Sweet Taste

The sweet taste of
our love
fingers in my mind
A succulent tasty morsel
A treasure worth its find

A wet and juicy fruit
That fills my mouth with joy
Like candy to a baby

With nectar sweet as honey
A syrup of flowing silk
Like a bubbly kind of lava
As smooth as warm clear milk

It breathes with scented oils
Like a flower in the mist
And blossoms when caressed
By the feel of a lover’s kiss

A dessert at its very best
When embraced with lots of love
I know I’ll never get enough
Of this treat I’m thinking of.

© VishalDutia

Buttermilk Scones

Crisp outside, buttery and fluffy on the inside. These buttermilk scones are the perfect tea time option. Served with a delectable strawberry jam and whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 500 grams of flour
• 2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 75 grams of butter
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 300 ml buttermilk
• 1 cookie cutter
• 1 beaten egg
• Cream

How to Make Buttermilk Scones

1. In a big bowl add flour, bicarbonate soda, cream of tartar, butter along with caster sugar and mix.
2. While mixing keep adding some buttermilk, bring it all together, forming dough and take it out on a board.
3. Sprinkle some flour on the board and pat the dough to the thickness of your choice.
4. Cut small pieces of the dough with the cookie cutter and place them on a baking tray.
5. With the help of a brush touch up the pieces with the beaten egg.
6. Bake in an oven set at 220degree for about 10-12 minutes.
7. To Serve: Server the scones with some whipped cream and strawberry jam on the side.

Candy Cane-Kahlua Hot Chocolate

Take that, peppermint mocha.

LEVEL: EASY

SERVES: 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 c. whole milk
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 candy cane
• 3 tbsp. sipping chocolate
• 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 oz. Kahlua
• whipped cream
• candy canes

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan over low heat, warm whole milk and heavy cream.
2. Add 1 candy cane and stir until melted.
3. Stir in sipping chocolate and vanilla extract.
4. Remove from heat, stir in Kahlua, and pour into glass.
5. Garnish with whipped cream and candy canes

Recipe of Floating Islands

Fluffy meringue mixture cooks in the hot custard just off the stovetop.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups milk – scalded
• 1 tsp vanilla

How to Make Floating Islands

1. Beat three egg yolks and two whole eggs slightly.
2. Add sugar and salt, mix well and add hot milk gradually, stirring constantly.
3. Cook in top of double boiler until it coats the spoon, stirring constantly.
4. Add vanilla. This is the custard, pour it into a large pan.
5. Beat remaining egg whites until foamy also mix in additional 6 tbsp sugar gradually.
6. Add 3/4 tea spoon of vanilla.
7. Drop the meringue (egg mixture), using large spoon into the hot custard, cover pan closely until mixture is cool.
8. Let it chill in a refrigerator. Serve

Recipe of Fruit Trifle

Enjoy digging into this colourful dessert layered with fruits, cake, custard and jelly.

Ingredients

• 1 tin stewed fruits
• Sponge cake bits to layer
• 1 cup custard powder
• 3 cups Milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 bowl Jelly, any flavour
• Bourbon biscuits to layer

How to Make Fruit Trifle

1. Make the Jelly and Custard as per the the instructions on the packets.
2. In a flat bowl, layer the sponge cake with custard then bourbon biscuits, stewed fruits and finally the jelly.
3. Repeat these layers to fill the bowl.
4. Keep it in the refrigerator for sometime to set.

Recipe of Microwave Caramel Custard

Golden custard made out of eggs, milk and sugar in a microwave.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (180 gm) sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 cups (450 ml) milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• A flat round microwavable dish, 6″-7″ in diameter, at least 3″ high

How to Make Microwave Caramel Custard

1. Place 1/4 cup sugar and water in dish, and cook uncovered at HI 2 minutes. Stir well then cook, uncovered, for a further 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is a dark brown. Keep aside.
2. Beat eggs, cornflour, vanilla and sugar together. Add the milk in a stream, beating all the time.
3. Pour mixture into the dish and cook covered, at 30% for 10-12 minutes, turning the pan half way through.
4. Cool, un-mould and serve. You might have to adjust the time after trying once or twice.

Recipe of Summer Fruits with Homemade Custard

Thick and creamy custard with the light flavor of vanilla. Served in a martini glass with chopped fruits of your choice.

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla bean
• 500 ml milk
• 6 Tbsp sugar
• 8 large egg yolks
• Seasonal fruits of your choice, chopped

How to Make Summer Fruits with Homemade Custard

1. Open up the vanilla bean completely and scrape out the vanilla seeds.
2. In a pot put the vanilla seeds along with 500 ml of milk, 500 ml cream, 4 tbsp sugar and let it come to a boil.
3. In another bowl put egg yolks along with 2 tbsp sugar and whisk.
4. Once the milk and cream mixture is boiled strain the extra vanilla beans and keep stirring through out.
5. Add the vanilla and milk mixture one ladle at a time into the beat eggs while continuing to whisk the eggs.
6. Repeat till the vanilla and milk mixture is finished.
7. Transfer all the egg mixture into the pot and keep stirring while its on the flame until it becomes thick and golden,
8. To Serve: In a martini glass place the chopped fruits and pour the custard and serve.

Recipe of Lagan Nu Custard

‘Lagan-Nu-Custard’ is a Parsi dessert prepared during weddings. The name itself means ‘wedding custard’. Made with simple everyday ingredients like milk, eggs, butter and nuts.

Ingredients

• Oven temp: 350 F-180 C
• 5 cups (1 kg) full cream milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 green cardamoms
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg – powdered together with the cardamoms
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 cup blanched and slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup chironji/charoli nuts
• 4 eggs slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup cream
• A generously buttered oven proof serving dish
• A few blobs of butter to top the custard
• Nuts to decorate

How to Make Lagan Nu Custard

1. Cook milk and sugar together, to reduce it to half the amount.
2. Add half the spice powder, half the nuts and the vanilla and mix well and cool.
3. Mix the cream into the milk and beat the mixture into the beaten eggs.
4. Transfer into the prepared dish, sprinkle the rest of the nuts and spices, and the blobs of butter and bake in the pre heated oven for 1/2 an hour (a skewer inserted should come out clean).
5. Should be brown on top.
6. Cool and chill. You can also decorate with nuts.
7. Cut into squares and serve.

Recipe of Fruit Custard

The good old custard made with eggs, sugar, milk, cardamom and a hint of vanilla.

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 400 ml milk
• 100 ml cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 green cardamom cloves
• 1 Tbsp flour, to thicken
• 1 1/2 cups freshly cut fruits

How to Make Fruit Custard

1. On a double boiler, whisk egg yolks and sugar.
2. In a pan, add milk, cream, vanilla essence and green cardamom.Mix them well and let them cool a bit.
3. Add egg mixture into the pan. Keep it in a slow fire and stir them slowly.
4. In a small bowl, mix 1 Tbsp of flour and add 2 Tbsp infused milk into it. Add them into the mixture. This will help thicken the custard.
5. Strain the custard mixture in a bowl to get rid of the cardamom.
6. Pour this custard over freshly cut fruits.
7. Chill.
8. Serve cold.

Chaitra Navratri 2017 Special

Orange and Basil Juice

 

Ingredients

• 2 oranges
• 6 basil leaves, fresh
• A drizzle of honey, optional
• 4-5 ice cubes

Method

1. Peal the oranges and place them in the blender along with the other ingredients.
2. Blend for a few seconds and then strain into a glass. Garnish with a few basil leaves and serve.

 

Banana & Honey Smoothie

 

Ingredients

• 400 ml yogurt, frozen
• 2 bananas, frozen
• 3 tsp honey
• 2 tsp pumpkin seeds
• 10 ml water

Method

1. Peel the bananas. Put yogurt and bananas in a blender
2. Add 2 tsp of honey. Add 2 tsp of pumpkin seeds. Add a dash of water
3. Give it a good whisk till smooth.
4. Pour in a tall cold glass.
5. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and honey.

 

Jaswant Sherbat

Ingredients

• 1 kg sugar
• 3 litres water
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 cups hibiscus-broken petal

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in the water, not letting it come to a boil.
2. When sugar is dissolved, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
3. Add the milk and continue to cook till scum forms on the sides, which you should skim off.
4. Add the lemon juice and continue to cook till one thread consistency is reached.
5. Turn off the heat and add the flowers, and cover immediately.
6. Leave it overnight.
7. Strain and store in bottles.

 

Badaam ka Sharbat

 

Ingredients

• 120 gm almonds-soaked overnight and peeled
• 8 green cardamoms -crushed, cooked in water and strained
• 1 tsp almond essence
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp kewda essence
• 1/8 tsp potassium meta bi-sulphite(potassium salt of bisulfate anion)

Method

1. Add a little water (enough to facilitate blending) to the almonds and blend to a fine paste.
2. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth and add some more water to the left-over almonds and blend and strain again.
3. Make the liquid up-to 2 cups, by adding water if necessary.
4. Add sugar to the strained almond liquid and dissolve over low heat.
5. When it dissolves, increase the heat and bring to a boil and let the syrup cook.
6. Keep skimming off the scum as it cooks.
7. Cook till a drop of syrup pressed between two fingers, forms a thread (one-thread consistency).
8. Add the cardamom extract and the kewda essence. Strain through a muslin cloth and cool.
9. When cool, mix the potassium in a little of the syrup first and then add to the whole lot.
10. Store in clean airtight bottles.

 

Aam Ras

 

Ingredients

• 500 gm mango pulp
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp water
• 30 ml lime juice
• 20 gm chaat masala powder
• 5 gm crushed cumin

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients and add enough sugar and water to get the desired sweetness and consistency.
2. Chill it and serve garnished with mint leaves.

 

Coconut Water With Lemon and Mint

Ingredients

• 1 coconut
• Mint leaves
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Lemon

Method

1. Break a coconut & empty water in a jug.
2. Scrape off coconut meat using a spoon,
3. Chop it finely and add it to coconut water.
4. Add mint, honey and lemon juice as well as lemon.
5. Mix and stir well, serve.

 

 

Turmeric Kulfi

Ingredients

• 1.5 litre full cream milk
• 20 gms fresh turmeric
• 300 gms sugar

Method

1. Boil milk, add fresh turmeric to it,
2. Add sugar and let the milk boil until it is reduced to 1/4th of its original content,
3. Pour the mixture into silicon moulds
4. Freeze for 4 hours

Hot White Chocolate

Ingredients

• 500 ml milk
• 250 ml coconut milk
• 75 gms white chocolate
• 1 vanilla pod

Method

1. Boil together milk, coconut milk & white chocolate in a container.
2. Add 1 vanilla pod.
3. Serve hot.

Peanut Butter Kulfi

Ingredients

• 1 litre milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• Salt

Method

1. Boil milk, add sugar and reduce it.
2. Add peanut butter & a pinch of salt to reduced milk & whisk it.
3. Pour it in kulfi moulds & deep freeze for 5 hours.
4. Serve

Hot Yellow Curry with Vegetables

Ingredients

• For the base:
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh turmeric chopped  (you can use powdered turmeric also)
• 1 Tbsp fresh galangal chopped  (a young ginger root with a distinct flavor)
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemongrass
• 1/2 tsp green chillies finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh red chillies finely chopped
• 500 ml evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
  A pinch of sugar
  For the veggies:
• 1/2 cup string beans diced
• 1/2 cup broccoli medium florets
• 1/2 cup carrots sliced
• 1/2 cup cubed eggplant
• 1 Tbsp garlic finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp oil

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok, and then add turmeric, chopped galangal, lemongrass, chillies and saute.
2. Add evaporated milk & a just a little bit of water (1/4 cup) to thin the curry and let it boil.
3. Season with salt, sugar and cook till dissolved well.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool.
5. Saute vegetables with some oil and garlic in another pan.
6. Add the pinch of salt and let it saute for a couple of minutes.
7. Now add the curry & bring to boil. Cover it and let it simmer for 7 – 8 minutes till the vegetables cook.
8. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Rabdi

Ingredients:

150ml milk
2 Tbsp sweet potato, boiled and mashed
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp elaichi powder
Few saffron strands
1 tsp mixed nuts

Method:

Boil the milk well and then add the mashed sweet potato into it. Cook well till the milk thickens. Now add the saffron strands to a cup of warm water and wait till they dissolve completely. Add this to the milk mixture and stir well. Stir in elachi powder and cook for 3-4 minutes. In the end, add nuts on top and empty the entire rabdi in a bowl and let it cool. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve chilled.
Key Ingredients: sweet potato, milk, saffron, elaichi, nuts