Melburnians share some sweet recipes for Diwali

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Gulab Jamun // Photo by jaikishan patel on Unsplash

From Kerala to West Bengal to Punjab to Andhra Pradesh, four Melburnians share recipes of sweets for this festive season

Pallavi Dasgupta // Pic supplied

RASGULLA

Pallavi Dasgupta, who juggles the dual role of a being a young mother and a corporate professional, shares the quintessential Bengali sweet recipe—Ragulla or Roshogolla as they say in Bengali. While this recipe isn’t particularly difficult, there are quite a few steps involved. Pallavi has divided the Rasgulla recipe into four parts.

Making Chenna

  • Take 1 litre of whole milk in a pan and bring it to a low boil on a low to medium heat.
  • While the milk is heating up, line a mesh strainer or colander with a piece of cheese cloth or muslin.
  • Keep stirring the milk at intervals. This will help to prevent froth from forming on top and the base from scorching
  • When the milk comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
  • Start with just 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and stir very well. If the milk has not curdled completely, then add more. Keep the lemon juice handy so you can add it as needed.
  • (Note: Depending on the quality of milk, you may need extra acid to get the milk to curdle. Vinegar also can be added instead of lemon juice)
  • As soon as the milk curdles, switch off the heat. The milk should curdle completely, and you should see a green watery whey.
  • Now pour the curdled milk in the cheese cloth/muslin lined strainer or bowl.
  • (Tip: The whey is very nutritious, so don’t discard it! Add it to your chapati dough or in dals or curries)
  • Gather the muslin from the sides and rinse the chenna or coagulated milk solids very well in running water. This brings down the temperature of chenna as well as removes the lemony flavour and tangy taste from the chenna.
  • Now squeeze the muslin with your hands very well so that excess water is drained from the chenna.
  • Any excess moisture in the chenna will cause the rasgulla to break when cooking.
  • After the chenna is thoroughly drained, remove the cheesecloth. Think of chenna like Goldilocks—it should not have too much moisture nor be too dry.
  • With the heels of your palms, mash the chenna and knead. Keep on collecting the chenna from the sides and continue to mash and knead.
  • This kneading process is very important and also decides the texture of chenna. When you feel your palms becoming a bit greasy, it is time to stop.
  • Just a bit of greasiness is required. Avoid kneading to an extent where the whole chenna becomes greasy.
  • (I kneaded for about 20 minutes as I have very light hands. Depending on the quality of chenna and the pressure you apply while kneading, you can take more or less time).
  • Knead to a smooth ball of chenna which should be able to come together without breaking or falling apart.
  • Now pinch small portions from the chenna and roll them between your palms to a smooth round ball. There will be some fine cracks on the chenna balls. Don’t worry! This is normal.
  • Cover all the chenna balls with a moist muslin or kitchen towel and keep aside.

Make Sugar Syrup

  • In a large pot, take 2 cups sugar.
  • Add 4 cups water (1 litre). Be sure to use a large pot or pan so that there is enough space for the rasgulla to cook and increase in size. You can also use a stovetop pressure cooker.
  • Heat the sugar solution on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves. You don’t need to boil the solution.
  • Gently slide the rasgulla balls into the sugar solution.
  • Don’t stir the rasgulla
  • For 10 mins in medium heat cook it—you will see the rasgulla are getting fluffy and then turn your heat to low and cook then for 20 mins.
  • After 20 mins, rest it till it comes to room temperature and then serve it,

(Side note: I kneaded the chenna and cooked the sugar syrup simultaneously to save time. You can opt to prepare the chenna balls first and then make the sugar syrup if you are feeling overwhelmed)

Manmeet Kaur // Pic supplied

KADAH PARSHAD

Manmeet Kaur is bookkeeper who does volunteering work in her free time. She enjoys cooking and baking and learning new things constantly. “For me cooking mostly emerges from travel stories and sweetest memories of life,” she says.

Here is a recipe of Kadah Parshad (atte ka halwa) from here.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Ghee
  • 1 cup Wheat flour
  • 1 cup Sugar (3/4 cup Sugar if you prefer little less sweet)
  • 3 cups of Water

Method

  • Start by heating a stainless steel or any other pan or wok.
  • On a medium heat, add ghee and let it melt.
  • Add in the sifted wheat flour and stir with a flat big spoon. Continuously keep stirring it from all sides to avoid it getting burnt.
  • In another small pot, heat up the water. Now add sugar and just wait for the sugar to dissolve completely. Once dissolved, strain the sugar-water, and keep it aside.
  • Once the flour is cooked enough, you will know it’s done by smell of roasted flour and by seeing the glaze on the flour with the ghee. Also, the consistency will become very fluffy or easy to move around.
  • Finally add the sugar-water mixture that was kept aside into the pan with flour mix. Be very careful and gentle while adding water to avoid any hot splashes and spills.
  • Continue to stir rapidly yet carefully and scrape the sides and bottom of the pan/wok as you stir.
  • Within a minute or two the water will be absorbed, and the parshad will thicken slightly and at this point it will be completely cooked. A perfectly cooked parshad will not stick to the pan even when you move or stir. Take it out in a serving bowl it will slide out easily.
  • Caution don’t eat immediately. Give it a couple of minutes to cool down slightly as it’s too hot when ready.

(Note: If you like some crunch, you can add some chopped nuts of your choice in the parshad. If adding nuts, add them with ghee at the start before adding flour, so that they get nicely toasted or you can roast nuts separately and use them as garnish)

Surkeinya Nongmaithem // Pic supplied

PALADA PAYASAM

Surkeinya Nongmaithem is a client relations manager. Originally from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, being married to a Malayali from Kerala she has imbibed the best of cultures. Cooking food from Kerala is something she loves—a passion she developed while living there before moving to Melbourne. She shares her recipe for the traditional dessert Palada Payasam with readymade Ada.

Ingredients

  • Boiled milk: 6 cups
  • Sugar: 3/4 to 1 cup / 170-225 grams or according to your taste
  • Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
  • Ghee: 2 tbsp
  • Water: 2 cups
  • Optional:
  • Cashewnut: 4tbsp
  • Raisins: 4 tbsp

Method

  • Boil the milk and set it aside. Wash and drain the readymade ada.
  • Boil water in a pan, switch off flame and soak the washed ada in it, cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
  • Drain the ada and rinse few times under cold water thoroughly to remove all the excess stickiness out of it. Set aside in water until you add it to the payasam.
  • Heat a heavy bottomed vessel in a medium low flame and pour in one table ghee. Add sugar and saute until it melts with ghee.
  • Next add ada and roast till it changes colour to light golden and is well coated with sugar and ghee.
  • Pour the boiled milk to the ada sugar- ghee mixture and continue boiling until it thickens and its colour changes to pale pink; stir continuously for 40 minutes.
    Add the cardamon powder and mix well.
  • Optional: Heat the ghee in a pan and fry cashew nut and raisins. Add this to the payasam, and it is ready.(Notes: Perfect consistency for the Palada Payasam means when you drop on the floor it should not be watery. I use Nirapara ready-to-use ada, which is available in Indian grocery stores.)
Syeda Bahadur Nabeela // Pic supplied

QUICK & EASY KHEER

Syeda Bahadur Nabeela comes from Hyderabad, the city of pearls and biryani. She also assumes many roles apart from working as an Authorised Officer with Metro Trains. Those roles include volunteering and working in different capacities with many organisations. Also a young mother, she is ready with quick and easy recipes that can stir your palate. Here is her recipe for kheer, the Indian version of rice pudding.

Ingredients

  • Sabudana
  • Rice powder
  • Milk
  • Elaichi powder
  • Dry fruits

Method

  • Soak 4 tablespoon sabudana for 45 minutes before hand.
  • Bring 1 litre milk to boil. Then slowly add three tablespoon rice powder and keep stirring the milk. Once the rice powder is dissolved, add sabudana. Cook on low flame until sabudana is softened.
  • Add sugar as per taste and 1/4 teaspoon elaichi powder. Cool it for 15 minutes and garnish with dry fruits.
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