Caramel Custard

I have been using store bought custard powder to make caramel custard. Thought of making at home and it was perfect.



Ingredients (Serving 2)

Large Eggs - 2
Yolk - 1
Vanilla Essence - 1 teaspoon
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup

To make Caramel

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Heat a heavy skillet and add the sugar. Let it caramelize till it becomes brown. Pour it immediately in a mould or a ramekin. Set aside.

Beat the eggs and the yolks. Add the sugar and beat till its dissolved. Add the vanilla essence and beat for few mins. Heat the milk. Heat it, do not boil it. Pour the milk in the egg mixture and stir it. Then pour the mixture in the mould.



There are two ways to cook it.

1.Oven - Place the moulds in a water bath and cook in a oven at 350 degree for 10 mins - 15 mins.

2. Stove top - Cover the mould with aluminium foil and steam it in the pressure cooker for 10 - 12 mins.

After its done, refrigerate for more than an hour. Insert a knife along the sides of the mould and invert it in the serving plate.

Strawberry with whipped cream

This might not be a recipe. This is just an idea, if you want to have a light dessert after a heavy lunch. Got this recipe from my favourite baking site.



Ingredients

Strawberries - 10

Heavy whipping Cream - 1/4 cup

Mascarpone cheese - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 2 - 3 tablespoon

Vanilla extract - few drops



Beat the whipping cream, sugar and mascarpone cheese until soft peaks form. I would suggest to add sugar little by little until you get the desired sweetness. Cut the strawberries is X shaped and fill it with the cream. You can use pastry bag with a tip and make some pattern. I wasnt patient enough to do those. So i just filled without a tip:).

The Goodness of Lentils

Some nutrients facts about Lentils.


Lentils have been found in Egyptian tombs that date from 2400 BC. They also thought that the lentil enlightened the minds of children, making them more cheerful and studious.Lentils are packed with nutrients, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and folic acld. Lentils are a low calorie, low fat, and cholesterol free food.




Folic Acid is one very important nutrient found in lentils. One cup of cooked lentils provides 90% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Lentils provide more folic acid than any other unfortified food. Lentils are also an important source of iron. Eating lentils with foods rich in Vitamin C, such as tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, and citrus fruits or juices, helps the body absorb iron more efficiently. Lentils are also protein rich. They lack only one protein, methionine. Adding grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, dairy products, or egg will provide a complete protein. Soluble fiber in lentils acts as a scrub brush, cleaning the digestive system. This type of fiber also decreases serum glucose and cholesterol, and decreases insulin requirements for people with diabetes.


Do not add salt while cooking, it might make it tough.


How to Select and Store


Whether purchasing lentils in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure there is no evidence of moisture or insect damage and that the lentils are whole and not cracked.
keep in a cool, dry place. After long storage, the color may fade slightly, but the taste will not be noticeably altered.

My entry to CLICK - Beans and Lentils hosted by Jugalbandi.

Mango Kulfi, Fresh and Creamy

Ingredients

Fresh Mango puree - 1 cup

Cream - 1 cup

Milk - 1 Cup

Sugar - 1/2 Cup

Pista or Almond Powder - 1/2 cup

Cardamon Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

Heat the milk. Add the sugar, Mango Puree, almond or pista powder, cardamon powder and the cream. Stir it continously, it gets thicken. Remove from heat. Pour it in the mould at room temperature. Freeze it for about 6-7 hours. I dont really know whether this is the way to prepare the kulfi but this one really tasted the same and the cardomon powder made it very refreshing.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls with Strawberry Fool and some fresh strawberries with whipped cream.

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour - 5 cups

Large Eggs - 3

Milk - 1 Cup

Dry Yeast - 1/4 ounce

Butter - 1/3 cup

White Sugar - 1/3 cup

For filling

Brown Sugar

Ground Cinnamon

Mix the flour and the yeast. Heat milk, butter and sugar. Remove from heat when the butter is melted. Mix it with the flour, yeast mixture. Add the eggs one by one. If you are mixing with an electric mixer attach the dough hook. Else use your hands. It becomes soft and non-sticky. If it still sticky add some flour. Let is stay for an hour in a warm place. The size doubles, so leave enough room for it.

After an hour, roll the dough in square using a rolling pin. Dont roll the dough thin as you roll for chapathi. It should be thick as Naan. Spread the sugar and cinnamon in the dough. You can add your own fillings like raisins or nuts. Its up to you. Now roll the dough as you roll a stuffed chapathi. Cut it onto 8 equal parts in a baking pan with enough room for it to rise. Cover it with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 - 24 hrs.

Remove from refrigerator an hour before you bake. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 25 mins. To avoid the over-browing cover it with a aluminium foil for the last 5 - 10 mins. After it is done brush it with half and half cream to make it moist.

Can drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze.

Cauliflower Curry

Ingredients

Cauliflower

Onion

Tomato

Chilli Powder

Dhaniya Powder

Turmeric Powder

Ground Coconut

Cinnamon

Add a stick of cinnamon in hot oil. Saute onion till brown. Add tomatoes. Add salt once you add the tomatoes. It makes the tomatoes cook faster. Once the onion and tomatoes start leaving oil, add all the powder listed above. Then add cauliflower and a water. Once the cauliflower is done add the ground coconut. Simmer it for few minutes. Remove it from heat until you get the desired consistency. It goes well with chapathi and variety Rice.

Avial

I didnt like avial when i had for the first time in my college hostel. Gradually i started liking it. Thanks to my friend of mine in Portland who gave the recipe. When I tried it for the time, it was really really good. This is such an easy one, a beginner can easily do it.

Ingredients

Carrot - 1 cup

Potato - 1 cup

Drum Stick - 6 piece

Raw Mango - 1/2 cup

Plantain - 1/2 cup

Coconut - 3/4 cup

Cumin Seeds - 2 teaspoon

Green chilli - add acc. to your tastebuds

Coconut oil

(You can add any veggies of your choice, except BeetRoot. Chop the veggies lengthwise)

Pressure Cook all the veggies with 1 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder. Coarse grind coconut, cumin and chillies.Mix the coconut mixture, with the veggies. If you need little watery, add water.In a pan, add coconut oil and throw the curry leaves. (Yeah.. I throw.. Kinda scared abt hot oil.)Add the oil mixture to the veggies. If you dont have raw mangaoes, add curd.

Serve with white rice or chapathi.

Stir Fry Vermicilli

Thought of making chinese noodles for dinner, atlast I came with my own. And the good news is, it came out well. Instead of noodles, I used Vermicilli (Semiya). Anywayz it was good.
Ingredients

Vermicilli

Green Onion

Green Peas

Green Beans

Carrot

Soy Sauce

Scrambled Egg

Add the Vermicilli in the boiling water and remove it fire when it is done. Strain the excess water and let it run through cold water. In a large pan, heat the oil and fry the veggies until it is done. Add the Vermicilli, Scrambled egg and Soy Sauce. Jus to get the taste of chicken, I added a quarter cup of chicken broth but its optional. Let it be in the heat for a minute. I served it with teriyaki chicken.