My 100 th recipe..! A Classic Indian Dessert...! Rabdi..!

Shubho Maha Shasthi to all my dearest friends. Before I start to write the recipe I happily want to inform you that today I am going to post my 100 th recipe. It took more than one year  but never thought I would be able to post this on such an auspicious day. It's unnecessary to explain why this day is auspicious to my Bengali friends but I should give a small description about its importance to all my non Indian friends. For the Bengali people,Durga Puja(worship of Goddess Durga) is something which is celebrated with most zeal and enthusiasm in the state of West Bengal. Take the name of Durga Puja and it will bring a smile onto the face of every Bengali. It is a festival of singing, dancing, sweets & gaiety. Not only in West Bengal it is celebrated all over India ,even in abroad also in autumn every year, generally in the month of September or October.

The festival starts with Mahalaya, the day on which the finishing touches are given to the Durga  idols created for worship. Mahalaya is an auspicious occasion observed seven days before the Durga Puja, and heralds the advent of Durga, the goddess of supreme power. It's a kind of invocation or invitation to the mother goddess to descend on earth. This is done through the chanting of mantras and singing devotional songs. The main festival starts on Mahashasthi that is seven days after Mahalaya. It is believed that on Mahashasthi Goddess Durga arrives to the mortal world from her heavenly abode, accompanied by her children. She is welcomed with much fanfare amidst the beats of Dhak. Unveiling the face of the idol is the main ritual on this day. The next day is Mahasaptami on which the nine planets are worshipped as a symbol of Goddess Durga. Mahaspatami is followed by Mahaastami. The most important ritual of Durga Puja called Sandhi Puja starts on Mahaastami and continues till the next day. 

The next day is known as Mahanavami. This is the concluding day of the Durga Puja. The Navami Bhog is offered to the goddess. This is later partaken as Prasad by the devotees. Mahanavami is followed by Dashami. 

After the three days of Puja, in Dashami, in the last day, a tearful farewell is offered to the Goddess. There is a tradition called Sindur Khela in which women smear each other with red color just before the idols are taken out for immersion. The idols are carried in processions around the locality and finally are immersed in a nearby river or lake. Vijaya Dashami is an event celebrated all over the country.

It's nevertheless to describe that huge variety of puja special foods are prepared,  in every house. Well , I have grown up in such a family , where Durga Puja is a family tradition since my child hood.This is the where the pujas are being held year after year,for more than 300 years. Lots of television channels and newspapers reporters come every year to cover the story and moreover it has been declared as the most famous and oldest Bonedi Barir (traditional household) Pujo, in the entire locality.So, anybody can easily make an  assumption  what this puja means to me.

     Few Glimpses of Durga Puja At Our Home...!

Remembering my childhood memories and the puja, which I spent with my family over there I  am feeling very nostalgic. But,here in Mumbai I celebrate Durga Puja as well as Navratri with my daughter and my hubby. Usually we go to attend the puja, held by the Bengali Association and enjoy a lot. As cooking has become a part of my life nowadays, I prepare something special for these auspicious days. 

    A Few Glimpses  of Durga Puja In Mumbai..!

Maa Durga at My Home Sweet Home, Mumbai..!

 This year, for the Maha Shasthi Celebration , I have prepared an classic Indian Dessert , Rabdi , which is the 100 th post of my blog.

 Rabdi is a proportioned combination of nothing but only milk and sugar where we need to boil the milk in a very low flame and need to scrap the sides of the wok so that the milk beocmes easily thick.

Here is the process of making Rabdi with few simple steps.

Ingredients:

• Milk: 2 Lt ( Full Cream)
• Condensed Milk: 1/2 Can ( I used condensed milk instead of sugar)
• Cardamom Powder:1/2 tsp.
• Saffron: Few Strands.

 Process

• Heat the milk in a kadhai (wok) on a medium flame till it comes to boil
• Simmer and cook for approx. 20 to 25 minutes or till the milk reduces to half of its quantity.
•  While boiling, stir and scrap the sides of the wok continuously.
• Add the condensed milk and simmer  for another 20 to 25 minutes or till the milk thickens.
• Add the cardamom powder and turn off the flame.
• Garish with the saffron strands and serve hot or chilled.

 Enjoy Your Food and Have A Very Happy Puja..!

May Goddess Durga Bless you and give all of you enough strength to fight all the evils.!