Phirni

As we all know tomorrow Indians all over the world will celebrate Raksha Bandhan; the festival which celebrates the bonding of love, affection and trust between brother and sister. A promise made by a brother to protect his sister in each and every circumstances.

Celebrating any festival by treating your family by making some special dishes have its own fun. I have already posted some very easy desserts which you can try this Rakhi. Have a look here:

• Shahi Tukda
• Malpua
• Rasgulla
• Langcha
• Coconut Ladoo
• Gajorer Patishapta/ Carrot Crepes
• Carrot Barfi/ Carrot Fudge

Today's recipe is Phirni or Firni. It's a kind of rice pudding which is very popular in North Indian and Mughlai cuisine. This pudding is also prepared during the holy month of Ramzan and to celebrate festivals like Holi, Diwali etc.....

It's a very easy and quick dessert which needs very few ingredients. It's very similar to Rice Kheer but the difference lies in the kind of rice being used. Phirni is prepared from ground rice while the later is prepared from whole rice. Traditionally, Phirni is served in earthen clay pots and garnished with dry fruits and edible silver leaf.

There are many variations of Phirni; Mango Phirni, Rose Phirni, Almond Phirni, Pistachio Phirni, Kesar Phirni and the list goes on but today I'm posting the recipe of a very basic Phirni. So let's get started:

Shahi Tukda/ Bread Pudding

We all know Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan is just around the corner. It's an Indian festival which celebrates the loving relationship between every brother-sister. This festival has many historical stories related to it; Rajput queens used to send raksha (safety) threads to the neighbouring rulers with a promise to protect her in each and every circumstances.

Rakhi is a sacred thread tied on the wrist of brothers by their sisters which is embellished with love and affection. It is observed on Rakhi Poornima (full moon day) in the month of Shravana. This thread is considered very strong as it binds the inseparable love between a brother and a sister. 

This year I decided to make Shahi Tukda for my family to celebrate this festival. It's a royal treat for you and your family anytime. It's origin can be found in the Mughal era. Mughlai dishes are bit on the laborious side but this dish is very easy to make and you can do the preparations earlier and assemble it when you want to serve. 

I'm a big foodie for sure and I love to have something sweet after I finish my lunch but at the same time I'm calorie conscious too. So, I love to make such kind of rich desserts on special occasions and gobble it down. I have just toasted the bread slices in little bit of butter but if you want you can deep fry them in butter or ghee (clarified butter).

So, make this dessert this Raksha Bandhan and enjoy it with your family.

Buffalo Style Chicken Wings......And Our Love For Buffalo Wild Wings

If anybody asks me what I miss most about USA then my one and only answer will be BUFFALO WILD WINGS!!!! It's an American casual dining restaurant cum Sports Bar which specializes in Chicken Wings and their 16 finger licking sauces.

You get fried Chicken Wings coated with their wide variety of sauces along with 6 different dippings to choose from. You can enjoy them with carrots and celery on the side. As I said they are specialized in Chicken Wings but you also check out their Burgers, Sandwiches, Quesadillas, Fries etc.... 

I have many memories linked with that restaurant: we celebrated our first weekend dining there, our first New Year and so many similar events. We were so much fond of that restaurant that we ate there than any other restaurant in Portland. 

They have their line in America, Canada, Mexico and Philippines. Unfortunately we don't have B-Dubs (that's a nick name given to Buffalo Wild Wings) in India. As I always rave that being a foodie is a blessing and a curse too. I crave for Buffalo style Chicken Wings so much in India that it enforced me to look for a recipe of it. Finally after many trials and errors I can say that I'm able to somewhat recreate that taste.

If you're living in USA then you can get their sauces readily available in their restaurants. You just have to make the wings and coat them with the sauces. Otherwise follow the recipe to enjoy Buffalo Style Wings at the comfort of your home.

I had grilled the wings in the microwave by just brushing them with little bit of oil. It's much healthier option than frying the wings. If you want you can deep fry them too. So let's start with the recipe: