TIL BHUGA

Til Bhuga, a heart-warming, wonderful winter sweet made from khoya (mawa or reduced milk) and sesame seeds. It's a makar sankranti and Lohri special sweet…truly adorned and relished during this festive week to celebrate the harvesting festival. This easy to make winter sweet just melts in your mouth and the sesame seed coating provides a subtle crunch, and gives you warmth. It’s a must to have during this time of the year.

---

PREP TIME: 3 hours (if making khoya from scratch)

PREP TIME: 5 minutes (if using readymade khoya)

COOKING TIME: 5 minutes

ASSEMBLY TIME: 15 minutes

MAKES: 20-25 pieces

INGREDIENTS

• 350g khoya

• 200g confectioners sugar

• 350g white sesame seeds

• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder

• 1 tsp ghee

• 25g green raisins

For Khoya

• 2 ltrs double fat milk/ full fat

METHOD

1. To make khoya, pour the milk in a heavy bottom wok. Keeping at medium high heat and stirring frequently bring the milk to boil. After it reaches boiling point, reduce the heat to low and keep stirring constantly in very frequent intervals, after every one or 2 minutes. Once it’s reduced to 1/3 quantity and starts becoming thick, keep stirring constantly without leaving the sight of it. Reduce the milk completely until it starts leaving the pan and become like a solid lump consistency.

2. In a large pan toast all sesame seeds on a medium low heat until lightly toasted but not browned. It should still stay white in colour. Remove from the pan and cool.

3. In a bowl separate 70g of sesame seeds for later use. In a grinder, grind rest of the sesame seeds to a slightly coarse powder.

4. In a microwave safe bowl, add khoya and warm for a minute until slightly warm and soft in consistency. (You can also warm the khoya in the pan on a low heat). Add ground sesame seeds, sugar, cardamom powder and half tsp ghee. Mix well until combined.

5. Now greasing the palms with remaining ghee, shape them in flat laddu, place a green raisin on top and roll it in the remaining sesame seeds.

6. Repeat with the rest of the mix and serve.
   

COOK'S NOTES

• This dessert can be easily prepared in a short time if you are making with readymade khoya.

• I made the khoya from scratch in a traditional way and the results are incredible. But if you do not have time, you can always make this Indian sweet (traditional mithai) from the readymade khoya which is generally available with mithai shops (Indian sweet shops).

• Please ensure that the readymade bought khoya is prepared traditionally and not from the milk powder as you won’t get the same results and taste you are looking for.

ASPARAGUS CHICKEN ROULADE WITH CREMINI MUSHROOM SAUCE

This gorgeous hearty dish which I named Asparagus Chicken Roulades with Cremini Mushroom sauce is one of our family favorite. It’s such an easy fix and so flavourful and certainly a crowd pleaser dish. The unique taste infused with juniper berries and fresh flavours of oregano mixed with the layer of creamy ricotta filling makes it an interestingly flavourful centerpiece dish when you serve it to your family and friends. The creamy mushroom sauce combined together with these roulades makes it an interesting combination which levels it up to a totally restaurant style dish.

Make your dinner evenings more fascinating and memorable for your loved ones by serving this dish. I'm sure you will be all praises and you can thank me later for that.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TIME: 15-20 minutes

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

For roulades:

• 3 small chicken breast fillets

• 24 baby asparagus (thin and small size)

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tbsp oil

For filling:

• 100g ricotta cheese

• 1 tbsp spreadable cream cheese

• 2 tbsp, finely grated Parmesan cheese

• 5-6 dried juniper berries, pound

• 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste
  

For Mushroom Sauce:

• 150g / 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 2 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp cooking oil

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 sprigs fresh oregano

• 1 cup cooking cream

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Wash the chicken and pat dry with kitchen paper towel. Slice it in half from the fat end to make two thin breasts. Hammer the breast with mallet until thin and wide but not bruised else the filling will ooze out.

2. In a small bowl mix all the filling ingredients. Divide and spread evenly on the chicken breasts.

3. Width wise, place 3-4 asparagus on top and roll it down to make roulades. Season them with salt and pepper.

4. In a wide pan, heat 2 tablespoon oil, place roulades, with open side down. Pan sear and cook them from all sides. Make sure its cooked from inside. Remove.

5. To make mushroom sauce, in the same pan, add butter and oil, add oregano sprigs and garlic. Once butter is melted add mushrooms, sauté on high heat until roasted and slightly golden in colour.

6. Add cream, chicken stock, milk and cheese. Stir to mix and just heat through. If sauce is bit thick add little more milk or stock to adjust the consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

7. To serve, place the mushroom sauce in a platter, place the roulades on top and enjoy with salad or rice.

COOK'S NOTES

1. For this dish , its best to use smaller size chicken breast as the bigger breast will make the rolls very thick and will not cook properly through the center.

2. Hammer the breast by placing a piece of cling film on top of the sliced chicken breast, this way the chicken doesn't bruise and also the chicken flesh doesn't stick to the hammer.

3. It's important to use baby asparagus as they are tender and cook easily along with chicken roulades. If using thicker or fatter version of asparagus, peel of the stems, steam them and then use as described in the recipe. Use only one or two asparagus if using the thicker ones.

4. I used Cremini mushrooms for more earthy flavours in the dish but you can certainly replace them with ordinary button mushrooms.

5. If the sauce has gone thinner adjust the consistency by adding bit more cheese and cream. Vice-versa, if its gone thicker, adjust by adding bit more milk and stock.

KESAR MALPUA

Saunf and Elaichi Malpua with Kesar Kheer! So yum!

Last week during Eid break weather was gloomy and so cloudy in Muscat and we were under complete lockdown…Hubby was in a mood to rustle something to curb his sweet cravings and suggested to make Malpua and Kheer…immediately he took the charge and made this amazingly delicious kesar kheer (of course under my guidance) !😉😁

And I made these fennel and cardamom Malpuas dunked in kesar syrup…ah the crispy warm Malpuas and deliciously cold n creamy Saffron Kheer (rice pudding) was such a delight to enjoy in this perfect weather. What is your favorite rainy day treat???

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

COOK TIME: 25-30 minutes

SERVES: 12-14 (depending on the size)

INGREDIENTS

For Malpua:

• 100g Milk powder (full cream)

• 1/3 cup single cream or cooking cream

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1 1/4 cup milk (full cream) plus 1/4 extra if required

• 1 tsp fennel, lightly crushed

• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

• 1 cup ghee for shallow frying + more if needed

For Sugar syrup:

• 1 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 1/2 cup water

• Big pinch of saffron

For Garnish:

• 1 tbsp slivered pistachios

• Few saffron strands

• Few dried rose petals and buds

• Silver or gold leaf

METHOD

1. In a small glass bowl, add milk powder and cream, mix together and place it in microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave, give a quick mix and put it back in for another minute. Mix again and heat for another 30-40 seconds in microwave. Mix and leave the khoya to cool completely.

2. Put cooled khoya and half of the milk in the blender and blend to make smooth paste. Pour the mixture in a large bowl, add rest of the milk and whisk. Add sifted flour, fennel and cardamom powder to the milk mixture, whisk together to make smooth lump free batter. Add bit more milk if the batter looks thick. It should be slightly thinner than the pancake batter consistency. Leave to rest for 15-20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile make the sugar syrup. Dissolve saffron in 2 tbsp water, let it stand for 5 minutes. Pour water, sugar and soaked saffron, bring to boil and reduce the flame and cook until it forms one string consistency. Do not make the syrup too thick else the malpuas won’t soak in the syrup. Let it cool and come to slightly warmer temperature.

4. Heat ghee in shallow pan, reduce the flame to medium. Pour a ladle full of batter in hot ghee for each malpua, and let it spread on its own. (Make 3 or 4 Malpuas at a time). Let the malpuas cook on one side for 2 -3 minutes or until there is no runny batter left on top. Carefully turn them around with the slotted spoon and cook for another 2 minutes until the edges are crisp and both sides look golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper for 1 minute. Repeat with all batter.

5. Now dunk the malpuas in sugar syrup for few seconds and place them on serving platter. Drizzle extra syrup on top and garnish with pistachios, rose petals, saffron strands and silver leaf. Serve warm with cold kesar kheer or rabri!
   

COOK'S NOTES

1. I made khoya at home using the milk powder and cream for the recipe. If you have access to fresh khoya use 100gms of that instead.

2. Make sure Malpua batter is lump free and is rested for at least 15-20 minutes before frying them.

3. I like the malpuas semi-thin (neither too thin or too thick) but if you like thin malpuas you can add little more milk in batter and change the consistency slightly thinner and vice-versa, add bit more flour to make it slightly thicker malpuas. It’s a personal preference.

4. You can also flavour the sugar syrup with rose water or cardamom as well instead of saffron.

5. Do not keep the syrup consistency too thick as Malpua will not soak the syrup in. Neither it should be too thin in consistency as the malpuas won’t stay crisp enough when dunked in thin syrup. It will make them bit soggy.

6. Don’t fry the malpuas on high flame, neither on low as both temperatures are not good for getting that perfect crispness and golden colour. Higher temperatures will it burn from outside and the inside will it be raw. Vice-versa, low flames make the malpuas soak in too much oil and will not get that colour and edges won’t turn crisp.