Luqaimat| Kaimati

Luqaimat is a sweet and crunchy dumpling; a well known dessert or snack in the Arab Countries. Being here in Muscat (Oman) we normally get this delicacy in supermarkets, traditional sweet shops and also during  the traditional Muscat festival. We could spot this sweet more on Ramadan Season everywhere in gulf countries. Making a fresh lot at home is super delicious, extra crunchy, juicy as well as tastes fresh and flavourful.

INGREDIENTS:
All purpose flour- 2 cups
Corn flour- 3 tablespoons
Yogurt- 1 1/2 tablespoons
Yeast- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
Sugar- 1 teaspoons
Warm water- 2 cups
oil- 3 cups (for frying)

Sugar syrup:
Sugar-1 and 1/2 cups
Water- 1 cup
Cardamom pods- 4 nos
Saffron strands- pinch (optional)

PROCEDURE:

• In a deep bowl add all purpose flour, corn flour, yogurt, yeast and sugar.
• Add the warm water little by little and knead with hands by mashing the lumps.
• Add the water till the batter becomes loose and beat with hand till the dough becomes soft without any lumps. It should not be watery.
• Close the dough with a lid or a clingfilm and keep in a warm place to raise for about 30 minutes.
• The raising time normally depends on the weather, the quality and the freshness of the yeast. The dough has to double its volume.
• Once the dough raises mix the dough with hand and set aside.
• Heat oil in a deep pan, once the oil is hot pinch a small gooseberry sized batter and shape it with hand as a ball and drop it in a hot oil.
• Likewise repeat till the pan is about to fill. Do not cram or overcrowd them.
• Using a slotted spoon turn the balls and allow the balls to cook until they become crisp and golden all around. 
• Remove with slotted spoon and transfer it on a warm sugar syrup for 2 minutes.
• Remove immediately and transfer it on another container and serve hot.

Sugar syrup:

• Add the sugar and water in a pot and bring it to boil.
• Slightly crush the cardamom pods and add them in the syrup to soak to release all the flavour.
• Add a pinch of saffron if you like the flavour.
• Allow the syrup to simmer till it becomes slightly starts to becomes sticky.
• Do not make a too sticky or runny sugar syrup.
• Runnys makes the luqaimat becomes soft and loose its shape.

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Kasi Halwa| Kashi Halwa| Poosanikai Halwa

Kasi Halwa Recipe or Kashi Halwa or White Pumpkin Halwa is a sweet served generally at weddings or prepared at home during festivals. Its is a famous sweet of Karnataka. It is very popular sweet of Udupi Cuisine. I was planning to make this halwa and buy ash gourd and finally ended up making some curries to finish it off. Usually i make Poosanikai mor kuzhambu| moru curry with this ash gourd.
Talking about the taste of this halwa the taste of the halwa is very similar to other halwas. But the texture is slightly different. It has a slight crunchy texture from the ash gourd. That is very peculiar in this dish. I have seen Venkatesh Bhat's program in television and in that he was mentioning about the importance of the texture.

INGREDIENTS:
Ash gourd- 2 kg
Sugar- 1 and 1/2 cups
Salt- pinch
Lemon juice- 1 teaspoon
Ghee- 2 teaspoons+ 1 teaspoon
Saffron- pinch (or) red food colour- pinch
Cashews- 10 nos
Raisins- 8 nos
Cardamom powder-1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg- pinch (optional)
Cooking Camphor- pinch (optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Peel and remove the pith and seeds from ash gourd and cut into pieces.
• Grate the ash gourd pieces using carrot garter.
• Now take a clean cotton cloth or muslin cloth and strain the water from the ash gourd. You could use metal strainer too for this process but squeeze the water well from the gourd.
• Measure the squeezed pumpkin and take equal quantity of sugar for the halwa. I got 1 and half cups of ash gourd after squeezing so i took 1 and half cups of sugar.
• Keep a heavy bottom vessel or nonstick pan on top of stove and add the ash gourd water.These steps are essential for retaining the texture of the halwa.
• Bring it to boil. Once it is boiling add the squeezed ash gourd and mix well and close with a lid and allow to cook.
• Cook till almost the water evaporates and the ash gourd is half cooked and become translucent.
• Now open the lid and add the sugar and a pinch of salt; mix well and allow the sugar to melt.
• Add the lemon juice to prevent the sugar from crystallization.
• Add a pinch of saffron of red food colour and mix well.
• Once the sugar get absorbed by ash gourd, add 2-3 teaspoons of ghee. I used very less ghee as i have prepared halwa in a nonstick pan.
• Allow the halwa to cook inside the ghee for some time. Now the halwa starts to leave the pan and bubble at the edges. Keep the flame to low.
• Meanwhile heat a teaspoon of ghee on a pan and fry the cashews and raisins.
• Now sprinkle cardamom powder on top of halwa. Sprinkle a pinch grated nutmeg and cooking camphor if you wish.
• Finally add the ghee with fried cashews and raisins and mix well and switch off the gas.

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Pooran Poli| Boli| Holige| Obbattu| Bobbatlu

Indian sweet flat bread stuffed with chana dal and jaggery filling flavored with cardamom. It is widely popular in South Indian states such as Tamil Nadu prepared for festivals such as Vinayaka Chaturthi and in Kerala it is served as a part of Sadya along with payasam which is prepared with toor dal and jaggery combination. In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, this sweet is prepared with the combination of various dals. While in North India the dish is popular in Maharashtra. The same flat bread is called in various names in different parts. The method of preparation and the size of the flat bread varies in different parts but the taste remains similar.

Pooran Poli| Boli

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Eliza Lincy
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Snacks

Yields: 12 -15

Ingredients

• Maida| All purpose Flour- 1and 1/2 cups
  Salt- pinch
  Turmeric powder- pinch
  Ghee| oil- 1 tablespoon
  
  
  For the filling:
  Chana dal-1 cup
  Jaggery, powdered- 1 cup
  Coconut-2 tablespoons
  Cardamom powder- 1 teaspoon
  Fennel powder- pinch (optional)

Instructions

• In a deep bowl add maida, salt, turmeric powder and ghee; mix well with hand. Now add water little by little and knead to make a smooth dough. Dough will be slightly sticky, once it becomes soft, add few drops of oil in hand and spread it over the dough ; shape it and allow to rest, till the filling gets ready by covering it with cling film or plate.
• Wash and pressure cook the chana dal with 3 cups of water and allow to cook for 4-5 whistles.
• Now open the lid, if more water is found stagnating drain the water & mash it with spoon. If the dal is not cooked soft you could grind it in a blender and pulse few times.
• Now in the same pan turn on the heat and add the powdered jaggery with mashed dal and allow to cook.
• Once the jaggery melts and the dal starts to thicken add the coconut and cardamom powder. If you wish for more flavour add fennel powder; cook till the dal mixture almost thick.(once the dal gets cool the mixture thicken eventually)
• The stuffing process could be done in two ways one is with spreading the balls with fingers by sandwiching the dough inside two greased banana leaves or plastic sheets.
• The other method is simple and less oil consuming which is I used to do like stuffed parathas.
• Divide the covering flour mixture into small balls.
• In a chapati stand dust with the flour and slightly stretch the dough using rolling pin or by hand.
• Now keep the chana filling inside and cover it by pulling the edges; press well to seal well.
• Press with hand to flatten the dough and flour the dough; spread it evenly like a paratha.
• Heat the flat pan and drizzle with half a teaspoon of ghee, transfer the boli and cook one side. Now on top of the boli drizzle half a teaspoon of ghee and flip the boli to cook the other side too till the golden brown spots appears. 

Notes

• Adding fennel powder is optional. You could add a pinch of nutmeg too for flavour.
• You could sandwich the dough inside two greased banana leaves and spread it by fingers too.

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Black Forest Trifle

Easy Black Forest Trifle| Chocolate Cherry Trifle is a quick to assemble dessert in minutes. Left over cake crumbs could be utilized in an efficient way. I have prepared the chocolate cake using this recipe. The cake is absolutely soft and moist it soaked with the cherry syrup and tastes real yum. My son loves this cake trifle as he loves chocolate.A wow dessert that can be prepared in advance, only needs to be refrigerated prior to parties or gatherings. Simple yet delicious appealing dessert. 

You could buy chocolate or brownies from shop and assemble this dessert too if you feel lazy. Now cherries are in season and it is delightful to make these with fresh cherry syrup and top it with fresh fruits that taste divine. I love the fruit bits inside this dessert. You could use chocolate chips or fruit pieces for extra taste and garnish for this appealing dessert.

Black Forest Trifle

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Eliza Lincy
Cuisine: American
Category: Dessert

Yields: 4 cups

Ingredients

• Chocolate cake| Chocolate cake crumbs| brownie pieces-2 cups
  Cherry syrup| diluted cherry compote| cherry pie topping- 8 teaspoons
  Whipped Cream- 1/2 cup before whipping
  Sugar- 2 teaspoons
  Vanilla essence- 1/2 teaspoon
  Fresh Cherries| Cherries in syrup- few for garnishing
  Cocoa powder| Chocolate shavings- 2 teaspoons

Instructions

• Chill the whipping cream and whip with 2 teaspoons of sugar and vanilla essence till stiff peaks. Refrigerate till you use.
• I have prepared the chocolate cake using this recipe. You could follow this healthy beetroot chocolate cake recipe, Chocolate Brownies or make use of  the leftover crumbs after icing a chocolate cake.
• I used cherry compote by boiling chopped fresh cherries 10 nos with two teaspoons of sugar and half a cup of water and allowed to boil for few minutes till the cherries softened; allow to cool.

• To assemble task a glass tumbler and first divide and fill the crumbs into four glasses.
• Then drizzle 2 teaspoons of the cherry syrup or the diluted compote over the chocolate cake.
• Then layer on top with the whipped cream.
• Garnish top of the dessert with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder and top it with some fresh cherries or cherries in syrup.
• You could layer once more as mentioned above the same way to get two layers. 
• You could assemble everything in one single big deep bowl or trifle glasses.

Notes

• You could use cherry pie filling by slightly diluting it or dilute the prepared compote or jam by adding some water and boiling a bit and use it for the syrup.

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Avocado Cheese Cake

No Bake Avocado Cheese Cake: Today is a big day for me, as it is my blogs 3rd Anniversary and I am stepping into the 4th yet another illustrious year.

I thank here the good Lord, my family, friends readers and followers of my blog. Here is a healthy avocado cheese cake as a token of love to all my patrons. I have also posted another cheese cake recipe Strawberry cheese cake. And refer for more Avocado recipes Avocado Fries, Avocado Paratha, Avocado Pasta, Avocado Hummus, Avocado muffins, Green Smoothie bowl with avocados, Guacamole, Avocado Milk Shake and Avocado Deviled Eggs.

This cake I have made with digestive light biscuits and I used very less whipping cream as the avocado filling does not require it much. I love the color and the taste of this cheese cake. You could top this cake with chocolate, chocolate syrup, fresh fruits or any compote or jelly. Tastey & delicious with any of the toppings.

No Bake Avocado Cheese Cake 

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Eliza Lincy
Cuisine: American
Category: Desserts | Cakes

Yields: 10-12 cm cake

Ingredients

• (Double the quantity for 20cm cake i have made here 10cm)
  For the biscuit base:
  Digestive Biscuits- 4
  Salt- pinch
  Butter- 2 tablespoons
  
  
  For Avocado Cheese Cake Filling:
  Avocado-1 large
  Sugar- 1/4 cup+ 1 teaspoon
  Gelatin- 1/2 tablespoon
  Water- 1 tablespoon
  Hung Yogurt | Cream cheese- 3/4 cup
  Whipped Cream- 1/4 cup (before whipping)
  Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoon
  
  
  For the Cherry Compote:
  Cherries- 10 nos
  Sugar-1 tablespoons
  water- 1 tablespoon

Instructions

Biscuit  Base:

• Break the digestive biscuits by hand and keep inside the blender jar with a pinch of salt.
• Add the softened butter and close the lid; pulse to make a uniform wet sand like texture.
• Check this by press a small portion if it holds its shape the added butter is enough. If it does not retain add more butter and pulse till it holds its shape.

• Grease the pan with little butter or oil and throw the crumbs inside the cake ring. Press it well with your fingers without any gaps.
• Refrigerate the base to harden till the filling is ready.

Avocado Cheese Cake Filling:

• Whip the whipping cream with a teaspoons of sugar and vanilla essence till stiff peaks using a electric beater of hand held whisk. Refrigerate till you use.
• Hang a cup of thick yogurt in a muslin or cotton cloth to drain the whey water.
• Soak half a teaspoon of gelatin in a tablespoon of water for 5 minutes.
• Microwave or double boil on stove top for 15 seconds until it melts.
• Allow gelatin to cool and reach room temperature.

• Scoop out the avocado flesh using a spoon and add inside the blender with 1/4 cup of sugar; Puree it with out any pieces. If the color looks dull, then add 2 drops of green food color.

• Once the whey almost drained from the milk solids remove it and keep inside a deep bowl.
• Using a electric beater or whisk beat the hung yogurt or the cream cheese well to make a uniform paste without any lumps.

• Now add the avocado puree and again beat once or twice to combine.
• Add the gelatin and beat few times. Immediately add the whipped cream and mix once or twice to combine well. Fold with a spatula if necessary.

• Scoop out the filling and transfer it on the cake base. Tap slightly to remove air bubbles.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

For the Cherry Compote:

• Pit the cherries and chop them. In a sauce pan add the cherries with sugar and water.
• Allow to simmer for 10 minutes till the flesh becomes soft and the syrup if formed.

• Allow to cool and pour the filling on top of cake and allow to chill.Or pour on top at the time of serving.

Notes

• You could add few drops of lemon juice if you are keeping the dessert outside for longer time as it tend to brown.

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Aamras

Aamras| Amras is a sweet side dish generally served with Pooris, and is prepared from fresh mango pulp. It is a very popular dessert in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Traditionally the mango juice is squeezed with hand and blended with milk and consumed with chapatis or pooris. Here i have served the aamras with pooris as it is generally served like this. But you could pair this with chapatis or this could also be used as a dessert.

I have shared other mango recipes Mango Falooda, Mango milk shake, Mambazha Pulissery recipes in blog. Also i have shared the  tricks to make a perfectly Puffed Pooris. Do check, mix and match the combinations on before the mangoes totally vanish this season!

Aamras

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

- mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Eliza Lincy
Cuisine: Indian
Category: breakfast

Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• Mango- 1 large
  Sugar- 1 teaspoon
  Cardamom pods, crushed-2
  Saffron- pinch

Instructions

• Peel and chop the mango; crush the cardamom seeds. Add chopped mango, sugar, cardamom powder and saffron.
• Blend well to make a fine paste.

• If you feel the paste is thick, drizzle little milk or ghee and blend once and transfer on a bowl; garnish with more saffron thread and some pistachio if you like.
• Refrigerate till you use.
• Serve with Puffy Pooris

Notes

• Select less fibrous varieties like Alphonso, Sindooram, Badami..etc for this recipe.

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Cherry Muesli Crumble

Cherry Muesli crumble is an easy to prepare eggless baked dish, that falls in the category of a breakfast as well as a dessert. This is an absolutely tasty with fresh fruits and a bit of a cinnamon kick as well as with a crunchy muesli topping. You could prepare this before hand and use it for parties as well as to save time for making breakfast on busy days. Really simple quick and doesn't require any fancy ingredients to make this dish feels like a breeze while making this dish.
I have already shared Cherry Pudding (Clafoutis) recipe, Cherry Ice Cream, Cherry Banana Oats Smoothie recipes in my blog 2 years back at my first blog anniversary. Refer them too and make all these yummy summery cherry recipes at this season!

Cherry Muesli Crumble

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Eliza Lincy
Cuisine: American
Category: Dessert, Breakfast, Baked desserts

Yields: 4 ramekins (or) 1 big pot

Ingredients

• Cherries, pitted- 250 gms
  Apple| pears, peeled- 1/2 (optional)
  Cinnamon powder- 1/2+ 1/2 teaspoon
  Honey| brown sugar- 1+ 2 tablespoons
  Whole Wheat Flour| atta- 2 tablespoon
  Muesli |Oats, rolled- 3 tablespoons
  Almonds, Chopped| flaked- 10 nos
  Butter| Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Pit the cherries and roughly chop them. Peel the apple, core it , chop them into small pieces and keep them together in a bowl.
• Add a tablespoons of honey or brown sugar, cinnamon powder and mix well.

• In another bowl add the whole wheat flour, muesli, chopped almonds, cinnamon powder, honey, butter or coconut oil and knead with hands to combine well. This mixture should not be too crumbly or too wet. It should be mildly wet.

• In 4 ramekins or on a large baking pot fill the cherry mixture and then sprinkle the muesli mixture.

• Keep the ramekins or pots inside the preheated oven and bake them for 20-25 minutes till the top of the muesli starts to brown and crisp.

Notes

• You could make this crumble before hand , refrigerate and reheat and use it on the next day breakfast or dessert for parties. 
• Or serve chilled with whipping cream or topped with ice cream.
• Adding apple or pears in this recipe is optional but it adds volume to this dish.
• Add chopped nuts of your choice.
• Whole wheat flour could be replaced with all purpose flour.
• You could replace honey with regular sugar, brown sugar or maple syrup.

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Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Steamed Chocolate Pudding, this recipe was in my to do list for many years and for this Easter i planned already to make this and today my wish come true. I wanted to make this chocolate pudding steamed version and it came out very well and tasted yum too. With the rich chocolate sauce it feels like a rich dessert.

This dessert is super easy to make and only the cooking time is long. Suitable dessert for any festivals like Christmas, Easter, Valentines Day..etc. Decadent delicacy for the Chocolate lovers for no doubt.

INGREDIENTS:
Butter- 1/2 cup(100gms)room temperature
Sugar-1 cup (i used muscavado sugar u could use normal sugar)
Eggs- 2-3
Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoon
All Purpose Flour| Self raising Flour- 1 cup
Baking powder- 1 teaspoon
Cocoa powder- 2 tablespoons
Instant coffee powder- 1 teaspoon
Salt-pinch
Hot Milk- 1/4 cup
*If you use APF; Use cornflour- 1 tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda

PROCEDURE:

• Sift together dry ingredients self raising flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, coffee powder and salt. Or combine well with a whisk; set aside.
• In a bowl add the butter and sugar and beat well till it reaches a creamy stage.
• Now add the eggs one by one and beat well till frothy stage.
• Add the dry ingredients in two batches and fold well or slowly run the electric whisk till combined without lumps.
• Microwave the milk for 30 seconds or boil and add the hot milk just to loosen the batter little. You may not end up using the whole milk. Add according to the consistency of the batter. I used 2 eggs so i required all of the milk. Beat slowly till combined as a smooth batter slightly pourable thick batter.
• Butter 1.25 lit capacity bowl and pour the batter and tap the bowl slightly to avoid air bubbles and flatten the top with a spatula.
• Fold a pleat in the centre of the foil and parchment to give the pudding room to expand as it cooks. Tie the foil onto the basin with string; wrap it twice to keep it tight.
• Heat the steamer with water till rolling hot stage. Now carefully keep the bowl inside the steamer and steam for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours on slow flame till the inserted skewer comes out clean. 
• Note: You could use any steamer you use at home like Idli steamer.
• You could pour individual moulds or small teacups and wrap them and steam them to make individual pudding.

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