Rose Cham Cham Recipe- Bengali Diwali Sweet

Cham Cham - Bengali Sweet

Happy Diwali to all my friends and readers! The festival season is here and I am here to share with you a delicious sweet for Diwali. We have already decked up our home for the festival of lights and no celebrations are complete without sweets and desserts. Like most Indians, I love shopping for colorful diyas and sweets when it is Diwali time. Walk into an Indian store and you will be amazed at the astounding variety of Indian mittais or sweets confectioners in all textures, shapes, and color. Do you like Indian sweets? For me these colorful decadent treats are irresistible.

The recipe I am sharing today is an easy recipe that you can easily make at home. Cham Cham or chom chom is a Bengali delicacy. Cham cham invokes the nostalgia of one of my favorite cities -Calcutta and its rich vibrant culture. Calcutta is beautiful with its magnificent British-era colonial buildings, slow-moving trams, street vendors, temples and festivals. As you get to know the city you will realize that it is foodies paradise. The food of Calcutta was an unforgettable experience. Fond memories are my weekend trips to K. C. Das sweet shop to try the best juicy and melts in your mouth, sweet delicacies. Just one bite and those fragrant and exotic sweets will make you crave for more, they are so addictive and the best you can ever imagine.

Cham Cham - A Unique Bengali delicacy

It is a known fact that lots of Indian sweets are made with milk or milk solids. Cham Cham is also a milk-based sweet and a distant cousin of the Bengali delicacy Rasgulla. Cham cham has a spongy texture and is cooked in sugar syrup similar to Rasgulla.

These pink cham chams are delicately laced with the flavor of cardamom and rose water. It is rich due to the addition of sweet khoya and nuts as stuffing. If this wasn't good enough, here is another way you can make it even more amazing. Coat it with mava and coconut flakes for an exotic taste. Cham-cham is also a term of endearment for loved ones and there is no other name that is perfect for this delicacy. It is oval, usually with stuffing and comes in a variety of vibrant colors. It has a spongy texture and soaks up all the sweetness from the sugar syrup.

Process of making chena 

The main ingredient is chena or fresh paneer. Many Indian sweets are made with chena. You can make fresh paneer at home. The first step is to boil the milk, then curdle it using lemon juice or vinegar. Once the milk curdles you drain the water using a muslin cloth and you will get milk solid that you can use to make cham cham. Mix flour or cornflour and knead it until it becomes a pliable dough. Shape it into an oval shape and cook in sugar syrup.

How to make the perfect cham cham

The most important is the process of making chena. Use full-fat milk for this recipe. Bring the milk to a boil and let it cool down for two to three minutes before adding lemon juice or vinegar. Once the milk separates strain into a kitchen mesh strainer and wash thoroughly to remove the taste of lemon juice. Squeeze off the excess liquid.

The next important step is to mash the chena till it is smooth. Mash for 6-8 minutes till it is smooth before adding the flour.

You can use maida or corn starch. Corn starch is best and it gives the spongy texture for the cham cham. You should be able to form balls that do not break. If the balls are breaking, it means it contains more moisture. Add a teaspoon or two of flour and knead again.

Make sure to add the balls to boiling sugar syrup to avoid breaking while cooking. Use a wide pan for cooking chum chum. They double in size during the cooking process.

Cham Cham Recipe

Cooking time- 30 minutes
Recipe type-Sweet /confectionery/dessert
Cuisine- Bengali/ Indian

Ingredients
Milk- 6 cups
Lemon Juice- 1/2 lemon
Sugar- 2 cup
Water- 5 cups
All purpose flour or corn starch- 2 tbs
Rose water- 1 tbs
Pink food color- a few drops
Cardamom- 5-6
For the stuffing
Khoya- 1/2 cup
Powdered sugar- 3 tbs
Chopped pistachios- 3 tbs
Desiccated coconut- 3 tbs
Grated khoya- 3 tbs

To make chena or fresh paneer

Boil milk and set aside for two to three minutes. Add lemon juice and let the milk curdle. Let it cool down and allow the milk to separate. 

Place cheesecloth on a kitchen mesh strainer and strain the milk. Rinse it under running water and squeeze off the excess liquid. Let it sit for half an hour, you can also hang it so that all the excess water drains off.

Remove the chena or milk solid into a bowl and knead until smooth for 5-6 minutes. Add two tbs of flour or corn starch and continue to knead for another two minutes. Make around 10 balls and shape it into an oval shape.

To cook the Cham cham

The next step is to cook the oval balls in sugar syrup. In a large pan mix sugar and water. Allow the sugar to dissolve and bring to a boil. 

Add cardamom powder and rose water. Gently slide in the balls, cover and cook for 10 minutes. 

Keep the heat in a medium, the syrup should be boiling when the balls are cooking. 

Once done, turn off the heat and let it rest and cool down completely.

Remove the cham cham from the syrup and set aside.

Make the filling

Mix mawa, finely chopped nuts, and powdered sugar to make the filling. 

Take each cham cham and slit it halfway through lengthwise. Fill in the stuffing and decorate with nuts or glazed cherries. 

In a plate mix grated mava or milk powder and desiccated coconut. Roll the stuffed cham cham in this powder.

Cham cham tastes best when chilled. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Like to try more Diwali recipes, you might also like,
Sandesh- Bengali sweet
Gulab Jamun
Rava Coconut Ladoo
Milk Peda
Mawa Burfi
Besan Ladoo

Happy Cooking!
Happy Diwali to all my friends and readers!

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Easy Quinoa Egg Bhurji - Spicy Indian Scrambled Eggs

Easy Quinoa Egg Bhurji - Spicy Indian Scrambled Eggs- Keto Diet

Are you looking for a healthy and filling breakfast? How about scrambled eggs- Indian street food style. Eggs are a good source of protein and I love to include eggs for breakfast. It helps fuel your day and keeps you satisfied until lunchtime. Add some protein-rich, turmeric spiced quinoa to the egg bhurji and you'd be surprised at how simple and filling, this dish can be. Quinoa, as you all know, is a superfood- gluten-free and rich in fiber. Recently I have been trying Keto and Mediterranean diet and have included eggs for breakfast at least three times a week. If you are following Keto or Mediterranean diet, give this spicy quinoa scrambled eggs a try. It is really good!

This recipe is my take on the classic egg bhurji. It is delicious and super easy to make. Egg bhurji is also a cherished street food dish in India and it is usually served with bread or pav buns. The beautiful aroma of melted ghee, fluffy scrambled eggs, pav bhaji masala, and warm toasted bun makes this dish irresistibly appetizing. All you need is some minimal ingredients and it can be made in a jiffy. 

To make the bhurji, the eggs are combined with a mildly spicy onion tomato gravy. There is one more magical ingredient that adds all the flavor. It is aromatic and earthy spices. Since this is a street food popular in many parts of India, the spice mix varies from region to region. I love using chaat masala and pav bhaji masala. If you cannot find them you can use any brand of garam masala and lemon juice. Add quinoa or any chopped vegetables of your choice. Egg burji is something simple yet so flavorful and heartwarming. Served with a hot cup of lemon ginger tea, or a glass of orange juice and this makes a hearty and healthy breakfast or brunch.

Egg Bhurji sounds simple right? And yes it is! This is not a soft egg scramble and neither overcooked. Since this is not towards the runny side, it can be a perfect filling for a spicy egg sandwich or a wrap filling. I have used green chilly and red chilly powder for heat and a tablespoon of milk to make it fluffier. Tomatoes give it a sweet and tart taste and butter adds richness.

Quinoa is high in protein and fiber-rich food. It is also gluten-free. Keto diet suggests using quinoa moderately. Here I have added about 3/4 cup of cooked quinoa. You can always add more vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers or spinach. What you add to it is totally up to you.

Not a fan of quinoa? Try egg bhurji with cauliflower. Riced version of cauliflower is quite trendy now, you can find it in the freezer section of your supermarket. Or you can make your own. Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until it forms rice-size pieces, and enjoy it in place of quinoa.

Have you tried paneer bhurji? Paneer is a great protein for vegetarians. Paneer burji is a scrambled paneer. Use paneer instead of eggs. Check my paneer bhurji recipe.

How to make Quinoa Egg Bhurji

Cooking time- 15 minutes
Recipe type- Breakfast
Cuisine- Indian

Ingredients
Eggs-4
Cooked quinoa- 3/4 cup
Onion- 1 medium
Tomato- 3
Green chilly- 2
Ginger finely chopped- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Pav bhaji masala- 1 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped- 2-3 tbs
Milk-1 tbs
Ghee or butter- 2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice- 1 tsp (optional)

To cook quinoa 

Wash quinoa like you wash rice at least two to three times or till the water runs clear. Use a fine-mesh strainer. Keep it aside for two minutes. Heat two tsp of olive oil in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric and saute for a minute. Add the quinoa and fry for a minute or two. Add enough salt and double the amount of water. If you are using a cup of quinoa add two cups of liquid. You can also substitute water with chicken broth or vegetable broth. Cover and cook till all the water evaporates. Using a fork gently fluff the quinoa and allow it to cool down.

To make the bhurji 

Whip eggs and one tablespoon of milk till light and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

 Finely chop the onion, green chilly, ginger, and tomatoes.

 Heat a pan and add ghee or butter. Add chopped onion, green chilly and ginger. Saute till translucent. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, and tomatoes and give a good mix. Cook for two minutes till tomatoes are soft. Add salt if needed. Pour the egg mixture and let it sit for one minute. Using a spatula gently scramble by lifting and folding the egg mixture. Cook until it thickens and there is no egg liquid visible. Add pav bhaji masala and the cooked quinoa and mix. If you want a soft scramble to turn off the heat at this stage to prevent overcooking. If you like a little dry version stir fry for one more minute. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice.

You might also like,
Akuri/ Parsi Style scrambled Egg
Spinach Mushroom Frittata
Egg Salad
Green Peas Egg Curry
Sweet Breakfast Omelet
Cauliflower Egg Stir Fry

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Prawns Ghee Roast - Mangalorean Spicy Prawns Masala

Prawns Ghee Roast -Mangalorean Spicy Prawns Masala

Today's recipe is an aromatic and extremely flavorful Prawns ghee roast. It is a popular seafood delicacy of Mangalore. If you love indulging in spicy exotic food, then you don't want to miss on this yummy prawns masala. It is lip-smacking delicious with the right balance of heat and flavor. The magic ingredients are the earthy spices and flavorful ghee or clarified butter.

Mangalore is a food lovers paradise. It is a port city and the melting pot of several cultures and unique cuisines. I had been to Udupi and Mangalore and experienced a unique, diverse culture. Their spicy seafood delicacies will make you crave for more. We had hearty meals and the food was excellent. It got me intrigued by this cuisine and I wanted to recreate some at home. I have already posted recipes like Chicken ghee roast and Mangalore fish curry.

The cuisine of coastal regions like Mangalore has fish as an indispensable part of an everyday meal. There are so many seafood recipes and one may wonder how they transform each dish to have a taste of its own. Prawns ghee roast is one such dish, it's got a class of its own! The ground masala used in this recipe is a fragrant ghee masala paste with a kick of chilly peppers and a tangy taste from tamarind. Spicy or Not spicy-you can make this your own. Experiment a little and find a flavor combo that makes your taste buds happy! This is a great side dish for biryani, ghee rice or just with steamed rice. Get your ingredients together and give this recipe a try, you will surely love it!

The spice powder mix is primarily chilies, peppercorn, cumin, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and coriander. The chilly used in the authentic recipe is a regional variety. But for this recipe, I have used regular chilly and Kashmiri chilly which is less spicy and gives a good color to the prawns roast. You can soak the chilly and make a paste or dry roast it along with the other spices and make a fine powder.

The masala is slightly tangy. There are two ingredients for the tangy taste- tamarind and yogurt. If the yogurt is sour then you can use a slightly lesser amount of tamarind for a balanced taste.

Ghee gives this recipe its authentic flavor. So as the name suggests try cooking the masala with ghee. I have used homemade ghee or clarified butter in this recipe. Ghee combined with spices and prawns brings out the depth of flavors that makes this dish irresistible.

Cooking the prawns- This is an optional step, but it enhances the taste of the curry. Marinate the prawns for half an hour and shallow fry it before adding to the masala. If you add the raw prawns directly to the ghee roast masala it will release lots of water and will change the texture of the recipe. Do not overcook prawns. It will attain a rubbery texture.

Batch cooking/ Freezer cooking-You can make this masala and store it in the refrigerator. It freezes like a charm, so make a big batch. Store it in individual portion size freezer-safe bags or containers. You can use this masala to cook chicken, prawns, potatoes or mixed vegetables.

How to make Mangalore Prawns Ghee Roast

Cooking time- 15 minutes
Recipe type- side dish
Cuisine- Mangalore

Ingredients
Prawns- 1 lb
Onion- finely chopped- 2 tbs(optional)
Garlic paste- 1 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
Yogurt- 2 tbs
Tamarind pulp-small lemon sized ball
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Hing- asafoetida- a pinch
Ghee-3 tsp
salt to taste
To roast 
Dry red chilly- 2
Kashmiri Red Chilly- 4-5
Pepper- 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds- 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp

Preparing the masala

The first step is to dry roast the masala. Heat a pan and start by dry roasting the chilies. Roast on low flame for three to for minutes or till it changes color. Set this aside. 

In the same pan add the rest of the ingredients- pepper, cumin, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and coriander seeds and dry roast till it changes color and you can hear the mustard splutter.

Remove from the pan and allow it to cool down. Make a fine powder. 

Mix this powder with garlic paste and tamarind water and set aside

Making the prawns masala

Marinate the prawns with turmeric powder, salt, and yogurt and set aside for 10 minutes. Fry prawns until it is slightly golden on both sides. Drain and set aside.

In the same pan add half of the ghee. Add asafoetida , onion and curry leaves and fry for two minutes. Next, add the paste and cook in medium flame for about two to three minutes. Add the prawns and mix well. Add the rest of the ghee and roast on low flame till the masala gets coated to the prawns and the ghee separates. Serve warm with ghee rice, rice roti or with steamed rice.

You might also like,
Pepper Prawns Fry
Goan Shrimp Curry
Crab Rangoon
Italian Spicy Breaded Shrimp
Mangalore Spiced Baby Potatoes
Mangalore Fish Curry

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Baked Pineapple Asian Salmon

I'm always trying new ways to make salmon because we eat it at least once a week and this recipe is my new favorite!  The sauce is sweet with a little spice, it carmelizes onto the salmon making it so flavorful.   I first saw a video for this recipe on delish.com that came up on my Facebook page.  It's easy to make, easy cleanup (cover pan with foil or parchment paper) and delish!

When broiled the sauce will caramelize and this is why you'll want to use foil.  Easy cleanup!

This is the Sweet Chili Sauce that I use.

1. 
   INGREDIENTS:

12-16 pineapple slices, fresh (3-4 slices for each piece of salmon)

4 portions of salmon fillet (skin off)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp. melted butter

3 tbsp. sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. freshly grated ginger

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1/8 -1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion, for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

          DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. On the foil, lay 3-4 pineapple slices per each piece of salmon.

1. Season the salmon lightly with salt and pepper and place on top of pineapple slices.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, chili sauce, cilantro, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Brush all over the top of the salmon fillets.

1. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes, or until fish is slightly golden. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with lime wedges.

4 servings

1. *delish.com - cooks one large (3lb) piece of salmon but I like to do individual pieces.  I think it's easier to serve, cooks more evenly, and everyone gets their own piece with 4 slices of pineapple.

                                                                                     

Chakka Puttu- Steamed Jack fruit Puttu

Jack fruit Puttu- Chakka Puttu

Puttu is a traditional breakfast of Kerala. Steamed puttu- rice cake- with kadala Curry/black chickpeas curry is a favorite combo and it is healthy. Chakka puttu or jack fruit is not something we make often. It is because the jack fruit is seasonal. So whenever jack fruit is available we make this type of puttu. Have you ever tried jack fruit puttu? Well, you're in for a tasty and healthy treat! It is a great way to start your day!

Jack fruit puttu invokes childhood memories. Mornings often start with the inviting aroma of steamed puttu and curry. So imagine waking up to the sweet aroma of steamed jack fruit rice cakes. Jack fruit has a distinctively strong fruity aroma and is naturally sweet. It adds sweetness to the puttu. You do not need any curry to eat this puttu. Steamed jack fruit becomes soft, infusing the puttu with its unique flavor. Gently mash and mix and just enjoy your breakfast treat.

Why Jack fruit is good for you?

Jack fruits are summer fruit and are common in south India. This huge exotic fruit gives you the real taste of the tropics. It is sustainable food and a great source of nourishment for people living in tropical countries. The young or tender jack fruit is used for savory dishes and the ripe sweet fruit for desserts. Recently jack fruit has gained much interest as a plant-based meat alternative. It is starchy and rich in fiber, antioxidants. Studies have shown that it provides your daily dose of vitamin A and C, magnesium and potassium. It boosts your immune system, heart health and is good for skin and hair. You can find it in specialty markets, such as Whole Foods or Asian stores.

Puttu and its different variations 

As I have mentioned above puttu is a traditional breakfast of Kerala. It is a steamed rice cake and a healthy breakfast. Puttu is usually made with roasted rice flour and grated coconut. It is then cooked in a puttu kutti or a steamer. You can make puttu with rice flour, wheat flour, tapioca flour, semolina, ragi flour or oats. The main tastemaker in puttu is freshly grated coconut. Other fillings include ripe plantains, jack fruit, mango, savory fillings like chicken or fish masala.

How to make Chakka puttu

Cooking time- 15 minutes
Recipe type- Breakfast
Cuisine- Kerala

Ingredients
Rice flour (puttu podi)- 2 cup
Jack fruit- 10 -12 pieces
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Sugar- 2 tsp
salt- 1/3 tsp
Cumin seeds- -5-8 (optional)
water as needed

Chop the jack fruit pieces into small cubes and keep aside.
Take rice flour in a bowl and rub in grated coconut about 3/4 cup using your palm. Keep the rest of the coconut for later use.
Mix sugar and salt in 1/3 cup of water and sprinkle it little by little into the flour and blend in. The mixture should not form a dough but a course damp mixture without lumps. It should resemble wet sand. To check whether the moisture is even,  take a handful of the mixture and press to form of balls. It should hold together and also easily break off when crumbled. If it is still dry sprinkle little more water and mix. Add half of the chopped jack fruit and mix. Keep this mixture covered as it tends to dry out. If it dries out just sprinkle more water
Take the puttu maker and fill the bottom layer with a teaspoon of grated coconut and then with the jack fruit pieces. Fill in with the moist flour and finally top with another layer of jack fruit pieces and grated coconut. Bring three cups of water to boil in the pressure cooker and place the steamer carefully in the nozzle and allow it to cook. Let it steam for around four to five minutes till you see steam escaping from all sides on the top. Serve warm with tea or coffee.

You might also like,
Puttu and Kadala curry
Chakka Ada
Erachi Puttu
Semolina Vegetable Puttu
Poori Masala
Rava Idli


 Try this...

Hope you will all enjoy....

Quick and Easy Banana Semolina Fritters

Quick and Easy Banana Semolina Fritters

Banana semolina fritters are perfect tea time snack and you cannot stop munching. Do you often look for snack ideas? I often like to try new snack recipes. If you are looking for delightful sweet bites to satisfy your sweet cravings, you have come to the right place. These fitters are not overly sweet, but just enough sweetness to indulge with hot piping tea. Bananas are naturally sweet, and the small variety I have used here is sweeter and flavorful. These golden brown crispy delicious fitters have a taste all to its own and are quite addictive.

Banana fritters are a staple at home. I make them all the time, especially when I have overripe bananas sitting on the counter. A fritter is an easy option and I have made them in so many different ways. If it is plantains it is always pazham pori,Pazham nirachathu or unnakaya. With regular bananas I make Thai fried bananas,sarkara appam, unniappam or unnimathuram. These semolina banana fitters is now one of my favorite recipes. It is so easy to put together and they are gone in minutes. Kiddo likes to have his share with vanilla ice cream.

I got this recipe from the worn-out pages of an old cookbook. Reading through the recipe, it sounded very unique. But I did have my fair share of mishaps and making the perfect fritters was quite a learning process. Let me share with you some of the tips I learned during the process. When I tried it the first time it turned out a little dry. I even tried soaking the semolina for half an hour. So I brought some minor changes to the recipe by adding the bananas. This time it was perfect and moist and I could not stop munching these delightful sweet bites. Bananas and eggs give it the fluffy moist and spongy inside and semolina the crispy crust. Cardamom and ghee add a pleasant aroma and taste. Try this recipe, you will surely love these yummy fritters. Serve warm as they are or dusted with icing sugar. Also try other topping syrup, honey or ice cream. Happy cooking and have fun eating them!

The type of banana you can use for this recipe

Use any type of overripe banana. I have used baby bananas. They tend to be sweeter than regular bananas. Bananas of any kind will do. Have you tried red banana? It is also very sweet and creamy You can also opt for overripe plantains.

Main ingredients in this recipe are semolina, eggs, and banana. You can alternatively use flour or wheat flour. Semolina has a sweet nutty flavor and is very crispy when fried. You can also make this recipe without eggs, it will taste just as good. Add 1 cup of water and soak the semolina for half an hour.

You can make several variations to this recipe like adding coconut flakes, toasted nuts, toasted sesame seeds, etc. You can also use jaggery or palm sugar instead of sugar for a rich molasses taste and flavor. Cardamom adds a pleasant aroma that I love about this recipe. Not a fan of cardamom? Try cinnamon, nutmeg,pumpkin spice mix or vanilla essence.

How to make Banana Semolina Fitters

Cooking time- 15 minutes
Recipe type- snack
Cuisine- Kerala/Indian


Ingredients
Semolina- 1 1/2 cup
Banana/cheru pazham-2-3
Egg- 2
milk- 1/2 cup
Sugar- 2 tbs
(according to sweet preference) 
Cardamon crushed- 5
Salt- a pinch
Baking soda- a pinch
Chopped Cashew nuts- 1 1/2 tbs
Ghee- 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying

In a bowl mix semolina flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. In bowl whisk eggs and milk.
Mash the banana and mix this into the semolina. Pour in the egg mixture, melted ghee, chopped cashew nuts, and cardamom powder.
Mix well and let it sit for half an hour. If the batter becomes too thick add a tablespoon or two of water. Your batter should not be too thick or too thin. It should able to easily slide off a spoon.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Keep the oil hot 375 degrees F to make crispy fritters to avoid soaking up the oil.
Pour a spoon full of batter into the oil. Spoon in five to six fitters at a time. Fry in medium flame till one side is golden and flip over to the other side and fry till both sides are golden brown. Do not use high heat. The outside will get browned up quickly and the inside will not cook properly. Drain into paper towels. Serve with tea.

You might also like,
Unni Mathuram/ Sweet Banana Balls
Sarkara Appam
Unnakaya
Pazham Pori/ Banana Fitters
Thai Fried Bananas
Neyyappam

Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!

Yellow Dates/ Raw Dates Pickle

Yellow Dates/ Raw Dates Pickle

Condiments like pickles are a staple in my kitchen. Every month I try making some kind of pickle. We like to have it with rice or parathas. Do you also like pickles? I know for many people out there, a meal seems to be incomplete without some kind of pickle. Today's recipe is dates pickle and is not the usual dry dates pickle. It is a unique pickle made with yellow or raw dates.

Fresh yellow Barhi/Barhee is common in the middle east. It is commonly used in Arabic, Chinese and Indian Cuisine. Recently during our visit to Dubai, we were able to taste different kinds of dates. We visited a market where we could taste test and buy different varieties of dates. It was the first time, we tasted raw dates and it was additive. Dates fruit grow in large clusters, like bunches of grapes and is a sight to behold. Yellow dates have an astringent or under-ripe after taste to it. It is not chewy like normal dates. It is firm with a delightful crunch. Fresh yellow Barhi dates is a vegan and gluten-free snack.

I have already posted a couple of dates pickle. Kerala style dates pickle that is often served with biryani is one of my favorites. I have also posted dates and garlic pickles and dates and grape pickles. I like to indulge in these sweet and spicy pickles This yellow dates pickle is towards the spicy side with a subtle underlying sweetness. It is a delightful pickle, bursting with flavor. The season for fresh dates is late summer and they come in two different colors yellow and red. I found this in our local Asian market. If you get hold of fresh dates, give this recipe a try. Spice up your meal with this yummy pickle and let me know how it turned out for you to :) Happy cooking!

Prep time- 15 minutes
Cooking time- 10 minutes
Recipe Type- condiment/pickle
Cuisine- Kerala/South Indian

New to Yellow Raw Dates?

Fresh dates have a unique taste. Fresh dates are consumed in three stages. The yellow or semi-ripe, amber-brown or fully ripe and then dark brown which is slightly wrinkled. The yellow has an astringent taste similar to under-ripe fruit. It has a firm texture with a crunch to it, similar to an apple. It is delicious when semi-ripe with mild sweetness and a crunch which is quite addictive.

Dates are nutritious. Dates are the sweetest fruit and the healthiest source of energy. Yellow dates are high in fiber and rich in antioxidants. It is also a rich source of iron, potassium, vitamins. It is heart-healthy and for bone strength. It has a milder impact on the glycemic index than dried dates but has the same nutritional profile. Fresh yellow barhi dates is a vegan and gluten-free snack.

Where to find fresh dates? You can usually find this in Mediterranean and Asian stores around August and September. Look for the bright yellow large ones that are not bruised. It stays fresh for only a week but can be frozen for longer shelf life

What else can you do with raw dates? Other than making pickle raw dates by itself is a crunchy sweet snack. Add it to salads and fruit salad for an interesting crunch. Try candied dates in place of cherries and raisins. You can also add it to desserts or baked desserts just like an apple or pear. It has thick flesh and will hold shape and texture with rich date flavor.

How to make Yellow Dates/Raw Dates Pickle

Ingredients
 Yellow dates- two bunch(around 25)
Chilly powder-4 tbs
(or according to your spice tolerance)
Fenugreek powder-1  tbs
Mustard seeds- 2 tsp
Asafoetida- 1 tsp
Garlic- 15 pods
Ginger- 1 inch thick piece
Green chilly -2
Salt- to taste
Date syrup- 1 tbs (optional)
(you can use sugar instead)
Gingerly oil- 1/3 cup
Hot water- 1/2 cup
Vinegar- 1/3 cup

Wash the raw dates. Spread on paper towels and remove all the moisture from the dates. Cut the dates into half and get rid of the pits. You can cut into four large pieces or smaller cubes.
Slice ginger into thin slices. Cut garlic into two and chop green chilly. Adding green chilly and ginger is optional. It enhances the flavor of the pickle.
Dry roast mustard seeds. You will hear popping sound. Allow this to cool and make it into a fine powder.
Heat gingerly oil in a pan and add the garlic, ginger and green chilly and fry till it slightly changes color to golden or till there is a nice aroma.
Switch off the flame and when the oil is still hot add the spice powders- chilly powder, asafoetida, fenugreek powder, salt, and sugar and mix well. It will bubble and the spices will get slightly roasted. Put it back to stove on low flame. Add dates slices and mix well. Add hot water and mix well. Simmer for two to three minutes till the oil separates.
Switch off the flame, check salt at this stage and finally add the vinegar. When completely cooled store in airtight jars.

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Try it,
Hope you will all enjoy!