Pushpanna Rice

Chenna, 1-1/2 Pounds
Milk for Chenna, 1 Gallon
Lemon Juice for Chenna, 1/2 Cup
Coconut, 1 Small
Cashews, whole, 3/4 Pound
Raisins, 3/4 Cup
Ghee, For frying
Basmati Rice, 1-1/3 Pounds
Coriander seeds, 1 Teaspoon
Cumin seeds, 2 Teaspoons
Red Chilis, flaked, 1 Teaspoon
Anise, powder, 1/4 Teaspoon
Asofoetida, 1-1/2 Teaspoon
Bay Leaves, 3
Turmeric, 1-1/2 Teaspoon
Black Pepper, coarse ground, 2 Teaspoons
Salt, To taste
Rosemary, 3 Teaspoons
Cinnamon, 1-1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander powder, 2 Teaspoons
Clove powder, 1/4 Teaspoon
Nutmeg, 3/4 Teaspoon
Whey, 1-1/2 Pint
Coconut Milk, 1-1/2 Pint
Sugar, 1/2 Pound
Cardamom pods, 8

Make chenna in the usual way. When draining the whey from the curd, keep the whey and set aside. Press for 10 minutes under medium weight, then break the curd down under a rolling pin until the cheese is smooth. Roll it up into firm balls, ½ inch in diameter, then set aside. Crack open the coconut and add the milk to the whey. Pray out the white coconut meat with a knife, in pieces as large as possible. Slice these into wedges 1 to 1-1/2 inches long, scraping all the brown off them.

Heat the ghee in a wok, and using a basket or large wire strainer, fry all of the cashews. Remove to drain, then dry the coconut pieces until golden. Remove, then fry the chenna balls until golden brown and fairly hard on the outside.

Wash the rice and drain well. In a large, heavy bottom pot, heat 1/8 cup of ghee. Make a chaunce with coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red peppers, anise, asofoetida, and bay leaves. When done, put the rice on top, adding enough ghee so all the rice is glistening. Fry over medium heat to brown the rice a few shades. While frying, add the turmeric, salt, black pepper, rosemary, cinnamon, coriander powder, clove, and nutmeg. When this mixture is properly fried, add the nuts, coconut and raisins. Stir gently, then add the whey and coconut milk mixture. Supplement with extra water, if needed. Mix in the sugar and cracked cardamom pods and bring to a boil. Cover and put on low heat, cooking like normal rice. Check occasionally to make sure it's not sticking. As needed, stir gently and re-cover, or add a little water, as needed. When the rice is cooked, carefully fold in the chenna balls. From the circa 1970's devotee cookbook, “This preparation is nearly a feast in itself. I've had it twice cooked by Srila Prabhupada - an unforgettable taste - and this recipe approximates that taste.”

Varistha Dal

Moong Dal, whole, 2 Cups
Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon
Salt, To taste
Black Pepper, 1 Teaspoon
Rosemary, 1 Teaspoon
Ginger, fresh, 3 Inches
Cinnamon, 1 Teaspoon
Nutmeg, 1 Teaspoon
Clove, 1/4 Teaspoon
Apples, tart, 3
Cumin powder, 2 Teaspoons
Anise powder, 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilis, flaked, 1/2 Teaspoon
Asofoetida, 1 Teaspoon
Jaggery, 1/4 Cup
Green Peas, 1/4 Cup
Chickpeas, whole, 1/4 Cup
Pistachio nuts, 1/4 Cup
Pine Nuts, 1/4 Cup
Raisins, 1/4 Cup
Red Bell Peppers, 1/4 Cup
Ginger, fresh, 3 Inches
Dates, 1/4 Cup



Soak the dal overnight. Add drained dal to 8 cups of fresh water, along with chickpeas, pistachio nuts, red bell peppers, turmeric, salt, black pepper, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Dice the ginger up into 1/8 inch cubes and add. Cook on medium heat, stirring enough to be sure it's not sticking. About 1 hour before done, add peeled apple chunks, green peas, pine nuts dates and raisins. Make a chaunce with cumin, anise, red chilis, and asofoetida and add to pot. 10 minutes before offering, add the jaggery and mix thoroughly. Consistency should be quite thick and somewhat pasty.

Chapati

Whole wheat flour, 1-1/2 Cup
Chapati or white flour, 3/4 white flour
Salt, 1/2 Teaspoon
Butter, 3 Tablespoons

Mix together flours and salt. Slowly add about ¾ cup warm water, kneading until you have a dough which is neither too sticky nor stiff. Knead dough for 5 or 6 minutes, then cover with a damp cloth and let sit for 15 minutes. Without kneading again, make 1-1/2 inch balls out of about half the dough, recovering the rest of the dough. Spread flour on the rolling surface, and roll out each ball into a thin circle, one-eighth of an inch or less thick. Turn over and re-spreading flour when necessary. Use as little flour as possible for rolling, and gently brush off all excess flour before cooking, it it makes the chapatti tough.

Head a hot plate, griddle, cast-iron fry pan or Indian chapati-circle on or above a low to low-medium heat. Turn another burner on to medium high heat. Cook the chapatti until it just begins to bubble, then flip and let it bubble a bit more. Put directly over the other burner, and it should puff up. Flip immediately. Brown (not black) spots should form a bit on both sides. Brush with melted butter and offer hot. Srila Prabhupada preferred to have his chapattis thin and around 8” in diameter.

Maha Brinjal

Eggplant, 1 Large
Cumin seeds, 3 Teaspoons
Red Chilis, flaked, 1 Teaspoon
Asofoetida, 3/4 Asofoetida
Ghee, For frying
Turmeric, 1 Teaspoon
Salt, 1/4 Teaspoon
Black Pepper, 1 Teaspoon
Tomatoes, 2 Medium
Spinach, 1 bunch

Dice the eggplant up into small chunks. Make a chaunce with all the spices except turmeric and salt. When fried, add the eggplant, turmeric and salt. Cook on high heat until it browns and just begins to stick a bit. Scrape up the bottom of pan and mix in. Keep repeating this process, adding more ghee or butter as needed. (This prep likes a lot of ghee.) When the eggplant is soft and easy to mash, drop in the tomatoes (preferably with skins removed). Chop up the spinach and add. Cook at a low boil until all the liquid is absorbed, being careful not to burn the bottom. When the mixture is dry and pasty, remove and offer. From the 1970's devotee cookbook, “This makes a nice noon meal along side kittrie and cuddy and chapatis. It is a very big hit at feasts, especially with devotees and devotee-types. You can often recognize a potential devotee by the way he goes after this preparation. Flat karmies don't always care much for it. At one time Srila Prabhupada was eating this every day.”

Mooli Patta Sabji

Radish Leaves (or chard, mustards, etc.)
Soy Flour, 1/2 Cup
Chickpea Flour (Besan), 1/4 Cup
Cayenne, 1 Teaspoon
Salt, 1-1/2 Teaspoons
Coriander powder, 2 Teaspoons
Turmeric, 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin seeds, 1/2 Teaspoon
Asofoetida, 1/4 Teaspoon
Ghee, 1/2 Cup

Make a chaunce with the cumin seeds, then the asofoetida. Add the radish leaves (or other ‘greens) and salt, and cook for three minutes. (Other greens will likely take longer.) Add all other ingredients, stir well, cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir a few times, scraping off all the chickpea and soybean flour on bottom of pan, and mixing in. When fully cooked and all ghee is absorbed, offer warm.

Sweet Kolakattai

Rice Flour, 1 Cup
Jaggery, 1/2 Cup
Coconut, grated, 1 Cup
Khas Khas (poppy seeds), 1 Tablespoon
Raisins, 1 Tablespoon
Cashews, 1 Tablespoon
Cardamom, 1-1/2 Teaspoon
Camphor (pacha karpooram), 2 Good Pinches
Nutmeg, 1 Teaspoon
Mace, 1/2 Teaspoon
Ghee, 1 Tablespoon

Boil 1-1/2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of ghee. Slowly add the rice flour, stirring constantly for three or four minutes until well mixed. Don't let lumps form. When the dough pulls away from the sides and is not too sticky, remove from heat. Add extra water or flour as needed to get the right consistency. Set aside. Mix the grated coconut, jaggery, and all remaining ingredients except raisins and nuts. Add a little water, and cook on low heat to a non-sticky mixture. Add the raisins and cashews and mix well. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, knead the dough again for a few minute, then form it into small balls. Flatten a ball between your palms, and put a dollop of stuffing inside the ball, closing the dough up to completely encircle and seal it. Steam the stuffed balls for five minutes in a steamer or a pressure cooker without weight. Offer warm or at room temperature.

Makai ka Dhokla

Corn flour (makai ka atta), 1 Cup
Sour Curd (yoghurt or buttermilk/yoghurt), 1/2 Cup
Sweet corn kernels, 1/2 Cup
Jalapenos, minced, 2 Teaspoons
Asofoetida, 1/2 Teaspoon
Sugar, 2 Teaspoons
Lemon Juice, 1 Teaspoon
Salt, To taste
Fruit Salt (chat masala), 1 Teaspoon
Ghee, 4 Tablespoons
Eno's fruit salt or chat masala, 1 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves, fresh, 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds, 1 Teaspoon
Sesame Seeds, 1 Teaspoon

Combine the corn flour with the sour curd and ½ cup of warm water. Mix into a smooth batter. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Mix together the sweet corn, jalapenos, asofoetida, sugar, and lemon juice. Gently blend together the batter, corn mixture, and fruit salt or chat. Make a chaunce with the mustard and sesame, and fry until seeds splutter, then add the asofoetida. Pour the chaunce into the dhokla batter. Pour batter into a greased thali or pan. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle chopped coriander on top, and offer hot or at room temperature.

Catur Vida Kabab

Eggplant, 1 Large
Ghee, For frying
Cumin, roasted and ground, 2 Teaspoons
Asofoetida, 1 Teaspoon
Ginger powder, 1 Teaspoon
Salt, To taste
Tomatoes, 2 Large
Red Chilis, 2
Ginger, fresh, 2 Inches
Lemongrass, 1/2 Blade
Curry Leaves, 3
Jaggery, 3 Tablespons
Limes, 4
Sugar, 3 Tablespons
Butter, 1 Tablespoon
Nutmeg, A Pinch
Tomatoes, Roma, 5
Pasilla Peppers, 5
Black Pepper, 2 Teaspoons
Salt, 2 Teaspoons
Sugar, 1 Teaspoon
Cumin, roasted and ground, 2 Teaspoons

Peel and dice the eggplant into 2 inch cubes. Make a chaunce with the ghee, cumin, asofoetida, ginger and salt. Brown the spices a bit, then add the eggplant (and more ghee as needed), and fry to a crispy brown. Remove, drain and set aside. Make the tomato glaze by chauncing the finely minced red chilis and ginger, lemongrass (whole), curry leaves, and jaggery. When nicely fried, add the tomatoes, peeled and diced. Cook down until they form a thick glazed sauce, then remove and cool. In another pan, melt the butter, add the sugar, nutmeg and lime wedges. Cook on low heat, turning often, until the sugar has caramelized and coated the limes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool, resting the limes on their peel side, to keep as much caramelized sugar as possible sticking to the lime pulp.

Make the roasted pepper slurry by finely chopping the tomatoes and de-seeded peppers. Put both in a frying pan on medium heat, along with the black pepper, salt, sugar and cumin. Cook down, stirring often, until the mixture is fully soft and cooked to a mush, with most of liquid absorbed. Remove from heat, let cool for 10 minutes, then liquefy in a blender. Desired consistency is a moderately thick, drinkable slurry. Put the fried eggplant into the tomato/lemongrass glaze and coat thoroughly, then thread the pieces onto a long skewer and suspend in the air for 30 to 60 minutes so the glaze dries a bit. Then re-dip and re-coat the eggplant, repeating this process several times to the chunks are well coated in several layers of thick glaze. When done, thread the pieces onto smaller, individual-size skewers, alternating between the eggplant and lime wedges. Each kabob should have at least one piece of lime, and 3 or 4 pieces of eggplant. Pour the roasted pepper slurry into small glasses, and lay a kabob across the top of each, and offer.

Crispy Karela Fry

Bitter Melons (Karela), 6 Small
Lemon, 1
Turmeric powder, 2 Teaspoons
Salt, 1/8 Cup
Cayenne, 2 Teaspoons
Cumin, roasted and ground, 1 Tablespoon
Garam masala, 2 Teaspoons
Ghee, For frying

Cut the karela into thin round pieces, removing all the seeds. Put the cut pieces in a bowl and coat well with a mixture of lemon juice, turmeric and plenty of salt. Set aside for 20 minutes. Wash pieces under running water, then squeeze and gently pat water from the pieces, removing as much moisture as possible.

Heat the ghee in a wok. Add the bitter melon and fry until they're crispy brown. Before removing from the ghee, add all the other spices and mix thoroughly. Remove, drain, and offer hot or at room temperature. (If you need to use this ghee for frying other preparations, don't add the spices to the hot ghee. Instead, remove and drain the karela, adding the spices while there's still some hot oil on the pieces, and mixing gently but well.

Lotus Curd Bowl

Endive, 2 Pounds
Lemongrass blades, As needed
Yoghurt, 1 Cup
Sour Cream, 1 Cup
Cucumber, 1 Large
Ginger, fresh, 1 Inch
Walnuts, roasted, 1/2 Cup
Dill, fresh, Large Handful
Mustard seeds, yellow, 2 Teaspoons
Cayenne, 1/2 Teaspoon
Sesame oil or ghee, 2 Teaspoons

Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise, removing the seeds and soft center gently with a spoon. Slice into very thin pieces, and blanche in a steamer until just soft. Remove and run under cold water to re-crisp, then drain and pat completely dry. Blend together the sour cream and yoghurt, add ground roasted walnuts, chopped dill and cucumber. Make a chaunce with the mustard seeds until they splutter, then add the cayenne and ginger. Fry until brown, then add to the raita.

To make the lotus bowls, clean and pat dry the endives leaves. Choose four to six leaves of approximately the same size, using leaves that are the most ‘boat-shaped'. Criss-cross the endive leaves to form a small, lotus like bowl. Fill with a portion of the raita. Depending on the shape of the endive leaves, you'll likely need to add the weight of the raita on top to really hold them together. If the first bowl doesn't work, and you want to secure them more firmly, try ‘sewing' the bowls together with a strand of lemongrass (before filling with raita). Just strip of stiff thread off one of the lemongrass blades and pierce through the bottom of your assembled bowl. Tie-off above and below as needed, then fill with raita. The lemongrass will also add a lovely flavor to the mix. Chill, and offer.

Bengali Mango Pickle

Mangos, fresh, 2 Large
Cayenne, 3 Teaspoons
Mustard powder, 3 Teaspoons
Salt, To taste
Fenugreek powder, 2 Teaspoons
Asofoetida, 2 Teaspoons
Ghee, For frying
Sesame oil, 4 Tablespoons

Clean the mangoes and cut into pieces. Remove the skin from most of the mango, but leave a little of the thinner skin intact for added color and texture. Chaunce the spices and add the mango, frying until the mango has broken down and browned. Oil should be floating visibly, not fully absorbed. Remove from heat and offer at room temperature.

Banana Pistachio Payesh

Basmati Rice, 1 Cup
Pistachios, unsalted, 1/2 Cup
Butter, 1 Tablespoon
Cardamom, ground, 1 Teaspoon
Cinnamon, 1/4 Teaspoon
Nutmeg, 1/4 Teaspoon
Sugar, 3/4 Cup
Milk, 3 Cups
Heavy Cream, 2 Cups
Bananas, just ripe, 2

Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes, rinse and drain. Blanch the shelled pistachios in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and remove the skins. Chop coarsely. In a heavy bottom pan, melt the butter on low heat and add cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Stir and cook for a few minutes, then add the rice, milk and cream. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes.) Cool the pudding, then stir in sliced bananas and pistachios. Chill for at least four hours (or overnight) before offering.

Laddu

Chickpea flour (Besan), 1 Pound
Butter, 1 Pound
Powdered Sugar, 1/2 Pound
Sugar, granulated, 1/2 Pound
Currants, 1/2 Cup
Ghee, For frying

In a heavy bottom pan, melt the butter, than add the gram flour and mix together, cooking over medium heat until the mixture begins to brown. Stir frequently. When it becomes a rich golden brown color, turn heat down to very low and add the powdered sugar. Keep stirring until it melts and the mixture becomes pasty. Add the granulated sugar and stir again to thoroughly mix. Remove from heat. Heat a little ghee and fry the currants until they puff up. Remove and drain, then fold currants into the laddux. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, roll into small balls and chill. Keep chilled until time to offer, as laddu will melt when warm.

Pearl Nectar

Tapioca, prepared, 1-1/2 Cups
Sugar, 6 Tablespoons
Ginger, fresh, 3 Inches
Lemons, 4
Limes, 4
Anise stars, 6
Coconut Milk, 3 Cups

Mix the sugar, minced ginger, juice and zest from the lemons and limes, anise starts and coconut with 2 Quarts of water. Blend thoroughly and let sit, chilled, for at least 6 hours. Strain and pour into a blender, then liquefy for a few minutes. Gently fold in the tapioca and chill thoroughly. Offer cold, without ice, so the tapioca pearls are visible.