Choke Chadhana – Indian desert (Halwa) becomes Cheesecake

Dec 22nd

Paheli baar mohobaat ki hain...haan haan

Paheli baar khana pakai hain...haan haan

After a fabulous honeymoon  in warm and vibrant Mexico,…it was time for Purni and Raja to settle down into the travails of the common man!!…wake up early...rush to work...cook...grocery shopping...house cleaning...dish washing...doing the laundry…sigh! And most importantly, adjusting to each other….and each other’s fancies! Not sure what is more complex…(wink wink)…anyway, the newlyweds are still beaming with joie de vivre…and just celebrated their 2 month anniversary...(smile)

Just the other day, Hansa aunty (Raja’s mom) called me and was recalling the 'Choke Chadhana' ceremony of Purni...Now this lady enjoyed reading the wedding diaries so much, that she wanted the diaries to continue forever (smile). And what better than to write about Purni's Choke Chadhana, held 4 weeks ago. Now Choke Chadhana is a ceremony that is held in every Punjabi family, where the new bride for the very first time cooks at her In-laws or Sasural...the first of many in the years to come...and to commemorate the cooking, the in-laws and the guests who have partaken the food, offer her money or some gift as a token or 'Shagun'. The first meal is always special, and the first dish cooked is usually a sweet dish, and is offered to the Almighty for blessing and then partaken by everyone....mostly the Halwa or the Kheer is made in such occasions... I have heard  horror stories where the bride is extremely nervous and the halwa or the desert comes out horrible,...too sweet,...too sticky..or burnt...or the mom-in-law like in some of the bollywood movies, gives the bride, a long list of delicacies to cook, now this would unnerve anyone, leave alone a bride, and that too cooking for the first time in a strange kitchen!

Now Hansa aunty knowing that Purni is a 'learning' cook and that she may probably become nervous and brood over this ceremony, if given the date prior to the event,...decided to wait till the actual day of the ceremony. She then called Purni and explained the ceremony and asked her if she could make a desert...any simple sweet dish would do...and Purni being the adventurous kind...decided not to tread the beaten path...and baked a Cheesecake for her Choke Chadhana. I am sure Hansa aunty must have been pleasantly surprised...

Did  the Cheesecake come out good...? Well, no one took pictures of the Cheesecake, (guess all were busy eating it!)... but there were no leftovers and the next day, Hansa aunty called Shyla (Purni's mom) and praised the Cheesecake and her Purni...And yes Purni got her Shagun...and is all set to try out more baking in the days to come...(smile smile)

When I heard this story..one thing that struck a chord in me was the whole concept of the ceremony and how well it was handeled...Cooking a dish for the ceremony, is all about 'sharing' with your dear and loved ones...spreading joy...laughter...and the sweetness in relationships. When an individual has the liberty to choose the dish they want to make...there is a freedom, a joy or happiness in cooking the dish. Have you noticed, very often, people may follow a recipe to the T...but only certion ones come out really good,... lip smacking delicious...that makes you want more of the same,...!...I believe those awesome tasting dishes were created with extra seasoning of love and happiness. It does not not matter whether the bride makes Halwa or Kheer or a Cheesecake...or if it is perfectly made...it is all about sharing and spreading the sweetness and joy...Very often, the concept is lost under the weight of high expectations and ridicule.

Traditions are important,...they are a part of who you are...accept and enjoy them. Add a twist to these traditional rites if required,...give it a tadka of today's world, it is ok....It is all about sharing and spreading the sweetness and joy of life...right?

For all who want to bake the Cheesecake and wow your folks,  here is the recipe...
http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/08/06/raspberry-swirl-cheesecake-cupcakes/

And yes and this is how your Cheesecake will look...Yummiously delicious, right?

Picture taken from Annie's blog