Introduction.....some lines about me

Hello & Welcome to my blog!

I'm Jasmine, the content creator of " The Sizzling Casserole"..A  dreamer, explorer & a self taught artist, most importantly, I am a daughter, sister, wife n mother to a boy, who has taught me to live, laugh n love unconditionally..

I was never into writing. The idea of writing a blog was far off my mind. Instead I would share my creativity in Instagram & Fb, until i realised my potential skill & self esteem..i took it into consideration. Then I began with a YouTube channel & started sharing a variety of delights to showcase my hobbies & creativity, where it was limited to cooking videos only. So later I came up with an idea, to express everything in the blog with my gallore of creations. I love designing more than cooking… With constant motivation & encouragement from my family..i firmly decided to start with it…n here I'm !

About me:

Being born & raised  in the coastal town of Odisha, I have grown up, enjoying a lot of coastal authentic delicacies..

 I'm passionate about baking and cooking something new. I like to explore global cuisines and would often try them out at home, along with traditional cuisines. I m not a trained cook, but over years, I have learnt it, by watching my mother n then my mil, (both of them are amazing cooks), cooking shows, youtube &  magazines, while experimenting it in my kitchen, the work shop (that I call..) with trials and error, until I get it right...n the first one who gets to  taste, is my husband. Although he is not a cooking person, he is a big foodie. For  him, cooking is an art  & the person who cooks it with her happy heart, the outcome is always awesome! ..n  I feel so honoured to be an artist…

My idea of cooking or making something is, it must look good as we eat with our eyes first. Perhaps, the combination of colour, flavour n presentations means a lot.. but we tempt to have those, that looks appealing n scrumptious to our eyes. I’m more fascinated towards food photography. I get immense pleasure to capture the art(dishes) in frame.

My friends know how keen I'm into clicking the food i just made..and would put it up in the social media status to let them savour ( hahaha..)..My family have also accepted my craze that, I won't let anyone grab the food before I'm done with photography, ( hahaha)...I find joy in capturing these beauties( dish)..   U will find those beautiful food photos in my galore.

Here u will find the recipes that  are tried and tasted. Along with Global, most of them are authentic Odia delicacies, made at the comfort of my space, with easily accessible ingredients.. that i mostly aim at..

Apart  from cooking, I'm a garden lover.  My day starts with a cup of tea, in my tiny green space, listening to the chirping of birds n a calm relaxing music.

For me, Gardening is the best  therapy ever. I feel happy whenever I'm around my plant babies..i love to spend time around them even when i'm not taking care of them.. They don’t expect anything from you..but they could sense your presence, give company n react by dancing...I feel the same joy on growing the plants  n nurturing them which is similar to raising own children.. U take a seed..sow them , watch seedlings grow, you pour love on them,feed them with  compost & see them smiling back at you with fruits n blossoms... I find immensejoy on those teeny tiny things ..

I'm also an art lover..whenever i am in a mood, i would love painting & crafting..I love to make DIY decors things from hoarded waste materials, making best out of waste, bringing the artist in me alive! I also love to design and decorate my own space according to occasions and festive vibes…

I would love to go for designing and creativity rather than cooking... Cooking is actually not my favourite! ( but  I love trying different  unique recipes continental or otherwise! ) & while I make something I give cooking 40% n presentation  60%.... While I make  video or click photos,  I aim at the space, the utensils, the crokeries, the backgrounds, the cleanliness n all that should look pleasing… yes, the recipe must be tasting good …but my mind always focus more on background n space… than on food… I always aims at presentation n decors ….call it food photography, I'm always in!...

This blog is an emotional outlet of my thoughts & my interests  which i have explored over years.

"Made  with a heap of gardening, spoonful of arts, whipped it up with tasty delights & garnished with love, The Sizzling Casserole" is a one pot recipe for anyone who prefers little sugar & spice"

 So welcome to my edible museum, where food & arts come to life…..

Rasabali

Rasabali

I have fond memories of my childhood vacations being spent  in Kendrapara (my maternal uncle's home).

As a kid our summer vacation means, it has to be mandatorily spent in mamu ghara. With festivals like rajja n savitri osha around, I have a lot of fond memories there. For us, food was an emotion.. I was introduced to a lot of delectable food there which are famous for its origin like rasabali, potali pitha, biri pura dia manda, n biri alu chop ..few to name..One of which is:

 Rasabali, the fried  cottage cheese( chhena) balls, soaked in thickened and sweetened milk, which is originated from the Baladevjew Temple of kendrapara, is also an item of chappan bhog, that is offered as Mahaprasad, at Puri Jagannath Temple.

The earthy aroma of  warm rasabali in an earthen pot covered with sal leaves that we get from the temple ,is one of the heavenly delicacies to savour..It is usually a temple dish which i had recreated at home…

Rasabali video link.. click here

Ingredients

Milk - 1.5 ltr 

Lemon juice/ vinegar - 1 tbsp

Whole wheat flour- 2 tbsp

Sugar - 3 tbsp

Cardamom (crushed)- 1 tsp

Saffron - a pinch

Instructions

• Boil 1 ltr milk in a large saucepan(from 1.5 ltr, we will use another ½ ltr later).

• When it starts boiling, add lemon juice/ vinegar.

• Let the milk curdle, till solids separates & chhena is formed.

• Cool it completely & strain the whey.

• Take chhena, in a cloth &  squeeze out excess whey.

• Let it hang  for 1 hr till all the whey drips out.

• In a plate, take the chhena, add ½ tsp crushed cardamom and ¾  tbsp sugar & mash it thoroughly with the help of heels of your palm. 

• Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour and mash again till it becomes smooth & you can see oil in your palm.

• Make it into a smooth dough.

• Make small sized balls & keep aside.

• Now heat oil +ghee in a deep & flat frying pan.

• When oil gets heated( not very hot or else chhena ball will darken quickly), slowly put the balls into it in batches( don't overcrowd as these are delicate and may break).

• For 2 mins dont flip the balls(let the balls get fried on one side)

• Then slowly flip it..& deep fry rest of the cheese balls. 

• Take it out on a plate.

• In another deep & wide saucepan, boil ½ ltr milk till it reduce to some extent. You can take full fat milk as it is thick.

• To it, add 2 tbsp sugar, a pinch of saffron and ½ tsp crushed cardamom.

• Let it boil for 2-3 mins more on medium flame till the flavour is mixed well.

• Now add the deep dried cheese balls into it slowly.

• Let it cook for 2 mins on slow flame.

• Switch off the flame. The cheeseballs will get soaked in the milk.

• Let it cool down gradually then garnish with chopped pista & serve it warm.

Note: 

1. These become soft melt in the mouth types after being soaked in milk.

2. Can refrigerate it and consume within a day as these are milk products and can go stale, when kept for longer outside.