Cardamom Laced Mango-Strawberry Heart Chiffon Cakes (Eggless)

"A compromise is the art of 'dividing a cake' in such a way that everyone believes that he has got the biggest piece."

Well that was something I did not have to bother with. Why? 'Cause I already had divided the cake into individual serve-size pieces. Smart me! ;p

If you ever visit me this time of the year (especially in these last couple of weeks) a whiff of an intoxicating perfume will hit you as you enter the door (and make you forget all your manners) while you helplessly follow it to the room where those juicy deep coloured yellow goblets lie on a ruck sack waiting to ripen to be devoured. Ahhh! yes the Alphonsos are the culprit.

There is an over haul of mangoes in my house. They always lure me into buying them as they longingly look at me in all their golden glory, from the vendor's cart. It would require a heart of stone for anyone to ignore this luscious stone fruit. I cannot help having atleast two in a day...I am smitten. But then its only in summers that I get to eat ( and sometimes drink) this fruit, fit for the kings. My weak resolve has lead to my diet being shown the door. Alas!

This mango cake was made in an effort to 'spread' the calories....(chuckle).
We were visiting a neighbour-cum-family friend of ours after a long time so I made these pretty little hearts to share with them.

This mango cake is elegant and light with a hint of cardamom giving it a rich aroma. The lite strawberry chantilly(frosting) and the sandwhiched jam just give it another dimension and depth in flavour. Being eggless and sans butter, its low fat and can be had as afternoon snack/hi-tea too.




While I was at it, I realized just how much treasure we have in the tropics in terms of fruits, and just how much we ignore it and try to kill ourselves scouting for fruits of the temperate regions to recreate all those gorgeous tarts, tortes, pies when we have perfectly valid and delicious substitutes growing in our own backyard! I understand that 'traditionally' a blueberry pie cannot be made into a guava pie...however I see no harm in giving it a shot.

There’s a fine line between tradition and caricature and I see no reason why a banana brownie can’t be transformed into a dragon fruit one, or why a strawberry cake can’t become a persimmon cake. Take a moment to rediscover the tropical fruits and vegetables you have on hand and you may be surprised at how much more they have to offer. Go local !!

Cardamom Laced Mango-Strawberry Heart Chiffon Cakes (Eggless)

Ingredients-

For the mango cake:

1/2 cup semolina ( fine variety )

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp corn flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

a pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups ripe mango pulp (I used fresh pulp from three medium sized alphonso mangoes)

3/4 cup condensed milk

1/2 cup luke warm low-fat milk

3-4 tbsp canola oil/any odourless oil

1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 cup powdered sugar (adjust according to ripeness of mangoes, mine were really ripe/sweet)

For the jam: See here.

For the strawberry chantilly frosting: Read the strawberry whipped cream recipe.

Method-

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees C.

Seive the dry ingredients twice (except semolina and sugar).

In a large bowl, beat the condensed milk, warm milk, oil and sugar till the mixture is creamy and pale. Add the cardamom powder and mango pulp and beat again for a minute on low.

Now add the wet ingredients to the dry, slowly incorporating all the liquid mix. Take care not to lose the trapped air in the batter.

Tip: Always mix a cake batter ever so slightly, like forming the digit '8' with your spoon.

Pour into 6" round greased & lined cake tin. Consecutively you can bake in individual moulds of your choice. Bake at 170 degrees C for 15 minutes.

Cool on rack for about an hour or so, to let the mango flavour heighten.

Slice the individual cakes and layer with the strawberry jam. Frost lightly with the strawberry chantilly. Sprinkle decorations if desired.

Serve.

Minty Green Apple Granita

"snow gives the most delicate flavor to creams, but ice is the most powerful congealer and lasts longer."

-Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), third President of the United States.

At summer's height, few people crave heavy desserts, but dinner guests always enjoy something fresh and seasonal. Simple granitas, frozen desserts with an appealing icy texture and crunch, fill the bill.

The Chinese had discovered how to conserve naturally formed winter ice for summer use by building icehouses, which were kept cool by evaporation. The harvesting and storage of ice are recorded in a poem of circa 1100 B.C. in the Shih Ching, the famous collection of Food Canons.

However the granita—the precursor to ice-cream was introduced to the world by Italy. When Marco Polo returned to Venice, from China he brought with him ‘ice’; which the able Italian chefs later made into frozen desserts like granita.

Granita is a frozen dessert made with water and a syrup base, much like sorbet. It is popular in Italy, and closely associated with Sicily in particular. In Italy, granita may be served at breakfast, with Italian brioche, or at any other time of the day.

Like many other frozen desserts, granita is probably related to sherbet, a Middle Eastern drink made with syrup, water, and ice. According to legends, granita was invented accidentally by a sherbet seller who left her wares on ice too long, causing the sherbet to turn into a block of highly granular ice.

It should not, however, be confused with shaved ice. Shaved ice is made by drizzling syrup or a flavoring over a dish of ice which has been shaved from a block. When making granita, the flavoring is mixed into the ice, and even when it is shaved, granita has a crackling crystalline structure which is quite distinctive in the mouth.

I have been making this simple ‘drink’ dessert for a long time now using seasonal fruits. I have tried several versions with coffee, lemon, blood oranges etc. Imagination is your limit to the different flavours you can incorporate in your granita.




Here is one of my all time favourite— Green Apple Granita. Generally this granita contains a dark,apple flavoured brandy like Calvados. However, I made it without any alcohol. Just added a dash of flavoured soda instead, while serving.


Minty Green Apple Granita
Ingredients:
½ cup water
1 cup sugar
¾ cup unsweetened apple juice
2 tart green apples
2 tsp lemon juice
a dash of flavoured soda (optional)
a sprig of mint,bruised

Method:
Peel, seed and slice apples. Place in a heavy saucepan with the apple juice, water and sugar. (I left some apple skin on, just for added crunch.)
Cover and cook over moderate heat until very tender (about 15minutes).
Process the apple mixture in a food processor and stir in lemon juice. Cool.
Add the bruised mint leaves.
Pour mixture into 13 x 9 in. baking pan and place in freezer.
Every twenty minutes, take the pan out and scrape the frozen mixture with a fork until all the frozen pieces are broken into small shavings and mixed well with the remaining liquid. Continue to freeze. Scrape every twenty minutes until no more liquid is in the granita.
Serve it in chilled glasses with a straw and a dash of lemon soda.
Drink your dessert!! :p

My Vegan Ginger-Snap Cookies ...& a months' break !!

“Phoebe: Observe the art of seduction. Watch, learn, and don't eat my cookie.”

-Friends

FYI--I am an ardent blogger and get extremely excited each time I see a comment or an increase in the "followers' list" of my blog. However a couple of days back I discovered that my blog followers' list was short by a couple of followers/readers. I was so dishevelled and saddedned that a few of my readers actually stopped following my posts/blog, even after all the time and effort I put into making my posts interesting & informative, with easy and healthy recipes(food for the body) together with cultural and food history(food for the mind).

But thanks to Natasha (5 star foodie) I got to know that it wasn't my posts but a technical glitch that made a few of my followers 'anonymous' instead of the usual 'public' followers. And that my followers have to change their status to 'public' once again to make up for the lost numbers in the followers' list of my blog.

Please read here for all the details and share your experiences.

--0--

If ever I was to sit and make a list of my favourite cookies Ginger snap cookies would sure feature on that list (ofcourse my version with choco-chips). This is a highly addictive, chewy cookie that you will not stop at one, especially if I tell you its all healthy too! The subtle hint of cardamom and the warmth of the ginger is sure to please your palette during this last lap of winter.

Generally I do add eggs to my cookie dough, but these were made especially for a vegetarian friend of mine, sometime early in January '09, so I skipped the eggs. However,the taste was even better I guess 'cause my hub asked for seconds and thirds (which isn't the case normally as he is not very enthusiastic about spiced cookies).




My Vegan Ginger-Snap Cookies
Ingredients-
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup molasses/brown sugar
2-3 tbsp golden syrup (you can use corn syrup too)
2 tsp root ginger powder
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
a pinch of cardamom
1/3 cup canola oil/cooking oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
a small pinch of salt



Method-
Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the oil with the brown sugar, baking
soda, ginger, cardamom, salt and golden syrup; beat until combined.
Stir in the whole-wheat and all purpose flours with a
wooden spoon. Add the chocolate chips.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.


Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Flatten a little with your palm.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until set and tops are cracked.
Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on a wire rack.


Note: The longer the cookies bake, the more crisp they will be.









A note:

I will be taking a months' leave from blogging due to personal reasons(shifting homes).
Its just for a short while and is much needed. (Trust me on this one!)
Will look forward to seeing all you guys once I am back. Do keep stopping by though....and please keep my (virtual) home abuzz. Its a request!


hugs,
Navita

Tipsy...err....Persimmon Trifle with Walnut Croquants

“A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do.”

I am a nuts-about-fruit girl ...anything with fruit in it can lure me easily. I am game for all kinds of fruits...the rarer and more exotic it is...the more I crave it...lol. And if the fruit is in a dessert form...nothing beats it! As you know from these-fruit custard, choco-strawberries in a jiffy, going bananas over banana, jamming with strawberry.... my surrender to desserts with fruits is a common instance. I even start my day, sweet....so lets continue the sweet-celebration.


The latest two fruits added to the long list of 'fruits I have eaten' are-dragon fruit and persimmon. And as you guys must have guessed I did make desserts out of both. :)


However we will stick to 'persimmons' today. Persimmons are a mysterious, surprising fruit, unknown to many, eaten by few.

When I first saw a persimmon at the fruit stall here, I thought they were tomatoes...just not very ripe ones. I kept wondering why they were selling it with the other fruits and not vegetables, till one day I couldn't stand it any longer and in broken cantonese-cum-english-cum-sign language I managed to understand that they are fruits and not vegetables. Came back home hurriedly and googled for pictures/information on this queer fruit. After much research, I bought the fruit. Let it ripen for two days before I sliced it open...and the fruit was luscious and sweet ...it tastes like a mix between Rhubarb and Toddy Palm fruit/Palmyra (which is also referrred to as Taad or Taad-Gola in India). The fuyu, non-astringent variety of this fruit has got a heady...almost sweet alcoholic taste.

Native to China thousands of years ago and then introduced in Japan, the persimmon has become Japan’s national fruit and one of the traditional foods of the Japanese New Year.

Persimmons are well worth trying not only for their exceptional flavour but also for their beta carotene; they also have some vitamin C and potassium. There are two types of persimmons: astringent and non-astringent. As novice persimmon eaters often belatedly discover, the astringent persimmon has two personalities. When ripe, it possesses a rich, sweet, spicy flavour. The unripened fruit, however, tastes so bitter that biting into it causes the mouth to pucker.

The astringency is due to the presence of tannins, a group of chemicals that occur in tea, red wine, and in a few other fruits, such as peaches and dates, before they ripen, though the quantity in a persimmon is much greater. As the fruit ripens and softens, the tannins become inert and the astringency disappears.

It tasted great as a fruit and immediately I thought of pairing it with chocolate and chantilly...with may be a dash of rum.

Caution: Never eat this fruit on an empty stomach and the fruit should be extremely ripe before it can be eaten.

You can read more about this fruit here and here.

Chocolate Persimmon Trifle
(with Walnut Croquants & Creme Chantilly)

Ingredients-
(for two cups of trifle)
1 persimmon fruit, pulp/cubed
1 recipe of your favourite chocolate cake, 1/2 pound (you can keep half the cake in the fridge for later use)
1/2 cup chantilly-(1/2 cup whipping/heavy cream mixed with 4 tbsp of sugar + 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract)
4 tbsp of melted dark chocolate
2 tbsp of light rum with 1 tbsp sugar dissolved

For walnut croquants-
a handful of crushed walnuts
5 tbsp brown sugar
5 tbsp water

Method-
First warm the cake for half a minute. Use half the cake. Then pour the sugar-rum syrup over it. Break/crush the cake with your fingers. Set aside.

Make the creme' chantilly using the heavy cream, sugar & vanilla extract.

To make the walnut croquants--
Mix the sugar and the water over a medium flame till its sticky but not too viscous. On a foil lined cookie sheet, spread the walnuts and pour the sugar syrup on top. Bake in the oven for a minute or less. Allow to cool to harden a little.

For the assembly--
In a glass, first layer with the cake, then the melted chocolate, followed by persimmon fruit and the walnut croquants. Top this with chantilly.
Repeat these layers once more. Serve chilled with a chocolate cake slice,if desired.

Now for my signature interesting facts-

Persimmon, known to the ancient Greeks as "the fruit of the gods" is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees of the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family (Ebenaceae). They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. While the persimmon fruit is not considered a "common berry" it is in fact a "true berry" by definition.

The sexuality of persimmons is particularly baffling. Some trees are male, some are female, some have flowers of both sexes, some change their gender in midlife, no doubt for personal reasons. Some are self-fertile, some need a pollinating tree. Some have no seeds. The most important distinction for the cook is that some taste horrid all the way up until the moment they ripen, at which point they become so soft inside they are like little jellied balloons. Others -- the so-called "non-astringent" types -- sweeten while still firm.

Folklore..
It is said that you can predict the winter by taking the seeds out of some persimmons and then slicing the seeds. The shape that shows up the most inside each seed will tell you what kind of winter to expect. The three shapes resemble three eating utensils.
A Knife shape means there will be a cold icy winter (as in the wind will slice through you like a knife).A Spoon shape means there will be plenty of snow for you to shovel.A Fork shape means there will be a mild winter

Culinarily, persimmons have fared less well. Many people remember their first taste as a form of persecution: an unripe sample offered by a teasing grandfather, a wicked older sister or the neighborhood bully. Had they persevered and tried one ripe, they might have grown up prizing them as much as the native tribes prized their Diospyros virginiana or the Japanese their Diospyros kaki.


If ever you get a chance try this fruit...its worth it! I am in love with this exotic fruit and you will see more concoctions here...soon.

I send this over to The Alchemist Chef's Valentines' Day Recipe Competition.

I share this with Trupti for her AFAM: Persimmon event, brainchild of Maheshwari.

Also in the second picture (from top), I made an A3 size, paper table mat for kids with mickey mouse cut-outs from a magazine. Its easy to make and can be disposed off. The kids enjoy it. I share this crafty idea with Shama for her 2009 Kids friendly crafts.

Austrian Walnut-Strawberry Torte

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.

~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

Its new year.. 2009 has officially unfolded itself. Like all true foodies, I begin this new year with 'sweet somethings'.
Thats the tradition in almost all Indian families..we call it "muh meetha karana". Loosely translated it means, 'sweetening the mouth'. Whenever there is a fresh start we celebrate it with sweetness...like I did when I started my blog. So in keeping with the tradition I made an Austrian torte.


A torte is a cake made with many eggs and usually ground nuts or even bread crumbs instead of or in addition to flour.Tortes are Central European in origin. The word torte is derived from the German word "torte", which was derived from the Italian word "torta", which was used to describe a round cake or bread.








I remember when I was a school going kid, my mum used to say that whatever I do on the first of January, I would keep doing that the entire year, so I studied well my favourite subject for sure, apart from having fun that is. I ofcourse was made to believe that then, but now it has stuck with me all these years. I still conciously try to do something nice , share smiles and have fun.
Hence, the torte comes as no surprise, given that I have never tried baking one ever. So something sweet and something different. (A good omen-probably I would be trying new and nice things this whole year!)









Austrian Walnut-Strawberry Torte

Ingredients-
For torte layers-
6 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups walnuts
1 cup fresh fine breadcrumbs
2 1/2 tablespoons your favourite brandy,(I used rum)
1/2 cup cocoa powder


For strawberry whipped cream-
1 cup heavy cream, well chilled
1 teaspoon strawberry essence
a pinch/dab of red food colouring
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

a few strawberries, chopped- for layering

For icing- (optional)
1 1/2 slab of dark chocolate (70% cocoa), it should give you half cup liquid chocolate when melted
1 tbsp softened butter
1 tbsp whole milk
1 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Method-

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture is doubled in volume and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted (about 5 minutes).

In a food processor or blender, pulse the walnuts with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until ground fine.
(Although coarsely ground worked fine for me. Only it becomes a little difficult when it comes to slicing the cake, but I prefer the 'surprise' walnut chunks in my mouth!)

Add the walnuts, the bread crumbs , cocoa powder and the rum to the yolks and fold gently.

In another bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg white just to stiff peaks.

Gently and gradually fold the whites into the yolk mixture.

Pour the batter in a greased 9" tin/mould and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 350°F oven, until the sides pull away from the pans and the tops spring back when pressed gently.
Cool on rack.

When cooled, slice the cake carefully in two halves to get two layers.
(Don't worry if the torte is a little crumbly, it is supposed to be that way.)


In a large, chilled bowl, stir together the cold heavy cream and the strawberry essence, food colouring and sugar. Beat until cream forms stiff peaks.

In a double boiler, melt the sugar, milk, butter and chocolate, till smooth and glossy.

NOW, place one half of the torte on your serving plate. Layer with the whipped cream.
Add the chopped strawberries next. Place the second layer of torte on top.
Pour the icing on top of the layered torte. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberry and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Feast all your five senses!! ;p

Heres' a little "interesting" something I read just recently while helping my sister on her school project work......

Before Luther there was no need for sugar in Europe, because there was an overproduction of honey. This traditional sweetener was a by-product of the apiaries, the main function of which was the production of wax for candles. This product was a monopoly of the Catholic monasteries and convents. Wherever these were closed or abolished, there emerged a market for something that, up to that time, had been a scarce luxury (that came originally from India): sugar. Coincidentally, the discovery and conquest of a New World in the tropics opened up the possibilities for the large scale production of sugar.It became the ideal component for the preservation of fruits.

Another by-product of the Protestant Reformation, due to the newly created scarcity of honey and widespread availability of sugar-cane, was obviously the large scale production of rum and other sugar-cane brandies like the Brazilian cachaça. Earlier brandies were mostly made of wine and, being quite expensive, were consumed only once in a while by aristocrats and the royalty.

This lovely dessert has often been the featured pastry at "Jause" --a lovely old German/Austrian custom of pausing in the afternoon for cake and coffee and conversation.

Cheers to 2009!

I send this over to Jugalbandi for Jai & Bee 's Click Jan '09- Red!

A REQUEST- Please vote for my 'Nut n Fruit Maalpua' here, if you liked it. Voting closes Jan 6th, 2009.

Blueberry and Papaya Syllabub...among other things!

"Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen." --Epictetus

One fine day, I was reading a newspaper article on blogs, when a thought crossed my mind-why don't I start writing my own blog.Express my thoughts..share it with the world and make new friends. I toyed with the idea for long and almost forgot about it for sometime.Laziness could be accountable for this.. (head hanging in shame).

For the benefit of my new readers; I dabble in quite a few things in life--adventure sports like bungy and sky diving, travelling, trekking, painting,craft work,playing my guitar,singing, gardening, reading (I may be called a book-worm), writing my heart out, capturing nature through my lens etc etc. So I had to zero in on one thing, for starters. However,I decided on something new that I had started doing--cooking!

I have never really visited a kitchen other than mine own (after marriage), except ofcourse when the frantic cries of my mum demanding that I help her in the kitchen and her constantly reminding me that I could not feed my husband and in-laws (in the future) solely on the know-how of making Maggi/instant noodles; did I ever set foot (read 'dragging my feet') inside the kitchen. So after marriage it was mostly experimentation...(and whatever little knowledge I had gained while helping mum) in my kitchen...my lab...and my hub,my lab-rat. (Pardon me Darling!)

When I started cooking ,quite surprisingly I found joy in it... revving up dishes for my dear hubby and watching him enjoy those dishes were worth all the effort I put. So I started challenging myself and making things he liked or were his favourites...any dish..any cuisine..any drink! This desire went onto a different level altogether after a couple of months...and I decided to share my passion and new found joys with the rest of the world...hence the blog Zaayeka.It means 'taste'...the taste of life!

This post goes out to all who helped me when I was starting out this blog. Although I am still fairly new (just over two months old) and taking baby steps, I think I have learned to crawl on my own. I would especially like to mention a few friends who were patient and kind enough to bear with my no-tech knowledge self and guide me through.

Sudeshna (Here I Cook), Deeba (Passionate About Baking) and Arundhuti (Gourmet Affair) are few of them, who literally held my hand. There are others who encouraged me, stood by my side, awarded my efforts and complimented me, I would always be thankful to them. A need to mention those lovely souls who followed me, subscribed my blog, my readers....the very reason this blog is what it is today. Guys you know I am indebted to you!

Hope I keep getting the love and support and I promise to give back ten times more ! :D

I would also like to thank those who have been kind enough to award me-Sudeshna, Andhra Flavours and Usha.

Food Buzz accepted me on its roll...an honour! Jenn had been kind.

On another note- Are any of you having trouble with my blog page loading taking quite some time, or you are unable to comment as its showing some error message. Do let me know please!

I ask because I have made some HTML chnages like disabling the right click option, with all the blog-lifting thats happening around ( a few friends who have suffered), I want to be safe than sorry!

To celebrate the beautiful friendships I made Blueberry and Papaya Syllabub today.





'Syllabub is a traditional English dessert, popular from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. It is usually made from rich milk or cream seasoned with sugar and lightly curdled with wine or cider.'

Blueberry and Papaya Syllabub

Ingredients-
1/4 cup washed blueberries
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp dessert wine ( I used a dash of citrus infused vodka)
1/3 cup caster sugar (depending on the level of tartness u want with the blueberries)
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup cubed/diced ripe papayas

Method-

Combine the sour cream, wine/alcohol, sugar, lemon rind and blueberries in a bowl. Whisk well.
Place half the diced papayas in a serving glass and spoon over half the blueberry syllabub. Continue layering with remaining papaya and syllabub. Serve chilled.

I am sharing this sweet syllabub, which was inspired/transpired while chatting with an English friend now residing in Georgia, so off it goes to Ruth (of Ruth's Kitchen Experiment) for her ongoing Bookmarked Recipes.

Cooking with Alicia & Annie--Banana Brownies

Knock! Knock!

Who's there?

Banana.

Banana who?

Banana split, so ice creamed.

Silly qoute...I know but kids are legally allowed to be silly. :-p This was what we cousins created/played with words when young, which I believe is way beyond the legacy of children today...atleast thats what I would like to think (sigh...!)

Bananas are so versatile. Almost anything and everything can have bananas in it...the fruit never gets wasted..just over ripe! Sweet or savoury , bananas' are a child's delight and a mother's worry eased, as it packs the nutrition required for growing children.

My hubby and I, together had made this Banana Brownie, sometime back, but didn't have the time then to post.(I can't recall ..what kept me away then.)

Here is the Banana Brownie recipe.

This is another great recipie from Annie's Candy and Fudge recipies.

It goes to Cooking with Alicia & Annie's Dec. Blog event.

Banana Brownies

Ingredients-

1 packet fudge brownie mix (any brand would do)

1/2 cup or less, lukewarm water

1/2 cup oil

1 egg

1/2 cup (1 med.) mashed ripe banana

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For Topping-

1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding

1 cup dairy sour cream

3/4 cup milk

Method-

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 inch pan.

In large bowl combine brownie mix, water, oil and egg; beat 50 strokes by hand. Stir in mashed banana and
chocolate chips. Spread in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 28 to 35 minutes.

DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Cool completely.

Topping is optional-

In medium bowl, combine topping
ingredients; beat 1 minute or until thickened. Spread over cooled brownies.

Garnish with banana slices dipped in lemon juices, if desired. Cut into bars.
Store in refrigerator.

In our efforts to control the waistline factor, we skipped the topping. ;D

I share this with JZ of Tasty Treats , who is hosting her very first event- Santa's Holiday Challenge.

Also, this goes out to Susan (of Food Blogga) for her Eat Christmas Cookies event. You can see a variety of other christmas goodies here.

Sinful Chocolate & Luscious Strawberries

"Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart."

This was the thought we girls were debating upon, while quite ironically biting into our fresh strawberry-chocolates. Yes, thats what we girls mostly do as many would agree--no matter what we talk about...food is part of the discussion and it is little wonder that we go weak in the knees when it comes to chocolate, when on the other hand we are so strong that we can take on the world. The most beautiful creation of God...although she was made with Man's rib,she has assisted the Gods with their demon slashing.. she is a heady concotion of both gentleness and ferocity.Thats the paradox of a woman,yet it is what makes her intruiging and ofcourse wonderful! (yes keep the cheering on..!)

I have been busy with family and friends (my sis-in-law was here with her friends and it was a girl gathering) lately.

Festivities and family/friends are synonymous. Both complement each other and its almost impossible to imagine either sans the other.So here I have my friends visiting us, for the holidays. Ahhh! Now you know why I have been away for sometime (hope I was missed ;-p).

I have been using the microwave/oven quite a bit lately. With so many girls,so much gossip and so little time. I just wanted a quick and sweet snack/dessert. (As my regular readers would know that I consider desserts are not to be confined to merely after-meal pleasures.)

The girl gang wanted to help me ...ahem! now well my kitchen isn't exactly big enough to accomodate so many girls(6). (There is a space constraint issue in Hong Kong appartments.)

Hence, I decided on chocolate dipped strawberries--which are easy, no-mess, no-fuss,can-be-made-in-the-comfort-of-the-drawing room and quick.

Working together was soooo much fun with the chatting-away-to-glory, no judging, no harm....just sheer joys of girly talks and melt-in-the-mouth choco-strawberries. Quite like the tangy-sweet strawberries and the warm-sinful chocolate. Awesome combination!



Chocolate-dipped Strawberries
Ingredients-
1 packet of semi-sweet chocolate chips (340 gm/12 oz)
1 inch butter cube
2 boxes of fresh strawberries (1 dry pint/8.08oz x 2)


Method-
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips with the butter knob.
Mix well to form a smooth, lump-free paste.
Wash and pat dry the strawberries with kitchen towel.
Now, carefully holding the strawberries by the greem stalk dip them in the melted chocolate and give them a swirl to coat the strawberries half-way through.
Place on a tray lined with cookie-sheet. (I made use of the paper-muffin cups for individual strawberries and easy handling.)
Chill for about 30-40 mins in the refrigerator and serve.


N.B. I saved only two for my hubby and (oops!) those are the ones I could click for this post, as the girls didn't have much patience.


This goes out to SriLekha (Me and My Kitchen) for her Event-of-the-Month-November-Sweets.
(Although I had expressed earlier my inability to participate in this event I could not be at peace with myself for not having been able to fulfill a friend's request, SriLekha. So here it goes to you.)

Sweet beginning...Rava Laddu

I am waiting for the moon and its still not anywhere in sight.Its 8.30 pm here and I have fasted for a total of 24 hrs now. I love the Hong Kong skyline...but tonight its blocking the much awaited moon from my view.Its Karwa Chauth today and I stay in Hong Kong. My second Karwa Chauth (the festival where Indian women fast the whole day long, for the longevity of the husband's life). In my case, my darling husband is also fasting....(although I did trick him into having breakfast, the only meal he has had for the day).Have already gone to the terrace twice and once outside on the road. Finally we decided to board the tram in search of "the moon"...and we did spot it at 10.45 pm. Did my ritual on the road crossing itself. Had the 'prasad' I had made.

Rava Laddu.
Here's the recipe-

Ingredients-
1 cup semolina
1/3 tin of condensed milk
a few raisins/sultanas to garnish
1 tsp of cornstarch
1 cup of milk
1/2 tsp of powdered cardamom
2 tbsp ghee for frying

Method-
In a deep pan, put ghee (clarified butter) and add semolina.
Keep stirring till the white semolina changes to brown in colour.
Note: Be careful to keep stirring constantly over medium flame or the semolina might burn and become blackish.
Once the semolina is browned, first add half the milk and then add the condensed milk and mix well.
In a separate bowl add the restof the milk and corn starch to form a liquid paste.
Now put this bowl of milk (with corn starch) into the semolina mix in the pan.
Add the cardamom.
Quickly mix everything together. The mix will be somewhat sticky.
Remove from heat. Cool. Then form small ping-pong sized ball, by rolling with hands.
Garnish with raisins. Serve.

N.B. These can be stored for a week in a tight jar.

Thats it for tonight's little episode.'-)