Sooji ki kheer/Milk and semolina pudding
Have you ever felt like taking a break from heavy breakfast routine of omelets, breads, paranthas and pancakes? Although I like all of them but today was just one of those days when I felt like preparing something light, satisfying and yet appetizing for my breakfast. The thought of quick cereals didn't excite me much. Suddenly, while wandering through my memory lane my mum’s favorite breakfast “sooji ki kheer” delighted me. During my school mornings, she used to prepare it in no time and I was super-quick in gobbling it too. Sooji ki kheer is a flavorful, rapid-cooking recipe and take my word; its health quotient makes it apt for everyone from a six months young infant to a sixty years old grandpa.
Gajar (Carrot) Halwa
Gajar halwa is a famous delicacy in India which is mostly prepared during the winter season when fresh red carrots are available in the market. It so happened that my son had just recovered from sickness and was not eating much due to loss of appetite. It then struck me to prepare his favorite Gajar Halwa. I wanted to capture the smile on his face with a surprise and therefore decided to prepare the halwa while he was asleep. I had just finished the preparation and was garnishing the halwa when my son woke up and called for me. I went to him with a big smile on my face and a bowl of halwa in my hand and he just jumped on the sight of the halwa and asked mamma you have made halwa for me. I still can’t forget how happy he was seeing at the halwa in my hand. Here is the recipe for the mouthwatering Gajar halwa.
Banana and White Chocolate Cupcakes
These irresistible banana and white chocolate cupcakes take hardly any time to make and also hardly any time to get over
. My household loves bananas so there is seldom any that is left to ripe. But I also love banana in baking, which requires as ripe a banana as possible! Sometimes I bargain with the fruit vendor and buy his ripened bananas at a cheaper price just to make banana-bread. This time when my sister came home, she carried bananas for the 6 hour train journey which by the next day had become fairly ripe to be eaten and they all were surprised at my happiness to see over-ripe bananas until I took out these delectable banana and white chocolate cupcakes out of the oven.
Fruit Dessert with Muskmelon, Orange and Grapes
Eating fruits on a daily basis is good for health but everyone just gets bored of eating the same cut fruits even though you may have variety of fruits. And if the fruits can be served in some other forms such as juice or dessert no one can simply resist.
During our trip to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, our friend and host Meenakshi made this simple yet tasty dessert with muskmelon and other fresh fruits available. It was so good that I decided to learn and make it myself. Muskmelon is amongst my favorite fruit and this dessert makes it all the more yum! Now that summer is going to come soon this will also help you beat the heat!!
Rice kheer/Milk and rice pudding
Rice kheer is a classic Indian dessert and is relished all year round. Along with the festivals and special occasions, preparing rice kheer is even considered auspicious during Indian monsoons. It can be enjoyed as a post meal dessert or even as a part of main course with delicious “purees” or fried Indian bread.
Once, kheer stood by me in representing my country. Last year, we were in London and my daughter’s multicultural toddler group had organized an “International food evening”. We were all supposed to bring some food from our respective ethnic cuisines. I was allotted the dessert category and without any delay rice kheer was the first thing that came to my mind. The Britons loved and preferred my dessert over their cakes and muffins. This is not all; they even requested me to organize a recipe presentation of my dish for the group members.
Aate ka Halwa (Wheat flour Pudding)
No matter how much you control, sweet cravings have their way of coming up at odd and wee hours! And that is why quick and easy desserts such as this aate ka halwa are always up my sleeve! It’s an Indian dessert and I was lost for words when thinking of an English translation for the title... but Wheat flour pudding is the best I could come up with though it’s a little different from the traditional milk based puddings.
Aate ka halwa makes for a great winter dish as well as it keeps the body warm. Few of my relatives also add some ginger to it during winters. I also remember it from all the pujas in childhood. Aate Ka Halwa is part of most holy offerings and as children we would sit still through the entire ceremony only because at the end we will get halwa-puri!
Orange Syrup Loaf Cake
It’s so satisfying when a little effort brings so many and so huge smiles. When I had just ventured into the world of baking, I had to constantly refer to measurements, but now at least for a plain loaf cake, I have the recipe at the back of my mind. And after getting that comfort I now keep experimenting with different kinds of additional flavours in it.
Yesterday when Sikander was leaving for Assam for a week, I decided to bake him a cake to take along. And I saw this bright orange orange in my fridge that I knew I have to add this to the cake, so what followed is a very subtly flavoured Orange syrup loaf cake. What I loved most was how the whole kitchen had the beautiful hint of orange in the air while the cake was baking!
