Daily Archives: December 24, 2015

Milk Powder Rasmalai

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 20-25 minutes
Serves : 5 members

Description

The best rasmalais I have had are from Sri Krishna sweets in Coimbatore. There must be many more places that serve better rasmalais but as the truth of all our taste buds having the magnetic effect of liking food towards the regular nostalgic food habits we grow with that help’s to create magic with in us. I guess, that’s what is done to me as well with the Krishna sweets Rasmalai’s. After being married, every time I crave for rasmalais.. I just had to drool over thinking of it as it was not available any where. During my first pregnancy, I always felt like having rasmalais and was left to just gulp down a hell lot of saliva. Being in those days of no access to the internet, some how managed to get the recipe of rasmalai. Made it with great enthusiasm, praising and letting my cook at home know about its taste. placed the spoon over the rasmalai and pressed to take one bit and the rock hard rasmalai popped up and flew far away. My cook laughed out loud and I was left disappointed with me having to some how finish of the entire lot. Taste wise it was near perfect but failed in the light, fluffy texture part. That was my last try with Rasmalai’s. Just a few months back, came across a milk powder rasmalai recipe and gave it a try with my fingers crossed and mouth shut with my new cook this time. Followed the recipe religiously and my long lost quest to make perfect rasmalais was done with this cracker recipe. My girl ( the one responsible for my craving of rasmalais during my pregnancy) had a try and she was like, it’s the best rasmalais I have had till date. My Mission accomplished after a decade in satisfying the rasmalai craving caused due to her in me .

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Milk powder	1 cup
Egg	1
Baking powder	1/2 teaspoon
Milk	1 litter
Sugar	3/4 cup
Saffron	a pinch
Green cardamom powder	1/2 teaspoon
Ghee	1 tablespoon
Rose water	1 teaspoon
Pistachio	bits few to garnish
Rose petals	to garnish

Method

Boil milk with sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan.
Mix milk powder, baking powder, ghee and remaining cardamom powder together in a bowl. Mix gently, add a beaten egg little at a time to get a ball shape by kneading gently. ( you will not need the entire beaten egg. Add just enough to get a soft dough ). Do not knead too much.
Roll equal small lemon size balls out of the dough and flatten them lightly with no cracks. Make sure not to rough handle the balls.
Drop the flattened balls one by one into the simmering milk. Cover and cook in medium heat until milk boils and the flattened balls increase in size.
Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes until balls are light and soft. Remove from heat. Add rose water. Cool to room temperature.
Place in the refrigerator to chill. Serve chilled, garnished with pistachio bits and rose petals.

Home made nachos served with Italian sauce and topping

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves : 6 members

Description

It’s been a while since I tried out a fusion international dish. I could feel my dining table shout out to me saying, please we need a change. I grabbed the opportunity when my friend Sheela dropped in home to give me deepavali ( that’s how we South Indians say Diwali as ) sweets. A revelry won’t be complete with out edible gifts, would it ? This sure did add so much glamour to my other wise dull table. These nachos didn’t take much skill or any special equipment to pull off and with my clever touches and twists ( uff please .. No self praising ) to this Mexican divineness, it was a gorgeous creation. Though infinitely versatile, it’s all about getting the flavour pairing right. As myself and Sheela were in full swing with munching and gossiping, I heard the calling bell ring . Went and checked and to my surprise it was my neighbor kamala aunty ( we share the same native place ) who had come to drop deepavali sweets as well. Welcomed her and took her strait to the munching spread. We did enjoy our bit of togetherness with a good spread around. The same evening, we had another neighbor’s get together to attend for dinner. Myself and kamala aunty had a sly laugh as we both had food in our plates but nothing was lining our tummies. The joy and memories that food bring to my crazy self.

Ingredients for nachos

Ingredients	Quantity
Yellow cornmeal flour (makki ka atta)	2 cups sifted
Flour / Maida	1 cup
Baking powder	1 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tablespoon
Warm water	2 cups or more
Oil	to deep fry

Method for nachos

Mix the yellow cornflour, flour, baking powder, salt, oil and warm water together. knead to get a soft dough.
Roll into equal big lemon size balls. Spread out to thin rotis and cook over a hot griddle (tawa), on both sides. Remove and cool completely.
When cool, cut the rotis to triangle shape with the help of a sharp knife. Deep fry the rotis to a light golden brown and drain.
Keep stored in an air tight container until needed to be served.

Ingredients for Italian sauce

Ingredients	Quantity
Ripe tomatoes	1/2 kg blended
Flour	2 tablespoons
Olive oil	2 tablespoons
Garlic	2 cloves crushed
Stock cube	1 ( I used maggi chicken stock cube )
Dried Basil	1 teaspoon
Oregano	1/4 teaspoon
Chilli powder	1 teaspoon
Sugar	1 teaspoon
Salt	to taste

Method

Heat a non-stick saucepan with olive oil. Fry the garlic to light brown. Top with flour and sauté making sure no lumps are formed.
Pour the blended tomatoes. And mix well. Add salt to taste, maggi stock cube and 3 -4 cups of water and boil until raw smell goes and sauce thickens.
Season with basil, oregano, chilli powder and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.

Other ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Onion	1 chopped
Red , yellow and green capsicum's	1/2 each copped
Cheese	grated to taste

How to assemble

In a wide plate spread the Italian sauce. Pile up the fried nachos over.
Sprinkle chopped onions, three colored capsicum’s and grate cheese over.
Serve immediately.

Spinach panner balls in butter gravy

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 35 minutes
Serves : 5 members

Description

The carnivores me is trying my best to add more of vegetarian dishes into my regular menu as there is a big complaint that my posts are over dominated with non – vegetarian dishes. To break this, I have been into trying a lot of vegetarian dishes as I am clueless with the flavors and combinations that work wonders with vegetarianism. This recipe is a try from one of my stained recipe books but have no clue as to whose recipe it is. My instinct’s tell me it might be rupal bandarie’s. Whose ever it is, it sure is for keeps. I had my doubts about the outer cover of spinach not binding together but I was put to shame this time. I have done my bit of trimming and changes to the original recipe from my recipe book. The final visual look with the contrasting colors of green, white and red sure imparts vibrancy to the dish making you want to crab the dish. Deep contrasting flavours with simple but effective combination of ingredients that is sure to feed and please a crowd. The beauty of this recipe is in its multitude of textures, soft and firm, crisp and juicy. I got so addicted to this dish, I actually ended up eating it three days in a row. Shameless me :-)).

Ingredients for the spinach balls

Ingredients	Quantity
Boiled Spinach	300 grams chopped
Gram flour	3/4 cup
Garlic	3 chopped
Green chillies	2 chopped
Cumin	1/2 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tablespoon

Ingredients for the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Grated panner	30 grams
Red chilli flakes	1 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Fennel seed powder	1 /2 teaspoon
Cashew nuts	6 powdered
Poppy seeds	1/2 teaspoon

Other ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Cornflour	1 cup
Oil	to deep fry

Method for spinach balls

Heat oil in a pan. Crackle the cumin seeds. Top with garlic and green chillies. Sauté to golden.
Add the gram flour and stir for 3 minutes. Top with the boiled spinach with out water. Season with salt to taste.
Mix well and cook until the spinach starts leaving the sides. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Mix all the ingredients together for the panner filling.
Take a lemon size ball of spinach mix. Flatten it. Place a small ball of panner in the centre of the flattened spinach and bring the edges of the spinach towards the centre covering the panner ball. Roll to a ball gently with no cracks. Do the same to get more balls.
Roll each ball over cornflour. Heat oil to deep fry. Drop the balls in batches of four at a time and deep fry to golden. Drain and set aside.

Ingredients for the gravy

Ingredients	Quantity
Onion	3 big sliced
Tomato	6 big chopped
Cinnamon	2
Clove	2
Cardamom	3
Ginger garlic paste	1 teaspoon
Butter	5 table spoon
Oil	1 table spoon
Sugar	1 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Cashew nuts	10
Chilli powder	1 table spoon
Coriander powder	1 1/2 table spoon
Turmeric powder	1/4 tea spoon
Fresh cream	1/4 cup
Kasuri methi leaves	1/2 teaspoon crushed
Coriander leaves	few chopped

Method for gravy

Heat oil with 4 table spoons butter. Add cinnamon, clove, cardamom and cashew nuts. Fry to light brown. Add onion and fry to transculent. Top with ginger garlic paste and fry till crisp. Add the tomato, chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well and fry till the tomatoes let out some juices out.
Cool the gravy and blend to a smooth paste. Strain. Add 1 tablespoon butter, sugar, salt to taste, cream, kasuri methi to the strained gravy and simmer till all the flavours infuse together. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Drop the spinach dumplings and cook in low heat for three minutes. Serve hot by cutting the dumplings into equal halves and placing them over the gravy.
Garnish with cream , butter, chopped coriander and grated panner. Serve hot with roti’s or pulao’s.