Tag: gluten free

Simplest & Best Dark Chocolate Mousse {2 ingredient}… with balsamic fresh cherries

“I invented it — but it was so easy, I’m embarrassed!”
Hervé This 

Dark chocolate mousse Dark Chocolate Mousse. Sweet comfort. Chocolat! This turned out to be the simplest mousse ever. One with fewest ingredients too. Just two. OK three four since I added some sugar & a dash of Kirsch. This was something I had longed to make but just didn’t get there. The past few days have been a little busy, a little heartache, too much running around and no energy to bake. At 46C, baking feels a little HOT!

I craved chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate. The bookmarked folder threatens to burst with a collection that spans a few years. When I need to immerse myself in food, get away from the real world, I know I can dive into the folder. It’s a great place to get lost in.

So much inspiration, so much food for thought. Chocolate recipes are aplenty. This particular Heston Blumenthal mousse recipe inspired by Hervé This has always seemed challenging and unreal. Somewhere deep down I didn’t believe that chocolate mousse can be created with just chocolate and water. Nah!! Impossible!! 

Monsieur Hervé This, a French physical chemist with a PHD in molecular gastronomy, invented the recipe for Chocolate Chantilly, or this simple chocolate mousse. His main area of scientific research is molecular gastronomy, that is the science of culinary phenomena. Some of his discoveries include the perfect temperature for cooking an egg, and the use of an electrical field to improve the smoking of salmon. He also found that beating an egg white after adding a small amount of cold water considerably increases the amount of foam produced. 

This is the simplest chocolate mousse. Since it uses just two ingredients, chocolate and water, use the best quality chocolate you can lay your hands on. The trick is to whip it just until it begins to thicken and hold soft peaks. Over whipping results in a grainy mousse. If it does get grainy, you can heat the mixture and begin whipping again! So forgiving!! {You can see Heston Blumenthal making this mousse here.}

This is the chemistry they didn’t teach us in school! Who would have thought that chemistry would enter by way of molecular gastronomy into our lives to make it so delicious? The dark chocolate mousse is fab on its own. Sensuous, smooth, satisfying, intense … everything good quality dark chocolate promises to be.

It’s very unlike me to leave well enough alone. Cherries are in season. While the mousse was chilling, I simmered some cherries with balsamic and sugar. This is a great way to preserve cherries. Makes for a fabulous dessert topping. Chocolate and cherries are a match made in heaven. Oh and BTW, a balsamic cherry sauce pairs beautifully with meat too. 

I use the combination every summer. Some of my favourites are Dark Chocolate Cherry Mousse Cake, Bittersweet Chocolate Marquise with Crème Chantilly & Balsamic Cherry Sauce, Nutella & Cherry Chocolate Tart, Mini Quark Vanilla Cheesecakes with Balsamic Cherry Sauce and another Dark Chocolate Mousse with Balsamic Cherry Sauce.

I thought I’d drizzle some low-fat cream over the mousse and top it with the balsamic cherry sauce. Low fat cream NEVER whips up to stiff peaks, especially during the 46C days of the Indian summer. Murphy’s law kicked in. Within seconds of whipping the low-fat cream, it thickened up like no ones business.

When you least expect it, you can see the mountain move!! For the first time in my culinary life, I needed soft flowing cream… and I got stiff peaks! Strange!! So I rearranged the layers in my head. Topped the mousse with balsamic cherries, piped some cream over it, topped the cream with dark cocoa nibs…

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Recipe: Simplest & Best Dark Chocolate Mousse

Summary: The dark chocolate mousse is fab on its own. Sensuous, smooth, satisfying, intense … everything that good quality dark chocolate promises to be. Top it with balsamic fresh cherries and take it to even more delicious levels. Mousse recipe minimally adapted from Heston Blumenthal, inspired by Hervé This.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

  • Dark chocolate mousse
  • 265 grams bittersweet (%70 cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped
  • 225g water
  • 15g Kirsch
  • 2 tbsp sugar, optional
  • Balsamic Cherry Sauce
  • 400g sweet fresh cherries, pitted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Kirsch
  • Whipped cream
  • 200ml cream
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • few drops almond extract
  • cocoa nibs

Method:

  1. Dark chocolate mousse
  2. Place a large mixing bowl on top of another slightly smaller one, filled with ice and cold water (the bottom of the large bowl should touch the ice). Set aside.
  3. Put chocolate and water (also sugar and/or liquor if you’re using) in a medium-sized pan and melt the chocolate over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl sitting on top of ice and water, and start whisking with a wire whisk (or an electrical hand-held mixer) until thick. Watch the texture as you whip and make sure not to over-whip as it will make the mousse grainy. If the mousse becomes grainy (which is possible at your first try), transfer it back into the pan, reheat until half of it is melted, pour it back to the mixing bowl and whisk again briefly.
  5. Divide into serving cups and chill until set.
  6. Top with balsamic cherry sauce. Pipe whipped cream over. Sprinkle over dark cocoa nibs if desired.
  7. Balsamic Cherry Sauce
  8. Place the cherries with a splash of water in a non reactive sauce pan. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the cherries begin to get soft. Add the remaining ingredients other that the Kirsch.
  9. Stir for 2-3 minutes over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Strain the cherries out and reserve in  a bowl. Return the syrup back to the pan and reduce until thick.
  10. Take off heat, stir in the Kirsch and pour back over cherries. Cool and then chill.
  11. Whipped cream
  12. Place cream, sugar and almond extract in a large bowl. Whip until firm peaks. Place in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
  13. Note: You can make this mousse without the liqueur. Just substitute the amount of liqueur with water, i.e. use 240ml water.

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Baking | Spicy Vine Tomato Relish … jars of goodness in season

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”
Lewis Grizzard

Spicy Vine Tomato Relish … I think this was a fitting end to my ‘harvest’ of cherry tomatoes. It was a tough choice. I waited forever, read almost 6 months, for the tomato plants to grow, then flower, then finally bear fruit.

Waited with baited breath to see if they would turn red, yellow or orange as the different packets of seeds suggested. Warded the hungry Coco off them as she took a serious shine to them and stole a mouthful whenever she could. I guarded them with my life. Literally.

Finally I got nice big bowlfuls to harvest, some cherry tomatoes and some plump bigger red ones too. I didn’t have the heart to eat them. I wouldn’t let anyone near them. Oh the irony. I could not bear to let them go!

This was the first time I had grown tomatoes and couldn’t believe my luck. They were so pretty. Nature never ceases to amaze. Fresh produce inspires like nothing else. I shot them whenever I could. They shone in every light. The shadows haunted me, in a good sort of a way that is. Thanks to Neel @ Learn Food Photography with his 30 Days of Better Food Photos, I dreamt, breathed, lived and shot tomatoes on the vine. All the time. Then reality struck! I had to get moving before they went away unsung. I headed for What Katie Ate. She always inspires. ALWAYS! I knew I had to make the Spicy Vine Tomato Relish. I whiled the day away experimenting with light again. So fulfilling. From pretty fresh tomatoes, to roasted on the vine tomatoes, to being stirred in the pot tomatoes, I lived it all. Tomato therapy!!

You might think I was walking the obsessive line, but I really enjoyed it. You might wonder what all the fuss about a simple relish is? This relish is like my baby. I feel emotional about it, have a deep connect with it. My heart sings each day when the lad comes back from school saying “That was the best sandwich ever. My friends think so too.“

I know what changed. Instead of tomatoes in his sandwich {with balsamic roasted vegetables, smoked chicken ham and cheese}, he gets a slathering of Spicy Vine Tomato Relish.

Serve it with crackers and crudites. Smoked chicken ham roll ups with a teeny relish hint within, mini burgers that get a spicy kick all make irresistible hors d’oeuvre. The spicy vine tomato relish is a great addition for the cheese board too. It’s something you can get creative with. With summer here, finger foods rule in our home. Yours?

Interestingly a recent survey in the UK by Ladbrokes Bingo found that 19% of women would prefer to bake or cook with their friends than hit the town with the girls. 40% said that they would put on a few nibbles & 23% said that they would lay on a buffet so finger food or food that is easily shared is popular!

Sign of the times to come? Never has food been so comforting, so uniting, so central to conversation, such an emotional experience. The more I immerse myself into this delicious world, the more emotional and connected I feel. I’d say join the party. Make relish! Have fun!

Bruschetta with some relish, feta and fresh herbs, a cheese platter with sharp cheddar and relish, chicken ham roll ups with mozzarella  relish and crisp bell peppers… the possibilities are endless. I even slathered a focaccia sandwich with it. Nom Nom Nom…

Yesterday I woke up early and headed to the kitchen to make one last batch to use up the remaining tomatoes. I wished I could just preserve the little beauties on the vine. Relish was the next best option!

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Recipe: Spicy Vine Tomato Relish

Summary: A Spicy Vine Tomato Relish full of flavour and savoury goodness that celebrates the magic of tomatoes on the vine. It’s handy to have a few jars in the fridge. A great way to preserve an abundant crop. Adapted  from What Katie Ate

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:

  • 3 cups baby vine tomatoes
  • 1/2 a kilo fresh red tomatoes, peeled, chopped 
  • 1 head roasted garlic {I love garlic}
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup spice vinegar
  • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp mustard paste {or powder}
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala {I didn’t have all spice}
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Method:

  1. Place tomatoes on baking sheet and roast until soft. Remove vines, if any.
  2. Place with remaining ingredients in a heavy bottom pan and simmer gently for about 1 1/2- 2 hours until reduced by about half. Taste and adjust seasoning if required.
  3. Cool and bottle.

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No Bake | Minty Chickpea Yogurt Parfaits … these had me smitten! #springlove #vegetarian #meatlessmonday #glutenfree

“Eating is really one of your indoor sports. You play three times a day, and it’s well worth while to make the game as pleasant as possible.”
Dorothy Draper
Minty Chickpea Yogurt Parfaits … could there be a better way to welcome spring and summer in our part of the world? I think not! The day I saw these on Betacyanin via Foodgawker I was smitten. Sofias blog is a new discovery and matches very closely to what I like doing with food. I HAD to do the parfaits ASAP!

Did I tell you I was absolutely smitten? I certainly was. I love the idea of a parfait going savoury. Make ahead, healthy, balanced, infinite options and a load of fun!

I soaked the chickpeas that very night and had them cooked the next morning. Warm freshly cooked chickpeas tossed in EVOO, some minced garlic, a squeeze of lime, some fresh herbs is like diving into a bowl of heaven! I have a love love relationship with chickpeas! What about you?
 I also have a love love relationship with savoury food, bring on the garlic and life gets even better. It might surprise you as PAB is rather full of sweet stuff. That is what I like to make, but savoury is what I like to eat. I don’t have a sweet tooth at all! My family does!!
The parfaits were fun. Layering and individual servings are something I adore doing. You can pretty much paint your own palette here. I made a few changes. Olives in brine for one because I like the saltiness they add. Cherry tomatoes because my few plants are now hanging with fruit which is slowly ripening. Those above were the very first three! Spring ♥!!
It’s a constant battle though as little Coco has taken a shine to tomatoes. Animal instinct kicks in here. She sniffs out the nice, ripe, juicy ones and devours them with great aplomb. Much to my horror, the first time she ‘discovered‘ them, the garden was strewn with half eaten green tomatoes; the ones she had obviously rejected!
This was not why I grew tomatoes. I waited impatiently for them to ripen. So had the lad. For the two of us, it’s an early morning ritual to ‘check them out‘!How would she know any better, the little thief. She isn’t as innocent as she looks; but she is so darned charming!

The battle of tomatoes has begun! I quickly harvest the ripe fruit and she looks on, hoping old butterfingers will drop one!! I have a few yellow cherry tomatoes that I salvaged 3 days ago, and some deep red beefy ones. Tomato ♥!

I have plenty of photographs of these beauties but I like this one quite  abit. I love the play of light and all thanks goes to Neel @ Learn Food Photography for organising a 30 day challenge on his fabulous blog. Have you been to LFP yet? You must stop by if you are struggling to improve your food photographs, or want to explore the technicalities at a comfortable level. We’re into week 3 of our challenge and it’s a great community of folk from across the globe. So far we’ve covered angles, DOF, light, playing with light, white balance, diffusers, bouncers, backgrounds and are currently on props.

These Minty Chickpea Yogurt Parfaits were made the day I was experimenting with light.  It’s amazing how much you can learn if you join a challenge. Such fun! All the herbs, flowers and leaves I had gathered became an inspiration for my parfaits.

The little jars are actually like an announcement of spring. Full of fresh herbs, fresh produce, light flavours and beautiful pairing. My herbs are flourishing too so I couldn’t have made this discovery at a better time.

Infinite possibilities are dancing merrily in my head. I am thinking fruit parfaits, watermelon feta and mint parfaits, mango pistachio parfaits! I think you can layer any salad you like in little mason jars, recycled jam/sauce jars, or serving glasses.
I now do these as a make ahead salad for Mr PABs lunchbox to take to work. The dieting diva enjoyed it as well. It’s nice coz the raisins at the bottom take all the released juices and plump up nicely. You could always use dried cranberries instead! And of course you could always toss everything together in one big bowl,  but it might not be that much fun!

My post is a little delayed because all this parfait talk inspired me to make some fruit parfaits for the kids after school snack!  I made Strawberry, Kiwi, Basil Parfaits! Parfaits are always fun. They are a nice make ahead snack, salad or even a simple dessert. Refreshing, colourful, delicious & FUN!
 
Tell me dear reader what you would include in a parfait? What would your ultimate savoury parfait have? And a sweet version?  Try and cover as many food groups as you can … nuts, fruits, veggies, herbs, spices, beans, chickpeas, quark, ricotta, mascarpone, granola. Play with colours and seasonal produce. Just make sure you enjoy what you do because that is what matters most!

Recipe: Minty Chickpea Yogurt Parfaits 

Summary: I love the idea of a parfait going savoury. Make ahead, healthy, balanced, infinite options and a load of fun!  This one covers all the food groups, and deliciously so – fruits, nuts, dairy, pulses, herbs … you get ’em all in a jar!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

  • 1- 1.5 cup cooked chickpeas tossed in evoo, garlic, fresh coriander
  • 2-3 small cucumbers, grated, squeezed
  • 2 cup homemade yogurt, hung for about 3-4 hours
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp ranch buttermilk dressing {or a dash of lime juice, garlic and finely chopped green chili}
  • handful chopped mint
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • olives, cherry tomatoes, pistachios
  • lightly toasted walnuts and more mint, for garnish

Method:

  1. Whisk the hung curd with buttermilk seasoning until smooth. Alternatively, add minced garlic, a dash of lime juice, green chilies and salt and mix until smooth.
  2. Begin layering…
  3. Starting with the raisins, followed by chickpeas, grated cucumbers, and yogurt, layer each of the ingredients, divided between jars. Top with olives and cherry tomatoes, chopped walnuts, slivered pistachios and a few mint leaves. Chill well until ready to serve.
  4. Alternatively, if you’re not into the layering thing, you can just mix it all together and store accordingly.
  5. Sofias note: It’s really important to draw most of the juice out of the cucumbers, otherwise the end result will be swimming in cucumber juice. Once the cukes are grated, use your hands to squeeze out as much juice as you can. Drink it, it’s really refreshing! Set aside in a strainer to let any remaining liquid drain.

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Chocolate Granola {gluten free} … the granola that changed my life!

“Sometimes you don’t need a goal in life, you don’t need to know the big picture. you just need to know what you’re going to do next!”
Sophie Kinsella

It was a recipe that changed my view on breakfast, and my life as far as the teen daughter goes. The son has never been a problem with breakfast. In fact, much to my horror, he sees it as a 3 course meal. Begins with a glass of milk, next munches happily through a hot house egg {thanks to Roald Dahl}, then makes himself comfortable with a bowl of cereal! For her, it’s only a glass of milk and maybe the odd omelet. ‘I’m on a DIET’, she whines, and doesn’t eat! The lad is forever hungry & happily eats whatever is on offer. She can be heard scrabbling in the kitchen from time to time, “I need FOOD, I’m HUNGRY, but I’m on a diet, so can’t eat!”.  I often battle her over breakfast where she would rather go hungry than eat a healthy breakfast. That was about to change. She draws for hours together, art her favourite subject in school, and then emerges from her ‘den’ ravenous! That black & white art-work above is a paper bag she recently designed for a project in school. Took her four hours to complete it … then the hunger pangs hit! I’ve made granola bars before, yet I never imagined this recipe would hit such a high note with her! The mister has muesli for breakfast every morning, and that day the box lay empty. The brand I normally buy wasn’t in stock, so I was quite cheesed off. Began surfing for muesli recipes that morning… I am glad I stopped by Bea’s gorgeous La Tartine Gourmande. Canelle et Vanille had a story on Aran’s little M and Bea’s little Lulu. It’s been an amazing journey following the 2 babies, from when they were born, to milestones along the way, their first foods, often cross connections on these 2 beautiful blogs. I love the way some foodblogs I follow create a connect with the journey of their life with food as a base … I followed Aran’s story over to Bea’s, and halted in my tracks. Breakfast couldn’t get easier than this.

Both granola and muesli contain a mixture of grains (such as oats), nuts, dried fruit and sometimes bran and wheat germ. Muesli may contain sugar and dried-milk solids, but it can be unsweetened. Granola is typically toasted with honey and oil, resulting in a crisp texture and sweet glaze not found in muesli. Because granola contains the addition of honey and oil, it tends to have a higher sugar and fat content. As a result, granola is, on average, higher in calories than muesli. Both granola and muesli offer nutritional benefits. Both have fiber from the grains, fruits and nuts. In addition, the dried fruits provide antioxidants, while the nuts offer healthy fats. Topping either muesli or granola with low-fat milk, soy milk or yogurt makes for a nutritionally balanced, filling breakfast. Most people do not realize that muesli and granola are fairly easy to make at home. Making homemade muesli or granola allows you to choose your favorite ingredients and avoid those you do not care for. Homemade muesli is particularly simple since you only toss together the desired ingredients. While granola requires toasting, making it at home allows you to limit the amount of sugar and oil added, thus creating a healthier granola. {Source: livestrong.com}

Gave it a shot with the ingredients I had on hand. How healthy can healthy get, and how delicious can healthy get? Try it for yourself. It’s five minutes to deliciousness and gluten free too! 2 minutes to put the pan on a simmer, a minute to get the dry stuff together, 30 seconds to toss the dry with the wet, another 30 to spread it out. Open door, pop in tray… there done! Visit the oven every 15 minutes to move the stuff around for even baking, make sure the bottom isn’t getting over browned, keep an eye towards the end.  The delicious pairing won the teen over that afternoon. The closest she’ll come to granola is a bar. ‘This isn’t a bar,’ she nonchalantly declared, yet gave the chocolate an interested gaze. I offered it to her with a teeny drizzle of low fat cream, really teeny. ‘This is GOOD’, she exclaimed. Next morning, I was on the phone and she walked in with the box in her hand. ‘I’m having some. Can you make some more?’

I could have danced on the ceiling. ‘OK, if you like, but go slow on the cream‘. By now the son’s curiosity was bubbling over. ‘I’m hungry‘, he decided as the temptation was far too much for him. That was the end of box number one. I’ve made another 2 lots in the last week, and another this morning. Easy as can be, healthy beyond belief, and addictive as a snack anytime of the day. I put together some parfaits using the granola with left over quark cream and strawberries from this Strawberry Meringue Chocolate Layer Cake. The possibilities are endless. Thank you Bea for such a tempting good post.

[print_this]Chocolate granola
adapted minimally from Bea @ La Tartine Gourmande
{Makes 4.5 cups}
3 1/2 cups rolled oats {I use Quaker oats}
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
1 vanilla bean scraped, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat the oven to 150C and have a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper ready.
In a small pot, combine the water, honey, sugar, butter {or use a vegetable oil if you prefer}, salt and vanilla bean / vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the sugar is dissolved.
In a large bowl, combine the other ingredients minus the chocolate. Stir in the liquid to the dry ingredients.
Transfer the granola mixture to the baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon a few times to make sure that the granola cooks evenly. Let cool completely.
Transfer to a air-tight container and add the chocolate. Enjoy with plain yogurt or any type of milk of your choice.

Note: Gluten free eaters should be sure to get labeled “gluten free” oats, as regular oats like Quaker are not gluten free since they are produced on a line with wheat flour.

♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥

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Saffron Indian Rice Pudding … sweet indulgence

“I haven’t had the rice pudding of my life today. But I guess I lost that opportunity with the end of my childhood.”
William Rice

The magical combination of the holiday season & winter gives rise to many rich dessert making opportunities. The nip in the air makes it all the more enjoyable, & dare I say, somewhat guilt free. This is an indulgent pudding we enjoy once in a while…an eggless Indian rice pudding, a recipe I have concocted over the years, & often make on the go.

The quality of rice changes from time to time, but the pudding is quite forgiving. Add some milk if it is too thick, or a teenie bit of cornflour if it’s the other way. It’s rich, it’s eggless &, it’s very satisfying. The saffron version is particularly indulgent, & this year, my lad sprung a surprise on me. The true Gemini that he is, he decided he LOVES the pudding. Last year, no amount of coaxing helped; funnily enough, he even refused to taste it. Evolving tastes or refining tastes…whatever… life is simpler with a single dessert option sometimes!

The other night, we had a delightful Japanese couple over for dinner, Toru san & his lovely wife, Yoshiko. Toru san is an immensely interesting person, steeped in history, born in 1944 in Hiroshima, a year before the bomb was dropped. Luckily, he wasn’t in the city at the time of the attack, but held us wide-eyed with his stories in halting English about his experience in those days, & also about his stories when he worked for World Airways. Some time back, he told DH about the last World Airways flight out of Danang in Vietnam, which he was on board too, sent in to evacuate women & children at the end of the war.

Amazingly enough, a few days later, another of the hub’s colleagues discovered a video of the very flight on You-tube. “J.Daly,owner of World Airways, sent a Boeing 727 aircraft to Da Nang Vietnam to pick up stranded woman and children. Instead the aircraft was swamped by military personnel climbing on the aircraft. There were 260 people aboard a plane which is designed to carry 105. The plane was overloaded by 20,000 pounds. The baggage compartments were loaded with people. Some of the problems during the flight included, the rear stairway remained partially extended for the entire flight, the main wheels would not retract, a hand grenade damage to one of the wings causing fuel loss, and the lower cargo doors were open. The plane had to fly at 10,000 feet because of lack of pressurization thus fuel consumption was three times greater than normal. A flight on a “wing and a prayer” …The above picture has Toru san & Yoshiko, & also some exquisite red bean paste Japanese tea cakes that Yoshiko had earlier sent for us from a speciality bakery in Japan. Yoshiko turned out to be one of the bubbliest & chirpiest souls I’ve met…warm, elegant & full of life. She appreciated every little thing … from the food to the chrysanthemums, to the daughters blue highlights … & was full of stories of Japan, both war-time & more recent. I made this pudding for dessert when they were here. Both of them nodded with glee when they tasted the pudding…‘Lice pudding, lice pudding, vely nice vely nice’, they excitedly said, & my daughter, blue highlights & all, almost passed out. She didn’t realise that they tend to say ‘l’ instead of ‘r’!!! LOL…

Saffron Rice Pudding / Zafrani Kheer
Ingredients:
Rice – 2/3 cup
Milk – 1 1/2 ltrs, whole fat + 1/2 cup cold milk
Cream – 1/2 cup; optional
Condensed Milk – 1 400ml can
Saffron – 1 tsp; soaked in warm milk
Seeds of 8-10 cardamoms; crushed in pestle & mortar
Almonds – 1/2 cup; blanched,peeled & chopped
For garnishing: Silver leaf, slivered almonds, pistachios, saffron strands Method:

  • Wash the rice well, & strain it. Put it out flat in a microwave platter & run on high for 1 minute. Rest for 1 minute, loosen the grains with a fork, flatten again & run for another minute. Leave to cool (it should be dry now), & grind in a coffee grinder.
  • Bring milk to boil, simmer & add the condensed milk, stirring constantly while adding it. Add the cream & mix in well.
  • Now mix the ground rice with the reserved cold milk. Take the pan off the heat source, mix in the rice mixture thoroughly, & put back on simmer. Cook uncovered, on low heat, for 30-45 minutes until it becomes thickish & the rice grains are cooked. Stir often to avoid getting the rice into lumps. (If it does get into lumps, like mine sometimes does, just run a hand blender through it on low speed).
  • Stir in the soaked saffron & ground cardamom seeds. Check for sweetness, & add more sugar if required. Let it sit till it comes to room temperature, or is luke warm. Now you can set the pudding either in a large pudding bowl or in individual ones. Garnish as desired. Chill covered for up to 3 days in the fridge.
    Note: This is a saffron rice pudding. For a plain version, the saffron can be omitted; the pudding is still very rich & delicious! A saffron version without condensed milk can be found here.

This delicious bowlful of originality is plodding off to Lore for her Original Recipes event @ Culinarty for her festive round-up.

This white pudding is also headed for Lubna @ My Kitchen Flavours who is hosting ‘Food in Colour’ for December; her choice of colour is WHITE! FIC is the brainchild of Sunshinemom @ TongueTicklers.

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p align=”center”>Have a sweet holiday season…

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