Chocolatty Fruitty and Nutty

It’s been a busy week with Shlok (my lil’ fellow) stepping into a play school and helping him settle in. (I am glad he loves the place now). Just when it was getting indecisive on my next post, an event title by a blogger “Drive me nuts” caught my attention. Can't just get the title off my head...what more, it has driven me to take part in the event. The unfortunate part - the event gets over tomorrow and a few hours left to whip something interesting. I had to come up with a dish that’s tempting, yummy,simple and fast. I have always used nuts in many dishes but this is possibly the first time when they take center stage and are being used as the main ingredient. 
For all those who want to be driven nuts, follow me… 

Preparation time: 5minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4-5


You need:
100 gms dark chocolate (I used Amul)

¼ cup almonds
¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup cashew nuts
¼ cup pistachios
¼ cup raisins






Step-by-step:

Melt the chocolate in the microwave oven for two minutes (you can use a double boiler too)

Mix till smooth

Add the nuts and mix

you don't need to taste it, it will be yummy [or you'll finish it even before it sets :) ]

Spread a piece of foil on a tray and spoon the chocolate mixture (now lick up the chocolate that's sticking in the bowl! ;) divine!)


Refrigerate till it sets (about 10 minutes)


Remove carefully from the foil and… what are you waiting for... ATTACK!! 

Do try it and post your comments...I'm sure they'll be a treat for your kids!

Sending this recipe to “Drive me nuts" hosted by Taste Junction (Anamika) and “food for little champs" hosted by Indu get cooking (Indu Mathew)

Yours tastefully!

Aamras Poori

While the mango season is still on, I guess the timing is just apt for posting this famous Maharashtrian dish, ‘Aamras Poori”. The most obvious combinations all along (at least the ones that I know of) have been ‘poori with aloo bhaji’, ‘poori with channa masala’ or ‘poori sagu’ but poori with Aam (mango) ras(juice/ syrup)…this sounded and is truly a tantalizing combination. 

My hubby (with his ever-growing Mumbai loyalty) talked so much about this dish that I thought I should give it a try…the drive was, even if I can’t have this dish with pooris, I could always have it for dessert:) . It is in fact very simple (all you need is a few ripe mangoes and the rest you’ll find at home). To my surprise and a pleasant one at that, I instantly fell in love with the combination…and the hangover continues :) …so here’s sharing the hangover with you…!

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes (actually, blending time)
Serves: 5-6

You need: 

3 big ripe mangoes
1/3 cup cold milk
¼ cup sugar (depending on how sweet or sour the mangoes are)
3-4 green cardamoms

To garnish:
A few strands of saffron (optional)

Step-by-step:
Wash, clean and cut the Mango into pieces and set it aside (size doesn’t matter as you are going to blend them) 

Squeeze out all the remaining pulp / juice from around the seed (don’t waste any bit of the juice) 

Grind the mango pieces, sugar, cardamoms and milk in the mixer/blender to a thick consistency and transfer the contents (now called aamras!) to a serving bowl 

Garnish with a few strands of saffron

Serve with pooris or relish the ‘aamras’ as a dessert! 

Sending this recipe to “food for little champs" hosted by Indu get cooking (Indu Mathew) 
Yours tastefully!

Gudbud Gotala and an Award

Celebrating ‘50 followers’ and ‘The Versatile Blogger’ award….it can’t get better than this. A BIG ‘THANK YOU’ for all the encouragement with your inputs, suggestions, recommendations and comments…here’s hoping “Yourstastefully” keeps getting attention and your everlasting support. Spread the cheer around… we need some more reasons to smile and I am doing my bit:)

 Here’s a dessert that I created while I was sitting and wondering what to cook up for my guests…It’s extremely simple, just make sure all the ingredients are bought well in advance. It’s a beautiful game of colours (choose your favourite colours). 

 Preparation time: 20 minutes 
 Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8-9 (depending on your glass)

You need:
5 big ripe mangoes (I used Bainganpalli, use what you like)
A box of custard powder (I used vanilla, use your favourite flavour)
A box of jelly crystals (I used raspberry, pick the pretty one)
A family pack of ice-cream (I used black currant , choose your colour and flavour )
Cherries / plums (optional)

Cutlery:
Tall glasses
Long spoons

Step-by-step:

Wash and remove the skin of the mangoes. Cut them into small pieces (taste to make sure you don’t add the sour ones)
Make the custard (I used a litre of milk). Just follow the instructions at the back of the packet. (You won’t go wrong)
Pull out the jelly crystals. Mix the sachets together till smooth in ½ cup water (again, follow the instructions at the back of the packet)
Take a tall glass, tip in some mango pieces, add some custard, add some mangoes again and some more... (hiya, yellow yellow dirty fellow)
Cut out some jelly to make the next layer… (now the pretty pink has come in)
For the final layer, take a big scoop of ice-cream and top it up… (Awesome colour isn’t it?)
If you want, you can garnish with a cherry or a plum (I didn’t have both!)

Relish the beautiful and yummy dessert…

My guests loved it…try it and share your experience too…

Now to the award that I won :)

In the true sprit of writing, a blog-ful of “Thank You” to ‘loveandcalories.blogspot.com’ for considering me worthy enough and conferring ‘The Versatile Blogger’ award. It is absolutely encouraging least to say…

As a rule, I have to follow instructions [to win more awards, just kidding ;)]

 1. Thank the person that awarded it to you & list a link back to the blogger.
 2. Tell 7 things about yourself.
 3. Pay it forward by sending it to your favourite recently found new bloggers.
 4. Contact the blogger that you have awarded & make them aware.

Don’t remember when I last wrote something about myself or my blog….thought it will be a task but when I started reluctantly, this is just flowing and I will have to force myself to stop at seven points

• I am obsessed with my kitchen and now my blog too… 
• I discovered, I can write (the flair is simple and clear…minus jargons). All credit to the blogging opportunity and my ever encouraging hubby, I enjoy the whole process…in fact, every single moment on my blog 
• I’ve always loved to cook for the ones who love to eat (but it is always motivating to see the dishes empty after a meal) 
• I love collecting crockery (gifts are always welcome!) 
• I have to always enter my kitchen with my camera (ever since I started my blog!) and it is fun to see my son imitate me 
• I have realized ‘food’ is a strong emotional connector…and a great conversation-starter and for someone like me, the blog is just ‘me’ in the virtual world 
• I am glad to have started an online recipe book that’s gives step-by-step instructions with photos to motivate the ones who have just started cooking or who thought that cooking was not fun! And the most gratifying part – when my blog connects with people I have never met and they start writing in 

 I would like to pass on this award to a few bloggers whom I follow (not necessarily new)

http://rakshaskitchen.blogspot.com/

http://whentimebegins.blogspot.com/

http://umita-umitarecipes.blogspot.com/

http://thegreenogre.blogspot.com/

http://bluengreenplanet.blogspot.com/

http://vyoworld.blogspot.com/

http://mommiesminivansandmimosas.blogspot.com/

http://soumyaism.wordpress.com/

http://acluelesscook.blogspot.com/

Have a great week ahead! 

Yours Tastefully! 

Palada Pradhaman

Ellavarkum ente Vishu Ashamsakal - Wishing you all a very happy New Year. 

“Vishu” is an important festival of Kerala. It marks the start of a new year. On this day, every malayali wakes up to see the ‘Vishukani’ (look below for mine)which is an arrangement of auspicious articles. Generally consists of an idol or photo of Lord Krishna, a decorated ‘Uruli’ (a shallow circular metal vessel) that contains raw rice, a gold ornament/ coin, yellow coloured fruits and vegetables, a mirror, a sacred book, betel leaves, yellow flowers 'konna' (cassia fistula), etc. Each member in the family is taken blindfolded and then they are made to see the Vishu Kani (that’s the first sight of the day). Then the children set out to burst crackers. After bath they wait for a very exciting custom, ‘Vishukkaineetam’ where the elders in the family distribute money to the younger ones (I still wait for it!). Then it’s time for the next best agenda of the day, ‘food’. Saddhya (feast) is a major part of all Kerala festivals and celebrations. My saddhya is going to be at mom’s place and it’s incomplete without a dessert, so here’s my contribution. “Palada Pradhaman” is the queen of payasams. Here’s an easy recipe of Palada Pradhaman 

Preparation time: 15minutes
Cooking time: 1 - 1.5 hours
Serves: 10-15

You need: 

200gms ready made rice ada(cooked rice flakes - I used double horse)
3 litres milk ( prefarably full fat milk)
1 cup water
750gms sugar
5-6 cardamoms (powdered)
2 tbsp ghee
15-20 cashew nuts (broken into two)
10 - 12 raisins

Step-by-step:
Wash ada in cold water
Soak in half litre of boiled water. Keep it covered for 10minutes and drain completely 

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins and keep aside 

In a pressure cooker, add milk,water, sugar and ada. Cook on medium heat until the cooker releases one whistle. Turn off the heat 

Wait till it’s safe to open the cooker (instead of making it in a cooker, you can heat milk, sugar and ada in a thick bottom kadhai and stir continuously until it reaches a thick consistency, but a pressure cooker helps you save time) 

Open the cooker and you’ll notice that the pradhaman has changed to a light pink colour
The payasam shouls now be of a slightly thick consistency. (If not, stir gently on a medium flame for another 10mintes) 

Add powdered cardamom and fried cashwenuts n raisins…

Serve hot or chilled! Enjoy your feast!

Benefits of making pradhaman in a pressure cooker:

• It’s faster 
• It’s less stressful as you don’t need to keep stirring for hours together 
• It helps in quick caramalisation of the sugar (so you get that pink colour faster) 
• It tastes exactly like the traditional palada pradhaman 
• It is the easiest way to make this yummy dessert!

Try it and post your comments...

Yours Tastefully!

Kesari bhath / Rava Kesari

Happy Ugadi!!  Ugadi, also know as Yugadi is celebrated as the new year in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. While it is called Ugadi in A.P. and Karnataka, in Maharashtra it is known as Gudi padwa. Ugadi marks the beginning of a new Hindu lunar calendar with a change in the moon's orbit. Bevu Bella, or Ugadi Neem leaf Pachadi, is an indispensable offering on Ugadi. This unique Bevu or Neem leaf preparation symbolically represents the different facets of life – sweet and bitter experiences of life. Bevu Bella is just a simple mixture of fresh neem leaves and unprocessed broken jaggery. It is eaten on an empty stomach on Ugadi.

Some of the sweets made to celebrate Ugadi are Holige / Bobbatlu / Puran Poli (sweet stuffed rotis), Khus- Khus Payasam, Mango Shrikhand, etc. I just decided to make another delicacy of Karnataka, “Kesari Bhath”. It is a recipe that's great for beginners. Be it a dessert or an evening snack, this one is simply perfect and easy!! Let’s get started…

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 5-6

You need:

1 cup chiroti rava (sooji/semolina)

1 cup sugar

2cups water

3tbsp ghee

1 pinch of yellow colour

5-6 strands of kesar or saffron

15-20 cashew nuts

8-10 raisins

3-4 cardamoms

Step-by-step:

Remove the skin and powder the cardamoms (if you have the practice of boiling your drinking water, add the cardamom skin to it/ add it while making tea, gives a good flavour)

Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee till light brown and keep aside

In the same pan, add little more ghee and fry rava until there is a slight change in the color (it’ll also smell different)

 Boil 2 cups of water in a vessel. When it begins to boil, add kesar, yellow colour and sugar

Add the rava little by little to avoid lumps (be a little slow and careful here)

Sprinkle cardamom powder (hmmm! Love the smell?)

Simmer and cover with lid so that rava cooks well. 

Top it with the remaining ghee (sinful…but you don’t make it everyday!)

Garnish with raisins and cashew nuts.

This dish can be served hot/ at room temperature or chilled…

Sending this recipe to “food for little champs" hosted by Indu get cooking (Indu Mathew)

Yours tastefully wishes all of you a very Happy Ugadi!!
Yours Tastefully!

Chocolate dipped strawberries -for my valentine

“I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you.” – Anonymous

Today is Valentine’s Day. Another occasion to tell my hubby how special he is to me. For a surprise dinner, I’ve planned to make garlic bread, Spanish omlette, a salad and …chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert (the best part of a meal).

Take a look at how I made the dessert and the dinner recipes will soon be posted.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

You need:
12 fresh strawberries with leaves            

40gms of white chocolate

20gms of dairy milk chocolate (brown)

Step-by-step: 

1. Wash the strawberries gently under cold water. Do not remove the leaves but make sure it’s washed thoroughly; dry them using a paper towel and set aside
2. Break the white chocolate bars into a bowl and put them in the microwave for 30-40secs on high. If your chocolate is nice and smooth when you stir it, then go ahead and get ready to dip, if not put it back in the microwave for another 30secs and stir again
3. Once the chocolate is ready for dipping, take a tray and place a piece of foil on it
4. Take each strawberry, hold it on the top (be careful not to tear the leaves), dip it in the chocolate making a circular motion, take it out, twist it so the chocolate is well coated, now place it on the foil. Make sure you dip only 3/4th of the strawberry in the chocolate
5. Keep it aside for 5mts (in room temp)
6. Follow step 2 with the dairy milk chocolate bars (brown)  
7. By the now, the white chocolate coating will take shape on the strawberry. Take the white chocolate coated strawberry and dip it in the chocolate sauce(brown) till it half coats the white chocolate (wow…don’t they look elegant!)
8. Follow the same method for the rest of the strawberries and refrigerate. Let it set for 30mts to an hour.

Serve with lots of love…

I hope you enjoyed making the chocolate dipped strawberry for your sweetheart!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Yours tastefully!!

Gajar Ka Halwa – the first dessert I remember making on my own!

Delicious, sweet, colourful... this dessert needs no introduction. Writing this post got me a lot nostalgic and reminded me of the days when I started testing my culinary skills…..the guinea pigs were my lovely parents and my darling brother….I started trying recipes on my own when I was in school.…..my parents always encouraged me, loved anything that I tried and my brother used to clean the pot but was also my best critic…….

There you have it; my first dessert

Preparation time: 10 minutes                                          
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Servings: 7-8

Ingredients:                                                        

                                    

700gms /4 cups red carrot peeled and grated
½ litre milk
2 cups sugar (depends on your taste)
200gms khoya / mava
4 tbsp ghee

For a garnish:
1 tbsp ghee
15 Cashew nuts(broken in to halves)
15 Almonds (soaked in hot water, peeled and sliced)

Step-by-step:

• Peel, wash and then grate carrots

•  In a non-stick kadhai, add 4 tbsps of ghee, fry the cashew nuts and then the almonds. Once they are slightly brown, keep them aside (hmm…smelling good!!)
• Add the grated carrots in the remaining ghee now and fry till the carrots start losing the raw smell (and how do you check???...hey…just keep smelling it)
• Pour the milk, once it's boiling reduce the flame, cook for about 20 minutes or until the milk is completely absorbed
• To this, add sugar and keep stirring on medium flame (Adding sugar will make the halwa watery. So continue cooking till it’s soft and dry)
• Add khoya. Cook on medium flame (approximately 15 minutes), stirring constantly
• Turn off the fire when the halwa is still moist
• Transfer in to a serving dish
• Pour a tbsp of ghee on the top
• Garnish with sliced almonds and cashew nuts

Serve it hot with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or refrigerate and serve chilled...

                                  

My son loved it.......so I had a winner on hand today.

Go ahead...... give it a try!! And don't forget to write in your experience!!
Sending this recipe to “food for little champs" hosted by Indu get cooking (Indu Mathew)

Yours Tastefully!!