Pepper, Chilli and Vanilla

Christmas is incomplete without marzipan & Milk Cream.The sweet platter looks full & complete with these Christmas goodies.Though making them needs lots of time & patience but the result is worth every effort put in.Marzipan is usually made with Almonds sugar & egg whites but somehow i prefer making it with cashews .We make it with Almonds as well as with cashews.I will post the ones i made with Almond later.
You can shape them the way you want there are many rubber & silicone moulds easily available in the market .Or you can roll it out on a fruit cake I have baked a fruit cake which i will be covering with marzipan and fondant.

Ingredients:

250 gms Cashews
500 gms Sugar
2 egg whites
Rose water as needed
1 tbsp butter/ghee
1/2 tsp almond essence
food colours

Method:

Soak Cashews in hot water for 3-4 hours.

grind cashews with rose water to very smooth paste.

Beat egg white till stiff .

Mix egg whites,Sugar,Cashew paste & the essencet well in a thick heavy bottomed vessel & place it on gas a on very low flame stirring continuously.

The flame has to be low & you got to stir everytime so that the mixture doesn't stick & burn at the bottom.

Add ghee & continue stirring

When the mixture is almost ready it will leave the sides You can switch off the gas & pour the mixture on a stainless steel thali

Grease Your hands well with ghee & knead while its still warm if the mixture hardens you could add few drops of rose water & knead to a smooth pliable dough.

You can divide the dough & form balls and colour & knead well.

You can use your hands to shape them or place a small portion in the moulds & let them dry.

Store in an air tight container.

You can store the remaining uncoloured dough wrapping it tightly in a cling wrap & refrigerating it ,You could use it to cover your cake.

Made this yummy pulav for Christmas lunch it went very well with Butter chicken And Mutton Korma.It tasted good too with the Stuffed chicken.The Carrots gave a lovely natural colour to this pulav & the dry fruits & milk added to the richness.

Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati rice
4-5 carrots grated
1/4 cup milk
dry fruits as needed
2 bay leaves
4-5 cloves
6-7 peppercorns
3-4 green cardamon
1 mace
2 star anise
1" Cinnamon stick
1 tbsp ghee.
salt to taste.

Method:
Wash the rice and soak it for 30 min.Drain the water and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a vessel and fry the nuts and keep aside.

In the same vessel add the bay leaves with the whole spices and saute for 2-3 min.

Now add the rice and fry well for 3-4 min.

Mix in the grated carrots and saute .

Add milk and add about 3.5 to 4 cups hot water and salt and cook on high flame till nice boil comes .

Then reduce the flame and cover with lid &cook on medium flame till ll water is absorbed n rice cooked well.

Garnish with fried nuts and serve hot.

Milk cream is one of my favourite Christmas sweet. Its a fudge made with milk and cashews constantly stirring till its reduced to a ball.The process is tedious and requires lots of patience but the out come is really worth it .

This is why I chose this recipe to be posted today as I write my 100 th post.Time flies quickly .Can't believe I have already written 99 post so far.I would like to thank all my readers and friends who supp0orted me.Do continue to show your love by visiting this humble space of mine and leaving your valuable comments.

It takes a lot of effort in making this sweet In fact Most of our Christmas sweets need lots and lots of patience
Milk cream takes a lot of time to get completed and shaped.But once prepared you will love this.
Right from Childhood I love milk cream and as I use to help Mom to shape them I use to gobble up so many..lol

The ingredients needed for this is available easily at home so do give it a try and you will love this.Plus it has no eggs so the vegetarians can feast on it too.

Ingredients:
1 litre milk (use full fat for better results)
400 gms sugar
100 gms cashews
rose water as needed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp white butter/ghee.

Method:
Soak the cashews in hot water for 2 hours.

Drain the water and grind to a fine smooth paste using rose water.

In a heavy bottomed vessel or a good deep non stick pan boil the milk and reduce till its half of its quantity on a very low flame stirring constantly taking care it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Once it has reduced half of its quantity add the cashew paste and the sugar and keep stirring it continuously.

Add 1 tbsp ghee/butter and continue stirring.

Once it starts leaving the side take a small amount and check if you can roll it into a soft ball if its rolled easily the mixture is now ready.

Shape it in moulds and store in a airtight container.

Snowballs popularly called as nankhaties are soft melting mouth eggless cookies topped with glazed cherries which make it look even more pretty..

It requires minimum ingredients and its very simple to make it.They stay well for many days.

Ingredients:
400 gms Maida/All purpose flour
300 gms ghee / dalda
250 gms Castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp salt.
chopped glazed cherries .

Method:
Cream ghee and sugar till foamy .You need to really cream it well with your hands .

Or use an electric beater and cream well for 10 to 12 minutes.

Mix in salt and flour and vanilla extract & knead to a smooth dough and leave it overnight covered with a muslin cloth .

Form small balls and place the glazed cherries on top of every snowball.

Place the snowballs on greased baking tray at some intervals .

Bake for 18to 20 min at 180 degree Celsius.

Notes
I usually prepare the dough late midnight so i leave it covered at room temperature when its winters.
You can refrigerate the dough and bring it to room temperature before baking.

Nevries /Neouries are traditional sweets made for Christmas .They are nothing but sweet puffs with coconut and semolina filling with some dry fruits. Very similar to karanji.

They can also be made with fresh coconut and jaggery filling but you cant store them for longer time.
This is a must to do sweet during Christmas without which the plate looks incomplete.

for the filling

250 gms semolina (rava)

150 gms castor sugar

2 tbsp. ghee

50 gms raisins

50 gms cashew nuts

2 tbsp chironji/charoli

1/4 cup poppy seeds (khuskhus) optional

1/2 tsp. cardamom (elaichi) powder

salt a tiny pinch

Method:

Roast the chopped cashew nuts, poppy seeds and raisins in a little ghee and keep them aside.

Then heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a frying pan and roast the semolina and the sugar in it till golden brown till nice aroma comes.

Add in the roasted cashew nuts, poppy seeds and raisins as well as the cardamom powder .

Keep the filling to ready .you could even make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate .

for the Dough

500 gms flour (maida)

3 tbsp. ghee

milk (sufficient to make dough)

colour (optional)

3tbsp cornflour+ 2tbsp dalda mix and keep aside

ghee +oil to deep fry

Method:

Knead the flour, ghee and milk together into dough.

Now or Roll out the dough into a sheet or chapatti and spread some dalda +cornflour mixture then roll and slice into strips.

Then make a small ball out of each strip into a and roll each one out into small circles.

Flatten the small circles with rolling pin and place into special nevries moulds if using .

Or simply fill the stuffing. Put in enough of the filling but not fill too much seal the edges with cornflour and dalda mixture .

Then deep-fry in hot oil or ghee or half ghee and half oil the nevries on a medium flame until light golden.

Bakery Style Eggless Coconut Cookies are crunchy yet melt in mouth and very delicious .Its a very easy and simple recipe which I have been following since years and it has never failed me.
Just few ingredients and these yummy coconut cookies are ready .These cookies stay well for 15 days if stored well in an airtight container.

Crunchy yet melt in mouth eggless coconut cookies can be enjoyed with tea coffee or as it is..Kids will surely love this bakery style coconut cookies. You can shape them into square rectangular pieces and roll them into the dessicated coconut or keep them as it is they taste great either ways.

Ingredients:
150 gm maida/all purpose flour
120 gm butter softened
70 to 80 gms powdered sugar
60 gm dessicated coconut powder plus 2 - 3bsp to dust /roll
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
Milk 1 tbsp

Method:

Sift flour & baking powder and a pinch of salt only if using unsalted butter together and keep aside.
Beat butter and sugar till soft and creamy.
Mix in the dessicated coconut powder and the vanilla extract.
Now add the sifted flour and milk and mix till it comes together like dough do not knead .
Divide the dough into balls and shape into cookies or roll and cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter and roll them or dust the dessicated coconut over each cookie .
Place them on a tray lined with parchment.
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 min
Bake for 18 to 20 min at 180 degree Celsius or till they turn light golden brown .
Cool and store in an airtight container.

Notes

I have used unsweetened dessicated coconut.

Add salt only if using unsalted butter .

Masale Bhaat is a very popular Maharashtrian rice preparation with lots of vegetables aromatic spices garnished and served with roasted cashews and fresh grated coconut. Masale bhaat is usually served on weddings and festive ocassions Masale bhaat is a very tradtional Maharashtrian dish and my utmost favourite ..Masale bhaat/masala bhaat is a classic and very delicious one pot meal with goodness of many veggies

Having been grown up with many Non Catholic friends around I always have been tasting various dishes mainly from Gujarati and Maharashtrian Cuisines and I really use to enjoy it.

I have always included many dishes from these cuisines in our diet and we thoroughly enjoy it.I make this Masale bhaat very often and recently made this when I wanted to eat something tasty in veg.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice/Wada kolam

2 Potatoes cubed

1 cup Cauliflower cut in florets

1/2 cup green peas
6 to 7 ivy gourd/tendli cut lengthwise
2 brinjal cut in cubes
1 small carrot (optional)

the masala paste

5 dry Kashmiri Chillies
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds

3 tbsp dry coconut/khobra/desiccated coconut

1 tsp cumin seeds

5-6 cloves

2-3 green cardamons

1/4 tsp turmeric powder/haldi

1 tsp goda masala ( check link for recipe)

salt to taste

for tempering

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

oil 2 to 3 tbsp

ghee as needed

2 bay leaves

for garnish

cashews 10-12

fresh coriander leaves

fresh coconut grated 3 tbsp

Method:

Soak Basmati rice in water for 30 to 45 min .
Fry the cashews and keep aside
Dry roast chillies ,cardamon,cumin,fennel,dry coconut and cloves on low flame till nice and fragrant.
Cool the roasted spices and grind to a fine paste adding little water.
Heat oil / ghee in thick bottomed pan/ vessel add bay leaves and mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds crackle add ground masala paste and fry for 4-5 min on med flame
Add vegetables and turmeric powder and saute for 3-5 min.
Add rice and saute for about 3-4 min.
Now add 3 cups hot water and salt cook on high flame till nice boil comes .
Then reduce the flame and cover with lid &cook on medium flame till ll water is absorbed n rice cooked well.
Garnish with cashews ,coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut.
Serve hot with papad ,raita and pickle .

notes
you can use any veg you wish the ones i have used are tradtionaly used
you can add lime and jaggery if you wish its optional i don't add ,if you wish to add lime juice and jaggery add it when the rice is almost come to a boil
this is no onion garlic recipe ,if you want you may add 1 sliced onion after adding mustard seeds and let them saute till soft
for quicker pressure cooker version with goda masala check this link

Basmati rice1 1/2 cups•Brinjals,cubed3-4 medium•Salt to taste•Tindli8-10•Whole dry red chillies 6-7•Coriander seeds 2 teaspoons•Dry coconut (khopra),grated 1/2 cup•Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon•Oil 4 tablespoons•Cloves 5-6•Green cardamoms 2-3•Bay leaves 2•Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon•Cashewnuts,roasted 10•Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 1/4 bunch•Coconut,scraped 2 tablespoons - See more at: http://sanjeevkapoor.com/masale-bhaat.aspx#sthash.Jet1n3Po.dpuf

Date and Walnut Cake is super moist soft and delicious cake .Love to bake this moist cake ..Adding christmas spice and orange zest makes it more flavourful.Date and walnut is loved by all at my place and its an all time favourite tea time cake If you wan to bake some thing delicious and are not a fan of traditional fruit cakes You should give this date and walnut loaf/cake a try It's moist soft and so delicious and will satiate your cravings .

Date and Walnut Cake makes an excellent holiday gift too .You can bake it in round /square loaf tin choice is yours..If you wish you may add more chopped nuts like cashews and almonds too..Bake one and gift your loved one ..Since its made with goodness dates and walnuts ,it's healthy option as well .

Ingredients:

140 gms Maida/All purpose flour
60gms Walnut chopped
200 gms Dates( seedless )
100 gms brown sugar
2 eggs

100 gms butter softened
1 tsp cinnamon powder/Christmas spice powder
1/2 tsp baking soda.
1 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp orange zest

Method:
Preheat Oven at 180 degree C and Prepare the cake pan /loaf pan by greasing it well from inside and lining it with parchment paper.
Chop the Walnuts coarsely you could even toast them and cool and then chop.

Toss the walnuts in 1 tbsp flour and keep aside
Sift Flour with baking powder ,1/8tsp salt (if using unsalted butter )and cinnamon powder.

Mix the chopped dates with 1/2tsp baking soda in hot boiling water and leave it aside for 35 -40 minutes ,the baking soda helps to soften the dates.
Cream the softened butter with the sugar till fluffy then mix the eggs and beat well till creamy.

Now add the cool dates mixture and the vanilla extract ,orange zest and walnuts dusted in flour.
Lightly fold in the flour in 3-4 additions and mix well till the batter is smooth and lump free.

You can use beater to mix at the lowest speed.

Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius for 10 minutes .

Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake for 45-50min at 180 degree C

Allow the cake to completely cool before slicing .

Enjoy with a cup of coffee /tea or as a snack or a glass of wine.

notes

I prefer using black seedless dates you may use brown as well

Spice/ cinnamon powder and orange zest is purely optional .

Simple and easy noodles yet healthy & delicious..Garlic gives this dish a lovely flavour. You could add your favourite veggies .I have used cherry tomatoes ,broccoli ,yellow & green capsicum This is slightly milder than the Hakka noodles I posted earlier.

Ingredients:
200 gms Fine Noodles
100 gms broccoli
8-10 cherry tomatoes
1 yellow capsicum
1 green capsicum
4-5 spring onions
200 gms chicken boiled with pepper
8-9 garlic cloves minced.
1 tsp soy sauce
1-2 green chillies slitted
1tbsp oil
salt as needed

Method:

Boil the noodles with salt and water and 1 tsp oil until 85-90 % done and drain all excess water .

Add one tsp of oil and toss the noodles so that they do not stick .

Heat a large wok on high flame add about 1 -2 tbsp oil add the minced garlic and saute.

Then add the slitted green chilli, spring onion green ,fry well then add the broccoli and capsicum .

Add cherry tomatoes and then add the shredded chicken toss well

Add the salt ,pepper,the sauce mix all well toss it so that everything mixes well.

Now add the boiled noodles and mix well check for salt and sauce if needed add and mix well.

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