Palada Payasam

Palada Payasam (Pressure cooker method) – A delicious dessert  in Kerala cuisine, made of rice ada, milk and sugar !!

Makes: 10 – 12 dessert cups

Ingredients

½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) Double Horse Rice ada (available @ all supermarkets)

1 litre boiled milk (do not dilute with water)

1 cup / 200 ml / 8 oz (Indian standard measuring cup) sugar (or ¾ cup – 1 cup)

2 pinches cardamom powder

Method

Wash and clean rice ada in normal water.  Soak rice ada in 2 cups of hot water for half an hour. Ada will be double in volume. Drain out water.

Transfer soaked ada in a pressure cook with 1 litre boiled milk and pressure cook for 2 quick whistles. Switch off pressure cooker. Do not open the lid immediately. Allow the cooker to cool naturally.

Open the pressure cooker lid. Add ¾ to 1 cup (or to taste) sugar and mix well. Cover with a normal lid and boil on a low heat for another 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Now the palada is thick and creamy in consistency. Switch off the heat and keep aside to cool for half hour. Sprinkle cardamom powder.  Serve warm or cool.

Kadala Parippu Payasam

Kadala Parippu Payasam / Bengal Gram Payasam – A delicious payasam (dessert) in Kerala cuisine and Konkan cuisine (Chone dali galnu paaysu) !!

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Please use same measuring  cup to measure kadala parippu, water and coconut milk.

Here I used Indian standard measuring cup of ½ cup / 100 ml / 4 oz capacity.

100 ml / 4 oz / kadala parippu  (chana dal / Split Bengal gram)

4 cups water (100 ml + 100 ml + 100 ml +100 ml water)

200 ml coconut milk (dilute 25 g Maggi coconut milk in 2  cups of water(100 ml + 100 ml). Stir well and make a smooth solution)

4 – 6 tablespoon melted and sieved jaggery

2 pinches cardamom powder

Shallow fried  6 cashew nut splits and 6 raisins (In a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon ghee. Gently shallow fry cashew nut splits until golden color on a low heat.  Remove and keep aside. Next gently  shallow fry raisins until golden color on a low heat. Remove and keep aside).

Method

Wash and soak kadala parippu in 4 cups of water for 2 hours. Cook dal in a pressure cooker with soaked water for 25 minutes until done and soft (reduce the heat after 3 quick whistles and  cook on a  medium heat for 20 minutes). Do not open the pressure cooker lid immediately.  Allow the pressure cooker to cool naturally.

Transfer boiled kadala parippu in a non stick sauce pan / or any another bowl and add 200 ml coconut milk. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes.

Now add 4 – 6 tablespoon (or to taste) melted and sieved jaggery. Mix well. Cover again and cook on a low heat for another 10 minutes. Switch off the heat. Keep aside  to  cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle cardamom powder and decorate with shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins. Consume after 1 hour. Then it will absorb all the flavours. Serve as a dessert.

Here's the recipe link of '' How to make melted and sieved jaggery''. This recipe link is very useful for jaggery related dishes.

Sujir Payesh

Sujir Payesh / Sooji Kheer / Rawa Kheer – A delicious and quick dessert /  payesh / kheer in Bengali cuisine !!

Serves: 4 – 6 small dessert cups

Ingredients

500 ml milk / 1/2 litre

2 tablespoon sooji (rawa / semolina)

4 – 5 tablespoon sugar

2 pinches cardamom powder

Lightly fried 6 cashew nut splits cashew nuts and 6 raisins (optional)

Method

In a bowl, boil milk. Do not dilute milk with water.

Add sooji. Mix well. Cover with a lid  and boil  on a low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until sooji well cooked and slightly thickens.

At this stage, add sugar and boil again for another 5 minutes on a low heat. Switch off the heat and keep aside to cool for half an hour. Then sprinkle cardamom powder. Mix well. Serve warm or cool.

Decorate with lightly fried cashew nut splits and raisins.

Caramelized Bananas

Caramelized Bananas

A tasty dessert, made of ripe bananas and caramelized sugar. Serve as a  dessert  or with vanilla ice cream / pan cakes …

Serves: 3 small serving cups / dessert cups

How To Caramelize Sugar ?

Here's the recipe of Rich fruit cake made of caramel syrup.

Ingredients

Please use same measuring cup to measure sugar and water.

100 ml (1/2 cup / 4 oz) sugar (Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity)

115 ml (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) water

Short method

 Heat a heavy bottomed kadai on a medium heat. Add 100 g sugar and spread well. Do not stir.

When it melts (smooth and clear solution and there won’t be any sugar crystals), color changes from yellow to dark brown. Approximate time for this process (till melting on a low to medium heat) 15 - 20 minutes.

Do not stir or shake the kadai / pan. Switch off the heat and please wait for 2 minutes. Maintain a safe distance from the gas stove when mixing with water. Gently add 100 ml + 1 tablespoon (115 ml) hot water. Do not stir now. Keep aside for 1/2 hour. You will get a clear syrup of 70 - 80 ml.  Do not use thick sugar crystal. 

Collect clear sugar syrup and boil again on a low heat for another 10 - 12 minutes. Caramelize sugar syrup is ready now (quantity will reduce and it will become thick syrup / approximately 50 – 60 ml thick syrup, like honey). Switch off the heat and keep aside.

For the bananas:

3 teaspoon butter

3 ripe bananas, cut into ½  - inch roundels

3 teaspoon sugar

Method

Heat butter in a non stick pan on a low heat. Arrange banana roundels carefully and sprinkle sugar. Gently stir fry on a low to medium  heat for 10 – 12 minutes until light golden color and sugar melts.

Final presentation:

Gently arrange shallow fried golden bananas on a serving plate and pour thick sugar syrup over it or serve in separate dessert bowls.

Mouhalabieh

Mouhalabieh

A very delicious milk pudding in Lebanese / Middle Eastern cuisine, made of milk, fresh cream, corn flour paste, sugar and dry fruits. Recipe from BBC Good Food India, October, 2012 !!!

Serves: 3 - 4

Ingredients

2 cups / 400 ml boiled milk (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

3 tablespoon fresh cream (or 100 g)

4 tablespoon sugar (or 100 g)

1 teaspoon corn flour (or 30 g)

1 tablespoon cold water

10 g blossom water or rose water or vanilla extract or orange extract

3 teaspoon any type of dry fruits (or 50 g pistachio flakes, peeled)

Method

In a non stick pan, heat the milk, fresh cream and sugar on a low heat stirring from time to time, bringing it to a gentle simmer.

Mix the corn flour with little cold water to get a thick paste, add to the milk mixture slowly whilst constantly whisking.

The milk mixture will thicken, add the blossom water or vanilla extract and stir thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into serving cups and place in the refrigerator to set (approximate time 2 - 4 hours).

When set, sprinkle with dry fruits or pistachio flakes and serve immediately.

Kakkambi / Ponsa Gharayi / Jackfruit Kheer

Kakkambi / Ponsa Gharai / Gharayi / Jackfruit kheer / Pradhaman

A delicious dessert in Konkani cuisine, made of ripe jackfruit bulbs, thick and thin coconut milk, rice flour and jaggery !!

Color of the kheer may varies from the color of the jagger (yellow / dark yellow and brown).

Serves: 6 dessert cups

Ingredients

350 ml thin coconut milk (reserve 50 ml)

80 g rice flour

10 ripe jackfruit bulbs (8 big size or 10 small size), cut into ¼ - inch cubes

¾ cup / 175 ml jaggery (Please measure in Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

50 ml thick coconut milk

Method

In a wide non stick bowl, boil first add 300 ml thin coconut milk and boil on a low heat. When it starts boiling, pour rice flour evenly with one hand and simultaneously stir with a spatula with the other hand. Mixing of rice flour in boiling coconut milk is very important while making kheer / kakkambi. It should be mixed evenly - else it may form lumps. Cook rice flour in thin coconut milk on a low heat for 10 minutes / until slightly thickens / well combined.

Add cubed ripe jackfruit and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes or until well cooked. Add extra 50 ml thin coconut milk if required. Rice flour should not be thick in consistency.

At this stage, add melted and sieved jaggery 150 – 175 ml (or to taste). Mix well thoroughly until smooth. Cover again and cook on a low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until well combined with jackfruit, coconut milk and rice flour. Switch off the heat.

Finally add 50 ml thick coconut milk (3 tablespoon) and stir well gently. Sprinkle cardamom powder and serve warm.

Vegan Custard

Vegan Custard

A delicious custard without egg !!! Recipe from Jamie Oliver’s cookery magazine ! (Issue 24, Nov/ Dec 2011)

Serves: 2 - 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon semolina (sooji)

4 tablespoon sugar

300 ml soy milk

1 vanilla pod (optional) split lengthwise, seed scrapped

Method

Place semolina and sugar in a saucepan off the heat. Gradually pour in 100 ml of the soy milk and stir well.

Place the pan over a medium heat and warm the mixture, stirring frequently to remove any lumps.

As the custard mixture begins to thicken, gradually stir in the remaining soy milk. Add the vanilla seeds and continue to cook, stirring constantly for 10 – 15 minutes until you have the consistency you like your custard to be. Serve as a dessert. Add a pinch of ginger or cinnamon to give it a little extra festive feel !!!

Poloyachi Kheeri / Kheer

Poloyachi Kheeri / Kheer

My grandma’s recipe. A tasty kheer in Konkani cuisine of Cochin GSB’S !!!

Serves: 3 – 4 dessert cups

Makes: 6 -7 dosas / polos (2 dosas only required for kheeri)

Ingredients

For polo (dosa):

½ cup / 100 g (Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity) raw rice (pachari / soorai orovu)

2 tablespoon boiled rice (ukkada chawal / puzhukkalari)

3 tablespoon grated coconut

¼ teaspoon salt

Method

Wash and clean raw rice and boiled rice. Soak together in 2 cups water for 4 – 5 hours. Drain out water and make a smooth paste in a mixer / blender with grated coconut and salt. Sprinkle very little water when making batter (1 – 2 tablespoon). Transfer the dosa batter into another vessel. Polo batter should be of pouring consistency.

In a dosa tawa, heat little oil. Pour a ladleful ( approximately 120 ml ) of the batter into it. Spread evenly by circular rotations using the base of the ladle, starting from the centre and progressing outwards. Close with a lid.

Allow to cook for about 30 seconds, before sliding the dosa off the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.

For kheeri / kheer:

1 teaspoon ghee

½ cup + 1 - 3 teaspoon (Indian standard measuring cu of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity) melted and sieved jaggery

2 dosas / polo, cut into desired shape ( 1 –inch square or rectangle)

250 ml thin coconut milk

50 – 75 ml thick coconut milk

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

1 tablespoon shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins (optional)

Method

In a wide non stick pan, heat 1 teaspoon ghee on a medium heat. Add melted and sieved jaggery. Gently stir for 2 – 3 minutes until well blended with ghee and smooth in consistency.

Add dosa / polo pieces and gently mix well for 2 – 3 minutes.

Add thin coconut milk (250 ml). Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 – 15 minutes until thickens / dosas well combined with jaggery and coconut milk. Switch off the heat.

Finally, add thick coconut milk. Sprinkle cardamom powder. Consume kheer after half an hour. Then polo / dosa will absorb all the flavors of jaggery and coconut milk. Decorate with shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins. Serve as a dessert.

Shahi Tukra

Shahi Tukra

A very popular Indian dessert, made of shallow fried bread slices, thick sweetened milk and sugar syrup.

Makes: 6 tukras

Serves: 3 – 6

Ingredients

For sugar syrup:

1/2 cup (100 ml / 4 oz) sugar (Indian standard measuring cup)

1/2 cup (100 ml / 4oz) water

Method

In a bowl, boil sugar and water for 10 – 12 minutes until slightly thickens. Transfer sugar syrup into flat dish (then you can soak bread slices very easily) and keep aside to cool for half an hour (until normal room temperature).

For rabdi (thick sweetened milk):

1 cup (200 ml / 8 oz) boiled milk

3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon milkmaid sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

Method

In a non stick sauce pan, mix boiled milk, milkmaid sweetened condensed milk and sugar. Boil for 12 – 15 minutes (stir continuously) until thickens / leaves from the sides of the pan. Switch off the heat. Sprinkle cardamom powder and mix well. Keep aside to cool.

For bread slices (tukra):

3 bread slices

3 teaspoon oil / ghee

Method

Cut bread slices into triangles. 6 triangles from 3 bread slices. Heat a flat frying pan (dosa tawa / roti tawa) on a medium heat. Sprinkle 2 – 3 teaspoons oil / ghee and shallow fry bread triangles until golden color on both the sides ( Do not fry on high heat. It will get dark brown color immediately). Keep aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Final presentation:

Soak shallow fried bread triangles in sugar syrup (do not soak it for too long, just for 30 seconds) and arrange in a flat serving dish. Pour thick sweetened milk (rabdi) over it. Decorate with dry fruits / saffron ….

Paramannam / Paravaannam (A tasty dessert in Andhra Cuisine)

Paravaannam / Paramannam

Rice dessert (kheer / paayasam) from Andhra Pradesh. Recipe from Simply South by Chandra Padmanabhan.

Serves: 4 - 6

Soaking time: 30 minutes

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

Half cup rice (100 – 125 g)

7-8 cups full cream milk

2 tablespoon sago (sabudana)

One-and-a-half cups powdered jaggery (melted and sieved jaggery)

3 tablespoon ghee

3 tablespoon cashew nuts, halved (optional)

2 tablespoon seedless raisins (kishmish) (optional)

Half teaspoon powdered green cardamom

Method

1. Wash rice and drain. Soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Place milk in a heavy-based pan over high heat and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes till reduced by about one-third.

3. Add sago and simmer for 10 minutes

4. Mix in rice and simmer for at least 15-20 minutes till tender.

5. In another pan combine jaggery and quarter cup water. Cook and stir till jaggery dissolves. Strain jaggery through a muslin cloth into payasam.

6. Meanwhile, heat one and a half tbsp ghee in a frying pan over moderate heat and fry cashew nuts till golden. Drain and set aside.

7. Add remaining ghee to pan and fry raisins till they puff up. Drain and set aside.

8. Add cashew nuts, raisins (optional) and powdered cardamoms to payasam. Simmer for 5 minutes.

9. Serve hot or chilled.

Maharashtrian style Ravyachi Kheer (Semolina / Sooji Pudding)

Maharashtrian style Ravyachi Kheer (Semolina / Sooji Pudding)

A delicious kheer, made of semolina, milk and sugar. Recipe from Essential Marathi cook book by Kaumudi Marathe.

Serves: 2 dessert cups

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ghee

8 teaspoons sooji (rawa)

350 ml boiled milk

3 - 4 tablespoons sugar

Shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins (optional)

Method

Heat ghee in a pan. Add sooji and fry on a low heat for 4 – 5 minutes until light golden color.

Add milk and boil for 4 - 5 minutes until thickens.

Add sugar and gently stir well for another 2 – 3 minutes. Switch off the heat. Decorate with shallow fried cashew nuts and raisins (optional).

Kulfi

Kulfi

A very popular Indian dessert, made of Milkmaid sweetened condensed milk & milk.

Makes: 3 kulfi moulds

Ingredients

1 cup (200 ml / 8 oz – standard measuring cup) milk (boiled milk)

½ cup (100 ml / 4 oz) milkmaid condensed milk

2 level teaspoon corn flour

4 teaspoons water

¼ teaspoon cardamom powder

1 tablespoon finely chopped cashew nuts or almonds or pista (optional)

3 kulfi moulds

Method

Dilute 2 level teaspoons conflour in 4 teaspoon water and keep aside. Make a smooth solution.

In a pan or sauce pan, boil 1 cup milk with ½ cup milkmaid sweetened condensed milk. Stir continuously on a low to medium heat for 10 – 12 minutes. Do not cover with lid.

Add diluted cornflour solution and stir well on a low heat for another 5 – 8 minutes. Switch off the heat. Keep aside to cool for one hour (until it comes normal room temperature).

Finally, mix with cardamom powder and finely chopped cashew nuts (optional).

Fill into kulfi moulds, coverkulfi lid tightly and freeze for 6 hours or overnight or till it sets.

To serve, run a sharp knife dipped in hot water along the sides of the moulds and slip them onto a serving plate.

Madgane (with broken wheat paste / govva kono paste)

Madgane (with broken wheat paste)

Very delicious dessert / kheer in Konkani cuisine, made of channa dal, broken wheat, jaggery and coconut milk !!!!

Serves - 4 - 5 dessert cups

Ingredients

For channa dal:

4 tablespoon channa dal (Bengal gram)

2 tablespoon cashew nut splits

1 1/4 cup (250 ml) water

Wash and clean channa dal. Soak in 1 cup water (250 ml) with cashew nut splits for half an hour and pressure cook (do not change the water) for 20 minutes or until soft (reduce heat from high to medium after 3 rd whistle and cook for 15 minutes). Do not open the lid. Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Reserve stock.

For broken wheat paste / govva kono paste:

2 tablespoon broken wheat / govva kono

4 tablespoon water

Extra 100 ml (1/2 cup) water

Mix 2 tablespoon broken wheat with 4 tablespoon water and make a smooth paste. Boil 1/2 cup (100 ml) water. Lower the heat and add the broken wheat paste in 3 batches. Stir continuously till it completely mixed with water and it should like a soft porridge / reduction quantity / thickens. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

½ cup jaggery (approximately 80 ml - 100 ml or to taste) melted and sieved jaggery

50 ml thick coconut milk

2 pinches cardamom powder

Final preparation:

In a bowl, mix boiled channa dal – cashew nut (along with stock – stock may be ¼ cup), broken wheat paste and jaggery. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 12 – 15 minutes or until slightly thickens / light brown in color. Switch off the heat.

Add 50 ml thick coconut milk. Gently mix all the ingredients well. Sprinkle cardamom powder. Serve warm or cold.

Milkmaid Condensed Milk Kheer

Milkmaid Condensed Milk Kheer

A delicious dessert, made of basmati rice, milk & Milkmaid condensed milk.

Serves: 4- 5 dessert cups

Ingredients

1/3 cup ( 80 ml / 3 oz ) basmati rice / silky raw rice

1/2 litre (500 ml) milk ( do not dilute with water )

4 tablespoons Milkmaid Condensed Milk

2 pinches cardamom powder

Method

Soak rice in 1/2 cup water for half an hour. Drain out water.

Boil milk and keep aside.

Add milk and soaked rice in a pressure cooker. Mix well. Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat till 3 whistles. Reduce heat and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes. Switch off the heat. Allow to cool naturally.

Open cooker. Add Milkmaid Condensed Milk. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes / slight change in color / thickens. Stir occasionally. Serve hot / warm / chilled. Sprinkle cardamom powder and decorate with shallow fried cashew nut splits and raisins.