Navratri and Diwali Specials 2013

Navratri and Diwali this year ( now last year) were enjoyable moments due to our new arrival and the presence of my dear Dad. I had some free time and I was able to use it to the fullest by making as many sweets as i possibly could. This mission was bolstered by my Dad - I did not have to worry about sweets going uneaten and thrown into the garbage pile after a week. My Dad can and will eat anything sweet even if it does not look or taste like it is supposed to :) So I gave myself full rein and went all out to make some easy, simple but delicious sweets. Take a look below:

1. Chocolate Khoya double layer Barfi (Fudge), Rating: 3 stars

The reason I rate this barfi only 3 stars is because the timing in the recipe I followed seems incorrect. I ended up with a smooth slightly dry barfi (kind of like besan laddoo texture) rather than the moist and soft kind I prefer. But the taste was nice. Next time I shall cook it at least 5 minutes lesser.

2. Putnala Pappunda or Maladdu, Rating: 5 stars

This sweet was the most unexpected hit of our festival season. It gets a 5 star rating because of the ease of preparation, the taste and the simple ingredients used. 

3. Instant Jalebi, Rating: NA

This is pictured here just for logging purpose. The Jalebi was made using instant mix hence I am not giving any recipe rating. But I do want to mention that it gets a 4/5 for taste and texture. The only thing missing was the slightly sour flavor in the background which is present in home made jalebis. So I will definitely recommend the 'Gits' jalebi mix for when you need to prepare sweets on a short notice.

4. Kaju - Atukula Kheer, Rating: 4.5 stars

This recipe is one of those happy accidents in the kitchens that lead us to newer and tastier foods. I was trying to make kaju (cashew) powder for use in a different recipe. My mixer/grinder (the trusted 'Sumeet' lugged over from India 10 years ago) turned the powder into paste, unfortunately. Or maybe it was me. The net result was a jar full of coarse cashew paste which I had to put to use. I remembered the Poha/ Atukula kheer (posted earlier) and thought of cooking the cashews the same way. Halfway through cooking I realized that maybe Poha would add some textural interest here. So I duly added it and Ta Da!! The result is this amazing, sweet and decadent dessert. Just have to remember to eat only 1/3 of a cup at a time in the interest of the waistline ;)

5. Lauki Halwa (Opo squash/ Bottle gourd Pudding), Rating: 3.5 stars

This is a traditional Indian dessert recipe, made mostly in the northern states. For those of you who may not have heard of it, this is similar to the ubiquitous "Carrot Halwa" featured in every Indian restaurant's menu here in the US. It is a fairly simple if time consuming recipe. It falls into the Healthy dessert category with a vegetable and milk as its main ingredients. The sugar quantity used can be adjusted to taste.

The reason it gets only 3.5 stars out of a 5 is due to the chewy texture. Ideally I was supposed to end up with a "melt in your mouth" mass of the vegetable. But for some reason (either I did not choose a proper squash or the gourds here are just made that way, I don't know) the lauki just stayed fibrous and chewy. But still as a recipe to add to my dessert repertoire, this is a worthy entry. I will definitely want to make it again for potlucks where friends are health conscious but still want to have a dessert once in a while

6. Easy Milk Cake, Rating: 4.5 stars

This is my new favorite recipe!!! It is very easy to make taking only one pot and 20 mins from start to finish. It is one of the simplest ones I've tried with readily available ingredients (just 2 essential ingredients!). Taste wise it gets a 5/5. I knocked off the half point in the rating above because, people, it's a rich dessert ( I did say it is a sweet/ dessert not daily or healthy food). For parties where friends are OK with eating a little unhealthy  (keyword "Little") this is my go to recipe from now.

Well, as the say, better late than never!! I have finally finished this log about 4 months too late but I got there in the end. The recipes for all the above pictures are in the works, I shall be posting those sometime soon.

Atukula Payasam/ Poha Kheer- Easy Indian Dessert

Atukula Payasam or Poha Kheer

This is one of the simplest and delicious dessert recipes possible. 'Kheer' is the Hindi word for 'Payasam'. It means a milk based sweet dish with a liquidy  consistency. In the words of a traditional purohit - "Payasam ante paarutu vundali". Translates to " Payasam should flow". I like my payasams somewhere in between milk and condensed milk consistency. In other words I aim to make a payasam which cannot be drunk out of a glass without a spoon, at the same time my spoon need not cut into any solid surface to scoop up the deliciousness!

There are quite a few varieties of Payasams to be made. This is made of Atukulu (Telugu) - Poha in Hindi / Aval (Tamil) / Beaten or Flattened rice. It is made for Krishnashtami since Poha is one of Krishna's favorite snacks (traced back to the Krishna-Sudama story). The use of jaggery gives it a golden brown hue which I find more appealing than plain old white. Take a look for yourself

I think it looks quite alluring in a plain glass bowl without the need for any other background or adornments. OK, enough talk, let's get to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Atukulu/Poha (thin) - 1 cup (rice cooker cup)

Milk - 3-4 cups ( I used 2%)

Cardamom - 1 pod, seeded and seeds powdered

Jaggery - 1/2 cup, grated *

Cashews - 1 tbsp, broken into quarters

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method

1)  Take a thick bottomed kadhai (wok) or saucepan. Heat 1 tbsp ghee on medium heat and roast the cashew bits and raisins. These are ready when the cashews are a nice golden brown and the raisins are plump. Take these out of the pan and keep aside.

2)  In the same pan add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee and roast the Atukulu/ Poha. This needs to be roasted for about 2-4 minutes till the Atukulu lose their 'raw' smell and develop a slight yellowish-brown color. Take the Atukulu out and save in a plate.

3)  Now pour the milk into the saucepan and heat it (till bubbles start to form on the periphery of the milk surface).

4)  Add the Atukulu to the milk. Cook the Atukulu for about 10-15 minutes**, stirring regularly. The stirring is to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

5)  To check whether the Atukulu are cooked, take some out with a spoon and press between thumb and forefinger. The individual grain should be soft like cooked rice. Caution - the payasam will be hot ;) so check carefully.

6)  Now add the cardamom powder and stir. Keep on heat for just 1 more minute so that the cardamom may release its essence, then turn it off.

7)  Stir in the cashews and raisins. 

8) The very last step is to add the grated jaggery and mix it in. The residual heat in the milk mixture will melt the jaggery. Caution - Do not heat the mix after adding jaggery or while the heat is still on. This may cause the milk to curdle

9) Transfer to bowls and serve warm.

* For people with sweet tooth or those desirous of Indian level of sweetness, the quantity of Jaggery should be increased to at least 3/4 cups

** The actual cooking time depends on the type of Poha used. The thin poha will cook faster than the thick kind. So keep checking for 'doneness' every couple minutes after the first 10 minutes are over.

Notes: 

 - Since this is not baking, the quantities are just a basic guideline and not strict rules. Feel free to increase the sweetness or eliminate the cardamom or even double the cashews if you prefer.

 - Using whole milk will give it a richer taste, hence is acceptable as a substitute but skim milk is not advisable since it will taste watery.

 - Sugar can be substituted for Jaggery in equal ratio

 - The consistency of end product should not be cause for worry- if it is not thick enough just serve it in martini glasses or coffee mugs. If it is too thick you can add more warm milk to bring it to desired state OR just rename it Poha Pudding and enjoy!!

ITALIAN CUISINE 2

This is a continuation from my previous Italian cuisine post. I have given here some of the recipes I featured on my last radio show. And the sources are listed below each recipe.

1) Struffoli are small fritters glued together with honey and decorated with sprinkles. It is a Neapolitan dish made of deep fried balls of dough about the size of marbles. They are crunchy on the outside, light inside and are traditionally served with honey, bits of orange rind and chopped nuts. They grace the table at Christmas and Easter and are perfect when served warm.

RECIPE:

6 eggs

6 tbsp. cooking oil

3 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup dry sherry

Flour

Shortening or oil for deep frying

METHOD:
Mix first 6 ingredients. Add enough flour to make a consistency to roll. Dough should be somewhat sticky. Shape into small balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Deep fry in oil or shortening until golden brown.

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups honey

1 tbsp. orange zest

Mix all ingredients on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Dip each roll into mixture and remove. or you could make the glaze in a wide-mouthed pot and put the fritters into it. Stir to coat all of them and transfer them to serving dishes before decorating with sprinkles.

recipe courtesy: italianfood.about.com

2) Frico - It is simply fried cheese, mainly Montasio cheese. Being a simple dish it has been around for a long time. And being made of cheese, this is one recipe that I might never try on my own. Both me and VC run away from cheese:-D heh heh heh But I hope to visit Italy some day and while there, I hope to taste this too. Can't get much fresher than that.

Ingredients:

10 ounces (250 g) fresh or moderately aged Montasio cheese, grated
scant pound (400 g) potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
1/4 cup unsalted butter or olive oil

Preparation:

Heat the fat in a skillet and sauté the potatoes for a few minutes, or until they begin to soften and brown, then add the cheese and continue cooking, shaking the pan every now and then so the cheese gets to the bottom of the potato mixture; once the bottom of the mixture has begun to brown carefully slide it out onto a plate using a spatula (you don't want to break the frico), then invert the frico back into the pan so you end up with the browned side up (as you would while flipping a frittata). Continue cooking the frico for a few minutes more, until the underside is also brown; it should have a crunchy skin and a soft inside. The total cooking time of the cheese will be about 12-15 minutes.

Note: If you cannot find Montasio, use young Grana Padano cheese.

Hope somebody out there who's not afraid of cheese will try this and like it. Afterall cheese is one of the best comfort foods and thus brings warmth to your tummy and grins to your face.

recipe courtesy: italianfood.about.com

photo courtesy: google images.

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