Patishapta the Bengali Pancake

Patishapta means rolled bamboo mat. Traditionally it is made with rice flour made of parboiled rice in the villages during harvesting season. If it's made with the store bought rice flour it will get hard when cold. You can temper the rice flour by adding hot milk instead of cold milk, which will cook the rice flour and it will remain soft. Otherwise just use plain flour. I like it with plain flour.

Ingredients: (makes 8-10) 

Plain Flour 1 cup
Cold Milk 1.5 cup
Sugar 1/4  cup
Eggs 2
Oil or melted butter 1 tbsp
Pinch of Salt

(Tip: if using rice flour add hot milk instead, using 50:50 mix of Rice Flour and Plain Flour is also a good option)

Blend it with a electric mixer or blender or a hand whisk thoroughly. There shouldn't be any lumps. If you cant get rid or lumps, run the mix through a sieve and that will take out the lumps.

Heat up a good quality non-stick frying pan to medium heat > spread few drops of oil on the pan > scoop up 1/3 cup of mix and pour on the pan, lift up the pan and tilt the pan to roll the mix around the bottom of the pan and put it down back on the heat. When the top looses the shine, turn it over with a rubber spatula and give about 20 seconds and then take it off. If the bottom looks burnt, heat is too high, turn it down, If it's taking longer that 3 minutes to get golden brown the heat is too low. 

Kheer:  
Patishapta is served with 'Kheer' filling inside. There are many ways to make kheer, hard way and easy way. Here is a easy one:

Evaporated milk 1 can (400 ml)
Sugar or 'Gur' 1/4 cup
Rice flour 1/4 cup (Plain flour or Corn flour will be fine)
Egg 1
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup shredded coconut (frozen variety is better)

Mix it all up in a pan, turn on medium heat and stir constantly but gently with a spatula. when it will thicken to a cream consistency, its done. Let it cool, If it looks too runny add some milk powder 1 tsp at a time to thicken it to your liking. (Very important, it should not be too runny to drip out while eating, that will be really embarrassing for you!)

Spread the Kheer over the pancake and roll it up. 

American Pancake

An American classic. It should be fluffy, spongy and porous to absorb the Maple Syrup, it's natural accompaniment. Try this recipe carefully and it will be perfect. But it's not the recipe, it's the process that is more important.

Mix the following dry ingredients in a bowl

Plain Flour 2 cups
Sugar 2 tbsp
Baking powder 2 tsp
Bicarbonate of Soda 1 tsp
Salt 1 tsp

Mix the following wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix them with a hand whisk

Eggs 2
Milk 1 cup
Melted butter or oil 2 tbsp
Vanilla 1 tsp

Pour liquid mix into the dry ingredients and mix with a hand whisk gently. This is important, do not use a blender or electric mixer, overmixing will make the pancakes flat and rubbery. So be slow and gentle, don't worry about small lumps.

Heat up a good quality non-stick frying pan to medium heat > spread few drops of oil on the pan > scoop up 1/4 cup of mix and pour on the pan, let it spread naturally, when the top looks dry, takes about 3 minutes, turn it with a rubber spatula and give another 1 minutes and then take it off. If the bottom looks burnt, heat is too high, turn it down, If it's taking longer that 3 minutes to get golden brown the heat is too low. If you have a large enough pan, you can make 3 or 4 pancakes at a time.

Serve with Maple Syrup poured over. (if maple syrup is not available in where you live, use honey). 

Makha Makha Chicken Bhuna

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil
2 large Onion blended or finely chopped
1 tbsp Garlic paste
1 tbsp Ginger paste
2 tsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp all purpose seasoning (or 1/2 tsp more salt)
1 tbsp Tomato puree
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Yogurt

6 large pieces of Chicken (1 kg)

Add all of the above except chicken in that order, cook the Masala for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the chicken and turnover few times to get them well coated, cook for 5 minutes to bring the temperature up, when the Masala starts bubbling again, turn down the heat to simmer, cover the pot and set the timer to 30 minutes. After 30 minutes check the Masala, if it's too runny for your taste, leave it uncovered for another 10 minutes.

Do not add any water (adding water will make it Chicken Curry), enough water comes out of chicken depending on the size of the pieces.

Do not cook chicken for more than 40 minutes, that's when the natural juice of chicken starts coming out and chicken will get dry and rubbery.

Mango Cheesecake

It's a no-bake cheesecake with an Asian twist.
You will need a 8" cake tin.

Ingredients:

For base

Tea Biscuits 300g
Butter 100g

For cake:
Cream cheese. 300 g
Double Cream (heavy cream) 300 ml
Icing sugar. 1/2 cup sifted
Lemon juice. 1 tbsp
Gelatin 2 tbsp
Vanilla: 2 tsp
Mango puree 1/2 cup

Processes:

Gelatin
Add the gelatin powder in 1 cup of cold water and let it soak for 5 minutes, it's called 'blooming'. After 5 minutes give it a stir and bring it to boil in microwave or in a small sauce pan on heat.

Base:
Crush the biscuits either by a food processor or just put them in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Mix with the melted butter together into a dough, press it down at the base of a 8 inch cake tin > chill for 2 hours

Cake 
Whip the Double cream. with Icing Sugar gradually added.
Soften the Cream cheese and mix together with the whipped cream.
Add 1/4 cup Mango puree and half of the gelatin and mix together
Pour in the cake tin
Put the tin in fridge to set for 3-4 hours.

Mango glaze topping:
Add remaining half of the Gelatin and the remaining mango puree and mix well.
Bring the tin out of the fridge and pour over the cake to cover the top.
Put the tin back in the fridge to set for another 4 hours.

Serve
Loosen the sides of the tin by running a warm spatula around, or wrapping hot towel around or by a hair dryer. Slide the tin out.

Mango Mousse

Incredibly mouth watering fusion dessert, very easy to make.

1. Double Cream (heavy cream) 2 cups.
2. Mango puree 1 cup
3. 4 eggs
4. Sugar 1/2 cup
5. Vegetable gelatin powder 1 tsp

Method:

• Whip double cream and 1/2 cup sugar into soft peak consistency.
• Separate egg whites and whip with 1/4 cup sugar into soft peak consistency
• Add whipped egg white into whipped cream and gently fold
• Add 1/2 cup of Mango puree and fold
• Pour the mix into a serving dish and give it a shake to bring out any trapped air bubbles. 

Mango Gel topping

• Dilute the Gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water
• Add to 1/2 cup of Mango puree
• Add 1/4 cup sugar
• Mix it all up
• Bring to boil in a small saucepan stirring continuously.
• Turn off the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
• Pour over the Mango Mousse to cover the top fully
• Let it cool and chill in the fridge to set overnight. It's best to make a day before your party.  

Roast Duck

Roast Duck (2.5 kg)
Recipe by Monira Chowdhury

Marinade

1. Orange marmalade 300 g (3/4 jar)
2. Sweet chilli sauce 300 g
3. Chilli sauce 150 g
4. Salt 1 heaped teaspoon (tsp)
5. Fresh Orange zest 1 orange
6. 1 zested orange quartered
7. Honey 1.5 tablespoon (tbsp)

Method:

• Mix marinade ingredients and coat duck (with skin on) including cavity, insert quartered orange plus any giblets into cavity, rest at least 3-4 hours (preferably overnight);

• Roast marinated duck in pre-heated oven 200c for 2 hours (40 minutes per kg + 20 mins), covered in foil approximately 45 mins and uncovered 1 hour 15 mins (covered in foil no more than 1/3 cooking time);

• Rest cooked duck for 15-20 minutes before curving

Gravy

Take cooked juices from roasting tray (drain excess oil) and reduce consistency, add 1 tbsp gravy granules to thicken as required;

Roast Parsnips

Recipe by Monira Chowdhury

Parsnips (1kg)

Marinade

1. Honey 2tbsp (heaped)
2. Salt 1 tsp (heaped)
3. Smoked Paprika 2tsp

• Mix marinade & glaze cut up parsnips (halves or quarters),
• Roast in pre-heated oven 200c approx 50-60 mins,