Avocado custard

Avocado's in India are called Butter Fruit, it comes in a big size as we get the California Avocado here. This custard is very simple and yummy dessert. It was introduced for me by my MIL. I do like the avocado quite a lot and loved this dessert too. Simple ingredients and simple method, it's a quick fix on a surprise guest visit day.

Ingredients:
Avocado 1-2
Sugar 1 -2 tbsp(as per taste)
Cardamom powder 1/4tsp

Method:
First cut the riped Avocado in the middle and remove the seed. Scoop the avocado into a bowl and mash them well. Now add sugar and cardamom powder and beat them well. Now it's ready to be served.

Note: This dessert needs to be made and eaten. You can't make it in advance as Avocado turns brown when left for a while.

Fruit cake

Hi, here I am back after a long break from blogging with my daughters First Year Birthday cake. It's a fruit cake and it's a lot fun to do and eat. It's one of my favorite one of all the cake I have made and it's a no bake cake. You can decorate it in different forms and shapes.

Ingredients:
1 small Watermelon
1/2         Cantaloupe
10.          Strawberry
1             Pear
10-15.     Grapes/blueberries/banana

Method:

Cut the water melon into a cylindrical shape using a sharp knife . This will be our cake and base. Now cut the strawberries and cantaloupe to desired shapes and stick it to the cake with toothpicks.
Cut the  pear  into a number(I used pear since its a little hard and it will hold the shape, do keep the skin on so it stays well.). Now place a candle behind the number and Whalah! The cake is ready.

Note: I used banana as I didn't have blueberries/grapes. If using banana do put them in the very end as they change color and turn brown soon.

Enjoy and have a Fruitfully Birthday Party.

Paneer Butter Masala

This is one of the easiest dishes I have ever prepared. It was as yummy as you get it in a restaurant. I was wondering why restaurants charge such huge price on this simple and easy dish. So I recommend you all to give it a try and see. You can alter some of the fatty items here, but substituting butter might not be that tasty as name itself says butter masala. I made this dish from Vahrevah.com website and his video. So here is the link for the same. Enjoy.

Video:-

Recipe:(This link also has the video)
http://www.vahrehvah.com/Paneer+Butter+Masala:3536http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rSygSz7aj9w

Fire Truck Red Velvet Cake

Here is the Fire Truck for my son on his 5th year Birthday. He enjoyed cutting and eating it. Will post the recipe soon.

Khaman Dhokla

Dhokla is a Gujrathi snack similar to Idly. There are different forms of Dhokla and Khaman Dhokla is one of them. Here is the recipe for an Instant Khaman Dhokla which is perfect for an evening snack with tamarind chutney or corainder chutney.

Ingredients:

1 cup Besan/Gram flour
Pinch of Turmeric powder
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp citric acid crystals or juice of one whole lemon
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 tsp soda-bicarbonate
Oil for greasing and tempering

For tempering:
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds(optional)
Few curry leaves
hing
Finely chopped coriander
grated fresh coconut
Method:
Mix all the dry and wet ingredients(except oil) and make a thick batter, similar to Idly batter. Grease the bowl and pour the batter into it and steam it for about 15 minutes and cool it before taking it out of the bowl. Make the tempering with oil, mustard seeds,curry leaves and hing. Put the dhokla on a plate and add tempering on the dhokla and garnish with cilantro leaves and coconut. Serve warm with chutney.

Avalakki Bisibele Bath

Avalakki is a kannada term which means Poha/ Beaten Rice. This is a simple dish to make and its as yummy as the regular Bisibele Bath. Instead of Rice here we use Avalakki/beaten rice. This is a best dish for Breakfast/Bunch or at Snack time. This can be made heavy meal with lots of vegetables or can be kept simple with just onion. I usually do only with Onion but this time I tried with lot of vegetables as I made it for Lunch on Sankashti, as I'm not supposed to eat Rice/ Toor dal.

Ingredients:
1 cup Beaten Rice
1/2-3/4 cup Moong Dal
1/2 Onion Thinly sliced
1 Tomato chopped
1 cup Vegetables of your choice(I added Beans, Lima Beans, Carrot and Capsicum)
1tbsp Oil
1tsp Mustard seeds
1tsp Urad dal
Hing
Few Curry leaves
10-12 Peanuts/Cashew nuts/both
salt to taste
1tsp Tamarind Paste
Jaggery to taste
1-2tsp MTR Bisibele Bath Masala

Method:
Cook the Moong dal with tomato & vegetables except Onion & Capsicum in a pressure cooker. Meanwhile if the beaten rice needs to be soaked for long time do it now otherwise you can do it at the end. Once the cooker is cooled pour the dal in a heavy bottom pan and get it to a boil and add 1-11/2 cups water and add tamarind paste, Masala, jaggery and salt. Let it boil for 2-3 mins. Meanwhile get the tempering ready with Mustard seeds, urad dal, peanuts, curry leaves, turmeric powder and add onion- capsicum and fry for 2 mins till its soft. Now add the beaten rice to the boiling dal and let it mix well, now keep stirring as it will get thick and burn at the bottom. Finally once it reaches the consistency add the tempering with onion-capsicum and let it cook for 2-3 mins. The BBB is ready, serve it with a spoon of ghee.

Pineapple Salsa

Salsas are one of the easiest way to enjoy fruits on a relaxing weekend or during a game day. Since its a season for pineapple I tried this salsa and I loved the new taste, it was a mixture of sour, sweet, tangy and spicy. You can adjust to it to your taste buds.

Ingredients:

1cup Pineapple finely chopped
1/4cup Green & Red Bell peppers
1/4cup Red onion
1tbsp Lemon juice
salt, Pepper & chilly powder to taste
Method:

Mix all and refrigerate for 30 mins minimum so the taste gets mixed up well. Serve with your favorite chips.