Fruit And Nut Custard

After treating my family with an overdose of Figs and dates for the past one week, I decided to make a simple custard for the final day of Blogging Marathon.Fruit custard is one of the first desserts that I started making on my own when I was in school.

There is no specific recipe here so I am just writing what I did here. You can add or omit any ingredient according to your taste or availability.

Here is what I did....

Boil half a liter milk and simmer it. Meanwhile make a paste of 3 teaspoon of custard powder with a few teaspoons of milk and add to the simmering milk along with 3 teaspoons of sugar. Increase the flame and in 2 minutes, the mixture will thicken.Let it cool. Fold in chopped fruits and nuts and serve chilled.

Lil Angel enjoying her spoonful of custard....

You can use any fruit of your choice. The ones best suited are apples, mango,pineapple, segmented orange, grapes, cherries, strawberries,pomegranate,banana etc.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

For this month's edition of blogging marathon,I chose the theme ' Cooking With Fruits' and here is what I prepared...


Day - 1 -Figs Dates Roll
Day - 2 - Homemade applesauce
Day - 3 - Dried Fruits Milkshake
Day - 4 - Sugarless Dates Laddu
Day - 5 - Sugarless Dates- Figs Kheer
Day - 6 - Eggless Cherry Biscuits
Day - 7 - Fruit and Nut Custard [ Recipe above]

Bon Appetit...

Eggless Cherry Biscuits

I finally got an oven. I had been planning to get one exclusively for baking and sometime last month treated myself with a brand new one.I am trying out recipes with it and here is the first one.Earlier I used to bake in my microwave but I always wanted to get one baking oven and finally the day arrived.I was so excited when I tried out the first biscuit in my brand new oven :).

I had bookmarked this recipe from Divya's Easy Cooking.I will not say my biscuits are perfect in shape but I am very happy they turned out very delicious.I just reduced the quantity of sugar and left out vanilla essence. 

Recipe Source - Easy Cooking

I used:

All purpose flour - 1 cup
Corn flour- 1/2 cup
Icing sugar- a little less than 3/4 cup
Butter,softened - 3/4 cup
Cherries as required

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.
2. Sift the all purpose flour, corn flour and icing sugar.
3. Cream the butter and add the sifted flour mix a little at a time.The ingredients will come together. If it is dry add a few teaspoons of milk if needed.
4. Pinch out small balls and flatten them lightly.
5. Make a small indent on the biscuit and top it up with a cherry.
6. Place these on a greased baking tray and bake for 20 -25 minutes or till golden brown.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9


Bon Appetit...



.

Sugarless Dates - Figs Kheer

Another easy dessert with fruits.As usual you will find the omnipresent Dates here too.I have been looking for ways and means to use up the huge batch of Dates in my pantry. This time I added figs along with it. It gave a light crunchiness and the texture was extremely delectable.

I used:

Milk- 1 litre
Figs, soaked in warm water for an hour - 10 numbers
Dates , seedless - 10 numbers
Toasted coconut flakes- 1 tablespoon
Roasted cashews - a few
Raisins fried in ghee- a few

1. Bring milk to a boil and simmer.
2. Drain the figs and grind it with dates. Use a little milk if required.
3. When the milk reduces to 3/4 the original quantity, add the figs, dates paste.
4. Simmer till it thickens to the consistency of your liking. Keep stirring once in a while
5. Remove from heat and add toasted coconut, cashews and raisin.

This kheer can be served warm or chilled. The chilled version tastes best according to me...

Note:

• I have not added sugar / jaggery in this recipe. The kheer had the tight sweetness which I felt was just right. You can add sugar // jaggery if you like it a little sweet.
• Instead of making a smooth paste of dates and figs, grind to a coarse paste and you will have a kheer with little chunks of fruits to bite into.

Sending this to Only event being hosted by Gayathri with the theme Only Sweets and Desserts

And to Denny's and Kirthi's, Serve it- Festival Potluck

Khushi's My Diwali My way

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

This Day That Year...


2010 - Simple Potato Fry

2009 - Tomato Rice


Bon Appetit...

Sugarless Dates Laddu

A fat free dessert for Diwali!!I saw this recipe in Harini's Tamalpaku and knew I had to make these cuties.I made a couple of changes in her recipe.This dessert was worth the try.I felt it was very innovative to use bread in with dates and the taste was awesome without a hint of taste from the bread crumbs...

I used:
Adapted from Tamalpaku

Dates  15 numbers
Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup [more or less]
Cinnamon powder- a pinch
Cardamom powder- a pinch
Mixed nuts powder- 2 tablespoons [ I used almonds and cashews]
Milk - a few tablespoons
Coconut, grated- 1/2 cup

1. Grind the dates with a little milk to a fine paste.
2. In a bowl take this paste, bread crumbs,cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, nuts powder and mix well.If the dough is sticky add a little more nuts powder / bread crumbs.
3. Pinch out small balls and roll into laddus.
4. Roll them over the grated coconut.

Delicious ,sugar free and fat free laddu is ready to be served.

Note :

• Use desiccated coconut if you make a large batch as it will stay good for longer. Since I made small batch and did not have desiccated coconut, I used fresh coconut.
• Coconut can also be used as a garnish instead of rolling it over coconut.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

Sending this to Only event being hosted by Gayathri with the theme Only Sweets and Desserts

And to Denny's and Kirthi's, Serve it- Festival Potluck

Khushi's My Diwali My way

This Day That Year...

2010 - Vegan Pad Thai

Bon Appetit...

Dried Fruits Milkshake

Today I have a very simple recipe with fruits - A milkshake that is loaded with goodness.It is quite filling too.The milkshake is sweet on its own so I have not added sugar / honey.

I used:

Chilled Milk - 2 cups
Figs- 4 numbers soaked for half an hour in warm water
Dates,seedless - 4 numbers
Raisins- a handful

Drain the figs and blend all the ingredients till smooth.Serve immediately.

Note:

• As I mentioned earlier you can add or skip sugar/honey to suit your taste
• Other fruits like bananas and apples go well with this milkshake.
• To make it even more healthier, you can add nuts of your choice.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

This Day That Year...


2010 - Chinese Saucy Bean sprouts Stir Fry
2009 - Nellikaai Thokku - Gooseberry Pickle

Bon Appetit...

Homemade Applesauce For T & C

For this months edition of Taste and Create, I was paired with Always Eat On Good China. I think this is the second time we are being paired together.Though I had bookmarked another recipe from her blog featuring potatoes, I made this one keeping in mind the theme for this months Blogging marathon.



If you are new to this concept of Taste and Create, here is an intro about this wonderful event..Taste and Create, started by Nicole, is a food community where we are paired with another blogger and we get to taste and create the recipes from the partner's blog.Would you like to join us?Then here is some good news...Sign-ups for the November edition is now underway.The deadline to sign up is November 8th. , and because of the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday , you'll have until December 1st to complete your submissions. I hope you'll consider joining us! Just email Min @ cowgirlmin07@gmail.com with your name, blog name and a link to your blog to sign up.

The December and January Taste & Create events will be combined into one, so you'll have almost two whole months to complete your entry if you'd like to sign up for that one! Sign up deadline for Dec/Jan will be December 8th, and submissions will be due by January 24, 2012


Homemade Apple sauce:
Recipe Source -Always Eat On Good China

I used:

Apples - 2 , large,peeled, cored and roughly chopped
Golden raisins- A handful
Peach nectar - 100ml
Cinnamon powder- a large pinch
Sugar- 1 teaspoon
Water- 100ml

1.  In a saucepan simmer peach nectar and golden raisins for 5 minutes.
2. Add water,sugar,cinnamon and apples.Mix well.
3. Cook on medium flame till the apples are done.
4. Puree /mash to the preferred consistency.

Homemade apple sauce is ready!!!!

Note:

• You can make a large batch of this apple sauce and freeze it for later use.
• The apples were sweet enough so I added very little sugar.You can adjust the quantity of sugar to suit your taste.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

Bon Appetit...

Figs - Dates Rolls | Sugar free & Fat Free Dessert

The excitement of blogging is back for me.The credit goes to Srivalli's Blogging Marathon that has entered the 9th edition.The theme I chose for this edition is 'Cooking with fruits'.One abundant and omnipresent fruit in my pantry is Dates.So you may probably be seeing recipes with dates in all forms. Now being the festive season, its only apt to celebrate with sweets and I am planning for a small collection of easy breezy desserts.

Coming to today's recipes, its the one which can be prepared within a few minutes,there is no cooking involved,it has no added fat or sugar and when it comes to the nutritive value, it a treasure trove of nutrients!!Having said all this, let me introduce you to Figs-Date roll that I had bookmarked from Priti's blog. I have made some changes in her recipes but the base is the same.

I used :

Figs- 10 numbers
Dates, seedless- 10 numbers
Mixed nuts - 1 1/2 cups [ I used almonds, pistachio and cashews]
Coconut- 1/2 cup

1. Soak figs in warm water till it is soft. [I soaked it for an hour].Drain and chop coarsely.
2. Powder the nuts and keep aside.
3. Grind the figs and dates to a fine paste.Transfer it into a bowl.
4. Add coconut and half the nuts.
5. Mix well to form a dough.Pinch out small portions and shape them into small logs.
6. Roll them over the remaining powdered nuts and it is ready to be served!

Isn't it simple!!!!

Note:

You can also shape them like ladoo's or spread the mixture on a plate and cut into squares.

I have also tried another version of this dessert.I skipped out coconut and used a mixture of powdered nuts and Digestive biscuits to bind the dough as well as coat the dessert. This version is less sweet and we prefer it this way....

Sending this to Only event being hosted by Gayathri with the theme Only Sweets and Desserts

And to Denny's and Kirthi's, Serve it- Festival Potluck

Khushi's My Diwali My way

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

More recipes with dates...

Microwave Dates Fudge
Microwave Eggless Dates Cake
Kajur- Imli Ki Chutney - Dates Tamarind chutney for chaats


This Day That Year...

2010 - Chocolate Milkshake and Soya Cormmeal Dosa
2009 - Garlic Noodles

Bon Appetit...

100 Yummy Diwali Recipes - Free E-book

I am sure most of us are busy getting ready with diwali preparations.Here is an E-book for free download from Indus ladies that has 100 yummy desserts and sweets from Indus Ladies .


I am sure this e-book will be of great use not only for this season but for festivals as well.Grab your copy here. 

I am very happy to add that my recipe - Microwave Dates Fudge is featured in this book :). Along with this are other yummy recipes that will surely tempt you to try them out.....

Announcing Back To Basics - Basic Breads

This month Seduce Your Tastebuds is proud to host Jaya's Back To Basics event.As you must be aware, this event is an attempt to collect the basic recipes in all categories so that the novice as well as the veteran cooks are benefited.

This months theme is Basic Breads.Tips or step by step instructions on making rotis, parantha, pooris, artisan breads, pasta are included in this category. Share with us the tips and tricks of making the perfect roti or the easy way to make homemade pasta.


The rules for this event is the same as the others, but mentioning them once again for the beginners....

1.Send in your recipe / tips or step by step instructions on making rotis, parantha, pooris, artisan breads, pasta etc.

2. Link your post to this announcement and to Jaya's Back To Basics page

3. Archived entries are allowed as long as they are re posted with the links to both the announcements.

4.Any number of entries are accepted

5. Non Bloggers may send in their entries by mail.

6.Recipes sent here can be shared with other events as well.

7. The deadline is 13/11/2011

7.Send in the entries to seduceurtastebuds@gmail.com with the following details

• Your name and the name of your blog
• Recipe and URL
• Picture of your creation

Looking forward to see all your lovely entries....

Confectionery Course @ TNAU, Coimbatore - Day 2

Day 2 at the confectionery class was as exciting and promising as Day 1. Today's class started off with the practical training on marshmallows. Even in my wildest dreams, I never expected the process of making this at home to be as simple process!! I will definitely share the recipe with you all once I make it at home. Now with candy thermometer at hand, I am all the more confidant in making these confectionery products in my kitchen.

Here is a gist of what we made today....

• Marshmallows
• Marzipan
• Homemade chocolate
• Chocolate squares
• Chocolate nut rolls
•  Mango and orange flavored candy

What helped the most was the tips that our instructor shared with us and the ways and means to correct faults in the confectionery products.At the end of the day we were given our certificates and the instruction / recipe booklet..

A few clicks taken today....

We made orange and mango candy. While making these at home, we may not have the molds, hence a tray with icing sugar / corn flour / APF is taken.Small depressions are made on the surface and the syrup is poured into them. 

The candy is ready

Home made chocolate being piped into the molds.....

Chocolates unmolded after setting...

 Marzipan dough ready to be shaped into figures of our choice....

 Jujups that we made yesterday were cut today. They were truly awesome...

Marshmallow ready to set...

Marshmallow set and cut after resting for 5 hours. It was better than the ones we get in the store!

That's it for today. The schedule for the next set of classes is not yet put up. In case you are interested drop me a mail and I will get the details for you....

Confectionery Course @ TNAU, Coimbatore - Day 1

Just like last month's Bakery course ,The Post Harvest Technology Department of TNAU, Coimbatore conducted confectionery course for 2 days starting today.

The 2 day class covers training for the following for a fees of INR 1000/-

• Chocolate making
• Chikkis
• Lollipops
• Jujups
• Fondant and fudge
• Toffee and Caramel
• Marzipan
• Marshmallows

Today's class started with the basics of confectionery making. Tasting the sugar syrup for the different stages like string consistency, hard ball stage/soft ball stage ,soft crack /hard crack stage etc.

During the demo I realized that the candy thermometer is a very essential tool in the kitchen and got one on the way home. An inexpensive devise that makes the testing of sugar syrup very easy.

As you can see in the above photo the men were more eager to learn. Of course,we women were on the other side of the counter busy writing down the tips and tricks of confectionery making as and when she was telling us.... 

Then we were given instruction for preparing 

• Fondant - Cooked and Boiled fondant.
• Fudge - Vanilla and coconut fudge
• Jujups
• Plain and Caramel Toffee
• Groundnut chikki
• Lollipops

Here are some of the pics that I clicked during the class....

Orange and Grape flavored Jujups

Mango Fondant

Peppermints

 Coconut Fudge

Groundnut Chikki

Pineapple flavored Lollipops [ can be made without the molds!!]

I will share with you the experiences of  tomorrow's class and the details of the forth coming class schedule in my next post....

Mavinkaai Gojju | Tangy Raw Mango Gravy

My recent love is Raw Mango.A few days back I picked up a couple of these and mom prepared some of my favorite dishes with raw mango.One of them is this gojju.This dish is extremely tasty when served with steamed rice and also goes well with Pongal.

Mom used:

Raw Mango - 1, cubed[Do not remove the skin/peel]
Thick tamarind extract - 1 cup
Turmeric powder- a large pinch
Asafoetida powder- a pinch
Milagai Podi - 2 tablespoons
Jaggery - powder- 2 teaspoons [ adjust to taste]
salt to taste

Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 teaspoon
Urad dal- 1 teaspoon
Gram dal- 1 teaspoon
Green chillies- 2 , slit
Curry leaves- a few

Sesame oil- 2 teaspoons

1. Heat oil in a pan and put in the seasonings.
2. When they crackle and the dals turn light brown, put in the cubed raw mango pieces and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the tamarind extract, half cup water, turmeric powder, asafoetida powder,salt and bring to boil.
4. Simmer till the mango is tender but it should not get mushy.
5. Dissolve the milagai podi in a little water to make a paste and add to the pan. 
6. Stir well to mix.
7. Add the jaggery and let it simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice and pappad. 

Note :

• This dish tastes best when prepared with sesame oil. But in case it is not available sunflower oil can be used.
• If you need a little spiciness, add red chilli powder in step 3.
• Usually a separate gojju pudi [powder] is roasted and ground for this dish.Milagai podi[side dish for idli / dosa] is somewhat similar to it.Since we always have milgai podi at home we use that instead.Saves a lot of time.
• This gojju tastes best when served the next day.So be sure to make some extra and store .
• Before taking off the gojju from heat, check for taste. If it is too sour add some water and simmer till it thickens. A little jaggery can also be added if needed. This dish must be a tangy with just a hint of sweetness.
• If the gojju is watery, dissolve a teaspoon of rice flour in water and add to the simmering gojju. Stir a couple of times and simmer till it thickens.

This delightful curry is off to Charita's ARS series hosted this  month by Richa Priyanka with the theme Fresh fruit curry.

Other recipes with raw Mango....

Raw Mango Pickle
Raw Mango Chutney
Coriander Raw Mango chutney

This Day That Year...

2010 - Round up - A Fruit a month event hosted here with the theme - Kiwi fruit.

Bon Appetit...

Sago Mixture | Crunchy Sabudana Snack

Sometimes it is very hard to please the Lil one in the house,especially when it comes to food.With the quarterly holidays starting,she will be at home for another 10 days and each day I have to think of ways and means of pleasing her taste buds.She is easily bored of eating idli or dosa two days in a row.Snacks is another issue that scares me.When ever she is bored she asks for snacks and it is the same as the breakfast or lunch-no repetition.

Today when she was taking her taking her nap, I was breaking my head and pouring over snack ideas.Then I remembered an instant snack that mom used to prepare when I was a kid and immediately set about making it. It hardly takes 10 minutes to prepare this. I was worried about her approval ,if she would like it or not,or what she would say. In case this was rejected, I had to think of a back up snack as well.

As soon as she woke up, she walked into the kitchen to explore the aroma. I held my breath to see her reaction and was so happy when she said - 'Wow mummy,this snack looks super!'.Need I say more?

Here is the simple method to make this crunchy snack....

Heat oil for deep frying.

Deep fry 1 cup sago, 1/2 up thick variety poha, 1/4 cup fried channa dal, a handful of broken cashews,a few curry leaves
 separately till crunchy.Drain on absorbent paper.

When it cools a bit, add salt and chilli powder.

Toss well and serve

Note:

• Take care while deep frying Sago. It splutters a lot.
• You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder for color.
• Add any masala powder like garam masala / chaat masala for a different flavor
• If you lil one likes a little sweetness, add a handful of raisins .
• You can also add other nuts like roasted almonds, groundnuts etc.
• This can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container once completely cool. 

This snack that was loved and appreciated by Lil Angel is off to join Srivalli's Kid's delight 3rd year anniversary party.

Other Sago based dishes that you may like....

Instant Oats Sago Dosa
Oats Sago Adai
Sago Vada
Sago Kichidi

Bon Appetit....

The Elaborate Gujarati Cuisine

Gujarati cuisine is,as we are aware,from the state of Gujarat,Western India. A land that gave birth to Gandhiji,boasts of some major cities of India, has a treasure trove of tourist places, is also the land of flavorful and elaborate food culture.

The dishes have their very own uniqueness.It is a blend of excellent flavors and textures.Some can be sweet ,spicy and salty at the same time!But there is a harmony among these tastes.

Gujarati cuisine is predominantly a vegetarian one.This cuisine is said to be influenced by the Jains and Buddhists and that may also be the reason for vegetarianism.

The eating habits and the method of food preparation can be classified into 4 broad types based on the region as -

• South Gujarat - The dishes from Surat are quite popular. Green chillies are used to flavor the food. There are no special or expensive ingredients in the dishes and the method of preparation is quite simple,yet the taste is truly exotic.
• North Gujarat - They use lesser amounts of oil and spices in their dishes. The elaborateness of their thali / platter is very well known.
• Kathiawad -  Their cuisine is quite spicy as they use red chiili in their dishes. They also use more of peanuts and sesame seeds.
• Kutch.- This cuisine is said to be simplest of the four.

Breads like Roti , Chapathi , puri, Parotta, Bahakri are some of the famous ones in the Gujarati Thali.Rice varieties like plain steamed rice, kichidi, pulao are also seen in this cuisine.Shaak or vegetable curries/gravies are predominant in this food culture. There are so many varieties to choose from.Some of the Farsans and Nasto[appetizers and deep fried snacks] that we are familiar with and are hugely popular world wide are khandvi, kachori, Muthiya,Kakhra, Sev, Ghanthia etc.A wide range of desserts are present to satisfy the sweet tooth, the most well known ones being the halwas, pedas, Basunthi, son papdi, Shakkarpara,Mohantal etc.Homemade pickles,pappads and raitas too find a place in this cuisine.

A wedding / festival platter is very elaborate and I still recollect a dinner at a Gujarati festival that was served in silver plates and bowls.There were so many dishes that I lost track of the number of items served and the delicious goodies kept coming and I was not able to clear even half of what was served. I tasted all that was served but could not finish them off!

Here are some Gujarati treats from my kitchen....

Khandvi - An appetizer from North Gujarat that is made with Besan / chickpea flour.
Khaman dokhla - A steamed savory snack also from North Gujarat that is soft , fluffy and flavorful
Microwave Green peas Dhokla - A variation to the regular Dokla.This recipes uses fresh green peas and is prepared in the microwave.
Kachori - Deep fried snacks with dal/ onion fillings
Methi Theplas - Flatbreads with fenugreek leaves.
Gujarati dhal - An important dish in the meal. This dal is prepared with kokum.
Gujarati khadi - Served with steamed rice and is prepared with buttermilk.
Aloo Nu Raita - Potato raita to go as a side dish with flavored rice.
Microwave Gol Papdi - A dessert that makes use of jaggery instead of sugar[and hence the name] ,made easily in the microwave.
Amrakhand / Mango Shrikand - A sweet treat from Kutch, prepared with yogurt,flavored with cardamom and saffron and topped with nuts. It is usually served with hot,fluffy puris.
Shakkarpara - A crunchy sweet snack.

More recipes coming up....

An Award That Brightened My Day....

Jay of Tasty Appetite has passed on this Inspirational Blog Award and it really brightened up my day :). Thanks a bunch Jay....

And the award comes with  a set of rules..

1. Put up this award on your blog
2.Pass it on to any blog you feel deserves this award
3. Answer these tag questions....

1. What makes you laugh, smile or giggle? 

Watching children, comedy show[especially 'Friends], hubby's jokes, funny novels, cartoon,recollecting the gossip/silly jokes shared with college/school friends...so many reasons to laugh /smile / giggle..

2.What are your dreams for your future?


Too many to mention but at present I want to live the moment :)


3. If you are to go to a cruise, where would it be and why?


I would like to cruise the world, any place, anywhere. I love to travel and would love to visit all the places I have not seen so far. It would be great to have a vacation like that!!Plus it would give me lots and lots of clicks to share on my travel blog as well ;)


4. How would you spend your vacation time and with whom? 


Vacation with the family is the best. The place is not so important as long as the ones who care for you and for those whom you care for are close to you. Vacation at home can be lazing around and an equally interesting one  is a trip to some place exotic with your family.....


5.  If given a chance, what life would you choose? Your life now or your past?


Both are good actually. I would learn from the mistakes of the past and live the life.Our past is loaded with experiences which will make us wiser.


6.  Is there something that you wished before when you were young but you didn’t get it?


I think I got all that I wanted [touch-wood!!!].If there was something I wished for and I forgot what it was, I will take it as a sign that I was not destined for it....


7.  Have you been in a situation where you might have given up but still you chose to move on?


Yes, a couple of times in the past....


8.  Is their someone in your life who has been your source of strength and inspiration? 


Like we always say - Friends and family :)


Though I want all my blogging buddies to have this award, the rules ask for 10 nominees and  I would love to pass this on these wonderful bloggers....

1. Priya
2. Harini
3. Srivalli
4. Nivedita
5. Richa Priyanka
6. Prathiba
7. Sonia
8. Latha
9. Sowjanya
10. Naina

Friends if you have already received this award , please pass it on to the deserving bloggers :)