Khajoor Ka Halwa.. Dates Halwa.

Khajoor Ka Halwa is an a very yummy sweet dish, which can be made easily at home and relish with vanilla ice cream. The combination of dates and dry fruits are to die for and can be stored in the fridge for a week or 2. All you need is just a handful of ingredients to make this delicious halwa. Do try and let me know.

Ingredient's.

1/2kg dates (dry one's)

1+1/2 cup of sugar

1 cup dry fruits (almond,cashew,raisin)

1/2 ghee.

Cooking Method.

Soak the dates over night. Then de seed them and grind to a course paste.

In a deep frying pan add the ghee, when the ghee is hot, fry all the dry fruits to golden brown and set it aside.

Now in the same deep frying pan add the ground dates paste and fry till it becomes dry, then add sugar and dry fruits, again fry the halwa till it becomes completely dry and ghee starts floating on top..

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Dry Fruits And Coconut Kulfi.

Dry Fruits And Coconut Kulfi. Today I'm here with another delicious yet easy kulfi recipe which will leave you speechless after eating this kulfi.. As I have mentioned in my last post that its getting hot in Bangalore and to beat the heat, I just feel like eating kulfi everytime, be it a lunch or dinner. So I'm stocking up my refrigerator with lots and lots of kulfi for upcoming days too.. Since this recipe takes less time and even less ingredients, so why not make and stock up.. Do try and let me know!!

Ingredient's.

1/2 Litre milk

2 pods cardamom

2 tbsp finely chopped almonds, cashews, pista

2 tbsp desicated coconut

2 tbsp fresh cream/malai

1/4 cup sugar.

Cooking Method.

Heat a milk in pan, allow it to boil. Add the cream to the boiling milk. Boil the milk on a medium flame until it reduce to half. keep stirring in between. Once the milk is reduce to half. Now add the chopped dry fruits, sugar and cardamom and allow it to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Then switch off the flame and let the kulfi mixture comes to a room temperature.

Now pour the kulfi mixture into kulfi moulds and cover the top and freeze them for at least 6 to 7 hours or overnight is the best.

Take the kulfi out and by dipping into the water demould the kulfi.

Serve and enjoy.

Almond Matka Kulfi.

Almond Matka Kulfi. The mornings are quite cold but the afternoons are getting hot in Bangalore and to beat the heat why not try this easy bezzy Almond Matka Kulfi and make your children's holiday more special. This kulfi can be made with very less ingredients which every house will have easily in their pantry. Instead of going out and spending money on ice creams, you can make this kulfi at home with no hole in your pocket..That means happy and healthy day with family. Do try and let me know!!

Ingredient's.

1/2 Litre milk

2 pods cardamom

4 tbsp finely chopped almonds

2 tbsp fresh cream/malai

1/4 cup sugar.

Cooking Method.

Heat a milk in pan, allow it to boil. Add the cream to the boiling milk. Boil the milk on a medium flame until it reduce to half. keep stirring in between. Once the milk is reduce to half. Now add the chopped almonds, sugar and cardamom and allow it to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Then switch off the flame and let the kulfi mixture comes to a room temperature.

Now pour the kulfi mixture to a washed mud pots (they are also called as a matka) and cover the top with foil paper and freeze them for at least 6 to 7 hours or overnight is the best.

Take the matka kulfi out, Serve and enjoy.

Almond Biscotti.

Almond Biscotti. I have tired baking this in India also many times but when I baked the same biscotti again here I don't know some how they taste better and they look better may be because of the different oven. My hubby surprised me by finishing it all in 2days even I ate more then 3 and it was tasting awesome. He was telling me that I have wasted so much of money buying cookies, biscuits from outside, this taste better then that and I would love to have this in my lunch box as a evening snacks... Omg I was on the could nine when he told me that because it is little hard to convince my H when it comes to food.. This yummy and crunchy biscotti which goes very well with tea or a coffee..

Ingredient's.

2 cups of plain flour

2 large eggs

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1tsp baking powder

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp orange zest

3/4 cup roasted alomnds

1/2 cup black raisin.

Baking Method.

Pre-heat the oven 180c for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl add flour and baking powder and mix them nicely. roughly chop the alomonds and mix it with flour and set it aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar beat untill light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla essence and orange zest beat for another 2 to 3minutes

Then mix in the dry ingredients and beat untill the dry ingredients are well mixed.

On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a log about 14 inches long and 3-4 inches wide. Transfer to baking tray and bake for 30-40 mins. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 mins.

Then cut into slices 1/2 inch thick diagonally and arrange evenly on baking tray. Bake for 10 mins on each side (until they are firm). Remove from oven and cool.

Store them into airtight container.

Kesar Shrikhand. (Low Calorie Yogurt Dessert)

Kesar Shrikhand is healthy Indian dessert made from strained curd. This is a low calorie, rich and creamy yogurt. Shrikhand is generally flavoured with saffron, cardamom and dry fruits even it is served with fresh fruits or as a standalone dessert... I was not knowing what is shrikhand and how it taste, I had heard about it but never tasted before I meet my H, I still remember that day when he had got a pack of Haldiram's shrikhand and I told him that why did you get such a expensive curd, you should have just bought a pack of curd which will not cost more then 10rs. He look at me and said you don't know what is this? and I told him yes ofcourse I know this some weird color curd. He started laughing and said this is shrikhand my dear and I can't belive you have still not tasted this and my reaction was ohhh this is shrikhand from then I know what is shrikhand and how it taste like..

I made this dessert last week and it tasted better then the store bought and I did not get the perfect color of saffron while I was taking pictures and I did take the pictures soon just because I knew that it will be over and I was not sure when I will make this dessert again.. After 2 hours I had got the perfect saffron color and it was looking beautiful... Do try this wonderful low fat dessert and serve as you like...

Ingredient's.

2 cups yogurt

1/2 cup powdered sugar (add more if you like)

10 to 15 saffron strands

3tbsp finely chopped dry fruits (pistachio, almond, raisin and cashew)

2tsp milk

Pinch of cardamom powder.

Method.

Spread clean muslin cloth on a big plate. Place yogurt in the center. Wrap and tightly tie muslin cloth.

Hang yogurt for 2 to 3 hours or until all water is drained off from yogurt. It should become very thick.

After that untie muslin cloth and transfer thick strained yogurt to bowl.

Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well until smooth.

Dissolve saffron in milk and add it to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Then refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hour before serving.

Garnish it with dry fruits nuts and serve chilled.

Rasmalai..

Rasmalai is a very famous milk-based dessert of India.This dessert is rich in its texture, flavour & can be made easily by everyone at home. I had made this Rasmalai along with few more sweets on Diwali to impress my hubby and his college close friend and his wife. As I have mention in my earlier post that this is my hubby first diwali away from home, that to in a unknown country. Thank god we had his friend family and little kid to make it even more special, we really had a blast and never felt like we are not in india... I can easily count this diwali into one of the most memorable day of my life..

 Ingredient's For Paneer

5cups whole milk

2tbsp sugar

1tbsp lemon juice

4cups water.

Ingredient's For Rasmalai (milk mixture)

4cups whole milk

1cup sugar

10 to 15 saffron strands

1/4cup chopped almond and pistachio (for garnishing).

Cooking Method For Paneer.

Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice slowly and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.

Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth or muslin cloth.

Wrap the curd in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.

To take out the excess water squeeze the cloth till all the water has come out.

Once the paneer is drained, place on a dry, clean surface and knead the paneer for 3-4 minutes until the paneer is almost rolls into smooth soft dough.

Knead the paneer by dragging the palm of your hand hard on the paneer. Keep scooping it back to together and knead more. 

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and roll them in smooth balls.

Mix the sugar and water in a pressure cooker on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the paneer balls and close the pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts steaming, turn the heat to medium and cook for about seven minutes.

Make sure the cooker is large enough to accommodate the (rasgullas), as they will expand to about double in the volume while cooking in the syrup!

Close the heat and wait a few minutes before opening the pressure cooker.

Then take out the rasgulla from the syrup and squeeze them lightly,and keep aside.

Cooking Method For Rasmalai (milk mixture)

Boil the milk, sugar and saffron strands in a deep frying pan on medium heat until the milk reduce to about 2 cups.

Make sure to frequently stir the milk as the milk burns easily in bottom of the pan.

Once the milk is ready, switch off the flame, then add the rasmalai into milk. and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours

Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.

Rasmalai is ready to serve.

Serve the Rasmalai chilled.

Choba Ki Poori..(Diwali Snacks)

Choba Ki Poori.. You can call them as a (Big Gujia). choba ki poori method is same as gujia but without khova and they are big in size. This is muslim family recipe, they cook this on special occasions like marriage. From a bride side they have to cook this and send it to the grooms house before the day of marriage.. There are many other occasions we cook this if I start then I don't think one post will be enough to tell every thing.

This is my Husband's first Diwali away from home and I don't want him to miss anything because of that only I'm trying my best to make him not to miss anything. I cook gujia very often as he loves to eat them , but this time I wanted to try out something new for him so I thought of this recipe and it turn out to be tasty and he loved it. This is not the only thing, I have lots of plans and many dishes to cook. Hoping for the best :-)

Happy Diwali to my all blog readers and to my friends. May god bless you all with lots of happiness and many more years like this with your family and friends :-)

Ingredient's For Filling.

100gm dry coconut

1+1/2 sugar

1/4cup dry fruits (almonds, raisin, pistachio and cashew)

Ingredient's For Poori.

2 cups of maida

2tbsp ghee/oil

Water (to make a dough)

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method For Filling.

Grate the dry coconut.

Chop the almonds, cashew and pistachio into vertical small pieces.

In a vessel, add sugar, grated coconut and all the dry fruits. Give them a nice mix and set it aside. 

Filling is ready.

Cooking Method For Poori's.

Mix maida and ghee. 

Now add water and make dough.

Take small amount of dough and make a small chapatti, put the filling, apply water to the corners of chapatti and fold it giving a semi- circular shape. Press the corners of the puri with your nails.

In a deep frying pan heat oil, and deep fry the pooris to golden brown. Take out on to a paper towel.

Choba Poori is ready to serve.

Store them into Airtight container for more then a week..

Instant Almond Chocolate..

Instant Almond Chocolate!!! After getting a new laptop my life has again become so easy, I can't forget those 3days without laptop how i survived :) Though I din't get all my data back but still what ever I got i'm happy with it. To celebrate my happiness i made this almond chocolate at home.. This picture i had taken in India so only i din't bother to take a new picture again...

Coming back to the recipe, this is a easy to make chocolate at home of your choice and shape.. All you have to do is just melt chocolate with some almonds and put it into a mould of your choice and refrigerate for 2 to 3hours and delicious chocolate is ready to eat...

Ingredient's

250 gram chocolate (of your choice)

50gram finely chopped Almonds

2tbsp unsalted butter.

Method.

Take the chocolate bar and chop it finely, set it aside.

In a non-stick pan add butter, melt the butter on a very slow flame, when the butter is melted. Then add chopped chocolate and almonds and wait till the chocolate is melted completely. (You can even melt the chocolate in a double boiler also)

Then allow the chocolate to come to room temperature and pour the chocolate mixture to moulds and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours..

Delicious chocolate is ready. Store them in a airtight container and Enjoy..

Oats And Almonds Cookies..

Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber. This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. One component of the soluble fibre found in oats is beta-glucans, a soluble fiber which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Here's how it works. Soluble fiber breaks down as it passes through the digestive tract, forming a gel that traps some substances related to cholesterol, such as cholesterol-rich bile acids. This entrapment reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Oats and grains are also one of the best sources of compounds called tocotrienols. These are antioxidants which together with tocopherols form vitamin E. Source from Eat More Oats.

Ingredient's
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 egg, 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

1tsp coca powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Baking Method
Preheat the oven to 175C/375F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine egg and sugar and beat until creamy. Add melted butter and vanilla and stir until well combined. Set aside. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, coca powder, baking powder and chopped almonds. Then combine wet and dry ingredients and mix it well.
Drop teaspoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches space between the drops. Place one full almond on the cookies, (for the better look). Bake for about 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
Let cool completely on wire rack, before storing in airtight container.

Merry Christmas...Vanilla & Almonds Muffins

Yooo.... It's Christmas time. Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends and readers. Whenever i think of Christmas, only one thing comes to my mind is lots of colors, celebration , shopping , gifting, baking and baking... This time i have planned to celebrate Christmas very simple, may be i will go out for dinner with my hubby or I will cook something never tried before at home. I am saving my celebration to have blast on New Year eve.

Ingredient
1 cup of all purpose flour
80 gm unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg, 2 pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp Almond flakes
2-3 tbsp tooty frooty

Baking Method
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180c. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat till it becomes light and creamy, add in egg, vanilla essence and milk, mix well till it becomes fluffy. In a separate mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, salt, tooty frooty, mix them together nicely. Now add the mixed flour into the wet ingredients, beat till all the ingredients are combined well.

The batter should not be too thick neither too thin. Grease the muffin cup with butter. Now fill the muffin cups till half with batter and then add a layer of almonds flakes. On top of it add some more batter. Then bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 180c. Allow it to cool in room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before taking it out from the tray. Serve warm or cold. In this batter you can make 6 to 8 muffins.