Ice halwa

 Ice halwa

Ice halwa, also known as Bombay Ice Halwa, This is one of the most unique in terms of texture and shape.  It’s paper-thin sheets of sugar, flour, saffron, cardamom powder, milk, and ghee topped with some nuts for crunch. 

 

A very unique and easy to make melt in mouth ice halwa, a popular sweet from Bombay (Mumbai). Ice halwa gets it name from its color and texture. It is white as ice, very cool and texture is melted in mouth. A very easy to make elegant and delicious dessert you can make in no time.

 Ingredients:

Maida (All-Purpose Flour)- ½ cup (approx. 125g)

 Sugar: 1 cup (up to 1 ¼ cups if you prefer it sweeter)

 Ghee (Clarified Butter): ½ cup (melted)

 Milk: ½ cup

 Saffron & Milk: A generous pinch of saffron bloomed in 2 tbsp warm milk

 Cardamom Powder: ¼ tsp

 Garnish: Chopped almonds, pistachios, and dried rose petals

 

Method:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan (while still off the stove), combine the ½ cup maida ,1 cup sugar, ½ cup melted ghee, and ½ cup milk. Whisk or stir well with a spatula until completely smooth and free of lumps.

2. Place the pan on low heat. Stir continuously. As the sugar melts, the mixture will loosen up before it gradually begins to thicken.

 

3. Pour in the saffron-infused milk and ¼ tsp cardamom powder. Keep stirring non-stop on low heat for about 15–18 minutes.

 

4.The halwa is ready when it turns glossy, thickens, and cleanly pulls away from the sides of the pan into a soft mass.

 

5. Roll Paper-Thin: Quickly transfer the hot mixture onto a sheet of greased parchment or butter paper. Immediately scatter your chopped pistachios, almonds, and rose petals over the top.

 

6.: Cover with a second sheet of parchment paper and roll it out as thin as humanly possible using a rolling pin.

7. Let it rest or chill for 2 to 3 hours until set. Score or cut into delicate squares using a knife or scissors

Pineapple Fried Rice

 Pineapple Fried Rice

Every time when I buy pineapple I wanted to try this Thai style Pineapple Fried rice. As today my son is at home, thought will make something new and interesting for him in lunch. The Pineapple Fried Rice is the signature dish of the Thai Cuisine. This Pineapple Fried Rice recipe is simple, lightly spiced, delicious and vegan. Fresh Pineapple chunks which give the wonderful flavor. The sweet and spicy fried rice gets its rich texture due to the addition of Cashew nuts and Raisins with lots of fresh flavour and colorful vegetables. This quick, easy and healthy dish can be served as main course during vegetarian dinner, especially the festive seasons. It will surely be a treat to one’s taste buds !

 

Ingredients:

Basmati rice   1 cup

Onion or Spring onion whites   1

 Garlic -  5 pods

 Ginger  a small piece

 Green chili  -2

 Pineapple chunks   1/4 cup

 RoastedCashew  -10

 Raisins-few

 Soy sauce  - 1 tsp

 Carrot, green peas, capsicum 3 tblsp (all together)

 Salt  as needed

 Pepper Powder-1tsp

 Oil  - 1 tblsp

 Spring onion greens   few (to garnish)

 

Method:

1.Wash the rice and Soak rice in water for half an hour. 2.Cook well till the grains are separate. Cool down completely. Spread the cooked rice in a plate.

3.Heat a pan with butter or oil, fry cashews till lightly golden, add raisins. Keep separately.

4.In the same pan add pineapple chunks and springle sugar toss and keep it a side.

5.In a pan add oil and add the chopped onions, green chili, garlic and ginger, green chilli Sauté until it smells good.

 

6.When they start slightly brown. Add the Chop veggies (capsicum, peas and  carrot) into small cubes.

7.Saute this for 2 minutes in a high flame and add the soy sauce. Stir fry for another 1-2 minutes.

8.Now add the rice, fried cashews and raisins. Gently stir fry to combine over medium high heat and keep stirring for 4-5 minutes.

9. Add black pepper powder and salt. and mix well

10.Then add the pineapple pieces. Cook in a medium low flame for 5 minutes and switch off the flame.

11.Garnish with spring onion greens. Pineapple Fried Rice is ready.

Dates Halwa (Khajoor ka Halwa)

 Dates Halwa (Khajoor ka Halwa)

Dates Halwa is a rich, indulgent Indian dessert that gets all its sweetness from Dates. It is a rich, naturally sweet Indian dessert made by cooking pitted dates with ghee, nuts, and aromatic spices.  no sugar needed, this halwa is a festive favorite that's also surprisingly nutritious. Serve warm for the ultimate comfort dessert! 

Ingredients:

Pitted dates - 1cup (soaked in 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes)

Ghee -1/4 cup (divided)

 Cardamom powder-1/2 tsp

Cornflour -1/4 cup mixed in ½ cup water (slurry, optional for a firmer fudge-like texture)

Chopped or roasted nuts- (cashews, almonds, or walnuts)- 10-12

 

Method:

1. Soak the pitted dates in hot water for about 30 minutes until soft. Transfer them into a mixer and grind into a smooth paste.

2. Heat 2–3 tablespoons of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan (kadai) on low to medium heat. Add the date paste and sauté well for a few minutes.

3. Add Slurry -pour in the cornflour-water slurry while stirring continuously to prevent lumps.

4.Gradually add the remaining ghee bit by bit while stirring the mixture constantly until it glosses up and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan.

 

5.Stir in the cardamom powder and roasted cashews or walnuts.

 

6. Press the mixture into a ghee-greased tray, let it cool for 30 minutes to an hour, and slice into pieces.

Eggless Dates and Nuts Cake

 An eggless dates and nuts cake is a moist, naturally sweet tea-time treat made by blending soaked dates with milk and oil, then folding in whole wheat or all-purpose flour and chopped nuts/walnuts. It is a healthy tea time cake recipe as it is sweetened with dates and  nuts.

My Dates cakes Links below 

Eggless Banana Cake with Raisins, Dates & Nut 

Arabic Dates and Honey Cake

Eggless Date Cake..

 

Dates Cake is a moist and delicious cake that is very easy to bake and tastes very yummy. the sweetness of the dates and the nuts  giving a nutty flavour .My family liked very much.

 

Ingredients:

 All Purpose Flour- 1 cup

 Dates (seedless)- 10 to 15

 Milk - 1+ 1/3 cup

Sugar-1/4 cup

 Oil- 1/2 cup

Chopped Nuts- 1/3 cup (Badam & Cashew)

Cinnamon Powder- 1/2 tsp(Optional)

 Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp

 Instant Coffee- 1 tsp

 Baking Powder- 1 tsp

 Baking Soda- 1/4 tsp

 

 Method:

1. To a bowl add 15 medium sized dates add ¾ cup milk, instant coffee soak for minimum 30 minutes

2: Sieve together dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt together. Keep these dry ingredients bowl aside.

Dusting chopped nuts with flour (Take 1 tsp flour from it and dust it over 2 tbsp chopped nuts. This prevents nuts from sinking.).

3.Grind the soaked dates and milk together to make smooth paste. Add oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder to it and whisk well. Keep it aside.

4.Set the oven for preheating at 180°Celsius (356°F). Prepare the cake tin by lining it with parchment paper and then brushing some oil over it.

5.Add the dry ingredients to dates mixture gradually while adding remaining milk little by little. Mix the batter

6.Don’t over mix the batter. Fold the dusted wnuts gently in it. Pour it in the prepared cake tin and top up with remaining chopped walnuts.

7.Bake this dates cake at 180°C  for 20-25 minutes. Check the center of loaf after 30 minutes with the help of a skewer. If it comes out clean the cake is done else bake for 5 more minutes.

 8. Cool down the cake in tin for 10 minutes then demold. Cool down completely then slice and serve.

 

Cherry Halwa

 Cherry Halwa is a vibrant, ruby-colored Indian dessert that balances the natural tartness of fresh cherries with rich, buttery textures. It is Infused with warm cardamom, ghee, and toasted nuts. Served warm or chilled, it offers a luxurious texture, subtle sweetness, and a stunning colour that makes it as visually appealing as it is comforting with its smooth, melt-in-your-mouth. A dessert fit for any celebration or as a special treat!

Ingredients

 Cherries Pitted- 2 Cups

 Corn flour-2 tsp

 Water- 4 tsp

Ghee- 1 tbsp

 Nuts-Handful( I added Cashews)

 Sugar-1 Cup

Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

 

METHOD:

 1. First pit(Remove Seeds) the cherries, cut them into half and keep aside.

2. Mix the corn starch and water nicely in a small bowl and keep aside.

3.Add the ghee to a nonstick pan. Once it is hot, add the nuts and fry until slightly golden. Remove the nuts from the ghee and keep aside.

 

4.To the remaining ghee in the pan, add the pitted cherries. Saute and cook the cherries in medium flame  for about 3 mins until the point when the cherries start to soften.

5.Now add the sugar to the pan. Continue to cook by stirring occasionally. While stirring crush the cherries with the ladle. The cherries will leave out water, bubble up and cook in their own juices. Continue this process for until the cherries are almost soften.

 

6.Now, add the corn starch paste to the pan. Mix well. The cherries will now start looking glossy. Continue to cook, by stirring constantly, until the mixture just starts to thicken.

 

7.Add the remaining ghee Mix and keep cooking the halwa till it thickens, turns glossy, and doesn't stick to the pan. Add cardamom powder and  nuts mix well. Turn off the flame

Serve hot or cold in small bowls.