rediff.com: Diwali sweets: West Bengal

West Bengal

Green Peas Kochuri

Ingredients
500 gm (2 cups) fresh green peas
1 cup white flour or maida
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1 inch ginger
Green chillies, according to taste
1/2 tsp cumin or jeera seeds
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method
Sift flour and add 1/4 tsp salt. Rub in 2 tbsp oil and knead to a soft dough adding as little water as possible. Grind peas, ginger, green chillies, to a fine paste. Fry the jeera in a flat pan till crispy. Note: DO NOT add oil. Fry the seeds on slow fire. Set aside. Grind Heat one tbsp oil and fry the green pea paste till it's dry. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Then add the cumin seed powder and mix well. Divide the dough into 8 balls. Press each ball in the centre and fill in the peas mixture. Close the opening and flatten. Roll into round pancakes. Heat about oil. Deep fry one at a time. Reduce heat and fry till golden brown. Remove and serve hot.

Narkel (Coconut) Nadu

Ingredients
1 coconut, grated finely
2 cups milk
6 tbsp cream or malai
1 cup sugar
A pinch of green cardamom or elaichi powder
1 cup water

Method
Grate the coconut and boil it with milk until it dries up. Remove from heat. Heat cream or malai in a kadhai Add sugar and a cup of water and stir to make the syrup. Add the coconut and keep stirring until dry. Remove it from heat. Add the elaichi powder and make small balls. Cool.
Alternatively, you can use jaggery
Ingredients
1 coconut, grated finely
1 cup jaggery
4 green cardamom or elaichi, crushed
Method
Mix the jaggery with the grated coconut. Heat a kadhai, put the coconut mixture in and stir. Soon the jaggery will melt. The moment it turns sticky, add elaichi powder. While still warm, make small balls. Cool and offer.

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