Pista-Elaichi Pudding - Pistachio-Cardamom Pudding

I am sharing a post of one of the rich,tastiest and simple pudding with lots of a flavour of pistachio and a tint of cardamom  i.e Pista- Elaichi Pudding or Pistachio-cardamom pudding...I saw this dessert in one of the FB cookery page,but I changed it according to my taste..I made this dessert 2 or 3 weeks ago,but could not post it due to lack of time or maybe you can call it lazziness :P...At beginning, I used to post recipe daily excluding weekends..Now, I planned to limit posting the recipe in 2 or 3 days in a week,as it gives me relief and interesting and I don't wish to make it as a burden. There are few food photos that are saved in draft and which are yet to be published..Hope readers forgive me for not posting recipe continuously..Enough of blabbering,I don't wish to bore you of my introduction :D...Okay, Lets move straight to the recipe..Don't forget to try this at home :)

Recipe Source : here

     Ingredients

• Milk - 2 cups + 3/4 cup to soak pistachios
• Condensed milk - 1 tin
• Sugar - 2 to 3 tbsp
• Salt - a pinch
• China grass or Agar agar strands - 10 gm
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Pistachios ( shell removed) - 3/4  to 1 cup
• Pista-Elaichi Essence - 2 drops **
• Green Food colour  - 1 drop ( optional)
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• GOOD DAY Pistachio flavoured biscuit - 4 to 5 no.s ( you can use any biscuit of your choice)
• Pistachio flakes - few for decorating ( I forgot to add it)

       Method

• Soak pistachios in 3/4 cup of milk for 10 to 15 mins..Also soak china grass strands in 1/2 cup of water for 15 mins..

• In a sauce pan, add milk,condensed milk and sugar..Stir everything nicely and then ON the flame to lowest..It will prevent condensed milk to get burnt at bottom..Should stir in between..Boil it for few mins then OFF the flame...No need to wait till rolling boil..

• In a separate sauce pan,melt china grass along with soaked water at high flame till it melts..

• Immediately pour melted china grass through the strainer in milk mixture while hot...Stir well..Keep aside to cool completely..

• Take pistachios from the soaked milk and grind into powder..Then add milk little by little and make it into smooth paste..

• Add pistachio paste in milk-china grass mixture and stir..You will notice that pistachio paste will not dissolve in milk completely..Never mind,pour these mixture in a blender and blend thoroughly..Remember,this mixture should be completely cool before adding into the blender..

• Add drops of Pista-Elaichi Essence or Green food colour,cardamom powder, a pinch of salt and you can add few teaspoon of sugar if  sweet is not upto your level..Blend again for few seconds..

• Pour this mixture into a wet pudding dish and keep it in a freezer for 15 mins till half set..

• Add biscuits in a grinder and powder them finely..

• Pour the biscuit powder on the top of half set pudding and decorate it with Pista flakes on top of it ..

• Cover the top with cling film or plastic wrap and keep it in a refrigerator for 5 to 6 hrs till completely set..Or you can keep the pudding in a freezer for 1 hr and then keep it in a fridge for 1 hr in order to set pudding fast if you don't have time..

• Cut it into squares and serve cold..

      Notes

• Pista - Elaichi Essence is available in almost all the Supermarkets in Kerala..This essence is mainly used in milk shakes..If you don't have just ignore it..But it gives nice flavour to this pudding..

• Original recipe mentioned to add half tin of condensed milk and half a cup of fresh cream..I don't have fresh cream in my fridge,so I used full tin condensed milk..

• Please make sure that do not add too much biscuit powder on top of pudding..Most of them do not like it..If you don't like ,you can ignore it..

• Instead of pista or cardamom, you can add almonds and few thread of saffron dissolved in little milk..Instead of pista-elaichi essence,you can use few almond-saffron powder,which is used in milk drinks..

Orange Chiffon Cake

Today I am sharing a post of my birthday cake,Orange Chiffon Cake,which happened on March 7...I baked this cake a day before my birthday,as requested by my sister..Its long since I wished to make this cake,which is adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe..But I reduced the quantity of some of the ingredient according to my family's taste...Chiffon cake differs from other cake..Most of the cake suggest beating both egg yolk and egg white together..But in Chiffon cake,egg yolks and whites are beaten seperately..Egg white is beaten till it foamy and stiff peak called meringue and combined in a batter slowly without disturbing the whites..This is one that makes a cake entirely different in texture..Compared to other cake,this cake used vegetable oil instead of butter..As a name suggests,this cake has a flavour of fresh orange juice..Its texture is so light and soft like sponge and tastes super delicious..This is one of the best cake I ever made...I like to eat this cake warm straight from my oven..I didn't do any frosting on cake as I like to have it plain..My family love this cake very much...Sadly,my hubby is not here to taste this cake as he went to short vacation for few days..Though he is not very much fond of cakes and other sweet stuff,but he likes plain cake very much..I promised to make again when he come here..Lets move to the recipe

Recipe Courtesy: Martha Stewart

      Ingredients

• Egg Whites and Egg Yolk - 4 no.s** ( Original recipe says to add 6 eggs,but I reduced to 4 no.s)
• All Purpose Flour - 2 cup
• Baking powder - 1 1/4 tsp ( Original recipe says to add 4 tsp,but I reduced it)
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp ( If not using cream of tartar)
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• Powdered Sugar - 1 1/2 cup ( divided)
• Vegetable Oil - 1/2 cup
• Orange Zest ( Grated Orange Peel) - 2 tbsp**
• Fresh Orange Juice squeezed from 2 large Onions - 1/2 cup 
• Cold water - 1/4 cup
• Cream of Tartar - 1/4 tsp ( optional)** ( If not using baking soda)
• Salt - a pinch

     Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degree C..Grease the bundt pan or tube pan and set aside..

• In a bowl, mix together flour,baking powder,baking soda ( if not using cream of tartar) and salt and mix well..keep aside..

• In a clean bowl,beat egg whites till foamy( see notes)..Add half cup sugar and beat well till soft peak forms...Finally add cream of tartar( if using) and beat till stiff peak forms..Keep aside..

• Wash the oranges well and grate the orange skin without white skin as it may taste bitter..Squeeze the orange juice and strain it..Keep aside ( See notes)

• In another bowl, add egg yolk,veg oil,remaining sugar and vanilla essence and beat at medium speed..

• Add grated orange peel ( see notes) ,cold water and fresh orange juice and beat again..

• Add flour mixture and beat at low speed till combined..

• Finally add egg whites and fold slowly with a spatula in a clock wise direction..Do not over beat the batter..Never mind if small traces of egg whites are seen..

• Pour this batter in a greased tube pan and bake for about 45 to 50 mins till fork or tooth pick inserted comes out clean..Original recipe says to bake for 50 to 55 mins but mine baked for about 45 mins..Each oven differs, so better check after 45 mins..

• Keep this in a wire rack for few minutes and de mold it..

• Allow to cool completely and slice it..Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee

       Notes

• Separate egg whites and yolk when cold as it is the easier to do so...

• Make sure all the ingredients which are refrigerated must keep at room temperature at least 30 mins before baking cake.

• Make sure a bowl and beater blades used for beating egg whites should be completely wet and there should not be any moisture in it, as it will not form peaks..

• Cream of Tartar is added for stabilising ( stiff peaks) egg whites and helps to increase in volume while beating..It looks glossy as shown in picture above..It is a optional ingredient.

• If using cream of tartar ignore adding baking soda as it already has baking soda in it (Google information)..If not using cream of tartar,add 1/4 tsp baking soda into flour mixture...

• While grating orange peel,make sure no white skin appear on peel,other wise cake will taste bitter..

• Squeeze orange juice at the time of making cake batter..Do not keep it for so long as it may taste bitter and it may affect the taste of cake.

• Unlike other cake, this cake is too soft and remains same softness for few days..

• Store the cake in a airtight container for 3 days or refrigerate for 1 week..But mine vanished 2 days itself :)

Two Layer Burfi or Plain-Chocolate Burfi - An Indian Sweet

Hi readers..I am sharing a recipe of Indian sweet called burfi or milk fudge..There are many varieties of sweets like peda, burfi etc..I am introducing a special burfi which consists of two layer i.e plain and chocolate burfi..Sweets are available in most of the Indian bakery or sweet shops,but most of them might be expensive ..I am bit reluctant to try sweets at home because of the amount of ghee used..Hope ghee used in this sweets might be less..If you think it is more,never mind you can make this once in a while and have it in a small quantity..There is nothing wrong in it..Home made sweets always tastes delicious..Those who are health freak or having diabetes or cholesterol, this recipe is not for you..I got this recipe from you tube..I didn't know that making this sweet is so easy and tastes much better than store bought one..This sweets is made using milk powder..I have all the ingredients in my pantry, I am so excited and makes right away..Do try this yummy sweet..Lets go to the recipe

       Ingredients

          For Plain layer

• Butter or Ghee ( Clarified Butter ) unsalted - 1/4 cup
• Milk powder - 1 cup
• Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup 
• Milk - 1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder - a pinch

       For Chocolate layer

• Butter or Ghee ( Clarified Butter ) unsalted - 2 tbsp
• Milk powder - 1/2 cup
• Powdered sugar - 1/4 cup
• Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp
• Milk - 2 tbsp 
• Cashew nut - for garnishing ( optional, I didn't use it)

    Method

• Lets make plain burfi first: In a non-stick pan, heat butter or ghee in a low flame and melt it..

• Add milk powder and roast in ghee..Do not roast at high flame else milk powder will get burn..

• Add milk and powdered sugar and stir well at a low flame for about 4 to 5 mins till mixture leaves sides of the pan..

• Add cardamom powder and mix well..

• Pour this mixture over a ghee greased dish and level it with a back of a ghee greased spoon.Set aside.

Preparation of plain burfi

transfered plain burfi mixture into glass dish

• For Chocolate burfi: In a same non stick pan,add all the ingredients from ghee till cocoa powder and saute it in a low flame till the mixture leaves sides of the pan..This step is same as plain burfi..

• Pour the chocolate batter over the plain batter and level it with a back of a ghee greased spoon..

• You will get 2 layer..Refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hrs..

• Cut into square or diamond shape and decorate cashew nut on top ( if using) and enjoy.

chocolate burfi mixture

     Notes

• Always use good quality milk powder while making sweets..

• Instead of cocoa powder you can use saffron mixed with milk,it becomes saffron-plain burfi or you can use pistachio paste too,it becomes pistachio-plain burfi.

• This burfi may be soft at beginning..Better eat next day,so all ghee and sugar will absorb and it will turn slight crisp..It tastes too delicious..