Gadbad Thandai Kulfi....

As Holi is round the corner and the sun is scorching bright. Here is something traditional, but unique cool.... cool.... recipe for you. This Kulfi is a medley of flavours and colours.... with love from my kitchen...

Thandai Milk (Base for the Kulfi)

Ingredients 

1 liter Full cream Milk 

1/2 cup Banana pulp 

3 tbsp Sugar

1 Green Cardomon 

4 Pepper corn 

8 Almonds soaked and peeled 

6 Pistachios 

1/2 tsp Water Melon seeds

1/4 tsp Fennel seed 

1/4 tsp Poppy seeds 

A pinch of Saffron 

Method

Take a deep bottom pot. Add milk and simmer on a low flame till it reduces to half the quality. Meanwhile take a grinder, add cardomon, pepper corn, almonds soaked, pistachios, water melon seeds, fennel seed, poppy seeds, saffron and 4 tbsp water. Grind the ingredients in to a paste. As the milk is simmering, add the wet paste and the banana pulp. I have added banana to give a rich and creamy texture to the kulfi. Stir and cook till the milk thickens. Switch off the flame and let it cool. Take a blender and blend it until smooth. 

For the Gadbad Thandai Kulfi 

Ingredients 

Thandai Milk 

6 Betel leaves 

1 tbsp Gulkand 

1 drop of Green colour 

4 tbsp Rose Syrup 

1 drop of Red colour 

2 tbsp Sweetened Coloured Fennel seeds 

Method 

Divide the Thandai Milk into 3 parts. Take a blender, add one part of the milk, betel leaves, gulkand and green colour. Blend it till all the ingredients have incorporated well. Pour it in a bowl and keep it in the refrigerator. Wash the blender. Now add the second portion of the milk, rose syrup and red colour. Blend it well till all the ingredients have incorporated well. Pour it in the bowl and keep it in the refrigerator. Now take the mould in which the Kulfi will set. Pour 2 to 3  tbsp of the remaining milk into each moulds and keep it in the freezer to set. After an hour, remove the moulds from the freezer. Take out the rose thandai milk from the refrigerator. Add 2 to 3 tbsp of rose thandai milk in to each moulds. Keep the moulds back in to the freezer. Again after an hour remove the moulds from the freezer. Remove the betel leave thandai milk from the refrigerator. Add 2 to 3 tbsp of milk into each moulds. Sprinkle the sweetened coloured fennel seeds on top. Keep it back in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Insert a ice cream stick.  Refrigerate it back till it sets.

Whole Wheat Banana and Coconut Cake Loaf...

This is a very easy vegetarian rustic tea time cake loaf. I had few bananas which had completely ripped and that went into the batter along with the other ingredients. Love the flavour of coconut and banana in the cake. 

Whole Wheat Banana and Coconut Cake Loaf...

This is a very easy vegetarian rustic tea time cake loaf. I had few bananas which had completely ripped and that went into the batter along with the other ingredients. Love the flavour of coconut and banana in the cake. 

Ingredients 

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour 

1/2 cup Fine Semolina 

1/2 cup Desiccated Coconut 

1 1/2 cup Powder Sugar 

1/2 tsp Cardomom powder 

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/4 cup Almond flakes 

1 tbsp Coconut essence 

1 cup Butter Milk  (1/4 cup Curd + 3/4 cup Milk)

1 1/4 cup Milk

3 Ripe Bananas 

3/4 cup Oil

Method

Add the bananas, oil, butter milk, powder sugar and coconut essence into the blender. Blend the ingredients until smooth. Pour the batter into a mixing bowl. Add the cardomom powder and desiccated coconut. Beat it well. Add the semolina and beat it again. Add half of the whole wheat flour and 1/2 of the milk. Beat it again. Now add the rest of the flour, milk, baking powder, soda bicarbonate and salt. Beat it well. The batter should be thick dropping consistency. Add more milk if required to get the right consistency. 

Take 2 and a half loaf tins. Grease the baking tins. Fill in the batter into each tin till the tin is half filled. Sprinkle some almond flakes on the top. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 45 to 50 minutes or until done. Remove the cake loafs  from the oven and cool it completely before slicing.

Chocolate Chips Banoffee Smoothie with Chia...

If you are lazy and want to avoid solid food... you can enjoy this drink. It fills up your stomach while you enjoy the chilled smoothie. Love this drink and I am sure you will love it too... 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup Milk 

1 Banana chopped 

1 tbsp Chia soaked in water

1 tsp Coffee powder 

1 tsp Honey 

1 tbsp Chocolate chips 

1/2 tsp Chocolate chips and Chocolate syrup for garnishing 

1 Cake toast cut into thin strip for garnishing 

Method 

Take a blender. Add milk, banana, chia seeds, coffee powder, honey, 1 tbsp chocolate chips and few pieces of ice in the blender. Blend all the ingredients. Take a glass. Add the a tbsp of chocolate syrup. Pour in the smoothie in the glass and garnish with 1/2 tsp chocolate chips and cake toast. 

Eggless Chocolate Chips Banoffee Cheese Cake....

My daughter requested me to make a cheese cake.  I asked her that which flavour does she want. She showed me some bananas hanging on the banana stand. After thinking for some time... I thought why not Banoffee Cheese Cake with Chocolate Chips... A combination of cake and cheese on top. I prefer making it eggless. So I came up with this recipe and experimented it in my kitchen. Try it out and experience the taste yourself..😊😊

For the Chocolate Chips Banoffee Cake base

Ingredients 

2 ripe Bananas mashed 

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour 

1 tsp Baking powder 

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

3/4 cup Brown Sugar 

1/4 cup  Chocolate chips 

3/4 cup Butter 

1 tsp Vanilla Essence 

1 tbsp Coffee powder mixed in 1/4 cup Water 

1/4 cup Curd 

3/4  cup Milk 

Method 

Mix all purpose flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate together in a bowl. Take another bowl. Beat the butter and the brown sugar together till it is fluffy. Add the essence and the curd. Beat it well. Add the coffee. Beat it again. Add half of the flour and half of the milk. Beat it. Add the rest of the milk and flour. Beat it. Add the banana  and chocolate chops, mix it. It has to be dropping consistency. Take a 8 inch spring form pan. Grease it. Pour the batter. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. To check, insert a tooth pick, it should come out clean. Take it out from the oven, cool the cake before making the cheese cake.

P.S. The batter will look curdle... but don't worry. 

If you don't want cheese cake, you can just follow the cake recipe and make just the cake. 

For the Eggless Chocolate Chips Banoffee Cheese Cake 

Ingredients 

1 Chocolate Chips Banoffee Cake base

250 grams / 1 cup  Cream Cheese 

2 tbsp Curd

1/3 cup Thick Cream

1 tsp Lime juice 

1/2 tsp of Vanilla Essence 

1 tsp Vegetable Gelatine or Agar Agar powder 

 6 tbsp of Hot Water 

1/3 cup Sugar

3 tbsp Chocolate Chips 

1 tbsp Chocolate Chips for garnishing 

1 small bowl of Chocolate Ganache and a nozzle of your choice..

1/4 tsp Salt 

Method 

Beat all the above ingredients except cream, chocolate chips and veg gelatine in a mixing bowl. Add hot water to the gelatine powder and dissolve the gelatine. Add the cream and veg gelatine beat it again. Add 3 tbsp chocolate chips and mix it. Press the cake lightly with a flat surface. Pour the batter on the cake, sprinkle 1 tbsp chocolate chips on the top of cream cheese. Cover the mould with a foil paper. Keep it in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours. Unmold it and decorate it with chocolate ganache.

P. S. If you are in a hurry then keep it in the chiller for 3 hours and the unmould it. 

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins With Organic Coconut Sugar

Whole Wheat - Banana Muffins With Organic Coconut Sugar...

Coconut sugar (also known as coco sugar, coconut palm sugar or coco sap sugar) is a sugar produced from the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm. It is very popular in the south and south east Asian Countries. Coconut sugar is different both in taste, texture and manufacture methods from palm sugar. Coconut sugar comes in crystal or granule form, block or liquid. Coconut sugar is subtly sweet almost like brown sugar but with a slight hint of caramel. Since coconut sugar is not highly processed, the color, sweetness and flavor can vary depending on the coconut species used, season when it was harvested, where it was harvested and/or the way the "sap" or "toddy" was reduced.

Coconut sugar provides 16 calories per teaspoon and contains relatively low content of essential nutrients, with the exception of potassium at about 25% of the Daily Value per serving of 100 grams.

I have used Lyva Organic Coconut Sugar for the muffins... It taste less sweeter than the normal sugar and is more healthier than the sugar. The product is good for people suffering with diabetes. It taste good too.
 Here is my review and recipe for Plattershare and Go India Organic Belly Nirvana Program

Ingredients

1 cup Whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Semolina

3/4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Soda bicarbonate

3/4 cup Organic Coconut sugar

2 tbsp Desiccated Coconut

2 Pinch of Nutmeg powder

1 tbsp Walnut chopped

1 Banana chopped

200 ml Coconut Milk

1/4 cup Water

2 tbsp Curd

1/4 cup Oil

Method

In a blender, add sugar, oil and coconut milk. Blend it well. Add the desiccated coconut, nutmeg and semolina. Blend it once more. Add the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate little at a time and blend it. Add water and curd. Blend it. Remove the batter from the blender into a bowl. Add the chopped banana and walnuts. Mix it. Take a muffin tray. Place the muffin liners. Fill in 3/4 of the liners with the batter. Bake it at 180 degrees celcius for 25 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool it before eating...

Jelly Fruity Oats Pudding

Jelly Fruity Oats Pudding

This dish is wholesome and an interesting dish for children. They will love it. 

For the Oat Coconut Pudding

Ingredients 

1/4 cup Oats 

1 cup Coconut milk 

4 tbsp Condensed Milk 

1/2 tsp Veg Gelatine powder soaked in 2 tbsp hot water 

Method 

Take a pot. Add the coconut milk and condensed milk. Stir and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Add the oats. Stir and cook till it thickens. Add the gelatine  and stir. Switch off the flame. Stir it and let it cool.

To Assemble 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp Strawberry jelly cubes (Red)

2 tbsp Green Apple jelly cubes (Green)

1Mango cut into cubes

1 medium size Banana cut pieces 

Oats Coconut pudding 

Few Dry Cranberries

1 Cherry 

Few Almond flakes

Method 

Take a transparent glass bowl. Add few pieces of  each colour jellies. Gently add the  oats coconut pudding. Add few mango and banana pieces. Add few cranberries.  Add few pieces of the jellies again. Garnish with almond flakes and cherry. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

Honey Ginger Banana Bread

Honey Ginger Banana Bread

What do we do when we have ripe bananas at home... I make rustic cakes with the bananas. I have added ginger for the taste. I have also added honey and oats for health. 

Ingredients 

3 Ripe Bananas mashed

1 tsp Ginger powder or grated ginger 

1 cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup Oats

1⁄2 cup Butter, melted

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Honey 

1⁄2 cup Buttermilk

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate 

1/2 tsp Baking powder 

Pinch of Salt 

Method 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease and lightly sprinkle some flour into the bread loaf pan. 

Take a mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas with butter. Beat it. Add sugar and honey. Beat it. Add butter milk. Beat it. Add Soda bicarbonate, baking powder, ginger powder and salt. Beat it. Add the oats, mix it. Add the flour and mix it until all the ingredients has incorporated well. Pour the  mixture into the bread loaf pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow it to cool before removing from pan. Cool it completely before cutting.

Eggless Nutty Brownie Banana Cake Loaf...

This is a soft cake with a chewy brownie base..... 

For the Brownie 

Ingredients 

140 grams  Dark Chocolate broken into pieces

55 grams Butter

50 grams Brown Sugar

40 grams All Purpose Flour 

2 pinches of Soda bicarbonate 

1 pinch of Baking powder 

50 grams Curd

2 tbsp Broken pieces of Walnuts

Method 

Prepare the loaf tin with greasing and laying the parchment paper and again greasing it with oil. 

Melt the chocolate and butter on low heat. Remove and leave to cool slightly. Stir in brown sugar until mix it well. Add in curd, mix well. Fold in flour, soda bicarbonate and baking powder, mix until well combined. Add the walnuts and fold the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake it in preheated oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees celcius. Meanwhile when the   brownie is baking, prepare the batter for the banana cake.

For the Banana Cake

Ingredients 

120 grams All Purpose Flour 

100 grams Butter

100 grams SugarFree or Sugar 

4 grams Baking powder

4 grams Soda Bicarbonate

2 Ripe Banana Mashed

1 tsp Banana essence 

2 drops of Yellow Food Colour (optional) 

50 ml Milk

Method 

Beat the butter with sugarfree until creamy. Add the mashed banana, essence, food colour and Milk.  Add the flour, baking powder and soda bicarbonate. Beat it well. By now the brownie must have bake. Remove the brownie and pour the cake batter on the brownie, bake in the oven at 160 degree celcius for 35 to 40 minutes or until baked. Insert a tooth pick in the middle to check if done. Cool it completely before cutting...