Kolkota Style Payesh

Milk – 2 litres

Rice – 100 g

Ghee – 2 tbsp (for rice)

Bay leaves – 2

Cardamom pods – 6

Milk powder – 200 g

Jaggery – 400 g

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Cashew nuts – 15

Raisins – 1 tbsp

Heat 2 litres milk and bring it to a boil. Remove 1 cup of milk and keep it aside. Add bay leaves and cardamom pods to the boiling milk and let it simmer.

Mix Gobindobhog rice with 2 tablespoons ghee so it gets well coated. Add the rice to the milk and cook on a low flame till the rice is soft and fully cooked.

In the reserved milk, mix milk powder to form a smooth slurry without lumps. Add this slurry to the kheer and bring it to a boil, stirring gently.

Add jaggery and let it melt completely. Cook till the kheer thickens slightly and develops a rich colour.

Heat ghee and fry cashew nuts till lightly golden. Add raisins and sauté briefly. Add this to the payesh and mix gently. Serve warm or chilled.

Tres Leches Cake

Tres leches, which means “three milks” in Spanish, refers to the Whole milk, Condensed milk and Evaporated milk that make up the creamy soaking sauce for the baked cake. Over time, it saturates the cake, making it soft and luscious. Serve with thick garnish of softly whipped cream and some berries or sliced fruit to complete the presentation.

AP Flour - 1 1/2 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Salt Butter - 1/2 cup

Sugar -1 cup Egg - 5, at room temperature Vanilla extract - 1 tsp Whole milk - 2 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk - 1 can Evaporated Milk - 1 can

Whipped Cream - 1 1/2 cup

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk the AP Flour with Baking powder and a pinch of Salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream Butter and 1 cup Sugar. Add Eggs and 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract at medium-high speed until light and fluffy,. Add half of the Flour mixture and mix at low speed until just incorporated. Gradually add the whole Milk, then mix in the remaining Flour mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until the center of the Cake springs back to the touch. Transfer the baking dish to a rack and let the Cake cool for at least 30 minutes.

Combine the Whole milk, Condensed milk and Evaporated milk together and keep aside.

Using a fork, poke holes all over the cooled Cake. Gradually pour the Milk mixture over the entire cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cut the Cake and serve with Whipped cream and Mint.

Moong Dhal Pudding

Moong Dal - 1/2 cup (soaked for 4-5 hours)

Ghee - 1/2 cup

Mawa - 1/2 cup

Water - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons

Green Cardamom seeds - 6

Saffron - to taste

Nuts - as desired

Roast soaked dal to a deep golden color and grind to a coarse paste.

Roast the coarse dal in ghee on low heat to develop a "sandy" texture, allowing the fat to release.

Combine sugar, water, and aromatics (saffron/cardamom) and add it to the mixture.

Cook down with mawa until it reaches a thick, luscious consistency and ghee leaves the sides.