AAM PANNA GRANITA REFRESHER

Aam Panna...it is a tangy sweet and refreshing summer drink, made with raw mangoes, black salt, sugar, roasted cumin powder and mint. It’s a traditional drink in India, and it’s a great pick-me-up in those hot summer months!

The temperatures in India during summer months of May- June is scorching hot and this drink is especially made during those months to beat the heat and keep the bodies cooler and immune it to this scorching heat.

I twisted this drink to a different avatar, made the granita and preserved it in the freezer to make this utter refreshing drink anytime during these summer months. Spike it with the Caribbean Coconut rum Malibu and a good splash of soda and yippee you are all set to get those accolades of praises from your guests this summer. Addition of Malibu took it to totally another level with the concoction of Indian and Caribbean flavours.

Granita is an Italian semi-frozen dessert that is agitated and scraped as it freezes. The ice crystals that result afterwards are deceptively flavourful, and in this case with the fresh and summery ingredients, they quench your thirst too.

If you’re looking for an easy way to unwind after a full on day ...this is it!

Go ahead and try it out !!!

PREP TIME: 30 minutes

MAKE TIME: 10 minutes

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg Raw mangoes, medium sized

• 750ml water

• 250g white sugar

• 3 tsp black salt

• 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/4 cup mint leaves

METHOD

1. Wash and place the mangoes in a pressure cooker, add water to cover the mangoes. Pressure cook until just one whistle of the pressure cooker comes.

2. Release pressure from the cooker keeping it under the running water tap. Once pressure is released, open the cooker and dish out the mangoes from the water and let them cool.

3. Peel the mangoes, scrape out all the pulp.

4. In a large cooking pot, add the mango pulp, water and sugar. Bring it to boil, add salt and cumin powder. Remove from fire.

5. Using a hand blender, blitz until it becomes smooth. Cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled, 2-3 hours.

6. Pour the mango drink in a mixer jug, add mint and blitz. Add ice if you want it more chilled.

For Making Granita

1. Transfer the aam panna to a loaf tin and freeze for 2-3 hours. Once little set, scrape down with the fork. Keep scrapping with fork after every two hours for 3-4 times.

For Making Caribbean Aam Panna refresher

1. Take two scoops of aam panna granita in wine goblets or tall glasses, add 25 ml Caribbean Malibu. Pour 120 ml soda on top, give it a quick stir. Garnish it with a sprig of mint.

COOK'S NOTES

• I used pressure cooker to speed up the process but if you do not have the pressure cooker, you can boil them in a cooking pot.

• I prepare the drink in advance and keep it under refrigeration and add mint only just before serving as the mint oxidise if it stays in the drink too long. It doesn’t give that fresh pale green colour which comes when freshly blended.

• I also sometimes like to add soda water and spike it with vodka or caribou to make it an interesting cocktail.

• Mango panna can be kept in refrigerator for maximum 2-3 days.

• Mango granita can be kept in freezer for upto 3 months, covered with double foil and a cling wrap.
  

LEMON BLUEBERRY CHIA SEED CAKE

Times are really tough and the raging pandemic in India has put us all in a questionable state in one way or the other. My husband started his travel back from India after completing his mum’s last rights to reach Muscat and spent 15 days in institutional quarantine in Turkey....undergoing yet another one in Muscat(Oman) for a week until he finally reaches home. Gone are those days when you could reach home (Muscat ) from India in just 3.5 hours. 😌

It seems far-fetched living up to a normal life after this catastrophe hit the world. Wishing everyone to be safe and praying this shall all pass quickly and we all live peacefully in a happy world again.

Baked a quick Lemon blueberry and chia seeds cake for my hubby the day he landed in Muscat to munch on while he is quarantined in his homeland away from home... Cake was baked in angel cake pan and I had to cut it into slices to pack it for hubby. Time felt short and had no time to capture the full image. Luckily few slices were left over after packing the whole big box and thought of capturing it for my audience. Guys I promise I’ll post that full styled image soon but until then enjoy these virtual slices of this delicious cake. Do give this recipe a try and I'm sure you will fall for it. Its just perfect as is and preserves better at room temperature in your air-conditioned kitchen for up to 4 days. You can also dress this cake with cream cheese frosting to make it an extra edge and making it a bit more special for an occasion.

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

BAKE TIME: 1 hour

SERVES: 20-25 slices

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus 2 tbsp, divided

• 1 3/4 cup caster sugar

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 large lemon zested and juiced (2 tbsp juice is used)

• 1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

• 3/4 cup or 200g sour cream, room temperature

• 2 cups blueberries

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Thoroughly grease the 10 cup capacity angel cake pan or bundt pan. I lined the base of angel cake pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside until used.

3. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest together until fluffy, creamy and pale in colour.

4. Add one egg at a time and blend on medium high speed until all eggs are added and well combined.

5. In a small bowl add sour cream and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix them together. Add it to the egg butter mix, blend for couple of minutes to combine.

6. Add the dry flour mix to the wet mixture in three batches until just combined, keeping the mixer on a medium-low speed. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula, to ensure the batter is well combined. Give a quick blend again for few seconds.

7. Add chia seeds and gently fold into the batter with a spatula.

8. In a bowl, toss the blueberries with remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently fold them in the cake batter and drop it in the prepared pan and level it with spatula.

9. Placing it in the middle rack of the oven and bake it for 50-60 minutes turning it once halfway through baking.

10. Insert the tooth pick to check. Bake couple more minutes if the batter is still slightly sticky.

11. Leave to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the outer and inner edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan to make sure its not stuck to the pan. Invert it gently on the cake plate. Remove parchment paper and let it cool slightly.

12. If you wish, brush the lemon syrup on the slightly warm cake if you want strong citrus flavour or tartiness in your cake. It’s not mandatory. To make lemon syrup check cook's notes.

13. You can serve the cake as is or can also ice it with cream cheese frosting to make it for a special occasion.

COOK'S NOTES

1. If you wish, brush the lemon syrup on the slightly warm cake if you want strong citrus flavour or tartiness in your cake. It’s not mandatory. Make sure your cake is still warm if you want to add lemon syrup else it will not penetrate inside the cake.

2. To make lemon syrup add 3 tbsp water with 3 tbsp lemon juice, bring to a gentle boil in amicrowave. Add 1/4 cup of sugar in it and mix until it’s completely dissolved. Brush it on the exterior edges of the cake until it’s all penetrated.

ORANGE AND CRANBERRY CAKE (SUGAR-FREE AND GLUTEN-FREE)

Do you love your festive treats which are super delicious and not overloaded with sugar??

Well this sugar-free and gluten-free Orange Cranberry cake must be your answer.

It's the holiday season and we all are pumped up high with sugar intake with all the festive goodies and indulgent treats...hence made this super scrumptious sugar-free and gluten-free Orange Cranberry cake as i didn't want to deprive myself from festive treats and yet keeping an eye on that calorie intake.

This moist gluten-free cake is also Keto friendly recipe which is made with almond and oats flour with citrus notes from orange zest and dried cranberries. Sweetness is added with erythritol sugar which is a great substitute for the regular sugar for sugar-free treats without compromising on the taste of that normal sugar. This doesn't have any aftertaste like some other sweeteners.

Do give it a try, as I'm sure you are gonna love it. Do share your comments and feedback below to know what's your verdict on this sugar-free and gluten-free version of this amazingly delicious cake !

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PREP TIME: 20 minutes

BAKE TIME: 60 minutes

PASSIVE TIME: 2 hours

SERVES: 12-16 slices

INGREDIENTS

For cake

• 150g unsalted butter, room temperature

• 280g / 1 1/2 cup erythritol sugar

• 3 eggs, room temperature

• 2 1/4 cup Almond meal

• 1 cup rolled oats, ground into flour

• 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 large navel oranges, zest and juiced

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

For frosting

• 100g butter, room temperature

• 1 tbsp orange zest

• 200g agave sugar, powdered

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• 1/4 cup almond milk, room temperature

• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

For garnish

• 1 navel orange, sliced and quartered

• Fresh rosemary sprigs

• Handful of fresh cranberries, some cut in half

Equipment needed

• 12" x 4" loaf pan

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a large baking loaf pan with parchment paper which should be overhanging an inch from both longer sides. Clip the overhanging paper with wooden pegs to stop them falling on top of the raw batter in the oven.

2. Zest the two oranges and juice them.

3. In a bowl, sift the almond flour, oats flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Keep aside .

4. In a stand mixer bowl, fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and erythritol sugar on medium high speed until creamy and fluffy.

5. Add eggs, one at a time and beat for 2 minutes until combined. Add 1/3 cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon of orange zest and vanilla essence. Beat for another minute.

6. Add half the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Keeping the mixer on low speed, mix for few seconds until just combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed again until just combined. Do not over beat.

7. Fold the dried cranberries in the batter and pour into the prepared pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes or until fully baked. Turn the loaf pan once halfway through baking. Check the cake after 45-50 minutes, if you feel the surface of the cake is golden brown already and your cake is still raw from the center, using the oven mitts cover it carefully with aluminum foil to stop it from burning and let it bake further until completely baked. Keep checking every 5 mins inserting the skewer as each oven is different.

8. Let the cake sit in pan for 40 minutes to an hour before removing on the wire rack to cool completely.

9. For frosting, sift agave sugar and cornstarch through a fine sieve and ensure there are no lumps.

10. Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy. Add sifted sugar mix and beat on medium speed until fluffy and pale. Add vanilla and almond milk, mix again on medium speed until soft and well combined. Don’t overwork as the butter may separate.

11. Gently fold in the orange zest and spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Decorate with orange quarters, fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

COOK'S NOTES

• Erythritol sugar is an alternative sugar derived from sugar alcohols and is a good substitute for the regular sugar to keep your GI index in check.

• This recipe is suitable for people who are diabetic, allergic to gluten or following a Keto diet.

• Erythritol is used slightly more than the regular sugar because of its sweetness levels. So the ratio is, 1 cup regular sugar = 1 1/3 cup erythritol. It’s sugar level is generally 70% of the regular sugar. Hence, if you are using the above recipe and replacing it with regular sugar, please check the ratio and use accordingly.

• Monk fruit sugar or xylitol sugar can also be used instead of erythritol as a replacement for regular sugar. You may also combine the two sugars to sweeten the cake.

• You can enjoy this cake without frosting as well but the frosting makes it extra moist and gives it a depth of flavour and looks pretty with garnish at the same time.

• To make frosting, you may also use erythritol sugar instead. Blend the erythritol sugar into powder before using it for frosting.

• The cup measures used in the recipe above contains 250ml in a cup. Hence 1 cup = 250ml. Please use correct measurements for best results.

• Please ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature as it makes a huge difference in the texture of your cake and frosting.

• Cake can be kept for up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.