Rakhi Special

I have not expected and planned much about this year’s Raksha bandhan. R being down with fever for almost a week has made me less enthusiastic and low. It is almost a month now that my darling is not keeping well. It started with cold and cough, then stomach upset and now this fever! Since we shifted to our new home, it is everyday something or other that is troubling including, electricity, water supply, domestic help, small (actually crucial) carpentry, plumber related, gas-supply related problems and finally an unwell kid. To add to these was S’s back sprain on Saturday. Fully exhausted!!! and could not plan anything for Rakhi.

Rakhi is a day when only veg meal is served at my place. I had nothing at home- no vegetables nothing. Only I had 2 ltrs of full cream milk. At around 9 pm on Saturday, my sis-in-law called and said that she’s making malpua and will bring for tomorrow’s occasion. Finally, after that call I sat to decide what to make. Outside food was not an option as R was not well. I wanted to go for easy and tasty but those items that my family would love.  

I thought of making something different but easy with the milk. Payesh or kheer was not the option because that I have made for many times now. So, I thought for Bhapa sandesh/ steamed Sandesh- a low sweet soft Bengali desert. But this is the dessert- I have to plan for the starters and the main course menu as well. Dahi vada was the only thing that I could think of as a starter. A famous way of having malpua in Bihari style is to have it with alu matar or dam aloo type sabzi. Accordingly, I thought of making alu matar paneer (potatoes, peas and paneer) ki sabzi. This will be absolutely well if accompanied by rice. I also needed to make a bhujia (sabji cooked in low flame, less oil and no water). But I could not think of that. Then Rai, my niece, was there. She said she would love to make a cake. With this, I initiated the celebration atleast.

I made the bhapa/ steamed sandesh on previous day night. This is made out of chana, i.e., curdled milk. This is how I made it.

Ingredients for 15-20 pieces bhapa/ steamed sandesh

Full Cream milk 2 ltr

2tbsp vinegar

8-10 tbsp sugar

Pinch of cardamom powder/ or cardamom pods

Method                                                                                                                               

Boil the full cream milk in medium flame and stirring often.

Lower the flame, when the milk is boiled and add vinegar.

Switch off the gas and stir the milk and leave for 2minutes.

Place the curdled milk on a strainer and separate the water. Keep it for at least 10-15 minutes to allow the extra water to be strained. But remember not to make it dry. In this dish we want the chana to be moist. That would give soft sandesh.

Now, add cardamom powder/pods and sugar and mash and mix well.

When it is done grease a covered bowl that would go into your pressure cooker. Place the mixture in the covered bowl. Put little amount of water in the cooker. Be careful about the quantity of water, as it should not enter into the bowl while steaming. Remove the weight form the cooker and close the lid. Cook in a low flame for 15 minutes.

After that open the lid take out the steamed chana on a plate. It looks more like a cake now. Cut it in desired shape and serve or refrigerate for an hour and serve.

Note: I have read many where to run the chana in cold water to avoid the smell and/taste of the vinegar. But I had never done that. My chana dishes had no effects smell or taste wise without this step.

The picture is not good at all but the outcome was good. None of the pieces were left J This pic was taken before refrigeration. 

This is the Picture of my starters and deserts- Dahi wada, steamed sandesh, malpua (made by sis-in-law),  cake(neice) and Laddu(store bought).