Bhapa Sandesh - Steamed Ricotta Cheese Dessert

Bhapa Sandesh

Sandesh is a beloved sweet or misti in West Bengal, India, and Bangladesh. Bhapa (steamed) Sandesh can be made in a pressure cooker or microwave oven. I find it simpler to use the microwave method because it's faster and can be made in the same Pyrex dish in which it can be served so there are no dishes to wash.

Whole milk ricotta cheese works well in this recipe, the alternative being to make cottage cheese or chana at home. The latter involves an elaborate and complex process which is not my cuppa tea.

Sandesh was my son's favourite misti and had to be included in his tiffin or bento box every day. The soft and satiny texture of sandesh varies with the ratio of cheese to sugar. The more cheese in the sandesh, the softer and more velvety it is.

Shrimp Steamed in Mustard Coconut Sauce

Chingri Sorshe Narkol Bhape

The microwave oven has simplified life in more ways than one. No longer do I just heat left-overs or use it for defrosting frozen meat. We made this dish in a stainless steel bowl in a pressure cooker before the days of the microwave oven and it took 10-15 minutes along with another 10 minutes for the pressure to dissipate. In the microwave oven, it took exactly 4 minutes from oven to table!

Mustard oil may be a new cooking medium for some people, but the people in the state of Bengal in India almost exclusively use it for all their everyday cooking. It is available in most Indian markets and it is advisable to consult the store owner for the most pungent flavored mustard oil available in the store.

Extremely easy to assemble, the most difficult part is probably blending the mustard seeds into the finest possible paste. To remove some of the bitterness from the mustard seeds, it is necessary to cover them with salt and soak in tap water for 2 hours or so. Then drain and rinse the seeds in a tea strainer in several changes of water to remove the excess salt. I prefer to mix in the coconut milk powder (also available in Indian/Asian markets) after the mustard seeds have been blended to get the maximum flavor of coconut which also helps to tone down the pungency of the mustard seeds. The coconut milk powder makes the sauce thick and creamy.

Microwaved Yellow Potatoes in 4-1/2 minutes

Yellow Tharkari

These amazing potatoes are so easy and quick to make in the microwave oven. Left-over Burger King french fries which taste terrible the next day, were diced and cooked in the microwave oven in exactly 4-1/2 minutes. They're already salted, so there's no need to add any more. Frozen Ore-Ida hash brown potatoes also work to cut down the preparation time which makes this a "jhatpat" (instant or quick) potato recipe.

These potatoes taste great with chapatis/tortillas or with steamed Basmati or other long grain rice.

Burmese Pazun Sipyan - Shrimp Curry

Pazun Sipyan
(Shrimp in Coconut Sauce)

This is a Burmese dish that was made in the microwave oven.  'Pazun' means shrimp and 'Sipyan' means 'oil returns'. So as not to skimp on fat, use a healthy oil such as extra-light olive oil when cooking Burmese food.  To get the full flavour to develop, no water was added because the oil must separate and return to the surface in the short time it takes to cook this in the microwave oven. It took exactly four minutes to get done!

Burmese Ohn Htamin - Cooked in the Microwave Oven

Ohn Htamin
(Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk)

I've blogged before about making Ohn Htamin on the stove top and that recipe is fine if you have ample time on your hands to saute the onions and rice prior to setting it to simmer on the stove top. Here is a quick and easy way to achieve the same results when there's no time to waste. It is almost a guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Soon after we arrived in Canada in 1977, we bought our first microwave oven. It was an expensive piece of equipment but because it was such a new technology, I was wary of using it to its full potential. Boiling water for tea or coffee, reheating left-over food or thawing a frozen piece of fish or poultry was about the extent of its use in our home.

Three decades later, the microwave oven is proving to be an integral part of my kitchen. I've progressed to making quite a few dishes in the microwave oven and like it because it cuts down dramatically on the cooking time.

This method of preparing Ohn Htamin is the perfect example of how useful an appliance it is!

Chickpeas with Russet & Sweet Potatoes

GHOOGNI with sweet potatoes
A variation of Chana Masala

Chana Masala, a North Indian dish, made in the Bengali style includes potatoes and is called Ghoogni. I added sweet potatoes to give it a twist.

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 russet potato, peeled and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

Tempering:
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
3 bay leaves

Gravy:
1 medium onion, chopped, blanched and puréed
1 Tbsp. garlic paste
2 Tbsp. ginger paste
2 Tbsp. tomato purée
2 Tbsp. Greek or plain yogurt
1 tsp. Shan Chana Masala powder

Garnish:
Cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped
1/4 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. ghee

Directions:
1. Cook sweet and russet potatoes in boiling, salted water for 15 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and reserve 1½ cups boiling water or simmer 1½ cups vegetable stock.
3. Whip Gravy ingredients together and set aside.
4. Microwave oil on high for 2 minutes.
5. Add Tempering ingredients and cook on high for another 2 minutes.
6. Add whipped Gravy ingredients, stir and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
7. Add boiling water or hot vegetable stock to gravy and stir.
8. Add potatoes along with chickpeas, stir well and microwave on high for another 2 minutes.
9. Garnish with ghee & garam masala powder, stir and sprinkle cilantro and jalapeno peppers on top before serving.

Goes great with cooked rice or tortillas.

Easy Peasy Tandoori Shrimp Curry

This recipe was inspired by one given to me by my sister. Whereas she used salmon, I made this using shrimp.

Ingredients:
1 lb. (500 gms.) medium shrimp
1½ tsp. Shan Chicken Tandoori masala, or to taste
2 heaped Tbsp. Greek yogurt, or any yogurt on hand
1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil
Garlic chives or cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Marinate shrimp in Tandoori masala, yogurt and oil for 30 minutes.
Microwave 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or until shrimp are no longer pink.
Alternatively, this dish can be cooked on top of the stove by adding a little more oil to a pan and cooking the shrimp along with the marinade until shrimp are no longer pink.

Note: Lime juice can be used to replace yogurt.

Easy Easy Tandoori Salmon Curry

Easy Tandoori Salmon Curry
by Rene Chaudhuri

This is my sister's recipe for a very easy Tandoori fish curry. She used wild Pacific salmon in this dish.

Ingredients:

1 lb. (500 gms.) cubed fillets of fish (Pacific Wild Salmon used here)

1/3 pkg. (15 gms.) Shan Tandoori mix, or to taste

2 heaped Tbsp. Yogurt

1½ Tbsp. vegetable oil

Slit green chillies for garnish

Directions:

Marinate fish in Tandoori mix, yogurt and oil for 30 minutes.

Microwave 2 minutes or until fish is firm and flaky. 

Notes: Lime juice can be used to replace yogurt.

This dish will definitely taste better with belly (peti) pieces.

Carrot Kalakand

Cook Time: 12 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Makes: 16 pieces

Ingredients:

1 tub (15 oz.) Sargento Ricotta Cheese or grated Paneer
1 can (14 oz.) Carnation condensed milk
1 pkg. (3.2 oz.) Carnation milk powder
1 cup minced carrots
1 tsp. cardamom powder
½ tsp. saffron
¼ cup almonds, blanched and chopped

Directions:

1. Process carrots until finely minced.
2. In a microwave-safe dish, combine all ingredients except almonds until all lumps are smoothed out.
3. Microwave 5 minutes uncovered, take out and mix well, loosening the edges.
4. Microwave 5 minutes uncovered, take out and mix well, loosening the edges.
5. Microwave 2 minutes uncovered, take out, add half the almonds & mix well, loosening the edges. Do this again until center loses all moisture.
6. Press down and flatten the mixture, sprinkle cashews on top and press down firmly.
7. Cover and refrigerate for an hour before cutting into pieces. 
8. Serve chilled.
    

This recipe was shared on:

Microwaved Mango Kalakand

Mango & Ricotta Dessert

Serving Suggestions

Cook Time: 16 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Makes: 25 pieces

Ingredients:
1 tub (15 oz.) Sargento Ricotta Cheese or grated Paneer
1 can (14 oz.) Carnation condensed milk
1 pkg. (3.2 oz.) Carnation milk powder
1 cup mango pulp
1 tsp. cardamom powder
½ tsp. saffron
¼ cup chopped cashews

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe dish, mix first four ingredients until all lumps are smoothed out.
2. Microwave 5 minutes uncovered, take out and mix well, loosening the edges.
3. Microwave 5 minutes uncovered, take out and mix well, loosening the edges.
4. Microwave 2 minutes uncovered, take out, add cardamom & mix well, loosening the edges.
5. Microwave 2 minutes uncovered, take out, add saffron and mix well, loosening the edges.
6. Microwave 2 minutes uncovered, take out and mix well, loosening the edges.
7. Press down and flatten the mixture, sprinkle cashews on top and press down firmly.
8. Cover and refrigerate for an hour before cutting into 25 pieces. 
9. Serve chilled.