Rose Milk Pudding

Hello Friends, I am back after a long hiatus to share a very healthy and yummy dessert recipe with you. Many of my friends wanted me to share the recipe and I thought this blog would be a good place to do it :)

It is a very light and delicate dessert with subtle rose flavor, no eggs and no heavy cream or fat.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Whole Milk (cold) 1cup,  Corn Starch - 2 tsp (optional), Agar agar powder - 2 tsp (vegetarian gelatin), Rose syrup (Indian preferred) or you get organic one without color in USA- 3-4 tsp , Rose petals (optional) - 1 tsp, Sugar - as needed (optional)

Method: 

Take a pan and boil the milk and cool it. Pour 1/4th cup milk (from the boiled milk) in a cup and dissolve agar agar and corn starch (optional but recommended if you want to make it firm) in the milk.

If you are not adding corn starch, please increase agar agar to 4 tsp.

Add the mixture back to the boiled milk and heat everything on medium low heat on stove. Add rose syrup (it already has sugar) and half of the rose petals (optional). Add additional sugar if needed (depending on your preference). Stir continuously and make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Make sure there are no lumps forming as well. Do not over boil. 

Once it is thick (you will feel a bit of resistance while stirring), bring to a boil and switch off the stove. You can also strain the mixture at this point to remove any remaining lumps. Pour the strained mixture into a serving dessert bowl or individual mould(s). 

Sprinkle some rose petals on top. Leave it on the counter to cool. Once it cools down, put it in refrigerator for 3-4 hours. 

After that take it out and enjoy this heavenly dessert.

Till my next post, as always take care.

**If you add Indian Rose Syrup, it will add a nice rose color to the pudding but if you prefer organic non-color kind, it will still taste the same but there will not be much color (only light color from rose petals if you add while cooking). It is totally up to your preference. 

Main picture is with Indian rose syrup and bottom one is without.

Jhatpat Semolina Modak - Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

Hello dear friends, Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!!

On this blessed occasion, we are often invited to friends' or neighbors' houses for aarti/pooja. Normally, I like to make something homemade to share with friends at such times. 

Sharing a quick and easy Semolina (rava) modak recipe below that is perfect for such times.

Ingredients: Semolina (fine or medium fine) - 1 cup, dry coconut desiccated - 3/4th cup, Ghee - 1 cup + 2-3 tsp, Milk  (warm)1.5 cups, water (warm) - 1 cup, powdered sugar 2 - 2.5 cups (depending on taste- add 3-4 tsp more if you want sweeter), almond powder - 1/4th cup, milk powder (unsweetened)- 1/4 cup, saffron - 1 tsp - dissolved in milk, cardamon powder- 3 tsp. Modak mould to shape modaks. (alternately you can also do by hand)

Method: Take a pan and roast semolina (rava) on medium low heat till it turns light brown. Once little golden, add desiccated coconut and keep roasting till everything is light brown and gives off aroma. Then add 1 cup ghee to and roast till ghee melts and is homogenous with mixture. Then add warm milk and water to this mixture. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins on low medium heat. Uncover and stir and add almond powder and unsweetened milk powder. Stir and cover and cook for 2 mins. add saffron and powdered sugar. Stir everything properly and cover and cook again for 2-3 minutes. Add 2-3 tsp ghee and cardamom powder, stir everything and cover and leave it for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, after mixture is little cool, add the mixture to the modak mould and shape them. Fill the mould with mixture and squeeze the mould tightly and press on the base to make the modak firm. 

And presto......Modaks are ready to serve! Enjoy with your family and friends and celebrate the joyous occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi!! 

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Tiramisu - eggless version of the classic Italian dessert

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert and has always been our family favorite. Coffee dipped Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) sandwiched between creamy mascarpone/cream takes you to dessert heaven.  It is a super simple to make but creates a much desired 'wow' effect! As mentioned in my previous post, we recently hosted some friends for dinner and I made the eggless version of this classic dessert and it was an instant hit with our guests as well.

Many friends have been requesting this recipe for a while now so finally I am posting it at long last. So here goes:

Ingredients:

Dry Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) - 24-28 pieces, instant coffee - any kind - 1 cup brewed in hot water + 1/4th tsp, heavy whipping cream - 1 quart, mascarpone cheese - 8 oz, vanilla essence - 1 tsp, powdered sugar - 1/4th cup (please adjust to taste - I don't like to make it very sweet), unsweetened cocoa powder - for dusting on top.

Please note: The recipe I am sharing will fit into a 9 inch round cake pan (spring foam). 

Method:
Boil 1 cup water/microwave for 1 min and add 2 tsp instant coffee and keep aside (no sugar or milk). Take a mixing bowl and whip the heavy whipping cream till it is stiff. Add mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla essence, 1/4th tsp instant coffee and mix on low till everything is smooth and creamy. Keep aside. Take your spring foam cake pan. Dip each ladyfinger into the brewed coffee and arrange in the cake pan in a layer. (take care not to dip it too long - it can get mushy and fall apart pretty quickly). 

Once a layer is complete, layer the whipped mascarpone/cream mixture and add in second ladyfinger layer similar to first one and once again cove with whipped mascarpone/cream mixture, Finally dust with unsweetened cocoa powder using a sieve/strainer. Chill in refrigerator for 5-6 hours or overnight. 

Remove just before serving and dust with unsweetened cocoa again of needed. Serve and enjoy this amazing dessert!

Till my next post, take care everyone!

Gulachi Poli (Jaggery stuffed Flatbread)

 

Happy Sankranti my dear friends! Til Gul Ghya ani goad goad bola!!

The staple sweet for Sankranti, Gulachi Poli is nicknamed 'crunchy sweet poli' in our household :) It is an absolute favorite. In the past, I have made it for my hubby's colleagues and friends. It is well loved by everyone.

Many of my friends recently requested recipe for Gulachi Poli so I though blog was best way to share with so many people.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:  Jaggery (powdered) - 2 cups, ideally it should be 'chikki cha gul' (sticky yellow jaggery grated) but here in USA, it is not available so we have to make do with what we have :(  wheat flour - 3 cups, all purpose flour (maida) - 1/2 cup, poppy seeds (khus khus) - 1/4th cup, Besan flour - 1/4th cup, oil - 1/2 cup, Oil - about 1/2 cup, cardamom powder - (made from 8-12 cardamoms) - 2-3 tsp.

Procedure: Take a pan and heat 1/4th cup oil and add it to the wheat flour in a bowl and add a pinch of salt to it and knead with adequate water. The dough should not be too hard or too soft. 

Then add jaggery to a bowl and add about 1-2 tsp oil to it and pound it with pounder (khal/batta) and keep aside. You can also pulse it in a food processor. Take another pan and put a 1/4th tsp oil and roast the besan flour in it till it turns pink/light brown and out aside. 

Similarly dry roast the poppy seeds too. Then  add the roasted besan and poppy seeds to the jaggery. Add crushed cardamon powder to it and knead and mix well and pulse everything in food processor if possible. The mixture should not be powdery but as sticky as possible. (hard to achieve lot of stickiness since powdered jaggery we get here in USA tends to be dry - but do it as much as possible)

To make poli, keep a pan to heat on the stove and then make 2 small balls of the wheat dough and flatten and spread them with your hand a little bit to make 2 discs. One should be slightly smaller than the other. Then put the jaggery mixture on the smaller disc and cover it with the larger disc and seal everything properly. 

Roll it with a roller. make sure the jaggery spreads evenly throughout the poli. Then put the flattened poli on the tava (pan) and roast it properly on both sides. Serve hot with ghee. Enjoy!!

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Healthy Modak (with Moong Dal flour, coconut and Jaggery)

Hello Friends...... it has been quite sometime I posted on the blog. Life is busy and I hardly get time these days to cook and post. 

But anyhoo.... today was Ganesh Chaturthi and I wanted to make some modaks very quickly. So I put together this healthy version of traditional modaks with all the ingredients I already had in the pantry. These are made only with ready-made moong dal flour, shredded coconut and jaggery!!

Ingredients: Moong dal flour - 1 cup, Dry shredded coconut - 1/2 cup, white cornstarch - 1/2 tsp for binding, Ghee - 1/2 cup, Jaggery - 1 cup (adjust per sweetness of jaggery), cardamon powder - 1/2 tsp, Saffron - 1/2 tsp

Method: Dry roast shredded coconut and keep aside. Then heat some ghee in the same pan and roast moong dal flour +1/2 tsp white cornstarch till it loses its raw smell (light brown color) and keep aside. Add jaggery with 1/2 cup water and boil for 4-5 mins on low heat. add saffron and cardamon powder and add roasted coconut and roasted moong dal flour that was set aside and cook on very low heat for 2-3 mins till the mixture comes together. You can add 1 tsp ghee if needed at this point. Add 1/4th cup or as needed raw shredded coconut (if mixture is too runny).

When it is a bit cool, take about 1 tbsp mixture in the palm of your hand and make it into shape of Modak.

Enjoy these delicious, healthy, jhatpat modaks!! Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!! May Lord Ganesha shower his blessings on you and your loved ones. 

Till my next post, take care everyone..........

Mango Saffron Ladoo (with Almond flour and coconut)

Happy Diwali 2020 to all!! What a tumultuous year this has been so far. Life as we know it has changed forever. Diwali was definitely not the same without family and friends this year. Hoping and praying for a vaccine and cure to this deadly and devastating disease: Covid-19 that had descended upon our planet!

Luckily there are a few traditions that we can still carry out in these dire circumstances. One of them being Diwali faral on Narka Chaturdashi day. This year tried out something novel to add to my traditional Diwali faral platter.

Ta da.... presenting Mango Saffron ladoo with Almond flour and coconut. 

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients: Mango pulp - 1 Cup, Coconut (dry shredded) - 1 cup + some for rolling, Almond flour (it is nothing but finely crushed Almonds - available in local Ralph's baking section) - 1/2 cup, Milk powder - 14th cup, Condensed milk - one 14 oz can, Cardamon (crushed to powder) - 1.5 tsp, Saffron - 3/4th tsp (heat 2 tbsp milk in a small microwave safe bowl for 30 secs and add saffron to it) , ghee - 3 tsp

Method: Heat a pan and lightly roast coconut and almond flour till very light brown on medium low flame (take care not to burn). Keep aside in a plate. Take another pan and pour mango pulp and stir and reduce it till it thickens (the watery texture should reduce). You can complete this step in microwave too (just cover and cook for 2-3 minutes at a time till watery texture reduces. Keep aside. Take another pan and add ghee to it. Once it melts, add thickened mango pulp, browned coconut and almond flour and milk powder. Stir and mix everything for a minute. Add condensed milk and keep stirring till the mixture thickens about - 7-8 minutes. Add saffron dissolved in milk and keep stirring on medium heat. To test, take some mixture and cool it on a spoon and try to roll it in a ball. If it forms a ball, the ladoo is done. Add cardamom powder, stir and let it cool. Once it has sufficiently cooled down to handle, start rolling into balls. Roll each ball in shredded coconut so that it does not become sticky. You can also add bit of shredded coconut to adjust ladoo consistency at this point if needed. Enjoy once all ladoos are rolled into balls!! Refrigerate them after they are cool. They will stay fresh for up to a week refrigerated. 

Really healthy and tasty :) They were also not overly sweet which is the way I like them.

Hopefully your family will also enjoy this novel ladoo as much as mine!! Can't wait for you all to try it.

And last but not the least, here is our traditional Marathi faral that is typically eaten for breakfast on Narka Chaturdashi Day.

Till my next post, take care everyone!! #staysafe

Sweet Moong Dal Halwa Poli (Roti stuffed with sweet Moong Dal Halwa)

This recipe was a result of my brainstorming to contribute to the #dishfromdish contest! I had made Moong Dal Halwa for Dassera as you can see in my previous post. Since I am really busy at work these days and don't get lot of time to cook, I had to come up with this creation to participate during busy work week :) No wonder they say that 'Necessity is the mother of invention'. It was definitely a smashing success at our dinner table. Especially with my husband who loves sweets!!

So here is the recipe.

Ingredients: Whole wheat flour - 1 cup, Maida - 2 tsp, salt - 1/8th tsp, oil - 2 tsp, water - as needed for making dough, Moong Dal Halwa - click to see the recipe in my previous post, ghee - as needed.

Method: Take whole wheat flour in a mixing bowl, add maida, oil, salt and water and make dough. Let it rest for 2-3 hours. After that make small balls and roll out the dough into small flats and stuff each flat with Moong Dal Halwa and then roll them to make Poli. 

Heat Tawa and roast both sides till well cooked. Smear ghee on the Poli and serve. Enjoy the healthy, protein packed, lip-smacking Moong Dal Halwa Sweet Poli!!

Till my next post, take care everyone! #staysafe

Moong Dal Halwa (Roasted/Instant)

Happy Dassera to all celebrating! 2020 has been quite a year so far due to Covid-19. Everyone is slowly adjusting to the new reality where we can't celebrate festivals with family and friends.

It is very sad and depressing. But such are the times we live in now. Well, to cheer everyone and add some festive spirit I made some roasted moong dal halwa!! It does not involve soaking moong dal so it can be done faster and tastes so good as well.

Here is the recipe for Roasted or Instant Moong Dal Halwa:

Ingredients: Split Yellow Moong dal - 1 cup, Ghee/clarified butter - 1 cup +1-2 tsp, Sugar - 1 cup (adjust per taste), Milk and water mixed (ratio: milk - 3/4 and water 1/4) total 2-3 cups (per desired consistency), Saffron strands - 3/4th tsp, Cardamom powder - 1 tsp, Almonds and Pistachios 1/2 cup total - grind some and slice some for garnish. 

Method: Wash the moong dal and pour it on a towel and pat dry. Take a pan and dry roast the moong dal till it is very light brown (it should start getting some color - take care not to burn it). After that powder it in a mixer/grinder. In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup milk and warm it on a microwave for 30 seconds and add saffron stands to it and set aside. After that take a non-stick pan and add ghee to it. When it starts melting, add powdered moong dal to it. Now slowly ass the milk/water mixture and stir till everything is mixed with no lumps. Cover and cook for 3-4 mins. Add powdered nuts and sugar and keep stirring for 4-5 mins. Cover and cook on low heat for additional 3-4 mins. Keep stirring till the mixture is thick and starts leaving sides of the pan. Add additional 1-2 tsp ghee and add saffron and cardamom powder. Stir thoroughly and remove to serving bowl. Garnish with sliced almonds and pistachios and serve warm.

Enjoy this rich protein rich dessert this festive season with your loved ones!!

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Rose Gulab jamun Rava Cake (Semolina cake with Rose and Gulab jamun flavor)

Hello friends, I am back with another successful kitchen experiment (yay). Rose Gulab Jamun Rava Cake or Semolina cake with Rose and Gulab jamun flavor!!! This cake is egg-less, flour-less and 100% vegetarian.We had a potluck where it was decided to get some cake for kids and other adults who do not usually go for Indian desserts. After browsing through many recipes of Gulab Jamun cake, I wanted to try something novel, so decided to add rose flavor along with Gulab jamun flavor and semolina instead of the traditional cake flour.

Friends, the aroma wafting through the whole house while baking the cake bought both my kids to the kitchen and they could not wait to try it. I can assure you that it is really easy peasy to make. If you are new to baking, this will be a good cake to try.

So here is the recipe. 

Ingredients: For cake: Very fine semolina (unroasted) - 2.5 cups , whole milk - 2.5 cups, yogurt whisked and at room temp - 3/4th cup, salt - 1/8th tsp, oil (unflavored)- 1/3rd cup, powdered sugar - 2.5 cups (Adjust per taste) plus some for cake decor, gulab jamun mix - 1.5 cup, rose essence - 3 tsp, cardamon powder - 3 tsp, baking powder - 1.5 tsp, baking soda - 3/4th tsp. For Syrup: 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, cardamon powder - 1 tsp, rose essence - 1/2 tsp.

Method: For Cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, sieve the semolina along with gulab jamun mix and powdered sugar. Warm the milk and add room temp whisked yogurt to it and whisk together. Slowly add to the sieved semolina mix and stir. Check the consistency. If too thick, add more warm milk to thin it. Add the cardamom powder, rose essence, oil, baking powder and baking soda and mix. Pour it in a baking pan (I used a 9 x 16 inch rectangular tray to bake.) and put in 350 degree F oven to bake for 35-40 minutes. Take it out and check if done by inserting a knife into the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. 
For Syrup: Take a pan and add sugar and water and boil for 8-10 minutes till the syrup turns into 1 string consistency. Add cardamom powder and rose essence and mix. Drizzle on top of the warm cake. Drizzle powdered sugar on top of the cake. Cut into pieces and enjoy!!! Needless to say that my whole family fell in love with this novel cake and I am sure yours' will too :)

Here is a picture of my cake right out of the oven and the other one is sliced and ready to eat:

Till my next post everyone, take care.

Notes: 
1. Check for sweetness when you mix the batter (adjust sugar per your taste). Remember that you are drizzling sugar syrup on the cake too.
2. You can grind and add almond or cashew powder and also some saffron to the cake. I forgot to add this time but would surely do it the next time.

Narali Bhat (Sweet Coconut Rice) - a sweet delicacy for Narali Pournima (full moon) Festival

Hello friends, on the auspicious occasion of Narali Pournima and Rakhi, I am going to share a recipe for a traditional Maharashtrian dish called Narali Bhat also known as Sakhar bhat.

It is super simple and delicious. We always used to make it for Rakhi pournima or Rakshabandhan since my brother has a sweet tooth. So this narali bhat has lots of fond memories of childhood hidden in it.

So here goes the recipe:

Ingredients: Rice - 1 cup, Water - 2 cups, Grated coconut - 1 cup, Sugar - 1 cup (you can reduce sugar and add 3-4 tbsp jaggery too), salt - 1 pinch, ghee - 1/2 cup, cardamoms - 5-6, cloves - 5-6, Cashews halved- 10-12, Almonds - chopped - 8-10, few saffron strands - mix with warm milk.

 Procedure: Wash the rice and set it aside. Heat a pan (preferable flat), add ghee, when it melts, add cloves and cardamom, cashews and almonds. Saute till cashews are very light brown. Add the washed rice and saute it for 4-5 mins. Add a pinch of salt. Add water and cover and cook for 10-12 mins on medium low heat till rice is almost done. Add grated coconut, sugar/jaggery and saffron dissolved in warm milk to the rice. Take care not to break the rice. Cover and cook for 5-8 mins on low heat. Turn off the gas and let it sit for 10 mins. Remove everything in a pan and let it cool. Decorate with nuts and serve.

Happy Narali Pournima and Rakhi Pournima to all. Till my next post, take care everyone.

Banana Walnut Bread

It was almost the end of the week and 2 ripe bananas were staring at me. If I didn't do something, they would definitely end up in trash by Monday. Thanks to this recipe, after a couple of hours, they wound up in a delicious Banana Walnut bread :))

Actually, I got this recipe from a recipe book borrowed from our local library. Unfortunately, I forgot to copy down the title/author :(       

Anyhow here is the recipe:

Ingredients needed: 2 cups All purpose/Wheat flour ( I used wheat flour), 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 small bananas - mashed, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp - baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4th tsp - salt, handful of chopped Walnuts.

Method: Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Butter/spray with non stick spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Mix together butter and sugar with hand mixer, add eggs and mashed banana.and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix. Fold in the chopped Walnuts at the end.

Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake for 50-55 mins (time will vary depending on your oven and type of baking dish). Bake for additional 15-20 mins at 325 deg F if not done.

Cool for 15-20 mins, cut into slices and enjoy this nutty and delicious bread for breakfast, snack, teatime or just anytime :)))

Holiday season is here........ Wishing everyone Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2018!!! 🎅🎄🎆

Till my next post, take care everyone!! 

Water Chestnut Flour (Shingada), Almonds, Walnut and Date Cake (Sugar and Egg free)

Recently we celebrated my mom's birthday. She is a diabetic and can no longer enjoy sweet desserts. All through our growing years, she unfailingly and enthusiastically baked a variety of delicious cakes for us at home. So, I wanted to do something for her this time around. So I literally thought of all healthy things she could eat and baked them into a cake, and that is how this cake was created :) It is diabetic friendly: sugar free, gluten free, and egg free (vegetarian friendly) healthy cake.

Ingredients: Water Chestnut Flour (Shingada or Singoda): 1 cup, Almonds: 5-10, walnuts: 5-10, dates: about 20-25, yogurt: 1 tbsp, baking soda: 1/2 tsp, baking powder: 1 tsp, vanilla essence: 2 tsp, cardamoms: 5-6 pods crushed (optional).

Procedure: Soak Almonds, walnuts and dates in milk for about an hour. Grind to a fine paste (along with the milk they were soaked in - remove excess milk  while grinding - it should be about 3/4th cup while grinding). Grease a baking pan. Sift the Water Chestnut Flour (Shingada or Singoda), add baking powder and ground paste and yogurt. Mix thoroughly. Add vanilla essence and crushed cardamom pods (optional) and mix. Now add baking soda. Mix well and pour into greased pan (I used a loaf pan) and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 mins. Insert toothpick and check if the cake is done. If not bake for additional 5 mins on 300 degrees F. Let it cool. When the sides of the cake start leaving the pan, flip it over in a flat dish. Cake is ready to enjoy.

Tip: This cake can be made with sugar too if desired for non-diabetic people. It is really healthy. You can add 1/4th cup sugar or 1/2 cup condensed milk since it already has dates. Adjust sugar/condensed milk quantity as per desired level of sweetness. 

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Kalakand Barfi (Ricotta Cheese and Condensed milk - Microwave recipe)

With an ever so busy schedule, it is really challenging to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially during Diwali. But my family members have a sweet tooth and love Kalakand barfi, so I really wanted to make it this year. I was inspired by some recipes on the internet for Kalakand barfi made with Ricotta cheese, condensed milk and best of all in a microwave! So here is how I made it after browsing through a lot recipes.

Ingredients:
Ricotta cheese - 15 oz tub, Sweetened Condensed milk - 14 oz (1 small can), Milk powder - 1/2 cup, Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp, Rose essence - 1/4 tsp, Saffron - 1 tsp crushed strands, Pistachios - 12-15 finely chopped, Almonds - 8-10 - crushed. **Additional sugar 2-3 tsp (I did not add since it was sweet enough for me, but if you feel you need more sweetness, you can add, it is optional)*

Procedure:

• Take a large microwave safe bowl or container, combine ricotta cheese,condensed milk, milk powder, cardamon powder, rose essence and few saffron strands. Whisk till everything is mixed well without any lumps. (I have a 1200 watts microwave, but you can adjust cooking time according to your microwave wattage). 
• Microwave it initially for 1-2 minutes, make sure the bowl is partially covered with splatter guard since the liquid boils over and splatters a lot initially. 
• Check on it and mix well and microwave it partially covered for 1-2 mins, keep checking for boil over and splatter. Repeat 2 more times. 
• By now, the mixture will start getting thicker. Now you can remove the splatter guard. 
• Microwave uncovered for 2-3 mins and repeat 2-3 times. The mixture will start turning dry and grainy and will not stick to the bowl. (Keep microwaving for additional minutes, 1 minute at a time till you reach desired consistency)
• When it reaches almost dry consistency, pour it into a greased container. Pat it to make it even and add crushed pistachios, almonds and saffron strands on top. 
• Let it set for 30-45 mins, after which you can cut it into squares or any desired shape.

Enjoy quick and easy Kalakand Barfi!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali and a Prosperous New Year 2016, till my next post take care everyone!

Mango Pie - No Bake!

Recently we had some friends over for dinner and I made this really easy breezy no bake mango pie for dessert! Everyone loved it. I am posting this recipe for one of my friends R :) who wants to try it out. The pie was over very quickly so did not get a chance to get great clicks :( ............but anyhoo this click will do for now.......

I was introduced to this recipe a long time ago. My good friend A got it from another friend :)

Here is the recipe........

Ingredients: 16 oz can of mango pulp, 8 ounces cream cheese, 8 ounces Cool Whip, 2 ready-made graham cracker pie crusts, 3 small packs unflavored gelatin - (prepare according to gelatin package instructions), sugar - according to taste (if needed)

Preparation:
Prepare gelatin according to directions on the package. Mix mango pulp, cream cheese and sugar (according to taste - if needed to balance pulp sourness) in a mixer/by hand blender till everything is thoroughly blended, mix in cool whip. Add the gelatin and mix again. Pour this mixture in to the 2 pie crusts. Keep it in the refrigerator to set for at least about 3-4 hours. Overnight works best for me. Enjoy!!!

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Angry Birds Cake!!

After a long time, Hello again everyone. I have started working and hence not able to devote time for the blog. I will definitely try to be regular from now on......

Anyhow, coming to today's post, I just wanted to share a birthday cake I made for my younger one. My kids are huge angry birds fans! So when it was time for the birthday cake, it was a no brainer - Angry Birds Cake of course :))

I wanted to keep it simple, so took advantage of the ready made cake mix. The cake itself is Pillsbury Funfetti flavor cake and I decorated it with frosting. Added green food color for the background and used marshmallows to create the birds and the pig. They are colored with food colors and I also used various candies for eyes, crest, feathers and eggs. The grass is dessicated coconut colored with food color.

The expression on my little one's face after seeing this cake was priceless :))

Till my next post, take care everyone.........

Almond Coconut Barfi (Badam Naral Vadi)

To all the friends and readers of this blog - Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Diwali . Have a safe one!!

Wow can't believe Diwali is already here!!! Its such a joyous time of the year. Friends and families getting together, feasting and enjoying...... just love it.

Today, I am sharing with you a quick and easy barfi recipe. Its another of the must have sweets on a Maharashtrian Diwali Platter. I made this in a microwave, but it can be made on stove top too.

Ingredients: 1 &1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut, 1/2 cup almond powder, 1 cup milk powder dissolved in milk (about a cup), 1 can condensed milk (big), 1/2 cup ghee, 1 tsp crushed cardamoms, 1 tsp saffron strands. I have just used condensed milk for sweetening. If you want more sweetness, you can add a couple of tablespoons of sugar.

Procedure: Put ghee in a heavy bottom pan and when it melts add all the ingredients except crushed cardamom and saffron. Stir till the mixture on medium heat till it starts to leave the sides - about 30-40 mins and then add cardamom and saffron. Grease a plate/tray and set the mixture in it. Cool and cut and store is refrigerator for extended shelf life.

Alternatively you can microwave it in a microwave safe bowl. Stir after every 3 mins and take care it does not run over. When the mixture is little thick, add the crushed cardamoms and Saffron and follow the above steps to cool and cut.

Sharing my Homemade Maharashtrian Diwali Faral Taat: Barfi, Modak, Karanji, Ladoo, Shankarpali, Chivda, Kadbole, Chakli and Shev. I have made Upma which is in the center....... On the first day of Diwali (Narka Chaturdashi) we eat this for breakfast in the morning!

Have a great festival everyone!!! Take care.

Karanji with Coconut Filling (Sweet Indian Empanadas)

Today I am sharing a very simple and easy method of making Karanji which is like a sweet empanada. It is made with a delicious sweet coconut filling. This sweet is also traditionally made for Diwali Faral (feast) in Maharashtra. This is yet another one of our family favorites.

Ingredients:

For the cover: take 1.5 cups wheat flour or maida/all purpose flour (your choice), 1/2 cup fine rava/sooji/cream of wheat, 2 tsp hot oil, pinch of salt.

For the filling: 2 cups shredded coconut, 1&1/2 cups sugar (adjust according to sweetness of sugar), 2 tsp rice flour, 1 tsp crushed cardamom, 1/4 tsp saffron (optional) or few drops of rose essence (optional).

Method:

Add a pinch of salt to the flour and then pour hot oil (2 tsp) over it and knead the dough with water and keep it under wet cloth for 1 hr. You have to keep kneading it after every 20 mins to make it soft.

In a thick bottom pan, mix the shredded coconut and sugar and cook it till the coconut is soft. Then add the rice flour to it and cook for 3-4 mins. Turn off the heat and add the crushed cardamom and saffron or rose essence. Let it cool.

Then make lemon size balls of the dough and roll out little discs. Put about 3 tsp filling and fold it over to make a cresent shape and cut off the edges with a karanji cutter (pinwheel cutter) or you can seal them with maida paste (add some water to maida or all purpose flour and make semi thick paste), if you want.

Deep fry them in hot oil. Cool and refrigerate for extended shelf life. Personally I like to add rose essence to the filling. It gives it a very distinct and interesting flavor.

Rava Naral Ladoo (Semolina and Coconut Ladoo)

Ingredients: 2 cups semolina (ideally the fine kind), 1 1/2 cups shredded fresh coconut, 2 cups sugar (if sugar is less sweet add 1/4 cup more), 1 cup water to make sugar syrup, 1 cup ghee (melted), Raisins (handful) and Crushed Cardamom 4-5 pods

Method: Roast semolina in ghee over medium heat till its golden brown. Add coconut to semolina and keep roasting for 10-12 minutes. Simultaneously when you are roasting the rava, make 1 string syrup by combine sugar and water in a thick bottomed pan. Add this to the roasted rava and coconut mixture. Mix thoroughly and keep aside. Keep mixing it after every 20 mins. The mixture will become slightly thick in about 1-2 hrs. Add raisins and mix in the cardamom powder - you can add chopped cashews or almonds too. Shape the mixture into balls of desired size. Store them in an airtight container and enjoy your yummy Ladoos!

Tips: How to make One String Sugar Syrup: Take 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water and boil in thick bottom pan. As the solution starts to thicken (If you are lucky enough to check with a  thermometer - between 230-234°F) put a drop of the syrup on a plate and touch it with your finger (be really careful and allow it to cool a wee bit before you touch as your hand could burn). Then touch 2 fingers together and try to pull them apart. If you see a single solid sting forming, your syrup has reached 'One String Consistency'.

I am sending this off to: Tickling Palates, Kirthi's Kitchen (started by ohtastensee)  and Yummy food and Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes: A veggie/fruit a month event - Coconut.

 

Banana, Coconut and Coffee Cake

Normally I don't like to bake. But one rainy day when I had nothing better to do, I decided to try this recipe. I added bananas, coconut and coffee to the original plain cake recipe I got from a magazine long ago (have the cutting but not the name, sorry) and it turned out to be really good!  I also substituted whole wheat flour for the all purpose flour. The aroma filled the whole house and the warm just baked cake tasted divine with tea. Surprisingly the flavors of all ingredients blended in with each other really well.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick melted unsalted butter
3 mashed bananas (ripe)
1/4 cup dessicated coconut

2 tsp Instant Coffee Powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, coffee powder and salt. Add butter, mashed bananas, dessicated coconut, eggs, and vanilla. Stir and mix thoroughly, I did it with a hand mixer. Pour in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Line the baking pan with parchment paper so the cake comes out clean. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Insert a knife in the center of the cake, if it comes out clean that means the cake is done. Enjoy!!

This also looks like a perfect recipe to send to: A Veggie/Fruit a month Event originally started by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes who also happens to host it this month!!

This recipe also goes to Easy and Tasty Recipe's HCC (Healthy Cooking Challenge) -Bakes originally started by Smitha.

Vermicelli Kheer with Almonds and Saffron - Back after a long Break :)

Vermicelli Kheer with Almonds and Saffron

Hello everyone, I am back after a much needed blogging break :) Thanks to all the friends who asked about my well being and missed me, I missed u all too.....

Today I am sharing one of my family's favorite desserts - Vermicelli Kheer or Porridge also called as Shevaiya chi Kheer in Marathi. Normally the traditional shevaiya are very thin but since these are bambino, they are thick.  The almond paste gives it a creamy and rich taste and the saffron adds nice rich color. Its one of the quickest and simplest to make dessert recipe.

To make this kheer, put 1 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast 1 cup vermicelli (i used bambino as I had them on hand). When the vermicelli is light brown, add 3 cups milk to it and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add 1&1/2 cup sugar (adjust according to desired sweetness).

Then add Almond paste to this (to make almond paste, soak 20-25 almonds in warm water for 3-4 hrs and peel them and grind them in a mixer). After stirring and boiling on medium heat for 5-10 mins, then add 1 can evaporated milk. This lends a very nice flavor to the kheer. Then add 6-8 crushed cardamoms and a generous pinch of saffron strands. When the kheer is nice and thick, take it off the gas and cool.

It tastes best chilled. Garnish with cut almonds before serving.

Will be blogging on and off for some time, hope to be more regular after a while. Take care everyone.