Pomegranate Gulab Lassi

I have some gulkand or rose jam in my fridge and while thinking what to do with it,  I decided to put it together for a wholesome energy booster.  Pomegranate gulkand lassi to go with our Sunday lunch. Simple and easy healthy lassi can be prepared in a jiffy. The girls love the  beautiful pink colur and so do I.  

The fragrance of rose water in the drink, the richness from milk and creamy yogurt makes it an awesome drink to dish out for family and friend. Packed with benefits from ruby red pomegranate known for it's antioxidant and beautiful colur of the lassi are the credit of pomegranate juice. An ideal lassi perfect to cool down the heat of the summer. This is the last post for the year 2020 till we meet next year in another post..Happy New Year all. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

3 tbsp gulkand (rose jam) 

1 cup Greek yogurt 

1/2 cup whole milk

1 tsp rose water

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp dried rose petals 

Methods 

Grind pomegranate seeds and strain out the juice. Discard excess. 

In a blender, add yogurt,milk,pomegranate juice, gulkand,rose water and honey.

Blend till smooth and frothy. 

Pour into glasses and garnish with dried rose petals.

 Serve immediately.

Moong Dhal Kachori

 

Kachori comes in many variations be it sweet or savoury can be found in almost every part of Northern India. Usually serve as breakfast or tea time snack,  this delicious flaky pastry are best eaten hot. This deep fried kachoris are not for weight watchers and it's worth to skip the diet once in a while 😆. 

We tried our very first kachori in Jaipur during our holiday which, filled with green peas and serve with moong dhall gravy. Almost every hook and nook in Jaipur a small roadside kachori stalls line up hot piping kachoris filled with green peas,potato masala or chana dhal. As for sweet kachoris are generously filled with maava and soak in sugar syrup. It was amazingly good with a cup of hot chai. Perfect kachori shall puff up well when deep fried. Filled with spiced moong dhal filling indeed a satisfying treat. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup skinless moong dhal

1/2 tsp garam masala 

1/2 tsp chilly powder 

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1/2 tbsp mango powder 

Pinch of asafoetida

2 tbsp water

For Dough

1 1/4 tsp all purpose flour 

1 1/2 tsp semolina 

1 tbsp ghee 

1/2 tsp salt

Water as needed 

Methods

For The Filling

Dry roast the moong dhal and keep it aside to cool down completely. Add in a grinder and grind into coarse powder.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add the ground moong dhal. Add the mango powder,chaat masala, fennel powder, asafoetida, chilly powder and water.  Transfer to a bowl and add the sugar. Stir and keep aside.

For The Dough

In a large bowl add the all purpose flour,semolina,salt,oil and ghee. 

Add water and knead to form a semi soft dough (not too hard not too soft). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and rest the dough for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Take a ball,spread the ball into a disc that fit the size of your palm. Put a tablespoon of the filling and bring the all edges together. Roll gently into ball and lightly flatten using your palm. Repeat the process with remaining dough and filling. 

Heat oil in a wok over a medium flame. Gently drop the prepared dough into the oil and deep fry for 3-4 minutes.  Reduce flame to low and continue frying till golden brown approximately 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Overnight Croissants French Toast

I love anything that can be prepared ahead which is a big help in saving time. One such time saver is overnight croissants French toast. Prepare the egg custard, dunk the croissants in the custard, store in the fridge overnight and the next day bake to perfection. Easy isn't it?  Simple and delicious croissants French toast ready for for breakfast. If you're too tempted and can't wait till the next day, bake straight away and enjoy. 

The girls love French toast and I'm more than happy to make it for them.  Stale croissants works great for this recepi, as it able to absorb the goodness of the eggy custard goodness. The flaky,  buttery croissants dunk in rich, creamy batter lightly scented with vanilla and cinnamon. I added maple syrup for a mild sweetness you may substitute with brown sugar. Serve with fresh berries with dusting of powdered sugar. 

Ingredients 

6 croissants, sliced in lengthwise

1 cup heavy cream

4 large eggs,beaten

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon powder 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

3 tbsp maple syrup 

For Toppings

Strawberries

Blueberries 

Powdered sugar

Methods

Grease a 10"inch baking tray and keep aside. 

In a large bowl,  add eggs, cream, vanilla extract,salt,cinnamon powder and maple syrup.  Whisk till well co-operated.

Submerge the halves croissants in the prepared egg custard to absorb the batter well. 

Arrange croissants in the greased baking pan,  cover with clear film and refrigerate overnight.

The next day,  thaw the soaked croissants for 20-25 minutes. 

Preheat oven at 375'F or 175'C and bake for 30-35 minutes till golden and the custard are done.  

Remove from oven and let it cook for 10 minutes. 

Dust with powdered sugar and serve with strawberries and blueberries.

Aamras Poori

We always come across poori serve with potato masala or savoury gravies. I came across of well puffed poori with sweet dish as sides. This Maharashtrian Amraas poori or poori served with mango puree. At first I was skeptical to give it a try as this combo were a kinda weird for me but,  thought why not just go for it. It's easy to prepare in a jiffy and doesn't compromise in taste. 

The deep fried poori goes really well with smooth mango puree. I love the luscious mango puree which is sweet and juicy.  Dishes with amraas or known as mango puree always make into households or restaurants or even roadside cart during summer where,  mangoes are abundance. This Amraas poori makes a perfect tea time treat and I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did. 

Ingredients

For The Poori 

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rava/semolina
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp butter
Oil for deep frying

For Mango Puree

1 ripe mango

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp milk

Methods

In a large bow, add flour,salt,sugar,semolina and oil. Mix well.

Add little warm water at a time to knead the dough into a dough.

Smear 1 tsp butter on the dough and cover the bowl. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.

Knead the dough for 1 minute and roll the dough into equal sized balls.

Dust a clean working surface and your rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough into medium thickness.

Over a medium flame, heat oil in a frying pan for deep fying. Gently slides the poori  from the sides of the pan to the hot oil.

Once the poori floats, gently press the ladle on one side for the poori to puff up. Flip the poori to cook on the other sides. Once the poori turns golden, drain the oil and place them on a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Continue the process with remaining dough.

For The Mango Puree 

Peel of the mango skin and cut into slices. 

In a blender add mango pieces, sugar and milk. Blend into smooth puree. 

Transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve hot poori with mango puree.

Notes

The oil shall not be too hot or too cold.

The dough should not be too soft. It shall be slightly stiff.

Do not roll the poori too thin this will prevent from the poori puffing up while frying.

Do not add water while grinding the mango puree as milk added helps to blend it well. 

Coconut Milk Prawn Briyani

Coconut milk prawn briyani is one of my household's favorite for Sunday lunch. It's filling, burst with flavors and absolutely satisfying on eyes and palate. Enhanced with coconut milk and aromatic spices lovely grains are perfect to dish out to family and friends and on special occasions.

The whole house filled with fragrance of ghee, spices and rich coconut gravy. The coconut milk moisten each and every grains making it fluffy and helps to absorb the flavors of the masala. The prawn masala are well seasoned which enhance the taste of our coconut milk prawn briyani. I serve the briyani with prawn gravy and a simple raita. Indeed, it's a fulfilling meal Sunday lunch. It's a different take on usual briyani but,  worth the try. 

To Marinate

1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 kg prawns, cleaned & deveined
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/4 cup fried onion
6 black peppercorns
3 cardamoms
3 cloves
1/2" inch cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 pcs mace
3 pcs green chillies,slitted
1 tbsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilly powder
4 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil

For Prawns

1 large tomato, sliced

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 large onion, sliced
4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 1/2 tbsp oil

For Rice

2 cups Basmathi rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1/2"inch cinnamon stick
4-5 peppercorns
2 cardamom pods
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

For Layering

2 tbsp ghee
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1/4 cup mint leaves
Pinch of saffron soaked in tbsp milk

Methods

In a large pot, add all ingredients listed under "For Rice" and cook till the rice are 70% done. Strain the rice and spread on a large tray.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under marination and refrigerate for 30 minutes

Heat 2 1/2 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan. Saute sliced onion till slightly brown

Add sliced tomatoes and bay leaf for 1 minute. Add marinated prawns and coconut milk. Cook on medium heat for 4-6 minutes. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves.  Turn off the heat.

Sprinkle fried onion on cooked prawn masala. Top with par boiled rice.

Drizzle with saffron milk and ghee. Cover with lid.

Place the pot on a heavy bottom tawa or dosa pan over a medium-low heat and place a heavy object like a motar. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Turn off flame and leave it for 8-10 minutes. Unlid and serve hot.

Serve with raita of your choice.

Banana Oats Kuzhi Panniyaram

My fruit basket are over flowing with fresh fruits and my bunch of bananas are too much to handle. We were having fruits for all our three meals yet,  I don't see any changes in the basket thus,  I decided to make use the fruits in my cooking. I made this delicious banana oats kuzhi panniyaram.

The jaggery enhance the flavor of the banana batter. Lightly scented with cardamom this dark beauties are indeed delicious and burst with flavour. The powdered oats works as sponge to absorb all the goodness of the panniyaram. Do use ripe bananas for extra kick on taste. Dandelions love the panniyaram as their tea time snack.

Ingredients 

2 tbsp wheat flour

3 medium sized bananas

1 cup instant oats

1 cup milk

6 tbsp jaggery 

1 tbsp rice flour

3 cardamom pods, crushed

Pinch of salt

Methods 

Grind oats into fine powder. 

Mash the bananas and keep aside. 

In a large bowl,  add ground oats, mashed banana,wheat flour, rice flour, crushed cardamom, salt and jaggery. Stir to combine. 

Add the milk and mix well to form a semi thick batter. 

Heat kuzhi panniyaram mould over medium-low flame and pour in a teaspoon of oil in each holes 

Drop the batter into each holes and cook on both sides till turns brown. 

Transfer to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter. 

Serve with hot cup of black tea. 

Hibiscus Blue Pea Drink

Blue pea flowers are abundance in my garden.  Instead of making the regular drink, this time I opted to combine with vibrant looking hibiscus. The royal blue of pea flowers and extract of fiery hibiscus made a wonderful flower drink. As we know both hibiscus and blue pea flowers are pack with health benefits. They are excellent source of antioxidants,prevent cancer,boost liver health and assist with weight loss. 

Hibiscus being the National flower are easy to find around. They comes in different colors and varieties. As for this particular drink, please use red hibiscus. They are beautiful, good for health and tastes awesome.

Ingredients

10-12 blue pea flowers

10-12 hibiscus flowers

1/3 cup lemon juice

5-6 tbsp naatu sakarai/jaggery

1/2 cup hot water to dilute sugar

Water as needed 

Methods

Take blue pea flowers and hibiscus in two separate bowls. 

Add hot water to the blue pea flowers and hibiscus. Let it sit for 10 minutes. 

Dilute naatu sakarai with 1/2 cup hot water till dissolved. Strain to remove impurities.

Strain both flowers and add to a jug with naatu sakarai syrup, lemon juice and water as needed. Stir and serve immediately.

Instant Kinnatappam

Traditional Kerala kinnatappam are made with rice flour and fermented batter but, I was craving for kinnatappam and decided to skip the lengthy process. Basically, patience is not my biggest quality 😂. I skipped rice flour for all purpose flour and no grinding involved thus,  no fermentation as well. Trust me, with all the left out process, the end result do came out perfectly fine. This recepi is something I call as instant kinnatappam as it is easy,simple and never compromise on taste. 

Do use organic jaggery so that you won't end up with residues in your batter. For non-organic jaggery, boil the jaggery to make jaggery syrup and strain to discard impurities before adding to the batter. Of you are adding jaggery syrup do adjust the amount of water accordingly to form a semi thick batter. Delicious kinnatappam which is beautiful on the eyes and absolutely satisfying on the palate 

Ingredients 

1 cup all purpose flour 

1/3 cup freshly grated coconut 

1 cup water 

3/4 powdered jaggery 

10-12 cashews

1 tbsp black raisins 

Pinch of cardamom powder 

Pinch of salt

Ghee for greasing 

Methods

Grease a round pan with ghee and keep aside.

In a large bowl,  whisk in all purpose flour, salt,jaggery,coconutda b and cardamom powder.

Add water and stir to form a semi thick batter without lumps. 

Pour the batter into the greased pan and sprinkle with cashews and raisins.

Steam for 35-40 minutes on medium heat.

Remove from steamer and cool completely before slicing. 

Mussels Gravy

 

Mussels are a rare dish in our home. We seldom cook mussels reason being, the whole trouble of cleaning it. Cleaning mussels thoroughly to get rid of last bit of sands and dirts are not something I enjoy doing. Once in a blue moon I do take the trouble and dish out mussels and this is my latest innovation. Unlike, the regular Chinese or Malay style of cooking this beautiful green shellfish,  I came up with my own Indian way. Well coated with flavourful masala and not too spicy for the palate. Mint leaves somehow, lent the freshness to the dish and I used dessicated coconut instead of fresh coconut due to it's crunchiness. You may use freshly shredded coconut as well no harm 😁.  Once the mussels are cooked it will open up beautifuly and an important step in preparing mussels are to discard any mussels which are still intact after cooking. Those are not safe to consume.

Ingredients 

500g mussels, washed & cleaned

3 tbsp coconut oil 

1 onion,chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 sprigs curry leaves 

1 tsp ginger paste

4 cloves garlic,chopped

1 green chilly,chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp cumin powder 

1/2 tsp fenugreek powder 

2 tbsp fish curry powder 

2 tbsp chilly powder 

1 tbsp mint leaves

1 tbsp garam masala 

1 cup water

1/3 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup dessicated coconut 

1/2 tsp salt

Methods

In a work, heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.  Once it started to splutters add curry leaves and chopped onion. 

Add ginger paste, chopped garlic and chilly. Saute for 30 seconds. 

Add turmeric powder,fish curry powder,chilly powder,fenugreek powder, cumin powder,mint leaves and garam masala powder. Saute till the raw flavor leaves. 

Add water and boil for 1 minutes. Add the cleaned mussels and stir till the masala are well coated. 

Add the evaporated milk and sprinkle with dessicated coconut. Stir and season with salt. Stir well and cook for 5-7 minutes or till all the mussels are open up. 

Discard mussels which are still intact. 

Serve with hot rice. 

Tea Kadai Kajada

Tea kadai Kajada or also known as muttakose found in most tea stalls throughout in South India. I had this snack delicious Kajada in small tea stall in from of our hotel in Coimbatore,Tamil Nadu during our vacation and totally love the taste. Even though nothing fancy in appearance the humble looking Kajada are full of satisfaction as a snack. It's crispy in the outside and soft inside goes really well with a cup of steaming hot chai. The cardamom are not overpowered and with very mild sweetness are indeed a satisfying tea time treat.

Unlike other pastries or bread,  you don't have to make slits for the beautiful cracks that's seems on the Kajada. The magic happens while frying. Little cracks will start forming while the dough frying happily. Always fry your Kajada in medium heat oil for even frying.  I serve my Kajada with a piping hot ginger elaichi chai on a rainy Sunday evening.

Ingredients 

1 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup confectioners sugar 

1 tsp cardamom powder 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, whisked 

2 tbsp milk

Ghee for greasing 

Oil for deep frying 

Methods 

In a large bowl,  add all purpose flour,confectioners sugar, salt,cardamom powder and baking powder. Stir to combine.

Add the whisked egg and milk. Knead into a soft sticky dough. 

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat and apply some ghee on your palm. Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into ball. 

Gently drop into the oil and fry till brown on all sides. 

Transfer to a tray lined with kitchen towel to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining dough and fry the kajada in batches. 

Serve hot or warm with a cup of chai.