all the things I have cooked and baked this past year which I have captured with my new found love, yes that’s right, my new camera which my Hubby presented me with on my last birthday, I am slowly learning everything about it, still toggling around, trying to learn how things work. WordPress and Canon are two new things I need to master... ahem, not really but, I will try my best!

I was pondering about what to write about in my first post, and wasn’t sure when this was going to happen either, and I guess everything seemed to take its own course. Today is somebody’s birthday; this person is very special to me in every way, so I decided I will dedicate my first post to this person in my life.

I hadn’t decided of cooking anything special as that person will not be able to eat what I have cooked, but my daughter decided otherwise, saying “It’s ok mum, you make something sweet and I’ll eat it”. So I decided to make this sweet (as a last minute plan) and had to take a quick photo of this (Photo courtesy: my dear daughter) and she decided I should post it today, start with a sweet note and make this my first post on the website!

Some things are my favourite when it comes to food; I love all kinds of fruits and vegetables, but, if somebody asks me which fruit you like I always say its Pineapple, I love pineapple and it is a versatile fruit for me, I just use it all kinds of sweets and savoury dishes I prepare, I just love the smell when it is cooked or baked or just eaten raw. How much do you love this fruit? Tell me how you use it in your cooking I would love to learn more ways of using it. Pineapple is one such fruit which is very good for your health too. Will update a few things I have read and googled about it soon watch this space.

Coming back to this recipe this is the usual Rava Kesari we make at our homes,  Here I have used Rice and instead of Rava(Semolina). It’s easy to make and tasty to relish.

Recipe Source: Original
Cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes
Serves: 3

INGREDIENTS:
1/3rd Cup Rice
3/4th cup Grated Pineapple
1 ½ cup Sugar*
1 tsp of Cardamom powder
Few strands of Saffron
Pinch of edible camphor
1 ¼ Cup Water
½ Cup Milk and 3/4th cup water
¼ cup Ghee

Garnishing:
2 tbsp Ghee
8 to 10 Dry Grapes (raisins)
8 to 10 Cashew nuts Broken

METHOD:
I used ½ of Pineapple and I got around 3/4th cup of grated pineapple, heat a tbsp of Ghee and add the pineapple with the juice and allow it to cook in a low flame, meanwhile in a pressure cooker cook the washed rice with ½ cup milk and ½ water and keep aside.
While you are preparing these in another bowl add sugar and 1 cup water and allow it to boil to a single thread consistency. Once it has reached single thread take it out and pour it into the wok which has pineapple cooking in it, Meanwhile your cooker would have cooled down as well, add cooked rice into it and keep stirring add another 2 tbsp of Ghee and cardamom powder and edible Camphor into it, a few minutes later you will notice they all come together and leave the side of the wok, just like a halwa consistency. Take it out immediately from the stove and keep aside.
In a small wok heat one or two tbsp of Ghee fry dry Grapes (raisins) and Cashew nuts once they change colour add it to the pineapple Rice Kesari
Serve warm or cold as you like.

NOTES:
*Increase or decrease Sugar depending on the sweetness of the pineapple
Edible Camphor should not be used more than a pinch as the smell is quite strong, if you don’t get it where you live you can omit it.

This recipe is linked to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop of Swathi, check out this link for loads of Recipes linked.

The post Pineapple Rice Kesari appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Hi Everybody, Hope you all had a wonderful Sankranthi / Bihu / Lohri / Pongal /Bhoghi whatever way you want to call it.., we all Hindu celebrate this festival with such festivity, the auspicious time and the rituals are so important to us, The important thing you might have noted is the day it falls on January 14th every year, which never changes once or twice exceptionally, where in it might fall on January 13th or 15th very rarely.
This festival is celebrated in different regions in different names and traditions, and different sweets made on this occasion.  As this is a harvest festival we use all kind of vegetables as well...
Courtesy Wikipedia...

Makar Sankranti is the day when the glorious Sun-God begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere and thus it signifies an event wherein the Sun-God seems to remind their children that 'Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya'- may you go higher & higher, to more & more Light and never to Darkness.

I have used Red Sugar Candy / Segappu Kalkandu / Kempu Kallu Sakkare which is said to be a good one compared to the white one, In  Ayurveda and Home remedies, you would find every body always asking  us to use in  Kashayams and  powders this as sweetener or Honey as sweetener  this also helps in cough, cold etc.., I do not have much knowledge about this.., If anybody know any tips on this do share it here in the comment so everybody will have a update on it...
Here is how I made it...

SWEET PONGAL WITH KALKANDU / KALLU SAKKARE / SUGAR CANDY
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup Rice
3 tbsp Moong Dal / Pacchai or Paitham Paruppu / Hesaru Bele / Senagu pappu
180 grms Kalkandu / sugar candy /Kallu Sakkre*
1/4 cup Ghee
6 to 7 Broken Cashews
10 to 12 Raisins
1/4 tsp powdered Yelakka / Cardamom / Elakki
A Pinch of Edible Camphor / Pacchai Karpoora 
A Pinch of Nutmeg powder
1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Water + 1/4 cup

METHOD:
In a frying pan add a 1/4 tsp of Ghee and fry Moong dal for few minutes in a low flame until it changes to golden colour and a nice aroma comes out of it.  Remove it on to a plate and keep it aside until needed.
In a Pressure cooker** take 1 cup of Milk with 1 cup of water add the roasted Moong dal and washed Rice together and cook for three whistles in medium flame.*** until well cooked.

Do this after your cooker is in the process of cooling... In a thick bottomed vessel take 1/4 cup of water and Sugar candy / Kalkandu / Kallu sakkre,  heat them together for few minutes until all the sugar candy dissolves in it, keep it in a low flame when doing this then filter the liquid and put it back on the stove. and boil it for 1 string consistency****
Once it has reached 1 string consistency immediately add the cooked rice to it, keep the stove in the low flame, to this add edible Camphor, powdered Cardamom  and Nutmeg powder and a 2 tbsp of ghee and close it with a lid.
Now in a small frying pan heat the remaining ghee, add the raisins first when they start bubbling up add the broken cashews when you see a light change in colour, switch of the stove and keep it aside this helps in not burning the cashews too much.

You can see that the Rice, Dal and Kalkandu mixture might be a bit liquidy, that is fine when it is still in a semi liquidy form remove it from the stove, garnish with raisins and cashews mix them well together and now it is ready to be served.

MY NOTES:
* I used 180 grams if you like it more sweeter you can increase it to 200 grms which would be sufficient
** I have used Pressure cooker for a quick version
Points to remember as it has got milk in it, you should be very careful I just cook it exactly for 13 minutes if it doesn't give out a whistle I just switch off the stove when it is 13 minutes.
***Other wise cook both dal and rice without covering the pressure cooker lid for few minutes just keeping a ladle and covering it half with a plate in a low flame for few minutes when the rice is 3/4th cooked add an extra bit of water (1/4) cup and then close the lid and cook for few more minutes around 6 to 7 minutes if it gives out whistle then that is fine other wise just switch off the stove and check and cook until it is well done. Other wise without any cooker you can just cook with a ladle immersed and a plate covered on top until it is well done. If you are directly cooking this way do not forget to use a thick bottomed vessel.
**** Do not over boil, kalkandu looses its sweetness and it caramelizes to dark deep red colour but it will be tasteless and will not have any sweetness either.  when it is over boiled so keep an eye on it once it reaches one string consistency immediately switch off the stove scrape down the vessel around and pour the liquid onto the rice and mix well.

VERDICT:
Absolutely divine, had a demand for me to make it again so made it again the next day, Everybody at home and friends just loved it, It was so delicious and with a beautiful aroma and colour, kids who doesn't like sweets at all demanded me to prepare again as I had made very little 

This also goes to fifty-two-weeks of 2013 project by Aparna and Sra for the second week as Garnet as theme.., enjoyed immensely...
Here is my Garnety click for the second week

The post Segappu Kalkandu ( Kempu Kallu Sakkre ) Pongal / Lentil and Rice Sweet Porridge made with Sugar Candy appeared first on My Veg Fare.

As I have said earlier, even though being an Iyengar, born and brought up in Bangalore has changed a lot of things in our life, that is how Amma brought us up, we celebrate both Kannadiga and Iyengar festivals equally, yes I know we used to enjoy loads of goodies to eat when we were young, later stages it became too much for us to eat so many sweets and savouries amma prepared for the festivals as everything was double, the same goes with  this festival, even though we do not have Krishna Janmashtami ( that is the day Krishna was born that is the Ashtami ) which is celebrate through out kannadigas and the rest of the regions, and we Iyengars celebrate the Krishna Jayanthi, which is falling on the 8th of september this year because of the Adhika maasa (extra month) according to the Hindu calendar, otherwise it usually falls a day after the Janmashtami, This Krishna Jayanthi is a very big festival for Tamil speaking Iyengar community.  But then as I said being brought up in Bangalore, mum celebrated Krishna Janmashtami as well, not like preparing too many Bakshanams (sweets and savouries), she used to make kheer or some kind of sweet.  I have adopted too many of the things she practiced and I do the same thing.  My MIL never said anything about these things as even she by heart felt too much inclined to the Kannadagi culture and tradition and appreciated it too much.

So, as today was Krishna Janmashtami, I made this rather I could say I usually make this sweet as Krishna loved poha, as we all know from his stories, and for the rest of the world who do not know about this you should read about his stories if you are interested may be on online or if you could get hold of any books.  Avalakki / Poha is very important ingredient in Krishna's life connected to Sudhama's story.   I will try tell you in a shorter version what the story is about, Sudhama, Krishna's friend was very poor and sudhama coming to know that krishna had become a prince meets him in his palace to tell him about his problems, his wife would have given poha in a small pouch to give it to the Lord as they had nothing else in the house to eat except this as the couples feel not to go empty handed to meet him.  Krishna embraces his old friend asking him if everything was well at his end, sudhama becomes too shy to tell him his problems and says everything was fine, just then Krishna notices the pouch hanging in his waist and asks sudhama what his wife has sent for him, sudhama says he has brought poha, which krishna adores, but was hesitating to give him.  Krishna playfully snatches the pouch and takes a handful of it and puts it in his mouth and goes for a second and then for a third when Rukmini stops him from eating it and says that's enough and says she also has the right to share it and tells krishna, whatever he has given would last for generations to come. Sudhama never understands anything but bids goodbye enjoying his day with his childhood friend and returns home sadly thinking what to tell his wife as he couldn't ask any help at all from his friend.
Funnily when he comes back to his village and to the place where his hut stood he finds a big palace, he looks around and thinks what has happened to his family. when he walks up to the front door to find out, his wife comes out dressed like a princess, astonished sudhama asks what happened and his wife describes how everything suddenly changed like a Maya ( Magic ), that's when sudhama remembers Rukmini's words and why she stopped him. His two fist full of Poha had given him all the riches in the world, so even today Poha and butter ( his favourite ) is kept in front of the God for Neivedhyam ( prasad).
I sometimes when time was short would soak poha in milk then add fruits, sugar and cardamom. sometimes just keep poha soaked and squeezed, adding sugar, cardamom and fresh grated coconut. like this I keep making something with poha to make it more interesting, but this has become our favourite.. Avalakki Pineapple Kesari... want to know how I make it... do read...

BEATEN RICE / POHA / AVALAKKI  PINEAPPLE KESARI BATH
Cuisine: South Indian
Cooking time: under 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup coarsely crushed thick Poha / Avalakki
3/4 th cup Sugar
2 cardamom pods crushed nicely
1/4 Ghee  ( Clarified butter )
1 tbsp of Khismish ( Raisins )
1 tbsp of Cashewnuts
1/2 cup milk
1 Cup water
1/4 cup Chopped Pineapple ( or grated pineapple )
few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp of hot milk

METHOD:
First you need to crush or coarsely powder thick poha, If you are using a mixie (Indian grinder), pulse it for every three seconds so its broken coarsely.
In a tbsp of warm  milk soak few strands of saffron
Wash crushed poha quickly - what you need to do is pour water clean it quickly let it sit for a second immediately drain the water, do it at least twice so you get rid of the dust, drain the water completely if needed you can press the water out of them and leave it until needed.  The process of doing this should be quick.
Check my notes ...
In a Non stick wok / pan , In the given amount of  water add chopped pineapple pieces and cook for approximately 10 minutes in a medium flame with a closed lid, after few minutes  add sugar let it dissolve completely, add milk then mix it well together, Bring the flame to low then add the coarsely crushed poha / Avalakki. Start bringing them all together, it starts cooking and starts thickening close the lid for few minutes.

until poha gets completely cooked and absorbs everything and the flavours.

Meanwhile in 1 tbsp of Ghee, fry chopped cashews and Raisins, and keep aside.
Open the lid, add dissolved saffron, cardamom powder and and rest of the ghee**., combine well together close the lid keep it in a low flame for few more minutes until it is well cooked, and almost dry.
Garnish the Poha Kesari with cashew and kishmish (raisins)
Serve it warm or cold and enjoy...
It is totally delicious and addictive.

NOTES:
First time when I made I hadn't washed the Poha, which I was not happy with, you can see the photos just like that, which I have posted.
Next time I cleaned poha quickly because  if you leave it for more than 5 minutes it will swell up and  it absorbs water  as it is already crushed or broken. Just the same method used for Gojjavalakki (spiced Poha with a Tangy flavour)
This way of cleaning it also helps in cooking well, and absorbs everything well.
After you soak saffron, leave it for sometime that is until it is needed , then with your finger tip, keep pressing and  kind of squeezing it in the bowl , this helps in realizing the colour to its full extent.
You can also add more ghee if you want.

Linking this to :
South Indian event #1 by Anu
30 minutes mela of Srivalli's

The post Beaten Rice / Poha / Avalakki Pineapple Kesari Bath (Sweet Rice) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Recipe Source : Original
Prep time: 25 minutes
cooking time : 
Ingredients :
For Making  Orange Chenna/ Paneer :
6 pints milk (approx 3.408L) Full fat 4%
2 Oranges
2 tbsp Vinegar/Lime Juice

Method :
Take Milk in a bowl (I usually put a small spoon immersed in it and allow it to boil, immersing a wooden spatula in it.
Meanwhile scrape out the zest of one orange and cut it half and squeeze out all the juice and keep it aside, with the other orange cut it again in any way you want, and take out the slices nicely with out any pith (the white portions between the wedges), and keep them aside.

As you can see once the milk starts to form a layer around , mix it with the ladle add Orange juice and one or two tbsp of Vinegar/Lime juice, grated zest of the orange and the chopped Orange slice to it, You can see in each step the how the milk starts curdling and gives out the whey to this point you can add a 1/4 tsp of Orange food colour, if you want. well it gives a lovely colour to the dish in the end.

Once the curdled milk separates out take a muslin cloth/cheese cloth or any cloth from which you can separate out the whey and chenna/paneer.
Tie this cloth around a bowl or just put this cloth in a strainer and keep this strainer in the bowl, which helps to hold the cloth firmly then pour this on it, the whey separates out and the chenna/paneer stays in the cloth, keep the paneer in cold running water for few seconds just to get rid of the lime/vinegar smell, Now tie this cloth tightly and keep a heavy something,( I kept my granite mortar and pestle on top of it), I remove the whey water from the vessel use an other vessel keep my strainer again on top of it, then I keep my tied paneer cloth on it and the heavy weight on top of it, so the left over water in the paneer and cloth should come out completely, leave it like that for 1 or 2 hours.

Here take a look at my Orange Paneer.... Looks gorgeous isn't it 🙂

with little specks of Orange segments peeping through :).....

well, coming back to the recipe...
So once your Chenna/Paneer is completely drained out,  you have to make Rasgullas out of it so what you have to do is.....
Ingredients:
To make Orange Rasgullas:
Orange Chenna/Panner (recipe above)
1 tbsp Soji/1 tbsp Maida or APS ( I added a bit more )
1 tbsp sugar
To make Orange syrup for the Rasgullas
5 to 6 Cups of Water
3-4 cups of sugar (depending upon how much sweet you like)
1 tsp of Crushed cardamom
1/2 tsp of Saffron (pre-soaked in warm water)
1 tbsp Orange essence
1 tsp of Rose water

dissolve 1tsp of APS/Maida 2 to 3 tbsp of water

METHOD:

Now to this paneer and add the above said ingredients and knead till the dough is soft and smooth, you may add a bit more to get the right consistency, don't knead too hard as you can see that there are bits of orange segments.
Make small balls out of these they might not become too big as the normal Rasgullas do, but don't make the balls too big as they are going to expand when on cooking. Do make sure the balls are crack free.

Now on to make the Rasgullas ( sweet balls)
Take a wide bottom vessel/Pressure cooker/Stock pot, Add water and sugar, allow it to boil, until the sugar dissolves, keep stirring, so the sugar dissolves quickly and sugar water starts boiling to this add the rest of the Ingredients, and bring it to low flame.

Add the balls one at a time, you should not forget to keep the flame low and allow it cook for 30-35 minutes with a closed lid, check now and then, it is good you have a see through lid on :), just makes life easier!

One more little tip dissolve maida with water as mentioned above and add this to the water and pour it into the vessel/cooker you can see Rasgullas floating on top soon.
If you are using a pressure cooker close the lid and put on the weight, keep it on a low flame and check every 15 minutes to be sure that they don't break up (remember because you have orange segments in them!).

you can see that they have grown big :), that's delightful isn't it...

NOW TO MAKE RASMALAI (JUICY CREAM)
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 to 2 lts milk (whole milk)
1 cup of the sugar syrup ( from the above recipe, In which you have soaked and cooked the Rasgullas)
1 cup of Sugar (because we have sweet tooth! increase or decrease as you like it)
2 to 3 tbsp of chopped almonds and pistachios ( I love nuts so the extra helpings )
1 tsp of Saffron (Pre-soaked in 2 tbsp of warm milk)

You can start making this when you drain and hung your paneer to completely drain, as Malai takes a little longer and more gas consumption :).
In a wide vessel boil milk ( I put a steel spoon just to make sure that it doesn't burn the bottom), put a ladle in too, allowing it to boil, stirring now and then as it keeps forming layer, the milk should get reduced to half and becomes more thicker that is the water content in the milk is gone.
1.Other wise to make the process much quicker you can add 2 to 3 cartons/tins of evaporated milk with 2 to 3 cups of milk and allow it to boil this becomes fairly quickly thicker, but I prefer my old method
2. Otherwise you can add a tinned of condensed milk with ordinary milk make a thicker consistency of the Rasmalai for a quicker version but remember to reduce the quantity of sugar when you add as condensed milk is already sweet

You can see the malai in these clicks how much fat content it has!.
So Once the milk gets thicker, add the rest on the list of the Ingredients, and allow it to boil for few more minutes so that they all combine and give a lovely flavour to the milk.

Now take out the Rasgullas and squeeze out a bit ( try not to break it!) so the water content is gone ( or reduced), put these balls into the Malai that is the creamy milk and leave it an hour or so, you can even soak it overnight and place the container in the Refrigerator and serve this delicious, Gorgeous looking Orange Rasgullas ( try not to eat it when making it, I couldn't resist so gobbled a couple).
Hope you go and try them and tell me how it turned out... and I will be very thankful to you, if you left me a comment about it!
Here is one last look of my sweet little dumplings....

ORANGE RASGULLAS/RASMALAI  FOR YOU ALL,  A VIRTUAL TREAT FOR MY LOVELY FRIENDS....

verdict: If you love oranges just like me, you will love this sweet, my family and friends were very happy and loved it very much, the best was I had my old land lady Emma visiting me on Diwali day, and I had cooked my formula festive recipe and I couldn't give her anything to eat, except for some savouries, she is not fond of our sweets as they say our sweets are too sweet for them...., I thought let me give her this a try.., she was delighted at the orange flavour so much she emptied her bowl and gave it back to me!, she told me, I don't know  how the original Rasgulla tastes like, I like this Orangey flavour, stick to this I love it ..... :), hahaha .
She is my favourite, even though I don't live in her house anymore, she never forgets to come to my place when ever she is in town :), she is 10 yrs younger to me!, I love her to bits, she always tells me whenever I enter your house the curry smell makes me hungry, she loves Indian  food (as it is difficult for her to eat spicy food) she loves  the combos I make her for her to enjoy our food and  make it less spicy for her to enjoy.
This time she even burst some crackers with us, and said  as it was the first time ever in her life she was bursting crackers and she enjoyed it so much, she was ever so delighted....., Oh! bless her.., thanks Emma..., Love you always...

C u soon with an other recipe , take care.......

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