Rava Kesari

There was a time when we wanted to indulge in something sweet and dint have anything in hand. It was at that movement I realised about this sweet and rich dish. There was no second thought and I just whipped it up and we enjoyed it to the last spoon.
Rava kesari is a sweet made of rava, milk,sugar and ghee. Its very delicious and quite easy to prepare.

Rava- 1/2 cup
Milk-1 nd 1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 cup
Ghee-3 tbsp
Cardamom powder-a pinch
Cashews-2 tbsp
Raisins-2 tbsp
Orange food color-a pinch(optional)

Method of preparation:
1. Heat a pan on low and add about 1 and 1/2 tbsp of ghee into it.Add the cashews and raisins and fry them till golden brown. Drain and set aside.
2.  Now add the rava into it and roast it till it gives a nice aroma and has light golden color to it.
3. Heat the milk in another pan and once it gets boiled pour it into the rava and give a nice mix. Let the rava get cooked in the milk.
4. Once the rava is cooked add the sugar into it and mix well. This will end up into a runny mixture. Continue cooking and mixing and slowly the mixture starts to thicken.
5. Add the food color(if using) and give a good stir so that it mixes up well.
6. Then add the remaining ghee little at a time and mix to form almost a lump. The mixture shouldn't stick to bottom.
7. Now add the cardamom powder along with fried cashews and raisins and mix. Turn off the heat and serve warm.

Notes:
1. Cook on low flame to reduce the risk of burning milk or kesari.
2. Add sugar only after the rava is cooked completely.
3. You can add any nuts in there, though traditionally its just cashews and raisins.

Mango CheeseCake

With dark fluffy clouds, fierce winds and occasional snows my part of world is still in the clutches of winter...Everyday sun tries to make an effort to shine high and bright but immediately it is attacked by cold and dark clouds that it goes unnoticed. With all these dull stuffs happening here I was eager to bring in some sunshine to the hearts of my loved ones. It was at that time Baking partners group decided to bake cheesecake and this bright and summery cheesecake was in there. Immediately seeing mango I fell for them and decided to go for it. It was all perfect, delicious and an eye catchy stuff  and very easy to put together with no baking included. This recipe was suggested by Sweatha adapted from Divine Taste. Now lets move on to the recipe...

For Crust:
Digestive biscuits/any plain sweet biscuits-11/2 cups(160 gms, crushed)
Butter-1/2 cup(100 gms, chopped)

For Filling:
Fine sugar/powdered sugar-1 cup(160gms, add more if needed)
Thick full fat yogurt-3 cups(800gms)
Paneer Cheese-2 cups(400gms)
Water-11/2 cups(375ml)
Agar Agar/china grass-15 gms
Mangoes-2 nos/1 cup(peeled, chopped, pureed)
Pure Vanilla Extract-1 tsp

For Mango Glaze:
Mango-1 nos/1/2 cup(peeled, chopped, pureed)
Water-2 tbsp
Sugar-2 tbsp
Lime Juice-1 tbsp

Method of preparation:
Preparing thick yogurt:
1. Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth and let drain to a colander overnight. The quantity will reduce to half (400 gms or 11/2 cup)next day.

Preparing Crust:
1. Place the biscuits in a zip lock bag and crush it to powder using a rolling pin.
2. Add this powder and the cubed butter into the food processor and process till the mixture is well mixed.
3. Remove the mixture and press it on to a 8"/9" springform pan.
4. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes or in refrigerator for half an hour.

Prepare Filling:
1. Break and soak the  china grass in 11/2 cup water for 10 minutes until it becomes soft.
2. In a food processor blend the paneer and thick yogurt to smooth and  creamy mixture. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Heat mango puree in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not allow it to boil.
4. In another pan, place the china grass and water mixture and stir on low heat until it melts completely, about 5 to 6 minutes. Do not allow this to boil.
5. Once the china grass melts completely, pour the hot china grass mixture into hot mango puree, stirring all the while.
6. Slowly add mango mixture into yogurt and cheese mixture, stir in the sugar and vanilla extract and beat well with a wire whisk until well blended.
7. Pour this mixture over the prepared crust, level with a spoon and chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.

For mango glaze:
1. Place all ingredients for glaze in a pan and  cook over medium heat.
2. When it begins to boil, reduce heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Let it cool to room temperature.
3. Spread it on cheesecake with spoon.
4. Allow the glaze to set over the cheesecake for 2 to 3 hours or more before slicing it.

Notes:
1. You can use cottage cheese instead of paneer. In that case let the water drain completely before using. The cheese should be dry to get a perfectly set cheesecake.
2. Blend the paneer to puree here.
3. China grass should be completely melted to set properly. Do it on low heat.
4. Break the strands of china grass to small pieces  before soaking it.
5. While mixing the china grass mixture let both the liquids used to mix be hot, so that it sets properly.
6. If china grass sets before u mix to another mixture, then reheat till it melts completely.
7. The sugar mentioned here is just sweet. If you have a sweet tooth then add about 1/4 to half cup more. Applies if your mangoes are sour too. Taste the mixture to check it before setting.
8. You can use the mixer to powder the biscuits too.
9. You can make the cheesecake as individual servings too.
10. I have used graham crackers for the base.
11. I  used 9" springform pan.

White velvet Cake with Whipped Vanilla blue Ombre frosting

Finally The B'day Cake of my hubby is here...I have been wanting to post this in the first week of jan but due to some or the other work it got postponed..Anyways better late  than never..
Usually I bake the cake the day before his b'day when he is at office so that he never knows it and we cut it at night 12..This time b'day came on monday which meant I had to bake the cake on friday to cut on sunday night and keep it. Now that was tough to hide a cake for 2 days when hubby was at home throughout..So i was in a dilema whether to bake or not. Finally at around 3 on friday evening I decided to bake a cake. Now I had to find one. So after searching I loved the ombre cake. Again I knew that hubby wont like many colors in the cake...so the layers need not be colored so I went with a vanilla cake. Initially I thought of baking basic vanilla cake then when I looked into The Cake bible I saw the white cake and went with it. Baked 2 layers on friday evening and kept them covered in fridge. Now  baking on sat and sunday was impossible..so I changed the plan of cutting the(my) cake on sunday night. Had arranged for a cake with hubby's friends and cut that at 12..
Now monday after he left to office I baked other two cakes and frosted it. The cake recipe is from The Cake Bible- Rose Levy Beranbaum.

White Velvet Butter Cake
Large egg whites- of 41/2 eggs(135gms)
Milk-1 cup(242gms)
Vanilla-2 1/4 tsp(9 gms)
Cake Flour-3 cups(300 gms)(Sifted)
Sugar-11/2 cups(300 gms)
Baking Powder-1 tbsp+1 tsp(19.5 gms)
Salt-3/4 tsp(5 gms)
Unsalted Butter-12 tbsp(`170 gms)(must be softened)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two 9" cake pans and set aside.
2. In a bowl lightly  combine the egg white,1/4 cup milk and vanilla.
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix on low speed for 30 sec to blend.
4. Add butter and remaining milk to the dry mixture and mix on low speed to moisten the dry mixture.Increase the speed to high and beat for 11/2 minutes.
5. Scrape the sides and add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating inbetween for 20 sec. after each addition to incorporate the ingredients.Scrape the sides.
6. Scrape the batter into prepared pans and smooth the surface using a spatula.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 mins or till a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and cake springs back when -pressed lightly in center.
8. Let cake cool in pan 10 mins and then on wire racks.

Notes:
1. Ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. Cake flour can be replaced with  1 cup minus 2 tbsp All purpose Flour to which add 2 tbsp corn flour and sift 3 times so that the flour gets mixed and aerated properly.
3. When the cake is inverted to wire racks to cool, its best to re-invert with the top facing up to avoid splitting.
4. I used a hand mixer to make the cake if its a stand mixer instead of high use medium speed.
5. I measured the ingredients in grams.

Frosting recipe is from sweetapolita
Whipped Vanilla Frosting
Unsalted butter-3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (375 grams)(softened and cut into cubes)
confectioner's sugar- 3 cups sifted (475 g)  (icing, powdered sugar)
Milk- 3 tablespoons (45 ml)
Vanilla extract- 2 tsp
Salt- pinch

1. In the bowl  whip butter till it becomes very pale & creamy(approx. for 10 minutes on high speed ).
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute, then on high speed for 6 to 7 minutes till frosting is very light, creamy and fluffy.

Assembling the cake:
1. If your cake has dome on top cut and level it.
2. Keep one cake on the base and apply a scoop of frosting on top of it. Spread it evenly on whole cake and then place the second cake on top of it. Continue the process for the four cakes and then apply scoops of frosting on top and sides of the cake to form the crumb coat. After that keep the cake in refrigerator for 30 mins to set.
3. Now divide the remaining frosting into 3 bowls and add a drop of blue to one bowl and two drops to another bowl. Keep one frosting as white. Now mix the colors well and evenly.
4.Attach a 1m open star tip to a pipping bag and fill the bag with the white cream first and then start to decorate wtih rose from sides to center. Now to do rose keep the star tip in the center and with equal pressure lift the tip and move outside. Continue this on top.
5. Then fill the bag with the next light color and start pipping the frosting from the sides in a line. At this point hold the pipping bag perpendicular to your cake. You can do that for two lines and then use the dark color at bottom and continue with the roses.
6. Sometimes there will be little gap between the roses and you can see the crumb coat, then using the same color frosting draw a line in the same direction as rose or just put small stars. At the end those small stuffs wont be visible.
7. If you happen to do some mistake while making the rose then you can scrape it and do it again.
8. The colors should be from base dark to lighter shades of same color. You can use any color of your choice.
9. Refrigerate the cake for some time so the frosting is set. Keep the cake outside for about 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Notes:
1. My husband is not very much interested of having colored cake layers so I went with a white cake. You can add ombre effect there by adding blue color in dark to light tone in layers.In that case try to match the frosting colors to that.
2. The above measurement for cakes makes 2 9" cakes.
3. To frost the whole cake(4 layered) I used twice the above measured frosting.

White Chocolate Mousse

A simple elegant dessert....Had bookmarked this long back from here..Turned out yummy for the effort put into making it. I tried it with some fruits as well as some chocolate syrup. Both the toppings where great.

White chocolate chips-1 cup
Whipping cream-1 cup(Low fat)
vanilla-1/2 tsp
Sugar-2-1/2 to 3 tbsp(if needed)

Method of Preparation:
1. Melt chocolate by placing it in a bowl on top of a bowl with  boiling water.
2. Once melted remove from heat and allow it to reach a warm temperature.
3. Whip the cream,sugar(if using), vanilla to stiff peaks.
4. Fold this to chocolate mixture and stir till it mixes well and turns smooth.
5. Pour them to bowls or glasses and freeze for 1 hour.
6. Serve with fruits/fruit sauces,chocolate.

Notes:
1. I added sugar while whipping the cream.
2. If your white chocolate already has vanilla flavor in it then dont add extra vanilla essence.
3. If planing to use sauces dont fill it to the rim as I did.
4. I got 4 small shot glasses of dessert with the above quantity.

Quinoa Payasam/Kheer- A Guest Post

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” ― C.S. Lewis
Though I started blogging long back I was never too much into it..or I was not consistent with it.....There would be many reasons for that..With all these problems I have never had great friends too in this world...Those whom I meet joins me for some time..then I post after 1 or 2 months..they wud have gone ..I get new people again..ya I miss my previous friends but they never remember me and so I am forced to move on..:(..This was the case until I started my fb account...hey doesn't mean that things changed now..;) but I got to get some real friends with same thoughts and deeds...hoping that they wont leave me on the go...:)..
 The above statement about friendship is just perfect to describe Divya of Divya's culinary journey for whom I am Guest blogging today..:) Its "What! You too?" brought me close to her...Speaking to her makes me feel that I know her from quite a loooooooooong time...and that makes me feel gud..When she asked me for a Guest post I accepted it with no big thoughts...It took a while for me to decide the recipe and had many problems in between so the post really got delayed...She was gud enough to tell that it was Ok...which relived me a lot...When I have to describe Divya I wud say that she is a gud friend and a very lovely lady who spends her whole day for her lovely small family and her nights for blogging...:) She has lovely space with a great collection of recipes and lovely clicks... Today I am here to share a sweet.."Quinoa payasam "..A deliciously prepared payasam with quinoa and flavored and colored with rose syrup....Here are some snaps...

Do visit Divya for the yummy recipe...:).

Fruit Salad

Do you believe in Good time and Bad time..hmmm I can hear some Yes and some Noooo...For me it was a Nooo until now...but boy was I wrong there...
These days Time has made me believe that its not "only Time" but its "Good time" and "Bad time"...and I am pretty sure that its bad time running for me.
Oh it all started 2 weeks back...A Wednesday night..My dear husband thought that it was perfect time to clean the not so problamatic drain with a chemical...so he took the unopened chemical and started to open the package...Poor me who was sitting on the couch...head buried in the laptop..took a glance thinking what on earth are you doing?...felt bad for he doing it alone and went to help...ok we pulled the chemical package with both hands..and thud and ahhhhh...that 3 liter bottle fell on my leg...Finally hus kept the bottle and was near me who was half scolding and half crying..and yes its not yet used..:)
Next day
Cooking got over pretty fast...thought about making a salad..Went to chop cucumbers..Started off with knife..then realized about taking pics and posting in blog...so thought a mandolin was perfect for this task(perfect shape for perfect picture)...started off and to my surprise sliced a part of thumb.. For a second felt that blood from whole body would drain...Anyways that din't happen..was left with a wounded thumb and loads of medicines and pain..
Finally today...
The thumb looks fine...kind of dried with slight pain..started off with my cooking...and tada next event...yup..Its a burn this time...Was frying some snack and oil burst to face...Got some decent marks and yes pain too...hopefully will remain for a year or two.:( Now how on earth will I not believe in "Bad Time"...
Hey today's recipe has nothing to do with time...Though it is something for which you really dont need any time...

Strawberry-3 nos
Watermelon-15 to 20 pieces(cubed)
Grapes-10 nos
Pineapple-5 to 6 pieces
Orange-1/2 piece(juiced)
Basil-5 to 6 leaves
Rosemary-little
Honey(if needed)

Method of Preparation:
1. Cut the fruits as needed
2. Drizzle honey if needed
3. Mix the orange juice basil and rosemary with fruits and serve.Feel free to use any fruits.

Black Forest Trifle

A quick dessert if you have everything in hand...just layer, wait for flavors to mingle and serve...

Chocolate cake or brownie(Home made/store bought)
Cherry with syrup
Whipping Cream-1/4 cup
Vanilla Essence little
Sugar-1 tbsp
Chocolate shavings
Fresh Cherries to garnish

Method of Preparation:
1. Cut the chocolate cake to small pieces/crumble them/cut with a cookie cutter according to base shape of your glass.
2. Whip the cream with sugar and little essence till stiff peaks form.
3. Keep the cake pieces at the bottom of your glass.
4. Spoon little cherry syrup on top of it and layer the cherries over it.
5. Add the whipped cream on top of cherries.
6. Refrigerate for min 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
7. Before serving add the chocolate shavings on top and decorate with cherry.

Notes:
I used the cake baked for my sons b'day.
Continue the layering if your glass is big one or if you are using trifle cups.
I used small cups and did make small servings.So had single layer.
I had some whipped cream left with me.

My first attempt to put together...Does it look good? Suggest...

Beetroot Halwa

Beetroot-1 medium sized(grated)
Milk-1/2 cup
Sugar-1/4 cup+more if needed
Ghee-2 tbsp
Cashew-few
Cardamom-Seeds of 2(crushed)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel.Fry the cashews in it.Drain and keep aside.
2. Now add the grated beetroot to the ghee and fry it for 3 to 4 mix, stir continuously.
3. Add the milk to this and cook it till the beetroots are cooked.Add more milk if needed.
4. After that add the sugar and mix well.Cook till it becomes shiny and starts to seperate from sides.Turn of the heat when it is little soft as halwa tends to thicken when it cools.
5. Mix the crushed cardamom and cashews and mix well.

 Notes:
1. Add more sugar if needed.
2. Milk can be added more which gives the halwa a lighter color.
3. Do not cook till it becomes dry as they turn hard on cooling. In that case end result may not be halwa.
4. I cooked it just as carrot halwa with less milk.
5. A very tiny bit of cooking camphor can be added at the final cooking stage to give added flavor.