The Cosmo Kitchen

Ras Bara 'Rasbara' or 'Rasbora' is a traditional dessert from the western region of Odisha and is savored during most festive occasions. Deep-fried balls of split yellow gram batter are dipped in sugar syrup and usually flavored with cardamom powder. It’s an uncomplicated recipe with few ingredients and very little effort. And yet it is delicious and one of my favorites’.   So, let's get started. Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Servings 6-8 persons Ingredients: 1 cup moong dal or split yellow gram (soaked in water for 5-6 hours) 1 cup sugar 1 ½ cups water A pinch of salt A pinch of baking soda ½ tsp cardamom powder Instructions: Heat water and sugar in a pot and prepare a thin syrup. Add cardamom powder and keep aside. Drain all the water from the soaked dal and transfer to a blender and blend into a smooth paste. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of water to adjust the consistency. Add a pinch of salt and baking soda and whisk it for about 15 mins in one

Brown Rice Risotto with Chicken and Mushroom Italian cuisine is not just about pasta and pizza, it's also about Risotto and Polenta. Well, Polenta I haven’t explored yet but wish to do that soon too.😊 Risotto is one of their staple dishes, just like paella for Spain or khichdi for us. It wouldn’t be wrong if I say, it's an Italian version of our very humble khichdi.   A simple one-pot meal with mild flavors but bountiful of taste. My style of cooking is often inspired however, I like to give it my own version and touch. I do like to explore new ingredients and bring out unique flavors but at the same time, I also vouch for local ingredients. Risotto has that creamier texture and is authentically made with Arborio, but since Arborio isn’t readily available in India, I experimented with the dish with brown rice, and well the taste and texture were pretty close and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Servings: 2-3 persons Ingredie

Chicken Mughlai As I earlier mentioned in my blog, Shahi dishes emerged from the royal kitchens of Mughals and were strongly influenced by Persian and Turkish cuisine and culture. The complex cooking techniques with usage of rich and creamy sauces, elaborate spices, nuts and fruits gives Mughlai dishes a unique blend of aromas and flavours that is unparalleled and unmatched. One such classic recipe is the Chicken Mughlai which is not just delicious but also has unsurpassed flavours. The magic of fried onions, creamy cashew-almond paste and relatively simpler spices than other Mughlai dishes, this dish is unique in its own way. I have tried to keep it as simple as possible with lesser ingredients and simple spices available at home.             Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Servings: 2-3 persons Ingredients: 500 gms chicken 1 cup thick curd 1 large onion sliced 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 8-9 almonds 8-9 cashews 1 tbsp oil 2 tbsp ghee 1 tsp cumin powder 1

  Paneer Shahi Chaman My experiments with paneer don’t seem to end ever, because of the enormous love for it and also because it is my son’s all-time favourite. He would choose paneer over anything I bet! On our recent visit to a downtown restaurant, as usual, he ordered his favourite pick, that is paneer. Bored with the usual buttery, spicy flavours, this time he chose the subtle ‘Paneer Chaman’. Since he loved it to the core, I knew what was coming up next. Yes, precisely! The challenge of recreating it at home. While relishing every bite, I was also into absorbing each flavour in my mind because I knew the challenging part coming up 😀 😊 The following weekend, I tried and I was rated 10/10 by my biggest food critic! Mission accomplished! 😁 So here, I am sharing the recipe with you all. Hope you will like it too! Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 15 mins Servings: 2-3 persons Ingredients: 250 gms paneer 1 large onion, chopped 8-10 split cashews 8-10 almonds 1 t

Mawa Gulab Jamun If a dessert was to be crowned as the king it certainly has to be the Gulab Jamun. This piece of heaven that simply melts in the mouth is almost every Indian Mithai lover’s favorite. I am generally good at everyday cooking but when it comes to making traditional Indian desserts, it just daunts me to no end. However, I am always keen on learning and mastering the art of making traditional sweets. Gulab Jamuns are my favorite, and I usually make them with the gulab jamun mixes available in stores. Although they too are tasty and melt in mouth but still nowhere close to the Mawa Gulab Jamuns. At my in-laws place, mawa gulab jamuns are a hit. And they are made in almost all special occasions. This recipe of mawa gulab jamun, I learned from my father in law who I would say is a pro in making them. During my recent visit to my in-law's place, I learned the process, which looked effortless and with very few ingredients. The only effort is kneading the dough with maw

Tandoori Gobi (Baked Cauliflower) As the temperature drops with the rain showers, tandoori dishes is what comes to our mind. Rains and tandoori are like made for each other. I have made tandoori chicken and tandoori paneer tikka several times but never tried it with cauliflower. But these organic baby cauliflowers that I bought from my weekend buy, tempted me to try out this delicious recipe. I tried this recipe for the very first time, and it turned out pretty good. I made a few changes to the actual tandoori gobi recipe with my own tips and tricks since I cooked this in the oven and I knew unlike the high temperature of the professional restaurant kitchen my oven’s temperature will not be enough for the desired results. Nevertheless, the taste and texture of the cauliflower was pretty close to the ones we eat at restaurants. I used baby cauliflowers, however, the usual sized cauliflower cut into florets is also perfectly fine to make this recipe. So, let's get started! Prepar