Summer and mango are synonymous with each other in the Indian subcontinent at least, don’t you think? What is also very well-loved in the subcontinent is yogurt. And Alphonso mango and yogurt are a match made in heaven.
Keeping in the spirit of Mango Mania here is another recipe that involves the King of Fruits. Amrakhand is a spin-off on Shrikhand which is typically made with hung curd flavoured with cardamom and sugar. It is a popular Indian dessert in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra and tastes great with piping hot pooris and chapatis.
Aam is Hindi for Mango and that is how the dish gets its name. Amrakhand combines the goodness of yogurt and alphonso mango and creates the perfect summer dessert which when enjoyed on a muggy summer afternoon, is just heavenly! This recipe was one amongst the few others that I had shared on Sassy Mama Hong Kong last year celebrating summer desserts.
A few tips to keep in mind:
if using regular yogurt or homemade curd, make sure to tie it in a cheesecloth and place it in a strainer over a bowl and refrigerate overnight so excess water is drained. If not overnight, at least for 3-4 hours.
as I mentioned plain greek yogurt is a quicker alternative. If using that, place the yogurt in muslin and let it hang for 30-45 minutes to remove excess water
fresh Alphonso mangoes work best for this recipe, but if that is unavailable, use canned mango pulp; if using the latter, discard the water and use just the pulp
honey works great as a sweetener instead of brown sugar but it does alter the taste of the final dish
using coconut greek yogurt adds an interesting dimension to the dish. In fact, you can also add freshly grated coconut while blending the yogurt and alphonso mango puree if you would like to
use of saffron strands is optional
Ingredients for Aamrakhand:
Hung curd or greek yogurt (water drained completely)- 2 cups
Pureed Mangoes -1 cup
Brown or raw Sugar (powdered) or Honey- 1 tbsp or as per taste depending on the sweetness of the mango pulp
Saffron-3-4 strands steeped in 1 tbsp warm milk
Freshly pound cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
Slivered nuts(pistachios/almonds) and mango cubes for garnish- As desired
Method to Make the Perfect Mango and Yogurt Dessert:
In a deep bowl place the hung curd and pureed mangoes and blend on a low speed using a hand blender or a regular whisk
Add sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron steeped in milk (including the milk) and mix well
Spoon the mixture into serving bowls (small tequila shot glasses work great here) and refrigerate for an hour or two
Garnish with chopped nuts and mango cubes and serve chilled.
Today is a special vegan dessert with mango and whipped coconut cream. After all, it is summertime!
Mango season is in full swing in India. However, the way things are currently we are unable to enjoy the seasonal deluge of desi mangoes. We are making do with whatever little we can find of Thai and Philipino mangoes. Sadly, I have to admit the taste is just not the same. The richness of the mangoes from our Indian subcontinent is unmatched.
The Mango Originated In India
Mangoes originated in India about 6,000 years ago. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese scholar visiting India seems to have first brought it outside of India to China around the 7th century. The fruit then spread to East Africa as early as the 10th century AD. The mango then traveled to Philipinnes, Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica, and Hawaii where it quickly became a part of their culture.. The tropical climate in all these countries helped them grow and develop various varieties of mango and today we have more than 40 species across the world.
It’s More Than Just a Tropical Fruit
The tastes and flavours of this luscious fruit are popularly known but did you know that Ayurvedic and other ancient texts describe it as an aphrodisiac and stamina and vitality enhancer? The leaves are considered auspicious and used in religious ceremonies too. With so many qualities no wonder, the mango tree has been called Kalpvriksha or wish-granting tree in ancient Indian scriptures.
Mangoes have to be my favourite summer fruit. Not only do they taste great but are also loaded with health benefits. Their high content of Vitamin C, Antioxidants, and Folate make them a perfect fruit to start your day with, snack on, or even indulge your sweet-tooth with!
It is certainly odd that I do not have many mango recipes on the blog considering we do overindulge in its gooey goodness through summer. Alphonso in April/May and Langdas/Maldas in June/July keep us happy and we eat to our heart’s content until we bid goodbye to mango season in July only to eagerly awaiting the next.
Vegan Dessert With Mango: Manco Pots
Last summer I did a series of Mango recipes for Sassy Mama Hong Kong and today’s recipe of Manco pots was one of them. This gluten-free and vegan recipe received a lot of praise. I have been meaning to share it on my blog ever since.
It is really very simple and easy one and all you need is mango chunks/pulp (fresh or canned; albeit nothing like freshly cubed ripe Alphonso mangoes), a good quality coconut cream (not coconut milk as we need a nice creamy texture), and some homemade thandai powder and chopped nuts of choice. I also used brown sugar for sweetness and vanilla extract and rose petals for flavour and garnish respectively but they are all optional and you can skip if you like.
Useful Tips For The Perfect Vegan Dessert
The recipe will not work with low-fat coconut milk
Chilling the bowl in the freezer is an important step before whipping so make sure not to miss it
If you do not have dried rose petals handy, add chopped mint leaves
These little pots of taste and health are perfect as breakfast or even a midday snack. They help to maintain blood sugar levels, keep you satiated and avoid the afternoon slump. Try this vegan dessert with mango and coconut cream now.
Full fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight to separate the liquid from fat layer)- 250ml
Medium sized mango, cubed- 1
Brown Sugar-2 tbsp or as per taste
Pure Vanilla Extract -1/2 tsp
Dried rose petals for garnish-1 tsp (optional)
Instructions
Chill a deep bowl (preferably steel) in the freezer for half hour
Spoon out the coconut cream (discarding the coconut milk) into the steel bowl and to it add sugar and pure vanilla extract
Whip with a hand blender till stiff peaks form, then spoon it into desired serving bowls
Refrigerate for 1-2 hours then sprinkle generously(approximately 1.5-2 tsp) with the thandai powder, spoon over the mangoes and garnish with dried rose petals if using
Halwa or Halvah or Halva. No matter how you spell it, there is no denying that it brings back a gush of sweet celebratory memories for most of us. I am yet to meet someone from the Indian subcontinent who does not enjoy one or more kinds of halwa. And if you are new to this phenomenon called halwa, let me give you a brief glimpse.
What Is Halwa?
Halwa, much like its Persian/Turkish/Middle-eastern cousin is a sugary, fudgy pudding associated with (but not limited to) celebrations. As per popular belief halwa originally traveled to South Asia with the Mughals who themselves were from Persia. Now, this fact about its origin itself is highly debatable but what is beyond doubt is that the Indians made this dessert their own. The recipe was adapted to make halwa out of even vegetables like gourd and pumpkin. Carrot, semolina, moong dal, and whole wheat flour being some other popular varieties. What is also not debatable is that based on time on hand and level of expertise, there is a halwa for every occasion and every individual.
The semolina or suji halwa recipe I have on the blog is one of the quickest to put together and so is the atta halwa. Carrot halwa is seasonal in nature but our favourite goto dessert on chilly winter evenings when red carrots are abundantly available. But this Moong Dal Halwa, if I may say, is like no other, not in taste and definitely not in the amount of effort that is needed to put it together. All worth the effort in the end though. It truly is unique, tastes divine, and not for the faint-hearted.
Get Your Moong Dal Halwa Right!
I do not make it very often as it needs full attention for almost an hour and there is no multitasking and parallel processing while cooking this deliciousness. It is also quite heavy on the calories. But each time I do, we savour it and enjoy it guilt-free. And that is how my friend you might want to too :))
So, a few points to keep in mind before you venture to cook Moong Dal Halwa:
Do not be in a rush. Remember good things take time and patience is the key. Always!
Warning. All the non-stop stirring is a good arm workout. Be ready!
Do not go easy on the ghee. Not with this halwa. Trust me the results can be disastrous. You can adjust the sweetness to your taste of course.
When grinding the soaked moong dal make sure you do not make a smooth paste. The halwa makes and tastes best with danedaar (slightly coarse) moong dal paste.
Ideally, soak moong dal overnight to make halwa. Split yellow moong takes 4-5 hours to soften. This is enough time to soak. You can also soak it in hot water to speed up the process. Make sure to wash it very well before soaking and once or twice before grinding into a paste.
Keep the flame low the whole time; the dal can burn very quickly on a high flame.
Do not use too much water to make the paste, just enough to grind it; I used approximately 4 tbsp.
Relax and breathe and enjoy the process of making the halwa as much as you enjoy the end product. If it was not for all the elbow grease, the process is quite mediative and a task in mindfulness. At the end of each step, the contents in your pan will gently guide you to move to the next step. As someone wise once said one cooks with all five senses. You will know what I mean when you start to make this halwa 🙂
Pictures To Help You Along The Way
So, we start by giving the soaked moong dal one final wash before we grind it into a coarse paste with a few tablespoons of water as we go. For one cup moong dal, I used approximately 4 tablespoons of water.
Then we heat ghee (one cup melted) in a heavy-bottomed wok. Reduce the flame to low and add the dal paste to it. Now let the arm workout begin! Keep roasting with constant stirring until ghee starts to separate on the sides and the texture is no longer pasty or clumpy. In fact, just before adding the milk and sugar solution, the halwa looks quite crumbly. Below you can see the various stages of roasting the dal:
Stage 1- Just after you add the paste and mix with ghee
Stage 2-After 10 minutes of slow roasting
Stage 3- After 20 minutes of slow roasting
Stage 4-After 30 minutes of slow roasting
Have a look at the video of the roasted daal. It is now ready for the milk and sugar solution.
The Finishing Touches
Heave a sigh of relief as you are very close to the end. Well done for all the patience and hard work so far! Also, a pro tip. If you like, you can freeze this mixture at this stage and thaw it later for the subsequent steps. A great make-ahead dessert too, isn’t it?
Now, while the dal is roasting, bring 2.5 cups full-fat milk diluted with half a cup water to boil. Turn off the heat once it’s boiled and add sugar as per taste. I added a little more than one cup of sugar. Mix until well combined. Remove a few tablespoons of hot milk in a bowl and to it add a pinch of saffron (10-12 strands) and keep aside.
When the dal is well roasted as shared in the images above, add the boiling hot milk and sugar mixture to it and continue to cook on a low flame till it starts to clump together and ghee starts to separate from the side. Also, add the saffron milk, cardamom powder, slivered almonds, pistachios, and raisins.
Split yellow moong daal, soaked for at least 4-5 hours- 1 cup
Water- 1/2 cup and some extra
Full fat milk- 2.5 cups
Sugar- 1 cup or as per taste
Saffron-One pinch (10-12 strands)
Ghee, melted- 1 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Slivered pistachios- 8-10
Slivered almonds- 8-10
Raisins or sultanas- 8-10
Instructions
Grind the soaked moong daal into a coarse paste using minimal water
Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add the moong daal paste; continue to cook on a low flame, stirring regularly
Continue cooking till the raw smell of the dal disappears, it turns crumbly and ghee starts to separate
While the daal is roasting, bring 2.5 cups full fat milk diluted with half cup water to boil; turn off heat once its boiled and add sugar
Remove a few tablespoons of hot milk in a bowl and to it add a pinch of saffron (10-12 strands) and keep aside
When the daal is well roasted, add the boiling hot milk and sugar mixture to it and continue to cook on a low flame till it starts to clump together and ghee starts to separate from the side. Also, add the saffron milk, cardamom powder, slivered almonds, pistachios and raisins.
Serve hot, topped with more slivered almonds and pistachios.
Before I share with you the recipe for this healthy and yummy Sweet Potato Leaves Raita, let me give you some background.
Raita, the forever loved Indian side dish hardly needs any introductions. I however did a quick search to see how Sir Google describes it. One of the top few definitions was courtesy of the Cambridge English Dictionary, which describes it as below:
a South Asian dish consisting of yogurt with very small pieces of raw(= not cooked) vegetables mixed in yogurt.
What Is The Big Deal About This Humble Side Dish?
The above definition is not completely wrong. Oftentimes raw ingredients are used in raita. The usual suspects are cucumber, onion, tomato, coriander, mint, beetroot to name a few. This, however, is not the case always.
I personally feel that raita can be made out of practically any vegetable either raw or partially cooked (to retain its freshness, taste, and texture). The only two absolutely essential ingredients are yogurt and salt and everything else can be played around with. This, my friends, is one of the beauties of this dish. The other being its versatility and ability to be paired with practically any rice dish or Indian bread.
If you are still not convinced I will share a few examples:
A good Chicken Biryani or any biryani for that matter is just incomplete without a well-made raita
Too little time to cook? Plain ghee rice and raita is a complete meal
Eating chapatis and no time to make a full-fledged curry? Raita to the rescue!
Parathas– stuffed or plain again taste divine with a raita
So, there you are, some great examples of dishes you can pair raita with!
Why Is This Raita Special?
The recipe I am sharing today is my take on this versatile dish. It happened because I absolutely LOVE sweet potato leaves! Yes, you heard me right! The leaves are delicious and full of nutrients. I am not a huge fan of sweet potatoes themselves but LOVE fresh sweet potato greens that make great stir-fries.
This time, however, I was in the mood to try something different and hence this dish. I usually make spinach raita in a very similar fashion but I am so happy I tried this version as it turned out much creamier and yummier than the original.
Unlike most raitas, the veggies a.k.a. sweet potato leaves were cooked before adding. One can consume them raw too but they are a tad bitter and cooking with some garlic really helps balance the bitterness and adds tons of flavour to the final dish.
So, after thoroughly cleaning the leaves, I chopped them finely. Next, I cooked them for approximately 5 minutes on a low flame with some finely chopped garlic and hing (asafoetida). Once the raw smell disappeared and the leaves looked dryish, I added a pinch of salt and mixed it well. Do keep it aside to cool to room temperature.
While the cooked leaves cooled off I prepared my curd. Now, you may or may not need to add some water to the curd depending on how watery it is and what consistency you want your raita to be. Usually, store-bought yogurt is thicker than home set curd. I would recommend you add water to think out the yogurt as desired. I added half a cup of water to two cups of yogurt and whisked well.
Then I added the spices. I used roasted whole cumin which was coarsely hand pounded, roasted red chili powder and a pinch of cayenne pepper too (you can skip the latter), half a teaspoon of oregano, rock salt (you can use regular salt too) and mixed it all well.
Tadka Is Optional But Great
If you are feeling indulgent you can also do a tadka with mustard seeds and dried red chilies. I skipped it as I wanted to keep it light. I chilled the raita in the refrigerator for half an hour and served it topped with some chili flakes. And since I am HUGE fan of the Japanese Mixed Chilli Pepper Togarashi I added some of that too. It is hot and nutty with sesame and great on raitas!
Sweet Potato Leaves, washed and finely chopped-3 cups
Garlic, finely chopped - 2-3 cloves
Hing (asafoetida)- 1/4 tsp
Yogurt-2 cups
Water- 1 cup or as desired
Red chilli powder, lightly roasted and cayenne pepper- 1.5 tsp
Whole cumin- 2 tsp
Oregano- 1/2 tsp
Togarashi (Japanese Mixed Chilli Pepper)- 1/2 tsp for garnish (optional)
Oil- 1 tbsp
Salt-to taste (use rock salt for best results)
Instructions
Wash the sweet potato leaves well and patty dry on a kitchen towel, then chop fine
In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and once it is hot, add hing and garlic and saute on a low flame for a few seconds
Then add finely chopped sweet potato leaves and cook until water evaporates and raw smell disappears, then add salt and mix well ; set aside to cool
Roast the whole cumin in a dry pan on low flame , stirring continuously for almost a minute or until fragrant ; pound it into a coarse powder using a mortar-pestle and set aside
Whisk together yogurt and water as per the desired consistency (I added half a cup water to 2 cups yogurt), then add the dry spices- red chilli powder, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and oregano and salt and mix well
Chill in the refrigerator for half an hour , garnish with Togarashi if using and serve right away
Bliss balls or energy balls are not a novelty. There are all types and kinds, and yet there are so many new and variety of options possible.
Whenever I am rushed and want to fix a quick dessert which will keep well for a week, I make one or the other kind of energy balls. Some of our family favourites are coconut-dates, apricot-pistachio, and almond turmeric bliss balls. They are the perfect take-along quick snack and super filling and healthy too!
This time however I had some flaxseed meal at hand. Hard as it is to find it on the grocery aisle these days, I wanted to use them asap. The key ingredients that I used where:
Almond Meal – I used the store-bought blanched almond meal but you can also make it at home in advance.
Flaxseed Meal – Just blend a few cups of flaxseed in a blender to make this or just buy off the shelf.
Pitted Medjool Dates- These are the soft variety of dates available easily in any supermarket. If for some reason you are unable to lay your hands on these, you can sue regular dates; soak the regular dates in some warm water for 20-30 minutes until they are soft. Then drain and blend.
Pistachios – These again, I dry roasted them to bring out the nuttiness, then cooled and blended them to a powder.
I also added some freshly pounded black pepper and sea salt along with a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract for flavour.
Most bliss ball recipes involve throwing all the ingredients together into a high-speed blender and blending them all together. However, for this recipe, I blended each ingredient (apart from the already blended ones of course) separately and then brought them all together one last time before shaping them into desired sized balls.
Serving Size: Makes 10-12 medium sized bliss balls
Ingredients
Almond Meal- 1 cup
Flaxseed Meal- 1/4 cup
Pistachios, toasted and powdered- 3/4 cup and some extra for coating the bliss balls
Pitted Medjool Dates, coarsely chopped- 12-15
Coarsely pounded black pepper- 1/2 tbsp
Sea salt- 1 tsp
Pure Vanilla Extract- 1tbsp
Coconut oil to grease hands
Instructions
Dry roast the pistachios in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high flame for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously , then cool down and keep aside; blend to a fine powder once cool
Blend the dates till they are smooth and clumpy
To the above blender jar add almond, pistachio, flaxseed meals, black pepper, pure vanilla extract and blend one final time till combined; you would need to scrape the sides of the jar a few times
Invert the contents into a bowl and using your clean hands give it one final mix , pressing the mixture between your fingers as you go
Grease your hands with some coconut oil and form the mixture into desired sized balls
Coat the balls with pistachio powder if desired
Store in an airtight container in a cool and dry place and consume within a week
Not as popular as the naan or kulcha, the Palak Missi Roti, is an Indian bread that is easy to make at home.
Indian cuisine is incomplete without bread. Unlike their global cousin, Indians make their bread fresh, ready to be consumed. There are many different kinds. Each type of Indian bread complements a different kind of meal very well. You get to decide how heavy or healthy you want the bread to be!
All The Types Of Indian Bread
There are gluten-free flours like ragi (finger millet) and bajra (pearl millet) which have low GI Index. Therefore they help you feel full longer. They are great for people fighting diabetes and obesity. Then there are regular wholewheat flour rotisor chapatis which are the most common form of bread eaten across most Indian households. They are perfect accompaniments to almost any kind of meal. These breads are a great midway (read – the right balance of health, taste, and indulgence) between slightly drier millet rotis and a tad too indulgent but one of the most popular versions of Indian bread – naan. Naan is made with refined or bleached flour. While the health-conscious may not approve of it, the taste conscious more than compensate for their lack of approval. Maybe that is the reason you find naan most commonly in Indian restaurants. It is not an everyday bread in an Indian home.
What Goes Into Making A Missi Roti
Now, coming to the recipe I am going to be sharing today. Missi rotis are made with wholewheat and chickpea flour, flavoured with salt and spices. That is the basic version. I tend to add grated/finely chopped vegetables as well to mine to make them healthier and a complete meal. Enjoy it with a side of yogurt or raita. And if you have time on hand you can make a nice spicy curry to go with it too! Because of the chickpea flour, they are not as soft as chapatis but have more of a crispy texture. They are best enjoyed with a yogurt-based dish or curry. Eating them with a dry dish isn’t recommended but do go ahead if that is your cup of tea 🙂
Tips to Get Your Rotis Perfect!
Since we want nice and flaky rotis that are crisp but not too hard, the most important step is to add fat (ghee/oil) to the chickpea and wheat flour mix. To incorporate the fat into the flour, give it a nice rub between your palms (or your fingers.
Post that you can add all the remaining ingredients together and knead them, adding water gradually. One needs to be careful about not adding water liberally to avoid the dough getting soggy. I used a little less than one cup of water. Once the dough is soft and pliable I covered it with damp muslin and let it rest for 30 minutes. If you are running short of time, you could just leave it for 15 minutes.
Next, I divided the dough into small balls and roll them out like you would a regular chapati. See here a video tutorial on how to roll a chapati. Don’t worry if the rotis do not turn out perfectly round as that is perfectly normal. Just make sure they are nice and even so they cook evenly. Then place the rolled out roti on a hot tawa on medium-high heat and cook gently pressing down the sides till tiny bubbles start to form on the surface of the roti. Then flip it over and follow the same procedure. Add ghee or oil and cook for another few seconds. Flip and repeat for both sides to cook well. You should see brown spots like in the image below.
Serve right away with a side of yogurt and chutney or a spicy curry. They even make a light and filling breakfast with a side of chutney or ketchup.
In a wide and slightly deep bowl add wholewheat and chickpea flours with ghee
Bring the mixture together by rubbing it between the palm of your hands
Then add the remaining ingredients, add one tablespoon water and start to knead the dough; continue the process with very gradual additions of water until the dough is soft and pliable
Cover with moist muslin and let it rest for 15-20 minutes
After 30 minutes, form small balls and roll out the rotis
Then place the rolled out roti on a hot tawa on medium-high heat and cook gently pressing down the sides till tiny bubbles start to form on the surface of the roti, then flip it over and follow the same procedure
Add ghee or oil and cook for another few seconds and then flip and repeat till both sides are cooked well and you see brown spots like in the image above
Serve right away with a side of yogurt and chutney or a spicy curry.
