Life 'n' Such

Today we are making doodhi ka halwa. I am learning how to make it from my MIL.

Ingredients:

2 large doodhis,
3-4 cups of sugar,
about 1 or 2 cups milk,
3-4 tbsp fresh cream (malai),
2 tbsp ghee
for garnishing: cashews cut in halves (sliced lengthwise)

Method:

I peeled, grated the doodhi (2 big ones), core removed because of the seeds.

Now put it in a large pot (non-stick preferably) and put about 3 cups sugar for 2 large doodhis. Put lots of malai, ghee, and milk.

I think the milk will curdle to form little balls.

Cook on high heat for sometime stirring constantly. Towards the end, when all the liquid has evaporated, it will start looking shiny, and the ghee will separate out. That’s when its done.

Stir in the cashews. Yummy! One of my favorites!

This can be relished hot or cool.

No Comments | In: Dessert, Food, Indian, Kashmiri, Other, Recipes | | #

Past few days, I have been just hogging away! Brain’s dead, no warnings or realization of consequences. Just eat, eat, eat, and eat.

One of the devil dishes I had was Rabdi (pronounced ‘ra-buh-dee’). Its just milk which is basically boiled down to be 1/4 th its original volume (think Fat, yeah, thats it). Add some sugar, some dry fruits, some cardomom, some saffron, and you get good old fashioned Rabdi. Best eaten chilled. Complements so well with fresh fruits, gulab jamuns, maal-puas, jalebis, etc etc.

Its so good, its just evil (though I would describe the taste as pure heaven)

Oh by the way, incase you are wondering where is the recipe, thats it. Let the milk come to a boil, and then on simmer, keep stirring occasionally, taking care, you do not burn the bottom. Then do the rest, as I mentioned above.

Enjoy!

Thanks Madhu Aunty!

Note: Jitendra Store at Goregaon (a small suburb in Mumbai city), on S.V. Road near the railway station has great Rabdi in little earthern pots. Though, they also mix in fresh fruits, dry fruits and mini rasgullas in it. Yumm!

No Comments | In: Dessert, Food, Indian, Other | | #

Dried apricot and almond

= Cookie? Nah.. I dont think so.

I read on MSN’s website somewhere that it tastes like a cookie, but it so does not taste like a cookie. A cookie is a cookie. No replacement.

BUT, what they suggested does not taste bad. A pulpy dry fruit, and a nut is always a good combo.

Like Raisins and walnuts, that tastes good together.

Fresh Pineapple and fresh avocado is my absolute favorite. I love the sweet, tangy, and crunchy taste of pineapple and the smooth creamy bland taste of avocado together. I think I have written about it earlier too.

Good for snack or dessert time.

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Marie Biscuits dipped in Nutella

= Pure ‘Nutty Chocolate-y Heaven’

The end. Thats the recipe.

So what are you waiting for… go get a pack for Marie biscuits ( or Graham cracker like cookies in US), open a jar of Nutella, dip and indulge.

p.s. I am doing it all day today, But I have a warning, excess of anything is bad… so Indulge, but in moderation.

Note: Nutella is made with hazelnuts.

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Thanks Fauzia for the amazing Hareesa brunch last week. We went into an Hareesa coma after we got home. And oh the smoothie she made… we were thinking about it all week!

We went out and got a new blender, as our old one croaked a couple months back, and we were just too lazy to get a new one. This smoothie, got our tushes off the couch, and we went shopping, came back with a new blender, and as the title says, lots of fruits (fresh, frozen, canned)

And guess what there is no right or wrong way to do this. You make it however you like. Use all the ingredients listed below, or a few…

So here is Fauzia’s recipe.

Ingredients:

Dole Tropical mixed fruit can,
Dole Pineapple chunks in pineapple juice can,
Cranberry juice,
Mango pulp,
Mixed frozen fruit (mangoes, peaches, grapes, strawberries, etc)
Frozen blueberries (I used a mixed bag of berries; but using only blue berries will make the color darker, and taste sweeter too)

Method:

Put about 1/2 cup each (approximately) of all of the above ingredients in the blender, and blend away. Customize to your preference.

Nice, huh?

In India, street vendors, sell juice, and this smoothie reminded me of the Cocktail juice they make. Dark purply, thick consistency. I actually took a picture of this before we guzzled it all down.

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Why did’nt I try this sooner??????????? Mrs. Vanard (Jeanie) had an accident and had to have surgery recently, and we visit her weekly. The last time I was there, she gave me some bittersweet baking chocolate. And the package had a recipe for chocolate mousse, she told me to try that.

It is so simple, please go bring the chocolate and try it for this weekend and wow your friends.

Ingredients:

3 squares bittersweet baking chocolate,
1 (8 oz) whipped topping (I used Kraft Cool Whip)
Method:

First melt the chocolate squares in a microwaveable bowl for about 1-2 mins, whisking every 45 secs. When it is completely melted, add about 1/2 cup whipped topping and blend well. Finally blend the remaining cool whip gently. Dont be shocked, the final quantity is lesser than the container of your cool whip (because the hot chocolate melts the cool whip you added initially … I know sucks right!)

That’s it, mix well and refrigerate (half an hour is enough, I know I couldnt wait longer either!)

Enjoy!!

Last weekend I was in Ikea, and I ate their Chocolate Overload cake (for a slice, I had to burn a hole in the husband’s pocket, but oh so totally worth it!). It was layers of chocolate cake and chocolate mousse. Yumm!! I am tempted to try making it at home with this mousse.

2 Comments | In: Dessert, Food, Other, Recipes | | #

When I was in elementary school, one of our neighbors were from Gujarat, western part of India. She used to make this dessert made with 3 commonly found ingredients in Indian houses. Ofcourse you could jazz it up with dry fruits and stuff. But I am so lazy, I just stuck to the basic ingredients. This is my mother’s recipe for making gud papdi, which I am guessing she picked it up from our neighbor.
Not only is it delicious, and good for you, kids genuinely like to eat it. And they dont know its a healthy dessert. Shhhhhhhhh, lets just keep that to ourselves!

Here it goes.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour (smooth texture), 1 cup
jaggery (gud), 3/4 cup grated
unsalted butter or ghee 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

Optional:

white poppy seeds (khus khus) about 1 tbsp
slivered almonds for garnish

Method:

Keep a small tray or a deep dish ready, but greasing the bottom with a non-stick spray or ghee. I used a 8X8 inch square glass pan.
Start by heating up the ghee/butter. Then add the flour to this. Roast on medium high flame till you get a sweet smell, and the color looks like a deeper tan/golden red.

When its nicely roasted. Turn off the heat, and add the jaggery to this. Quickly mix it.

Then put this in the greased pan, and flat it out with a spatula, or with the bottom of a smooth bowl.

Cut into little pieces, and let it cool thoroughly.

I read somewhere this stores well for upto 15 days.

Note: I made a small mistake, I got bored grating the gud, so I just put it in a ziplock bag and broke it up in small pieces with rolling pin. But later when I was mixing it in with the roasted flour it would not evenly mix in. So, next time, take the effort, and grate it!!

2 Comments | In: Dessert, Food, Indian, Recipes | | #

I never ever ever could make halwa, but tonight, inspired by a recipe I saw on YouTube, from Vahchef which is very much like my Turkish Un (flour) Halwa recipe, I finally did it!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ghee  (I used 1 stick unsalted butter),
1 cup suji (use fine, but coarse works too – suji is basically cream of wheat)
1 cup sugar (more or less, depending on taste – start with less, you can always add more at the end)
2 3/4 cup milk + water (1 3/4 milk, 1 cup water) – cold
almonds slivered (cut length wise) (optional: cashews, raisins, pistachios, etc)
saffron soaked in warm water (few pinches of saffron)

Method:

I started by roasting the almonds in the butter, till they were about pinkish in color. Then I added the suji. On low – med heat, I roasted the suji for a long long time (my mother and Rudaba aunty say that when you get the sweet smell, then its done). Since I have a blocked nose tonight, I went by the color, so look for pink-tan color. (I almost burnt it, so be careful).

Then, after its nicely roasted, add the sugar, mix quickly, and pour the cold milk water mixture slowly, while stirring constantly.

Let it come to a boil, then reduce the flame/heat to medium. Add the saffron soaked in water now. Let it cook, till it reaches the consistency you like (dont make it really dry, let it be little gooey). When most of the liquid evaporates. Put a lid over the pan, and turn off the heat, and leave it like that for about 5-8 minutes.

That’s it, its ready. Serve hot!!

Note: You can freeze this. Just while serving, thaw completely, and microwave till its nice and hot.

No Comments | In: Dessert, Indian, Recipes | | #

For information on Chocolate Truffles, Buffalo wrap, and more, keep reading.  I promise, it wont be a waste of your time.
CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES:
The best Chocolate truffles I have ever eaten, were introduced to me by Vanessa, my friend. Thanks Vanessa, you are the best!!

They are not exactly made of dark chocolate, but they have such a rich taste, that they feel as if they are dark chocolate!! A couple days back, we got some, they had a raspberry filling in the center. Ohhh!!! So GOOD!!!

Now, that I have got you drooling, you want to know where do I get these fabulous truffles from. Well, here you go. This is their address and Website.

411 East Main Street, Kent, OH 44240, Tel: (330) 673-9244.

http://www.stahlskentbakery.com/ 

They close early; also they only have the truffles when the weather is cooler. But I am sure, the nice lady there will make some for you if you pre order them.

BUFFALO WRAP

I had heard that Yours Truly restaurant in Hudson downtown is great, but in the last 8 years I have been in Kent, I never went there. So, once when we were passing Hudson downtown on our way back from someplace, absolutely hungry may I add, we decided to give it a go. Firstly I must say its always crowded. You almost have to wait every time. But I must say its absolutely worth it!! They have very friendly waitresses, the food is great, the ambiance is homely. You are in for a good time, all in all.

I always get the Buffalo chicken wrap, it comes with Bleu cheese dressing I think. Its just awesome!!!

You want to go there tonight huh??

Here is the address and the website.

36 South Main Street
Hudson, Ohio  44236
Tel: (330) 650-2900

http://www.ytr.com/Default.htm

They are a chain in North East Ohio, so, you may find one near your house.
Ok, dear friends, That’s all I have for you today. Next time, I will be back with another interesting post. Till then, Ta Ta!

No Comments | In: Appetizer/Snack, Dessert, Food, Interesting stuff | | #

I made the cheesecake last night( recipe here ).

The only thing I would suggest doing is spraying the bottom of the pan, with a Pam Non Stick cooking spray, or just applying oil.

The crust was practically stuck, and so it was hard to scoop it out. But other than that, oh… it was sooo good! You have to try it out, this recipe beats the Cheesecake factory’s pricey cheesecake’s a%$!!!

No Comments | In: Dessert, Food, Recipes | | #