Oriyarasoi is on twitter !

Showing posts with label easy dessert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy dessert. Show all posts

Monday, November 9, 2015

Badam Phirni ( Diwali Collaboration with A Dollop Of That! )

The next recipe that I am sharing for the Diwali series is a rich creamy dessert from North India. Known as the phirni, it is basically rice paste cooked in saffron-cardamom flavoured milk and loaded with nuts. While I would have loved to do an Odia recipe (as some of you had requested), I am running short on time and energy as the vacations have started for my kid.


I picked this recipe as it reminds me of yet another Odia recipe known as the 'Gaintha' or 'Attakali'. It is a slightly rustic recipe that is made out of rice paste which is first cooked into a solid mass, broken down into small balls and then cooked in cardamom-peppercorn flavoured milk. To me, phirni always seems to a more glamorized version of the Attakali. My phirni recipe is a slightly more nuttier and richer version of the regular one as I have added almond paste to it while cooking.

Read on for the recipe - ( And do not forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post for another surprise by Parinazz of A Dollop of that !)


















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -


  • 5 heaped tbsp of any fragrant rice ( Basmati /Jeera/GobindoBhog )
  • 1/2 liter + 2/3 cup milk
  • 15-16 almonds
  • 4 heaped tsp sugar ( as per taste )
  • 2 pinch saffron strands
  • a pinch of cardamom powder
  • pistachios for garnishing
  • rose petals for garnishing


Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours. Grind into a smooth paste with 3-4 tsp milk. Dissolve in another 1/2 cup of milk.

Soak the almonds in hot water for 1 hour. Remove and peel them. Grind into a smooth paste with 2-3 tsp milk.

Soak saffron strands in 3-4 tbsp hot milk.

Cooking - Heat a wide mouthed nonstick saucepan. Add 4-5 tbsp water to it. This prevents milk from sticking to bottom and getting burnt.

Pour in the milk and bring it to boil on medium flame. Let it reduce by 1/3 rd.

Pour in the rice paste and cook with continuous stirring (preferably using a whisk) to prevent the formation of lumps. Do this for 7-8 mins. The mixture will become thick and take a creamy texture.

Then pour in the saffron milk (just remember to rub the strands with your fingers to get a deeper colour), sugar, almond paste and cardamom powder. Cook for 3-4 mins while stirring continuously.

Remove from the flame. Pour it into the serving bowls and pop it into the fridge.

Garnish with saffron strands, pistachios and rose petals. Serve chilled.


















Do not forget to check out these interesting recipes too !!






















Parinaaz's - Kesar Pista Biscuits









Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Amrakhand ( Mango Flavored Shrikhand )

It is the mango season and hence it is little wonder that the luscious fruit is making inroads into very possible dish that comes out of the kitchen. Mango rasam, mango rice, mango chicken curry, mango lassi, mango milkshake and even mango ice cream are some popular choices. So, it is hardly surprising when this wonder fruit became a part of Shrikhand, a yummy but easy to prepare dessert.

This is a very simple recipe and one can easily substitute sugar with sugarfree powder without compromising on the taste. Read on -



















Preparation Time - 10 mins ( plus 2-3 hours extra if not using greek/thick yogurt )

Ingredients -

  • 1 cup thick yogurt ( or 2 cups thin yogurt )
  • 1/2 cup grated ripe mango 
  • 2 tsp powdered sugar
  • a spinch of saffron
  • 3 tbsp roasted chiroli nuts

Preparation - If using thin curd, take it in a cheesecloth or muslin cloth. Gather into a bundle and hang in a cool place for 2-3 hours.

Take the thick curd in a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar and beat it to break any lumps. After 4-5 mins it will turn lighter and fluffier. At this point, add the mango pulp and mix in . 

Sprinkle the saffron and pop into the refrigerator for 1 hour atleast.

Whisk again before serving. Garnish with roasted chiroli nuts and serve chilled.



Monday, September 22, 2014

Safed Zarda

Zarda is a traditional Pakistani dessert that has rice cooked with spices, sugar syrup and milk solids (mawa). Usually it has yellow food coloring added to it but I have skipped it. Enriched with nuts, milk and milk solids, it is one healthy dessert. An interesting variant to the Indian 'Meethay Chawal' or 'Kanika' (Odia recipe).

Read on for the recipe -







Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup Basmati rice 
  • 4 tbsp Sugar
  • a few saffron starnds
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1 star anise
  • 1-2 strands of mace
  • 1-2 cloves
  • 1-2 green cardamoms
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1/2 cup khoya
  • 4 tbsp warm milk
  • 2-3 pinch salt (optional...not a part of the original recipe)


Preparation - Soak the saffron in the warm milk. 

Boil the sugar with 1/2 cup water till it reaches a thick (one string) consistency. Keep aside.

Cooking - Boil sufficient water for the rice. Add the spices, salt and the washed rice. Cook for 8-9 mins till it is almost done ( 90 % cooked ). Drain and keep aside.

Heat the ghee in a flat bottomed vessel. Add the cashews and raisins. Fry for 30 seconds. Add the rice, crumbled mawa, sugar syrup and milk along with the saffron strands. Cover tightly and cook on low flame for 5 mins. ( one can also place the covered vessel on a tawa to avoid the direct flame ). 

Remove from flame and keep aside for 10 mins before serving.





Monday, September 1, 2014

Milkmaid Coconut Laddoo

After the Ganapati festivities were over, I realized that I had quite a bit of leftover coconut in the fridge. But I was feeling a little bored of eating dosa/idli chutney every other day. And not being too fond of desiccated coconut, preserving it for later use was hardly an option. Then I remembered my 'bua' or father's sister making these Milkmaid laddoos during my childhood days. Those were the days of DD and there were hardly any cookery shows on the telly. She used to patiently note down the recipes from magazines or any other books if she found them interesting. And boy.....she had an amazing repertoire of recipes. I wondered what she would have done if she had the power of the internet at her disposal.

Coming back to the recipe, these laddoos are as simple as it can get. Made with just two ingredients, they are just plain addictive. Read on for the easy recipe -


















Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -


  • 3 cups grated coconut
  • 1 cup milkmaid (or any other condensed milk) (approx)
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut for rolling the laddoos (optional)


Cooking -  Heat a wok. Add the grated coconut and milkmaid. Keep stirring continuously till the mass begins to leave the sides of the wok. Remove and keep aside till it is bearable to touch.

Take small portions and shape into balls. Sprinkle the grated coconut on a plate or a working surface. Roll the balls lightly over the coconut. Keep in the fridge for half an hour to set.

Serve cold or at room temperature.


Note - These stay fresh up to one week when refrigerated.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Shakarkand ka halwa (sweet potato halwa)

Shakarkand or sweet potato is a rich source of fiber with almost twice as much fiber as compared to other potato varieties. Thus they are digested slowly and do not spike sugar levels as is the popular belief. Also they are rich in Beta-carotene, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. They are also loaded with manganese. All there nutrients make it good for the heart/arteries, regulating sugar levels and ofcourse a low-cost 'beauty food'. Yup, it is the combination of Beta-carotene, Vitamins C and E which go into the making of the beauty capsules for hair, skin and nails.

I like to have boiled sweet potato as an evening snack at times or even make it into a sweet-sour gravy. But very recently that I go to know that it can be made into a delicious halwa. This is Tarla Dalal's recipe which I have followed with some minor changes. This halwa is also consumed on fasting days especially during the ongoing Shravan month.







Preparation time - 20 mins ( including 10 mins standby )

Ingredients -


  • 1 medium sized sweet potato
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp ghee
  • 2-3 tsp chopped dry fruits ( almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts )
  • a pinch of saffron
  • 3 tsp sugar ( or to taste...I prefer less )


Preparation -  Wash and clean the sweet potato. Boil in a pressure cooker ( with 1 cup water )for 3-4 whistles . Keep aside till steam escapes. Peel and grate it.

Cooking - Heat the ghee in a wok. Add the nuts and fry for a minute. Remove and keep aside.
Add the grated sweet potato and fry till it is a little brown.

Add the milk, saffron and sugar at this stage. Mix till the milk is absorbed and it forms a creamy mixture. It should start leaving the sides of the wok once it is done. Finally add the nuts and remove from flame.

Garnish with a few strands of saffron and nuts. Serve hot or cold ( both taste good ).



Thursday, May 15, 2014

Fruit Halwa

Apples and Bananas. Most kids love them. So why not use the flavors (and the goodness) of these fruits to transform a regular halwa into something rather special. Quite easy to make, it adds the right amount of zing to your child's meal. Garnish it in a fun manner and even the most picky of children will come back asking for more.

Read on for the recipe -






Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup semolina/suji,
  • 3-4 tbsp apple puree
  • 1 ripe banana (mashed but with a few chunks left)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tsp ghee


Cooking - Heat a frying pan. Add 1 tsp ghee. Roast the semolina on the pan till it darkens in color. Remove and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a wok. Add the mashed banana and apple puree and cook for a 3-4 minutes.

Boil the water and apple juice in a separate pan/wok. Add sugar and roasted semolina to it. After 1 minute add the apple-banana mixture and mix in.

Stir the contents for 3-4 minutes on a low to medium flame till a viscous mixture is formed (this will harden further on cooling). Stir in the remaining ghee.

Allow to cool down slightly and then fill into molds. Remove from mold when ready to serve.

Serve warm or chilled. (Garnish with sliced fruits if desired.)



















Note - One can try this with other fruits like pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, mango, etc. But some fruits lose a bit of their flavor while coking so do add a little essence/juice to make up for it.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Caramel Custard

Caramel Custard is one gorgeous looking pudding which can also be quite low on the calorie meter. The soft layer of caramelized or slightly burnt sugar on top lends it a somewhat bitter yet distinct taste (quite like a tofee but little bitter ). A sure shot winner when served at sit down dinners, this one is surprisingly easy to prepare ( and ridiculously low-budget too ).

While the original calls for the use of eggs, I used the Brown & Polson Custard powder ( Vanilla flavour ) which is an egg-free formula. And as my readers already know, I am not into fancy molds/ramekins. So, I opted for a simple steel bowl or katori ( one can find them in all indian homes ) and it turned out quite well. With a whole lot of designs cropping up in the steel dinnerware, one can easily find square, oval or even flower shaped katoris.

I opted a pressure cooker ( with a stand inside ) for cooking the pudding. If you do not have one of these stands, use a raised steel/iron mesh ( the kind that is used to avoid putting a hot kadhai/vessel directly on the table ). Read on for the recipe:

















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients - 3 cups boiled milk, 6 tbs milk powder, 3 tsp custard powder, 6 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup sugar for caramelizing, butter for greasing the bowls/molds.

Preparation - Lightly grease the bowls with butter. Dissolve the custard powder in 1/2 cup slightly warm milk.

Cooking - Heat the 1/2 cup sugar in a thick bottomed pan on a low heat. Stir at regular intervals. It will turn melt and turn golden brown. You can allow it to turn a few shades darker ( if you like a little bitterness ) but remove it from flame when it is just short of starting to smoke.

Pour into the bowls and swirl gently to cover the bottom of the bowls. Allow to stand and solidify .

Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan. Remove some of the milk to another cup, add milk powder, mix well and pour back into the saucepan. Add sugar and dissolve.

Pour the milk-custard powder mix into the saucepan slowly with continuous stirring. Cook for 3-4 minutes till it thickens. Carefully adjust heat to avoid burning the bottom contents of the pan. Remove from flame and pour into the bowls/molds.

Put a stand inside a wide mouthed pressure cooker. Place the bowls inside it and pour water gently so that the bowls are half immersed. Remove the weight and put on the lid of pressure cooker.

Cook on medium flame for 15 minutes. Switch off burner and allow to stand for another 5-10 minutes.

Open lid and remove the bowls. Insert a knife in the center and if it comes out clean, pudding is done. Else cook for another 4-5 minutes.

To unmold, run a knife around the sides of the bowl. Place a plate on top of each bowl and turn over carefully. The pudding will come out nice and wobbly. Pour the remaining caramel sauce over it.

Serve right away or chill if for 2-3 hours before serving.





Sunday, February 13, 2011

Lauki ki Burfi ( Lau burfi )






















Cooking Time Required: 15-18 mins
Cost of preparation: 15-20 mins


Ingredients:

  • 2 cups lauki/bottle gourd pulp
  • 1-2 tbsp sugar (adjust as per taste)
  • 2 tsp ghee  
  • 1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
  • 4-5 almonds


Preparation: Ground the lau into a smooth paste in a mixer-grinder. Do not throw away any excess water.

Cooking: Heat 1/ tsp in a wok. Cut the almonds into small pieces and add to the wok. Fry lightly and remove from wok.

Pour the remaining ghee into the wok. Add the lau/lauki paste. Cook till the ghee leaves the sides of the wok ( takes about 8-10 mins ).

Add the sugar and condensed milk at this stage . Cook for 2-3 mins till the sugar gets dissolved.
Add the fried almonds and remove from the fire. Allow to cool down slightly.

Take a steel thali/plate and spread the paste into a uniform layer having a thickness between 5-8 mm. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove from the fridge and cut into desired shape. Serve .

Note : This makes for 4-5 burfis.

Featured Post

Green Papaya Laddoos (SugarFree recipe)

Mom is undoubtedly the dessert specialist at home. God forbid, if she takes to blogging, she could give a lot of folks a run for their mone...