Tag: sweet

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis

Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

My family loved desserts, especially jelly, panna cotta and custard. This recipe I developed as a vegetarian version of our family favourite.

Ingredients

Milk 500 ml

Cream 250 ml

Agar agar 2 tsps

Sugar 1 cup

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

For the strawberry coulis:

Strawberries 10 chopped

Sugar 1/2 cup

Water 3 tbsps

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Method

Add the sugar, agar agar powder and vanilla essence to the milk and put it to boil. Stir it every now and then.

When the milk begins to boil, reduce the heat and add the cream. Bring it to a boil, stirring all the time.

Strain into an oiled mould and refrigerate for four hours at least.

For the strawberry coulis, add the chopped berries to a saucepan. Add the sugar, water and vanilla essence.

Cook till the sugar melts and the strawberries are completely soft.

Loosen the panna cotta with a knife and overturn onto a plate. Line the edges with the strawberry coulis and serve cold.

Bal Mithai (fudgy milk sweet)

Bal Mithai (fudgy milk sweet)

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This fudgy milk sweet with a deep chocolate colour is a delicacy from the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It’s origins are lost in the mists of time. While some ascribe it to a local halwai in Almora, others say it came from Nepal in the 7th century A.D. and was modified by halwai Joga Lal Shah, who used milk from a particular village to make the khoya, the basis for the sweet.

This sweet needs constant attention during cooking. Prepare yourself before you start. Have a drink of water and keep your phone on silent. You can’t step away for even a second once you start cooking. Khoya burns easily and the dish will be completely spoilt.

Ingredients

Khoya 200 g

Sugar 3 tbsps

Sugar 1/2 cup

Water 1 1/2 cups

Ghee 1 tbsp

Sugar balls 2 cups

Method

Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in 1 1/2 cups water and boil for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat, but keep the sugar syrup bubbling.

In a heavy bottomed nonstick pan, take 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add the grated khoya and start stirring. Cook the khoya on low heat. The pictures show the way the khoya will change colour. Do not stop stirring and do not increase the heat.

When the khoya is a deep reddish brown and starts to leave oil, add 3 tablespoons of fine sugar. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

Add some of the bubbling sugar syrup.

The khoya will turn a deep chocolate colour as you continue to cook.

Keep adding the sugar syrup a little bit at a time till only about 1/4 cup remains.

When all the water is absorbed and the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan, transfer to a greased dish. To test if the sweet is ready, put some on a plate. If you are able to roll it off easily, it is ready.

When it is cool, cut into squares. Dip each square in the sugar syrup and roll it in the sugar balls to coat all sides.

The sweet can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Suji ka Halwa

Suji ka Halwa

by Shailaja Nair ♥ 1 Comment

This sweet dish made from semolina flour, ghee or clarified butter, and sugar is a favourite with most people. Its richness is also why it is good for you. It helps protect you from the chilly winter cold. Ghee is also said to boost your immunity, protecting you amid the current pandemic.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

Suji or semolina 1 cup

Sugar 1/2 cup

Ghee 5 tbsps

Cashew nuts 1/4 cup

Raisins 2 tbsps

Water 1 cup

Method

Heat the ghee in a frying pan.

Add the semolina and fry on medium heat till it changes colour and the smell of roasting suji pervades the kitchen.

Add sugar and fry for a minute.

Add the water and stir till the water evaporates.

Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in 1 teaspoon of ghee and add to the halwa.