Basundi

Basundi, a sweet dish from Maharashtra and Gujarat.  It is a sweet slightly thickened milk with the flavouring of elaichi (cardamom). A sweet dish which is made mostly during festivals or weddings.  I have also come across basundi's with the flavour of custard apple, or even a chickoo flavoured basundi, which are usually made during weddings.  Though, I would any day prefer the cardamom flavoured one, the custard apple is also something which will appeal to your palates if you are a lover of custard apple.  Must say it had a wonderful taste to it.  Ok getting back to the basundi that I am posting up today, it is very easy to make with the ingredients which are mostly available at your home.  A wonderful dish which can be had as is, or can be teamed up with puris, or chappati's too.  So here's my way of making basundi garnished with almonds and cashews.

 INGREDIENTS:

Full cream milk	500 ml
Milk	2 tbsp + 1/4 cup
Corn flour	1 tbsp
Milk powder	1 1/2 tbsp
Sugar	1/4 cup
Cardamom powder	1/2 tsp
Cream 25% fat	1 tbsp
Almonds & cashews	5 each

METHOD:

1.       In a thick wide bottom pan transfer the milk and put in on low medium heat. Stirring in between so that the milk doesn't stick to the sides and bottom.(You sure don’t want a burnt taste to your basundi).

2.       Add milk powder and corn flour in two separate bowls and add about a tbsp of milk each and mix well to form a paste.

3.       Once the milk starts simmering or you see small bubbles rounding up at the sides add in the sugar. Keep stirring till the sugar dissolves and the milk reduces by 1/4 of its quantity. (this took me 10-12 minutes)

4.       Add in the corn flour and milk powder paste and mix well.  (the milk will thicken very quickly once the corn flour is added).  Keep stirring vigourously with a whisk so that the lumps will blend in well.

5.       Cook for 2-3 minutes once the paste's are added.

6.       Once it completely cools, add a tbsp of cream and blend well with a whisk or a hand blender to make it smooth.  Add in the 1/4 cup of milk if you find the basundi too thick.

7.       Garnish with cardamom powder, flaked almonds and cashews.

8.       Serve hot or chilled.

NOTES:

1.       There are other ways of doing it too, for e.g. it can be done without corn flour and milk powder, by just simmering the milk and sugar to get its thickness.  Though constant stirring is required.

2.       I have put cream, which is absolutely optional.  It just adds a little more creaminess.

3.       When serving with puri's you could serve it warm or chilled as per preference.

4.       Adjust sweetness according to your taste.

Mango Chia Pudding

Hello everyone… Today's recipe is a mango combined with Chia seeds and honey.  I may not be qualified to give a whole lotta health benefits but I do know a few good things about including these cute small seeds that bloom up and make up for a healthy diet.  The benefits of Chia seeds are many am sure, but here a few that I know of. 

They are rich in protein, fibre, they help in digestion, it's a good energy booster, helps to control weight, blood sugar, gives you stronger bones and also lowers cholesterol. But, like I said I just know a few of the benefits.  There may be many more.  Might I add, like my hubby says, if anything is eaten in limits nothing is wrong or bad.

Also most imp thing was how could I let go off the mango season without posting any mango recipes.  Although I had it in my mind to put it up earlier, something or the other kept me away from doing so.  Deciding that it was going to be a healthy way to end this mango season I came up with this recipe.  So here I am with this wonderful recipe with just a few ingredients that will be easily available at home.  Without further ado, here I present to you all with this yummy and easy and not to forget a healthy recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Chia seeds	3 1/2 tbsps
Yoghurt (not sour)	1 cup
Milk	1 cup
Honey	2-3 tbsps
Mango	1 1/2 no
Mango	1/2 cut into cubes

METHOD:

1.       Wash and peel the mangoes.  Cut them into cubes.  Keep a few cubes aside and make a pulp of the remaining mango pieces.

2.       Once the pulp is smooth add in the yoghurt and milk and blend well again.  Once combined transfer the mixture in a big bowl/vessel. 

3.       Add the chia seeds and give it a good whisk (using a balloon whisk).  Alternatively you could use a spoon too but giving it a good whisk is imp.  And set aside for 15 minutes.  Mix it well again.  Keep the bowl/vessel in the fridge and let it stay for a good 4 hours or more.

4.       Serve chilled decorated with the mango cubes which we had set aside earlier.  Enjoy with family or you could make it when you have guests at home.

NOTES:

1.       I have used 3 1/2 tbsp of chia seeds, this makes the pudding a little thicker.  You could add just three tbsps.

2.       Pl add honey depending on the sweetness of the mangoes.  If you do like it a little more sweet then add 4-5 tbsps of honey.

3.       You could substitute mango with any seasonal fruit.    

4.       You could add chia seeds in smoothies too.

 



  

Tiramisu

I have been planning to put up desserts or cookies in a long time now.  But just never found the time to actually make them.  Just that I had been keeping busy or at times the laziness creeped in, I guess.  But then I told myself, I better get to it without any further delay.  So here I am, posting a few sweet goodies along with the usual recipes that I will be posting.

So, today am posting an Italian dessert, Tiramisu.  It means “pick me up”.  Literally looking at the dessert that is what you would like to do.  Though I must say I could manage to click only this pic, as I had made it for a party organised by someone and it had to leave ASAP.  So, getting a pic of single portion was not possible.  But never mind, will update the pic again later.  Till then try it and enjoy.  Though I must mention, everyone has a different version of this wonderful dessert.  This is how I prepare it.

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate sponge fingers	20 nos
Cream cheese	100 gms
Whipping cream	200 ml
Instant coffee	1 tbsp
Hot water	1 tbsp
Rum	2 tbsp
Grated chocolate	50 gms
Icing sugar	1 tsp

METHOD:

1.      Cream the cream cheese well.  Dissolve coffee powder in hot water add 1 tbsp of rum and add it to the well creamed cream cheese.

2.      Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.

3.      In a glass bowl or any other bowl that you would want to make the dessert arrange the sponge fingers on the base.  Soak it with rum and sugar mixture

4.      Pour the cream mixture over the sponge fingers.  Make another layer of the sponge fingers and soak it with rum and sugar mixture.

5.      Pour the remaining cream over it. 

6.      Garnish with grated chocolate.  Keep this in the refrigerator for an hour or two before serving.

NOTES:

1.      In case you do not want to use rum, you can avoid using it.  Soak it with coffee decoction.  Mix coffee with water and icing sugar and use it to soak the sponge fingers.

2.      You can buy a sponge cake or make one well in advance so that it cools down before you make this dessert.

3.      You could even sprinkle cocoa powder over the tiramisu.

Mango Rasayan

It’s the mango season and it would not be fair if I don’t post a recipe with mango.  I am sure everyone waits for the mangoes to arrive.  There are so many recipes that one can do with the mangoes.  But today I will be posting a recipe that is simple and yet yummy.  It brings back old memories where my annamma (dad’s mom) used to make it every time mangoes arrived.  I remember as kids, we used to be so impatient to eat it as soon as she made it.  To which she would say finish your meal first and only then u will get rasayan.  Oh!! And if we did try to sneak up to the fridge to get a spoonful she would be there to give us a sweet earful.  Haha those days.  I really miss my grandparents. 

Alright, let me get back to the recipe.  Like I said, it’s an easy recipe and can be made ahead as it tastes best when served chilled.  So here goes.

INGREDIENTS:

Mango               -      2 nos (preferably alphonso’s)

Coconut            -       ½ cup (freshly grated)

Jaggery             -      2 tbsp grated

Milk                   -       ½ cup

Cardamom       -       3 powdered

METHOD:

1.         Peel and cut the mangoes into small equal sized cubes.

2.      Grind the coconut (preferably the white part) and jaggery with a little water and squeeze and strain well to get coconut milk.  Here you could strain it the first time and grind again with little more water to get the milk. 

3.        Mix the coconut milk mixture, milk and mango cubes. 

4.        Sprinkle the cardamom powder over the rasayan and mix well.

5.        Serve chilled.

NOTES:

1.      Use only the white part of the coconut (I must mention, when comes to grating of coconut my sister grates them really well).

2.     Check the sweetness of the mangoes and then add more jaggery than mentioned.