Mango custard fruit salad

Here is a very easy recipe to start the new year ....a new dessert !

Mango custard fruit salad is my newest innovation and I love it as a substitute for the original fruit custard salad.

Mango custard fruit salad

Ingredients:  (makes 8 - 10 servings)
Mango puree - 1 cup
Custard powder - 2 tbsp
milk - 1 cup
condensed milk - 2 tbsp (optional)
powdered sugar  or sugar - 4 tbsp (to taste)
mixed fruits - 2 cup 
(apple - 1/2 , pear - 1/2, banana - 1, seedless grapes - 10, pomegranate - 1/2 cup, dates - few)
cardamom powder - 3/4 tsp

Method:
Peel the apple, pears, pomegranate. Chop the apple, banana and pear into bite size cubes and keep aside. chop dates, grapes and keep aside.  Keep aside in fridge.
Bring milk  to boil  
Dissolve the custard powder in few tbsp of cold milk and add to the boiled milk. Start heating and cook for 2-3 minutes or till the custard gets thickened. Now add mango puree.
Add required sugar, condensed milk , cardamom powder.
Let cool completely.
Add chopped fruits and pomegranate arils. 
Keep refrigerated for 2-3 hours or till chilled.
Mango Fruit custard is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve chilled as dessert.

Note:
I am suggesting condensed milk, as we generally have fat-free milk only at home,  and adding condensed milk makes it rich.
Instead of fresh fruits, we can use canned fruits too, to save time.
Using a vegetable chopper to chop fruits will minimize the prep time.
This salad can stay  fresh for 3 days inside fridge.

Rice kheer

Arisi payasam / paal payasam / rice kheer / rice pudding

Believe it or not, my mom has never done this and I came to know of this kheer after marriage only ♥
In my house quick payasam (kheer) means semiya payasam only. Mom won't change the family's traditional cooking and that's what made her foods incredibly yummy. But I believe that it is more fun to taste newer recipes (that too , if they are simple and quick).
This rice kheer is very common in almost all the houses nowadays and I appreciate the way we use rice instead of some processed semiya (vermicelli). So I happily embraced this easy kheer. I got this recipe from most of my neighbors (North and South Indians), and found a median version that suits us ♥ I don't insist on adding saffron or pistachio, but doing so will definitely enhance it.
I am sure simple kheers like this are a boon to this modern era women, who wishes to attend potlucks or host parties , but still wishes to look fresh  ♥

Wishing all a happy and prosperous Onam and Varalakshmi Nonbu !

Paal payasam / rice kheer

Ingredients:
Raw rice (basmati or pachcharisi) - 1/4 cup
whole milk  or 2 % milk- 2 cup
sugar - 12 tsp
almond - 2
cashew - 2
raisin - few
cardamom powder - 1/8 tsp
saffron - pinch (optional)

Method:
Rinse the rice and cook in stove top. Otherwise we can use 3/4 cup of well cooked rice.
Add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Simmer and let it cook till rice gets soft.
Then add the milk and cook till the consistency becomes thick.
In the meantime soak the nuts and raisin separately.
Coarsely grind the soaked nuts and add the raisin and nuts.
Mix well.
Add required sugar and cardamom powder, saffron (soaked in a tbsp of milk).
Bring to a boil and switch off.
Serve hot or cold.

Serving suggestion:
Serve as dessert.
The above said quantity will be enough for 5 small servings (1/4 cup each).

Fruit custard

We tasted this fruit custard in a nearby Indian restaurant called Mirchi in a buffet and loved it very much. This simple dessert which could have taken only a few hours to prepare was seemed to be cherished by many on that day.
I have a passion for 'easy to cook recipes' as they come handy for a weekend lunch :) I prepared this dessert on a Friday evening and we shared and enjoyed it with our friends on that weekend. In this recipe I have used Brown & Polson brand vanilla custard powder along with assorted fruits. Try this and enjoy a very quick dessert !

Fruit custard

Fruit custard : ingredients

Ingredients: (makes 5 1/2 cup approx)
Any Custard powder - 3 tbsp
milk - 2 1/2 cup
condensed milk - 2 tbsp (optional)
powdered sugar  or sugar - 4 tbsp (to taste)
mixed fruits - 2 cup
(apple - 1/2 , pear - 1, banana - 1, seedless grapes - 10, pomegranate - 1/2 cup, dates - few)
cardamom powder - 3/4 tsp

Method:
Peel the apple, pears, pomegranate. Chop the apple, banana and pear into bite size cubes and keep aside. chop dates, grapes and keep aside.
Bring milk to boil and add the chopped apple, pear and cook till semi-soft. switch off. Then add chopped banana and cook in that heat.
Dissolve the custard powder in few tbsp of cold milk and add to the cooked fruits. Start heating and cook for 2-3 minutes or till the custard gets thickened.
Add required sugar, condensed milk , cardamom powder, chopped grapes, dates and pomegranate arils. Let cool to room temperature. Keep refrigerated for 2-3 hours or till chilled.
Fruit custard is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve chilled as dessert.

Note:
I am suggesting condensed milk, as we generally have fat-free milk only at home and this dessert tastes nice with a rich milk content.
Instead of fresh fruits, we can use canned fruits too, to save time.

Coconut truffle

I think my readers know how much I like quick versions in cooking. Truffles come under such classification. Though there are many lengthy variations, I tailored my recipe so that I can accomplish it without much effort.
Last weekend we invited our friend Raynor for lunch and I started making dessert a day ahead. While making the dessert (what dessert? I will tell you all in another post), I had some left over sugar syrup and I wanted to incorporate it in something else. Then I remembered this easy dessert I have seen in food-network TV sometime ago.
I didn't note the exact ingredients, so I made my own. Here is the recipe for  a dessert which we can prepare very quickly and effortlessly,  but I am sure it will be liked by all.

coconut and nuts in sugar syrup

everything got ready to be rolled into balls

balls to be kept refrigerated

After dipping in white chocolate.

White chocolate coconut truffles are ready !

Ingredients:
unsweetened shredded dry coconut - 1 cup
chopped nuts (almond, cashew) - 2 tbsp each
chopped dry fruits - 1 tbsp (optional)
sugar - 1/2 cup (or) little more
salt - a pinch
cardamom - a pinch
rose essence - 2 drops'
coconut oil - 1 tbsp (I used Aldi's simply nature brand)
For dipping:
White chocolate - 3/4 cup

Method:
Put the sugar in a saucepan and add 2 tbsp water. Bring it to boil and let it thicken a little for 1 more minute (one string consistency). Switch off.
 Run the chopped nuts, dry fruits and coconut in a mixer / blender to get a semi smooth powder. (We can  use fresh or dessicated coconut. I used dried coconut).
Put this powder, salt, cardamom, coconut oil into the prepared sugar syrup. Mix well , start heating and keep in low heat. Stir continuously for 1 - 2 minutes till it gets thick. Then add rose essence and switch off.
Spread wax paper over a plate. Grease it with 2 drops of coconut oil.
Make gooseberry size small balls ( 1 inch diameter). Keep them on wax paper and chill them in fridge (not freezer) for at least 1 hour.
Before taking out, prepare the white chocolate dipping.
Put the white chocolate in microwavable bowl, heat for exactly 1 minute. Take out and mash with fork. If needed microwave for 10 seconds or another seconds more. It should be runny now.
Take one coconut ball in fork, dip it in white chocolate, roll well and take out. keep it in same wax paper. Likewise do for all the coconut balls. Immediately drizzle a few strings of dessicated coconut over all the truffles (optional). Place the truffle plate inside fridge for 1 or more hours. Coconut truffle is ready !

Serving suggestion:
Serve as snack or dessert or party favor.
Try to keep these truffles inside fridge for more crispy taste. But it holds good in room temperature for 3-4 hours.
Makes 20 truffles.

Chocolate dipped strawberry (microwave method)

I guess chocolate dipped strawberry has become the official dessert of Valentine's day :) There are a lot of ads in TV and newspapers globally to promote rose and strawberries and I am sure it is worth the penny to celebrate this beautiful day which is common to all.
There are many traditional (aka lengthy) processes for preparing chocolate dipping. So buying a pack of chocolate berries is the easiest choice. Then I came to know of this microwave chocolate melting method through food network and it works like a charm. I am sure this easy dessert will make your valentine happy :)

white and brown choco chips with strawberry.

Chocolate starting to melt.

molten chocolate.

Before keeping in fridge

My friends Suchi and Paaru are decorating the strawberries for our little party.

Our lunch get together.  Bisibelebath, enchilada, pizza, chocolate strawberry .

Have a close look.

Ingredients:
Strawberry - 15
Any variety chocolate - 1 cup (chopped or chips or morsels)
(I have used semi sweet brown chocolates and white chocolates)

Method:
Choose small size strawberries with heart shape. They should be well ripe and firm.
If washing the strawberry, then do it previous night and let it dry completely.
Wipe off the water completely before dipping in chocolate, because chocolate will not stick with the fruit, if there is moisture. (This is very very important).

Take the white chocolate and regular chocolate in different microwavable bowls.
One by one keep the bowls in microwave and do as below.
Start reheating for 30 seconds at first. Then take out, check if they starts melting.
Though they may seem like not melting, but they will do after few seconds in outside.
Then again reheat (express cook) for 20 seconds .
Now the chocolates would have started melting visibly now.
Using a fork, try to mash the chocolates.
Then again reheat for 10 seconds and repeat by 10 seconds one or two times.
Chocolates may tend to char, due to overheating. So carefully check every 10 seconds.
I got my semi sweet chocolate done after 1 minute 20 seconds and white chocolate took nearly 1 minute 30 seconds.
In a clean plate, spread a wax paper.
Now hold the calyx (leaves) of strawberry gently and roll over the chocolate, so that it is half dipped.
Place the strawberries on plate and keep refrigerated for 30 minutes.
Take out and decorate with white chocolate or any other icings using a fork or icing cones. Keep in fridge and they hold good in room temperature for up to 3 hours.
Chocolate strawberry is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Have these cuties at any time of day, as snack, dessert or gift them to your loving ones:)

Almond candy

Almond candy is one of the easiest snacks I have found recently. Cooking something special on Fridays is a common scene in many households. I too love to make the weekends special by making a snack or special dinner on Fridays. Two weeks back, on a Friday morning I made this as a gift to hubby and kept it secretly in his snack box. Now this has become his another favorite :)

There are many versions to make this simple candy. But I have my own method to make it quickly in stove-top, though the original versions call for baking. So try this if you want some quick treat.

Glazed almond candy

Ingredients:
Almond - 1 cup
brown sugar - 1/2 cup (or little lesser)
cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp
water - 2 tbsp

Method:
Heat a wok and dry roast the almonds in low heat till they smell good. It may take almost 3 minutes for the almonds to get toasted. Look for spots while heating. Then add the brown sugar, cinnamon and water and mix well.
Continue stirring and wait till sugar dissolves and coats the almonds.
Almost after 2 minutes of low heat roasting we will notice caramelizing of sugar and it will get hard. Don't heat further. Switch off. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely (almost for 10 minutes). 
Almond candy is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Store them in airtight containers and serve as snack or dessert.