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MANGO KESAR PISTA KULFI



    Summer’s nearly here, the days are getting longer and warmer... and though all of this doesn’t sound too exciting for those of us in Oman, I’m sooo happy because my favourite fruits are in season - mangoes!!


    There are a million ways I could eat this fruit, topped on breakfast parfaits, in mango smoothies, or even freshly cut as is! There’s no denying it’s the king of all fruits, so I didn’t waste any time in getting myself a couple of crates!


    Wanting to beat the heat, I reminisced on how my siblings and I would run up to the kulfi-wala as soon as we heard the familiar ringing of the bell, just to savour the kulfi when we were young! It was such a treat that we would wait endlessly, even skip our afternoon naps, just to get our dose of Kulfi! Thus, I decided to make this quick and easy Mango, Saffron and Pistachio Kulfi! The rich saffron really stands out, both in taste and colour, which is also enhanced by the sweet mango... and a bit of pistachio adds a nutty crunch!


    For those of you who haven’t had the joy of experiencing what a Kulfi is, it’s a beautiful, traditional Indian ice cream that’s made with the reduction of milk for hours, without adding any thickening agent such as eggs. It’s creamy and indulgent as it’s texture is smooth and just melts in your mouth instantly!


    This version of kulfi is super quick and simple, it requires absolutely no cooking and it’s sure to bring a smile on anyone’s face - why don’t you give it a try?




    PREP TIME: 20 minutes FREEZING TIME: 8 hours

    YIELDS: 12




    INGREDIENTS


    For Kulfi

    • 4 Alphonso mango pulp, puréed 1 1/2 cups

    • 280ml double cream

    • 1 x 397g can condensed milk

    • 1/4 tsp saffron threads

    • 1/3 cup pistachio, skinned and sliced


    You Need:

    • 12 kulfi moulds

    • 12 Popsicle sticks


    METHOD


    For Kulfi:


    1. Peel the mangoes, remove the flesh and blend in an electric blender to make the purée. Pour mango purée, double cream, condensed milk and saffron threads in a blender. Blend for 2 minutes on medium speed until everything is well incorporated. Transfer the kulfi mix into a pouring jug.

    2. Reserving 1 1/2 tablespoon of pistachios, gently fold in the rest in the kulfi mix. Keep the moulds in a stand, drop the reserved pistachios dividing equally in each mould before pouring kulfi mix.

    3. Now, pour the kulfi mix in the moulds, tap down a little to remove air bubbles, insert the popsicle sticks in the center, keeping it a centimeter above the surface of the mould. Stick it in the freezer for minimum 8 hours or overnight to set.

    4. To remove kulfi from the mould, dip the mould in a glass of water for 3 seconds, taking care not to fully immerse it, gently twist and pull it out. Serve immediately.


    COOK'S NOTES:

    • I used alphonso mangoes for this recipe, which has sweet and a slight tangy note to it. The taste of these makes it perfect for making kulfi as it balances the sweetness added with condensed milk.

    • If you are using other varieties of mangoes, adjust the sweetness by adding or subtracting the condensed milk.





    #kulfi #pista #mangokulfi #mangokesarpistakulfi #kesar #mango #pistachio #saffron #pistakulfi #indiandessert #dessert #sweet

    VEGAN QUINOA PECAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES



      After many days in the kitchen experimenting to create the perfect atta chocolate chip cookies, the entire family kept munching onto my experiments, which were no doubt delicious and healthier because of the atta, but it certainly wasn’t the healthiest!


      So I challenged myself to make cookies that were as delicious as they were healthy: VeganQuinoa Pecan and Peanut Butter Cookies! They were gluten free, were refined sugar free, and had lots of flax seeds and pecan nuts, and honestly they were sooo indulgent and addictive! They were golden and crisp on the outside, and slightly chewy in the inside, so lovely. And within 2 days, they were all gone!


      Fall in love with these imperceptibly healthy cookies just as we did. What are you waiting for, just grab the bowl and whip up these super easy and healthy cookies. It's baking time!



      YIELDS: 12-13

      PREP TIME: 15 minutes

      BAKE TIME: 15 minutes




      INGREDIENTS


      • 1/2 cup/4oz/115g smooth peanut butter

      • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

      • 1/3 cup maple syrup

      • 1 cup quinoa flour

      • 1/2 tsp salt

      • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

      • 1 tsp baking soda

      • 1/4 tsp xanthum gum powder

      • 2 tsp vanilla essence

      • 1/8 cup flax seeds and a tbsp extra

      • 3 tbsp coconut milk

      • 3/4 cup pecan nuts, toasted and roughly chopped


      METHOD


      1. Preheat the oven at 170°C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

      2. In a bowl, cream peanut butter, sugar, maple syrup and vanilla with the spatula. Add coconut milk and combine well to make the batter.

      3. Add quinoa flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthium gum powder and flax seeds. Mix it well with the spatula until well combined. It will feel bit dry but it’s perfect. Mix 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts to the cookie dough, leaving the rest to dredge on top.

      4. Scoop the cookie dough on to the prepared cookie sheet, placing them 2 inch apart. Press them down slightly with the back of fork, sprinkle few flax seeds and dredge pecan nuts on top. Press it down slightly more with fork keeping 1 cm thickness of the cookies.

      5. Bake them in preheated oven for 14-16 minutes until golden brown. Make sure you turn the cookie sheet around after 7-8 minutes during baking.

      6. Leave the cookies on the baking tray to cool completely.

      7. Store and keep in airtight jar for a week.


      COOK'S NOTES:


      1. I have used xanthum gum to bake these cookies which helps in stabilzing the cookies and gives them a similar texture as the traditional (gluten-filled ) version. The gum provides the tackiness that gluten lends to doughs and batters and prevent them from crumbling. A small amount is more than enough to bring that elasticity which a gluten provides in traditional gluten filled flours.

      2. If you do not have the xanthum gum, a tbsp of soaked chia seeds will also do the trick.


      #biscuits #cookies #veganrecipes #snack #teasnacks #bakedrecipes #baking #plantbased #glutenfree #healthyrecipes #quioacookies #quinoa #peanutbutter #flaxseeds #glutenfreerecipes

      COCKTAIL IDLI SKEWERS



        I am a hardcore Punjabi but somehow we make a lot of South Indian breakfast and snacks at my home. I recently posted the recipe of Milagai Podi, which is also known as Gunpowder masala, and I thought I should share one of the ways we eat it at home! Here's a recipe that's super simple, yet has bold and complex flavours.







        Basically, Podi or Gunpowder masala, as the name suggests is a fiery dry powder which is a blend of spices and lentils. It’s a popular southern Indian food condiment typically served as side dish with idli as a dipping condiment along with ghee or sesame oil. It's got a rich nutty and earthy flavour with a kick of spice, and the ghee adds a buttery coating on your palate.


        I love serving this as a cocktail snack or starter, as I find this recipe to be one of the quickest way to impress your guests – it's so simple but no one will guess it just by tasting it!


        To learn how to make the Gunpowder masala from scratch, click here!

        YIELDS: 15 cocktail skewers

        PREP TIME: 15 minutes

        COOKING TIME: 20 minutes



        INGREDIENTS


        For Marinade:

        • 1/4 cup Milagai podi

        • 2 tsp lemon juice

        • 1/4 tsp salt

        • 2 tbsp warm melted ghee

        For Kebabs:

        • 1 cup ready idli batter

        • 2 onions, cut in 2cm pieces

        • 3 medium bell pepper (red, yellow and green) cut into 2cm pieces

        • Oil for grilling the skewers

        Equipment needed:

        • Mini idli mould

        • Cocktail skewers



        METHOD


        1. To steam the idlis, take a large cooking pot/ steamer, or a large pressure cooker. Pour about 1 and a half cup of water, cover to let it boil.

        2. Meanwhile, brush mini idli mould with oil. Pour the batter in the mould, stack the plates in its stand and place it in the cooker. Cover and let it steam for 10 minutes on low flame.

        3. Remove stand from the steamer/ cooker, unmould the idlis with the help of a table knife. Keep aside.

        4. Thread the cocktail skewers with idlis, onions and colored bell peppers alternatively. Heat the griddle pan and brush it with little oil. Now grill the skewers on low heat, turn the sides to evenly roast. Grill until bell peppers and onions are roasted and slightly charred.

        5. While the idli skewers are grilling, prepare the marinade. Pour Milagai podi powder, salt, lemon and ghee in a small bowl and mix together. Brush the marinade over the grilled skewers and serve it with coconut or tomato chutney.



        COOK'S NOTES:


        • Pour just enough water in the steaming vessel where it’s not touching the idli mould. It should be just below the bottom tray of the mould.

        • If you do not have the podi masala already prepared, you can always make these with sambar masala powder if you have one in your pantry. To prepare milagai podi powder, follow the recipe of Milagai Podi on the website under the breakfast category.

        • To prepare idli batter at home soak 1 part urad dal and 3 parts of idli rice along with one part of poha and half a tsp of fenugreek seeds for 4-6 hours. Drain water from soaked rice and dal and reserve. In a grinder mixer, add the drained rice and dal mix, adding little reserved water from soaked rice and grind it to a smooth paste. If you find the batter thick add little more water. Cover the batter with a lid and leave it to ferment for 6-8 hours or overnight. Once fermented add little salt and it’s ready to make the idli.

        • To make this dish vegan, replace ghee with sesame oil.


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