2 minutes Mango Kulfi / Indian mango ice-cream

Kulfi always evokes memories of childhood.
During our summer vacations,we used to wait for the ' kulfiwalllah' and the ringing bell from his cart brought us out running from the house. A 50 paisa kulfi bought us a lot of happiness. The joy of licking the stick clean of every morsel! And waiting for others to finish cos ours got finished too soon..Sometimes we used to ask him to dip our kulfi in the the thick and sweet Rabdi. That was a special treat for us. Mmmm....wish I could be there right now.




Summer is associated with mangoes in India. Its everywhere... in shakes, ice-creams, smoothies and juices. So why not in Kulfi ?!

This is an easy recipe for the busy working mommies who can make it in the morning and serve it up for kids post lunch.

You will need

Ingredients
Mango pulp- 1 and 1/2 cup
Sugar- 3 tbsp
Evaporated milk
Pistachios-1 tbsp, broken or chopped into thin slices

Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a electric mixer, except pistachios.
Check that the sugar has to be completely dissolved.
Put a pinch of pistachios in all the mold and then pour the mix. Top it up with the remaining nuts, if any.
Freeze till its set, overnight is best.
Enjoy on a hot sunny day...or anytime really :)

Makes 12 kulfis appoximately depending on your mold size.

Sai bhaji/ minced Spinach curry

Another recipe introduced to me by my mother-in-law. Though it's a common recipe in northern India and Punjab during winters.

Ingredients

1. Spinach/palak- washed, chopped- 250-300gm
2. Soya/green dill - 1/2 cup
3. Chana dal- 1 /2 katori about 50-60 gms
4. Chopped garlic-3 cloves
5. Ginger- 1 & 1/2 " piece,  chopped
6. Green chillies-2 chopped
7. Chopped onion- 1 medium sized, chopped
8. Tomatoes- 2 medium sized chopped
9. Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
10. Salt- as per taste
11. Heeng/asfoetida powder- 1/2 tsp
12. Dhaniya/coriander seeds powder- 2 tsp
13. Ghee- 2 tsp ( you can used unsalted butter also, instead)

Method

1. Mix all ingredients and put in the pressure cooker
2. Cook for 10-15 min on high flame
3. Cook for 20-25 min on a low flame
4. After opening the cooker, blend it with a wooden mathni  or just mix it thoroughly with a spoon so that it becomes smooth and paste like.
4. You should ensure that Chana dal is mashed properly too.
5. Serve hot with extra ghee on the top if required.

Red pepper soup

When we need something warm and comforting on a rainy evening, then soup is the answer.

This pepper soup was an inspiration from a picture in a cookbook which I was sifting through.

Then I saw a some fresh peppers in the market and voila!

Serves- 2 large portions
Ingredients

1. Pasta (any shape)- 1/2 to 3/4 cup
2. Red pepper/ Red color capsicum- 5
3. Garlic- 2-3 cloves
4. Olive oil - 1 tbsp
5. Shallots- 2, chopped fine
6. Vegetable broth- 1 cup
7. Black pepper- 1/4 tsp or as per taste
8. Salt as per taste

Method

• Boil the pasta till al dente. Reserve the water.
• Grind the peppers and garlic together with 1 tsp of olive oil to a puree.
• Heat the remaining olive oil. Saute the shallots in it.
• Pour the puree into the pot. Add vegetable broth and salt. Mix and cook for a few minutes.
• Now add the pasta with the water reserved. Cook for a few minutes. Add black pepper.
• Taste and check for salt and pepper.
• Serve hot for a fulfilling meal.
• It'll go great with some cheesy garlic bread, or buttered french bread even some plain boiled rice.

Gaund ra Laadoo / Goond ke laddu / Sweet Wheat flour balls with Indian edible gum

This is a recipe which brings back happy winter memories. Since I now live in a coastal town, the rainy season is about as cold as it gets here. Nonetheless, the taste of home is priceless!

A number of varieties of laddoos (and other delicacies) were made at our house over the cold winter months which lasted from November till early February.

These gond laddoos were one of the staples. My mother and my aunt would make a large batch and store in a stainless steel containers. They were ready snacks for the kids in the house. I used to love them and trade them for breakfast many times. A glass of hot milk and 1 laddoo and my breakfast was done.

Gond is an ingredient which is used in traditional foods like laddoos and panjiri given to newly lactating mothers.

It is also considered to be heat producing and hence widely used in winters.

Ingredients
Whole wheat flour- 2 katori
Goond/ Gaund- 1/4 katori
Sugar (powdered)- 1 and 3/4 katori
Cardamom (Powdered)- 5
Kali mirch/ black pepper- 1tsp (you can use whole or crushed ones)
Dry fruits- 1/2 katori , a mix of almonds, pistachios and cashews
Saffron strands -1 pinch  (optional)
Ghee- 5 and 1/2 tbsp

Method
Melt the 1 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed pan.
Add the gond crystals to the heated ghee. It will puff up into whitish balls.
Remove from pan and crush it with a rolling pin /belan
In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and let it melt.
Roast the whole wheat flour on a medium low flame. Stir it constantly till it roasts well. The house will be filled with a nice aroma to warm everyone's heart.
Add the gond and dry fruits to this mix. Remove from heat.
Let it cool enough for you to touch with hands. Now mix in the sugar, Cardamom, saffron and kaali mirch.
Mix it well and press it into the shape of lemon sized balls.
Makes about 18-20 small laddoos.

Note: If the mixture is too dry or crumbly, add some hot melted ghee spoon by spoon. Mix till u get it right.

Rainy season and cupcakes- Egg free Apple cinnamon cupcakes

Its raining, its pouring....and we are baking cupcakes!!

Occasionally it rains sooo much that you need to bake something....anything.

Okay, that's probably my excuse for baking these cupcakes...but they are good and my little one is relishing these little beauties.

Cinnamon apple cupcakes

Ingredients (adapted from Divinetaste)
Apple (green)- peeled, cored and chopped
Sugar- 3/4 cups
Baking soda- 1tsp
Butter- 100 gm
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Whole wheat flour- 3/4 cup
White flour- 1/2 cup
Cinnamon powder- 1/2 heaped tsp
Vanilla essence- 2tsp

Method

1. Pour 3 tsp water in a pan and add the chopped apples..cook till soft.
2. Pre-heat the oven at 150 degree centigrade.
3. Mix well the baking powder, cinnamon powder, wheat flour and white flour, sieve them together.
4. Cream the butter and sugar.
5. Blend the cooked apples and mix baking soda in it.
6. Now add the apple puree to the butter and sugar mix.
7. Add all the dry ingredients to this mixture. Add vanilla essence.
8. You will get a thick batter, do not overbeat.
9. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners.
10. Bake for 25 min or till the skewer comes clean.
11. Enjoy warm. You can refrigerate it and re-heat it, but it taste best when its fresh.

I have not used any icing here, but a small amount of glace icing with lemon should taste good.