Category: Recipes

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal

Nolen Gur Kalakand | Milk Dessert with Date Palm Jaggery

Nolen Gur or Date Palm Jaggery is a name synonymous to a lot of people who hail from the Eastern part of India. Available fresh only during the winter months, as the winter sets in, earthen pots are fitted to date palm trees where incisions are made, a tapper attached to it in order to collect the sap. This sap is then boiled on low heat till it thickens resulting in this delicious ambrosial Nolen Gur or Date Palm Jaggery.

Not just another sweetener

To say that this sweetener takes any milk dessert to next level is an understatement . You have to try it to believe it . It also has very many health benefits , so much so that ace nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar calls it “a feast for sore eyes, rusty gut and cramped calf muscles.” With its high iron and magnesium levels it also helps regulate the haemoglobin and nervous system. And to me Nolen Gur Kalakand is one of the best ways to enjoy this gift of nature.

Each time I make a trip to India in the winter months I bring back a few jars of this deliciousness and freeze it. Then I continue to use it through the year (not so much during peak summers as Nolen Gur has strong warming properties) for various desserts especially the milk based ones like kheer. And because I had a lot of Gur on my hand this time I decided to make Nolen Gur Kalakand. Now, I grew up in Eastern India and we were spoilt for choices when it came to good Mithai (Indian desserts), especially the Bengali Mithais like Rasgullas and Kalakand. I can confidently say I have never tasted any better anywhere in India.

Why do I make mithai?

But now that we are in Hong Kong, you can very well imagine our predicament each time we try to find good tasting mithai. It is just impossible to find the good milk based ones especially. After searching high and low, I gave up and started to make my own. So far, Rasgullas and Kalakand are my favourite things to make at home. And I make them both from scratch, no condensed milk or store bought khoya, all the good homemade stuff .

It is labour intensive and time consuming but not difficult at all. One just needs to take note of the little things like the ones mentioned below and everything turns out just fine. While making rasguallas involves making fresh chena or cottage cheese , kalakand is a tad more tedious as one needs to make khoya (reduced, thickened milk)as well. It is a time consuming process for sure but then the results are worth it and much better than using milk powder or condensed milk. And as I always maintain, good things take time :))

So, here area few tips to make the perfect Nolen Gur Kalakand :

  1. Use full fat milk for making both khoya and chena. There are no two ways about it. Skim milk will just not work
  2. To make good chena, once the milk comes to boil, turn off heat and let it sit for a minute or two before adding vinegar or lime. This results in good yield too
  3. Wash the chena very well with clean drinking water to take away the sour smell and taste of vinegar or lime, whichever you use to curdle milk; you do not want sour smelling kalakand
  4. Drain the chena very well for at least two-three hours so that no moisture remains . I usually drain it in the fridge overnight placing it inside a muslin which in turn is placed in a strainer above a bowl. Moist chena makes soggy kalakand
  5. Go easy on the chena while kneading, we do not want very smooth texture for kalaknd unlike rasguallas , hence knead with light hands
  6. Making khoya is a time consuming process but it is also important you stir constantly so it doesn’t stick to the pan
  7. Once you mix all ingredients together , set it in a pan and refrigerate for a couple of hours before consuming

So, lets get cooking. There are three main steps into making Nolen Gur Kalakand:

  1. Making chena/ cottage cheese
  2. Making khoya/ reduced thickened milk
  3. Bringing it together

Making Chena

  1. Bring 1.5 litres of milk to boil; once the milk is boiling turn off the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes
  2. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar and give it a stir ; milk will start to curdle
  3. Strain the whey out through a muslin placed over a strainer as shown in the picture above
  4. Give chena a nice rinse with 10 cups of water making sure no sour smell of lime or vinegar remains
  5. Drain well for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge to take away all the excess moisture
  6. Once chena has drained well, add finely chopped Nolen Gur and mix gently and refrigerate

Making Khoya

  1. Bring 1.5 liters of milk to boil; once the milk starts to boil , reduce the flame and stir continuously until it reduces to a thick semi-solid mass
  2. Add powdered cardamom powder and saffron while the milk is reducing
  3. Transfer to another bowl and bring to room temperature
  4. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes

Bringing it together

  1. Gentle mix the khoya(already mixed with jaggery) and chena together
  2. Grease a plate or square cake pan and transfer the mixture to it
  3. Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios
  4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and cut out small barfis/squares and enjoy chilled or warm

Print
Nolen Gur Kalakand | Milk Dessert with Date Palm Jaggery

Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 9 hours

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12 -16 pieces

Ingredients

  • Full fat milk- 3 litres, divided into half
  • Lime juice or vinegar - 2 tbsp
  • Nolen gur (date palm jaggery)- 3/4 cup or as per taste
  • Cardamom powder-1.5 tsp
  • Saffron- 6-8 strands
  • Chopped almonds and pistachios- 2 tbsp

Instructions

    Making Chena
  1. Bring 1.5 litres of milk to boil; once the milk is boiling turn off the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes
  2. Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar and give it a stir ; milk will start to curdle
  3. Strain the whey out through a muslin placed over a strainer as shown in the picture above
  4. Give chena a nice rinse with 10 cups of water making sure there is no sour smell of lime or vinegar anymore
  5. Drain well for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge to take away all the excess moisture
  6. Once chena has drained well, add finely chopped Nolen Gur and mix gently and refrigerate
    7. Making Khoya
  7. Bring 1.5 liters of milk to boil; once the milk starts to boil , reduce the flame and stir continuously until it reduces to a thick semi-solid mass
  8. Add powdered cardamom powder and saffron while the milk is reducing
  9. Transfer to another bowl and bring to room temperature
  10. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes
https://onewholesomemeal.com/nolen-gur-kalakand-milk-dessert-with-date-palm-jaggery/

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal

Mango Popsicles With Cream Cheese | Homemade Summer Snack

Mango Popsicles With Cream Cheese
Summer Dessert with Mangoes

If you grew up in South Asia you would agree that leftovers are not just treated like leftovers. What it means is if you ate dal for dinner, it is quite possible the leftover dal would find its way to your breakfast or lunch plate as a paratha. Similarly, leftover steamed rice would be turned into ghee fried rice and leftover alu sabzi would become a sandwich or alu paratha. Needless to say, that particular gene has been passed onto me as well. More often than not I find myself trying to create something new and interesting with leftovers.

So, here is the story behind my Mango Popsicles With Cream Cheese.

Now, if you have seen my previous posts you know that we celebrated a birthday and there was a homemade cake with delicious cream cheese frosting. As always I went a bit overboard while making the frosting and once I was done with the cake I realised I had tons of cream cheese frosting left. Now, there was no way I was going to make one more cake to use that frosting, and just binning the remaining frosting seemed like an unbearable idea too.

Voila! I had an idea!

Around the same time, some good folks on Instagram were organising a contest inviting entries for great leftover creations. I sat deciding unsure what would my entry be when my youngest came to me. He reminded me I still had not made the mango popsicles I had been promising him for days now. And just like that, I had the idea to create these amazing mango popsicles with cream cheese. And what a dreamy creamy beautifully textured dessert it was! Now, each time that I have leftover frosting in the future, I am going to try these popsicles for sure with different kinds of flavours. The demand for the strawberry version has already been put through.

Anyhow, coming back to the popsicles, although I used the leftover cream cheese frosting, it doesn’t mean you absolutely need to use this frosting in order to make this popsicle. You can just use cream cheese, greek yogurt, and mango puree to make delicious popsicles too. I have shared the recipe for both versions. If you decide to make the cream cheese frosting, you can find the recipe in this post.

Useful tips to make a great quality popsicle

  1. Use softened cream cheese. Basically, the cream cheese should have sat outside the fridge for at least an hour. This helps to avoid any lumps in the popsicle.
  2.  Next, add a few strands of saffron to the popsicle mix as it really elevates the flavours. If you would like to skip it you can add some lemon zest.
  3. Juicy and pulpy Alphonsoes work best in this recipe. If you cannot find any, the next best option is using canned Mango Pulp.

Making Mango Popsicles with Cream Cheese

Ingredients

  1. Cream cheese softened – 1.5 cups
  2. Mango puree – 1.5 cups
  3. Roughly chopped mangoes – 3/4 cup
  4. Greek Yogurt -2 tbsp
  5. Roughly chopped pistachios and almonds – 2 tbsp
  6. Saffron, one small pinch of lemon zest – 1 tbsp
  7. 1 tbsp milk to steep the saffron in
  8. Sugar or Honey as per taste

Method

  1. In a deep bowl whisk the cream cheese and sugar/honey (if using) until smooth
  2. Then add the mango puree and greek yogurt and blend gently on medium speed
  3. Fold in the steeped saffron, chopped mangoes, and nuts
  4. Transfer to popsicle moulds, add popsicle sticks, and freeze overnight or a minimum of 5 hours
  5. Just before unmoulding tilt the moulds slightly and run under tap water or dip for 30 seconds in warm water. This helps to bring the popsicles out smoothly without breaking.

Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles

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Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

    Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with Cream Cheese
    Ingredients
  • Cream cheese, softened - 1.5 cups
  • Mango puree- 1.5 cups
  • Roughly chopped mangoes- 3/4 cup
  • Greek Yogurt-2 tbsp
  • Roughly chopped pistachios and almonds - 2 tbsp
  • Saffron, one small pinch or lemon zest- 1 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp milk to steep the saffron in
  • Sugar or Honey as per taste
    • Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with leftover Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Cream cheese frosting, softened - 1.5 cups
  • Mango puree- 1.5 cups
  • Roughly chopped mangoes- 3/4 cup
  • Greek Yogurt-2 tbsp
  • Roughly chopped pistachios and almonds - 2 tbsp
  • Saffron, one small pinch
  • 1 tbsp milk to steep the saffron in

Instructions

    Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with Cream Cheese
    Method
  1. In a deep bowl whisk the cream cheese and sugar/honey (if using) until smooth
  2. Then add the mango puree and greek yogurt and blend gently on medium speed
  3. Fold in the steeped saffron, chopped mangoes and nuts
  4. Transfer to popsicle moulds, add popsicle sticks and freeze overnight or a minimum of 5 hours 
  5. Just before unmoulding tilt the moulds slightly and run under tap water or dip for 30 seconds in warm water.This helps to bring the popsicles out smoothly without breaking
    6. Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with leftover Cream Cheese Frosting
    Method
  6. In a deep bowl whisk the cream cheese frosting until smooth
  7. Then add the mango puree and greek yogurt and blend gently on medium speed
  8. Fold in the steeped saffron, chopped mangoes and nuts
  9. Transfer to popsicle moulds, add popsicle sticks and freeze overnight or a minimum of 5 hours  
  10. Just before unmoulding tilt the moulds slightly and run under tap water or dip for 30 seconds in warm water.This helps to bring the popsicles out smoothly without breaking
https://onewholesomemeal.com/mango-popsicles-with-cream-cheese-homemade-summer-snack/

Enjoy this fun video showing the making of these mango popsicles

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Number Birthday Cake | 4th Birthday | Vanilla Sheet Cake

Number Birthday Cake
Vanilla Sheet Cake for 4th Birthday

Very excited to share with your how I prepared my first number birthday cake for my son’s 4th birthday!

So, in continuation of the last post, this one is going to be all about how I put my littlest’s fourth birthday cake together. His only request was a vanilla ninja cake. The vanilla cake was easy considering my favourite Joy of Baking has the easiest vanilla cake recipe with a delicious cream cheese frosting. And I am a diehard fan of that combination so choosing that flavour was a no-brainer. But making a Ninja Cake seemed to be an uphill task which involved either spending hours to create a cake which looked like an actual Ninja- there was no way I could devote that kind of time! The other option was to roll out oodles of fondant but then I am not much of a fan of when it comes to coating sugar with some more sugar, most of which eventually gets chucked away. So, there was no way I was going to do that either. Incidentally, I happened to chat with a friend and she gave me a few quick-fix ideas and hence this Number 4 Birthday Cake!

The 5 Basic Steps to Make Your Number Birthday Cake

Broadly speaking there are five steps to making this easier than it sounds Number Birthday Cake:

  1. Creating your number stencil. In my case, it was 4.
  2. Baking the vanilla sheet cake.
  3. Making the strawberry compote.
  4. Preparing the frosting.
  5. Bringing it all together and decorating.

So, without any further ado, let us begin!

1. Creating your number 4 stencil

There are a couple of ways you can do it. But the easiest way is to choose the longest side (both length and breadth would be the same size) based on the size of your cake pan and of course based on the size of the cake you eventually want. For example, I did not have a rectangular cake pan which would be ideal but an 8-inch square cake pan. This meant I needed to make two square cakes, place them together to make a rectangle with the long side measuring 16 inches. Leaving some margin, I decided to make the final cake with 12 inch long sides. With that decision out of my way, it was easy to create a stencil with the following measurements:

Number 4 Birthday Cake | Easy Number Cake | Vanilla Sheet Cake

 

 

2. Baking the vanilla sheet cake

I followed the recipe by Joy of Baking to the T except I doubled it as I wanted to make a two-layered cake. So, using my 8-inch cake pan I baked 4 cakes. Two square cakes made the base rectangle and the two others made the top layer. In between sat the delicious strawberry compote the recipe for which I shared in an earlier blog post.

Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe:

INGREDIENTS (for four 8 inch square cakes)
  • All-Purpose Flour: 710 grams
  • Baking Powder: 22 grams
  • Salt: 4 grams
  • Butter at room temperature: 450 grams
  • Eggs: 8
  • Sugar: 600 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 20 grams
  • Full Fat Milk: 480 ml
METHOD
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees centigrade
  • Butter your 8-inch square cake pan or  9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan and line it with parchment paper and set aside
  • In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  • Add sugar and pure vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy
  • Next, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition and scraping sides whenever needed; beat until colour lightens
  • In alternate additions add milk and flour  and continue to whip as you do so until the mixture reaches a homogenous consistency
  • If using the 8 inch square pan, divide the batter into 4 equal parts and bake one part at a time for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If using 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan, transfer half of the total prepared mixture into it and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Repeat the same for the remaining half of the batter
  • Once all the cakes have cooled down to room temperature, wrap them individually with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. This makes the cake easier to frost and work with.

3. Making the strawberry compote

You can make the compote a day or a few hours ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Since it is without preservatives it stays good in the refrigerator just for a few days so try and make it just a day prior. You can find a detailed recipe here.

4. Making the frosting

I decided to make the cream cheese frosting as it tastes great even with little sugar and with the lime added to it, brings in tons of fresh flavours to the cake. It is also not as heavy as the buttercream frosting. And because I was going to be using minimal frosting just for flavour and not for decoration it was a better option. Use only full fat cream cheese at room temperature for best results

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

INGREDIENTS
  • Butter at room temperature: 100 grams
  • Castor Sugar: The original recipe calls for 180 grams but I used 150 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 4 grams
  • Lemon Juice: 4 grams
  • Lemon Rind: 1 tbsp
  • Cream Cheese, really soft and at room temperature: 340 grams
METHOD
  • In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  • To softened butter add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy
  • Then add softened cream cheese in gradual additions, scraping sides as needed
  • Add vanilla, lime juice, and lemon rind and mix well
  • Refrigerate for half an hour before frosting

5. Bringing it all together and decorating

I made a quick video to share how I brought it all together which is attached below. I followed the steps in the following order :

  1. The four refrigerated cakes were brought out. Two 8 inch cakes were put next to each other and then the other two stacked on top
  2. The number 4 stencil was placed on top and the cakes were shaped accordingly (please refer to the video to see how I did it)
  3. Then the layers were separated and strawberry compote filled in; holes poked for the compote to seep through and absorb well through the cake
  4. The top layer was placed back and the cake was frosted
  5. Kit Kats were used to make the fence
  6. Because the Kit Kats were taller than the actual cake, so Maltesers were added to adjust the height
  7. Finally, the smarties were added on top

Now, at this stage, you can refrigerate the cake (or not) depending on when you are going to be cutting it. I finished making the cake late at night. To s and we were going to be cutting it early the next morning I decided to just let it chill in a really cold room with an air conditioner on at 18 degrees. Before cutting the cake I added some Ninja figures. So, this way I exceeded expectations- the birthday boy got a Ninja cake topped with his favourite candies and shaped like number 4 !!

Here is the video which will give you a better idea as to how this Number Birthday Cake was put together :

Print
Number 4 Birthday Cake | Easy Number Cake | Vanilla Sheet Cake

Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 10 hours

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12-14

Ingredients

    For four 8 inch square cakes
  • All Purpose Flour: 710 grams
  • Baking Powder: 22 grams
  • Salt: 4 grams
  • Butter at room temperature: 450 grams
  • Eggs : 8
  • Sugar : 600 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 20 grams
  • Full Fat Milk: 480 ml
    • For Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Butter at room temperature: 100 grams
  • Castor Sugar: The original recipe calls for 180 grams but I used 150 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 4 grams
  • Lemon Juice: 4 grams
  • Lemon Rind: 1 tbsp
  • Cream Cheese , really soft and at room temperature : 340 grams

Instructions

    For Vanilla Sheet Cake
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees centigrade
  2. Butter your 8 inch square cake pan or 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan and line it with parchment paper and set aside
  3. In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  4. Add sugar and pure vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy
  5. Next add eggs one at time beating well after each addition and scraping sides whenever needed; beat until colour lightens
  6. In alternate additions add milk and flour and continue to whip as you do so until the mixture reaches a homogenous consistency
  7. If using the 8 inch square pan, divide the batter into 4 equal parts and bake one part at a time for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If using 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan, transfer half of the total prepared mixture into it and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Repeat the same for the remaining half of the batter
  8. Once all the cakes have cooled down to room temperature, wrap them individually with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. This makes the cake easier to frost and work with.
    9. For Cream Cheese Frosting
  9. In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  10. To softened butter add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy
  11. Then add softened cream cheese in gradual additions, scraping sides as needed
  12. Add vanilla, lime juice and lemon rind and mix well
  13. Refrigerate for half an hour before frosting
    14. Bringing it all together and decorating
  14. Bring out the four refrigerated cakes. Place two 8 inch cakes next to each other and then stack the other two on top placing them in the same manner as the base
  15. Place the number 4 stencil on top of the stacked cakes and cut out the shape accordingly (please refer to the video to see how I did it)
  16. Then separate the layers and fill in the strawberry compote in the centre; poke holes for the compote to seep through and absorb well into the cake
  17. Place the top layer back and frost the cake
  18. Add Kit-Kats to make the fence
  19. Then place the Malteasers on top to adjust height 
  20. Finally place Smarties on top
  21. Refrigerate and bring out two hours before cutting the cake
https://onewholesomemeal.com/number-birthday-cake-4th-birthday-vanilla-sheet-cake/

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Strawberry Compote For Cake In 15 Minutes

Strawberry Compote for Cake
Strawberry Compote for Cake

My strawberry compote for cake recipe is perfect for a simple vanilla butter cake. You can even try it with pies and puddings for.

I have a friend who calls cakes that have too much going on, “fufu cakes.” You know the kind which is all gooey, chocolatey, with all kinds of mousse inside but there is no real cake in it? Simply put, the sponge is lacking and when you take a bite, your teeth and tongue just glide through the entire cake. It is basically like eating a smoothie. It is delicious no doubt but it is not the real deal, in my opinion.

A Family That Takes heir Cake Seriously!

When it comes to birthdays at home we make sure we have the real deal. And hence this strawberry compote aka strawberry filling happened. We are a family of five. Therefore I bake at least 4 cakes every year for the others. For my birthday, I always get one from the store. My favourite is the Signature Mille Crepe Cakes from Lady M and the Mango Cake from COVA Pasticceria. The kids usually ask for something chocolate. So almost all kinds of chocolate cakes and cupcakes have happened including red velvet and the latter with some cream cheese frosting remains our family favourite.

This time however I decided to go with a simple butter vanilla sheet cake layered with my youngest’s favourite fruit filling – strawberry. And because everything was homemade, the strawberry compote had to be made at home too. Considering how easy it is to make, getting a store-bought filling sounded criminal. I had some gorgeous fresh strawberries in the refrigerator. So in they went into a saucepan with a dash of butter and brown sugar on a low flame. Spiked with some lime juice, they were thickened with corn starch and cooked until the berries turned soft and mushy.

Strawberry Compote | Strawberry filling for cakes | Easy Recipe

I let it cool before spreading it over the cake of course. The sweet tangy flavour of the strawberry compote went so well with the cake. Also, it kept the layers moist without having to add any sugar syrup or frosting in between. I highly recommend this strawberry filling to take a basic vanilla cake to the next level.

Strawberry Compote For Cake Recipe

Ingredients 

  1. Fresh or frozen strawberries- 2.5 cups; if using fresh, wash well, remove the green stem and chop fine; if using frozen no need to thaw, add frozen berries straight to the pan
  2. Butter – 1tbsp
  3. Brown sugar – 2 tbsp or as per taste
  4. Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
  5. Corn starch – 1 tbsp

Method

  1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan and reduce heat
  2. Add chopped strawberries along with brown sugar and cook till sugar dissolves
  3. Next, add lemon juice and continue to stir and cook on a low flame for another minute or so
  4. Now add corn starch and mix well; cook for 5 minutes on a very low flame with intermittent stirring till the compote thickens in its consistency. It will thicken further on cooling so make sure to leave it a little watery
  5. Taste and adjust sweetness
  6. Take it off the heat and using a potato masher, mash it to a smoother consistency
  7. Cool and transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate and use within 2-3 days

Watch a quick video here to guide you better:

Strawberry Compote | Strawberry filling for cakes | Easy Recipe

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Strawberry Compote | Strawberry filling for cakes | Easy Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 90%

Serving Size: Makes approx 1 cup compote

Ingredients

  • Fresh or frozen strawberries- 2.5 cups; if using fresh, wash well, remove the green stem and chop fine; if using frozen no need to thaw, add frozen berries straight to the pan
  • Butter- 1tbsp
  • Brown sugar - 2 tbsp or as per taste
  • Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
  • Corn starch - 1 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pan and reduce heat 
  2. Add chopped strawberries along with brown sugar and cook till sugar dissolves 
  3. Add lemon juice and continue to stir and cook on a low flame for another minute or so
  4. Add corn starch and mix well; cook for 5 minutes on a very low flame with intermittent stirring till the compote thickens in consistency. It will thicken further on cooling so make sure to leave it a little watery
  5. Taste and adjust sweetness
  6. Take it off heat and using a potato masher, mash it to a smoother consistency
  7. Cool and transfer to an air tight container, refrigerate and use within 2-3 days
https://onewholesomemeal.com/strawberry-compote-for-cake-in-15-minutes/

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Tandoori Cauliflower Pulao | Tandoori Gobi Rice Recipe

Tandoori Cauliflower Pulao | Tandoori Gobi Rice Recipe
Tandoori Cauliflower with Nuts Pulao

This tandoori style gobi rice recipe is a complete wholesome meal with a myriad of textures and flavours. Moreover, it is surprisingly easy to put together! So let’s get started.

Today many people making better lifestyle choices. This includes decisions to go gluten-free, become a vegetarian or vegan, and sometimes all three. As a result, apart from the mock meat choices, some veggies are fast becoming favourites. Some examples are eggplant, avocados, sweet potato and last but not least, cauliflower or gobi! Now, you have all kinds of cauliflower recipes like gluten-free cauliflower pizza and cauliflower rice for people watching their calories.

I have been meaning to try both recipes but for one reason or another haven’t been able to. But I am so glad I tried this tandoori cauliflower and nuts pulao. This gobi rice recipe is easy, make ahead meal in case you are planning any gatherings. You can make and refrigerate it a day ahead. Or just prepare the tandoori gobi. The roasted tandoori cauliflower is bursting with flavours. Its crispy chewiness complements the softness of perfectly cooked buttery long-grained basmati rice while the nuts impart a lovely crunch. One really doesn’t need anything much apart from some plain yogurt or raita on the side to make this a complete meal.

Tips To Make The Perfect Gobi Rice Pulao:

  1. Use long-grained basmati rice for best results.
  2. Wash well and soak the rice for half an hour before cooking.
  3. Avoid cooking rice in the microwave or pressure cooker. This helps keep the grains intact and avoids excessive moisture. So you have no clumpy rice.
  4. Also, add a few tablespoons of oil or butter to the rice water while it is boiling. This helps to keep the grains intact and avoids clumping.
  5. After you drain the rice spread it out on a flat baking sheet lined with buttered baking paper. This keeps the rice grains intact. Also, the grains continue to cook for sometime after being drained. Laying them out helps in even cooking and avoids clumping.
  6. Cut the cauliflower florets a little bigger than bite-size as they will shrink while roasting. Very small-sized florets would not impart much texture to the pulao.

Tandoori Cauliflower Pulao | Tandoori Style Gobi Rice Recipe

Ingredients:  

For Tandoori Cauliflower Marinade 

  • Medium sized cauliflower – 1 
  • Hung curd – 2.5 cups
  • Ginger-garlic paste – 1/2 tbsp
  • Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Tandoori Chicken Masala or Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
  • Amchoor Powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Ajwain or Carom seeds – 1/2 tsp
  • Kasoori Methi – 1tsp
  • Besan – 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice – 2 tsp
  • Vegetable Oil – 1 tbsp and some extra
  • Salt – 1.5 tsp or as per taste

For Gobi Rice Recipe With Nuts

  • Basmati Rice (washed and pre-soaked in water for half an hour) – 1 cup
  • Water – 4 cups
  • Mint leaves, julienned – 1.5 tbsp
  • Small Red Onion, slivered – 1
  • Green chili, slit in half – 2
  • Lemon juice – 2.5 tbsp
  • Tandoori Chicken Masala – 1 tsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Cranberries -1 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Raisins – 1 tbsp
  • Red Chilli flakes – 1/4 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Almond – 1.5 tbsp
  • Cashews halved vertically – 1.5 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Pistachios – 1 tbsp
  • Dried Bay Leaf -1
  • Star Anise – 1
  • Green Cardamom – 2
  • Saffron – 4-6 strands
  • Milk – 1tbsp
  • Pomegranate arils – 1.5 tbsp
  • Vegetable Oil – 2 tbsp
  • Ghee or Butter – 1 tbsp
  • Salt – 2 tsp or as per taste

Instructions:

Tandoori Cauliflower Recipe

  1. Prepare hung curd by placing regular yogurt in a muslin cloth and placing it on a sieve over a bowl. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours so 70% of the whey drains
  2. In the meantime separate the cauliflower florets into medium size (keeping them as uniformly sized as possible for even baking) and soak in boiling salted water(turning off the heat once the water comes to boil) for 5-7 minutes
  3. Drain water and run cold water over the florets, pat dry on a kitchen towel and keep aside 
  4. In a separate bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade (including the hung curd); the marinade should not be too runny or coating the cauliflowers  evenly would get tricky 
  5. Check for seasonings and adjust as per taste 
  6. Marinate for approximately 2 hours or overnight in a refrigerator 
  7. To bake, preheat the oven to 200 degrees
  8. Prepare a baking tray, lining it with foil and brushing some oil on the tray
  9. Neatly line the marinated florets on the tray and brush some more oil on them
  10. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the florets are cooked through; halfway through the process, turn over the florets for even baking
  11. Keep aside once done while you prepare the rice

Gobi Rice Recipe with Nuts

  1. Toast the chopped nuts, raisins, and cranberries in 1tsp ghee and keep aside 
  2. Heat 1 tbsp milk, add saffron strands, and keep aside
  3. Prepare a wide baking tray, lined with foil and keep aside
  4. In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt, tandoori chicken masala, and chilli flakes and keep aside
  5. Bring 4 cups water to boil in a deep wok, reduce the flame to medium and add bay leaf, star anise, and green cardamoms and 1.5 tsp salt
  6. Then add the pre-soaked rice and 2 tbsp vegetable oil and give it a gentle stir
  7. Let the rice cook in this flavoured water on a low flame till it is 90% done, i.e. it isn’t completely soft and does not squish easily between two fingers 
  8. Turn off heat and using a strainer, scoop out the rice and evenly spread it on the baking tray; keep aside 
  9. In a thick bottomed wok, heat 1 tbsp ghee or butter and add onions, mint leaves, and green chilies. Then cook on a medium flame till the onions are nice and brown
  10. Add the cooked flavoured rice along with saffron milk and baked cauliflower florets and give everything a very gentle mix using a wooden spatula
  11. Add the tandoori-lime vinaigrette followed by toasted nuts, dried fruit and mix well slowly and gently; check for salt and adjust as per taste
  12. Garnish with mint leaves and pomegranate arils and enjoy as is or with a side of beetroot raita.

Watch below the video recipe for Tandoori Cauliflower and Nuts Pulao:

 

 

Print
Tandoori Cauliflower & Nuts Pulaao | Tandoori Gobhi Pulaao

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 4 hours

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

    For Tandoori Cauliflower Marinade
  • Medium sized Cauliflower - 1
  • Hung curd- 2.5 cups
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1/2 tbsp
  • Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 tsp
  • Tandoori Chicken Masala or Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
  • Amchoor Powder- 1/2 tsp
  • Ajwain or Carom seeds- 1/2 tsp
  • Kasoori Methi- 1tsp
  • Besan- 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice- 2 tsp
  • Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp and some extra
  • Salt- 1.5 tsp or as per taste
    • For Nuts Pulaao
  • Basmati Rice (washed and pre-soaked in water for half an hour) - 1 cup
  • Water- 4 cups
  • Mint leaves, julienned - 1.5 tbsp
  • Small Red Onion, slivered - 1
  • Green chilli, slit in half - 2
  • Lemon juice- 2.5 tbsp
  • Tandoori Chicken Masala- 1 tsp
  • Red Chilli flakes - 1/4 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Almond- 1.5 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Pistachios - 1 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Cranberries -1 tbsp
  • Coarsely Chopped Raisins- 1 tbsp
  • Cashews, halved vertically - 1.5 tbsp
  • Dried Bay Leaf -1
  • Star Anise -1
  • Green Cardamom- 2
  • Saffron- 4-6 strands
  • Milk- 1tbsp
  • Pomegranate arils- 1.5 tbsp
  • Vegetable Oil- 2 tbsp
  • Ghee or Butter - 1 tbsp
  • Salt- 2 tsp or as per taste

Instructions

    Making Tandoori Cauliflower
  1. Prepare hung curd by placing regular yogurt in a muslin cloth and placing it on a sieve over a bowl. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours so 70% of the whey drains
  2. In the meantime separate the cauliflower florets into medium size (keeping them as uniformly sized as possible for even baking) and soak in boiling salted water(turning off the heat once water comes to boil) for 5-7 minutes
  3. Drain water and run cold water over the florets, pat dry on a kitchen towel and keep aside
  4. In a separate bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade (including the hung curd); the marinade should not be too runny or coating the cauliflowers evenly would get tricky
  5. Check for seasonings and adjust as per taste
  6. Marinate for approximately 2 hours or overnight in a refreigerator
  7. To bake, preheat the oven to 200 degrees
  8. Prepare a baking tray, lining it with foil and brushing some oil on the tray
  9. Neatly line the marinated florets on the tray and brush some more oil on them
  10. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the florets are cooked through; halfway through the process, turn over the florets for even baking
  11. Keep aside once done while you prepare the rice
    12. Making the Pulaao
  12. Toast the chopped nuts, raisins and cranberries in 1tsp ghee and keep aside
  13. Heat 1 tbsp milk, add saffron strands and keep aside
  14. Prepare a wide baking tray , lined with foil and keep aside
  15. In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt, tandoori chicken masala and chilli flakes and keep aside
  16. Bring 4 cups water to boil in a deep wok, reduce flame to medium and add bay leaf, star anise and green cardamoms and 1.5 tsp salt
  17. Then add the pre-soaked rice and 2 tbsp vegetable oil and give it a gentle stir
  18. Let the rice cook in this flavoured water on a low flame till it is 90% done, i.e. it isn’t completely soft and does not squish easily between two fingers
  19. Turn off heat and using a strainer, scoop out the rice and evenly spread it on the baking tray; keep aside
  20. In a thick bottomed wok, heat 1 tbsp ghee or butter and add onions, mint leaves and green chilies; cook on a medium flame till the onions are nice and brown
  21. Add the cooked flavoured rice along with saffron milk and baked cauliflower florets and give everything a very gentle mix using a wooden spatula
  22. Add the tandoori-lime vinaigrette followed by toasted nuts, dried fruit and mix well slowly and gently; check for salt and adjust as per taste
  23. Garnish with mint leaves and pomegranate arils and enjoy as is or with a side of beetroot raita.
https://onewholesomemeal.com/tandoori-cauliflower-pulao-tandoori-gobi-rice-recipe/

And before you leave, do not forget to check out some more delicious rice recipes:

https://onewholesomemeal.com/cheesy-veggie-rice/

Kimchi Flavoured Brown Rice

Brown and Wild Rice Citrus Salad

https://onewholesomemeal.com/methifresh-fenugreek-leaves-pulaao/

Beetroot Pilau, A Healthy Weekend Dinner

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Mango Milkshake Recipe With Healthy Options

Mango Milkshake Recipe | Fresh Mango Shake
Mango Milkshake recipe with healthy options

And last but not least in the Mango Trilogy – Mango Milkshake! If you are a South Asian, is there a possibility that you have not heard of Mango Milkshake?

Food has a way of bringing back the most precious memories, don’t you think? A freshly made glass of Mango Milkshake for example. It transports me back to my summer holiday break when sultry afternoons would become more bearable with the air cooler blowing mogra scented cool breeze (yes, I belong to the Desert Cooler era ;)), a stack of books issued from the library, and a chilled glass of Mango Shake to go with it!

I tried to recreate that magic again when I finally received the first batch of Alphonso Mangoes of this season. And it did not disappoint. Oh! What bliss is that magical glass of mango milkshake! Now, technically milkshakes are made with ice creams, vanilla, or chocolate most commonly. However, there are some alternatives to using just ice cream to make it a tad healthier.

Ice cream alternatives one could use:

  1. Whipping cream- full fat or low fat based on your preference in combination with milk.
  2. Almond milk
  3. Oat Milk
  4. Soya Milk
  5. Full fat or reduced-fat milk
  6. Combination of ice cream, milk, and whipping cream in 3:2:1 ratio

Some useful tips in making a Mango Milkshake par excellence :

  1. Use varieties of mango which are very pulpy and juicy. No “pulp fiction” aka fibrous, juice only, no pulp kinda varieties. That would lead to a very watery milkshake with only a mild mango flavour. If you are looking for a creamy, loaded with mango flavour milkshake, then use Indian varieties like Alphonsoes, Dussehri or Malgova. Read here to find out more about Indian mango varieties. If you are unable to find any of these then your next best bet is canned mangoes. But never and I repeat never use fibrous varieties for Mango Milkshake
  2. Use only ice to thin out the milkshake and not water
  3. When using vanilla ice cream, you do not need to add sugar as both the ice cream and mango should be sweet enough
  4. If you do decide to add sugar, try swapping it with raw sugar, it enhances the flavours manifold
  5. When using just milk to make the mango milkshake, using pure vanilla essence for flavour is recommended

So, with these tips under our belt, we are all set to make the best Mango Milkshake in town!

Ingredients :

  1. Milk (you can use any kind) – 1 cup
  2. Vanilla ice cream-2 large scoops or swap it with one cup milk
  3. The pulp of two medium-sized mangoes
  4. Chopped nuts (optional)
  5. Sweetener of choice – As per taste 
  6. Ice cubes- 1 cup

Method:

  1. In a high-speed blender blend all ingredients till smooth
  2. Garnish with some more chopped nuts if desired and serve chilled 
  3. You could add more ice cubes if desired, right before serving.

Print
Mango Milk Shake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 2 tall glasses

Ingredients

  • Milk (you can use any kind)- 1 cup
  • Vanilla ice cream-2 large scoops or swap it with one cup milk
  • Pulp of two medium sized mangoes
  • Chopped nuts (optional)
  • Sweetener of choice - As per taste 
  • Ice cubes- 1 cup

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender blend all ingredients till smooth
  2. Garnish with some more chopped nuts if desired and serve chilled
  3. You could add more ice cubes if desired, right before serving
https://onewholesomemeal.com/mango-milkshake-recipe-with-healthy-options/

And before you leave, do not forget to check out some more delicious mango recipes:

https://onewholesomemeal.com/custard-apple-mango-pudding/

Mango Yogurt Oats Parfait To Start Your Morning

Beaten-Rice Yogurt Mango Parfait

https://onewholesomemeal.com/custard-apple-mango-pudding/