Rasamalai - Using Ricotta Cheese

Rasamalai, a milk based sweet was a pleasant surprise to me when I first tasted this delicious sweet in one of the restaurants in my childhood. I never knew that there would be a sweet like this which is a  combination of Rasagulla and Badam Milk. I was not a big fan of Rasagulla as its too sweetish for me..Since then, I used to think  how would it taste if i squeeze this rasagulla and soak it in my favourite badam drink for few minutes and then eat...So, the introduction of  Rasamalai was a sweet shock to me...My kids also like rasamalai too much. This time, I made it for diwali but posting it now.!!! I used 2% fat Ricotta cheese, 2% milk and MTR Madam Mix in the preparation in order to enjoy the rasamalai guilt free.

Ingredients

For the Malai:

Ricotta Cheese - 1 box ( 2 lbs )

Sugar - 2 tbsp

For the Ras:

2% Milk -  4 - 5 Glasses Full

Aachi Badam Powder / MTR Badam Mix - 1 Small Packet full

Almonds -  4 -5

Pista - 10-12

Cardamom Seeds - 2 -3

Method

• Boil the 2% milk till it thickens little bit. When its boiling, add the Aachi Badam Powder or MTR Badam Mix packet and mix it thoroughly.
• Add 2-3 tbsp of sugar as required to the boiling milk and switch it off after 2-3 minutes.
• Allow the Ras ( Badam Milk ) to get cooled completely. After its cooled, keep the milk in the refrigerator.
• Meantime, grind the almonds, pista and cardamom into a coarse powder or crush it manually so that the nut pieces are visible when sprinkled over the Rasmalai. Keep this crushed nut powder ready.
• For making the malais, mix the Ricotta cheese with 2 tbsp of sugar uniformly and fill them into the muffin baking pans. You can also transfer them into a square baking bowl and cut the baked malais into square shapes. This way, we will be having square malais in our Badam Ras.
• To have a small round malais like how we get in shops, muffin tray would be perfect. Grease the muffin moulds with little ghee or butter first before filling the moulds. Then, fill in the ricotta cheese mix into the muffin moulds uniformly.
• Bake them for about 35-40 minutes. Open the oven after 20 minutes and check to see if they are baked completely. You might notice some slight brownish tint over the cheese rounds and if you insert a stick inside, it should come out cleanly without any cheese. Then, we could confirm that the malais are done.
• Take out the muffin tray and allow them to cool down completely.
• After its cooled, turn the muffin tray upside down and gently tap the moulds. The baked cheese malais would come out easily.
• Slowly drop them into the chilled Badam Ras and decorate them by sprinkling the crushed nut powder on its top.
• Its a perfect party dessert as its milder and its mostly loved by kids.

Tips / Variations :

You can add a pinch of saffron strands to the Badam Ras along with the Badam Powder. This will definitely enhance the taste and also makes it more richer.

You can increase / decrease the sugar according to your taste buds.

I don't use any cream, half and half or thick milk / whole milk in my preparation. You can substitute them in your preparation if you don't worry about calories.

HOW TO MAKE Semiya Payasam / Vermicelli Payasam

Semiya Payasam / Vermicelli Payasam

Semiya Payasam / Vermicelli Payasam in one of the favourites in my family. Though we all mostly make this sweet during festivals and special occasions, the preparation itself makes a normal day so special.!! Semiya Payasam is made by roasting the vermicelli with ghee, slowly cooked and simmered in milk and sugar, flavoured with crushed cardamom powder and little saffron and garnished with ghee roasted cashew nuts. It tastes heavenly if made using whole milk. As the process is simpler, its easy to make a normal day into a very special day....Its all in our hands!!! Have a beautiful day with a cup of sweet semiya payasam.

Ingredients

Semiya / Vermicelli - 1 cups

Milk - 4-5 cups ( Used 2% Milk )

Sugar - 3/4 th of a cup

Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Saffron - 1 pinch ( Optional )

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cashew nuts - 8-10 ghee roasted

Method

• In a kadai / cooking vessel, add a tsp of ghee and roast the cashew nuts first and keep them aside. Then add another tsp of ghee and roast the vermicelli till it turns golden colour.
• When you get a nice aroma, add enough water to cook the vermicelli.
• When its well cooked, add milk,saffron and sugar and allow them to cook for another 5-6 minutes.
• Don't forget to stir the payasam once a while.
• Add cardamom powder and roasted cashew nuts to the Payasam.
• You can have this Payasam either warm or chilled.
• Finally add the roasted cashew nuts to the Payasam and enjoy.

Tips / Note

Vermicelli payasam thickens after a while as the vermicelli absorbs most of the milk. Also, it gets thickened when its refrigerated. So, just before serving add warm milk to the Payasam and mix them well and serve.

You can add roasted raisins to the Payasam along with cashew nuts.

HOW T MAKE Apple Halwa RECIPE

Though we like to eat fresh apples all the time, its always interesting to try out new things with our favourite fruits or vegetables at home. One of my friends had given us lots of their home grown fresh apples. I made apple halwa out of those sweet apples. The process was quicker and we require only very less ingredients for making this delicious halwa. Try this out at home and I am sure you will enjoy the unique taste of apple halwa. Later you can twist, customize your version with different kinds of apples..and let me know your discoveries too...This sweet will be an ideal healthy sweet especially during parties as its different.

Ingredients

Apple Puree - 5-6 cups ( My friend gave me a bag full of apples..I made a puree out of it using the   

                                        blender without peeling the skin. So, you can approximately take 4 or 5 Red

                                        Delicious Apples.)                                

Sugar - 3-4 tbsp

Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Food Colour ( Red ) - a small pinch.

Ghee - 3 tsp

Cashew nuts - 2 tsp

Pista - 2 or 3

Almonds / Badam - 3 or 4

Method

• Make apple puree using a mixer grinder or blender without peeling the skin. Take out the seeds of the apples and then grind them.
• In a big non-stick pan or any thick bottomed vessel, add the puree and allow them to cook with the lid for 10-15 minutes till the apple puree become thicker.
• When its slightly thicker, add sugar and food colour powder to the pan and cook them for another 3-4 minutes.
• Add the cardamom powder, ghee to the halwa and stir them nicely.
• When the apple halwa becomes thicker and comes out of the sides of the pan easily, its an indication that the process is complete.
• Switch off the flame and transfer the halwa to the serving bowl.
• Decorate the apple halwa with lightly roasted cashewnuts, pistas, almonds and serve..

Tips /Variations

Adjust the sugar level according to your taste buds and also according to the sweetness of the apples you have.

To thicken the apple puree quickly, you can also use microwave while making this halwa.

HOW TO MAKE Sabudana Kheer

This one is not from my Mom's kitchen. I don't think she has ever made sabudana kheer ;) That's where my Mom-in-law steps in. Teaching me recipes that are yet to be cooked in my Mom's kitchen!
This quantity makes about one good-sized bowl of kheer. And is polished off in minutes by an adoring son, 'coz it is made how his Mom makes it!!

Ingredients
Sabudana - about a fistful
Milk - 1/2 litre
Sugar - to taste (about 6-8 tablespoons)
Green elaichi - 1, lightly pounded
Ghee - 1-2 tablespoons

Method

1. Wash and soak the sabudana in water for about 10-15 minutes so that it fluffs up.
2. Boil the milk with the elaichi.
3. Lightly squeeze out the excess water from the sabudana, and in a heavy bottomed pan, saute it in ghee for a few seconds.
4. Add the boiling milk. 
5. Cook on low flame, stirring in between to ensure that the milk is not stuck to the bottom of the pan.
6. After a while, the sabudana will look clear and glassy, indicating that it is cooked.
7. Continue cooking till the kheer reaches the desired consistency.
8. Serve hot.