Matka kulfi

Finally made the long desired relishing dessert, matka kulfi. It was so rich in taste and had a smooth creamy texture.
Used almonds and pistachios but did not add cashews,you can also add cashews to this. Saffron adds exotic colour and flavour to the kulfi.

If you wish to make fruit flavoured kulfi then you can add fruit pulps to this before freezing. Mango kulfi and chocolate kulfi are my other favourites.

This is a good dessert after a meal and  healthy one for kids. You can use kulfi moulds instead of the small mud pots.

Here is the recipe for the yummy matka kulfi with step by step instructions and pictures.

Ingredients:

Full fat milk- 1/2 litre
Sugar-1/4 cup
Saffron-a pinch
To grind:
Almonds-few
Pistachios-few
Cardamom seeds-10
Pepper corns-4
Sugar-2 tsp

Method:

• Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk.

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section and keep it ready.
• Take milk in a wide pan and start boiling it. Simmer once done and keep stirring until it shrinks to half the quantity.
• Now add the saffron milk and the ground mixture and keep stirring until milk turns thick and creamy.
• Switch off once done. Let it cool.
• Transfer to mud pots. Garnish with pista and saffron.
• Cover the pots with aluminium foil and freeze for 10 hours or overnight.
• Serve chilled.

Step by step instructions:

• Soak saffron in a tablespoon of warm milk.Grind all the ingredients mentioned under the to grind section and keep it ready.

• Take milk in a wide pan and start boiling it. Simmer once done and keep stirring until it shrinks to half the quantity.Now add the saffron milk.

•  add the ground mixture and keep stirring until milk turns thick and creamy.

• Switch off once done. Let it cool.

• Transfer to mud pots. Garnish with pista and saffron.

• Cover the pots with aluminium foil and freeze for 10 hours or overnight.

• Serve chilled.

Tutti frutti

Got one big papaya from mom's garden, so tried this tutti frutti recipe which I kept pending for a long time. It has come out so well and my son is too excited. Planning to make a tutti frutti cake shortly ,using this yummy home made tutti frutti.

Cutting it into tiny cubes is bit time consuming but it is all worth it in the end. I used two colours that is orange and apple green and kept few without adding any colour,so I got three different colours. Add colours according to your choice. 

Here is the method for preparing tutti frutti at home. 

Ingredients:

Raw papaya cubes-2 cups

Sugar-3/4 cup

Water-as needed

Vanilla essence-1 tsp

Food colours

Method:

• Wash and deseed the papaya. Remove the outer skin Cut into tiny cubes. Boil the papaya cubes in water until half cooked.
• Drain the water and allow it to cool down.
• In a pan add the sugar and two tablespoons of water to prepare sugar syrup. Do not add more water just wet the sugar.
• Add the papaya cubes and stir until it reaches one string conistency.
• Switch off flame. 
• Add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix well.
• In separate bowls add your favourite food colour.Add the cubes along with sugar syrup and mix well with separate spoon for each colour.
• Leave it for 8 to 10 hours for the colours to be absorbed.
• Squeeze extra syrup and let it dry on paper towels for 4 to 5 hours.
• Once it is completely dry, mix all the colours together and transfer to air tight containers.
• Refrigerate it and use as a topping for desserts or use it in cakes and cookies.

Step by step instructions:

Wash and deseed the papaya. Remove the outer skin completely.

Cut into tiny cubes. Boil the papaya cubes in water until half cooked.

Drain the water and allow it to cool down.

In a pan add the sugar and two tablespoons of water to prepare sugar syrup. Do not add more water just wet the sugar.

Stir on medium flame and melt the sugar.

Add the papaya cubes and stir until it reaches one string conistency.

Switch off flame. 

Add a teaspoon of vanilla essence and mix well.

In separate bowls add your favourite food colour.Add the cubes along with sugar syrup and mix well with separate spoon for each colour.

Leave it for 8 to 10 hours for the colours to be absorbed.

Squeeze extra syrup and let it dry on paper towels for 4 to 5 hours.

Once it is completely dry, mix all the colours together and transfer to air tight containers.

Refrigerate it and use as a topping for desserts or use it in cakes and cookies.

Chocolate cake

 My son loves chocolate cakes and this weekend ,I baked a delicious chocolate cake at home. My son enjoyed helping me in mixing and pouring. I have used wheat flour and brown sugar for a healthier option.

 I tried icing the cake with melted chocolate,butter and icing sugar and it turned out perfect. If you prepare excess of this mixture, you can store in fridge for few days. You can have the cake plain or choose to do the frosting.

  It takes around 15 minutes for preparing the cake batter and 20 to 30 minutes for baking.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour- 1 cup
• Cocoa powder- 2 tbsp
• Brown sugar-1 cup
• Baking soda-1tsp
• Salt-1pinch
• Milk-1/2 cup
• Oil-1/3 cup
• Vanilla essence-2 tsp
• Lemon juice- 1tbsp

For the chocolate frosting:

• Melted chocolate- 3 tbsp
• Butter-1/4 cup ( cold and soft butter)
• Icing sugar-2 tbsp
• Vanilla essence- few drops

Method:

• Pre heat the oven at 170 C for 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a wide bowl sieve the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda.
• In another bowl mix the sugar,oil,milk,lemon juice and vanilla essence until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Pour the sugar mixture to the flour mixture and mix well without lumps. Adjust the quantity of milk until you get a batter of thick pouring consistency.
• Grease a cake tin with butter. Pour the batter and place it in pre heated oven.
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Check frequently by pricking the centre of the cake with a tooth pick.
• When the tooth pick comes out clean,the cake is ready.
• Switch off oven and remove the tray.
• Cool it completely.
• Run a knife on the sides of the cake and turn the tin upside down and remove the cake.
• Chocolate cake is ready.

Frosting the cake:

• In a bowl place the cooking chocolate and melt using double boiler method.
• Allow the chocolate to cool down.
• Add butter and icing sugar to the melted chocolate and mix well.
• Apply on the cake and spread all over to coat the cake evenly on top and sides.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes and cut into pieces.

Semiya paal payasam/ vermicelli kheer

Here is another addition to the festival pr pooja recipes. Yummy semiya paal payasam or vermicelli kheer is a great festival dish but you need not wait for festivals to taste this awesome  dessert. This traditional sweet is made using vermicelli,milk and sugar and garnished with cashews,almonds and kismis.

Ingredients : 

• Vermicelli-1 cup
• Milk-2 cups
• Cashews-10
• Almonds-6
• Kismis-10
• Sugar-1 cup
• Cardamom-2 ,crushed

 Preparation : 

• In a pan add the roasted vermicelli and one cup of milk and cook in low heat until the vermicelli is well cooked.
• Add the sugar ,elaichi and one cup of milk and bring it to a boil and switch off.
• Add ghee to a pan and roast the broken cashews almonds and kismis.
• Add the roasted cashews almond and kismis to the payasam and mix well.
• Add more milk before serving,if needed.
• This can be had hot or cold.

Banana ice cream

Here is a creamy and yummiest banana ice cream that is very easy to prepare with just 3 ingredients. Making ice cream has never been this simple.
Use, well ripe bananas to make this ice cream. I added a tablespoon of powdered sugar as i did not have condensed milk. it's totally optional. If the bananas ate too sweet you can skip adding sugar or condensed milk. I have mixed in some choco chips and that's optional too.
Here i have added step by step instructions with pictures.

Step by step instructions :
1. Pour the whipping cream and condensed milk (or powdered sugar) into a wide bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks.

2. Take the bananas in a blender and make a smooth puree.

3. Add the puree to the cream and mix throughly.

4. Optional: Mix in some choco chips.

5. Transfer to an air tight container and freeze for 2 hours.

6. Scoop it into serving bowls and garnish with nuts and honey.

Ingredients :

• Whipping cream -2 cups
• Condensed milk or powdered sugar- as needed
• Ripe Bananas-2 medium size

Preparation : 
1. Pour the whipping cream and condensed milk (or powdered sugar) into a wide bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks.
2. Take the bananas in a blender and make a smooth puree.
3. Add the puree to the cream and mix throughly.
4. Optional: Mix in some choco chips.
5. Transfer to an air tight container and freeze for 2 hours.
6. Scoop it into serving bowls and garnish with nuts and honey.

Note:I added a tablespoon of powdered sugar , as I did not have condensed milk,but it's totally optional. If the bananas are too sweet you can skip adding sugar or condensed milk.

Apple and banana custard

Here is a simple yet delecious apple and banana custard recipe this an all time favourite desert.  I have used apples and bananas but you can use other fruits like grapes,papaya,Pomogranate etc to make it more colorful and delighting. Custard is usually served cold but in winters I like to have it warm and that tastes equally good.

Ingredirnts:

• Full fat milk-1/2 lite
• Custard powder-2 tbsp
• Sugar-1/2 cup
• Apple-1
• Banana-2,small

Preparation :

• In a bowl add the custard powder and few table spoons of cold milk and mix well without lumps. Keep aside.
• Boil milk in a sauce pan. 
• When done add sugar and custard powder to it and stir continuously until it thickens.
• Bring it to room temperature and then refrigerate. 
• Add the chopped apple and banana before serving.

Phirni

Here is a swee that is irresistible. Phirni is a sweet where we cook rice in milk and add almond powder,sugar and saffron to it. I'am a fan of this sweet and just love the flavour. This can be made as a dish during poojas or festivals or a good dessert when served cold. I have a sweet tooth and try out a lot of sweets at home and this one is a family favourite. It is simple yet a delicious one that's worth giving a try.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice-1/4 cup

Milk- 1 ltr

Sugar-3/4 cup

Saffron- 8 to 10 strands

Almonds(Blanched)- 20

Elaichi/cardamom-2

Rose water (optional)-2 tsp

Preparation:

• Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes and grind to a coarse paste.
• Soak saffron in 2 tbsp of milk. 
• crush the cardamom pods.
• Roughly chop the almonds.
• In a heavy bottom pan add milk and bring it to a boil.
• Add rice paste and sugar and stir continuously to avoid lumps, until rice is well cooked. 
• Now add the saffron,almonds and cardamom and mix well. Switch off and add rose water and stir.
• Pour it to container and close with a lid and refrigerate it.
• Serve it cold.

Frozen mango yogurt

To all the mango lovers, here is a must try recipe this mango season. A blend of mango and yogurt with some nuts is an awesome dessert that you could not resist. this is perfect when you have guests at home for lunch or dinner and you want to serve a dessert at the end of the meal. It does not need much time for preparation. this tastes like mango yoghurt ice cream.

Ingredients:

• Diced mangoes-1 cup
• Yogurt-1 cup
• sugar-2 tbsp (optional)
• mixed nuts-1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Take the diced mangoes,nuts,sugar and yogurt in a blender and blend it well.
2. pour it in bowls and freeze it for an hour. Take it from the freezer and blend again.
3. Freeze it for one more hour.
4. Tasty frozen mango yogurt is ready.

Kalkandu pongal

A little different from the regular sarkarai pongal made using jaggery,here is a yummy kalkandu pongal recipe made from sugar candies or kalkandu. Easy to make and tasty Prasad for pooja or during fasting.

Ingredients:

• Rice-1cup
• Moong dal-1/4 cup
• Kalkandu-1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder-1tsp
• Ghee-2 tbsp
• Cashews-10
• Dry grapes/kismis-10

Preparation : 

• Wash the rice and Moong Dal,kalkandu and pressure cook it by adding 4 to 5 cups of water until it's mushy.
• Remove when pressure settles and mix thoroughly with a ladle mashing it completely.
• Add 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan and roast the cashews and kismis. Add the elaichi powder and switch off flame.
• Add the roasted cashews and kismis to the pongal and mix.
• Add more ghee before serving.

Custard toast

When you have guests at home or your kids are back from school and you want to prepare a quick snack then this custard toast will be a good choice. very simple to prepare yet very tasty. This can also be served for breakfast and your fussy kid will never say a no to this one.

Ingredients:

• Bread slices
• Custaerd powder- 1 spoon
• Milk-1 cup
• Sugar-as needed
• mixed roasted nuts-1 spoon

Preparation:

1. Prepare a custard mixture by boiling the custard powder and sugar in milk until it thickens.
2. Dip the bread slices in this mixture and toast in a tawa.
3. place the toasted slices in a plate and sprinkle the nuts on top and serve it hot or cold.

Apple custard

Serve a healthy snack in the evenings to your kids and surprise them. This is very easy to prepare and is a healthier choice too. You can even add other fruits of your choice and make it look more colorful. If you don't have custard powder then you can use 2 tbsp corn flour with food colour of your choice and add vanilla essence to it.

Ingredients :

• Apple- 1
• Milk- 1/2 ltr
• Custard powder-2 tbsp
• Sugar- 6

Preparation :

1. Take few table spoons of milk in a bowl and add the custard powder to it and mix well to form a smooth paste without lumps.
2. Boil the remaining milk in a pan and slowly add the custard mixture  to it by stiring continuously. Add the sugar and mix well.
3. Switch off flame when it starts thickening.
4. Refrigerate it. 
5. Peel the skin of the apple and chop finely. Add it to the refrigerated custard mix before serving.
6. You add other fruits of your choice too.