Sweet and Indian – don’t you think, are supplements to each
other?! In India, there are so many varieties of sweets, and I think we are the
richest in this category! It’s very rare in India that anyone says ‘NO’ to
sweets! And, as I’m belonging to Bengal, I feel this craziness in Bengal too
much! In my house, every day I prepare sweet ‘chatni’ for lunch! But, 3 years
back, this became very dangerous for my family and I want to share the story,
how I overcame!
December
2012 came with a bad news for me and my family. After a routine check-up, our
house-physician said that my husband is suffering from diabetics! After 4-5
months, we came to know that my mom-in-low also is suffering from the same!
They both love to eat sweets so much; in fact, they eat the most of sweets in
our household! Now, Doctor strictly restricted sweets for them; even, I can’t
add sugar in any dish, that I used to add before. It was really very tough time;
I couldn’t understand what to do! During those days; one day I saw a TV
advertisement of Sugerfree and went to shop to bring it home. There I find many
kinds of Sugerfree – Tablet, Drops, Powder and I bought one of each Varity.
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| Sugarfree Tablets |
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| Sugarfree Natura (powder) |
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| Sugarfree Drops |
Then I put the tablets in the office-bag of my hubby and told
him to use for tea and I continue this still now. Then I have started to make
sweets with the liquid and powder Sugarfree and got excellent results! My
mom-in-low and hubby were very happy to eat sweets again; but, I have little
confusion. So I go to doctor and asked him about the safety and side effects of
artificial sweetener. But doctor wiped out all my worries! He said that ‘it is
total safe and secure; you can use it without any worry’. Since then, I have
been replacing sugar with Sugerfree to make deserts and also anything, which
need to add sugar!
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| Rasgulla made with Sugarfree |
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| Gulab Jamun made with Sugarfree |
Now, I can make life more sweet without sugar and all the credits goes to SUGARFREE!
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| Fruit Cake made with Sugarfree |
Here is a recipe of a very famous Bengali dessert ‘Chanar
Payes’; which I have made with sugerfree!
Chanar Payes
Ingredients:
1. Full cream milk: 1+1 liter
2. Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Or,
Calcium Lactate Powder: 1 teaspn.
3. Khoya (grated): 100gm.
4. Sugarfree Nature: ½ cup
Or,
Sugarfree Liquid: 3 drops
5. Vanilla essence: 2-3 drops
Or,
Rose Water: 1/2 teasp.
6. Keshar: 1/5 teasp.
7. Cherry: for garnishing
5. Vanilla essence: 2-3 drops
Or,
Rose Water: 1/2 teasp.
6. Keshar: 1/5 teasp.
7. Cherry: for garnishing
Method:
1. Heat 1-liter milk in a pan. Once it starts to
boil, pour in the lime-juice or Calcium Lactate Powder and stir gently. The
milk will curdle and clear whey will separate. Strain the paneer in a muslin
cloth. Wash under cold running water to get rid of the lemony smell and then
hang it for ½ an hour.
2. Get the fresh paneer out of the cloth; wrap and start kneading it with the palm, Knead to make it smooth for 5-6 minutes.
3. Make same size tiny balls from the paneer and keep aside.
4. Heat rest of milk in another heavy bottom pan. Stir in between to prevent it from burning at the bottom.
5. When the milk become ½, mix the khoya to it and stir very well. Continue stirring till it’s thick and creamy.
6. Now, reduce the flame and start adding the balls one by one.
7. Once all the balls are added, add the vanilla essence, pinch of keshar to it.
8. Let it simmer on the same heat for 3-4 minutes, stir continuously. Make sure there is enough liquid as the balls will soak up lots of liquid during the process of cooling.Now, off the flame and add the Sugerfree. Mix very well and let it become cool.
9. When it becomes cool, keep it in refrigerator for at least ½hr.
10. Take it from refrigerator; garnish with cherry and serve in small bowls.
* You can use Sugerfree more or less, as
you want; I have mentioned the measurement as per my requirement.
** You may use cashew-nut, raisin and other dry fruits to garnish.