Month: May 2021

CARROT -KESAR CASHEW KATLI

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Carrot a root vegetable packed with all the nutrients,is one vegetable which is irresistible when made into any type

of desserts.

Today’s dessert is variation of cashew katli,made with carrot extract.This katli variant recipe is purely my innovation.

So do try this recipe and post in your suggestions..!

To the recipe…

INGREDIENTS

Extract of 3 carrots (1/2 cup juice)

1 cup powdered cashewnuts

1/4 cup milk powder (optional)

a few strands of saffron/kesar

1 cup sugar

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp cardamon powder

2 tsp ghee

few pistachios coarsely ground (optional)

METHOD

Heat the carrot juice with 1 tsp ghee till raw smell is gone.

Add the sugar and heat till it bubbles and slightly thick .

Next add cashew nut powder, and the rest of the ingredients and keep mixing till thick (if you run a spatula in the

mixture it should divide )

Remove from fire and keep mixing till warm or transfer to a different plate and keep mixing till partly cool.

Pour into a greased tray and add pistachios and allow to cool completely .

Cut into desired shapes.

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PALAK -SAGO KHICHIDI (TAPIOCA PEARLS)

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This dish is another addition to preparations with sago/sabudana/javarisi/tapioca pearls.Another innovation from

my kitchen.

Like any other day was getting ready to make my family’s favourite dish ‘sago with potatoes and peanuts’

SAGO,POTATO,PEANUT KHICHIDI but revised my menu when I saw the palak leaves lying in the kitchen countertop

to be included for lunch.Palak /spinach leaves are highly nutritious,and in this awakened awareness for healthy food

we have to include lots of greens in our diet.

Now to the recipe…

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sago (washed and soaked overnight )

1 onion chopped fine

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 small tomato

2-3 tbsp ghee or oil

salt to taste

2-3 tbsp cheese or paneer grated(optional)

1/2 tsp sugar

Ground to a coarse paste

A handful of spinach leaves

1 tsp cummin seeds

1 green chilli

1-2 cloves garlic

For tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1-2 dry red chillies

a pinch of asafoetida

METHOD

Heat oil and temper with listed ingredients .

Next add the onions ,salt and sauce till light brown.

Add chopped tomato and the green paste and sugar (to retain the colour)and saute for about 5 minutes.

Next add the chilli flakes and the soaked sago.

Mix well till well corporated.Cover and cook on a low flame till the pearls look glossy and cooked.Stir once after

covering.

Once it is cooked, add cheese and serve with raita, or chutney.

Note: Another variant of this recipe can be mixed with potatoes,peanuts,and palak. (like the recipe in the link above )

THIPPILI RASAM(INDIAN LONG PEPPER)

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Thippili (long pepper)is a flowering vine, in the family Piperaceae.The fruit with numerous health benefits is dried

and used as a spice .

This wonderful spice is said to have essential nutrients and compounds contributing to the entire system of your

body.

To a few health points

Fights against bacterial infections.

Releases toxins in the liver.

Good treatment for cold, cough,and all respiratory problems.

Toothache also can be treated with this spice…

Now coming to today’s recipe…it’s a need of the season .With the pandemic on rampage ,we need to take care of

our family in whatever way we could to prevent infections.

In my experience ,there is an instant and quick relief after consuming these type of herbal decoctions, which is like

elixir at these times.I always love to share health related recipes like this, as some of our generation will be unaware of

spices like this.

I remember my grandmother had a box (made with palm leaves, with little shelves in it ,with many herbs and spices.

When I think of her giving us all types of concoction and decoction, which we swallowed with frowns was really

amazing.Even though she was not professionally qualified the way she chooses the herbs and spices was something

great to watch.She was like an angel in disguise to almost everyone in the family .

Infected by her flair for herbs,spices and home remedies ,I too explore all herbal remedies first .

Now to today’s healthy rasam…….

Note: The ingredient for the tanginess in rasam can be your choice.Tamarind extract, lime juice, gooseberry,kokum.I used Kokum extract.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 tsp thippili (Indian long pepper)

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cummin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

7-8 cloves garlic

1 dry chilli

1 smal tomato

1/4 tsp turmeric

2 cups kokum extract (made with 3 pieces of kokum) or tamarind extract

For tempering

curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

salt to taste

1 dry chilli

1/4 tsp asafoetida

2 tsp sesame oil

METHOD

First grind /pound coarsely the ‘bold listed ingredients‘ and set aside.

Heat oil ,add the asafoetida,curry leaves and mustard seeds.

When the mustard seeds splutter, add the ground ingredients with turmeric and saute for 1 minute.

Add the kokum/tamarind extract and allow to reach boiling point and remove from fire.

Cover and keep aside for 5-10 minutes and serve with hot steaming rice ..

Note: if you are using rasam podi,just pound the thippili,pepper,and garlic, tomato and use.

JAGGERY PANNA COTTA

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This is a dessert with jaggery, milk,cream and gelatine.Taste in relation to an eggless wattalapan.

Adorned with praline it was amazing .You could try this with thick coconut milk for a variant .

This is another innovation from my kitchen, and as my passion is to share recipes I am greatly excited and would love

to hear your suggestions and comments.

To the recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 cups milk

1 cup fresh cream

3 tsp gelatine

100-150 jaggery or jaggery to your taste

1 tbsp brown sugar

a pinch of salt

1/4 tsp cardamon

a pinch of mace powder

1/2 tsp vanilla essence/rose essence

METHOD

First sprinkle gelatine in a little water and set aside.

Heat jaggery in 1/2 cup water till the jaggery melts.Add cardamon powder and the rest of the spices after removing

from fire.

In the same heat add the bloomed gelatine and the milk and mix well.

Next add in the lightly beaten cream and mix well.

Strain the mixture to avoid any little lumps.

Pour into moulds of your choice and allow to set in the refrigerator.

Serve with praline .

PECAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

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This is a rich brownie recipe, with a pecan layer .Moist and incredibly tasty with a dominant crunch of pecans is surely

a treat for any occasion.

Pecans could be substituted for walnuts, or any nuts of your choice.

In this recipe the brownie layer is baked for 15 minutes, and then the pecan layer is poured on the partially baked

brownie, and baked again for another 12-15 minutes.

I baked it the previous day and served the following day for the flavours to set in.For the chocolate you could use a

mixture of dark and milk chocolate.The sugar for the brownie can be muscovado or brown.

Now to the recipe….

INGREDIENTS (For brownie base)

100 gm butter

100 gm dark chocolate

100 gm milk chocolate

75 -90 gm brown sugar (Demerara sugar)

100 gm flour

1 tsp vanilla essence or 2-3 tbsp rum

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

a pinch of salt (if you are using unsalted butter )

METHOD

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler .Once you see the butter melted remove the bowl from the heat and

mix the butter and chocolate well till creamy and set aside.

Beat the eggs and sugar together till slightly foamy.

Add in the chocolate mixture gradually into the sugar mixture and keep beating lightly for 5 minutes.

Fold in the flour,baking powder and essence .

Pour into a greased tray and bake in a 180C oven for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and add the pecan layer.

Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and then cut into squares.

For the Pecan Layer

2 eggs

1 cup pecans

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup golden syrup

1 tbsp fresh cream

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp vanilla essence/rum

Beat eggs, mix in the rest of the ingredients and pour over the baked brownie layer.

Allow to cool completely and cut into squares.