Mango Shrikand/ Amarkand

June 30, 2014

With Mangoes in season and my love for them, as you can see I, have been posting recipes of Mango in various ways.  Here is one of the all time favorite of my hubby "Shrikand".  A container of Shrikand is always there in my fridge.  Since he loves sweet dish after his meal, this is one that is always there when I do not prepare any sweet dish.  A thought just came to my mind, why don't I  prepare Amarkand / Mango Shrikand.  This is the first time I, made Shrikand at home and let me tell this was a  success.  This was worth the effort.  You too give it a try because it is quick and much more tastier than store purchased one.  This is also half the amount you would pay for the store one and double the quantity when prepared at home.  Now that this was a success, will also try and make other flavors of Shrikand.  So let's go to the recipe.  

Ingredients
500 ML Full Cream Milk 
1 Tablespoon Curds
1/2 Cup Mango puree ( A Puree of 2 Alphonso Mangoes)
2 - 3 Tablespoons Sugar powdered
2 Drops Mango essence
2 Tablespoons Mango -  chopped

Method

Heat the milk till just lightly warm. Remove from heat add the curds and mix well, keep this to set. When set take a cheese cloth, pur the curds into it and strain the curds. Keep this cloth in the fridge in  a sieve for all the excess water to drain  or else the curds will turn sour.  You can keep it for 3 - 4 hours or even overnight.  When drained keep it a plate and insert a spoon, when the spoon stays straight that means the curd is ready to use see pic ( this is also called Chakka).  This quantity  will be one cup.

Place this in a blender with the sugar and pulse it 3 times add the essence and mango puree and again pulse it 3 times. Remove it in a serving bowl, add the mango pieces and keep to it the fridge till cold ( 3 hours).  Serve chilled and enjoy !!!.

Note: The milk should not be boiled or else the cream will form when you set the curds. 
See that the curds do not turn sour or else you will not get sweet Shrikand and the taste will not be good.
If the mango is not sweet you can add more powdered sugar to sweeten the Shrikand.
A tinned mango puree can be used, then reduce the quantity sugar.



Labels: Sweets & Desserts, Mango

Mango Rice Pearl Pudding

I love mangoes and is experimenting various desserts with it. This is a simple and quick  pudding with condensed milk. I added cardamom and nutmeg  to flavor this pudding.  H really enjoyed the pudding with mango puree. It was a nice cool and yummy treat. 

Ingredients
2 Cups milk
1/2 Can Condensed Milk

1/4 Cup Rice Pearls
1/8 Teaspoon Cardamom powder

1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg powder
1/2 Cup mango puree
1 Tablespoon Nuts -( Almond and Pista chopped, optional)
A Cherry for decoration

Method

Place the milk, rice pearls, in a pan and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat, simmer for 3 minutes or till the Rice pearls are cooked.  Add the condensed milk, cardamon, nutmeg powder and stir well . Remove from heat and let cool.  When cooled keep in the fridge to chill.

To Serve

Take a glass or bowl. Pour the pudding, sprinkle some nuts, then the mango puree. Garnish with nuts and a cherry in the center.  Serve chilled.    Happy eating !!!!!!!

Labels: Sweets & Desserts, Mango, Gluten free

You also like to look at: Rice Pearls Kheer (Homemade/Handmade Seviyan)

Mango Pudding

June 26, 2014

This simple Chinese pudding. Traditionally, agar-agar, a derivative of seaweed is used as the thickener. I used gelatin. Use a fine sieve for the smooth texture.

Ingredients
2.1/4 teaspoons Unflavored Gelatin
1/4 Cup Water - Hot
2 Ripe Mangoes - peeled and diced

1/2 Can Condensed milk
2 tablespoons Lime juice

Method
Bring the water to a gentle simmer in a small bowl. Switch of the flame add the gelatin in the simmering water  and stir until the gelatin has dissolved completely.

Place mango in a blender. Process until smooth. Push through a very fine sieve into a large measuring cup until you have 2 cups puree.  Whisk the mango puree, sweetened condensed milk, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the softened gelatin mixture until well combined.

Lightly coat the serving bowls with oil. Divide the pudding among the bowls. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours .

To serve, run a knife around the inside of each bowl to loosen the pudding. Dip the bottom of the bowl in hot water for 30 seconds, then invert onto a serving plate, holding bowl and plate tightly together.

This pudding was divine.  You too try and enjoy !!!!!!

Lables : Sweets &  Desserts, Healthy, Continental Cuisine, Mango

Mango Salsa

June 21, 2014

The crunchiness of the bell peppers,onions, the mild heat of the chilly and the sweet blend of the Alphonso mangoes, mixed so well, the freshness of the Salsa was awesome. We enjoyed this very much. This is a prefect accompaniment to any dish. . Its so simple to put together and is prepared in a jiffy.

Ingredients
1 Ripe Mango ( I used Alphonso Mango) - cut into cubes
1 Bell pepper - diced into small pieces
1 Green Chilly - seeded and diced into small pieces
1 Onion - diced finely
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
Salt to taste
Little sugar to sprinkle if your mangoes are not sweet enough
1 Tablespoon Coriander - chopped
Few mint leaves (optional)

Method

Add all the ingredients to the bowl. Cover it with a cling film and toss it well. Keep it in the fridge to cool for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavor to blend well.

Serve with any main course meal. It looked so awesome that the 30 minutes wait was a long time for me.

Labels: Salads, Continental Cuisine, Vegan, Mango

Eggless Chocolate Mousse

June 17, 2014

Making a egg mousse is so tricky and time consuming.  So here is a quick version of a chocolate mousse.  This mousse is a favorite of all my daughter's friends. Whenever they are invited for a meal, she will ask me prepare this dessert for them.

Ingredients
400 + 100 ml Milk
2.1/2 Tablespoon Custard powder
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Agar agar powder + 1/4 cup water
200 ml Whipping cream
150 ml Chocolate ice cream
100 Grams Dark chocolate - chopped

Method
Mix the custard powder in 100 ml of cold milk well, taking care that there are no lumps and its a smooth paste.  Bring the 400 ml milk to a boil, Add sugar, when sugar melts add the custard mix and stir well till it is thick and coats back of the spoon.  Remove from heat, add the chocolate and stir till melted, keep aside.

In a another pan mix the agar agar powder and water. Place it on medium flame and bring it to a boil. when the mixture turns slightly thick remove from flame.  Add this immediately with the custard mix and mix well till incorporated.  Keep it aside to cool.  

When cooled add the whipping cream, ice cream and whip well till light and fluffy.  Fill it in individual serving bowls or glasses.  Decorate chocolate sticks.

This is an awesome dessert and easy to prepare. 

Labels: Sweets & Desserts, Continental Cuisine, Eggless

Hatch Mexico Green Chile Peppers - Stuffed in Ricotta Cheese

June 10, 2014

This is a post after a long period of time.  Sorry folks, went on long holiday to Europe.  Had a restful and enjoyable holiday. Just that I am back from the cold to the heat.

These Green chilies are distinguished by the richness and depth of flavor they achieve when they are fire roasted/ fried. They are elongated, curvaceous and come to a blunt point. Their skin is semi thick, smooth, glossy and deep lime green in color. Inside the pod is a thin white membrane with trace amount of seeds. These chilies are not pungent, but are bright, succulent, sweet, tangy and rich with flavors and aromas of pepper, smoke and are mild.

I purchased these chilies from the market when I was in Brussels. They were looking so tempting because of the color and size could not resist buying them. These were stuffed with Ricotta cheese and they tasted so..so go..o..d . My daughter's friends and roommates, when, seen these, were very apprehensive to taste. I had to assure them that they are not pungent, as they do not have spicy food and that too green chilies ! ... just out of question.

When they tasted these they just could not resist having another. They tasted so succulent, tasty. The Ricotta cheese gives an awesome taste.

In India we get some what similar green chilies, which are slightly pungent.

I think enough of description about chilies, let's go to the recipe.

Ingredients
16 Hatch Mexico Green Chile Peppers
200 Grams Ricotta Cheese
2 Tablespoon Chick Pea Flour / Besan
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper Powder
Salt to taste
Oil for frying.

Method
Wash and dry the chilies. Slit them in the center and remove the thread and seeds. Apply a pinch a salt in each one of them, keep aside.

Mix the ricotta cheese, chick pea flour, pepper powder and salt together well.  Stuff each chilli with this mixture and keep aside.  

Heat Oil in pan and fry them on medium flame till slightly brown.   Serve with rice, dal  or rotis. 

They taste so yummy do give this a try.

Lables : Starters, Vegetables, Continental Cuisine