Chomchom and Malai Sandwitch Chomchom (Famous Bengali Sweet )A oval shaped paneer or ricotta cheese dumpling soaked in thick sugar syrup.

Happy Diwali or  Deepawali to all..,"Diwali .."the festival of lights"  is an ancent Hindu  festival. It signifies the victory of good over evil".
Without light,firecrackers  and  sweets diwali is incomoplete. To celebrate  this auspicious  occasion  today I am going  to share a very popular sweet in India...Chomchom .

Chomchom is a very popular  traditional  Bengali sweet,Bengal is popular  for its wonderful  sweets..like Rasgulla,Rasmalai,Chomchom and many more .It is very delicious  and tasty..almost similar to the rasgullas except  the shape and sugar syrup consistency.
It comes in a variety of colors, mainly light pink, light yellow, and white. It is made with paneer or chena or cottage cheese. .you can make it using store bought paneer or cottage cheese or chena  but it taste good when it would be made with homemade  chena or paneer ..It is very easy to make..though it is a time  consuming  dish...once in a year we can give some time to make theese delicious  chomchoms at home to treat our loved ones.
you can serve the chomchoms sprinkled with some grated khoya or coconut. ..here  I used grated khoya..or you  can serve it stuffed  with mewa and  chopped nuts which I also did with some chomchoms...or it can be served with  thick milk or rabdi..as you wish.


INGREDIENTS 
Cow Milk- 2 Liters
Lemon Juice-1 full lemon or Vinegar -2tsp (if required add more lemon juice or vinegar )
Sooji or Semolina -1tsp (optional )
Rose water - 1 teaspoon
Sugar -2cups +1cup
Water-4cups
Yellow food colour-1 pinch  (optional )
Cardamom Powder - 1/2teaspoon
Cherries-cut into thin  round shaped.


METHOD OF MAKING CHENA OR PANEER OR COTTAGE CHEESE 

Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add milk

Bring it to  boil and keep stirring to avoid burning of milk..

Once the milk comes to boil, simmer the gas, start adding the lemon juice and keep stirring( if required,add more lemon juice) cook for few seconds until the milk solids gets separates from the whey. Switch off the heat.

Pour this curdled milk to the already lined muslin cloth over a strainer,squeeze out all the whey water then  rinse   chena under the tap water  as much as possible....if you do not rinse the chena or paneer  proper. .you will  get the smell  of lemon while having it.

Now hang the cloth covered  chena or paneer tap for 30 minutes. Then remove it from tap and place a heavy weight on chena for another 30 minutes. It will help to squeeze  more water from chena or paneer .


After that, remove the cheesecloth from the chenna or paneer.

The chena or paneer should not have too much moisture nor be dry.

METHOD OF MAKING CHOMCHOM PATTIES 

Take the paneer in a wider plate

Add 1 tsp sooji or rava or semolina, adding sooji or semolina helps to bind the mixture.

 First mix the sooji with chenna and then begin to knead for 5 minutes


Knead it well  with your palms for 5 to 6 minutes  to get smooth texture.


This kneading process is very important and it decides the texture of chomchom.

Divide  the chena or paneer or cottage cheese into equal portions and rolling the  balls into oval shapes and then press lightly to make a proper oval shaped  chomchom...taking care that there are no cracks.

Prepare all the chomchoms  in  this way.

METHOD OF MAKING SUGAR SYRUP 
In the mean while making  sugar syrup
Take a  large pan, take 2  cups sugar and 4cups water....and bring it to boil.

You have to use a large pot or pan so that there is enough space for the chomchom to cook and increase double in size.

Mix and continue  stir the sugar syrup  until it will be dissolved....do this process on medium  flame.

FINAL STEP OF MAKING CHOMCHOM
When  the  sugar syrup will start to boiling. ..drop chomchom gently to the sugar syrup ...drop chomchom according  to the size of your pan. ..as I told earlier  chomchoms  need more space to be cooked...the size of the chomchoms   will be doubled  on cooking  on sugar syrup

Cover the vessel with  lid......cook 10 minutes on high flame ..then reduce the flame to medium...and cook on medium flame for next 30 minutes.Open the lid and gently stir every 5 minutes to ensure  even cooking and  puffing.

After that, take out all the chomchoms  in a large bowl..keep aside....

Add 1 cup more sugar in the remaining  sugar syrup... mix well and bring to a boil...cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.Turn the heat down until it is just bubbling. Cook the syrup until  be thickened  .Watch the syrup carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.Switch off the heat. Pour this thick sugar syrup on chomchoms....

cover the vessel with lid. Let them be cool..after cooling down, keep it in refrigerator  for 5-6 hours. After 5-6 hours, you take out   these chochoms from refrigerator  and serve sprinkled  with some grated khoya or mewa...and garnish  with round shaped thin cherry.

Or you can make some   Malai  Sandwitch Chomchom...slit the chomchoms  into  two halves and then stuff with grated mewa or khoya mixed with chopped different  types of nuts..


INGREDIENTS OF MAKING MALAI CHOMCHOM OR STUFFED OVAL SHAPED PANEER  OR RICOTTA CHEESE DUMPLINGS SOAKED IN THICKENED SUGAR SYRUP. 

Grated Mewa or Khoya-1cup
Powdered sugar - 1 / 4cup
Pistachios, cashews and almonds-3 teaspoons ( each)[soaked in water..peeled except cashews..then chopped )
Cherries-5(cut into thin round shaped )

METHOD OF MAKING MALAI CHOMCHOM OR STUFFED OVAL SHAPED RICOTTA CHEESE DUMPLINGS  SOAKED IN THICK SUGAR SYRUP. 

Mix Mewa or khoya with powdered sugar and chopped nuts well..
Slice the chomchoms  into two halves..andstuff with this khoya or mewa mixture..then close  it . Garnish with silver varak, a piece of pistachios and a piece of cherry.

Alo Jhelo (Sugar Coated Indian Pastry) Bengali Special Festive Sweet

Elo jhelo is a very traditional sweet which is prepared during festivals like Vijaya Dashami ( last day of Dussherra ) or Diwali in Bengal
to greet the guests  It is a sugar  coated Indian pastry . It is  easy to cook but one needs patience  to make them. It can be stored in a airtight container for a week.



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Author - Moumita 
Preparation Time - 10 Minutes 
Cooking Time - 20 Minutes 
Recipe Category - Bengali Sweet 
Servings - 12-15 Pieces -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INGREDIENTS Maida - 2 cup                                               

Water - As required 

Oil -1/4cup (for kneading dough)

Ghee or Clarified Butter - 1tbsp 

Oil - 2 cup (for frying)

Baking soda - 1 pinch 

Salt -1pinch

FOR MAKING SUGAR SYRUP 

Sugar - 2 cup

Water - 1 cup

    

                                                                            
METHOD 
Add the madia /all purpose flour with salt and make a  well in the center.

 Pour the 4 tbsp of oil  and 1tbsp ghee in the well and mix with fingertips. Add a little warm water at a time to form a dough, knead well with hands.
Once the dough is done, smear a couple of drops of remaining oil coat it. (Note : Oil will help avoid forming a crust)
Cover and allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes.
After that, knead the dough once again. Divide the dough into balls approximately 1" in diameter.
Flatten each ball and using oil for rolling, roll into discs approximately 4" in diameter.Press and smoothen it between your palms. Roll out in small discs into 3-3.5" diameter (as shown in the picture)like puri or luchi.


With a sharp knife make 8-9 slits vertically on the disk  leaving 1 cms on both the edges...keep 1/2cm gap between  each slit.


Holding the end sides together and  fold the disk.Press the ends to secure the pattern.


Prepare the same with the remaining dough.


Heat oil in s heavy bottomed vessel or  kadai till medium hot.

Add the prepared elo jhelo to oil..reduce the flame. . and fry on slow heat... Flip the Alo Jhelo over so that can be cooked on both sides.keep flipping. ..fry until both the sides are light brown. Fry these in batches...add Alo Jhelo according  to the size of your kadai or vessel.

Remove from heat.  keep aside. Drain excess oil by keeping the fries on a paper towel.

sugar and water to a pan and bring to a boil...cook for 4-5 minutes.  Turn the heat down until it is just bubbling. Cook the syrup until  be thickened  .Watch the syrup carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.

The sugar syrup should reach until  single stage thread..means,  dip a spoon into sugar syrup,lift it out. Wait a moment and carefully pick up a drop of syrup on your finger. Then touch your finger to your thumb and pull them apart slowly to see how many strings of syrup form. For this recipe, you want a single string syrup.If no thread forms, or it breaks quickly, your syrup is not yet cooked enough.If multiple strings forms,  then it has been overcooked...and need to add some additional water or begin again. When your sugar syrup  is ready,remove  from heat.Let it be cool  little bit for a while..

Add the fried elo jhelo and stir constantly gently so that all crackers are coated.Take them out from sugar syrup. Let them be cool...then enjoy your Elo Jhelo  or you can store  it for a week. 

Though one of my friend  told me that it is very tough to store them, recipe  wise you can but  taste wise  it is impossible. .it is finished  within  a day...☺☺☺☺

PICTORIAL STEP BY STEP  PHOTOS

RASMALAI (INDIAN SWEET SPECIALLY POPULAR IN WEST BENGAL,EASTERN PART OF INDIA )FLAT SHAPED PANEER OR COTTAGE CHEESE BALL SOAKED INTO CREAMY, SAFFRON FLAVORED MILK.

Happy Dusshera to all my readers...this is the last date of Navratri.We  bengali celebrate  this day as Vijaya dashami..
This day marks the end of Durga Puja, people immerse the idols  of goddess Durga  into the rivers and go to each others' house and exchange sweets and vijaya greetings.  This day, the married women folk gather around the deity and smear her and themselves with sindur.To celebrate  this occasion, I am presenting  very popular  Indian sweets Rasmalai.



Rasmalai or 'Rosomalai'(in bengali )is a very popular  Bengali  sweet, now it is also popular  in through out the India  also in Pakistan  and Bangladesh.  In Rasmalai, flat shaped spongy rasgullas or dumpling made with paneer  or cottage or ricotta cheese  soaked in sweet, thickened, chilled and saffron flavored milk.

Ras malai is believed to have originated inWest Bengal and was invented by K.C. Das in the year 1930.[Source-Wiki ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author - Moumita 
Preparation Time - 10 Minutes 
Cooking Time - 40 Minutes 
Servings - 12-15 Pieces 
Recipe Category - Indian Sweet  (Bengali ) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We can divide  the methods of making Rasmalai  into 3 steps .

1.Preparing Chena or Paneer or Cottage cheese 

2.Preparing Rasmalai Patties  or Flat Shaped Dumplings Made With Paneer or Cottage Cheese Ball 

3 . Preparation Rasmalai Radbi or  Creamy,Saffron  Flavored  Milk in which Rasmalai  patties  will be immersed.



1.PREPARING CHENA OR PANEER OR COTTAGE CHEESE .


Ingredients Of Making Chena or Paneer or Cottage Cheese 
 Cow Milk- 2Ltr
Lemon Juice-1 full lemon or Vinegar -2tsp (if required add more lemon juice or vinegar )
Sooji or Semolina -1tsp (optional )

Method Of Making Chena or Paneer or Cottage Cheese 

Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add milk

Bring it to  boil and keep stirring to avoid burning of milk..

Once the milk comes to boil, simmer the gas, start adding the lemon juice and keep stirring( if required,add more lemon juice) cook for few seconds until the milk solids gets separates from the whey. Switch off the heat.

Pour this curdled milk to the already lined muslin cloth over a strainer,squeeze out all the whey water then  rinse   chena under the tap water  as much as possible....if you do not rinse the chena or paneer  proper. .you will  get the smell  of lemon while having it.

Now hang the cloth covered  chena or paneer tap for 30 minutes. Then remove it from tap and place a heavy weight on chena for another 30 minutes. It will help to squeeze  more water from chena or paneer .


After that, remove the cheesecloth from the chenna or paneer.

The chena or paneer should not have too much moisture nor be too dry.


2.PREPARING  RASMALAI PATTIES OR FLAT SHAPED DUMPLINGS MADE WITH PANEER OR COTTAGE CHEESE 

Ingredients Of Making Rasmalai Patties Or Flat Shaped Dumplings Made With Paneer or Cottage Cheese. 

Homemade  Chena or Paneer or Cottage Cheese-1.5 cup

Sooji or Semolina -1tsp (optional )

Water-3cups

Sugar-2cups

Rose Water-1/2tsp


Method Of Making  Rasmalai Patties Or Flat Shaped Dumplings Made With Paneer or Cottage Cheese 

Take the paneer in a wider plate

Add 1 tsp sooji or rava or semolina, adding sooji or semolina helps to bind the mixture.

 First mix the sooji with chenna and then begin to knead for 5 minutes


Knead it well  with your palms for 5 to 6 minutes  to get smooth texture.


This kneading process is very important and it decides the texture of rasmalai.

Divide  the chena or paneer or cottage cheese into equal portions and roll into balls and then press lightly to make patties, taking care that there are no cracks.

Prepare all the rasmalai patties  in  this way.


In the mean while making  sugar syrup
Take a  large pan, take 2  cups sugar and 3 cups water....and bring it to boil.

You have to use a large pot or pan so that there is enough space for the rasmalai to cook and increase in size.

Mix and continue  stir the sugar syrup  until it will be dissolved....do this process on medium  flame.


When  the  sugar syrup will start to boiling. ..drop Rasmalai Patties gently to the sugar syrup ...drop patties according  to the size of your pan. ..rasmalais  need more space to be cooked...the size of the rasmalais   will be doubled  on cooking  on sugar syrup.

Cover the vessel with  lid......cook 25 minutes on medium flame .Open the lid and gently stir every 5 minutes to ensure  even cooking and  puffing.


Turn off the gas, transfer he  Rasmalai Patties  into a serving bowl without sugar syrup.. let them be cool.After cooling down you can  press the rasmalai patties  in your palms. be gentle and don’t apply too much of pressure, as then the rasgullas will break. there should be no sugar syrup in the Rasmalais.

3.PREPARING  RASMALAI RABDI OR CREAMY , SAFFRON FLAVORED MILK. 

Ingredients Of Making Rasmalai  Rabdi or Creamy Saffron Flavored Milk 

 Cow Milk-1ltr

Sugar -1/4cup..can add more if required

Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

A pinch of saffron soaked  in 1tsp warm milk

Rose water -1tsp or a drop  of rose essence

Saffron Strands -few

Almonds(soaked and peeled)-10 cut into thin sliced

Cashew nuts -5 (sliced )

Pistachios  or Pesta-5(sliced)

Method Of Making Rasmalai Rabdi or Creamy Saffron Flavored Milk 


Heat milk in a saucepan and bring it to boil..when  milk will start boiling. .reduce the heat to medium. 

Stir continuously to keep milk from sticking to the bottom of the vessel..

Add sugar and stir till it dissolves. and add saffron soaked  milk..add cardamom  powder.

Cook until  it's volume is reduced to half portion

Simmer the gas and drop rasmalai patties  into this milk gently..

Add 3/4th portion of chopped  dry fruits.

Cook for 3-4 minutes  on low flame.

Switch off the heat, transfer the Rasmalai to the serving bow one by one with spatula,pour the milk on them...let them come to room temperature, then keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

After 3-4 hours, take out from fridge,garnish  rasmalai with saffron strands  and 1/4th chopped  dry fruits...and serve.




Pictorial Recipe