Vatteppam / Vattayappam - Indian Cooking Challenge, March 2011

Srivalli chose Vattepam / Vattayappam as the Indian Cooking Challenge recipe for Mar 2011. Vattepam / Vattayappam is a delicious and traditional recipe from Kerala.

It is basically a steamed rice cake, made from raw rice flour, grated coconut, cooked rice, sweetened and garnished with nuts and raisins. It is a popular delicacy served for breakfast / tea time snack during Christmas time in Kerala. The recipe is adapted from Shn of Mishmash.

Ingredients: To Grind:

• Raw rice: 1 cup
• Coconut, freshly grated: � cup
• Cooked rice: 2 tbsp
• Water: � cup water to grind and make batter

To proof yeast:

• Active dry yeast: � tsp
• Water: 1/3 cup
• Sugar: 2 tsp

To make Rice Porridge / Thari Kurukku:

• Coarse ground paste: 1�-2 tbsp
• Water: 1/3-1/2 cup

To sweeten and flavor Vatteppam:

• Sugar: � cup or more (to taste)
• Green Cardamom, crushed / powdered: 10-12
• Cashew nuts: 8-10
• Raisins: 8-10
• Ghee: 1� tbsp

Method:

1. Soak raw rice for 6-8 hours, drain and grind rice in a blender, adding very little water to a coarse texture; remove 2 tbsp of the coarse mixture for making Rice Porridge / Thari Kurukku and keep aside.
2. Add freshly grated coconut to the remaining ground rice and grind thoroughly to a fine past. Add cooked rice & little water and blend again to make a batter (Batter should be thick as idli batter).
3. Proof yeast by dissolving yeast and sugar in luke warm water. Set aside for 15-20 minutes in a warm place till it foams.
4. Prepare Rice porridge / Thari Kurukku by heating a pan and add the requisite coarse ground rice, kept aside earlier and water. Bring it to a boil and keep stirring in low-medium flame until it is fully cooked and reaches the consistency of porridge. Turn off the heat and keep the porridge aside, till it cools completely.
5. Heat ghee, lightly roast cashews until golden brown and raisins till plump and keep aside.
   Once the rice porridge is cooled completely, add 4 tbsp of the porridge it to the ground rice & coconut batter and blend it thoroughly. Add yeast mixture and blend once more to a smooth batter.
6. Pour the prepared batter to a large steel / glass bowl (The bowl should be big enough to hold double the quantity of batter as during the fermentation process, the batter rises well). Let it ferment in a warm place overnight (6-8 hours). When batter is doubled and fermented, add sugar let it ferment for another 2 hours.
7. Just before steaming Vatteppam, add powdered / crushed green cardamom to the batter. For steaming, grease a round bowl / cake tin with oil. Pour the batter and fill till half of the bowl / cake tin. Place a flat plate with holes in the pressure cooker, place the batter filled bowl and close the cooker with lid. Steam the Vatteppam without the weight/whistle for 20-30 mins in medium heat. Open the pressure cooker, after about 10 -15 mins of steaming, drop the roasted raisins and cashew nuts on the batter and close the lid once again.
8. After 20-30 mins, check by inserting a tooth pick. If the tooth pick comes out clean or with very less crumbs, Vatteppam is done, or else steam for another 10-15 mins / till done and cooked well.
9. Remove the pan / cake tin from the pressure cooker, allow the dish to cool completely.
10. Run a knife by the edges of the pan to separate the steamed cake / Vatteppam/Vattayappam. Slowly lift the cake into a serving plate and service with tea / coffee.

Rasmalai - Indian Cooking Challenge (Apr 2010)

Srivalli selected Rasmalai as our next challenge for the month of April 2010 in Indian Cooking Challenge.

Rasmalai is a delicious dessert consisting of sugary balls of cottage cheese (chhana in Bengali) soaked in sweetened and thickened milk, flavored with cardamom, saffron and garnished with dry fruits. It tastes best, when served chilled.

The original recipe was provided by Lavi. As always, I followed the recipe as stated by Srivalli and the Rasmalai turned out perfect.

Here is the recipe



Ingredients:

• Milk: 3 litres (2 ltr for making paneer and 1 ltr for making rasa / milk syrup)
• Maida (plain flour): 1 tsp
• Vinegar: 3 tbsp
• Water: 5 cups
• Sugar: 16 tbsp (8 for sugar syrup and 8 for rasa / milk syrup)
• Saffron: 3-4 strands
• Pista: 10 finely chopped
• Cardamon, crushed: 2 -3

Method:

1. Boil 2 litres of milk and let it cool thoroughly and rfrigerate the milk for 12 hours. Remove the thick layer of skin formed over the milk the next day (after 12 hours).
2. Boil the milk, when the milk starts to boil, add vinegar. The milk will curdle and paneer will start floating on top and the whey water will stay on the bottom of the vessel. Place a muslin / cotton cloth over a bowl, filter the paneer.
3. Pour 2 cups of water (to remove the sourness of vinegar), tie it well and let it hang for one hour until the paneer is completely drained of whey water.
4. Remove the paneer from the muslin, knead well for 5-10 minutes. Add maida to the paneer and make small balls.
5. In a pressure cooker, add 3 cups of water and sugar, bring it boil, add the paneer balls one by one and close the lid, simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes (until the balls become double in size). Press the paneer balls gently to drain the excess sugar syrup.
6. Prepare the thick and creamy milk syrup by boiling the milk and reducing to half of the original quantity. Add sugar, saffron strands and crushed cardamom to the milk and mix thoroughly.
7. Slowly release the paneer balls to the milk syrup. Pour the rasmalai in a serving bowl, cool and refrigerate. Garnish with pistas and serve chilled.

Moong Dal Halwa, ICC Challenge for Dec' 2009

Moong dal ka halwa / Moong daal ka seera is a traditional Rajasthani (Marwari) / North Indian delicacy, made from split yellow lentils (moong dal). It is relished during the winter months and special occasions (Holi and Diwali) including wedding & other celebrations.

I first had this delicious halwa in the afternoon buffets in Angeethi, a terrace restaurant in the style of an authentic North Indian dhaba in Museum Road, off church Street, Bangalore.

As I never had this halwa before, I was curious to know the recipe. After coming back home, I searched my recipe books and found one. I prepared moong dal halwa for the first time and it was simply great though a little calorie laden. (By the time I finished preparing the sweet dish, my right hand was aching from stirring the halwa).

So when Srivalli decided this recipe for ICC � December challenge, I had the opportunity to prepare this halwa once again. She stated 2 recipes, I chose her second recipe (moong dal with milk), though I first sauted / dry roasted the dal (I used a 200 gms cup measure and other ingredients accordingly) & soaked overnight and also used crushed black cardamom while serving.

Both the recipes are stated below:

Moong Dal Halwa
Soaking Time : Overnight
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 - 45 mins

Recipe with moong dal and milk

Ingredients:

• Split Moong dal (yellow lentils): 1 cup / 200 gms
• Ghee: 1/2 cup
• Sugar: 3/4 cups to 1 cup (as required) / 150-200 gms
• Milk: 1/2 cup
• Cashews / raisins (roasted in ghee) for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak moong dal overnight. Next morning, grind to a paste.
2. Heat a heavy / deep bottomed kadai, take only 1/2 of the ghee and heat it.
3. Add the dal and stir continuously (ensure that no lumps are formed as the dal cooks really fast, irrespective of the ghee).
4. Keep the heat at the lowest and keep stirring even after the dal becomes thick.
5. Add the rest of the ghee intermittently, cook the dal until aromatic and the ghee starts oozing out.
6. Meanwhile mix the sugar with water/ milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add this slowly to the cooking dal.
7. Keep the fire low at all times and break lumps if formed while adding the sugar and water / milk mix.
8. Cook until the ghee surfaces. Garnish with cashews and raisins.

Recipe with moong dal and khoya

Ingredients:

• Split (Yellow) Moong dal: 1 cup
• Sugar: 3/4 cup - 1 cup (as required)
• Clarified Butter / Ghee: 1/2 cup
• Khoya: 1/2 cup
• Cashew nuts and raisins for garnishing

You can make any quantity with this as long as you keep this ratio constant : equal amounts of dal and sugar, half the ghee and khoya.

Method:

1. Lightly roast the 1 cup of moong dal, wash, soak overnight and be ground to a fine paste adding very little water.
2. Take a thick bottom pan, heat 1/2 cup ghee and fry the moong dal paste till it turns brownish and releases the ghee. Add sugar and khoya.
3. Stir fry until both the sugar and khoya are well absorbed. Turn off the heat, then mix in cashew nuts and raisins.

Also special thank you wish to Lathaji and Simran�s Mom for the recipe inputs.

Notes :

1. Use a thick bottom pan /nonstick pan.
2. Don't leave the halwa unattended. The dal can stick to the pan and get burnt, keep stirring continuously to prevent dhal from sticking irrespective of the ghee added. (The halwa will thicken as it cools).
3. Cook until ghee surfaces on the sides and the halwa attains a very nice shine.
4. Initially, it may appear that all the ghee is being used up. But as the dal cooks the ghee separates. So the ghee measure is sufficient.
5. In both recipes depending on how you got the moong dal paste, you may require slightly more ghee to get the texture.

Caramel Pudding

Caramel pudding is a continental dessert and also a much loved dish all over India, specially in the Western India....It can be steamed in a pressure cooker or baked in the oven.

Stating the recipe (serves 4) as done in a pressure cooker. Though I had to prepare quite a number of times before serving a perfect & set caramel pudding......

Ingredients:

• 500 ml full cream milk
• 5 tbsp sugar (ratio is 500 ml milk : 5 tbsp sugar : 3 eggs)
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• pinch of salt (optional)
• chocolate shavings, whipped cream (for garnishing)

Caramel coating

• 2 tsp sugar
• 2-3 tsp water

Procedure:

1. Take a bowl, add cornflour and 2 tbsp cold milk. Mix well to remove lumps.
2. Boiling milk: Put a pan, add milk and sugar. Bring to a boil by stirring continuously until all the sugar is dissolved.
3. Just when the milk starts to boil, simmer and add the cornflour-milk mixture, immediately stir and mix well.
4. Now alternatively increase the flame and simmer for few more mins, until the milk is thickened. Keep aside to cool.
5. Making the caramel coating: Heat sugar and water in the pudding mould till the sugar melts & caramelized to golden brown. Swirl to coat the sides of the mould. Keep aside to cool.
6. Eggs & milk mixture: Break the eggs separately, put in a blender, add vanilla essence and a pinch of salt and blend to form a smooth & frothy mixture. Check and ensure whether the milk is properly cooled (otherwise the whole mixture may curdle) and then add to the blender. Blend once again to a smooth milk and egg mixture.
7. Putting in the mould: Pour this mixture into the caramelized pudding mould (fill upto � of the mould)
8. Steaming: Take a pressure cooker, place a pressure cooker ring and pour water very carefully into the pressure cooker to ensure water is about 2" below the rim of the mould.
   Place the pudding mould on the ring and cover the mould (so that water do not enter into the pudding mould).
9. Cover the cooker and let the steam escape. When the steam starts to escape, check watch and steam for 15-20 mins. Check whether the pudding is ready or not (insert a fork / toothpick inside the pudding, if it comes out clean, pudding is done or else steam for another 10 mins)
10. After the requisite time, switch of gas, carefully remove the pudding mould so as not to disturb the pudding. Keep aside to cool and then chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
11. Serve: To serve, carefully run the edge of a knife around the border of the mould. Place a plate over the pudding mould, hold firmly in place and turn over gently.
12. The pudding will turn over onto the plate, caramel side up. Serve with caramel sauce, chocolate shavings or whipped cream.

I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law who happens not only to be great cook but also and an encouraing person always in search of new recipes and experimenting on dishes to turn them to a new recipe.

This is going to Mom's Most Favourite Recipe Event by Shama of Easy2cook Recipes.

Also going to Celebrating Mother's Day, event hosted by Ivy of Kopiaste.. to Greek Hospitality.

Sending another pudding, steamed chocolate pudding to both the events.

Sooji Halwa

Sooji (Semolina) halwa is a sweet dish, usually made with wheat semolina, sugar / honey and ghee / vegetable oil. Raisins (kishmish), dates (khajur), or other dried fruits (cashewnuts, pistachios & almonds) are often added to the halva.
The classic proportions of semolina halwa are 1:2:3:4, i.e. 1 part fat (ghee / vegetable oil), 2 parts semolina, 3 parts sweetening agent (sugar / honey) and 4 parts of water.

Though you can always modify as per your taste, like increasing the sugar a little, if you like your halwa extra sweet.
In Bengali Cuisine, there is another version of sooji halwa known as mohan bhog (i.e. prasad offered to lord krishna), where milk is used instead of water. I prepare this halwa by mixing both recipes for a delicious texture & taste.

Well some informaion on Semolina and Halwa....

Semolina is the purified middlings of Durum wheat, used for breakfast cereals and puddings.Semolina, is known as Suji in North India, Sooji in Eastern India and Rava / Ravey in South India. Semolina is known as Irmik and Sameed in Arabic.

Halwa (Halawa / halva / helwa / halvah) refers to many types of sweet confection, across the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, the Balkans and the Jewish World. Halwa based on semolina is popular in Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Somalia, India, and Afghanistan. Another common type of halwa is based on tahini (sesame paste), is popular in the eastern Mediterranean and Balkan regions.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (100 gms) semolina / sooji
• 1-� cups (150 gms) powdered sugar
• � cup (50 ml) milk
• 2 tsp green cardamom powder
• 2-3 tbsp raisins / kishmish (soaked in water)
• 2-3 tbsp cashewnuts / kaju, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 tbsp white oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 3-� cups (350 ml) water

Procedure:

1. Sieve the semolina and keep aside. Heat white oil & 2 tbsp of ghee in a non-stick kadhai.
2. Add bay leaf and the semolina. Fry the semolina on low flame, stirring continuously until the semolina starts changing colour to light golden brown.
3. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Fry till the semolina starts to take a darker shade than golden brown (keep stirring continuously). (frying will take about 15 mins).
4. Add half a portion of raisins & cashew nuts. Add milk and immediately stir (or else the mixture will solidify and stick to the kadhai).
5. Add water and mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce the flame. Simmer and cook for 10 mins or until the water is absorbed and the halwa is thickened.
6. Add 1 tsp of green cardamom and rest of the ghee, stir and mix well. Switch off the gas.
7. Keep the halwa in the kadhai for 5 mins. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the rest of the dry fruits and sprinkle green cardamom powder on the top of the halwa.
8. Serve hot or cold.

Tips:

• Dry Fruits can be added or removed according to your own choice
• You can either use water or milk or milk-water mixture as per your preference.

The whole world will be celebrating Mother's Day on 10th of May. Sharing this dish with everyone on the occassion of mother's day coz this is one of my mother's best dishes and as she had a tremendous liking for sweet dish / desserts. I learnt this recipe from her but in due course modified a little and she even likes this version of sooji halwa.

My mother is a loveable person and a great cook. I learnt a lot of authentic Bengali dishes including some recipes from Bihar as she is born & brought up in Katrasgarh, Bihar (now Jharkhand). She lent a silent support to me & my brother in everything we did in my life and still continuing in doing so....Love you Maa, proud to be the person I am today against all odds....

This special dish is goint to Celebrating Mother's Day, a wonderful event hosted by Ivy of Kopiaste.. to Greek Hospitality.

This is also going to Mom's Most Favourite Recipe Event by Shama of Easy2cook Recipes.

Also going to the Mithai Mela, hosted by Srivalli of Cooking for all seasons...

Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Pudding is a class example of dessert. Puddings are basically classified into 2 types: 1) a boiled then chilled, texturally a custard set with starch and 2) a steamed / baked, texturally similar to cake.
I learned to make basic steamed pudding from my mom-in-law and then started doing various flavoured puddings.

Here is the recipe of steamed chocolate pudding, a steamed dessert consisting of milk, cocoa powder, sugar & eggs mixed together and steamed, very similar to the Christmas Pudding.

Ingredients:

• 500 ml milk (ratio is 500 ml milk = 60 gms of sugar)
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• whipped cream or chocolate curls / shavings, for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Mix cornflour with 2 tbsp of milk to form a paste. Keep aside.
2. Take a saucepan, add milk, cocoa powder and sugar and bring to boil. When the milk starts to come up, quickly add the cornflour-milk paste and mix well. (Ensure milk does not spill, control the flame).
3. Increase the flame, keep stirring till the milk gets a thicker consistency. Remove from flame and allow to cool.
4. Break the eggs and collect in a bowl. Add vanilla essence. Mix and beat well till the eggs form a frothy mixture (ensure that there are no lumps). Keep aside.
5. Check whether the milk is cooled or not. Gradually add the beaten eggs by stirring constantly. Mix till all the eggs are absorbed. (if the milk is hot / warm, the eggs will curdle).
6. Grease a round pudding mould with a little butter and pour the milk-egg mixture into the mould. Cover loosely with a foil and steam in a pressure cooker without whistle. When the steam starts to come out, check clock and steam for 20 minutes.
7. The pudding will shrink a little. Remove from the cooker and allow to cool. (Try not to disturb by shaking much).
8. Check whether the pudding is completely done by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean, pudding is ready, otherwise steam for another 10-15 mins or till the pudding is done.
9. Unmould the pudding and transfer in a serving plate and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until serving time.
10. Garnish with chocolate curls / whipped cream and serve chilled.

Tips:
You can substitute cocoa powder with 200 gms dark chocolate bars. Melt the dark chocolate and milk over gentle heat and mix well so that no lumps remain and then continue with the procedure stated above.

This is going to the "For the Love of Chocolate" event hosted by Poornima of Tasty Treats.

You can catch my other entries to the event by clicking here.

Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun is one of the popular Indian sweet dishes, most often eaten as a dessert, usually at major festivals (Diwali) or major celebrations (like Marriages�).
Gulab jamun is a type of dumpling made of flour & khoya / chhena and soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with cardamom seeds and rosewater or saffron. The sugar syrup used in it has rose water added so it smells like rose, and the shape of gulab jamun is mainly like Jamun (Jamun / Jam, a deep purple coloured Indian berry), so the sweet dish gets the name gujab jamun.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour / maida
• 1 cup khoya
• 1/2 cup milk powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• a little milk
• 18-20 anar dana / nakul dana
• 1 tbsp ghee
• white oil, for deep frying

Sugar Syrup

• 3 cups sugar
• 6 cups water
• 2 tsp rose water
• 4-5 green cardamom (chhoti elaichi)
• few strands of saffron

Procedure:

To prepare sugar syrup:

1. Take a deep pan, mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. (ratio is 1 part of sugar to 2 parts of water) and bring to a boil.
2. Add 4-5 cardamom pods (crushed), rose water and saffron.
3. Mix with a wooden ladle until all the sugar is dissolved in water. (Do not overheat, or else sugar will get caramelized / hard).
4. Boil the syrup and then simmer to reduce the water by half.
5. Check the consistency by pouring a little syrup from the ladle into the pan. (Remember not to put your hand in the warm syrup to test consistency).
6. If the syrup takes times to pour, it means syrup is ready.
7. Clear the syrup by removing the scum formed on the top and transfer the hot syrup into a serving dish.

To prepare dough:

1. Prepare the dough by combining the khoya, flour & milk powder and baking soda and mix thoroughly.
2. Add a little milk and knead to make a smooth dough (but not sticky).
3. Divide the dough into 18-20 small portions. Put anar dana (nokul dana, small sweetened balls) inside each balls.
4. Apply a little ghee on both the palms and roll the balls between slightly greased palms into a smooth round ball.

Frying the dumplings:

1. Take another deep pan, heat the oil on high flame and then lower the heat to medium.
2. Slowly release the small balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. (fry 5-6 at a time and not more than that).
3. Do not move the balls, gently shake the pan and allow the oil to flow on each ball and also to keep the balls from browning on just one side.
4. Fry till golden brown (ensure even browning on all sides). Slowly the balls (slightly browned) will rise to the surface.
5. Remember to fry the balls very slowly under medium temperature to ensure complete cooking from inside.
6. Repeat the process till all the balls are fried. Keep aside.

Soaking the fried balls in the syrup:

1. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup (you may heat the syrup a little).
2. Allow the gulab jamuns to soak in the sugar syrup for 2 hours.

Serve the gulab jaumuns warm or at room temperature.

Tips:

1. If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns tend to break (cracks appear on the surface of the gulab jamuns).
2. Adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break / cook too quickly.
3. Also do not fry on very high flame as the dumplings will burn on the outside and remain raw inside.
4. If you find the sugar syrup consistency too thick, add a little water or if the syrup consistency is watery, add a little sugar to get that perfect consistency.

Strawberry & Cream Phirni

Phirni is a traditional North Indian sweet dish / kheer generally made up of milk, rice paste and sugar. You can add fruits of your choice like mango, strawberries, lichis, peaches etc. to have an unique Indian Dessert.

Recipe for Strawberry & Cream Phirni

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsps (55 gms) long grain rice / basmati rice
• 4 cups (1 ltr) milk
• 12-15 fresh strawberries
• � tsp green cardamom powder
• 50 gms / 7 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp whipped cream
• 3 tbsp seedless raisins
• 3 tbsp almonds, chopped
• 3 tbsp pista, finely sliced
• Silver warq, for garnishing

Method:

1. Clean, wash and soak the rice in water for half an hour (30 mins).
2. Drain the water and grind the soaked rice to form a smooth paste.
3. Dilute the rice paste with a little water. Keep aside.
4. Wash, hull (mentioned below) and slice two strawberries and keep then aside for garnishing. Finely chop the remaining strawberries.
5. Soak almonds & pista in a little amount of boiled water (so that it is esay to peel the outer skin). Drain water. Peel & slice almonds & pista. Keep aside.
6. In a microwave safe bowl, boil milk at 100% power for 6-7 minutes. Stir in between. Microwave again at 50% power for 5 more mins.
7. Add sugar, rice paste, cardamom powder and 2 tbsp each of raisins, almonds & pista.
8. Cover the bowl and microwave at 60% power for 10 mins or until the phirni / kheer thickens.
9. (The phirni / kheer will thicken if allowed to stand either in the microwave or at room temperature for 10 minutes).
10. When cool, add cream. Microwave at 40% power for 5-6 mins.
11. Take the dish out of the microwave and cool to room temperature and stir in the chopped strawberries. Mix well.
12. Pour the phirni into individual small earthenware serving bowls.
13. Garnish phirni with the rest of the raisins, almonds, pista & strawberry slices and chill in the refrigerator.
14. Serve chilled.

Tips: For a low calorie phirni / kheer, use toned milk and reduce the amount of dry fruits and omit cream.

Carving out strawberry Slices: The hull is the green leafy top of the strawberry, which is removed before cooking or serving.
Hold a sharp knife in an angle and cut, in a circular motion, around the green leafy top of the strawberry and into the flesh underneath.
Remove the hull and wash strawberries thoroughly under cold running water before using).

Kesari Phirni

Phirni is a traditional North Indian sweet dish / kheer made of milk, rice and sugar. Here is the recipe for Kesari Phirni in a microwave.

Ingredients

• 50 gms long grain rice / basmati rice
• 500 ml milk
• � tsp cardamom powder
• 50 gms / 7 tbsp sugar
• A few strands of saffron
• 1 tsp whipped cream
• 3 tbsp seedless raisins
• 3 tbsp almonds, chopped
• 3 tbsp cashew nuts, halved
• 3 tbsp pista, sliced

Procedure:

1. Clean wash and soak the rice in 100 ml water for 30 mins. Drain the water and grind rice to form a smooth paste with a little water. keep aside.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, boil milk at 100% power for 6-7 minutes. Stir in between. Microwave again at 50% power for 5 more mins.
3. Add sugar, rice paste, saffron and half of the dried fruits. Cover the bowl and microwave at 60% power for 10 mins or until it thickens. (The kheer will thicken if allowed to stand either in the microwave or at room temperature for 10 minutes).
4. When cool, add cream. Microwave at 40% power for 7-8 mins.
5. Take the dish out of the microwave and cool slightly.
6. Garnish the kheer with rest of the dried fruits and cardamom powder and chill in the refrigerator.
7. Serve chilled.

Tips: for a low calorie kheer, use toned milk and reduce the amount of dry fruits and omit cream.

Sending this delicious pasta kheer to MEC : Puddings hosted by Jayasree (the event started by Srivalli)

Sweet Dish for the occasion of Saraswati Puja

Today is Saraswati Puja, the ritual worship of the goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge). Saraswati Puja is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Magha month of the Indian calendar, on the day called 'Vasant Panchami'.

The most significant aspect of this day is that Hindu Children are taught writing their first words on this day (known as �Haathe Khori�, meaning writing with chalk in hand) - as it is considered an auspicious day to begin a Child's Education.

Traditionally, priests make Children write the word as per customs like for Bengali People, it�s the Bengali Alphabets and for Non-Bengali People, it�s �Om�.

This year it was a special celebration for our family as my child was taught to write the Bengali Alphabets for the first time.

The recipe for Saraswati Puja is strictly vegetarian consisting of Puri, Aloo Dum, Fried Brinjal (Begun Bhaja), Payesh and a sweet dish. Thought of writing the recipe for Malpua.



Ingredients:

• 150 gms Plain Flour, shifted
• 100 gms Milk Powder
• 2 tbsp Aniseed (Saunf / Mouri)
• 2 Black Cardamoms (Badi Elaichi), finely crushed
• 3-4 Black Pepper, finely crushed
• Water
• Milk (optional)
• White Oil, for frying

Sugar Syrup

• 500 grams Sugar
• 625 ml Water
• 3-4 Green Cardamoms (Chhoti Elaichi)

Method:

1) Combine flour and milk powder in a mixing bowl. Add water and mix slowly to form a smooth batter of a pouring consistency (Add a little milk, if necessary to thin the batter).
2) Add aniseed, crushed black cardamoms and black pepper in the batter and mix well. Keep aside for 30 mins.
3) For the Sugar Syrup, put sugar and water in a saucepan (if 1 cup of sugar is used then use 1 � cups of water).
4) Bring to boil. Stir for 8-10 minutes till a thick stringy syrup is formed. Split and add the green cardamoms in the syrup. Remove from fire and keep the syrup in 2 separate bowls.
5) Heat oil in a non-stick flat bottomed frying pan, carefully spoon out a small amount of batter into the pan to form a circular pancake.



6) Let it stand for a few moments and then flip the malpua over. Let it stand for another few moments and fry until golden brown. Remove from fire.
7) Drain the excess oil and transfer the malpua into the sugar syrup.



8) Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
9) From time to time, the remaining sugar syrup can be heated a little and poured over the malpuas. Serve hot.

Mousse au Chocolat

I am back with a new recipe, this time a cold dessert, Chocolate Mousse. Its really easy to make and the home made mousse do taste good as the ones in any good Cake and Confectionery Shop!!!
Believe me I had the opportunity of convincing my kid in having a home-made ice-cream. So this one specially goes to all the kids��..

Ingredients

• 225 gms plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) water
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) rum (optional)
• 125 gms (4 oz) butter
• 125 gms (4 oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 142 ml (5 fl oz) double cream, decorate
• chocolate curls, to decorate

Directions:

1. Put the chocolate into a bowl with the water and rum. Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
3. Add the chocolate to the butter mixture and beat for 5 minutes until light.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff in another bowl and fold into the chocolate mixture.
5. Pour into a serving dish or individual glasses and chill until set.
6. Whip the cream until stiff and decorate the mousse while serving and top the mousse with chocolate curls.