Preparation Time : 35 minutes + 2 hours to soak the basil seeds
Cooking Time : 30 seconds + setting time in the refrigerator.
Serving : 4-5 members
Description
Came across a new recipe of a welcome drink made with betel leaves and was awe struck with the totally innovative idea of using betel leaves in a new avatar . Me not wanting to repeat the same just borrowed the idea and tweaked it to a mousse instead . All the way tasting every bit of the mousse a million times as I felt the task to be very tricky as the betel leaf flavour has to be felt but not over powering at the same time . Finally got the spot on taste but the mousse looked so plain so had to add some colour to bring the pop out . Mixed soaked basil leaves , gulkand , rose milk syrup together and topped it . Wolla .. Looked appealing to the eyes as well now . Served it as a finale dessert after a fishy feast to hubby dears niece Zenofer and was waiting for her verdict . She did find it difficult to trace the right flavour but liked it so much that , she had a second helping . I was confident about my boys liking because as a kid he used to like paan so much that when asked what do you want to become when you grow up ? His answer was to own a paan factory .crazy little minds . I was totally flattered with what the humble betel leaf that relates to our grand parents and weddings usually could be show cased in such a posh elite way . So it’s good to go wild with flavor combos once in a while breaking the myth of regularity.
Ingredients
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| betel leaves/paan | 15 ground , gives approx ⅓ or ½ cup of puree. |
| Whipped cream | 4 cups |
| Condensed milk | 1 cup or more to taste |
| Gelatine | 2 tablespoons |
| Water | 4 tablespoons |
Topping ingredients
ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| basil seeds/sabza | 3 tablespoons, soaked in enough water for 2 hours . |
| rose milk syrup or rooh afza | 1/4 cup |
| gulkand | 1/4 cup |
| 2 to 3 tbsp of chopped dry fruits | few ( I didn't use as I don't like nuts ) |
| To decorate | few small betel leaves whole |
Method
- soak gelatine in 4 tablespoons of water in a microwave safe small bowl for five minutes .
- Rinse the betel leaves well in water. In a small blender, puree the betel leaves with little water.
- whip the whipped cream to soft peaks .
- microwave the soaked gelatine for 30 seconds to dissolve . Cool to room temperature.
- mix puréed betel leaves , condensed milk together . Take around 1/4 cup of the whipped cream and mix it with the betel leaf + condensed milk purée .
- Then pour over the remaining whipped cream and mix gently .Add the dissolved gelatine and mix well .pour into desired pudding bowl or glasses to 3/4 th full .
- Place a small betel leaf into each glass with the pointy end of the leaf facing up wards ( if using a big pudding bowl arrange the betel leaves all around the bowl ) .
- place in the refrigerator to set for one hour or more.mix together all the ingredients mentioned for topping except for nuts and dry fruits and place in the refrigerator to chill .
- just before serving , pour about 2-3 tablespoons of topping mix over each set paan mousse . Garnish with dry fruits and nuts . Serve chilled .
