Thursday, December 31, 2009

Shahi Gulab Bagh /Edible Rose Garden

Two of my favorite activities, other than work are craft and cooking and if there’s something that combines these two, I got to try that almost immediately.  Its only yesterday Hubby brought this month’s issue of Sananda (Bengali women’s magazine from the famous ABP group) this time they are featuring different types of Pithe (some homemade sweets). Before that I was planning to make something sweet for JFI: Saffron and finally decided on Chhanar payes but after seeing the picture of these Shahi Gulab Bagh I had to make them. My hands almost itched to knead the dough, carve the roses and to see the final outcome. Sometimes foods could look so lovely, and the best part is it tastes equally good. It’s like our Chhanar Jilipi (Jalebi with cottage cheese) or Gulab Jamun. Hubby is very excited to see these and could not believe I made them. He so eagerly wants to taste some but cannot bring himself to eat these beauties :-)


This recipe does not call for many ingredients and you can make it any time you want. I simply loved making them…who would not? You get to create such pretty things and get to eat them too. You just need to be patient as these are very delicate and requires careful handling. Guess these would make a great kid’s party item where your baby would be proud and happy to present such exquisite item to their buddies. I really wanted my Son to enjoy these delicate roses but he is too young for that. So have decided to present them to him on his 5th birthday (…did I forgot to mention that am a dreamer!!!)

With this dish the Recipe Marathon and the year comes to an end. This Year is very memorable as God has blessed us with our baby and made us complete as a family. As for the Recipe Marathon, I enjoyed every bit of the challenge and being true to the rules, made brand new things in my kitchen. Here I end the year 2009 with a sweet note and my dreamer self tonight will make many a resolution to break them on the month end itself.
Shahi Gulab Bagh
Ingredients:
For the dough
Flour: 1 cup
Oil for shortening: 11/2 tsp
Khoya: 2/3 cup; (I used some karapaker sandesh; A bengali sweet)
Milk: 1/3 cup
Saffron: little
Oil: for deep frying.

For the syrup
Sugar: 1 cup
Water: 11/3 cup
Saffron: little

Method:
Microwave the milk for 30 seconds. Add a pinch of saffron, mix and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Grate the khoya finely mix with flour. Add the shortening mix.

Use the milk to knead this into a firm and soft dough. (Add milk very little at a time as the khoya will leave a lot of moisture when comes to contact with milk.) cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.

In the meantime prepare the sugar syrup by boiling the ingredients on low heat for 6-7 minutes.

Keep it warm.
To make the rose, pinch little dough and with your finger tips flatten in a shape of rose petal (heart shape). Make 6-7 petals at a time. Twist and add them one by one to create rose. If needed consult this tutorial. Use water to stick one petal to the other.Make all the roses and keep them covered.


Now heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot switch off the gas.

Put the roses one at a time and fry them till light brown. It takes few seconds to cook so be very careful. The heat of the oil is very important. If very hot the roses will burn on outside with uncooked inside.

Keep the fried roses on an absorbing paper.

Dip them in sugar syrup for a minute before serving.

If you don’t have the patience for crafting the roses just make small balls, deep fry and soak them in syrup. The taste will be same.

Sending this to JFI: Saffron at Chef in You. started by Indira.


WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2010!


Tags:
pithe, pitha, Bengali sweets, Bangladeshi pitha, golap pithe, gulab sweet, gulab jamun, rose sweet, rose syrup sweet, Poush parbon, pousher pithe, gokul pithe, Bengali dessert, edible rose, rose shaped pithe, rose shape pitha, golap pithe, Indian Dessert, excuisite dessert, flower sweet, flower pithe, roses that you can eat, Dessert rose, rosy sweets, Bengali dessert, Bangali pithe, 

46 comments:

  1. Wow, those look gorgeous!! Such beautiful roses using such simple ingredients...amazing :) Happy New Year!

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  2. Wow Sayantani.....they look so gooooooooood....I could just pick one up and eat it....Yummy!!!!!!!

    WISH YOU AND UR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR......

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  3. So cute,never seen something like this b4...wish u a happy and prosperous new year...

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  4. Wow.. You have so much patience & talent to create this yummy beauties.. It is so nice to get to know you through Nupur's Marathon. Will keep visiting.
    Wish you and your family a very Happy & Prosperous New Year.

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  5. Wow, you have an artists hand, Sayantani! These are just wonderful, beautiful and delicious. Great work! Happy new year to you and your family!

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  6. I gasped when I saw there- how beautiful! Like you, I love cooking and crafts and this is such a fantastic blend of the two.

    Thank you for participating in the recipe marathon and sharing your unique recipes with us. Happy New Year!

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  7. Wow this is truly beautiful. They look so perfect.
    Happy New Year to you and your family dear Sayantani

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  8. Wow! I mean WOW!
    Rose is a rose IS a rose.
    Happy New Year!

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  9. what a fun and unique recipe. Happy new year to you and your family!

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  10. so exotic and lovely!
    Happy New Year

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  11. All I could repeat was SOO pretty ..pretty! U certainly are crafty!
    Happy New YEar!

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  12. They look so pretty...must have been delicious..Thanks for sharing...Happy new Year.

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  13. OMG! This is absolutely, take-your-breath-away-beautiful!!!! How do you do this Sayantani!! I am definitely going to try this ... whether I can make them as pretty as this is questionable ... but it's too tempting not to try!

    It has been awesome running alongside you in this wonderful marathon. I hope I get to see, experiment, share, and swap many more stories and recipes with you over this brand new year. Wish you the very, best and a very, very Happy New Year!!

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  14. looks too good,so beautiful...Happy new year once again

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  15. OMG you are a genius.. Such a beautiful treat.. I would sit admiring them... wonderful

    I too love crafts and cooking equally so should try this for sure..

    Happy new year dear

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  16. Sayantini, This is amazing food art! Absolutely fitting for wedding presentation. Among Maharashtrians we have tradition of presenting and displaying food especially sweets is various art forms at weddings, it is called Rukhwat.

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  17. Hi!I saw across your blog through Nupur's update on finale of the marathon.......I m short of words to describe your edible rose garden.... breathtaking beautiful and absolutely deliciously mouther watering...... your blog's great too......Wishing you and your family A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2010!

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  18. wish you a wonderful, tasty 2010.

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  19. Wish you and your family a Very Happy New Year.:)

    Looks very very tempting...in south they call it as 'kowa jangiri' even tho' its not jangiri, he he...

    Awesome work:)

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  20. Hi Wish you a very rosy new year. The garden looks beautiful and I am just ready to try them. Too good dear thanks for sharing.

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  21. A Happy New year to you !....oh wow..these are sooo delicious ! I would love to try it out...but what is kapeer sandesh ? Is there any alternative to that ? Like regular flour / whole wheat flour perhaps...I am totally foreign to this ingrident...sorry !
    PS : Is that your little darling in your new profile pic ? OH MY !!! Soooo SWEEEEEEEET ! :)

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  22. Thanks, thanks many many thanks dear friends. I was really not sure whether to join the recipe marathon, but you all have supported us in such a great manner that now am feeling sad that it has come to an end. I am overwhelmed with your response and support.

    @nat, Karapaker Sandesh is a type of bengali sweet made with thickened milk (like your Palkova). I have updated the post with a link of sandesh picture. forget about khowa/khoya or sandesh just knead your perfect Palkova to make this.

    HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

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  24. Those are master pieces... So nicely done - I am amazed at both your skill and patience.
    Happy New Year!

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  25. thank you..But your creation is the topper...amazing treat..to the tummy and the eyes :)
    Dont we eat with eyes first, I guess the roses would be empty by now :)

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  26. wow.. beautiful roses sayantani

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  27. Thanks for dropping by Sayantani. These are some wonderful roses. I'm seeing these for the first time. No doubt that it tasted good.

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  28. Looks so so beautiful. I don't think i can ever make them look like those.
    Happy Newyear.

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  29. Check this out, as you are a bengali i thought you might like this.
    http://mykitchentreasures.blogspot.com/2009/05/european-peasant-bread-and-2-violin.html

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  30. omg what a way to end the yr thy look so perfetc,..:-_wish u happy new yr 2010,..

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  31. This is just gorgeous! Haven't seen anything so pretty.

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  32. OMG!...it's so beautiful, I agree it's hard to eat these, they r so gorgeous....looked at these beauties at RV's roundup & couldn't resist form coming here & leaving a comment...

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  33. Wow!! I can almost taste these shahi gulabs...umm.

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  34. Heaights of creativity, looks soo beautiful!

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  35. Beautiful sweet in the shape of a rose. I am stunned dear. You are so creative. Happy weekend dear.

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  36. This is what I call unique talent! Fantastic! Bhishon bhao laglo tomar shahi gulab bagh dekhe. I shall try this very soon.

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  37. Hi Sayantani, today have a mood to prepare some sweet dish to create some puja mood here at home. Wondering is there any alternative of khoya for your Shahi Gulab Bagh? I can't have sandesh here too.
    Can I use Nespray full cream milk powder? If yes, how & what proportion? If no, I will try some other delicacy. Appreciate your response the earliest, Dear!

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  38. @Sanju, thanks that you want to try this. here are the options.

    1. you can use milk powder(I have never used though.) just mix this to required amount of condensed milk to get the semi solid texture of Khoya and proceed thereafter.

    2. I believe the ready-made gulab jamun mixture (mTR brand) should work fine in this too.

    3. if you have time make khoya at home by boiling milk. time taking but you can store it for other uses also.

    do let me know how it turns out. wish very Happy puja to you and your family.

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  39. This recipe is simply Awesome !
    seeing it for the first time ..so creative.I have bookmarked it.

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  40. Shahi gulab bagh..omg it looks soo good..how u made the rose shape..must be typical..
    i appericate ur work.

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  41. hi sayantini.. new to your blog... these looks soooo beautiful... and look sooo tasty too.. glad to follwo u :)

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  42. Beautiful work of art.

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  43. it's look so beautiful, I will also try too make it...:)

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