Chickoo - Dates Pudding

Hi readers. I am back with blogging after a very long month...Some of the people used to ask me, why don't I blog,the reason is that my laptop is not working for these days and I terribly missed blogging..Now I bought a new laptop and I am happy to blog once again :)..Those times I realize that I got more than 1000+ likes in facebook..I got good response for my recipes..First of all,wishing all my readers a very happy and prosperous New Year..
As it is New year, I am trying to give you a delicious dessert..Coming to the recipe, I am posting a recipe of dates and chickoo ( Sapota) pudding...Chikoo is my favourite fruit,when it combines with dates, it tastes awesome..Difficult part I think is peeling the skin of too many chickoos. Main setting agent used most of the pudding is Gelatin or China grass..but I used in this pudding is agar-agar ( china grass)..It is said that china grass is purely vegetarian,it is derived from plant,where as gelatine is non-vegetarian, it used a fat from animals..I think most of the beginners have difficult in melting china grass..In Sha Allah,I'll include next pudding post with step by step pictures...Because of the lack of time, I didn't took step by step pictures..I made this pudding last Friday..My hubby and bro-in law love this pudding very much..Do make this pudding..Its a tasty dessert..Off to the recipe :)

Ingredients

Ripe Chickoos ( Sapota) - 250 gm

Dates - 6 to 10 no.s

Water - 2 1/2 cup + extra 1 cup for soaking china grass **

Any good quality milk powder - 4 heaped tbsp.**

Sweetened condensed milk - 200 gm ( 1/2 of one tin)

Agar-agar strands ( China grass) - 10gm

Sugar - 4 tbsp ( according to your sweetness)

Milk - 1/4 cup ( to soak dates)

Method:

Peel and deseed the skin of chickoos and cut into halves..keep aside.

Deseed the dates, remove the top part and cut into halves.Soak the halved dates in 1/4 cup of milk for 10 minutes

Soak the china grass in 1 cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a small pan, add china grass along with soaked water..Set the flame to low and allow to melt completely..can stir in between...

In another sauce pan, add 2 1/2 cups of water,milk powder and sugar. Boil for few seconds..

Add condensed milk and stir at medium flame in order to prevent burnt at bottom..Boil for few minutes and off the flame...No need to wait for the bubbles to appear..

China grass might have dissolved completely without any  strands..If there is strands appearing increase the flame at high and stir vigorously till it dissappears..Can add little water (  1 tbsp if needed).Off the flame

Pour the melted china grass mixture immediately through the strainer in condensed milk- milk mixture while hot..Also milk mixture should be warm..Stir well and set aside to cool slightly..

In a blender, add soaked dates along with milk and halved chickoos ..No need to make into smooth paste..Can leaves few bits of dates and sapotas..

Pour the blended mixture into china grass- milk mixture and stir well..( No need to switch on the flame)..

Taste it..Can add little more sugar if needed..

Pour this mixture into wet rectangle glass pudding dish or baking dish..Allow to cool completely..

Cover it with cling film and place this in refrigerator and allow to set for 6 hrs or overnight..

When it set completely, cut into square and serve cool..

Note:

Instead of water and milk powder, you can use 2 1/2 cup of milk.. (I have a very less milk in my refrigerator, so I use milk powder..I always use milk to make pudding, its a first term I am using milk powder..It turn successful )..

If using milk, you can boil condensed milk and sugar all together by strirring in between..If using milk powder,don't boil all together as mixture may curdens if boiling together..Do wait for the water and milk powder to boil slightly for few seconds then add condensed milk and stir it..Then boil for few seconds and off the flame..No need to wait for bubbles

Be careful while melting china grass..It should melt completely with any strands..Don't allow the china grass to cool otherwise it will turn back to solid form..You should pour china grass  immediately into the warm milk mixture while hot..You can use strainer to pour china grass, so if there is tiny strands it will settle on it...

If you don't have time to keep china grass in low flame..You can increase the flame to highest and stir continuously without taking your hand..It may take upto 7 to 8 minutes..

You can add any desired fruits of your choice..