Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Saffron Pistachio Ice Cream


This one is my father's favorite ice-cream and when I was small, i never liked it that much. Then, it was always fig ice-cream which I ended up having. But last few years, I have started liking saffron for the flavor and color it gives, so when mom dad were here I decided to make it. Then I couldn't click the photo nor could i click after that around 4 times I prepared this one. So this time, i made sure to click one before the ice-cream got over :)

Saffron Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredients
1 Liter Milk
3.5 Cup Cream
1 Cup Pistachios
2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Spoon Saffron

Method
  • In a half liter milk add in sugar and blend it in mixer.
  • In a bowl take a cup of milk and bring it to boil. Add in saffron and mix well till the milk turns bright yellow.
  • Mix remaining milk and the boiled milk with milk that was sweetened earlier.
  • In a mixer make pistachio powder and mix it in the milk.
  • Add in cream and mix well. Keep the mixture in the fridge for an hour.
  • Add the mixture to the ice-cream maker and let it set.

Notes
Its important to boil the milk and add in the saffron for the flavor to mix well with the milk.
Also mixture needs to be kept in fridge otherwise it's warmth wont let it set in the ice-cream maker.

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Harbara Daal Vada and Dosa


Today I wanted to try something new for breakfast, and an recipe I had read somewhere few weeks back came to my mind. So these vadas I made for breakfast using the fresh mint from my patio garden. In the evening with remaining batter I made Dosas and they turned out equally good so here is recipe for both.

Harbara Daal Vada
Harbara Daal Vada
Harbara Daal Dosa
Harbara Daal Dosa
Ingredients
2.5 Cup Harbara Daal
4 Spoon Green Chillies
4 Spoon Coriander Leaves
4 Spoon Pudina
4 Garlic Cloves
Salt
Oil

Method
  • Soak harbara daal overnight.
  • In the morning, in the mixer grind the daal, green chillies, garlic cloves, coriander leaves, pudina and salt together into fine paste.
  • For Vada: Fry them by dropping spoonful of batter into the hot oil, brown on both sides over medium heat
  • For Dosa: Mix in water to thin it out, drop it on greased pan and spread it. Cook till both of sides till brown.

Notes
If you are going to make vadas, its better to make them immediately after making the batter otherwise they might get oily. That was another reason I made dosas in the evening when i had batter left from the morning.

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Friday, June 15, 2012

Banana Kofta


This recipe is mere inspiration from all the food network shows I watch.. When I was sitting watching TV i thought why not make something different with bananas that we had in fridge. So i think about koftas.. Then for gravy i was literally smelling and adding spices as per the aroma.. Felt wonderful to create a dish based on my intuition and mood.

Banana Kofta
Ingredients
3 Raw Bananas
1 Cup Cashews
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
1/4 Spoon Black Pepper
1/2 Spoon Saunf
1/4 Spoon Poppy Seeds
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Spoon Ginger
1/2 Spoon Sugar
1/4 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
1 Stick of Cinnamon
2 Cup Milk
1/4 Onion
Salt to taste
Oil

Method
  • Grate bananas and add finely chopped garlic, grated ginger, black pepper powder, 1/4 spoon saunf and salt to it. Knead well.
  • Make small round balls and fry them in oil over high flame till golden brown in colour. Keep aside.
  • In a mixie, add cashews, black pepper, remaining 1/4 spoon saunf, cinnamon and grind it to fine powder
  • Add in onion and grind again.
  • Add a cup of milk and make smooth paste.
  • Heat a spoonful of oil and add in grinded paste, 1 cup water and remaining 1 cup milk. Cook over medium heat till mixture starts thickening.
  • Add in salt, sugar and koftas and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.

Notes
Bananas were such a good choice for koftas, they get crispy quickly and they dont soak oil unlike potato or eggplant.
I tried to give two distinct flavors to kofta and gravy. They both gel well as well as can be tasted distinctly.

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