Bread Pudding - Steamed

February 18, 2014

Ingredients 

Brun bread                  2  or    6 - 8 Bread Slices
Milk                               600 ML
Eggs                               2 No
Sugar                             12 Full Teaspoons 
Custard  powder         2 Teaspoons
Vanilla essence           1 Teaspoon
Almond powder          4 Teaspoons

Ghee                              2 Tablespoon

FOR THE CARMEL

Sugar                           3  Teaspoons

METHOD 

Cut the bread into small pieces.    Heat  half the quantity of milk. 
With a hand blender beat the eggs  till light and fluffy. Add essence and beat well, as you are beating add the hot milk, beat continuously  or else the eggs will set like an omelet. 
Now add the rest of the milk, custard powder, bread pieces, sugar, almond powder and blend well. Keep this to soak for 15 minutes or more.

In the meanwhile make the caramel. Wet the container in which you are going to steam the pudding. Add the sugar and place it on medium flame. Let the sugar burn until it  gets  light brown color. Remove for flame and spread it all over the base of the container. Be careful do not handle this container with bare hands use tongs or a hand towel. Keep it to cool. When the caramel cools add the pudding mixture, cover it with a lid or foil. Place the container  in cooker on a ring stand and add enough water to steam this pudding. Take one whistle on high flame, reduce the flame, steam it for 25 minutes. Cool, pudding is ready to serve.

This pudding is delicious and easy to make. This pudding is packed off to my brother house who loves steamed bread pudding.


Note : When you add hot milk to the beaten eggs it eliminate the smell of the egg in the pudding.
I used brun bread as the pudding taste better than slice bread.  Burn is hard crusted  bread.
If you want the pudding sweeter add sugar to your taste.  For me the sweetness was perfect.

Very soon, will post an eggless version of this pudding.  Look out for the post.


Do give this pudding a try and post your comments.


Labels: Sweets &  Desserts, Kids delight, Pudding, Steamed

Rawa / Semolina Upma

Ingredients

Rawa                   1 cup   (roasted till light pink)
Onion                  1 large ( finely chopped)
Green Chilly       2 nos.  ( finely chopped)
Salt                       1/2 teaspoon
Sugar                    1/2 teaspoon
Lime juice            1 tablespoon
Grated coconut   1 tablespoon
Coriander            1 tablespoon (chopped)
Ghee                     1 tablespoons
Hot Water           2 cups 

Tempering/Tadka
Oil                         2    tablespoons
Mustard seeds     1/2 teaspoon
Urad  dal              1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida            1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves         1 sprig
Method In a kadai heat the oil add the mustard seeds, when its splutters add the  dal and saute till light pink. Add the asafoetida, onions, chilies, curry leaves and saute till onions are translucent. Add rawa fry for 3 -4 minutes. 
Add salt, sugar and hot water.  Mix well, cook till water is absorbed. Add coconut, coriander, lime juice and ghee and stir well. Serve hot. 

  
Labels: Breakfast,Healthy, Kids delight, Vegan

Hand Breads (Apas)

Ingredients
2 Cups Rice flour
1¼ Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Oil                     

Method

Boil the water, oil and salt in a vessel then add the flour, Stir well with a spoon. Reduce the flame to low. Cover the vessel with a lid and cook for 3 minutes.

I make this in the microwave. In a microwave safe bowl heat the water, oil and salt for  2 minutes on microwave high. Add the flour and mix well, again microwave on high for a minute.

Empty the contents in large plate and knead well while it is still warm with your hands (wet your hands ). If required add water to make a soft dough. Keep this dough covered and rest it for 10 mins. Form into balls. Traditionally these hand breads are made on a wet rolling board by applying water.  This is traditional East Indian Bhakri recipe.

I make this hand breads by rolling it with rice or wheat flour into a thin chapati. Make all the hand breads and keep it on plate.

Heat a tava and bake on one side, flip, bake the other side on high flame till it puffs up. These hand breads remain soft even the next day. These can be eaten with vegetable, curry or even spicy chutney.

Do give this a try and post your comments.

Labels : Roti, East Indian, Healthy, Gluten free, Vegan,  Breads, Flatbread 

Cantaloupe & Carrot Juice

February 19, 2014

Health benefits:

• The American Cancer Society has suggested that the fruit may help prevent different types of cancer
• Juicing them can help with digestive problems, such as constipation. 
• They are high in the lipid myoinositol, which may provide relief to people who struggle with insomnia, and other anxiety related disorders. Carrot juice is high in the antioxidant Beta Carotene, which is fantastic for eyesight, bone health, and even a few of the more vain areas that tend to be signs of good health, such as skin, hair and nails. 
• Cantaloupe juice is not only tasty, cool, and refreshing, it is also a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin A, and folate. It is also very high in vitamin C. Because of this, one of the main benefits is the fact that it is loaded with immune system boosting nutrients and various antioxidants.                     

Recipe

¼ Cantaloupe
2 Large Carrots

Wash and skin the cantaloupe. Scoop out the seeds. Wash and clean the carrots, chop the cantaloupe, carrots into cubes and put it into a blender. I did not strain this juice but served it along with the pulp.

Add ice and serve immediately. This juice is delicious and refreshing. Its easy and non messy to make. Do give it a try.

Your comments are welcomed.


Labels:Healthy, Juices

Roasted Tomato Soup

This soup is healthy and quick to make. I,usually have a container of roasted tomato puree  stocked in the freezer.  

To make the roasted tomato. Take a kilo or two of firm, ripe and large tomatoes. Make a cross cut on the top of  each tomato. Place it in a baking tray along with a bulb of garlic.  Sprinkle vegetable or olive oil and  roasted it in a oven at 180 degree C for 15 to 20 mins. Cool and puree. You can use this puree to prepare soups, sauces and also for gravies.

Ingredients

Onion                                      1 small (finely chopped) 
Roasted Tomato Puree        1/2  cup
Wheat Flour                           1  Teaspoon
Salt                                           1/2 Teaspoon
Pepper powder                      1/8 Teaspoon
Butter                                      1 Teaspoon
Water                                       1.1/2 Cups

Method

In a pan heat  butter add onions and saute till its translucent, add the flour and saute till light brown. Add the tomato puree, salt, water and let boil till it thickness a little. Remove from flame add the pepper powder, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with soup sticks or bread croutons.

This soup is healthy and delicious. The roasted tomato gives a lovely taste to the soup.

Do give it a try and post your comments.

Labels: Soup, Healthy, Tomato, Roasted Tomato Soup