Panna Cotta ( Italian Cooked Cream)

Panna Cotta ( Italian Cooked Cream) is an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk, and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting it cool until set. It is generally believed to have originated in the Northern Italian region of Piedmont, although it is eaten all over Italy, where it is served with wild berries, caramel, chocolate sauce, or fruit coulis. Panna Cotta is an unbaked, eggless custard which tastes superb. The texture is very smooth and silky and does not feel rich at all. This is eggless it does not set hard, but is delicate and wobbly. Usually panna cotta is best served in individual molds or cups. Serve them in the bowls themselves because it looses shape while transferring onto the serving plate. This recipe is so simple, that it was done in a few minutes. 

Ingredients
½ Cup Milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
¼ Cup Sugar
1½ Teaspoon Gelatin (soak it in a Tablespoon of warm water)
½ Teaspoon Vanilla essence  

For Decoration

Chocolate sauce

Melon balls

Method

Boil the milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a small sauce pan. Once it comes to a boil switch off the gas, add the gelatin and stir until it has completely dissolved.

Divide the panna cotta mix into small pudding moulds and allow to set in the fridge. When set drizzel some chocolate sauce.  I also decorated one with a melon balls.

My Notes

Wet a mold with cold water and drain out any excess water, pour the warm panna cotta mixture into the mold. This usually helps in the easy release.  

Labels: Blogging Marathon, Sweets & Desserts, Gelatin, Continental Cuisine, Kids delight, Eggless, No Bake

Boondi Payas / Rus Boondi

August 25, 2014

Ingredients

3/4 Cup Sweet boondi
4 cups Full fat milk
3 Bay leaves
1/3 cup sugar
pinch saffron
½ Teaspoon Rose water
1 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
1 Tablespoon Pistachios - sliced

Dried Figs for garnishing

Method

Heat the milk in a pan, with the bay leaves and reduce the milk to half. Discard the bay leaves. Add the sugar and mix well till it has dissolved. Allow to cool.

Add the boondi, saffron, rose water, and cardamom powder and mix gently, refrigerate. When chilled sprinkle pistachios and dried figs pieces.  Serve chilled.

My beta loved this payas and liked the taste of the boondi in it.

This is my post for day 2 of the Blogging Marathon#43 Kids Delight Healthy Desserts theme hosted by Sapana.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#43


Note: Cool the milk completely before you add the boondi or else if you add it into hot or warm milk it is sure to disintegrate.

Labels: Blogging Marathon, Sweets & Desserts, Kids delight

Fruity Jelly

August 24, 2014

Ingredients
A Cup of Orange Jelly 
1 Kiwi - chopped in small cubes
1 Apricot - chopped in small cubes
1 Peach - chopped in small cubes
1 Banana - chopped in small cubes
1 Tablespoon Honey

Method
Prepare the jelly as per the recipe given here .  Bring  the jelly to room temperature. 

To the chopped fruits add the honey and give it a quick stir.

Wet and lightly oil a mould, place the honeyed fruits in it and then pour the prepared jelly and keep it in the fridge to set. When set, unmould it on a plate and serve. This Jelly was yummy and my kid who usually does not like fruits very  much except for banana enjoyed it.  You to try it and give your comments.

Note: Add any fruits of your choice. Use any flavor of jelly for this recipe.

This is my post for day 1 of the Blogging Marathon#43 Kids Delight Healthy Desserts theme hosted by Sapana.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#43






Labels: Blogging Marathon, Kids delight, Eggless, Sweets & Desserts

Tiranga Rice

August 15, 2014

This Tiranga Rice goes to celebrating Independence day. This rice has the colors of the Indian flag.  Happy Independence day.

Ingredients
1.1/2 Cup Basmati Rice

Orange layer
1 Carrot - finely chopped
1 Tomato - finely chopped
2 Kashmiri Red Chillies
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
3 Cloves
1 Piece Cinnamon
2 Cardamons
4 Peppercorns
1 Small Veg Soup cube
1 Tablespoon Ghee

Green Layer
1 Cup Palak - blanched and chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger
1 Green chilly
1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped

3 Cloves
1 Piece Cinnamon
2 Cardamons
4 Peppercorns
1 Small Veg Soup cube
1 Tablespoon Ghee

White Layer
1 Small Onion - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
3 Cloves
1 Piece Cinnamon
2 Cardamons
4 Peppercorns
1 Small Veg Soup cube
1 Tablespoon Ghee

Method

Boil the rice with little salt and cook it 80% only. Strain and keep it to dry in a large plate. Divide into 3 parts.

Green Layer
Grind the palak, ginger, chilly, coriander leaves and soup cube to a fine paste and keep aside. 

Heat the ghee in a pan, add the whole spices and saute for a second add the paste and saute till well cooked add the rice and stir it lightly for 2 -3 minutes. Switch off flame and keep aside.

White Layer 

Heat ghee in a pan, add all the whole spices, onion and saute till onion is light brown.  Add the soup cube, rice and saute for 3 minutes stirring lightly. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Orange Layer 

Grind the carrot, tomato, garlic, red chilies and soup to a fine paste and keep aside.

Heat a pan with ghee, add the whole spices and the ground paste, tomato ketchup and saute till ghee starts leaving the sides. Add rice and saute for 3 minutes stirring lightly. Remove from flame and keep aside.

To Assemble
Grease a baking dish with ghee. Place the orange layer in the dish and spread evenly. Add the white layer over the orange layer and spread evenly.  Finally place the green layer on the white layer. Cover the dish with a aluminium foil and bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot.  We had this with raita and Healthy French Fries  made in the microwave.

Note:  You can also steam this in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes.

Labels:  Rice, Main course, Vegan

You might also like : Tiranga Jelly

Healthy French Fries - made in the Microwave

August 15. 2014

Ingredients

2 Medium Size potatoes
Salt and Pepper powder to taste
1 Tablespoon oil

Method

In a oven proof bag place the potatoes with a tablespoon of water.  Lightly fold the bag and microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Remove immediately and place the potatoes in cold water.  When cooled , peel the potatoes and cut in fine matchsticks evenly sized. Place them in microwave proof flat dish and lightly sprinkle a pinch of salt and little oil , mix well and arrange them placed slightly apart.  Microwave on combination mode - Microwave + Grill for 3 minutes.  Remove and turn them, again Microwave on the above mode for 3 minutes, if you find it brown on the edges and cooked they are ready, or else place them again in combination mode for another minute or two.
Sprinkle pepper powder and serve.    These taste better than the deep fried ones.  We enjoyed them with Tiranga Rice.  You too try them and enjoy.

Note: These French Fries are not as crisp and brown like the deep fried ones ( see pic) but still taste better than the fried ones.

After you see that the fries are done keep them in the microwave, standing time 2 minutes.



Labels: Vegetables, Healthy, Starters, Potato