GUAVA CHEESE - CHRISTMAS SWEET

Guava cheese is a sweet prepared by Christians for Christmas. It's very easy and has a long shelf life. Tastes cheesy and soft, melt in the mouth sweet this is. Do give it a try.   This sweet has no flour or eggs, completely vegetarian, vegan, gluten free.

Ingredients 

4 Cups Guava Pulp ( 1.1/2 Kg Ripe Big Guavas)
5 Cups Tea Sugar
Juice of 3 Big Lemons
2 Tablespoons Ghee
Few drops of Pink or Red color

Method

Wash the guavas and cut them in halves, place it in a container and steam them in a pressure cooker (like you steam rice) on high for one whistle then reduce the flame and keep it for 10 minutes ( taking care that no water enters the container).

Cool the guavas completely then take a spoon and scoop out the seeds and keep aside, taking care that no seeds remain in the outer covering. 

Take the seeds pulp in a fine strainer and remove the pulp as much as possible.

Take the outer cover and chop it into small pieces and grind it to a fine paste without adding any water.

Measure the pulp and the ground paste in a cup or a bowl. Take the same bowl and measure the sugar ( sugar is one cup extra than the pulp). 

Place the sugar, guava pulp and lime juice in a heavy bottom base kadai and place on fire on medium low flame stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.

While stirring take care to stay far away as it splutters. Keep stirring continuously, this take around 45 minutes to an hour. When the mixture thickens and starts leaving the sides add the ghee and color, continue stirring till forms a ball in the center. Take it our into a greased tray and spread it. Cool completely and cut into squares.  Store in airtight containers.

This stays good for 3 months in a cool dry place. 

I make this sweet of 3 to 4 kgs guavas and send them for my friends and relatives abroad.

Labels :  Festival Sweets, Gluten free, Guava, Lime Juice, Sugar, Vegan, Vegetarian, Christmas Sweet, East Indian

Vangi Bath Masala - Homemade

This is a recipe from South India - Karnataka - " Vangi Bath Masala " . This spice blend is so flavorful and fragrant, easy to make and a versatile masala, can use this to make other masala bath with the veggies you like. This masala has no preservative or  added color.

When I was making this masala my friend visited me, so I gave her half of this masala. When she made the Vangi Bath with this masala, she called me and thanked me for she loved it.

Try to this authentic and flavorful masala  and you too  will love it.

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Chana dal
1/4 Cup Urad dal
12 Bedki Red chillies or Adjust according to your taste
1 Tablespoons Heaped Coriander seeds
1 Tablespoon Heaped Poppy seeds
1 Tablespoon Heaped Dry Coconut grated or 8 - 10 slices
1 Stick Cinnamon
6 Cloves
1 Cardamon
A Sprig Curry Leaves

Method

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and fry each of these ingredients - chana dal, urad dal, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, dry coconut, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, curry leaves and red chillies,  separately on low flame until they release an aroma and  turn red.  Remove from pan and keep aside.

Once they  cool down, grind all the ingredients into a fine powder.  Ta daa.. Vangi Bath Masala is ready . 

Store the powder in an air tight container and use it for making Vangi Bath or any other masale bath / rice with the vegetable of your choice.

This is so easy ?  Isn't it ?  Look out for my next post ..  Vangi Bath / Brinjal Rice !

Labels : Homemade, Masalas, Karnataka, South Indian

Eggless Banana Chocolate Cake

This cake is soft, moist and chocolaty. Quick and easy to make. Taste delicious. Made this for my hubby's birthday.

Ingredients
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Heaped Dark Cocoa powder
3/4 Cup Sugar powder
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
1 Ripe Banana - mashed
1/2 Cup Oil
1/4 Cup Warm milk

Method

Grease and line a 6.1/2 inch round pan. 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Sieve the  flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder thrice. 

In a another bowl whisk sugar, banana and oil till light and thick. Then add vanilla essence and whisk again. Fold in the flour little by little along with the milk till  well incorporated . Pour in greased pan. Bake in a preheated  oven at 180 degrees  for 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool and enjoy with a cuppa of tea or coffee.

Labels : Cakes, Eggless, Banana, Kids delight

PRAWN MINI VOL-AU-VENTS IN TORNADO SAUCE #FISH FRIDAY FOODIE

This group is a brain child of Wendy ,  our host of the month, if you wish to join this group, kindly send her an email with your blog url at (wendyklik1517@gmail.com) and she will gladly add you to the group.  The theme of the month is appetizers or first courses that include fish and/or seafood.

I have made party appetizers, try them and your guest will enjoy them.  We enjoyed these, could not stop at one, so make more in case , your guest ask for another one.

Ingredients

12 Mini Vol-au-vents Shells - used ready shells

For the Prawn Marination
24 Prawns - cleaned and de-veined
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1 Teaspoon Lime juice

For the Tornado Sauce
100 ml Single Cream
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
1/2 tsp Chilly flakes
5 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper powder
A pinch of salt
1/2 Teaspoon Tobassco sauce
2 Cubes Cream Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Sauce

Cheese slices or grated cheese as required

Method

Marinate the prawns with the given ingredients and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, saute the prawns in a pan till it turns  pink.  Keep aside.

In the meantime let's make the sauce
In a pan heat oil, fry onions in till brown.  add garlic fry again,  add spices and sauces fry again add cream mixed in water (diluted) stir continuously add, cheese and little water to make it saucy. Bring it to a just boil, add mustard paste stir take off flame.

To Assemble

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, turning both the elements on ( i.e. grill rod too).

Take each shell and core it with a spoon carefully so that you do not break right into the bottom ( this is to give  a little depth). 

Like wise prepare all the shells.

Arrange them in a lined tray, place a prawn at the bottom.

Pour the sauce  

Again place a prawn on top.

Cut the cheese slice to fit the shell, garnish with a red capsicum piece and place it in  the oven till the cheese melts say about 10  minutes or so.

Take them off and serve as appetizers to your guest ...enjoy.

My Notes: 

I have used cheese slices since it look neat when serving to your guest, can use grated cheese too.
Can serve this sauce with chips or pitta bread or chicken roulade.

Labels :  Appetizer, Fish, Fish Friday, Jams & Sauces, Starters, Tornado Sauce, International Cuisine, Puff Pastry

An InLinkz Link-up

Sabaayad - Flatbread

This month for Mena Cooking Club I am making a Sabaayad flatbread Djibouti ( we revisiting) which is commonly made in Djibouti and well as Somialia.

This is versatile bread that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, with just anything. like fried egg, stew or even wraps . After making this bread, I reaslised this is similar to the paratha that we make in India and also similar to the Heavy Paratha that I have already posted. In this paratha I have used butter so this is more crispy and flaky. Whereas the sabaayad is flaky and soft. 

Since I, have used half and half of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, this makes the Sabaayad healty, flaky and soft ... not chewy / rubbery .

Ingredients
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Wholemeal Wheat Flour
2 Tablespoon Oil
½ Teaspoon Salt
1.1/3 to 1.1/2 Cups Water to knead the dough
Desi Ghee as required
Flour for dusting the work surface as required

Method

Mix all the flours together with the salt. Add the oil and mix in thoroughly. Add in the water slowly as you knead the dough. The dough should soft and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rest for about an hour.

How to shape the square sabaayad. See step by step pic.

Cut the dough into eight equal portions.( or size is your own choice) and roll them into balls. Keep covered with a moist cloth. 

Dust one ball with dry flour and roll it out to a round thick circle.

Brush the circle with ghee

Fold one side till the center , apply ghee lightly on fold 

Then the other side to over lap the first fold, apply ghee lightly on this fold too

then fold the side too till the center

The fold the other side to overlap the first one and now this become a square. 

In the meantime place a griddle or tava on low flame to heat. 

Roll out this into a big square. It should be rolled from center outwards so that the edges are thinner than the center. Keep dusting the work surface with flour on both sides a couple of time during this process. Parathas should be a little thick (see pic).

Place the paratha on the hot griddle/tava .

Flip it over, after a minute or two and cook this side till brown dots appear and then again flip and cook this side the same way.

Press paratha gently all over with a flat spatula or a cotton cloth, if you see any steam escaping, seal it by pressing it gently, making it balloon up. Brush a little ghee on both surfaces. 

Wrap the flaky sabaayad in a cloth to keep it warm and soft. Serve while hot. 

 I got 8 flat breads , we had it for breakfast and the remaining for dinner with sabji. This goes well with any curry or sabji .

Labels : Sabaayad, Flatbread, Djibouti, Mena Cooking Club, An InLinkz Link-up