Ilaneer/Tender Coconut Pudding

Being born and broughtup in Kerala, Coconut is the most important part of my food from childhood.My mom,grandma and now MIL, add coconut to pretty much everything they are cooking.When Suganya of Tasty Palettes aanounced, this AFAM's fruit as Coconut, i wanted to try something sweet.So here is the simple Ilaneer pudding.




Ingredients

Tender coconut - 1 can (i used the one with water and sugar)
Jelatin - 1 packet (unflavoured)
Honey - 2 tsp
Hot Water - 2 1/2 cups
Cinnamon powder - for garnishing


Method

Take 1 cup of juice from the tender coconut can and keep is aside (this will be substituted for 1 cup cold water for jelatin making).Grind the tender coconut pieces with rest of its juice into a fine paste.In a bowl, put jelatin powder,1 cup juice ,2 1/2 cup of hot water and mix well till jelatin powder dissolves completely.Now add the grinded tender coconut paste.Mix well and pour into nonstick sprayed dish.Refrigerate this for atleast 4 hours, overnight will be very good.For unmolding the pudding, place the dish in a warm water bath.This will help it to unmold without breaking apart.Unmold into a plate and cut into squares.Garnish with powdered cinnamon.

Another option for making this pudding is, adding condensed milk and using fresh tender coconut.This yields much more denser and rich pudding.As i wanted to keep the natural flavour of coconut, i opted for simpler version.






Check out my Pineapple Pudding here

AFAM Announcement

I would like to know whether any of you, foodies love to host future AFAM event.If yes, please email me @ beyondusual(at)gmail(dot)com.I have listed the future hosts on the sidebar.

Kodhumbu/Wheat flour Laddu

Kodhumbu/Wheat flour laddus,these are my entry to Open Sesame 2, an exciting and fun event hosted by Siri and DK .After you select a box of secrect ingredient, they will send you a riddle to solve the puzzle.This was the riddle send to me:

I am a grass , or am I a cereal or a grain
I am everywhere and in almost all the foods you eat
My whole being used in many ways without restrain
I offer you something which is so hard to beat
I am as old as you can think of me to be
Thought to be originated from the land of camels
I am breakfast, lunch and dinner for all to see
Or be it desserts from cakes , pies to caramels
I am famous all over the world from east to west
As breads, flatbreads , cookies to muffins
I am v healthy and like a treasure chest
For ppl - weight conscious and its healthy kins
Buckle up and take a pen and a paper
I am yellow when alive, brown when put to 'dust'
Eating me makes you look so dapper
Now think hard and tell me what is that grain that we all genuinely trust

and Voilà i got it right the first time itself.Answer : Wheat.So here is the recipe with wheat flour.I am sending this to Sweet Series, an effort to collect all different sweets under one roof/page..:D.

These laddus are very easy to make and you cannot go wrong with this recipe.I added powdered ginger to the mixture , for a ZING and it worked.You can subsitute powdered sugar for brown sugar.I had some brown sugar leftover from a previous recipe, that i had to use.Make sure you use powdered sugar for this recipe, otherwise you will feel the sugar granules in the laddus , which is not good.I just powdered sugar with 3 cardamom in the blender.




Ingredients

Wheat flour - 2 cup
Kadala maavu/Channa flour - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 cup
Powdered Light Brown sugar - 1 1/4 cup
Powdered Cardamom - 1/2 tsp or whole cardamom - 3
Powdered Ginger - little less than 1/4 tsp(optional)
Chopped Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup


Method

In a non stick pan, heat ghee.Add channa flour to this and keep stirring on medium low heat.When channa flour starts to bubble add the wheat flour.Keep stirring.When nice aroma comes and the mixture starts to get together, switch off the heat.Add light brown sugar and ghee fried cashews to this.When it is still warm, start making small lemon sized laddus.

Rava Ladoo

Mom made these ladoo just before she left for india...This is my entry for Pooja's V-day event


Ingredients

Rava/Sooji (fine) : 1 cup
Sugar : 1 cup to 1 1/4 cup
Ghee : as needed
Cashews : 10-20 (halved)
Cardomom : 1 tsp (powdered)

Method

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.Add rava to it fry until nice aroma comes.Heat about 3 -4 tbsp of ghee and keep it aside.Mix sugar and rava throughly and add fried cashews and cardomom powder to this.Start making this mixture into balls using hot ghee.Try to include atleast a cashew piece in each ball.You can powder the sugar if you want and adjust the amount of sugar according to your sweet tooth.

Pineapple Pudding

Pineapple Pudding, an easy to make dessert which my lil' one loves to dig in.Try making it with different flavoured jello and fruits.I am sure your kids will love it..hmmm..even the bigger ones..:)This is my entry for this month's AFAM - Pineapple.





Ingredients

Jello - 1 packet (Pineapple or orange flavoured)
Pineapple chunks - 1 can (i used Dole brand)
Cool Whip - 4 ounce
Condensed milk - 1/2 can
Cream Cheese - 2 ounce (optional)

Method

Keep aside few pieces of pineapple chunks for garnishing.Blend pineapple chunks into a smooth mixture.Do not add the juice,keep it aside.Make jello as per packet instructions.(You can use the pineapple juice from the dole can instead of cold water for making jello).When the jello powder completely dissolved,add pineapple mixture,condensed milk and cool whip and whisk it well.Everything should be in cooperated very well.Pour this jello mix into molds or small containers.Refrigerate for at least 4-5 hrs before serving.Garnish with pineapple chunks.If you are using molds, then just before serving place them in a bed of warm water, which helps the pudding to come out easily.I used a small glass bowl as the mold this time.

Chocalate Icecream with Pecans

This is my first attempt on making homemade ice cream.Made this double chocalate icecream with pecans.Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients

Bittersweet chocolate chips - 1/2 c

Dark chocolate chips - 1/2 c

Granulated sugar - 1/2 c

Whole milk - 1 Cup

heavy cream - 2 cups

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Pecans - 1/2 c


Method

Begin by heating the milk in a small saucepan just until bubbles start to form around the edges. Do not let the milk get too hot or it will scald.In your blender, combine the two types of chocolate chips and the granulated sugar and process until the mixture is very well chopped. Pour the hot milk into the blender and process until smooth and creamy.Pour into a medium sized bowl and let the mixture cool completely. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla. Cover and put the entire mixture into the freezer for 2 hours.Pour your chocolate mixture into blender and blend it until its smooth textured.Pour this into the freezer container and stir inthe pecans also.Freeze for about 2 hours or until firm.I served it in the store brought ice cream cones.

Double chocolate brownies with pecans and Simple Lemon Mousse

Double Chocolate Brownies , i got this recipe from foodnetwork.I pretty much followed the same recipe but replaced dark semisweet chocolate chips with extra pecans.I just love pecans , so add these to whereever possible :D.Just made some chocolate ice cream and again added a good amount of pecans.The funny part is Lil one doesn't like pecans.you can see all the pecans leftover in his plate after he finishes..:D.Enough of pecans..right?.Letz get straight to the recipe.
I made these over last week.

Double chocolate brownies with pecans

Ingredients

Butter (unsalted) - 3 sticks plus 2 tbsp
Bittersweet chocolate - 12 ounze
Eggs - 6
Superfine sugar - 1 3/4 cups
Pure vanilla extract - 1tbsp
All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp
Salt - 1tsp
White chocolate morsels - 1/2c
Pecan halves - 1/2c
Confectioner's sugar - 2tsp (for garnishing)
Baking tin (approximately 11 1/4 inches by 9 inches by 2 inches), sides and base lined with baking parchment.

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over a low heat.In a bowl or large measuring jug, beat the eggs together with the superfine sugar and vanilla extract.Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate morsels and pecans.Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie mixture into the prepared tin.Bake for about 25 min.s.You can see when the brownies are ready because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the middle remains dark, dense and gooey.Garnish with confectioner's sugar.






Simple Lemon Mousse

Ingredients

Instant Lemon Pudding - 1 envelope (i used Jello)
Confectioner's sugar - 1/4 c
Heavy cream - 2 and 1/2 c

Method

Beat Lemon pudding mix,heavy cream and sugar using a hand mixer till soft peaks comes.Refrigerate till serving.I served with sliced strawberries.




Tips:I always keep these instant pudding mix at home for unexpected guests.You can substitute heavy cream with milk and sour cream also.

Tricolor special for Republic Day of India

Celebrating India's 58th Republic day!!!

Note: Done by my lil' one with little help from me.

Flag made of badam/almond paste

My entry for Pooja's Theme of the week,Indian flag made of badam.The recipe is similar to the one i used for this melting hearts.Here i used 3 different colors to get the flag.The middle ashok chakra was cut using a water bottle cap and lines using toothpick..:)).




Tri color Pasata Salad

My second entry for Pooja's Theme of the week is this tricolor pasta salad.Very easy and quick salad.

Ingredients

Tricolor pasta - 1 cup (cooked as per package instructions)
Cherry tomatoes - 5-10 (sliced into halves)
Carrot - 2tbsp ( julienned)
Onions - 1/4 cup(sliced)
Ranch dressing - as needed
Cheese - for garnishing(anykind and optional)

Method

Combine cooked pasta,veggies and coat this with ranch dressing.Garnish with any kind of shredded chesse.

Tips:Rubbing almond oil is good for dark circles around eyes.You can store almonds in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for a long time.

Akkara vadisal - a pongal special

Wishing you all very very happy pongal...

Ingredients

Rice - 1/4cup
Channa dal/Kadalai paruppu - 1/4 cup
Moong dal/Pasi paruppu - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Jaggery/Vellam - 1/2cup(Use according to your sweet tooth)
Cardamom powder - 1tsp
Saffron - few strands
Cashew nuts - 5
Raisins - 5
2% Milk - 1 cup
Water - as needed.

Method

In a pan heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry channa dal and moong dal separately.Boil jaggery with 1 cup of water and pass it through a sieve to remove any sand.In a pressure cooker, add cleaned rice, channa dal, moong dal, jaggery water, milk,cardamom powder, saffron and enough water.Pressure cook them for about 6-8 whistles.(changes according to your cooker).In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry raisins and cashews.Pour these into the pongal and serve.






Tips: Use Thiruniru/basmam/vibhuthi for cleaning Vizhakku/oil lamps.This will help remove the black colored oil remains on the lamp.

Letz start the year with a sweet touch..

This payasam is one of my H's favourite one which his mom makes all the time.So this is a "must have" in our home for all special occasions.So decided to make just this for starting a sweet, happy year ahead...

Kadalai Paruppu Payasam

Ingredients

Kadalai paruppu/Channa dal - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup (shredded)
Cardamom - 3
Cashew nut - 5
Sago - 2tbsp
Ghee - 1tbsp (for frying cashews)

Method

Pressure cook kadalai paruppu with just enough water for abt 4 whistles.Switch off the heat and let the pressure go.Now open the cooker and mush down the paruppu very well.Add jaggery,cardamom and milk to it.Let it boil for abt 5 min.s and then add sago to it.Boil very well till sago cooks very well.Fry cashews in ghee and pour that into the payasam.

P.S: i had added little more jaggery than the mentioned amount, 'coz H likes it sweet.The amount of milk vary depends on how thick/thin you want the payasam to be.

Instant Ras malai

Last time when i made Ras malai, Mandira from Ahaar had mentioned about using canned Rasgullas to make Rasmalai.So when i had friends over last weekend, i decided to go this easy way...came out reallly well.so here goes the recipe...

Ingredients

Rasagullas - 1 can
Sweetened condensed milk - 1/2 can
Whole milk - 1 1/2 cup
Pista - 10
Saffron - 6 strings

Method

Mix condensed milk and whole milk well and slightly heat it in microwave for abt 3-4 min.s.DO not let it boil.Now open the rasagulla can, and start squeezing out maximum sugar syrup from each rasgulla (careful not to break it).Place all the rasagullas into the milk mixture.Add Pista and Saffron into it and again slightly heat it for 2 min.s in microwave.Let it cool down a bit and keep it in the refrigerator until served.

Melting Hearts

Made these Melting hearts for my DH's birthday this weekend.While making these, was thinking abt what to name it..finally decided on melting hearts.Still couldn't believe with a bit of food color and cookie cutter, can do lotz of amazing things.This was a bit of hard work but the end product was amazing.He better not forget my b'day:))

Ingredients

Badam/Almonds - 3 cups (blanched)
Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Sugar - 3 cups
Food color - as needed (I used red food color)
Cookie cutter - any shape

Method

For blanching almonds : I microwaved almonds in a bowl of water for abt 10 mts.Drained them and took the skin off.

Grind almonds into a fine paste using milk.At low flame,nn a heavy bottomed vessel, add the grounded paster and sugar.KEEP STIRRING and let it come to a dough like consistency.This should take abt 40-45 mts.DO NOT INCREASE HEAT ABOVE MEDIUM LOW.
Once it reaches dough like consistency , take 1/2 of it and add food color to it.Let both the halves cool a bit.Now roll them into 1/8 inch chappathi.(Always put rest of the dough in a closed container while working, because it will dry up and becomes hard outside just like chappathi dough).Using any shaped cookie cutters cut out the shapes.I used two sizes of hearts.Place them in a air tight container and store in the refrigerator.3 cups of badam makes about 30-35 hearts.

Diwali Special # 4 Bhoondi Laddu

Bhoondi laddu,one of the main sweets in our weddings.Mainly just the bhoondi dipped in palpayasam(eating it out of banana leaf) is the highlight of the wedding lunch.This is made with channa flour/kadala maavu.You have to make bhoondi first and then the laddu.


Ingredients

Kadala maavu/channa flour - 1 cup
Sugar - 2 cup
Oil- for frying
Orange food color - a pinch
Baking powder - a pinch
Rice flour - 1tbsp
cardamom powder - 1tsp(optional)
cashews - 10 (fried in ghee)(optional)
cloves - 4(optional)

Method

Make sugar syrup using 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water.The consistency should be just before one thread.Mix channa flour,baking powder,rice flour and food color into a thick batter.(slightly thicker than the dosa batter).Heat oil for deep frying.Take the batter into a sieve and just gently tap it.The bhoodies will fall down into the oil.(i used a small sized hole sieve.You can use round slotted spoon which we use for frying).Fry the bhoondies and don let it darken.Drain oil by placing it in the kitchen towel.After finishing with the bhoondies, dip them into the sugar syrup and take them out.Place them in a platter.Now add cardamom, cloves,cashews etc if u want.As i don't like any of these, i didn't add anything.With little ghee applied on your hand, make laddus out of bhoondies.You have to make laddu when the bhoondies are still warm otherwise they won't stick together.I had my palms almost burned :))..so be careful...

Diwali Special #3 Rasmalai

Yeap..i am on a roll..i guess..Actually today, we are having dinner outside, so no cooking,thought of making another item which is very easy..Rasmalai..such a delicate delicious sweet..mouthwatering..This a adapted version of the recipe i found on a site called indiacurry.com.

Ingredients

Ricotta cheese - 1 lb(i used low fat one)
Saffron - 5-6 strands
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Cardamom - 2
Whipped cream - 1/2 cup
Sweetened condensed milk - 1/2 cup (i used Nestle brand)
2% milk- 1 and 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Pista - 8-10 (break into pieces)

Method

Preheatnoven to 350 degrees.
Powder sugar and cardomom together in a blender.Take out the cardamom shells out.(Instead of this you can use confectioner's sugar and cardamom powder).Mix ricotta cheese and sugar+cadamom mix together using a fork.Pour this into a cake pan (u can use any oven safe vessel).Bake for abt 30 min.s.The cheese mix should be coming away from the edges.Careful not to burn it.Switch off the oven and take it out and cool it.In the mean time whisk condensed milk,Whipped cream,2% milk,Vanilla essence and saffron together in a baking dish.In 180 degrees hot oven place this milk mixture and bake for abt 15 min.s.Just heat it lightly , do not boil it.Make small flat cookie shaped patties out of the cheese mixture.Now take the milk mixture out of the oven and place this patties into the milk mix.Bake this in a 350 degrees oven for just 15 min.s again.Take it out and garnish with pista.You can used blanched almonds also.Cool it and refregirate before serving.

P.S: My rasmalai has a thin syrup, if you want a thicker one reduce the 2% milk.Mine had small problem of few patties breaking, so be careful about that.

Diwali Special #2 Badam halwa

H wanted the real wheat(red) color halwa which his mom makes at home..but it's a very hard job..and i had never done it.So i subsituted it with badam halwa and used little bit of color to give the illusion..:)).I got this delicious badam halwa recipe from Saffron from SaffronHut.Thanks to Saffron for this easy and yummy recipe...

Oats Badam Halwa

This recipe was the product of a kitchen disaster.I was trying to make Oats-badam laddu, a healthy snack for my toddler(who hates oats/cereal in the morning).As i was pouring milk into the oats mixture,i heard a scream..ooops..i poured the whole cup of milk into the mix....(scream: as usual my toddler wanted to change channels).Anyways back to the recipe,so the laddu became halwa which turned out to be a good one.so here is the Oats-badam halwa...

Ingredients

Oats - 1 cup
Badam - 20
Ghee - 1tspn
Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 and 1/4 cup.(boiled)
Powdered Cardamom - 1/4tsp

Method

Fry Oats and badam in 1 tsp of ghee.After it is cooled ,ground Oats,Badam and sugar into fine powder.Pour milk,cardamom and the grounded mix into a non stick pan and heat it.Keep stirring until it comes to halwa consistency.Garnish with more badam.


For laddu,
Mix ghee,cardamom and grounded powder and just enough milk to make laddu.
You can use Evaporated milk if you want.

Sailu's badam kheer..love it..

Today i tried Sailu's badam kheer recipe also ...which turned out very well.
It was a rainy day and i tasted it hot ..couldn't wait..yummy..it was great....Chilled tasted better than hot..i should say..